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Sunday, April 18, 2010

Mettenberger Dismissed from Team

(Updated, 8:15 PM)

Fans were waiting for Georgia to release an official post-spring depth chart to find out who the front-runner for the vacant starting quarterback job would be. What they got was a stunning announcement from the school that redshirt freshman quarterback Zach Mettenberger had been dismissed from the program.

One month after being arrested in Remerton on charges of underage consumption of alcohol and possession of false identification, the school released a brief statement Sunday saying that Mettenberger had been dismissed from the program due to a violation of team rules.

Head coach Mark Richt had said throughout the spring that Mettenberger would face a minimum of a one-game suspension for the arrest in Remerton, but had failed to set a specific timetable on when the quarterback might return to action. Georgia sports information director Claude Felton confirmed Sunday that the dismissal did not stem from a new incident or arrest involving Mettenberger. Felton said Richt informed Mettenberger of the decision Sunday and was unlikely to make additional public comments on the quarterback's situation in the near future.

While the dismissal means Mettenberger’s career at Georgia will end without him ever taking the field in a game, it also means the competition for the starting quarterback job in the fall will have a much different look than was expected.

Mettenberger was seen as the most likely challenger for fellow redshirt freshman Aaron Murray in the race to land the starting job, and the battle only appeared to intensify after last week’s G-Day game that wrapped up spring practice.

Mettenberger completed 6-of-10 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns in the game, while Murray struggled, connecting on just 8-of-19 passes for 96 yards and an interception. Logan Gray, the third quarterback in the race, was 10-of- 17 for 132 yards and a touchdown.

With Mettenberger gone, Murray would appear to have the inside track on the starting job in the fall, with Gray still a legitimate candidate. Lassiter High School quarterback Hutson Mason is scheduled to arrive in Athens in June with the rest of the Bulldogs’ incoming freshmen to add another name to the depth chart.

A graduate of Oconee County High School in Watkinsville, Mettenberger redshirted last season but had made impressive strides in the past year and posted the best scrimmage stats of the spring. Following his arrest in early March, however, he was barred from any contact with media.

An official depth chart is expected to be released sometime this week, but Felton said it would not be in the next several days.

Here's the full release from the school...

University of Georgia redshirt freshman quarterback Zach Mettenberger has been dismissed from the Bulldog football team according to a Sunday announcement by UGA head coach Mark Richt.

According to Richt, the dismissal is a result of violation of team rules.

A graduate of Oconee County High School in Watkinsville, Ga., Mettenberger had been issued a minimum one-game suspension by Richt following an alcohol-related arrest in March.

14 comments:

Jperez said...

Well at least now I have nothing getting in the way of my man crush on Aaron Murray.

Anonymous said...

wow!

Anonymous said...

God forbid Logan or Aaron get drunk. Sucks to be a college kid AND have to play football, huh.

Anonymous said...

Anon 6:02,
From what I understand there may or may not be more serious charges coming. In either case, the facts have made it to the coaches and that is why he was dismissed. I'm also told he lied to the coaches about the incident which contributed to his dismissing. It wasn't just him having a few beers and shooting off his mouth at a bar.

Anonymous said...

this kid just make sure he will never get a big pro paycheck

stupid stupid and more stupid

boy had the big arm and big body that could have developed to big time qb instead of a dumb dumb kid

georgia is snake bit and murray is ok but will not be able to bring home all the bacon throwing over his recievers but we will have to wish him best of luck and hope he can get better

logan is a nice fellow who tries hard but just not able to play qb at this level
he should have been given a chance to go to another position but now he is the only backup and i fear sometime during the season he will be needed
i just hope the fans do not critize him too much becasue richt should have groomed someone else

i have less faith in richt now than ever except he is a decent man but no saban nor lombardi

Anonymous said...

one other item from post #5

forgive the kid and forget him

his mother will not be happy and that is enough punishment instead of us fans throwing stones

ColumbiaDawg said...

I had the same thought as Anonymous 6:03PM. Mettenberger was not entirely honest with the coaches, and it has now come back to bite him.

Anonymous said...

Wow. He must have done something more than have a beer. Does this mean he's gone forever or will he be like Odell Thurmon and be allowed to come back if he behaves himself?

Anonymous said...

Mett probably lied about some aspect of the incident. After Montez, it's probably "zero tolerance".

JasonC said...

I can't tell if this is just poorly worded, "i have less faith in richt now than ever except he is a decent man but no saban nor lombardi" or just plain ignorance.

Anonymous said...

I agree that there is more to this story than just a kid having a beer and a fake ID running his mouth. Nonetheless, he is young and I am sure someone will give him a second chance, I hope he makes the most of it. On another note, it is totally ridiculous to conclude that this kid was our only hope and that Murray will never be able to bring home the bacon based on one damn g-day game, come on get real.

Anonymous said...

richt needs to explain in full what the real reasons were

until then he lost us fans a potential all pro qb

drinking is not reason to lose this guy

too many people are accussed of crimes they did not do

the kid is not mike tyson
if he is odell then let richt tell us straight

Anonymous said...

As far as you "Richt" needs to explain himself or he's no "so and so". GIVE ME A BREAK. And for you AM isn't as good a Mett crowd? LMFAO!!!!.
Mett ain't in the same league as AM, but don't believe me, watch it unfold in the fall. You will see and believe.

William Neilson Jr. said...

Stories of Mett's immaturity were well-known by most around the team

Anyone who read his facebook page saw how disgusting he could be MOST of the time

Anyone who saw him at UGA games during his senior year in high school saw how immature he was running around doing idiotic things.