ESPN reveals the biggest question surrounding Georgia at SEC media days
Georgia has some questions going into the 2023 season, despite being two-time defending national champions.
ESPN revealed its questions around the SEC as the conference goes into Media Days. Georgia might be more concerned about what’s going on away from the games themselves though.
The biggest question is how Georgia will answer the off-the-field questions. But first, the obvious on-field questions out of the way first.
“On the field, the questions are obvious: Who will replace Stetson Bennett at quarterback,” ESPN’s Alex Scarborough wrote. “How does the offense change without Todd Monken as coordinator? And what about a defense that will now be without stalwarts Jalen Carter and Kelee Ringo? Georgia’s schedule might be easy, but the path to repeating as national champions for a third consecutive season is no piece of cake.”
But head coach Kirby Smart has a lot to answer for. Especially in the aftermath of the team’s national title victory this winter with some incidents.
The university even demanded a letter of retraction to the Atlanta Journal Constitution in wake of stories written about the team’s alleged problem with domestic abuse.
“Coach Kirby Smart may spend most of his time in Nashville addressing what’s happened off the field, though, because the speeding-related incidents committed by his players have piled up,” Scarborough wrote. “Earlier this month, freshman outside linebacker Samuel M’Pemba was clocked going 88 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone — about an hour before Georgia receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint appeared in an Athens courtroom and pleaded guilty to driving 90 mph in a 45 mph zone on May 23.”
Those weren’t the only racing incidents associated with the program. That caused more off-the-field questions for Georgia.
“ESPN reported in June that Georgia football players and their cars have been involved in at least 10 reports of traffic-related moving violations in Athens-Clarke County since Jan. 15,” Scarborough wrote.
“(That’s) when Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and football staff member Chandler LeCroy were killed in a reckless driving incident in which police alleged former defensive lineman Jalen Carter was racing them hours after a national championship celebration.”
Smart has held his tongue for the most part on his team’s off-the-field incidents as it relates to the AJC, but it will definitely be interesting to see how it is addressed at SEC Media Days starting on Monday, July 17.
The full letter demanding retraction, written by Michael M. Raeber, General Counsel of the University of Georgia Athletic Association, can be read HERE.