New football building in Georgia could boost title

ATHENS – The most important stages of Georgian football in the off-season of 2021 are taking place within the indoor facilities and the weight room at this time.

The Bulldogs, coming out of their fourth consecutive season in the Top 10, are building the kind of chemistry and cohesion that can only be achieved through the fabricated adversity of difficult off-season training.

WATCH: Georgia’s fantastic football facilities take shape

But in 2021, as well as in 2017, the UGA football program is expected to receive an off-season boost by renovating the facilities.

New sports director Josh Brooks told the facilities committee at its quarterly meeting on Monday that the $ 80 million football building is on track. About 75 percent of the 165,000 square foot project will be complete and ready for use within a week of the April 17 G-Day Game.

RELATED: Josh Brooks presents the latest details on building football

Coaches and players are sure to get a ride with the new 22,000 square foot weight room, as well as the new nutrition center, locker rooms, sports medicine areas and coaches offices.

Who doesn’t like to work in new state-of-the-art offices?

The entire project, which includes Phase II of the adjacent Butts Mere-Heritage Hall and indoor football facilities for the new football building, along with the addition of a restaurant and more meeting areas, is scheduled to be completed in January. 2022.

Here are three things to keep in mind with the addition of the new $ 80 million building:

1. Back to the future

Four years ago, Bulldogs moved to the so-called “House of Payne”.

Photo courtesy of UGA sports.

The $ 30 million indoor football facility, named after Billy and Porter Payne, took Georgia off the list of the remaining four SEC programs that did not have a 100-yard facility covered. Florida, Mississippi and Missouri were the other programs on that list.

Then, as now, Georgia had talent for championships in its squad, along with several players capable of leading.

It is impossible to measure the effect that the new installation had on the players, but it was certainly nothing but positive.

It is fair to say that 2021 presents a similar scenario, with UGA presenting a loaded list that will soon receive a boost from its move to the $ 80 million facility.

2. Up to par

As much as Georgia’s football has to offer, since its recent SEC title game race and NFL talent production, the facilities have been a little more important than other programs.

According to 247Sports’ updated list of major football facilities on January 31, 2020, UGA ranked 18th in the country and 8th in the SEC.

The new football building will put the Bulldogs in the Top 10, at a minimum, and add one more reason for recruits to take a second look at Georgia.

It is worth noting: Florida has a $ 85 million football building in progress and Auburn has just approved a more than $ 90 million football building.

The facility arms race never ends and there is always room for improvement in recruitment. The past three seasons have proven the importance of depth of quality in each position.

Depth is even more of a factor with more talented players likely to become professionals sooner and liberal transfer rules in place. Examples of this are that Georgia has lost nine scholarships from its secondary since the end of the 2019 season, four to transfers. Last year, UGA had five underclassmen recruited in the first five rounds of the NFL’s 2021 Draft.

3. Benefits and solution

One of the biggest benefits that Clemson gained from the addition of its state-of-the-art building in 2017 was the additional time players spent in the football building. More specifically, time spent together, building friendships and improving team chemistry.

The same is true in Georgia, where players will be better able to spend more time together in their new, convenient and comfortable facilities.

Brooks noted that the timing of the move to the premises coincides well with the end of spring football, but also with a better understanding of how to manage in the midst of these Covid-19 times.

Some social restrictions are expected to be eased with vaccinations on the way, making the off-season happier and healthier in 2021 with the walls of the Bulldogs’ $ 80 million football building.

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