Longtime UGA commit to help Bulldogs recruit OL

"One thing Coach Sale really wanted me to do was to reach out to Nick Buchanan and Patrick Allen," said Hardin, referring to some remaining OL targets for the Bulldogs in this year's class.

Buchanan, who plays at Dunwoody High School and has been committed to Cal since last month, was one of three in-state offensive linemen who got late offers from UGA last week. Patrick Allen is from Maryland and de-committed from the Bulldogs after Will Friend left, but he’s reconsidering his original choice.

“I’ve talked to Nick once, and made my best recruiting pitch to him,” Hardin said. “And with Patrick, I’ve talked to him since he de-committed once. But probably tomorrow, I’m going to try to catch up with both of those guys.

“What I told Nick, and I wasn’t biased in favor in UGA because I visited Cal and I loved it there … but I told him ‘If you go to UGA, you’re going to play closer to home, your family will get to see you play, you’re going to play for one of the most historic programs in the country, you’re going to play for a national championship contender year in and year out, and most importantly you’re going to be around a community of people who love you.’”

Hardin said the UGA coaching newbies hung around for nearly three hours. And Hardin felt comfortable with Sale – which is always important because you never know if a new coach will like a former coach’s recruit, and vice versa.

“The visit went unreal,” Hardin said. “Honestly, I feel like I’ve known both of these guys for years, and that they’ve been there the whole recruiting process.

“Coach Sale is a laid-back guy when he needs to be, but you can tell he’ll also a very fiery and enthusiastic person when he’s coaching. And I feel like he’s going to be just as good as Coach Friend, if not better. He’s a younger version. I think he’s going to be a great coach.”

Nick Robinson, a 3-star quarterback from San Juan Capistrano, Calif., made an unofficial visit to UGA over the weekend. He is being recruited as a preferred walk-on since the Bulldogs will not sign a quarterback to a scholarship in this class. The reason they won't sign a QB is because they have a commitment for next year from Jacob Eason of Lake Stevens, Wash. He is rated as the nation's No. 1 QB for 2016.

How did the visit go for Robinson? “I just got off the phone with Coach Richt. He was just following up. He asked how the trip went. It went really well. He said that he wanted me there, and for me to talk it over with my family. All I can say is that it was a great trip. Go Dogs.”

Robinson said he is unlikely to make an unofficial visit to Notre Dame, where he was also being recruited as a preferred walk-on. He will take a trip to the University of San Diego either this weekend or next, and then make his final decision.

Also, a quarterback from Georgia, Jefferson High School's Evan Shirreffs, said he talked over the phone with Schottenheimer a few days ago. The 6-foot-6, 200-pounder will take an official visit to Miami this weekend.

“(Schottenheimer) said he really liked my film, but that they’re not bringing in a scholarship guy in this class,” Shirreffs said. “He mentioned to me about coming over and looking at the campus sometime after the Miami visit.”

Arrington Farrar, a 4-star safety who de-committed from Stanford last week, will take an official visit to Wisconsin this weekend.

mcarvell@ajc.com

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