Georgia Football Fans Plan 'Pink Out' to Honor Blake Anderson's Late Wife Wendy
Sep 12, 2019
As the Georgia Bulldogs prepare to host the Arkansas State Red Wolves on Saturday, the hometown fans are planning a tribute to honor the late wife of Arkansas State coach Blake Anderson.
On Aug. 19, Wendy Anderson died at the age of 49 after being diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago. Blake Anderson took a temporary leave of absence from his team following his wife's death, but he returned to the sideline last week to help Arkansas State pull out a 43-17 victory over UNLV.
Now, the Red Wolves head to Athens, Georgia, where Bulldog Nation will hold a "pink out" in Wendy's memory:
He further expressed his appreciation to reporters, via ESPN's Mark Schlabach:
"It's a completely genuine, classy gesture from people that don't know you. Very surprising and obviously very much appreciated. Just caught me off guard, to be honest with you. Teared me up. I wasn't expecting it, and extremely flattered and thankful for those folks and so many others that have stepped up in so many different ways."
Georgia and Arkansas State will be going head-to-head for a victory on the field, but the two sides will stand united against cancer.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - AUGUST 31: D'Andre Swift #7 of the Georgia Bulldogs rushes against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the first half at Vanderbilt Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
Jake Fromm and the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs got their 2019 campaign off to a strong start with a 30-6 victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday in Nashville, Tennessee.
Fromm turned in a solid performance for the Bulldogs by throwing for 156 yards and one touchdown while leading his team to a conference victory on the road. D'Andre Swift contributed 147 yards on 16 carries.
Commodores quarterback Riley Neal completed 14 of 25 pass attempts for 85 yards, zero touchdowns and zero interceptions in a losing effort.
Jake Fromm's Heisman Campaign Depends on Big-Game Performances
Fromm will not be able to win the Heisman in Week 1, nor will he be able to do it against an inferior opponent in Vanderbilt—but that doesn't mean he can't use the game to get his campaign started.
He picked up right where he left off last season on Saturday against the Commodores. While taking less than four minutes to help the Bulldogs go 75 yards on the game's opening drive, he recorded his first touchdown pass of the season, a three-yarder to Demetris Robertson.
The junior completed seven of his first eight passes, piling up 97 yards and one score, while leading Georgia to an early 21-0 lead.
Unfortunately for the star signal-caller, there wasn't much need for him to air the ball out in the second half with the game well in hand. Instead, the Bulldogs turned to the ground game as they picked up yards in bunches all night.
Georgia ran the ball 40 times against Vanderbilt, asking Fromm to only throw the ball 23 times.
Fromm's Week 1 numbers won't match up with the likes of Clemson's Trevor Lawrence, Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa, Oregon's Justin Herbert and Ohio State's Justin Fields, among others. But he has never been one to put up video game-like numbers.
Here's a look at Fromm's numbers from his first two seasons:
Sophomore season (2018): 67.4 percent, 2,761 yards, 30 touchdowns, six interceptions
Although those numbers are more than respectable, they are not quite on the same level as recent Heisman winners. No quarterback has won the Heisman with fewer than 3,000 yards since Cam Newton in 2010. Only two (Johnny Manziel and Lamar Jackson) during that span have had 30 passing touchdowns or fewer—and both players used their legs to find the end zone an additional 21 times.
One thing that could help Fromm overcome relatively modest numbers, though, is Georgia's schedule. As of now, the Bulldogs are scheduled to face a pair of Top 10 teams (No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 8 Florida) as well as two more teams currently ranked in the Top 16 (No. 16 Auburn and No. 12 Texas A&M). And that doesn't include a potential showdown against Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.
Those spotlight games will make or break Fromm's Heisman chances. If he plays well while leading Georgia to the conference title game, he could potentially set up pivotal Heisman showdown with Tagovailoa in Atlanta.
D'Andre Swift Will Be SEC's X-Factor
While Fromm gets much of the attention at Georgia (and deservedly so), it's Swift who may wind up determining how far the Bulldogs go this season.
Swift took a big leap forward last season, running for 1,049 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore...while battling groin and ankle injuries. He wreaked havoc in the 2018 SEC title game against the Crimson Tide, recording 75 rushing yards, 63 receiving yards and two total touchdowns.
He averaged 6.8 yards per carry through his first two years on campus, and he wasted little time in turning heads as a junior.
Swift managed 9.2 yards per carry against the Commodores on his way to a total of 147 yards for the night. It took him just 10 carries to reach the 100-yard mark.
D'Andre Swift just topped 100 yards on his 10th carry. He's starting to run for bigger chunks for #UGA against #Vandy.
With Georgia seemingly being RB U these days, Swift has had to split the workload. He has registered double-digit carries just 10 times through his first 29 games. He entered 2019 averaging just 8.4 carries per game for his career.
He figures to get more carries this season as the No. 1 option, and with his explosiveness, he is a candidate to become just the second running back to take home the prestigious award since 2010.
The Bulldogs will still continue to rotate running backs in and out, with senior Brian Herrien (12 carries for 65 yards and one touchdown) and sophomore James Cook (two carries for 22 yards and one touchdown) proving to be productive as well.
A deep stable of running backs will be important throughout the regular season in order to keep players fresh. But if Georgia is going to dethrone Alabama in the SEC, Swift will have to play an important part in his team's success.
What's Next?
Both teams will be back in action Sept. 7. Georgia (1-0) will return to Athens to host Murray State, while Vanderbilt (0-1) will hit the road for a nonconference clash with Purdue.
The Georgia Bulldogs Crush Records and Weights on Throwdown Thursday
Aug 31, 2019
BR Video
The University of Georgia strength and conditioning staff are turning their workouts into intense entertainment.
They crush goals and records with the #ThrowdownThursday challenges they post to social media.
Watch the video above for some of the Bulldogs' best workouts.
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5-Star RB Prospect Kendall Milton Commits to UGA over Alabama, LSU and OSU
Jul 29, 2019
Five-star running back Kendall Milton, whom 247Sports ranks as the 11th overall prospect in the class of 2020, chose to attend Georgia on Monday.
The 6'1½", 229-pound Milton, who plays for Buchanan High School in Clovis, California, had 39 offers per 247Sports. He's ranked as the fourth-best running back in his class and the third overall prospect in California.
Milton landed on USA Today's All-USA California First Team after a stellar 2018 season in which he rushed for 1,337 yards on 174 carries (7.7 YPC) and 27 touchdowns. That followed a 1,514-yard campaign to go with 23 touchdowns.
As evidenced by his highlight videos on 247Sports, Milton clearly operates at a different game speed than his opponents. He's typically gone if he's free in the second level and can juke a defender out of his cleats.
Ultimately, Milton looks like he'll be rolling over opposing Division I defenses as well, which makes Georgia's signing one of the best pickups of the recruiting season.
The Bulldogs are quickly becoming the go-to destination for skilled running backs, and it's not hard to see why. Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb and Sony Michel have found success in the NFL, and Elijah Holyfield signed with the Carolina Panthers after going undrafted in 2019.
D'Andre Swift is poised to be the next in line after running for 1,667 yards and 13 touchdowns in his first two years.
Assuming Swift forgoes his senior year to enter the NFL, Milton might have an opportunity to make an immediate impact when he arrives in 2020.
SEC Media Days 2019: Highlights, Comments and Reaction from Tuesday
Jul 16, 2019
The 2019 SEC Media Days rolled on Tuesday as representatives from the Georgia Bulldogs, Ole Miss Rebels, Tennessee Volunteers and Texas A&M Aggies took to the podium at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham—The Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama.
Georgia is the oddsmakers' third choice to capture the national championship in next season's College Football Playoff with 6-1 odds, per Vegas Insider. The Bulldogs are behind only the perennial title-contending Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers (both 9-4).
Texas A&M (60-1) falls into the sleeper category, while Tennessee (500-1) and Ole Miss (2,000-1) are each longshots to contend for CFP berths in 2019.
Let's check out some of the top comments and moments from Tuesday's session.
Georgia
Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart didn't want to diminish the accomplishments of the past two seasons, highlighted by a 24-5 combined record and an appearance in the National Championship Game two years ago, but he said his players are eager to take the next step:
The former Alabama defensive coordinator downplayed most of the questions about the Tide, noting the SEC powerhouse isn't on their regular-season schedule, but he praised the conference's gold standard.
"We know Alabama has been very powerful in this conference for a long time. We respect the job they do," Smart told reporters. "I got a lot of respect for coach [Nick] Saban and his program. I probably wouldn't be here today if it weren't for him. I also understand we have a really good program too."
Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm explained taking that next step includes making sure players stepping into the starting lineup are up to full speed by Week 1:
Fromm, who's tallied 54 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions across two seasons as the UGA starter, also praised fellow Heisman Trophy contender Tua Tagovailoa from Alabama.
"He deserves everything he's gotten," Fromm said. "He's a great player, great thrower."
Meanwhile, Dawgs safety J.R. Reed echoed his head coach, saying the team isn't focused on Bama:
#Georgia DB J.R. Reed on if Georgia looks back at the loss to Alabama last season as motivation for this year: “Definitely not. What motivates us is the man in the mirror. My team and my brothers motivate me.” #SECMD19pic.twitter.com/alxSuPOs6n
Georgia opens the regular season Aug. 31 against the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Ole Miss
Rebels head coach Matt Luke overhauled his coaching staff during the offseason, led by the hires of offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez and defensive coordinator Mike MacIntyre. He spoke about what excited him about the style of play "Rich Rod" will bring to Oxford:
"I think the number one thing that comes to mind is that edge and that toughness, that swagger. That's what immediately comes to mind, but to get a little bit more Xs and Os and scheme-wise, you have to be able to defend all 11 players. You have to be able to account for the quarterback, whether it's in a designed run or a zone read. So I think they would have to defend the whole field and defend all of the 11 players is something that comes to mind immediately."
Although outside expectations for Ole Miss are limited, Luke noted the team has a positive vibe:
Those feelings were reiterated by redshirt freshman quarterback Matt Corral, who's expected to lead the offense after seeing limited action in four games last year:
Ole Miss QB Matt Corral talks about the expectations for this upcoming season, southern hospitality, and SEC competition.
"I feel like we're going to surprise a lot of people this year," said Corral. pic.twitter.com/XThxEQ2wii
The Rebels won't be eased into the campaign. They open on the road against a strong Memphis Tigers squad, which linebacker MoMo Sanogo said has provided plenty of early inspiration.
"We looking to go end that talk the first week of the season," he said about talk the Tigers could go undefeated.
Ole Miss and Memphis face off on Aug. 31.
Tennessee
Pressure is already beginning to build on Vols head coach Jeremy Pruitt after the team posted a 5-7 record during his first year in charge. He's confident the rebuilding project will take a turn in 2019:
Pruitt was asked about defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon, a transfer UT landed from the Michigan Wolverines, and explained his view of the transfer portal as someone who changed schools during his time as a student-athlete, first with the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders and then Alabama:
"You know, these guys have tough decisions in making decisions where they are going to go to college, and sometimes they may not get it right. And to me it's about the mental wellness of the student-athlete. And I think everybody that's involved is definitely sensitive and really considers that, and I think that's one of the things that we have to put to the forefront when it comes to kids that want to transfer. We need to help them find their way."
Tennessee linebacker Daniel Bituli, a senior who'll need to have a big season for the Vols to contend in the SEC, expressed optimism about the upcoming campaign:
Quarterback Jarrett Guarantano will take on the leadership role offensively. He's expected to take on a more hands-on role this year, saying offensive coordinator Jim Chaney has given him "full command" of the playbook, including giving the junior the chance to audible at the line.
The Vols kick off the regular season Aug. 31 against the Georgia State Panthers.
Texas A&M
Pretty much every coach that takes the stage this week will discuss the greatness of the SEC, and Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher was no exception.
"I've always said this... the SEC from top-to-bottom, everyone has great players. 'It just means more' is fitting," he told reporters. "The SEC is the best. Just look at the draft."
Fisher went on to discuss how the Aggies can navigate the numerous pitfalls on the conference schedule with help from a Michael Jordan quote:
"People asked Michael Jordan one time, 'What do you do different at the end of the game?' He said, 'I don't. I'm the same as I was in practice.'"
Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond talked about his relationship with Fisher, noting they don't see eye-to-eye all the time, but always end their discussions in a good place:
Aggie QB Kellen Mond, on receiving criticism from Jimbo Fisher: “I’m very self-critical of myself. I feel like we can go back-and-forth, but we’re always trying to make each other better.” pic.twitter.com/ssgoU2NzEJ
Mond also put himself atop the list of a talent-laden SEC QB group:
Kellen Mond is confident heading into the season. When asked how he stacks up against the other SEC quarterbacks: “In my opinion I’m the best one. Not just because I’m a confident person, but I actually believe that.” pic.twitter.com/M71snxssQM
The Aggies made the rare decision to bring a punter, reigning Ray Guy Award winner Braden Mann, to the SEC Media Days. He discussed his season outlook through the special-teams lens:
Texas A&M starts its season with a clash against the Texas State Bobcats on Aug. 29.
Report: Jeremiah Holloman Kicked off Georgia Football Team over Alleged Assault
Jun 21, 2019
BATON ROUGE, LA - OCTOBER 13: Jeremiah Holloman #9 of the Georgia Bulldogs runs during a game against the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
The University of Georgia dismissed leading receiver Jeremiah Holloman amid an investigation into an alleged 2018 assault.
“Jeremiah Holloman no longer represents the University of Georgia football program," coach Kirby Smart said in a statement to The Covington News' Jackie Gutknecht. "We expect every member of our team to uphold the highest standards and values of the University of Georgia and Georgia football. It is disappointing when this does not happen.”
A woman came forward with the allegations earlier this month, saying Holloman punched her in the face following Georgia's 2018 spring game. The woman said she called Holloman's brother for protection during the altercation.
“(The victim) stated that (the brother) walked in at this point and pulled the suspect (Holloman) off her,” a police report read. “(The victim) stated she got behind (the brother) for protection. (The victim) stated the suspect (Holloman) then reached over (the brother) and punched her in the face.”
According to the report, the woman was taken to the hospital and needed six stitches. She told doctors she suffered the injuries in the shower and additional bruising on her neck from a basketball game.
Holloman admitted to punching the woman when approached by investigators.
“Jeremiah (Holloman) was rubbing his face in his hands and then looked up and said ‘Yeah, after she started hitting me, I hit her back,’” investigator Will Graham reported. “Jeremiah (Holloman) said the scratches or whatever was on her neck happened during sex.”
Holloman recorded 24 receptions for 418 yards and five touchdowns in 2018. He was the team's leading returning receiver.
Georgia QB D'wan Mathis Released from Hospital After Undergoing Brain Surgery
May 28, 2019
Georgia quarterback D'Wan Mathis was released from the hospital Monday after undergoing emergency surgery Thursday for a brain cyst.
Mathis tweeted his appreciation to Georgia fans after his release:
"One more day, and it could have burst,"D'Wan's father, Terence, toldMike Griffithof the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I can't tell you how thankful I am my son is at the University of Georgia and with that medical and training staff."
"We were 745 miles away when all this happened last week, and Coach [Kirby] Smart made sure my son was taken care of the same way he would treat his own children," he continued.
Mathis was rushed to the hospital Thursday after suffering severe sinus pain. Doctors found the cyst after sending him for an MRI.
Mathis will continue taking antibiotics for the next 30 days and will need 24-hour care to ensure there are no complications.
A timetable for Mathis' return to football has not been determined.
Living Up to the Holyfield Name
Apr 17, 2019
He was there at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on June 28, 1997, the night of his father's most famous—er, infamous—fight, one row behind Queen Latifah, inside the belly of his pregnant mother as she jumped and screamed and received Are you supposed to be here? glares.
When Mike Tyson gnawed into the ear of his father, Evander, his mom shouted so loudly she thought she might go into labor right then and there.
But it wasn't concern or horror that made Tamie Pettaway shout. She didn't want to sprint into the ring to save Evander from the assault. To hell with sewing that ear back on. She wanted the fight to go on.
"I was like, 'He's ready! Let him go!'" Pettaway remembers. "He doesn't need that ear right now. He needs to fight right now!"
Because she had seen the look in Evander's eyes that night. The drive. She knew he would crush Tyson and was ticked he didn't get to finish the job.
And maybe part of that night has lived on in Elijah Holyfield, the baby who would be born five months later.
Pettaway saw the same look—this feverish desire to finish the job, no matter the circumstances—piercing in high school, when Elijah became a star running back, and in college, when he played for Georgia. Before one game against LSU, seeing Elijah get off the team bus, Mom had flashbacks to that night in '97.
"I saw the eye of the tiger. I saw in his mind. There's nobody out here I can't compete against. I can do this. I'm built for this. This is what I'm made of," Pettaway says. "I believe in my heart that this is what my son believes he's made to do. What he's built for. And that excites me every time I say it because I can see it.
"How can he be denied? He can't."
So never mind that Elijah didn't get to finish his own fight that night against LSU, receiving only seven carries in a loss. And never mind that the ATV-shaped, 5'10", 217-pound back who ran for 1,018 yards and seven touchdowns on 159 attempts last fall has had his name dragged through the mud for two months leading up to the NFL draft thanks to lackluster 40 times.
The underdog role is nothing new to a Holyfield.
"I think I'm the best back in the draft," says Elijah, soft-spoken and stoic. "I feel like my tape proves it, and I feel like I have a lot more that I can show.
"I don't feel like people have seen the full Elijah."
And when they do, he believes, they will see what everyone around him, including Evander, sees. That he inherited what made the champ great. That he's wired differently.
The 4.78 40 he ran at the combine and the 4.8 at his pro day were glacial for a running back.
He faces the same uphill climb Dad did when he was a 25-1 underdog the first time he beat Tyson and 2-1 before the bite fight.
He knows what an underdog can do.
What's the feeling behind that look? Evander can't explain. Elijah can only try.
"You can't get into that mode until it just happens," Elijah says. "It's kind of a feeling of being fearless. You're not worried about anything."
This fearlessness, he explains, is a gift inherited from Dad.
Elijah, the eighth of Evander's 11 children, grew up as part of a huge, "blended" family, as Tamie puts it. She has been married to Chris Pettaway for 20 years, and he had kids of his own before the marriage too. As a kid, Elijah learned as much as he could about Evander, watching clip after clip, fight after fight. No. 1 on his list is the first time Dad fought Tyson. He loves seeing Tyson walk to the ring in no robe, only a black cutoff sweatshirt, staring ahead, knowing full well his dad wasn't intimidated at all. Holyfield shocked the world with an 11th-round TKO.
Dad could see right through Tyson, Elijah says, and that's how you need to attack all obstacles.
"It's something in you," he adds.
Father and son don't talk about specific fights often, but son can relate to that fearlessness.
Whereas Evander played football as a kid before fully committing to boxing, Elijah boxed before fully committing to football when he was about 14 years old. It's no shock Elijah gravitated toward running back, where he could punch away at defenses like a boxer. That's his running style—he prefers to blast through you.
Says Elijah: "I always love those physical, tough runs, where I could go around, but I don't want to. Those are tone-setters. As somebody told me, 'It's like when you run the ball, [for] the whole team, it's an emotion-builder.'"
One specific game in high school put him on the map.
He knocks on the table, says, "I don't fumble," and explains how he always held on to the ball until coughing it up multiple times in the first half of a game as a junior at Woodward Academy in College Park, Georgia. His team trailed 21-0. His coach told him, as Elijah remembers it, "F--k it! You're going to run every f--king play!" And, as Elijah remembers it, he then ran the ball 24 straight times. He never tapped his helmet to come out. No, he wanted more. From the stands, Mom screamed to the Woodward Academy coach, "You're killing my kid!" Chris calmed her down. He knew Elijah could take it.
Woodward lost the game 21-20 because of a blocked extra point. But Holyfield finished with 260 yards and two TDs on 38 carries. The more he touched the ball, the more he punished defenders, the better he became.
"I was in one of those zones where it was like, 'If I need to do it, I'll do it,'" he says. "It was one of those defining moments in my career: If you need me to do it, I'll do it."
Adds Mom, "Everybody in the stadium—even the other team—was giving him a standing ovation."
On the spot, people started to know Elijah Holyfield for more than his last name.
Not that that's the only thing he wants to be known for.
Holyfield doesn’t run from the shadow of his father. He welcomes it. But he also makes it clear he's his own man. He's a steak aficionado and says it has to be a ribeye cooked medium, no matter how much his well-done-favoring friends make fun of him for it. He’s a Netflix junkie and points to Spartacus as his favorite show ever. His favorite athlete isn't Dad or a football player but Kobe Bryant because of that rare "mindset" he represents.
And he knows the Holyfield name can, unfortunately, be a negative at times.
Like in youth sports. Mom remembers other parents instructing their kids to take out her eight-year-old son, just to brag. She didn't want the "Holyfield" name on the back of his jersey because there were times he wouldn't even have the ball and kids would blindside him.
Or when Dad's financial troubles became news. She remembers being in the checkout line at Walmart and trying to create conversation with Elijah so he wouldn't hear a loud nearby conversation about his dad losing $230 million.
Or at school. In eighth grade, three classmates attacked Elijah in the boys bathroom, cornering him. Rather than flee, he fought, standing his ground to preserve his reputation. He pummeled all three. The bad news? Even though this was self-defense, he was suspended. The good news? Nobody messed with him again.
That became a theme.
In high school, whenever opponents played dirty, he returned the favor. "I became a person you didn't want to mess with," he says. Nobody talked smack because they knew they'd pay. And when fans tried taunting Elijah with pictures of Tyson in the stands, he only laughed. Why would that scare him? Tyson never frightened his father. In fact, he loves the story of Evander randomly bumping into Tyson at a hotel months after the second fight.
Their rooms were next to each other in New York at the NBA All-Star Game.
Tyson exited his room. Holyfield exited his. And Holyfield simply said, "It's all good."
It's always been much better to be a Holyfield than not.
The name means nothing, Evander says. Nothing, unless you do something with it.
He wants all 11 kids to be better than he ever was. "Not like me," he says. "Better than me. That's the key to what true love is. Each generation's supposed to be better."
Maybe this is why Elijah never gets irritated by all the questions about Dad. Never tries to steer the conversation away from him. Because he knows the truth: What makes Evander great can also make him great. In the NFL.
"A lot of people try to make it like I should be upset or feel a certain way about my Dad," he says. "I'm like, Why would I ever be mad that my Dad [is] one of the greatest boxers of all time? I'd never be ashamed. It doesn't bother me that way.
"It's more of a...it gives me something to go at."
And a reason to never quit.
Forced to wait behind Sony Michel and Nick Chubb at Georgia, Holyfield was a non-factor for two years. Then, as a junior, he split work with D'Andre Swift. While other running backs would've bolted to another school, though, Holyfield stayed put. To him, it was simple. He felt he was always the best of the bunch.
He didn't back away from that fight in the bathroom and wouldn't back away from this.
"I've just never been that type of guy," he says. "I've just never been the type to give in. Sometimes, it hurts. Sometimes, it's not always the best thing. But I've always had this attitude that when I do something, I do it all the way. Either I'm in or I'm out.
"So I said to myself: 'Your dream was always to play at Georgia, and your dream is still in front of you. You don't want to go somewhere else.' ... Through my whole college experience, I became a whole lot more mentally tough. And I think it's helped me grow as a person."
Of course, it helps having a dad around who knows what it's like to be counted out.
Evander can point to precisely when he was counted out, when he was in the position Elijah was in early at Georgia and is again now: his first title fight, against Dwight Muhammad Qawi, in Atlanta. Evander was 23 years old, Qawi 33, and Evander still remembers Qawi sniping, "I can't believe they sent a baby to do a man's job." He let Qawi talk. He knew the truth would be told.
Evander won, and his career took off. To him, the reason is simple. He believed that if he didn't quit, ever, he'd be the best.
"I didn't quit," he says, his voice tough, weathered. "If I would've quit or got mad because things didn't go my way, then I would've never made it. This message—'Don't quit'—means that something is going to come up. Somebody's going to aggravate you. Something's going to happen that's going to make you want to quit. Some type of distraction is going to always be there. Things aren't always going to go your way."
So that's the message to Elijah now.
Evander didn't grow up with a dad, and his mom, Annie, didn't have much money. He remembers wanting to go to Six Flags, only for Mom to tell him, "You have to eat to live." Any idea that Elijah was fed with a silver spoon in his mouth is dead wrong. Evander stressed humility.
Meanwhile, with Evander busy boxing until 2011, Tamie and Chris raised Elijah. And in their house, he didn't get away with anything. He didn't do his homework? Didn't take the trash out? Mom would grab him by the jacket, smack him with a shoe—"shoes, punches, everything," Tamie says. Usually, the sound of her voice and disappointment in her face were enough.
For one full year before high school, Elijah did move in with Evander, who at the time was living in a 44,000-square foot mansion that is now occupied by rapper Rick Ross. On the surface, that would seem like a life of luxury and leisure, but in reality, Elijah would wake up at 5 a.m. each morning to work out with Evander and a trainer. And he loved it. The next year, Elijah attended a military school—after that three-on-one skirmish, Dad had a reason to send him—and continued to train. And train. He took weightlifting as his last period of class and always stayed to work out extra.
Elijah can't remember the last non-Sunday he didn't work out. He describes it as a "constant," in his head, that he can't quite explain.
Adds Mom: "His mindset is amazing. He's a competitor. Their work ethics are very similar. So knowing the type of person Evander is, it's the same thing with Elijah. I know who he is. I know what he's made of. I know what he's built of."
The result is that son is a spitting image of Dad.
In mindset and physique.
"He's always working out," Evander says. "And...you don't have to tell him to work out. This is what he wants to do. He's focused. He wants to be the very best."
So he cannot stop.
Elijah trains with John Lewis, the older brother of ex-NFL back Jamal Lewis. Has since childhood. Never late, Holyfield called one day in college to tell Lewis he'd "had a little incident" so was running late. The tire on his car had blown out. Minutes later, he pulled up in an Uber. He'd decided to deal with the tire later. It couldn't interfere with that day's intense cycling. "You can't teach that!" Lewis says.
Elijah also lifts weights with Buddy Primm, the Mickey Goldmill-like trainer whom Terrell Owens asked to stand up at his Hall of Fame induction. Primm was the miracle-worker behind T.O.'s physique, the one who put him in the Super Bowl seven weeks after the receiver had broken his leg and torn an ankle ligament. And Holyfield, Primm says, is just as tireless of a worker. "He has one gear: That's wide-open and straight ahead. He has that boxer mentality."
To top it off, since the combine, Elijah has been training at David Buer Fitness. He must hold certain poses, he explains, be it a wall sit or an ab raise, to the point of literal collapse. The first day, you're asked to hold one for five minutes. Which is impossible. Which is the point. From there, he rips through three-minute poses at a time in sets of five, 10, 15, 20 and 25. The goal is to restructure the body by getting typically dormant muscles firing and to teach his body how to handle going all the way to the brink.
"It pushes my mind to places where I've never pushed my mind," Elijah says. "It definitely pushes you. The only time you stop is when your muscles stop. When you fall through the pose. When your muscles give out. Collapse. My mom said she wanted to come. They were like: 'Nah, you probably don't want to see him like this. It's intense, it's intense.'"
Perfect for a player who, as a kid, asked Mom for training with Lewis as his only Christmas present. A player who lives at full speed. If a team wants him at anything less than that for a practice, Lewis says, that team had better hand him a note that says "No tackling." That's when you will see the player who seemed so out of his element at the combine and his pro day.
Holyfield lives for contact and competition, and no, a few sprints in shorts don't quite show what makes him special.
Son is an underdog. There's no disputing that.
Heading into the draft, which begins April 25, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller has Holyfield ranked as the 11th-best back and 132nd-best overall prospect. The 40 time is a red flag. Elijah's camp didn't agree with the media times on site at the pro day, but one AFC scout assures that Elijah did, indeed, run in the 4.8s. Lineman territory. A reason to forget the name entirely. Teams simply aren't in a mad rush to add a slow back—let alone a slow back who spent most of his collegiate career buried on a depth chart.
Evander rants about the 40. If someone were trying to tackle his son out there, he says, nobody would catch him. It's a contact sport. Not track.
Lewis agrees. He imitates how Elijah ran the 40, his legs extending at exaggerated 45-degree angles, like he was looking for someone to hit while he ran. That's his nature. That's a strength.
Elijah brushes this all off as just another obstacle to overcome. "I've never had anything come easy to me," he says. "Everything I've done in my life is what I've worked for."
That's why he's confident he will thrive in the NFL. He believes he gets better as the game grinds on, as opponents start running on empty. And he plans on being an all-around back anyway, like his favorite, LaDainian Tomlinson. That last season in Athens, Elijah knew he needed to improve as a receiver, so he started catching 100-plus balls every day after practice. And during practice—whenever there was a lull—he'd have someone throw him 10, 20, 30 balls. In all, he estimates he caught 500 balls a day. Georgia never showcased him as a receiver, but the talent's there, as NFL scouts also saw at his pro day.
And nobody, Elijah assures with a cold stare, will ever outwork him. He plans on obsessing over his craft, like Kobe.
Adds Lewis: "If you have a guy who runs a 4.3, fits all the criteria, but is the kind of cat who will shut down, who's not going to give you all his effort, who doesn't really practice hard...we'll see how long he lasts. You'll either want to cut him, or you'll be mad you gave him all that money.
"But if you get a guy with a mentality, heart and the willingness to say, I am a football player, that's the difference. He doesn't want any hand-me-outs. He wants to earn it.
"He's going to earn it at that next level. Because now? You're saying I'm slow. You're saying I'm this. I know him. He's mad right now."
Evander knows the feeling. For him, any time things got tough, any time he was doubted, "Woo-hoo!" he shouts. That's what got him going. He'd never shout into a mic like other boxers, never talk trash to intimidate. He quietly ramped up the work behind the scenes. So Dad knows what's going through his son's mind right now.
The same thoughts Evander had before taking down Tyson.
"He wants it," Dad says. "He has something to prove."
Tyler Dunne covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @TyDunne.
Georgia LB's Robert Beal, Brenton Cox Arrested for Marijuana Possession
Apr 2, 2019
Texas wide receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey (84) is stopped by Georgia defensive back Latavious Brini (36), linebacker Brenton Cox (1) and defensive lineman Tyler Clark (52) during the first half of the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Georgia linebackers Robert Beal and Brenton Cox were arrested Tuesday on misdemeanor possession of marijuana charges.
Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald obtained the police report, which said the pair were booked in the early afternoon before each posting $1,000 bond for their release.
Georgia has had six players arrested over the last 33 days. Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart addressed the issues on March 26, saying players would be disciplined by the team.
"There's a standard of behavior that's expected for student-athletes at the University of Georgia, and that's not indicative of the behavior we want at the University of Georgia," Smart told reporters.
"It's very obvious those guys made poor choices and decisions, and they will be disciplined."
Wide receiver Tyler Simmons, defensive backs Tyrique Stevenson and Latavious Brini and linebacker Jaden Hunter were previously arrested this offseason.
Beal made 15 tackles and had one sack last season as a redshirt freshman. He's expected to be part of a competition for the other outside linebacker spot opposite Cox, who had 20 tackles and one sack last season during his freshman campaign.
Georgia WR Tyler Simmons Arrested After Bar Fight Involving CB Tyrique Stevenson
Mar 25, 2019
Georgia wide receiver Tyler Simmons was arrestedearly Sunday morning after his alleged involvement in a fight with employees at the Cloud Bar in Athens, Ga., according to Mark Schlabach of ESPN.
Simmons' teammate Tyrique Stevenson was also arrested in connection with the alleged fight, as previously reported by Mike Griffith of DawgNation. Simmons was taken to the hospital for minor injuries before being released, per Schlabach.
Both are facing misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges from the Athens-Clarke County Police.
Police officers were initially called to what was described as a "chaotic scene" at the bar.
"After restoring order, ACCPD interviewed witnesses who identified Simmons and Stevenson as the subjects allegedly fighting with bar staff," the police statement said. "The Cloud Bar did not press charges against Simmons and Stevenson."
Stevenson is an incoming freshman who early enrolled at Georgia in January. The 4-star cornerback recruit was considered the No. 37 overall player in the class and third-best nationally at his position, per247Sports.
Simmons is a rising senior receiver coming off his biggest season with the Bulldogs. He appeared in nine games, totaling nine catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 131 rushing yards and two scores on the ground in 2018.
