Tag: kentucky football

Ohio State 4-star OG target Jager Burton picks Kentucky

It wasn’t expected to go Ohio State’s way, but four-star offensive guard Jager Burton picked the hometown Kentucky Wildcats Sunday.

The writing was on the wall as of late, but there was still some holding out hope that 2021 four-star offensive guard prospect Jager Burton would find it in his heart to pick Ohio State.

In the end though, the 6-foot, 4-inch, 271-pounder from Lexington, Kentucky stayed with the hometown team and announced his decision to commit to the Wildcats. But again, not many in the OSU camp saw this one going the Buckeyes’ way anyhow. The staff was unable to get Burton to campus again for an attempt to sway the No. 8 offensive guard and No. 125 overall prospect in the class according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Burton picked Kentucky over OSU, Oregon, Clemson, and Alabama.

So, OSU will now turn the page — if it hadn’t already — and will continue to mine for more talent that’s still out there to put the finishing touches on a 2021 class that’s still considered the top overall class in the country.

If you’re into these sorts of things for commits that choose elsewhere, here is Burton’s commitment video that he shared to Twitter.

As always, we wish Burton luck in his future endeavors, just not if he comes toe-to-toe with Ohio State in the future.

 

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Two SEC teams boycott practice on Thursday in silent protest

The two teams are protesting the killing of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The killing of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisc. is making an impact on sports throughout the nation and, on Thursday, that included the SEC.

Earlier in the day, Kentucky football players decided to boycott training in a protest of the shooting by police officers of Blake, a Black man.

It is now being reported that Mississippi State players have decided to do the same.

This follows the decision of the NBA and WNBA to postpone its games on Wednesday in a silent protest as well as some MLB teams deciding to do the same.

SEC updates cardiac evaluation testing requirements

The SEC is taking stricter measures with heart problems among student-athletes.

The SEC has updated their management strategy in response to COVID-19. On Friday, the conference confirmed they will now require a third weekly cardiac evaluation test prior to athlete competition.

The news comes just one day following Georgia State quarterback Mikele Colasurdo’s announcement that he will be opting out of the 2020 season due to a heart condition he developed after contracting the virus.

On August 8, University of Houston defensive lineman Sedrick Williams announced he too would sit out after facing heart complications as a result of COVID-19. He wrote in a Facebook post,

“As a result of the virus, I’ve had complications with my heart and I really don’t know the outcome or what’s in store for me in the future, I just know that my life is more precious to me than football could ever be.”

SEC Associate Commissioner Herb Vincent details that the cardiac evaluation requires “a troponin level, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram and a medical evaluation by a physician.”

Given today’s update, the SEC now mandates at least three PCR tests per week during weeks of competition. This decision was made per the guidance of the SEC’s Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force. The conference’s goal is to ensure the safety of all athletes.

Commissioner Sankey released this statement as part of the announcement:

“We remain vigilant in monitoring the trends and effects of COVID-19 as we learn more about the virus, and this cardiac evaluation enhances the effectiveness of the protocols already in place. We are confident in our institutions’ ability to provide a healthy environment supported by rigorous testing and surveillance.  Our student-athletes have indicated their desire to compete and it is our responsibility to make every effort to deliver a healthy and medically sound environment for providing that opportunity.”

As players continue announcing their decisions regarding the 2020 season, all 14 members of the SEC remain committed to protecting any student-athlete’s scholarship should they choose to opt out.

Auburn opens as double digit favorite over Kentucky in 2020 opener

Auburn will look to extend its winning streak over Kentucky to three straight games.

Earlier on Monday, Auburn and head coach Gus Malzahn found out its season-opening opponent in the Kentucky Wildcats.

Just a bit later, the lines were already out by some sports books for the game with the Tigers favored by 11 points against Mark Stoops’ side.

The game is set for Sept. 26 in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn holds a 26-6-1 overall record in the series and have won two straight, both coming in Lexington.

College Football News ranks SEC head coaches: Where’s Kirby Smart?

College Football News ranked the top SEC head coaches. Where is Georgia football’s Kirby Smart?

Pete Fiutak of College Football News recently released a list ranking the SEC head coaches heading into the 2020 season.

Checking in at No. 3 on the list is Georgia’s Kirby Smart, who trails only Nick Saban (1) and Ed Orgeron (2).

At No. 4 is Dan Mullen and at No. 5 is Gus Malzahn.

As much as I’d love for Smart to be in that No. 2 spot, I do not disagree with Fiutak here.

Smart’s time will come, and within the next five years he may very well occupy that No. 1 spot.

For now, he’s sitting at No. 3 on Fiutak’s list, likely right on the verge of taking over that No. 2 ranking. As long as he keeps winning the SEC East, beating rivals and putting his team in striking distance for the College Football Playoff…he’ll be considered a top-five coach in America.

Orgeron or Smart at No. 2 was likely a somewhat difficult decision. Fiutak went with Coach O since he accomplished something Kirby hasn’t yet, a national championship.

I’ve heard it all – “Anyone could win with that roster.”

Sure, Smart probably would have won it with that roster LSU had last year. But, at the end of the day, he didn’t have that roster. No other way around it.

Also, how can you not love Coach O?

As for Saban, there’s no arguing that one.

Where is Georgia football, SEC in Sporting News preseason top 25?

The Georgia Bulldogs make the top 5 of this preseason college football top 25 poll. Seven SEC teams are in the top 25.

Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs have high expectations headed into the 2020 season. Georgia is projected to have one of the top defenses in the country.

The University of Georgia added a key transfer from Wake Forest in quarterback Jamie Newman. Georgia will face a tough schedule, including their SEC opener against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

So where is Georgia football in the Sporting News preseason college football top 25? Every top 25 team in the SEC is in bold. There’s seven SEC teams in their preseason top 25, the most of any conference.

25. Boise State

24. UCF

23. Kentucky

22. Louisville

21. Arizona State

20. Cincinnati

19. North Carolina

18. Utah

17. Texas A&M

16. Wisconsin

15. Michigan

14. Oklahoma State

13. Texas

12. Minnesota

11. Auburn

10. Florida

9. Penn State

8. Notre Dame

7. Oklahoma

6. Oregon

5. LSU

4. Georgia

Jake Fromm is gone, as well as the vast majority of Georgia’s offensive line. The Bulldogs did pick up graduate transfer quarterback Jamie Newman from Wake Forest, and he will work with new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Georgia also hired Alabama strength coach Scott Cochran. Kirby Smart has built with a string of top-five recruiting classes. Zamir White and James Cook will keep the ground game going, and George Pickens could emerge as the best receiver in the FBS. Rising redshirt-sophomore linebacker Azeez Ojulari could make the jump to All-American. The road trip to Alabama on Sept. 19 is the next chance to win the big game.

3. Alabama

2. Ohio State

1. Clemson

What do you think of the Sporting News top 25? The poll was made before the unfortunate spinal injury of stud Clemson wide receiver Justyn Ross. Should Ohio State be number one following that key injury?

The Big Ten has the second most preseason top 25 teams with five schools in the top fifteen. The Georgia Bulldogs will face four top 25 opponents according to this poll: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and Kentucky.

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Ranking SEC head coaches heading into 2020 CFB season

We ranked all the SEC head coaches, from Georgia football’s Kirby Smart, to Arkansas’ Sam Pittman, to Florida’s Dan Mullen.

The SEC is loaded with head coaching talent as we head into the 2020 college football season.

You have your usuals – Nick Saban, Kirby Smart, Gus Malzahn, Ed Orgeron, etc.

But then you have your familiar, or in some cases not-so-familiar, yet new faces: Lane Kiffin, Mike Leach, Sam Pittman, Eli Drinkwitz.

Ranking the SEC head coaches heading into the 2020 season is as hard as it’s ever been, and that’s because of all these new hirings. But it’s also because Jeremy Pruitt waited until October to start winning games in Tennessee last year. It’s because Ed Orgeron took a loaded roster and won a national title. Because Gus Malzahn and Auburn always have the talent but can’t seem to win the big ones. Or because, despite a 4-8 season, Will Muschamp was able to knock off Kirby Smart and Georgia.

Related: 2020 Georgia schedule with game-by-game score predictions

With all of this taken into consideration, here’s our SEC head coaching power rankings for the 2020 college football season:

14. Sam Pittman, Arkansas

I would have loved to get Pittman into a higher spot on this list, but what is there to go off of? His last head coaching job came in 1992 and 1993 when he led Hutchinson Community College to an 11–9–1 record over two seasons.

I am 100% rooting for Pittman to succeed in his first season as head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. It won’t be easy, and this is a team that will likely finish with at least five losses for the first few years, but that’s not necessarily a terrible thing as long as they play hard.

Arkansas may not field the most talented teams in the SEC, but if there’s one thing I’m certain of it’s that the former UGA O-Line coach will make sure his guys fight harder than anybody.

13. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri

Drinkwitz gets the No. 13 spot because of what he was able to do at App State last year. In his first season as a head coach, he led the Mountaineers to a 12-1 record and a Sun Belt championship.

But that’s not the SEC. It’s going to be a rocky road ahead for Drinkwitz, as Mizzou will definitely not be one of the more talented teams in the league for a few years.

12. Derek Mason, Vanderbilt

I often find myself rooting for Vanderbilt and Mason.

He took over at Vandy when James Franklin left for Penn State, and though it’s been tough at times, you get the feeling that Commodore fans actually look forward to their seasons.

11. Will Muschamp, South Carolina

If Muschamp had not beaten Georgia last year, he maybe would not even be on this list at all.

But he won and that probably saved his job. He coaches up a good defense, but South Carolina will need to crank up its recruiting efforts if it wants to start contending in the SEC East. Another season with no bowl game may put an end to Muschamp’s head coaching career with the Gamecocks.

10. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss

Kiffin is a good football coach, there’s no denying that. No. 10 is pretty low for an offensive genius like him. But this conference is simply loaded.

Kiffin did a great job at Florida Atlantic, but I still need to see him win consistently at a Power 5 school.

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Georgia football offers scholarship to Kojo Antwi

Saturday, 2022 4-star WR Kojo Antwi announced a scholarship from Georgia football on Twitter.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs staff continue recruiting work in the class of 2022.

Saturday, 2022 4-star WR Kojo Antwi announced a scholarship offer from the University of Georgia on Twitter.

Antwi (6-1, 185) is from Suwanee, Georgia and plays for Lambert High School where, as a sophomore, he caught 48 passes for 679 yards and six touchdowns.

247Sports has Antwi rated as the 15th best player in Georgia, the No. 32 WR and the No. 240 overall recruit in the 2022 recruiting class.

Antwi has gained some serious recruiting interest lately and not just from the Bulldogs. Just last month he received 10 offers, including major programs like Kentucky, Florida State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Auburn.

 

 

2020 Georgia football schedule with predictions

A look at the 2020 Georgia football schedule with game-by-game predictions.

Here we take a look at Georgia’s 2020 football schedule with game-by-game predictions.

Georgia’s offense will look very different, with the departures of Jake Fromm, D’Andre Swift, Lawrence Cager, Andrew Thomas, Isaiah Wilson, Solomon Kindley and Cade Mays.

On the other hand, Georgia has recruited well to replace those guys, brought in Wake Forest transfer quarterback Jamie Newman, hired Todd Monken to run the offense and former Ole Miss head coach Matt Luke to coach the offensive line.

On defense, expect more of the same. Physical, sound football with a ton of players rotating in to keep each other fresh.

The schedule is by no means easy. A road trip to Tuscaloosa, games against Auburn and Tennessee and the annual meeting against Florida in Jacksonville will all present challenges.

Below is our game-by-game predictions for how Georgia’s season will unfold.

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Georgia has two of the highest graded returning edge defenders in SEC

According to PFF, Georgia edge defenders Malik Herring and Azeez Olujari are two of the top three returning in the SEC in 2020.

According to PFF (Pro Football Focus) Georgia is returning two of the SEC’s top edge defenders for the 2020 season.

Georgia senior defensive end Malik Herring graded as the highest returning SEC edge defender at 90.5. Herring, from Forsyth, Georgia, played in 13 games for the Bulldogs in 2019 and recorded five tackles for loss and 26 total tackles as part of a Georgia defensive line that played mostly as a unit, rotating in and out to keep legs fresh.

A few points behind Kentucky’s Jamar Watson on the list is Georgia red-shirt sophomore Azeez Ojulari, who graded as the third best SEC returning edge defender at 78.0.

After a red-shirting his freshman season, Ojulari burst onto the scene for the Bulldogs in 2019, recording 36 tackles and six for a loss. Against Tennessee, the Marietta, Georgia native led the team with two sacks and 10 quarterback pressures.

The 2019 Georgia defense was one of the best the Bulldogs have ever seen. And with the help of returning starters like Malik Herring and Azeez Olujari with veterans like Monty Rice and Richard LeCounte III, Georgia could have another record-breaking defense in 2020.