One big time prospect that has improved his stock in his senior season is Georgia offensive line commitment Antwane Greenlee. The 6-6, 300-pound Greenlee learned a new offense this season but it didn’t hinder his progress. Very close to being fully qualified, Greenlee is getting a lot of interest from other schools than Georgia. He plans on taking at least three visits.
Columbus (GA) Hardaway High School struggled in 2005 and that brought on a new football coach with a brand new offense. Hardaway had a bad year in 2005 but things changed dramatically this season and Greenlee had a big hand in the turnaround.
“The season went pretty good being that we went 1-9 last year,” Greenlee said late last week. “We turned it around this year and went 6-4 with a new coach and a new offense. We were one win shy of going to the playoffs.
“I think I did pretty (well) with a new coach coming in. He put a lot on my shoulders to be a leader and a play maker. He came in with a triple option offense so there was a lot of difference.
“I think I improved mentally more than anything. I got smarter on the field. I got better at breaking down defenses, so when I got on the field there was nothing new to me. I can honestly say I was never caught with something I wasn’t prepared for.”
With his season over he has turned his attention to recruiting. Two months ago it was thought that recruiting was over when he committed to Georgia but there are still some teams that are earning his interest. He will take three official visits for sure, but there is a chance he could take the full five.
“I will definitely visit Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee,” Greenlee said. “I haven’t decided on the last two.
There is a lot to like about the schools that he is still looking at and he has a great relationship with the coaching staffs at each of these SEC powers.
“I like all the coaches at each of the schools and all of them understand that I am committed to Georgia as of right now,” he said.
The Georgia Bulldogs are definitely the team to beat. They are the home state team and they are putting together a solid recruiting class. Greenlee likes the fact that the Dogs might end up with the top offensive line class in the country when the recruiting rankings are issued following national signing day. Right now Georgia has eight commitments on the offensive line.
“I like the [Georgia] coaching staff,” he said. “I really think I can go down there and play for Coach Calloway and Coach Richt.
“It’s also a great recruiting class and one of the best offensive line classes in the nation. I have a close relationship with a lot of the recruits and players and the coaches at Georgia. I have been going to games and when you keep going to a place you get comfortable. I went to three games this year.”
Greenlee notices a lot of similarities in the offense he just learned at Hardaway and what the University of Florida utilizes in their running game. The triple option will be a staple of the future Gator offense and requires a lot of timing in the blocking. With Tim Tebow running the offense next year, he thinks the number nationally fourth-ranked Gators could be even better.
“At Florida I like the offense and they have Tim Tebow who is young and has a bright future,” Greenlee said. “If he can do what he can do right now behind Chris Leak, think about what he can do when he starts.”
He also has a good relationship with the coaching staff at Florida. Coach John Hevesy is one of Florida’s two offensive line coaches. Hevesy also happens to recruit the Columbus, Georgia area. Greenlee likes Hevesy’s style.
“I like Coach Hevesy,” he said. “He and I talk on a regular basis. I get a strong vibe from him. He is an up front person and isn’t going to sugar coat it. He will tell you what you are doing wrong and how you can get better. He doesn’t hide anything from me and I can see how he is as a coach.
“He tells me I need to work on pass blocking. Last year we threw the ball one percent of the time. Now we are up to 20 percent but I really need to work on that. I think I can get better at that.”
The University of Tennessee also has a history of producing good offensive linemen and Greenlee is no stranger to that history. He likes the emphasis they place on the position.
“Tennessee puts so much value in their offensive linemen,” Greenlee said. “They have two offensive line coaches and the head coach has a long track record of coaching offensive linemen. I just love that they take so much pride in their offensive linemen. That is what has me so interested in them.”
His first official visit is coming up. The other two will have to wait as Greenlee has been asked to play in two national all-star games this off-season.
“I am taking my first official visit to Georgia on December 9th, and I haven’t decided the dates on the other two,” he said. “They will probably be in January because I will be playing in two bowl games.”
He is finishing strong academically and this semester will complete all of his core course requirements. Then, it is just a matter of getting just a few more points on the standardized tests. He is awaiting a test score now that he feels good about but is also taking another one very soon. At that point he will just have to think about recruiting. He knows what kind of things will seal the deal for his final decision.
“I think my final decision will be based on the coaches,” Greenlee said. “I want to see where I can go and fit in with their program the quickest. The longer it takes me to adjust to their coaching and style of offense will be time I am going to be sitting on the bench and not playing.”