Mark Richt announced yesterday the four captains for the 2011 season:

• CB/R Brandon Boykin
• P Drew Butler
• C Ben Jones
• DE DeAngelo Tyson

The four shouldn’t surprise anyone – most fans know what they mean to the team on the field, and being voted captain shows what they mean to their teammates.

The honor is especially poignant for Tyson. A lot of players even from the best backgrounds don’t make it as far as Tyson has. But Tyson didn’t have anything close to a normal upbringing. All but deserted by his family, Tyson was a product of foster homes and DFACS with little direction. After earning national recognition in high school and committing to Georgia, Tyson nearly threw it away. Thanks to the Joseph’s Home for Boys in Statesboro and a strong support system at his high school, Tyson was able to make it to Georgia. Now he’s a senior starter at his natural position and respected enough in the eyes of his teammates to become a team captain.