UGA QB Mettenberger arrested in South Georgia (UPDATED)
Zach Mettenberger, a candidate to be the University of Georgia’s starting quarterback in the fall, was arrested on five misdemeanor charges over the weekend in the South Georgia town of Remerton.
Mettenberger, 18, was charged with underage consumption/possession of alcohol, disorderly conduct, obstruction and two counts of possessing fake identification, Remerton Police Chief Mike Terrell told the AJC.
The police report, obtained by the AJC, does not provide details about the circumstances surrounding Mettenberger’s arrest at 1:39 a.m. Sunday at the Flip Flops bar in Remerton, which is near Valdosta.
“I don’t have much available right now,” Terrell said in an e-mail. “We are still investigating the circumstances that led to his arrest.”
Mettenberger was transported to the Lowndes County Jail, according to the police report. He later was released on bond. He has a court date scheduled for April 27.
Under UGA Athletic Association policy, a conviction on an alcohol-related charge would mean a mandatory suspension of at least one game. Georgia’s season opener is Sept. 4 against Louisiana-Lafayette.
Mettenberger, from Oconee County, is one of three contenders for Georgia’s starting quarterback job. Rated the No. 11 quarterback prospect in the nation by Rivals.com in 2008, Mettenberger was redshirted as a UGA freshman last season and began spring practice last week in competition with Aaron Murray and Logan Gray to succeed the graduated Joe Cox as the starter.
The arrest came early in UGA’s spring break, which runs through this week. The football team is not scheduled to resume practice until March 16.
A UGA spokesman said coach Mark Richt was aware of Mettenberger’s situation and will be getting more information on the matter. Richt is out of town and would have no immediate comment, the spokesman said.
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617 comments Add your comment
thomp
March 8th, 2010
4:31 pm
I think he should start! Our football team needs a hellraising cheerleader ducking QB! This ain’t the glee club! Go Mets! Get Some! Go Dawgs!
Is Joe Namath such a bad guy in retrospect? Neither will Mets be…
ugaaccountant
March 8th, 2010
4:40 pm
The legal drinking age needs to change. If you’re an adult at 18, you should have full legal status in all cases. It’s laughable that you can buy a house, vote, join the army or get married but can’t drink a beer. It’s a shame he’ll be suspended, but perhaps this gives Murray the 1 game head start he needs to prove himself.
Señora Weeb
March 8th, 2010
4:41 pm
Mettenberger needs to be booted off the team and sent back home where his mama and daddy can watch over him and keep him out of trouble. The team can get by without this moron.
War Damn
March 8th, 2010
4:43 pm
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR EAGLE BITCHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tdawg
March 8th, 2010
4:45 pm
Personally the drinking age is a damn joke. You can vote, You can work, you can get married and have kids, you can even go to war and die for your country for crying out loud. You can do all these things legally before the age of 21.Yet you can’t drink, BS. Ever wonder why the drinking age is 21? I mean the real reason, not the BS the goverment tell’s you. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$, that’s right money plain and simple. How much money do you think the states and counties make on the consumption of alcohol by a person under the age of 21 law? I would’nt even venture to take a guess. I don’t remember ever voting on this law and now they snuck this super speeding law past us, you know the law that say they can stick it to you for going a certain speed on certain type road an extra $200. Don’t remember voting on that law either. How can they pass these laws without the public’s voting on them? People are worried that we are heading towards communisim. Hell people wake up your rights are not your rights anymore, they belong to the police, the state and the federal goverment.
Getting back to Mr Mettenburger. Kick his ass off the team. This kid knew the rules before he even set foot on campus. You agreed on these rules. You get a free education, Free room and board and free food I think. You purposley break the rules then you should lose all these things. You were given something that kids bust there arses off ever day to earn. And you want to throw it all away. I say sorry can’t trust you anymore, bye, bye, nothing but love though. I hear WalMart is looking, you might want to even try Alabama. Man I’m just sick and tired of these stupid over entitled brats these day’s. You may be a great kid, but you obviously don’t care enough about the concequences to make better choices for yourself so then why should we?
Tuscaloosa Stinks
March 8th, 2010
4:46 pm
Bama fans can make fun of UGA football all they want…thugs, can’t win the big game, no national championship since 1980, etc. BUT no matter what, at least we (1) don’t live in Alabama; and/or (2) didn’t go to school in backwards, stinky, half-witted Tuscaloosa. I hope you guys win 345790834 more national championships, but in the end, it doesn’t change a thing.
Tdawg
March 8th, 2010
4:49 pm
haha ……….. dead on right.
Hanky Panky
March 8th, 2010
4:51 pm
No need to call this kid a “thug.” He’s done the same exact thing 90 percent of us did in college/high school, and that’s underage drinking. Can’t blame him for getting caught at something we all did. Hopefully he’ll learn his lesson from this and help the rest of our QB’s get better this spring.
SaintsLSU
March 8th, 2010
4:53 pm
An SEC football player getting arrested…WOW, that’s news. LSU WR Terrance Toliver got cited for a bar fight in Baton Rouge this past weekend, so it’s not just you guys Dawg fans. Geaux Tigers!
ugaaccountant
March 8th, 2010
4:54 pm
tdawg –
1st – Do you really think Richt has a “no drinking” rule for the team? I don’t for one second believe he is that naive.
2nd – You mean to tell me you expect our football team to be rule bound on spring break? If they can’t relax during spring break, when exactly do you think they can have a day off?
College football is not a 365 day a year 24 hour a day perfection requirement. Nobody could live up to that.
Señora Weeb
March 8th, 2010
4:55 pm
Mettenburger is a perfect example of the entitlement mentality that so many top athletes have today. They’ve been coddled since they first showed some athletic talent, their grades were “adjusted” to keep them moving along, and they think they’re above the law.
So why does it surprise anyone that we have so many spoiled, undisciplined athletic thugs today.
Do the right thing, Coach Richt. Send this idiot home and let him watch the Dawgs on TV.
Hanky Panky
March 8th, 2010
5:00 pm
The self-righteousness on this page is disgusting. Like you people have never made mistakes in your youth? This kid is a Dawg. Let’s support him when he needs it the most!!
David
March 8th, 2010
5:04 pm
Bammers…after today’s visit to the White House, it’s time to forget about 2009 and the other 12 national title years….its a whole new season, so the 13 national title mean jack when it comes to this year. I’m certain the great Nick Saban has forgotten about last season and like all you bammers, just follow your leader like little sheep and begin echoing every single word, thought, and concept that leaves the lips of Saint Nick!
THUGA
March 8th, 2010
5:06 pm
The kid feels right at home @THUGA. As always that Hypocrite, Mark Richt will do nothing!
DAWG07
March 8th, 2010
5:09 pm
Don’t want my starting QB as the team leader to be one that is prone to get in trouble. Hope he can learn from this mistake and make amends. No more incidents to any degree. No sure what I would do. Maybe not take turn with first unit until season begins or not play until third game.
Then again South Carolina Quaterback was in trouble time and time again with no significant consequences. So maybe QB is not as Signifcant to
Anyway, hope the you guy makes amends and earns the trust of the team and has a great career. Thats my wish for him and the team.
Go Dawgs!
Browncoat
March 8th, 2010
5:09 pm
Sounds like he’s learned his lessons well and he’s ready to be a starter at UGA, lol.
Have you seen Reuben Houston?
March 8th, 2010
5:13 pm
If so you should probably call the police….It seems some of the GA TECH players have issues. At least Mett. didn’t try and sword fight the police, or say pull a gun on anybody…. Or try and blow up the bar… Some young men drink before they are legally able…It happens…he is a good kid, and he will be fine…
THUGA
March 8th, 2010
5:15 pm
THUGA! THUGA ! IT’S JUST GETTING STARTED @THUGA! MORE ARREST @THUGA! MARK RICHT HAS NO CONTROL @THUGA AND IT SHOWS!
vsublazers
March 8th, 2010
5:15 pm
@the defending national champions. A Bama fan calling another program crooks? what a joke
Danny G
March 8th, 2010
5:18 pm
Sounds like wrong place, wrong time. Drinking age was 18 when I was young. Should be 18 now, with extremely heavy penalties for DUI. It is stupid that you can join the Army and kill when you are 18, but cannot have a beer.
Dawg21
March 8th, 2010
5:20 pm
To all you Bama fans: Everyone knows that the toothbrush was invented in Alabama. If it had been invented anywhere else it would have been called a teethbrush.
Floundering Fox Hounds Batman!
March 8th, 2010
5:31 pm
Turn ot the lights the party is OVA !!!!! This is just plain stupidity. Doesnt he know that people tweet these days?
Since Vince
March 8th, 2010
5:33 pm
CMR needs to take this boy to the pool and then have a prayer meeting with him on the high dive. Bowling anyone???
Since Vince
March 8th, 2010
5:37 pm
BTW Coach BoBo said this kid was really improving with his foot work.. oh well just another prima donna wannabe.
Lisa
March 8th, 2010
5:42 pm
UGA fans…you really have no right to say anything about Alabama arrests. Y’all have lots of guys arrested. Now GT fans…we can make fun of you both. You have more arrests in one off season than GT has in 30 years.
ugaaccountant
March 8th, 2010
5:47 pm
lisa – The quantity of arrests doesn’t matter. What matters is the severity of the crimes. Nothing the UGA players have been caught doing has been a real crime, meaning something the public would vote today to have as a crime. People are sick and tired of living in a police state and we need to get rid of these trivial laws.
Dawg Tired
March 8th, 2010
5:49 pm
I love how these Bamer fans are all over an 18 year old kid drinking on spring break. They seem to have no problem with the fact that they had a coach who showed worse judgment and they presently have a coach who is a liar (”I will not be the football coach at the University of Alabama”).
Now to the real issue: This kid has shown amazingly bad judgment, although not as bad as Mike Price showed. I question his maturity, even for an 18 year old, in that he should know that as a player competing for the starting QB job on an SEC team that this would be big news. For all the other 18 year olds arrested on spring break it will be basically meaningless.
Pitbull
March 8th, 2010
5:52 pm
Sounds like the QB was drinking a beer and talked back to the cop.
Then the small town Barney Fife piled on the charges so he could stick it to the kid.
The more I see and hear lately, I now think cops are the enemy of the public.
Instead of “protect and serve,” they should put “antagonize and intimidate” on cop cars.
bigguy
March 8th, 2010
5:56 pm
All he needs is Remerton’s equivalent to Dalton’s judge Jack Partain and he’ll skate.
shane#1
March 8th, 2010
5:58 pm
Well, the kid blew it. First team practice reps are limited and, come fall, Mett will miss some reps. In a two QB race I give the edge to Murray, but Gray will certainly not switch to WR now. There are several things to consider here, 1- Mett will miss one game for sure, possibly three. Richt suspended Muzzy for an extra game for mouthing off at the cops when he was arrested for underage drinking so it will depend on whats in the police report. So the fall practice reps with the first team will be divided between Gray and Murray. 2- Bobo has been stressing making good decisions under pressure to the QBs in an effort to reduce turnovers. Guess who just flunked that test! 3- QB is a leadership posistion. A good leader NEVER does anything that could cause his people to lose their respect for him. Do the coaches still trust this guy to lead the team? So, Mr Mettenberger, you have humiliated your Mom in front of her bosses and co-workers, you have betrayed the coaching staff that trusted you, and you have let down your team mates. Most of all, you have let down yourself. Not many people have a chance to be the starting QB of a high profile football team. You may have blown your best chance to ever start a game at UGA.
ugaaccountant
March 8th, 2010
6:04 pm
And shane#1 has just humiliated himself in front of all the blog readers.
'94 Dawg
March 8th, 2010
6:08 pm
Hey Jacket Nation……REGGIE BALL went to your fine school. He could not even count to 5!!! Tech has “created” degrees other than math-based degrees to keep your dope dealing players on the field. And Bama athletes sell textbooks & commit fraud. What the heck our you people on this blog anyway? 30-24
CaliDogg
March 8th, 2010
6:08 pm
For those of you who can’t figure out what ZM was doing in Valdosta, check the map.
441 S. (Athens Highway) to 83 S. to Forsyth, and I-75 from there, through Valdosta (250 miles from Athens).
On the way to… Florida? Spring Break?
Thank goodness he was stopped before he could get to Daytona (or wherever he was headed). There might have been some underage drinking down there, no place for a college student.
While Zack was in Valdosta/Remerton, wonder if there were any UGA players sipping a cold one back in Athens? What do you think?
A College Guy Drinks Beer- Shocking??
March 8th, 2010
6:11 pm
Seriously. He likes to drink beer, he’s a college guy, where’s the problem here?
Hudson Mason--Yeah Baby!
March 8th, 2010
6:13 pm
I’d imagine Hutson Mason is a lock for the #2 to Aaron Murray now. Mett blew it–big time!
Gratefuldawghead
March 8th, 2010
6:14 pm
Pitbull You are correct and the Remerton Police Chief, Terrell, is a Huge Florida Gator! He will go out of his way to bust a UGA QB!
PauldingCO DOG!
March 8th, 2010
6:20 pm
IDK what the big deal is,hes just a noraml college student on spring break just let the kid have fun,you cant tell me that hes the only under age college football player drinking beer!
Georgia D
March 8th, 2010
6:25 pm
If you don’t drink in college, something’s wrong.
What's new?
March 8th, 2010
6:33 pm
Evidently the kid came for his visit to Georgia and saw all the fans sloshed to the gills and thought that’s the normal life in Athens. Non-issue as far as Richt is concerned.
Lord of the Lizards
March 8th, 2010
6:39 pm
Well, it’s almost 6:30 PM and I can’t say that I’m surprised that no one from UGA fanbase answered my question from my 12:18 PM post earlier today (page 3). I guess no one wants to look like a total hypocrite. Maybe I can answer that question for you then: the majority of you mutts would be calling on Meyer to kick the player off the team IMMEDIATELY and probably sent off to some Federal prison. You would be talking about “another Florida arrest” and how Meyer recruits thugs and tolerates the culture. You would already criticizing Meyer for only suspending him for half a game. But since he’s a dog, “everyone does it”, “he’s just a college kid being a college kid”, “it’s no big deal ’cause I’ve done it”, the “Remberton police force is crooked, out to get college students”, the “AJC is practicing yellow journalism”, and even the “police chief is a Gator fan”. Man, EVERY excuse you can imagine. HYPOCRITES!!!!!!
Vince
March 8th, 2010
6:39 pm
It’s no big deal. Hutson Mason was just buying him a few drinks and, well, things just got out of control.
SEC booster
March 8th, 2010
6:46 pm
Bama fans -
You lose all credibilty with your incessant BS on your so-called 13 Nat’l Championships. Read the below if you can understand it.
As for Obama and his reference to them, we all have seen in too short a time how he’s never let the facts get in the way of a good spin.
http://spittingfire.wordpress.com/2008/01/13/alabamas-12-national-championships/
col fot
March 8th, 2010
6:47 pm
hey techie tucker, so what? YOU need to expound that thug Houston, is he in prison yet? It’s just a matter of time. You must really get off when you report something on a UGA player, get real hoss!
UGAKev
March 8th, 2010
6:49 pm
i can name you some fine guys with character eho have played at uga ,david greene,david pollack,and d.j. shockley,also jeff owens to name a few,jeff owens was always going to the hospital to visit sick kids.you want find a finer coach with character tham coach mark richt.
to zach grow up or you will blow your uga chance and regret it the rest of your life.
UGAKev
March 8th, 2010
6:52 pm
i don’t recall any player at georgia trying to blind a player by gouging his eyes,that was pitiful gators.
remerton
March 8th, 2010
6:53 pm
remerton cops are always busting ppl…….rememerton is actually nothing but bars for most part and they have had running water for yrs even though it smelt like sulfur
shane#1
March 8th, 2010
6:54 pm
ugaaccountant, I can humiliate myself all I want. I am not competing for starting QB at UGA. I know college kids drink, I did it myself, but this was damn poor judgement! I feel for the kid, he will just have to take his medicine and work twice as hard to get another shot, at QB that is! Murray is competition enough without shooting yourself in the foot. The sad thing is that Mett may be the best QB of the three, but if Murray or Gray starts to click we may never know.
Sentientone
March 8th, 2010
6:57 pm
Well, looks like Aaron Murray will be starting, with Logan Gray a close 2nd.
remerton
March 8th, 2010
6:58 pm
murry is best of three and prob would of won job anyway mett would of been 2nd string
Lord of the Lizards
March 8th, 2010
6:59 pm
UGAKev…so that’s the REAL reason why this kid went out and broke the law?? Make that excuse #189.