Richt: Drew ‘very fortunate’ scooter accident wasn’t worse
ATHENS — Another Georgia football player is sidelined with an injury from a motor-scooter accident — the second this summer.
Ray Drew, a highly touted freshman outside linebacker, suffered a separated right shoulder when he lost control of his scooter while returning to his dorm from church on Sunday. He is expected to miss practice until at least next week.
According to Athens-Clarke County Police, the accident occurred when Drew was driving downhill on Baldwin Street around 11:50 a.m., applied his brakes and was ejected from the scooter.
He was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital, where he was treated and released. No charges were filed and no other vehicles were involved in the incident, police said.
“Very thankfully, he wore his helmet,” coach Mark Richt said Monday. “He landed on his helmet and his shoulder. Another good thing was the shoulder won’t require any surgery. It was a separation, not a dislocation; the separation was not severe enough to warrant surgery. … He’s very fortunate it wasn’t worse than it was.”
Said Drew, via Twitter: “I’m so glad I don’t look like what I’ve been through … praise God.”
Officially, Georgia director of sports medicine Ron Courson listed Drew’s status as “day-to-day.” Richt said the chances of Drew returning to practice this week are “very slim.”
Many UGA athletes use small, motorized scooters to get around campus.
Tous scooter accident involving a Georgia athlete was the 2009 incident that left baseball player Chance Veazey paralyzed.
In July, defensive end Derrick Lott suffered a deep laceration on his right leg while attempting to park his scooter outside Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. He missed the start of preseason practice but returned last week.
“We’ll look at it and talk about it,” Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said Monday of the athletes’ use of scooters.
“But what’s the alternative?” he added, noting the shortage of parking spaces for cars.
Said Richt: “It’s very difficult for some of these guys to get where they have to get because there is such a short window of time in between class and the tutoring and the study hall and lunch and getting here for treatment and taping and all that. The scooters have allowed those guys to get around, so I’m not ready to say no scooters. But they do need to be careful.”
A five-star prospect from Thomas County Central, Drew had been working as a second-team outside linebacker behind junior Cornelius Washington.
Washington said that he, coincidentally, started riding a scooter on Monday, unaware of Drew’s accident the day before.
“He’s walking around in a sling and what-not,” Washington said of Drew. “I don’t think he’s going to be on a scooter for a while.”
Etc.
Update from Monday’s practice on the injured tailbacks: Richard Samuel remained sidelined with a thigh injury; Isaiah Crowell wasn’t able to do much because of a groin injury; Ken Malcome was back at practice. … Samuel is unlikely to return to practice before next week but Crowell could come back possibly sooner, Richt said. … Offensive lineman Chris Burnette missed practice with a stomach bug. … Offensive lineman Austin Long, who has been sidelined with mononucleosis, was on the field in a green non-contact jersey. He is close to being able to practice, Richt said. … Richt was happy with Monday’s practice, particularly considering it was the first day of fall semester classes. “We’ve continued to have good leadership as far as trying to keep the energy flowing,” he said.
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286 comments Add your comment
JB
August 16th, 2011
10:18 am
Boy, can we get some football news. This is so slowwwwwwwwww…….It’s been over 24 hours…He’s Ok…He’ll be back next week to practice………Can we get some scouting reports on Boise. How are the WR’s looking? How are the back up OL developments coming along. Any new wrinkles to the offense with our new found talent. How about any Changes in style/technique of our two new coaches. Something besides a scooter wreck marathon.
Seriously folks...
August 16th, 2011
10:21 am
the scooters are NOT provided by UGA.
W.O.W.
The players buy them. UGA is HUGE (I know a lot of you have never actually been there) and the players have tight schedules, much more so than Suzzy Ugastudent who only has Tues/Thur classes and her sorority meeting on Wednesday nights.
I worked two jobs while I was in undergrad (one at Butts-Mehre) and can tell you that getting around campus on a tight schedule is not easy – not to mention that thereis no bus service to Butts-Mehre and no place to park nearby.
Try going to class, then to tutoring, then walk in the heat to and from a grueling football practice a few times before you complain about the players being lazy.
FaithfulDawg86
August 16th, 2011
10:24 am
I am a college professor and have taught at numerous universities. Students (not just athletes as commentors have suggested) everywhere use scooters as an efficient means of transportation, especially on a campus as large as UGA’s. Accidents happen to everyone all the time – on the bus, on foot, on a bicycle – we just don’t hear about them because the students involved are not “news worthy.” Leave these young men alone; they’ll be fine.
Tard Dawg
August 16th, 2011
10:29 am
Richt should ban walking. Too dangerous for these morons.
Herschel Talker
August 16th, 2011
10:30 am
I guess we should wait until one of these guys breaks something more serious before we ban scooters, ok, yeah that makes sense. Mark Richt may be the stupidest human being alive.
Dirty Dawg
August 16th, 2011
10:30 am
The streets of Bermuda are littered with the teeth, hair and hide (and worse) of those that had never ridden a scooter before, but figured it was ‘just like riding a bike’…the problem with those damn things is that people, even students, don’t get enough practice on them before they take to the roads – where all those hills and curbs and big-ol cars and trucks are. There ought to be a rule that nobody rides until they pass some kind of riding test – preferably on a big, open parking lot with plastic cones and stuff – and that players shouldn’t be allowed on a scooter without helmets and shoulder pads…oh yeah, and shin-guards.
DawginLex
August 16th, 2011
10:31 am
Insider
You are as wishy washy as anyone I have ever seen. One minute it is Chris Peterson interviewing for the UGA job during the weekend of the game. Then it is us blasting Boise and SC “better be ready for a whipping”. Now it’s “dire running back situation”.
Samuel and Crowell will both be back by the Boise game. Malcome is going to need more time apparently. Thomas will be back for SC game.
If Marshall is playing some at running back, good for him and for us but it is no cause for panic in the streets.
just a fan
August 16th, 2011
10:37 am
@ East Repeat the Dawgs are 10-4 vs USCe since 1997 its all in how you look at it my brother
Seriously
August 16th, 2011
10:37 am
HIre some temp students who can drive golf carts around the campus to pick up and drop off the guys.
ATL Sports Fan
August 16th, 2011
10:37 am
DawginLex, I second what you said about UGA Insider. He has ZERO inside information. What is funny about all this with Samuel being out and Crowell not able to do most drills, is that is all coach speak. If the there was a game this Saturday both would play. If they are held out of a drill its recautionary. Chip reports it like he is there when the only thing he is reporting is what he hears in a press conference. And we all know Chip and Michael Carvell like to stretch the truth a little in order to get hits to their page.
Back to UGA non Insider. He has ZERO inside info. Your right, one minute the sky is falling then the next minute we are world beaters now back to this. Please!!
bulldogmaniac
August 16th, 2011
10:41 am
RELAX!!
You cant ban scooters…………they do not have time to walk and get to classes on time.
A little training on how to ride them and maybe a set of training wheels should do the trick.
ATL Sports Fan
August 16th, 2011
10:42 am
95% of all the posters on here have only been on UGA’s campus for a football game. Try working out at 7 AM, having a 9:05 and 10:50 class, lunch, 1:05 class then you have to be at Butts-Mehre at 2:45. How about all of you try doing that walking and hope you do not have any questions for a professor, or GA or have somone say hello to you on your way out of class. Guess what? It’s nearly impossible.
Ted M
August 16th, 2011
10:42 am
I see scooter training in the players future.
ATL Sports Fan
August 16th, 2011
10:44 am
Most of you people talk like its easy to just walk every where or take the bus. Those busses do not work on everyone’s schedule. My sophomore year I had to get a scooter in order to make all my classes and get to Butts-Mehre in time for workouts/practice. I tried the busses but was late a few times and this isn’t high school they do not accept tardiness to classes or practice.
BIGMIKE
August 16th, 2011
10:45 am
Don’t any of you idiots realize these guys have far more obligations than the typical student. Time is a premium. Most kids get out of class and head for the library or food court. These guys have mandatory iteneraries to maintain. It’s like trying to catch a connecting flight at the Atlanta airport that’s in a concouse on the other side of the airport. Without the tram you wouldn’t make. If they paid for shuttle to move these youngsters from one appointment to another, you would all be bitchin’ about that. I swear…where do you people come from???
TTOUGH44
August 16th, 2011
10:46 am
WALK TO CLASS, BUS TO CLASS, RIDE A BICYCLE TO CLASS…YA KNOW, WE ALL SEEM TO THINK WE WILL NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT DRIVING RIDING ETC.
SCOOTER EDUCATION IS THE KEY…LIKE WHEN I WAS YOUNGER MY FRIEND AND I RODE MOTORCYCLES AND I WILL NEVER FORGET HIS DAD TELLING US
” WHEN YOU THINK YOU HAVE A MOTORCYCLE MASTERED, YOU BETTER THROW AWAY THE KEY!” SAME APPLIES TO SCOOTERS!
TTOUGH44
August 16th, 2011
10:47 am
WHEN YOU THINK YOU HAVE A SCOOTER MASTERED YOU BEST THROW AWAY THE KEY!
MO DAWG
August 16th, 2011
10:49 am
We are beating up ourselves before we even play Boise State. Get rid of those darn scooters and give the guys ample enough time to get where they need to be. Push practice back or something. Go Dawgs!!!!! I’m glad Drew is okay though.
DawginLex
August 16th, 2011
10:53 am
ATL sports fan
I wonder why no one has mentioned that Lattimore was held out of the scrimmage Saturday at the chicken coop?
Is he hurt?
Is Spurrier hiding something?
Is Lattimore ineligible because of grades?
Or, is it doing the same thing we are doing with Samuel and Crowell-playing it safe and smart.
There is a reason NFL players hate training camp.
Spurrier
August 16th, 2011
10:53 am
Man y’all got some real idiots riding those scooters don’t you? These players need help tying their own shoes. You S&C program must be the worst in the country. At least you finally replaced your crippled S&C coach. Long season for the dawgs, looking at 7 losses for sure. Maybe you should give your players big wheels, much safer, but that is assuming they know how to peddle.
UGA Insider
August 16th, 2011
10:54 am
I know all the major players and inner workings at UGA. However I haven’t been to any practices lately so I know about as much as you to losers… …ATL Sports fan and DawginLex.
Alabama Jack
August 16th, 2011
10:55 am
Scooters – another great Georgia Tech invention
Malcolm X
August 16th, 2011
11:01 am
The problem isn’t the scooters, it’s the idiots who don’t know how to drive them and then get into a freaking wreck. WOW.
James
August 16th, 2011
11:02 am
If Ealey owuld have had a scooter incident, Ealey would have been kicked off the team. I guess it pays to be a favortie.
James
August 16th, 2011
11:03 am
Ealey got in trouble for wrecking a car, Drew gets a pass for wrecking his scooter.
TampaDawg
August 16th, 2011
11:11 am
@this dawg want hunt!! — Ok, first off, it’s “this dawg WON’T hunt” not “this dawg want hunt” .. second, we have heard it all before about the mid-major school with the all-americans on their roster. Hawaii had Colt Brennan who threw for over 50 TDs. We heard all about BSU before the last game they played against the Dawgs. But sorry, I don’t think an “all-american” is all that playing agains the likes of Wyoming, Utah St., Air Force and Colorado St. Give it a rest GaTech fan. Mr. dawg want hunt!
renegade#1
August 16th, 2011
11:13 am
These are little vehicles with really big people riding them they will be top heavy and slide out from under you slow down guys before one of you get killed. They are for going places but not in a hurry. I haven’t seen a nitro switch on one yet. SLOW DOWN
James' Daddy
August 16th, 2011
11:14 am
You are an idiot just like your mother. Ealey had a hit and run incident after curfew. Drew had a one vehicle accident after leaving Church.
DawginLex
August 16th, 2011
11:14 am
Insider
Why the personal shot? I’m a Dawg just like you. I just wish you would not be so wishy washy. Just my opinion. You have changed courses 4 times just this summer.
I have appreciated the reports from practice etc but if you aren’t getting in now since practices are closed, you know as much as we do which is nothing.
We are supposed to be on the same side you know????
James' Daddy
August 16th, 2011
11:15 am
Dawg in Lex is right about Insider!
DawginLex
August 16th, 2011
11:16 am
“Spurrier”
You must be a SC fan huh? Congrats on that record breaking 5 loss season last year and for setting the record for the worst beatdown ever in the SECCG.
2-4 versus Richt and you are crowing? Richt has owned Spurrier going back to his FSU days.
Good luck keeping Garcia sober.
teamjsglaw
August 16th, 2011
11:17 am
What kind of scooter? Some of these scooters are built with the average euro beatnik in mind. The load capacity on some is less than 200lbs. When a 240lb linebacker (much less a 290lb DE) gets on one and maxes out the shocks, they can become unwieldy. Perhaps the players should keep this in mind when selecting one. Right bike, a little training and some common sense makes these type vehicles very urban, that is cool, practical and efficient. Other than that, wouldn’t it be more fun to be speculating about game plans for BS than debating transportation issues? C’mon sports staff!
James' Daddy
August 16th, 2011
11:17 am
I believe the word Insider was looking for is TWO, not too, or even to. Please share your great knowledge with us Insider, oooooooooh.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
August 16th, 2011
11:18 am
At one point Dawg Insider could not even correctly name our AD. So lets take his reports with a grain of salt DawginLex.
DawginLex
August 16th, 2011
11:21 am
James
Get you mommy to read this to you. She can hopefully make you understand it.
Ray Drew was riding his scooter and wrecked it. He got hurt. No one else got hurt. No other scooters were in the wreck. Just one. No cops involved. He had an accident.
Washaun Ealey wrecked a car. He hit a concrete wall in a parking deck. It wasn’t his car. He didn’t have a driver’s license. He left the scene(where the wreck happened) of the accident. He got in trouble with the police.
Now get your mommy to explain to you the difference in those 2 stories and why Drew didn’t get into trouble and Ealey did.
James' Daddy
August 16th, 2011
11:21 am
Where is the Troll Police?
First Tide Roll exposes himself as a Nerd, now Insider does. What is going on at Tech? Everybody over there is sooooo jealous of UGA. It’s pathetic. I don’t know one Dawg fan that would fake being another team’s fan. That’s sacreligous.
TampaDawg
August 16th, 2011
11:21 am
@Dawginlex — “2-4 versus Richt and you are crowing? Richt has owned Spurrier going back to his FSU days.
Good luck keeping Garcia sober.”
Classic stuff .. the SC fans are worse than Awbun .. at least Awbun won a NC before they started tooting their horn. SC gets TO the SEC title game, gets worked over, and now they sing and dance over mediocrity during a down year in the East. Keep up the good work GameChickens.
James' Daddy
August 16th, 2011
11:24 am
Tampa
Don’t forget they lost 5 games. They were BLOWN OUT in their last two games. They can’t keep their QB or his QB COACH sober! Yeah, lots to brag about!
Lowcountry Bulldawg
August 16th, 2011
11:35 am
When you have a guy who has been suspended 5 times for booze related offenses the jokes will continue to come. Grow a tougher skin is what I say. Also work on th eretorts yourself as that attempt was weak.
Beast from the East
August 16th, 2011
11:35 am
DawginLexEatenByGator
Lex…….it’s coming soon!!!!!!!!!!!
Brett Favre
August 16th, 2011
11:36 am
DawginLex,
“There is a reason NFL players hate training camp”.
What is this “training camp” that you speak of? In all my years I have never seen it.
thats right
August 16th, 2011
11:36 am
Ban Mark Richt!!! Now!!
gdawginkalamazoo
August 16th, 2011
11:37 am
I have the feeling that Coach is letting the sky fall just a little bit before the big game. Then BAM!
Lowcountry Bulldawg
August 16th, 2011
11:38 am
Lets hope so gdawg…
TampaDawg
August 16th, 2011
11:40 am
I have a feeling its the same stuff for every team every year. It’s called training camp.
DawginLex
August 16th, 2011
11:42 am
Will it be
BeastFromTheEastEatenByDawg
OR
BeastFromTheEastEatenByWeis
?????????????
Joey
August 16th, 2011
11:42 am
Yeah, Spurrier, our players are so dumb they thought it was okay to stay in a luxury hotel at Motel-6 prices.
Beast from the East
August 16th, 2011
11:43 am
DawginLexEatenByGrantham?
DawginLex
August 16th, 2011
11:43 am
On Collegefootballnews.com, the prediction for games started by Connor Shaw is 4.
Joey
August 16th, 2011
11:44 am
I thought Weis just had a gland problem . . .