ATHENS — Georgia linebackers Robert Beal and Brenton Cox were arrested on misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana on Tuesday.
The pair was arrested by the UGA Police Department at 3:13 p.m. with less than one ounce of marijuana, according to the Athens-Clarke County jail booking recap report.
The arrest takes place less than one week after Coach Kirby Smart said disciplinary issues that had cropped up earlier this spring would be “handled the right way.”
RELATED: Smart handles Georgia disciplinary issues ‘the right way’
Cox, a sophomore who was running first team at outside linebacker, posted $1,000 bond at 4:08 p.m.
Beal, also expected to compete for a starting position, posted $1,000 bond at 4:21 p.m., just after the Bulldogs started spring practice No. 7.
Cox appeared in 13 of the Bulldogs’ 14 games last season. Cox drew his first career start in the Sugar Bowl, making a career-high six tackles in a 28-21 loss to Texas.
A 5-star prospect from Stockbridge, Ga., Cox had 20 tackles last season, including a sack at Kentucky in Georgia’s SEC East Division-clinching victory over the Wildcats.
Beal, a redshirt sophomore from Norcross, Ga., appeared in 11 games last season and made 15 tackles.
The Georgia football program has had six players arrested in the past six weeks.
Bulldogs senior receiver Tyler Simmons and freshman defensive back Tyrique Stevenson were charged with disorderly conduct stemming from a bar brawl that spilled out into the street on March 24.
RELATED: Two Georgia football players arrested amid ‘chaotic’ scene
“There’s a standard of behavior that’s expected for student-athletes at the University of Georgia, and that’s not indicative of the behavior we want at the University of Georgia,” Smart said last Tuesday.
“It’s very obvious those guys made poor choices and decisions, and they will be disciplined.”
Reserve redshirt sophomore linebacker Jaden Hunter, the son of the late Bulldogs’ legend Brice Hunter, was arrested March 20 for illegally stopping, standing or parking a vehicle and driving with a suspended/revoked license.
Redshirt sophomore defensive back Latavious Brini’s arrest on Feb. 28 was for simple battery, after he allegedly slapped a South Carolina man outside of the Silver Dollar Bar in downtown Athens.
The Georgia spring game takes place at 2 p.m. on April 20.
Georgia football players arrested
• Sophomore LB Brenton Cox, Stockbridge, Ga., 4-2-19
• Redshirt sophomore LB Robert Beal, Norcross, Ga., 4-2-19
• Freshman DB Tyrique Stevenson, Homestead, Fla., 3-24-19
• Senior WR Tyler Simmons, Powder Springs, Ga., 3-24-19
• Redshirt sophomore LB Jaden Hunter, Atlanta, 3-20-19
• Redshirt sophomore DB Latavious Brini, Miami Gardens, Fla., 2-28-19
