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LSU QB Mettenberger says ‘God had different path’ than UGA

5:33 pm July 18, 2012, by Chip Towers

HOOVER, Ala. – A short time ago I had the pleasure of having a semi-exclusive interview with LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger before he began to make the media rounds here at the Wynfrey Hotel. A couple of LSU beat writers and I were able to spend 10 minutes talking to Mettenberger in the Buckingham Room here soon after he and his coach and teammates arrived for SEC Media Days.

Mettenberger is, of course, a former Georgia player who was dismissed from the team shortly before pleading guilty to two counts of misdemeanor sexual battery in the spring of 2010. He grew up in Watkinsville, Ga., as a huge Georgia fan and his mother has worked in the Bulldogs’ football office for 10 years.

Now he finds himself as the starting quarterback for national championship-contender LSU. You need to know nothing more than the fact that the Tigers chose to bring him to Media Days despite Mettenberger having never started a game to know how they feel about him.

I’m writing a story that will appear in tomorrow’s print section — and online as well — but I wanted to go ahead and share the interview I had with Zach as a Q&A since it’s the most extensive opportunity I’ve had to talk to him since he left for Butler Community College in Kansas in the summer of 2010.

So here you go . . .

Q: Were you surprised that LSU asked you to represent the team here today?

A: “Not really. I’ve just been working hard to be a leader on the team and I think the coaches have seen that hard work in me. They believe I’m a well-spoken individual who’s capable of representing this team. It means a lot that they had that trust in me to let me come here and know that I’m going to represent the team well. I’m a little nervous being here, but if I can get through these butterflies then I’m going to be all right.”

Q: Does it feel like a practice run?

A: “It’s kind of a big first practice [laughs].  There’s a lot of people here. I’m just going to try to have fun today and learn from it.”

Q: How does is feel to now be the undisputed starting quarterback?

A: “I’m very comfortable. It’s definitely a lot different. I guess I won’t really know until we get on the field and start playing.”

Q: Have you spent much time contemplating the event that got you to this place?

A: “No, not really. My Mom working at Georgia and being at Georgia my whole life, I thought I’d be at Georgia now. But that’s not how God wanted it. That’s not the path he had for me. So I’ve dealt with the adversity and I think I’ve handled myself pretty well. So I’ve just got to keep working every day to better myself as a player and a person.”

Q: Is it your ultimate desire to face Georgia in the SEC Championship Game?

A: “Just getting to the SEC Championship Game my first year as a starter would mean a lot. It wouldn’t matter who we played. Regardless, it’s a goal I have this year. Hopefully we can get there.”

Q: What do you think it would be like facing Georgia?

A: “It’d be, not awkward, but it’d be kind of funny seeing all my old roommates and old buddies over on the other sideline and playing against them. It’s something I look forward to, but not any more than if we played South Carolina or Florida.”

Q: Do you have any Georgia gear anymore?

A: “No I don’t actually. I left it all at my house in Watkinsville.”

Q: Have you been back home much since leaving UGA?

A: “Maybe three or four times I’ve been back. I don’t get back a lot. I don’t have a lot of time to drive 10 hours and go see my parents. When they have a chance they come see me as much as I can.”

Q: When were you last in the Athens area?

A: “Actually I was there over spring break. I was in Gulf Shores (Ala.) and I just drove up to Athens one day and showed up at Mom’s work. It was a surprise for her. She was happy to see me and I was glad I did that.

Q: Did it feel strange being in enemy territory like that?

A: “It’s different, but it’s my hometown. It’s really not awkward or weird for me to go back. A lot of those coaches have known me since I was 10 years old.”

Q: Did you get a chance to visit with your old position coach, Mike Bobo?

A: “I saw him. We had a good talk. That’s a guy I’ve known since he was a G.A. for Georgia and my mom first got the job. It’s been great having him as almost a father-figure in my life. He gave me some good advice while I was back home.”

Q: Are you still good friends with any of the Georgia players?

A: “Me and Aaron are definitely good friends. We lived together for a year. I know we had the competition but, despite that, we’re very good friends. I roomed with Dallas Lee, Austin Long, Blake Sailors. Blake and I went to high school together and I grew up with him. So there are a lot of guys I’m really good friends with.”

Q: Are parents going to LSU games?

A: “Yeah, as many as they can make. I can’t wait to see them. Hopefully they can make them all.”

Q: Doesn’t your mom go to all the Georgia games?

A: “She hasn’t been to a Georgia game since I left.”

Q: Is there something behind that?

A: “No, she supports everybody on that team because my buddies are all like sons to her. But because I’m not playing there’s really no point for her to go. She’d rather stay home and watch it on TV.

Q: How has being the starting quarterback changed you?

A: “I’m just trying to everyday develop my leadership ability. This team doesn’t have a lot of leaders right now, so we need some guys to step into that role. I’ve been working hard every day trying to get the guys to rally around me to be the offensive leader. We’re just trying to make the offense better and hopefully we can go out there this year and execute.”

Q: Are you feeling any pressure about the position you’re in?

A: “Not really. I was just telling somebody, I’d rather be in The Swamp right now playing a night game than talking to all you guys. I’ve never really gotten nervous before a football game. I don’t know what it is about me but that’s the way it’s been since peewee and high school is over. I really haven’t gotten nervous.”

Q: Word is you guys are going to be airing it out behind your big arm this season. That true?

A: “I’m definitely excited. As long as I can get the ball in the hands of the playmakers on our team, my job is easy. If we have to run the ball 100 times I’m will to do that. I’m here to win ballgames, not to promote myself as a quarterback, just to be a winner for LSU.”

Q: Are your parents still big Georgia fans?

A: “Both of my parents are more LSU fans now than Georgia fans now. That’s just because they love me and support me so much.”

FULL AJC COVERAGE FROM DAY 2 OF SEC MEDIA DAYS:

FULL AJC COVERAGE FROM DAY 1 OF SEC MEDIA DAYS:

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245 comments Add your comment

bitter spoiled recruit

July 18th, 2012
9:26 pm

Well said@david dawg—————hypo’s are out in full force

bitter spoiled recruit

July 18th, 2012
9:31 pm

Back at yaa—-Brainiac—–The truth can be a hard thang to take in

Good luck zack———I think I will go bar hopp-in, and spank a little a$$—–hahahaha

Game Changer

July 18th, 2012
9:31 pm

@bucket

I dont agree — we are stuck with A Murray no matter what.

Rabid Dawg'84

July 18th, 2012
9:34 pm

Gamechanger and Truth
If you haven’t received salvation in Jesus Christ and read your Holy Bible good bit, then you should not speak in ignorance about God and just talk about football. I like talking football, but knowing God and being confident in eternity in heaven is the most important thing. You, like us all will bow down someday and say, “Jesus is Lord!” Hopefully, though, you will know God’s love for you before death so you’re not eternally seperated form God and burning in hell. No business more serious than that.

Ex-contributer

July 18th, 2012
9:37 pm

I hope that UGA and LSU meet while M is LSU’s QB, and I hope he beats Richt’s brains out on the field. Poetic justice. Richt should have pulled his scholarship for a year but should have given him the option of a second chance if he, Mettenberger, acknowledged his disgusting behavior, expressed remorse for his actions and promised to walk the straight and narrow. If not, then kick him off. I do not condone what he did, but I believe in a second chance. Richt has overlooked a lot in his tenure at UGA. Seems Richt has only “seen the light” the past few years.

bitter spoiled recruit

July 18th, 2012
9:38 pm

@game C and brainaic——I too have seen and understand evlauating QB’s—–FACTS

DAVID GREEN –VS–AARON MURRY—————NO CONTEST

Green proved early in his carrer than he could win the big game————JUST FACTS

Ole Big Dawg

July 18th, 2012
9:41 pm

What about Crowell? I am sure it was gods plan as well

bitter spoiled recruit

July 18th, 2012
9:52 pm

When Coach richt was in collage at Miami, he never fondled his wife butt when they were dating

the entire Miami team in the early 1980’s were sexual predators
‘

Be a Man about it

July 18th, 2012
9:54 pm

I love him but….
He made a mistake… Good Luck….. etc etc
crazy how the tone changes when it’s a non-white person committing the crime.

saldiven

July 18th, 2012
9:58 pm

Mr. Mettenberger,

God had nothing to do with you being in a bar while you were below the drinking age and choosing to sexually assault a woman. God didn’t choose your path; you did.

saldiven

July 18th, 2012
10:01 pm

Um, “Ex-contributer,” Mettenberger should have gotten jail time and should have been required to register as a sex offender. You really think that a head coach had any other choice? Richt would have been pilloried if he hadn’t dismissed Metenberger.

bitter spoiled recruit

July 18th, 2012
10:02 pm

IT took awhile but that –OLE FATEFUL —-RACE CARD showed up

————hahahahaha—-if the glove dont fit—–you must aquite

duronimo

July 18th, 2012
10:03 pm

The God Mettenburger has created, fits nicely into his life.

bitter spoiled recruit

July 18th, 2012
10:04 pm

@saldiven the====aka——dick, dude go F—K yourself——–jonny good do-err

TampaGator

July 18th, 2012
10:11 pm

Kierkeguaard would strongly disagree with this kid’s view of God’s will in his life…..as in….one’s path in life is of one’s own choosing and making. Young man…..you are personally responsible for the harm to someone you did….it is that simple. You messed up. You were given a break and a new opportunity. Just shut up and make the most of it. And I hope you will give the person of your past a lof of your future NFL money…….if you have the WILL to do so.

Dawgforever

July 18th, 2012
10:16 pm

Just shows the type of morals and team leadership they have at LSU. Anything for a win.

mack

July 18th, 2012
10:19 pm

Agreed Saldiven.

beanster

July 18th, 2012
10:22 pm

I am pretty sure this article is the definition of blasphemy. Mettenberger sounds like TD Jakes or Creflo Dollar or Benny Hinn or some other crazy lunatic making up ideas to fit an agenda.

Here’s hoping that God and football are kept separate on these blogs from here on out.

I agree with Delbert. This is really weird. Creepy weird.

jimmie

July 18th, 2012
10:23 pm

hope he gets what he gave..or a snapped patella on his first play would be okay too

Dawg in Napa

July 18th, 2012
10:23 pm

What a tool, sorry, but what a tool. I hope him all the worst. Bad sportsmanship my @ss. The guy gets booted for 2 accounts of sexual assault and he hasn’t dwelled on that event at all? Screw the pun comment about “God’s path”, the fact that it was just another day in the life of Mr. Mettenberger is like our boy Isaiah saying the holy spirit filed off the serial number to his luger and he’d hot box that car all over again.

Damn Richt, we really are starting to own the Fulmer Cup. For every 3 class acts, we recruit a total bone head.

Be a Man about it

July 18th, 2012
10:24 pm

Dear AJC… Please change to a Facebook log in system so people can stand behind their posts

Delbert D.

July 18th, 2012
10:25 pm

TampaGator – I think they are too young to know the difference. The amygdala isn’t fully formed until the late 20s. Most people have dropped the Easter Bunny well before then, though.

Awesome

July 18th, 2012
10:27 pm

Leave it to UGA fans to find fault with a player that didn’t work out at UGA…doesn’t matter what the reason is. Whether it’s Crowell, Caleb King, or some recruit that didn’t choose UGA, UGA fans will always be there to have something negative to say.

This kid made a mistake…he paid for it…and apparently is trying to get his life straight. Of course, you are going to pick his words apart and have something bad to say.

Keep it classy UGA fans.

Delbert D.

July 18th, 2012
10:27 pm

@10:24pm “Dear AJC… Please change to a Facebook log in system so people can stand behind their posts”

The word directly from the horses’ mouths is that they are working on it.

Dawg in Napa

July 18th, 2012
10:30 pm

Hey Awesome, don’t stick yourself out in the public eye if you can’t handle the heat. No lack of class is having an opinion. Have fun watching Tech lose to UGA for the 12th time in 13 years.

Awesome

July 18th, 2012
10:32 pm

Napa…of course you would think I am a Tech fan….sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not. Might not want to make assumptions.

And I don’t think the kid said anything about not being able to take the heat. I guess you think that sounded cool when you said it, but it makes no sense.

WTF

July 18th, 2012
10:33 pm

Awesome YOU WOULD NOT NO CLASS IF IT HIT YOU IN THE FACE

Awesome

July 18th, 2012
10:39 pm

WTF…and it certainly won’t on this site either…I mean geez, just look at you screenname. Thanks for making my point.

Fan

July 18th, 2012
10:44 pm

Mason would be the starter if he was better than Murray – he is not. He is going to redshirt this year so he will have eligibility after Murray is gone. Maybe he can beat out Lemay, maybe not!

zbulldawg

July 18th, 2012
10:53 pm

Best of luck to you young man ! I do hope there is a rematch with ya’ll this year. Not because of you & because that would mean ya’ll kicked Bama’s butt ! Their fans have no class & they think that they arew above the rest of the SEC. Les Miles is a class man & the LSU fans are too ! But you know when & if you line up against your ole buddies THEY ARE GOING TO EAT YOUR TIGER A – - UP !!!!

USA today editor

July 18th, 2012
10:54 pm

Pitiful dawg fans like Adawg, dawgster, Ryan ,7576 dawg all make UGa sound like they are the dominant team in the league and are among the best in the nation. They talk about good CMR is and the SEC titles and Eastern division titles but yet none of happened in the past five years with the exception of the “gift” given to them by the SEC schedule makers and even them they lost EVERY game that meant something. Boise, USC, LSU, MSU all put the doggie pups back on the hind teat.

Where are the BCS titles, where are the BCS CG appearances. UGA cannot win the outback bowl, or even Liberty Bowl. And now we find out that CMR is so desperate he is allowing drug test failures to play against Missouri.

CMR and UGA fans are desperate and those are the real facts.

Everything else you guys do to make yourself feel and look better is just entire baloney which is what you deserve to be eating after the last three years.

Cmdawg99

July 18th, 2012
10:55 pm

He said, ” riiiiiight,not here you don’t “

Russell

July 18th, 2012
11:02 pm

You know what, i am tired of all these jocks bringing god into their sports lives. Praise god for allowing me to be so great… Praise god for allowing me to score that touchdown. It was god;s plan for us to win that game. God willed me to get that MVP trophy…BS. Over 20,000 children die every day in this world. God doesn’t give a crap about how good a fooball player you are. He’s a little busy with other things believe it or not.

Larry Bird

July 18th, 2012
11:03 pm

Here we go

UkidingME

July 18th, 2012
11:03 pm

Funny how soon some forget … what did he do … mabye that girl was’nt tellin all And maybe he learned he could get way with it like like BIG BEN did … footballer HUH and it LSU right A match made in heaven ….

cdpridg

July 18th, 2012
11:09 pm

Dont worry fellas…tomorrow is UGA’s day. We should have nothing but positive news to talk about tomorrow in relation to the Dawgs.

zbulldawg

July 18th, 2012
11:11 pm

GOD didn’t have any thing to do with what you did !! That’s a big dumb JOKE !! You done it then lied about it PERIOD !! UGA didn’t have any chioce but to cut you loose !

chalkdawg4

July 18th, 2012
11:12 pm

Hated to see him go. I was at the Spring game right before his troubles and he was obviously better than Murray. If he was still here he would be the starter by now. damn, damn, damn, -(Credits given to Florida)

Poor dawg fans

July 18th, 2012
11:12 pm

@dawgforever- so LSU will do anything to win a national championship, but everyday the papers and t.v. leads the news with Georgia Bulldogs being arrested. He’s at LSU because he knows that in all likelihood he’s either going to win a championship or be a runner up for a championship year end and year out. In case you forgot LSU has won two championships the last couple of years and was the national championship runner up this past year. Oh any by the way, LSU is loaded again this year and predicted to play for a national championship again this year. One other thing, didn’t LSU carved your dawgs up in the south eastern conference championship game this past season. As a tech fan, I see why your team never win at anything.

Cman

July 18th, 2012
11:28 pm

Understand the second chance thing, however, there are so many unseen recruits that never even get a first chance and have to walk on or go the Juco route. I hope he does well so it doesn’t waste anyone elses chance.

cdpridg

July 18th, 2012
11:33 pm

poor dawg fan…..”as a tech fan” I would have kept that to myself

wes

July 18th, 2012
11:33 pm

Way to use God as a shield, “bro”.

Pretty sure those girls thought it was “funny” too. GEEZUS H!!!!!

SEC is a joke full of idiots. History keeps repeating itself.

Congratulations on all the accolades. Y’all have certainly earned it by whoring out the most worthless human beings on the planet.

Good job.

I dropped my fried twinkie

July 18th, 2012
11:40 pm

TampaGator
July 18th, 2012
10:11 pm

Kierkeguaar
________________________
You are almost making this like a TECH blog late at night after the Childish comments subside and people act like Adult discussing STUFF and not just football.

I dropped my fried twinkie

July 18th, 2012
11:42 pm

dropped the Easter Bunny

LMMFAO Delbert!!!!!!!!!!!!
That was a classic.

Wow

July 18th, 2012
11:44 pm

So let me get this straight. You can assault a female or rape them (roethlisberger), apologize and ask God for forgiveness and not go to jail but mike Vick has to go TO JAIL, testify before PETA, and go through the 100 step program and he still can’t get a PUPPY?!?!?
N word PLEASE!!!!

Dawg Whisperer

July 18th, 2012
11:48 pm

Some of you Tekkies are consumed with UGA. We understand… it’s great to be a Georgia Bulldog. All those hate-filled comments bounced off a satelite and were rearranged. What you meant to say was “how about them dawgs!!!!”

pbt dawg fan

July 18th, 2012
11:51 pm

@poor dog fan

When our team wins a BCS bowl game than you can talk. Its funny how TECH fans always uses other teams to argue against UGA why can’t you use TECH.

morn

July 18th, 2012
11:54 pm

another criminal in the sec who’ve thunk?

Chuck

July 18th, 2012
11:55 pm

As a Georgia fan I can still be ticked off that Mett’s immaturity and poor decision-making cost me the chance to see a great QB talent play for my team, and that even worse, I know have to watch a rival club scoop him up and use those talents AGAINST my team.

It the same with Vick – as a Falcons fan it still ticks me off to watch him play against my team. He’s a gifted, exciting talent that screwed me out of the chance to watch him lead my team to great things.

And then both of them have the nerve to play up some vendetta, as if their departure had nothing to do with their own idiocy.

College football's premiere program

July 18th, 2012
11:56 pm

I don’t even understand why Mett was discussing UGA. The dawgs are irrelevant and I think everyone knows they are a paper dawg after LSU’s 32 pt win last year and a loss to a middling big 10 team in a bowl game. What they should have been asking him about was the national championship game Nov. 3rd against Alabama. Or at least the Arkansas game. Lets get back to living in the real world folks.

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