UGA not only football program dealing with domestic violence issues
ATHENS – I was traveling yesterday when UGA announced it had decided on a two-game suspension for starting cornerback Sanders Commings at the start of next season.
Even though Georgia coach Mark Richt has avoided commenting on the subject so far, a spokesman told me Richt decided on the two games Wednesday after a series of meetings with Commings and conducting his own investigation into the matter. Commings, 21, was arrested by UGA police on Jan. 21 and charged with domestic violence/simple battery for allegedly hitting his former girlfriend.
Commings is scheduled for a March 22 arraignment before an Athens-Clarke County judge, so his legal case remains unresolved. Meanwhile, the incident is also being investigated by UGA as a possible violation of student conduct code. That review is ongoing, though I’ve reported on some of the interviews that were already available through the Freedom of Information Act. Those documents lead one to believe it the case might not be as cut-and-dried a case as the original police reports indicated.
Meanwhile, Georgia is not the only SEC team having to deal with a domestic violence issue. According to a report in the Orlando Sentinel today, Gators freshman tight end A.C. Leonard was arrested Wednesday night on domestic violence charges. Leonard was due to be released on his own recognizance Thursday and Florida coach Willi Muschamp has yet to comment on the situation.
Said spokesman Steve McClain: “Coach Muschamp is currently traveling and unavailable, but he will address the matter later today.”
There have been some other recent precedents as well:
On Feb. 3, Clemson dismissed wide receiver Joe Craig due to a domestic violence incident. However, apparently that was Craig’s second such charge. He was indefinitely suspended and ultimately missed three games last season due to the previous incident.
Conversely, Alabama’s Courtney Upshaw did not miss any playing time after he and his girlfriend were both arrested on domestic violence charges in 2009.
Which brings us to where we are today. Commings has already been issued a two-game suspension while his legal issues remain unresolved. So how do you guys feel about that? Should the Bulldogs have waited until his matter had run its course through the university and local legal systems? Do you trust Coach Richt’s judgment and/or did he get it about right? Is Georgia going too easy on Commings?
Intelligent, thoughtful comments only, please.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
547 comments Add your comment
boykin
February 19th, 2012
2:52 pm
Thomas: What a waste of time you ignorant dummy. Hugh Freeze! Whares Rich at Mich? Whittingham..David Shaw!!!
LMAO at your stupidity… Whats your point here? Put these coaches in the SEC!!! Keep throwin up for 120 line solliliqueys of hatin you MORON to make us laugh at you!!! Love it!
GO DAWGS- and I WILL BE A CB YOU IMBECILE!
Go
February 19th, 2012
3:23 pm
Woman beaters!
Buzz2011
February 19th, 2012
4:19 pm
Why didn’t Richt remove him from the team forever?/
Two game suspension? This must be a joke….Is Richt afarid
to clear players out? Where is the discipline?? Doesn’t UGA
have an athletic director to correct this/
FLA DAWG
February 19th, 2012
5:07 pm
So what the he!! is your point Chip?
Because Clemson and Bama have a problem the ours is less serious?
It’s guys like you that endeavor to maintain the status quo, retaining Richt and Bobo and lose game and respect.
Skrew U
FLA DAWG
CLASS OF ‘79
Brainiac(Dawg for life/Richt fan for life)
February 19th, 2012
6:19 pm
@ Thomas…..4:31 pm post
If Upshaw wasn’t the star then the indications are that NOBODY gets suspended,dismissed, etc for ANY violation……………………………………………unless the Sabe is loking for roster space for some other gullible recruit
JB
February 19th, 2012
6:19 pm
It was later reported the Alabama police officer who arrested the Bama player has been dismissed from the force for breaking an unwritten dept. policy.
Brainiac(Dawg for life/Richt fan for life)
February 19th, 2012
6:53 pm
@ Chili dawg……. 11:01 am post;
:
My thoughts exactly. Unless CMR knows a lot more than has been aired he should have waiteduntil the trial. Witnesses said she was the agressor and the police officer said there were no visible injuries.CMR jumped the gun on CTG and Shawn Williams after the Vandy game and mostly embarrassed himself. Still I trust CMR to do the right thing.
These modern day racists and KKK wannabes posting on here should just STFU and let the courts decide.
ga gator
February 19th, 2012
8:26 pm
Nothing should be done until Sanders of UGA or Leonard of UF have their day in court. If innocent, nothing should happen, if guilty they should not receive suspensions they should be booted from team and school; end of story.
phil
February 19th, 2012
9:09 pm
Fire everyone!!
After all, it’s the coaches that allowed this beating to take place.
Thomas Brown
February 20th, 2012
4:08 am
Mark Richt lost 4 games this past season, 4 games. You have a problem that David Shaw lost half as many games at Stanford last season ? You wish Mark Richt lost half the games he lost.
Over the last 8 seasons, Mark Richt has lost 30 games to teams with worse or equal talent – which is nearly 4 games a season lost to worse or equal talent teams.
Your URL Link provided does not list for example Pete Carroll or Jim Tressel. Do you really think that Mark Richt has been better here at UGA than Pete Carroll or Jim Tressel, either 1 ?
1.Les Miles has certainly been far superior in his time in The SEC than Mark Richt. 2.Nick Saban has been far superior in his time in The SEC than Mark Richt. 3.Urb an Me yer has been far superior in his time in The SEC than Mark Richt. 4.Bobby Petrino has been far superior in his time in The SEC than Mark Richt. Even 5.Gene Chizik and 6.Tommy Tuberville, over these last 8 seasons, have done far superior here in The SEC than Mark Richt. Mark Richt over these last 8 years, just looking at what other coaches here in The SEC did over the same last 8 years, is the # 7 best coach in The SEC over these last 8 years. What the blazes is so special about that ?
What is so special about Mark Richt over these last 8 years, that you think Coaches by the Numbers presents a NEGATIVE view of Mark Richt stating as they do that Mark Richt is the # 35 best coach at his school over these last 8 years ?
And, what is so special about what Mark Richt has done these last 8 years here in The SEC compared to ALL these other coaches and what they have done when they were in The SEC ?
And, what is so special about Mark Richt that you have to take names OFF THE LIST of best coaches over these last 8 years such as Pete Carroll and Jim Tressel to make it appear as though Mark Richt did BETTER than either one of them, either ?
The facts, as presented by NOT ME but Coaches by The Numbers, shows that Mark Richt has LOST 30 games over these last 8 years against teams with equal or worse talent than he has had here.
As for boykin, yeah right, a 5 feet 9 inches tall cornerback is going to be a shut down corner in the NFL because he wasn’t even one of the All-SEC Cornerbacks, isn’t going to register any 4.34 speed in the NFL combines, is he ? And, he certainly plays off his receivers, doesn’t break up many passes, nor make many interceptions even against all these cupcakes we play nowadays at my alma mater, as he is not physical enough. And, you want to run in here, change your handle to boykin (history here when you finally did change your handle to boykin), and declare him a shut-down corner in the NFL, when no one has ever accused him of being a shut-down corner for us. And he absolutely didn’t win any of the last 7 games in a row Mark Richt has lost vs teams who finished in the AP Poll Top 10 and he absolutely didn’t win any of the last 9 games in a row Mark Richt has lost vs teams who finished in the AP Poll Top 25.
SEC Football Roundup: February 20 | Saturday Down South
February 20th, 2012
5:28 am
[...] 6. UGA is not the only school dealing with domestic violence charges. Recently, Bulldogs’ defensive back Sanders Commings was arrested for domestic violence, and Mark Richt has suspended him for the first two games of the season next year. However, Florida tight end AC Leonard was recently arrested for the same charge. We’ll see what Will Muschamp decides to do. [AJC] [...]
Dawg for Life
February 20th, 2012
6:13 am
I read that 3 eye witnesses at the scene reported that comings and his girlfriend were arguing and he began to walk away from her, she then grabbed him by the arm and he kinda of shrugged her off of him. She apparently was angry with him for not spending time with her. The witnesses say that he at no time struck her any any way. Sounds like a college girl stalking a football player to me, and out of jealous rage, tried to make Sanders pay for not showing her enough attention. Ball players beware of stalker type girls. This again, is what I read, it does not prove that this is the truth or not, but may have something to do with the light, 2 game suspension.
Thomas Brown
February 20th, 2012
7:32 am
Mark Richt suspended him for the Missouri game. What does that tell you ?
AltamahaDawg
February 20th, 2012
10:15 am
What I find interesting about the Upshaw story is that even though a police officer gave a sworn statement that he personally witnessed Upshaw “chase her down” and rough her up a bit, the girls father calls Saban, asking him not to suspend a football player.
It strikes me that it was a needless exersize from both men.
Thomas Brown
February 20th, 2012
10:25 am
what – the football player and the gal’s father ?
or – Nick Saban with his 3 BCS National Championship Titles since becoming SEC coach – and 2 of the last 3 ?
AltamahaDawg
February 20th, 2012
11:29 am
No.
Thomas Brown
February 20th, 2012
12:13 pm
No ?
That explains why Nick Saban at Alabama has Won 81 % of his games against all competition the last 8 years, while Mark Richt has won 69 % of his games against all competition the last 8 years ? Explains that Nick Saban has Won over the last 8 years, at Alabama 90 percent of the games he played where he had the Superior Talent, based upon Scout.com’s rankings the previous 4 years before game time, while again Mark Richt has Won only 75 % where we had Superior Talent the last 8 years at game time. Or, that explains why Nick Saban at Alabama has Won 74 % of all his games over the last 8 years, at Alabama against equal
Talent measured as within 10 of the Scout.com rankings of Nick Saban, while Mark Richt is barely over .500 at 54 % only against teams with equal Talent over the last 8 years here ?
You pick on the silliest of points about Nick Saban, while he has 2 of the most recent BCS NC Titles, and while our coach is so pedestrian by direct contrast.
AltamahaDawg
February 20th, 2012
12:42 pm
No. As in: you asked me a question pertaining to the specifics my post. I gave you an answer.
Surely that concept applies even in the region located high up Nick Saban’s butt.
Sheriff Buford T. Justice
February 20th, 2012
1:00 pm
Anyone know when the 1st 5 yrs Richt will show back up in Athens
Thomas Brown
February 20th, 2012
2:13 pm
UGA pays Mark Richt $ 2,900,000.00 in total compensation, not counting bonuses and not counting his truck ads which he would not have were he not the head coach for UGA. This makes him the 6th highest paid SEC coach. We are the 2nd most profitable athletic department in the nation. We have lost the last 7 games in a row vs teams who finished in the AP Poll Top 10 and we’ve lost the last 9 games in a row vs teams who finished in the AP Poll Top 25.
Why we cannot pay a little more, and have a coach equivalent with our status, who can beat the top teams, is because we have a fanbase of Bible-Thumpers who think that if they tried to enhance our position nationally, that they would be viewed as not UGA Bulldog Football Program Fans, when they want, by direct contrast, is to make this job just as easy as pie for Mark Richt – have no expectations and allow no posts that point out the obvious short-comings over the last 8 years – especially in comparison with the teams we constantly lose to with Inferior Talent or Equal Talent.
They refer to posts like that as having our heads up the backsides of coaches who do far better than he. But, of course, we should be satisfied with 27 other teams winning 10 games last year along with us, and us the dead last worst of the 27 teams with 10-Win Seasons 2011 with 4 Losses.
DawginLex
February 20th, 2012
2:15 pm
A few comments about “Darrah”
1.) You are posting under your 100th handle. congrats.
2.) You could not get into UGA
3.) You don’t know a thing about football
4.) The closest you ever got to a pair of red panties(other than your mom’s) is when you slipped into your sister’s dresser one night while she was out on a date,
In other words, you are a virgin, blow up doll dating loser who has a GED and dreams of goign to college.
So why are you allowed to post on this blog?
tim
February 20th, 2012
2:17 pm
Low life losers who only know to run fast and catch a ball.
They learned it young by runnin from the cops.
How day do in DA HOOD.
DawginLex
February 20th, 2012
2:19 pm
TB
You wanting Richt fired now?
I thought you were pro-extension?
I am pro-extension but I want results in 2012.
not 10-2 either.
i want 12-0 and play Bama for the SEC.
The OL youth is an excuse for losers. Our OL will be deeper and more athletic than 2011.
The defense should be lights out.
If richt puts all his eggs in the Murray basket without even giving Lemay ANY MEANINGFUL REPS, and we lose a couple of games because of it, Richt should go out with Murray for 2013.
AltamahaDawg
February 20th, 2012
3:05 pm
Enter your comments here
AltamahaDawg
February 20th, 2012
3:13 pm
Meaningful reps are one thing. BUT when the outcome of the game is on the line, is not a wise time for that.
DawginLex
February 20th, 2012
3:41 pm
Alt
If Lemay sits all year long, we are hosed for 2013 plus, I’m not so sure that we don’t have to have Lemay with Murray in order to get 1 QB who can win a big game.
AltamahaDawg
February 20th, 2012
4:01 pm
For the record I am a Big Lemay fan, but talk of what he has to do, or can do, else we need to fire the coach for some hypothetical situations that might happen year after next, is a bit of a reach. QBs come and go. I am not even sure Lemay is going to hold off some guys we have coming in. The first thing he needs to be is to become the actual back-up QB. Then he can earn some playing time, when it’s available. As they always have. I guess it’s anyone opinion as to how meaningful it is depending on the situation.
Secondly, Why would you fear that Richt would sit a QB that was capable of winning games needlessly, when he has shown no history of doing that, and In fact has shown the opposite?
DawginLex
February 20th, 2012
4:22 pm
He sat Shockley against UT in 2004 until he finally let him play and almost pull the game out. Cost us the East
He sat Mason all year and gave him no reps even when it was obvious Murray needed some bench time
I get that Lemay might not be all that but i still say the QB position is a big concern for me going into 2012 if Murray is going to play all the meaningful snaps.
AltamahaDawg
February 20th, 2012
5:00 pm
“He sat Shockly”? Odd way or referring to the starter not starting a big SEC game, and getting in later. But anyway……..That’s the example of ignoring a QB?
I suppose a fellow could pick apart a specific single game as to not bringing in a guy exactly in the right series, (especially in hindsight), but I think there is also a couple of example of bringing Shockley in and the game went worse, too. So who can say. As I recall, thier freshmanQB tearing up our defense was how that game was lost. I don’t remember that game as an obvious case of “sitting” the back up QB.
( I couldnt go to both so I went to that one and missd the LSU game. Smart move, huh?)
And Mason did play last year in several games..But, He obviously never proved that he could alter the outcome of a game, though. I am assuming if he could have, he would have been in there.
Thomas Brown
February 20th, 2012
5:01 pm
I want results in 2012
I wanted results in 2011, and got none.
I wanted results in 2010, and all the results were losses.
I wanted results in 2009, and those we ostensibly all losses too.
I wanted results in 2008, and instead got 31 to nothing at half, after # 1 ranking every single solitary poll, and then 42 unanswered points in the 2nd game that season, and the 3rd and only other opponent, 29 unanswered points. It was gruesome. All we beat, being # 1 in the nation was a Michigan State team who beat not 1 single team finishing in the top 25 too.
I want extension Mark Richt, yes sir. Duh…
He can recruit.
Recruit is better than nothing.
Nothing is what his results are – other than recruiting.
He is a world-class recruiter, and for bringing in 4.29 GPA 4,000 yard next 3 seasons RB, I gave him an EXTENSION.
Greg McGarity, tennis player, and not a good one at that affectionately referred to as
EARS
by everyone else on this blog
marionette
still hasn’t given it to him. Cost us in recruiting signing day.
Costing us still today with all the still undecided football players for 2012
Thomas Brown
February 20th, 2012
5:10 pm
yeah
when the outcome of the game is on the line
put
puny
Aaron Murray
in
Let him
fumble
run for 1 yard
fumble
throw interception
run slow
watch secondary run past him
TD
that about cover it ?
Thomas Brown
February 20th, 2012
5:15 pm
“The first thing he needs to be is to become the actual back-up QB. Then he can earn some playing time, when it’s available. As they always have.”
__________________________________________________________
For starters, sir, his name is Christian LeMay.
It ain’t lemay
or Lemay.
Secondly, sir,
Mark Richt has
NEVER
prepared his back-up QB.
Only Coach Donald Shockley FORCED Mark Richt to play DJ Shockley, once he LIED to CDS and redshirted DJ.
DJ was fine with it.
Daddy was NOT.
Therefore, that 1 doesn’t count.
NOW,
name me the QB whom Mark Richt
PREPARED to come in and play QB for The University of Georgia ?
Thomas Brown
February 20th, 2012
5:20 pm
“He obviously never proved that he could alter the outcome of a game, though. I am assuming if he could have, he would have been in there.”
_________________________________________________________
Puny
Aaron Murray proved that he is 0-9 vs teams who finish in the AP Poll Top 25.
He has ALSO lost to two (2) teams who did not finish in the AP Poll Top 25.
He has LOST 41 PERCENT of the games he has started.
He has been a
DEER IN THE HEADLIIGHTS
against every team everyone knew was going to end the season in the top 25, you included, son.
And, for good measure was NOT the better QB in ANY of the 11 LOSSES, despite our Defense.
There is NO PROOF that Aaron Murray does NOT have the
heebie-jeebie
YIPS.
When a player gets the YIPS, you sit him.
It does him no good sending him back out there, game on the line, and him already
PROVEN
he is scared.
A Father
February 20th, 2012
6:37 pm
Are you talking about our failure of a QB the last two years. The people that think GA is so much better than our competition in 2012 will be facing a rude awakening. All teams will be a whole lot better that we face except Missouri Tigers and our offense will continue to SUCK while A Murray is the QB.
Cardinal Sin
February 20th, 2012
7:24 pm
Let’s try not to spin this and take the focus off of UGA’s program by comparing it with Florida’s. I agree with TO Tell the Truth. The bottom line if we would start requiring our athletes to have to make the same admission requirements as any other student we would not have these types of issues all of the time. These guys are getting a free ride and basically thumbing their noses at us since they know that they can get the Cam Newton treatment which is a SHAME!
Enough Said!!!!
AltamahaDawg
February 20th, 2012
8:56 pm
Glad to know how you would handle this roster of QBs that you are making up. The coaches had to deal with the actual ones.
terry
February 20th, 2012
9:02 pm
I’m sure he did it, Richt is right with the suspensions , Saben’s move doesn’t surprise me either.:)
StackedDeck
February 20th, 2012
9:35 pm
Come ‘on man!
UGA / ‘74
Thomas Brown
February 21st, 2012
3:59 am
Win % vs teams finishing AP Poll Top 25 :
41.46 % Mark Richt 17-24
42.11 % Tommy Tuberville 16-22
43.18 % Les Miles 19-25
47.37 % Gene Chizik 9-10
51.52 % Nick Saban 17-16
51.72 % Ur ban Mey er 15-14
http://coachesbythenumbers.com/coach-profile/?coach=tommy+tuberville
Replace end of string with first name + last name
Thomas Brown
February 21st, 2012
4:35 am
Win % vs teams AP Poll Top 5 time of game:
72 % Ur ban Mey er 8-3 # 1
62 % Tommy Tuberville 5-3 # 2
53 % Nick Saban 7-6 # 3
44 % Les Miles 8-10 # 4
33 % Bobby Petrino 2-6 # 5
25 % Mark Richt 2-8 # 6
Darrah
February 21st, 2012
8:45 am
A few comments about UGA:
1. Four different SEC teams have won the last six BCS championships.
2. UGA was not one of those teams.
3. During that period, UGA did not win the SEC championship.
4. DawginLex wears red panties.
In other words, UGA has sunk into total irrelevancy both regionally and nationally.
So why is UGA paying Mark Richt millions of dollars a year?
DawginLex
February 21st, 2012
9:17 am
Darrah, you still dream of actually getting into a pair of red panties while a live girl is wearing them.
Your mom and sister don’t count.
Why are you still on this blog gerbil boy???
DawginLex
February 21st, 2012
9:21 am
Alt
in 2004, versus UT, David Greene was off his game. Shockley was on his game. Shockley came in and almost brought us back. I think the score was 20-14 or something like that. It wasn’t the fault of the defense.
Last year, there were numerous times to give Mason relevant reps in game situations against teams other than cupcakes. He never got the chance.
Murray is a DGD but the results are obvious. He gets the yips in tight games against better competition.
We need a open QB competition in the spring and the fall and I am advocating some sort of platoon system(Yes I know people say it does not work). If Richt has the kind of relationship with his players that we all believe he does, he should be able to work it out for the better of the team.
Especially if we are winning.
AltamahaDawg
February 21st, 2012
11:39 am
GReat Lex. Then you disagree with the strategic judgement about timing on THAT day. Fine. But DJ had been used quite regulary for 2 years BEFORE that, so that is not an example of how RIcht would not like to give back up significant playing time in preparation.
In fact even bringing up DJ proves the exact opposite point of your assertion that Richt would be likely to sit somebody like Lemay on the bench all year. It’s almost the exact same situation as we had then.
AltamahaDawg
February 21st, 2012
12:15 pm
I don’t know if people really say platooning doesn’t work, in general. I think that’s something that situational. Bringin in Tebow on 3rd and short was pretty effective. Murray sure can’t plow through the line behind left guard. If we had somebody who could do that from the shortgun, nobody would say it doesnt work. IF you are talking about bringing in somebody that offers a different style or skill, then I am all for that.I think everybody would be, BUT If you are talking about platooning Murray and his less capabale of winning the game but same type back-up, then I can’t see the upside to that. And I don’t buy into fixing your starters mistakes by taking him out at the very most critical times of the game and increasing your chances of losing anyway.
Fats OKelly
February 21st, 2012
12:50 pm
Is Commings girlfriend still in a relationship with this guy that assaulted her? Any follow up on this?
Champions Tour 2012
February 22nd, 2012
11:37 pm
Its nice that witnesses gave statements and their names.
http://www.maspresents.com/