Archive for the ‘Big Story’ Category

Alvin Kamara, who is one of UGA’s top remaining targets for 2013, said he will likely save his final official visit for Alabama.

Alabama and UGA are the co-leaders for the speedy running back from Norcross High School who also has Oregon in the mix.

Nick Saban could get a 4th commitment at RB if Alabama lands the AJC's Mr. Georgia Football (Special)

Kamara was a guest speaker the RisingSeniors.com banquet on Thursday night, along with two other alums from the junior all-star game — Milton High School DE Carl Lawson (committed to Auburn) and Alpharetta High School QB Joshua Dobbs (committed to Arizona State).

Kamara has a tight friendship with Alabama assistant Kirby Smart. He said that Smart had requested his final official visit and “I’ll probably do that.”

(Note: It’s this close relationship with Smart that caused 247sports.com’s Rusty Mansell to project Kamara to sign with Alabama over UGA)

Despite signing day less than five weeks away, Kamara has yet to set the dates for …

Continue reading UGA target will likely save last visit for … Alabama »

A rarely-used SEC document may have helped Alabama land the nation’s No. 1-ranked offensive tackle out of prep school.

On Tuesday, Brandon Hill of Virginia’s Hargrave Military prep school announced that he was flipping from Ole Miss to Alabama.

It was under unique circumstances:

Ole Miss was ordered to stop recruiting Hill by its compliance office after it was revealed he had signed an SEC financial aid agreement with Alabama earlier this month, according to the Clarion-Ledger’s Hugh Kellenberger — and that was when Hill was still committed to Ole Miss.

The website also reported that Hill may have not realized what he was doing when he signed off on the papers.

Alabama will likely contend for yet another No. 1-ranked recruiting class (AP)

There are three things commonly signed by prospective student-athletes headed to the SEC: A national letter of intent (which binds the PSA to a specific institution), a financial aid agreement with the specific institution (which binds …

Continue reading Alabama secures top recruit with SEC document (UPDATED) »

Pretend you’re sitting on Santa’s lap.

If there’s one prospect that could wish for … for your favorite college football team, who would it be?

Post the prospect’s name and college team below, i.e. Robert Nkemdiche for Ole Miss. Or for Alabama, LSU, Clemson or whomever.

Just to make things interesting, we’ll only allow Santa wishes for uncommitted prospects, even though some of the committed prospects will surely waver over the next five weeks.

If you’re UGA, who do you put atop your wishlist?

Some would think the top priority would be 5-star LT Laremy Tunsil. That would give UGA Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall as tailbacks, with Tunsil and John Theus at tackles for the next few years. Some would ask Santa for 5-star DT Montravius Adams with the Bulldogs being wiped out on defense next year due to graduation and early NFL departures. Or there’s RB Alvin Kamara.

If you’re Georgia Tech, this class could be full already but the Yellow Jackets will likely add one or two more …

Continue reading Which football recruit is on your Christmas wishlist? »

Last year, the SEC passed new rules on “over-signing,” including an annual 25-man limit for conference teams.

This year, UGA coach Mark Richt told the AJC that he expects to finish with a recruiting class of between 30-35 players. The Bulldogs already have 30 commitments for 2013, with at least a couple of more targets on both sides of the ball.

How can that be? How can UGA sign 30-35 if there’s a new rule with a 25-man limit?

“Early enrollees.”

Both UGA and Alabama will take advantage of the SEC's loophole in its over-signing rules, especially the Bulldogs, which could finish with a super-sized class of 35 (AP)

The recruiting term will soon, if it’s not already, be as famous as over-signing, which is defined as a college team signing more recruits than they have scholarships available. Over-signing was made famous by coaches like Houston Nutt and Nick Saban.

Early enrollees is the loophole when the SEC talked tough and passed the over-signing rules last year. What …

Continue reading How can UGA sign 30-35 recruits under the SEC’s new over-signing rules? »

UGA’s recruiting coordinator, Rodney Garner, was hired by Auburn on Thursday night.

How much will Garner’s departure affect the Bulldogs with recruiting?

It’s too soon to tell — but probably not as much as one would think.

Garner was considered one of the best recruiters in the business 10 years ago, but his impact with the team’s current recruiting class was limited, especially after the Bulldogs hired Daryl Jones as Director of On-Campus Recruiting. Mike Bobo and Todd Grantham are considered the team’s premier recruiters. Garner’s loss will likely be felt more as the team’s defensive line coach as he guided a steady flow of Bulldogs into prosperous NFL careers.

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If there is any impact with loss of Garner, it will be with UGA’s defensive line targets – since Garner coached the position with the Bulldogs.

Georgia …

Continue reading Who will UGA hire as its next recruiting coordinator? »

Mark Richt will have his best shot at 5-star Montravius Adams on Jan. 25 (AP)

Montravius Adams, who is ranked as the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect by 247sports, will take one of his last recruiting trips before signing day to UGA.

The 6-foot-3, 300-pound defensive tackle from Dooly County High School has selected four of his five official visits, according to his coach Jimmy Hughes. Adams will go to:

• Florida after the Under Armour game on Jan. 6
• Clemson on Jan. 11
• Alabama on Jan. 18
• UGA on Jan. 25
• TBA for Feb. 1

What about UGA? “My mom really likes Georgia, and they’re my hometown school,” Adams told the AJC on Wednesday. “I really like the coaches. I know their coaches aren’t about to leave. Their coaches are stable, which means they don’t leave a lot, like some of the other schools. Also, at Georgia, you can get a great education.”

Adams was also asked about a Dawg247 report that Rodney Garner, who is both UGA’s recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach, is a …

Continue reading 5-star DT Montravius Adams will visit UGA on Jan. 25 »

Georgia State beat out some of the big boys for Kight Dallas, who was committed to South Carolina until last week.

The 6-foot-2, 228-pounder linebacker from Stephenson High School pledged to Georgia State on Tuesday. Dallas also claims current offers from Purdue, Cal, Arkansas and Troy.

“Really, the reason I had picked South Carolina before is because it was close to home,” Dallas said. “Georgia State is close to home, too. They did a great job of recruiting me, and they really wanted me.”

What about turning down bigger schools to play at Georgia State? “Hey, hopefully this will change some other people’s minds. I think Georgia State can be something big, and I can be part of something new.”

Dallas committed to South Carolina last April but officially parted ways with the Gamecocks last week. South Carolina defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward withdrew the scholarship offer after scouting Dallas in a “performance-based decision,” according to Palmetto …

Continue reading Georgia State beats out some big boys for ex-South Carolina LB commit »

UGA got some bad recruiting news on Saturday.

Tramel Terry, one of the team’s top commitments for 2013, suffered a serious knee injury on the first play of Saturday’s Shrine Bowl all-star game between the top high school football players in South Carolina and North Carolina.

Terry, the RB-WR from Goose Creek (S.C.) High School, may have torn his ACL, according to ESPN’s Miller Safrit.

Really praying my knee is good find out monday good thing is it doesnt hurt at all thanks to everyone who gave me a s/o love yal

— Tramel Terry⚡ (@TeamTDterry_GC) December 15, 2012

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Terry is an early high school graduate and will enroll at UGA next month, but his status for spring practice is unknown due to rehabilitation from the injury. Terry was expected to contribute immediately as a backup running back and slot wide receiver.

It was heart-breaking news for Terry, who had twice committed to UGA and decided a few weeks ago that he would go ahead and stick with …

Continue reading Some bad news for UGA »

UGA’s biggest recruiting weekend of the year kicks off on Friday.

At least 17 prospects are scheduled to take official visits with the Bulldogs this weekend. Nearly all of the visitors have already pledged to UGA, but there is a top uncommitted prospect in town – defensive tackle Toby Johnson of Hutchinson junior college.

UGA has a big weekend (AJC)

The 6-foot-5, 310-pound Johnson is one of Georgia’s top remaining priorities. He is a former standout at Banneker High School and ranked as the nation’s No. 2 prospect out of junior college by 247sports. Johnson has only taken recruiting trips to Oklahoma and Georgia, but has another visit scheduled for Missouri next month.

“I don’t know exactly when I’m going to commit,” Johnson said. “But whenever it feels right, I’m going to go ahead and do it.”

Earlier this week, Johnson underwent knee surgery for a torn ACL and MCL. He hopes to play next season, but has a redshirt season available just in case he isn’t …

Continue reading UGA kicks off biggest recruiting weekend of year »

Believe it or not, the morning after the gut-wrenching loss in the SEC Championship, Mark Richt and two assistants hit the road to recruit. They made an in-home visit with OL Josh Cardiello (second from left) of Buford HS. (Note: Photo was owned and submitted by the Cardiello family. It was not arranged, publicized or distributed by UGA)

Where was Mark Richt the day after the SEC Championship game?

The UGA coach was busy recruiting.

Last Sunday, one day after the heartbreaking last-second loss to Alabama, Richt and two assistant coaches made an in-home visit with Josh Cardiello, an offensive lineman who is committed to the Bulldogs.

“That was crazy, that he was here the next day after a huge game like that,” said Cardiello, a 6-foot-3, 280-pound senior from Buford High School.

“For Coach Richt to come to my house after that, it really meant a lot.”

Richt, accompanied by offensive line coach Will Friend and running backs coach Bryan McClendon (who recruits Gwinnett …

Continue reading Guess where Mark Richt was the day after the SEC Championship? »