Tag: college football season news

UGA Twitter reacts: Georgia recruiting stays hot, gains commitment from 4-star RB Jordan James

Georgia is on a recruiting hot streak. Find out what UGA Twitter has to say about new four-star running back commit Jordan James here.

UGA football recruiting is on fire right now. The Dawgs have gained three commitments in five days for the class of 2022. The most recent commit is four-star running back Jordan James, who announced his commitment to Georgia on Monday afternoon.

James, 5-foot-10, 205 pounds, is from Murfreesboro, Tenn., and plays for Oakland High School. He’s rated as the No. 3 player in Tennessee, the No. 17 running back and the No. 179 prospect overall (247Sports).

He joins five-star athlete Malaki Starks and four-star outside linebacker Jalon Walker as the most recent Dawg commitments. Georgia now has the No. 2 ranked class in the country behind Ohio State.

Check out how UGA Twitter reacted to the Dawgs dominating recruiting and James’ commitment:

 

A new episode of “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton” is here! J.C. is joined by former Georgia tight end Arthur Lynch to talk UGA football, his life as U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant and more. Listen here:

 

4-star RB Jordan James commits to Georgia Football

Georgia football stays hot on the recruiting trail and adds four-star running back Jordan James to the nation’s No. 2 class. Details here.

The recruiting run Georgia football is on right now is something to behold. 2022 four-star running back Jordan James chose the Bulldogs on Monday afternoon, which marks the 3rd commit in five days for UGA.

James, 5-foot-10, 205 pounds, is from Murfreesboro, Tenn., and plays for Oakland High School. He’s rated as the No. 3 player in Tennessee, the No. 17 running back and the No. 179 prospect overall (247Sports).

In 2020, James rushed for 1,752 yards and 26 touchdowns and added 8 catches for 180 yards and a touchdown.

James joins recent Georgia commits Malaki Starks, a five-star athlete who committed to the Dawgs on Thursday, and Jalon Walker, a four-star outside linebacker who committed to UGA on Sunday, as the most recent additions to Georgia’s 2022 recruiting class.

The commitment surge bolted UGA to the No. 2 class in the nation behind Ohio State.

 

A new episode of “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton” is here! J.C. is joined by former Georgia tight end Arthur Lynch to talk UGA football, his life as U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant and more. Listen here:

Top 2022 OLB Jalon Walker commits to Georgia football

Georgia football stays hot on the recruiting trail with a big-time commitment from four-star linebacker Jalon Walker.

Another big commitment is in the books for Georgia football. 2022 four-star outside linebacker Jalon Walker chose the Bulldogs over Clemson, Alabama and North Carolina in an announcement Sunday afternoon.

Five-star athlete Malaki Starks committed to the Dawgs on Thursday and now Walker, who joins a stout Georgia class rated as the No. 2 class in the country, first in the SEC.

https://twitter.com/JalonWlaker/status/1376160676721344513

The Salisbury, N.C., native is six-foot-two, 220 pounds and is rated as the No. 4 outside linebacker, the No. 2 player in North Carolina and the No. 50 player overall in the 2022 recruiting class.

Walker is a three-sport athlete at Salisbury High School where he stars in football, basketball and track & field.

If you missed the commitment, you can check it out here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtwxCiTHnfI

Kirby Smart tweeted his reaction to Walker’s decision…

 

A new episode of “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton” is here! J.C. is joined by former Georgia tight end Arthur Lynch to talk UGA football, his life as U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant and more. Listen here:

Spring football: UGA Redshirt sophomore Xavier Truss getting most of first-team reps at LT

Georgia football’s Xavier Truss is getting most of the first-team reps at left tackle. Details and analysis here.

One of the biggest questions surrounding Georgia football as the team gets going in spring practice is who exactly will be starting left tackle when the Bulldogs visit Charlotte to face Clemson on Sept. 4.

Last season it was Jamaree Salyer, but the senior will most likely be moving inside to guard, his more natural position.

UGA has several options here. One is redshirt freshman and former five-star Broderick Jones and another is five-star 2021 signee Amarius Mims.

Both Jones and Mims were among the top players at their position coming out of high school, but some may be surprised to see a third option, redshirt sophomore Xavier Truss, getting most of the reps with the first-team offense so far this spring.

The former four-star recruit started Georgia’s last game of the season versus Cincinnati and struggled. The Bearcats defense was a big test for a first-time starter. Georgia coach Kirby Smart told reporters on Thursday that the six-foot-seven, 330 pound Truss has impressed him so far this offseason.

“He’s a hard worker. He’s trimmed some of his weight down,” Smart said. “I thought he gained some confidence in the Cincinnati game, he got to play in a tough environment against a really good defense. The best way to improve at the point that he’d been at was to go play. So he’s been out there this spring competing, I think he’s doing better at the mental side of things, picking it up. Coach (Matt) Luke’s really challenged him to play with a little bit more energy and passion. He’s one of those guys that doesn’t show it a lot. He doesn’t play with a lot of emotion and sometimes you want that emotion to come out. Like, show some personality when you have a good block and when you compete really hard. But he’s gained a lot of confidence. For a kid that probably didn’t go against the same caliber of competition week in week out in high school, he’s adjusted really well and he’s a joy to be around.”

Truss was the No. 1 player in Rhode Island in the 2019 recruiting class and was rated as the No. 19 tackle in the nation.

Fighting off five-stars Jones and Mims will be impressive if Truss can earn the left tackle spot. The sooner Georgia has a solid starter in place to protect quarterback JT Daniels, the better chance the Bulldogs get the offensive continuity down to test a nasty Clemson defense in the season opener.

 

A new episode of “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton” is here! J.C. is joined by former Georgia tight end Arthur Lynch to talk UGA football, his life as U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant and more. Listen here:

UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton: S1, Ep. 25: George Pickens talk with Arthur Lynch

J.C. is joined by former Georgia tight end Arthur Lynch to talk about life, Georgia football, George Pickens’ injury and fast food…

Your friends at “UGA Football Live” and UGA Wire present your one-stop shop for all things Georgia football!

This offseason we will be releasing episodes each Thursday with interviews, news and rumors and more!

In a new episode I’m joined by former Georgia tight end Arthur Lynch to talk about a handful of topics, including Georgia football, his time in Athens, his life as U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant and we touch on UGA star George Pickens’ recent injury.

Also, what are your top-3 fast food fries?

Listen here on Spotify:

Or here, on Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uga-football-live-with-j-c-shelton/id1533295384?i=1000514559227

Also I talk,

  • Georgia football news

I go over a couple of spring practice injuries and dig in to where UGA can turn without Pickens on the field.

 

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review! And check out our other episodes featuring former Georgia greats like Tavarres King (Ep. 3)  Keith Marshall (Ep. 4) Arthur Lynch (Ep. 6) Malcolm Mitchell (Ep. 7) Drew Butler (Ep. 9) Aaron Murray (Ep. 17) and Brandon Boykin with Chris Burnette (Ep. 18).

Georgia star WR George Pickens has torn ACL, will require surgery

Georgia football star receiver George Pickens suffered a torn ACL in practice on Tuesday. Details here.

Georgia football has confirmed that star junior receiver George Pickens has suffered a torn ACL and will require surgery.

The injury occurred in a non-contact drill during Tuesday’s spring practice.

Coach Kirby Smart on Pickens’ injury:

“The good news is that the MRI showed it to be an isolated injury with no other structures involved.”

Pickens was set to be one of the top returning receivers in the country. As a sophomore n 2020, the Hoover, Ala., native caught 36 passes for 513 yards and six touchdowns in just eight games played. That’s after a great freshman season in 2019, where Pickens caught 49 passes for 727 yards and eight touchdowns, good enough to rank second all-time in freshman receptions behind UGA legend A.J. Green.

Pickens definitely benefited from the emergence of J.T. Daniels at quarterback. When the USC transfer stepped in against Mississippi State, he and Pickens seemed to connect immediately. In the Bulldogs final two games of the season versus Missouri and then Cincinnati in the Peach Bowl, Pickens totaled a combined 261 yards on 12 receptions with three touchdowns.

Fortunately for Georgia, the Bulldogs’ receiver room is as deep as it is talented in 2021. UGA returns last year’s receiving leader Kearis Jackson and talented sophomore Jermaine Burton. Redshirt sophomore Dominick Blaylock will be back from an ACL tear in 2020 along with speedy redshirt freshman Arian Smith and senior Demetrius Robertson is back too.

Pair that group with 2021 signee Adonai Mitchell and Georgia should still be explosive at receiver with Pickens out indefinitely.

 

Check out a new episode of “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton” here! This will get you caught up on Georgia’s pro day.

Georgia football hot on the recruiting trail for class of 2022

UGA football has one of the top recruiting classes in the country for 2022. Details and analysis here.

Georgia football is a recruiting machine at this point. The Bulldogs have three No. 1 classes in the last five years and finished with the No. 4 ranked class in the country in 2021 (247Sports).

Bleacher Report recently ranked the teams having the most success on the recruiting trail for 2022 and, surprise. UGA is right at the top – No. 3 actually. The top two teams are Alabama at No. 1, followed by Florida State at No. 2.

Brad Shepherd wrote:

Check out a new episode of “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton” here! This will get you caught up on Georgia’s pro day.

Report: Georgia RB to miss rest of spring practice with elbow injury

A Georgia running back is recovering from an elbow injury suffered in a UGA spring practice. Details here.

Georgia running back Kenny McIntosh suffered a dislocated elbow in a  spring practice session and will miss the rest of spring training, according to a report by UGAsports.com’s Dayne Young.

McIntosh confirmed the report with this post to his Instagram account on Sunday morning.

McIntosh posted this photo to his Instagram story.

McIntosh had an MRI done and the results showed that no surgery is needed.

Georgia shouldn’t miss a beat in spring drills without the third year back. One of the Bulldogs’ deepest positions is at tailback with all of 2020’s production returning, headlined by seniors Zamir ‘Zeus’ White and James Cook.

Sophomores Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards will have a chance to get more reps with McIntosh out.

McIntosh has been an explosive part of Georgia’s rush and kick-return game over the last two seasons. In 2019, McIntosh flashed speed and vision abilities with 174 yards and 7.0 yards per carry on just 25 attempts and in 2020, finished as the Bulldogs’s third-leading rusher with 251 yards on 47 carries and one touchdown.

 

Check out a new episode of “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton” here!

Potential landing spots for former Georgia DT Geno Atkins in NFL free agency

Former Georgia defensive tackle Geno Atkins is looking for a new home after the Cincinnati Bengals waived the 11-year veteran on Friday.

The Cincinnati Bengals released former Georgia football defensive tackle Geno Atkins on Friday. Atkins spent 11 years with the Bengals and will be regarded as one of the best players in franchise history.

Atkins helped change the way interior defensive lineman rushed the passer. He has posted 76 sacks since 2010 and according to Pro Football Focus, leads the NFL in quarterback pressures among defensive tackles since 2010.

 

Atkins also made three first team All-Pros, made eight Pro Bowls, and was named to the 2010s All-Decade Team.

Now, the 32 year old is on the free agent market for the first time in his career. Where will he land?

Here are three possible destinations for the former Dawg.

Georgia DC Dan Lanning tabbed as potential replacement for Les Miles at Kansas

Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports has tabbed Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning as a possible replacement for Les Miles at Kansas.

Head coach Les Miles and the University of Kansas agreed to part ways last week due to reports surfacing of inappropriate behavior and sexual harassment during his time at LSU (2005-2016).

Now, Kansas must find a new head football coach as spring football season approaches. Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports has included Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning as a possible candidate to take over the Jayhawks.

“7. Dan Lanning, Georgia defensive coordinator: A budding star who has worked for Kirby Smart, Nick Saban and Mike Norvell. Texas and Florida State both reportedly took cracks at Lanning to be their DC in the last two seasons. Lanning knows the territory as a Kansas City native. He recruited Kansas jucos while at Arizona State under Todd Graham.”

As Dodd mentions, Lanning has received calls for other coaching positions for the last two seasons, most recently Texas. New Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian reportedly offered the defensive coordinator position to Lanning,  who elected to return to Athens and shortly after, received a pay raise of $450,000, which puts him in the upper echelon of assistant coach salaries at $1.7 million per year.

Lanning’s resume at Georgia is impressive. He led the 2019 Bulldogs to a No. 1 ranking in scoring defense, while ranking No. 3 in total defense. And in 2020, led Georgia to the No. 15 scoring defense and the No. 13 total defense in the country with several key starters going down with injuries.

Although Kansas will probably not pull Lanning away from Georgia, it’s only a matter of time before the right job opens up for him and Lanning decides to move on from Athens. Until then, the Bulldogs have one of the top teams in the country in 2021 and focus now has to be on a championship.

 

 

Check out the “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton” podcast here! J.C. is joined by Georgia legend Rennie Curran in this special episode.