Andy Staples’ comment about Darnell Washington brought a question to mind: has Georgia already won this transfer portal cycle?
No, I’m not being facetious. We’re past the May 1 deadline, and while it’s somewhere between uncertain and unlikely that Kirby Smart will sign anyone out of the portal, it’s a lot clearer that he isn’t losing any players of consequence beyond Jermaine Burton. Despite rampant speculation to the contrary, Washington isn’t leaving. Amerius Mims stuck his toe in the transfer pool, then changed his mind and decided to stay in Athens.
That’s two five-star kids who know the program. I don’t know too many other programs this go ’round who have had a similar haul. (And that’s without even getting into Arik Gilbert!) Especially when you consider the post-natty mindset and the way talent is stacked in Athens, getting everyone they got to stick it out is quite a testament to what Smart has built.
Get The Picture 
Amazing
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Kirby has built a program now that is the envy of the rest of CFB. Want to know why the Bammers keep talking Metchie and Williams? Because they know Kirby has built what they have always been scared to death of – a giant that is fully awake and ready to wreak havoc the way Bama did in the early days of Saban. Team first and physical play mixed in with Kirby’s touch on some fun and connection.
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EE, atta boy for the “domo arigato admiral Yamamoto” reference
I agree, the gumps’ “some of all fears” was UGA getting its collective shit together, especially regarding football
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At Georgia there’s a 5 ⭐️ behind every blade of grass.
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Bama’s Metchie and Williams is Coach Red Beaulieu’s little green notebook.
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I think this is where Travon Walker is far more important to Kirby as a draftee than he ever could have been as the swiss army knife player he was on the field.
Kirby just has to point to Travon and say, “Look, he only started one year, he was a 5-star who patiently waited his turn, he was developed, he put in the work during practices, and he did everything we asked him to do and look, he was drafted No. 1.”
That is awfully big sell to make to your own team full of blue chip players who are impatient and want to play immediately even if it doesn’t make sense for them to do so on this team.
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And Jermaine dropping to 26th, and no ring as a a consequence of transferring for some extra reps, can’t hurt either.
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Who?
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Johnson, who transferred from UGA to FSU
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😉
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Well I got it 🙂
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Quay Walker and Channing Tindall are also very compelling examples to go Travon. I’ve been saying the transfer portal means coaches have to build attractive cultures. I’m glad to see that Kirby is doing just that.
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I have to agree. Adding an experienced DB would have been nice but just a few years ago that wouldn’t have been a real option anyway. Not losing those guys on offense is a win for our defense.
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Let’s think about it this way… who’s going to stress our defense to the point where our young DB room is the difference in the game? By the time we get to J-Ville and the last third of the season, a lot of these highly-rated DBs are going to have grown up.
Depth is ALWAYS important, needless to say, but I’ll ride & die with our roster right now. Anything else is icing on the cake.
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Mississippi State, I think; and maybe Tennessee.
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Yup, guessing there were one or two contemplating leaving; the draft could not have been better timed. When you watch 15 of your teammates go off the boards, with 5 of them in the first round and you look at the talent around you… Makes you think twice about leaving.
With that said, still think the two to watch at the end of the season will be Mimms and Vandergriff. They were pretty good friends coming in, and depending on circumstances, I could see those guys packaging themselves out for the right place and right NIL deal. But… If both receive ample playing time, then guessing they stay right where they are.
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Mims will start in 2023. There’s no doubt about that because McClendon and Jones might both be headed to the NFL … at least 1 of those guys is heading out.
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for those two, i am sure their new « NLI deal » + draft,etc kept ‘em at home… but i am sure it was more weighted toward their new « nli deals ». money talks and…
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Kirby had some work to do just to get us back under the 85 man limit so I didn’t expect a bunch of guys to jump in through the portal, but I’m sure Kirby is still shopping for some help in the defensive backfield and maybe a few other spots. But yeah, Georgia is loaded and keeping the big names we had on board already is a big win.
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Senator, it’s ben a few weeks. How are you feeling?
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Excellent points all around. These are the indicators that make you confident that this group won’t be resting on its laurels. How to keep programs focused may have been the greatest lesson Kirby learned from Saban.
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I don’t think we or Bama or OSU are immune to the pay-for-play NIL stuff but if your dream/ goal is the NFL money then it is hard to not see that staying at Georgia is the right decision. What do yee savvy commenters think will be the end result as it relates to how they will regulate this new free market?
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Based on previous issues were addressed by the NCAA I’d say they will call Camarda
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If Kirby wanted a portal guy or 2 he would have had the “talk” with 1 or 2 guys already on the team. I am not sure that Kirby saw 1 or 2 guys in the portal that were better than what he already had in Athens. I would like to think that is the reason he picked no portal guys.
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Kirby’s cautiousness about taking transfers this year may be a reflection of the churn that happened at DB after taking two transfers there last year. Guys aren’t going to wait for their turn if the coach jumps him with a portal guy before he ever gets a chance to prove what he can do on the field. Saban has taken as many as 5 starters for his 2022 team from the portal. My bet is that is going to cut into his recruiting because it proves that he doesn’t trust the guys who he is supposed to be developing. Now, maybe one can build a program with transfers. It looks like that is Saban’s model now.
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That does make sense, Tim B.
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Seems like an act of desperation. Happens when you hit your 70s
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I’ve never been able to get a real handle on the “rumors” about Washington. Were they just “gut feelings” due to Bowers’ emergence? When Kirby chose Washington to speak to the press earlier in the Spring, I felt like that should put the rumors to rest. Kirby never lets anyone talk to the press unless he’s positive what they might say, and a player who is planning to leave has nothing to lose in a press outing. I’d still love to know what was behind the rumors.
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I think it stems from CKS mentioning Darnell in his post-CFP locker room speech, the injury history and Bowers emergence / usage
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Kirby has really ruined my opportunities to complain about stuff, but I’m sure I’ll get over it. #Elitebitching
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Y’all please keep Got Cowdog in your thoughts as he’s having a tough day. He’s one of the kindest, most generous gentleman that you’ll ever know and I’m fortunate to call him a friend.
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Aww. I’m blushing. And thank, you.
I had to let a good man and a great friend go today. Got Sr. passed away this morning. He had a rough time with a heart procedure and never made it back.
That dude was a Dawg through and through. Damn Good Dawg!
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Shiiiit Uncle Got, I will have that drink after all.
To GBo! Damn Good Dawg!
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Slainte!
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I’m somewhat surprised we didn’t lose another QB, considering Beck or Vandagriff would be all but guaranteed a starting job at most schools.
Problem is, I believe we still need some attrition to get down to 85 schollies.
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We’re going to lose one of them in 2023. I’m already prepared for that.
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I’ll take “Someone’s failing English”
for $500 Alex.
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Is it possible that a player has willingly given up a scholarship because his NIL money is large enough to compensate for it? Just spitballing here, but if we are over in scholarship numbers, maybe some kind and generous grandmother from Eastman, Georgia, and others from Hahira, Carlton, Fortsonia and Ellijay, are paying the way for that player and others. Maybe we don’t lose anyone else to the transfer portal due to that. And that puts us at 85.
And maybe I don’t have a clue what I am talking about, so I will go back to my bourbon now. It helps in the sermon prep…..
And yes, I lived in all of those Georgia towns at some point in my life.
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Carlton and Fortsonia, eh OwensboroDawg? You probably got a bit of granite dust in your eyes at some point. Hard not to in those places.
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Yessir. Granite capital of the world, as they like to say. Everyone I knew had a hand in the business, cutting rock from the ground, moving it with cranes, shaping it in granite sheds with giant diamond-tipped saws, polishing it and etching it and moving it out for sale. Every time I stand in a cemetery and look around at the stones, I wonder how many came from people I know. And all had fewer than 10 fingers, I assure you.
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I started working in my dad’s quarry in 1970 at 9 years old. Cleaning up and setting up wedges until I was strong enough to hold a drill and swing a 10 lb hammer. Every summer and school break until I graduated UGA I always had a job. After Spring break the coeds were impressed with my “beach tan”.
As a chap I’d ask the older fellows how they lost a finger or four. Then I’d strive not to do that. Kept my head on a swivel and kept all my fingers and toes.
Scars? I got scars.
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Where was your dad’s quarry?
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The quarry where I started was across Hwy 17 from Goss. Rock was not die grade and has never been profitable. He sold his black granite quarry in Culpepper, Va. Dad bought three of Mr Frank Coggins’ quarries when he sold out. Mom sold those after Pop passed.
Many of those old quarries that were shut down because the grade was considered substandard will most likely be reopened. They ain’t making no more of it and the “easy” rock is gone.
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I was on the other end of Hwy 17 in Elbert Co. Good days there. Fine hunting and fishing in that part of the world. And I wondered about the quarries. Thank you!
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You’re welcome, sir. I roamed the Broad river from the 172 bridge all the way to Anthony shoals as teen. A man could hunt and fish freely just about anywhere on the river back in day. All the back roads are gated now. Land is leased to carpetbaggers. The State has built nice boat ramps at the Hwy 17 and 72 bridges to facilitate all the gotdam hippie campers and canoers . Still a clean and beautiful free running river. More deer than ever. Lot of pigs.
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Seems Washington lucked out by staying. Better to be rehabbing an injury in Athens than with a new program that doesn’t know him
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A fresh mindset for Friday AM.
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