Here is the July 30 edition of The Daily Recap presented by JFQ Lending.
Will Cook break out in 2021?
James Cook has exceptional attributes as a running back. He’s shifty, he has excellent breakaway speed and his strength is greater than he’s given credit for. In today’s pass-happy era of football, Cook also possesses an excellent ability to catch the football, whether it’s out of the backfield or split out as a receiver.
Georgia has a plethora of running backs, which has become a longstanding tradition at the program. With backs such as Zamir White and Kendall Milton on the roster, Cook hasn’t seen the high volume of touches he probably deserves.
Perhaps that changes in 2021.
Cook returns as Georgia’s eighth-ranked returning player, according to Pro Football Focus. A year ago, Cook earned a 78.8 overall grade, with a 65.4 in receiving and an 85.2 in rushing. Brent Rollins and Dayne Cook wrote about how important it will be for Georgia to get him involved in each game this season.
“Last season was James Cook's best as a runner,” Rollins wrote. “His 85.2 rush grade easily bested his 71.1 as a true freshman, second-best on the team. The explosiveness has always been there, but the ability to make defenders miss has not. His 11 missed tackles forced on 45 carries was a career high. In addition, he had nine, 10-plus yard carries and led the team at 6.7 yards per attempt.”
“Cook is always on the list of possible Georgia breakout players because of he is fast and shifty,” Young wrote. “His athleticism creates the opportunity for big plays every time he touches the ball. That expectation is one reason why his lack of consistent production is disappointing. For whatever reason, Georgia coaches have not figured out how to fully highlight Cook's ability.”
Three important visitors
Jed May wrote about three key visitors coming to Georgia this weekend.
Those players are receiver Luther Burden (East St. Louis/East St. Louis, Ill.), safety Kamari Wilson (IMG Academy/Bradenton, Fla.) and offensive tackle Jacob Hood (Hillsboro/Nashville, Tenn.).
While Burden is committed to Oklahoma, that hasn’t stopped Georgia from pursuing him hard.
“Georgia is making a strong push to flip the No. 1 receiver in the 2022 class,” May wrote. “Burden visited Athens in June, and he's scheduled to make a return trip this weekend. He has a strong relationship with UGA receivers coach Cortez Hankton, and he's intrigued by the possibility of making a difference right away should he come to Athens. Georgia currently appears to be the top school attempting to flip Burden. This visit could make the Bulldogs' position even stronger.”
‘Business trip’
Class of 2023 center Bradyn Joiner (Auburn/Auburn, Ala.) said Georgia did a great job of impressing him during his recent visit to campus.
"It was a business trip," Joiner said. "We came down here to see how they (Georgia) interact with their players during meetings and practices and things like that. We got to see how the players get along with one another, and it's clear they have great relationships with one another. And the coaches have strong bonds with their players."
Joiner said he enjoyed learning that offensive line coach Matt Luke holds his players accountable with corrections during meetings.
"It was fun to sit in on their meeting," Joiner said. "Coach Luke broke down all of their steps and assignments. It was great seeing how they run their offense, and I got to learn more."
Owens feels the love
When running back Rueben Owens II (El Campo/El Campo, Texas) committed to Texas, a lot of coaches stopped contacting him.
Not Dell McGee.
The UGA running backs coach remained in pursuit, which has put the program in a good spot for the class of 2023 prospect. Having decommitted from Texas, Owens’ relationship with McGee and Georgia is stronger than ever.
"It shows a lot," Owens said. "Some coaches, when I committed to Texas, they stopped talking to me. He kept going for me, kept trying. That didn’t mean anything to him."
SEC extends invites to Oklahoma, Texas
The SEC officially invited Oklahoma and Texas to the conference on Thursday.
“Today’s unanimous vote is both a testament to the SEC’s longstanding spirit of unity and mutual cooperation, as well as a recognition of the outstanding legacies of academic and athletic excellence established by the Universities of Oklahoma and Texas,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey in a statement. “I greatly appreciate the collective efforts of our Presidents and Chancellors in considering and acting upon each school’s membership interest.”
Grinding away
High dive
Outside the Vent
Is Tennessee the front-runner for five-star defensive tackle Walter Nolen?
Five teams that could snap droughts of failing to win 10 games in a season.
The SEC is becoming the Amazon of college football.
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