ATLANTA – Reports of Georgia’s supposed culture problem were greatly exaggerated or pure fiction. Nothing but hot air, all that huff and puff about Georgia’s string of offseason arrests pointing to a program in disarray.
How to sum up Georgia’s culture? In a word: Winning.
Same as it’s been.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart opts for a different word to describe the health of his program’s culture.
“Awesome,” Smart said of Georgia’s culture, after his No. 1-ranked Bulldogs wrecked No. 14 Clemson 34-3 on Saturday.
Awesome second-half performance, too, inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Stop conflating Georgia football arrest record with culture
Speaking of fast cars, Georgia’s multi-year stretch of reckless and high-speed driving incidents are a serious matter. There’s nothing smart or safe about hopping behind the wheel of a road racer and driving like a fool.
But, what’s a Dodge Charger’s speedometer got to do with third-down execution?
I’ll sum it up like this: Arrests, bad. Georgia football, good. Very good.
The testosterone-fueled guy I’d want stopping an opponent in the red zone isn’t necessarily the same guy I’d desire behind the wheel of my postgame Uber.
The Bulldogs speed their way through the offseason, they navigate arrests, and then they perform as a united front and hammer opponents.
Georgia improved to 47-2 in its last 49 games.
Kirby Smart can discipline stupidity and still win
Smart’s chief responsibility is winning, but he can succeed while disciplining stupidity. That’s the beauty of building a roster full of blue-chippers.
Georgia, this offseason, dismissed wide receiver Rara Thomas after police arrested Thomas on multiple counts of family battery and a felony count of child cruelty.
Running back Trevor Etienne didn’t play Saturday after his summer arrest on suspicion of driving intoxicated. That DUI charge got dismissed when Etienne pleaded no contest to reckless driving and underage possession of alcohol.
Georgia’s discipline of Thomas and Etienne needed to happen. Young adults must learn actions have consequences. The worst of all came in 2023, when Georgia player Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy were killed0 in a high-speed crash. LeCroy was driving intoxicated.
Several of Etienne’s teammates also were arrested for driving incidents this offseason. With Etienne reduced to spectator status, Georgia still outmanned Clemson at every position.
Georgia’s performance suggested a program in bloom, not a program in turmoil.
There are those who’d like to believe a fairytale that model citizens make the best players. Reality is more complex for a sport with rosters numbering more than 100 athletes. Some star players would be worthy nominees for a citizenship award. Others make dumb decisions off the field. And some players are great fellas but couldn’t stop a blitzing linebacker with a club.
