Yesterday Georgia announced it had placed five players on Phil Steele's All-America teams and 14 on his All-SEC teams. That's a pretty impressive tally, putting the Bulldogs on par with reigning national champ Alabama.
But while having 14 players make Steele's All-SEC teams, here's my question: Could there be more by season's end?
With that said, here are five players who didn't make Steele's preseason list who I think could turn into All-SEC caliber performers by year's end.
5. Branden Smith. If things fall right, Smith could find his name on the All-SEC teams twice at year's end. He's in line to earn a significant amount of time at corner -- and possibly the starting job -- and as a five-star recruit with blazing speed, there's no reason to think he won't develop into a legit playmaker. He could also end up returning punts this season and, if he avoids the fumbling problems he had last year, could turn in a Brandon Boykin-esque performance.
4. Akeem Dent. Last year was a lost one for Dent, but he made some nice strides in 2008 and appears to be fully healthy for 2010. He's the veteran leader of the linebacking corps, and he'll be counted on heavily in Todd Grantham's 3-4 defense. If he can turn in the type of senior season he's capable of having, that would be huge news for both Dent's future prospects in the NFL and for Georgia's defense as a whole.
3. Tavarres King. Perhaps Kris Durham should be here instead. Or maybe Marlon Brown or Rantavious Wooten. But someone is going to be the beneficiary of all the attention A.J. Green gets, which means there will be plenty of opportunities for another WR to step up and turn in a strong season.
2. Abry Jones. Any kid that impresses Rodney Garner within a few weeks of arriving on campus as a true freshman has to have something going for him. Jones is strong and fast and could be a force as a pass rusher in the 3-4. How well he holds up against the run as part of the new-look D line will likely be what defines his sophomore campaign, but the potential is definitely there.
1. Cornelius Washington. Justin Houston's inclusion on Steele's first-team All-SEC list was well deserved, but Washington -- the other starting OLB -- is going to be given a chance to shine this year, too. For one, his skill set makes him a perfect fit at OLB, whereas he was a bit out of place in the more traditional DE in a 4-3. Secondly, Houston had such a strong 2009 season that he'll have to command more attention from the opposition, which could help free things up for Washington. The sophomore showed flashes last season, had an excellent G-Day performance, and I'll be shocked if he doesn't become a consistent threat as a pass rusher in 2010.
I should probably also include Caleb King on this list, but I'm guessing Phil Steele essentially flipped a coin on Georgia's running backs and went with Washaun Ealey as his rep. Odds are only one of the two will make an All-SEC team, but the chances are strong for either one. And, if by chance both prove to be All-SEC worthy by year's end, there's probably a good chance Georgia will be playing for an SEC title, too.
So… who do you think might also step up and surprise?
Showing posts with label Abry Jones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Abry Jones. Show all posts
Friday, May 21, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Notebook: New Scheme Creates Plenty of Questions
Abry Jones admits it has been a popular topic of conversation among Georgia’s defensive linemen and linebackers. As the Bulldogs prepare to switch schemes to a 3-4 defense, no one is quite sure where they’ll end up or what their role will be, which makes for an interesting, if somewhat anxious, guessing game among the holdovers.
“It’s pretty much just talking about where we could play,” Jones said. “But mostly we’re just waiting to see.”
Jones played exclusively at defensive tackle last year but said he’s prepared to play defensive end in new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s 3-4 scheme that features just three down linemen.
Other players could find themselves on the move, too. Some of Georgia’s defensive ends from a year ago could make the move to linebacker, while the Bulldogs are still in search of a player to fill the void at nose tackle.
While the process has made for a confusing few days for players still unsure of what lies ahead, senior Demarcus Dobbs said the change in scheme could create some new opportunities, particularly for some underutilized reserves like Cornelius Washington and Kiante Tripp.
“Cornelius being the athlete he is, he’s excited he could be a stand-up guy and play outside (linebacker),” Dobbs said. “But it’s all where your heart is. Those are talented guys, and with the coaching change, everybody’s on a clean slate. People are out to compete again, and that’s going to make everybody else better. A guy like Cornelius, an undersized D end, he might get a lot better. It gives us options.”
Options are nice. Answers might be a bit better for Georgia’s defenders.
But that will come in time as Grantham and his new staff get settled – their first team meeting is slated for Friday – and begin to implement their scheme during spring practice.
What isn’t a concern, Jones said, is the Bulldogs’ ability to adapt. While few players are certain of what’s in store for the 2010 season, he’s sure there is enough athleticism and talent on the roster to navigate any early turmoil.
“At Georgia, we have a lot of athletic players, so I’m pretty sure we’re all going to be able to adjust,” Jones said. “The athletic ability is still going to be there. It’s just catching up to learning the scheme as well as we knew the last scheme.”
AN EARLY START
Two of Georgia’s rookies for 2010 are already getting started in their preparations for the coming season.
Offensive lineman Kolton Houston and safety Jakar Hamilton, a junior college transfer from Georgia Military College, enrolled early and have spent the past two weeks in school, getting accustomed to classes while hitting the weight room and working out with teammates.
“I just wanted to get an edge on some of the other players and get stronger and faster and learn the playbook, so when they get in here, I already know all that stuff,” Houston said. “Just adjust to the college life without all the practice stress in the summer and fall.”
The adjustment to college isn’t quite as big a transition for Hamilton, who spent two years studying for the role under the strict rules at GMC and head football coach Bert Williams.
So when his new teammates warned him about the big obstacles ahead, he hasn’t gotten particularly stressed about meeting the challenge.
“Coach Williams is a great coach, and I know he pushes everybody there that plays football hard,” Hamilton said. “Everybody kept talking about mat drills. We did mat drills there, too, but it was like 5:30 in the morning outside in the cold.”
Of course, that doesn’t mean Hamilton sees his new life at Georgia as a walk in the park. Quite the opposite, actually.
“It’s been pretty busy lately,” Hamilton said. “Everybody’s been trying to call me and I tell them, ‘I’m pretty busy right now so I’m going to have to hit you up later.’”
GETTING TOUGH
Grantham’s introductory news conference last week met with a fond reaction from fans who drooled at his promises of an aggressive, attacking defense. Those promises weren’t lost on his players either.
“You want to have that mentality as a player and when you hear that, it gets you excited,” cornerback Brandon Boykin said. “I remember last year in spring football, we were real aggressive. So if we can bring that same excitement, I think it’ll be able to carry over to next season.”
As aggressive as Georgia may have been last spring, the evidence didn’t show up on the field in the fall. The Bulldogs ranked second-to-last nationally with just 12 takeaways all season and in their five losses mustered just two interceptions and didn’t recover a single fumble.
That’s an issue Grantham and new secondary coach Scott Lakatos hope to address immediately.
"I think those takeaways come basically with guys being in position to make those plays when they come about,” Lakatos said. “I think you put yourself in position by being fundamentally sound and that's one of the things I bring to the table with those guys on the back end. … That's something we'll definitely emphasize and practice and hopefully it will carry over into a game situation."
Grantham said his hope was to create a defense that left the opponents glad to see a game end, and that’s music to the ears of Georgia’s defenders, including newcomer Hamilton.
“On defense, you’ve got to be aggressive,” Hamilton said. “I’m one of those players who just doesn’t care. I’ll throw my whole body even if I have to break something to do it. If I have to catch a concussion, I’ll do it. And having (Grantham) coming in, I’m real excited to see what he’s bringing to the table.”
NEW LOOK FOR DBs
A year ago, Boykin was trying desperately to soak up all the knowledge he could as the lone newcomer in Georgia’s secondary.
As the Bulldogs begin their offseason workouts in preparation for spring practice, Boykin now finds himself as the lone holdover from last year’s unit.
“It’s a quick change,” Boykin said. “I’m trying to take over that leadership role like they did, but it’s going to be fun. A lot of us are going to be young out there -- me, (Bacarri) Rambo, Branden Smith. It’s going to be a challenge for us, but I think we’re up to it.”
Seniors Prince Miller and Bryan Evans and junior Reshad Jones are all gone – Jones leaving a year early to enter the NFL draft – meaning a big shakeup among the defensive backs. Smith and Rambo are likely to land two of the open spots, and Hamilton, a junior college transfer, is hoping to secure the free safety job as an early enrollee.
“I knew nobody was going to give me a starting position,” Hamilton said. “I knew I was going to have to come in and work hard and earn that starting position, and that’s what I’m doing now.”
Veterans Vance Cuff and Quintin Banks figure to be in the mix for starting jobs along with youngsters Sanders Commings, Jordan Love, Shawn Williams and Makiri Pugh and incoming freshman Alec Ogletree.
Grantham has promised that the depth chart starts fresh upon his arrival, and no jobs are secure. So while Boykin remains the lone holdover among Georgia’s starting defensive backs, he’s also one of the biggest proponents of the newfound competition at the position.
“I think it’s an opportunity for people who didn’t really play a lot last year to have a fresh new start and for the people who played last year not to get complacent,” Boykin said. “I think it’ll definitely help us as a team.”
THE PRO PERSPECTIVE
Beyond Grantham’s hard-nosed approach to defense, he brings another big plus for Georgia’s defenders: A road map to the NFL.
Grantham has spent the past 11 years coaching in the NFL, including his last stop with the Dallas Cowboys as a defensive line coach. Those are credentials that look awfully impressive to Georgia’s players hoping to turn their performance in Athens into a professional contract in the coming years.
“It’s exciting knowing that he came from the NFL so he can give us tips and tools to get us where we want to go,” Jones said. “He’s a person who’s been there before and he knows how it’s done.”
Even for seniors like Dobbs, who might otherwise have some concerns about adjusting to a new defense in his final year at Georgia, Grantham’s resume offers a measure of enthusiasm about the lessons that can be learned from a former NFL defensive coordinator.
“Being my senior year, you want somebody to steer you right,” Dobbs said. “With all his experience, you know he has a lot to share with all of us, and I’m just trying to learn as much as I can. It’s good to have somebody like him come in, and I think it’s going to work out for the better.”
“It’s pretty much just talking about where we could play,” Jones said. “But mostly we’re just waiting to see.”
Jones played exclusively at defensive tackle last year but said he’s prepared to play defensive end in new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s 3-4 scheme that features just three down linemen.
Other players could find themselves on the move, too. Some of Georgia’s defensive ends from a year ago could make the move to linebacker, while the Bulldogs are still in search of a player to fill the void at nose tackle.
While the process has made for a confusing few days for players still unsure of what lies ahead, senior Demarcus Dobbs said the change in scheme could create some new opportunities, particularly for some underutilized reserves like Cornelius Washington and Kiante Tripp.
“Cornelius being the athlete he is, he’s excited he could be a stand-up guy and play outside (linebacker),” Dobbs said. “But it’s all where your heart is. Those are talented guys, and with the coaching change, everybody’s on a clean slate. People are out to compete again, and that’s going to make everybody else better. A guy like Cornelius, an undersized D end, he might get a lot better. It gives us options.”
Options are nice. Answers might be a bit better for Georgia’s defenders.
But that will come in time as Grantham and his new staff get settled – their first team meeting is slated for Friday – and begin to implement their scheme during spring practice.
What isn’t a concern, Jones said, is the Bulldogs’ ability to adapt. While few players are certain of what’s in store for the 2010 season, he’s sure there is enough athleticism and talent on the roster to navigate any early turmoil.
“At Georgia, we have a lot of athletic players, so I’m pretty sure we’re all going to be able to adjust,” Jones said. “The athletic ability is still going to be there. It’s just catching up to learning the scheme as well as we knew the last scheme.”
AN EARLY START
Two of Georgia’s rookies for 2010 are already getting started in their preparations for the coming season.
Offensive lineman Kolton Houston and safety Jakar Hamilton, a junior college transfer from Georgia Military College, enrolled early and have spent the past two weeks in school, getting accustomed to classes while hitting the weight room and working out with teammates.
“I just wanted to get an edge on some of the other players and get stronger and faster and learn the playbook, so when they get in here, I already know all that stuff,” Houston said. “Just adjust to the college life without all the practice stress in the summer and fall.”
The adjustment to college isn’t quite as big a transition for Hamilton, who spent two years studying for the role under the strict rules at GMC and head football coach Bert Williams.
So when his new teammates warned him about the big obstacles ahead, he hasn’t gotten particularly stressed about meeting the challenge.
“Coach Williams is a great coach, and I know he pushes everybody there that plays football hard,” Hamilton said. “Everybody kept talking about mat drills. We did mat drills there, too, but it was like 5:30 in the morning outside in the cold.”
Of course, that doesn’t mean Hamilton sees his new life at Georgia as a walk in the park. Quite the opposite, actually.
“It’s been pretty busy lately,” Hamilton said. “Everybody’s been trying to call me and I tell them, ‘I’m pretty busy right now so I’m going to have to hit you up later.’”
GETTING TOUGH
Grantham’s introductory news conference last week met with a fond reaction from fans who drooled at his promises of an aggressive, attacking defense. Those promises weren’t lost on his players either.
“You want to have that mentality as a player and when you hear that, it gets you excited,” cornerback Brandon Boykin said. “I remember last year in spring football, we were real aggressive. So if we can bring that same excitement, I think it’ll be able to carry over to next season.”
As aggressive as Georgia may have been last spring, the evidence didn’t show up on the field in the fall. The Bulldogs ranked second-to-last nationally with just 12 takeaways all season and in their five losses mustered just two interceptions and didn’t recover a single fumble.
That’s an issue Grantham and new secondary coach Scott Lakatos hope to address immediately.
"I think those takeaways come basically with guys being in position to make those plays when they come about,” Lakatos said. “I think you put yourself in position by being fundamentally sound and that's one of the things I bring to the table with those guys on the back end. … That's something we'll definitely emphasize and practice and hopefully it will carry over into a game situation."
Grantham said his hope was to create a defense that left the opponents glad to see a game end, and that’s music to the ears of Georgia’s defenders, including newcomer Hamilton.
“On defense, you’ve got to be aggressive,” Hamilton said. “I’m one of those players who just doesn’t care. I’ll throw my whole body even if I have to break something to do it. If I have to catch a concussion, I’ll do it. And having (Grantham) coming in, I’m real excited to see what he’s bringing to the table.”
NEW LOOK FOR DBs
A year ago, Boykin was trying desperately to soak up all the knowledge he could as the lone newcomer in Georgia’s secondary.
As the Bulldogs begin their offseason workouts in preparation for spring practice, Boykin now finds himself as the lone holdover from last year’s unit.
“It’s a quick change,” Boykin said. “I’m trying to take over that leadership role like they did, but it’s going to be fun. A lot of us are going to be young out there -- me, (Bacarri) Rambo, Branden Smith. It’s going to be a challenge for us, but I think we’re up to it.”
Seniors Prince Miller and Bryan Evans and junior Reshad Jones are all gone – Jones leaving a year early to enter the NFL draft – meaning a big shakeup among the defensive backs. Smith and Rambo are likely to land two of the open spots, and Hamilton, a junior college transfer, is hoping to secure the free safety job as an early enrollee.
“I knew nobody was going to give me a starting position,” Hamilton said. “I knew I was going to have to come in and work hard and earn that starting position, and that’s what I’m doing now.”
Veterans Vance Cuff and Quintin Banks figure to be in the mix for starting jobs along with youngsters Sanders Commings, Jordan Love, Shawn Williams and Makiri Pugh and incoming freshman Alec Ogletree.
Grantham has promised that the depth chart starts fresh upon his arrival, and no jobs are secure. So while Boykin remains the lone holdover among Georgia’s starting defensive backs, he’s also one of the biggest proponents of the newfound competition at the position.
“I think it’s an opportunity for people who didn’t really play a lot last year to have a fresh new start and for the people who played last year not to get complacent,” Boykin said. “I think it’ll definitely help us as a team.”
THE PRO PERSPECTIVE
Beyond Grantham’s hard-nosed approach to defense, he brings another big plus for Georgia’s defenders: A road map to the NFL.
Grantham has spent the past 11 years coaching in the NFL, including his last stop with the Dallas Cowboys as a defensive line coach. Those are credentials that look awfully impressive to Georgia’s players hoping to turn their performance in Athens into a professional contract in the coming years.
“It’s exciting knowing that he came from the NFL so he can give us tips and tools to get us where we want to go,” Jones said. “He’s a person who’s been there before and he knows how it’s done.”
Even for seniors like Dobbs, who might otherwise have some concerns about adjusting to a new defense in his final year at Georgia, Grantham’s resume offers a measure of enthusiasm about the lessons that can be learned from a former NFL defensive coordinator.
“Being my senior year, you want somebody to steer you right,” Dobbs said. “With all his experience, you know he has a lot to share with all of us, and I’m just trying to learn as much as I can. It’s good to have somebody like him come in, and I think it’s going to work out for the better.”
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Practice Notes: Penalties No Problem
Throughout the preseason, Mark Richt made cutting down on penalties a focus. Two games into the season, Georgia ranks 109th in penalties, but given the intensity his team has shown, Richt isn’t complaining.
“If you have to chose between the team playing the way we played with the amount of energy, fire and enthusiasm the whole game, and if the byproduct of that is penalties, I’ll take that over a team that doesn’t have a penalty but doesn’t have a pulse to go with it,” Richt said.
Georgia was flagged 13 times in a win over South Carolina last Saturday bringing the team’s total to 20 for the season. The numbers have been offset, however, by a barrage of penalties against the opposition, too. Oklahoma State was whistled for 15 penalties in Georgia’s opener and South Carolina had 11 flags, including two that overturned touchdowns, last week.
“Some games get wild,” Richt said. “That game got wild.”
Richt said the key for Georgia will be reducing the number of avoidable penalties like offsides calls or having too many men on the field. What he doesn’t want to see happen is players like safety Reshad Jones, who was flagged for personal fouls in each of the first two games, reduce their intensity on game day.
“I love the way he is playing,” Richt said of Jones. “I don’t think he has tried to hurt anybody. As far as the sideline play (against South Carolina), I think he was trying to tackle the guy. You are running full speed, and reaching out and grabbing what you can. Going back to the other play at Oklahoma State, I think he did everything right.”
Defensive coordinator Willie Martinez said Jones' flag against South Carolina was originally deemed a late hit by the referees on the field, but was later clarified to be a horse-collar tackle. Martinez said after reviewing the film that he agreed with the assessment.
SEEING SOME ACTION
Freshman receiver Rantavious Wooten joked with senior Michael Moore after Saturday’s game that he finally had a chance to run a route. Wooten was in on just one play against South Carolina, but it was one more play than he had earned a week earlier. The fact that it was a passing play made it even better.
“He’s building off of that, and he’s excited now,” Moore said.
Wooten and fellow freshman Marlon Brown saw just three combined reps in Georgia’s second game of the season after being shut out of playing time in the opener, but quarterback Joe Cox said the lack of action isn’t a knock on their skills. The coaches are simply easing them into the game plan.
“I definitely think they can help us but we want to make sure they know what to do,” Cox said. “It gets crazy just trying to hear my call in the huddle and when we start moving tight ends and doing certain motions with them – we just want o make sure they have everything down. They definitely have ability, but you don’t want to have them come in and miss something important because they weren’t sure.”
The close games Georgia has played in each of the first two weeks haven’t helped matters, but Cox said he’s confident Brown and Wooten will both see increased action as the season progresses.
“It probably would have been different if we’d have put (South Carolina) away,” Cox said. “Then I’m sure Marlon and Rantavious would have gotten a lot of plays. I know they’re ready to play as far as their mentality, but we need to make sure they’ve got everything down in our game plan and they’ll definitely start to get on the field more and more.”
HAPPY RETURNS
With Rod Battle going down with a season-ending knee injury, virtually everyone on Georgia's defense is taking a deep sigh of relief that Justin Houston returns from a two-game suspension this week.
But as excited as the coaches might be, it's defensive tackle Jeff Owens, who had to sub for Battle throughout much of last week's game, that might be the happiest to have the sophomore defensive end back for this week's contest.
"He took 33 snaps at defensive end last game, so I believe he'll appreciate me a lot coming back," Houston said.
LINEBACKER CONCERNS
Georgia will be without senior linebacker Darius Dewberry for a second straight week, Richt said, and sophomore Nick Williams is questionable after sitting out last week’s contest against South Carolina.
“It would be nice to have all those guys healthy,” Richt said. “Dewberry was playing extremely well, and Nick was another one of those young guys who was getting better everyday at practice, and you hate to slow down that progress.”
With Dewberry, a Peach County alum, and Williams sidelined, South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders found plenty of room to get open and finished the game with eight catches for 96 yards. Richt said Darryl Gamble will likely get the task of stopping All-SEC tight end D.J. Williams against Arkansas this week, but the linebacking crew will also get some help from a senior Marcus Washington, who had been moved to defensive end at the start of fall camp.
“Marcus is back at linebacker because we’ve lost a couple of guys there, but he could still be a swing guy in case of an emergency,” linebackers coach John Jancek said. “We’ll go into the game using him as a linebacker and possibly move him to defensive end as well.”
DAILY CALEB UPDATE
Richt said Tuesday morning that the status of tailback Caleb King isn't much different this Tuesday than it was last -- it's a mystery.
But offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said King made it through the entirety of Tuesday's practice, which was a crucial first step toward getting the sophomore back onto the field.
"He looked better than last week, so that's a good sign, but we'll see how he progresses through the week," Bobo said.
READY BUT NOT READY
Safety Quintin Banks has had a hard time staying healthy for the past two years, so now that he’s finally been cleared to start playing again after a knee injury last month, the coaches are taking it slow.
A year ago, the former Houston County standout played in just one game due to a myriad of injuries, and he missed Georgia’s opener this season as well. Banks was dressed for last week’s game against South Carolina but did not play.
“He’s able to play, but he hasn’t had a lot of practice reps,” Richt said. “He hasn’t done a lot of things full speed. I wouldn’t say that he is 100 percent back to the best Quintin Banks can be.”
STRONG START FOR JONES
Richt said one of the most promising developments from Georgia’s first game to its second was the progress made by the freshmen on special teams. At the top of that list, Richt said, is former Northside star Abry Jones, who complimented an increased amount of playing time at defensive tackle with a strong performance on Georgia’s kick return unit that tallied 252 yards last week.
“He has a lot of ability, but he has a ways to go on his fundamentals,” Richt said. “He has a ways to go on every little thing that you have to learn, but we feel like he is going to get better in a hurry, which he is. Abry is moving very rapidly into a very fine player and I think the sky is the limit for him.”
WHERE WAS SAMUEL?
Perhaps the most perplexing part of Georgia's win over South Carolina was the emergence then sudden disappearance of tailback Richard Samuel.
On Georgia's first scoring drive offensively, Samuel had five touches including an 11-yard run and a 16-yard reception, capping the series with a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:56 remaining in the first quarter. After that, however, Samuel got just one more carry in the first half -- also an 11-yard dash -- while Carlton Thomas was on the field throughout much of the second quarter, including working as the pitch man on Branden Smith's 61-yard run on a reverse.
Bobo said Samuel's absence was due to a combination of the play calls and a desire to get the sophomore tailback some rest.
"(Samuel) had ran several times on that drive and ran physically hard, and we just wanted to get him out of the game," Bobo said. "The play for the reverse called for Carlton. … It was the plays we were calling and the players we have for those calls."
GRAY AREA
With Cox hurting, fans assumed they'd see a bit more of backup quarterback Logan Gray against South Carolina, but that wasn't the case.
Just as he had a week earlier against Oklahoma State, Gray got just one snap on offense, and the rationale behind his absence was simply the pace dictated by the game.
"This game we had only 53 snaps and losing possessions hurt his opportunity to go in the game," Bobo said. "Joe was very effective when he was in there and we didn't want to break the rhythm he was in."
Gray will get all the snap with the No. 1 unit during Wednesday's practice again this week, and that will be the routine throughout the season. While Bobo wouldn't guarantee more playing time for the sophomore quarterback on game day, he said the extra action with the first-team offense in practice can be a big stepping stone in Gray's development.
"It's beneficial for him that he's getting a lot of first-team reps and continuing to grow as a quarterback and establish himself as a leader in that huddle with the first group," Bobo said. "The more he becomes comfortable on the practice field, the greater the chance he'll have to get more significant playing time."
SLOW DAY AT PRACTICE
Georgia just dodged the rain for Tuesday's practice, but the effort was a bit dreary still, Richt said.
"It was a little bit sluggish," he said. "I'm sure the game Saturday took a good bit out of them. We've got time to get them ready to play by Saturday."
Richt also announced his captains for this week's game against Arkansas. Clint Boling is the offensive captain, while DeAngelo Tyson gets the nod for the defense. After several key special-teams plays made the difference in Georgia's win over South Carolina last week, Richt made a rare move of naming two captains -- Brandon Boykin and Rennie Curran -- from that unit this week.
"We've probably done it before while I've been at Georgia but I can't really remember a time off the top of my head – at least recently – when we've done so," Richt said.
“If you have to chose between the team playing the way we played with the amount of energy, fire and enthusiasm the whole game, and if the byproduct of that is penalties, I’ll take that over a team that doesn’t have a penalty but doesn’t have a pulse to go with it,” Richt said.
Georgia was flagged 13 times in a win over South Carolina last Saturday bringing the team’s total to 20 for the season. The numbers have been offset, however, by a barrage of penalties against the opposition, too. Oklahoma State was whistled for 15 penalties in Georgia’s opener and South Carolina had 11 flags, including two that overturned touchdowns, last week.
“Some games get wild,” Richt said. “That game got wild.”
Richt said the key for Georgia will be reducing the number of avoidable penalties like offsides calls or having too many men on the field. What he doesn’t want to see happen is players like safety Reshad Jones, who was flagged for personal fouls in each of the first two games, reduce their intensity on game day.
“I love the way he is playing,” Richt said of Jones. “I don’t think he has tried to hurt anybody. As far as the sideline play (against South Carolina), I think he was trying to tackle the guy. You are running full speed, and reaching out and grabbing what you can. Going back to the other play at Oklahoma State, I think he did everything right.”
Defensive coordinator Willie Martinez said Jones' flag against South Carolina was originally deemed a late hit by the referees on the field, but was later clarified to be a horse-collar tackle. Martinez said after reviewing the film that he agreed with the assessment.
SEEING SOME ACTION
Freshman receiver Rantavious Wooten joked with senior Michael Moore after Saturday’s game that he finally had a chance to run a route. Wooten was in on just one play against South Carolina, but it was one more play than he had earned a week earlier. The fact that it was a passing play made it even better.
“He’s building off of that, and he’s excited now,” Moore said.
Wooten and fellow freshman Marlon Brown saw just three combined reps in Georgia’s second game of the season after being shut out of playing time in the opener, but quarterback Joe Cox said the lack of action isn’t a knock on their skills. The coaches are simply easing them into the game plan.
“I definitely think they can help us but we want to make sure they know what to do,” Cox said. “It gets crazy just trying to hear my call in the huddle and when we start moving tight ends and doing certain motions with them – we just want o make sure they have everything down. They definitely have ability, but you don’t want to have them come in and miss something important because they weren’t sure.”
The close games Georgia has played in each of the first two weeks haven’t helped matters, but Cox said he’s confident Brown and Wooten will both see increased action as the season progresses.
“It probably would have been different if we’d have put (South Carolina) away,” Cox said. “Then I’m sure Marlon and Rantavious would have gotten a lot of plays. I know they’re ready to play as far as their mentality, but we need to make sure they’ve got everything down in our game plan and they’ll definitely start to get on the field more and more.”
HAPPY RETURNS
With Rod Battle going down with a season-ending knee injury, virtually everyone on Georgia's defense is taking a deep sigh of relief that Justin Houston returns from a two-game suspension this week.
But as excited as the coaches might be, it's defensive tackle Jeff Owens, who had to sub for Battle throughout much of last week's game, that might be the happiest to have the sophomore defensive end back for this week's contest.
"He took 33 snaps at defensive end last game, so I believe he'll appreciate me a lot coming back," Houston said.
LINEBACKER CONCERNS
Georgia will be without senior linebacker Darius Dewberry for a second straight week, Richt said, and sophomore Nick Williams is questionable after sitting out last week’s contest against South Carolina.
“It would be nice to have all those guys healthy,” Richt said. “Dewberry was playing extremely well, and Nick was another one of those young guys who was getting better everyday at practice, and you hate to slow down that progress.”
With Dewberry, a Peach County alum, and Williams sidelined, South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders found plenty of room to get open and finished the game with eight catches for 96 yards. Richt said Darryl Gamble will likely get the task of stopping All-SEC tight end D.J. Williams against Arkansas this week, but the linebacking crew will also get some help from a senior Marcus Washington, who had been moved to defensive end at the start of fall camp.
“Marcus is back at linebacker because we’ve lost a couple of guys there, but he could still be a swing guy in case of an emergency,” linebackers coach John Jancek said. “We’ll go into the game using him as a linebacker and possibly move him to defensive end as well.”
DAILY CALEB UPDATE
Richt said Tuesday morning that the status of tailback Caleb King isn't much different this Tuesday than it was last -- it's a mystery.
But offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said King made it through the entirety of Tuesday's practice, which was a crucial first step toward getting the sophomore back onto the field.
"He looked better than last week, so that's a good sign, but we'll see how he progresses through the week," Bobo said.
READY BUT NOT READY
Safety Quintin Banks has had a hard time staying healthy for the past two years, so now that he’s finally been cleared to start playing again after a knee injury last month, the coaches are taking it slow.
A year ago, the former Houston County standout played in just one game due to a myriad of injuries, and he missed Georgia’s opener this season as well. Banks was dressed for last week’s game against South Carolina but did not play.
“He’s able to play, but he hasn’t had a lot of practice reps,” Richt said. “He hasn’t done a lot of things full speed. I wouldn’t say that he is 100 percent back to the best Quintin Banks can be.”
STRONG START FOR JONES
Richt said one of the most promising developments from Georgia’s first game to its second was the progress made by the freshmen on special teams. At the top of that list, Richt said, is former Northside star Abry Jones, who complimented an increased amount of playing time at defensive tackle with a strong performance on Georgia’s kick return unit that tallied 252 yards last week.
“He has a lot of ability, but he has a ways to go on his fundamentals,” Richt said. “He has a ways to go on every little thing that you have to learn, but we feel like he is going to get better in a hurry, which he is. Abry is moving very rapidly into a very fine player and I think the sky is the limit for him.”
WHERE WAS SAMUEL?
Perhaps the most perplexing part of Georgia's win over South Carolina was the emergence then sudden disappearance of tailback Richard Samuel.
On Georgia's first scoring drive offensively, Samuel had five touches including an 11-yard run and a 16-yard reception, capping the series with a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:56 remaining in the first quarter. After that, however, Samuel got just one more carry in the first half -- also an 11-yard dash -- while Carlton Thomas was on the field throughout much of the second quarter, including working as the pitch man on Branden Smith's 61-yard run on a reverse.
Bobo said Samuel's absence was due to a combination of the play calls and a desire to get the sophomore tailback some rest.
"(Samuel) had ran several times on that drive and ran physically hard, and we just wanted to get him out of the game," Bobo said. "The play for the reverse called for Carlton. … It was the plays we were calling and the players we have for those calls."
GRAY AREA
With Cox hurting, fans assumed they'd see a bit more of backup quarterback Logan Gray against South Carolina, but that wasn't the case.
Just as he had a week earlier against Oklahoma State, Gray got just one snap on offense, and the rationale behind his absence was simply the pace dictated by the game.
"This game we had only 53 snaps and losing possessions hurt his opportunity to go in the game," Bobo said. "Joe was very effective when he was in there and we didn't want to break the rhythm he was in."
Gray will get all the snap with the No. 1 unit during Wednesday's practice again this week, and that will be the routine throughout the season. While Bobo wouldn't guarantee more playing time for the sophomore quarterback on game day, he said the extra action with the first-team offense in practice can be a big stepping stone in Gray's development.
"It's beneficial for him that he's getting a lot of first-team reps and continuing to grow as a quarterback and establish himself as a leader in that huddle with the first group," Bobo said. "The more he becomes comfortable on the practice field, the greater the chance he'll have to get more significant playing time."
SLOW DAY AT PRACTICE
Georgia just dodged the rain for Tuesday's practice, but the effort was a bit dreary still, Richt said.
"It was a little bit sluggish," he said. "I'm sure the game Saturday took a good bit out of them. We've got time to get them ready to play by Saturday."
Richt also announced his captains for this week's game against Arkansas. Clint Boling is the offensive captain, while DeAngelo Tyson gets the nod for the defense. After several key special-teams plays made the difference in Georgia's win over South Carolina last week, Richt made a rare move of naming two captains -- Brandon Boykin and Rennie Curran -- from that unit this week.
"We've probably done it before while I've been at Georgia but I can't really remember a time off the top of my head – at least recently – when we've done so," Richt said.
Tuesday Tidbits: Week 3
Light day of interviews this morning. Only three players were made available for the media, so we're not quite as overwhelmed with info as usual, but here's some of what we learned from Georgia's Tuesday news conference.
-- Mark Richt was exceptionally pleased with Georgia's special teams, particularly the kick return unit. Six of the starters on that unit are freshmen and Justin Fields is the lone senior, and their work against Oklahoma State was abysmal, Richt said. Of Georgia's five kick returns in the opener, Richt said there wasn't a single play in which just three members of the front five made their block and only once did two of them execute properly.
"They got called out, not in a real bad way, but we said, 'Men, we've got to have production,'" Richt said.
The improvement from week 1 to week 2, Richt said, was "astounding."
Richt said all five of the front five executed their blocks on Brandon Boykin's 100-yard return and he said the work remained strong throughout the game.
-- Richt said he wasn't exactly thrilled with Georgia's 13 penalties, but he wasn't too upset either. "The enthusiasm for really the whole game, if a byproduct of that is some penalties, I'll take that over a team that doesn't ever have a penalty but also doesn't have a pulse."
-- Along those lines, Richt said he's not chastising Reshad Jones any for the two personal foul flags he's gotten in Games 1 and 2. Richt said he doesn't think refs are targeting Jones, but he said he's been happy with how the junior safety has handled his job.
"I love the way he's playing, and I love the energy he's playing with," Richt said. "I don't think he tried to hurt anybody as far as the sideline play. He was just trying to tackle the guy. The other play at Okie State, I think he did everything right. … I don't want to say anything to Reshad except just keep playing real hard."
-- Richt joked about the variety of big news surrounding Joe Cox that has come out the past two weeks and said he had planned to make his quarterback show up for today's news conference wearing an eye patch.
That didn't happen, but Cox was wearing tape on his left ring finger. Cox said he jammed the finger trying to tackle Eric Norwood six yards deep in the end zone following an interception. "I guess that's what I get for throwing a pick six," Cox said.
-- Cox said his shoulder injury -- which was first reported last week -- first began causing him problems in February. He said he took several days off during the spring from throwing, and the plan to take Wednesday practices off from throwing this fall had been in place since then. The reports that he would be benched in favor of Logan Gray only surfaced last week because someone mistakenly assumed Cox's off day was an indication that he wouldn't play.
While Cox said the injury hasn't affected him in a game situation at all and doesn't hurt when he throws, he said the fact that Gray is getting significant practice time with the No. 1 unit is a silver lining.
-- Cox said he thinks Rantavious Wooten and Marlon Brown are more than ready to play, but said he thinks coaches have been reluctant to put them in the huddle during key situations because their knowledge of the offense is still limited. He said he expects that to change as the season goes along.
-- Richt said he didn't know who would start at guard this week -- Chris Davis or Justin Anderson. The official depth chart from the school has Davis listed as the starter, but Anderson started last week's game. Either way, Richt said, both will see significant action this week.
-- Richt raved about the work Abry Jones has done and pointed to him as one of the freshmen on special teams to make the biggest improvement from Week 1 to Week 2.
-- Richt said he isn't sure whether Marcus Washington will primarily see action at linebacker or defensive end this week. Justin Houston returns at D-end, but the team lost starter Rod Battle to a season-ending knee injury. The linebacker corps took a hit last week, however, with Nick Williams and Darius Dewberry missing the game. Richt said Williams has a chance to return this week but Dewberry will not play.
-- Darryl Gamble is currently listed as Georgia's starting Sam linebacker, but Richt said the team would prefer to have him at Mike. Marcus Dowtin is listed as the starter there.
-- Caleb King's status for this week appears no different from last week -- he's questionable and will need to prove he can last through a full practice before his playing time is considered.
-- Josh Davis was cleared to return to action after missing the first two games while recovering from two offseason shoulder surgeries. Richt said he wasn't sure how much work the junior tackle would get this week.
-- Quintin Banks was cleared to play last week but he didn't see action in the South Carolina game. "He's able to play, but he hasn't had a lot of practice reps, and I wouldn't say he's 100 percent back to the best Quintin Banks he can be," Richt said.
-- Richt said he was pleased with the penetration that the pass rush got last week against South Carolina, but complained that the containment was lacking, pointing mostly to the interior part of the defensive line. "I would have liked to have seen the big men inside squeezing better than they did and making more plays," he said.
-- Richt noted that due to a low-end opening opponent and a bye week last week, he figured Arkansas had been game planning for Georgia for quite some time. While the off week before the game isn't as crucial for getting players fresh this early in the season, Richt said it's that extra time to game plan that makes a key difference. He noted, too, that Georgia's next opponent, Arizona State, will also have had a bye and two games vs. non-BCS conference teams leading up to their date with the Bulldogs.
-- Mark Richt was exceptionally pleased with Georgia's special teams, particularly the kick return unit. Six of the starters on that unit are freshmen and Justin Fields is the lone senior, and their work against Oklahoma State was abysmal, Richt said. Of Georgia's five kick returns in the opener, Richt said there wasn't a single play in which just three members of the front five made their block and only once did two of them execute properly.
"They got called out, not in a real bad way, but we said, 'Men, we've got to have production,'" Richt said.
The improvement from week 1 to week 2, Richt said, was "astounding."
Richt said all five of the front five executed their blocks on Brandon Boykin's 100-yard return and he said the work remained strong throughout the game.
-- Richt said he wasn't exactly thrilled with Georgia's 13 penalties, but he wasn't too upset either. "The enthusiasm for really the whole game, if a byproduct of that is some penalties, I'll take that over a team that doesn't ever have a penalty but also doesn't have a pulse."
-- Along those lines, Richt said he's not chastising Reshad Jones any for the two personal foul flags he's gotten in Games 1 and 2. Richt said he doesn't think refs are targeting Jones, but he said he's been happy with how the junior safety has handled his job.
"I love the way he's playing, and I love the energy he's playing with," Richt said. "I don't think he tried to hurt anybody as far as the sideline play. He was just trying to tackle the guy. The other play at Okie State, I think he did everything right. … I don't want to say anything to Reshad except just keep playing real hard."
-- Richt joked about the variety of big news surrounding Joe Cox that has come out the past two weeks and said he had planned to make his quarterback show up for today's news conference wearing an eye patch.
That didn't happen, but Cox was wearing tape on his left ring finger. Cox said he jammed the finger trying to tackle Eric Norwood six yards deep in the end zone following an interception. "I guess that's what I get for throwing a pick six," Cox said.
-- Cox said his shoulder injury -- which was first reported last week -- first began causing him problems in February. He said he took several days off during the spring from throwing, and the plan to take Wednesday practices off from throwing this fall had been in place since then. The reports that he would be benched in favor of Logan Gray only surfaced last week because someone mistakenly assumed Cox's off day was an indication that he wouldn't play.
While Cox said the injury hasn't affected him in a game situation at all and doesn't hurt when he throws, he said the fact that Gray is getting significant practice time with the No. 1 unit is a silver lining.
-- Cox said he thinks Rantavious Wooten and Marlon Brown are more than ready to play, but said he thinks coaches have been reluctant to put them in the huddle during key situations because their knowledge of the offense is still limited. He said he expects that to change as the season goes along.
-- Richt said he didn't know who would start at guard this week -- Chris Davis or Justin Anderson. The official depth chart from the school has Davis listed as the starter, but Anderson started last week's game. Either way, Richt said, both will see significant action this week.
-- Richt raved about the work Abry Jones has done and pointed to him as one of the freshmen on special teams to make the biggest improvement from Week 1 to Week 2.
-- Richt said he isn't sure whether Marcus Washington will primarily see action at linebacker or defensive end this week. Justin Houston returns at D-end, but the team lost starter Rod Battle to a season-ending knee injury. The linebacker corps took a hit last week, however, with Nick Williams and Darius Dewberry missing the game. Richt said Williams has a chance to return this week but Dewberry will not play.
-- Darryl Gamble is currently listed as Georgia's starting Sam linebacker, but Richt said the team would prefer to have him at Mike. Marcus Dowtin is listed as the starter there.
-- Caleb King's status for this week appears no different from last week -- he's questionable and will need to prove he can last through a full practice before his playing time is considered.
-- Josh Davis was cleared to return to action after missing the first two games while recovering from two offseason shoulder surgeries. Richt said he wasn't sure how much work the junior tackle would get this week.
-- Quintin Banks was cleared to play last week but he didn't see action in the South Carolina game. "He's able to play, but he hasn't had a lot of practice reps, and I wouldn't say he's 100 percent back to the best Quintin Banks he can be," Richt said.
-- Richt said he was pleased with the penetration that the pass rush got last week against South Carolina, but complained that the containment was lacking, pointing mostly to the interior part of the defensive line. "I would have liked to have seen the big men inside squeezing better than they did and making more plays," he said.
-- Richt noted that due to a low-end opening opponent and a bye week last week, he figured Arkansas had been game planning for Georgia for quite some time. While the off week before the game isn't as crucial for getting players fresh this early in the season, Richt said it's that extra time to game plan that makes a key difference. He noted, too, that Georgia's next opponent, Arizona State, will also have had a bye and two games vs. non-BCS conference teams leading up to their date with the Bulldogs.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Practice Notes: Offense Remains a Mystery for Georgia
The film room is usually the starting point in preparation for an unknown opponent, but this year, there might not be too much studying Oklahoma State's coaches can do to prepare for Georgia's offense.
With four new starters at the skill positions and a bevy of fresh-faced reserves ready for their first work as college players, there will be a much different look on offense than the Bulldogs had a year ago. The problem is, even Georgia isn't quite sure what to expect.
"It's going to be different, no doubt, and I'm not sure what it's going to look like," head coach Mark Richt said. "I've got an idea on a couple guys, but there's a lot we just don't know."
Only fullback Shaun Chapas and wide receiver A.J. Green return as skill-position starters from a unit that was one of the most feared in the SEC a year ago. The rest of the unit, however, will be getting used to new surroundings.
Quarterback Joe Cox, tight end Aron White, wide receiver Michael Moore and tailback Richard Samuel are all expected to get starting nods Saturday, but the group combines for just eight starts in their careers prior to this season.
Even the offensive line, while stocked with veterans, hasn't played together with the current lineup before, meaning it might take a while for Georgia's coaches and players to get a feel for what they have to work with.
That doesn't mean the Bulldogs aren't expecting to produce some offensive fireworks, however.
"I feel really good about everything that we have in right now and everything that we're doing," Cox said. "I think we've got a good plan set and we have the guys to execute it. So I'm not worried."
PROBLEMS FOR THE POKES
Tuesday provided some bad news for Oklahoma State.
First, starting tight end Jamal Mosley left the team for personal reasons. Head coach Mike Gundy refused to comment further about Mosley's departure, but The Oklahoman speculated that recent legal problems for the sophomore could have played a role. Mosley was also charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession in June but was currently in good standing with the program.
That news was fallowed Tuesday by a report by Oklahoma State's Scout Web site that said starting linebacker Orie Lemon tore his ACL during Monday's practice and would miss the season.
Lemon started all 13 games for the Cowboys last season at middle linebacker.
DEPTH FOR A CHANGE
After spending the 2008 season putting together a patchwork offensive line, Georgia opens the 2009 season with a surprising level of depth.
Trinton Sturdivant, Chris Davis, Ben Jones, Cordy Glenn and Clint Boling are expected to be the starting five for Georgia on Saturday, which means former starters Vince Vance and Justin Anderson will be watching from the sidelines.
With temperatures expected to be in the high 80s in Stillwater, however, Richt said he expects that there will be some backups rotating in during the game.
“I'm pretty confident that we'll play more than five linemen,” Richt said. “I think Vince will play. I think Justin Anderson will play.”
Josh Davis, who started three games for the Bulldogs last season, won't be available Saturday while he continues his rehab following multiple shoulder surgeries this offseason. Davis is getting closer to making a return, however, and Richt said the junior could be in position for playing time in the near future.
“He's not going to play this week, but hopefully in a week or two, Josh will be in a position where he can be in the mix, which would be good for us,” Richt said.
DEPTH CHART DRAMA
Outside of Richard Samuel's climb to the top of the tailback rotation, Georgia's first official depth chart of the season offered few changes from how it was expected to look before preseason practices began.
The lone surprise might be at linebacker, where Darryl Gamble has moved to the top of the depth chart at middle linebacker and senior Darius Dewberry is listed as the top Sam linebacker.
That leaves Akeem Dent, who started 10 games in 2008, the odd man out, but linebackers coach John Jancek said not to read too much into Dent's status as a reserve. A nagging hamstring injury cost Dent nearly two weeks of practice, and that was just enough to keep him from solidifying a starting post.
“He missed a bunch of practice and Darryl has obviously done a great job,” Jancek said. “Dewberry's been back a couple weeks now and shown he's ready to play. But it's not anything where (Dent) is not going to play. He's got a role in there and will probably get just as many reps as Darryl. It's a great situation to have when you have a bunch of guys with experience.”
Jancek said he expects Dewberry, Dent, Gamble, Rennie Curran, Nick Williams and Marcus Dowtin all to see action against Oklahoma State.
EXPECTING ACTION
Defensive tackle Abry Jones and defensive end Montez Robinson may not be among the freshmen who see action in Georgia's opener, but the two have impressed enough this preseason to give Richt a good indication they'll be on the field at some point this season.
“Before this season's over, (they'll play),” Richt said. “I'm not going to say they will or won't in this first game, but we're targeting them to play this season.”
BRINGING ANOTHER BACK
Running backs coach Bryan McClendon said Caleb King told him his hamstring felt better Tuesday, but the sophomore tailback still wasn't not back and practice. Sources told the Telegraph Monday that King would not make the trip to Stillwater, but McClendon said that would not be official until the team's travel roster is released Wednesday.
Assuming King won't be able to play this week, McClendon said redshirt freshman Dontavius Jackson would be the likely fourth tailback on the depth chart behind Samuel, Carlton Thomas and Kalvin Daniels. While McClendon said freshman Washaun Ealey has turned in some strong practices this week, traveling Jackson is a more practical alternative.
“You definitely want to bring an extra guy,” McClendon said. “Dontavius is pretty much already going because we use him on some special teams.”
THIN AT RECEIVER
In last year's opener, Georgia had nine different players catch a pass against Georgia Southern, with none collecting more than three.
That distribution isn't likely to be quite so wide this year, with a thin corps of receivers that includes just six scholarship players, including two freshmen.
“We're not going to expect them to play a major role right now, but they've certainly got to be ready to play,” receivers coach Tony Ball said of his freshmen, Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten. “And with what we're asking them to do, I think they can go out there and perform.”
That's the expectation Cox has for them, too, but he's not planning to have the outcome of the game hinge on their success. With veterans Michael Moore and A.J. Green, Cox said he expects a few more passes to sail in the direction of Georgia's best receivers.
“You don't want to just have the other team knowing they're going to throw it to one guy,” Cox said. “So we want to spread it around, but we know who our playmakers are, and we've got to be creative in finding ways to get those guys the ball more.”
Of course, finding a breakout receiver among the freshman class wouldn't be anything new for Georgia. Last year, Green burst onto the scene in the Bulldogs' opener, catching a 36-yard reception on just his third play from scrimmage to set up a touchdown.
After watching Brown, Wooten and tight ends Arthur Lynch and Orson Charles this preseason, Green said he wouldn't be surprised to see a repeat performance from one of this year's new faces.
“I know they'll be able to handle it,” Green said. “They're confidence is pretty high right now. They listen, they work hard. They're ready.”
WALK-ON READY TO GO
If the depth at wideout becomes a problem, Ball said only one of Georgia's walk-ons is ready to step into a game situation at this point – junior Marquise Brown.
Brown, who appeared in two games last season, was an offensive star during the spring, catching three passes for 62 yards in the annual G-Day game, making him a prime option should Ball need to dig deep into his depth chart on game day.
“He's gotten a lot of work with the first and second group,” Ball said. “If I had to tag a walk-on that could help us, it would be him.”
SPEEDY SAMUEL
His style may be bruising, but there's more to Georgia tailback Richard Samuel, according to his offensive coordinator.
While Samuel's size – he's 6-2, 224 pounds – and his running style put him in a category with some fullbacks, it's his speed that sets him apart.
“Richard can run,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “He's very fast. If he gets out in the open field – there's a lot of people in this league that can run, but compared to guys we've had in the past, I'd say he's the fastest since I've been here.”
That includes Bobo's time as a player, and that's probably as far back as he has to go to find anything resembling an apt comparison.
“He's similar to Robert Edwards,” Bobo said, “and Richard might be a little bit faster.”
DOUBLE DUTY
Samuel's speed might make him a weapon on special teams, too, after he ended last season as Georgia's top kick returner.
As the opener approaches, Ball said he's still looking at four or five potential return men on kickoffs, and Samuel's other duties as starting tailback won't be a factor in who ends up getting the call on game day.
“I wouldn't hesitate to put him back there because he's got experience,” Ball said of Samuel. “I'll make my decision (based on) how he handles the ball, how he communicates. It isn't rocket science, but I've got to feel comfortable with that person.”
With four new starters at the skill positions and a bevy of fresh-faced reserves ready for their first work as college players, there will be a much different look on offense than the Bulldogs had a year ago. The problem is, even Georgia isn't quite sure what to expect.
"It's going to be different, no doubt, and I'm not sure what it's going to look like," head coach Mark Richt said. "I've got an idea on a couple guys, but there's a lot we just don't know."
Only fullback Shaun Chapas and wide receiver A.J. Green return as skill-position starters from a unit that was one of the most feared in the SEC a year ago. The rest of the unit, however, will be getting used to new surroundings.
Quarterback Joe Cox, tight end Aron White, wide receiver Michael Moore and tailback Richard Samuel are all expected to get starting nods Saturday, but the group combines for just eight starts in their careers prior to this season.
Even the offensive line, while stocked with veterans, hasn't played together with the current lineup before, meaning it might take a while for Georgia's coaches and players to get a feel for what they have to work with.
That doesn't mean the Bulldogs aren't expecting to produce some offensive fireworks, however.
"I feel really good about everything that we have in right now and everything that we're doing," Cox said. "I think we've got a good plan set and we have the guys to execute it. So I'm not worried."
PROBLEMS FOR THE POKES
Tuesday provided some bad news for Oklahoma State.
First, starting tight end Jamal Mosley left the team for personal reasons. Head coach Mike Gundy refused to comment further about Mosley's departure, but The Oklahoman speculated that recent legal problems for the sophomore could have played a role. Mosley was also charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession in June but was currently in good standing with the program.
That news was fallowed Tuesday by a report by Oklahoma State's Scout Web site that said starting linebacker Orie Lemon tore his ACL during Monday's practice and would miss the season.
Lemon started all 13 games for the Cowboys last season at middle linebacker.
DEPTH FOR A CHANGE
After spending the 2008 season putting together a patchwork offensive line, Georgia opens the 2009 season with a surprising level of depth.
Trinton Sturdivant, Chris Davis, Ben Jones, Cordy Glenn and Clint Boling are expected to be the starting five for Georgia on Saturday, which means former starters Vince Vance and Justin Anderson will be watching from the sidelines.
With temperatures expected to be in the high 80s in Stillwater, however, Richt said he expects that there will be some backups rotating in during the game.
“I'm pretty confident that we'll play more than five linemen,” Richt said. “I think Vince will play. I think Justin Anderson will play.”
Josh Davis, who started three games for the Bulldogs last season, won't be available Saturday while he continues his rehab following multiple shoulder surgeries this offseason. Davis is getting closer to making a return, however, and Richt said the junior could be in position for playing time in the near future.
“He's not going to play this week, but hopefully in a week or two, Josh will be in a position where he can be in the mix, which would be good for us,” Richt said.
DEPTH CHART DRAMA
Outside of Richard Samuel's climb to the top of the tailback rotation, Georgia's first official depth chart of the season offered few changes from how it was expected to look before preseason practices began.
The lone surprise might be at linebacker, where Darryl Gamble has moved to the top of the depth chart at middle linebacker and senior Darius Dewberry is listed as the top Sam linebacker.
That leaves Akeem Dent, who started 10 games in 2008, the odd man out, but linebackers coach John Jancek said not to read too much into Dent's status as a reserve. A nagging hamstring injury cost Dent nearly two weeks of practice, and that was just enough to keep him from solidifying a starting post.
“He missed a bunch of practice and Darryl has obviously done a great job,” Jancek said. “Dewberry's been back a couple weeks now and shown he's ready to play. But it's not anything where (Dent) is not going to play. He's got a role in there and will probably get just as many reps as Darryl. It's a great situation to have when you have a bunch of guys with experience.”
Jancek said he expects Dewberry, Dent, Gamble, Rennie Curran, Nick Williams and Marcus Dowtin all to see action against Oklahoma State.
EXPECTING ACTION
Defensive tackle Abry Jones and defensive end Montez Robinson may not be among the freshmen who see action in Georgia's opener, but the two have impressed enough this preseason to give Richt a good indication they'll be on the field at some point this season.
“Before this season's over, (they'll play),” Richt said. “I'm not going to say they will or won't in this first game, but we're targeting them to play this season.”
BRINGING ANOTHER BACK
Running backs coach Bryan McClendon said Caleb King told him his hamstring felt better Tuesday, but the sophomore tailback still wasn't not back and practice. Sources told the Telegraph Monday that King would not make the trip to Stillwater, but McClendon said that would not be official until the team's travel roster is released Wednesday.
Assuming King won't be able to play this week, McClendon said redshirt freshman Dontavius Jackson would be the likely fourth tailback on the depth chart behind Samuel, Carlton Thomas and Kalvin Daniels. While McClendon said freshman Washaun Ealey has turned in some strong practices this week, traveling Jackson is a more practical alternative.
“You definitely want to bring an extra guy,” McClendon said. “Dontavius is pretty much already going because we use him on some special teams.”
THIN AT RECEIVER
In last year's opener, Georgia had nine different players catch a pass against Georgia Southern, with none collecting more than three.
That distribution isn't likely to be quite so wide this year, with a thin corps of receivers that includes just six scholarship players, including two freshmen.
“We're not going to expect them to play a major role right now, but they've certainly got to be ready to play,” receivers coach Tony Ball said of his freshmen, Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten. “And with what we're asking them to do, I think they can go out there and perform.”
That's the expectation Cox has for them, too, but he's not planning to have the outcome of the game hinge on their success. With veterans Michael Moore and A.J. Green, Cox said he expects a few more passes to sail in the direction of Georgia's best receivers.
“You don't want to just have the other team knowing they're going to throw it to one guy,” Cox said. “So we want to spread it around, but we know who our playmakers are, and we've got to be creative in finding ways to get those guys the ball more.”
Of course, finding a breakout receiver among the freshman class wouldn't be anything new for Georgia. Last year, Green burst onto the scene in the Bulldogs' opener, catching a 36-yard reception on just his third play from scrimmage to set up a touchdown.
After watching Brown, Wooten and tight ends Arthur Lynch and Orson Charles this preseason, Green said he wouldn't be surprised to see a repeat performance from one of this year's new faces.
“I know they'll be able to handle it,” Green said. “They're confidence is pretty high right now. They listen, they work hard. They're ready.”
WALK-ON READY TO GO
If the depth at wideout becomes a problem, Ball said only one of Georgia's walk-ons is ready to step into a game situation at this point – junior Marquise Brown.
Brown, who appeared in two games last season, was an offensive star during the spring, catching three passes for 62 yards in the annual G-Day game, making him a prime option should Ball need to dig deep into his depth chart on game day.
“He's gotten a lot of work with the first and second group,” Ball said. “If I had to tag a walk-on that could help us, it would be him.”
SPEEDY SAMUEL
His style may be bruising, but there's more to Georgia tailback Richard Samuel, according to his offensive coordinator.
While Samuel's size – he's 6-2, 224 pounds – and his running style put him in a category with some fullbacks, it's his speed that sets him apart.
“Richard can run,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “He's very fast. If he gets out in the open field – there's a lot of people in this league that can run, but compared to guys we've had in the past, I'd say he's the fastest since I've been here.”
That includes Bobo's time as a player, and that's probably as far back as he has to go to find anything resembling an apt comparison.
“He's similar to Robert Edwards,” Bobo said, “and Richard might be a little bit faster.”
DOUBLE DUTY
Samuel's speed might make him a weapon on special teams, too, after he ended last season as Georgia's top kick returner.
As the opener approaches, Ball said he's still looking at four or five potential return men on kickoffs, and Samuel's other duties as starting tailback won't be a factor in who ends up getting the call on game day.
“I wouldn't hesitate to put him back there because he's got experience,” Ball said of Samuel. “I'll make my decision (based on) how he handles the ball, how he communicates. It isn't rocket science, but I've got to feel comfortable with that person.”
Friday, August 28, 2009
From the Mailbag: One Week to Go Edition
It's Friday, there's just one week until football season, so that means we crack open the mailbag...
(Quick note: All of these are real emails, comments or Tweets, but some have been abridged for easier reading. Also, if you send me correspondence that you don't want included in a mailbag or re-posted on the blog, please say so.)
Brett writes: David read on a site (Zach) Mettenberger ran scout team in preparation for Zac Robinson. I don't see any similar qualities between the two wouldn't Logan gray be the best fit for that duty?
DH: No similarities, Brett? Umm... they're both named Zac(h), aren't they? You've got to start thinking like a coach, man!
Actually, Mettenberger, Aaron Murray and walk-on receiver Vernon Spellman each took turns playing the role of Robinson during Wednesday's practice game. For the scout-team work, the coaches will often rotate in different players to simulate the various skill sets of an individual opponent. So on a passing play, it might be Mettenberger in there, and on a designed run, it might be Spellman.
Bob W. writes: I enjoyed your piece in today’s paper regarding the grueling practices the Bulldog players have endured and their commitment to themselves, the team, the school and the fans.
Rennie Currans comments at the end of the article struck a chord with me.
Curran said. “If we don’t sacrifice now, it’s going to get ugly. The way I look at it is, I’d rather hurt now than hurt on ESPN or in front of those fans and look sloppy in front of the fans. We’ve been putting work in day in and day out, and hopefully it’s going to pay off.”
That being said I was wondering what commitment will the fans have to the team? Will it be “you’ve got our support 100 percent” but then the Dawgs hit a bump in the road and the blame game starts or the Defense has a bad day and the fans begin to cry out for Martinez’s head?
Or will the fans step up and pledge their undying support for this unheralded group? Thick or thin “We are Dawgs through and through” should be the mantra of the Dawg Nation.
I see this as a challenge to the fans to make the same type of commitment as the players have made. Stand firm, hurt when they hurt, celebrate when they celebrate, admit any shortcomings but forge on.
When the season draws to its conclusion can the fans say “they laid it on the line for us and we laid it on the line for this group of Damn Good Dawgs!”
If you so choose put it out there to the fans. Curious as to how deep is our (the Dawg Nations) allegiance.
DH: I'm a First Amendment guy, so I'm not going to criticize anyone for speaking their mind, but I figured it was a sentiment worth sharing, and the rest of you can do with it what you will. Something tells me though that we'll still hear an occasional "Willie Must Go" cry this season.
(And a side note... I was cleaning out some old clothes for Goodwill the other day and came across a "Fire Ed Wade" t-shirt I'd bought several years ago when the current Houston general manager was busy ruining the lives of every Phillies fan on the planet. It was a pretty low-quality piece of merchandise, but on the back it listed every bad move Wade had ever made, from signing Gregg Jeffries to hiring Larry Bowa. I wore it to a Phillies game during Wade's last season before being fired, and not only did I get a number of drinks bought for me by fans who loved the shirt, but people would actually come up and ask to have their picture taken with me. Anyway, I mention all this because it seems to me someone is missing out on a prime chance to make some quick cash off disgruntled Georgia fans here.)
Jimmy H. writes: First off, thanks for the blog, stories, and all the information you share about Georgia football. I was wondering why there has been no mention of AJ Harmon this season ? I assume he is still on the offensive side of the ball, maybe 2nd or 3rd string? Any info would be great.
DH: I couldn't begin to tell you why, but I would bet that I get more questions about A.J. Harmon than almost any other player on the team. Anyway, I posed the question to Mark Richt, and here's what he had to say:
"He's showing signs. In any given day, he makes plays where he looks like he's getting it, then he makes plays where he gets beat. He's working against Geno every day, working against Jeff, Kade. Those guys are pretty darned good, so I think anybody's going to have a rough time against them. Our No. 1 unit would be struggling against those guys. But he's getting comfortable as an offensive lineman. I think he has the ability to do it. He has really gotten his body in good shape. He's still got a ways to go, but he trimmed it down and now he's building it back up in a real positive way. He's getting his technique down, getting more comfortable with all his assignments and the tandems. I think he's making good progress."
Anonymous writes: David: Objectively, didn't Adrian Karsten's rise--as seen through his walk up to the top of the roof Carrier Dome--and fall--as seen in his later tragic death--symbolize perfectly the modern day highs and lows of the Syracuse football program?
DH: You know, I had to Google this to get the whole story on Karsten because I'd simply forgotten about him altogether. And in that respect, he's just like the Syracuse football program.
Anonymous Suckup writes: did you ever talk to anyone about why Carlton Thomas doesn't appear to be getting any looks at punt returner or kick returner? I thought he would be a good candidate, but what do I know?
DH: I reported a while back that Mark Richt did not list Thomas among the players working return duty for Georgia this fall. Here's the thing about getting info from Richt -- he's rarely deliberately evasive, but I honestly think sometimes he just has too much on his plate to remember every detail of what's going on.
Anyway, I checked with Bryan Evans, who Richt said was among the kick return options. Evans told me that Thomas is working with the kick returners, along with Vance Cuff, Branden Smith and Brandon Boykin. So you might then assume that Thomas was a legitimate candidate, right?
Well, Richt did his best to shoot that down again Wednesday, adding that Richard Samuel is a leading candidate to handle kick returns and saying Thomas wasn't particularly close.
"Carlton (Thomas) is in there, too," Richt said, "but I don't know if he'd be in the top three right now. But he's been getting work."
So, why would Richt say Samuel was a top candidate and Evans not even mention Samuel's name? Your guess is as good as mine, but if I were a betting man, I'd say there's a little subterfuge on Richt's part that Mr. Evans simply wasn't in on.
Carter writes: CMR said the following regarding Ros career ending injury: "We have petitioned for an NCAA medical exemption that will allow him to remain on scholarship." Does such an exemption allow a player to maintain an athletic scholarship without counting against the limit of 85?
DH: Yes, Ros can remain on scholarship for the rest of his time at Georgia without counting against the team's 85 scholarship limit. That doesn't begin this season, however, so it won't open up a scholly for someone currently on the team. It will mean an extra slot for the 2010 class.
@RexRobinson5 asks via Twitter: I am curious to know that if something HAS clicked with Richard (Samuel) compared to last year what was it that clicked?
DH: I'm not sure it's "something" as opposed to a lot of things. Richard spent the spring studying, learning and getting more comfortable with being a running back in the SEC. That might seem like a small thing, but for a kid who was 16 when he arrived on campus, it's really not.
I had a story in yesterday's Telegraph on Samuel's thirst for knowledge, and I think that was his biggest asset in developing from where he left off last season to being Georgia's probable starter this season.
Jake G. writes: Do you know what's going on at the cornerback position? ... Do you see our cornerbacks as a strength, wash, or weakness for us this year? Probably tough to say with a redshirt freshman starting on one side...
DH: I corrected Jake in his email that Brandon Boykin was, in fact, a sophomore, not a redshirt freshman. Then I asked Bryan Evans for his thoughts on Boykin, and Evans also referred to him as a freshman. Goes to show you how little playing time Boykin got last year, I guess.
Anyway, here's what else Evans had to say:
"Boykin is very athletic. I don't think it's a drop-off at all (from Asher Allen). He needs to get some experience, but that comes with the game. I have no doubts that Boykin is going to probably be one of the best first-year starters on our team this year. People need to look out for him."
As for the rest of the secondary, the most recent two-deep I've gotten is this:
WC: Prince Miller, Branden Smith
SC: Brandon Boykin, Vance Cuff
NB: Makiri Pugh, Nick Williams
SS: Reshad Jones, Baccari Rambo
FS: Bryan Evans, Sanders Commings
Brian writes: It looks like Brandon Boykin has locked down a starting corner spot, and that Pugh and Rambo are the backup safeties, but I have yet to see anything saying who the nickle corner is. Especially against a team like OSU, I imagine that the defense will be playing nickle more often than not. Do you know who is likely to be that fifth defensive back?
DH: Good follow-up to Jake's question. I talked with Mark Richt about the nickel position, and he agrees that the importance of having a good nickel is growing each year.
What the defense essentially does when going against three-wide or a spread offense is drop the Sam linebacker (who would normally be on the tight end) in favor of an extra defensive back (usually a safety). This gives the defense a bit more speed to handle coverage and avoid the mismatch of a wideout being covered by a linebacker. Considering the number of teams now using some version of the spread, this has become almost a default defense for Georgia in recent seasons and the reliance on the nickel will be even greater this year.
Richt said Makiri Pugh has spent the most time working at nickel, and the extra reps he got this fall while Evans, Quintin Banks and Reshad Jones were out with injuries, could prove to be key in his preparation. Pugh even iced Georgia's practice game with an interception late in the "fourth quarter" on Wednesday.
The more intriguing name at nickel, however, might be sophomore Nick Williams.
Williams has easily been one of the most popular players this offseason among the coaching staff because he loves to hit and he's a bundle of energy. (And, I'll add, one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet.) Because of all the injuries, he's been shuffled back and forth from safety to linebacker to safety and back to linebacker in the past 18 months. While moves like that have hindered the careers of players like Kiante Tripp, it may have turned out to be a blessing for Williams, who now may see action at both the Sam and the nickel -- which as Richt said, will essentially be the same position when Williams is on the field.
"They've let me know that maybe I need to learn everything, and that's my mentality is that I'm just going to learn it all so whenever it's time for me to go in, I'm prepared," Williams said. "I think it will get me on the field more. Coach likes versatility. He likes guys who can do more than one thing."
Williams has been packing on and losing weight seemingly every month because of the position shifts, but he said he's now at a comfortable 220 pounds, which is where he plans to stay. The weight hasn't cost him much speed either. He ran a 4.47 at the end of offseason workouts.
Brad writes: With respect to the "Team" attitude, I heard a story from practice last Wednesday. A couple players got into a tussle during practice and were punished with running. I'm told the entire team put on running shoes and ran. If that is true, then that is impressive.
DH: That's a great story, but sadly, it's apparently not true.
There have certainly been a few scuffles, but Jeff Owens said the team running part didn't happen. (Well, he called it "an exaggeration.") Not that you should be too concerned about the fights. They happen all the time, he said, and that's a good thing.
"That's the name of the game," Owens said. "Every play, offensive line and defensive line are getting into it. Backs and linebackers. Everybody's getting into it. Every play, you're competing, and when you're competing, the aggression's out there. But it's all just love. If you sat out there and watched practice, you'd see scuffles every day. But you're competing, and that's the name of the game. That's how you get better, you compete."
Jon writes: After reading comments made about Abry Jones last week, I was wondering if there was any thought of playing him some at defensive end since there are so many seniors on the interior line?
DH: Good thought, Jon, and having seen a little of Jones' high school tape, I think there's little question he could do it. Problem is, the coaches aren't planning on it, so it's not likely to happen. Of course, that doesn't mean you won't see a good bit of him this season.
“Right now, he’s inside and we don’t see him being outside right now," Mark Richt said. "Abry has done a very nice job and he's right on the cusp of getting some good playing time. Right now we think he’ll play.”
(NOTE: If you were playing a "right now" drinking game with that quote, please pause here and take a few minutes to sober up.)
@007dawg writes via Twitter: For Branden (Smith): What road trip are you most looking forward to in your first season?
DH: Branden didn't have to think too long about this one: “I’d have to say Jacksonville. I heard it’s loud, and there’s nothing like playing with a lot of fans. So I’d say Jacksonville.”
Mike B. writes: what kind of camp has Justin Houston had? I know there is the two game suspension thing but what about game three? Is he going to take over the starting job or just be depth?
DH: The reports on Houston have all been very positive, despite his suspension. I wondered whether he might backslide after a great spring because of two-game absence, but virtually every player I've talked to has said that Houston has continued progressing and working hard, which leads me to believe that, if he's not the starter Week 3, he'll be right in the thick of things.
“He’s been really good about it," fellow defensive end Demarcus Dobbs said. "He’s been coming to all the workouts, showing up on time and being a great leader to those other guys. Even though he’s had this setback, he doesn’t show it.”
JaxDawg writes: you do not have children. If you did, you would realize that while we want to give our children plenty or freedom, checking on them and monitoring their activities is the mark of a good parent. Most is innocuous chatter - but not always.
DH: This was in response to my comment that parents befriending their kids would be the ultimate death of Facebook.
I get what JaxDawg is saying, and while I don't have kids (and Lord knows, that's best for everyone), I can fully understand how Facebook allows parents to get a certain peace of mind through a social networking site. Heck, I've certainly stalked enough ex-girlfriends that... you know what, scratch that last part.
Anyway, the bottom line is not that I'm personally opposed to parents joining Facebook. The problem is that it's simply bad for business for Facebook. Hey, I'm in favor of prisons and liquor stores and Sonic drive-thrus, but I don't want any of them to be built next to my house because it lowers the property value (you know, if I owned property). I imagine the operators of Facebook view parents much the same way.
jferg writes: Should we read anything into CRGs comments on Jeff and Geno...something to the tune of "if those two don't get it going, they might not even start, regardless of what list they're on". Was that just a barb to get his horses working hard again? I don't remember CRG ever saying something like this for no reason. Have the two big guys been slacking a little? He even said Kade has been a better leader. Really? Can you go deeper for us?
DH: I appreciate JFerg's willingness to take Rodney Garner at face value, but I can promise you, Garner's never met a player he didn't think was slacking off. That might be a slight exaggeration, but he really does find ways he wants all his guys to improve, and he's not shy about telling them and the media about it.
So, bottom line, Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens will still be the two starters -- and two of the best interior linemen in the country -- but Kade Weston and DeAngelo Tyson will see a good bit of action, too.
Frank D. writes: We, of the Dawg Nation, have been working by email committee, sub-committee and focus group. Behind your back.
The Season of Most Apprehension stretches out before us. We are nervous. We are Don Knotts with a hairy Dawg fetish and lines on a mirror. We are caffeined, bourboned and Valiumed. We are a mess.
We lay our collective agony at your feet. We have come to Delphi and bow before you. We ask, we plead for your wisdom, insight and undivided attention to our needs. We need every minute of your time. Every second.
In light of the crisis at hand, the Committee for the Season of Most Apprehension has assembled a regiment for you to follow over the next four and a half months. This is NOT a suggestion. I hope I make myself clear on this point.
Until the clock runs out in the unnamed bowl game, you shall, and without complaint or equivocation:
1. Forgo sex with any other humanoid other than yourself, and keep that to a bare minimum.
2. Eliminate meals. Fruit cups on-the-go should suffice. This will additionally eliminate the Gas-X tab on your expense account.
3. Bathe infrequently.
4. Dispose of your watch, alarm clock and hair brush.
5. Bunk in with the team. Joe Cox talks in his sleep.
6. Pray to Buddha. Jeezus is working with the meek this fall.
7. Unplug your TV.
8. Avoid Barbara Dooley.
9. Channel Squab Jones.
10. Get a swine flu shot.
These Ten Commandments are absolute and unconditional. You are bound to these orders as of noon today. Thank you.
DH: There are two things particularly frightening about this email. (And, yes, I know what you're saying... "Only two?")
First, it's amazing how many of these items I was already sticking to without being asked. I may need to rethink my life and where it all went wrong.
And second, this wasn't my favorite email of the week.
Which leads me to...
McCullough writes: David, this posting made me a big fan of yours. Of course, it could be the beers I've already consumed, but so many parts of this made me very happy. I'm so glad to have your stuff to read every day, and this was a banner day for you. I don't give a $#@! about Lost, but that's OK. So many parts of this post was very enjoyable. I can't even go into detail. But, you the man. Thanks.
DH: Now here's what we're going to do. I want everyone reading this to drink a fifth of bourbon, then re-read the mailbag again. Then, tell everyone you know about how great it was. I think we're remarkably close to becoming the first blog post to win a Pulitzer.
Thanks for all the questions, folks. Keep 'em coming, and we'll do more next week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
