Alabama’s Nick Saban rolls into Georgia for 2010 prospects
Nick and Blake shake on it (Photo submitted by Sims family)
Alabama’s Nick Saban dampened UGA’s national championship hopes last year. Now Saban is returning to the state to inflict more damage.
Gainesville QB Blake Sims is the latest 2010 prospect to pledge to Alabama. Sims picked the Crimson Tide over UGA, Michigan, Tennessee and West Virginia, among others.
Alabama has as many commitments from the state as Georgia Tech (3), and more than UGA (1). The other Tuscaloosa-bound prospects are North Gwinnett OL Austin Shephard and Westside-Macon WR Ronald Carswell.
The big questions are these: Now that Saban is scoring big early in Georgia, will he be able to finish as strong as he started with recruiting? And will he be able to hold on to the commitments he has? So far, so good.
UGA touched base with Sims this week, asking if he wanted to take another look at the Bulldogs. “[Assistant John Jancek] wanted me to come down there, so they could roll out the red carpet like Alabama did for me last weekend,” Sims said. “I told him thanks for the invitation, and I appreciated it. It was hard to turn down Georgia. I grew up a Georgia fan. I’ve been good friends with [Mark Richt] since my freshman year.”
“But I’ve already picked my school, and I’m going to keep my word because [Saban] gave me his word.”
Saban closed the deal with Sims at a dizzying pace. It was the stuff of recruiting legends. Last Wednesday, Sims said West Virginia, Michigan and UGA were his top three choices. Thursday, Alabama offered out of the blue. Friday, Sims talked to Saban for the first time in his life. Saturday, Sims visited Alabama for the first time. Within a few hours, Saban had Sims so fired up he was ready to learn words to the school fight song.
“Coach Saban showed me love, lots of love,” Sims said. “He let me know I was very important to the future of Alabama football. I was head over heels about the place. I surprised myself by committing. I just looked up and asked God to help me with my college decision.”
The quick commitment by Sims abruptly ended a long travel itinerary for his family over spring break. They were headed to West Virginia the next day, and then Michigan by the end of the week.
However, the recruiting journey has just begun for Sims, along with rest of Alabama’s seven overall commitments. As with all the top prospects, Sims will be pursued by other schools until he signs the scholarship papers in February. He got 11 letters from colleges on Thursday, including hand-written cards from coaches at West Virginia and Michigan.
Nice start by Nick Saban with next year’s recruiting class, especially in Georgia. We’ll see where everything stands in 10 months.
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116 comments Add your comment
Chuck Uga
April 10th, 2009
11:28 pm
Um, to the Bama fan that posted earlier, you are NOT going to win 2 of the next four SEC titles. And to say “win it all” or nothing is a lie. You definitely would be THRILLED to have Richt’s record, and to say that means nothing to Bama fans is once again, a LIE. Bama JUST LAST SEASON emerged from obscurity. Get real, Saban is not Bear, and NO COACH WILL EVER WIN as many games as Bryant did at Bama. Bama is NOT going to dominate the SEC with or without Saban. UGA will win another SEC title before Bama does. Book it. Oh, and Richt will get his usual Top 5 recruiting class next February. There isn’t a dam thing Saban or the new UT coach or Paul Johnson or anyone else can do to stop that from happening.
YAWN
April 10th, 2009
9:15 pm
Bama’s elephants come from their oline in the 70’s I believe. they were chronicoled as elephants. I have no idea what crimson tide means and where it came from. I wouldn’t mind knowing the history of that myself. I’m sure a Bama fan can enlighten us since they sure can jump on a Ga (paper) message board after finally beating UGA for the first time since 1995.
thomassweatt
April 10th, 2009
9:11 pm
why did he flee to alabama after growing up a uga fan? who knows. maybe he doesn’t feel like getting blown the hell out on national tv. maybe he believes more in hard work and accountability than black jerseys and endzone dances. maybe he feels like being a winner. just guesses of course.
bama??????
April 10th, 2009
9:00 pm
Can someone please explain how roll tide relates to an elephant. Why is it that schools in Alabama have two mascots.
bama??????
April 10th, 2009
8:56 pm
When is the last time BAMA won an SEC Championship? You had a decent year and didn’t win squat. how many times has UGA won the SEC in the last decade?? How many games has BAMA won in the past decade?? Congrats on your one good year. Pretty impressive..
ArrowJ
April 10th, 2009
8:36 pm
Richt has beat Saban 2 times, not 1, and 2 of those times was when he won with someone else’s players. Saban beat Richt when he was at LSU 2 times, Richt beat hime 1 time while he was at LSU, and Richt beat him his first year at Bama. Get it right! That makes the score Saban 3, Richt 2…not so impressive, just average.
The 31 – 0 half time butt whooping was a look at the future. Coach Richt isn’t winning any championship anytime soon. Dawg fans better pray Fatboy at Notre Dame fails next season so Urban will give the Dawgs a chance by leaving for his dream job to the north.
Right now Coach Saban owns Richt. Average may butt. Coach Saban landed the #1 Class for a second year. What did Richt do? Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee. That is the fallout for 2009. Georgia is lucky they are not playing Ala fricking Bama this year. Yellowjackets Sting.
Georgiaman
April 10th, 2009
8:34 pm
I am a Georgia fan and it is a shame for us to get on here and bash a kid with this much talent. Remember he is from Georgia and that says alot about our highschool football players. Make no mistake, anyone that has been following highschool football in Georgia as long as i have, this kid can flat out play football! Athelte is the word that everyone uses to describe him. That is what he is, an atheletic quarterback that can play 4 or 5 positions. We lost a good one, and i am still going to follow this kid! I saw him play about 4 times this year, each time i saw him he had nothing less then 2 touchdowns in each game. He also threw the ball for touchdowns in each one of the games. THIS KID CAN PLAY!!!! Wish him the best, and lets not lose anymore with his talent. I would take him over both of the 2 qb’s that we just brought in! If i was a betting man this kid is going to be a star in the SEC, whatever position he is at! Young man you are in a good position to be able to play multiple positions. The two we brought in cannot do that! For our sake i hope they dont put him at qb, because he is TROUBLE.
ArrowJ
April 10th, 2009
8:28 pm
Blake Sims going to Alabama is OK by me. He will probably play defense and become an All American with Saban. Nothing against Richt but Saban can flatout coach a defensive player. While at Lswho he help put 16 defensive players on NFL teams. 22 including Offense. Coach Richt isn’t really getting the goodie out of his players not like Saban is. Sims can see this. Heck I can see it. YellowJackets Sting.
aladawg
April 10th, 2009
6:50 pm
Richt has beat Saban 2 times, not 1, and 2 of those times was when he won with someone else’s players. Saban beat Richt when he was at LSU 2 times, Richt beat hime 1 time while he was at LSU, and Richt beat him his first year at Bama. Get it right! That makes the score Saban 3, Richt 2…not so impressive, just average.
News Article: AJ-C: Alabama
April 10th, 2009
5:52 pm
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