Redshirt freshman OL Brent Benedict leaving UGA for ‘personal reasons’
Georgia’s already-precarious situation on the offensive line just got more precarious.
Benedict
Brent Benedict, a redshirt freshman offensive lineman from Jacksonville and a former five-star recruit, left the team due to “personal reasons,” head coach Mark Richt said in a news release on Sunday. Benedict (6-foot-5, 312-pounds) was slated to back up Chris Burnette at right guard. He signed as a tackle.
Benedict did not return calls and texts seeking comment. Richt, who just returned from a mission trip to Honduras, was not available to comment.
Benedict was medically cleared this spring after a two-year rehabilitation of a major knee injury that occurred his senior year at The Bolles School. Indications are there has been some differences over how much and what kind of off-season training he should be doing as he prepared for his first active season on the field.
Georgia is now down to 13 scholarship offensive linemen, five of whom are true freshmen who just arrived on campus (not including Nathan Theus of Jacksonville, who signed as a long snapper). Incoming freshman tackle Xzavier Ward is also expected to miss the season with a knee injury.
Georgia already had a major reshuffle of the offensive line when starting left tackle Trinton Sturdivant went down with his third major knee injury this past spring and tackle A.J. Harmon transferred to Alabama State. Redshirt sophomore Dallas Lee of Buford, who was listed as third-string left guard, will likely shift over to right guard.
Benedict’s departure is the second interruption of what had been a quiet offseason for the Bulldogs. A report out of Columbus on Sunday indicates there could be some eligibility questions for starting linebacker Jarvis Jones and five-star basketball signee Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
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253 comments Add your comment
fpice
June 27th, 2011
6:39 pm
PeePants, WAAY more to judging talent than physical attributes. Did the kid stay and contribute or not? Richt needs to be more loyal to UGA fans and alumni than some kid who doesn’t have a chance to play.
Do you dispute that CMR is responsible for SEVEN losses last year? I’ll bet you believe Richt is not the fault!
EVERY recruit must be approved by Richt. If a recruit does not contribute, CMR is responsible. Bottom line. Three million a year. He must bear the responsibility.
crazydi
June 27th, 2011
6:54 pm
Hey Dawg fans, PLEASE dont ridicule this kid because he chose to leave the program. As the mother of an sec kid who was recruited by the dawgs and every other school in the sec, wound up playing in and for bama (winning the big rings) but as a mother, PLEASE dont beat this kid up, im sure he did the dawgs a favor by leaving – who knows why, could be his health and it could be other reasons either way, please show some sec CLASS and follow Richt’s lead by taking the high road ……
AltamahaDawg
June 27th, 2011
7:01 pm
JoeT has 28 years of experience as a professionally paid S&C coach, backed by a sport medicine department staffed with 3 orthopedic surgeons and multiple other doctors, headed up by Ron Courson, who has more credential on this very thing than you can list.
(including the director of rehabilitation for 4 yrs at Alabama, roll that)
knowledgeisavirtue
June 27th, 2011
7:12 pm
crazydi is the example of what everyone should behave like. respect
knowledgeisavirtue
June 27th, 2011
7:14 pm
you people DISGUST me that can sit on this blog, wasting your time by bashing a 19 year old man for making what was probably one of the biggest decisions of his life. Do you even know what he has been through in his 19 years? Do you know what type of person he is? What type of presence he holds in a room? What type of kind, calm advice he give to friends in need? What he has given up to succeed in something else? Who he has lost? More?
He is an amazing individual and deserves nothing less than peace. Please, I beg of all of the so called adults on this blog to stop the harmful comments. Not only will Brent read these, his friends and family will. He hurt his knee, had disagreements with the strength and conditioning staff and so much more. That does not make him less of a team player or a champion because I PROMISE you that he will always be a team mate to the dawgs. I do not know of one person at the campus that is involved with athletics and has any harsh feelings of hate towards him.
Watch out America, Brent Benedict is going to make a positive impact and when he does, all of you hateful so called “dawg fans” will be pinching yourselves for even giving him a hard time.
Are you Coach Richt? Are you Brent Benedict? Are you Mr. Benedict? no. To those that have sent good wishes his way, that is the true way of living and the way to say “I’m sorry that UGA did not work out for you Brent, but you will move on to bigger and better places.”
Do any of you even focus on the news worldwide, the issues of poverty, war, and so forth? Stop wasting your time by focusing on what you don’t know and learn about what you can know in the news.
dawggone
June 27th, 2011
8:21 pm
HE FINALLY REALIZED WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE ALREADY KNEW, UGA SUX
PowerDawg
June 27th, 2011
8:34 pm
Feel the burn, baby!
Obviously some of these know-it-all-knuckleheads, like “Sldkfjslk” have never seen Joe Jr. The guy is thirty years older than most of these brilliant pundits and in way, way better shape. I bumped into him once at the Classic Center during Picture Day, and it felt like walking into a wall. And he was just the “video guy” then.
The man is old school in the gym, ya’ll.
Tear the muscle completely down by repetition until burn-out and then rebuild it so as to make it bigger and stronger, generally speaking.
Joe T was an OL here at UGA and worked on the S&C staff after his playing days were over, so he knows what he is doing.
If the kids listen to him and work as hard as he tell them to…we will be bigger and stronger than our opponents this year, especially in the fourth quarter.
PowerDawg
June 27th, 2011
9:13 pm
Dear Knowledge: Boo-Hoo.
The “personal reasons” are secondary in the grand scheme of things. The main issue is that this young man showed a lack a basic moral assets like gratitide and loyalty. Coach Richt and his staff honored their commitment and gave a full-ride scholarship to Brent even after he tore up his knee as a senior in HS. And even after his future as a football player was largely in doubt, as there are no guarantees of return to one’s previous abilities and level of performance after an injury of this type.
Coach Richt and the university would have been well within their rights to pull their scholarship offer after such a severe injury, especially so in a situation where the injury occurred before his arrival on our campus.
But they didn’t. Kedric Gholston injured one of his legs so severely in a wreck his senior year of high school, the doctors weren’t sure he would even be able to walk again, much less play defensive tackle at an SEC school. He went on to play in the NFL after a stellar career at UGA because Coach Richt honored his scholarship offer then as well.
We held up our end of the bargain. Brent Benedict should have done the same thing.
PowerDawg
June 27th, 2011
9:15 pm
Sorry, neglected to proof read before submission. Should read “Gratitude and loyalty”.
KOOL
June 27th, 2011
9:32 pm
It was not smart to give him a scholarship to begin with… why would you give damaged goods a full ride when the scholarship can go to someone who will actually be able to be productive
Dr. Dave
June 27th, 2011
9:40 pm
There are a lot of misinformed idiots on this site. This kid was a 5 star recruit who tore his ACL, PCL and MCL, and also sustained nerve damage AFTER he was offered and committed to UGA. Richt was a man of his word and said that his offer still stood. He has rehabbed back but there were still some issues from his nerve injury. Marine talks about his ACL being repaired and that is a cakewalk compared to what Benedict has gone through. People also forget that his brother died in 2008 while getting ready for the NFL draft. All of you need to shut up and stop questioning his toughness until we hear what really is the reason to leave.
FLA DAWG
June 27th, 2011
9:49 pm
AltamahaDawg,
Whenever a player leaves The Dawgs you say he’s doing The Team a favor. If that’s true for the players then it has to be true for the coaches but you’ve backed Richt and Bozo for years.
And as far as Benedict’s injury well, let’s see where he goes and how he plays football. He will be a starter.
gtfanfrom1951
June 27th, 2011
10:06 pm
If you have ever had knee problems you know it is something that takes a while to heal. The kid has tried for two years to get back to form. Sometimes it time to call and end to it. Now that the o-line is down another body it going to hurt in practice and in the game if you expect the same five to play every down of every game. God forbid that any of these young men should get hurt it leave the offense in trouble. CMR is a good man and a very good coach remember that when you are thinking about the football program at UGA. I have never been a fan UGA but he is the type of coach any school should be proud off.
smartdog
June 27th, 2011
10:09 pm
Powerdog joe t comes from an era where linemen were 250 pounds. his tactics won’t cut it in the modern day sec. brent’s a great kid and will do well wherever he goes. god bless him and his parents for doing the smart thing and pulling him out of a destructive situation
Mr. SEC
June 27th, 2011
10:30 pm
Brent, man-up and just state it, everybody else knows it! You were not going to start, now, go play D-II SOMEWHERE! I know you had foot problems, but, really, another attitude gone from UGA, Oh happy days! Trenton S. will take your place, bad knee and all; because he has something you do not have, GUTS!
AltamahaDawg
June 27th, 2011
10:36 pm
Well he may be be a starter when he can play, I hope so. But you said the coaches should have played him LAST year, now didnt you? To which I corrected you because as anyone who knows enough about this kid to have offered up thier bold opinion about his career here knows, he could not have done that.
And yes I said (several times in the past) that if a kid doesn’t WANT to be here, he is doing the team a favor to leave. He is doing the right thing and nobody should be riding him in a blog about his character. THAT’S what I said. Richt and Bobo WANT to be here, and obviously they want to help the team. So thats really not the same, is it? Other than a ill-conceived attempt to make me look irrational by purposely mixing up my words, there really wasn’t much of a point there.
Robert E. Lee
June 27th, 2011
10:42 pm
So really, how comfortable are we now having four black guys around Ben Jones on the offensive line?
AltamahaDawg
June 27th, 2011
10:44 pm
tide roll would approve.
PowerDUMB
June 27th, 2011
10:44 pm
powerdog do you have any idea what you are talking about when it comes to weightlifting? Tereshinski’s weight program contradicts just about every rule in the book. they do no power or hang cleans, attempt to lift high weight for an absurd amount of reps, and run long distance, which converts short-twitch muscle fibers (the type used for explosive activities such as football) to long twitch (which is virtually useless in football) and does no agility work. These kids will be stiff, injury prone, and inexplosive. with these workouts we need to be worried about all 4 quarters, not just the 4th. and when you bumped into him at the classic center did you notice his limp? the man’s knees are wrecked, and he’s doing the same thing to the players
FLA DAWG
June 27th, 2011
10:55 pm
AltamahaDawg,
I don’t know who the he!! gives two shytes what you think or that you believe you have the expertise to “correct” anyone but perhaps the illusion of grandeur you appear to have.
But to a much more important point……………you believe that because Richt and Bobo WANT to be here and help the team justifies their position and salary? Performance counts for nothing in your mind?
Please do most of us a favor and become a GT Fan. You’d fit the mold well.
knowledgeisavirtue
June 27th, 2011
11:01 pm
powerdawg, “Boo-Hoo” ? Really? Grow up and bring your rude comments else where because as I mentioned before, you obviously do not know Brent. “He should have done the same thing.” Well, there are obviously reasons for what he did that are beyond what any of us know and ever will know. So grow up, powerdawg. He is not the only student-athlete that was highly recruited to a college team with a full-scholarship that left for “personal reasons.” If he wishes to keep these reasons unknown to the public, than so be it. Don’t focus on whether his decision was right or wrong. Focus on UGA football and how they will move on. Nobody can fix the past, so like i’ve said… it happened, for whatever reason, now GET OVER IT. and leave him and his family alone.
AltamahaDawg
June 27th, 2011
11:02 pm
Going to show up in the knees huh?
AltamahaDawg
June 27th, 2011
11:09 pm
I was simple responding to you. You did address me by name did you not? So apparently you give 2. Did you find anything actually incorrect in my reply?
And I corrected you because you said a stupid thing. I would hope you would correct me if I ranted about how bad the coaches were for not playing a crippled player last year, before I embarrassed myself any further. You are welcome.
AltamahaDawg
June 27th, 2011
11:17 pm
I never said anything about justification of thier salary, just that your analogy of an unhappy player doesnt fit. You sort of morph your points around, when they aren’t don’t you.
And as far an fitting a tech fan mold, I believe it is YOU has has openly bragged several times how you were going to pull for the Georgia Bulldawgs to lose games.
RED DOG 77
June 28th, 2011
12:48 am
I am sick and tired of these apologists for Brent Benedict #1 If the kid has such a devestating injury that he can no longer play football, then say so. I have a bone disease that has required me to undergo 8 major surgeries………..I know what re-hab is all about, I get along just fine now…….no sympathy needed here! #2 If young Mr. Benedict can’t take the “heat” of re-hab and strength and conditioning……..go to another school, but if I’m Richt………he’s blown his SEC chances…….I hate to listen to “experts” on blogs like this, and I spose I am being one myself……….But if you are too injured to play anymore, just say so!……..If you just want out………shame on you, and your parents for allowing you to do so……………..RED
RED DOG 77
June 28th, 2011
12:55 am
Oh and by the way………I’m also sick and tired of these so called “personal reasons” crybaby lines………..Grow-up, stand-up, and speak your mind…………you made the choice to be a “public figure” when you signed a major college football scholarship!…………That means, young man……….I’m paying for your education with my state tax dollars………………RED
Thomas Brown
June 28th, 2011
2:28 am
Give me your tired, your poor The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Outcasts and downtrodden of the world. Send me your troubled your distressed your afflicted in danger or need. Send us your injured your sick your lazy your disobedient. Send us these who have no heart to our Wayward Home for Lost Souls. For here only in college football is winning is not everything. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside The University of Georgia Arch and promise to Minister to them and have all drink the Kool-Aid of their greatness shuffling coaches and players all around out of position Everyone expects Mark Richt to win a national championship every 5 years when God Knows there are excuses aplenty. Call any who are not satisfied losing 9 of 12 games against teams finishing in the Top 10, not fans of this program, for sure. Complain how they hurt the recruiting. Call any who note the 10 Losses in 10 years to teams not even finishing in the Top 25, even with their win over us, clearly just out to hurt the program. Couldn’t possibly be really fans and not satisfied. Ignore every issue, turn the posts into those of it is just this group out to get Mark Richt fired when he such a nice guy. Play your Favorites Give the least likely the ball on the worst called play Lose to all the teams finishing in the Top 10 and Lose another every season who finish not even in the Top 25 with their win over us for here at our Wayward Home for Lost Souls our Mission is only to Minister to the Unforgiven whilst we Hype them each as great, and boot the exiles in the backsides as a pariah out the door !
Thomas Brown
June 28th, 2011
3:13 am
I don’t know how fine we are going to be when we have Lost 9 of the 12 games these last 10 years against teams who finished in the AP Poll Top 10 and Lost 10 games these last 10 years against teams who finished not even with their win over us, in the Top 25. We don’t beat the truly great teams, and we Lose a game every year to a cupcake to-boot. How is that “fine” ?
CoachT'sknees
June 28th, 2011
6:39 am
1st, good luck to you Brent Benedict, I am sorry things didn’t work out. You all made the right decision. These “workouts” suck footballs and we all know it. Matter of time before someone steps up here. Coach you listening? Wake up, or hurt more kids. Thanks. And Red Dog, you are a fool sir.
FLA DAWG
June 28th, 2011
7:46 am
Try to stay focused AltaDawg…………the original point was your statement that B’s departure would only help the team. You’ve stated that time and again as an excuse for any player leaving.
If you genuinely believe a player with a problem is better off gone from The Dawgs then it must certanly apply to the coaches who have been miserable failures (note; view video of most games over the past three seasons). Yet here is where you do an Obama Flip. You continue to support coaches with problems.
Wouldn’t the team be better off with them gone?
Now, relax and see if you can actually grasp the point and respond to the glaring conflict in your rationale.
Thomas Brown
June 28th, 2011
7:46 am
I’ve been saying that for years, every since he said Joe Cox threw the football extremely well, especially on the deep pass – with his chronic shoulder with our 17 interceptions 2009 alone and # 80 in the nation passing offense.
Oh, yeah. Joe Cox really threw the football well.
Tide Roll
June 28th, 2011
8:17 am
R. E. Lee and Altadawg. You’re dang right I approve. Welcome to the 21st century. These athletes make up the best starting offensive line ever at UGA. Worry a little about Bean Anderson and his mobility at right tackle, and, of course, the extremely overrated Ben Jones at Center.
Fats
June 28th, 2011
8:19 am
Ben Jones is another fat pud.
Tide Roll
June 28th, 2011
8:33 am
Fats. Well put. He is a fat pud!
7576DAWG
June 28th, 2011
8:50 am
As weak as our offensive line was last year the S&C program had to have a radical change. I can’t imagine a program that would hurt these young men as many coaches as UGA has assigned to the S&C program to make sure they eat right and become physically strong. The players certainly don’t care, if they are interested in a football career in the NFL. When they get to the PRO’s do anyone here really think it would be easier than what coach T is demanding.
Benedict didn’t make his decision over night and I guarantee his family was involved in the decision. If that’s what he wants to do I support him 100%. He has his reasons and I don’t care if I ever fine out what those reasons are. It’s his business but if I had lost a brother recently and my rehab wasn’t progressing as fast as I would like , being closer to home and the support of my family would be pretty high on my wish list. It’s time to move on and I hope the kid finds what he needs.
work smart
June 28th, 2011
9:44 am
There isn’t a player in Athens that wants “easier”. That is not the point. These guys have been around training at a high level for years, and they know when they are being asked to do work that is counter productive. Overtraining is not the answer to one of our programs percieved weaknesses. Sounds good on a blog that kids are busting ass and puking, but too much work in too little time = injuries and setbacks. Cannot be sustained. Sure you’ll see big gains initially, but lets see how long that lasts. Ask Smith, Gouldin or Williams how often you should max out, how many times a week you should squat….yeah it might differ a bit for a few individuals…but not for the whole team
Jason Anders
June 28th, 2011
9:49 am
I don”t have a problem if guy’s want to leave because of injury that hinders their playing time or because of financial hardships that effects their family negatively.
I guess I just have a problem with quitters and people who let other people decide on who they are. I believe each person with individual experiences that they chose will be better off in life overall than those who rely solely on others. I do believe in the influence that parents have and we as parents should understand there must be a balance. Hopefully, this is what happened in Burnette’s situation\
and he is comfortable with the decision.
Best of luck, and hope the best wherever you end up. It’ apparent that Georgia was either to much of a challenge for you or someone else told you your self-worth and how much you could or could not contribute.
Georgia will be fine, the talent pool at Georgia is still there and someone will step up and become a force on that offensive. Besides, most of the time it’s what’s inside that matters regarding a player at any position and at Georgia it’s not a time in the history Georgia football to be weak hearted,
I wish the others at Georgia the best, and this is a time/moment like no other to list your name in Georgia football history as either being one of the greatest teams that ever hit the field or just another average team. You chose stay or quit, give it 110% or less, or believe or doubt yourself and teammates, or whatever time will determine the metal of this team.
” Leave no battle in combat or on the field of play as you entered it Find, seek,and destroy the competition” or they will do it too you” Go Dawgs!!!!
It Ain't Rocket Science
June 28th, 2011
9:58 am
I just read where the UGA AD reported the Columbus mess to the NCAA nd SEC. Hopefully it can be resolved quickly. I don’t see Jones getting away with what he did, since apparently he was enrolled at USC when he took his free rides. The BB player may be a different situation since he was not committed to any school. I don’t expect we will see Mr. Jones on the field a whole lot to start off the season for the bulldogs. He did not exactly show good judgment for sure.
Talk about a school being snake bitten this year. Another LB is transferring to North Alabama, and I think they were counting on him , not as a starter but a capable player that would have gotten, some significant playing time.
The Dawgs have got some more wholes to fill now, with their two biggest games to start the season off with.
GO DAWGS
globeflyer
June 28th, 2011
11:25 am
There is ALWAYS more to the story than what you will read (or even hear). The rationalization and/or excuses on things like this are amazing…..By the way, some, I repeat some, of you Dawg fans need to be careful, you’re starting to exhibit signs of “Aubie”ism”…..jealousy of Nick Saban. Reminds me of a AU-Tenn football game I attended on The Plains back in the 80’s. Fans behind me got drunk and were cursing BEAR BRYANT! Just sayin’……
AltamahaDawg
June 28th, 2011
12:04 pm
Fla Dawg, just admit you made a dumb comment, I joked about it, you got all embarrased and now you are trying to cover it over with some circular logic that you are just making up to fit your narrative. I know what I said, and you are just wasting your time to try to convince me that I don’t know what I meant by it.
But hey, you got a guy who changes his name in here every 2 month so he doesnt have to own up to his past statement, to agree with you. Good job.
It Ain't Rocket Science
June 28th, 2011
12:13 pm
I think that the kid may just have a little mental problem as far as working out because he is really worried he might re injure his knee, and feels the S and C program, drives him too hard. He still had some nerve problems in the spring practices and he knew he wasn’t going to start this year as well. Maybe he figures he will do better at a smaller program. None of us know for sure what problems the kid has, in his head or on his body. I wish him the best of luck in his future but now the DAWGS just have to put him in their rear lights and do what we can to get our youngsters prepared to back up the O linemen who will start.
AltamahaDawg
June 28th, 2011
12:23 pm
Interesting comment from Bill’s blog that transferring to another D-1 school would mandate a year of sitting and thus (if this is correct) not burn a year of eligibility while rehabbing even further.
AltamahaDawg
June 28th, 2011
12:26 pm
But isn’t that a “penalty” year? Doesn’t it burn one?
Dumb Jean shorts
June 28th, 2011
12:58 pm
5 star baby, knew he wouldn’t star-play, wanted to move on, so be it, dawgs will be fine.
FLA DAWG
June 28th, 2011
1:03 pm
Not sure to whom you are referring but once again you think it your position to critique anyone who makes a comment.
I made an initial comment about the article. It had NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU. Yet you took it upon yourself to make a response. I was not addressing you.
And your final non response is proof you are unable to introspect regarding the double standard you have for players and coaches. Richt and Bobo can fail miserably and you support them all day long. But if a player has a problem then you think it’s better for the team if he leaves.
Dawg in Malta
June 28th, 2011
1:29 pm
Everything I’ve heard about Brent Benedict was
he does whatever his daddy tells him.
His daddy knew he would not play this year due
to not being fully recovered from his injury.
So, by transferring this will give him another year to recoup
his leg and give him another year of eligibility.
It’s about getting to the NFL for Benedict.
Dawgs are going to be fine with the current OL.
I’m alot more worry about the secondary?
Go Dawgs!
AltamahaDawg
June 28th, 2011
2:14 pm
Let me take a moment for introspection: Nope, you are still not making a good analogy.
A player that doesn’t want to be here IMO cannot ever do the program or himself any good, so I think he should leave.
You are saying that I have a double standard because you assume that I also feel Richt can’t ever do the program any good YET I don’t think he should leave.
I can understand your confussion. That wouldn’t make any sence. Let me solve that mystery for you. Your assumptions are incorrect and that’s why your conclusion is flawed. Feel better now?
AltamahaDawg
June 28th, 2011
2:16 pm
BTW didn’t you take it upon YOURself to respond to my comment on the player transfer that I made openly and had nothing to do you YOU? See now THAT is a good example of a double standard.
FLA DAWG
June 28th, 2011
2:37 pm
Your excuses for being inconsistent with regard to Richt and Bobo and players is laughable.
Keep writing – PLEASE keep writing. You are the most entertaining clown on this site in my opinion.
AltamahaDawg
June 28th, 2011
3:29 pm
Name ONE inconsistant comment I have made about Richt?