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ATHENS The SEC league office announced on Wednesday that this year's SEC Media Days event will be conducted in a virtual format. The event, which has been televised on-site by the SEC Network, was previously scheduled to take place in Atlanta at the College Football Hall of Fame July 13-16. The new dates and times have yet to be announced. 'Conducting football media days in a virtual format will provide us the opportunity to manage the event in a healthy manner as we continue to be impacted by COVID-19, and will provide flexibility for our programs to adjust their preparation for the 2020 football season according to the preseason calendar that is expected to be expanded due to the cancellation of the spring football season,' SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a release. 'We look forward to returning to our traditional media days format in 2021.' SEC teams began voluntary workouts on June 8. A recently released 4-phase plan to prepare the football players for the sesason includes workout dates that overlap with the previously scheduled media days event. RELATED: NCAA 4-phase preseason plan expected to be adopted this week SEC Media Days is considered the unofficial start of football season by many, with several fans annually traveling to the host city to catch a glimpse of head coaches and players as they come through the lobby. Sankey will present his annual 'State of the SEC' address at the start of this year's event. All 14 of the league's coaches, along with player representatives, will take part. The SEC is planning the event with the SEC Network, looking to provide 'wall-to-wall' coverage. DawgNation Georgia football preseason Leadership issue for Georgia football, 3 players who will lead Georgia football defense snubbed again 5 reasons Georgia offense should be Ok' WATCH: Powerful Georgia football awareness video, D'Wan Mathis WATCH: Controversial DawgNation UGA draft debate: who's No. 1? The post SEC Media Days to go virtual, live event previously scheduled in Atlanta canceled appeared first on DawgNation. -
Want to attack every day with the latest UGA football recruiting info? That's what the Intel brings. This entry discusses the blossoming recruiting relationshipbetween elite 2022 QB MJ Morris and the Bulldogs. Carrollton High's Myles Jamison Morris was not invited to the Georgia-Notre Dame game last September in Athens. It really seems implausible to think about it now. That was when a who's who along a constellation of stars showed up to see the Bulldogs hold off the Irish in a nationally-televised matchup. But then again, the Bulldogs had a different quarterback coach and offensive coordinator at that time. When did things change for him with Georgia? 'It was right when coach [Todd] Monken got hired as the new offensive coordinator,' Morris said. 'That's when things really took off for me with Georgia at that time. I've been in contact with them now about once a week. Things definitely skyrocketed for me with Georgia when Monken got hired. I would definitely say it had something to do with that.' That one story will reflect why things have definitely changed between the Bulldogs and Morris. Even in a recruiting world stuck in carbon freeze since the global pandemic. Morris, who goes by MJ, has been an ascending talent on the recruiting trail for the last five months. Especially since his sophomore tape was released. Do yourself a favor and check it out below. Long-time national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming liked what he saw enough to rate Morris as the nation's No. 1 QB prospect for the 2022 cycle. My #1 Overall QB in the Class of 2022 is MJ Morris of Carrollton High School in Georgia. Check out our complete 2022 QB rankings below! https://t.co/v4jh6nJ8Z4 pic.twitter.com/X8CKQspxsm Tom Lemming (@LemmingReport) June 5, 2020 Morris has been a steady riser with his pure 247Sports rating over the last year, too. That well-respected service pegs him as the nation's No. 2 dual-threat QB and the No. 41 overall recruit for 2022. When discussing his recruiting, Morris feels that he has a lot of research left to do.If the NCAA waved the green flag for immediate recruiting visits, he knows which schools he would need to check out first. Those would not be Alabama, Auburn and Georgia. Those are the schools which he feels like he already has a pretty good read on. 'I've only been to UGA twice but I feel like I know a lot about UGA it being the hometown school. I would definitely say that I know the most about UGA, Auburn and Alabama right now.' Where would he have been over the last three months if not for the novel coronavirus? 'I definitely would have been to Penn State, Michigan, Florida State, Mizzou and Oregon,' he said. 'Those are pretty much some of the schools I haven't been to yet.' If prospects were allowed to visit schools again, where would he go first? 'It would probably be Mizzou, Florida State, Penn State and Michigan,' he said. 'If I were to hit two at a time, it would probably be Penn State and Michigan in one weekend.' Morris values loyalty. The reason why Missouri is on that list can be seen as reflection of his character. 'I would definitely want to go visit Mizzou because coach [Ed Drinkwitz] is the head coach there now and he was the head coach before at Appalachian State. He was my first offer so I have a lot of interest in him and what he's doing and I love him a lot. That's why I have a lot of interest in Mizzou.' Did you know the weekly DawgNation.com 'Before the Hedges' program is now available as an Apple podcast? Click to check it out and download. MJ Morris: The things to know now about the elite 2022 QB The purpose of the first DawgNation.com in-depth profile piece on a recruit it to try to share a few traits about a player that most might not know. We need to tick off a few of those with Morris. His film is very impressive at times. That's not just his athletic ability and the way he spins the football. His understanding of route concepts and how to read a defense is advanced for any high school QB, much less one who has two more seasons of varsity games to play. While digesting that reel, it is pertinent to know he played last season at basically 70 percent health. Morris had a hip injury that required surgery after the season. He's grown a little and is bumping up on that 6-foot-2 mark on the growth chart. His weight is now right at 180 pounds. Morris had a 'hip impingement' last fall. His doctor gave him permission to play through it because he couldn't do any further damage. When it was time for that repair, his surgeon had to shave off some of the bone around that hip area. As a result, he does not expect to be released for physical activity until July. Those that look for class separation between elite QBs in Athens will be keen to learn of his passion for baseball. Morris considers himself to be a true two-sport prospect and intends to play baseball his senior year at Carrolton. He will pitch, play shortstop, third base and center field. He has played everywhere on the diamond except first. base and catcher. 'I actually think I am a better baseball player than a football player,' he said. 'I have a dream to play both in college. If I come out early, then I wouldn't be able to finish out my baseball year and baseball my senior year. I have a lotto think about right there.' That would go against the typical January early enrollee trend for quarterbacks to get a jump on early playing time with his recruitment. Morris attended Pace Academy in Atlanta through the eighth grade He is a true 2022 QB. He has a remarkable maturity for a young man who is just 16 years of age. Morris will turn 17 on June 30. When he shared his thoughts on the racial tension in America, his words were grounded in awareness, conviction and reason. His heart-breaking 'two strikes' comment will stick with this author for a long time. He does feel the global pandemic and the resulting halt to on-campus recruiting has pushed back his recruiting process. There's another impressive takeaway here with Morris. That is his outlook toward the transfer portal when it comes to elite nationally-rated quarterbacks. There were 'five or six' talented quarterbacks when he arrived at Carrollton. While hefelt he showed a lot of promise as a freshman, he didn't win the job. 'But I was like I'm not about to transfer because I didn't get the job,' he said. 'I was just like that showed me I had to work ever harder than I did before.' He put in the work. Before and practices. Morris logged the extra film work. 'Then midseason I won the job,' Morris said. 'I feel like if I would have transferred, I would have given up on myself. I would have not given myself that extra chance instead of going to extra practices and working even harder for what I want.' 'When I get to college, I'm not going to sit there. I'm going to work my tail off to make sure I get that starting job. That's why I don't want to transfer out if I don't become the starter. I'm going to go somewhere I will want to stay and work my butt off to get that job.' MJ Morris: What is he looking for in a college fit? He discussed what his family is thinking on a commitment timeline. 'We don't have a set time span but we definitely do not want to wait too long,' he said. 'Let's say that I would really want to go to a certain school, but then a quarterback commits there before I do because I waited too long. I don't want to do it too early.' 'I definitely want to make sure I weigh all of my options. Because of this coronavirus, I didn't get to visit a lot of my options that I wanted to go to right now. But I definitely want to explore all of my options before I narrow it down and do a commitment or anything like that.' What is he looking for? 'Definitely academics first,' he said. 'That's my mom right there. That's her thing. I know most of the colleges that I'm looking at right now have great academics so there's not too much there to worry about.' 'Then I would say if I could stay at that school for three or four years without thinking about transferring at all,' he said. 'I can go there and compete for a job. I can just be around the coaches and the players and they can all just build me into being the best man and the best player I can be which helps me be the guy who can walk on that stage and become a first-round draft pick.' He plans to pursue a business management degree. Morris finished up his sophomore year at Carrollton with a '3.5 or a 3.6 grade-point average in honors classes.' His mother Kimberly Morris is the prime motivator behind that. 'My mom doesn't let any of us slack,' he said. 'My sister or my brother. If we came home with a C' or an F' then it would be a tough day for ourselves. I definitely put that first. I value my academics first and then football and other sports will come after that.' MJ Morris: How does he really feel about Georgia? Morris started playing football when he was four years old. When he did, he found himself competing against kids 1-2 years older than him. That pattern continued. He was that 10-year-old QB competing with 12-year-olds. His father, Eddie Morris, played college basketball at Lincoln University. That's now an NCAA Division III program. It helps his son. 'It is just the mindset he has,' Morris said. 'I kind of go off that. He wants us to be better than him. If I want to be really great, I know that football and baseball would help me get to that point.' Kyler Murray was drafted in the first round by the Oakland A's. That was before he starred on the football field for the Oklahoma Sooners. He was later drafted No. 1 overall by the NFL's Arizona Cardinals. Morris would love to follow along that early career path. He aims to figure out his eventual pursuit as he goes along. 'Yes sir,' Morris said. 'That's the dream.' Oregon was the dream school growing up. That's because of the uniforms. Auburn was next after that. That was sparked by two things: 1) The way Cam Newton tore up the SEC; 2) His mother graduated from Auburn. When it comes to the Bulldogs, Monken has certainly made an impression. 'He really knows a lot about football,' Morris said. 'He came from the NFL with the [Tampa Bay] Buccaneers. I've learned a lot from him already over calls. We talk a little bit about football, too. I've learned so many things from him about football on those couple of minute calls. That I would have never known. I love him. I'd definitely want to play for him and learn from him.' What's the biggest tug for him right now with Georgia? 'I would say definitely the way they give their quarterback the option to control the whole offense,' Morris said. 'The quarterback is in control and coach Monken will really teach you how to be a real quarterback. You have to go through all of your reads. I would definitely say it is one of those offenses I could play in.' 'Coach Monken said with my skill set that I could definitely run. I can throw great inside the pocket and outside the pocket. He said I would fit great in that offense.' Monken appreciated his ability to read a defense from the pocket and dissect it with his arm strength. 'But when the play breaks down, I can get outside the pocket or I can tuck it and make an accurate throw on the run with my speed,' Morris said. 'They definitely like that about me at Georgia.' Watson pattens his game after current Houston Texans star QB Deshaun Watson. He also said that only Georgia Tech and Stanford are currently recruiting him as a two-sport athlete at this time. Stanford traditionally offers less than 60 players every cycle and has yet to offer any QBs in the 2022 class. DAWGNATION RECRUITING (the recent reads on DawgNation.com) WATCH: Georgia commit Chaz Chambliss shows he has a bright future at OLB There's a big potential development in the recruiting scope of 5-star CB Tony Grimes Kirby Smart's comments on the 2021 recruiting cycle thus far laced with empathy and uncertainty Nation's No. 1 CB prospect Tony Grimes places UGA among his top four schools BREAKING: All-American OL Dylan Fairchild has made his college decision Brock Vandagriff: How does that family feel about the JT Daniels transfer? The JT Daniels to Georgia buzz seems very real BREAKING: Elite 2022 DB Marquis Groves-Killebrew commits to UGA Who is Chaz Chambliss? Carrollton staff shares the goods on the new Bulldog commit BREAKING: Chaz Chambliss commits to Georgia football Taking a deep dive at how well Georgia has been recruiting Metro Atlanta of late Elite 2022 defensive athlete Daniel Martin already has a 'family' feel at UGA Brock Bowers: Nation's No. 3 TE knows what he needs to do before his college decision De'Jahn Warren: The 'nugget' for the nation's No. 1 JUCO prospect with UGA Decrypting that recent tweet from 5-star LB Smael Mondon Jr. Prince Kollie: The ILB target who had 1,085 yards as a receiver in 2019 Lovasea Carroll: DawgNation goes one-on-one with the 2021 RB commit The post MJ Morris: How Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken has prioritized the elite 2022 QB appeared first on DawgNation. -
Another batch of Heisman Trophy and national title odds have dropped, this time courtesy of SuperBookUSA. As has been the case for most of the offseason, Georgia has been near the top of the national title odds, while Jamie Newman has become a fixture among the Heisman Trophy candidates. The national title odds for the Bulldogs haven't moved, with Georgia still sitting at 8-to-1 odds. That's good for fourth-best in the country behind co-favorites Clemson and Ohio State. Sitting in third is Alabama with 5-to-1 odds. Georgia and Alabama are set to face each other on Sept. 19. Related: Georgia football returns, what start of voluntary workouts mean But Newman's odds did move a bit, dropping from 14-to-1 in January, to 16-to-1 at the moment. There are a number of reasons why Newman would see the slightest dip in his chances of winning the award. For one, Newman didn't get a chance to work with the new Georgia offense this spring. But he's hardly alone in that aspect as a number of teams across the country didn't get the chance to complete their spring practices due to COVID-19. The other reason for the change in odds for Newman though likely has to do with Georgia's addition of transfer quarterback JT Daniels. The Bulldogs added the former USC quarterback, though it's unknown whether Daniels will be eligible for the upcoming season. If that does end up happening, there's the chance that Newman's odds could move even more. But with Georgia's national title odds sticking at 8-to-1, the oddsmakers certainly don't see his addition as a negative for the Bulldogs, or that there is any confidence lost in what Newman might be able to do in Monken's offense. DawgNation's Connor Riley discusses the latest around Newman and Daniels, while also going deep on Georgia having players back on campus and what possibly comes next as Georgia gears up for the 2020 season, which is set to begin on Sept. 7 against Virginia. Discussing Georgia football quarterback competition More Georgia football stories from around DawgNation WATCH: Sahvir Wheeler weighs in on racial climate, Georgia campus environment Georgia football podcast: UGA players back to work' in preparation for 2020 season NCAA expected to adopt 4-phase college football practice plan The 6 Georgia football players who benefit the most with the return of voluntary workouts Georgia football podcast: Urban Meyer touts UGA RB Zamir White for big season Dan Lanning, outside linebackers to determine the ceiling on Georgia's 2020 defense Georgia football leadership issue: 3 who will set tone on defense The post What the latest Heisman Trophy and national title odds tell us about the Georgia quarterback competition appeared first on DawgNation. -
Georgia football is the No. 1 topic every day on DawgNation Daily the daily podcast for Georgia Bulldogs fans. Catch up on everything happening with UGA athletics with host Brandon Adams and the DawgNation experts as they break down the latest Georgia football recruiting news and discuss coach Kirby Smart's quest to return the Bulldogs to the top of the SEC. On episode No. 1,212 (June 9, 2020) of the podcast, Georgia fans can hear a discussion about the efforts UGA players are going to prepare themselves for the upcoming season including incoming freshman running back Kendall Milton. Georgia football podcast: UGA players back to work' in preparation for 2020 season Beginning of the show: Georgia released a video Monday that provided a glimpse of the beginning of summer workouts. I'll discuss the start of the Bulldogs' conditioning work on today's show and address one of the central figures in the video released by UGA incoming freshman running back Kendall Milton. 10-minute mark: I share some praise for UGA cornerback Eric Stokes from a writer for Pro Football Focus. 15-minute mark: DawgNation's Connor Riley joins the show. Some of the topics covered include The players who can benefit most from summer workouts including incoming freshman offensive tackle Broderick Jones, junior defensive lineman Jordan Davis and sophomore linebacker Nakobe Dean Expectations for the other incoming freshmen who recently arrived on campus An evaluation of UGA's outside linebackers and an explanation about why it's one of the Bulldogs' most important position groups 35-minute mark: I take a look at other SEC headlines including Arkansas coach Sam Pittman's recent comments about how former Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks will fit into the Razorbacks offense, three Auburn players reportedly testing positive for the coronavirus, a former Alabama wide receiver transferring to Mississippi State, five-star quarterback Caleb Williams' upcoming commitment date and the sad story of a former Florida wide receiver recently murdered. 40-minute mark: I discuss the strategy UGA coach Kirby Smart is using to recruit during the NCAA-mandated dead period. End of show: I share the Gator Hater Updater. DawgNation Daily Episode 1212: UGA players back to work' in preparation for 2020 season The post Georgia football podcast: UGA players back to work' in preparation for 2020 season appeared first on DawgNation. -
ATHENS Sahvir Wheeler is used to making split-second decisions on the court. As a point guard, it comes naturally, as last season he set the Georgia freshman record for assists. Wheeler's vision and perspective proved just as impressive off the court during a live wide-ranging interview Monday night with DawgNation. Wheeler seems wise beyond his 19 years. The oldest of six children, Wheeler eloquently shared what he has drawn from the past two weeks of social and racial unrest in our nation. 'One of the most important things is this is a time when the country has to pivot, and it has put a magnifying glass on our actions, our deeds and our approach with others in relationships in general,' Wheeler said. 'It has come to question ourselves: What are we willing to tolerate? What is the catalyst of change? How are we looking upon other people from different walks of life, and how we can take a step forward in progression so everyone can be equal?' Wheeler was still asking himself those questions on Monday, hours after Minneapolis police brutality victim George Floyd was memorialized in Houston. Wheeler was cleared for the interview by Georgia basketball coach Tom Crean. RELATED: How Tom Crean is building another winner at Georgia 'Absolutely, I'm comfortable with Sahvir doing this interview, it's an important time for him to be heard,' Crean said, bucking the trend of controlling collegiate coaches who keep their players muted. 'There's no fear at all because I know his heart when you trust a kid's heart, you don't worry.' Return to Athens The Georgia men's basketball team is still on hold, as far as when they will return to Athens for offseason conditioning. Wheeler is eager to get to work with teammates, new and returning, with visions of an NCAA tournament berth next season. But what of Athens and the UGA campus, Wheeler was asked, and his perception of the environment for young black athletes? RELATED: Wheeler comfortable taking shot under pressure in final seconds 'I'm not entirely sure how the community will be when we get back, but from my experience as a freshman coming into my first summer at Georgia last year, the environment is so welcoming,' Wheeler said. 'Everyone welcomes you with open arms, that was one of the biggest things that attracted me to Georgia. It's a family. It's one big family, and no matter where you are in Athens, guys recognize you. 'That can seem like a bad thing, but to me that's the best thing, just knowing you belong to a community and they accept you.' Wheeler said it goes beyond the sports community, where he sees athletes on a daily basis at the training facilities or the academic support center. 'Everyone supports UGA . you don't just want to be friends with only athletes, you want to branch out, make new connections and make new friends,' Wheeler said. 'Because at some point the ball stops bouncing and you still have another 30, 40 years of your life left to live, hopefully. 'So coming into Georgia seeing that was really big, and I've really enjoyed that.' Hoop dreams Wheeler understands what fans see when they look at basketball, in terms of it being a program that has made just one NCAA tourney appearance (2015) the past eight years. 'I think the media thing is to look at the record, and see a .500 team and say they are so-so and they're not going to be as good.' ' Wheeler said. 'But we have to look at it overall. Coach Crean's first year he didn't have 16 wins, he didn't have six or seven wins in SEC play, you have to look at the progress. 'It's not going to happen overnight.' Wheeler said the Bulldogs weren't counting themselves out of this year's SEC tournament. Georgia opened play in Nashville in resounding fashion with an 18-point win over Ole Miss before COVID-19 concerns brought sports activity to a halt on March 12. RELATED: How the Bulldogs dominated Ole Miss at SEC tourney 'I know we could have done some big things in that SEC tournament,' Wheeler said. 'I do think we have the legit pieces to come back, and guys are experienced. 'We're going to surprise even some Georgia fans by how well we're going to do.' Leadership 101 Crean recognized the 5-foot-8 Wheeler as more than just a top 100 prospect in the 2019 class during the recruiting process. He also saw him as a leader. Wheeler helped hold last season's team together with his upbeat nature and charismatic presence. It will be important for him to apply the same traits next season, with Anthony Edwards gone to the NBA and another shuffle underway with seven newcomers. Wheeler takes it upon himself to continue to grow and find new ways to bring his team together. 'My teammates come from all walks of life,' Wheeler said. 'We have some guys who come from outside the country, some guys have been from unfortunate situations, as far as their childhood growing up, and we have some guys from two-parent households. 'So it's seeing what we all have in common, and seeing what can I do to better myself so I can serve them and make them feel they are a part of something.' The Georgia fans who set a new single-season attendance record at Stegeman Coliseum last season already appreciate what Wheeler brought to the floor. Monday night's interview revealed Wheeler to be just as much of a leader in the UGA community. DawgNation Georgia basketball Bulldogs upset Ole Miss in SEC tourney opener Anthony Edwards takes over final minute, UGA topples Arkansas WATCH: Georgia celebrates like crazy after Vandy win Bulldogs score resounding win over No. 13 Auburn UGA snaps four-game losing streak with Texas A&M win Perplexing loss for Georgia basketball at Missouri Georgia comes up short in hard-fought loss at Kentucky Sahvir Wheeler on clutch game-winner, 'been there a ton of times' Anthony Edwards lights up Michigan State for 37 in 93-85 loss The post WATCH: Sahvir Wheeler weighs in on racial climate, Georgia campus environment appeared first on DawgNation.
