Georgia's NIL Collective Is Fining Players for Reckless Driving Violations

Kirby Smart says players are being fined for driving incidents.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart looks on during spring practice in Athens, Ga., on Thursday, March 14, 2024. / Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

Georgia's football program has been hit by a rash of players committing driving violations. While some of those athletes are facing suspensions, there is another consequence to those actions. Head coach Kirby Smart says the school's NIL collective has been fining players "substantially" for over a year.

On Tuesday, Smart said, "Our Classic City Collective for over a year has been substantially fining guys for those things. That’s not something that’s new. That’s something that’s been ongoing outside of my jurisdiction that they decided to implement and have done for a considerable amount.”

Last week, freshman offensive lineman Bo Hughley was arrested on two misdemeanor charges of reckless driving. The next night, senior linebacker Smael Mondo Jr. was arrested on charges of racing on highway streets and misdemeanor reckless driving.

That is now a total of seven Georgia players arrested on driving-related charges since the January 2023 deaths of player Devin Willock and staff member Chandler LeCroy. LeCroy had been drinking and was racing then-player Jalen Carter when the car left the road and struck two power poles and several trees. Willock and LeCroy died, while offensive lineman Warren McClendon and a female passenger survived the accident.

Smart has yet to announce suspensions for the recently arrested players. The collective hitting them in the wallet is a smart addition to any football-related discipline.