Gator officials fly to meet with Kelly Bulls’ Dingle suspended after arrest
GAINESVILLE — The Florida Gators’ pursuit of Chip Kelly picked up steam on Sunday.
UF athletics director Scott Stricklin and school president Kent Fuchs were among a group of six who flew to Portsmouth, N.H., Sunday to meet withKelly.
Stricklin and Co. flew out of Ocala early Sunday afternoon and arrived late Sunday night. Kelly was not with them.
“We’ve got a process we’re going to,” Stricklin told reporters. “There will probably be some more productive conversations in the days ahead.”
Whether those conversations lead to Kelly becoming UF’s next head football coach is unclear. On Sunday, UCLA fired JimMora Jr. after six seasons to open a job that also might appeal to Kelly, who made his name coaching in the Pac-12 at Oregon.
The 53-year-old Kelly, a New Hampshire native, is currently an ESPN football analyst after a failed one-year stint in 2016 with the San Francisco 49ers.
Asked on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” about his interest in the Gators’ job, Kelly joked, “Is this yourway of firingme?”
Kelly then said whoever becomes the Gators’ next coach “will be really lucky.”
Some internet reports already have tabbed Kelly the Gators’ next head coach once contract details are ironed out and assistant coaching options are vetted by UF.
Speculation of Kelly’s imminent hire ramped up last week, with speculation he was on a flight to Gainesville. Kelly said he instead spent lastweek inNewHampshire.
Next game: UF vs. FSU, Saturday, Noon, ESPN
Edgar Thompson
USF freshman receiver Kevaughn Dingle, arrested Friday on a felony sexual-battery charge, remains on the team but has been suspended, coach Charlie Strong saidMonday.
“Right now he's suspended ’til we get all the details and see exactly what happens,” Strong said on the American Athletic Conferenceweekly coaches teleconference. Strong said he hasn’t spoken with Dingle. The alleged incident occurred Thursday at noon on campus between Dingle and an acquaintance, aUSF Police Department release said. Dingle, being redshirted this season, was released on a $7,500 surety bond Saturday night, according to Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office records.
He's the second Bulls player to be arrested on sexualbattery charges in sixmonths. InMay, former defensive end LaDarrius Jackson was arrested twice in 10 days on charges of forcing two women to have sex. Jackson was dismissed fromthe team.
Senior quarterback Quinton Flowers has two major school records ones within reach when the Bulls play Friday atUCF.
Flowers needs only 96 yards to break Matt Grothe’s school career total yardage record(10,875). With146rushing yards, he’ll eclipse former teammate Marlon Mack’s alltime rushing yardage mark (3,609).
“I'm not surehowtough it’s gonna be [to stop him],” UCF defensive tackle Jamiyus Pittman saidMonday.“We’re all just gonna go out here and stay in our rush lanes and see if we can contain him.”
JoeyKnight, Tampa Bay Times