UGA: Zander Ogletree leaves team for medical reasons
From Staff and Wire Reportssports@newnan.com
ATHENS, Ga. – Georgia’s football team is suddenly without both Ogletree brothers for the first time since the Newnan siblings arrived as part of head coach Mark Richt’s signing class in 2012.
Just two months after junior linebacker Alec Ogletree announced he was entering the NFL Draft, twin brother Zander, a part-time starting fullback, is leaving the team for undisclosed “medical reasons” as announced Wednesday in a brief statement by the school.
“He’s got a medical issue and he can’t play anymore,” Richt told Seth Emerson of the Macon Telegraph. “But he’s gonna stay in school. We hope he does well in school and graduates.”
It’s been a trying month for both brothers, with Alec seeing his draft stock potential dip following an arrest for an alleged DUI while training in Arizona for last week’s NFL Combine in Indianapolis. He has been projected as a first-round draft pick while still ranked as high as the tenth best available player by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.
Both Ogletree brothers were suspended the first four games of the 2012 season, for what ESPN.com’s David Ching reported Wednesday was a second violation of the UGA student-athlete drug policy. Alec went on to lead Georgia in tackles during a trip to the SEC Championship Game last season.
Zander returned to score his only college touchdown in a victory over Ole Miss in a game where Alec added his first college interception and added a safety.
He had been projected as the frontrunner for the starting fullback job heading into the spring practice session. He appeared in eight games, starting two, while finishing with three carries for 14 yards and four receptions for 25 yards.
