Georgia football coach Kirby Smart admits frustrations over Bulldogs’ dangerous driving habits

George Kirby, Georgia’s football coach, says he is “still struggling” with the challenge of slowing down his players on the road after the Jan. 15 crash that killed a player and recruiting coordinator, as well as 11 other traffic reports.

“I wish we could avoid the speed issues and learn from the horrific tragic event,” Smart said Tuesday. “I still struggle with that. As staff, we talk about all the things we can do.”

Smart has led Georgia to back-to-back national championships for the first time in school history, but the off-season has been marred by off-field issues, including a string of reckless driving and speeding tickets, as well as outgoing quarterback Stetson Bennett IV’s arrest for public intoxication on January 28.

Just hours after the Bulldogs celebrated their final title with a parade and ceremony at Sanford Stadium, a January 15 crash dramatically changed the tone of the offseason. An offensive lineman, Devin Willock, and a recruiting staffer, 24-year-old Chandler LeCroy, were killed in a crash after LeCroy and defensive tackle Jalen Carter raced for hours after the celebration.

Carter was placed on 12 months’ probation and fined $1,000 after pleading no contest to charges of reckless driving and racing. Carter was Philadelphia’s No. 9 overall pick in the NFL draft a month later.

The crash in January killed football player Devin Willock and staffer Chandler LeCroy of Georgia

Last week, wide receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint had a reckless driving charge dismissed when he pleaded guilty to speeding. He was charged with driving at 90 mph in a 45-mph zone in Athens in May and received six months’ probation and a fine of more than $1,000.

Also last week, freshman outside linebacker Samuel M’Pemba, who signed up in January, was charged by the Oconee County Sherriff’s Office for driving at 88 mph in a 55-mph zone.

Smart said he is always worried about his players, especially in the off-season, but added: “I would say it was more difficult this year. … It’s been a really tough off-season, if you want to know the truth, because of the way it started and the way it started. That has been extremely hard, I know, for our staff and our players.’

Speaking at a media briefing Tuesday, smart athletic director Josh Brooks and others countered a report that the athletic department is offering automatic support to players accused of sexual misconduct, including a freshman accused of a sex offense during a recruiting trip who went uncharged and later signed with Georgia.

Members of the Georgia football program are involved in at least 10 reported traffic-related traffic violations in Athens-Clarke County since a fatal accident on Jan. 15 (pictured)

Philadelphia Eagles pick Jalen Carter was booked for reckless driving in Athens in March

Carter had previously been pulled over by police and given a speeding warning

When asked if he was motivated to talk to reporters so he could protect recruiting interests, Smart said, “This had nothing to do with recruiting for us. It had to do with allegations that we think are sensational or inaccurate when you talk about rallying around people accused of sexual misconduct. You’re not going to sit back and stand and take it.”

While he suggested there could be changes in how he handles driving issues with his players, he said no change is needed in the reporting of sexual abuse.

“When we talk about sexual misconduct, it’s flat out: You’re out, you’re out of here,” Smart said.

In the wake of the tragedy, head coach Kirby Smart claimed the program called in police last summer to talk to players about road safety.

However, despite words from the police and the tragic events in January, the players seem not to have learned their lesson.

Freshman linebacker Samuel M’Pemba (left) was charged by the Oconee County Sherriff’s Office for driving at 88 mph in a 55-mph zone. Last week, wide receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint (right) had a reckless driving charge dismissed when he pleaded for speeding

In fact, the incidents involving the school’s football players date back to 2021, and the report adds that they have been involved in at least 60 other offenses since the start of the 2021 academic year, including speeding, distracted and reckless driving and ignoring road signs. .

About 30 of those violations are said to have occurred since last summer, when police allegedly met with the team.

A report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution supported ESPN’s findings, claiming that since Smart took charge of the team in 2015, Georgia players have been charged with traffic violations nearly 300 times.

Georgia isn’t the only SEC football team to face off-season legal trouble.

Alabama football player Tony Mitchell was clocked fleeing Florida police at 140 mph before being arrested in March with $7,000, 226 grams of marijuana and a loaded handgun in his Dodge Challenger. He has since pleaded guilty to possession of more than 20 grams of cannabis.

He received 100 hours of community service and paid a $1,560 fine.

Police said Mitchell admitted last week to being “on the run from law enforcement” after his passenger, Christopher Lewis, told him to “hit it” – ostensibly a directive to evade officers.

Tony Mitchell (pictured) was arrested in March and charged with possession of marijuana

The Holmes County Police Department has released a photo of the evidence they say they recovered from the car

He was suspended from the Alabama team after the arrest, but Mitchell’s father, Tony Mitchell Sr., posted on Facebook last week that the defense had been reinstated.

The Holmes County Sheriff’s Office arrested Mitchell and Lewis for possession of marijuana with intent to sell or deliver it, according to a post on the department’s Facebook page.

In addition, Lewis was charged with carrying an unlicensed concealed handgun.

Deputies initially tried to stop Mitchell when he was caught going 80 mph in a 55 mph zone, but when the officers turned on their sirens, the freshman’s defense sped up to 140 mph, according to a police report obtained by AL. com.