Georgia Football: Mark Richt and the Players Share Blame for Suspensions

The Bulldogs suffered a blow on Thursday when linebacker Alec Ogletree and safety Baccari Rambo have reportedly tested positive for marijuana and will be suspended for multiple games during the 2012 season.

This is nothing new to Rambo because he was suspended for the first game last season for the same offense. Rambo is appealing his decision and if the suspension stands and he has to miss six games, he’s considering moving on to the NFL via the supplemental draft.

With Rambo and Ogletree out at the start of the season, nearly 50 percent of the starting defense will not dress on opening day because Sanders Commings is suspended for the first two games and Branden Smith is suspended for only one game.

So here’s a question concerning the Bulldogs’ off-the-field issues. Who is to blame for all this?

Some fans, if not the majority of fans would point the finger at Mark Richt because if he was more strict, there would be less suspensions and less distractions. The one thing people have to remember is UGA has one of the toughest policies in the country when it comes to drug use. It was reported last year that Georgia is one of only six schools that suspended a player for drug abuse.

So the players know the consequences if they do test positive for street drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin and ecstasy. But at the same time, there are times where a player takes drugs by mistake.

An example of that is what happened to Rambo recently. The reason he tested positive for marijuana is he ate some brownies while vacationing on spring break not knowing the brownies were filled with marijuana until he got high and a friend told him about the brownies.

Normally, that doesn’t happen, but those situations are realistic and Rambo is appealing the suspension because of that. As for Ogletree and Smith, there is no telling why they tested positive for drugs.

The reality is they live in Athens and they are around drugs and alcohol all the time. Richt and the rest of the coaching staff can only do and say so much to make sure the players stay away from all the distractions.

But at the end of the day, the athlete has to stand on his own two feet and has to be above the influence. The athletes for football or for any other sport at Georgia, have to realize they have too much going for them to have a little bit of unnecessary fun.

 I think when it comes down to it both the players and Richt share the blame for all the off-the-field issues. Richt wants to treat his players like men, but if they aren’t doing what they’re supposed to be doing, then he has to be more strict and make sure the players know who’s in charge.

At the same time, the players have to think before they do something that could potentially get them in trouble. If they know the situation is not going to turn out good, walk away. There’s nothing wrong with walking away and saying no.

There’s no telling how many games Ogletree and Rambo could miss. But no matter what happens, this is the last thing Bulldog fans wanted to hear because it has been the same old story for the last few years.