Among teenagers in college, among Greek life and dorm rooms and around campus living, sexual assault is inevitably present.
And sports? They’re no exception. Some of America’s most highly publicized sexual assault cases revolving college campuses involve its athletes, specifically members of the school’s football teams.
Former FSU quarterback Jameis Winston was accused of sexual assault in 2012.
Sam Ukwuachu, formerly of Baylor, sexually assaulted a former Baylor women’s soccer player in 2013.
There are many others.
Never had I heard a UF athlete speak so candidly and honestly about the subject than UF football’s Jarrad Davis at last week’s SEC Media Days.
Davis had no agenda. There was no one he was ostracizing, no issue he was sidestepping. He was merely asked whether, in light of the sexual assault issues that have been prevalent among collegiate football programs over the past few years, UF players ever discuss it.
“As an athlete, as a student athlete, this is the way I look at it,” Davis began. “Each and every day I wake up and get out of my bed and go to work, I have a special opportunity right here. And yeah, I made it. My name’s gonna be on everything that I do. But my mom, my grandma, my grandpa, my dad, my teachers, my coaches, everyone played a part in me getting to this university, getting to where I am today.”
He went on.
“If I were to go out and jeopardize all the work and time that they invested in me, I mean, that’s extremely selfish,” Davis said. “And I wouldn’t want to waste that for a couple minutes or a couple seconds of just doing something that I know I should not be doing.”
And yes, he said, Florida does discuss these issues. Especially during the offseason, and especially now, a time where the welcomed distractions from the season and daily practices are still weeks away.
“This is where we have all of our free time,” Davis said. “We get constant reminders each and every week what we should be doing and what we should not be doing.”
If nothing else, credit Davis for speaking his mind and representing everything he stands for so well, for transmitting his message not as a holier-than-thou sermon but more of a thoughtful response.
After all, the message is coming from someone who knows what the opposite response could look like, one of ignorance and illusion, ignoring the fact that sexual assault, for one reason or another, has been too synonymous with college football lately.
“You got a lot of guys who are very egotistical,” Davis said. “A lot of guys who are really about themselves.”
And credit Jim McElwain, because the football team has had a largely quiet offseason in regards to sexual assault.
Why? Davis has an opinion.
“Coach Mac’s biggest rule,” Davis said, “is to do what’s right.”
Ian Cohen is the Sports Editor. Contact him at icohen@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @icohenb.
UF linebacker Jarrad Davis pursues FAU quarterback Jaquez Johnson during Florida's 20-14 overtime win against Florida Atlantic on Nov. 21, 2015, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
