ATHENS — Georgia coach Kirby Smart provided an update on wide receiver Colbie Young, who was arrested Tuesday morning on misdemeanor charges of battery and assaulting an unborn child.
“I know you guys want to know about Colbie and want to ask about it,” Smart said. ”It’s a pending legal matter, and I don’t have any answers. I have not even had an opportunity to talk with him yet.”
Young was booked at 4:18 a.m. and released at 1:36 p.m. after posting bond. Smart added that Young was not with the team Tuesday afternoon.
Young transferred into Georgia from Miami this offseason. Through the first five games of the season, Young has caught 11 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns. He led Georgia in receiving Saturday against Auburn, catching three passes for a team-high 51 yards.
He is the seventh member of the Georgia football team to be arrested since March. Trevor Etienne, Sacovie White, Smael Mondon, Bo Hughley and Daniel Harris all were charged with driving-related offenses. Etienne and Harris both missed one game following their arrests.
Georgia did dismiss wide receiver Rara Thomas from the program after he was arrested on multiple family-violence charges. That was the second time in Thomas’ tenure at Georgia that he was arrested on family-violence charges.
Of the seven arrests this offseason, three of them have come among the wide receivers. Three have come via players who arrived at Georgia through the transfer portal in Thomas, Etienne and now Young.
“We’re just looking for guys that fit our culture,” Smart said following a win over Tennessee Tech about why Georgia added Young. “You know, it wasn’t like it was a cookie cutter. We want big, we want good and we want good people for our culture, and he is that. He was very clear in his reasoning for why he wanted to come, and I think he fits what our culture is, and it was more of a fit than it was just looking for a specific type.”
If Young is to miss time, expect Dillon Bell to see more time as Georgia’s X receiver. The Bulldogs rotate their receivers plenty, but Georgia does not have a ready-made replacement for what Young brings to the Georgia offense.
Georgia faces Mississippi State on Saturday, with the game scheduled for a 4:15 p.m. start, with SEC Network televising the game. Georgia will release an availability report Wednesday night, which will provide a better idea of who might be available for Saturday’s game.
