Richt mum on discipline for 3 players

COLUMBUS — Georgia football coach Mark Richt wouldn’t say Thursday whether he will suspend three players for violating team rules.

“Well, here’s the deal on that,” Richt said in an interview before a speaking engagement here. “At the appropriate time, I will make any announcement that needs to be made — if there is any announcement that needs to be made.”

Asked when would be the appropriate time, Richt said: “When everything is settled.”

He declined to comment further on the matter.

The Web site UGASports.com reported Wednesday that three players — tight end Bruce Figgins, defensive end Justin Houston and wide receiver Tony Wilson — will be benched for an undetermined number of games for allegedly violating team rules. The Web site attributed its report to unnamed people close to the Georgia program. UGASports.com is part of the Rivals.com network of college sites.

Speaking generally Thursday about discipline matters — not about this specific case — Richt said: “We are here to help guys grow up. When they make a mistake, then we discipline it, and we try to send them in the right direction. And we hope any lessons that need to be learned, they can learn them around a bunch of people that love them and care about them. … It’s just a process of growing up. I don’t know if anybody ever goes through life without learning through mistakes.”