I Like Burgers

December 9th, 2015 at 4:11 PM ^

Its really tough to top Georgia in categories they used: talent base, athletic budget, facilities, NFL pipeline, and just in general intangibles -- tradition, gameday experience, academics.

I mean, hell, this is half the reason Richt is out of a job.  With everything UGA has going for it, you really should be doing better than 10 win seasons with 3-4 trips to the SEC Champ game a decade.

 

I Like Burgers

December 9th, 2015 at 4:20 PM ^

Not sure if you're sarcastic here or not, but I'll bite...how exactly is Ohio State better than Georgia?  Florida and Georgia produce far more FBS signees than any other state.  Roughly 1 out of every 120 kids that play HSFB in those states sign with an FBS school.  In Ohio, its 1 out of 300 or so.

And unlinke Florida where you have multiple high level in-state schools, Georgia just has Georgia Tech -- which doesn't really count.  So they have all that talent to themselves.

Brian Griese

December 9th, 2015 at 4:27 PM ^

is a much better football presence than any other college in Ohio offers, by far.  I would put Georgia in my top 5, but I must sadly agree OSU is number 1.  Out of talent rich football states, I believe only them and LSU are the only ones with no other P5 colleges in-state.  

Gulogulo37

December 9th, 2015 at 9:57 PM ^

I'd put USC first. Tons of talent there. Lots of tradition. I don't fawn over boring-ass LA weather, but a lot of people love it. Hot girls.

UCLA is a basketball school that apparently has bad facilities for football from what people here say. But then what's the next best program in the 3rd biggest state in the country? Traditionally there's a massive dropoff (and even a pretty big dropoff from USC to UCLA). Stanford is up there now, but they're often not competing in the same way with USC for recruits I'd imagine because of academics. Yes, some states like Ohio have less competition, but the amount of talent in CA is so much higher overall.

TX, FL, and CA are the big three but TX and FL certainly have more solid programs to compete with.

ST3

December 9th, 2015 at 4:29 PM ^

talent base - not sure why this is included.

athletic budget - OSU's is Uge

facilities - who wouldn't want to play in a toilet bowl?

NFL pipeline - not sure

tradition - script Ohio, spelling O-H-I-O, hang on sloopy

gameday experience - pooping in coolers

academics - optional

willywill9

December 9th, 2015 at 5:50 PM ^

True, but the SEC and ACC overlay the same footprint.  Georgia kids grow up aware of Auburn, Alabama, Tennesee, etc.. In fact, for many border towns in west Georgia, students could get in-state tuition at Auburn (think this has recently changed- but the point remains.)  Who does OSU have to battle for Ohio recruits?  Michigan?

oriental andrew

December 9th, 2015 at 5:51 PM ^

GT has a decent program, but you're misguided if you think they're anywhere near the same class as a school like Georgia, unless in your mind "often enough" is twice in the last 14 years. The last time GT had more than a 3 game win streak against UGA was in the 1950s. 

They're a consistent 7 win team which spikes every now and then. GT is like a slightly better Northwestern or slightly worse Iowa. 

They do have some stricter academic standards, but they also have a much smaller school and stadium, a unique offensive philosophy which makes top WR, QB, TE, OL look elsewhere (remember, Megatron was from the Chan Gailey days), and live in UGA's shadow. 

buckeyejonross

December 9th, 2015 at 6:05 PM ^

I don't think they're in the same class as Georgia. But I also think they're clearly a tier above schools like Kent State and Ohio U as OSU's competition, and Louisiana Tech as LSU's competition. An Iowa-equivilent is more than "minimal in-state competition." Sure, Georgia Tech isn't Florida State, but they're also not Bowling Green.

oriental andrew

December 9th, 2015 at 6:00 PM ^

First, they all have to pass Calc 1. Second, GT doesn't have English majors. Seriously. It does not exist at GT. You can major in "Literature, Media, and Communications" but not in English. And Lit at GT means stuff like Media, Interactions, Social Justice, etc. All with a technical bent. You don't sit around reading Bronte, John Irving, and Herman Melville all day. 

I Like Burgers

December 9th, 2015 at 5:14 PM ^

They've lowered their standards in the last few years, but Ga Tech was like a Stanford type of school when it came to academics. So there's that and there's the fact they run an unconventional offense. Plus they are an ACC school deep in SEC country.

So are they a serious threat to Georgia? Hell no. Georgia rarely loses a recruit to GaTech. It would be like if Northwestern was in the same state as Michigan, but in the MAC.




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bluebyyou

December 9th, 2015 at 6:17 PM ^

I found the article linked below some years ago...2008. There may be something newer, but I haven't seen it.

http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/paper-trail/2008/12/30/athletes-s…

Georgia Tech had the highest average SAT scores, and Michigan was third, but the difference between these averages and the academic SAT average is literally hundreds of points.

I would also think that several very successful seasons in a row would have a huge impact upon recruiting, including participation in confernce championships and the NC games.

ABOUBENADHEM

December 9th, 2015 at 5:01 PM ^

The girls at Georgia, are ahead of University of Florida and are a significant draw for recruits + UGA academics are typically easier + weather + Athens is a great college town + college football in the South is a way of life (I'm just calling it like I sees it - grew up in Michigan).  Lots of things to like about Georgia.

SBayBlue

December 10th, 2015 at 11:52 AM ^

Athens is about 5 hours from the closest beach. That's like saying State College is near the beaches. Same distance to Ocean City, MD. And as for the North Georgia mountains, they are OK, but more like high hills than mountains.

Gainesville and Tallahassee are 2 hrs from good beaches. USC and UCLA are 20 mins.

The attractions for Georgia football are tradition, the SEC, pretty women, a good school, and Athens.

Rabbit21

December 9th, 2015 at 4:09 PM ^

Outside of Texas, Florida, and California, it's the highest talent producing state in the country, there are no in-state programs of consequence to worry about and it's right next door to Florida and Alabama, with a fan culture thats football crazy, great facilities, and support.  

Realistically, who's in a better situation in terms of location, support, and access?

LKLIII

December 9th, 2015 at 4:18 PM ^

Back in law school I would get my haircut at Coach and Four and occasionally run into an old recruiter for Bo. I asked him what the toughest states were to recruit out of and he said it wasn't what you'd think--Ohio Florida California or Texas. He said it was the states that had one big obvious football school and no other competition--Nebraska, Georgia, etc. He said you could sneak kids out of a state under the radar while two or three local juggernauts were fighting over him and a few other local products.




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WolvinLA2

December 9th, 2015 at 4:52 PM ^

I disagree with UGA being #1 too, but I think the top spot has to go to USC. Georgia might not have much "in-state" competition, but schools like UF, FSU, Auburn, Bama, Tennesee and Clemson are major programs within a few hours drive of the state. And kids in Southern GA are actually closer to UF or FSU.

USC has one major program within 1000 miles and they are still clearly inferior from a program prestige standpoint. And USC has a lot more national appeal than a school like Georgia.

bsgriffin1

December 9th, 2015 at 5:27 PM ^

I can see your point with USC, they also have the advantage for out of state recruiting talent because they can tell some kid to come to LA, which is an attractive place to go to and may want to check it out if you aren't from around there over some place like Athens, GA... Which, what exactly is enticing about living there, other than the University that is there? I've never been there myself, but if I lived in someplace say like Kansas and had only one official visit to go on, I'd prolly want to check out LA rather than Athens or some other college town for that matter.

TrueBlue2003

December 9th, 2015 at 5:49 PM ^

deserve a top four spot, and it's easy to make an arguement for any of the top four, but UCLA competes well when they have a good coach and for recruits east of the Mississippi (i.e. a huge number of them), I'm sure the distance is a big deterrent since family can't attend games, etc. Then again, it's Los Angeles.  Maybe you're right.

Is your LA avatar Louisiana or Los Angeles? I'm in Los Angeles.