Hawaii to Athens? Georgia searching in the Pacific for quarterback depth
Georgia has flown over the Pacific Ocean to round out its 2019 recruiting class with quarterback depth.
Or at least try. At worst, it’ll get a trip to the majestic islands of Hawaii, right?
There’s a purpose for this trip as James Coley, the Bulldogs’ co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, is in pursuit of three-star signal caller Dillon Gabriel out of Mililani, Hawaii, a small town 20 miles outside of Honolulu.
Gabriel has Georgia listed in his Top 3, along with University of Southern California and University of Central Florida. Georgia’s pursuit of Gabriel began after he decommitted from Army on Nov. 11.
“I love how close they are (at Georgia),” Gabriel said in an interview with The Telegraph Monday night. “They’re like a family. It’s a great feeling. I would feel comfortable (leaving Hawaii) to come play at Georgia.”
Georgia’s late pursuit of the three-star comes as its desire, according to Gabriel, to carry two quarterbacks in the class. Throughout this past season, the Bulldogs only had two scholarship quarterbacks in Jake Fromm and Justin Fields. Walk-on Matthew Downing received a heavy volume of playing opportunity in end-of-game scenarios.
This move would provide depth, and Gabriel’s interest serves as another viable option if John Rhys Plumlee, a four-star out of Oak Grove, Miss., decides to commit elsewhere. Plumlee has been committed to Georgia since June 15, but also has Mississippi and North Carolina on his radar.
According to the 247Sports.com crystal ball, Plumlee’s predictions are split four ways between Georgia, Ole Miss, North Carolina and “undecided.”
Despite those circumstances, the depth isn’t something to faze Gabriel.
“It’s an opportunity to learn and compete with the best,” he said. “That’s how you become the best.”
Georgia’s interests apparently mimic that of Gabriel’s, because it probably wouldn’t make a 4,546-mile trip across the globe for an in-home visit — even if the scenery alone is tempting. When Coley made the trip to Mililani, he brought a bit of his South Florida flare to the Gabriel family, although there are evident differences.
As he laid out a plan for how the Bulldogs plan to use Gabriel, the quarterback prospect warmed up to the third-year assistant coach as each moment passed.
“He’s just a down-to-earth guy,” Gabriel said. “I would love to play for him. He’s honestly a great coach who is very smart and there for his players.”
Shortly after Coley got a taste of the island, Gabriel saw what Georgia’s campus and Athens was about. As it competes with Los Angeles and Orlando for Gabriel’s services, there was a uniqueness about the city that the Hawaii native enjoyed.
It was a goodbye to the palm trees and hello to what the south had to offer.
“(Athens) is very different, yet it is so cool,” Gabriel said. “I love the atmosphere in downtown and the facilities. It was an amazing sight to take it all in at night.”
This story was originally published December 11, 2018 at 1:30 PM.