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Richt visits Heard County

Published on: 12/11/07

Georgia coach Mark Richt and recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner spent two hours in Heard County on Monday signing autographs, posing for pictures and evaluating the health of running back Dontavius Jackson.

Jackson, who suffered a season-ending wrist injury in Heard County’s season opener in September, plans to enroll at Georgia in January. He is on pace to gain permission from his physician to participate in spring practice with the Bulldogs.

“Dontavius got his cast off and has started his rehabilitation,” Heard County coach Tim Barron said. “They don’t want him to do any squeezing right now.

“He goes back to the doctor on Dec. 28. They should be ready then to release him to be more aggressive with the therapy. And as soon as he gets to Georgia, they’ll really start doing more physical therapy.”

Barron said Jackson’s injury was diagnosed as a spiral fracture, where the ligament in the wrist tears away from the bone.

“Everything is probably healed up fine right now,” Barron said. “The Georgia coaches feel like he’ll be freed up and released to go through spring practice.”

Richt was a big hit with the folks in Franklin.

“People were excited to see him,” Barron said. “We’re a small town. So anytime a big name like that comes here, it’s good for the community.”

Adetona commits to Indiana

Gainesville receiver Tyler Adetona was very candid Tuesday night when asked why he withdrew his October commitment from Troy earlier this week, which opened the door for him to commit to Indiana late Monday.

“I felt pressured by Troy,” Adetona admitted. “I decided to go to Indiana over the weekend and really enjoyed it. I didn’t feel any pressure at all from the coaches up there.

“They wouldn’t even let me commit while I was there. They wanted me to go home, talk to my head coach [at Gainesville], then de-commit. They didn’t want to cause any hard feelings.”

Adetona, who teamed with Gerald Ford to give Gainesville one of the state’s most potent receiving corps this season, said he instantly fell in love with the Bloomington campus.

“It’s a great school, which is a big plus, they have a great football program and they take care of you,” Adetona said. “And what else can you ask for academically?

“It’s a beautiful place.”

Philpott pulls the trigger on a commitment

St. Pius kicker Chris Philpott has committed to Louisville.

The senior was perfect on 36 extra-point attempts this season and made 36 PATs and 12 of 16 of field goals. The 6-0, 185-pounder is a standout soccer player for the Golden Lions and played defensive back for the Class AAAA playoff team.

Philpott, who had offers from Air Force, Army and Navy, cancelled a visit to Virginia after committing to play for the Cardinals.

He is expected to follow Louisville all-conference kicker Art Carmody, the NCAA scoring leader for kickers.

“He knows he has big shoes to fill, but he is excited about it,” said Robert Philpott, Chris’ dad. “He has a chance to be the team’s kicker next season.”

Comments

Commenting is now closed for this entry.

By XXXX

December 12, 2007 1:09 AM | Link to this

I thought that it would have been good for Tech to consider Petrino but after seeing how this guy can cut and run I’m not sure. Its obvious that Arkansas has been camped out on the doorstep of any available coach in the country.

By XXXX

December 12, 2007 1:13 AM | Link to this

I thought that it would have been good for Tech to consider Petrino but after seeing how this guy can cut and run I’m not sure. Its obvious that Arkansas has been camped out on the doorstep of any available coach in the country.

By XXXX

December 12, 2007 1:13 AM | Link to this

I thought that it would have been good for Tech to consider Petrino but after seeing how this guy can cut and run I’m not sure. Its obvious that Arkansas has been camped out on the doorstep of any available coach in the country.

By boots

December 12, 2007 5:20 AM | Link to this

Petrino is a scumbag. Anyone who would do this is not high on my list of men I would want coaching my team, and I feel sorry for AR that they have him. Meanwhile, I see that Fulmer is visiting the homes of recruits now. When he does this, do you think he stays for lunch AND dinner or does he just ask for some extra, extra, extra food to go and takes it with him?

By John

December 12, 2007 6:25 AM | Link to this

Personally I feel sorry for Arthur Blank.
After Vick was sentenced this week, Petrino now quitting, he still has to figure out a way to get value for D. Hall and get rid of the rest of these malcontents in order to build a real team.

These guys wearing Vick jerseys on MNF before going out to get shelled by 20 points by a horribly weakened Saints have got a lot of nerve. I’m sure Mike was honored by their efforts, not that he deserved honoring. When the team owner comes out and says the team has no connection with Vick anymore and the players do a stunt like that on t.v. afterward, it shows a remarkable lack of respect by the players for the man who signs their paycheck, which also would tend to indicate a lack of intelligence on the part of the players involved.

By Buck

December 12, 2007 7:28 AM | Link to this

I hate it for the Falcon franchise…But a great move for Patrino and Arkansas….Why would anyone want to coach a bunch of overpaid, immature, supposedly men, that show absolutely zero class and respect!! Arthur you should have fired 1/2 of your current players and you would still have a great coach and respectable organization.

By 2 to none

December 12, 2007 7:44 AM | Link to this

Well, after all that Rhodes Scholar crap we had to listen to that had nothing to do with football, here is something that does.

**GT - TWO AP ALL-AMERICANS

UGA - ZERO**

Maybe UGA can get the Rhodes Scholars to try out for football so they can have some acedemic all-americans…..

By Roberto

December 12, 2007 8:30 AM | Link to this

Dear 2 to none,

Four words for you…”seven in a row”. Enjoy your trip to Boise.

Aged Bullpup

By Matthew

December 12, 2007 9:07 AM | Link to this

Georgia has 7 straight wins over Tech. Enough said.

By Mekvertikleiben

December 12, 2007 9:08 AM | Link to this

Guys I’m going to take a different spin on the Petrino situation. Let’s face it, Bobby Petrino couldn’t read the tea leaves any more than coach X or Y. After signing the Falcon contract he was immediately struck by the Vick Hurricane, which leveled this franchise. As it turns out they had no credible back-up and a handful of “Pro” prima-donnas that didn’t buy into his discipline and style.

I’ve heard words describing Petrino such as coward, quitter, loser, scum bag, lier and horrible coach. None of it is even remotely accurate. Petrino saw the writing on the wall… no salary cap manueverability, prima-donnas galore and players that didn’t buy-in to his system. To mold this team around Petrino it would have taken a wholesale change and that just wasn’t going to happen. The Arkansas job and an opportunity to coach in the SEC and had a limited window to make the move. Sure Petrino could of and should of handled it better… I’m sure he felt backed into a corner, but I think he’s none early on that pro football was not his cup of tea. If you know that in your heart, why prolong the agony?

Personally, I have no stake in either Petrino or the Falcons - so I can be objective. If I was Arthur Blank I’d drop a Daisy Cutter on this franchise and start over. Top of my list… change the friggin name! The ‘Falcons’ name has a stigma of mediocrity associated with it and I’d dump it. Get the city involved with giving it a new name. Next I’d dump Rich McKay and all subordinates. Start clean and fresh. Next, hire a young up and coming coach, not an NFL retred like some of these sports talking heads are suggesting. Next I’d get rid of all the prima-donnas starting with DeAngelo Hall. Unfortunately for Arthur Blank, he’s got to swim against a raging current and has no paddle.

By SAVdawg

December 12, 2007 9:09 AM | Link to this

UGA has gone 10-2 with zero All-Americans. Wow! Now that is what I call a Team with no “i” in it.

By RichmondDawg

December 12, 2007 10:44 AM | Link to this

Falcond QB for next year…DJ Shockley. We need to use the 1st pick on O-line and the next 2 or 3 as well, buy some d-line help and build from there. How can a Tech fan come here and talk smack when all we do is smack them in the face every year. The Glory Days are uppon us Dawg Nation.

By ARdawg

December 12, 2007 11:21 AM | Link to this

Mekvertikleiben

Good summation.To go one step further I think Patrino realized he is a college coach and successful as a college coach. He had success as an assistant at the NFL level but that doesn’t equate to a head coach. Theres no shame for Patrino. He is not the first (I.E. Spurrier, Saban and a host of others) and won’t be the last. The Falcons were decimated by the Vick saga and to add insult to injury the whinning millionaires on the team don’t want to be coached.

If Patrino was going to make the move, after the NFL season would have been too late for a primo job especially in the SEC. He struck while the iron was hot and rightfully so. The folks in Arkansas believe him to be the second coming and he might salvage this recruiting class. Good luck to Bobby P

By burrdog

December 12, 2007 3:15 PM | Link to this

this is not a blog about petrino…falcons suck anyway, who cares about the falcons? losers, that’s who

By Bobby Knight

December 12, 2007 3:20 PM | Link to this

Bobby Petrino didn’t have the guts to face A. Blank to tell him he was leaving the day after he extended his hand and told him “tell them you have a head coach”. Man I hope he doesn’t extend that same hand of honesty to the Parents of his recruits. Don’t forget that this is the same man that met with his former boss and colleagues employers to take over the Auburn job and stab Tommy tubberville in the back….then lied about it….then owed up to it only after Auburn broke the story….Bobby petrino might have struck while the iron was hot for the right SEC job…but HE HAS NO INTEGRITY AS A HEAD COACH. What about the coaches he brought with him to Atlanta? What happens to them after only 11 months? That dude was on the first plane out and doing the pig suey while his players were hearing on live radio their coach and so called leader had quit. A letter to his former players???? Bobby Petrino is a liar…he might have seen the light and got out of a bad situation for a better one….BUT THAT MAN IS A LIAR. I wonder if any parents of any of his recruits will ask him about his honesty while he is eating dinner with the family?

By George Malone

December 12, 2007 3:32 PM | Link to this

People tend to forget that we did not do well with Vick at QB the past two years. With line we have Manning would be on his back as much as the current ones. He had to run for his life. He will never be a quarterback because he is too dense between the ears. The team hoodlums who ran out on the field are just as ignorant. Vick got what he deserved.

By BullDawg Rick

December 12, 2007 3:39 PM | Link to this

UGA Yech has 2 AA’s on the team.. So does South Fla, Mich had 3..

All fared worse that 10 - 2 UGA… It’s a TEAM Sport, Sport…

As for piling on P**:

On Dec 10 Petrino tells all that he will be back as the Falcons HC in ‘08…

Let’s see.. THis is the HC Arkansas “wants”.. Adversity and have no control of your “ship” and you QUIT!!! During the season, no less..

Yeah, that’s a good lesson to tell a recruit in their living room when you are trying to lure them to your school.. Going gets rough?? Hey. QUIT….

I am not saying he should not have stepped down from Falcons coach AFTER the season.. He was a terrible NFL HC… Drownding from being “over his head” … No shame in that, as many great (he was NOT ‘great’) college HC’s have not ‘made it’ in the NFL. But not when there’s games yet to be played.. (he also took a $1 mil per year pay cut)…

Where he “lost it” as an NFL HC was when D Hall had 67 yards in penalties (on ONE drive) in game 3 & it cost the Birds the game. D Hall got all in his face and he DID NOT sit D Hall… He lost the team right there.. Then, he releases Grady Jackson.. Saying he doesn’t “fit what we are trying to do here”… WTF?!??! Jackson was only leading the NFL in tackles for loss & QB sax for DT’s.. Then within 48 hrs G JAckson is picked up by one of the best D’s in the NFL, The Jags… Jack Del Rio said he could not believe the Falcons (Petrino) could cut a guy like that… Then the way he sat J Harrington for B Lefwich.. He was not man enough to tell JH.. He told the media & JH found out thru the media…

I guess with all the off season shiat the Hawgs went thru with Mustain & Co vs Nutt, last season… Nutt resigning ASAP and hitching with Ole Miss within a day, no one wanting the HC gig in Fayettville, this is business as usual for Arkansas…

Good Luck Hawgs.. Looks like you got your man… (Till things get ‘rough’ that is)

another pile on….

If you look at his record at Louisville, all he did was beat most of the teams he was supposed to most of the time, not all though, and never any defense to be found. Very mediocre bowl record and record against the better teams he played. And then there’s the obvious… that wasn’t the SEC either.

As far as the Falcons go, honestly, the main sentiment around here so far has been “Good Riddance.” He had zero control of the team anymore, zero respect from his players and people around the team here are saying it’s been obvious all along, nobody liked him from the start. The only thing anybody’s really surprised at is the timing, which just shows the character of the man.

As for whether or not it’s truly a “good hire,” well… time will tell. I don’t think it is right now, but who knows, I guess it kinda has to be since everybody else in their right mind had turned it down and stayed where they’re at. I understand the collective sigh of relief coming out of Arkansas though, this was turning into more of a disaster than Bama’s search last year. But I’m not really sure why everybody else is calling it such a “homerun hire.” More like, first one who wants it gets it. I guess Bama will tell ya they got their guy too, but look how that’s worked out for em so far… I think the way Nutt left as fast as he could speaks volumes in the end, especially after they tried to keep him.

By nsdog

December 12, 2007 4:26 PM | Link to this

the falcons are going

By masivatack

December 12, 2007 4:30 PM | Link to this

2 to None:

A third team all american and a PUNTER!?!?!? If there is one thing you should be happy for it is having a good punter. HAHAHAHA!!!

By Fan Belts

December 12, 2007 4:30 PM | Link to this

ARN’T WE GLAD TO HAVE A QUALITY COACH LIKE MARK RICHT AND NOT HAVE TO BE OUT SHOPPING AROUND FOR SOME TALENTED GUY WHO MAY OR MAY NOT CUT IT? TECH, OLE MISS, ARKANSAS HAVE TO ADAPT TO NEW SYSTEMS. ARN’T WE GLAD TO HAVE RICHT INSTEAD OF LOUDMOUTHS AND ARROGANT GUYS LIKE SPURRIER AND MILES? I AM ALSO GLAD WE DON’T HAVE A RIVERBOAT GAMBLER FOR A COACH.

By puppydawg

December 12, 2007 6:00 PM | Link to this

2 to none: Dude, are you seriously bragging because your punter made second team All American? With all that game experience, it’s no wonder. How many times per game did GT have to punt, about 15?

By XXXX

December 12, 2007 10:50 PM | Link to this

The glory days are upon us? Even when the dawgs are second rate which is their usual situation, the fans believe they are in the glory days. Whats different about now ? Win or lose,they always drink the Koolaid.

By Roy

December 13, 2007 6:12 PM | Link to this

I really feel bad about the situation with the Falcons but at the same time I think I understand Petrino’s reason for leaving also. Without Vick as the quarterback he was really screwed anyway and he wasn’t brought in to rebuild the team, they were trying to get back into the playoffs and compete for a Superbowl ring. He wanted to bring out the best of Vick and he didn’t get a chance to do that. And with Matt Schaub being traded that really put the Falcons in a bind. Petrino was use to winning and want to be known as a winner even if it did ruin his chances of ever becoming a NFL head coach again. I personally would of never choosen a college coach for this team because the talent is there, just needed the right guy for the job but now you might as well start the rebuilding process and drafting Darren McFadden would be the first step in the process. Then I could choose a quarterback next because there are a lot of good QB’s in this years draft. A guy like Erik Ainge would be a geart second round pick up for them. Remember the last time you drafted a guy in the second round by the name of Bret Farve. Only one of the best to ever play the game right?

By Roy

December 13, 2007 6:12 PM | Link to this

I really feel bad about the situation with the Falcons but at the same time I think I understand Petrino’s reason for leaving also. Without Vick as the quarterback he was really screwed anyway and he wasn’t brought in to rebuild the team, they were trying to get back into the playoffs and compete for a Superbowl ring. He wanted to bring out the best of Vick and he didn’t get a chance to do that. And with Matt Schaub being traded that really put the Falcons in a bind. Petrino was use to winning and want to be known as a winner even if it did ruin his chances of ever becoming a NFL head coach again. I personally would of never choosen a college coach for this team because the talent is there, just needed the right guy for the job but now you might as well start the rebuilding process and drafting Darren McFadden would be the first step in the process. Then I could choose a quarterback next because there are a lot of good QB’s in this years draft. A guy like Erik Ainge would be a geart second round pick up for them. Remember the last time you drafted a guy in the second round by the name of Bret Farve. Only one of the best to ever play the game right?

By Roy

December 13, 2007 6:13 PM | Link to this

I really feel bad about the situation with the Falcons but at the same time I think I understand Petrino’s reason for leaving also. Without Vick as the quarterback he was really screwed anyway and he wasn’t brought in to rebuild the team, they were trying to get back into the playoffs and compete for a Superbowl ring. He wanted to bring out the best of Vick and he didn’t get a chance to do that. And with Matt Schaub being traded that really put the Falcons in a bind. Petrino was use to winning and want to be known as a winner even if it did ruin his chances of ever becoming a NFL head coach again. I personally would of never choosen a college coach for this team because the talent is there, just needed the right guy for the job but now you might as well start the rebuilding process and drafting Darren McFadden would be the first step in the process. Then I could choose a quarterback next because there are a lot of good QB’s in this years draft. A guy like Erik Ainge would be a geart second round pick up for them. Remember the last time you drafted a guy in the second round by the name of Bret Farve. Only one of the best to ever play the game right?

By Roy

December 13, 2007 6:13 PM | Link to this

I really feel bad about the situation with the Falcons but at the same time I think I understand Petrino’s reason for leaving also. Without Vick as the quarterback he was really screwed anyway and he wasn’t brought in to rebuild the team, they were trying to get back into the playoffs and compete for a Superbowl ring. He wanted to bring out the best of Vick and he didn’t get a chance to do that. And with Matt Schaub being traded that really put the Falcons in a bind. Petrino was use to winning and want to be known as a winner even if it did ruin his chances of ever becoming a NFL head coach again. I personally would of never choosen a college coach for this team because the talent is there, just needed the right guy for the job but now you might as well start the rebuilding process and drafting Darren McFadden would be the first step in the process. Then I could choose a quarterback next because there are a lot of good QB’s in this years draft. A guy like Erik Ainge would be a geart second round pick up for them. Remember the last time you drafted a guy in the second round by the name of Bret Farve. Only one of the best to ever play the game right?

By Roy

December 13, 2007 6:13 PM | Link to this

I really feel bad about the situation with the Falcons but at the same time I think I understand Petrino’s reason for leaving also. Without Vick as the quarterback he was really screwed anyway and he wasn’t brought in to rebuild the team, they were trying to get back into the playoffs and compete for a Superbowl ring. He wanted to bring out the best of Vick and he didn’t get a chance to do that. And with Matt Schaub being traded that really put the Falcons in a bind. Petrino was use to winning and want to be known as a winner even if it did ruin his chances of ever becoming a NFL head coach again. I personally would of never choosen a college coach for this team because the talent is there, just needed the right guy for the job but now you might as well start the rebuilding process and drafting Darren McFadden would be the first step in the process. Then I could choose a quarterback next because there are a lot of good QB’s in this years draft. A guy like Erik Ainge would be a geart second round pick up for them. Remember the last time you drafted a guy in the second round by the name of Bret Farve. Only one of the best to ever play the game right?

By mike

December 17, 2007 1:38 AM | Link to this

falcons are an terrible

 

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