Georgia's Malcolm Mitchell authors children's book and more from SEC media days

HOOVER, Ala. -- Malcolm Mitchell arrived at Georgia in 2011 ranked among the nation's top 50 football prospects.

Mitchell since has played receiver and cornerback for the Bulldogs and has battled numerous injuries, but he wasn't talking much football Thursday at Southeastern Conference Media Days. Instead, the beaming 6-foot-1, 195-pounder from Valdosta was walking around the Wynfrey Hotel with his debut children's book titled "A Magician's Hat."

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Having grown up without any children's books, Mitchell may be accomplishing more through his writing and reading with youngsters than through any touchdown reception inside Sanford Stadium.

"With writing, it's almost personal, so this is a piece of me technically," Mitchell said. "It's my vision, my heart and my word, and opening that up and sharing it with everybody isn't the easiest thing to do. If you want to get a message out, you have to open your arms and allow people to step in."

Mitchell's book is about a magician named David, whose powers don't come through magic but rather his influence in getting kids to read. He cites "The Giving Tree" as the children's book that had the biggest influence on him.

The book, which will be available next month on ReadwithMalcolm.com, follows the 26-minute "Star Wars" tribute film that was produced last year by former Bulldogs receiver Chris Conley. Mitchell appreciates Conley, now with the Kansas City Chiefs, for blazing a path and thanked coach Mark Richt as well.

"Coach Richt definitely doesn't confine us to just being athletes," Mitchell said. "We are so thankful that he allows us to go out and do projects like this."

Richt wrote the foreword in "The Magician's Hat."

"I'm proud of the guy," Richt said. "As a father you want your children to grow. You want them to chase dreams, but you also want them to be a well-rounded human being. If your entire identity is tied into what you do, then when it ends, you're lost.

"I love the fact that he has embraced reading and is now an advocate for it."

Fixing a weakness

LSU finished last in the SEC in passing offense a year ago with 162.9 yards a game. Anthony Jennings got most of the snaps over Brandon Harris last season, but Jennings was arrested last month for unlawful entry of an apartment and is currently suspended.

Tigers coach Les Miles is confident that Jennings will be reinstated by the start of the season, and he's confident both will be better this season.

"Experience isn't just something that you can will on a guy," Miles said. "Our quarterback play will be better, legitimately better. There have been some things that we've done to kind of script and hone to make their skills and abilities more evident, so I think we'll get really improved quarterback play."

Georgia's new guy

Greyson Lambert announced this summer that he was transferring from Virginia to Georgia to vie with Brice Ramsey and Faton Bauta for the Bulldogs' starting quarterback job. Richt said Lambert sightings have been rare in Athens with the 6-foot-5, 220-pounder finishing summer school at Virginia.

"I've seen him here and there, but not a whole lot," Richt said. "Through the recruiting process, you could see that he was a mature guy. He has been through it and has graduated in three years, or whatever it was. He's already been a starter, so he's already been hit in the mouth and gotten back up."

Said receiver Malcolm Mitchell: "He throws a different ball, because I've never played with a quarterback that tall."

Freeze sees new 'direction'

Hugh Freeze was the 14th and final coach to take the podium this week, and he was the last coach to be asked about the Confederate flag issue.

"In the late '90s, our school made a move in a direction away from the flag," Freeze said. "While I'm not a political figure, that symbol has been hijacked somewhat by groups that have meant ill will toward other people, and I think it's time that we move in a different direction with the state flag."

When asked about the Rebels nickname, Freeze said, "If that's something that is troublesome to others, then I'm sure we would address that. I haven't heard that."

Odds and ends

Richt said senior receiver Justin Scott-Wesley will be able to go full speed at the start of preseason camp. Freeze on regrouping from the 42-3 loss to TCU in the Peach Bowl: "I'm a big-picture guy, so you won't find me making too much of a loss or too much of a win." Georgia tackle John Theus on his first impression of Lambert: "He has really big hands." Miles on a pair of suspended players: "Some guys are no longer on the team, and that would be Tra Valentine and Trey Lealaimatafao, whose name I can't pronounce. I've tried for a year. I swear."

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.