Interview: 2019 Arkansas OC Josh George Proving to be a College Ready Talent
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
In any sport, if you come across a coach’s son with passion for the game, you have an ideal talent in your company. Most kids raised in the home of a coach have the ins-and-outs of the game ingrained at them early in life putting said child far ahead of his peer group in understanding the nuances of the game. Something special happens when knowledge of the game syncs with physical talent and determination. A poster child for the embodiment of a special player on the gridiron with all the unique characteristics rolled into one is Class of 2019 offensive lineman Josh George.
Not only is George a coach’s son but he has also been an offensive lineman throughout his football playing career. Since the first grade, George has been in the trenches playing every spot possible working his trade. His versatility has been put to great use at Benton High School where he helped the Panthers to a 7-5 record against 6A Arkansas talent, again lining up at every spot as needed. The Panthers were a tough team to claim a victory against in 2017 losing three games by a total of 23 points. The offense was relentless posting an average of 39 points per game anchored by George up front.
Enough was thought of the 6-4, 310-pound, lineman when the end of the season came around he was named 2017 first team All-Conference, All-State Underclassman, and received an All-USA award for the state of Arkansas. Adding a little bit to the resume, he did it all on a gimpy ankle.
The beauty of George’s talents, he can play any position on the line, including center. George’s size and skillset make him an ideal fit for Division-I programs at center or guard with his ability to snap, run block, and pass-set with the best of them. All that talent was put to another test over the weekend competing at the Nike Opening Regional in Dallas, a spot where he once again proved he is among the best of the best not just in Arkansas but in the nation.
In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview, I caught up with George at the Dallas Nike Opening Regional for an in-depth conversation covering his playing career, offseason workouts, and recruiting process.
Interview
Josh, you are a road-grader in the trenches, did you guys track pancake blocks and knockdowns last season?
“No, sir. Our offensive line coach is not one for bragging. If I had to guess, I would estimate 80-plus knockdowns. The highest I had in one game was 16 against Texarkana.”
Was there a defensive lineman that challenged you last season making you better for the great competition?
“Yes, sir. Absolutely. Our rival (Bryant), their nose guard, Kajuan Robinson (6-2, 300), I’ve competed against him since the eighth grade. He is good with his hands and strong. The nose guard from Greenwood, he is good and strong. It was good for me to compete against them.”
Which game was your best in 2017?
“I’d say my most dominating game was against Texarkana. My best overall game as far as calling the right calls for the offensive line and personally executing was against Bryant in the Salt Bowl.”
How did your overall game improve during your junior season?
“My sophomore year I played guard, I didn’t have to make calls for zone and power plays. My junior year, I was back to center. Coach Gentry trusted me with the calls and with changing the play based on the box. I grew as a player last season. I saw the box a lot better last year.”
When did you start playing center?
“When I first started playing football in the first grade. My dad is a coach at Benton Junior High. Since the first grade, my dad has taught me that the center is the most valuable position on the line. If you can play center, you can play anywhere on the line. I’ve been playing center all the way up through my junior year. I feel most comfortable there.”
Are we going to see you at multiple positions during your senior year?
“On the offensive line, it ends up being about matchups against our opponent. If we are going against a strong end, I will play tackle. If we are going up against a strong defensive tackle, I will be at guard. It depends were our offensive coordinator and offensive line coach feels I can neutralize their threat.”
Will we see you on defense in 2018?
“I’m not sure about defense this year. I played some last year on goal line; some beef in the middle. I’ve been harping on our defensive coordinator to play some nose guard my senior year.”
What are you working on this offseason to prepare for the 2018 schedule?
“Pretty much all the offensive line stuff – my footwork, steps, correcting my pass-set, and perfecting my hand-placement. My offseason is always about setting the foundation for a perfect pass-set, a perfect set in zone and my counters and powers. I’m working on no mistakes. I work until it is perfect making sure my game is at its best to benefit my team anyway possible.”
Have you maxed out in the weight room this offseason?
“Yes, sir. My bench max is 315, my squat is 495, my power clean is 265, and my incline bench is 280.”
Impressive. I saw you perform at the Dallas Nike Regional, how did the camp go for you?
“Overall, it went well. It went as planned. I went 7-1 in one-on-ones. I ended up testing in the 99th percentile for med ball and 94th percentile in lower body with my vertical. It went well.”
What did you do well in the one-on-ones to stand out from the others?
“I feel like I had strong hands with my punch. I was able to stop their momentum with my punch. I got my hips and body on them at the line of scrimmage. I showcased my punch and power and overall strength.”
Do you have any other upcoming camps planned?
“I am planning on attending camps with Memphis, UCA (Central Arkansas), Arkansas, and I am driving to Colorado Springs for the Air Force Academy camp. There are some others that are pending.”
Which schools are showing interest in you but have not offered just yet?
“Air Force, they have talked to me a lot. I receiver phone calls from their head coach and offensive line coach. Memphis is showing a lot of love. I am in constant contact with their running backs and offensive line coach. UCA is talking to me a lot as well. Ivy League schools are showing interest as well. I am receiving mail from Harvard, Princeton, and Dartmouth and Cornell sends me emails.”
Which schools have offered you so far?
“Morehead State (KY) and UAPB (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) have offered me.”
Have you taken any unofficial visits?
“Yes, sir. I have visited Memphis, UCA, Tulane, Louisiana Tech, and Southeast Missouri, and Tennessee-Martin.”
With the Ivy League schools showing interest, you must be doing well in the classroom. What is your cumulative GPA?
“My GPA is 3.58.”
Have you taken the ACT and/or the SAT yet?
“Yes, sir. I scored a 26 on the ACT.”
Nice. Getting it done on the field and in the classroom. Are you playing any other sports for Benton?
“I used to wrestle, but the cutoff weight is 285. I compete in track – the shot and discuss.”
The Panthers were a high-scoring team last year, how does the offense look this spring?
“We look really-really good. We are returning a lot of starters. We had 33 injuries last season. We have 16 starters back on offense. We have all-state RB Zack Wallace, four starters on the line and three others with significant playing time, all three QBs are back, and we only lost one receiver. We are bringing back a full lineup. Our offense should be even more explosive this season.”
During a game, what kind of player are you, are you a talker or do you let your play do the talking?
“I don’t do a lot of talking unless there is something that needs to be said. Being an offensive lineman, it is natural to be a protector. If you are not taking cheap shots on my teammates, if it is a clean game, I’m not saying much. If you start taking cheap shots, I will say some mean things.”
What’s the funniest thing a defensive player has said to you to try to distract you from mowing them over on the next play?
(Laughs). “Playing against Texarkana, at the end of the fourth quarter. Before every snap, there is a silence. All the sudden their defensive end starts talking to my left tackle. We went back-and-forth, I was laughing so hard I had to come out. We were up big then. But, I have never laughed so hard on the field during a game like that.”
What do you love about playing football?
“Geez. I love the physical nature of football. It is a man’s game. Being the biggest and strongest matters. What you do outside the game counts. I love the comradery as a team, especially among the O-line. In other sports, it is not the same. In no other sport do you bash your body for someone else the way you do in football. Knowing you have people sacrificing for you to win, that is special.”
Josh, thanks for your time today and congratulations on a successful Nike camp.
“Thank you.”
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Photo credit: recruitingnewsguru.com; Josh George at the Dallas Nike Regional
Photo credit: George family; Josh George (right) with Zak Wallace at Memphis