Georgia Vs. Florida: Kwame Geathers, Shawn Williams Suspended For First Half

As expected, Georgia Bulldogs nose tackle Kwame Geathers has been suspended for the first half of the team's next game, which is a reasonably important one. Safety Shawn Williams has also been ruled out of the first half against the Florida Gators. Both players were dinged for combative behavior that occurred during a testy game in Nashville against the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Both players are starters. Geathers has seven tackles, while Williams is third on the team in tackles and has added a pair of picks and tackles for loss.

Details on each suspension from the SEC's statement (and here's video of the Geathers play):

Upon review of game tapes of the football game between the University of Georgia and Vanderbilt University, played in Nashville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011, Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive has announced that Vanderbilt sophomore center Logan Stewart, Georgia sophomore defensive lineman Kwame Geathers and Georgia junior defensive back Shawn Williams have been suspended for the first half of their team's next football games...

Geathers' action was in violation of NCAA Football Rule 2-32-1-a for fighting. By NCAA Football Rule 9-5-1-b, the penalty for violation of the rule in the second half includes suspension for the first half of the team's next scheduled game....

Williams' suspension is the result of a flagrant personal foul which occurred at the 2:08 mark in the third quarter. The action is in violation of Rule 9-1-4 of the NCAA Football Rule Book, which reads, "No player shall target and initiate contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent with the helmet, forearm, elbow or shoulder."

For more on this game, visit Georgia blog Dawg Sports and Florida blog Alligator Army.

VIDEO: The Georgia-Vanderbilt Play That Could Get Kwame Geathers Suspended Vs. Florida

Take a look below at a prime example of why Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin got their holler on after the Bulldogs' win in Nashville on Saturday night: Bulldogs' nose guard Kwame Geathers throws a solid jab at prone Commodore center Logan Stewart after Stewart clipped Geathers on a rushing play early in the fourth quarter. 

Dirty pool from Stewart? No doubt. Stupid reaction by Geathers? Indeed. The difference? Upon review by the SEC, Stewart could be suspended for part or all of Vandy's game this week against Army, while Geathers and safety Shawn Williams (two personal fouls, including fisticuffs) would be subject to suspension after the bye week, i.e., the Florida game. 

Take a guess as to which potential suspension could hurt the respective team more.

Will Muschamp, Todd Grantham And SEC Coaches Behaving Badly

Also: Tennessee could use a supportive friend right now, and Houston Nutt makes his long-awaited reality-show debut without even knowing it.

VIDEO: James Franklin On Todd Grantham To Mark Richt After Georgia-Vanderbilt

Hey, cool, are we still talking about this? Yep! It's now Tuesday, which is more than two entire days past Saturday night, and we're still talking about two coaches yelling at each other after a football game. The latest bulletin: a video shared by a Nashville TV station shows just a little bit more of the other side of the story: what Vanderbilt Commodores coach James Franklin was so mad at Georgia Bulldogs defensive coordinator Todd Grantham about.

Franklin said a player was "rubbing it in" after the game. Most are presuming that's Shawn Williams, who also incurred personal fouls during the game. Richt fellowships, counsels and consoles. From this angle, I'm just wondering what Franklin expected to happen by letting it all out at the time instead of, like, sending an email about the player.

Grantham still looks like a real hothead.

As always, hard to imagine how anybody could not like Richt. What do Richt and Grantham talk about? Does Richt just find ways to solicit prayer requests from Grantham, hoping one day he'll get the big guy to ask for help with his rage? I don't know. You'd have to ask Mike Bobo. He probably knows the two of them pretty well.

For more, join UGA blog Dawg Sports and Vanderbilt blog Anchor Of Gold. 

Georgia Vs. Vanderbilt: Todd Grantham, Greg McGarity Meet About James Franklin Spat

The great James Franklin-Todd Grantham tiff of 2011: it is a story that is ongoing, whether we like it or not. The latest development sees Georgia Bulldogs athletic director Greg McGarity having a word with Grantham after the defensive coordinator's reasoned debate with the Vanderbilt Commodores coach.

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Chip Towers:

McGarity said discussed the situation with Georgia head coach Mark Richt by telephone on Sunday, then met with Grantham face-to-face in his office at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall early Monday morning. Meanwhile, both Georgia and Vanderbilt have been asked by SEC Commissioner Mike Slive submit written reports to the league office for review.    

All mostly standard protocol, of course, but it will be interesting to see what comes of this. There's no way UGA will consider taking Grantham off the sideline for a game -- you'll note their next game happens to be against the Florida Gators -- but it's not hard to imagine some sort of verbal reprimand from the SEC directed at both combatants.

For more, join UGA blog Dawg Sports and Vanderbilt blog Anchor Of Gold. 

Todd Grantham And James Franklin: Behold A Feisty New Vanderbilt Program

Georgia Vs. Vanderbilt: Mark Richt On James Franklin, Todd Grantham Spat

Georgia coach Mark Richt says that he has addressed Saturday's post-game incident that erupted following the Bulldogs' 33-28 win over Vanderbilt. UGA defensive coordinator and Commodore's head coach James Franklin had to be restrained after they exchanged words at midfield. 

"For me, personally, I like it at the end of a ballgame when everybody can just walk across the field and shake hands and say good luck for the next one," Richt said. "Unfortunately, it didn't happen this ballgame."

Apparently, Franklin was upset at Georgia safety Shawn Williams and appeared to say something and point in Williams' direction after the game was over prompting an angry reaction from Grantham who was also allegedly upset over several cut blocks by Vandy players throughout the game. After the game, Grantham vaguely commented on the post-game incident by pledging his love and support for his players but did not comment on what he said to Franklin or what caused the exchange. 

For more, join UGA blog Dawg Sports and Vanderbilt blog Anchor Of Gold. 

VIDEO: James Franklin, Todd Grantham Have Shouting Match After Georgia-Vanderbilt

So how do we piece together what happened at the end of Saturday night's game between Vanderbilt Commodores head coach James Franklin and Georgia Bulldogs defensive coordinator Todd Grantham? The two, both very clearly passionate and emotional coaches, were shouting while face-to-face and had to be pulled apart by players and other coaches.

To be fair, TV cameras locked in on Grantham, so he's the one who looks much, much worse here. Who knows what sorts of cussy faces Franklin may have been making that we'll never actually see:

Seth Emerson was the first to collect quotes from Franklin, Grantham and Mark Richt. Based on the slim accounts offered by the coaches and the Franklin video below, we can deduce that Vanderbilt was unhappy with the play of safety Shawn Williams and Georgia was upset about Vandy's blocking techniques.

Here's Richt:

"I hate the fact that at the end of the game we can't shake hands and get off the field like gentlemen," Richt said. Later he added: "We are grown men and we all need to act that way. But we're also competitors."

Here's Franklin addressing the to-do after praising Georgia's fans and Richt (but not quite Grantham, of course) with vigor:

For more, join UGA blog Dawg Sports and Vanderbilt blog Anchor Of Gold. 

PHOTO: Todd Grantham, James Franklin Jaw In Postgame Scuffle