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Dogs land another QB
By CARTER STRICKLAND
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/18/06
Just before Logan Gray stepped in front of the assembled crowd to take his first significant step toward his football future, he took just a moment to make sure of things.
Out came the cell phone and in went the text message:
I'm about to announce officially, Gray typed. I hope you're ready.
The recipient, Georgia quarterback coach Mike Bobo was. So too then was Gray. The heralded prep quarterback stepped to the podium and told the assembled crowd at his high school, Rock Bridge in Columbia, Missouri, he was committing to Georgia.
"It is the place I want to be," he said. "It was really between Auburn and Georgia. I just felt like I fit at Georgia. Coach (Mark) Richt and coach Bobo, they are just such great people down there. This is a dream come true for me."
Georgia fans have become accustomed to these pinch me moments under Richt. This is the fifth top-25 quarterback Richt has recruited to Georgia in his six recruiting seasons.
Gray, who is ranked 12th nationally by scout.com, will join Blake Barnes, Joe Cox and Matthew Stafford on campus. Barnes and Cox were ranked anywhere from 20-25 at their position by recruiting experts. Stafford was one of the top three quarterbacks of 2006, according to most recruiting experts.
The stockpiled talent doesn't worry Gray.
"I am competitor," he said. "(Who was there) didn't play into it all. It was where I wanted to be and we will see what happens when I get there."
What is intriguing about Gray are the skills he possess that other quarterbacks do not have, said Jeremy Crabtree, a recruiting expert for rivals.com
He posted a laser-time 4.45 40-yard dash and a 36-inch vertical.
"He's definitely a quarterback and he could be a dual threat quarterback," Crabtree said. "I know he is confident in his abilities and he believes when he goes there he is going to be the man."
But, if things don't work out at quarterback, Gray does have the skills to move to another position and excel, Crabtree said.
What will immediately happen for Gray at Georgia is a redshirt season. Gray is 185 pounds and the coaching staff has told him they would like to see him build more muscle onto his 6-foot-2 frame. A redshirt season will also allow for two years separation between Gray and Stafford, a true freshman and Cox, a redshirt freshman.
Gray is a two-year starter at Rock Bridge. Last season Gray threw for 2169 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He competed 135-of-233 pass attempts. He was recruited heavily throughout the Southeastern Conference and the Big 12.
Gray is the 10th commitment for Georgia. Oral commitments at non-binding. Signing day is Feb. 7, 2007.