UGA: Brent Benedict free to transfer anywhere he wants
Brent Benedict has been granted an unconditional release by the University of Georgia, Athletic Director Greg McGarity confirmed Tuesday.
McGarity
The redshirt freshman offensive lineman from Jacksonville is free to transfer to any school of his choosing, and that includes Florida or Georgia Tech or any of the Bulldogs’ bitter rivals.
Such is the athletic department’s policy under McGarity. If a student-athlete is unhappy at UGA, then he’s free to seek happiness elsewhere, he said.
“I bring the same philosophy as we had at Florida,” said McGarity, who was an associate AD for the Gators for 18 years before returning to his alma mater last year. “If a kid’s not happy, we just want him to be happy. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I don’t care where he goes. These four or five years are the supposed to be the best and most important of these kids’ lives and they need to be happy.”
As for Benedict’s depature, McGarity said, “Things just didn’t work out. I’m sympathetic to that. They just need to be in a happy place.”
There’s at least some chance Benedict, a former five-star recruit, could end up back in the SEC East. Florida and South Carolina were among his finalists — along with Notre Dame, Ohio State and Southern Cal — when he chose the Bulldogs in the fall of 2009. Benedict’s father, Ed Benedict, told the Athens Banner-Herald, “I would imagine some of them would take a look at him again.”
McGarity said UGA would not block Benedict’s transfer anywhere.
“It’s the theory of plenty,” he said. “There’s plenty of good ones everywhere. I don’t worry if they go to Florida or Tech and may come back to beat us. You can’t think that way. Life’s too short. [Student-athletes] are our most valuable resource. If they’re not happy here, I want to see them happy somewhere.”
McGarity said the only situation in which he might block a potential would be if he knew there was some kind of tampering by another school beforehand.
Benedict was a five-star prospect before suffering a devastating knee injury that included nerve damage and a required complete reconstruction his senior season in high school. Benedict claimed in March to be “100 percent” recovered from that injury and was medically cleared to play. But he continued to show effects of that injury even in summer workouts.
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254 comments Add your comment
CHARLOTTE DAWG
June 28th, 2011
3:34 pm
Go the hell Tobias. Not sure what I said to warrant such a personal attack. These guys are a waste of resources…and it disgusts me.
And if I had to chose between “class” and winning…i’d chose winning.
Which brings me to P-Man. You make some good points…you do! But programs that believe that don’t bring in the championships. And by those programs I mean Bama, Auburn, UT, Florida…you know it and I know it…the alumni and folks that run those programs put integrity and ethics way behind winning. End result? More hardware in the trophy case.
So your values are admirable….but just don’t expect to win a whole lot with that thinking. Me? I was a championship and I am so SICK AND TIRED OF SEEING OUR NEIGHBORS GET THEM, that I’m almost willing to endorse anything and everything to get it. Yeah, I said it. Apparantly that’s what it takes.
In summary P-man, I respectfully yet whole heartedly disagree.
And nobody is saying that if Georgia starts to “play dirty” like other schools that a diploma will still be worth less. It is pretty much common knowledge that the Florida football program is a “do whatever it takes” club and yet nobody disrespects a Florida diploma. Still a darn good school regardless if the Gators lacking integrity or not.
RNB
June 28th, 2011
3:34 pm
P-Man wake up. Have you noiced how much money these programs are generating? Winning is how you make that money.
Dawg1
June 28th, 2011
3:35 pm
I’m wondering how many of you posted with great ‘excitement’ when this kid committed. He was the prize lineman coming in. Caught a little of 680 the Fan yesterday. Belue was saying that some of UGA’s graduating lineman were watchng this kid during work outs the summer before he committed and were already calling him a lock for the NFL. They were blown away by him.
There are all kinds of rumors that Joe T. was pushing him very hard, etc. Well that’s what everybody wanted – right? A different commitment in the weight room, a new toughness, a new attitude. Well that’s what you got. If it ends up rubbing a couple of kids the wrong way – so be it. And cutting them lose at their request is absolutely the right thing to do. And given an unconditional release shows nothing but ‘class’ by the University and should help give kids considering coming to UGA the thought that if it doesn’t work out – I can trust this University to allow me to transfer.
One last thought. Florida has the same policy. Their success speaks for itself. You want the kids to want to be there and you do not ever want to hurt in the words of our A.D. “what should be the best four years of this young mans life”…
Class isn’t something you are born with. Class is something that is developed and acted upon. Some of you guys really should consider jumping ship. “Win at all cost”… No, that’s not Georgia. We have our problems, but ‘grinding kids up in the name of winning football games’ is not one of them.
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
June 28th, 2011
3:36 pm
And ohio state/nd is on his list?! Hope he enjoys the nice Winters they have.
CHARLOTTE DAWG
June 28th, 2011
3:36 pm
meant to say “want a championship” not I “was”
RedPantsDawg
June 28th, 2011
3:37 pm
Any idea how much money UGA spent on his medical care and rehab? When viewed this way it is a little bit more to it than his happiness. I’d hate to think he got 2 years of free medical care and then show up in a Florida uniform in Jacksonville. For that reason, I’m against an unconditional release.
Rich
June 28th, 2011
3:38 pm
I hope the kid does well at any school he goes to. But he will not be the difference in UGA winning or losing any one game.
omg! what if he transfers to Florida?!?!?
June 28th, 2011
3:40 pm
UF beats UGA like a freakin drum every year anyway… who could tell the difference?
anotherdawg
June 28th, 2011
3:40 pm
If it’s all about winning, do you feel cheating is OK? Why do people think you have to be a jerk to win? UGA continues to take the high road, but yet there are those who equate honesty with losing. I guarantee you being nice to people and treating them with fairness is the way to go in the long run, whether it’s sports or business. It sad that there is that many negative people. Life is short, try to be happy!
lsmidnite
June 28th, 2011
3:41 pm
RNB: P-Man wake up. Have you noiced how much money these programs are generating? Winning is how you make that money.
Um… Uga is like top 3 or 5 in the nation in how much money they bring in, so…
CHARLOTTE DAWG
June 28th, 2011
3:42 pm
Dawg1,
“win at all cost” is not Georgia? YOu are right! That is the problem. Do you not want to win a National Championship?
NOTUF
June 28th, 2011
3:42 pm
I’m so tired of hearing McGarity say that this is how we did this or that at Florida. WHO FREAKIN CARES? Stop trying to make us a clone and make us better!
omg! what if he transfers to Florida?!?!?
June 28th, 2011
3:42 pm
word will get out among HS coaches and recruits if UGA takes such a hard line approach on scholarship revocations and transfers. I wouldn’t want my kid going to UGA if they were such hardasses on transferring and injuries. Life is bigger than football… and the “win at all costs” attitude is moronic. If this were your child, you’d quickly realize that there are more important things than winning football games
Tobias Funke
June 28th, 2011
3:43 pm
Charlotte
P-Man is referring to people like you.
The fact that you told me to go to hell says everything about your “class.” Go root for an NFL team. They put up with people like you.
College football is great because of the atmosphere surrounding it. Winning is not everything in college ball. While I would like a BCS championship, I just don’t let it get to me.
I’m too busy having fun and enjoying my beloved Bulldawgs, win or lose.
CMR Titanic
June 28th, 2011
3:44 pm
@Spike80df….. hey doofus…… nobody said anything about playing time. Players and fans want championships not inept coaching …… dip wad.
Halsey
June 28th, 2011
3:44 pm
Whoa whoa whoa! We can’t be letting these kids have the freedom to choose the school they attend! What is this!? America!?
Pecan
June 28th, 2011
3:46 pm
P-Man, good post. These players give most of their time and body parts 24-7/365. Divide the worth of a scholly by the number of hours they practice, work out, study film, etc, etc. They “earn” pennies an hour, and many end up with messed up bodies and minds for years. All this to please us, the fans, so we can feel good about ourselves, that we must be winners since our team is. These are still young people, very inexperienced in life and very impressionable. We all need to remember these players are someone else’s kid and under tremendous pressure to win, much different than the normal 18-22 year old. Let’s all put things into perspective. This from a long, long time Dawg.
Dawg4ever
June 28th, 2011
3:47 pm
I’m glad Mustache is at Fl. The fact that he would take damaged goods from UGA shows how desperate this clown really is. His O.L is in worst shape than UGA, and don’t know why so many fans are upset with this guy leaving. He would have played very little this season if any, he was still having problems with nerve damage in his knee, and the kid couldnt even feel his foot at times. Not very good for an o.l, to not be able to plant your foot, and he was still having problems with his ankle. Mustache is a snake, and he is just like Saban in the fact he wants to try and make headlines by picking up players from the state of GA, or players that play for UGA. The only place that this will actually draw alot of attention is in this fishwrapper of a paper. This sportswriter will write more about this guy now than he ever did when UGA got his committment. Didn’t see any blogs about this kid when he was trying to get through his rehab, or how he was doing in spring practice. Good luck to Mustache, he is a joke, and like Benedict he left the school that had mad a major committment to him. These guys deserve eachother. Neither one of them have an ounce of integrity.
Kirby Smart
June 28th, 2011
3:49 pm
If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying.
CHARLOTTE DAWG
June 28th, 2011
3:52 pm
So Tobias, your previous post to me was just as “classy”? Pot this is kettle..you’re black!
I’m so glad you can enjoy a Georgia game win or lose. But I’m not like you. I’m tired of seeing our rivals win the hardware. You just keep on being content with runner up status and calling people classless that you don’t agree with….a$$!
Tobias Funke
June 28th, 2011
3:53 pm
Winning at all cost sure worked out for Enron, USC, and Ohio State…
I want to play in the Dome every year, BUT I KNOW THAT IS NOT REALISTIC WHEN YOU PLAY IN THE SEC. I would rather have SEC championships than NC. Yup, I said it.
AltamahaDawg
June 28th, 2011
3:54 pm
Good for him and best of luck.
Carlton
June 28th, 2011
3:55 pm
Bottom Line, kid’s gone after he spent two seasons utilizing UGA’s rehabilitation programs and riding on that scholarship. For him to utilize the resources then all of a sudden say before his third year “I’m not happy, but I’m almost 100% now” is B.S.
I’m glad to see this quitter gone.
GO DAWGS ‘11
1953Dawg
June 28th, 2011
3:58 pm
Dawg1, you can’t be serious. Belue is full of himself, and it looks like this kid is too. However, there is no way the linemen in school could have watched this kid the summer before he got to UGA. He was in high school, and he blew his knee out during the season. So Belue is full of it as always. This is just him making up stories to try and attract listeners to his radio show with the idiot Kincade. The only way the upper classmen would have seen this kid would have been if they went to florida to watch him practice and i doubt that would ever happen, since he hadn’t committed to UGA at the time. The guy was a top O.L. recruit, just as Austin Long, and Sturdivant were. Don’t see either one of them jumping ship for another school. Think the coach at Florida is just as much to blame for this kid leaving as the kid himself. The NCAA should look into a coach tampering with another kid while he is on ship with another program.
CHARLOTTE DAWG
June 28th, 2011
3:59 pm
Seems to be working for Auburn…not a dam* thing is going to happen to them.
Maybe I’m asking/begging UGA coaches and athletic administrators is just be aware of how dirty the competition is and be willing to throw some elbow yourself(metaphorically speaking)
What’s that word other SEC coaches called Georgia….soft? Well having a heart, being ethical, doing the right thing is….well…kind of soft if you think about it.
Richt and McGarity are trying to be honest men in a den of theives, and it is just not going to work!
Dawgmess
June 28th, 2011
4:00 pm
Charlotte Dawg, I don’t know what kind of business you’re in, but I hope the words “Charlotte Dawg” are prominently displayed on the front door so I’ll know to go somewhere else.
truedawg
June 28th, 2011
4:02 pm
Good enough! I think GM did the right thing. Get on board or get out of the way. We don’t know if he isn’t happy at UGA…doesn’t like Joe T…or isn’t healthy. WE DONT KNOW! I say whatever reason…GET HIM OUT! He wasn’t a starter, wasn’t practicing much…wish the best for him. I believe the attitude and the work ethic in Athens is going in the right direction. Having players that aren’t happy and most of all feel privileged to wear those silver britches matters the most. start treating it like its and honnor to play at UGA! It is earned and has to be taken on with a full heart and committed to with work and passion. With that atmosphere winning teams can emerge and championships can be won. GO DAWGS!
CHARLOTTE DAWG
June 28th, 2011
4:02 pm
Apparantly I’ve hurt the feelings of another softie. How does this blog have anything to do with your comment?
Stay soft my friend.
AltamahaDawg
June 28th, 2011
4:07 pm
You don’t have to go to college Danny. This isn’t Russia.
UGA Insider
June 28th, 2011
4:08 pm
“I bring the same philosophy as we had at Florida”
I will be interested if he can keep that promise if the 2011 football flounders this fall. Foley did not accept mediocracy two years in a row.
Dawg4ever
June 28th, 2011
4:09 pm
McGarity is a joke so far. He keeps bringing up how Florida did things, one thing he didn’t learn while he was at Florida is how to have a successful men’s athletic program. This guy has done nothing to improve men’s sports at UGA except make them even more MEDIOCRE than they already were. He will keep Richt after RIcht wins 8 games, and he will keep Fox after he has another losing record next year, and i’m sure he will keep Perno after another dreadful season in baseball. Glad he enjoys watching Florida play in CWS, the NCAA in basketball, and probably the SECC game in atlanta this winter. This guy is a puppet for Adams, and he is only concerned about raising money. This guy should grow a pair and realize how much money UGA spent on this kid during his 2 years of intensive rehab, and how this kid probably cost UGA another O.L. recruit this past recruiting season with his selfish attitude. Releasing kids should be evaluated under each individual circumstance, not a blanket policy. UGA stood by this kid and his family, and UGA saved his family thousands of dollars in extensive rehab, and then they allow him to leave. His parents are really classless people,and on second thought the kid and his family deserve the Gators. Only wish McGarity would leave with this kid
Contractor
June 28th, 2011
4:10 pm
While I somewhat agree with you Charlotte Dawg, I do disagree with some of the things you say. What if you were cited for everything you did wrong as a kid? Hell, we’d all be locked up if that was the case, or in your words, be cut, fired, and couldn’t even hold jobs flipping burgers. The win at all cost mentality is what is wrong with society today. People always want to find a short cut instead of doing things the right and honest way, and that’s why things are so half ass these days. Walking all over the top of others and cutting their throats so you can win is not what it is all about. Outcoaching, outplaying, more disciplined, and just being better on a given Saturday is what it is all about. Giving a recruit $100,000, or cutting a kid due to an injury is not the answer. That’s what the professional ranks are for. College believe it or not is about getting an education, having fun, and preparing to contribute to society in a positive way. I am a die hard football fan, and want to win more than anybody, but being a heartless dick about it is not the way to go. Look at the Miami Heat. They took the easy way out and tried buying a Championship, and that didn’t quite work for them. They got beat by a Mavericks team that worked harder and outplayed them in all facets. College sports are a lot in the same way, hence why Ohio State, USC, Notre Dame, and Texas don’t win every year.
I think Benedict should have limits on where he could go, because he pledged to Georgia, Georgia still gave him a scholarship, and now he is rescinding his offer, so he needs to pay for that. Georgia had faith in him, so that faith should be restored by him, instead of just bailing to start fresh elsewhere. McGarity is noble in his comments about kids needing to be happy, but we are also issuing about $50-$60,000 into each kid when tuition, room and board, and all of their equipment, perks, and issued NIKE gear get supplied.
Lasso
June 28th, 2011
4:11 pm
Wish Benedict all the success in the world in life EXCEPT for his college football endeavors. UGA honored his scholarship and footed the bill for his rehab and education. If he comes back to compete against the program that did that for him, I’m wishing him nothing but disappointment.
BG
June 28th, 2011
4:14 pm
The kid still has to sit out 2 years if he transfers to another SEC school. He would have to sit out 1 year if he transfers to a ACC school.
Bernie Matt
June 28th, 2011
4:15 pm
I wonder if they would let Washawn transfer to Tech or Florida?
1eyedJack
June 28th, 2011
4:16 pm
Is this Russia?
Will
June 28th, 2011
4:16 pm
McGarity has been a major disappointment to UGA so far. Unless you are CMR or Mike Adams.
Daniel#12
June 28th, 2011
4:18 pm
Benedict is still unable to play. His choice was either transfer and sit out (and buy another year without losing eligibility or apply for a medical redshirt. One is guaranteed, the other iffy. UGA did the honorable thing and it will pay off in the future. UGA’s word is good on commitments.
Zoli
June 28th, 2011
4:22 pm
CHARLOTTE DAWG please relax. You obviously are damaged goods. If you don’t want to be a DAWG please take your negativity elsewhere. I believe we are doing the right thing by giving him and unconditional release. Why all the hating on our leadership? Yes, last year wasn’t fun being a UGA fan. This year we will be fine. Although thin in BACKUP linemen, we have a lot to look forward to. When you see our lineman aren’t being pushed around up front, like last year, your negative attitude will subside! Obviously BB is either permanently hurt or didn’t want to work. Good riddance and luck to him where ever he ends up.
Beast from the East
June 28th, 2011
4:23 pm
Charlotte Dawg,
Please provide some details about UF’s “do whatever it takes” mentality and “lack of integrity”. Any moron can make baseless accusations.
Liars like you are the ones lacking integrity. You appear to have the same set of ethics as a street corner junkie.
indentured servants?
June 28th, 2011
4:24 pm
or slaves? or workhorses? oxen? god knows that this kid took $60,000 a year in rehab and tuition from a program that makes $80M in profit each year. That’s 0.075% of the profits for the university.
I am a partner in a business with over a million in yearly profits, and we really don’t sweat $750 in writeoffs to bad debts/uncollectible bills
please get some sense of scale people. this is not worth the breath you are wasting on it
CHARLOTTE DAWG
June 28th, 2011
4:24 pm
Contractor,
Good points and thank you for no personal attacks…(although you might have been saying I was being a *ick about things). if so, fair enough I say. I am being a bit bitter/hostile b/c it seems like everybody else near us is winning championships….and all I have to say is this: you might be right on a lot of things you wrote above but those insitutions I just mentioned didn’t win championships with your mentality. They win those trophies by…how did you put it….being *icks! In other words, they were willing to play hardball, didn’t care about taboo things like oversigning or running off an upper classmen, didn’t care about straw huts in Hondurus…they cared about winning and their constituancy(the fans) were very happy b/c of it.
Well…I want to be one of those happy constituants! If Georgia just won 1 BCS championship, I swear I’d be much more laid back about these things and probably watch Georgia football with the same slack/carefree attitude as the aforementioned Tobias Funke does…..but I want my championship…..I want to crow and talk as much crap as that god awful Gator fan that is in everybody’s office, that stupid hick you know that is a Tide fan…or that loud mouthed Auburn fan that couldn’t get into UGA so went Southwest to a school “just as good”.
Those people seem to enjoy their team’s success while we sit around saying that we are more ethical? Gee, maybe I should just give up on Georgia ever winning the whole thing. Takes more than being nice/just folks…takes a much more ruthless mentality that I fear is lacking in Athens.
CHARLOTTE DAWG
June 28th, 2011
4:27 pm
Beast….why don’t you get off the Georgia blog…how bout that?
Beast from the East
June 28th, 2011
4:32 pm
Charlotte Dawg,
Why don’t you make me tough guy? That’s right, you can’t. All you can do is cry and whine about other programs being dirty and you’re just so mad because your co-workers give you crap. Newsflash, they give you crap because you’re a whiner……not because you pull for UGA. I am very humble with 99% of my friends that are Dawgs. The whiners like you? I give them hell every chance I get. Look in the mirror, sport.
Whiskey Breath
June 28th, 2011
4:33 pm
The unconditional release is supposed to be Mark Richt’s decision. Something tells me Richt has decided to let the athletic director catch the flack. Everything always get’s back to preserving Richt’s Christian image. Richt is smart.
Contractor
June 28th, 2011
4:33 pm
Charlotte Dawg,
I wasn’t calling you a dick, just stating what most would call someone that engaged in cutting players based on injuries. I am with you, and I believe Saban, Meyer, and Chizik have no qualms about the way they win. Saban is as dirty as John Calipari, but he wins, so he stays out of trouble, and you are exactly right on this. I want to win more than the next guy as well, but I believe that falls in the hands of our coaches that allow our athletes to under perform and don’t challenge these kids like Saban or Meyer did. Georgia seems to never be prepared for the challenges they face on Saturdays. They knew going into the South Carolina game that Lattimore was a hoss and #1 back in the country out of high school, they had a full season to see what Cameron Newton was doing on The Flats, yet they continued to let these stars beat us up doing exactly what they do every single week. Georgia has plenty of talent, but the coaches have to get these guys pumped up, and performing at a higher level than they currently are. Grantham has the mentality I like, especially with his choking motion to the Florida kicker. That’s what it is all about, and we need more coaches that want to demolish the competition, not tip toe around and hope we win.
UGA Haters!
June 28th, 2011
4:34 pm
Have you become that super sensitive. Really???
CHARLOTTE DAWG
June 28th, 2011
4:35 pm
Oh dear…did someone just get their pantalones in a wad?
Wow! Hey Grown Man…meet you at the flag pole after school? right?
Florida blog is….over there >>>>>>>> get on it.
Oh I really wish I could “make you” really, I do….looking forward to your next internet threat….a$$
truedawg
June 28th, 2011
4:37 pm
Charlotte Dawg,
Look at it like this…do you go hunting? I’m a big hunter, and i want to kill a buck of the 140B&C class before i die. I could have shot one at night. But what fun would that be? Maybe no one would ever know but me. But could you really have pride in achieving a goal when you reach that goal by bending, or breaking some rules? No one want a title more than me for my DAWGS, I am married to UF fan, and also have inlaws that are Bama fans and alum. It’s been hard the past few falls watch football (and hunting) But I Would like a title with no * and knowing it was earned and won the right way. Go Dawgs!!!
Beast from the East
June 28th, 2011
4:38 pm
No threats. I know what I’m capable of and I don’t threaten anyone over a blog. Just stating facts, whiner.