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
78 DAWG
April 10th, 2009
9:54 am
Cottonmouth, we’ve had the 1 program in the country since CRM arrived, one lucky year doesn’t make you a top program. We ran over you in the second half this year anyway. We didn’t even want this kid, we don’t care about 2 star recruits like Sims and Stephen Hill. Go back to your hillbilly hootenany.
theTruth
April 10th, 2009
9:53 am
Apparently you are lacking SOUND REASONING, if you think the years are different. Please tell me what Meyer did that made his count other than he BACKED into the championship game? There is no reason that AU should not have played for the NC since they went undefeated in the SEC. No TEAM in the SEC that goes undefeated should be left out regardless who it is. Any time you win a NC with even one loss, YOU ARE LUCKY to get in and it’s a popularity contest.
Sound Reasoning
April 10th, 2009
9:49 am
The difference in Richt’s 13-1 record and Meyer’s is that Meyer made his count. Richt’s 13-1 is not more relevant than Tuberville’s 14-0 or even Saban’s 12-2. No NC was won.
theTruth
April 10th, 2009
9:48 am
sound reasoning, that only applies to one service that only counts the top 20 (since I DO know how the rankings work)
JB
April 10th, 2009
9:48 am
Mr Peru………Richt is 3-1 head to head in SEC play against Saban ( LSU/BAMA) . Check it out yourself. I for one thinks that’s a PRETTY GOOD AVERAGE !
theTruth
April 10th, 2009
9:47 am
Bobby Peru, congrats on 12 wins in your coach’s second year, shall we look at other coaches records in their second year to compare? Hmm, let’s see, Meyer went 13-1 and Richt went 13-1, so to be arrogant that you will get any better is foolish thinking. Bama fans would loathe Richt’s record over the last 8 years.
PS: Please do not embarass the SEC again like you did last year in Sugar Bowl against an NON BCS TEAM.
Sound Reasoning
April 10th, 2009
9:47 am
the(un)Truth, if you understood how the rankings work, you would realize that they only count your Top 20 recruits. You could sign 100, but if they are below average, your rankings will be also.
cottonmouth
April 10th, 2009
9:45 am
One national championship in over 100 years, LOL! Hopes -that’s all you got Dawg fans.
Tom From Bama
April 10th, 2009
9:45 am
Michael, That blackout thing still hurts, huh?
theTruth
April 10th, 2009
9:43 am
Carvell, isn’t that headline a little misleading? Yes, Simms is a top prospect but to say that Saban is getting the top recruits out of GA is misleading. Congrats to Saban for beating out UAB for Shepard and beating out East Carolina for Ronald Carswell, not exactly big boys knocking down their doors. theTRUTH is these guys aren’t even in the top 300 players in the country. But I am sure Saban will sign another 30 (like the last two years) just to bump up his ranking instead of thinking about the kids he will have to kick off the team.