Georgia collective fining players for driving violations

DALLAS — Georgia players are facing suspensions for driving violations, coach Kirby Smart confirmed on Tuesday, but there has been another internal punishment: fines via the program’s collective, which have been happening for a while, Smart said.

“Our Classic City Collective for over a year has been substantially fining guys for those things,” Smart said. “That’s not something that’s new. That’s something that’s been ongoing outside of my jurisdiction that they decided to implement and have done for a considerable amount.”

Georgia has continued to have problems with driving-related arrests, including two last week. Seven players have been arrested on driving-related charges since the January 2023 car crash that killed player Devin Willock and staff member Chandler LeCroy in which police found LeCroy had been drinking and racing with then-player Jalen Carter.

Safety David Daniel-Sisavanh, arrested on reckless driving in February, has been dismissed from the program for what Smart only would term a violation of team rules.

There have been speeding tickets and a staff member (Jarvis Jones) was arrested for speeding. Another player, Jamon Dumas-Johnson, was arrested last year for a street racing incident that happened before the crash.

Smart has declined to specify what the suspensions will be, only confirming them after the fact, such as last year when receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint was suspended for a speeding arrest. As this season approaches, running back Trevor Etienne (DUI) and linebacker Smael Mondon (reckless driving, racing) seem likely to face suspensions. But Smart said he would not publicize those suspensions in advance.

“I don’t necessarily think it’s right to go down to the town square and publicly shame kids when that happens,” Smart said. “They go through a lot, and there’s a lot of remorse from these young men who’ve made mistakes. But our job is to educate, continue to grow these young men.”

Still, given all the arrests, following a tragic car crash, how has an otherwise disciplined program failed to curtail this issue?

“It’s a great question,” Smart said. “I’d love every solution possible because we actually write down now every time we talk about it and every time we address it, and we have someone in every meeting that hears that, and before I came, it was like 162 times it’s been mentioned.

“But if people go say, ‘Well, it falls on deaf ears, you got to have discipline, you’ve got to discipline someone.’ 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 find them because these fines have been substantial, and it’ll make you think twice about the mistakes you make.”

Georgia has used what Smart called proactive education, such as defensive driving courses. But Smart also defended the discipline process.

“As far as I know there’s not one team in the country that’s ever suspended a player for traffic violations, which that’s what Marcus Rosemy got suspended for,” Smart said. “I don’t know if anybody’s ever kicked somebody off the team for that. And we have that. And we’re going to continue to be proactive. It’s repeated behaviors that will get you dismissed. Repeated poor behaviors and poor decisions. In some cases, we have repeated behaviors, and in some cases, we have guys that make mistakes, and we’re going to punish them.”

Senior quarterback Carson Beck, famously the driver of a Lamborghini, was asked if “driving a fast car” sent the wrong message. Beck took umbrage at that.

“Let’s clarify: I don’t like fast cars. But I like cars. Obviously, yes my car is fast, 100 percent, but I don’t drive like an idiot,” Beck said. “Obviously, it’s funny to talk about, but it’s been a serious issue on our team. But also we have hundreds of players, and a large percentage of our guys are very focused and very on top of that. But obviously there are guys who have made mistakes, and there are consequences for that. …

“Obviously with the tragedy that happened two years ago, that’s the biggest thing, is guys realizing to be intentional in the moment. … It doesn’t matter if you get there five minutes early, it’s not going to change anything. Slow down, and follow the rules.”

(Photo of Kirby Smart: Kirby Lee / USA Today)