Archive for the ‘SEC’ Category

Paul Johnson already has two in-state prospects committed to sign with Georgia Tech next year (AJC)

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson and UGA’s Mark Richt say they expect to battle it out more this year over the state’s top prospects.

Westlake linebacker Michael Taylor is the latest homegrown talent to be recruited by the archrivals. Georgia Tech offered Taylor on Thursday; UGA extended the scholarship papers on his 17th birthday in February.

“It means a lot to get offered by both Georgia and Georgia Tech,” Taylor said. “Both are great schools. Georgia is one of the top teams in the SEC, while Georgia Tech is one of the best in the ACC. It doesn’t seem to happen a lot, when [an in-state] player gets offered by both of them.”

It’s still early in recruiting for the 2010 prospects, but at least a dozen of the state’s top names have dual offers from the rivals. Some of the headliners are M.L. King tailback Mack Brown, Booker T. Washington wide receiver Antonio Goodwin, Gainesville …

Continue reading Georgia Tech and UGA lining up to battle over state’s top prospects »

Lane Kiffin: Pete works out more than me. (AP)

Lane Kiffin finally answered The Question. If his mentor, Southern Cal coach Pete Carroll, went shirtless in front of recruits, then why didn’t Kiffin?

“Pete works out more than me, he’s in better shape,” Kiffin told the AJC, while laughing. [First reported by the AJC, click here for a full recap]

Kiffin and Tennessee recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron brought the idea along from Southern Cal, where they both worked under Carroll.

However, the LA scene and Rocky Top are two totally different cultures. What gave Kiffin the confidence to try the shirt-ripping stunt in SEC territory? “Players are players no matter where they are. Great players, for the most part, love energetic coaches that are passionate, that make them better, that motivate them out there. We are a very high-energy staff. We want to make sure our players stay at high energy through the day. It wasn’t only that particular [tactic], but the whole Junior Day in …

Continue reading Lane Kiffin reveals why he didn’t rip off his shirt in recruiting stunt »

Buford OL Kolton Houston has UGA and Georgia Tech offers (Photo by Brandi King)

Shane Houston tried his best to hide the excitement over his son, Buford’s Kolton Houston, being offered a football scholarship by Georgia. Shane played at UGA, and there’s just something special when your son is offered by your former team. It’s one of those father-son things. Shane tried to put on his best “game face” but it wasn’t really working.

“It definitely means a lot for Georgia to offer,” Shane said on Monday evening. “Any father would think that. It was honor. It felt special. Now it’s in Kolton’s hands on what to do with the recruiting process.”

The son is not sure what to do just yet. For Kolton, Georgia is offer No. 13, including Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Clemson, Auburn and Michigan State. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound offensive lineman said the lack of a Georgia offer, especially with the family connections, created an uneasy situation.

“It started getting a little discouraging,” Houston …

Continue reading Kolton Houston given opportunity to follow father’s footsteps to UGA »

Nick Montana is considering UGA among his dozen offers. His father, NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana, accompanied Nick. (Jay Christensen/WizOfOdds)

UPDATE: Montana reflects on UGA visit

Nick Montana, son of NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana, says he is serious about Georgia. He told the AJC he wouldn’t be flying halfway across the country if he wasn’t.

The 6-foot-2, 177-pound Montana is one of the nation’s top college prospects and plays football at California’s Oaks Christian High. Montana and his legendary father toured the campuses of Alabama and Georgia this weekend.

He has a dozen scholarship offers, including South Carolina, Stanford, LSU, Ohio State, Florida State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, Alabama, and Arizona. He also has serious interest from Tennessee, Southern Cal, and Oklahoma, among others.

Montana spoke with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the recruiting process:

Q. How was your visit to Alabama? A. …

Continue reading QB Nick Montana talks about UGA, Alabama, Southern Cal and Tennessee »

Update: Nick Montana talks about Georgia, Alabama, Southern Cal and Tennessee [Click here]

Joe Montana with his two boys at the 1995 ceremony to retire his San Francisco 49ers jersey. Where's future QB prospect Nick Montana? Showing his calm and cool demeanor, even as an infant. Young Nick is sleeping soundly in his mother's arms to the left (San Jose Mercury News)

Nick Montana, son of NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana, will visit Alabama and Georgia this weekend. The 6-foot-2, 177-pound quarterback is scheduled to be at Alabama on Friday, and then tour Georgia on Saturday.

Montana claims no favorites and says his famous father’s ties to Notre Dame will not impact his college decision, according to TotalUGA.com. Montana also says distance won’t affect his recruiting process.

Montana is one of six QBs offered by Georgia, including Blake Bell of Wichita, Kan., and Gainesville High’s Blake Sims. Montana sports offers from South Carolina, Stanford, LSU, Ohio State, Florida State, …

Continue reading NFL legend Joe Montana’s son will visit with Georgia coach Mark Richt »

Alec Ogletree is ranked as the nation's No. 1 safety by Rivals with 35 scholarship offers, but he says his twin brother may be more talented than him (AJC)

Newnan High’s Alec Ogletree is considered the state’s No. 1 college prospect and holds 35 early scholarship offers. He says his twin brother, Zander Ogletree, may be better than he is, and Zander has been mostly ignored by college scouts.

“The only reason I can think that I have all these offers and [my twin brother] doesn’t is because of height … because he can play, I mean, he’s really, really good ,” said Alec, who was heavily courted by Georgia coach Mark Richt during UGA’s Junior Day. His five early favorites are Miami, FSU, Alabama, UGA and Florida.

The football stars were born two minutes apart on Sept. 25, 1991. Alec has grown to 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, plays safety in high school, and has college coaches drooling with his presence. Zander (the older twin) stands 5-11 and 205 pounds, plays some mean linebacker, and …

Continue reading Mother of Georgia’s No. 1 prospect would love to see twins stay together in college »

Lane Kiffin has already publicly apologized to Florida, Urban Meyer and SEC. He told the AJC he "figured that was enough" (AP)

Lane Kiffin said he is through apologizing to Florida.

Kiffin issued a public apology for wrongly accusing the reigning BCS football champions and coach Urban Meyer of cheating while recruiting. Kiffin said that he felt like that was enough, and he didn’t plan to contact Meyer personally to say he was sorry.

“I already apologized to [Meyer] and anybody at the University of Florida that I may have offended, and I figured that was enough,” Kiffin told the AJC in an interview on Tuesday.

It has become one of college football biggest controversies. It started at a recruiting breakfast with Tennessee supporters on Feb. 5, the day after National Signing Day. Wide receiver prospect Nu’Keese Richardson switched at the last minute from Florida to Tennessee.

“I love the fact Urban had to cheat and still didn’t get [Richardson],” Kiffin …

Continue reading Lane Kiffin finished with apologies to Florida’s Urban Meyer »

Lane Kiffin appears to be getting into the heads of the reigning BCS champions.

Several Florida football players say that photos of Kiffin are hanging in the team’s locker room because they are angry about the lack of respect for Gators coach Urban Meyer, according to a published report.

What does Kiffin think of it all? He was asked about the situation during an interview with the AJC on Tuesday. “I think it’s pretty neat that the Tennessee ‘T’ is in the Florida locker room,” Kiffin said. “As recruits go through there visiting, they get to see our Tennessee ‘T.’ So I guess you call it free advertising.”

On Feb. 5, the day after National Signing Day, Kiffin told Tennessee fans at a breakfast that Meyer and the Gators had cheated in recruiting while trying to sign Nu’Keese Richardson. Meyer called Richardson while he was visiting Tennessee, which is not a violation. Richardson switched from Florida to Tennessee near the end of the recruiting process. Kiffin was reprimanded by …

Continue reading Florida sees red; UT coach Lane Kiffin sees ‘free advertising’ »

UGA's most famous football player, Herschel Walker, was the trendsetter for lengthy recruiting decisions almost 30 years ago (AJC)

Georgia coaching legend Vince Dooley had to laugh when asked about several of nation’s elite prospects holding out until far beyond signing day this year to announce college decisions. Dooley was a central figure in the lengthy recruiting battle that was the trendsetter nearly 30 years ago, when Herschel Walker delayed until April to sign with UGA.

“These young men didn’t wait as long as Herschel did,” Dooley said with a chuckle. “He signed on Easter and I’ll never forget that because I made a commitment to my wife to go see her brother in Boston and take all the children.”

“We were going to leave on a Thursday since the kids were out of school. But when the time came, I couldn’t leave. My wife said, ‘What do you mean you can’t leave?’ I told her Herschel hasn’t signed. She said ‘To heck with Herschel. Who does he think he is?’ I told her I don’t …

Continue reading Georgia’s Herschel Walker was the trendsetter in lengthy football recruiting battles »

Who is No. 1 for Georgia's 2010 recruiting class? It's Dalton DE Jalen Fields, who hinted to the AJC that he intended to commit to the Bulldogs.

Georgia finally got its first commitment for 2010 when Dalton defensive end Jalen Fields committed to the Bulldogs during UGA’s Junior Day on Saturday.

“I told [Mark Richt] and he was hugging me and my family,” Fields told the AJC. “Georgia is the place I want to be. I believe in [Richt] and Georgia. Coach Richt has already done so many great things at Georgia. I’m a hometown guy, so there was no need for me to look around anywhere else. Georgia is where I want to be, and it’s an honor to be the first [commitment] for next year.”

The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Fields picked UGA among seven offers, including Tennessee, Alabama, and FSU. Had Fields waited longer, he was expected to double or triple his scholarship offers.

“I like ‘Coach O’ a lot [Tennessee recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron], but Georgia was my first offer and my first love,” …

Continue reading Mark Richt gets first commitment for Georgia’s 2010 football recruiting class »