Athens — Georgia starting guard Clint Boling had his suspension cut in half by coach Mark Richt on Thursday, a day after it was made public a DUI charge against Boling had been dropped.

Boling, a sophomore from Alpharetta, was charged instead with reckless driving. But he hardly went unpunished.

According to published reports, Boling was sentenced to a weekend in jail, a year's probation and community service in Alpharetta Municipal Court. He will also miss the Bulldogs' season opener against Georgia Southern on August 31.

That, Richt reasoned, was enough.

"With the change in the charges and the attitude that Clint has demonstrated I have reevaluated his situation and decided on the one-game suspension as a fair penalty," Richt said in statement released by the UGA sports communication office.

Boling did not return two messages left on his cell phone.

The ruling on Boling effectively closes the book on what was a trying summer for the Bulldogs. Seven players were arrested between Jan. 21 and July 3. Charges against two of those players were dropped. Fullback Fred Munzenmaier (two games) and safety Donavon Baldwin (one) will miss games due to alcohol-related offenses and sophomore defensive end Michael Lemon was dismissed from the team after being charged with felony aggravated battery. Justin Anderson and Trinton Sturdivant are being punished "internally" after being charged with simple battery.

Georgia begins preseason practices on Monday.

Boling, a 6-foot-5, 290-pound graduate of Chattahoochee High, played in all 13 games and started 11 as a true freshman last season. He is competing with Justin Anderson, who also was arrested for a misdemeanor offense this summer, for the starting job at right guard.