Georgia Football will have to go to playoffs without Patrick

Georgia Football fans were hoping that starting linebacker Natrez Patrick would be available for the CFP but it looks like that won’t happen.

It’s become a name that we have said far too much since the SEC championship game. Natrez Patrick, the starting inside linebacker next to Roquan Smith. Patrick was suspended for 4 games earlier this season after a second marijuana arrest.

He was then arrested the night that UGA won the SEC Championship game only to have those charges dropped. But it’s become clear that Patrick does seem to have a problem with marijuana. I for one was hoping that he would be available for the Rose Bowl after the SEC charge was dropped, but after a failed drug test, Patrick has entered a drug treatment program.

It’s disappointing for UGA fans because there is no doubt how much better Georgia is with Patrick in the lineup. As much as I like UGA’s other linebacker, none of them are as good as Natrez. With Baker Mayfield ahead of them, Roquan Smith is going to have to ball out even more to win this one.

This is a big loss for UGA and it could well be the end of Patrick’s career at Georgia. As a junior, he will have the opportunity to go pro and that could well be for the best. If he makes one more mistake he’s going to be kicked out of UGA and that’s a big risk. We might have seen the last of Natrez in Red and Black, unfortunately.

Next: UGA keeps loading up on players

At this point, we just have to hope that he’s able to get better and get the help that he needs. Things like this remind us that there are sometimes more important things than football.