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
Supersize that order, mutt
January 19th, 2012
12:42 pm
GMAB, you keep using GMAB and let him keep using “Give Me a Break” and there won’t be any confusion. You have found a good name, so let him keep his old one, and all will be cool. And on top of that, all of us who were here last night now have a new “friend”
GMAB
January 19th, 2012
1:46 pm
Thanks – BTW – the handle I’ve posted under most every other time under is – “GA Tech Old Timer” I should have stuck to that one – and would have last night had I not been such a hot head after reading 1 4 GT’s post and jumping to conclusions.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 19th, 2012
1:57 pm
ahhh, ok, I recognize that name. So have you decided yet which name you are going to use from now on, or at least for a while?
1 4 GT
January 19th, 2012
2:11 pm
GMAB. All is cool. For true, all was cool last night. I too recognize the “GA Tech Old Timer”. I too have become somewhat “perturbed” at people and their rants on here. I try to not let the butt sniffing mutts get to me too much now, but they sure make it hard sometimes, dang nigh impossible other times. Anyway, it would be nice to meet up sometime in the future. I plan to buy a season ticket this year and hopefully meet some more good Techsters. I’m gone for now. Shopping & such. UGGGGHHHHHHHH GOOOOOOOOOOOOO JACKETS THWG THWNO
Ga Tech Old Timer
January 19th, 2012
3:05 pm
Supersize – Probably the one that either keeps me out of the most trouble – or the one I can remember. I’m getting to that point in life where I’m becoming more forgetful and the little things start to bother me more – so it’s a toss up.
1 4 GT – Thanks for understanding. It would be great if we could all meet up sometime during a home game. I haven’t missed one in several years thanks to good health and a wife that indulges me in the long drives from Daytona to Atlanta every home game weekend. Season tickets are a hard sell unfortunately – but maybe that will turn around in the next year or two after we have some of those awesome recruiting years like we read about so much on here – from other state school fans.
My background as a Tech fan began going on 70 years ago when my dad would take me to the games to watch Dodd, Butts, Bryant and the like coach – and Tech play when the south end zone was a horseshoe I went through those years as a young boy scout helping to direct fans to their seats and then grabbing a seat in the aisle to watch the game for free – to the point now that I’ve retired and have the time to share each of those Saturday afternoons (Thursday evenings) as a season ticket holder with my fellow fans – and live or die on almost every play. I’m not that great with the remembering and spitting out the statistics of all the coaches and players over the years – but I can remember the good times as well as the bad times and how things fell apart from the championship years to the point of almost dumping the football program. I’m in the process of reading a great book written by Adam Van Brimmer entitled “100 Things Yellow Jacket Fans Should Know Before They Die” – The Ultimate Resource for True Yellow Jacket Fans. It is extremely well written (published in 2011) and up to date. It covers the whole football program from the early days until the current time and I highly recommend the book to anyone who is interested in learning about Tech’s history and what has brought us to this point. Just thought y’all would like to know if you didn’t already.
Eddie Mcshan
January 19th, 2012
3:22 pm
did he beat up some girl in a bar like jim lavin et al -unauthorized facial surgery on lisa steffe ?? Or will we ever know??
Supersize that order, mutt
January 19th, 2012
3:34 pm
Old Timer, you come up from Daytona for the games??? WOW, I am impressed. I only drive up from Augusta, and that’s tough enough sometimes. I’ll give you an email address (temporary one for initial contact) when I know we are both on here at the same time. That is how I have been able actually to meet so many of the other bloggers on here—-the real “Give Me a Break”, Delbert D., GT1971, UOAD, RAMBLEON!!!, juvenal, 1 4 GT, and a couple more whose names escape me right now. Maybe we can all get together prior to or during some games next season. I gather from what you said that you are in your 70s now; I am catching up fast….LOL
Supersize that order, mutt
January 19th, 2012
3:37 pm
Eddie, some of us DO know what Phil did, and it was nothing bad at all, but it was a repeat offense, and he had to go.
gt4ever
January 19th, 2012
4:57 pm
Hmmmmm, you really have to wonder what in the world happened….
Ga Tech Old Timer
January 19th, 2012
5:02 pm
Supersize – I’m 69 – Started going to games when I was 6 – so I guess 63 years is going on 70. Kinda like my momma used to say when it was time to get up to go to school – I was supposed to get up at 6AM and she’d call me at 5:30 telling me it was going on 6 and of course I’d think it was 5 till. Anyhow it’s a long time to pull for the White and Gold and shared the ups and downs. The get-together sounds good. We usually have a routine of eating at the Varsity about 1 1/2 hours before game time and then milling around with the north end zone crowd and watch the band as they come down the hill to the stadium or walking down to the book store. Seems like we should be able to fit a meet in there somewhere.
Yep – we drive up from Daytona and stay the weekend with relatives who live in the Chamblee area before heading back home on Monday AM. We take MARTA to the games when the relatives don’t want to go. Things sure have changed since back then when I was living a block from the Kensington MATRA station. This past year I felt so confident about Tech’s chances against UGA I went so far as to purchase a couple extra tickets for the relatives so we could all rejoice in the blood bath I was sure to happen. Unfortunately, it was our blood and the best thing I could think of to say about that day when it was over was – we all had good seats – the weather was good – and I can’t wait until I get back to the house for some home made Turkey Ala King left overs. We’ll surprise the Dogs next year!! Can’t wait!