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
Tiger Mania
January 21st, 2011
2:13 pm
logan,
once again gay comments made by logan as only a gay man would do.
We have the talent and the offensive coaches to put 40 on the board against the coach who gives the CHOKE sign to kickers, no worries here.
edumacated
January 21st, 2011
2:13 pm
You alabama folks should pay less attention to football, and put more emphasis on who you elect as governor. Your current guy apparently is a moron.
I know this Jay Rome guy is huge, but did we really need another tight end to waste?
Tech Stinger
January 21st, 2011
2:14 pm
chazzo
January 21st, 2011
2:11 pm
Tech Stinger,
Apparently you care what I think, moron. Why else would you respond? Besides that you didn’t address anything I called you out on. You just sling names like a little grade school pansy.
You are the one calling me out about commas?? Wow that is really something on a sports blog moron, how about you stay off our blogs loser
Logan Booker
January 21st, 2011
2:15 pm
Still not answering my question. That was with $cam Newton. You won’t get 40 points in 5 games next season. Mark my words on that. Slurp up the Chizik koolaid. Slurp slurp slurp.
Georgia Saturdays Built FOR LOSERS
January 21st, 2011
2:16 pm
Winner
How about you change your name to Loser because you are delusional if you think Georgia will win anything anytime soon idiot
jim
January 21st, 2011
2:16 pm
@ Tiger Mania -
Do you not feel a bit like a loser, having posted comments here continually for the last few hours? Nothing better to do? job? life?
chazzo
January 21st, 2011
2:16 pm
Tech Stinger,
You keep talking about staying off of Tech blogs. I just realized that you think this is a Tech blog. I am sorry for making fun of your stupidity. You can’t help it.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 21st, 2011
2:16 pm
Tech Stinger
High school coach Paul Turkey neck Johnson is worse than our coach
Why are you calling all UGA fans dumb (50% yes) but you people think Johnson is great with that middle school option veer crap
jim
January 21st, 2011
2:17 pm
ditto for tech stinger.
have a fantastic time calling names at everyone. very impressive.
JB
January 21st, 2011
2:17 pm
Tiger Mania….Are you that stupid….Do you think the 18-20 year olds at AU and Bama, from the same gene pool, never party, drink, steal,cheat etc. It’s being covered up moron. The pressure at these two schools is so great to win at any cost, proven by the history of trouble with the NCAA, that ALL involved in the law enforcement and legal system in the State of Alabama is tainted to high heaven. That is a FACT.
Ted Striker
January 21st, 2011
2:17 pm
Mr. King, I agree. This was huge.
Logan Booker
January 21st, 2011
2:19 pm
We shouldn’t insult the other team’s coach (that’s what blogging is for!) here. It does make me made tho when those bee slurpers make fun of Richt. He does NOT wear hair gel people. Get over it.
As for Tiger Mania, he’s just upset because he didnt pleasure Chizik the right way when he slurped him off last night.
chazzo
January 21st, 2011
2:20 pm
Tech Stinger,
You are the one calling people idiots and accusing them of being illiterate. I am just saying if you are going to talk that crap, you had better learn to write, yourself. Excuse me for saying so, but you just don’t seem all that intelligent. At best you have an anger problem. Most likely, you are just some kid trying to stir up crap and get a response.
I’ll give you the time of day, if Tech ever beats UGA two years in a row.
Tech Stinger
January 21st, 2011
2:20 pm
chazzo
January 21st, 2011
2:16 pm
Tech Stinger,
You keep talking about staying off of Tech blogs. I just realized that you think this is a Tech blog. I am sorry for making fun of your stupidity. You can’t help it.
Don’t worry about why I am here because I am here to send a message because when Tech nation rises then you losers will see why I was here idiot
Tech Stinger
January 21st, 2011
2:21 pm
jim
January 21st, 2011
2:17 pm
ditto for tech stinger.
have a fantastic time calling names at everyone. very impressive.
Go F yourself loser
edumacated
January 21st, 2011
2:22 pm
Tech Nation? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
WIN WITH RICHT
January 21st, 2011
2:22 pm
Tiger Mania
I think you have a bad case of Cootie envy.
Tech Stinger
January 21st, 2011
2:22 pm
chazzo
January 21st, 2011
2:20 pm
Tech Stinger,
You are the one calling people idiots and accusing them of being illiterate. I am just saying if you are going to talk that crap, you had better learn to write, yourself. Excuse me for saying so, but you just don’t seem all that intelligent. At best you have an anger problem. Most likely, you are just some kid trying to stir up crap and get a response.
I’ll give you the time of day, if Tech ever beats UGA two years in a row
How about I teach you how to write little boy because you seem borderline retarded moron, and how about those commas loser?? Take that education nonsense to your geek club idiot
hotdawg
January 21st, 2011
2:23 pm
With the AJC’s constant, I mean constant, badmouthing of UGA’s football program, the recruiting class being put together by Mark Richt and his staff is doubly impressive. I live in Tennesse, where the Vols are largely immune to criticism by the state’s major daily newspapers. I can understand Georgia Tech being the favorite “child,” it being in Atlanta; however, I see no reason for the constant negative speculation that comes out of the AJC Sports Department. KUDOS to the the Dawgs; bring on Crowell, Jenkins, and Drew (and throw in a great offensive lineman for good measure). Maybe the impact of the AJC is less than I’d thought, but still, there is NO EXCUSE for the constant badmouthing of UGA Football.
edumacated
January 21st, 2011
2:23 pm
Tech Nation……woooo boy…..that was rich man. You got any more? I’m in stiches over here.
Bama Mike
January 21st, 2011
2:23 pm
Sorry JB the only true Fact is that the state of Alabama has owned college football the past two seasons. Between the two schools maybe 3 starters from state of Georgia so sorry to say I cant get too excited over this so-called gimmick Richt calls his “Dream Team “. Maybe he can have them all get into the back of one of those F-250 Ford Trucks he spends a lot of time advertising.
Tech Stinger
January 21st, 2011
2:24 pm
I love dudes!
Tiger Mania
January 21st, 2011
2:24 pm
I want to have Nick Fairly’s love child.Yes ever since I became a Auburn fan…right after game 6 of this year…I have craved me a little Nicky..
edumacated
January 21st, 2011
2:25 pm
Bama just couldn’t keep you employed though, right Bama Mike? That’s why you moved to Atlanta, and cruise the UGA blogs?
edumacated
January 21st, 2011
2:27 pm
I LOVE BALLS!!!
Bama Mike
January 21st, 2011
2:27 pm
hotdawg media no different here than in Bham for Alabama and Auburn coverage. Some days good other days not so positive. Maybe with Richt having the chains of administrative bondage taken off he can focus on the issues that will keep his program from such negative press ie., less Ford commercials, stay in the country and monitor your program.
WIN WITH RICHT
January 21st, 2011
2:30 pm
I love Cootie!
Bobo's Lil Boy Richt
January 21st, 2011
2:33 pm
Who are you talking to ? I said off & you f-off.
Dirty Dawg
January 21st, 2011
2:35 pm
Clearly Mark Richt’s announcement of his goal of signing a ‘Dream Team’ from Georgia was, at best, a crap shoot. I mean every year since forever, there have been top recruits from all over Georgia that have opted to go some place else other than stay in the state, Parents that have ties elsewhere…high-school coaches with the same…more aggressive recruiting from schools envious of the talent here…all mounted up to mean that kids had other options – plus, I doubt if many of them had that much state pride that trying to prove that Georgia’s talent was better than Florida’s, or Texas’s, or whoevers, meant something. So for Richt to proclaim that as a goal was setting himself up for ‘perceived’ failure no matter how good a class we end up with.
To me the kids we already have committed are a quality class, but if we don’t get Crowell, for example, the AJC, along with the DawgTrolls that hang out around here, will label it as something short of a ‘dream’.
Keep it up Mark, there are plenty of us that are with you for as long as you want to be here.
TMC DAWG
January 21st, 2011
2:38 pm
Everyone is looking at the season like they do every year at this time. Get some top talent do this and do that and we will play for an SEC Chanpionship. STOP, Remember who is stiring the ship. We will come out of spring ball with no direction on offense. The best players will be on the bench or redshirted. Then about midseason they will realize what should have be known coming out of spring ball. You can not run an ACC TEAM CONCEPT in the SEC. I am as big a DAWG as anyone BUT with the coaching staff we have I just do not see it happening.
Bama Mike
January 21st, 2011
2:39 pm
Not really born here, could not get accepted at Georgia or Tech with my grades only at Alabama. Finished my edumacation in 5 years with a degree in Metal Shop. Tried to go to Georgia school of Law again rejected, back to Alabama. Received law degree while maintaining a D average. Manage a group of Dawgs who put me on it. Bama On line just as passionate as here. Oh almost forgot I have 2 SEC championship rings. Need to get them appraised heard they may be valuable over here.
NC Dawg
January 21st, 2011
2:40 pm
I think they’ve GOT to have Drew, Jenkins and Crowell to establish the “MO.”
Go Dawgs
January 21st, 2011
2:42 pm
I just love talking about these high school boys. I hope we get better high school boys than everyone else. My life is watching every little thing these high school boys do. go dawgs!
ATD
January 21st, 2011
2:43 pm
DOWGS CANT WIN WITH BOBO,BOBO MUST GO..
JB
January 21st, 2011
2:43 pm
a little good news for the Dawgs for once, and the haters come out strong……The talent is setting up nice for the future if our AD make a change next year….I think that would not be good news for the parasites on here from the West. Getting a real winner to take over that program and keep all these players in Georgia would be big.. Oh course, History in alabama is short lived, but the last time Richt came to Bama to play the Tide, he won. I think that’s the same Saban team that lost to La. Poly. Bammer will tell you the Shula era never happened, the days when you said alabama football, the word suck always followed it…LOL
Uh
January 21st, 2011
2:44 pm
dream team. that is so gay. these are high schoolers.
uga had 9 years in a row of top 10 recruiting classes and what did it get you?
you will start 0-2 this year. and all this blah blah about these recruits will be forgotten.
when you don’t have coaches who can coach, mediocrity will continue
Tiger Mania
January 21st, 2011
2:44 pm
Bama Mike could be worst I couldn’t even get in Bama had to get my degree…Vet assistant at Auburn but only took me 6 years.
Ed (The Original)
January 21st, 2011
2:46 pm
Richt landing top recruits – nothing new there. I’d take TCU’s recruits, they know how to win even without all the stars by their name.
It looks like Richt’s recruiting strategy hasn’t changed a bit – lots of flash and dash and gold stars. But is he getting the types of players who bring winning intangibles to a team, like toughness, heart and grit? The types of players who seem to fill rosters at places like Boise State, Oregon, Ohio State, and TCU? Or is this more of the same…I guess time will tell.
JB
January 21st, 2011
2:48 pm
Ed, Saban gets them also, but the boot camp is different over there. Also , they get the boot is they can’t,don’t, won’t perform to his standards.
DC
January 21st, 2011
2:50 pm
Thanks UGA for helping us get Westerman! He found out that UGA’s former OL coach was going to Texas and he decided to go to AU! Love it! #3 Offensive tackle in the country!
Uga Duck
January 21st, 2011
2:52 pm
Wilder coming over to our side?
robert
January 21st, 2011
2:53 pm
recruiting is such an over emphasized subject. most are never heard from again. its alot of pontificating over nothing, its tired, its boring. then ranking classes is utterly stupid. its all based on potential and hardly an exact science. spare me this.
Tiger Mania
January 21st, 2011
2:56 pm
Someone is posting under my name, I have not posted for since 1:45 or so
Just clarifying.
ATD
January 21st, 2011
2:56 pm
I’m a dowg fan, but aint no way in hell i could chear a guy on to go play for that coaching staff and its a shame richt dont have the nerves to make changes, he’s coaching on hope…Dayyymn !
LawDawg
January 21st, 2011
3:00 pm
I just hope Rome doesn’t have the butter forcible injected into his hands like Millner, Chandler, Charles, and Figgins did upon arrival in Athens. I genuinely hope Rome is good enough to start soon because the TE results since Leonard Pope left have been pretty mediocre.
LawDawg
January 21st, 2011
3:01 pm
ATD: I genuinely hops English is not your first language.
LawDawg
January 21st, 2011
3:01 pm
hops=hope
The hiring of Thomas Brown
January 21st, 2011
3:02 pm
Thomas Brown is a leader. He smiled after making great runs AND when he was tackled by a jarring hit. He was fun to follow at UGA. He blew out his knee on a kick retun, rehabbed and then played great just like prior to that injury. He was a really solid kid in my humble view. He will be a huge asset to UGA folks. Huge.
He is a weight lifter and he will inspire the kids to lift for success. He lives a good life, too.
Thomas Brown welcome home to UGA. I am so glad that you are involved with young Bulldogs looking to grow emotionally and physically.
GO Dogs.
UGA man class of 71 & 73
edumacated
January 21st, 2011
3:09 pm
These guys won’t be Richt’s saving grace. That will be up to the guys already on the roster.
Bama Mike
January 21st, 2011
3:11 pm
I have daughter at UGA so I do bleed with her come Saturdays. I would like to see Georgia do well. So inconsistent. To put the future of your program on the shoulders of a group of 17-18 year olds after 10 years on the job is not as much a process as it is pure panic or a scam to by time. Academics, away from home, girl friends just eliminate so many freshman and you never see it coming. We finished as I hoped 2-3 losses but finished strong going into spring.