Archive for the ‘Blog News’ Category

Auburn has now lost seven football recruits since Gene Chizik was fired.

AJ Jackson, a 6-foot-6 tight end from Lovejoy High School, de-committed from Auburn on Tuesday. Jackson had been pledged to the Tigers since last May.

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“I just wanted to let you know that I de-committed from Auburn … and keep my options open until I take my visits and see who has the best interest in me,” Jackson told the AJC.

Jackson is the seventh overall recruit that Auburn has lost since the coaching change – and fifth from the state of Georgia. The others:

• Ja’Quay Williams: The former Sandy Creek WR is now headed to play with Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel at Texas A&M.
• Jarrad Davis: The Camden County LB flipped to Florida this past weekend.
• Trey Johnson: The Central Gwinnett LB is rumored to have Ohio State as his frontrunner, and he will also visit Penn State, Florida, USC and …

Continue reading Auburn loses 7th football recruit since Chizik firing »

Onetime UGA and Georgia Tech OL target, Delando Crooks, committed to Vanderbilt on Sunday night.

The 6-foot-5, 272-pound offensive tackle from Carver-Atlanta High School picked Vanderbilt over North Carolina and Purdue. Crooks is ranked as a consensus 3-star recruit.

Vanderbilt landed one of Georgia's top offensive lineman (AP)

“Vanderbilt has always been high on his list,” his uncle, Troy Vaccianna, told the AJC. “He has been to North Carolina and Purdue. They are both pretty good programs … but there was a comfort level with Vanderbilt from day one.”

Crooks decided to go ahead and commit to Vanderbilt before taking an official visit with the Commodores. However, he had checked out the SEC East twice — last summer and then again for the emotional win over Tennessee.

“He’s going on vacation to Jamaica on Monday, and he wanted to go ahead and get it over with,” his uncle said. “That way, he could enjoy his vacation without thinking about football. He’s in a good place with …

Continue reading Onetime UGA and Georgia Tech OL target … headed to SEC rival »

5-star LB Reuben Foster said his daughter's care and concerns will affect his impending college decision (AJC)

Published at 1 p.m. Friday

One thing that makes college football recruiting so entertaining to follow is that it’s always full of surprises. They’re never-ending.

Reuben Foster, the 5-star linebacker who is being targeted by UGA, turned some heads when he said that a good daycare program and good babysitters would affect his college decision, reported ESPN.com’s Kipp Adams (click for story).

Foster, who de-committed from Auburn last week, has a 3-year old daughter named A’Ziya Blackmon. In trying to be a good father, Foster said his daughter’s care and concerns will impact his college decision:

“The school I pick has to have a good daycare program and good babysitters in case she wants to spend the night with me and I have football,” Foster told ESPN. “They coaches have to have a good bond with her too. My little girl has to like them and she knows who she likes. …

Continue reading Babysitter and children’s daycare will impact decision of UGA target Reuben Foster »

Alabama is one of several colleges taking a look at RB Travis Custis, who is committed to Georgia Tech.

The 6-foot, 205-pounder from Lovejoy High School has had a breakout senior season: Custis has rushed for 2,058 yards and 35 touchdowns while leading Lovejoy to the state championship game for the second year in a row.

Nick Saban (AP)

How good is Custis? His coach says he is better than Tashard Choice, the former Lovejoy RB who starred at Georgia Tech and now plays for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.

“We’ve had a lot of good football players at Lovejoy High School, and (Custis) is the best one we’ve had,” Lovejoy’s Al Hughes said. “He broke all of Tashard’s (rushing) records last year, and he’s working on his own records this year.”

How does Custis compare to Tashard? “He’s a better football player overall. First of all he’s bigger and faster. Statistically, he’s broken all of Tashard’s records.”

Like with any elite prospect, Custis will be recruited by other colleges until …

Continue reading Georgia Tech RB commit Travis Custis collects accolades »

Should UGA hire Trooper Taylor to land 5-star linebacker Reuben Foster?

Trooper Taylor (left) famously "chest-bumped" President Obama when Auburn visited the White House (AP)

Foster floated that idea on Tuesday to ESPN’s Kipp Adams:

“I would say Georgia’s chances of getting me are somewhat dependent on Trooper Taylor being there too,” Foster said. “He told me that he did not want to cause me to change where I want to be because of him, but I told him not to worry about that.”

Trooper Taylor is the assistant who lured Foster to Auburn this past year. His future with Auburn is unknown after Tuesday’s hiring of Gus Malzahn as head coach.

Trooper has become a father figure and mentor to Foster, who transferred from Troup High School to Alabama’s Auburn High School for his senior year. Trooper basically has unlimited access to Foster – perfectly legal under NCAA rules – because his son plays on the same high school football team with Reuben, and they’re close friends.

Foster …

Continue reading Should UGA hire Trooper Taylor to get 5-star LB Reuben Foster? »

For the second year in a row, UGA just missed out on Ja’Quay Williams.

The former Sandy Creek High School standout committed to Texas A&M over UGA and South Carolina on Sunday night.

At least two more years of Heisman Trophy candidate Johnny Manziel at Texas A&M is an attraction for WR prospects (AP)

Williams is a 6-foot-3, 200-pound wide receiver who signed with Auburn over UGA last year but did not meet NCAA entrance requirements. Williams is attending prep school this semester and hopes to enroll at Texas A&M in January.

“I would like to thank all the schools which have been in contact with me, and I would like to thank coach (Chip Walker) at Sandy Creek …,” Williams said in a statement. “The last 12 months have seen many ups and downs and, at least, it came down to Georgia, Auburn, South Carolina and Texas A&M I have great respect for all of these programs and their coaching staffs, to include Auburn, which I had been committed to for so long. Auburn is a special …

Continue reading WR Ja’Quay Williams picks Texas A&M over UGA (UPDATED) »

One of UGA’s top commitments at defensive back has set up his official visits to other schools.

Two of them are UGA’s biggest SEC East rivals.

UGA has several 2013 commits that say they will take official visits to other schools (AJC)

Shaq Wiggins, who has been pledged to UGA for nearly a year, will take recruiting trips to UGA next weekend, South Carolina on Jan. 11, Florida on Jan. 18, and Ole Miss on Jan. 25.

“Decision time is coming and things are getting REAL,” Wiggins said in a text message to the AJC.

When asked about the status of his UGA commitment, Wiggins replied, “Still committed.”

The 5-foot-9, 160-pounder is a little smaller than the cornerbacks that UGA defensive coordinator Todd Grantham traditionally recruits. However, Wiggins makes up for it with his athleticism and aggressive style of play. Wiggins is ranked as the nation’s No. 87 overall prospect by ESPN.

“I think this whole thing about size is a little overrated,” Sandy Creek coach Chip Walker said. “If …

Continue reading It’s OFFICIAL: Longtime UGA recruit will visit South Carolina and Florida »

Robert Nkemdiche and his brother hug after the Ole Miss win over Mississippi State (Twitter)

Robert Nkemdiche’s stellar football career at Grayson High School ended up on Friday night.

His recruiting journey may soon be finished as well.

Two weeks ago, the nation’s undisputed No. 1 overall college football prospect de-committed from Clemson.

On Saturday night, Nkemdiche made an unofficial visit to watch Ole Miss, where his brother is a freshman linebacker. After the game, Denzel Nkemdiche was asked by reporters about what his heralded younger brother thought about the Ole Miss win over Mississippi State and the environment for the game:

“Robert told me personally, I don’t know if I’m supposed to say it, but he told me he’s committing in two weeks,” Denzel Nkemdiche told reporters (on Saturday night). “That’s just the honest truth. That’s what he told me and he wouldn’t lie to his brother.” (Click here to read rest of blog by the Clarion-Ledger’s John Talty)

Denzel did not …

Continue reading Robert Nkemdiche will commit in two weeks, says brother »

UGA commits Brendan Langley (left) and Quincy Mauger of Kell High School (AJC)

Longtime UGA football recruit Tray Matthews predicted a commitment for the Bulldogs on Tuesday.

He was right.

Brendan Langley, a highly-regarded cornerback from Kell High School, told the AJC he committed to UGA on Tuesday after backing off his pledge to South Carolina earlier in the day.

“There’s no place like home,” Langley said in a text message.

Langley is a 6-foot-1, 190-pounder who has the height that UGA defensive coordinator Todd Grantham covets at the corner position. Langley is a consensus 4-star and considered by some to be the state’s No. 1 prospect at cornerback.

UGA now has 28 commitments for its 2013 class, including six that will play either cornerback or safety – two positions of need because the Bulldogs will suffer heavy losses at both after this season due to graduation.

Langley has had a hot-cold recruiting relationship with UGA, which was the first school to offer him a …

Continue reading State’s No. 1 DB flips from South Carolina to UGA »

No. 1 JC prospect Toby Johnson might visit UGA this weekend (247sports)

Tennessee’s firing of Derek Dooley could help UGA’s chances of landing the nation’s No. 1-ranked prospect out of junior college.

Tennessee and UGA have been considered the frontrunners for Toby Johnson, a 5-star defensive tackle from Hutchinson junior college in Kansas. Johnson hasn’t officially named any leaders.

The 6-foot-5, 310-pounder from Atlanta’s Banneker High School was unsure how Dooley’s termination would affect his long-term relations with Rocky Top.

“I don’t really know what’s going on at Tennessee, but if they keep everybody else at Tennessee on the coaching staff …” Johnson told the AJC on Sunday night.

“I know about the Derek Dooley situation. That really doesn’t have anything to do with my decision or anything, unless Coach Staley doesn’t stay there. It just depends on who all stays and things like that.

“But I haven’t counted Tennessee out.”

Coach Staley is Brandon Staley, Johnson’s …

Continue reading UGA’s chances with 5-star DT could improve after Derek Dooley’s firing »