Richt: 'Anybody is innocent, unless there's some proof'

Mark Richt does not know much about Auburn’s backup quarterback. The Georgia head coach said he and his staff have no expectation other than Cameron Newton being under center for the Tigers on Saturday.

“This thing with Auburn in particular, I mean there’s nothing that’s been proven, that’s been done, that’s been inappropriate in any way. But it’s just amazing the amount of noise there is around it,” Richt said. “That’s the thing about it, whether somebody does it or not, there’s just a lot of attention put on things that are accusations that may or may not be true. I’m not even talking about this one in particular.

"Someone gets accused of something, and it’s like a bomb goes off. Whether or not it’s true, and I don’t know if some people care if it’s true or not, they’re gonna sensationalize it, and make a bit deal of it.””

Georgia went through this a couple months ago with A.J. Green, who was suspended four games for selling his jersey for $1,000. Given the harshness of that penalty, Richt was asked if he felt it would be unfair to be playing against a quarterback with a pending investigation over something more serious.

“I think anybody is innocent, unless there’s some proof that they’re guilty,” Richt said. “So that’s America. That’s how we’re trying to operate. That’s the way we should operate.”

Richt brought up Green’s circumstance: He alluded to the “young man from North Carolina,” (Marvin Austin) tweeting about being in Miami. And then it led to the question of whether Green was there, for reasons Richt still isn’t sure.

Newton’s reputation already appears to be taking a hit, whether the accusations are true or not. Richt was asked if he felt Green’s had taken a hit too.

“I think there’s a lot of people out there who would sympathize with what happened,” Richt said. “I don’t think anybody agrees with breaking the rules. I don’t think, it put a little dent in him, but I don’t think it’ll be very long-lasting at all.”