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LORAN SMITH: UGA’S ARE THE GREATEST OF AMBASSADORS BY JUST BEING THEMSELVES
HOME > LORAN SMITH: UGA’S ARE THE GREATEST OF AMBASSADORS BY JUST BEING THEMSELVES
Jan 31, 2024 Loran SmithSPORTS UGA FOOTBALL
In the late fifties when I became connected to the University of Georgia, Uga I had already become one of the premier personalities on the campus of the oldest chartered university in the country.
The patriarch had it all. He was as handsome as a bulldog could be. You didn’t have to be a dog lover to admire and seek company with this winsome canine. He had the best of tender loving care from doting caretakers in Cecelia and Sonny Seiler, along with the most fortuitous circumstance of all—he would be promoted by the legendary sage, colorful, and multifaceted Dan Magill.
A dynasty had taken root and would grow into what we have today—college football’s No. 1 mascot.
Promos of college football by the networks showcase Uga as a staple of the gameday action. Little girls want to hug him. Big girls, too. And the guys think it is cool to experience a photo op with UGA’s all white, male, English Bulldog. Hear, Hear.
It has been my good fortunate to know all the Uga’s from “Hood’s Old Dan” to “Boom.” I have been present with the Seiler’s when Uga was dressed for a Saturday game. I have fished with several of them on Sonny’s boat, “Silver Britches,” when we caught a “nice mess or fish.”
Then I watched, Sonny, who was an excellent fisherman, expertly clean those beautiful rainbow trout and bass at his backyard sink on Dutch Island for the Seiler matriarch, Cecelia. She was every bit of a cooking icon as Sonny was a fishing expert.
Fried or sauteed, you dine on fish at Cecilia’s table, and you immediately have visions of an encore on your mind. The right seasoning, the perfect pinch of this, the resonating dash of that—she had the right touch.
Managing the Uga’s and carrying for them became a Seiler tradition. It continues today with Charles, the Seiler’s only son and his wife, Wendy, following in the footsteps of Sonny and Cecelia.
Through the years, there has been a changing of the guard when a new Uga was crowned between the hedges. Uga X, known as “Que,’ retired after the 2022 season as the winningest mascot of the Uga dynasty and the Georgia tradition. Damn Good Dawg!
Now that Que’s time has passed, we will see his remains interred in the Uga cemetery at Sanford Stadium’s west end like his forebears where the Seiler family will continue to place flowers in memoriam each home game Saturday before the varsity Bulldogs take the field.
Boom, his son and the 11th solid white English Bulldog to serve as Georgia’s mascot, will carry on in the UGA/Uga tradition. Boom officially became the Georgia mascot in ceremonies before the G-Day game last spring.
There is so much that athletic success can do for a community. Winning big in football lately has been resonating and other sports are seeking to join the parade—all of which is a reminder that visitors to these parts depart with impressions that cause them to become something of town criers when they return to their home bases.
Fans of other colleges who know Georgia from television and print media are fascinated about the hedges, but the thing that they are so impressed with is that the mascots are buried inside the Stadium.
When visitors come to campus and I host them on a tour, I always make sure to take them to the “Son of the Tree that Owns Itself”, the President’s home on Prince Avenue, the Chapel Bell, Herty Field, and the Uga Cemetery.
When they get to the cemetery, the photo-ops take a while. When they finish at this landmark, they go over to the hedges for more.
The Red Sox annually make big money on tours of Fenway Park, a million or more.
If Georgia were to host tours of Sanford Stadium, that might become an interesting profit center. If Boom were to be on hand for photo-ops and to host press conferences, I am sure it would be an over-the-top experience.
While that is not logistically possible, the point is that the Uga’s are the greatest of ambassadors by just being themselves. And when you have All-American caretakers giving them royal treatment, friends and admirers across the landscape are rewarded with millions of opportunities for selfies.
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College football recruiting: Prospects that raised stocks at Battle Miami, who leads in their recruitment
Top247 WR Derek Meadows reacts to first SEC offers
The big-time pass catcher from Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman has his first two SEC offers…
Blair Angulo
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The SEC has entered the picture for Top247 wideout Derek Meadows.
The standout pass catcher and reigning Gatorade state track and field player of the year from Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman added new scholarship offers from Florida and Georgia on Tuesday on the heels of a stellar performance at the Battle Miami 7v7 tournament over the weekend.
They are the first two SEC options on the table for the 6-foot-5, 185-pound Meadows.
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Tennessee football under NCAA investigation for alleged NIL violations involving Nico Iamaleava
The Vols and their 5-star QB are under the NCAA’s microscope.
Brad Crawford
BRAD CRAWFORD
15 hrs
9
Tennessee football is under NCAA investigation for “major” alleged NIL violations, CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd confirmed Tuesday. The Vols are being looked at as a potential repeat violator, given recent sanctions that came as a result of the Jeremy Pruitt tenure — all wins from the 2019 and ’20 seasons were vacated. The new case centers around the signing of former five-star Nico Iamaleava, who inked a then-record NIL contract with Spyre Sports Group, which is Tennessee’s primary collective. The Vols have not received a formal notice of allegations (NOA) from the NCAA, according to Dodd.
Last summer, the NCAA disciplined Tennessee after Pruitt, who was charged with violating head coach responsibility rules, and three others faced unethical conduct allegations for providing false and misleading information during the previous investigation.
The initial case included 18 Level I violations and more than 200 individual infractions involving recruiting violations — primarily, payments to prospects, players and their families totaling approximately $60,000, according to the NCAA’s release. Tennessee’s former staff also hosted prospects on visits during the NCAA-mandated dead period amid the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
The Vols have since been under the direction of head coach Josh Heupel, who is 27-12 (14-10 SEC) since taking over Tennessee in 2021. Heupel went 9-4 (4-4) in 2023.
Iamaleava is set to become the Vols’ starting quarterback in 2024, after spending his freshman season behind Joe Milton. In five games, Iamaleava completed 28 of 45 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns while adding three rushing scores and 71 yards on 20 attempts (4.6 average).
“I think he raises the ceiling of that offense,” 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins said last week on the 247Sports Football Recruiting Podcast. “And a lot of fans probably didn’t know that Nico is that athletic in terms of his ability to take off and run and find the end zone. … If you’ve ever been around him, he’s just athletic. He’s a guy that played 7-on-7 in the pajama pants. I’m ready to see him go in 2024. I think he is right on schedule.”
A five-star recruit from Downey (Calif.) Warren, Iamaleava was the class of 2023’s No. 2 overall prospect — one spot behind eventual Texas quarterback Arch Manning. Iamaleava committed March 21, 2022, to Tennessee and enrolled early the following year.
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“The reason I chose this university is, first of all, I think the whole coaching staff is one of the top coaching staffs in the nation,” Iamaleava said Jan. 1 after the Vols’ 35-0 win over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl. “They really welcomed me with open arms. I felt like I was at home every time I took a visit. I just really — I never felt no fake love, man. I really felt like the real me from Day 1. Other than that, I think just the fans. I love the fans, the culture here. Yeah, that is pretty much why I chose here.”
Caleb Downs explains picking Ohio State over Georgia, Nick Saban retirement
The star safety answered burning questions during first media appearance since transfer.
Grant Hughes
GRANT HUGHES
15 hrs
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Ohio State safety Caleb Downs met Tuesday with reporters, his first appearance since arriving in Columbus. The Alabama transfer touched on a variety of topics during his 20-minute sitdown, including his initial reaction to Nick Saban’s retirement, why he picked the Buckeyes over Georgia and whether NIL factored into his decision.
Downs cited head coach Ryan Day, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and secondary coach Tim Walton as major players in his decision to pledge to Ohio State. He revealed he received 102 phone calls within eight hours of entering the transfer portal and was plenty of “back-and-forth” before making his ultimate decision. Looking back, Downs said Ohio State was the right pick, and the transition has been smooth.
“It’s been a smooth transition because everybody around here is good people,” Downs said. “I just felt like it was the best decision for me. At the end of the day, everybody’s got to do what they need to do for themselves.”
Get the latest football transfer portal news from 247Sports.
Here’s what Downs said during his first media appearance since transferring:
ON NICK SABAN RETIRING, WHAT THE ALABAMA COACH TAUGHT HIM
“It was a huge surprise walking into that meeting and him saying that (he was retiring). My heart dropped, for sure. At the end of the day, if that is what he felt was best for him, I love him for it and it’s what he needed to do. He was a very disciplined person. He was committed every single day to being his best self. Not many people can actually say that and be truthful with that.
“He was the same person every single day. He taught me a lot about commitment and about being disciplined, consistent and everything that goes with being great. I feel like that’s what he embodies. He taught me a lot about how to see the game, pre-snap and during the play. A lot about going into the game in terms of how you watch film, how you study and what things to see from the other team. Everything like that. That’s what he teaches.”
ON THE TRANSFER PORTAL PROCESS, PICKING OHIO STATE OVER GEORGIA
“I just love the program here… There was definitely some back and forth. There was a lot to think about. A lot to process between me and my family. At the end of the day, I made the decision and I’m here. I’m glad to be here. It was like recruiting on steroids. I got 102 calls in 7-8 hours. Just being able to minimize what my mind was going through was a big thing for me. I was able to make a sound decision.
“I’m a pretty respectful person. I respect the people who reached out to me, even if I really wasn’t trying to look at their school. I would probably say I answered about 80 of the phone calls that I got. You have to control your circle in terms of getting your opinions from people that you trust and people that you know you can count on. That was the biggest thing for me during the process.”
ON WHY HE’S PUT HIS FAITH IN RYAN DAY
“He was the same person [that he was when he recruited me in high school]. He was very genuine when I was getting recruited in high school, and he was very genuine when I talked to him two weeks ago. Just being able to understand that he’s about the people that he works with. He believes in the people that he’s around, and he believes in the people that he believes in. Just knowing that and knowing what he stands for means a lot.”
ON WHETHER NIL FACTORED INTO HIS DECISION
“At the end of the day, I love playing football. That is what I’m here to do. I am not here to make money or do anything like that. I know there are a lot of opportunities here in terms of the city of Columbus. But at the end of the day, I am here to help this team win football games and I am here to do my best to try to develop my game.”
ON THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN ALABAMA AND OHIO STATE’S STRENGTH PROGRAMS
“There are a lot of similarities between the two programs. Coach (David) Ballou runs a great program, and I love everything that he did for me at Alabama and those guys who work there, like Coach UJ (Johnson). I am appreciative of how they worked, and they did great things. Coach Mick (Marotti) does a great job here. I can’t really say one’s better than the other, but Coach Mick is a very intense person.”
ON DC JIM KNOWLES, COMPLIMENTING EXISTING SECONDARY
“Coach Knowles is very intelligent, for sure. He sees a lot. He has an answer for everything in terms of what teams will show him. I just feel like, to him, the different ways that he plays defenses will allow me to develop in different ways…
“I felt like it’s more than just Lathan (Ransom), Sonny (Styles) and me complimenting each other. A lot of people in the secondary can work together to be cohesive and be a brotherhood. But Lathan and Sonny welcomed me, and I appreciate them for that. I think us working together, we can do some real damage.”
ON OHIO STATE’S DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT UNDER KNOWLES
“[Him telling me in high school that Ohio State would improve defensively] is definitely true. They played great defense last year. Watching the film, seeing how they progress and seeing how their defense played last year definitely helped me make a sounder decision. It added more facts about what I was getting into. [They got me looking at] the Bandit position, but at the end of the day, I just want to play where I can get on the field.”
ON SECONDARY COACH TIM WALTON
“I just love the program here. I love Coach (Tim) Walton. I love what the people around here had to say. I believe in Coach Day, and I believe in this team. Coach Walton is a very genuine person. He always keeps you straight. Everything that he says has come to fruition. I can’t knock him on anything. He’s very close to my pops, too. They grew up together. Just knowing that relationship with him and our relationship together, I trusted him.”
ON WHAT HE LOVES ABOUT PLAYING DEFENSE
“I feel like being part of a bunch of moving parts that have to work together. The offense has to do their own thing, but the defense, everybody has their own responsibility. When everybody can do their own responsibility, everybody has to make plays and everybody has to be able to succeed. I just feel like being a part of that and trying to help myself and help my team be better. That’s a big thing for me.”
College football rankings: Each preseason top-25 team’s make-or-break factors for 2024
Success hinges on these key elements for college football’s best teams.
Carter Bahns
CARTER BAHNS
Jan 29th, 11:36 PM
2
The early days of the college football offseason are critical for programs across the country as they seek to mitigate their weaknesses and maximize their upside for the coming year. No school did a better job in that process this month than Ohio State, which retained the vast majority of its top draft-eligible talent and secured tremendous transfer portal victories.
Offseason success does not always translate to championships, though. Every team always enters the campaign with a number of factors that could make or break the season. For example, while the Buckeyes might boast all the talent necessary to win a national title, they still must improve upon their Playoff record under head coach Ryan Day.
Swing games, injuries, the impacts of new coaching hires and countless other factors play integral roles in determining a team’s floor and ceiling. Some teams face more challenges than others in those realms. Over the next seven months, coaches and players will do everything in their power to ensure they are well-positioned in these make-or-break areas.
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Below is one thing that will make or break each way-too-early top-25 team’s 2024 season.
25. Oklahoma State Cowboys: The talent around Ollie Gordon
Ollie Gordon
Ollie Gordon (Photo: Icon Sportswire, Getty)
The Doak Walker Award winner led the country in rushing yards and total yards from scrimmage last year and figures to be the focal point of the Oklahoma State offense for another season. But do the Cowboys have enough tools around him to contend for a league title? Their 2023 midseason rebound correlated strongly with a reliance on his offensive output.
24. Iowa Hawkeyes: Tim Lester’s offensive prowess
(Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
Iowa’s much-maligned offense could be in for a resurgence next season with the Hawkeyes, at long last, tabbing a new coordinator in former Western Michigan head coach Tim Lester. The heir to Brian Ferentz has a tall task ahead of him, but an improved offense would make Iowa more competitive with Big Ten frontrunners.
23. NC State Wolfpack: The offensive transfers
(Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports)
NC State needs a shift in transfer quarterback fortunes with another experienced option, Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall, arriving to replace Brennan Armstrong. The latter projected to spark a decent offensive campaign, but that production never surfaced. Wide receiver Noah Rogers, tight end Justin Joly and a pair of running backs round out a transfer class that could deliver what last year’s did not.
22. Florida State Seminoles: DJ Uiagalelei taking another step forward
(Photo: Getty)
Two-time transfer quarterback DJ Uiagalelei would not be the first veteran signal-caller to reach new heights late in his career. The former five-star recruit revitalized his career in his lone year at Oregon State, and another step forward would do wonders for a Florida State team that must replace the majority of its top offensive weapons.
21. Washington Huskies: Jedd Fisch’s rebuilding success
Jedd Fisch (Photo: Kim Grinolds/Dawgman.com)
After a tumultuous week on Montlake featuring a national championship game defeat and coaching change, the Huskies tabbed Arizona’s Jedd Fisch as the heir to Kalen DeBoer. Fisch oversaw an expedited turnaround at his last stop. Doing the same at Washington starts with replenishing a depleted roster.
20. Louisville Cardinals: Tyler Shough’s health
Tyler Shough (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
With Jack Plummer running out of eligibility, Louisville turns to former Oregon and Texas Tech quarterback Tyler Shough as its projected starting quarterback. When healthy, he is a solid dual-threat weapon. But a multitude of injuries plagued him at previous stops and makes his 2024 outlook dependent upon his ability to stay on the field.
19. Miami Hurricanes: Mario Cristobal’s on-field coaching
(Photo: Getty)
Mario Cristobal is a star recruiter, but the talent he amassed at both Oregon and Miami never quite reached its ceiling. Entering year three with the Hurricanes, Cristobal’s abilities as a talent developer and in-game decision maker are under scrutiny. He has much to prove in a pivotal campaign given the strength of his roster.
18. USC Trojans: The defense under D’Anton Lynn
(Photo: Connor Morrissette | USCFootball.com, 247Sports)
There is no sugar-coating just how abysmal USC was on defense over its first two years under Lincoln Riley. The Trojans finally made a defensive coordinator change, welcoming Lynn from across the city at UCLA, where he built one of college football’s premier groups in 2023.
17. Arizona Wildcats: Making the most of Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan
Noah Fifita (Photo: Icon Sportswire, USA TODAY Sports)
The two most important pieces of Arizona’s roster remained intact amid a coaching change, giving Brent Brennan a pair of key weapons upon which to build his debut Wildcats team. Big 12 title contention in year one of a new era depends on their ability to repeat their 2023 production.
16. Utah Utes: One final ride for Cameron Rising and Brant Kuithe
Cameron Rising (Photo: Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)
Utah’s two best offensive players missed the entire 2023 season, and the Utes felt their absences in a major way, limping to their worst record since 2017. Whether Rising and Kuithe return to prime form after recovering from serious injuries remains to be seen, but should the seventh-year players perform in line with their past production, Utah could be the class of the Big 12.
15. Kansas State Wildcats: Avery Johnson’s rise to the starting QB role
(Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
Avery Johnson receives the keys to the offense with quarterback Will Howard off to Ohio State. The signal-caller appears up to the task, having thrived in limited action as a prized true freshman. He rushed for an eye-popping five touchdowns against Texas Tech and accounted for three scores in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
14. Clemson Tigers: Reliance on in-house talent
Dabo Swinney (Photo: Cory Fravel, 247Sports)
While the transfer portal has become a key tool in roster building, Dabo Swinney welcomed just two transfer newcomers since its inception and does not have a single commitment in the 2024 cycle. Clemson’s downfall from perennial national championship contention could be strongly correlated to this head-scratching trend.
13. LSU Tigers: Defensive staff overhaul
(Photo: Getty)
The offense was no problem in 2023 and should remain strong with quarterback Garrett Nussmeier taking over for Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. But LSU’s defense struggled mightily last season, particularly in the back end, where the Tigers allowed 245.4 passing yards per game to rank 102nd nationally. Brian Kelly’s wholesale changes to the defensive coaching staff might trigger a resurgence.
12. Oklahoma Sooners: Performance against a brutal debut SEC schedule
The SEC unveiled its 2024 schedule last month, and it did no favors to conference newcomer Oklahoma, which received one of the most difficult draws in league play. Battles with LSU, Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, Ole Miss and Missouri headline the slate.
11. Tennessee Volunteers: Nico Iamaleava
(Photo: Eakin Howard, Getty)
One year after leading the nation in scoring, Tennessee slid all the way to 40th last season with a new quarterback in Joe Milton III. The Volunteers are poised for another signal-caller shift and could return to offensive prominence with a former five-star recruit in Iamaleava under center, but he is young and almost entirely unproven at the college level.
10. Penn State Nittany Lions: The passing game
(Photo: Grace Brennan-Lions247)
Penn State was a Playoff contender in 2023 despite fielding a mediocre passing attack that finished 77th in yards per game and 91st in yards per completion. Perhaps new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki can unlock a new level of explosiveness in quarterback Drew Allar. The Nittany Lions could still use a bit of help at wide receiver, though.
9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: The Mike Denbrock-Riley Leonard pairing
Riley Leonard (Photo: Lance King, Getty)
Notre Dame ranked seventh nationally in scoring last season, but its offense lacked in its biggest games, scoring 14 points against Ohio State, 21 at Duke, 20 at Louisville and 23 at Clemson. With a new offensive coordinator at the helm and one of the transfer portal’s top quarterbacks entering the mix, perhaps the Fighting Irish will post more well-rounded performances in their biggest games.
8. Missouri Tigers: Defensive transfers
Darris Smith (Photo: Tony Walsh/UGA Athletics)
If Mizzou had some of its defensive newcomers on last year’s roster, there is no telling what Eli Drinkwitz could have accomplished. The Tigers won 11 games for the first time in a decade even with a shaky defensive front, so after bolstering that unit with transfer acquisitions Darris Smith, Chris McClellan, Sterling Webb and others, there is no glaring weakness on the 2024 squad.
7. Michigan Wolverines: Sherrone Moore’s transition to head coach
(Photo: Getty)
Michigan promoting Sherrone Moore to head coach following Jim Harbaugh’s departure was, by all accounts, a home-run decision. But while it was a solid hire on paper, Moore has yet to hold that role over the course of a full season. His ability to learn on the fly will largely dictate the Wolverines’ potential to again compete at college football’s highest level.
6. Ole Miss Rebels: The nation’s top-ranked transfer class
(Photo: Aric Becker/ISI Photos, Getty)
Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen headline the No. 1 transfer haul in the 2024 cycle. Those additions should instantly improve the Ole Miss defense, and many other high-profile newcomers further raise the Rebels’ ceiling.
5. Ohio State Buckeyes: Winning Playoff games
Ryan Day (Photo: Ben Jackson, Getty)
It would take a monumental collapse for Ohio State to miss the 12-team Playoff given the surreal amounts of talent Ryan Day both acquired and kept on campus in the offseason’s early stages. Expectations will be at an all-time high for his tenure next season. Day must improve upon his 1-3 record in CFP games — and perhaps even win the national championship — in order to appease the Buckeyes’ fanbase.
4. Oregon Ducks: Big-game performances
(Photo: Getty)
Few programs have been more consistent in competing for conference titles and Playoff appearances over the last two decades than Oregon, but its inability to win the biggest games continues to haunt the Ducks on a nearly annual basis. The tests become even bigger next season when the program moves to the vaunted Big Ten.
3. Alabama Crimson Tide: Kalen DeBoer’s year-one acumen
(Photo: Stuart McNair, 247Sports)
The ex-Washington coach has gargantuan shoes to fill in Tuscaloosa, taking Nick Saban’s spot atop the Alabama program. DeBoer is a bona fide winner, though, with a career head coaching record of 104-12, and he has never finished with fewer than nine wins in a full season. However, overcoming the Crimson Tide’s transfer exodus poses a big challenge.
2. Texas Longhorns: Defense keeping up with the offense
(Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
The Longhorns should not have much difficulty moving the ball with Quinn Ewers back to lead the offense, C.J. Baxter carrying the ball and transfer receivers Isaiah Bond and Silas Bolden likely keeping the aerial attack potent. Texas lost immense amounts of talent to the NFL, though, and the defensive departures could be particularly noticeable.
1. Georgia Bulldogs: Road game success
Georgia will be as talented, and often more so, than every team it meets during the 2024 season. If all of its games were played on a neutral field, it might be favored in each and every one of them. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, though, their three toughest matchups come away from Athens
in the form of trips to Alabama, Texas and Ole Miss.
