Archive for the ‘Georgia’ Category

I’ve had a few recruiting discussions with UGA basketball coach Mark Fox over the last couple of years. But none was as spirited as this week’s talk.

UGA's Mark Fox: "Coaches can’t move around freely. Coaches are bound by buyout agreements …" (AJC)

The topic was restrictions on transfer players, which has suddenly transformed into a hotly-debated topic in college athletics.

For the record, Fox is what transfer players consider “one of the good guys.” He has an “open release” policy, allowing his players to go anywhere they want, even an SEC foe or archrival Georgia Tech.

That’s where we will pick up the conversation.

• So why would you let one of your players freely transfer to another SEC school? What if he comes back and helps beat you? “I think as coaches, as long as there hasn’t been tampering, I don’t see why you should preclude a kid on going somewhere where they can pursue their lifelong goals. I don’t think, in those situations, that there’s …

Continue reading A spirited conversation with UGA’s Mark Fox about transfer controversy »

Tony Parker's 57-minute commitment ceremony stirred up a lot of national buzz (AJC)

The kid who was UGA’s “Plan B” to Tony Parker kept checking on his cell phone for updates on Monday.

And checking.

And checking again.

And checking a few more times.

Finally at the conclusion of Parker’s infamous 57-minute commitment ceremony in which he ripped off his jacket to reveal a UCLA t-shirt, the “Plan B” could go into effect. Houston Kessler, whose father and late uncle played basketball for UGA, signed with Bulldogs on Tuesday night and faxed in the paperwork on Wednesday.

By the way, did you see the column by ESPN’s Grantland.com which had a humorous reflection and recap of Parker’s ceremony? Click here to read.

Back to Kessler: After losing some sleep over the last week while pondering his future, he could finally celebrate when Parker picked up the UGA baseball cap and quickly put it back down during Monday’s “The Decision II.”

“I was anxious, and probably …

Continue reading More Tony Parker fallout … and UGA’s “Plan B” recruit »

The AJC's Mr. Basketball is UCLA bound (AJC photo/Curtis Compton)

UCLA’s decision to hire a longtime Atlanta AAU coach has paid huge and immediate dividends with recruiting.

Tony Parker, the basketball star from Miller Grove High School who is ranked as one of the nation’s top 25 overall prospects, picked UCLA over UGA and Ohio State among his finalists, which also included Duke, Kansas and Memphis. Last summer, UCLA hired one of Parker’s former AAU coaches as an assistant.

At the end of Monday’s 57-minute commitment ceremony, Parker briefly toyed around with baseball caps from Georgia and Ohio State before revealing a t-shirt with the UCLA logo on it.

“I just wanted to go to a place with a winning tradition,” Parker said.

At UCLA, Parker will also be going to place with a familiar face. Last June, the Bruins hired Korey McCray, the former CEO of the Atlantic Celtics AAU team. While Parker has played primarily for the Georgia Stars AAU team over the years, he …

Continue reading Tony Parker: Basketball star picks UCLA over UGA, others (UPDATED) »

OL transfer Max Garcia said "Gator Nation" over UGA, others (Photo courtesy of Maryland)

Maryland OL transfer Max Garcia committed to Florida over UGA, USC, Wisconsin and Ole Miss on Saturday.

“Gator Nation,” Garcia said in a text message to the AJC.

On Twitter, Garcia wrote, “Once a Terp always a Terp, but it is a great day to be a Florida Gator!! #GatorNation.”

The decision for Florida was a mild surprise for UGA fans because Garcia had listed the Bulldogs as the frontrunner – ahead of the Gators – at the beginning of the recruiting process.

The 6-foot-4, 310-pound Garcia started all 12 games as Maryland’s left offensive tackle last season but decided to transfer in order to play closer to his home. Garcia, who graduated from Norcross High School, was granted a release from Maryland in February and took visits to all five of his finalists over the last couple of months.

Garcia will have  to sit out next season due to NCAA transfer rules and then have two years …

Continue reading Max Garcia: OL transfer picks Florida over UGA, others »

UGA's Mark Richt gives the congratulatory "commitment hug" in this picture tweeted by Sandy Creek WR Demarre Kitt

UGA coach Mark Richt is excited about the team’s blistering start in recruiting for the next two years.

At Saturday’s G-Day game, the Bulldogs added two more commitments:

• Reggie Wilkerson, a DB from Citron, Fla, picked UGA over South Florida and Clemson to become commitment No. 15 for the Class of 2013, which now has a total of five players that may get a look at cornerback.
• Sandy Creek WR Demarre Kitt committed to UGA over Clemson to become commitment No. 3 for the Class of 2014.

Overall, UGA, which signed 19 recruits last February, already had 18 prospects committed for the next two seasons.

After the G-Day game, Richt couldn’t talk about any specific commitments due to NCAA rules. But he was obviously happy with the overall early results of recruiting.

“I know, I think it’s a good thing  — there’s a lot of people really interested in the Dawgs,” …

Continue reading Mark Richt on UGA’s hot recruiting start: “It’s a good thing” »

UGA picked up commitment No.15 at Saturday’s G-Day.

DB Reggie Wilkerson, a 6-foot, 175-pounder from Citron, Fla., committed to UGA over South Florida and Clemson.

“I picked Georgia because it feels like family,” Wilkerson told the AJC. “I have great chemistry with the coaches and I’ve bonded well with the players.

“It feels like home to me. I feel this is a place where I can come in and compete for the starting job on first day.”

UGA is off to a blistering start for its 2013 recruiting class with 15 commitments, including five players who may get a look at cornerback — Shaq Wiggins, Steven Nelson, JJ Green and Tramel Terry.

Earlier on Saturday, UGA got a commitment from Sandy Creek WR Demarre Kitt, who is a high school sophomore.

UGA commits for 2013

1. RB Derrick Henry, 6-3, 241, Yulee, Fla.
2. QB Brice Ramsey, 6-3, 190, Camden County HS
3. S Tray Matthews, 6-2, 205, Newnan HS
4. DB Shaq Wiggins, 5-10, 160, Sandy Creek HS
5. DB Steven Nelson, 6-0, 185, College of Sequoias JC (Northside-WR …

Continue reading Reggie Wilkerson: Florida DB is commit No. 15 for UGA »

UGA-bound WR Demarre Kitt

One of Georgia’s top football players for 2014 committed to UGA on Saturday.

WR Demarre Kitt, a 6-foot, 190-pounder from Sandy Creek High School, said he picked UGA over Clemson among his dozen scholarship offers, which also included Florida and Auburn.

“Georgia is the place I want to be, it feels like home, and I love everything about it,” Kitt told the AJC.

Kitt is UGA’s third commit for 2014, joining RB Stanley Williams of George Walton Academy and DB Nick Glass of St. Pius. Kitt and Glass are best friends.

“Nick is committed to Georgia, and that helped a little with my decision,” Kitt said.

UGA has 14 commits for 2013, including Kitt’s teammate at Sandy Creek, DB Shaq Wiggins.

Sandy Creek is the alma mater of NFL Pro Bowler Calvin Johnson, along with the state’s No. 1 prospect at WR for 2012, JaQuay Williams, who signed with Auburn.

NEWS FROM THE WEEKEND

• Florida DB is commit No. 15 for UGA’s 2013 class
• Tony Parker DENIES rumors …

Continue reading WR Demarre Kitt commits to UGA over Clemson »

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Max Garcia, one of the nation’s most heavily-recruited football transfers, told the AJC that this weekend’s visit to Wisconsin will be his last trip, and he’ll announce his college choice within the next couple of weeks.

“It will be before May,” Garcia said.

The 6-foot-4, 310-pound offensive lineman has Wisconsin among his five finalists, which also include UGA, Florida, Ole Miss and USC. He has taken recruiting trips to all five. UGA was once listed by Garcia as his frontrunner, but now he claims no favorites. However, the Bulldogs are still considered the school to beat because of the close proximity to Garcia’s family in the Atlanta area. Garcia ranked his official visit to UGA “between a 9 and 10.”

OL transfer Max Garcia (UM)

Garcia was granted permission to transfer from Maryland earlier this spring because he wanted to play closer to home. Garcia started all 12 …

Continue reading Max Garcia: UGA target “close” to making decision »

UGA is off to a torrid start with its 2013 football recruiting class.

The Bulldogs already have 14 commits for next year, and could add another one soon with this guy.

How fast is UGA’s pace? To put it into context, with this year’s class (2012), the Bulldogs didn’t get No. 14 until QB Faton Bauta pledged last November, around 2.5 months before signing day.

With next year’s class, UGA already has 14 and signing day is around nine months away.

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UGA commits for 2013

1. RB Derrick Henry, 6-3, 241, Yulee, Fla.
2. QB Brice Ramsey, 6-3, 190, Camden County HS
3. S Tray Matthews, 6-2, 205, Newnan HS
4. DB Shaq Wiggins, 5-10, 160, Sandy Creek HS
5. DB Steven Nelson, 6-0, 185, College of Sequoias JC (Northside-WR HS)
6. DT Chris Mayes, 6-4, 295, Mississippi Gulf Coast JC (Spalding HS)
7. DT DeAndre “Moose” Johnson, 6-3, 311, Northgate HS
8. WR Tramel Terry, 6-0, 185, Goose Creek (S.C.)
9. LB Johnny O’Neal, 6-1, 230, West Laurens HS
10. WR Kyrin Priester, 6-2, 185, …

Continue reading VIDEO: What about UGA’s blistering start in football recruiting? »

Where will Tony Parker sign today?

It’s unlikely that he will sign anywhere on Wednesday – the opening day of the NCAA’s late signing period, which runs until May 16.

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Parker, one of the nation’s top uncommitted basketball prospects, has seven schools as his finalists: Duke, UGA, Kansas, UCLA, Ohio State, Georgetown and Memphis.

Tonight at 7:30 p.m., Parker is scheduled to appear on a signing-day show on ESPNU but he will likely just discuss his finalists rather than sign any papers.

The 6-foot-9, 280-pounder has remained poker-faced throughout the recruiting process, rarely revealing any hints. One noted basketball recruiting analyst said that he’s never been “more at a loss” with predicting Parker’s final resting place for college basketball.

We’re going to take our best shot at where we think …

Continue reading Where will Tony Parker sign? Duke? UGA? Kansas? UCLA? (UPDATED) »