Get Better - G-Day 2024

CLAUDE FELTON TRIBUTE Pgs. 37-40
GET BETTER
2
24
SPRING
“Being detailed in what we are attacking each day. Don’t go
out there without a purpose. I try to have the coaches go in
each day and give points of emphasis. If we are not careful
right now, there are so many things to correct that you
can’t see the forest from the trees. It can be overwhelming
to a young player, so we try to narrow their focus on small
things. We have 15 opportunities to get better.”
G-DAY
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G-DAY/SPRING
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED
IN THIS ISSUE
VOLUME 22 NO. 1
BRETT THORSON CAPTIVATES WITH
HIS FOOT AND PERSONALITY!
PHOTO BY: TONY WALSH/UGAAA
SPORTS
GET BETTER, 2024 | 14
SPRING ALL-LEADERSHIP TEAM | 16
NEW FACES COACHING STAFF | 18
10 PLAYERS MAKING WAVES THIS SPRING | 20
SOCIAL
GEORGIA GIRLS: JARRETT KEMP | 24
ST. MARY’S FOUNDATION BENEFIT HONORING
BARBARA DOOLEY | 26
GEORGIA WOMEN GIVE | 27
PROUST Q&A: BEN HARTMAN | 28
RED & BLACK ROOKIE EVENT | 29
ESP BIG HEARTS GALA | 30
OUR TEAM
EDITOR: Vance Leavy
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Cheri Leavy
MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR: Greg Poole
CHIEF SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR: Jeff Dantzler
ART DIRECTOR: Stacey Nichols
SALES: Caroline Kinney
SPORTS: Jeff Dantzler, Greg Poole, Murray Poole,
Noah Carney, Will Hearn, Matthew Herren
MULTIMEDIA SUPPORT: Hamilton Culpepper
PHOTOGRAPHY: Greg Poole, Rob Saye,
Blane Marable
COVER: Greg Poole
STUDENT SPORTS EDITOR: Hamilton Culpepper
COLUMNISTS: Hamilton Culpepper, Loran Smith,
Kevin Butler, Caroline Champion
DELIVERY: John Cook, Wright Cook, Rob
Freeman, Anna French, Scarlett French, Flynn
Kelly, Caroline Kinney, John Kinney, Eleanor
Morgan, Henry Morgan, James Morgan, Jack
Sawyer, Cullen Sewell, Henry Stokes, Champ
Vance
ISSUE ONE: SPRING/G-DAY
April 9, 2024
GEORGIA - LSU GYM DAWGS MEET | 32
ORANGE BOWL GAMEDAY PHOTOS | 34
CLAUDE FELTON TRIBUTE
CLAUDE FELTON SALUTE BY MURRAY POOLE | 37
CLAUDE FELTON ALWAYS DELIVERED
BY JEFF DANTZLER | 40
MORE SPORTS
A LOOK AT NIL & BEYOND BY GREG POOLE | 42
A LOOK AT THE 2024 GEORGIA SIGNING CLASS | 44
WHAT’S THE WORD: COACH WES JOHNSON | 46
WINTER/SPRING SPORTS UPDATE | 47
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 6 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

FROM THE
EDITOR
VANCE LEAVY
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Get Better, 2024 – it’s happening every day on the campus of Georgia
as Bulldog teams continue to work hard for wins and championships!
It’s great to be back with our first issue of 2024. Yes, like many
of you, there is still a sour taste in Team BI’s mouth for how
the 2023 season ended. Of course, I’m not talking about
the 63-3 FSU shellacking in the Orange Bowl. Instead, it’s
still hard to believe that the brain trusts with the College Fooball
Playoff kept out the back-to-back national champions, who had
just completed their third straight undefeated regular season.
With those final words, we now turn the page towards the
upcoming 2024 season.
Our men in Red and Black have been practicing hard the
last month during spring drills. Coach Smart always demands
this out of his players. However, from his opening spring press
conference, he has been consistent in reminding folks that this
year’s team is full of youngsters. There are also new coaches that
are onboarding to the program this spring.
I’m relaying this message not as a cause for concern, but merely
to reinforce Coach Smart being absolutely forthright when saying
these 15 days of spring ball have been all about “getting better.”
Get Better, 2024!
As you will read beginning in our Sports section (page 13),
Kirby’s Dawgs are absolutely focused on getting better. Enjoy
reading about the progress occurring in Athens. Like the Georgia
team, our team here at Bulldawg Illustrated has many new faces.
We welcome Noah Carney, Matthew Herring and Will Hearn.
And we appreciate Hamilton Culpepper doing a great job as
this semester’s Student Editor. Cheri and I are still in denial that
Hammy graduates in May.
Continuing on the sports front, don’t miss Greg Poole’s
Exploring NIL and Beyond feature (pages 41, 42). While Greg
doesn’t have a magic fix, his story sheds great insight on
understanding where college football currently finds itself.
As JD writes about on page 10, spring time in Athens certainly
rivals fall on the gridiron. UGA sports on campus are virtually
happening everyday. And like our football team, getting better
has certainly occurred of late for the other Georgia teams. Be sure
to get updated by reading our Winter/Spring sports story (page
47). The Diamond Dawgs (and Softball team) are the hottest
squads on campus this spring. Hamilton Culpepper’s interview
(page 46) with new baseball skipper, Wes Johnson, is excellent.
I love that Coach Johnson’s priorities (in order) are the Lord, his
family and baseball. And we should all heed his advice and get
out and see this current 2024 team because several of the players
are sure to be Big Leaguers.
Finally for our team sports related content, enjoy getting to
know more about the players who signed with Georgia football
on National Signing Day back in February (pages 44, 45).
Now to the bittersweet portion of my note.
Long time Georgia sports information director, Claude Felton,
retired earlier this year. What a career Claude had and he did his
job each and every day for the betterment of our University. Our
tribute to Claude begins on page 37. As I’ve done a few times
over the last few years, I brought BI’s longtime contributor, Murray
Poole, out of retirement to write the main story for the tribute.
This was a no-brainer because of the decades the two of them
had working together (Claude with UGA and Murray with The
Brunswick News and BI). Jeff Danzler’s closes out Claude’s tribute
with a marvelous column that starts out, “Claude Felton is one
of best men I have ever known.” Drop the mic! Thank you Claude
Felton. Your service to Georgia is unmatched. And I personally
thank you for all your support of Leavy publications.
Our Social section begins on page 23 and I must say the BI
camera has been quite active in the off-season. Enjoy seeing all
those smiling Bulldog faces. And don’t miss our Georgia Girls
feature with Jarrett Kemp (pages 24, 25) and Proust Q&A with
Ben Hartman (page 28). Jarrett has done great things since taking
over the ownership of the Athens institution Appointments at
Five. And you are going to love Ben’s quote to live by. Great stuff
from two great Dawgs.
That’s going to do it for me. Please enjoy this Spring/G-Day
issue of BI. We will see you back with our Season Preview issue in
late June. Finally, I encourage everyone to live life to your fullest.
The Bulldog Nation lost Kevin “Catfish” Jackson in early April. He
will be missed by so many, but from what I knew of him, his life
was completely full with faith, family and friends. Rest in Peace,
Catfish!
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FROM THE
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JEFF DANTZLER
@jeffdantzlerTV
Soak up the joys of springtime in Athens, where so many Georgia sports
are happening every day, which includes the annual G-Day game
Georgia Football has been the
center of my universe for as long
as I can remember. Outside of
my parents, there’s nothing or
no one - who is still around obviously - for
as long. One of my first ever memories was
the 1978 Tech game.
The family was in Florida for
Thanksgiving, and I remember watching
with my dad, grandfather and uncle, as
Georgia stormed back for a 29-28 victory
over the Yellow Jackets. I was eight, nine,
10 and 11 from 1980 through 1983,
just when I was getting old enough to
understand football, sports and what was
going on. A lifelong love affair began.
Talk about being spoiled. The 1980
national championship, three straight
Southeastern Conference championships,
Herschel Walker’s Heisman Trophy, the
43-4-1 record in that Early 80s Golden Era
for the Red and Black. I didn’t know any
different. It was natural to think, this is
how it is, and how it always will be.
Flash forward to the magnificent Kirby
Smart dynasty, the 2021 and 2022
national championships, seven straight
top 10 national finishes and regular
season records of 12-0 or 11-1 in six of
those magnificent seven campaigns. So
close so many times in between. So very
sweet and joyful.
No national championship has ever
meant as much to a fanbase as that 2021
crown did to Georgia, and those back-toback
crowns - plus a sweet 13-1 Orange
Bowl Championship season and No. 3
national ranking, the seventh of those
seven straight top 10 seasons - are being
fully savored by the Sons and Daughters
of the “Majority Party of the Empire State
of the South” (Dan Magill magic).
Saturday, April 13 is G-Day, and the first
glimpse of the 2024 Georgia Football
team for the Bulldog faithful.
Coach King Kirby Smart - as he’s
affectionately known to the legendary
Hall of Famer Kevin Butler and his co-host
on the Bulldog Network airwaves - is
the country’s premier college football
CEO and the Georgia Bulldogs, 42-2 over
the last three years and winners of 46 of
the last 48, are the sport’s current gold
standard.
Expectations and excitement are high. In
the ever-changing, volatile landscape of
collegiate athletics, Smart’s stability and
consistent excellence are priceless.
So as the Bulldog faithful gather
Between the Hedges, enjoying a beautiful
spring Saturday in America’s greatest
college town, it is a grand time to
celebrate all of Georgia’s grand gridiron
accomplishments and confidently
look ahead to the 2024 campaign. A
season that, despite facing what will be
America’s most daunting schedule, will
likely begin with the Bulldogs sitting atop
the preseason college football national
rankings.
There is nothing like a Georgia Football
Saturday in Athens. Again, center of my
universe for a long, long time.
But this time of year is hard to beat.
SPRING/G-DAY ISSUE
There is a stretch in late February
into early March where 14 different
University of Georgia athletic teams are
competing in-season. That’s both the
men’s and women’s tennis, golf, track
and field, swimming and diving and
basketball teams. That’s baseball, softball,
gymnastics and equestrian (see update
on some these teams on page 44). It is a
very busy and exciting time.
Five Points and downtown restaurants
and hopping, the hotels are bustling
and there is a great energy in the
Athens air with the onset of spring.
Which is now officially here. Some of the
aforementioned sports have concluded
their seasons, but several are still going,
and going strong.
Springtime in Athens is hard to beat,
especially when rejoicing glorious
gridiron exploits.
That includes the Georgia baseball
team, under the direction of first year
head coach Wes Johnson (see Hamilton
Culpepper interview with the skipper
on page 46), and led by All-American
superman Charlie Condon.
Some of my fondest memories are
calling Georgia games at Foley Field from
the Frank and Carol Beltran Radio Booth
(where several distinguished members
of my dynamic legal team are known to
pop in), with my esteemed broadcast
partner David Johnston, with baseball
Sports Information Director Christopher
Lakos one booth over. When baseball and
tennis are simultaneously taking place,
the energy is electric.
One late May/early June stretch that
will be hard to ever be surpassed came
in 2001. Iconic Georgia tennis coach
Manuel Diaz led Georgia to the national
championship, with All-American
Matias Boeker winning the triple crown.
Georgia’s No. 1 player led the Bulldogs to
the team crown, won the NCAA singles
title and teamed with Travis Parrott to
win the national doubles championship.
Adjacent to the Dan Magill Tennis
Complex at Foley Field, Jeff Keppinger
was providing Hollywood Heroics for the
Georgia baseball team.
The All-American shortstop had a
herculean performance to lead Georgia to
the Regional Championship, going fivefor-five
with three home runs, including a
dramatic two out, two run round tripper
(baseball’s Belue to Scott) in the top of
the ninth (Georgia was the designated
road team) that gave Georgia the lead
and ultimate victory against Coastal
Carolina. He hit for the cycle against
Georgia Southern the night before.
The next weekend, Georgia took two of
three from Florida State to win the Super
Regional and advance to the College
World Series.
Incredible.
The scents and sights of Athens are so
wonderful this time of year, so along
with those unsurpassed annual Autumn
weekends Between the Hedges, enjoying
these majestic days of spring. You never
know when something magical might
happen.
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 10 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

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SPRING ALL-LEADERSHIP TEAM PG. 16 | NEW FACES COACHING STAFF PG. 18
10 PLAYERS MAKING WAVES THIS SPRING PG. 20
SPORTS
CARSON BECK LEADS A YOUNG
GEORGIA TEAM LOOKING TO GET
BETTER EVERY DAY!
PHOTO BY: TONY WALSH/UGA
SPRING/G-DAY ISSUE
PRACTICING
BY:
WITH
PURPOSE
AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL
MATTHEW HERREN
Following the 2023 season, Georgia fans were left with mixed
emotions after dominating Florida State in the Orange Bowl for
the Bulldogs’ fifth straight season with a New Year’s Six Bowl
victory, but ultimately falling short of the standard that has
been set, which is appearing in the College Football Playoff.
Before the Bulldogs open the 2024 football season in Atlanta
on August 31 against the Clemson Tigers, Coach Kirby Smart
has implemented the “get better’ mindset into his team’s
practices this spring to help keep his players focused on the
small details ahead of the offseason that will help define the
team’s identity.
Smart, when asked about what the phrase means for his team,
said “Being detailed in what we are attacking each day. Don’t
go out there without a purpose. I try to have the coaches go in
each day and give points of emphasis.” Purpose and attention
to detail at this point in the offseason are two areas that the
continued on page 14
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 13 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

DILLON BELL
RECEIVER
PHOTO BY: TONY WALSH/UGA
PRACTICING WITH PURPOSE
Bulldogs will have to focus on, as they won’t see any type
of scrimmage aside from split quad games, including the G
Day Game on April 13.
Certain players have mentioned specific areas of their
game that they want to improve before the coming season.
Junior defensive back Mykel Williams discussed his areas
of improvement this offseason: “I’m trying to improve my
hand, my hand speed, my pad level, my get off and really
just certain things that I’ll need to be successful at this
position.”
Heisman Trophy hopeful quarterback Carson Beck also
mentioned a few of his areas with needed improvement,
saying “I think the biggest thing for me is just continuously
building my confidence level, and then, working through
reads faster knowing when I can take the big shot and then
when I need to check it down and play it safe.” While it will
be important during offseason practices for the team to
bond and build an identity as a whole, players will have to
take accountability and improve their own traits ahead of
the regular season.
Georgia’s multi-versatile receiver/running back Dillon Bell
is capitalizing greatly this spring in getting better, which
will only help the wide receiver unit.
“He’s continued to develop and continues to get better.
He’s still a work in progress,” Smart said. “He played high
school running back. He played 25 percent running back
last year. The kid has worked his tail off at receiver to get
better, but there’s a lot of route running things he can get
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AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL
better at. The good thing is he’s got a quarterback the caliber of
Carson to get him throws, get him 50/50 balls. I’m proud of the
way he leads in practices. He’s taken on more of that Marcus
Rosemy-Jacksaint, Ladd McConkey role of being the guy that’s
the workhorse in that group, that never complains, is really
physical, practices hard and sets the standard for the others. I
think him, Rara, Arian and Dom have taken ownership in that.”
When discussing his younger players, Smart said “It can be
overwhelming to a young player, so we try to narrow their
focus on small things.” Smart and his staff realize that for a
program to be complete up and down the roster, he will need
to prep his newcomers so that they are settled in by the time
the regular season arrives.
After the team’s first spring scrimmage, Smart said “We’ve got
a lot to work on. We were very sloppy in terms of substitutions,
getting guys on and off the field, communication, signals, just
a lot of new people in the organization. It was not as clean
as most of our first scrimmages. So, from scrimmage one to
scrimmage two, starting really today, we’re moving towards
how much can we improve from scrimmage one to scrimmage
two.” He also highlighted the “15 opportunities” that his team
gets this spring to practice before the summer, and said that
he has “full expectations” that they will continue to have
SPRING/G-DAY ISSUE
“intentions of growing and getting better.” The upcoming
G -Day Game will be the perfect opportunity for the Bulldogs to
showcase not only their talented roster for their fans, but also
to continue to develop the “get better” mindset into the team
ahead of the much anticipated upcoming season.
MYKEL WILLIAMS
LINEBACKER
PHOTO BY: TONY WALSH/UGA
While celebrating another Spring/G-Day
in Athens, we also mourn the loss of
Damn Good Dawg,
Kevin “Catfish” Jackson
He was a stellar family and business man,
May he rest in peace - our thoughts
and prayers are with his entire family!
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478.471.4221
WE ARE THE BEST at what we do!
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 15 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

08
SPRING 2024
ALL-LEADERSHIP
TEAM
BY: GREG POOLE
BRETT THORSON (PUNTER)
UGA has been blessed with several punters who became team
leaders over the years. Thorson has added his name to that
leadership roster. In addition to his excellent punting, he is a
consistent sideline asset. His approach is evident in the following
quote when asked about the Ray Guy Award awarded annually
to the nation’s top punter: “It’s not something I actively go out
and look into. The season is five-six months away, definitely not
thinking about that or individual accolades. I have to focus on
spring ball. We have four more practices, a scrimmage, then G
day.”
CARSON BECK (QB)
This one is easy. He is the offense’s leader and, in many ways,
the face of the team. Kirby Smart said recently: “...he’s not a real
emotional guy. He’s not a real fiery guy. He’s very laid back. He
understands his job; he’s very intelligent. Every leader has their
own way, and he certainly commands a room.”
TATE RATLEDGE (OL)
Carson Beck nor any other “skill players” will be successful without
the offensive line’s protection, and Ratledge is a grizzled veteran
of the trench wars. His decision to delay his pro career to finish
the drill at UGA explains his mindset: “There was a bad taste in
my mouth after last year, and of course, there’s things I want to
accomplish by myself and that I want to see this team accomplish,
so both of those things are a big part of the reason that I came
back.”
TREVOR ETIENNE (RB)
It may seem odd to list an incoming transfer as a team leader,
not to mention a transfer who collected traffic charges
shortly after arriving in Athens. That incident could be the
spark that ignites his quest to redeem himself. He has two
years of starting experience in the SEC wars and will be
a veteran in Georgia’s reconstituted running back room.
Etienne found support from Coach Smart after his run-in
with authorities. Smart said, “He is embarrassed, he is upset
and knows he has made a mistake. It is a teaching moment,
and we think he gets better from it.”
JARED WILSON (CENTER)
If quarterback is the most critical position on any offense, center
follows closely. Wilson has the honor (and burden) of following
Sedrick Van Pran’s 34 starts and consistent leadership of the
offensive line. His experience playing in 21 games as a reserve
and in practice behind Van Pran will have him ready for the SEC
grind. And he has been described (by many) as having freakish
all-around skills.
Leadership is a skill. Some folks avoid acquiring it, while others
embrace the opportunity to employ leadership skills to pursue team
and personal goals. The ten players listed below have shown their
ability to lead and will have the chance to guide UGA Football 2024
using the example of past champions.
9
10
WARREN
BRINSON (DL)
A player who opens the season with 50 games
under his belt is a leader. Brinson will bring
stability to a defensive line, helping integrate the
youngsters as the season progresses. As a fifthyear
player, the Dawgs’ horde of underclassmen
will look to him (and fellow 5th year Nasir
Stackhouse) for guidance, and they will find it in
the articulate Brinson.
CHAZ CHAMBLISS (LB)
The last time Chambliss appeared for Georgia’s weekly
press conference, a recent cut was visible on the
bridge of his nose, and it seemed to belong there.
Anyone thinking of seriously trying out for mixed
martial arts is not going to be shy about sticking his
nose into a tackle with extreme prejudice. His motto
has to be, lead, follow or get out of my way.
JALON WALKER (LB)
Walker has played in 29 games during his two years
at UGA. All of those reps were either on special
teams or reserve linebacker, but this coach’s kid has
leader written all over him. It may seem premature
to consider him a leader going into 2023, but he
is a special player whose star will shine brightly
next season. He is cross-training at both inside
and outside linebacker this spring. Chaz Chambliss
noted his progress recently: “...it’s a different mindset
between both of them. You know, he does a good
job of keeping them separate in his mind; he’s grown
and become a middle linebacker. He’s starting to
become a leader in that room and also in our room
when he comes over and pass rushes. He’s doing a
great job with that.”
MALAKI STARKS
(SAFETY)
Let’s see. In 2023, Starks’ accomplishments
included being named All-America by AFCA, AP,
CBS, ESPN, FWAA, Sports Illustrated, USA Today,
and Walter Camp. He is personable, supremely
athletic, intelligent, and exudes leadership. ESPN
made him the highest-rated defensive back
entering 2024. Mr. Starks knows his stuff and
has the interpersonal skills to lead the defensive
backs and the team.
SMAEL MONDON, JR. (LB)
Georgia’s only senior inside linebacker must be included on
this list of leaders. After making the Coach’s All-SEC team
last season, Mondon is stepping into his own as a leader and
signal caller for the defense. Naturally quiet, he has led by
example but is not shy about his command responsibilities.
Greg Poole is BI’s multimedia
director and on-field
photographer. He also maintains
and moderates the fan thread on
BI’s website.
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 16 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

New Faces
2024 Coaching Staff
BY: WILL HEARN/BI
A successful college football program is bound
to lose coaches in the off-season. With a variety of
former Georgia coaches accepting offers with new
opportunities, there are plenty of new faces heading
into the 2024 season. All have received nothing
but praise from Georgia’s head coach. Kirby Smart
emphasized the passion each of these coaches have
and their ability to do great things as new coaches
with the University.
SPRING/G-DAY ISSUE
Travaris Robinson
(Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties)
Travaris Robinson is one of the most well-connected coaches in the country.
Robinson is responsible for bringing countless names to any team with which he
has been involved. Robinson spent his past two seasons with the Tide. Kirby Smart
spoke on Robinson’s knowledge of the “SEC Blueprint,” in terms of his knowledge
and relationships. Dan Jackson harped on Robinson’s energy saying, “He’s been
incredible. Coach T-Rob brings the juice every day.” Taking over for Will Muschamp
seems to have been a smooth transition. DB JaCorey Thomas, from Florida, has
known Robinson for a while due to his time coaching at Miami. Thomas told the
media that Robinson and Muschamp are practically the same person.
Donte Williams
(Cornerbacks)
Former defensive back coach Fran Brown left Donte Williams with a variety of
talent and maintained connections. Once Brown headed to Syracuse, Georgia
quickly found his replacement in Donte Williams, who was with USC at the time
of Brown’s departure. Within just a few weeks of spring drills, various corners have
already mentioned how much they love Williams’ coaching techniques. Kirby Smart
referenced Williams’ on-the-field presence and how he participates in some of the
drills with the players. Smart said, “Yeah, I noticed that [Coach Donte Williams with a
helmet on during practice] too. I don’t know if that’s legal. I hope it is, since he’s got a
helmet on out there like an extra player. He may need it for safety, because some of
those corners may be coming after him.” According to Julian Humphrey, the players
love this energy, and it helps the players on a very personal level.
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BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 18 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

James Coley
(Wide Receivers)
James Coley is a familiar face to Georgia fans. In the past, Coley spent time as both
Georgia’s receivers coach and offensive coordinator. Most notably in his time at
Georgia, Coley flipped five-star wide receiver George Pickens, who went on to be a
star for the Dawgs. Other big names recruited by Coley at the receiver position include
players like Dominick Blaylock, Kearis Jackson, Jeremiah Holloman, Riley Ridley. Coley
is elite on the trail; his history speaks for itself. Since 2019, Coley spent his time on the
Texas A&M staff. He coached the Aggies’ wide receivers and tight ends. In February,
Kirby Smart released an official statement on Coley’s reintroduction to the team. Smart
stated, “He is a tremendous teacher and leader of young men. His previous experience
on our staff will make this a seamless transition.” The transition seems to be going
relatively smoothly. In a recent practice viewing period, Coley was vocal to the receivers
throughout drills.
Josh Crawford
(Running Backs)
Josh Crawford most recently spent time as Georgia Tech’s wide receivers coach, but
he will take on a new role for the Bulldogs. Crawford is filling now Georgia State head
coach Dell McGee’s former role. Taking over for the legendary Dell McGee is no easy
task, but Crawford’s ties will put him in a prime position, especially on the recruiting
trail. Crawford’s has connections all over the Peach state.
He previously coached at: Georgia Tech, Western Kentucky, Colquitt County HS,
Valdosta HS, Lee County HS, Jefferson County HS, Greater Atlanta Christian HS.
Kirby Smart mentioned that Crawford initially interviewed for the receiver coaching
position but believes that this job will suit him just as well. Smart said, “I don’t think you
have to be any certain position if you’re a good football coach.” Smart has been nothing
but pleased with Crawford’s coaching efforts. When talking about both Crawford and
CB Coach Donte Williams, Smart said, “Everything that we heard about them and the
things we wanted them to come into our program for, they’re here for. I’m really proud
of both those guys and how they’ve transitioned thus far.”
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BEST PRIVATE SCHOOL
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SCHEDULE A TOUR TODAY
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admissions@athensacademy.org
Go Dawgs!
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 19 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

10 PLAYERS
MAKING WAVES
THIS SPRING
BY: NOAH CARNEY
08
These 10 players are definitely guys to look for at the G-Day game.
Although most of them may get limited time in the fall, they are
showing a glimpse at the future of Georgia football. The young guys
on this list have been learning behind the veterans of the program for
three months now, and the transfers on the list are showing why they
were sought out by Kirby Smart and his staff in the offseason.
GUNNER STOCKTON (QB)
Although Stockton isn’t going to be coming after Carson Beck’s
job, his spring progress and G-Day performance is important. This
game is the time for him to prove to the staff and Georgia fans
that he is already 10-steps ahead in the QB battle of 2025. Now
that Beck has earned his leadership role this spring, Stockton
needs to take full advantage of the veteran QB’s knowledge and
experience.
KJ BOLDEN (DB)
Bolden came out of this year’s high school class as the No. 1
safety for a reason. The 5-star out of Buford High School is
simply a pure athlete. He has a quick twitch about him and a
nose for the football. Bolden has been learning from Malaki
Starks all spring, and will be implementing the knowledge he
has gained come spring game.
JUSTIN WILLIAMS (LB)
The 5-star out of Texas is a beast at the linebacker position that
UGA desperately needs. He has quick hands and great vision
giving him the ability to apply a lot of pressure in opposing teams
backfields, which is something that the UGA fanbase will be
happy to see.
ELLIS ROBINSON IV (CB)
The No. 2 player in the country has it all. He is the epitome
of a ball-hawk and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he gets at
least one pick during the G-Day game. With the cornerback
position partially up for grabs, a big spring game from him
would go a long way.
XZAVIER MCLEOD (DL)
McLeod was a 4-star coming out of high school and was also
a 4-star transfer prospect. He is coming from South Carolina
hungry to be a part of the Dawgs’ defense. Although he is most
likely going to be the backup for veteran senior Warren Brinson,
McLeod will still have to prove himself coming in as one of the
higher rated transfers.
9
10
CHRIS COLE (LB)
Like Justin Williams, Chris Cole is another beast
coming in at the linebacker position. The 5-star out of
Salem, Virginia has the perfect size, speed, and agility
to be a great linebacker. Although the linebacker
position is very deep with veteran players, his
athleticism and build won’t be overlooked and will be
on full display during the G-Day game.
DANIEL
CALHOUN (LG)
Calhoun was the highest rated trench Dawg that
UGA had coming in this offseason. His metrics
are unreal, standing at 6’7, 365-pound. He is
a force to be reckoned with and is one of the
biggest recruits that UGA has seen. He has been
learning behind some experienced lineman, but
could definitely make a jump in the depth chart
with a good spring game.
LONDON
HUMPHREYS (WR)
Although he wasn’t a shining star coming out of
high school, he is the highest rated transfer that UGA
landed this offseason. The transfer from Vanderbilt
was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team after being
the second leading receiver on his team. With the
No. 1 QB in the nation, the sky is the limit for the new
Dawg in Athens.
DAYLEN EVERETTE (CB)
Although he received a lot of criticism for
performances last year, Daylen is the guy the Dawgs
want leading their secondary. His size and speed as
a corner is unmatched and with a year under his belt
he is ready to have a breakout year. The spring game
will be a big litmus test for him, but he should be
able to exceed the standards of the staff and the fans.
COLBIE YOUNG (WR)
The veteran wide receiver from Miami is ready to
make his closeout season his best yet. Although
the Dawgs have three of the five wideouts
returning from last season, Young’s size is hard to
look past. He is a 6’5” wideout who targets the ball
well and has unreal hands. He will definitely be
one of the biggest red zone threats in the spring
game, which will give the Bulldog Nation a sneak
peak of what is to come in the fall season.
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 20 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

GEORGIA GIRLS: JARRETT KEMP PG. 24 | BENEFIT HONORING BARBARA DOOLEY PG. 26
PROUST Q&A: BEN HARTMAN PG. 28
Patrice Johnson, Catherine Warner, Bob Pinckney,
Megan Henning, Bonney Shuman
PHOTO BY: CHERI LEAVY/BI
SOCIAL
GEORGIA WOMEN GIVE PHOTOS: PG.27
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 23 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

GEORGIA GIRLS
SOCIAL
Foundation:
NAME: Jarrett Kemp
FAMILY: Daughter of Brian and Marty Kemp, sisters Lucy and
Amy Porter Kemp, and boyfriend, Brooks.
HOMETOWN: Athens, Georgia
CURRENT TOWN: Athens, Georgia
WHAT YEARS AT UGA: 2017-2021
SCHOOL/DEGREE: Mary Frances Early College of Education
PROFESSION: I am the new and proud owner of the amazing
gift and antique shop, Appointments at Five. The store was
opened 36 years ago by two of Athens’ greats, Kitty Culpepper
and Jenny Sligh, and as an Athens native I am honored to
continue the tradition. I took over the reins in September of 2023
and have been working hard ever since to put my own touch on
the store. I love helping our customers whether it’s finding a gift
for hosting, birthdays or babies, helping a couple pick out their
wedding china or finding the perfect antique chest for their home.
Stop by to see how we’ve mixed the old and new and updated this
Athens classic. Also, be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook
and shop online at Appointments at Five
Accolades:
Georgia
Girls
JARRETT KEMP
While no official accolades yet, I consider it a major accomplishment to
have taken over an established business especially in a town like Athens
at the age of 24! It isn’t always easy but I am so excited for what the
future holds. Hoping for another 36 years of Appointments at Five!
Inspo:
2.
BOOK: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers or Where the Crawdads
Sing by Delia Owens are my two favs - must read!
MAGAZINE: Garden and Gun. (1)
PODCAST: Get Real with Caroline Hobby.
BLOG: Elisabeth & Butter.
INSTAGRAM: I love following other small businesses to gather
inspiration and just love connecting with other business owners! A
few of my favs are Two Friends SSI, Smiths in Dublin, Ga, Waiting on
Martha and The Blue Print Store.
BRAND: LAKE, Paige, Estelle and anything and everything from
Tuckernuck.
FASHION DESIGNER: The Heath Sisters from Athens, Georgia. They just
started their own clothing line, Melbourne, and their designs are fab!
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Grace Brackman with Maggie Griffin Design
- all of her work is amazing! (2)
CHEF: I love to cook myself but two of my favs are Ina Garten and
Meredith from Wishbone Kitchen.
HISTORICAL FIGURE: Princess Diana. (3)
QUOTE:
“Before you go to sleep, remember
all the beautiful victories you
had today. Be proud of yourself
because tomorrow you are one step
closer to where you need to be.”
Jenessawaits
3.
1.
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 24 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

4.
Athens + UGA:
DESCRIBE ATHENS IN FIVE WORDS OR
LESS: Quaint, vibrant & ever evolving!
RESTAURANTS AND BARS: Last Resort, The
Expat, ZZ & Simones, Georgia Theatre and
Creature Comforts - so many good options!
SHOPS: Amelia’s, and of course, Appointments
at Five!
ATHENS/CAMPUS LANDMARK: Sanford
Stadium and 5 Points. (4)
MEMORY WHILE IN SCHOOL: Gamedays in
Athens are unbeatable! I loved jumping in the
car with all my roommates and riding with the
windows down singing “Teenage Wasteland”
headed to Chick-Fil-A to pick up breakfast then
heading back to our house to pop open the
champagne, make a mimosa and get ready for
a day of tailgating and cheering on the Dawgs!
PROFESSOR/CLASS: Julie Carbaugh! She
believed in me and always looked out for me
even beyond the classroom.
GAMEDAY RITUAL/PLAN: Love keeping the
doors to the store open on Gamedays, getting
all the foot traffic and helping with last minute
tailgating needs, then heading down to
tailgate and the game to cheer on the Dawgs
with family and friends!
5.
TAILGATE RECIPE:
Spicy Sausage Balls (5)
Ingredients:
1 cup of Bisquick baking mix
1 pound of spicy sausage
1 lb sharp cheddar cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine bisquick, raw sausage, and cheese in
a large bowl and use your hands to mix until
all combined (you can also put it all into your
stand mixer)
Line your baking sheet with tin foil and spray
with nonstick cooking spray
Form smalls balls and line them onto your
baking sheet about an inch apart
Bake for 30 minutes until they are brown and
crispy!
Cheri Leavy’s rapport
with her favorite
tastemakers and
UGA Alumnae brings
you plenty of doggone
good inspiration!
@cherileavy | @thesouthernc
@wearebulldawgs
@guide2athens
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 25 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY
@ameliasapparel
www.ameliasonmain.com
(706) 850-6373
1738 S Lumpkin Street, Athens
(706) 342-2986
172 South Main Street, Madison

SOCIAL
FAN SHOTS
Ashton Dooley,
Kendall Dooley
Laura Bushatz,
Austin Bushatz
Gabrielle Deliz, Adrianne Beacham,
Matt Beacham, Houston Gaines
Aaron James, Kristin James
Tony Salloum, Heather Salloum Josh Tench, Sam Reed Barbara Dooley,
Ronda Rich
Barbara Dooley cutout
Ben Butler, Caroline Butler, Hunter O’Shaughnessey,
Jamey O’Shaughnessey
(clockwise, from left) Martha Payne, Shannon Candler,
Peter Candler, Melanie Perno, Suzanne Chastain, Woody
Chastain, Leigh Ann Bauerle, Jack Bauerle, Judy Zaban
Miller, Billy Payne
CELEBRATION OF COURAGEOUS LEADERS
BENEFITING THE ST.MARY’S FOUNDATION
AND HONORING BARBARA DOOLEY
By: Hamilton Culpepper
A night to remember … the late, great former head coach Vince Dooley won a lot
of football games on the gridiron, but he outkicked his coverage by marrying the
marvelous Barbara Dooley. Her work off the field far surpasses Ws in the win column;
her work off the field touches and has touched the lives of many in our Athens-Clarke
County community and beyond. Those efforts were recognized at the Celebration of
Courageous Leaders Benefiting the St.Mary’s Foundation on March 2. Family, friends,
loved ones, St. Mary’s staff and anyone who shook the hand of Barbara throughout
the years gathered at the Athens Country Club to show their appreciation for the
longtime First Lady of Georgia football. From the Bulldawg Illustrated family, we thank
you Barbara for everything you have done and continue to do in this community!
Here are a few images that capture the terrific scene from that special night.
MOVING DAWGS ACROSS GEORGIA SINCE 1972
Residential and Commercial Moving
Local and Long Distance
On-site Document Destruction
Document Data Storage
Go Mini’s Portable Storage Units
Packing Materials
DUKE LINDSAY
dlindsay@thelindsaygroup.net
706.549.8902 • 180 Trade Street • Bogart, GA 30622
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 26 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

Stephanie Powell, Becky Tolbert
Natalie Coghill,
Christine Anderson
GEORGIA WOMEN GIVE
The women-directed fundraising group gathered this spring in Athens
with the purpose to engage more deeply with UGA and commit to
philanthropy and learning. It kicked off with a panel discussion with
University Vice Presidents Jill Walton, Jennifer Frum, Marisa Pagnattaro
and Kathy Pharr and was followed by Dine-Around Programs that evening
at spots on campus such as The Entrepreneurship Program Center and
Special Collections Library. The signature luncheon spotlighted the study
away program.
Katie Newell, Ali Gant, Elizabeth Correll Richards, Leslie Candle,
Brandie Park
Robin Grier, Erika Lane
Muffet Arroll, Jill Walton, Sarah Ellis
ULLA JOHNSON + HUNTER BELL
AMANDA UPRICHARD + STAUD
AGOLDE + DOLCE VITA + VERONICA BEARD
MOTHER + SOFTWAVES + CELIAB
LOVE THE LABEL + MARIE OLIVER
RAG & BONE + SEA NY + KREWE
GANNI + ENEWTON + HART
195 COLLEGE AVENUE
ATHENS, GA
706.543.0702
Andrea Parris, Jill Bateman, Lauren Cook, Siara Abdulla,
Bonney Shuman
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 27 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

PROUST
Q&A
COMPILED BY: CAROLINE CHAMPION
NAME: Ben Hartman
FAMILY: Wife: Leslie UGA 1993, son: Hill UGA 2022, daughter:
Curry UGA 2023 and son: Spence (second year at Virginia)
HOMETOWN: Roswell, Georgia
CURRENT TOWN: St. Simons Island, Georgia
SCHOOL/DEGREE: UGA Law Class of 1996
PROFESSION: Lawyer at Hunter Maclean
ACCOLADES: Cum Laude Graduate of UGA Law, Gridiron
Secret Society, Graduate of Leadership Georgia, Graduate of
Leadership Glynn, Past Chairman of the Brunswick- Golden Isles
Chamber of Commerce.
‌WHAT LIFE LESSONS DID YOU LEARN WHILE AT UGA?
Don’t take yourself too seriously. Know how to take a joke.
WHAT PROFESSOR DID YOU MOST ADMIRE?
Professor Michael Wells brilliantly taught Torts and Constitutional
Law.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST
ACHIEVEMENT?
Raising our three children with Leslie. I couldn’t be more proud
of the three of them. Coach the baseball and softball teams, have
dinner at the table with your family.
WHO ARE YOUR HEROES IN REAL LIFE?
My parents. They taught me the importance of family and being
there for your children. Their lives showed me the importance of
serving others.
My wife, Leslie is a hero of mine. She took over Safe Harbor, a
home for children who need a place to call home, when it was
in a time of
tumult and
has poured
her heart and
love into that
organization for
nearly twenty years. What
an amazing impact her good
work has had on the children and families in our community.
QUOTE TO LIVE BY:
“Family and friends are life’s greatest treasure. Be intentional in
making time for each other. Help folks out. Go easy on each other.
Forgive each other. It is love that matters. It is all that matters.”
WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OF PERFECT HAPPINESS?
A pontoon at sunset on Lake Burton where Timpson Creek meets
the Tallulah River. Cold drinks with Leslie. The kids and the golden
retriever diving into the cold mountain water. Robert Earl Keen on
the radio. In awe of God’s splendor.
IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT
YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
More patience.
Ben Hartman
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE WRITERS?
Pat Conroy with his insights on the low country and life. Charles
Frazier’s Odyssey-like novel, Cold Mountain. The indelible humor
of Lewis Grizzard on life in the South, fried chicken and the
Dawgs. The musings on clothes, altruism, and transcendentalism
of Thomas Carlyle in Sartor Resartus.
FAVE SOCIAL MEDIA AND WHO TO FOLLOW?
The Poor Man by Ryan Scates. These thoughtful reports begin a
Dawg weekend in the fall.
We believe magic comes from
bringing people together
TO #CONNECTCOLLABORATECREATE.
The Southern Coterie … where beautiful ideas take root
and our members and alums grow and bloom together!
JOIN US
#TSCRETREAT
in Round Top, Texas
September 25 - 27, 2024
Co-founders Whitney Long
and Cheri Leavy
Photo: Kelli Boyd
JOIN THE SOUTHERN C | EST. NOVEMBER 2011 | THESOUTHERNC.COM
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 28 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

Catherine Smith, REALTOR ®
Mary
mc@corcoranclassic.com
FAN SHOTS
SOCIAL
Cameron Evans, Jake Walker
Wyatt Prescott, Natalie Prescott,
Wes Prescott, Wesley Prescott
Daniel Calhoun,
Marcus Easley
Waka Flocka
CLASSIC CITY COLLECTIVE
RED & BLACK ROOKIE EVENT
KJ Bolton, Demello Jones, Nitro Tuggle
Trevor Etienne, Chauncey Bowens
Chris White, Henry Richardson,
Jennifer Richardson, Walker
Richardson, Adam Richardson
Malachi Toliver, Michael Jackson III,
Jake Pope, Ryan Puglisi
Bailey Dickinson, Tate
Ratledge, Nick Tallent
London Humphries, David Wilson,
Colbie Young
Where are you staying this Fall?
AMAZING GAME DAY HOUSES!
495 Old Princeton Road 450 Stanton Way 158 158 Mitchell Street
Bed | 3.5 Bath | 2,160 SF | $1,100,000
2 Five Points Five Points Downtown
m 706.255.6091
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 29 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

SOCIAL
FAN SHOTS
Mary McClain, Patrick McClain
Sharon Murray, Aaron Murray
Martha McJilton, Mike McJilton, John Williams, Amy Stone,
Paul Clark, Amy Clark, Vaibhav Swami, Angie Swami
Philip Bernardi, Courtney Bernardi, Dahlia Brown, Adam Brown,
Karen Dozier, Asher Dozier
The Nelson Family
Elizabeth Katz, Lorenzo Carter,
Ryan Katz
St. Simons
Menswear | Leather Goods | Golf Apparel
Luggage | Knives | Candles & Gifts
Rahab’s Rope exists to empower women and
children in the fight against human trafficking. Profits
from our local and global artisans fund the mission.
See our complete collection at
Bullington SSI or stevebullington.com
36oo Frederica Road | 912.771.8457 | SteveBullington.com
320 Mallery St. • St. Simons Island, GA • 912.434.6059 • rahabsrope.com
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 30 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

FAN SHOTS
SOCIAL
Scott Briscoe, Christie Briscoe
Patti Knick, Nick Smith
ESP BIG HEARTS 2024 GALA
Shannon Speice, Morgan Speice, Ansley Speice, David Pollack,
Caroline Mattison
Jessica Hartley, Todd Hartley, Steven Arnall, Jaime Arnall
Brad Lastinger, Steve Heath, Roger Madden,
Missy Madden, Tammy Lindsay, Duke Lindsay,
Gigi Lastinger
UNDER CONTRACT
75 RIVERHILL DRIVE
YOUR TRUSTED REAL ESTATE ADVISOR
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DEMENT
Athens Office, Founding Member, Realtor ®
o. 706.995.7500 | c. 404.771.1017
HALLYDEMENT@ANSLEYRE.COM
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www.monkeesofathens.com
1059 Baxter St. Suite A
Athens GA 30606
706.850.8577
Follow Along! @monkeesathens
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 31 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

SOCIAL
FAN SHOTS
Bayleigh Hiers, Marcia McDaniel,
Allison Dykes, Sarah Grace Dykes,
Madalyn Dykes
Jacob Shipman, Toni Shipman, Tara Shipman
Sklar Kane, Madison Kane, Tucker Kane
Angela Miller, Porter Ward, Caroline Ward
Ellie Grace Godbee, Anastyn
Weathington, Karson Weathington
Josh Varela, Ava Varela, Grayson Varela,
Andrea Varela
MAKE YOUR NEXT TRIP TO THE GOLDEN ISLES
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St. Simons Island, GA 31522
ST. SIMONS ISLAND • SEA ISLAND • BRUNSWICK
A leading real estate team in Coastal Georgia
Dana Hill
Realtor
Teri Moore
Realtor
Chrissy Johnston
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Matt Thompson
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Elizabeth Smith
Marketing
Coordinator
Desiree Varnedoe
Rental Manager
Sarah Broyles
Rental Agent
Emily Wages
Rental Division
Freddy Stroud
Broker
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 32 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

FAN SHOTS
SOCIAL
Tracy Savage, Catherine Savage, Carole Fallaw, Teri Sanders
GEORGIA-LSU GYM DAWG MEET
Photos by Mimi Culpepper
Emmie King, Delaney King,
Holly Asbury, Helen Asbury
Stephanie Brown, Crystal
Newsone (Jayda Battle’s family)
Jim Hopkins, Pam Cook, Ina Hopkins
Eleanor Edwards,
Sharon Edwards
Ginny Thompson, Kendall Smith, Turner Templeton,
Elizabeth Clark
Ready to cheer on our Bulldawgs
through another season!
Cole Hixon Insurance • We’ve got you covered!
Insurance professionals to help get you the right coverage at the right price- because
our clients are #1, just like the Dawgs!
Jay & Laura Hixon
1640 PRINCE AVE | ATHENS, GA 30606 | (706) 353-8677
www.ColeHixonInsurance.com
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 33 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

SOCIAL
FAN SHOTS
Brock Bowers, Todd Hartley
Heena Patel
ORANGE BOWL – DEC. 30, 2023
GEORGIA 63, FLORIDA STATE 3
Julia Smart, Mary Beth Smart
Kendall Milton,
Yvonne Johnson-Phillips
Jason Eley, Brian Sims Kirby Smart, Tramel Walthour Weston Smart, Sharon Smart, Sonny Smart
Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler
A small sampling of menu items ...
WHERE SMART DAWGS
EAT AND DRINK!
Oysters Rockefeller
Baked with a topping of spinach, celery, and onion
Classic Crawfish Etouffee
Rich Creole stew of crawfish tails served over rice
Crab Cakes
Lump crab sautéed and served over stewed corn
with remoulade
Stuffed Filet
Stuffed with bleu cheese and port wine sauce.
Served with potatoes and chef’s vegetables.
Carpetbagger
Topped with fried oysters and bernaise sauce.
Served with potatoes and chef’s vegetables.
Seafood Jambalaya
Redfish, oysters, shrimp and crawfish over a
chicken and andouille jambalaya
420 MACON HWY | ATHENS | 706-548-3359
GEORGESLOWCOUNTRYTABLE.COM
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BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 36 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

CLAUDE
FELTON
FROM HIS ROLE WITH HERSCHEL TO THE BACK-TO-BACK
NATIONAL TITLES, HIS WORK AT UGA WAS EXEMPLARY!
BY MURRAY POOLE
When Claude Felton was named
sports information director at
his alma mater on July 1st, 1979,
little did he realize that in just over one
year later, he would begin publicizing/
promoting the top high school football
player in the nation.
A player who would evolve not only into
the greatest running back in the history of
the University of Georgia but also arguably
into the best running back in the history of
college football.
Herschel Walker.
“I didn’t see Herschel play in high school,”
said Felton, Georgia’s Hall of Fame and
legendary SID who capped nearly a 45-
year career serving UGA athletics when he
announced his retirement on January 30 of
this year.
“I think I saw some video or film of
Herschel in high school, maybe on TV or
somewhere else but never saw him in
person,” said Felton. “I can’t remember,
I think I might have seen him when he
came in on a visit but I can’t remember
much until he actually got here when the
freshmen came in.”
But for young Claude Felton, the task
of guiding Georgia’s sports information
department – even with all the publicity
and ballyhoo that Herschel was to bring
with him to Athens from Johnson County
High in Wrightsville – wasn’t too daunting.
That’s because of the excellent training
he had previously received at Georgia
Southern University.
“I had two or three roles at Georgia
Southern,” Felton said. “I was sports
information director and I was actually
public relations director there my last
couple of years.” Felton, it should be noted,
also served three years as an assistant
tennis coach for the Eagles.
“When I came to Georgia, Coach (Vince)
Dooley was the head coach and he
was actually taking over the dual role
of athletic director, starting July 1st of
’79,” he said. “Coach Dooley called me at
Georgia Southern in the spring of ’79 and
he had just hired Andy Landers (women’s
basketball coach) and Jack Bauerle (swim
coach) and he wanted to talk to me about
the sports information job so probably me,
Jack and Andy started relatively about the
same time at Georgia.
“I think Dan Magill (Georgia legendary
SID and tennis coach) gave Coach Dooley
a recommendation on me and I tell you
somebody else who talked to Coach
Dooley about me was Harley Bowers of
The Macon Telegraph. He was the other
one I recall.”
Felton said the person most instrumental
in his early development was Ric Mandes.
“My boss at Georgia Southern, Ric
Mandes, was the head of what they call
institutional development, which sports
information and public relations all came
under that,” Felton said. “But he was far
ahead of his time as an institutional public
relations person. He was doing things at
Georgia Southern at that time that most
schools hadn’t even thought about. He
taught me just so many things and what I
learned from him was certainly a lot of the
basis of what I was able to do when I got
to Georgia. But also, when I was at Georgia
Southern, I had gotten to know a lot of
the sports media around the state so that
was a blessing as well, to have so many
relationships already established with
sports media when I got to Georgia.”
Back to Herschel Walker.
When the 6-1, 218-pound Walker, who
was named Parade Magazine national
player of the year at Johnson County,
reported to his first Georgia practice in
August of 1980, hardly anyone envisioned
what the powerful and very, very fast
tailback would accomplish in his freshman
season in the red and black of the Bulldogs.
“Of course, Herschel as a freshman kind
of took the country by storm, for a lot of
reasons,” related Felton, who as the 1980
season moved along, would be tasked
with researching the UGA and SEC records
that Walker was now accumulating. “One
for just what he could do on the football
field,” said Felton, “but also, what the team
was doing at the same time his freshman
continued on page 38
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 37 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

year … going undefeated and winning a national championship.
Herschel finished third as a freshman in the Heisman Trophy
behind George Rogers who was a senior at South Carolina and
I can’t remember who was second (Hugh Green, Pitt). In those
days there was no way a freshman was going to win the Heisman
Trophy, no matter what. And his second year he was definitely
good enough to win the Heisman; he finished second that year
behind Marcus Allen and probably would have won it had Marcus
Allen not been the first player I think in college history to rush for
2,000 yards in a single season. And the third year, Herschel was
pretty much a runaway in the third year.”
Felton said that although Walker didn’t need much extra publicity
due to his extraordinary exploits on the playing field, Georgia’s
sports information department did begin to get his name on the
national sports scene’s consciousness.
“We did some things all three years to some degree,” he said.
“But there were no cell phones, no internet, no email in those
days so pretty much everything you did was direct mail. We did
quite a few direct mail pieces that went to media all across the
country but you could only do it so often just because of the time
it took for the mail to arrive. But pretty much everything was
direct mail in those days and we did a lot of things. We had a lot
of comparisons how he was doing compared to former Heisman
Trophy winners, running backs and those sort of things. There
were a lot of things we did all three years but probably his last year
was the biggest year.
“Herschel would still be the best running back I’ve ever seen, for
sure,” Felton said. “A lot of Georgia people still say Charley Trippi
might have been the best overall athlete ever to play for Georgia,
which might have been true as he was a great baseball player, too. But,
yeah, Herschel is still the best college running back I’ve ever seen.”
What, in Felton’s mind, was the best performance Herschel ever
had at Georgia?
“Probably his freshman year against South Carolina when it was
him against George Rogers,” Felton recalled. “And I believe that
might have been Herschel’s first game on national television. And
in those days, you had maybe one game a week on TV and that
game against South Carolina Keith Jackson was the play-by-play
announcer I recall. And Herschel had a real big day against South
Carolina and we won the game (13-10), which kept us undefeated
going into those last three games against Florida, Auburn and
Tech. And of course, the next week against Florida was the Belueto-Scott
play and he had a big game that day too. He had several
big games against Florida, which I remember. But that game
against South Carolina as a freshman was certainly a big game
that really promoted him onto a real national stage because it was
the first time people were able to see him all across the country,”
said Felton.
Walker, that game, outperformed future Heisman winner Rogers
by rushing for 219 yards on 43 carries including maybe his best
touchdown run ever at Georgia when he dashed 76 yards down
the north sidelines, in the process outrunning several Gamecock
defensive backs who had a perfect angle on Walker.
Felton has been inducted into three Hall of Fames for his
exemplary work in his four decades at the university: the College
Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Hall of Fame, the
Greater Savannah Athletic Hall of Fame and on February 24 of this
year, the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. Felton was also presented
the Football Writers Association of America Ben McGrane Award.
But Felton, modest to a fault, is certainly not one to toot his own
horn.
“A lot of that is due to the fact of really just being at Georgia
because if you’re at Georgia, all the years I’ve been there, you
get to work on a national stage, first of all,” he said. “And you get
to work with some of the greatest coaches and athletes in the
history of the college game in a bunch of sports, not just football.
The same year I came was the same year Dominique Wilkins
QUOTES
Claude is the person who gave someone with zero Sports Communications experience a chance
for an internship in 2005 and then a full-time job in 2006. He’s the one who taught me that no
detail is too small to cover and no media outlet is too insignificant not to help. He provided me
with a nugget of his expertise daily and challenged all of us in the Sports Communications office
to work up to the level of professionalism he had created. Claude was also a friend, a confidant
I could trust and a friendly face at church after we had both come in from an away game in the
early hours of the morning. He is a generous, caring, insightful and wealth of knowledge like very
few others around. Claude means the world to my family and me, and I look forward to watching
him embrace this next chapter and enjoy every fish that comes into the boat and every quail that
hits the ground.
LELAND BARROW
SENIOR ASSOCIATE SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
I know of no other person who has served in
the same capacity as Claude Felton who did it
as well as he did. What people need to know
is he was not only masterful in the crafts of
sports information and promotions, he was an
excellent leader. He was honest supportive and
a true friend to ALL of us! Just the best ever!
ANDY LANDERS
FORMER UGA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
COACH
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 38 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

CLAUDE FELTON SALUTE
QUOTES
came. So, we’ve got a lot of great athletes in a lot of different
sports which really put me in a position to work, like I said, in a
national setting.”
As might be expected, Felton said the three national football
championships the Bulldogs won in his roles as sports
information director, then assistant athletic director, associate
athletic director and finally senior associate executive athletic
director, were the highlights of his career at Georgia.
“You have to say the national championships first of all but I
would point out that since I’ve been at Georgia that Georgia
has won 46 or 47 national championships in all sports,” he said.
“And they all have been something special. I guess I worked
most closely every day with football and to win that 1980
national championship was certainly special since I had been
here only a couple of years then. But at that point you think
we may never win another one. And I guess we went about
40 years before we did win another one. Certainly, these last
two were certainly special because, like I say, it was another 40
years since 1980 before we won another one.”
Felton said he simply wouldn’t have made it his 44 plus years
in his position without all the excellent assistance he received
in the sports information department.
“If somebody asks me what has been my best strength over
the years, it’s probably hiring,” Felton said. “Because I’ve had
an unbelievable group of full-time staff, grad assistants and
undergrad students who have all pitched in and just done
phenomenal work and, as I’ve said many times, they’re the
ones that most of the time made me look good. We had great
stability with a lot of staff members who have been at Georgia
a long time.”
“When I talked to Claude when he did retire, he told me a story I had
never heard. He said one of his first meetings when he was still down
at Georgia Southern that Coach (Vince) Dooley came to him and said,
‘Now Claude, first things first, I just hired two new young coaches you
need to get with.’ And that was Andy Landers and me. And it was pretty
funny. Claude said, ‘I guess it’s one really young enthusiastic guy from
some junior college up in Tennessee and also this young, real friendly
guy that swam here and I hope he has some upside.’
“As time went on, I think some people forget one thing about Claude.
I think he was the same age I was, 27 at that time. And Andy was too.
So, the three of us, unbeknownst to each other, started at the same
time. I didn’t know Andy; Andy didn’t know me and we didn’t know
Claude until he came to us. The bottom line with Claude, I always felt
he was like the anchor in our athletic department. He was savvy with
what he did but his demeanor was always the same, whether it was
something great going on he had to cover or something tough he had
to cover.
“You talk about a baptism of fire is when he started, the year before
Herschel came. So, talk about a learning curve I think Claude, under the
circumstances, learned more in one year than other SIDs could have
learned in a lifetime. Unless you were here at that time, the Herschel
mania was almost inexplicable. You had to see it to believe it. The
thing about Claude was that his influence stretched far and wide. One
of my swimmers who ended up working with him just retired after
an illustrious career at Alabama, and Claude is the father of so many
successful SIDs across the country, there are too many to name. And
the other thing about Claude, he never wanted for anything. He just
did his job and didn’t care about the financial part and would have
been just as happy if no one knew who he was. Bottom line, Claude
was first class and we were lucky to have him!”
JACK BAUERLE
FORMER UGA SWIMMING AND DIVING COACH
FELTON A KEY COG IN THE
FINAL FOUR’S OPERATION
BY MURRAY POOLE
As he drove back from this year’s SEC Men’s Basketball
Tournament in Nashville, Claude Felton wasn’t feeling
that well.
Seems he had contracted a strain of the dreaded flu
bug, an illness that made him bed ridden for several
days and one that would result in nearly a total loss of
his voice.
But Felton, who had just retired from his nearly 45-year
SID position with the University of Georgia athletics
department, knew he had to get well fast. In several
weeks he was supposed to resume his role on the
NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four media coordination
committee. This year’s tournament was to be played in
Glendale, Arizona at State Farm Stadium, home of the
NFL Arizona Cardinals, with the semifinals on Saturday,
April 6, and the championship this past Monday night,
April 8.
As Felton recollects, this will be approximately his 25th
year working the Final Four. He’s been working the SEC
tournament for a good bit longer than that.
“The SEC basketball tournament, there’s several of
us around the league that have been on it, the media
coordination committee for that tournament,” Felton
said. “So, we go and pretty much work for the SEC for
that week, just helping with the media arrangements
for that tournament. I would say I’ve done that SEC
tournament for 35 years.
“The NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four media
coordination committee, I’ve done it for about 25 years.”
Felton said his involvement with post-season
tournament basketball through the years has been a
most gratifying and rewarding experience.
“A fellow named Dave Cawood was the one who first
got me involved with the Final Four committee,” he said.
“I think probably about 1996 maybe. So that’s been a
great experience for a lot of reasons. It’s been a great
professional experience for me as you get to be around
a lot of prominent people. Anybody that’s anybody in
the national media is involved in the NCAA basketball
tournament so it’s allowed me to develop relationships
with all of them. But it’s also been beneficial for Georgia
to have anybody serve on that committee because
there’s only about eight or nine members on that
committee that are from schools around the country.”
Felton said his role on the committee varies from day
to day.
“Over the years we work a little bit with credentialing
and we work with all the media arrangements … we
set up all the media interviews with coaches and the
players throughout the week with the general media
group but also with CBS or TBS or the national networks
that are doing the games as well as the national radio
networks. I work a good bit with photographers as well,
setting up the photography arrangements. It’s pretty
varied.”
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 39 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

FROM THE
booth
JEFF DANTZLER
@jeffdantzlerTV
Always in demand, so many people needing something from him …
Claude Felton always delivered for the University of Georgia
Claude Felton is one of the best men I
have ever known.
Scores of admirers say the same thing.
Claude Felton is the greatest Sports
Information Director of all time. He and
Dan Magill. His mentor.
It says so much about the Greatest
Bulldog Ever, that his two successors
were the very best. Both Claude and
Manuel Diaz, championship accumulating
winningest tennis coach in Southeastern
Conference history, recently announced
their retirement. Their accolades,
astounding.
The first time I ever heard Claude’s name
was back in December of 1982, when my
mom and dad and uncle took me to the
Sugar Bowl, as top-ranked Georgia, three
time reigning Southeastern Conference
champion led by Heisman Trophy winner
Herschel Walker, took on Penn State for
the national title. Claude and my parents
grew up in Savannah and graduated from
Savannah High School together in 1966.
At the Marriott team hotel, while I was
staking out autographs, I remember
getting to meet Georgia’s astounding
young Sports Information Director. I wrote
him a letter the next year, and he mailed
me an autographed picture of Kevin
Butler. The first time Supertoe ever spent
the night at my home, Chateau JD/Emily,
that signed photograph was on the pillow.
When I was 12-years-old, it was pretty
clear I was not going to be the next
Herschel Walker, Dominique Wilkins,
Mikael Pernfors, Tom Watson or Reggie
Jackson. But I loved sports and knew I
wanted to work in sports.
Radio and sports information would be
the path. Growing up in Statesboro, a lot
of really nice people let me hang around
the Georgia Southern SID Office and local
radio stations, owned by the longtime
Voice of the Eagles, Nate Hirsch, also a
friend of Claude’s. They worked together
when Claude was Georgia Southern’s SID
in the 1970s. They both said that Dave
Winfield’s home run in Minnesota’s College
World Series win over Georgia Southern is
the longest home run they’d ever seen.
Having been verbally committed to attend
Georgia since the ‘78 Tech game, I knew
I wanted to work for Claude. When I was
a sophomore at Statesboro High, he said
there would be a spot for me to be a student
assistant in his office. Thank goodness, back
then, getting accepted to Georgia wasn’t
nearly as arduous as it is now.
I had an instant affection for him.
Everything about Claude was and always
has been good, right, sound and first class.
Always in demand, so many people
needing something from him, he always
delivered. Claude has defied father time.
He’s barely aged, and was able to squeeze 26
hours into a day and eight days into a week.
Claude was the ultimate “man behind the
scenes.” He was the genius who stealthy
directed the spotlight to so many of
Georgia’s most famous standout students,
athletes and coaches.
I was astounded watching him work - the
“little things” he did that few ever noticed
had such a huge impact. While I, like many
distinguished cohorts, was graduating
“Summa Cum Claude,” from the Georgia
Sports Info Office, the Dogs were going
through some hard times. Claude was of
course, at his best. Stories were shaped,
fires were extinguished, and on “coin flip
weekends, when TV networks had a hard
choice deciding what game to broadcast,
Georgia was several times chosen in large
part due to Claude’s hospitality and the
exceptional work from his incredible staff
(many of my close friends).
He never wanted any recognition.
When I called him the Michael Jordan
of SIDs on the football postgame show,
about a month later he received a letter
in response to a story the Atlanta paper
had done on some of the nuances of
the Georgia-Florida game. The article
said in one brief paragraph, “Florida’s SID
staff, due to its proximity to Jacksonville,
handles the press box set up and
credential distribution.” This was in the
1990s. An angry fan wrote that “if you can’t
handle all of that, you need to retire!” To
which Claude, the next time I saw him
said, “I really wish you’d stop mentioning
my name on the radio.”
He was at about every baseball game at
Foley Field, and would often laughingly
tell my longtime broadcast partner David
Johnston, “I would come in and see you
guys, but Jeff would say I’m here.”
He wanted no limelight.
But when you are that good, when
you are the best, when you are the gold
standard at what you do, the accolades
come.
A member of the College Sports
Information Directors Hall of Fame, Claude
received perhaps his greatest recognition
in February of 2024, when he was
inducted into the State of Georgia Sports
Hall of Fame.
A protege to Coach Magill, working
at the right hand of legendary football
coach and athletic director Vince Dooley,
Claude flourished with the most famous of
Bulldogs.
When it comes to those who didn’t play
or coach football at Georgia, Claude is
right there with the likes of Coach Magill,
Larry Munson, Jack Davis and Sonny Seiler
when it comes to great Bulldogs who made
immeasurable contributions to the program.
He was a young SID during those glory
days of the 1980s, and in the autumn of
his career during the Kirby Smart dynasty,
culminating with the back to back national
championships in 2021 and 2022.
From Vince Dooley to our current nation’s
best dynamic duo of Athletic Director/
Football Coach Josh Brooks and Kirby
Smart, through difficult to the grandest of
times, Claude has been THE ROCK of the
University of Georgia athletic association.
Much like Coach Magill was, especially
during the dark days of the 1950s.
In his book Bulldoggeral, Coach Magill
wrote in Claude’s copy, “To The Greatest
SID in the history of the SEC.”
Prior to Coach Dooley’s Celebration
of Life in November of 2022, Georgia’s
lettermen gathered at the Indoor Practice
Facility. Coach and Barbara’s son Daniel
gave a wonderful speech, and mentioned
Claude’s importance to his dad.
This column doesn’t do him justice. A
lengthy book and documentary would be
far better. But he has been an incredible
mentor, friend and second father. Many
could say the same.
When Emily and I were married on Jekyll
Island in July of 2018, the wedding was
at 5:30 p.m. Claude and his wife Cathy
drove the five hours from Athens. After
the wedding, they drove back. The next
morning at 4 a.m., he and Kirby were on a
plane to Bristol, Connecticut to do a bunch
of tv and radio shows on ESPN.
He’ll still be around, just not everyday. We
all figured that at some point, he would
eventually retire. When he did, it was the
end of an era. His office was and is the best
in the land, and is in great hands.
But things will never be the same. Just like
with Coach Magill, no one person can do
all of what Claude did. As great as Herschel
and Brock Bowers were as players, Coach
Dooley and Kirby as coaches, and the mighty
Munson was announcing, Claude was every
bit as remarkable as the incomparable,
incredible, beloved Sports Information
Director for his beloved alma mater.
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 40 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

A LOOK AT NIL & BEYOND PG. 42 | WHAT’S THE WORD: COACH WES JOHNSON PG. 46
WINTER/SPRING SPORTS UPDATE PG. 47
MORE
SPORTS
XAVIER TRUSS
PHOTO BY: TONY WALSH/UGA
BY: GREG POOLE
EXPLORING NIL & BEYOND
Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) is a straightforward, easily
understood concept. Athletes can now earn money by allowing
companies to use their names, images, or likenesses in
promotional activities. That’s all there is to it.
Why all the fuss if NIL only grants college athletes economic
rights that many, if not most, college football fans support?
When federal courts ruled that the NCAA could not deny
athletes the right to earn money from their popularity (NIL), some
university recruiting staff saw an opportunity to close recruiting
gaps with rivals by taking advantage of the NCAA’s enforcement
paralysis in the wake of adverse Court rulings.
The NCAA’s current adverse legal opinions are based on the
Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890. Congress passed the Sherman
Act to deal with monopolies in the American economy, like J.D.
Rockefeller’s Standard Oil, which at one point controlled over
90 percent of U.S. oil refining. NCAA members award nearly all
athletic scholarships and the U.S. Federal courts ruled that the
NCAA’s control of college sports violates the Sherman Act when
the Association exercises its monopoly power by limiting studentathlete
compensation to a scholarship, room, and board.
After the Courts ruled that the NCAA violated the Sherman
Antitrust Act by prohibiting athletes from earning money from
their personal popularity (NIL), many university recruiters saw
an opportunity to make recruiting hay by taking advantage
of the NCAA’s paralysis in the wake of adverse Court rulings.
Recruiting practices changed overnight by guaranteeing recruits
and transferring players cash payments if those athletes enrolled
at the school offering them. The Association became powerless
to enforce its rules regarding restrictions on player’s economic
rights.
Recruiting is the most crucial activity in college sports success.
The ability of a coaching staff to mold a group of players into
a team in the short term is a relative constant, as are facilities.
Talent is the critical annual variable. Traditionally, recruiting has
been about lavish facilities and a team’s demonstrated ability to
prepare players for their ultimate goal - NFL stardom and riches.
With those adverse court decisions showcasing the enforcement
weakness of the Association, enterprising recruiters injected a
new arrow into the recruiting quiver - open cash payments. Of
course, players have received extra benefits in the past, but those
under-the-table deals pale when compared to today’s player
market.
The original concept for NIL was simple. Suppose Company X
believes Player Y will produce positive advertising results. In that
case, Company X might contact the school’s collective (a clearing
house for advertising deals) and hire Player Y for an ad campaign.
Savvy recruiting staff quickly understood that there was no
longer a rules structure to punish recruiting offenses.
The Wild West of college recruiting had arrived …
The NCAA, desperate to regain its power and ensure its
continued existence, reasoned that in light of its antitrust
continued on page 42
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 41 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

problem, it would simply plead with Congress to grant an
antitrust exemption similar to relief extended to major league
baseball in 1922. Despite the NCAA’s pleas, Congress has yet to
give the Association a similar antitrust exemption, leaving the
NCAA to face an existential enforcement
battle.
Jim Cavale of Athletes.org (founder of
inflcr.com) sums it up succinctly with his
catchphrase: “Remember, the players have the
power.” At the same time, he councils players
on the realities of the portal:
“The transfer portal hype is really about the
10% of players who have already performed
well; it is not about the 90% that didn’t play
and are just trying to go somewhere else. It
doesn’t mean that if you are part of the 90%
and you haven’t played yet, and you might
have been a highly ranked player in high
school and now your stock is lower, it doesn’t
mean that you cannot transfer and have a
good experience. The portal is really about the
top players, but there are a lot of players who
have worn three or four uniforms since this
portal stuff changed. They had to realize that
the common denominator was them. It wasn’t
their coaches’ fault - it was them.”
Gonzaga Men’s Basketball coach Mark Few, in
a recent interview, adds:
[
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“If used properly NIL can be a really, really
good thing, a positive thing that has been
long overdue,” he said. “We are not in a good space in college
basketball, you know, with how we are operating with no
leadership and no rules right now.”
Georgia football has chosen not to become involved in high
school recruits’ highly publicized bidding wars, preferring to
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put its assets to work securing NIL deals for current players like
quarterback Carson Beck. Beck reportedly signed an agreement
for his final UGA campaign worth $500,000, and shortly after, an
Atlanta automobile dealer signed Beck to a deal that included
the use of a Lamborghini. Beck’s deal illustrates
the dramatic change in NIL from a concept
characterized by payment for services rendered
to a ‘salary’ negotiation. Carson’s Lamborghini
is NIL, but if reports of his $500K deal are
correct, any amount paid to him not funded
by an ad deal is pay-for-play. The days of
college athletes playing in exchange for the
traditionally accepted compensation model are
over, and the current free-market recruitment
environment is unworkable in the long term.
What comes next?
The first step is distinguishing between NIL
(payment for advertising services) and Pay-For-
Play (payment to play for a school). Currently,
both concepts are alive and well across big-time
college football. Carson Beck’s newly acquired
deals appear to have both. First is the Lambo
deal, which seems to be a pure NIL deal. Beck
will endorse the car dealer in exchange for the
use of the car. However, Mr. Beck reportedly
enjoys an agreement that will pay him $500
thousand during his final year at UGA. His
Lambo deal will fund a portion of his contract,
but any portion of his deal not funded through
advertising is pay-for-play.
If the current unregulated player market is
allowed to continue, at some point, annually increasing “NIL/
PayForPlay” deals will cause an acute case of donor fatigue. The
pit of wealthy donors willing to perpetually fund the “market
value” of recruits is not bottomless.
Two possible solutions exist for the quagmire through which
the sport is trudging. The first, and in my opinion, least likely,
is an antitrust exemption like MLB enjoys. Congress must pass
legislation to enable the exemption, which seems unlikely to
happen anytime soon. The NCAA is pinning its survival hopes
on Congressional action because the alternative will gut the
organization’s premier membership and could precipitate its
demise. That alternative to Congressional action is for the schools
that are now known as Division 1 (or some portion of those
institutions) to leave NCAA and form a new governing body.
The NCAA has lost its antitrust cases because it makes rules
that all of its 1,100+ members must follow—the definition of
monopoly power. If (when?) the new governing organization
exists with 50-100 former NCAA members, there will no longer be
a monopoly (trust) governing college sports, and antitrust laws
will no longer apply.
NIL is also profoundly affecting the recruiting of high school
prospects. The recent flip of a state of Georgia high school player’s
commitment from UGA to USC seems to have resulted from Kirby
Smart’s oft-repeated policy of not entering into a bidding war for
athletes. Instead, Coach Smart continues to rely on selling recruits
on his track record of grooming players for the NFL. However, the
lure of big money now will often make it challenging for Smart’s
message to hit home until rules return to recruiting.
The game has changed permanently. Regardless of the ultimate
solution to the current financial lawlessness in college sports, the
solution will not be a return to the rules of the past. NIL is here
to stay. The best hope for traditionalists is an effective ban on
pay-for-play, but the scholarship, room and board days are over
forever.
In a few years, fans will have begrudgingly accepted the new
world order of college sports, and we can get back to the critical
business of hating rivals and winning championships.
It is that simple.
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 42 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

Graphics By:
Georgia Football
Quarterback
After not signing a quarterback out of high school in the 2023
class, Georgia made a strong effort to recruit the position in the
2024 class. At one point, the Dawgs had two of the top10-ranked
quarterbacks committed. Yet, in this era of College Football,
nothing is ever set in stone until the letter of intent has been
signed. Dylan Raiola, ranked the No. 1 quarterback by some
recruiting services, flipped his commitment from Georgia to
Nebraska just a few days before Early Signing Day. There was one
player who stayed firm in his recruitment throughout it all, Ryan
Puglisi. Puglisi initially announced his commitment to Georgia
in October of 2022. Puglisi was able to enroll early and compete
in Orange Bowl practices, and one thing that always seems to
stand out is his mentality. Late into the recruiting season, another
quarterback committed to Georgia. This time, accepting a
preferred walk-on offer. Colter Ginn, out of Perry High School, led
his team to a state championship this past season. Ginn threw for
261 yards and a touchdown in the championship.
Tight Ends
Tight End coach Todd Hartley once again did his thing on the
recruiting trail for the 2024 Class. Starting off, Hartley landed
Jaden Redell. Redell is currently listed at 6-4, 233-pound. Redell
was a participant in bowl practices, and in one image showing a
group of new Dawgs, he towers, looking every bit his listed size.
Georgia also landed Colton Heinrich out of Cardinal Gibbons HS
in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In three years, Heinrich recorded 74
receptions for 947 YDs (12.8 per reception) and six touchdowns.
In addition, Hartley landed a veteran TE from the transfer portal.
Benjamin Yurosek is a 6-4, 242-pound senior. Yurosek, in his time
at Stanford, amassed 107 receptions for 1,337 receiving yards
and five touchdowns. He also ran the ball 14 times for 119 yards.
A great addition to look forward to in the Georgia offense with
plenty of experience.
Wide Receivers
The high school recruiting for the 2024 class only resulted in
one commitment. NiTareon Tuggle committed to the Dawgs
as a three-star but worked his way up the ranks during his final
season. Tuggle was named the WR MVP of May 7th, 2023’s
Under Armor Camp. Tuggle continues to show off incredible ball
tracking and body control in all of his highlights. Standing at
6’1, nearly 200 pounds, the Dawgs got themselves another wide
receiver with great potential. With a lot of talent at the position
heading to the NFL, Georgia hit the portal hard this offseason.
Miami graduate transfer Colbie Young, being just one of the
names, will make an immediate impact. Drawing comparisons
to former UGA and Miami WR Lawrence Cager, Young shares
the size of a tight end, with the skills of a wideout. Young is 6-5,
215-pound, and will fit perfectly in the Mike Bobo offense. In his
time at Miami, Young was seen countless times turning short
screen plays into huge gains. In the past two seasons, Young had
77 receptions for 939 yards and 10 total touchdowns.
Georgia landed two more wideouts this offseason. Michael
Jackson III, out of USC, was hurt by the depth at WR at USC and
decided to look for a new home. While on the field, Jackson III
displayed his estimated 4.45 40 speed at both punter-returner
and receiver. Jackson III played three seasons at USC and racked
up 46 receptions for 498 yards and five TDs as well as two carries
A look at the
BY: WILL HEARN/BI
2024
Georgia Signing Class!
for 72 yards. Next is true freshman London Humphreys out
of Vanderbilt. Dawg fans may remember Humphreys scoring
a 49-yard touchdown early into the matchup against the
Commodores, blazing past the Georgia secondary. Combining his
height at 6’3, with his speed, Humphreys could be a key piece in
the future.
Running Backs
Dell McGee landed one of the most stacked running back classes
in some time. On some sites, the three running backs signed in
the 2024 class are all listed in the top 10 at their position. McGee
just took the head coaching job at Georgia State, leaving a highly
sought after vacant position on the Georgia staff.
Dwight Phillips Jr. is one of the fastest prospects in the class. He
plays both running back and runs track for his high school, where
he continues to show off impressive times. A year ago, Phillips Jr.
clocked a 10.29 second 100M dash. This speed has been trained
by his dad, who is a 5x World Champion and 2004 Olympic Gold
Medalist in the long jump. Phillips Jr. carried the ball 62 times for
774 yards and seven TDs as well as received the ball nine times
for 245 yards and two touchdowns during his senior season. In
addition, he returned one kick return 95 yards for a touchdown.
Chauncey Bowens, once committed to the Florida Gators, is
another talented back committed to the Dawgs. A combination of
both speed and power, Bowens is listed at 5-11, 209-pound and
runs a verified 10.88 100-meter dash. Bowens played in 10 games
during his senior season and ran 112 times for 811 yards and 10
TDs.
Nate Frazier, out of Mater Dei High School in California, was the
last of the three to commit to Georgia. Frazier split time with Class
of 2025 RB Jordan Davidson at Mater Dei but was still able to put
up impressive stats. In 10 games played during his senior season,
Frazier had 91 rushing attempts for 583 yards and five TDs.
Finally, Georgia also made a major addition in the transfer portal
at the running back position. Trevor Etienne, former Florida
running back and brother of Jacksonville Jaguars running back
Travis Etienne Jr, committed to Georgia just a few weeks after the
Dawgs lost their SEC Championship game. Etienne played for the
Gators for two seasons and racked up 1,710 all-purpose yards.
Look for Etienne to make an immediate impact on this upcoming
season.
Offensive Line
Stacy Searels landed one of the biggest offensive line classes
in Georgia history. Six offensive linemen signed with Georgia in
the 2024 class, and they have an average size of 6-7, 325-pound.
It is unknown which position on the offensive line these players
will play at Georgia, but just know that there is some serious size
in the class. The highest-rated prospect in the class is Daniel
Calhoun, out of Walton High School in Marietta, GA. Calhoun
is 6-6.5, 365 pound, and was ranked the 66th best player in the
country and 5th best OT by 247Sports.
Defensive Backs
Despite DB Coach Fran Brown’s departure (to take the HC job
at Syracuse), Georgia still landed an elite defensive back class.
The No. 1 corner in the 2024 class, Ellis Robinson IV, has been
committed to the Dawgs since February 1st, 2023. Since then,
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 44 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

his commitment stayed strong, and so has his ranking. Robinson
IV is tied with Nolan Smith as the second-highest recruit in UGA
history. Robinson IV showcased his talents at the Under Armor
All-American game. Robinson IV was highlighted multiple
times throughout practices for his lockdown coverage, most
notably picking off one of the best quarterbacks in the class, DJ
Lagway. KJ Bolden is a name I’m sure most Dawg fans heard
multiple times throughout his recruiting process. The No. 1 safety
in the country was initially committed to FSU and flipped to
Georgia on signing day. Bolden knew Fran Brown was leaving
the program, but Brown’s comments on the University and its
success influenced Bolden to stay.Two more DBs, Demello Jones
and Ondre Evans, also signed with the Bulldogs this offseason.
Demello Jones, the 7th-ranked safety in the country, played in
Georgia’s high school state championship against Prince Avenue.
Although the outcome of the game was not in Jones’ favor, he
still was able to record himself a pick-six. Jones returned Georgia
Tech commit Aaron Philo’s pass for 98 yards. Ondre Evans is the
8th-ranked corner in the country. Initially committed to LSU, he
flipped to Georgia due to his and Coach Fran Brown’s relationship.
Jones also says attending a Georgia practice took another step in
influencing his decision to flip. Georgia acquired one defensive
back in the portal this offseason. Former Buford safety Jake Pope
announced he’d be joining the Dawgs on January 12. Georgia
now has two former Buford safeties in the backfield.
Linebackers
An ongoing theme you might be noticing in the 2024 class is
landing the No. 1 ranked player at a certain position. This does not
change with the linebacker group brought in by Glenn Schumann
and company. Georgia landed Justin Williams, the No. 1 ranked
LB in the 2024 class. Williams played High School ball at Oak
Ridge in Conroe, Texas. The 6-2, 205-pound backer ran an 11.01
100-meter dash in his junior year of high school. He is listed as the
10th most talented recruit in UGA history. Fellow five-star Chris
Cole out of Salem, Virginia committed to Georgia in September
of this past year. Finally, Kristopher Jones, from Fairfax, Virginia,
joins the group as the third linebacker in the class. All three of
these players are listed in the top ten at their position.
Defensive Linemen
Georgia landed five players on the defensive line out of high
school in the 2024 class. Consisting of both true D-Linemen and
edge rushers, the group has some serious talent. Joseph Jonah-
Ajonye, high school teammate of linebacker Justin Williams, is
the highest-rated defensive lineman in the class. After his initial
commitment, Jonah-Ajonye said “To put it simply. Georgia is just
different... I feel like I’m built for that defense. Jordan Thomas,
Nnamdi Ogoboko, and Nasir Johnson are all also new members
of the ‘trench mob.’ Each stands no smaller than 6-3, 300-pound,
Tray Scott continues to bring in massive athletes to the defensive
front. Quintavius Johnson, listed as an edge rusher, showed
off his athleticism throughout High School. Johnson played
some time at quarterback and scored himself a 70-yard rushing
touchdown on the offensive side of the ball. Georgia landed
one defensive lineman in the portal. South Carolina DL Xzavier
McLeod announced he was transferring to Georgia on December
22nd, 2023. McLeod’s high school recruitment came down to
South Carolina and Georgia, but he stuck with the Gamecocks.
Things have now come full circle as the 6-5, 284-pound freshman
will put on the ‘G’ this upcoming season.
Special Teams
Georgia managed to land the most talented punter in the
country, Drew Miller. Miller averaged 49.5 yards per punt with
55% landing inside the 20-yard line during his senior season.
Miller only allowed five return yards in all 11 games played.
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BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 45 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

what’s the
word
BY HAMILTON CULPEPPER
DIAMOND DAWGS’ SKIPPER EXUDES TOUGHNESS!
WES JOHNSON
Toughness, a word maybe
associated with a boxer or a Navy
Seal, but this 2024 Diamond
Dawg squad exhibits a different type of
toughness; a concentration when things
aren’t going the way this team wants
them to; a dedication to the process. That
toughness is the one word head baseball
coach Wes Johnson uses to describe his
team.
The first year head coach has wowed
the Classic City, the University of Georgia
and the Southeastern Conference with an
unprecedented start to the 2024 season.
However, it’s no coincidence sprinkled
on Foley Field from Munson and Lady
Luck. It is a valiant leader with committed
players keeping their heads down,
focused on the trajectory of this program.
A native of Sherwood, Arkansas,
Johnson has been around the baseball
block at the high school, college and
professional level, most recently as the
defending national champion LSU Tigers’
pitching coach. The experience taken
from these various stops all contribute to
Johnson’s early success here at Georgia.
“The biggest thing for me being a
pitching coach at that level is game
management on the defensive side of the
baseball,” Johnson said. “Having to make
those moves at a very high level, and we
[the Minnesota Twins] were good. You
have to stay ahead of the game really fast
at that level, and that experience there is
really helping me be a head coach.”
While the MLB is the highest level of
play, SEC baseball is no walk in the park.
It is second to none in winning, and
playing those types of opponents each
weekend is a heavy load on a team and
head coach. Johnson, surrounded by
it for multiple years of his career, is
accustomed to the grueling schedules,
extended bullpens and hostile crowds.
He’s shown his lineup can match up
with those SEC opponents, sweeping
No. 8 Alabama at home and grabbing
a 16-2 win at Rocky Top over the No. 5
Vols. How is this conference so good and
how can Georgia match that play?
“It’s resources,” Johnson said. Georgia,
Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, they all
have these star-studded high schoolers.
“All of these places, you’re kind of in the
baseball mecca of the U.S … as a general
rule, the majority of good players across
the country come out of the southeast.
You do your demographics homework,
and those players only want to go so far
from home, so they stay close by. And
heck, I say it to everyone. ‘The education
you get from the University of Georgia is
second to none.’”
The high-powered offense of the 2024
Bulldogs is led by two Georgia guys:
Charlie Condon (Marietta) and Corey
Collins (Suwanee). These home-state
Dawgs are a testament to that headdown,
dedicated brand that Johnson
and his staff are trying to promote. “They
want Georgia to be good,” Johnson said.
“They want this program; they want this
University to be good. They grew up in
this state, and it means a lot to them.”
The Georgia lineup doesn’t just see
success from these two though. It is
top to bottom, all nine raking home
runs, all nine batting in runners, all nine
contributing to the early wins of the Wes
Johnson era. Johnson believes this lineup
is unique, unlike any other he’s coached
in his seasoned career.
“2016, we won the league while I was at
Mississippi State. I’m trying to count the
big leaguers on that team, but that lineup
was good. 2018, I was at Arkansas, and
we lost the national title on a dropped fly
ball. That team has a lot of big leaguers
on it as well. This one ranks up there with
those two probably. This offense will rival
those, but this offense has some dynamic
pieces. I haven’t ever had a lineup with as
much flexibility and is as deep. You look
at what we’re doing: we’ve got four guys
who are playing everyday, and then we
run matchups the rest of the way.”
This early success has earned Johnson
the support of the Athens community,
but the humble leader doesn’t just want
to be adopted into the Classic City, he
wants his players to be adopted into the
history of Georgia lore.
“I can’t thank our fans enough for the
support we are getting, but I’ve said this
many times, ‘Coaches are only as good as
the players they have.’ Yes, it’s awesome
they are adopting me, but I really hope
they are adopting our players. Those guys
are the ones out there doing it. My days
in the sun are long gone.”
The diamond, the smell of fresh cut
grass, perfectly groomed dirt, the sights
and sounds of the ballpark, Johnson loves
baseball, lives and breathes it. It’s his
livelihood and so much more. It’s a sport
he fell in love with at a young age and
grows more in that devotion each day.
Like it’s said in Moneyball, “How can you
not be romantic about baseball?”
“My priorities are the Lord, my
immediate family, then baseball,” Johnson
said. “It’s everything, it’s all I know. I joke,
‘I don’t know where I bank, and my wife
dresses me.’ I hate losing more than I like
winning. There’s a lot of truth to that. You
work so hard, but you have to ride those
highs and lows just like romance.”
It’s safe to say, the performance on the
field has brought support far and wide
for the Diamond Dawgs. Furthermore,
what Wes Johnson is doing beneath the
surface, behind the curtain, not seeking
recognition, Georgia baseball is in
humble hands that will take this program
to an everlasting YEA!
A final quick message from Coach:
“Please continue to support. I can’t tell
you how excited our players were at the
Alabama series, the Iowa game and the
Georgia State game. I wish the fans could
see how much our guys fed off of your
energy, so please, continue to support
our guys! Then, even to the casual fan:
if you haven’t seen Charlie Condon play,
you need to find your way to Foley Field
because these guys don’t come around
but every 10-12 years, if that!”
To hear the full interview, check out “The
Hammy Show” on Spotify as he discusses
much more with Coach Wes Johnson!
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 46 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

WINTER/SPRING SPORTS UPDATE
BY: MATTHEW HERREN
As the winter season has ended, and springtime is roaring through Georgia,
there is plenty of optimism around the many athletic programs in Athens. From
weekend series at Foley Field to postseason hoops in Stegeman Coliseum, the past
few months have created many proud moments for the Bulldog Nation.
HOOP DAWGS
The Georgia Bulldogs men’s basketball team finished the regular season with a
record of 16-15, along with a lone victory in the first round of the SEC Tournament
over Missouri. Coach White’s team was given the opportunity to accept a spot in
the NIT, giving the program its first postseason berth since 2017. The Hoop Dawgs
knocked off Xavier in the first round at home, and then pulled off improbable
victories on the road against Wake Forest and Ohio State to advance to the Final
Four in Indianapolis. For a team that endured a six game losing streak during the
heart of SEC play, Coach White and his relentless Bulldog squad have a lot to be
proud of. Senior guard Noah Thomasson led the team in scoring with 13.1 points
per game, followed by Jabri-Abdur Rahim with 12.2. Freshman guard Blue Cain
emerged as one of the top three-point shooters on the roster with a 35% average
from behind the arc. Seven-foot center Russel Tchewa led the team in rebounds,
averaging 6.3 rebounds per game. Looking ahead to next season, Bulldog Nation
will be saying goodbye to key seniors such as Noah Thomasson, Justin Hill, Russel
Tchewa, and Jabri Abdur-Rahim. However, plenty of buzz surrounds five star
incoming freshman forward Asa Newell, who White and his staff hopes to be a
big factor in the program’s future. In terms of the transfer portal, question marks
surround freshman guard Silas Demary Jr., who following the Bulldogs’ final game
against Seton Hall said he was “going to decompress” before deciding on his future.
DIAMOND DAWGS
The Diamond Dawgs currently sit at 23-6 and in prime position for a possible run
to Omaha this summer. Out of the 23 wins include a two game sweep over Georgia
Tech, a three game sweep over Alabama, and a 16-2 victory over No. 4 Tennessee
in Knoxville. The team’s new skipper Wes Johnson has his team swinging the bat
as good as anyone in the country with a team average over.300 and 84 home runs,
the most in the nation. Baseball’s next top prospect Charlie Condon has been
on a tear for the Bulldogs, leading the team in batting average (.481), on base
percentage (.593), hits (52), and home runs (19). Corey Collins has been another key
piece to the offense, batting.396 with 12 home runs and 31 RBIs. However, pitching
has been the weakness of the team, as the staff has an ERA of 5.33. Looking ahead
to the rest of the season, the Bulldogs will continue to face stout SEC competition,
as six of their final seven series are against teams inside the top 25, along with a
lone matchup against Clemson, the No. 2 team in the nation. Matchups at Foley
Field include series against Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, and Florida. If Johnson can figure
out a way to lower the runs given up, these Diamond Dawgs can match up with
anyone in the country.
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S GOLF
The men’s golf team recently won The Goodwin at TPC Harding Park with a total
score of 839 (-1), giving the group their second team tournament win alongside
the Puerto Rico Classic this February. Ben van Wyk was the low man for the
Bulldogs after a 207 (-3) finish, good enough for a third-place finish overall. The
team will have a few weeks of preparation before traveling to St. Simons for the
SEC Championship at Sea Island April 24-28. As for the women’s golf team, they
recently competed in the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic at the UGA Golf Course in
Athens, placing third overall with a score of 879 (+15) over three rounds. Fifth-year
senior Caterina Don had a solid weekend, shooting 213 (-3) with an impressive
second-round 67. The Lady Dawgs will keep working on their game ahead of the
SEC Championship April 12-16 at The Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, as well as the
NCAA Regionals at Auburn University Club May 6-8.
GYM DAWGS
The Georgia gymnastics team finished the regular season with
a record of 6-10 and one conference win. The Gym Dawgs won
their season opener against NC State, but did not win again
until March 1st against Auburn. However, they won the Kidney
Care Women’s Gymnastics Championship in Nashville in March.
Unfortunately, the team’s season ended with a third place finish
in the NCAA Regionals. On a high note, gymnast Lily Smith
earned the all-round title at the regional.
SOFTBALL
The Lady Diamond Dawgs are rolling right along, sitting at 29-6
with a top-five ranking in the nation. In the early months of
the season, Tony Baldwin’s group was able to participate and
be successful in tournaments across the country where they
could match up against some of the top competition in the
country. Offensively, the Dawgs are batting.314 with 58 home
runs and 239 total runs scored. Jayda Kearney has led the way
offensively, batting.391 with 14 home runs and 34 RBIs. Lilli
Backes has been the solid arm in the rotation with a 2.44 ERA
and 75 strikeouts, along with four saves and 12 games won.
This team has a real shot at not just qualifying for the College
World Series in Oklahoma City this summer, but bringing home
the program’s first national title.
MEN’S TENNIS
The Georgia men’s tennis team is 10-11 on the year with a 3-6
record in SEC competition. Long-time head coach Manuel Diaz
announced this will be his last season before retirement, ending
a 36-year run which included four NCAA titles and 29 SEC
Championships. The highlights of the season so far include wins
over Georgia Tech, Alabama, LSU, and Arkansas. However, the
Bulldogs have struggled away from Dan Magill Tennis Complex,
going 0-5 in away matches. Diaz and his players will have a few
more weeks to get their game in shape before heading to Baton
Rouge at the end of April for the SEC Championships.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
The Georgia women’s tennis team owns a record of 13-4 (8-1 in
the SEC) and sit at seventh in the ITA rankings. They lost their
first conference game on March 31 on the road against #16
Auburn. Their season so far has featured wins over Florida, Texas
A&M, and Alabama, all who are ranked inside the top 25. The
Lady Dawgs will have four more home matches before they host
the SEC Tournament April 17-21 at Magill Tennis Complex.
DAWGS IN THE MASTERS
Beside the G-Day game, one of the best parts of Spring in
Georgia is watching the greatest golfers in the world compete
in the Masters tournament at arguably the world’s finest venue:
Augusta National Golf Club. Once again, UGA golf will be well
represented with Harris English, Brian Harman, Russell Henley,
Chris Kirk, Sepp Straka and Bubba Watson participating. Go low
Dawgs … Woof, Woof, Woof!
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 47 ISSUE ONE • SPRING/G-DAY

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