Smart offers latest on Patrick's standing at Georgia

Inside linebacker Natrez Patrick is still with the Georgia program, head coach Kirby Smart confirmed.

Patrick was arrested along with receiver Jayson Stanley late on Dec. 2, shortly after Georgia's 28-7 win over Auburn in the SEC Championship.

While Stanley was driving the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro that was pulled over along Ga. 316, Patrick was arrested on suspicion of possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, since Barrow County sheriff's deputies said he was sitting on loose marijuana. That marijuana in question turned out to be smaller than the size of a penny.

Since no marijuana was found on him, and with Stanley stating at a Probate Court hearing that the marijuana was his, Patrick's charge was dismissed. Smart said Patrick and Stanley are still practicing with the program, but he didn't say whether they will be available for the Rose Bowl.

Smart said that while revisions were made to the UGA student-athlete handbook's drug policy in September, they had no bearing on Patrick's standing with the program. Smart also said that a positive drug test Patrick had in relation to his Athens-Clarke County probation was a separate matter. Patrick's attorney, William Healan III, issued a statement Monday about an alleged positive drug test, ordered after Patrick's arrest in Barrow County, and subsequent scheduled hearing.

While Healan said he would not comment on the drug test, he took issue with the fact that Athens-Clarke County solicitor C.R. Chisholm told multiple media outlets that Patrick tested positive.

"Probation records are confidential under Georgia law, and I will not address specific allegations," Healan said in the statement. "There will be a hearing in January during which any issues will be addressed if we are not able to reach a negotiated resolution beforehand."

Healan noted that Patrick submitted a urine test "within a few hours" after he was bonded out of Barrow County Jail on Dec. 3 and tested negative for all drugs. Healan, again, stated his belief that Patrick should remain a member of the UGA football team.

"A probation violation is not a violation of the UGA Athletic Association Substance Abuse Policy," Healan said. "This is true under the previous policy and under the policy enacted on September 1, 2017."

Patrick's third arrest came only a matter of hours after Georgia defeated Auburn 28-7 in the SEC Championship. The two were traveling west on Ga. 316 and were stopped by the intersection of Jackson Trail Road at 11:50 p.m. that Saturday. Patrick was first arrested in 2015 after he and former teammate Chauncey Rivers were caught in possession of marijuana in a campus parking deck.

Later that season, Patrick was in a vehicle that Rivers was driving when he was pulled over and subsequently arrested for marijuana possession. Patrick was not charged in that incident. Patrick was also subject to a brief on-campus investigation involving possession of marijuana in his dorm room in 2016 but was cleared.

Patrick found himself in trouble again in October when he was arrested for possession of marijuana after police observed it in his vehicle following a parking violation in downtown Athens.

In addition to this situation, Georgia ran into another off-field issue when freshman defensive back Latavious Brini was arrested on a felony forgery charge. Smart said the program is still gathering information, and a decision has not been made on his standing.

This story was originally published December 18, 2017 at 11:35 AM with the headline "Smart offers latest on Patrick's standing at Georgia."