Richt calls this recruiting class ‘best bunch’ in his 11 years at UGA (Updated)
Mark Richt and his assistant coaches just wrapped up a visit with the 200 or so fans celebrating Signing Day at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. Some highlights of what the coaches had to say:
- Richt: “We all know our [2010] season wasn’t the best, and there have been a lot of things we have had to battle — maybe a little bit more than other years when it comes to recruiting. But I really believe that this class will end up being the largest and most talented and the best bunch in the 11 years now.”
- As for what’s still to come on this Signing Day, Richt said: “We hope we finish as strong as we think we will. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
- After a fan thanked Richt for his work at Georgia, Richt said: “The best is yet to come, I can promise you.”
- Secondary coach Scott Lakatos called Nick Marshall, from Wilcox County, “one of the most amazing athletes we have in this class. . . . I usually don’t get a chance to coach those kind of guys because they’re usually over on offense. . . . He’s very athletic; he’s physical; he’s got good size to him. We’re looking forward to trying to start him off at corner, and I’m sure we’ll have some things to utilize him on the other side of the ball as well.” To which Richt added: “And if you’re going to run a little ‘wild dog’ formation, he’d be ideal for that with his tremendous experience as a quarterback.”
- Richt on signee Malcolm Mitchell, from Valdosta: “He’s a true playmaker on either side of the ball, and he’s a tremendous return man, too.”
- Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham on signee DE/OLB Ray Drew, the state’s No. 2 rated prospect: “Tremendous athlete. He’s got size; he’s got length; he’s got pass-rush skills in the sense he’s got initial quickness off the ball. He’s got flexibility to be able to bend around the edge. Shows strength as far as being able to jack those guys up when they come at him. I think he’s going to be able to rush on the edge. . . . We’ll play him at the ‘Will’ position, which is where Justin Houston played last year, and we’re expecting big things out of him as a Dog.”
- Speaking of Drew, who enthusiastically tried to sway other recruits to Georgia, Richt added: “I’d say also his greatest strength might be his character — and his ability to recruit. He asked me, ‘Coach, once I’m on campus, can I keep recruiting for the next year’s class?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ He’s something special.”
- Grantham: “I think if you look at this class, the vision that I had when I came here is coming true. I mean, if we get the players in the state of Georgia to stay at Georgia, we compete for SEC championships. “
- Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo on quarterback signee Christian LeMay, who already is enrolled at UGA: “Christian, we think, is an outstanding young man that is a phenomenal quarterback. Some guys want to label him as an ‘athlete,’ but we think he’s a quarterback that has got athletic skills in the pocket and will be able to move around and make some plays with his legs, very similar to … Aaron Murray.” Bobo said LeMay has gained 10 pounds since reporting to campus and “I’ve been very pleased with his work ethic in the weight room. He has impressed not only our coaches down there but our players. That’s what you’re looking for in a quarterback — someone who’ll not only lead on the field but in the weight room and the locker room. . . . When players on the team talk about, ‘Hey, Coach, this Christian LeMay, he’s something,’ that gets you excited. I’m excited about working with him in the spring.”
- Richt said coaches are already at work on the “2012 Georgia dream team.”
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218 comments Add your comment
SickandTired
February 2nd, 2011
1:11 pm
I’d like to thank Rodney Garner for spending all the recruiting money wisely this year instead of squandering it on travel expenses. I’d like to thank Greg McGarity for not firing me when by all rights he should have canned me after the bowl game. I’d like to thank all the brainless fans that I’ve fooled since 2005 for sticking with me and last and certainly not least I’d like to thank university for continuing to pay me $3 million dollars a year when I really don’t do anything to earn it.
Mark Richt
FanSince59
February 2nd, 2011
1:11 pm
I was thinking the same thing as Sacamano.
Pete
February 2nd, 2011
1:11 pm
Crowell is a Dawg-No chance of him going to Bama.
CHARLOTTE DAWG
February 2nd, 2011
1:11 pm
scott-wesley has already signed……in fact, no solid verbals commited a Da’Prick Rogers this year. No last minute steals but no flip flops either.
Great job to the coaches!
fran T
February 2nd, 2011
1:12 pm
Best Class? This isnt Richts best class. My lord is this guy not in touch with reality?
Gump Goobers
February 2nd, 2011
1:13 pm
Mark Richt has never had a last minute steal that panned out.
WIN WITH RICHT
February 2nd, 2011
1:17 pm
Dawgs looking good so far.
Jake
February 2nd, 2011
1:17 pm
It’s just conversation now. It is all about the W & L column. Can you go to SEC Championship Game?
CHARLOTTE DAWG
February 2nd, 2011
1:18 pm
How’d Willy Korn turn out for you little man? Talk about recruits not turning out.
And how did the last few meetings between us pan out for you? No wonder you kitties wanted to stop playing us.
te hee
Dawgfan
February 2nd, 2011
1:19 pm
rumors have it that Crowell just entered the room wearing red and black…his family is wearing red and black as well.
BiggdawgK
February 2nd, 2011
1:19 pm
AJC moderator
Thank you for removing those coments from the idiots earlier today.
Gump Goobers
February 2nd, 2011
1:22 pm
Charlotte Dawg… i aint no clempsun guy you idiot…… Our coching staff is still not getting it done you Richt apologist.
JoesJohnson
February 2nd, 2011
1:23 pm
Gates turned out pretty well last year (last minute offer) started this year. And charlotte dawg am I mistaken saying that wesley is waiting until tom when all his family can be there.
CHARLOTTE DAWG
February 2nd, 2011
1:23 pm
I believe you Forest!
hat and jersey tricks
February 2nd, 2011
1:26 pm
Get ready UGA ! The nightmare begins……
RiffRaff
February 2nd, 2011
1:27 pm
Dawgfan – hope he’s not about to “dress” one way then switch when he announces. Still say he’s a Dawg.
DAWGS!!!
February 2nd, 2011
1:27 pm
Georgia fans are so pathetic. “This is our year”, the never ending preseason echo of every DAWG fan.
CHARLOTTE DAWG
February 2nd, 2011
1:28 pm
“HATERS HATE…THINK ITS FUNNY”
THe Big Cat
February 2nd, 2011
1:28 pm
What else is new? Georgia, and Notre Dame, always finish in the top ten. Every year. And neither one has sniffed a National Championship in 20 or 30 years.
Rip Van Winkle
February 2nd, 2011
1:28 pm
It has been a long time since 1980.
Boys Home of the South
February 2nd, 2011
1:29 pm
We welcome these fine youg men to CMR’s boys home ! Please have a valid Drivers License as you enter !
Pipeline Paul
February 2nd, 2011
1:31 pm
Its already leaked out that the kid s going with Bammer.
ugab
February 2nd, 2011
1:32 pm
Crowell is just like any other rb in the country. He needs blockers. CMR needs to realize this problem
headley lamar
February 2nd, 2011
1:33 pm
And neither one has sniffed a National Championship in 20 or 30 years.
We sniffed it twice last decade. 2002 and 2007.
With a playoff we win both of those years.
npgator
February 2nd, 2011
1:33 pm
Congrats to the Bulldog Nation on an outstanding class!
roughrider
February 2nd, 2011
1:33 pm
Rduck: Your hate shows through in every post you make.Instead of wanting your home state to do well, all you seem to do is bad mouth UGA. I am a UGA alum but pull for Tech to do well every season. If you can’t post something positive, remain silent. We can all read negative stuff in the news section of any paper or hear it on tv.
J.J.M.
February 2nd, 2011
1:35 pm
yeaaaaaaaa
ed
February 2nd, 2011
1:35 pm
IC is a dawg!!
J.J.M.
February 2nd, 2011
1:35 pm
wow he got a puppy and all
Hershel
February 2nd, 2011
1:36 pm
He aint me!!
gametime
February 2nd, 2011
1:36 pm
Yeah he is a dawg!
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
February 2nd, 2011
1:37 pm
UGA for Crowell
beebee from tech
February 2nd, 2011
1:37 pm
headey lamar go put on your silly-looking hat!
with a playoff those teams would have been bounced out in the first round!
NOOOOOO, I don’t know that for sure, just like YOU don’t know for sure they would have run the table.
But leave it up to delusional, campus-trashing DAWG fans to have to DREAM UP their national titles! While other SEC teams (Fla, Bama, Aub, LSU, TENN) WIN theirs on the field!
Steve Superior
February 2nd, 2011
1:38 pm
he’s not a Marcus Latimore
Dan Mullins
February 2nd, 2011
1:39 pm
Thanks for the hard work CMR!!
Cuz
February 2nd, 2011
1:40 pm
Coach Mark Richt: I have a Dream Team!!!
CMoore
February 2nd, 2011
1:42 pm
Well that is great that we have some strong recruits for the year to come and there after.
Then the next step is to get rid of Michael Bobo. The man can not coach! These boys deserve the best there is and no has beens that played football there.
dawgpound
February 2nd, 2011
1:42 pm
First y’all say he’s going to bama and then when he picks ga you say he isn’t this player or that player, lol stop being haters.
tim
February 2nd, 2011
1:42 pm
Are they still going to be called the “best bunch” when they all have rap sheets??
Mark RIcht
February 2nd, 2011
1:43 pm
I hope Dan Mullin does a good job with these guys in 2012 while I am on the mission field.
papadawg
February 2nd, 2011
1:46 pm
Best bunch of High School players, now let’s see if they can play in the SEC
Crowell IS A DAWG
February 2nd, 2011
1:48 pm
HE IS A DAWG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Old Coach
February 2nd, 2011
1:49 pm
Great job recruiting coaching staff. Mike Bobo, you are the main reason for this great class!!
used2badawgsfan
February 2nd, 2011
1:52 pm
Man please!!! All this sounds good as far as getting the fans intrested. The BIGGEST PROBLEM for UGA is that they RECRUIT KIDS who really AREN’T FANS OF THE PROGRAM! USC, FLORIDA, OREGON, OKLAHOMA, OHIO ST and TEXAS RECRUIT THE MAJORITY OF KIDS who not only want to play college ball, but want to play for their respective schools with pride and tradition. Kids come to GEORGIA for playing time and a shot at the NFL much like TECH’S BASKETBALL PROGRAM. Based upon all of the discipline problems, all about me attitudes and academic performances of its players, Georgia recruits only on hype, size (kids who are big but can’t play a lick) and 40 times (maybe one or two in the low 40’s). Why does Georgia continue to pass on Metro Atlanta talent at running back? Remember James Davis(Douglass)? Jamal Lewis (Douglass)? Storm Johnson (Loganville)? Demmond Dennis (Carver)? and now Marcus Caffey (Grady). They missed on Eric Berry big time and you make some half ass push at Greg Reid (Lowdes) who’s far better than any DB on your roster. Cameron Heyward showed no love and to boot you told THE BEST PLAYER IN THE NATION (CAM NEWTON) HE CAN PLAY TE FOR YOU? GET REAL!!! GA & GA.TECH GAME will still be the STATE’S TURKEY BOWL!!!
Dawginduluth
February 2nd, 2011
1:53 pm
Another wasted top recruiting class.
No NC with Richt. never.
Biff Pennington IV
February 2nd, 2011
2:10 pm
We had more Cap room than Aub or Bama
al davis
February 2nd, 2011
2:13 pm
Didn’t he pronounce a few years ago that he had the best uga team ever and the proceeded to go 9-3
CAC
February 2nd, 2011
2:14 pm
Dream team or not, now , they have got to go out and coach’em up and win. That is the expection!
gval
February 2nd, 2011
2:14 pm
Great job CMR last year is over. There will be some good things come out of athens this fall.
Someone else’s turn to go through all the bad breaks and listen to all the crap.
papadawg
February 2nd, 2011
2:20 pm
This is just eating you fans of other schools to the core especially all you clowns hiding behind cute little stupid blog names. Deal with it the DAWGS will be back with great vigor and a big can of Whupass