Kirby Smart could not offer specifics regarding wide receiver Colbie Young, who was arrested Tuesday morning on one misdemeanor charge of battery and one misdemeanor charge of assault on an unborn child.
The wide receiver was released at 1:34 Tuesday afternoon on bonds totaling $1,300.
"I know you guys want to know about Colbie and want to ask about it. It's a pending legal matter and I don't have any answers right now. I haven't even had a chance to talk to him yet," Smart said. "So I can't answer any questions about it right now."
For details on the arrest, check out the story from earlier today here.
“Colbie Young was arrested last night after he asked his ex-girlfriend to leave his apartment. He did not make physical contact with her in any way that could ever be considered a crime,” Young's attorney Kim Stephens said via text to UGASports. “I expect Mr. Young to be fully exonerated once our investigation is complete and the truth revealed.”
Young is Georgia’s fifth-leading receiver with 11 catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns. He did not practice with the team today.
Smart realizes he's come under considerable criticism for the recent wave of arrests, including seven since March.
His body language during Tuesday's post-practice press conference seemed to indicate his weariness.
“It's not envious, but I think I spoke two years ago about the cost of leadership. I read that each day I come into work, and it's right behind my desk, and I never forget what somebody sent me," Smart said. "It just hits me on days like that. I mean, I didn't find out about this one until I got up in the morning. So, it was one of those 7 a.m. deals. But I've had the ones that hit in the middle of the night."
Smart acknowledged it's been tough for everyone inside the team's football facility.
"I certainly recognize we've got to do a better job, but it's hard. It's hard on our staff because we've got really good kids. We've got really good people, man. And our kids go out there today, and they have one of the best practices we've had all year on a Tuesday. And they're out there competing, working," Smart said. "You just want them to make better decisions as men off the field. And, you know, I take a lot of responsibility for that. It's tough, but that's the cost of leadership. You're going to be judged by the people you lead and you've got to stand up and face it and do right by the kids and keep trying to find a better way. I mean, we're constantly trying to find a better way to make a difference. And that's in everything we do in our organization."
Bulldog safety Malaki Starks agreed.
"I can't really say much about (Young's situation). But, you know, we, they talk about it all the time, and we have good speakers," Starks said. "The guys we have in the locker room, they're amazing.
Unfortunately, some haven't listened despite continued efforts.
"I mean, we educate, we bring in speakers. It's probably the most critical thing we do, and I mean, over the history of nine years being here. It's probably the most spoke on thing we have," Smart said. "We have people come over and speak from EOO on campus every year. We bring in outside speakers. We call NFL teams and Miss Mac from Atlanta does a great job. She comes over and shares with our student-athletes, talks to them, and even does some role play."
Smart, however, sounded perplexed that messages hadn't gotten through.
"I'll be honest with you, in my years of coaching, it's probably been the hardest thing to deal with when you deal with players and some of the decisions," Smart said. "I don't mean this in Colbie's, because I don't know the details of that. I don't know everything involved in that. But it's a very sensitive matter and a tough thing to deal with and it's unfortunate."
