
Georgia coach Mark Richt found himself defending UGA's disciplinary policies in his first stop on the UGA Days speaking tour Tuesday night in Augusta. (UGA photo)
Georgia coach Mark Richt has spent a lot of time this spring talking about discipline and I’ve spent a lot of time writing about it. I’ve filed a dozen stories on the subject already in 2012, including THIS ONE about drug-testing and UGA’s philosophies on crime and punishment.
So it should come as no surprise to learn that discipline dominated the discussion Tuesday night in Augusta when Richt and other UGA coaches and administrators spoke at the first stop on the annual “UGA Days” tour across the Southeast. Addressing of crowd of more than 200 supporters, the first question/comment received was from a man complimenting him on the handling of disciplinary matters, even though it has resulted in the dismissal and/or suspensions or eventual suspensions of at least seven football players.
Richt thanked the man, then launched into a soliloquy about his and UGA’s doctrine on disciplining students. Here what he said, as recounted in Seth Emerson’s “Bulldogs Blog” on The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer website.
“Did anybody here go through college, did anybody maybe do something stupid, and not have the whole world know? I know I did. . . . When a mistake is made, there needs to be a consequence; there needs to be a discipline; there needs to be a learning experience from it. I’m not gonna change the way I discipline. Some people may think it’s soft. A lot of people think you might be losing control of your program because you have a lot of suspensions for the season. But the reality is that’s how you keep control of your team, by disciplining your team.
“If you notice, we’re not gonna have any partiality as to whether a guy is a walk-on or a starter. I don’t like disciplining a starter. I don’t like disciplining a walk-on. But when they get out of line you want the punishment to stick. And the punishment that sticks the most is playing time. That’s what I’ve learned over the years. And then you’ve gotta educate them. You’ve gotta have them understand why what they did is wrong, and how it hurts them.”
Richt went on to recount his experiences with past players who ultimately benefited from his disciplinary style.
“Just this weekend I ran into Ray Gant and Danell Ellerbe. Now Daniel Ellerbe was this close from being gone. He had a DUI right before he did whatever he did, and he was that close to being gone. But then you know you have a conversation with that kid. You say, ‘one more thing and you are gone,’ and, ‘what you did is not gonna define your career. What you do from this point is gonna define your career.’ And so I said, ‘If you take care of business you have a chance to still have a great career, and still play in the NFL.’ And sure enough, this guy he got serious about school, he got his degree before he let, he got drafted to the NFL, albeit a little bit later than he would have been if he didn’t have an issue. Still he’s a starting linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens and he’s doing awesome.
“There’s so many guys like that. Anybody remember Verron Haynes? What do you remember Verron for? Pass-44 for touchdown against Tennessee? Well if you don’t remember, he got himself in trouble, too. He made a mistake. He got suspended for the first game of the season along with a couple of other guys. But those guys turned it around and they recovered. They learned from it. The sad part of it is it’s so public.”
Richt went on to say he didn’t think we’d ever see a time when there would be a uniform policy regarding drug-testing or any other forms of discipline conference-wide or nationwide. But he did point out that Georgia has been more stringent from a disciplinary standpoint since his arrival in Athens in December of 2000.
There is some tangible evidence to back up Richt’s claim from a drug-testing standpoint. In the last year Jim Donnan was head football coach (2000), UGA spent just $3,385 on drug-testing for the entire fiscal year, according to records obtained by The AJC. That number jumped to $15,480.40 in Richt’s first year and was $39,473.50 for Fiscal Year 2011.
In that time UGA also established a written code of conduct just for student-athletes. In addition to stringent policies on drugs and alcohol, it also has hard and fast bylaws regarding academics, class attendance, tutoring and mentoring appointments.
“It’s not easy to be a student-athlete,” Richt said after the G-Day Game this past Saturday. “There is so much demand we put on them physically, in the weight room, speed and agility stuff, learning the system, playing the game, all of the practices. Then you’ve got academic mentors, you have tutoring, you have class, you’ve got your classwork you’ve got to get done. There’s just not that many hours in the day, so they don’t have much of a break. They’re grinding; they’re working hard. It’s not easy. The more you do it, the easier it gets. the better you do it the easier it gets.”
Richt’s remarks in Augusta are certainly the most candid and extensive we’ve heard him on the subject of discipline. He has tended be a little tight-lipped around reporters this spring as several of the disciplinary matters before him remain fluid situations. The court date for cornerback Branden Smith, arrested in Henry County, Ala., on marijuana possession charges last month, has been postponed until May 21. And UGA has never confirmed multiple-game suspensions for All-America safety Bacarri Rambo and linebacker Alec Ogletree due to alleged flunked drug tests.
Whatever the case, Richt and Athletic Director Greg McGarity have found their disciplinary policies front and center before the public. It will probably be again Wednesday night as the UGA Days tour makes its next stop in Rome.
So what do you think about them and how do you think Georgia is doing?
UGA DAYS
All programs begin at 7 p.m. with a 6 p.m. social hour unless otherwise noted
216 comments Add your comment
kingdaddy
April 18th, 2012
2:54 pm
What would be great would be if all the schools had the same rules and were equally enforced. Some schools let stuff slide just for athletics, just for the W. Morals be damned. Same with academic issues such as we hear time and again from Techies and the dores. The non-reporting of violations is probably one of the biggest problems in NCAA athletics. It would be nice to have a level playing field though…
Jack Blade
April 18th, 2012
2:56 pm
As humorous as some of the comments are here, I would venture a guess that most of the commenters did not play football in college. I did, at a school where wins were more important than integrity. I applaud what Coach Richt is doing. A policy like that would have made for a more cohesive locker room as no one would have been shown favoritism. What hurts UGA is the proliferation of media exposure. Still, I would venture that what Mark Richt is doing is far more preferable than what others may be doing within the conference and across college football. My two cents…
kingdaddy
April 18th, 2012
3:09 pm
Braves taking New York to the wood-shed…
It’s good to let Bob vent, it keeps him from having to wrap his head in duct-tape. Doggies, put yourself in his shoes. You would be ill too. Think about G.T.s campus, @#$%&*. Now, think about Athens, ahhhhhhhhhhhh. It’s no wonder he’s mad at us…
ugablackout24
April 18th, 2012
3:14 pm
@GTBOB listen… As a UGA student I know the things these football players do, and with mark richt here the boys are role models compared to the rest of us and we could have the entire secondary scratched, play yall and still have 2 ints and hold u guys to less than ur avg. rushing, dont worry about how UGA conducts their business.. suspensions suck but we do it, paul johnson’s lack luster program is not one anyone expects any discipline from unless its a felony and we still rape… Tech fans love talking about irrelevant thing that dont pertain to them.
Kobie
April 18th, 2012
3:15 pm
GTBob, your constant barbs and random hatred of UGA and its fans is quite amusing. Being a UGA alum and actually going to school during the Ray Goff era, I admit that a lot of things go on at all campuses throughout the country that people do not know about. UGA does a much better job at dealing with student athletes than a lot of schools as evidenced by the suspensions and dismissals. My only question to all the sanctimonious folks out there, what would you have Coach Richt do? It amazes me that anything that ever goes wrong at UGA people love to blame the Coach. Should he sit with his athlets and hold their hands 24/7? People make mistakes in society everyday. This is why you spell out punishment to allow people to know this is what happens if you do this. Being an attorney, I see this constantly. I don’t blame parents for the mistakes that are made by their adult kids. Should we just throw everybody out of school when they make a mistake, if that is the case schools will be empty. It would be nice if every school had the same rules and punishments, but alas they do not. These blogs are quite funny with the opinions of many and I get it you are representing your school and showing your distate for other schools. Just would love to know what some would do if faced with similar circumstances if you were a major college coach.
schmeckdawg
April 18th, 2012
3:44 pm
It is what it is!!!!!!!!!!!!
GTBob
April 18th, 2012
3:53 pm
Doggies, put yourself in his shoes. You would be ill too. Think about G.T.s campus, @#$%&*. Now, think about Athens, ahhhhhhhhhhhh. It’s no wonder he’s mad at us…
We have had this discussion before but there is no chance I would ever consider living in Athens over Atlanta. Sorry, but cow towns don’t offer me anything.
GTBob
April 18th, 2012
3:55 pm
Should we just throw everybody out of school when they make a mistake, if that is the case schools will be empty.
UGA would be empty. There are some people at other schools that aren’t drunk and high 24 hours a day.
GTBob
April 18th, 2012
3:58 pm
“How can anybody possibly like this little rinky dink town?,” you ask yourself. Its just like Heaven Bob. Unless you’ve been there you simply cannot understand it.
I have spent plenty of time in Athens, and it certainly isn’t like heaven. It’s a small town without much to do except drink and count flies. One of the reasons I chose GT over UGA was because of Athens.
7576DAWG
April 18th, 2012
4:22 pm
What I would do would be to build a 25 room athletic Dorm and if you screw up your punishment would be that you have to live the next 6 months in the Dorm with curfew and bed checks, like it use to be a long time ago. This would be for the entire athletic department which would include all sports on scholarship. It would also include anyone in academic trouble where tutoring is mandatory.
Captain
April 18th, 2012
4:33 pm
GTBob
Here you go buddy…..Daniel Drummond, ILB, Georgia Tech arrested for
DUI, pled guilty to DUI in Hall County GA state court today. First of all, where is the AJC and its “supposed to be” beat writer Ken Sugiuara? The same beat writer who didn’t have a clue the NCAA was all over GT. Oh how did I forget, he’s busy putting on his cheerleader skirt and readying his pom-poms for another session of “what’s up with the Jackets”. To the point, will Fish Fry suspend Drummond? How many games did Danny Hall suspend his starting 3rd baseman last Spring for his DUI? That would be NONE.
Now that we know GT does N O T H I N G to athletes who are charged with DUI, dispelling your 12:58pm post and comment #1, shall we move along to #2 – we certainly punish ours more than GT punishes its players, thus anything is more harsh than the GT reward system. #3 – I will take Richt and his tight ship over your guy, Fish Fry Johnson. Mark’s record of graduating players is significantly higher, his winning % is higher, his APR is higher, and he’s 10-1 vs GT. What’s not to like!!!
We know Fish Fry is a tough one don’t we, a real hard nosed disciplinarian – reming me, How much time did the GT LB sit for his “fist to the head” cheap shot against the UVa QB? As I seem to recall Fish Fry didn’t even pull him from the game. Now that’s being tough in anybody’s book, don’t you agree.
Dawg Fan
April 18th, 2012
4:44 pm
Here are the drug testing policies for the SEC schools. Only Georgia and Kentucky have a penalty for first time offenders.
The minimum required number of games a student-athlete is suspended for each of the 68 automatic-qualifying BCS conference football programs, using next year’s conference affiliations, based on a (1) first-positive test for recreational drugs; (2) second-positive test; (3) third-positive test; (4) fourth-positive test and (5) fifth-positive test. Drug policies are obtained through public records requests or from the school’s official website.
Alabama: (1) none; (2) 15 percent of games; (3) one year; (4) dismissal.
Arkansas: (1) none; (2) 10 percent of games; (3) 50 percent of games; (4) dismissal.
Auburn: (1) none; (2) 50 percent of games; (3) dismissal.
Florida: For marijuana/synthetic marijuana: (1) none; (2) 10 percent of games; (3) 20 percent of games; (4) dismissal. For all other drugs: (1) 50 percent of games; (2) dismissal.
Georgia: (1) 10 percent of games; (2) 50 percent of games; (3) dismissal.
Kentucky: (1) 10 percent of games; (2) 50 percent of games; (3) dismissal.
LSU: (1) none; (2) “up to 15 percent of games;” (3) one year.
Ole Miss: (1) none; (2) none; (3) three games.
Mississippi State: (1) none; (2) 50 percent of games; (3) one year; (4) dismissal.
South Carolina: (1) none; (2) 25 percent of games; (3) dismissal.
Tennessee: (1) none; (2) 10 percent of games; (3) dismissal.
Texas A&M: (1) none; (2) “possible suspension;” (3) possible dismissal.
GTBob
April 18th, 2012
4:55 pm
GTBob Here you go buddy…..Daniel Drummond, ILB, Georgia Tech arrested for DUI, pled guilty to DUI in Hall County GA state court today.
Do you have a link for this?
gt4ever
April 18th, 2012
4:55 pm
Hmmmm.. Wonder why we didn’t hear anything about Drummond…. Hopefully Drummond is better this year. I watched him alot last year, and he was always out of position… Pathetic really…
Cam
April 18th, 2012
4:55 pm
What most people fail to realize is that Georgia has one of the strictest drug policies in the country. When a player from any other college team makes a mistake they are given a slap on the wrist, but Georgia players are held to a higher standard, and they will be better men because of this. I applaud Coach Richt and UGA!! GO DAWGS!!
GTBob
April 18th, 2012
5:00 pm
but Georgia players are held to a higher standard, and they will be better men because of this.
Yet they don’t care and continue to break the rules without regard for the punishments.
Jimboga1
April 18th, 2012
5:12 pm
Richt was hired to win football games. He doesn’t appear to be doing so good at it lately.
GT Bob
April 18th, 2012
5:17 pm
How’s that 4 year NCAA probation that the Tech bugs find themselves on?
Charles
April 18th, 2012
5:17 pm
GTBob – Georgia Tech is currently on probation for covering up the truth. Your school has made a habit of it.
By the way, Daniel Drummond plead guilty to a DUI charge today in a Hall County courthouse. Not one mention of it here. Doesn’t mean it didn’t happen; nope, mainly means nobody gives a damn about Tech.
Richt does it the right way. And it’s hilarious how butthurt you are at all things UGA. Silly maggot. Keep hating.
GTBob
April 18th, 2012
5:22 pm
By the way, Daniel Drummond plead guilty to a DUI charge today in a Hall County courthouse. Not one mention of it here.
Ill ask again. Do you have a link for this? I am starting to think UGA fans are making up criminal offenses just for fun.
Tide Fan
April 18th, 2012
5:27 pm
I think every college has some “dirty laundry” out there and I sincerely believe the UGa coaches are the strictest in the SEC. Even tougher than Bama…..as painful as that is to admit!!!
dawdfollower
April 18th, 2012
5:28 pm
if uga gave fewer drug test there would be more players taking a cahance and then would not be ready to play i. e. vince carter aganist usc where he threw 5 inceptions ,, yes vince had smoked pot with others but jim donnon did not give many test. id rather have players playing with heart then with players with tallent and getting high and causing uga to lose cause they are not in the game
7576DAWG
April 18th, 2012
5:30 pm
Dawg Fan
Thanks for listing all the schools punishments. Ole Miss should be ashamed. The players sure to run things at Ole Miss.
I couldn’t punish a UGA player for first offense if he was guilty by association only because after taking his blood there was no use detected. If my roommate or friends riding in the same car was busted for testing positive but upon a blood test I could prove I was not using then on first offense I should only get a warming about who I associates with. If it happens again then you would have to suspend me.
Tide Fan
April 18th, 2012
5:34 pm
@GTBob
I’m reading your UGa attacks through the eyes of a neutral Bama fan and I’m amazed that you have the nerve to rip the Dawgs. I may be wrong, but I think it is GT who has been in the news recently for having players and coaches lie to the NCAA and obstruct an investigation. Didn’t Tech get burned for this or do I have the wrong university. Also, was it GT that recently had a coach fired for rape? Just asking and sorry if I have the wrong school.
GTBob
April 18th, 2012
5:37 pm
I may be wrong, but I think it is GT who has been in the news recently for having players and coaches lie to the NCAA and obstruct an investigation.
Yep, you are wrong. Unless you can name the coaches or players who lied.
7576DAWG
April 18th, 2012
5:38 pm
dawdfollower.
That was Quincy Carter and you were correct. Carter was stoned EVERY day. Donnan was a very good coach and a great recruiter but let the kids do anything they wanted. Donnan got fired because of this lack of control and discipline.
Rumor
April 18th, 2012
5:46 pm
gt bobby is a poser. He never even attended GT. He sits and slaves away in some Waffle House, back in the supply room banging away on his lap top.
He has never been out of metro Atlanta, except to stalk coeds over in Athens right now, hiding in the shrubs.
He is what he is ………….a techer.
Tide Fan
April 18th, 2012
5:49 pm
Hey Dude,
I just looked it up and it is GT who lied to the NCAA and obstructed the investigation. This is a fact my friend….not fiction. Apparently GT didn’t have a major violation, but they all lied out their butts and got burned. If you don’t know the names look them up because this was on the front page of the AJC and not my role to tear people down by names……I think you know who the culprits are. Also, the fired coach was also on the front page of the AJC. Sounds like you may want to read a little more and quit throwing stones in your glass house!!!
Hugh Jass
April 18th, 2012
5:49 pm
Georgia has the strictest policy in the SEC. Many schools do not suspend a player at all for a first positive drug test. Georgia suspends a player for 10% of games, which in football translates to the loss of 2 games with a 12 game schedule because 10% is 1.2 games. They round up to 2 full games. I honestly think Georgia is at a competitive disadvantage if there are not uniform NCAA rules for suspensions for offenses because we are harsher than many schools.
jalex49
April 18th, 2012
5:52 pm
This is the proper thing to do for the players and the university. I’m sure that some top talent will not want to sign with Georgia, but the ones that do will understand that they will be treated as their conduct dictates.
This is not only good for the player and university but to NFL teams that are looking for both a quality athlete and individual. This can only be a plus for those who really want to be successful.
Congradulations to Coach Richt and the coaching staff for following such discipline codes. It says a lot about the university in a positive way and I believe that they are top players that are considering Georgia for 2013, will find this appealing.
GTBob
April 18th, 2012
5:54 pm
Sounds like you may want to read a little more and quit throwing stones in your glass house!!!
I have read the NCAA findings word for word multiple times. Maybe you should read a little more. Nobody lied to anyone. If you would like to prove me wrong then just tell me the section of the NCAA findings that says someone from GT lied to the NCAA. Here is a link to help you out.
http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-tech-sports/2011/07/14/read-the-ncaas-public-report/
Tide Fan
April 18th, 2012
5:55 pm
@Jalex49
If the players don’t find CMR’s discipline appealing……I’m sure most of their parents will.
GTBob
April 18th, 2012
5:56 pm
Congradulations to Coach Richt and the coaching staff for following such discipline codes.
You have got to be kidding me. Congrats Mark Richt for having one of the largest criminal rosters in the country. What an accomplishment.
Tide Fan
April 18th, 2012
6:06 pm
@GT Bob
Hey meathead…..I read it all and recommend it to everyone on this blog. Don’t have a clue as to how the lack of cooperation isn’t related to lying out their butts. Man, you just make the rules up as you go along!!! P.S. Thanks again for the good reading…..I didn’t know until you sent the link how many GT teams have been on probation in recent years…..wow!!! And on top of that, doesn’t GT have the lowest grad rate in the ACC. Incredible stats….#1 in flunkies and probations!!! I think you need to take a break dude because you are burying yourself alive and I’m sure your fellow GT fans are proud of you embarrassing your university. Thank goodness you don’t represent Bama.
Just Sayin
April 18th, 2012
6:10 pm
@82Dawg….defend your football program all you want…All CMR recruits are weed smokin thu _ s!
PunishEmD
April 18th, 2012
6:11 pm
GTBobGump, ummm…you’re stupid, And your girlfriend needs inflating again…nerd.
Tide Fan
April 18th, 2012
6:13 pm
@GTBob@5:54
Please read your 1st sentence over and over. I can’t believe you are so bored that you have read the “NCAA findings word for word multiple times”. Dude, get a life and I promise if you read it 100 more times the NCAA will change their ruling…..promise, no joke, believe me on this.
GTBob
April 18th, 2012
6:14 pm
Don’t have a clue as to how the lack of cooperation isn’t related to lying out their butts.
Well, since you didn’t read it I will tell you. The lack of cooperation was pegged on GT because of our idiot Athletic Director told our coach of the investigation before he was allowed to. A bad rules violation but he never lied about it and completely owned up to it. Should he have been fired? Yes. But he never lied during the process and neither did the players or coaches. I also find it funny being lectured on this by an Alabama fan, the team with the most Major NCAA infractions in the past 25 years.
GTBob
April 18th, 2012
6:16 pm
Dude, get a life and I promise if you read it 100 more times the NCAA will change their ruling…..promise, no joke, believe me on this.
I read it multiple times to understand it so that I wouldn’t look like an idiot when talking about it like you do.
Tide Fan
April 18th, 2012
6:18 pm
@Justsayin
Read my blogs because you are just as bad as GTBob. If you are a GT fan you should be ashamed to say anything negative about UGa.
GTBob
April 18th, 2012
6:24 pm
Read my blogs because you are just as bad as GTBob. If you are a GT fan you should be ashamed to say anything negative about UGa.
Why should he be ashamed? UGA is an easy target. Alabama is too but I will leave them alone for now.
Tide Fan
April 18th, 2012
6:27 pm
@GTBob
Man, I got your goat……sounds like you are bouncing off the walls on this one. Hey dude, you forgot to mention the coach being fired, rapes, etc. , along with all the LYING!!! Oh yea, you tear down the UGa players, but readily admit it is your AD and coaches who are responsible. Hmmmm what is wrong with your logic? Oh yes, you also forgot the football players who got GT in trouble in the first place for breaking rules and LYING. Dude, quit while you have a chance….arguing with you is like shooting down an unarmed man!!!
Tide Fan
April 18th, 2012
6:34 pm
Dang I’m having fun!!! Never thought this Bama fan would be ripping ignorant GT fans on a BullDawg blog. What is wrong with this picture? Well, I need to go for now, but will appear on the GT blogs soon to see if these 2 Tech idiots (probably the same psycho) is/are posting his/their lies and spewing venom!!! Good night y’all
Just Sayin
April 18th, 2012
6:47 pm
@ Tide Fan…FYI. I am not a GT fan. In fact I went to a small school, but who are you kidding. Comparing GT and UGA is hilarious. Even the Tide! Anyone can go to Alabama or UGA and get a diploma. Like going to DeVry!
Lamar
April 18th, 2012
6:56 pm
Again chip, very good story! YOU ARE ON A ROLL LATELY! I am sure Richt don’t like to discipline his STAR players, but he also TREAT EVERY ONE OF THEM THE SAME WAY! Even though he hurts him just like it does them. Richt knows without HIS STAR PLAYERS, it hurts his chances of winning and winning helps him keep his job. BUT, RICHT IS FIRM, UNLIKE URBAN CRYER, SATAN, SPURRIER, ETC! Old Spurrier put up with Garcia getting DRUNK about 6 times at SC, BUT HE KEPT HIM UNTIL SHAW started playing better, THEN HE KICKED HIM TO THE CURB! You think Richt would have put up with Garcia this long? NO WAY! I think its good to because ALL THE PLAYERS are treated the same way, and this is the way it should be! Perfect example, Mettenberger’s mom worked in the front office, THIS PULLED NO WEIGHT WITH RICHT, the kid messed up, HE WAS OUT OF THERE! Now he is at LSU, and the funny thing is, THEY MIGHT PLAY THEM IN ATLANTA! The reporters will have a field day on this! GO DAWGS!
GTBob
April 18th, 2012
7:29 pm
Dude, quit while you have a chance….arguing with you is like shooting down an unarmed man!!!
You have already been called out for claiming to read something that you didnt, you still claim we lied when we didn’t, you are pretending to be an Alabama fan when it is pretty obvious you aren’t, and your best argument for problems with the football team is that GT had an assistant tennis coach get into trouble. Quite frankly, you are one step above a minor league troll. You will work your way up though. You have potential.
Just Sayin
April 18th, 2012
7:44 pm
Night Tide Fan…guess your off to your night shift at the factory or Huddle House.
Just keep those “testicles” big for that fall afternoon. That is obviously all you care about.
Make sure you brush that tooth before you go to bed now!
Uncle Kracker Jack
April 18th, 2012
8:03 pm
I guess Missouri’s a pansie ?
Uncle Kracker Jack
April 18th, 2012
8:05 pm
Wasn’t Malcome burnin blunts with IC & CT last year ???
Techie and proud of it
April 18th, 2012
8:13 pm
@JustSayin and GTBob
Tide Fan chewed you guys up….even with one tooth! Please quit embarrassing Tech with your stupid and hateful blogs. Obviously you don’t know how hard it is to get into UGa. My daughter had a 4.2 GPA and a very high SAT score and didn’t get into Georgia, but she will be attending Tech this upcoming Fall. UGa may be easy to graduate from, but you have to be pretty smart to get in which is step #1 in the graduation process. You may have more success on the Tech blogs because all of us Tech grads just cringe every time you appear on these Georgia blogs. Thanks