UPDATED: Georgia NG Kwame Geathers, SS Shawn Williams, Vandy player get half-game suspensions
Geathers
As expected, Georgia’s Kwame Geathers and Shawn Williams were handed down half-game suspensions Wednesday for their actions during last Saturday’s game against Vanderbilt. Commodores center Logan Stewart was also levied a half-game suspension in the wake of the Bulldogs’ 33-28 win this past Saturday in Nashville.
The suspensions of the players were based on NCAA rules and handed down by Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive in consultation with the respective schools.
Williams
“I did have the opportunity to speak to the Commissioner and discuss the incident,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “It’s certainly not representative of the Georgia way. I have always trusted the Commissioner’s judgment and understand and accept the decision. We’ll learn as well as grow from this situation and now turn our attention to preparing for Florida.”
Following is the news release from the SEC, which explains its ruling in each instance:
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Upon review of game tapes of the football game between the University of Georgia and Vanderbilt University, played in Nashville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011, Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive has announced that Vanderbilt sophomore center Logan Stewart, Georgia sophomore defensive lineman Kwame Geathers and Georgia junior defensive back Shawn Williams have been suspended for the first half of their team’s next football games.
Vanderbilt hosts Army this Saturday while Georgia plays Florida in Jacksonville on Oct. 29.
Geathers’ action was in violation of NCAA Football Rule 2-32-1-a for fighting. By NCAA Football Rule 9-5-1-b, the penalty for violation of the rule in the second half includes suspension for the first half of the team’s next scheduled game.
On the same play, Stewart’s suspension is the result of a flagrant personal foul which occurred at the 13:09 mark in the fourth quarter. The action is in violation of Rule 9-1 of the NCAA Football Rule Book, which states that a flagrant personal foul offender shall be disqualified.
Williams’ suspension is the result of a flagrant personal foul which occurred at the 2:08 mark in the third quarter. The action is in violation of Rule 9-1-4 of the NCAA Football Rule Book, which reads, “No player shall target and initiate contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent with the helmet, forearm, elbow or shoulder.”
This action is taken in accordance with Southeastern Conference Constitution, Article 4.4.2 (d), which states that a student-athlete may be suspended if it is determined that the student-athlete has committed a flagrant or unsportsmanlike act.
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 Franklin and Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham a shouting match at midfield. The SEC asked for reports from both schools but about that incident but indicated Wednesday that the is being “handled internally between league office and schools,” spokesman Charles Bloom said.
Here’s video of the hit that resulted in Williams’ suspension:
MORE STORIES ON THIS SUBJECT:
- Geathers’ father upset over suspension, wants apology
- UGA, SEC reviewing coaches’ postgame confrontation
– Chip Towers
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530 comments Add your comment
CECIL NEWTON
October 19th, 2011
3:51 pm
If you can’t do the time, do not commit the crime!
Airdawg
October 19th, 2011
3:51 pm
Florida CB Marcus Roberson facing underage drinking charge
true dawg fan
October 19th, 2011
3:51 pm
Mark Bradley is a sissy.
TampaDawg
October 19th, 2011
3:55 pm
Seriously, for you Gator fans, don’t be shocked to see Rainey or Demps at the bottom of a pile in the Vandy game getting their knee twisted up when “no one” is looking. I guess Coach Franklin’s version of “we’re not going to take it anymore” is “we are going to hurt the other team with some cheap career ending shots”.
Honest Bulldog
October 19th, 2011
3:59 pm
WaaaaWaaaaaWaaaa! Our fan base is the biggest lot of crybabies I have ever heard!! Get over the Auburn thing already! That was a year ago! Grow up! UGA Vandy was embarrassing on both sides of the ball! Just admit it!
cmac22
October 19th, 2011
3:59 pm
Glad to see williams is gone for 2 qtrs … could have done ugaly fans a big favor & sat him for the whole game! He is terrible!!!
Ricky
October 19th, 2011
3:59 pm
How can Williams be susp[ended for a play the refs didn’t even throw a penalty on? If every game went back and suspended players for 1/2’s for plauys, you’
d never field a team.
its ok
October 19th, 2011
3:59 pm
chill out. Big John will handle things in the first half against florida. Geathers has only had 3 tackles so far this year.
Vandy candy coach
October 19th, 2011
3:59 pm
You are right TampaDawg! Everyone is going to fear the Commodores when they play us now. The Bama blowout made something in me snap!! Muwhahaha!!! Coming for you Army, Razorbacks and Gators so be submissive or I will tell Slive on you!!!
its ok
October 19th, 2011
4:03 pm
what did Williams do? geez.
RICHTANDMCGARITYAREWIMPS
October 19th, 2011
4:03 pm
Richt is so stupid and caught up with “doing the right thing” and “being classy.” He is so blinded by his faith that he is slitting his own damn throat!! Good!!! He probably will suspend Crowell and Murray if they use profanity at practice. Richt is a joke and I will up my contributions to UGA when his candy a$$ is gone from Athens, GA. I have no respect for Richt, or McGarity for that matter, for not taking up for their players and this program. I would atleast appleal the suspension of these men or pull a SOS and suspend them for the New Mexico St. game. The Dawgnation and the family of these players are the ones that are suffering. Richteous Richt and Mr. McGoo gets to protect their big fat bloated paychecks. That is all they are concerned about. My check will no longer go to UGA until something happens and Richts arse is handed his walking papers. He sucks as a coach as evidenced by his record the last few years. Why dont you do every one in the Dawg Nation a favor, pretty boy Richt and you go take a dam dive on a sword. You freakin weenie loser.
Big Jacket
October 19th, 2011
4:04 pm
Look out Gators.The following game for the Dawgs is the ever tough New Mexico State, so the guys may feel free to unleash their full fury.
Lee Ziemba
October 19th, 2011
4:05 pm
Looked like a good take down block to me.
UGA Fans to Mike Slive
October 19th, 2011
4:06 pm
We’re not gonna take it
No we ain’t gonna take it!
We’re not gonna take it – anymore
We’ve got the right to choose and
There ain’t no way we’re lose it
This is our life, this is our song
We’ll fight the powers that be just
Don’t pick our destiny cuz-
You don’t know us, you don’t belong.
We’re not gonna take it
No we ain’t gonna take it!
We’re not gonna take it – anymore.
Oh, you’re so condescending,
Your goal is never ending,
We don’t want nothing – not a thing from you
Your life is trite and jaded – boring and confiscated.
If that’s your best, your best won’t do!
rogeriter
October 19th, 2011
4:07 pm
Based on the way the SEC submitted punishment after aa Vandy player dangerously cut block Geathers and Geathers retaliated, If the SEC had been in charge, when the japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, The USA should have been punished for retaliating. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
meh
October 19th, 2011
4:07 pm
the tool from Vandy should suspened 2 games at least. It was a blatant attempt to injur someone. and could’ve been a very seriour injury too. That have should have a more than just a half game suspension. Geathers threw a punch which is against the rules but circumstances should be looked at so he just have one quarter suspension. Shawn Williams suspension is fine. standard personal foul, standard suspension. There shouldn’t be any punishment for the coaches. they yelled at each other and looked ridicoulous. let’s just move past it.
Vandy candy coach
October 19th, 2011
4:07 pm
@ RICHTANDMCGARITYAREWIMPS Yes my evil plan is working!! They are turning on their own again even with a 5 game winning streak and tied for first place in the East. I will soon have all the top recruits in GA playing for me!! Muwhahaha!!
LMFAO
October 19th, 2011
4:09 pm
GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS
LMFAO
October 19th, 2011
4:10 pm
What makes this hilarious is that it was vs who? VANDY “F” IN VANDY LMFAO
Mike Slive
October 19th, 2011
4:13 pm
Go gators!!!!!! I will try and make up a punishment so that tech will have a shot to win also.
Mark PRicht
October 19th, 2011
4:13 pm
sad day when your players, AD and DC start acting like your fans…the rednecks are loose in Athens and there’s no stopping them
mikedog
October 19th, 2011
4:14 pm
Is it just me or do all of you think the AJC tries their best to only report bad things for UGA. I think if all UGA fans cancelled their subscription, this might send a signal to them.
dawgs66
October 19th, 2011
4:16 pm
Go Dawgs!!! Screw Richt’s politically correct comments. Now beat the snot out of the Gators!!! This is football. Didn’t you see the Gator coach ranting on the sidelines – they’ll be ready and so will THE DAWGS!!
rally
October 19th, 2011
4:16 pm
I am not sure there is any conference desperate enough to house a mangy homless DAWG. I guess the SEC will just have to keep pulling the leash until the puppies learn how to act.
1eyedJack
October 19th, 2011
4:16 pm
Well, this just sux.
DDPO
October 19th, 2011
4:17 pm
It’s certainly not representative of the Georgia way…
CMR should have added “if it doesn’t get the right end result”
CMR had no problem instructing his entire team to rush the field after a 1st quarter TD against UF a few years ago.
Pot….Meet Kettle
BCDawg
October 19th, 2011
4:18 pm
So, last year against Auburn, Nick Fairley spears Murray after the play, and gets flagged for it, but Slive doesn’t suspend Fairley, and Williams supposedly hit someone, DID NOT GET FLAGGED for it, and gets suspended by Slive?
OUTRAGEOUS!
Dr. Morpheus
October 19th, 2011
4:24 pm
Enough of Vandy, let’s move on and focus on the next game, which happens to be critical to the success of UGA’s season.
TampaDawg
October 19th, 2011
4:24 pm
DDPO
October 19th, 2011
4:17 pm
It’s certainly not representative of the Georgia way…
CMR should have added “if it doesn’t get the right end result”
CMR had no problem instructing his entire team to rush the field after a 1st quarter TD against UF a few years ago.
Pot….Meet Kettle
—————————–
Yeah, and the two are so comparable. Get real dude! A bunch of players celebrating a TD, which drew two flags by the way, versus someone going after another kids knee? And you are calling it the same? Are you high?
RedNblack
October 19th, 2011
4:25 pm
Gathers does not hurt so much with it being only one half. But Williams has been playing his rear end off, Mike Slive screwed this up.
bobby
October 19th, 2011
4:25 pm
UGA WILL BE ALRIGHT FOR THE OPENING HALF. WHAT THEY’RE GOING TO DO IS START BRANDON SMITH AT CORNER AND MOVE SANDERS CUMMINGS TO SAFETY AND JOHN JENKINS WILL START AT NOSE TACKLE SO THEY’RE IS’NT NO DROP OFF THERE.
bucket
October 19th, 2011
4:27 pm
Just saw a video of Upshaw from Alabama kicking a Vandy player on the ground. I guess Commissioner Slived didn’t see that. Just saw a video of Bostic from Florida throwing a punch at an Alabama player a couple of weeks ago. I guess Commissioner Slive didn’t see that.
Gainesville Dawg
October 19th, 2011
4:28 pm
Chip, you have become the only AJC columnist that is factual. Appreciated!!!!! You do not bleed insignificant rumors. so glad to have you at AJC.
Lee Ziemba
October 19th, 2011
4:29 pm
I’m an idiot!! Good take down block, C’Mon Man!!
Mark Richt
October 19th, 2011
4:29 pm
But I’m a good guy, I spoke at a Church one time.
Gary
October 19th, 2011
4:33 pm
Joke. The SEC F***ed this one up.
bucket
October 19th, 2011
4:35 pm
I have stood up and defended Coach Richt in good and bad times, but if he can’t come out and defend his players and coaches, then I am done with him. I don’t expect him to condone bad behavior, but providing some context publicly would go along way to restoring my respect for him. Like last year Dareus for ALA takes $10,000 and gets 2 games and Green takes $1,000 and gets 4 games. The Vandy center clearly tried to hurt Geathers and he gets the same suspension? Since Slive loves the rule book so much the rule regarding the centers behavior is that the player should have been disqualified. Why wasn’t he? Why were the officials not penalized for not getting the call correct? Slive is playing favorites and it’s time for Richt to call him out on it. Richt should say, “We danced in the freaking end zone against Florida in freaking 2007. We embarrassed the SEC, Florida, CUM, and ourselves. We have already freaking apologized for it and we have already been abundantly penalized for it. It’s time for Commissioner Slive and the SEC officiating crews (Penn Wages) to get over it!!!!!!!!!!!”
Gary
October 19th, 2011
4:38 pm
I do think the coach should have done more with the SEC. Mark is wrong on this one. He needs to come to the players defense. The action of the player was a reasonable reaction to the action of the Vandy player. He should be playing. If nothing else Mark should just say that.
Mark Richt
October 19th, 2011
4:41 pm
You people are a bunch of meanies. I will pray for everyone on this board. I am fixing to go lay in the tanning bed and go count my money. After this season you want have to worry about me any more. I have already accepted a position at Holy Cross because you people here in the south are just too mean and all you want to do is cuss. Amen.
BurytheBone
October 19th, 2011
4:43 pm
Don’t look now but the wheels are coming of @LSU. I said it two weeks ago. Strange how rumers have a way of coming true. Bama is next. NCAA is on a witch hunt.
Gatormeat
October 19th, 2011
4:46 pm
georgia always takes cheap shots, they just cry when teams hit back, like the cowards georgia people are. We have not forgotten your ignorant coach threatening to choke our kicker, murray won’t finish the game. Talk your stupid smack now mutts, like always, after the game you will be crying and making excuses. Again
Mark Richt
October 19th, 2011
4:47 pm
Bobby……Our depth will be an issue because my sorry a$$ offense can stay on the field. Our defense will be so tired by halftime that there tongues will be hanging out. Maybe that will teach that meanie Grantham a lesson…………
The Truth
October 19th, 2011
4:52 pm
WAAAAAAAAAA WAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Nobody likes us. Everybody else cheats but us WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!
Football Fan
October 19th, 2011
4:53 pm
Both the UGA players acted stupidly. Particularly Geathers. I’m sure he’s played enough football to have been coached to not retaliate. Their dumb choices jeopardizes UGA’s chance to win this week.
bucket
October 19th, 2011
4:53 pm
Yeah, Gatormeat. Like when Spikes tackled Moreno and danced on top of him like he wanted to make love and Penn Wages stood there and watched and didn’t throw a flag. Of maybe when Spikes tried to gouge Ealey’s eyes out and didn’t draw a flag or an SEC suspension? Since you apparently know nothing of the current culture, the choke sign was not a threat, it was CTG desire for your kicker to choke like he did a couple of times last year. He didn’t against the Dawgs and good for him, but Grantham was not threatening to choke him. You guys have won plenty in the series lately, but I promise we are still planning on showing up! BTW, how is the investigation going into Easley’s alleged assault on an ex-ALA player going? Guess the UF police are covering up another one for you guys. Congratulations, we don’t get that kind of treatment in Athens or in the offices of the SEC.
TampaDawg
October 19th, 2011
4:54 pm
Gatormeat
October 19th, 2011
4:46 pm
georgia always takes cheap shots, they just cry when teams hit back, like the cowards georgia people are. We have not forgotten your ignorant coach threatening to choke our kicker, murray won’t finish the game. Talk your stupid smack now mutts, like always, after the game you will be crying and making excuses. Again
—————————————–
Ok, that was the dumbest thing on here today .. BY FAR. Our coach threatened to choke your kicker? You idiot, he was taunting him to choke on the kick.
Fact is, that is the best you can come up with about us, but you know full well, you can’t say the same (the name Brandon Spikes tops the dirty list). Finger bending and eye gouging at the bottom of a pile are just part of the qualities being taught at UF right gatormeathead?
Gatormeat
October 19th, 2011
4:56 pm
The Truth is telling the truth. That is all dog fans do is cry. Their team takes more cheap shots than anyone in the SEC and they are just too big of cowards to take it when it is thrown back at them. Screw georgia, the SEC needs to get rid of its trash, georgia needs to go
TampaDawg
October 19th, 2011
4:56 pm
Football Fan
October 19th, 2011
4:53 pm
Both the UGA players acted stupidly. Particularly Geathers. I’m sure he’s played enough football to have been coached to not retaliate. Their dumb choices jeopardizes UGA’s chance to win this week.
————————-
Come on! Really? Let’s take the holier than thou approach shall we and say that we all after getting our knee crashed into by a big dummy going full bore that we would just endure the pain and walk away, if you even still have the ability to. It’s a weak argument to pretend you would do anything different than Kwame did in that exact situation.
TampaDawg
October 19th, 2011
4:57 pm
Gatormeat
October 19th, 2011
4:56 pm
The Truth is telling the truth. That is all dog fans do is cry. Their team takes more cheap shots than anyone in the SEC
—————-
Where’s your proof meathead? Nice to just sit at your computer and rant about it but there is video of your players trying to hurt people. Where is your proof you hypocrite?
Jalex49
October 19th, 2011
4:58 pm
Coach Richt stand up for your player! Appeal this decision or at least say something about the incident.
If you look at the video you see the intent of the Vandy player and for him to give a “thumbs up” to his sideline? Are you kidding me?
The Commissioner got this wrong!