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Georgia Tech flipped the commitment of one of the state’s top linebackers, who was previously pledged to Vanderbilt.

Nigel Bowden, a 4-star linebacker from Central Macon High School, changed his mind after meeting on Friday in person with Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson, who promptly offered a football scholarship from the Yellow Jackets. Bowden had been committed to Vanderbilt since March.


LB Nigel Bowden flipped from Vanderbilt to Georgia Tech after meeting with Paul Johnson (AJC)

“It worked out real well,” Bowden said. “I came to Georgia Tech and finally had the chance to meet Coach Johnson. I was also here in March but I never got to see Coach Johnson because he had to attend a funeral that day.

The 6-foot, 238-pound Bowden said Georgia Tech recruiting coordinator Andy McCollum stopped by his high school this spring and explained that the Yellow Jackets were still very high on him. “He helped me understand that Coach Johnson likes to meet people face to face before he offers. He said it wasn’t the fact that Georgia Tech didn’t want to offer me, but that Coach Johnson wasn’t there that day to see me.”

On Friday, Johnson was there when Bowden made a return trip. “It was a great conversation – he told me the lineup, who they have now, and who they are recruiting,” Bowden said. “He talked about the team and how hard they work, along with Georgia Tech’s academics.

“Coach Johnson said ‘If you want to do this [commit to Georgia Tech], we can go ahead and do it. You’ve got your offer.’ I said I wanted to do it. We shook hands, and we made it final.”

Why Georgia Tech? “I’ve been thinking about Georgia Tech for a while. It was always between those two, Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt. I switched because I always wanted to  play for my home state school. Plus, my mother always wanted to me to go to Georgia Tech. My family can go to all of the games.”

Bowden said he was trying to get in touch with Vanderbilt’s coaches to give them the news. “I don’t think Vanderbilt is going to take it too well. They are probably going to come after me to get me to commit to them again. Overall, Vanderbilt is a great school, but Georgia Tech is where I want to be.”

Bowden is commitment No. 6 for Georgia Tech’s 2013 recruiting class. He has a 3.55 GPA and will likely major in some type of Science.

http://blogs.ajc.com/recruiting/2012/06/01/georgia-tech-flips-the-commitment-of-4-star-linebacker/?cxntfid=blogs_recruiting

(Letter From James Franklin)

Dear Mr Bowden
Bite Me...Georgia Tech...The ACC...how could you switch to those bunch of pests.  They are just a bunch of SEC wannabees....forget it we withdraw our scholarship offer.  We would not recruit you now if you were the last Linebacker in the State of Georgia!


James Franklin


 :naughty:

You trying to make him look good or something?  GaTech at least used to be in the SEC and has several SEC championships.  OTOH, Vandy has been in the SEC over twice as long as GaTech and has zero SEC championships.  They haven't really had a shot at one since the early 50s or earlier. 

I think Franklin should offer to swap leagues with vandy, if anything.   :dielaughing:

The funniest thing about this whole Franklin controversy is how butthurt the Nashville radio media is that people are taking him to task for it. Last Friday I thought Kevin Ingram was going to cry on the air trying to defend him and today Mark Howard was calling the Tennessean irresponsible for giving offended women a platform to voice their displeasure. Wycheck tried to blame it all on butthurt UT fans who are mad because we have been "passed up". Then he switched his stance when David Boclair from the City Paper came on and explained how women were going to be offended by what Franklin said. Wycheck is a meathead so I wasn't surprised at his stance but the other two guys are fairly smart and shouldn't let their bias show so much.

In the end, the guy really didn't say anything too serious and he apologized... it was a non-fireable offense... but when you beg for attention like that idiot does, you are going to get a lot of attention for everything you say. People are going to gradually figure out what a jackass he is with his comments about hot coaches wives and players who didn't sign with him not being men of honor. Boclair pointed out that there is a pattern of behavior where he loses it when things don't go his way and lashes out for it. So at least some in the media are starting to get it. Once the print media figures it out, the worm will turn on him.

LOL. One 6-7 season and a couple of Top 30 recruiting classes (assuming they can keep their class of 2013 momentum going) and they've "passed up" UT? Okay.

Par for the course around here.

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