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Kirby Smart updates Arik Gilbert status for Kent State footbalkl week
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Kirby Smart updates Arik Gilbert status for Kent State footbalkl week
ATHENS — Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Arik Gilbert’s status remains uncertain this week.
Comments
A pack of "personal issues" going on with UGA players? I hope Gilbert does not become a Poole?
"Gilbert originally committed to transfer to Florida after leaving UGA before deciding to return to his home state and play in a championship program."
Gilbert left LSU not UGA
I think it’s time to stop reporting on AG. Great talent but something isn’t right and just let it be. Hope for the best for the young man but let’s focus on everyone else who is here and focused.
At first I was really sentimental to this kid; but it’s starting to seem like he really just needs a wake up call!
I know AG had a successful freshman year on the field at LSU. Does anyone know if he was dealing with "personal issues" while he was there? I know he decided to come back to his home state and leave LSU, but I don't recall hearing of him missing time on the field or in practices because of "personal issues". Just trying to understand this thing...
Looks like he didn't play in the last game of the '20 season, against Ole Miss, but I don't know if that was due to injury or other issues. We don't really "need" his skill set given all our other big receiver weapons. Mainly just hope he figures things out personally. Some people are not suited to be in the spotlight.
Sadly, this type thing is almost epedemic among our young adults. Kirby was as gentle with him as could be on that Illegal procedure deal. Anyone else gets reamed.
Anyone notice when we stopped SC on their 4th down try after the kids were in the endzone Kirby seemed to be yelling at the opposing sideline something about some MF'ers? Just lip reading.
Agree. As I read the article, I actually thought the more newsworthy (and certainly lesser covered) item was William Poole leaving the team outright... At this point, unless there's some truly ground-breaking info on Arik, probably best to let it lie, as it's pretty distracting for the team and others, I'm guessing 🤔
Arik Gilbert was one of the most sought-after recruits in Georgia history. As a result, his every move was tracked during his senior year of high school and most of us kept up with everything that was written about him. Plenty of UGA fans (me included) were greatly disappointed when he chose LSU. Conversely, we were overjoyed when he decided to transfer to UGA. To now, after all of that, simply "let it be" just because is illogical. Reporters report. That's what they do. If AG no longer wants UGA reporters to report about him, he can follow the current example set by William Poole and GRACEFULLY step aside. Poole's exit from the team -- for ostensibly the same "personal issues" as Gilbert -- was classy and low-key even though he actually STARTED for UGA in the SEC and National Championship games and he plays a position of need. Now, he can move on and do whatever he needs to do to get his life in order away from the spotlight and glare of UGA football, the #1 ranked team in the country. Arik Gilbert probably should do the same.
I have NO idea what is going on w/AGilbert. That being said, you are a 21 (?) year old CFB player with Sunday talent. The world is at your feet for the taking.
You think being a CFB star is hard? Wait until you go out in the real world.
My advice to AG would be to become BB's shadow. Do everything that BB does. All you have to do is play football and pass your classes.
And enjoy life. College might be the best time of your life (unless you are an NFL player making generational wealth) .
When LSU trouble came up we were told he was homesick Then we hear he’s thinking about transferring to Florida. That just doesn’t make sense.
I’m a little surprised someone here doesn’t know what the deal is with Gilbert or someone that knows how he was at Marietta
I feel this will be the next Netflix Documentary: The Untold Stories of Arik Gilbert and his Personal Reasons!
I feel for Arik. Let's all lay off any criticism or speculation about him, he's got some problems and let's credit UGA and Kirby Smart for really trying to help this young man. Some things go beyond football. I hope he gets things together and goes on to a successful life, with or without football.
Ditto. People deal with all sorts of challenges in their lives. He isn't alone in that respect. But I can't imagine how difficult it is for the young man to deal with whatever he's dealing with so publicly. It would be a lot of fun to see him play for us, because he really is an extraordinary, unique talent. But, for now, I just hope he's getting all the support that he needs and wish him the best. And of course I also hope the helpful way in which he's being treated reflects well on the Georgia program.
Your first sentence pretty much nullified everything that came after it. Given everything that's gone on with his situation and how little any of us knows about it (for good reason), there's no reason to think this is anything that can be resolved by becoming a younger teammate's protégé.
I hope the kid gets his life together. That said, he needs to play football or give up his scholarship and all the other perks that come with being a Dawg.
Never said I'd "resolve" anything. Maybe simplify and focus. And just maybe be better off than he seemingly is now. My comments are as valid as anyone's. Certainly as valid as your comment that said nothing except that my comment was "nullified".
Since you singled me out for a benign comment and missed the point I will try and explain it to you. Granted inferences can be hard for some to comprehend.
When you are a 21 yo CFB player life is pretty simple. Everything is taken care of for you. You have a place to eat, place to sleep, people to help with your schoolwork, place to workout/practice, a stipend and NIL $$ on top of it all. You have your friends/teammates. IF you follow the program the wave will carry you to graduation and the NFL (for stars like AGilbert). There are about 176,000 D1 student athletes and about 118,000 D2 student athletes. The vast majority have seemed to have figured out how to ride the wave, make it work and enjoy the experience. We all did it.
It is pretty simple especially at that age in that situation. Just follow the structure. We all **** it up every day and carve out and grind out a life for ourselves. And we do it w/o the promise of a golden egg at the end of the rainbow. That's life.
What we do with our own life is on us. How bad do you want what you want. AGilbert has had a year and a half to work out whatever issues he's had. If they are that serious he should be getting professional help (for quite a while). Honestly, it is hard to imagine any young person with the opportunity and potential before him that AGilbert has NOT having figured out the plan already. It defies logic. Execute the plan and retire a millionaire.
The only logical reason to derail a very promising CFB career leading to a very lucrative NFL career is academics. In college you still must take care of the academic business before you take care of the football business. The rest of the season will be very interesting to watch regarding the TE room.
Saw this from ESPN, but they were focused on E.J. Warner (Kurt Warner's son). Went looking and found this from 24/7:
"Temple sophomore D'Wan Mathis is now practicing at wide receiver, Coach Stan Drayton confirmed at his weekly press conference on Monday.
The 6-6 sophomore started Temple’s first two games at quarterback this season but was pulled in favor of true freshman E.J. Warner in the second quarter of the team’s home-opening victory over Lafayette on Sept. 10.
Mathis was not in uniform for the Owls’ 16-14 loss to Rutgers this past Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field. During pregame warmups, though, he spent most of his time congregating with the receivers.
Mathis completed 14 of 29 passes for 125 yards in five quarters of action this season. He fumbled four times, which is what led Drayton to make the switch to Warner.
“I just felt that two balls on the ground is something that you think about,” Drayton said after the win over Lafayette. “It’s a tough decision when it’s your quarterback, but just thought that two balls on the ground was something that probably forced me to that decision.”
Asked after practice last week how Mathis responded to the switch, Drayton offered nothing but positive comments.
“D’Wan has been phenomenal,” Drayton said. “He’s a guy that wants to win. He’s all about winning. And he trusts us as a coaching staff that we’re going to put our players in the proper position to win. So when things weren’t quite going his way, his response wasn’t that of disappointment, it was that of, ‘OK, who’s next man in and what can I do to help him have success, for the team to have success?’ So it’s been a great response by D’Wan.”
Mathis started seven games at quarterback for the Owls last season, missing the other five with injuries. This year’s season opener at Duke marked the third straight year that Mathis had started the first game of the season. Last year he opened up for the Owls in their first game at Rutgers. The year before, he started Georgia’s season opener against Arkansas.
Without Mathis at quarterback, Warner was backed up by North Dakota State transfer Quincy Patterson in the loss to Rutgers. Patterson directed a few plays on offense, mostly running the ball in short-yardage situations, and scored a one-yard touchdown in the first quarter. He also played the last two series in the season opener at Duke. The number three quarterback is sophomore Mariano Valenti, who saw limited action for the Owls last year.
Mathis has some experience at wide receiver going all the way back to his days playing youth football in his native Detroit. In fact, Valenti described last year how he played quarterback on a youth team that featured Mathis at wide receiver.
The Owls are fairly well-stocked at wide receiver with veterans Jose Barbon and Adonicas Sanders and redshirt freshman Ian Stewart getting most of the work this past Saturday. Smaller targets Amad Anderson and Malik Cooper have also been in the mix this year. Besides Stewart, who stands 6-3, the roster lacks anybody close to the size that Mathis offers as a 6-6 receiving target."