UGA Kicker Marshall Morgan Suspended for Second Straight Game

September 1, 2012; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs kicker Marshall Morgan (13) during the game against the Buffalo Bulls at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports

Since the arrest of Georgia Bulldogs kicker Marshall Morgan in the off-season, his status with the team has remained up in the air due to the radio silence of the coaching staff and administration. On Monday, head coach Mark Richt finally brought a tinge of clarity to the situation.

To the surprise of virtually no one, Morgan sat out the opener against Clemson, but Richt announced on his radio show that the sophomore kicker would be sitting against South Carolina as well. The comical nature of the announcement was personified by the fact that a  radio caller was the one to unearth the information, and Richt was quoted as saying that his bombshell was simply a “news flash for the show”.

Before the Clemson game, the depth chart listed Adam Erickson as the backup kicker, but as you may recall, Erickson famously mishandled an errant snap as the holder to fumble a field goal attempt that made up the margin of defeat. Walk-on Patrick Beless got the place-kicking duties on Saturday, and went 5-for-5 on extra points while not attempting a field goal.

Going forward, Richt declined to elaborate on Morgan’s status, but frankly, it may not matter. If Beless is able to attempt (and make) some field goals in a big game, he could easily supplant the on-the-ropes Morgan, who famously made only 8 of 14 kicks last season. However, Morgan is still the listed starter on every depth chart available, and he’s the most talented option.

For Bulldog fans, it may be time to start sending up prayers, as a big kick could easily swing what will be an incredibly crucial home game with the Gamecocks.