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Georgia football history could repeat with top two D-Tackles returning

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Georgia football history could repeat with top two D-Tackles returning


ATHENS — Georgia fans can only hope history repeats itself where the return of defensive tackles Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson are concerned.

Some three years ago, Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt decided to return for their senior seasons, keying the Bulldogs’ break-through championship season.

The players built themselves into first-round NFL draft picks leading into that 2021 season, anchoring a UGA defense that allowed fewer average points per game in the regular season (6.9) than any team since 1986 Oklahoma.

Stackhouse is hoping he can do the same, recently sharing in a Players Lounge interview the reason he decided to return rather than be a late-round NFL pick in the upcoming draft.

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“Number one, I would say would be, my draft stock, and then all the in-house details about where you will fall in the draft, or if you go here, this is what they are looking for, that’s number one,” Stackhouse said.

“Number two would be because we lost to Bama in the SEC Championship. For those who don’t know, Georgia has never beat Bama in the SEC Championship, and I gotta break that,” he said.

“Three, just to better my play. I feel like I missed a lot of money on the field. I don’t think I had my best season, but I don’t think I had a bad season. A lot of people know my junior year (2022) was my best year playing, I made second-team (All-) SEC.”

Stackhouse wasn’t playing next to Jalen Carter in 2023, however, and the Georgia defensive front dropped off, likely the single-biggest reason the Bulldogs fell short in their quest to three-peat.

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Kirby Smart challenged his defensive line last spring, saying he wasn’t sure UGA had the “train wreckers or havoc makers” it had in the past.

Brinson challenged that notion, saying by the end of the season the defensive line “could all be big names.”

As it turned out, safety Malaki Starks was the only UGA defensive player SEC coaches chose as first-team All-SEC.

That’s right, just one Georgia player on defense was deemed good enough to be a first-team All-SEC player according to the league’s coaches when they voted.

It was an eye-opener for a program that had built its reputation with tough physical practices, sometimes at the expense of the offense, to ensure the defensive sharpness.

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Warren Brinson challenges Smart’s notion that D-Line lacking

Smart knows his program better than anyone and is arguably the best talent evaluator in the game, based on his recruiting prowess and the number of players he recruited at Alabama and Georgia that have went on to the NFL.

Smart’s suspicion last spring that the interior Georgia defensive line lacked difference makers proved correct.

The Bulldogs slipped to 18th in run defense after leading the nation in stopping the run three of the previous four seasons (2022, 2020, 2019), and finishing second in 2021.

REVIEW: How the Georgia position groups ranked entering the 2023 season

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It showed up in the clutch, Alabama outrushing UGA 114-78 in the Tide’s 27-24 SEC title game win.

Michigan, meanwhile, stopped the Tide and went on to win the national championship.

The Wolverines, not-so-coincidentally, finished No. 1 in total defense and No. 5 in rushing defense, featuring a fearsome front that could get pressure and stop the run without the benefit of extra bodies.

Georgia has an offseason to rebuild itself into a defensive dominator, just as Davis and Wyatt decided to do when they stepped up as team leaders before the 2021 championship season.

Now, like then, there are talents behind the veteran players who could become stars and play larger roles.

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Former 5-star recruit Jordan “Big Baby” Hall has flashed upside, along with Jamal Jarrett, Christen Miller and incoming South Carolina transfer Xzavier McLeod.

READ: Projected Georgia defensive depth chart, 2024

It starts with the leadership provided by Stackhouse and Brinson, just as Davis and Wyatt once focused in on leading the so-called “No-Name” Defense.

That 2021 defense, amazingly, placed just one defensive player (Davis) on the preseason 2021 All-SEC team before its run to glory.

How 2023 NFL Draft makes case for ‘No-Name Defense” as best of modern era

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Georgia figures to be a preseason No. 1 pick before this season, as it was last year, but largely because of the return of quarterback Carson Beck.

A great defensive that can force three-and-outs and produce good field position would make all the difference in the world.



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Zuckerman eyes MLB Draft after superb baseball season at Georgia Tech

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Zuckerman eyes MLB Draft after superb baseball season at Georgia Tech


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Ryan Zuckerman is last on the alphabetical list of the 335 college and high school baseball players attending the June 22-27 MLB Draft Combine in Phoenix.

What the 2023 Pennsbury graduate did in his lone season at Georgia Tech has garnered him plenty of attention from MLB scouts regardless of where his name is on a list that includes Holy Ghost Prep grad Aiden Robbins, a Texas outfield standout who is expected to go as early as late in the first round, fellow Pennsbury graduate Joe Tiroly, an infielder from Virginia, and Pennsbury senior right-handed pitcher Keller Bradley.

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MVP of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament for the conference champion Yellow Jackets, second-team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and leader in home runs (23) and RBIs (79, tied for eighth in the country) for the high-powered Georgia Tech offense are just a few of Zuckerman’s notable accomplishments heading into the July 11-13 draft. He is projected to go toward the middle of the 20 rounds.

“It’s pretty surreal for sure,” said Zuckerman, 21. “It’s something I dreamed of my whole life.”

In a season filled with memorable moments, perhaps most impressive was Zuckerman being named ACC Tournament MVP after hitting three home runs with six RBIs and batting .571 (8 for 14), culminating in a 13-6 championship game win over North Carolina in Charlotte. He also was a first-team All-ACC selection at third base.

Zuckerman and Georgia Tech went into the NCAA Atlanta regional as the nation’s No. 2 seed. Though the 50-11 Yellow Jackets ended up being eliminated by losing twice to Oklahoma, including 8-7 in 10 innings for the regional title, Zuckerman can only rave about his experience at Georgia Tech.  

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“If you would have told me that’s how the season for me and each of us on the team would’ve gone, I would’ve been extremely happy,” Zuckerman said. “It was probably the best decision I ever made in my life.”

After a solid sophomore season at Pitt in which he hit .295 with 16 doubles, 13 home runs, 48 RBIs and 48 runs scored, Zuckerman believed transferring would help him develop into a more pro-ready player and allow him to win more games. And Georgia Tech checked all the boxes

In addition to his career-best home run and RBI numbers, Zuckerman led Georgia Tech in 2026 with 24 multi-RBI games while establishing career-highs in batting average (.345), runs (71), hits (80), walks (37), slugging percentage (.720) and on-base percentage (.438). He batted fifth in the order.

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The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Zuckerman, who always had a strong arm, also worked hard to improve his defense at third base, resulting in 15.99 defensive runs saved for the season, which was the 13th-highest total in college baseball.

“I like to say I’m arguably the best third baseman in the country,” he said.

As a senior playing third at Pennsbury, Zuckerman hit .465 with an on-base percentage of .563, plus six doubles, six home runs, 23 RBIs and scored 26 runs.

“In high school, he was incredible for us,” said Pennsbury head coach Joe Pesci. “(A year ago), he decided to go from a mid- to low ACC team to the best team in the ACC. Surrounding himself with amazing players at Georgia Tech, he’s kind of elevated his game.”

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Since the conclusion of the collegiate season, Zuckerman has been working out in preparation for the MLB Draft Combine and, ultimately, the draft. He’s been splitting his time between Yardley and Atlanta.

MLB teams have indicated Zuckerman’s power bat and defense are two of his strengths, while he’s focusing on improving his swing selection and making more contact at the plate.

Zuckerman is looking forward to hearing his name called by one of the 30 major league clubs. Whether a team views him as a third baseman, first baseman, corner outfielder or even second baseman doesn’t really matter to him.

“I think right now I’m in a great position to go and play professional baseball and start my journey up to the big leagues,” Zuckerman said. “The goal is not to get drafted – it’s to play MLB.”

Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes.com; @TomMoorePhilly is a sports columnist for PhillyBurbs.com. Support our journalism with a subscription.

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Georgia pair charged with murder after bartender’s dismembered remains found in lake outside Atlanta

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Georgia pair charged with murder after bartender’s dismembered remains found in lake outside Atlanta


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A Georgia pair have been charged with murder after allegedly slaughtering a bartender and dumping his dismembered remains in a lake, according to authorities.

Mario Andre Barber, 46, and Brittany Amber Baker, 42, were arrested on Monday for allegedly murdering Jamal Rashad Parker, 37, in a home outside of Atlanta, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.

Investigators discovered Parker’s remains in May in the Dog River Reservoir, located about 30 miles outside Atlanta.

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Parker’s identity was confirmed using DNA comparison technology after his father contacted authorities to report that the victim’s tattoos matched his son’s ink, local station WSB-TV reported.

MINNESOTA MAN ACCUSED OF DISMEMBERING GIRLFRIENDS, HIDING BODIES IN STORAGE UNITS ENTERS PLEA

Mario Andre Barber, 46, and Brittany Amber Baker, 42, are charged with murder. (Douglas County Sheriff’s Office)

Investigators believe the two suspects killed Parker inside a home in Douglasville where Baker lived.

Late last month, investigators were observed leaving the home with a reciprocating saw and cleaning supplies, according to WSB-TV.

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Police have not disclosed if Parker knew his alleged killers. However, a GoFundMe created by a family member described the pair as “people he knew and trusted.”

SUZANNE SIMPSON’S DNA FOUND ON MURDER SUSPECT HUSBAND’S SAW THAT CAN CUT METAL

A family member described Jamal Rashad Parker as a bartender, musician and artist with “a beautiful soul and spirit.” (GoFundMe)

The suspects pleaded not guilty in court on Tuesday and are being held without bond. Both have lengthy criminal records, according to reports.

“I want them to be punished. And I don’t even think a life sentence is good enough,” Parker’s dad, Charles Parker, told WSB-TV outside the courthouse.

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“It’s the kind of stuff you see on TV, but I mean … they had no remorse,” he added.

In addition to bartending at Ms. Icey’s Kitchen & Bar in Atlanta, the victim was a musician and artist with “a beautiful soul and spirit,” according to the GoFundMe page created to cover burial costs.

Investigators believe the two suspects killed the victim inside a home in Douglasville. (Douglas County Sheriff’s Office)

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“He loved life and the people he met along his journey in life. He was a musical artist, visual artist, and a professional bartender who enjoyed creating new drinks. This has totally devastated our family and friends and has left us heartbroken,” the fundraiser reads.

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Georgia football trying to flip Grayson CB recruit

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Georgia football trying to flip Grayson CB recruit


The Georgia Bulldogs are trying to flip cornerback recruit Preston Glasco just over a week after he committed to the Connecticut Huskies.

Glasco, a member of the class of 2027, announced his commitment to UConn on June 10. Since committing to UCONN, Georgia has hosted Glasco on an official visit and offered him a scholarship (back on June 18).

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound cornerback has excellent length and size. Glasco has impressive athleticism and ran a 4.47-4.57 second 40-yard dash (hand timed) during a recent workout with the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Glasco plays high school football for Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia. He’s unranked as a recruit, but that’s bound to change soon. The unranked cornerback plays against a stout level of competition at Grayson, who is a Georgia high school powerhouse.

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Glasco has scholarship offers from Army, Yale, Boston College, Penn and more. He’s a great student and appears to be healthy after he was recovering from a surgery around this time last year. The talented Grayson cornerback has also gone on recent visits to South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

Coach Kirby Smart and Georgia currently don’t have any cornerback commitments in the class of 2027.

Georgia football offers Preston Glasco

“Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Georgia,” Glasco said after Georgia offered him.

Glasco visits UGA football

Follow UGA Wire on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) or Threads for more Georgia football recruiting coverage! 





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