Out of Bounds

List is Growing of Colleges Where Mettenberger WON’T be Playing Football

Of course UGA was the first. Coach Mark Richt felt he had no choice. The trust had been broken, Zach Mettenberger had to go. Now the question is, where will Mett continue, rather begin, his football career?

Zach Mettenberger

Looks like Valdosta State may be out of the question. It’s not that Mettenberger wouldn’t consider the Blazers or the Blazers wouldn’t consider Mettenberger. But the 18 year old may not have the option to continue his education there. He’s been banished from the town of Valdosta for a year.

Banished?  Banishment is still a punishment? From the entire town? Considering he was arrested by the REMERTON Police Department in REMERTON, Ga, makes the punishment seem even a little more strange.

But alas, it’s part of a plea bargain. The charges of  underage possession, disorderly conduct, obstruction and two counts of having a fake ID were dismissed due to the deal after the more serious sexual battery charges surfaced. Mett will serve 12 months of probation and pay a $2000 fine, and of course, stay the hell away from Valdosta!

Oh, and he’s not allowed to contact either directly or indirectly the victim. Who, by the way, Mettenberger apologized to in a statement after his sentencing. He must either get a mulligan on that one, or apologies don’t count as contact.

He is also not allowed during the term of his probation to visit ANY establishment that serves alcohol. Party’s over for you Mett; no more bars, significantly less choices of resturants, and, worst of all, no more Chuck E. Cheese!

Zach Mettenberger was  a few weeks away from potentially being named the starting quarterback at a major university, and couldn’t contain his ego and feelings of being above the law.  I do hope the fine, the 80 hours of community service, and the banishment (still sounds weird) teach him that he’s not, and keeps him from becoming one of those guys who consistently get their name in the news for these types of situations (*cough* Roethlisberger *cough*).

Mettenberger Gone

Zach Mettenberger

I’ve said ever since it was announced that Zach Mettenberger would be suspended the first game of the season for his arrest on spring break. Looks like I’m right, although not how I predicted. Coach Mark Richt dismissed Mett from the team earlier today.

Apparently, there is more to the story from Remerton, Ga., the town Mettenberger was arrested in last month. He was cited for underage drinking, and possession of two fake id’s.

Something happened that night that brought the attention to Mettenberger, although that something hasn’t been made public yet.

Georgia’s quarterback race now consists of only Logan Gray and Aaron Murray. Incoming Freshman Hutson Mason will have his chance to impress coaches in August.

Richt has now dismissed two players this offseason. Defensive End Montez Robinson was let  go just a couple of weeks ago.

Brace yourself Bulldog fans. This offseason is starting to feel a lot like the one before the 2008 season.

Don’t muff it!

Even the best coaches are prone to making bad mistakes from time to time. Pete Carroll’s 4th and one with Reggie Bush on the sideline against Texas in 2005 jumps out as one of those “what was he thinking” moments. Georgia coach Mark Richt is not immune to these types of  mistakes either.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Richt has been questioned about quite a few things during his tenure at UGA. Directional kickoffs, loyalty to older players ,and being more of a friend than a boss to assistant coaches are a few flaws fans have pointed out over the years. But coach Richt could be on the verge of making one of the most colossial gaffes of his career – naming A.J. Green the starting punt returner.

Green has been working out in spring practice fielding punts, along with several other players. With only one returning player with return experience (Logan Grey, who’s battling for the starting quarterback job), the race is wide open.

There is almost no argument against Green being the most dynamic player for the Bulldogs in the last 27 years. Coincidentally, proponents of the move will point to the early 80′s and Herschel Walker as proof that it’s not a bad idea. While that may be agreeable to some extent, you have to remember the person you’re referring to. Herschel Walker was the biggest, strongest, and fastest player on the field everytime he walked into a stadium. He didn’t absorb a lot of the punishment today’s players do, basically, because he was the big kid on the block who dished it out.

Make no mistake, A.J. Green is a phenom, but nowhere in the same stratosphere physically as Walker.

Is it worth risking the health of your best player to gain 14 or 15 yards on a punt return? He averages more per reception. What if he returned three punts for td’s during the season? Well, he could catch that many in one game. Really the only logical excuse to have A.J. Green returning punts this season would be if it were guaranteed he would take every returnable punt to the house.

A. J. Green as the primary punt returner for 2010 season would be nothing short of a head scratcher.

But don’t be surprised if it happens, these are the same coaches who had their backup QB fielding punts for the past two years.

Green should be catches passes, not punts