Emptying the Notebook: Georgia team, recruiting buzz ahead of offseason

Right now is the least active time of year when it comes to gathering Georgia team intel. The players are going their separate ways for a few weeks to work internships and spend time with their families while the coaches focus on recruiting.

Still, DawgsHQ has you covered with some team and recruiting notes. Let’s open the notebook, shake it, and see what falls out.

One of the best things that can happen to you as a reporter is a good source reaching out to offer information. It doesn’t happen often and when it does, you’re usually trying to figure out why and what kind of intentional leak is taking place.

With that said, I had a trusted source reach out to me recently with some good things to say about Andrew Paul and his ACL recovery. I would have been at least a little skeptical if it didn’t match up with what Rusty Mansell reported on his first day a week and a half ago. The person I spoke with mentioned how much strength Paul has regained in that knee. The Georgia medical staff is still going to go through its specific protocol for the injury but the buzz suggests that Paul is noticeably ahead of schedule in his recovery. Normally the mental aspect of the recovery, at least when it comes to a return to form, is just as tough as the physical. But you it’s never bad to hear things like this.

Tremendous job by Wes Blankenship to get an exclusive with Dominic Lovett this week. Reading that interview made me want to circle back and talk with folks about some of the things I heard this spring. I don’t want to work against the machine here but I don’t believe his exploits on the practice field and the excitement about him is being appropriately reported.

I’m sure there’s some intention there so as to quell the buzz and, as a result, expectations. But Lovett, per sources I spoke with this week and in real time back in March and April, were really impressed with him on multiple levels. One person I’ve grown to really trust raved about the Georgia wideout’s after-catch ability and how hard he is to get on the ground.

At the request of a close contact, I recently went back and studied the G-Day game and watched the second-team offensive line. I wasn’t told what to look for other than just focus on the Georgia front. Well, I came away really impressed with the play of Dylan Fairchild and him alone with that group. Micah Morris had a couple of good series. Chad Lindberg struggled. Jared Wilson struggled. Monroe Freeling had some flashes but, for the most part, also struggled. Fairchild did not.

I hadn’t heard much about him during spring drills but I did some checking after watching him in the G-Day game and he’s in position to earn snaps this fall. If he’s able to put together a good summer and camp, we’ll likely see a rotation at guard with him, Xavier Truss and Tate Ratledge much like the one we expect Georgia to employ at offensive tackle.

Speaking of offensive lineman, I’m catching some buzz about Georgia and Lake Norman (Mooresville, N.C.) offensive tackle Ethan Calloway. As of right now I expect him on campus in early June for an official visits and the Bulldogs are more of a factor in his recruitment than has been reported thus far.

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