Walton County

Mother, daughter, former UGA football player killed in house fire

WALTON COUNTY, Ga. — Quentin Moses, a first-team All-SEC defensive end on Georgia’s 2005 SEC championship team died, along with two others, in a house fire on Sunday morning.

The fire happened around 6 a.m. on the 400 block of Shamrock Drive in the city of Monroe.

(Credit: BRANT SANDERLIN/AJC) 

Moses, 33, was found unconscious and moved outside the house, but was pronounced dead at Clearview Medical Center. Andria Godard, 31, and her 10-year-old daughter Jasmine Godard were also found dead inside the home.

Chief Keith Glass said the house was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived at the scene and the roof collapsed as they battled to bring the fire under control.

Reactions to sudden death of former UGA football player

"It's hard. Really hard. That was our friends, and my daughter's friend, so I just feel really bad for her family," neighbor Melanie Anderson told Channel 2’s Ashley Swann. "I started banging on the windows and the door saying it's Melanie. Your house is on fire. Your house is on fire."

Anderson saw the fire and tried to help, but told Swann the flames and smoke were overwhelming.

Glass said as soon as they could get into the house, they found Moses and attempted to do CPR on him. They later discovered the bodies of Jasmine and her mother Andria under the area where the roof had collapsed.

"Quentin was really sweet, would always talk to you," Anderson said.


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Averell Floyd lost his daughter and granddaughter in the fire. He said his family's faith will get them through the loss.

"We'll get through it,” Floyd said. "God don't make mistakes."

City and state fire marshals continue to investigate the cause of the fire.

"It's just a tough day, a tough day in Monroe," Glass said.

Reinhardt University will hold a Celebration of Life service for Moses Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the Brown Athletic Center.

The community is invited to attend. Coach Moses’ family will also be in attendance.

Quentin Moses' football career

Moses played at Georgia from 2003-06. He racked up 11.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles for loss, and was named first-team All-SEC by both the AP and SEC coaches. A year later, as a senior, he had 4.5 sacks and 12 tackles-for-loss.

Moses attended Cedar Shoals High School. He redshirted his first year at Georgia, 2002, then came off the bench the next two years before being elevated to a starting spot in his redshirt junior year.

Greg McGarity, J. Reid Parker, director of athletics, released the following statement on the death of Moses:

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Quentin's family. We are shocked and saddened by this tragic news. Quentin was an outstanding representative of not only the University of Georgia but also his hometown of Athens. On behalf UGA Athletics, we extend our most sincere condolences to his family."

The Oakland Raiders drafted Moses with the first pick of the third round in the 2006 NFL draft. They cut him before the season began. One season later Moses landed with the Miami Dolphins, where he recorded his first career sack on Monday Night Football, bringing down Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Moses played with the Dolphins until 2010, recording two more sacks in a reserve role.

Since then Moses had become a coach, serving as an assistant at Reinhardt University since 2011, according to the school’s website. Reinhardt is an NAIA school located in Waleska, about an hour north of Atlanta.

“Obviously our entire program is reeling today from this tragic news,” Reinhardt athletic director Bill Popp said. “Our biggest concern today is to do anything we can to support Quentin’s family and to provide support and counseling for our student-athletes.”

Moses was serving his fifth season with Reinhardt as a defensive line coach. Reinhardt is an NAIA school located in Waleska, about an hour north of Atlanta.

President Kina S. Mallard said the school and its football team were shocked as they gathered Sunday in Waleska to discuss how to move forward.

“We want you to know that we stand with you as you grieve,” Mallard said on behalf of the school’s leadership team, the board of trustees, faculty, staff, students and friends.

Moses was an integral part of the coaching staff, head coach James Miller said.

“But more than that, he was a person who believed in our student-athletes and worked hard every day to help each athlete perform at the highest level on the field and in the classroom,” Miller said. “We will miss his leadership, and I will miss his friendship.”

Moses’ bio on Reinhardt’s page has a quote from Mark Richt, his head coach at Georgia: “Quentin was one of the top 10 pass rushers in the history of Georgia football with a total of 25 sacks.  And he was also exactly what you are looking for in a student-athlete on and off the field.”

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contributed to this report.