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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

Got an item? mcarvell@ajc.com

Got an item? mcarvell@ajc.com

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442 comments Add your comment

TampaDawg

January 24th, 2012
12:08 pm

@Dap01 .. lol, it’s cool .. I scratched my head for about a second on that one. Chris may win dumb post of the day award but the competition is steep …

TampaDawg

January 24th, 2012
12:09 pm

bamaguy

January 24th, 2012
12:05 pm

Dawg Gone: I just see that as the most plausible explanation. I see no evil doing by UGA. It’s all just opinion. Anyone with an email address and access to a computer can give one.
————————–
True enough, heck it doesn’t even have to be a real email address even.

Mike

January 24th, 2012
12:10 pm

RedandBlack, REALLY? I guess UGA really wanted him bad since his other options are Syracuse and Tulane. Come on dude. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with it. Prospects decommit all the time. Scholarship’s are year to year, players can leave a school whenever they like. Just pointing out the homerism going on at the AJC.

Terry

January 24th, 2012
12:12 pm

Mike, Bama pulled that injured players scholarship, they did not delay enrollment for 4 months, that’s why, they said, he could go to work while rehabbing, instead of honoring their scholarship and letting him get his education, and rehabbing at Bama, like Coach Richt did with Caleb King.

LakeDawg

January 24th, 2012
12:16 pm

Not a big loss. This guy was a project at best. UGA signed him when they didn’t have any O-linemen committed. They were covering their bases. He was a bit of a reach. In fact, the only decommit that hurts is the loss of Turene. The two WR’s and DE weren’t SEC caliber.

Terry

January 24th, 2012
12:22 pm

bamaguy, The difference between what you said, and what I said, is I can back it up from his statement, you took what you think happened, and made up some conspiracy theory, that sounds nothing like, something that Coach Richt would do.

naganole

January 24th, 2012
12:27 pm

@TampaDawg

This is not even debatable. The women at FSU >>>>> UGA. We win the hotchick NC every year….lol

Yackity Yack

January 24th, 2012
12:29 pm

To the clown who thinks the Schedule is a done point, just think about that next year when your SOS is hurting you in the big boy talk. You need and LSU, Arkansas or Alabama to keep you in the conversation and outside of the Florida game maybe being broadcast on CBS at the 3:30 timeslot rather than competing with 5 other games between 6-11 on saturday nite or the 12:20 game on the SEC network.

Yackity Yack

January 24th, 2012
12:30 pm

naganole

January 24th, 2012
12:27 pm
@TampaDawg

This is not even debatable. The women at FSU >>>>> UGA. We win the hotchick NC every year….lol

Ole Miss has you both beat, hands down…

5150 UOAD

January 24th, 2012
12:30 pm

naganole…that can’t be true I thought the hottest chicks were the passed out drunk kind! UGa wins that contest hands down thanks to Leebern.

Yackity Yack

January 24th, 2012
12:31 pm

naganole,

Just a question for you. If Jimbo does not have FSU in a better position in 2012 than he has with three top 5 recruiting classes, does the heat get turned up on him?

Just wondering.

RedandBlackDawg

January 24th, 2012
12:32 pm

Mike,

The homerism(?) you point out might be for the fact that the AJC is a Georgia paper. You want homerism, try AL.COM. It is worth a read, than for no other reason, than to watch Alabama and Auburn go after each others comments. Would you expect them to write about Georgia? There is no hidden agenda about this story or any attempt to cover anything up. If anything, it gives all the negative posters on this blog, once again, a chance try to insult UGA, even if there is nothing to insult anybody or UGA about.
The kid, had a reason, he wants to keep it private and UGA and he are doing just that.

Yackity Yack

January 24th, 2012
12:32 pm

I think some of the FSU guys are expecting a Bigger win total and in the national discussion.

Yackity Yack

January 24th, 2012
12:34 pm

Until you have been to the “Grove” at Ole Miss withhold all judgement. I kept telling my son who is at UGA about the Ole Miss women. This past year he came back home after the game and said he was “transferring” just to hook up with some of those hotties.

1eyedJack

January 24th, 2012
12:35 pm

The real reason is….he’s secretly a girl, and Georgia wouldn’t provide private shower arrangements. ;)

Yackity Yack

January 24th, 2012
12:36 pm

No, he is a baseball player at UGA…

Yackity Yack

January 24th, 2012
12:36 pm

The Milf Factor at Ole Miss is off the chart as well.

KB

January 24th, 2012
12:37 pm

7576 Dawg, if you followed Georgia football a little more closely the walk on given scholarships last year were given due to attrition after signing day. Most to were walk on seniors and are issued on a yearly basis.

naganole

January 24th, 2012
12:40 pm

@Yackity Yack If the Oline doesn;t step up this year, he’ll be foced to make staff changes, but we’re very happy with Jimbo…

naganole

January 24th, 2012
12:40 pm

forced*

Otha

January 24th, 2012
12:42 pm

If UGA comes up short on recruits, Justin Taylor is available.

TampaDawg

January 24th, 2012
12:44 pm

Naganole, although I live in Tampa, I have been to both Gainesville and Tallahassee many times. Hard fact for you here .. even G’ville has you beat. Athens? You’re not even close.You might get a few here and there in Tally but you probably have to recruit them too.

TampaDawg

January 24th, 2012
12:45 pm

And 5150, those are some big boy insults for a fan of a school hardly has girls in it.

Ryan

January 24th, 2012
12:48 pm

Definitely a die hard dawg, but fsu is really not as high up as people think. Tallatrash is run down sh t hole and ole miss definitely has the best women. UGA is next in line

5150 UOAD

January 24th, 2012
12:50 pm

Tampa insult? It is a BADGE of HONOR. #1 party school has it benefits and consequences. Hell Leebern gets 2 women with his Liquor connection. You think Yoculan is still flexible for an Old Gym Dwag?

BG

January 24th, 2012
12:51 pm

There are personal reasons behind this whole thing.

UGA man here

January 24th, 2012
12:51 pm

Offensive line has been UGA’s Achilles Heel for about 10 years or basically since MarkRicht arrived. We for some reason cannot,will not, do not recruit tons of big, solid O line candidates that can come in work the books, lift weights, learn the style of play and by their soph or junior year be ready. No, we bring them in in the PANIC MOLD and then, the knees, the shoulders and the attitudes go by by. By the start of the football season we have 6 that can play and two of them are hobbled with some others that also have issues.

Why?? is the happening, when over my entire 55 years of keeping up with UGA football, we had AA Off. Linemen almost every year from 1960s Len Haus of the Washington Redksins fame for 20 years to the Stinchcomb boys.

Lately, we are in PANIC MOLD with a lack of O linemen and this is the number one reason why Richt cannot win the big games.

UGA man

class of 71 & 73

BigTimeTechFan

January 24th, 2012
12:56 pm

Let’s see:
Girls of Athens, Tallahassee, G’ville, Starksville or Atlanta.

if you were going to go out to meet girls, you would pick Atlanta 1st. It not call Hotlanta for the weather

naganole

January 24th, 2012
12:58 pm

@TampaDawg. I grew up in Atlanta, partied in Athens many times and went to FSU. I can assure you that you are wrong…

BigTimeTechFan

January 24th, 2012
1:03 pm

Girls = slow recruiting news day

Ryan

January 24th, 2012
1:03 pm

@bigtimetechfan Atlanta might have Starksville beat but then again who doesnt have starksville beat, we were talking about ole miss, which is oxford. At least sound like you know something. FYI Atlanta gets beat by gainesville, athens, ole miss, and tallahasse, unless you want a bunch a ghetto girls. No offense to that but I personally like my beauties educated and gorgeous

naganole

January 24th, 2012
1:19 pm

@Ryan lol OK….

G-Dawg

January 24th, 2012
1:23 pm

Just a wild guess…
JHC picks Seminoles at the last minute…and Tomlinson picks UGA.

Jay

January 24th, 2012
1:33 pm

Dang! Ain’t this some Bull!!!

Carpet Baggger

January 24th, 2012
1:38 pm

Beginning at Va and head south and west, rankt the top 5 most progressive states:

NC, Va., Ga, Fl, Tn

5150 UOAD

January 24th, 2012
1:40 pm

G-Dwag wild? How about Vegas wouldn’t even give odds on something that stupid happening.

Dawghater

January 24th, 2012
1:42 pm

Excellent decision, young man!

RedandBlackDawg

January 24th, 2012
1:56 pm

Looking at the returning men on the OL and the recruits I count a total of 19 folks in the fold right now. I am sure some of them will never see a lot of playing time, but numbers is not the question or the problem. If Friend can coach them up, UGA will be fine along the offensive line.

Music City Dawg

January 24th, 2012
1:57 pm

His reason – its family issues _ doesn’t add up if he is considering locations in NY (Syracuse), FLA (CF) and LA (Tulane). If its family concerns, usually its because the player wants to be near the family and his new school choices’ geo locations are anything but. Something else is going on here.

Krusty

January 24th, 2012
2:00 pm

Thats got to be the prettiest offensive lineman I’ve ever seen. Were gonna miss her.

TampaDawg

January 24th, 2012
2:03 pm

Music City Dawg

January 24th, 2012
1:57 pm

His reason – its family issues _ doesn’t add up if he is considering locations in NY (Syracuse), FLA (CF) and LA (Tulane). If its family concerns, usually its because the player wants to be near the family and his new school choices’ geo locations are anything but. Something else is going on here.——————–
—————————————–
Explored two pages back. Speculation has it being immigration issues, but not his since the decision was his to decommit and not the schools to cut him loose. My guess is his mom may be subject to the new immigration law and UGA won’t be near where the family may relocate.

Dawg Gone

January 24th, 2012
2:04 pm

@Ryan have you lost your damn mind…Atlanta has the best looking women on the planet . Where do you think all those co-eds go when they leave school back home to boo hoo holler? Hell no they bring that degree and all that lovely right here to the Atl. I personally like my beauties educated and gorgeous and over 21.

WDE

January 24th, 2012
2:06 pm

@RedandBlackDawg your right and if memory serves me well , at least 5 of those linemen were red shirted last year, so any freshmen will have a tough time getting a lot of playing time..with the exception perhaps of John T.

DawginLex

January 24th, 2012
2:06 pm

5150

Flyswat A Nerd is warming up in the bullpen………….

5150 UOAD

January 24th, 2012
2:10 pm

Fly Swat ain’t no M. Rivera coming out of the PEN.

Dawg Tired

January 24th, 2012
2:14 pm

Well, you must admit his explanation is clear. He can’t play for UGA because of some personal family issues, but he can play at Syracuse or Tulane? Please connect those dots for me.

Big Crimson 75

January 24th, 2012
2:17 pm

Great Point Otha……………all this whining about Saben asking Taylor to wait 1 year to enroll because the kid can’t play(no apologies) this Fall, you’d think UGA or TECH would JUMP to sign this kid & rescue him from his horrible treatment by Coach Saben.
But, why sign him & ask him to wait til next year, which is what Ga would do, when you can sit back & beeeeoootch about it.

Flo-Ri-Duh

January 24th, 2012
2:17 pm

To much is being made of this situation with Chester Brown. He is a project. No other major colleges other than UGA made him an offer. Most likely he would have been a red shirt this year and a back up in 2013. He reminds me a lot of Kenarius Gates who has played a good bit due to depth problems.

5150 UOAD

January 24th, 2012
2:20 pm

Big 75…Taylor has made it pretty clear that he is Tide Brain Washed and really wants to play at BAMA. He is risking his future on a seemingly bad decision.

Flo-Ri-Duh

January 24th, 2012
2:21 pm

Fat Crimson 75, UGA never went after Taylor when he was healthy. They have the commits they wanted at RB. Now they need Theus and Avery Young to lead the way and whip Bammer in 2013 for the SEC title. Bammer won’t win the west in 2012. That will be LSU or Arkansas. Oops! They didn’t win the west last season either did they!

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