Georgia
Recruiting roundup: Oregon’s loaded camp, Utah lands a lineman, USC grabs two from Georgia
The Hotline is delighted to provide fans with a regular dive into the recruiting process through the eyes and ears of Brandon Huffman, the Seattle-based national recruiting editor for 247Sports. He submitted the following report on July 31 …
Dead period goes dead again
For the last time in the foreseeable future, there was a one-week window open in July for recruiting purposes. The quiet period allowed schools to host events, and all four Pac-12 schools headed to the Big Ten took advantage.
But that’s it for the late-July window. Beginning next summer, the entire month of July will be a dead period: No on-campus visits, either official or unofficial, can be held. Same with August.
College coaches love the idea. They are stretched so thin that after the six-week spring evaluation period from mid-April until the end of May, and then with the June contact period. July will offer a much-needed respite.
So, goodbye camps, pool parties, cookouts and barbecues. Hello, vacation.
Week to remember for Oregon
All that said, the Pac-12 schools that enter the Big Ten on Friday each held some sort of recruiting event.
Oregon hosted its loaded Saturday Night Live camp, a tradition in Eugene since Willie Taggart’s lone season (2017). Aside from the former Opening Finals in Beaverton at the Nike Campus, the Ducks’ version is arguably the most talent-rich camp in the region each year.
The 2024 edition was no different, with seven players ranked No. 1 at their position in the 2025 and 2026 classes in attendance, including the No. 1 receiver in the country, Oregon commit Dakorien Moore, the No. 1 athlete in the country, Michael Terry, who has Oregon in his top three, and the No. 1 safety in the country, Trey McNutt, who has the Ducks on his short list.
McNutt will announce his decision on Saturday while Terry plans to announce later in the month. The Ducks would love to land the Ohio and Texas natives, respectively, to their star-studded class.
Other camp attendees included: the No. 1 receiver in the class of 2026, Chris Henry Jr., a commit to Ohio State; the No. 1 tight end in the country, Kendre Harrison; plus Zion Elee, the No. 1 edge rusher in the country; and the No. 1 offensive tackle in the country in 2026, Immanuel Iheanacho.
Henry has been committed to Ohio State for a year, but that hasn’t slowed the Ducks down. Position coach Junior Adams has turned his attention heavily to Henry.
Oregon received a commitment from the No. 2 running back in the country in 2026, Texas resident Tradarian Ball.
More events held out West
While the Ducks were the only Big Ten-bound program that held a recruiting camp, their brethren hosted recruiting events: Washington held the Luau on Montlake; UCLA had its Bruin Pool Party and Barbecue; and USC held a barbecue and cookout.
The Trojans received positive momentum from the weekend for their 2025 class when longtime Georgia linebacker commit Jadon Perlotte flipped his pledge from the Bulldogs, where he committed in December 2022, to the Trojans.
And yet Perlotte wasn’t even their highest-profile commitment from Georgia. That honor went to the No. 1 linebacker in the class of 2026, Xavier Griffin.
While the Trojans had three earlier pledges from the Southeast all reverse course and de-commit, they are hoping Perlotte and Griffin stay on board.
USC also added a local product in St. John Bosco athlete Josh Holland, an athlete in the 2026 class.
Washington continued its torrid July by adding Rylon Dillard-Allen, a former Arizona State commit who opened things up and then picked the Huskies. And they are trending for Zac Stascausky, a former Minnesota commit from Portland, who spent Saturday on Montlake instead of in the Twin Cities and de-committed from the Gophers earlier this week.
Meanwhile, the Bruins went heavy on 2026 targets, although they did offer a scholarship to Polynesian Bowl All-Star punter Lennox Miller.
Utes land Southland lineman
Few schools do a better job evaluating and developing defensive linemen than Utah, and coach Kyle Whittingham may have found another gem, albeit one from a high-profile program.
Utah landed a commitment from Semi Taulanga, a key part of Mater Dei High School’s state championship defense who had the option to sign with UCLA or Brigham Young.
Almost Dunn
Aaron Dunn, the No. 2 prospect in Utah and the top uncommitted offensive lineman out west, has an announcement date set.
Dunn will reveal his college choice Aug. 8 on the 247Sports YouTube Channel, and he has a heavy former Pac-12 flavor in his final five.
The four-star prospect will choose from the two home-state schools, BYU and Utah, as well as from Oregon, UCLA and USC.
Each school welcomed him for official visits in May and June.
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Originally Published:
As temperatures rise across Georgia, cooling costs are also expected to climb this summer. The Georgia Public Service Commission is set to hear one of Georgia Power’s proposed agreements aimed at saving customers money on their power bills.
Georgia Power says its proposed agreements could save the typical customer about $4 a month if approved by the commission.
The proposals involve two separate cases before the PSC. One focuses on fuel costs used to operate power plants, while the second deals with storm recovery costs tied to Hurricane Helene.
Georgia Power and the PSC’s Public Interest Advocacy Staff recently reached agreements in both cases. If approved, the company says the typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month could save about $4.04 per month or nearly $50 per year beginning in June.
The proposal comes as a new national report from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association and the Center for Energy Poverty and Climate projects cooling costs could rise about 8.5% nationwide this year. The report says hotter temperatures and increased energy demand are helping drive costs higher.
Reliable Heating and Air said it is already seeing an increase in service calls across metro Atlanta as more people start using their air conditioning systems.
HVAC experts said homeowners should watch for warning signs, including strange noises, weak airflow, homes cooling slowly or higher-than-normal power bills.
“Biggest mistake they make is not getting a system maintenance,” said Joshua Kelly with Reliable Heating and Air. “A lot of people feel like, ‘Oh no, I don’t have to get maintenance,’ but you most definitely do.”
Experts recommend changing air filters regularly, scheduling maintenance checks, keeping thermostats between 74 and 77 degrees on hot days and addressing airflow problems early.
Resources for Georgia families needing help with cooling costs:
- Georgia LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) — Helps eligible low-income households pay heating and cooling bills and may assist during energy emergencies.
- United Way 211 — Connects families with local resources, including utility assistance programs, emergency financial help and community services.
- Partnership for Community Action — Offers utility assistance, energy support programs and other services for eligible families in metro Atlanta.
- Local Community Action Agencies — Many agencies across Georgia provide emergency utility assistance, payment support and additional family resources during extreme heat and high energy demand periods.
ATLANTA – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Emory University Hospital are monitoring two Georgia residents following a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship that resulted in three deaths.
Atlanta hospital monitoring
What we know:
A couple returned to Georgia last week and was moved Monday to Emory University Hospital for specialized monitoring. One of the passengers showed mild symptoms of the virus but has since tested negative. Both individuals were passengers on the MV Hondius, a ship where the Andes variant of hantavirus was identified.
The CDC confirmed the patients are being kept in a biocontainment unit designed for highly infectious diseases. Doctors at Emory said one individual is receiving treatment while the other is being monitored, though they emphasize there is no risk to the general public.
Monitoring and travel status
What we don’t know:
Health officials have not confirmed if the passengers will be cleared to leave the hospital or return home before a 42-day period is over. While one test was negative, authorities have not said how many additional tests or how much more observation time is needed before the couple is fully cleared. The exact names and ages of the Georgia residents have not been released due to privacy concerns.
Cruise ship outbreak
The backstory:
The outbreak began in April on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius during a voyage from Argentina. Nine cases have been confirmed and three people died after the virus spread, likely through human-to-human transmission of the Andes strain. This specific strain is known for causing Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, a severe respiratory illness.
Low public risk
Big picture view:
While the Andes variant is serious, the CDC and World Health Organization assess the risk to the general public as low. The virus typically spreads through close contact with bodily fluids or respiration rather than everyday social contact. Federal and state health departments are using established protocols to manage the repatriation and monitoring of the 18 Americans who were on the ship.
The Source: Information for this story was gathered from FOX 5 reporter Kevyn Stewart, who attended a news conference with the CDC and Emory University Hospital, as well as official statements from the Georgia Department of Public Health and the World Health Organization.
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