Speculations have surrounded the Georgia football program, especially with unconfirmed reports of players being suspended. It is focused on the disciplinary actions of Coach Kirby Smart and his team after the recent incident with Trevor Etienne. Despite these unknowns, there are rumblings that Georgia might be masking some suspensions as “DNP for undisclosed reasons.”

This is where critics have questioned the ethical conduct of the Bulldogs and whether they are actually following the rules or just bending them to make sure they get their stars in the field. These suspensions are not in any way a new process in Georgia sports circles and this has been confirmed by Trent Smallwood, a renowned figure in Georgia sports circles. He recently posted on X, addressing the ongoing rumors: “Everyone saying Kirby Smart finally is suspending guys. There have literally been suspensions happen, when needed, every year he has been at Georgia. Some are labeled DNP for undisclosed reason but it has happened. It is just not always reported. Nothing has changed.”

This has put Kirby Smart in a fix at the beginning of the season. On one side, he is obliged to make sure that the team is disciplined and all works are of quality. On the other hand, there is great pressure to keep the star players on the field at all times. Still, a recent development by the SEC has made it even more complicated: the commission has recently decided to start enforcing mandatory availability reports.

Whether the rumored undisclosed suspensions are true, Georgia’s program may be under more pressure from the league and its fans. Well, in the meantime, Smart gives his attention and time in every game and the preparation they have on their sleeves.

The rumors and the pressure

Let’s take a closer look at the rumors that have followed the Trevor Etienne story. This season, there was a promising prospect in the college football scene with the name Etienne, who everyone was looking forward to performing big. However, after he failed to report to the field, it ignited speculations that he had been suspended. No concrete announcement in this regard was made, and due to this reason, some people started thinking that Georgia was hiding something. 

Potentially, the timing of this controversy could not be worse for Georgia. The Bulldogs are expected to build upon last season’s success and gain a lot of attention. The last thing that they want is a scandal that might wheel them off the position they hold today. In the case that these rumors are true, it could pose a problem to the program. On the other hand, one cannot rule out that the discussion of the off-the-record suspensions is, in fact—simply a “discussion”. 

In the end, the outcome of this situation will depend on time alone. But one thing that is for sure; Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs are up for scrutiny and every single action they undertake is well observed. Whether this leads to more clarity of the program or just more whispers, only time will tell.