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DEL.ICIO.USUpdated: Clemson ‘a pretty intelligent decision’ for Jon Richt
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/02/07 3:49 PM
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Clemson has taken a recruit right out from under Georgia coach Mark Richt’s nose. And everybody is happy about it.
That’s because the recruit is Jon Richt, Mark’s oldest son, and Georgia really was never an option.
“He’s been pretty adamant all along about not playing for his dad,” Prince Avenue coach Richard Ricketts said. “Just knowing the fans, it being the University of Georgia and him being the coach’s son.
“I think it was a pretty intelligent decision for him to make.”
Jon, a quarterback, had other options. Florida State considered him and as of late Maryland, Alabama, Oklahoma State and Colorado have all been in the mix.
“Clemson was the first school that offered him and I think that meant a lot to him in the end,” Ricketts said. “He really liked Brad Scott, coach [Rob] Spence and coach [Tommy] Bowden.”
Bowden offered Richt a scholarship after a Clemson summer camp in 2006. The Richts and Bowdens have a lot of history together. Mark worked for Tommy’s father, Bobby at Florida State for decade.
While Clemson and Georgia recently renewed their rivalry, the two will not play each other until 2013. Jon, even with a redshirt season, will have exhausted his eligibility by that point.
On the field, 6-foot-2, 205-pound Jon has proven to be a solid quarterback at Prince Avenue, Ricketts said.
“He is a coach’s kid, so he is an intelligent player and has got a gun for an arm,” he said. “And he has a lot of room to grow.”
Richt threw for more than 1,600 yards for Prince Avenue.
“It’s going to be an adjustment for him going from single A to that level,” Ricketts said. “But there is no doubt he can handle it.”
