Kirby Smart addresses Colbie Young’s status with Georgia football, SEC

After it was reported that senior Georgia receiver Colbie Young had returned to practice with the Bulldogs this week as a criminal case against him pends, head coach Kirby Smart briefly addressed the latest in the situation.

Smart did confirm Young “is back practicing with us” and also using Georgia’s facilities. Smart had previously suspended Young indefinitely from the team in October, shortly after he was arrested and charged.

“I respect that and understand it, but it’s still a pending legal matter, so Colbie’s competition status hasn’t changed and we don’t have any timelines or really expectations on this process,” Smart said at a Tuesday press conference. “He is back practicing with us and using the facilities, but that’s all I can really comment on that.”

Smart was asked the capacity in which Young was practicing, and demurred on providing further details.

“Yeah, I’m going to stick with what I said,” Smart said. “…But I can’t really say much about it and would rather not talk about our practice stuff.”

Young was arrested earlier in 2024 and charged with two misdemeanors for battery and then assault on an unborn child. It was reported in the weeks after the pregnant woman Young allegedly assaulted requested for the charges to be dropped.

Young’s attorney also called for the wideout to be reinstated and allowed to resume football activities earlier this year.

On3’s DawgsHQ got a statement from Young’s attorney, Kim T. Stephens earlier in November.

“On October 8, 2024, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department arrested Colbie Young alleging that he committed two misdemeanor offenses. After meeting with Mr. Young, I released a statement saying that Colbie Young did not make physical contact with his ex-girlfriend in any way that could every be considered a crime and that I expected Mr. Young to be exonerated once our investigation was complete and the truth revealed.

Since making that statement, [the alleged victim] contacted my office to clarify the facts about what happened, and didn’t happen, on October 8. She also made it clear that she had communicated with the prosecutor’s office and requested on multiple occasions that the charges against Mr. Young be dismissed. Because her requests for dismissal have not been acted upon by the State, [the alleged victim] wanted to release a public statement and, in that regard, asked my office to provide this Release of Information and her Affidavit to media members.

Contemporaneous with releasing this information to media members, we are providing copies of the affidavit to the University of Georgia and the prosecuting attorney’s office.

As evident by the Affidavit, Colbie Young did not commit any crime in this matter and all charges against him should be dismissed immediately. Likewise, because the affidavit fully exonerates Mr. Young, the University of Georgia should allow Mr. Young to return to all team activities including participation in games.”