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Alabama star among former Georgia players scattered around college ranks
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Alabama star among former Georgia players scattered around college ranks
ATHENS — Kirby Smart has grown accustomed to seeing former Georgia players across the sideline from him, and that will happen again on Saturday.
Comments
I don’t have a problem with most of the athletes who left, in fact, many of them weren’t going to start so their departures freed-up scholarships for better players. The one who gets in my crawl is Burton because he is the ultimate self centered egomaniac in college football. I hope we shut him down on Saturday and end his career with no trophies or rings at Bama. Go Dawgs!!!
I couldn’t agree more with your comment about Burton.
If a player is not 100% committed to Georgia I’d prefer they move on so we can find players that are!
Go Dawgs!!
People are never "100 percent" committed to anything. There is ALWAYS an offer or a position or something somewhere that, given the right set of circumstances, , they would leave. That's true even for Kirby Smart. And while I'm not angry at Burton or Marshall, unless it was purely about getting more NIL dollars, I just don't understand their decisions. There is NOTHING, football development wise, they are getting at Alabama that they wouldn't get at UGA. And I would argue that they would both be better off at Georgia, again, unless it's strictly about the money. Burton could easily have 33 catches and 7 TDs at Georgia this year, plus have two rings and a good chance at a third. Marshall might be a full-time starter at UGA, but even a part-time starter at UGA has great value. Some of the other guys who transferred, ones who weren't playing or were going to have a difficult battle to get quality playing time, I understand their decisions. But Burton, Marshall and A.D. Mitchell, them I just don't get. Again, for the third time, unless it was solely about getting more money.
I agree with you on Marshall and Burton, but it’s my understanding that A.D. transferred back home to be closer to his family and his 2 year old daughter. If that’s truly the case then I wish him the best. Go Dawgs!!!
@BubbaBill I live in Texas and I read A LOT about what's going on with the teams here and I never see or hear squat about A.D. Mitchell and his daughter/family. I don't believe that was the reason for a nanosecond. Heck, Darnell Washington already had a baby when he came to UGA from Nevada as a freshman and somehow, him and the Dawgs "managed" to get the baby AND the baby's mama all moved to Athens with him. Other kids have done similar things. There are a lot more fathers playing college ball than most people realize, some close to their children, others far away. But if that was a true issue for Mitchell, believe me, UGA would have found a workaround for him. I think that reason was floated to do exactly what it has done -- give him a PR spin that puts his transfer decision in a better light than Burton's. Go Dawgs!
Your fellow Texans likely want to believe he returned to his home state solely to become a Longhorn. Please Google “AD Mitchell transfer” and you’ll get numerous explanations regarding his daughter and family. Doesn’t really matter, but I don’t want to beat him up if he truly left for the reasons he stated. I am thankful for his contributions and catching a TD in all 4 of our playoff games….and I sincerely believe he’s no Jermaine Burton. Go Dawgs!
BubbaBill, I'm with you on Burton....he was not a TEAM first player....happy to see he's done ok at Bama but I sure want The Dawgs to shut him down Saturday and instead of Natty Dreams he can work hard for what ever Bowl Dreams that come their way.
@BubbaBill Lots more to story with Burton, he had reason to leave and did what was best for his career- like each player has to evaluate after the season.
In this day and age where coaches can leave whenever they want and for whatever reason they want I have no issues with the players leaving.
If you build your program the right way with the right players then people will want to stay.
Kirby has done that but we still miss on some guys. It happens. I don't wish any of these ex-Dawg players anything but the best until we play them. Then I hope they s u ck against us.
Lol...exactly right, about Burton. Can't help it...I believe what I see and hear with my own eyes and ears.
It "may be", that...as @MikeGriffith says...Burton had reason to leave...and, move 4 or 5 hours away from his Dawg "Brothers"...a month after winning UGA's 1st Natty in 41 years...against the team he transferred to. Had to have been a pretty desperate reason.
Otherwise...who the hell does that. Money doesn't excuse and account for everything. I know that seems to be the prevailing attitude...but, it also seems to be a bit cynical and hard-nosed for an College Football team, made up mostly of real 4-year student-athletes. Afterall...how many people get new jobs in the NFL or Media Booth, every year. I'd be willing to bet almost anything...Burton won't be one of em.
None of that, however,...[money, personal issues, whatever]...excuses him, for some his off-field behavior. I was ashamed of him, in Knoxville, last year...and, afterward.
Notice that Saban carefully said that "Burton didn't disappoint us on the field.". Why differentiate? Most coaches wouldn't have done that...unless there was a reason. But, that's between Saban and Burton, now...Smart and Dawg Fans, washed their hands of him a couple of years ago. Lol
Just to be clear...I'm extremely proud of all our Georgia Bulldogs. The ones that succeed as well as the ones that try, but fall short. Being a Dawg isn't "for" everybody and that's okay...we thank you for trying. IMO...Burton doesn't fall into that category...whereas, Bear Alexander, just might.
The heart of Kirby's program is...about more than football or athletics. It's about loyalty, guts and intelligence. A lot of intangibles that are hard to quantify...but, easy to identify...if you know what you're looking for...like Ole Kirby and the Boys. That's what sets a Georgia Bulldog apart from all the other Bulldog wannabes out there in the CFB World, including Miss St..
Win...lose...or, draw, Saturday. UGA has the best Football Team in the Country. Oregon has the 2nd best. The rest can fight it out for 3rd...although, Alabama or Michigan have my vote. Lol
A lot of people might say..."but, Bama lost to Texas and barely beat Auburn on a Hail Mary. True...but, I've seen all of the teams in the top 10 play several games throughout the year. They ALL have their.warts and close wins. I'll take Bama's QB and Defense over all the rest....[UGA and Oregon withstanding], including Michigan.
BTW....Saturdays score.
UGA 48....BAMA 15
Don't fool yourself. The main reason Burton left UGA was to take on the Jameson Williams role at AL with a Heisman Trophy QB (also from CA). Burton thought he was good enough to fill that role and showcase himself for the NFL. He wasn't. He knew if he stayed at UGA he'd be in a platoon of WR's. CKS likes to try and keep multiple players happy by telling players that they can earn game day playing time by playing all out every practice. When they work to the UGA standard they get game reps.
There may be more to the Burton story as MG suggests. But becoming Jameson Williams w/Bryce Young was the main thing. Based on how Burton has behaved at AL he may have been asked to leave by CKS. As good as Burton is, and he is good, he would have been a negative in the UGA locker room. Saban runs the AL program differently. He allows more individualism now on the team. Watch the "antics" of the AL players (especially Burton) when/if they make good plays on saturday. Back in the day Saban never allowed AL players to celebrate individual plays to that extent. Being menacing robots that beat a team into submission was part of AL's mystique. Saban has sacrificed a little of the culture to adapt to NIL/modern day athletes and to try to add championships in the twilight of his coaching career.
Alabama players have been known to try and take out other team's star players with cheap shots. Daniels this year (Turner). Ewers last year (Turner). Deshaun Watson 2016(?) CFBCG (Reuban Foster). UGA leading sacker D'Andre Walker's injury vs AL in an SECCG also comes to mind. There are others. Hopefully, Bowers, Beck McConkey and other UGA players overcoming injuries will be able to make it through this game.
Also, I take the reports that tuesday's practice was "most physical, chippiest" practice of the year with a huge grain of salt. Prior to the GT game the tuesday practice was reported to be "the most intense" and we saw how that turned out.
Good point on GT report UGADad. It should not be hard to figure out what was happening in the UGA locker room that Burton did not like if folks look closely and stay aware of things going on. No more needs to be said on that, but the pre-judging and assumptions on kids leaving, and them being vilified for that is simply not appropriate and the head coach knows that better than anyone, hence his stance.
Excellent post @UGADad20. One of your all-time best. You hit a lot of nails on the head using as few words as necessary. I too, think Saban made some "Lane Kiffin adjustments", that stuck. Those adjustments changed his [and, Kirby's] recipe to more closely emulate the high flying, fast paced offenses of the day....eschewing the power running game and clock control offensive mindset.
I agree with your take on Burton and I found it interesting that Bama may target opposing "Star Key Players". Never thought about that...but, now that you mention it...I'm going to have to go back and take a look at Bama's early Natty win over Texas in '09(?).
I have to say one thing....in the case of Tuesday's practice...Kirby's comment "this week" may be more significant than anybody realizes. I think Kirby and his Dawgs are ready to put Bama [and that whole Kirby vs Saban thing] to bed, for good. The fact that CKS put that out there...is telling, IMO. He is uncharacteristically confident, going into this game, for a reason.
UGA's whole season has been in preparation for 3 games...and, one of em is this Saturday vs Bama. IMO...Saturday...we'll see the Championship Chowder Kirby's been cookin' since the TCU Game, last year. UGA will wipe the floor with Bama...and, leave a Crimson stain.
It's time to come out from the shadows of doubt and Kirby knows it. The CFP Committee is dying for an excuse to have an all-BIG10/PAC12 CFP. This will kickoff next year's Super-Conference in the North and West. The SEC has put a hurtin' on em over the last 2 decades. Ironically, since Natty's have been determined "on the field", and not in "The Polls". Lol
I don't know if you pay UGADad to be the antagonist on this site with a couple other posters, but if you do, congrats because he is the most negative uga poster on here. Always the dark cloud following him around like Eeyore.
As far as the kids go. They are young and make mistakes. Kirby does his best to give them 2nd chances and keep their situations private. This is admirable considering the garbage some of them and their parents throw at the university and team on their way out. Regardless, we should be proud to have a coach mature beyond his years who has handled this situation and others with grace. I give his wife credit for most of this.
Anyways, Burton is old news and wish him luck but not against us. Dawgs roll big in this one.
I've actually been more impressed with what Seither, Blaylock, Mitchell and Trez Marshall, have accomplished over the last year...than Burton.
Burton...IMO...is having the same kind of career in Tuscaloosa that he would've had in Athens.
I'll probably never understand why Burton would transfer, when he did. It's not just the timing...but, the destination that leaves a bad taste in the mouth of many Dawg Fans. You can't blame em.
Burton's transfer was probably justified and far more complex than anybody cares to discuss. Like you said...old news.
You must be a Gen Z'er used to the new media/reporting "normal". You only like reading/seeing things that parrot your own opinion.
Anybody that is not Pollyanna on this site is an "antagonist" to you. And you are Pollyanna if you didn't see cracks in the armor last week vs GT. 7th game in a row giving up an early TD? Inferior opponent and QB running all over the defense. This defense has not been up to the UGA standard all season. UGA playing like that is a very beatable team. You clearly like sticking your head in the sand. The signs are there for saturday to be UGA's last meaningful game this season. That's not negative that's the truth. That's sports. If more people were objective here it wouldn't need to be said by one person.
Hopefully that does not happen. But UGA absolutely needs to bring its A game here on out if it wants to continue to play for a championship. Watch for the AL attempted knockout of CBeck.