New UGA Recruiting Tactic

[Elephant Tipper 430]

http://deadspin.com/uga-is-sending-recruits-hand-drawn-portraits-1557050301?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

UGA Is Sending Recruits Hand-Drawn Portraits

Recruiting has always been cutthroat, but these days, you really have to do something unique to stand out from the crowd of suitors. (Even if that something is nothing at all.) To that end, Georgia has been sending potential recruits sketches of themselves, along with a semi-personalized message from coach Mark Richt.

"I'd say this is the most creative thing I've gotten in the mail so far," O-lineman Chuma Edogatold the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. But "creative" and "accurate" are two different things. How well does UGA's artist capture the recruit's likenesses?

Edoga, who told the AJC, "I feel like it looks like me a little bit":

Linebacker Roquan Smith:

Safety Rashad Roundtree:

DE D'Andre Walker:

All in all, not bad! Especially since I can totally see Kentucky sending recruits really exaggerated caricatures that make them self-conscious about their appearance, turning them off to the program forever.

[WarEagle84 0]

Interesting. I actually like the concept, but poorly executed as those are, it could be a negative. I know there have to be some talented artists in the AU art school (I married one) who could do a better job. And I don't like the split jerseys. A really good picture of them in an AU jersey with a Heisman or Outland or Rimington trophy could help them visualize the possibilities of their future on the plains.

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

If a recruit commits to them because of a portrait that someone made of them... I'd be surprised.

[WarEagle84 0]

If a recruit commits to them because of a portrait that someone made of them... I'd be surprised.

Because of one of those portraits, I'd be shocked. (BTW, when I first saw those, it was on my phone, and I thought they were so-so. Looking at them on a larger screen, they are really bad.) But if you gave them a good quality piece of artwork that actually looked like them, that they would be proud to have on their wall, I could see that tipping the scales just a bit. I don't see it as a major factor, but it could break a tie.

Curious question, though ... At what point does it become something of enough value to become an NCAA violation? If you gave them a framed oil painting, I would think that would clearly be a violation. If it's done as an assignment in a portraiture art class (which those look like), you've got art students investing several hours, and depending on the medium, $5-$30 worth of materials per drawing (those look on the low end). The art students would spend the same if the assignment were different, but does giving the picture to the recruit instead of returning it to the student violate any NCAA rules? In an era in which Oklahoma feels it is necessary for athletes to repay $3 for eating too much pasta, I wonder if Richt ran this by his compliance office. If a recruit said a portrait was the factor that helped him decide to commit to UGA, would the NCAA clamp down?

[1TexasTiger 55]

If I were Roquan, I'd be pissed!!!!

[AUenginerd 16]

Read it yesterday, but after seeing the pics, I wouldn't think much of it if I were the recruit being "sketched."

[Weegle777 78]

Those look like they were drawn by a five year old.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,362]

Wow. Those are absurd.

[AUTUmike 79]

High school me would have been even more turned off by these than current me. What a dumb idea...

[GBAU83 212]

In these days of photoshop, why wouldn't you just photoshop a jersey on the guy? Unless that is a violation ,and if it is, then i would think this is a violation as well.

[3rdgeneration 6,469]

I am a portraiture artist in my spare time and I am not too terribly impressed. If they had done a cartoonish drawing with Georgia traditions and symbols in the background, then maybe, but these just look amateurish. Could it be that it was Richt's kid who drew these or something?

[Weegle777 78]

Looks like UGA is going after Wolverine now......

[RunInRed 16,358]

Your move, Georgia ...

D'Andre Walker

[CameronCrazy 1,057]

They may want to try something different when it comes to recruiting in-state linemen. Look at all of the top linemen in the state of Georgia that they have missed out on.

5* Mitch Hyatt - Clemson

5* Chuma Edoga - USC

4* Dallas Warmack - Alabama

4* Kaleb Kim - Auburn

4* Nick Wilson - Stanford & Auburn in top 2.

3* Bailey Sharp - Auburn

3* Marquel Harrell - Auburn

And FWIW, they just lost 5* RB Taj Griffin to Oregon tonight.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Is it me, or does UGA seem to have a new recruiting gimmick every year? And this isn't just an idle, "screw them leghumpers dur hur" observation. It's always something- Richt singing Happy Birthday to a kid, the "Dream Team", the blackouts, crappy sketches... something. They have recruited well as long as he's been there, but it sure seems increasingly desperate every year, and it seems like they should be doing better.

I'm loathe to say it, but UGA and Athens are a school/program and town that should sell themselves. And if you look at the schools that UGA is competing with and falling behind, that's exactly what the pitch is. "Auburn: Come hang out with us. We'll just have some lemonade and chill. And we play fun football." "We're FSU/LSU/bama. Make a good business decision." "I'm Steve freaking Spurrier. Any questions?" Okay... so I don't know what Dabo's selling up there. But still. It's just a little embarrassing how UGA seems to beg for attention, even though they're the flagship program in one of the most talent-rich states in the country.

[TrumanCrockett 0]

Is it me, or does UGA seem to have a new recruiting gimmick every year? And this isn't just an idle, "screw them leghumpers dur hur" observation. It's always something- Richt singing Happy Birthday to a kid, the "Dream Team", the blackouts, crappy sketches... something. They have recruited well as long as he's been there, but it sure seems increasingly desperate every year, and it seems like they should be doing better.

I'm loathe to say it, but UGA and Athens are a school/program and town that should sell themselves. And if you look at the schools that UGA is competing with and falling behind, that's exactly what the pitch is. "Auburn: Come hang out with us. We'll just have some lemonade and chill. And we play fun football." "We're FSU/LSU/bama. Make a good business decision." "I'm Steve freaking Spurrier. Any questions?" Okay... so I don't know what Dabo's selling up there. But still. It's just a little embarrassing how UGA seems to beg for attention, even though they're the flagship program in one of the most talent-rich states in the country.

Dabo is selling the same thing Auburn does. He pitches family atmosphere and good morals/values (usually Christian but if the recruit isn't religious he won't say it). Clemson is Auburn's clone in many ways and this is another one of them.

Hopefully we can stay away from the FFRF or whoever they are for our Christian coaches.

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

I think this will be a year where UGA has a down year in recruiting.

[CameronCrazy 1,057]

I think Georgia will have a 7-5 season which will result in a bad year in recruiting. I wouldn't be surprised if we were able to pull Godwin, Thompson, or Smith at the end of the recruiting cycle after the leg jumpers start calling for Richt's head.

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

I think Georgia will have a 7-5 season which will result in a bad year in recruiting. I wouldn't be surprised if we were able to pull Godwin, Thompson, or Smith at the end of the recruiting cycle after the leg jumpers start calling for Richt's head.

Just like they do every year?