Notebook: UGA’s Kolton Houston remains in NCAA limbo, but still practicing
ATHENS – Georgia’s starting offensive line appears to be set two weeks before the season opener against Buffalo. But all that could change should sophomore Kolton Houston return to the equation.
Houston is ineligible due to the presence of a banned substance that has been in his system since 2010. Georgia has appealed that suspension to the NCAA because of the insufficient dissipation of the steroid despite what Georgia claims is “no re-use.” But the appeal was denied, and Houston must wait until an acceptable threshold is reached. If and when that happens, Houston will be immediately eligible to play.
In the meantime, Houston continues to practice while undergoing testing once a week. He was listed as the starting right tackle entering preseason practice.
“There’s no update, nothing new,” coach Mark Richt said Thursday. “I would think as soon as we knew he was cleared to play, it would be something we’d want to tell everybody. We’d be excited about telling that.”
At the moment, freshman John Theus is taking most of the snaps at right tackle with the No. 1 offense. He’s splitting time with sophomore Watts Dantzler, who also gets work at right guard.
Houston gets the majority of his work with the Nos. 2 and 3 units.
“We’re still trying to rep him enough to keep him as ready as we can without taking reps from guys we know are eligible to play,” Richt said. “So it’s kind of a touchy deal. But he’s getting some good work. … He can practice, so we’re trying to keep him fresh and get him as game-ready as we can.”
Andrews solidifies position
Another question for the offensive line entering the preseason was whether sophomore David Andrews would be able to hold the job at center. The Bulldogs aren’t ready to announce starting lineups, but indications are the Wesleyan grad has earned the top spot.
“I think David Andrews has had a good camp,” Richt said. “To me he has solidified that job.”
Sophomore Hunter Long was practicing as the No. 2 center before breaking his leg last week. But the question the Bulldogs were looking to answer in camp was whether they needed to move Chris Burnette to center from right guard. They now have that answer.
“We were just trying to find the best combination of five,” Richt said. “We went into camp hoping [Andrews] would be the guy, I would say. … I think it’s the best combination for Georgia for David to be the center.”
King sidelined
Wide receiver Tavarres King missed practice Friday because of what was listed on the post-practice injury report as a “left lower leg strain.” He was one of two flankers out for Georgia, as Rantavious Wooten was sidelined with a right hip strain.
Richt indicated the injuries weren’t serious.
“It just affected them today,” he said. “I don’t know that it will affect them much longer. I don’t think it’s anything serious.”
With those players out of action, sophomore Chris Conley and redshirt freshman Justin Scott-Wesley got more snaps with the No. 1 offense.
Picture this
Picture Day for fans is scheduled from 1-5 p.m. Saturday at Sanford Stadium. Football players and coaches will be there from 3-5 p.m. while other UGA athletes — including Olympic gold medalist Allison Schmitt — will be on hand from 1-3 p.m. Coupons to get pictures with Richt and bulldog mascot Russ will be distributed at 8 a.m. at the east-end ticket window.
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79 comments Add your comment
The Factor
August 18th, 2012
9:20 am
@RHall55
WTF? You are a pinhead…”Nuff said” about what???
NCAA Rep
August 18th, 2012
9:20 am
Kolten should have just stolen a laptop then have his dad solicit bids and play for the highest bidder. Then he would have been cleared in 2 days by the NCAA.
Barners about to go on probation. Trooper Taylor involved with players and 7/7 teams from Memphis. Funny stuff.
LHarding Dawg
August 18th, 2012
9:22 am
The NCAA is a sad obsolute organization. The top 32 football schools should create their own control organization.
St Richt
August 18th, 2012
9:22 am
Oh yeah, that post was so good that it was worth posting twice, huh? If you were trying to be funny you failed miserably.
LHarding Dawg
August 18th, 2012
9:24 am
“obsolete”
NCAA Rep
August 18th, 2012
9:26 am
@RHall55
Where are the failed drug tests out of AL. Have you bucked toothed fools ever wondered why the ‘Honey Badger’ wasn’t suspended after multiple failed drug tests……
But keep on with your criticism of UGA. Reading the posts from fools like you are a reminder to me that sending my kids to private schools is a good investment.
NCAA Rep
August 18th, 2012
9:27 am
@LHarding Dawg
And your 32 special teams will still want PELL grants from all taxpayers. Right? Idiot.
LHarding Dawg
August 18th, 2012
9:36 am
NCAA = Sandusky lover
Oh yeah!
August 18th, 2012
9:41 am
Auburn is the most corrupt football program in major college football.
Nahila
August 18th, 2012
9:52 am
Surely UGA has medical experts and chemistry scientists that could advise how to rid the body of this steroid. Usually drinking more water and burning fat calories thru a vigorous exercise regiment helps the body to process the intake of substances. If this steroid lies in the fat cells, what is the best way to remove it. Also, why can’t UGA find medical experts that could give their opinion as to whether the steroid in question gives him any unfair advantage over other athletes of the same size?
A Source Close To The Team
August 18th, 2012
9:57 am
Russ is waiting to be cleared by NCAA testing.
Beast from the East
August 18th, 2012
10:16 am
The steroid was given to help him heal faster from an injury while a senior in high school. Why be mad at the NCAA? It was listed as a banned substance. You should be directing your anger at the doctor AND his parents who allowed the banned substance to be used. They are to blame.
TY
August 18th, 2012
10:19 am
Steroids or anything else takes a long time to be removed from the fat cells.
ugab
August 18th, 2012
10:55 am
Would be nice to see Houston play this season. The dawgs need OL. It is great to see everyone getting hyped up for football… I am so ready.. Let’s go dawgs. Be great, not good.. hunker down. sic’em woof woof.. ITS GREAT TO BE A GA BULLDOG. Ill be in jax with bells on.lol Goooooooooooooooooo Dawgs_!!!!!!!!! Time to go get the man cave ready for football…. Cya
Dawg-Gawn
August 18th, 2012
11:22 am
Off topic:
8/17/2012 High School Scrimmage – Norcross @ Colquitt County – Blue Devils 33 Colquitt Co 31
UGA RB recruit Alvin Kamara 3 TD runs of 85 yds, 68 yds and 14 yds! UGA needs this recruit… lock him down Mike Bobo!
Nick Saban is known to walk the halls at Norcross…. don’t let this RB get away!
“Liposuction for Houston”
“Stick with Richt”
Believe in the “G”
“Russ 4 Uga IX”
Dawgbob
August 18th, 2012
11:34 am
NCAA has to be a monster to crucify Houston for taking medication before college to recover from an injury and residue is still in his body. Tests have proved beyond doubt that he has not taken any in college. He has already paid a huge price by losing one year of elgibility and all of this is over 1 or 2 ng of medication. One ng or nanogram is one billionth of a gram and Houston’s medication level is 1or 2 ng over the limit for some time and NCAA is willing to put his life on a choping block on that basis. How low can NCAA get? I could go on about the special treatment they have given others in the SEC, but not UGA.
Oh yeah!
August 18th, 2012
11:40 am
I will give you the updated Idiot Olympics standings.
1st- GTBob
2nd- SSI Gator
3rd- Beast from the East
wild one 13
August 18th, 2012
1:23 pm
Hope Hunter Long has a complete and quick recovery. I hate to hear that any of these young men sustain a serious injury. Two weeks to go, are you ready for some football?
Notebook: Still no offensive snaps for Malcolm Mitchell, but coming soon | UGA sports blog
August 18th, 2012
1:37 pm
[...] OT Kolton Houston remains in NCAA limbo [...]
7576DAWG
August 19th, 2012
2:56 am
As much as we know medically it is hard to believe nothing can be done to get his steroid levels okay.
Paco Bell
August 19th, 2012
8:54 am
UGA fans should be sooooooooo very, very proud that they’re the only school to have two of the fifteen biggest scandals in college sports. Add that to the Fulmer Cup and the #1 Party School title, and you’ve got UGA, the Cesspool of the South.
Dawg Tired
August 19th, 2012
2:47 pm
The Houston thing is weird. I have a good friend who is the NCAA compliance director at a D-1 school. He says if the roids are still in his system 2 years later he must still be using. My friend says it just seems impossible that he has not been using for 2 years and is still testing positive. I wonder just what the truth is here. Very weird.
DawgNation
August 20th, 2012
6:44 am
Dawg Tired,
I was wondering just were did your friend the “D-1 compliance director” get his medical degree?
Weird, huh?
Joe Biden
August 20th, 2012
9:49 am
I am an idiot but I can even know Auburn is going down hard…
7576DAWG
August 20th, 2012
11:40 am
The NCAA only can go by the fact that Houston is still failing the test that everyone else is passing. Since they can not be guaranteed that Houston is lying they must go with the test. But there has got to be something that can be done to get the chemical out of his fat cells.
The NCAA was embarrassed over the Cam Newton thing because they know Newton had to know something about the money his father got but there is no proof. Auburn has got away with questionable ethical issues a few times in resent years and it makes the NCAA look very bad in policing the member schools. With Auburn living in the gray area the NCAA is closing loopholes but they are watching Auburn very close and if they ever have enough to prove wrong doing the NCAA will not have any mercy. They will throw the book at Auburn, it’s only a matter of time.
wayxdog
August 20th, 2012
2:31 pm
Why doesnt the AJC do some real investigation into the Kolton Houston issue?
UGA Insider
August 20th, 2012
4:00 pm
7576DAWG
My sources say there is a relationship between the disgraced Memphis counselor and Auburn University. Let’s see what the NCAA will do.
best extreme sports trick
August 20th, 2012
4:41 pm
I am the biggest fan of UGA, he is a great guy should be return back on UGA.
UGA notebook: Two positions for Washington; Samuel ‘1B’ at fullback? | UGA sports blog
August 24th, 2012
12:16 am
[...] OT Kolton Houston remains in NCAA limbo [...]