Why UGA? “I wanted to play for the home-state school. It feels really good. I’ve been here in Georgia my whole life, and I can play here and represent my home state.”
Vitals: 6-foot-5, 270 pounds, 3.0 GPA and plans to study Sports Management.
Recruiting rankings: TBA
Things to know: Baker was recruited by most colleges as a two-way prospect who could play either defensive line or on the offensive line. However, UGA has only mentioned defense, which is Baker’s position of preference … At Marist, Baker has played very little on the offensive line because of the Wing-T offense which employs smaller and faster linemen … Toughed it out as a junior at Marist, playing the entire season with a high-ankle sprain … As a sophomore, Baker missed the last five games of the season with a torn ACL … Baker also plays for Marist’s basketball team as a center.
They said it: “We don’t get kids very often that are that big and that athletic. He’s a pleasure to coach, and has a great personality. We’re expecting some big things out of him this year … He’s got such a big, strong body. He’s hard to move. He can get off blocks. He makes plays, and he rushes the passer well. We want him to be dominating for us, get off blocks and make plays. We want him to dominate offensive linemen.” – Marist coach Alan Chadwick
Something people are surprised to know? “I am a cooker. I can cook anything and everything. I just picked it up from my mom one day, and started cooking things in the kitchen. My best meal is probably chicken parmesan.”
Favorite non-coach teacher? "Maybe Coach Bennett (Tony Bennett). He’s not one of my coaches. He’s one of the security guards at the school. I talk to him a lot. I can always go to him when I need to talk to somebody. He’s cool.”
In BYU, Georgia Tech will face a defense that is one of the toughest in the nation to score against and has a playmaking force in outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy.
Tailback J.J. Green said he can’t say for sure how many times he has heard “you’re one play away from playing” from Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and running backs coach Bryan McClendon.
Here is a clue that your trip to sunny south Florida may not be a carefree vacation: You’re a football team, and you lose one of your starters during warm-ups.
If nothing else, Georgia has ensured at least one thing about its season. Regardless of where the rest of the schedule takes them, whether its to an SEC championship, a BCS bowl bid or a national title, there will be no claims from outsiders that this team received too many breaks and escaped health issues, no suggestions that the road to success was lined with lollipops and unicorns.
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