2019 5* WR George Pickens Flips to UGA

[AU64 10,122]

2 hours ago, McLoofus said:

See it coming, maybe not. Be totally blindsided by it? Yikes. 

Expect the coaches were suspicious but considering they were likely in touch every day it was legal, most likely GP kept reinforcing that he was headed to AU...so what can you do?     but agree....anyone involved in HS recruiting for more than one year should never be totally blindsided by anything that happens. 

 

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 minute ago, AU64 said:

so what can you do?   

Pay less attention to what he says and more attention to what he does. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

11 minutes ago, Maverick.AU said:

“After his final official visit to Tennessee, Pickens swung by Auburn's campus for an unofficial visit prior to the dead period beginning earlier this week. That led many to believe that the Tigers had locked up his commitment. But it turns out, it involved him providing Auburn with bad news, as Pickens revealed that while his choice was locked in three days ago, he did not tell Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn until moments before his announcement.”

In an article on their 247 site from Kipp Adams, their fans must’ve taken this the wrong way. They are applauding him for his character. Guess the wording has them confused and they think he told Gus over his weekend visit.

uga fans applaud all of their players and coaches for their character no matter what. They are the absolute worst.

bama fans at least have the sack to admit that they don't care. 

[AU64 10,122]

12 minutes ago, ellitor said:

It is a huge loss. We don’t have any wide receivers on the roster right now with experience to play the X receiver position which is where Slayton played. Pickens would have been our X receiver. You can’t just plug and play wide receivers anywhere.  The X receiver is typically a big physical type of guy. We don’t have anybody on roster right now proven they can do that role. Seth Williams has the most potential but he’s been almost strictly an inside receiver since he got here.

Also this is the meltdown thread not the sunshine thread.

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. 

No melting down here over one player who has lied and mislead coaches and the general public about his intentions....when the truth would have been easy.  

[NorthGATiger 1,801]

2 hours ago, Sizzle said:

He said he called Malzahn and told him he wouldn't sign

Yeah.  Per sources at the announcement he called Gus literally 5 minutes before his announcement.  Straight Trash Garbage.

[shabby 1,956]

not surprised In the slightest and feel we dont need someone that displays that kind of attention seeking behavior. we don't need him. we are loaded at that position with talent. 

[AuJoe 79]

I thought I would be more upset but it's almost like my subconscious already knew he wasn't coming here even if my conscious (and logic) was ignoring all the signs like him not signing on early NSD when even 5 stars like Pappoe went ahead and signed to the school they were committed to but Pickens opted not to. I mean really, how many of these high star guys have we had in the past that ever ended up signing with Auburn? Some of the cruitin' pros on here can probably think of a few but I can't recall any of these prima donna types that made a lot of noise and went on to sign with the good guys. Anyone? While he may be a loss, I think there was a good possibility he might have been a liability either as a distraction in the locker room or a waste of recruit-space when he doesn't make the grades in the classroom. Just my 2 cents.

[McLoofus 35,182]

4 minutes ago, 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. 

No melting down here over one player who has lied and mislead coaches and the general public about his intentions....when the truth would have been easy.  

Agree with you here. Nothing is less of a sure bet than an elite WR at Auburn performing up to expectations*. No matter where the blame lay, our best WR recruits don't usually produce. Even guys who produce at first often flame out. 

*The 2018 class might change this.

[bg5 536]

If you watched the announcement that was the call he made when he looked so nervous right before the announcement. GP is a special player only time will tell how big of a lose it will be for us. That said two things we will miss out on are his ego and the possibility each semester he won't make grades. On the field it will be a big lose. GP's success or failure will be determined off the field. I can tell you for sure something very odd went on here. The only place he could have gone besides Auburn that I wouldn't say something was fishy was LSU. There is a chance Kirby may have overplayed his hand this time.

[wde1968 262]

2 hours ago, cole256 said:

That's ridiculous. Don't get 5 stars because they probably under perform

Gus's list of offensive 5* have.

[AUinfusion 390]

I don't think that GP will underperform, he is a stud. I do think that there is a very real chance that his attitude will derail his career. He is VERY good, but watching him play, he also has a huge ego and does some pretty stupid things in games.

[cole256 17,042]

5 minutes ago, wde1968 said:

Gus's list of offensive 5* have.

Nobody has disputed that, at least in this thread that I've read

[doc4aday 1,887]

Is there a chance Pickens will not have the grades to qualify? I heard some chatter about this and was wondering if this is a possibility.  I wish him the best, but hope we lock him down next year in JHS.

[cole256 17,042]

This is what's funny to me....we don't get a guy and it's of course no big deal by many.....then if we end up sucking the very same people will complain that we don't have the same talent as whatever team.....can't have both

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,659]

Did this guy end up saying he picked UGA because of "winning factor"????

 

They haven't won anything of value in his or his father's lifetime?????? We're flipping after 500 days for regular season wins now?????????

[AuJoe 79]

15 minutes ago, cole256 said:

This is what's funny to me....we don't get a guy and it's of course no big deal by many.....then if we end up sucking the very same people will complain that we don't have the same talent as whatever team.....can't have both

Agree 100%. Will add that in this case though I'm not so convinced we will live to regret it. Based on his signing-day actions and the qualification questions we might have been saved from a flawed recruit...or maybe not. Time will tell. As for me, I can live with not getting him after the sham he pulled. I figured he was self-centered but he now appears to be a low-character person as well. I can do without that. JMO.

[tinman 305]

1 hour ago, ellitor said:

Right before going to the podium after being committed for over 500 days… Punk ass move!

And his mother played the game right along with George.  He got zero guidance from a supposed adult about how to handle the publicity & recruiting.  Same can be said for his coach.

[cole256 17,042]

9 minutes ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

Did this guy end up saying he picked UGA because of "winning factor"????

 

They haven't won anything of value in his or his father's lifetime?????? We're flipping after 500 days for regular season wins now?????????

I would think he may have thought they have a QB who's going into his 3rd year of starting experience.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,659]

1 minute ago, cole256 said:

I would think he may have thought they have a QB who's going into his 3rd year of starting experience.

That doesn't correlate to winning factor though. If the RBs aren't bailing Fromm's bum ... out, he's garbage. There's also a ton of other young, yet older WRs there that will be stepping up with all those guys gone next season....There's logical reasons to pick UGA, summarizing it as "winning factor" is just untrue though. You just stat pad against the horrendously undertalented SEC East and hope Auburn is going thru a down year 

[WarEagleHunter1221 1,690]

14 minutes ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

Did this guy end up saying he picked UGA because of "winning factor"????

 

They haven't won anything of value in his or his father's lifetime?????? We're flipping after 500 days for regular season wins now?????????

Said something similar to being able to see himself win championships at UGA. Hell in black and white maybe. 

 

I’m not big on talking down about recruits but GP is a punk plain and simple. Him and UGA are like two peas in a pod when it comes to attitude and persona. 

[AuburnNTexas 7,138]

30 minutes ago, cole256 said:

This is what's funny to me....we don't get a guy and it's of course no big deal by many.....then if we end up sucking the very same people will complain that we don't have the same talent as whatever team.....can't have both

I wanted him bad. You always want a guy as talented as Pickens and I think he will do well at Georgia and we will wish we had him.  That said he hurts less than some others because of the quality of Receivers we have plus the ones coming in this year.  Not getting a great OT hurts even more. Ira Henry hurts big time so now we need to pray that the D-Linemen conversion works as well as it did for Prince Tega as the other Prince so far has not worked out. 

[3rdgeneration 6,469]

Hate to say it, people, but how can we expect recruits to be loyal to the coaches when some of the fans are way worse? Not saying that some of the criticism of our coaching staff is not well-deserved, but these kids pay attention to what the fanbase says, and even moreso, what other coaches are telling them about what the fanbase is saying. Calling your own coaches horrific names, making sarcastic and derisive remarks, and being jerks in general may get you noticed by some of the recruits. We can't get too terribly mad at these kids when we call our own program a dumpster fire. I am not saying that this is what persuaded GP to go elsewhere, or any of the other recruits. It's just that the rival coaches had plenty of negative recruiting talking points this year.

What I am thankful for is that we have a group of great recruits who found their home at Auburn University. I wish them the very best. I like the brotherhood and bonding that I am seeing between them already. War Eagle and let's go beat some DawgButts this year!!!

[cole256 17,042]

8 minutes ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

That doesn't correlate to winning factor though. If the RBs aren't bailing Fromm's bum ... out, he's garbage. There's also a ton of other young, yet older WRs there that will be stepping up with all those guys gone next season....There's logical reasons to pick UGA, summarizing it as "winning factor" is just untrue though. You just stat pad against the horrendously undertalented SEC East and hope Auburn is going thru a down year 

It is definitely something to put in equation of a winning factor. But if I'm trying to get to the NFL I don't really care about that  all I care about is do I have a QB that can throw downfield and get me the ball

[autigeremt 6,598]

1 hour ago, McLoofus said:

uga fans applaud all of their players and coaches for their character no matter what. They are the absolute worst.

bama fans at least have the sack to admit that they don't care. 

And the wins over thUGA to say GTH. 

[cole256 17,042]

Just now, 3rdgeneration said:

Hate to say it, people, but how can we expect recruits to be loyal to the coaches when some of the fans are way worse? Not saying that some of the criticism of our coaching staff is not well-deserved, but these kids pay attention to what the fanbase says, and even moreso, what other coaches are telling them about what the fanbase is saying. Calling your own coaches horrific names, making sarcastic and derisive remarks, and being jerks in general may get you noticed by some of the recruits. We can't get too terribly mad at these kids when we call our own program a dumpster fire. I am not saying that this is what persuaded GP to go elsewhere, or any of the other recruits. It's just that the rival coaches had plenty of negative recruiting talking points this year.

What I am thankful for is that we have a group of great recruits who found their home at Auburn University. I wish them the very best. I like the brotherhood and bonding that I am seeing between them already. War Eagle and let's go beat some DawgButts this year!!!

If the rival coaches had plenty of talking points none of it was about fans.....