With the commitment of Keith Marshall on Tuesday, the Dawgs have begun their final recruiting push towards National Signing Day 2012. In year’s past, the Dawgs would often have around 20 commitments at this point. Yet this year, the class sits at 14 and is currently ranked #23 by Scout. Come February, I expect Georgia to be back in its normal place in the top 10, but there is a lot of work to be done. Here are some of the players that Georgia is hoping to land in the coming weeks:
5 Star Prospects:
Name: Avery Young
Position: Offensive Tackle
Height and Weight: 6’5’’ 270 lbs
Hometown: Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Notes: Will attend the Georgia Gala on December 9
Highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdTge9OnY08
Name: Nelson Agholor
Position: Safety
Height and Weight: 6’1’’ 175 lbs
Hometown: Tampa, FL
Notes: Seems like a long shot at this point
Highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgDTBmew_HM
Name: Jordan Jenkins
Position: Defensive End
Height and Weight: 6’3’’ 246 lbs
Hometown: Hamilton, GA
Notes: Took official visit on 11/12 at the Auburn game and came away very impressed.
Highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9X2gcQNFDQ
4 Star Prospects:
Name: Josh Harvey-Clemons
Position: Outside Linebacker
Height and Weight: 6’4’’ 207 lbs
Hometown: Valdosta, GA
Notes: Official visit scheduled for Jan 20, the last of his four scheduled official visits.
Highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1BsHZDEGiM
Name: Mike Davis
Position: Tailback
Height and Weight: 5’10’’ 195 lbs
Hometown: Stone Mountain, GA
Notes: Previously committed to Florida. Georgia re-offered him this week.
Highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPGjLYvKxZ0
Name: Tyriq McCord
Position: Defensive End/ Outside Linebacker
Height and Weight: 6’3’’ 225 lbs
Hometown: Tampa, FL
Notes: Will attend the Georgia Gala on December 9
Highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38WvtrbBzxE&feature=related
Name: Todd Gurley
Position: Tailback
Height and Weight: 6’ 190 lbs
Hometown: Tarboro, NC
Notes: Official visit back in September. It appears to be a two horse race between Georgia and North Carolina.
Highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMUyVSHsoDQ&feature=related
Name: Cordarrelle Patterson
Position: Wide Receiver
Height and Weight: 6’4’’ 205 lbs
Hometown: Hutchinson, KS
Notes: #1 rated JUCO wide receiver in the country.
Highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EArUSFokOE
Name: Dalvin Tomlinson
Position: Defensive Tackle
Height and Weight: 6’3’’ 270 lbs
Hometown: McDonough, GA
Interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tzo3ptzclSk
3 Star Prospects
Name: Chaz Elder
Position: Safety
Height and Weight: 6’2’’ 172 lbs
Hometown: College Park, GA
Notes: Will attend the Georgia Gala on December 9
Highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irWxlDLnDMA
Name: Kendarius Whitehead
Position: Defensive End
Height and Weight: 6’4’’ 212 lbs
Hometown: Lithonia, GA
Notes: Will attend the Georgia Gala on December 9
Highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGiBWP2nGHw&feature=related
Of course, there is more information and highlights available of these and other prospects, all you have to do is search the web. I am not a recruiting guru and I have no idea which of these players we actually will end up with.
Showing posts with label Recruiting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recruiting. Show all posts
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
Recruiting in the Richt Era – Top 5’s
Mark Richt took over as Georgia’s head coach following the 2000 season and has enjoyed a lot of success on the recruiting trail. While Richt was able to secure stars like DJ Shockley as part of the 2001 recruiting class, the class of 2002 was his first full class in Athens. Here’s my opinion of some of the best and worst of recruiting in the Richt era:
Top 5 Players who “Lived Up to the Hype”
1. AJ Green – Any questions?
2. Matthew Stafford – The kid from Texas was expected to lead Georgia to a National Championship. We got pretty close during his sophomore season.
3. Max Jean-Gilles – I remember all the hype about how big this kid was and how we stole him away from Miami. He definitely fit the bill, becoming a multi-year starter and an All-American.
4. Kade Weston – The five star recruit from New Jersey, turned in a great Georgia career.
5. Paul Oliver – Another top 5 player at his position, Oliver really developed during his career. Too bad academics got in the way.
Top 5 “Busts”
1. Akeem Hebron – Originally part of the 2006 class, Hebron went to Hargrave and then came back to Georgia. But the 5 star recruit never materialized into much on the playing field and he finished his time at Georgia this fall having never really made an impact.
2. Brandon Miller – The number on DE in the country in 2004, Miller eventually found a home at linebacker. And while he became a starter and was good on special teams, his career never met the expectations that most fans had.
3. Darius Dewberry – Like Hebron, he also failed to qualify initially but still found his way back to Athens. His impact was minimal at best, but much better than Hebron’s.
4. Kregg Lumpkin – You could probably put the careers of Lumpkin and Caleb King in the same boat. Both were 5 star recruits considered as one of the top 5 running backs in the country. But injuries and a crowded depth chart hampered their development.
5. Marquis “Mud Cat” Elmore – While other players on this list were 5 star recruits, Elmore was not. But his name was so distinctive that he developed almost a cult status before he ever saw the field. He made little to no impact in four years, and failed to have a good career to match his nickname.
Top 5 “Overachievers”
1. Fernando Velasco – “Bubba” was a two star O-lineman but turned into one of the key players on the Dawgs offensive line in 2007.
2. Knowshon Moreno – Yes, he was highly recruited and was considered one of the best running backs in the country out of high school. But the fact that he was redshirted in 2006 means the coaching staff was not really sure what they had. Clearly, if you rated him again he would have been a 5 star recruit.
3. Danny Ware – Ware was originally recruited as a two star linebacker. The fact that he ended up as a successful running back is pretty impressive.
4. Christian Robinson – Robinson will only be a junior this fall, but his development has been fun to watch. I only expect him to get better over the next two years.
5. Brannan Southerland - Fullbacks are rarely rated above 3 stars, but maybe they should be. Southerland was a vital part of the Georgia offense during his four years.
Top 3 "What were the Experts Thinking"
1. Israel Troupe - He was Georgia's highest rated player according to ESPN in 2007. Really???
2. Joe Tereshinski/Logan Gray - Both were rated 4 star quarterbacks, but they are no where near the level of Aaron Murray.
3. Bryan Evans - Don't get me started.
So what are your top 5’s of the Richt era?
Top 5 Players who “Lived Up to the Hype”
1. AJ Green – Any questions?
2. Matthew Stafford – The kid from Texas was expected to lead Georgia to a National Championship. We got pretty close during his sophomore season.
3. Max Jean-Gilles – I remember all the hype about how big this kid was and how we stole him away from Miami. He definitely fit the bill, becoming a multi-year starter and an All-American.
4. Kade Weston – The five star recruit from New Jersey, turned in a great Georgia career.
5. Paul Oliver – Another top 5 player at his position, Oliver really developed during his career. Too bad academics got in the way.
Top 5 “Busts”
1. Akeem Hebron – Originally part of the 2006 class, Hebron went to Hargrave and then came back to Georgia. But the 5 star recruit never materialized into much on the playing field and he finished his time at Georgia this fall having never really made an impact.
2. Brandon Miller – The number on DE in the country in 2004, Miller eventually found a home at linebacker. And while he became a starter and was good on special teams, his career never met the expectations that most fans had.
3. Darius Dewberry – Like Hebron, he also failed to qualify initially but still found his way back to Athens. His impact was minimal at best, but much better than Hebron’s.
4. Kregg Lumpkin – You could probably put the careers of Lumpkin and Caleb King in the same boat. Both were 5 star recruits considered as one of the top 5 running backs in the country. But injuries and a crowded depth chart hampered their development.
5. Marquis “Mud Cat” Elmore – While other players on this list were 5 star recruits, Elmore was not. But his name was so distinctive that he developed almost a cult status before he ever saw the field. He made little to no impact in four years, and failed to have a good career to match his nickname.
Top 5 “Overachievers”
1. Fernando Velasco – “Bubba” was a two star O-lineman but turned into one of the key players on the Dawgs offensive line in 2007.
2. Knowshon Moreno – Yes, he was highly recruited and was considered one of the best running backs in the country out of high school. But the fact that he was redshirted in 2006 means the coaching staff was not really sure what they had. Clearly, if you rated him again he would have been a 5 star recruit.
3. Danny Ware – Ware was originally recruited as a two star linebacker. The fact that he ended up as a successful running back is pretty impressive.
4. Christian Robinson – Robinson will only be a junior this fall, but his development has been fun to watch. I only expect him to get better over the next two years.
5. Brannan Southerland - Fullbacks are rarely rated above 3 stars, but maybe they should be. Southerland was a vital part of the Georgia offense during his four years.
Top 3 "What were the Experts Thinking"
1. Israel Troupe - He was Georgia's highest rated player according to ESPN in 2007. Really???
2. Joe Tereshinski/Logan Gray - Both were rated 4 star quarterbacks, but they are no where near the level of Aaron Murray.
3. Bryan Evans - Don't get me started.
So what are your top 5’s of the Richt era?
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Around College Football 2010: Stock Up/Stock Down
Only the bowls remain for this season, so I thought it fitting to take a look around college football and see the players, coaches, and trends that are either rising or falling as the season nears its end. Things that are classifies as stock up are items you will hear more about in the coming year, while those that are stock down I feel will take a step back in the national spotlight.
Stock Up - Recruiting and Payment Scandals
I think we have just seen the tip of the iceberg in terms of scandals involving players, schools, and agents. It began with the Reggie Bush scandal, continued with the part in Miami, AJ Green's jersey, and eventually we got Cam Gate. People like to run their mouths and I have a feeling the NCAA is out for blood.
Stock Down - The BCS Doesn't Work Argument
While a playoff is still needed, the BCS worked out about as perfect as it could this year. The National Championship will match two perfect record teams from major conferences. The other BCS bowls are getting pretty good match ups (with the exception of the Fiesta getting stuck with unranked UConn).
Stock Up - Dan Mullen
In just his second year as a head coach, Dan Mullen led his Mississippi State Bulldogs to an 8-4 record that included victories over Georgia and Florida. They also came within a dropped pass of a game winning field goal against Auburn. With the retirement of Urban Meyer at Florida, Mullen is leading candidate to take over in Gainesville. Mullen was already mentioned as a leading candidate for the open job at Miami. If he stays in Starkville or heads back to the sunshine, Dan Mullen is about to get a huge pay raise.
Stock Down - Traditional Powers
Some of the winningest programs in college football history really struggled this season. Texas, coming off an appearance in the national title game, went 5-7 and will be home for the holidays. Miami fired Coach Randy Shannon after losing its final game of the season to South Florida. Michigan has continued to struggle under Rich Rodriguez. South Carolina was the only team in the SEC East to win more than 7 games (Florida 7-5, Georgia 6-6, Tennessee 6-6, Kentucky 6-6). Because of the Reggie Bush scandal, USC was ineligible for a bowl, but only managed a 7-5 regular season.
Stock Up - 1AA Upsets
Appalachian State beating Michigan in 2007 was the gold standard for 1AA upsets and it was just the beginning of what is becoming a trend. During the first 2 weeks of the 2010 season, we saw Kansas lose to North Dakota State, Ole Miss fall to Jacksonville State, and eventually ACC Champ Virginia Tech fall to James Madison. While 1AA schools will never have the depth to match most D1 schools, big programs can no longer completely overlook games against these much smaller schools.
Stock Down - UNC's Defense
When Marvin Austin announced he was partying in Miami with agents, it marked the beginning of the end for what was expected to be one of the best defenses in the country. Many of the players missed most or all of the season, and despite a valiant effort on opening night against LSU, the Tar Heels never lived up to their preseason expectations.
Stock Up - Running Backs
There are two big time running backs that I expect to have big seasons next fall. The first is South Carolina freshman Marcus Lattimore. We all saw what he could do when he dragged gusy all over the field against the Dawgs in September. He rushed for nearly 1200 yards and 17 scores this year, numbers similar to those put up by Knowshon in 2007. He will be the key for South Carolina next fall, the team that will most likely be the favorite in the SEC East. The second is Illinois running back Mikel Leshoure. He is a junior, but if he returns next fall, could be a Heisman candidate. He rushed for over 1500 yards on 6 yards a carry and scored 14 touchdowns. He put up the most impressive single game performance of the season, rushing for 330 yards in the victory over Northwestern at Wrigley Field.
Stock Down - Baseball Playing Quarterbacks
Jake Locker, the Washington quarterback walked away from guaranteed money in minor league baseball and from being a potential top 10 pick to return for his senior season. The Huskies managed to finished 6-6 and get bowl eligibile, but Locker struggled throughout the season. His skill set will still make him a first round pick, but he has clearly been passed by Andrew Luck and Cam Newton. Kyle Parker held off beginning his baseball career with the Rockies to to return under center for Clemson. An up and down season that saw Parker get battered on numerous occassions left many Tiger fans wondering if it was just time to move on. Parker is gone after their bowl game.
Stock Up - Stanford
With sophomore quarterback Andrew Luck, Jim Harbaugh's team was expected to be good. But an 11-1 record and an appearance in the Rose Bowl went way above expectations. Especially when you consider they lost Heisman runner up Toby Gerhart. Their only loss of the season was to undefeated Oregon and Harbaugh is now the hot new coaching name for both college and NFL positions.
Stock Down - Alabama
Everyon'e preaseason #1 was expected to be a shoe-in to retunr to the National Championship game. But an early season loss to South Carolina followed by a late game loss to LSU ended their repeat hopes. But they still had a shot to end rival Auburn's perfect season in the Iron Bowl, quickly jumping out to a 24-0 lead. But the Tigers came back for 28-27 victory, costing the Tide a chance to head back to a BCS bowl game. Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram seemed to disappear at times this year and the young Alabama defense was just that - young. Auburn's rise along with great years from Arkansas and LSU means Bama's time as the dominating program in the SEC West may be coming to end.
Stock Up - TCU
TCU put together a second consecutive undefeated regular season and will face Wisconsin in the Bowl. Their decision to leave the Mountain West and join the Big East will give them a chance to play in a BCS conference and increase their reputation nationally. I expect Texas Christian to be a major player in the NCAA for years to come.
Stock Down - Boise State
They came into this year with all the hype. They were the great hope for the little guys, the team that could finally make it to the BCS title. They started their season off great with a win over Virginia Tech and remained undefeated through 10 games. But two missed field goals against Nevada ended their perfect season and cost the Broncos a BCS bowl game. Boise State also made the decision to move conferences, leaving the WAC for the Mountain West. At first, this looked great with quality schools like TCU, Utah, and BYU in the conference. But all three of those schools left (TCU - Big East, Utah - Pac12, BYU - Independent) and now they are no better off than they were. They will open the 2011 season against our Dawgs in the dome. If Georgia shows up and sends Biose back to Idaho with another loss, the days of Boise State as a media darling may be coming to an end.
Stock Up/Stock Down - Auburn
Auburn's rise to the #1 ranking was unexpected and controversial. Cam Newton is clearly the best player in football this year, but the controversy around his father and pay for play can't be ignored. Nick Fairley is also an amazing football player, but his cheapshots and showboating made opposoing fans hate him and referees target him. Never has there been a polarizing team quite like this Auburn team. While people marvel at Newton's ability, they hate the controversy and the NCAA's decision to let him continue to play. Auburn fans took an "us against the world attitude" and it has not painted them in the best light. For all the fans they may have gained this year, they have made new enemies (particulary out of Georgia fans). Most agree that the Cam Newton situation is not over. Only time will tell if Auburn gets to keep all those victories they have accumulated.
This is just a sample of some of the trends I saw this year. Let me know if you agree with my assessments and what you thought were the biggest stock up and stock down topics of the 2010 season.
Stock Up - Recruiting and Payment Scandals
I think we have just seen the tip of the iceberg in terms of scandals involving players, schools, and agents. It began with the Reggie Bush scandal, continued with the part in Miami, AJ Green's jersey, and eventually we got Cam Gate. People like to run their mouths and I have a feeling the NCAA is out for blood.
Stock Down - The BCS Doesn't Work Argument
While a playoff is still needed, the BCS worked out about as perfect as it could this year. The National Championship will match two perfect record teams from major conferences. The other BCS bowls are getting pretty good match ups (with the exception of the Fiesta getting stuck with unranked UConn).
Stock Up - Dan Mullen
In just his second year as a head coach, Dan Mullen led his Mississippi State Bulldogs to an 8-4 record that included victories over Georgia and Florida. They also came within a dropped pass of a game winning field goal against Auburn. With the retirement of Urban Meyer at Florida, Mullen is leading candidate to take over in Gainesville. Mullen was already mentioned as a leading candidate for the open job at Miami. If he stays in Starkville or heads back to the sunshine, Dan Mullen is about to get a huge pay raise.
Stock Down - Traditional Powers
Some of the winningest programs in college football history really struggled this season. Texas, coming off an appearance in the national title game, went 5-7 and will be home for the holidays. Miami fired Coach Randy Shannon after losing its final game of the season to South Florida. Michigan has continued to struggle under Rich Rodriguez. South Carolina was the only team in the SEC East to win more than 7 games (Florida 7-5, Georgia 6-6, Tennessee 6-6, Kentucky 6-6). Because of the Reggie Bush scandal, USC was ineligible for a bowl, but only managed a 7-5 regular season.
Stock Up - 1AA Upsets
Appalachian State beating Michigan in 2007 was the gold standard for 1AA upsets and it was just the beginning of what is becoming a trend. During the first 2 weeks of the 2010 season, we saw Kansas lose to North Dakota State, Ole Miss fall to Jacksonville State, and eventually ACC Champ Virginia Tech fall to James Madison. While 1AA schools will never have the depth to match most D1 schools, big programs can no longer completely overlook games against these much smaller schools.
Stock Down - UNC's Defense
When Marvin Austin announced he was partying in Miami with agents, it marked the beginning of the end for what was expected to be one of the best defenses in the country. Many of the players missed most or all of the season, and despite a valiant effort on opening night against LSU, the Tar Heels never lived up to their preseason expectations.
Stock Up - Running Backs
There are two big time running backs that I expect to have big seasons next fall. The first is South Carolina freshman Marcus Lattimore. We all saw what he could do when he dragged gusy all over the field against the Dawgs in September. He rushed for nearly 1200 yards and 17 scores this year, numbers similar to those put up by Knowshon in 2007. He will be the key for South Carolina next fall, the team that will most likely be the favorite in the SEC East. The second is Illinois running back Mikel Leshoure. He is a junior, but if he returns next fall, could be a Heisman candidate. He rushed for over 1500 yards on 6 yards a carry and scored 14 touchdowns. He put up the most impressive single game performance of the season, rushing for 330 yards in the victory over Northwestern at Wrigley Field.
Stock Down - Baseball Playing Quarterbacks
Jake Locker, the Washington quarterback walked away from guaranteed money in minor league baseball and from being a potential top 10 pick to return for his senior season. The Huskies managed to finished 6-6 and get bowl eligibile, but Locker struggled throughout the season. His skill set will still make him a first round pick, but he has clearly been passed by Andrew Luck and Cam Newton. Kyle Parker held off beginning his baseball career with the Rockies to to return under center for Clemson. An up and down season that saw Parker get battered on numerous occassions left many Tiger fans wondering if it was just time to move on. Parker is gone after their bowl game.
Stock Up - Stanford
With sophomore quarterback Andrew Luck, Jim Harbaugh's team was expected to be good. But an 11-1 record and an appearance in the Rose Bowl went way above expectations. Especially when you consider they lost Heisman runner up Toby Gerhart. Their only loss of the season was to undefeated Oregon and Harbaugh is now the hot new coaching name for both college and NFL positions.
Stock Down - Alabama
Everyon'e preaseason #1 was expected to be a shoe-in to retunr to the National Championship game. But an early season loss to South Carolina followed by a late game loss to LSU ended their repeat hopes. But they still had a shot to end rival Auburn's perfect season in the Iron Bowl, quickly jumping out to a 24-0 lead. But the Tigers came back for 28-27 victory, costing the Tide a chance to head back to a BCS bowl game. Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram seemed to disappear at times this year and the young Alabama defense was just that - young. Auburn's rise along with great years from Arkansas and LSU means Bama's time as the dominating program in the SEC West may be coming to end.
Stock Up - TCU
TCU put together a second consecutive undefeated regular season and will face Wisconsin in the Bowl. Their decision to leave the Mountain West and join the Big East will give them a chance to play in a BCS conference and increase their reputation nationally. I expect Texas Christian to be a major player in the NCAA for years to come.
Stock Down - Boise State
They came into this year with all the hype. They were the great hope for the little guys, the team that could finally make it to the BCS title. They started their season off great with a win over Virginia Tech and remained undefeated through 10 games. But two missed field goals against Nevada ended their perfect season and cost the Broncos a BCS bowl game. Boise State also made the decision to move conferences, leaving the WAC for the Mountain West. At first, this looked great with quality schools like TCU, Utah, and BYU in the conference. But all three of those schools left (TCU - Big East, Utah - Pac12, BYU - Independent) and now they are no better off than they were. They will open the 2011 season against our Dawgs in the dome. If Georgia shows up and sends Biose back to Idaho with another loss, the days of Boise State as a media darling may be coming to an end.
Stock Up/Stock Down - Auburn
Auburn's rise to the #1 ranking was unexpected and controversial. Cam Newton is clearly the best player in football this year, but the controversy around his father and pay for play can't be ignored. Nick Fairley is also an amazing football player, but his cheapshots and showboating made opposoing fans hate him and referees target him. Never has there been a polarizing team quite like this Auburn team. While people marvel at Newton's ability, they hate the controversy and the NCAA's decision to let him continue to play. Auburn fans took an "us against the world attitude" and it has not painted them in the best light. For all the fans they may have gained this year, they have made new enemies (particulary out of Georgia fans). Most agree that the Cam Newton situation is not over. Only time will tell if Auburn gets to keep all those victories they have accumulated.
This is just a sample of some of the trends I saw this year. Let me know if you agree with my assessments and what you thought were the biggest stock up and stock down topics of the 2010 season.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Mustain: The Once and Future Starting QB?
Even though conference expansion/implosion is the topic du jour, USC’s sanctions any other week of the year would be the main focus of media and college football blogs alike. As has been widely reported elsewhere, USC Trojan underclassmen are beginning to resemble rats on a sinking ship, looking to flee a crippling 2 year bowl postseason ban handed down by the NCAA. While UGA is in the running to land former AJC Super 11 Jarvis Jones and Florida/Alabama are purportedly committing recruiting infractions in pursuit of USC RB Dillon Baxter, we have yet to hear any rumblings on transfers from any of the upperclassmen of Troy.
NCAA bylaws directly allow players who would otherwise be barred from postseason bowls for the rest of their collegiate career to transfer without sitting out a year. One particular Trojan who squarely falls in this group and is well-known by SEC fans happens to be Mitch Mustain, formerly of Springdale, Arkansas and the one-time Razorback starting quarterback.
Coming out of high school, Mustain was named the 2005 Parade All-American Player of the Year, 2005-06 Gatorade National Player of the Year and the 2005 USA Today National Player of the Year.After following his high school coach, Gus Malzahn, to Arkansas, he transferred to USC after being benched mid-season (with an 8-0 record) and followed out of Fayetteville high school teammate Damian Williams and Malzahn in pursuit of a more pass-oriented offense.
Mustain is currently buried on the USC depth chart, having made only 16 passing attempts in his 2 seasons as backup QB, is stuck behind returning sophomore Matt Barkley and could also potentially fall behind the newest incoming prep QB All-American, Jesse Scroggins. Mustain might mentally be planning on following USC alum Matt Cassel‘s roadmap from perennial benchwarmer to NFL starting QB, but that road is haphazard and much less attractive without Pete Carroll donning the headset in the Coliseum this fall.
While Mustain’s official position thus far in the sanctions upheaval is that he has no plans to leave, there are several teams who desperately could use a QB. For obvious reasons (see Nutt, Houston), Ole Miss has to immediately be dismissed as a candidate, as well as any Pac 1X members, given the inter-conference transfer restriction rules, sanctions or not.
UNC, Tennessee and a darkhorse Auburn are among several viable destinations should Mustain decide on pursuing a transfer for his final year of eligibility. UNC is projected in the top 25 in multiple preseason magazines but is held back mainly by their offense (Phil Steele even predicts that QB TJ Yates, a 3 year starter, could lose his starting roll to a redshirt freshman); up in Knoxville, beyond the joy that UT fans would get from the coup of stealing a player from the Kiffster, the cupboards are relatively bare, with recent JUCO transfer Matt Sims the only serious candidate for playing time at QB behind a patchwork O-Line. Auburn could be attractive for Mustain, given the familiarity of HS Coach Gus Malzahn’s offense, and Mustain could be only one stolen laptop away from serious playing time.
While USC is currently appealing the sanctions, it may be a bit of an uphill battle to get the sanctions overturned. It is possible that USC upperclassmen being in play to transfer this year could be a moot point, as the waters are still murky as to whether the NCAA will allow a USC upperclassman to transfer out during the ongoing appeals process. A comparable sanction/appeal timeline should approximate Alabama’s recent appeals process, which ran roughly 9 months. I would imagine that the NCAA would ultimately come down on the side of the student-athlete in this instance, allowing players to transfer during any ongoing appeals, given the institutional actions that led to this transfer window opening in the first place.
While the conference musical chair game will continue to garner the most press attention, expect to see a slow trickle of transfers and decommitments throughout the summer, as USC prepares to lose 10 scholarships a year for 3 years. Hopefully UGA will be able to bring Jarvis Jones back home to Georgia, as well as plucking a few extra recruits away from USC’s top 5 2011 recruiting class.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Signing Day Wrap Up - A Look Back at Recent 5 Star Recruits
When Georgia lost Da'Rick Rogers to Tennessee, it left the Dawgs with only one commit, safety Alec Ogletree, who was rated as a 5 star recruit (I am using Scout.com ratings here and during the rest of this article). Since recruiting information became widely available on the Internet beginning in 2002, Georgia has received commitments from 19 five star recruits (through 2009). And while some of those players have turned in fantastic careers, some did not pan out the way most though they would. Here is a look at the 5 star recruits Georgia has had since 2002:
2002
Kedric Golston
2003
Sean Bailey
Leonard Pope (originally committed in 2002)
2004
Brandon Miller
Charles Johnson
2005
Kade Weston
CJ Byrd
2006
Darius Dewberry (originally committed in 2005)
Akeem Hebron
Matthew Stafford
Brandon Wood
2007
Caleb King
2008
Deangelo Tyson
Richard Samuel
AJ Green
2009
Orson Charles
Branden Smith
Aaron Murray
Marlon Brown
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Recruiting 2010: Competing with Florida and Bama
It is July and news is slow right now, what better a time to talk recruiting. With the commitment of Brandon Burrows yesterday, the Georgia recruiting class for 2010 is starting to look really impressive. Georgia has already picked up 7 commitments in state and another 6 in the state of Florida. What is most impressive about this class is how well Georgia has fared going head-to-head with Florida, Alabama, and other southeastern schools. Here's a look at the commitments the Dawgs have so far and other offers each player had from schools in the southeast:
Brandon Burrows - Florida, Alabama, Tennessee
Ken Malcome - Florida, Alabama, Clemson
Alec Ogletree - Alabama, Auburn, LSU
Deon Rogers - Florida International
Demetre Baker - Miami, South Carolina, East Carolina
Michael Bennett - Southern Miss
Brent Benedict - Florida, Alabama, Clemson
Da'Rick Rogers - Florida, Alabama, LSU
Kolton Houston - Auburn, Tennessee, South Carolina
Marc Deas - Kentucky, Ole Miss, UCF
Jalen Fields - Florida, Alabama, Tennessee
Derek Owens - Florida, South Carolina
While Alec Ogletree is no doubt the prize of the class so far, I really think that the combination of Da'Rick Rogers, Marlon Brown, and AJ Green will be a lot of fun to watch in the Georgia passing game in 2010.
GO DAWGS!!!
Brandon Burrows - Florida, Alabama, Tennessee
Ken Malcome - Florida, Alabama, Clemson
Alec Ogletree - Alabama, Auburn, LSU
Deon Rogers - Florida International
Demetre Baker - Miami, South Carolina, East Carolina
Michael Bennett - Southern Miss
Brent Benedict - Florida, Alabama, Clemson
Da'Rick Rogers - Florida, Alabama, LSU
Kolton Houston - Auburn, Tennessee, South Carolina
Marc Deas - Kentucky, Ole Miss, UCF
Jalen Fields - Florida, Alabama, Tennessee
Derek Owens - Florida, South Carolina
While Alec Ogletree is no doubt the prize of the class so far, I really think that the combination of Da'Rick Rogers, Marlon Brown, and AJ Green will be a lot of fun to watch in the Georgia passing game in 2010.
GO DAWGS!!!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Dawgs Pick Up Calhoun Receiver
Georgia picked up a verbal commitment from Da'Rick Rogers, a 6-3 receiver from Calhoun High School today. Rogers is currently ranked as the #4 wide receiving prospect in the class of 2010 and had 66 catches for 1300 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2008. Rogers had narrowed his choices down to Georgia and Florida, and I sure am glad he has decided to stay in state. Scout.com had this to say about Rogers:
Overall, Rogers is an impressive physical specimen and at times looks like a Calvin Johnson-type player. He is aggressive, makes plays and presents some difficult one-on-one mismatches for opposing defenses. Excellent prospect. - Read the rest of the evaluation here
I saw Rogers play in the AA State Championship game last fall. Buford was clearly a better team than Calhoun, but Rogers made some amazing plays that kept his team in the game. Welcome to the Dawg nation, Da'Rick. I look forward to see you catching passes in Sanford Stadium beginning in the fall of 2010.
****UPDATED: Now with Video!
Friday, May 29, 2009
A Note on Recruiting
I just want to say one quick thing about recruiting: I laugh at people who think that Georgia's recruiting has taken a step back. While I might not care about a 2011 recruit right now, or a 2010 recruit for that matter, I sure do care about 2009 signees right now.
Looking at the 2009 class in the Athlon magazine covering the SEC, Georgia just might've done the best job in the conference. Athlon lists their top 40 incoming freshmen in the SEC (on page 69). There are 4 players from the state of Georgia. That seems unusually low for the state, but Georgia has signed all 4 players.
Branden Smith
Chris Burnette
Washaun Ealey
Abry Jones
Not one of those players went out of state to play at another SEC school.
Meanwhile, there are 9 players on the list that are from the Southeast but signed with an out-of-state SEC school. Georgia leads the way, signing 4 of those 9 players.
Marlon Brown
Aaron Murray
Orson Charles
Austin Long
The others include:
Trent Richardson, RB, Pensacola, FL -- Alabama
Sam Montgomery, DE, Greenwood, SC -- LSU
Janzen Jackson, CB, Lake Charles, LA -- Tennessee
Nu'Keese Richardson, WR, Pahokee, FL -- Tennessee
Eddie Lacy, RB, Geismar, LA -- Alabama
Looking at the 2009 class in the Athlon magazine covering the SEC, Georgia just might've done the best job in the conference. Athlon lists their top 40 incoming freshmen in the SEC (on page 69). There are 4 players from the state of Georgia. That seems unusually low for the state, but Georgia has signed all 4 players.
Branden Smith
Chris Burnette
Washaun Ealey
Abry Jones
Not one of those players went out of state to play at another SEC school.
Meanwhile, there are 9 players on the list that are from the Southeast but signed with an out-of-state SEC school. Georgia leads the way, signing 4 of those 9 players.
Marlon Brown
Aaron Murray
Orson Charles
Austin Long
The others include:
Trent Richardson, RB, Pensacola, FL -- Alabama
Sam Montgomery, DE, Greenwood, SC -- LSU
Janzen Jackson, CB, Lake Charles, LA -- Tennessee
Nu'Keese Richardson, WR, Pahokee, FL -- Tennessee
Eddie Lacy, RB, Geismar, LA -- Alabama
Athlon's been doing this for a while ya know...was there an Athlon top 40 when Knox Culpepper (middle) committed to Georgia?
So, by my count, that's an impressive list for Georgia, hauling in 8 of Athlon's top 40, keeping all the in-state kids on the entire list, and essentially being the biggest player in the SEC for out-of-state talent across the Southeast.
And that fires me up for Georgia's future from the class of 2009 as it presents a solid argument for Georgia's recruiting class even against the likes of LSU (6 of the top 40) and Alabama (8 of the top 40), which were both considered better classes by the pundits in February. For further comparison, Florida hauled in 5 of the top 40, while Tennessee hauled in 4 of the top 40.
Bascially, the only two SEC schools that didn't lose any in-state players on Athlon's top 40 were Georgia and Alabama.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
BulldawgJosh & Bubba's 80's Music Video Of The Week
Here is Rockwell's 1984 hit, "Somebody's Watching Me", featuring Michael Jackson. Rockwell was also the son of Barry Gordy (founder of Motown Records).
This song is dedicated to all the recruits who just committed. I'm sure they always felt someone was watching them, mainly over zealous middle aged men who were stalking them 24/7.
This song is dedicated to all the recruits who just committed. I'm sure they always felt someone was watching them, mainly over zealous middle aged men who were stalking them 24/7.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
The Recruitment of Herschel Walker
With National Signing Day upon us, I thought it appropriate to take a look back at the most important recruit in the history of Georgia football: Herschel Walker. Recruiting in those days was not the same business as it is today. There was no Scout.com, recruiting updates in the paper, “Countdown to Signing Day” television shows, or eight hours of ESPNU coverage with Tommy Tuberville. If you wanted to know who the top prospects were, you paid for a newsletter that listed names and stats and that was it. However, the recruitment of Herschel Walker was a story that did create quite a stir in the media. As Henry Leifermann of the New York Times would later describe it:
In the spring of 1980, Herschel Walker was a black teenager in the mid-Georgia town of Wrightsville (population 2,350). Walker was not just the star of the Johnson Count High School football team. He was the most sought after player in the country.
College recruiters flew into Wrightsville by helicopter, some staying months, wooing Walker. One, from the University of Georgia, lived in a house lent to him by a wealthy white alumnus of Georgia, and it was Georgia, to the regret of hundreds of other colleges, that Herschel Walker chose to attend.
In the spring of 1980, Herschel Walker was a black teenager in the mid-Georgia town of Wrightsville (population 2,350). Walker was not just the star of the Johnson Count High School football team. He was the most sought after player in the country.
College recruiters flew into Wrightsville by helicopter, some staying months, wooing Walker. One, from the University of Georgia, lived in a house lent to him by a wealthy white alumnus of Georgia, and it was Georgia, to the regret of hundreds of other colleges, that Herschel Walker chose to attend.
While the Bulldawg nation hoped that the pheonom from Johnson County would sign with the home-state team, his signing was never a foregone conclusion. Clemson and Southern California were also pushing very hard to sign Walker. Unlike the players today, who announce their choices on national television sometimes months (now even years) before National Signing Day, Walker remained uncommitted until Easter. As Easter approached, Coach Dooley had planned to take a trip with his wife to Boston. On the Thursday before, however he decided he could not leave the state until Herschel Signed. Needless to say, Barbara Dooley was furious.
Barbara went on to Boston, while coach stayed in Athens. On Easter Sunday morning, assistant Steve Greer came and told Vince that Herschel was ready to sign. The story goes that Herschel ended up picking Georgia on a coin flip (where is that lucky coin now?!?) They went to Wrightsville but had to wait outside of the Walkers’ house while Herschel inked his commitment letter because they had already used the allotted amount of NCAA visits.
Just a few months later, Herschel Walker would carry Georgia to the 1980 National Championship. He is the most important commitment that Georgia has ever received and the madness around him sparked a change in national coverage of the recruitment of high school athletes. As Mark Bradley wrote in the AJC,
Even after Herschel, it didn’t happen overnight. First came specialized publications, then a groundbreaking recruiting talk show on Nashville’s WLAC, and then, ultimately and inevitably, the Internet. Supply keeps rising to meet demand, and today there are fans of all schools who seem to care more about winning — or, to be precise, about being perceived as having won — on a Wednesday in February than on any autumn Saturday.
Maybe this strange business would have gotten huge anyway, but every person I’ve ever asked, and I’ve asked several, has invoked one word to pinpoint that moment when recruiting struck the communal chord that resounds today — Herschel. He signed. He played. He changed the football world.
GO DAWGS!!!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Lewis Grizzard on Basketball and Recruiting
With Georgia currently in the national headlines concerning the potential of Bobby Knight coming to Athens and National Signing Day just two days away, I thought it appropriate to share this Lewis Grizzard story concerning recruiting violations, college basketball, and how he might fix the entire mess.
***This story and others can be found at the official Lewis Grizzard website, http://www.lewisgrizzard.com/columns/archive/.
"My alma mater, the University of Georgia, has been placed on probation by the National Collegiate Athletic Association for recruiting violations within its basketball program.
Georgia gave a prospect a T-shirt. It is against the NCAA rules to give a prospect anything, even a T-shirt.
Georgia gave a friend of another prospect a ride to a restaurant and then to his hotel.
It is also against NCAA rules to give a friend of a prospect anything, even a four-mile ride.
A T-shirt here, a pair of shoes there, a ride for a prospect's friend and Georgia's Athletic Department and the enitre school suffers the embarrassment of probation.
"I know the charges were minor," a member of the Athletic Department told me. "But nobody outside the inner circle really pays attention to the details and so people think we are buying and selling kids like we were slave holders."
What was the Georgia coach supposed to do when the prospect's friend asked for a ride? Tell him to walk and probably lose the prospect because he turned his friend out on the street?
We're talking big-time college basketball here, where millions of dollars and extended contracts are on the line. If a tall kid who can dunk with both hands asks for a T-shirt, you give him a T-shirt.
I'm not defending my school, here. Georgia knows the rules, yet Georgia broke the rules, as silly as they might be, and they got caught and they got punished and that's the name of that tune.
But the NCAA is like the IRS. They go after you, they get you, with even some help from college coaches who turn each other in, some standing on their pedestals claiming piously "We will bring these cheaters to their knees."
Horse dung. They turn each other in for strictly selfish reasons. You get you r rival in trouble with the NCAA and the NCAA takes away a few of its scholarships, and all of a sudden you're beating his brains out and you become a genius with a fat raise.
College basketball players are shaving points for gamblers and are going to jail for it. Millions are being handed out for television contracts, big-time coaches are getting rich and the NCAA is worrying about a high school kid getting a free T-shirt?
I don't have a solution for all this idiocy, but I know how I wish college basketball and footall worked.
Whack Hyder, who coached basketball at Georgia Tech before he got sick of recruiting and quit, had the idea years ago.
"What I would like to be able to do," said Whack, "is to put a sign on the bulletin board in the PE department that said, `Any student desiring to try out for the men's basketball team, report to the gym at 4 o'clock.'
"I play with the kids who happen to come to my school. You play with the kids who happen to come to yours."
Thus, recruiting becomes a thing of the past. The sport purifies itself and all the athletes get are a pair of shoes, socks, a jock, and an opportunity to have a little good clean fun."
Georgia gave a prospect a T-shirt. It is against the NCAA rules to give a prospect anything, even a T-shirt.
Georgia gave a friend of another prospect a ride to a restaurant and then to his hotel.
It is also against NCAA rules to give a friend of a prospect anything, even a four-mile ride.
A T-shirt here, a pair of shoes there, a ride for a prospect's friend and Georgia's Athletic Department and the enitre school suffers the embarrassment of probation.
"I know the charges were minor," a member of the Athletic Department told me. "But nobody outside the inner circle really pays attention to the details and so people think we are buying and selling kids like we were slave holders."
What was the Georgia coach supposed to do when the prospect's friend asked for a ride? Tell him to walk and probably lose the prospect because he turned his friend out on the street?
We're talking big-time college basketball here, where millions of dollars and extended contracts are on the line. If a tall kid who can dunk with both hands asks for a T-shirt, you give him a T-shirt.
I'm not defending my school, here. Georgia knows the rules, yet Georgia broke the rules, as silly as they might be, and they got caught and they got punished and that's the name of that tune.
But the NCAA is like the IRS. They go after you, they get you, with even some help from college coaches who turn each other in, some standing on their pedestals claiming piously "We will bring these cheaters to their knees."
Horse dung. They turn each other in for strictly selfish reasons. You get you r rival in trouble with the NCAA and the NCAA takes away a few of its scholarships, and all of a sudden you're beating his brains out and you become a genius with a fat raise.
College basketball players are shaving points for gamblers and are going to jail for it. Millions are being handed out for television contracts, big-time coaches are getting rich and the NCAA is worrying about a high school kid getting a free T-shirt?
I don't have a solution for all this idiocy, but I know how I wish college basketball and footall worked.
Whack Hyder, who coached basketball at Georgia Tech before he got sick of recruiting and quit, had the idea years ago.
"What I would like to be able to do," said Whack, "is to put a sign on the bulletin board in the PE department that said, `Any student desiring to try out for the men's basketball team, report to the gym at 4 o'clock.'
"I play with the kids who happen to come to my school. You play with the kids who happen to come to yours."
Thus, recruiting becomes a thing of the past. The sport purifies itself and all the athletes get are a pair of shoes, socks, a jock, and an opportunity to have a little good clean fun."
- Lewis Grizzard, "Georgia on Probation"
***This story and others can be found at the official Lewis Grizzard website, http://www.lewisgrizzard.com/columns/archive/.
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