Jan 9, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; Detailed view of a Georgia Bulldogs helmet during the CFP national championship game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
A Georgia player who was ripped by head coach Kirby Smart earlier this season has officially left the program.
Defensive back Jake Pope, a former 4-star recruit, entered the transfer portal last month ahead of Georgia’s College Football Playoff game against Notre Dame. Pope told On3’s Hayes Fawcett on Monday that he has committed to UNLV, where he will play for new head coach Dan Mullen.
Pope began his college career at Alabama before transferring to Georgia ahead of last season. Mullen coached in the SEC at Florida and Mississippi State prior to landing at UNLV.
Pope appeared in just four games as a reserve defensive back at Georgia this year, but he is well known because of a lapse in judgment he had midway through the season. After the Bulldogs lost to Ole Miss, a video went viral that showed Pope celebrating with some fans who stormed the field in Oxford. Smart unloaded on Pope over the decision, and Pope later apologized. You can listen to Smart’s full comments here.
It is unclear if Pope would have been welcomed back at Georgia, but he getting a fresh start with two years of eligibility remaining.