Geathers’ punch, Vandy player’s clip likely to result in suspensions
ATHENS – Georgia noseguard Kwame Geathers and Vanderbilt center Logan Stewart are expected to receive punishment from the Southeastern Conference for their actions on a play in the fourth quarter of this past Saturday’s game in Nashville.
On the second play of the Commodores’ first offensive possession of the fourth quarter, Stewart comes up from behind on Geathers and dives for the back of his left knee and clips him at the end of a play, in which quarterback Jordan Rodgers is run out of bounds for a seven-yard gain. After he is knocked down, Geathers immediately whips around and punches Stewart in the side.
Referees immediately threw flags. After a lengthy discussion, Stewart was called for clipping and Geathers is called for an unsportsmanlike personal foul. The Commodores were awarded an automatic first down as a result of the personal foul penalty.
The SEC has yet to issue a ruling on the chain of events, but precedent indicates both players will likely be subjected to disciplinary action from the league office.
Just last season, Georgia center Ben Jones was assessed a half-game suspension for his flagrant illegal block against Mississippi State. Jones had to sit out the first half of the Colorado game the following week.
And anytime a punch is thrown during a game, it almost always results in at least a half-game suspension. Auburn players Mike Blanc and Michael Goggans had to sit out the first half of the Alabama game last year after throwing punches against Georgia last November.
Meanwhile, repercussions could also be forthcoming for Georgia strong safety Shawn Williams. The junior starter was flagged for two personal fouls against the Commodores, including one in which he appears to be fighting with a Vanderbilt player.
If Geathers and Williams are subject to suspensions, they will be assessed in the Florida game on Oct. 29. The Bulldogs have a bye this week. Stewart’s penalty would be assessed in Vanderbilt’s game against Army this weekend.
Geathers, a redshirt sophomore from Georgetown, S.C., has started three games at noseguard for the Bulldogs and alternates regularly with junior John Jenkins. He has seven tackles, a pass break-up and a quarterback pressure.
Williams, a junior from Damascus, has started every game this season, including one at inside linebacker. He is the Bulldogs’ third-leading tackler with 34 and has two interceptions, including one against Vanderbilt this past weekend.
Saturday’s game, clinched by Georgia in the final seconds, was extremely emotional. The night ended with Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin and UGA defensive coordinator Todd Grantham in a shouting match at midfield.
Check out the video yourself and tell us if you think Geathers and/or Stewart deserve to be suspended.
– Chip Towers
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530 comments Add your comment
Notso Fast
October 19th, 2011
6:00 am
I don’t really think we need to spend a lot of time on what Geather’s reaction was. Most would have done the same. The problem that has to be looked at hard is the reactions of the Coach for each team that should know better. Letting their actions go unpunished could lead to more lack of decipine by the players.
Bulldawg Mike
October 19th, 2011
6:21 am
Interesting reaction from Vandy Coach Franklin. You can see him running off the sideline frantically trying to get the refs to throw the flag on Geathers for punching. No concern over the cheap shot by his player though. Classy dude.
KB
October 19th, 2011
6:29 am
UGA players play dirty… that has been known for years. Now someone may play on their level of dirtyness, and they act like the bully in the school yard that just got punched in the nose. UGA fans are too funny.
Dean Tate
October 19th, 2011
6:35 am
I had to watch it three times in super slo-mo to even see a “punch.” Lame reason for a suspension.
TampaGator
October 19th, 2011
6:36 am
That was about as dirty a play as can be by thay Vandy player. I simply don’t blame Geathers for his reaction. The Vandy player was trying to end his football career with that low hit on his knees. Thankfuly, Geathers can still walk and play. There is no room for that kind of thing in football, and the Vandy player should be made an example for what happens when you do something like that. Obviously, there had been something going on between the two before that play.
trupert
October 19th, 2011
6:40 am
I forgot one thing. The SEC officials’ crew that worked the vandy game should be fined, put on probation. They let that game escilate throughout.
Vandy made several dirty hits that were not called. The helmet first hit that was put square in Bennett’s back was overlooked as were many more by vandy.
The Officials share in the blame. If they let dirty coaches like Chizik and now Franklin play the game the way they want, we will have many more like this one and it will get real ugly in some of them.
The helmet should not be used as a weapon to cause harm .
When a player does that they should be ejected on the spot. Fix this problem, because if it’s not fixed, one of these dirty coaches will get some player paralized and end a great players NFL dream. That would be a shame.
trupert
October 19th, 2011
6:43 am
KB, don’t act like an idiot. Ga players did not go for the knee and did not lead with the helmet when making tackles in the vandy game or the Auburn game.
Mark Richt won’t coach his players to do that. That is a fact.
UGA#1Fan
October 19th, 2011
6:46 am
I feel the punch was a reflex action taken due to the illegal block. Yes, there should be consequences for the first foul but not for a reflex action. The clip could have been a career ending act for Geathers. The punch should have not been thrown but you are not going to do much damage when you punch a guy in a helmet and pads. However, the knee is totally exposed and vulnerable.
dawgma
October 19th, 2011
6:47 am
Amazing Vandy’s new coach wants the august university to play with the intensity and poor sportmanship of say – Miami. Wish Geathers would have punched that cheap shot player into next week.
Old Dawg
October 19th, 2011
6:47 am
Sad to say, both players should be suspended. The clip by Stewart is dangerous and possibly career ending. Though I understand why Geathers reacted the way he did, if we allowed players to react like that after every dirty hit, the games would be nothing more than fights.
As for Williams, two personal fouls a games does not a suspension make…just ask the victims of Nick Fairly!
Foots McToe
October 19th, 2011
7:00 am
You idiots don’t have a clue what a chop block is. A chop block is when a defensive player is engaged by one offensive player and then hit low by another.
Thomas Brown
October 19th, 2011
7:05 am
Really???? October 19th, 2011 5:31 am
“Dude, I just told you 4th in the SEC! I wasn’t talking about nationally which you obviously are.”
“As a matter of fact I haven’t disputed one stat that you have presented.”
___________________________
That’s because I look my facts up before I state them. And, it is I who have disputed EVERY fact you post, ever :
PENALTIES G No. Yards Avg/G
1. Kentucky 6 23 160 26.7
2. Alabama 7 22 198 28.3
3. Miss. State 7 37 278 39.7
4. S. Carolina 7 46 341 48.7
5. Arkansas 6 40 303 50.5
6. LSU 7 47 368 52.6
7. Tennessee 6 39 320 53.3
8. Vanderbilt 6 42 327 54.5
9. Georgia 7 48 388 55.4
http://sec.xosdigitallabs.com/Portals/3/SEC%20Website/football/confldrs.htm
# 4 my hind end, LIAR
The ole Ball Coach
October 19th, 2011
7:07 am
THis paper has become a piece of crap…… out of here
Homies
October 19th, 2011
7:10 am
It is the culture of violence.
zebra
October 19th, 2011
7:12 am
As a retired professional offcial, the philosophy is get the player that instigated the situation. If the retaliation was severe enough, the 2nd player will also be flagged. In this case, the Vanderbilt player’s actions warrant the flag. Not sure the retaliation was proportional.
Loyal Dawg
October 19th, 2011
7:13 am
I wonder why ESPN hasn’t shown this angle on the play? Has anyone else seen this on ESPN at all? I’m not one to accuse ESPN of a conspiracy, but I will accuse them of sloppy reporting and follow up. If you are going to report on this story, you should also follow up with all the facts. What the Vandy player did was clearly as bad as who Ben Jones did last year at the MSU game. Also, that is bull stuff from the Vandy people saying Geathers was giving them cheap shots the whole game. The center was just ticked that he has been getting beat on the whole game and lost his head. I can tell Franklin is going to have some problems in this conference- if he lasts very long.
Loyal Dawg
October 19th, 2011
7:20 am
Franklin is a thin skinned, whinning hypocrite who is going to get his head handed to him in this conference.
Ahhh yes...
October 19th, 2011
7:20 am
This IS THE GA WAY. Cheap shot, no class, punks.
Loyal Dawg
October 19th, 2011
7:21 am
Trolls are not welcome.
Jimmy Crack
October 19th, 2011
7:22 am
That was horrible. Bush league tactics from a bush league coach. The SEC should suspend that coward kid AND THE HEAD COACH 2 or 3 games. If not, why shouldn’t every team try such incredibly dangerous tactics. Even the worst UGA players from past years NEVER did that kind of possible career ending attack. That kid was TOLD to hit Gathers in the back as part of his football training. Suspend that chicken %$#@! Vandy coach!
Zebra is right in that Franklin instigated this whole thing on the field, and then threw gas on the problem post game. Shameful play just to make a name for himself. Think of the fine man that just retired from Vanderbilt and what HE THINKS about the new coach. Shameful.
Franklin said “We’re not gonna take it anymore”, well Franklin is one twisted sister betch, and the wrath of the other SEC teams will rain down on him and his cheating kids for years to come.
Loyal Dawg
October 19th, 2011
7:22 am
I thought color blind people could see the difference in black and white? I guess not, my mistake.
More of the same
October 19th, 2011
7:23 am
This is what ghetto punks that make 650 on their SAT and play football for GA do. No news here.
Thomas Brown
October 19th, 2011
7:24 am
How did you even think that # 85 in penalties nationally, as already presented to you in this blog, is # 4 best in The SEC ?
# 9 not # 4, Really. No wonder you want me to drop it.
Did you not think it might be a good idea to look up your # 4 Best in The SEC in penalties 2011 before you ran BACK in here with that LAME excuse that it “seems like the changes Mark Richt made are working with DECREASED PENALTIES this season.”
You are so full of it : your eyes are brown.
Loyal Dawg
October 19th, 2011
7:26 am
I wonder what Franklin would say after Saban and his minions kick the crap out of his team. “Saban’’s players were being mean to my players- boo hoo!”
VanDSIRROM
October 19th, 2011
7:28 am
“Saturday’s game, clinched by Georgia in the final seconds, was extremely emotional. The night ended with Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin and UGA defensive coordinator Todd Grantham in a shouting match at midfield.”
So you term it a “shouting match” when one party is actually shouting obscenities but the other party is standing with his mouth closed but staring at the one shouting?
More of the same
October 19th, 2011
7:32 am
Loyal Dawg
Hey genius, Bama already beat them, 34-0, 10/8/11. There were no issues. Unlike CMR, Saban knows how to win with class. He controls his team.
Loyal Dawg
October 19th, 2011
7:32 am
It is actually kind of amusing watching Franklin running on the field pointing to Geathers immediately after his player almost ripped Geathers knee up with an illegal block. Is this guy for real?
Tech Guy
October 19th, 2011
7:34 am
Yo0u cal always tell a dawg, you just can’t tell them much.
Chris
October 19th, 2011
7:34 am
You ask a player to not fight back, but i would. If im 350 pounds and some one is jumping at my knees which could end my season or career I retaliate. Come on that was dirty by the vandy player. If kwame got more than a quaarter suspension that wouldnt be fair. Think back last year if we lost deangelo tyson we would have been so screwed but this year we have so much depth at all 3 of the lineman positions its great!!!
Thomas Brown
October 19th, 2011
7:36 am
If you don’t know how to use the Internet to look up what you are going to say before you say it on the Internet, don’t call me ignorant. Just come on here and instead of saying -correct me if I am wrong- or -I think it may have been like this- or -not sure but seems to me- or -he made changes that seem to be working- or -if I’m not mistaken- just ask, hey how do I find out where The Georgia Bulldogs are in PENALTIES this season, either in The SEC or Nationally, or both. Then, I would give you the 2 URL Links, and you would know that we are # 9 of 12 in The SEC for the MOST PENALTIES of all SEC teams all season long 2011 and # 85 WORST in the nation at Penalties 2011. Ignorant is saying whatever you want to say to make your point without studying that which would educate you – not, replying to someone MAKING UP FACTS ignorantly, with the URL Link and explanation of the education on the topic you could have gleaned with any Google Search engine.
I know these boys
October 19th, 2011
7:38 am
mama’s and daddy’s,They are fine people.We are going to get better.
cmac22
October 19th, 2011
7:38 am
hopefully williams #36 will get suspended for being an a-hole with no talent! This would help ugaly!
JB
October 19th, 2011
7:40 am
Boy, you can see the tone was set for the events of the evening by a Vandy player. Now, hitting back is not cool, but this crap Vandy ” is above the fray” is crap. I’m still not convinced the Vandy coach didn’t stir the pot at the end first. Be interesting to see what the SEC comes up with, But Vandy ain’t playing for anything except there losing season, and Richt is playing for his job and the SEC East title. BIG DIFFERENCE !!!!!!
Jimmy Crack
October 19th, 2011
7:43 am
Thomas Brown you hating POS, your stats are skewed like your tiny hating personality. Not all stats are golden. Here are some differing stats troll boy…
http://www.teamrankings.com/college-football/stat/penalty-yards-per-game
UGA 92
October 19th, 2011
7:44 am
Kwame and Big John were eating #60 lunch all day. #60 got PO’d and took the first and cheapest shot of the night. Kwame popped him. I say good. So what if they suspend Kwame? Big John can handle it.
Tom
October 19th, 2011
7:45 am
How is Williams going to react to his HC calling him a dumb*** to the opposing HC?
JB
October 19th, 2011
7:47 am
aaa
Lance
October 19th, 2011
7:47 am
Geathers had every right to knock the Sh%$T out of that guy! It was an uncalled for totally dirty play that could have resulted in a season ending injury. If the SEC suspends him for 1 play they are a joke. I would suspend Logan for a minimum of 1 game. We have not sen the last of these blocks- just wait and see what Tech does…. The have patented this type of blocking in CPJ joke of an offense.
Loyal Dawg
October 19th, 2011
7:51 am
I can see why Coach G lost his mind when Coach F starting yelling at Williams after the game. Does not excuse Coach G’s behavior, but I can see why it happened.
JB
October 19th, 2011
7:52 am
If the SEC watched Fairly play against Georgia last year and determined they saw nothing, and come down on us for this, you gotta know that the SEC office was “cheering” Auburn on last year to get in that Game. Fairly should of sat a whole game for going after Murray’s knees with his helmet, lunging at him from all fours after being put on the ground !
sc fan
October 19th, 2011
7:52 am
as you have seen with lattimore, this is dangerous for the whole team’s goals and one players career.. no real excuse. ga. and sc. play hard but there is no real problem like this.
GATA
October 19th, 2011
7:52 am
It’s football. Yellow flags were all that’s needed. Move on.
Thomas Brown
October 19th, 2011
7:53 am
Not counting the 14 holding calls, the offside calls, the false start calls, the illegal substitution calls, the delay of game penalties and all the others –
Personal Fouls UGA Branden Smith Boise State resulting in an instant TD against him, face mask. Pass Interference Boise State by Jordan Love result TD instantly for 35-14 lead. Jordan Love South Carolina Pass Interference result TD instantly. South Carolina ILLEGAL BLOCK Orson Charles, stalled drive result PUNT. Coastal Carolina ILLEGAL BLOCK Corey Moore wiping out 19-yard punt return by Branden Smith result had to settle for Field Goal, stalled the drive. 2nd Quarter Missy State ILLEGAL BLOCK Reuben Faloughi backing us up to the 8-yard line, drive then stalled when Aaron Murray threw interception. Personal Foul on our Offense Missy State 1st Quarter 3rd Down 40-yard line, result had to Punt. Personal Foul vols’ game Orson Charles and Arthur Lynch. Vandy game Kwame Geathers who has 5 in his family in NFL gets clipped and takes it upon himself to jump the Vandy player and punch him Personal Foul resulting in 1st down to Vandy. Vandy game Personal Foul Shawn Williams # 36 in result Vandy TD to make score 33-28.
JB
October 19th, 2011
7:56 am
One problem the Dawgs may be having after thinking about this is that the SEC is a war every Saturday and we have such a “passive” HC, these guys have to fend for themselves on the field. Yea, I know it’s a reach, but you never know.
Tom
October 19th, 2011
7:57 am
Transcript of Franklin-Richt on-field meeting following the incident…..
Franklin: “36 comes up, after a tough game, talking **** to me!
Richt: “Okay.”
Franklin: “Rubbing our face in it right after the game!”
Richt: “He’s a dumb***.”
Franklin: “And then your coach when I tell him about it, then he goes after me and the fight starts.”
Richt: “That’s what I thought happened, I apologize. It’s horse **** horse ****.”
Thomas Brown
October 19th, 2011
7:59 am
Tom
October 19th, 2011
7:45 am
How is Williams going to react to his HC calling him a dumb*** to the opposing HC?
JB
October 19th, 2011
8:01 am
Tom, sounds like Richt. He’ll let all the Dirty shots from Vandy go. We’ll need a new DC next year if Richt stays. Grantham will leave after the year IMO. He was looking out for his players to that guy, right or wrong, he defended them. Richt is a puss no doubt. That’s why we are like 12-15 the last 3 years in the SEC. SOFT!
kitty
October 19th, 2011
8:05 am
Yes, it could end a career, but what about the danger it poses to someone’s knee for the rest of his life. Football is football. Dirty hits are cheap and cowardly.
LHarding Dawg
October 19th, 2011
8:06 am
Thomas Brown – Have you ever been to a Georgia football game? Do you donate to the program or do you just spew negitive comments on a faceless blog.
Chuck
October 19th, 2011
8:07 am
If you watch the Williams incident again, there is shoving after the play, he Vandy player grabs Trees facemask, throws a swing at Tree, Williams does nothing but get between them, then Vandy boy throws a haymaker towards Williams, who never did anything but get between them.
He shod never even have been flagged. And he Vandy player should be sitting out like Geathers.