Mark Richt’s ‘Dream Team’ picks up momentum
Ray Drew is the latest to say he'll join the "Dream Team." (Ray Drew)
Our Chip Towers reports five-star Thomas County Central defensive end Ray Drew announced this morning he’s going to become a Georgia Bulldog.
Perhaps some of those snarky folks who laughed at Mark Richt’s “Dream Team” gambit are taking it somewhat more seriously now.
Snagging Drew is a biggie not just because he’s rated a five-star player, but because Georgia badly needs talent on its defensive line. Now if UGA can get another stellar DE, Asheville’s Jeoffrey Pagan, who recently decommitted from Clemson and is reportedly favoring the Dogs, plus sign junior college nose guard John Jenkins (who won’t announce until Feb 5), Todd Grantham’s 3-4 will be looking a lot more formidable.
And then, of course, there’s still running back Isaiah Crowell, who’ll make his decision public on signing day on ESPNU.
The Dream Team is far from complete at this point. But it’s closer to reality than many ever thought it would be.
Assuming these guys all sign on the dotted line, is that enough to elevate the Georgia program back to the elite? And can it be done in the 2011 season — in other words, are the Dogs likely to actually get turnaround performances from that many true freshman players this fall against SEC competition? What do you think?
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503 comments Add your comment
WDE
January 28th, 2011
6:39 pm
Kiss of death for UGA. This guy makes horrible predictions every year.
Why Georgia is this year’s Auburn
http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/blog?name=feldman_bruce&id=6069048&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncf%2fblog%3fname%3dfeldman_bruce%26id%3d6069048
WDE
January 28th, 2011
6:41 pm
Biggdawg
Better than wearing a moo moo like you.
Biggdawg
January 28th, 2011
6:43 pm
WDE
I’ve never worn a “moo moo” but I’m sure you have slept with plenty of cows. Both the 2 and 4 legged variety.
BigDawg
January 28th, 2011
6:44 pm
Does anyone have more news on that guy from Pago Pago? Is he still leaning towards UCLA?
Biggdawg
January 28th, 2011
6:45 pm
I think they sacrificed him to appease the volcano gods.
WDE
January 28th, 2011
6:55 pm
Biggdawg
I’m so sorry you weigh 500 pounds. It must suck to be you, cow man.
Biggdawg
January 28th, 2011
7:05 pm
WDE
It is slightly flattering that you imagine me to be 500 pounds because you have some weird crush on me but I’m quite svelte. However being a barner you can just waddle outside your trailer and find a bovine boyfriend so no reason to get upset.
BigDawg
January 28th, 2011
7:26 pm
That was a good one. Point for Biggdawg
RTR
January 28th, 2011
7:28 pm
Hey, Auburn, UGhhhh, Why don’t you combine your national championships and your schools in Atlanta? Then, Alabama would still have more than three times the national championships and still out-man you on a regular basis, well, four times as many if you look far enough ahead into the future when the NCAA strips the NC away from those cheaters on the plains. Rotten scoundrels, buying people with money, making our state look bad. Anyway, I talked to God, and he said, “Roll Tide!” So, Roll Tide!!
Uuughhh
January 28th, 2011
7:37 pm
Don’t you bring me into this RTR.
RTR
January 28th, 2011
7:55 pm
That’s just what I call your university because I imagine it is frustrating to have an emotional investment in a school that sucks at winning and therefore would invoke that exclamation after every season. It’s a funny name because your school sucks at football, get it?
getrealdawg
January 28th, 2011
8:01 pm
if crowell signs, and stays healthy then he will play early, and then more and more as he learns the offense. this is simply because he is eons better than anything uga has at the rb position. jenkins should play alot from day 1. i’m sure they will still rotate at the nose, we will see if he is the starter. the question to me is not so much which freshman will help next season as it is which freshman will help in the first two games? (because that could be the season). it’s a great recruiting class, but they are still freshmen in the sec (boys among men).several of these kids will letter on special teams, and situational packages as the season goes on. several willl be redshirted. i see crowell and jenkins as the only immediate contributors in the two deep lineup. but they could have a huge impact….godawgs
Old Dawg Fan
January 28th, 2011
8:38 pm
Good Talent plus Poor Coaching equals the same as we have had. Sorry just can’t get excited with CMR at the helm. Even the best talent can’t help a program when the coaching is poor. Same plays (2nd and 25 and run Thomas up the middle), Grantham not making any changes, CMR brushing that hair with more emotion than coaching. A cloud continues to cover Athens!!!!
powerhouse?
January 28th, 2011
8:56 pm
No excuses now…
Ed
January 28th, 2011
8:59 pm
what an outstanding job by Coach Richt of recruiting this is indeed looking like a dream team. I the the Dawgs are going to land Crowell and Jenkins and perhaps Pagan and Richardson as well. I cant wait til next season. Go Dawgs!!!
WDE'S DADDY
January 28th, 2011
9:03 pm
Don’t talk till your spoken to boy!
Big D Dawg
January 28th, 2011
9:07 pm
“wde” welcome to the DAWG blog. you get to crow this year so be it. However, don’t talk about how long it’s been and how many other teams have won MNC’s because it’s been 54 years since your last one. I know, 19 days now since the last one. Congratulations. But it appears that pay for play is a habit at allbarn. 93 and coach dye left the team with probation. And yes I know nothing has been proven now. All barners regurgitate the Cam didn’t know answer. He did nothing wrong. We’ll see. After all he is trying to manage Cam’s try outs for the pros and not letting the real agents and scouts handle it. So, Cam didn’t know?? Yeah right! I’ve got a little beach front property just outside the Allbarn city limits. Wanna make an offer. Say, $180k.
59bulldawg
January 28th, 2011
9:31 pm
Having been critical of Richt for much of the last two years, I’d have to say I’m pleasantly surprised thus far. He’s worked hard on this class and if he can sign all the verbals and close the deal on his last few targets he will have made a great first step towards getting the program back where it should be. If Richt can do that, keep them out of trouble, make them stronger, and coach them up, he may indeed be able to turn things around. Bottom line I’ll just say this. First the first time in a long while I’m feeling it! Now if we can just convince Big Ralph to move to Athens, I’ll be downright giddy!
browndog
January 28th, 2011
9:37 pm
I just hope for improvement each game. If UGA can steal a win when not suppose to then things will fall in place for 2011 and set the stage for 2012.
T-DOG
January 28th, 2011
9:48 pm
WDE,
Congrats for all the attention your getting. I’m sure you get very little in the real world, that would explain why you are hanging out on an opposing teams blog for hours on a Friday night.
WDE needs a date somebody please help him. We have had enough of him tonight.
SanDiegoJacket
January 28th, 2011
9:48 pm
Any guesses which all-star recruit will end up in the Clark County jail first?? They’re all such good boys!!
Inquiring minds want to know!!
Hairy Perry
January 28th, 2011
9:50 pm
If we can sign this Crowell guy that would be big. That is if he is who everybody thinks. IF
Hairy Perry
January 28th, 2011
9:55 pm
SanDiegoJackett,
We could loose our first and 2nd string and still beat your crappy program. Your on the wrong blog to be trying to talk smack. Come to think of it I don’t think there are many division one schools you could run your mouth to. Nice try though, you little Tech fans are funny.
IRISH DAWG
January 28th, 2011
10:00 pm
Auburn fans how many sec titles have you won? 7Georgia 12 HOW MANY NATIONAL COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2? GEORGIA HAS 5 1927, 1942, 1946, 1968 AND 1980.
MB
January 28th, 2011
10:24 pm
It is lose not loose. It is loser not looser. Please everyone take note. Go UGA!
Pat
January 28th, 2011
10:40 pm
If they sign all of these guys…
WDE
January 28th, 2011
10:53 pm
“GEORGIA HAS 5 1927, 1942, 1946, 1968 AND 1980.”
UGA claims 3. It says so on their own website. Oh, and the Irish suck.
UGA 15
January 28th, 2011
10:54 pm
Biggdawg
I know you’re used to taking up from behind so I’ll just leave you alone for the rest of the evening.
UGA 15
January 28th, 2011
10:55 pm
RTR
I had no idea you had wifi in your double wide. Also, while you insult UGA, your own school leads the nation in KKK events. You must be proud, mullet.
CoopDawg
January 29th, 2011
12:30 am
Rooster
January 28th, 2011
11:11 am
I doubt any of these “Dream Teamers” will see action on the field this year except the practice field. That is the way Richt handles the program.
Really??You do realize Renny Curran,Orson Charles thats just to mention a couple who were starters as true freshmen,Matthew Stafford the list could go on and on.
gadawgluver
January 29th, 2011
4:42 am
Tech Fans – How can you get on here and say anything negative when UGA owns you on the football field the last ten years. Richt may not can coach, but he can definitely beat GaTech each year.
Go Dream Team – UGA Rocks – Richt with his non coaching ability has had a better won loss % than Hall of Fame Dooley….He has had a team finish number 2 that should have been allowed to play after New Years for number 1 instead of playing Hawaii.
Paddy
January 29th, 2011
6:53 am
Spike…..now that was funny.” Lets get these guys in the weight room right away!!!” Lets let them graduate from hs this June first. The building any student should visit first is the library, don’t ya think!!!!
Tman
January 29th, 2011
7:00 am
What’s this coach them up talk ? 5 years ago we never heard this tactic. You get enough quality self motivated players, you will have a great team. I don’t think Hershel, Jake, Knowshon etc needed to be “coached up” Another excuse for not evaluating the hunger of players.
woebegong
January 29th, 2011
8:08 am
Tman,
A team suceeds when you have a leader, not just a bunch of self motivated players. Not exactly sure what you mean about evaluating the hunger of the players. You could take 85 super 5 star players and not win a thing, if they do not have a leader. That’s why they call it a team, I.E. team work. It has worked pretty good for the military, since long before there was anything such as organized sports. Shoot, sometimes, although in much rarer cases, it almost work in our government as well.
Snoopdawg
January 29th, 2011
8:10 am
Ga. will be fine. I’ve said that the whole time. Sign the Fridge for two years if coach Richt and company hasn’t turned it around by then I’m all for a change. Go dawgs.
Ed
January 29th, 2011
9:02 am
Let’s add Crowell, Pagans, Jenkins and Richardson to our Dream Team. We need Vaughters, Dickson and Turene to also join us in Athens. We can sign 28 and two count against 2010 totals so we can have all of them sign. Go Dawgs!
59bulldawg
January 29th, 2011
9:05 am
Tman coaching them up has nothing to do with motivation. However a lack of quality coaching can lead to less than optimal results. See our last two seasons for example. We had the talent .. we just didn’t coach or lead it very well
Jacket Forever
January 29th, 2011
9:40 am
Paul Johnson has put together a ” Nightmare Team”! No kid with hopes of playing in the Pros will ever go to Tech now!
Coach Cheesedip
January 29th, 2011
9:42 am
We take care of the kid and their Daddy at Auburn!
JB
January 29th, 2011
10:10 am
Come on Richt, ONE MORE BIG MOVE. Hire Ralph the Frig and let him call the plays and put Bobo in the booth as a spotter for him and work with the QB’s. Automatic 3 more wins in 11.
JB
January 29th, 2011
10:13 am
Tech is in trouble, and they don’t know it……….YET………….Their roster will soon be filled with level 2 type talent ( Ga. Southern,Charleston Southern, Florida Atlantic,East Carolina) and although against Duke,Wake etc will get you a win, FSU, Miami,VT,NC, UGA, Clemson etc. will just kill them.
florida sucks!
January 29th, 2011
10:16 am
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UF senior cornerback Janoris Jenkins cited for pot
By Robbie Andreu
Staff writer
Published: Monday, January 24, 2011 at 2:33 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, January 24, 2011 at 4:06 p.m.
Florida senior cornerback Janoris Jenkins has been cited for possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana by Gainesville Police.
Jenkins received the citation after officers observed Jenkins attempting to roll a cannabis cigarette in the bathroom of a downtown night club (Status Nightclub) on Saturday night.
The possession charge is a misdemeanor. Jenkins was arrested, but he signed a notice to appear and was released. He has a Feb. 17 court date.
Jenkins is the first UF football player to get in trouble with the law under new coach Will Muschamp. There were 30 arrests of UF players under Urban Meyer (2005-10).
“We are aware of the incident with Janoris Jenkins and will handle it internally at this time,” Muschamp said Monday.
Jenkins recently announced he was returning for his senior season after considering leaving early for the NFL Draft. Some were predicting he would be a first-round pick. He underwent shoulder surgery at the end of the regular season and has not been able to work out.
This is Jenkins’ second arrest since he’s been at UF. In May 2009, he was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of affray for resisting arrest without violence. Jenkins claimed self-defense, saying he was trying to protect himself during a group altercation downtown. He said someone he did not know tried to steal a chain he was wearing around his neck.
The State Attorney’s Office dropped the affray charge due to lack of evidence. He signed a deferred prosecution agreement and his record has since been cleared of the charge.
Meyer suspended Jenkins from the 2009 opener because of the incident.
florida sucks!
January 29th, 2011
10:17 am
There were 30 arrests of UF players under Urban Meyer (2005-10).
blazer
January 29th, 2011
10:28 am
don’t they get a dream team every year?? always in the top 10!! so whats new!
Thuggo City
January 29th, 2011
10:53 am
More thugs headed for Athens. They need to start expanding the jail now.
IRISH DAWG
January 29th, 2011
10:58 am
TO WDE GET A GEORGIA FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE AND YOUR SEE THE 5 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS. YOUR WEBSITE IS WRONG! IN THE MEDIA GUIDE STARTING ON PAGE 159 TO PAGE 161 ARE LISTED THE 5 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS AT GEORGIA.
AltamahaDawg
January 29th, 2011
11:00 am
Freidgen excites us why? Md has a worst running game than Georgia. Practically worst in the nation a couple of yrs ago.
AltamahaDawg
January 29th, 2011
11:06 am
Cameron Norcross is who they need to hire.
wildbill
January 29th, 2011
11:17 am
CMR is back to his bag o’ tricks. “Dream team.” “We have a top tier recruiting class.” And on it goes. I’m waiting to see the arrest reports start like past years. Then the excuses. All of this to delay the inevitable. How much is riding on this dream team? Millions…………
Ca dawg
January 29th, 2011
12:58 pm
“handled internally”. Sounds like Muschamp is carrying the Meyer legacy forward…