Georgia starting strong safety Josh Harvey-Clemons has been dismissed from the team for a violation of team rules, the school announced on its athletic website Tuesday.
Last month, the school had announced that Harvey-Clemons (6-foot-2, 214 pounds) was suspended for the first three games of the 2014 season. Tuesday's announcement, though, ends his Georgia career.
He likely will try to continue his career at an FCS school or a Division II program. Harvey-Clemons has the talent to play at the next level if he can straighten out his issues.
He also had been suspended for the 2013 season opener and for the Gator Bowl following the '13 season, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in January that the suspensions were marijuana-related.
Harvey-Clemons, from Valdosta, Ga., was one of the nation's top 20 prospects overall and the No. 1 outside linebacker in the 2012 recruiting class. He chose Georgia over Florida in the recruiting process, and was moved to the secondary when he arrived in Athens.
Harvey-Clemons, who runs well and is a big hitter, was third on the team with 66 tackles in 2013. He added 5.5 tackles for loss, an interception, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Georgia fans also will forever remember Harvey-Clemons as the player who tipped the ball that Auburn wide receiver Ricardo Louis caught for an improbable 73-yard TD in the Tigers' miraculous win over Georgia in November.
Georgia had been scheduled to return all four members of its starting secondary and 10 starting defenders. Now, senior-to-be Corey Moore likely heads into spring practice as the starting strong safety in place of Harvey-Clemons. Moore was a national top-125 prospect in the 2011 recruiting class, but he has made just 50 tackles in his career and has zero interceptions.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
