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
Just the facts sir
March 8th, 2010
11:44 am
Bama really?
You need some perspective. Sure Bama had Jimmy Johns and one other player who committed a felony. Both were immediately dismissed from both school and the team. Everyone has a bad apple or 2. The difference over all between discipline at Bama vs UGA is nothing short of astounding. Saban cleaned up all the bad apples in his 1st year in 07. In 08 and 09 we’ve probably had a grand total of 2-3 players arrested. Over the same time span UGA has had 15 or more players arrested. Seems like its a daily occurrence with the dawgs. Over the past 3-4 years its been something like 25 players arrested for UGA and not even half of that for Bama.
You can always point to one or 2 serious infractions by Jimmy Johns and one other player. But in terms of pure overall numbers of players getting in trouble with the law you guys have us beat by a mile.
It just a fact sir so deal with it.
Bill King is a ..................
March 8th, 2010
11:44 am
GRATEFUL DAWGHEAD……Where are you on this subject?????????? GDH and I live in Valdosta and Remerton is a bad on college students. I was told this morning that ZM and some others were getting a little rowdy in the bar and when the bouncers told them to leave…..thats when the situation got bad. They were drinking just like most of us on this blog were doing when we were his age. I really dont think suspending him and taking away his shot at QB is the right punishment. Make him run and run and run. I really think he has prolly learned his lesson already. AND BTW……TUCK the Remerton PD.
A class of 71 & 73 UGA comment about big Zack
March 8th, 2010
11:44 am
Raised two kids in the 90s and early 2000s. Did not have this to deal with ………lucky, I guess. Both are ultra successful in their respective careers, but both did some stupid things like this.
One down and two QBs to go. We may have to go with Rambo, who played in HS. Aaaahahaha
Go Dogs.
SOOHSO
March 8th, 2010
11:44 am
More thUGAgs!!!!!!!!
Lilburn Dawg
March 8th, 2010
11:45 am
Is it starting again already? I had hoped we had seen the last of this type of publicity from Athens.
SouthGaBrave
March 8th, 2010
11:45 am
No, not white breed, bama Bubba, “white bread” is an expression. Would preppy white guy have been a better way to put it for you. Sorry to ruin the illusion for you, I know you were so excited to bring race into the picture. The law is color-blind when it comes to stupid offenses such as this. Maybe your mind is still a little fuzzy from the site of Mount Cody’s manboobs jiggling at the combine.
Shane
March 8th, 2010
11:46 am
They are too busy studying, even on Spring Break.
LOL Good one. Truth is this stuff goes on especially at spring break. Hell I had a fake ID too when I was in high school. We all did. There was a kid down the street that made em for 20 bucks.
He also is not the first kid to drink a beer before he was 21. I did. Im sure alot of you did as well.
That doesnt excuse his behavior. Im sure this morning he is finding out the hard way the being a high profile athlete at an elite program like UGA means you dont just get away with this stuff. If he were another kid on campus this wouldnt even be a story.
Bob
March 8th, 2010
11:46 am
I am not definding the QB’s actions, but on the Nick comment. At least Richt doesn’t pay his players.
bama
March 8th, 2010
11:46 am
UGA is all talk but cant win the big one. But congrats you guys did beat Hawaii couple years ago hahaha
spanky
March 8th, 2010
11:46 am
You guys are distracted easily, aren’t you? Let’s keep focused!! Remember that we’re bashing the living crap out of this 18 yr old, who had the AUDACITY to have a beer!! Not on my watch, boy!! LOL!!!
uga1962
March 8th, 2010
11:46 am
Hey jacketnation. You are an idiot if you think any of those YECH players pass calculus on their own. Have you heard them talk. They can’t even put a full sentence together that anyone can understand.
By the way, 30-24.
3 more
March 8th, 2010
11:46 am
ugamillertime
March 8th, 2010
11:26 am
The dawgs get arrested for stupid stuff like a suspended license or underage drinking. The Vols, Tide and Gators like to take it to another level with arrests for robbery, assult, DUI, drug possession. An arrest is an arrest but misdemeanors and felonies are not on the same level.
Stop trying to convince yourself of that. Does the name Michael Lemon ring a bell. Every school has the majority of their incidents as small silly stuff like underage drinking but they all also have their serious offenses as well. UGA IS NO DIFFERENT.
UGA in FACT has had more arrest than UF has since Urban Meyer has been at UF.
Maybe some of you should learn not to throw stones then you won’t look so foolish trying to spin away and make yourself’s feel better for being no better than the teams you chastise when they have a player in trouble.
Big D Dawg
March 8th, 2010
11:47 am
Hey Gator Mania — here’s why Gary Brown was suspended. big difference between that and underage drinking. now…. the obstruction charge may be an equalizer, but I doubt it knowing how little it takes to get an obstruction charge.
Brown, a redshirt freshman from Greensboro, is facing two counts of misdemeanor battery for allegedly slapping a woman and scratching another at a party early Sunday morning. According to the police report, Brown used an open hand to strike the face of a woman trying to kick people out of a party. Another woman who intervened was scratched by Brown as he attempted to slap her arms away, according to the police report.
Shane
March 8th, 2010
11:47 am
Over the past 3-4 years its been something like 25 players arrested for UGA and not even half of that for Bama.
Difference is at UGA they enforce the rules. At Alabama they look the other way.
goldwreck
March 8th, 2010
11:47 am
The only thing I question is why he was spending part of spring break in South Georgia.That is harder to explain than drinking.
WonderDawg
March 8th, 2010
11:47 am
UGA Sports blogs sure are popular …
spanky
March 8th, 2010
11:48 am
Hey bama, you guys don’t have a blog somewhere else?…(hint)
Oconee boy
March 8th, 2010
11:48 am
ya we is complete thugs ova here at OC. but fo real everyone drinks. he aint deserve it
bama
March 8th, 2010
11:49 am
YESSS mount cody has huge boobs but he still is better than half those sorry players you got in athens and your an idiot please go back to your cameo uga hat and big truck with UGA sticker in the back…talk about redneck
Call It Like It Is
March 8th, 2010
11:49 am
Well, Well,
I do not ever want to hear GA fans rag on the Gators for anyone being arrested as these are kids and they will screw up from time to time!
Enough Said!
Barney Fife
March 8th, 2010
11:50 am
Well I’ll tell ya Andy, he was obstructing because he knocked the bullet out of my pocket, that’s why it was obstruction. And I’ll tell ya another thing too, we ought have him paint that porch for Aunt Bea because he won’t even need a ladder to reach the ceiling. I’ll go put in the cell with Otis until his bail hearing.
Dawgs Fan
March 8th, 2010
11:50 am
Is that the same night club where former Alabama coach Mike Price tried to pick up girls young enough to be is grandchildren and take them home for girls gone wild video?
Shane
March 8th, 2010
11:51 am
It just a fact sir so deal with it.
This is a fact. The police in Tuscaloosa dont enforce the rules on Athletes. Never have.
Hell I used to live there and David Palmer was walking out of a gas station every night with a case of beer and he was 19 at the time.
The joke around town at that time was if you called 911 they would first ask you to get the players jersey number.
Just the facts sir
March 8th, 2010
11:51 am
GO VOLS!
“Yeah, I’m sure Alabama has a lot of scholar athletes on their roster.”.
Allow me to help you out sir. Last year Alabama led the nation with 22 players in its bowl game who had already earned their degree. Just the facts sir.
Compare that with the 1998 UT title team where the grades of 21 players were changed to failing grades after the bowl game. They were given passing grades before the bowl game to keep them eligible and then the grades were changed to Fs after the game to give them the grade they deserved. Just the facts sir. Sure the ncaa looked into it but declared that it doesn’t have the power to go into a classroom and tell a professor what grade their student deserves or when he deserves it. This is common knowledge that this happened and was written about extensively by the Nashville paper. You may have gotten away with it but lets face it. We all know cheating when we see it.
Also, one other factoid regarding that team. It is said that none of the 18 black players who started on that team in the bowl game ever graduated from UT. Mmmmmh!
bama
March 8th, 2010
11:52 am
idk maybeee but if you dont like strip clubs then something is wrong with YOU! im on my way to the pink pony as we speak
How2fish
March 8th, 2010
11:52 am
JimDog great post I grew up when the drinking age was 18 and if you can put a gun in a young person’s hands and tell them to defend the country you should be able to put a beer in the same person’s hand..if you tell them that they can vote, be sued, serve on a jury.they are old enough to drink.
Arrested for being on the hood of a Stang in 68
March 8th, 2010
11:52 am
I was a-r-r-e-s-t-e-d and released on BOND in 68 on Spring break in Datyona Beach Florida. I was charged with being on the hood ( outside of a moving car ) on the beach. The whole thing was in and out in about 1.5 hours. Went to jail in the Volusia County paddy wagon with several wacked out, sunburned rednecks and hippies. I just had some brews but was not charged for that. Why??? I was not a loud mouth punk QB from a major university, although I was a loud mouth UGA student and fan …….still am …..a fan. I kept my mouth closed that day and took my licks.
I had to go back in June that year to face the music and had to write a paper to turn in at court. Did that and that was that. This is so similar and it will not matter in the scheme of things. I am now 61 and it is only a fond memory of being young and dumb.
Go Dogs.
5 Buck Box
March 8th, 2010
11:53 am
Just the facts sir,
“Saban cleaned up all the bad apples in his 1st year in 07. In 08 and 09 we’ve probably had a grand total of 2-3 players arrested. Over the same time span UGA has had 15 or more players arrested. Seems like its a daily occurrence with the dawgs.”
It WOULD be a daily occurrence if there were 7.5 days in ‘08 and 7.5 days in ‘09. However, there are not 7.5 days in a year…just the facts sir
Rosco P. Coltrane
March 8th, 2010
11:53 am
Cu cu cu cu, It was obstruction because he ripped the shrubbery off my car when I cuffed and stuffed him. Boss Hogg won’t be happy with that. Might have to sick em on those Duke boys as big as he is.
bama
March 8th, 2010
11:53 am
Tuscaloosa does no suck thing
Shane
March 8th, 2010
11:53 am
You mean sometimes kids drink under the age of 18????
When did this start????
Jona
March 8th, 2010
11:53 am
Looks like the Alabama fans are replacing the Florida fans in the “being obnoxious” department. Best program in history, will be the best forever, blah, blah, blah
WilliamG
March 8th, 2010
11:54 am
I don’t mean to make light of the charges – but I do remember being that age. I’m now a boring old man. But at that age I could have easily been in the same boat. I know that not all young people travel that route but I’d guess that most do. It’s just that time in life. I wish the kid well and hope that he either changes his behavior or gets smarter about it. But it is hard for me to put this sort of thing in the thug category – in my book it just isn’t a serious offense.
I hope the determination of who will be the QB will be made on the field. If a one-game suspension is the normal punishment for this – sure – do it. But I hope – and do believe – that this will not determine who wins the competition.
Jimbo
March 8th, 2010
11:54 am
Lets face it. All of the college programs have to deal with these problems. Most of these kids are thugs and let the fame of playing major college ball go to their heads. All college coaches have to work their “butts off” trying to keep these kids out of trouble. This kind of behavior has always been there. Unfortunately the police don’t tolerate it near as much as they use to and with use of camera phones and the internet everything they do spreads around the country in a short period of time. 20 to 30 years ago this story wouldn’t have made it past the local paper.
tdog
March 8th, 2010
11:54 am
Five wins if we are lucky.
SouthGaBrave
March 8th, 2010
11:55 am
Really?! Never worn camo in my life and I would rather stare at a blank wall than go hunting. Geographical location doesn’t define a person. I actually graduated college early with a Finance degree and I’m making something of myself. You can’t take a little good-natured ribbing, I guess. Jeff Owens has a giant set of knockers too, I’d be the first to admit it. I guess you aren’t used to debating with someone with intelligence. Enjoy your national title reign and coach while they both last. Have a great day
Shane
March 8th, 2010
11:55 am
Allow me to help you out sir. Last year Alabama led the nation with 22 players in its bowl game who had already earned their degree. Just the facts sir.
Who you kidding? Everyone knows Bama players dont even go to class.
Alabama has the dirtiest program in the Nation. Always has. they will be back on probation again very soon.
Ron Mexico
March 8th, 2010
11:57 am
AJC, why would you even open this story to comments, just so the best of the trash from GA and surrounding crap holes could berate this kid. Kudos to you.
Just the facts sir
March 8th, 2010
11:57 am
Shane,
Sorry dude but that is your opinion and is not based upon any facts or hard data. Please learn the difference. Also, if the Tuscaloosa pd was that lenient than Jimmy Johns never would have been arrested.
Also, your opinion doesn’t jive with the facts, especially in 2007. There was a series of articles written in the Tuscaloosa news in 2007 regarding the perceived aggression with which the local cops seemed to pursue Bama football players.
As a matter of fact Rashad Johnson was arrested in a bar for a scuffle that videotape verified and proved wasn’t even a scuffle. The video vindicated Johnson and brought about the series of articles as to why the police seemed to basically be harassing football players.
Your opinion is in conflict with the facts sir.
WonderDawg
March 8th, 2010
11:57 am
Just can’t get out of my mind how dumb it is for a kid to be this close to winning a starting QB job at UGA for maybe the next 4 seasons, and just throw it all away, in the middle of spring football, no less. Unbelievable.
chris
March 8th, 2010
11:58 am
How2Fish, good to here from you again girl. A coach cannot watch a student athletes every move. Nor can a parent, I know his family and they’re outstanding people. I only guess at how disapointed they are.
Bob
March 8th, 2010
11:58 am
Thank goodness drinking at 18 was legal in Georgia when I was in college. Still doesn’t make it right to break the current law… and it is dangerous and extreme bad judgment, to say the least, to drink and drive.
dawgster
March 8th, 2010
11:58 am
Again people stop bashing this young man and the dawg coaching staff or any other coaching staff for things involving 18-19 year old kids…You have to treat this with consistancy based on how other players were handled when the same behavior happened…Don’t make this kid into something other that he made a mistake and will suffer the consequiences…Why do we have to bash the programs, coaches and the kids as we read on here way too often…I think we all know that all programs do have some severe problem kids that have to be addressed, i don’t believe any of the top programs are immune to that. and if drinking is a problem for this young man, i’m sure it will be dealt with, but for gosh sake, give the kid a fair chance and see how he accepts what comes down…I believe if we look at history you will find Presidents of our County, Sports figures, Celebrities, Ourselves that have been given 2nd chances and maybe more should stop and think real hard before they continue this unfair bashing…
Eaassyy
March 8th, 2010
11:58 am
FLIP FLOPS RULES. It was probably worth it.
gdawginkalamazoo
March 8th, 2010
11:59 am
Now it appears that Rothliesberger now has someone he could blame that attack on. 6-5 245lbs QB Drinking and out of control. Hmmm. Big Ben will be thrilled with this new information.
Shane
March 8th, 2010
11:59 am
You have to forgive the innocence of Bama fans.
First off they were probably educated in the state of Alabama. Which means they arent too bright and probably believe anything anybody tells them.
Im here to tell you I lived in T-Town. The police there DO NOT ARREST FOOTBALL PLAYERS FOR ANY REASON. They might run them off or take them home but they are not going to be hassled by the cops. If seen it with my own eyes at a keg party.
Unless its a Felony kind of a thing they arent getting arrested.
Stadiums and Gut Sprints
March 8th, 2010
12:00 pm
Hello Zach. We have been waiting for you. Hahahahhahaaaaaaaaa!
GatorMania
March 8th, 2010
12:01 pm
Big D Dawg…I understand the situation is different but both are irresponsible actions and showing no regard for your school, your coaches and your teammates. Drunk teenage behavior is a major problem in our country but again, it was more toward his judgement than anything. I think too many schools, including UF and UGA, have been far too tolerant with some of these behaviors.
Shane
March 8th, 2010
12:01 pm
Your opinion is in conflict with the facts sir.
Um no its not sir
Just the facts sir
March 8th, 2010
12:02 pm
Shane,
“Who you kidding? Everyone knows Bama players dont even go to class.”
I’m sorry Shane but this is a verifiable fact. In fact you must not have watched the bcs game because they talked about it before the game. Just the facts sir.
“Alabama has the dirtiest program in the Nation. Always has. they will be back on probation again very soon.”
Shane, is this why UGA/AU are tied with 5 other programs with 6 major infractions cases brought against them by the NCAA? Bama has had 3 cases and 4 if you count the textbook case. All have been in the 90s and 2000s. We still trail you and AU though. Just the facts sir and this is verifiable with the ncaa. Do your research sir.