Georgia Football: Chris Milton Talks Why Kendall Milton is a Bulldog
On January 14, 2020, in what was our first episode of The Dropouts Podcast in the New Year, the guys and I had a conversation with Chris Milton of Clovis, California. Now if the Surname “Milton” sounds familiar it’s because Chris Milton is the father of elite running back Kendall Milton, who joined RBU for what is now the #1 recruit class for 2020 for the Georgia Bulldogs.
But we didn’t reach out to the patriarch of the Milton family to talk about UGA’s prized running back’s prowess on the field. Instead, we wanted to hear from Mr. Milton in regards to the recruitment of his high-profile son. We wanted a parent’s perspective on what can be an emotional, tumultuous time in a young person’s life. In this case, as far as geography is concerned, a set of parents are watching their youngest son cross the country to attend college and trusting the staff at said college to take care of their child.
We asked Mr. Milton during our conversation how a parent helps their highly recruited son navigate what was an ocean of offers from almost all the major power 5 schools. How do they help their athlete narrow down the schools that are best for him? His answer was simple and powerful.
"Just be a Dad. Not an agent. Not a marketing director. Provide guidance but let them make this decision."
Mr. Milton likened himself to being Kendall’s “Siri” in that if young Kendall had a question, he could ask and he would receive an answer that was no doubt full of wisdom. Mr. Milton was careful to offer opinions when asked and not sway their son’s decision based on their preferences. Mr. Milton also made it very clear that a high school athlete choosing a school is essentially a business decision.
(Kendall Milton's Senior highlight tape)
He listed measurables such as alumni support, coach and player networks, the national reach of the program and of course geography. UGA checked those boxes and more for Kendall.
Another powerful statement made by Mr. Milton was the recognition a young recruit needs to have about the power they possess in the recruiting process. That the recruit is interviewing the school to see if what they offer benefits them the most. He says, “Remember, they contacted you.”
Sage advice from a parent who has been through this process twice now, Kendall's older brother Ka'Lonn Milton played at Fresno State before finishing his career at Fort Lewis College. We spoke about the pressures of the process on these recruits. He painted for us a picture of a young Kendall who started receiving attention from college coaches when he was in eighth grade. He was 13 years old. He told us about how from all corners of Kendall’s young life came unsolicited advice. Everyone was telling Kendall what he needed to do next. How he needed to market himself.
Undoubtedly, he was being told where he should play college ball and may even have received criticism if these outside parties didn’t think he was working hard enough. Mr. Milton said young Kendall almost gave the whole thing up. The pressure was too just too much. Until Chris stepped in and hit reset. He told young Kendall to “Keep doing what you’re doing. You don’t need to change anything.” He was being a Dad. Because of that, Kendall persevered.
RB, Kendall Milton
Towards the end of the interview, we asked about the effects of social media on the recruits. The answer was surprising. Mr. Milton said it didn’t affect Kendall but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect other recruits. In brevity, be a fan on social media but also understand that your words have weight. Blasting these kids, coaches and teams on Twitter serves no real purpose. Support your team.
Support these players, some of whom traveled over 2,000 miles away from home to attend your favorite school. Treat them like your own. We asked Mr. Milton why UGA. He pointed to the network, the alumni association, the national brand but emphatically he cited the people. The coaches. The players. The fans.
He was sure to give a shout out to Dawg Nation for the love they’ve shown his family. He feels comfortable leaving his son in Athens because it feels like home and that the people will take care of his son and the other players.
The Bulldog Maven reached out to Chris Milton again prior to the release of this article to get an update on how Kendall has settled into his new home in Athens. Milton said,
"He has adjusted well to campus life. He has gotten his rhythm down as it relates to workouts, school, study hall and in the other requirements that he has. That has made this whole process become even easier of a transition."
He mentioned the workouts and the mass that Kendall Milton has already packed on since his arrival has been a bit of a surprise to the Father of Ballers. Chris responded to a picture of Kendall saying "This boy has gotten bigger since we dropped him off 25 days ago. That SEC weight program is no joke."
Chris Milton told the Bulldog Maven that when Kendall weighed in at 216 pounds upon his arrival on January 8th... two days ago he weighed in at 227 pounds. 11 pounds in 23 days.
Sure, those types of results speak to the type of program that Scott Sinclair and his staff are running at UGA, but it also speaks volumes about the type of work ethic that Kendall possesses and the level of "buy-in" that Milton displays.
Or as Chris himself put it, "He trusts them fully."
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