Archive for February, 2012

WR-DB Brandon Facyson has a 3.9 GPA and plans to be a heart surgeon (AJC)

[Story posted at 10:35 p.m. Saturday]

On Saturday, Georgia Tech offered Jay Woods, a 6-3, 275-pound defensive tackle from Jackson High School.

“When I got there, they told me that Coach [Paul Johnson] needed to see me,” Woods told the AJC. “I went to his office, and [Johnson] said I like your academics, I like your film and I want to offer you a scholarship.”

“I was like ‘wow.’ I wasn’t expecting it. I really like Georgia Tech a lot, so it meant a lot to get an offer from them.”

Woods said he also has offers from Arkansas, Duke, Missouri, Louisville, Purdue and Ole Miss. He has a 3.9 GPA and plans to major in Pharmacy or Physical Therapy.

“I really don’t have any leaders right now,” Woods said. “I’m just taking anything and everything in while visiting schools. I’m looking at the options, looking at the pros and cons.”

Also, WR-DB Brandon Facyson was offered by Georgia …

Continue reading Georgia Tech offers DT Jay Woods and WR-DB Brandon Facyson »

Reuben Foster, who is ranked as the nation’s No. 2 overall football prospect, told the AJC that he’s transferring to another high school for his senior season.

The 6-foot-2, 235-pound junior linebacker is committed to Alabama but still flirting with UGA and plans to attend Junior Day with the Bulldogs on Saturday.

Foster, along with several of his high school teammates, is upset over the controversial firing of Troup High School coach Charles Flowers.

“I’m definitely gone, I’m leaving, I’m out of here,” Foster told the AJC on Wednesday night. “Coach Flowers has changed my life. He’s like a father figure. It’s just not right with what happened.”

Big news for UGA: Reuben Foster, who is committed to Alabama, plans to visit UGA for Junior Day (AJC)

Flowers was fired from Troup on Tuesday apparently over the improper transfer of at least one football player into the school district, according to the AJC’s Todd Holcomb. However, the Georgia High School …

Continue reading Reuben Foster: Alabama LB recruit to transfer after coach’s firing »

RB Keyante Green, who tried to commit to UGA a couple of weeks ago, has pledged to UCLA.

The 5-foot-9, 190-pound junior running back from Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy, picked UCLA over UGA, Georgia Tech and South Carolina. Green said that Jim Mora, the ex-Atlanta Falcons coach who is now in charge at UCLA, was a deciding factor in committing to the Bruins.

Ex-Atlanta Falcons coach Jim Mora signed two seniors from the Atlanta area earlier this month, and has two junior commitments already from the area (UCLA photo)

“I believe in Coach Mora,” Green told the AJC. “Coach Mora is a really good guy with a lot of NFL experience. I remember when he was coach of the Falcons and winning playoff games. I want to play for a guy like him. I haven’t visited UCLA yet but I could see myself playing for him. He told me he wanted me to be a Bruin.”

Green was offered by UCLA during a long conversation with Mora on Sunday. The Bruins signed two seniors from the Atlanta area …

Continue reading Keyante Greene: After trying to commit to UGA, RB pledges to UCLA »

Tyren Jones, who is ranked as the state’s No. 1 prospect at RB by some, committed to Alabama on Tuesday night.

The 5-foot-8, 192-pound junior from Walton High School picked Alabama over UGA and Clemson.

It was yet another huge recruiting victory for Alabama in the state of Georgia. The Crimson Tide only offered Jones a football scholarship last Saturday at Alabama’s “Junior Day” — three days ago.

Nick Saban is off to another blistering start with raiding elite Georgia talent for 2013 (AP)

“Yes, it was a quick turnaround,” Walton coach Rocky Hidalgo told the the AJC. “I don’t think he went over to Junior Day with the idea that if they offered, he was going to commit. He just went there and was really impressed. They’re the national champions, man. It is what it is. It’s a great opportunity for Tyren. You go to Alabama and play in front of some of the most passionate fans in the country, and you potentially have the chance to play for national championships during your 4-5 …

Continue reading Tyren Jones: Georgia’s No. 1 RB commits to Alabama over UGA and Clemson (UPDATED) »

Auburn was Jimmy Hutchinson's first scholarship offer around two weeks ago (Special)

Auburn has three football commitments for 2013, and two are from the state of Georgia.

Jimmy Hutchinson, a punter from Harrison High School, committed to Auburn during an unofficial visit to the campus on Tuesday. The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder was ranked as the No. 1 punter in the nation by one kicking academy.

“I’ve been down to Auburn twice in the last month, and this time it was just me rather than 40-50 other juniors running around,” Hutchinson told the AJC. “I got to meet the coaches up close and personal, and spend some time with them.

“I decided to commit because everything feels right about Auburn. It’s close to home, I love the atmosphere, and I love the football tradition. I told coach [Gene Chizik] that I was committing and he said I made his day.”

Hutchinson averaged 41 yards per punt as a junior at Harrison. Auburn offered around two weeks ago and was his first and only …

Continue reading Georgia football star commits to Auburn »

Lane Kiffin hadn’t coached at Tennessee for two years, but was taking the blame for anything and everything wrong with the Volunteers until a shocking event last November.

What event was that? It was Tennessee’s first loss to Kentucky in 26 years, with Kentucky being led to a 10-7 win by a converted wide receiver who hadn’t played quarterback since high school.

It was after that signature loss that some Tennessee fans finally let Lane Kiffin off the hook, or at least let Derek Dooley join him in the blame game.

While Lane Kiffin's former team, Tennessee, lost to Kentucky for the first time in 26 years to end last season, his new team, USC, is ranked No. 1 in the nation for next season in one ESPN poll (AP photo/Damian Dovarganes)

“Are you sure I didn’t get blamed for the Kentucky game? I’m sure somebody somewhere blamed me for that,” Kiffin told the AJC with a laugh.

“After we left two years ago, and I don’t remember the timeline, there were some floods in …

Continue reading Lane Kiffin gets a good laugh about Tennessee’s “blame game” »

There may not be another recruiting topic that gets UGA and Georgia Tech fans fired up as “what commitment means” and related issues.

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This year, Georgia Tech had two longtime commitments (both pledged since last summer) abruptly decide to take recruiting trips on the final weekend before signing day. Although neither ended up having their Georgia Tech scholarship offers withdrawn, the Yellow Jackets lost both with OL Will Adams signing with Auburn and DB Antonio Crawford going to Miami.

When things like that happen, it’s a complicated, baffling, heart-breaking, sometimes understanding, sometimes disappointing, and all-too-common in the modern era of recruiting.

We asked about a hot-button issue to both UGA’s Mark Richt and Georgia Tech’s Paul Johnson: If a recruit has been …

Continue reading Mark Richt vs. Paul Johnson on controversial “commitment” issue »

Avery Young’s high school coach told the AJC he was not part of a “package deal” that went wrong. Or part of any type of package deal with the 5-star OL prospect who broke UGA’s heart when he picked Auburn on signing day.

A few eyebrows were raised in recruiting circles when Chris Davis, Young’s high school coach from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., was recently named as the new head football coach at Cedar Shoals High School – which is located in Athens and only a few miles away from UGA’s campus.

OL Avery Young was "the biggest fish that got away" from UGA. Young signed with Auburn, with Florida as runner-up (247sports)

With Young as the “big fish that got away” from UGA, some have wondered if there was a connection between the two events: Did UGA put in a good word for Avery’s high school coach to get the local job with the hopes that his 5-star recruit may follow? And why would the coach want to leave what some would consider a “dream job” along the Florida …

Continue reading Avery Young’s coach: Not part of “package deal” with 5-star OL »

Alabama’s Nick Saban is considered by some to be the “hardest working man” in the recruiting biz.

The postmaster of Tuscaloosa, Ala., might be next after Nick.

Alabama made national headlines when it mailed 105 recruiting letters in a day to a running back from Atlanta this week, Norcross High School junior Alvin Kamara.

Usually, Saban puts stamps on only about 4-6 letters per day to Kamara.

“Yeah, I got home and they were failing out of my mailbox,” Kamara said. “It was crazy but I liked it.”

Atlanta RB Alvin Kamara holds his bouquet of 105 Alabama recruiting letters in ONE DAY — while wearing shorts with UGA logo (Photo courtesy of Kamara family)

It was yet another creative and innovative recruiting tactic by Saban, who finished with the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class for 2012 earlier this month.

What’s really amazing about Alabama’s 105-letter bombardment to Kamara is that – while he has yet to finish opening them all up – none of dozens he has …

Continue reading Alabama’s Nick Saban mails 105 recruiting letters in ONE DAY to Atlanta RB »

UGA has offered Max Garcia, the offensive lineman who was granted his release and permission to transfer from Maryland earlier this week.

Garcia, who stands 6-foot-4 ½ and 310 pounds, is an NFL prospect who started all 12 games at left offensive tackle as a sophomore this past season at Maryland.

UGA will have some stiff competition from the Florida Gators for Garcia, who has also been offered by Auburn and Ole Miss. The former Norcross High School standout is also being evaluated by Alabama and South Carolina.

UGA's Mark Richt urgently needs OL depth and would love to add a transfer that is an NFL prospect (AJC

“Georgia thinks he’s real athletic, and they love his versatility in that he can play inside or outside on the offensive line,” Norcross assistant Reggie Stancil told the AJC. “They got a chance to watch his film. I think it was Maryland’s game against Georgia Tech. Coach Bobo, Coach Friend, and Coach Mark Richt watched it and they liked. Of course, after …

Continue reading Max Garcia: UGA offers football scholarship to OL transfer »