Despite latest arrest, Georgia insists it doesn’t have discipline problem
Note: There will be a “Ten at 10″ this week but it has been moved to Wednesday . . .
ATHENS — After having one of their better years in a while in regard to off-field problems for players, trouble is starting to stack up a little for Georgia.
Branden Smith’s arrest for marijuana possession in South Alabama Sunday night represented the second arrest of UGA football player this year — cornerback Sanders Commings was arrested for a domestic violence incident in January — and third if one counts tight end Orson Charles’ arrest for DUI last week (Charles declared for the NFL draft and not an official member of the team).
And that’s just players who have run into trouble from the law. Head coach Mark Richt dismissed three players from the team in January for stealing from a teammate.
But Richt doesn’t believe there is a lack of discipline in the program and contends that the Bulldogs are stricter than most programs when it comes to keeping players in line.
“When guys do make mistakes, two things are very important: How we handle it and how he handles it,” Richt said. “Are we going to discipline our players the way they ought to be disciplined according to what they’ve done? I think we do that. I think we do that more strictly than most people do. If you look at other people’s policies, ours is much tougher than just about anybody other’s pocliy I’ve seen. So because some of our guys end up with a game suspension or whatever it may be, a kid at another school may do the very same thing and their policy doesn’t say that it has to be that way. I mean, I don’t care what they do. All I’m saying is I think it’s important how you handle it.”
Unlike many programs, UGA’s punishments are written down in black and white in the Student-Athlete Handbook. For instance, in the case of Smith’s arrest for marijuana possession, that falls under UGA’s codes for “alcohol and drug-related misconduct.” That means an automatic suspension from 10 percent of competition dates (in this case one game), future drug-testing, education and counseling and additional discipline as determined by what’s called the “Comprehensive Action Plan Committee.”
Said Richt: “Our goal when our guys make mistakes is to find out the truth about it and then discipline it properly. The second thing that is important is how they respond to it. If they learn from their mistakes and become better people because of it, then that’s a positive thing in that guy’s life. If he’s not truthful about it and acts like he didn’t do anything wrong and his behavior isn’t going to change in any way shape or form, then he’s probably not going to be at Georgia very long. That’s just kind of the way things go. To think every single guy is not ever going to make a mistake and be perfect, I don’t think is realistic. It’s certainly what we search for. Is it frustrating? Yes, it is.”
Adding to Richt’s frustration was the timing of the Smith’s incident. Just last week, Athletic Director Greg McGarity assembled every UGA student-athlete at the Georgia Center for Continuing Educaton to talk about the importance of good behavior during the upcoming spring break (which began this week). The football team followed that up with a separate meeting of their own. So it’s not like the issue wasn’t addressed.
“Oh yeah, we always do,” Richt said. “We ought to video those [meetings] just to make sure everybody knows we do that.”
Ultimately, it comes down to the character of the players the coaches recruit to campus. I asked McGarity how much he held coaches responsible for their players’ behavior.
“Accountability is a foregone conclusion,” McGarity said. “You hold coaches accountable in every sport for their entire program. That’s just part of the deal, just like I’m accountable for every employee. I’m accountable for 250 full-time staff members. So we’re all accountable to someone and that language is currently in [Richt's] contract right now.”
– Chip Towers, The UGA Blog
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
262 comments Add your comment
Thomas Brown
March 14th, 2012
9:51 am
“trust me i’m not satisfied”
“is what is wrong with UGA’s football program”
___________________________________________
PDogg, sir, you are saying (1) that there is something wrong with UGA’s football program, and (2) trust you you are not satisfied.
I just want to be clear about what you are saying.
Now, if you didn’t intend to say that trust you you are not satisfied or that you know what is wrong with the program to the point that you are so dissatisfied, now might be a good time to say you didn’t intend to say either.
Because you said both, plain and simple. Do you somehow gain credibility by both saying that no one can say anything negative and in the same breath utter yourself that you ain’t satisfied ? Do you somehow think you’ve not both said that there isn’t anything wrong with the program you are not satisfied with and that you said again in the same breath that there is something wrong with the program ?
I guess my question to you would be ?
Which is it ?
DawgRoll
March 14th, 2012
9:52 am
smoking weed is no big deal–probably 90% of the team does it—it should legal anyway. the police should be looking at real crime, not this minor stuff.
MIKE
March 14th, 2012
9:52 am
YOU HAVE ONE WOMAN BEATER AND A POT HEAD IN A SHORT TIME AT GA. BUT THERE’S NO PROBLEM….MARK NEEDS TO WAKE UP AND GET THE BLINDERS OFF
MIKE
March 14th, 2012
9:56 am
DAWGROLL NO MATTER WHAT YOU THINK I SEE IT’S YOUR NORMAL DAWG THINKING. WEED IS AGAINST THE LAW ( SO THAT MEANS YOU DON’T DO IT) AND IF 90% OF THE TEAM IS SMOKING IT WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHY TA’LL CAN’T BEAT THE GOOD TEAMS.
Pdogg
March 14th, 2012
9:57 am
Thomas Brown, I’m not satisfied because UGA can and will win a national championship and i wont be completely satisfied until we do. And i already told you what was wrong with UGA’s football program… people like you who claim to be fans but do everything in your power to put down your own team. You are either a techie or a complete moron and a disgrace to your own state and university, and either way you need to just shut it
Thomas Brown,"trust me i’m not satisfied”
March 14th, 2012
10:04 am
Ok, so you’re not satisfied either with the results.
But, you want everyone else to shut up – so only you, then, can say you’re not satisfied.
Too Funny
March 14th, 2012
10:06 am
All these UGA fans bad mouthing Alabama fans about their education like rural Georgia is so much smarter than rural Alabama. UGA is a good school but I wouldn’t say it blows Alabama’s education out of the water… Let’s get real, UGA is no Vandy or GT.
Pdogg
March 14th, 2012
10:15 am
TB You don’t get it man. There is a difference between wanting to be better and actively attacking and trying to destroy your own team. Every college football fan wants their team to win the national championship, especially in the SEC. I don’t think there’s anything out of the ordinary about that. What is strange is someone who claims to be a fan of a team, yet all he talks about is how awful the players, coaches, and administration is. We can talk about things UGA can do to get better, but spewing negativity constantly is not going to do anything but hurt the dawgs. You are a cancer to UGA
C'mon Man
March 14th, 2012
10:15 am
Dawgroll,
Mike has a point. It is against the law which means they don’t have any responsibility. It also means they aren’t scared of getting caught which can be a problem too. Never understood the concept of college/professional athletes smoking weed. I mean just imagine how good they would be if they didn’t smoke. Maybe they would be in the game 10% of more plays if they weren’t winded on the sidelines.
GT
March 14th, 2012
10:17 am
How can Thomas Brown be the problem? The real problem is that you just resigned a coach, for winning a rigged schedule with street gang players. A team that lost to Colorado, maybe the worst team in division one two years ago. You loss to any and all real challenges last year, South Carolina, BS which was not even in the championship game picture, and LSU who is in a totally higher division than you and still not the best in the SEC. If Thomas Brown did that we should stop wasting his talents where they obviously are not wanted though certainly needed, and send him to some foreign wars we are losing.
Instead of improving your team next year you improve your schedule. You get unhooked from Alabama, and replace it with Missouri like that is some equal and fair equation. Now you can brainwash yourselves with the help of AJC into believing once again you have arrived, over and over again, only to see a Vandy or a USC or a Miss. State float by you in your premature celebration that usually ends up with a full house at the Athens jail. That damn Thomas Brown how could he have done all this to you?
Pdogg
March 14th, 2012
10:20 am
haha GT you should probably just worry about Tech, because if UGA is as bad as you say, then Tech has got to be GOD AWFUL because we DOMINATE YOU EVERY YEAR
GT
March 14th, 2012
10:22 am
Pdogg is right, GT fans need to hop off of the trash talking when our football program has enough problems as it is. It’s sad that the whole state of Georgia has so much talent but can’t win. I can’t figure it out. UGA has a MUCH better chance at representing since they get all the talent. Tech just needs to rep the state in academics lol.
GT
March 14th, 2012
10:35 am
Did I write that? No. Isn’t that a NCAA violation to hijack a man’s handle. If Pdogg is right there are better days ahead for Tech, because Georgia is not getting any better than they were last year. Believe me I am happy you people are so stubborn it give us great hope and I am glad Bama and LSU are not in our state to have to compete against.
Pdogg
March 14th, 2012
10:40 am
GT you are delusional man. Whatever you’re smoking, pass it to T Brown cause he needs some of that optimism. GT needs to worry about being relevant in the ACC before yall can even try to come talk to us. Oh and UGA will definitely be better next year so count on us embarrasing you again in november, just like every year
Tech
March 14th, 2012
11:20 am
Lol Pdogg, you guys are better every year and besides last year we ALWAYS keep it close. I don’t understand how you can trashtalk so much when you guys haven’t beaten a top 20 team since 2009. Its people like YOU that give UGA fans a bad name. UGA thinks they are so superior because they can beat Tech but you guys recruit so much better talent! The fact that we keep it close is embarrassing! Time to humble yourself a little bit and realize that UGA may not be as good as it seems. Sure, you guys won SEC East but it can be argued that Florida had a very off season and USC had its problems with a top 5 RB out for the season and a starting QB getting kicked off the team. I’m glad you’re so optimistic though, hope it works out for you guys.
Thomas Brown,"trust me i’m not satisfied”
March 14th, 2012
11:21 am
2011 NC Alabama beat # 5 Arkansas # 2 LSU
2010 NC Auburn beat # 3 Oregon # 8 LSU # 10 Al
2009 NC Alabama beat # 10 VaTech # 3 FL # 2 TX
2008 NC Florida beat # 5 Oklahoma # 6 Alabama
2007 NC LSU beat # 5 Ohio State # 9 VaTech
2006 NC FL beat # 2 Ohio St # 3 LSU # 9 Auburn
2005 NC Texas beat # 2 Ohio St # 4 Southern Cal
2004 NC So Cal beat # 10 VaTech # 3 Ok # 9 Cal
2003 NC So Cal beat # 6 Michigan # 9 Wash St
2003 NC LSU beat # 3 Ok # 7 UGA # 7 UGA again
2002 NC Ohio St beat # 2 Miami # 9 Mich # 10 Wash St
2001 NC Miami beat # 8 Nebraska
National Championship for Mark Richt ?
Really ?
That is the DISNEYdawgs.com statement you want to make to me you bloody dreamer that Mark Richt who has played 16 games like these 29 games between teams who ended up in the AP Poll Top 10, and Mark Richt has won exactly 3 of the 16 games against teams who ended up top 10 his entire 11-year career.
But, drink the Kool-Aid you are GUARANTEEING a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP for Mark Richt.
How do you figure that PDogg ?
You are exactly what is dragging this football program into the ground PDogg, that every off-season you run in here and proclaim Mark Richt will win his NC you are absolutely certain of it; yet, when we look at these 29 teams who ended up in the top 10 who they beat to be NC while Mark Richt has been here, Mark Richt has NOT beat these teams at 3-13. The 3 years he did, he was 4 losses, 3 losses and 4 losses those 3 years. It is what he does. But, you run in here proclaiming that he will be NC.
Yeah, right PDogg – DISNEYdawgs.com like you are ruining our program. When he loses the games against the teams who do end up in the top 10, all these teams BEAT them instead. That’s why their NC and Mark Richt NEVER WILL BE. So, you run in here and tell me to shut up. That you are a BETTER fan than I. Uh, no you are the cancer that is hurting our program. You don’t care if we lose to every team who ends up top 10 as long as Mark Richt remains here in this cushy easy job because you want my program to just be fine, whatever that is, PDogg.
Pdogg
March 14th, 2012
11:39 am
T Brown you are a joke. Some people are just going to be whiny little cry babies who waste all of their energy trying to destroy the very thing they claim to support, and if thats how you want to live your life, go ahead. Just know that you are a horrible representation of your university and are not even close to being a DGD, quite the opposite actually. For all of you true dawgs out there, don’t let losers like Thomas Brown get you down. Go Dawgs!
GT
March 14th, 2012
11:57 am
When Georgia beat us last year I didn’t think how good Georgia is, I was thinking how bad our defense has gotten. If Bama had beaten us or LSU I would say there are teams out there just better than what we can put on a field and really admire the art of football watching them. Kind of the way you guys felt losing to LSU on national television. I haven’t left a Georgia game feeling like you guys must have felt, it is hopeless, that SEC Championship night, in many years and I am the first to admit we could use some improving. But if we just stay the same which we won’t there is an even chance every time we line up with Georgia, that Tech can win. Now I wish yall were as good as Alabama or LSU because that would make us pretty good too. But you are not and we are not.
Pdogg
March 14th, 2012
12:03 pm
GT, it really doesn’t matter how you feel when we beat you. The fact is we do beat you every year. An even if you THINK tech has an even chance every time you line up, the stats (1-9 last 10 years) definitely don’t support it
Pdogg
March 14th, 2012
12:17 pm
Tech, we return almost our entire defense next year, have a 3rd year starting qb, not to mention lots of talented running backs and recievers, i think there is plenty of reason for me to think we will be better next year. and how do i give UGA a bad name? for sticking up for them when i hear a bunch of people bashing our program? and by the way most rivalry games usually are close, not just UGA-Tech. And how close they are doesnt mean a thing anyways, its who wins that matters, and thats us, every year
Dick Gizinia
March 14th, 2012
12:44 pm
Unfortunately, GT gets UCF, Middle Tennessee State type talent. I know it fits Moob’s system, but unless GT gets an O’ line that can move people or a passing option quarterback, teams will put 10 men in the box and you’re looking at a lot of 3 and outs.
DawgT
March 14th, 2012
1:02 pm
how are those Ga Tech players affording expensive escalades, guns, etc. — they must be paying good over there!!!
guy
March 14th, 2012
1:33 pm
Young people as well as older ones make bad choices.Some don’t do it again and move on.Others refuse to change and pay a huge price.
Drug test athletes at random at other colleges too and you’ll see they have the same problems.Most of the time,there’s the caught and the uncaught.These things in life will surface sooner or later.GUARANTEED!
Taylor Wooten
March 14th, 2012
1:36 pm
Who us? A discipline problem? Nah….move along. No story here. Mark Richt is a great guy (sigh…)
Got that fat 3 year extension.
LOL
Walmartdawg
March 14th, 2012
1:47 pm
Got to keep that Fulmer Cup streak alive.
General Mills
March 14th, 2012
1:54 pm
Let’s do an article on how many AJC employees are disciplined or arrested.Just curious?
Fooball Guy
March 14th, 2012
1:58 pm
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahahahaha…………………
……………………………………………
………..
UGA needs help
March 14th, 2012
2:22 pm
The entire athletic program needs a full review …in what sport or athletic endeavor is UGA good at ? Equestrian and ???? …
UGA from the early days … most every decade scandal
1. Wally Butts … throwing games – points shaving
2. Jan Kemp … academic scandal
3. Donnan … ripping former players off.
Need I go on ? … the in-breds need to quit because they can not perform without the drama …
just the truth
March 14th, 2012
2:30 pm
This is not about handing out discipline “after” the fact. The article says, Georgia insist it doesn’t have a discipline problem, which it does. Giving scholarships to the wrong types of players is the problem. You can’t always just look at there athletic endeavors and not care about the kid in general. Most times the ones that act up are the ones that barely got accepted in and were poor scholastically in high school.
dogSTILE
March 14th, 2012
2:34 pm
The word via the ‘internet dirt sheets” is that UGA was worried BIG TIME about Richt packing up and leaving Athens. The thought was his wife was tired of him getting beat up over every Tom, Dick and FELONY. The word was he was considering a move back down south and the powers that be at UGA were scared sh____ they would loose him! Suprised the “usual suspects” like dawginLEX, Hornydawg. and bamadawg have not been ALL OVER THIS hot story.
Hart Co. Dawg
March 14th, 2012
2:38 pm
The only people that see it as a problem are the talking heads here on the AJC and the idiot Tech fans that think they are holier than thou. When problems arise, Richt deals with them quickly and appropriately.
Ubob
March 14th, 2012
2:52 pm
You guys need a life. Guess you were never young. For the most part the problem issues with the Dawgs are petty. Same thing I watch many of my friends get busted for when I was in school, and that was 35 yrs ago….in a time when no one care about pot and we all drove drunk @ 18 yrs old. Young people don’t make the best choices, that why they are considered young! In today’s microscope watching these kids it amazing that they are this good. Bama & others, believe me when I say,” Your no better”….just wait a bit, some of your young men will make mistakes too.
Les W. Moore
March 14th, 2012
2:53 pm
Please rename the Fulmer Cup after me, “The Less with More Award” and make Mark Richt the permanent owner.
Drunk frat boy
March 14th, 2012
2:54 pm
Thomas Brown,”trust me i’m not satisfied”
You need a girlfriend bad!
Albert
March 14th, 2012
2:59 pm
Why are all the gay Tech and Tide people on here? Are they getting up a big ” Tickle Pile? “
AltamahaDawg
March 14th, 2012
3:39 pm
frat boy, you must really hate “a girlfriend”.
Dawghater
March 14th, 2012
3:48 pm
CMR must be dreaming! Tougher than most. Heck what Tech just did with Glenn Rice Jr., CMR would sit a kid for a quarter against the Univ of Noboby!
JC
March 14th, 2012
4:08 pm
Big Difference betweeen Tech and GA as to how they handle problems. Tech dismisses players–GA suspends them for Div 1A games!.
HARDY DOG
March 14th, 2012
4:14 pm
Richt doesn’t have a clue, he has more drug problem on his team than any other d 1 school. He recruit’s bad players thank to the sorry recruiter R. Gardner. The program is in a downward spiral!!!
the old coach
March 14th, 2012
4:17 pm
Just one comment. Having been a High School coach for forty years I can tell you no matter what your policy is you are going to have a few to test the waters. I did when playing college football back in the early sixties. I know Mark Richt personally and can tell you that he is much stricter than some of the other SEC coaches that I also know. Do you think Alabama, Florida,LSU and many of the other schools don’t have these problems. They just don’t make the headlines like the Athens Banner Herald, AJC and other news media. Tennessee is a prime example. It appears some of the other state news sports doesn’t relish the thought of reporting a story to bash their sports program.
AltamahaDawg
March 14th, 2012
4:39 pm
Didn’t all the teenage girls prety much run that term “doesn;t have a
AltamahaDawg
March 14th, 2012
4:40 pm
clue” into the ground about 20 years ago.
AltamahaDawg
March 14th, 2012
4:46 pm
Yea, thumbs up to releasing a serial trouble maker who couldnt get along with 2 different coaches, often benched, suspended, and obviously going nowhere. Oh yea, and a little thing called criminal weapons charge.
They really set the bar high with that move.
Ellis
March 14th, 2012
4:49 pm
Looking at these Tide fans comments.. i agree. we should all be such diehard, fanatical alum’s that we go and attempt to destroy a rival school traditions… oh wait… that one hasn’t worked out so well.
DYNAMICBIGBOY
March 14th, 2012
5:01 pm
Hey TREY, we all know you are a bumblebee fan, and boy I sure do wish we had that great D-Coordinator and defense you have over at the high school stadium on North Avenue.
Ga.Tech #1
March 14th, 2012
5:02 pm
Convict U.
billcanoe
March 14th, 2012
5:07 pm
Georgia doesn’t have a discipline problem, because Mark Richt doesn’t understand the meaning of the word DISCIPLINE. His suspension of players for openers against Podunk U is a joke. He hasn’t done anything in the way of meaningful discipline since he has been at Georgia.
TOO TOUGH44
March 14th, 2012
5:31 pm
I believe the players should remember…”YOU ARe the Driver of Your Bus!” Those kids that stole from teammates…they had a choice to steal or not to steal! CMR cant control character! Smoking dope…BSmith, he had a choice…CMR cant control that….basically, there comes a time in life when you have to take responsibliity for your actions.
I commend CMR…Glad he is our Coach…Every Dawg Has His Day! Go Dawgs!
blue708
March 14th, 2012
5:33 pm
Seems he cares a lot about people and not just winning a championship. And most people don’t fall into that category . Easy to attack somebody like that . They make themselves very vulnerable . Who cares about winning more than the people and there education ? Answer that question if you really have some balls.
kingdaddy
March 14th, 2012
5:38 pm
The Alabama Trooper who pulled Brendan over for the Dastardly Charge of NO TAG LIGHT…LOL AND EVEN WORSE FOLLOWING TO CLOSE. .(PROFILING)(GA.TAGS), had to ask if Brendan was an Alabama Football player before he started to write the ticket. He found out they weren’t Bammers and found the dope. If. Brendan had of been a Bammer, the Trooper would have de-seeded and rolled it for B.S. That’s why they say ROLL TIDE.