First off, I think our pal Brandon Spoon deserves an award for the great video work he's been doing for the site. I'd suggest a Peabody or a Pulitzer, though a Pabst Blue Ribbon will likely have to suffice.
In any case, he put together a great bit of video of the workouts and interviews from yesterday's Pro Day in Athens. Be sure to check it out...
Showing posts with label Michael Moore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Moore. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Practice Notes: Problems on the Line Prove Perplexing
Georgia has tried it all when it comes to getting its ground game going, and no tailback has been the answer so far. The similar results from different runners might be a sign, however, that the problems start up front.
Coming into the season, Georgia expected to have one of the deepest and most talented offensive lines in the country, but so far, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said the unit has simply not worked hard enough to get the job done.
“We’ve just got to be more physical at the point of attack,” he said.
Head coach Mark Richt said the tailbacks haven’t done a good enough job of picking up yards after contact, but the problem still remains that the contact is coming far too soon.
Bobo said he wants to see the line blow defenders off the ball, opening up some bigger lanes for the tailbacks to run through, but so far that simply hasn’t happened.
Injuries have played a part. While Georgia figured to be a deep unit, with eight returning players with starting experience, that depth has evaporated quickly.
Left tackle Trinton Sturdivant was lost for the season with a knee injury in Week 1, and tackle Josh Davis has been slow to return from two offseason shoulder surgeries.
Meanwhile, Chris Davis has been playing at left guard despite a lingering hip injury, and fellow guard Vince Vance is less than 12 months removed from ACL surgery.
“We’ve just got some depth issues there,” Bobo said. “We have some young guys we think are good players, but they’re just not ready yet. Josh Davis is getting back in the mix coming off shoulder surgery last season. He’s been practicing, but he hasn’t been 100 percent. We’re trying to work him in there to possibly be an answer to us playing a little better.”
While Georgia’s biggest issues running the ball have been between the tackles, Bobo said the injuries to Vance and Davis, along with a preseason ankle injury suffered by center Ben Jones, have not hindered the unit’s performance.
That said, a lack of intensity at tight end and fullback haven’t exactly helped either.
“It’s not totally on the offensive line,” Bobo said. “It’s the offense as a whole, coaches included, and we’ve got to pull it together, bond together, and figure out a way to get a victory this week.”
FINDING THE RIGHT MIX
Caleb King will return from a one-game hiatus this week after missing last week’s game against Tennessee with a concussion and a broken jaw. Richt said he was pleased with how King has practiced this week and said there was a chance the sophomore could get the start.
If King does open the game in Georgia’s backfield, it would mark the first time this season that someone other than Richard Samuel got the starting nod, but it won’t signal any change to the backfield-by-committee approach Georgia has employed during the past four games.
“Caleb will play for sure, but I’m not sure if he’ll start the game. Richard will play and Washaun (Ealey) will play, and Carlton (Thomas) might play a little, too. We’ll be looking for the hot hand, a hot set of wheels.”
That’s the approach the Bulldogs have used virtually every week since King returned from a two-week absence caused by a hamstring injury earlier this season. In five of the six games, a different runner has accounted for the team’s longest run of the day and four different tailbacks have at least 13 carries this year.
The constant lineup shuffling hasn’t proved effective, as Georgia has failed to crack 100 yards on the ground as a team in three games, but Richt said no back has managed to offer enough encouragement for the coaches to settle on one player.
“I think we’ve probably gone into a couple games thinking, if this guy gets it going, we’re going to keep letting him go,” Richt said. “But we just haven’t felt like we’re certain enough going into any game to say we’re going to stick with this guy for 20 carries no matter what. We just haven’t gotten there.”
Samuel leads the team with 71 carries for 317 yards, but has just nine runs for 36 yards in the past two games.
DESERVING OF THE START
He was supposed to be the grizzled veteran coming off the bench this season, but Kade Weston has earned the starting nod in each of Georgia’s past three games, and Richt said that’s all about his performance and not a knock on senior Geno Atkins, who has been relegated to backup duty.
“They’re all playing well,” Richt said, “but Kade’s earned the right to start. You can only start two at a time, but Kade, Jeffrey (Owens) and Geno have all been team captains, so they’ve all played well enough.”
For the season, Weston has four tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hurries – the second best total on the team behind Atkins. It’s a far cry from last season when he finished the year with just three hurries and no sacks.
“Last year he had a knee issue that bothered him the whole year and it kept him from getting in prime condition,” Richt said. “He battled away for the team even though he was hurt, and this year he’s been healthy, he’s been in tremendous condition, and his play has reflected all that hard work.”
KEEP ON SELLING
With rumors swirling about changes to the staff and a two-game losing streak in the books, Richt knows that he needs to keep an even more watchful eye on recruiting at this point in his season.
After thumping Georgia last week, Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin said he looked at the annual game against the Bulldogs as the most important of the season in terms of convincing recruits to leave the state of Georgia and join the Volunteers. Richt said he’s certain more than a few other schools are giving talking to the Bulldogs’ commitments now that the season has taken on a more ominous tone.
“That’s just common practice out there,” he said. “You just keep battling and fighting. Whether you’re winning or not, whether you’re having a great season or a so-so season, you can never take for granted what you have as far as your commitments are concerned. You’ve got to recruit to the end. A lot of times we’ll say when a guy commits to you, that’s when the recruiting has begun. It takes on a different life.”
Richt said he’s certain that coaches from competing schools have already put some negative ideas about Georgia into the minds of some of the Bulldogs’ commitments, and it’s usually not surprising to hear the concerns of the players a few days later.
“A recruit and his parents will ask you anything that is on their mind and in their heart about those kinds of things,” Richt said. “And a lot of times you can just about predict where that thought came from.”
Richt said he tries to avoid negative recruiting when talking to high school players, but he warns them that other schools won’t be so kind.
“I want them to ask me anything because I tell them, when you’re being recruited always take with a grain of salt if another school is telling you something about Georgia,” he said. “Don’t necessarily believe everything you hear. … If another school is saying this about Georgia and that about Georgia, instead of just believing it, you need to ask us, because we’re the ones who really know the deal.”
MISSING IN ACTION
With the merry-go-round at tailback circling through yet again this week, one name has been noticeably absent from the discussion – redshirt freshman Dontavius Jackson.
Jackson missed much of last season and spring practice with injuries and never managed to get into a groove during the preseason. Instead, he’s made his mark on special teams, so far, and hasn’t been written off by coaches just yet.
“Right now I doubt he’ll get some carries from scrimmage, but he’s competing,” Richt said. “He’s playing some special teams and he’s done some scout-team work that’s been impressive. He’s not sitting there getting totally rusty. He’s still working but I don’t know if he’ll get any carries this week.”
LESS FOR MOORE
Coming into the season, senior receiver Michael Moore figured to be the primary alternative on offense when star wideout A.J. Green was blanketed with double coverage. As it has turned out, Moore hasn't been a major factor.
The senior had six catches last week, but none for more than 14 yards, and in four of his six games this season, he has caught two passes or fewer.
"He's had a couple of drops that were catchable balls that should have been made, and those are the things we're focused on," receivers coach Tony Ball said. "He's done a couple things in dropping balls and not creating some space that has prevented him from not having numbers."
Ball said Moore has been a part of Georgia's offensive scheme, but he may not have been targeted as often as anticipated due to extenuating circumstances during the games.
Moreover, Ball said, Moore's movement around the field has forced the receiver to adjust to a changing role, and that, too, could be a factor in his limited production.
"A year ago, he was primarily an inside receiver and he was the recipient of teams trying to take away A.J. and Mohamed (Massaquoi)," Ball said. "Now he's had to take on that role of playing inside and outside, and that could have been a factor in getting a limited amount of catches."
EXTRA POINTS
-- Despite the weather, Georgia practiced outside at Sanford Stadium on Thursday. Wednesday’s practice was moved indoors to focus on getting extra reps on fundamentals, Richt said.
-- Georgia’s coaching staff will take their mandatory furlough days next week, with the assistant coaches taking Monday off from work and Richt taking Friday off.
Coming into the season, Georgia expected to have one of the deepest and most talented offensive lines in the country, but so far, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said the unit has simply not worked hard enough to get the job done.
“We’ve just got to be more physical at the point of attack,” he said.
Head coach Mark Richt said the tailbacks haven’t done a good enough job of picking up yards after contact, but the problem still remains that the contact is coming far too soon.
Bobo said he wants to see the line blow defenders off the ball, opening up some bigger lanes for the tailbacks to run through, but so far that simply hasn’t happened.
Injuries have played a part. While Georgia figured to be a deep unit, with eight returning players with starting experience, that depth has evaporated quickly.
Left tackle Trinton Sturdivant was lost for the season with a knee injury in Week 1, and tackle Josh Davis has been slow to return from two offseason shoulder surgeries.
Meanwhile, Chris Davis has been playing at left guard despite a lingering hip injury, and fellow guard Vince Vance is less than 12 months removed from ACL surgery.
“We’ve just got some depth issues there,” Bobo said. “We have some young guys we think are good players, but they’re just not ready yet. Josh Davis is getting back in the mix coming off shoulder surgery last season. He’s been practicing, but he hasn’t been 100 percent. We’re trying to work him in there to possibly be an answer to us playing a little better.”
While Georgia’s biggest issues running the ball have been between the tackles, Bobo said the injuries to Vance and Davis, along with a preseason ankle injury suffered by center Ben Jones, have not hindered the unit’s performance.
That said, a lack of intensity at tight end and fullback haven’t exactly helped either.
“It’s not totally on the offensive line,” Bobo said. “It’s the offense as a whole, coaches included, and we’ve got to pull it together, bond together, and figure out a way to get a victory this week.”
FINDING THE RIGHT MIX
Caleb King will return from a one-game hiatus this week after missing last week’s game against Tennessee with a concussion and a broken jaw. Richt said he was pleased with how King has practiced this week and said there was a chance the sophomore could get the start.
If King does open the game in Georgia’s backfield, it would mark the first time this season that someone other than Richard Samuel got the starting nod, but it won’t signal any change to the backfield-by-committee approach Georgia has employed during the past four games.
“Caleb will play for sure, but I’m not sure if he’ll start the game. Richard will play and Washaun (Ealey) will play, and Carlton (Thomas) might play a little, too. We’ll be looking for the hot hand, a hot set of wheels.”
That’s the approach the Bulldogs have used virtually every week since King returned from a two-week absence caused by a hamstring injury earlier this season. In five of the six games, a different runner has accounted for the team’s longest run of the day and four different tailbacks have at least 13 carries this year.
The constant lineup shuffling hasn’t proved effective, as Georgia has failed to crack 100 yards on the ground as a team in three games, but Richt said no back has managed to offer enough encouragement for the coaches to settle on one player.
“I think we’ve probably gone into a couple games thinking, if this guy gets it going, we’re going to keep letting him go,” Richt said. “But we just haven’t felt like we’re certain enough going into any game to say we’re going to stick with this guy for 20 carries no matter what. We just haven’t gotten there.”
Samuel leads the team with 71 carries for 317 yards, but has just nine runs for 36 yards in the past two games.
DESERVING OF THE START
He was supposed to be the grizzled veteran coming off the bench this season, but Kade Weston has earned the starting nod in each of Georgia’s past three games, and Richt said that’s all about his performance and not a knock on senior Geno Atkins, who has been relegated to backup duty.
“They’re all playing well,” Richt said, “but Kade’s earned the right to start. You can only start two at a time, but Kade, Jeffrey (Owens) and Geno have all been team captains, so they’ve all played well enough.”
For the season, Weston has four tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hurries – the second best total on the team behind Atkins. It’s a far cry from last season when he finished the year with just three hurries and no sacks.
“Last year he had a knee issue that bothered him the whole year and it kept him from getting in prime condition,” Richt said. “He battled away for the team even though he was hurt, and this year he’s been healthy, he’s been in tremendous condition, and his play has reflected all that hard work.”
KEEP ON SELLING
With rumors swirling about changes to the staff and a two-game losing streak in the books, Richt knows that he needs to keep an even more watchful eye on recruiting at this point in his season.
After thumping Georgia last week, Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin said he looked at the annual game against the Bulldogs as the most important of the season in terms of convincing recruits to leave the state of Georgia and join the Volunteers. Richt said he’s certain more than a few other schools are giving talking to the Bulldogs’ commitments now that the season has taken on a more ominous tone.
“That’s just common practice out there,” he said. “You just keep battling and fighting. Whether you’re winning or not, whether you’re having a great season or a so-so season, you can never take for granted what you have as far as your commitments are concerned. You’ve got to recruit to the end. A lot of times we’ll say when a guy commits to you, that’s when the recruiting has begun. It takes on a different life.”
Richt said he’s certain that coaches from competing schools have already put some negative ideas about Georgia into the minds of some of the Bulldogs’ commitments, and it’s usually not surprising to hear the concerns of the players a few days later.
“A recruit and his parents will ask you anything that is on their mind and in their heart about those kinds of things,” Richt said. “And a lot of times you can just about predict where that thought came from.”
Richt said he tries to avoid negative recruiting when talking to high school players, but he warns them that other schools won’t be so kind.
“I want them to ask me anything because I tell them, when you’re being recruited always take with a grain of salt if another school is telling you something about Georgia,” he said. “Don’t necessarily believe everything you hear. … If another school is saying this about Georgia and that about Georgia, instead of just believing it, you need to ask us, because we’re the ones who really know the deal.”
MISSING IN ACTION
With the merry-go-round at tailback circling through yet again this week, one name has been noticeably absent from the discussion – redshirt freshman Dontavius Jackson.
Jackson missed much of last season and spring practice with injuries and never managed to get into a groove during the preseason. Instead, he’s made his mark on special teams, so far, and hasn’t been written off by coaches just yet.
“Right now I doubt he’ll get some carries from scrimmage, but he’s competing,” Richt said. “He’s playing some special teams and he’s done some scout-team work that’s been impressive. He’s not sitting there getting totally rusty. He’s still working but I don’t know if he’ll get any carries this week.”
LESS FOR MOORE
Coming into the season, senior receiver Michael Moore figured to be the primary alternative on offense when star wideout A.J. Green was blanketed with double coverage. As it has turned out, Moore hasn't been a major factor.
The senior had six catches last week, but none for more than 14 yards, and in four of his six games this season, he has caught two passes or fewer.
"He's had a couple of drops that were catchable balls that should have been made, and those are the things we're focused on," receivers coach Tony Ball said. "He's done a couple things in dropping balls and not creating some space that has prevented him from not having numbers."
Ball said Moore has been a part of Georgia's offensive scheme, but he may not have been targeted as often as anticipated due to extenuating circumstances during the games.
Moreover, Ball said, Moore's movement around the field has forced the receiver to adjust to a changing role, and that, too, could be a factor in his limited production.
"A year ago, he was primarily an inside receiver and he was the recipient of teams trying to take away A.J. and Mohamed (Massaquoi)," Ball said. "Now he's had to take on that role of playing inside and outside, and that could have been a factor in getting a limited amount of catches."
EXTRA POINTS
-- Despite the weather, Georgia practiced outside at Sanford Stadium on Thursday. Wednesday’s practice was moved indoors to focus on getting extra reps on fundamentals, Richt said.
-- Georgia’s coaching staff will take their mandatory furlough days next week, with the assistant coaches taking Monday off from work and Richt taking Friday off.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Deleted Scenes: Georgia's Leadership
I feel like I've probably written a bit too much about the Bulldogs' improved attitude this offseason, but hey, whan you've got to find 8 months worth of stories without a game being played, you've got to come up with material from somewhere, right?
Anyway, I think the newsworthy stuff from my story in today's Telegraph are the quotes, particularly Mark Richt's mention that this team might have the best leadership of any he has coached. Still, there were plenty of quotes that didn't make it into the story, so I figured I should post them here...
Rennie Curran on the team's attitude...
“It’s been night and day with the morale of the team, the attitude of the guys. Whether it’s running 10 hundreds or whatever, everybody’s just focusing on doing whatever it takes. It’s great to have all the guys buy in and know that when they come to Butts-Mehre, it’s time to work, that they separate the work from the play.”
Curran on what has changed...
“I feel like we have just a lot of hungry guys who are ready to get out there and make things happen. You look at the guys who left and the guys who are replacing them – Brandon Boykin for Asher Allen, Darryl Gamble coming in there for Dannell, Bryan Evans – these are guys who have been waiting to get the opportunity and are just hungry and excited about wearing the ‘G’ and are dedicated. I’m excited. Whenever we step out on the field as a defense, it’s a good feeling knowing I’ve got guys who are as dedicated as I am and want us to win as much as possible.”
Curran on what the coaches did to create more leadership...
“Coaches have always been trying to get us to understand it’s not about how many times they tell us certain things, it’s when we as players take charge and take that leadership to get better. Right now, I think we’re in a position where we realize all those things they’ve been saying, all the things it’s going to take to make us successful.”
Michael Moore on the personality of last year's team...
“We were a team full of stars and I guess they’re trying to say we didn’t handle it the right way. I don’t want to say that, but maybe we should have taken a different approach.”
John Lilly on how Richt tried to shape the personality of this year's team...
“Coach Richt really set the tone early in the offseason, and he would continually remind everyone that the star of this team is going to be the team. You think about a lot of great teams that there have been throughout the last several years and in many cases the teams that won national championships, it was hard to really pinpoint a guy that really stood out or was a do-it-all guy. That’s probably where it started, and he’s tried to make a point of emphasizing that. But then the players have to buy into that with a very unselfish and team-oriented attitude. We’ve got a lot of guys who have won a lot since they’ve been around here. The guys that just got here want to win. I think they know what it’s going to take to get that done.”
Mark Richt on how the team developed new leadership...
“A group of men just decided they wanted to make a difference in leadership, especially our seniors, and there’s just been a very strong buy-in.”
Richt on what the leadership has been like this year vs. others...
“I think we have a lot of strong leaders this year, and Rennie is certainly one of them. I really like what Evans has done. Prince Miller, Reshad, Gamble, Jeffrey, Geno, Rod Battle and of course Rennie. A lot of guys are really making a point to be leaders. It’s outstanding. Rennie is a big part of it, but some years, quite frankly, that leader is outnumbered. It looks like an overwhelming task. But Rennie’s got a bunch of guys like him that are very motivated to do well, do it the Georgia way, do it the way the coach says, and they’re the quality control at practice as much as the coaches are. And that’s what I told the guys, as much as we can be a player-driven team, then the coaches don’t have to spend as much time driving you and can spend time teaching and guiding you. You’d rather be taught and guided than pushed. So if you can find a way to motivate from within, coaches can spend a lot more time teaching.”
Richt on how much of a role the coaches have in developing leaders...
“We have a huge hand in that. It’s our job to cultivate the culture that we’re after, and it’s up to us to recruit the type of players that are going to buy in to the Georgia way. We have to understand that on the front end. Some guys, quite frankly, got it before they got here or had a very strong bent to be a leader. A guy like Rennie, Rennie showed up, loved Georgia, worked hard, was going to do what Coach said from Day 1. With some guys, you have to develop that trust. Some guys need to learn how to work. Some guy need to learn what the Georgia way means. It’s a culmination of that kind of thing, but once you get the culture right, you hope it will continue. This year, maybe more than any year that I can remember, if the young guys watch the old guys and say that’s the way to do it, we’ll continue to have a great culture on this team.”
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Injuries a Mixed Blessing for Dawgs
If there's one question I've heard more than any other this preseason, it's fans concerned that -- with all the hamstring injuries -- tackling is going to be as much a problem as it was a year ago.
When it comes to challenging practices, this fall has been as tough as any, as I detailed in my story for the Telegraph yesterday. And as much as the pace and the tempo of practice have been improved, the biggest change might be the focus on tackling.
"There's a lot more hitting, a lot more tackling," wide receiver Michael Moore said earlier this week. "As receivers, we have these drills where we go one-on-one with the DBs that are tackle drills, tackle to the ground. We never really did that before. Even today, we had a couple periods where we were going full speed, tackle to the ground. Last year, we really tried to stay up most of the time, just try to do full-speed thud. That didn't help us, so (Mark Richt) definitely changed that up."
But the problem, wonder more than a few fans with visions of Roddy Jones streaking downfield still haunting their dreams, is that if so many players aren't on the field for practice, will things really be any different?
It's a valid concern admits linebacker Akeem Dent, who has missed almost two weeks with a sore hamstring.
"Of course it hurts to a certain extent because being out there and getting the reps physically and just seeing the reps is different," Dent said. "You want to be out there to get your timing and everything right and things like that. From a mental standpoint, I know what to do. But I still have to get out there and continue to stay in shape."
That's not exactly encouraging for a team that was so poor fundamentally last season, particularly with an offense as dynamic as Oklahoma State's awaiting the Bulldogs in Week 1.
But timing is everything, said safety Bryan Evans, and with nearly all of the injured defenders returning to work this week, he thinks there's plenty of time to get ready for the challenge ahead.
"It can affect you if you're not going out there right now trying to get it done," Evans said. "But we've still got a week-and-a-half, close to two weeks, so I think all of that will be polished by the time the game comes."
In fact, what could have been a disaster may have actually been an opportunity, Richt said.
With seven practice sessions left, he thinks his veterans will know the ins and outs of Oklahoma State's offense. But it's those practice sessions they missed that may have provided Georgia with a chance to develop a lot more depth.
"I'd be more concerned if all of our young guys had hamstring and all I had was veterans working," Richt said. "If the rookies weren't getting any reps at all, I'd be very concerned. But I do think it could end up being a blessing. Those young safeties got a ton of work, and a ton of work with the No. 1 defense. Even some of our young linebackers got work that they might not have gotten if it weren't for the veterans having to sit."
As for those veterans? Well, perhaps the memories of last season have begun to fade a bit and the confidence in his defense has been restored. Regardless, Richt is pretty sure Evans, Dent, Reshad Jones, Darius Dewberry and the rest of the Bulldogs' D won't miss a beat when it comes time to stop the Cowboys on Sept. 5.
"The veterans having a working knowledge of the defense, I don't think it will hurt them too badly," he said. "Schematically, we're just now getting into the guts of the game plan, and most everybody's starting to move around a little bit. So I think there's plenty of time to be ready."
When it comes to challenging practices, this fall has been as tough as any, as I detailed in my story for the Telegraph yesterday. And as much as the pace and the tempo of practice have been improved, the biggest change might be the focus on tackling.
"There's a lot more hitting, a lot more tackling," wide receiver Michael Moore said earlier this week. "As receivers, we have these drills where we go one-on-one with the DBs that are tackle drills, tackle to the ground. We never really did that before. Even today, we had a couple periods where we were going full speed, tackle to the ground. Last year, we really tried to stay up most of the time, just try to do full-speed thud. That didn't help us, so (Mark Richt) definitely changed that up."
But the problem, wonder more than a few fans with visions of Roddy Jones streaking downfield still haunting their dreams, is that if so many players aren't on the field for practice, will things really be any different?
It's a valid concern admits linebacker Akeem Dent, who has missed almost two weeks with a sore hamstring.
"Of course it hurts to a certain extent because being out there and getting the reps physically and just seeing the reps is different," Dent said. "You want to be out there to get your timing and everything right and things like that. From a mental standpoint, I know what to do. But I still have to get out there and continue to stay in shape."
That's not exactly encouraging for a team that was so poor fundamentally last season, particularly with an offense as dynamic as Oklahoma State's awaiting the Bulldogs in Week 1.
But timing is everything, said safety Bryan Evans, and with nearly all of the injured defenders returning to work this week, he thinks there's plenty of time to get ready for the challenge ahead.
"It can affect you if you're not going out there right now trying to get it done," Evans said. "But we've still got a week-and-a-half, close to two weeks, so I think all of that will be polished by the time the game comes."
In fact, what could have been a disaster may have actually been an opportunity, Richt said.
With seven practice sessions left, he thinks his veterans will know the ins and outs of Oklahoma State's offense. But it's those practice sessions they missed that may have provided Georgia with a chance to develop a lot more depth.
"I'd be more concerned if all of our young guys had hamstring and all I had was veterans working," Richt said. "If the rookies weren't getting any reps at all, I'd be very concerned. But I do think it could end up being a blessing. Those young safeties got a ton of work, and a ton of work with the No. 1 defense. Even some of our young linebackers got work that they might not have gotten if it weren't for the veterans having to sit."
As for those veterans? Well, perhaps the memories of last season have begun to fade a bit and the confidence in his defense has been restored. Regardless, Richt is pretty sure Evans, Dent, Reshad Jones, Darius Dewberry and the rest of the Bulldogs' D won't miss a beat when it comes time to stop the Cowboys on Sept. 5.
"The veterans having a working knowledge of the defense, I don't think it will hurt them too badly," he said. "Schematically, we're just now getting into the guts of the game plan, and most everybody's starting to move around a little bit. So I think there's plenty of time to be ready."
Monday, August 24, 2009
Practice Notes: Freshmen Receivers Catching On
Marlon Brown has already been asking around to find out what to expect when he takes the field in Stillwater, Okla. for the first game of his college career.
The wait for game day seemed endless for the first three months he was on campus, but now that it's less than two week away, he's starting to feel the pressure a bit.
"It's actually real, real soon," Brown said. "I've asked Mike (Moore) and Kris Durham and A.J. (Green), and they said it's hectic."
Brown's debut may be coming faster than he expected, but head coach Mark Richt said his freshmen receivers – Brown and Rantavious Wooten – need to be ready for action.
"Both of them started out pretty good, then I think both of them hit a little bit of a wall, and now I think both of them are beginning to pick it up again and make progress," Richt said. "But they're getting a ton of opportunities in practice, and they'll both get playing time."
Moore said he's seen his fair share of mistakes from the two freshmen, but their attitude has remained positive and the progress has been steady. Moore said Brown and Wooten have demonstrated a strong knowledge of the playbook, and now they're simply working on executing at full speed.
That's crucial for the Bulldogs, who have just four other scholarship receivers.
"I think they're far along enough where they can help the team now," Moore said. "I think the coaches are comfortable with them, and as a player, I feel comfortable with them now, too."
THE PRESSURE IS ON
Georgia will have a first-year starter at punter and could have another handling kickoffs, and both will be tested early.
Oklahoma State's special teams are among the best in the country, with punt returner Dez Bryant, who had two returns for touchdowns last season, and kick returner Perrish Cox, who is on pace to break the Big 12 record for return yards early this season.
"They're outstanding there, and our kicking game has just got to be outstanding," Richt said. "It starts with the kicker and punter, but our coverage teams, when you talk about wanting to be in midseason form Game 1, we better be."
As to which player will be handling kickoffs -- either Brandon Bogotay or Blair Walsh -- remains a mystery – and it's not one for which Richt is planning to offer a solution any time soon.
"I doubt that will ever be announced before the first game, so don't ask," Richt said, joking with reporters Monday. "We've narrowed it down to two, so that's pretty good."
While Richt is playing coy on who will handle kickoffs, he said he simply hasn't decided on the approach that kicker will take. Georgia's kicking game struggled badly last year with directional kicking, but Richt said that still could be the plan against Oklahoma State.
"As we get closer to it, we'll have to make some decisions on if we'll kick to them or not," Richt said.
One bright spot, however, appears to be the work of new punter Drew Butler, who Richt said has had a tremendous few weeks in practice.
"I hope he punts in the games like he's been punting in practice," Richt said. "He's been very good. He never had an issue with operation time."
INJURY UPDATES
Freshman cornerback Jordan Love missed Monday's practice due to a lingering toe injury he has had since high school. Richt said it's less severe than a turf toe, but Georgia's staff is taking a conservative approach.
"We let him rest a bit, cool off, then hook him up again," Richt said. "It's a day-to-day, pain-tolerance kind of thing."
Safeties Bryan Evans and Reshad Jones and tight end Aron White all returned to a full practice Monday after sitting out the majority of the past two weeks with hamstring injuries. While none participated in a sprinting exercise at the end of practice, Richt was otherwise pleased with their progress.
"They had green jerseys on, but they did just about everything," Richt said.
Two players who did not participate were left tackle Trinton Sturdivant, who Richt said is sick with a gastro-intestinal illness, and Darius Dewberry, who Richt said was close to returning from a hamstring injury.
NICKEL FOR YOUR THOUGHTS
With so many teams running spread offenses around the SEC, Richt said the nickel back position has become ever more important. The problem is, Georgia has been limited in who it can use at the position recently thanks to fall injuries to safeties Jones, Evans and Quintin Banks.
The primary nickel at this point, Richt said, has been redshirt freshman Makiri Pugh, who has also worked at safety. Redshirt freshman Sanders Commings was getting reps, but Richt said that has tapered off some. Prince Miller, who is Georgia's starting wide corner, could also handle the job if need be, with freshman Branden Smith handling cornerback duties, Richt said.
One more intriguing option at the nickel is linebacker Nick Williams, who moved from safety last season. Williams has already been playing the strongside linebacker spot, which is the position that leaves the field when the nickel enters the game. With Williams' versatility, Richt said, Georgia could essentially run a base package in the nickel, too.
"He in essence knows the nickel also," Richt said. "He runs pretty good for a linebacker, so he might be able to play some downs without having to make that substitution."
EARNING HIS PLAYING TIME
While Kiante Tripp hasn't been working with the first-team defensive ends this fall, Richt said he has been impressed with how the converted offensive lineman has handled himself.
"I thought Kiante was playing extremely hard," Richt said. "He's gotten in tremendous condition. He's a very athletic big guy. I would say he's going to play, and the better he plays, the better chance he has of gaining more playing time."
Tripp missed much of last week with a minor shoulder injury but returned to practice Monday.
NO ONE-TRICK PONY
With Michael Moore working so much in the slot, a few fans wondered if he would see a lot of the field when Georgia was in a two-wideout set. Not to worry, Moore said.
He has spent a significant amount of time working at the Z and X receiver spots, too, and said he'll be starting opposite A.J. Green in all sets.
That means there will be a good bit of pressure on Moore to perform, Richt said, but a strong start to the season for the senior receiver could go a long way toward opening up Georgia's offense.
"A.J.'s going to get the most attention, so the bottom line is he's got to win when he has man coverage, which he'll probably see a good bit of," Richt said of Moore. "If he proves he can defeat it and it becomes an issue for people, they'll have to mix up what they're doing, maybe try to double both, and then we'll have a lot better opportunity to run the football."
PRACTICE REPORT
Here's what Richt had to say about the current practice schedule: "Today we were in full pads. It was a pretty long practice. We had some live inside drill, live open-field tackling. Tomorrow will be mostly scout work and then we'll kind of prepare everybody for our practice game on Wednesday."
The wait for game day seemed endless for the first three months he was on campus, but now that it's less than two week away, he's starting to feel the pressure a bit.
"It's actually real, real soon," Brown said. "I've asked Mike (Moore) and Kris Durham and A.J. (Green), and they said it's hectic."
Brown's debut may be coming faster than he expected, but head coach Mark Richt said his freshmen receivers – Brown and Rantavious Wooten – need to be ready for action.
"Both of them started out pretty good, then I think both of them hit a little bit of a wall, and now I think both of them are beginning to pick it up again and make progress," Richt said. "But they're getting a ton of opportunities in practice, and they'll both get playing time."
Moore said he's seen his fair share of mistakes from the two freshmen, but their attitude has remained positive and the progress has been steady. Moore said Brown and Wooten have demonstrated a strong knowledge of the playbook, and now they're simply working on executing at full speed.
That's crucial for the Bulldogs, who have just four other scholarship receivers.
"I think they're far along enough where they can help the team now," Moore said. "I think the coaches are comfortable with them, and as a player, I feel comfortable with them now, too."
THE PRESSURE IS ON
Georgia will have a first-year starter at punter and could have another handling kickoffs, and both will be tested early.
Oklahoma State's special teams are among the best in the country, with punt returner Dez Bryant, who had two returns for touchdowns last season, and kick returner Perrish Cox, who is on pace to break the Big 12 record for return yards early this season.
"They're outstanding there, and our kicking game has just got to be outstanding," Richt said. "It starts with the kicker and punter, but our coverage teams, when you talk about wanting to be in midseason form Game 1, we better be."
As to which player will be handling kickoffs -- either Brandon Bogotay or Blair Walsh -- remains a mystery – and it's not one for which Richt is planning to offer a solution any time soon.
"I doubt that will ever be announced before the first game, so don't ask," Richt said, joking with reporters Monday. "We've narrowed it down to two, so that's pretty good."
While Richt is playing coy on who will handle kickoffs, he said he simply hasn't decided on the approach that kicker will take. Georgia's kicking game struggled badly last year with directional kicking, but Richt said that still could be the plan against Oklahoma State.
"As we get closer to it, we'll have to make some decisions on if we'll kick to them or not," Richt said.
One bright spot, however, appears to be the work of new punter Drew Butler, who Richt said has had a tremendous few weeks in practice.
"I hope he punts in the games like he's been punting in practice," Richt said. "He's been very good. He never had an issue with operation time."
INJURY UPDATES
Freshman cornerback Jordan Love missed Monday's practice due to a lingering toe injury he has had since high school. Richt said it's less severe than a turf toe, but Georgia's staff is taking a conservative approach.
"We let him rest a bit, cool off, then hook him up again," Richt said. "It's a day-to-day, pain-tolerance kind of thing."
Safeties Bryan Evans and Reshad Jones and tight end Aron White all returned to a full practice Monday after sitting out the majority of the past two weeks with hamstring injuries. While none participated in a sprinting exercise at the end of practice, Richt was otherwise pleased with their progress.
"They had green jerseys on, but they did just about everything," Richt said.
Two players who did not participate were left tackle Trinton Sturdivant, who Richt said is sick with a gastro-intestinal illness, and Darius Dewberry, who Richt said was close to returning from a hamstring injury.
NICKEL FOR YOUR THOUGHTS
With so many teams running spread offenses around the SEC, Richt said the nickel back position has become ever more important. The problem is, Georgia has been limited in who it can use at the position recently thanks to fall injuries to safeties Jones, Evans and Quintin Banks.
The primary nickel at this point, Richt said, has been redshirt freshman Makiri Pugh, who has also worked at safety. Redshirt freshman Sanders Commings was getting reps, but Richt said that has tapered off some. Prince Miller, who is Georgia's starting wide corner, could also handle the job if need be, with freshman Branden Smith handling cornerback duties, Richt said.
One more intriguing option at the nickel is linebacker Nick Williams, who moved from safety last season. Williams has already been playing the strongside linebacker spot, which is the position that leaves the field when the nickel enters the game. With Williams' versatility, Richt said, Georgia could essentially run a base package in the nickel, too.
"He in essence knows the nickel also," Richt said. "He runs pretty good for a linebacker, so he might be able to play some downs without having to make that substitution."
EARNING HIS PLAYING TIME
While Kiante Tripp hasn't been working with the first-team defensive ends this fall, Richt said he has been impressed with how the converted offensive lineman has handled himself.
"I thought Kiante was playing extremely hard," Richt said. "He's gotten in tremendous condition. He's a very athletic big guy. I would say he's going to play, and the better he plays, the better chance he has of gaining more playing time."
Tripp missed much of last week with a minor shoulder injury but returned to practice Monday.
NO ONE-TRICK PONY
With Michael Moore working so much in the slot, a few fans wondered if he would see a lot of the field when Georgia was in a two-wideout set. Not to worry, Moore said.
He has spent a significant amount of time working at the Z and X receiver spots, too, and said he'll be starting opposite A.J. Green in all sets.
That means there will be a good bit of pressure on Moore to perform, Richt said, but a strong start to the season for the senior receiver could go a long way toward opening up Georgia's offense.
"A.J.'s going to get the most attention, so the bottom line is he's got to win when he has man coverage, which he'll probably see a good bit of," Richt said of Moore. "If he proves he can defeat it and it becomes an issue for people, they'll have to mix up what they're doing, maybe try to double both, and then we'll have a lot better opportunity to run the football."
PRACTICE REPORT
Here's what Richt had to say about the current practice schedule: "Today we were in full pads. It was a pretty long practice. We had some live inside drill, live open-field tackling. Tomorrow will be mostly scout work and then we'll kind of prepare everybody for our practice game on Wednesday."
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Practice Notes: Dawgs Getting Impatient
It has been three weeks since Georgia started fall camp, and the grueling pace of practice is starting to wear on the players.
It's not that the Bulldogs are easing up, it's just that they're getting tired of tackling each other.
"I think we're just ready to play somebody else," quarterback Joe Cox said. "You come out of camp and it's kind of a relief, but you're really still in it, you just have school to go along with it."
A year ago, Georgia was already into the game-planning phase for its opener, but this August, the team has an additional week to prepare for its first game of the season against Oklahoma State.
On the positive side, it's an extra week to get ready for what promises to be one of Georgia's toughest opening-week opponents in years. The downside, however, is that all the reps in practice are starting to get a little dull.
"We're ready to hit that phase where we're game planning and worrying about other teams and going other places rather than just coming out and doing the same things every day," Cox said.
After three weeks of the most grueling preseason senior Jeff Owens can remember, however, the extra week of practice time isn't so much about preparation as it is about rejuvenation.
"This extra week will help guys get their legs back up under them," Owens said. "I think we can just go out and work on our fundamentals and get better, make sure everyone knows the scheme of the defense."
THE SUM OF THEIR PARTS
Richt offered a ringing endorsement to sophomore Richard Samuel on Friday, saying the tailback was firmly atop Georgia's depth chart. But while Samuel hopes to approach the 1,400 rushing yards compiled by Knowshon Moreno a year ago, the plan for replacing the 33 receptions and nearly 400 receiving yards Moreno added is still likely to be a committee approach.
"I think we're kind of going to pull from everybody to get certain aspects of what Knowshon did," Cox said. "Richard's a hard runner, kind of a bruiser and he gets open, but it's not like he has incredible ball skills."
Samuel caught just two passes for 11 yards as a freshman, numbers likely to increase with additional playing time this season. Still, fellow tailbacks Caleb King and Carlton Thomas are better known for their abilities as receivers and are likely to see plenty of action in that role.
"A guy like Caleb or Carlton, they have really smooth hands," Cox said. "I'm not saying we're not going to throw the ball to Richard, but I definitely think we'll be using them rather than expecting Richard to run every down and catch every ball we throw to the backs."
HOUSE CALLS
Senior defensive end Marcus Washington returned to the practice field Saturday after missing two days due to illness. Sophomore linebacker Marcus Dowtin worked out with the team, too, but in a green, non-contact jersey. Dowtin had missed nearly a week with strep throat.
"He's been in the bed," Richt said of Dowtin. "He hasn't even been going to class. But he's coming out of it now and he's made enough progress for us to believe he'll be back Monday."
The two illnesses were enough to warrant quick medical attention for both players, but it's a scenario Richt said his training staff has been preparing for since the spring.
With the outbreak of the H1N1 virus – better known as the swine flu – Richt said trainer Ron Courson and his staff have been quick to diagnose flu symptoms and isolate players who may be ill.
"We had a few guys over the summer that we moved them out of their dorms or we moved a roommate out of the dorm when we thought a guy might have some flu symptoms," Richt said. "Even Dowtin, we kept him away from everybody even though we knew it was more of a strep throat thing. Ron always does a great job, but on this we were pretty proactive."
DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE
Last season, Georgia entered the year with its best-ever preseason ranking, players on the cover of Sports Illustrated and a ton of hype surrounding the team. The result was a disappointing 10-3 campaign in which the Bulldogs never came close to meeting lofty expectations.
This year, the shoe is on the other foot as Oklahoma State features the Sports Illustrated cover boys and national attention. While Cox isn't ready to call that an advantage for his side, he said he's well aware of the perils of too much publicity before a team even hits the field.
"I don't know how much of an advantage it will be," Cox said. "They might feed off of it. I just know it wasn't the best thing for us, or at least it didn't turn out to be last year. I like the way we're ranked. I like being in an underdog situation. I think it made us work harder this offseason, and we'll see how it affected them when we play them."
(NOTE: Cox may not know if it's an advantage, but I highly recommend reading this story from The Oklahoman and forming your own opinion.)
SCOUTING THE COW POKES
Georgia began scout team work for Oklahoma State on Friday -- doing about 20 minutes of preparations, head coach Mark Richt said. The scout team work will increase gradually this week, culminating with Georgia's final preseason scrimmage Wednesday in which the No. 1 units will play a simulated game against the scout team's version of Oklahoma State.
"We're in good shape," Richt said. "We're ready to move into our scout team units. By Wednesday we want them to have enough work so that when we have that game, they've give us a pretty good look."
After Wednesday's practice game, the Bulldogs will take Thursday off, then return to full practices Friday and Saturday. Next Sunday is a regularly scheduled off day and Georgia then begins its normal preparations the following Monday with a practice in full pads.
"It'll be good to be moving toward the game plan, but I think it will also be good to get their bodies refreshed," Richt said.
IT'S A MYSTERY
As to what Georgia might expect from Oklahoma State, Richt has some good news and some bad news.
When it comes to the defensive side of the football, Richt said the Cowboys offer some familiar looks.
"Defensively, as far as schematically, they're a lot like Arizona State," Richt said. "Their base is a 4-3 and they play quarters coverage. Their fire zones are similar to most everybody else. We're very close to them schematically in the secondary."
The problem, however, is on offense. Oklahoma State features three talented playmakers in quarterback Zac Robinson, wideout Dez Bryant and tailback Kendall Hunter and usually employ spread formations. The problem is, the Cowboys' spread isn't much like the others Georgia has played in the past.
"Offensively, I can't really say there's anybody that would closely relate to them," Richt said.
REPLACING MO-MASS
Finding a suitable replacement for departed wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi wasn't a difficult chore Cox said. Senior Michael Moore is expected to earn the bulk of the throws that went to Massaquoi a year ago, and that's a role Cox said Moore was ready for even before this season.
"He's a guy who works hard every day, knows what to do, and he's dependable," Cox said. "Any time you have a guy like that you want to get him the ball because you know he's going to be in the right place at the right time."
FITTING RIGHT IN
The attention has focused on the new faces fighting for the starting tailback job this offseason, but head coach Mark Richt said the new man coaching the tailbacks has done a pretty impressive job so far, too.
Bryan McClendon has only been on the job for about eight months, but Richt said the players have enjoyed his coaching style and the rest of the staff has been a strong support system.
"He's got great support with (last year's running backs coach) Tony (Ball) being right there, and of course, Mike (Bobo) and really Coach (Stacy) Searels," Richt said. "So he's surrounded by a really good support and everybody believes in him. And the players, they believe in him and are responding real well."
INJURY UPDATES
-- Demarcus Dobbs and Nick Williams had both been in green jerseys following minor neck sprains last week, but both were back on the field and full participants in Saturday's practice.
-- Caleb King is looking better, but he may not practice fully for a few more days. "I will say he'll start doing some drill work, doing some ball handling, maybe doing some pass skeleton, but I don't know," Richt said. "He's getting close though."
-- A handful of players with hamstring injuries could be back as full participants in Georgia's next practice Monday. "By Monday, hopefully a lot of these guys that haven't been working will work," Richt said. "I think Reshad (Jones) is real close, Aron White's real close. (Bryan) Evans, I'm not sure if he'll go full speed Monday, but they're all getting work."
-- Add Darius Dewberry to the "getting close" list, with a little extra praise coming his way. "Dewberry's very close. I would say this week coming up and maybe Monday," Richt said. "He really had a great summer. He's in tremendous shape, he's strong, and he knows what he's doing and has become very good at it."
-- One player lagging in his recovery is linebacker Akeem Dent, whose timetable for a return remains unclear. "Dent is actually a little further behind some of these other guys," Richt said. "He's not responding as quickly. I'm hoping by the end of the week Dent will be able to go but I'm more optimistic about the other hamstrings."
EXTRA POINTS
-- Just in case you haven't cruised over to Macon.com yet, be sure to check out my story on tailback Carlton Thomas, who has kept his name in the conversation for significant playing time this offseason despite the constant concerns about his size.
-- Matthew Stafford is getting the start for the Detroit Lions tonight, in case you were wondering.
-- Got an email from Sean F. asking: "Do you know when Jeff will begin his blog again? And has it not been updated lately due to NCAA rules or just the time constraints of football?"
There are no problems with NCAA or team rules. Quite the opposite, actually. Jeff's biggest issue, he said, has been finding good topics to write about, but the school is actually planning to give him a hand with that, and he'll be back to blogging soon.
"I've got a lot of stuff coming up," Owens said. "I'm supposed to get hooked up with sports communication to put it on GeorgiaDogs.com and they're going to have different people talking about what they want to hear, what they want to read and stuff, so that'll give me help."
It's not that the Bulldogs are easing up, it's just that they're getting tired of tackling each other.
"I think we're just ready to play somebody else," quarterback Joe Cox said. "You come out of camp and it's kind of a relief, but you're really still in it, you just have school to go along with it."
A year ago, Georgia was already into the game-planning phase for its opener, but this August, the team has an additional week to prepare for its first game of the season against Oklahoma State.
On the positive side, it's an extra week to get ready for what promises to be one of Georgia's toughest opening-week opponents in years. The downside, however, is that all the reps in practice are starting to get a little dull.
"We're ready to hit that phase where we're game planning and worrying about other teams and going other places rather than just coming out and doing the same things every day," Cox said.
After three weeks of the most grueling preseason senior Jeff Owens can remember, however, the extra week of practice time isn't so much about preparation as it is about rejuvenation.
"This extra week will help guys get their legs back up under them," Owens said. "I think we can just go out and work on our fundamentals and get better, make sure everyone knows the scheme of the defense."
THE SUM OF THEIR PARTS
Richt offered a ringing endorsement to sophomore Richard Samuel on Friday, saying the tailback was firmly atop Georgia's depth chart. But while Samuel hopes to approach the 1,400 rushing yards compiled by Knowshon Moreno a year ago, the plan for replacing the 33 receptions and nearly 400 receiving yards Moreno added is still likely to be a committee approach.
"I think we're kind of going to pull from everybody to get certain aspects of what Knowshon did," Cox said. "Richard's a hard runner, kind of a bruiser and he gets open, but it's not like he has incredible ball skills."
Samuel caught just two passes for 11 yards as a freshman, numbers likely to increase with additional playing time this season. Still, fellow tailbacks Caleb King and Carlton Thomas are better known for their abilities as receivers and are likely to see plenty of action in that role.
"A guy like Caleb or Carlton, they have really smooth hands," Cox said. "I'm not saying we're not going to throw the ball to Richard, but I definitely think we'll be using them rather than expecting Richard to run every down and catch every ball we throw to the backs."
HOUSE CALLS
Senior defensive end Marcus Washington returned to the practice field Saturday after missing two days due to illness. Sophomore linebacker Marcus Dowtin worked out with the team, too, but in a green, non-contact jersey. Dowtin had missed nearly a week with strep throat.
"He's been in the bed," Richt said of Dowtin. "He hasn't even been going to class. But he's coming out of it now and he's made enough progress for us to believe he'll be back Monday."
The two illnesses were enough to warrant quick medical attention for both players, but it's a scenario Richt said his training staff has been preparing for since the spring.
With the outbreak of the H1N1 virus – better known as the swine flu – Richt said trainer Ron Courson and his staff have been quick to diagnose flu symptoms and isolate players who may be ill.
"We had a few guys over the summer that we moved them out of their dorms or we moved a roommate out of the dorm when we thought a guy might have some flu symptoms," Richt said. "Even Dowtin, we kept him away from everybody even though we knew it was more of a strep throat thing. Ron always does a great job, but on this we were pretty proactive."
DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE
Last season, Georgia entered the year with its best-ever preseason ranking, players on the cover of Sports Illustrated and a ton of hype surrounding the team. The result was a disappointing 10-3 campaign in which the Bulldogs never came close to meeting lofty expectations.
This year, the shoe is on the other foot as Oklahoma State features the Sports Illustrated cover boys and national attention. While Cox isn't ready to call that an advantage for his side, he said he's well aware of the perils of too much publicity before a team even hits the field.
"I don't know how much of an advantage it will be," Cox said. "They might feed off of it. I just know it wasn't the best thing for us, or at least it didn't turn out to be last year. I like the way we're ranked. I like being in an underdog situation. I think it made us work harder this offseason, and we'll see how it affected them when we play them."
(NOTE: Cox may not know if it's an advantage, but I highly recommend reading this story from The Oklahoman and forming your own opinion.)
SCOUTING THE COW POKES
Georgia began scout team work for Oklahoma State on Friday -- doing about 20 minutes of preparations, head coach Mark Richt said. The scout team work will increase gradually this week, culminating with Georgia's final preseason scrimmage Wednesday in which the No. 1 units will play a simulated game against the scout team's version of Oklahoma State.
"We're in good shape," Richt said. "We're ready to move into our scout team units. By Wednesday we want them to have enough work so that when we have that game, they've give us a pretty good look."
After Wednesday's practice game, the Bulldogs will take Thursday off, then return to full practices Friday and Saturday. Next Sunday is a regularly scheduled off day and Georgia then begins its normal preparations the following Monday with a practice in full pads.
"It'll be good to be moving toward the game plan, but I think it will also be good to get their bodies refreshed," Richt said.
IT'S A MYSTERY
As to what Georgia might expect from Oklahoma State, Richt has some good news and some bad news.
When it comes to the defensive side of the football, Richt said the Cowboys offer some familiar looks.
"Defensively, as far as schematically, they're a lot like Arizona State," Richt said. "Their base is a 4-3 and they play quarters coverage. Their fire zones are similar to most everybody else. We're very close to them schematically in the secondary."
The problem, however, is on offense. Oklahoma State features three talented playmakers in quarterback Zac Robinson, wideout Dez Bryant and tailback Kendall Hunter and usually employ spread formations. The problem is, the Cowboys' spread isn't much like the others Georgia has played in the past.
"Offensively, I can't really say there's anybody that would closely relate to them," Richt said.
REPLACING MO-MASS
Finding a suitable replacement for departed wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi wasn't a difficult chore Cox said. Senior Michael Moore is expected to earn the bulk of the throws that went to Massaquoi a year ago, and that's a role Cox said Moore was ready for even before this season.
"He's a guy who works hard every day, knows what to do, and he's dependable," Cox said. "Any time you have a guy like that you want to get him the ball because you know he's going to be in the right place at the right time."
FITTING RIGHT IN
The attention has focused on the new faces fighting for the starting tailback job this offseason, but head coach Mark Richt said the new man coaching the tailbacks has done a pretty impressive job so far, too.
Bryan McClendon has only been on the job for about eight months, but Richt said the players have enjoyed his coaching style and the rest of the staff has been a strong support system.
"He's got great support with (last year's running backs coach) Tony (Ball) being right there, and of course, Mike (Bobo) and really Coach (Stacy) Searels," Richt said. "So he's surrounded by a really good support and everybody believes in him. And the players, they believe in him and are responding real well."
INJURY UPDATES
-- Demarcus Dobbs and Nick Williams had both been in green jerseys following minor neck sprains last week, but both were back on the field and full participants in Saturday's practice.
-- Caleb King is looking better, but he may not practice fully for a few more days. "I will say he'll start doing some drill work, doing some ball handling, maybe doing some pass skeleton, but I don't know," Richt said. "He's getting close though."
-- A handful of players with hamstring injuries could be back as full participants in Georgia's next practice Monday. "By Monday, hopefully a lot of these guys that haven't been working will work," Richt said. "I think Reshad (Jones) is real close, Aron White's real close. (Bryan) Evans, I'm not sure if he'll go full speed Monday, but they're all getting work."
-- Add Darius Dewberry to the "getting close" list, with a little extra praise coming his way. "Dewberry's very close. I would say this week coming up and maybe Monday," Richt said. "He really had a great summer. He's in tremendous shape, he's strong, and he knows what he's doing and has become very good at it."
-- One player lagging in his recovery is linebacker Akeem Dent, whose timetable for a return remains unclear. "Dent is actually a little further behind some of these other guys," Richt said. "He's not responding as quickly. I'm hoping by the end of the week Dent will be able to go but I'm more optimistic about the other hamstrings."
EXTRA POINTS
-- Just in case you haven't cruised over to Macon.com yet, be sure to check out my story on tailback Carlton Thomas, who has kept his name in the conversation for significant playing time this offseason despite the constant concerns about his size.
-- Matthew Stafford is getting the start for the Detroit Lions tonight, in case you were wondering.
-- Got an email from Sean F. asking: "Do you know when Jeff will begin his blog again? And has it not been updated lately due to NCAA rules or just the time constraints of football?"
There are no problems with NCAA or team rules. Quite the opposite, actually. Jeff's biggest issue, he said, has been finding good topics to write about, but the school is actually planning to give him a hand with that, and he'll be back to blogging soon.
"I've got a lot of stuff coming up," Owens said. "I'm supposed to get hooked up with sports communication to put it on GeorgiaDogs.com and they're going to have different people talking about what they want to hear, what they want to read and stuff, so that'll give me help."
Thursday, August 13, 2009
A.J. Green is Scary Good, Part II
Remember three days ago when I posted a quote from Joe Cox indicating that maybe A.J. Green would be significantly better this year?
Well, Mike Moore went one step further...
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Deleted Scenes: Georgia's Mentor Program
One of the biggest changes this offseason for Georgia has been a new dedication on the part of the team's veterans on teaching the younger players rather than simply letting the coaches do the coaching. I have an article in today's Macon Telegraph on how the new attitude has helped both the older guys and the new freshmen.
After you're done reading the article, check out these additional quotes from players about the emphasis on mentoring this offseason.
Fullback Shaun Chapas on the team-first mentality...
"I think this team's very united. We all love each other and we have good chemistry on the team. And I know that we all really care about each other, what we do on and off the field."
Defensive end Kiante Tripp on the different feel of this offseason...
"From the time I've been here, I'd have to say that this has been a real successful summer in that I've never seen the guys work as hard as we've been working. Everybody's out there working. It's a good environment to be around to prepare for the season."
Tripp on the team's new mantra...
"In order for us to be successful, we've got to be a team and help each other out. It's a team thing, and we've got to work together. Mark Richt said the star of the team is the team, and we took that and have run with it."
Linebacker Akeem Dent on the offseason philosophy...
"It started in the weight room. All of them came in and were really willing to work. We've had a lot of guys who when we go into the film room, they're already ready, they have pens and pencils to take notes, and we're ready to teach them."
Dent on this offseason compared to past ones...
"Now compared to when I got here, there's more guys willing to go out and teach, teach the whole playbook. When they first came in, guys like Mike Gilliard and Chase (Vasser), we started from the basics and then moved on and letting them go out and throw them into the fire to see if they're grasping everything."
Dent on handling the freshmen...
"You have those first time jitters the first time you go out on the field because you don't know what to expect, but me, Darryl Gamble, Rennie, we're out there and we critique them on everything, even if it's something minor because we want them to do it the best way."
Running back Carlton Thomas on the difference between this year and last...
"Everybody's just become more hands-on. You can just see it in every unit. Everybody has this focus, everybody's pushing each other, everybody's trying to learn more. We're getting in there to watch film, and that's something we really didn't do a lot of before. A lot of units are even coming in in the mornings to watch film. And it's not just a couple guys trying to improve each other. It's like everybody's on the focus of, if I can get my unit better, it's going to help the team."
Thomas on the attitude this year...
"Since mat drills we've been saying the thing, the star of the team is the team. It's been a team thing, and we want to be a player-driven team. That's basically been what it's been. Nobody's being forced. We're just coming out here and doing extra work."
Wide receiver Michael Moore on interacting with the youngsters...
"Everybody knew we had to step up as leaders. We all know how hard it is to come in as a freshman, and this year we're depending on everybody for success. When I knew Wooten and Marlon were coming in, even on Facebook before they got here, they were asking questions, and it's just good to see. Orson's asking me questions every day. And when you have players that want to learn, it makes it easier for us."
Moore on his experiences as a freshman...
"It was a lot different. The senior class that we had, everybody was more established. Everybody to me was more trying to get their own stuff together. This year, we're trying to take it as more of a team, because we need the younger guys. You don't want them to shy away. You want them to be able to perform and be able to compete with you."
Moore on dealing with the new freshmen...
"Sometimes it's funny because when you try to explain things to them, they're still looking at you like you're talking to a brick wall. So sometimes you need to take a step back and break it down for them from point A to point B to point C. You can't just go from A to C. The guys that we have now, they're real smart and they're picking it up real fast."
Wide receiver Kris Durham on teaching teammates...
"Sometimes you have to tell them what they did wrong and get in their face to explain it to them. Yeah, it might make them mad, but everybody realizes that you're trying to make them better."
Durham on learning lessons from last season...
"We've discussed what happened last year, and we're trying to move on and learn from it. Everyone's just trying to build off of what works."
After you're done reading the article, check out these additional quotes from players about the emphasis on mentoring this offseason.
Fullback Shaun Chapas on the team-first mentality...
"I think this team's very united. We all love each other and we have good chemistry on the team. And I know that we all really care about each other, what we do on and off the field."
Defensive end Kiante Tripp on the different feel of this offseason...
"From the time I've been here, I'd have to say that this has been a real successful summer in that I've never seen the guys work as hard as we've been working. Everybody's out there working. It's a good environment to be around to prepare for the season."
Tripp on the team's new mantra...
"In order for us to be successful, we've got to be a team and help each other out. It's a team thing, and we've got to work together. Mark Richt said the star of the team is the team, and we took that and have run with it."
Linebacker Akeem Dent on the offseason philosophy...
"It started in the weight room. All of them came in and were really willing to work. We've had a lot of guys who when we go into the film room, they're already ready, they have pens and pencils to take notes, and we're ready to teach them."
Dent on this offseason compared to past ones...
"Now compared to when I got here, there's more guys willing to go out and teach, teach the whole playbook. When they first came in, guys like Mike Gilliard and Chase (Vasser), we started from the basics and then moved on and letting them go out and throw them into the fire to see if they're grasping everything."
Dent on handling the freshmen...
"You have those first time jitters the first time you go out on the field because you don't know what to expect, but me, Darryl Gamble, Rennie, we're out there and we critique them on everything, even if it's something minor because we want them to do it the best way."
Running back Carlton Thomas on the difference between this year and last...
"Everybody's just become more hands-on. You can just see it in every unit. Everybody has this focus, everybody's pushing each other, everybody's trying to learn more. We're getting in there to watch film, and that's something we really didn't do a lot of before. A lot of units are even coming in in the mornings to watch film. And it's not just a couple guys trying to improve each other. It's like everybody's on the focus of, if I can get my unit better, it's going to help the team."
Thomas on the attitude this year...
"Since mat drills we've been saying the thing, the star of the team is the team. It's been a team thing, and we want to be a player-driven team. That's basically been what it's been. Nobody's being forced. We're just coming out here and doing extra work."
Wide receiver Michael Moore on interacting with the youngsters...
"Everybody knew we had to step up as leaders. We all know how hard it is to come in as a freshman, and this year we're depending on everybody for success. When I knew Wooten and Marlon were coming in, even on Facebook before they got here, they were asking questions, and it's just good to see. Orson's asking me questions every day. And when you have players that want to learn, it makes it easier for us."
Moore on his experiences as a freshman...
"It was a lot different. The senior class that we had, everybody was more established. Everybody to me was more trying to get their own stuff together. This year, we're trying to take it as more of a team, because we need the younger guys. You don't want them to shy away. You want them to be able to perform and be able to compete with you."
Moore on dealing with the new freshmen...
"Sometimes it's funny because when you try to explain things to them, they're still looking at you like you're talking to a brick wall. So sometimes you need to take a step back and break it down for them from point A to point B to point C. You can't just go from A to C. The guys that we have now, they're real smart and they're picking it up real fast."
Wide receiver Kris Durham on teaching teammates...
"Sometimes you have to tell them what they did wrong and get in their face to explain it to them. Yeah, it might make them mad, but everybody realizes that you're trying to make them better."
Durham on learning lessons from last season...
"We've discussed what happened last year, and we're trying to move on and learn from it. Everyone's just trying to build off of what works."
Friday, July 17, 2009
What Can Brown Do for Georgia?
With just two weeks to go until fall practice begins, Georgia's new freshmen phenom – wide receiver Marlon Brown -- has already had a chance to impress his teammates during summer workouts, but senior Michael Moore said the comparisons to last year's standout receiver are a bit premature.
"It's really not fair to compare anybody to A.J. Green right now because he's one of the best in the country," Moore said. "Could (Brown) have an impact like that? Yeah, it's possible. But he needs to come in, work hard and prove it during the season."
Cornerback Brandon Boykin said he has seen a good bit of Brown this summer, and admits that the freshman looked a little nervous early on.
During a drill earlier this week, however, Brown made a circus catch on a hitch-and-go route that Boykin said underscored how much progress than freshman has already made.
"He's coming along," Boykin said. "I see Mike Moore taking him under his wing. I think he was a little nervous coming in the first day trying to run routes and stuff but he's improving, I definitely see him improving."
That will be a necessity for the Bulldogs, who only have two proven receivers on the roster. Beyond Moore and Greene, Georgia will be counting on contributions from three freshmen receivers this season.
That might be a lot to ask, but each -- Brown, Rantavious Wooten and Orson Charles -- brings plenty of talent to the table.
"Really from all three of them – Marlon, Orson and Wooten – I really feel like all three of them can make plays," Moore said. "Marlon, he's a huge body, and if you throw it up, he can go get it. Wooten, he's a fast, quick guy, and if you get him the ball in space, he can make something happen. And Orson, he's just a hard worker, a nitty-gritty guy who's a big body in the slot but also can run."
The key will be how quickly the trio -- Brown, in particular -- can turn the talent into production. The transition began when the players arrived on campus last month, and if their progress continues at such a dramatic pace, injured wide receiver Kris Durham said he wouldn't be surprised to see all three have a significant impact on the Bulldogs' offense.
"They're good, and they're definitely going to help us out this year and contribute," Durham said. "Both of them have learned the majority of what's going to be installed in fall camp, and I can't wait to see what they're going to do when we get pads on."
"It's really not fair to compare anybody to A.J. Green right now because he's one of the best in the country," Moore said. "Could (Brown) have an impact like that? Yeah, it's possible. But he needs to come in, work hard and prove it during the season."
Cornerback Brandon Boykin said he has seen a good bit of Brown this summer, and admits that the freshman looked a little nervous early on.
During a drill earlier this week, however, Brown made a circus catch on a hitch-and-go route that Boykin said underscored how much progress than freshman has already made.
"He's coming along," Boykin said. "I see Mike Moore taking him under his wing. I think he was a little nervous coming in the first day trying to run routes and stuff but he's improving, I definitely see him improving."
That will be a necessity for the Bulldogs, who only have two proven receivers on the roster. Beyond Moore and Greene, Georgia will be counting on contributions from three freshmen receivers this season.
That might be a lot to ask, but each -- Brown, Rantavious Wooten and Orson Charles -- brings plenty of talent to the table.
"Really from all three of them – Marlon, Orson and Wooten – I really feel like all three of them can make plays," Moore said. "Marlon, he's a huge body, and if you throw it up, he can go get it. Wooten, he's a fast, quick guy, and if you get him the ball in space, he can make something happen. And Orson, he's just a hard worker, a nitty-gritty guy who's a big body in the slot but also can run."
The key will be how quickly the trio -- Brown, in particular -- can turn the talent into production. The transition began when the players arrived on campus last month, and if their progress continues at such a dramatic pace, injured wide receiver Kris Durham said he wouldn't be surprised to see all three have a significant impact on the Bulldogs' offense.
"They're good, and they're definitely going to help us out this year and contribute," Durham said. "Both of them have learned the majority of what's going to be installed in fall camp, and I can't wait to see what they're going to do when we get pads on."
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Wooten Already Impressing
Talked to Michael Moore for a while on Wednesday. He said, due to position alignments, Kris Durham has spent a lot of time mentoring Marlon Brown so far this summer, and Moore has taken Georgia's other freshman receiver, Rantavious Wooten, under his wing.
While Moore raved about both freshmen, he said he's been extremely impressed by how polished Wooten already seems to be, and he has no doubt the 5-10, 170-pound freshman will make an impact.
"Wooten's going to be a playmaker," Moore said. "He's fast, he's quick, he can catch the ball. He runs some of the best routes out here already as a young guy."
(Check out video of Wooten in high school HERE.)
Similar to second-year receiver Tavarres King, size is a bit of an issue for Wooten, but it's not one Moore thinks will be too tough to overcome.
"Just keeping him healthy is going to be the No. 1 thing," Moore said. "We've got to make sure we can keep some weight on him. As long as he picks up the offense, we're going to have to find some ways to put the ball in his hands because he's pretty electric."
I also asked Moore about freshman cornerback Branden Smith, who has promised to play a bit of receiver this season, too. Moore said that hasn't happen yet during pass skels, but it's not for a lack of effort on the part of the receiving corps.
"We were joking with him just yesterday saying, ‘I thought you were supposed to play receiver. Come over with us,'" Moore said. "But he hasn't done anything like that just yet. He's concentrating on cornerback, but I'm pretty sure the coaches will put a package in for him."
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Little Things a Big Deal for Ball
When Tony Ball swapped jobs from running backs coach to wide receivers coach, the general consensus was that he made the switch just in time, considering the departure of star tailback Knowshon Moreno.
As it turns out, working with Georgia's stable of replacement running backs might be an easier task that what Ball now faces, with just two veteran wide receivers on the roster. But while Ball will be tasked with trying to find some suitable cohorts for Michael Moore and A.J. Green, the general consensus is that he's just the right man for the job.
"(Having Ball) helps a lot," redshirt freshman receiver Tavarres King said. "He's helped me with so much in the short time he's had me, and I feel a lot better about myself and my abilities."
While former wide receivers coach John Eason was a big-picture guy in terms of approach, Ball is just the opposite, spending most of his time focused on the small details and reteaching the basics of the position. That's exactly what the young crop of receivers needs, according to Georgia's lone senior receiver.
"He's a lot more intense," Moore said. "He has more attention to detail. He wants you to get out of your break as quickly as possible. He wants you to be able to break the DB off. When you line up, they could put anybody in front of you and he wants you to have confidence you can break him off. Coach Eason was a more laid-back guy. Coach Ball, he's focused on our technique and trying to get that together."
It's not a drastic change, King said, but the lessons Ball is teaching fit the students in the classroom, and that's had a big impact.
"It's nothing different, he just works us, works us on the small things," King said. "He's a technician and that's what I like about him."
Of course, that doesn't mean Ball has left his old lot of Bulldogs high and dry. Even without Moreno, Ball's still keeping tabs on how the running backs are doing, and he's made sure they know where to find him, too.
"I still talk to him every now and then, ask him for a few little pointers and give him a few updates on how I feel, what I'm doing," sophomore tailback Richard Samuel said. "I still check in on him, and anything dealing with the running backs, he makes sure we can still go and talk to him even though he's no longer our position coach."
As it turns out, working with Georgia's stable of replacement running backs might be an easier task that what Ball now faces, with just two veteran wide receivers on the roster. But while Ball will be tasked with trying to find some suitable cohorts for Michael Moore and A.J. Green, the general consensus is that he's just the right man for the job.
"(Having Ball) helps a lot," redshirt freshman receiver Tavarres King said. "He's helped me with so much in the short time he's had me, and I feel a lot better about myself and my abilities."
While former wide receivers coach John Eason was a big-picture guy in terms of approach, Ball is just the opposite, spending most of his time focused on the small details and reteaching the basics of the position. That's exactly what the young crop of receivers needs, according to Georgia's lone senior receiver.
"He's a lot more intense," Moore said. "He has more attention to detail. He wants you to get out of your break as quickly as possible. He wants you to be able to break the DB off. When you line up, they could put anybody in front of you and he wants you to have confidence you can break him off. Coach Eason was a more laid-back guy. Coach Ball, he's focused on our technique and trying to get that together."
It's not a drastic change, King said, but the lessons Ball is teaching fit the students in the classroom, and that's had a big impact.
"It's nothing different, he just works us, works us on the small things," King said. "He's a technician and that's what I like about him."
Of course, that doesn't mean Ball has left his old lot of Bulldogs high and dry. Even without Moreno, Ball's still keeping tabs on how the running backs are doing, and he's made sure they know where to find him, too.
"I still talk to him every now and then, ask him for a few little pointers and give him a few updates on how I feel, what I'm doing," sophomore tailback Richard Samuel said. "I still check in on him, and anything dealing with the running backs, he makes sure we can still go and talk to him even though he's no longer our position coach."
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Moore Than Meets the Eye
Georgia's wide receiver corps will have a much different look in 2009 than it did a year ago. But while the group is short on experience, there's still plenty of talent. The elder statesman of the group, senior Michael Moore, gives his thoughts on what his fellow pass-catchers can bring to the table this season....
On whether A.J. Green can handle all the attention from defenders this year...
"He was double teamed all season. Every team we played, we were watching film on them, but by the time we got to the game, they had a whole different coverage, and a lot of that was because of A.J."
On what tight end Orson Charles brings to the table...
"He's a high motor guy. He always wants to know what to do. He wants to learn more, he runs well, he catches the ball well. I think he's a better fit for tight end only because it will give him a better advantage. You can flex him out and he's going to beat up a DB, but he's better suited for tight end. He looks good."
On whether Marlon Brown can repeat what A.J. Green did last year...
"I think that's putting too much pressure on anybody to say they can come in and do what A.J. did. A.J. came in and had one of the best things the SEC's ever seen. He's just an extremely talented kid, and you can't expect those to come around too often. It's just like Knowshon. You can't expect a kid to come in and replace Knowshon. You can expect Marlon to be Marlon."
On who freshman Rantavious Wooten reminds him of....
"He's kind of a more polished Mikey Henderson. Mikey only played receiver for two years, while Wooten's been playing receiver his whole life. He's fast. He's probably the same speed as Mikey, and Mikey was probably the fastest player on the team at the time."
On the development of Israel Troupe...
"Troupe was a lot like I was my sophomore year. He got some game experience. He had a few catches. Now he's going to have an opportunity just like everybody else to get in the weight room, get in the film room, out there in pass skel and just wait for his turn. That's what I had to do. But there's going to be an opportunity for him, and he's got to be ready for it."
On the role cornerback Branden Smith might be able to play on offense...
"He's fast, and if you're fast and you have the ball in your hands, you can get away from people. When game time comes around, I think we'll be able to see him out there."
And finally, what he's expecting from himself as Georgia's No. 2 threat...
"A.J.'s going to get double-teamed, and if I have one-on-one matchups, I like my chances."
On whether A.J. Green can handle all the attention from defenders this year...
"He was double teamed all season. Every team we played, we were watching film on them, but by the time we got to the game, they had a whole different coverage, and a lot of that was because of A.J."
On what tight end Orson Charles brings to the table...
"He's a high motor guy. He always wants to know what to do. He wants to learn more, he runs well, he catches the ball well. I think he's a better fit for tight end only because it will give him a better advantage. You can flex him out and he's going to beat up a DB, but he's better suited for tight end. He looks good."
On whether Marlon Brown can repeat what A.J. Green did last year...
"I think that's putting too much pressure on anybody to say they can come in and do what A.J. did. A.J. came in and had one of the best things the SEC's ever seen. He's just an extremely talented kid, and you can't expect those to come around too often. It's just like Knowshon. You can't expect a kid to come in and replace Knowshon. You can expect Marlon to be Marlon."
On who freshman Rantavious Wooten reminds him of....
"He's kind of a more polished Mikey Henderson. Mikey only played receiver for two years, while Wooten's been playing receiver his whole life. He's fast. He's probably the same speed as Mikey, and Mikey was probably the fastest player on the team at the time."
On the development of Israel Troupe...
"Troupe was a lot like I was my sophomore year. He got some game experience. He had a few catches. Now he's going to have an opportunity just like everybody else to get in the weight room, get in the film room, out there in pass skel and just wait for his turn. That's what I had to do. But there's going to be an opportunity for him, and he's got to be ready for it."
On the role cornerback Branden Smith might be able to play on offense...
"He's fast, and if you're fast and you have the ball in your hands, you can get away from people. When game time comes around, I think we'll be able to see him out there."
And finally, what he's expecting from himself as Georgia's No. 2 threat...
"A.J.'s going to get double-teamed, and if I have one-on-one matchups, I like my chances."
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Video Blog: Michael Moore
Michael Moore discusses the strengths of new wide receivers Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten and talks about his conversations with Mohamed Massaquoi, who is now with the Cleveland Browns.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Cox Has Built-In Rapport with Receivers
Georgia will begin the 2009 season with a different starting quarterback than it has employed for the better part of the past three years, but Joe Cox is hardly the new guy.
As a fifth-year senior, Cox has the luxury of knowing Georgia's offense and, perhaps more importantly, his teammates awfully well. So while he's light on game-day snaps, no one is expecting much of a learning curve thanks to the thousands of passes Cox has already thrown in practice to the group of receivers he'll be working with this season.
"It's going to look different as far as names and body sizes, but we're doing the same things out there in practice," said wideout Michael Moore, who has played with Cox as part of Georgia's No. 2 unit in practice for most of the past three seasons. "We're running the same plays, Joe can make the same throws, we're running the same routes. I don't think too much is going to change."
Cox has always been a steadying force in the locker room -- he recently earned 107 votes in a poll of 110 players asking who the leaders on the team were -- but this year, his teammates have the added advantage of knowing just what to expect from him on the field, too.
When Matthew Stafford first took the reins of Georgia's offense in 2006, there was a huge adjustment period for the Bulldogs' receivers, who weren't used to the touch -- or more often, the heat -- Stafford put on his throws.
With Cox, that's not an issue. Along with Moore, Georgia's other starting wide receiver, A.J. Green, spent plenty of time working with Cox last preseason and said he sees hasn't noticed much of a change since Cox took over the offense. Tavarres King credits Cox with helping his game while the two worked together with the No. 2 unit last year, and Israel Troupe offers similar platitudes. Other than the incoming freshmen, this year's receiving corps has as much experience working with Cox as they had with Stafford, and in most cases, more.
"With Matthew, after about a year, everyone kind of figured out his mentality and how he was going to be and where you needed to be to get open so he could get the ball to you," said wide receiver Kris Durham, who will sit out this year after injuring his shoulder this spring. "Since Joe's been here, we've already developed that ideal relationship where we know what he's thinking, we know his arm strength, when he's going to let go of it. It's just a benefit for us."
Of course, there's a big difference between the balls Stafford threw and what receivers expect from Cox, and he's fully aware his passes won't take nearly as much adjustment on the part of his wideouts.
"Obviously they caught some of the hardest passes thrown, so I don't think it's that hard for them to catch what I throw now," Cox joked.
Still, even he admits that all the time he's spent with his receiving corps during practice over the past few years has its benefits.
The relationship between a quarterback and his receivers hinges on a fundamental trust. The quarterback needs to know his receiver will be in the right spot at the right time. The receiver needs to know his quarterback can get him the ball in a position to make the catch without getting killed.
And that's the biggest key with Cox, Moore said. There's already an established trust.
"I have gotten used to throwing to those guys the last couple years," Cox said. "I think that does help me knowing where certain people are on the field and who has the best chance to make a play."
As a fifth-year senior, Cox has the luxury of knowing Georgia's offense and, perhaps more importantly, his teammates awfully well. So while he's light on game-day snaps, no one is expecting much of a learning curve thanks to the thousands of passes Cox has already thrown in practice to the group of receivers he'll be working with this season.
"It's going to look different as far as names and body sizes, but we're doing the same things out there in practice," said wideout Michael Moore, who has played with Cox as part of Georgia's No. 2 unit in practice for most of the past three seasons. "We're running the same plays, Joe can make the same throws, we're running the same routes. I don't think too much is going to change."
Cox has always been a steadying force in the locker room -- he recently earned 107 votes in a poll of 110 players asking who the leaders on the team were -- but this year, his teammates have the added advantage of knowing just what to expect from him on the field, too.
When Matthew Stafford first took the reins of Georgia's offense in 2006, there was a huge adjustment period for the Bulldogs' receivers, who weren't used to the touch -- or more often, the heat -- Stafford put on his throws.
With Cox, that's not an issue. Along with Moore, Georgia's other starting wide receiver, A.J. Green, spent plenty of time working with Cox last preseason and said he sees hasn't noticed much of a change since Cox took over the offense. Tavarres King credits Cox with helping his game while the two worked together with the No. 2 unit last year, and Israel Troupe offers similar platitudes. Other than the incoming freshmen, this year's receiving corps has as much experience working with Cox as they had with Stafford, and in most cases, more.
"With Matthew, after about a year, everyone kind of figured out his mentality and how he was going to be and where you needed to be to get open so he could get the ball to you," said wide receiver Kris Durham, who will sit out this year after injuring his shoulder this spring. "Since Joe's been here, we've already developed that ideal relationship where we know what he's thinking, we know his arm strength, when he's going to let go of it. It's just a benefit for us."
Of course, there's a big difference between the balls Stafford threw and what receivers expect from Cox, and he's fully aware his passes won't take nearly as much adjustment on the part of his wideouts.
"Obviously they caught some of the hardest passes thrown, so I don't think it's that hard for them to catch what I throw now," Cox joked.
Still, even he admits that all the time he's spent with his receiving corps during practice over the past few years has its benefits.
The relationship between a quarterback and his receivers hinges on a fundamental trust. The quarterback needs to know his receiver will be in the right spot at the right time. The receiver needs to know his quarterback can get him the ball in a position to make the catch without getting killed.
And that's the biggest key with Cox, Moore said. There's already an established trust.
"I have gotten used to throwing to those guys the last couple years," Cox said. "I think that does help me knowing where certain people are on the field and who has the best chance to make a play."
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Talent Trumps Experience at Receiver in '09
The season-ending injury to Kris Durham takes a potential starter out of the rotation from a depth chart that already figured to be fairly shallow.
With the departures of Mohamed Massaquoi, Kenneth Harris and Demiko Goodman, along with Walter Hill's decision to leave the program, left Georgia with just six scholarship receivers before Durham's injury. The additions of Rontavious Wooten and Marlon Brown gave some much-needed depth, but without Durham, experience will still be at a premium.
So how might the wideout situation work out this fall?
The star: A.J. Green
Green led the SEC in receiving a year ago despite playing with a groin injury all year. He said he's finally 100 percent healthy, however, and he expects an even better performance in 2009, with coaches moving him around a lot more this spring, hoping to use different schemes to get their top target open.
"It's going to be something special what I can do when I'm healthy," he said.
The slot receivers: Michael Moore and Tony Wilson
Moore came on strong last season, hauling in 29 passes for 451 yards, including a team-best six grabs for 97 yards in Georgia's bowl win over Michigan State.
"I just gained confidence," Moore said. "I kept working hard in the weight room, kept working hard on the practice field, and once the ball came my way, I started making plays. I just tried to build off that each week."
Moore, who is heading into his senior season, will be Georgia's only other experienced receiver, which means coaches will rely heavily on him to take some of the pressure off Green.
Moore is likely to play most of the year in the slot, however, where he will share time with Wilson. Wilson battled an ankle injury all year last season, making just one catch before accepting a redshirt that ended his year.
Wilson still isn't 100 percent healthy, but he said he feels better than he did this time last year, and expects to be ready to go by the fall. Both Moore and Wilson are exceptional blockers and -- given their experience -- are easily the most knowledgeable receivers on the team.
"I think that (Moore) and Tony are pretty interchangeable," head coach Mark Richt said. "I think one will be the X and one will be the Y, and they'll probably crosstrain. Those two guys have to be our best blockers, and they will be that. Both of them have to go down the middle and be brave and make plays, and they both can be very good at that."
The rookies: Rontavious Wooten and Marlon Brown
Both Wooten and Brown will arrive in Athens this summer, and with Durham's injury, the expectations surrounding them will be high.
Wooten checks in at a generous 5-foot-10 and just 158 pounds, which won't make him an obvious target, but Richt said the speedy pass-catcher out of Florida can be an exceptional weapon if coaches can find ways to maximize his skills.
"If you get the ball to him with a little bit of space – whether it's reverse, quick screens, and he still can penetrate the deep field – he's a pretty complete receiver, and he does have quicks and can make people miss," Richt said.
Wooten is clearly overshadowed, however, by Brown, who was among the top wide receiver recruits in the nation this year.
Following Green's monster freshman year, anything short of a repeat performance by Brown would be a disappointment for many fans who have watched the Memphis product's high school film and drooled over his potential.
The comparisons between Green and Brown aren't entirely unfair, however, and Green said he's happy to be in a position to help his soon-to-be teammates follow in his footsteps.
"Marlon is a great kid. I talked to him during the recruiting process, and I was the first to know he was coming to Georgia. I'm trying to help him out, and I've got Mike helping me out, so we both can help him."
Richt said he expects Brown to work primarily at split end or flanker opposite Green this season.
The up-and-comers: Israel Troupe and Tavarres King
Neither King nor Troupe have seen significant playing time despite both arriving in Athens amid a good deal of hype.
Troupe, entering his third season in Athens, has just a handful of catches to show for his first two years with the Bulldogs, but he said he has taken a new approach to this spring in hopes of revitalizing his career.
"This year coming in is kind of like my freshman year all over again. I've got a clean slate coming in and I'm just starting over from scratch," Troupe said. "This spring is a great opportunity for me to be seen and get my name heard. With the people coming in, all it is is competition for me."
Troupe had flown mostly under the radar this spring, but a long touchdown grab from Aaron Murray in Georgia's second scrimmage of the year opened a few eyes. With Durham out, Troupe's name will be near the top of the list of players who need to take that next step in 2009.
King actually earned some playing time early in the year last season, but an ankle injury slowed him after the Arizona State game, and coaches eventually decided to hold him out the rest of the year to get him a medical redshirt.
The taste of playing time was a big help in his development, King said, but that doesn't mean he's ready to take the next step into being a consistent performer in the SEC. Richt said King still needs to add some size and strength to help his blocking -- an area he has struggled this spring -- and needs to show a more consistent effort during practice.
"He's still got a ways to go to really be ready for our league," Richt said. "But he's got the ability, and he absolutely has had his moments when you're like, he can do it. We're expecting him to play, but he has to continue to get better to be a really effective receiver in our league. But he has the ability and he's smart, and he's just got to realize that it takes great effort every single day in practice."
The secret weapons: Orson Charles and Branden Smith
Neither Charles nor Smith are officially on the wide receiver depth chart, but both could play key roles in the pass-catching department in 2009.
Charles has been an enthusiastic learner since signing with Georgia last month, and Richt said the tight end has already gotten his weight up to 225 pounds. At Plant High in Tampa, Charles played with fellow Bulldog Aaron Murray and was a huge threat in the passing game as a hybrid tight end. Richt envisions a similar role for him this year at Georgia.
"It would be very natural for him to know the tight end or just flex and be that third receiver on the inside because we really call the routes the same," Richt said. "As he's training at tight end, he'll be training as a flex wide anyway."
Smith won't spend nearly as much time at receiver -- or even on the offensive side of the field. The five-star athlete from Atlanta figures to be in the mix for a starting cornerback job, but his speed and athleticism make him a potential weapon in the receiving game, too.
"We could take a guy like Branden Smith and use his abilities," Richt said. "He's going to be a corner, but there might be some plays where we can use him."
Defensive coordinator Willie Martinez has no problems with that plan, as long as Smith still gets his reps on defense, too.
"That's one of the reasons why we wanted him," Martinez said. "I'm for winning games and if we've got to play kids like Branden both ways, we're going to do it."
Note: Bruce Figgins, Aron White and Arthur Lynch figure to make the tight end position a lot more productive in 2009 than it was a year ago, and running back Carlton Thomas says he's anxious to prove his pass-catching skills out of the backfield, too. One thing that won't happen, however, is the use of White -- a Charles-like hybrid tight end -- split out wide. Richt said the rising sophomore has proved he belongs at tight end, and his experience will be crucial to that group.
The verdict: Durham's injury doesn't kill Georgia's receiving corps, but the lack of veteran experience will be an issue. That means much of the responsibility for turning this group into a productive unit will fall to the coaching staff -- namely Mike Bobo and Tony Ball.
Finding ways to get Green open in 2009, even with opposing defenses focused on stopping him, will be essential. While Green had a notably crucial mentor-protoge relationship with Mohamed Massaquoi that keyed his big freshman season, the coaches will likely have to take a more active role with Brown when he arrives. Finding time to school Charles and Smith at multiple positions will also be the responsibility of a coaching staff that hasn't had hybrid athletes of their caliber in a while.
Long story short, Georgia's receivers won't lack talent and ability. But it will take a top-notch performance by the coaching staff to turn that ability into success on Saturdays.
With the departures of Mohamed Massaquoi, Kenneth Harris and Demiko Goodman, along with Walter Hill's decision to leave the program, left Georgia with just six scholarship receivers before Durham's injury. The additions of Rontavious Wooten and Marlon Brown gave some much-needed depth, but without Durham, experience will still be at a premium.
So how might the wideout situation work out this fall?
The star: A.J. Green
Green led the SEC in receiving a year ago despite playing with a groin injury all year. He said he's finally 100 percent healthy, however, and he expects an even better performance in 2009, with coaches moving him around a lot more this spring, hoping to use different schemes to get their top target open.
"It's going to be something special what I can do when I'm healthy," he said.
The slot receivers: Michael Moore and Tony Wilson
Moore came on strong last season, hauling in 29 passes for 451 yards, including a team-best six grabs for 97 yards in Georgia's bowl win over Michigan State.
"I just gained confidence," Moore said. "I kept working hard in the weight room, kept working hard on the practice field, and once the ball came my way, I started making plays. I just tried to build off that each week."
Moore, who is heading into his senior season, will be Georgia's only other experienced receiver, which means coaches will rely heavily on him to take some of the pressure off Green.
Moore is likely to play most of the year in the slot, however, where he will share time with Wilson. Wilson battled an ankle injury all year last season, making just one catch before accepting a redshirt that ended his year.
Wilson still isn't 100 percent healthy, but he said he feels better than he did this time last year, and expects to be ready to go by the fall. Both Moore and Wilson are exceptional blockers and -- given their experience -- are easily the most knowledgeable receivers on the team.
"I think that (Moore) and Tony are pretty interchangeable," head coach Mark Richt said. "I think one will be the X and one will be the Y, and they'll probably crosstrain. Those two guys have to be our best blockers, and they will be that. Both of them have to go down the middle and be brave and make plays, and they both can be very good at that."
The rookies: Rontavious Wooten and Marlon Brown
Both Wooten and Brown will arrive in Athens this summer, and with Durham's injury, the expectations surrounding them will be high.
Wooten checks in at a generous 5-foot-10 and just 158 pounds, which won't make him an obvious target, but Richt said the speedy pass-catcher out of Florida can be an exceptional weapon if coaches can find ways to maximize his skills.
"If you get the ball to him with a little bit of space – whether it's reverse, quick screens, and he still can penetrate the deep field – he's a pretty complete receiver, and he does have quicks and can make people miss," Richt said.
Wooten is clearly overshadowed, however, by Brown, who was among the top wide receiver recruits in the nation this year.
Following Green's monster freshman year, anything short of a repeat performance by Brown would be a disappointment for many fans who have watched the Memphis product's high school film and drooled over his potential.
The comparisons between Green and Brown aren't entirely unfair, however, and Green said he's happy to be in a position to help his soon-to-be teammates follow in his footsteps.
"Marlon is a great kid. I talked to him during the recruiting process, and I was the first to know he was coming to Georgia. I'm trying to help him out, and I've got Mike helping me out, so we both can help him."
Richt said he expects Brown to work primarily at split end or flanker opposite Green this season.
The up-and-comers: Israel Troupe and Tavarres King
Neither King nor Troupe have seen significant playing time despite both arriving in Athens amid a good deal of hype.
Troupe, entering his third season in Athens, has just a handful of catches to show for his first two years with the Bulldogs, but he said he has taken a new approach to this spring in hopes of revitalizing his career.
"This year coming in is kind of like my freshman year all over again. I've got a clean slate coming in and I'm just starting over from scratch," Troupe said. "This spring is a great opportunity for me to be seen and get my name heard. With the people coming in, all it is is competition for me."
Troupe had flown mostly under the radar this spring, but a long touchdown grab from Aaron Murray in Georgia's second scrimmage of the year opened a few eyes. With Durham out, Troupe's name will be near the top of the list of players who need to take that next step in 2009.
King actually earned some playing time early in the year last season, but an ankle injury slowed him after the Arizona State game, and coaches eventually decided to hold him out the rest of the year to get him a medical redshirt.
The taste of playing time was a big help in his development, King said, but that doesn't mean he's ready to take the next step into being a consistent performer in the SEC. Richt said King still needs to add some size and strength to help his blocking -- an area he has struggled this spring -- and needs to show a more consistent effort during practice.
"He's still got a ways to go to really be ready for our league," Richt said. "But he's got the ability, and he absolutely has had his moments when you're like, he can do it. We're expecting him to play, but he has to continue to get better to be a really effective receiver in our league. But he has the ability and he's smart, and he's just got to realize that it takes great effort every single day in practice."
The secret weapons: Orson Charles and Branden Smith
Neither Charles nor Smith are officially on the wide receiver depth chart, but both could play key roles in the pass-catching department in 2009.
Charles has been an enthusiastic learner since signing with Georgia last month, and Richt said the tight end has already gotten his weight up to 225 pounds. At Plant High in Tampa, Charles played with fellow Bulldog Aaron Murray and was a huge threat in the passing game as a hybrid tight end. Richt envisions a similar role for him this year at Georgia.
"It would be very natural for him to know the tight end or just flex and be that third receiver on the inside because we really call the routes the same," Richt said. "As he's training at tight end, he'll be training as a flex wide anyway."
Smith won't spend nearly as much time at receiver -- or even on the offensive side of the field. The five-star athlete from Atlanta figures to be in the mix for a starting cornerback job, but his speed and athleticism make him a potential weapon in the receiving game, too.
"We could take a guy like Branden Smith and use his abilities," Richt said. "He's going to be a corner, but there might be some plays where we can use him."
Defensive coordinator Willie Martinez has no problems with that plan, as long as Smith still gets his reps on defense, too.
"That's one of the reasons why we wanted him," Martinez said. "I'm for winning games and if we've got to play kids like Branden both ways, we're going to do it."
Note: Bruce Figgins, Aron White and Arthur Lynch figure to make the tight end position a lot more productive in 2009 than it was a year ago, and running back Carlton Thomas says he's anxious to prove his pass-catching skills out of the backfield, too. One thing that won't happen, however, is the use of White -- a Charles-like hybrid tight end -- split out wide. Richt said the rising sophomore has proved he belongs at tight end, and his experience will be crucial to that group.
The verdict: Durham's injury doesn't kill Georgia's receiving corps, but the lack of veteran experience will be an issue. That means much of the responsibility for turning this group into a productive unit will fall to the coaching staff -- namely Mike Bobo and Tony Ball.
Finding ways to get Green open in 2009, even with opposing defenses focused on stopping him, will be essential. While Green had a notably crucial mentor-protoge relationship with Mohamed Massaquoi that keyed his big freshman season, the coaches will likely have to take a more active role with Brown when he arrives. Finding time to school Charles and Smith at multiple positions will also be the responsibility of a coaching staff that hasn't had hybrid athletes of their caliber in a while.
Long story short, Georgia's receivers won't lack talent and ability. But it will take a top-notch performance by the coaching staff to turn that ability into success on Saturdays.
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