When it comes to UGA, it turns out that Aubrey Solomon was negatively recruited… by his own mother.
She said a big reason why Georgia didn’t sign her son centered on coaching decisions and not anything specific in their recruiting relationship.
Caldwell said they were affected by the scholarship that was no longer there for 4-star Texas RB and longtime UGA commit Toneil Carter.
Adding to the confusion: SEC All-Freshman kicker Rodrigo Blankenship was not extended a scholarship offer despite what he did to win games for the Bulldogs last season.
She said that was not her family’s fight but that it was a factor into how they perceived UGA.
“We were concerned with the scholarship issues of those not either receiving (them) or getting it pulled and again (this was) not our fight but it played a factor,” she said.
Why did her son not take a last official visit to Georgia when he had one left? Why did Kirby Smart not get one last in-home visit?
Caldwell said that a final visit was planned. That’s when their family would’ve asked about the Blankenship and Carter situations. They wanted to find out those answers.
What happened there? Caldwell said the birth of her grandchild in late January was a factor. There were complications that extended that hospital stay there for her daughter. Her 5-star son also got to be an uncle. The Southwest Georgia storms were also cited as a factor.
She also had to get her hair done.
Ken Blankenship appreciates the solidarity. He’ll probably bring that up the next times he fires off a screed to the media.
Get The Picture 
Now why was Rocker run off?
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Rodrigo no doubt is thrilled to have this business once again in the media. Poor kid.
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I hope that every weekend she wants to go see her kid play, she enjoys getting on a plane in Albany, changing planes in Hartsfield, then riding on a bus for an hour to Ann Arbor. Then do it all in reverse the next day. Sounds like a fun weekend ritual for 3 years.
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I still say it’s damn unusual for a south GA kid to sign with michigan. Not to mention two signees from rural bama. Even we have fits trying to sign bama kids, and we’re right next door. No mention of family ties up north. This just doesn’t pass the smell test.
Now I can see a kid wanting to go cross country to USC or Stanford. Tose kids seem more savvy and academic, but more than a few get homesick pretty fast. It’ll be interesting to watch how this Solomon in michigan story develops over the next couple years.
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Michigan is the ‘in’ team. Harbaugh is a great coach and great recruiter, and never underestimate the value of being sponsored by Jordan.
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As much as I dislike Harbaugh a lot of the time, he’s a rule pusher, not a rule breaker, seems to me. A dick, but not a sleaze.
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Yes…pulling Carter’s offer for Early Enrollment after Chubb and Sony decide to stay and/or not offering a scholarship to a walk-on kicker is much worse than this:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/01/22/recruit-says-he-feels-used-after-jim-harbaugh-rescinds-scholarship-offer/?utm_term=.1e5507558e70
The whole Sentell article reeks….but I guess if he actually asked questions instead of just acting as a sounding board, he wouldn’t be at the AJC. Zing!
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Amen. Perhaps if he was going to play for someone with the slightest moral compass on not one of the biggest dickheads in the sport that story would’ve made a lick of sense.
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F*** Sentell and F*** the AJC.
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That’s what the Baylor and Penn State fans sound like.
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Yeah, because pulling a scholarship is the same as raping someone. Go fuck yourself.
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When it’s a slow news day (more like a slow couple of months) you’re going to have to create some stories. Nice job, Jeff. [insert snark face]
I honestly don’t care why a kid makes any choice as long as a bag man isn’t involved.
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Its news because people are implying that the recruitment of this kid is the reason Rocker got fired. Remember that news? Rocker got fired.
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I’m fine with clearing that up. I’m glad the mom said Rocker didn’t do anything to sour his recruitment. But when you throw in this trash about how we mistreated Rodrigo and the other JUCO kid, that’s bullshit and everyone knows it.
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Like David K said, if it was just a “we want everyone to know that Coach Rocker did nothing that offended us” that would have been fine. But the rest of it reminds me of this one kid I knew in our neighborhood that liked to find an old, dry dog turd just so he could take a stick and stir it up to make it smell again. Jeff is like that kid.
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If Mama’s reasons are true, little Aubrey is in for a surprise this August when a few Michigan players get run off.
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Didn’t like how the UGA staff was managing scholarships, so it came down to Michigan or … Alabama?
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Define Irony
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I respectfully differ: Define salesmanship. 😏
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Hope Harbaugh has fun with this mom.
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She already had the bag of Michigan cash before that last UGA visit rounded the calendar. Pshh….
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Cannot blame Mama for wanting to correct the stories from UGA children running their mouths on a recruiting site about a blowup between Rocker and Mama. That was totally wrong, nothing but sour grapes, and she should have defended that. Had she stopped there, great, but then her commenting on two other situations she doesn’t have direct knowledge of was where she cam off as foolish….more like our favorite daddy Kenny.
I think we can see why the Blankenship scholly wasn’t given but I am still having trouble with the situation with Toe Nail. Seemed he lost his offer to be an early enrollee after the UGA players all decided to return, but I am not sure if he could have enrolled in June or not. Have heard that two different ways. I think Swift is going to be a stud but am uncomfortable with us only bringing in one RB. We have a history with needing all the depth we can get with that position. And, we now do not lead with the #1 RB in next year’s class. I am hoping Scott has some inroads there because his resume is not impressive, especially when compared to Rocker as a position coach.
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I don’t like pulling an offer any more than the next guy, but it wasn’t like the situation wasn’t understandable. Yes, there was a quick about-face in terms of the messaging (going from pulling rank so he doesn’t visit Texas to pulling the offer), but at least they let him know quickly. He landed on his feet at Texas.
If we don’t pull the offer, there’s no spot for Solomon, Bryant, or Collins available (which I realize doesn’t matter now, but definitely did at the time). Hindsight is 20/20, and sure, knowing what we know now, we probably could have made room for him, but that’s not a luxury you have in early January. We were trying to close strong with a few other guys in spots where we really needed it. It didn’t work, but not hard to see why the decision was made to trim at a position of depth to go after other spots.
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I may be the only one but I don’t have a problem with what she said. Heck I agree with her that it was crappy to pull Toneil Carter’s offer and to not give Blankenship a scholarship if CMR had in fact promised one if he became the starter. I get why Kirby did it and I know that any other school could do it also, but still she’s not making anything up. If Kirby wanted an in home and didn’t get it……well you win some and lose some. I doubt he changes how he does business anyway.
Best wishes to Solomon at MIchigan and life goes on.
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Why is it crappy to not honor the alleged promise of the previous head coach? That’s ridiculous.
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Remember the admonition that a kid commits to the school and not the coach? The school made the promise and the school should keep its promises.
If Apple’s buyer offers to buy plastic from you at a price and you accept, then Apple changes buyers Apple is still stuck with your agreement.
I thought it was shitty to ask the kid to not even take other visits then tell him, “tough luck.”
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If our AD had promised a scholly, I would agree with you.
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The head coach has the authority to bind a scholarship to a player. Basic agency law.
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McGarity needs to hire a PR man quick to spin all of the rumors about the way Kirby is running the program. 3 sites said Rocker was a good recruiter and 3 said he sucked at recruiting. Coaches come and coaches go everywhere but when one leaves UGA the conspiracy theories pursued by the AJC and the other websites are a pile of crap. Can’t get an answer from UGA so run to a kid who blurted Miami but signed with Harbaugh. Just damn. Strange how Scott’s name was on nobody’s speculative list as a replacement. Does Kirby have an analyst read this stuff so he can do the opposite? Too much fake news out there. After the Ole Piss loss Kirby had “lost the team” and after the Tech loss Chubb and Michel announce their return. Go figure. Where’s the credibility in what we read? On App State’s first rushing first down they’ll be saying Georgia should have signed Solomon and kept Rocker.
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People talk and websites like clicks. McGarity hiring a PR man isn’t going to change that.
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The AJC article did not advance false rumors about Rocker. The article actually interviewed one of the parties and published an article REFUTING the false rumors.
Is that not you want a newspaper to do?
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I know I’m a little late here…but the whole problem with the article is that it isn’t journalism. It is media…a platform for Ms. Solomon to say whatever she wanted about the situation with little to no interest on the part of the reporter to actually substantiate the facts…even when her statements are on their face contradictory of what others have said or what happened over the last 12 months.
I don’t have any beef with the mom or the kid. Michigan is a good school and I wish them well. But…if you are going to call yourself a reporter, you at least have to ask a follow up question about the Carter/Blankenship issue she raised. But for a rumor mill…leaving that out there is perfect fodder.
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Mama’s need to be loved and given a sense of security for their boys but this is bs like I’ve never seen. Let Michigan have this overgrone mamas boy.
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Grown
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So when the story was rocker pissed off mama it was all “if mama ain’t happy…”. Now that it is smart that pissed off mama the tune changes to mama needs to keep her mouth shut.
Great work everyone.
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It’s amazing.
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The story was that Rocker got into a shouting match with Mama. That’s a bit different than Mama being upset about two tangentially related situations, planning on discussing said situations with the head coach on the official visit, and then not going on the official visit or granting an in-home visit to said coach. You see the difference, right?
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Who knows what the truth is? But one thing is clear…Kirby got a black eye out of the way he handled the Carter and Blankenship situations. Kids and their parents ain’t stupid. If Solomon and his Mom don’t feel comfortable signing with Georgia because of Kirby’s actions with other players/recruits that’s all on Kirby. You can say “that’s BS” all you want but a 5 star that we had the inside track with didn’t sign with Georgia and we lost the best assistant coach we had. Good recruiting class aside, I’m getting more and more uncomfortable with Kirby Smart myself with each passing day.
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+1000. It’s feeling dirtier and greasier by the minute. I am 1st for representing OUR school with class, honor and COMMITTMENT, and 2nd winning. Not winning at all costs.
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Well I AM a win at all costs guy and Kirby makes ME uncomfortable. Here’s the thing. You can use any cliché you want. “What goes around comes around.” “Cast thy bread upon the waters…” “Karma.” When you treat players and recruits badly it comes back to haunt you and more importantly the program. The Blankenship kid won a couple of games for Georgia last year. So do you refuse to give him a scholarship and then give one to another kicker you recruited from outside? Not to mention offer preferred status to damn near every kicker coming out this year? Because his Dad pissed you off? I get why Mrs. Solomon is less than enamored. Others may be too. We had a great recruiting class this year. We had a great recruiting class in ’13 too and they all disappeared. Keep on shitting on people Kirby and see how long it takes for people to start shitting on you too. I don’t care about Kirby Smart. I care about UGA. If he does a bad job he’ll be gone but I’m afraid the smell will linger after he’s departed.
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It may come off like I’m trying to argue everything you’re saying. I sincerely don’t mean that to be the case. At the same time, it’s coming off as if you’re letting a personal vendetta against Smart cloud the way you’re viewing some of this. Kirby didn’t refuse to give Hot Rod a scholarship; he told him that it would be determined later in the year but that he couldn’t give him one right now. Blankenship’s dad goes crazy and starts blasting things in the media about his son transferring, so, shockingly, Kirby looks elsewhere for kickers. He’s been clear he wants competition at every position, and that’s what he’s getting. I’ll agree with you, it’s a bit odd to give Marvin a scholarship (albeit not until September) when not giving one to Blankenship; having said that, Marvin has also shown an ability to consistently put the ball out of the back of the endzone on kickoffs and make field goals from 50+ yards. Rodrigo hasn’t been able to do either of those things.
Beyond that, ‘preferred status’ doesn’t mean anything…those kids are walk-ons just like anyone else, the only difference is that they were invited to walk-on.
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While I continue to see the situation on Tonneil Carter differently than you (although I still do not know if it was he who decided to move on after losing the EE slot, or Kirby cutting him loose) I agree about the kicking decision. One had performed at an average level after 2 years on campus, and the other had put up better numbers in game situations. My problem with the RB was he was a Top 10, 4 star, RB committed in a class where he was one of two we were bringing in. And he was the “bird in the hand” versus the unknowns, at least one of which was playing games and bent on drama.
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Agree 100%. As 69 said below Smart acts as if he is in the same culture in which Saban operates.
I have no clue what happened with Rocker. Maybe Rocker decided $525,000 per year wasn’t worth coaching DL in Athens and left to do other things. Maybe Smart fired him.
My concern is whether our assistant hires are made based on ability to recruit more than ability to coach the talent on campus. As long as Alabama is out recruiting us we have to coach our talent better than it coaches its talent. That means having better coaches.
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We consistently recruit better than Clemson. Look at where we are compared to where Clemson is. That is where coaching makes a real difference.
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Absolutely agree. 4-5 star high school players do not automatically become 4-5 star college players. It takes 4-5 star coaching to elevate their game. As the current overseer of the football team, Kirby has talked about the blue print for players size/length but coaching up players never appears to be referenced. So if the 4-5 star players do not perform its their fault. I fear that how you arrive at continuous throwaway seasons.
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UGA consistently had great recruiting classes under Ray Goff. Goff was a terrific recruiter. Just sayin.’
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Except that what Mama told Jeff Sentell may be a load of crap. People make decisions for all kinds of different reasons and when a local reporter calls you up to ask why you shunned the state team, you say what you think sits well. I think there’s some overreaction, but to each their own, I guess.
If Kirby felt like he needed to move on from Rocker because of something that happened with the Solomon recruitment, I’m much more inclined to believe Kirby and the fact that he actually went through with it than I am Solomon’s mama and Jeff Sentell.
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He went to Michigan, right? What’s the issue? We aren’t running a preschool in Athens…
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The problem with Kirby is that he still thinks he is at Alabama. Alabama can get away with dick moves because they are champions. We are not and have not been champions for a long time. Kirby is making the same mistakes in recruiting he made with the press. Hey Kirby you’re not in Alabama anymore win something and then you can act anyway you want.
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100% this! The majority of the administration and fans will eventually accept and rationalize ANYTHING if we start winning. Human nature and all that.
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Solomon and his mom(especially mom) are needy attention whores.
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Solomon is a 5 star DT. One of only 2 in the country this year.
If you are saying that Unicorns walk around like their shit dont stink….um no shit sherlock.
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I see your reading comprehension is up to snuff. Congratulations!
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Is it true that if a player and the school sign off on a financial aid agreement that obligates the school? Maybe Carter should have asked to do this after he committed.
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