Branden Smith cleared to rejoin team; Quintin Banks ‘retires’ from football
ATHENS — Cornerback Branden Smith has been cleared academically and will rejoin Georgia’s football team Friday, coach Mark Richt said.
“He is academically in good standing for the 2010 season,” Richt said Thursday night. “So we are fired up.”
Richt declined to go into detail about Smith’s academic situation.
Smith, a sophomore from Atlanta, left the team last week and stayed away while awaiting word on whether he would be cleared to enroll in fall-semester classes. The issue was related not to Smith’s grade-point average but to a placement-test score.
Smith is expected to contribute to Georgia’s team in all facets of the game: defense (as a possible starter at cornerback), offense (as an occasional threat at tailback or wide receiver) and special teams (as a kick returner).
Despite missing eight practices, “I don’t think he’ll be too far behind,” Richt said.
Smith seems pleased with how the situation worked out.
“Will be back in Athens tomorrow,” he posted on Twitter late Thursday afternoon.
“Georgia is on my mind,” he tweeted an hour later.
Banks ‘retires’ as player
Backup safety Quintin Banks, whose career has been frequently derailed by knee injuries, will forgo his senior season.
Banks “has basically decided to retire from football,” Richt said Thursday. “His knees have just not allowed him to move the way he’s accustomed to moving and move well enough to compete at this level.”
Richt said Banks will have surgery “and try to get it all cleaned up” before he graduates. In the meantime, he will stay involved with the team and “help us coach,” Richt said.
“He has tremendous knowledge, tremendous love for this team and his teammates. He’s got a wonderful spirit,” Richt said. “Quintin is exactly what we’re looking for when it comes to a good Bulldog.
“As a head coach, you hope that when a young man walks out the door he’s ready for life. And Quintin is absolutely ready. He’s turned into a really fine man, and anybody looking for a tremendous employee and future leader, Quintin is that.”
Between injuries, Banks has played in only five games in the past two seasons.
And a few other things . . .
- Richt said that, “as of right now,” Georgia has no reason to believe that any of its players will miss any games as a result of the NCAA investigation into possible improper contact between players and agents at multiple schools, including UGA.
- A.J. Green, Carlton Thomas, Bacarri Rambo and freshman Derek Owens are getting work at punt returner, Richt said.
- Richt: “If I had to say who was the leader of the football team, it’d probably be [fullback Shaun] Chapas. Not just the offensive team.”
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223 comments Add your comment
LawDawg
August 13th, 2010
9:34 am
Let’s go there….Your coaches epitomized the word “probation”. Does Charlie Pell and Galen Hall ring a bell? They cheat just as bad now…they just cover their tracks better.
15 wins in 50 years
August 13th, 2010
9:36 am
Yellow fuzz makes a fool of himself on a daily basis.
Otto
August 13th, 2010
9:39 am
Why didn’t UGA go after Cam Newton? After watching the Auburn spring game and the complete absence of any touch on the ball on those 2 red zone plays combined with his track record from UF, why would UGA go after him? Especially with Murray and Mett on the team.
Yellow Fuzz
August 13th, 2010
9:48 am
How2Flush
The only thing more humorous than us tearing down what was left of the hedges the last time we were in Athens (45-42) is that you guys went from preseason number 1 to post season number 50 in less than two years and I am glad that the new coaches at tech and the new Tech nation played a decisive role. Put that in your Copenhagen and dip it little man.
Simply Amazing
August 13th, 2010
9:49 am
So, let me get this striahgt:
Smith is a late-year Sophomore…
…and has taking REMEDIAL courses for 2 years…
…and now needs to pass a special “placement” test so that he can now BEGIN taking freshman-level college courses that apply to ACTUAL college credit?
Hooooooooooooooo-ly Sh** ?!?!?!?!?!
What the Hell kind of “system” are they running in Athens ??????
Only UGag fans would be “proud” of this kind of BS.
I guess no one should be surprised then.
Tide Roll
August 13th, 2010
9:51 am
All I’m saying Dawg fans is you had a legitimate shot at the Best Juco Qb. in America, who is 6′6″‘ 250lb with a howitzer who led his team to the Juco national title who grew up down the road from UGA who attended Westlake High where current and former dawg players have attended and your coaches opt for a 5′ 10″ 180lb redshirt freshman instead. And by doing so allow this physical freak to sign with one of your hated rivals. It doesn’t make since to me and I believe needs to be addressed by Richt and Bobo. You deserve a truthful explanation from your staff.
gadawg
August 13th, 2010
9:53 am
Everything has to be spelled out for some folks, huh? No one said he’s ONLY taking remedial courses. He might be in honors classes in everything BUT one subject – it’s possible to have one area of weakness, like math, and to take college-level courses in everything else. So maybe he had a math placement test that was tripping him up and he’s acing everything else.
Some people need to take remediation courses in reading what folks write and not taking limited information to the extreme.
Tide Roll
August 13th, 2010
9:55 am
Otto. AU’s coaching staff will correct Newton’s overthrow. Your guy can’t see over the line of scrimmage.
OoltewahDawg
August 13th, 2010
9:55 am
For all of you Techies harping about UGA and grade fixing, I remember that a few years ago, you had several wins vacated after an NCAA investigation revealed shenanigans involving grades for 10 football players and more in other sports. So don’t talk to us about grade-fixing!
athhound
August 13th, 2010
9:59 am
Carlton Thomas, with his quickness and ’skitterishness’, would seem tobe an ideal punt returner. Whomever it is, let’s find one and settle on him. Good luck about Branden, and certainly most of all, Good Luck Quintin
HBTD, it’s almost here! 30-24, 8 of 9, 17 of 20
Bruce Mac
August 13th, 2010
10:00 am
Tide Roll, are you that stupid? UGA has enough legal issues without recruiting a known convicted criminal. Sorry, I know you Bammers can’t spell Mississippi (that is a big word) but for goodness sake you should be able to figure this one out.
Bruce Mac
August 13th, 2010
10:05 am
By the way, our sorry azz coach beats you guys 3 out of every 4 times he tries. I know it is good for beer sales in Bammer when we beat your azz in T Town because you pour it all over our players. Real classy fan base you have there good buddy.
athhound
August 13th, 2010
10:07 am
WE didn’t want the Auburn qb. He’s not at Fla anymore because he broke the law. If the GayTurd kicked him off of that bunch of halfwit criminals, you know he was a bad seed. Auburn’s new staff is desparate to succeed, so they’ll take anyone. Also, Mr Tide Roll, it’s not ‘it doesn’t make since to me’, it’s ‘it doesn’t make SENSE to me’. I realize grammar is not taught at Alabama elementary schools, and it is a graduate course at Tusk-uh-loser, and you couldn’t spell ‘graduate’ without being spotted the ‘grad’ and the ‘uate’, but still…. and oh, yeah, your coach will be back in Michigan at the big “M” as soon as Rodriguez is fired. Maybe Price can come back.
athhound
August 13th, 2010
10:10 am
Ain’t the smack talking great! College Football is upon us at last !!!!!!!!!!!!! Tide Roll, relax dude, just pulling your chain. Tusk-uh-loser is the second best college town in the conference! When are y’all going to change your helmets from Penn State’s design, by the way?
Brad Komminsk
August 13th, 2010
10:11 am
sorry for it to have to end this way Quintin. i enjoyed watching you play high school ball and had high hopes for you at UGA. i always loved the way you brought the heat at the point of contact. best of luck in the future
How2fish
August 13th, 2010
10:12 am
Yellow Fuzz my my “little man” witty..oh and how many Bowl games has the Bug village won in the last 5 tries? I think Iowa just stuffed another vain attempt to run the ball…face it Bug your a member of an inferior fan base, you pull for a team that plays in the Joke by Coke..your students are all pasty nerds not just because they play too much World of Warcraft but are scared to death to go outside where they are subject to get mugged or worse anytime of the day or night. The Wattle Neck Goon maybe the second coming of Danny Ford in the ACC but let him face a legit team from another conference and the tears and the excuses start to flow…enjoy the next couple of months “Big Guy” because your butt will be no where to be found (and I’m so glad) the day after we go 9-1 vs Bugville..your dismissed.
@ slawdawg
August 13th, 2010
10:12 am
I know you can’t spell and you’re certainly no lawyer. You work the slawdog counter at the Varsity JR while rooting hard for thUGA. Maybe one day you will graduate to the North Ave Varsity or get moved to the chili dog station. Best wishes!
A rare NC or money makes for elite status?
August 13th, 2010
10:18 am
A rare NC does not suddenly make the program ELITE. I know this and so do Tech fans know this. They won the NC fairly and squarely ( with 5 other teams in 90 ) and they have never, ever been considered an elite program. In 91 or 92 or 93 there was no change ………..GT was GT. they were laughable post 90. Where did tech go in 91 and 92 and 93??? What bowls??? See, no forward momentum was generated by their ONE DAY of fame.
No, what determines the elite status is ………..does your program attend on a regular basis major bowls? UGA meets that requirement, even though last year they hit the Independence Bowl. Sugar Bowls ( 3 in 9 years ) and Capitol One and Outbacks, Cotton Bowls, Urange Bowls determine whether a program is elite and UGA has been in all of these, except the Cotton Bowl within the last 8-10 years.
Now, two trips to the Urange Bowl in 43 years like GT ………….. do not count and to insist that they do is well, just pathetic. That is so sad when gt fans insist on including that blow out to Florida in 67.
Finally …………..MONEY is the REAL DEAL ………if your program is flush with $$$, then the market has spoken and it has made your program an eliite program …………..UGA is one RICH SCHOOL BABY !!! UGA is second ONLY to TEXAS in money.
Remember MONEy TALKS and bull ….t walks. it is all about the money and UGA is loaded.
Now, you all have been schooled and so you public school punks go out and play with your big wheels.
Dawgtards ruin this state
August 13th, 2010
10:19 am
Jan kemp’s developmental studies program allowed 100’s of thUGA athletes to stay eligible every single year. Your 1980 team came from the developmental studies program. The NCAA busted you for the worst case of academic fraud in NCAA histroy. thUGA cheats on purpose, it is who you are.
Don’t forget Jim Harrick, Tony Cole and Jim Harrick JR who created a class for the sole purpose of cheating.
thUGA has the worst history of accademic fraud in the whole NCAA, not even close.
So STFU about cheating thUGA – you are king!
Dawgtards ruin this state
August 13th, 2010
10:22 am
Elite programs don’t ever lose 17 of 20 to a team in their own division, much less conference. thUGA is only elite at cheating.
How2fish
August 13th, 2010
10:25 am
Dawgtards ruin this state lets review shall we which team in the conference recently had to void all of their wins in football for over 2 seasons..hint moron it’s not UGA!! Now you can kindly STFU and sit in the corner until spoken to.
UGag's Motto
August 13th, 2010
10:25 am
“Academic Fraud: It’s what we do.”
How2fish
August 13th, 2010
10:30 am
UGag’s Motto is we stomp mudhole’s in the Bugs AZZ..
Dawgtards ruin this state
August 13th, 2010
10:37 am
How2fish – Do you even know your own’s school history? Are you saying Jan Kemp isn’t real? Did you take Jim Harrick JR’s class?
How2smellfishy is a perfect example of a complete Dawgtard.
How2fish
August 13th, 2010
10:40 am
You are right Dawgtard, I am a complete moron and I accept Dawgtard of the week honors. I will know go back to the trailer park.
dawgfan
August 13th, 2010
10:41 am
Techies Motto:
“We’re a bunch of sissy losers that cry like little panty wastes about other teams cheating when we can’t beat them.”
This is a long and proud tradition on the Flats that goes way back.
How2fish
August 13th, 2010
10:44 am
Dawgtards ruin this state really what are you 14? Please go away the adults are talking.
Hey Tide Roll
August 13th, 2010
10:49 am
If Cameron Newton is so good why didn’t Alabama get him the second time around?
Dawg Roll
August 13th, 2010
10:50 am
Bama is in trouble this year since Saban is not playing his best offensive linemen. He has a couple of backup defensive linemen that should be starting on the offensive side of the ball. Why is that? The Tide has the potential to be a contender again this year if Nick will just wake up and play the best players.
Also, Cameron Newton was available, but Bama did not recruit him, though they may could have beaten out Auburn for him. 6-6, 250, can run like the wind, has a cannon, yet Saban is stuck with McElroy.
In addition, I am wondering why in the last recruiting class, the state of Alabama had at least 20 offensive linemen that Saban did not recruit, who signed with other schools. What is up with that?
Look, I really have Bama’s best interest at heart, and if I set the Bama depth chart, titles will follow.
Roll, Dogs.
How2fish
August 13th, 2010
10:52 am
Dawg Roll nice very nice!
Dawgtards ruin this state
August 13th, 2010
10:53 am
How2 – Simply put, has thUGA been caught twice by the NCAA in academic fraud? I just want to see if you can actually admit it. Part of being an adult is being able to abmit to your shortcomings. I;m just giving you that chance.
I can admit GT got 2 years probation (the only time EVER), but we lost schollys, not wins.
How2fish
August 13th, 2010
10:56 am
Dawgtards ruin this state wasn’t talking about the Bugs losing wins.
Jan Kemp
August 13th, 2010
10:57 am
I failed how2fish out of school because
he couldnt handle the remedial education classes.
Dawgtards ruin this state
August 13th, 2010
11:09 am
Please read your own post below or have the inmate next to you read it for you, you did infact talk about GT losing wins.
How2fish
August 13th, 2010
10:25 am
Dawgtards ruin this state lets review shall we which team in the conference recently had to void all of their wins in football for over 2 seasons..hint moron it’s not UGA!! Now you can kindly STFU and sit in the corner until spoken to.
JDawg
August 13th, 2010
11:12 am
Have not commented on here in a while, but tide roll has got me thinking. Just one little comparison I would like to point out with atheletic freak comment. An atheletic freak doesn’t always pan out
Aaron Murray = Drew Bress > JaMarcus Russell = Cam Newton How’s that workin out for the Raiders. just sayin
GT Sambo
August 13th, 2010
11:13 am
I really find it amusing that there are way more Gator fans and even a few Bama fans that comment on these blog posts, but all the UGA fans do is make fun of the Tech fans. UGA is the primary land grant university in the state of Georgia and regularly attracts top 10 football recruiting classes because of its status and position in the SEC. Georgia Tech is a research-based technical institute in the ACC that regularly gets top 30 to top 40 football recruiting classes. UGA should dominate Tech every year based on recruiting alone. I love college football and hope that GT beats UGA every year, but I am also realistic and I understand that GT is not going to regularly recruit football talent to compete with UGA. That said, I’ll take our OC (Paul Johnson) over UGA’s OC (Mike Bobo) and our DC (Al Groh, Super Bowl winning DC) over UGA’s DC (Todd Grantham, 3rd choice, fired from his last DC job) any day! Superior coaching should keep us competitve against UGA for years to come. (Well at least until UGA fires Mike Bobo and then lets hope they don’t hire someone competent).
FORTY ONE POINTS to your seventeen points
August 13th, 2010
11:15 am
LawDawg
Go there if you want, but FLA isn’t in the Top 29 NCAA “Cheating Hall of Fame”. Your little mutties are #11.
Question for yellow fuzz?
August 13th, 2010
11:18 am
Why is his name yellow fuzz? Underwear stained?
JDawg
August 13th, 2010
11:38 am
Seriouly Sambo ? Mark Richt(pro-style) = 1 NC fsu, 2 SECC, ga 9 straight season w 8+ wins most in NCAA. Paul Johnson (high school offense; exactly what my 10 yr old son’s team runs) = great record at Div II and Navy but decent defenses shut it down easily. Todd Grantham = led Dallas D to top ten only getting better. Al Groh washed up ready to retire, seriously how can a guy in a rascal fire up a Defense
UGA is Just Fine...
August 13th, 2010
11:44 am
To all UGA haters- for UGA to be such an “irrelevant program” or “non-elite program” you people sure do spend a LOT of time on all things UGA.
The truth is all you haters are worried because Richt & Co. have decided to shut down the borders and Tenn, Bama, & Aub all know that’s bad news for them. Fact is there’s not enough talent in your respective states to compete without some of the state of Georgia’s finest. Take a look at those schools’ current rosters. There’s a reason you all spend so much time here trying to tear down UGA’s program. But it won’t work, momentum is building and you all know it. Techies- you’re here hoping you can steal some top talent away from the Dawgs, but it won’t work as long as you have that HS offense.
Before you haters respond – let’s get some key facts on the table:
- Alabama, Auburn & TN have a combined 35 players from the state of Georgia on their current rosters (9,18,& 8 respectfully)
- UGA has 2 from Bama and 2 from TN
- UGA has 32 players outside the state of GA
- Auburn has 52 players outside the state of AL
- Bama has 42 players outside the state of AL
- TN has 51 players outside the state of TN
- GT has 41 players outside the state of GA
- Richt and Co. have gone on record as saying they need to focus on keeping in state talent at home and have done a pretty good job.
- People hate what they fear, and all those programs fear UGA keeping more of the GA talent at home.
Hater solution: Spend as much time on UGA blogs spewing venom at the program in hopes that some of those prized state of Georgia recruits read it and decide “man, I’m not going to UGA, I think I’ll go to (insert hater school).
I did not include UF because 1. it’s pretty much a wash with GA/FL players at the respective schools 5-6, 2. much like UGA most of their players come from FL (31 outside FL).
So Fellow Dawg Fans enjoy the haters, the more we see the better we’re doing. We need to start worrying when we stop seeing them.
Haters I know this is a lot to mentally digest, so take your time and don’t hurt yourself or cramp your brain trying to come up with a quick response.
GO DAWGS!
DIT
August 13th, 2010
11:54 am
Hey Techies, Do you REALLY want to talk about grade fixing? You know we only have to go back a couple years. How many games do you have to forfeit? How many players were involved? The Nerd Herd is the last people to talk about “Grade Fixing”
dawgster
August 13th, 2010
11:54 am
Hey Dawg Roll, great comeback to “Tide Roll”…and Hey GT Sambo…if you read these blogs on a regular basis you would see that the GT supporters do the same thing by making fun of the dawgs…My man it works both ways..don’t like it on either side. but as true dawg and tech fans we will defend our program…If you can get the Tech fans from bashing the dawgs, maybe we could do the same…but realsitically it probably won’t happen…So don’t post on here that its the dawgs who are always making fun of tech, it is happening on both sides…Maybe, we should concentrate on the Bama’s and Gators…they seem to really like to dish out the negative comments…However there are some very classy ones that seem to play it fair..
UGA is Just Fine...
August 13th, 2010
11:57 am
GT Sambo
August 13th, 2010
11:13 am
I really find it amusing that there are way more Gator fans and even a few Bama fans that comment on these blog posts, but all the UGA fans do is make fun of the Tech fans.
-That’s because most of the “Gator Fans” are actually GT fans in disguise and UGA fans are smart enough to see through it.
DIT
August 13th, 2010
11:59 am
UGA is Just Fine…
You Sir hit the nail on the head! They can’t beat us so they have to live through another team that does.
FORTY ONE POINTS to your seventeen points
August 13th, 2010
12:01 pm
UGA is Just Fine…
ZZZZZzzzzzzzz…..ZZZZzzzzzzzz….*chirp*….*chirp*…..
Realistic Dawg Fan
August 13th, 2010
12:03 pm
GT SAMBO, most of the so called FLA and Bama fans are actually tek fans who are too embarassed to admit it. 41 to 17 is a good example. yellow scum is actually a tek fan. Even a real Florida fan is never that obnoxious. Yellow scuzz has losers complex. It happens when you get beat year after year by the state school.
FORTY ONE POINTS to your seventeen points
August 13th, 2010
12:04 pm
Realistic Dawg Fan
Keep dreamin….you think those little techmites are the only fans that think you’re disgusting. You wish.
Realistic Dawg Fan
August 13th, 2010
12:07 pm
41 to 17…. you are obviously either unemployed or to young to have a job. You sit on your computer all day and play on sports blogs. Pretty pathetic. You ain’t foolin anyone. You are a tek fan that’s too embarrassed to admit it.
DIT
August 13th, 2010
12:07 pm
If you look at the bare truth and that is UF, unfortunatley, does not have to pound their chest much because the series the past 20 years speaks for itself. So it makes it way to predicatable when the Nerd Herd gets on here acting like gator fans. It’s so sad! I almost feel sorry for them. The envy is so incredible with their mindless dribble.
B-ham Dawg
August 13th, 2010
12:09 pm
Living in Birmingham and being a die hard georgia fan I deal with people like Tide Roll on a daily basis. It isn’t even worth arguing with bammers. They are the most arrogant self righteous fans in the nation.
Tide Roll… CMR is 3-1 against Nick “Short man disease” Saban.