• International
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Books
  • Television
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
CN News Today: Latest News Online
Copyright
Privacy Policy
  • International
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Books
  • Television
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
CN News Today: Latest News Online
No Result
View All Result
Home Sports
Georgia football hits home run landing five-star transfers TE Arik Gilbert, DB Derion Kendrick

How Georgia can deal with uncertainty around WR Arik Gilbert who is missing time due to ‘personal reasons’

CN News Today: Latest News Online by CN News Today: Latest News Online
August 14, 2021
in Sports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0

Saturday’s news that Georgia receiver Arik Gilbert is away from the team dealing with what Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart called “personal issues” feels like the type of news item that will cause some rash reaction amid the dog days of preseason practice, when interest in college football is rising but substantive information is scant. 

With restrictive media policies leaving little on-field action to dissect as the midway point of camp for most programs approaches and the Bulldogs firmly in the national spotlight, there will be a temptation by many to declare the absence of Gilbert — no matter how temporary or permanent — as a cause for recalibrating lofty projections for what Georgia can accomplish.

After all, the Bulldogs open against Clemson at a neutral site in Charlotte and would certainly benefit from having such a highly touted weapon available to gain a competitive edge in a game with massive implications. They will also be without veteran target George Pickens in that game as he recovers from a spring ACL tear. 

But there are a couple of reasons why the uncertainty surrounding Gilbert shouldn’t cause fans to rush for a cashout on their UGA bets for the Clemson game.

While the former five-star prospect from the 2020 class enjoyed a successful freshman season at LSU with 35 catches in eight games for the Tigers and should absolutely factor into UGA’s offensive plan if and when he is back with the team, he’s also changing positions to play wide receiver and learning a new offense. For a player who was not on campus for spring practice, those realities suggested his learning curve was likely just beginning within Georgia’s scheme.

Considered a tight end out of high school, Gilbert lined up out wide just 6.5% of the time for LSU last season while playing the majority of his snaps out of the inline position typically associated with tight ends. Though he played a decent amount in the slot last year, it’s clear the plan is for Gilbert to adopt a role far more dynamic and versatile than the one he played last season.

For a Georgia offensive staff that has plenty of other weapons at its disposal, the move to wide receiver from tight end for Gilbert already felt like more of a long-term project meant to facilitate College Football Playoff success than one designed to be clicking on all cylinders on Sept. 2. His current situation merely confirms that reality, though it certainly won’t permit Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables to get any more sleep as he develops his game plan for defending the Bulldogs.

Even before this recent absence, it seemed unlikely that Gilbert was going to play 50-plus snaps in a dynamic new role right out of the gate. Yes, offensive coordinator Todd Monken referred to Gilbert as a “special talent” in a recent meeting with media, but he was also effusive in his praise for the rest of the receiver unit.

The Bulldogs return key receivers Jermaine Burton and Kearis Jackson, and as Palmer Thombs of Dawgs247 pointed out recently, they have 14 of 17 players who caught a pass last season returning. That’s an enviable level of depth and a fact that was true before Gilbert arrived on campus.

As for targets with size like Gilbert, try 6-foot-7 tight ends John FitzPatrick and Darnell Washington. While neither packs the explosive speed of Gilbert, both are capable of creating mismatches with their size similarly to Gilbert.

The other factor with the Gilbert uncertainty that should give Georgia fans some level of comfort is the program’s reputation as one well-suited to support its members off the field. Quarterback JT Daniels recently credited sports psychologist Drew Brannon within the program for helping him transition into the program from Southern Cal while he dealt with rehabilitation from an ACL injury suffered at USC.

“He helped me a lot with my mental space, coach Smart, too,” Daniels told ESPN’s Marty & McGee. “A lot of people in this place really changed my life around for me to the point I was able to go in and really take advantage of an opportunity I was given.”

The specifics of what Gilbert is dealing with are not known, but if he needs support from the program, Georgia seems like a solid place for him to be. After all, he credited its proximity with his hometown of Marietta, Georgia as one reason for why he chose UGA, telling Dawgs247 that “I believe it was a smart decision to come home.”

In the meantime, as we wait for a resolution with Gilbert’s status, now is not the time to sell Georgia stock. He was a late addition to the roster and already something of a bonus for a program poised for big things with or without a player with his undeniable promise.

Previous Post

Big Ten, ACC, Pac-12 actively discussing scheduling alliance to counter SEC’s growing power

Next Post

How a Big Ten, ACC, Pac-12 alliance combats SEC in TV rights negotiations, College Football Playoff expansion

Related Posts

Manchester United will finish in the bottom half unless they act, says Gary Neville
Sports

Manchester United will finish in the bottom half unless they act, says Gary Neville

by CN News Today: Latest News Online
August 16, 2022
0

The uncertainty over Cristiano...

Read more
Group of Manchester United players make plea to club hierarchy over transfers

Group of Manchester United players make plea to club hierarchy over transfers

August 15, 2022
Manchester United target £42m move for Atletico Madrid striker Matheus Cunha

Manchester United target £42m move for Atletico Madrid striker Matheus Cunha

August 15, 2022
‘Graveyard for footballers’ – Man Utd have made just two successful signings since 2013, says Gary Neville

‘Graveyard for footballers’ – Man Utd have made just two successful signings since 2013, says Gary Neville

August 15, 2022

Recent News

BJP Alleges Social Imbalance, Criminalisation in New Bihar Cabinet

BJP Alleges Social Imbalance, Criminalisation in New Bihar Cabinet

August 16, 2022
Dalit Boy’s Death: Ashok Gehlot Stares at Fresh Political Crisis As 12 Cong Councillors Quit | Key Updates

Dalit Boy’s Death: Ashok Gehlot Stares at Fresh Political Crisis As 12 Cong Councillors Quit | Key Updates

August 16, 2022
Dalit Boy’s Death: Rajasthan Congress Announces Rs 20 Lakh Aid for Victim’s Family

Dalit Boy’s Death: Rajasthan Congress Announces Rs 20 Lakh Aid for Victim’s Family

August 16, 2022
5 Months of AAP Govt in Punjab: After ‘Roast’ by Rivals, Ministers Deployed to Boast about Achievements

5 Months of AAP Govt in Punjab: After ‘Roast’ by Rivals, Ministers Deployed to Boast about Achievements

August 16, 2022
BJP Alleges Social Imbalance, Criminalisation in New Bihar Cabinet

BJP Alleges Social Imbalance, Criminalisation in New Bihar Cabinet

August 16, 2022
Dalit Boy’s Death: Ashok Gehlot Stares at Fresh Political Crisis As 12 Cong Councillors Quit | Key Updates

Dalit Boy’s Death: Ashok Gehlot Stares at Fresh Political Crisis As 12 Cong Councillors Quit | Key Updates

August 16, 2022
Beautiful during sunrise with illuminated buildings on the River Thames at Tower Bridge and Financial district in City of London, England.
CN News Today: Latest News Online

CN News Today: Latest News Online
View the latest news and breaking news today for U.S., world, weather, entertainment, politics and health at News Today

No Result
View All Result
  • International
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Books
  • Television
  • Contact

© 2022 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT