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A few weeks ago I received a “friend request” on Facebook. Brandon Bogotay, the newly signed JUCO transfer was reaching out to the old guy.  You never know who is really in touch with the tradition of a program, but Brandon seems to understand it and embrace it. I gladly accepted, even though I support Blair Walsh as much as anybody, save his family.  I certainly don’t harbor any ill will towards the ‘new guy”.  He has every right to come in and compete, just like the other hundred some odd guys on Georgia’s roster.

I had a chance to talk to Brandon on the phone Sunday evening and he shared some of what is on the horizon for him.  He is coming to Georgia this week and going through some orientation. He’ll take some summer classes to get started on his academic transition. He plans on pursuing a business degree although the specifics have not been decided upon.  He has time to decide the details later because right now he has other things on his rather over-sized plate.

If you were to go back two years from the date of this writing,  June 28th, 2009, Brandon Bogotay had never played in a football game. He had played alot of futbol, but no football.  If you go back just one year when he was preparing to play at Grossmont College, he still had not even attempted a field goal in a game.  He kicked off the last five or so games for the Patrick Henry Patriots in 2007, and that’s it.  Amazing.

 As many of you know he went 15-23 on field goals last fall which is very respectable for his first year EVER. He had a long kick of 52 yards. His claim to fame is his strong leg on kick-offs.  He kicked twenty touchbacks on fifty-two kick-offs.  That’s a 38% success rate which is well above average.

 I still question if it will be enough to change the philosophy of directional kick-offs….  

 I hope the coaches take the harnesses off.  I’ve talked enough about that before, so I’ll leave it alone for now.  Brandon has been working on all aspects of his game with San Diego kicking coaches, Lance Ortega and John Coker. He says John in particular has helped a great deal.  Georgia’s overall philosophy is to allow and encourage competition at every position, so he and Blair Walsh will be competing on field goals as well.

Both of these guys are good kids as well as quality kickers.  There will be no “KICKER CONTROVERSY” at the University of Georgia.  No drama here.  Both competitors are going about their business in a mature fashion.  Believe me, that was not always true with all the guys in recents years at UGA.  So this will be a pleasure to watch unfold. The kicker’s contribution to special teams will be much better in 2009, I guarantee it.

  brandonbogotaysm

Oh, on a side note. I made some predictions as to what Brandon’s eventual nickname might be, but I decided to keep it between he and I. It might be an RTK Poll for down the road.

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