It’s impossible to ignore the ongoing off-field troubles that continue to plague the Georgia football program.
While Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs are FAR from the only college football team who’s been forced to deal with concerning issues, they clearly have failed to make much progress when it comes to preventing incidents involving reckless driving.
Right on cue came the news that two more Bulldogs were charged with driving offenses – on consecutive nights no less.
The two players charged were offensive lineman Bo Hughely and linebacker Smael Mondon. However, Hughely’s incident was said to be the more serious of the two.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Hughely was driving with freshman cornerback Ellis Robinson as a passenger when he attempted a sharp turn on River Road, which transitions into Carlton Street on the University of Georgia campus.
Failing to navigate the curve, Hughely’s vehicle struck a curb, went off the road, and lost its right front wheel. The impact also knocked down a speed limit sign.
“Jonathan LeMonte Hughley – known to Georgia football fans as ‘Bo’ Hughley – had just passed another vehicle in his Chrysler 300 on Tuesday evening when he approached a sharp curve on River Road as it transitioned into Carlton Street in an area of the University of Georgia campus known as East Campus Village,” reads the AJC’s report.
“With star defensive back and recent 5-star signee Ellis Robinson IV riding shotgun, Hughley’s vehicle failed to negotiate the curve, struck the curb on the right side of the vehicle, crossed a pedestrian crosswalk as it left the roadway, sheared off a 25 mph speed-limit sign at the ground and ran through grass and pine straw before returning to the roadway and coming to rest in the street,” the report continued.
“The vehicle was disabled because the right-front tire had been completely torn off and was found in a ditch a considerable distance away.”
According to reports, Hughley did not have his license on him at the time.
Hughley is a redshirt freshman from Fairburn, Ga. He missed spring practice after having shoulder surgery but is expected to compete for playing time this season.
Hughely, who joined the Bulldogs last year as the No. 10 offensive tackle in his class, redshirted his first year due to injury.
Meanwhile, Mondon was arrested the day prior on reckless driving and racing charges. He was allegedly racing teammate DeMello Jones who was issued a citation but was not arrested.
Interestingly, Mondon’s arrest happened on the same day that running back Trevor Etienne had his driving-related charges resolved.
These latest arrests are part of a larger pattern in Athens.
Kirby Smart’s program has reportedly seen 20 players arrested since the fatal racing accident caused by former Bulldog Jalen Carter back in January 2023.
Georgia has not released any statements as of yet. Smart is scheduled to speak at SEC Media Days in Dallas tomorrow.
Smart has said all the right things publicly since the tragic Carter incident. However, it’s clear that not nearly enough is being done to actually prevent this type of recklessness from occurring.
What are your thoughts on the latest arrests?
What needs to be done to actually stop these incidents from happening?
Should Smart be facing more pressure than he is over the never-ending troubles within his program???