Arik Gilbert is Georgia football’s tight end to lose
Pundits say Arik Gilbert will play for Georgia. Arik Gilbert says he wants Georgia to back up its sales pitch with tight end friendly schemes.
Pretty much everyone has decided Arik Gilbert will play for Georgia football – everyone except Arik Gilbert.
“I can’t even imagine picking one school the way I’m thinking right now,” Gilbert told Joe Vitale of UGA Wire.
Gilbert’s decision will come down to one thing. “It is going to be balls to the tight ends, but I am also looking at the routes they run.”
Ok, that’s two things.
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In with the new, Knoxville with the old
Jake Reuse of Rivals.com sees Tennessee as the Dawgs biggest competition for Gilbert’s signature. Gilbert wants an expanded tight end role in return for his pledge, and a new coordinator and position coach is a good start to holding off the Volunteers.
New Georgia football offensive coordinator James Coley and new tight ends coach Todd Hartley have two things in common that should help the Dawg’s chances with Gilbert: 1) they both replaced Jim Chaney, and 2) neither are Jim Chaney.
If Tennessee is Georgia’s competition, the Dawgs took another giant step by sneaking Chaney into Knoxville.
Shiny new thing
Tennessee, like a lot of schools, is tantalizing Gilbert with promises of an Arik Gilbert friendly offense. The Vols are pitching less blocking, playing Gilbert as a straight-up receiver. It’s clear Gilbert is impressed, but he’s savvy.
“Other schools are basically saying the same thing,” he said to USAToday’s Jason Jordan. “They just want to move me around.”
Note to coaches: don’t be that guy.
Like move him around to Athens, or to Knoxville, or to Tuscaloosa, and Gilbert knows the deal. Don’t try to con him.
“I just look for everything that has to do with my position and the offense period,” Gilbert said. “Coaches always say, ‘Yeah we throw to our tight end,’ but I watch film on them and they don’t.”
Georgia football’s to lose
The ball is in Georgia’s hands. Gilbert has already visited Alabama, and the Dawgs and Texas A&M have secured the only other scheduled official visits so far.
Georgia assistant coach Dell McGee can probably take credit for that. “I’ve been knowing him since the eighth grade,” Gilbert told Dawgnation of his relationship with McGee. “We’ve got a really strong relationship.”
Next. Is the D-Line holding back the Dawgs. dark
Gilbert has proposed a September commitment announcement. Expect the Dawgs to do what it takes to get Arik Gilbert on the Smart train, and the smart money has current Georgia football tight end Charlie Woerner having a career receiving night in Nashville on August 31.