UGA to Penn State players: Come on down!
Mark Richt was unusually open about his interest in Penn State players. (David Tulis / AJC special)
While Mark Richt has perhaps been the most up-front about his interest in picking up some of the Penn State players who are free to leave the NCAA-hammered program and play immediately elsewhere, Georgia certainly isn’t the only SEC school looking at that possibility.
In terms of players currently on the Nittany Lions roster, this is likely to play out rather quickly, as most schools will be starting preseason camp soon — UGA on Aug. 2 — and in order to have a realistic shot at anything close to immediate playing time a transfer would need to be on campus by then.
It’s not surprising that Richt is interested, but what did widen a few eyes among college football observers was how he wasn’t at all coy about it when addressing the subject at Monday night’s UGA Day fan gathering. In fact, he volunteered the news that as soon as they heard about the NCAA sanctions against PSU, the Georgia coaching staff went over Penn State’s two-deep roster to identify players the Bulldogs might be interested in.
The fact that Richt offered that tidbit up in public is an indication that, yes, Georgia is really interested. And why not, the Dogs have a depleted roster that numbers less than Southern Cal, which is on probation!
Penn State players apparently would be welcomed by the UGA team as well. All-American Jarvis Jones tweeted: “Penn State players feel free to b a Part of BullDogs Nation!!!”
While you can bet Nick Saban and other SEC coaches are moving just as quickly as Richt, if more quietly, Georgia does have what appears to be a couple of built-in advantages: Georgia has plenty of room on its roster and also has on staff John Thomas, who until recently was Penn State’s strength and conditioning coordinator for 20 years.
As for which players Georgia might talk with, early speculation has centered on defensive end Deion Barnes and linebacker Khairi Fortt, both of whom considered Georgia out of high school and reportedly took recruiting visits to Athens. And UGA has at least somewhat of a relationship with two Penn State commitments — defensive end Garrett Sickels and tight end Adam Breneman — since both were offered scholarships by Georgia.
Beyond that, the most obvious need the Dogs have is experienced offensive linemen, so I imagine that’s where the Georgia coaches looked hardest when they examined the PSU roster at their retreat Monday. But the Dogs also are in need of additional depth in the defensive secondary.
Of course, we don’t know that Penn State players will bail on the program en masse, though it certainly would be understandable if they did, and Georgia may wind up not picking up any of the school’s current players.
It’s quite likely, however, that Pennsylvania — which proved very fruitful territory for the Bulldogs in past generations with names like Sinkwich, Trippi and Rissmiller — is likely to get increased recruiting attention in the future from a lot of schools, including Georgia. And in addition to Thomas, secondary coach Scott Lakatos is very familiar with the area.
Aunt Pittypat might have been aghast at more Yankees in Georgia, but this is one case where they’re entirely welcome!
Got something you want to discuss concerning UGA athletics or a question for the Junkyard Blawg? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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258 comments Add your comment
Gary
July 25th, 2012
4:23 pm
Doubt we will get anyone from Penn State. Sort of tough for a player to put all this together on short notice. I am not sure someone who chose Penn State would want to move all the way to Athens. Most have friends and family near by who already have tickets to watch them play. While it is a nice thought to fill some of our vacanies, not sure this is the way to do it. They will still play on TV and most bowl games Penn State would play in this year would not be that much of a loss to their players. I do not think they were expecting a BCS invite. I know the dawgs are thin, but the team will just have to make do with what they have.
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it, SSIgator, wreckmaniac, Flo-Ri-Duh – This is how civilized normal humans communicate on message boards. I am sure your moms are very proud of the children they raised.
DawgNole
July 25th, 2012
5:26 pm
G.P. Burdell
July 24th, 2012
1:37 pm
Real classy there thuga…you can’t recruit good enough on your own so MR has to go pilfer players from a school going through an especially tragic time. Let those players decide for themselves if they want to go somewhere else or stick together through this and have the most important bonding experience of their lives. It also says a lot that your star player sees the diffiencies in recruiting and spouts off trying to lure players.
G.P. Burdell
July 24th, 2012
1:38 pm
*dificiencies
______________________
Didn’t spell it correctly the second time either. Dope.
UGASlobberknocker
July 25th, 2012
5:34 pm
You Bama fans should remember that before Saban came, your program was a dumpster fire for 15 yrs. and will be again as soon as he is gone. Then maybe you guys will crawl back under that rock for another 15 yrs. We can only hope
UGASlobberknocker
July 25th, 2012
5:39 pm
DawgNole..are you really that incredibly naive?
Georgia
July 25th, 2012
5:42 pm
Everyone is making way too much out of this. Obviously Georgia is interested since the scholarship numbers are so low. It would be an ideal fit for a few of their players given that fact alone.
Bama stump humpers, stop looking for excuses.
Georgia
July 25th, 2012
5:45 pm
Also Bama; cut your bangs. All of you.
TIDE ROLLING JOINTS AND GETTING OFF FREE
July 25th, 2012
5:50 pm
MY APOLOGIES, UGA DID NOT WIN THE SEC IN THE 2 LOSS SEASON. TENN won the east that year. Yet by years end EVERYONE AGREED UGA WAS THE CLASS OF THE EAST AND DESERVING TO PLAY IN THE NATIONAL TITLE GAME. Many felt UGA not LSU should have met Ohio State in the 2007 NATIONAL TITLE GAME. At seasons end, many of the bulldogs expressed there belief THEY WERE INDEED #1, HAWAII TOTALLY AGREED AFTER THERE UNDEFEATED BCS RANKED TEAM FELL 41 TO 10. It could have been far worse as UGA pulled there starters very early!!!! I WAS GOING BY MEMORY, MY MEMORY IS BAD BUT MY POINT IS CORRECT!!!!!!!!!! UGA is the fictom of NCAA PREJUDICE PERIOD!!!!!!! If not, UGA would have the top ranked program in the SEC in the last 10 years. ACTUALLY FAR, FAR AHEAD OF BAMA AND FLORIDA!!!!!!!!!!! UGA is way ahead of both in wins in the last 10 years!!!!! IF NOT FOR THE 2 NATIONAL TITLES UGA WAS SCREWED OUT OF BAMA COULDNT TALK AT ALL!!! I wonder how many recruits would have come to UGA with those 2 STOLEN TITELS?????? MAYBE THERE COULD HAVE BEEN 2 OR 3 MORE!!!!! PENN STATE ROYALTY, DONT LISTEN TO THE LIES. UGA HAS BEEN AND IS THE CLASS SCHOOL OF THE SEC FOR THE LAST 10 STRAIGHT YEARS!!!!!!!!! INTEGRITY IS WHAT WE ARE KNOWN FOR AS WELL AS GREATNESS!!!!!!!! UGA HAS THE BEST CONNECTION TO THIS GREAT SCHOOL CALLED PENN STATE. We hired a 20 year connection. If people believe the bama LSU HypeI feel sorry for them. BOTH COACHES ARE SCANDEL RIDDEN AND THE NCAA IS ON ITS WAY, JUDGEMENT IS COMING!!!!!!!!! THEY CANT COME DOWN HARD ON JO PA AND PENN STATE LIKE THEY DID AND LET SABON KEEP PAYING HIS PLAYERS AND COVERING UP CRIMES!!!!!!!!!!! I PREDICT LSU AND BAMA INVESTIGATED IN NEXT 2 OR 3 YEARS IF NOT SOONER. They might be stripped of there national titles, either way SABON WILL RUN LIKE ALWAYS!!!!!!! LESS MILES WILL CRY LIKE ALWAYS, BOTH SCHOOLS GET PROBATION FOR WHAT EVERYONE KNOWS THEY DID!!!!!!!! LESS MILES GETS FIRED OR LEAVES FIRST. BAMA AND LSU FALL DOWN WHERE VANDY AND TENN HAVE BEEN WHILE THOSE SCHOOLS RISE ABOVE THEM BOTH!!!! Meanwhile UGA becomes the class of the sec and nation many years to come!!!!!!! CHOIR BOY MARK R AS THEY CALL HIM SURVIVES THE NCAA JUDGEMENTS BECAUSE OF INTEGRITY!!!!!!!!!! PENN STATE ROYALTY, YOUR ALL VERY SMART. IS THERE REALLY ANOTHER CHOICE HERE??? Its UGA who is built to win NOW and in the future, OR ITS MORE OF THE SAME OF WHAT YOUR GOING THROUGH NOW!!!!!!! CAN YOU REALLY TRUST SABON OR MILES? GREAT COACHES MAYBE, BUT HOW CAN WE REALLY KNOW? THEY PAID EVERY GREAT PLAYER TO PLAY FOR THEM!! THE PAYING PLAYER DAYS ARE OVER!!!!!!! NCAA IS GOING TO CRUSH THOSE CONCEPTS!!!!!! If you go to bama or LSU you will have NO RESPECT AND NO FUTURE AND NO COACH I GUARANTEE IT!!!! ALSO UGA SENDS LOTS OF PLAYERS TO THE PRO ‘S EVERY YEAR WITH INTEGRITY, BE ONE OF THEM!!!!!! At least Choir boy Mark R will survive the coming NCAA JUDGEMENT DAY, and just look at his record and UGA ‘S WINNING in the last 10 years. PRACTICALLY IN A DEADLOCK WITH LSU AT THE TOP!!!!! BAMA IS FAR BIHIND UGA!!!!!!!!! BAMA IS ALL TALK, HYPE. AND FULL OF NCAA VIOLATIONS THAT MUST BE PAID FOR!!!!!!!!!!!! TRENT RICHARDSON ADMITTED IT RECENTLY!!!!!! PENN STATE ROYALTY COME ON TO UGA, WE WANT AND NEED YOU!!!!!!!! UGA IS THE NOW AND FUTURE DREAM TEAM!!!!!! Just research the words UGA DREAM TEAM to see why bama and LSU ARE TERRIFIED!!!!!!!!!!
Andy
July 25th, 2012
6:06 pm
Thats because the top three teams in the east would be cream puffs for the top three teams of the west. We saw what the top team in the west did to the top team of the east last year and did you forget the UCF- GA. bowl game..
True Maniac
July 25th, 2012
6:12 pm
Tide doesn’t have a blog. Alabama is too poor to have an online blog.
Dis Dawg Gonna Bite Ya!
July 25th, 2012
6:14 pm
All you Ga. Tech,Gators,Tide,Tigers fans just stay off the Dawgs blogs. We don’t go to your blogs.
DawgNole
July 25th, 2012
6:21 pm
wreckmaniac
July 25th, 2012
10:07 am
This is just a an admission by Richt that despite having half the nations 5-stars and 110 “schollys” he still can’t coach em up to the level he needs to compete for a nat champ. He has to look under every rock, consider every JUCO and still can’t get it done.
_____________________
“. . . still can’t get it done”? Hello?
At 10-1, I’d say he’s certainly “getting it done” against Tech–despite all those perceived problems you’ve claimed. Doesn’t say much for Tech now, does it?
DawgNole
July 25th, 2012
6:24 pm
UGASlobberknocker
July 25th, 2012
5:39 pm
DawgNole..are you really that incredibly naive?
_____________________
Absolutely not. Are you really that incredibly uneducated?
Apparently so, with that handle you’ve so proudly adopted.
Andy
July 25th, 2012
6:37 pm
If you can’t recruit a good football team you can always borrow one. Va Dawg your mother was right you didn’t listen and now your hollering ROLL TIDE from a run down trashy arse trailer park in Virginia!.
Andy
July 25th, 2012
7:08 pm
Yes we ran out of trees to poison in Ala Watch out for the hedges at UGA!
Bill King
July 25th, 2012
7:46 pm
Some sources list Sinkwich as being born in Croatia and growing up in Youngstown, Ohio. Other sources say Sinkwich was born on October 10, 1920, in McKees Rocks, PA, and then moved to Youngstown. Pennsylvania apparently claims him as one of their own.
SSIgator
July 25th, 2012
8:02 pm
UGASlobberknocker -
“DawgNole..are you really that incredibly naive?”
Sadly, he is. It is that FSU gene that kicks in from time to time.
Red Stick
July 25th, 2012
8:05 pm
@TIDE ROLLING JOINTS AND GETTING OFF FREE
It appears you have forgotten to take your meds.
Geaux Tigers
Go SEC
GEORGIA FOOTBALL
July 25th, 2012
8:25 pm
UGA -NUMBER 11 in all time football victories.
DawgNole
July 25th, 2012
8:31 pm
SSIgator
July 25th, 2012
8:02 pm
UGASlobberknocker -
“DawgNole..are you really that incredibly naive?”
Sadly, he is. It is that FSU gene that kicks in from time to time.
___________________
I see you’re still pouting after our last exchange. Perhaps it’s because you’re as uneducated–and uninformed–as he is. Get a life.
GEORGIA FOOTBALL
July 25th, 2012
8:31 pm
Tide is rolling….
The Dawgs loss to Michigan St. was the first loss to a Big Ten team since 1956 when we loss to Michigan.That was two years before ya’ll hired that checker hat drunk.
WithOutGeorgia
July 25th, 2012
9:25 pm
You no whats funny. We [DAWGS}Could be talkin about some past football player dying .. And some moron from across are boarder would came in our forum and tell how it was all UGAs fault and they should have played for there School and theyed still be living even though he was the deceased was 105 in his passing …. You know Ive never been on any other forum other than the team I was pulling for … And to beat it all most these anuses are from or makin there living in Dear State of GEORGIA … with out are part most could not even dress up to have a football TEAM … much less win a game are TITLE of any sort … If you dont belive me LOOK AT YOUR FOOTBALL TEAM ROSTER … ALA UA CLEM SC TENN just to name a few!!!!!!!!!!!! Without G.A AND FLA. your teams and records would look more like…. Lets say New Mexico St hockey team …
14 Titles
July 25th, 2012
10:03 pm
Nick’s loaded the roster again with stars for a run at title #15. This 2012 bama team may be better than last year’s! RTR!!
Tide is Rolling and Nothing can stop it
July 25th, 2012
10:14 pm
I seriously love “TIDE ROLLING JOINTS AND GETTING OFF FREE”. Can we get this guy a facebook page or something. More people should get to experience this.
dawgfacedboy
July 25th, 2012
10:45 pm
Fact is that our rivals are going to do it. Richt will get more crap for losing a LB to Auburn by not trying than he will if he goes after him. It’s a cutthroat business and you can’t afford to let a kid who can help your team go to a rival because you “didn’t think it was right given the situation up there”.
Labrador
July 25th, 2012
10:52 pm
Old Dawg
July 24th, 2012
11:38 am
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it: Just to set the record straight, since 1988 UGA has a 7-1 record vs the Big 10. Bama is 4-3 against the Big 10.
As for integrity, a parent’s is often judged by the actions of their children. And Saban’s daughter is an absolute jewel!
Why not go on back to 1980 and use those numbers..you know the last time UGA won the title?
You need to do more reading on the Saban daughter situation. She was the one attacked by a lunatic,,,,,
Labrador
July 25th, 2012
10:54 pm
GEORGIA FOOTBALL
July 25th, 2012
8:31 pm
Tide is rolling….
The Dawgs loss to Michigan St. was the first loss to a Big Ten team since 1956 when we loss to Michigan.That was two years before ya’ll hired that checker hat drunk.
That “checkered hat drunk” beat the crap out of UGA…..
I LIKE THE BLACK JERSEY
July 25th, 2012
10:59 pm
That “checkered hat drunk” beat the crap out of UGA…..
1976 -UGA 21- Bama 0
Labrador
July 25th, 2012
11:05 pm
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
National coach of the year: 1961, 1971, 1973.
SEC coach of the year: 1950, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1979, 1981.
National championships: 6 (1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979).
SEC titles: 13 (1961, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981).
Selected win-loss records:
•at Bryant-Denny Stadium: 72-2.
•at Legion Field: 68-15-5.
•Homecoming: 25-0.
•vs. Auburn: 19-6.
•vs. Georgia: 9-3.
•vs. Tennessee: 16-7-2.
Bowl record (12-10-2
Just to set your record straight….kinda like Steve Spurrier has OWNED UGA the past 20 years…
Spurrier remenbers what Bill Stanfil did to him
July 25th, 2012
11:09 pm
Steve Spurrier has OWNED UGA the past 20 years…
Well he’s only 3-4 against the Dawgs at USCe
WithOutGeorgia
July 25th, 2012
11:11 pm
You know I got to give it to SABAN going to a school are should I say State!!!! That is so limited at the highschool level .And winning is remarkable… Just think about it !!!! If he was in a state where he could win within its on pool of talent …. as in Texas are FLA. GA. CAL. JUST TO NAME A FEW … WOW … But the BEAR did it to so …
I LIKE THE BLACK JERSEY
July 25th, 2012
11:12 pm
1965 -UGA 18-bama 17
Labrador
July 25th, 2012
11:23 pm
3 wins out of 12….nice percentage against The Bear,,,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl-WDvCsmcM
remembering those black jerseys…
WithOutGeorgia
July 25th, 2012
11:27 pm
GA and FLA players
WithOutGeorgia
July 25th, 2012
11:27 pm
You should be proud
Labrador
July 25th, 2012
11:33 pm
TIDE ROLLING JOINTS AND GETTING OFF FREE
Defintely rode the short bus and wore a rubber helmet into his teens.
Labrador
July 25th, 2012
11:43 pm
Steve Spurrier against SEC teams….
Alabama: 7-5 (.583)
Arkansas: 5-5 (.500)
Auburn: 10-8 (.555)
Florida: 3-4 (.428)
Georgia: 14-5 (.736)
Kentucky: 18-1 (.947)
LSU: 11-3 (.785)
Mississippi: 4-0 (1.000)
Mississippi State: 7-2 (.777)
South Carolina: 10-1 (.909)
Tennessee: 13-8 (.619)
Vanderbilt:17-2 (.894)
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
July 26th, 2012
12:04 am
About 13 years ago a former SMU player and buddy told me that there is No way PSU is 1000% clean! Guess he was right….
WithOutGeorgia
July 26th, 2012
12:33 am
You know though I hope for all the students and fans that had nutten to do with nutten That the boys that are there will stay and play .., I watched the the kids in that hall as the NCAA handed down there fate … and wow I thought what if that was GA. are AL. Now I know there just in what the NCAA did and I agree … But Words cant explain the look on there (students) faces … As far as that goies what about a fife long fan .. As we are to our TEAMS …. Not takin nothing away from the kids that got hurt in all this … GOD BE WITH ALL THEM …
William
July 26th, 2012
12:56 am
If a PSU player wants to transfer then let him transfer. If he wants to come to Georgia then let him. If he wants to go to another SEC school, so be it. This is a bad situation, let’s don’t make it worse. I personally hope they all stay at PSU and honor their commitment. It will be a good character building experience. Something college football is supposed to do. Go Dawgs, GATA.
Columbus
July 26th, 2012
3:35 am
FYI….SINCE RICHT HAS BEEN COACH NO SCHOOL HAS WENT TOTHE SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME MORE. LSU AND UGA HAVE BOTH WENT 4 TIMES….4 TIMES!!!
HOW MANY IN THE 90′S BEFORE RICHT?!!! NONE. RICHT DID THAT WITH TEBOW AT FLORIDA TOO….HE WON IT TWICE AND WILL WIN A FEW MORE SHORTLY….HOW MANY SEC TITLES SINCE 1982 OTHER THAN RICHTS? NONE.
SUPPORT HIM. SUPPORT UGA. YOU UNGRATEFUL MORONS
59bulldawg
July 26th, 2012
4:43 am
Offensive Linemen come on down!
SEC fan
July 26th, 2012
6:53 am
Bill King,
Good article the other day regarding UGA and kids getting in trouble. Will you or anyone at the AJC be writing about the AP article out now regarding Tyler Bray at UT and the two valdalism incidents he won’t be charged for? Another example of why you don’t hear of trouble at other schools. A few threats and couple of season tickets and folks just want to drop charges. Amazing that Dooley just lets this stuff slide simply because Bray says he will pay for damages in one of the incidents. Kid would be expelled at UGA and won’t even have to run laps at UT and the media, except for you and the AP, just seems to ignore it.
AAAAA Athens Bail Bonds R Us
July 26th, 2012
8:09 am
Any UGA players arrested today?
AltamahaDawg
July 26th, 2012
8:14 am
Knoxville police dispatched Sgt. Schultz to the scene immediately.
montgomer
July 26th, 2012
8:29 am
can we get red to
Mobile Dawg
July 26th, 2012
8:34 am
Anything intersting to do in Louisville Kentucky with a five year old?
AltamahaDawg
July 26th, 2012
8:59 am
What I know about Louisville, is that some of our more stupid fans seem to think that is where UGA’s home stadium is located.
Mobile Dawg
July 26th, 2012
9:01 am
I knew someone who thought Louisville was on the Mississippi River. OK, so what do I do with a five year old for two days?
AltamahaDawg
July 26th, 2012
9:15 am
Well FIRST thing is, DON’T Post such questions in this news environment lately.
Mobile Dawg
July 26th, 2012
10:17 am
I did kinda expect some comments but I overlook them. Seriously, don’t know what I’m going to do, wife has a conference, we’re just goofing off on her dime a couple of days. We’re staying at a nice hotel, but they have no pool on site. I miss those Destin trips.