In a rare act of cross-program loyalty, Sam Pittman did Kirby Smart a huge favor. One that came after he had already left Georgia to become the head coach at Arkansas, and premier OL talent was wondering whether he should stay true to his commitment to the Bulldogs.

Rusty Mansell, a Georgia insider, shared the story of how former Bulldog Tate Ratledge’s commitment to Georgia got affected by Pittman’s move to Arkansas. But when he was about to make a decision, a call from Kirby Smart’s former assistant ultimately sealed the deal.

“He (Tate Ratledge) had Sam Pitman,” said Rusty Mansell of DawgsHQ & On3 Sports during an appearance on That SEC Podcast. “It’s funny, man, because Sam Pitman took the Arkansas job the Sunday before National Signing Day. And Tate was from my hometown, so I knew him. My daughter graduated high school with him. So, I knew all about him. And Tate called me that Sunday night. He goes, ‘Man, I don’t know what I’m going to do.’ And I said, ‘Look, you do whatever you need to do. Just stay in touch with me this week. I know this is crazy, and it’s a totally different deal for you.’”

When an assistant coach or primary recruiter leaves, players tend to change their minds. Just ask OSU how much Brian Hartline’s departure mattered. In Ratledge’s case, Pittman was all he knew about the Bulldogs. The former Georgia OC began recruiting Ratledge when he was a high school sophomore.

However, with Pittman’s departure, powerhouses were pushing hard to make the race difficult for the Bulldogs. “Tennessee came in hard that last week. So did Clemson. Clemson was trying to get him on campus like that Wednesday. Tennessee came in really hard at the end. And I remember that was Sunday night,” added Mansell.

“On Monday afternoon, he texted me, saying, ‘I think I’m going to take a couple of visits. Don’t put it out yet, but Tennessee and maybe Clemson, too. Said, ‘No problem.’ The next day, Kirby hires Matt Luke. They flew him from Oxford, Mississippi, to Rome, Georgia. He goes in, spends about four or five hours, meets his family, meets him, and I text that night. I said, ‘How’d you go today?’ He goes, ‘I’m not taking any visits; I’m staying with Georgia.’”

The reason for his stay with the Bulldogs wasn’t Luke but Sam Pittman.

“It’s funny though, you know who called him? Sam Pitman called him. Sam Pittman going to Arkansas. He’s trying to get a staff. He’s trying to do all these things. He took two minutes to call Tate Ratledge and say, ‘You need to stay with Georgia. That’s the place for you.’ And you know why Georgia fans love Sam Pittman? Little things like that,” remarked Mansell.

It simply reflected Pittman’s role as a true mentor to Ratledge and his loyalty to Georgia. Because, as the head coach of Arkansas, he could bring Ratledge with him. Though the Razorbacks’ head coach left the Bulldogs before Ratledge officially enrolled, his initial recruitment laid the foundation for the 2020 OL. He eventually became a multi-year starter and an All-American under subsequent coaches such as Matt Luke and Stacy Searels.

Tate Ratledge is a Georgia legend

Tate Ratledge is remembered in Athens not just for his “mullet” hairstyle but also for his exceptional football IQ and durability. In Georgia, he finished his career with 37 starts at right guard and was a key reason Georgia’s offense ranked among the top five nationally in several categories during his tenure.

He was a crucial part of the Bulldogs’ back-to-back CFP National Championship teams in 2021 and 2022. In his final season with the Bulldogs, despite missing four games with ankle and MCL sprains suffered against Kentucky, he returned for the Florida game and continued his dominant play, allowing only one sack in 311 pass-blocking snaps.

Ratledge’s dominance culminated in back-to-back All-American honors and two First-Team All-SEC selections, cementing his status as a top prospect before the Detroit Lions selected him in the second round.

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