Among the first conversations Georgia wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon had with transfer receivers Dominic Lovett and RaRa Thomas was to make sure each understood what they were about to get themselves into.
The conversation was frank. Egos are checked at the door. If you’re worried about numbers or unwilling to adapt to the football culture that’s been established, then maybe Georgia isn’t for you.
“When you bring in the portal guys, you bring in proven guys who have done it on the college level, McClendon said. "But one of the first conversations that you’ve got to have with them is, 'Hey man, I want you to understand what you’re stepping into here culture-wise. Our culture is going to be something a little different. I’m not knocking any place that you’ve been but our culture here is about the greater good. So, if you come in here looking for something in particular then you need to make sure that’s one thing you’re looking for.'”
Fortunately for the Bulldogs, both Lovett and Thomas liked what they heard, and as Georgia enters its second full week of spring practice, they continue to integrate themselves into the system.
Teammate Ladd McConkey says that’s been the case since Day 1.
“Those guys came in and immediately wanted to learn the playbook, immediately wanted to get in the weight room and get some work in,” McConkey said. “Those are two hard-working guys and I can already tell they’re going to bring a lot for us, give everything they have. I’m excited to go out and see them compete this spring.”
Head coach Kirby Smart said it was imperative for his team to bring on some receivers like Thomas and Lovett.
With Kearis Jackson moving on to the NFL, AD Mitchell transferring to Texas and Dominick Blaylock entering the portal, finding more playmakers on the perimeter was going to be one of the program’s top offensive needs.
With a new quarterback taking over the reins, finding more playmakers was imperative.
“When you talk about Dom and RaRa, they're guys that have competed in our league, they've caught a lot of passes in our league, they've been very productive in our league and it was a position that we were losing several players at,” Smart said. “We needed to be able to help our quarterbacks. Quarterbacks need some weapons to throw to, and those guys do that.”
Thomas – who recently had a felony false imprisonment charge dropped – comes to Georgia after catching 44 passes for 626 yards and seven touchdowns.
Lovett is even more explosive after establishing himself as one of the top receivers in the SEC last year for Missouri. Lovett caught 56 passes for 846 yards. Although he scored just three touchdowns, he’s already establishing himself as one of Georgia’s fastest receivers and apparently creating quite the buzz among his new teammates.
“Dominic is like my little brother. He’s one of the first guys I saw when I came back; we were in the locker room and chopping it up,” defensive back Javon Bullard said. “He’s very quick, very fast, he’s really good getting out of breaks, and runs really great routes.”
Along with McConkey, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Dillon Bell, and Arian Smith, Thomas, and Lovett figure to give UGA quite a solid corps of wide receivers come the fall.
“It's hard to say without having played with them much, but seeing what they did at Missouri and Mississippi State they’re explosive, they can make big plays,” McConkey said. “They’re fast; are good route runners. So yeah, I’m excited to go out and compete with those guys.”
