Florida’s arrests under Meyer gain attention

Wilson pleaded no contest to charges of misdemeanor battery and discharging a firearm, received two years of probation and was required to perform community service and undergo a mental health evaluation. Meyer suspended him indefinitely. Wilson was arrested again in January 2008 on marijuana possession charges. The charges were eventually dropped, and Meyer allowed Wilson back on the team last August. But two months later, Wilson was arrested on misdemeanor battery and assault charges for allegedly hitting two people during a late-night birthday party. The case is pending.

Hornsby, who was charged with misdemeanor property damage and criminal mischief in April 2007 for allegedly throwing a man onto the hood of a car during a fight, was dismissed from the team after he allegedly stole a credit card from a teammate's girlfriend following her death and used it 70 times during a seven-month span. The charges were reduced to misdemeanors, and Hornsby accepted a plea deal.

Rickerson, who was suspended for the 2007 season opener following a possession of marijuana charge, was booted last November after police said he slapped his girlfriend, choked her and then covered her face with a pillow. The felony domestic violence charge was reduced to a misdemeanor, the court withheld adjudication and Rickerson was placed on two year's probation.

Florida maintains that Meyer was trying to help those players turn their lives around.

"Anyone who can't see his desire to influence young men positively and make them better citizens has no idea who he is as a coach and a human being," Foley said. "It is really easy to focus on negative issues and negative press. This is part of the world we live in and we understand this."

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Although Meyer rarely reveals punishment for players, Miller said the penalties can be stiff. He said players get all sorts of privileges revoked and have to do extra early morning workouts.

"You're not going to want to go out at night when you're getting killed at 6 a.m.," Miller said. "There are some guys who make mistakes and bounce back and come back a completely different person. There are others who keep getting into trouble and end up getting funneled out of the program.

"Kids are going to do what they want to do. It's college. He wants you to go have fun when it's time to have fun. But you also have to be smart about it. Obviously, you're never supposed to do anything stupid."

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