Rivals150 linebacker Channing Tindall to be a Bulldog

Family ties run deep when it comes to college football recruiting, and Georgia coaches are thankful that’s the case with new commit Channing Tindall.

The Spring Valley (Columbia, S.C.) four-star linebacker, whose father counts himself among the Georgia faithful, has announced his pledge to the Bulldogs.

“My father grew up in Georgia, actually. He’s from Augusta,” Tindall told UGASports.com in June. “He’s a Bulldogs fan. He loves the Bulldogs. My father doesn’t care where I go, though. He just wants me to get the best education. I’ve been surprised with him. He hasn’t pushed me toward Georgia one time. He just wants me to go somewhere I can go and get a good education and be successful with football is over with. He’d definitely give me a few winks and high fives (if I ended up there).”

Dad got his wish on Wednesday evening, as Tindall, who measures in at 6-foot-2, 206 pounds, followed an early gut feeling about the Bulldogs.

“Georgia continues to impress and I feel like they’re going to be really good throughout the years,” Tindall told Rivals.com’s Woody Wommack in September. “Georgia is one of those schools that when I think about other schools they’re always on the tip of my mind. Coach [Glenn] Schumann is getting those boys right at linebacker, and Coach [Kirby] Smart is a great coach.”

As for the plan upon his arrival to Athens, coaches were quick to paint the picture for Tindall early.

“I really like the way they use their linebackers,” Tindall said in May. “They put them everywhere. They let them play in a two-point stance and go into coverage. You don't just play one position. They switch them up. They want me to play inside linebacker. They think I can play outside, but they like me as inside."

Credit Georgia for building strong relationships out of the gate and playing to Tindall’s longtime fandom.

“My relationship with Coach Schumann and Coach Smart is that we speak every week, and I also grew up a Georgia fan, as well, watching players like Leonard Floyd and Todd Gurley,” Tindall said. “I have a strong relationship with Georgia, and I love the school itself, outside of football.”