Love the Future

I'm sure you've heard it already, but last night's Dawg Night may have been the most impressive UGA recruiting event in recent years. Five-star tackle John Theus was the first domino to drop. Even though it was the worst-kept secret in SEC recruiting that Theus would go to Georgia, it was shocking that he ended the process this early, and in the manner he did. Subsequently, he told stud 2013 QB Brice Ramsey his plans, who happens to be close friends with '13 South Carolina WR Tramel Terry and '13 Florida phenom RB Derrick Henry. The result was four gigantic commitments for the Mike Bobo and future Dawg offenses in one night.

I can't remember an offensive line prospect ranked higher than Theus committing to the Dawgs in a long time. Derrick Henry is one of those mind-boggling athletes from Florida, the type that usually opts for one of the Big 3 Sunshine State schools. Tramel Terry is an explosive receiver that will make a great target for LeMay and Ramsey. Theus will anchor the offensive line, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him recruit another bell cow to join him on the line before its all said and done.

The significance of this, might you ask? Well, for one, it shows these younger players' faith in the future of the coaching staff. The 2013 commits all cited that they were extremely fond of Coach Richt as well as their future teammates. This is a great sign, not solely under the condition that Richt will still be at UGA at that time. Terry, Ramsey, and Henry are already close and recruiting for the Dawgs. Terry and Ramsey's fathers have been friends for years, so they've struck up a close relationship. Ramsey and Henry live 17 minutes away from each other according to Mapquest, and have apparently formed a bond of their own. John Theus will join his older brother Nathan in Athens, along with a great deal of friends who signed in 2011 with him.

The ties that bind these prospects together only stokes my optimism about the 2012 and '13 classes, and the afterglow of yesterday's glorious evening only fuels that fire. These guys have committed early enough to fall in love with Athens as a city, the UGA team and fanbase, as well as the school itself. They're already recruiting for their class, in the worst-case scenario, these could be the same guys holding the class together in the event of Richt's departure. While I'm not naive enough to believe all four of these guys will still be on board 18 months from now, I commend them on their early decisions to end the process early and hope they maintain their commitments.

What I learned from LeCollapse

It's a shame to watch, really.

For the past 8 years, the sports world has waited for LeBron James to finally reach his full potential and make it to the promised land, but as of last night, he's yet to get it together.

For an athlete blessed with such an incredible combination of basketball IQ and God-given talent, it's almost painful. The general sentiment I've taken from logical fans of LeBron's game is similar to that of a parent who's seen their child screw up so much that it doesn't even faze them anymore. That's extremely frustrating when you think of his situation. However, I believe that the Heat's loss and LeBron's shortcomings can prove to be a valuable lesson to our youth.

This past semester, I took a class that changed my outlook on the future of Black youth in America for the better. The course, Interdisciplinary Approaches to African-American Studies, really opened my eyes to what is known as "the Black experience in America." Every Thursday morning at 9:25, three close friends and I would trudge to class to contribute to discussions that usually lasted for two hours or so. From resulting discussions emerged a concept that deeply touched me and spoke to my experience in the poor public schools of Southwest Georgia.

In my opinion, the period between fifth grade and seventh grade is the most vulnerable period in a student's development. Given the shift in academic difficulty combined with the changes that adolescence presents to children, this is the period where the A students usually separate themselves from the B students, who separate themselves from C students, who, along with the rest of the bunch, eventually separate themselves from opportunities for higher learning. It's been said for years in academic circles that in the US, public schools' fourth and fifth grade standardized test scores are used as a factor in determining the capacity of state prisons.

This thought doesn't shock me as much as it did when my mom first told me, but the fact that prisons remain overcrowded is still sickening to me. In one of those late-night discussions that college friendships are built upon, me and three or four friends spoke on the topic: the breaking of the spirit of the Black student. One by one, each of us recounted our experiences, which were all eerily similar despite coming from four different states and backgrounds.

One of my friends attended a Detroit Catholic school for two years, where he recalled the feelings of stress and disbelief he felt at the hands of his teachers, who seemed hell-bent on lumping him into the B-C student group, when the only factor that would separate his work from what was considered A-quality by the assignments' rubrics would be infuriatingly miniscule, like "It's really good, but not just there yet." After countless occasions like this, and tense meetings between him, his parents, and the teachers, they decided the school just wasn't for them. He would go on to graduate and is now a History major.

What will happen to the kids who don't have the supporting cast that my friends and I have? Most of them tend to settle for their assumed mediocrity, languishing until they couldn't even convince themselves that they had any sort of talent to begin with.

After attending public schools in five different counties in South Georgia during this period, I've seen the aftermath of the broken spirit in each school system: contagious apathy, defensiveness that morphs into bull-headedness, rooted in a fear of rejection and failure that paralyzes students until they settle for giving just enough effort to get by. It's not that these students lack the ability; they just have been deprived of sources of positive affirmation in the areas that will allow them to prosper in the future.

The part that annoys me the most about this is that a lot of the kids I went to school with were in denial in regards to their responsibilities as students, and only seemed to think that the schools owed them. This problem is not strictly racial; the handful of white students I went to school with exhibited the same symptoms, because they too came from poor, ‘dysfunctional’ families.

These atmospheres nurture the stagnancy. School systems in impoverished communities with virtually no job opportunities aren't able to hire competent administrators or qualified teachers, the teachers they do hire have no passion for the job or concern for the students’ well being, and as a result the children suffer. My parents were two of five teachers at my high school that I can say genuinely cared about their jobs and the students’ well-being.

While watching LeBron’s performance in this series and post-game interview last night, I noticed that he shared many traits with my former classmates. Even though James expressed disappointment, he seemed to shake off any regrets about his performance as well as criticisms of his game. This stubbornness and denial will only impede his progress in years to come. Even though a great deal of his lackluster performance can be attributed to the Mavericks’ defensive efforts, it looked downright shaky and uninspired. At this time, it seems that LeBron is afraid to make the effort to break into next level of success.

There’s a bevy of factors that could’ve played into this conclusion. It’s obvious at this point that LeBron is getting the full wrath of sports media at this time. He’s been trashed at no end by sportscasters, in some cases, obsessively. He’s been ridiculed by fans for the past ten months for attempting to improve his chances of getting a ring. He’s had to deal with the media unfairly scrutinizing the sex lives of the two women closest to him. We know by now that his family situation, as well as the media circus surrounding him isn’t ordinary by any stretch of the imagination. The immaturity in regards to the media is obviously a direct result the lack of a true supporting class, his comprised mainly of childhood friends and family.

The eager anticipation of his failure in this series is disconcerting to say the least, but the reaction of the public is even more disturbing. Everyone’s content to say “he knew this would happen” as they stand back and throw dirt over his name, feeling their sentiments are justified since LeBron sacrificed his humanity once he signed a ultimillion dollar contract.

At this point, it seems LeBron’s spirit is broken and that he’s the only person who can quiet his critics. He can’t prosper by freezing up in crunch time, he’ll remain a slave to public opinion and self-destruct, as we saw Terrelle Pryor do, unless he comes to terms with the fact that he needs help and accepts the constructive criticism that members of the media like Mike Wilbon are trying to give him. Likewise, students will continue to shun their potential if they remain blind to the fact that they’re settling for being mediocre in fear of failing.

Friedrich Hegel and Frederick Douglass both stated that what separates a slave from a free man is the acknowledgement of their own capacity of reason, and the willingness to pay the ultimate price for their liberation, which in this case is not premised in the oppression of others, but separation from an earlier version of oneself. It’s hard enough for someone to become accountable and receptive to criticism at a late stage in life, but without a stable supporting cast, it may be virtually impossible to place this task on a teenager.

There are millions of LeBrons in public schools across America. 99 percent of them weren’t blessed with the freakish athletic ability that will render academic success a secondary priority, and even more of them have even less stable supporting casts than James. When these kids’ don’t receive positive affirmation for showing maturity, accountability, and a desire to better themselves, they eventually fail. And though we won’t be informed of it each time we turn on our TVs, but we do see the results every day. The proliferation of an increasingly immature, unaccountable, defiant and mistakenly entitled culture will only result in more athletes being eviscerated by the popular media, more children coasting their way to mediocrity, and otherwise intelligent human beings continuing to fall short of the greatness they could attain.

The SEC's Newcomers to Know

Before last season, names like Marcus Lattimore, Michael Dyer, and Cam Newton were hardly being thrown around outside of the Southeast. By January, these guys had earned the country’s respect. The SEC’s recruiting efforts in the past five years have only been surpassed by their rabid following, and this year is no different. Here are ten SEC newcomers that, barring injury, you may be getting acquainted with by the end of the year.

10. Anthony Johnson – LSU:

It’s not often that freshman defensive linemen make an impact in college football, but if anyone can it’s the New Orleans native they call The Freak. In addition to being quick off the snap, Johnson possesses the non-stop motor that defensive coaches cherish in the trenches, and the versatility to rush the passer from the outside as well.

9. Ray Drew – Georgia:

This Thomasville, GA native currently serves as the pastor of his hometown Paradise Missionary Baptist Church, but this fall he’ll only be baptizing quarterbacks between the hedges. At 6’5, 250 pounds, Drew will play Will linebacker at UGA. He’s freakishly strong and explosive for his size, any questions about his talent were answered at this year’s Army All-American game, where he racked up 2.5 sacks going against the top talent in the country.

8. Maurice Couch – Tennessee:

A Garden City (KS) Community College transfer, Couch will wreak havoc early on the line in Knoxville. Standing at 6’2, 295, Couch will likely gain a starting spot in the fall. An explosive lineman with experience playing in both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes, Couch’s arsenal is a mixture of power and versatility, Vols defensive line coach Lance Thompson has to be excited about Couch’s potential.

7. Mike Blakely – Florida:

Blakely doesn’t have the speed or quickness of Urban Meyer-era Florida backs, but in the new pro-style offense, he has a chance to make a great contribution to the Gators’ backfield this year, especially if redshirt freshman Mack Brown hasn’t recovered fully from injury. Blakely has a low center of gravity, and combined with his excellent agility makes him a threat in a Charlie Weis offense.

6. Zach Mettenberger – LSU:

Mettenberger transferred to LSU after being dismissed from the University of Georgia amidst legal trouble. A prototypical quarterback (6’5 245) who seems to have a rocket launcher attached to his shoulder, Mettenberger was listed behind senior Jordan Jefferson on the depth chart after transferring from Butler County Community College in Kansas. Though Jefferson has the most experience, I believe Mettenberger has a good chance of seizing the starting job by the end of the year, given his physical tools. LSU consistently has a stable of great receivers, and Les Miles knows he has an ace in the hole should Jordan Jefferson struggle before the Bayou Bengals’ conference schedule begins.

5. Demetrius Hart – Alabama:

The U.S. Army All-American Player of the Year, Hart switched commitments from Michigan to Alabama following the coaching change in Ann Arbor. An extremely agile, shifty runner, Hart could be the secret weapon in the Tide backfield, a great complement to Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy. He has the potential to be a weapon in the return game from the time he steps foot on campus.

4. Jesse Williams – Alabama:

After losing Marcel Dareus to the NFL Draft, the Crimson Tide will be looking for playmakers on the defensive line. Brisbane, Australia native Jesse Williams fits the bill. This 6’3, 310 pound nose tackle initially spent his free time playing basketball and rugby until the age of 15. Since then, he’s been hooked. Once he gets on campus after transferring from Arizona Western Community College, Williams will anchor the Crimson Tide line as they look to rebound from a 10-3 season. With experienced linebackers and an extremely talented secondary behind him, look for the Tide’s D to put together a few shutouts this season.

3. Jonathan Jenkins – UGA:

This mammoth nose tackle is originally from Meriden, Connecticut, but spent two years at Gulf Coast Community College in Mississippi. This junior college served as a pit stop for Terrence Cody before he became a mountain of a man at Alabama. Gulf Coast’s coach Steve Campbell says the 6’4, 350 pound Jenkins “moves better than Cody” and has better mobility. If that doesn’t convince you—get this, Jenkins played fullback in high school, and by his own account, he runs a 4.9 40-yard dash. Expect Jenkins to team up with Kwame Geathers to plug up the middle of Todd Grantham’s 3-4 defense in Athens.

Link to 40-yard dash quote: http://twitter.com/#!/Bigjohn481/status/56079231884599296

2. Isaiah Crowell – Georgia:

A shy kid from Columbus, Georgia, Crowell is the crown jewel of Mark Richt’s Dream Team recruiting class. All eyes in the Peach State will be on Crowell once he arrives on campus in June. At a solid 5’11 205, he’s been called a stronger C.J. Spiller; his highlight film is a must-watch. Crowell possesses all the tools necessary to become an every-down back in the SEC after spending time in a legitimate strength and conditioning program. He can catch the ball out of the backfield; he has excellent vision, balance, agility and breakaway speed. Crowell has a great chance to overthrow Caleb King and Washaun Ealey for the starting spot at tailback for the Dawgs this year.

1. Jadeveon Clowney – South Carolina:

The man, the myth, the legend—Clowney’s reputation precedes him; there’s a Twitter page dedicated to his everyday exploits, such as breaking vices while attempting to crack his knuckles, killing birds by throwing them off cliffs, ripping tags off mattresses, etc. Standing at 6’6, 247, Clowney runs a 4.5 forty yard dash and his first step off the line of scrimmage is insane. He’s such a presence on the football field that the arrow used to indicate which player to watch in his highlight film is virtually unnecessary. Clowney will make plays early and often in Columbia, Expect him to play a large role in their campaign for the SEC title.

The SEC's top personnel groups

The SEC lost a ton of talent to the NFL Draft, with ten players selected in the first round alone; and this will be the case next year as well. Though Cam Newton, A.J. Green, and Patrick Peterson are gone, you can expect to be hearing Mel Kiper and Todd McShay to rave about these guys around this time next year.

Backfield – South Carolina

With both Stephen Garcia and Marcus Lattimore returning, the Gamecocks have the most productive backfield in the SEC. With these two, Steve Spurrier’s squad brings back the SEC’s leading returning passer as well as its second-ranked rusher. Lattimore rushed for 1,164 yards and 17 touchdowns as a freshman in 2010, and bulked up to six feet, 230 pounds during the off-season. SEC defenders can only hope for a sophomore slump from this bruising back.

Receivers – Arkansas

Even after losing Ryan Mallett to the Patriots, the Hogs’ receiving corps is filled with veteran playmakers that will thrive in Bobby Petrino’s pass-happy system. Jarius Wright and Joe Adams combined for 190 yards and two touchdowns in their Sugar Bowl loss to Ohio State, a game they played without arguably their most talented threat, Greg Childs. This senior-laden group will make Tyler Wilson’s transition into the starting spot that much easier.

Tight ends – Georgia

The Bulldogs have always put quality tight ends in the NFL, Randy McMichael, Leonard Pope, and Ben Watson all played their college ball between the hedges. This year, Orson Charles, Aron White, and Arthur Lynch will carry the torch. White is a prototypical receiving tight end that will be a great option in the passing game for Aaron Murray, but Orson Charles may be the SEC’s best kept secret. Standing at 6’3 and 250 pounds, Charles is a hybrid-type tight end that will also see time at wide receiver this fall. Charles caught 27 passes for 504 yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore.

Offensive line – Ole Miss

The Rebel Black Bears (still sounds weird reading that, huh?) might not have much to be excited about this season, but their offensive line should be serviceable. They return every starter on the offensive line, including the behemoth Bobby Massie, a 6’6 312 pound sophomore. This unit will hope to open some lanes for Enrique Davis, Brandon Bolden. Houston Nutt’s squad quietly rushed for the third-most yards in the SEC in 2010 and allowed the fewest sacks in the league despite being one of the youngest units in the league.

Defensive line – Georgia

Call me crazy, but I give the Dawgs the slight nod over Ronald Powell, Sharrif Floyd and the Florida Gators since they’re in their second year under Coach Todd Grantham. The defensive line has been coached by Rodney Garner since 1998, and this year, the unit may be the most stacked he’s had a chance to work with in a long time. Redshirt sophomore Kwame Geathers (6’5 350) drew rave reviews from coaches in the spring and impressed in the spring game. He’ll split time at nose tackle with junior college transfer Johnathan Jenkins (also 6’5 350), but Grantham hinted at the possibility of putting both nose tackles on the line at the same time in short-yardage or goal line situations. In addition to those beasts in the middle, DeAngelo Tyson and Abry Jones are all-SEC candidates at defensive ends. Tyson played out of position at nose last season; with the transfer of Jenkins and the improvement of Geathers, 2011 sets up for a breakout season from the Statesboro, GA native.

Linebackers – Alabama

To run the 3-4, Nick Saban needs a linebacking corps full of talent. This year is no different: Dont’a Hightower, Nico Johnson and Courtney Upshaw will make plays all season. Hightower was second on the team in tackles last year, with 69, including 3.5 for loss. As a sophomore, Johnson racked up 33 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and two passes defended. Upshaw landed a whopping 14.5 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, and four forced fumbles last year.

Secondary – Alabama

Aside from a powerful front seven, the calling card of a Nick Saban defense is a playmaking secondary, and this year’s squad is full of ballhawks. Robert Lester, Demarcus Milliner, and Dre Kirkpatrick combined for 30 passes defended last year, so don’t expect many teams to have success throwing against the Crimson Tide. With the addition of quality depth like Dequan Menzie and John Fulton, the secondary looks to be an area of strength for ‘Bama for years to come. Considering the talent across the board in Tuscaloosa, don’t expect many teams to have success against Saban and the Tide, period.

Special teams – Georgia

The Bulldogs have the most talented special teams unit in the country, and that’s no stretch of the imagination. Aside from returning Lou Groza Award semifinalist Blair Walsh, who accounted for 106 points last season and holds a career long mark of 56 yards, the Dawgs’ unit is home to the 2009 Ray Guy Award winner and 2010 All-American punter Drew Butler, who holds a career average of about 49 yards per punt. This personnel group sounds deadly enough, but when you add UGA’s all-time return record holder Brandon Boykin, it gets downright scary. This unit will be the X-factor in an extremely important season for Mark Richt and the Bulldogs.

UGA Spring Preview

Signing Day was a huge step in the right direction for Mark Richt and the Georgia Bulldogs, but aside from Chris Conley and Christian LeMay, the Dream Team won't get on campus until June. This makes spring practice an even bigger deal for the forgotten upperclassmen. Today marks the beginning of spring practice, the first unveiling of the results of Joe T's new Strength and Conditioning program, and the first team practices in what many pessimistic fans will call the post-AJ era.

If this is your first time reading this blog, I warn you that I tend to see things from an optimistic point of view. Honestly, I think Aaron Murray and Grantham's defense adding a year of experience will affect the team much more than the loss of AJ Green will. On a less tangible note, all accounts point to a shift in attitude around the football program. Before you groan and say "We hear this every off-season," consider the facts. Since Greg McGarity took office in Athens, it's been nothing but positive news coming out of Butts-Mehre. The new S&C program seems to be weeding out the men from the boys, the new hires look great (on paper, at least), and the players are all buying into the attitude of change. McGarity made schedule changes (adding Boise State, dropping Louisville, adding Tasty Cake home games) that will increase exposure as well as minimize team fatigue.

Although we don't know how everything going on within the program will turn out, the players and coaches seem excited about this season and the positivity is contagious. The fans are excited, the administration is excited, the students are excited. You should be too. Here are a few players/units I'm paying attention to over spring practice:

• Kwame Geathers - Johnathan Jenkins is as close to a sure starter as you can get, but Bean Anderson moving back to the O-line gives Kwame Geathers a full spring to get first-team reps at nose. Kwame has a lot of weight on his shoulders should Jenkins be unable to play for any reason come fall. Fortunately, by all accounts Kwame has made great strides under the new S&C program, two years after showing up to fall camp overweight.

• The DEs - This unit might be the most talented on this side of the ball. DeAngelo Tyson and Abry Jones are already all-SEC caliber players that, in my opinion, will benefit the most from the change in defensive scheme. Garrison Smith and Derrick Lott should definitely push for first-team reps during the spring as well.

• Jarvis Jones & Richard Samuel - These two guys might've been the biggest recruits of the 2010 class. Their redshirt year made it possible for get healthy and gain experience, respectively. Even though there's no substitute for game experience, these guys have played the game before, and they're no slouches. Can't wait to see these guys between the hedges.

• Rantavious Wooten, Marlon Brown, Chris Conley - Even though the Dawgs' WR corps lost most of its productivity this year, the absence of AJ Green will make for opportunities to get more options on the field. Green helped set up the running game when he was on the field, hopefully these guys become big enough threats for Mike Bobo to spread these guys out. If Wooten is healthy and put in enough work in the weight room, his route running and after-the-catch ability could be a great asset. Marlon Brown is the best blocking receiver on the team, but didn't get many balls thrown to him with Green and Durham around. This spring is the time for these guys to establish themselves as legitimate threats in the passing game.

• The secondary - I'm not as down on this unit as most seem to be. Keep a proper perspective here, these guys were young, in a new scheme and still found a way to make more plays than the secondary did than in the 08 and 09 seasons. One thing to remember: The bigger, stronger front seven will pay dividends for the DBs. Brandon Boykin coming back was huge and Sanders Commings is a baller. If Branden Smith proves to be as good in run support as he is in coverage the unit will be solid, even though I think Jakar Hamilton would be a better all-around corner at his spot. The coaches moving Ogletree to ILB rubbed a few people the wrong way, but I don't really understand why. During the recruiting process it was a consensus opinion that Tree would eventually move to LB. People forget that Bacarri Rambo and Shawn Williams were first-year starters last year. I'd be even more confident about the back four if Corey Moore would've enrolled early, he could end up being the best coverage safety we've seen between the hedges in quite a while, and that's more important to me than a headhunter.

My (extremely late by Internet standards) National Signing Day recap.

This class feels different. It’s not Mark Richt’s first Top 10 class, and I believe it won’t be his last, either. But let’s look closer, shall we? John Jenkins’ signing to UGA and Cyrus Kuandijo’s to ‘Bama means that UGA will pass Texas for the 3^rd ranked class in the nation next time Rivals updates their rankings. More importantly, this class is the second highest-ranked class in the SEC, only trailing Alabama. This haul also comes at the same time as a relatively disappointing class for Florida; while the Gators signed a quality class including RB Mike Blakely, QB Jeff Driskel, TE A.C. Leonard and FB Hunter Joyer, they missed out on early near-locks like Tim Jernigan, James Wilder Jr, Mike Bellamy, and Nick Waisome as well as high-priority guys like Curt Maggitt, Brandon Fulse, Kelvin Benjamin and Sammy Watkins. Kinda reminiscent of UGA’s 2007 and 2010 classes, right? Well these are the recruiting missteps and triumphs that make for talent gaps and roster mismatches in the future.

Dean Legge of Dawgpost wrote an excellent article a little more than a year ago listing the prospects the Dawgs had to get. Let’s see how the staff did:

1. Jay Rome – “should be recruited by Georgia three times harder than Clemson recruits him.”—signed with Georgia.

2. Ray Drew – “is a must sign.”—signed with Georgia.

3. Isaiah Crowell – “the most important sign for the Dawgs in 2011”—signed with Georgia.

4. Gabe Wright—signed with Auburn, but adding John Jenkins and Chris Mayes more than makes up for that loss.

5. James Vaughters – signed with Stanford, and honestly that’s a helluva lot better than meeting him the SEC later, plus some kids just want to go out of state. He was one of them.

6. Damian Swann – “needs to be shown tapes of Branden Smith’s 2009 season.”—signed with Georgia.

7. C.J. Uzomah – signed with Auburn. I’m not extremely impressed with the kid, he’ll play tight end at Auburn, and we’ve got better prospects at both of his potential positions.

8. Stephon Tuitt – “too close to Athens not to be signed.”—signed with Notre Dame, or was it Georgia Tech?

9. Nick Marshall – signed with Georgia.

10. Xzavier Dickson – signed with Bama. Most of us know the story behind this one, though.

11. A.J. Johnson – signed with Tennessee. Apparently both coaching staffs thought he was too much of a tweener. *Willie Martinez Shrug*

12. Watts Dantzler – signed with Georgia.

We got half of the guys from the list, and the only one I’m slightly concerned about losing is Dickson, and our LB corps is going to be just fine without him.

The 2011 class showcased the recruiting strengths of the Georgia coaching staff in almost all aspects. There were the sleeper prospects that UGA jumped on early and signed, like Ramik Wilson, Sterling Bailey, Chris Conley, Chris Mayes and Zach Debell. There were the lifelong fans that held the class down for the coaches during the tough season, like Corey Moore, Chris Sanders, Watts Dantzler, Amarlo Herrera and Boss Andrews. A few sleeper prospects put in the work to get their academics in order before they got their offers, like Sanford Seay and Quintavious Harrow. Fans were complaining about the staff losing prospects from South Georgia? Boom, the staff gets Xzavier Ward from Moultrie, Justin Scott-Wesley from Camilla, Ray Drew from Thomasville, along with Jay Rome and Malcolm Mitchell out of Valdosta.

Mike Bobo caught a lot of flack during the season, but he definitely earned his keep on the recruiting trail, landing ten prospects: Drew, Mitchell, Conley, Dantzler, LeMay, Marshall, Rome, Scott-Wesley, Seay, and Xzavier Ward. Todd Grantham sold every defensive prospect on the 3-4 defense, and they responded in a major way. Bryan McClendon worked his tail off recruiting Crowell, and it paid off in the end. John Lilly had a hand in recruiting Rome and Crowell as well. Scott Lakatos has a lot to work with in the secondary for the next few years, with Swann, Marshall, Bowman (a sleeper if you ask me), Moore, Sanders, and Mitchell.

Overall, this was a class we had to have, and the coaches put their noses to the grindstone and got it done. The negative recruiting was at an all-time high; Kirby Smart and other coaches were in recruits’ ears all year. We were supposed to see Georgia get raided by Alabama, Auburn, and Tennessee, but in the end, UGA went head-to-head with SEC foes for the top GA prospects and got 7 out of the top 10 to stay home. By all accounts, the football program has turned a complete 180 under new athletic director McGarity, and Mark Richt has commented that he feels “like a brand new coach.” It’s easy to see that McGarity is leading us toward success down the road, even if it comes without Mark Richt, but with the current changes in place, its hard for me to fathom that UGA will be going through a coaching carousel as soon as our rival fanbases would have us believe.

Who's comin' up?

All-Star games are the last evaluation period for Rivals, Scout, and ESPN. These are the guys I expect to move up in the rankings after their respective games.

UGA Commits

• Christian Conley - from all reports, he's tearing it up at the Offense-Defense Bowl. Standing at 6'3 and about 190 pounds, All season, Conley has shown great hands and awareness after the catch, and his route-running was also noteworthy at practices this week. He racked up huge numbers against mediocre high school competition, but has drawn rave reviews from top prospects in Myrtle Beach, including Ohio State safety commit Jeremy Cash and consensus top-ten wideout Kelvin Benjamin. Enrolling at UGA in January should give him enough of a head start to get on the field as soon as possible. Conley enrolling early could pay huge dividends for the North Paulding graduate, the Dawgs' receiving corps will be low on numbers next year, so he'll have a great shot of getting playing time. We'll see how far along he's progressed at the G-Day Game.

• Amarlo Herrera - The kid's a tackling machine, and a flat-out gamer. He racked up about 150 tackles during the season, and is a helluva blitzing linebacker. I wouldn't be shocked if he had a similar performance at the O-D game tomorrow.

• Corey Moore - With a good week of practice in San Antonio and a solid showing in the game, Corey Moore could vault into the Top 5 at the safety position. He has a high football IQ, and is an extremely tough, competitive player. Moore is also one of the hardest hitters in the country. He plans to enroll early, and could be one of those guys you see de-cleating guys on kickoff coverage come next year.