GEORGIA REPORT: Richt gives Burnette big motivation

Georgia coach Mark Richt made a promise to Troup offensive lineman Chris Burnette: If you’re the valedictorian, then I’ll be at your graduation to hear your speech.

“[Richt] said he was proud of me, and if it happens, he’ll be there,” Burnette said. “I was honored he said that to me, with all the [coaching responsibilities] he has. That would cool to have [Richt] at graduation. He is like a celebrity, and it would be a wild atmosphere with him there.”

Burnette decided against enrolling early at Georgia so he could stay at Troup to compete for the No. 1 academic honor. Burnette has a 5.012 GPA and slight lead over two others in the valedictory race.

“I was already very motivated, but [Richt saying that] gives me even more,” Burnette said.

Tampa’s Charles says he’ll delay decision

No need to worry about tight end Orson Charles of Tampa providing any drama on signing day, because he said he’s not announcing his college decision on Feb. 4.

Charles, who is scheduled to visit Georgia this weekend, said he is a little behind on recruiting because he was so focused on his senior season at Plant High, which won Florida’s Class AAAA championship last month.

“I didn’t have time to really think about recruiting until after the [championship],” Charles said. “I can’t get in all my visits until after signing day. This is one of the biggest decisions of my life, and I don’t want to be rushed.”

Love helps cook up a recruiting story

Jordan Love, the defensive back from the suburbs of Richmond, said Richt had him laughing during an in-home visit.

As the story goes, Love’s mother cooked a ton of barbecue ribs, chicken, steak and hamburgers for the dinner visit. UGA assistant Tony Ball happened to mention that he owned a barbeque pit and could alter the flavor of the meat by using specific types of wood.

That was all Richt needed to start teasing Ball.

Said Love: “He asked [Ball], ‘What do you do? Bite into each type of wood before you use it to see what type of flavors you have?’ They kept joking back and forth about it. It was so funny; everybody was laughing.”

Love committed to Georgia last summer. When Richt left, Love invited his friends to the house.

“My mom cooked too much food, and we didn’t come close to finishing it off,” he said. “But my friends were glad to help me out with that.”

Evans’ Faloughi to be a preferred walk-on

Defensive end Reuben Faloughi of Evans has “committed” to Georgia. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Faloughi says he will join the Bulldogs as a preferred walk-on, turning down offers from smaller colleges.

“It has always been my dream to play for Georgia, and we worked it out where it could happen… . I’m excited,” Faloughi said.

Faloughi said although he won’t be signing a football scholarship with the Bulldogs, he will be getting academic grants. He is an honor roll student with a 3.9 GPA.

“I’m not that big on titles,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if I get to play at Georgia as a scholarship player or walk-on. It’s only important to me that I get to play for Georgia.”

Faloughi turned down an offer from Furman on Monday.

> Go to ajc.com for the “Georgia’s Most Wanted” recruiting list.