UGA’s “Dream Team” recruiting pitch gets mixed reviews from state’s top football prospects — Is it a dream? Or reality?
Georgia’s “Dream Team” recruiting approach is getting mixed reviews from the state’s top uncommitted football prospects.
Loading ...The “Dream Team” is the phrase borrowed by Georgia coach Mark Richt for his in-state recruiting efforts. It will be another strong year for talent among the state’s top rising high school seniors, with more than 200 expected to sign major-college scholarships in February.
Richt and his assistant have been using the “Dream Team” sales pitch since early spring, telling the state’s elite that if they join together and sign with Georgia next February, the Bulldogs will contend for future SEC and national championships.
“Georgia has a dream in recruiting, but it may not be my dream, too,” said Thomas County Central defensive tackle Ray Drew, who is considering the Bulldogs among his 27 scholarship offers.
“I’m not saying that for people to read too much into it, either way. It’s just that the dream of [Carver-Columbus tailback] Isaiah Crowell may be different than Georgia’s dream, or the same thing with Valdosta [tight end] Jay Rome.
“What I’m saying is that, in the end, I have to do what’s best for me and my family, like every recruit. If I sign with Georgia, it would be because it was the best fit for me … and not to be part of the ‘Dream Team.’”
Georgia has 11 early commitments for its 2011 recruiting class, including 10 from the state. East Hall defensive end Sterling Bailey, North Clayton linebacker Amarlo Herrera and Mitchell County wide receiver Justin Scott-Wesley are considered among the state’s best prospects at their respective positions.
Bailey said he is using the “Dream Team” approach with several uncommitted prospects, including Crowell and Dalton offensive lineman Watts Dantzler, who will announce between Georgia and Auburn on Sunday.
Mark Richt (left) has 11 UGA commitments for 2011 recruiting class, including 10 from state (AJC)
“When I talked to other guys, I am like come on and hop aboard the ‘Dream Team’ — we’re going to make this the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation,” Bailey said. “This is going to be the class that gets Georgia back up to the top where it needs to be.”
When Bailey was asked if the “Dream Team” idea lured him to the Bulldogs, he said, “I committed to Georgia because it was best for me. It was close to home, and then Coach Richt and [defensive coordinator Todd Grantham] said some things that made everything very clear to me.
“I like the ‘Dream Team’ thing, though. It’s a cool name. Besides, who wouldn’t want to be part of a ‘Dream Team?’”
The “Dream Team” concept is nothing new in recruiting, where every school tries to develop an innovative sales pitch. Drew has heard most of them during his travels.
“Auburn talks about family, that’s what they use to try to get their players,” he said. “With Florida, they have a pretty good record at home. They talked about ‘Protect this house, protect this house.’ Everybody has their own little slogan that they try to sell you on.”
Dantzler said he first learned about the “Dream Team” when Georgia’s coaches visited his school in the spring. They pulled out big piece of paper that had the map of Georgia on it, with around 10 stars denoting the team’s top targets. Monroe Area defensive end Stephon Tuitt, who lists Georgia Tech and Miami as his favorites, said Georgia coaches “showed me around 10 or 12 guys on iPad.”
However, neither Dantzler nor Truitt, along with Bailey and Drew, could remember all the prospects on the “Dream Team.” NCAA rules prevent Georgia from commenting on prospective-student athletes.
The Bulldogs could land two more in-state prospects this week who said they were told they were on Georgia’s “Dream Team” — Dantzler and Tucker linebacker James Vaughters. Vaughters will choose between Georgia and Georgia Tech, among three others, at 11 a.m. Thursday.
“James likes what he has heard about it the ‘Dream Team’ and I think it positively affects his decision,” said his father, Jonathan Vaughters. “But I don’t know if it is the sole criteria he uses when evaluating his top five schools and, ultimately, his final one.”
UPDATE: Dantzler committed to UGA, while Vaughters selected Stanford
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
160 comments Add your comment
D
June 17th, 2010
8:14 am
Nightmare Team is more like it. How many of these guys will be arrested and suspended or won’t even meet UGA’s low academic standards?
Get used to going to places like Shreveport.
mcdaviddawg
June 17th, 2010
8:24 am
It’s the black helmets in Jacksonville all over again. We’ve already lost the best wr in the state to Clemson and it looks like the top running back out of Columbus is likely going to Bama, how do you get a dream team out of that. What we need out of Richt and company is some old fashion work not junk stuff.
NoGaGator
June 17th, 2010
8:29 am
Fast Eddie -
I think Scott is channeling Patrick.
UGA, no doubt, has made a good start in getting commitments – for what they are worth (see Da’Rick and others from last year’s commitments).
It’s June and LOI’s don’t get signed until February – 7 months from now. A lot will change between now and then. These are 17 yr old kids with a lot of growing up yet to do (see Champ LeMay). There will be a lot of changes while they enjoy their moment (and hat-switching drama).
See if the dream comes true in 2/11.
booker T
June 17th, 2010
8:33 am
THIS IS ANOTHER ARTICLE MEANT AS A NEGATIVE TOWARDS THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA. THIS GUY CARVILLE HAS A HARD ON FOR UGA AND HAS TO BE AS NEGATIVE AS POSSIBLE. ALL DAWGS; STOP RESPONDING TO HIS ARTICLES AND MAYBE HE WILL MOVE TO ANOTHER STATE.
Kevin
June 17th, 2010
8:36 am
Once again we see what happens when THuga tries to follow someone else’s original idea and come up with something of their own. Utter stupidity!!! Wanting desperately to have something to pitch recruits who hear longstanding traditional phrases at other schools like Auburn (the AU family), THuga contrives this pathetic drivel of dream team. Some dream…..LOSERS!
joe
June 17th, 2010
8:37 am
Wasn’t the team with Stafford, Moreno, etc supposed to be UG’s dream team when they were ranked #1 preseason? Gimmicky nicknames will only get a team so far…
Long Gator
June 17th, 2010
8:41 am
Dawgs will need a “Dream Team” for the annual nightmare
in Jacksonville … LOL !!!!
jay
June 17th, 2010
8:45 am
Its just a pitch to get kids to come to UGA every school does It. sure does seem like its working ask GT about nick marshall he must of liked the dream team pitch. Suck it bugs! GO DAWGS!
Dawghater
June 17th, 2010
8:49 am
CMR would “dream” refer to the #1 ranking in 2008 or would “dream” refer to another SEC championship or “dream” refer to the ed u ma ca tion the football players get at UGA. Dream team sounds appropriate!
Bazooka Joe
June 17th, 2010
8:50 am
Hey GTax – put the pipe down and back away from the table my friend….. what you Techmites fail to realize is the Dawgs dont give a flip about you – you arent on our radar, we dont care – we have bigger fish to fry. You are an afterthought, kind of like Ga. Southern (I actually have more respect for them than Tech) or West Georgia. The sooner they tear down that ghetto you call a campus and turn it into a park for Coke employees, the better off Atlanta will be.
Hows it going to feel when you are upstaged by Georgia State in football ?
Urban Meyer
June 17th, 2010
8:57 am
Funny thing, you can sign up for Georgia’s (Richts) “Dream” or come to Florida and live the “Dream.” Your choice recruits? Just an FYI, you’re not gonna beat the Bama’s, USC’s, Longhorns of the world with a “Dream”, I can assure you. Remember the “BLACKOUT?”
Urban Meyer
June 17th, 2010
8:57 am
Urban Meyer
June 17th, 2010
8:57 am
Funny thing, you can sign up for Georgia’s (Richts) “Dream” or come to Florida and live the “Dream.” Your choice recruits? Just an FYI, you’re not gonna beat the Bama’s, USC’s, Longhorns of the world with a “Dream”, I can assure you. Remember the “BLACKOUT?”
Yoda
June 17th, 2010
8:59 am
After ten years of me griping about Richt recruiting FLA and other states harder than Georgia; all of a sudden UGA decides that this state has some football players and maybe if UGA got the great majority of the Georgia kids, then maybe, just maybe they could actually become real contenders and not pretenders. God, it’s sad but Donnan and Gomer Goff but understood this simple idea…about time Richt.
DAWGS LICK BALLS!
June 17th, 2010
9:00 am
Seriously? Dream team? Stafford…….Moreno…….Green……etc. etc. UGA produces some of the best recruits, and first round draft picks. The only problem is you have never had a coach that can coach these great athletes to their potential and actually win something in college. But as a GATOR fan I love to hear the UGA fans get excited every year about their upcoming season only to get their hopes up year after year! Congrats!
Writings on the Wall for Richt!
June 17th, 2010
9:01 am
“Dream Team”, next they’ll be changing uniforms or learning a new dance move, signed WRITING ON THE WALL!
» SEC links: Tennessee wants to erase memory John Clay’s Sidelines
June 17th, 2010
9:03 am
[...] Georgia’s dream team recruiting pitch is getting a mixed review, reports Michael Carvell of the AJC. [...]
1980 was so long ago
June 17th, 2010
9:05 am
All that fuss 4 decades ago for a bowl game victory over a Notre Dame team – a team that had to come from behind to defeat a Georgia Tech squad that had only one win that same year. Gimmee a break. In today’s bowl scenario, ND would have been in a Shreveport bowl in 1980.
Interesting how uga has the “top” recruiting classes each year, but these young men are coached to the level to be on a par with Tech the last two years, and looking at he tail lights of the UF and UT programs pulling away.
1980 is getting further away every day.
UGA Tools
June 17th, 2010
9:08 am
HAHA, nice “DREAM TEAM” Mark Richt is such a tool, again having to use stupid marketing ploys similar to the infamous black jerseys against Bama – how did that turn out? Wow, you guys are turning into a crappier USC. “Douche Team” is more like it.
Wooten
June 17th, 2010
9:13 am
The Dream Team Concept obviously worked for Nick Marshall who would rather play defensive back in Athens than be the starting QB for Georgia Tech.
David
June 17th, 2010
9:16 am
I needed a good laugh to start my morning. Thanks Mark, let’s get the gimmicks going. Time for NC talk. Damn that guy is predictable.
Paddy
June 17th, 2010
9:19 am
You must admit, the “dream team” concept has some allure even though I don’t particularly like it. If a kid is on the fence between UGA and another school, joining a great recruiting class may be the aspect that turns him toward the Dawgs. It’s fun, but the bottom line for me is win then talk!
thomas
June 17th, 2010
9:27 am
I like it. Georgia can sell dream team, Auburn can sell family, but Alabama will sell championships. Come to Alabama, win a National Championship, and position yourself to make it to the league. Alabama doesnt need a sales pitch, the players know if they want to succeed, Tuscaloosa is the place to be.
AlumniDawg
June 17th, 2010
9:30 am
I’m one of the most rabid and diehard Dawg fans around, but I have to admit the “Dream Team” slogan is pretty gay. That is something corny and cheap I would expect from Yech and coach PeeWee Johnson. I’m ecstatic at our success in recruiting thus far, but please, for the love of all that is cool and non-toolish, please drop the “Dream Team” crap!!!
BigTimeTECHFan
June 17th, 2010
9:34 am
Dream team okay, can’t hurt, may help. Best to get current signed players to buy in and help recruit like LeMay’s doing. One of the best thing you can do is build chemistry among the recruiting class.
That’s what happen when Tech signed Dwyer, Burnett, Morgan, Nesbitt, etc
The formed bond as recruits and it carried over to the playing field. What was great about that class is they all did it on their own, but if school can find way to may that bond work it’s all for the better.
DawgFan
June 17th, 2010
9:45 am
GTax, At least we won our bowl game, insignificant or not. How long has it been since Tech won any bowl, even on a blue field?
Just remember, UGA has won more BCS Bowls than the ENTIRE acc (lower case letters intended) combined!
HeBe
June 17th, 2010
10:01 am
Yep, a dream team alright. Same old **** & song. Bottom line is, you all crow this is the year & how great the recruits are, but yet have nothing to show for it.
PMC
June 17th, 2010
10:02 am
Marketing works, no matter how lame and campy it might seem. Auburn used it effectively last year. It’s just part of the game.
HeBe
June 17th, 2010
10:03 am
BTW, To Hell With georgia(lower case letters intended).
AfghanHound
June 17th, 2010
10:06 am
The guys who served along side me were the only real dream team members. The rest are simply “dreamers”.
TampaGator
June 17th, 2010
10:21 am
The real “Dream Teams” are the Florida Gators, the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Texas Longhorns, the LSU Bengal Tigers, and the Ohio State Buckeyes (not necessarily in that order). Everyone else is currently just a “want-to-be” and just currently “dreaming”….unfortunately for most Bulldawg fans…that dream has lasted for 30 plus years. Are you about to wake up? Not as long as Alabama, LSU, and Florida are in the SEC. One will get you every year. Or maybe it will be Kentucky or Vandy…ouch!!!
Adonisdaking
June 17th, 2010
10:24 am
I Must Agree Whats Up With This ARTICLE? Like Seriously ! Hating On The Harmless Slogan From A Newspaper That Heavily Covers The DAWGS? I Can See This Being Printed In Alabama, Florida, Tennessee or South Carolina But ATLANTA?…WOW…and BD LSU ? Wow Talking About A BLOWN CALL AWAY!…UGA Will BEAT LSU….Time In and Time Out…
Larry Bird
June 17th, 2010
10:29 am
Love the gimmicks suntanned Helen Hunt Look a like. First it was a blackout, whoops that doesn’t work against quality teams, then last year it was the Grambling State Uniforms which didn’t fool Tebow, now it’s the Dream Team. What til Charles Barkley find out about this. He will laugh his ass off on TNT!
Adonisdaking
June 17th, 2010
10:41 am
UGA Is Stacking Up ELITE TALENT and Getting The DEFENSE BACK TOGETHER…DEFENSE BRINGS CHAMPIONSHIPS!…and OUR DEFENSE WILL VASTLY IMPROVE…LOOK AT THE OTHER NFL ASSISTANTS THAT HAVE MADE THERE WAY BACK TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL…FOR ALL THE HATERS THAT SAY TODD GRANTHAM WAS FIRED IN CLEVELAND I GOT A QUESTION FOR U HOW DID NICK SABAN DO IN MIAMI ? OR HAVE U ALL FORGOT ???? SILENCE….SILENCE I THOUGHT SO AND IF U ANTI GEORGIA STAY OFF OUR BLOGS GO AND GET ON YOUR OWN…LAMES I TELL U…3-4 DEFENSE….EXCELLENT SECONDARY COACH…CHECK THE RESUME OF CONNECTICUT’S PASS DEFENSE WITH THE LIMITED TALENT THEY HAD…ROD GARNER STILL RECRUITING THE BEST PLAYERS…OUR 3-4 DEFENSE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO LOOK LIKE THIS…OLB STERLING BAILEY….ILB JARVIS JONES….ILB ARMALO HERRERA OLB RAY DREW…….WOW SPEED OFF THE EDGE!
Tech Sucks
June 17th, 2010
10:42 am
Nerds stop voting.
GTax = Moron
June 17th, 2010
10:47 am
GTax: Why do you care so much about our dawgs? If you are a Tech fan…why not go to the Tech blog and comment there with the rest of the idiots?
If “the Dream Team” is immature…as you suggest, how exactly would you classify trolling a rival’s blog just to talk trash and stir up trouble?
Tech Sucks
June 17th, 2010
10:56 am
Because there is nothing to talk about on the Tech boards. That’s why all the nerds infest our blog day in and day out.
Let’s go Vaughters. DAWGS.
gbal
June 17th, 2010
11:24 am
Michael – I am disapointed in you. Your are showing signs of joining you buddies with the negative spin UGA garbage. Don’t do it.
prospero
June 17th, 2010
11:43 am
Seriously? Protect this house? Man, that is way lame.
General Neyland
June 17th, 2010
12:03 pm
How lame and totally unoriginal. Atleast Auburn had the idea of magnets on limos.
these kids....
June 17th, 2010
12:12 pm
First of all, you fellas arent getting the point! CMR is clearly stating that our great state of GEORGIA, has a great group of talented football players! Of coures, one has to do whats best for himself and family…if you are looking to make it to the NFL…UGA has quite a list of WEALTHY NFL players….want a good education? UGA affords you the opportunity for a great eduacation, thus, give UGA much consdieration. UGA is a fantastic setting for football, great coaches and you wouldnt regret being a part of the Bulldawg Nation! Woof Woof!!
Alphare
June 17th, 2010
1:00 pm
Nothing wrong with a slogan. A dream may lead you to the promised land.
Tell coach Richt if you have a better idea, I am sure he will thank you for it.
Tom Selleck
June 17th, 2010
1:05 pm
I’m not sure how this Dream Team sppech is going to inspire kids when there are so many more uniform gimmicks out there. How about some of those diamond plate motif jerseys for the South Carolina game?
DP
June 17th, 2010
1:06 pm
Yeah, Richt is telling the kids in Georgia that there are a lot of great players in the state and any of them he wants at UGA should go there, but if there’s an out of state kid like Matt Stafford, Aaron Murray or Christian LeMay that he thinks is better than the in state kids at the same position, the in state kids should go somewhere else. Loyalty that runs in one direction. That’s quite a pitch.
NCAAStatistician
June 17th, 2010
1:12 pm
When has UGA ever had a dream team? There only National Title was 1980 when they had arguably the best collegiate player ever. Even in that year they only defeated three teams with winning records during the season. Two teams that finished 8-4 and another that finished 7-5. There only big win was against Notre Dame…a team that tied winless Georgia Tech that same season. In Georgia, UGA rules the roost. But nationally they are considered a perenial top 25 team but not really a threat to win anything significant. As an Oklahoma alum that lives in Gainesville…it really is hilarious to us outsiders at how overinflated UGA’s ego is considering they have won nothing of note. Shoot even Georgia Tech has more national championships. LOL
hi there
June 17th, 2010
1:24 pm
NCAAStatistician
June 17th, 2010
1:12 pm
When has UGA ever had a dream team? There only National Title was 1980 when they had arguably the best collegiate player ever. Even in that year they only defeated three teams with winning records during the season. Two teams that finished 8-4 and another that finished 7-5. There only big win was against Notre Dame…a team that tied winless Georgia Tech that same season. In Georgia, UGA rules the roost. But nationally they are considered a perenial top 25 team but not really a threat to win anything significant. As an Oklahoma alum that lives in Gainesville…it really is hilarious to us outsiders at how overinflated UGA’s ego is considering they have won nothing of note. Shoot even Georgia Tech has more national championships. LOL
======================================
1. they are perennial top ten (6 of last 9)
.
2. Ga Tech does not have a national championship…they have a national POLL championship.
.
3. Won nothing of note
.
a. 90 wins in nine years (only LSU 91 has more over last 9 years
.
b 13 str8 bowls games winning nine (only LSU and ALA have ever matched that in history)
.
c. they are 6th all time in bowl winning percentage
.
d. 11th all time in wins
.
e. ranked as the 13th best team all time
.
f. you are an idiot
hi there
June 17th, 2010
1:25 pm
correction on b. 13 str8 bowls winning 11
Jethro
June 17th, 2010
2:15 pm
Dream Team is a catchy slogan. I wonder what Florida’s incoming class with 16 All Americans and Bama’s incoming class with 13 All Americans are called? Probably just The Class of 2010.
Ric Flair
June 17th, 2010
2:16 pm
The last dream team in Georgia was the Four Horsemen! Richt needs to stick to black outs, white outs, dancin in the end zone, etc… Another lame idea. Embarrassing.
“To be the Man, you have to beat the Man” Woo!
destin dawg
June 17th, 2010
2:47 pm
this is an article about UGA Bull dawgs by a Tech fan (??) in a Georgia newspaper…. why are Florida & Alabama folks making comments ????? Get a life !!! Need a job or a girl friend or just a hobby/sport of your own ???
ed
June 17th, 2010
2:58 pm
you know, a 72 degree sunny day will get mixed reviews also.