The University of Georgia didn’t help its cause for a trouble-free offseason earlier this week when it announced the suspensions of three UGA players for an undisclosed violation of team rules. Justin Houston (DE), Bruce Figgins (TE) and Tony Wilson (WR) were the three Bulldogs in question.
Figgins, who is recovering from shoulder surgery is suspended for six games since this is his second violation, Houston for two and Wilson will miss suspension as he is close to being medically disqualified from competition after suffering a severe ankle injury in 2008. Had Wilson been healthy, he would have been suspended for two games as well.
The UGA Athletic Association has not disclosed what team rule the players violated, although ESPN has an article on their website claiming it was a failed drug test that lead to the suspensions. However, nothing of that sort has been confirmed and should be taken as merely rumors.
What is confirmed however, is that losing all three of those players hurts the Bulldogs significantly. UGA now only has one healthy scholarship DE while others recover from their various injuries, and TE is now a position that lacks significant depth as well. With the departure of Wilson, that leaves UGA with only six scholarship WRs, meaning both true freshmen Rantavious Woodson and Marlon Brown should see the field this year. At TE, Orson Charles and Arthur Lynch should both count on playing time as well. Defensive End is one position that could shake out in UGA’s favor as most of the DE corps will be healthy by fall and UGA is counting on a couple of true freshman to fill gaps in there as well.
Aside from the sting of losing key players on both sides of the ball, the suspensions are a gigantic black eye to the program, which was professing a strong attention to keeping off the field issues this year to a bare minimum. UGA is still in better shape than they were last year, but with school just now getting out for the summer, it’s not off to a good start for the Dawgs.
Comments
Sucks, huh? I've known about the suspensions for a few days, but they are being really close with *why* ... "team rules" ... could be anything, but must be something significant for the suspensions ... I don't know anything beyond the rumors myself, and don't trust those ... but, hey, the UGA Court Dogs--men and ladies--are taking the NCAA Tennis Championships by storm! :D
Yeah, I got the breaking news via some people I have "in the know" but I hesitated to publish anything before it was confirmed. I hate the unnamed sources thing.
Excellent work on the Tennis & Baseball coverage by the way!
Yeah this is too bad. Dawg players need to keep their noses clean they play for the best team in the world!
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