A parent’s perspective on Georgia: ‘Absolutely everything they’re doing is what you want for your son’

Colton Heinrich is the newest commit in the fold for the Georgia Bulldogs’ Class of 2024, with the three-star tight end pulling the trigger on Monday morning following his official visit this past weekend.

And while it’s huge news for the Dawgs, it was even bigger news for his mother, Marilyn Rule Heinrich, who found out after the decision was already made.

“He didn’t even share it with me first. He told Coach [Todd] Hartley, and I found out after the fact. I seriously did not expect it, because I thought he wanted to continue on in the process. We were in different rooms, so we didn’t have a chance to talk and see how he was truly feeling. He committed to Coach Hartley, and I find out as we’re literally walking out of the facility. I broke down in tears of joy. It was an overwhelming emotion. It was a joy and excitement,” Mrs. Heinrich told DawgsHQ. “I’m so happy for Colton and the place and position he’s in now. I’m grateful he’s in the hands of Coach Hartley and Coach Smart and the whole staff. The support staff there is incredible. It just felt right.”

For the Heinrichs, it was a total package in Athens that ended up sealing the deal.

“Colton has always been a football fan and watched college football, of course. As a family, we all sit down and watch, so we’ve obviously always been aware of Georgia and their success, especially in the last two years with the National Championships,” Mrs. Heinrich said. “This is truly a dream come true, to have the opportunity to play at the best university with the best program with the best coaches and the best academics in the best location. There is nothing that you could really say negatively about the University of Georgia. It’s everything we were looking for. We’re just beyond blessed and so grateful for this opportunity for him.”

The weekend wasn’t just about her talented son, though.

Georgia coaches made sure to take a whole family approach toward the Heinrichs.

“Absolutely we felt that,” Heinrich said. “We had an opportunity to sit down with all the parents and the recruits. We heard several different presentations. One of the first things they did on Friday night was have every coach get up and introduce themselves and show us and talk to us about their family and who they are as people. To me, that’s so important. That shows it’s about the overall person, not just an athlete on the football field. I got the true sense that they care about the person as a whole. It’s not just about what you can do to help them win games. That was something that was hit home hard. Coach Smart actually sat right next to Colton that first night, which was extra special. I was able to sit next to his wife, who played college basketball, and I’ve been a basketball coach for 25 years and played in college myself. That was really special, and we greatly appreciated that time. Colton really felt like he was a priority, that he belonged and was wanted.”

And as a coach herself, Mrs. Heinrich navigated the process with a fine-toothed comb, with Georgia checking all the right boxes.

“I’ve had a unique perspective in helping Colton through this whole process because I know the types of questions to ask and what to look for. I was looking for the specifics beyond what you do on the football field,” she said. “It’s about who you are as a person and full development in every aspect, from social to personal to academic life. Colton wants to become an engineer, and he can do that there. We sat down and talked with the academic support that he’ll have, and they just recently had one of their graduates complete their engineering degree.”

But at the end of the day, it wasn’t just about the degree or the on-field success. It all worked together, from staff to studies, to make the fit one that she’s thrilled to see for her son.

“It starts with the people. I feel they’re genuine. Their priorities are in the right place, as well. The old saying that you can’t deny is success breeds success. Absolutely everything they’re doing is what you want for your son. Location was ideal. The way he was treated. The way they sat down and showed him a presentation from Coach Hartley as to what they see in his game and how they feel he can help the Georgia Bulldogs,” Heinrich said. “Historically speaking, they’ve had five tight ends go to the NFL, and that’s Colton’s goal. They can really develop him to reach his highest potential, and hopefully one day, that might be the NFL. That’s the dream. We wanted to find the place where he could do that, and Georgia is it. There’s no question about that.”

What does Colton Heinrich bring to Georgia? His mother’s insight

As a coach herself, Marilyn Heinrich isn’t giving out easy ‘atta boys’ for her son.

She’s raised him to be strong and resilient.

She believes it will all translate over at the next level:

“From a coaching standpoint, he has a competitive edge, and he’s a gym rat. He was in the gym at seven days old. He knows what hard work and patience and perseverance are. I think that’s gotten him to where he is today,” she said. “He’s grown up in that type of environment. He understands things aren’t always going to go his way, but you get through with continued hard work and putting your nose to the grindstone and focusing on what you can control. He has those intangible tools that will help him to be successful continuing on into the future.”

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