Georgia outside linebacker Damon Wilson plans to enter transfer portal

GtheGreek · January 14

There is one thing for sure….NIL will always separate the "wheat" from the "chaff"….as I've said before, football is a TEAM sport….when every player plays as an integral part of the TEAM, there is success as it will always trump skill and depth, when you play for your "brothers", then coaches, school, there is success…..money is never a lasting motivator, never has been and never will be…..To be a DAWG, only mentally/emotionally mature young men need apply, cause chaff will soon part.

brvhrt · January 7

Isn’t Wilson the kid who lives with his parents? Maybe they’re in charge and are making him shop around for more money. Seems like they might be a little too “present” in his life.

navydawg · January 7

https://forum.dawgnation.com/discussion/comment/786211#Comment_786211

Your comments are reasonable and well thought out. I must say you put things in a different light. I think most fans of CFB are OK with players getting some sort of stipend in this case NIL. But it’s gotten Way Way out of hand. It should have been Much More structured from the very start.

Now the powers that be will have to work using hind sight. Trying to put some guardrails in place as. @Vetdawg rightly stated will be extremely difficult now. And rest assured there will be lawsuits. It’s a hot mess that I’m glad I’m not tasked with fixing !! 😳

kirkhilles · January 7

I know, it sucks but it's also okay. Ironically, the NIL generally works in Georgia's favor as we are a strong football state and while we might not be the state of Texas, Georgia has deep enough pockets to compete. The smaller schools are the ones that can't compete. Basketball schools like Indiana can pay $$$ for a star Basketball player because you only need one or two superstars to change a season. Football requires more than just a QB and really is a team sport requiring backups for injuries and your weakest spots can cost a team games.

There will ALWAYS be one or two that are only interested in the money and it's better to have them off the team because they are toxic. For the rest of the 90% of players, it is often a win-win. When players transfer to "has beens" like Texas A&M, Nebraska and USC, it means that they couldn't play at Georgia's level. It's a different story compared to them signing with Bama, Texas or Ohio State.

Remember that we signed 11 Transfers last season including Pope, Jackson and Reshada who are transferring again, no loss. We're not even close to being done yet.

Keep in mind that NIL gives new options. How many players over the years declared for the NFL (even prematurely like Holyfield) because it was a choice of either making $0 or potentially millions? How many would've come back if they could've been offered a nice chunk of change to stay?

Just think of how Georgia greats like Aaron Murray could've been rewarded? He was one of those college greats and that was never going to succeed in the NFL. There are many others like him every year that did great in College but has no reasonable path to the NFL. This can be a huge option for them to earn enough to get started in life (house, savings) and maybe even earn more than the average American will earn in their lifetime.

lucydog · January 7

I upvote ALL of you. This money situation with the players has got to be controlled somehow. There must be some standards and limits on what is paid. Somebody with the Gonads has to step up and get it changed or (1) college football will forever be ruined or (2) The University of Texas will buy every 5 star available. Kirby, are you that guy?

NorthHallDawg · January 7

This one is baffling. Almost a lock to start, and then he enters the portal? Maybe some tomfoolery afoot from a rival school? I hate NIL; it will be the death of college football as we know it. In this case, I think we need to scrape up the cash to keep him—at least for another year till the new pups gain experience.

Vetdawg · January 7

This is not sustainable ( NIL and free transfers) at this level. It’s like every year each team is just playing Boggle ( the game where you shake the cube and make words from the mixed up letters).
what do yall think it’s going to take to get guardrails on this thing?

Because without guardrails, it’s just buying a natty to the highest bidder before the games are even played

TransplantedDawg · January 6

well, I always wonder how well someone plays knowing they are leaving- not sure if this impacted his play against ND but this wasn’t a decision he made in the last week- can’t imagine a better situation for him than here but whatever

76junkyarddawg · January 6

If I am a well paid coach - i.e. Kirby Smart - I am banking a lot of my income right now and in a couple of years I would be done with this insanity.

navydawg · January 6

@E_Roc Hey Bro. I tried to upvote you but the site wouldn’t let me. Ten upvotes must max it out or something. But I agree with you !!

navydawg · January 6

https://forum.dawgnation.com/discussion/comment/786152#Comment_786152

I was raised up near a very small town, population 400-450 people ( Still is Lol). I graduated HS in 1975 Very few people from there back then even went to small colleges less alone UGA.

Grants and loans from the govt. back then were (wish I could underline this next word) Extremely difficult to obtain. So you either tried to Earn a scholarship or your parents paid for it. There Might have been a couple that I forgot or slipped past me but I only remember One person and he was several years older than me going to UGA. I think he was a walk-on at UGA football and his parents paid his way.

I can’t state this strong enough going to UGA on a football scholarship would be the dream of a life time !!! In all honesty I can’t even begin to fathom the greatness and happiness that would bring. To be a Dawg football player, and All my room and board paid for ??!!!!?? Out of my little world !!!

So I did what quite a few people from my low economy area did, I joined the military. Now I don’t regret one second of that through the good, bad, and in between. It’s what helped formulate me as an adult. I’m very proud of my military service. But to be a Dawg, Wow I can’t even begin to comprehend that !!

So Yes I totally agree with you, NIL in particular in its current form ( only gonna get worse to, as the genie is out of the bottle ) had utterly Ruined CFB as we knew it.

UGADad20 · January 6

$$$$ He won't be the last.

tnt3ball · January 6

Sad that a player of his caliper waited and now his time was forthcoming and all the sudden decides to leave. Best of luck and as Coach says, we worry only about the players who want to be here. Next man up.

navydawg · January 6

Gosh this is disappointing and frustrating to. I thought he had potential and also thought he was really strong on being a Dawg. I guess NIL lured him away. It is what it is.

Can’t be mad at guys for thinking ( even if they’re wrong) what’s best for them. It’s his life after all.

87dawg · January 6

Like others, I have to just ask “why?”. But like others I am certain it is yet another NIL interference.

I hate NIL and everything it has done to college football. I liked it when your pay was an education, room and board and a pretty darned good blurb on your resume, whether you made the pros or not.

Free agency in college athletics. Such a terrible, terrible thing.

zonadawg61 · January 6

Yeah I don't get it. Pop left for Kentucky last year and that was equally head scratching. I'm sure his prospects would have been better had he stayed.

FishingDawg · January 6

If he's worth the investment, show him some money. If not, the coaches should say so and the rest of us can get on with our lives. Us fans deserve a break.

PhillyDawg · January 6

I'm in no way against these kids getting paid but the Nil as it stands right now is ruining the college football...it's turning into the freaking MLB where only a few teams with big pocket owners can compete...pretty sad!

Vetdawg · January 6

really don’t understand this one.

How hard must it be to build a nucleus of a team and its culture when every player could transfer at any given time?

VenomGA · January 6

this one is totally head scratching. Dude was going to be the starter next year.

1SICemDAWGS1 · January 6

This comes as a suprise, thought Wilson may have a break out year next season. Best of luck young man..GoDAWGS!

DallasDawg · January 6

Definitely surprised at this one. Remember thinking that he looked pretty good during the Sugar Bowl. We'll see how this shakes out. He only entered the portal, no new school announced yet. This could be a ploy just to test the waters, or see if UGA will ante up some more $$$. Time will tell. Whatever happens, Go Dawgs!

UGA66 · January 6

This one was a blindside. Gotta be about the almighty buck. Losing a good one here. OSU may buy him. Portal buys are rampant this season. Kirby warned us that a lot of players would portal. He ought to know. I am not an NIL fan by the way.

GtheGreek · January 6

This is a shock….but, if your heart and soul ain't in the DAWG BROTHERHOOD….I wish you well.

E_Roc · January 6

Every year there's one that comes out of nowhere. This makes zero sense unless it's strictly about money. Or there's some extenuating circumstance like with AD Mitchell. Maybe we'll find out one day.

Isn't he the one who Ohio State were sure they were getting a couple years ago? Maybe they came back to finish the job after seeing that the mercenary coalition approach is working for them.

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