Update: Three more Tech players suspended – for a half
John Dewberry helped Bill Curry win in Athens in 1984. The QB was no help in Birmingham in 1985. (AJC file photo)
Update: Georgia Tech announced Sunday that three more players — defensive Anthony Egbuniwe and defensive backs Michael Peterson and Louis Young — has been suspended for the first half of Monday’s Independence Bowl. They broke curfew in Shreveport, which I believe trumps John Dewberry’s curfew-breaking in Birmingham in 1985 for sheer ingenuity.
It’s that festive time of the year when Georgia Tech lets us know which of its players won’t be playing in a bowl game. The Jackets arrived in scenic Shreveport on Thursday, just in time to offer the following release:
Shreveport, La. – Georgia Tech announced today that four football players, including two who have already earned their undergraduate degrees, will not play in Monday’s AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl because of various academic issues.
Senior defensive end Robert Hall and senior linebacker Anthony Barnes are ineligible to compete in the game against Air Force under NCAA academic guidelines. Sophomore wide receiver Stephen Hill and senior safety Mario Edwards are both ineligible for not meeting Georgia Tech academic requirements.
Of the four players, Edwards and Hill were listed as starters on the Yellow Jackets’ most recent depth chart.
A few questions: How can you earn your degree and still be academically ineligible? Has any Jacket had a more disappointing season than Hill, who was touted as the next Demaryius Thomas but who hasn’t played well and now won’t play in the bowl game at all?
There’s a time-honored Jacket tradition of players getting docked for the postseason. Usually it’s the quarterback: John Dewberry was suspended for the All-American Bowl in 1985 for breaking curfew in Birmingham, which is tough to do, and in 2006 Reggie Ball was declared ineligible for the Gator Bowl, which brought a strange career to its inevitably strange end.
These latest suspensions constitute just another installment in an ongoing Tech saga. On the bright side, the Tech Four won’t be remembered as the most egregious college football development of Dec. 23, 2010. That dishonor belongs to five Ohio State Buckeyes, chief among them quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who were suspended for five games of the 2011 season — though not for the Sugar Bowl — for NCAA violations that include receiving improper benefits from …
A tattoo parlor. Seriously.
By Mark Bradley
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372 comments Add your comment
Yellow Britches
December 24th, 2010
12:49 pm
The suspensions of defensive players won’t matter a twit. Orange cones placed randomly on the field would be as effective.
Alabama Jack
December 24th, 2010
1:06 pm
Dear Santa
All I want for Christmas is a ban on dumb delusional irrelevant dawg fans having access to any computer or other crap transmitting device for the upcoming year.
Thank you very mch.
ManUp...
December 24th, 2010
1:15 pm
Can’t we at least wait until kickoff to begin the self-destruction. And I was sure this year we would at least keep the off-the-field issues down enough to keep the fingers pointed at the players in Athens and everywhere else. Now we got kids that didn’t pass enough hours. Ah well, maybe this can be a trend – like, hey, football teams from Alabama play for champiosnhips then go on probation while the ones from Georgia just mix in a little bit of winning and losing with questionable activities. Or ya know…whatever it is that this all means.
Well regardless the “weather” Go Jackets!
JoeFan
December 24th, 2010
1:18 pm
Does it make any sense for Ohio State to claim the players haven’t been educated regarding NCAA Regs. when they have a manadatory compliance meeting each year and most of these players have been there 3 seasons? Looks like the rug is getting bumpy with everything being swept under it.
Da Boze
December 24th, 2010
1:23 pm
At least these are not criminal offenses like some schools we know.
JoeFan
December 24th, 2010
1:27 pm
Why was it not mentioned that 2 of the Tech players have graduated and simply didn’t have enough hours this semester post graduation to remain eligible? Also the other player is set to graduate next semester. This is a prime example of not reporting the complete story and instead focusing on the negative. Do the research next time.
D A Double U G
December 24th, 2010
1:42 pm
Can you imagine the outrage that will ensue if these Ohio State players get their sentence reduced.
I heard the Ohio State AD yesterday say in his Presser “These kids were selling their property in order to help their families”….. YEAH RIGHT!!!!
The money these kids made were immediately spent on rap albums and shiney, gaudy necklaces.
If I recall, UGA appealed AJ’s sentence, to no avail. I hate to take the “eye for an eye” approach, but I would for one be VERY upset if the sentence is reduced to ANYTHING less than 4 games.
GO DAWGS.
College fan
December 24th, 2010
1:48 pm
A Tech Tradition? Really? Who is printing this crap. Must be the Athens Journal Constitution. Reminds me why I cancelled my subscription.
Myers
December 24th, 2010
1:55 pm
The TRUE Tech tradition is being beaten by UGA most Thanksgivings.
5150 P.O.A.D.
December 24th, 2010
2:01 pm
DA double UG
4 of the OSU player will go pro and this will not affect the Buckeyes one bit. You really need to chill. You were all worked up all day & night. don’t you have other things to do with Christmas just a day away?
GT Fan...
December 24th, 2010
2:05 pm
Don’t forget about the NINE players suspended for the 1st Bowl Game vs. Fresno State (30 – 23 loss) back in 200?, Under Gailey’s watch.
The Ole Ball Coach
December 24th, 2010
2:24 pm
http://oversigning.com/testing/index.php/recruiting-numbers/
write something about the team that oversign recruits and then kicks off the low performers
is this not like the pros? NCAA Is this not an advantage ?
PapaDawg
December 24th, 2010
2:26 pm
WHAT, all rightious GT with acadimic problems. HMMMM
dawgfan
December 24th, 2010
2:26 pm
Okay, the timing argument was a little off. Sue me. Nevertheless, I’ve noticed a lot of talk out of the Techies about Ohio State and of course their big brother to the east, UGA. Sweep sweep lying Techies. Its obvious that you’re own joke of a half azz football program doesn’t have its own affairs in order. Yet, here you are popping off at your fat mouths about others. If you weren’t such sanctimonious holier than thou D-bags Bradley probably wouldn’t have written this column in the first place. You bring this on yourselves.
Just keeping it real. Dont’ get mad.
5150 P.O.A.D.
December 24th, 2010
2:44 pm
It can’t be explained to the UGA fans on here. 2 of the players didn’t FAIL out. They alreay GRADUATED. You dawgs do understand GRADUATING from college don’t you? I mean all you dawgs went to UGA and attend classes right. A 3rd player will graduate in a few months. I know it is hard to believe football players actually graduating but at TECH it does happen quite often. I hate that graduating may hurt the TEAM in the bowl game, but it beats being all out for yourself and hurting the team on purpose ie AJ Green, Zack Mettenburger, King, and Ealey.
LAST
December 24th, 2010
2:49 pm
So much for the Institute of Higher Learning!!!!
NoLion
December 24th, 2010
2:50 pm
For the record, Everyone has pulled a DUI in Athens, that’s how they get their revenue…
UGA89
December 24th, 2010
2:53 pm
GT 35
UGA 18
…remember it well, best day of my life between the hedges.
UGA finished 6-6 this season …heh heh heh
Tech has played in two conference championships, won one conference championship, played in a BCS bowl and racked up a gazillion rushing yards on the 4-star athletes down the road in Athens, in the last four years. What the heck has UGA done during that time?
..chirp, chirp, chirp
That’s what I thought …THWG
still@the bar
December 24th, 2010
3:08 pm
A UGA football player just read the December Cosmopolitan cover to cover. He is now a graduate of Consumer Fashion Magazine degree at UGA It is a BA. Damon Evans was trying to get a Masters Degree in the same field when he was arrested.
gt4ever
December 24th, 2010
3:17 pm
This is a good time for CPJ to hire Ralph Freidgen and discontinue this ABSURD offense…….. CPJ can hire a good recruiter and start recruiting real football players so we can be competitive one day…I can dream…..
still@the bar
December 24th, 2010
3:28 pm
gt4ever give it up. Did you see Navy and it’s passing game? TECH will pass and can do it well. The Offense is fine. The Defence is where TECH needs more and Bigger players.
Myers
December 24th, 2010
3:38 pm
And Navy put up a WHOPPING 14 points last night to SD State with that steller passing game……
just saying…..
Myers
December 24th, 2010
3:39 pm
Navy lost.
gt4ever
December 24th, 2010
3:40 pm
Still@the bar,
Have one for me….. Navy is a fine institute…. Not one I would like to be comparing football programs, unless of course we have given up on competing in big time football…. I was hoping for a team that competes on a national level, maybe I’m dreaming… Those days of the 50’s were a long time ago… The offense is NOT fine, we have NO blue chip players that want any part of this offense. Good grief, just chart the progress in recruiting from when CPJ started until present… It’s NOT hard to figure out that the trend is DOWN! I mean, somebody prove otherwise… It’s not going to be pretty in a couple of years…
From Where I Sit
December 24th, 2010
3:42 pm
I like it how you deleted my comments, MORON!
still@the bar
December 24th, 2010
3:46 pm
gt4ever I used Navy because that is paul’s last job. Nebraska still runs the option a lot and they play big boy football.
dawgfan
December 24th, 2010
3:49 pm
Maybe on the scoreboard Myers, but since when has the scoreboard ever mattered to a Tech fan? I’m sure Navy put up some impressive stats and played valiantly in their big Moral Victory.
still@the bar
December 24th, 2010
4:00 pm
dawgfan the Football Scoreboard is all that matters to a DawgFan. NAVY has men of integrity and character playing a game for the love of the game. Unlike dawg players playing for a chance to get out of the ghetto and what they can get for themselves. You know like AJ GREEN. He needed $1000 so he slod his jersey instead of the ICE he wears in his ear.
BuzztheKiller
December 24th, 2010
4:05 pm
Only thing this demonstrates is that Tech actually holds it players to the rules and doesn’t try to get around the standards. Somehow this is being projected as a negative. Not much of a lose, at least we are not being subjected to watching Hill drop more passes.
JD
December 24th, 2010
4:24 pm
So over the past 14 straight bowl games you have Reggie Ball and the ones this year. Is that considered a “time honored tradition”? I guess using the UGA logic it is. Get real Bradley!
still@the bar
December 24th, 2010
4:32 pm
why did that post get eaten?
still@the bar
December 24th, 2010
4:34 pm
great 300 high school and middle school students engage in a drunk’n brawl in Athens. Glad to see the next generation of UGA students are getting an early start on being drunk and stupid.
dd
December 24th, 2010
4:39 pm
How would you like to have to walk around the g/t campus dodging thugs and looking at their women?
still@the bar
December 24th, 2010
4:45 pm
dd
What is the difference in Athens? Walking around campus dodging student/Athletes Thugs and looking at their lil tramp women?
Mark Bradley`s Booster
December 24th, 2010
5:09 pm
Mark: Why do you allow so many responses that have nothing at all with your story to be posted. Do have a problem with this or is it o.k. with you. I did not count the number of irrevalant post but I conservately guess that close to 50% are in this class.
Sic' 'em
December 24th, 2010
5:13 pm
This all happened because Georgia Tech fricking S U C K S!!!!!!!
Blah ha ha ha blah ha ha ha L O S E R S !!!!!!!
82Dawg
December 24th, 2010
5:33 pm
@still@the bar ..in Athens you have High School kids fighting each other, at Ga Tech you have students worried if they go outside at night they could get killed. I think I would take the teenagers.
the answer
December 24th, 2010
5:40 pm
Regarding the two who graduated; once the s/a graduates with remaining eligibility, they must either be enrolled in a graduate program or in a pursuing a second undergrad degree. So these two, since not in grad school, would have been enrolled in a second undergrad program and would have to be full-time with a minimum of 12 hours. In order to stay eligible, they would have had to pass a minimum of 6 hours, which they obviously didn’t.
Not sure what the issues with the other two s/a’s were. Most likely they were already on ‘warning’ for their academic standing and did not perform better this fall semester, with moved them to probation. But it is a mistake to believe that GT requirements are above and beyond NCAA requirements. That simply is not true.
still@the bar
December 24th, 2010
5:51 pm
Apple pie just out of the oven. Sweet Potato Suflas is half cooked. Add the Carmalized Pecans and Corn Flakes tomorrow and finish cooking. Dressing is ready to bake. Crown Roast is pre prepared. Sis is making the Bread, Green Bean Cassrole, and Pecan Pie. Don’t know what the other sis in making.
82Dawg
December 24th, 2010
5:53 pm
@still@the bar …drunk fighting teenagers in Athens vs Muggers and Killers around the Tech campus…hmmm I will take the teenagers anyday. Merry Christmas
still@the bar
December 24th, 2010
6:02 pm
82dawg if students at Tech would pay better attention the muggers can be avoided. The Drunk kids driving in Athens you find after they hit somebody. Both are very dangerous.
BoWeevil
December 24th, 2010
6:42 pm
QUIT with all your excuses
Georgia tek has FOUR (4) Football Players who FLUNKED their way out
Paul in RDU
December 24th, 2010
6:53 pm
BoWeevil – What is your definition of “flunking out”?
BoWeevil
December 24th, 2010
7:20 pm
2 declared kicked-off the team by the NCAA
2 declared kicked-off the team by Georgia tek
BoWeevil
December 24th, 2010
7:20 pm
Any more stupid questions, Paul ?
techfans get a clue
December 24th, 2010
7:21 pm
Tech fans stop the excuses anybody who has played college sports knows that you must take the min amount of classes or credit hrs to remain eligible so whether those two seniors failed their classes or not they didnt take care of their business so point the finger at the players or the athletic dept but either way it goes somebody dropped the ball! So tech fans face the facts your program isnt as perfect as you make it out to be!
still@the bar
December 24th, 2010
7:23 pm
BoWeevil
You are STUPID. Hall and Barnes garduated with a Civil Engineering Degree and a Management Degree. How is that Flunking Out? Damn you are freaking too DUMB to even read and understand a simply written story. Edwards may wish to retake a class but he will graduate in a few months.
Paul in RDU
December 24th, 2010
7:23 pm
BoWeevil – Any more stupid answers?
What is your definition of “flunking out”?
Paul in RDU
December 24th, 2010
7:37 pm
techfans get a clue @7:21
You are correct – the 4 players did not do what was necessary to maintain eligibility and have paid the price. The 2 graduates in particular should have known better – heck Matt Leinart took one class in his final year (he was a 5th year SR) to maintain his eligibility. The GT program isn’t perfect, but then again no CFB program is perfect.
Covers Dixie like the Dew
December 24th, 2010
7:44 pm
1984 was a very good year, no cellphones, no internet, no stress.