Richt suspends Figgins, Houston

Georgia football coach Mark Richt on Saturday announced a six-game suspension for junior tight end Bruce Figgins and a two-game suspension for sophomore defensive end Justin Houston for violating team rules.

A third player, junior wide receiver Tony Wilson, also violated team rules but is in the process of being medically disqualified because of a slow recovery from an ankle injury he suffered last spring.

“I’m very disappointed in the poor judgment of these players,” Richt said. “They’ll have to pay an appropriate price, and I’m confident they will learn an important lesson from their mistake.”

The loss of Houston is the most substantial, considering Georgia’s lack of imposing end play last season and the way the 6-foot-3, 264-pounder from Statesboro performed this spring. In the final two scrimmages, which included the G-Day game April 11, Houston totaled five sacks and returned an interception of quarterback Joe Cox 30 yards for a touchdown.

Figgins made two starts last season but missed spring practice after undergoing shoulder surgery in January. He was expected to compete with sophomore Aron White for the starting tight end job in preseason camp.

Any offseason suspensions in Athens are more notable this year, as the Bulldogs open at Oklahoma State, host South Carolina and then travel to Arkansas.

Wilson’s departure leaves the Bulldogs with only four healthy scholarship receivers for the 2009 season. Georgia signed receivers Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten, and tight end signee Orson Charles could play receiver as well.