Xzavier Dickson, Isaiah Crowell, and the Importance of National Signing Day to Mark Richt's Future with the Georgia Bulldogs
by T Kyle King on Jan 6, 2011 12:30 PM EST
in Georgia Bulldogs Football Recruiting
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PrintAt the opening of the 1920 Republican National Convention, Warren G. Harding had just 39 delegates committed to his candidacy, putting him well behind frontrunner Leonard Wood and fellow contenders Hiram Johnson and Frank Lowden. When no candidate was able to poll a majority after nine ballots, however, GOP leaders met privately in Chicago’s Blackstone Hotel---the confab gave rise to the now-familiar term "smoke-filled room"---and selected Harding as the party’s nominee.
Harding had been the first choice of few delegates, but he was the second choice of most. Being everyone’s runner-up propelled the Ohio senator to the presidency.
Unfortunately, little in life works that way, and college football recruiting is one of the many aspects of our existence that does not.
At last night’s Under Armour All-America Game, Xzavier Dickson announced that Athens was his second choice, committing to the Alabama Crimson Tide over the Georgia Bulldogs. Insult was added to injury when, as expected, Quan Bray snubbed the ‘Dawgs in favor of the Auburn Tigers. There are indications that Isaiah Crowell may declare Georgia the runner-up in the battle to secure his services, as well.
After a disappointing haul last February, the Bulldogs need to bring in a stellar bunch of signees this year. While Georgia is putting together a very solid class, the Red and Black are losing ground relative to their rivals. Recruiting rankings are subjective, and high ratings in February do not guarantee championships in the fall, but no team can compete without high-caliber athletes, and nowhere is that more true than in the Southeastern Conference.
I fear that last night offered an early indicator of the answers to donkeydawg’s questions. I don’t want to go to the extreme of suggesting that the future of the program hinges on the decisions of a couple of kids who have yet to declare for whom they intend to sign on the dotted line, but, at this stage of the game, every little bit hurts. If a third straight disappointing season is followed by a second straight disappointing recruiting class, the downward trajectory may have entered a tailspin out of which the current coaching staff cannot pull us.
When Greg McGarity agreed to send the ‘Dawgs to Atlanta to face the Boise St. Broncos next Labor Day weekend, a lot of us thought that would make or break the current regime in a 2011 season that undoubtedly will determine the direction Georgia football takes for the future. We may learn the answer to that question sooner than we expect, though.
Mark Richt is a much better coach than Warren G. Harding was a president, and Coach Richt is ten times the man Harding was, but, if Georgia continues to be every elite prospect’s second choice, their careers may meet with the same sad fate.
Go ‘Dawgs!
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I don't think
it’s of SO much importance to our performance next year. We need these kids to sign because dammit we’re all depressed and need a pick-me-up. Perception is reality.
Every time Warren G. Harding is mentioned,
I think of Stephen Colbert’s write-up about him in “America, The Book”. Hilarious. If you’ve never read it (it’s quite short), you should.
I believe that President Harding once said.....
….that he knew he was not equipped to be the best President in American history, but that he hoped to be remembered as the best-loved. Kinda gives me the creeps to remember that when I look at the overall tone of everyone’s take on CMR as he heads in to what is truly a Last Chance of a season next fall – a wondeful man but, as more & more seem to feel, less and less equipped to re-establish himself as a great coach.
Only in the SEC
Is a top 20 recruiting ranking fodder for the demise of a program. You guys still have some really big names out there, that are interested, and I’m sure some will be Dawgs. I’ve said it here before, but it bears repeating. The SEC is so incredibly chock full of talent, and recruiting at an elite level is so imperative to be able compete in this conference. Here are the list of SEC schools in the top 25 of Scout.coms recruiting rankings…
4. Bama
7. Arky
11. Auburn
13. LSU
14. USC
18. Florida
19. Tenn
20. UGA
21. Miss St
25. Ole Miss
The SEC makes up 40% of the top 25 recruiting classes (though there are some obvious flaws in rankings). This is usually one of the things I point to when fans from other conferences begin to tell me how the SEC is down this year, or how (insert conference here) is catching up.
in addition to this
I think it might be worth showing what the “average” caliber of the recruits coming in are for each team and rank accordingly, and it should make you guys feel better. Since UGA is one of the few teams in the SEC (along with UF, UT) that doesn’t oversign, average player is probably a better indicator since most of these sites use a cumulative approach to rankings…
Bama 3.71
Auburn 3.63
Florida 3.5
UGA 3.47
LSU 3.32
Arky 3.23
Tenn 3.15
USC 3
Miss St 2.96
Ole Miss 2.96
Now, while neither of these rankings address need specifically, at least you can see from this list that UGA is actually bringing in a relatively high caliber of athlete compared to the rest of the conference.
What the heck is it...
… with Florida fans sticking up for us recently?
Why you gotta be so nice? You’re really making it a lot harder to hate you.
we'll always have
Tebow, Spurrier, Meyer etc
I can bake like a demon.
by podunkdawg on Jan 6, 2011 3:12 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Don't worry
I feel quite confident that you Dawgs will be more than comfortable attacking me without any hesitation by the time next October rolls around. Also, I’m kind of obsessed with recruiting, which yes, does make me feel a little creepy, but I enjoy the topic. I had a guy who’s strictly an NFL fan ask me recently why I liked recruiting so much and my answer….“It’s like the NFL draft, only you don’t have to wait for your turn”.
That's cool.
And, in spite of my protestations, I do appreciate your cordial and collegial tone and attitude. To steal one of Kyle’s trademark phrases, you’re good people, Cardsfan25.
South Carolina's current class is O-line heavy
With a few exceptions, they tend to cluster as 3 and even 2 * recruits more than any other regular position. I feel good about our current commitments and even better about how I expect the class to end up.
"They've just discovered a new use for sheep over there at Clemson... wool." - Lewis Grizzard
by GwinnettGamecock on Jan 7, 2011 12:12 AM EST up reply actions
Expect Carolina to finish strong this year
All indications are we lead for Clowney, the turmoil with the Clemson staff should let us win the remaining big in-state undecideds, and we have a strong chance with a couple of top tier out-of state targets.
"They've just discovered a new use for sheep over there at Clemson... wool." - Lewis Grizzard
by GwinnettGamecock on Jan 7, 2011 12:10 AM EST up reply actions
2013
If you’re one the fence about where to attend school that year has meaning. Unless CMR makes a dramatic turnaround next season will be his last.
2011 – CMR last season
2012 – Coach X’s first season
2013 – Coach X’s full second season
That seems to be the most logical outcome over the next three years. Unless someone has loved UGA their entire life going to Athens isn’t exactly a smart business decision.
I’ve lost all hope.
Tempted to say that no recruit can make or break a program, I am
reminded of Herschel Walker and Cam Newton. I thought Dickson performed well last night and hated to see him go to Bama, but “War Eagle Baby” recited by Quan over and over as well as his performance for the 3 quarters I watched the game did not disturb me in the least. Would like to see Crowell come to Georgia and do well, but he ain’t no Hershel or Mark Ingram, at least he wasn’t last night. The quarterback going to Fla who outran the secondary of the other team and threw better than Mallett was the best player on the field, imo, other than perhaps Clowney. Never a big Richt fan, I am resigned to the fact he will be at UGA until HE decides he doesn’t want to be there AND I am confident that UGA will win 8 regular season games next year, enough to keep his job and end “hot seat” talk. By the way, I am confident that Boise WILL be one of the Dawgs victims next year.
No way 8-4 will save his job.
Nor should it. Losing to Florida, Auburn, South Carolina, and Boise State? Beating Tennessee, Kentucky, Vandy, Ole Miss, MSU, Ga Tech, Coastal Carolina, and New Mexico State will not save his job. Georgia was the third best team in the SEC East before Richt came along. Going back to regularly being third (or worse) shows the program hasn’t just plateaued under him, but regressed to where it was prior to his arrival.
The dude abides.
I think I actually agree with jujdawg on this one.
Depending on who the “4” are and how badly those losses come, 8-4 might very well be enough to save Richt’s job. If the Dawgs get blown out of the stadium by Florida, Auburn, Tennessee, and Boise State, but win all of their other games… that might not be enough to save his job.
If we lose very close, hard-fought games to South Carolina, Tennessee, Auburn, and Tech, and beat Florida 45-0, it will probably be a much closer call.
I also think we stand a better-than-decent chance of coming out victorious against the Broncos… at least, I hope so (that is, if I were to dare to harbor positive hopes about the 2011 season, which I do not dare to do).
There’s just so much that will change from this day to September that it’s really impossible to project that far into the future right now.
Really?
8-5, 6-7, 9-4? (I’m giving the benefit of the doubt and predicting a bowl win… surely another bowl loss would change things?) That may be sufficient, but I can’t imagine losing two home games to USCe & Auburn will sit well, and beating Florida may be more pie-in-the-sky than beating Boise State.
Think about it this way… Georgia could reasonably start 0-2, including losing a “home” game in the GA Dome and losing a real-life home game against Spurrier. Regardless of how close those games are, the fans will be livid on a whole ‘nother level. If, as you suggest, they start 1-1 & rally to 4-1 before losing at Tennessee, then I think the season could play out in Richt’s favor. I don’t think losing 2 of their last 3 will bode well for their bowl chances, though. That destination could impact things, too. Will a Music City Bowl appearance satiate the crowd, or will it take a minimum of an Outback Bowl bid?
The dude abides.
UGA will not win a NC next year or an SEC (high likely, but not impossible)
so the question for the AD will be if we showed marked improvement in the right direction in areas we suck at. The AD wants UF to just be another game – and I agree with that. It will piss the fans off, but it is just another SEC team at this point. I dont think the tale is solely in the W – L column. It is also in the “who and how”.
"One thing I will never do as long as I’m at Georgia is lose to Florida." - Herschel Walker
That's exactly it.
Unless we go 14-0… and we won’t… it’s all about the complex equation of how the season unfolds. Who we lose to, how we lose to them, and who we beat, and how we beat them.
I can authoritatively say this, though (I think)… if we go winless in close games next year, Mark Richt will not be coaching at UGA in 2012.
Vineyard, better check your sanity for I think that is twice
this week you have agreed with me, or perhaps it is the “kinder, gentler” jujdawg that is putting forth more “agreeable” posts. In any event, I have no doubt whatsoever that UGA will beat Boise State, absent some barrage of suspensions for that game. And the chances of us going 2-0 at the outset are far greater than going 0-2. This year’s recruiting class will probably not affect next year’s record, imo. And I still ain’t convinced the self appointed recruiting know squat about talent. Besides that, a blind dawg can find a biscuit every once in a while. The odds are in our favor__8-4 regular season at a minimum which, when related back to the first five years’ of Richt’s tenure, equate to “he’s got us going upward again.” Something the despised JD did not have. Voila, he’s back for 2012.
Wow. That is bold.
And the chances of us going 2-0 at the outset are far greater than going 0-2.
That is either head-in-the-sand delusion of the highest order or… baseless unbridled optimism.
The dude abides.
Do I detect Dawgsports Détente?
If you two can ever get together over some roasted goat and a few cold beers, well…World Peace!
"If we score, we may win. If they never score, we'll never lose."
-Erk Russell
Well, I'm capable of doing the unexpected every once in a while.
Personally, I blame the infection that has been raging through my head/chest/inner ears for the last week. :-)
In all seriousness, though, I enjoy being able to find common ground with people I’ve had differences with in the past, when possible. It helps remind me that we’re not some random venom-filled messageboard like the DawgVent or ajc.com.
(raises a glass to jujdawg)
so wait
we had our first losing season under CMR, our beloved mascot has cancer, and the entire cast of regulars at the blog has come down with a never ended congestion that’s completely incurable. My appt with the specialist is in 2 weeks.
yep i think the world is coming to an end.
I can bake like a demon.
At this point
I think the perception is that Richt is a lame duck coach, and I think that perception is affecting these recruits. Fair to him or not if that perception keeps those top recruits away, it could eventually spell his demise as you say. We are in desperate need of a top running back. Crowell obviously seems to fit the bill, but if it’s between us and Alabama and Bama just raised up Ingram and Richardson AND they have Nick Saban there who seems very secure (unlike CMR), what would you do? I’d probably go with Bama if I were Crowell, but I really want him to pick UGA because he could probably start there day one.
I voted for the first option
Not because Crowell is a program-changer like a certain Mr. Walker, but because it is further confirmation of where the program is headed. There was a “dream team” available this year in the state, and Georgia will whiff on the vast majority of the top in-state players. That should be unacceptable, yet the program keeps rollicking along, allowing the elite players in the state to have great success for the competitors. Jay Rome seems to be a heavy lean toward UGA, but I think if Drew & some others bail, he might consider it, too. I wouldn’t put faith in any of the remaining elite dream team targets signing for UGA. And, that will be it. Another status quo recruiting class, another status quo season, and McGarity will be on the lookout for a head coach December 2011.
The dude abides.
The bottom line is that 2011 has to be a banner year on the field.
Even with two down years of recruiting, the program is still stocked with top 25 caliber talent. If we don’t get top 25 caliber results in 2011, it’s time for a change.
Sounds like
by jettisoning Witchett we upgraded by signing this guy. He had good numbers this year.
"If we score, we may win. If they never score, we'll never lose."
-Erk Russell
The fence around the state needs repair.
You can bet there is some negative recruiting going on right now in the living rooms of some key players who are considering The Georgia Bulldogs. If we can sense the blood in the waters surrounding Athens, you know our competition does and are using that to their advantage. Recruiting, especially in the SEC, is about as Darwinian as it gets.
We have missed out on too many blue chip Georgia guys in recent years. Every year a few are going to fall through the cracks, but guys like Eric Berry in ‘06 was a must-have and most recently, Cam Newton (with all his flaws) never considered us because he was offered as a tight end. What the hell? Tight End? Don’t get me started on “well, he’s a system quarterback…” He looks just fine in the pocket to me. How many more linemen (especially offensive) are we going to sign who arrive by ambulance on campus?
We need Isaiah Crowell. No denying this. But we’ve got to get Ray Drew and John Jenkins. Todd Grantham is the right man for the job, but he needs some tools right now. Get our defense fixed, we just might do alright next year. A mediocre (and at times good) offense can win with a dominating defense. It doesn’t work the other-way round.
The coaches still have to coach, no matter who we get. And going down the list of players who are actually on the depth chart, we still have the talent to win. It’s all on coaching who we’ve got at this point anyway. But talent evaluation and closing needs to improve.
"If we score, we may win. If they never score, we'll never lose."
-Erk Russell
well if
Auburn would quit offering more cash than I can hope to make in a year anytime soon…..
I can bake like a demon.
I'm with podunk....
you gotta believe other SEC schools are throwing Auburn under the bus as well with the whole Scam Newton deal & future penalties by NCAA… How come these kids are buying into this Chizik/Malzahn style??
Also is Jenkins the JUCO NG?? Have we found any JUCO “LARGE” NG’s to offer??
Yes
Jenkins is the Mississippi JUCO NT who, at last report, was up to 527 lbs., stood 6’ 5" and still ran a 4.5/40.
It’s true. I read it on the internet.
"If we score, we may win. If they never score, we'll never lose."
-Erk Russell
Wait a minute....
is that a shot at my “RichRod” fired comment I posted the other day (only to have it announced a day later)??
Also do we not have any OL that will “take one for the team” & flip sides??
We need another Hiawatha Berry (didn’t he come in as a RB from Watkinsville/Winder area & put on alotta lbs)
Speaking of Watkinsville-is Hot Thomas’ still around Best b-b-q around!
not at all...
it’s a “one size comment” fits all observation about the interwebs. Did you know you can buy a one-way airline ticket right now for $29?
I think Hiawatha (one of the great names in UGA history) was from Winder. Definately didn’t go to Oconee.
As far as I know, Hot is still doing ‘bidness, but his health isn’t good. Went to H.S. with all his kids.
"If we score, we may win. If they never score, we'll never lose."
-Erk Russell
Need to vent...
Luck returning to Stanford?
Something tells me that Luck would’ve left had he been a Dawg (cough*Stafford*cough). AJ Green, prove me wrong…
I am a fan of the Dawgs, Falcons, and Braves...oh...and tacos, but I like the other three more.
Is Luck from that area though?
Stafford wasn’t raised here and had no attachment to the fanbase.. If Luck was a fan growing up, that could have a lot to do with it. Though I am surprised that he’s coming back, maybe that means Harbaugh is too and they’re trying to win the NC.
From what I can tell...
He’s from the D.C. area. His dad played for West Virgina, according to the all-knowing Wiki.
I am a fan of the Dawgs, Falcons, and Braves...oh...and tacos, but I like the other three more.
But...
His dad played in the NFL…So his family is probably well off…Of course, Stafford’s was, too. I don’t know much about the Green family, but if they aren’t comfortable, I say he leaves…
I am a fan of the Dawgs, Falcons, and Braves...oh...and tacos, but I like the other three more.
Okay...
His dad is the AD of West Virginia. What do I know?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Luck
I am a fan of the Dawgs, Falcons, and Braves...oh...and tacos, but I like the other three more.
Which of course works against the younger Luck leaving school early.
“Stay in school, kids. unless you’re my kid, in which case take the money and run!”
A.J. Green's family's financial situation is not good.
I suspect that has quite a lot to do with why the “agent” was able to persuade A.J. to sell him the infamous jersey.
Go 'Dawgs!
Sad End
So TKK by raising the possibility of shared sad ends, are you suggesting Richt will be poisoned by his wife? (No Harding probably wasn’t really poisoned, but even in the pre-Internet days rumors travelled fast.)
I was wondering whether someone would ask that!
It occurred to me after the posting went up that perhaps I had carried the Harding/Richt analogy too far, given that the former died in office under what you correctly note were mysterious circumstances. (I could have gone on with a whole Georgia Dome/Teapot Dome theme, but I decided not to push it.)
Go 'Dawgs!
Harding was poisoned, not by his wife....
…but by his incompetent quack physician, a homeopathic practitioner from the same part of Ohio as he and his wife. Harding was already in declining health with serious cardio issues when he embarked on his “Voyage of Understanding” to Alaska and the Northwest in 1923, hoping to get away from slowly gathering clouds of scandals emanating from his various appointees. Combination of some bad seafood (crab) in the boat coming down from Alaska and the physical stress of the trip (he almost collapsed in the middle of giving a speech at Husky Stadium in Seattle) pushed him right up to the edge. As he was trying to rest and recuperate at the nicely appointed Palace Hotel over in San Francisco, his jackass Dr. Sawyer insisted on administering mega-doses of purgatives and laxatives “to flush the poisons out”, which not surprisingly brought on a heart attack. The good doctor then withdrew from the scene in consternation and confusion, utterly at a loss, as Mrs. Harding sent out a frantic request for the Navy doctor who had been banished from the President’s bedside by Sawyer. By the time he arrived, it was too late; and the details of confusion and imcompetence were veiled by the announcement that the President had expired from “apoplexy”. In truth, President and Mrs. Harding bore no small responsibility for his care, due to their longtime friendship and trust in Dr. Sawyer which raised him to the position of being their personal physician in the White House.
Remember, remember the 31st of December
"I want anything wearing red and black to tear the head off anything that isn't." - Lewis Grizzard
Do any of you people know
that there is a basketball game this Sat? Sorry for interrupting your feetball talk!
Happy Days are here again! Wildcat's have #1 recruiting class again!
Trey Thompkins knows it, Travis Leslie knows it, and I know it! :-)
It should be an interesting game (hopefully).
"I want anything wearing red and black to tear the head off anything that isn't." - Lewis Grizzard
Feetball?
Let’s get one thing straight… if you’re going to drop by and troll another team’s blog, there’s only one proper pejorative term to use for football:
All right, the hand/foot thing I'll give you (although both of them are kicked at times).
“Egg” is just wrong, though. They’re both balls; one just happens to be round, and the other just happens to be oblong.
Also, could you not use a picture of Emmitt Smith unless it’s for the purpose of pointing out that he went 0-3 against Georgia in Jacksonville? (You hate Florida.)
Go 'Dawgs!
Unfortunately, I'm much better at posting other people's pictures than I am at creating my own.
I would be more than happy to note, however, that Emmitt Smith was 0-3 against Georgia every time I post that picture. (And that David Beckham is the most overrated, overpaid player in soccer history.)
I hate Florida.
We know it.
I already have the comment thread scheduled to post!
By the way, did you know that Kentucky has a football game this Saturday?
Go 'Dawgs!
by T Kyle King on Jan 6, 2011 9:16 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
He probably won't even admit Kentucky has a football program.
I hate Kentucky basketball fans.
"They've just discovered a new use for sheep over there at Clemson... wool." - Lewis Grizzard
by GwinnettGamecock on Jan 7, 2011 12:19 AM EST up reply actions
to portray a fuller picture re Crowell's tea leaves
…there have been quite a few more indications that Crowell is likely to declare Alabama the runner-up.
Such as???
You have me intrigued.
"I want anything wearing red and black to tear the head off anything that isn't." - Lewis Grizzard
I'm with you, RedCrake.
What are you sitting on, Sealdawg?
(Sorry. Didn’t mean to quote a famous “Saturday Night Live” sketch.)
Go 'Dawgs!
You linked it and made me click on it
So i had to of course look up the video on Youtube.
And to my amazement. It was there.
Really funny stuff there. But i’m with Kyle in asking what Mr. Sealdawg has seen to assure him?
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
I Corinthians 9:24
by Southern Dawg on Jan 7, 2011 10:28 AM EST up reply actions
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