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DEL.ICIO.USMother of state’s No. 1 prospect endorses UGA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Branden Smith, who is ranked as the state’s No. 1 prospect by the AJC and Rivals, said if was up to his mother, he’d be headed to UGA.
Smith laughed on Monday morning when he was asked about his mother’s first meeting with UGA’s coaches on Sunday night. Six assistants, including defensive coordinator Willie Martinez and recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner, filed into Smith’s living room around 7 p.m. for the 90-minute meeting.
There were so many people that Smith’s mother, Teresa Wynn, had to bring in two extra chairs from the kitchen.
“My mom had those coaches laughing because she kept saying how much she liked Georgia and how much she would like to see me play there … and she said it at least four times,” Smith said with a chuckle.
“The Georgia coaches really liked hearing that. They said ‘if your mom keeps saying that, then it must be a good thing for us.’”
When Smith was asked if he was going to follow his mother’s advice, he said, “I love my mom and I listen to everything she says. She really likes Georgia, but she also wants me to go to the school that is the best fit for me. She said she will love and support me with whichever school I choose.”
Smith, who plays cornerback at Booker T. Washington, said he has no favorites among his four finalists of Georgia, Florida, Florida State and Alabama. He will announce a college decision on Jan. 4.
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Permalink | Comments (36) | Post your comment | Categories: Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, FSU, Florida, LSU, Tennessee, UGA
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By Pi$$onaDawg
December 1, 2008 8:38 AM | Link to this
Yes, go to UGA get no coaching, no education, and work hard on your rap sheet. It is great to be a Bulldawg. How long do you Willie will be the DC 2 months or 2 years? Bama plays D and will coach you up.
By SecIsFootball
December 1, 2008 8:59 AM | Link to this
I would love to have the problems this kid has. Hmmm….which top school should I go played college football for. I envy you Branden. Good luck in your decision!!!
By dan
December 1, 2008 9:02 AM | Link to this
Bama knows how to play D….Get one good year now the tide is a Dynasty…LOL Who we kidding this kid dream I bet is to one day play in the NFL. How many DB are in the NFL from Alabama? I bet there are currently more players from Auburn in the NFL right now than there are Alabama? But if you want to really look at NFL players I would have to say UGA has more than Alabama? So where is the coaching up comimg from? Oh yea the mighty Saban the great NFL coach and how come he couldnt coach up the Miami Dolphins? LOL”
By Gadawg
December 1, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this
P** on your an idiot!! Sure the dogs have struggled defenseivly as this year. But i think i am correct in saying that bama has three out of the last four against the dawgs. Come on over to UGA Mr. Smith you won’t be disappointed!
By Maddog
December 1, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this
To Pi$$onaDawg. You’re saying signing with Bamer would give him a better chance to play? Last year they signed 31 high school players and had the mythical number 1 recruiting ranking. Just how many of those sterling athletes actually made it in to Bamer? They throw scholarships around like a peanut vendor, yet they have no compassion for the individual. The Alabama countryside is littered with top notch “recruits” who were offered a scholarship, but couldn’t get in.
Branden, there is more to life than winning college football games. I’m a UGA fan, but there are numerous colleges that will help you develop into an all around great individual. Unfortunately, Bamer is not one of them.
By tide rising
December 1, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this
We’re hoping he’ll still consider Bama but its hard to sway a mother so Georgia is definitely the leader. His position coach would be the best coach in the SEC Nick Saban and he would play on a dominating defense instead of a joke of a defense coached by Willie Martinez. Imagine what Saban could teach this young man on how to play the cb position. On top of that if he went to UGA he would just be on a team that’s sure to lose to Florida for the next 4 years, especially with Stafford and Moreno leaving.
By Gene
December 1, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this
Mamas like to hear Richt’s Christian come on, but they should consider academics and criminal rap sheets too. If Georgia players pack handguns on campus and break beer bottles on people’s heads, it sounds more like Deadwood than vacation Bible school.
By Jonathan
December 1, 2008 9:13 AM | Link to this
Wow, some of you all say some very nasty things about other schools, and you all have probably never gone there. I think Branden has the right idea. They are all good schools and have pluses and minuses, but in the end, there is one of them that will be a better fit for Branden than the others. That’s where I hope he ends up. There are enough great players to go around.
By ROLL TIDE
December 1, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this
I don’t think Saban needs to ‘steal’ anyone from Georgia, afterall they kicked the so call Dawgs to the curb, black jersey’s and all. What Georgia needs to do is stop looking at just a high school players stat sheeet and look at his arrest record too. This kid may be a standup good young man but face it, 1/3 of the Bulldogs were in jail before they even hit the field this year. Georgia recruits way too many young criminals and look what happens, they get beat by a team like Tech. Saban is a far better coach than any other SEC coach….hands down. I have heard and read some good things about this young man; I hope he picks Bama, he’ll benefit from it in the long run.
By BIGBEE
December 1, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this
To P#$$onaDawg, are you sure you are a GT Fan? You sound more like a red neck from Winder, Athens or Pickens county. I would have thought your blogg was written by a UGA person about last Friday, beforeTHE GAME. Cool it. Don’t be an idiot.
By Jamal
December 1, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this
Branden- we would love to have you in Athens. You could play immediately and impact this team. Congrats to all of your success and GO DAWGS!!!
By Roll Tide
December 1, 2008 10:49 AM | Link to this
Go to Georgia Branden. You would probably never see the field here anyways for 2-3 years.
By Bamafan
December 1, 2008 10:58 AM | Link to this
Branden pick the dawgs or the crimson tide and you can not go wrong!! Coach Richt is a fine man and a good coach. Coach Saban is a guy who only wants the best for you and will push you to be the best db in the SEC. Coach Saban will make you go to class and will make you a better person in the long run. Look at the db’s in the NFL Saban had at LSU and you can not lose in picking the crimson tide!! Just use your head in picking the right school and ROLL TIDE Branden!!
By DOG FAN
December 1, 2008 11:01 AM | Link to this
you could not find a bama fan the past ten years
By Go 'Noles
December 1, 2008 11:45 AM | Link to this
Or he could come to Florida State where he knows he can play right away with our top CB graduating and the other CB potentially leaving for the NFL. Make the right choice Branden and Go ‘Noles!
By Bamafan
December 1, 2008 11:57 AM | Link to this
Hey DOG FAN, If the dawgs had the problems that Bama was handed for the last ten years we could not find a bone for UGA!! ROLL TIDE!!
By ROLL TIDE
December 1, 2008 12:29 PM | Link to this
For some last minute Christams gifts E-bay has THOUSANDS of Bulldawg black jersseys on sale, the ones originally worn on September 27th..I think if my memory serves the right, the score was 41-30 Bama. Anyway, the black jerseys are on sale, they’ll pay you one dollar each to take them off their hands!!! ROLL TIDE. Good luck Branden, you should do well wherever you go, just make sure it’s the SEC.
By BAMA STAN
December 1, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this
31-0 at the half?!!
Giving a Dawg a Bone - firing Martinez would be the worst thing for UGA - besides this year - UGA has had good defenses - and this year - it did not gel for whatever reason. R
Really poor job of tackling - did not play disciplined or smart. Just not a typical UGA defense - but it was only one season.
BAMA/GATORS will rock Atlanta. This should be a classic. If there is a team out there that can beat the Gators - it’s BAMA.
Every team is beatable - and Bama will have to play lights out the entire game to have a chance to win this one. Should be fun!!!
ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL TIDE!!
By GARY
December 1, 2008 12:46 PM | Link to this
His mom knows at UGA there’s no big thing about athletes having to have the smarts to attend class—look at Moreno and Stafford—can they spell/ They sure cant talk like they’re getting an education.
By Z-Dawg
December 1, 2008 2:24 PM | Link to this
Michael, saw on a Tennessee msg board that Aaron Murray has “softened” his committment to UGA, and that Lane Kiffin has already been in touch with him. Is that true?
By Maddog
December 1, 2008 2:34 PM | Link to this
Gary said “can they spell/They sure cant talk….”
Can they spell/. What kind of punctuation is that?
They sure cant talk… Just how do you spell a contraction?
Pot, kettle……kettle, pot. LMAO!!!!
By DawgFan
December 1, 2008 3:42 PM | Link to this
Z-Dawg, Please don’t believe that crap. It’s on a message board. 100% false.
By DawgFan
December 1, 2008 4:12 PM | Link to this
Z-Dawg, Please don’t believe that crap. It’s on a message board. 100% false.
By voice of reason
December 1, 2008 5:52 PM | Link to this
The Aaron Murray situation is like this: Aaron Murray has been promised a scholarship from UGA whether his ankle injury is career ending or not. In other words, he’s getting a college education even if he can’t play. Now…if you’re a high school kid and the school you fell in love with and committed to after the very first visit held true to their commitment to you (which nobody else would have) after you sustained an injury your senior year of HS, would you change your mind and spit in the face of CMR? Didn’t think so. AM is a Dawg and the rest of you might as well get used to it. Just wishful thinking from the lowly volunteers. If what Al Davis had to say about LK is even half true, you guys are really shooting yourselves in the foot.
By to Branden
December 1, 2008 7:46 PM | Link to this
Mommy knows best.
By sweet home alabama
December 1, 2008 8:07 PM | Link to this
based on my resurch it is a no braner that bama is the place for you if you like to play for championships.
TO MANY dogs spend there weekends in the pokey.how much fun is that.also there academics are not up to speed.
Roll tide and watch us this weekend.you want be sorry.
By BullDawgMike
December 2, 2008 6:59 AM | Link to this
Bama just as bad as GT when building up one win over the dawgs. UGA took 3 out of last 4 vs. Tide. Not to mention last two at Tusculoosa. What’s the matter Bama folks, memory failing you ?
By Maddog
December 2, 2008 8:23 AM | Link to this
sweet home alabama, LMAO. Good one. You’re post was a joke, right? If not, LMAO even more. UGA’s academics are not up to speed? Look, rube, at your post.
It’s “research”, not “resurch”.
It’s “brainer”, not “braner”.
It’s “Too many..”, not “To many”.
It’s “spend their weekends”, not “spend there weekends”.
It’s “Also, their academics..”, not “also there academics”.
It’s “You won’t be sorry”, not “you want be sorry”.
Too many other grammatical errors to list.
Please tell me you were kidding! LMAO.
By Questions...
December 2, 2008 1:49 PM | Link to this
Julio Jones… shooter, driver or just witless witness??
Since 1 techster is a rapist does that mean all techsters are bad?
Is it OK to “rumble” in the cafateria if you are “disrespected”?
What is worse, underage drinking and driving or rape, driveby shootings, gang fights on campus, tresspassing, theft and concealed weapons?
Glass houses boys…
By bank walker
December 2, 2008 3:57 PM | Link to this
Branden, you know Richts track record and you know UGA had alot of injuries. bama will return to the caliginous relms of mediocrity once again. Branden, you know your a Dawg deep down.
By DawgGirl32
December 2, 2008 5:22 PM | Link to this
Brandon- the girls in Athens are simply the best. Nuff said. :)
By bank walker
December 2, 2008 6:14 PM | Link to this
Also, everyone knows that the level of talent in Georgia is leaps and bounds of that in bamuh. CHUMPS!! Produce some instate talent, bamuh! Georgia high school teams would kill bamuh teams! What, is this the first time bamuh has beaten UGA this freakin decade? I think it is! Congrats, you bunch of Jerry’s kids!!
By Johnny Athens
December 2, 2008 7:12 PM | Link to this
Trust me, Branden… you want to spend the next 4 years of your life in Athens.
Trust me.
By Big Dawg
December 2, 2008 8:21 PM | Link to this
tide rising
Yes he should look at his position Coach at the school he chooses and if he checks the facts then he will choose to go to Georgia.
Martinez is a very good defensive backs coach just check out how many of his former DB’s are in the NFL.
He will have a chance for immediate playing time as our corners are on the small side.
Close to home and Coach Richt is an honorable man.
But most of all Branden if you are in fact reading this I wish you all the best in whatever decision you make. No matter where you decide to go to school you will get out of it what you put in- academically, socially and athletically. All successful people have one thing in common they are hard workers.
Go Dawgs
By Old Fart
December 2, 2008 10:38 PM | Link to this
Bama gets drilled Sat night!! And I had the Gators.
By Old Fart
December 2, 2008 10:38 PM | Link to this
Bama gets drilled Sat night!! And I hate the Gators.