UGA class is a dream come true

photo Georgia head coach Mark Richt speaks during National Signing Day at the University of Georgia on Wednesday in Athens, Ga. Wednesday marked the first day of the NCAA's spring signing period when high school athletes could sign letters of intent to play athletics at an NCAA school. (AP Photo/Athens Banner-Herald. David Manning)

ATHENS, Ga. - Georgia recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner revealed Wednesday that it was head coach Mark Richt's idea to formulate the "Dream Team" concept as a way to keep the Peach State's top prospects home.

Richt revealed that he did his share of worrying the past several weeks about the thought of it backfiring.

"Oh sure, but we said, 'Let's go for it. Who cares?'" Richt said. "If everybody's opinion would have been that it was not much of a dream or called it a nightmare class - I don't know what they could have said - I knew there was some risk in it, but we just said, 'Let's go for the best and go with reckless abandon and not care what anyone says.'

"I think a lot of the young men bought into it and are excited about it. Quite frankly, we're in the process of putting together the 2012 Dream Team for Georgia."

Of the 25 players who signed Wednesday with the Bulldogs, 19 are from the Peach State. Headlining the in-state contingent are Isaiah Crowell of Columbus, ESPN.com's No. 1 tailback nationally, Ray Drew of Thomasville, Rivals.com's No. 1 weakside defensive end, Malcolm Mitchell of Valdosta, Rivals.com's No. 1 cornerback, and Jay Rome of Valdosta, ESPN.com's No. 1 tight end.

Also on the Dream Team are a pair of Chattanooga-area standouts, Ridgeland cornerback Devin Bowman and Dalton offensive tackle Watts Dantzler.

"The Dream Team concept seems to have worked," ESPN recruiting analyst Jamie Newberg said. "While they obviously didn't get everybody they targeted, which nobody ever does, they've pretty much gotten who they've needed. Somebody there is doing a fantastic job, especially coming off a 6-7 season and all the negative recruiting they've had to fend off.

"Hats off to Mark Richt, because this is a job really well done."

Georgia, as of Wednesday evening, had the nation's No. 6 class according to Scout.com and ESPN.com and No. 7 according to Rivals.com. The Bulldogs are still pursuing Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College defensive tackle Johnathan Jenkins (6-4, 340), who is scheduled to make his decision Saturday.

The two teams Georgia battled most throughout the process, Auburn and Alabama, wound up with top-five classes.

"We all know our season wasn't the best," Richt said, "and that there have been a lot of things we've had to battle maybe a little more than in other years in terms of recruiting. I really believe this class will end up being the largest and most talented and the best bunch in 11 years."

Georgia had Rivals.com's No. 3 class in 2002 (OL Max Jean-Gilles, DT Kedric Golston and CB DeMario Minter) and the No. 4 class in '06 (QB Matthew Stafford, TB Knowshon Moreno and S Reshad Jones).

The Bulldogs snagged a former Southern Cal commitment, linebacker Kent Turene of Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., Wednesday morning, but their biggest catch of the day was Crowell, who had strongly considered the Crimson Tide. At his afternoon announcement on ESPNU, the 5-11, 210-pounder held up an English Bulldog puppy and said, "Everybody was talking about the Dream Team, but we had to make it a reality."

Yet no 2011 signee will come away from Wednesday more revered among Bulldogs backers than Drew, who did not commit until last Friday but had been helping the Dream Team come together since October, according to Garner.

"He has a lot of pride in this class," Garner said. "Outside of our coaching staff, I would say he probably deserves as much credit for this class as anyone. He did a really good job of selling his belief in Coach Richt, this program and this university, and the direction and leadership that is here.

"This past season certainly tarnished us because of the year that we had, but I think he was able to recognize that Georgia is still gold and that we just need to shine it up and get the glitter back."

With 25 signees, Richt said this class will represent one-third of the football team, and he hopes the younger Peach State prospects took notice.

"You never get them all, but we came pretty darn close," he said. "I would certainly say that the dream came true today. I hope ninth graders are looking now and saying I want to be on that Dream Team when my time comes."

Richt expects to announce the successor to offensive line coach Stacy Searels by early next week.

"There has been a tremendous amount of interest in this opportunity," Richt said. "My phone has blown up hard after Coach Searels decided to go to Texas, and it hasn't really slowed down much. We've got some tremendous people to choose from."

Odds & Ends

Senior Bruce Figgins, formerly a tight end, will play his senior season at fullback. Richt is leaning to receiver for Mitchell, who during the recruiting process "kept the secret better than anybody." Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said the night Mitchell and Rome committed (Jan. 20) was the most excited he has been since receiving a call from Stafford in the spring of 2005.

More:

UGA: 2011 commitments

Third Bowman signs scholarship

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