Georgia Bulldogs Seal State's Border: Rodney Garner To Stay in Athens

But then the University of Tennessee jets started flying across the border. And the occupants of the planes were not in the Peach state just to call upon 18-year-old recruits.

Garner was listening. He was even flying back with them to Knoxville.

Even as the state of Georgia’s top football prospect was announcing on national television that he would play ‘tween the hedges next year, the two schools were vying for Garner’s services.

In a way, Branden Smith is a prime example of how things have changed in the state of Georgia leading up to National Signing Day. He will graduate from Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta and had a stellar game in the Under Armour All-American game.

Historically, Georgia has had difficulty recruiting in Atlanta. Champ Bailey, Garrison Hearst and even Herschel Walker all came from rural areas of the state. It seems Georgia coaches had trouble getting into high school coaches’ offices…and bleachers.

In Mark Richt’s press conference after being hired in late December 2000, he quickly mentioned the importance of recruiting within the state. He firmly acknowledged that he felt championships could be won with the talent being developed within the state.

Within two years he had added an SEC trophy to Butts-Mehre’s collection and his staff was turning in travel receipts that were easier on the recruiting budget. Atlanta had opened its doors to the new Georgia regime and players like DJ Shockley, Thomas Brown and Thomas Davis had traveled down highway 316 towards Athens.

Last week, when Orgeron signed as a position coach in Knoxville he inked a deal that will pay him more than most coordinators. This potentially put Georgia in a hardship to keep their man as they could not match figures with Tennessee.

Willie Martinez, Georgia’s defensive coordinator, had drawn the ire of many fans for the defensive performances in its three losses and a couple of its wins. So the timing was not right to give their own defensive coordinator a lucrative raise given the Bulldog Nation’s discontent. And to give Garner a raise over Martinez’s compensation was inconceivable.

It seemed Tennessee was in a position of power.

But Coach Richt had an audience with his assistant coach last and Garner made a decision he felt he could live with. His family has spent 11 years in Athens.

Georgia fans are glad they will spend at least one more.

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