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AJC College Sports Recruiting

OL Chester Brown de-commits from UGA for unknown reasons (UPDATED)

11:59 pm January 23, 2012, by Michael Carvell

Chester Brown (left) and John Theus won't be playing the O-Line together at UGA. Brown is the fifth 2012 commitment that UGA has lost for one reason or another (Photo courtesy of 247sports.com)

Chester Brown (left) and John Theus won't be playing the O-Line together at UGA. Brown is the fifth 2012 commitment that UGA has lost for one reason or another (Photo courtesy of 247sports.com)

  • TUESDAY UPDATE (9:44 pm): A relatively new Georgia Board of Regents policy regulating the admission of undocumented students and illegal immigrants has prevented Chester Brown from gaining admission to UGA, reports the AJC Chip Towers (click on link to read the full story)

OL Chester Brown, who had been pledged to UGA since last summer, confirmed that he has de-committed from the Bulldogs. The 6-foot-5, 340-pound offensive lineman from Bradwell Institute high school told the AJC it was for “personal family reasons.” Brown is the fifth commitment that UGA has lost in this recruiting class for one reason or another.

It was a big blow to UGA, which is desperately seeking one or two more offensive linemen before National Signing Day, which is a week away (Feb. 1). The Bulldogs still have commitments from two OL recruits, John Theus of Jacksonville, Fla., and Greg Pyke of Baltimore. Another OL, junior college transfer Mark Beard, enrolled early at UGA.

Back to Brown: You remember his story? He was relatively unknown until attending UGA’s Dawg Night prospect camp last July, both earning a scholarship offer and committing on the spot. He picked the Bulldogs over Georgia State and South Alabama. We talked with the Somoan-born lineman on late Monday night:

  • What happened? “I talked to [Mark Richt] and [UGA assistant Tony Ball] about it. When I told them about everything, about my personal reasons, they felt like this was the right decision for me to make – not because I’m leaving Georgia, but because of my family.”
  • What are those family reasons? “The family reasons are personal, or private.”
    Chester Brown (247Sports.com)

    Chester Brown has a tattoo of the date he committed to UGA on his left forearm, according to ESPN (247Sports.com)

  • Did UGA revoke or withdraw the scholarship offer? “No, this was my decision. It was 100-percent my decision.”
  • What about the rumors it was because of academics? “No, I’ve heard that a lot. People thought it was because of my SAT scores and my academics. No, no, no. My academics are good and everything. My SAT scores are good. It was due to personal family reasons that made me make the decision I made.”
  • Did you get into trouble at school or away from school? “No. No trouble with the law, and no trouble with school. Basically, it was an issue behind closed doors with my family.”
  • When did you have an idea that you might de-commit? “It was about two or three weeks ago. I let Georgia know. They felt like I should think about my decision again. Then I called them back on Saturday and let them know my decision was final.”
  • Why is it just now getting out? “I think it’s because I got calls from other people who said ‘the word on the street is that you’ve decided to de-commit.’ I guess when they finally got it from me, then people put it on Facebook or Twitter or wherever. Then other people saw it and called me/”
  • How do you feel about parting ways with UGA? “Everyone knows that I still have love for the Georgia family, especially for the Georgia coaches and everything. The decision I made, it hurt a lot to make that decision. It hurt me personally. Georgia was a place I told everyone was my home, and I felt like I could play there. But this was a decision that I came upon and it was a family issue. I wanted to let people know it didn’t end on bad terms. No, we left on good terms. I talked to Coach Ball. He said ‘the decision you made was right.’ He basically told me ‘it is what it is’ with the decision I made.”
  • What was Georgia’s reaction to your decision? “Their reaction was that they felt very disappointed. Then again, they were with me on the decision that I made. They felt like for the good of my family, whatever decision I made, that’s what I should go with.”
  • Do you still want to play college football? “Yes sir. My options right now are Central Florida, Tulane, and Syracuse. I’ve [gotten offers] from Tulane and Syracuse and right now I’m in the process of talking about it with Central Florida.”
  • Why would you want to play at those other colleges but not UGA? Is this specifically  related to an issue with UGA? “It’s not because I don’t want to play for Georgia. It’s for personal reasons. These were the scholarships that were offered to me at this point, Syracuse and Tulane. I’m in talks with Central Florida. But this has nothing to do with where I was going to play, Georgia.”

What’s next for UGA? OL target Avery Young of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., moves to the very top of UGA’s recruiting board — if he wasn’t there already. Young has listed Auburn, Florida and UGA as his leaders. Also expect the Bulldogs to make a run after a few in-state linemen committed to other schools, including Alabama-bound Brandon Greene of Cedar Grove.

Note: UGA has lost five commitments for its 2012 recruiting class. The others are Flowery Branch WR CJ Curry (flipped to Oklahoma State), prep school LB Kent Turene (signed with Marshall as a Prop 48), junior college WR Lonnie Outlaw (had yet to meet transfer requirements) and junior college DE Jalen Fields (had yet to meet transfer requirements).

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ….

AND EVEN MORE RECRUITING NEWS …

– By Michael Carvell, AJC Recruiting Blog

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Got an item? mcarvell@ajc.com

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442 comments Add your comment

slydog

January 24th, 2012
9:18 am

hiveredtech

January 24th, 2012
8:01 am

What???

I have to call crap on this one. According to those “inside” the UGA situation Chester Brown did not arrive at this decision on his own and this entire “private family matter” thing is baloney and a PR screen between UGA sports and the AJC’s building full of UGA grads.

So…because of “family reasons” he is going to decommit from an in-state BCS school and look at Central Florida and Tulane?

Cmon people…read between the lines here…it is not too hard.

As a dawg fan, I’m with you on this one. The kid and his parents are U.S. Nationals, immigration laws DO NOT APPLY to them, in no way shape, form, or fashion. More than likely, he has to either go to MGC, GMC, or some prep school and his “family” doesn’t like that move. How do you think West Virginia gets all these athletes out of Florida? Besides a payoff, they have a policy of accepting partial-qualifiers, just like Arkansas.

KD

January 24th, 2012
9:20 am

But IF he was born in the US or state of georgia, doesn’t that make him an citizen ?

slydog

January 24th, 2012
9:21 am

@DawginLex

January 24th, 2012
9:16 am

THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA CAN NOT ADMIT NON LEGAL ALIENS FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is a Non-Legal Alien? Anyway, this kid, legally and constitutionally, is a “step” below a Natural-born U.S. citizen. He is a U.S. National, which is a “step” above a Naturalized Citizen. UGA nor any other school should have a problem admitting him.

UGA Recruiting

January 24th, 2012
9:21 am

Dawgs looking good in the latest recruiting rankings with one week to go unitl NSD!

http://theheroesandvillains.com/handv/H_%26_V_-_NCAAFB_Top_25_Recruiting_Classes_%281-5%29.html

slydog

January 24th, 2012
9:21 am

The only real difference is they do not pay all of the same federal taxes we pay.

DawginLex

January 24th, 2012
9:21 am

UGA can’t admit him

It is because of a citizenship issue

The kid is devastated

That is all I know

warhawk

January 24th, 2012
9:25 am

OK….anybody dumb enough to put a freaking TATTOO of the date you committed on your body, is somebody I DO NOT want on my team anyways….good luck to the team who gets him…LOL

slydog

January 24th, 2012
9:27 am

@Concrete Pete

You sir, made an ignorant statement. Is Obama the reason immigration is out of control? If you live in this country and consider yourself smart, rational, and logical, then you would have already discerned that the problems in this country transcend party, ideology, race, and to some extent, borders. We are being hijacked by International Bankers and speculators. Real Talk!!!

Contractor

January 24th, 2012
9:28 am

This doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. He claims family issues, but his three other finalists now are in Louisiana, New York, and Florida? So apparently it’s nothing about being close to home. None of those schools are religious schools like a BYU or Notre Dame, so religion is out. Neither of those teams is known for their Samoan culture like a California, USC, Oregon State, or BYU. It almost sounds like it’s a money or gifts issue, but I have no clue on Earth why those lower tier programs would offer a fairly unknown prospect. Very curious here, but best of luck to the kid with whatever he decides.

Flo-Ri-Duh

January 24th, 2012
9:28 am

Personal family reasons? Sounds like some one in his family made this decision – but not him. He is a military brat – lived all over the place. Bradwell Institute is in Hinesville, a military town south of Savannah. He has a lot of potential but needs coaching and probably would have red shirted this year. Glad he is not going to another SEC school.

naganole

January 24th, 2012
9:28 am

@UGA recruiting Yes, UGA has a great incoming class to add to the one they had last year. However, it’ll be the Noles with the top class. Our NSD announcements will be epic, including one that’s gonna sting for the Red and Black. ;) Oh, and @Blackoutanyone?, you know we’re gonna win the offseason national title, so Bama having the 2nd class is nothing to scoff at…hahahahaha

5150 UOAD

January 24th, 2012
9:37 am

DiLex not sure how you are reading that. WE don’t know if he is Samoan or US Samoan. I would think he is US Samoan and isn’t an Illegal Immigrant. It maybe an immigration situation, but I am not sure we will ever know either way.

MarineDog

January 24th, 2012
9:41 am

@warhawk,
January 24th, 2012
9:25 am

OK….anybody dumb enough to put a freaking TATTOO of the date you committed on your body, is somebody I DO NOT want on my team anyways….good luck to the team who gets him…LOL

I’m not too sure about that? Does that tattoo reflect the date that he committed to UGA. If it does, doesn’t it mean that he was not wavering in his committment to UGA? You don’t do something like that if you’re not truly committed to a school. With that being said, I think that DawginLex’s statement makes a whole lot of sense.

jason

January 24th, 2012
9:42 am

Sounds like a real headcase unit.

Pawwwwl

January 24th, 2012
9:43 am

Must be Saban’s fault.

Bubbatavious Smith

January 24th, 2012
9:55 am

Looks like Dream Team II is a no go….buh bye Mark Richt..

Lou

January 24th, 2012
9:55 am

idiot.

Hairy Dawg

January 24th, 2012
9:56 am

Somebodys need to start blaming Adams for us always playing short handed. Adams is choking the recruiting by not letting us sign as many as we want to stockpile at Hargraves. Then when a recruit turns out stinkys we cut loose the stinkys boys and bring up real mens that proof themselves at Hargraves. That way we build depth and load up on more talents and speed than rest of S.E.C.

Go Dawgs!

Dawg1

January 24th, 2012
9:57 am

No way around it – that’s bad news…

909

January 24th, 2012
9:57 am

No surprise about Lonnie Outlaw. Kid’s illiterate.
No surprise UGA offered Lonnie. Plenty of remedial/idiot classes
to choose from at UGA.

Wonder if big chester chooses Tech. Tech just lost an experienced OLineman to transfer.

.

Georgia Football Recruiting: Loss of Recruits Must Be Made Up on Signing Day » College Football Daily News - Get all your football news on one site

January 24th, 2012
10:00 am

[...] to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Brown cited family issues as his reason for decommitting. Listed at 6’5″, 340 pounds, [...]

Frank Wren

January 24th, 2012
10:00 am

Send Chester to us. We go through the Visa stuff every year, so we know how to handle the paperwork. If he can’t hit, we have been looking for a Chief Nokohoma replacement for some time.

Hairy Dawg

January 24th, 2012
10:06 am

And another thing! McG got to stand up to the pointy heads like Adams. The Dawgs team is important and we don’t need Adams choking the recruiting for the pointy heads.

TampaDawg

January 24th, 2012
10:09 am

GATiger

January 24th, 2012
8:43 am

Good for him. I’m not sure why any good players would commit to play at UGA. The coaches there do not develop talent and because of that and bad play calling UGA will NEVER make it to title game.
————————————–
Uhhh, let’s try the NFL there hot shot. And thanks again for another idiot troll post.

TampaDawg

January 24th, 2012
10:13 am

He Lex, I thought it was more of an issue with his family’s immigration status not his own. From all conversations I have seen between him and the school, he would have no issue getting admitted. In fact, if he does a little studying, a similar law is on the books to be passed here in Florida so UCF may not be any better of an option.

George Stein

January 24th, 2012
10:15 am

Is this the part where Tech trolls are supposed to say look at his other offers and say Mark Richt is a terrible recruiter?

In all seriousness, whatever the reasons, this is his only chance to go to the right place. I hope he picks it, although his other options right now pale in comparison to UGA.

Make Special Teams, Special

January 24th, 2012
10:15 am

This Chester Brown situation is making the Georgia Governor, government and education administrators look like a bunch of ignorant fools.

For the first time in my adult life, I am ashamed of my state.

TampaDawg

January 24th, 2012
10:18 am

Joey

January 24th, 2012
8:47 am

lol!

An Auburn fan (7:51) on here sounding like a Techie, living vicariously through UF.

Hey, War Eagle!, did you realize that with UGA’s easy schedule in ‘11, Coastal Carolina is the only team that scored FEWER points on UGA than Auburn.
——————-
LOL Joey.

@WarBeagle, give it a rest dude. Not much of what you said adds up to anything. A great UGA recruiting class last year followed up by another one building up this year (if you knew about recruiting, it would be easier for you to see), with 10 starters coming back on defense and all the offensive weapons aside from Charles coming back. Just deal with it. You can try to spin it, but you are in your own little world in your opinions because nobody else who watches this stuff on the national stage is even close to agreeing with you.

TampaDawg

January 24th, 2012
10:20 am

I am kind of surprised at those who are bashing the state over this law because of losing one recruit. The fact is, REGARDLESS of who started the immigration problem, it needs to be fixed and the problem we will run into is that it will have an effect on some who you wouldn’t expect. It’s like those who want the budget fixed .. so long as it doesn’t mess with them in their tiny little world.

Wet Willie...keep on smiling

January 24th, 2012
10:21 am

FSU fan….you can have another #1 class but you will stick suck at playing the game!! It’s documented so get someone that can read to show you where you finished! The goal is to win the NC sport and not rivals #1. You really should be a UGA fan since they’re the best team in college football from March until August but it appeas FSU is going to challenge them for the title. Until you do something other than run that mouth then STFU.

Lakedawg

January 24th, 2012
10:22 am

The young man had to decommit for some reason that neither he nor the coaches wanted, but thats it move on. He would have redshirted and possibly played a couple years in. For the trolls and other ignorant poster claiming to be Dawg fans,

OL–2012—Andrews Soph, Dantzler Soph, DeBell RF, Long Soph, Ward RF, Burnette RJR, Gates Jr, Houston RSoph, Lee RJr, Long, RJr, Theus RF, Recruits==Beard JUCO, Theus, Pyke.

Fourteen scholarship lineman at present plus any other signees HS or JUCO, plus John ATkins played OL in All-America all star game and was best OL on the white roster. Looking at the other SEC schools roster size OL runs from 13-18 and of course one school roster you cannot look at due to secrets of roster. Yes maybe 1 or 2 short in numbers , bit 14 out of most schools allowed 85 schollys not put of line.

UGA Insider

January 24th, 2012
10:26 am

Very worried about this class from a numbers standpoint. We have some good players but need to build depth. I am hearing UGA is only going to sign 20 this year??? Is that crazy or what?? We might as well be on probation.

Joey

January 24th, 2012
10:27 am

UGA better hope the ACLU doesn’t get ahold of this. They and Eric Holder would give Chester his schollie back, and about $50 million in damages . . .

5150 UOAD

January 24th, 2012
10:27 am

Make Special teams, Special…..Make Illegals Illegal and send them home. Load people that get govt. benefits on buses and let them pick the produce in S. Ga and send the Illegals back to where they came from. Losing a football player is nothing.

Erin

January 24th, 2012
10:32 am

UGA should also go after Joe Harris and Vadel Alexander

5150 UOAD

January 24th, 2012
10:32 am

Wet Willie…keep on smiling
January 24th, 2012
10:21 am

FSU fan….you can have another #1 class but you will “stick” suck at playing the game!! It’s documented so get someone that can read to show you where you finished!
August but it appeas FSU

How can we READ when you can’t TYPE or SPELL.

reality check

January 24th, 2012
10:38 am

Samoans sign with college teams all the time. Have you paid attention to NFL rosters??????

TampaDawg

January 24th, 2012
10:39 am

Joey

January 24th, 2012
10:27 am

UGA better hope the ACLU doesn’t get ahold of this. They and Eric Holder would give Chester his schollie back, and about $50 million in damages . .
—————————-
Like I was saying earlier, I don’t think it’s a matter of UGA not being able to sign him. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been a decision that Chester had to agonize over. Guarantee that if Chester changes his mind, UGA signs him with open arms.

Make Special Teams, Special

January 24th, 2012
10:40 am

I don’t think any of us really want to live in a bureaucratic nightmare state that can’t make a good and flexible judgment calls.

Nobody has said Chester Brown is illegal. If statements are correct, he was born in a US Territory, thus, he is a US Citizen. There is some other petty paperwork snag that is keeping him from signing. Most of us have had dealings with our bloated and hardheaded government agencies (DMV, College Admissions, IRS, Traffic Court, etc). You know how they screw over lives and in cold fashion, DGAF.

If he is truly illegal, then possibly deport him, after a fair hearing before Gov. Deal. He isn’t an illiterate farm hand. His dad served in the military and he is a “military brat” and has been moved around like so many military brats.

I hope Neal Boortz (a military brat) gets hold of this story.

TampaDawg

January 24th, 2012
10:40 am

reality check

January 24th, 2012
10:38 am

Samoans sign with college teams all the time. Have you paid attention to NFL rosters??????
————————
This is NOT about Chester but about someone in his family. Read the article, as bad as it is.

Texas Tea

January 24th, 2012
10:40 am

Since when did the immigration law get its way into this conversation? If the kid is illegal (I am not claiming to know his status, just commenting on some posts), he is freaking illegal, and shouldn’t matter what anyone thinks. He dang sure didn’t have a problem eating up state tax dollars to educate himself and play football, and then booster dollars to get another free education while he plays for an opportunity to make millions in the NFL. So lay off the immigration law in Georgia BS, because if he is illegal, he shouldn’t be here in the first place for Georgia to lose as a commitment.

IF he is illegal, and once again I am saying IF because I don’t know his status, it just shows you the problem we are having in America where they continue to run from the laws in order to stay in this country without making one bit of effort to become legal residents and live by the laws of our great country.

BulldogBen

January 24th, 2012
10:42 am

So it’s a family reason to not go to Athens but he’s considering going all the way to Syracuse?

Something is rotten in Denmark.

TampaDawg

January 24th, 2012
10:42 am

5150 UOAD

January 24th, 2012
10:27 am

Make Special teams, Special…..Make Illegals Illegal and send them home. Load people that get govt. benefits on buses and let them pick the produce in S. Ga and send the Illegals back to where they came from. Losing a football player is nothing.
———————————-
As harsh as that sounds dude, it makes sense. We have to start somewhere in this country.

RedandBlackDawg

January 24th, 2012
10:44 am

I am afraid that I can’t come to a conclusion about supposedly immigration problems based on what this article and the young man have said.
I think there is something more to this story, based on the fact, that the kid says it is a family issue.

TampaDawg

January 24th, 2012
10:45 am

BulldogBen

January 24th, 2012
10:42 am

So it’s a family reason to not go to Athens but he’s considering going all the way to Syracuse?

Something is rotten in Denmark.
————————–
What if because of an immigration issue his mom can’t even be in the state to see 6 games a year? But if he goes to the Cuse, she can move to NY and see every home game. Just a hunch.

reality check

January 24th, 2012
10:47 am

Agreed Tampadawg this is not an immigration issue with Chester. Might be family but we need to take him at his word and desire nothing but the best for him as he moves forward.

Joey

January 24th, 2012
10:49 am

How about we sign some Boise sized O-linemen? They pass protect and run block better than our O-linemen – and I doubt any will get to the NFL Combine, like 3 of ours (7 players total).

Otha

January 24th, 2012
10:51 am

Oopsy. Gotta make room for Avery or Brandon. Central Florida is nice, though.

JFrazier

January 24th, 2012
10:52 am

Sounds like he didn’t have a scholarship offer from UGA..Or….. Saint Mark and the godly bulldogs reneged on the offer.

Delbert D.

January 24th, 2012
10:52 am

There is a tsunami of speculation about the reason for the decision on this blog. Let’s change the subject.

Look at the photo of those two guys notice that they are carrying way too much body fat to be fit. At their height, they should weigh between 295 and 305 for maximum effectiveness at their position. The 4 offensive linemen projected for the first round in the upcoming draft are all between 295 and 305. Consider that to be the prototype weight range for a mobile, athletic lineman.

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