Infinite Energy Center

Brock Vandagriffhas made a new decision. It should certainly read like a family-first decision. The 5-star QB de-committed from Oklahoma on the first day of 2020. He found a new home less than three weeks later. The rising senior in the 2021 class is able to still call it home both before and after his new college choice. It is 13.7 miles away from where he currently plays high school football. That will be 13 fewer hours and 900 miles closer than the Oklahoma program he had been previously committed to. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior from Prince Avenue Christian (Bogard, Ga.) is going to be a Bulldog. He announced that decision via his social media. Oklahoma was a great fit given his skill set. Now toss in Lincoln Riley and his reputation for building up No. 1 draft choices-slash-Heisman winners at that position. It made a lot of sense. Except when Thanksgiving and Christmas rolled around this past year. Those family ties tugged at his heart. He couldn't sleep and found himself praying it. 'My Dad and I we talked and stuff,' Brock Vandagriff said. 'We are kind of sacrificing the best fit for me just for some other things that are priorities now.' Vandagriff becomes the third member of the 2021 class in Athens and should certainly be seen as the cornerstone recruit for the class. That's a given with quarterbacks. Not just 5-star recruits. The 5-star QB ranks as the nation's No. 1 pro-style passer and the No. 9 overall prospect for that cycle on the 247Sports Composite rankings. He's the first 5-star QB to commit to Georgia since current Ohio State star Justin Fields did so in October of 2017. Why was it Georgia? 'I trust the coaches there and I trust them in the direction they are going and I want to be able to compete for national championships,' Brock Vandagriff said. When he made the decision to back off his commitment to Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma, it was clear that two things would be forthcoming: 1) He was going to make a move to be much closer to home: 2) He wasn't going to take a long time to figure out his next choice. pic.twitter.com/luGcDU7ZGI brock (@BrockVandagriff) January 1, 2020 The highly-competitive Prince Avenue Christian junior has never seemed to be the type that enjoyed the back-and-forth and courting of the recruiting process. When he opened his decision process back up, that just restarted all of those coaches reaching out once again. Vandagriff does plan to enroll early at Georgia in January of 2021. Brock Vandagriff: What he will now bring to UGA Let's tackle the biggest 'what this means' question first. Vandagriff will always be linked with Washington, D.C. area 5-star passer Caleb Williams in the 2021 cycle. Williams was heavy on Georgia over the last year, but LSU, Maryland, Oklahoma and Penn State are also strong contenders there for his eventual decision. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound junior is very much in the debate with Vandagriff for the nation's No. 1 overall QB prospect in 2021. He ranks as the nation's No.1 dual-threat passer and also the nation's No. 14 player at this time. This certainly appears to be an example of Georgia taking the commitment from a prospect who was ready to make his decision and dancing the jig around their facility in being fortunate to do so. He's rated as a pro-style QB, but his Hudl profile page lists a 4.65 time in the 40-yard dash. His 4.44 time in the pro agility drill should certainly be seen as a very good time for a quarterback prospect. Throw in his 37-inch vertical jump and he will certainly be an athlete for the Bulldogs at that position. Vandagriff's father, Greg, is the head football coach at Prince Avenue Christian in Bogart. That's about as close to UGA as any school can get. Especially one with his arm and the numbers he has put up playing Class A private football in Georgia. Toss in the fact that he is the son of a respected high school football coach in the state and it is clear that Vandagriff checks a lot of boxes in the ideal scouting makeup for a field leader. Vandagriff completed 151 of his 211 passes (72 percent) this past season for 2,471 yards in eight games. He tallied up a 31:3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. The junior also added 262 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Check out his junior highlight film below. He throws an easy ball that seems to carry downfield easily. Some of his best throws are made as he escapes the pocket on the run and delivers an accurate and powerful throw deep to receivers in stride. Brock Vandagriff: Getting to know Brock on DawgNation Brock Vandagriff breaks down his 'Junior Day' unofficial visit, plans quick return Vandagriff previews big UGA visit, opens up on his Oklahoma de-commitment Just how competitive is Brock Vandagriff? Check out this early DawgNation story The post BREAKING: 5-star junior QB Brock Vandagriff has a new college decision appeared first on DawgNation.

A teenager is arrested with a gun at North Hall High School. From the Hall County Sheriff’s Office… The Hall County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a firearm was found in a 16-year-old male student’s vehicle at North Hall High School on Friday morning, Jan. 17.    At approximately 9 a.m., a school official noticed an improperly parked vehicle on campus. The School Resource Officer was notified after the official observed a handgun in the vehicle. The SRO responded and also saw the weapon in the car.    Deputies obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and located a rifle, a small quantity of marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a bottle of alcohol inside. The handgun initially spotted in the car turned out to be a BB pistol that looked like an actual firearm.    Sheriff’s Investigators obtained warrants for the arrest of the juvenile suspect on the charges of possession of a weapon at school, disrupting a public school and possession of marijuana. The 16year-old turned himself in to investigators early Friday evening and was transported to a youth detention center.    The case remains under investigation by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.

The Georgia Bulldog basketball team, on the heels of a weekend loss at Mississippi State, will look for their first SEC road win of the season tonight in Lexington Kentucky. From Mike Mobley, UGA Sports Communications… Georgia will face Kentucky for the second time in two weeks on Tuesday. On Jan. 7 in a sold-out Stegeman Coliseum, the Bulldogs built a nine-point lead late in the first half and led for nearly 23 minutes of the game before the No. 14-ranked Wildcats rallied for a 78-69 victory.   Tuesday’s contest at Rupp Arena is the second half of a challenging back-to-back, Saturday-Tuesday road portion of the Bulldogs’ schedule. Georgia lost at Mississippi State on Saturday. Roughly 71 hours later, the Bulldogs will face the Wildcats, who were ranked No. 10 and No. 12 in the AP and coaches polls last week, respectively.    The outings versus MSU and UK are the fourth and fifth in Georgia’s grueling stretch to open SEC play. The Bulldogs will face six straight teams that earned NCAA Tournament bids last spring – Kentucky, Auburn, Tennessee, Mississippi State, Kentucky (again) and Ole Miss.   Georgia is 11-6 overall and 1-3 in SEC play. Last Wednesday, the Bulldogs matched their overall win total from a year ago with an impressive 80-63 victory over Tennessee.   Anthony Edwards, a pre- and mid-season All-American and leading National Freshman of the Year candidate, is the nation’s top-scoring freshman at 19.1 ppg. Edwards is the only freshman ranked among the top-50 scorers in the country at No. 47. Rayshaun Hammonds is the SEC’s fourth-leading rebounder (8.2 rpg) and also ranks No. 14 in scoring (13.8 ppg). 

Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost S. Jack Hu has appointed a 15-member committee to begin a national search for candidates for the position of vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate School at the University of Georgia. The committee is chaired by Linda Kirk Fox, dean of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, and it includes faculty, staff and student representation. The national search follows a review of the Graduate School conducted by Fox and several committee members. “Elevating the leadership of the Graduate School to the vice provost level at the University of Georgia signals the important role graduate and professional education plays in promoting research and innovation across all the disciplines,” Hu said. “I appreciate the dedication of the committee members and look forward to meeting with the finalists for this critical position.” Faculty, staff, students or community members who wish to nominate candidates for consideration are invited to contact Michael Luthi, director of the UGA Search Group, at luthi@uga.edu. In addition to Fox, the search committee members are: Michelle Ballif, professor and head of the department of English in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Cheri Bliss, director of graduate admissions and student services in the Graduate School Beate Brunow, director of academic partnerships and initiatives in the Division of Student Affairs Amy Ellis, professor of mathematics education in the College of Education Noel Fallows, Distinguished Research Professor of Spanish and associate provost for global engagement Georgia Harrison Hall, associate professor in the College of Environment and Design and chair of the policy and planning committee of the Graduate Council Shelley Hooks, associate professor of pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences in the College of Pharmacy and associate vice president in the Office of Research Lawrence Hornak, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering and associate vice president for integrative team initiatives in the Office of Research Angela Hsiung, doctoral student in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources Peter Jutras, professor and director of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music Erin Lipp, professor of environmental health science and associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Public Health Thomas Mote, Distinguished Research Professor of geography and associate dean in the Franklin College Mike Pfarrer, professor of management and associate dean for research and graduate programs in the Terry College of Business Franklin West, associate professor of animal and dairy science in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Ron Walcott, a professor of plant pathology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences who has served as associate dean of the Graduate School since 2017, is currently serving as interim dean of the Graduate School. The former dean of the Graduate School, Suzanne Barbour, was named dean of the Graduate School at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Grab your hats, scarves, gloves and layer up. It’s going to be another cold day across north Georgia. Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Brian Monahan has been tracking a colder start to your Tuesday morning than it was yesterday. Here’s what to know as you head out the door: Temperatures are in the teens and 20s now. Temperatures will continue to drop in most spots as we head toward sunrise Light wind out there this morning compared to yesterday, but Monahan says only a little wind has a big impact.

ATHENS It's hard to say exactly what Georgia football will look like next season, but what a difference 6 1/2 weeks has already made. It has been an amazing and bold offensive transformation by Kirby Smart, a coach who can't seem to turn the pressure up on himself and his program enough with slogans like 'Do More' on the heels of 13 and 11-win seasons. So it was 6 1/2 weeks ago, LSU was on top of the world and the Bulldogs were headed toward the ranks of also-rans. The SEC Championship Game scoreboard said 37-10 by the end of the night, and Georgia looked every bit that far removed from title contention. The Bayou Bengals have since claimed the big prize, beating Clemson, securing a place in history with a record-breaking 15-0 season. But now it's Georgia, with a championship defense returning and an offensive overhaul, that looks like the better bet to party in 2020. The LSU staff has fragmented, the defensive coordinator and offensive architect gone. The record-breaking QB is on to the NFL, nine players turned pro early and are among 14 starters who are moving on. There's nowhere to go but down for Tigers coach Ed Orgeron. But Georgia is still, somehow, a program on the rise. Smart's defense, which allowed the fewest points and rushing yards per game in the nation last season, is bought in. Nine of 11 starters are back. Juniors Richard LeCounte, Eric Stokes, Monty Rice and Malik Herring passed up millions of dollars to return and chase the big prize. Many will wonder: Can the offense get the job done? We're not talking about Jake Fromm here, for a change. And Fromm going pro two weeks ago? Man, that's old news. There's so much more to talk about with this overhauled Georgia offense, and we're not even sure where to begin. Smart, the man who says 'if it ain't broke, find a way to make it better,' is on a roll. All this, just 6 1/2 weeks after the championship window appeared to be closing on Georgia football. Remember? Dropped passes, missed tackles, an ailing star running back and a depleted receiving corps. There was noargument about College Football Playoff worthiness. The Bulldogs limped to the finish line. RELATED: Kirby Smart praises LSU, explains Jake Fromm's struggles in defeat And yet, it was a noble regular-season finish. UGA won six straight to win a third-straight SEC East Division crown. But even in victory, right before our eyes, the quarterback was losing his confidence, the coaches were losing control of players, and the program was losing its pride. Another ho-hum Sugar Bowl trip was ahead. A handful of players quit the team early to train for the NFL draft. Others failed substance tests or flunked classes. No wonder Smart dodged the press. There was nothing remotely good or promising to say in those dark days of December. As Smart likes to say, the Bulldogs prefer to talk with their helmets, and any other major changes in direction would require an infusion of impact players and new coaches. Few could have anticipated just how aggressive Smart would be, but the team's showing in New Orleans provided a hint. The Bulldogs weren't ready to roll over and die. Baylor's Bears probably still don't know what hit them, or who hit them, with so many new faces and names filling the shoes of the 12 former starters who were missing in New Orleans. RELATED: Kirby Smart and Bulldogs score sweet statement win in Sugar Bowl As beleaguered and hard to watch as the 2019 Georgia football team was, it finished 5-1 versus Top 25 teams and with a No. 4 ranking. That was good enough for the record books, but not good enough for Smart, who has gone to work: The addition of grad-transfer Jamie Newman, a dual-threat QB with a big arm was captivating. The addition of Florida State grad-transfer TE Tre' Mckitty coupled with incoming freshman 5-star phenom Darnell Washington is fascinating. And now, in the past few days, Smart has turned his offensive staff upside down, landing former NFL OC Todd Monken and Southern Miss OC Buster Faulkner. There will be collateral damage, it's just a matter of who and when. Fans are scurrying to check Twitter profiles and message boards by the hour. Meanwhile, Smart is plotting his next move and another finishing kick on the fast-approaching February National Signing Day. A lot has changed in the past 6 1/2 weeks, and knowing Smart and the sense of urgency he has brought to Georgia football, there's no telling what could be next. Georgia football offseason Buster Faulkner the latest hire for Georgia offensive staff Kirby Smart lands Air Raid guru Todd Monken Todd Monken steps out of messy Cleveland and into ideal spot LSU DC Dave Aranda reveals UGA offensive game plan Mark Richt gives scout on FSU grad-transfer Tre' Mckitty UGA provides status update on James Coley Numbers game: Comparing Jamie Newman to Jake Fromm . The post Kirby Smart orchestrates amazing reinvigoration of Georgia football appeared first on DawgNation.

ATHENS You won't hear of too many college basketball coaches relishing an opportunity to play Kentucky in Rupp Arena, much less a team coming off a 32-point loss. But that's exactly where Georgia coach Tom Crean and his Bulldogs are right now, eager to prove themselves and make amends after an embarrassing 91-59 loss at Mississippi State on Saturday. 'I'm glad we're going on the road again right now, I really am,' Crean said on Monday, standing outside his office in Stegeman Coliseum as fans strolled by en route to a gymnastics meet. 'We've got to go test ourselves.' Georgia (11-6, 1-3 SEC) tips off at No. 15 Kentucky (13-4, 4-1) at 7 p.m. on Tuesday (TV: ESPN) looking to get back their pride. It wasn't just that UGA lost to Mississippi State by such a lopsided margin, it was how they lost. Georgia was outrebounded 40-22, it was beat in transition and out-physicaled and out-toughed at each turn. It was the first time this year's edition of Georgia Bulldogs, featuring projected NBA lottery pick Anthony Edwards and a recharged Rayshaun Hammonds, looked like the sad sack group of a year ago. RELATED: Crean calls out Bulldogs for pitiful' effort Crean, as upset as he was about the Saturday night defeat, clearly believes in this year's team and loves their disposition. 'I'm glad we get to go test ourselves right now, because we've got to bounce back and bounce back quickly from it,' said Crean, who won two outright Big Ten championships while at Indiana. 'We practiced well, we practiced confidently we have very hard workers, we have guys that are diligent and want to be good. It wasn't like we didn't go do it a couple of weeks ago, and we have to remember that, as well.' Indeed, Georgia's 65-62 road win at then-No. 9 Memphis on Jan. 4 was a victory to build on. It was only the second time in UGA basketball history the program won a non-conference road game against a Top 25 team. Beating Tennessee 80-63 last Wednesday after the Vols beat the Bulldogs by 46 a year ago was another program win. While Georgia might not beat Kentucky on Tuesday the odds say it probably won't Crean sounds confident his players will compete. This, even though they were blown out at Auburn (82-60) and Mississippi State (91-59) in their first two SEC road games. 'We have to understand that whether we're at home or whether we're on the road, we have to play a physical style of game when it comes to getting into people blocking out,' Crean said. 'Or, going for 50-50 balls, getting back in transition defense, being more active with your hands, all of those kind of things.' Georgia's next home game is at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday against Ole Miss. Georgia coach Tom Crean DawgNation Georgia Basketball Mississippi State wins battle of Bulldogs in Starkville, decisively Anthony Edwards puts the squeeze on Tennessee in blowout win Georgia falls in first SEC road game of season at Auburn Anthony Edwards says UGA didn't play tough enough vs. Kentucky Georgia basketball delivers signature Top 10 win at Memphs Freshman Anthony Edwards discloses injury, status Sahvir Wheeler on clutch game-winner, 'been there a ton of times' Tom Izzo on Georgia: 'That was an incredible comeback' Anthony Edwards lights up Michigan State for 37 in 93-85 loss Rayshaun Hammonds wrecks Georgia Tech Anthony Edwards draws standing ovation in opener Georgia freshman already making basketball history The post WATCH: Georgia basketball coach Tom Crean relishes Rupp road trip, opportunity at Kentucky appeared first on DawgNation.

Ben Cleveland is ready for one more ride with the Georgia football team. Look for those size-17 cleats to still be in action at Sanford Stadium this fall. DawgNation has learned via his father that the rising redshirt senior is enrolled in classes for this semester and is only a few hours away from a degree in sociology at UGA. Derek Cleveland also said that the plan is for his son to finish his degree and continue on as a member of the team this fall. What's most important to the young man known as 'Big Country' to a lot of folks? That would be that degree followed by leaving UGA on a strong and a positive note. He's worked too hard not to do so, his father said. That will make sure that Georgia's first man off the bus, so to speak, still cuts a very impressive physical figure. The 6-foot-6, 335-pound offensive guard missed the Sugar Bowl due to what has been described as an academic issue during his fall semester. Ben Cleveland: Help offset the attrition along the O-line Cleveland's return will now add another potential starting option with good SEC experience for first-year line coach Matt Luke. Luke's room has certainly been in flux of late. Solomon Kindley, Andrew Thomas and Isaiah Wilson all opted to leave for the NFL this month even though they had eligibility remaining.Cade Mays also chose to leave UGA via the transfer portal to return to his hometown for play for his father's alma mater at Tennessee. Mays will be a junior this fall and he will also have the chance to play with his younger brother, Cooper, in Knoxville. Those moves meant that the Bulldogs have seen an aggregate of 115 games worth of starting experience leave the program after the 2019 season. Kindley (32 games), Mays (18 games) Thomas (41 games) and Wilson (24 games) all would have projected to be starters for 2020 team, too. It means that it is good news to have Cleveland and his 16 starts back. Especially with Justin Shaffer cleared to return from the neck injury he suffered last season. Rising junior Trey Hill is the most experienced returning member of the Georgia offensive line. The starting center brings back 18 games of starting experience, including 14 games as a true sophomore in 2019. Cleveland, a former 5-star OT prospect for 247Sports, does project to have an NFL future one day. That said, he has also been on campus since January of 2016. There was some feeling that his future was in doubt after he missed the Sugar Bowl back on Jan. 1. The former Stephens County standout (Toccoa, Ga.) reported to campus and even went through the 2016 season at just 17 years of age. But it now appears that he's not ready to put up that 'Power G' helmet just yet. RELATED: Georgia adds Southern Miss offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner to staff The post Ben Cleveland: He's following through on a plan to return to UGA in 2020 appeared first on DawgNation.

ATHENS Georgia football has hired Buster Faulkner to work with its quarterbacks on its offensive staff, DawgNation has learned. Faulkner is the former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Southern Miss. Prior to that, Faulkner spent three seasons as the Arkansas State offensive coordinator and tight ends coach. Faulkner is from Lilburn, Ga., and led Parkview High School to the 1997 Georgia state championship before going on to play quarterback at Valdosta State from 2000-2003. UGA coach Kirby Smart was on the Valdosta State staff in 2000 and 2001, as the secondary coach (2000) and then defensive coordinator (2001). Jeff Sentell contributed to this report. More details as they emerge. The post Georgia football hires Buster Faulkner to offensive staff appeared first on DawgNation.

ATHENS New Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken hasn't been introduced to the Georgia football fanbase yet, and Kirby Smart might not allow the 53-year-old NFL veteran to talk until fall drills. But there's enough of a history behind Monken that Bulldogs' fans should be able to sense what all the excitement is about. RELATED: Todd Monken trades total mess' for championship quest It's likely Georgia followers will get to see for themselves around April 18, which is the projected but not yet official date for he annual G-Day Game. While Monken's one-year stint as the Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator didn't work out, it's important to note it wasn't his show. Former head coach Freddie Kitchens called the plays. But the year before, Monken directed the NFL's top passing offense with Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jameis Winston his quarterbacks with the Tampa Bay Bucs. The University of Georgia gathered up some quotes from former quarterbacks who played in Monken's offenses. Nick Mullens, the backup QB on the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers, was developed by Monken at Southern Miss and went on to become the 2015 Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year. Mullens was quick to chime in on the hire: ' Coach Monken is an excellent coach who will bring energy and passion every day. He's extremely smart and will do a great job of developing his players' knowledge of the game. He knows how to scheme receivers open and put players in the best situations to succeed. Georgia got a great offensive mind that players will have fun playing for!' And, if you are wondering what Monken's conversation with the returning Bulldogs quarterbacks and incoming Wake Forest graduate transfer Jamie Newman might go like, these comments from former first-round NFL pick Brandon Weeden could provide some insight: 'From my first conversation with Coach Monken on the phone, I knew he was what we needed to pick up where we left off from the 2010 season. He came in and embraced what we had and put his finger print on it and did an unbelievable job. I think guys respected him immediately because of his time in the NFL and even more once we got to work. He's an innovative coach who brings that fire and passion you need. He's one of my favorite coaches I had the opportunity to play for and great guy as well. We were lucky to get him and it worked out for both sides. ' Finally, there was this endorsement from Ryan Fitzpatrick, who split time with Jameis Winston in the 2018 Tampa Bay offense that led the NFL in passing yardage under Monken's direction. 'Coach Monken sees the game through the quarterback's eyes. He is aggressive and calls a game based on the strengths of his players. He does a great job of teaching and instilling confidence in the entire unit.' Georgia football offseason Kirby Smart lands Air Raid guru Todd Monken Todd Monken steps out of messy Cleveland and into ideal spot LSU DC Dave Aranda reveals UGA offensive game plan Mark Richt gives scout on FSU grad-transfer Tre Mckitty UGA provides status update on James Coley Numbers game: Comparing Jamie Newman to Jake Fromm Bulldogs' safety headed for Ole Miss RELATED: Cade Mays makes stunning Rocky Top Hop Projected starting Georgia lineman returning from injury PODCAST: Brandon Adams discusses Todd Monken addition The post Georgia football adds offseason excitement, QB stars endorse Todd Monken appeared first on DawgNation.