ATHENS - Defensive back Michael Grant of Atlanta, expected to be one of Georgia's top incoming freshmen for the 2004 season, was denied admission to the University of Georgia and instead will enroll at Arkansas.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on its Web site Sunday night that Grant's application for enrollment was rejected by the university's faculty admissions committee because he was expelled from South Gwinnett High School in the 10th grade before enrolling at Stephenson High his junior year.
Grant was expelled for an incident involving a female student, according to Ronnie Gartrell, Grant's football coach at Stephenson High. Gartrell did not give further details about the incident that led to Grant's expulsion.
Grant attended alternative schools in Gwinnett and DeKalb counties before enrolling at Stephenson High his junior year.
``It's just unfortunate that (Georgia) was not willing to give him a second chance because Michael is a good kid, and he did everything we asked of him,'' Gartrell told the paper. ``But it's not a devastating blow. Michael is still going to play football and run track in the SEC. The worst thing about it is it will be tough on him because he'll be so much farther away.''
Claude Felton, Georgia's senior associate athletics director for external affairs, confirmed that Grant ``is not going to be admitted.''
Grant and his mother traveled to Fayetteville, Ark., on Sunday. He was expected to enroll at Arkansas on Monday.
Grant chose Georgia over Florida, Tennessee and Florida State and did not visit Arkansas during the regular recruiting period.
``As soon as I found out I wasn't going to Georgia, I gathered all my thoughts about the school I wanted to go to, and Arkansas just jumped out to me,'' Grant told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in Fayetteville.
Georgia released Grant from his scholarship, but his eligibility at Arkansas must be approved by Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive.
Georgia coach Mark Richt was on vacation Sunday and could not be reached for comment.
Thursday
July 17th, 2025
3:38AM
