Sims Leaves Georgia Football Program

A much needed scholarship for Georgia's recruiting class this winter has opened after trouble-making sophomore safety Antonio Sims has withdrawn from the school and left the football team.

"Antonio is looking for greener pastures elsewhere," Georgia coach Mark Richt told Kelly Quinlan of UGASports.com.

Sims was already suspended from the team this year, but Richt had given him another opportunity to stay on scholarship despite having been found to orchestrate a parking pass scam on campus and then being charged with a DUI last fall.

Even if he could stay out of trouble for the first time in his 2.5 years at Georgia, Sims had no future in a crowded, talented and youthful Georgia secondary had returned to the squad in 2007.

Sims would have likely been behind current junior starter Kelin Johnson, current second-team safeties sophomore C.J. Byrd and redshirt freshman Donavon Baldwin, and highly touted Reshad Jones and hard-hitting Quintin Banks, both of whom are redshirting this fall as true freshman.

Georgia now has 68 scholarship players slated to return next year. The Bulldogs already have 18 commitments, and are expected to sign an additional 6-8 recruits due to likely attrition losses from its current roster and signees not qualifying. Please refer to my analysis from two weeks ago on where exactly these scholarship openings could come from.

Among Georgia's current commitments are Statesboro safety John Knox, who could also end up at outside linebacker. The Bulldogs are still actively recruiting prep safeties Morgan Burnett of College Park North Clayton High and Major Wright of perennial Florida power Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas.

Burnett, who is coached by Don Shockley, the father of former Georgia star quarterback, D.J. Shockley, and is also the brother of former Georgia safety Cap Burnett, has long been considered a Georgia lock among Bulldog insiders.

However, Burnett will not publicly cite a favorite school and recent rumors have him strongly considering Georgia Tech due to a perceived better chance of earning early playing time with the Yellow Jackets.

Wright may visit Georgia, which signed his former high school teammate defensive lineman Geno Atkins last winter. However, recruiting insiders consider UGA a long shot to ink his signature in February, with Miami and Florida the favorites.