Barely settled into his new role, Georgia’s new O-line coach Phil Rauscher is already making strategic moves, targeting a legacy recruit by leveraging a key program connection. He is now leaning on a significant advantage UGA has with an up-and-coming offensive lineman, who will be his first legacy player recruited as O-line coach.

Georgia made quite the statement by making an offer to OT Ty Johnson, an unranked player from South Carolina. Despite flying under the radar, he’s a player of immense importance to the Bulldogs. His father is Travis Johnson, a former Georgia lineman who played with Mike Bobo. Moreover, Ty picked up the official offer on January 18, which was his first from a primary P4 program.

Strikingly, Travis Johnson played center when Bobo was a quarterback from 1993 to 1997. Ty had visited the campus multiple times, including the Texas game last year. But his first big invite came only recently when Georgia hosted Junior Day. He described it as an “awesome” visit, according to DawgNation.

Naturally, UGA is now the competitor to beat for other programs that have offered or will offer him. He also told DawgNation that his family has been massive UGA fans.

Ty Johnson is a fantastic addition to Georgia’s offensive line, thanks to his impressive size and athleticism. Standing at 6’6” and weighing 305 pounds, he showcased his skills playing both right and left tackle during his junior year. Plus, he boasts a remarkable wingspan of 34 inches and a hand span of 10.5 inches, which really gives him an edge.

Johnson might be unranked for now, but he did earn a Class 5A honorable mention for the 2025 season. He told the Post and Courier that Georgia likes the same things about him as the South Carolina Gamecocks do.

“They like my size,” Johnson told the publication about the Gamecocks’ view of him. “I can snap so that I can play center, so I’m a little more valuable in that aspect. My effort, how I come off the ball, and athleticism.”

“Love what they see,” he added of Georgia’s perspective. “Want to see a little more of it on film. Once they see that, they’ll go from there.”

While Georgia’s 2027 class is still waiting for its first offensive line commit, the hiring of Phil Rauscher is expected to jumpstart that effort immediately. He got to work quickly by continuing the early push for Ty Johnson, who has very few marquee offers.

Clemson, Virginia Tech, UAB, Wake Forest, and Oklahoma State will be Rauscher’s competitors. On paper, it seems like UGA can easily knock them off the offensive lineman’s recruiting trail if it can bank on the connection it already has with his father.

How Phil Rauscher’s hiring as O-line coach is affecting recruitment

Rauscher’s performance as the new O-line coach will be critical to Georgia’s future success in the trenches. Ever since he accepted his new role, he has been working immediately. Rauscher, barely two days after making the move, made an offer to the state’s No. 1 lineman, Maxwell Hiller. He even visited him at his school to drive home the pitch.

Replacing Searels won’t be easy for the new O-line coach, because he leaves behind an impactful legacy of coaching star NFL talents. Future recruits are counting on Searels’ presence as an offensive analyst, which will definitely be of help to Phil Rauscher.

“I have met (Rauscher) multiple times,” Ty Johnson told On3. “I am very excited about it as I believe Searels will still be in the mix as well. I think Phil is a great coach and I love his schemes, and how he coaches a lot, so I think it will be a great bit and work very well.”

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Rauscher’s already developing bond with Johnson might be the leverage Georgia needs to win over the offensive lineman. The Bulldogs rarely pursue targets who aren’t highly ranked, which means they’re making this decision with a positive outlook for Johnson’s career by the time he ends his prep career.