LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger helped hand the South Carolina Gamecocks its first loss of the year this past weekend 23-21.  

The Oconee County graduate is used to taking rough hits as did in last Saturday’s victory but no hit compares to the one he had right here in Valdosta.

Watkinsville, Ga. native Mettenberger chose to enroll at University of Georgia in January of 2009, following his redshirt freshman season, he battled for the starting quarterback position alongside current starter Aaron Murray.

The former UGA bulldog was dismissed from the team for “violating team rules” following his arrest outside of Flip Flops in Remerton, Ga. March 7^th 2010.

It has been more than two years since the 6’5 222 pound quarterback was accused of allegedly fondling a VSU student inappropriately which later led to him pleading guilty to two counts of misdemeanor sexual battery.

“The sexual battery counts were the result of Mettenberger grabbing the breasts and touching the buttocks of the victim,” Southern Judicial Circuit district attorney J. David Miller said in an e-mail to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

He was charged that night for five misdemeanors including underage consumption/possession of alcohol and possession of false identification.

While the alcohol-related charges were dropped, he was ordered to pay $2,000 in fines and 80 hours of community service for the sexual battery charge. 

Butler Community College in El, Dorado, Kan.  was his next stop where in one season helped the Grizzles go 11-1 in and recorded 32 touchdowns in the process.

That December, on the first day junior college players could sign with four-year universities, Mettenberger signed with LSU.  

Rivals.com ranked Mettenberer the 11th best quarterback nationally of the 2009 class.

The Tigers championship run last season was led at the helm of senior quarterbacks Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson.

This season the Bayou Bengals have gotten off to good start stealing to big wins against UF and USC to a current 6-1 record led by Mettenberger.

The judge’s decision along with the fines and service hours stipulated a condition that Mettenberger is banned from stepping foot in the town of Valdosta.