SEC discipline likely forthcoming for Georgia, Vandy players, coaches

ATHENS – Georgia expects to hear back from the Southeastern Conference sometime this week regarding possible disciplinary action against coaches and players in the wake of last Saturday’s game against Vanderbilt.

UGA and Vanderbilt were each asked to submit reports about the post-game skirmish that took place following the Bulldogs’ 33-28 win over the Commodores. After the game concluded, Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin and Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham ended up in a shouting match at midfield. Both coaches could be subject to fines, suspensions and/or reprimands from SEC Commissioner Mike Slive for showing a lack of sportsmanship with their finger-pointing, obscenity-laced exchange.

Meanwhile, there is a very good chance discipline could be forthcoming for players based on their actions during the game. Georgia noseguard Kwame Geathers was flagged for a personal foul for punching Vanderbilt center Logan Stewart at the end of of the Commodores’ second offensive play of the fourth quarter. Geathers’ punch was retaliation for a late-hit by Stewart in which he intentionally clips the back of Geathers’ left knee, an extremely dangerous angle that could have resulted in serious injury. Stewart was flagged for clipping on the play and could be disciplined for the hit.

Georgia senior center Ben Jones was flagged for a similar penalty in the 2010 Mississippi State game and was suspended for the first half of the Bulldogs’ next game against Colorado. Georgia’s next game this year is against Florida in Jacksonville on Oct. 29.

“We’re not sure what’s going to happen,” Georgia Athletic Director Greg McGarity said Tuesday. “We’re at the mercy of the SEC. We don’t know if anything is imminent or not. Our only experience is with Ben Jones last year.”

Jones’ discipline was not announced last season until right around kickoff of the Colorado game. At the time it was stated that both Georgia coach Mark Richt and Slive had reviewed tape of the Mississippi State game and agreed that a one-half suspension was warranted.

Here’s the release UGA sent out that day:

University of Georgia center Ben Jones will sit out the first half of the Saturday game against Colorado as a result of a late clipping penalty he incurred in the closing minutes of last week’s game at Mississippi State.

UGA head coach Mark Richt and SEC Commissioner Mike Slive both reviewed game tapes and conferred during this past week. Both agreed the half game suspension was in order.

“It was poor judgment on Ben’s part,” said Richt. “He feels very badly about the incident and has sent a note of apology to the Mississippi State player. I have talked with (Mississippi State Coach) Dan Mullen and he appreciated the concern and Ben’s apology.”

Meanwhile, McGarity does not believe Georgia is an undisciplined team. He pointed out that the Bulldogs entered last Saturday’s game as the SEC’s fourth-least penalized teams. Georgia has been flagged for five personal fouls in seven games this season and all have come in the last two games, two against Tennessee and three against Vanderbilt.

“That’s not a reflection of our team this year,” McGarity said. “The Vanderbilt game hopefully was an aberration. We had a bad second half against Tennessee and lost our composure against Vanderbilt.”

532 comments Add your comment

Young Ball Coach

October 18th, 2011
4:50 pm

At least Auburn knows how to keep it down home cuz.

They don’t send their bag-man out in front of the cameras on national TV.

Calhoundawg

October 18th, 2011
4:50 pm

@sogadog — you are so right once again.
@Roll Tide — go suck a War Eagle.

All I want to come out of this thing is for James Franklin to be held accountable for his pathetic actions as HEAD COACH of an SEC football team. Todd Grantham, a DC two years removed from the NFL, has taken responsibility for his actions. James Franklin has not. I don’t know what he said and I don’t even know what all went on during the game. I do know that he was NOT searching for Mark Richt when he encountered Todd Grantham. He was chasing down a Georgia player. Anyone who posts on these blogs that cannot admit to that fact is either delusional, just wants to use this opportunity to trash Georgia/CMR, or both. God bless Coach Richt. God bless georgia. Go Dawgs !!

uf as the underdog

October 18th, 2011
4:51 pm

Fine! Nothing,And I mean even beating fsu,will be better than beating ga as an underdog.Two decades is just NOT enough of pounding your face in,

Todd Grantham

October 18th, 2011
4:51 pm

@crusher
October 18th, 2011
4:48 pm

No problem. Put in a scrub next year and aim for Franklin’s knee. See how he likes being aimed at.

Heh!

Thanks. I just put that in my play book.

Gatormeat

October 18th, 2011
4:53 pm

The latest ugly incident concerning georgia is just more proof the SEC needs to move towards some more conference realignment. Between threatening to choke opposing players, starting fights after games like last week, and cheap shots, teams like georgia hurt the integrity of the SEC. We will be taking care of the choking incident ourselves next week, a few dogs will be carried off the field instead of walking, but georgia does not belong with the honarable programs like Florida, Alabama, LSU and the others. The SEC needs to take out its trash, georgia needs to go

A.B. Normal

October 18th, 2011
4:53 pm

Vandy coach learned a lesson . . . mess with the bull and you get the horns! In other words, if you’re going to jack-jaw with Todd G. be ready to put up or shut up! Just sayin.’

Winning

October 18th, 2011
4:53 pm

Roll Tide Trash: Go away! First off you we got everybody that we wanted last year in recruiting and the last several games has the DAWGS on top of your clowns. Tide will lose to LSU and get upset by AU.

Heisenberg

October 18th, 2011
4:54 pm

Poor Dap01, that mean Fairley whipped us last year on the way to the national championship while all UGA got was a Central Florida beat down in Memphis. Since you can’t come to grips with the fact your team has not beaten anyone with a winning record since 2009, others must be cheating!

Todd Grantham

October 18th, 2011
4:54 pm

I agree Gatormeat. We’re a better fit in the ACC. We can give Miami a run for their money.

typical dawg fan

October 18th, 2011
4:55 pm

Stay classy, UGA

Tech '10

October 18th, 2011
4:56 pm

This is how this blog reads:

comments on uga v. vandy
more on topic comments
veering slightly off course to discuss a similar incident with fairely
back on topic
willie martinez commenting on tech’s offense
A few trolls
back on topic

Which one of these looks out of place?

Spike 80DF

October 18th, 2011
4:56 pm

i hope brantley plays, u think anyone will be twisting that foot in the Dawg pile?

Roll Tide

October 18th, 2011
4:58 pm

ADMan – “Wouldn’t know a good coach from a bad one”? Look at your coach’s record compared to ours, the answer should be pretty clear. I like how you uga fans compensate for having a terrible football team for the last couple of years, by assuming every fan of another SEC team is some wal-mart working redneck who weighs 300lbs. After graduating from Bama, I went to Vanderbilt for grad school. I’ve meet plenty of inbred uga fans living in Atlanta, so I wouldn’t get to high on your fan base if I was you. Looking forward to kicking y’alls a$$ in Atlanta this year (if you can beat UF for the 3rd time in 16 yrs).

Gators are LOSERS

October 18th, 2011
4:58 pm

LMFAO: UF may lose 3 more this season! Bottom of the ocean is lonely isn’t it? You have been ZOOKED! HaHa!

roll tide dbag

October 18th, 2011
5:00 pm

NOBOBY CARES!!!!!!!!!!!!! GET IT??????

Calhoundawg

October 18th, 2011
5:00 pm

@Gatormeat — go beat your Gator. Muschamp is an idiot AND your team sucks.

ADMan

October 18th, 2011
5:01 pm

Gatormeat…how quickly you forget about your players trying to poke the eyes of the Georgia players thru their facemask on National TV…..SELECTIVE MEMORY?….whose wants to take the trash out now? How about your player Cam Newton stealing laptops or your players getting kicked off the team for selling dope or using a dead girls credit card….
Go away little boy …come back when you grow up…we don’t have time for you right now.

Uuuuugh...

October 18th, 2011
5:01 pm

Gatormeat has it right…only top class schools with players that are literally coached up on offensive pass interference…eye gouging…stealing dead girl’s Credit Cards…passing out drunk at stop lights…breaking into impound lots and stealing a car…and relentlessly cursing at referees on live television, like Florida deserve to be in the SEC. Clearly Florida is the most honrable program in the country.

Gradulations Corch Gatuh Meet fah da best posting today blog. Go Gator!

Uuuuugh...

October 18th, 2011
5:02 pm

**Honorable**

Uuuuugh...

October 18th, 2011
5:03 pm

The one out of place is any post by Tech ‘10. Thanks.

Mr.TIDE aka Yo daddy

October 18th, 2011
5:03 pm

Sure will be nice to win the very first BCS Mercedes-Benz National Championship game.Mercedes -Benz and RTR. I think those two just go together well. And you say,YES SIR to your Daddy!

Joe

October 18th, 2011
5:04 pm

Hey AuBarn guy……yeah…and if you honestly beleive that Cam had no knowledge then I have a bridge to sell you in NYC and a clock in London……but then again, living in a cow pasture- you have no common sense…

Bama in Atlanta

October 18th, 2011
5:04 pm

Tim @3:51pm

Unfortunately, your argument may be the reason a UGA player (and Vandy player) does get suspended. What I mean by that is last year Auburn was rolling toward a run at the NC and Slive did not want to hinder that. UGA, while a favorite to win the SEC East, is not in the hunt for a NC so Slive can have the image of coming down hard to “uphold the integrity of the SEC”, but in reality he’s just managing the eventual SEC cash flow.

hornblowermg

October 18th, 2011
5:04 pm

the commode doors ought to be investigated for allowing their “on site” recruits to comment on “lack-of-class” on the part of Georgia. what the hell were they going to say? i used to think that they(VU) had a little class, but that bunch of immature liars are disgusting.

Born2Bark

October 18th, 2011
5:05 pm

ATTENTION: rival team fans who get on here and post your swill:

You have to be a complete douchebag to get on another team’s blog! It is just pathetic to me! I’m a diehard UGA fan and I get on here to keep up with my beloved Dawgs and get a break from working, but you jackhoffs seemingly have nothing better to do than get on here to post your trash. As much as I despise most of our rivals….I’m way too busy and grown to even entertain going to one of your blogs.

Say whatever you want, but you have to admit how big of a tool and hater you are. Let it go bro!

GO DAWGS!

Bull Sh*t

October 18th, 2011
5:05 pm

James Franklin lied to Coach Richt about the impetus for his actions. It’s clear that he was going after one specific player, and it had nothing to do with the Dawgs’ postgame behavior. How could they already be “rubbing (the Commodores’) face in it” when the game had ended seconds before?

And Franklin wasn’t through with his nonsense. After the game he said he is pretty sure of what his actions will be because he plans them out, then says he gets emotional. Obviously this was planned by Franklin, as he himself asserted. I hope the Commissioner’s Office listens to his immediate comments to the media before they make their decisions, but I doubt UGA will get any benefit of doubt…

DawgInaTruck

October 18th, 2011
5:06 pm

Franklin is playing this whole thing masterfully but what the Vanderbilt people don’t realize is that they are the ones being used. He knows darn well he (nor anyone) will ever win consistently there. This is just “resume padding” on his part: Make Vandy look tough, get things heading in what appears to be the right direction and bolt for greener pastures before the air starts to escape from the balloon.

Vandy loves him right now but when he gets through using them for a bigger paycheck they’ll hate him like UT hates Kiffin. Remember this post and mark my words.

Dawg48

October 18th, 2011
5:06 pm

Does ant body remember that pass from stafford to mikey Henderson in over time in Tuscaloosa? Man that was sweet!

UGAmutt

October 18th, 2011
5:07 pm

FLORIDA 4-3(2-3) BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA…REAL AWESOME PROGRAM GATORMEAT…
VIRGINIA?!?!?!?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…TECH LOSERS…Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…CHOMP CHOMP…LOL. Jokes.

Franklin

October 18th, 2011
5:08 pm

I was clearly trying to wipe that smile off of that 36 when I was met by the shark. He ate my lunch and now I am a liar because of it. I 100% will cry foul and lie my way out of this mess because I can.

D Fence

October 18th, 2011
5:08 pm

Where the heck is the suspension on Muschamp and his conduct at the refs after the fumbled punt against AU? He went nuts and dropped all kinds of words at the refs. Call them all out Slive if you start this b.s.

With or without Kwame and Grantham – or with Brantley – you stinkin Gators are gonna get what’s been coming due for a while.

Atlanta

October 18th, 2011
5:08 pm

Born2Bark – Dude, it’s the AJC. It’s not some uga blog people are logging onto to troll. I just like reading about how terrible uga and richt are. It makes my day. The Gators are going to destroy you like every other year.

trupert

October 18th, 2011
5:08 pm

Let’s hear it for those fabulous SEC officials. Way to let things get out of hand.

Uuuuugh...

October 18th, 2011
5:10 pm

D Fence–Muschamp was right about the call, wrong about having an insane tirade.

Ron Zook

October 18th, 2011
5:11 pm

Miss me now?

Hahaha

October 18th, 2011
5:12 pm

Dawg48 – Do you remember the Black Out at georgia? Man that was sweet.

Return to Glory

October 18th, 2011
5:12 pm

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA,,….WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA…..WAAAAAAAAA: Shut up and play ball, tired of UGA whinning about the blocking and tired of Vandy whinning about get their butts kicked which they should be used to by now.

UGA sexy

October 18th, 2011
5:14 pm

Uga is back losers

Classless in Athens

October 18th, 2011
5:15 pm

YOU CAN KEEP BLOCKING ME FROM THIS BLOG…..

ALL OF YOU ARE CLASSLESS

duronimo

October 18th, 2011
5:15 pm

So the team is not undisciplined McGarity? What about all the classless trash talking and the taunting of opposing players. It’s been going on for years under Richt. No wonder Crowell, after his very first good gain, felt free to promptly taunt the closest opposing player. He should have been sat down right then. The complete body of work plus this latest stuff provides factual evidence that Georgia fields undiscipline, classless teams. And that, my friend, can’t be neutralized by your words to the contrary.

Sniffin'

October 18th, 2011
5:15 pm

Crowell sat out the first quarter due to a “coaches’ decision”? It is really because he has been caught dating a girl named “Mary Jane”. Everyone on the team knows it…

SickandTired

October 18th, 2011
5:16 pm

The SEC should declare Georgia an emabarassment to the SEC and to the NCAA for lack of class and lack of a general sense of decency. They are a black eye on the sport of football at any level for squandering exceptional talent and resources and therefore should be banned from participation. That is all.

Big Wally Butts

October 18th, 2011
5:16 pm

Asked if he had any regrets about his conduct at the end of the game, Franklin said: “I’m not a guy that really has a whole lot of regrets. I’m pretty calculated, and I’m pretty well thought out with the things I do for the most part. I am an emotional guy, as you guys know.”

So, if he is as calculated as he states, then what happened on the field after the game was by design to get just the sort of attention that this rag of a newspaper is giving him. Nothing like free publicity to help with your recruiting efforts. Helicopter James (aka known as little lame kitten) then uses the “I am innocent” routine and you doucebags buy it.

Now I remember why I cancelled my subscription.

Gary

October 18th, 2011
5:17 pm

Much ado about nothing. Let’s just play football.

Dawg48

October 18th, 2011
5:18 pm

@haha
Yes I do that’s the only time big bad bama has beet richt!

Reality

October 18th, 2011
5:18 pm

Ah yes. The class act known as UGA-Y continues….

heyzooker

October 18th, 2011
5:19 pm

We won 2 NC’s after you left brother.You know those games you win at the end the season and get big rings that mean something,Sorry, wrong blog, Tis is the Peach Bowl ring page.

Rafe Hollister

October 18th, 2011
5:21 pm

Richt could not remember the Vandy coach’s name last week. Franklin’s getting the attention he sought.

UGAmutt

October 18th, 2011
5:21 pm

Atlanta- GATORS…HAHAHAHAHAHA…hope you find a running back, a quarterback, an offensive line, a defensive line and a few corners in the meantime. Or you could always pray for a catastrophic natural disaster Marshall style. We’ll call ST a “push”. HAHAHAHAHA.

UGA Grad

October 18th, 2011
5:22 pm

I jis dont be no y erybody thank we ant no gud.

We b reel gud!