Notebook: Georgia confirms Chase Vasser’s May DUI arrest
ATHENS — Georgia had more offseason troubles than we originally thought.
Vasser
Chase Vasser, a junior outside linebacker from Gainesville, was arrested for driving under the influence back in May in Atlanta, Georgia officials confirmed on Thursday. The 21-year-old projected starter has been suspended for the first two games of the season as per UGA’s student-athlete conduct code, team spokesman Claude Felton confirmed late Thursday evening.
No other information was immediately available on Vasser’s arrest, which occurred May 11 in Buckhead. However, the Athens Banner-Herald reports that Vasser has a scheduled court appearance on Aug. 21 at the City of Atlanta Municipal Court.
The suspension of Vasser, who is 21, makes him at least the fourth defensive starter expected to miss playing time for the Bulldogs this season. Cornerback Sanders Commings is already suspended two games for a January arrest on domestic violence charges. Cornerback Branden Smith, safety Bacarri Rambo and inside linebacker Alec Ogletree are also facing suspensions for team rules violations but Georgia has not announced their punishments.
Meanwhile, four other Georgia players have been dismissed since the end of last season. Starting tailback Isaiah Crowell was arrested on June 29 on three weapons charges and kicked off the team that same day. Defensive backs Nick Marshall and Chris Sanders and wide receiver Sanford Seay were dismissed in early February for their involvement in the theft of a teammates’ dorm room.
Dogs ranked No. 6 by coaches
Despite all the offseason troubles, there continues to be high expectations for the Bulldogs this season. Georgia was ranked No. 6 by college coaches in the USA Today preseason poll released on Thursday.
“We’re not worried about it,” junior quarterback Aaron Murray said. “Last year we ignored the negativity and all the bad talk about Georgia and this year we’re going to ignore all the positive stuff. We’re just going to focus on what we need to do, and that’s work hard, show up to practice every day with the right attitude, get in the film room, get in the weight room and do a lot of little things to make sure we have a successful season.”
Sixth is the school’s highest preseason ranking since it opened the 2008 season ranked No. 1. The Bulldogs actually dropped to No. 3 without losing a game the first four weeks that year, then fell to 11th after losing to Alabama 41-30 in the infamous “blackout game.” They finished 10-3 after a win in the Capital One Bowl.
LSU and Alabama, who played in the national championship last season, were ranked 1 and 2, respectively second and Southern California third. Oklahoma and Oregon round out the top five.
Dawg talk
Thursday was preseason media day for the Bulldogs, so selected players were made available for interviews before practice. Here’s some of their comments:
Sophomore Malcolm Mitchell on playing both cornerback and wide receiver:
“At first it was just something I wanted to do to expand my game, but now it’s become a necessity. But it’s something I look forward to doing to help the team until we can regroup and get everybody back here. . . . It’s fun and I like doing them both. You just have to push yourself.”
Senior tailback Richard Samuel on third position change:
“I feel like switching between running back and linebacker slowed down my development because I didn’t have much time to get used to the linebacker position. Switching between fullback and running back hasn’t slowed my down too much because it’s basically the same plays and I just have to learn the little differences.”
All-America outside linebacker Jarvis Jones on expectations:
“We know what we’re capable of. We had a lot of hype last year, and we had a great run. This year, we know that people are expecting us to be way better. We’re just going to take it all in stride. We’re going to go out there everyday and make it our best, practice at our best, and then try to take it from there. Everything starts in practice so we’re just going to go through these days in camp and have fun doing it to try to get out everything we can before September 1.”
Senior strong safety Shawn Williams on playing for defensive coordinator Todd Grantham:
“One thing that I’ve picked up from him is to be accountable and to know your stuff. That proves how valuable you are in the system that we run. Having him here is like a blessing to us, and his mindset that he brings to the table helps us a lot.”
Freshman numbers
It’s always interesting to see what numbers first-year players will get as they embark on Georgia careers. Defensive back Sheldon Dawson of Memphis snapped up the No. 2 previously worn by Brandon Boykin, wide receiver Blake Tibbs snatched the No. 8 once donned by A.J. Green and place-kicker Marshall Morgan got the lucky No. 13 that punter Drew Butler had the last four years.
Other jersey numbers claimed by incoming freshmen who weren’t midyear enrollees include: Punter Collin Barber (32), linebacker Josh Dawson (91), linebacker James DeLoach (89), tight end Ty Flournoy-Smith (80), tailback Todd Gurley (3), linebacker/safety Josh Harvey-Clemons (25), fullback Quayvon Hicks (48), linebacker Jordan Jenkins (59), offensive lineman Greg Pyke (73), defensive lineman John Taylor (94) and offensive lineman John Theus (71).
Scene and heard
The Bulldogs practiced for two hours in their first of 28 preseason workouts… . The first-string offensive line lined up this way: left tackle Kenarious Gates, left guard Dallas Lee, center David Andrews, right guard Chris Burnette and right tackle Watts Dantzler… . Highly-touted freshman Josh Harvey-Clemons was wearing the No. 25 and was working with the safeties.
MORE FOOTBALL
- Kolton Houston remains ineligible due to banned substance (with video)
- Bulldogs’ top five priorities heading into camp
- Georgia contacted Penn State about 19 players
- 10 Things About linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti
- Bulldogs no longer pursuing Penn State players
- WR Tavarres King eager to pick up where he left off
- Former UGA DB Chris Sanders dismissed at GMC
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160 comments Add your comment
sameoldre
August 3rd, 2012
9:41 am
Chip, I have a question about the suspensions. Do the players have to be supsended the first 2 games or does CMR get to pick what 2 games they are to miss?
RxDawg
August 3rd, 2012
9:44 am
JHC working with the safeties huh? Interesting.
Concerned
August 3rd, 2012
9:47 am
Yea, had to be the first time he has ever drank, drove, and well just bad luck as he must of had one too many on his first ever drinking binge. Sure!
The toughest part is that he either did not report it, and now had to as in team meetings the question came up, are there any of us that has had an incident that has gone unreported, as well one that will eventually come out to hurt the team? Gotcha, and did he then self report or did he report a long time ago, but now the press has caught wind of the issue?
I am curious on this as it will have more importance to who Chad is. That is important to Dawg Fans as it is those con men that cost you games. Their guilt becomes them, and the truth will find you out.
Hope he self reported even if late. That will go a long way in Captain Richt’s House.
creative
August 3rd, 2012
9:51 am
concerned… do you have to be binge drinking to get a DUI?
creative
August 3rd, 2012
9:52 am
just saying .08 driving through a road block is a little different than .20 and slamming into a telephone poll.
Big Crimson 75
August 3rd, 2012
9:59 am
Another black-eye against the SEC thanks to uga!!
Geez, when will it ever end?
Dawggone shame
August 3rd, 2012
10:00 am
That game against Buffalo is looking scarier and scarier. I guess Spurrier was right.
Dawggone shame
August 3rd, 2012
10:03 am
Georgia has an image problem.
Signed, Quincy Carter
Cheers!
August 3rd, 2012
10:05 am
What’s wrong with having a few beers?
Signed, Stephen Garcia
UGA Insider
August 3rd, 2012
10:07 am
That is down to 66 scholarship players for Mizzou probably. Unbelievable.
Ace
August 3rd, 2012
10:08 am
No suprises, expect more from the coach with Miami and FSU in his blood and their culture to go with it.
Didn’t see these things until he came in.
Smokewagon
August 3rd, 2012
10:13 am
You can smell the stench coming from Tuscaloosa all the way here in Atl. with all the cover up going on there. There fans even have the gall to come her with their worthless drivel.
GTBob
August 3rd, 2012
10:16 am
It was probably a road block. If it was. That is just unluicky.
It wasn’t a road block. The moron was weaving around on Piedmont road at 2:30 in the morning. Its pretty amazing that after this happens 20-30 times the players still continue to do the same thing.
Spurrier was Right
August 3rd, 2012
10:17 am
The 2012 SEC East Champs – The University of South Carolina!
If UGA Insider is right regarding the 66 scholarship players, UGA is going down in Columbia, MO…remember the Colorado game? Magnify that by 100 as Mizzou is looking to make a BIG splash on the national stage.
creative
August 3rd, 2012
10:18 am
GT Bob I stand corrected. He is a moron!!!
Big Crimson 75
August 3rd, 2012
10:20 am
Bob — Piedmont Ave @ 2:30 in the AM???? — trans-sexual prostitution, here we come!!!
Keith
August 3rd, 2012
10:28 am
well well well……question to CMR- will we have anyone on the field at Missouri. Sad state that Missouri will notch their first ever SEC win against us BECAUSE we cant field a team of starters. Sad state in Athens and NOBODY will do anything about it. DISGUSTING!
Joe
August 3rd, 2012
10:37 am
hey Coach……are we going to find a way to blame this on the Athens-Clarke County Police or UGA Police?????
Joe
August 3rd, 2012
10:39 am
This “team” will be lucky to finish 8-4. Wish McGarity would get his head out of the sand and do something. Feeling giddy over 10 wins in a row against weak teams gets us this!
Craig
August 3rd, 2012
10:42 am
Is this because we have stricter guidelines than the rest of the sec????? or is it because we have players that could care less……….total BS and McGarity wont do anything thing about it.
UGA Insider
August 3rd, 2012
10:45 am
Spurrier is right,k
To prove my numbers UGA currently has 24 commitments for the 2013 class. UGA may sign as many as 40!!!! Do you believe me now?
get off your high horse
August 3rd, 2012
10:45 am
It was a dui. He is a college student. Leave him alone and all the other uga players. Cops are dirty we all should know that. No one was hurt. But somehiw bashers willget on here and say there is a major problem. The problem is the damn ajc always making an ant hill into a mountain. Most papers support their team but not the ajc.
get off your high horse
August 3rd, 2012
10:49 am
@ joe i sure hope u have never been arrested for a childish mistake. Better yet your kids. Because if they have your parenting was a piece of sh**. Oh yeah it just wasnt in the paper because your nothing and never will be
Craig
August 3rd, 2012
10:50 am
It was a dui. He is a college student. Leave him alone and all the other uga players.
Question Get off your high horse: would you be saying the same thing had someone been killed or hurt?????????????????????????????????? this is exactly the type of mindset that filters through the entire team…..dui…no big deal….dope…no big deal…..felony gun charges…no big deal……
Joe
August 3rd, 2012
10:52 am
High Horse- NO I or my two sons have never been arrested for anything! Its morons like you that think something like a DUI is not a big deal. tell you what moron- why dont you ask someone that lost a son or daughter because of a accident caused by a drunk driver. You are disgusting!
Richt's Conscience
August 3rd, 2012
10:57 am
A perfect example of how I am coaching them in life as well as on the field.
UGA 2012 SEC CHAMPS
August 3rd, 2012
11:01 am
Dawgs gonna beat Mizzou and roll on to Atlanta.Murray and the defense is gonna be the key.
hop
August 3rd, 2012
11:03 am
this program is out of control and this will effect 2012 season.
Murray cannot cannot win big games and his turnovers contributed to big losses against usc,michigan state and the disastor in the second half of the LSU GAME.
Dawgs will lose to USC,Missouri,Auburn and will finish 9-3,or 8-4.
Homepage | MrSEC
August 3rd, 2012
11:04 am
[...] that somehow still remains in his system two years later. Then later in the day came news that starting outside linebacker Chase Vasser will miss the first two games of Georgia’s season — at home against Buffalo and then at Mizzou — due to a DUI charge he picked up in the [...]
Dont worry Jawja
August 3rd, 2012
11:09 am
Losses will be to Missou, Vandy, SC, UF and the Barn. Hopefully for the rest of the SEC it won’t cost Richt his job.
ARdawg
August 3rd, 2012
11:16 am
Move along folks, nothing to see here, move on along now
RE: UGA 2012 CHAMPS
August 3rd, 2012
11:21 am
“Dawgs gonna beat Mizzou and roll on to Atlanta.”
Then you rolled out of bed…lol
Wake up Muttley. You’re dreaming again!
Dawgs will finish 9-3 at best.
The Ghost of Wally Butts
August 3rd, 2012
11:22 am
Aw…look on the bright side Dawg fans….at least Vasser didn’t have Damon Evans’ girlfriend riding shot-gun when he got pulled over in Hot-Lanta.
Keith
August 3rd, 2012
11:22 am
Note to UGA Team: Way to much drama going on with you guys. You will be lucky to go 8-4. What was suppose to be a season of promise you have managed to turn into another should have…could have….would have…..year. You want the fan support but yet you keep doing crap that makes UGA look bad. Geez…..grow up!
Pitbull
August 3rd, 2012
11:23 am
Oh my goodness stop the presses and reset the headline!
A kid got pulled over for a DUI!!!!!!!
He plays on the UGA team!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is front page stuff!!!!!!!!
I got it right off the blotter after breakfast!!!!!!
My work is done for the day!!!!!!
Hi, I’m Chip. What’s your name?????
Joe
August 3rd, 2012
11:24 am
So Coach Richt and Mr. McGarity- so now Vasser……..why dont you go ahead and announce the rest of the morons that will miss playing time…..we are sick and tired of UGA in the news for this kind of crap week in and week out.
realist
August 3rd, 2012
11:27 am
hope2013, I agree with you 100%. Not one comment on this message board about why Richt or Gardner didnt know about the character of this kid before they recruited him, or why are they not recruiting character guys. When the black kids are arrested thats all that is painted on the message boards. There are also no “gangstaz” or “hanging with his posie” or “th*g” or “ghetto and hood” references. The black kids are labeled that everytime one gets in trouble. I by no means am taking up for the black kids. All the kids, no matter their race, need to learn from other’s mistakes, gain some pride and get their acts together. But the white kids seem to be protected and shielded from the insults. There is always some justifiable reason to why they got in trouble, or their just being kids, or “its ok, another player will step up until he returns”. There is still a racial divide and insensitivity in this country, and its evident on this message board. This message board is a micronism of what is wrong with our country as a whole when it comes to race. Its the reason why nothing can get done in DC or any other community because racial tensions are so high right now. The black and white race needs to both get their acts together, and we all need to find some civility in this country and some form of rational reasoning. Have a good day
get off your high horse
August 3rd, 2012
11:31 am
@ craig why dont we play the what if game. It didnt happen. But for your sake what if your parents hadnt made love that one fateful night. At least i wouldnt hear your dumb comments.
Thanks Again!
August 3rd, 2012
11:34 am
Thanks again Coach Richt, coaches, Mr. McGarity and members of the UGA football team for once again taking a year that we had so much potential and so much to feel good about and turning it into another sub-par year. Have little doubt we will end up 8-4 IF we are lucky. What is it going to take to get some control over the mess in Athens??????? Oh, and by the way- until this latest suspension, I was one of CMR biggest supportors. No longer!
Jokes
August 3rd, 2012
11:39 am
Mr. McGarity- How will it feel when the entire nation gets to watch Missouri get their FIRST EVER SEC win over us because we cant field a team of starters to play against them. If you dont find that disgusting, something is wrong. We are going to be the laughing stock of the SEC. I for one am sick and tired of it- what is going to take for you to be also?????????????????
ARdawg
August 3rd, 2012
11:40 am
A football player was caught drinking and driving. Woe is us, the sky is truly falling!!!!
You guys really do need a life. Try needlepoint, badmitton, maybe the “Arts”
Wells
August 3rd, 2012
11:55 am
If the DUIs and arrests were only to happen every so often I think the haters would back off. It’s because it’s so common to hear that a player was arrest that people takes shots at the team. Then CMR likes to mention how he’s attempting to coach these men on and off the field but it doesn’t seem like he’s doing very well at either.
get off your high horse
August 3rd, 2012
11:58 am
@ joe im sure they have never made a mistake and you either. You are perfect and so is your family. He did not hurt anybody. Yes it could have happened but it did not. You are the moron. It is a big deal but lets not say this or that could have happened when it did not. Had it then i would be on your side. Unfortunately to many people live in a what if world and not reality. So you can stop with the morons and disgustings for dramatic effects. Oh and i cant wait for you or your kids to get arrested. Oh wait it wont be in the paper because you are nobody
GT proves his lack of knowledge daily
August 3rd, 2012
11:59 am
Gt, Do you keep up with college football? Take a look around the country and see how many players are suspended for games.Obviously you don’t know that coaches are limited by NCAA rules in the time they can spend with players.
Pitbull
August 3rd, 2012
12:02 pm
Here’s the deal: the haters are all posers from Tech trying to run off Mark Richt because he is 11-1 against Tech.
Their strategy is if you can’t beat him then trash him until they can get rid of him.
Notice how they ignor the fact that they have a coach at Tech in Johnson who can’t win at Division 1A without another coaches talent and now that talent is all gone and he can’t recruit.
Could have 100 players on scholarship
August 3rd, 2012
12:07 pm
And it wouldn’t effect the Mizzou game, only 70 players can dress for SEC away games.
Spurrier was Right
August 3rd, 2012
12:09 pm
Burgulary ring on campus to include stealing from teammates, drinking while driving, smoking reefer, eating ‘reefer’ brownies; sawing off serial numbers…didn’t everybody do this in college???
Only if you played football at Georgia under Mark Richt. Disgraceful! SMH
Nimrod Dawg
August 3rd, 2012
12:13 pm
Is it me or does this seem to happen a lot? Go Dawgs!
realist
August 3rd, 2012
12:15 pm
get off your high horse, no one on here is saying anyone is perfect. Everyone has made mistakes. But believe it or not, though it may be hard for you to believe, most people in this country have never been arrested before. Most people in this country have never gotten a DUI. No one thinks their better than these kids. What they are saying is one can learn from the mistakes of others. When you have a number of peers getting in trouble constantly, that should be your reference to what not to do. It does not take for one to get arrested or suspended or kicked out of school before he learns some responsibility. It seems many of you on here feel that it takes for a kid to get in major trouble before he can learn his lesson. It shouldnt take that. There is no excuse for a young adult not being able to realize when he is doing something wrong. The sense of responsibility is gone with some of you fanatics. Hold these kids to a higher standard and they will realize that they need to carry themselves with honor. Not, “everyone drinks, their teens, if you didnt do it you weren’t living”. Thats the problem there. And we do live in a what if world, that why laws are in place. DUI laws are put in place and DUI recipients are taken to prison when pulled over because “if we didnt pull him over when he was swirving from lane to lane and take him to jail, he could have killed someone”. I have made many many mistakes, but never arrested. I learned from them. Everyone wont learn from them like me. But lets not make it the norm for a kid to get arrested or suspended before he is able to understand his mistakes.
PMC
August 3rd, 2012
12:21 pm
Why does UGA always make things harder for themselves?