Richt’s ‘Dream Team’ could provide the spark UGA badly needs
Malcolm Mitchell (left) and Jay Rome committing to Georgia is a major coup for Mark Richt. (Chip Towers / AJC)
Georgia landing a verbal commitment from Valdosta’s Jay Rome was huge.
It’s not that the five-star player, rated the nation’s top tight end prospect by ESPNU, likely will be needed to make a big impact immediately on the field for “Tight End U,” as he called it. Rome certainly will be given the chance to play early, but the Dogs are well stocked at the position with Orson Charles, Aron White and Artie Lynch, even if Bruce Figgins switches to fullback.
No, Rome’s biggest immediate impact might come before he ever even signs on the dotted line with UGA, by giving momentum to Mark Richt’s alternately praised and derided concept of a signing an in-state “Dream Team.”
After making his announcement on national TV, Rome was on hand Thursday night as Valdosta teammate Malcolm Mitchell, a Top 30 prospect at wide receiver and/or cornerback, also put on a cap with the Georgia “G.”
Both picked Georgia over Nick Saban and Alabama, which has to rank as a major recruiting coup for Richt. “I believe Mark Richt is a great coach,” Rome said. “I don’t feel like he’s going anywhere anytime soon. If we can get a couple of more guys to come in with me in this class, we’ll have everything we need at Georgia, and I believe we’ll start winning football games.”
Rome used his national media platform to try and get more prospects to climb on board the Dream Team train. Along with junior college defensive nose guard John Jenkins, Georgia badly needs Columbus running back Isaiah Crowell and Thomas County defensive end Ray Drew, who reportedly was present at Mitchell’s announcement in Valdosta.
“Isaiah, Ray, come be a Dawg,” Rome said on his broadcast. “We can have the dream team and we’re going to do it. Be a Dawg, baby!”
There are no guarantees in any of this, of course. The verbal commitments aren’t binding. And high school prospects don’t always pan out exactly as planned.
But Richt needs to restore some glamour and prestige to a program that’s been sadly lacking in momentum the past couple of years. Making his Dream Team a reality would provide some of that offseason momentum the Dogs need as they get ready for their national showcase game in Atlanta against Boise State to open the most important season in Richt’s coaching career.
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480 comments Add your comment
Herschell??
January 21st, 2011
8:56 pm
THE BILL SHANKS SHOW???
1eyedJack
January 21st, 2011
9:06 pm
Boise St. don’t deserve to smell our shat!
wilson87
January 21st, 2011
9:13 pm
My God, I believe Tiger Mania is the most insane poster I have ever seen on here. Does he really believe that players over-commit. They were offered a scholarship! Or they would have never committed. What kind of sense does it make for a kid to make a verbal to a school that has not offered? At least I got a laugh out of this. But I am certain that he believes it. lol
aarh
January 21st, 2011
9:19 pm
hal combo- What happened to them after they got to UGA? Well, Stafford went 1st in the draft,& Moreno went in the 1st round. They’ve had tehir share of other 1st rounders as well. It’s not like they’ve had a bunch of flops.
Herschel Walker
January 21st, 2011
9:58 pm
Hey, Jerry. So Ealey has bettered my high school and college marks. Who would you rather have on your team? Him or me? I thought so. Shut your piehole.
Atl_Dawg
January 21st, 2011
10:53 pm
Word to Tiger Mania – get a life. You’re on every damn page of this blog since what, noon? When I see that, I see a certified loser. Get a job and a life. We all know Auburn is code for retard who can’t find a job once he graduates.
RED DOG 77
January 22nd, 2011
1:19 am
UGA Insider,,,,,,1/21…10:54am………..I hope to hell every “real” BULLDOG out there reads this post……………UGA Insider nails it ! Folks even if we get eveyone we want for our “dream team” class of 2011, 2011 will still be a re-building year…….chill-out folks, with the studs we have coming in plus the talent we already have…….2012 should be a monster year !……I know, I know, you are tired of “wait till next year”……..but just remember, with a class like the one we are putting together, we can very easily be like Auburn was this last year…………one less Cam or that dirtbag DT and Auburn doesn’t come close to the NC………..Keep the faith fellow BULLDOG NATION……We’re gonna get the hay in the barn soon………RED
SOS Dawg
January 22nd, 2011
7:03 am
Woopity do…South Carolina is now on the verge of getting Clowney while UGA still has coaches for clowns. Bulldog nation seems to continue to kid ourselves with this “Dream Team” Crap.
SOS Dawg
January 22nd, 2011
7:04 am
Make that clowns for coaches….
joey
January 22nd, 2011
7:32 am
I love Georgia. Always have and always will. Im upset just like the next, but what good oes any of this finger pointing do? I think Richt has his demons he needs to deal with. But i wouldnt trade him for Miles,SaTan, or Meyer. I like coaches that develop character. Yeah, i know, we wonth the “Fulmer Cup”. But i see the things he does. People always chose the negatives, its human nature. I personally like the fact he brings them to the Lord.
SOS Dawg
January 22nd, 2011
7:47 am
Joey… Welcome to mamby pamby land……
Snake Doc
January 22nd, 2011
7:52 am
I’m laughing so hard my sides hurt and I’m crying! ROTFLMFAO
Great comedy writing!
Until the CEO is gone, ain’t nothin changin!
1eyedJack
January 22nd, 2011
8:28 am
So many chicken littles….so little time.
Falcon 34
January 22nd, 2011
8:39 am
Please pardon my skepticism. We’ve had top 10 recruiting classes pretty much for Richt’s tenure (with the exception of a few). During that time we have some of the best recruits, we lose to teams like Vandy, Kentucky, Colorado, Miss. State, and Central Florida. Of course not mentioning the yearly butt-whippings administered by the Florida Gators. And you certainly can count on getting blown off the field a few more times in any given season as well.
Falcon 34
January 22nd, 2011
8:41 am
If Richt can’t even get to the SEC Title game with Stafford (#1 overall pick), Moreno (1st rd), Massaquoi (2nd rd – starting), Allen (3rd rd – starting), Ellerbe (Ravens D), Owens, Green (top 5 pick), Houston (1st rd), and Atkins (all 16 games – 3 sacks as rookie); what in the world makes you think that the supposed “Dream Team” will be any different?
Falcon 34
January 22nd, 2011
8:41 am
It’s great getting awesome recruits, but means absolutely nothing when they’re poorly coached and under-developed. Being optimistic is one thing….being delusional is quite another.
Mr. Phelps
January 22nd, 2011
8:54 am
Is it possible to recruit some “Dream team” coaches.
MCDAVIDDAWG
January 22nd, 2011
9:09 am
We’ve had dream teams before and a lot of just great recruiting class and look where we are. Dream teams won’t help with a lazy and bad head coach. It’s not going to be pretty next year but at least we’ll have some good athletes for the next head coach. Maybe it won’t take us 10 years to recover from Richt.
Evansdawg
January 22nd, 2011
9:13 am
Enter your comments here
Evansdawg
January 22nd, 2011
9:15 am
Whoops!
But….this could be a catalyst to great things. Its great and badly needed news for the Dawgs. “Coup” is a good word.
chazzo
January 22nd, 2011
9:17 am
I’m reading a lot of negative crap from the same so-called fans who were saying Murray was too short and injury prone to compete. I think you will be wrong again.
AltamahaDawg
January 22nd, 2011
9:52 am
Can we have a rule in a grown man’s sports blog that such acronyms as ROTFLMFAO and LOL be left in the Little Princess chat rooms?
AltamahaDawg
January 22nd, 2011
10:02 am
falcon 34, nobody said this would be a better team that the one you mentioned. That team finished in the top 10 once and top 2 once. We think this dream team can be a catalyst to be better than the team that just went 6-7. That’s what matter today, to improve. Some of us try to keep it in the world of reality and not compare apples to oranges for no apparent reason.
But if you insist, perhaps that Richt HAS been able to get to the SEC championship game with other (list of) names on other team would be “what in the world” reason to suspect he is capable of doing so.
Falcon 34
January 22nd, 2011
10:26 am
Altahama — Respectfully as possible here, but same old excuses given for Richt by you. I know you’re a master at rationalizing away arguments such as mine with how you frame certain issues (top 2, top 10) and how this can be a positive spark to do better than 6-7. We’ve really set the bar at just improving over a 6 win season now? 2007 was a fantastic year, one in which we still didn’t win the SEC because of a blowout in Tennessee and a loss to a really terrible South Carolina team at home. We also destroyed Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl. Since then, we’ve been on a nose-dive as a program.
We follow that with preseason #1 and not only do we lose 3 games, but two of them are absolute embarrassing blowouts, one of them at home, and we lost to an inferior Georgia Tech team at HOME. My point is this simple, since I’m sure you’ll try to re-direct and frame it for an excuse for Richt: our coaches DO NOT develop the talent that we get, which is plenty enough since we’re ranked top 10 in recruiting. Also, don’t even try the line about me not being a “true fan,” because I’m a grad and a season ticket holder. I simply love my University and football team more than one man, and I’ve lost faith in Richt’s ability to turn it around; no more, no less.
FRED
January 22nd, 2011
10:28 am
REMEMBER NO MATTER HOW GREAT ANY RECRUITE IS HE WILL STILL BE COACHED BY (CMR)
SOS Dawg
January 22nd, 2011
10:44 am
Alatmaha Dawg …you also are welcomed to mamby pamby land….
1eyedJack
January 22nd, 2011
10:48 am
Whatever guys, McGarity has already shot the hole in the bottom of the boat. CMR will be the captain in 2011. Help us bail or get out.
SOS Dawg
January 22nd, 2011
11:03 am
Im a little disappointed in McGarity because that poor Volleyball coach caught the brunt of our incompetent football coaching staff. I thought surely with the volleyball coach being let go so would some of the clowns on the football coaching staff would have been shown the door as well.
John "90
January 22nd, 2011
11:06 am
Finally, a good latter part of week and weekend for DawgNation. Not to overreact to high school seniors verbally committing, but each of these fine young men looks excellent in his respective highlight clips. As many have said, Isaiah Crowell, Ray Drew and John Jenkins are pieces of the puzzle needed. Also agreed: we need a foot in five hole, nastiness, hard-nosed O line coach to open some running lanes and give AM time to carve up D’s. One thing is without question: CMR is a man of his word; examine the history. He’s not a man of hyperbole but truth. When he says “we’re really close,” I tend to believe him. Point being: young players out there: NOW is the time to jump on board a program moving back where it has been and should be. Know this: true Dawg fans will always treat you the way you deserve and desire. In closing, thanks are in order for RTR and his posts. I work with a Bama grad and naturally he’s as die-hard as Dawg fans on this board. But he too is classy and respectful when talking about UGA, even in our struggles. As he notes, “We were there not too long ago.” This attitude by he and RTR is what makes college football the greatest of all. The passion never runs low in the SEC and it exists well with respect and camaraderie in conference.
Go Dawgs!!!
AltamahaDawg
January 22nd, 2011
12:43 pm
I didn’t rationalize a thing, I gave very straight forward facts. Nor did you dispute any of them.
I never said the bar was ONLY and ever going to be doing better than 6-7. (so no point in arguing with me that’s what I really meant) But we were 6-7. Whatever the bar is, it’s better than 6-7 is it not? Its going to take good recruits to achieve that SOOOOOOO…most folks think these guys are a good thing. You don’t?
BTW, I fail to see where anything I said was an excuse for anything or anybody. If anything is an making excuse it’s representing your opinion to be fact.
Also you can search 5 years of quotes from me and NEVER find a single time where I ever said a person was not a real fan for being honestly critical. Don’t even try to throw that straw man out here. If you are confident in your comments, you wouldn’t feel the need to cover them.