ajcsportstalk

By Jimmy Payne

December 21, 2006 12:55 PM | Link to this

you can’t take these lists seriuosly without Cameron Heyward or Morgan Burnett on them. Are you guys even paying attention? It’s bad enough not to tell the truth, what you do best, but to leave two of the most highly recruited players in the south off your list is a joke.

By Hoopergdawg

December 21, 2006 12:59 PM | Link to this

Means nothing. Recruiting is so overrated. You get the players that your team needs such as Georgia signing juco offensive lineman. Doesn’t matter what you are ranked. Danny Ware was a three star. Albert Hollis III was a five star ranked number one running back by most. Do I have to mention Jasper Sanks?

By d_costa

December 21, 2006 01:01 PM | Link to this

Kids are realizing that there is good coaching & quality exposure @ some of the more traditionally unsavory places, such as South Carolina, Ole Miss & even Georgia Tech. Neither of those schools have ever been known for top-notch recruiting, but they’re all stepping up their games.

Florida’s traditionally a great recruiting program anyways, so it’s no surprise to see them snatching all the top talent from not only Florida, but also as far out as TX.

UGA’s holding their own as well & have widened their recruiting base too.

By Peter

December 21, 2006 01:26 PM | Link to this

I’m just glad we are getting a new line of quarterbacks, because Reggie “Inconsistent” Ball is garbage, and his cockiness does not match his play…

By Dawg4Life

December 21, 2006 01:35 PM | Link to this

Recruiting, it may be overrated but I love it. Lumpkin was also a top 3 out of highschool and Stafford was 1 or 2 accordingly. They both have great talent. Look at how Oliver did this year against the wreck. If he comes back and we slot in Jones and Banks along with our new O and D line, UGA will be a top ten power again.

By techfan

December 21, 2006 02:04 PM | Link to this

Remember…none of these recruits are “signees” yet. They don’t sign until February. Anything can happen, and has many times before.

By Tyler

December 21, 2006 02:07 PM | Link to this

It looks like Clemson is having a SEC-type of recruiting class.Another solid class for the second straight year. Way to go Tigers! Can the Tigers break out of the 7-8 wins seasons to over 10-12 wins in the next couple of years? Will see.

By Buck Cochran in the NW

December 21, 2006 02:23 PM | Link to this

A part of a new trend is getting on campus early, Jan., like Stafford and others have done. The Reptiles have pulled ahead in terms of top rated, 4&5* recruits whereas we have recruites for need. It didn’t appear to me that Callaway was a top notch recruiter and we need that ability in all of our coaches.On the “O” side of the ball, as the “OC”, Bobo will be even more of a help because of his youth(32 yrs. old) and his power position. Richt said he wanted to fill the “OLC” spot as soon as possible and I hope he does. Does anyone know who’s assigned to Bailey and Heyward? We need those two.

By tool w

December 21, 2006 02:41 PM | Link to this

Alabama simply sucks

By ICEMAN

December 21, 2006 02:47 PM | Link to this

When are you guys going to realize that nobody cares about UGA,tech, or any other of these teams. Atlanta is an NFL city.

By josh

December 21, 2006 02:59 PM | Link to this

Hey ICEMAN - which Atlanta do you live in?

By The Grand Puba

December 21, 2006 03:22 PM | Link to this

How on Earth do you guys keep up with HIGH SCHOOL players? WOW! I have a hard enough time keeping track of the NFL and NCAA games. These are high school players. How do you keep up with them? Do you go see their games, or is there a publication available? Also, what the hell are you doing in high school weighing over 300lbs.? Thank GOD for football because without it, you’d be another lard a! Football or no football, you’re still a fat, disgusting, Papa-John’s-on-speed-dial, 12-sandwiching-eatin’ pig if you’re THAT big! Hope you got a cardiologist’s number in your phones memory. You’ll need it…….or the number for AAA towing to pick up your fat a!!!

By unicoidawg

December 21, 2006 03:29 PM | Link to this

Iceman, I think you need to look around before you make statements like that……Atlanta has a NFL team. That being said, there is way more passion and fans of the college game around. Most just watch the Falcons as a way to pass time when no college ball is on……. Go DAWGS

By The Grand Puba

December 21, 2006 03:32 PM | Link to this

And never mind the fact that I weigh 334lbs. myself. That has NOTHING to do with this! Actually, I speak from experience.

By brian jones

December 21, 2006 03:32 PM | Link to this

Iceman doesnt have a clue the south is college football north is pro football i mean i was the the falcons steelers game and more black and gold than black and red and while i am more visiting fans hey bandwagon tech fans dont show up when tech has a great year down the road cause i am tired of home football games agianst uga feeling like ugas home field oh yeah thanks reggie to bad you didnt fail out after your freshman year this might have been a special season without you

By Gator Guy

December 21, 2006 03:56 PM | Link to this

In the absence of a stellar program or a nationally prominent head coach or coordinator, a lot of the recruiting success is a simple demographics game. The state of Florida has twice the population of Georgia; the state of Georgia has nearly twice the population of Alabama. Georgia has two nationally prominent college football programs; Alabama has two also. A smaller home state population translates into fewer top-tier high school stars with family or geographic ties to the home state university. That having been said, some schools simply do a better job of recruiting. For instance, there is no reason why Tennessee should consistently have great recruiting classes; the home state does not have an exceptional high school base from which to recruit, but they do an exceptional job of keeping the home state stars and getting more than their share of regional (and occasionally, national) stand-outs. It’s not surprising that good, strong recruits gravitate to the currently strong, stable programs (e.g., Florida, Georgia, LSU, Auburn), and avoid programs that have slipped or where the coaching situation is unstable (e.g. Alabama). What is always remarkable is when a new coach or staff can turn the corner, from weak sister to up-and-comer, such as what appears to be happening in Columbia, South Carolina. The Gamecocks’ 2007 recruiting class appears to be consistently rising in the ratings. For those of you who seem to have written off the Evil Genius, I would warn you never to bet against him on game day, or in recruting … it only motivates SOS to prove his detractors wrong. He thrives on it.

Grand Puba——Contrary to some of the AJC blog-monsters, you don’t have to live the high school recruiting adventure to have some sense of how your alma mater is doing; there are several on-line services that track recruiting daily. Try the team ratings on Rivals.com and Scout.com; you don’t have to subscribe to their pay services to see their team ratings. Enjoy.

By Baloney

December 21, 2006 04:11 PM | Link to this

For the next couple of years, at least, Florida is going to dominate the state of Florida. You notice very few commits to FSU and Miami. If the Gators control that talent-rich state — something it has never done before — that leaves two top-tier ACC programs out in the cold. Think what Spurrier could have done with Michael Irwin and Deion Sanders. Meyer’s going to have that type of players. Lots of them.

By phipps

December 21, 2006 04:13 PM | Link to this

d_costa. Sorry to bust your bubble, but prior to Black Atheletes becoming college players(pre-1966) Ga. Tech out-recruited Georgia on a regular basis. In fact, for all you Ga. fans, prior to African Americans acceptance into college football, Georgia Tech held all competitive football and basketball records against The UGA. You may draw your own conclusions since that time, if you have brains to do so…!!!!!

By Gator Guy

December 21, 2006 04:36 PM | Link to this

“Baloney”——There are two kinds of recruits: first, the “team kid” (i.e. the company man) who works hard, waits his turn, and he’s ready to start 10-12 games when he’s a junior or senior. Second, the “stud” who thinks he has the talent to start as a freshman, regardless of college experience. Given contemporary American social values, there are increasingly fewer recruits who see themselves as “team kids,” and more who see themselves as “studs.” Why is this relevant? Well, fewer top recruits are willing to wait two or three seasons to start. This means it’s easier to recruit kids if you can promise them that they will get to play more as sophomores and freshmen; conversely, it’s harder to recruit the studs if your team is already top-heavy with talent at the recruit’s position. When your team is already four or five deep at quarterback, spread across the class years, why would an incoming freshman QB sign with your program (unless he has the “team kid” mentality)?

Which brings me to Miami and FSU’s future recruiting. The state of Florida’s talent pool is simply too deep for one Division I program to absorb all of the top talent. After all, how many stud linemen, running backs, receivers or defensive backs can you carry on a single team? You only have 85 scholarships, which translates to 21 to 25 recruits per year with graduation and attrition. With some good coaching changes, the UM and FSU programs will return to the top-10 much quicker than you think. UF may have a temporary advantage for a season or so, but not for long. Also, keep in mind that there are now rising Division I programs at UCF (Orlando) and USF (Tampa), too… and given the loyalties of a population heavy with first-generation transplants, the state is also a mecca for out-of-state recruiters. The biggest advantages that UF has its coach, its facilities, and its recent history (last 17 years) of relatively consistent success.

By SouthGaRebel

December 21, 2006 04:39 PM | Link to this

They made a mistake with Robert Elliott. He is a solid verbal to Ole Miss. I agree with one of the other folks who said something about taking the list seriously when certain people are not on the list. I would say the same thing when it comes to comittments vs. “considering.” Everytime I read their articles on-line I get reminded why I don’t buy the print edition.

By MackDawg

December 21, 2006 04:39 PM | Link to this

So phipps, from reading your comments about Black Athletes(your phrase) becoming college players, and if I follow your logic, are you Tech fans off your high horse about academics holding you back and you are now proposing a return to Jim Crow football? That’s what it sounds like. How’s that KKK Chapter doing on North Avenue?

By Heeldawg

December 21, 2006 04:46 PM | Link to this

Phipps, that’s about as racist a comment as I’ve ever seen posted in the AJC.

Prior to 1966, Georgia and Tech were more competitive in football because Tech had a great coach. That’s pretty much it. Then, Dooley came along and started beating Bobby Dodd regularly. Dodd resigned, Tech pulled out of the SEC (a bonehead decision), and GT football went into a decades-long tailspin of mediocrity, punctuated by brief spasms of competitiveness (i.e. the Ross and O’Leary eras). College ball is all about coaching.

With regard to basketball, Georgia was NEVER competitve in basketball, and never really cared to be, until the 1978-on Hugh Durham era (coaching again!). So the pre-1966 commentary is not relevant here.

The other sports are a blip on the radar screen, but Tech has rarely beaten Georgia in men’s tennis over the years (see Dan Magill) or in any womens’ sports (which were not even an issue until Title IX).

Your contention is a matter of coincidence, not causation. The inference you make here is disgusting and irrelevant.

By Gator Guy

December 21, 2006 04:50 PM | Link to this

phipps——I’m really not sure what your point is … . Are suggesting that UGA’s athletic program is stronger than Tech’s because UGA is recruiting and accepting better black athletes with weaker academic backgrounds than Tech? If so, I would suggest that Tech has had as many or more academic-athletic scandals than UGA and may not be as good as UGA at mentoring and tutoring athletes from weaker academic backgrounds … ladies and gentlemen, I give you Reggie Ball. Yes, discipline matters, too.

Having tutored business classes for UF’s athletic association in the early ’90s, I can tell you that despite the less-than-prep-school-background of many minority athletes, most are more than bright enough to do college-level academic work, and the vast majority respond well to discipline and high expectations from their coaches. Perhaps, Tech alumni should be carefully examining the school’s academic support programs and not making vaguely racist insinuations.

By ben

December 21, 2006 05:08 PM | Link to this

Phipps, why would you even say something like that? I am also a Tech fan but come on. Race had nothing to do with Tech’s early football success. What heeldawg said was true. We lead because we had great coaches like Dodd, Alexander, and Heisman.

By Merlyn Brown

December 21, 2006 05:43 PM | Link to this

The potential recruits have only verbalized, not signed a Letter of Commitment, which can’t be done until February 7, 2007. There are always Decommits.

By ICEMAN

December 21, 2006 06:56 PM | Link to this

University of Georgia MUTTS!!!

By Jon

December 21, 2006 07:53 PM | Link to this

Dear HeelDawg —

You, my friend, are hiliarious. You speak as if UGA has such a great football tradition. Let me remind you of who in this state has FOUR national titles — TECH, and who can’t stop living in 1980 with their ONE - UGA.

One day UGA will realize they are dreaming when they think are elite, and that they have the football history.

Sure they’ve had the edge lately, but you can send Reggie Ball a personalized thank-you note for the last four years.

Tech is recruiting well, and will very competitve for years to come.

By tim

December 21, 2006 09:56 PM | Link to this

Don’t even start on the “four” national titles of Tech. 2 were ties, 1 occured while most other schools weren’t playing football due to WWI.

UGA finished with 10 wins the 4 seasons prior to this one, as well as being in the top ten at the end of the year in these same seasons.

I’ll give Tech props when they can win their conference (without cheating).

By Mediocrity

December 21, 2006 10:37 PM | Link to this

Why would any recruit go to Tech? Mediocrity, Mediocrity, Mediocrity, and Tech fans eat it up. Chan Gailey will turn any athlete into the most mediocre of players.

By Mike

December 21, 2006 11:31 PM | Link to this

I was wondering about Iceman’s comments about ATL being an NFL town. Has the Falcons ever sold out a regular season home game?

By Big Dawg

December 21, 2006 11:37 PM | Link to this

Buck,

I spoke to David Johnson earlier today, he said recruiting was going very well. They offered Havercamp the scholarship before Blaes because Havercamp is the better prospect and is expected to contribute sooner than Blaes. As for Bailey, Burnett, Heyward, Little, Paige and Creer the Dawgs are in pretty good shape and he expects that we will land at least 3 of them. He said Little was close to committing but Callaway leaving may have hurt our chances here, even though Garner, Bobo and Dave had been talking to Little as well. He said that he was sure they had Little and Bailey two weeks ago but he is not so certain now. As for Burnett and Heyward Coach Richt, Garner and Martinez have been recruiting them but there isn’t any news to report. I think some of these guys are waiting to see what happens with Alabama as they are being recruited by Bama as well.

By ex-texan

December 22, 2006 01:00 AM | Link to this

My whole problem with this list? Why don’t you include TEXAS??? I moved here from Houston, and last time I checked, Texas (especially East Texas) was and is part of the South (it’s certainly more Southern than Kentucky). Maybe it’s because Texas is the TRUE capital of high-school football (see LSU, OU, and the REAL UT). You may say football is a religion in the Southeast, but in Texas, it’s THE religion.

By buzz

December 22, 2006 02:29 AM | Link to this

Gator Guy, very well thought out and worded posts (I never thought I (UGA) would say this to a gator fan). Iceman, phipps, and Jon … you guys need to go have an orgy with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

By Stumpy Thomason

December 22, 2006 05:28 AM | Link to this

Phipps et al,

The greater reason for TECH’s athletic decline post-Integration; was the decision not to remain current with facilities upgrades and best practices in collegiate athletics…while at the same time making some form of calculus a curriculum wide requirement.

Vis a Vis- great athletes from poor areas have often viewed GT as persona non grata.

Not really Tech’s fault but certainly the GTAA went through a complete overhaul in 1980, and is struggling to stay ahead of coming NCAA academic initiatives.

And Yes there are significant issues with academic support/curriculum at GT—-Tech doesn’t hold their guys hands for all four years.

By wardenerd

December 22, 2006 07:48 AM | Link to this

grsnd puba, My son is 6’3’ 300. he has weighed 300 for two years he runs every morning and lifts everyday. He benches 375 and can read and write. He has made some visits and iam sorry if you are old and fat but lay off.

By Brooks

December 22, 2006 09:46 AM | Link to this

phipps, what a ridiculous post man. Talking about the black athlete and how Tech ruled the state before then. You need to refer to it as “tech’s entire football history”. Or “back when Tech beat Georgia more than once every ten years”. GO DAWGS

By Gator Guy

December 22, 2006 11:35 AM | Link to this

buzz——Thanks, you hairy Dawg. I’m still laughing over your line about “Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.” Heck, I can’t spell that SOB’s name, let alone pronounce it, but I’m still not sure I would wish a “date” with phipps or several of these other blog-monsters on him. : P

By chikn iz good

December 22, 2006 02:58 PM | Link to this

phipps is a fin racis b*

By eglncola

December 22, 2006 09:51 PM | Link to this

South Carolina is on track for a top 5-10 year with big beef on the d-line showing Spurrier loves to recruit and is creating a monster to be dealt with in the future.