ATHENS — Georgia wide receiver Colbie Young entered a not guilty plea on misdemeanor charges of battery and assault of an unborn child.
Young did so at the Athens Clarke-County Courthouse on Tuesday. His court date is set for May with Judge Charles A. Auslander. Young’s lawyer, Kim Stephens, did ask for an accelerated court date of Jan. 6, 2025, and Judge Ryan Hope noted it could get moved up.
Young declined to comment to reporters after his plea.
Because the charges have not been dismissed by the state, Young will still be suspended from competing for Georgia. With the trial date being set for May, it is now unlikely that Young will be reinstated and allowed to play in Georgia’s Sugar Bowl game on Jan. 1.
Young has been suspended indefinitely from the Georgia team since his arrest on Oct. 8.
Young’s lawyer sought to have the charges against Young dismissed after Young’s accuser signed an affidavit stating that she wanted the charges against Young dropped. The woman also claimed to have notified the Solicitor’s Office multiple times she wanted the charges dropped.
Young had been cleared by the University of Georgia’s Equal Opportunity Office on Nov. 25 for his arrest. That allowed Young to return to practice and continue using the football facilities.
Coach Kirby Smart’s most recent statement on Young noted that the wide receiver could not return to competition until there had been a change in regard to his legal status.
“Colbie’s competition status hasn’t changed, and we don’t have any timelines or really expectations on this process. He is back practicing with us and using the facilities,” Smart said on Nov. 26.
In five games this season, Young caught 11 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns. He has not played since Georgia’s win over Auburn.
At the moment, Georgia has only seven scholarship wide receivers after Nitro Tuggle and Michael Jackson III entered the transfer portal after Georgia’s win over Texas.
Young is a senior and he will be out of collegiate eligibility following the conclusion of the 2024 season. Young transferred in to Georgia this offseason from Miami. He is from Binghamton, N.Y.
The Bulldogs do have some time off moving forward, as they do not play again until Jan. 1. The Bulldogs do not yet know who they will play in the Sugar Bowl, as Georgia will take on the winner of the Notre Dame and Indiana game.
Georgia also has uncertainty at the quarterback position at the moment, as Carson Beck is reportedly dealing with a UCL injury. His status for the Sugar Bowl is in question. If Beck cannot play, Gunner Stockton would step in as the quarterback.
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