Safety Vonn Bell (No. 7 in black) on turning down Alabama and Tennessee: "I just woke up out of my dreams. Me and God just had a conversation. He said ‘I want you go to Ohio State.’ Then, I just knew ever since then .."
Without a doubt, the state’s biggest surprise on signing day was when Vonn Bell signed with Ohio State over national champ Alabama and childhood favorite Tennessee.
Many thought there was no way that a Big Ten school could steal an elite Georgia recruit from the SEC’s stranglehold. It happened, though, for the recruiting world to see live on ESPNU.
The AJC Super 11 safety from Ridgeland High School shared his recruiting experiences:
What was the funniest thing that happened on a college visit? “What was really shocking to me, I was visiting Tennessee on my last official visit. I went to a basketball game, and everybody there started chanting my name, talking about ‘We want you.’ They were just some country guys. It was real exciting. It was a real good enjoyable time. And it was funny. I started laughing every time they did it.”
What was it like having your name chanted at Tennessee? “You know, you’re in an arena, and you’ve got about 30,000 people out there hollering and screaming for their team. You walk in, they turn around and all of sudden start chanting your name. It was really special.”
Biggest recruiting rumor not true? “There were rumors that I ‘soft committed’ to ‘Bama one time when Coach Saban came to my house. And that I committed to Tennessee before signing day and all that. There were just rumors like that, people just out there talking.” Why do you think there was the Alabama rumor? “People were ringing up my phone and I told them, ‘The guy (Saban) just came to my house just to talk to me. I didn’t really say nothing (about a commitment).’”
What was the biggest secret you kept during the recruiting process? “I didn’t really have any secrets. I kept everything all open with everybody. But about the biggest secret was probably keeping it secret (about Ohio State) until signing day. The first two days (before signing day), I just woke up out of my dreams. Me and God just had a conversation. He said ‘I want you go to Ohio State.’ Then I just knew ever since then. That was probably the longest time I ever kept a secret, those two days.”
You had a conversation with God in your dreams? “He just woke me up in the middle of my sleep, and I just heard ‘Ohio State’ in my head. I just listened to it, and stuck with it. Ohio State was in my heart.” That was two days before signing day? “Yes. I didn’t know (which college I was going to sign with) until then. I asked God to give me a sign, and He gave me a sign. I woke up the middle of the night."
Which college coach was it hardest to turn down? “It was between ‘Bama and Tennessee. You know, Butch Jones, it was his first year and he was excited. He’s a real good guy. Coach Saban, he’s hard to talk to because they just won the national championship, so … It was between those two.”
Which school came in second for you? “It would’ve had to been ‘Bama. It was ‘Bama because I didn’t really want to go into Tennessee by myself. You know, ‘Bama was just the right fit. It had a good fit, but I just wanted to see playing time. I don’t know. It was probably ‘dead even’ between Tennessee and them because I love Tennessee with all of my heart. I only live about an hour away. I love those guys, and I will love Tennessee forever. I don’t know. It was probably about ‘dead even.” What could Alabama or Tennessee have done better? “You know, they did all they could. I really appreciate all they did for me. I was blessed to have that opportunity. They were nice to my family, and they weren’t hiding anything. Everything was just laid out for me. I just had to make the best decision for me at the time.”
Do you miss the recruiting spotlight? “I kind of miss it, and I kind of don’t. It was that time to make that decision. I’m ready to put in the work and go up there. It was one of the biggest decisions that you’re going to make in your lifetime. It was real blessing going through that situation. Everybody knows you. They know who you are. People who come to the games ask you for pictures. But now is a time to get calmed down and get back focused on what you have to do to get there.”
What was the most creative thing a college did to get your attention? “I don’t think anybody can top that (chanting my name) at Tennessee. It was live, man. Their fans were going crazy. Their fans are diehard. I love the Vols. I just had the make the decision that was best for me.”
What was your biggest regret? “I didn’t use all my five official visits just to go places, to get that free plane ticket. I really wanted to see the West Coast and California but I’m going to see it when we play Cal. I will be able to go out there eventually, so there’s really no regrets.”
Which non-Ohio State coach was the nicest? “All those guys are going to be cool and down to Earth with you, but they know after you sign that paper it’s a whole different perspective. So, I just wanted them to be straight up with me, and I asked them to be straight up with me.” Was there any coach that was not so nice? “No, all of them were cool. It’s just a business.”
If you were in charge of the NCAA, what’s one rule you would change about recruiting? “How much money they can spend on you for official visits. I think colleges should spend more and let them (recruits) have fun. This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Let the colleges go all out for them. They (the colleges) have enough money to (spend more).”
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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