2019 5* WR George Pickens Flips to UGA

[AUFriction 1,179]

I get that people are frustrated, but seriously stop with the “We didn’t want him anyway” nonsense. He was a very talented 5 Star. Drama or not, that’s always worth getting them to campus. If they don’t grow up, suspend them, give them the boot, or suggest they take their talents elsewhere. But you want them to at least make it to campus.

 

That said, there are two things I’ve seen discussed elsewhere that I find odd. First, during his announcement, he continued to call UGA his second favorite school, suggesting that he didn’t want to select UGA but maybe that he felt that he had to. 

Second, I have seen elsewhere that he was unlikely to qualify academically. If that’s the case, maybe Kirby Smart was lying to him about his chances of making it to campus while Gus was being honest about him maybe having to go the JUCO route. 

If both are true, I’m not surprised he flipped, and am ready to laugh at UGA when he doesn’t qualify.

[SumterAubie 3,031]

I'm not seeing a 'we did not want him' vibe, but more of a 'glad he did not commit' vibe after his true character was revealed.

[NoALtiger 3,849]

14 hours ago, CameronCrazy said:

If we would have kept Pickens, we would have had 280+ points for only the 2nd time in history. We would have also finished at #6 instead of #11. 

I’m more interested in our per signee ranking than anything else. We simply didn’t sign as many recruits as other teams. Outstanding class all around.  

[AU64 10,122]

46 minutes ago, NoALtiger said:

I’m more interested in our per signee ranking than anything else. We simply didn’t sign as many recruits as other teams. Outstanding class all around.  

Agree... As we have discussed at length, another couple top OL candidates would have been nice but otherwise, we signed some very solid talent all over the field who will ...or should...mesh nicely with the players we have coming back. 

[AidiAU 1,270]

Am I the only one who won’t be surprised when he qualifies for uga? I can totally see his grades miraculously meeting the minimum. 

I don’t know enough about ga recruiting, but assume they were holding the spot for him and didn’t kick somebody else to the curb? I guess he took Hasslewood’s scholly. 

[CameronCrazy 1,058]

1 hour ago, NoALtiger said:

I’m more interested in our per signee ranking than anything else. We simply didn’t sign as many recruits as other teams. Outstanding class all around.  

I agree that the per signee ranking is important, and I think this is a solid class. My problem is that we did not sign a full class and that was not by choice. We simply missed on several prospects that we were counting on. This continues to be a problem for Malzahn.

And I guess my point is that we could have top 5 classes at Auburn every year if he would just take the necessary steps to compete with the big boys and start winning some of these key recruiting battles.

[atl-tiger 655]

15 minutes ago, AidiAU said:

Am I the only one who won’t be surprised when he qualifies for uga? I can totally see his grades miraculously meeting the minimum. 

I don’t know enough about ga recruiting, but assume they were holding the spot for him and didn’t kick somebody else to the curb? I guess he took Hasslewood’s scholly. 

Nope, I won't be surprised at all. Pure speculation on my part, but I think one of the reasons he flipped was Kirby promising hed qualify. 

[keesler 5,924]

1 hour ago, atl-tiger said:

Nope, I won't be surprised at all. Pure speculation on my part, but I think one of the reasons he flipped was Kirby promising hed qualify. 

Well,  Hoover HS has had him on a regimented academic path to pretty much make sure he's academically eligible.  He's been guided, tutored and had someone practically hold his hand guiding him to the benchmarks he has to meet academically, Auburn coaches knew this a while back. 

So unless he just totally refused to apply himself, or adhere to the academic plan or just blew off academics altogether since he started his senior year, then he should be clear.  I can't imagine as a parent of a 5* stud with offers to multiple D1 programs in the SEC with the chance at a full ride scholarship that I wouldn't get behind him and stay on his butt about hitting the books and applying himself. 

Left alone to their own devices, the average kid will slack off procrastinate and can screw up.  But with even a little support from parents and the faculty all  showing a concerted effort to help a kid like him, he'd be hard pressed to fail.  Unless he has a learning disorder or totally lacks the aptitude for a high school level curriculum.

[keesler 5,924]

2 hours ago, CameronCrazy said:

I agree that the per signee ranking is important, and I think this is a solid class. My problem is that we did not sign a full class and that was not by choice. We simply missed on several prospects that we were counting on. This continues to be a problem for Malzahn.

And I guess my point is that we could have top 5 classes at Auburn every year if he would just take the necessary steps to compete with the big boys and start winning some of these key recruiting battles.

That takes $$$$, cold hard cash and "extras" galore to compete with the big boys you see filling out the top recruiting rankings.  There's only so much AU is willing to do - and that's why it "continues to be a problem for Malzhan."

[AU64 10,122]

Not sure what the future uga QB situation looks like but they've been run oriented and Fromm just does what it necessary to keep balance. Top receiver with 44 catches last year so just thinking they don't really "need" GP for next year....but also likely if he had come to AU he would be behind the several good young WRs we have too.   

JMO but more of psychological win for the dawgs than a big factor in their class...gave them a chance to pi** down AU's leg and pass bama in the recruiting rankings.....all in all a good day's work for Smart.

[provibe 261]

3 hours ago, CameronCrazy said:

I agree that the per signee ranking is important, and I think this is a solid class. My problem is that we did not sign a full class and that was not by choice. We simply missed on several prospects that we were counting on. This continues to be a problem for Malzahn.

And I guess my point is that we could have top 5 classes at Auburn every year if he would just take the necessary steps to compete with the big boys and start winning some of these key recruiting battles.

I think he did win some key recruiting battles. Look at all the great recruits we got, they were not promised to us, he went out and out recruited a lot of coaches and programs for the recruits we did get. I think, except for offensive linemen, we have an excellent class that coach outrecruited  for.

[augolf1716 21,096]

4 hours ago, AidiAU said:

Am I the only one who won’t be surprised when he qualifies for uga? I can totally see his grades miraculously meeting the minimum. 

I don’t know enough about ga recruiting, but assume they were holding the spot for him and didn’t kick somebody else to the curb? I guess he took Hasslewood’s scholly. 

no and I'm hoping Saban may have some input just to make sure it doesn't happen

[fredst 9,064]

“Commitment is what transforms promise into reality....[C]ommitment is the stuff character is made of.....”- Abraham Lincoln

 

George should study up on his history......

[L I G E R 120]

Can’t fault GP for making the right decision for his future.

Gus is abysmal at utilizing and developing elite, young WRs and Pickens now has a future in the game of football.

Happy for him and his family.  Avoided making a huge, life-altering mistake, even if he did wait until the final hour to finally come to his senses.

[L I G E R 120]

On 2/6/2019 at 2:21 PM, AU64 said:

JMO but nobody is a huge loss until he proves ...at AU that he can help the team.  We've had too many  GP type guys who never did doodley squat once they got here and eventually moved on or were tossed. 

 

To be fair, that’s more because Gus is an imbecile who plays favorites and pigeonholes WRs into singular roles, instead of being an actual coach who develops players.

Many of our former guys who fizzled out would’ve been far better off had they never signed with Auburn.

GP was a guy who saw through Gus’s idiocy BEFORE wasting 2-3 years of his career dealing with Gus-derp.

Happy for him and wish him all the best at UGA.

[Christopher Bozeman 12]

14 hours ago, AidiAU said:

Am I the only one who won’t be surprised when he qualifies for uga? I can totally see his grades miraculously meeting the minimum. 

I don’t know enough about ga recruiting, but assume they were holding the spot for him and didn’t kick somebody else to the curb? I guess he took Hasslewood’s scholly. 

But y’all were going to sign him even though you figured he wouldn’t qualify? Ok, right.

[AuMarine 1,372]

3 hours ago, Christopher Bozeman said:

But y’all were going to sign him even though you figured he wouldn’t qualify? Ok, right.

We have known the entire time he may not qualify and yes we would have stuck with him regardless. You obviously missed the entire point. 

^^^Troll^^^

[AU64 10,122]

8 hours ago, L I G E R said:

To be fair, that’s more because Gus is an imbecile who plays favorites and pigeonholes WRs into singular roles, instead of being an actual coach who develops players.

Many of our former guys who fizzled out would’ve been far better off had they never signed with Auburn.

GP was a guy who saw through Gus’s idiocy BEFORE wasting 2-3 years of his career dealing with Gus-deep.

Happy for him and wish him all the best at UGA.

Sounds like you might have gotten lost in your way to another forum. My condolences..

[AidiAU 1,270]

5 hours ago, Christopher Bozeman said:

But y’all were going to sign him even though you figured he wouldn’t qualify? Ok, right.

Blesss it. Even trolls need love too. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

17 hours ago, AU64 said:

JMO but more of psychological win for the dawgs than a big factor in their class...gave them a chance to pi** down AU's leg and pass bama in the recruiting rankings.....all in all a good day's work for Smart.

Agree. Psychological move, PR move, perception move, whatever you want to call it. Whether or not he's doing it intelligently, kirby seems to be playing the game on several levels.

[JBiGGiE 2,488]

10 hours ago, L I G E R said:

To be fair, that’s more because Gus is an imbecile who plays favorites and pigeonholes WRs into singular roles, instead of being an actual coach who develops players.

Many of our former guys who fizzled out would’ve been far better off had they never signed with Auburn.

GP was a guy who saw through Gus’s idiocy BEFORE wasting 2-3 years of his career dealing with Gus-deep.

Happy for him and wish him all the best at UGA.

[Tiger 8,817]

IDK I also kind of feel like he was overqualified for this offense and most likely recognized it.

[McLoofus 35,182]

11 minutes ago, Tiger said:

IDK I also kind of feel like he was overqualified for this offense and most likely recognized it.

No question that he made an... interesting... decision to commit to us in the first place. Another reason why it wasn't so surprising that the commitment didn't stick.

Just the way he handled it, man. So bush league. 

 

[L I G E R 120]

6 hours ago, Tiger said:

IDK I also kind of feel like he was overqualified for this offense and most likely recognized it.

Very well said.

Hugely talented kid who made the wise decision to play for an actual coach who will get him to the next level instead of allowing himself to become another cautionary tale under Gus.

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

12 hours ago, JBiGGiE said:

You can boo what he is saying, because that is something to boo. However he doesn't deserve to be booed simply for pointing out #truth

 

Pickens signing with UGA is no different from Ross signing with Clemson last year. They both made decisions based on what would be the best for their careers.