Colquitt: 'God's teaching me a big lesson'

A February DUI arrest cost him his football scholarship, a five-game suspension and the embarrassment of a public judicial process.

Yet Britton Colquitt said he wouldn’t rewind the clock and change anything.

“God’s teaching me a big lesson, what to prioritize in my life, and I’ve leaned a lot from this,’’ Colquitt said Monday after pleading guilty to DUI in Sessions Court.

“I wouldn’t go back and change it if I could. It’s made me somebody I need to be in the future.’’

Colquitt, 23, Tennessee’ All-SEC senior punter, was charged on Feb. 17 with DUI and leaving the scene of an accident.

The charge was amended to first-offense DUI and Colquitt received the standard penalty:

A suspended sentence of 11 months, 29 days; suspended driver’s license for one year; $350 fine and court costs; 24-hour detention and 24-hour litter pickup; attend DUI school.

“I’ve been through a lot because of myself, the actions I’ve made and the decisions I’ve made,’’ Colquitt said. “I just wanted to get it over with and take my punishment and not try to fight it.

“Just learn from my mistakes, move on and make me a better person.’’

Factoring in a series of alcohol-related incidents in September 2003 when Colquitt was an incoming freshman, coach Phillip Fulmer in February revoked Colquitt’s scholarship and suspended him the first five games of the 2008 season.

He will suit up starting with the Oct. 11 game at Georgia.

“It’s tough,’’ Colquitt said. “You realize what you’re missing.

“I know when the season comes around and I’m having to watch five games, I’ll really appreciate those last seven. Just being able to take the field will be a lot more of an honor. I took it for granted before.’’

Until the February arrest, Colquitt had been trouble-free for more than four years since the incidents in 2003 when he was 18.

At that time he was charged with underage consumption and later with DUI. The DUI charge was dismissed in August, 2004. Colquitt received judicial diversion on the lesser charges, performed community service and attended Alcoholics Anonymous classes. By avoiding further trouble, his record was expunged.

Colquitt said Monday he regrets that wasn’t the end of his drinking issues.

“I kind of got lost again in my ways, in the things I was focusing on in my life,’’ he said, “and it led me back into kind of the same thing.’’

Colquitt, the fourth member of his family to punt for UT, is considered an NFL prospect and will have at least seven games to re-establish his credentials.

Brother Dustin punts for Kansas City. His father, Craig, won Super Bowl rings with Pittsburgh.

Colquitt requested Monday to report Friday morning to serve the remainder of his 24-hour detention. He is credited with 10 hours following his arrest.

He returns to Sessions Court on Aug. 11 to check progress on his probation.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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