Perhaps you remember this quote from a little over a month ago:
Here’s a caption: “How can that happen?”
That was repeated several times by Creekside coach Olten Downs during an in-person interview with cleveland.com on Thursday….
“You see a guy like Vonn Bell making interceptions and you say, ‘How’d you let him leave the state?’” Downs said. “You see a guy like Raekwon McMillan starting as a freshman. You’re hurting for linebackers, but you let this guy leave? How can that happen? I don’t know. I think (Georgia) wants guys who love Georgia, and want to play for Georgia. That’s all fine and dandy but you still gotta make guys feel special and wanted.”
At the time, I thought it was a strange complaint, but evidently Georgia’s coaches thought differently, because Olten Downs is now a member of Georgia’s staff.
Creekside High School football coach Olten Downs is joining Georgia’s football support staff as a quality control assistant, he said Monday.
Downs guided the Fairburn school to the Class AAAAA state championship in 2013 in his first season and the team reached the second round of the playoffs in 2014.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to learn at a whole other level, an opportunity that doesn’t come around every day,” said Downs, who expects to be with the Georgia program in time for spring practice next week.
Downs will hold the title quality control coordinator for offense. He said offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer reached out to him and coach Mark Richt “invited” him to be part of his staff.
I’m not sure why “invited” is in quote marks there, but in any event, welcome to Athens, Coach. Starting now, we’ll hold you personally accountable for every highly rated recruit who goes out of state. (I keed, I keed… I think.)