AD Evans wants Dogs to kick off a season in Georgia Dome
Georgia athletics director Damon Evans said Monday night that he wants the Bulldogs to open a football season in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at the Georgia Dome at some point.
“It’s something I’m definitely interested in,” Evans said on UGA’s “Bulldog Hotline” radio show, “and I think that Mark [Richt] has some interest in it as well.
“It’s one of those things where [it's difficult] trying to get it to fit the schedule [and] trying to find the appropriate team to play in that particular game, but we’ll get it in at some point in time. And I think it’ll be exciting for us, because it’ll be sort of like a home game, playing in our state.”
Evans said he’s aware of how the Kickoff game has benefited Alabama, which has opened the past two seasons at the Georgia Dome –- vs. Virginia Tech in 2009 and Clemson in 2008.
“Atlanta is fertile recruiting ground, and [the game] gives [Alabama] an opportunity to bring their program in once a year so people in the state of Georgia can see Alabama up close and personal,” he said.
UGA last year rejected overtures to move an occasional Georgia-Florida game or one Georgia-Georgia Tech game to the Georgia Dome. But Evans favors, at least in theory, a season-opening game at the Dome against a non-conference opponen that doesn’t typically appear on the Bulldogs’ schedule.
The game would be in lieu of a road game; it would not replace a home game on UGA’s schedule. The opponent might come from the ACC, given that the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game so far has featured an SEC team vs. an ACC team in each matchup.
LSU and North Carolina are scheduled to play in this year’s game. Tennessee and N.C. State are committed for the 2012 game.
But the Kickoff folks also have talked with programs from around the country about playing in Atlanta.
Evans chatted with voice-of-the-Dogs Scott Howard for about 90 minutes on the final “Bulldog Hotline” show until the fall:
- Aside from the Georgia Dome possibility, Evans said UGA, which has played six home games each of the past two seasons and will do so again this year, “may look at adding another home game in the future to bring it up to seven home games” some years.
- Asked what he wants to accomplish in the year ahead, Evans said: “I know everybody wants to hear this. I’m going to do all I can from my chair to get our football program back to the level that people are used to, and I have no doubt that will happen. I have utmost confidence in Coach Richt to continue to do the things that he’s always done and … position us to compete for championships. And I want to see us grow our basketball program on the men’s side, to make some improvements from this year and get that program to consistently getting in the NCAA tournament. And I think next year is a big step forward for us.”
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193 comments Add your comment
Ray Goof
March 16th, 2010
2:40 pm
Desperate times call for desperate measures… and that is what UGA has ascended to DESPERATE
CLEMPSUN you say??
March 16th, 2010
2:40 pm
Hey Steve, shut your YAP
Charles
March 16th, 2010
2:41 pm
To the folks who have never watched the Lady Dogs or don’t know Andy Landers from Ann– you show great ignorance making comments like I have seen. Ask true lady athletes like Teresa Edwards (Five time Olympian) if Andy can coach and relate to today’s female athletes. Have seen him go off on many a player who understands what our “fans” obviously don’t. Some of us give UGA fans the bad image we deserve sometimes.
Harry
March 16th, 2010
2:44 pm
UGA is still 2-3 years away from the NIT
egeagle
March 16th, 2010
2:56 pm
About the only problem anyone can find with Andy Landers is that he is a white male. His career is outstanding, but having PHS at UT hss kept his record from being even more impressive
Soutnerners are the only group left for whom there is no limit to the bigotry and deerision thrust upon them. We’re here to be the nation’s whipping boys and girls. Agricultural economies cannot compete against industrialized economies. Economics were the cause of that war. Slave ships (mostly from New England)brought slaves that were BOUGHT or traded for FROM AFRICANS, and slavery still exists there today.
That all-Georgia tripleheader in the Dome sounds cool.
And Dawghaters, UGA’s status is proven by your ceaseless efforts to run it down.
Sonny
March 16th, 2010
3:10 pm
LOWNDES COUNTY: Since you are a self-proclaimed high school dropout, it is apparent that you never took a basic typing class. Otherwise, you would be able to disengage the “Caps Lock” key on your keyboard.
Also, I hail from Perry, GA and am proud to be a Bulldog.
Chester Lakomski
March 16th, 2010
3:18 pm
In the early ’70s They used to play a pre-season NFL double-header at the old Cleveland Stadium. I seem to remember the Steelers playing the Jets, followed by the Browns playing the Giants. The details are somewhat fuzzy, due to the ravages of time, and the massive amount of Stroh’s beer that I consumed that day!
Sweet Home Alabama
March 16th, 2010
3:20 pm
Hey ……….. um, ah Sweet Home ,I have reliable sources close to the program.Mr.Saban will be at Alabama for the remainder of his coaching days.As far as you being a Georgia fan your hole life,i can only say i am sorry.At least you werent born A NERD.
Stop being jealous of the TIDE , ITS lonely at the top.Bama Stan can you help me with this lost soul…
ROLL TIDE ROLL…………
Bamafan
March 16th, 2010
3:21 pm
Red Dog 77 @ 1:14 AM – “Wala” ?? One has to love it – all you Georgia folks putting us Alabama people down for our lack of education. Next time, try “Voila” – it’s French. The French settled Mobile – that is how we know.
And Damon Evans – with the kickoff classic in 2008 and 2009, Bama got to showcase its program TWICE each year in ATLANTA!
No To The Dome!
March 16th, 2010
3:35 pm
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
DomeDawg
March 16th, 2010
3:47 pm
UGA had better get with the program. Oherwise the following schools have or would likely jump at the chance to participate in a Dome game, to the detriment of Georgia’s recruiting in the Atlanta area:
Have or will have participated: Alabama, Va Tech, Clemson, Tennessee, UNC, NC State, LSU.
Others that would likely consider participating:
Auburn, Fla St., Florida, Ga Tech., South Carolina
LOWNDES COUNTY
March 16th, 2010
4:06 pm
Dear Sonny, I have bad eyes and caps lock is just easier for me to read. I will make every effort to make my post more grammatically correct.
Bama! putting the C.S.A. flag in a museum is fine. It’s the fact that yanks make the south sound evil write history how they want. Let the truth be told and people will move on. Dont make it out like yanks are heroes who lost their lives to free slaves. Dear Abe Lincoln, had no problem letting them hang them indians without trial to win the vote in Minnesota to win the vote did ya?(my pregnant gf just pointed out them indians is not grammaticaly correct, whoops) How is it that Abe was a hero but yet he thought “I will say, then, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races—that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this, that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I, as much as any other man, am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.”
Yanks sure left that speach out of my history book
IM TAKIN IT BACK!
South Georgia UGA Hick
March 16th, 2010
4:08 pm
Why are the Falcons considering leaving the dome?
Who would want to play there.
Our South Georgia high school teams sure don’t.
Sonny
March 16th, 2010
4:18 pm
LOWNDES COUNTY (and others): What does this Civil War diatribe have to do with getting a suitable opponent for UGA or another Southeastern team in the Dome? Any BCS Conference Athletic Director reading that nonsense would never commit to playing in the Dome. Maybe that’s the point….
76-Dawg
March 16th, 2010
4:23 pm
Lowndes County I respect your opinion about things as I do anyone in our great country, freedom of speech is everyone’s right at birth but your rant is on the wrong blog .What the hell does anything that you have to say , have anything to do with playing the kick off game for UGA FOOTBALL in the dome?
LOWNDES COUNTY
March 16th, 2010
4:23 pm
DIATRIBE? IT AINT THAT SERIOUS. AND AS SOMEONE POINTED OUT GA JUST NEEDS TO FOCUS ON ONE GAME IN THE DOME AND THATS THE SEC SHIP. LETS WIN OUR GAMES AND WELL BE ALL GOOD.
Paul in RDU
March 16th, 2010
4:26 pm
PTC DAWG @1:07 had it right.
Evans wants to play a big time school in the Ga Dome without giving up a home date??
TX won’t go for that without a return gig (maybe in TX Stadium?), neither will OU, NU, PSU, OSU, etc. Evans’ best bets are the usual ACC teams – Clemson, FSU and VT.
76-Dawg
March 16th, 2010
4:28 pm
Sorry Sonny I had typed a few line and left my computer for a few minutes and came back to finish without readind your statement.
Flo-Ri-Duh!
March 16th, 2010
4:29 pm
While I do not consider the Confederate flag to be evil I do agree that discussion of the history behind it does not belong on the Dawg Vent. It has nothing to do with sports and ALL political commentary belongs somewhere else. UGA is missing the boat by not playing UGA/Fla and UGA/ Tech in the dome every other year on a rotating basis. That is just plain common sense and a big money maker. They can’t do it now because our overpaid AD and his board just agreed to keep the UGA/Fla game in Jax forever- which obviously is always an away game for UGA and a big advantage to Florida – but anything for money I guess.
UGA4Life
March 16th, 2010
4:30 pm
I say against Clemson in 2011 . Their (Clemson) already on the schedule. If we play Tech we’ll have to do it two years because somebody will miss out on a home game.
Paul in RDU
March 16th, 2010
4:30 pm
Lowndes County – Yankee historians have made the South sound evil when writing about the Civil War??
Like that famous Yankee historian Shelby Foote???
LOWNDES COUNTY
March 16th, 2010
4:33 pm
76 I JUST POSTED SAVE THE CONFEDERATE FLAG AND BEAT THE GAYTORS AND STARTED GETTING BASHED. AND REALLY DUDE HALF THE PEOPLE THAT POST IN HERE AINT EVEN DAWGS. SO MAYBE A LILL CSA CHATTER WILL BE REFRESHING. YOU COULD JUST SKIP OVER IT. AND MAYBE JUST MAYBE SOMEONE WILL READ A LILL FURTHER INTO THE CIVIL WAR BY READING WHAT I WRITE.
JRY
March 16th, 2010
4:34 pm
Who really wants to be down at the Dome over Labor Day weekend anyway? Aren’t Dragon Con and some kind of Pride fest going on down there that same weekend? Give me a home game in Athens instead !!!
76-Dawg
March 16th, 2010
4:35 pm
Flo-Ri-Duh I totally agree and haven’t made a donation to the athletic department in 20 years to prove how asinine playing that Fla home game in Jacksonville every year is, in my opinion.
LOWNDES COUNTY
March 16th, 2010
4:37 pm
YO MAN I AINT TRYING TO WRITE A THESIS ON IT. I WRITE SAVE THE CONFEDERATE FLAG ON ALL MY POST AND TODAY FOR SOME REASON IT PICKED UP SOME HEAT. AND WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT IS NOTHING TO DO WITH BATTLES OR FIGHTING. IM SPEAKING TO WHY THINGS WERE SAID AND DONE. JUST THAT THE AMERICAN FLAG STOOD JUST AS MUCH OVER RACISIM AS DID THE C.S.A. FLAG. I BELIEVE FOOTE IS JUST DETAILING THE EVENTS OF THE WAR AND NOT SO MUCH THE POLITICS.
Big L
March 16th, 2010
4:39 pm
2013 Chick fil a kickoff game. UGA vs. Clemson. Effin awesome. Make it happen Damon.
georgiadawg70
March 16th, 2010
4:43 pm
The powers that be ain’t happy with the way things are in Athens. Trust me on this.
he's like a Fox
March 16th, 2010
5:04 pm
Who wants to watch UGA play West Ga in the dome? They would never line up against a real team for the season opener.
college is forever
March 16th, 2010
5:15 pm
http://www.collegelunchboxes.com Hello to all of the Dawg fans living out of state. Show off you loyalty with a classic tin lunchbox you will be the talk of the office.
shane#1
March 16th, 2010
5:19 pm
There are three matchups that I find intresting. 1- Notre Dame, a new coach that needs to make some noise, Syracuse and Tulsa just don’t cut it on the national stage. The game is at a neutral site so it should be do-able if Damon can get things square with the Notre Dame Broadcasting Company. 2- FSU, it has been years since the Dawgs and ‘Noles have played. It is a shame a game could’nt have been scheduled for Pappy’s swan song. Playing FSU could help regain UGA’s dominance of South Ga recruiting and help extend the Dogs inroads into Florida. 3- Army, set aside 10,000 tickets to offer at reduced prices to those that attend in uniform. Great national exposer and lots of good PR, plus, with two wars going on I think it would be the right thing to do.
dawgma
March 16th, 2010
5:28 pm
UGA VS USC – expose them to an ass whooping Southern Style
crusher dawg
March 16th, 2010
5:56 pm
Don’t take a home game to the dome. Get back to the basics and build the team and the program.
That’s the most important.
Sweet Home Alabama
March 16th, 2010
6:48 pm
Bammer is gwine ta beet yore branes in neks tiem we play yu awl. Lurn how ta spel yu dum mutt fains! My momma towld me I is an eksellunt speler cause bammer is whur I got my educashun. We is da best! Awl yu ignernt mutt fains kin suk it cause Nick Sabern is gwine to be rownd fer a lawng tiem! Yu awl no yore just jeluss. By da way, I have fore flags on ma truk. ROLL TIDE!!!
Cojack
March 16th, 2010
7:09 pm
Landers is done. The women’s basketball program will never again be what it once was. He just needs to move on and hand the reins over to a younger coach with a better disposition!
Wendell Franklin Wentz
March 16th, 2010
7:31 pm
Come on, Guys. ALABAMA loves seeing history repeat itself, so Georgia should dress in all black and schedule Alabama in the Georgia Dome for their first game. Amen. It ALABAMA could handle a colt in the Rose Bowl, they can take on the dawgs in the Georgia Dome. -Wendell Franklin Wentz
Freddie G
March 16th, 2010
7:43 pm
RED DOG 77 – You are not looking if you believe CMR has a grip on South Florida. Who has he signed from South Florida that the Canes, Noles or Gators wanted? I personally would like to seee CMR concentrate on keeping more Georgia talent in state like he did when he first came here. Recently we have lost more recruiting battles to Florida, Florida State, Tennessee, Auburn, Alabama than any time in the previous five years combined.
58 Year Old White Guy Southerner
March 16th, 2010
8:03 pm
Yeah, I’m proud to be from the South. But these folks tryin to “rise agin” and such need to be put out to pasture. Fergit hell ? I say: “Don’t fergit and Go to Hell”.
BS
March 16th, 2010
8:15 pm
Why dont we be like Rocky and play a game in Siberia and train without equipment.
Mike from Savannah,Ga.
March 16th, 2010
10:42 pm
That would be a hell of a opener,UGA against Ohio St. especially for me since my son-in-law is from Ohio,also his favorite team.
ridly
March 17th, 2010
7:51 am
Hey, Tired of It:
The Confederant Flag is heritage of the south, NOT HATE! Your the one that needs to get over it. It’s politically correct groups and people like Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, the ACLU, NAACP, AFL-CIO, and you who turn it into something other than what it is “HERITAGE” of being born in the South, taught and learned respect for ALL things southern. Going barefoot in the summer, fishing and swimming in rivers, lakes, and ponds, picking grapes, black berries, blue berries, strawberries etc, making jellies, jams, perserves, saying yes Sir, and no Sir, yes mamm, no mamm, please and thank you, respect of your elders etc. So how about you getting a grip on reality and understand our point of view for a change.
Should the Georgia Bulldogs Open the 2011 Season in the Georgia Dome? Not Unless It’s Against the Clemson Tigers « MrSEC.com
March 17th, 2010
11:22 am
[...] and the Clemson Tigers are set to renew their rivalry in 2013 and 2014, Dr. Saturday is right that a season-opening date in the Dome represents a golden opportunity for the old rivals to meet up at a neutral site for a game that [...]
RAMMER JAMMER YELLOW HAMMER
March 17th, 2010
3:55 pm
UGA want play in chick-fil-a classic because there SKEERED they will have to play a top program and will be shamed like against WVU. @ the dome.but some of you dawg fans have it right in wanting to play RUTGERS,ARMY or NOTRE DAME that’s keeping it real anyway,other mid-tier programs. RTR
FireDamonandAdams
March 21st, 2010
2:23 pm
What has Damon ever done? Hire two awful basketball coaches and what else? Didn’t take care of the terrible coordinator situation on the football side until it was to late. This guy is all talk. We really need a new prez (UGA & USA) and AD.