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Kirby Smart raves about 5-star freshman linebacker: ‘He has improved immensely’
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Kirby Smart raves about 5-star freshman linebacker: ‘He has improved immensely’
ATHENS — To this point in the season, only four members of the 2024 signing class have guaranteed they won’t be redshirting.
Comments
Love how we play freshman to get them ready. Work hard guys, your day is coming.
This lack of playing freshmen is concerning. If players join a program then decide early in the year they are not all in it is a huge handicap to depth. All of a sudden you don't have 85 scholarship players you have something less.
McCloud did it last year at SC before entering the TP after the season. He refused to play a 5th game. We are seeing a lot of surprising names on the 4 games or less list.
UGA is known for playing a lot of freshmen. Playing less this year is puzzling unless there are some young players on the fence.
Take JWilliams as an example. According to this article Williams "is making an impact on special teams". Then he doesn't play on ST's vs #1 TX in a pivotal game? ST's are a critical part of UGA's success and were instrumental in UGA's win over TX last week.
UGA needs its full complement of players. IF freshmen are not all in it might be better to recruit transfers, looking for a last season showcase, in place of borderline freshmen prospects.
@UGADad20…I understand what you are saying. The football landscape has changed with players, the portal, NIL and playing time. Their college playing time clock is ticking as soon as they get here. But, there is such a HUGE learning curve for most of these freshman guys - even the 4 & 5 stars - from high school to college that I feel sure Kirby will lean towards holding freshman guys out until they are ready. He is playing freshman when the need is there and he thinks they are ready. I can't fault Kirby for doing that, and I don't think it's a good strategy to simply put in freshman in key games just so they can get some playing time and hopefully, maybe then they won't think about transferring. It's a fine line to try and walk. Despite the use of the portal, Kirby's thinking hasn't changed much: bring in guys that buy into the system, get developed, coached, improve, and earn your playing time over the long haul. For the guys that take off after their freshman year into the portal then so be it. You probably weren't going to please them or hold onto those guys anyhow. That's when you plug and play from the portal as needed.
These days it is a waste to red shirt a freshman, if he is not playing he will leave after one or two years. If he is really good like Starks and Bolden chances are they will only be here three years, so why waste a year red shirting. We have had several players red shirt, play two years, turn pro.
I agree with what you say. That is the way it has traditionally played out under CKS. I hope that is all it means.
It just seems unusual considering how UGA has extensively played freshmen. And some of the freshmen on the list published by Jeff Sentell were highly ranked and very prominent names on the commitment list. Made me think of the possibility it could be something more.
It is a whole new game. ANY 4* or 5* QB that commits early in the process is probably leaving substantial money on the table. Probably the same for any Top 50 player. Very young people make more money than they have ever seen. But will they continue to work hard and show determination when faced with adversity? Way too early money and inexperienced decision making will probably cost some of these young people success and a career later.
I guess with scholarships going to 115 THAT should allow coaches to go into any game with enough players available to go 3 deep at any position.