DL Derrick Lott becomes latest roster casualty for Bulldogs
ATHENS — Defensive lineman Derrick Lott has become the latest roster casualty for the Georgia Bulldogs.
Lott, a 6-foot4, 303-pound junior from Kennesaw, decided to transfer “in order to obtain more playing time,” according to an announcement Friday night by head coach Mark Richt. No word on where Lott is headed but, if it is on the FBS level (formerly Division 1) he will have to sit out a year.
Lott
“Derrick and I met and he believes he will have opportunities for more playing time elsewhere,” Richt said in a statement. “We support him and will assist in any way possible during this process.”
Lott could not be reached for comment. He was probably attending a show.
Lott played in just five career games. He concludes his UGA career with 10 total tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss.
Defensive line coach Rodney Garner spoke glowingly of Lott’s progress and abilities earlier this week. Though a career backup, Lott had tripped over some bad fortune — he ripped open his leg in a scooter accident before this past season — and appeared to be coming into his own this spring. According to several accounts of recent interviews with Lott, he spoke excitedly and optimistically about the upcoming season and the prospects it held for him.
Lott’s decision comes on the heels of the news that two more defensive players — All-America safety Bacarri Rambo and star linebacker Alec Ogletree — had flunked drug tests and are going to be suspended for multiple games at the beginning of the season. Alan Ingram, Rambo’s coach at Seminole County High School, said yesterday that as many as five Georgia players had failed surprise post-spring-break drug screenings.
Two other defensive starters are also expected miss games due to arrests in the last two months. So that’s 10 players that have either left the Bulldogs, been dismissed from the team or are expected to miss games due to suspensions since the calendar flipped to 2012. The others are:
- TB Carlton Thomas, Sr.: Three separate one-game suspensions in 2011. Quit team before spring practice
- CB Branden Smith, Sr.: Faces suspension of at least one game for marijuana arrest.
- CB Sanders Commings, Sr.: Gets 2-game suspension for simple battery, disorderly conduct conviction.
- WR Sanford Seay, RFr.: Dismissed from team in January for rules violation.
- DB Chris Sanders, So.: Dismissed from team in January for rules violation.
- DB Nick Marshall, So.: Dismissed from team in January for rules violation.
- CB Jordan Love, Jr.: Quit team shortly after season due to a lack of playing time.
– 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
285 comments Add your comment
DAWGS ARE FINE
March 31st, 2012
9:14 am
PLEASE NOTE THAT NOT ONE OF THE PLAYERS THAT HAVE LEFT OR BEEN DISMISSED FROM THE TEAM ARE STARTERS. NOT ONE! RAMBO IS THE MOST OVERRATED PLAYER IN THE NCAA AND AFTER WEEK 2, GEORGIA WILL BEGIN ITS CLIMB TOWARD A TOP 5 TEAM NATIONALLY. HOWEVER, I AM CONCERNED WITH THE OTHER 3 THAT FAILED DRUG TESTS, IF ITS TRUE, IF THEY ALREADY ANNOUNCED TWO BIG NAME PLAYERS. HOPE ITS NOT TRUE! DID OGETREE EAT THE SAME BROWNIES AS RAMBO? HAHAH.
Old Dawg Fan
March 31st, 2012
9:19 am
Is this really news?? I don’t recognize his name. We have more issues in Athens to be concerned about!
St. Bernard
March 31st, 2012
9:24 am
Chip,
There is a difference in an All-American missing games because of disciplinary issues and a benchwarmer leaving to get more playing time elsewhere. C’mon man!
yellowfever
March 31st, 2012
9:28 am
KingDaddy, you are why so many people lump the UGA fan base into the same mold. You are an idiot and we should all be concerned that you have nothing better to do than to stalk this former player and hope he fails for the rest of his life because he wouldnt stay ay your so called school and help bring you a MNC. Un-Freaking Believable.
Just Sayin
March 31st, 2012
9:39 am
OkieDawg….Can’t qualify academically at UGA????? now that’s funny! My dog could qualify to play Football at UGA!
LakeDawg
March 31st, 2012
9:40 am
Chip Towers
March 31st, 2012
9:11 am
OkieDawg: It’s my job to report the news on UGA sports, including chronicling roster attrition on the football team. It’s Bill King’s job to be a fan.
————————————————————————————————————————————-
You are absolutely correct, Chip. You are just passing on info and I, for one, appreciate it. I want to know. It is up to each reader to put the info into context. More info is NEVER a bad thing.
The reality of it all
March 31st, 2012
9:45 am
UGA recruits some football talent and these young men feel that by signing with UGA, then, their obligations are over. They feel that they are at UGA for 3 years, then on to the NFL with their illegit babies, their Escalades, their new homes ( end up foreclosed on within 8 years) and their lifestyles. Most of these young men are very weak, both intellectually and emotionally. We see it with these AJC reports …………every year.
It does take a TOUGH coach and his staff that can keep them in line. CMR is too nice.
UGA man
Class of 71 & 73
Dogs Smell
March 31st, 2012
9:46 am
If this were any other school you “Homers ” would be attacking them as you usually do. Fact is this just fuels next years excuses for losing games you thought you would win. Looks like the list is going to grow over the next week. BTW to say none of these were starters only shows your lack of knowledge into uga football. Typical Ignorant “Homer”, who has never been to Athens on a week day.
oh long johnson
March 31st, 2012
9:49 am
Soooo when uga has attrition to their roster,it is NATURAL,because they recruit such high level guys,but when bama has attrition it is because saban is a monster who kicks kids off just because he feels like it or because he is an a-hole.Riiiight.
americus jacket
March 31st, 2012
9:51 am
GT, you were probably much more mature than I was at 18 to 22. My guess is most sellers of pot on college campuses are also college students, and while I was at GT, no one was caught. (Either seller or buyer.) I didn’t buy BUT I drank all the time. It was legal then, and I would guess that it’s easier to buy pot than alcohol for many students. I also had good parents, they cut me off, the government did not give loans like they do now, and I had to change my behavior to survive. Not once did the police or newspapers become involved.
I guess my point is that EVERY student who attends GT or UGA is over priveledged, but it is only the athlete who has to pay so dearly for a transgression that happens often in Athens and Atlanta. We have replaced discipline with rash judgement. I’m still saying that running steps was far superior to publicly suspending a student and holding a press conference.
dawginduluth
March 31st, 2012
9:56 am
This program is broken and the cause is at the top. When there is a change at the top, we will be better off.
Richt is not a molder of men. He can’t take raw tallent and make them better.
Nothing new, been saying this since the end of his third year. He is and has always been in over his head.
If it weren’t for Donnan coached recruits his first three years, his tenure would have been like the last six. You say we won the east? That makes us the cream of the crud, the tallest midget.The SEC elite is moving on without us. We are becoming Kentucky, Ole Miss, second tier.
Marion Morrison
March 31st, 2012
9:59 am
I believe the TRUE issue with the UGA coaching staff is their inability to evaluate talen and determin how best to utilize that talent. We see it time and again a la Richard Samuel. How many times has UGA signed a 4 star recruit only to have them disappear once they reach campus. Spurrier once said something about that…and was on the mark.
Ghost
March 31st, 2012
10:04 am
Marion, If you knew your history you would know Spurrier made those comments about Ray Goff in the 90’s. Not a bout Richt or this staff. Yep they can’t evaluate talent will be about 48 players from UGA in the Nfl in 2012.
dawginduluth
March 31st, 2012
10:05 am
@reality of it all has got it right. These kids don’t respect the program nor the coach. Why should they? I bet they laugh at Richt at behind his back. They are just passing through on their way to their dreams of rims and bling. Poor, illiterate, immature adolescent athletes. Richt needs to hire a former Marine DI since he is unable to shape these kids into men. Their first 10 weeks at UGA should be like 10 weeks on the Island. Those that have what it takes and want it will stay, the rest can leave before we read about them in the police blotter.
yo
March 31st, 2012
10:06 am
Yea legalize marijuana and that way UGA will never catch another pass (on the playing field that is).
missmyfostergrants
March 31st, 2012
10:07 am
Fans,
First let me start by saying thank you for your support and for my new multi-year extension and raise. Secondly, be patient regarding our recent loss of players and the suspensions. Our schedule is so soft next year that even our 2nd team could win our first four games. More suspensions will follow because I simply cannot mold young men into men AND football players. I just don’t have the time with all of my commercial shoots and time on the lake. Now, I am not usually a man of superstition, but if you really want someone to blame, blame Nike. They made me switch to their swooshed out sunglasses several years ago and throw away my Foster Grants. That is when our program went from almost top-tier nationally to what is now a perennial top 20 mid-tier team. So again, blame the Swoosh
CMR
AltamahaDawg said it best : what Mark Richt is doing AltamahaDawg is convinced, is NOT working - as he's said so many times.
March 31st, 2012
10:08 am
RHall55 March 31st, 2012 7:58 am
Jeremy Longo
Remove him ?
Not on your life. The guy is still here getting his Scholarship. It’s called a Medical Disqualification. Last week, Jeremy Longo went out for a NIGHT ON THE TOWN partying to the point that he ADMITS he drank Six (6) drinks in a hour and then off with his BAR-HOPPING SOME MORE when the girlfriend live-in girlfriend of SANDERS COMMINGS finds them and confronts them.
GOOD ON HER.
And, she gets pushed to the ground and HIT IN THE FACE by
JEREMY LONGO’S mate on the town, SANDERS COMMINGS.
Jeremy Longo did not prevent it.
Jeremy Longo is JUST AS MUCH RESPONSIBLE for what happened all night long with him and our Starting Cornerback – ALSO GIVEN A SCHOLARSHIP I AM PAYING FOR LIKE I AM PAYING FOR
JEREMY LONGO’S SCHOLARSHIP STILL TODAY -
BECAUSE MARK RICHT GAVE THE SCHOLARSHIP TO BOTH OF THEM BOTH OF WHOM SHOULD BE PLAYING VS MISSOURI and will not, neither of them.
And, why ?
Because they are SCUM BAGS
that’s why.
I categorically refuse to remove Jeremy Longo’s name or
for that matter I will not remove Jakar Hamilton
“How was I supposed to know I gave my car to a guy who is
DRIVING MY VEHICLE ILLEGALLY on a suspended license?”
Give me a break remove these – any of them – the
MOTLEY CREW
"The Georgia Way"
March 31st, 2012
10:11 am
How can you be #4. . .impressive research. Part of the problem at UGA is, Richt and bagman Garner are promising big NFL contracts to HS recruits, then Richt sits out talented players for favorites. What happened to taking out the first string when a game is won? The other problem is, players neither respect nor fear their coach. Crowell will be next, and after all of that recruiting drama with the “missing man” nonsense.
Old Dawg
March 31st, 2012
10:11 am
Good thing we undersign…
What good is depth if you never use it? Sort of like QB.
Old Dawg
March 31st, 2012
10:14 am
“What happened to taking out the first string when a game is won?”
The problem is, with the Dawgs, they can’t get far enough ahead to be sure they don’t blow it in the second half – see last year’s bowl game for example.
Frankly
March 31st, 2012
10:16 am
Good luck Derrick, wish it could have worked out for you to finish out your career at UGA but sometimes our plans just don’t work out. One of my grandkids graduated from North Cobb and I have kept up with your progress. You have been a DGD.
Dawg Haus
March 31st, 2012
10:21 am
Lott wasn’t going to get much playing time anyway, especially with the possible move of Ray Drew and Cornelius Washington to the defensive line, so this is probably for the best. We wish you luck wherever you end up, Derrick!
Kendell Jones
March 31st, 2012
10:21 am
I have read a number of the posts above , and I think that not any of you have any perspective on what is really going on. Coach Richt is doing what he is supposed to do. There are rules that are supposed to be followed, and the players know them, yet they go out, do drugs, etc. and then are tested. Then thier sorry asses are released from the program. This is not the coaches fault. This is a bunch of boys that don’t know how to follow rules. Better that they are not there.
And Another two bite the dust....UGA - Page 2
March 31st, 2012
10:22 am
[...] another kid leaving their team. derrick lott. wants more playing time elsewhere. DL Derrick Lott becomes latest roster casualty for Bulldogs | UGA sports blog Reply With Quote + Reply to [...]
Kendell Jones
March 31st, 2012
10:26 am
I made a comment about the situation, but you rejected it because you said that I had already posted the same thing. Sorry, will not post anything else since it doesn’t please the person monitoring the comments. And by the way, I had only posted one comment.
Furhunter
March 31st, 2012
10:27 am
To all,
The trouble is not with the players. They are doing all of the same things they grew up doing. Don’t get me wrong, as we become adults, at some point in time we must be responsible for our actions…. But these guys have had no home training, and to think we are going to change the rules on them and expect them to be successful???
Coaching is weak on and off the field… I have never in my life seen such idiotic play calling, especially in the last 10 minutes of a football game. It’s like we take the playbook for a successful game and do the exact opposite. We have the talent, we just lack the NC coaching. Let’s wipe the slate clean – get rid of the current coaching staff, and put together a group of coaches who care more about “winning football games” than where we pray on the field.
If you think God has interest in a football game, then maybe you should rethink your religeon, or whatever it is you practice… “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and unto God what is God’s”…
Toss the coach, keep the players, win the football games. Let God sort out the souls….
Ted M
March 31st, 2012
10:29 am
shouldn’t Ogletree be on that list too.
Monkey
March 31st, 2012
10:31 am
The UGA program is in a freefall downward spiral.
Ted M
March 31st, 2012
10:32 am
and Bacarri Rambo
Dawg Haus
March 31st, 2012
10:34 am
To lighten the mood a little bit…
Since one of the Gator trolls was giving us guff about the stolen hashbrowns on one of the other blogs yesterday, we can now raise him a taco!
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7757431/florida-guard-erving-walker-charged-theft-taco
Jeff
March 31st, 2012
10:36 am
Was Derrick part of the Panama City group? One of the 5 failed drug tests that Coach Ingram alleged?
evil empire
March 31st, 2012
10:37 am
the ship be sinkin…..two more to go, but i bet the impact of their suspensions will be much more hurtful…mizzou 38 uga 20…the goalposts will come down in columbia, mo…six weeks later, the mizzou fans will feel silly about the goalpost incident once uga falls below .500 on the season…oh well, lesson learned…go mizzou tigers…
glsjunior
March 31st, 2012
10:38 am
Come to Georgia State Mr. Lott. You will get the play in the dome while UGA will not.
Don
March 31st, 2012
10:39 am
A first – the only major college program to not be able to field a 22-man roster for the upcoming season.
Badland Dawg
March 31st, 2012
10:46 am
you can take to the bank CMR MIZZOU is out there just licking there chops…they are that good…the funny thing about it CMR is you know IT..and there nothing you can do about it …there in your face.. Good luck boss..your gonna need it big time.. welcome to football boys
Gene
March 31st, 2012
10:47 am
We keep hearing that things are just as bad at UF, Auburn, and Alabama. These programs have incidents, but no team in the country has the volume of problems and arrests as Georgia, and this program is guided by a self-proclaimed Saint. I have a degree from UGA that has been cheapened by Richt and his lack of leadership and control over the football program.
Big Crimson 75
March 31st, 2012
10:54 am
Gene — spot on Sir. 100% accurate statement.
Dap01
March 31st, 2012
10:57 am
Dogs smell: You have an agenda. My point is that the AJC must have an agenda also. Derrick Lott is leaving for more playing time (that is because better players are ahead of him). The AJC’s headlines makes it seems like he is leaving because of UGA’s sinking ship.
You need a hobby.
Mean Machine
March 31st, 2012
10:58 am
Number#4 blah blah blah…
Auburn was ranked #20 when we beat them by 4 touchdowns plus last season. You are an ignorant piece of excrement, and you have no reason to speak…ever. And Buzzie 2011, 1 and 10 in the last 11 years. Go cry with your friends at Dungeons and Dragons camp.
Gator
March 31st, 2012
10:58 am
Mark Richt will just up and Quit, aka Thomas brown, Your list is flawed fro the beginning, harmon eligibility would be up for 2012 , and its richts fault that a senior flunks out? D. Joackosn 2 years a gao he schlorship has been taken, Jalen fields failed to qualify, transfer , he nver set foot on campus how can he transfer, Georgia signed a nd placed him in Juco to help him get his grades up, couldn’t qualify, same with outlaw, mayes will be on the field in 2013,and you’re faulting Richt for kids that get hurt , or transfers because younger players we brought in are better. What a stupid list.And it does happen at other programs. More of the Thomas brown Blah blah blah, go be a tech fan.
Delbert D.
March 31st, 2012
11:03 am
Lott was a Rivals 4 star recruit.
Dawg Whisperer
March 31st, 2012
11:07 am
Gene, if you feel your degree has somehow been cheapened by the acts of a football coach or team, then it was never worth anything to you to begin with in which case you should have gone to Bammer where indeed football is king but a degree is an afterthought (based on the comments I read on AJC sports blogs from their fans).
Delbert D.
March 31st, 2012
11:07 am
“Auburn was #20 when we beat them by 4 touchdowns…”
Georgia Tech beat the #5 team in the country. Sorry, it doesn’t work that way.
Gator
March 31st, 2012
11:12 am
Actually UGA beat Auburn by 6 TDS, and delbert the NCAA keeps records by where a team was ranked when you played them , not the final rankings. Lott would’ve have been possibly 6th DE in rotation, His playing time would’ve been sparse.He saw the swriting on the wall when Washinto and Drew were moved to DE.
evil empire
March 31st, 2012
11:14 am
sounds like ole dawg whisperer got stuck with one of those stinky uga degrees too…sorry pal…
Delbert D.
March 31st, 2012
11:19 am
Gator – I know that. There would be no need for a final ranking by an opponent, since there is no game involved. The NCAA does of course provide the final rankings of all teams by all significant polls (and some that are computed historically.)
AltamahaDawg said it best : what Mark Richt is doing AltamahaDawg is convinced, is NOT working - as he's said so many times.
March 31st, 2012
11:19 am
Niceville Dawg March 31st, 2012 9:05 am
“2011 @ 2:454 AM……exactly which week do we play Arkansas???”
___________________________________________________
Or, anyone else :
no Arkansas
no LSU
no Alabama
AltamahaDawg
March 31st, 2012
11:20 am
Here is what I have no respect for. A grown man who so desperately wants attention that he will compromise his character. You would think ol’ sarge would have beat that habit of telling lies out of you a long time ago.
Hairy Dawg
March 31st, 2012
11:21 am
Some of you need to learn what The Book says. He supposed to cast out the wicked servants that not using talents and instead hids them.
Coach Richt is more Christian in following The Book and doing just like it says. Other players that can play with SEC speed is better exposing talents than this bum Lott. Thus once Coach Richt learn that Lott no good and plays like stinkys then Coach Richt casts him out as wicked for not exposing talents.
And that helps Dawgs by freeing schollie to call up best talent from Hargraves stockpile or recruiting new year of Dream Team.
Go Dawgs!
Carpetbagger
March 31st, 2012
11:21 am
Are they people of color?