ATLANTA – Former University of Georgia defensive back Otis Reese said he left the school because of racist treatment on campus, and he also accused coach Kirby Smart of manipulating him to continue playing for the Bulldogs last season after he expressed his intention to transfer.
Reese transferred to Ole Miss in January after two seasons at Georgia and is awaiting an NCAA ruling on his request for a waiver to play immediately for the program in its first season under coach Lane Kiffin.
Georgia, which is ranked fourth in the country and opens the season Saturday at Arkansas, denied the allegations and said it would share its full response to Reese’s waiver application if he is granted permission.
Reese posted a statement Tuesday night on Twitter expressing frustration that his waiver had yet to be granted. He addressed it to the NCAA, the Southeastern Conference and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.
The player said he decided to transfer because his 1 1/2 years at Georgia “took a devastating mental toll on me. From my first moment I stepped on campus, it was not what I expected. The racist events that I kept experiencing weighed on me heavily and seemed never-ending.”