Georgia is becoming a destination for some of the nation’s best tight end recruits
Welcome to your one-stop shop for Georgia football news and takes every Monday through Friday. Today we look at an award received by Nick Chubb, what UGA can do to improve its running game next year, and Athens becoming a destination for top tight end recruits.
Tight End U? Not quite yet
Georgia football landed another prospect from the Class of 2018 on Thursday with the commitment of Marist tight end John FitzPatrick, rated as a 4-star by Rivals and 3-star by ESPN and 247. He’s the eight commitment to pledge to UGA as part of the 2018 class, and the fourth in-state prospect to do so.
It’s big news for Georgia fans, as it keeps a stream of talented tight ends headed to Athens, something Georgia lacked for many years. As Patrick Garbin noted on Twitter, UGA has landed three 4-star tight ends in the last three (FitzPatrick, Isaac Nauta, and Charlie Woerner) compared to just three 4-stars TEs total in the 13 years prior. And with the Dawgs still in the hunt for 4-star Carterville (Ill.) TE Luke Ford, they could improve their record among top TEs before this recruiting cycle is over.
Uphill, downhill, around the hill
There’s no doubt that Georgia is still going to be a run heavy team in 2017, but Seth Emerson of DawgNation notes the way the Bulldogs run could be different. Whereas last season featured a heavy emphasis on runs up the middle, this season could feature more plays to the outside or sweeps to a veritable arsenal of options Georgia could deploy as rushers in the slot.
So the main emphasis, at least as far as freshening up the offense, is to be creative in the run game. … You saw some of it last year with jet sweeps to Isaiah McKenzie. Such plays can instead go to Mecole Hardman, Terry Godwin or Michel and Brian Herrien lined up at receiver.
More plaudits for Nick Chubb and Sony Michel
Matt Miller of Bleacher Report NFL named the tandem of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel as his best rushing unit in college football for 2017.
Nick Chubb and Sony Michel are both NFL-quality backs. It was a bit of a surprise when Chubb decided to return to college for his senior season, but doing so gives the Bulldogs a one-two punch at running back that no other team can claim. Alabama, Oregon and Iowa also have talented backfields, but the Georgia duo is the best.
The crazy recruitment of Justin Fields
The recruitment of Harrison (Kennisaw) 5-star QB Justin Fields has been the story of this year’s recruiting cycle. He’s gone from a virtual unknown to being the No. 1 recruit in the nation over the last year, which included a commitment and de-commitment from Penn State. Georgia is still in the hunt for Fields, so if you want to catch up on all the craziness from his recruitment so far, check out this timeline from ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren.
Another award for Nick Chubb
On Thursday night at the Atlanta Sports Awards, Chubb was named the Collegiate Athlete of the Year by the Atlanta Sports Council, beating out a pair of fellow UGA athletes, track and field’s Keturah Orji and swimming and diving’s Olivia Smoliga, both of who were 2016 U.S. Olympians.
Congratulations to Nick Chubb on being named the #ATLSportsAwards Collegiate Athlete of the Year!#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/YqTTXlKTIr
— Georgia Bulldogs (@UGAAthletics) July 14, 2017
Dawgs on Twitter
There's a whole lot of rushing yards in this photo. pic.twitter.com/3DDnNQoMcT
— Georgia Bulldogs (@UGAAthletics) July 13, 2017
We can't wait to make more @UGA_WBB memories in the newly renovated Stegeman Coliseum.
Tickets:
>> https://t.co/pdhVosH6BqRenew #TheSteg pic.twitter.com/wKXmDxncO4
— Georgia Bulldogs (@UGAAthletics) July 13, 2017
Good dog
This good dog never did anything to deserve this.
Really not sure what to say here….#SECMD17 pic.twitter.com/VYDBiZVgdT
— Anthony Dasher (@AnthonyDasher1) July 13, 2017
