Georgia Bulldogs: Dawgs Picked To Finish Third In SEC East

The Birmingham News released their 65th Annual SEC Spring Football Preview this past Sunday and the general consensus is that South Carolina and Alabama will meet at the Georgia Dome for the 2011 SEC Championship. It's a prediction that seems popular but leaves me scratching my head for a couple of reasons.

For one, aside from Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery, the Gamecocks aren't likely to overwhelm anyone with their returning talent.

If Stephen Garcia plays—and that's more a when than an if to be honest—he has shown little in the way of maturity as far as his decision-making is concerned. Quite frankly, the guy should be pumping gas at an Exxon station based on the amount of trouble he's been in over the past five years.

Secondly, after Marcus Lattimore, who is responsible for keeping the running game afloat? This kid is the real deal, but if he has to miss a couple games again due to being banged up, Spurrier's in trouble.

As for Alabama being the team South Carolina meets in Atlanta, well, I guess that's fair—if only by default. There aren't any other teams in the SEC West that look like semi-pro conglomerates when you peruse their active roster. That said, Saban still has to address the fact that both Greg McElroy and Mark Ingram are gone.

Sure, Trent Richardson is there and he's going to be money, but he's spent the better part of his career playing in the media shadow of Mark Ingram. How will he handle receiving the brunt of the criticism should he hit a rough patch in the season? Even more, there's still the matter of replacing Julio Jones—ya know, the guy who caught better than 85 percent of their former quarterback's passes?

It just seems to me that the decision to make Alabama the favorite has more to do with a weak SEC West than a great Alabama team.

Georgia was picked to finish behind South Carolina and Florida, respectively, and the reason behind the choice had to do with the fact that "...Georgia had a lot of players taken in the NFL Draft in April and now the Bulldogs are in search of a bevy of starters. Even worse, leading rusher Washaun Ealey was given his unconditional release because of off-the-field issues during the offseason. The biggest name missing is receiver A.J. Green, who will next be seen in the NFL."

While I can certainly agree that Georgia will miss the defensive talents of both Justin Houston and Akeem Dent, as well as offensive starters A.J. Green and Kris Durham, I am not ready to hang the possibility of a questionable running game on the departure of Washaun Ealey.

To be honest, there are more than a few Georgia fans who would be willing to argue that the ball security issues, suffered by both Caleb King and Washaun Ealey, played a key role in several of Georgia's losses (South Carolina, Mississippi State, and Colorado to name a few) last season.

Ealey's loss will be felt on the depth chart, but his release became a necessary evil if Georgia was to move in a more productive and positive direction in 2011.

Even so, it's nice to see the Bulldogs in the underdog position as they just might be able to sneak up on a few folks this season if they perform at a more consistent level this year.

The Birmingham News also selected "the best in the SEC" for 2011 and Blair Walsh, Drew Butler, Aaron Murray, and Orson Charles were selected as tops at their respective positions.

Ben Jones and Brandon Boykin also made an appearance on the list.

What say you...will Georgia finish third in the East?

Related articles

• Georgia Bulldogs: Ben Jones Named To 2011 Rimington Watch List (theladysportswriter.blogspot.com)
• Ex-UGA RB Ealey to drop down a level, play in '11 (collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com)
• Washaun Ealey: "...I probably need to go somewhere I can focus." (theladysportswriter.blogspot.com)

Mark Ingram Hits Homerun In Saints' Debut

In what he can only hope will be a foreshadowing of a long, successful, career in New Orleans, former Alabama running back, Mark Ingram belted a home run in a charity softball event hosted by fellow Saint, Heath Evans. Ingram tweeted the following after the big hit:

The Charlie Sheen "winning" reference aside, it seems like the affable back is off to a good start with his new team.

As for the other former Heisman winner the Saints once loved so dearly—Reggie Bush—he struck out in his at-bat.

Coincidence?

UFO Sighting over Tuscaloosa, Alabama during tornado, April 26, 2011 photos.

UFO Sighting over Tuscaloosa, Alabama during tornado, April 26, 2011 photos.

Sighting Date: April 26, 2011
Sighting Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA








I was on the weather channel the other day watching videos of the tuscaloosa tornado in Alabama that occured this past week. On one video titled "Tuscaloosa tornado". I downloaded it to my hard drive and when playing it back I noticed some orbs at the bigging of the the film and some strange red lights in the sky at the end. They last only about a second.








This may of course be debris flying around but it doesn't look like debris to me. I Captured 2 images from the video. One shows the 3 orbs in a triangle pattern and the other which is at the end of the film shows what appears to be red or pink light or lights. Perhaps this is the sun trying to come through but it looks strange.

Source: MUFON




☯ Scott C. Waring wrote “UFO Sightings of 2006-2009” and “Dragons of Asgard” at online bookstores, or visit my Youtube UFO Video channel TaiwanSCW. Please follow me on Twitter, I'm @SCWbooks ☯

Georgia Bulldogs: 2012 DB Prospect Deion Bonner

Deion Bonner is one of the top defensive back prospects in the country for the 2012 recruiting season. He's been offered by Georgia, Auburn, South Carolina, and Alabama thus far and, barring any missteps, was on par to pick up a few more looks as the season progressed.

He was also a sure-bet to land at Georgia in 2012 but, somewhere between 'sanity' and 'have you lost your damn mind', Bonner decided it would be cool to steal a few items from the players at one of his suitors' facilities—that suitor being Georgia and those players being his potential teammates.

I have to tell you, this incident had me scratching my head because it screams of the type of idiocy that seemed to plague the Georgia football team last season when the program became the butt of just about every SEC joke involving a criminal, an arrest, or a suspension—it wasn't a happy time.

So, naturally, my first thought was that coach Richt would yank this kid's offer and concentrate on landing someone else—maybe send a little more attention in Ryan Dillard's direction. Don't know who Dillard is? Well, he plays for AA Buford High School and, so far, has only fielded one offer—Harvard.

Dillard's claim to fame is shutting down former 5-star recruiting prospect, Da'Rick Rogers in 2009's AA finals—call that a plus—and, oh yeah, not being a thief (sorry, if that seems harsh or insensitive, but...whatever). 

However, when you look at Mark Richt's comments today, it doesn't look like he's ready to cut bait on Bonner just yet. Said Richt, "...these were just 16-, 17-year-old kids, that kids do different things, and it’s part of growing up".

Well, alright then.

Listen, thieving was never a part of my indoctrination into post-adolescence but, hey, different strokes for different folks, I guess.

Quite frankly, given the giant microscope Mark Richt is under this season, it would surprise me to see Bonner given an opportunity to play at Georgia. After all, what teammate wants a thief as his roommate and what on earth would Georgia's continued pursuit of him do to team morale?

Chances are Bonner will have to pay his penance playing football somewhere outside of the 30605 zip code.

In the end, I think T Kyle King of DawgSports.com summed this situation up best with the following statement:

...Visitors to Athens are alleged to have committed a crime against Georgia players, yet the likely outcome is that the purported perpetrators still will receive scholarship offers commensurate with those they would have received anyway, rival institutions will snag players they otherwise might not have gotten, and the only folks meaningfully harmed in all this will be the ones in the Classic City, who were the only ones with clean hands in the entire affair.

Such is life in Bulldog Nation, where forthrightness and honesty cost us our best offensive player for one-third of a season while other schools’ stonewalling and obfuscation earned them conference championships and BCS bowl victories. Maybe I watched a few too many cowboy movies growing up, but I’m about ready for the good guys to win one for a change.

Amen to that, Mr. King. Amen to that.

Related articles

• College prospect allegedly steals from Georgia players' lockers (georgia.scout.com)
• Three Football Recruits Named In Georgia Locker Room Robbery (sbnation.com)
• Prep prospect among three charged with theft from Georgia locker room (sports.espn.go.com)

Georgia Bulldogs Recruiting: 2012 ATH Prospect Josh Harvey-Clemons

Josh Harvey-Clemons is a 6'5", 205 lb, ATH (athlete) prospect out of Valdosta, GA. He has split time between both the wide receiver and outside linebacker positions at Lowndes County High School.

His speed, size, and ability to get to the ball make him an intriguing option for either offense or defense, but Georgia is looking to make him a defensive weapon, specifically at linebacker—where the Bulldogs are hoping to add more depth in 2012.

Harvey-Clemons is a dynamic edge rusher who uses his speed, size, and great instincts to get into the backfield and disrupt quarterback play. He plays with focus and discipline on the football field and has the ability to lay down those bone-jarring hits when given the opportunity. He's a force to be reckoned with on either side of the ball and should be very good at the next level—with the right coaching.

Currently, depending on what you read, Georgia is in the lead race for Harvey-Clemons as he has, apparently, developed a close relationship with Todd Grantham. That said, it's a long way to February, and Harvey-Clemons could just as likely end up at FSU—a school that has built up a very strong relationship with the Lowndes County coaches over the years (landing such players as Greg Reid and Telvin Smith)—or Florida (the first school to offer him)

Both the Seminoles and the Gators want to make Harvey-Clemons a wide receiver at the college level.

Either way, Harvey- Clemons is an exciting player to keep on your radar as the march towards Signing Day 2012' continues.

Quintavious Harrow: "If you do not know me by now, you better soon.."

That's some strongly worded rhetoric coming from a guy whom no one even realized Georgia was recruiting. However, Harrow is confident that he will bring every bit the talent and excitement to Georgia as his good friend, Isaiah Crowell.

Harrow's name first began to gain notoriety when, in late January, he was extended an offer. Many assumed that this was an attempt by coach Richt to further persuade Crowell to sign with the Bulldogs—Harrow and Crowell were stated to be very close friends. In truth, however, Georgia was simply keeping their promise to Harrow that if he qualified, they would offer. Here is what Harrow had to say about how it all came to pass, "...they told me they were just waiting on my ACT score. They have seen me play before, but they just needed to wait on that test. When it finally came, they said they would pull the trigger..."(Kipp Adams, Rivals.com).

Take that explanation for what it's worth, but Harrow's play speaks for itself and he should be a nice addition to the team—especially from a speed standpoint. Harrow runs a 4.4 40 and is expected to move from linebacker to defensive back at Georgia. That will definitely give coach Lakatos some needed flexibility to work with this coming season, especially since no one can be certain what will happen with Branden Smith.

Hopefully, we get a chance to see what Harrow can do very soon. Until then, here's some video (note: this same clip was posted on another article written about Harrow in January).

Georgia Bulldogs: 2012 TE Prospect Ricky Parks

Ricky Parks is on Georgia's radar for 2012.

The uber-talent out of Callaway High School in Hogansville, GA has born comparisons to both Cam Newton of Auburn and Orson Charles of Georgia. He currently plays the quarterback position for Callaway High School, but is projected by many to be a tight end at the next level. However, one look at his film and it is safe to say that he could be a special prospect at either position.

As for Parks' preference, he has already stated that he would like to play tight end—specifically in a pro-style offense—and Georgia is currently tied at the top of his list with Alabama.

Parks is 6'3", 210, with a lot of potential, but he will need to work on his technique a bit more if he's going to play at a consistently high level in the college ranks—can he become a sufficient blocker? Either way, Parks is a prospect worth keeping a close eye on as the 2012 recruiting season moves forward.

Below is some film on Parks—mostly playing at quarterback—where you definitely can get a feel for how much talent he has.

Ricky Parks, QB #9, Callaway High School:

(h/t RustyMansell)

Georgia Bulldogs: 2012 DL Prospect Jordan Watkins

The Georgia coaching staff hasn't been resting on their laurels since landing one of the top recruiting classes in the country this season, they are fully focused on keeping that trend going for 2012, and Jordan Watkins is the latest defensive prospect to get a nod from Mark Richt and Co.

Watkins is 6'5", 260, and is an absolute beast off the line. He has a great nose for the ball and moves well for his size. He's likely not done developing yet, but he's certainly capable of playing at either  defensive end or defensive tackle at the next level.

Said Watkins about the offer from the Bulldogs, "An offer from Georgia gives me three things as far as my family is concerned. I can stay close to home, which my mom would probably be happiest about with all of this. It is a great place to play football, and it is a great place to go to school for four years" (Kipp Adams, Rivals.com). 

If Georgia can put together a winning record this year, and make it back to a respectable bowl, you have to like their chance to stay in the hunt for Watkins. 

You can find out more about Georgia's latest target here ($$$) if you are a subscriber, but one look at his video and it's clear the kid has the potential to be a monster:




Watkins touts 29 offers as of today, which includes several other SEC schools—Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina and Alabama among them.

He totaled 61 tackles (13 tfl) and 6 sacks as a junior.

Georgia Bulldogs: Former LB, Demetre Baker, Didn't Feel The Love

Demetre Baker, the former four-star linebacker who was kicked off the Georgia football team following a DUI incident, is now at South Alabama—playing running back—according to Tommy Hicks of al.com.

Baker, who admits that Richt kept his word in helping him to find a school that best fit him, also had this to say about his time at Georgia, "I felt like this school [South Alabama] offered a lot of things and a lot of love and a lot of family, and that's what I was looking for. I didn't get that at Georgia."

The statement is a curious one given the amount of prospects who often state those very things as the reason they choose to play at Georgia in the first place.

Perhaps there is still some bitterness held by Baker because of the swiftness Richt took in dismissing him—which, at the time, was necessary given the atmosphere at Georgia

Whatever the case, it looks like Baker is happy with his current position at South Alabama. Hopefully he doesn't squander another opportunity to maximize his talents.

Georgia Bulldogs: There Are Only Two Things Worth Knowing About Will Friend

Will Friend is the new offensive line coach at Georgia. He coached at UAB, under Neil Calloway, and played college ball at Alabama. Those are the things we know about Will Friend, the rest is a mystery.

That said, the first question many were asking after hearing about this hire was "why"?

Richt's future at Georgia is teetering on the brink to start the 2011 season—despite a stellar recruiting class—and this hire needed to be money. So, why on earth would he bring in a guy who is 1) unknown, and 2) relatively unproven?

Well, to be quite honest, who Will Friend is doesn't matter. No one knew much about Brian Van Gorder before he arrived at Georgia, from Western Illinois, in 2000 either, and he turned out just fine? If nothing else, trust that Richt understands the security of his job rests on the success of the 2011 season. Everyone on his staff knows that, so he's not going to bring in a guy unless he has faith that he will be a success—sooner rather than later.

That said, there are only two questions any fan needs the answer too, where Will Friend is concerned, A) can he coach, and B) can he recruit. The rest is just message board chatter. So, let's answer those two questions now, shall we?

1. Can he coach?

While no one is likely to mistake an SEC schedule for a Conference USA one, it is interesting to note a few major points when comparing the production of UAB's offensive line versus that of Georgia's last season.

Georgia made 64 rushing attempts on third down last year and those attempts totaled 91-yards of offense. What that means is Georgia averaged a mind-boggling 1.42 yards per carry on all third downs attempted last season—deplorable is the only word for that stat.

By contrast, UAB's rushing attack totaled 245 yards on 74 attempts (that's better than 3.3 yards per carry). Even more, the teams rushing averaged was even more impressive when better than 10 yards was needed to convert the first down (6.54 yards per carry in those situations).

So, again, say what you will about the quality of competition, and the offensive scheme UAB runs, good offensive line play is good offensiveline play and, in Georgia's case, it would be nice to see that kind of production from their stable of talent in 2011.

As far as pass protection is concerned, UAB allowed only 12 sacks last season, good enough for 14th in the nation. Georgia's rank—trotting out what was touted to be one of the best offensive line units in the country—was 66th.

Despite the above points, it would be short-sighted not to point out that the lack of consistent production from the offensive line could have had as much to do with conditioning as it did coaching, so it will be interesting to see how the addition of Friend—coupled with a more fine-tuned S&C program—will translate onto the football field next season.

That said, there should be no doubt that Friend is qualified to coach.

2. Can he recruit?

UAB isn't Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, or Mississippi. Quite frankly, they aren't even the true class of their own conference—that distinction goes to UCF, Houston, and Southern Miss—but Friend still managed to bring quality two and three-star prospects to their university.

That says a lot about the effectiveness of his sales pitch.

Friend has solid footing in both Mississippi and Alabama, as well as relationships with some of the more well-known junior colleges in the south.

He knows what he's doing and if he can sell UAB, he can sell Georgia. Recruiting is about building relationships, and Friend has honed his skills in that area well over the last several years.

Conclusion

The proof will be in the pudding as far as how far Friend's coaching abilities can lead the Bulldogs in 2011 but, for now, let's give him the benefit of the doubt.

What say you?

Georgia Bulldogs: What Does Isaiah Crowell Need To Be Successful?

Photo Credit: JASON GETZ/AJC

Isaiah Crowell's announcement did more than relieve months of tension and worry among the Bulldog faithful, it gave them a reason to believe that the running game would again have the star it so desperately needs in the backfield—the perfect compliment to Aaron Murray.

Well, it was only six-months ago that fans were satisfied that the Washaun Ealey/Caleb King combo was everything Georgia needed to "run this state" too, and that didn't exactly work out as planned now did it?

Now, before you start thinking this article is meant to rain on the "dream team" parade, please step away from the keyboard and think about this for a moment: As unimpressive, underwhelming, and downright disappointing as Ealey and King both proved to be last season, there can be no doubt that they have talent and have, at some point, been serviceable during their careers at Georgia.

After all, in 2010, many predicted the duo could be one of the best 1-2 combos in the SEC.

Was that a mistake? Did the two generate too much hype for their own good last year, or was something bigger at hand in their collective freefalls from grace?

The only reason this question is worth asking today is because as studly as Isaiah Crowell may turn out to be, no one wishes to see him fall flat, under the weight of enormous expectations, simply because Georgia hasn't done all it can to prepare the way for him.

Before Crowell can be envisioned "running that rock" in any part of Georgia's offense, a few points need to be considered. Points that could have a major impact on his productivity from day one.

For one, A.J. Green's departure means the run game will get a lot more attention.

Without, at least presently, a player of Green's caliber to stretch the field and give defensive coordinator's fits, Bobo will need to do a much better job game planning each week because "throw it to A.J." is no longer an option.

Furthermore, once Richt decides who will be coordinating the run game, Bobo needs to improve the way he uses each running backs particular skills. Last season he, far too often in my opinion, placed them in situations where they were not going to succeed—let's be honest, it's never a good idea to send 5'8", sub-190 lb running back, Carlton Thomas up the gut on a third down.

Lastly, the new offensive line coach—whoever he turns out to be—will have his work cut out for him. The offensive line has talent, but years of poor conditioning cannot be undone in a handful of months, expect some growing pains as each player is reassessed and re-evaluated to see how he can best be used during both pass and run plays.

Can Georgia return to prominence in the running game? Absolutely, but it's going to take some time. The issues which contributed to the overall decline of the run game will have to be addressed quickly—before Crowell can shine—then, hopefully, we'll see him become the player we all hope he can.

Isaiah Crowell's Signing Day Moment Was One For The Dawgs (VIDEO)

The little pup at the end was a nice move by Crowell. Let's hope he's got more tricks up his sleeve once he gets on the football field next season.



Not to be completely outdone, his Carver-Columbus teammate, Gabe Wright, caused a stir as well when he revealed Auburn as his school of choice by putting on a hat that said "Nick Who?"...he clarified that he meant Fairley, not Saban—nice save there, Gabe.

Georgia Bulldogs: Will The "Dream Team" Be Complete Without Isaiah Crowell?

National Signing Day is less than a week away and the Georgia Bulldogs are hoping to close out strong. So far, Mark Richt's staff has done a phenomenal job of locking down some of the best the state has to offer, and there seems to be little doubt that this class will be one of his best yet—assuming they can nab a few more of the big names still left on the board.

Ray Drew, the highly-touted defensive end out of Thomasville, Ga., continues to make the most of his experience as one of the nation's best. He's used the power of social media to keep his allegiances a secret and, by this point in the game, it's anyone's guess what school will land him.

He is set to end the suspense tomorrow morning, and there isn't a publication or person anywhere who should be willing to bet the house on what he will say. As of now, the popular opinion is he will be a Bulldog—despite his penchant for speaking negatively about the program—and if Georgia does turn out to be his destination of choice, many hope to see John Jenkins follow.

Jenkins is a major JUCO prospect out of Connecticut and he is expected to step right into the role of nose at Georgia—should he decide to sign.

Still, though, you have to wonder if even those two would be enough to make this class the talk of the SEC? Will either of those guys signatures matter as much if Isaiah Crowell decides to head to Auburn or Alabama?

The bottom line is this: Georgia has put all of their running back eggs into Crowell's basket. They aren't looking at any other players and aren't actively pursuing any other players. It's Crowell or nothing and it's no secret that if he's all that we've been led to believe he is, then he's the guy that stands to make the biggest offensive impact in 2011.

Caleb King and Washaun Ealey have not lived up to their expectations. They have been a disappointment in both behavior and performance, and many are ready to see something better at the running back position come next season.

In the eyes of many, Isaiah Crowell is the player that Georgia needs to return this offense to the type of efficiency it saw in the early days of Richt's tenure. He is felt, by some, to be the "Marcus Lattimore" of the 2011 class—the spark that Georgia needs to make a championship run of their own.

However, his decision is currently unknown as well.

While all signs seem to point to Georgia being his school of choice, his father made some rather interesting comments about what's most important to him (as a parent), "I’m just looking at him finishing his education and going where they can keep him in line and where there’s a good mentor for him. Where and when he’ll play on the field, I’m not really paying attention to all that."

Crowell expressed a similar sentiment last October when he discussed the arrests and issues that Georgia was having with discipline, said Crowell then, "...there’s just a lot of things going wrong. I do want to play right away but I also want to be where it’s disciplined and they win championships."

It sounds like Isaiah and his father are on similar pages. 

While the culture at Georgia appears to be changing, it's unclear if the moves that have been made will be enough to persuade Crowell to sign with the team on February 2. It's a tough call to make given the success of both Alabama and Auburn (two schools who also remain in the running for Crowell.

That said, if Georgia ends up missing on Crowell, will this Georgia class still be a "Dream" or will it fall just shy of expectations?

What say you?

Recruiting: Jay Rome and Malcolm Mitchell Verbally Commit To UGA

Photo Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

When Xzavier Dickson pledged his allegiance to Alabama at the Under-Armour All-American game a mere two weeks ago, a feeling of dejection came over many a Bulldog fan as their dream of an in-state all-star team seemed to look more like a nightmare.

What a difference a few weeks and a couple of decisions can make.

While nothing is ever "official" until the ink is on the paper, the verbal commitments of both Jay Rome (TE) and Malcolm Mitchell (DB/WR) certainly helped rekindle the dream of a great class and, for once, made the Georgia faithful feel like a turnaround could indeed be in store for 2011.

What each player offers is likely obvious by now.

Jay Rome is rated the No. 1 tight end in the country and, playing alongside other great talents like Orson Charles and Aron White,  he adds yet another big weapon for the Bulldogs on offense.

He has good size, great speed, and excellent play making ability.

As for Malcolm Mitchell, no doubt he was a surprise for Georgia fans as Alabama was thought to be his school of choice for quite a while. Fortunately for Georgia, Mitchell's desire to remain in-state swayed him towards the red and black at the last minute.

At 6'1", 190, Mitchell has the size to play both receiver and defensive back at the next level. And, it has already been hinted that he just might.

Georgia could definitely use his services on both sides of the ball—particularly with Boykin likely gone after 2011 and Branden Smith suffering through his share of injuries. 

Both prospects should play well for Georgia provided they are given the proper coaching.

All in all, it's been a good day to be a Georgia Bulldog.

Jay Rome video:




Malcolm Mitchell video:

Georgia's Offer To Quintavious Harrow Comes With Or Without Isaiah Crowell

When the news broke that Mark Richt had "suddenly" extended a late offer to Carver-Columbus linebacker, Quintavious Harrow—who also happens to be a good friend of Isaiah Crowell—it became easy to make the assumption that this was a last-ditch effort by Georgia to lock-in Crowell.

Crowell, off to Tuscaloosa to visit the Tide this weekend, is still set to announce his decision on National Signing Day. He is fluctuating between Alabama, Auburn, and Georgia, and it's anybody's guess what school he will choose on February 2nd.

However, the chances should markedly increase in Georgia's favor now that they've offered his friend, right? After all, isn't that how it works? Sign the brother, friend, cousin and you lock in the highly-touted recruiting prospect.

It worked with Alec Ogletree (Georgia signed his brother, Zander) and they've made concessions for Nathan Theus (hoping it leads to a commitment from his brother John)—at least that's what we have been led to believe.

Well, I'm not about to say I know the intentions of this coaching staff where Georgia's recruiting process is concerned, but I do know this:

• Georgia is thin at linebacker—Montez Robinson, Demetre Baker, and Marcus Dowtin were all released from their scholarships in 2010—and both Darryl Gamble and, possibly, Justin Houston will be gone in 2011. While Harrow doesn't have the body of an SEC linebacker (5'10, 190lbs), perhaps he gives the defensive staff the flexibility they need to make adjustments and plug holes now that key skill players have left the program.

• Scott Lakatos likes size and speed. Watch the film on Harrow (offered below), he was one of the quicker bodies in that Carver-Columbus secondary, and he is a solid tackler.

• Harrow has always been on Georgia's radar. He was in attendance at Dawgnight last year—along with Isaiah Crowell, Gabe Wright, Xzavier Dickson, and Damian Swann—he didn't just appear overnight.

• Harrow is a good player, but only recently qualified. His lack of offers has more to do with academics than talent.

All that said, the mere thought that Richt has suddenly gotten into the business of bringing in friends just to lockdown a premier talent is really a bit much. Even if true, Jarvis Jones (who transferred in last season) was already a major pull for Crowell—he said as much himself—so there was no need to arbitrarily offer Harrow if he wasn't a good fit.

Remember, last year, Georgia passed on quarterback Nash Nance—even though it meant losing his good friend Da'Rick Rogers to their SEC rival. Even more, people seem caught up in Harrow's lack of offers. Take a look back at both Michael Bennett and Hutson Mason, neither were getting much recruiting love from until late in the game—that means nothing.

In the end, if Crowell signs with Georgia, it's doubtful that Harrow will have much, if anything to do with it. Crowell will go wherever he pleases, and you can be sure that the coaching staff is well-aware of it.

On the other hand, if you still believe that this is just a desperate ploy by coach Richt to gain ground on a guy they have a better shot at losing late, than landing early, well, that's your prerogative. We'll all just have to wait and see.

Until then, here's some video of Georgia prospect, Quintavious Harrow. You be the judge—is he a potential loss of a scholly or a potentially solid player?

Major Applewhite: "...I Love The City of Austin"

Now that the Florida Gators have, reportedly, found their man in Will Muschamp, new speculation has arisen as to who he might bring along with him.

Major Applewhite, the current University of Texas running backs coach, and former offensive coordinator of the Alabama Crimson Tide, is rumored to be tagging along to take over the OC duties at Florida.

However, the possibility of Applewhite leaving Austin seems unlikely given his ties to the program (he once played under coach Brown) and the city of Austin.

Applewhite has long been on-the record as a full-blown Texas guy. He loves the city of Austin and has stated his desire to remain there for as long as possible.

Last season, Gentry Estes of the Mobile-Press Register sat down to interview Applewhite during BCS National Championship week. He asked Applehwhite some very candid questions about his decision to vacate Nick Saban's staff after just one season, his connection to Alabama, and his hopes for the future.

Here are just a few quotes from that interview:

On leaving Alabama for Texas after just one season:

"...I understood why I wanted to go back to the University of Texas. I graduated there. My wife had graduated there. I'd spent seven years there as a student, player and grad assistant. I was familiar with every coach on the staff. I love the city of Austin. I liked my time in Tuscaloosa, but I love living in Austin, Texas. I was familiar with the administration. I knew the environment a lot more. It was a more comfortable environment. My wife and I were wanting to start a family. Look, people are going to talk. I played quarterback, and people talked back then. It really doesn't bother me. ... When I was at Syracuse, I thought about getting back to Texas. When I was at Rice, I thought about getting back to Texas. When I was at Alabama, I thought about getting back to Texas. I love the place. It's my home."

On why he didn't take the job at Houston (he was a candidate at one point but, reportedly, withdrew his name from consideration):

"Yes. I mean, I had an opportunity to go interview at Houston for a head job. It's amazing how the rumors can go a thousand different directions, but I was either going to take a job at Texas or I was going to stay at Alabama. It's that simple."

On his connection to Alabama:

"...Having been named after Major Ogilive, being an Alabama fan, you've got Coach Bryant's poster in your room, and you're wildly familiar with the expectations at Alabama. When I went to Texas from high school as a player, you notice those same things in a different part of the country. It's just a different state."

If a bet had to be made, one might place it on Applewhite staying put and taking advantage of the possibilities that a re-organizing of the staff could mean for him—possible move to QB coach? Too soon for an offensive coordinator's position?

Either way, there could be as many reasons for Applewhite to remain in the city he adores, at the school he loves, than there is for him to return to the SEC. Don't pencil him in just yet.

Auburn Fans Respond: Nick Fairley Was Just Doing His Job (VIDEO)

Ya know, this would be funnier if it weren't so dead wrong. Of course, have to admit, the dialogue does give a slight chuckle in some places—particularly the "All Auburn fans should be killed" retort by the "Georgia" fan.

For the most part, though, it just amazes me how differently two sides can see a ball game.



Here's to killing Auburn, on the football field, next year in Athens!

Related articles

• Nick Fairley Won't Face Suspension For Hit On Aaron Murray (sbnation.com)

Georgia Bulldogs Football:Will Georgia's 2011 Class Be Boom or Bust?

Georgia is 5-6.

We can talk all we want about near-misses, bad calls, the absence of A.J. Green, and the plethora of injuries that always seem to plague the Bulldogs on both sides of the ball—the fact is this is a 5-6 team that may or not be bowl eligible at the end of the season.

That said, what happens with recruiting now that the season is nearly done? To this point, none of the big fish have given their commitment to Mark Richt and that has to be a bit of a concern to those of you who are hoping for a big class to offset the disappointment that was 2009.

As a disclaimer, it has to be said that this site has no "insider" information on where guys like Ray Drew, Isaiah Crowell (although that photo can't be comforting—better hope that's an Atlanta Braves hat), or Jay Rome will be signing come February.

However, it doesn't take much research to get an idea that Georgia's record could become a factor in their final decisions.

Jay Rome has been fairly quiet for some time now, but Georgia is in the mix with several schools—including Clemson, Alabama, and Tennessee. The feel is it will still come down to Clemson (his father's alma mater) and Georgia. Georgia has Rome's family first attitude in their favor—only slightly—as coach Richt is lauded for the family atmosphere he fosters at Georgia. Furthermore, Rome could feel more comfortable remaining in-state.

Isaiah Crowell is an Alabama lean but he was wearing, what appeared to be, an Alabama hat at the Auburn game on Saturday. Crowell was in attendance at the game with his teammate, Gabe Wright—a player who many already feel will sign with Auburn come February. Crowell stated that Alabama held a slight lead over Georgia, but is now considering Auburn as well—he was very impressed with the gameday atmosphere at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Ray Drew has been as even-keeled as you would hope, but he was open in his support of Cam Newton after the Auburn game on Saturday—saying as much on his facebook page—although he did stress that his message of support had nothing to do with his football considerations.

Malcolm Mitchell continues to vascillate between Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, and it could come
down to which school offers the best atmosphere on his official visit—he plans to take one to each school after the season.

Georgia currently has 16 verbal commitments, and a potential Top 10 class if they can close on a few of the guys mentioned above. However, the chatter surrounding Mark Richt's job security hasn't helped matters much, and the Bulldogs now have to wager on a win against Georgia Tech to secure a bowl bid—not exactly the dream season the fans were hoping to see.

It's still a long way until February and plenty can happen before that time, but Georgia needs to hunker down on the recruiting trail—they cannot afford to miss big again this year.

College Football ATS Picks: Can South Carolina Seal The Deal Against Florida? (UPDATED WITH SCORES)

The Lady is getting tired of losing. Last week's 8-7 haul was okay, but, more will need to happen to get the site anywhere near the goal of finishing above .500 on the year.

So, no more chatter, just straight to 15 more picks—against the spread—this week. Find all lines at VegasInsider.com and, again, for clarification, these are spread picks only.

Here we go:

1. Connecticut vs. Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh (-5.5)

The Huskies are undefeated at home this year but the Pitt Panthers not only come in on a three-game winning streak, but are going for their third straight over Connecticut as well.
I like the Huskies to play the Panthers close tonight.

The Lady's Pick: Connecticut to cover. 


Final: UConn 30, Pitt 28—The Lady Wins!

A close one, just as I expected, with a thrilling finish by the Huskies late in the fourth quarter. The Big East is no longer Pitt's to win—it just got interesting. 

2. Boise State at Idaho: Boise State (-34.5)

It's Boise. They've been bored all season playing the mediocre talent of the WAC and the Idaho Vandals will offer them no respite from that trend.

The Lady's Pick: Boise to cover.

Final: Boise 52, Idaho 14—The Lady Wins! 

Boise State beat up on another under-manned opponent. Yawn. 

3. West Virginia vs. Cincinnati: West Virginia (-7)

The Bearcats lost Zach Collaros to a leg injury a couple weeks back, but he is set to return this week against the Mountaineers. Cincy's offense is far more productive and dangerous with Collaros at the helm and the Mountaineers have struggled to find their footing the last two weeks.

The Lady's Pick: Cincinnati to cover. 

Final:West Virginia 47, Cincinnati 10—The Lady Loses

Wow, way to NOT show up Cincy. Geez—miss Brian Kelly and Mardy Gilyard much?


4. Auburn vs. Georgia: Auburn (-8)

More than a clinch of the SEC West is at stake for the Tigers in this one. Georgia currently holds a four-game win streak over the Tigers as well. Add to that, an angry Cam Newton, and you have an Auburn team that looks set to rout the Bulldogs on Saturday.

That said, Georgia is playing for every bit as much as the Tigers. They want to end the season on the upswing and what better way to do so than to beat the No. 2 team in the country—at home?

Georgia has a good defense, some solid playmakers, and a golden opportunity. Expect them to be in this one til the bitter end.

The Lady's Pick: Georgia to cover. 

Final: Auburn 49, Georgia 31—The Lady Loses

It looked promising for Georgia, early, but the Newton train proved too much to contain in the end. Now the Bulldogs will have to scare up win number 6 in their final game of the season—can they handle the pressure?

5. Florida vs. South Carolina: Florida (-6.5)

Okay, so the Gators are feeling groovy after two straight wins and, despite their three-game losing streak, they still have a shot at the SEC East title if they win—at The Swamp—this weekend.
Steve Spurrier's group has had their ups and downs this season with big program wins over Alabama and Georgia, but heartbreaking losses to Auburn and Arkansas. However, they can sweep all that under the rug if they can upend Urban Meyer's team.

Expect the Gamecocks to make a game of this one.

The Lady's Pick: South Carolina to cover. 

Final: South Carolina 36, Florida 14—The Lady Wins!

This was kind of like watching a horror film. I didn't want to see a good outcome for either team, but settled on Spurrier because he was the lesser of two evils. Still, it was great to see Chris Rainey be rendered a non-factor.

6. Alabama vs. Mississippi State: Alabama (-14.5)

Mississippi State lacks a lot in the offense department. Chris Relf isn't a very good quarterback and Vick Ballard has had good games against midling run defenses. The Bulldogs are where they are in large part because of their defense—period. So, a hat tip to their defensive coordinator, former Middle Tennessee head coach, Manny Diaz is in order.

That said, don't look for Alabama to run all over MSU this weekend. They have struggled mightily against physical front sevens and the talent in the secondary can be opportunistic when they are on their game.

14.5 points is too much to give to an Alabama team that has not shown much dominance this year.

The Lady's Pick: Mississippi State to cover. 

Final: Alabama 30, Mississippi State 10—The Lady Loses. 

Now the Tide play like winners. Hope they have a plan for Auburn next week—personally I hope they decimate Cam Newton and ram road the heck out of Nick Fairley.

7. Iowa State at Colorado: Iowa State (-2.5)

This is a tricky one because Colorado has been every bit the atrocious team we thought they would be to start the season—culminating in their embarrassing loss to Kansas last week. By contrast, the Cyclones beat Texas and have an under-rated leader in quarterback, Austen Arnaud.

So, the Cyclones should easily cover that 2.5, right? Wrong.

This is exactly the sort of game that just screams for big performances out of the Colorado players who just saw their coach get fired and want to save face. Plus, to be clear, Iowa State is not as good as their win over Texas seemed to allude.

The Lady's Pick: Colorado

Final: Colorado 34, Iowa State 14 —The Lady Wins

Ah yes, the coach gets fired and the Buffs play one of their best games of the season—who could have imagined that?...oh yeah—ME. 

8. Notre Dame vs. Utah: Utah (-5.5)

The Irish are just trying to get out of the season and into full recruiting mode. They lost their top quarterback for the season and don't seem to have much life left.

Plus, Utah is mad as a hornet after being trounced by the Horned Frogs last week. They're looking to do some trouncing of their own on a bruised and battered Irish team.

The Lady's Pick: Utah

Final: Notre Dame 28, Utah 3—The Lady Loses 

Ouch, TCU took Utah's pride AND their will to live. 

9. North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech: Virginia Tech (-3.5)

The Hokies have gotten back on the winning track in a big way since losing to James Madison in week two—rattling off seven straight wins.

Butch Davis' Tarheels have rebounded well, too, playing themselves into bowl eligibility after many left them for dad following an agent scandal that, all but, decimated their defense. Can they keep up with Tyrod Taylor and upset the Hokies this weekend?

The last loss the Tarheels suffered was at the hands of Miami—Virginia Tech has a much more balanced team.

The Lady's Pick: Virginia Tech. 

Final: Virginia Tech 26, UNC 10—The Lady Wins!


Oh those Heels' sure made a game of it for a little bit, but Virginia Tech woke up and remembered they still had plenty to play for and closed this one out before it got too out of hand.

10. Purdue vs. Michigan: Michigan (-13)

Michigan's defense is terrible and no one can feel confident that Denard Robinson is capable of finishing any game in which he takes a big hit. That said, Purdue has a halfway decent defense—despite their record—and they are playing at home.

For some reason, I like the Boilermakers chances to make a game of it on Saturday.

The Lady's Pick: Purdue

Final: Michigan 27, Purdue 16—The Lady Wins!


All I can say is, whew.

The Lady's Luck Picks:

11. Kentucky (-14) vs. Vanderbilt

Final: Kentucky 38, Vanderbilt 20—The Lady Wins!

12. Colorado State (+6.5) vs BYU

Final: BYU 49, Colorado State 10—The Lady Loses. 

13. Penn State (+18) at Ohio State

Final: Ohio State 38, Penn State 14—The Lady Loses.

14. Illinois (-21) vs Minnesota

Final: Minnesota 38, Illinois 34—The Lady Loses.

15. Kansas State (-13) at Missouri 

Final: Missouri 28, Kansas State 38—The Lady Wins! 

Final tally: 8-7...just great *sarcasm*

College Football Betting Odds: Will Les Miles Get Lucky Against The Alabama Crimson Tide?

It was a tough road again last week and the season total now stands at 40-50 on the year with only a few more weeks left to get back to the .500 mark.

At this point in the season, teams are getting tired and those without much depth are likely feeling the pinch—even against the lower quality teams—and that makes some match-ups a bit harder to predict.

However, let's stick with 15 again this week as desperate times call for desperate measures.

The picks made, for clarification, are both ATS (against the spread) and straight-up but, for the purpose of the running season tally, the only picks that count are the ATS ones. 

All lines are available through VegasInsider.com—as usual.

1. LSU vs Alabama: Alabama (-6.5)

Here's the problem with LSU—it's the same problem they've had all season long—they don't have consistently good quarterback play. The fact that they only have one loss this season is as much a testament to Les Miles' gunslinger coaching as it is to the talent on the field.

Alabama is coming into this one blindly as LSU has also had two weeks to prepare. However, that said, Saban has to take a little pleasure in sticking it to the Bayou faithful—many of whom never forgave him for ditching them for an NFL job.

It's a tough one to call, but, if Ingram and Richardson can find some room against that tough LSU defense and McElroy can keep from holding the ball so long that Bear Bryant comes back to smack his helmet off, Alabama should be able to win this one.

The Lady's ATS Pick: LSU to cover (Alabama to win).

2. Memphis vs Tennessee: Tennessee (-20)

Memphis is terrible. I don't care where this game is being played nor how tired and beat up this Volunteers team is, this game will be the one where Tyler Bray finds his footing, Tauren Poole goes for nearly 200, and the wide receivers have a field goal.

This is a 'get-well' game for Dooley's crew.

The Lady's ATS Pick: Tennessee to cover. 

3. Texas Tech vs. Missouri: Missouri (-4)

Both teams are coming off losses but, at this point, Missouri still has more to play for and that may be enough to motivate them going into hostile territory.

The Lady's ATS Pick: Missouri to cover. 

4. UCLA vs Oregon State: Oregon State (-5)

This game is in Los Angeles and the Beavers haven't been as convincing on the road as they have at home. That said, this is a UCLA team that has struggled against better Pac-10 opposition all season and that is not a trend that I expect to see change on Saturday.

The Lady's ATS Pick: Oregon State to cover. 

5. Utah vs TCU: TCU (-4.5)

I know TCU hammered the Utes last season (55-28), but this isn't that Utah team. This game will be closer than many think and the outcome may settle TCU's fate once and for all.

The Lady's ATS Pick: Utah to cover (Utah to win).

6.  Louisiana Tech vs. Fresno State: Fresno State (-1)

This game is usually pretty close—despite the talent level that separates the two teams. However, Fresno State should be able to find plenty of passing lanes to throw into against a soft Bulldogs secondary and that will be the difference.

The Lady's Pick: Fresno State to cover. 

7. Stanford vs. Arizona: Stanford (-9.5)

Arizona has a tough defense and the Cardinal may be still flying a bit high after blanking the Washington Huskies last weekend. It's possible the Wildcats can come in and catch Stanford napping.

The Lady's ATS Pick: Arizona to cover. 

8. Iowa State vs. Nebraska: Nebraska (-19)

The Cornhuskers usually play the Cyclones closer in Lincoln than they do in Ames. If that holds true on Saturday, then 19 points may be too much.

The Lady's ATS Pick: Iowa State. 

9.  Oregon vs. Washington: Oregon (-28.5)

Washington isn't good but Oregon is feeling cocky after taking the top spot. Will they suffer a minor lapse in concentration this weekend? It seems likely that they might take their foot off the point-accelarator a little bit this week—not enough to lose, but enough to see the Huskies cover.

Then again, Eugene (Oregon) is Eugene, and that is one tough place to play.

The Lady's ATS Pick: Oregon to cover. 

10. Boise State vs. Hawaii: Boise State (-21) 

Some team has to be able to upset the Broncos at some point...why not Hawaii.

The Lady's ATS Pick: Hawaii

The Lady's Luck Picks...who else will cover?


11. Kansas (-10) vs Colorado

12. Florida (-14) at Vanderbilt


13. Florida State (-7) vs North Carolina


14. Michigan State (-24) vs Minnesota

15. Oklahoma (-3.5) at Texas A&M