"Disappointed": Georgia HC Kirby Smart reacts to the arrest of two Bulldogs players for driving-related offenses 

Kirby Smart addressed the latest series of Georgia football players getting arrested for driving-related charges. Sophomore receiver Nitro Tuggle and freshman offensive lineman Marques Easley were apprehended last week on separate days for driving offenses.

The coach took swift disciplinary action on the development, announcing the indefinite suspension of the two players at a crucial period in the spring practice. Smart also poured out his feelings on the recurrent off-field issue within the program, creating significant concern.

“Disappointed, obviously, in those two young men and the decision-making process for each one," Smart said during a spring camp press conference (Per On3). "Both of them are younger players and have made crucial mistakes.

“As far as the process we’ve followed, it’s not been several months, it’s been several years in terms of defensive driving courses, having players ride and learn how to drive – just like my two kids did – with a driver service.”

The recent arrests add to a troubling pattern, as more than two dozen Bulldogs players have been involved in similar incidents over the past two offseasons. These includes Jalen Carter, Aliou Bah, Marvin Jones Jr., Jamon Dumas-Johnson and De’Nylon Morrissette.

Kirby Smart discloses Georgia's efforts in putting an end to the driving incident

Kirby Smart made known the amount of effort the Georgia athletic department has made toward ensuring players get sensitized regarding driving-related offenses. However, these have failed to yield results as the program continues to record similar incidents every year.

“(Georgia athletic director) Josh Brooks has done a tremendous job meeting with every player, we’ve had several speakers come in, and we continue to educate and we’re not going to stop at that,” Smart said.

“It’s very unfortunate that one of those young men got his driver’s license within one month of that happening at 18 or 19 years old. It’s amazing how many kids come to school without a driver’s license. So it’s no excuse, but it’s one of those things that we’ll continue to educate and discipline our guys to try to correct it.”

This pattern of reckless driving gained heightened scrutiny following the devastating car crash in January 2023, which occurred just after Georgia’s national championship celebration. The tragic accident took the lives of offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy.