ATHENS - Mark Richt was going to hold a teleconference with reporters on Wednesday afternoon, just a sort of offseason update, but that got put off until Thursday. So in the absence of that, I guess I have to provide my own update.
Well, wedding planning is going well. We just booked a DJ, and .... Oh, you probably had a Georgia football update in mind. I'll see what I can do.
There's news on two fronts as far as possible late additions to the 2012 class:
- This morning, Norcross native Max Garcia, who is transferring from the flaming carcas of Maryland's football program, was given a release to Vanderbilt. This came after Maryland relented under pressure to release Garcia and two teammates to Vanderbilt, after banishing them from going on scholarship there.
Why is this important? Georgia is a bigger program than Vanderbilt, and Garcia has professed the desire to transfer closer to home. From all indications, Georgia wants Garcia, who was Maryland's starting left tackle as a sophomore, and he is very interested in becoming a Bulldog.
But Garcia is also close with Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin, who recruited him to Maryland. So the question now is whether the release to Vanderbilt has come too late for Franklin to catch up to Georgia or other SEC programs in pursuing Garcia.
Garcia, who is still enrolled at Maryland, is not rushing his decision. He would not be eligible to play until 2013, when he will have two years of eligibility remaining.
By the way, for those wondering why Garcia didn't end up at Georgia in the first place: I spoke to Rusty Mansell, the very plugged-in recruiting analyst for Dawgs247.com, who said Georgia and other major programs were a little worried about Garcia being able to put on the necessary weight to play tackle. Mansell compared it to Xzavier Ward, whom committed to Georgia late in the recruiting process last year, and redshirted last year while putting on weight.
Well, Garcia is now up to 290 pounds, and SEC programs are interested in him that he's available. Georgia should still be regarded as the favorite, but keep an eye on Vanderbilt now.
- Mario Alford, the prospect at Georgia Military College, is visiting Georgia this weekend and hoping that the Bulldogs pull the trigger on an offer.
"They are conversing," GMC head coach Bert Williams said on Wednesday. "To my knowledge, he does not officially have (an offer) extended. But that possibility is there."
Williams said Richt asked him, upon the dismissal of freshmen Nick Marshall and Chris Sanders a few weeks ago, whether GMC had any players that could project to defensive back. Williams suggested Alford, even though he didn't play defensive back in 2011.
"I told him, from an athletic standpoint, this is a guy that I think you could be looking for," Williams said. "Now, you've basically gotta look at his atlhetic skills and see if he could be what you want. ... He's got the top-end skills. he's quick, he's shifty.
"That's a decision they (Georgia) are probably looking to project, and see."
Alford is about 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, according to Williams.
"He's pretty well-built. He's a square-shouldered kid, pretty strong for his size," Williams said. "He would certainly be above average, strength-wise, for his size. And he's got a great burst."
Alford kind of snuck through the recruiting process because it was assumed he wouldn't be available until after his sophomore season at GMC. But Alford has enough credits to transfer out now, and with Georgia badly needing defensive backs, he has drawn the Bulldogs' interest.
