The Boys are Back in Town

UGA got some expected news, stirred up with some GREAT news yesterday. 

Sorry Tech, things aren't changing anytime soon.

We all knew Orson Charles was gone. But admit it, just like myself, you held out a glimmer of hope that Aaron Murray would somehow convince his high school teammate and good friend to stroll the sidewalks of the Classic City for one more fall. But when the press conference was called for 2pm yesterday, we all just smiled, and realized that Orson had nothing physically to gain in returning, and it was time for him to ink the big deal and feed his family... for life.

Then last night, the best news since...well, Monday came across the UGA news wire. First, All-American Bacarri Rambo made it known that he would patrol the backfield between the hedges next season. Then 2011 leading tackler and rising star Shawn Williams opted to join him. The train kept rolling with big man Cornelius Washington deciding that his duties to Todd Grantham's scheme were not yet completed.

I had legitimate fears over the last few weeks that every one of these returning players would make the jump to the NFL. Just thinking about it gave me a frustration which seems all too familiar in Athens, when something special begins to take form, then the NFL snatches it up prematurely from our starving fanbase. Not going to be the case this year!! 

A common scene in 2012, no doubt.

2011's national top-5 defense is now likely returning 9 of 11 starters (Branden Smith has not made his decision known, but if Rambo is back.... Branden will be too). Leadership has emerged on the defensive side with Jarvis Jones and rising senior Christian Robinson. Georgia's #1 overall prospect and said to be "program changer", Jordan Jenkins, made it known he will wear the Silver Britches this past week. Things appear, my friends, that the Junkyard Dawgs have returned to Athens!!

I knew the moment Michigan State pushed the ball through the uprights in the third overtime on January 2nd, that that particular loss was going to be hard to swallow. I also knew that very moment that depending on the happenings over the next 2 weeks, that particular loss could be easy to digest. And the things that needed to happen, happened.

National Signing day is now less than 3 weeks away. I expect a VERY strong finish from the Dawgs. Spring practice and G-Day (along with dogwood blooms on North Campus) will be here before you know it. Then we will all take our vacations to the gulf coast, and in the blink of an eye, the leaves on the trees will change again, and special times will be gracing the fine people of Dawg Nation and the great city of Athens, Georgia.

Go Dawgs!!!!
233 days til' kickoff!!!