Sporting white sneakers, khaki pants and a loose-fitting and untucked navy button down, former Georgia safety Tray Matthews listened carefully to State Court Judge Ethelyn Simpson. Simpson suggested to Matthews, as well as the three other current and former UGA football players at an arraignment Thursday afternoon, that he take advantage of the opportunity to have his three charges of theft by deception dropped by participating in a pre-trial diversion program.
Matthews, defensive end James DeLoach, defensive lineman Jonathan Taylor and wide receiver Uriah LeMay were arrested in March on the eve of UGA’s first day of spring practices after double-dipping stipend checks. LeMay transferred to Charlotte last month.
In a statement issued less than five hours after the four football players met with a probation officer, a program official said that DeLoach and Taylor “have and will face significant additional internal discipline from both the UGA Athletic Association and the football program,” but will not be suspended for any of the 2014 season.
This decision comes two days after coach Mark Richt decided to dismiss Matthews from the team following a classroom disturbance Tuesday afternoon.
According to two classmates in Dr. Ronald Bogue’s Children’s Literature course, Matthews was repeatedly disruptive and was asked to leave the room after an outburst on Tuesday. Dr. Bogue, a member of UGA’s faculty since 1975 and the soon-to-be retired head of the Comparative Literature department, likely did not wish to speak about the incident after multiple attempts to reach him, according to Dr. Dainess Maganda, another professor within the department.
Matthews denied any wrongdoing during the incident, but did attribute it to his dismissal from the football program. Matthews was smiling and laughing when reunited with his former teammates on Thursday following their arraignment, and said he is nearly completed with community service to fulfill the intervention requirements.
He expects to find his second home soon. He has expressed interest in Alabama, Auburn and Louisville, where former UGA defensive coordinator Todd Grantham holds the same position and former teammates Josh Harvey-Clemons and Shaq Wiggins have since transferred.
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