De'Andre Johnson's Suspension Puts FSU on Brink of Dangerous Reputation

Urban Meyer understands the predicament toward which Jimbo Fisher is inching closer. He knows precisely how difficult it can be to control an image that—no matter how hard you try, no matter what proclamations are made—can turn against you over time.

Back in July 2013, coming off a slew of off-field run-ins at Ohio State—including one involving the team's star running back, Carlos Hyde—Meyer took to the podium at his second appearance at Big Ten media days, knowing full well what awaited.

The reputation he earned at Florida had jumped in the sidecar and made the trip with him to Columbus. His response put him under the spotlight and incited a flurry of questions shortly after regarding his handling of these events.

"How do I view my own reputation? I don't view my own reputation," Meyer responded. "I guess a reputation is what others think of you. I worry more about our team, about our players."

Fast-forward 23 months to a different program and a different coach—albeit experiencing a similar, engrossing spotlight. Florida State and Jimbo Fisher have experienced undeniable football success over the past few years: Business is booming. The team is thriving, and it will be good for a long time to come.

But along the way, the reputation—fair or not—has endured a radical transformation from the success on the field and certainly in recruiting. As a result, after the most recent off-field incident involving a player who has yet to play a down, Florida State finds itself—fair or not—teetering toward a label no university ever wants to acquire.

The Seminoles, according to Warchant.com, have suspended freshman quarterback and early enrollee De'Andre Johnson indefinitely. Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com reported that 247Sports' No. 11 dual-threat quarterback allegedly punched a female student at a Tallahassee bar following an altercation Wednesday night.

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There is still much to be determined, although Fisher's actions are revealing. He is simply doing precisely what needed to be done. While Johnson's football and academic fate at the school he just arrived at will likely be decided by information still to be revealed, the swift nature of the suspension indicates how serious the school feels the charges are.

This is not the only Florida State quarterback who has generated website headlines over the past few years. Jameis Winston, the Heisman winner and first pick in the 2015 NFL draft, generated his own off-field headlines when he was the focus of a sexual assault allegation.

It's worth reiterating, however, that Winston was never charged with any crime. That part is critically important. His tenure at the school was complicated, as was the local police department's course of actions during this time.

These two should not be grouped together. These are not related incidents, and one has gone through the legal gauntlet. But that won't stop the masses from viewing these matters together, side by side, making an unfair connection and establishing conclusions of their own.

Taking this theme one step further was a recent ESPN Outside the Lines investigation, which examined a select number of schools' histories in legal situations. The goal was to uncover whether the preferential treatment of student-athletes—mainly football and basketball players—existed:

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Florida State had the second-highest number of athletes named in criminal allegations: 66 men's basketball and football athletes. In 70 percent of those incidents, the athletes never faced charges, had charges against them dropped or were not prosecuted. By comparison, cases ended up without being prosecuted 50 percent of the time among a sample of crimes involving college-age males in Tallahassee.

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There are many ways one can dissect the information obtained. For starters, preferable treatment for athletes is not simply a problem in the state of Florida.

Elsewhere, in places guarded by legislation protecting this information or at schools that simply did not make the ESPN investigation, one would likely discover similar percentages and findings. Singling out a handful of schools paints a fascinating, incomplete picture.

But again, that does not change the fact that Florida State has been singled out once more. The data was not manufactured; the numbers are real, even though they can be processed differently.

While the negative publicity of the past few years is not by any means definitive, it does cast a shadow over a great deal of good being accomplished. The early details surrounding the team's young quarterback, at least in their infancy, add to a troublesome pile.

And yes, the protectors overseeing it all have not exactly instilled confidence, to say the least. One could argue that the general public's view of the incompetence of the police department is a far bigger story. It would be hard to argue against.

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Trying to collectively determine what it all means is where things get complicated. If you have no ties with the program, the level of disgust is rising. If your closet is filled with garnet and gold, you're likely disgusted with disgust; you're lashing back against the backlash.

Certainly, however, Florida State is approaching a threshold, a place that is cause for some concern. Perhaps, in your mind, it's already there. That's not to say Jimbo Fisher should be fired—he shouldn't—or that we should gather up our pitchforks and flock to Tallahassee.

That is a take too hot for consumption.

These are separate issues involving young people who deserve a delicate touch. When viewed together, however, they—fair or not—paint a picture of a university and city in the midst of troubling times.

Perhaps the most curious part of all of this, however, is that business will continue to thrive. Any public outrage that exists, at least right now, will have no impact on the bottom line or performance.

The state of the football program, public reputation be damned, is at an apex. High school stars aren't the least bit concerned by these stories. The Seminoles currently have the nation's No. 2-ranked recruiting class for 2016, according to 247Sports. The 2015 recruiting class ranked No. 3 nationally.

There is momentum being bottled, stored and saved for later.

The outrage and turmoil are not internal. The head coach is by no means a villain. Florida State is not the only power program with young players making poor decisions after hours and questionable law enforcement serving as the backdrop. This is a theme that has lived on through a sport familiar, unfortunately, with negative storylines.

Look around elsewhere, and you will find similar transgressions that can be grouped together and packaged.

With that fully in the open—and with Winston's complicated history taken fully into consideration—Florida State is at a tipping point of sorts. Not at a place where things are so bad that they begin to hurt the bottom line, but at a place where public perception drains to a point where negative headlines are anticipated.

Public perception, of course, is dangerous in itself. The viral nature of seeing a few catchy news items and grouping them together is easy and familiar. It can also be—fair or not—incredibly powerful.

There is no easy answer to this. In reality, an outsider's opinion or call for change really doesn't matter as long as the power is fully operational. But if the public is tasked with shaping the reputation of the program, the task of doing so has certainly become more challenging of late.

Adam Kramer is the College Football National Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Unless noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand.