Battery case victim OK UGA players still on team

Athens — Trina Bailey, the victim in a battery case against two Georgia football players, said Thursday she doesn’t have a problem with the accused still playing for the Bulldogs.

Offensive linemen Trinton Sturdivant and Justin Anderson pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor battery charges Thursday morning in Athens-Clarke County State Court.

Reached by telephone Thursday afternoon, Bailey was asked if she was bothered that coach Mark Richt did not suspend the players from competing in games.

“No,” she said. “I’m fine with it.”

Bailey said she has moved on with her life but actually met Sturdivant several weeks ago.

“He apologized for what happened,” Bailey said. “He wasn’t trying to make excuses or anything like that. He just said he was sorry. He was very nice about it. We actually hugged. Unfortunately I haven’t heard from the other guy.”

Bailey told police that Sturdivant, a tackle from Wadesboro, N.C., and Anderson, a guard from Ocilla, approached her and a friend in a breezeway the East Campus Village dormitory sometime after 1 a.m. on June 27. Bailey told the AJC the players touched her stomach without consent in “a kind of sexual manner.” Bailey, 22, of Bogart, was about six months pregnant at the time. She is scheduled to deliver Oct. 11.

Richt conducted his own investigation into the incident and decided late last month that he would “handle their situation in-house. Unless something else comes up it’s not going to be a playing-time situation,” he said.

Eagles ‘upset’ No. 1 Georgia

Georgia held a practice game Thursday at Sanford Stadium against a makeshift “Georgia Southern” team made up of walk-ons — some of whom showed up just this week — and backups from the varsity squad.

Georgia Southern won.

It’s not as bad as it sounds.

Richt decided at the end of the dress rehearsal for the season opener that whatever happened on a final two-minute drive for the No. 1 offense would determine the outcome. Richt said the offense actually drove into field-goal range but that Blair Walsh missed a 45-yard field-goal attempt.

So “Georgia Southern actually won,” Richt quipped.

Otherwise, the Bulldogs dominated.

According to statistics kept by UGA sports-communication personnel (the workout was closed to the media), Matthew Stafford was 4-for-5 for 70 yards and a touchdown; Demiko Goodman had three catches for 89 yards and a TB; Kris Durham had three catches for 57 yard; Dontavious Jackson was the leading rusher with 11 carries for 51 yards; Tavarres King had a 57-yard TD catch off a screen pass; and Knowshon Moreno played catch on the sideline.

Here’s how official those stats are: Since Joe Cox and Logan Gray both wore the number 14, they both were credited with completing 9 of 13 passes for 216 yards and two TDS.

LB White injured

Though it was seemingly a harmless practice game, Georgia still managed to lose a player to injury.

Linebacker Charles White went down on one of the first plays from scrimmage with an apparent Achilles tendon injury. He was unable to return to the field.

White, a redshirt freshman from Blythewood, S.C., is a backup at middle linebacker. He was third-string behind Dannell Ellerbe and Darryl Gamble.

Richt could not say how long White might be out.

Sentimental Sanford

Senior defensive tackle Jeff Owens said Thursday’s trip to Sanford Stadium was sentimental for him.

“Today I was thinking, ‘this will be one less time I’ll be in Sanford Stadium,’” Owens said. “I guess I’ll only have like eight more times, It just hit me that I’m a senior, and time’s closing in fast.”

Etc.

Defensive tackle Kade Weston is still hobbling badly on a bruised left knee. “It’s all right,” said Weston, who wore a green jersey Thursday. “It’s trying to get better.”. … Richt will be the guest speaker at the Athens Touchdown Club’s kickoff meeting on Tuesday at Athens Country Club. Social hour begins at 6 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7. For information contact the Touchdown Club office at 706-543-9860.