P. Smith won’t return to Tech
After two separate suspensions this past season, offensive tackle Phil Smith will not play for Georgia Tech in the 2012 season.
“(After) his violation of team rules at the bowl game, I think he and Coach (Paul) Johnson decided that it’s probably best for him to concentrate on his studies,” associate athletic director Wayne Hogan said.
Smith, a redshirt junior from Tampa, Fla., was a starter for the Yellow Jackets in the 2010 and 2011 seasons and started a total of 20 games in his career. He helped the Jackets lead the nation in rushing in 2010 and finish No. 2 this season.
Smith is on track to earn his management degree this semester and would be immediately eligible to play his final season at another FBS school if he enrolled in its graduate school.
Johnson suspended Smith for the first two games of the 2011 season for violating team rules. He sent him home from the Sun Bowl for breaking team rules in El Paso, Texas. At the time, Johnson called Smith’s actions “disappointing” and said that he would address further discipline after returning to Atlanta.
Smith split snaps with tackles Tyler Kidney and Ray Beno this past season. Those two players will return, along with every other offensive lineman on the roster.
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210 comments Add your comment
Italian_29
January 18th, 2012
5:19 pm
Man, I hate to see Phil get kicked off the team, but when you are a scholarship athlete you HAVE to follow the rules. I also hate to see some of the SO CALLED fans bash this young man. I hope he does graduate and then catch on with another program for his final year of eligiability and make you eat your words. “good riddence” REALLY after giving his blood, sweat, and tears to your program for two years that is how you treat him? Good luck in the future Mr Smith. THWGT
Go Jackets!
January 18th, 2012
5:21 pm
Wonder if your parents are proud of you WnE?
Go Jackets!
January 18th, 2012
5:23 pm
Italian, how many are making negative comments? I wish him the best.
5150 UOAD
January 18th, 2012
5:25 pm
Italian_29 I doubt that was a TECH fan actually. The TECH fan here are not happy but are not against Phil. Some of KNEW this was probably going to be the case after the El Paso thing.
Italian_29
January 18th, 2012
5:28 pm
Oh and Todd, if you are going to BASH this young man because of mistakes that he made, at least spell RIDDANCE right, in case you didn’t catch that in my post and based on what I can see from your post, you probably weren’t smart enough to catch it.
carolinajacket
January 18th, 2012
5:29 pm
I’m sure Phil is a great guy and I hope him well in the future, but a player has to think of his team before doing things that will hurt it. On a more positive side, I see that incoming freshman Michael Summers runs a 4.34 forty. That is flying.
Italian_29
January 18th, 2012
5:30 pm
Go Jackets it was directed at Todd in particular, but there are a few others that were bashing him when the Sun Bowl thing happened, they know who they are.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 18th, 2012
5:30 pm
Go Jackets, I wasn’t aware that worms had parents (meaning WnE)
GT All Day
January 18th, 2012
5:32 pm
Italian_29: What do you think about the QB situation next year? Who’s going to be our man?
Italian_29
January 18th, 2012
5:35 pm
You are probably right 5150, it is probably one of our unwashed, uneducated, backwoods trailer trash, fringe fans. I love the Bulldogs, but man, some of the “fans” drive me CRAZY. Of course, you guys have a few too. Good luck next season except the weekend after Thanksgiving.
Dawg Day Night
January 18th, 2012
5:38 pm
Italian_29: Who is bashing who now?….
Italian_29
January 18th, 2012
5:39 pm
Sorry GT All Day, I am not a Institute fan, but I think that the new kid, is it Day? Probably has the best chance. It definately should be between him and Vad Lee. They are a 100 times better than Washington was.
Go Jackets!
January 18th, 2012
5:40 pm
Italian, I figured he was done after the Sun Bowl episode. I did not say anything negative. I was only disappointed. I hope he can finish his degree.
Italian_29
January 18th, 2012
5:41 pm
I am bashing some of our fans Dawg Day Night, not a 20 something college student that probably did nothing that the ones bashing him didn’t do when they were in College.
Italian_29
January 18th, 2012
5:42 pm
Seems like he is on track to do just that, GJ. I hope he does, it will mean more for his future.
Justin Thomas
January 18th, 2012
5:45 pm
Check out this highlight film of our new QB: Kid is quick as a cat!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io21_dVAKUY
Italian_29
January 18th, 2012
5:47 pm
Oh, and I realize that you didn’t say anything negative towards him GJ, I was really targeting Todd, and a few others that were REALLY giving this kid a hard time when his second suspension came to light at the Sun Bowl. Still, like 5150 said, they were probably fans of the Dawgs, pretending to be Institute Fans, as much as it disappoints me to say that. Good luck on the upcoming season except for one game, I hope you guys are undefeated.
Go Jackets!
January 18th, 2012
5:48 pm
Supersize, if possible let’s try and leave WnE alone. I only asked him the same question he asked someone’s elses parents.
Go Jackets!
January 18th, 2012
5:50 pm
someone*
5150 UOAD
January 18th, 2012
6:04 pm
Cryptozoology now that ain’t no UGa Housing Degree. Get it Finished Phil and I hope you get your last yr of playing time.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 18th, 2012
6:10 pm
Pretty impressive video of Justin, but he can’t be doing any of that high-stepping into the end-zone. I don’t know what position he will end up playing at Tech, but he WILL play. I hope he wins all kind of honors and thumbs it in Saban’s nose too.
Garyl
January 18th, 2012
6:12 pm
A defensive lineman from Australia !!!!!! What did he tackle—kangaroos !!! Only thing from Australia was Crockadile Dundee and Air Supply…..
5150 UOAD
January 18th, 2012
6:17 pm
Garyl…….Air Supply?
Dude you lost you Man Card for a Week. You should have said Men at Work or Olivia Newton John
Garyl
January 18th, 2012
6:22 pm
Send me out with Phil Smith, forgot about my heart throb Olivia, never was into Men at Work. Still hard to believe an Australian DT or OG unless he’s related to Dunk.
OkieDawg
January 18th, 2012
6:35 pm
Well, best of luck to Phil Smith. I hope he learns from this experience. Why can’t these kids take full advantage of the opportunities they get from god-given talents. I really hope he lands on his feet.
Italian_29
January 18th, 2012
6:46 pm
Cool comment Okiedawg, I wish all of our fans were that classy, but alot of Tech fans were throwing out negative comments about Smith when he got suspended from the Sun Bowl. Phil seem to be one heck of a football player, but it seem that he is an even better student considering he is STILL on track to get his degree in Cryptozoology. Oh and 5150, just had to take that JAB didn’t you? You know not everyone is passionate about Cryptozoology and the housing industry needs people too.
Italian_29
January 18th, 2012
6:47 pm
should have been seemed to be one heck of a football player, not seem.
Italian_29
January 18th, 2012
6:49 pm
Of course, with your handle, I shouldn’t have expected anything better.
5150 UOAD
January 18th, 2012
6:57 pm
Italian_29 it was a lil hit. I don’t know what the hell you would do with that degree but I know it has to have more difficult classes than the Housing Degree. I would guess more Housing diploma holders are needed Cryptozoology Degree holders.
Jacket Man
January 18th, 2012
7:11 pm
Should get a couple of commits this weekend.
Rick James
January 18th, 2012
7:12 pm
What amazes me is that not one Tech fan has called this young man a thug.I guess that tag is reserved for Georgia players who also make mistakes.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 18th, 2012
7:16 pm
Rick James, he wasn’t involved in a DUI or, apparently, drugs of any kind, or any of the other myriad offenses for which the thugs in Athens have been implicated.
BIG DAWG
January 18th, 2012
7:21 pm
He is tired of playing with a bunch of losers. Maybe he will be able to join a winning football team.
Ga Tech Old Timer
January 18th, 2012
7:23 pm
Italian 29 – I don’t know whether to like you for your classy comments about the Tech program in general or call you an idiot for your thoughts and comments that brought you to this blog in the first place. I was one of the bashers of Phil – not only after both of his suspensions but after almost every game for all his boneheaded penalties in critical situations or missed blocking assignments which blew up the play before it ever got started. Only after you’ve sat in the stands at Grant Field as a season ticket holder – like I am and have been for many years or go to a great many away games – like we do – do you have the right to come on this blog to bash those of us who watch his uneven – uninspired play week after week and wonder why we don’t have somebody else better to put in his spot. What you fail to realize or connect is that his off the field attitude extrapolated to his on the field play. Phil may be the greatest – kindest – most thoughtful guy to put on a uniform at Tech – but something changed between his recruitment and the first time he was on the field that took a guy who was potentially a great player and made him into a nothing special player who was hurting the team more than he helped it. The same mistakes were made week after week – year after year. So, Italian 29, while I applaud you for your kind words about Tech and wishing us well (and by the way – I raise a glass to toast the UGA program on it’s past season and apparent awesome recruiting class) – I must ask you to tone down the retoric on Phil – at least until you’ve had a chance to watch and critique all the tapes of his performance over the past couple years – and then I’ll listen to what you have to say about him. In the mean time – good luck to you and the UGA team until we meet again next November.
BIG DAWG
January 18th, 2012
7:23 pm
GOOD LUCK PHIL,YOUARE BETTER OFF
Lol
January 18th, 2012
7:25 pm
Lol. Tech doesn’t have a cryptozoology major. He probably takes management like every other athlete at tech.
BIG DAWG
January 18th, 2012
7:25 pm
CAN PJ,LET HIM COACH A JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL TEAM
Genius Jacket
January 18th, 2012
7:26 pm
Let’s replace him with some young talent. Our recruiting class look pretty bad, but that’s normal under PJ.
BIG DAWG
January 18th, 2012
7:26 pm
FEEL SORRY FOR YOU GEORGIA TECH FANS
BIG DAWG
January 18th, 2012
7:28 pm
GENIUS JACKET YOU ARE RIGHT. CLASS LOOKS PRETTY WEAK,BUT IT MATCHES PJ
Supersize that order, mutt
January 18th, 2012
7:32 pm
Actually, the class looks pretty damn good
GT Man
January 18th, 2012
7:37 pm
At least PJ stoled a couple of players away from MTSU, Memphis and Arkansas State, also got us a 165 LB–under the radar–star, needed an extra waterboy to take gatorade to players during timeouts, but as PJ stated–dont need a kicker, more fun to kickoff to and watch special teams try to tackle runbacks.
Buzzzed
January 18th, 2012
7:38 pm
Thanks for you contribution Phil! Make the most of the degree.
GT Man
January 18th, 2012
7:39 pm
Supersize that order, class does look good as long as we compete with Duke, NCST, MTSU, Kansas and Western Carolina !!!!
reebok
January 18th, 2012
7:50 pm
Too bad. I hope the young man gets it together, graduates and goes on to have a great (non-football) career. Sure would like to have him blocking for Vad and the triple-option next year, though…
5150 UOAD
January 18th, 2012
7:57 pm
reebok why can’t he play more football?
michael
January 18th, 2012
8:01 pm
smith made a subconsious decision that he is satisfied and will move on. he will look back one day and regret it but on the other hand maybe he won’t let his future son do the same.
HighTech
January 18th, 2012
8:34 pm
GT Man
January 18th, 2012
7:37 pm
At least PJ stoled a couple of players away from MTSU, Memphis and Arkansas State, also got us a 165 LB–under the radar–star, needed an extra waterboy to take gatorade to players during timeouts, but as PJ stated–dont need a kicker, more fun to kickoff to and watch special teams try to tackle runbacks.
———————————————
PJ done stoled some more players this here year. lol.
Fan of the Game
January 18th, 2012
8:40 pm
Management degree, just what is that? Does it have anything t do with engineering. Congratulations on his getting his degree.
5150 UOAD
January 18th, 2012
8:59 pm
@Fan of the Game…………search GIT’s website and educate yourself. Don’t trust somebody to make you smart by telling you or make you dumber by lying to you. You have a Computer USE it to find out what a TECH MGT Degree involves.