‘Dawgs win awards; set their eyes on Orange Bowl

Last week, the Georgia Bulldogs mislaid to the Alabama Crimson Tide successful the SEC Championship game, recovered retired they slid to 3rd successful the College Football Playoff rankings and volition look the Michigan Wolverines successful the Orange Bowl, took their last exams and their stars received their awards. This is simply a recap of an eventful week for Georgia Football. First, present are the players that took location apical honors:

Linebacker Nakobe Dean was named to the First-Team Walter Camp All-America squad and won the 2021 Butkus award. 

Dean was besides named to the AP & Coaches’ All-SEC 1st Team, was declared the SEC Defensive Player of the Year by Pro Football Focus (PFF), and was a semifinalist for the 2021 Chuck Bednarik Award, fixed to the outstanding antiaircraft subordinate of the year. Additionally, Dean was named skipper of the 2021 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, chosen for their outstanding committedness to assemblage service.

Davis won the Outland Trophy arsenic assemblage football’s champion interior lineman. He besides won the Bednarik trophy arsenic the antiaircraft subordinate of the year. The lone different players to triumph some the Outland Trophy and the Bednarik grant successful the aforesaid play are Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh (2009) and Pitt’s Aaron Donald (2013). Davis is successful elite company.

Tight extremity Brock Bowers, violative lineman Broderick Jones, wide receiver Ladd McConkey and antiaircraft backmost Kelee Ringo were named to the Freshman All-SEC squad this week.

Defensive Coordinator Dan Lanning takes Oregon job

Dan Lanning was hired Saturday, Dec. 11 to go the adjacent caput manager astatine the University of Oregon. Lanning, 35, served connected Kirby Smart’s unit arsenic his linebackers manager successful 2018 and arsenic antiaircraft coordinator successful 2019. 

“Dan is an outstanding, high-energy shot manager who volition supply a world-class acquisition for our shot student-athletes,” Oregon diversion manager Rob Mullens said successful a property release. “He is simply a tremendous recruiter and developer of talent, and we volition proceed to vie for championships portion providing an situation wherever our shot student-athletes tin make to their fullest imaginable successful the classroom, connected the shot field, and arsenic people.”

Lanning volition proceed to service arsenic Coach Smart’s unit arsenic Georgia prepares for the College Football Playoff semifinal matchup against Michigan astatine the Orange Bowl. Smart issued the pursuing statement:

“We are truthful blessed for Dan and his family. He and Sauphia person been an important portion of our Bulldog household for the past 4 years, and we convey them for each they did for Georgia Football and the Athens community,” Smart said. “Opportunities similar this are a testament to a palmy program.

“While helium volition manager with america for the upcoming College Football Playoff, we volition determination guardant with Glenn Schumann and Will Muschamp arsenic co-defensive coordinators. Dan and I are some looking guardant to preparing for the CFP.”

In a spot of irony, Oregon and Georgia volition kickoff the 2022 play astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium successful Atlanta. 

Recruiting and the Early Signing Period

Whenever caput manager Kirby Smart tweets ‘Go Dawgs!’good quality usually flows retired of the program. According to 24/7 Sports, Georgia has the second-ranked people heading into the extremity of the aboriginal signing period. The people is headlined by 3 five-star recruits: Malaki Starks, cornerback Jaheim Singletary and antiaircraft lineman Mykel Williams. 

Starks is the fig 1 jock successful the ESPN 300. Singletary is the fig 3 wide cornerback successful the ESPN 300. Williams is the fig 5 wide antiaircraft tackle successful the ESPN 300. 

This week, Smart made in-home visits with choky extremity and Georgia perpetrate Oscar Delp (the Forsyth County violative subordinate of the year), linebacker Shemar James, and the aforementioned Malaki Starks. 

For what it’s worth, Alabama has the top-ranked recruiting class. Texas A&M, Ohio State and Notre Dame circular retired the apical five. 

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