Recruiting

Image: Athens Banner Herald

Hah, I guess Lane Kiffin thought he’d let the situation cool a little bit before going after released UGA commit Dexter Moody.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Moody said he was invited to Tennessee’s Orange and White game on Saturday by the Volunteers. ”Me and my dad are planning on going up there,” Moody said. “They talked liked they were going to offer me a scholarship. I don’t know. I guess we’ll see. They just want to meet me in person and everything.”

At the time the thinking seemed to be that a guy released from one SEC school for a dust up with a teacher probably wouldn’t be offered a scholly from another SEC school.

But alas, this is the age of Kiffin! Really, isn’t he just conforming to Tennessee’s already subterranean standards?

Mr. Moody spices things up a little more.

“Coach Thompson said they need some linebackers really bad,” Moody said. “I’m definitely very interested in Tennessee. It wouldn’t be bad to go there and be able to play against Georgia every year. That would be something, taking out some of my feelings against the team that released me. I think it would be fun.”

A little sour grapes? It’s too bad Moody couldn’t walk the straight and narrow long enough to become a Dawg but it is starting to sound like he was just saving us some trouble later on.

Who knows? I hope he gets it back between the lines and has success against every team but Georgia… the team he most wants to be successful against.

Image:Tampa Tribune

The fact that a former NFL coach who can show off a Super Bowl ring dispensed important advice to a high school recruit isn’t really big news. The fact that Charles was intelligent enough to exploit that resource demonstrates it would be an important factor in his decision. What is interesting though is what it was about Dungy’s counsel that impacted Charles’s decision to come to UGA.

“I know Orson was having a little trouble making his decision,” Dungy said. “He had it down to a few schools. He came by my house and the last thing we talked about was, ‘Hey, just assume you get hurt the first day you ever step on campus. You want to go to a place where you’re going to enjoy the school, [the] players that you’re around, [the] coaches. And you’re going to able to have that great atmosphere outside of football. Don’t think of football, but how it’s going to be as a family.’”

More validation of the “Georgia Way” producing results on the recruiting trail. We should again all be thankful that Richt is building a productive, sustainable foundation that is producing Championships on the field and winners off the field.

Image: Kelly Lambert

Dexter Moody has been released from his letter of intent to play football at The University of Georgia. Apparently Moody had a plan laid out for him by UGA and he veered way off track.

“I think there’s some disappointment there, but he’s a senior in high school and when they give you a plan to follow and you don’t follow it, you kind of reap what you sow,” said Turner, who said he has talked to Moody’s father.

In Moody’s words it was just a little altercation between he and a teacher.

“I got in a little trouble down here fussing with a chemistry teacher,” Moody said. “Me and him got in an argument. He didn’t write me up or anything, but one of our assistant coaches went back to the principal and told him.”

The most grating part of the whole mess for me is this quote from Moody.

“I’m not upset about it,” Moody said. “It ain’t no big deal really. It really wasn’t my favorite school. I was going because I had a teammate on the team that was going too. He encouraged me to go.”

Sounds like a little sour grapes and a little I’m trying to make my colossal f-up seem like no big thang.

Actually the worst part is probably where Moody will end up on Saturdays now that Georgia is out of the picture.

Moody also considered Florida and LSU.

D’oh. I guess LSU would be the less painful but Moody suiting up as a Gator would make any Dog’s stomach turn.

What did I just hear? Oh, that’s the sound of Lane Kiffin putting Moody on his speed dial.

LINKS:

• UGA releases LB signee Dexter Moody – AJC
• Football recruit Moody dropped after school tiff – Red & Black

Image: SI

Orson Charles, the Plant High School TE/WR has chosen to play his college football at the University of Georgia.

His choice ends a solid month of intense speculation since most other senior high school prospects chose colleges on February 5th, national signing day.

Charles figures to be a match-up nightmare with great speed and quickness to go along with his traditional TE frame.

All I got to say is… HOW ABOUT THIS 2009 RECRUITING CLASS? Where are we now? Top 5?

RELATED LINKS:

• Charles ends wait, signs with Bulldogs – Athens Banner-Herald
• Orson Charles is a Dawg – Bernie’s Dawg Blawg
• Orson Charles picks Georgia over Tennessee and Southern Cal – AJC
• Orson Charles picks UGA – Georgia College Football Examiner
• UGA’s other TE recruit Arthur Lynch, glad for addition - AJC
• Tampa TE Orson Charles Signs With Bulldogs – GeorgiaDogs.com
• Charles Picks UGA! – TotalUGA

Image: Tampa Tribune

Well, tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 Orson Charles will effectively end the 2009 recruiting period for Georgia, Tennessee and USC. He will pull off a shirt to reveal the jersey of the team of his choice at a press conference.

Where will he go? Lately, there has been a little buzz about Tennesee being the slight favorite to gain the use of his services for the next four years.

This little bit from a Q & A with the AJC’s Michael Carvell could be viewed as supporting the rumor that he is leaning towards becoming a Vol.

Another advantage is playing in front of 108,000 people. You wave your arm and the whole stadium shakes. All of their coaching staff comes from the NFL, so they know what it takes to get to that next level. You can tell their coaches have a passion for the game. They expect the best, and they want to win. The other teams want to do that, too. But I feel like something is different about Tennessee. They have a chip on their shoulder, which is good.

“…I feel like something is different about Tennessee”.

That is your lean right there. Will it be enough to tip it for the Vols? Who knows. Remember, Greg Reid went to bed ‘Bama but woke up FSU. I really have no doubt that at the time of that comment Tennessee was the team that may have led by a whisker. After all, Tony Dungy assured him they all were great programs with bright futures all that’s left to distinguish the three is his instinct. “Something different” is Mr. Charles’s instinct pointing him toward Knoxville.

If he does choose UT, it would have to be considered an “upset” if such a characterization exists in recruiting. Georgia has been considered the odds on favorite since he dropped Florida a few weeks ago. Even though Tennessee may have an edge Mr. Charles still has great things to say about the Dawgs.

My [former teammate at Plant High], Aaron Murray, is there. I feel very comfortable with the coaches. They’ve been recruiting me the longest, one full year. I like how they attack at practice. They get after it. Every time Aaron and I went to watch practices last year, they’d always have at least one fight. That’s not hatred; that’s tough love which builds character. Another thing, I went to [UGA's summer] camp and got after it with [tight ends coach John Lilly]. We chest-bumped and everything. He gets really excited about coaching players, and I like that.”

The most important factor may be the first part of his answer. Some believed the Murray factor has been overplayed but what Georgia has going for it is their stability, and Murray being such a known quantity (who is going to throw passes to him at UT?) adds to that tremendously.

He expands on the Murray factor.

It makes a difference. Like with every wide receiver or tight end, you would like to know what type of quarterback you have. I know what Aaron can do. We’re good friends. He really loves Georgia. He would like it for me to play at Georgia with him. But he wants me to pick the school that best fits me. I told Aaron if it’s Georgia, then let’s go ahead and win the national championship. If it’s not Georgia, then we’ll still be good friends down the road.”

I like the way all that sounds. Hopefully, the factors in favor of Georgia will prove insurmountable when 4:30 p.m. Friday rolls around.

The bats stayed hot for the Diamond Dogs out in balmy Tuscon, Arizona helping Georgia deliver an impressive sweep in the three game series.

Georgia outscored Arizona 33-14 in the three games and out hit the Wildcats 49-25. The Bulldogs scored double-digits in each game of the three-game road series for just the second time ever and the first time since 1982.

The Diamond Dogs are now 8-0, one victory away from matching the best start in school history. How far back was that? How about pre-WWI era Georgia Baseball… 1911.

The Diamond Dogs will get their shot at that bit of history on Wednesday night against Wofford. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

Image: Kelly Lambert/Athens Banner-Herald

The Gym Dogs came out and gave their best performance of the year against the hated Florida Gators Saturday night to defeat them 198.200-196.650 to remain undefeated in the 2009 regular season.

Courtney Cupets sealed the deal by delivering the fourth 10 of her career.

“Courtney really grabbed a hold of that leadership role,” Yoculan said. “She really took it to heart, spent sometime thinking about it and ran all over town trying to find 15 pairs of boxing gloves. You’ve got to hand it to her. She’s definitely learned a few things from this old coach.”

With the victory Georgia tightens it’s hold on the number 1 ranking. Though, Yoculan questioned whether or not the Gym Dogs were deserving of that ranking to motivate the team for the Florida meet.

This past week, Georgia coach Suzanne Yoculan challenged her seniors to emerge as leaders and voiced concern that she didn’t feel the Gym Dogs were the No. 1 team in the country, even though the rankings proved otherwise.

The Gym Dogs responded by delivering the finest performance in over a decade. Can they stay consistent and deliver a fourth straight national title to Athens?

Image: Scout.com

In what is definitely a surprise to me, Orson Charles has dropped Florida from the list of schools he is considering. It is now down to UGA, Tennessee and USC.

“I appreciate Florida’s interest. I think very highly of Coach Meyer and the Gators,” wrote Charles, a 6-foot-3 prospect from Tampa-Plant. “This was a tough decision for my family. Please understand me and my family’s call. Thank you and God bless.”

Now that we know his final three I really like Georgia’s chances. Florida was the team that I felt like might get him in the end because it was close, and the home state school.

Charles will make his final decision on March 6, but all signs point to him signing with Georgia. His high school quarterback, Aaron Murray, already signed with the Dawgs, and Charles favorite jersey number 7 came open this year with Matthew Stafford heading to the NFL.

He seems like the kind of kid that wouldn’t go for Kiffin’s recruiting voodoo and then it would boil down to Georgia and USC. So, do you want to commit to playing four years at a place you’ve only visited once?

I got a good feeling about Orson Charles. We’ll all know on March 6th.

RELATED LINKS:

• TE Orson Charles keeps UGA among his finalists – AJC
• Georgia poised to add a tight end? – ESPN
• TE Orson Charles takes small step toward end of recruiting journey – AJC
• Orson Charles eliminates Gators – Orlando Sentinel

Image: CLIFF McBRIDE

According to this post by the AJC’s Michael Carvell Orson Charles has confirmed he will not be signing a letter of commitment until the last day possible, March 6th.

On Tuesday, tight end Orson Charles of Tampa, who is one of the nation’s top unsigned seniors, confirmed that he will announce his college decision on March 6. Charles is deciding between Florida, Georgia, Southern Cal and Tennessee. Charles also said he will narrow down to “two or three” schools on Wednesday, but did not offer any hints.

So, it looks like we’ll get one last update before decision day. I’m guessing the final two will be Florida and Georgia. I think it’s possible that he’ll give USC the courtesy of being on his final list but that Tennessee will definitely be eliminated before the moment of truth arrives.

Image: St. Petersburg Times

Well, everyone’s favorite tight end is back home from his visit to USC (subscription required) this weekend.

The good news is he didn’t commit so while he may have had a great experience in Los Angeles he did not put ink to paper and sign up to play for the Men of Troy.

I believe that bodes well for Florida and Georgia because after consulting with friends and family back home it will be a lot more difficult to spend the next four years so far away from those who are giving you the advice. That’s just my two cents.

It appears that Mr. Charles’ decision won’t be coming down until March so he’ll be testing the patience of all of the Dogs, Gators and Trojans who are awaiting word on whether or not his decision goes their way.