Football Recruiting: Star safety discusses what went wrong with UGA, impending visit to Georgia Tech
Kell safety Brian Randolph, who is one of the Georgia’s leaders in scholarships offers with nearly 20, has learned the recruiting process can sometimes be harsh. He will make an unofficial visit to Georgia Tech on Wednesday.
Once upon a time, Randolph was rival UGA’s No. 1 target at safety. The Bulldogs were the first to offer last year and slowly building a strong relationship with the 6-foot and 180-pounder.
To Georgia’s credit, it was always upfront and honest with Randolph: They intended to sign two safeties for the 2011 recruiting class, and made it known they would take the first two that accepted offers.
UGA is off to a fast start with the defensive secondary in its 2011 recruiting class, with two commitments at safety (AJC photo)
Unfortunately for Randolph, , Georgia filled its safety needs in rapid fashion — with Tucker’s Chris Sanders and Griffin’s Corey Moore committed by the end of January.
“I called (Georgia assistant) Stacey Searels, and said that ‘I heard you all had two guys at safety … and I wanted to find out if you were taking two, or three, or how many?’” said Kell coach Derek Cook, who is a UGA graduate.
“(Searels) said that they were only going to take two, and now they were full. Then, of course, he said ‘a lot of things can change. Kids can change their minds, or we could end up taking a third safety. It depends on a lot of different things between now and signing day.’
“I told (Searels) if I call Brian to my office and tell him that ‘you’re full,’ that he is going to move on. He’s not going to wait around. (Searels) said ‘Well, I understand. There is nothing I can do about it.’”
Randolph was devastated by the news. “It’s cool,” he said. “I was kind of mad at first, but now I’m OK with it. I really liked Georgia, and I was considering them very strongly. But I guess that’s how recruiting works sometimes. I can’t complain because I’m blessed to have so many opportunities.”
Cook has a theory that everything changed with Georgia’s approach after switching most of the defensive staff. Georgia’s previous assistants seemed to have a little more patience with Randolph. Georgia’s new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and secondary coach Scott Lakatos stopped by Kell to visit with Randolph.
Loading ...“I thought Brian was the best sophomore safety in the state (in 2008),” Cook said. “Then his shoulder got messed up with a torn labrum and he played hurt his entire junior year. He couldn’t hit as he did as a sophomore because that shoulder joint kept sliding in and out.
“The new guys, they only saw the junior tape, and not his sophomore tape. It just wasn’t as good. I’m sure they thought one of those other safeties was just as good or better, and decided to put another offer out there.”
However, Cook said that there are no hard feelings with Georgia, and that he and his prized prospect appreciate the consideration. He knew that everything had worked out for the best during a player-coach conversation.
“That same day I was in my office explaining things to Brian, I asked him ‘If things were different, knowing then what you know now, if a scholarship opened at Georgia, would you take it?’ He said ‘No, because I’m not ready to make my college decision yet.’”
When asked the same question this week by the AJC, Randolph said, “I’m ready to move forward with other schools.”
Randolph, who has a 4.12 GPA, has his early leaders as Florida, Georgia Tech, Tennessee and Mississippi State. He said he will likely commit over the summer.
Randolph has family connections at Mississippi State, as his father is a graduate of the SEC school. Many of his relatives still live in the Mississippi area. He made an unofficial visit to watch the Bulldogs last Saturday.
Georgia Tech may have inside position with Randolph. His older brother, Justin Randolph, turned down a scholarship offer from Air Force to be a walk-on at Georgia Tech last season. Justin has decided to leave the football team, but will remain enrolled at Georgia Tech.
“I like the school, it’s close to home, all my friends go there, and the coaches are great,” Randolph said.
What will be the deciding factors in his college choice? “Probably my position coach. I want to get along with them, and make sure they can make me the best player possible to help the team. Distance will also be a factor. I don’t want to go far away from home. And it will be important how I feel about the program.”
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83 comments Add your comment
The Sham
April 6th, 2010
4:35 pm
@Carvell: I need to know when they were deciding who gets to go to Augusta and who gets to baby sit us – did you go with rock, paper or scissors? That Chip is a slick little devil!
I want to commend you for a great job of subjectivity here. I’ve criticized Chip for taking a similar topic and painting both the kid and UGA in a negative light for the sake of stirring the pot. You could have done that, but you didn’t and I thank you for it. Even the Techies might aprreciate it, bc in their mind “they stole one from us” – geeze what ever small victories you need to get you buy… Anyways, the effort you made to show the inner-workings of the recruiting process were well presented and I applaud you.
Also, since you asked – I am in favor of a an early signing period so long as the kid can get out of it if the Head Coach changes. Lets be honest – the Coach matters about 70% vs 30% for the school (and yes I conducted a highly scientific psychological analysis to figure this out – I guessed). I also think that there should be an age/grade limit on how early a kid can receive an official scholarship offer. If you need a serious arguement for this, see the story on USC’s recently committed 4 year old QB who just learned to go poopy in the potty – YEAH!
This whole process is getting out of hand, but I guess the same thing could be said for the 10 mintues of my life I just took for typing this out…
The Sham
April 6th, 2010
4:36 pm
err – by rather than buy
GT GRAD
April 6th, 2010
4:54 pm
Sounds like just maybe there is some larger force guiding Brian towards GT………………maybe GT is the right place for Brian to attend college and play his college football!
H.S. Coach
April 6th, 2010
5:01 pm
Wow, this is the first article I’ve read on here in a while and I must say that I’m impressed. Keep up the good work.
Techie Since '59
April 6th, 2010
5:10 pm
Why waste your intelligence at UGa? Be somebody at Ga. Tech.
Mr. Georgia Basketball, Westlake’s Marcus Thornton, considers requesting release after Clemson’s coaching change | Prep Zone: High School Sports
April 6th, 2010
5:40 pm
[...] Related: Star safety talks about what went wrong with UGA, impending visit to Georgia Tech. [...]
bob
April 6th, 2010
5:41 pm
No wonder UGA players are not living up. A Senior year would reveal a lot more about how good a player will be in the SEC. Why not recruit Pop Warner players?
Jacket Backer
April 6th, 2010
5:45 pm
see you on the flats brian!
Go Jackets!
Wreck
April 6th, 2010
5:55 pm
Sounds like UGA was straight with him. Good on them.
Take your visits, then come home to the Flats.
Go TECH
Goldtimer
April 6th, 2010
6:00 pm
Brian’s too smart to commit early to UGA when there are better places like Tech. Take your time Brian, Tech is willing to wait for your word.
BobinBuford
April 6th, 2010
6:14 pm
Voice of Reason:
“WHAT DO UGA AND TECH FANS HAVE IN COMMON – The day that any DAWG obsesses over Tech football will be a really cold day “you know where”. Perhaps some day, Tech football will be relevant.”
You’re kidding, right?? Obviously you have never looked at the GT blogs right here in the AJC. You can find many UGA fans obsessing over GT football.
heartofdarkness
April 6th, 2010
6:25 pm
The real story here is how enforceable an oral offer and acceptance is in Georgia. No one can sign anything until after the high school season of the player’s senior year. Perhaps no one should talk about commitments until all parties are legally empowered to make one.
Paddy
April 6th, 2010
6:36 pm
Pago Flyer…..your post makes no sense Air Force vs GT. Both outstanding educations. Maybe the kid did not want a 5 yr deal that comes w/ going to the AFA.
Bama Bill
April 6th, 2010
6:45 pm
Sounds like a player with Brian’s intellect, accomplishment and football ability would fit just fine in Tuscaloosa – I suggest Brian take a ride over and see for himself the program that Saban leads in Tuscaloosa – there is a difference in how programs are being managed ! This take-it-now or lose it attitude is for the desparate. Take your time Brian – The A – Day game is approaching !
Hosta
April 6th, 2010
6:57 pm
If deep down, the kid is a thug wannabe, he’ll choose UGA, where he’ll fit right in.
If he’s a serious student-athlete, he’ll go to Georgia Tech.
59bulldawg
April 6th, 2010
7:09 pm
I wish the kid well but amen DunwoodyDawg! I couldn’t agree more!
south
April 6th, 2010
7:21 pm
Hosta – so what you’re saying is he should choose Tech where obviously he will expierence racism like your last remark.
ChuyDawg
April 6th, 2010
8:04 pm
Great comments overall and I agree with a few and some are insane especially the ones about Tech.
Personally I have been a lifelong UGA fan and if my dream school offered me I would jump right then and there, no BS since I have been a lifelong fan. Unfortunately, these recruiting services have turned unproven HS players into instant celebrities which is insane I might add. I hope he’s not waiting along to get one of those coveted TV spots with the hats crap.
Good luck to the kid, sounds like a bright kid and will have a very bright future.
GO DAWGS
woofn
April 6th, 2010
9:23 pm
lets see …we’re (uga) taking the 1st 2 that accept the offer. uga offered him last year. he has many offers, he’ll be ok. uga was up front…i’m sure uga remembers well how kids change their minds in the waning days or stretch the recruiting out till the end …this time uga stuck to their guns and took the 1st 2 that said (without any hesitation may i add) they wanted to come.
BuzzGT
April 6th, 2010
9:44 pm
You snooze, you lose. At least he has plenty of other offers to choose from and plenty of time to find a place that he fits in (GT for example).
BuzzGT
April 6th, 2010
9:48 pm
Not that it matters in this situation, but they need an early signing period. Everyone could concentrate on football if we had a June or July signing period.
'11 GA S Brian Randolph - Page 3 - VolNation
April 7th, 2010
1:04 am
[...] Here is the link to the AJC article that Feldman was referencing in his blog. Football Recruiting: Star safety discusses what went wrong with UGA, impending visit to Georgia Tech… [...]
dd
April 7th, 2010
7:20 am
Why go to Bama & Fla and be around ugly women when you can go to UGA and mingle with the hotties?
Go Back to Sleep Ameica
April 7th, 2010
9:19 am
So this student athlete has a 4.12 GPA ?? How is THAT possible ??
Must be all of the Honor & AP(Advanced Placement) courses he’s taking. Right?
The SAT Test Scoring has been so blatantly watered-down and corrupted that the Maximum SAT score is now 2400, rather than 1600. So, anyting less than a 1000 SAT score now, puts a student near the very bottom in scoring.
So, if this student athlete has a 4.12 GPA, then how pathetic
can the education standards at Kell actually be now?
Oh nevermind. Go back to sleep America. American Idol is on. Whoopee !!
I wanna be a bulldog
April 7th, 2010
1:56 pm
I should be a bulldog too recruit me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTLj1AZor0k
Dr. Dave
April 7th, 2010
4:02 pm
UGA was up front and honest with this kid, and he unfortunately did not pull the trigger on his offer. Life is not always fair.
On a different note, I am sick and tired of hearing GT fans beating their chests and talking about how academically superior they think their school is to UGA. I am not a graduate of either one, so I have no skin in the game. This blog is supposed to be about football. If anyone wants to talk about academics, I’m sure there’s a blog somewhere where schools like Stanford and the Ivy League are pissing on GT.
SOOHSO
April 7th, 2010
4:27 pm
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Thanks DR. DAVE
April 7th, 2010
4:50 pm
Dave, exactly. Also, GT and UGA are almost identical with regard to an academic destination… just facts
Unless you’re discussing Engineering = GT or Business = UGA
Stumpknocker
April 7th, 2010
11:17 pm
And even GT’s Business Degree out-ranks GA….And for all the YaHoos that can’t stand the print from the AJC, go post your crap in the Athens Fishwrap !!!!!!
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April 8th, 2010
3:53 pm
[...] Star safety talks about what went wrong with UGA, impending visit to Georgia Tech [...]
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April 8th, 2010
3:57 pm
[...] Star safety talks about what went wrong with UGA, impending visit to Georgia Tech [...]
GT
April 8th, 2010
4:37 pm
Gratz Randolph. You will win a national title at GT. And will have a degree you can be proud of.
brick
April 8th, 2010
7:34 pm
Kid knew what the numbers were, he had the first offer and decided to see what else there was out there. Then 2 S commit the same weekend and he starts scrambling to see if there is some room left, too late for him. If a kid decides to play the game a little to see how many offers he can get, sometimes it comes back to bite him. Good luck to him.