Georgia football rumors: Jim Harbaugh already worried about the Dawgs
Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines didn't see the Georgia Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff this past season, notably because they didn't make it out of the semis and were taken down by TCU. Given what the Dawgs did to the Horned Frogs in the natty, that doesn't bode well for Michigan if they were to face Georgia football in the CFP or otherwise, like they did in 2021.
That appears to be something that Harbaugh is well aware of and trying to plan for.
Reports emerged this week that Harbaugh has installed a "Beat Georgia" portion of practice in Ann Arbor this offseason. The details regarding that are scarce, to be sure, but it echoes a longer-standing run at Michigan practices of the "Beat Ohio State" portion of practices, something that has paid off with two wins over the rival Buckeyes in the past couple of seasons.
Having said that, for Harbaugh to already be focusing on Georgia at this point in the offseason with the Bulldogs not on the regular season schedule and only on deck for a College Football Playoff meeting speaks to how large of a shadow Kirby Smart's program is casting on the sport right now. They have Harbaugh scared — and if the man who calls chickens a nervous bird is feeling that, imagine how the rest of FBS is feeling.
Oddly enough, the biggest thing to help Harbaugh and the Wolverines is that his brother, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, hired away Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken this offseason for the same role, only in the NFL. That could be helpful, if anything is.
Even still, I'm not sure a special portion of practice is enough to get Michigan on the level of Georgia football.
Georgia football rumors: 4-star OL Michael Uini sets decision date, Dawgs in mix
The Georgia offensive line has been one of the more underrated aspects of the start of the dynasty in Athens as they've consistently produced NFL-caliber talent in the trenches on that side of the ball in addition to the more-heralded defense. But O-line coach Stacy Searels is working to make sure that doesn't stop.
Searels and the Bulldogs already have two offensive line commits for the 2024 recruiting cycle but they could be landing another one in 4-star Michael Uini. The 6-foot-7, 290-pound native of Copperas Cove, TX just wrapped up a run of June visits to Clemson, Alabama, Michigan and then Georgia. And he's now set his commitment date for Friday, June 30 with the Dawgs being one of the favorites to land him.
Uini is the No. 130 player and the No. 8 offensive tackle in the 247Sports Composite. And he could be a crucial get for UGA as they deal with the recent loss of Broderick Jones and Walter McClendon while also preparing to see Amarius Mims, among others, leave after this season. They need all the reinforcements that they can get.
And while a lot eyes and hopes will be on Uini committing to the Dawgs, if he chooses one of the other favorites in Alabama or Michigan, it still wouldn't be the end of the world for Georgia football.
Searels and Kirby Smart's staff have eyes on several other 4-stars, including Nyier Daniels and Marques Easley, both of whom are set to announce their commitments in early July. So even if Uini doesn't choose to come to Athens, there are others on his level who could. With that said, Smart and the Bulldogs would love to clean up in the O-line recruiting department, starting with the Copperas Cove target.
Georgia football rumors: 5-star Crystall Ball updates on KJ Bolden, Ryan Wingo
Kirby Smart and Georgia have been running the recruiting game at a historic level in recent years and they don't appear to be stopping by any stretch. They currently hold the No. 1-ranked class for the 2024 cycle with three of the class's 5-star recruits already committed to come to Athens ahead of next season.
That number could be growing in the coming months.
247Sports recently examined where all of the uncommitted 5-star recruits stand at this stage in the process. And two players in that group have strong Crystal Ball predictions for Georgia football.
Safety KJ Bolden out of Buford, GA, the No. 6 ranked player in the 247Sports Composite, has three predictions for the Bulldogs already, including one from recruiting guru Steve Wiltfong and Georgia insider Kipp Adams. The most recent came from Florida State insider Chris Nee, which is notable given that the Noles are another program considered warm on Bolden.
The other in the mix for UGA is the No. 24 recruit in the Composite (No. 7 overall for 247Sports' own rankings), wide receiver Ryan Wingo out of St. Louis, MO. Previously, Steve Wiltfong had a Crystal Ball in for the Dawgs with him as well. That, however, has shifted recently with Wiltfong changing his tune with a prediction for soon-to-be SEC rival Texas following his June 16 visit with the Longhorns.
Of course, this isn't the end for the Bulldogs if they arent able to get Wingo, especially with persistent rumblings that they could flip the No. 2 player in the class, WR Jeremiah Smith, from Ohio State to join Dylan Raiola in Athens. Moreover, there's still plenty of time to work on Wingo.
What's clear, though, is that the three 5-star commits that Georgia currently has is far from the end of the line.
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