GEORGIA GRAPPLES WITH DRIVING VIOLATIONS AS SMART SAYS PLAYERS ARE BEING FINED FROM NIL PAYMENTS
DALLAS (AP) — Georgia players who have been arrested or cited for driving violations have been disciplined with suspensions and fines through the collective that provides name, image and likeness payments to the school’s athletes, coach Kirby Smart said Tuesday.
Football players at the school have been involved in 24 driving-related violations (DUI, reckless driving or speeding), The Atlanta-Journal Constitution has reported, including a crash that killed a player and a recruiting staffer in January 2023.
“The incidents that have been happening off the field are not something we condone,” Smart told a small group of reporters before taking the stage at SEC Media Days. “It’s very unfortunate, disappointing, I guess is the best word.”
Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy were killed in a car crash in Jan. 15, 2023, just days after the Bulldogs won the national title game.
Police said LeCroy had a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit and was racing another Georgia player, Jalen Carter, at about 104 mph when the SUV swerved off the road and struck two utility poles and a tree before slamming into another tree on the driver’s side, where both LeCroy and Willock were sitting.
Last week, Georgia linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. was arrested on reckless driving charges and defensive back Demello Jones was cited for street racing in Athens, Georgia.
On March 24, Athens-Clarke County police arrested running back Trevor Etienne on charges of drunken driving, failure to maintain a lane or improper driving as well as affixing materials that reduce visibility through the windows or windshield.
The DUI charges against Etienne, a transfer from Florida, were dismissed Wednesday during a hearing in Athens-Clarke County Municipal Court when he pleaded no contest to reckless driving, underage possession of alcohol and two other driving offenses.
“I always talk about processing outcomes in wins and losses. We try not to base things on outcomes. In this case, the outcomes are very disappointing,” Smart said.
Georgia announced Tuesday that safety David Daniel-Sisavanh has been dismissed from the team. The senior was charged with reckless driving in Atlanta in February after leading police on a pursuit.
Smart declined to reveal other specific punishments for specific players, but he did say that receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint was suspended last season for a traffic violation.
“We don’t talk about the suspensions; we have them,” Smart said. “I think it’s pretty obvious that we’ve done them in the past. You guys know when we do them, but each of those cases are very different, and they’ll be handled in different ways.”
Smart also said players have been fined from the Classic City Collective for breaking the law, which is part of the contract players enter into with the organization. He called the fines substantial but did not give details.
“That’s something that’s been ongoing outside of my jurisdiction that they decided to implement and have done for a considerable amount,” Smart told reporters.
Smart said the school and program have aggressively tried to address the dangers of not being responsible behind the wheel with players through education, citing 162 instances in which the team has heard from coaches, administrators and speakers.
“But if people go say, ‘Well, it falls on deaf ears, you got to have discipline, you’ve got to discipline someone,’” Smart said. “Well, we have, and we will continue to do so. If the actions require that, we’ll do what’s necessary to do that. But I do think the effective way in curtailing some things is when you go to their wallet and you fine them because these fines have been substantial, and it’ll make you think twice about the mistakes you make.”
QB CARSON BECK BRINGS CALM TO STORM AWAITING GEORGIA IN 2024
There is comfort knowing what you have at quarterback, and Georgia coach Kirby Smart can only smile at just how settled the Bulldogs are at the position entering the 2024 season.
Carson Beck started every game last season, ending an apprenticeship behind Stetson Bennett, and went undefeated in the regular season to establish himself as the No. 1 quarterback for the Bulldogs.
“The day and age when you go somewhere and you jump school to school, it’s a popular trend. This kid stuck it out,” Smart said at SEC Media Days in Dallas on Tuesday. “He didn’t get the starting job in a tough moment when the starter went down, and he lost the starting job to Stetson Bennett the week of the UAB game two years ago, and then said, ‘You know what? I’m sticking with it. I’m going to persevere. I am going to show resiliency,’ which is one of our core traits, and he did that. He was able to monetize that as well by staying and succeeding where his feet are.
“He is a great elder for us and a great example of resiliency in college football. Please visit with him today, as he’s one of the leaders of our team.”
Beck is listed among Heisman Trophy favorites by oddsmakers and college football analysts, with NFL pundits counting him as one of the early potential possibilities for the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft.
Beck’s only loss last season — 27-24 to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game — might be the one he and some critics point to entering the 2024 season, where Georgia is again predicted to be the SEC favorite and a College Football Playoff frontrunner.
But Smart said one of the primary themes he’s preaching to the Bulldogs entering fall camp came from an offseason study of Nike’s success story.
“One of the first things we studied was the belief of assume nothing. I think that’s so important in football, because when you assume something or you assume you know someone or that you know somebody’s name that you’re in the room with, you can take things for granted,” Smart said. “Just like starting over from a previous year, assume nothing. Assume nothing. Start from ground zero and build the team different than every other team; Nike did that. Assume nothing. Where does a name come from? If you assume you know everybody’s name you may not know what that name means.”
Georgia is a name everyone knows in college football and on the 2024 schedule, which sets up as a minefield for the Bulldogs right out of the gate against Clemson. They’ll also take the show on the road for most of their anticipated key matches this season, playing at Ole Miss, Alabama, Texas and Kentucky.
“Initially I was wondering how I got that draw, but we’re not one to complain,” Smart said. “We’re one to be excited. I think when you step into the shoes of a University of Georgia football player, you accept that challenge is going to be there.
“I mean, we kind of embrace that and we love it.”
Especially on the road, there is comfort in college football in knowing you have a battle-tested quarterback.
Beck credited his offensive line for keeping him healthy and boosting his confidence last season. When he glances back, he sees a totally different quarterback than the one who put two feet on the ground in Dallas on Tuesday.
“As far as the quarterback goes, I think over the course of last year, if you go look at Game 1 and then you look at Game 14, it’s not even the same quarterback,” said Beck. “Making the decision to come back this year, I’m excited to see what the progression from Game 15 to whatever X amount of games we might play this year is going to look like. Each game more confidence gets built, and that repetition continues to happen, you just become more comfortable within your offense and with your teammates and during the game. Very excited to see that progression continue to unfold.”
One of those teammates, redshirt freshman offensive lineman Kelton Smith Jr., will not be on the field with Beck and the Bulldogs. The school announced Tuesday that the former four-star prospect from Columbus, Ga., will no longer play football due to a pre-existing medical condition.
5-STAR POTENTIAL: OKLAHOMA QB JACKSON ARNOLD AND TENNESSEE QB NICO IAMALEAVA ARE SEC WILD CARDS
DALLAS (AP) — Southeastern Conference quarterbacks fall into a few categories this year.
There are the cover boys: Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Georgia’s Carson Beck and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe who are all featured on the deluxe version of the new EA Sports College Football video game.
The experienced entrenched starters: Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart, Missouri’s Brady Cook and Florida’s Graham Mertz are in that group.
There are the new transfers such as Taylen Green at Arkansas and Brock Vandagriff at Kentucky and high-upside veterans like LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and Texas A&M’s Conner Weigman, who have shown glimpses of star potential.
And then there are maybe the biggest wild cards, a couple of former five-stars who have been handed the reins to blue blood programs: Oklahoma’s Jackson Arnold and Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava have the potential to turn their teams into College Football Playoff contenders.
The Sooners made their SEC Media Days debut on Tuesday and Arnold was the main attraction, drawing a three-deep crowd of reporters around his dais.
“What I feel best about and have the most peace about is his ability to be able to handle the highs and the lows, the challenges, the success, the failure that a season will bring you,” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said. “Nobody is more competent or more ready, even though he’s a young player, and we’ve got to, in some ways, be the headlights for him.”
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel decided to leave his first-year starter at home, but don’t mistake that for a lack of confidence for Iamaleava.
“We want him to hit the ground running,” Heupel said. “He’s a young quarterback. Played really well in the bowl game. He’s going to continue to grow. Through all of his experiences here throughout the course of the season, he’s only going to continue to get better from all of those. But we expect him to play at a really high level from the very beginning, and we need that from him.”
The excitement among Volunteers fans about the Long Beach, California, quarterback was stoked by his performance in a 35-0 victory against a strong Iowa defense in the Citrus Bowl.
“I think it’s built a little bit of aura of confidence around him,” Tennessee center Cooper Mays said.
The 6-foot-6 Iamaleava ran for three touchdowns and threw a TD pass against the Hawkeyes.
“I knew he could throw it. I just didn’t realize he had as much twitch as he does,” former Alabama quarterback and ESPN analyst Greg McElroy said. “And for a guy that’s that long, I didn’t anticipate that type of quickness and lateral agility, so that was surprising. Really bullish on his potential.”
Heupel said Iamaleava has a magnetic personality that has made his transition to team leader smooth.
“He’s a humble guy, humble kid, you know, a guy that came in ready to work … and just was picking everybody’s brain,” Mays said. “And for a kid to come out of high school like that, five-star, whatever many followers on Instagram. People probably aren’t that humble. And that’s a kid that came in and was ready to go and ready to work.”
Arnold also started a bowl game last season after Dillon Gabriel read the room in Norman, Oklahoma, and went back into the transfer portal. Gabriel will be QB1 at Oregon.
The Sooners got a look at their future against Arizona in the Alamo Bowl and it was a wild ride. Arnold threw for 361 yards and two touchdowns, but also had three passes intercepted in a 38-24 loss to the Wildcats.
Arnold, from Denton, Texas, said the experience helped boost his confidence while also giving him a dose of reality.
“The turnovers are unacceptable, especially coming into the SEC,” he said.
Arnold spent the offseason trying to assert himself on the field and off.
“I think my biggest part of leadership that I focused on this offseason was being a vocal leader, stepping up through conditioning or working out or whatever. Just being vocal for those guys and picking them up,” he said.
Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman is bought in. The senior said he worked out with the offense early Tuesday before leaving for media days and was impressed with how Arnold was first in the gym and the first guy to speak up.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s everything that we need,” Stutsman said.
Arnold and Iamaleava meet Sept. 21 when the SEC era at Oklahoma begins with a home game against Tennessee.
BRANDON AIYUK REQUESTS TRADE FROM 49ERS, AP SOURCE SAYS
Brandon Aiyuk has requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers because the two sides haven’t made progress on a new contract, a person familiar with the star wide receiver’s decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because contract discussions are private. NFL Network first reported Aiyuk’s request for a trade.
Aiyuk is scheduled to make $14.1 million this season in the final year of his rookie contract. The 2020 first-round pick was a second-team All-Pro last season when he had 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns.
The 49ers dealt with a trade request from another star wideout, Deebo Samuel, in 2022. Samuel ended up getting a $71.5 million, three-year deal with $58.1 million guaranteed.
Aiyuk has thrived in San Francisco’s offense since Brock Purdy became the starting quarterback. He has eight 100-yard receiving games in 26 games catching passes from Purdy. Aiyuk had three 100-yard receiving games in 45 games with other QBs.
The NFC champions selected wide receiver Ricky Pearsall from Florida with the 31st pick in the draft.
BEARS WR ROME ODUNZE SIGNS 4-YEAR, $22.7M DEAL
Wide receiver Rome Odunze signed his four-year rookie contract with the Chicago Bears on Tuesday.
All contracts involving first-round selections include a fifth-year team option. He will receive approximately $22.7 million fully guaranteed and a $13.3 million signing bonus, per Spotrac.
Odunze was selected by the Bears with the ninth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Washington. He is set to join Keenan Allen and D.J. Moore atop Chicago’s wide receiver ranks.
Odunze, 22, recorded 92 receptions for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns in his final season with the Huskies. His yardage total led all FBS receivers and were the most in school history as Washington finished runner-up in the College Football Playoff after losing to Michigan in the national title game.
In four seasons at Washington, Odunze had 214 receptions for 3,272 yards and 24 touchdowns.
BEARS AGREE TO DEAL WITH QUARTERBACK CALEB WILLIAMS, AP SOURCE SAYS; RECEIVER ROME ODUNZE SIGNED
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears locked in their top two rookies on Tuesday, agreeing to four-year contracts with No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams and No. 9 selection Rome Odunze and avoiding any training camp drama with their prized quarterback and receiver.
A person familiar with the deal confirmed the agreement with Williams to The Associated Press. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the contract. Williams gets a slotted $39.49 million fully guaranteed deal, with a $25.5-million signing bonus.
The Bears announced Odunze signed. The club has options for 2028 on both players.
Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner, is widely viewed as a generational talent. The Bears are banking on him to become the sort of franchise quarterback Chicago has craved for decades.
Williams put up huge numbers in college, with 93 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions during three seasons at Oklahoma and Southern California. He followed coach Lincoln Riley from Norman to Los Angeles and threw for 72 TDs and just 10 interceptions in two years with the Trojans.
In Chicago, he has two veteran playmaking receivers in DJ Moore and six-time Pro Bowler Keenan Allen, in addition to Odunze, who starred at Washington.
Odunze played four seasons with the Huskies and was an All-American last year when he led the nation with a school-record 1,640 yards. Washington advanced to the national championship game, losing to Michigan. Odunze had 3,272 yards receiving and 24 touchdown receptions in his college career.
Bears rookies were due to report for training camp on Tuesday, with veterans arriving on Friday. The first practice is Saturday.
Chicago has just three playoff appearances since the 2006 team reached the Super Bowl, and failed to advance in the postseason twice in that span. The Bears are 10-24 in two seasons under general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus. But they see themselves as a playoff contender after going from three wins in 2022 to finishing 7-10 last season.
PATRIOTS RECEIVER WON’T FACE PROSECUTION OVER ONLINE GAMBLING WHILE AT LSU
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte will not be prosecuted on charges related to illegal online gaming that police said took place while he was underage and still a player at Louisiana State University, a Baton Rouge prosecutor said Tuesday.
First Assistant District Attorney Tracey Barbera said the decision was made in part because Boutte has completed a “gambling awareness” mitigation program. Barbera also stressed that Boutte did not bet against himself or his team — and that his conduct did not cause others financial losses.
“Betting against himself would be the only way that he could control the bet,” Barbera told The Associated Press. “He can guarantee a dropped ball, but he can’t guarantee a reception or a touchdown.”
Boutte also has agreed to a ban from gaming in Massachusetts and on the FanDuel and BET99 online sites.
“In light of his mitigatory actions, we do not believe a felony prosecution is appropriate,” said Barbera, who also praised the Louisiana State Police investigation which led to the charges.
The NFL still could choose to suspend or fine Boutte, but that remains unclear.
“We have been following developments in the matter, which remains under review,” the NFL said Tuesday in a statement provided by league spokesman Brian McCarthy. “He may continue to participate in all team activities.”
The Patriots declined to comment on Tuesday’s development.
Boutte was arrested in January after state police said he created an online betting account under a fake name and placed thousands of illegal bets, including 17 on NCAA games, six involving LSU games — and even bet on himself in one game. Those bets violated state laws against bets being placed by a “prohibited player.”
A native of New Iberia and a graduate of Westgate High School, Boutte spent three years with LSU as a wide receiver, appearing in 27 games with 21 starts.
Boutte was selected in the sixth round of the NFL draft by the Patriots in 2023.
He played sparingly as a rookie last season, appearing in only five games and catching two passes for 19 yards. He is expected to be in tough competition to make the Patriots’ roster when they open training camp next week.
Boutte was in attendance during the Patriots’ offseason working program this spring. Coach Jerod Mayo said in May that they were waiting to see what, if anything, the NFL had to say about his case.
“Right now, he is out here. We will wait to hear from the league going forward, but he’s out here,” Mayo said. “He is doing a good job for us.”
TRAINING CAMP QUESTIONS: HOUSTON TEXANS
Turnarounds are a thing of the past for the Houston Texans.
That’s the message from second-year head coach DeMeco Ryans as the AFC South champions race into training camp as the first of the NFL’s 32 teams to report for the start of formal preparations for the 2024 season.
Ryans’ first season in Houston couldn’t have gone much better.
Houston went three seasons without a playoff appearance, spanning three coaches, 38 losses and almost 1,500 days, before Ryans and rookies C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. altered the direction the Texans with a division title and wild-card playoff win over the Cleveland Browns.
Ryans wasn’t content with the breakthrough.
Houston kept adding with aggressive moves from the front office to follow up general manager Nick Caserio’s swings — and big hits — that helped land quarterback Stroud and defensive end Anderson with back-to-back picks in the 2023 draft. The Texans acquired wide receiver Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills and signed former Vikings edge rusher Danielle Hunter as the headline moves designed to help Houston keep its arrow pointing upward.
Houston’s early report date is the byproduct of being featured in the annual preseason kickoff game in Canton, the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 1. The Texans face the Chicago Bears, whose veterans report Friday.
A former linebacker at Alabama and with the Texans, Ryans said he still gets first-day-of-school vibes when camp starts.
“To start back from ground zero, I love that,” Ryans said. “Going back to our Day 1 fundamentals, installs, and seeing guys truly grow and seeing how far we can get before the Hall of Fame Game, see our young players get better and compete against each other. That’s what I enjoy most.”
Ryans said he helped counter some of the hyperbole in Houston this offseason by sharing a few statistical facts and self-witnessed realities of the NFL.
He said he told player, “I know we won some games, but guys, look, we had 10 games within one score, and these games were down to the wire and we had to find a way at the end.’ That doesn’t change. That’s the NFL.”
–Here are three training camp questions for the Texans:
1. Will there be enough targets to go around with the addition of WR Stefon Diggs?
Diggs was traded out of Buffalo because of a beefy contract — which Houston restructured to allow Diggs to enter free agency in 2025 — and a bristly personality that former quarterback Josh Allen dismissed as competitiveness.
Diggs was targeted 160 times last season (and 154 in 2022) but still wanted the ball more when it mattered. Nico Collins was the No. 1 target in Houston last season and led the team with 109 targets.
Stroud was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year because he was insanely accurate and efficient. He threw only five interceptions (three came in one game) by not forcing the ball and gaining early mastery of offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s system. A vocal veteran demanding the ball isn’t a concern for Ryans, he insists, but will Stroud respond otherwise in the heat of the battle?
2. Is there a star on the roster deserving of more attention?
Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. began to live up to the billing as a blue-chip talent last season and only seems to be hindered by durability questions. When he’s on the field, he’s an elite playmaker. Note his December production, when Stingley was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month with 19 tackles, nine passes denied, three interceptions and a tackle for loss. Working against receivers Collins, Diggs and Tank Dell on a daily basis shouldn’t hold him back.
3. C.J. Stroud was sacked multiple times in 10 of his 15 games played as a rookie. Can this become worrisome for the Texans?
Stroud missed two games with a concussion last season, but following a dreadful start for the offensive line, the Texans were better than average in pass protection. Stroud was sacked 11 times in his first two NFL games and that was well before the Texans turned to a heavier dose of play-action. Adding Diggs as a reliable slot option and increased usage of tight ends all helped calm the heat in the pocket.
Remember, Slowik came with Ryans from the San Francisco 49ers and his approach won’t be entirely predictable. But he does want to lean more heavily on power, and give the ball to the running back, to keep defenses guessing.
When teams went hyper-aggressive last season, Stroud won consistently.
See the wild-card playoff victory over the Browns, when Stroud was 5-for-5 against the blitz for 126 yards and a touchdown for a perfect 158.3 passer rating.