ATHENS, Ga. -- Nine Georgia football players were declared ineligible Wednesday by the NCAA for selling their 2002 Southeastern Conference championship rings.

The group included senior receiver Michael Johnson and cornerbacks Kenny Bailey and Bruce Thornton, junior receiver Fred Gibson and four sophomores -- defensive tackle Darrius Swain, linebacker Tony Taylor, cornerback Tim Jennings and walk-on Trey Young.

Freshman nose tackle Kedric Golston, who had already been cited by the university for selling his ring, was also declared ineligible.

The school will appeal the NCAA's ruling.

NCAA regulations do not prohibit student-athletes from selling rings as long as they receive no more than fair-market value. The university, which is working to recover the rings, did not say how much money the players received for the rings.

The players will be required to make restitution for the money they received from the sale of their rings.

"It was very disappointing,'' Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "I think as a football program and as an athletic program we have to do a better job of educating our student-athletes on the worth of achievement awards, which far transcend monetary value.''

In an unrelated developments, Richt suspended four sophomores for violation of team rules. B.J. Fields, Chris Hickman and Jamario Smith were each suspended for one game, and Tyson Browning was suspended for three.