New Georgia Tech coach Brian Gregory rushes to meet with top basketball recruit (UPDATED)
The Hustle Award: Georgia Tech's Brian Gregory rushed to meet a recruit one day after being introduced as the ACC school's new basketball coach (AJC photo)
Georgia Tech’s new basketball coach made quite the first impression on the Yellow Jackets’ No. 1 recruit.
Brian Gregory called Milton High’s Julian Royal within an hour after being introduced as Tech’s new coach on Monday, and then rushed over for an in-home visit with the 6-foot-8 forward for more than two hours on Tuesday night.
“I think that’s big time,” said Royal’s father, Charles Royal, told the AJC. “Actions speak louder than words, and Coach Gregory’s actions have really spoken loudly to us. We couldn’t stop thanking the man enough for coming over because we know he has been extremely busy over the last couple of days.”
During Tuesday night’s conversation, Gregory made it clear several times that he wished for Royal to remain with Tech under the new coaching staff. Ex-coach Paul Hewitt convinced Royal to sign with Tech over archrival UGA in the early period last November.
“Coach Gregory seemed very genuine with his interest in Julian and with all of his answers to our questions,” the elder Royal said. “We aren’t looking for any special treatment or special favors. All along, we’ve just wanted to make sure that Julian fits in with the new coach and his system. After tonight, it appears like it would be a good match to me.”
The money question: Will Royal remain with Georgia Tech under Gregory?
“Right now, I don’t see any reason for Julian to change his mind about the school; I think Julian wants to kind of sleep on everything and talk to Coach Gregory some more over the phone this week,” the elder Royal said.
Milton High's Julian Royal will likely remain with Georgia Tech (AJC photo)
“Both sides agreed that it’s tough to ‘microwave’ four years worth of recruiting by Coach Hewitt. You can’t make up for that in a couple of hours. However, with that said, it’s still Georgia Tech, it’s still a great education, and it’s still ACC basketball.
“They are going to continue to talk, and I would think Julian will make a decision within the next couple of days or something like that.”
The elder Royal also revealed that family has not discussed any alternatives. “We’ve haven’t talked about or contacted any other schools since Hewitt was released [on March 12]. Julian has always wanted it to work out for him at Georgia Tech, as have we.”
Royal was the leading scorer for Milton High, which played for the state championship three years in a row in Georgia’s largest classification, winning in 2010. This year’s squad had six players who have been offered or signed major-college scholarships, including point guard Shannon Scott (signed with Ohio State), who will play in the McDonald’s All-America Game on Wednesday night on ESPN.
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76 comments Add your comment
Tech Insider
March 30th, 2011
12:48 pm
<>>
Already have. Typical UGA fan who doesn’t even realize it’s a FACT!
2004 – National Championship game in basketball.
2010 – BCS Orange Bowl
When’s the last time UGA has been to either again?
DawginLex
March 30th, 2011
1:30 pm
Final four-1983
Program was in the toilet. Now we have a coach who does not cheat and is building.
BCS Bowls-2002, 2005, 2007
Is That what you wanted Tech Insider?
Tech Man
March 30th, 2011
1:30 pm
OK you DAWG fans. What were you saying when you hired Fox. If you look at his record it is not as good as Gregory’s before he came to Georgia. Check your facts before you talk. But I forgot most of you have a hard time reading so you wouldn’t be researching the facts anyway.
Dawgs for Muschamp and Buffet Boy
March 30th, 2011
1:31 pm
Lose HOF Coach-Check
Hire a coach with ZERO wins-Check
Hire an OC who single handedly destroyed Notre Dame-check
Same OC lost to Navy for the first time since Moses-Check
Thanks Florida!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DawginLex
March 30th, 2011
1:33 pm
Tech man,
I can read just fine.
Can you?
Did you read my comments?
Try avoiding the stereotypical grouping of all of us Dawgs into the trailer trash category. It makes for better blogging.
steven Davis
March 30th, 2011
1:39 pm
Woof -You are an idiot to say the least …. Georgia is a dream team? More like a nightmare team. The program at uga sucks and has never done anything in college basketball. Maybe you need to spend more time with your FAT, UNEDUCATED uga friends….
You are probably one of the uga fans that claims uga will win the natopnal title in football every year. The NCAA called and your only championship in football is 30 years old?
WHAT? WHAT?
nard 34
March 30th, 2011
1:48 pm
PPl sayn Brian who. As they knew exactly everything about paul hewitt’s profile when he got hired…. To those ppl go eat Roger Goddell’s used toilet tissue…. GOD BLESS BRIAN GREGORY!!!!!
steven Davis
March 30th, 2011
2:13 pm
NIce comment We (UF) own uga keep them coming!!!
pcb mike
March 30th, 2011
2:59 pm
Hey, Woof Woof, check your own basketball history before knocking someone else. If UGA had ten great seasons in a row, your history would still stink.
Smyrna Dawg
March 30th, 2011
3:22 pm
Mark Fox was the 6th choice for UGA.
hoops guru
March 30th, 2011
3:26 pm
You dawg people slay me. yeah, Mark Fox was really a name when he came to Georgia. And, he came from such a hot bed major, major, major, institution….Neveda. And. where does this shining light show up at,,,UGA, a school that is nothing but and will always be nothing but….a FOOTBALL school. Who else would hire a Jirsa and a Felton. You may rest assured if Georgia basketball even comes close to being a rival to “Godball” over in Athens, Fox will be out. Mark Fox, who is one year away from looking like Bruce Willis.
hoops guru
March 30th, 2011
3:29 pm
Oh, and I forgot…..anybody will tell you…..The SEC….will always be and has always been….Kentucky and everybody else!
The North Ave Avenger
March 30th, 2011
4:44 pm
This is to “Woof, Woof”, you are everything that is UGA sports. I bet you do bleed red and black. I bet your girlfriend does too, everytime you beats heer wen the Dogs loose. You know the old saying, Bud sales go up in Ga when the dogs loose and so do women’s visits to the ER on Saturday night.
GT GRAD
March 30th, 2011
6:58 pm
Great initial news…….I was hoping Julian Royal would like Coach Gregory and decide to stay at GT.
He will be a super star for GT!!
ATL
March 30th, 2011
7:13 pm
julian is staying at tech because his GF goes there not because basketball and not for the education BELIEVE ME i know
bravefan93
March 30th, 2011
7:18 pm
Fox and Gregory seem to be both great coaches and should make this rivalry ALOT better.i think both coaches will do alot better job of keeping great georgia high school players instate
CATLANTA
March 30th, 2011
7:21 pm
and how is the ACC better then the sec?
MILTON
March 30th, 2011
7:30 pm
whats sad is milton could of beat tech this year
Old Fashioned
March 30th, 2011
8:47 pm
I propose the following as a reasonable rule to keep to a minimum some of the “You suk! No,you suk more!” comments we see here. Never criticize someone’s OPINION. Be critical if something is called a FACT if you have evidence to the contrary.
Royce Hobbs
March 30th, 2011
10:56 pm
Question: What does a UGA graduate say to a GT graduate? Answer: Yes sir boss.
ToeMeetsLeather
March 30th, 2011
11:03 pm
Milton, the sad thing is your grammar. Good luck when you do progress to Milton High School from middle school. A little help here: “What is sad is the fact that Milton could have beaten Georgia Tech this year”.
Passions1020
March 31st, 2011
12:10 am
@ ATL. Julians GF does not go to GT yet! She is also a SENIOR in hs. She has other options if Julian decides to leave..
NOT a Hewitt Fan
March 31st, 2011
12:11 am
Kudos to Mr Royal and son. glad to see ur arent Thad Young redeux. Startin to feel the good vibrations here. Long as we whip Kennesaw and GSU everythings comin up roses.
Toccoadawg
March 31st, 2011
12:38 am
This dawg fan would love to see him at UGa. That being said, this young man and family are doing the right thing and seeing if this coach is someone he can play for. I wish him the best and if he really wants to graduate for Tech. More power to him. Its all about getting an education because Basketball wont last forever. Good Luck to him.
DawginLex
March 31st, 2011
9:50 am
Royce,
The only time a GA grad needs a Tech grad is to build a building or fix a computer. Once the building is built, that encounter won’t occur again. Computers are so cheap nowadays, I just go buy a new one!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL
MILTON Forever
April 1st, 2011
10:48 am
i want to be julians girlfriend…:(