My blog has moved!

You should be automatically redirected in 6 seconds. If not, visit
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/bulldogs-blog/
and update your bookmarks.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

The offensive line in 2011

Now that Cordy Glenn has announced his return for his senior year, we can safely take a look at what next season’s offensive line could look like. Georgia isn’t known to be actively recruiting any more offensive lineman, and even if it was they wouldn’t be likely to play right away.

As we project now, it seems three players, and probably four, are all but guaranteed a starting spot. But only two of those are locked into a specific position.

So it seems likely that when spring practice starts a number of more inexperienced players will be competing for one starting spot, but at several positions. I’d be surprised if Stacey Searels, the offensive line coach, doesn’t carry that competition into the summer.

In fact, Searels probably wouldn’t even grant that anybody is guaranteed starting spots. But I will, because I have a blog and can’t hedge everything, safely assume the following:

- Trinton Sturdivant is the starter at left tackle. It’s not just that the senior, when healthy, is the team’s best blind-side protector. He’s also just more comfortable at that spot.

- Ben Jones is the starting center. He’s made 35 starts in his college career.

- Glenn will start at one of the guard spots. He was the left guard all of 2010, but that was when the Bulldogs had Chris Davis there, or Clint Boling available to rotate over. I’ll be interested to see if the staff wants to keep Glenn on the left side, or shift him to the right, where he'd be next to a more inexperience right tackle.

- Kenarious Gates seems likely to start somewhere. As a freshman he made three starts at right guard, but Searels has said that Gates could also play tackle. If Sturdivant had left, it’s a good bet Gates would have been given first shot at left tackle. Now with Sturdivant and Glenn each back, the staff has the luxury of deciding whether Gates is more valuable at any of three positions.

So that leaves - assuming all of the above is correct, and I’m never wrong so it absolutely is – one starting spot open, at either left or right guard or right tackle. And here are the main candidates:

- Tanner Strickland, who would be a senior if he comes back. Strickland, who appeared in every game this year, making three starts, hasn’t said publicly yet whether he’s going to play. He graduated last month and has battled injuries. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 319 pounds, he would likely be a candidate at each guard spot.

- Brent Benedict (6-5, 301) sat out this year as a true freshman because of a serious knee injury. Once he’s healthy, he will get a shot somewhere.

- A.J. Harmon (6-5, 320), who will be a redshirt junior, appeared in four games in 2010. But he was academically ineligible for the Liberty Bowl, which can’t help his cause.

- Dallas Lee (6-4, 300) appeared in three games as a guard this year. Next year he’ll be a redshirt sophomore, and Searels and head coach Mark Richt brought Lee up several times as someone who had looked good in practice.

- Kolton Houston (6-5, 291) redshirted as a freshman this year. He’s listed as a tackle, but recruiting services had him as a guard. Houston was a pretty highly-touted prospect, so look for him to be involved in the competition.

- Chris Burnette (6-2, 300) will be the backup center and would have played more this year as a redshirt freshman if he hadn’t gotten hurt. But the staff seems really excited about him, so other than preparing him to replace Jones in 2012, they could also give him a look at guard.

- Austin Long (6-5, 302) was also mentioned several times by coaches as having some potential. He’ll be a redshirt sophomore.

- Someone from the defensive line: Justin “Bean” Anderson played offense before shifting to nose tackle. If the Bulldogs are able to land JUCO standout Johnathon Jenkins, they’ll think about moving Anderson back to offense – and could always consider the same with Kwame Geathers, if you believe Buck Belue.

- A true freshman: The Bulldogs have commitments from David Andrews (6-2, 275), Watts Dantzler (6-7, 316), Hunter Long (6-3, 293) and Nathan Theus (6-3, 255). Theus is a long-snapper. Dantzler, because of his size, seems the most likely to contribute right away.

So there you have it. A whole lot of options, which should make for a fun spring and preseason trying to sort it out. But whether it makes for a fun fall for the Bulldogs, well …

33 comments:

heyberto said...

I guess my big question is this. Was the strength of our offensive line it's primary problem? Supposedly, the revamping of that program will fix that problem.. so Skill and experience-wise, are these guys good enough to perform effectively?

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't count on immediate results from the new S&C. I suspect it will take more than a year to see any substantial improvement. You don't build strength like what is needed in one off season.

Anonymous said...

I disagree about not seeing immediate results from S&C. Now granted, I haven't worked out in about 26 years, but my opinion is that the UGA players aren't light years away from other teams as far as strength. It's not like I could out-bench press them. I think a great offseason workout might close the gap in a big way.

Anonymous said...

All of these wet paper bag blockers needed to hit the damn weight room right after the bowl debacle. That goes for the dancing bears defensive line too. Still doesnt look too promising.

Anonymous said...

You forgot Zach DeBell in this recruiting class. He's 6' 7" and 270 lbs. so he needs to gain weight. He is considered somewhere between 15-20 top tackles in the country and played in one of the national All-American games this past week. If he puts on some pounds this summer he could be a factor, he's real aggressive.

David said...

After reading the "What will it take to be next year's Auburn" post, I started getting my hopes up for next year. Then I read this and realized there's no way in hell we'll be worth a damn next year.

NCDawg said...

Zach DeBell looked GREAT on film. Yes, he needs weight, but great mobility to handle the edge pass rush.

Gov Milledge said...

Cannot forget about Zach DeBell... looking forward to more Zombie quotes from him in the future, if CSS doesn't muzzle him first

Todd said...

Good, so Searls should know exactly what the starting lineup will be by game 7.

Bizzaroneck said...

I'm with anon. Just taking into account the using a nutritionist will make huge strides in S&C. I think that is the real culprit in our declining program. Going from cookies and garbage to white meat chicken will make a huge difference.

Anonymous said...

The strength part may take time but the conditioning part doesn't. The military manages to take out of shape civilians and make them into fighting men in a mere 8 weeks of basic and 8 weeks of advanced training. I think the problem is that some of the conditioning exercises will take the weight off the beer belly boys. This is where the nutrisionist comes in to play. Run these guys until they puke and the 4th quarter will look easy.

PTC DAWG said...

Re, how long till we are better than AU...it took AU exactly 1 year to be better than us...we had beaten them 4 years in a row.

Things can turn around quickly, both ways.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, good points about the nutritionist. If the S&C has really been a problem, as so many people claim it is, then this should pay a lot of dividends.

Anonymous said...

if they can get them off the tweeting and on the twaining part s@c will come into play by start of next season.but conditioning takes focus and effort not just merely half-assed going thru the motions.plus conditioning plays a huge part into jelling these players into a unit of one gotta get rid of the distractions (dawgofdasouth)

Taylor said...

Breakdown of who will most likely play where:
Theus wont use a scholly this year; he's going to grey-shirt and takeover LS duties in 2012.
David Andrews is the next center in line behind Jones and Burnette.
Watts Dantzler has tackle size, in the mold of Clint Boling, can play anywhere, except Dantzler is BIGGER.
Hunter Long projects as a guard ala Tanner Strickland, Jonathan Owens type.
Zach Debell is this years "prize" tackle; think Benedict, Austin Long, Trinton Sturdivant. Needs to put on weight.

Hope that helps folks pencil in their depth charts at home, haha

ReservoirDawg said...

Thank you Anons for your inspiring words on how to get a good workout... This line has talent but lack the toughness and grit to compete in the SEC. I expect CSS to open up every spot this off-season and let the guys know that going into workouts. Sturdivant and Glenn came back for a reason- they weren't happy with their draft position. I look for these guys to have a big year trying to boost their position for next year's draft. I think Gates will continue to develop and another year of S&C will be HUGE for this guy- he was a TRUE freshman last year- think about that.

Anonymous said...

Actually Taylor. Theus is not grey-shirting like originally planned. He said that he wanted to enroll on time. So the coaches agreed and gave him a scholarship.

http://blogs.ajc.com/recruiting/2010/12/07/ten10-dream-team-prospects-making-official-visits-to-uga-this-weekend/

Taylor said...

Ahhh.. Must have missed that article about Theus. But in the end, if the net gain allows us to get his brother in here in 2012 then it'll be worth it. I still think Strickland leaves the program after this semester, but then again if that was the case why didn't he walk out with the seniors like Ben Harden and Charles White did on Senior Day this year. Who knows at this point. I still think we are pretty stocked on the OL.
LT Sturdivant/Benedict
LG Gates/Dantzler/Houston
C Jones/Burnette
RG Glenn/Lee/Anderson
RT Harmon/Austin Long

I expect Andrews, Hunter Long, Theus, and Debell to redshirt most likely.

Anonymous said...

Did nobody else see the Dawg Camp video of Watts Dantzler getting burned time and time again by DEs of all shapes and sizes in 1-on-1 drills? He's huge, yes, but my god is that kid slow. I think either Rivals or Scout actually downgraded his star ranking at some point. Maybe we can hide him at a Guard spot and hope to God the defenses don't realize how slow the guy is...

meansonny said...

Dantzler was offered by Bama and a slew of other schools.

I understand what you're saying about the slow footwork. But the dude is 18 years old and 315 pounds. He's not a finished product right now.

I just hope he develops faster than Harmon.

BuLLdawg said...

BEN JONES has LOST 15 of his 35 Starts. 20-15. Our OL sucks and has sucked. We have NO LEADERS on our OL, none. We cannot block for the pass and we cannot block for the run. Why did you FAIL Seth Emerson to point out that we LOST :

Clint Boling - gone

Josh Davis - gone

Chris Davis - gone

While you run in here bragging about what we LEFT on our OL.

There will not be 1 other review of the OL for 2011 that will fail to mention losing Josh Davis, Chris Davis and Clint Boling.

1. Mark Richt to stop his recruiting of players who are ARRESTED / SUSPENDED

2. Mark Richt to stop his hiring COACHING STAFF based on praying with Mark Richt

3. Quit LOSING games vs The SEC

4. UGA is not in the Top 10 Winning Percentage in the Mark Richt Era of 10 years at 96-34.

5. Off the field Mark Richt recruits are # 2 nation last 5 years missing games SUSPENDED

6. On the field UGA isn't in Top 22 in Wins nationally last 5 years NOT GOOD ENOUGH

7. Against SEC, Mark Richt is not in the Top 7 SEC Coaches in Win Percentage BCS Era

8. 21 Losses after DJ Shockley last 5 years 2006-2010 more than Jim Donnan 5 years

9. 21 Losses last 5 years 2006-2010 exactly as many as Ray Goff 1991-1995 last 5 years

10. 7 Losses 2010 is the Most Losses by UGA since 7-Loss Season of 1957 53 years ago

11. UGA has NEVER Lost 7 games in a season except twice in 118 years before 2010

12. Recruits in this state need to quit saying they won't come play Offense with Mark Richt

13. # 32 last 2 years is 9-4. # 32 is not our goal. 2011 Mark Richt must be better than 9-4

14. Mark Richt needs to Quit telling Lies

15. Mark Richt needs to Quit having soft easy practices

16. Mark Richt needs to Quit recruiting gang members

17. Christian LeMay needs to be cut loose from this recruiting class just as Zach Witchett

18. Mark Richt needs to Respect the SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

19. Mark Richt needs to just say "I QUIT" & take 1 of these LESSER JOBS being offered

20. Georgia finds 3 states only with more HS recruits in NFL # 17 recruiting FAILURE

21. Lost 21 games last 5 years average worse than 4 Losses per year 4 in 2011 = FIRED

22. From 2001-2010 Mark Richt Averages # 52 in NCAA Rank for Total Offense

23. 2010 # 56 Total Offense # 72 at 1st Downs # 55 at 3rd Down Conversion # 62 being sacked

24. 6 STRAIGHT YEARS not in SEC Championship Game = FAILURE & we are DOWN

25. BONEHEADED redshirt players then lose them early

26. BONEHEADED rip redshirts off players in 3rd quarter of game 5 and game 6

27. BONEHEADED have no Fullback

28. PITIFUL RECRUITING having no running game at University of Ground Attack

29. PASS-HAPPY Offense has to go go with Mike Bobo

30. Quit telling us our OL # 1 in nation, then # 62 sacked #

31. 10 years Mark Richt Era 3 Wins 9 Losses vs Top 10 final AP Poll

32. 10 years Mark Richt Era 10 Losses vs NOT Top 25 final AP Poll

33. Must Quit Losing to BAD teams and start winning vs Great Teams

34. Coaching Staff Quit BLAMING players THEY RECRUITED here & did not teach

35. Coaching Staff Quit BLAMING players THEY RECRUITED here for being ARRESTED

36. Mark Richt to Quit with this SETTLING FOR FIELD GOALS of his 1st 10 years here

37. Grow a pair

38. Mark Richt to make special teams NOT just WALK-ON players

39. Get 11 players at a time on the field, Quit playing FAVORITES like Caleb King

40. Quit recruiting 5 Tight Ends and NO Fullback

BuLLdawg said...

41. Quit recruiting your # 1 recruit as QB when you say Aaron Murray ONLY will play next 3 years

42. No Pressure on opposing QB with all the TALK by Grantham that his is pressing defense

43. B.S. on that B.S. "All our defense will be blitzing." He didn't blitz 1 time all year long.

44. Mark Richt TALKS saying we are GREAT at the very areas we are HORRIBLE = LIES

45. EXCUSES and COP-OUTS have to END forthwith

46. There are NO EXCUSES for 21 Losses last 5 years

47. Last 3 years total 2008-2010 we are 2-11 vs Top 25 final AP Poll teams

48. Auburn was 7-0 in 2010 vs Top 25 final AP Poll - Mark Richt 2-11 last 3 years

49. Mark Richt & Aaron Murray 2010 have 6 wins - ALL 6 teams LOSING RECORD

50. Get on the national stage end of year beat Top 10 final AP Poll team 0 times in 10 years

51. Lost to Florida 8 of 10 years Mark Richt era 2001-2010

52. Mark Richt 10-year era 3 times beat Top 10 final AP Poll team

53. 2001 beat # 4 vols, but LOST 4 games

54. 2005 beat # 6 LSU, but LOST 3 games

55. 2006 (Six (6) Years ago) beat # 9 Auburn, but LOST 4 games

56. Tell me again how you knocked lid off UGA program with 4 LOSSES 2001 ?

57. How do you knock lid off # 11 all-time win program with 4 LOSSES again please ?

58. Fire Rodney Garner no DL and Recruits all ARRESTED failure in-state on Offense

59. Fire Mike Bobo not tell me GREAT # 72 at 1st Downs ran up 6 wins LOSING RECORD

60. Fire Bryan McClendon - in fact fire every coach you didn't fire this time last year

61. We are to believe with this coaching staff you hired that you can hire their replacement ?

62. Stop the run

63. Stop 1 pass play all season 2011

64. Establish the run vs 1 top run defense

65. Quit handing us KOOL-AID, we are not drinking it - NONE of us

66. DECLINE of this football program over the last FIVE (5) YEARS on & off field

67. What Mike Bobo did vs 6 CUPCAKES all with LOSING RECORD doesn't mean DAMN thing

68. Quit allowing Aaron Murray to steal 7 carries every game from RB, averaging 1 yard carry

69. 17 SUSPENSIONS in 2010 ALONE ? You have GOT to be kidding me.

70. 17 Losses 1940-1948 Wally Butts 7 years

71. 21 Losses 1980-1988 Vince Dooley 9 years

72. 21 Losses 2006-2010 Mark Richt 5 years

73. 10 years not 1 year Mark Richt beat the great teams and didn't LOSE to the CUPCAKES

74. How are you going to get to the Mountain Top losing CUPCAKES not beating great teams ?

75. We should have been 11-3 this 2010 season after 10 years to get to this, not 6-7

76. How can Mark Richt possibly keep his job after 2011, losing 14 seniors and AJ Green ?

77. Because DISNEYdawgs.com tell me 9-4 is ACCEPTABLE for 2011

Mark Richt does this 2011 and he is FIRED :



Boise State – WIN
South Carolina – LOSS
Coastal Carolina – WIN
@ Ole Miss – WIN
Miss State – LOSS
@ vols – WIN
@ Vandie – WIN
Florida – LOSS
New Mexico – WIN
Auburn – LOSS
Kentucky – WIN
@ Georgia tek – WIN
SEC Championship Game – watch on TV - DNP
Crappy bowl game - WIN

BuLLdawg said...

“Jelling Offensive Line” that’s a good 1.

That pretty much sums up our OL all right : Jelling

I would state that they have achieved that already.

That’s as good a one as I have heard in a long time


(dawgofdasouth)


Jelling Definition : “to come to the consistency of jelly”


Taylor

Taylor says above here in this blog that he missed the article on the UNCOMMITTED RECRUITS Mark Richt had attend UGA over a month ago now, an article by Chip Towers AJ-C discussing all the UNCOMMITTED RECRUITS.

Of those UNCOMMITTED RECRUITS attending at UGA over a month ago, Mark Richt got a commitment from one.

(1).

5 UNCOMMITTED RECRUITS of AJ-C Super 11 attending UGA over month ago :

DE/OLB Xzavier Dickson of Griffin – NO COMMITMENT
DE/OLB Ray Drew of Thomas County Central – NO COMMITMENT
TE Jay Rome – NO COMMITMENT
Five-star RB Isaiah Crowell – NO COMMITMENT
CB Damian Swann is Mark Richt’s ONLY commitment of this entire group of 5 UNCOMMITTED RECRUITS of AJ-C Super 11.

Isaiah Crowell backed out and DID NOT EVEN come to UGA that weekend.

DE Jeoffrey Pagan of Asheville, N.C. – NO COMMITMENT
ATH Quan Bray – NO COMMITMENT

8 UNCOMMITTED RECRUITS attending UGA last month for the DREAM TEAM weekend, and Mark Richt got 1 commitment. One (1) of the Eight (8) Chip Towers discusses in detail in said URL Link provided not read by Taylor.

DREAM TEAM ?

That is a movie from 1989 about criminally insane breaking out of prison to go to a BALLGAME.

DREAM TEAM Mark Richt for 2 Thursdays from now Signing Date ?

NOT HARDLY. Currently, # 14 recruiting class in a state finding only 3 others with more High School recruits who go on to the NFL.

# 14 Recruiting Rank = FAILURE “DREAM TEAM”

In fact, it is the 2nd worst recruiting class by Mark Richt EVER and both of those are BACK-TO-BACK the last 2 years.

2009 recruiting class is gone – off the team

Zach DeBell is a great kid out of Florida but at 6 feet 7 inches long, he is 265 lbs of skinny gets his butt kicked backwards trying to block for the pass, always knocked off his feet, which explains why he has a Scholarship Offer from NO TOP TEAM. If you think he is coming in here 2011 and Starting or Playing, you have lost your marbles. But, of course, that implies that you once had them. 4 DISNEYdawgs.com posters have run in here to BRAG about Zach DeBell 2011. He cannot keep his feet and is knocked STRAIGHT BACKWARDS OFF HIS FEET on passing downs. Aaron Murray runs a PASS-HAPPY OFFENSE. This is NOT a fit in the foreseeable future. Name me 1 Top Team who even OFFERED Zach DeBell a Scholarship please ? Just 1 now mind you ? If Zach DeBell is being recruited to play OL for Aaron Murray, he is years away from Starting. Years. He has a faster future at DL, but he is too slow for SEC on DL. I like the kid, but what I don’t like is all this HYPE about him Starting on the OL 2011. I guess ALL the top program are ALL WRONG about not even offering Zach DeBell a Scholarship ? He is the # 29 OT in the nation, meaning that 28 other teams can recruit a better OT than he. 28 teams can do better. Then, there is the opinion of the DISNEYdawgs.com that he will START 2011. Hogwash. Straight Backwards OFF HIS FEET on pass protection every play by every SEC team against him – and, this is ALL Aaron Murray does PASS in his PASS-HAPPY offense. I love Aaron Murray; he is our best player and was all season long; but, Zach DeBell is NOT a fit for Aaron Murray for YEARS YET. Years. 265 lbs OT in SEC – oh yeah DISNEYdawgs.com He is not light; he is SKINNY. He would be planted on his butt on every pass play 2011. No wait a minute. I get it now : Stacy Searels will start him every game the first 6 games 2011. Please do not tell anyone with these other teams we play next season that you say Zach DeBell will START for UGA at OT all 2011. Oh, yeah, he is going to step right in DISNEYdawgs.com . You bunch of liars. Zach DeBell is not a factor 2011.

Taylor said...

BuLLdawg: your constant negativeness really just makes no one want to read your longwinded, caps lock, sky-is-falling posts/opinions. We get it, you aren't happy with the way things are playing out in Athens. I don't think any of us are. But seriously, switch to decaf. As for something I did skim through and pick up, you mentioned the loss of both Davis' and Boling, the Davis boys did NOTHING for us this past year but look terrible and get benched, so the only real loss is Boling.

And one thing about recruiting: she is a very fickly mistress. You mentioned Drew, Crowell, Rome, Dickson, Swann, Bray, and Pagan. Drew, Crowell, Pagan, and Rome are still uncommitted and we have a great chance at landing this young men. Bray as always and Auburn lean; and as for Dickson, some say he could end up flipping back to us by signing day, but then again who really knows.

Do me a favor, bud, relax a little, try and be a little more positive. No one will win them all. Spouting off facts and reasons why the program isn't doing so hot doesn't do anything but re-enforce most DAWGS despair from the season. Gotta have hope, even if some of it is misguided and not warranted, always have hope.

crap sandwich said...

You know the fella in Tucson has nothing on BuLLdawg....just say'in

Anonymous said...

This O-Line sucked 2 years ago, sucked this past year, and in all likelihood will suck next season! Nothing has changed here!

Rich said...

Hey BuLLdawg, get back on the meds.Your issues are showing.

Anonymous said...

BuLLdawg- link us back to your bowl picks. Those are worth a good laugh everytime.

Anonymous said...

BuLLdawg you need a job and a life. Please take your drivel someplace else.

Anonymous said...

Can't wait for next weeks top 77 List. I am sure it is on the verge of being picked up by Conan.

Anonymous said...

Folks, the o-line has sucked for most of Mark Richt's tenure. They were good in the '02 season and ok in '04 and '05. I'll leave '07 out b/c I think Knowshon was responsible for the effective running the 2nd half of that year.

I believe one of the main reasons for this is Mark Richt's finesse mentality. Not sure about right this moment but up until the Liberty Bowl he thought he could still do what they did at FSU in the 90s when they were in a watered down ACC.

PTC DAWG said...

Please, let's get rid of the drivel.

ABC DAWG said...

Please, let's get rid of the spin.