Offensive lineman A.J. Harmon leaving UGA for “personal reasons”
Rising junior A.J. Harmon is leaving the Georgia football team for “personal reasons,” according to UGA’s sports communication office.
Harmon
Harmon, who projected as a potential starter at right tackle for the Bulldogs, intends to “transfer to another institution,” according to a very brief new release distributed Tuesday. No other information was immediately available. However, Harmon’s departure coincides with the completion of UGA’s spring semester. Harmon had to sit out the Liberty Bowl last December due to an academic-related suspension.
Neither Harmon nor head coach Mark Richt could be reached for comment.
J.B. Arnold, Harmon’s coach at Jefferson County High School, also has not talked to Harmon but desperately wants to.
“He called me one day last week and said he was leaving Georgia and that’s all I know,” Arnold said Tuesday. “I told him that we needed to sit down and talk before he did anything, but I haven’t heard from him since.”
Harmon signed with Georgia as a defensive lineman in 2008. He was moved to offensive line that fall and redshirted. He played in three games as a redshirt freshman in 2009 and four as a backup offensive lineman last year.
This spring he was battling with Justin Anderson for the starting job at right tackle. Either way he was expected to see significant playing time both there and as a backup at left tackle.
Harmon is the second major offensive contributor to leave the team prematurely this spring. Running back Washaun Ealey was granted a release to seek a transfer earlier this month.
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192 comments Add your comment
King Gator
May 17th, 2011
7:25 pm
He’s leaving so he can go somewhere he can be the “featured RT” on the OL. Go Gators!
Kam Fong as Chen Ho
May 17th, 2011
7:25 pm
Does he have to give the car and the house back?
Delbert D.
May 17th, 2011
7:26 pm
If Harmon was being considered for a potential starter and rotating backup, he has some skills. I don’t know how scholarships at BFCS schools work for transfers due to academic issues. Lot of open questions. Maybe a year at junior college for catching up academically would help him get his priorities straight., assuming he works his way through or his family can pay the way .
RabidDawgFan
May 17th, 2011
7:33 pm
You guys act like we’re losing Cordy Glenn or Ben Jones. Answer me this question…how many games has Harmon started since playing for Georgia? Our offensive line will be just fine. Some of those freshmen O-linemen (Dantzler, Ward, etc) will have to train and learn quickly and maybe be thrown in the fire as true freshmen. Didn’t seem to hurt Ben Jones when he started as a freshman going up against Terrence Cody in only his 2nd start as a college football player. Play em Richt. Another thing that might be making these kids leave is competition even in the weight room. I believe those kids are being worked, and I mean worked hard. And they want to leave if it gets too tough. The work out plans have never been that tough and they wanna quit. The last ones standing, will be the ones that lead us to a title.
Too much hype not enough inside
May 17th, 2011
7:39 pm
And the there were none. They’re dropping like flies again in Athens. Until these kids get vetted beyond their high school athletic stats this will continue. I remember from my high school days some really good players that never got the call from the big schools to play college ball because the right people would know who was smoking dope and drinking and also those that were shaky in school. What we got to see was good football played by guys who deserved to be there to represent the school more than just “play ball”. So we didn’t get much of the drama that todays “hyped” up guys get. Then two years later they’re just gone, grades, illegal activity, theft, DUI, arrests, drugs and the list goes on. But ya know what, it’s all on the coaches and the system they work in that puts talent above all else. If they squeeze two years out of a player then they get theirs and who cares about punk a$$ kid who can’t make the grade anymore. Yes, college football has changed but I’d just as soon see the old school play than the “anything goes league” we’re currently watching.
Freehawk
May 17th, 2011
7:39 pm
“Remain Calm! All is well!”
BigRedDAWG
May 17th, 2011
7:41 pm
This is why we’ve had some troubles over the past few years. The UGA Principal has to stop making all the athleates do as good in school as the other students. Everyone knows that UGA is the best non-Ivee League (Yale, Harvard, Georgetown for all those who don’t know) school in the country, meaning it is very hard to get into and stay in. If the Principal would make the standards a little lower (like the standards at Alabama, Florida and other SEC schools) we would win much more football games.
Go DAWGS!
frank
May 17th, 2011
7:53 pm
How was Harmon a significant contributor? He hardly ever played.
Hart Co.
May 17th, 2011
7:53 pm
Should we ask Tide Roll nicely if we could borrow some of those linemen he stole from us?
Delbert D.
May 17th, 2011
7:59 pm
Boise lost a lot of talent last year, but they do have quite a bit of experience at the DT spot returning. Lost their #1 sack guy on the DL, though. Boise’s top 3 DT’s each have 6.5 or more TFL. They go 296, 295 and 307. South Carolina returns 3 of 4 starters on the DL.; one is a DT, 298 lb. But, that’s jumping ahead.
I accidentally posted that on the recruiting blog a couple of minutes ago.; don’t mean to cross-post.
DOGGIE IN NC
May 17th, 2011
8:09 pm
And the house cleaning continues – this is starting to get scary. This class better be ready to come in and play as backups, at least. If we loose Calab, that is going to hurt. Still like how the defense is shaping up. You can win a lot of games with a great defense, especially if you have the best quarterback in the conference. GO DOGGIES!
bitter "OLE" School dooley(aka vince)
May 17th, 2011
8:17 pm
yaaaw tumors coornner tree killers need to re-think yoour stupid comments—–the dream team
included 3 boyzs at 6′7″———————-up yoooo’s trolls
sldkfjslk
May 17th, 2011
8:37 pm
The only one who needs weeding out is Richt. This program is falling fast. 2011 is going to be another disappointment. How long will you keep the blinders on Dawg fans. You ran out Donnan for losing four games a season. That’s a best case scenario for Richt these days.
bitter "OLE" School dooley(aka vince)
May 17th, 2011
8:40 pm
at least were not the sinking ship titanic–AKA the ohio state—hahahahahahahahahahah
lets see —tree killers in al-bamma, kuwait–hahahahah
lets see—pay for play—lower alabamma-(L/A)–hahahah
lets see—gaytards–thieft—rape—-ect
lets see—now you get it????????????
——————–our problems at UGA are small compared to the real stupidity in collage football
———————enter y0our comments trolls———–hahahahahahah
51WTGW50
May 17th, 2011
8:46 pm
@Richard
I have been saying for over a year the If HUTSON doesn’t play A LOT in the first 4 games then he NEEDS to leave. A UGA degree in Housing is not respected and being the Back-up QB counts for even less. Hutson could go to many schools and win the JOB.
@Russ TT MASCOT
Yes we have an opening for him. He can sit in the steam plant, listen to the radio, and Pull the chain to sound the whistle every time TECH scores a TD. He will be busier at Tech than he has been at UGA.
Mac Daddy
May 17th, 2011
9:22 pm
From what I hear, AJ Harmon could not pick up the schemes on either side of the football. I also hear he could not even sign his own name. But hey – it’s Georgia Football..
jesse
May 17th, 2011
9:54 pm
GOOD LUCK MAN GOD BLESS YOU KEEP HIM FRIST IN EVERY THING YOU DO
FBfan
May 17th, 2011
10:06 pm
Another one bites the dust! CMR you da man!
antidawg
May 17th, 2011
10:38 pm
Where does it say that your once hated now beloved Mark Richt dismissed this guy? This is simply the academic system catching up with cmr !
boots
May 17th, 2011
11:50 pm
It is tough to see any young man leave, but we have to hope the best for him. It is a good time, too, to recognize that we are in mid-May, and there have not been any significant (or even insignificant) off-the-field issues. Well done to the team and coaches.
Chuck UGA
May 18th, 2011
1:35 am
Yet another Ridney Garner signee that was issued a scholarship because of his Scout ot Rivals ranking. If UGA coaches would actually look a little harder, they could find the unranked, overlooked diamonds and not waste time on prima donna NFL wannabees. Just another example of a kid looking for a shortcut to the NFL and falling flat on his face.
romeo
May 18th, 2011
5:38 am
Enter your comments here
It Ain't Rocket Science
May 18th, 2011
5:39 am
How quick some of you are to throw a person under the bus, especially if it is a UGA guy. No one should be glad that this young man is having problems of any kind. He was highly recruited so don’t go blaming it on CMR or UGA. Just about every SEC recruited him. Let’s hope he gets hiss problems solved and is productive in life. Football is one thing, hoping this young man rebounds and lands on his feet is another.
romeo
May 18th, 2011
5:42 am
Well I hope everyone is ready for one of the worse seasons in UGA history. I saw this coming 10 years ago . I love coach Richt but he has made some major mistakes in how he has treated a lot of the kids up there. The Dogs will win only 5 games this year.I am thinking about transfering my self to another team thank god I don’t have to set out.
It Ain't Rocket Science
May 18th, 2011
7:28 am
Romeo,
Ten years ago, now that is interesting. Can I borrow your crystal ball for a few days. I am thinking about investing in some stocks and I want to have a little insider (?) information.
Ricardo Cabeza
May 18th, 2011
8:07 am
If they’re involved in a crime, every detail is laid out in the press. But if they’re failing “Basket Weaving 101″ it’s a deep, dark secret. Whassup wid dat??
The Rock
May 18th, 2011
8:09 am
The Rock says “we are laying the smack down on bad attitudes and those who won’t comply with the rules!”
Whisky Breath
May 18th, 2011
8:30 am
I thought Saban was the only one that ran them off? How come we don’t get any response from the head coach? Yea, it is always the players and the asst coaches that are bad, never the CMR.
WDE
May 18th, 2011
8:33 am
@romeo HIT THE BRICKS TROLL..
GRAY GHOST OR WHITE KNIGHT
May 18th, 2011
8:37 am
When you troll that deep in the gene pool you find only LUNKERS or CLUNKERS !
Georgia
May 18th, 2011
9:11 am
Non-factor. At least Georgia isnt cheating.
Auburn, Arkansas, Miss state, UF, LSU, Scarolina will be glad to take him immediately
Haters Gonna Hate
May 18th, 2011
9:27 am
I never ceases to amaze me how bitter and jealous UGA fans are towards AU. UGA could always hang the 1980 title out there as an argument for there superiority over AU and other schools without a “recent” title”
What UGA fans fail to tell you is that 1980 title was an absolute joke. I mean their schedule was PATHETIC. They played 12 D1A opponents who had a combined win percentage of 41%. They played FIVE TEAMS with 3 or less wins!!! Whata joke. The 1983 AU team was better then the 1980 UGA team but they played a BRUTAL schedule that included FSU, Texas and Boomer Esiason Maryland out of conference.
Keep dreaming that you better then AU UGA.
BTW – AUs opponents last year in D1A had a 63% win percentage.
Ten@10: Richt says Isaiah Crowell must master pass protection to be ‘full-time back’ | UGA sports blog
May 18th, 2011
10:05 am
[...] Blocking in general is now of paramount concern after this week’s news that A.J. Harmon is leaving the program for “personal reasons.” The 6-foot-5, 320-pound junior was competing for the starting job at right tackle during spring [...]
Mark Richt coaches the players down, not up
May 18th, 2011
10:09 am
Richt ship is sinking,,,,,,,fast!
Georgia Fans Eats Idiots Sandwiches
May 18th, 2011
10:14 am
They really do.
flo-ri-duh
May 18th, 2011
10:16 am
Harmon’s personal reason for leaving is he knows Bean is the starter and A.J. doesn’t want to be a backup AGAIN. Wish he would stay and continue to get better but won’t cry when he is gone.
LogicalUS
May 18th, 2011
10:20 am
“we won’t blow a 24 point lead”
UGA would have to have a 24 pt lead FIRST, that is not going to happen in 2012.
It is going to be ugly.
LogicalUS
May 18th, 2011
10:26 am
“the defense is shaping up. You can win a lot of games with a great defense”
Psst, wonder if this UGA fan can understand why the “the defense is shaping up to be great”.
Hint: Going against an absolutely horrible offense, dude.
The group of slow white LBs and CBs which UGA showcased in the spring game are going to get blitzed against SEC calibre talent and those 5-6 160 RBs which UGA were using do not count as SEC calibre.
HECKLE
May 18th, 2011
11:43 am
The word is he failed remedial Ebonics.
Fixit
May 18th, 2011
12:25 pm
FIRST AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not even close
May 18th, 2011
3:51 pm
Whatever knuckleheads…this is Richt’s fault hasn’t this guy ever heard of tutors, he’s the one bringing in all these so called below average academic players so it is his job to kicked these guys in the butt & get the the proper assistance to graduate…even if it means sitting out a few practices. These debacles under Richt’s watch from the arrests, to the academics, can this guy control this program at all, not to mention his loyalty to some of the worst assistant coaches in the SEC over the last 5 years. This offense will go nowhere without a solid line up front & God forbid another injury, I don’t care who you put in our backfield & no QB can throw without time. I predict a knockout dragout fight after about the 6th game between Grantham vs. Richt/Bobo due to the inability of the offense to produce, while the defense will be stellar. Good Luck Dawgs….your gonna need all you can get
TomDawg
May 22nd, 2011
4:02 pm
The latest UGA transfers are a perfect example of why GA highschool players sign out of state. Hershel Walker says he wants these guys to play at home, well he needs to tell Mark Richt to start letting them play.