Getty Image / Sean M. Haffey
On the field, the Georgia Bulldogs have been dominant in the last two seasons. They’re a remarkable 29-1 in that time, and have brought home-back-to-back national championships. Their dominance was shown when they beat TCU, 65-7, in the national championship game last year.
But, off the field, the Georgia Bulldogs have not been as good. The team has had a tumultuous offseason, with the standout event being the tragic death of Bulldog offensive lineman Devin Willock and staffer Chandler LeCroy in a car crash that involved top NFL prospect and current Philadelphia Eagle Jalen Carter.
And, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, players speeding or otherwise racking up traffic citations is a big problem in the program. Here is the article with more details.
Since Kirby Smart became Georgia’s head coach in late 2015, dozens of players have engaged in reckless, often lawless behavior that put them and others in jeopardy: excessive speeding, street racing and driving under the influence, among other offenses. Players have illegally brought weapons onto Georgia’s campus. They’ve gotten into bar fights. They’ve been charged with domestic violence and sexual assault.
But Smart almost always lets athletes continue playing despite their off-field transgressions. Suspensions are unusual, dismissals from the team even rarer.
Exactly how Smart punishes players is unclear. In one instance, in 2019, he ordered six players who had been arrested over the previous six weeks to run the steps of Sanford Stadium in front of a select audience of donors to Georgia’s athletics department. Otherwise, he routinely declines to disclose disciplinary actions after players break team rules or the law.
“Everybody wants to know what the punishment is,” Smart said after a recent string of arrests. “Well, the players know what the punishment is.”
This is not a good look for the Georgia Bulldogs, but the truth is, no one will care. As long as Kirby Smart keeps winning, this will be a necessary evil for Bulldogs fans.
Georgia will likely be the number one team in the country to open the season. They play the powerhouse UT-Martin in their opener.