Ex-Florida officials: We wouldn't take Ukwuachu because of past
Although Baylor coach Art Briles maintains he did not know about Sam Ukwuachu's past history of violence against a woman at Boise State before accepting him as a transfer, at least one other school did.
Florida considered taking Ukwuachu in May 2013, but then-Gators coach Will Muschamp decided against it after a Boise State athletic department employee detailed Ukwuachu's troubles with a girlfriend, according to two former Florida athletic department employees.
That included the former freshman All-America defensive end's alleged physical abuse of his girlfriend and an allegation that Ukwuachu put his fist through a window while drunk at the couple's home, one of the ex-staffers said. (Ukwuachu was not charged in either incident.)
"There was no way," one of the former Florida employees told The Inside Read of Ukwuachu. "[Muschamp] wouldn't touch him."
Ukwuachu was convicted last Thursday of sexually assaulting an ex-Baylor soccer player in 2013 and was sentenced to 180 days in jail, along with 10 years of probation. Baylor has launched an internal inquiry into the matter, but Briles said in a statement that former Boise State coach Chris Petersen recommended Ukwuachu to him and did not disclose the defensive end's past, other than "team-related issues, insubordination of coaches and missing practice."
Peterson, now Washington's coach, said in a statement he called Briles and "thoroughly apprised" him of the circumstances surrounding Ukwuachu's disciplinary record and dismissal from Boise State's team in May 2013.
During Ukwuachu's trial, his girlfriend at Boise State testified that he punched her in the head several times, choked her, physically restrained her from leaving and had a violent temper. Ukwuachu denied those allegations.
"Just a bad situation," one of the former Florida staffers said. "It just wasn't good."
Ukwuachu also wasn't completely forthcoming with Florida about his relationship with his former girlfriend, the former Gators athletic department employee said. But the Boise State athletic department employee was clear about Ukwuachu's issues, according to the former Florida staffer.
Said the ex-Florida official: "There was absolutely no doubt."
Although Baylor coach Art Briles maintains he did not know about Sam Ukwuachu's past history of violence against a woman at Boise State before accepting him as a transfer, at least one other school did.
Florida considered taking Ukwuachu in May 2013, but then-Gators coach Will Muschamp decided against it after a Boise State athletic department employee detailed Ukwuachu's troubles with a girlfriend, according to two former Florida athletic department employees.
That included the former freshman All-America defensive end's alleged physical abuse of his girlfriend and an allegation that Ukwuachu put his fist through a window while drunk at the couple's home, one of the ex-staffers said. (Ukwuachu was not charged in either incident.)
"There was no way," one of the former Florida employees told The Inside Read of Ukwuachu. "[Muschamp] wouldn't touch him."
Ukwuachu was convicted last Thursday of sexually assaulting an ex-Baylor soccer player in 2013 and was sentenced to 180 days in jail, along with 10 years of probation. Baylor has launched an internal inquiry into the matter, but Briles said in a statement that former Boise State coach Chris Petersen recommended Ukwuachu to him and did not disclose the defensive end's past, other than "team-related issues, insubordination of coaches and missing practice."
Peterson, now Washington's coach, said in a statement he called Briles and "thoroughly apprised" him of the circumstances surrounding Ukwuachu's disciplinary record and dismissal from Boise State's team in May 2013.
During Ukwuachu's trial, his girlfriend at Boise State testified that he punched her in the head several times, choked her, physically restrained her from leaving and had a violent temper. Ukwuachu denied those allegations.
"Just a bad situation," one of the former Florida staffers said. "It just wasn't good."
Ukwuachu also wasn't completely forthcoming with Florida about his relationship with his former girlfriend, the former Gators athletic department employee said. But the Boise State athletic department employee was clear about Ukwuachu's issues, according to the former Florida staffer.
Said the ex-Florida official: "There was absolutely no doubt."
