The Todd Grantham Mystery

So you thought just because "Lost" was over, you were done reading between the lines, speculating on clues and trying to solve a potentially unsolvable mystery? Not so fast, says Mark Richt.

In the past couple of weeks, Richt has hinted on several occasions that there were some complications during the hiring process before he landed Todd Grantham, noting that he wanted Grantham more than a month before a deal actually got done. Mysterious circumstances prevented that from happening though.

“It’s a long story and I’m not going to tell it, but a lot earlier than the day he came, I thought he would be the guy," Richt said. "I was convinced he could be the guy probably a month earlier. It’s just that circumstances kind of moved me around in a different direction for a bit, but ultimately came around to a guy that (at least) a month earlier I thought probably should be the guy.”

Um… OK?

I get it. It's a long story. But I just invested six years of my life into "Lost," so I'm certainly open to hearing a long story -- assuming we don't all end up in purgatory at the end.

So what could possibly have been the hold-up that Richt doesn't mind hinting at but won't really discuss?

My obvious first suspicion was that money might have been the big issues, but Richt said it never came close to getting to that point.

“No, I just never made an offer or anything like that,” he said.

And while Damon Evans did express some concerns about escalating coaching salaries a while back, he reiterated at this week's SEC meetings that he was more than comfortable with the money Grantham is making now.

So, was it simply that the powers that be wanted Richt to look elsewhere, and it was only after Bud Foster and Kirby Smart, etc. said no that he was allowed to go back to his first choice?

“This entire process was strictly on my ability to do whatever I wanted to do," Richt assured me. "Damon was 100 percent behind what I wanted to do. There was never an issue with that.”

For his part, Evans gave a similar response, too.

“Mark always had a good pool of candidates, and Grantham was one of them," Evans said. "Grantham was someone that, from my understanding, Mark had known about and obviously had a great reputation as a coach, so as you went through the process, a lot of people thought it was long and took some time, but we did a good job and ended up getting a job that (Richt) knew about and was already on his radar. That’s good for us all.”

But if everybody's happy now… what was the hold-up?

I'm guessing something involving a smoke monster. But you're free to speculate for yourselves.

A Look Inside: Belin's ILBs Will Be Center Stage in 2010

I'm putting together a story for later in the week on the inside linebackers and new ILB coach Warren Belin. I figured I could share a few of the quotes I got for the story here though, for those of you sick of talking QBs and ready to hear more about the new-look D...

Warren Belin on Christian Robinson...
“Christian is improving each and every day. I’m very pleased with his progress. He’s playing multiple positions for us at the inside linebacker, and he’s a young man that’s a hard worker, works really hard at being the best he can be at doing the fundamentals and the little things right, and as he continues to grow into our defensive package, he’s going to make a great contribution to our football team.”

Belin on Marcus Dowtin...
“Marcus is very talented, and we’re excited about what he brings to the table as a student-athlete. Again, as he said and as I would also agree, we’ve got to consistently be the best, know our assignments, and physically do everything we’re asking him to do. Mentally he’s very, very close to where we need him to be right now. He’s had a few mistakes here and there. As a linebacker coach, the No. 1 thing that I’m going to ask is that he does things the right way all the time. And there are no excuses for missed assignments and missed alignments. There’s just none. We get beat if you don’t do things the right way.”

Todd Grantham on Robinson and Akeem Dent...
“Dent and Robinson have played both Mike and Mo, so they give you some flexibility there. We’re also working to progress Richard Samuel, because he does show up as far as his ability to run and chase and we’re trying to work with him to see if we can find a role for him as we move forward.”

Grantham on where Richard Samuel must improve...
“I just think the key and diagnose of blocking schemes. He has a feel for where the ball’s going, but is it a downhill run? Is it a wide play? I just think it’s more the recognition of the blocks and where do I need to fit based on the recognition of the call. That’s based on experience, but the guy was in here last Friday after meetings watching tape trying to get ready for the scrimmage because he wanted to get better. If our guys will do that and work to improve, I think we’ll be fine.”

Christian Robinson on the mix at ILB...
"To us, it’s really not a battle. We’re just trying to put the best guy forward. Everybody is working really hard. We have different groups for different situations. Coach [Todd] Grantham will take me and put Downtin in, or Darryl, or Dent. It’s a group of guys who are going to put our best foot forward every time. Some guys are bigger, some guys are faster. Whatever coach Grantham wants from his linebacker corps, he’s going to do it."

Robinson on the leadership of Akeem Dent & Darryl Gamble...
"Having Darryl and Dent, they’re just great leaders and great people. If we have a rough day, they’re the first ones to get on us and bring us up. They were just as influential as Rennie (Curran) was. They’ve been here, this is their fifth year, so everybody knows them, everybody respects them. They’ve earned their time, and they’ve been playing since they were freshmen. When they say something you listen. Coach comes first, but those guys are second.”

Akeem Dent on Belin's expectations...
"With him he just wants everybody to go out and play with great energy, have a great attitude, and give great effort. There are a lot of things that you can’t control, but you can your attitude and effort. He wants us to go out every day and just play."

Notes: Grantham Adds Enthusiasm to Dawgs' D

Mark Richt has heard enough people wonder aloud if he has a proper football personality. The truth is, he’s not going to argue with anyone who says he’s an exceptionally nice guy – even if it’s not meant as a compliment.

But while Richt doesn’t plan to change his attitude on the field much, he recognizes that his new defensive coordinator may help fill a gap when it comes to that in-your-face style generally associated with football coaches.

“He’s intense, there’s no doubt,” Richt said of Todd Grantham’s demeanor on the field. “That’s what you want is a guy that’s got some fire in him. Everybody knows my demeanor and has a little bit of a feel for that. I think it’s probably good to have somebody who’s a little more outwardly excited. I do get excited on the inside sometimes, but it’s good to have that energy on the sidelines.”

For his part, Grantham said he has plenty to be excited about.

After 11 years in the NFL, being back in the college ranks has provided a healthy dose of excitement for a coach who already exudes enthusiasm, and last week’s G-Day game offered Grantham his first taste of what life is like inside Sanford Stadium.

"It was awesome.” Grantham said. “The fans are great, you know? Everybody's got their red on. I look forward to seeing it filled up.”

It will be a few more months before that happens, but when Georgia opens its first season with Grantham on the sideline, the coach’s lofty expectations won’t be limited to just his players.

“We need to make sure that stadium becomes a benefit to our defense because if they're loud, with the things we're going to be doing, it will be very difficult for an offense to change plays, change protections,” Grantham said. “When you're loud at home, the offense has to go on a solid count. That means that everybody's looking for the ball. So basically the advantage that normally the offense has is no longer there. So I'm definitely going to encourage our fans to be as loud as they can from here on out."

MARLON ON THE MEND

Marlon Brown spent the majority of the spring in a green non-contact jersey and he finished G-Day without a catch, which all might be a good indication that 2010 could look far too much like his disappointing 2009 campaign.

But while Brown may still be a bit shy of where he’d like to be in terms of progress, his teammates think he’s light years ahead of where he was a year ago.

“I see some qualities I didn’t see last year,” fellow sophomore receiver Rantavious Wooten said. “He’s gotten faster, he’s getting in and out of cuts and moving better than he did last year. He’s lost some weight, too, and I credit that to him. I think he’s ready to play.”

Given the lack of depth at receiver this year, Brown won’t be looked at as a luxury this season as he was last year when he caught just two passes as a true freshman.

Much of his shortcomings in 2009, however, could be attributed to a lack of experience after he played at a small high school that didn’t provide anything close to SEC caliber competition.

But those problems have been largely rectified in the past few months, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said, and that’s a credit to Brown’s dedication.

“A lot of times that has to do with being more comfortable with the offense and getting more comfortable with his ability to execute things,” Bobo said. “That comes with practice. We’re definitely pleased with Marlon. I like how he comes out and doesn’t back down. He’s very physical. He needs to continue to fine-tune his route running, and I think he’ll be a major player for us this year.”

HAPPY IN ATHENS

On Georgia’s crowded depth chart at tight end, Arthur Lynch is clearly the odd man out for much of the spring. He lacks the experience of Bruce Figgins, the speed of Orson Charles or the versatility of Aron White. But his 39-yard touchdown catch-and-run at G-Day gave ample evidence that Lynch is still a dangerous weapon for the Bulldogs.

“I wanted to get some film on me and make some plays out there, and this was a good way to do it,” Lynch said.

While Lynch was the low man in the tight end pecking order a year ago, the Massachusetts native was also a bit of a fish out of water in Athens. Although the lack of playing time did frustrate Lynch, Charles said his teammate still felt right at home at Georgia.

“Transferring and stuff like that, it never crossed Arthur’s mind,” Charles said. “Yeah, he was upset, but he knew he had to get better, and now he’s looking good out there. I’m really excited for this year and to see how coaches are going to use us.”

GLAD TO BE BACK

In Georgia’s second spring scrimmage, Kris Durham hauled in three touchdown catches. Last week on G-Day, he was the day’s top receiver. It’s not exactly the same as celebrating a big score on a fall Saturday, but there’s no doubt that after a year on the sideline following a shoulder injury, Georgia’s lone senior receiver was thrilled to be back at work.

“It makes you appreciate the game more and appreciate everything everyone goes through,” Durham said of last year’s lost season. “I was kind of on the outside last year, so I’m just looking forward this year to being back in the mix.”

Georgia’s coaches are excited about the possibility, too. The Bulldogs’ receiving corps will be a bit green – with only A.J. Green having more than 20 career receptions. But Durham provides a veteran presence that Richt said will be crucial in 2010.

“Kris is so valuable because he knows every wide receiver position, he can get to the line of scrimmage and make sure everybody gets lined up properly,” Richt said. “He’s a tough guy you can throw screens to – because not many guys want to take the ball over the middle like he will. He can play inside or outside receiver, he’ll block, and he’s a leader.”

WOOTEN WAITING

His freshman season started slowly, but once Rantavious Wooten got onto the field, things began to click quickly. After catching just two passes in Georgia’s first six games, Wooten grabbed a reception in five of the team’s last six regular-season contests and earned the confidence of his coaches.

This season, Wooten is hoping to build on his strong finish to 2009, but he’s not expecting to be treated like one of the veterans just yet.

“I just want the ball,” Wooten said. “I don’t know what Coach Bobo or Coach (Tony) Ball have in store for me, but I just want to show them that I can play, and hopefully they see that and try to get me the ball. That’s all I can hope for.”

POSITIVE RESULTS

Corners Brandon Boykin and Vance Cuff shared the spring award for most improved players on defense, and Richt credits a good bit of that to the impressive work being done by first-year defensive backs coach Scott Lakatos.

“One thing about Coach Lakatos that I see, he’s a great technician and he seems to communicate well,” Richt said. “I think the players have a healthy respect for him and his knowledge, and there’s been some positive results which gives guys more faith in what’s being taught.”

Video Blog: G-Day Wrap-Up

What better way to wrap up the spring than with some highlights and interviews from G-Day put together by the lovely and talented Mr. Brandon Spoon...

Notes: Depth Chart Won't Affect Murray's Summer

In the next few days, Aaron Murray and the rest of the world will get a big clue as to who might be starting at quarterback for Georgia in the fall, and while he’s anxiously awaiting head coach Mark Richt’s first post-spring depth chart, he’s not going to allow the results to change his focus.

“I’m definitely looking forward to it just so we know where we stand heading into the summer,” Murray said. “I don’t really think it’s too much of a difference. I know what I need to work on, and Coach (Mike) Bobo’s going to tell me what I need to work on. So if I’m No. 1 or No. 3, I’m still going to have to work on the same stuff fundamentally and with the playbook.”

Murray looked sharp early in the spring, but his G-Day performance – 8-of-19 passing for 96 yards and an interception – was hardly the crescendo he was hoping for.

The slow finish wasn’t ideal, but Murray said he wasn’t exactly planning on a relaxing summer regardless.

Throughout the spring, Murray said he has been keenly aware of a few shortcomings in his game – including his footwork and making quick progressions – that will require some tinkering regardless of his play on G-Day or his position on the subsequent depth chart.

“A lot of times I’m out there, and I’m stuck on one receiver, I’m hitching, hitching, hitching, and I just need to check it down to the running backs,” Murray said. “I need to work on getting through my reads faster and then – boom – hit the running back on the check down and get what you can get or run the ball. Just not stick on one receiver. I’ll be working on that, working on my footwork and making sure I know the playbook as best as I can.”

While Murray struggled in the final spring scrimmage, fellow redshirt freshman Zach Mettenberger shined, and junior Logan Gray continued his consistent progress.

Still, the eventual depth chart will consider more than just the spring game, Richt said, and the No. 1 quarterback going into fall camp isn’t guaranteed to be the starter when Georgia opens its season.

That means the next few months will be crucial for all three quarterbacks, Murray said, regardless of whether they open the fall with the first-team offense or the third.

“I’m just going to go out there this summer and work on the things (Bobo) tells me to work on and the things I think I need to improve on in my game, and use those two months to get better,” Murray said. “I’ll watch the spring practices, see what I can work on, and hopefully have a good camp and take it from there.”

IN THE LINE OF FIRE

With two minutes left in last week’s G-Day game, a minor skirmish broke out between tailback Washaun Ealey and safety Nick Williams. Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham immediately intervened, sending Williams to the bench with a stinging dose of criticism to boot.

When the game ended, Grantham was there again, patting each of his players on the back – including Williams – for a job well done after his squad held the first-team offense to just seven points.

That’s a perfect example of his style, Grantham said. He likes being a part of the action, and that’s why he plans to spend the upcoming season working from the sidelines, too.

“I like to get a feel for the players,” Grantham said. “I like to get a feel for the physicalness of how the game’s going, the protection, those kinds of things. Then also I think it helps you in the playcalling a little bit being down there.”

Grantham said it hasn’t been decided yet which of his assistants will work games from the press box, but he said those coaches will have a vital role on game day.

“You can’t see as well, so you have to have stable eyes in the box,” Grantham said. “At the same time, you kind of know who should fit where, and you’ve got a feel for those things. You’re going to rely on your eyes in the box for the breakdowns, but overall, I think it’s better for the coordinator to be on the field.”

STAYING STRONG

As a sophomore in 2008, Akeem Dent made huge strides, starting 10 games and earning the trust of his coaches. His future looked bright.

Things didn’t exactly play out the way he had hoped last year, however, as a myriad of injuries derailed his junior season. He missed much of fall camp, then was limited to just four starts during the regular season, finishing 32 tackles – the lowest tally of his career.

When the Bulldogs wrapped up spring practice last week, however, Dent was among the first players Grantham complimented for a strong performance, and Dent is hoping to keep that momentum rolling for a full season this time around.

“Last year was kind of disappointing for me, but injuries are something I really can't control,” Dent said. “Sometimes, it kind of hurt to sit at home while my teammates were traveling and things like that. I feel like this year I have to come out, and keep fighting, and stay healthy. I just want to stay injury free.”

More Glass Half Full From Grantham

I wrote last week about a few reasons to be encouraged by how quickly the new staff has addressed many of the primary concerns fans had last year. For what it's worth, here are a couple more that jumped out at me from Tuesday's interviews with Todd Grantham.

Both of these quotes came from our discussion of Darryl Gamble's move to outside linebacker, but I think they both illustrate big changes in terms of philosophy on the defensive side of the ball.

ISSUE: Receivers could cruise downfield uncovered far too often.

This sounds counterintuitive, but part of the Georgia coverage schemes in years past included allowing certain receivers to go uncovered in order to cover a specific side of the field. The idea was that if the pressure was good up front, it could push a play to one side of the field, and Georgia's coverage there would be strong.

What happened too often last season, however, was that the uncovered receiver would find his way into the end zone with the football in his hands. The sheer number of wide open receptions last year was enough to make fans toss a warm Coors Lite through their new flat screen.

So, a throw-away line in Grantham's response to a question I asked about how well seniors Akeem Dent and Darryl Gamble have been able to help train the younger players should come as some very good news.

“Everybody’s a rookie, everybody’s a freshman," Grantham said. "Everything’s new. Terminology is new, understanding splits of receivers means something, rerouting means something. We don’t want to have a free access defense where we let receivers run free into our defense. That’s new for them. Run-fits are new. Everything’s new. But what helps those guys is, because they’ve played, they kind of have a feel for, if this guy’s here, I need to be here. But really, everyone’s a freshman, but those guys have done a good job of learning the system and they’ve done a good job of adapting. They’ve got to continue to do that and help the younger guys come through.”

(*Update: I should clarify a bit, since this seems to have boiled a few fans' blood... the "free receiver" defense isn't entirely uncommon, and it's used situationally -- both at UGA and elsewhere. It relies heavily on the pressure up front though, and that's where things often fell apart in years past. Much like the directional kicking, it's not that the philosophy itself is completely flawed, it's that the execution didn't work repeatedly, yet the philosophy didn't really change. Regardless, Georgia won't employ directional kicking or free access defense this season, so things are looking up.)

ISSUE: The best players didn't always play.

Bryan Evans is a good kid, a good leader and a hard worker. But he wasn't as good a player last year as Bacarri Rambo, and yet that didn't matter. Evans was the senior leader, so he continued to be the starter.

This year?

Well, here's what Grantham had to say about how much Gamble might play at OLB this season:

“It’s very possible he could stay out there based upon how he plays this week and how the guys inside play," Grantham said. "Our whole deal is, I believe it’s a production deal and the guys who produce and make plays and give us a chance to win are the guys we’re going to put on the field. To do that, sometimes you have to move guys around to various spots to see what they can do and see what your best combinations are. We’re going to play the best players come September.”

Now on that front, I'll admit that Willie Martinez & Co. often gave lip service to the same philosophy, even if that didn't play out during the season. But hearing Grantham's opinions on playing time -- and he's made clear from Day 1 that he'll be giving all players a fair evaluation -- I'm inclined to think he's being honest when he says this.

Again, the news always seems positive in the spring, and the defense still has a long way to go, but comments like these should at least give some cause for optimism.

Notes: Dawgs Continue to Support Robinson

(Note: Check out my feature story in today's Telegraph on Mike Bobo's hope that Georgia's O line will go from good to dominant.)

Dismissed Georgia linebacker Montez Robinson will spend a few more days in jail after a Tuesday bond hearing, but he has already received visits and support from his former coaches.

Head coach Mark Richt said he visited Robinson in the Athens Clarke County Jail and said the linebacker was struggling with the situation.

“He’s just hurting. He’s suffering right now,” Richt said. “But we’re helping him understand that he can still have a bright future if from this point forward he does what he’s supposed to do, what he needs to do.”

Robinson’s arrest was his third in the past six months – all involving domestic disputes with a female student at Georgia – and he was already serving a two-game suspension set to begin with the Bulldogs’ opener in September.

The most recent arrest, however, was the final straw with the university, and it also violated the terms of probation following his previous arrests. The latter means Robinson will spend at least a few more days in jail, according to the Athens Banner-Herald, as a judge considers how to handle punishment for the probation violation.

Tuesday, Athens-Clarke Chief Magistrate Judge Patricia Barron set Robinson’s bail on the latest charge at $10,000.

“There’s some things I was expecting (from Robinson), there’s some things the Association was expecting, there’s some things the university was expecting, and the law for that matter,” Richt said. “And he wasn’t able to live up to that. That’s why he is where he is now.”

Defensive line coach Rodney Garner, who helped recruit Robinson out of Avon, Ind., also visited his former player in jail and imparted some positive words. But the optimistic slant on things was hardly enough to overcome Garner’s disappointment in Robinson’s inability to stay out of trouble. Robinson had spent the majority of his life in group homes and foster care, and Garner said this latest transgression was a blow to both the player and his family.

“I’m disappointed that we weren’t able to save him,” Garner said. “Me knowing personally where this kid came from, his background, how important it was for him to make it – not just for him, but for all those siblings – to see him go off and have a chance to go off and change the course of what they’ve known their whole lives – it’s disappointing.”

Despite the incidents, Robinson’s teammates remained in his corner.

“Montez is a good guy,” fellow linebacker Reuben Faloughi said. “Situations happen like that all the time, and we’re all praying for him. I think all is going to be all right with Montez. He’s going to be a good player somewhere, and we’re just all keeping him in our prayers.”

More from Garner on his message to Robinson: "I told him I wanted him to stay positive and I wanted him to know that this is a hurdle he’s got to clear, but he can still be positive, he can still achieve his goals, his dreams, and that’s still out there. He’s got to deal with this, he’s got to move forward, and he’s got to learn from it.”

And see all of Richt's comments on the situation HERE.

BETTING ON GAMBLE

With Robinson gone, the on-field repercussions were immediate for the Bulldogs.

Senior Darryl Gamble moved from inside to outside linebacker Tuesday, helping to add some depth to the position that was down to just three scholarship players after Robinson’s dismissal.

As it turned out, however, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said the move had been planned even before Robinson’s dismissal.

“This was in the works,” Grantham said. “It’s just the way it’s kind of unfolded, but we were actually going to move Darryl to outside backer this week so now he can play outside and inside for us. With the situation that just came up, it’s obviously a natural fit now.”

Grantham said Gamble looked sharp during his first day of practice at the new position, and Richt said it was a move the senior seemed happy with.

“I saw Darryl during practice and asked him how he liked it,” Richt said. “He had a big smile on his face. I think he really liked it. I think that was a good change for him.”

During spring practice last season, Gamble played at outside linebacker and rush end after a series of injuries left Georgia’s defensive ends depleted. That gave him a leg up in this transition, and Richt said he thinks there’s a good chance the move will be permanent.

Even with Gamble’s move, however, Richt admits the Bulldogs will be particularly thin at outside linebacker moving forward. That means several of the incoming freshmen scheduled to arrive in June are likely to play immediately, and Richt is already making the sales pitch for future linebackers to move Georgia up their list of potential college choices.

“If you’re a recruit, and you want to play outside linebacker in a hurry, sign up,” Richt said. “We need help.”

A few more quotes on Gamble's move:

Grantham on the timetable for Gamble at Sam and Reuben Faloughi playing Will…
“We’ll be like that for this week, and once we get through this week, we’ll kind of re-evaluate it and see where guys need to be in the fall.”

Grantham on Gamble's strengths at OLB...
“He’s strong at the point. He does have some stoutness. He understands the coverage aspect pretty good because, being the Mike, he understands the inside aspect of it pretty good, where as the Sam is the outside half. So he has a feel for where guys need to be, he understands the terminology and the call, and that transition for him was pretty easy. I thought he did a good job today, I thought he made some plays. I thought it was a good first day.”

Richt on the impetus of the Gamble move...
“I mentioned to Coach Grantham and the defensive staff that I really believed Darryl could do it. He can play Mike, he can play Sam, so I think all spring long, Coach Grantham had the intention of moving him. But if he didn’t have that plan, that probably would have had to be the plan by necessity because of Montez’s situation.”

Richt on the incoming freshmen playing at OLB...
“Somebody’s got to play, so sometimes, ready or not, you play. One of them’s going to be most ready. Another will be next most ready. That’s just how we’re going to peck ‘em.”

KING STILL SITTING OUT

Tailback Caleb King missed his third straight practice Tuesday with a knee injury, and Richt said his prospects of playing in Saturday’s spring game were still up in the air.

“If we thought it felt good enough to go, he’d go, and it just doesn’t feel good enough yet,” Richt said. “He’s not able to go full speed, cut full speed. You don’t want to put him out there wounded. But we’re still hopeful he’ll be able to play in the spring game.”

Tailback Dontavius Jackson returned to work after missing several practices, while Washaun Ealey was “closer to 100 percent” Tuesday after experiencing some knee soreness during last week’s scrimmage.

Wide receiver Marlon Brown practiced in a green non-contact jersey Tuesday, and fellow receiver Israel Troupe was sidelined with a concussion that Richt said was likely to keep him out of the spring game.

(*Note: I mentioned Troupe wearing sunglasses in my practice notes yesterday. Obviously, that was due to his concussion symptoms... so no need to lock him in a closet, Coach Leach.)

SCRIMMAGE REDUX

Last Saturday's scrimmage was an overall win for the offense, but by Tuesday, the defensive side had enough to feel good about that it couldn't be called a complete loss.

Mark Richt on the overall performance…
“Offense really had a pretty good day. Defense didn’t have as much success as they’d had during the mid-week, although they made some big plays at the tail end of some drives that were really impressive. The defense won the short-yardage drill at the end of practice.”

Todd Grantham on his thoughts on the D's performance…
“Everybody was pretty much on the same page coming in, so he was pretty much right with everybody. He’s picked up on the speed a little more, he’s been in the film room, knows what to expect from receivers routes. He’s pretty much the same as everybody else in doing the things everybody expects him to do.”

Brandon Boykin on how he felt the D played...
“There was good plays, and I think there were plays we need to improve upon. We’ve got to work to be consistent. I think there has been some progress, and I’m pleased with their effort. I’m pleased with the way things go, but at the same time, we’re not where we want to be as a football team. So right now, guys need to make plays for us, and then we’ll feel better.”

EXTRA POINTS

-- Richt said that he's not trying to deliberately conceal the name of the one player involved in the taxi situation, but he said he didn't want to release any information that might inadvertently impede the ongoing police investigation.

Still, Richt didn't avoid comment on the player. "The bottom line was the only thing he did was to try to make a bad situation better. He didn't do anything that was -- when you talk about what happened in the cab, he did nothing but what I would hope our guys would do, try to diffuse the situation."

-- Richt on Tuesday's practice: "Today was about what I thought it would be. It was one of our longer practices, it was by far the hottest practice. I knew it was going to be a grind, I knew it was going to be tough physically and mentally to push through, and I thought they did a pretty good job considering all those things. It was not the most crisp of all the practices, but considering the heat, I think they did pretty good. They pushed, and I think when we watch the film, we'll probably like it more than when we observed it."

-- Richt on Vance Cuff: "He's playing with the most confidence by far since he's been at Georgia. … He's really taken well to Coach Lakatos' style and he's really done a lot of great things. I think he's played the best of the corners this spring."

(*Note: Marc Weiszer has more details on Cuff's emergence.)

-- Two more practices remain before G-Day, with Thursday's practice in shells and Friday's practice -- which is closed to media completely without post-practice interviews -- in shorts.

Video Blog: Grantham Explains the One-Gap Scheme

(*Note: Read my feature from today's Telegraph on the latest on the QB competition HERE.)

I wrote on Friday that listening to Todd Grantham talk football is a fun experience. While I'll readily admit, a good bit of it goes over my head, I'm thrilled to interview a coach who doesn't dumb down what he's explaining just because the reporters he's explaining it to aren't exactly in football shape. He's direct, informative and, more than anything, extremely enthusiastic about what he's talking about.

Anyway, JM From Louisville posted this question on the blog a week or two ago: "Could you get one of the coaches to explain better the difference between a 2 gap 3-4 and a 1 gap 3-4 scheme?"

It's a good question, and one I'm guessing more than a few of you might have. So I of course posed the inquiry to Grantham, who delivered a patented Todd Grantham explanation.

If you want to get excited about football, you definitely want to watch this video. (And apologies in advance for the lighting.)



And that's not all from Grantham. Here's his thoughts on the advantages of the one-gap vs. the two-gap scheme...

"People that two-gap, they still play the gap based on the release of the block, so they still only have one gap, they're just squeezing the other gap. Which, truthfully, in a one-gap, you do the same thing, it's just -- you're playing this gap. Personally, the way we play it, it's better suited for today's game because, No. 1, you play the run physical and it allows you to rush the passer when that occurs. I think you have to be more disciplined to play this way, because you can always attack a guy, knock a guy back and come out of your hips, deliver blows and strike guys, then when he goes to pass, you convert. I think the way we play now is the way you want to play."

*Video courtesy of Brandon Spoon

The Real Impact of Richt's New Role

The least surprising thing that's happened today has been the reaction of fans to Mark Richt's announcement that he's spending more time in the offensive meetings this year than he had in years past.

On one hand, you have the folks, like Senator Blutarsky, who see this as sort of a tacit endorsement of the work Todd Grantham is doing. Richt says one of the jobs he's no longer doing is sitting in on defensive meetings, so perhaps he's simply a bit more comfortable with what Grantham is doing than he had been in years past.

"The head coach has decided he can afford to spend less time being involved with the defense that’s being coached by three newcomers, including a new coordinator who’s installing a scheme that’s a fairly radical departure from what he’s had in place since coming to Athens than he did with a bunch that for the most part had been with him from the inception running a scheme that had been in place since 2001. Hmmm. Why do you think that’s the case?"

On the other hand, I've gotten a handful of comments like this one, from JRL:

"Maybe I'm reading too much into this but I see a subtle message directed at Bobo. Get better or...

I think as painful as it was to fire Willie Richt likes the results so far.

Part of the growing process of becoming a better head coach. The next firing will be much easier and won't take 2 or 3 years of hand wringing."

Sitting in the media workroom after talking with Richt yesterday, a few of us discussed what the fallout would be from these quotes. The two obvious answers were that fans would look at it as an endorsement of Grantham and/or a warning shot to Mike Bobo. Not surprisingly, that's been the response.

But how much truth is there to either of these sentiments?

On the defensive front, I think it's probably a bit overstated. I do think that Richt hired Grantham for a reason -- because he believes in Grantham and trusts his ability to handle his job without a ton of oversight. And when you figure that Georgia is paying Grantham $750k a year, you'd hope that's the case.

So it makes some sense that Richt would be taking a more hands-off approach. Richt has to know that Grantham understands the defense much better than he does, so why waste his time second-guessing the new guy? Richt is still meeting with defensive coaches after practices and scrimmages, but sitting in the meetings where Richt would likely be as lost -- or moreso -- than any of the players is probably not an effective use of his time.

On the offensive side, I can completely understand why this is seen as an indictment of Bobo. In fact, Richt has to know that, too. And part of me believes that he wouldn't have made this information public without being aware of some of the ramifications it would have for the perception of Bobo by fans.

But I'm also inclined to take what Richt says on the subject at face value: "I told Mike, I’m not in there to make him crazy at all, but I’m in there because I do miss it, number 1, but I want to be able to add as much value as I can as we go,” he said.

Richt said he has not missed a single offensive team meeting or individual quarterback meeting this spring, and that will continue into the season. From what he says, he's not running the meetings, but he's getting a firsthand feel for how the meetings are run and how the players respond. He's closer to the action now, and it really sounded to me more like that's what it was about for Richt. He missed being there.

If anything, I tend to like what this one anonymous commenter offered as an explanation:

"I think this move is a pre-emptive effort to help Bobo so he doesn't have to fire him like he did Willie."

That's a good point, because while Willie Martinez was a peer for Richt, Bobo is more of a protoge who learned his craft from Richt. That's a different type of relationship, and while Bobo has had his moments of exceptional play calling, he also might not be done learning.

So as a whole, while the comments regarding Bobo and Grantham may have some merit, I'm not sure they're the most important things to take from this story.

I think the most intriguing part of all this was how Richt -- without provocation from us in the media -- tied so much of it back to his days at Florida State.

I've said several times over the past few years that you could watch Richt at practice or around his players and almost envision a young Bobby Bowden. In many ways, that's a very good thing.

Of course, I covered Florida State a bit earlier in my career, and Bowden wasn't just playing the role of CEO of the team. He really was detached -- and to this day I'm convinced that was part of the problem the Noles have had over the past few years.

For Richt, that detachment was a good thing during his days at FSU. It allowed him to grow as a play caller and coach. But not everyone learns and thrives that way. And while Bowden had plenty of success during the 1990s, the best coaches today aren't the ones who let their assistants handle the day-to-day. They're the ones who are forced to take a medical leave because they're so stressed about football. They're the ones who value the process above all else.

On a personal level, I hope Richt never goes quite that far. But I do think this announcement from Richt says something important. It says that Richt has made a decision about what kind of coach he wants to be, and that doesn't mean simply following in the footsteps of his mentor.

This last offseason was the first time Richt had to step outside of his comfort zone in terms of dictating his legacy as a coach. It was painful for him, I have no doubt.

But I think he's learned a lot from the experience, and this is another step toward creating a different identity than the one he'd been working on for the first nine years of his career at Georgia.

Whether it has any real impact, I don't know. But for a coach accused so many times of being too stubborn in his approach, fans should take a big sigh of relief to see Richt so interested in a new approach.

Notes: Competition Is Key This Spring

By FLETCHER PAGE

(*Check out Fletcher's story on the progress Georgia's 3-4 defense is making HERE.)

The theme of spring practice should be dubbed "competition."

Occupying most of the headlines coming into spring, a three-way quarterback battle figured to be the most exciting competition. However popular the quarterback race, Logan Gray, Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger aren’t the only Bulldogs dealing with competition.

“It’s definitely a big competition,” said tight end Orson Charles. “It’s competition everywhere. I mean, how am I going to get better if I don’t have a competition? How is Aaron going to get better without Zach and Logan? It’s competition everywhere, and that’s how you get better.”

The competition for playing time has noticeably picked up on the defensive side of the ball. Last spring, the defense was predominately upperclassmen laden, with most starting spots locked up early.

That’s not the case this year, not with defensive coordinator Todd Grantham keeping players on their toes. Grantham has ratcheted up the competition by implementing the new 3-4 defense. No player has been guaranteed playing time, and no starting spot announced.

“It’s great because it brings a lot out of players, knowing that you might not be the starter,” said safety Nick Williams. “Nobody has a starting job. You can get kind of content when you know you’re going to be playing as a starter on Saturday nights, so you don’t practice as hard.”

The winner amid all this competition? The Georgia team as whole, since players say practice has been intense, with each man bringing his best every day.

“Everybody is out there just flying around,” Williams said. “And I like how the coaches are doing it. They haven’t set on who is starting at each position. They have swapped everybody out, keep everybody wondering really. No one knows, so you have to come out every day with your best.”

HOUSTON ROUNDS OUT HIS GAME

Justin Houston says he’s in a familiar position.

Two years ago, while redshirting during his freshman season, Houston was moved to outside linebacker. He worked in pass coverage, briefly learning how to do more than just rush the quarterback.

He was moved back to defensive end, his high school position, and enjoyed success the past two seasons, only having to pin his ears back and get to the quarterback.

Now in Grantham’s new 3-4 scheme, Houston finds himself changing positions again. He’s back at outside linebacker, and while he still gets to rush the quarterback on most occasions, he’s trying to complete his game at the new position.

“The main focus right now, what I’m trying to do, is drop back into coverage,” Houston said. “I pretty much, in pass rushing I’ve still got some moves to work on, but my main focus right now is learning how to drop into coverage.”

Houston says the time spent at outside linebacker, even though in the 4-3 scheme, helped prepare him for his current role.

“I’m starting to get back in the groove of things, and starting to get back used to it,” he said.

SHAKE-UP AT OLB

Houston and Cornelius Washington are the projected starters at outside linebacker, but there have been some moves made behind the tandem on the depth chart.

Grantham announced the changes Tuesday.

“We moved Reubon Faloughi to Sam [strongside], and Montez Robinson to Will [weakside],” Grantham said. “So Reubon is now behind Cornelius and Montez is behind Justin. I thought that went really well. I was pleased thought, I really was.”

Faloughi and Robinson, as well as Washington, made the switch from defensive end to outside linebacker, just like Houston.

“I think we’re all in the same position,” Houston said. “I think as defensive ends, you learn how to pass rush, but you don’t learn how to drop in coverage. I think everybody is in the same shoes, learning how to drop into coverage.”

GRANTHAM SETTLING IN

Moving from the NFL back to the college coaching ranks could be considered a culture shock.

Professional players already have a foundation of knowledge and understanding. College coaches get players basically starting at square one.

Grantham shrugs off the notion of a culture shock, but says he has made some adjustments in his coaching approach.

“The level of teaching is different,” he said. “You’re taking guys that are really raw, and you’re teaching them quite a bit of stuff. So you’ve got to make you’re your mechanics, and methods of teaching are one that they can understand, and that they can improve. It’s a little but slower process probably from that standpoint. But at the same time, I still think we’ll get there. It just takes time.”

So far, Grantham’s message, and methods for delivering it, has worked.

“Coach Grantham is a good coach,” said defensive end DeAngelo Tyson. “He gives me advice how to play, and how to make me a better person at the position. So, I think he is a good coach.”

Video Blog: Grantham Talks Fundamentals

You've heard plenty about Todd Grantham's coaching style. Now see it in action...



Video courtesy of Brandon Spoon.

Notes: Dawgs Focused on Fundamentals

The early part of spring practice has been a blur for most of the players and coaches as they adapt to Todd Grantham’s new 3-4 defense, but the foundation for everyone has been a focus on the fundamentals.

“Everybody wants to teach fundamentals, and everybody has a little different way of doing it,” head coach Mark Richt said. “The bottom line is that our coaches are trying to set up fundamental drills that once they insert into a playing or scrimmage situation, then it’s going to help them be a better football player. I think everybody has a different style of teaching their fundamental work, so there are a lot of new things out here right now.”

In the secondary, Brandon Boykin said much of the language and technique is the same as what the Bulldogs ran in past seasons, the teaching manner of their new defensive backs coach, Scott Lakatos, suits the players well. And while the bulk of what Georgia is running remains the same among the secondary, there are a few key differences.

“When the ball’s in the air, he teaches to get your head around and look for the ball,” corner Jordan Love said. “Last year we were playing hands to the receiver, and that’s an adjustment we’ve had to make.”

The early workouts haven’t been full contact, so tackling drills have been minimal, but Grantham said the defense is still getting plenty of fundamental work in that area, too.

“We work on tackling even without pads on,” Grantham said. “It’s all about getting in the hitting position. You’ve got to come to balance, understand it, where’s my help, inside-outside leverage, on the sidelines, closing down an angle, taking away a guy – you can work on all that stuff without pads on.”

ACCORDING TO PLAN

It has been an adjustment for sure, Grantham said, but the progress his players are making on defense has been encouraging through the first three practices of the spring.

“There’s things I thought might be hard they picked up, and things I thought might be easy that’s a little bit harder for them,” Grantham said. “But at the same time, I’ve been pleased with what they’ve really understood and grasped. We’ve thrown quite a bit at them, and it’s all been new, but at the same time I see improvement in them every day.”

There is still plenty of confusion among the players, he said, but that was to be expected. He said his plan for installing his 3-4 defense would require four distinct phases – offseason workouts, spring practice, summer workouts and then the season – before it was perfected, and so far things are on pace.

“Once we get through this phase, we’ll evaluate everything,” Grantham said, “and we’ll start back over in the summer.”

THE NOSE KNOWS

The depth chart on the defensive line isn’t entirely set, but Rodney Garner said he has a bit better feel for how things might shake out.

For most of the spring, he’s used Abry Jones and Demarcus Dobbs at end, with DeAngelo Tyson at nose – although he swapped that around and gave Kiante Tripp a day running with the first team in place of Tyson on Thursday.

That change won’t be uncommon, Garner said. He plans on cross-training all of his linemen with the exception of Kwame Geathers, the bulkiest member of the group at 310 pounds.

“Kwame is the only guys we’re strictly training at nose because he’s got the different body,” Garner said. “DeAngelo is just like all the rest of them. He’s right now in the spring practice depth chart, I have him as the starting nose, but he can play the five, the three or the nose. This 3-4 scheme is a little bit different than a lot of schemes where we’re not a two-gap. We’re a one-gap penetrate. So Kwame being big, he can play in there, but it’s not necessary you have a big guy where you’re two-gapping him.”

Deleted Scenes: Learning the Ropes of the 3-4

I had a story in Sunday's Telegraph detailing how Georgia's defenders have been getting prepared to execute the 3-4 defense once spring practice begins. Obviously, the players are all pretty enthusiastic now, and Todd Grantham has some lofty goals for the next six weeks. While I tried to squeeze as much of that as I could into the story, not every quote made the cut. Here's some of what was said that didn't make its way into the story...

Darryl Gamble on what is required at the new Mike LB position...
“More communication, especially from my part. You’ve got to be able to see more, get the line and even the DBs adjusted to what’s going on in front of us.”

Gamble on the 3-4 vs. the 4-3 defense...
“It’s not very different from under front because you still have the same personnel, it’s just that the ends are standing up and you can do more things out of your four linebackers. It’s pretty much the same basics, but you can do a lot more out of it.”

Gamble on the value of having two seniors -- himself & Akeem Dent -- playing Mike...
“Me and him, we’ve got a lot of reps under our belt, more than a lot of other guys on the defense, so it’ll be better off hearing it from us than hearing from somebody else that doesn’t know a lot about what’s going on on Saturdays.”

Gamble on Warren Belin vs. John Jancek...
“He’s quieter than Coach Jancek was, but he gets his point across. He’s more reserved, but he’ll let you know if you did things wrong and still encourage you if you’re doing things right.”

Gamble on Grantham's take on position changes...
“He told us right now, ‘You’re here, but you might be somewhere else by the time camp comes around. Even after camp, you might be playing another position when the season starts.’ So we’re pretty much trying to learn everything that’s going on so you won’t be lost if there is a position change.”

Marcus Dowtin on how the 3-4 affects him at the Mo position…
“Basically, it’s very exciting to me. I’m going to be able to play free, be a lot more aggressive than I was. And Coach Grantham and Coach Belin seem like they’re going to give me a chance to really show what I’ve got. It seems to be all good things for me. I’m happy with the change and I’m happy with the progress I see us making. There’s a sense of excitement around here.”

Dowtin on how fast the team can adjust to the new scheme this spring...
“You’ll see, it’s going to be quick. The defense is not that hard. We’re getting our plays in a section at a time, and we’re going over it in detail. Guys are working together to relate it back to some of the terms and coverages we used to run. Any similarity we find or that Coach Grantham identifies, we try to spread it around to all the other guys and make sure everybody understands. It seems like it’s going to be a real easy adjustment, and out on the field, we’ve got great athletes. So it won’t be hard to adjust to the 3-4.”

Dowtin on the enthusiasm from players during offseason conditioning...
“From what they said the other day, they gave more A’s than they’ve given in a long time. The guys are really going to work, just really trying hard to impress the coaches and trying to get better. You can tell everybody’s excited around here, especially the defensive guys. We’re ready to go to where I feel Coach Grantham and the defensive staff will just let us play and let us have fun out there. Our class that’s out there now, we all came in together along with a couple of the older guys, so we’re already close-knit and we know each other like the back of our hands. So we’re just waiting to get out there and perform.”

Baccari Rambo on his work with new secondary coach Scott Lakatos...
“I try to go meet with him every day to try to learn how they coach. The meetings, me and Coach Lakatos, he’s showed me on film how the NFL players, DBs, how they train and how the coaches teach them. He said it’s going to be a similar way he’ll teach us. So I try to treat everything like it’s going to be good. I take notes on everything, because I know it’s going to help me in the long run. Coach Grantham, us meeting with him every Wednesday after mat drills and going over the defense, he’s a great coach, and I understand where he’s coming from with his play calling and stuff.”

Rambo on his excitement about the changes in scheme and technique...
“I’m getting very excited because it’s like Coach Lakatos will tell me, he had a couple of DBs work out with some trainers at the Senior Bowl, and how some of the DBs were doing a different footwork from what he was teaching his guys, and he was like, the way he was teaching his guys, that’s the way everybody in the NFL was teaching them. They had a head start on everybody. So I’m very excited. I was sitting there watching film, and by looking at the footwork and listening to the coach talk, I imagine myself making more plays than last year, if I’d done the same thing footwork-wise.”

Branden Smith on Lakatos compared to Willie Martinez…
“Coach Lakatos is real different from Coach Martinez. Both of them have their ways, just teaching different stuff. Now we’ve got to learn the things (Lakatos) is teaching us, and we’re looking forward to learning.”

Smith on the impact the new scheme will have on creating turnovers...
“I believe that we’re going to get more interceptions this year. Last year, we didn’t get that many picks, and I believe it was the scheme we were in. The scheme we’re in now, it seems like something everybody’s looking forward to – linebackers, D-backs and especially on the D line.”

Mike Bobo on what it's like to go against a 3-4…
“I think the big difficulty in the 3-4 is you have the outside backers that are backers/rush guys. As an offense, it’s hard to account – do I account for those guys as outside guys as a D lineman or as a linebacker? You’re worried about mismatches and blocking. I still want my left tackle to block that guy, but in that front, my fullback or my back might have to block that outside backer, and that’s a mismatch. So that’s where it causes some confusion for offenses is identifying personnel and trying to get the right matchup on those guys. In a 3-4, you can disguise and you don’t know where they’re coming from. You create mismatches, get to the quarterback and cause confusion.”

Mark Richt on how Georgia's current players are fitting into the new scheme...
“For the most part, I think (Grantham) feels like we’ve got enough of the right kind of body types to fill out this defense. Let’s face it, it’s about guys that will run and hit and play hard, and we’ve got those kind of guys. By the end of the spring we’ll have a better feel if there’s a certain position we might be lighter on that we should be, or maybe we’ll be heavier on one because of the recruitment of a 4-3 compared to a 3-4. But overall, we feel like we’ve got at least two deep of guys that can play at these positions.”

Richt on moving the former DEs to OLB...
“Our Will linebacker is going to be a guy who certainly can play coverage, but he’ll be coming off the edge quite often. Then when we do get into a four-down look, which we will, we’re just going to find our best pass rushers and get them on the edge. And those guys are two of our best pass rushers.”

Todd Grantham on the players' reaction to his approach...
“Players want to win and players want to make plays. They want to please the coach and have success. And as a coach, if you can make players understand that you have their interests at heart and you can make them a better player, I think they pay attention and they’ll give you the effort you need to be successful.”

Grantham on how he'll work to cross-train players...
“You need to have flexibility in your system, but the player’s got to have some flexibility because I’ve always said you evaluate your players 1 through 50, and you want to put the next best player in the game. So I think it’s important that you have players who are flexible and can adjust.”

New Staff Brings Many Changes

Nothing is etched in stone, and that’s the first message head coach Mark Richt has preached to his team about this spring. There will be a lot of changes, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, but that was to be expected when three new coaches were brought in. They key, Richt said, is patience.

“One of the things we want the players to understand is they shouldn’t get too worked up about the depth chart – really on either side of the ball, but a little bit more defensively,” Richt said. “Our new coaches are still learning those guys, and there’ll probably be some moving around just to get the right fit.”

Of course, the moving around has already begun in earnest. Georgia’s new defensive coaches met with each player and let them know what their roles this spring would be – and that means changes up and down the roster.

Justin Houston, Montez Robinson and Cornelius Washington all played defensive end last year. They’ll all be at outside linebacker this spring, along with converted tailback Richard Samuel, new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said.

DeAngelo Tyson and Kwame Geathers will man the newly created nose position, while Abry Jones, Brandon Wood and Kiante Tripp – all defensive tackles in 2009 – will be playing defensive end this season. Demarcus Dobbs, a starter at end last year, will remain at the position, too, though Grantham said the linemen will all cross-train between end and nose.

Nick Williams is moving from linebacker to safety, Sanders Commings is going from corner to safety, and the corners, Richt said, will be adjusting to new roles, too, working less in run support, which could further shake up the look of the defense.

“The biggest thing is Coach Grantham has a vision for what this defense is going to look like, what the body types are at each position,” Richt said. “So he and (the other coaches) have looked at the film and Todd has been describing what he’s looking for in each spot and just fit what they see to the position that he envisions.”

So far, there has been a lot of film study, and once spring practice starts Thursday, Grantham hopes to get a much better feel of how players are adapting to their new roles. The new staff has a little more than a month to get players comfortable and make sure they’re ready to keep the momentum rolling into the summer, when coaches are barred from working directly with the team.

“It’s critical you define the role for each player, so when they leave in the summer, here’s what you can do to improve yourself, what you can work on,” Grantham said. “That way when we come back, everybody’s got an understanding.”

Still, that doesn’t mean that a player at safety this week won’t be at linebacker by the fall. A lot remains undecided, and Grantham said his goal will be to have players prepared for whatever the future might hold.

“There will be change, because we want to see what guys can do at more than one position,” Grantham said. “It’ll be changing as we get going, and sometimes it’s a change just to see what he can do at another spot and to create some depth. It’s nothing more than trying to find out what we have at each position and what we need to work on as we look forward to the first game.”

It’s not just Georgia’s players getting used to all the changes around the football offices. Richt said he has done his best to soak in some new ideas that Grantham and fellow first-year assistants Scott Lakatos and Warren Belin have brought to the table, too.

“It’s a healthy exchange of ideas,” Richt said. “A lot of times you spend a lot of money to fly around to different schools to get details of what’s going on, but how much can you get in a one- or two-day period compared to a guy just being there, living there.”

Richt has already decided to implement two suggestions of his new staff.

First, he’ll be going back to a Monday through Thursday practice schedule, with walk-throughs on Fridays. Last season he had the team practice on Sunday and gave the players Monday off, but he’s since reconsidered the plan in light of some input from his new assistants.

Grantham also suggested revamping the daily meeting schedules, so rather than open with special teams work, Richt will address the entire team first, then break off into special teams and segment meetings. Richt said it’s a schedule used in the NFL and makes organizing meetings much simpler.

One thing that hasn’t been discussed yet is the strength and conditioning program, Richt said.

“Our strength and conditioning staff does a great job,” Richt said. “We’ll be open to any ideas for anything, but that has not come up at this point.”

Of course, Richt doesn’t see much need for improvement in that area, he said, adding that the staff has awarded more grades of ‘A’ during mat drills – the grueling offseason conditioning program held each winter – than he has during any other season since he arrived at Georgia, despite upping the requirements a bit.

“We’ve gone longer on the mat than we ever have at Georgia,” Richt said. “We’ve added a little time to it. Just don’t tell the players.”

More Fun With Numbers: All the Right Moves

OK, I promise we'll be done with recruiting stuff after this. Well, probably.

Anyway, earlier today I talked about the relative value of a 5-star player over a 3-star player, long term. But those are pretty general evaluations, and obviously you can't get a 5-star guy at each position every year. So while the premise remains worthy (Georgia needs to go after the top athletes and be successful at landing a few of them each year), reality dictates that they also need to get the most out of the rest of the crop of players they land.

So, who's doing a good job with that? Let's go position by position.

Again, these are numbers for Georgia's recruits from 2004-2008, so really, this probably says more about UGA than it necessarily does about things on a macro level, although you could probably make a fair argument that players at a position like O line can be more easily turned from 3-star recruit into 5-star talent because less pure, measurable athleticism is needed than for, say, a cornerback to make that same leap. In any case, here's how UGA's players have developed...

Position	Recruiting Stars	Production Stars	Difference
DE	3.75	2.41	1.34
WR	3.82	2.55	1.27
OL	3.3	2.05	1.25
QB	4.0	2.75	1.25
LB	3.77	2.54	1.23
TE	3.2	2.0	1.2
DB	3.47	2.59	0.88
DT	3.86	3.14	0.72
FB/RB	3.7	3.0	0.7

Obviously there are a ton of different factors that go into determining whether a player develops as he is expected to -- injuries, effort, intelligence, luck and coaching come to mind as the primary ones.

Of course, if you look at those factors, the first four seem to me to be variables shared at each position. A linebacker is just as likely to get hurt as a wide receiver, for the most part.

What changes from one position group to the next is the coaching.

So while we can't rule out those other factors as potential reasons why an individual player fails, for the purposes of comparison, they should mostly cancel each other out when we're talking about a larger group.

If that's the case, then the chart above, which measures the difference between expectations of players and production -- or "failure rate," if you will, seems to me to be as good an indication of the relative ability of position coaches as anything, and what those numbers tell me is that things are pointed in a good direction at Georgia right now.

Hear me out...

If we look again at those position groups, there are a couple of external factors that should be considered:

-- The O line "failure rate" is higher -- and certainly higher than fans would like -- but that number is probably skewed due to a high level of attrition at the position in the year immediately following Stacy Searels' arrival.

-- The "failure rate" at QB is a bit on the high side, too, but that is due in part to the low number of QBs recruited. If one fails, it has a far more dramatic effect on the total than one failure in the linebacker group, for example. Same is true for tight ends. (Plus, in just a 5-year time span, it's hard for more than two QBs to be deemed a success, since only one can play at a time.)

So, keeping that in mind, we have six groups that we can compare fairly easily: DBs, DEs, DTs, LBs, WRs and RBs.

Look at those results: Three of those groups are doing a pretty lousy job, statistically speaking, at turning potential into production. Three have done a pretty solid job.

For all the talk of Jon Fabris' talent with defensive ends (his silver lining after destroying special teams), the numbers say that he's gotten less out of the talent at that position than any other coach on the staff. Of the 12 DEs signed between '04 and '08, only three -- Justin Houston, Demarcus Dobbs and Charles Johnson -- had production that matched their recruiting grade. (None dramatically exceeded their grades, although Houston certainly could still make that leap.)

Of course, Fabris is gone now.

Georgia has managed to produce a couple of very, very good wide receivers during this time period. In fact, two of the 5-star production guys were wide receivers -- Mo Massaquoi and AJ Green. And yet, there's a big group of WR recruits who have failed to live up to their promise, too. Sure, Israel Troupe could still blossom, but the track record of guys like Demiko Goodman and Tony Wilson and Walter Hill is hard to ignore.

Of course, Tony Ball would be the guy in charge of turning around Troupe's career. It was John Eason who presided over those past "failures."

When it comes to linebackers, it's hard to ignore the fact that Georgia has a former player who started on an NFL playoff team (Dannell Ellerbe) and another likely to get drafted before round 4 this year (Rennie Curran). But on the whole, this is an underperforming group, too. I like the futures for Marcus Dowtin and Christian Robinson... but what about Charles White, Darius Dewberry, Akeem Hebron and Marcus Washington? Heck, Darryl Gamble and Akeem Dent could have huge senior seasons, but so far, they've been more talent than performance.

Of course, that was John Jancek's department. And he's gone now, too.

So the position coaches who appear to have had the least success at turning promise into performance are all gone now, replaced during the past two offseasons.

I somehow doubt these are the numbers that Mark Richt was crunching when he made the decisions to let those guys go (or in Eason's case, move him upstairs), but that doesn't mean he didn't come to the right conclusion anyway.

It's still far too early to tell what type of impact Georgia's new coaches will have, but it's nevertheless encouraging to know that the problems were identified. Because if Tony Ball and Todd Grantham and Warren Belin can each take one guy per season who might have been a "failure" under the old regime and turn him into a success, that'll mean 12 more productive players four years from now. And that's a significant difference.

ADDENDUM: Rex Robinson brings up the interesting case of Tony Ball in a recent post on his blog, noting that Ball's resume could have been another factor in the loss of Da'Rick Rogers.

I lumped Ball in with the "successful" assistants in this analysis because the overall grade for running backs was solid during his tenure, but it's probably a bit more accurate to say that the jury is still out.

Ball developed two very good fullbacks in Brannan Southerland and Shaun Chapas, but Southerland was already a starter when Ball arrived.

Ball also presided over one of Georgia's biggest success stories in Knowshon Moreno. Of course, Ball was also the position coach who thought Knowshon needed a year to redshirt in 2006.

And then we have Caleb King's stunted growth during his first two years in Athens before blossoming under Bryan McClendon and we have Marlon Brown's lost 2009 season. Ball was in charge in both cases.

So... does Rex have a point about Tony Ball?

I think we'll have a much better idea of that after this season, when it will be incumbent upon Ball to make sure that Israel Troupe, Marlon Brown, Tavarres King and Rantavious Wooten -- each of whom has a high upside -- begin to reach their potential.

Adding It All Up

Just a late FYI on new linebackers coach Warren Belin... he'll be making $190,000 this year -- about $27k per year more than John Jancek earned last year -- and is on the same one-year deal that all other non-Grantham assistants are on.

Here's the complete run-down of coaching salaries for 2010, assuming no raises for the holdovers from last year's staff (which is what I was told by UGA sports information).

2009	Salary	2010	Salary
Willie Martinez	325,815	Todd Grantham	750,000
Mike Bobo	325,000	Mike Bobo	325,000
Stacy Searels	290,000	Stacy Searels	290,000
Rodney Garner	290,000	Rodney Garner	290,000
Jon Fabris	202,241	Warren Belin	190,000
John Lilly	165,480	John Lilly	165,480
Tony Ball	165,480	Tony Ball	165,480
John Jancek	163,000	Scott Lakatos	180,000
Bryan McClendon	90,000	Bryan McClendon	90,000
Total	$2,017,016	Total	$2,445,960

Overall, that's a 21 percent increase in coaching salaries for Georgia's assistants over what they were making in 2009, which is certainly none too shabby. Of course, that number is almost entirely based on the fact that Grantham is now earning double what Georgia's highest-paid coach was a year ago. All of that should be a reminder that Grantham's hiring represented an exception, not a large-scale change in how UGA does business.

*Note: All salaries listed are base salaries, not including any bonus or endorsement money. You can find all coaching salaries from the 2009 season HERE.

Notes: Position Changes Could Come Soon

Several of Georgia's top commitments on the defensive side of the ball made it official that they were coming to Athens on Wednesday, but just where they might line up once they arrive remains a bit of a mystery.

Star defensive back Alec Ogletree will begin camp at safety, head coach Mark Richt said, but there's a chance he could end up at linebacker at some point. At 6-foot-6, 215 pounds, defensive end T.J. Stripling has the prototypical frame for an outside linebacker, and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said that's a move any of the Bulldogs' ends could make, including new recruits Brandon Burrows, Jalen Fields and Dexter Morant. Even prized prospect Garrison Smith, who played defensive tackle in high school, could find he fits better at end in Grantham's 3-4 scheme.

"Any of these guys you bring in, you get them working, then you evaluate and see where they can help you, wherever that may be," defensive backs coach Scott Lakatos said.

And for now, Grantham said finding a home for players who have yet to arrive on campus is a secondary priority.

“It’s kind of early because we’re still evaluating our guys," Grantham said. "Once we get our guys in place, we’ll figure out what the best matchups and best scenarios are.”

The process of evaluating the current Georgia players is one Grantham began several weeks ago, breaking down film on each player and working to decide where they might fit in.

The results aren't exactly in yet, he said. But they're not too far off, either.

“We’re getting closer," Grantham said. "It’ll be sooner than later, but nothing’s ever etched in stone. We’re going to start some guys out at positions and see how they handle it. But I can tell you that nothing is etched in stone right now, and we’ll be constantly tweaking it throughout spring ball and into the fall to get our best players on the field at all times.”

That's a plan Lakatos is on board with, and he might take it even a step further.

Film study provided an initial gauge, spring practice will add more, and the fall will see the arrival of the new freshmen -- but it might be years before everyone has found a home, and even then things will be re-evaluated with each new matchup.

"Sometimes people's ability correlates to what you're trying to stop and how they can help you that week may be different than the previous week," Lakatos said. "And then players change. Players develop at different rates than other players. So it's a constant evaluation of who the best guys are and what's the best situation."

IT WORKS BOTH WAYS

While the loss of a few longtime Georgia commitments, including receiver Da'Rick Rogers, before signing day was the primary buzz among fans and recruiting services this week, head coach Mark Richt took a more pragmatic view of the situation.

Georgia was lucky enough to hold on to its entire class a year ago, but Richt knows that's the exception to the rule. More often, he said, keeping an 18-year-old's mind made up is a difficult task.

"These kids are 17, 18, 19 years old and coaches that are anywhere between 25 and 65 are trying to convince them why one school is better than another," Richt said. "So it can be confusing at times. It can be very difficult at times. That’s why our policy has been to be very straightforward from the beginning, Don’t say something that won’t come true in the end. Trust is really the only thing we have to hold us together, I think.”

Richt said coaches get a good feel for recruits during the process, and they usually have a pretty good idea of which ones are sincere about their commitments and which are likely to bolt before signing day.

But the process works both ways, and even Georgia got in on the action this year, swiping offensive lineman Kenarious Gates at the last moment from Kentucky.

It's just part of how things work on the recruiting trail, and while it may have put a dent in the Bulldogs' rankings from recruiting services this year, it's nothing Richt is getting too upset about.

“If we feel like that kid is not 100 percent certain, then we’ll continue to recruit him," Richt said. "I think everybody does that. If you take a kid is solid, then you’re wasting your time and you don’t want to do that. Sometimes these kids make decisions based on emotion and they’re not certain what they want to do, so we’re going to continue. I think you have to.”

That explanation doesn't necessarily smooth things over with some of Georgia's current defenders, including Jakar Hamilton, who said Rogers' late decision prevented another player from being recruited as heavily and left his team in a bad position. Hamilton and teammate Bacarri Rambo both promised some retribution on the field should they get a chance to hit Rogers in a game.

When reminded that Georgia, too, had lured a commitment away from another school, however, Hamilton's mind didn't change much. Just like any hijinx on the recruiting trail, a little retribution is all part of the game.

"It happens a lot," Hamilton said of the de-commitments. "But your in the SEC. You're going to get hit regardless."

A POSITION OF STRENGTH

The loss of Rogers put a bit of a damper on Georgia's signing day festivities this week and, perhaps more importantly, it meant the Bulldogs' depth chart at wide receiver would take a hit going forward.

Georgia will have just seven scholarship receivers on hand in 2010 -- senior Kris Durham, who missed all of last season with a shoulder injury, juniors A.J. Green and Israel Troupe, sophomores Marlon Brown, Tavarres King and Rantavious Wooten, and true freshman Michael Bennett, who just signed with the Bulldogs on Wednesday. Durham will most certainly be gone in 2011, and there's a strong chance Green could depart for the NFL a year early as well.

“Depth is definitely an issue at receiver. I would say we don’t have, at this moment, a good number that I feel comfortable having," Richt said. "Usually during the season you’re probably going to play around six or seven (receivers) and that’s what we have right now, so everybody’s going to get their share. We need to stay healthy at that position.”

Of course, while the Bulldogs may be a tad thin at receiver, the tight end position is overflowing with riches, and that could certainly offset any shortcomings in the passing game, Richt said.

Georgia returns all three of its top tight ends from 2009 -- junior Aron White and sophomores Arthur Lynch and Orson Charles -- while junior Bruce Figgins is set to return from a shoulder injury that cost him last season.

Richt said he still plans to employ three-receiver sets on occasion, but the diverse skill sets of his tight ends makes them a prime option for offensive coordinator Mike Bobo's scheme.

"What you’re looking for in offensive football is a chance to have some mismatches," Richt said. "We’re blessed with four outstanding tight ends. We certainly have playmakers and good solid depth with guys that can really play that position. I think that takes a little of the burden off the wide receiving corps."

BACK TO BASICS

In what was no doubt the most unintentional highlight of Georgia's signing day for fans, the Bulldogs' normally reclusive offensive line coach, Stacy Searels, was forced to address an inquiry about injured left tackle Trinton Sturdivant during a question-and-answer session with fans.

Searels stepped to the microphone and attempted an answer, but his voice was noticeably hoarse.

“My voice is gone because I was hollering at somebody else this morning,” Searels said, to huge applause from fans.

Truth be told, however, Searels was thrilled to have a scratchy throat, too. It meant he was finally off the recruiting trail -- where the shorthanded Georgia staff has spent much of the past two months -- and finally back to the business of whipping his players into shape.

“On Monday and Wednesday we had our offseason program," Searels said. "It’s fun to get off the road, sleep in your own bed, and get back to coaching ball."

BIDING THEIR TIME

As for those players Searels has been busy motivating of late, the past three seasons have provided a big dose of encouragement as to what the future might have in store.

Georgia landed three offensive line recruits this year -- four-star prospect Brent Benedict, burly lineman Kenarious Gates and Kolton Houston, who enrolled in January and is already working out with the team.

While it's unlikely that any of the three will see the field -- just as last year's signing class of Austin Long, Chris Burnette and Dallas Lee failed to do -- that's not necessarily a bad thing, Searels said. It means that Georgia's starters are doing their job, and unlike years past, the younger players are being given an opportunity to develop before being thrown into the fire.

“The first two years (Searels was at Georgia) we started four true freshmen," he said. "These kids being able to redshirt, get a little bigger, get a little stronger, work in the weight room and develop and not just be thrown into the fire, I think it’s going to make the offensive line even better.”

AS GOOD AS ADVERTISED

Georgia's newest safety, Jakar Hamilton, arrived from Georgia Military College with a pretty impressive reputation. Grantham, Lakatos and the rest of the Bulldogs' staff had seen him on tape enough to know he had plenty of ability. But there's always a concern about how a player will react to a new environment.

In Georgia's first few days of offseason conditioning, however, Lakatos said Hamilton has gone a long way toward eliminating any of those worries.

"We watched him on video, and he's a very good player on tape -- very exciting, very physical, rangy, competitive guy," Lakatos said. "The encouraging thing is, the couple of morning workouts we've had, he's been that guy. I know that's different from being on the field, but he's a hard worker. And with his ability times the hard work, he has a chance to be pretty good."

A LEARNING EXPERIENCE

It's not just Georgia's defensive players that are going to get a quick study in Grantham's new 3-4 scheme. It's also the rest of his staff.

While Lakatos will be new to the scheme, he's not likely to be greatly affected by the changes to the front seven. Rodney Garner, on the other hand, is going to be getting a fresh look at preparing a defense, and he's excited for the opportunity.

“This is my first time coaching in a 3-4 scheme," said Garner, Georgia's lone holdover among defensive coaches from last season. "I’m excited about expanding my knowledge as a coach just like the players are.”

THANKS FOR THE EFFORT

For six crucial weeks of recruiting, Georgia's coaching staff consisted of just one full-time defensive coach. That meant keeping a full staff on the road talking to recruits would be a chore for all those involved.

But to avoid being too shorthanded, the Bulldogs activated three of their graduate assistants to head out on the road, too, and when Georgia finally wrapped up recruiting season Wednesday, Garner said its successes were due in no small part to the efforts of the graduate assistants.

“They played a very vital role," Garner said. "I think it was beneficial for them and it was beneficial for us. It gave them a chance to get out there on the road and enhance their resume, and I thought they did a nice job when they were out there.”