Dogs get ‘Zander,’ figure 2 Ogletrees better than 1
Alexander Ogletree got an unexpected phone call late Saturday morning.
Alec Ogletree, the bigger and better known of the Ogletree twins that star for Newnan High, was on the horn with Georgia head coach Mark Richt when he summoned his brother into the room.
“Coach Richt wants to talk to you,” Alec told his brother, best known as “Zander.”
“What’s he want?” Zander wondered aloud.
“I don’t know. Talk to him,” Alec replied.
Nobody else in the family had to hear what was said on the other end of the phone to know what happened. All they needed to hear was Zander’s reply.
“I’ll take it,” the Cougars’ linebacker said.
That touched off an impromptu, living-room celebration.
“We were really excited about it,” said Allyson Ogletree, the boys’ mother. “It’s a good day, especially compared to last night.”
Newnan lost to Northside-Warner Robins in the Class AAAAA state semifinals Friday, a game that saw both Ogletrees play both sides of the ball and almost every snap of the game before falling 29-24. Time expired with Zander flat on his back and almost inconsolable.
But in attendance at the game was Georgia assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner and, clearly, he had seen what he needed to see.
“They said they liked the way I played and I remind them of another person [likely current Georgia linebacker] Rennie Curran,” “I don’t know what took them so long but I was just glad.”
It’s something for which Zander and his family have been hoping and praying for a long time. To date the 5-foot-9, 200-pound linebacker had only small-time offers and conditional pitch from Florida State with hopes of luring Alec. The 6-3, 210-pound Alec is a five-star prospect that’s rated No. 2 in America at his position by Scout.
Zander becomes the Bulldogs 19th commitment for the Class of 2010. They’d hoped to sign one more linebacker in this group than they currently have pledged. They also had offers out for Jeff Luc of Port St. Lucie, Fla., the No. 1-ranked linebacker in America, and Lowndes County’s Telvin Smith, an FSU commitment. Luc committed to Florida State Saturday, according to Chad Simmons of Scout.com.
Meanwhile, the Ogletree home in Newnan was much more upbeat Saturday evening than it was Saturday morning.
“Yeah I feel better,” Zander said. “But I don’t think anything can take that away [the sting of losing in the state semis]. Nothing can change that game and this was my senior year. So it’s tough. But it’s good to be a Bulldog.”
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88 comments Add your comment
UGA 2010
December 5th, 2009
5:29 pm
Welcome to the team Zander. The Dawg Nation is happy to have both of you…
dee
December 5th, 2009
5:36 pm
All I have been hearing is how instate talent’s feelings are getting hurt because of UGA failing to make offers. Isn’t this why we lost Mack Brown.
Go Dawgs!!
December 5th, 2009
6:16 pm
Congrats Zander, Cant wait to see you and Alec in Red and Black next year!!! GO DAWGS
Monman
December 5th, 2009
6:23 pm
Had to be done. Alec was really really considering UT. This’ll keep him home.
Tom in ATL
December 5th, 2009
7:05 pm
GREAT news – both are studs.
LC
December 5th, 2009
7:11 pm
dee,
No, Richt really wanted him but Brown was considered a Gator lean before he verbally made a commitment . We wanted/want him really bad!!!
Congrats Zander!!!
Gr8-1
December 5th, 2009
7:14 pm
Jeff Luc committed to FSU.
Another Dawg
December 5th, 2009
7:21 pm
Is this the new Boss/Champ?
dawg
December 5th, 2009
7:26 pm
jeff luc not going to uf
CELLUS
December 5th, 2009
7:26 pm
Hopefully this will make up for the Brinkley brothers (South Carolina) a couple of years ago.
LC
December 5th, 2009
7:47 pm
It will be very interesting to see where Luc goes now that Strong looks to going to Louisville. If we get the right coach we may land him.
LC
December 5th, 2009
7:48 pm
*looks to be going to Louisville
BOOGIES THE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
December 5th, 2009
8:07 pm
HE HE HE HE
AD
December 5th, 2009
8:47 pm
Way to go Zander and Alec!!! Tough losslast night, but good things happen to good people. Newnan loves you and will really miss you next year! You are the best pair of boys to ever play at Newnan High! Go Bulldogs!
Gr8-1
December 5th, 2009
9:19 pm
Luc has already committed to FSU. . .
LC
December 5th, 2009
9:44 pm
Gr8-1,
Thanks I had no idea he had committed.
Saint Simons is a Joke!
December 5th, 2009
10:04 pm
“”"”"”"”"”"”30-24″”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”" hahahahaha
harry
December 5th, 2009
10:26 pm
Also, its good to see the dawgs get a couple non 5 star guys who can be coached up like bacarri rambo. Dont get me wrong 5 stars are good, but some of the more humble guys end up being stars like tim jennings. We know the talent alec has as a top guy, and hopefully the new staff will coach up zander cause we all know willie wouldnt have
Linebacker?
December 5th, 2009
10:38 pm
5-foot-9, 200-pound linebacker? Who in the heck is he gonna stop? Dwyer? Charles Scott?
FRED
December 5th, 2009
11:53 pm
WITH LUC PLAYING IN THE ACC WE WILL NEVER KNOW HOW GOOD HE REALLY IS. SHOULD HAVE SIGNED TO PLAY WITH THE MEN BOY.
Lil Yo
December 5th, 2009
11:55 pm
This is a great story, I’m soo happy for their family.
Linebacker?
December 5th, 2009
11:57 pm
How much did Dwyer have this year against a small linebacker?
He’s gonna be a FB anyway.
Flo-Ri-Duh!
December 6th, 2009
12:01 am
At least Jeff Luc didn’t commit to Florida…. as for Zander he will be given a chance to play LB.
Mr. UGAinfo
December 6th, 2009
12:30 am
@ Linebacker- U say linebacker? but who is the best defense player @ UGA right now? a 5-10 LB named Rennie Curran. then u say he can’t stop Charles Scott and Jonathan Dwyer! well Scott is a senior and mostly likely Dwyer is a Top 20 pick in the draft next yr. Zander will be good player @ UGA depending on the DC coming in.
JP
December 6th, 2009
1:20 am
Fantastic, I had heard the kid was a beast and it was sad that he and his brother apparently wouldn’t be able to play together, glad this worked out.
CBS College Sports with Ian Owen | New York Baseball Coin
December 6th, 2009
1:36 am
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brick
December 6th, 2009
1:41 am
Linebacker, Dwyer was fairly easy to stop, he had 35 yards on 15 carries playing against a LB roughly the size of Zander. Winning the ACC is comparible to being the fastest turtle.
Mr.Mang
December 6th, 2009
1:44 am
Thats awesome. Kids a hellluva player. UGA getting a good one and his brother is pretty good also.
Dawgsinthedryer
December 6th, 2009
2:07 am
Winning the ACC is comparible to being the fastest turtle. = epic..im stealin it.
Lowndes25
December 6th, 2009
7:15 am
FYI, Zander was offered a scholly as a LB/FB….please don’t get caught up in the kids measurements…..all he does is make plays on the field against some of the best competition in Georgia (Newnan plays in AAAAA). Welcome to the Dawgs Zander!
falcon71
December 6th, 2009
7:22 am
GA goes to Shreveport to face mighty Mid Tenn State MID TENN STATE OMG
Lame Duck
December 6th, 2009
7:46 am
Luc to FSU is no surprise. That was his favorite school from the beginning and he will play from day one their. Jon Bostic is ahead of him at Florida, and Bostic will be All-SEC soon. The Gators also have another good one in Brandon Beal and also have Lorenzo Edwards for 3rd string. No way Luc was leaving the state, and Jimbo (I am trying to refrain from calling him DUMBO) did a good job recruiting him (Luc did not attend the Gators thumping of the Noles and that told you he was not coming to Florida). Luc was close to Strong, and with Strong leaving this year meant he wasn’t coming to Florida. But I am a little surprised he committed before the DC was announced. Dumbo, I mean Jimbo, must have told him who the new DC will be (I think it will be Willie Martinez…how is that for a shocker Georgia fans). Martinez is a good coach and a really good recruiter…and he recruited Luc for Georgia. So I think it will be Willie Martinez to FSU.
Lame Duck
December 6th, 2009
7:48 am
Yes, you heard it first. Willie Martinez will be the new DC for FSU. It will be “Dumbo and Dillie” in south Bama.
Jonny
December 6th, 2009
8:33 am
Even as a GT fan, that’s a nice story to read. Good for the kid.
Really Georgia
December 6th, 2009
8:36 am
Georgia will not see another sec championship in the next ten years……fla, al, ab, lsu, sc, tn, ole, and even kt are ahead of the dawgs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
raymond
December 6th, 2009
9:11 am
Must be nice to have a brother who is a 5 star recruit. The Dawgs are going to have some additional scholarships available due to some people leaving the program and this was done to make sure we get his brother.
Dawg-Hatin' Jacket
December 6th, 2009
9:14 am
“Newnan lost to Northside-Warner Robins in the Class AAAAA state semifinals Friday, a game that saw both Ogletrees play both sides of the ball and almost every snap of the game before falling 29-24. Time expired with Zander flat on his back and almost inconsolable.”
Sorry about that loss. Get used to that feeling going to UGA.
THWG
Keith
December 6th, 2009
9:15 am
I really like this pick. I saw Zander for the first time when they played Northside. My first reaction was man he’s short compared to his brother. Then I watched the game unfold and Zander was scrappy, played with a lot of heart, was making tackles all over the field, and displaying good leadership qualities. We get so concerned with size and 40 times and forget to look for football intelligence. BTW he’s only 17 or 18 so he could grow some more and definitely add some weight. He’ll get coached up. Go Dawgs!
benadawg
December 6th, 2009
9:19 am
Has anybody offered the kid from Lovette, number 4, he is worth a look if Garner is reading this….Sorry Don’t know his name…
Keith
December 6th, 2009
9:20 am
I heard we might try to get the QB from Lassiter.
Sunday Links « Leather Helmet Blog
December 6th, 2009
9:37 am
[...] Both Ogletree twins commit to UGA Published in: [...]
It,s "BRIGHT IN HERE" Tech Fan
December 6th, 2009
10:36 am
It shows how ignorant some of you dwag fans really are. It wasn’t Rennie Curran that stoped Dwyer, it was your stud D-tackles. Our deminitive O-line couldn’t block them. As for Dwyer goes I wouldn’t trade him for both King and Ealey. The only reason they looked so good against Tech is because our defense totally sux. Also the midget minded Dwag fan that thinks Dwyer will be a fullback in the NFL doesn’t know squat about football. One more thing could we PLEASE borrow Rennie Curran and your D-tackles for the Orange Bowl game? We might have a chance with them on our defense.
BigDawg63
December 6th, 2009
10:41 am
To: Dawg-Hatin’ Jacket
December 6th, 2009
9:14 am
“Newnan lost to Northside-Warner Robins in the Class AAAAA state semifinals Friday, a game that saw both Ogletrees play both sides of the ball and almost every snap of the game before falling 29-24. Time expired with Zander flat on his back and almost inconsolable.”
Sorry about that loss. Get used to that feeling going to UGA.
THWG
You are a pathetic individual to write crap like this. You obviously never played football your entire pathetic life and feel good about writing crap about a kid in high school. That is why you are who you are!!
Sorry!!
BigDawg63
December 6th, 2009
10:45 am
Here we go again with these moron Techies coming on here because there pathetic site does not entertain them enough. It must be real sad to be so in love with a Dawgs site!!!
Go away you fuzz nuts!!!
Go Dawgs!!!
BOOGIES THE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
December 6th, 2009
10:52 am
tekkies ON I-75 AROUND VALDOSTA,10:50 AM………… STILL CANT GET OVER C. J. OUT RUNNING MARTA BUS THEY ARE TRAVELING IN………….. BUT WAIT , WHATS THAT SIGN HES GOT ?
(((((((((((((((((((((((( 30 -24 )))))))))))))))))))))))))
Gwinnett Fan
December 6th, 2009
11:02 am
Congrats to Zander and the Olgetree family. Got a chance to see him on CSS vs. Grayson in the Quarter final game. Also saw a Linebacker for Grayson Terry Williams that looked like great player on D. Why hasn’t Georgia looked at this kid, he looks like a player thay GA could use and he’s not far from Athens….Makes you wonder sometimes…
J Dog
December 6th, 2009
11:36 am
Zander, go out there now and prove all the other schools who wouldn’t give you a chance were wrong. Whatever you acomplish on the football field, good for you. Always be a leader on the team, set the example.
The most important thing to do while your at UGA however is to take this opportunity you’ve earned and get your college degree. Thats actually MORE important than football Zander, although some on this blog would beg to differ. Work hard at football, but work equally hard if not harder at school. GOOD LUCK!
TOPPDAWG..UGA
December 6th, 2009
11:41 am
Man I guess Rennie is really leaving us. If so weve enjoyed his stay…………………….Welcome the Ogletrees.
TOPPDAWG..UGA
December 6th, 2009
11:45 am
Hey Gwinnett Fan. We all Love UGA. But we cant sign every kid in the state. I feel the same about other kids i see.
newnancougarCHD
December 6th, 2009
11:48 am
Zander is definitely at least 5′10″ or 5′ 11″ so he is not that undersized for a linebacker. He looks 5′9″ next to Alec because Alec is at least 6′3″, but even if he were that short it would not make a difference he is an athlete with more heart than anyone Ive ever seen play and lets nothing get in his way. He is just of a football player as his brother because he can wrap up better and has the vocal leadership qualities. He was only overlooked at first because of his eight and he didnt make the HUGE hits that Alec made. But now it doesnt matter he got his offer and in 3 years they will both be starting for the Dawgs so cant wait to see it. Go Cougars and Go Dawgs!