Georgia’s commitments anxiously await hire (updated)
Five-star defensive tackle Garrison Smith of Douglass is hanging in there for the Georgia Bulldogs, but for how much longer? (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Georgia’s defensive commitments are hanging with the Bulldogs in their protracted search for a defensive coordinator but they may not be able to hold on much longer.
Twelve of the Bulldogs’ 19 verbal commitments thus far are slated to play on the defensive side of the ball. The great majority of those made their pledges to Georgia back before the season started, when Willie Martinez was still defensive coordinator and John Jancek and Jon Fabris his assistants. In many cases they were personally recruited by one or all of those men.
Now Georgia is in its sixth week without a coordinator, secondary, defensive end or linebackers coach. And it’s unclear how much longer it might be before their replacements are hired as Alabama’s Kirby Smart turned down the Bulldogs’ latest overture on Monday. He’s at least the third coach to turn down the position after getting a substantial raise from his employer, joining Virginia Tech’s Bud Foster and LSU’s John Chavis. At least one other coach was contacted about the opening (Illinois’ Vic Koenning).
Remarkably, Georgia has lost only one commitment since Richt made the move in early December and it’s unclear whether Kissimmee-Osceola defensive end B.J. Butler was still holding a Bulldogs’ offer when he committed to Louisville this past weekend. These future Dogs’ have shown tremendous loyalty thus far.
“Yes, I’m still committed to Georgia,” Port St. Lucie linebacker Deon Rogers said Monday.”I’m just waiting to see who’s going to be coordinator and linebackers coach.”
Said Douglass defensive tackle Garrison Smith, an AJC Super 11 selection and longtime UGA commitment: “Coach Richt is going to make the best decision. I’m going to ride with whatever he does. He’s one of the best head coaches in college football. He knows what he is doing.”
That said, these prospects are still being recruited intensely and they are keeping their options open. Rogers just got back from an official visit to Cincinnati last weekend, has been to Ohio State and has visits scheduled for Louisville and Mississippi State.
And Alabama and other top-notch programs have never backed off of Smith, who just returned from San Antonio and the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. “I’m not going to throw any names out there, but yes, some other schools still want to talk,” Smith told the AJC’s Michael Carvell. “All I have to say is that I’m focused on Georgia.”
Others, such as Manning, S.C., defensive end Dexter Morant, are looking around specifically because of the coaching changes. He’s taking a visit to Clemson this weekend.
“If Jon Fabris and Willie Martinez were still at Georgia, I don’t think he’s taking his visit right now,” Manning High School coach Robert Briggs told Scout.com.
I posed a rhetorical question to Rogers. What would he do if Georgia’s coaching situation remained unresolved all the way the up to national signing day (Feb. 3)?
“Umm. I don’t know,” Rogers said. “That’s a good question; that’s a real good question. I’m not sure to tell you the truth. I like Georgia the most so that’d be tough.”
Rogers said he does have a backup plan but declined to specify exactly what that is. “I’d rather keep that to myself,” he said.
Other commitments, such as Walton defensive end Brandon Burrows, say they’re coming to Georgia no matter what happens. But that doesn’t mean he’s not concerned or disappointed.
“When I heard that Coach Smart was coming in I was really ecstatic because he recruited for Alabama and I really had a good time with him up there and he’s a good recruiter and coach,” Burrows said. “When I heard that he wasn’t coming I was pretty distraught because I thought he was going to be there. Now I just don’t know who’s coming to be our defensive coordinator.”
Burrows says he hears from Georgia’s coaches regularly and that allays his concerns.
“I have trust in Coach Richt,” he said. “I have a ton of faith in him that he’s going to pick the right one for us. I’m still going to sign with Georgia no matter what. I don’t think it presents a true picture of Georgia. I expected people to be jumping up and down for the job because it’s such a storied program. They just shot for one or two guys and didn’t get them. But I don’t expect it to be much longer.”
It can’t, right?
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126 comments Add your comment
Youbetcha
January 11th, 2010
6:10 pm
First
GT For You And Me
January 11th, 2010
6:12 pm
what dogs?
CharlestonDawg
January 11th, 2010
6:13 pm
We’ll be okay. The best thing was to get rid of willie. Future will take care of itself.
Gerald
January 11th, 2010
6:17 pm
One peculiarly quiet person throughout this defensive coordinator fiasco – and yes it is a fiasco – is Rodney Garner. No statements from the media from him or UGA about the guy or his future, and it is also mighty odd that a lot of the programs that tried to pry him away in the past (Tennessee, LSU, Auburn) didn’t do so again this year, or that new ones like Alabama, Mississippi State and Florida and FSU (who lost a ton of defensive assistants) didn’t do so either. Something is going on there, and I wonder what it is. Garner doesn’t want to remain a recruiter for the rest of his life, and Richt knows it.
yogi2
January 11th, 2010
6:19 pm
David Pollack started these stupid rumors. What a Jerk
1970 Dawg
January 11th, 2010
6:30 pm
Gerald, I believe has the title of Assistant Coach as the result of
an attempt by UT to hire him a few yrs ago. I don’t guess that has the same ego boost as Head Coach in waiting but he did receive a big raise
at that time. He also coaches the D Line and is held in high regard by
CMR and staff.
1970 Dawg
January 11th, 2010
6:31 pm
Should have read “Garner has the title…
Eat It St. Simons
January 11th, 2010
6:41 pm
(((30-24))) hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
BDAWG
January 11th, 2010
6:42 pm
UGA will be fine, but it does not say a lot for a top notch program that fired probably one of the worst DC I’ve ever seen. The job has to be attractive but is working for CMR the problem. He may be a great person, but for some strange reason, no one wants to work for him. The longer this takes, the more recruits we are going to lose. People can say whatever they want to and keep being idiots about the situation, but there is a problem with the lack of top quality DC not wanting to coach at this school. The stage of denial is what got UGA into this situation to began with. It took 3 years for the head coach to figure out that his DC was the worst in the SEC and now no one wants to work for him. Sounds like a head coaching problem to me. UGA is already being out recruited by Fla., Alabama and Tenn., this is not helping. If I were a commited player they would have until the end of Jan. and that’s it.
Sally
January 11th, 2010
6:53 pm
Who in their right mind would want to move to Athens and try to coach the unprincipled, undisciplined thugs and illiterates that UGA recruits? Or work for Mark richt?
Answer: No one.
TidePride
January 11th, 2010
6:56 pm
Uga = Clemson of the SEC EAST!!!
Porty
January 11th, 2010
7:01 pm
Hey Bdog, outside of you guys, no one else says that right now Georgia is a top notch program. Time to face reality and man up about it.
BG
January 11th, 2010
7:05 pm
Sally, What kind of drugs are you taking?? You are a real idiot!! Mark Richt is a great man and a wonderful coach. I would not trade Mark Richt for any coach in college football. Get a life Sally!!
BG
January 11th, 2010
7:06 pm
Tide Pride, you didn’t say that in 07 when UGA spanked that butt!!!
GT GRAD
January 11th, 2010
7:12 pm
I predict two more of the UGA defensive recruits will probably commit to different schools within the next two weeks or so and then half of the remaining recruits will SERIOUSLY reconsider thier options just prior to National Signing Day on 2/3/2010……………..why would they not seriously consider playing somewhere else………….no decent DC wants the job at UGA since the “UGA Faithful” (rabid fan-base) were recently calling for the firing of Coach Mark Richt; they only stopped because they do not want to negatively affect recruiting.
The pressure on Coach Mark Richt will be HUGE after the recruits have formally committed and will continue until he has been replaced. Coach Richt and his entire staff is under enormous pressure and will be on the “Hot Seat” for the next two years. They will probably have completely new coaches within 1-3 years……….why would stellar, top notch players want to be at UGA during this period??????????
The immediate future at UGA is VERY questionable indeed!
Rabid fan base equals serious problems for the program (Read comments below for examples of Rabid & sometimes obbbbnnooxious UGA Fans).
JFKDawg
January 11th, 2010
7:15 pm
Does Nick know you are on the computer, Kirby?
doug
January 11th, 2010
7:19 pm
Nobody respects Richt as a head coach to play under him. They have heard how much of a circus UGA is. There are some good DCs still out there. I hope we can land one.
FalconUGAFan
January 11th, 2010
7:25 pm
@Sally I guess it is pretty funny to pile on UGA right now. We do have our problems, but you are talking about teenage kids and young men. Show a little class by leaving the kids out of it. These guys work harder than you can possibly imagine, so please leave them out of it. Thank you.
Gatorzip74
January 11th, 2010
7:30 pm
Don’t worry Dawg fans, if there are any decent recruits still hanging around for you Coach Meyer will take care of them. Just ready to add to our awesome class.
To the long bloggers:
January 11th, 2010
7:36 pm
I know you are bursting to get all of your points of view out there, but anything over three or four lines and people stop reading and go to the next post.
jesse james
January 11th, 2010
7:41 pm
If you are not one hundred percent about being a Dawg, go somewhere else. If the tradition of UGA isn’t enough then you probably need to go elsewhere.
PTC DAWG
January 11th, 2010
7:48 pm
What makes you think they will go anywhere else? Why use that premise for an article?
BIG DAWG HF
January 11th, 2010
7:52 pm
Hey GT Grad…..go back to your blowup doll girlfriend and get a life. You just lost the best four players on your team. Sure, you have Nesbitt back but he couldn’t hit a battleship with the ball from 5 yards away. UGA will be fine……..the nerds need to worry about being over .500 next year.
VolBlogger
January 11th, 2010
7:53 pm
Careful Dogs, some of those commitments could be coming to UT….
Big Dawg
January 11th, 2010
7:54 pm
I find it truly funny that nerds are on this UGA site talking about UGA being a troubled program. What about 30 – 24 and 8 out of 9 don’t you understand? Where are the thugs that are getting arrested you speak of, jealous idiots? CMR is one of the most respected persons in college football and a damn good coach too. Look at the numbers (wins and losses, winning pct., conference championships, top 10 rankings)…they don’t lie. So all of you jealous haters can spin this anyway you want but, you know damn well that the Big Dawg is gonna eat once again…this includes all of you Bama backers!!!
UGA Fan
January 11th, 2010
7:56 pm
Maybe we can steal a couple of recruits during this waiting game :
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/football/news/story?id=4811710
Big Bob
January 11th, 2010
8:01 pm
Kirby is just a pupet on a string anyway. We can do better. As for you Gaytors, Urban Cowboy will not be back. You can take that to the bank.
CBB1
January 11th, 2010
8:04 pm
Sally,
I can’t believe you are bashing one of the best coaches in college football, and on top of that, a great Christian man. Other than Bobby Bowden, they don’t get any better than Coach Richt. You obviously don’t have any boys of your own. If you did, you wouldn’t be bashing him. Or you must not be a very good mother if you do. Every woman I know wants their son to play for him one day. He teaches them other lessons besides stinking football. Every coach says they love working for him by the way. At least he doesn’t tell the recruits what they want to hear like Urban and Kiffen. For these Gator fans thinking that Meyer will be back next year are dreaming. If he comes back, how can he be the same coach if he is worried about his health? He won’t last another 3 years at the rate he is going. Would he have pulled this stunt if he had beaten AL and Tebow was coming back? NOOOO. Why on earth would he retire because of his family and then come back less than 24 hours later? He did it to save the recruiting class. His health is not going to change in his line of work. I hope he gets better but how in the world is his job going to be less stressful? It is only going to be harder with Tebow gone along with his coaches and Saban at AL now.
Gatorzip74-I would be worried about losing your coaches and more than anything, losing Tebow. Your awesome recruiting class doesn’t mean squat if you don’t have your head coaching situation in order. John Brantley may be a good QB but he is missing the one quality your team will never have again, the leadership of Tebow. That kind of player only comes around every 20-25 years. Ask the UGA fans what happen to them after Herschel left-they went downhill. Face the facts.
murray county mystic
January 11th, 2010
8:11 pm
jessie james: what great tradition do you speak of in regards to UGA? Florida owns you, Tennessee has regained it’s place as an SEC east contender; you think ole man Kiffen is losing any sleep wondering what CMR and Bobo are gonna throw at them?? Wake up…Dooley is gone, Hershel is gone, you haven’t sniffed a title since 1980 (since 1980, powers like BYU, Colorado, GT, Clemson have won the belt, along with Florida 3x, Bama 2x, LSU 2x, Tennessee…not counting the one Auburn got screwed out of…) TidePride had it right… UGA = Clemson
tim
January 11th, 2010
8:13 pm
Florida’s 2010 class is sick !! It will be another 4 years of dog ass whippin.BTW we’ll let you have all your verbals…we don’t need any of them
Really now TIDE PRIDE
January 11th, 2010
8:21 pm
I did not here TIDE PRIDE runing that pie hole when the rama jama’s were being put on probation for God only knows how many times already and still on probation to this very day.
TIDE PRIDE tell everyone how many games the rama jama’s had to forefit due to CHEATING!!!!! in last 3 years. TIDE PRIDE are you glad that Alabama has to turn to CHEATING to win a Nat.Championship???????
cmon now
January 11th, 2010
8:26 pm
hey jesse, exactly what “tradition” are you talking about? the program in decline under cmr or the donnan years or the goff years or the dooley years w/o herschell or the 3 herschell years or the johnny griffith years or wally butts? that’s only 1 national title in about 60 years and you can count the sec titles on 2 hands w/o thumbs…wow
BULLDOG MOM
January 11th, 2010
8:27 pm
I am truly sorry we got into this thing with KS. He gave reason for coach Richt to believe he was very interested in coming to Georgia only to turn out to be a poor excuse for a former Georgia player and it smells of NS. NS is a winning coach, but not much of a man. When he gets a commitment from a better player he just drops a lower ranked player.This has happened two times this year and both were from Georgia.. Coach Richt will get this all worked out and in the long run we will be better off. I am really impressed with the way the recruits are staying with Georgia. They know Coach Richt for the man he is.
CBB1
January 11th, 2010
8:29 pm
Saban won’t be at AL in another 4 years. He is like Kiffen and Pete Carroll, always looking for another challenge. Great coach, but a job hopper and hard to please. After that, AL will be back to where they were in the early to mid 2000’s-a mid level SEC team. Kirby Smart knows this and probably waiting on that job. Saban will want another shot at the NFL to prove everyone wrong, same as Carroll. Enjoy it while it lasts Tide fans.
Harold Bare
January 11th, 2010
8:38 pm
A top notch DC will not jump on a sinking ship. The situation at Georgia reminds me of Fulmer’s departure at Tennessee. Its a matter of time Dawg fans.
Harold Bare
Gator in the Hootch
January 11th, 2010
8:42 pm
I just wanted to take this time to thank that idiot coaching at Tennessee for taking NuKeese Richardson of the Gators hands last year about this time. Just another genius move by the genius of all idiots…P.S. NuKeese pleaded guilty to robbery today in a plea agreement that will keep him out of jail. But time will change that….as we know, idiots are always idiots. Some are just richer than others.
Monticello Dawg
January 11th, 2010
8:43 pm
What’s wrong with this picture? Richt is averaging 10 wins a season. He just had the worst season in his career with 8-5, which is still better than UT’s 7-6, yet Tennessee is an SEC east contender? Compare records of the two this century. Also compare Clemson’s record with UGA in the Richt era.
I am sensing a lot of anxiety among SEC teams. Whoever the new DC is, things will be better. We are already loaded on offense, even with a redshirt freshman quarterback. 2010 payback starts and it won’t be pretty for Dog foes. Fair warning: the Dogs are coming for you, SEC teams.
Gator in the Hootch
January 11th, 2010
8:46 pm
Hey CBB1. It is all about the money these days. Follow the money…that is what Carroll did today no matter what he says on national TV. Offer any coach enough money and they are gone. For example, if USC came called Lou Saban tomorrow and offered him $6 mill to coach the Trojans, I would expect he would listen and eventually take over in SoCal. Meyer and Richt would probably do the same. It is almost always about the money these days.
jesse james
January 11th, 2010
8:48 pm
CmonNow We go 8 and 5 and we are in decline. Damn what a program. Alot of teams would like to have our won lost record the last nine years. We sell alot of merchandise, somebody cares.
CBB1
January 11th, 2010
8:59 pm
If you are a true Dawg fan, you shouldn’t be bashing Richt. He is going to hire the right person. Who cares about all the naysayers anyway?
Harold Bare, you are a joke saying UGA is a sinking ship. Richt has won 80 games in his first 8 years. How many coaches can say that? Please, comparing him with Fulmer. You are a joke and shouldn’t even be on this blog. This is a UGA blog and nothing else. If you are going to bash Richt, go somewhere else. I have complete faith he will make the right decision. He may not be as good a coach as Saban and Meyer, but I will take him over those guys anyday. They are the two best coaches in ALL of college football and they happen to be in the same conference as UGA. Nothing we can do about that. They can’t and won’t always be on top though. Just look at USC and Oklahoma now. They both have won National Championships in the last 10 years and both were way down this year. Saban and Meyer won’t be at their respective schools in 5 years, but you know what? Richt will be and it will be great.
Great to be a Fla. Gator
January 11th, 2010
9:11 pm
By the way, Florida had eleven recruits enroll early today…one a 5 star, 7 being 4 star, and 3 being 3 star recruits. I guess Florida not only recruits great athletes, but they also recruit smart ones, too. P.S. Georgia had two recruits that enrolled early. That is 9 more players that get a jump on how to play for and win championships in Gainesville.
Great to be a Fla. Gator
January 11th, 2010
9:13 pm
P.S. Bama had only one recruit enroll early. I guess Georgia beats someone at something!!!!
Marietta Tider
January 11th, 2010
9:14 pm
CBB1, if I’m a fan of another SEC school I’m hoping and praying Saban leaves Bama. If it happens, it happens. No sense in getting worked up over it. Until then I’ll take your advice, and enjoy it while it lasts. And it’s damn good right now…………
Preston
January 11th, 2010
9:21 pm
Gerald. CRG is assistant head coach, defensive line coach, and recruiting coordinator. Not exactly a miniscule position.
charliedawg
January 11th, 2010
9:27 pm
GT Grad – Delusion is Wonderful. I guess you think the NATS are going to some recruits. Think again, you don’t have a DC either. Your only candidate is someone no one else wants.
I love how everyone calls Mark Richt a second rate coach. Guess who is in the top 5 of winning percentage for active coachs? Care to take a guess?
chDawg
January 11th, 2010
9:28 pm
I’m not real happy with Smart right now and hope he never gets a chance to coach @ georgia again. He’s burnt that bridge. I wish him the best outside the state of georgia, but if Bama uses this to poach some of georgia’s recruits then the word traitor would seem too kind.
Preston
January 11th, 2010
9:29 pm
BDAWG, are you drunk? What in the hell makes you think nobody wants to coach under Richt? He hasn’t gone after any unknowns that weren’t making big money at major programs. If we were getting turned down by guys like Diaz or DeRuyter I’d be worried, but the guys he’s gone after have gotten huge pay raises to stay put. THAT MEANS THEY WERE GOING TO COME HERE. Believe me. Nothing is wrong with CMR. He will get a great DC within the next few days.
RomeDawg
January 11th, 2010
9:33 pm
We are gonna be fine and the recruits are NOT stupid enough to fall for some of the crap our competitors try to sling. Look for Grantham to be the DC and if you look at his record at Mich St. I’d have to say we will be fine. He did one helluva job at Cleveland to before injuries and free agency killed him. He is very well respected by his peers (Beamer, Foster, and Saban) and will do great things in Athens.
Preston
January 11th, 2010
9:38 pm
Rome, I’m not so sure about Grantham now because Dallas’ season doesn’t look like it’s going to be over in time to get him here during the critical last days of recruiting. I mean, we’re just a couple of weeks away from signing day. My gut says DeRuyter. I like the idea myself.
AUG24
January 11th, 2010
9:41 pm
Relax. Most of these recruits are coming to UGA because of Mark Richt. The media likes to keep rumors going to have a story. UGA didn’t want B.J. Butler, anyway. UGA will get a good DC. Hell, anyone is better than Martinez. We got better when we fired him!