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Georgia Football could be at full strength for Rose Bowl

By Alistair Penny

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 3: Head Coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs is restrained by a staff member during the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at the Georgia Dome on September 3, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 3: Head Coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs is restrained by a staff member during the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at the Georgia Dome on September 3, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Georgia Football could very well be at full strength when they face Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl. That bodes well for Dawg fans.

Georgia Football fans got some good news the other day. Starting linebacker Natrez Patrick had the charges against him from his post SECCG arrest dropped. Reciever Jason Stanley pled down to lesser charges as well. Stanley entered a plea to marihuana possession and speeding but the DUI charge was dropped.

This was Stanley’s first incident and there is a good chance that he ends up missing the Rose Bowl. Stanley is a good special teams player but does not have a huge impact on the team. It is Patrick that UGA fans were most concerned about.

There was is no doubt that Georgia’s defence doesn’t look quite right when Patrick isn’t in there. At least it hasn’t this season. Roquan Smith is a beast, but he is freed up to be even better with Patrick next to him. UGA just doesn’t have a suitable replacement this season. Monty Rice and Nate Mcbride still need more time to develop.

We don’t know what is going to happen with Patrick yet. Kirby Smart has not spoken to the media since the news was released, but I would expect him to play. This would have been Patrick’s 3rd offense and would likely have ended his time in Athens, but the fact that the police have dismissed the charges will likely change that.

Next: Superlatives for the 2017 UGA Bulldogs

The Rose Bowl is the biggest game UGA has had since 1981. It’s fair to question whether Patrick was smart by putting himself in that position. It’s also fair to wonder whether he will be back with the team next season or whether he will decide to head to the NFL. But it’s not a question that Georgia is better when he is on the field. Hopefully, he will be in Pasadena.

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