UPDATED: Georgia clears CB Branden Smith to play in opening game
Branden Smith's clearance to play this season not only bolsters Georgia's secondary, but also its return game. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
ATHENS — Georgia senior cornerback Branden Smith, who was facing suspension because of a marijuana arrest in back in March, was cleared by the school to play in the Bulldogs’ season opener.
Coach Mark Richt made the announcement shortly after Georgia completed its third practice of preseason football camp on Saturday in Athens.
“Branden Smith will play Game One,” Richt said. “After [reviewing] all the information that we’ve gathered, we’ve decided that he’ll be available to play in the first game and he’ll be available to talk about any details. After determining what happened, we’ve got peace that we’re doing the right thing.”
Smith was expected to miss at least one game as per the UGA athletic association’s conduct code, which calls for an automatic suspension for 10 percent of competition dates for violators of the marijuana-use policy. But central to Georgia’s decision to waive that penalty was the fact that Smith said passed two separate drug tests shortly after he was arrested in a traffic stop on March 14 in south Alabama.
“I came back right away to get tested [by UGA],” Smith said Saturday. “I was clean. I went to court, got tested, I was clean. I don’t do drugs. Now I’m just moving on from this incident. I’d like to apologize for the university and my family as far as being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Smith was placed in the Henry County (Ala.) court’s pretrial intervention program and since completed the requirements to have the marijuana charges expunged from his record.
Smith’s reinstatement is the first bit of good news in an offseason that has been rife with bad news for the Bulldogs. Two defensive starters are expected to miss the first two games each due to arrests in cornerback Sanders Commings (domestic battery) and outside linebacker Chase Vasser (DUI). Meanwhile, Georgia has yet to confirm or deny multiple media reports that free safety Bacarri Rambo and inside linebacker Alec Ogletree face multiple-games suspensions for second-offenses of the athletic association’s marijuana-use policy.
“There were some off-field situations that came up that’s going to keep some of our guys out for the first few games or so,” sophomore defensive end Ray Drew said. “But there is strength in numbers and just having [Smith] back boosts us just little bit more knowing that we have our brother playing beside us and helping us go out and get the job done.”
With Smith back in the fold, it appears that he and converted wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell will be the starting cornerbacks for the Bulldogs’ first two games. They open the season against Buffalo at Sanford Stadium on Sept. 1, then face pass-happy Missouri on the road the following week.
“I most definitely think I can help the secondary,” said Smith, who has started 17 games and played in 36 for the Bulldogs. “We have our whole defense coming back. We were out there today practicing hard, strong, fast. Everybody’s having fun out there. We’re just ready for the season to start. We’re out there as a group and we’re going with it.”
ATHENS – In an offseason that seems like it has been filled with bad news, Georgia finally offered some good for its fans on Saturday.
Coach Mark Richt revealed after Saturday’s practice that starting cornerback Branden Smith will be available to play Bulldogs’ season-opening game against Buffalo. Smith was facing a suspension after his arrest in Alabama in March on misdemeanor marijuana possession charges. He was granted pretrial intervention status in court and has since completed the conditions to have those charges dismissed.
“After just gathering all the information, determining what happened, we’ve got peace that we’re doing the right thing on Branden,” Richt said.
Smith told reporters after Saturday’s practice that he immediately returned to Athens after his arrest during a traffic stop in Headland, Ala., and passed a drug test. He said he also passed a court-ordered drug test and that’s why the Bulldogs cleared him to play.
“I don’t do drugs,” Smith insisted. “So right now I’ve just moved on. Like I said, I apologize to the university and my family for being at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
It was generally thought that Smith would miss Georgia’s first game as per the athletic association’s conduct code regarding marijuana offenses. That policy stipulates a 10 percent suspension for competition dates for violations.
Smith’s return relieves some of the stress on Georgia’s secondary, which already knows it will be without follow starting cornerback Sanders Commings and possibly others. Commings is suspended for the first two games of the season after pleading guilty to misdemeanor domestic violence charges in February. Starting outside linebacker Chase Vasser is also out the first two games because of a May arrest for DUI and free safety Bacarri Rambo and inside linebacker Alec Ogletree reportedly are facing suspensions for marijuana policy violations.
“I most definitely think I can help the secondary,” said Smith, who has started 17 games and played in 36 for the Bulldogs. “We have our whole defense coming back. We were out there today practicing hard, strong, fast. Everybody’s having fun out there. We’re just ready for the season to start. We’re out there as a group and we’re going with it.”
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249 comments Add your comment
Just Saying
August 5th, 2012
8:36 am
@GT Boob and friends,
Did you notice that the AJC article about the GT player selling tickets does not allow “comments”?
I really don’t see the difference in selling tickets or a jersey (AJ’s), but a 1 game suspension for a NCAA violation at a school that is on the “watch list”?!?!?
P.S. There has to be more to this story because who would pay $360 for 2 tickets to a GT game?
If this was an alumni and/or booster then this story is a lot bigger than it looks on the surface.
Just Saying
Just Saying
August 5th, 2012
8:41 am
@Mary…….
We use the same math GT uses and all the other teams in the USA. You round up or down as appropriate. The only “lowlife cheating sleaze bag” on this blog is you sweetheart!!!!
Rossville Bulldog
August 5th, 2012
8:59 am
Good. It’s time to legalize marijuana.
d1reality
August 5th, 2012
9:29 am
Hey, this is uga football, what harm is a little weed gonna do. It’s not like these guys are really at school to study. Shame on the “university” of jawja.
Gator On The Loose
August 5th, 2012
9:35 am
Why bother to sit him out for the mighty Buffalo game anyway? Let’s just say to heck with any suspensions, let all these guys run wild, let CMR keep his keen eye on them. As long as they can’t bring their guns and stash to the games on Saturday…. its all good.
The Factor
August 5th, 2012
9:39 am
Don’t think UGA’s drug policies are some of the toughest in the nation? read on…
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/andy_staples/06/12/georgia-drug-policy/index.html
hirsutedawg
August 5th, 2012
9:49 am
It appears to me that all GT(kneel and)Bob needs is a good old fashioned a$$ whoopin’ but since that’s not feasible here’s a joke: “Did you hear about the Tech student that pulled a 5lb booger out of his nose?”
“His head caved in before he could eat it”
I’ll be here all week, take care of your wait staff they work for tips and tips alone.
UGA CB Branden Smith’s presence will be a big lift for secondary | Saturday Down South
August 5th, 2012
10:00 am
[...] Richt broke the news: “Branden Smith will play Game One,” Richt said. “After [reviewing] all the information that [...]
snoop dawgy dawg
August 5th, 2012
10:07 am
We should suspend all our offenders for the GT game to show how easy it is to beat those clowns………. its funny that all the Gt fans that comment on this blog probably can’t even get into tech or UGA
Ole Big Dawg
August 5th, 2012
10:19 am
Snoopy….we already whipped the bugs last yr without a back or running game….just throwing the ball out of the shotgun…..tech needs to sign manboobs up longterm
BCS Tiger
August 5th, 2012
10:44 am
Guess Dabo has two more than Richt has.
Says it all about the dirty SEC
Tampa Gator
August 5th, 2012
10:53 am
ringleader….
The DUDES name in the car with Smith was Danze Woods…..and HE was later arrested again for having weed on HIM. Tag light….tail light….I really don’t care….he was pulled over for a light being out according to the police report….which made the pull over “just cause”…at that time. But none of this was my point…..but I guess I am a fool and you are just ANAL.
My point was….again…..What message to you want to send to your players…..that you are tough on stupidity and for embarrassing the UGA football program or that you soft with your players to the point that they do not respect what you say…..which appears to be the case with Branden Smith in the first place…..since he ignored what Richt had to say in that meeting before going on spring break.
In reality, I could care less about this story. I just posed a legit question that brought forth uncalled for personal insults from people like you and others….which is typical of so many of the Dawg fans on the AJC these days. It is hard to post legit questions and have an intelligent on-line conversation with most of you. For example, not one person even bothered to discuss what that thought about my question…….just insults, etc. As I said, typical……
A flawed argument posed by flawed minds
August 5th, 2012
11:16 am
Here is the dumbest argument of all time:
“CMR recruits ONLY dopers” and by implication, UGA is the ONLY school to have troubled kids or kids that do smoke weed. Like duh !!???
I will gurantee that kids at U of Virginia, Vandy and Duke ALSO SMOKE WEED and do dumb things. These specific schools have no on onging fan interest on blogs and they are not located in major media centers like Atlanta. GT is here for sure, BUT their kids are protected by the Adm. staff maybe. The same is true of Alabama and AU and UT and Arky and LSU.
moleman
August 5th, 2012
12:09 pm
everyone else does it…it’s gotta be ok…the fall off the high horse continues…what a bunch of losers…ask Boise, LSU, Michigan State, UCF, Okie State, Colorado for additional details…
moleman
August 5th, 2012
12:11 pm
this story isn’t about Tech…you idiots are consistent if nothing else….my god, what an organized bunch of d/a’s….
The Factor
August 5th, 2012
12:17 pm
UGA’s policies are harsher. I will continue to post it until the pinheads get it…
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/andy_staples/06/12/georgia-drug-policy/index.html
moleman
August 5th, 2012
12:21 pm
Factor, you seem to be the leader of this organized group of d/a’s…your posts highlight your qualifications to be a d/a leader…
The Factor
August 5th, 2012
12:31 pm
@moleman,
Sure the name fits you. Funny how the likes of you ignore an independently written article with research behind it. Are you and GTBob roommates? He also avoids facts…The article was written because UGA is relevant whether that rubs you wrong or not.
moleman
August 5th, 2012
12:45 pm
outside of the metro area, no one cares about uga….unless they want to share a laugh with a friend regarding georgia’s d/a fan base…
@moleman
August 5th, 2012
1:12 pm
“outside of the metro area, no one cares about uga” Guess thats why they have Georgia Bulldog Clubs in Southern California, Denver , Washington D.C. and several other cities nationally. That also explains why UGA merchadise sales are always top 5 nationally. Only in Metro Atlanta LOL.
Jimmy Crack
August 5th, 2012
1:51 pm
I’ll bet Danze came clean on some plea and that was the delay. Good for Branden.
RedandBlackDAWG
August 5th, 2012
1:57 pm
I believe he got charged with possession because the bag was in his car, even though it belonged to his buddy. He didn’t get charged with using it, so the case was flimsy at best. UGA did the right thing by this young man. He obviously didn’t use any since he took subsequent drug tests soon after the incident and had no traces in his system.
RedandBlackDAWG
August 5th, 2012
2:00 pm
Moleman,
I believe you have your name spelled wrong. It should be MORON, got it. I would bet you are a SNERT.
someone who knows
August 5th, 2012
2:01 pm
the wizzonatorworks! try it for yourself!
someone who knows
August 5th, 2012
2:03 pm
cash works everywhere, doesn’t it!
High Horse Carpenter
August 5th, 2012
2:04 pm
Guess we’ll be building a shorter version for UGA fans in the future.
Swamp Thing
August 5th, 2012
2:52 pm
CMR > MIAMUH > F$U > GEORGIA…There’s some real discipline there..FLORIDA doesn’t have a “drug” policy? Ask Jelani Jenkins..Remember his great career at N. ALABAMA, and how he went from a first round draft choice in the NFL to where ever he went?
ringleader
August 5th, 2012
2:56 pm
Tampax Gator
Danze was not in the same vehicle………and the “light was too dim” was bogus!
Now its about time for you to go do your greeting at WalMart.
bitter Hill-folk
August 5th, 2012
4:07 pm
I could never grow any as good as what I picked up while on a port visit
in Columbia—-See the world–join the Navy
Young adults due dumb things—–Nation wide—Play ball—26 days
Tampa Gator
August 5th, 2012
5:05 pm
Ring…..a…..ding……
you are the perfect example of what is wrong with these blogs…….but according to every article on the arrest I have read…..yes…he was in the car. I have no idea what you are reading….and I do not care. End of conversation with you because you are a dense as they come…….NONE OF WHAT YOU ARE POSTING HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE POINT OF MY ORIGINAL POST. Jezzzzzzz.
Tampa Gator
August 5th, 2012
5:08 pm
Swamp Thing
August 5th, 2012
2:52 pm
“MR > MIAMUH > F$U > GEORGIA…There’s some real discipline there..FLORIDA doesn’t have a “drug” policy? Ask Jelani Jenkins..Remember his great career at N. ALABAMA, and how he went from a first round draft choice in the NFL to where ever he went?”
Jelani Jenkins is currently the weakside linebacker for the Gators…….never played at N. Bama….and is not in the NFL.
But Janoris Jenkins did play at S.Bama and is going to be one of the starting cornerbacks for the St. Louis Rams this year……already showing his cover and athletic skills in a big way at the Rams camp….
Tampa Gator
August 5th, 2012
5:13 pm
…..and Ring….a…..ding…..
Any Walmart greeter I have ever enountered is 10 times the human being than you will ever be in life……most….high quality people that respect others in action and speech….something I doubt many people have ever said about you.
dswann5
August 5th, 2012
7:59 pm
clear ogletree and rambo and lets go bust some heads with that weak secondary mizzou has murray may throw for 400 hundred yards
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August 6th, 2012
10:42 am
[...] to suspension,which was a repeating offseason riff, the Bulldogs announced that Branden Smith will be eligible for the all-important opening game against … er, Buffalo. Heat Index: Oddsmakers immediately announced that Georgia, which had [...]
The Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
August 6th, 2012
10:52 am
THIS. Is why you cannot win a championship.
PMC
August 6th, 2012
12:24 pm
Sounds like a classic case of DWB.
Big Dawg
August 6th, 2012
12:54 pm
First off THC which is the active ingredient in marijuana remains in a persons system for up to 30 days so if he had been smoking marijuana it would have shown up in his golden flow. Also if they tested his hair then it take a lot longer to clear from your system. Next I expect that Branden learned a lesson that all people should learn, be careful who you associate with.
AD you are an idiot plain and simple- first he was tested for USE and his tests showed he was not using marijuana, also since you seem to think people can not be unjustly arrested and should be further punished for being at the wrong place and wrong time that shows just how ignorant and hateful you are. I pray something similar never happens to you or anyone in your family.
Go Dawgs
Big Dawg
August 6th, 2012
1:18 pm
Tampa Gator-
First off you are comparing apples to oranges- the two cases are not similar and you know it Jenkins was using marijuana while Smith was being stupid for hanging around people who do smoke pot. Next this is still America where you are SUPPOSED to be innocent until proven guilty and since he had not been using as the hair follicle test shows use of up to 6 months and the golden flow for 30 days in my humble opinion that would seem to suggest that Mr. Smith meets the latter of having bad judgement in who he associates with. Hopefully he learned a valuable lesson from this close call and does not end his career at Georgia the way Jenkins did at Florida. Yes I realize Mr. Jenkins stands to make a lot of money in the NFL that is if he did in fact learn his lesson which by the way I hope and pray he has. I would only suggest to stop the hating and wish this particular young man success.
Lake Dawg……
Charges expunged and charges “dismissed” have two different meaning, Lake Dawg. He will no longer have an arrest record….but he was NOT found innocent of the charges either. If he had been found innocent, the charges would have been dismissed. Instead of going to trial to prove his innocence, he completed a pretrail program available to him as a minor and as a first time offender…and avoid a trial. I know Janoris Jenkins did the same thing when he was first arrested for the same offense….and he was suspended for one game…and it was an important game at that. So…I guess I was not stirring the “pot” as you claimed I was. But….as I said in that post….I am wondering what message Richt sent with his actions….
The AD
August 6th, 2012
3:45 pm
Big Dawg, you lack reading comprehension. I never said he didn’t pee clean. I said he was the driver of a car in which a known dealer was a passenger and weed was found during a traffic stop. He was arrested. That right there was grounds for a suspension, no ifs, ands, or buts. UGa’s “tough” policy calls for suspensions IF ARRESTED.
No one at UGa ever said there was no weed in the car or that Smith was never arrested. The policy was very clear and Richt and McGarity ignored it. End of story.
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August 6th, 2012
9:21 pm
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Swarles Barkley
August 6th, 2012
9:38 pm
Let me start with this tidbit of knowledge: you can get arrested for ANYTHING that is illegal, whether it’s murder, robbery, or littering. You can be arrested for speeding just 1 mph over the limit. Lawfully the officer can take you in. So when you interpret the 1-game suspension rule for arrests, you have to understand that it depends on the circumstances. Obviously, more often than not, arrests mean the player deserves suspensions, but you cannot lay down a blanket rule that if any police officer sees fit to take a player in, you must suspend him. Branden Smith was not found guilty. Why suspend him?
CBS- BS
August 7th, 2012
6:56 am
7 loses not going to happen you or either a techie or a gayor and teh gayors will be beaten again.
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JP
August 8th, 2012
8:57 am
#ifyouusehashtagsoutsideoftwitteryoureanidiot…unlessyoudoitironically
100 MILES n RUNN'N
August 8th, 2012
2:49 pm
I wonder if you were to pick up the AJC and read an article “SIX ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS ARRESTED FOR POT”. I bet most of you would be making some very nasty racial comments. However, we know that all of the players who are in violation are African American and they have appeared to garner a great deal of simpathy and a plea for lenient punishment. As long as BLACK BOYS can run, catch, kick and throw a ball white folk always seem to give’em a PASS. If these were MEDICAL STUDENTS they would have more than likely been expelled immediately. immediately.
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