I had a couple of emails this weekend regarding Jadon Haselwood’s video and his rather scathing comments about Georgia’s staff during the recruiting process. I’m not going to link to the video here, because, let’s not forget, he did commit to Smart at one point, but also because he makes a valid point with this follow up.
Now that may only be an 18-year old’s way (a kid who probably was convinced way before Chaney’s departure that he preferred Oklahoma’s offensive strategy to that of Georgia’s, mind you) of spinning out of criticism received from posting what many perceived as a tacky video. But that doesn’t mean there’s not an element of truth lurking therein.
Even if you take it as valid, though, the good news is that Georgia’s hardly the only school guilty of it.
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UPDATE: One more fair observation about Haselwood’s comment…
Georgia’s plans for Haselwood likely wouldn’t have changed much after Smart’s quick decision to promote Coley just two days after Chaney left.
Like I said, he had likely made his mind up before the Chaney news was public. That doesn’t invalidate his point about loyalty.
Get The Picture 
Yep… This can be easily cleaned up at least at the head coach level…
If a coach is fired, any kid recruited in under that coach should be able to leave the school and transfer anywhere they want, with no penalty of sitting out a year.
If a coach leaves the school for another job, any kid recruited in by that coach should be able to leave the school and transfer anywhere they want, with no penalty of sitting out a year, with the exception of the school the former head coach goes to. (Prevents the coach from selling not only himself but his players to another program)
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I’m so torn abut this. I agree wholeheartedly about player movement in light of he way coaches move, but I also feel it must be damn difficult to build a roster with the constant commitment-shuffling. Maybe the answer is to build in something that discourages coaches moving around so much…because the NCAA is all about the student-athlete’s welfare and all. (But that wouldn’t be very free-market of a solution, though, would it?)
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Just because you’ve got a hard-on for paying players doesn’t excuse what he said. Our coaches didn’t know Chaney was leaving. What’s fake about what they were telling him?
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First of all, what does this have to do with player compensation?
Second, it looks like you missed that bit about “a kid who probably was convinced way before Chaney’s departure that he preferred Oklahoma’s offensive strategy to that of Georgia’s, mind you”.
Third, how do you know any of the background regarding (1) what he was told by the coaches and (2) what was going on behind the scenes with Chaney?
Other than all of that, awesome comment, dude.
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(1) Perhaps I should have said “your hard-on for players rights.”
(2 and 3) You’re excusing what he said because “he makes a valid point with this follow up”. Whats valid about it? What’s fake about the coaches selling him on playing in a particular coach’s offense, if no one knew particular coach was leaving? You’re right: I don’t know what was said. I guess we will have to take him at his word that for the past three whole years of recruiting him, Kirby knew in advance that at the end of the 2018 season, at the 13th hour, Pruitt was going to back a brinks truck up to Chaney’s house and pay well above market value in a desperate attempt to save face. Yea, we should have known that and been honest about it with Haselwood the whole time. That would have been less fake of our coaches. If you’re trying to tell me coaches leaving is limited to UGA – which his comments were specifically targeted at UGA being fake (the irony of which the particular coach’s offense who left Chaney is not even a UGA coach now) – well then you’re wrong. Not to mention the offense was probably not changing much regardless of who’s OC.
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I’m not excusing what he said. I’m simply saying that there is an element of truth to his last observation.
You are making a host of mistaken assumptions about this post. I can only attribute that to someone with his own share of hard-ons about something.
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Eh, fair enough. Though I think “some element of truth” is vague and give credibility where it isn’t due. I won’t deny plenty of coaches are not always totally forthcoming. But neither are a lot of recruits. This is a two way street the likes of 247 and Scout have made plenty of money on.
Perhaps this just is a case of a drama queen running his mouth and has nothing to do with coaches or players coming and going.
Spin city, if you ask me.
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not a thing …
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I’ve hated that we’ve missed on many Georgia blue chips especially during the end of the Richt era. I don’t regret missing on this guy one bit.
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Agree. This kid may be the best WR ever but he also seems like a prima Donna, drama queeen, locker room problem, etc
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Exactly. Terrell Owens was one of the most talented receivers in the NFL but wore out his welcome EVERYWHERE he went. He had great talent but was a locker room cancer. Maybe this kid will mature and not have those issues, but as close as UGA is the getting the NC ring, they do not need the potential drama. On top of that, we have Blaylock who is not exactly chopped liver so I think it worked out the best for all involved.
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Ditto. The kind of self-aggrandizing he takes part in is a bad look, IMO. Aflnd this coming from someblone who didn’t think the video made Georgia look bad. I thought it was clear he was talking about Chaney, but he and his mom conflated it with broader talking points, leading to the way his comments were taken. And that is his and his mom’s fault, again, for seeking out that kind of platform. Good luck in Oklahoma, but im more than happy to have kids like Blaylock here in Athens in his stead
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same here…..”didn’t want him anyway”
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It’s a false equivalency to say “never wanted him anyway” is the same thing as not wanting players that aren’t 100% UGA.
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After reading his comments and criticism of Fields’ playing time, I was hoping he would pick another team.
I don’t agree with letting players transfer if a coach leaves. A student doesn’t get to drop a class after the drop add date if a Prof leaves. Yes rare but I did have 1 become critically ill. Employers don’t offer a severance package when a manager moves on.
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Agreed. Seems WRs are the most likely to become divas. Not sure there’s a helmet at Butts Mehre large enough for him anyway.
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It’s like every job interview I’ve been in. I’m doing my best to look and act professional. My interviewer is doing the same, trying to convince me that it’s great place to work and that I’d be an incredible fit.
The reality is always different. I’m not as confident as I projected in the interview, and the job is about is ho-hum (or worse) as every other.
Fortunately I don’t have to sit out a year if it turns out I accepted the wrong offer.
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Lincoln Riley is about the hottest coach on several NFL boards at the moment. I wonder how Haselwood will react if his new coach suddenly makes a jump in a year or two? Oh, wait. Kids commit to the school, not the coach. My bad…
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One thing about college football you can always count on is that irony never takes a vacation.
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Take me to your transfer portal……
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Best of luck to this kid, but it would appear as if he is major need of some derecruiting.
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Perhaps he wanted a new car.
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“Like I said, he had likely made his mind up before the Chaney news was public. That doesn’t invalidate his point about loyalty”
The craw for most people has never been any point he attempted to make about “loyalty”. Rather the issue is with how he and his mom transferred frustration with the coaching dynamic in question onto UGA as a whole. You can do a much better job of expressing your dislike of coaches trying to sell you on something that they themselves might not be entirely committed to…but he didn’t. The snide way in which the remarks were made, coupled with his later remarks regarding Justin Fields, leads me to infer that his TRUE issue is that his best bud wasn’t giftwrapped the starting QB job, something I’m sure Justin went to great lengths to bitch about. It should be obvious to most anyone that Haselwood decided a long time ago that UGA wasn’t for him, and Fields not having a bigger role in the offense played a huge part in it. And as a side note, anyone who has watched the second season if QB1 can tell you all about the “me first” attitude and behaviors Justin and his friends soak themselves in.
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Post of the day! Thank you.
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Amen!! Brother 30904 Preach it!!! Wooo!! You telling it. I agree. Him and Justin are gonna be fun to watch. Any adversity for either one and watch out.
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So many times I felt that Fields had a look somewhere between disinterest and disgust when the camera panned to him on the sidelines.
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Great player, no doubt. Also a functionally illiterate prima donna.
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Kinda like Keith Richards
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That’s harsh, Mick.
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It’s only rock and roll…..
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I like it
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Alabama had 5 guys with more yardage than Georgia’s #1. Their #1 had 200 more yards than Riley and Mecole combined. Their #1 and #2 had 200 more yards than Riley, Mecole, Isaac and Jeremiah combined. I use Alabama because people kind of expect that out of Oklahoma and the B12 Experience.
Georgia’s WR roster is stacked, and “me first” guys aren’t going to translate in Kirby’s program – but a kid can be a selfless teammate and still want to play in an offense where he is going to get more touches and opportunities.
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Honestly, I think I’m more concerned that there is a market for shows where people watch 18 year olds ramble about their thoughts on the world while getting tattoos than I am about anything JH actually said.
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Georgia figured out early on that this kid was trouble, let’s just leave it at that.
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+1. His comments come from some butthurt after being told no thank you.
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That’s why we recruited him for years and were happy to have his commitment for 2+ years? Not sure I understand your definition of “early on.”
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Osu telling Dwan Mathis that they weren’t talking to fields has an even more “what do I need to get you into this car” or university today feel. Untruth can take many forms. Lack of loyalty is a lesser untruth than gold face lieing, but both can be issues if you are a 17/ 18 year old kid.
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Bingo!
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Agreed and further prior to signing day Chaney being the highest paid OC in CFB was on whose radar as a possibility?
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This kid is DaRick Rogers 2.0
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Yep.
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DaPrick – FIFY
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Go read Da’Rick’s wikipedia. Listed among his accomplishments was “He also passed 10 drug tests”
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I’m sure Oklahoma has never had a coach leave while recruiting a player.
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He sounds bitter.
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Agree that his decision was made long before the Chaney move. He may have a better career than Blaylock, but I will take a team of Blaylocks over one mixed with the two receivers (or any skill position on offense). There will never be enough reps for two guys (WRs, RBs, or QBs) when one has the attitude Haselwood had. Terrance Owens/DaRick part two.
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After he gets homesick/has a family reason/flames out/etc. at OU, Kirbs will welcome him back with open arms and all will be forgiven, which is as it should be.
If he finishes out at OU, then good for him. If OU end up playing UGA during his time there, the players will make sure that he knows he made the wrong choice.
Either way… moving on and go Dawgs.
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Glad he’s not our future problem.
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I’m okay with the WRs we signed: Blaylock and Makiya Tongue – two players who have Dad’s that know what it takes to play in the big leagues.
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Guys like Haselwood aren’t the key to championships:
“It’s amazing,” Patriots safety Duron Harmon said. “It’s history. It’s testament to what coach Belichick and [owner] Mr. [Bob] Kraft have built over the last two decades. It shows how they have a standard excellence — no matter who plays here. That just shows the kind of players we have in this locker room — selfless players who buy into the team. We have no ‘me’ guys who just worry about themselves and just worry about stats.
“You see those guys each and every week. We have guys who are committed to just winning.’’
Those are the types of guys you win with. Blaylock > Haselwood
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Pretty surprising how the Pats have been so dominant in the salary cap era when teams have to sink money into a couple of players and then plan around those guys.
I don’t follow the NFL closely, but it would seem the Patriots do the best job of managing their roster with the cap than anyone else. Having a 7th rounder become a HOFer at QB helps, too.
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The Pats’ selections are well-researched and it shows. Their process during the off-season is effective and includes a great deal of personal contact with prospective draftees on matters related and not-related to football. Belichick has been in Athens and Tuscaloosa a number of times.
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Its also about avoiding distractions and the people who create them.
If you bring drama you’re gone. You can have a history of it, but it won’t last in that locker room. You can have drama at home, but you cant bring it to work.
Winning footballs teams focus on the win, not on themselves.
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All valid points. In the few games I watched Jadon he looks to be a damn good receiver. From a physical stature and hands use he seems to be more in the mold of Clemson’s big WR’s Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross on the field. I am not sure on those two WR’s attitudes but those dudes made a difference in the NC game.
I love Blaylock’s attitude and I can’t stand the Haselwood or Fields drama that followed them. But, make no mistake that talented big bodied WR’s that can run and catch will make a difference in a game. It’s also nice to have a strong armed QB that can read the D and put the ball where he wanted to. Alabama’s DB’s didn’t stand a chance. I would venture to say not many defenses are going to stand a chance next year against Clemson if their O line plays even marginally well.
Clemson has done a damn good job of identifying guys and getting them to play in their system. They really have been able to take their pick of the litter at certain positions since beating Bama. I also haven’t heard any locker room division but I admit I am not following their programs that closely. Perhaps Dabo is making sure he identifies and gets the TEAM guys instead of the ME guys while not sacrificing on talent similar to NE. Dabo has a stat friendly offense that is favorable with top skill position players and Venerables attacking D is also attractive with D lineman.
I am hoping Coley is allowed to open up the playbook so the other skill positions see the value proposition at UGA. Conversely the D has not had the difference makers at ILB step up since Roquan left and no one that was dominant at NT until Davis was inserted in the lineup. I am hoping those two position groups will be better this year and improved OLB play will allow Lanning to bring a more aggressive approach to the front 7 this year. It sure gets us noticed by recruits when the D is going to give you the stats that make NFL teams drool over you.
Kirby has done a fantastic job of drastically increasing the talent level on the team across the board. Once we get over the Bama hump and a NC we will get more traction from the top targets at all position groups nationally. The will allow us to focus not only on their talent, but also their work ethic, selfless TEAM first attitudes, and leadership qualities.
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With as much as Clemson loses up front I think they can be outscored by a team that plays solid D and has some offensive pieces.
The thing that guys like Haselwood don’t get is that their value isn’t vs. some bs team. It’s in the big games that they can shine.
Does anyone care what that kid for Clemson (the freshmen from Phenix City) did in week 9? Nope. What they know is that he made one of the best catches in big game history.
If a kid doesn’t want to buy into that let him go play in the hinterland and worry about getting 100 touches a season for three years.
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This would be my promise to Mr. Haselwood and also to any other recruit.
“Hey kid get through summer and preseason and prove you are a Georgia football player and then I will tell you how you will be used on this football team. That is it my man, prove you deserve to be included in our plans and you will be included. We have football players that have proved their toughness and their value. Now show me what you got..”
(a recruiter can’t really say that to a 5 star high school hairy, but I know they
would love to tell these kids the truth. Maybe just maybe Coach Smart did
tell Mr. Haselwood something very similar and Haselwood did not relate
well to the truth. I was told this exact thing by Coach Dooley and by every
other honest college coach, such as Coach Dodd. I appreciated the truth,
but that was 1966-67 and at that time no one was going around telling us
that we were great and our shit did not stink. We were children going
against grown men. I know today’s high school football players are better
equipped to play college ball than we were 50 years ago, but they are still
kids going against grown men.. Prove to your team mates, to the coaches
and to yourself that you are mature enough to play college football then and
only then will you be included in this TEAMS plans)
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