Georgia head coach Kirby Smart admits program hasn’t ‘solved’ issue of speeding

The Georgia Bulldogs football program has been shrouded in controversy since winning the second of its back-to-back national championships in January. 

On Jan. 15, only hours after the Bulldogs’ championship parade, Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and a recruiting staffer, 24-year-old Chandler LeCroy, were killed in a car crash in which police say Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter and LeCroy were attempting to “outdistance each other.”

Bulldogs offensive linemen Devin Willock after Arkansas Razorbacks game on Oct. 2, 2021, at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. (Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Police said Carter and LeCroy were “operating their vehicles in a manner consistent with racing.” 

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Carter was given 12 months’ probation and a $1,000 fine after pleading no contest to reckless driving and racing charges. Carter was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Since Jan. 15, there have been at least 11 traffic-related moving violations involving Georgia football players, according to ESPN. 

“I’ll be the first to admit we haven’t solved that issue or problem,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart told reporters Tuesday during a news conference, per ESPN. “I don’t honestly know that anybody has, but certainly for us, it’s important to acknowledge it first. We’ve had a lot of intervention in terms of talking and visiting, and discipline measures have been implemented in terms of education. We’ll continue to do that.”

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart during the G-Day Red and Black Spring Game on April 15, 2023, at Sanford Stadium in Athens. (John Adams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Last week, freshman linebacker Samuel M’Pemba was cited for allegedly driving 88 mph in a 55-mph zone.

The Athens Banner-Herald reported M’Pemba received a ticket 10 miles from where Georgia wide receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint pleaded guilty to speeding an hour earlier.

“I wish we could prevent the speeding issues and learn from the horrific tragic event,” Smart said Tuesday. “I’m still wrestling with that. We talk about as a staff all the things we can do.”

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At the SEC spring meetings in May, Smart said players were being disciplined but declined to share details on the punishments. 

Smart and athletic director Josh Brooks spoke Tuesday following news that the University of Georgia Association demanded the retraction of an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article headlined “UGA football program rallies when players accused of abusing women.”

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Head coach Kirby Smart of the Bulldogs speaks during the national championship celebration on Jan. 14, 2023, in Athens, Georgia. (Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Michael M. Raeber, the school’s general counsel, says the article’s headline reads that the program “actively supports” “sexual misconduct.” The author claims the outlet identified 11 players to remain on the team after reported violent encounters with women and/or the school, but the school says only two were identified by name, and one more was not.

“If we’re referring to sexual misconduct it’s point-blank, you’re gone, you’re out of here,” Smart said Tuesday. 

Fox News’ Ryan Morik and The Associated Press contributed to this report