Tears of joy as the Godfrey legacy lives on

Former Georgia football great Randall Godfrey figures son RJ Godfrey must have been around nine years old when he first started coming to Georgia's annual summer camps.

Flash forward 12 years, and RJ Godfrey is returning to Athens once again. This time, as a member of Georgia’s basketball team.

The former Clemson player chose the Bulldogs Wednesday, announcing that Georgia would be his new home.

“Yeah, he grew up going to all of Kirby Smart’s camps, so I’ve taken him on campus quite a bit, just making sure he understands what it’s like to be a Georgia Bulldog,” the elder Godfrey said in a telephone interview with UGASports. “He’s been there quite a few times. He had a chance to meet Coach (Vince) Dooley; he knows the tradition.”

The elder Godfrey – a father of four boys - laughed as he recalled those early days of his son running around the field at Sanford Stadium.

“It was amazing, just to be able to come and see my kids out at the stadium, going through drills and being coached by the college guys, by the Georgia staff,” Godfrey said. “It was exciting, and I think my kids, they cherished it the most to see some of the old players come back and coach them, being coached by Coach Smart was big for them. They had moments that they will cherish for life.”

A native of Valdosta where he played for Lowndes High, Randall Godfrey was a defensive star during his tenure at Georgia, becoming the first true freshman in school history to lead the team in tackles with 111, earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors.

After starting for three more years with the Bulldogs, Godfrey moved on to the NFL, where he played for six teams over the course of an 11-year career.

Knowing that his son will now be a student-athlete at Georgia is a point of pride he admits is somewhat difficult to explain.

“I always told my kids to create their own legacy and I was going to support them either way they went. But I just have tears of joy for him becoming a Georgia Bulldog now,” Godfrey said. “He’s coming in to help our basketball program. It’s good when a legacy is already established, and he can come in and just continue the legacy that’s already been there. He’s prepared for it, and I’m happy for him.”

Godfrey said Georgia never hesitated in reaching out to his son once his name became official in the NCAA transfer portal.

But his estimation, it was the very next day.

Ironically, the coach who first reached out – Antonio Reynolds Dean – was the same coach who recruited the younger Godfrey to Clemson.

“When he was recruited at Clemson, his coach was Coach Dean Reynolds. He ended up leaving (for Georgia), but that’s who recruited RJ for a couple of years in high school,” Godfrey said. “Now, they’re reunited, and he’s just looking forward to it.”

As happy as he is with his son’s decision, Godfrey said he never pushed his son to come to Georgia.

Whatever choice he made; he wanted it to be RJ's own.

“I really didn’t. By the time he went in the portal, his phone started ringing. There were some big basketball schools, Auburn, Arizona, Oklahoma … He had some great choices, and I’m just grateful that he put himself in position to be wanted like he was,” Godfrey said. “I really didn’t know. I didn’t pressure him at all.

"But he had a great time at Oklahoma. He was never able to go to Auburn, but I’m glad Georgia was able to step in the way they did. They had a nice plan for him. They’re trying to build, and if we can keep quality players in our state, I think the Georgia basketball program will be headed in the right direction.”

Godfrey said his son is glad to be back in the Peach State.

“He’s spent most of his life in the state of Georgia, and that’s always been a dream of his to be a Georgia Bulldog,” Godfrey said. “But he got hurt his senior year. They did offer, but they weren’t chasing him, you know what I mean, like Clemson was at that time. But he’s thankful.”

Godfrey likes what he’s seen from Bulldog head coach Mike White.

“Coach White is an amazing coach. He wants to win, and he wants to win now. It’s all about getting quality players, not just on the court but off the court, and I think RJ is one of those players,” Godfrey said. “He’s been able to experience some things his first two years at Clemson, and how he can bring that leadership to UGA and help them get to March Madness.”