Saban, Bama have benefited from playing in Atlanta game
Nick Saban, here visiting with Class of 2010 commitment Blake Sims of Gainesville, has made a strong recruiting push in Metro Atlanta since the Tide started playing in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. (Special photo from Sims family)
Nick Saban won’t say playing in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in the Georgia Dome each of these past two years is the reason Alabama has recruited Atlanta so well. But, in the words of the Mighty, Mighty Bosstones, he admits “It Can’t Hurt.”
“The exposure we get from playing in a game like this enhances overall exposure and helps recruiting everywhere and obviously it helps in Atlanta,” said Saban, answering my question on a teleconference call Tuesday. “Georgia is a very good football state. There’s a lot of good football players there in Atlanta, the Greater Atlanta area. I don’t think this exposure hurts in any way in terms of our ability to recruit there.”
And it might have even helped.
Alabama famously played in the inaugural Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game against Clemson here last year. The Tide’s dominating 34-10 victory in that contest is generally credited for kick-starting Bama on the way to an undefeated regular season. It also appears to have kick-started recruiting in the area.
Since then Bama signed five players from the Greater Atlanta area in its 2009 class and currently has commitments from five Georgia players for 2010, three of those from the Metro area.
Last February the Tide signed LB Jonathan Atchinson (Atlanta), WR Michael Bowman (Rossville), OL Darius McKeller (Jonesboro), OL Chance Warmack (Atlanta) and OL Kellen Williams (Snellville). So far, for the Class of 2010 Bama has commitments from WR Ronald Carswell (Macon), OL Jawuan James (Suwanee), OL Austin Shepherd (Suwanee), QB/ATH Blake Sims (Gainesville) and TE Brian Vogler (Columbus).
Overall, Alabama has 11 Georgians on its current roster.
I asked Saban if recruiting was his primary motivation for agreeing to participate in the Chick-fil-A game.
“I think the national exposure part of it is a great motivation to play in the game,” he said.
You can bet Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer, who has a summer home on Lake Oconee just east of the city, would like build a stronger recruiting base in Atlanta. The Hokies currently have just one Georgian on their roster — senior guard Sergio Render of Newnan — and one commitment for the 2010 class — defensive back Detrick Bonner of Locust Grove.
“I think it helps Virginia Tech,” Beamer said of playing in the game. “I know our players are excited about coming to Atlanta and our players understand the importance of the game. I think, in the end, Virginia Tech becomes a better football team no matter how it turns out.”
If not right now, maybe later.
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36 comments Add your comment
Hal
September 3rd, 2009
8:37 am
Draw a 250 mile circle around Atlanta and how many great programs do you get? Some are bound to leave the state. Saban can’t get the talent he got at LSU just by recruiting in Alabama. I would bet the driving force on geting Bama to come to Atlanta is a Alabama alumni or two on the selection board.
#1 BAMA FAN
September 3rd, 2009
9:00 am
Bama and Saban will recruit anywhere they need to. Saban recruited all over the country when he was at LSU. All Bama fans, alumni, etc. like playing in high profile games against quality teams. From what I hear Bama will be playing a Big 12 team in the new Cowboys stadium soon. RTR
Bama Girl
September 3rd, 2009
9:23 am
Oh Hal, you poor, poor soul. You sound just like an Auburn turd!
GaTiger2
September 3rd, 2009
9:37 am
BamaTurd – I’m not defending Hal but at least be original. WDE
#2 BAMA FAN
September 3rd, 2009
9:41 am
Saban is right about Georgia being loaded with talent and the state of Alabama just not having the number of recruits as Georgia has. Saban will get the top talent in Alabama and cherry pick around
the rest of the southeast. ROLL TIDE!!
Miami Dawg
September 3rd, 2009
10:15 am
This is a reason why I love seeing the Dawgs playing at Arizona State, Oklahoma State, etc. What we really need is get a series with UCLA or USC to start tapping into that SoCal talent. Exposure there may have helped us land Stafon Johnson a few years back. Not to mention SoCal always has top QB talent…
http://collegefootballsaturday.blogspot.com/
Flo-Ri-Duh!
September 3rd, 2009
10:34 am
To heck with Southern Cal talent…. there is plenty of talent right here in Georgia.. Richt needs to get UGA in that game and Alabama out. Protect the home turf. This is hurting Tech’s recruiting also. How about UGA/Tech in the dome the 1st game of the year or UGA/Florida instead of going to Jaxville every year? Or possibly rotating UGA/Tech and UGA/Fla every other year – that would be good for Georgia and Tech and the fat cats in Atlanta would get to keep their greedy little politician hads on the cash which is why they came up with this game to start with. Follow the money right to Big Shirley’s pocket book.
Bobby Dixon
September 3rd, 2009
10:51 am
Dorian Poarch is on VT’s roster and he is from Georgia.
AtlTiger
September 3rd, 2009
10:57 am
LSU plays UNC in this game next year….LSU already has a handful of players from the ATL area and we will continue to cherry pick from UGA in the coming years, it does help playing in this game and in the SEC title game….GA has been kind to other schools.
Courtney
September 3rd, 2009
11:06 am
Well I guess the dumb kids have to go to school somewhere.
Marcus
September 3rd, 2009
11:47 am
Chip,
This is what miffs me about the ATL Classic between Tenn. State and FL A&M (of which I am an alum): Granted we probably won’t get the top kids in GA or ATL like the Alabamas, UGAs, and Clemsons of the world, but historically looking at our rosters, the trickle of ATL football talent who venture to eitehr FAMU or Tenn. State (after a near 20 year relationship with the neutral-site Classic) seems ….. lacking. Now, the general student body population from ATL to the schools is booming … but football-wise, there seems to be little correlation.
Jim
September 3rd, 2009
11:55 am
Courtney go back to the kitchen and get me a beer.
Bummer Bare
September 3rd, 2009
12:05 pm
Roll Crimnal Turd Roll, Paul Bare B
Scott
September 3rd, 2009
12:07 pm
Hal, actually alot of the talent that Saban got at LSU came out of the Mobile, AL area. Alabama was effectively shut out of one of the major recruiting areas while Saban was at LSU. That’s changed now that Saban is there.
Still, Bama gets players from Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and North Florida primarily. Alabama produces some great football players but not a large number consistently every year.
Bummer Bare
September 3rd, 2009
12:13 pm
wen ah waz da coach in Tusk-R-Loosers, ah waved a confudra flag and ah recruit them whitey boyz to play in Tuskrlooser, jus ax DelChamp and dem boyz from Moebay. ah wuz da legend, Bare Bryan.
We UA dem crimnal turd rock.
signed
bare bryant et al
Ben
September 3rd, 2009
12:14 pm
I know Beamer has at least 2 from Georgia. Porch from Calhoun,GA may be their starting CB.
BURN BABY BURN
September 3rd, 2009
12:15 pm
courtney,MEN ARE TALKING FOOTBALL HERE.SHOULDN’T YOU BE IRONING SOME CLOTHES OR FIXING SOMETHING TO EAT!! OH, AND BY THE WAY THAT’S WHY THERE’S uga,IT’S FOR THEM DUMB KID’S!!! AIN’T THAT RIGHT SAINT SIMON’S….45-42 BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
#2 BAMA FAN
September 3rd, 2009
12:25 pm
Bummer Bare or AKA freaking IDIOT Go back under that rock you came from!
Bummer Bare
September 3rd, 2009
12:28 pm
@ #2 Bama Fan, I wuz da #1 BUMMER FAN, YA KNOW, ALL DEM BAMA INBREDS.
#3 BAMA FAN
September 3rd, 2009
12:34 pm
I think the cars and booster money we provide the recruits should be enough. We don’t need the exposure.
maomatt
September 3rd, 2009
12:53 pm
Auburn was offered the opportunity to play in this game next year and turned it down. Kind of makes you wonder…..
Slick Willard
September 3rd, 2009
1:09 pm
The Gators frequently make it to Atlanta for one game a year but it normally happens in December. Maybe they should try to get in that first game each year as well.
BURN BABY BURN
September 3rd, 2009
6:08 pm
HEY #2 BAMA FAN,EVERY TIME I READ A uga RESPONSE I THINK ABOUT THE SAT SCORE’S IN ga.AND I LAUGH OUT LOUD!!! THEY FILMED DELIVERANCE OVER HER IN ga.,IT’S CALLED A HISTORY LESSON!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! (BE VERY QUITE AND YOU CAN HEAR THEM BANJO’S PLAYING IN BETWEEN THE PRIMAL SEX GRUNT’S)!!!
GTFan1
September 3rd, 2009
6:17 pm
Ok guys! On my website, I have a debate today regarding high school football! I make a case for Georgia high school football being the best! Would you guys agree? I have attached the link
http://thesportsdebates.com/2009/09/03/the-best-high-school-football-state-debate-–-friday-nights-in-georgia/
Enjoy your Friday night games in Dixie!!!
GTFan1
September 3rd, 2009
6:18 pm
Chip, I’d love your feedback on the above site. Shoot me an email through the website or comment on the article on my site or on this blog! I have a quote from Todd Holcomb in the article!
Sanford Drive
September 3rd, 2009
10:05 pm
Burn Baby,
The avg SAT score for UGA in 2007 was 1242. The avg SAT score for UA in 2007 was 1119. Neither score includes the writing selection. Also, Deliverance was filmed in SC.
mebeingme
September 3rd, 2009
10:30 pm
I guess Saban didn’t benefit to well from the Utah Meltdown, ugh?
Max153
September 4th, 2009
12:02 am
The Utah game hasn’t phase Saban. Alabama is in the preseason top 5 and pulling in another great recruiting class. ugh!
It’s a sign of the power of Alabama that people like you took such pleasure in the Utah game.
troy
September 4th, 2009
12:03 am
bummer bare, you sound like a damn loser pal. i bet your team hasn’t won a national championship and you guys just fired the best coach you’ll ever have cause saban and the boys kicked your ass 36-0. bear kicked it a few times, eh.
Rob Vinson
September 4th, 2009
10:21 am
Hey Sanford Drive, Deliverance was filmed in Rabun County…
Sammy Kershaw
September 4th, 2009
10:49 am
Hey Auburn douchbags. How many of your players have been arrested in the last 60 days? Which team has the criminals on it again?
Bummer Bare
September 4th, 2009
11:36 am
@ Troy- Condom, ah ain’t from bummer where in-bred lives. da best ting out of Tusk-r-looser iz I 20, boy! let da big dawgs mark territory on dem bare’s boys’ tuff in Tuskalooser, boy. Troy what a great Condom name!
What?
September 4th, 2009
1:05 pm
If I grew up in Southern California, the first place I would want to go to school and play football is Athens, GA.
Bummer Bare
September 4th, 2009
1:54 pm
Mike Price said “ROll Bear Bryant Roll”
SECGuru
September 5th, 2009
8:55 am
The huge butt whoopin the Tide put on Georgia was bigger to recruiting in that state than the Clemson game. I still can’t believe teams use gimmicks such as the “blackout” to try to motivate players. Richt is bush league.
Atlanta: Center of college FB orbit « Human Clipping Service
September 8th, 2009
5:38 am
[...] heavily in Atlanta. (Check Saban’s recent comments about recruiting in Georgia with the AJC newspaper.) What will be interesting is to see if Tennessee or Florida, Georgia’s top SEC East rivals, [...]