Change of heart? Richt issues statement that UGA is ‘not pursuing Penn State players’
ATHENS — “Currently, Georgia is not pursuing any of Penn State’s football players. We wish Coach O’Brien and the players the best.”
That statement came from the UGA’s sports communication office to beat reporters a little after 5 p.m. on Friday. It came as a raw statement without any context or explanation.
I happened to be talking to Christopher Lakos, one of Georgia’s associate directors of sports communications, just before the email was sent out. All he could tell me was the release was simply “a message Coach Richt wants to get out about something he’s been getting a lot of calls about.”
You’ll recall that Richt on Monday told reporters covering the annual Greater Atlanta UGA Days event at Cobb Galleria that the Bulldogs would in fact be interested in recruiting some of the Nittany Lions players. The NCAA, in its historic ruling against Penn State for covering up child sex atrocities committed by a former assistant coach, announced that Penn State players would be allowed to transfer anywhere without penalty and that schools would be allowed to openly recruit them.
Here’s what Richt said Monday:
“We do have some space available and if somebody fits a need and they’re excited about coming we would look into that possibility,” he said at the Cobb Galleria Centre. “There may not be anybody. But we’re at least going to explore. … I don’t want people to think we’re trying to load up a bunch of them. It could be zero, it could be one or two.”
One of two things has had to happen since then: One, no Penn State players expressed any interest in transferring to Georgia; or, two, Richt and UGA had a change of heart.
I was skeptical from the get-go about what Penn State might have to offer Georgia. The Bulldogs were recruiting finalist for two of their players, redshirt freshman defensive end Deion Barnes and junior linebacker Khairi Fortt. As we all know, Georgia is pretty well set on the defensive side of the ball. Penn State running back Silas Redd is apparently close to transferring to Southern Cal. Otherwise, it doesn’t appear there is going to be a lot of movement.
It’s late on a Friday and I have somewhere to be this evening, so for now I can just throw it out there for you guys and see what you think about it. The Bulldogs report for camp next week and we’ll start having regular access to Coach Richt and players, so we’ll get more from then later.
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224 comments Add your comment
OrlandoDawg
July 28th, 2012
9:30 am
Love the childish haters! Makes me contribute more to UGA fund! We are set on D…and I always liked PSU, sorry to see this happen, hate it for the students and the players, the staff and admin. simply did not do their JOB…to have a mental project like Sandusky on staff and no one know it is hard to believe…
GT
July 28th, 2012
9:31 am
Penn State didn’t go under because of a corruption of players like SMU. I imagine a lot of those players at Penn State would look at Georgia as another candidate for negative things to happen. The reason Georgia has room on their roster is exactly what this Penn State crowd doesn’t need after what they have gone through. In many respects UGA is a looser outfit than Penn State. They keep telling us and the press repeats it, that they are fitting it, yet here they are looking for more bodies because they have not fitted it. And now Richt has made a decision, the dicision was made for him by disinterested players at Penn State I am sure.
Beast from the East
July 28th, 2012
9:45 am
Hairy Dawg,
Those slow Big Ten players beat the Dawgs in the bowl game last season. How soon we forget…
Neutral
July 28th, 2012
9:49 am
@GT
And how would those kids perceive GT? Lost ACC title, obstruction of NCAA investigation, coach accused of assault, etc. Quit throwing stones in your crystal palace!!!!
Just Saying
July 28th, 2012
9:53 am
Right on Neutral
Prick James
July 28th, 2012
10:03 am
You dawg fans are kidding yourselves if you believe Richt n CO didn’t pursue some players. The “currently” part just means they got rejected early.
mcdaviddawg
July 28th, 2012
10:17 am
It’s just too much trouble. Effort is not what Richt is about. The list is getting pretty long of players who just haven’t heard from Georgia\. There just isn’t enough time in the day after going to church and playing golf with the crew.
TampaGator
July 28th, 2012
10:23 am
HairyDawg….
Your 9:07 post was in my opinion highly inappropriate and crude….considering those abused that way were children. I would think carefully before making any of those kinds of posts again. And that sick person had nothing to do with the players at Penn State or the ones who choose to go there in the future. I would prefer that everyone take the high road concerning that situation in the future.
TampaGator
July 28th, 2012
10:32 am
Dawg Whisperer
July 27th, 2012
10:47 pm
“TampaGator… don’t immitate the immaturity of the 10 year old GT children that seek attention on the boards. It is a poor attempt at humor that reflects much worse on them.”
Dawg whisperer……
I hadly think my comment……”Richt decided to stop recruiting Penn State and start recruiting Georgia”…….was hardly childish in nature……but appropriate based on the discussions this week concerning Georgia losing a lot of the top Georgia recruits this year…..including one to Florida. But is was intended to just poke fun at the situation….not at Richt or Georiga. Sorry you took it that way.
KJ
July 28th, 2012
10:40 am
“One of two things has had to happen since then: One, no Penn State players expressed any interest in transferring to Georgia; or, two, Richt and UGA had a change of heart.”
Um, why can’t it be Three: Richt took all week to evaluate PSU’s roster, and decided none of them filled a need? Pretty dumb article.
claytondawg
July 28th, 2012
10:43 am
Here we go again: You’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t. These blogs prove we live in the greatest country on this earth. No matter what is said or written, SOMEONE will disagree and SOMEONE will agree. Ok, off my soapbox. The other losers of this horrendous scandal are the players themselves. It is now documented that if these players choose to go to another university, they have that right. At least something “good” came out of this.
Brainiac(CMR/UGA fan for life)
July 28th, 2012
10:44 am
@ Smitty:
Stay as far away as you can from Butter Butt Floyd or you may catch something Ajax won’t remove!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really like CMR Smitty but am tired of BUTTER BUTT FLOYD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Penn State players don't want Richt as their coach.
July 28th, 2012
10:49 am
That’s the bottom line. After having a hard-hitting, driven coaching staff, why come to a staff that seems as if it just doesn’t care. If you have motivation, you don’t want to go to Georgia football.
Mike
July 28th, 2012
10:51 am
One, they probably have no one outstanding that we need at a particular position. Two, I’m sure they asked and no one expressed an interest in Georgia. Three, kind man that he is, Richt probably doesn’t want to act like a vulture circling over Penn State (like Lane Kiffin). Richt probably puts himself in the Penn State coach’s position and has some empathy for him.
AAAAA Athens Bail Bonds R Us
July 28th, 2012
10:54 am
Any more dawg players arrested today?
Brainiac(CMR/UGA fan for life)
July 28th, 2012
10:56 am
@ Tampa Gator:
Never apologize to ANYBODY on here when your comments are “Just Funning”. It will be taken as a sign of weakness and if “Just Funning” is eliminated on here I will be really concerned!!!!!!!!!!
Have a great day and take a free shot at me so you can get back to enjoying this blog……………………….Lizard Breath…………………………………..”Just Funning” dude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
kingdaddy
July 28th, 2012
11:03 am
P.S. players don’t want Richt
Spoken like a true football fan of anywhere but UGA. You know ZERO, about UGA football, but don’t let that stop you from posting moronic insults at COACH RICHT. I’m sure you say “well they beat us on the field, but I’ll cheap-shot them in the blog! ” You are an inspiration to real men, lol…
Edward
July 28th, 2012
11:04 am
“If you have motivation, you don’t want to go to Georgia football.”
———————————————————–
Motivation or intelligence or sobriety or character. Georgia players have none of those qualities.
kingdaddy
July 28th, 2012
11:10 am
Brain
I guess M.C. got his thong twisted in a knot yesterday and bounced me while I was at work. Came back home and couldn’t post on recruit blog. What a thin skin baby. His loss…
kingdaddy
July 28th, 2012
11:12 am
Edward
What program doesn’t have problems with 18-19 year olds???
azdawg
July 28th, 2012
11:13 am
Except for IL and one other coach, the Other HC’s from the big 10 said they would not go after PSU players for moral and ethical reasons. could be CMR followed their lead and issued statement GA would not pursue those players. Thats not to say any one of these coaches nor other coaches in the US would turn PSU players away if they came calling and had a spot for them. From reports out of happy valley these kids are sticking together at least for this season. May see some defections in coming seasons from the younger players especially if things go south and losses pile up. The new PSU HC is former asst coach from the Patriots and listening to him in interviews one is impressed w/his attitude and pedigree. I wouldn’t doubt they’ll show up and be in every game they play. Wish them all the best.
duronimo
July 28th, 2012
11:15 am
To prey upon someone when they are down aint’ exactly “Christian” anyway. Coach O’bien, doesn’t deserve this. None of this mess his fault. Now, if a player comes to you own their own, that’s a bit different. My advice is to try to control your own players. Put in place some mechanism that will stop your freshmen recruits from “clubbing” at 3 in the morning. Also would see if I could figure out how to “game plan” for the second half. The whole world knows we get outcoached during the games.
manUGA
July 28th, 2012
11:49 am
Crap!
Seriously these Penn State players need a team to leap to from a burning boat and we have spots open at UGA!.
Just beause the Penn State coach gets mad the other college coaches stop trying to HELP the drowning players at Penn State.
Again the victums at Penn State are the kids not the COACHES!
Remind me to never go swimming in the deep water with a bunch of D1 football coaches.
kingdaddy
July 28th, 2012
11:55 am
Edward is so smart he can diagnose all of UGAs shortcomings, but he can’t answer a simple question, lol…
Hairy Dawg
July 28th, 2012
12:39 pm
Those abused that way were the PSU players by the NCAA. They didn’t do nothing but now they can’t go to any bowls and have to play short handed with less schollies. The only way the PSU players don’t get violated that way by NCAA is to transfer out immediately. But we don’t need them at UGA cause we got better players already. The PSU players could probably transfer and helps a team like the Vandy Commodes, Kens Tuck, Dooley Boy Orange Pumkins or even your Gaytors.
Gater Hater
July 28th, 2012
12:43 pm
manUGA, exactly…
It isnt morally or ethically wrong to persue or express interest in these players. It lets them know they have options.
Gater Hater
July 28th, 2012
12:44 pm
Talk abou morals and ethics…covering up a child molester for who knows how many years….
Gater Hater
July 28th, 2012
12:45 pm
what an ethical coaching staff and institution
Gater Hater
July 28th, 2012
12:45 pm
NOT
fayncdawg
July 28th, 2012
1:06 pm
Redd was the only player on the PSU roster that would have been an upgrade. And as I mentioned in other blogs, a player from New England coming South is a hard sell. Plus I have a feeling some people (PLAYERS, COACHES AND OTHERS) made it clear to CMR that they simply do not want any PSU players on the roster. To simply put it, a lot of these PSU players knew strange things were going on there while they were being recruited by PSU. AND THEY STILL SIGNED WITH PSU???
georgia fans are certainly stupid
July 28th, 2012
1:11 pm
after reading the nbcsports article about cmr striking out in happy valley, uga has moved up from a regional to a national joke.
a country boy can survive
July 28th, 2012
1:14 pm
hey kingdaddy, sthu boy. nobody cares what you think.
Milton County will happen
July 28th, 2012
1:22 pm
Hey country boy, Shultz should have closed the door on that clown last week. Won’t be long before he’s gone from the AJC blogs. Adds nothing but juvenile vitriol to the conversations. Just ignore the dummy and he might go away.
tenn.DAWG
July 28th, 2012
1:31 pm
Just another classy move by CMR.
Milton County will happen
July 28th, 2012
1:32 pm
What move was classy?
fayncdawg
July 28th, 2012
1:41 pm
To the one who thinks Dawg fans are so stupid:
YOU MEAN THAT WE ARE A JOKE JUST BECAUSE WE DON’T WANT ANYBODY ON OUR TEAMS WHO KNEW PSU WAS DOING WIERD THINGS AND SIGNED WITH THEM ANYWAY?? AFTER THE ISSUES THE DAWGS HAD WITH CROWELL, I CAN”T BLME THEM FOR NOT WANTING TO TAKE RISKS (YES I SAID RISKS) WITH PSU PLAYERS WHO WOULD BE FAR FROM HOME, NOT ALL THAT TALENTED (OUTSIDE OF REDD), AND WORSE OF ALL MAY BE EVEN MORE IMMORAL THAN CROWELL WILL EVER BE. IF CROWELL IN HINDSIGHT WAS A RISKY RECRUIT THEN ANY PSU PLAYER IS JUST AS RISKY FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED REASONS!
georgia fans are certainly stupid
July 28th, 2012
1:50 pm
thanks for the support fayncdawg. my point is now proven.
fayncdawg
July 28th, 2012
1:57 pm
The blogger who thinks UGA fans are stupid must be a GT fan. I guess the PSU players would be a talent upgrade for GT!
georgia fans are certainly stupid
July 28th, 2012
2:02 pm
no,not a tech fan. just not a fan of the beligerent uga fanbase. any opportunity i get to knock them down a peg or two i take full advantage.
LHarding Dawg
July 28th, 2012
2:26 pm
Good day, my season tickets just came in the mail. The earliest ever!
LHarding Dawg
July 28th, 2012
2:28 pm
Good day, season tickets just came in the mail. Earliest ever!
LHarding Dawg
July 28th, 2012
2:49 pm
Sorry about the double post.
fayncdawg
July 28th, 2012
3:00 pm
UGA Fans are so stupid,
Understand you like to pick on us. NO PROBLEM! I would like to know who is your team AND based solely on talent, would you want your team recruiting PSU players outside of Redd.
Penny Laine
July 28th, 2012
3:00 pm
Georgia Tech has the nation’s highest average SAT score for football players, and also the highest average high school GPA.
UGA, on the other hand, has one of the very lowest SAT averages, as well as a very low GPA average. As a result, three-fourths of UGA players are “special admits,” when means that they can not meet the minimum educational and intelligence requirements for admission to UGA, even as low as that is.
Yes, it would be great if Tech was more competitive with UGA, but Tech fans are proud of our heritage of having intelligent, responsible athletes who go on to rewarding careers and contribute to society.
Contrast this with the very unintelligent dummies that UGA recruits. The fifty arrests over the last four years is proof enough, not to mention winning the Fulmer Cup. Most of these goons are tossed out after their eligibility is over, and many end up on welfare.
UGA is clearly just a football f-a-c-t-o-r-y dedicated to winning at all costs, and most UGA fans are okay with this, with no concern about the embarrassment this brings to the State of Georgia.
Mark Richt is the architect of this situation. As long as he is paid a huge salary, he will continue to recruit the illiterate brain-dead t-h-u-g-s who he thinks will win. Unfortunately for UGA fans, he’s not remotely in the same league with the top coaches in the SEC.
So the bottom line is that Georgia Tech – win or lose – does so with honor and integrity, while the lowlife punks, woman beaters, drug users, and drunks in Athens continue to embarrass us all.
fayncdawg
July 28th, 2012
3:21 pm
penny
You know there have been years (RECENTLY) that GT wassn’t graduating their athletes any better than UGA. And the GT athlete comes in with better high grades and test scores (so you say). IF GT recruits athletes have say 1800 SATs and 3.7+ GPAS out of HS (which the vast majority DO NOT) that does NOT make GT or ANY school more honorable than other schools. And if 1800s and 3.7s don’t graduate from college any better than 1400s and 2.7s, then what? PENNY: until GT is Stanford is athletics and academics (nowhere close) HUSH YOUR MOUTH ABOUT HONOR AND INTEGRITY!
Swamp Thing
July 28th, 2012
3:44 pm
CMR would have taken players from Penn St, if they showed an interest in UGA. I think the vultures (Lame Kitten – USC) and other coaches should approach Bill O’ Brian (Penn St. HFC) before contacting the players. If Will Muschamp is contacting Penn St players, I hope he has gone thru’ the coach first. They are still Penn St. players even tho’ the NCAA says they don’t have to be.
Hell, let’s all pile on Penn St… The football team had nothing to do with any of this..GO GATORS! !
fayncdawg
July 28th, 2012
3:55 pm
Swamp Thing,
Based on pure talent, Muschamp does not need to pursue PSU players. Like Dawgs, the Gators need to coach up to enormous talent that’s already on the roster!
1980 Dawg
July 28th, 2012
4:59 pm
The right thing to do.
After the national media and Lane Kiffin shamelessly recruited Silas Redd for USC, this was the right thing to do. Apparently the media is tired of the SEC dominating the national championship series and want to do everything in their power to promote USC. Their active recruiting of Mr. Redd on behalf of USC was disgusting. I wish Mr. Redd all the best if he decides to go, but I don’t have to respect his decision or his new team if he does. Besides, there are no Georgia born players on the PSU squad. I would not expect that they would be interested in GA. If the roles were reversed, I don’t know of any Dawg who would necessarily have Happy Valley as their priority.
richt -o-phile
July 28th, 2012
5:04 pm
he only quit the recruiting after he couldn’t get anyone to bite. (see nbcsports) 19 offers, no takers. hes no different than kiffin, nor or uga fans, who 3 days ago were all for taking players out of happy valley. what a bunch of hypocrits.
1980 Dawg
July 28th, 2012
5:41 pm
I’m no Richt fan, but everyone knew that he originally went after the PSU players. It was reported here (link in the above article) first that he was actively pursuing them. (NBC sports – I have no respect for NY based media either) And it should not be news that none of the players were interested. Many are from the Penn area. Do you really think after this scandal they would transplant all the way to Georgia? Richt is different from Kiffin in that Kiffin will do what ever it takes to win. Richt won’t. And I don’t necessarily mean that as a compliment.