University of Georgia NCAA college football coach Mark Richt speaks to members of the media in Athens, Ga., in this file photo.HERE COMES MORE TROUBLEThe arrests Monday night of four Georgia football players, including starting safety Tray Matthews, on theft by deception charges continues a recent run of offseason mishaps. Some of the more notable ones:2013 — Kicker Marshall Morgan is suspended two games for boating under the influence, and safety Josh Harvey-Clemons is suspended one game for smoking marijuana.2012 — Safety Bacarri Rambo and inside linebacker Alec Ogletree receive four-game suspensions for marijuana-related incidents. Cornerback Sanders Commings is suspended two games for a domestic dispute. Cornerback Nick Marshall (dorm room theft) and tailback Isaiah Crowell (weapons possession charges that were later dropped) are among several dismissed from the program.2011 — Rambo is suspended for the opener for marijuana possession.2010 — Quarterback Zach Mettenberger is dismissed from the program and pleads guilty to misdemeanor sexual battery charges. Receiver A.J. Green is suspended four games after selling a jersey for $1,000.2009 — Marijuana-related incidents result in a two-game suspension for defensive end Justin Houston and a six-game suspension for tight end Bruce Figgins.2008 — Five players are suspended for the opener, including tackle Clint Boling (reckless driving) and linebacker Darius Dewberry (destruction of hospital property).
College football coaches often strive for balance, but Georgia’s Mark Richt found himself answering an equal number of off-the-field queries Tuesday evening after the Bulldogs opened spring practice.
Georgia’s first of 15 spring workouts occurred hours after four players — safety Tray Matthews, receiver Uriah LeMay and defensive linemen James DeLoach and Jonathan Taylor — were arrested Monday night on multiple charges of theft by deception. All four players were allowed to participate in the practice.
“We definitely wanted to focus on the excitement of the first day of spring ball,” Richt said in a news conference. “Obviously we had some guys who did some things that were foolish, and there will be consequences for that. I’m not ready to talk about that at this moment, but we’ve got a lot of guys who have been doing extremely well.
“We didn’t want to take away from the excitement of day one. It’s football again.”