Ole Miss was the nation’s biggest surprise in this past year’s recruiting cycle. The Rebels signed four players from Georgia, including consensus No. 1 prospect Robert Nkemdiche.
Can Ole Miss repeat its recruiting success? Doubtful. But the Rebels sure are trying.
The Rebels picked up their first 2014 commitment from Georgia on Thursday when linebacker DeMarquis Gates picked Ole Miss over Kentucky.
“I’m not really sure why he picked Ole Miss,” Lovejoy High School coach Al Hughes told the AJC. “His (legal) guardian is his uncle, who is my running backs coach. We’ve talked briefly over the past few weeks about his situation. He’s gotten a whole bunch of different offers.
“I know (Gates) wanted to put it to bed as quickly as possible so he could concentrate on getting ready for next year. You know, Ole Miss just felt like a good fit for him.”
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Gates has been one of the top defenders for the last two seasons for Lovejoy, which played for state championships in each of the last two years. Gates had more than 100 tackles as a junior, and returned an interception 94 yards for a touchdown.
“Ole Miss is getting one of the best players we’ve had,” Hughes said. “He’s very athletic and has a great motor and nose for the football. He makes things happen.”
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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