AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2008 > February > 06 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USDogs too good for own good
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
Athens — Mark Richt said he was crushed, heartbroken, even “sickened” (yes, he used that word). Because, yes, there must be nothing worse for a college football coach than to actually have too many coveted recruits wanting, begging, pleading to come to your school.
“People tell me it’s a good problem,” Richt said Wednesday. “But it’s sad, having to tell kids there’s not a spot for you.”
They certainly can relate to this sort of thing at Vanderbilt, East Carolina and New Mexico. We all will be there one day. The lottery numbers will hit, and my wife will be forced to tell the Jaguar dealer, “I’m sorry, but we’re going with the Porsche.” And she will weep.
Wednesday was national-letter-of-intent day for college football. Now, as projections go, gauging the futures of 18-year-old flankers and safeties is no closer to exact science than throwing a Ping-Pong ball into a wind tunnel and picking a direction. But when most scouting services list a school as second or third in the SEC and fourth or sixth nationally, it says something about perceptions. Also leverage. Also Porsches.
Richt doesn’t really recruit anymore as much as he opens the door.
Georgia isn’t building. Georgia is now your basic five-bedroom, four-bath dream home with a pool, Jacuzzi and home gym. It just needs a little upkeep and the occasional add-on, like a home theater or a game-breaking receiver.
The Bulldogs nearly went to the national title game last season. They have a chance to go next season. They are led by Richt, who can be considered rare for a college coach: He hasn’t leveraged his success for a paycheck on another campus or an ego stroke in the NFL. Georgia also plays in the SEC, a recruit magnet.
The Dogs used only 28 official visits to fill 24 scholarships. (Three others were used for potential walk-ons.) Receiver A.J. Green, the best player in the Dogs’ class and one of the top 10 in the nation, was so committed that he told Richt he wasn’t even going to waste his time making an official visit.
“I had to beg him to come on the official visit, just so his mom could have a nice weekend,” Richt said.
Georgia had 20 commitments by December. Several top players who waited before making a decision were shut out. Recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner never has seen anything like it.
“It’s unusual, especially when you have a class of 24,” Garner said. “There were a few kids where we were like, ‘We’d love to have you. I can’t believe we’re having this conversation with you today. I wish we were having it back in October or November, and then maybe we would’ve had room to take you.’ “
Jamie Newberg of Scout.com said, “I wrote something the other day, and I had to try to find somebody to put under, ‘The big fish that got away.’ I had trouble coming up with somebody for Georgia.”
When asked to compare recruiting at Georgia now with his first year in 2001, Richt said: “It’s different. It just seems like we’re getting a lot more of those really high-level kids who want to come here.”
Georgia screams success and stability today. Richt can point to SEC titles and Sugar Bowls. He can walk into a recruit’s living room, look a parent in the eyes and say, “I’m not going anywhere.” As Garner said, “He can say, ‘My mom’s moved here; my dad’s moved here; my sisters have moved here; my brother just moved here this summer; [his wife] Katharyn’s dad lives up in White County.’ People know he’s serious.”
When Richt was at Florida State, he tried to recruit two quarterbacks, Danny Wuerffel and Danny Kanell, the same year. “Wuerffel was like, ‘If you take me and only me, I’ll come,’ ” he said. “We had to decide, but we couldn’t do it. Not long after that, he committed to Florida.”
The Seminoles had to settle for Kanell, who threw a school-record 57 touchdown passes and played in four BCS bowls.
Everybody has his own level of regret.
Permalink | Comments (57) | Post your comment | Categories: Jeff Schultz, UGA / SEC
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By BJohnDawg
February 6, 2008 8:16 PM | Link to this
It’s great to be a GEORGIA BULLDAWG!
By LizDawg
February 6, 2008 8:16 PM | Link to this
Well said Jeff - this quote says it best of all:
“Georgia screams success and stability today.”
GATA Dawgs and Techies - SIAR,B!
By Stockbridge Dawg
February 6, 2008 8:41 PM | Link to this
We are all VERY lucky to have a man like Coach Richt at UGA. The guy is an absolute class act that gets it done. We are on the verge of multiple, long awaited national championships in Athens folks. It’s OUR TIME to shine and shut up all the critics of our proud and storied program. Thank the Lord above for this man and his family for their great contributions to the community! GOOOOOO DAWGS, SIC EM’!!!
By Recruit scam
February 6, 2008 8:43 PM | Link to this
Go back and look at the history of recruiting and see how utterly stupid people are for getting in a frenzy over who has the best recruiting class. Dummies!
By Stockbridge Dawg
February 6, 2008 8:46 PM | Link to this
Almost forgot to mention Rodney Garner and all the other great assistants that work diligently to make things happen for us to enjoy. You guys and your families need to know how much the Bulldog Nation appreciates all that you sacrifice and do to make our Saturdays in the Fall so much fun. THANK YOU ALL!!!
By Character Who?
February 6, 2008 8:48 PM | Link to this
You can tell the character,or lack of, of a person by who they follow around. Lets take a look at the recruits who signed with the biggest liar in college/pro football-Saban!
By AL
February 6, 2008 8:49 PM | Link to this
To think there are still people out there that are not happy with the Georgia coaching staff, BLOWS ME FREAKING AWAY. Been a fan since 1970 and never have I ever remembered this program being in better shape than it is right now. Was in New Orleans where we totally dominated and humiliated an undefeated team that the national media tried so hard to build up. Coach Richt just out recruited some of the very best programs in this country for about the 5th time since 2001. It just don’t get any better period. The chase for a Championship is what’s fun, it will happen hold on to your hats and enjoy the ride.
GO DAWGS!!!!!!
By AL
February 6, 2008 8:49 PM | Link to this
To think there are still people out there that are not happy with the Georgia coaching staff, BLOWS ME FREAKING AWAY. Been a fan since 1970 and never have I ever remembered this program being in better shape than it is right now. Was in New Orleans where we totally dominated and humiliated an undefeated team that the national media tried so hard to build up. Coach Richt just out recruited some of the very best programs in this country for about the 5th time since 2001. It just don’t get any better period. The chase for a Championship is what’s fun, it will happen hold on to your hats and enjoy the ride.
GO DAWGS!!!!!!
By Dawgcrzy
February 6, 2008 8:53 PM | Link to this
RECRUIT Jealousy leads to stupidity
By Stockbridge Dawg
February 6, 2008 9:02 PM | Link to this
Recruit scam, although most of us realize that these rankings don’t always mean that the team will perform according to their recruiting ranking, the moral of this great story is that when you have a combination of a coach like Mark Richt, his staff, consistent highly rated recruiting classes, a tradition like UGA’s, and the fan base that makes up the Bulldog Nation, you have all the ingredients for NC’s. You’re obviously a Tech fan so get on a Tech blog and whine about your underachieving program. You guys seem to be missing a few of the above ingredients.
By Connie Lingous
February 6, 2008 9:20 PM | Link to this
Jeff - when Kanell was in college, BCS Bowls weren’t classified as such, the BCS is a more recent modification.
Otherwise, your column is right on, UGA really doesn’t recruit so much anymore as simply open the door to the chosen elite.
By TDone
February 6, 2008 9:38 PM | Link to this
Muttland really has nothing to show for these top recruiting classes. A good number will not make the grade or will get into some difficulties of some sort.
You folks have now reached the saturation point. Only 13 scholarships you can give out in 2008 and the 2008 season has not yet commenced.
This is going to be fun to watch.
By TDone
February 6, 2008 9:40 PM | Link to this
Correction: Make this 13 scholarships in 2009.
By T
February 6, 2008 9:56 PM | Link to this
LOL … and Wuerffel ONLY won a NC and a Heisman… LOL.. I missed your point Jeff… sheesh..
By D-Cider
February 6, 2008 10:06 PM | Link to this
hey, Jerk Schultz, weren’t you the poor excuse of a sports writer (to use the word journalist would be an insult to the profession) that a few months ago was blasting the UGA for not being able to play defense in recent memory? loser
By DawgsRulz
February 6, 2008 10:44 PM | Link to this
TDone, Please do your research.. UGA has between 16 and 18 for next season not counting jrs leaving.. We have a class of 15 srs, but you have yearly attrition. So please don’t talk unless you are spoken to and then defer to someone else.
By athensdawg
February 6, 2008 10:46 PM | Link to this
Scam…go back and look at the 2004 recruiting ‘rankings’ and you’ll see some familiar names…Florida, USC, (the REAL one not cockville), Ga.,LSU, Ohio State, etc..only FSU had a ranked class that did not translate to on field success. Moral of the story, great athletes don’t always make great teams, but great teams always have great athletes.
By chris
February 7, 2008 1:36 AM | Link to this
jeff…great article except for the last three paragraphs. What do they have to do with anything??
By Q-Dawg
February 7, 2008 2:05 AM | Link to this
Hmmm..nothing to show for it. We have 2 SEC titles, 3 SEC east titles and 2 Sugar Bowl titles. We have several top 5 finishes. We have 7 wins in a row over Tech, are 2 and 2 in our last 4 against UF, 2 and 0 in our last 2 against Auburn. We have lost our last 2 to UT, but we have held our own with them since Richt arrived, including 3 exciting wins in Knoxville. We are 2-2 against LSU who (during this time) has risen to national power. During this time, our graduation rates have risen to levels exceeded by only Vanderbilt. I would say we have A LOT to show for our magnificent recruiting classes. Unlike Mr. Meyer at UF and Stoops at OU who won their titles with borrowed recruits, GA wasn’t blessed with a full cupboard when Donnan was let go. Richt has built GA back up from the ground after Goff and Donnan wrecked the program.
By tampadawg
February 7, 2008 2:18 AM | Link to this
Coach Richt has brought Pride to the Dawg nation and I’m very proud to be a Bulldawg Fan! I wish him many many many years in Athens and we will always know what he brings to the table. He’s a very stand up man. You can’t deny his values and his success at Georgia. Go Dawgs and welcome the new recruits and lets bring a national championship back to Athens!!! Go Dawgs!!
By staffordspoonedme
February 7, 2008 2:53 AM | Link to this
Jeez Jeff - did you blow your load all over your keyboard while writing that?
UGA beats UF one of 10 years and ends on a hot streak and all of sudden they can do no wrong. They also lost to mediocre SC and got throttled at UT. They’ll slip up at least twice next year under Richt. It’s inevitable.
The fact they get all this talent year in and year out and still have not played in the big one speaks volumes.
UGA is a very good program…not yet a great one.
Hope the kids like cow-tipping in the offseason, because I’ve been to Athens a time or two and there’s not much else to do after the games.
By Johnny Danger Dawg
February 7, 2008 3:17 AM | Link to this
Dawg fans, please do not be baited into debates about the quality of our program. We know we believe in our coach. We know how much fun the Richt era has been. And we know we hunger for a national title. It doesn’t matter what some outsider says.
By robertdawgfan
February 7, 2008 3:56 AM | Link to this
I hope the person who tried to comment about UGA beating that team from gainesville looks at that series record we have against them. If the game wasnt played in Jacksonville….sigh…but i’m not making excuses.
By MVP
February 7, 2008 4:45 AM | Link to this
Relax lets see how many UGA recruits go to Georgia Military College because of Academics problems.
By Bamafan
February 7, 2008 6:13 AM | Link to this
Coach Mark Richt is a wonderful person and a very good head coach. Georgia fans should be very happy to have him! I would trade him for Nick Saban any day of the week and give up 1st row picks like in the NFL. Georgia and Florida’s game in jacksonville in November 08 will be the game of the year. Good luck dawgs this year and win the national title.
By Dawg4Life
February 7, 2008 6:40 AM | Link to this
staffordspoonedme- There isn’t much to do after the games in Athens? Maybe you just weren’t looking in the right spot. Not to mention, Herbstreit also voted UGA #1 in the best looking coeds. That probably isn’t your thing though. UGA put together a great recruiting class this year, as well as the past few years. The future looks good. Lets hope we can put it all together through an extremely tough schedule this year. Go Dawgs!
By reality check
February 7, 2008 7:20 AM | Link to this
Al, the people posting who don’t like Richt aren’t Georgia fans.
For example I knew TurDone would show up on here green with envy. TurDone is a Tech fan.
By Dave In Tampa
February 7, 2008 7:39 AM | Link to this
Wow, I can’t wait until the next season begins. Thanks Bamafan for the positive comments and good luck to you guys. Just like another poster said, “Let’s not take the bate from other(GT) fans.” Let those folks that want to be negative go ahead. Just laugh it off because we know what we have in our football team and the great coachES we have.
At saying that the Georgia folks that like to post negatively on the GT blog I have one question for you, WHY? Most of those negative post make the rest of us look pretty ignorant. Don’t be sucked in to what they say. Show some class and just move on. Suprise them and say something positive. Let our Team do the talking for us on the field. The tickle pile comments are lame just as the spooning comments are lame.
By Paddy
February 7, 2008 8:08 AM | Link to this
This is really a good day…UGA fans are happy. GT fans are happy. Iam so sorry I had to move out of state. But the AJC and the blogs really give me my football fix. Before you know it it will be spring practice.
By Pat
February 7, 2008 8:25 AM | Link to this
Techies are saying that many of these recruits will flunk out of UGA or get in trouble. Then they say next year having only 15 scholarships will kill the program. Can’t have it both ways. If all those guys flunk out or get arrested there will be more than 15 scholarships available in 09. Personally I’m glad signing day has passed. The overhype is almost as bad as the presidential race. It still has to be proven on the field and odds are it will be at UGA.
By 82DAWG
February 7, 2008 8:26 AM | Link to this
Wally Butts, Vince Dooley, is Mark Richt the best one of all? Is he the best football coach the University of Georgia has ever had? Are these the glory years that people will point to for decades to come?
By Joe
February 7, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this
I believe that Rivals had and article in which the top 4 recruiting classes over the last 7 years are USC, LSU, UF, and UGA. UF won the championship in 06, and LSU, UGA and USC went 1-2-3 this year. Recruiting is important and the only ones that don’t think so are usually the ones with sub par classes and a trip to the Blue Turf Bowl or the Emerald Nuts bowl.
By pvb
February 7, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this
82DAWG — The answer to your question is “YES”. These are THE glory years that we will look back on as the best! And the best part of all is CMR and Co. are just getting started. We are building unsurpassed, quality depth, in my opinion. CMR is a man with the character and integrity necessary to attract quality people and have them motivated to perform. THESE ARE THE BEST OF TIMES!! Enjoy and Go Dogs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By Blackdawg
February 7, 2008 9:42 AM | Link to this
I thought we were suppose to have the best class in the nation?
This is what we do every year. How come we don’t ever win any National Championships?
Every year, we have the best talent, but can’t even win a SEC championship.
I’m so glad Jeff Shultz has jumped on our bandwagon, he’s the funniest guy in the world, sic.
By cdawg92
February 7, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this
Nice column, but you got it wrong in the first two paragraphs. I can only imagine how bad it feels to tell a recruit who has probably dreamed his whole life about playing at Georgia only to be told there is no room for you. I bet that hurts any coach. Sure we have an abundance of riches now, but that means that some who might have made the team a few years ago won’t now and that’s gotta suck, but that is the price of success . GO DAWGS!!!
By oldgold
February 7, 2008 9:53 AM | Link to this
What a lovefest. You guys should lock yourselves up in a room and have children.
By oldgold
February 7, 2008 9:56 AM | Link to this
Blackdawg: Don’t try to break this mood. At UGA, things are different. Nat Champs are meaningless. Richts contract says he only has to have one of the top 5 recrutin’ classes each year. There’s nothing about performance in his contract.
By Scott Hornibrook
February 7, 2008 10:03 AM | Link to this
Half the recruits will fail academically..the other half will wind up in jail.
By oldgay
February 7, 2008 10:20 AM | Link to this
oldggold: Here’s performance for you, you virgin, nerd, ignoramus: 7-0. Oh and when was the last time tech won its conference? B/c Georgia’s won 2 in the past 6 years. Hope Jaybo is ready to get his redneck face shoved into the Grant Field/Sanford Stadium turf for the next four/five years. Jaybo….. wtf kind of name is that……
By Blackdawg
February 7, 2008 10:21 AM | Link to this
oldgold we always have this “love fest” this time of year.
We’ll go spoon each other till spring practice, proclaim ourselves as National Champions again.
…have a goodbye spoon fest and then get ready for some football.
We’ll be National Champions till Nov. (that’s when we finally play a top 50 team), lose, blame the refs, and slur in our drunken obnoxious voice “Wait till next year”
GOOOOO DAWGS, SPOON’EM!!!!!!!!!!
…Matthew, oh Matthew!
By reserviorDAWG
February 7, 2008 10:33 AM | Link to this
This is a fine recruiting class and if you think these kids are goinng to flunk out or go to jail you should check their gpa’s and sat’s. Some of you guys are jealous morons.
By Dennis A. Moore
February 7, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this
I think the Dwags are own their way to a NC’s due to Rich an his coaching staff. I’m very proud to be a Dwag fan,all these years!!!! My we have the best years ahead!!!!!!
By Dave In Tampa
February 7, 2008 10:52 AM | Link to this
Hey gang don’t get hooked into Blackdawg and oldgold antics. Just consider the sources, laugh and move on.
By doggonegadawg
February 7, 2008 10:55 AM | Link to this
Coach Richt is merely building upon a foundation laid by others. Thank you Wallace Butts, thank you Joel Eaves (for having the guts to hire a little known assistant coach (Vince Dooley) and telling the supporters not to panic and then to have the courage to close in Sanford Stadium thus blinding the view from the tracks; thank you Vince Dooley for building a solid athletic operation un-matched by any other in college sports and for your years of service with dignity and integrity (not to mention all the championships); and thank you coach Richt for your life and the example you bring to UGA and for teaching our kids to dream and believe that they can achieve at the highest level. The best years of Georgia football are truly in the years to come. It will be legendary and historic and in the footsteps of those who came before.
By reserviorDAWG
February 7, 2008 11:00 AM | Link to this
Blackdog has some obvious homosexual tendencies with his spooning comments. He most be skipping school today.
By Ninetogo
February 7, 2008 11:22 AM | Link to this
Techies remind me of a bucket of crabs. One tries to escape and the others pull him back into the bucket. They have relatively few opportunities to celebrate a Tech success, so they slur any success by the dawgs. Just do NOT understand that mentality. I hope Johnson has success at Tech, where OldGold and his friends have something to celebrate, and our “Love-Hate” game can be more competitive. Johnson seems to be a class act; hope the Techies can experience a small taste of what we now have at UGA.
By borodawg
February 7, 2008 11:37 AM | Link to this
Let’s keep recruiting in perspective. It’s great to have highly ranked players, but we have to wait to see how they turn out. To start talking NC is crazy. First, we have to shoot for the SEC championship. Playing for a NC is a crap shoot. The stars have to be perfectly aligned. However, winning an SEC championship ‘should’ get that team in contention for #1. To think the Dawgs will go undefeated in SEC play this year is, well, we don’t know. We’re going to play some very good teams that have also had great recruiting classes. Our sched is brutal and hopefully we’ll get thru it with a good record. UGA has one of the best overall records over the past several years (EG top 10 rankings). Richt, Coach Dooley, D. Evans et al have us in an enviable position; great program, great school (will somebody hit M. Adams upside the head, please). But talking NC is nonsense. It’s a great goal, but highly difficult to achieve. LSU, USC, OU, OSU, have a lot to say about that too; not to mention Awbun, Flawed-duh, the Vowels…and our latest nemesis, S.C. Hopefully we’ll get to Nawlins again this season; one game at a time. The rest will take care of itself. Congrats to the whole Bulldog Nation for a great recruiting class. Goooo dawgs!
By PennStater
February 7, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this
Techies no longer have anything on UGA! They are both very strong academic institutions, and within a few years, UGA could very well pass Tech in terms of academic facilites, reputation, and all collegiate sports! Good luck Dawgs!
By alabamadawg
February 7, 2008 11:45 AM | Link to this
Jeffery, You are Doggone Right!!! Stop the hating, jerks, let’s paly ball!!!!
By Tech Grad 1985
February 7, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this
I am a Tech grad and I am very jealous of what a good job UGA does in recruiting quality football players. We say we do not care about football at Tech, just academics. That is our lie. We love football. We just cannot win at football, so we try to tear UGA down to our own miserable level. We are ugly people without morals and we will never get over being a bunch of losers.
By AL
February 7, 2008 3:54 PM | Link to this
Can’t win SEC Championship? Where have all you haters been? A competitive program is what recruiting means …nothing more nothing less. Staffordspoonedme you’re an idiot (closet homosexual) Nothing for Homo’s in Athens I guess.
By show me the NC
February 7, 2008 5:52 PM | Link to this
high rank surely will = NC…Right???
By Ricky Bobby
February 7, 2008 6:06 PM | Link to this
Sorry, boys. Great coaches do not resort to unsportsmanlike trickery as Richt did against UF or silly dancing on the sideline during a game. That stuff is for the likes of Barry Switzer, and Jacky Sherrell. And Jeff failed to mention Richt’s star recruit at FSU, Randy Moss, who did jail time as a high school senior. Very talented, but no championship for Randy. Georgia has consistently had the best talent in the conference, and consistently choked against W.VA, UK, Vandy, SC, and UF, to say nothing of the whippings administered in recent years by UT. Furthermore, anyone who thinks that there is not a big academic and disciplinary problem is not paying attention. Richt has done less with more talent than anyone, and 2008 will be no different.
By ck
February 7, 2008 7:54 PM | Link to this
UGA had better move quickly and give Richt the contract he deserves and has surely earned. This year he learned more of how to be the head coach and motivate his team… There will be openings coming up that will offer him much more than the current contract… Make your moe now Dawgs and reward richt for his success.
By savannah dawg
February 7, 2008 8:27 PM | Link to this
I’m a little worried about the DAWGS. I hope they don’t get bored winning every single game for the next five years. GO DAWGS!!!!!
By shane #1
February 7, 2008 9:56 PM | Link to this
ricky bobby,you are right,richt is a lousy coach.he has only averaged 10 wins a year as a head coach,and he has only won two sec championships.i can’t believe the poor sportsmanship against uf,they were so nice putting their first string back in athens so they could set a record for points scored by the visiting team,just so the uga fans could enjoy it.last year he was picked to finish behind ut,uf and uk in the east and the best that bum could do was go 10-2 and win the sugar bowl.he brought the apr for the uga football team up,but academics scores at vandy and uf are better,what a loser,uga should be equal with vandy!we did choke consistantly against vandy,once means consistantly doesn’t it?then there was getting beat by wva,it’s not like they were one of the better teams in the country,if they were they would have been rated # 2 in the country and a big school,like michigan would have hired their coach.but we know that would never happen.then there was the loses to ut and uf.if those schools were that good they would win some games,maybe a nc,but no way that would happen.you are right about old barry too,what a lousy coach!i mean it’s not like he could coach the dallas cowboys or something!then there was that loss to kentucky,if they had been any good in 2006 they would have gone to a bowl and beaten clemson or somebody.besides it’s not like they had a qb that would be nominated for the heisman.if uga just had a smart man like you they wouldn’t be goofing around winning ten or eleven games a year and going to bowls all the time.
By Blackdawgisqueer
February 7, 2008 10:42 PM | Link to this
Hey Blackdawg….tell your Tech lab partner, Matthew, to quit humping your backside while you’re trying to blog.