So there's a tape going around of Nick Saban recounting a story a friend told him when he was hired as Alabama's coach. In the process of re-telling this story, he refers to a Cajun dude's reaction to his hiring and calls the guy a "coonass," which for those of you who don't know is a slang word sometimes used to describe Cajuns.
Let me say I'm absolutely unoffendable, which sometimes gets me in trouble. I don't have a very strong internal censor so I don't often think about what may or may not offend other people. So I never realized coonass is a derogatory word, and have actually used it plenty of times when I'm giving my brother a hard time about having gone to LSU. Then again, I'm not the head coach at Alabama, where you'd sure as heck better think about what you're saying to anybody, much less reporters who are recording the conversation.
My gut feeling is that it's much ado about nothing, but I'm not Cajun and even if I was, I wouldn't care what Nick Saban said about anything. But Alabama went as far as to release a statement from Saban today to diffuse the whole thing. What this quote below shows is that Nick Saban should have been a lawyer. By the way, the comments weren't "attributed to him," they're on freaking tape. He said it. There's zero doubt that he said it. Why not just own up to it, sack up, and say, "I was re-telling a story and repeated a word I shouldn't have. I didn't mean to offend anybody." Is anything ever Nick Saban's fault? I'm just curious.
I've recorded coaches saying plenty of things that would have gotten them in trouble and far more often than not, I didn't burn them, especially when they asked for something to be off the record (and I'd bet he didn't ask that after he said what he said). It's part of trying to develop a trust with them in hopes that they might actually tell me something important when the time comes and I need their help. But not everybody subscribes to that theory, so if you say something into a tape recorder, you thought it, you said it and it very well may show up in print or online somewhere. Although he should have known better than to have said it to begin with, I wasn't ticked off until he tried to push it off on the media, like it's their fault he said something offensive in an interview.
If Alabama plans to send out statements and make a story out of every time Nick Saban says something to the media that makes him look like a jerk, our inboxes are sure to remain full throughout football season and the Alabama beat writers will always have stories to write.
Here's what he said, which gives me a headache to read:
“It was brought to my attention this afternoon that some comments attributed to me are being disseminated on the internet and in the news media, comments that include wording that can be taken as derogatory by some people. Those comments need to be placed in the proper context, so as to understand the meaning of what was said. The words were used in paraphrasing a story told to me by a friend. I was simply using the same wording used by the person who told me the story. The term in question is not language that I use or condone, and I can understand how some would take offense. However, I think it must be noted that those comments were made ‘off the record’ and the words merely reflected an anecdote that was told to me using that language.”
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Recruiting news: Heyward, Greenlee
Peachtree Ridge defensive tackle Cameron Heyward selected Ohio State at a news conference earlier this afternoon, so all of the players Georgia was known to be heavily pursuing have committed somewhere. So that's another big whiff, but keep in mind that commitments are non-binding until signing day. I'm sure they're still on a couple of the kids they've whiffed on, and you never know what might happen on Feb. 7.
In news Georgia fans will be more happy to hear, Hardaway coach Morgan Ingram told our preps reporter Robert Spruck that offensive line prospect Antwane Greenlee met with some of Georgia's coaches today and later phoned Florida State's coaching staff and told them to not bother visiting this week as they'd planned because he's solid on Georgia.
Here's Rob's brief on the matter:
Hardaway offensive tackle Antwane Greenlee has maintained for the last few months that he was going to Georgia .
Despite that, Greenlee continued to flirt with other schools -- mainly Florida State . He even took an official visit to Tallahassee , Fla. , on Jan. 12.
But the 6-foot-6, 315-pound lineman reconfirmed his decision Wednesday.
"He called Florida State and told them he wasn't interested," Hardaway coach Morgan Ingram said. "He's solid on Georgia ."
Greenlee, who is ranked the fifth-best offensive tackle in the country by Rivals.com, met with some of the Georgia coaches in Columbus on Wednesday afternoon.
In news Georgia fans will be more happy to hear, Hardaway coach Morgan Ingram told our preps reporter Robert Spruck that offensive line prospect Antwane Greenlee met with some of Georgia's coaches today and later phoned Florida State's coaching staff and told them to not bother visiting this week as they'd planned because he's solid on Georgia.
Here's Rob's brief on the matter:
Hardaway offensive tackle Antwane Greenlee has maintained for the last few months that he was going to Georgia .
Despite that, Greenlee continued to flirt with other schools -- mainly Florida State . He even took an official visit to Tallahassee , Fla. , on Jan. 12.
But the 6-foot-6, 315-pound lineman reconfirmed his decision Wednesday.
"He called Florida State and told them he wasn't interested," Hardaway coach Morgan Ingram said. "He's solid on Georgia ."
Greenlee, who is ranked the fifth-best offensive tackle in the country by Rivals.com, met with some of the Georgia coaches in Columbus on Wednesday afternoon.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Other writer news
Good ole David Paschall from the Chattanooga paper has an interesting story on Georgia commitment Aron White being upgraded by Rivals.com from its No. 7 tight end to No. 1. It ought to excite everybody who wears red and black. That Paschall sure is a good writer. I wonder where he went to school? Wherever it is, I bet they turn out some awesome writers.
Also, congratulations to my buddy Carter Strickland from the AJC. I saw today he's one of the new members of the Football Writers Association of America board. I'm not sure how you receive such an honor, but I guess one of the prerequisites is that you be hella old since Carter got it. Josh Kendall, you're next...
Also, congratulations to my buddy Carter Strickland from the AJC. I saw today he's one of the new members of the Football Writers Association of America board. I'm not sure how you receive such an honor, but I guess one of the prerequisites is that you be hella old since Carter got it. Josh Kendall, you're next...
Sunday stories
I have four stories in today's paper, two of which are about Georgia and I thought might be of general interest to some of you Bulldogs.
One of them is a Q&A I did with Damon Evans when I was in Athens earlier this week. I talked to him for about 30 minutes and we only used a small portion of it in the actual paper, but I transcribed the entire thing word-for-word and it's posted online here.
I guess it was sort of like a state of the union type thing, which I figured was appropriate given that his contract extension was finally released last week. I asked him some of the things I was curious about concerning the athletic department. Was the new Stegeman annex especially important because of the perception that basketball has traditionally been neglected by the university? How are they coming along with a satellite radio deal for next football season? And what's the answer to the department's miserable graduation rates? Truthfully, any of these subjects would be worthy of doing entire stories on, but for my purposes the other day, we couldn't dwell on any one thing, so I had to keep moving from subject to subject without ever getting too in depth. Still, I thought it turned out to be a fairly interesting interview. But I'll go ahead and warn you, it's VERY long.
The second story is the Georgia recruiting story I do each Sunday. In general, it's just a summary of what has gone on that week recruiting-wise for the Bulldogs. I can't say the ones I've done in previous weeks were fantastic works of solid journalism, but I thought today's was informative, if I do say so myself. Many thanks go out to Chad Simmons at ugasports.com and Dean Legge at dawgpost.com for offering their thoughts for the story. As with any of my recruiting stories, I doubt someone who reads everything on one of the recruiting sites is going to learn anything new. But I think it's a nice little read for those who don't follow recruiting especially closely to find out what's happened in the last week.
Last thing, I had the pleasure of meeting Judge Aaron Cohn this week, whose name is one that all Georgia folks should know. He played tennis at Georgia in the 1930s before volunteering to fight in WWII, participating in four major campaigns, as well as the liberation of an Austrian concentration camp. He's nearly 91 years old, but he remains the juvenile court judge here in Columbus -- the longest-sitting juvenile judge in the nation. And he's a Bulldog through and through. On a shelf with all his tennis trophies and multiple other honors, there's an Army helmet that says on the front, "Patton's Third Army" (I believe that's what it said). Painted on the top is the Star of David and on both sides is the Georgia "G" logo. The thrill of my week was getting to sit with him in his sunroom for two hours Friday morning and chat for a story I'm writing this week on his upcoming induction into the Chattahoochee Valley Sports Hall of Fame. The second-biggest thrill was that he said he reads all the Georgia stuff I write in the paper and enjoys it. Obviously that's a flattering thing to hear from anyone, but when it's from such a remarkable human being, well that was quite an ego boost. This will be the third local sports HOF story I've done and they're always a lot of work. But they've always been rewarding stories to write because I've gotten the chance to meet and sit down and talk with three outstanding men who've lived long, fulfilling lives. Writing stories like those that enable you to meet people like Judge Cohn are part of what makes my job so much fun. (Well, that and the enormous paycheck and great hours and opportunity to get blown off by numbskulls like Brian VanGorder, in no particular order.)
So that's all. Big game for the hoop Dogs today. It's looking more and more like they're an NCAA tourney team. Since there's no NFL today, think I might head up to Buffalo Wild Wings today to watch it and enjoy a couple adult beverages if I can get my roommate to go.
One of them is a Q&A I did with Damon Evans when I was in Athens earlier this week. I talked to him for about 30 minutes and we only used a small portion of it in the actual paper, but I transcribed the entire thing word-for-word and it's posted online here.
I guess it was sort of like a state of the union type thing, which I figured was appropriate given that his contract extension was finally released last week. I asked him some of the things I was curious about concerning the athletic department. Was the new Stegeman annex especially important because of the perception that basketball has traditionally been neglected by the university? How are they coming along with a satellite radio deal for next football season? And what's the answer to the department's miserable graduation rates? Truthfully, any of these subjects would be worthy of doing entire stories on, but for my purposes the other day, we couldn't dwell on any one thing, so I had to keep moving from subject to subject without ever getting too in depth. Still, I thought it turned out to be a fairly interesting interview. But I'll go ahead and warn you, it's VERY long.
The second story is the Georgia recruiting story I do each Sunday. In general, it's just a summary of what has gone on that week recruiting-wise for the Bulldogs. I can't say the ones I've done in previous weeks were fantastic works of solid journalism, but I thought today's was informative, if I do say so myself. Many thanks go out to Chad Simmons at ugasports.com and Dean Legge at dawgpost.com for offering their thoughts for the story. As with any of my recruiting stories, I doubt someone who reads everything on one of the recruiting sites is going to learn anything new. But I think it's a nice little read for those who don't follow recruiting especially closely to find out what's happened in the last week.
Last thing, I had the pleasure of meeting Judge Aaron Cohn this week, whose name is one that all Georgia folks should know. He played tennis at Georgia in the 1930s before volunteering to fight in WWII, participating in four major campaigns, as well as the liberation of an Austrian concentration camp. He's nearly 91 years old, but he remains the juvenile court judge here in Columbus -- the longest-sitting juvenile judge in the nation. And he's a Bulldog through and through. On a shelf with all his tennis trophies and multiple other honors, there's an Army helmet that says on the front, "Patton's Third Army" (I believe that's what it said). Painted on the top is the Star of David and on both sides is the Georgia "G" logo. The thrill of my week was getting to sit with him in his sunroom for two hours Friday morning and chat for a story I'm writing this week on his upcoming induction into the Chattahoochee Valley Sports Hall of Fame. The second-biggest thrill was that he said he reads all the Georgia stuff I write in the paper and enjoys it. Obviously that's a flattering thing to hear from anyone, but when it's from such a remarkable human being, well that was quite an ego boost. This will be the third local sports HOF story I've done and they're always a lot of work. But they've always been rewarding stories to write because I've gotten the chance to meet and sit down and talk with three outstanding men who've lived long, fulfilling lives. Writing stories like those that enable you to meet people like Judge Cohn are part of what makes my job so much fun. (Well, that and the enormous paycheck and great hours and opportunity to get blown off by numbskulls like Brian VanGorder, in no particular order.)
So that's all. Big game for the hoop Dogs today. It's looking more and more like they're an NCAA tourney team. Since there's no NFL today, think I might head up to Buffalo Wild Wings today to watch it and enjoy a couple adult beverages if I can get my roommate to go.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Bailey rules out Georgia
Chad Simmons is reporting on Rivals that Allen Bailey crossed Georgia off his list today and will not visit Athens this weekend. That's huge news. I figured Georgia was his team to beat.
http://uga.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=634004
Scout's got it too.
http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=135&p=2&c=612970
http://uga.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=634004
Scout's got it too.
http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=135&p=2&c=612970
16 football players named academic all-sec
UGA sent out a list of its 16 football players named to the Academic All-SEC team for 2006-07 year today. Good for those guys, especially Kris Durham, who was the only freshman on the list.
The honor is based on academic performance from the 2006 Spring, Summer and Fall terms. The sixteen football players honored are:
Sean Bailey, Junior, Real Estate, Alpharetta; Dale Dixson, Senior, Psychology, Garland, Texas; Kris Durham, Freshman, Sport Studies, Calhoun; Gordon Ely-Kelso, Senior, Geography, Athens; Chris Gaunder, Senior, Biology, Acworth; Mikey Henderson, Junior, Housing, Buford; Trahern Holden, Senior, Middle School Education, Warner Robbins; Evan Kobialka, Junior, Risk Management & Insurance, Buford; Justin Lyles, Senior, Consumer Economics, Macon; Brian Mimbs, Junior, Risk Management & Insurance, Dublin; Quentin Moses, Senior, Recreation & Leisure Studies, Athens; Joseph O¹Keefe, Senior, Finance, Trenton; Mitchell Pittman, Junior, Agribusiness, Lyons; Joseph Tereshinski, Senior, Finance, Athens; Tommy Watkins, Sophomore, Business, Statesboro; and Stephen White, Senior, Biology, Bronwood.
The honor is based on academic performance from the 2006 Spring, Summer and Fall terms. The sixteen football players honored are:
Sean Bailey, Junior, Real Estate, Alpharetta; Dale Dixson, Senior, Psychology, Garland, Texas; Kris Durham, Freshman, Sport Studies, Calhoun; Gordon Ely-Kelso, Senior, Geography, Athens; Chris Gaunder, Senior, Biology, Acworth; Mikey Henderson, Junior, Housing, Buford; Trahern Holden, Senior, Middle School Education, Warner Robbins; Evan Kobialka, Junior, Risk Management & Insurance, Buford; Justin Lyles, Senior, Consumer Economics, Macon; Brian Mimbs, Junior, Risk Management & Insurance, Dublin; Quentin Moses, Senior, Recreation & Leisure Studies, Athens; Joseph O¹Keefe, Senior, Finance, Trenton; Mitchell Pittman, Junior, Agribusiness, Lyons; Joseph Tereshinski, Senior, Finance, Athens; Tommy Watkins, Sophomore, Business, Statesboro; and Stephen White, Senior, Biology, Bronwood.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
UGA's growing class of '08
Both Scout and Rivals are reporting today that Georgia added its sixth commitment for NEXT YEAR's recruiting class when multitalented Cass High (Cartersville) athlete Richard Samuel accepted a scholly offer to be part of UGA's '08 signing class.
I used to work in Cartersville and have a buddy who's on the coaching staff at Cass, and he says they really think a lot of Samuel. So it sounds like Georgia's getting another fine player for next year. I was talking to my friend on the phone a little more than a month ago and he said Samuel was sitting in his history class when he got a text message from coach Richt with the scholarship offer (when that offer came, I'm not sure).
I found that intriguing. I wonder how frequently scholarships are offered these days via text message. The NCAA really needs to do something about those things, because they're apparently really abused these days. One of my friends at work is doing a story about how recruiters use new technological things (text messages, myspace, etc.). He was talking to Antwane Greenlee about it today and Greenlee told him he had to change his cell phone plan last year because the flood of text messages he was receiving was driving up his bill. It's an interesting subject. I've heard there will soon be limits on that, just as there are on other methods of contacting recruits. As well there should be.
So anyway, here are Georgia's six commitments for 2008:
Richard Samuel, RB, Cartersville
B.J. Brand, OG, Douglas
Dwayne Allen, TE, Fayetteville, N.C.
Martin Ward, RB, Jonesboro
A.J. Green, WR, Summerville, S.C.
Cornelius Washington, DE, Waynesboro
I used to work in Cartersville and have a buddy who's on the coaching staff at Cass, and he says they really think a lot of Samuel. So it sounds like Georgia's getting another fine player for next year. I was talking to my friend on the phone a little more than a month ago and he said Samuel was sitting in his history class when he got a text message from coach Richt with the scholarship offer (when that offer came, I'm not sure).
I found that intriguing. I wonder how frequently scholarships are offered these days via text message. The NCAA really needs to do something about those things, because they're apparently really abused these days. One of my friends at work is doing a story about how recruiters use new technological things (text messages, myspace, etc.). He was talking to Antwane Greenlee about it today and Greenlee told him he had to change his cell phone plan last year because the flood of text messages he was receiving was driving up his bill. It's an interesting subject. I've heard there will soon be limits on that, just as there are on other methods of contacting recruits. As well there should be.
So anyway, here are Georgia's six commitments for 2008:
Richard Samuel, RB, Cartersville
B.J. Brand, OG, Douglas
Dwayne Allen, TE, Fayetteville, N.C.
Martin Ward, RB, Jonesboro
A.J. Green, WR, Summerville, S.C.
Cornelius Washington, DE, Waynesboro
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Butler commits
Peachtree Ridge punter Drew Butler, the son of legendary Georgia kicker Kevin Butler, has committed, giving Georgia 23 commits (although I'm a little uncertain whether we should be counting Hargrave OL Ben Harden). Have to say I was a bit surprised that they offered him. I think he was too.
I'm sitting in Butts-Mehre right now waiting to go talk to Georgia AD Damon Evans about his new (well, kinda new) contract and the state of Georgia athletics. Figured that would be a good thing to do since I'm up here for the day.
The main purpose for the trip was to talk to Scott Haverkamp for a recruiting story. Met and got to talk to him for the first time today, as well as to Chester Adams. Haverkamp seems like a sharp dude. Very self confident. He's got an interesting story, having already played at a Division I program (Kansas) once, before deciding he wasn't getting a fair shake and playing a year at JUCO. He said the whole experience was good for him -- and apparently it paid off, considering he's at a much more successful football program now than he was before.
I think this incoming class of linemen is going to be a good bunch. They lose a lot of experience, but there'll be a couple guys who are capable of filling holes immediately and some of the young guys seem to have a lot of upside. I don't know that the OL is going to be as much of a weak point next year as some people are predicting.
I'm sitting in Butts-Mehre right now waiting to go talk to Georgia AD Damon Evans about his new (well, kinda new) contract and the state of Georgia athletics. Figured that would be a good thing to do since I'm up here for the day.
The main purpose for the trip was to talk to Scott Haverkamp for a recruiting story. Met and got to talk to him for the first time today, as well as to Chester Adams. Haverkamp seems like a sharp dude. Very self confident. He's got an interesting story, having already played at a Division I program (Kansas) once, before deciding he wasn't getting a fair shake and playing a year at JUCO. He said the whole experience was good for him -- and apparently it paid off, considering he's at a much more successful football program now than he was before.
I think this incoming class of linemen is going to be a good bunch. They lose a lot of experience, but there'll be a couple guys who are capable of filling holes immediately and some of the young guys seem to have a lot of upside. I don't know that the OL is going to be as much of a weak point next year as some people are predicting.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Gailey staying at Tech
GT sent out this transcript from Chan Gailey's press conference today, along with his comments on Patrick Nix being named offensive coordinator at Miami.
Chan Gailey PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
"When this all started I told (Dan Radakovich, Georgia Tech Athletic
Director) that I had a great job at Georgia Tech and I wasn't looking
to
move but, when two great organizations with like the Steelers and the
Dolphins call you with two great ownership groups, I felt obligated to
visit with them. It's very humbling when they call like that and I was
one of those that got that call and was able to visit with them. I
enjoyed talking with them about where they were going and where I might
fit in. The best place for me is at Georgia Tech. I'm excited about the
future here at Georgia Tech. We have 17 of the 22 returning starters
from the bowl game. We've got a great recruiting class. We've got a
(Coastal) Division title to defend. It was a great opportunity for me
and an honor to visit with these people but, I'm excited about the
future here at Georgia Tech and where we're headed and what we're going
to do for the next few years.
"One last thing I'd like to say is I'd like to thank all the fans and
all of the members of the Georgia Tech family that have been so patient
through this whole process. It didn't happen nearly as quickly as
anyone
had hoped but we are excited that we are now able to go on to the next
full speed ahead. Everybody has been very supportive and I'm deeply
appreciative."
What time today did you get the word that you would not be the Dolphins
head coach?
"Well they haven't called yet. You hear a couple things about how it's
going in a different direction and you get to the point where you say
enough is enough."
Would it be accurate to say you're withdrawing your name from
consideration for the Dolphins head coaching job?
"It's a moot point but, I was never offered the job."
Where you able to communicate what was going on with your recruits
during all this?
"I was able to call them. I kept them totally abreast of everything
that was going on. I told them exactly why I was talking to the two
teams, which was because of my relationship with the two owners. I told
them the time frame that I thought we were on. I told them I thought it
would be this weekend before we would come to a decision. They were
very
understanding. I told them when I started the process of recruiting,
that I would be honest and fair with them and they were all great."
Did you talk to your current players about the interviews?
"I had a big team meeting and told them what was going on. This was
last week (last Thursday). I told them exactly what was going. I told
them the same reasons for why I was talking to them that I told my
recruits and my team understood."
Should we assume that other NFL teams will come calling?
"For me, these were two organizations I've been in and I've worked in
which I think I had a lot to do with it. I don't think my name was
selected randomly."
Was there any other kind of motivations other than working with these
two organizations before that caused you to take interest in these
jobs?
"I think you always look at every situation that comes up if it's
feasible and if it's with people you like that you know you can work
with. It's never about the money. If it gets to be about the money,
you're in it for the wrong reasons. You're in the wrong business. I
think that you look at it and see what are the positives and what are
the negatives. I think we all know that there are no utopian jobs on
this earth. There are none. They all have great things, they all have
negatives. You look at them and you evaluate how you and your family
fit
into each one of them."
Do you have any regrets about how it went?
"I have regrets about how long it went. I don't think any body
envisioned it going this long. If it were done over again, I think we'd
try to put a tighter time table on it."
Do you think the length it went, hurt recruiting in anyway?
"I don't think so. Time will tell but, it certainly doesn't look that
way. Like I said, we've been very up front and honest with these guys
and they've responded tremendously. I think that they understood what
was going on and I think everybody is fairly solid."
On fans' perceptions that you were looking for another job:
"First of all, you're not going to please everyone. Everybody is not
going to understand. I tried to make it extremely clear that I didn't
call anybody. If it weren't these particular people calling me, I
probably wouldn't have returned the call. These were unique
circumstances that came up this year."
Is there a sense of disappointment that you weren't offered the
Dolphins job?
"I don't know that you get disappointed. You have to feel like you are
where you're supposed to be. There is a reason you're at a certain
place, whatever that might be. I get excited about knowing the outcome,
where you're supposed to be, where you're headed and the future that's
ahead of you."
Chan Gailey Statement Regarding Patrick Nix, who was named offensive
coordinator at the University of Miami later Friday
"We hate to lose a great coach like Patrick, but we wish the best for
him in this new opportunity. He has a wonderful family that we'll miss,
too, but again, we wish them the best.
[Replacing Nix] "I haven't had time to think about that yet. We're
going to concentrate on recruiting first. I might make a few calls or
talk to a couple of people, but it probably will not get done until
recruiting is finished or at least close to the end."
Chan Gailey PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
"When this all started I told (Dan Radakovich, Georgia Tech Athletic
Director) that I had a great job at Georgia Tech and I wasn't looking
to
move but, when two great organizations with like the Steelers and the
Dolphins call you with two great ownership groups, I felt obligated to
visit with them. It's very humbling when they call like that and I was
one of those that got that call and was able to visit with them. I
enjoyed talking with them about where they were going and where I might
fit in. The best place for me is at Georgia Tech. I'm excited about the
future here at Georgia Tech. We have 17 of the 22 returning starters
from the bowl game. We've got a great recruiting class. We've got a
(Coastal) Division title to defend. It was a great opportunity for me
and an honor to visit with these people but, I'm excited about the
future here at Georgia Tech and where we're headed and what we're going
to do for the next few years.
"One last thing I'd like to say is I'd like to thank all the fans and
all of the members of the Georgia Tech family that have been so patient
through this whole process. It didn't happen nearly as quickly as
anyone
had hoped but we are excited that we are now able to go on to the next
full speed ahead. Everybody has been very supportive and I'm deeply
appreciative."
What time today did you get the word that you would not be the Dolphins
head coach?
"Well they haven't called yet. You hear a couple things about how it's
going in a different direction and you get to the point where you say
enough is enough."
Would it be accurate to say you're withdrawing your name from
consideration for the Dolphins head coaching job?
"It's a moot point but, I was never offered the job."
Where you able to communicate what was going on with your recruits
during all this?
"I was able to call them. I kept them totally abreast of everything
that was going on. I told them exactly why I was talking to the two
teams, which was because of my relationship with the two owners. I told
them the time frame that I thought we were on. I told them I thought it
would be this weekend before we would come to a decision. They were
very
understanding. I told them when I started the process of recruiting,
that I would be honest and fair with them and they were all great."
Did you talk to your current players about the interviews?
"I had a big team meeting and told them what was going on. This was
last week (last Thursday). I told them exactly what was going. I told
them the same reasons for why I was talking to them that I told my
recruits and my team understood."
Should we assume that other NFL teams will come calling?
"For me, these were two organizations I've been in and I've worked in
which I think I had a lot to do with it. I don't think my name was
selected randomly."
Was there any other kind of motivations other than working with these
two organizations before that caused you to take interest in these
jobs?
"I think you always look at every situation that comes up if it's
feasible and if it's with people you like that you know you can work
with. It's never about the money. If it gets to be about the money,
you're in it for the wrong reasons. You're in the wrong business. I
think that you look at it and see what are the positives and what are
the negatives. I think we all know that there are no utopian jobs on
this earth. There are none. They all have great things, they all have
negatives. You look at them and you evaluate how you and your family
fit
into each one of them."
Do you have any regrets about how it went?
"I have regrets about how long it went. I don't think any body
envisioned it going this long. If it were done over again, I think we'd
try to put a tighter time table on it."
Do you think the length it went, hurt recruiting in anyway?
"I don't think so. Time will tell but, it certainly doesn't look that
way. Like I said, we've been very up front and honest with these guys
and they've responded tremendously. I think that they understood what
was going on and I think everybody is fairly solid."
On fans' perceptions that you were looking for another job:
"First of all, you're not going to please everyone. Everybody is not
going to understand. I tried to make it extremely clear that I didn't
call anybody. If it weren't these particular people calling me, I
probably wouldn't have returned the call. These were unique
circumstances that came up this year."
Is there a sense of disappointment that you weren't offered the
Dolphins job?
"I don't know that you get disappointed. You have to feel like you are
where you're supposed to be. There is a reason you're at a certain
place, whatever that might be. I get excited about knowing the outcome,
where you're supposed to be, where you're headed and the future that's
ahead of you."
Chan Gailey Statement Regarding Patrick Nix, who was named offensive
coordinator at the University of Miami later Friday
"We hate to lose a great coach like Patrick, but we wish the best for
him in this new opportunity. He has a wonderful family that we'll miss,
too, but again, we wish them the best.
[Replacing Nix] "I haven't had time to think about that yet. We're
going to concentrate on recruiting first. I might make a few calls or
talk to a couple of people, but it probably will not get done until
recruiting is finished or at least close to the end."
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Opponent asst coach news
Just ran across a couple nuggets tonight about assistant coaches from georgia's last opponent and its next opponent and thought I'd mention them.
Virginia Tech's Bud Foster finally won the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach after being a finalist four times (99, 01, 05, 06). Other finalists were Arkansas DC Reggie Herring, Ohio State QB coach Joe Daniels, Louisville OC Paul Petrino and Oklahoma DC Brent Venables. I talked to Foster one-on-one for a few minutes during bowl practice and thought the guy seemed pretty all right. So good for him.
Also, Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Vance Bedford was pushed out in Stillwater. He seemed like a real live wire, which sometimes is the case with defensive coaches especially. Oklahoma State gave up 364 yards per game last year, which ranked 89th in the nation. One of the names tossed out as a possible replacement in the story I read was former Alabama DC Joe Kines. I have no idea how likely that would be, but I recall reading he said he would probably retire if he didn't stick at Alabama, which he apparently won't.
Georgia hosts the Cowboys for the season opener in September, by the way. Should be an interesting game.
Virginia Tech's Bud Foster finally won the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach after being a finalist four times (99, 01, 05, 06). Other finalists were Arkansas DC Reggie Herring, Ohio State QB coach Joe Daniels, Louisville OC Paul Petrino and Oklahoma DC Brent Venables. I talked to Foster one-on-one for a few minutes during bowl practice and thought the guy seemed pretty all right. So good for him.
Also, Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Vance Bedford was pushed out in Stillwater. He seemed like a real live wire, which sometimes is the case with defensive coaches especially. Oklahoma State gave up 364 yards per game last year, which ranked 89th in the nation. One of the names tossed out as a possible replacement in the story I read was former Alabama DC Joe Kines. I have no idea how likely that would be, but I recall reading he said he would probably retire if he didn't stick at Alabama, which he apparently won't.
Georgia hosts the Cowboys for the season opener in September, by the way. Should be an interesting game.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
VanGorder to Falcons
Georgia Southern's having a press conference in 20 minutes to announce that Brian VanGorder's quitting after one crappy year on the job to become the Atlanta Falcons' linebackers coach. Impressive.
VanGorder will fit right in with that organization. And I mean that in the worst possible way.
VanGorder will fit right in with that organization. And I mean that in the worst possible way.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Brandon Miller will return
Got an announcement today from UGA saying Brandon Miller will return for his senior year. There was a rumor going around for the last couple weeks that he was considering an NFL leap. 'What the heck?' you might ask yourself, which would be understandable. He started a whopping five games and registered 23 tackles at strongside linebacker this year.
He could do himself a lot of good by coming back for his senior year and willingly accepting a move to defensive end. I've heard that's something the coaching staff would like to try, but I've never talked to them about that. It's not a stretch to say he's been playing out of position at linebacker. If you'll recall, Rivals rated Miller as the No. 1 weakside defensive end in the nation (ahead of both Charles Johnson and Florida's Derrick Harvey) when he signed in 2004. He's got a good body for a DE, long arms on a 6-4 body. It would be interesting to see what he could do there. You'd think his pro prospects would be better there as well. He's definitely got some weaknesses at OLB.
On the recruiting front, the Jan. 26 weekend just got a bit more interesting for the Bulldogs. Allen Bailey was already scheduled to make his official visit, but now Cameron Heyward has added a Georgia visit for that weekend. It's possible D.J. Stafford might come that weekend as well. Florida OT Orlando Franklin has also added a Georgia visit, joining the group coming in this weekend. Franklin, Eugene Kinlaw and Drew Butler are the uncommitted prospects currently scheduled for this weekend, along with already committed players Bruce Figgins, Justin Houston, Caleb King, John Knox, Israel Troupe and Charles White.
A big issue with King is whether he's going to qualify. I know somebody did a story a few weeks ago about how it probably wasn't going to happen. I asked Dean Legge from Scout what he thought about it and he said it looked to be about 50-50 at this point.
Here are the 37 early entry candidates as of this afternoon:
Jon Abbate, Wake Forest, LB, Jr.
Jamaal Anderson, Arkansas, DE, Jr.
Jon Beason, Miami, LB, Jr.
Alan Branch, Michigan, DT, Jr.
Colt Brennan, Hawaii, QB, Jr.
Michael Bush, Louisville, RB, Jr.
Dan Connor, Penn State, LB, Jr.
C.J. Gaddis, Clemson, CB, Jr.
Ted Ginn Jr., Ohio State, WR, Jr.
Anthony Gonzalez, Ohio State, WR, Jr.
Chris Henry, Arizona, RB, Jr.
Chris Houston, Arkansas, CB, Jr.
Brandon Jackson, Nebraska, RB, Jr.
Dwayne Jarrett, USC, WR, Jr.
Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech, WR, Jr.
Charles Johnson, Georgia, DE, Jr.
Rory Johnson, Mississippi, LB, Jr.
Marshawn Lynch, California, RB, Jr.
Robert Meachem, Tennessee, WR, Jr.
Zach Miller, Arizona State, TE, Jr.
Jarvis Moss, Florida, DE, Jr.
Reggie Nelson, Florida, S, Jr.
Greg Olsen, Miami, TE, Jr.
Adrian Peterson Oklahoma, RB, Jr.
Antonio Pittman, Ohio State, RB, Jr.
Maurice Price, Charleston Southern, WR, Jr.
Darrelle Revis, Pittsburgh, CB, Jr.
Sidney Rice, South Carolina, WR, Soph.
JaMarcus Russell, LSU, QB, Jr.
Ryan Smith, Florida, CB, Jr.
Luke Smith-Anderson, Idaho, TE, Jr.
Lawrence Timmons, Florida St., LB, Jr.
Darius Walker, Notre Dame, RB, Jr.
Danny Ware, Georgia, RB, Jr.
Dwayne Wright, Fresno State, RB, Jr.
Eric Wright, UNLV, DB, Jr.
He could do himself a lot of good by coming back for his senior year and willingly accepting a move to defensive end. I've heard that's something the coaching staff would like to try, but I've never talked to them about that. It's not a stretch to say he's been playing out of position at linebacker. If you'll recall, Rivals rated Miller as the No. 1 weakside defensive end in the nation (ahead of both Charles Johnson and Florida's Derrick Harvey) when he signed in 2004. He's got a good body for a DE, long arms on a 6-4 body. It would be interesting to see what he could do there. You'd think his pro prospects would be better there as well. He's definitely got some weaknesses at OLB.
On the recruiting front, the Jan. 26 weekend just got a bit more interesting for the Bulldogs. Allen Bailey was already scheduled to make his official visit, but now Cameron Heyward has added a Georgia visit for that weekend. It's possible D.J. Stafford might come that weekend as well. Florida OT Orlando Franklin has also added a Georgia visit, joining the group coming in this weekend. Franklin, Eugene Kinlaw and Drew Butler are the uncommitted prospects currently scheduled for this weekend, along with already committed players Bruce Figgins, Justin Houston, Caleb King, John Knox, Israel Troupe and Charles White.
A big issue with King is whether he's going to qualify. I know somebody did a story a few weeks ago about how it probably wasn't going to happen. I asked Dean Legge from Scout what he thought about it and he said it looked to be about 50-50 at this point.
Here are the 37 early entry candidates as of this afternoon:
Jon Abbate, Wake Forest, LB, Jr.
Jamaal Anderson, Arkansas, DE, Jr.
Jon Beason, Miami, LB, Jr.
Alan Branch, Michigan, DT, Jr.
Colt Brennan, Hawaii, QB, Jr.
Michael Bush, Louisville, RB, Jr.
Dan Connor, Penn State, LB, Jr.
C.J. Gaddis, Clemson, CB, Jr.
Ted Ginn Jr., Ohio State, WR, Jr.
Anthony Gonzalez, Ohio State, WR, Jr.
Chris Henry, Arizona, RB, Jr.
Chris Houston, Arkansas, CB, Jr.
Brandon Jackson, Nebraska, RB, Jr.
Dwayne Jarrett, USC, WR, Jr.
Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech, WR, Jr.
Charles Johnson, Georgia, DE, Jr.
Rory Johnson, Mississippi, LB, Jr.
Marshawn Lynch, California, RB, Jr.
Robert Meachem, Tennessee, WR, Jr.
Zach Miller, Arizona State, TE, Jr.
Jarvis Moss, Florida, DE, Jr.
Reggie Nelson, Florida, S, Jr.
Greg Olsen, Miami, TE, Jr.
Adrian Peterson Oklahoma, RB, Jr.
Antonio Pittman, Ohio State, RB, Jr.
Maurice Price, Charleston Southern, WR, Jr.
Darrelle Revis, Pittsburgh, CB, Jr.
Sidney Rice, South Carolina, WR, Soph.
JaMarcus Russell, LSU, QB, Jr.
Ryan Smith, Florida, CB, Jr.
Luke Smith-Anderson, Idaho, TE, Jr.
Lawrence Timmons, Florida St., LB, Jr.
Darius Walker, Notre Dame, RB, Jr.
Danny Ware, Georgia, RB, Jr.
Dwayne Wright, Fresno State, RB, Jr.
Eric Wright, UNLV, DB, Jr.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Sunday recruiting story
We're doing weekly recruiting update stories each Sunday for each of the main schools in our coverage area, but it doesn't look like mine made it online. For those of you heavy duty recruiting folks, I'm sure it told you absolutely nothing new. It's a tough subject to write about accurately, so I lean on the folks at the recruiting sites like Chad Simmons and Dean Legge to keep me straight.
For brevity's sake, I left a couple guys I mentioned in last week's story out of this one. But from what I've been told, there are only a handful of spots left that Georgia plans to fill. Dean says that's partially because they want to keep as much space as possible available for next year's especially strong in-state senior class.
It sounds like Allen Bailey, Cam Heyward, D.J. Stafford, Miguel Chavis, Orlando Franklin and maybe some peripheral guys like Eugene Kinlaw are the remaining possibilities. Truthfully, it might look like this class is starting to lose some luster because they haven't been reeling in big-name guys here toward the end, but the way I see it is that they've already addressed their needs very well. Anybody else they add is just icing on the cake...although obviously the class would have been ridiculously strong if they'd been able to attract a guy like Eric Berry or one or two of the others that wound up committing elsewhere.
Anyway, here's today's story:
Georgia recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner didn’t waste much time making use of new colleague Stacy Searels’ abilities as a recruiter.
Searels signed the paperwork to officially become the Bulldogs’ offensive line coach only Thursday, but he hits the recruiting trail today as a member of the Georgia staff.
“I go on the road Sunday and I think Rodney, he doesn’t have me coming back till Thursday or Friday, so I’m hitting the road running,” said Searels, who came to Athens after a four-year stint at LSU.
Searels said his designated recruiting area is still undetermined, but it’s possible he would become the staff’s recruiter in the northwest Georgia area. Searels played at Trion High, near Rome, before going on to an all-America career as Garner’s teammate at Auburn in the mid-1980s.
For now, however, he’s less concerned about his eventual recruiting territory than he is about establishing ties with the Bulldogs’ current offensive line commitments and trying to help solidify the team’s recruiting class before National Signing Day on Feb. 7.
“I’m coming into an established staff that knows what they’re doing recruiting,” Searels said. “They’ve recruited good players in the past and I’ll just come in and I’ll see all the offensive linemen and I’ll start building relationships with all the guys in my area.”
Not much has changed recently on the recruiting front for the Bulldogs, as this week was the last dead period – where coaches are not allowed to contact recruits – until the week of signing day. Today begins a 21-day open period where the NCAA again allows contact with recruits.
The Bulldogs’ two main targets remain Darien, Ga., defensive end/linebacker Allen Bailey and Suwanee, Ga., defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. Bailey is scheduled to visit Athens on Jan. 26, but Heyward does not plan to make an official visit to Georgia. He visited LSU this weekend and will visit Florida and Ohio State in the next two weeks, but said Georgia is still in the running for his services.
Bailey and Heyward “are the two most-important players the Bulldogs have left on their wish list,” said Dean Legge, publisher of Scout.com’s Georgia Web site, Dawgpost.com. “If Georgia can sign those two they will end the season with a little recruiting momentum.”
Georgia is scheduled to host eight players in the upcoming weekend, six of whom have already committed to the Bulldogs. Rivals.com reported the other two will be kicker Drew Butler – a teammate of Heyward’s at Peachtree Ridge High – and Clinch County (Ga.) defensive tackle Eugene Kinlaw.
Butler, the son of Georgia great Kevin Butler, has expressed an interest in following in his father’s footsteps, but the Bulldogs are traditionally hesitant to offer scholarships to high school kickers and have not yet extended an offer.
Kinlaw’s is a name that has surfaced only recently. The Homerville, Ga., native is considered a project, as he lacks significant playing experience and is not certain to qualify academically. But the 6-foot-3, 282-pound lineman is a gifted athlete and is receiving increased attention as signing day approaches, including a scholarship offer from Arkansas.
LaGrange High’s D.J. Stafford also remains on Georgia’s radar. The 6-foot-3 defensive lineman is committed to Kentucky, where several of his former high school teammates play, but plans to visit Athens in one of the remaining recruiting weekends.
The Bulldogs already have a class that will hover around the nation’s top 10 with 21 commitments thus far – a number that had the potential to grow substantially a month ago.
But several Georgia targets have since committed elsewhere and Legge foresees the Bulldogs taking only a handful of select recruits between now and signing day – partially because a small number of Georgia targets remain uncommitted and partially because this year’s crop of in-state junior talent is especially strong.
“My guess is that Georgia will take four more, but no more than five,” Legge said. “They realize that next year’s seniors in Georgia are extremely talented.”
For brevity's sake, I left a couple guys I mentioned in last week's story out of this one. But from what I've been told, there are only a handful of spots left that Georgia plans to fill. Dean says that's partially because they want to keep as much space as possible available for next year's especially strong in-state senior class.
It sounds like Allen Bailey, Cam Heyward, D.J. Stafford, Miguel Chavis, Orlando Franklin and maybe some peripheral guys like Eugene Kinlaw are the remaining possibilities. Truthfully, it might look like this class is starting to lose some luster because they haven't been reeling in big-name guys here toward the end, but the way I see it is that they've already addressed their needs very well. Anybody else they add is just icing on the cake...although obviously the class would have been ridiculously strong if they'd been able to attract a guy like Eric Berry or one or two of the others that wound up committing elsewhere.
Anyway, here's today's story:
Georgia recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner didn’t waste much time making use of new colleague Stacy Searels’ abilities as a recruiter.
Searels signed the paperwork to officially become the Bulldogs’ offensive line coach only Thursday, but he hits the recruiting trail today as a member of the Georgia staff.
“I go on the road Sunday and I think Rodney, he doesn’t have me coming back till Thursday or Friday, so I’m hitting the road running,” said Searels, who came to Athens after a four-year stint at LSU.
Searels said his designated recruiting area is still undetermined, but it’s possible he would become the staff’s recruiter in the northwest Georgia area. Searels played at Trion High, near Rome, before going on to an all-America career as Garner’s teammate at Auburn in the mid-1980s.
For now, however, he’s less concerned about his eventual recruiting territory than he is about establishing ties with the Bulldogs’ current offensive line commitments and trying to help solidify the team’s recruiting class before National Signing Day on Feb. 7.
“I’m coming into an established staff that knows what they’re doing recruiting,” Searels said. “They’ve recruited good players in the past and I’ll just come in and I’ll see all the offensive linemen and I’ll start building relationships with all the guys in my area.”
Not much has changed recently on the recruiting front for the Bulldogs, as this week was the last dead period – where coaches are not allowed to contact recruits – until the week of signing day. Today begins a 21-day open period where the NCAA again allows contact with recruits.
The Bulldogs’ two main targets remain Darien, Ga., defensive end/linebacker Allen Bailey and Suwanee, Ga., defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. Bailey is scheduled to visit Athens on Jan. 26, but Heyward does not plan to make an official visit to Georgia. He visited LSU this weekend and will visit Florida and Ohio State in the next two weeks, but said Georgia is still in the running for his services.
Bailey and Heyward “are the two most-important players the Bulldogs have left on their wish list,” said Dean Legge, publisher of Scout.com’s Georgia Web site, Dawgpost.com. “If Georgia can sign those two they will end the season with a little recruiting momentum.”
Georgia is scheduled to host eight players in the upcoming weekend, six of whom have already committed to the Bulldogs. Rivals.com reported the other two will be kicker Drew Butler – a teammate of Heyward’s at Peachtree Ridge High – and Clinch County (Ga.) defensive tackle Eugene Kinlaw.
Butler, the son of Georgia great Kevin Butler, has expressed an interest in following in his father’s footsteps, but the Bulldogs are traditionally hesitant to offer scholarships to high school kickers and have not yet extended an offer.
Kinlaw’s is a name that has surfaced only recently. The Homerville, Ga., native is considered a project, as he lacks significant playing experience and is not certain to qualify academically. But the 6-foot-3, 282-pound lineman is a gifted athlete and is receiving increased attention as signing day approaches, including a scholarship offer from Arkansas.
LaGrange High’s D.J. Stafford also remains on Georgia’s radar. The 6-foot-3 defensive lineman is committed to Kentucky, where several of his former high school teammates play, but plans to visit Athens in one of the remaining recruiting weekends.
The Bulldogs already have a class that will hover around the nation’s top 10 with 21 commitments thus far – a number that had the potential to grow substantially a month ago.
But several Georgia targets have since committed elsewhere and Legge foresees the Bulldogs taking only a handful of select recruits between now and signing day – partially because a small number of Georgia targets remain uncommitted and partially because this year’s crop of in-state junior talent is especially strong.
“My guess is that Georgia will take four more, but no more than five,” Legge said. “They realize that next year’s seniors in Georgia are extremely talented.”
Friday, January 12, 2007
Searels transcript
On coming to coach at Georgia:
When this job came open, it was one I’ve always been interested in, being able to coach back home. Neil Callaway is a guy who coached me at Auburn, I played for him. When he had the opportunity to go to the University of Alabama-Birmingham, I thought in the back of my mind, ‘That would be a nice place to go.’ Finally after I got the call after the bowl game from Coach Richt, I was really excited to have a chance to come over here and talk to him. I’ve seen from afar what kind of job he’s done, I’ve heard what kind of man he is and it was really exciting to come over here.
On differences, similarities between him and Callaway:
Playing for the guy, he’s always been a tough, hard-nosed, hit-you-right-in-the-face type of guy as far as how his offensive line plays. What I’ve tried to do in my career is take the best from each of the guys that I’ve either played for and coached with and just sort of make it my own type of style. The toughness and the hard-nosedness of coach Callaway is probably the main thing I’ve taken from him.
Any differences?
At Georgia, they do a lot of similar things that we did at LSU. Right now it’s just a matter of me learning the new language, the terminology and how they call it and things like that. Football’s football. You’re gonna block and tackle, throw and run and catch, whatever. It’s not rocket science. There’s a lot of similar things. We had some success at LSU and hopefully I can help input a little of that to make Georgia even better.
Are your parents still in Trion?
My mom lives in Trion. My dad passed away this past March. That was one of the big factors in me coming back to Georgia. On the 23rd of December, we drove home for Christmas. I got through working at 6 o’clock in the evening, we left at 7. I arrived in Trion at 4 in the morning. At that point in time, I thought, ‘You know, it would be pretty nice to be able to work closer to home where I can go see my mom and not be an all-night ordeal to get there.’
On leaving LSU for a similar job at Georgia:
Last year I had the opportunity to go somewhere else, another major school, and my dad had cancer and it was bad timing so I didn’t want to go through a move at that time. I loved what I was doing at LSU so we ended up staying. But this year, my mom, she comes to every game and she was driving eight hours to a game and things like that. When this job came open and I got a chance to come back home, we jumped at the chance. Most programs, I think LSU and Georgia are two of the premier programs in the SEC. There are a lot of fine programs in this conference, but over the last seven years we’ve been neck-and-neck. Georgia and LSU have been neck-and-neck over who’s the leader, and I think it’s one game off right now over the last seven years. Both programs are good. This one’s close to home, this one is home, and the attraction of working for coach Richt, it fired me up.
On team’s situation at offensive line in immediate future:
It’s gonna be a huge challenge because you know you’ve got two returning players, but we’ve got five new kids here on campus right now. I’ve met these kids. They’re good looking guys and these guys are gonna have to step in and play now. Luckily I’m here now and I’ll get a full spring with them and get ????? or whatever. But these guys have got to step up and play. ???????? and other good linemen out there, but we look forward to getting a good class this year.
On how tough it is to jump in at this point and recruit:
It’s not that tough. I’m coming into an established staff that knows what they’re doing recruiting. They’ve recruited good players in the past and I’ll just come in and I’ll see all the offensive linemen and I’ll start building relationships with all the guys in my area. It’s a good situation. I go on the road Sunday and I think Rodney, he doesn’t have me coming back till Thursday or Friday, so I’m hitting the road running.
On how he signed with Auburn out of high school instead of Georgia…what he might say to a recruit about that:
I knew this question was gonna come up. You’re really not allowed to ask it, OK. At the time, I was young and dumb and had no sense, so I went to Auburn…At the time, I really felt good at Auburn. Coach Dye and Neil Callaway recruited me. No disrespect to the University of Georgia, but it was a good fit for me. But I’ve always loved Georgia. I grew up a Georgia Bulldog and to be able to come back and coach here, we’re really excited about it.
On philosophy as line coach, hardest part about building a good line:
As a coach you’ve got to be a father figure, you’ve got to be a disciplinarian, you’ve got to be a teacher, you’ve got to be a psychologist, you’ve got to be it all. I don’t know if one challenge is bigger than any other. Each kid has different issues and each kids has different ways you can motivate them. That’s my job to figure out how to get them motivated to play fast, to play hard, to be physical, to eliminate mistakes. That’s my job, to get it done. The biggest challenge I’ve got right now is adapting to a new terminology, but I’m gonna learn how they call things and when the kids are comfortable in what they’ve been doing, we can just play fast on Saturdays.
On when he arrived in Athens and got started:
I signed my paperwork yesterday. I drove up from Baton Rouge in the evening before and I got started yesterday. I briefly met the kids in the weight room and saw them working out and things like that.
On how all the new O-line faces might make things easier:
The one good thing is I don’t have to come in with the new guys and try to change the way they’ve been coached or anything like that. They’re only gonna know the way I coach basically, which’ll be good. Me and coach Callaway, we’re similar in a lot of our technique and things like that, so for the older guys, it shouldn’t be that big of a change, either.
You recruited NW Louisiana when you were at LSU?:
Yeah, I recruited the Monroe area.
What he expects to be his recruiting zone at Georgia:
That’s not finalized yet. Who knows, I may be back up in northwest Georgia. I’m sure I’ll go back to Louisiana some for a great player or maybe Texas, but none of that’s finalized and to say where I’m going right now would be unfair.
Did you get to know/recruit Vince Vance at all when you were at LSU?:
I was recruiting Vince and we were working on getting him on a visit when he decided to come here. I was disappointed at the time. I’m glad now.
Do you know anything about Trinton Sturdivant or Tanner Strickland?:
No, I’ve met them. They’re good-looking guys. I know a little about ‘em, but we’ll see this spring what they’re all about.
On whether Jimbo Fisher (former LSU offensive coordinator who left to be OC at Florida State) and his situation solidified whether Searels was going to leave LSU:
I’ve enjoyed working with Jimbo. He’s got a brilliant offensive mind. We worked well together. We decided…We talked about it two years ago when Nick was talking about us going to Miami and this, that and the other, and he said, ‘Hey whatever you want to do, you do.’ We respect each other and if one thing’s better for the other, we were gonna do that. That’s sort of what we said on this deal. He said, ‘If I stay, don’t feel pressured for you to stay. If I go a certain place, don’t feel pressure that you’ve got to go there either.’ So we both sort of went our separate ways, but we both really…I respect the way he calls his offense and what he’s done at LSU.
Did you ever visit with Nick in Tuscaloosa or did he offer you a spot on his staff?:
When this opportunity came at Georgia, something that me and my wife came over, and we fell in love with the place. They really made us feel at home and we just decided Georgia’s the best place for us.
On memories of playing at Trion:
Trion Dogs? Oh goodness, that’s God’s country. I had two great coaches in Tad Gable and Jimmy Rosato (I’m guessing on the spelling of these names. Not sure how I’d check that.) Me and coach Rosato stay in touch all the time. He came to bowl practice, he came to our bowl game. Every time I go to Trion I go by to visit him. He’s coaching at Armuchee now, which Armuchee was our arch enemy back then, and Adairsville and Gordon-Lee, there were a lot of great rivalries up there. It was a lot of fun.
On depth chart for next year:
Well there’s not that many guys left, OK. So when you talk about a depth chart, there’s not a whole lotta depth, brother. The guys that have played, they’re gonna have first shot. But what my job is is to put the best five guys on the field. We’ll decide that as a staff and we’re gonna try to put the best five guys on the field to give us a chance to win. I owe that to Georgia and coach Richt, and I also owe it to my two daughters. I want to put the best guys out there where we can win.
On if he’s compared notes with Callaway and is it a clean slate for the returning guys:
Me and coach, we talk all the time. We’ve talked once a week during the season for years and he’s given me an idea of the guys and given me a heads up on the guys. You know, the guys have got to go out on the field and show me what they’re all about. But he’s given me some good information on these kids.
On what his living situation is like right now:
I’m looking this afternoon, tomorrow. If anybody’s got a good house for sale cheap, holler at me. But we’re gonna try to get moved here as soon as possible. I’m trying to get my wife and my two girls up as soon as possible. Quick as we sell our house in Baton Rouge, we’ll be here.
On if his daughters, Taylor and Savannah, are excited to be Georgia Bulldogs now:
You bet. I told them that we’re going back to Georgia and they said, ‘That’s where my grandma lives.’ They think we’re moving next door to their grandmother. They’re excited.
On strength of SEC:
The SEC takes great pride talking about being the best conference. I think this bowl season the SEC proved that. Whether it be Georgia or LSU or Florida, so many athletes down here can run, play, be physical. I’ll put this conference up against anybody, because when you’ve got to line up week in and week out and play Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Florida, all those teams, it’s a war. Truly anybody can beat anybody. It’s a tough league, it’s a physical league and that’s why I think it’s the best league.
On how strong his ties are to NW Georgia high school football and whether he thinks he might wind up recruiting the area:
I think it would be good. I’ve never spent a lot of time in northwest Georgia recruiting, but I have from time to time come in spot recruiting. I think being from that area, people would remember me and whatever. I think it’ll be good. But anytime you have a change like this, you’ve got to go back in, you’ve got to build relationships and I’ve always hit it off with the high school coaches wherever I recruited. I think it would be really good to be up near home recruiting again.
When this job came open, it was one I’ve always been interested in, being able to coach back home. Neil Callaway is a guy who coached me at Auburn, I played for him. When he had the opportunity to go to the University of Alabama-Birmingham, I thought in the back of my mind, ‘That would be a nice place to go.’ Finally after I got the call after the bowl game from Coach Richt, I was really excited to have a chance to come over here and talk to him. I’ve seen from afar what kind of job he’s done, I’ve heard what kind of man he is and it was really exciting to come over here.
On differences, similarities between him and Callaway:
Playing for the guy, he’s always been a tough, hard-nosed, hit-you-right-in-the-face type of guy as far as how his offensive line plays. What I’ve tried to do in my career is take the best from each of the guys that I’ve either played for and coached with and just sort of make it my own type of style. The toughness and the hard-nosedness of coach Callaway is probably the main thing I’ve taken from him.
Any differences?
At Georgia, they do a lot of similar things that we did at LSU. Right now it’s just a matter of me learning the new language, the terminology and how they call it and things like that. Football’s football. You’re gonna block and tackle, throw and run and catch, whatever. It’s not rocket science. There’s a lot of similar things. We had some success at LSU and hopefully I can help input a little of that to make Georgia even better.
Are your parents still in Trion?
My mom lives in Trion. My dad passed away this past March. That was one of the big factors in me coming back to Georgia. On the 23rd of December, we drove home for Christmas. I got through working at 6 o’clock in the evening, we left at 7. I arrived in Trion at 4 in the morning. At that point in time, I thought, ‘You know, it would be pretty nice to be able to work closer to home where I can go see my mom and not be an all-night ordeal to get there.’
On leaving LSU for a similar job at Georgia:
Last year I had the opportunity to go somewhere else, another major school, and my dad had cancer and it was bad timing so I didn’t want to go through a move at that time. I loved what I was doing at LSU so we ended up staying. But this year, my mom, she comes to every game and she was driving eight hours to a game and things like that. When this job came open and I got a chance to come back home, we jumped at the chance. Most programs, I think LSU and Georgia are two of the premier programs in the SEC. There are a lot of fine programs in this conference, but over the last seven years we’ve been neck-and-neck. Georgia and LSU have been neck-and-neck over who’s the leader, and I think it’s one game off right now over the last seven years. Both programs are good. This one’s close to home, this one is home, and the attraction of working for coach Richt, it fired me up.
On team’s situation at offensive line in immediate future:
It’s gonna be a huge challenge because you know you’ve got two returning players, but we’ve got five new kids here on campus right now. I’ve met these kids. They’re good looking guys and these guys are gonna have to step in and play now. Luckily I’m here now and I’ll get a full spring with them and get ????? or whatever. But these guys have got to step up and play. ???????? and other good linemen out there, but we look forward to getting a good class this year.
On how tough it is to jump in at this point and recruit:
It’s not that tough. I’m coming into an established staff that knows what they’re doing recruiting. They’ve recruited good players in the past and I’ll just come in and I’ll see all the offensive linemen and I’ll start building relationships with all the guys in my area. It’s a good situation. I go on the road Sunday and I think Rodney, he doesn’t have me coming back till Thursday or Friday, so I’m hitting the road running.
On how he signed with Auburn out of high school instead of Georgia…what he might say to a recruit about that:
I knew this question was gonna come up. You’re really not allowed to ask it, OK. At the time, I was young and dumb and had no sense, so I went to Auburn…At the time, I really felt good at Auburn. Coach Dye and Neil Callaway recruited me. No disrespect to the University of Georgia, but it was a good fit for me. But I’ve always loved Georgia. I grew up a Georgia Bulldog and to be able to come back and coach here, we’re really excited about it.
On philosophy as line coach, hardest part about building a good line:
As a coach you’ve got to be a father figure, you’ve got to be a disciplinarian, you’ve got to be a teacher, you’ve got to be a psychologist, you’ve got to be it all. I don’t know if one challenge is bigger than any other. Each kid has different issues and each kids has different ways you can motivate them. That’s my job to figure out how to get them motivated to play fast, to play hard, to be physical, to eliminate mistakes. That’s my job, to get it done. The biggest challenge I’ve got right now is adapting to a new terminology, but I’m gonna learn how they call things and when the kids are comfortable in what they’ve been doing, we can just play fast on Saturdays.
On when he arrived in Athens and got started:
I signed my paperwork yesterday. I drove up from Baton Rouge in the evening before and I got started yesterday. I briefly met the kids in the weight room and saw them working out and things like that.
On how all the new O-line faces might make things easier:
The one good thing is I don’t have to come in with the new guys and try to change the way they’ve been coached or anything like that. They’re only gonna know the way I coach basically, which’ll be good. Me and coach Callaway, we’re similar in a lot of our technique and things like that, so for the older guys, it shouldn’t be that big of a change, either.
You recruited NW Louisiana when you were at LSU?:
Yeah, I recruited the Monroe area.
What he expects to be his recruiting zone at Georgia:
That’s not finalized yet. Who knows, I may be back up in northwest Georgia. I’m sure I’ll go back to Louisiana some for a great player or maybe Texas, but none of that’s finalized and to say where I’m going right now would be unfair.
Did you get to know/recruit Vince Vance at all when you were at LSU?:
I was recruiting Vince and we were working on getting him on a visit when he decided to come here. I was disappointed at the time. I’m glad now.
Do you know anything about Trinton Sturdivant or Tanner Strickland?:
No, I’ve met them. They’re good-looking guys. I know a little about ‘em, but we’ll see this spring what they’re all about.
On whether Jimbo Fisher (former LSU offensive coordinator who left to be OC at Florida State) and his situation solidified whether Searels was going to leave LSU:
I’ve enjoyed working with Jimbo. He’s got a brilliant offensive mind. We worked well together. We decided…We talked about it two years ago when Nick was talking about us going to Miami and this, that and the other, and he said, ‘Hey whatever you want to do, you do.’ We respect each other and if one thing’s better for the other, we were gonna do that. That’s sort of what we said on this deal. He said, ‘If I stay, don’t feel pressured for you to stay. If I go a certain place, don’t feel pressure that you’ve got to go there either.’ So we both sort of went our separate ways, but we both really…I respect the way he calls his offense and what he’s done at LSU.
Did you ever visit with Nick in Tuscaloosa or did he offer you a spot on his staff?:
When this opportunity came at Georgia, something that me and my wife came over, and we fell in love with the place. They really made us feel at home and we just decided Georgia’s the best place for us.
On memories of playing at Trion:
Trion Dogs? Oh goodness, that’s God’s country. I had two great coaches in Tad Gable and Jimmy Rosato (I’m guessing on the spelling of these names. Not sure how I’d check that.) Me and coach Rosato stay in touch all the time. He came to bowl practice, he came to our bowl game. Every time I go to Trion I go by to visit him. He’s coaching at Armuchee now, which Armuchee was our arch enemy back then, and Adairsville and Gordon-Lee, there were a lot of great rivalries up there. It was a lot of fun.
On depth chart for next year:
Well there’s not that many guys left, OK. So when you talk about a depth chart, there’s not a whole lotta depth, brother. The guys that have played, they’re gonna have first shot. But what my job is is to put the best five guys on the field. We’ll decide that as a staff and we’re gonna try to put the best five guys on the field to give us a chance to win. I owe that to Georgia and coach Richt, and I also owe it to my two daughters. I want to put the best guys out there where we can win.
On if he’s compared notes with Callaway and is it a clean slate for the returning guys:
Me and coach, we talk all the time. We’ve talked once a week during the season for years and he’s given me an idea of the guys and given me a heads up on the guys. You know, the guys have got to go out on the field and show me what they’re all about. But he’s given me some good information on these kids.
On what his living situation is like right now:
I’m looking this afternoon, tomorrow. If anybody’s got a good house for sale cheap, holler at me. But we’re gonna try to get moved here as soon as possible. I’m trying to get my wife and my two girls up as soon as possible. Quick as we sell our house in Baton Rouge, we’ll be here.
On if his daughters, Taylor and Savannah, are excited to be Georgia Bulldogs now:
You bet. I told them that we’re going back to Georgia and they said, ‘That’s where my grandma lives.’ They think we’re moving next door to their grandmother. They’re excited.
On strength of SEC:
The SEC takes great pride talking about being the best conference. I think this bowl season the SEC proved that. Whether it be Georgia or LSU or Florida, so many athletes down here can run, play, be physical. I’ll put this conference up against anybody, because when you’ve got to line up week in and week out and play Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Florida, all those teams, it’s a war. Truly anybody can beat anybody. It’s a tough league, it’s a physical league and that’s why I think it’s the best league.
On how strong his ties are to NW Georgia high school football and whether he thinks he might wind up recruiting the area:
I think it would be good. I’ve never spent a lot of time in northwest Georgia recruiting, but I have from time to time come in spot recruiting. I think being from that area, people would remember me and whatever. I think it’ll be good. But anytime you have a change like this, you’ve got to go back in, you’ve got to build relationships and I’ve always hit it off with the high school coaches wherever I recruited. I think it would be really good to be up near home recruiting again.
Searels teleconference
New offensive line coach Stacy Searels just did a teleconference with the guys who cover the team. Not certain that I'll be writing anything from it, but I listened in anyway. Chip Towers from the AJC asked him basically the only question I had at this point, which is why he'd be interested in moving from LSU's offensive line coach to Georgia's -- seems like a lateral move. I'm sure there's more to it than only this, but he really wanted to be closer to his mother, who lives in Trion and was widowed when his dad died last year.
I was impressed in listening to him for around 20 minutes or so, although many Georgia fans may be disappointed to know that he sounds a lot like Tommy Tuberville when he talks. He was mostly pretty candid in his answers and seems like he'll have something to say when you've got questions. That's always nice. Plus he's from northwest Georgia, which is one of the places I worked when I covered preps, and I rather liked the area.
Anyway, I'll probably go ahead and transcribe it and post in a little while.
I was impressed in listening to him for around 20 minutes or so, although many Georgia fans may be disappointed to know that he sounds a lot like Tommy Tuberville when he talks. He was mostly pretty candid in his answers and seems like he'll have something to say when you've got questions. That's always nice. Plus he's from northwest Georgia, which is one of the places I worked when I covered preps, and I rather liked the area.
Anyway, I'll probably go ahead and transcribe it and post in a little while.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
More early entrees
To my knowledge, there are 21 underclassmen who have declared for the NFL draft, with LSU's JaMarcus Russell, USC's Dwayne Jarrett and Clemson's C.J. Gaddis officially joining the group today. It felt like more had declared to me, but that's still a pretty significant number. There were 48 underclassmen in the draft last year, one off the high of 49 set in 2005. The players have until Jan. 15 to declare. I think we'll probably see the total creep up around 30. We'll see in the next couple days.
Here's a breakdown of the early entry numbers over the last several years:
2006 48
2005 49
2004 27
2003 46
2002 36
2001 39
2000 26
NFL Early entry candidates:
Jamaal Anderson Arkansas DE Jr.
Jon Beason Miami LB Jr.
Alan Branch Michigan DT Jr.
Michael Bush Louisville RB Jr.
Chris Houston Arkansas CB Jr.
C.J. Gaddis Clemson CB Jr.
Dwayne Jarrett USC WR Jr.
Calvin Johnson Georgia Tech WR Jr.
Charles Johnson Georgia DE Jr.
Rory Johnson Mississippi LB Jr.
Marshawn Lynch California RB Jr.
Robert Meachem Tennessee WR Jr.
Zach Miller Arizona State TE Jr.
Greg Olsen Miami TE Jr.
Darrelle Revis Pittsburgh CB Jr.
Sidney Rice South Carolina WR Soph.
JaMarcus Russell LSU QB Jr.
Luke Smith-Anderson Idaho TE Jr.
Lawrence Timmons Florida St. TE Jr.
Danny Ware Georgia RB Jr.
Eric Wright UNLV DB Jr.
EDIT: I've since seen a web site that had the following players listed, bringing the total to 26. I don't know what the story is on these guys. They weren't on the ESPN list, which is what I used to post the above names.
Stanley Doughty DT South Carolina
Jared Gaither OT Maryland
Chris Henry RB Arizona
Antonio Pittman RB Ohio State
Gary Russell RB Minnesota
Dwayne Wright RB Fresno State
Here's a breakdown of the early entry numbers over the last several years:
2006 48
2005 49
2004 27
2003 46
2002 36
2001 39
2000 26
NFL Early entry candidates:
Jamaal Anderson Arkansas DE Jr.
Jon Beason Miami LB Jr.
Alan Branch Michigan DT Jr.
Michael Bush Louisville RB Jr.
Chris Houston Arkansas CB Jr.
C.J. Gaddis Clemson CB Jr.
Dwayne Jarrett USC WR Jr.
Calvin Johnson Georgia Tech WR Jr.
Charles Johnson Georgia DE Jr.
Rory Johnson Mississippi LB Jr.
Marshawn Lynch California RB Jr.
Robert Meachem Tennessee WR Jr.
Zach Miller Arizona State TE Jr.
Greg Olsen Miami TE Jr.
Darrelle Revis Pittsburgh CB Jr.
Sidney Rice South Carolina WR Soph.
JaMarcus Russell LSU QB Jr.
Luke Smith-Anderson Idaho TE Jr.
Lawrence Timmons Florida St. TE Jr.
Danny Ware Georgia RB Jr.
Eric Wright UNLV DB Jr.
EDIT: I've since seen a web site that had the following players listed, bringing the total to 26. I don't know what the story is on these guys. They weren't on the ESPN list, which is what I used to post the above names.
Stanley Doughty DT South Carolina
Jared Gaither OT Maryland
Chris Henry RB Arizona
Antonio Pittman RB Ohio State
Gary Russell RB Minnesota
Dwayne Wright RB Fresno State
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Smart sticking with Saban
Kirby Smart, who left Georgia after last season to be a member of Nick Saban's Miami Dolphins staff, is following Saban back to the SEC. Smart is one of three assistants officially named to Saban's Alabama staff today, along with Florida State linebackers coach Kevin Steele and Central Florida defensive coordinator Lance Thompson.
All three have ties to the state of Georgia in some way, although Smart is the only one with a tie to UGA. Aside from his one season coaching running backs at Georgia, Smart is also a Georgia grad. He was an all-SEC defensive back at Georgia and finished his career fourth in school history in interceptions with 13.
Steele was Bobby Bowden's executive head coach and had an outstanding reputation as a recruiter. He was head coach at Baylor and also had assistantships at Tennessee and Nebraska among other places and in the NFL at Carolina. His son plays football at Valdosta State.
Thompson is a native of Riverdale, Ga., who was a Georgia Tech assistant for 10 years and also coached at Alabama and under Saban at LSU.
All three have ties to the state of Georgia in some way, although Smart is the only one with a tie to UGA. Aside from his one season coaching running backs at Georgia, Smart is also a Georgia grad. He was an all-SEC defensive back at Georgia and finished his career fourth in school history in interceptions with 13.
Steele was Bobby Bowden's executive head coach and had an outstanding reputation as a recruiter. He was head coach at Baylor and also had assistantships at Tennessee and Nebraska among other places and in the NFL at Carolina. His son plays football at Valdosta State.
Thompson is a native of Riverdale, Ga., who was a Georgia Tech assistant for 10 years and also coached at Alabama and under Saban at LSU.
Georgia cracks final top 25
Georgia is ranked 23rd in the final Associated Press poll. I thought they'd make it a bit higher, but what do I know...
Complete poll
1. Florida
2. Ohio State
3. LSU
4. USC
5. Boise State
6. Louisville
7. Wisconsin
8. Michigan
9. Auburn
10. West Virginia
11. Oklahoma
12. Rutgers
13. Texas
14. California
15. Arkansas
16. BYU
17. Notre Dame
18. Wake Forest
19. Virginia Tech
20. Boston College
21. Oregon State
22. TCU
23. Georgia
24. Penn State
25. Tennessee
Complete poll
1. Florida
2. Ohio State
3. LSU
4. USC
5. Boise State
6. Louisville
7. Wisconsin
8. Michigan
9. Auburn
10. West Virginia
11. Oklahoma
12. Rutgers
13. Texas
14. California
15. Arkansas
16. BYU
17. Notre Dame
18. Wake Forest
19. Virginia Tech
20. Boston College
21. Oregon State
22. TCU
23. Georgia
24. Penn State
25. Tennessee
Monday, January 08, 2007
Scripps Freshman All-America team
Nobody from UGA made this freshman all-america team, but there are several guys from the state on the team: South Carolina defensive lineman Eric Norwood (Acworth), Southern Miss linebacker Gerald McRath (Powder Springs) and Kentucky defensive back Trevard Lindley (Hiram). Also, there are six SEC players -- two from Alabama and one each from Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky and LSU.
2006 Scripps Freshman All-America Team
OFFENSE
*QB - Colt McCoy, Texas, RFr., Tuscola, Texas
*RB - P.J. Hill, Wisconsin, RFr., East Elmhurst, N.Y.
RB - Damion Fletcher, S. Miss, TFr., Biloxi, Miss.
RB - Reggie Arnold, Arkansas State, RFr., Little Rock, Ark.
WR - Percy Harvin, Florida, TFr., Virginia Beach, Va.
WR -Ryan Wolfe, UNLV, TFr., Santa Clarita, Calif.
TE - Brandon Warren, Florida State, TFr., Alcoa, Tenn.
OL - Sam Young, Notre Dame, TFr., Coral Springs, Fla.
OL - Ciron Black, LSU, RFr., Tyler, Texas
OL - Andre Smith, Alabama, TFr., Birmingham, Ala.
OL- Eddie Adamski, Northern Illinois, RFr., Kildeer, Ill.
OL - Eben Britton, Arizona, RFr., Burbank, Calif.
DEFENSE
DL - Eric Norwood, South Carolina, TFr., Acworth, Ga.
DL - Jeffrey Fitzgerald, Virginia, RFr., Richmond, Va.
DL - Corey Wootton, Northwestern, RFr., Rutherford, N.J.
DL - George Selvie, South Florida, RFr., Pensacola, Fla.
*LB - Prince Hall, Alabama, RFr., Moreno Valley, Calif.
LB - Joe Pawelek, Baylor, RFr., Spring Branch, Texas
LB - Gerald McRath, Southern Miss, RFr., Powder Springs, Ga.
DB - Quinton Andrews, West Virginia, RFr., Opa Locka, Fla.
DB - Trevard Lindley, Kentucky, RFr., Hiram, Ga.
DB - Alterraun Verner, UCLA, TFr., Carson, Calif.
DB - Myron Rolle, Florida State, TFr., Galloway, N.J.
DB - Andre Sexton, Oklahoma State, RFr., Houston, Texas
SPECIALISTS
K - Brett Swenson, Michigan State, TFr., Pompano Beach, Fla.
P - Matthew DiLallo, Colorado, TFr. Wellington, Fla.
KR - David Harvey, Akron, RFr., Penn Hills, Pa.
First-year Coach of the Year: Chris Petersen, Boise State
* indicates unanimous selection
2006 Scripps Freshman All-America Team
OFFENSE
*QB - Colt McCoy, Texas, RFr., Tuscola, Texas
*RB - P.J. Hill, Wisconsin, RFr., East Elmhurst, N.Y.
RB - Damion Fletcher, S. Miss, TFr., Biloxi, Miss.
RB - Reggie Arnold, Arkansas State, RFr., Little Rock, Ark.
WR - Percy Harvin, Florida, TFr., Virginia Beach, Va.
WR -Ryan Wolfe, UNLV, TFr., Santa Clarita, Calif.
TE - Brandon Warren, Florida State, TFr., Alcoa, Tenn.
OL - Sam Young, Notre Dame, TFr., Coral Springs, Fla.
OL - Ciron Black, LSU, RFr., Tyler, Texas
OL - Andre Smith, Alabama, TFr., Birmingham, Ala.
OL- Eddie Adamski, Northern Illinois, RFr., Kildeer, Ill.
OL - Eben Britton, Arizona, RFr., Burbank, Calif.
DEFENSE
DL - Eric Norwood, South Carolina, TFr., Acworth, Ga.
DL - Jeffrey Fitzgerald, Virginia, RFr., Richmond, Va.
DL - Corey Wootton, Northwestern, RFr., Rutherford, N.J.
DL - George Selvie, South Florida, RFr., Pensacola, Fla.
*LB - Prince Hall, Alabama, RFr., Moreno Valley, Calif.
LB - Joe Pawelek, Baylor, RFr., Spring Branch, Texas
LB - Gerald McRath, Southern Miss, RFr., Powder Springs, Ga.
DB - Quinton Andrews, West Virginia, RFr., Opa Locka, Fla.
DB - Trevard Lindley, Kentucky, RFr., Hiram, Ga.
DB - Alterraun Verner, UCLA, TFr., Carson, Calif.
DB - Myron Rolle, Florida State, TFr., Galloway, N.J.
DB - Andre Sexton, Oklahoma State, RFr., Houston, Texas
SPECIALISTS
K - Brett Swenson, Michigan State, TFr., Pompano Beach, Fla.
P - Matthew DiLallo, Colorado, TFr. Wellington, Fla.
KR - David Harvey, Akron, RFr., Penn Hills, Pa.
First-year Coach of the Year: Chris Petersen, Boise State
* indicates unanimous selection
Calvin got a job!
In a surprise to basically no one, Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson announced at a news conference a little while ago that he's turning pro. Who can blame him? He's sure to be a high, high draft pick, probably the first receiver selected in the draft, and a lock to become a multimillionaire very soon. And of course, with Paul Oliver coming back for his senior year, Calvin doesn't want any part of that...just kidding...Good for Calvin. He seems like a nice kid and I look forward to seeing what he can do with a skilled quarterback throwing balls his way.
In other news, it's an interesting night in college football if you're a Georgia fan. Do you root for the hated Florida Gators or for those yankees from Ohio? For you guys, that's like choosing whether you'd rather die in a fiery crash or by being eaten by a shark, right? I'm not sure that I'll root for anybody, but if I do, my Southernness pretty much ensures that it'll be the Gators. Besides, Reggie Nelson's mom just died, so that would be a nice story. Georgia fans won't like hearing it, but I talked to him for several minutes after the SEC title game and thought he seemed like a nice kid. Heckuva player, too.
In other news, it's an interesting night in college football if you're a Georgia fan. Do you root for the hated Florida Gators or for those yankees from Ohio? For you guys, that's like choosing whether you'd rather die in a fiery crash or by being eaten by a shark, right? I'm not sure that I'll root for anybody, but if I do, my Southernness pretty much ensures that it'll be the Gators. Besides, Reggie Nelson's mom just died, so that would be a nice story. Georgia fans won't like hearing it, but I talked to him for several minutes after the SEC title game and thought he seemed like a nice kid. Heckuva player, too.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Searels named OL coach
Georgia sent out this release this afternoon. Coach Richt has hired LSU assistant Stacey Searels to fill Neil Callaway's vacant spot as OL coach. Seems a very good hire to me. He knows the SEC well and has been a productive coach and recruiter at LSU.
Stacy Searels, offensive line coach at LSU the past four
years, has been named to the same position at the University of Georgia
according to an announcement Saturday by Bulldog head coach Mark Richt.
Searels replaces Neil Callaway who was recently named head coach at UAB.
A native of Trion, Ga., and 1990 graduate of Auburn, Searels was an
All-America lineman for the Tigers in 1987 when he was a teammate of current
Georgia defensive line coach Rodney Garner. Prior to joining the LSU staff,
he coached the offensive line at Cincinnati (2000-02), Appalachian State
(1994-2000), and served as a graduate assistant at Auburn (1992-93).
³We¹ve played LSU a few times since Stacy¹s been there and we¹ve also had a
chance to see his offensive lines while studying tape on other opponents as
well,² said Richt. ³Their line has been impressive‹they¹re well coached,
they play hard, and they¹ve been as good as any line we¹ve played against in
recent years. Certainly the success they¹ve had speaks for itself.²
LSU¹s offensive unit in 2006 finished first in the SEC in total offense and
scoring offense and was third in rushing offense and passing offense.
³I¹m tremendously excited about coming to Georgia and working for Coach
Richt and the rest of the staff,² said Searels. ³I¹m looking forward to
being part of the Georgia football program that has such great tradition and
one that I know has a great future.²
Searels made a habit of producing All-America linemen for LSU. In four years
as LSU¹s offensive line coach, Searels coached two First-Team All-Americans
in Stephen Peterman and Ben Wilkerson and a Second-Team All-America in
Andrew Whitworth.
In addition, during that four-year stretch, LSU¹s offensive line produced a
pair of First-Team Academic All-Americas in Rodney Reed and Rudy Niswanger.
LSU had an offensive lineman named First-Team Academic All-America four
straight years.
Niswanger became the most decorated student-athlete in school history in
2005, winning the Draddy Award as college football¹s top scholar-athlete as
well as being the inaugural recipient of the Wuerffel Trophy. Niswanger also
claimed the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award for football following the
2005 season and was named the recipient of the McWhorter Award, which goes
to the overall top scholar-athlete in the SEC.
Searels coached five former Tigers to roster spots in the NFL with Whitworth
being a second round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2006; Peterman a
fourth round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2004; and Wilkerson, Niswanger
and Nate Livings signing free agent contracts.
Searels' 2004 offensive line consisted of Rimington Award winner (Ben
Wilkerson) along with First Team All-SEC offensive tackle Whitworth. LSU
led the SEC in rushing that year with over 193 yards per contest.
Searels joined the staff at LSU after a two-year stint as offensive line
coach at Cincinnati. During his two-year stay with the Bearcats, Cincinnati
played in two bowl games as well as winning the school¹s first conference
title since 1964 by capturing the 2002 Conference USA crown. In 2002,
Searels coached an offensive line that helped Cincinnati lead Conference USA
in total offense (397.5 yards per game), while averaging 29.2 points a
contest.
Prior to joining Cincinnati, Searels served as an assistant coach at
Appalachian State from 1994-2000, helping the I-AA squad to five playoff
appearances and to a pair of Southern Conference titles. He also coached
players to five All-America and 15 all-conference honors in seven years as
an offensive line and tight ends coach at Appalachian State.
While at Appalachian State, Searels was presented with the NCAA Award of
Valor, which has been given only eight times since its inception in 1974,
for his for act of courage following a head-on collision involving a van
carrying members of the Mountaineer football team and support staff on Sept.
30, 2000.
With the Appalachian State van burning, Searels pulled out two staff
members, who were trapped in the vehicle (11 other passengers in the van
were able to escape on their own). Moments after Searels got the two staff
members to safety, the van was engulfed in flames. Searels, who had been
traveling on the team bus behind the van, had saved the life of his student
assistant coach (Jonathan Taylor) and assistant athletic trainer (Tony
Barnett). Taylor, who was airlifted to a hospital, spent three weeks in
intensive care before making a complete recovery.
The NCAA Award of Valor honors those who, ³when confronted with a situation
involving personal danger, averted or minimized potential disaster by
courageous action or noteworthy bravery.²
Searels got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant at Auburn in 1992,
working with the Tiger squad that posted a perfect 11-0 mark in 1993.
As a player, Searels earned First Team All-America honors from both the
Associated Press and Football News as a senior at Auburn in 1987. Searels
was a three-year starter for Auburn, blocking for Heisman Trophy winner Bo
Jackson in 1985 and All-America Brent Fullwood in 1986. He participated in
four bowl games as a member of the Auburn football team.
A First-Team All-Southeastern Conference selection as both a junior and
senior, he was honored with the team¹s Ken Rice Award as the school¹s best
blocking lineman in 1987. He played in both the Japan Bowl and the Senior
Bowl following the 1987 season.
In 1990, the Birmingham Post-Herald named Searels to the Auburn team of the
1980¹s.
Searels was a fourth round draft pick by the San Diego Chargers in 1988,
playing two seasons there before moving to the Miami Dolphins for the 1990
season. He ended his professional career in 1991 with the New York/New
Jersey Knights of the World League of American Football.
Searels graduated from Auburn in with a degree in marketing and
transportation in 1990. He followed that with a Master¹s degree in higher
education administration from Auburn in 1995.
Searels is married to the former Patricia Hale and the couple has two
daughters, Taylor (8) and Savannah (5).
Stacy Searels, offensive line coach at LSU the past four
years, has been named to the same position at the University of Georgia
according to an announcement Saturday by Bulldog head coach Mark Richt.
Searels replaces Neil Callaway who was recently named head coach at UAB.
A native of Trion, Ga., and 1990 graduate of Auburn, Searels was an
All-America lineman for the Tigers in 1987 when he was a teammate of current
Georgia defensive line coach Rodney Garner. Prior to joining the LSU staff,
he coached the offensive line at Cincinnati (2000-02), Appalachian State
(1994-2000), and served as a graduate assistant at Auburn (1992-93).
³We¹ve played LSU a few times since Stacy¹s been there and we¹ve also had a
chance to see his offensive lines while studying tape on other opponents as
well,² said Richt. ³Their line has been impressive‹they¹re well coached,
they play hard, and they¹ve been as good as any line we¹ve played against in
recent years. Certainly the success they¹ve had speaks for itself.²
LSU¹s offensive unit in 2006 finished first in the SEC in total offense and
scoring offense and was third in rushing offense and passing offense.
³I¹m tremendously excited about coming to Georgia and working for Coach
Richt and the rest of the staff,² said Searels. ³I¹m looking forward to
being part of the Georgia football program that has such great tradition and
one that I know has a great future.²
Searels made a habit of producing All-America linemen for LSU. In four years
as LSU¹s offensive line coach, Searels coached two First-Team All-Americans
in Stephen Peterman and Ben Wilkerson and a Second-Team All-America in
Andrew Whitworth.
In addition, during that four-year stretch, LSU¹s offensive line produced a
pair of First-Team Academic All-Americas in Rodney Reed and Rudy Niswanger.
LSU had an offensive lineman named First-Team Academic All-America four
straight years.
Niswanger became the most decorated student-athlete in school history in
2005, winning the Draddy Award as college football¹s top scholar-athlete as
well as being the inaugural recipient of the Wuerffel Trophy. Niswanger also
claimed the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award for football following the
2005 season and was named the recipient of the McWhorter Award, which goes
to the overall top scholar-athlete in the SEC.
Searels coached five former Tigers to roster spots in the NFL with Whitworth
being a second round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2006; Peterman a
fourth round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2004; and Wilkerson, Niswanger
and Nate Livings signing free agent contracts.
Searels' 2004 offensive line consisted of Rimington Award winner (Ben
Wilkerson) along with First Team All-SEC offensive tackle Whitworth. LSU
led the SEC in rushing that year with over 193 yards per contest.
Searels joined the staff at LSU after a two-year stint as offensive line
coach at Cincinnati. During his two-year stay with the Bearcats, Cincinnati
played in two bowl games as well as winning the school¹s first conference
title since 1964 by capturing the 2002 Conference USA crown. In 2002,
Searels coached an offensive line that helped Cincinnati lead Conference USA
in total offense (397.5 yards per game), while averaging 29.2 points a
contest.
Prior to joining Cincinnati, Searels served as an assistant coach at
Appalachian State from 1994-2000, helping the I-AA squad to five playoff
appearances and to a pair of Southern Conference titles. He also coached
players to five All-America and 15 all-conference honors in seven years as
an offensive line and tight ends coach at Appalachian State.
While at Appalachian State, Searels was presented with the NCAA Award of
Valor, which has been given only eight times since its inception in 1974,
for his for act of courage following a head-on collision involving a van
carrying members of the Mountaineer football team and support staff on Sept.
30, 2000.
With the Appalachian State van burning, Searels pulled out two staff
members, who were trapped in the vehicle (11 other passengers in the van
were able to escape on their own). Moments after Searels got the two staff
members to safety, the van was engulfed in flames. Searels, who had been
traveling on the team bus behind the van, had saved the life of his student
assistant coach (Jonathan Taylor) and assistant athletic trainer (Tony
Barnett). Taylor, who was airlifted to a hospital, spent three weeks in
intensive care before making a complete recovery.
The NCAA Award of Valor honors those who, ³when confronted with a situation
involving personal danger, averted or minimized potential disaster by
courageous action or noteworthy bravery.²
Searels got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant at Auburn in 1992,
working with the Tiger squad that posted a perfect 11-0 mark in 1993.
As a player, Searels earned First Team All-America honors from both the
Associated Press and Football News as a senior at Auburn in 1987. Searels
was a three-year starter for Auburn, blocking for Heisman Trophy winner Bo
Jackson in 1985 and All-America Brent Fullwood in 1986. He participated in
four bowl games as a member of the Auburn football team.
A First-Team All-Southeastern Conference selection as both a junior and
senior, he was honored with the team¹s Ken Rice Award as the school¹s best
blocking lineman in 1987. He played in both the Japan Bowl and the Senior
Bowl following the 1987 season.
In 1990, the Birmingham Post-Herald named Searels to the Auburn team of the
1980¹s.
Searels was a fourth round draft pick by the San Diego Chargers in 1988,
playing two seasons there before moving to the Miami Dolphins for the 1990
season. He ended his professional career in 1991 with the New York/New
Jersey Knights of the World League of American Football.
Searels graduated from Auburn in with a degree in marketing and
transportation in 1990. He followed that with a Master¹s degree in higher
education administration from Auburn in 1995.
Searels is married to the former Patricia Hale and the couple has two
daughters, Taylor (8) and Savannah (5).
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Paul Oliver to return
The school just sent out a release announcing Paul Oliver plans to return for his senior season.
University of Georgia cornerback Paul Oliver of
Kennesaw said Wednesday following a meeting with Bulldog head coach Mark
Richt he will return for his senior season at UGA.
³I¹m excited he¹s decided to return,² said Richt. ³In the final
analysis, it was important to both him and his mother that he complete his
degree and graduate. Certainly he¹ll be counted on as one of our senior
leaders and I¹m sure he¹ll respond. It will be great to have him back in
our secondary.²
³I decided to come back for several reasons,² said Oliver. ³I¹m
close to graduation and that¹s important to me. I think we have some good
momentum and I¹m excited about the team we could have next season. And I
hope to perform better and improve as a player. I¹m excited about playing
another season for the Bulldogs.²
Oliver led the team in tackles with nine in last Saturday¹s
Chick-fil-A Bowl victory over Virginia Tech. He also recorded three
tackles-for-loss and one pass break-up. On the season, Oliver was the
team¹s fifth leading tackler with 57. He also recorded 6.5
tackles-for-loss, two sacks, and three interceptions.
University of Georgia cornerback Paul Oliver of
Kennesaw said Wednesday following a meeting with Bulldog head coach Mark
Richt he will return for his senior season at UGA.
³I¹m excited he¹s decided to return,² said Richt. ³In the final
analysis, it was important to both him and his mother that he complete his
degree and graduate. Certainly he¹ll be counted on as one of our senior
leaders and I¹m sure he¹ll respond. It will be great to have him back in
our secondary.²
³I decided to come back for several reasons,² said Oliver. ³I¹m
close to graduation and that¹s important to me. I think we have some good
momentum and I¹m excited about the team we could have next season. And I
hope to perform better and improve as a player. I¹m excited about playing
another season for the Bulldogs.²
Oliver led the team in tackles with nine in last Saturday¹s
Chick-fil-A Bowl victory over Virginia Tech. He also recorded three
tackles-for-loss and one pass break-up. On the season, Oliver was the
team¹s fifth leading tackler with 57. He also recorded 6.5
tackles-for-loss, two sacks, and three interceptions.
Saban at Alabama: What does it mean to UGA?
I'll admit, I thought Alabama fans who kept clinging to these Nick Saban hopes were delusional. I guess I was too willing to take what the guy says at face value, forgetting that he's said similar things everywhere he's been, only to reverse field and split for greener pastures days, weeks or sometimes hours later.
This is a huge hire for Alabama, short-term. The Tide was already set up to win next year, even with Mike Shula as the coach. This is a young team that hung with some very good teams this year, only to lose some close games late. They're instantly a contender for the SEC West title, although they draw some tough competition early with home games against Arkansas and Georgia in the third and fourth weeks of the season followed by a game against Florida State in Jacksonville in the fifth week. Still, Saban puts Alabama on solid footing immediately, which is something that has been largely lacking for any considerable amount of time since Bear Bryant died. But don't think he's just going to dominate Auburn, either, as he was 2-3 against Auburn when he was at LSU. I expect the rivalry to go back to being pretty even, though, which is probably all Bama fans want at this point after losing five Iron Bowls in a row.
As far as how much this helps Alabama long-term? Well your guess is as good as mine. They'll win and get pointed back in the right direction, which is important to long-term success. But Saban certainly doesn't have the track record of staying in one place for a long time. He's constantly moving onto other opportunities within five years of taking a job. I personally wonder how long someone with such a touchy personality can put up with all the extracurricular stuff that comes with being the coach in Tuscaloosa. It's going to be interesting to watch.
For our purposes, since this is a blog mostly devoted to what's going on with Georgia football, you have to wonder how this affects the Bulldogs, if at all. I've read lots of message board posts and heard a lot of people say they're glad Nick Saban is going to Alabama because a strong Alabama is beneficial to Georgia. I guess the implication being that it weakens Auburn. I don't know if that's actually the case, though. My contention is that the coach at Alabama has little to no effect on Georgia. Alabama has always recruited the state of Alabama well, whether it was winning consistently or not. Auburn has recruited Alabama OK, but has always gotten many of its most significant players from Georgia and Florida, which it will always continue to do. You might could say maybe a strong Alabama keeps Auburn from a recruit or two in-state or maybe in Georgia, but Auburn's recruiting boundaries are highly undefined within the region (probably because of geography and how much of a lock Alabama had on the state for so many years) and probably never will be very well-defined.
Further, if you look at the 10-year period after Alabama won its last national championship, the Iron Bowl was a dead split (5-5). Auburn had three years with at least five losses and Alabama had four in those years, so they were on pretty equal footing. But in the same timeframe, Auburn was 6-3-1 against Georgia and continued to draw some pretty significant talent out of the Peach State (Takeo Spikes is the first name that comes to mind).
Georgia has had much more success against Auburn since Mark Richt became head coach (3-3), this in a time when Auburn is experiencing some of the greatest success in school history and Alabama is in one of the worst downstretches. What that leads me to believe is that the most important thing for Georgia is a strong head coach and stability within the coaching staff and program is far more important to Georgia than what goes on in Alabama. Whether Alabama is any good does very little for Georgia except quiet Auburn fans down a little. And I know some of you are all in favor of that.
This is a huge hire for Alabama, short-term. The Tide was already set up to win next year, even with Mike Shula as the coach. This is a young team that hung with some very good teams this year, only to lose some close games late. They're instantly a contender for the SEC West title, although they draw some tough competition early with home games against Arkansas and Georgia in the third and fourth weeks of the season followed by a game against Florida State in Jacksonville in the fifth week. Still, Saban puts Alabama on solid footing immediately, which is something that has been largely lacking for any considerable amount of time since Bear Bryant died. But don't think he's just going to dominate Auburn, either, as he was 2-3 against Auburn when he was at LSU. I expect the rivalry to go back to being pretty even, though, which is probably all Bama fans want at this point after losing five Iron Bowls in a row.
As far as how much this helps Alabama long-term? Well your guess is as good as mine. They'll win and get pointed back in the right direction, which is important to long-term success. But Saban certainly doesn't have the track record of staying in one place for a long time. He's constantly moving onto other opportunities within five years of taking a job. I personally wonder how long someone with such a touchy personality can put up with all the extracurricular stuff that comes with being the coach in Tuscaloosa. It's going to be interesting to watch.
For our purposes, since this is a blog mostly devoted to what's going on with Georgia football, you have to wonder how this affects the Bulldogs, if at all. I've read lots of message board posts and heard a lot of people say they're glad Nick Saban is going to Alabama because a strong Alabama is beneficial to Georgia. I guess the implication being that it weakens Auburn. I don't know if that's actually the case, though. My contention is that the coach at Alabama has little to no effect on Georgia. Alabama has always recruited the state of Alabama well, whether it was winning consistently or not. Auburn has recruited Alabama OK, but has always gotten many of its most significant players from Georgia and Florida, which it will always continue to do. You might could say maybe a strong Alabama keeps Auburn from a recruit or two in-state or maybe in Georgia, but Auburn's recruiting boundaries are highly undefined within the region (probably because of geography and how much of a lock Alabama had on the state for so many years) and probably never will be very well-defined.
Further, if you look at the 10-year period after Alabama won its last national championship, the Iron Bowl was a dead split (5-5). Auburn had three years with at least five losses and Alabama had four in those years, so they were on pretty equal footing. But in the same timeframe, Auburn was 6-3-1 against Georgia and continued to draw some pretty significant talent out of the Peach State (Takeo Spikes is the first name that comes to mind).
Georgia has had much more success against Auburn since Mark Richt became head coach (3-3), this in a time when Auburn is experiencing some of the greatest success in school history and Alabama is in one of the worst downstretches. What that leads me to believe is that the most important thing for Georgia is a strong head coach and stability within the coaching staff and program is far more important to Georgia than what goes on in Alabama. Whether Alabama is any good does very little for Georgia except quiet Auburn fans down a little. And I know some of you are all in favor of that.
Bama Saban press release
Here's the release Bama just sent out about Nick Saban's hiring. I'll comment on the whole thing later, but I've got to finish a story on Columbus State basketball now. Personally, I'm not sure that it affects Georgia nearly as much as some folks think it does. The Bulldogs travel to Tuscaloosa early in the upcoming season, so I guess we'll find out pretty quickly.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Nick Saban, head coach of the National Football League’s Miami Dolphins for the past two seasons, has been named the 27th head football coach of The University of Alabama Crimson Tide. Saban has compiled a record of 106-59-1 (.642) in 13 seasons as a head coach, having also led programs at Louisiana State (LSU), Michigan State and Toledo.
Saban will be introduced at a 10 a.m. CST press conference on Thursday, Jan. 4, in the Naylor Stone Media Room in the Mal M. Moore Athletic Building on the UA campus.
“I am pleased and proud to announce that Nick Saban is the new head football coach at The University of Alabama,” Moore said. “When I set out on this search, I noted that I was seeking a coach who has a proven record of championship success and achievement. Coach Saban brings that proven record of accomplishment and leadership to our program. The hiring of Coach Saban signifies a new era of Crimson Tide football and affirms our commitment to provide our student-athletes and fans with a leader who will continue our commitment to excellence across the board.”
Saban succeeds Mike Shula, who was dismissed on Nov. 27, 2006, after four seasons as head coach at the Capstone with a 26-23 (.531) record, including a 6-6 mark in 2006.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Coach Nick Saban and his family to The University of Alabama,” said Dr. Robert E. Witt, President of the University of Alabama . “We are confident that Coach Saban’s proven record as a head coach and his commitment to the success of our student athletes, on and off the field, combined with the best facilities in America and the passion of tens of thousands of Crimson Tide fans across the nation will lead to many years of success at the championship level.
“I’d also like to commend our athletics director, Mal Moore, for the way he conducted this search, and for its ultimate outcome. From the beginning, Coach Moore has acted with appropriate patience, integrity and respect for the individuals and organizations involved. Our announcement today underscores the quality of the process he followed and his dedication to finding the right coach for this university.”
A veteran head coach who has achieved resounding success on the college level with three programs, Saban has earned a reputation as an outstanding tactician, leader, organizer and motivator. Those qualities have sparked impressive turnarounds at every stop of his career. His teams have repeatedly exhibited grit, determination and resilience, often overcoming adversity to achieve victory. Saban’s consistent approach and disciplined leadership are a proven recipe for success.
During two seasons at the helm of the Miami Dolphins, Saban’s teams showed marked improvement over the unit he inherited. Taking over a team that finished 4-12 in 2004, Saban led the 2005 Dolphins to a 9-7 record, the third biggest turnaround in the NFL that season and the second highest victory turnaround for a Dolphins team in any non-strike season. Most impressively, the Dolphins finished 2005 on a six-game winning streak, the longest streak in the NFL that season.
Saban brings a 91-42-1 (.683) record as a college head coach to Tuscaloosa . His most recent college head coaching stint, a five-season run at LSU, produced a record of 48-16 (.750), one national championship (2003), two Southeastern Conference championships, three SEC West Division championships, and a 3-2 record in bowl games including two Sugar Bowl victories and a Peach Bowl win. The Tigers constructed a 28-12 (.700) record against SEC opponents under Saban’s guidance. He was named the 2003 National Coach of the Year by the Associated Press and earned both the Paul W. “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Year Award and the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award by the Football Writers Association of America. Saban was named SEC Coach of the Year twice (by the Birmingham News in 2001 and by the Associated Press in 2003).
Saban at LSU (2000-04)
Saban’s impact on the LSU program transcended the success on the field. LSU produced 84 Academic All-SEC honorees in Saban’s five seasons, including 25 members of the 2003 national championship squad. LSU’s graduation rate for football players improved dramatically under his watch and two players, offensive tackle Rodney Reed (2002 and 2003) and offensive lineman Rudy Niswanger (2004) earned First Team Academic All-America honors. Linebacker Bradie James earned a post-graduate scholarship from the National Football Foundation in 2003.
Saban also spearheaded a $15 million fundraising effort to fund a new academic center for student-athletes at LSU, and he and his players were active in community involvement in the Baton Rouge area, taking part in community service projects, visiting schools to mentor children and taking time to visit local hospitals on a regular basis. More than 50 of Saban’s LSU players earned their college degrees, in addition to 28 who were selected in the NFL draft, including seven in 2004 and 2006.
Named head coach at LSU on November 30, 1999, Saban led an immediate turnaround of a program that had suffered through seven losing seasons during the 1990s. His 48 victories over five seasons were the third-most among Division 1-A head coaches during that time. Saban, Paul Dietzel and current LSU head coach Les Miles are the only coaches in the program’s history to post multiple 10-win seasons. Saban, Dietzel and Bernie Moore are the only head coaches in Tiger history to win two SEC championships.
Saban’s 2000 Tigers rebounded from two straight losing seasons to post an 8-4 season, capped by a 31-20 win over 15th-ranked Georgia Tech in the Peach Bowl. Home victories over Tennessee , Mississippi State and Alabama highlighted the season, along with a key road win at Ole Miss.
The 2001 Tigers improved to 10-3 overall and won the program’s first outright SEC title since 1986 with a 31-20 win over second-ranked Tennessee in the SEC Championship game. An impressive second half against the Volunteers was a trademark of Saban’s coaching acumen as the Tigers outscored UT, 21-3, in the final half to erase a 17-10 deficit. The Tigers won the game despite the absence of starting quarterback Rohan Davey and running back LaBrandon Toefield. Sparked by one of the most prolific offenses in the nation, a unit that averaged 451.5 yards per game, the Tigers capped the season with a 47-34 defeat of Big Ten champion Illinois in the Sugar Bowl, LSU’s first victory in a New Year’s Day bowl game since 1968.
Stifling defense was the trademark of the 2002 Tigers. LSU posted an 8-5 record and a second consecutive New Year’s Day bowl appearance. The Tigers, who faced Texas in the Cotton Bowl, held opponents to less than 275 yards per game through the season’s first six games and scored a school-record 30 or more points in six straight games that season. The Tigers barely missed winning a second consecutive SEC West Division title as a last-minute comeback by Arkansas in the regular season finale prevented LSU from another appearance in the SEC Championship game. That LSU team overcame the mid-season loss of starting quarterback Matt Mauck, free safety Damien James and Toefield in successive weeks to make a run at an SEC West division title.
Saban’s team philosophy of “out of yourself and into the team” paid huge dividends in 2003. The Tigers produced a 13-1 record, won their second SEC championship and earned the school’s second national championship with a squad that was among the nation’s most dominant on both sides of the line of scrimmage. The LSU offense scored a school-record 475 points (33.9 points per game) while holding 13 of 14 opponents to fewer than 20 points. LSU’s defense ranked first nationally in points allowed per game (11.0) and total defense (252.0 yards per game). After a 7-1 start, LSU ended the season with six dominating victories by an average margin of 35-10. An impressive 34-13 victory over Georgia in the SEC title game paved LSU’s way to an appearance in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Championship Game against top-ranked Oklahoma . The Tigers produced a dominant defensive effort against the Sooners in the Sugar Bowl, limiting OU to 154 yards of total offense in a 21-14 victory that gave LSU the national title.
His final LSU team in 2004 overcame the loss of 13 players from the 2003 team who went on to NFL rosters, posting a 9-3 record while producing the SEC’s best rushing offense (200.7 yards per game). The Tiger defense ranked third nationally during the regular season in total defense (249.9 yards per game) and passing defense (145.4 yards per game), allowing only 15.9 points per contest. Over their last six games, the Tiger defense allowed only 12 points in the second half on the way to a berth in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando against Iowa . LSU’s fourth consecutive January bowl berth marked a first for the Tigers’ program.
Saban at Michigan State (1995-99)
Saban’s stint as head coach at Michigan State from 1995-99 marked his second stint at the East Lansing school, as he also spent 1983-87 as the Spartans’ defensive coordinator/secondary coach. After playing in just one bowl game in the previous four years, Michigan State made four postseason appearances in Saban’s five years at the helm. Saban led MSU to a 34-24-1 (.585) record as head coach.
In 1999, Saban led his final Spartan team to a No. 7 national ranking as MSU finished in a tie for second in the Big Ten. The Spartans defeated Notre Dame, Michigan , Ohio State and Penn State in the same year for the first time since 1965 and recorded six wins at home for the first time since the 1912 season. The Spartans’ performance that year landed them a spot in the Citrus Bowl. The Spartans led the Big Ten in rushing defense (77.0 yards per game) and total defense (299.0 yards per game) while ranking fifth nationally in rushing defense and 11th in total defense. The Spartans offense averaged 31.0 points per game.
Saban was the first coach in school history to put the Spartans in postseason bowl games in each of his first three seasons as he led the Spartans to the Independence Bowl in 1995, the Sun Bowl in 1996 and the Aloha Bowl in 1997.
Saban with the Cleveland Browns (1991-94)
Before joining the Spartans, Saban spent four seasons (1991-94) as defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns under Bill Belichick. The Browns went from allowing the most points (462) in the NFL prior to Saban’s arrival to allowing the fewest points (204) in the league in 1994, the sixth-fewest points surrendered in NFL history at the time. In each of Saban’s four years guiding the Browns’ defense, they never permitted an average of more than 19.2 points per game. He built a reputation as one of the finest defensive coaches in the league and also was heavily involved in the team’s player personnel and scouting process.
Saban at Toledo (1990)
Saban’s first head coaching position came at the University of Toledo in 1990, as he guided the Rockets to a record of 9-2 that year, finishing as co-champions of the Mid-American Conference. The Rockets ranked among the NCAA leaders in both total defense (12th at 284.8 yards) and scoring defense (16th at 16.2 points), and missed posting an undefeated record by a mere five points.
His Early Coaching Days
Saban joined Toledo after serving as secondary coach with the Houston Oilers for two seasons under Jerry Glanville (1988-89), his first NFL coaching position. He quickly made an impact on the Oilers’ defense, as the team’s secondary tied for fourth in the AFC in 1988 with 21 interceptions and tied for second in the conference in 1989 with 22. In his first stint at Michigan State , Saban served as secondary coach and defensive coordinator under George Perles from 1983 through 1987. Saban played an integral part in helping the Spartans to three postseason bowl appearances, including a Big Ten championship in 1987 and a 20-17 victory over Southern California in the 1988 Rose Bowl. Michigan State led the nation in rushing defense in 1987, allowing only 61.2 yards per game, and ranked second in scoring defense, permitting just 12.4 points.
Personal Info and Community Service
A native of Fairmont , W.Va. , Saban is a 1973 graduate of Kent State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business. He earned a master’s degree in sports administration from Kent State in 1975. Born October 31, 1951, Saban and his wife, the former Terry Constable, have two children, Nicholas and Kristen.
Saban also is a published author. He co-authored “Tiger Turnaround” in 2001, a book documenting his first two years as head coach at LSU, and co-authored “How Good Do You Want to Be” in 2005, a book that offers real-life principles for success at work and at home. In addition to his work as a fundraiser for LSU’s Student-Athlete Academic Center , Saban and his wife, Terry, supported several charitable and civic projects in Louisiana . The largest of those efforts was with the Children’s Miracle Network, for which Terry and Nick raised more than $100,000 a year for children. At Michigan State , Saban started the “Nick’s Kids” Foundation, which the Sabans continued in South Florida .
Year by Year with Nick Saban
As A Head Coach
1990 Toledo 9-2 7-1 (1st) Mid-American Conference Champions
1995 Michigan State 6-5-1 4-3-1 (5th) Independence Bowl
1996 Michigan State 6-6 5-3 (5th) Sun Bowl
1997 Michigan State 7-5 4-4 (6th) Aloha Bowl
1998 Michigan State 6-6 4-4 (6th) Defeated top-ranked Ohio State
1999 Michigan State 9-2 6-2 (2nd) Defeated Notre Dame, Michigan , Ohio State and Penn State
2000 LSU 8-4 5-3 (2nd in West) Peach Bowl Champions
2001 LSU 10-3 5-3 (1st in West) SEC Champions; Sugar Bowl Champions
2002 LSU 8-5 5-3 (1st in West) Cotton Bowl
2003 LSU 13-1 7-1 (1st in West) National Champions; SEC Champions; Sugar Bowl Champions
2004 LSU 9-3 6-2 (2nd in West) Capital One Bowl
2005 Miami Dolphins 9-7 Dolphins’ 5-game improvement was among NFL’s best
2006 Miami Dolphins 6-10
Total 13 Seasons 106-59-1 (.642)
As A Head Coach
School (Years)
LSU (2000-03) 48-16 (.750)
Michigan State (1995-99) 34-24-1 (.585)
Toledo (1990) 9-2 (.818)
Miami Dolphins (2005-06) 15-17 (.469)
Total 106-59-1 (.642)
QUOTES ON NICK SABAN (apparently the players are excited):
Joseph Espy, President Pro Tempore of the Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama
“I want to congratulate Mal Moore and Bob Witt on the magnificent outcome of their search for the next head football coach at The University of Alabama. From the outset, they pursued this goal with integrity, determination, and with the very best interests of the University as their top priority. Coach Nick Saban is a talented professional with an extraordinary record. We are particularly impressed by his emphasis on the academic success of student-athletes in his collegiate programs, especially at LSU. Alabama football is a significant economic engine for our state, and we look forward to a great season ahead for the Crimson Tide and its fans around the world.”
Antoine Caldwell, Offensive Lineman
“I am very excited. We have been through a period of uncertainty the last month or so and we finally have some stability. Coach Moore said all along he was going to find us a proven coach with winning record and he has done that with Coach Saban. I feel like he is the right man for the job and he will be good in getting Alabama back on track. I am not just saying this, but the Dolphins are my favorite NFL team and I watch them every week. I watch him on the sidelines and he is really into the game. He has a great knowledge of the game of football, plus he won a national championship at LSU. I think he is a good fit for us here at Alabama .”
Bobby Greenwood, Defensive Lineman
“I’m really excited. I took a recruiting trip to LSU and went to his several of his camps. He is a real down to business guy and he knows what he wants. He can get the very best out of his players and he works real hard. We had a lot of trust that Dr. Witt and Coach Moore would bring us the best coach possible and you can’t ask for anyone better than Coach Saban, who comes from the Miami Dolphins and brings a national championship from LSU. We are all excited.”
John Parker Wilson , Quarterback
“I’m very excited. All of the guys are very glad to have Coach Saban coming to Alabama . He has won a lot of football games and he won the national championship at LSU. That makes it even more exciting for us. We have a lot of guys coming back on offense and I think we have an excellent chance to make a run at it, especially with Coach Saban.”
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Nick Saban, head coach of the National Football League’s Miami Dolphins for the past two seasons, has been named the 27th head football coach of The University of Alabama Crimson Tide. Saban has compiled a record of 106-59-1 (.642) in 13 seasons as a head coach, having also led programs at Louisiana State (LSU), Michigan State and Toledo.
Saban will be introduced at a 10 a.m. CST press conference on Thursday, Jan. 4, in the Naylor Stone Media Room in the Mal M. Moore Athletic Building on the UA campus.
“I am pleased and proud to announce that Nick Saban is the new head football coach at The University of Alabama,” Moore said. “When I set out on this search, I noted that I was seeking a coach who has a proven record of championship success and achievement. Coach Saban brings that proven record of accomplishment and leadership to our program. The hiring of Coach Saban signifies a new era of Crimson Tide football and affirms our commitment to provide our student-athletes and fans with a leader who will continue our commitment to excellence across the board.”
Saban succeeds Mike Shula, who was dismissed on Nov. 27, 2006, after four seasons as head coach at the Capstone with a 26-23 (.531) record, including a 6-6 mark in 2006.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Coach Nick Saban and his family to The University of Alabama,” said Dr. Robert E. Witt, President of the University of Alabama . “We are confident that Coach Saban’s proven record as a head coach and his commitment to the success of our student athletes, on and off the field, combined with the best facilities in America and the passion of tens of thousands of Crimson Tide fans across the nation will lead to many years of success at the championship level.
“I’d also like to commend our athletics director, Mal Moore, for the way he conducted this search, and for its ultimate outcome. From the beginning, Coach Moore has acted with appropriate patience, integrity and respect for the individuals and organizations involved. Our announcement today underscores the quality of the process he followed and his dedication to finding the right coach for this university.”
A veteran head coach who has achieved resounding success on the college level with three programs, Saban has earned a reputation as an outstanding tactician, leader, organizer and motivator. Those qualities have sparked impressive turnarounds at every stop of his career. His teams have repeatedly exhibited grit, determination and resilience, often overcoming adversity to achieve victory. Saban’s consistent approach and disciplined leadership are a proven recipe for success.
During two seasons at the helm of the Miami Dolphins, Saban’s teams showed marked improvement over the unit he inherited. Taking over a team that finished 4-12 in 2004, Saban led the 2005 Dolphins to a 9-7 record, the third biggest turnaround in the NFL that season and the second highest victory turnaround for a Dolphins team in any non-strike season. Most impressively, the Dolphins finished 2005 on a six-game winning streak, the longest streak in the NFL that season.
Saban brings a 91-42-1 (.683) record as a college head coach to Tuscaloosa . His most recent college head coaching stint, a five-season run at LSU, produced a record of 48-16 (.750), one national championship (2003), two Southeastern Conference championships, three SEC West Division championships, and a 3-2 record in bowl games including two Sugar Bowl victories and a Peach Bowl win. The Tigers constructed a 28-12 (.700) record against SEC opponents under Saban’s guidance. He was named the 2003 National Coach of the Year by the Associated Press and earned both the Paul W. “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Year Award and the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award by the Football Writers Association of America. Saban was named SEC Coach of the Year twice (by the Birmingham News in 2001 and by the Associated Press in 2003).
Saban at LSU (2000-04)
Saban’s impact on the LSU program transcended the success on the field. LSU produced 84 Academic All-SEC honorees in Saban’s five seasons, including 25 members of the 2003 national championship squad. LSU’s graduation rate for football players improved dramatically under his watch and two players, offensive tackle Rodney Reed (2002 and 2003) and offensive lineman Rudy Niswanger (2004) earned First Team Academic All-America honors. Linebacker Bradie James earned a post-graduate scholarship from the National Football Foundation in 2003.
Saban also spearheaded a $15 million fundraising effort to fund a new academic center for student-athletes at LSU, and he and his players were active in community involvement in the Baton Rouge area, taking part in community service projects, visiting schools to mentor children and taking time to visit local hospitals on a regular basis. More than 50 of Saban’s LSU players earned their college degrees, in addition to 28 who were selected in the NFL draft, including seven in 2004 and 2006.
Named head coach at LSU on November 30, 1999, Saban led an immediate turnaround of a program that had suffered through seven losing seasons during the 1990s. His 48 victories over five seasons were the third-most among Division 1-A head coaches during that time. Saban, Paul Dietzel and current LSU head coach Les Miles are the only coaches in the program’s history to post multiple 10-win seasons. Saban, Dietzel and Bernie Moore are the only head coaches in Tiger history to win two SEC championships.
Saban’s 2000 Tigers rebounded from two straight losing seasons to post an 8-4 season, capped by a 31-20 win over 15th-ranked Georgia Tech in the Peach Bowl. Home victories over Tennessee , Mississippi State and Alabama highlighted the season, along with a key road win at Ole Miss.
The 2001 Tigers improved to 10-3 overall and won the program’s first outright SEC title since 1986 with a 31-20 win over second-ranked Tennessee in the SEC Championship game. An impressive second half against the Volunteers was a trademark of Saban’s coaching acumen as the Tigers outscored UT, 21-3, in the final half to erase a 17-10 deficit. The Tigers won the game despite the absence of starting quarterback Rohan Davey and running back LaBrandon Toefield. Sparked by one of the most prolific offenses in the nation, a unit that averaged 451.5 yards per game, the Tigers capped the season with a 47-34 defeat of Big Ten champion Illinois in the Sugar Bowl, LSU’s first victory in a New Year’s Day bowl game since 1968.
Stifling defense was the trademark of the 2002 Tigers. LSU posted an 8-5 record and a second consecutive New Year’s Day bowl appearance. The Tigers, who faced Texas in the Cotton Bowl, held opponents to less than 275 yards per game through the season’s first six games and scored a school-record 30 or more points in six straight games that season. The Tigers barely missed winning a second consecutive SEC West Division title as a last-minute comeback by Arkansas in the regular season finale prevented LSU from another appearance in the SEC Championship game. That LSU team overcame the mid-season loss of starting quarterback Matt Mauck, free safety Damien James and Toefield in successive weeks to make a run at an SEC West division title.
Saban’s team philosophy of “out of yourself and into the team” paid huge dividends in 2003. The Tigers produced a 13-1 record, won their second SEC championship and earned the school’s second national championship with a squad that was among the nation’s most dominant on both sides of the line of scrimmage. The LSU offense scored a school-record 475 points (33.9 points per game) while holding 13 of 14 opponents to fewer than 20 points. LSU’s defense ranked first nationally in points allowed per game (11.0) and total defense (252.0 yards per game). After a 7-1 start, LSU ended the season with six dominating victories by an average margin of 35-10. An impressive 34-13 victory over Georgia in the SEC title game paved LSU’s way to an appearance in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Championship Game against top-ranked Oklahoma . The Tigers produced a dominant defensive effort against the Sooners in the Sugar Bowl, limiting OU to 154 yards of total offense in a 21-14 victory that gave LSU the national title.
His final LSU team in 2004 overcame the loss of 13 players from the 2003 team who went on to NFL rosters, posting a 9-3 record while producing the SEC’s best rushing offense (200.7 yards per game). The Tiger defense ranked third nationally during the regular season in total defense (249.9 yards per game) and passing defense (145.4 yards per game), allowing only 15.9 points per contest. Over their last six games, the Tiger defense allowed only 12 points in the second half on the way to a berth in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando against Iowa . LSU’s fourth consecutive January bowl berth marked a first for the Tigers’ program.
Saban at Michigan State (1995-99)
Saban’s stint as head coach at Michigan State from 1995-99 marked his second stint at the East Lansing school, as he also spent 1983-87 as the Spartans’ defensive coordinator/secondary coach. After playing in just one bowl game in the previous four years, Michigan State made four postseason appearances in Saban’s five years at the helm. Saban led MSU to a 34-24-1 (.585) record as head coach.
In 1999, Saban led his final Spartan team to a No. 7 national ranking as MSU finished in a tie for second in the Big Ten. The Spartans defeated Notre Dame, Michigan , Ohio State and Penn State in the same year for the first time since 1965 and recorded six wins at home for the first time since the 1912 season. The Spartans’ performance that year landed them a spot in the Citrus Bowl. The Spartans led the Big Ten in rushing defense (77.0 yards per game) and total defense (299.0 yards per game) while ranking fifth nationally in rushing defense and 11th in total defense. The Spartans offense averaged 31.0 points per game.
Saban was the first coach in school history to put the Spartans in postseason bowl games in each of his first three seasons as he led the Spartans to the Independence Bowl in 1995, the Sun Bowl in 1996 and the Aloha Bowl in 1997.
Saban with the Cleveland Browns (1991-94)
Before joining the Spartans, Saban spent four seasons (1991-94) as defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns under Bill Belichick. The Browns went from allowing the most points (462) in the NFL prior to Saban’s arrival to allowing the fewest points (204) in the league in 1994, the sixth-fewest points surrendered in NFL history at the time. In each of Saban’s four years guiding the Browns’ defense, they never permitted an average of more than 19.2 points per game. He built a reputation as one of the finest defensive coaches in the league and also was heavily involved in the team’s player personnel and scouting process.
Saban at Toledo (1990)
Saban’s first head coaching position came at the University of Toledo in 1990, as he guided the Rockets to a record of 9-2 that year, finishing as co-champions of the Mid-American Conference. The Rockets ranked among the NCAA leaders in both total defense (12th at 284.8 yards) and scoring defense (16th at 16.2 points), and missed posting an undefeated record by a mere five points.
His Early Coaching Days
Saban joined Toledo after serving as secondary coach with the Houston Oilers for two seasons under Jerry Glanville (1988-89), his first NFL coaching position. He quickly made an impact on the Oilers’ defense, as the team’s secondary tied for fourth in the AFC in 1988 with 21 interceptions and tied for second in the conference in 1989 with 22. In his first stint at Michigan State , Saban served as secondary coach and defensive coordinator under George Perles from 1983 through 1987. Saban played an integral part in helping the Spartans to three postseason bowl appearances, including a Big Ten championship in 1987 and a 20-17 victory over Southern California in the 1988 Rose Bowl. Michigan State led the nation in rushing defense in 1987, allowing only 61.2 yards per game, and ranked second in scoring defense, permitting just 12.4 points.
Personal Info and Community Service
A native of Fairmont , W.Va. , Saban is a 1973 graduate of Kent State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business. He earned a master’s degree in sports administration from Kent State in 1975. Born October 31, 1951, Saban and his wife, the former Terry Constable, have two children, Nicholas and Kristen.
Saban also is a published author. He co-authored “Tiger Turnaround” in 2001, a book documenting his first two years as head coach at LSU, and co-authored “How Good Do You Want to Be” in 2005, a book that offers real-life principles for success at work and at home. In addition to his work as a fundraiser for LSU’s Student-Athlete Academic Center , Saban and his wife, Terry, supported several charitable and civic projects in Louisiana . The largest of those efforts was with the Children’s Miracle Network, for which Terry and Nick raised more than $100,000 a year for children. At Michigan State , Saban started the “Nick’s Kids” Foundation, which the Sabans continued in South Florida .
Year by Year with Nick Saban
As A Head Coach
1990 Toledo 9-2 7-1 (1st) Mid-American Conference Champions
1995 Michigan State 6-5-1 4-3-1 (5th) Independence Bowl
1996 Michigan State 6-6 5-3 (5th) Sun Bowl
1997 Michigan State 7-5 4-4 (6th) Aloha Bowl
1998 Michigan State 6-6 4-4 (6th) Defeated top-ranked Ohio State
1999 Michigan State 9-2 6-2 (2nd) Defeated Notre Dame, Michigan , Ohio State and Penn State
2000 LSU 8-4 5-3 (2nd in West) Peach Bowl Champions
2001 LSU 10-3 5-3 (1st in West) SEC Champions; Sugar Bowl Champions
2002 LSU 8-5 5-3 (1st in West) Cotton Bowl
2003 LSU 13-1 7-1 (1st in West) National Champions; SEC Champions; Sugar Bowl Champions
2004 LSU 9-3 6-2 (2nd in West) Capital One Bowl
2005 Miami Dolphins 9-7 Dolphins’ 5-game improvement was among NFL’s best
2006 Miami Dolphins 6-10
Total 13 Seasons 106-59-1 (.642)
As A Head Coach
School (Years)
LSU (2000-03) 48-16 (.750)
Michigan State (1995-99) 34-24-1 (.585)
Toledo (1990) 9-2 (.818)
Miami Dolphins (2005-06) 15-17 (.469)
Total 106-59-1 (.642)
QUOTES ON NICK SABAN (apparently the players are excited):
Joseph Espy, President Pro Tempore of the Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama
“I want to congratulate Mal Moore and Bob Witt on the magnificent outcome of their search for the next head football coach at The University of Alabama. From the outset, they pursued this goal with integrity, determination, and with the very best interests of the University as their top priority. Coach Nick Saban is a talented professional with an extraordinary record. We are particularly impressed by his emphasis on the academic success of student-athletes in his collegiate programs, especially at LSU. Alabama football is a significant economic engine for our state, and we look forward to a great season ahead for the Crimson Tide and its fans around the world.”
Antoine Caldwell, Offensive Lineman
“I am very excited. We have been through a period of uncertainty the last month or so and we finally have some stability. Coach Moore said all along he was going to find us a proven coach with winning record and he has done that with Coach Saban. I feel like he is the right man for the job and he will be good in getting Alabama back on track. I am not just saying this, but the Dolphins are my favorite NFL team and I watch them every week. I watch him on the sidelines and he is really into the game. He has a great knowledge of the game of football, plus he won a national championship at LSU. I think he is a good fit for us here at Alabama .”
Bobby Greenwood, Defensive Lineman
“I’m really excited. I took a recruiting trip to LSU and went to his several of his camps. He is a real down to business guy and he knows what he wants. He can get the very best out of his players and he works real hard. We had a lot of trust that Dr. Witt and Coach Moore would bring us the best coach possible and you can’t ask for anyone better than Coach Saban, who comes from the Miami Dolphins and brings a national championship from LSU. We are all excited.”
John Parker Wilson , Quarterback
“I’m very excited. All of the guys are very glad to have Coach Saban coming to Alabama . He has won a lot of football games and he won the national championship at LSU. That makes it even more exciting for us. We have a lot of guys coming back on offense and I think we have an excellent chance to make a run at it, especially with Coach Saban.”
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Johnson, Ware NFL-bound
I was in the car for eight hours today, but I'm back in Columbus for good now...or until when I assume I'll go back to Athens for spring football...but I was in the truck on the way back from Mobile tonight when Georgia announced Charles Johnson and Danny Ware are heading for the pros.
After Saturday's game, I didn't expect either of them to be at Georgia next year. One of Auburn's players told reporters off the record a week or two ago that he'd spoken with Charles and that he was planning on leaving. Of course, Charles was saying all the right things until the bowl game, but I got a chance to talk to coach Richt about that on the side at one point. He basically said something like that it wouldn't surprise him, but that they were going to wait to talk it over after the bowl. Basically it was one of those situations where you knew what was most likely going to happen, but you have to wait until Charles was ready to be frank about it. He did it the right way, waiting until after the bowl so as not to be a distraction.
I thought Ware might transfer instead of going pro. It was overwhelmingly clear lately that his heart wasn't in being at Georgia again next year and that he doesn't think he was being given enough of a chance to show what he can do. And let's be honest, next year might have been even worse for him in that regard. We'll see what happens with Paul Oliver within the next few days. My gut says he'll be back, but you never know what will happen in these decisions. I wouldn't be surprised whichever way he decides to go.
Here's a breakdown of the NFL decision for Charles and Danny as I see it.
Charles Johnson:
Why to leave: Finished strong on national TV against VT and is currently a hot name; Had a breakout season where he led a very good defense in sacks (9.5), tackles for loss (19), pass breakups (10) and QB pressures (27); is currently healthy and who knows what might happen next year?; probably goes in the first two rounds and is in line for a tasty payday
Why to stay: Is not far from graduation; could probably help himself a bit more with a strong senior year; defensive end class next year won't be as strong; Georgia could be primed for a big year next year and would really benefit by not losing both star DEs (i.e., he could play a big part in the team contending for conference title, BCS, etc.)
Danny Ware:
Why to leave: His versatility might help him catch on with someone, as he's a good blocker, receiver and runner...he's just not really great at any of those things; Probably wouldn't get much more of an opportunity next year to show anything he hasn't already shown; Seems like he wants to move onto other things; The possibility of an NFL paycheck has to be awfully enticing; He's healthy, in good shape and could probably put up some good numbers at the combine
Why to stay: May not get drafted; Has not exactly shown he can stay healthy and be productive for an entire season; Getting a degree may be the best thing for him; Couldn't even crack the starting lineup on a team whose running game is at best average; You never know, a new OC might be able to find new ways to use him in the offense. It worked for Ronnie Brown at Auburn; Come on, he rushed for 300 yards this year.
Here's coach Richt's quote from the school's press release:
"I met with each of them individually on Monday and we had a good discussion. They both felt that considering all the factors involved, the best decision was to enter the draft this year. Both indicated to me how much they appreciated the opportunity to play at Georgia and the experience they had while in Athens. Charles and Danny are within reach of graduation and I certainly indicated to them the hope they would finish their degrees. In the final analysis we always want what's best for each player and in these two cases, both were confident this was the right decision. Of course, we wish them the very best and appreciate their contributions to the Georgia program. They will always be part of our Bulldog family."
After Saturday's game, I didn't expect either of them to be at Georgia next year. One of Auburn's players told reporters off the record a week or two ago that he'd spoken with Charles and that he was planning on leaving. Of course, Charles was saying all the right things until the bowl game, but I got a chance to talk to coach Richt about that on the side at one point. He basically said something like that it wouldn't surprise him, but that they were going to wait to talk it over after the bowl. Basically it was one of those situations where you knew what was most likely going to happen, but you have to wait until Charles was ready to be frank about it. He did it the right way, waiting until after the bowl so as not to be a distraction.
I thought Ware might transfer instead of going pro. It was overwhelmingly clear lately that his heart wasn't in being at Georgia again next year and that he doesn't think he was being given enough of a chance to show what he can do. And let's be honest, next year might have been even worse for him in that regard. We'll see what happens with Paul Oliver within the next few days. My gut says he'll be back, but you never know what will happen in these decisions. I wouldn't be surprised whichever way he decides to go.
Here's a breakdown of the NFL decision for Charles and Danny as I see it.
Charles Johnson:
Why to leave: Finished strong on national TV against VT and is currently a hot name; Had a breakout season where he led a very good defense in sacks (9.5), tackles for loss (19), pass breakups (10) and QB pressures (27); is currently healthy and who knows what might happen next year?; probably goes in the first two rounds and is in line for a tasty payday
Why to stay: Is not far from graduation; could probably help himself a bit more with a strong senior year; defensive end class next year won't be as strong; Georgia could be primed for a big year next year and would really benefit by not losing both star DEs (i.e., he could play a big part in the team contending for conference title, BCS, etc.)
Danny Ware:
Why to leave: His versatility might help him catch on with someone, as he's a good blocker, receiver and runner...he's just not really great at any of those things; Probably wouldn't get much more of an opportunity next year to show anything he hasn't already shown; Seems like he wants to move onto other things; The possibility of an NFL paycheck has to be awfully enticing; He's healthy, in good shape and could probably put up some good numbers at the combine
Why to stay: May not get drafted; Has not exactly shown he can stay healthy and be productive for an entire season; Getting a degree may be the best thing for him; Couldn't even crack the starting lineup on a team whose running game is at best average; You never know, a new OC might be able to find new ways to use him in the offense. It worked for Ronnie Brown at Auburn; Come on, he rushed for 300 yards this year.
Here's coach Richt's quote from the school's press release:
"I met with each of them individually on Monday and we had a good discussion. They both felt that considering all the factors involved, the best decision was to enter the draft this year. Both indicated to me how much they appreciated the opportunity to play at Georgia and the experience they had while in Athens. Charles and Danny are within reach of graduation and I certainly indicated to them the hope they would finish their degrees. In the final analysis we always want what's best for each player and in these two cases, both were confident this was the right decision. Of course, we wish them the very best and appreciate their contributions to the Georgia program. They will always be part of our Bulldog family."
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