2008 Woodie Awards
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Football team to lose players on bad behavior
Dogs face troubles
MARSHALL DUNCAN
Issue date: 8/16/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
While University students return to campus for the first time since spring, the football team already is finishing its second week of training camp.
Since starting camp on Aug. 4, the team has had daily practice and several two-a-day practices. However, before fall camp began, the football team was in the news for both good and bad reasons.
On Wednesday, the team suspended Ramarcus Brown, a junior cornerback who started nine games last year, after he reportedly broke an undisclosed team rule.
Brown is the most recent Georgia football player who will sit out due to off-the-field incidents. At the beginning of fall training camp, Coach Mark Richt reported Ian Smith has ended his football career due to medical reasons. Smith, a redshirt sophomore from Cartersville, was already slated to miss the first five games of the season due to alcohol related arrests. Smith is not the only Bulldog to unexpectedly eave the team this summer.
At the beginning of the summer it was found out that starting cornerback Paul Oliver was academically ineligible and would not be able to participate in the 2007 season. Through a request with the NFL, Oliver was able to enter the supplemental draft and was picked up by the San Diego Chargers. Sophomore Asher Allen has stepped in and will most likely take over Oliver's starting role. Linebacker Akeem Hebron was arrested for the second time this spring for minor in possession of alcohol. Hebron, who already had been suspended for the first two games of the season, was suspended for the entire season in accordance with the University alcohol policy.
While the loss of Oliver and Hebron hurt the defense, the offense faced a setback soon after when backup quarterback Blake Barnes and tight end Tripp Chandler were arrested for open container and other alcohol-related violations. Coach Mark Richt has since announced that both will be suspended from the first game of the season.
Freshman Caleb King and redshirt freshman NaDerris Ward also were arrested this summer for minor traffic violations, but neither player is expected to miss any playing time.
Since starting camp on Aug. 4, the team has had daily practice and several two-a-day practices. However, before fall camp began, the football team was in the news for both good and bad reasons.
On Wednesday, the team suspended Ramarcus Brown, a junior cornerback who started nine games last year, after he reportedly broke an undisclosed team rule.
Brown is the most recent Georgia football player who will sit out due to off-the-field incidents. At the beginning of fall training camp, Coach Mark Richt reported Ian Smith has ended his football career due to medical reasons. Smith, a redshirt sophomore from Cartersville, was already slated to miss the first five games of the season due to alcohol related arrests. Smith is not the only Bulldog to unexpectedly eave the team this summer.
At the beginning of the summer it was found out that starting cornerback Paul Oliver was academically ineligible and would not be able to participate in the 2007 season. Through a request with the NFL, Oliver was able to enter the supplemental draft and was picked up by the San Diego Chargers. Sophomore Asher Allen has stepped in and will most likely take over Oliver's starting role. Linebacker Akeem Hebron was arrested for the second time this spring for minor in possession of alcohol. Hebron, who already had been suspended for the first two games of the season, was suspended for the entire season in accordance with the University alcohol policy.
While the loss of Oliver and Hebron hurt the defense, the offense faced a setback soon after when backup quarterback Blake Barnes and tight end Tripp Chandler were arrested for open container and other alcohol-related violations. Coach Mark Richt has since announced that both will be suspended from the first game of the season.
Freshman Caleb King and redshirt freshman NaDerris Ward also were arrested this summer for minor traffic violations, but neither player is expected to miss any playing time.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
CoastalDawg
posted 8/16/07 @ 12:06 PM EST
'Tis better to discipline and deal with these minor offenses now and hopefully let the players know that their EVERY move is pretty much under scrutiny than to let them go and possibly move on toward more serious offenses. (Continued…)
MC
posted 8/16/07 @ 11:30 PM EST
Kudos to the R&B for being willing to cover things that are potentially embarrassing to the University, including this and also the drunk-driving SGA vice president. (Continued…)
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