Georgia
Players to Watch on Georgia Tech’s Offense in Tomorrow’s Spring Game
After a month of practice, Georgia Tech is going to take the field tomorrow for the Annual White and Gold Spring Game and it will be the first chance to see the 2024 Yellow Jackets on the field. The highly anticipated season opener vs Florida State is nearly four months away and it won’t be long after that Georgia Tech will be turning their focus to Ireland and the Seminoles.
There is no shortage of things to be looking out for in tomorrow’s spring game, but let’s talk about the offense.
Georgia Tech made a huge turnaround on that side of the ball last year, going from one of the worst offenses in the country to one of the best. They led the ACC in rushing and quarterback Haynes King was one of the best success stories in the conference after transferring over from Texas A&M. The Yellow Jackets had breakout stars at wide receiver and one of the best offensive lines in the ACC. The good news is that they are bringing back most of their production on offense, as well as most of the coaching staff. This is expected to be one of the best units in the conference and a reason why Georgia Tech will be a tough team to beat.
Because Georgia Tech returns so many players on offense, the questions will be about their depth and Saturday will potentially give a glimpse into that.
So who are some players to watch on offense tomorrow?
1. Anthony Carrie-RB
Georgia Tech has one of the best running backs in the country with Jamal Haynes but with Dontae Smith gone, Georgia Tech needs to find reliable depth at a position that always needs it.
So who might that be?
Whether it is head coach Brent Key or running backs coach Norval McKenzie, coaches have praised true freshman running back Anthony Carrie this spring. Carrie is a four-star running back that Georgia Tech landed on signing day last December and he is a talented prospect who might make an impact sooner than later.
Here is what McKenzie had to say about Carrie earlier this spring:
“I think Anthony’s having a good spring ball. You always worry about as a freshman like how would he grasp the offense, kind of where would he be in pass protection. Is he a physical kid or is he gonna get bullied or whatever? And right now doing really good with the playbook and also doing fine and pass protection as well. So there’s still some things he has to learn in terms of where he fit in protection, but when it comes to actually fitting up a guy and protecting, he’s actually showed that he can and he’s more than willing to. So that’s the biggest thing too. Is he a willing blocker, which he is. So like I mentioned, man, I’m excited about where he is right now and the progression that he’s taken from practice one to practice eight.”
2. Leo Blackburn-WR
Georgia Tech has a deep and talented wide receiver room, but Blackburn adds a different dimension to this team. The problem for him unfortunately has been health. Blackburn tore his ACL last spring and did not play in 2023, but he is back this spring and Saturday will be a chance to show how his skill set can be a difference-maker. Blackburn is 6’5 220 LBS and Georgia Tech could use a receiver with that kind of size and playmaking capability. If healthy, Blackburn can make an already dangerous offense even better.
3. Jackson Hawes-TE
Georgia Tech lost Dylan Leonard and Luke Benson from last year’s tight end room and went out and got two transfers. One of them was Yale tight Jackson Hawes and he is someone that Key has pointed out in both of Georgia Tech’s earlier scrimmages this spring:
“But then today really showed up as a big target that’s hard to bring down is Jackson Hawes, the Yale transfer. He’s a big target to see over the middle, especially when you get down in the red area, part of the game.”
Georgia Tech did not use their tight ends much in the passing game, but Leonard was also a solid blocker. Saturday will be a chance for Hawes to show he can add something new to the offense.
4. Aaron Philo and Graham Knowles- QB’s
Philo and Knowles were early enrollees and have been practicing this spring and they have been getting great reviews from their coaches and their fellow quarterbacks:
“They’re still learning the information, and what I share with them is that I’ve been there. I know what it feels like. So what happens is, as they continue to try to understand what we’re doing, the body physically slows down. So that’s where they’re at right now. They’re great additions to the room. They’re wired the right way. They want to be great.” says quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke. “They want to be coached. I couldn’t ask for two better guys in that room. I think that’s where they’re at right now. the bonus that they have sitting in this room is you’ve got two older guys, right? That have been there and done it. They kind of observe how they go about their business. And I think the sky’s the limit for both of those young guys”
Starting quarterback Haynes King says they are picking things up fast and learning well through this spring.
“The way they pick up on the offense pretty fast they’re coachable they want to do stuff the right way they’re falling in line they’re doing everything the right way showing up on time they’re competing every day I know at times they have to split some routes and they’re doing a good job of running the offense and just operating you know and that’s the big thing right now and I feel like they’re they’re doing a great job picking up on the offense and operating.”
Both Philo and Knowles are stepping into a really good situation. King is one of the best quarterbacks in the ACC and it is a huge advantage to have an experienced and talented quarterback like Pyron as a backup. Both of these quarterbacks can learn from these two quarterbacks and not have to worry about competing for a starting job and offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner sees that as a huge advantage:
“I think the biggest thing is it’s great they got here in January right and you’re seeing that across college football and now really at every position but it started with quarterbacks, with the kids enrolling early so they could learn the offense and compete for the job. The best thing for those two kids and their future is, is they don’t have to play right now. So we can bring them along slowly, continue to develop them, get them as many reps as we can get them. And I think that gets lost a lot of times in college football. The older you get, the better you are, and those kids don’t have to play right now and we’re excited they’re here. We look forward to seeing, forward to you know, developing them and it’s good that they are here because these are going to be 15 practices that you normally wouldn’t have if you aren’t here till the summer and then obviously all summer they’ll be here and have a chance to compete and they both got bright futures and we’re excited they’re here.”
Both guys are the future of the quarterback room for Georgia Tech and they will get to step on the field for the first time as Yellow Jackets. I think they are the guys to watch on Saturday.
Georgia
Georgia Lottery Mega Millions, Cash 3 results for Dec. 24, 2024
The Georgia Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 24, 2024, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
11-14-38-45-46, Mega Ball: 03, Megaplier: 3
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
Midday: 2-1-3
Evening: 7-9-7
Night: 3-4-6
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
Midday: 4-5-8-6
Evening: 4-7-0-7
Night: 4-7-9-2
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash4Life numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
07-23-25-46-57, Cash Ball: 03
Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
Early Bird: 03
Matinee: 08
Drive Time: 04
Primetime: 05
Night Owl: 11
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Georgia FIVE numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
Midday: 2-8-4-4-7
Evening: 7-6-6-4-6
Check Georgia FIVE payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
04-15-25-37-42
Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes under $601: Can be claimed at any Georgia Lottery retail location. ALL PRIZES can be claimed by mail to: Georgia Lottery Corporation, P.O. Box 56966, Atlanta, GA 30343.
- Prizes over $600: Must be claimed at Georgia Lottery Headquarters or any Georgia Lottery district office or mailed to the Georgia Lottery for payment.
When are the Georgia Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3 (Midday): 12:29 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash 3 (Evening): 6:59 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash 3 (Night): 11:34 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash 4 (Midday): 12:29 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash 4 (Evening): 6:59 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash 4 (Night): 11:34 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash 4 Life: 9:00 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash Pop (Early Bird): 8:00 a.m. ET daily.
- Cash Pop (Matinee): 1:00 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash Pop (Drive Time): 5:00 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash Pop (Primetime): 8:00 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash Pop (Night Owl): 11:59 p.m. ET daily.
- Georgia FIVE (Midday): 12:29 p.m. ET daily.
- Georgia FIVE (Evening): 6:59 p.m. ET daily.
- Fantasy 5: 11:34 p.m. ET daily.
- Jumbo Bucks Lotto: 11:00 p.m. ET on Monday and Thursday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Georgia editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Georgia
Georgia's immigrant communities brace for mass deportations in new Trump term
Immigrant families across Georgia are having difficult conversations around the table this holiday season, preparing for the possibility of mass deportations when President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.
The president-elect has vowed to implement what he has called the “largest deportation program in American history,” and has discussed using the military to do so.
Members of Atlanta’s Hispanic community recently gathered in Brookhaven for a town hall meeting to discuss these policies’ potential impact, and what the weeks and months to come could look like.
“We’ve started preparing the community for what might happen,” Santiago Marquez, CEO of the Buford-based Latin American Association (LAA), said. “For mixed-status families that we have talked to, there’s fear and concern.”
This year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported that 4,500 people in the Atlanta metro area who were in the country illegally have been deported.
The debate over immigration enforcement intensified after the murder of nursing student Laken Riley in Athens at the hands Venezuelan national Jose Ibarra.
That fueled calls from Republicans for an immigration crackdown.
President-elect Trump has promised to bring troops into communities nationwide to aid in carrying out deportations.
Mark Nevitt, an associate professor at Emory Law, explained the legal framework that could be invoked to facilitate such actions.
“The president does have broad authorities under a law called the Insurrection Act,” Nevitt said. “He’d have to declare an insurrection, which is arguably not the case in this specific instance. There’s not sort of an open insurrection against the president.”
He warned that doing so could harm civil-military relations, threaten civil liberties, and endanger lives.
There are also concerns about the psychological and emotional toll these measures could have on immigrant communities.
“I think that would be terrifying to a lot of people. It might remind them of their countries that they fled,” he said.
Marquez advises individuals who could be affected to educate themselves on their legal rights and to create a contingency plan while awaiting further details on the president-elect’s policies. The LAA has more information on its website.
The Source: FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Rob DiRienzo cited statements from President-elect Donald Trump and spoke to the CEO of the Latin American Association and Emory Law associate professor Mark Nevitt for the information provided in this article.
Georgia
How Georgia Fans Should Remember Carson Beck
With Carson Beck’s season over, here is how the Bulldogs’ fanbase should look back on his time as Georgia’s quarterback.
Earlier this week, reports surfaced that Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck received surgery to repair the UCL ligament in his throwing arm. Subsequently ending his 2024 season and likely concluding his time as a Georgia Bulldog. With Beck’s collegiate career seemingly over, how should Georgia fans reflect on the quarterback’s career in The Red and Black?
While Beck was only the starter during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, his story begins much before then. The quarterback was a highly touted member of the Bulldogs’ 2020 signing class and was listed as a 4-star at the time of his commitment. Unfortunately, his freshman season was anything but normal, as the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic shortened all college football seasons and even saw numerous games canceled.
Following the conclusion of his freshman season, Beck seemed poised to at the very least earn some playing time during the regular season. As spring scrimmages and fall camps concluded, reports sprinkled in that Beck had made massive strides from his freshman year and was likely the second-string quarterback behind starter JT Daniels. However, once Daniels was sidelined with an injury early into the 2021 season, Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs’ staff elected to name Stetson Bennett the starter of the Bulldogs’ offense due to his experience.
Beck would see action sparingly throughout the year, while Bennett went on to lead the Dawgs to their first national title in over 40 years. Following the 2021 season, Bennett announced that he would be returning for one more season as the Bulldogs’ quarterback. This led to many fans anticipating Beck to enter the transfer portal and look for opportunities elsewhere.
Despite expectations to transfer, Beck remained steadfast in his loyalty to the “G” and served as the Bulldogs’ backup for the 2022 season. Once the season concluded, the Bulldogs were on a massive win streak and had just completed the first back-to-back national title victory in the College Football Playoff era. Placing immense pressure on whoever the next starting quarterback would be.
Following an intense position battle with Brock Vandagriff ahead of the 2023 season, Carson Beck was named Georgia’s starting quarterback after waiting for three seasons. Subsequently tasking Beck with maintaining the longest win streak in Bulldogs history, winning a third straight national title, and doing so with a brand-new offensive coordinator. Understandably, the Dawgs offense struggled at times throughout the 2023 season and much of the blame was undeservedly placed on Beck.
Despite criticism, Beck finished his first year as a starter with the highest single-season completion percentage in Georgia football history and led the Bulldogs to a dominating victory over Florida State in the Orange Bowl. With Beck’s 4th collegiate season concluded anticipations of him entering the NFL Draft began to rise. But once again, the quarterback’s loyalty to Georgia shined through as he elected to come back for one more season as the Dawgs’ quarterback.
As the 2024 season approached, expectations for Beck and the Georgia offense remained extremely high. Unfortunately, suspensions, injuries, and lackluster play from surrounding talent led to numerous games where the Bulldogs’ offense struggled. Beck had his fair share of struggles as well and went through a rough period of games throughout the regular season, which led to him receiving mass amounts of criticism and was often the subject of many jokes.
However, Beck once again overcame the criticisms and led the Dawgs to an SEC title appearance against all odds. Sadly, the SEC Championship would be his last appearance as Georgia’s quarterback, as he would suffer an injury to his throwing arm that would require surgery.
Carson Beck’s lengthy story with the Georgia Bulldogs certainly did not have the storybook ending that many would have liked to see. But that is far from the legacy that the quarterback is leaving behind. In an era where players demand absorbent amounts of money to commit, transfer when they don’t play, and head off to the NFL Draft as soon as possible. Carson Beck was an outlier for Georgia and dedicated his entire college career (and then some) to the Bulldogs.
The term “Damn Good Dawg” (or DGD for short) is used by the Georgia fanbase and is reserved for only the most deserving of Bulldogs. While Carson Beck likely won’t go down as the greatest Georgia quarterback of all time, nor will his jersey be retired anytime soon. The quarterback showed vast amounts of determination, poise, and loyalty that helped bring some of the greatest moments in the history of Georgia football and will absolutely go down in history as a “Damn Good Dawg.”
Other Georgia News:
Join the Community:
Subscribe to our YouTube Page HERE.
You can follow us for future coverage by clicking “Follow” on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @BulldogMaven & follow us on Twitter at@DawgsDaily
-
Business1 week ago
Freddie Freeman's World Series walk-off grand slam baseball sells at auction for $1.56 million
-
Technology1 week ago
Meta’s Instagram boss: who posted something matters more in the AI age
-
Technology4 days ago
Google’s counteroffer to the government trying to break it up is unbundling Android apps
-
News5 days ago
Novo Nordisk shares tumble as weight-loss drug trial data disappoints
-
Politics5 days ago
Illegal immigrant sexually abused child in the U.S. after being removed from the country five times
-
Entertainment6 days ago
'It's a little holiday gift': Inside the Weeknd's free Santa Monica show for his biggest fans
-
Lifestyle6 days ago
Think you can't dance? Get up and try these tips in our comic. We dare you!
-
Technology7 days ago
Fox News AI Newsletter: OpenAI responds to Elon Musk's lawsuit