The crazy life of a 5-star recruit, who is still wavering on where he wants to go to school. And his grandpa is the one guiding him through all this, because his parents are deceased. I feel for the young man. I also respect his grandfather. 

   My sources are telling me that Grandpa favors Florida, because Gainesville is a lot closer to home than Athens. I also hear that Josh favors Georgia. And that Grandpa doesn't want him at FSU, because he feels like his former LHS teammate Greg Reid is a bad influence. That's what I'm hearing.

   Watched his highlight tape again. The young man has some outstanding ball skills. He can chase, sideline-to-sideline. Looks comfortable in space, where he can cover. Can bring heat off the edge, when he rushes the passer. Huge wingspan. Projects to easily put on another 20-30 pounds, as he matures. 

   He also looks really raw. Technique not real sharp. Has trouble getting off blockers. So, like a lot of guys, he needs to get coached-up. 

   Is he an instant impact guy? I believe he probably needs a year of work, before he gets on the field, with a big role at LB. Could play on special teams as a freshman. 

   Georgia has room to sign 6-8 more players. Richt has a shot this week to go into homes and seal the deal. Sell the 'Dogs program hard. He's "a closer" this week. Again, I like that.

   A lot of these players have trouble making up their minds. They go back and forth. Lean towards one program, then flip a week later. Sometimes it comes down to the final week. And that's where we stand right now.

   Priority #1: Josh Harvey-Clemons in Valdosta. I've got the urge to drive back home and sell him on Georgia. That's a NCAA violation, right? Better not. But I feel like it. Maybe former 'Dog LB Randall Godfrey, a former Lowndes High star, got in his ear at some point. Anyway, Georgia has a 50/50 shot of signing the states top-rated player and we can't allow him to slip away to Florida or FSU.

   Now the Seminoles are making a late run at Harvey-Clemons. That scares me. Lowndes High Head Coach Randy McPherson is "a FSU guy." They've always funneled players to Tallahassee. Suddenly, this smells.  

   John Theus looks to me like he's "college ready," but the 'Dogs could use more of this...Avery Young would be a boost to this class. He's the 2nd ranked OL in the state of Florida, behind Theus. Maybe he didn't like Miami this weekend.

   WR JaQuay Williams and DT Dalvin Tomlinson appear to be long-shots, but maybe Richt can flip them. Bet Auburn is busy pointing out the young WRs Georgia already has and how much they need him. Dalvin has had the look of a Tech man for months. But go sell Georgia, anyway. 

   Sheldon Dawson, from Memphis, would be a nice addition to this class. We'll take all the playmakers we can get, right? Kenny Crawley, a D.C. DB, has a decision to make, after backing out from a Tennessee VC. Bulldogs have a shot with him. JC WR Cordarrelle Patterson has had the re-carpet treatment all over the SEC and now has a big decision to make...will it be LSU, Tennessee, Auburn, Arkansas or Georgia? Josh Dawson is another player the 'Dogs need to put the press on. Tech turned back on Lanier County High DE/OLB Junior Gnonkonde, so 'Dogs need to jump him quick. 

   Glad to see Coach Richt and his staff pushing hard toward the finish line. Go get these guys! Finish the drill! Got 6-8 spots to fill. 

   

   

   His grandpa says it's come down to Georgia or Florida. We won't know until makes the announcement. Who will it be?

   Best I can tell, both sides have positives and negatives.

   The Gators have a couple of things working in their favor. 1- Gainesville is 90 minutes from Valdosta. 2- Florida is thin at the LB position. So, Grandpa is close by and Josh can see early playing time. The negatives? The Gators are in a rebuilding mode. And there has never been a Lowndes High player play for the Gators. Josh wants to win. And he would be more comfortable if there was a little Lowndes High history at Florida.

   The 'Dogs have a good and bad list too.

   The Good: Josh and Coach Grantham hit it off. Todd sold him on the SLB position, as his best fit. He had video to back that up. Another positive revolves around this group being in position to compete for a championship next season. And there are some Valdosta products already on the team. One more thing; former Bulldog LB Randall Godfrey is a Lowndes High star. Josh feels comfortable at Georgia.

   What's the negative? Athens is 4 hours from home. And he sees quality depth lined up at the LB position. Playing time isn't as easy to imagine, when compared to what the Gators have. 

   Obviously, Georgia always hopes to sign the states top-rated player. This year is no different. And if the Bulldogs do land Josh, they will have lured in 3 of the states Top 5 players. That's good work. 

   Sure would be nice to hear that the 'Dogs got the 2 big guys still uncommitted. OLB Josh Harvey-Clemons and DT Dalvin Tomlinson. That would be another big boost to this recruiting class.

   My Valdosta sources are telling me that Josh Harvey-Clemons visit this past weekend as a good one. Grantham was a big hit. They bonded. Coach was selling Josh on the SLB position. It's a spot where he could get the most out of his skill set...rush the passer and play in space. And there is an opportunity to play early.

   Reading Michael Carvell's coverage at AJC.com, it sounds like grandfather likes Coach Richt and appreciates the early morning tutoring program. Georgia's got a good shot at getting him.

   I watched him play in one of the all-star games and really liked his athleticism. He moved around so easily. So smooth. Chased the ball carrier aggressively. He's a little light right now, but his frame can hold 30 more pounds. Can't wait to see him a couple of years from now.

   Lowndes High has always been a great recruiting spot for FSU. The Seminoles have owned that school. So, it's nice to see that Josh is exploring beyond the norm. Georgia's got so much to offer. And it's got to help us, with Jay Rome and Malcolm Mitchell already on campus. 

   

   Suddenly, Isaiah Crowell has some competition. And the 'Dogs have some alternatives, if Crowell isn't available.

   Gurley and Marshall appear to be an outstanding 1-2 punch. Keith is a shifty, speedy, make-them-miss talent. Todd is a tough, between the tackles, banger...who can also run past defenders. This is a nice combination. 

   Add Ken Malcome to the mix too. He really came on strong in 2011. Got to figure that he's only going to get better in 2012. 

   So, that's 4 legit RBs. Should be able to get them all playing time. Probably need them all, in order to get through the season. AND PLAYING TIME WILL BE EARNED. The starter will have earned that honor.

   Bryan McClendon needs to be complimented. Nice job recruiting and selling the program. The competition is tough out there. Bryan connected with this guys. Deserves a raise too.

   But how do we replace him at Georgia? I believe we are in good shape at TE, even though the offense lost Charles and Aron White. But Coach Bobo will be changing the scheme. Orson and Aron were good receiving TE's, who we flexed out a lot.

   The new guys have a different skill set. Can't wait to see redshirt freshman Jay Rome take the field. Jay is 6'6" in cleats and 260 pounds. Big enough to block and also a big target. Junior Arthur Lynch is a physical blocker, at 6'5" 270 pounds. Coach Bobo will probably be using 2 TE sets and pounding the rock a little more. 

   Rome's uncle was an awesome HS TE at Valdosta High. His Dad was the most talented WR that ever put on a Valdosta uniform. Both were highly competitive. Jay comes from good stock. He looks like a combination of both. Can block. Can catch. Team guy, who wants to win. 

   Orson Charles will be a success in the NFL. But he leaves the position in good hands.  

   A.J. McCarron elevated his play big-time. McElwain got him some easy flat throws immediately, which gave him some confidence. The Tide got some plays out of its WR group, even after Maze left with an injured hamstring. Thought they did a nice job of using back-up RB Eddie Lacey early in the game, so Trent Richardson would be fresh late. 

   Kirby's defense pitched a shutout. They stuffed the option. Obviously, they worked overtime on that, with 6 weeks to prepare. As always, they smothered the run game on 1st down. Courtney Upshaw, the games defensive MVP, was a difference-maker up front. On the edge, CBs Dre Kirkpatrick and DeQuan Menzie played tough. Barron was a beast, at safety. 

   The big keys to victory? I've got one on each side of the ball. 

   The Alabama offense is going to miss OC Jim McElwain, who has left to lead the Colorado State program. His plan was masterful. THE TIDE USED A 2 TE SET THE ENTIRE GAME TO HELP CONTROL THE TALENTED LSU FRONT 4. So, Alabama had 7 capable blockers on the field, at all times. Michael Williams and Brad Smelley played a huge role in the win. 

   Defensively, THE TIDE TOOK AWAY THE RUN GAME AND MADE JORDAN JEFFERSON TRY TO BEAT THEM WITH HIS ARM...and that wasn't going to happen. Jordan is a runner, not a thrower. How did they take away the run game? They put 8 strong players in the box. They were disciplined against the option. 

   ALABAMA WON THE SPECIAL TEAMS BATTLE TOO, which was huge. Cover team got after Claiborne on kick-offs. Return teams executed. And Shelley was 5-7 on FGs. 

   Saban's team had only 1 penalty. They just dominated the top-rated team in CF. Impressive. 

   We've got some work to do up front, on both sides of the ball. Until then, we are hanging around the same spot...somewhere between 15 & 25. 

   On the O-Line, we lose 3 senior starters. So, we are looking for a center and 2 OTs. Question: What are the 3 most important spots on the OL? Answer: Center and both tackles. Question: Do we have experienced upperclassmen ready to step in, in those 3 spots? Answer: Maybe in 2 of the 3.  

   Chris Burnette looks like the best option at center. Best I can tell, he played guard out of necessity this season. But he would take over the center spot as a junior, with starting experience. The other option is to go with an unproven, redshirt freshman in David Andrews. 

  At tackle, junior Kenarious Gates is expected to grab one spot. He did come on strong late this season at guard, but it remains to be seen if he can deliver at tackle. The other spot is wide open. It looks like one of the young pups will have to play. That's not a situation Top 10 teams typically deal with. 

  On the D-Line, who are the impact players? Jenkins is legit, but he's taking on double teams. I don't see "difference-makers" at DE. Top 10 teams have impact players at those spots. I over-valued Geathers. Garrison Smith could emerge. Abry Jones wasn't that impressive. There are question marks.

   We are loaded at WR and LB. Set at QB. Solid in the secondary. It's on the LOS where we have issues. And the best I can tell, you can't beat Top 10 teams, when you're not winning up front. But what's new? This has been the same story for years now. 

   Got to give Michigan State credit. They were down, got up, fought back and won. Their seniors were determined to go out a winner. Tip your cap to them.

   But this is a tough one to take for Georgia. Gave up a 16 point halftime lead. Let a late lead get away, with less than 2:00 to play. Had a shot to end it in the first overtime, but Walsh missed another one. This is a game that the 'Dogs allowed to get away.

   Aaron Murray's second half performance was disappointing. Two 3rd quarter picks resulted in 2 Spartan TDs. That's a killer. Aaron made some plays too. But those 3 turnovers really turned the game over to Michigan State.

   It sure looked good with 1:55 remaining on the 4th quarter, with the 'Dogs up 27-20 and State getting the ball at their own 15 yard line. Thought for sure Grantham's defense would slam the door shut on them. But instead, they gave up a 10-play, 85 yard TD drive, to force OT.

   The biggest mistake by Coach Richt was playing for the FG in the 1st overtime. We sat on it, so Blair Walsh could miss another one. Could understand that approach, if Rex Robinson or Kevin Butler was kicking, but Walsh? After the season he had? That prevented us from winning. Richt should have allowed Bobo to be aggressive there. 

   Our O-Line got whipped. Our RB situation is below average. That was crystal clear too. 

   Losing that one is a big disappointment. 

   Boykin played his rear end off. He was out MVP. Tavarres King had a record setting day. He was outstanding. Jarvis Jones was making a huge impact, until he injured his knee. We had some guys play well. But we are still a few players short of being able to handle a Top 25 team.