ATHENS — In a year in which the Georgia Bulldogs have seen their number in a continuing state of dwindle, they finally got to add one on Monday.
Brandon Burrows, a redshirt sophomore linebacker from Marietta who quit the team just last week, asked for and was granted a reinstatement on Monday.

Burrows
“I’m actually on my way back to Athens right now,” said Burrows, reached via cellphone Monday night. “I’ve just been thinking about it and praying about it a lot. It was weird because, while I was thinking about it, I got a call from Coach [Rodney] Garner and we talked about a lot of things. He was saying I owed it to myself, being fully healthy and not redshirted, to play here and prove to myself I could do it. And I really agree with him. I think I would have being doing myself an injustice if I left in such a manner. So I talked to Coach Richt about it and he’s, of course, as caring and understanding as they come.
“I just can’t put into words how thankful I am to be back and I’m elated to be a Georgia Bulldog.”
Burrows, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound linebacker out of Marietta’s Walton High, redshirted as a member of the scout team in 2010, then had to sit out this past season following shoulder surgery. He was able to practice at inside linebacker this spring and was listed as No. 3 at the “Mike” position on the 2012 preseason depth chart. Senior Mike Gilliard and sophomore Amarlo Herrera are currently listed ahead of him.
In announcing his decision to seek a transfer this past Thursday, Burrows said he hoped to become a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme as he envisioned when he first signed with Georgia in 2010.
“There really wasn’t a straw that broke the camel’s back,” Burrows said of quitting. “It wasn’t anything like that. But once you’re gone, that’s like my second family over there and one thing led to another. I just need to take things one day at a time. It was a hasty decision and I just need to focus on getting ready for camp and doing the Dawg thing.”
The Bulldogs had another player quit only to return this past season. Running back Ken Malcome quit the team in frustration over a lack of playing time last September. With Isaiah Crowell’s dismissal on June 29th, Malcome is now the No. 1 tailback heading into preseason camp.
195 comments Add your comment
kingdaddy
July 10th, 2012
8:36 am
BB,
Thankyou for your honesty and the courage it took to do the right thing. Look at K.M., he’s starting now. I’m hopeing our offense stays on the field longer this year and eats the clock, keeping their offense on the bench. I thought our defense stayed on the field way too long at times last year. The Dawg Nation knows that you can take care of business on the field and I’m waiting for you to introduce yourself to opposing RBs & QBs. B.B., you’re a DGD…
Once a UGA Dawg
July 10th, 2012
8:37 am
Always a UGA Dawg! Welcome back!
Jimmy Crack
July 10th, 2012
8:40 am
“The Bulldogs had another player quit only to return this past season. Running back Ken Malcome quit the team in frustration over a lack of playing time last September. With Isaiah Crowell’s dismissal on June 29th, Malcome is now the No. 1 tailback heading into preseason camp.”
That is the perfect example of God’s will, Karma and Kismet. Choices have consequences, both good and bad. Good for Ken for returning and hopefully, good for Brandon.
claytondawg
July 10th, 2012
8:41 am
Yes, finally some good news to help offset all of the bad press from Athens. Burrows has good size. My question: Several of you stated that he will be sorely needed in 2013. True, however, he is sorely needed NOW.
kingdaddy
July 10th, 2012
8:58 am
ClaytonDawg
BB should get plenty of Dawg-bones on his helmet “this” year. Been waiting on him to arrive and I think he just got his head right…
Gary
July 10th, 2012
9:02 am
Best players on the field. Period. That is how it is supposed to work. You don’t like where you are, work harder. I am actually a little dissappointed in Richt. Last thing this team needs is a bunch of whinny quiters standing on the sideline. These kids are given every opportunity. If they don’t like the situation. Send them home
R. Adair
July 10th, 2012
9:25 am
“Give me a guy with 3 stars and some character and let these 5 star guys with no character go somewhere else.”
——————————————————–
Try and explain that to CMR, and all you would get is a dazed look. Also, winning with 3-star players requires good coaching, which UGA is sadly lacking.
UGA Insider
July 10th, 2012
9:36 am
Great news for Garner! Now he only has to give out 15 scholarships at the intramural fields next week! Job well done guys!
I will give everyone a little “inside” nugget regarding IC. I think if CMR were not out of town somewhere then IC would still be on the team. It was McGarity who made the call and CMR really had no say in the decision at all. Basically McGarity has taken all of that responsibility regarding conduct. He is trying to get a handle on the team but doesn’t command much respect yet. CMR is not showing much leadership either by pushing important team issues up the ladder. This team is a mess.
Jim
July 10th, 2012
9:37 am
“Burrows, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound linebacker out of Marietta’s Walton High, redshirted as a member of the scout team in 2010, then had to sit out this past season following shoulder surgery. He was able to practice at inside linebacker this spring and was listed as No. 3 at the “Mike” position on the 2012 preseason depth chart. Senior Mike Gilliard and sophomore Amarlo Herrera are currently listed ahead of him.”
When was he to play? Redshirt 1st year, medical the second, and 3rd on the chart behind a senior and sophomore. He had two years learning the system, is healthy, and has the opportunity to move up during fall camp. The ball’s in his court, if he feels he’s better that the guys in front of him all he has to do is prove it on the pratice field, sounds like what he lacks is a team attitude. Maybe it would be better if he followed Crowell to Alabama State.
On Crowell, it’s a good possibility that Coach Richt had a strong suggestion from above that it was time for Mr Crowell to move on.
BklynDawg
July 10th, 2012
9:39 am
I hate to see anyone leave UGA, but I thought BB handled his leaving with class, humbleness, and grace, so I wished him all the best of luck in his future career.
Thrilled to see him come back! I would rather have a young man who thoughtfully made a hard decision, realized a mistake, and recommitted than a sideline of million-star recruits.
Proud to have you with us again, Brandon! You show every sign of being a DGD–can’t wait to see what your new focus will produce this fall! You’ve got the Bulldog Nation pulling for you!
Joey
July 10th, 2012
9:41 am
Hey Insider, I’m still waiting on the Peterson hire. That interview in the Dome last Sept must not have gone well . . .
kingdaddy
July 10th, 2012
9:43 am
Insider,
you’re an idiot and a moron. You are infering Coach Richt would be OK with IC bringing a handgun on campus. This makes you the dumbest troll on this blog. Growup little boy…
SEC Football Morning Coffee: Bobby Petrino Has a New Home | SEC Football
July 10th, 2012
9:44 am
[...] Georgia’s defense is one of the nation’s best, and it is getting some help. Linebacker Brandon Burrows, who left the team last week, was reinstated by head coach Mark Richt on Monday, writes Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. [...]
bucket
July 10th, 2012
9:46 am
@ thwg or whatever you are calling yourself today – you might want to run your rant through fact check because USC actually didn’t play the top 3 from the West last year. They only played Arkansas. If USC had beaten Auburn at home, a team that UGA soundly defeated at home, they would have represented the East against LSU. The End.
AltamahaDawg
July 10th, 2012
9:47 am
Some kids have quite and been encouraged to reconsider and welcomed back, some kids have quite and been told, let us know where to forward the transcript. This tells me all I ned to know about Burrows.
kingdaddy
July 10th, 2012
9:50 am
Burrows stated that he wanted to play DE in a 4-3 which Willie ran. CTG thinks he fits better at LB so it’s not about B.B., it’s about Team. I’m glad Brandon decided to let CTG make him famous…
AltamahaDawg
July 10th, 2012
9:51 am
If the look up the term “Insider” in the Dictionary for the Internet Blog Culture, the definition is:
I got more websites tagged in my favorites than you do.
iliketacos
July 10th, 2012
9:51 am
He quit at quitting. Ha!!
AltamahaDawg
July 10th, 2012
9:52 am
and if you looked up “quite” it would mean something other than what I did. HA>
quit.
Hunkerdown
July 10th, 2012
9:54 am
The coaching staff believes in you Brandon. So does the dawg nation. Hang in there, all good things in time.
kingdaddy
July 10th, 2012
9:55 am
Bucket
The fantasy tales of SC football remind me of my Uncle Loy’s fishing stories, lol. The one that got away just kept getting bigger and bigger…
bucket
July 10th, 2012
9:59 am
@ UGA Fan not fanatic – you wrote, “Why the love affair with Boo? He is slow and he runs scared. Not a good mix in the SEC. He should be 4th on the depth chart now.” If this is your true feelings then I am sure that you will be signing up to play on the scout team defense against Boo and the rest of the starters since we are a little thin right now with reserves. I mean a real fan would be more than willing to help out their team in anyway possible. If Boo gets tackled by the likes you, CMR and CMB would have no choice but to move Boo to 4th string like you have suggested. I suspect after you try and tackle the “slow and scared” Boo Malcome you will change your tune!
AltamahaDawg
July 10th, 2012
9:59 am
Obviously, Crowell’s standing on the team was a direct function of his very last time sitting in Mark Richt’s office, when it was spelled out in no uncertain terms. So nobody is buying your theory that it was even up for debate.
And The fact that the AD gets involved in the policy making for behavior of the university’s Athletes is hardly some kind of scoop.
UGA Insider
July 10th, 2012
10:00 am
Joey, CMR was all but fired last year but Adams stepped in and stopped it. And yes Peterson would be the HC at UGA right now. You know nothing.
kingdaddy
July 10th, 2012
10:02 am
BB will see plenty of playing time this year. CTG likes to rotate his players to keep them fresh and seasoned. I wish CMB would approach his side of the ball the same…
UGA Insider
July 10th, 2012
10:05 am
There were two things that stopped that firing last year.
1.) Adams
2.) Drew Butler and a shoe string tackle
It was that close I’m telling you. That’s why you had the “Kentucky Kiss”. Make sense now morons?
Afterthought
July 10th, 2012
10:06 am
Coach Richt called it right about Crowell being the “Missing Man”.
Burrows, listen to Grantham and do as he says and it will make you a lot of money in the long run. The stage is set for you to be a part of something special this year.
This time next year you will look back and remember how close you came to blowing it.
RxDawg
July 10th, 2012
10:10 am
Yay. Some good news was needed.
AltamahaDawg
July 10th, 2012
10:12 am
So, If the coach didn’t have as much support as he does from his bosses, or if he had not had the same results during the season, his job would have been in question? Thank you Cap’t Obvious.
kingdaddy
July 10th, 2012
10:12 am
Joey
I used to love to read your post, but since insider says you don’t know anything, I will now quit reading you post, lol.
Insider:::::: Please dude, go back to the Tech blog, you have no credentials here. Take your little cyber-warfare games back to you your World of Warcraft game in your basement and leave DGDs like Joey alone. Now, be gone troll…
kingdaddy
July 10th, 2012
10:18 am
What makes someone try to act like a fan just so they can trash that program???
AltamahaDawg
July 10th, 2012
10:21 am
Oh, now……..be nice. The guys not a tech troll. He’s a DGD too, in his own way. Got some serious self-esteem issues, but he ain’t no bug.
Inlet Dawg
July 10th, 2012
10:25 am
Welcome Home
Joey
July 10th, 2012
10:26 am
Insider, I may not know as much as you – but I know this much: If and when McGarity ever interviews Peterson for the HC job at UGA, it won’t be in a building with 80,000 fans in it, right before the first game of the season.
That’s why that “nugget” was silly. As if McGarity couldn’t catch a plane to Idaho if he wanted to talk to Peterson?
Pitbull
July 10th, 2012
10:29 am
Welcome back BB. Glad you are back home.
Help us spank Tech for the 11th time in 12 years.
kingdaddy
July 10th, 2012
10:33 am
Alt.
You I believe, but there are other so called fans who seem to hate UGA. No problem with people disagreeing with UGA, I just hate the constant UGA BASHING…
SORRY I CALLED YOU A BUG, INSIDER…
Bama in Atlanta
July 10th, 2012
10:40 am
I think the only thing tougher than telling your coach you want to leave is asking to come back. Props to the guy for admitting he made a mistake in leaving and I hope he is fully recovered from his injury.
AltamahaDawg
July 10th, 2012
10:49 am
Some bash, some are fake, but some are just prone to highly emotional reactions, and there is no filter when it’s not face to face conversation. You know darn well, few of those folks actually talk that way in real life, in front of real people, other Georgia fans.
There is also a “proactive” beat myself up, before somebody else can, and maybe I can make myself look good by seperation You know, look how bold and edgy I am to have the balls to critisize (my college team, job, etc) . Human nature, I guess.
Good thing nobody has to actually walk the walk.
A.G. in Thomaston
July 10th, 2012
11:04 am
At least he doesn’t have dreadlocks. Be thankful for little things.
Joe
July 10th, 2012
11:05 am
WHY do we always have all the DRAMA!! And we all wonder why we never win anything…..if you count the SEC East as winning something then think again…….way to much drama with this team
AltamahaDawg
July 10th, 2012
11:06 am
No idea why you felt the need to say all that, trolling in a Georgia Blog, but good to know.
AltamahaDawg
July 10th, 2012
11:08 am
No Joe, winning the East is exactly what it is, winning the East. Nobody need to give that a second thought.
Keith
July 10th, 2012
11:09 am
9-3 at best….this team has way to many distrators and distractions to hope for anything else. I will actually be thankful if they can pull out 9-3 especially if somehow, someway they can manage another win against Fla. As a lifelong UGA fan, I long ago learned to keep my expectations low….
More to the story here
July 10th, 2012
11:12 am
Tree must’ve been smoking more trees. This guy has more lives at UGA than a cat.. Stolen helmet, multiple failed drug tests, and rumor has it there is another suspension coming his way.
Keith
July 10th, 2012
11:12 am
Winning the SEC East is like being the cutest puppy in an ugly litter! Agree with Joe, cut out all the drama and we would probably see different results. I am just not sold on the fact this staff can get it done
More to the story here
July 10th, 2012
11:13 am
Tree doesn’t have dreadlocks either and it hasn’t stopped him from smoking daily since he’s been on campus, has it?
WDE
July 10th, 2012
11:18 am
Glad the young man is back in the fold, damn it is a long time till kickoff!
Sid
July 10th, 2012
12:22 pm
bucket
*************************************************************
Your comment reminds me of the Andy Griffith monologue “What it was was Football”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNxLxTZHKM8
Grantham doesn’t need your guidance, and I bet it would be a fair guess that the score of the game dictates who plays.
Larry Bird
July 10th, 2012
12:27 pm
More to the story here, go f yourself and get off the blogs spreading bs and rumors
bucket
July 10th, 2012
12:39 pm
@ Sid – fair enough. I never pretended to be a better DC than Grantham, I only offered my opinion. However, if you want elite athletes to come to UGA and ride the pine for 2 or 3 years, then be prepared to stay under the scholarship limit perpetually. We should could use some of those db’s right now that transferred last year because of lack of playing time.