What, if anything, would losing Da’Rick Rogers mean to UGA?
Da'Rick Rogers: If he's a Vol, is Signing Day sunny for Georgia? (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
Vince Dooley, who knew a thing or two about recruiting and about winning, said of the former: “It’s the way you win in the offseason.” And if that’s the case, would Da’Rick Rogers’ apparent defection to Tennessee — esteemed colleague Chip Towers has the breaking news — constitute a loss? A 45-19 sort of loss?
On the one hand, you can’t lose what you never actually had. On the other, Rogers is considered the best player in the state and is rated No. 9 nationally by Rivals.com. He’d committed to Georgia last summer. Bulldog fans — and Bulldog coaches — had been counting on him for a while. But now it appears he’ll be a Vol instead, and if that’s the case he’ll have spurned a program that has won 90 games in nine seasons for one that changed coaches last month.
I’m headed to Athens for tomorrow’s Signing Day doings, but on SD Eve I wanted to ask you folks: If Rogers does wind up signing with Tennessee — he’s scheduled to make his announcement at 9:45 a.m. at Calhoun High — does that take the fizz off Georgia’s recruiting class? Is this a loss? A Big Loss? Or is it no loss at all?
And with that, the floor is open for what I know will be our usual erudite discussion. Thanks in advance.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
568 comments Add your comment
SouthGaDawg
February 2nd, 2010
8:18 pm
Losing a recruit that the coaches obviously wanted does hurt. However, did anyone else watch him in the Under Armour Game? The kid seemed to dominate all year against the average Highschool players, but when it came to game time against a more even amount of athletic ability. I saw him continously drop balls that I saw AJ catch in the same game two years ago. Not that one game should decide a players worth, but since our coaches have not been able to coach up any kid the past few years, we tend to need guys who can already play in big time games. Such as an AJ or Knowshown, I may be wrong, but I didn’t like what I saw when he played a few weeks ago anyway. So, in all, I’m not too worried about him making a bad decision.
YellowJacket
February 2nd, 2010
8:18 pm
Only losers go to Athens. Nothing has changed.
Chris
February 2nd, 2010
8:19 pm
Rogers has too much of a sense of entitlement, and he has done NOTHING. Being great in highschool does not always translate to being great in college. This guy needs to eat some humble pie. Going back on your word to the public at such a young age does not paint a good picture for your future.
When are these kids going to realize that you have to work hard to be great? Considering Rogers attitude and big head, I predict he will fail miserably at Tennessee. I remember a certain player named Jasper Sanks that was supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread. Rogers has a very similar personality.
You can have him Tennessee. Georgia doesn’t need any more entitled players.
kerryb
February 2nd, 2010
8:19 pm
Yellow Fuzz
Thats funny, a Tech fan beating us up over recruiting. The last time I checked, even though we lost two recruits including a five star ,we are still #16. You guys are 46th, now thats funny HaHaHahahahahahahahahahah
karma
February 2nd, 2010
8:20 pm
YellowJacket…considering the outcome of your bowl game and your last UGA game it would do you wise to SHUT UP!
WAG
February 2nd, 2010
8:20 pm
HEY MARK, I HAVE HEARD RUMORS HE MAY NOT QUALIFY. ANY WORD? I REALLY DONT SEE IT AS A BIG LOSS. UGA HAS A GREAT RECEIVING CORE AND A PRETTY GOOD OFFENSE AS A WHOLE. MAYBE THE DAWGS WILL FOCUS ON DEFENSE THIS YEAR AND GO AFTER SOME BIG TALENT NEXT YEAR. IT IS SAFE TO SAY THE D HAS BEEN BAD AND THATS NOT THE PLAYERS FAULT, BUT THE COACHING. RICHT HAS ADDRESSED THAT, SO I THINK UGA WILL BE JUST FINE.
kennyh
February 2nd, 2010
8:21 pm
and you better look at nash nances stats.. he will be a great qb.. better than the flunkys the dawgs have..
Todd
February 2nd, 2010
8:22 pm
Bradley, what’s the difference between Hutson mason and Nash nance?
Neither would see the field at uga
can you say Logan grey
Joe Hamilton
February 2nd, 2010
8:22 pm
Actually losers go to North Avenue. I thought you would have figured that out the past 8 out of 9 years Yellow Fuzz.
WAG
February 2nd, 2010
8:22 pm
HEY YELLOW JACKET IF ONLY LOSERS GO TO GEORGIA WHAT DOES THAT MAKE TECH? 1 OUT OF 10.
Bulldog Mom
February 2nd, 2010
8:22 pm
We wish him well. You know something I have learned over the years—–THINGS HAVE A WAY OF WORKING OUT FOR THE BEST!!!!!!!!! Go DAwgs
karma
February 2nd, 2010
8:23 pm
You crack me up CHRIS. “He’s entitled…He’s full of himself…yada yada yada.” You’re just pissed that he changed his mind. He’s EIGHTEEN! Do you REALLY expect us to believe that YOU never changed your mind at that age? Maybe he saw how UGA struggled this year…how they have ANOTHER inexperienced QB coming in…how UT hired a CLASS ACT for its head coach…and re-thought some things. If he signed with UGA, you would be all up his butt crack so shut your hole and think logically when it comes to recruiting. You sure didn’t complain when Marlon Brown changed his commitment and chose UGA!!!
Go Dawgs
February 2nd, 2010
8:24 pm
Well Well!! I see that Da Rick is making a big mistake. Well lets see he will not have a quarterback this year! Plus if your mother is worried about the school then hmm? Also the pretty boy thing and then cutting off the head coach of calhoun who made you is impressive and skipping school when your getting ready to attend an big time university! Well after the first year at UT i bet you can see darick at Nance Carpet! GO DAWGS
Dog Town USA
February 2nd, 2010
8:25 pm
Mark I completely disagree with the ranking system for starters, and who knows how a young adult will or can adjust successfully to college life and the rigorous demands of being a student athlete. There”s way too much emphasis put on their star quality and not enough on their academic prowess. I frankly tend to be more impressed with a good athlete with a high gpa. I wish them all success in becoming quality human beings!
Insider
February 2nd, 2010
8:25 pm
.Word is Rogers will not qualify anyway.
don't be a hater
February 2nd, 2010
8:26 pm
Funny to see the same GA fans who said how great he was yesterday say what a loser he is today. Looks like GA fans are the losers on this one. All I can say is its great to be a FL Gator, and if you aint a gator you are gator bait. 1, 2, 3, 4 5, the gator don’t take no jive.
SEXY Mark Richt
February 2nd, 2010
8:27 pm
I still want him. Hes the number 9 best recruit in the nation and the best player coming out of Georgia
karma
February 2nd, 2010
8:27 pm
If the students at Calhoun High that are UGA fans are anything like you classless morons I don’t blame him for not going to school today. And you’re telling me that UGA is trotting out a All-SEC QB this year? Uhhh…I don’t think so.
WAG
February 2nd, 2010
8:27 pm
KENNYH, NANCES STATS DO NOT COMPARE TO THE STATS THAT MURRAY HAD IN HIGHSCHOOL, SO KEEP DREAMING KENNY. DADDY’S MONEY GOT NANCE AND ROGERS TO TENNESSEE
ga gator
February 2nd, 2010
8:27 pm
None of this stuff really matters as to what place a team come in during the recruiting season as long as you finish in the top 20. What really is troublesome is what happens when it’s time to develop talent. That is what all Dawgs should be concerned with; not some 18 year old kid who had a change of heart.
don't be a hater
February 2nd, 2010
8:28 pm
Word is Da Rick didn’t want to go to GA because the GA qbs are worse than the TN qbs. CMR obviously didn’t think much of Murray either last year or else he woudn’t have red-shirted him. GA QBs are a joke. Now the joke is on the UGA fans. Bark. Bark. Bark. Ha. Ha. Ha.
WAG
February 2nd, 2010
8:29 pm
HEY GATOR FAN, IS YOUR COACH STILL ALIVE. YALL WILL BE COACH HUNTING SOON AFTER URBAN FALLS OVER DEAD.
Dawgs2009
February 2nd, 2010
8:29 pm
Tebow can not even take a snap from under center. Tebow was a glorified, system QB! He is going to embarass himself if he gets drafted.
Jeff
February 2nd, 2010
8:30 pm
Those grapes are probably sour anyway!
Nashdawg
February 2nd, 2010
8:30 pm
The kids seem like a junior version of Terrel Owens and if that is the case who needs him. Have fun in Knoxville.
old timer
February 2nd, 2010
8:30 pm
HEY bradley,How do you become an expert on who is and who is not a better athlete? you are so sucky.
KC in Athens
February 2nd, 2010
8:31 pm
I’m glad all y’all Georgia haters are on here; if you weren’t it would mean you don’t consider us a threat. When you stop posting, then we’ll know we’re screwed — except for Tech fans, who live in a parrallel universe where all they think about is Georgia all the time.
Mark Bradley
February 2nd, 2010
8:31 pm
Not to harp on this Tebow thing, but … so what if he doesn’t make it in the NFL? How would that invalidate what he did at Florida?
DawgLink
February 2nd, 2010
8:32 pm
Anyone here besides me see that Bradley is definitely biased against UGA? He left his bogus column up about Tuberville replacing Mark Richt until this breaking news about the star recruit turning his back on his commitment. He is a real douche bag. BS like this keeps me from buying the AJC and paying this clown’s salary. Get a life Bradley.
kerryb
February 2nd, 2010
8:33 pm
kennyh
what kind of dillusional world do you live in? Nash Nance, are you kidding. I saw that state championship game and he was totally unimpressive in a high school championship game. Lets see,
Aaron Murray Parade All American compared to Nash Nace two star recruit who was used to get Rogers. No contest. And to respond to your earlier comment. Vols kicking UGA’s ass again, really? You forget that last years game was lost because of Joe Cox being inept and Monte Kiffens defense. Well, we don’t have Joe Cox anymore, found our running game finally after that game and the last time I checked Monte was in southern California now and we have the NFL DC. You have no highly rated QB, one WR now who may not qualify, and an unproven coach who was your schools fifth choice because no one else wanted the job. I think the only ass thats getting kicked next years is TN’s
don't be a hater
February 2nd, 2010
8:33 pm
WAG – that is the most pathetic statement I have ever seen, rooting for someone to die. Typical bulldog, no class.
HFDawg
February 2nd, 2010
8:33 pm
Word from sources at the UGA Athletic Department is that it was know by the coaches that DaRick probably won’t qualify. He’ll have to go Juco or the Prep School route. This has been mentioned other places but DaRick told Coach Richt he’d keep his commitment if he was allowed to wear 21 & Nash was given a scholarship. I was told that point Mark told him if you want to come to UGA sign the paper on Wednesday. There’s a thought he’ll either actually sign with the Vols or he’ll let Nash’s LOI make it to Tennessee then fax his to UGA however I’m not buying that theory. The kid is bad news and we’ll be better off without him.
The bigger news is that the NCAA is adding this situation to the ongoing investigation that stared with the hostess situation at Tennessee. Apparently Lane wasn’t very good at covering his tracks once they started looking they found a lot more than just that. Now it’s pretty surprising the new staff kept working the deal with Mike Nance. The Vols are going to get hit with lack of institutional control.
lattimore to SC
February 2nd, 2010
8:33 pm
ready to contend with a stronger passing game AND the #1 RB recruit in the nation? grantham best get those boys ready!
SouthGaDawg
February 2nd, 2010
8:33 pm
Have to agree with Ga Gator. It’s an absolute shame that the UGA coaches have wasted so much talent the past few years. I’ve been a Dawg since I was born and always will be, but even I have seen the real problem. It’s not the number of stars we’ve signed over the past few years, it’s how the coaches have wasted their talent. I firmly believe the fact that we have so many players in the NFL is because they’ve all had so much raw talent. UGA coaches can recruit with the best of the best, we just can’t coach with the best of the best.
don't be a hater
February 2nd, 2010
8:35 pm
DawgLink – why is it that anyone who says something bad about UGA is a stupid d-bag. Can’t you tell who the d-bags are by reading these posts? you should start with yours. I have never seen less class, panic must be setting in, GA is now firmly back in the bottom tier of the SEC east.
Rimfire
February 2nd, 2010
8:36 pm
Two words…
PRIMA DONNA
KC in Athens
February 2nd, 2010
8:36 pm
DawgLlink, doesn’t matter, ever time you click it gives the AJC a “hit” to tell the advertisers about.
k66goat
February 2nd, 2010
8:36 pm
I want to know what this says about our head coach no being able to close these deals. This is the third recruit to go elsewhere.
ThatDawg'llBiteYou
February 2nd, 2010
8:36 pm
Dream on, GoJackets.
KC in Athens
February 2nd, 2010
8:38 pm
Don’t be a hater, you really are possessed with Georgia aren’t you? I don’t sit around thinking about Tech, Fla. or UT all the time.
ga gator
February 2nd, 2010
8:38 pm
SouthGaDawg, good point; last time I checked UGA led the SEC in players to the NFL. I go to all UGA home games with girlfriend so I root for them everygame except in Jax. I have been stunned to see home losses to Vandy and Kentucky the last few years. It shouldn’t have happened with the talent on scholarship. You can blame it on Willie all you want but UGA actually had a slightly better defense statistically than UF since 2005.
GoJackets
February 2nd, 2010
8:38 pm
It doesnt mean that much. He is one unproven player. It does show that Mark Richt is struggling in his job lately though. A terrible season last season, a debacle of a DC search, and now recruits bailing on him left and right. He isnt exactly on a roll. He may be on the hot seat if things dont go well this year.
Jeff
February 2nd, 2010
8:39 pm
You’re right about one thing kerryb–you don’t have Joe Cox anymore.
Now you have the people that couldn’t beat out Joe Cox.
Tech flavored Losers
February 2nd, 2010
8:40 pm
Let’s be real, we all know why he switched, Mr. Nash used that kid to get his son where he is and where they both will sign. If he wants to go let him go. Georgia will be fine, we will see what he does when he comes to Athens in Oct with his best friend riding the pine for the vols.
Herschel Talker
February 2nd, 2010
8:41 pm
MB:
1. This says nothing about UGA. This guy is a typical 5-star prima donna who probably won’t qualify. This is how 18 year olds think. He’s been “married” to UGA for almost a year now, and he found a “girlfriend” in UT. The excitement will wear off there, but right now, he sees excitement and newness. That’s how it goes.
2. Just because this particular incident is not indicative of anything wrong at UGA does not mean that there is not a lot wrong at UGA. The program is massively in decline, and Mark Richt must go. We will have a zombie mediocre program for the next few years, and only then will our idiot fanbase wake up to what Mark Richt really is. He’s a heck of a nice guy and represents the university well, but he doesn’t have the moxie to get it done, especially with Urban and Nick around.
3. I am damn good at MMA
HT
kerryb
February 2nd, 2010
8:42 pm
Jeff, that is a stupid statement. Murray and Mettenberger were redshirting no matter what and Cox was a fifth year senior who Richt was intensely loyal to. I don’t think Murray and Mettenberger were going to get the opportunity to beat cox out. the person who could’nt was Logan Gray and he’s probably going to end up a WR.
Go Dawgs
February 2nd, 2010
8:42 pm
What the crap 2 star or 5 star its all about how bad do you want it!! You can have all the talent in the world but if your not willing to work for it hard then a 5 star player can look like a 2 star guy!
Mark Bradley
February 2nd, 2010
8:43 pm
I don’t mean to be argumentative, but was anybody calling Da’Rick Rogers a prima donna last summer after he committed to Georgia?
Herschel Talker
February 2nd, 2010
8:44 pm
GoJackets -
30-24. 73-66. So go have a nice warm glass of STFU.
HT
Gordon Pittman
February 2nd, 2010
8:47 pm
Aaron Murray can still be redshirted if he hasnt played a down!