ATHENS — Junior running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel along with junior linebackers Lorenzo Carter and Davin Bellamy announced Thursday after practice that they will be returning for their senior season.
All four Bulldogs along with head coach Kirby Smart met with the media, and Smart expressed his appreciation to their families and to the student-athletes for the first class manner in which they reached their decision.
“I’m excited about the future of the Georgia Bulldog program, this means a lot to me and for our program that they all made this decision,” said Smart.
All four Bulldogs thanked their families, their parents along with God and the support staff of the University of Georgia when they commented on their decision. Michel said he was excited to come back as the Bulldogs are a young team, and he’s looking forward to his senior year. Carter said he sees big things happing for the Bulldogs going forward, and he wants to be a part of it. Bellamy said being at UGA is a blessing, and he started thinking about coming back after how his last game at Sanford Stadium turned out. He wants to come back and be a leader and help the young defense. Chubb said this season didn’t turn out the way he wanted, and the brotherhood on the team is something he wants to be a part of for another year and didn’t want to pass up his senior year.
“I’m beyond excited about coming back; we want to build it up to where it should be,” Chubb added.
The Georgia Bulldogs had their second bowl workout Thursday as they get set for the upcoming AutoZone Liberty Bowl. They conducted a two-hour practice at the Club Sports Complex on Milledge Avenue. Afterwards, Smart also announced that three Bulldog reserves would not be participating in the bowl as they are looking to transfer. They are sophomore defensive backs Juwuan Briscoe and Rico McGraw plus sophomore wide receiver Shaquery Wilson.
Georgia looks to finish the 2016 regular season with a bowl victory in Memphis. Tickets to see the Georgia Bulldogs take on the TCU Horned Frogs in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on December 30th are on sale now to the general public. Kick-off is scheduled for Noon ET.
Sideline ($85) and Chairback ($95) tickets and can be ordered online now or by calling the Athletic Association ticket office 1-877-542-1231 between 8:30a.m. – 4:30p.m. Monday-Friday. All orders will be filled in the order in which they are received.
Members of The Georgia Bulldog Club will receive the number of tickets to the bowl they requested during the pre-order process with Hartman Fund contributors receiving priority on ticket assignment based on their cumulative score. Members of The Georgia Bulldog Club who have not yet placed an order to AutoZone Liberty may order tickets at this time, however they will not be assigned based on priority but in the order, which they are received. Hartman Fund contributors, who have already submitted a request, are allowed to order additional tickets if needed as there will not be any limits on the number of tickets one can order to the AutoZone Liberty.
Hartman Fund contributors requesting AutoZone Liberty tickets will receive bonus points applied to their lifetime score at a rate equal to the purchase price of the tickets for the AutoZone Liberty excluding processing fee. For example, request four (4) tickets at $95 and receive 380 points (actual prices and bonus point totals may vary based on the tickets assigned). Bonus points will apply to the cumulative priority only and not toward annual donation requirements. Bonus points will be applied to participating donor accounts by January 31, 2017.
Also, all UGA Faculty/Staff ticket requests for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl will be fulfilled.
The Bulldogs will be making their 52nd overall and 20th consecutive appearance in a bowl game. Georgia currently has a 29-19-3 record in bowls.
