Tag: dawgnation

Video: Georgia Bulldog Todd Gurley is coming home

Georgia Bulldog legend Todd Gurley signed with the Atlanta Falcons and is returning home. He released a video to celebrate.

Georgia Bulldog legend Todd Gurley is returning to the Peach State. Gurley signed a one-year deal to join the Atlanta Falcons. With Gurley and a couple of other free agent additions the Falcons could become the first team in NFL history to start 11 first-round picks on offense.

It didn’t take Todd Gurley much time to pick a free agent destination following his surprise release from the Los Angeles Rams. Gurley knew he wanted to return to Georgia.

To commemorate his return to Georgia, Todd Gurley and Roc Nation Sports released an awesome video celebrating his career and his exciting return to the state of the Georgia:

What an amazing video. It’s worth a couple of views. Todd Gurley was a joy to watch at the University of Georgia and has been outstanding in the NFL. Despite some injury concerns, Gurley still has a lot left in the tank.

Gurley will be fun to watch on the Atlanta Falcons, who are coming off a disappointing 7-9 season. The Falcons are in a stacked division with Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints and Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Atlanta is going to need an epic season from Gurley to make the expanded NFL Postseason.

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Where will Todd Gurley go next: potential landing spots

Former Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley is now a free agent. Will he go to the Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks, or Tampa Bay Bucs

The Los Angeles Rams have released running back Todd Gurley, a former Georgia Bulldog. Gurley is battling a knee ailment, which has contributed to his diminished workload in each of the past two seasons.

Gurley’s carries decreased significantly over the second half of the 2018 season when the Los Angeles Rams lost to the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Last year, Gurley had a career low in carries (223), yards per reception (6.7), and total rushing yardage (857).

Of course, not all of the down season was on the shoulders of Todd Gurley. The Los Angeles Rams offensive line was not the same as it was in 2017 and 2018’s postseason runs. The Patriots and Saints developed blue-prints to slow down Sean McVay’s offense, which is largely based on play-action passing and an effective rushing attack.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapport outlined a couple of possible Todd Gurley destinations:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Gurley is going to want to prove Los Angeles wrong and win on his own. He could join forces with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs don’t have much cap space, but they do need a better running back.

Sep 29, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) runs for a first down against Tampa Bay Buccaneers outside linebacker Lavonte David (54) at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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Former Georgia football RB Todd Gurley: “I got fired on my day off”

Gurley was two years into a contract with the Los Angeles Rams that included a $21 million signing bonus and $45 million in guarantees.

Following rumors of the Los Angeles Rams’ intention to trade tailback Todd Gurley, the organization decided to cut the former Georgia Bulldog standout the day before the team would’ve been contractually obligated to pay their 2014 first-round draft pick another $10.5 million.

L.A. will save $10.5 million against the cap. The Rams failed to find a trade destination; Gurley will now be free to sign with the team of his choosing for the first time in his NFL career.

Gurley was two years into a contract with the Los Angeles Rams that included a $21 million signing bonus and $45 million in guarantees.

Gurley, now a free agent, is free to find his own best fit.

Gurley didn’t seem blindsided and took the news in stride.

Several former teammates and competitors (along with Bulldogs and Rams faithful) provided predictions as to how Gurley’s future could and should unfold in coming weeks.

Twitter reacts: former Georgia football RB Todd Gurley cut by Rams

Reporters, Gurley’s former teammates, former Georgia lettermen, and other Georgia fans took to twitter to make sense of the news.

Following rumors of the Los Angeles Rams’ intention to trade tailback Todd Gurley, the organization decided to cut the former Georgia Bulldog standout the day before the team would’ve been contractually obligated to pay their 2014 first-round draft pick another $10.5 million.

L.A. will save $10.5 million against the cap. The Rams failed to find a trade destination and now Gurley will be a free agent for the first time in his NFL career.

Gurley was two years into a contract with the Los Angeles Rams that included a $21 million signing bonus and $45 million in guarantees.

Gurley, now a free agent, is free to sign with any NFL team of his choosing.

Reporters, Gurley’s former teammates, former foes, former Georgia lettermen, and other Georgia fans took to twitter to make sense of the news:

Los Angeles Rams release RB Todd Gurley

The Los Angeles Rams are releasing former Georgia Bulldog running back Todd Gurley. L.A. sought trades for Gurley, but couldn’t find one.

Todd Gurley is one the best running backs in the National Football League when healthy. Unfortunately for the Georgia Bulldog great, that pesky knee of Gurley’s has caused him issues, hindering his production and limiting his workload. In 2019, Gurley had career-lows in rushing yards (857) and attempts (223).

Now, the Los Angeles Rams are releasing Todd Gurley, their former first round pick. The official Rams Twitter account and ESPN’s Adam Schefter announced the news:

L.A. will save $10.5 million against the cap. The Rams failed to find a trade destination and now Gurley will be a free agent for the first time in his NFL career.

Gurley was two years into a contract with the Los Angeles Rams that included a $21 million signing bonus and $45 million in guarantees. With reduced production and a substantial contract, it is not shocking that the Rams looked to trade RB Todd Gurley according to Michael Silver:

A year after making the Super Bowl, Los Angeles foundered to a 9-7 record. Head coach Sean McVay and the Rams are looking to improve, but they had to get creative since they have limited draft capital and cap room.

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Gurley, since he’s been cut, will count for $20.15 million in dead money. The Rams are hampered for the future and were banking on Gurley. Hopefully, Gurley can return to form in time for the 2020 season.

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Report: Rams discussing trading RB Todd Gurley

Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley may be on the trade block this off-season. Will the former Georgia Bulldog be traded?

Todd Gurley is one the best running backs in the National Football League when he’s 100% healthy. Unfortunately for the Georgia Bulldog great, that pesky knee of Gurley’s has caused him issues, hindering his production and limiting his workload. In 2019, Gurley had career-lows in rushing yards (857) and attempts (223).

Gurley is two years into a contract with the Los Angeles Rams that included a $21 million signing bonus and $45 million in guarantees. With reduced production and a substantial contract, it is not shocking that Todd Gurley is frequently brought up in NFL trade talks according to Michael Silver:

A year after making the Super Bowl, Los Angeles floundered to a 9-7 record. Head coach Sean McVay and the Rams are looking to improve, but they must get creative since they have limited draft capital and around $20 million dollars in cap room.

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Gurley, if cut right now, would count $20.15 million in dead money. So that’s no an option for L.A..

Los Angeles may have trouble finding a destination for Gurley. Stranger things have happened. Just ask Texans fans. Anything can happen in the NFL off-season (evidence below):

Running backs are still worth something to Houston coach/general manager Bill O’Brien.

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Will Georgia football land three of 2021’s top-ten recruits?

Georgia football is predicted to land three of the nation’s top-ten recruits in the 2021 recruiting cycle.

Right now, Georgia has the nation’s 17th ranked recruiting class for the 2021 cycle.

Headlining Georgia’s class is 5-star quarterback Brock Vandagriff out of Bogart, Georgia. Vandagriff ranks as the No. 12 overall player in the country.

Aside from Vandagriff, Kirby Smart has secured commitments from 4-star athlete David Daniel and 3-star defensive tackle Marlin Dean.

For the time being, recruiting is suspended nationwide as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. That includes both on and off campus recruiting.

As far as recruiting goes, it’s not time to hit the panic button based on Georgia’s No. 17 ranking. Smart has secured the nation’s No. 1 class three years in a row and is on a quest to make it four. This year, though, it’ll just take a bit longer to climb up the rankings than in years past.

Related: Georgia’s top defensive targets for 2021 – can UGA land three 5-star DBs?

Related: Georgia’s top offensive recruiting targets for the class of 2021

When recruiting picks back up, Georgia will find itself in prime position for three of America’s top-ten recruits.

According to 247Sport’s Crystal Ball predictions, the Bulldogs are seen as the favorites to land the nation’s No. 6, 7 and 8 ranked recruits. Additionally, outside of the top-ten, Georgia is viewed as the leader for the No. 23 recruit.

Let’s start from the top.

No. 6 overall: James Williams

The No. 6 overall recruit, James Williams, is a safety out of Opa Locka, Florida. In February, Williams released a top-three of Georgia, Alabama, and Clemson.

The five-star junior is the state of Florida’s top prospect both at the safety position and overall as per 247Sports, which currently projects him as a 100% Bulldog lean according to seven recruiting analysts.

At six-foot-five and nearly 220 pounds, Williams’ size (particularly his length) is rare for a defensive back. Head coach Kirby Smart, a former safety, and defensive backs coach Charlton Warren would have big plans for a player with the speed and vision necessary to play both strong and free safety combined with the size and physicality to play STAR.

That speed and vision give the out-of-state standout the ability to quickly diagnose plays and react accordingly. Whether he joins the Dawgs, Tide, or Tigers, three programs which have dominated the past three years’ recruiting cycles, he is capable of making an immediate impact on a playoff-caliber team as a true freshman.

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Georgia football QB Jamie Newman keeps moving up in Heisman odds

Georgia football QB Jamie Newman moves up in 2020 Heisman odds.

Georgia was in need of a quarterback and the graduate transfer from Wake Forest was a hot commodity when he made his decision to depart the Demon Deacons and take his talents to Athens. As if replacing three-year starter Jake Fromm isn’t difficult enough, Jamie Newman will be challenged to implement a new, more RPO- oriented attack and add some swagger to the UGA offense.

The Las Vegas oddsmakers, who are more right than wrong, believe he made the right decision in choosing the Bulldogs.

According to William Hill Superbook, Newman’s odds for securing the Heisman have moved to 10/1, now third behind Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields (7/2) and Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence (4/1).  In early February, Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook had Newman at 12/1 odds and just after his transfer announcement, Newman was listed at 16/1 odds.

Newman was one of the top graduate transfers on the market. Miami, Oregon, Maryland and Washington, among others were seeking the services of the North Carolina native.

According to Pro Football Focus, Newman is the nation’s third-highest graded returning quarterback, behind only Fields and Lawrence.  He started all 13 games last season and led Wake to an 8-5 record. He completed 220 of 361 passes (60.9 percent) for 2,868 yards, 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He rushed for 574 yards and six touchdowns on 180 carries.

Being the starting quarterback at the University of Georgia always comes with high expectations and takes an extremely talented, confident and bright athlete to handle the pressure. Jamie Newman checks off all the boxes. Dawg fans will have their first opportunity to check out Newman and the 2020 Bulldogs during G-Day, scheduled for 2:00pm on Saturday, April 18. The game will be game carried live on the SEC Network.

Georgia can dominate the offensive trenches in 2020

The University of Georgia football team lost an abundance of talent in the offensive trenches this off-season.

Kirby Smart and the University of Georgia lost an abundance of talent in the trenches this off-season. Georgia is losing four starting offensive linemen from the 2019 season. Kirby Smart recruits aggressively so the Dawgs can reload and not rebuild.

Center Trey Hill will be the only returning start from 2019’s line. That doesn’t mean UGA will lack talent in 2020. The Bulldogs return numerous offensive linemen  (in addition to Hill) with valuable experience including: Justin Shaffer (now healthy), Ben Cleveland, and Jamaree Salyer. Georgia will need each of their experience in the week three trip to Tuscaloosa to face Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide.

In fact, Georgia’s returning linemen are among the best in the SEC, per PFF’s Brent Rollins:

Georgia will have three of the top-graded returning nine offensive linemen in the SEC. The Dawgs additionally added five-star offensive tackle Broderick Jones, four-star Tate Ratledge, top-rated center Sedrick Van Pran, four-star offensive tackle Chad Lindberg, and a pair of three-star linemen in the class of 2020.

One of the talented newcomers will likely work their way into the line-up, possibly two. Georgia also returns Warren Ericson, who started at right guard in the Sugar Bowl against Baylor, 2019 five-star center Clay Webb, Warren McClendon, Xavier Truss, Owen Condon, and more.

The biggest question mark for UGA is who will replace stud left tackle Andrew Thomas? That may be too big of an adjustment for five-star freshman Broderick Jones, but he’s the best bet to take over that position. Aside from left tackle, quality depth is the second biggest concern along Georgia’s offensive line. Kirby Smart will rely on new offensive line coach Matt Luke to get the most of the talented group.

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Georgia football DT using Pro-Day to raise money for cancer research

Georgie defensive tackle Michael Barnett has launched his campaign to raise money for pancreatic cancer, a cause that is close to him due to his uncle’s passing. Barnett, a five-year Bulldog, just wrapped up his last collegiate season and is looking …

Georgie defensive tackle Michael Barnett has launched his campaign to raise money for pancreatic cancer, a cause that is close to him due to his uncle’s passing.

Barnett, a five-year Bulldog, just wrapped up his last collegiate season and is looking forward to beginning his professional career.

Out of Ridgeville, South Carolina, Barnett is a part of a senior class at Georgia that enjoyed 44 wins, which ties for the most ever in the school’s history.

With his platform on the cusp of becoming even larger, Barnett wants to help raise money for a cause that is very important to him.

He is asking that you make a pledge to donate for every bench press rep that he completes at Georgia’s Pro-Day, which is taking place in March.

The money will be going to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, an organization that is dedicated to fighting pancreatic cancer on research, clinical initiatives, patient services & advocacy.

Barnett explains his mission in his own words here:

Pancreatic Cancer is known as the world’s toughest cancer. Unfortunately, I’ve had first hand experience with that reality. My uncle recently lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. It was really hard to see what he and our family went through, and I want to do what I can to help make sure others have a fighting chance.

That’s why, in my uncle’s honor, as I take the next step toward achieving my NFL dream, I have made an important decision to use my performance at Georgia’s Pro Day to support Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), and their urgent mission to save lives. PanCAN attacks pancreatic cancer on all fronts: research, clinical initiatives, patient services and advocacy.

Please join me by making your pledge. Together we can bring hope to the pancreatic cancer community!

To donate, visit Barnett’s page at PledgeIt.org.