Richt plans Dream Team II
ATHENS –- Georgia coach Mark Richt was asked who first came up with the idea of pitching a “Dream Team” in recruiting.
“I really don’t remember whose idea it was,” he said.
“It was actually yours,” recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner said.
“It was my idea?” Richt said. “I didn’t want to take credit [if] someone else thought of it first.”
Georgia built its 2011 recruiting efforts, which culminated with Signing Day on Wednesday, around the high-profile notion of assembling a Dream Team of in-state talent. The Bulldogs wound up signing the state’s top three prospects, four of the top five and eight of the top 12.
The concept of a Dream Team was born almost a year ago as Georgia coaches embarked on what they knew would be a crucial recruiting season in a talent-rich state.
His memory jogged, Richt said: “As you’re looking at the guys you really want the most, you kind of dream about that as a coach, and that’s where I just came up with the idea: ‘This is my Dream Team. This is our Dream Team at the University of Georgia.’ We literally had names and pictures targeted that we could look at and shoot for, and we actually nailed it pretty good. You never get them all, but we came pretty darn close. And I would certainly say the dream came true.”
Richt said the concept resonated with recruits, who “bought in and got excited about it . . . and wanted to be on the Dream Team. I think it was effective.”
He acknowledged there was a risk of the concept backfiring if Georgia had signed a less-than-stellar class. In that case, he said, people might have “called it a nightmare class or whatever.”
“But we just said, ‘You know what? Let’s go for the best and go with reckless abandon and not care what anybody says.’”
Richt plans a Dream Team encore next year.
“Quite frankly, we’re in the process of putting together the 2012 Dream Team,” he said. “We’re formulating ideas and looking at film and deciding who’s going to be on that team.
“I hope ninth graders right now are looking at this thing and saying, ‘I want to be on that Dream Team when my time comes.’”
*********
Garner gave a lot of credit for the success of the Dream Team concept to Ray Drew, a five-star outside linebacker from Thomas County Central who not only signed with Georgia but enthusiastically lobbied other players to do so as well.
“Even though [last season] sort of tarnished us,” Garner said, “he was able to recognize that the University of Georgia is still gold. We just need to shine it up. We just need to get the glitter back.”
**********
Speaking to fans at the Butts-Mehre building, Richt offered some insight into recruiting in this state:
“One of the hardest things for us to do is to evaluate and nail down who you’re going to go after, especially in our own state. A lot of the out-of-state teams will just come in and just offer like mad. They’ll come in and just offer like candy. Quite frankly, I’m not going to name names of schools, but a lot of them will do that just to get in the fight. And if the kid commits too soon and they’re not sure they want [him], they’ll just tell them, ‘That’s not a committable offer.’ Whatever the heck that means.
“If we offer a kid in our state and he says he’s coming, we want to take him, OK? Sometimes we’re a little bit slower to offer maybe than some out-of-state schools. Sometimes that might hurt a kid’s feelings. Sometimes that might hurt a coach’s feelings. That’s not our intention. Our intention is to have integrity when we offer a kid and be able to follow through.”
– Tim Tucker, UGA Blog
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305 comments Add your comment
gadawgs
February 3rd, 2011
10:42 am
Great job coach! You and your staff did an amazing job and I thank you for all of your efforts. Can’t wait for September. Go Dawgs!!
BAMA FAN #2
February 3rd, 2011
10:42 am
JB go play in the street!!! Bama signed 23 you freaking idiot!!!!!!!
JB
February 3rd, 2011
10:42 am
@ 10:40 post….there is no doubt Saban has it going on over there. No doubt. Top kids flock to him.
shankit
February 3rd, 2011
10:43 am
Momma’s are catchin’ on to Sabin, and
they don’t trust him.
Some Daddy’s do like the cash from Chizik.
JB
February 3rd, 2011
10:43 am
Easy Fan #2
Yankee Dawg
February 3rd, 2011
10:43 am
Saban……full of class as usual. Are you kidding me……a Bama fan questioning the reading or writing abilities of UGA’s recruiting class??? That is funny!!! Some of the least intelligent people I’ve met have DEGREES from Tuscaloosa Univ.
shankit
February 3rd, 2011
10:44 am
JB -Top Kids flock to him? Not this year.
David T
February 3rd, 2011
10:45 am
nice to see that Georgia finally broke into the top 10 in recruiting. Richt is a magician, when it comes to recruits. Now if they could only coach. Can you imagine what a Saban, Chizik, or Miles could do with the 5 star players that Ga has had the past 10 years. Several National Championships…….which begs to answer, if Ga’s #5 class is the Dream Team, what is Alabama & Auburns, Dream Team +1 & 2.
Apples II Oranges
February 3rd, 2011
10:46 am
If that last paragraph does not resonate with kids in the state and coaches in the stat about the integrity of CMR then nothing will. That was a direct shot across the bow of Saban. You just get a sense of that.
shankit
February 3rd, 2011
10:48 am
David T – Last ten years? Bama has gone thru
6 coaches in the last 10 years.
Richt is the longest tenured coach in the SEC.
Chances are Saban’s recruits won’t be playin’
for him by their Junior year.
The Dream Team will be playing for MR til’
they graduate or go to the NFL>
BAMA FAN #2
February 3rd, 2011
10:49 am
Saban went of yesterday in his press conference about oversigning and grey shirting players.
Yes Georgia owned the crimson tide between Stallings and Saban but NO MORE!!!
JB
February 3rd, 2011
10:51 am
David T………….We’ll see what kind of coach Chizik is this year….And you might want to look at Richt’s record against Auburn, Bama and LSU since he’s been HC at Georgia. It might surprise you. Yes, the last 2 years have rough. Have those schools ever had a bad year or two ?.
Cyrus' Mother
February 3rd, 2011
10:52 am
Mr. Louder, I am still waitin’ on the wire transfer.
Gomer Pyle
February 3rd, 2011
10:52 am
To: Saban
I know you make all of your silly and stupid posts for comments, but your one concerning the education status of this years recruits. Check ALL of YOUR grammer in your own post; you might find some errors!
Now, who is uneducated?
Dawg Fud
February 3rd, 2011
10:53 am
watch the “used car salesman” talk when referringto Muschamp.
I don’t care if he is the Gator coach, he’s an alum and should be treated with respect.
that being said, i hope we kick his butt…respectfully…in the fall.
GO DAWGS! I am happy with this class.
JB
February 3rd, 2011
10:54 am
Does anyone on here think Chizik got hired at Auburn for his body of work at Iowa St ( like 3-21 I think)?
JB
February 3rd, 2011
10:56 am
The Saban on here is a Wal mart sweat shirt wearing fan who couldn’t find the Campus with a bloodhound and a GPS.
shankit
February 3rd, 2011
10:56 am
Which of the 26 or so of Saban’s 38 recruits
will be on BamA’SS Dream Team and which
12 will be on BamA’SS Nightmare team?
Idiot Les Miles
February 3rd, 2011
10:56 am
Dont you dare compare UGA to Clemson! um how many conference titles did clemson win last decade? clemson-0! UGA-2! how many BCS bowls? clemson-0! UGA-3! get your facts straight dummy
BAMA FAN #2
February 3rd, 2011
10:57 am
Bama has 2 commitments from the 2012 class in Georgia as we speak, but this year the
talent level in Alabama is going to be just in 08 when Julio Jones and Mark Barron signed
with the crimson tide similar to Georgia’s dream team!! RTR
TybeeDawg
February 3rd, 2011
10:58 am
South Carolina signed 33 recruits.
Dawg Fud
February 3rd, 2011
10:58 am
Les Miles,
I was nearly convinced that you were stupid enough to take that Michigan job.
Bama Tenns
February 3rd, 2011
10:59 am
CMR’s best Georgia team was the one that destroyed Hawaii. Ended the season hot. Go back and look at highlights. Both offensive and defense lines big and physical. It was probably the best team in the country when the season ended in my opinion When Van Gorder left seemed that mantra went with him. Solid class but both offensive and defensive line needs work. My guess you will know by the end of the first quarter against Boise how the season will go. Congrats on the class.
UGA Advocate
February 3rd, 2011
10:59 am
Mortimer….we’re BACK….lol
shankit
February 3rd, 2011
10:59 am
BAMA FAN #2 – You are assuming Saban
will still be at Bama next year. Another 3
loss season and another loss to Auburn,
and he will be gone.
Dawg Fud
February 3rd, 2011
11:00 am
BAMA FAN #2,
We’re going to be forced to put a wall up along the border to keep Kirby and the Tide recruiters out. Y’all have anough talent in your backyard. Stay outta Georgia…so Tech can have some, too!
JB
February 3rd, 2011
11:00 am
Carolina will be a very good team this year. They have a load coming back, plus their recruiting classes have been pretty strong the last two years.
JB
February 3rd, 2011
11:02 am
UGA ADVOCATE…………Great line….and a great movie…..LOL
JB
February 3rd, 2011
11:03 am
In fact, i think Carolina will be picked to win the East in most pre season Mags.
Jesup
February 3rd, 2011
11:03 am
@82 Dawg ….. Lambert has the size and the arm strength that you cannot coach…but reads and footwork are not good. And he is SLOW and i mean real Slow… I have watched film on Murray and Lemay as Juniors in HS, and they were ahead of Lambert as a total QB… I think he will wind up at Bama…his family is Bama fans..and I think he will be redshirted….Overall he is a Taller Joe Cox…. IMHO
BIR SWILL
February 3rd, 2011
11:04 am
OK GREAT CLASS WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH IT?????????????????????????????
StatesBurr
February 3rd, 2011
11:05 am
SABAN: A guy named Saban from Alabama chastising someone about the correct way to read and write…. Are you kidding me?
dawgforlife
February 3rd, 2011
11:05 am
wait is someone from Alabama talking about our signees being able to read? some juicy irony there. you know “saban” you are the one to teach Richt about a small school being your daddy. was it La Lafette…or Monroe…and I still remember Utah in that lovely bowl game. At that time, the Bama supporters were screaming for saban’s departure. He had to get over that hump. Well, I for one believe UCF was Richt’s hump, and just like saban now on to better things.
RxDawg
February 3rd, 2011
11:08 am
Good article. I wish Richt would name some names too. Call a duck a duck.
ugab
February 3rd, 2011
11:10 am
It will take a couple of years in MRs system for kids to learn system. I hope the coaches step up to the plate this year.
clay
February 3rd, 2011
11:11 am
It sucks the season is so far away. Im excited and ready for the 2011 season
dawgforlife
February 3rd, 2011
11:12 am
heck, even Forrest Gump graduated from Alabama
RxDawg
February 3rd, 2011
11:14 am
“Or do they simply have to be competitive in all the games and win some?”
Well that’s what the Dawgs did this year Hankie.
BAMA FAN #2
February 3rd, 2011
11:16 am
If Nick Saban decided to retire or go back to the NFL I would say Thank You!! and Kirby Smart
come own down and than you Georgia fans better watch out for some serious recruiting in the
peach state. You better built a Berlin Wall around the west side of the state against the crimson
tide. I did not put the barn in with the crimson tide because most bama fans think the barn is in
west Georgia. RTR
bjohndawg
February 3rd, 2011
11:17 am
I am 40. I want to be on the dream team.
I think I have at least one good play left in me.
Lets go all out…all in. Whatever…just get it done!
mcdaviddawg
February 3rd, 2011
11:22 am
Richt won’t be around for a dream team II.
BobDawg
February 3rd, 2011
11:23 am
… I’ m so glad we don’t have to juggle the kids now like alot of schools do now.. I mean Carolina signed 30 kids??? What is with that????
BAMA FAN #2
February 3rd, 2011
11:25 am
The only dream team for this bama fan was the 92 NC team with the best college defensive
team I have ever watched or seen in person!! Curry,Copeland,George Teague and Number
43 who later got Bama in trouble with the KGB!!!
JB
February 3rd, 2011
11:27 am
mcdaviddawg…..I use to say that also. i think Their is a sense of urgency in Mark Now. I think that decision to kick the FG in the Bowl game was a very teachable moment for him ( he has caught a ton of flak for that). I think he and McGarity have had some heart to heart talks ( see change in S&C program) and I think he wins 7 or 8, wins one he not supposed to, and returns in 2012 to mature this class he just signed.
RxDawg
February 3rd, 2011
11:27 am
“Richt is in over his head.”
Umm, he is the dean of all SEC head coaches.
JB
February 3rd, 2011
11:29 am
darn, s/b there……….is a sense of urgency.
ATLSportsNation
February 3rd, 2011
11:34 am
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Tweets that mention Richt plans Dream Team II | UGA sports blog -- Topsy.com
February 3rd, 2011
11:37 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jeff, The Commish. The Commish said: Richt plans Dream Team II: ATHENS –- Georgia coach Mark Richt was asked who first came up with the idea of pitch… http://bit.ly/iiZuFC [...]
1eyedJack
February 3rd, 2011
11:43 am
Lame Kitten thumbed his nose at the NCAA signing 30 players. I thought USC was on probation.
Darth Visor and Booby Putrino didn’t get the memo from the SEC about oversigning.
Alabama math: 23 scholarships goes into 12 available slots how many times?
djtruk
February 3rd, 2011
11:45 am
Yes it’s a good recruiting class but can they stay out of trouble? Can they play up to thier expecation? Can they be coached? Details at 11:00