The Daily Recap: UGA's future scheduling philosophy pays off
Here is the June 12 edition of The Daily Recap presented by JFQ Lending.
Georgia’s upcoming schedules look even smarter now
Given the likelihood of a 12-team playoff, where Georgia should be in the picture nearly every season, the program’s decision to sign marquee Power 5 non-conference teams over the next decade-plus looks to be an even smarter move than before.
Anthony Dasher wrote that strength of schedule will likely carry more importance than before now that the playoff field is tripling. Those teams who schedule tough opponents out of conference figure to be rewarded more than those who don’t.
The 12-team playoff won’t begin until 2023 if it gains approval. And beginning with that season, Georgia will play Oklahoma and Georgia Tech out of conference. In the ensuing seasons it looks like this in terms of Power 5 opponents:
2024: Clemson, Georgia Tech
2025: UCLA, Georgia Tech
2026: UCLA, Georgia Tech
2027: Florida State, Louisville, Georgia Tech
2028: Texas, Florida State, Georgia Tech
2029: Texas, Clemson, Georgia Tech
2030: Clemson, Ohio State, Georgia Tech
2031: Ohio State, Oklahoma, Georgia Tech
2032: Clemson, Georgia Tech
2033: Clemson, Georgia Tech
“Why did (Kirby Smart) let Director of Player Operations Josh Lee upgrade those games? The short answer is the proposed 12-team playoff by the College Football Playoff Working Group,” Dasher wrote. “For teams in the running for an at-large bid, strength of schedule will play a bigger role. Obviously, you’re still going to have to win a lot of games. But "extracurricular activity" becomes a bigger part of the equation. It’s that way in basketball, and it’s that way in baseball for their respective NCAA Tournaments.
“Smart wasn’t going to let his team’s non-conference schedule become a disadvantage. Coupled with the SEC schedule, Georgia’s upgraded non-conference slate is going to ensure Bulldogs of annually being a big part of the playoff conversation.”
Robertson to transfer
Receiver Demetris Robertson is planning to leave Georgia now that he has entered the transfer portal. Robertson began his career at California where he was a freshman All-American in 2016. However, in 2018, Robertson transferred to Georgia and spent the next three years with the Bulldogs.
After spending his fifth year in college football in 2020, Robertson decided to take advantage of the NCAA’s blanket waiver to play another season due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, following receiver Arik Gilbert’s transfer, it’s apparent that Robertson may not get the reps he may need to potentially impress NFL scouts.
Comparing Stockton
Blayne Gilmer recently compared UGA commit De’Nylon Morrissette (North Cobb/Kennesaw, Ga.) to Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Gallup. Gilmer stayed with the Cowboys when making his pro comparison to quarterback commit Gunner Stockton (Rabun County/Tiger, Ga.)
Gilmer compared Stockton to Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
“Stockton is the type of quarterback who elicits emotions from coaches and fans,” Gilmer wrote. “There are many moments in a game when Stockton makes coaches and fans think, ‘No, no, no, yes!’ Extending plays both inside and outside the pocket is Stockton's specialty. The Rabun County gunslinger has an incredibly strong arm that can be relied upon to bail him out of tough spots and to create explosive plays down the field.
“Prescott did the same in high school, at Mississippi State, and now does so for the Cowboys. Time and time again you'll see Prescott use 4.7 speed to elude defenders, create time for receivers to separate, and then deliver a strike down the field. Very much in the same vein as Stockton's style. The two quarterbacks make plays that cannot be coached, or that a coach would ever want to instruct a quarterback to attempt to make.”
Wesolak details visit, offer
Gilmer caught up with four-star defensive end DJ Wesolak (Boonville/Boonville, Mo.) to get his reaction after receiving a scholarship offer following his recent visit to Georgia’s campus.
"It meant a lot. (Defensive coordinator Dan) Lanning and I have been close throughout this whole process," Wesolak said. "He's just been waiting for me to get out there. He's been interested in me for a while, and he just wanted to make an official once I got out there. He saw me work out and everything. And I'm really close with him. My head coach is close with him. Lanning is from really close to where I'm from. So he knows what that means and communicates everything really well. I was excited to talk to him and Coach Smart, and go to their offices and have meetings and everything."
Murphy dishes on Georgia
Five-star linebacker Shawn Murphy (Unity Reed/Manassas, Va.) was pleased with his experience when visiting Georgia recently.
"It's pretty nice to see how they do it there at Georgia," Murphy said. "It was very good. I learned a whole lot of new things like how they do coverage, how they teach their linebackers, and what they're looking for when they're trying to put linebackers in their scheme. I was doing a whole bunch of drills and I liked the drills, they do.
"I'd say I spoke to almost every coach. I think every coach was watching me. There was big expectations and I got a lot of good feedback from the defensive coaches and Coach Smart."
Catching up with Wilson
Patrick Garbin spoke with former UGA player Barry Wilson about his time with the program. Wilson played for Georgia from 1962-1964. Wilson explained how he went from being an exceptional quarterback in high school to playing end (tight end, split end and defensive end) in college.
“In those days in college football, it wasn’t uncommon for schools to sign a lot of recruits as athletes,” Wilson said. “It wasn’t so position-specific as it is now. Georgia’s 1961 recruiting class included 13 signees who been quarterbacks in high school, including myself. Plus, by that year, Georgia already had some really good quarterbacks on varsity—guys like Larry Rakestraw, Jack Saye, and Dale Williams. When I came in, I was recognized as a good athlete and a good competitor, while standing at 6-foot and 185 pounds.
“So, I was told I was a good candidate to play a different position. The coaching staff asked me if I would be willing to try another position other than quarterback. Well, I was actually kind of flattered, so I had no problem moving to the end position.”
All-American Matthew Boling
4x100 record
2021 is weird
Outside the Vent
Andre Greene Jr. spoke about the recent visits he took to Clemson, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M.
Ten new four-star players were added outside of the Rivals250.
Connecticut senators call playoff expansion a “cash grab.”
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