Smart believes getting Ledbetter help more important than suspension terms

What began as a misdemeanor charge for underage possession/furnishing of alcohol has now led to Georgia's Jonathan Ledbetter seeking the help of a specialist, and head coach Kirby Smart believes that's exactly the right course of action for his defensive end.

Smart stated Monday that Ledbetter will make his return to the Bulldogs eventually, but that he is not making a timetable, according to Seth Emerson of DawgNation. Smart has chosen to focus on the well-being of his player rather than simply how much he can get out of him on the field, and acknowledged that Ledbetter will return to football when he is ready.

"He's going to see a specialist. He's getting help," Smart said. "And that's important to me. Jonathan's not even working out with the team right now. He's not doing anything with the team right now. That's what's more important to me than how many games he gets suspended, at the end of the day. And I wish that could be the focal point instead of what is his punishment, what is his punishment, how many games is he suspended. Let's not talk about that. Let's talk about what's good for Jonathan."

Fans have seen Ledbetter tread down a slippery slope in 2016. He was charged with DUI roughly three months after being arrested, even though the original charges were dropped. Smart wants the media covering the Bulldogs to look at Ledbetter not just as a player, but as a human being who needs help turning his life around.

"It's more important to me that you guys would ask how Jonathan's doing," Smart said. "Because nobody asks that. The only question I get whenever I go somewhere is what's Jonathan's suspension going to be. I'm waiting on one of y'all to come up and ask, 'How's Jonathan doing?'"

Smart added that going forward the power for change is now in Ledbetter's hands.

"So it's really a situation where he needed help, he is now getting that help, and I hope he can make some changes in his life for the better."