Last night on Score Atlanta's The Official Visit, co-hosts Fletcher Proctor and Scott Janovitz had a chance to catch up with Tucker linebacker and future Auburn Tiger Justin Garrett. The 6’2 185 athlete out of Tucker pledged to Gene Chizik last weekend after visiting the Auburn campus and feeling a “family-like atmosphere” on the trip. “I was the most comfortable there,” Garrett said of his future home on the Plains. According to Garrett, that comfort came from the coaching staff in the form of Chizik and defensive coordinator Ted Roof, both of whom played a huge role in his decision. “I love Coach Roof. He’s hard but he’ll push me to get to the next level. That’s where I want to be.”
The Auburn coaching staff really seemed to put the Tigers over the top for Garrett. Not only did Roof talk football with Garrett on his visits but also life. Garrett said that the staff showed his family around the campus, which is almost as close to his home as the University of Georgia would be, a fact that went over well with Garrett’s family.
Another fact, and possibly the one that is most important to Garrett other than the atmosphere, was the SEC mystique. “I just want to play in the SEC,” said Garrett when asked why Auburn. “I saw all the SEC schools filling up their linebacker slots… and I just went ahead and made my decision.” Garrett admitted that he hadn’t planned on committing as early as he did, but he is happy with his decision. The Tiger coaches have told Garrett that he will be counted on to fill the weakside linebacker role, a position that Garrett feels he can certainly excel at in Roof’s defense. “I am physical to play the run and I can play nickel on third and fourth downs. Auburn is getting the best linebacker in the state of Georgia and I hope to lead them to a National Championship when I get there.”
Coach Chizik will surely like the moxie that Garrett possesses though he has Garrett working on a few things before his senior season. Garrett said that he is working hard on tackling in the backfield as his Tucker Tiger team attempts to regain its form from its 2008 run to the state title. “I’m working on sacks and (forcing) turnovers. (The Tucker Tigers) are working on not giving up points. We want a lot of shutouts this year.” The Tiger defense should be outstanding this year with James Vaughters (headed to Stanford) joining Garrett at linebacker and Chris Sanders (Georgia-bound) in the defensive secondary.
After Garrett graduates and heads to Auburn, he says he expects to compete early. “I’m going to work hard in the weight room. I want to compete and start,” said Garrett. However if a starting job isn’t earned, he isn’t opposed to taking a redshirt over taking reps on special teams. “I’d rather be a redshirt-freshman and lean the schemes so I can be ready that next year.”
Justin Garrett doesn’t lack for confidence and the Auburn program seems ready to embrace the young linebacker when he steps on campus. Garrett will have some fellow Georgians reporting with him next summer in Pope offensive lineman Thomas O’Reilly and North Gwinnett athlete CJ Uzomah. If Gene Chizik continues to hit the state of Georgia hard like he has this season, the Tigers could soon be contending in the SEC West and for that National Title Garrett hopes to lead them to.
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