Tag: Bulldogs

Georgia basketball adds commitment from 4-star Blue Cain

UGA basketball picks up a class of 2023 commitment from four-star shooting guard Blue Cain

The Georgia Bulldogs basketball program has quietly added a lot of talent this offseason. Mike White and Georgia are looking to build upon a 16-16 season.

The Dawgs’ latest addition is four-star shooting guard Blue Cain. Cain played high school basketball for IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

The 6-foot-4, 180-pound shooting guard is the No. 78 recruit in the class of 2023. Cain is considered the No. 11 shooting guard and the eighth-best player in Florida.

The four-star committed to Georgia over Florida, Virginia, and Georgia Tech. Blue Cain’s commitment bumps Georgia up to the No. 13 recruiting class in the country. The Bulldogs are adding a few other talented players via the transfer portal ahead of the 2023-2024 college basketball season. It takes a lot of talent to compete in the SEC. Georgia’s recruiting class is second in the conference behind only Kentucky.

Blue Cain of the IMG Academy is mobbed by teammates and coaches after hitting the game winning shot against Prolific Prep in GEICO High School Nationals quarterfinal game. The News-Press

Head coach Mike White and Georgia have commitments from four players in the class of 2023. All four of Georgia’s commitments are ranked as four-star recruits. Additionally, the Bulldogs have added three players via the transfer portal. Georgia still have one remaining scholarship spot.

Blue Cain hit a clutch shot in a national basketball tournament. He played against a strong level of competition at IMG Academy.

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College Football News makes postseason prediction for 2023 Georgia Bulldogs

CFN released its postseason predictions for the 2023 season

The Georgia Bulldogs are currently the kings of college football. After winning back-to-back national titles, UGA is looking to go for the three-peat in 2023.

Pete Fiutak of College Football News seems to think Georgia has a pretty solid shot of at least putting itself in position to win it all. Fiutak recently released his bowl projections for next season and has Georgia going to the championship game, though he did not provide a prediction for the title game.

Fiutak’s four College Football Playoff teams include Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State and Texas.

He has Georgia playing Texas in the Sugar Bowl from New Orleans. In the other semifinal game, the Rose Bowl, Fiutak projects an Alabama vs. Ohio State matchup.

He predicts Georgia and Ohio State to win their playoff games and meet in the national championship, in what would be a rematch of last season’s epic Peach Bowl. Georgia beat Ohio State 42-41 in the semifinal last season to advance to the national title, where it beat TCU 65-7.

According to Vegas, no school has better odds to win it all than UGA does. Georgia’s odds are currently listed at +225, per BetMGM. Alabama has the second best odds (+500).

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Georgia opens its season on Sept. 2, and has arguably the easiest schedule in the entire conference next season.

Damn Good Dawg: Uga X’s historic career in photos

Que, you are a Damn Good Dawg. Enjoy retirement.

Georgia Bulldogs mascot Uga X, also known as ‘Que’ due to his all white figure that resembles a cue ball or a Q-tip, will officially retire as UGA’s most successful mascots ever.

Que began his tenure as Georgiaā€™s mascot in 2015, being formally crowned in a collaring ceremony in Nov. 2015. He was only 2.5 years old then, and nobody knew that the young pup was about to change Georgia football forever.

Que’s first full season as the official mascot was in 2016, which was also Kirby Smart’s first season in Athens. Together, the two of them reached unbelievable heights, including back-to-back College Football Playoff National Championships, two SEC titles and victories in the Rose, Sugar, Orange and Peach bowls. Que leaves Georgia with an impressive 91-18 record.

Uga XI is now ready to takeover the hearts of the DawgNation. Also known as ‘Boom,’ the 10-month-old English Bulldog will be introduced as Uga XI during pregame ceremonies shortly before Georgia’s spring game this Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.

Here are our favorite photos of Uga X over the last few seasons.

Georgia’s Kelee Ringo ranked No. 9 CB in NFL draft by Draft Wire

Is this too low?

Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo is considered one of the top corners in the 2023 NFL draft.

Ringoā€™s size and athleticism was on full display at the NFL combine and UGAā€™s pro day. The Tacoma, Wa., native checked in at 6-foot-2, 207 pounds and clocked a blazing 4.36 40-yard dash in Indianapolis.

Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon recently ranked the top-20 corners in this yearā€™s draft with Ringo coming in at No. 9.

There are times Ringo looks like the best-in-class, and heā€™s got the athletic profile to back it up. There are also more than a few times when he looks like heā€™s never played football before, and the maddening fluctuations make him a very high-risk/reward outside CB prospect.

ESPN’s Matt Miller also released his top ranked cornerback prospects in the draft, where he placed Ringo at No. 6.

ā€œIf we had done this exercise last summer, Ringo would have been higher. He was one of the top prospects in the entire class before the 2022 season began, but Ringo struggled last year as teams picked on him with breaking routes that challenged his change-of-direction skills. At 6-2 and 207 pounds, he has fantastic size and legitimate 4.3 speed (4.36 at the combine), but final appearances against LSUĀ (six catches allowed for 104 yards) andĀ then Ohio StateĀ in the College Football Playoff (five catches allowed for 75 yards) have stuck in evaluatorsā€™ minds. And against the Buckeyes, it wasnā€™t all justĀ Marvin Harrison Jr.ā€

According to Miller, Ringoā€™s measurements are impressive, but there is a concern in man coverage ability.

ā€œOne defensive backs coach thinks a position change might help, though: ā€˜I almost think you move him to free safety if you run a man defense. Itā€™s that bad.’

Ringo has impressive metrics and did record four career interceptions. He also broke up 10 passes last season and had 42 tackles. Thereā€™s no doubting the elite size, tackling ability and recovery speed, but the man coverage traits need developing if he stays at cornerback. Heā€™s probably safely a Round 2 guy, but I think he has to play in Cover 3 or make a position change,ā€ said an AFC area scout.ā€

Miller projects Ringo as a best fit for the Seattle Seahawks,Ā San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets.

The draft will kickoff on April 27 televised on the NFL Network.

Salary info revealed for new UGA hires Brandon Streeter, Darrell Dickey

UGA salaries revealed for the two former Power Five offensive coordinators

Georgia football filled voids on its offensive staff on Monday with the hiring of formerĀ ClemsonĀ offensive coordinatorĀ Brandon StreeterĀ and formerĀ Texas A&MĀ offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey.

On Thursday, UGA announced the salaries of the two new hires, which came cheaply.

Both Streeter and Dickey will earn $70,000 at Georgia, per UGASports. Their titles officially read “quality control coordinator.”

Streeter is still owed the remaining $1.85 million by Clemson over the next two years from his original three-year contract that paid him $925,000 annually. That number will be reduced dollar by dollar by what he earns through full-time employment during that period.

Dickey’s Texas A&M contract had one year remaining on it in which he was set to earn $850,000. It is not publicly known whether his Georgia salary will reduce the Aggies’ payments to Dickey.

Streeter, 46, played at Clemson from 1997-1999. He served as recruiting coordinator and quarterbacks coach after returning to the Tigers in 2014. He spent the 2022 season as the Tigersā€™ offensive coordinator and Clemson showed improvement, but hired former TCU offensive coordinator Garrett Riley after the season.

Dickey, 63, joined the Aggiesā€™ staff in 2018 after Jimbo Fisherā€™s hiring as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. A&M finished fourth in the Southeastern Conference in total offense and scoring offense in 2018 and 2020.

Dickey moved to tight ends coach and Fisher took over play calling in 2022. After a disappointing season, Dickey was let go and the Aggies brought in Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator.

Streeter and Dickeyā€™s addition fills the roles left by former offensive analysts Buster Faulkner, now at Georgia Tech, and Mike Bobo, now the offensive coordinator following the departure ofĀ Todd MonkenĀ to theĀ Baltimore Ravens.

Former Georgia WR Mecole Hardman finds new NFL home

Mecole Hardman agrees to deal with the Jets

On Wednesday, former Georgia wide receiver Mecole Hardman signed aĀ  contract with the New York Jets, per Ian Rapoport.

It’s a one-year deal worth up to $6.5 million, per Rapoport.

A second round pick in the 2019 NFL draft, Hardman had spent all four of his NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.Ā 

He recently underwent successful surgery for a core muscle and pelvis injury that held him out of the Chiefsā€™ Super Bowl win over the Eagles last season.

Via Jets Wire:

Hardman joins what is shaping up to be a strong arsenal of weapons on the outside, along with newly-signed Allen Lazard and Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson.

Hardman can help take the top off a defense and make big plays deep while also opening up the field for Lazard and Wilson. The offense looks very intriguing now for the boys in green.

The Bowman, Georgia native missed much of the second half of the season with injury. He returned for the AFC championship game against theĀ Cincinnati BengalsĀ but re-injured his pelvis in that game.

Hardman is a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs and has recorded 151 receptions for 2,088 yards and 20 total touchdowns in his career.

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Buffalo Bills release former Georgia WR after five years

ICYMI: The Bills released former Georgia WR Isaiah McKenzie on Friday

Former Georgia wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie was released by the Buffalo Bills on Friday.

Bills Wire called the decision a “money-saving move” by Buffalo.

Friday was a decision day for McKenzieā€™s future with the team. The Bills owed him a roster bonus that day, according toĀ Spotrac.

That was worth $250,000, and Buffalo saved that, plus approximately $2 million in cap space in cutting McKenzie.

McKenzie, 27, had played with the Bills for the past five seasons. He was a key special teams player and solid receiver for Buffalo. In 2022, he recorded 42 receptions for 423 yards and five total touchdowns.

Mckenzie played for Georgia from 2014-2016 before being drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

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Kirby Smart’s record vs. each SEC team as Georgia head coach

Kirby Smart’s record against every SEC team

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has faced every SEC team at least once since taking over in Athens in 2016.

Through those seven seasons, Smart has guided the Bulldogs to five SEC championship games, winning two. He has been to three College Football Playoff national championships, winning two of those as well.

Smart has played no team more than the Auburn Tigers, who he’s faced a total of eight times (seven regular-season games, one conference championship). He has Auburn’s number, going 7-1 vs. the Tigers. Same goes for every team in the SEC East. But a few schools have the edge on Smart, and Ole Miss is the only SEC team that Smart has not beaten as head coach at Georgia.

Smart’s record against each SEC team:

Browns safety recruits Mecole Hardman to Cleveland, WR responds

Mecole Hardman’s old KC teammate is trying to recruit the former UGA WR to the Cleveland Browns

Safety Juan Thornhill played alongside Mecole Hardman for four years during their time together with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Hardman, the former Georgia wide receiver who was taken in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft, is a free agent for the first time in his career.

Thornhill, who was also a free agent this offseason but signed with the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday, is already trying to recruit his former teammate to join him in Cleveland.

Hardman responded:

Hardman recently underwent successful surgery for a core muscle and pelvis injury that held him out of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win over the Eagles.

The Bowman, Georgia native missed much of the second half of the season with injury. He returned for the AFC championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals but re-injured his pelvis in that game.

Hardman is a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs and has recorded 151 receptions for 2,088 yards and 20 total touchdowns in his career.

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ESPN ranks CFB teams with most returning production in 2023. Where’s Georgia?

Georgia will have a lot of talent to replace this offseason

The 2023 Georgia Bulldogs will enter the season as the back-to-back defending national champions, but they will have a new look after losing a number of guys to the NFL draftĀ and theĀ NCAA transfer portal.

ESPNā€™s Bill Connelly recently releasedĀ hisĀ returning production rankings, which looks at which programs return the most production from last yearā€™s teams. This category is one of the three factors that go into his SP+ rankings and account for a majority of the formula.

Georgia checked in at No. 80 in the rankings, returning 61% of its production from last season. Connelly also breaks it down by offensive and defensive production. Georgia returns 52% on offense (109th nationally) and 70% on defense (42nd nationally).

In 2021, Georgia ranked No. 96, returning 59% of its production from the previous season. And that was after losing 15 guys to the NFL draft and 13 more to the transfer portal.

Connelly listed Florida State, Michigan, Texas A&M, Missouri, USC, Utah, Texas and Washington as the teams most likely to improve next season.

Alabama, TCU, Kansas State, UTSA and Iowa are the teams Connelly considers most likely to regress.

For comparison purposes, Auburn ranks No. 28 with 71% production returning, Ole Miss ranks No. 30, LSU No. 32, Clemson No. 36, Tennessee No. 69 and Alabama No. 125.

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