McIntosh to UGA: How it helps the Bulldogs and hurts Miami
Four-star running back Kenny McIntosh chose Georgia on Wednesday, snubbing the hometown school in the process. The South Florida-based back was a priority target for Miami -- and other schools for that matter -- but jumped into the UGA recruiting class quickly after seeing the Bulldogs lose a commitment from four-star back John Emery. Below, Rivals.com takes a look at how McIntosh’s pledge helps Georgia and hurts UM.
HOW IT HELPS GEORGIA
Landing Mcintosh helps soften the blow the Bulldogs incurred when Emery backed off his pledge to the program. Coming into South Florida and stealing a priority target from Miami isn’t always easy, but UGA has done just that in this case. The four-star running back was technically considering a number of schools, but UM w.as long considered the favorite until Georgia began to press.
What’s most impressive here is the haste with which Kirby Smart’s program won this recruiting battle. Emery backed off his pledge to the Bulldogs on Oct. 25, and it took the Smart and company less than a month to have McIntosh in the fold. The efficiency makes a statement about the health of Georgia program and its appeal to top-level recruits.
On the field, McIntosh is a big body that runs with surprising acceleration for a prospect of his size. He sometimes goes down a little easier than you’d like for a back of his massive size, but that’s nitpicking. The South Florida-based star is one of the most well-rounded runners in the country and is a nice combination of size, blocking ability and speed. There’s a reason he carries such a lofty ranking.
HOW IT HURTS MIAMI
Simply put: this one stings.
McIntosh's older brother attended Miami and the Hurricanes were counting on him following suit for much of this cycle. Many UM fans aren’t happy with how things have played out this season, and it’s natural to wonder if the program’s inability to make forward progress from last year impacted McIntosh’s recruitment. That said, Miami landed five-star running back Lorenzo Lingard in addition to four-star Cameron Davis a year ago, so it’s not as though the cupboard is bare at running back.
The pain cause by the loss of McIntosh will be compounded if the Hurricanes also see priority defensive back target Tyrique Stevenson choose Georgia. Such an event seems like a serious possibility come Signing Day. Kirby Smart is quickly becoming a thorn in Mark Richt’s side. That much is clear.
