Before you slit your wrists over Jermaine Burton’s departure for Alabama, remember this guy stepping up as a true freshman to stake a claim on being in the rotation is a reason for the departure.
When you recruit the way Georgia has under Smart, things are never as dire as they may seem.
Get The Picture 
We’re fine, next man up! Go Dawgs!!!
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We have kick ass offensive and defensive #5s!
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Indeed. Next man up. It sucks to lose Burton to a bitter rival, but it’s not like we’ve been striking out in the recruiting department.
We’ll be fine.
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How is Arian Smith’s rehab coming along?
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What whispers I’ve heard have been positive.
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He seemed to be the fastest.
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Not just “seemed.” He is the fastest. He runs sprints on the track team and, IIRC, made the NCAA finals in an event (I remember it being the 100 meter relay but I could be wrong.)
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The “losing too much talent” narrative has been said about Bama just about every year for the last 12 years. They’ve done ok. Gotta just keep recruiting, which Kirby does in spades. Along with the portal. Our roster is just fine, and Kirby is no where near done fine tuning it.
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Roger that, GurkhaDawg. Last time I saw Bama was in the rear view mirror. Looked back and they were dining on sloppy seconds.
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I am all for the freedom of players to transfer, but I have to admit this one bothers me. I’m guessing he wants to play in that system and get more targets which is understandable. It just seems as if he has/had zero connection to Georgia or, more specifically, his teammates. I don’t see how you go through a season like that and win the National Championship only to leave for the team that has been the mountain in your way that you finally conquered to accomplish that goal.
It’s not like he didn’t get the ball. He was the second leading receiver (I think) despite being banged up and missing a significant portion of the season. I have read the rumors he prefered Daniels over Stetson, but come on…Bama?
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I guess Burton is one of those guys who look at UGA as just a step in his career. No genuine affection for UGA or his team, unlike Sony, Chubb, JD, etc. I understand stand that, it is the way the rest of us look at the steps in our career. Very few people stay in a particular job because of loyalty to their employer when they believe a change would be good for their career. Hate to see him go to Bama, but wish him good luck.
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Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? https://vimeo.com/47486722
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Meh, I don’t wish him luck. But he’s a good player and will help them if he stays healthy.
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That’s right, BR. He’s just another Tide pod now.
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I think he had a chemistry with Daniels- JT would look for him first. He didn’t have that with Stetson. He went from being “the man” to “one of the guys”.
And to have a chance to be #1-2 for the returning heisman trophy winner, from a. Team whose top production is leaving.
I understand it. Don’t agree with it, but these guys want to play. Our receiver room next year is pretty crowded.
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These kind of things make me wonder if what is old will become new again, namely coaches recruiting and being more inclined to take “Georgia guys.” Some of you may vehemently disagree, but no way in hell does a kid who grew up a dawg make THIS transfer. He may transfer, but not right now to THAT team. Hell, i don’t know if a kid from the state of Georgia would make this move, regardless of whether he grew up a huge dawg fan.
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What in state TE would you have taken instead of Bowers?
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I just said “it makes me wonder.” My only point is that all things being equal or even close to equal, it might make some sense to take the guy who has an emotional attachment to the University. That would be going through my mind as a coach, maybe more than it did 5 years ago.
Obviously not all things are equal to Brock Bowers.
FWIW, I say this as somebody who only lived in Georgia for the 4 years I was in school.
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Yeah, that Kirby is going into other states and poaching players like Bowers is a good thing. You need to get the best players, not just the best players in your state.
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Exactly. Do that, and you survive portal losses.
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He attended 4 high schools in 4 years then flipped from LSU to Georgia on signing day. Don’t think loyalty is important to him. His ring will probably be on E-bay as soon as he gets it in the mail.
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“All is well!… ALL IS WELL!”
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Alabama is an odd choice if he’s looking for more targets. Better he go there than another SEC school where he could really make a difference in a game against us. I wish him the best though and grateful for his contributions at UGA.
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So he and JT weren’t a package deal?
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That’s exactly what I was thinking. People are full of shit when it comes to this stuff.
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Remember last years Gday game thinking is this guy that good or just another Gday flash never to be heard from again. The guy has seriously good ball skills thank goodness for him and Ladd!
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If you’re one of top 2 or 3 WRs at bama you’re very likely to go in the 1st round of the draft. And that was before they had the top QB in cfb. Plus, they don’t take their foot off the gas for long stretches.
I don’t like this at all from a UGA perspective, though I can certainly understand it.
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““It does make you think hard about the kind of kids you recruit and what their beliefs are and what their goals are and how they get there,” Smart said earlier in January. “I think a lot of what you look at when you recruit now is what is the history of the student-athlete, and you’re trying to put a likelihood of when things get tough, because they will get tough, they will get tough in college athletics. Your time demands, practice demands, competitive demands will get tough. How will they respond?”
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As i said above, with the portal the way it is, I’m taking a fresher look at players who grew up dawg fans. Sounds so 1980’s do-it-for the-old-coach but it could be a difference maker.
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Cool. Now do Justin Robinson.
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Burton transferring is disappointing but it’s not going to ruin my high. Go Dawgs!
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If a guy transfers to Alabama because he can’t get enough playing time at Georgia, doesn’t that mean we have a whole lot of talent at Georgia? Isn’t that a good thing?
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This man’s capable of finding the corn in the turd
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Talking ’bout a backhanded compliment…!!
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It’s not “playing time.” He started at WR. It’s that he was frequently wide open downfield this year and our QB never saw him, and he wants to play in an offense where the QB throws more than 19 times a game on average.
Like when Bennett threw that back-breaking pick six in the SEC Title Game, Burton was WIDE OPEN, on the same side of the field that Bennett threw to, but like most times he was locked into his first read.
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You should donate that $700 to St Judes.
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Why? Can’t handle the truth, Tom Cruise? 😏
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To put it another way: It may not matter to you why Burton left, but the reason is the reason regardless. I’m not making a value judgment. I’m not gnashing my teeth and wailing and rending my garments about Kirby’s choices.
I’m just saying it is what it is. Acknowledging the truth shouldn’t be an issue.
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I don’t give a fuck about Burton. Since we’re quoting movies here, “Your lack of faith is disturbing.”
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Jeebus, that’s a tired, outdated argument. You need to update your material.
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I’m not arguing for or against Bennett staying another year, dude. I’m not saying he should or shouldn’t be our starting QB in 2022. I’m done with that argument. He won a national title, and I was wrong about that. I’m simply stating what is.
Bennett is a limited QB who limits the offense, and Burton knows his NFL prospects improve by playing in a more dynamic offense led by a more dynamic QB.
If you can’t handle a true statement like that, that’s not on me.
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I think we can separate the QB talent debate that’s roiled the fanbase from the Wide Receiver touches debate that applies to all pass catchers and all quarterbacks.
When we throw 19 times per game and use a ton of 3 tight end sets, that’s going to be a problem for any downhill receiver regardless of who is playing QB. Whether or not we throw a lot more with another QB is a debate for another day.
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That is spot on.
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That I can agree with. It has everything to do with the offensive scheme. I think it has very little to do with the QB but I guess Monken can prove me wrong next season.
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You don’t think the scheme changes with a less limited QB? Meaning, say Daniels started the entire season. Do you still think he’s averaging 19 throws per game?
The one thing Monken does best is change to fit who is starting, and not just at QB. He changed his offense to fit his QBs limitations and to not hurt the defense.
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You know what might change the scheme? Georgia not winning all but two of its games by 15 or more points and having to duke it out in the second half.
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Right, does anyone think we would have lost to TA&M during the regular season? It would have been another routine 3 score win.
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Frequently? You have more than one example? The dude was the second leading receiver on the team despite missing part or all of multiple games.
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30 catches and 400 receiving yards isn’t getting a guy like Burton, who is a very good receiver but not a George Pickens, a first or second round contract. 🤷🏻♂️
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That’s a separate issue to his being “frequently wide open downfield”.
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No, it plays into it. He was frequently open downfield, and Bennett didn’t see him. I’d have to imagine that was pretty frustrating for the guy, and if he were targeted more, even in playing in a les dynamic passing attack, maybe he stays. He wants into the NFL, he doesn’t want to wait for BVG or Stockton to take over where the offense might be more creative with downfield passing. I don’t blame him.
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Then I ask again, do you have more than one example?
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Burton started 8 games, meaning he didn’t start 47% of the games. Mitchell actually played more snaps than Burton did. Burton was 5th in receptions, meaning 4 guys got thrown to more ( or Burton dropped more passes, which I don’t remember him doing.) There were other guys getting throws that did not go to him.
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Wish him the best, except if/when they play us while he miss there. Next man up.
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Great reminder for us. An abundance of talent hitting the field this year regardless. Dawgs is hell.
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I hate it that we are losing Burton & specifically, to Bama.
BUT, if I was a young college receiver like Burton & wanting to play in the NFL, which offense would I choose, Bama or Ga.
Unfortunately, it would be Bama
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Yep… I’m firmly in the camp of, I hate it, but I get it.
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It’s not that he left Georgia, it’s the reason why he left Georgia and who he decided to play for that’s troubling.
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Burton’s an unrestricted free agent, just like every other college football player. Guess he’s gotta “go where you wanna go.” (Borrowing some M’s & P’s from the Senator’s other thread.)
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Does anybody else feel it was an unnecessary gut punch for him to come out with the hashtag RTR and the elephant emoji (all while looping a highlight reel wearing Red & Black) ?
Do what you gotta do for your career, but that feels a little bit like a knife twist IMO.
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Um yes. Agreed 100%. I don’t get this recently espoused notion that I’m supposed to be happy for a kid doing what makes him happy. I don’t like his choice, I get to not like his choice to go to a direct rival for a championship and I don’t care what his reasons are or aren’t. You want to leave, cool. Just don’t really enjoy him going to that school/team, at this time. I don’t wish ill upon him by any means but I’m certainly not hoping for great success for his new team.
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Everybody knows why he left, and probably why he went there. Everybody also know he doesn’t really give a SHIT about the University of Alabama. It’s all about him and his NFL prospects.
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Metchie and Williams are both hurt…Burton sees a shot at some of that 2,714 receiving yards sitting on the trainers table… maybe gets some of that sweet NIL carrot juice for making the jump… goes from nobody loves me to everybody’s new best friend… AND loses a small but toxic group of armchair QB experts buzz killing the fan base with constant bitching…yea, if I’m his agent I’d say that looks pretty good…
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We should portal some under-used inside linebackers from Bama.
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If there’s a position group I am definitely not worried about, it’s ILB. Schumann turns chickens into chicken salad every year whether they are five stars or not.
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It’s mainly the Stetson-deniers who are cutting their wrists over Burton leaving…and at this point, I have no desire to stop them from finishing the job.
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