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Friday, March 6, 2009
UGA’s other TE recruit Arthur Lynch, glad for addition of Orson Charles
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Orson Charles was the second tight end to sign with Georgia for its 2009 recruiting class.
The first was Arthur Lynch of Dartmouth, Mass. Lynch said on Friday night that he was just fine with Georgia adding another player at his position.
“I’m glad he picked Georgia over the other schools, especially Tennessee,” Lynch said. “I heard he was a good player.
“It really doesn’t affect my situation. It will be good to have somebody else to compete against. I know once you get to college, it really doesn’t matter what you did in high school. Even with the players already at Georgia, you have to go out there and compete every day. The only thing I’m concerned about, or can control, is doing the best I can.”
Lynch signed with Georgia on Feb. 4, and talked later that night with one of his childhood heroes, Benjamin Watson, the former UGA standout who plays with the NFL’s New England Patriots. They two are supposed to meet up later this spring.
“I couldn’t believe it was [Watson],” Lynch said. “He has a reputation for being one of the nicest guys, and he sure seemed that way over the phone.”
Lynch said he also got an email from Georgia on Friday confirming that he met college entrance requirements.
Got a recruiting item? Please send an email to mcarvell@ajc.com
Here are briefs on the day’s top recruiting stories. Click on the headline of each story to read more.
You just want to read about UGA? Click here to go directly to all the UGA recruiting stories
You just want to read about Georgia Tech? Click on this link to go directly to all the Georgia Tech recruiting stories
Do you want to talk about UGA and Georgia Tech recruiting? Or have questions about the state’s top prospects? Then go to the AJC’s “Inside Georgia Recruiting” forum with Michael Carvell
Permalink | Comments (39) | Post your comment | Categories: UGA
Orson Charles signs with Georgia after lengthy recruiting process
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Orson Charles did some shirt-ripping of his own on Friday.
Dressed in a silver suit with pinstripes, Charles took off his sportscoat to reveal the winning season with his No. 7 Georgia Blackout jersey.
Charles signed with the Bulldogs over Tennessee and Southern Cal, ending one of Georgia’s longest recruiting battles since Herschel Walker, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner who signed in April of his senior year.
“The first thing I’d say is that it was long, and I’m happy that it’s over,” Plant High coach Robert Wiener said. “The second thing that I would say is that Orson went about it the right way to make the best decision.”
Charles got a late start on recruiting because he transferred to Plant during his junior year. He focused on his senior season of football, finally turing his full attention toward recruiting after Plant won the Florida’s Class AAAA championship on Dec. 20.
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound tight end took his final recruiting trip to Southern Cal on Feb. 20. He signed the scholarship papers with Georgia on Friday night, about a month after signing day.
“We’re thrilled to have Orson join our signing class,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said in a statement. “He comes from a state championship high school team … a team that knows how to win and I’m sure Orson will come in and be ready to compete.”
Charles is recruit No. 20 for Georgia’s 2009 recruiting class. He is the second prospect at tight end, joining Arthur Lynch of Dartmouth, Mass.
Georgia had a lot working in its favor for Charles. The quarterback on Plant’s championship team was Aaron Murray, who signed with Georgia and enrolled early in college. Murray’s recent success with Charles helped the Bulldogs win the recruiting battle.
“It wasn’t the factor, but it definitely was a factor,” Weiner said. “Orson is a guy that catches the ball. He knows that the place he is going (Georgia), the guy there can throw some pretty good passes. There’s definitely a comfort level there, and Aaron has something to do with it.”
Charles said that all three of his finalists had reserved the No. 7 jersey for him.
Got a recruiting item? Please send an email to mcarvell@ajc.com
Here are briefs on the day’s top recruiting stories. Click on the headline of each story to read more.
You just want to read about UGA? Click here to go directly to all the UGA recruiting stories
You just want to read about Georgia Tech? Click on this link to go directly to all the Georgia Tech recruiting stories
Do you want to talk about UGA and Georgia Tech recruiting? Or have questions about the state’s top prospects? Then go to the AJC’s “Inside Georgia Recruiting” forum with Michael Carvell
Permalink | Comments (336) | Post your comment | Categories: Other schools, Tennessee, UGA
DL Garrison Smith still considering Georgia Tech despite brother’s departure
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Garrison Smith, who is considered the state’s top 2010 prospect at defensive line, said his brother’s decision to leave Georgia Tech won’t prevent him from considering the Yellow Jackets.
Greg Smith, who played A-back, left Georgia Tech’s football team and will likely transfer and use his final season of eligibility elsewhere.
“My brother never told me anything negative about Georgia Tech,” Garrison said. “He always told me great things, especially about coach Paul Johnson. My brother said Georgia Tech was still going to be a great choice for me for football … there’s no bad blood.”
The younger Smith is a junior at Douglass High and is one of the state’s leaders in early offers with 17, including both Tech and UGA. He was offered by LSU on Thursday. He politely declined to go into specifics about his brother’s situation with Georgia Tech, but said, “I think my brother had to make a hard decision about graduating. He’s already told them that education is first, before football, because there’s always life after football. I’m proud of my brother. He’s graduating on May 2 with a business degree from [Tech].”
Smith was also asked what his brother told him about archrival UGA. “He says real good things about Georgia, too. He went to school with [UGA defensive end] Rod Battle. He knows [safety] Reshad Jones. All those boys are products of Atlanta Public Schools.”
Smith said he hasn’t had any recent contact with Tech, but talked UGA recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner last Saturday while he was driving back from Junior Day at Tennessee. “Georgia was one of the first schools that offered me.”
“I really liked what [Mark Richt] said about using prayer for his recruiting. I liked it, as did my family. The reason is that I think it’s very, very important for a coach to have a great spiritual background. It means a lot to me because you spend so much time with your coach, practicing and playing football. The gifts and talents I have been blessed with, none of it would’ve been possible if not for God.”
Got a recruiting item? Please send an email to mcarvell@ajc.com
Here are briefs on the day’s top recruiting stories. Click on the headline of each story to read more.
You just want to read about UGA? Click here to go directly to all the UGA recruiting stories
You just want to read about Georgia Tech? Click on this link to go directly to all the Georgia Tech recruiting stories
Do you want to talk about UGA and Georgia Tech recruiting? Or have questions about the state’s top prospects? Then go to the AJC’s “Inside Georgia Recruiting” forum with Michael Carvell
Permalink | Comments (30) | Post your comment | Categories: Tech
Southern Cal sweetens the deal in late push
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Southern Cal appears to be sweetening the deal in a last-minute charge to sway tight end Orson Charles, one of the nation’s top unsigned seniors.
Charles told the AJC that he talked with Southern Cal coach Pete Carroll on Thursday afternoon, and that Carroll was reserving the No. 7 jersey if he signs with the Trojans.
“Now, everything is really up in the air,” Charles said.
On the surface, Southern Cal’s actions don’t appear to be a big deal. However, it may be enough to give the Trojans a tiny dose of critical momentum going into the final hours with Charles, who is torn between offers from Georgia, Tennessee and Southern Cal. Charles will reveal his college decision at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Tampa’s Plant High.
There’s some history with Charles and the No. 7 jersey at Southern Cal. It is reserved for Matt Barkley, who is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 quarterback prospect by Rivals. Barkley signed with the Trojans and has developed a friendship with Charles. When Charles took a recruiting trip to USC on Feb. 21, he tried to negotiate the No. 7 from Barkley.
Charles has said both Georgia and Tennessee have also reserved the No. 7 jersey. At Georgia, the number was previously worn by NFL-bound quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Aaron Murray, who is also considered one of the nation’s top quarterback prospects, has already signed with Georgia. Murray and Charles were teammates this past season at Tampa’s Plant High, which won Florida’s Class AAAA championship.
Got a recruiting item? Please send an email to mcarvell@ajc.com
Here are briefs on the day’s top recruiting stories. Click on the headline of each story to read more.
You just want to read about UGA? Click here to go directly to all the UGA recruiting stories
You just want to read about Georgia Tech? Click on this link to go directly to all the Georgia Tech recruiting stories
Do you want to talk about UGA and Georgia Tech recruiting? Or have questions about the state’s top prospects? Then go to the AJC’s “Inside Georgia Recruiting” forum with Michael Carvell
Permalink | Comments (159) | Post your comment | Categories: Other schools
North Gwinnett more than just the “Big Two”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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North Gwinnett linemen Jawaun James (6-foot-6, 295 pounds) and Austin Shepherd (6-foot-5, 310) are two big young men who have garnered most of the recruiting attention for the Bulldogs’ Class of 2010.
James has at least 30 offers from schools in every BCS conference. Shepherd has an offer on the table from Alabama, among others. But the class of rising seniors at North Gwinnett is more than just the “Big Two,” according to head coach Bob Sphire.
He thinks linebacker/defensive back Trey Sims (6-foot-1, 190) and receiver Cordero Dixon (6-feet, 170), both of whom have been offered by UAB, ultimately will receive plenty of Division I-A offers. Linebackers David Park (6-feet, 195) and John Gibson Green (6-foot-3, 215) will be highly recruited players as well, according to Sphire.
“Sims is probably the fastest player on our team, especially in his change of direction speed. He’s just extremely explosive,” Sphire said. “Cordero is smooth. He just glides and he has great ball skills.
“David has worked really hard in the weight room, and it shows,” Sphire said. “He’s really put together physically now, to go with the [speed and agility] he always had. And John Gibson is an extremely powerful, explosive player.”
