Richt: King’s 2-game suspension reflects tougher penalties for arrests
(Updated 4 p.m.)
ATHENS — Caleb King, Georgia’s starting tailback in both of its victories this season, won’t play in the next two games because of his arrest for failure to appear in court to address a speeding ticket.
Coach Mark Richt on Tuesday suspended King for the two games, saying he hopes the punishment teaches a lesson to the tailback and other players.
In years past, a case such as King’s might have drawn a shorter suspension, if any at all. But with King the 11th UGA football player arrested this year, Richt acknowledged the two-game ban reflects a tougher approach to punishing players for off-field incidents.
“Oh yeah, no doubt about it,” Richt said. “But they knew that.”
King won’t play in Saturday’s home game against Vanderbilt or the Oct. 23 game at Kentucky. He’ll return for the Oct. 30 game against Florida in Jacksonville.
The 11 Georgia players arrested this year, on charges ranging from battery to public intoxication, have drawn varying penalties from Richt. Four of the players were dismissed from the team. Another decided to transfer after being suspended for six games. Three others got one-game suspensions.
The latest suspension came one day after King was arrested by Athens-Clarke County Police on a bench warrant issued by a judge in nearby Walton County. The warrant was for failing to appear at an August court date regarding a June speeding ticket, which cited King for traveling 76 miles per hour in a 55-mph zone on Highway 78.
“I expect all our players to take care of their responsibilities on and off the field,” Richt said. “When players don’t do that, it damages the reputation of the player, our team and our university. My goal is for Caleb to learn a lesson and for other players to learn from his experience.”
King’s penalty was double that drawn by fellow tailback Washaun Ealey, who was suspended for one game –- the season-opening victory over Louisiana-Lafayette –- after his late-August arrest for hit-and-run of a parked vehicle and driving with a suspended license. At the time of Ealey’s arrest, there also was a bench warrant against him for failure to appear in court on speeding and vehicle registration charges.
Asked if King’s stiffer penalty reflects a tougher standard, Richt said: “Yes sir.” Asked if it reflects a need to send a message, Richt said: “Obviously.”
Although Richt emphasized that each player “has a responsibility to do the right thing,” the coach said he and athletic director Greg McGarity are having “an ongoing conversation” about ways to reduce the off-field problems. “I really have a lot of confidence that [McGarity] has some good ideas in that regard,” Richt said.
Already, Richt said, his staff is periodically checking to make sure players’ driver’s licenses are in good standing. “We’ve been doing that monthly,” he said, “but now we are going to do it weekly.”
Richt said, however, that it would be almost impossible for the staff to know when a bench warrant is issued for a player’s failure to handle a traffic ticket, as in the King case. “You basically would have to get in contact with every single county in the state of Georgia on a daily basis to find out if something like that popped up,” Richt said.
Several players said the team is well aware that off-field problems will have serious consequences.
“Enough has happened that I think the team is tired of it, the coaching staff is tired of it and the athletic director and everyone associated with the University of Georgia is [too],” quarterback Aaron Murray said. “We definitely have seen a little too much of everything that is going on. We’ve just got to be smart as a team … on and off the field.”
Said wide receiver Tavarres King: “Everybody knows at this point in time, if you get in trouble, you’re going to get a pretty good lashing.”
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842 comments Add your comment
Just saying!
October 12th, 2010
2:48 pm
mr. obvious, i think you’re right.
Big Kahuna
October 12th, 2010
2:48 pm
hmmm…..
October 12th, 2010
11:33 am
does anyone forget that this is King’s 2nd arrest? The character of Players for UGA has to be questioned. How many chances does one get to screw up?
The answer is: The number of chances is directly proportional to his value to the team. Fourth string or worse, off the team. Starter, one game first offence, 2 games for second, etc. This is the Mark Richt “strict penalties” punishment.
All you apologizers make me SICK because it’s people like you that prevent UGA from having a disciplined, winning program like Saban runs!
Just saying!
October 12th, 2010
2:49 pm
The fact that you are going to comare AJ and Tebow just proves that you know very little about football. You can leave now!
steve brown
October 12th, 2010
2:49 pm
The 2 games seem reasonable, it is Richt’s comments that are absurd. He’s lost me.
KimZ'sPackage
October 12th, 2010
2:50 pm
I think the Cam Newton charges were dropped and reduced as well. YOU UGA fans just need to focus on your players. YOUR HOUSE IS FULL OF CRAP.
TrishaDishaWarEagle
October 12th, 2010
2:50 pm
I built it,
I think that was for public safety reasons.. UGA civil engineering? Bridge fall down, go boom..
Justice
October 12th, 2010
2:50 pm
At UGA you get suspended 2 games for not paying a speeding ticket…..At UF you get suspended 2 games for threatening to KILL YOUR GIRLFRIEND…. Gotta love the message being sent to our youth…
The Temporary Mascot formerly known as Russ
October 12th, 2010
2:50 pm
You know what might be useful to get the attention of some new recruits? What if the arrested players used their Clarke County booking numbers for their uniforms? For instance, the player just arrested could be 767864. It would offer the players some individual recognition/attention and serve as a good recruiting tool. Of course, I am just a little dog. It may not be a good idea. One thing, we have enough arrested players that we could do it with every player on one side of the ball.
shane
October 12th, 2010
2:51 pm
Murphy
I hope Satan gave him a lifetime warranty.
Just saying!
October 12th, 2010
2:51 pm
TrishaDishaWarEagle – The fact that you are going to compare AJ and Tebow just proves that you know very little about football. You can leave now! But I bet you can make a mean casserole! So you have that going for you!
Da'blue Kwame Mfume
October 12th, 2010
2:51 pm
come on -
Why don’t you worry about your own program! If this doesn’t help you can always stuff a Obama ‘Hope & Change’ T-shirt up your corn hole.
CDAWG
October 12th, 2010
2:51 pm
After thinking about this, I don’t think King should have been suspended.It would not affect the rest of us with our jobs, a DUI maybe but not a speeding ticket. Why is it different that he get suspended and
TrishaDishaWarEagle
October 12th, 2010
2:51 pm
I am sorry for comparing A J Green and Tim Tebow..
Tebow has a Heisman and a BCS ring..
my bad
Tom
October 12th, 2010
2:52 pm
How do we know the 2-game suspension doesn’t include 1 game for the failure-to-appear warrant and 1 game for his attempt to blackmail the Athens gal into letting him off the hook for the $500 she loaned him?
MURPHY
October 12th, 2010
2:52 pm
Trisha Disha,
Cant be considered for the Heisman if you have a record. Heck they took it from Bush because someone gave him money. I dont recall someone giving Cam a laptop-I believe it was classified as stolen property!
Big Kahuna
October 12th, 2010
2:52 pm
By the way, all the snickering you’re hearing, is coming from AU, UF, USC east, UA, LSU, GT,MSU, UK and others because they WANT UGA to remain undesciplined!!!!!
shane
October 12th, 2010
2:52 pm
Auburn is one bad thunderstorm away from mudd huts and mosquito nets.
CDAWG
October 12th, 2010
2:53 pm
Didn’t mean to post that yet. (it would not affect the rest of us on our jobs one bit?
MURPHY
October 12th, 2010
2:53 pm
shane,
Im sure satan did-I hear he is on a first name basis with him. Roll Tide!
Dexter King
October 12th, 2010
2:54 pm
“Didn’t mean to post that yet. (it would not affect the rest of us on our jobs one bit?”
I don’t have a job.
Just saying!
October 12th, 2010
2:54 pm
TrishaDishaWarEagle – We are talking about the NFL here. Once again if you knew anything about football than you would know that a Heisman and a BCS ring does not qualify you to be a top NFL player. But I am impressed that you know what The Heisman is. Most Broads haven’t a clue.
KimZ'sPackage
October 12th, 2010
2:55 pm
CDAWG most people don’t just spend 6 hours in jail either. In a bigger city or if you are not well known you will not be processed in to the jail and get a first apperance and a bond set within 12 hours. King being arrested at 4-5 am he would not be processed in less than 6 hours.
TrishaDishaWarEagle
October 12th, 2010
2:56 pm
ok ok ok..I will leave with one last shot..
AU 6-0 UGA 2-4
War Eagle!
David Pollack
October 12th, 2010
2:57 pm
If David Greene were here he could lead us all in a group prayer for coach richt.
TrishaDishaWarEagle
October 12th, 2010
2:57 pm
Broads? Wow And I thought chivalry was dead
shane
October 12th, 2010
2:57 pm
Trisha
Just make sure you come back after Auburn drops a game or two. Take it like a Man, I mean Woman.
David Greene
October 12th, 2010
2:58 pm
I am here best friend from childhood. lets pray that your motor never stops running.
MURPHY
October 12th, 2010
2:59 pm
TrishaDishaWarEagle,
Dang dont leave,we were just getting warmed up! lol Have a great day
Odell Thurman
October 12th, 2010
3:00 pm
Why yall be praying da man just trying to have a little fun.. you know get his ganster on
TrishaDishaWarEagle
October 12th, 2010
3:00 pm
Pollack should pray for Mike Bell’s Liver. We saw him put on quite the exhibition of Alcoholism at taco mac last year.
Just saying!
October 12th, 2010
3:00 pm
TrishaDishaWarEagle – Why don’t you post what Auburns record is against UGA over the last 4 years is before you leave? It’s ok I will do it for you.
0-4!!!!!!!!!
KimZ'sPackage
October 12th, 2010
3:00 pm
Shane be nice you know you like to TAKE IT like a WOMAN too. DO you want a photo with the dirty panties I send you this week? It will be $55 if you want the photo too.
TrishaDishaWarEagle
October 12th, 2010
3:01 pm
really gone now..
UGA Insider
October 12th, 2010
3:01 pm
Chris Rainey who was charged with a 3rd degree felony will be playing against UGA in a few weeks. You heard it here first.
Top Recruit
October 12th, 2010
3:01 pm
I’d cut King from the squad because I want that scholarship to give out this year. King has a history of issues. As a coach can you trust him now. What if the event that triggered the arrest happened the day the Dawgs travel to JAX and you have him factored into to your game plan big time. No it is not about a little speeding ticket…which can lead to an arrest and detainment. I want that scholarship to give to a player I know I can trust to be there. Plus tell me how many plays has King seen the last year and this year? How much has that absence cost this team…well a fumble in Boulder in great field position. Sorry, it is about production from a position that I see no productio, but I see alot of baggage causing me and an AD to hangle when it should not.
Mark Richt
October 12th, 2010
3:02 pm
I wonder if the Davids have any eligibility left.. His motor never did stop running…
SoGaDawg
October 12th, 2010
3:02 pm
Two games seems fair since evidentally at UF you can stalk and threaten to kill a person and then plea it down so that you can still play football. Say what you want about Richt and the arrests that have happened. But, when it has been serious, such as Mettenberger and Robinson, he immediately kicked them off the team. I guess it’s different rules for Urban and UF.
David Pollack
October 12th, 2010
3:03 pm
Dont worry Bell lost his liver a long time ago. I hate doing a show with that heathen.
KimZ'sPackage
October 12th, 2010
3:03 pm
TrishaDisha just like a Fat girl at a UGA party. She gets all the drunk dawg boys worked up and then leaves them with WOOD and a Dream of what could have been.
David Pollack
October 12th, 2010
3:04 pm
Sorry Coach I hurt my neck and cant play no more. Now my focus is on gettign that beach body I always wanted. David Greene told me I looked ripped like that dude on P90x
MURPHY
October 12th, 2010
3:04 pm
Ill ask again. Since we have no Caleb this week and Washun filling in-What the over/under on how many times he fumbles this week?
Dawg_Mike
October 12th, 2010
3:05 pm
UGA insider- yes he will since he is back practicing with the team now.
TechJax
October 12th, 2010
3:05 pm
TrishaDishaWarEagle, You sound like one of our fans. Haven’t beaten UGA in years but on here running your mouth!!!!!!
Upset Dawg
October 12th, 2010
3:06 pm
Only six more games before Richt retires and goes into the Ministry.
Can’t wait.
MURPHY
October 12th, 2010
3:06 pm
Kim Z,
Good one!
Kathy
October 12th, 2010
3:08 pm
The ironic thing about this whole mess is that he didn’t even have to show up for court! I’ve had a similar speeding ticket in Walton Co. and all you have to do is go online & pay the effing fine (if you’re not going to protest it)..
gt
October 12th, 2010
3:08 pm
Lets see if Georgia has learn it’s lesson, that is what this is all about isn’t it? This seems very close to the other milk toast punishments that Richt deals out. What Rich does not understand is this stuff doesn’t go away. You can’t wish it away. There is a kid sitting on that roster right now with an expired drivers licence, bet my life on it, probably two or three. There is a cause and effect here. I believe after watching that football team play the last couple of years that this coaching staff is too dumb to understand that. This is part of the reason they recruit so well. Easy school, easy woman, easy football, who needs to go to a real college when you can have all this and tell you friends you go to college. Of course they are about as close a college student as I am a NBA center. Now this same institution that has abused any honest degree holder at the University of Georgia wants the state to hand over an engineering school to them. Not because they really want a academic situation but because they are starting to lose recruits to Auburn and Ga. Tech that actually want a real education. I bet they didn’t know that existed until lately.
Mark Richt
October 12th, 2010
3:08 pm
I not retiring I will just do my recruiting on my mission trips to africa.
Bishop Eddie
October 12th, 2010
3:09 pm
“Only six more games before Richt retires and goes into the Ministry”
Then he can really get his freak on.
edumacated
October 12th, 2010
3:10 pm
I’ve got my money on Ealey being the next arrest. Those of us from the sticks know that his little hit and run incident wasn’t the first. Back in his home town he was also was picked up for minor possession of pot, and also famously took a school bus for a joy ride.