Troubling Georgia speeding epidemic reemerges after two players arrested on reckless driving charges

The recent arrests of two Georgia Bulldogs football players has brought a troubling program trend back into focus.

On Wednesday, linebacker Chris Cole and edge-rusher Darren Ikinnagbon were charged with speeding and reckless driving in separate incidents, once again raising the alarm on a problem that has plagued the university for the past three years.

Ikinnagbon was also cited for following too closely, and both were booked and subsequently released after posting bond.

As CBS Sports noted, the misdemeanor arrests are the latest in a long line of driving-related charges stemming from the Georgia football program since January 2023, when offensive lineman Devin Willock and staffer Chandler LeCroy were killed in a crash hours after a victory parade commemorating the team's second consecutive national championship.

Chris Cole, Darren Ikinnagbon arrests continue awful Georgia pattern

According to CBS Sports' Brad Crawford, "Over 20 people associated with Georgia's football program have been arrested for driving-related offenses since January 2023."

Most charges have been for reckless driving and/or speeding, but the problem is hardly one that has only recently became an issue.

Following the deaths of Willock and LeCroy, ESPN shared in June 2023 that Georgia players were "involved in at least 60 additional moving violations" since the start of the 2021 academic calendar. That ESPN report followed one from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that revealed Georgia players had received "nearly 300" vehicular-related violations during Smart's tenure as head coach (since 2015).

In 2024, Smart noted players' access to faster cars thanks to NIL deals "means we have more opportunities to have traffic citations," but the data shows the problem has persisted since long before players were allowed to generate income based on their name, image and likeness. (h/t AJC)

The most recent arrests come after the program appeared to have taken a harder-line approach at the start of the 2024 season. While linebacker Smael Mondon wasn't benched for that year's opener against Clemson after a July reckless driving and racing on highways/streets arrest, cornerback Daniel Harris was benched against Kentucky directly following an in-season reckless driving arrest while operating an unregistered vehicle with an illegal tint and no proof of insurance.

In March 2025, wide receiver Nitro Tuggle and offensive lineman Marques Easley were suspended indefinitely by the team following separate reckless driving incidents, prompting both to transfer to the Purdue Boilermakers.

The team hasn't announced any punishment for Cole or Ikinnagbon yet. Of the two, Cole likely is line for the bigger role in 2026. With 2025 starter CJ Allen going pro, there's an opening for him to start next to Raylen Wilson at linebacker, but that's now in doubt. Cole played 423 snaps last season, primarily in a backup role, and finished the season with 18 total pressures, four sacks and two pass breakups. (h/t Pro Football Focus) 

Ikinnagbon redshirted as a freshman, and with the Bulldogs also returning edge-rushers Quintavius Johnson, Joseph Jonah-Ajonye and Gabe Harris, as well as 2025 five-star prospect Isaiah Gibson and fellow four-star Chase Linton, he may have an uphill climb to finding a prominent role this fall.

But the defensive rotation is secondary to the ongoing off-field problems under Smart's watch. While they aren't exclusive to Georgia, the program's become the poster child for reckless driving arrests in the sport, which isn't the reputation any team should want.

The violations are more than a trend. It's an epidemic that's afflicted the Bulldogs for years and shows no signs of slowing.