Offensive lineman Ty Johnson grew up around Georgia football. His father played between the hedges and his mother attended the school, so Athens always felt like home.
Now, after years of work and proving himself to Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs’ staff, the Mount Pleasant (S.C.) Lucy Beckham standout will get the opportunity to live out that dream.
Advertisement
“To commit to Georgia, it is surreal,” Johnson told Rivals. “There was never any pressure for me to commit there, but to make that call and commit was a surreal feeling. It is crazy to think about committing to Georgia. I came from no offers to over 20 offers, and now I am committing to the school I grew up dreaming of playing for.”
The 6-foot-6, 280-pound lineman said the relationship with the staff helped separate Georgia from the rest of his options.
“For over the last year, Georgia has been in contact a lot,” he said. “I was always talking with them and hearing from them. They made me feel like a priority.”
Even beyond the childhood connection, Johnson believes the program speaks for itself.
Advertisement
“I can take the dream school and relationships out of the equation and I would still pick Georgia,” he said. “Look at the coaches, look at all the draft picks they have put out and look at the culture. They win the SEC, they won back-to-back national championships and their intensity never changes. Georgia works, and I love that.”
Development matters to Johnson
Another factor in his decision came from someone close to home. Former five-star offensive lineman Monroe Freeling, who grew up roughly 10 miles away, helped show Johnson what the program can do for a player’s development.
“He showed me a lot about Georgia,” Johnson said. “He got there, and the staff developed him into a first- or second-round draft pick. I talked with him a lot over the summer about his recruitment, why he chose Georgia and how the staff helped him get to where he is now. Georgia develops players better than anywhere else.”
Advertisement
Smart sets the standard in Athens
Johnson also points to Smart as a major reason the Bulldogs continue to operate at such a high level.
“What makes Coach Smart unique is his intensity,” he said. “He is never off. He holds himself, his coaches and his players to a standard. That’s what makes Georgia one of the best. He never has an off day and he’s always trying to make the team better.”
Johnson made the decision weeks ago and informed the staff before making it public. Now that the commitment has had time to settle in, the moment is starting to feel real.
“It really started to set in the past week or two,” he said. “I took my time to make sure, and now it’s starting to hit me. I’m committed to Georgia. I know the standard they will hold me to, and I’ll keep working because I know where I’ll be in about nine months.”
