Note: Since the publication of this story, two more players have announced their departure: OL Chris Barnes and OLB Jaleel Laguins, and Notre Dame graduate transfer Jay Hayes announced he was coming to Georgia. That is believed to leave Georgia at 86 scholarships, but perhaps less if receiver Michael Chigbu does retire and defensive back Deangelo Gibbs, who was not enrolled in classes this spring, does not return.
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ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia had a player announce he was transferring on Tuesday night. Pat Allen won’t be the last this offseason, by all indications, because the Bulldogs are over the NCAA scholarship limit, and they might not even be done adding players.
Allen, a reserve offensive lineman, announced via Twitter that he was leaving the team. A former starting guard, Allen was facing long odds of getting back to the starting lineup.
“It’s with pain in my heart that I inform you all and DawgNation that I will be transferring and opening my recruitment from the University of Georgia,” Allen wrote. “My years here at Georgia have been a dream come true and nothing will ever take away from the friends, family and experience that I have had here at UGA!!!”
Allen also thanked head coach Kirby Smart, offensive line coach Sam Pittman and Georgia fans in his message.
A native of Maryland, Allen signed with Georgia in 2015 and redshirted his first season. Then he played sparingly in 20156 before earning a starting spot at left guard last year. He started only the season opener against Appalachian State, then played in five other games off the bench.
So his departure is not a shock. Georgia had recruited over him pretty well, with early enrollee Trey Hill among those competing for a starting spot at guard this spring, and five-star Jamaree Salyer on the way.
Where Allen’s decision may loom the largest is the team’s scholarship situation.
Georgia is now currently committed to 86 scholarship players for the upcoming season, which would be two over the limit. But that’s including Chigbu, who is mulling not playing anymore, according to Smart, and Gibbs.
That said, Georgia has shown in the past that it will remain aggressive up until almost the last day, adding junior college transfer Ahkil Crumpton just days before preseason practice last year. .
Here is how Georgia’s scholarship situation breaks down by class (updated with Barnes and Laguins leaving and Hayes coming):
One other note: This assumes a scholarship renewal for Blankenship, who was awarded one at the start of last season. That’s only an assumption at that point, as Smart has not confirmed it. (It would be pretty hard to not renew a scholarship to someone who made two 50 yard-plus field goals in the College Football Playoff.)
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That said, it’s a long time between now and the start of the preseason. Even if Georgia does add Hayes or someone else, more attrition could come along and make the 85 number a non-issue. At this point, it doesn’t look like something that will go down to the wire.
(Photo by Cory A. Cole / University of Georgia)
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Seth Emerson is a senior writer for The Athletic covering Georgia and the SEC. Seth joined The Athletic in 2018 from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and also covered the Bulldogs and the SEC for The Albany Herald from 2002-05. Seth also covered South Carolina for The State from 2005-10. Follow Seth on Twitter @SethWEmerson