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
Dumb dawgs
February 3rd, 2011
3:53 pm
Tdawg
Your circus clown of a football team wore black jerseys against Alabama in 09 and got their butts kicked really bad.
Tdawg
February 3rd, 2011
3:56 pm
War Eagle who is just about to loose their biggest booster and their top check writer for your football players?
BobDawg
February 3rd, 2011
3:56 pm
..@ Gatorman… what did you guys do before 1991???? How did you live with yourselves?? I’m still mad at the Phila Eagles for drafting John Reeves back in the 60″s… you guys were a joke and the butt of the SEC… These things go in cycles… Let’s see what Muschamp does for ya… Pro offense, huh??? We’ll see.. it’s tougher to run than that dumb spread you’ve been doing….
Dumb dawgs
February 3rd, 2011
3:59 pm
“who is just about to loose their biggest booster and their top check writer for your football players?”
Better question. Why don’t you know the difference between LOSE and LOOSE?
Who just signed a better class than UGA? Auburn
Auburn has had two top 5 classes in two years.
WAR EAGLE
February 3rd, 2011
4:01 pm
Tdawg
Not sure what your point is since Auburn is doing just fine. In fact, we just signed a better class than we did last year. Oh, and we once again finished ahead of UGA.
WAR EAGLE
February 3rd, 2011
4:02 pm
“you guys were a joke and the butt of the SEC’
My how things have changed.
Tdawg
February 3rd, 2011
4:03 pm
Dumb dawgs sense you can’t read, let me type this in all caps. I SAID THAT THEY WORKED PRETTY WELL AGAINST FLORIDA. DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT ALABAMA. Now if you want to go there, then maybe you should hope that we wear them again next time we play you guys. I mean when we wore the regular uniforms we spanked that arse 3 times.
Pacific Dawg
February 3rd, 2011
4:04 pm
Dumb
You know good and well that stink hovering over Awbarn is coming from more than overflowing outhouses. Newton did not go to Awbarn for free after all that bargaining with other schools.
ugaclassof2004
February 3rd, 2011
4:06 pm
“3 star Pollack would not have won any championship if he had played on the past 2 teams either. And AJ would have with the 2002 team. What’s your point.”
Maybe not, but I’ll guarantee you that he wouldn’t have lost to Colorado and Central Florida. Like Tebow: Pollack’s passion, leadership, and effort would have motivated the other guys on defense as well. If Pollack played on the 2010 team, no way they finish 6-7. I’d be willing to put a $100 on that.
The point I’m making is that recruiting rankings mean nothing. Sure there have been name some big name recruits that have panned out i.e. Herschel Walker. But I can also give you examples of guys who have not i.e. John Brantley and Jonathan Crompton, both of whom were 5 star players coming out of high school.
WHITE and GOLD
February 3rd, 2011
4:06 pm
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Dumb dawgs
February 3rd, 2011
4:07 pm
“Dumb dawgs sense you can’t read”
Hey dumb A$$, since you don’t know proper grammar, I will AGAIN correct you. It’s SINCE, not SENSE, you moron.
“I mean when we wore the regular uniforms we spanked that arse 3 times.”
LOL!!!!!! UGA went 6-7 last year and you didn’t beat one ranked team.
UGA SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RammerJammer
February 3rd, 2011
4:08 pm
I love the fact that the Dawgs “Dream Team” is ranked third in their own conference by most ratings. Just goes to show you about the delusional penal colony jerks they have for fans. UGA is Back! Back to what? Their signature win the past 30 years was beating Hawaii. HAWAII. Please, please have another BlackOut.
Dumb dawgs
February 3rd, 2011
4:08 pm
“You know good and well that stink hovering over Awbarn is coming from more than overflowing outhouses. Newton did not go to Awbarn for free after all that bargaining with other schools.”
Leg humper, Auburn just won the national title. I know you’re not used to smelling the crystal trophy since you’re used to smelling crystal meth.
UGA SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tdawg
February 3rd, 2011
4:09 pm
War Eagle and your team will be on probation again before the year is over. I looked at what we got and I see what you got. In spite of what the recruiting experts say, I kind of like what we got better than what you guys got and Flordia State’s class is the most over rated of the whole lot.
WAR EAGLE
February 3rd, 2011
4:09 pm
Pacific Dawg
No, the only thing that stinks is UGA. Their 6-7 record proves it.
WAR EAGLE
February 3rd, 2011
4:10 pm
“and your team will be on probation again”
No they won’t.
“I kind of like what we got better than what you guys got ”
Doesn’t matter what you think. The PROFESSIONALS say differently.
Have fun in Memphis this year.
trupert
February 3rd, 2011
4:11 pm
Coach Richt has to much class to name names when it comes to handing out fathom ”that’s not a committable offer” like as he said it were candy but we all know that kick em to the curb and cull em right Nick Saban is on the top of the list.
Saban had to pull every dirty and trashy ploy in his book and oversign his class by 10+ while Richt did it with class and integrity and still out recruited Saban and the other oversigners.
Thanks for representing UGA with class honesty and dignity coach Right. Well done and go Dawgs!!!
RammerJammer
February 3rd, 2011
4:14 pm
What an excuse?!? If it takes oversigning to win, DO IT! We have too much integrity to oversign but we win the Fulmer Cup. This is the lamest excuse Dawg fans have come up with and THAT is saying something (AJ being out before the Colorado game cause the loss) HAHAHAHAHA, dumb dawgs.
trupert
February 3rd, 2011
4:14 pm
War Eagle, run that mouth while you can because your Tigers visit to Sanford stadium will not be fun this year. Time to start another winning streak against another team from Alabama.
RammerJammer
February 3rd, 2011
4:17 pm
You know when you team sucks? When you brag about signing in-state recruits when you share the state with a TECHNICAL INSTITUTE!
Pacific Dawg
February 3rd, 2011
4:17 pm
Dumb War Eagle
Awbarn is like the hick in love with a hooker. Sure, she sells it around but with him it is real love. If, the Newtons were bargaining with everyone else, why did they sign with Awbarn for free?
WAR EAGLE
February 3rd, 2011
4:18 pm
“run that mouth while you can because your Tigers visit to Sanford stadium will not be fun this year. ”
We love coming to Athens. Maybe we can set the hedges on fire like your trailer trash fans did to our tree.
trupert
February 3rd, 2011
4:19 pm
If it takes oversigning to win do it? How about paying players? So if Auburn payed Cecil and Cam it’s the thing to do as long as they can get away with? Where does this lack of integrity end, maby it should just come down to who can pay the officials the most money?
Integrity, you either have it or you don’t.
WAR EAGLE
February 3rd, 2011
4:20 pm
Pacific Dawg
When you’re on bottom, like you and your team, it’s hard not to feel sorry for you. Seriously, it’s like you guys making fun of Florida yet Florida beats you every year.
It’s been 31 years since you last won a championship. Who knows, maybe this year will be different. Wait, no it won’t.
WAR EAGLE
February 3rd, 2011
4:21 pm
“Integrity, you either have it or you don’t.’
Hey, do you think you guys will set another record with players arrested?
RammerJammer
February 3rd, 2011
4:21 pm
Well one could draw the line at gee, I dunno, the rules. That being said, paying players would justified. But yes, you either have it or you don’t, http://www.sectalk.com/boards/sec-football-talk/84040-2010-fulmer-cup.html
And yes, that lady is my real estate agent…
Tdawg
February 3rd, 2011
4:21 pm
War Eagle… then what you are saying is that according to your lodgic, sense you guys didn’t have the number one rated class the past few years, then you should not have won the National title this year. You know as well as I do that these ranking are a shot in the dark at best. Georgia got what it needed and then some. If you put such value in ranking’s you may want to see what the experts are predicting for Auburn next year. That is if you guys get past the pay for play scandal.
Pacific Dawg
February 3rd, 2011
4:22 pm
Auburn is such a hickville, it makes Mayberry look like Paris, France in comparison.
WAR EAGLE
February 3rd, 2011
4:23 pm
“Auburn is such a hickville, it makes Mayberry look like Paris, France in comparison.”
At least we don’t own the rape on campus record like UGA does.
RammerJammer
February 3rd, 2011
4:24 pm
Touche War Eagle. I don’t care much for your team, but here’s to the state that wins championships!
WAR EAGLE
February 3rd, 2011
4:25 pm
“your lodgic”
TAKE A FREAKING ENGLISH CLASS, MORON. Geez, you make Forrest Gump look like Nobel.
“sense you guys’
TAKE AN ENGLISH CLASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“That is if you guys get past the pay for play scandal.’
We already have.
WAR EAGLE
February 3rd, 2011
4:26 pm
RammerJammer
These UGA fans are dumb as rocks.
Pacific Dawg
February 3rd, 2011
4:29 pm
War Eagle
Awbarn will be paying for their Velcro title in the future. Probation time is a coming to that crooked little cow college on the plain.
Pacific Dawg
February 3rd, 2011
4:31 pm
War Eagle = turkeys on probation
Tdawg
February 3rd, 2011
4:32 pm
War Eagle you sounf like those Bama folk. You beat us one time in the, what? The past 6 years and all of a sudden you’re the best program sense viagra. well the NCAA’s going to tame that viagra away from you guy’s next season and you’ll be back in your usuall place. Fighting to stay out of last place. Heck, you better hope that Auburn doesn’t get the death penalty.
Every year the same crap from you hillbillies
February 3rd, 2011
4:35 pm
All talk no action from mutt nation. Whine, cry, make excuses as always.
BiggdawgK
February 3rd, 2011
4:38 pm
@War Eagle
Leave it to a typical classless in bred barner to make fun of a tragedy like women being raped. Where are the AJC administrators when you need them?
Gator Man
February 3rd, 2011
4:39 pm
BobDawg: We still beat you idiots 18 out of 21.
Here we go again, you would think after 30 years with no Nat, this would get old for UGA fans.
Dream team, LOl, you dont hear FSU, UF bragging about their top recruits, I guess when your state football program sucks you have to do any thing to convince yourself.
BobDawg by the way 1991 is closer then 1980.
THUGA GOES FROM CONTENDERS TO PRETENDERS
February 3rd, 2011
4:41 pm
Every year. Win something then you can brag.
Macclenny_dawg
February 3rd, 2011
4:41 pm
Got 2 give Richt and his staff credit for recruiting!!! Now Richt get these young guys some mentors to keep them out of trouble!!! Then get them in the weight room!!! Bobo can now be demoted since recruiting is over!!! Let him get back to coaching what he knows the Qb’s!!! Richt forget about dream team 2 and start coaching these guys!!! Get a young offensive line coach go get Stichcomb!!! Keep praying we need Jenkins!!! It also wouldn’t hurt to give Clowney a call!!! Richt u get an A for recruiting but last season was a F!!! Let’s make this season an A+ or you can take your A out of UGA!!!
RammerJammer
February 3rd, 2011
4:41 pm
You know when you team sucks? When you brag about signing in-state recruits when you share the state with a TECHNICAL INSTITUTE!
Trick Plays and No Defense minus QB
February 3rd, 2011
4:43 pm
The audacity of these Auburn fans is quite funny. The lack of common sense by the Auburn Fans is quite worrisome. Congratulations to Auburn for winning the SEC and the BCS Championships.
However, getting to my point. Auburn loses its quarterback who took Auburn on its back 6 times during the course of the season and made 30 plus yards on 27 broken plays to save the game, scored 14 touchdowns on either draw plays where he had initial contact in the backfield or on broken plays. He was one heck of a player. No one is doubting that. But the fact that Auburn loses at least 4 out of your 5 starting linemen, and unlike other schools the backups did not get nearly the playing time because of the closeness of the games.
The facts are your best recievers are gone, your O line is toast, your QB is gone, your DL is going to be young, your DB’s are just horrible and you travel on the road to Clemson, Miss. St at home who you barely beat last year, at South Carolina, the very next week at Arkansas, Florida at home,
at LSU, Ole Miss at home and Houston Nutt is desperate, at the Dawg House, and Alabama at home, Not a chance of even being in the picture for the SEC West or the SEC title.
Look at your returning players, your schedule before you start smack talking,
you are closer to 6-6 than we were last year..
Gator Man
February 3rd, 2011
4:43 pm
All you hear is coach Rich is a christian man, and a good man: So is the pope, does that mean he know how to win championships.
What a bunch of Idiots in Georiga.
UGA Dream Team?
February 3rd, 2011
4:43 pm
LOL ! LOL! Keep dreaming losers !
WAR EAGLE
February 3rd, 2011
4:44 pm
“Probation time is a coming to that crooked little cow college on the plain.”
No it’s not.
“turkeys on probation’
Nope.
“you sounf like those Bama folk.”
Do you have a lisp, moron? I sounf? LOL
“You beat us one time in the, what?”
We own the all-time record, leg humper.
“well the NCAA’s going to tame that viagra away”
WTF are you talking about? How does one “tame viagra away?”
“Fighting to stay out of last place. ”
You should know, 6-7.
“Heck, you better hope that Auburn doesn’t get the death penalty.”
To get the death penalty, a team has to currently be on probation.
Pacific Dawg
February 3rd, 2011
4:44 pm
Rammer Jammer
Bama brags on their recruiting. Look who they share their state with. A pay for play cow college.
WAR EAGLE
February 3rd, 2011
4:45 pm
“Leave it to a typical classless in bred barner to make fun of a tragedy like women being raped. Where are the AJC administrators when you need them?”
UGA football is the tragedy.
Georgia fans Eats Idiots Sandwiches
February 3rd, 2011
4:45 pm
They do. Just keep reading.
WAR EAGLE
February 3rd, 2011
4:46 pm
Trick Plays and No Defense minus QB
Have fun in Memphis, 6-7er.
WAR EAGLE
February 3rd, 2011
4:47 pm
“The audacity of these Auburn fans is quite funny.’
Not when we just went 14-0 and won the national title. Not when we just signed another top 5 class. Not when the state of Alabama owns college football.