Georgia Something to Prove Football

The recruiting game is one of shadows, of smoke and mirrors sometimes. Coaches make multiple offers and from time to time withdraw them. It’s not a black and white issue on either side of the equation.

More often than not the school/program has the upper hand in this transaction, but occasionally a trump card emerges and kids that have been incrementally empowered from their early childhood, flex their muscles.

Such is the situation of Da’Rick Rogers and the Nance family(click). I remember seeing pictures of Nash Nance from summer camp. I knew nothing about him, just that he was one of several in camp.

My understanding is the Nance’s were told that UGA was not going to offer a QB at that time. I can easily see the potential inference that if Georgia did offer a QB, Nash would be high on the list. You see, recruiters have to hedge their bets and keep multiple prospects on the line.

It’s not lieing, but it’s a qualified truth.

Then comes the late offer to Hutson Mason of Lassiter HS. Hutson apparently made huge strides as a QB from spring to late fall. He set several Georgia high school records and became a Parade All American. It reminds me of something the old sales trainer Zig Ziglar used to say. He said a “NO” from a potential buyer really meant, “Based on the information you have given me so far, I can’t say yes.”

The circumstances changed, period.

When another player blossoms and surpasses all others under consideration, is that a recruiters fault? But as a kid and a  father who have heard the qualified promise of a potential scholarship, there still has to be disappointment. If you are used to having things go your way and you have the “rug pulled out”, stuff happens.

You know, I referred to this process as a transaction earlier because it is. Not that money changes hands necessarily, but a player performs as an athlete in exchange  for an education and further development as an athlete. Both sides use what is at their disposal to seek the best result for themselves. Like I said earlier, most of the time, the school has the upper hand, but sometimes they don’t.

Many of Georgia competitors feed that “monster” that is the athlete of today. From Tennessee’s Wild boys to Auburn’s Tiger Night festivities to Florida just being Florida, and especially USC.  To a certain extent it could be called pandering to the Hip Hop culture many kids embrace. Hey, Georgia does to some extent too, but there is a line.

I think many kids come to Georgia because of what Mark Richt represents as a man and as a coach. Just as many go to Florida and Tennessee and USC because those coaches mirror what that kid is and wants to be. I’ll let you put the label on it. You can’t blame a kid for wanting to be in a familiar place.

But you also can’t crucify Mark Richt, for doing it his way.

Because history has proven,  nine times out of ten, Richt’s way is the right way.