Head coach Kirby Smart has indefinitely suspended two Georgia football players, receiver Nitro Tuggle and offensive lineman Marques Easley, following recent driving-related incidents.
Reports of Tuggle’s incident emerged early Thursday morning, with UGASports.com stating that he was arrested by the Athens-Clarke County Police on misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and speeding. Easley’s violation had not been previously disclosed, but UGASports.com indicated that he was also involved in a driving-related incident.
Tuggle, a rising sophomore, was taken into custody at the Athens-Clarke County jail around 1:56 a.m. ET on Thursday. Online records show that he was released an hour later after posting a $20 cash bond.
Easley was reportedly involved in a crash at a residential area. According to Marc Weiszer of the Athens-Banner Herald, a white Dodge Challenger lost control, veered off the road, and struck a power distribution box at the front of the property. The vehicle then collided with two other cars before coming to a stop.
These incidents are part of a broader pattern of car-related arrests that have affected the Bulldogs in recent offseasons. In July, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Georgia football players had been involved in 24 driving-related incidents since January 2023.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published the breakdown last summer following another series of arrests, tracing the pattern back to the tragic crash in January 2023. That accident claimed the lives of offensive lineman Devin Willock and staffer Chandler LeCroy.
In September, Bulldogs defensive back Daniel Harris was arrested for driving 106 mph in a 65 mph zone. He also faced charges for not wearing a seatbelt, operating an unregistered vehicle without a license plate, driving without proof of insurance, and having illegal window tint.
