Georgia

Entering his fifth Georgia football season, wide receiver Arian Smith ‘still hungry’

Published

2 years ago

August 13, 2024

Entering his fifth Georgia football season, wide receiver Arian Smith ‘still hungry’

Arian Smith joined the Georgia football team as part of a 2020 recruiting class that featured guys now playing in the NFL in Kelee Ringo, Jalen Carter, Broderick Jones and Darnell Washington.

He’s been around long enough that a couple of his former teammates have left and returned as graduate assistants: Warren Ericson and Prather Hudson.

That didn’t diminish the redshirt senior wide receiver’s enthusiasm when he reported for yet another camp this preseason.

“It definitely hit me,” Smith said. “I’m like, ‘Woo, this is year 5.’ I’m excited regardless of what year it is. I love this sport. I’ll do it 100 times if I could.”

Smith, from Bradley, Fla., was a top 60 recruit himself, a four-star in the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class.

He’s shown a big play ability at Georgia, but battled injuries (ankle, leg, wrist, toe, knee, shin) and inconsistency, which have him wanting more.

“I’m still hungry,” Smith said. “I feel like I didn’t play that much over the years with me being injured and things like that.”

Smith played every game last season and set a career-high in catches with 8 for 153 yards and two touchdowns. He hauled in the longest offensive play for Georgia in the SEC championship game against Alabama, a 51-yard reception.

He’s worked this preseason with the starters at receiver, along with Dominic Lovett and Dillon Bell, for a group that added transfer wider receivers Colbie Young, London Humphreys and Michael Jackson III but lost a top contributor, Rara Thomas, after his dismissal following a domestic violence incident.

“I’m fired up about that group because we got a good group of protectors around them, a good quarterback to get them the ball, and a good group of tight ends,” coach Kirby Smart said.

The 6-foot, 185-pound Smith ran track for Georgia in 2021, finishing second in the NCAA outdoor 4×100 meter relay on a team that included Matthew Boling.

His speed is what teammates gush about.

“He’s fast,” cornerback Daylen Everette said with a smile. “He’s got crazy speed. … Speed kills and that shows with him.”

“There’s not a lot of people with his type of speed,” offensive tackle Warren McClendon said during the 2022 season.

Smith has 20 career catches for 539 yards, with six of the receptions going for touchdowns, including a 76-yard score against Ohio State in the Peach Bowl playoff semifinal win in the 2022 season.

He’s averaging 27 yards per catch as a Bulldog.

“I guarantee you that defense knows when number 11 is on the field because of the speed and the ability to make not just a 20-yard explosive, but he’s a guy on your team that could have a 70-yard explosive at any time,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “And the thing with Arian, we’re just trying to be consistent every day.”

Smith has a chance to be more consistent by being available for practice and games.

He’s embracing leading the receiving group and is one of a handful of players still left from that 2020 team along with Carson Beck, Dan Jackson, Xavier Truss and Tate Ratledge.

Smart said coaches have spent more time trying to develop Smith.

“He’s definitely a big special teams player for us and that’s been a big role for him,” Bobo said. “But a lot of times, he’s repped so many things in special teams, I get to have him during those special teams periods and really work on techniques of running certain routes. We’re not running full speed all the time, but talking about routes and body control, working on the deep ball, adjusting to the deep ball with our eyes, not necessarily running a full speed post or a full speed go.”

Smith has made his share of big plays, but also let some big plays slip away last season. His three drops, a 27.3 drop percentage according to Pro Football Focus, was highest among Georgia wide receivers.

Smart won’t let that or being sidelined earlier in his career cloud Smith’s value to the team.

“I think Arian has reached his potential,” Smart said. “I mean, he’s a guy that every time we’ve needed him to make big plays, he’s made a bunch of big plays. I don’t think a lot of the health, he can control that. There’s some things you can control, some things you can’t. Most of the injuries he’s had have occurred by circumstance or collisions, so I’m very pleased with where he is. I’m excited of the leadership he showed in that room spring through the summer, and even now he’s much more confident in himself. … I’m excited to see what he can do with it.”

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Georgia

Georgia cops’ alleged misuse of Flock license plate tracking data fuels privacy concerns

Published

9 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Press Room

Georgia cops’ alleged misuse of Flock license plate tracking data fuels privacy concerns

Georgia Flock cameras spark widespread misuse fears

ATLANTA – At least ten police officers across Georgia have been arrested and charged with misusing the Flock camera database for personal reasons, adding to growing privacy concerns about the technology.

The cameras, usually mounted to a black pole, record license plates and other data of whoever passes them.

Georgia police database tracking

What we know:

A series of recent arrests has exposed the misuse of Flock license-plate-reading cameras by police officers throughout the state.

In Greene County, Deputy Quin’sha Goss was fired on Tuesday and charged with misusing the system.

The recent arrests include five police officers in Albany, who were also charged earlier this week.

That’s alongside a lieutenant, a sergeant and a deputy in Cherokee County charged last month with violating their oath.

System audits flag searches

What they’re saying:

Flock Co-founder Paige Todd stated that many recent arrests resulted from departments utilizing a new audit assistance tool that automatically flags unusual searches.

“In this case where misuse happened, the technology itself was not creating the misuse. It was it was human beings,” Todd told FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo.

Todd argued that the public safety benefits of the technology heavily outweigh individual instances of human misconduct.

Todd explained, “best way to prevent misuse is now, every member of law enforcement out there knows that this audit exists,”

Todd added that the system has successfully helped track down thousands of individuals across the country.

“We, I believe, solve about a million crimes with our technology,” she said. “10,000 missing people have gone home because of it. This feels like pretty small in comparison.”

Privacy concerns trigger pushback

The other side:

The ACLU of Georgia called the incidents a critical wakeup call regarding constitutional protections and tracking limits. Christopher Bruce of the ACLU of Georgia said, “Jeopardizing your civil rights and civil liberties is never just an unfortunate event. You have constitutional rights, especially a right to privacy. And the question is who polices the police?”

Information security analyst Peter Tran noted that the network relies heavily on automated data collection.

“It uses AI,” Tran said.

Tran said many are uneased by the logging searchable personal data into a nationwide database.

“It becomes a privacy and security issue. So, you’re whereabouts where you shopped, your name, your address,” he said.

SEE ALSO: Dunwoody sets ‘guardrails’ for Flock surveillance cameras use

The blowback has prompted dozens of U.S. communities to end their contracts.

Videos have circulated on social media instructing people how to tear them down or disable them.

In Barrow County, the sheriff said three Flock cameras were recently damaged there.

The sheriff said damage to the devices could be considered a felony.

The Source: The information in this story is based on original reporting by FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo, who interviewed Flock co-founder Paige Todd, ACLU of Georgia representative Christopher Bruce, and security analyst Peter Tran, as well as tracking data from local sheriff offices.

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Georgia

West Nile infections starting to raise concerns in Georgia

Published

20 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

West Nile infections starting to raise concerns in Georgia

ATLANTA, Ga. — Positive mosquito samples for West Nile virus have been found in Fulton County, according to the Board of Health.

Officials say the samples came from the Grant Park area and that infected mosquitoes are suspected to be present in the city of Atlanta.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report this year’s West Nile infections are the highest since 2004. The disease has been transmitted by mosquitoes, with reported cases in 23 states. Most of the reported cases are considered severe.

Health officials suggest using an insect repellent registered with the EPA. Wearing long, loose-fitting clothing is also recommended.

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Georgia

Travel and Leisure listed unique experiences in each state, including GA

Published

1 day ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Travel and Leisure listed unique experiences in each state, including GA

It can be hard to find a truly unique experience for your next vacation. That’s where Travel + Leisure comes in.

Back in May, members of the publication’s team created a list in celebration of America’s 250th Fourth of July, highlighting a unique experience in each state “from hidden gems to iconic highlights and editor-approved favorites.”

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Most unique experience in Georgia

The Georgia spot highlighted was the World of Quercus. Here’s what writer Lydia Mansel said about it:

“The 3,800-acre property, dotted with pecan groves and cabins, isn’t your run-of-the-mill retreat. Guests are encouraged to roam the land by golf cart or on foot, visit the biodynamic vegetable garden, fish the Flint River, and connect with the ranch’s horses. Owned by Chiara Visconti di Modrone and her husband Angelos Pervanas, Quercus is a place where relaxation comes in many forms—and you can design your experience to fit your pace and preferences.”