The sideline might not be the most comfortable place for Mike Bobo to watch a game, but it’s hard to argue with success.
For the first time in his career as offensive coordinator, Bobo called plays from the sideline in Georgia’s last outing against Vanderbilt, and the result was the team’s easiest win of the year, highlighted by a season-high in rushing yards. While the view wasn’t quite as good as it was from the press box, Bobo said he liked the feel of being on the sideline and said he’ll be there again this week when the Bulldogs take on No. 1 Florida.
“In the box, it’s like you’re watching a TV screen except you can see the whole thing, so you can see if we executed, and you can see if we don’t,” Bobo said. “Down there, you can feel the passion and the excitement, the highs and lows of when things go well and when things don’t go well. That part I liked. It’s a little more intense down there for sure.”
While Bobo won’t have access to the bird’s-eye view the press box affords, he said the negative impact of watching from the sideline has been lessened by the efforts of receivers coach Tony Ball, who provides pictures and analysis from the box while Bobo is on the field.
“You’ve got to have guys up there that are capable of giving you a picture and Coach Ball does a good job of that,” Bobo said. “You’ve got to prepare well to where you can recognize their looks and make sure they’re playing the way we thought they were, and if they didn’t, we’ve got to be able to make adjustments.”
The upside to Bobo’s appearance on the sideline is mental, he said.
With so many first-year starters on offense, Bobo was concerned that the unit was lacking confidence. Players were talented enough to succeed, but he wanted to be on the field where he could remind them of that, even in the face of failure.
“We’ve got a lot of young guys that haven’t made a lot of plays in some games,” Bobo said. “We have guys we feel we have some ability, but for whatever reason, they’re not making the play or they had their head down at certain times. (I wanted to) have the ability to say, ‘Hey you’ve got the ability, let’s go and get it done,’ or just to look them in the eye and say, ‘We can do it.’”
MYSTERY SURROUNDS O LINE
During Georgia’s off week, Clint Boling said he had spent some time working at left tackle, moving over from the right side where he has played all season.
Josh Davis got his first start of the season against Vanderbilt, too, giving the Bulldogs yet another look on the offensive line – their fourth different starting lineup of the season.
But Tuesday, head coach Mark Richt said he isn’t expecting a major shake-up for this week’s contest against Florida.
“We really don’t have a lot of choices, so I don’t see a lot of change there,” he said. “The guys that have been playing will continue to play. We may move them around a little bit, but I’m not even sure of that.”
Richt said Davis, Boling, Vince Vance, Ben Jones, Chris Davis and Justin Anderson will all see action, but he wouldn’t commit to the specific roles for any of them.
So while the head coach isn’t predicting change, he isn’t exactly promising the status quo either. That has Bobo convinced that this week’s lineup may have a look fans haven’t seen yet this year.
“I’d say probably, but you’ll just have to wait and see,” Bobo said. “But it’s been different every single week.”
‘BACKERS BACK
Georgia’s depleted linebacker corps figures to get an infusion of healthy bodies this week with both Akeem Dent and Marcus Dowtin expected to return to action after extended absences due to injuries.
“(Dent) looks like he’s going to be able to make the trip, but we’ll see how he progresses here during the week as we run a little bit more,” linebackers coach John Jancek said. “Dowtin has been cleared and is ready to go.”
Dowtin missed the past two games after suffering a ligament tear in his finger that required surgery following Georgia’s loss to LSU. Dowtin had earned regular work as a reserve linebacker and was third on the team in tackles at the time of the injury.
“We really missed Marcus not having him for the last two ballgames,” defensive coordinator Willie Martinez said. “Marcus has been one of our playmakers – a kid that can run, athletic, smart. He really was playing really well.”
Dent has missed nearly every practice since mid-August with a nagging hamstring injury, and his return brings a much needed veteran presence.
“I think he’s ready to go,” Martinez said. “We tried to get him to come back and maybe it was too soon. He re-aggravated that injury he had. … We haven’t had Akeem, his leadership and toughness. To get him back in the presence of the team is really huge.”
WARMER WEATHER
Temperatures in Jacksonville, Fla. for Saturday’s game are expected to be in the 80s with plenty of sunshine, which is a welcome change of pace for the Bulldogs.
Georgia hasn’t played a game in temperatures warmer than 80 degrees since its opener, and their last game against Vanderbilt began with temperatures in the mid-40s.
But while the warmer weather comes as a treat, it also means the Bulldogs might have to dig a bit deeper on their depth chart to rotate in fresh players as the heat takes its toll on the starters.
“I think we’re definitely going to have to have a lot of subs, especially in a warm game,” quarterback Joe Cox said. “But I’m just glad the weather is going to be good. We’ve had a lot of crazy weather situations this year. We might have to use some subs, but we’ll see how it goes.”
CHAPAS READY TO GO
Thanks to a stinger in his neck, fullback Shaun Chapas watched Georgia's last game against Vandy from the comfort of his own living room, but he hardly felt comfortable.
"It felt really weird," he said. "I'd never missed a game before, and right before kickoff I just had this overwhelming sense that I needed to be somewhere. That was kind of weird, but I really did enjoy watching the game from the sense that it looked like we got the running game going and we won, so that made it fun."
Chapas said the injury has healed fully already and he will be ready to play against Florida this week in a game that holds a bit of extra meaning for the Jacksonville native. While he hasn't gotten official word that he'll start over Fred Munzenmaier, he said he expects to.
"I would imagine," he said. "We haven't talked about it, but I would assume so."
EXTRA POINTS
-- Georgia had a 12-period indoor practice today due to significant rain in the area.
"It was a good day with good focus," Richt said. "We walked through things, which is important mental preparation and also helps get the sensation of what your body is supposed to do during the game. It really didn't hurt us in our physical preparation either because we had our typical Tuesday practice on Sunday and we'll get our regular Wednesday practice in tomorrow."
-- Bobo said he expected the team would still use a rotation at running back this week.
Showing posts with label Shaun Chapas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shaun Chapas. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Practice Notes: Players-Only Meeting Called to Boost Morale
Georgia’s players received text messages Tuesday night following practice informing them of a players-only meeting, where a number of the team’s veterans spoke.
The message was simple, senior Jeff Owens said. The team needed to look toward the future rather than last week’s embarrassing loss to Tennessee.
“We told them we have to turn around this season,” Owens said. “We all know what we’re looking at right now. We’re 3-3, but we can just go up and progress. The main purpose was to get everybody on one accord and get this thing turned around.”
Senior wide receiver Kris Durham, who also spoke at the meeting, said the team needed to change its perspective on the season in the wake of Georgia’s 3-3 start. Rather than look at the big picture, he said, he urged his teammates to simply work on improving each day and winning their next game.
“What’s happened has happened, and it’s in the past,” Durham said. “We can’t sit there and dread it or think that’s our season, because it’s not. There’s still (six) more games left. We need to push on from here and start like it’s Game 1.”
Owens said the team was reminded of Georgia’s turnaround following a stretch of four losses in five games in 2006 that resulted in an unexpected three-game winning streak against three ranked opponents to close out the year.
The message was meant to revitalize some sluggish morale, Durham said, and remind the players that unity is crucial to overcoming the team’s recent slide.
“It was like we didn’t have the fire in us, and we needed to get together and let them know we have their back,” Durham said. “We have to stay strong together.”
CHAPAS LIKELY OUT
Fullback Shaun Chapas is doubtful for this week’s game against Vanderbilt, Richt said, after suffering multiple stingers in his neck and shoulder.
Chapas has started every game since the start of the 2008 season, but is likely to give way to junior Fred Munzenmaier this week. Senior Justin Fields could also see action.
“I think (Munzenmaier) will do a good job, and Fields is a guy I think can do a good job, also,” Richt said. “Both of them will hit you. I would think it’ll end up being a good opportunity for Fred.”
Munzenmaier has seen limited playing time this season, but he did have four carries against Arizona State, including one for a touchdown.
KING CONTINUES PROGRESS
Tailback Caleb King worked in a second day of practice and is on pace to be ready for action Saturday against Vanderbilt after missing last week’s game with a concussion and broken jaw.
King worked in non-contact drills Tuesday and Richt said they’ll simulate contact work Thursday before making a final decision, but the expectation is that the sophomore will be ready. The same is true for receiver Tavarres King, who also missed last week with a concussion.
“You phase them in to a non-contact situation in a practice like (Tuesday),” Richt said. “Then if they do well with that exerting and doing all the things minus the contact, then you give them some contact and move them forward from there. But (trainer) Ron (Courson) is pretty confident they’ll both be fine.”
MOVING AIN’T EASY
Georgia has struggled sustaining drives this season, suffering through three-and-outs on nearly 20 percent of all offensive possessions and failing to move the ball inside Tennessee’s 35-yard line last week.
The task won’t get any easier this week, Richt said, as Vanderbilt’s defense has a propensity for making offenses work for yardage.
“You’d like to say we are going to line up and methodically move it down the field, but I haven’t seen anybody do it yet,” Richt said of the Commodores’ defense. “Guys are going to have to make plays, guys are going to have to get in situations and do something to kind of break the dam.”
Vanderbilt ranks fifth in the SEC in total defense and has allowed just nine touchdowns in six games.
AVOIDING THE CRITICISM
Following a deflating loss to Tennessee last week, the criticism of Georgia’s sluggish offense and woeful defense has reached a crescendo. While a number of players already try to avoid the headlines, Richt said he was careful to remind his players to keep focus in spite of rampant criticism.
“There are certain things you can control in life and certain things you can’t control,” Richt said. “What people say about you or your team or your coaches, you can’t control that. All you can control is how you focus, how you prepare and how you keep your mental frame of mind.”
EXTRA POINTS
-- Linebacker Rennie Curran also faced some legal trouble as a bench warrant was issued last week after he failed to appear in court for a speeding ticket. Richt said Curran planned to pay the fine on Thursday and he did not anticipate Curran would receive a suspension.
-- Durham said his shoulder, which required offseason surgery and forced him to redshirt this year, is feeling much better and he expects to resume full practice work within the next month.
-- Take this for what it's worth: Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo made freshmen Aaron Murray, Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten unavailable to the media this week. No explanation was given.
Regarding Murray, however, Bobo did offer praise of the quarterback's work ethic: “He’s got the right frame of mind. He comes in like he’s a starting quarterback. He came in on our day off to watch film and graded himself like he was starting.”
The message was simple, senior Jeff Owens said. The team needed to look toward the future rather than last week’s embarrassing loss to Tennessee.
“We told them we have to turn around this season,” Owens said. “We all know what we’re looking at right now. We’re 3-3, but we can just go up and progress. The main purpose was to get everybody on one accord and get this thing turned around.”
Senior wide receiver Kris Durham, who also spoke at the meeting, said the team needed to change its perspective on the season in the wake of Georgia’s 3-3 start. Rather than look at the big picture, he said, he urged his teammates to simply work on improving each day and winning their next game.
“What’s happened has happened, and it’s in the past,” Durham said. “We can’t sit there and dread it or think that’s our season, because it’s not. There’s still (six) more games left. We need to push on from here and start like it’s Game 1.”
Owens said the team was reminded of Georgia’s turnaround following a stretch of four losses in five games in 2006 that resulted in an unexpected three-game winning streak against three ranked opponents to close out the year.
The message was meant to revitalize some sluggish morale, Durham said, and remind the players that unity is crucial to overcoming the team’s recent slide.
“It was like we didn’t have the fire in us, and we needed to get together and let them know we have their back,” Durham said. “We have to stay strong together.”
CHAPAS LIKELY OUT
Fullback Shaun Chapas is doubtful for this week’s game against Vanderbilt, Richt said, after suffering multiple stingers in his neck and shoulder.
Chapas has started every game since the start of the 2008 season, but is likely to give way to junior Fred Munzenmaier this week. Senior Justin Fields could also see action.
“I think (Munzenmaier) will do a good job, and Fields is a guy I think can do a good job, also,” Richt said. “Both of them will hit you. I would think it’ll end up being a good opportunity for Fred.”
Munzenmaier has seen limited playing time this season, but he did have four carries against Arizona State, including one for a touchdown.
KING CONTINUES PROGRESS
Tailback Caleb King worked in a second day of practice and is on pace to be ready for action Saturday against Vanderbilt after missing last week’s game with a concussion and broken jaw.
King worked in non-contact drills Tuesday and Richt said they’ll simulate contact work Thursday before making a final decision, but the expectation is that the sophomore will be ready. The same is true for receiver Tavarres King, who also missed last week with a concussion.
“You phase them in to a non-contact situation in a practice like (Tuesday),” Richt said. “Then if they do well with that exerting and doing all the things minus the contact, then you give them some contact and move them forward from there. But (trainer) Ron (Courson) is pretty confident they’ll both be fine.”
MOVING AIN’T EASY
Georgia has struggled sustaining drives this season, suffering through three-and-outs on nearly 20 percent of all offensive possessions and failing to move the ball inside Tennessee’s 35-yard line last week.
The task won’t get any easier this week, Richt said, as Vanderbilt’s defense has a propensity for making offenses work for yardage.
“You’d like to say we are going to line up and methodically move it down the field, but I haven’t seen anybody do it yet,” Richt said of the Commodores’ defense. “Guys are going to have to make plays, guys are going to have to get in situations and do something to kind of break the dam.”
Vanderbilt ranks fifth in the SEC in total defense and has allowed just nine touchdowns in six games.
AVOIDING THE CRITICISM
Following a deflating loss to Tennessee last week, the criticism of Georgia’s sluggish offense and woeful defense has reached a crescendo. While a number of players already try to avoid the headlines, Richt said he was careful to remind his players to keep focus in spite of rampant criticism.
“There are certain things you can control in life and certain things you can’t control,” Richt said. “What people say about you or your team or your coaches, you can’t control that. All you can control is how you focus, how you prepare and how you keep your mental frame of mind.”
EXTRA POINTS
-- Linebacker Rennie Curran also faced some legal trouble as a bench warrant was issued last week after he failed to appear in court for a speeding ticket. Richt said Curran planned to pay the fine on Thursday and he did not anticipate Curran would receive a suspension.
-- Durham said his shoulder, which required offseason surgery and forced him to redshirt this year, is feeling much better and he expects to resume full practice work within the next month.
-- Take this for what it's worth: Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo made freshmen Aaron Murray, Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten unavailable to the media this week. No explanation was given.
Regarding Murray, however, Bobo did offer praise of the quarterback's work ethic: “He’s got the right frame of mind. He comes in like he’s a starting quarterback. He came in on our day off to watch film and graded himself like he was starting.”
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Practice Notes: Questions Remain on King's Status
It’s been a roller-coaster ride for tailback Caleb King the past few days, and that’s probably been the most painful part of his month-long hiatus from football.
On Saturday, he watched Georgia play Oklahoma State, sitting alone in his room. Sunday, he returned to practice and for the first time in weeks, he felt pretty good. By Tuesday, however, his practice was cut short once again, and his prospects for playing against South Carolina this Saturday took a hit.
“We saw him Sunday and for what we asked him to do that day, he ran around well,” head coach Mark Richt said. “Then we got into a full pads day and added more periods, the hamstring fatigued faster than it normally would, and we pulled him out. I would say it’s not a slam dunk at this point.”
King did some light work during individual workouts Wednesday and practiced during scout-team work, but he said he’s still not sure whether he has any chance of playing in Georgia’s home opener Saturday.
“I honestly don’t know,” King said. “If they don’t think I’m 110 percent, I know they’re not going to play me at all. So if I don’t, I’m not going to play at all, and if I do, I’ll play a lot.”
King said his hamstring is feeling much better, but the muscle fatigues much faster than normal due to his extended absence from the playing field and said coaches could decide to rest him another week to allow him time to build up the strength again.
That’s OK with him, King said, but he would just like to know an answer one way or the other.
“It’s frustrating, but it’s more frustrating because I don’t know what they’re going to do with me,” he said. “But it’s all right. I’ll play if I have to play, but if I don’t, I’ll sit down and wait ‘til next week.”
Richt said it will likely be after today’s practice that coaches will make a final decision on King’s availability.
DON’T BLAME THE FRESHMAN
Freshman kick returner Branden Smith took some heat from fans for twice deciding to return kicks from deep in his own end zone, but Tony Ball said it wasn’t Smith’s decision.
“It’s on (Shaun) Chapas,” Ball said. “The returner can sometimes get disoriented trying to field that type of kick, especially a young player like Branden. And I told (Chapas) if you have to, you go in the end zone and grab him and don’t let him come out. Those are the trials and tribulations, but they’re not issues that can’t be fixed.”
Chapas, who works as the upback, was told to make the decision on whether to return the kick or take a knee in the end zone for a touchback, but the angle of the kick made the choice difficult.
“My initial thought was Chapas should have kept him in the end zone,” Ball said. “After asking Chapas about it, he felt like it being a line-drive kick, that threw things off. There was some dynamics there where he had to make some decisions, but Chapas has done it for a couple of years, so I trust him.
NEW LOOK ON O LINE
Georgia’s offensive line will have a different look to it in the Bulldogs’ second outing of the season, and it won’t be just because starting left tackle Trinton Sturdivant is out for the season following an ACL injury.
Justin Anderson will get the starting nod at right guard this week over incumbent Chris Davis, who Richt said lacks the size to create a favorable matchup against South Carolina’s hefty defensive front.
“The guys we’re playing are big men, and (Anderson) has just got more girth to him,” Richt said. “Chris, I’m sure, will end up playing, but you get two big guards in there when you play a team that’s mostly a four-man front, usually they cover your guards and you want to get some big men in there to hold up against them.”
Senior Vince Vance will step in at left tackle for Sturdivant, who tore his ACL for the second time in as many years during the second half of Georgia’s opener against Oklahoma State.
Vance filled in for about 25 snaps against the Cowboys, and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said he turned in a strong performance.
“He did good,” Bobo said. “He played with energy and didn’t have hardly any missed assignments which is what we expect from Vince.”
NO HARM DONE
Both Richt and Bobo offered some minor criticisms of the offensive line’s performance against Oklahoma State, but Richt said he didn’t think any problems were a result of ankle injuries suffered by Davis and center Ben Jones late in preseason practice.
“I can’t say they feel great, but they weren’t limping around as they prepared in practice,” Richt said. “They did miss some work, some of those opportunities to just kind of get in the groove, but I don’t think the pain from the injuries caused any change of their ability to do their job.”
EALEY STILL IN THE MIX
With King potentially missing another week of action, Richt said he hasn’t ruled out using freshman tailback Washaun Ealey – both at running back and on special teams.
The problem, Richt said, is that due to an early elbow injury during fall camp, Ealey is still behind in terms of how much progress the coaching staff had hoped to see.
“If you have some cumulative reps and you miss some time, that’s one thing,” Richt said. “But if you’re not there to learn it from scratch, it’s hard to throw them into the middle of a game plan and say, ‘Go do it,’ when he doesn’t even have the basics down.”
Despite being a bit behind on the learning curve, however, Richt said Ealey has remained in the mix during practice and could still see action – if not against South Carolina, potentially down the road.
“We are still trying to incorporate him in those areas, and we’re still getting him reps to try to keep him greased up and keep his mind in it,” Richt said.
DURHAM BACK AT WORK
Senior receiver Kris Durham, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery during the offseason, returned to receiving drills Wednesday for the first time.
Durham was kept out of any competitive situations, Richt said, but he got work in catching passes, which was an important benchmark.
“It’s encouraging and certainly he’s excited about it,” Ball said. “And it’s always good to have Kris around.”
CLOSER INSPECTION
After watching the film, Joe Cox said it was obvious he held the ball too long on too many snaps against Oklahoma State, a problem that led to a number of incompletions.
The problem, he said, was he started overthinking the situation, but when he takes the field against South Carolina, he’s promising a back-to-basics approach to making his reads.
“When you start looking around, you start getting your eyes in the wrong spot, you start worrying about too much,” Cox said. “It’s almost over-analyzing what’s going on. So that’s what I felt was happening with me, but it’s something where you just go back to your basic reads and fundamentals and work on timing.”
WHO’S TO BLAME?
When Richt addressed the media on Tuesday, his analysis of Georgia’s shortcomings against Oklahoma State was a fairly harsh critique of his offense. In short, he said the intensity was lacking.
“We didn’t play with speed and finish blocks like we should,” he said. “We just need that little extra effort on each play to block a little bit longer or create a little bit more space, and that can make all the difference in the world between a guy getting tripped up and a guy going to the house. I don’t want to cause any kind of panic, because it’s not that at all, but we want to see a little more fire coming out of them.”
Upon further review, however, Richt decided his comments might have been a bit too severe.
He said he watched the game film once more Tuesday evening and came to the conclusion that the shortcomings weren’t quite as problematic as they appeared at first blush.
“It really wasn’t so much up front, it was some perimeter blocking issues, some backs needing to continue running their feet or place their hat in a better spot,” Richt said. “We ran some outside plays and were getting hats on everybody and fit up on them pretty good, but just didn’t sustain long enough.”
TO PLAY OR NOT TO PLAY
Logan Gray figured to see some action against Oklahoma State, but as it turned out he was in on just one offensive play – a designed run for a short gain.
After the offense struggled to just 10 points, however, a vocal contingent of fans was hoping to see a bit more of the backup quarterback in Georgia’s next game.
That could be the case, Richt said, but nothing’s guaranteed.
“He can run our system, and we had planned to get him in the game mostly in the red-zone area,” Richt said. “We did get him in there one time, but unfortunately we didn’t get in the red zone very often. Right now, Joe’s definitely the No. 1 guy, and we’ll see if and when Logan will get in there.”
ONGOING BATTLE
Brandon Bogotay was brought in this offseason to provide competition on kickoffs for sophomore Blair Walsh, but it was the incumbent who earned the job again.
Richt said Walsh's consistency, hangtime and accuracy landed him the job, but he hasn't ruled out the possibility that Bogotay could still win the job down the road.
“It was very, very close," Richt said of the competition. "It wasn’t like Bogotay did poorly. In my opinion, they both kicked it good enough to win the job, and Bogotay’s not done by any stretch.”
IT’S NO BEAUTY PAGEANT
The history of the Georgia-South Carolina series suggests there won’t be many points scored Saturday. So despite his offense struggling badly in its first game of the season, Richt said a low-scoring affair wouldn’t be more cause for concern.
“All I’m worried about is winning the game,” Richt said. “I appreciate the victory and not the style points.”
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
From Georgia receiver A.J. Green on what this week’s game means: “Losing that last one last week, I just want a victory to get this feeling out of my stomach and get a victory under my belt.”
On Saturday, he watched Georgia play Oklahoma State, sitting alone in his room. Sunday, he returned to practice and for the first time in weeks, he felt pretty good. By Tuesday, however, his practice was cut short once again, and his prospects for playing against South Carolina this Saturday took a hit.
“We saw him Sunday and for what we asked him to do that day, he ran around well,” head coach Mark Richt said. “Then we got into a full pads day and added more periods, the hamstring fatigued faster than it normally would, and we pulled him out. I would say it’s not a slam dunk at this point.”
King did some light work during individual workouts Wednesday and practiced during scout-team work, but he said he’s still not sure whether he has any chance of playing in Georgia’s home opener Saturday.
“I honestly don’t know,” King said. “If they don’t think I’m 110 percent, I know they’re not going to play me at all. So if I don’t, I’m not going to play at all, and if I do, I’ll play a lot.”
King said his hamstring is feeling much better, but the muscle fatigues much faster than normal due to his extended absence from the playing field and said coaches could decide to rest him another week to allow him time to build up the strength again.
That’s OK with him, King said, but he would just like to know an answer one way or the other.
“It’s frustrating, but it’s more frustrating because I don’t know what they’re going to do with me,” he said. “But it’s all right. I’ll play if I have to play, but if I don’t, I’ll sit down and wait ‘til next week.”
Richt said it will likely be after today’s practice that coaches will make a final decision on King’s availability.
DON’T BLAME THE FRESHMAN
Freshman kick returner Branden Smith took some heat from fans for twice deciding to return kicks from deep in his own end zone, but Tony Ball said it wasn’t Smith’s decision.
“It’s on (Shaun) Chapas,” Ball said. “The returner can sometimes get disoriented trying to field that type of kick, especially a young player like Branden. And I told (Chapas) if you have to, you go in the end zone and grab him and don’t let him come out. Those are the trials and tribulations, but they’re not issues that can’t be fixed.”
Chapas, who works as the upback, was told to make the decision on whether to return the kick or take a knee in the end zone for a touchback, but the angle of the kick made the choice difficult.
“My initial thought was Chapas should have kept him in the end zone,” Ball said. “After asking Chapas about it, he felt like it being a line-drive kick, that threw things off. There was some dynamics there where he had to make some decisions, but Chapas has done it for a couple of years, so I trust him.
NEW LOOK ON O LINE
Georgia’s offensive line will have a different look to it in the Bulldogs’ second outing of the season, and it won’t be just because starting left tackle Trinton Sturdivant is out for the season following an ACL injury.
Justin Anderson will get the starting nod at right guard this week over incumbent Chris Davis, who Richt said lacks the size to create a favorable matchup against South Carolina’s hefty defensive front.
“The guys we’re playing are big men, and (Anderson) has just got more girth to him,” Richt said. “Chris, I’m sure, will end up playing, but you get two big guards in there when you play a team that’s mostly a four-man front, usually they cover your guards and you want to get some big men in there to hold up against them.”
Senior Vince Vance will step in at left tackle for Sturdivant, who tore his ACL for the second time in as many years during the second half of Georgia’s opener against Oklahoma State.
Vance filled in for about 25 snaps against the Cowboys, and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said he turned in a strong performance.
“He did good,” Bobo said. “He played with energy and didn’t have hardly any missed assignments which is what we expect from Vince.”
NO HARM DONE
Both Richt and Bobo offered some minor criticisms of the offensive line’s performance against Oklahoma State, but Richt said he didn’t think any problems were a result of ankle injuries suffered by Davis and center Ben Jones late in preseason practice.
“I can’t say they feel great, but they weren’t limping around as they prepared in practice,” Richt said. “They did miss some work, some of those opportunities to just kind of get in the groove, but I don’t think the pain from the injuries caused any change of their ability to do their job.”
EALEY STILL IN THE MIX
With King potentially missing another week of action, Richt said he hasn’t ruled out using freshman tailback Washaun Ealey – both at running back and on special teams.
The problem, Richt said, is that due to an early elbow injury during fall camp, Ealey is still behind in terms of how much progress the coaching staff had hoped to see.
“If you have some cumulative reps and you miss some time, that’s one thing,” Richt said. “But if you’re not there to learn it from scratch, it’s hard to throw them into the middle of a game plan and say, ‘Go do it,’ when he doesn’t even have the basics down.”
Despite being a bit behind on the learning curve, however, Richt said Ealey has remained in the mix during practice and could still see action – if not against South Carolina, potentially down the road.
“We are still trying to incorporate him in those areas, and we’re still getting him reps to try to keep him greased up and keep his mind in it,” Richt said.
DURHAM BACK AT WORK
Senior receiver Kris Durham, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery during the offseason, returned to receiving drills Wednesday for the first time.
Durham was kept out of any competitive situations, Richt said, but he got work in catching passes, which was an important benchmark.
“It’s encouraging and certainly he’s excited about it,” Ball said. “And it’s always good to have Kris around.”
CLOSER INSPECTION
After watching the film, Joe Cox said it was obvious he held the ball too long on too many snaps against Oklahoma State, a problem that led to a number of incompletions.
The problem, he said, was he started overthinking the situation, but when he takes the field against South Carolina, he’s promising a back-to-basics approach to making his reads.
“When you start looking around, you start getting your eyes in the wrong spot, you start worrying about too much,” Cox said. “It’s almost over-analyzing what’s going on. So that’s what I felt was happening with me, but it’s something where you just go back to your basic reads and fundamentals and work on timing.”
WHO’S TO BLAME?
When Richt addressed the media on Tuesday, his analysis of Georgia’s shortcomings against Oklahoma State was a fairly harsh critique of his offense. In short, he said the intensity was lacking.
“We didn’t play with speed and finish blocks like we should,” he said. “We just need that little extra effort on each play to block a little bit longer or create a little bit more space, and that can make all the difference in the world between a guy getting tripped up and a guy going to the house. I don’t want to cause any kind of panic, because it’s not that at all, but we want to see a little more fire coming out of them.”
Upon further review, however, Richt decided his comments might have been a bit too severe.
He said he watched the game film once more Tuesday evening and came to the conclusion that the shortcomings weren’t quite as problematic as they appeared at first blush.
“It really wasn’t so much up front, it was some perimeter blocking issues, some backs needing to continue running their feet or place their hat in a better spot,” Richt said. “We ran some outside plays and were getting hats on everybody and fit up on them pretty good, but just didn’t sustain long enough.”
TO PLAY OR NOT TO PLAY
Logan Gray figured to see some action against Oklahoma State, but as it turned out he was in on just one offensive play – a designed run for a short gain.
After the offense struggled to just 10 points, however, a vocal contingent of fans was hoping to see a bit more of the backup quarterback in Georgia’s next game.
That could be the case, Richt said, but nothing’s guaranteed.
“He can run our system, and we had planned to get him in the game mostly in the red-zone area,” Richt said. “We did get him in there one time, but unfortunately we didn’t get in the red zone very often. Right now, Joe’s definitely the No. 1 guy, and we’ll see if and when Logan will get in there.”
ONGOING BATTLE
Brandon Bogotay was brought in this offseason to provide competition on kickoffs for sophomore Blair Walsh, but it was the incumbent who earned the job again.
Richt said Walsh's consistency, hangtime and accuracy landed him the job, but he hasn't ruled out the possibility that Bogotay could still win the job down the road.
“It was very, very close," Richt said of the competition. "It wasn’t like Bogotay did poorly. In my opinion, they both kicked it good enough to win the job, and Bogotay’s not done by any stretch.”
IT’S NO BEAUTY PAGEANT
The history of the Georgia-South Carolina series suggests there won’t be many points scored Saturday. So despite his offense struggling badly in its first game of the season, Richt said a low-scoring affair wouldn’t be more cause for concern.
“All I’m worried about is winning the game,” Richt said. “I appreciate the victory and not the style points.”
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
From Georgia receiver A.J. Green on what this week’s game means: “Losing that last one last week, I just want a victory to get this feeling out of my stomach and get a victory under my belt.”
Friday, August 7, 2009
Deleted Scenes: Dawgs' Strength Numbers
A lot of you have been asking, and I finally caved. I have a story in today's Telegraph on Georgia's offseason conditioning and the impressive strength numbers the players maxed out at last month.
Not all of the quotes I got from players made the final cut, but I wanted to share them here. Beyond that, I also acquired some of the top weight-room performances of the year along with this year's conditioning award winners...
Demarcus Dobbs on whether this has been the most intense offseason he's experienced...
"It has been. Our training staff has put us in a more strenuous workout than years past. They've been running us a lot more, and they're working on things that correlate into on the field. It's not just lifting weights, but stuff that's going to transition us toward getting on the field."
Dobbs on how the conditioning staff helped...
"The strength staff not only emphasized getting into shape, but we did a lot of stretching and things. We had a lot of hip flexors and hamstrings in the last camp, and we're doing a lot to emphasize those things to make sure we're healthy this year."
Shaun Chapas on the success of the offseason conditioning...
"I think we had a tremendous offseason going all the way back to January. We had great attendance, great participation, everybody was coming in every day and really working hard."
Jeff Owens on the importance of offseason conditioning...
"It starts during the offseason. All great teams have great offseason programs. This offseason, a lot of guys put a lot of effort into it and really wanted to get something out of it. I think it's going to transition onto the field."
Owens on using the weight room to avoid injuries...
"I think the weight room plays a big factor with injuries. The stronger you are, the more muscle you have, that prevents injuries. The more you lift, the more you stay in shape, the healthier you stay."
Caleb King on the offseason workout program...
"Coach Richt wanted to step up the summer program, and it really was stepped up. Everybody got tough and came out progressing."
King on who impressed him...
"Richard (Samuel) comes off that wrist injury, comes back squatting 500-something. That's pretty impressive, but he's always been strong in the weight room."
Dave Van Halanger on the atmosphere in the weight room...
"I've been around a lot of championship teams, and what you see different is the chemistry and morale. It's a special feeling, and you really know this is a special team. This team has all the attributes. I know every game our kids are going to fight their guts out. I believe that with all my heart. If we have the talent, Georgia will be real, real good."
Van Halanger on morale in the weight room...
"The chemistry is good, the morale is very good. They enjoy each other. They're a together team. They believe in each other. They believe in their leaders. This is a selfless team. They just want to win. They want to get it done, and they don't care who gets credit. This team has those intangibles. Now, do we have enough talent?"
Van Halanger on the freshmen performing...
"Wooten went from 162 pounds up to 175 since he got here at the beginning of the summer. Branden Smith, I don't think he lifted in a year, and now he loves coming in here. Little, skinny guys are making huge progress, so you can imagine what the other guys are doing."
Geno Atkins on the attitude toward offseason conditioning...
"We wanted to get stronger, faster, bigger to make sure that when we come out there for camp, everybody's healthy," Atkins said. "You want to treat your body like you'd treat a car – fuel it with the right stuff and tune it up to the max."
Bench Press
Defensive backs: Bryan Evans and Reshad Jones, 385 lbs
Defensive ends: Justin Houston, 435 lbs
Defensive tackles: Jeff Owens, 545 lbs
Specialists: Ty Frix and Blair Walsh, 285 lbs
Linebackers: Rennie Curran, 460 lbs
Off. linemen: Justin Anderson, 515 lbs
Quarterbacks: Joe Cox and Aaron Murray, 315 lbs
Fullbacks: Shaun Chapas, 390 lbs
Tailbacks: Dontavius Jackson, 375 lbs
Tight ends: Bryce Ros, 380 lbs
Wide receivers: Michael Moore, 380 lbs
Squats
Defensive backs: Prince Miller, 555 lbs
Defensive ends: Justin Houston, 600 lbs
Defensive tackles: Brandon Wood, 650 lbs
Specialists: Brandon Bogotay, 405 lbs
Linebackers: Rennie Curran, 615 lbs
Off. linemen: Vince Vance and Clint Boling, 620 lbs
Quarterbacks: Joe Cox, 425 lbs
Fullbacks: Shaun Chapas, 585 lbs
Tailbacks: Richard Samuel, 600 lbs
Tight ends: Orson Charles, 500 lbs
Wide receivers: A.J. Green, 450 lbs
Power Cleans
Defensive backs: Chad Gloer, 339 lbs
Defensive ends: Justin Houston, 420 lbs
Defensive tackles: Jeff Owens, 365 lbs
Specialists: Drew Butler, 280 lbs
Linebackers: Darius Dewberry, 391 lbs
Off. linemen: Vince Vance and Clint Boling, 353 lbs
Quarterbacks: Joe Cox, 316 lbs
Fullbacks: Shaun Chapas, 400 lbs
Tailbacks: Richard Samuel, 329 lbs
Tight ends: Aron White, 339 lbs
Wide receivers: A.J. Green and Craig Sager, 290 lbs
Power Index (Top 10)
1.) Rennie Curran
2.) Prince Miller
3.) Bryan Evans
4.) Brandon Boykin
5.) Carlton Thomas
6.) Darius Dewberry
7.) Reshad Jones
8.) Chad Gloer
9.) Richard Samuel
10.) Makiri Pugh
Award Winners:
Leon Farmer Award: Michael Moore (Sr./WR)
Leadership Award: Joe Cox (Sr./QB)
Top Lineman: Ben Jones (So./C)
Top Big Skill Position: Shaun Chapas (Jr./FB)
Top Small Skill Position: Prince Miller (Sr./CB)
Not all of the quotes I got from players made the final cut, but I wanted to share them here. Beyond that, I also acquired some of the top weight-room performances of the year along with this year's conditioning award winners...
Demarcus Dobbs on whether this has been the most intense offseason he's experienced...
"It has been. Our training staff has put us in a more strenuous workout than years past. They've been running us a lot more, and they're working on things that correlate into on the field. It's not just lifting weights, but stuff that's going to transition us toward getting on the field."
Dobbs on how the conditioning staff helped...
"The strength staff not only emphasized getting into shape, but we did a lot of stretching and things. We had a lot of hip flexors and hamstrings in the last camp, and we're doing a lot to emphasize those things to make sure we're healthy this year."
Shaun Chapas on the success of the offseason conditioning...
"I think we had a tremendous offseason going all the way back to January. We had great attendance, great participation, everybody was coming in every day and really working hard."
Jeff Owens on the importance of offseason conditioning...
"It starts during the offseason. All great teams have great offseason programs. This offseason, a lot of guys put a lot of effort into it and really wanted to get something out of it. I think it's going to transition onto the field."
Owens on using the weight room to avoid injuries...
"I think the weight room plays a big factor with injuries. The stronger you are, the more muscle you have, that prevents injuries. The more you lift, the more you stay in shape, the healthier you stay."
Caleb King on the offseason workout program...
"Coach Richt wanted to step up the summer program, and it really was stepped up. Everybody got tough and came out progressing."
King on who impressed him...
"Richard (Samuel) comes off that wrist injury, comes back squatting 500-something. That's pretty impressive, but he's always been strong in the weight room."
Dave Van Halanger on the atmosphere in the weight room...
"I've been around a lot of championship teams, and what you see different is the chemistry and morale. It's a special feeling, and you really know this is a special team. This team has all the attributes. I know every game our kids are going to fight their guts out. I believe that with all my heart. If we have the talent, Georgia will be real, real good."
Van Halanger on morale in the weight room...
"The chemistry is good, the morale is very good. They enjoy each other. They're a together team. They believe in each other. They believe in their leaders. This is a selfless team. They just want to win. They want to get it done, and they don't care who gets credit. This team has those intangibles. Now, do we have enough talent?"
Van Halanger on the freshmen performing...
"Wooten went from 162 pounds up to 175 since he got here at the beginning of the summer. Branden Smith, I don't think he lifted in a year, and now he loves coming in here. Little, skinny guys are making huge progress, so you can imagine what the other guys are doing."
Geno Atkins on the attitude toward offseason conditioning...
"We wanted to get stronger, faster, bigger to make sure that when we come out there for camp, everybody's healthy," Atkins said. "You want to treat your body like you'd treat a car – fuel it with the right stuff and tune it up to the max."
Georgia's Top Weight Room Performers, 2009
Bench Press
Defensive backs: Bryan Evans and Reshad Jones, 385 lbs
Defensive ends: Justin Houston, 435 lbs
Defensive tackles: Jeff Owens, 545 lbs
Specialists: Ty Frix and Blair Walsh, 285 lbs
Linebackers: Rennie Curran, 460 lbs
Off. linemen: Justin Anderson, 515 lbs
Quarterbacks: Joe Cox and Aaron Murray, 315 lbs
Fullbacks: Shaun Chapas, 390 lbs
Tailbacks: Dontavius Jackson, 375 lbs
Tight ends: Bryce Ros, 380 lbs
Wide receivers: Michael Moore, 380 lbs
Squats
Defensive backs: Prince Miller, 555 lbs
Defensive ends: Justin Houston, 600 lbs
Defensive tackles: Brandon Wood, 650 lbs
Specialists: Brandon Bogotay, 405 lbs
Linebackers: Rennie Curran, 615 lbs
Off. linemen: Vince Vance and Clint Boling, 620 lbs
Quarterbacks: Joe Cox, 425 lbs
Fullbacks: Shaun Chapas, 585 lbs
Tailbacks: Richard Samuel, 600 lbs
Tight ends: Orson Charles, 500 lbs
Wide receivers: A.J. Green, 450 lbs
Power Cleans
Defensive backs: Chad Gloer, 339 lbs
Defensive ends: Justin Houston, 420 lbs
Defensive tackles: Jeff Owens, 365 lbs
Specialists: Drew Butler, 280 lbs
Linebackers: Darius Dewberry, 391 lbs
Off. linemen: Vince Vance and Clint Boling, 353 lbs
Quarterbacks: Joe Cox, 316 lbs
Fullbacks: Shaun Chapas, 400 lbs
Tailbacks: Richard Samuel, 329 lbs
Tight ends: Aron White, 339 lbs
Wide receivers: A.J. Green and Craig Sager, 290 lbs
Power Index (Top 10)
1.) Rennie Curran
2.) Prince Miller
3.) Bryan Evans
4.) Brandon Boykin
5.) Carlton Thomas
6.) Darius Dewberry
7.) Reshad Jones
8.) Chad Gloer
9.) Richard Samuel
10.) Makiri Pugh
Award Winners:
Leon Farmer Award: Michael Moore (Sr./WR)
Leadership Award: Joe Cox (Sr./QB)
Top Lineman: Ben Jones (So./C)
Top Big Skill Position: Shaun Chapas (Jr./FB)
Top Small Skill Position: Prince Miller (Sr./CB)
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Five Against One
The biggest question many Georgia fans have about the upcoming season might be who'll carry the load at tailback, but redshirt freshman and spring standout Carlton Thomas said the players are pretty sure they already know the answer.
"Right now we're looking at it as tailback-by-committee," Thomas said. "That's how we're looking at it and everybody's just trying to get better. But maybe if there's a guy that's really doing his thing, it might be (a featured back), but right now, everybody's got to be ready."
That's not to say that nothing can change in the five-player battle to replace Knowshon Moreno. While Thomas, Caleb King and Richard Samuel appear to be the front-runners for playing time, Thomas said running backs coach Bryan McClendon has assured each tailback that there's no limit or guarantee when it comes to carries this season. Redshirt freshman Dontavius Jackson and incoming freshman Washaun Ealey will also compete for playing time.
-
"He told us it's a clean slate," Thomas said. "Whoever comes out and performs, that's who's going to play."
That's a mantra that has superseded any planned committee approach, Thomas said. With five potential vultures in the backfield and only one football to go around, the tailbacks have been working hard even if a true starting job isn't in the cards.
"As a unit, we're communicating good and everybody's pushing each other behind (fullbacks) Shaun (Chapas) and Fred (Munzenmaier) who are leading the group, and everybody's falling in line behind them," Thomas said. "We're coming in and working, then doing some extra work, and even sometimes we might come back and do some more. Everybody's on track and everybody's holding everyone accountable."
So, what do you think? Are you in favor of the tailback-by-committee approach or would you like to see the trend Moreno started of one featured back continue in 2009? If so, which tailback do you think can do the most damage?
"Right now we're looking at it as tailback-by-committee," Thomas said. "That's how we're looking at it and everybody's just trying to get better. But maybe if there's a guy that's really doing his thing, it might be (a featured back), but right now, everybody's got to be ready."
That's not to say that nothing can change in the five-player battle to replace Knowshon Moreno. While Thomas, Caleb King and Richard Samuel appear to be the front-runners for playing time, Thomas said running backs coach Bryan McClendon has assured each tailback that there's no limit or guarantee when it comes to carries this season. Redshirt freshman Dontavius Jackson and incoming freshman Washaun Ealey will also compete for playing time.
-
"He told us it's a clean slate," Thomas said. "Whoever comes out and performs, that's who's going to play."
That's a mantra that has superseded any planned committee approach, Thomas said. With five potential vultures in the backfield and only one football to go around, the tailbacks have been working hard even if a true starting job isn't in the cards.
"As a unit, we're communicating good and everybody's pushing each other behind (fullbacks) Shaun (Chapas) and Fred (Munzenmaier) who are leading the group, and everybody's falling in line behind them," Thomas said. "We're coming in and working, then doing some extra work, and even sometimes we might come back and do some more. Everybody's on track and everybody's holding everyone accountable."
So, what do you think? Are you in favor of the tailback-by-committee approach or would you like to see the trend Moreno started of one featured back continue in 2009? If so, which tailback do you think can do the most damage?
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Rock of Love with Shaun Chapas
Matthew Stafford may be headed to the NFL, but for now, he's still hanging out in his old college living room.
Until he has to report to minicamp for whichever team selects him in next month's NFL draft, he's planning to be in Athens and live in his old house with roommate Shaun Chapas, Fred Munzenmaier and Kris Durham.
"He'll be in and out of town now for a month doing promotional stuff and working out, so he's still living there now," Chapas said.
But the bigger question is: What happens after Stafford leaves?
There are obviously a few key things the guys are looking for, particularly someone who can keep the place clean. The obvious choice might be to stick with a quarterback and have freshman Aaron Murray -- a notorious neat freak -- move in. Sadly for Chapas and company, that wasn't an option.
"The (freshmen) still have to be on East campus for two years," he said.
Of course, the chance to room with three Georgia football players might seem like a dream-come-true for fans around Athens, and that got the players thinking.... what about a contest?
"Fred was saying we should take applications from only females and have interviews and pick somebody," Chapas joked.
The idea would be that candidates come in, they're interviewed by Chapas, Durham and Munzenmaier, and perhaps perform a few chores around the house to see who's best qualified to take over for Stafford.
Add a few cameras, and it might just be a ratings winner, Chapas laughed.
"That," he said, "would be much better than 'Rock of Love.'"
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