Georgia is closing in on a new deal for its marketing and media rights with ISP Sports, and an agreement could be reached within the next few weeks, associate athletics director Alan Thomas said.
The deal was first reported in March and could be worth up to $10 million annually. Georgia's current contracts with multiple rights holders expire June 30. Georgia's current contracts generate about $8.3 million annually, according to the Sports Business Journal.
"We're moving right down the track," athletics director Damon Evans said. "We don't have a signed deal with them yet, but it's imminent."
Evans said he didn't anticipate the new contract would create significant changes for the school, but it would allow Georgia to increase its media presence in multiple platforms.
"Same dimensions, just a different rights holder," Evans said. "Now there will be some new twists from a multimedia rights to get ourselves more exposure. I don't know all the details, but one thing is we're trying to brand ourselves better and get more people to see the University of Georgia."
MODERATION IS THE KEY
A team gets 80 scholarships for its football players and the NCAA considers 25 players a complete recruiting class, but that didn't stop plenty of schools from inking more than 30 players on signing day in February. With that in mind, the topic of a firm limit on the number of players a school could sign became a popular topic of debate Tuesday, but its one Mark Richt thinks should be tabled for the time being.
"I wouldn't change that rule," Richt said. "A lot of things happen between February and August, and if you hit your number (of 25) on the head, you may end up with 79 (scholarships) when the season starts. But like anything, things can be abused and then someone has to pay for it, and I don't want to do it at the expense of a young man who is already on our team and say, ‘You know what? We found a guy better than you.' I don't want to do that."
FAIRLY FOND FAREWELL
After more than a year of fighting his way back onto the field, wide receiver Tony Wilson's Georgia career ended abruptly this month with the news that he had received a medical disqualification and had been found in violation of team rules.
The parting ways with Wilson, who would have been a fourth-year junior in 2009, won't have a significant affect on the team in terms of production -- he had just one catch last year -- but he had long been one of the more vocal players in the locker room and had spent significant time working with the coaching staff last season has he recovered from an ankle injury.
Richt refused to comment on Wilson's future beyond the medical disqualification, but said there was no hard feelings on his part.
"He's still one of my very good friends, and he's going to stay that way." Richt said.
Showing posts with label Tony Wilson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tony Wilson. Show all posts
Friday, May 29, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Plenty of Questions on Georgia's Offense
With Tony Wilson gone and Bruce Figgins out for six games to start the 2009 season, things could get pretty ugly for Georgia's passing game.
How ugly?
Take away A.J. Green and Michael Moore and Georgia's offense this coming season has a career total of 27 receptions... combined!
That's not just the receiving corps either. That's everyone on the offense -- tailbacks, fullbacks, tight ends and receivers. Twenty-seven catches. And you know who the the proud owner of the plurality of those catches is? That would be fullback Shaun Chapas, who has 12 receptions in his career, not counting the time he fell down in the end zone on a wide-open TD pass from Matthew Stafford last season.
Beyond that, Moore had just five career catches coming into last season, and neither he nor Green has proven they can be viable threats without Mohamed Massaquoi, Knowshon Moreno and Stafford to help keep defenses honest. That's certainly not to say they can't be -- but it also is a bit troubling that Green will be Georgia's only offensive weapon likely to put much fear into a defense to start the season.
Even with true freshmen Marlon Brown and Rontavious Wooten coming in, Georgia will still have just six scholarship receivers on its roster in 2009 -- and while both Brown and Wooten could be impact players, neither is a sure thing. Wooten is a Carlton Thomas clone in terms of his physical presence and he still has to show he can get off the line of scrimmage against physical SEC corners. Brown looks the part of A.J. Green version 2.0, but his success in high school came against drastically inferior competition.
Figgins' loss hurts beyond just the passing game, too. There's a real chance that Orson Charles and/or Aron White can make an impact as receivers this season, but neither are prototypical blockers. Mark Richt has even noted that Charles is likely to be flexed out wide regularly and White will be primarily used in passing situations. So who does that leave to handle blocking duties? Freshman Arthur Lynch -- and that's about it.
And maybe all of this wouldn't be too troublesome if Stafford and Moreno were still spending time in Georgia's backfield, but they aren't. The tailback situation remains up for grabs -- and none of the likely contributors have shown they can handle blocking duties consistently either. Meanwhile Joe Cox is the proud owner of just one career start.
Georgia averaged 426 yards of total offense last season. The Bulldogs will be hard pressed to come anywhere near that number this year. Yes, a healthy and experienced offensive line will be a nice change of pace -- but we're also assuming that it will be healthy and experienced. Five starters -- Josh Davis, Chris Davis, Trinton Sturdivant, Ben Jones and Vince Vance -- have undergone some type of surgery in the past nine months, and until they get back into game conditions, it's hard to say for certain how they'll respond. And right now, an awful lot is riding on the assumption that Georgia's offensive line will not only be good in 2009, but great.
How ugly?
Take away A.J. Green and Michael Moore and Georgia's offense this coming season has a career total of 27 receptions... combined!
That's not just the receiving corps either. That's everyone on the offense -- tailbacks, fullbacks, tight ends and receivers. Twenty-seven catches. And you know who the the proud owner of the plurality of those catches is? That would be fullback Shaun Chapas, who has 12 receptions in his career, not counting the time he fell down in the end zone on a wide-open TD pass from Matthew Stafford last season.
Beyond that, Moore had just five career catches coming into last season, and neither he nor Green has proven they can be viable threats without Mohamed Massaquoi, Knowshon Moreno and Stafford to help keep defenses honest. That's certainly not to say they can't be -- but it also is a bit troubling that Green will be Georgia's only offensive weapon likely to put much fear into a defense to start the season.
Even with true freshmen Marlon Brown and Rontavious Wooten coming in, Georgia will still have just six scholarship receivers on its roster in 2009 -- and while both Brown and Wooten could be impact players, neither is a sure thing. Wooten is a Carlton Thomas clone in terms of his physical presence and he still has to show he can get off the line of scrimmage against physical SEC corners. Brown looks the part of A.J. Green version 2.0, but his success in high school came against drastically inferior competition.
Figgins' loss hurts beyond just the passing game, too. There's a real chance that Orson Charles and/or Aron White can make an impact as receivers this season, but neither are prototypical blockers. Mark Richt has even noted that Charles is likely to be flexed out wide regularly and White will be primarily used in passing situations. So who does that leave to handle blocking duties? Freshman Arthur Lynch -- and that's about it.
And maybe all of this wouldn't be too troublesome if Stafford and Moreno were still spending time in Georgia's backfield, but they aren't. The tailback situation remains up for grabs -- and none of the likely contributors have shown they can handle blocking duties consistently either. Meanwhile Joe Cox is the proud owner of just one career start.
Georgia averaged 426 yards of total offense last season. The Bulldogs will be hard pressed to come anywhere near that number this year. Yes, a healthy and experienced offensive line will be a nice change of pace -- but we're also assuming that it will be healthy and experienced. Five starters -- Josh Davis, Chris Davis, Trinton Sturdivant, Ben Jones and Vince Vance -- have undergone some type of surgery in the past nine months, and until they get back into game conditions, it's hard to say for certain how they'll respond. And right now, an awful lot is riding on the assumption that Georgia's offensive line will not only be good in 2009, but great.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
It's Official: Wilson, Figgins, Houston Out
From UGA Athletics...
Two University of Georgia football players will incur suspensions due to violation of team rules, according to an announcement Saturday by Bulldog head coach Mark Richt.
Junior tight end Bruce Figgins has received a six-game suspension and redshirt sophomore defensive end Justin Houston has been suspended for two games. A third player, junior wide receiver Tony Wilson, also violated team rules; however, he is in the process of being medically disqualified from competition due to slow recovery from a severe ankle injury originally suffered in the spring of 2008.
"I'm very disappointed in the poor judgment of these players," said UGA head coach Mark Richt. "They'll have to pay an appropriate price and I'm confident they will learn an important lesson from their mistake."
Two University of Georgia football players will incur suspensions due to violation of team rules, according to an announcement Saturday by Bulldog head coach Mark Richt.
Junior tight end Bruce Figgins has received a six-game suspension and redshirt sophomore defensive end Justin Houston has been suspended for two games. A third player, junior wide receiver Tony Wilson, also violated team rules; however, he is in the process of being medically disqualified from competition due to slow recovery from a severe ankle injury originally suffered in the spring of 2008.
"I'm very disappointed in the poor judgment of these players," said UGA head coach Mark Richt. "They'll have to pay an appropriate price and I'm confident they will learn an important lesson from their mistake."
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
No Word on Suspensions
Georgia could be without three players to start the 2009 season due to suspensions, according to UGASports.com.
The Web site reported that tight end Bruce Figgins, defensive end Justin Houston and wide receiver Tony Wilson would each be suspended for an undetermined period after violating team rules.
Head coach Mark Richt would not confirm the suspensions Wednesday, however, saying in a statement through sports information director Claude Felton that "there is nothing to report" at this time.
Georgia was plagued by off-field incidents a year ago and began the 2008 season with more than a half-dozen players suspended. Things had been quiet on that front so far in 2009, with Richt noting that he was employing a stricter approach to discipline this year.
Still, Richt cautioned that these issues are likely to crop up at any program.
"We do have to remember these guys are human," Richt said last month. "These guys are being watched more closely than probably any group in the state of Georgia. There's no place to hide. So am I going to sit here and say that these guys are never going to make a mistake again? That's very unrealistic, but I think at least we’ve had a very good start and guys, as a whole, want to do the right thing. But shoot, who knows what tomorrow brings, right?"
The Web site reported that tight end Bruce Figgins, defensive end Justin Houston and wide receiver Tony Wilson would each be suspended for an undetermined period after violating team rules.
Head coach Mark Richt would not confirm the suspensions Wednesday, however, saying in a statement through sports information director Claude Felton that "there is nothing to report" at this time.
Georgia was plagued by off-field incidents a year ago and began the 2008 season with more than a half-dozen players suspended. Things had been quiet on that front so far in 2009, with Richt noting that he was employing a stricter approach to discipline this year.
Still, Richt cautioned that these issues are likely to crop up at any program.
"We do have to remember these guys are human," Richt said last month. "These guys are being watched more closely than probably any group in the state of Georgia. There's no place to hide. So am I going to sit here and say that these guys are never going to make a mistake again? That's very unrealistic, but I think at least we’ve had a very good start and guys, as a whole, want to do the right thing. But shoot, who knows what tomorrow brings, right?"
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Talent Trumps Experience at Receiver in '09
The season-ending injury to Kris Durham takes a potential starter out of the rotation from a depth chart that already figured to be fairly shallow.
With the departures of Mohamed Massaquoi, Kenneth Harris and Demiko Goodman, along with Walter Hill's decision to leave the program, left Georgia with just six scholarship receivers before Durham's injury. The additions of Rontavious Wooten and Marlon Brown gave some much-needed depth, but without Durham, experience will still be at a premium.
So how might the wideout situation work out this fall?
The star: A.J. Green
Green led the SEC in receiving a year ago despite playing with a groin injury all year. He said he's finally 100 percent healthy, however, and he expects an even better performance in 2009, with coaches moving him around a lot more this spring, hoping to use different schemes to get their top target open.
"It's going to be something special what I can do when I'm healthy," he said.
The slot receivers: Michael Moore and Tony Wilson
Moore came on strong last season, hauling in 29 passes for 451 yards, including a team-best six grabs for 97 yards in Georgia's bowl win over Michigan State.
"I just gained confidence," Moore said. "I kept working hard in the weight room, kept working hard on the practice field, and once the ball came my way, I started making plays. I just tried to build off that each week."
Moore, who is heading into his senior season, will be Georgia's only other experienced receiver, which means coaches will rely heavily on him to take some of the pressure off Green.
Moore is likely to play most of the year in the slot, however, where he will share time with Wilson. Wilson battled an ankle injury all year last season, making just one catch before accepting a redshirt that ended his year.
Wilson still isn't 100 percent healthy, but he said he feels better than he did this time last year, and expects to be ready to go by the fall. Both Moore and Wilson are exceptional blockers and -- given their experience -- are easily the most knowledgeable receivers on the team.
"I think that (Moore) and Tony are pretty interchangeable," head coach Mark Richt said. "I think one will be the X and one will be the Y, and they'll probably crosstrain. Those two guys have to be our best blockers, and they will be that. Both of them have to go down the middle and be brave and make plays, and they both can be very good at that."
The rookies: Rontavious Wooten and Marlon Brown
Both Wooten and Brown will arrive in Athens this summer, and with Durham's injury, the expectations surrounding them will be high.
Wooten checks in at a generous 5-foot-10 and just 158 pounds, which won't make him an obvious target, but Richt said the speedy pass-catcher out of Florida can be an exceptional weapon if coaches can find ways to maximize his skills.
"If you get the ball to him with a little bit of space – whether it's reverse, quick screens, and he still can penetrate the deep field – he's a pretty complete receiver, and he does have quicks and can make people miss," Richt said.
Wooten is clearly overshadowed, however, by Brown, who was among the top wide receiver recruits in the nation this year.
Following Green's monster freshman year, anything short of a repeat performance by Brown would be a disappointment for many fans who have watched the Memphis product's high school film and drooled over his potential.
The comparisons between Green and Brown aren't entirely unfair, however, and Green said he's happy to be in a position to help his soon-to-be teammates follow in his footsteps.
"Marlon is a great kid. I talked to him during the recruiting process, and I was the first to know he was coming to Georgia. I'm trying to help him out, and I've got Mike helping me out, so we both can help him."
Richt said he expects Brown to work primarily at split end or flanker opposite Green this season.
The up-and-comers: Israel Troupe and Tavarres King
Neither King nor Troupe have seen significant playing time despite both arriving in Athens amid a good deal of hype.
Troupe, entering his third season in Athens, has just a handful of catches to show for his first two years with the Bulldogs, but he said he has taken a new approach to this spring in hopes of revitalizing his career.
"This year coming in is kind of like my freshman year all over again. I've got a clean slate coming in and I'm just starting over from scratch," Troupe said. "This spring is a great opportunity for me to be seen and get my name heard. With the people coming in, all it is is competition for me."
Troupe had flown mostly under the radar this spring, but a long touchdown grab from Aaron Murray in Georgia's second scrimmage of the year opened a few eyes. With Durham out, Troupe's name will be near the top of the list of players who need to take that next step in 2009.
King actually earned some playing time early in the year last season, but an ankle injury slowed him after the Arizona State game, and coaches eventually decided to hold him out the rest of the year to get him a medical redshirt.
The taste of playing time was a big help in his development, King said, but that doesn't mean he's ready to take the next step into being a consistent performer in the SEC. Richt said King still needs to add some size and strength to help his blocking -- an area he has struggled this spring -- and needs to show a more consistent effort during practice.
"He's still got a ways to go to really be ready for our league," Richt said. "But he's got the ability, and he absolutely has had his moments when you're like, he can do it. We're expecting him to play, but he has to continue to get better to be a really effective receiver in our league. But he has the ability and he's smart, and he's just got to realize that it takes great effort every single day in practice."
The secret weapons: Orson Charles and Branden Smith
Neither Charles nor Smith are officially on the wide receiver depth chart, but both could play key roles in the pass-catching department in 2009.
Charles has been an enthusiastic learner since signing with Georgia last month, and Richt said the tight end has already gotten his weight up to 225 pounds. At Plant High in Tampa, Charles played with fellow Bulldog Aaron Murray and was a huge threat in the passing game as a hybrid tight end. Richt envisions a similar role for him this year at Georgia.
"It would be very natural for him to know the tight end or just flex and be that third receiver on the inside because we really call the routes the same," Richt said. "As he's training at tight end, he'll be training as a flex wide anyway."
Smith won't spend nearly as much time at receiver -- or even on the offensive side of the field. The five-star athlete from Atlanta figures to be in the mix for a starting cornerback job, but his speed and athleticism make him a potential weapon in the receiving game, too.
"We could take a guy like Branden Smith and use his abilities," Richt said. "He's going to be a corner, but there might be some plays where we can use him."
Defensive coordinator Willie Martinez has no problems with that plan, as long as Smith still gets his reps on defense, too.
"That's one of the reasons why we wanted him," Martinez said. "I'm for winning games and if we've got to play kids like Branden both ways, we're going to do it."
Note: Bruce Figgins, Aron White and Arthur Lynch figure to make the tight end position a lot more productive in 2009 than it was a year ago, and running back Carlton Thomas says he's anxious to prove his pass-catching skills out of the backfield, too. One thing that won't happen, however, is the use of White -- a Charles-like hybrid tight end -- split out wide. Richt said the rising sophomore has proved he belongs at tight end, and his experience will be crucial to that group.
The verdict: Durham's injury doesn't kill Georgia's receiving corps, but the lack of veteran experience will be an issue. That means much of the responsibility for turning this group into a productive unit will fall to the coaching staff -- namely Mike Bobo and Tony Ball.
Finding ways to get Green open in 2009, even with opposing defenses focused on stopping him, will be essential. While Green had a notably crucial mentor-protoge relationship with Mohamed Massaquoi that keyed his big freshman season, the coaches will likely have to take a more active role with Brown when he arrives. Finding time to school Charles and Smith at multiple positions will also be the responsibility of a coaching staff that hasn't had hybrid athletes of their caliber in a while.
Long story short, Georgia's receivers won't lack talent and ability. But it will take a top-notch performance by the coaching staff to turn that ability into success on Saturdays.
With the departures of Mohamed Massaquoi, Kenneth Harris and Demiko Goodman, along with Walter Hill's decision to leave the program, left Georgia with just six scholarship receivers before Durham's injury. The additions of Rontavious Wooten and Marlon Brown gave some much-needed depth, but without Durham, experience will still be at a premium.
So how might the wideout situation work out this fall?
The star: A.J. Green
Green led the SEC in receiving a year ago despite playing with a groin injury all year. He said he's finally 100 percent healthy, however, and he expects an even better performance in 2009, with coaches moving him around a lot more this spring, hoping to use different schemes to get their top target open.
"It's going to be something special what I can do when I'm healthy," he said.
The slot receivers: Michael Moore and Tony Wilson
Moore came on strong last season, hauling in 29 passes for 451 yards, including a team-best six grabs for 97 yards in Georgia's bowl win over Michigan State.
"I just gained confidence," Moore said. "I kept working hard in the weight room, kept working hard on the practice field, and once the ball came my way, I started making plays. I just tried to build off that each week."
Moore, who is heading into his senior season, will be Georgia's only other experienced receiver, which means coaches will rely heavily on him to take some of the pressure off Green.
Moore is likely to play most of the year in the slot, however, where he will share time with Wilson. Wilson battled an ankle injury all year last season, making just one catch before accepting a redshirt that ended his year.
Wilson still isn't 100 percent healthy, but he said he feels better than he did this time last year, and expects to be ready to go by the fall. Both Moore and Wilson are exceptional blockers and -- given their experience -- are easily the most knowledgeable receivers on the team.
"I think that (Moore) and Tony are pretty interchangeable," head coach Mark Richt said. "I think one will be the X and one will be the Y, and they'll probably crosstrain. Those two guys have to be our best blockers, and they will be that. Both of them have to go down the middle and be brave and make plays, and they both can be very good at that."
The rookies: Rontavious Wooten and Marlon Brown
Both Wooten and Brown will arrive in Athens this summer, and with Durham's injury, the expectations surrounding them will be high.
Wooten checks in at a generous 5-foot-10 and just 158 pounds, which won't make him an obvious target, but Richt said the speedy pass-catcher out of Florida can be an exceptional weapon if coaches can find ways to maximize his skills.
"If you get the ball to him with a little bit of space – whether it's reverse, quick screens, and he still can penetrate the deep field – he's a pretty complete receiver, and he does have quicks and can make people miss," Richt said.
Wooten is clearly overshadowed, however, by Brown, who was among the top wide receiver recruits in the nation this year.
Following Green's monster freshman year, anything short of a repeat performance by Brown would be a disappointment for many fans who have watched the Memphis product's high school film and drooled over his potential.
The comparisons between Green and Brown aren't entirely unfair, however, and Green said he's happy to be in a position to help his soon-to-be teammates follow in his footsteps.
"Marlon is a great kid. I talked to him during the recruiting process, and I was the first to know he was coming to Georgia. I'm trying to help him out, and I've got Mike helping me out, so we both can help him."
Richt said he expects Brown to work primarily at split end or flanker opposite Green this season.
The up-and-comers: Israel Troupe and Tavarres King
Neither King nor Troupe have seen significant playing time despite both arriving in Athens amid a good deal of hype.
Troupe, entering his third season in Athens, has just a handful of catches to show for his first two years with the Bulldogs, but he said he has taken a new approach to this spring in hopes of revitalizing his career.
"This year coming in is kind of like my freshman year all over again. I've got a clean slate coming in and I'm just starting over from scratch," Troupe said. "This spring is a great opportunity for me to be seen and get my name heard. With the people coming in, all it is is competition for me."
Troupe had flown mostly under the radar this spring, but a long touchdown grab from Aaron Murray in Georgia's second scrimmage of the year opened a few eyes. With Durham out, Troupe's name will be near the top of the list of players who need to take that next step in 2009.
King actually earned some playing time early in the year last season, but an ankle injury slowed him after the Arizona State game, and coaches eventually decided to hold him out the rest of the year to get him a medical redshirt.
The taste of playing time was a big help in his development, King said, but that doesn't mean he's ready to take the next step into being a consistent performer in the SEC. Richt said King still needs to add some size and strength to help his blocking -- an area he has struggled this spring -- and needs to show a more consistent effort during practice.
"He's still got a ways to go to really be ready for our league," Richt said. "But he's got the ability, and he absolutely has had his moments when you're like, he can do it. We're expecting him to play, but he has to continue to get better to be a really effective receiver in our league. But he has the ability and he's smart, and he's just got to realize that it takes great effort every single day in practice."
The secret weapons: Orson Charles and Branden Smith
Neither Charles nor Smith are officially on the wide receiver depth chart, but both could play key roles in the pass-catching department in 2009.
Charles has been an enthusiastic learner since signing with Georgia last month, and Richt said the tight end has already gotten his weight up to 225 pounds. At Plant High in Tampa, Charles played with fellow Bulldog Aaron Murray and was a huge threat in the passing game as a hybrid tight end. Richt envisions a similar role for him this year at Georgia.
"It would be very natural for him to know the tight end or just flex and be that third receiver on the inside because we really call the routes the same," Richt said. "As he's training at tight end, he'll be training as a flex wide anyway."
Smith won't spend nearly as much time at receiver -- or even on the offensive side of the field. The five-star athlete from Atlanta figures to be in the mix for a starting cornerback job, but his speed and athleticism make him a potential weapon in the receiving game, too.
"We could take a guy like Branden Smith and use his abilities," Richt said. "He's going to be a corner, but there might be some plays where we can use him."
Defensive coordinator Willie Martinez has no problems with that plan, as long as Smith still gets his reps on defense, too.
"That's one of the reasons why we wanted him," Martinez said. "I'm for winning games and if we've got to play kids like Branden both ways, we're going to do it."
Note: Bruce Figgins, Aron White and Arthur Lynch figure to make the tight end position a lot more productive in 2009 than it was a year ago, and running back Carlton Thomas says he's anxious to prove his pass-catching skills out of the backfield, too. One thing that won't happen, however, is the use of White -- a Charles-like hybrid tight end -- split out wide. Richt said the rising sophomore has proved he belongs at tight end, and his experience will be crucial to that group.
The verdict: Durham's injury doesn't kill Georgia's receiving corps, but the lack of veteran experience will be an issue. That means much of the responsibility for turning this group into a productive unit will fall to the coaching staff -- namely Mike Bobo and Tony Ball.
Finding ways to get Green open in 2009, even with opposing defenses focused on stopping him, will be essential. While Green had a notably crucial mentor-protoge relationship with Mohamed Massaquoi that keyed his big freshman season, the coaches will likely have to take a more active role with Brown when he arrives. Finding time to school Charles and Smith at multiple positions will also be the responsibility of a coaching staff that hasn't had hybrid athletes of their caliber in a while.
Long story short, Georgia's receivers won't lack talent and ability. But it will take a top-notch performance by the coaching staff to turn that ability into success on Saturdays.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Easy Being Green
It's probably a scary thought for opposing cornerbacks, but A.J. Green said last season was far from his best.
From the start of summer practice all the way through Georgia's bowl game, the freshman receiver played with a sore groin that slowed his breaks and kept him from maximizing his potential.
Now, for the first time in nearly a year, he's feeling back to normal, and he's excited to be using practice time to work on his game rather than rehab his injury.
"It's good, I'm 100 percent now," Green said. "I don't think (the injury) limited me game-wise, but practice-wise, not being able to go every day. Sometimes it would be bothering me, and I'd be missing out on reps that could help me."
While Green took the SEC by storm in his freshman campaign, he said the groin injury was largely a result of being unprepared physically for what life at the college level was like.
"I think it had a lot to do with me not being flexible enough," Green said. "But the trainers have me stretching every day before practice and after."
Becoming more flexible is just the tip of the iceberg for Green, however, and junior wide receiver Tony Wilson said he thinks Georgia's freshman phenom has a chance to be significantly better as a sophomore.
For all the accolades Green earned after leading the SEC in receiving in 2008, he's approaching this season as if he had to prove himself all over again.
"He still comes out to work every day just like every great player should," Wilson said. "He's one of those guys that never really let it get to his head. He always comes in with that mentality like he's got to get better every day, and he works like it every day."
From the start of summer practice all the way through Georgia's bowl game, the freshman receiver played with a sore groin that slowed his breaks and kept him from maximizing his potential.
Now, for the first time in nearly a year, he's feeling back to normal, and he's excited to be using practice time to work on his game rather than rehab his injury.
"It's good, I'm 100 percent now," Green said. "I don't think (the injury) limited me game-wise, but practice-wise, not being able to go every day. Sometimes it would be bothering me, and I'd be missing out on reps that could help me."
While Green took the SEC by storm in his freshman campaign, he said the groin injury was largely a result of being unprepared physically for what life at the college level was like.
"I think it had a lot to do with me not being flexible enough," Green said. "But the trainers have me stretching every day before practice and after."
Becoming more flexible is just the tip of the iceberg for Green, however, and junior wide receiver Tony Wilson said he thinks Georgia's freshman phenom has a chance to be significantly better as a sophomore.
For all the accolades Green earned after leading the SEC in receiving in 2008, he's approaching this season as if he had to prove himself all over again.
"He still comes out to work every day just like every great player should," Wilson said. "He's one of those guys that never really let it get to his head. He always comes in with that mentality like he's got to get better every day, and he works like it every day."
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Scrimmage Notes: Houston Dominates
It wasn't anything near a perfect practice, but Mark Richt said he was pleased with the effort his team showed during its second spring scrimmage on Saturday.
"It was a much better effort, much better energy the entire time, a lot of hard hitting, just a lot of good intensity and leadership," Richt said.
After an up-and-down performance during the first scrimmage on Monday in which the team showed little resilience in the face of adversity, Richt said Saturday's practice was far more energetic. Still, the results were mixed.
The offense was stymied for much of the early part of the scrimmage, but once coaches changed field position, putting the defense on its heels, the momentum began to shift.
"When we had 50 or more yards on the offense, we stopped them every time," linebacker Rennie Curran said. "But when it was near the goal line or inside the 50, it was kind of like we shut down at times. No matter what the situation is or where we are on the field, we've got to dominate."
One player who was dominant was Justin Houston.
As the Bulldogs' lone healthy scholarship defensive end with any playing experience at the position, Houston has been shouldering a good bit of the pass-rush burden this spring. He responded Saturday with a four-tackle performance in which he racked up a sack on the first two plays of the scrimmage and later hauled in an interception that he returned for a 30-yard touchdown.
"I thought a lot of guys perked up, but the guy that really caught my eye in a hurry was Justin Houston," Richt said. "Considering the limited amount of plays these guys are getting, that was by far the most productive defensive player."
The defensive struggles came largely with the second-team defense in the game, and with so many injuries and inexperienced players on the field, Curran said that was to be expected. Still, he said, everyone on the team needs to be prepared to play their role, and he wants to find some serious improvement before the Bulldogs' annual G-Day game next Saturday.
"Toward the end, we let some big plays get in there, some third down-and-longs, and that kind of killed us," Curran said. "We've got to keep consistency. That's one of the things that killed us last year. It only takes a couple guys to kill the whole entire defense."
FAST LEARNERS
Joe Cox's veteran leadership seems to be paying dividends with his two young understudies pretty quickly.
For the second straight scrimmage, freshman Aaron Murray was responsible for the offense's best highlight, a 64-yard touchdown pass to Israel Troupe. Murray finished the scrimmage 6-of-10 passing for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
His fellow early enrollee, Zach Mettenberger, didn't post big numbers, but head coach Mark Richt said he has made solid progress, too, this spring.
"I'm really, really pleased with the quarterbacks," Richt said. "Zach is placing the ball very, very well. Aaron has found the open man deep a couple times, which is good. I stand right in the huddle and listen to them call the play and they're getting more and more confidence. There's a lot less confusion."
While the progress has been obvious, Richt isn't ready to make any decisions about the future just yet. The upside, he said, is that both Murray and Mettenberger have shown that, if needed, they would be ready to play in a game. Richt just isn't sure if they'll be needed at this point.
"I'm not going to be in a rush right now to say either one would be redshirted or not yet." Richt said. "When it gets closer to the moment of truth, we've just got to decide."
SHADES OF GRAY
The spring hasn't just been about the senior and the freshmen. Georgia's other quarterback has been impressive, too.
During Saturday's scrimmage, Logan Gray completed 7-of-9 passes for 52 yards and a touchdown and showed impressive accuracy and decision-making, Richt said.
After missing many quarterback meetings and prep time while playing on special teams a year ago, Gray is still playing catch up on the field, but Richt said the progress he's making has been evident at times.
"Logan is still a little inconsistent, but when he puts it together, it looks good," Richt said. "There's been a couple days he looked great, and a couple days when he was still kind of up and down."
Gray's arm is developing, but it's his legs that may be most intriguing. His speed and athleticism landed him a role as a returner on special teams last season, and Richt said that, as the second-string quarterback, Gray could see significant action on sets designed to exploit his athleticism, similar to the role D.J. Shockley played with Georgia while backing up David Greene.
For now, however, Bobo just wants Gray to concentrate on his fundamentals and let the coaches figure out how to use him down the road.
"This spring isn't about scheming or finding ways to get him in space," Bobo said. "It's about developing him as a quarterback. Halfway through spring, he's done a nice job of that."
BACK IN ACTION
Tony Wilson shed his green, non-contact jersey a few days ago, and getting back into the action on the field has been a huge relief for the junior wide receiver who missed most of last season with an ankle injury.
"It's encouraging to be back on the field after so long," Wilson said. "Being able to hit somebody yesterday, it had been since Arizona State (last September) since the last time I hit somebody. So it just felt good to be back out there."
Wilson participated in Saturday's scrimmage, but Richt said he is only at about 60 percent right now. Still, Wilson said he is encouraged by the progress and remains patient as the ankle heals.
"I've got four or five months to go, so we can break that 40 percent down and make it a healthy 100 by the time the fall comes," Wilson said.
Linebacker Charles White also returned to full participation in time for Saturday's scrimmage after missing the entire 2008 season, and Rennie Curran said he looked sharp in his debut.
"He looked really good having come off an Achilles injury," Curran said.
MOVING ON UP
Fred Munzenmaier said he has been chiding coaches for months to give him a few more touches on offense. The fullback has just two carries in his career, but both have resulted in touchdowns.
With two tailbacks out of action due to injuries this spring, and walk-on Kalvin Daniels missing most of this week's practice with a shoulder injury of his own, Munzenmaier's salesmanship finally paid off, and he made the most of it during Saturday's scrimmage.
Munzenmaier has worked at tailback for most of the past three practices, and he earned 11 carries – all but one at tailback – on Saturday. He finished the scrimmage with 54 yards rushing and a touchdown.
"He had a real excellent day Wednesday and did the same thing (Saturday)," Richt said. "If we're blocking for three, the kid's getting five."
While Munzenmaier doesn't fit the mold of the typical tailback, Richt said he has enough moves to be successful.
"He's got some vision," Richt said. "He's not going to dodge many guys, but he's fluid enough as an athlete to bounce it outside. He's not a burner, but he finishes the run."
Shaun Chapas remains the starter at fullback, and Josh Sailors has handled the bulk of the reserve duties during Munzenmaier's stretch at tailback.
Once Daniels, Richard Samuel and Dontavius Jackson return to action, Munzenmaier's days as a ball carrier could be numbered, but Richt said he wouldn't rule out a few more touches for his fullback down the road.
"He came in in a pinch but he's done very well," Richt said. "Is he going to get a bunch of reps when everybody's healthy? Maybe, because he's a different style runner."
THE STATS
One note, Mark Richt said that most of the offensive touchdowns occurred when the team practice drives that started on the plus side of the field (i.e. the wrong side of the 50 for the defense). Rennie Curran said the defense was dominant with the long field and struggled on the short field, as you'll see the stats indicate.
RUSHING
Caleb King 10-43-1 TD
Carlton Thomas 6-25
Fred Munzenmaier 11-54-1 (all but one carry came as a tailback)
Logan Gray 2-23
Aaron Murray 3-6
PASSING
Joe Cox 6-18-1-65 2 TDs (the INT came on the first play of the 1-minute drill)
Aaron Murray 6-10-0-132 2 TDs (including a 64-yarder to Israel Troupe)
Logan Gray 7-9-0-52 1 TD
Zach Mettenberger 1-5-0-39
RECEIVING
Israel Troupe 3-111-1
Marquis Brown 4-53-1
Shaun Chapas 3-8-1
A.J. Green 1-26-1
Michael Moore 2-12-1
Aron White 1-5
Vernon Spellman 1-18-1
Derick Rich 1-30
KICKING
Blair Walsh 1-of-1 on FGs (23 yards)
Only missed PAT was by Jamey Lindley
DEFENSE
Justin Houston 4 tackles, 2 sacks, and an INT return for a TD (30 yards off Cox)
Vance Cuff, John Knox, Marcus Dowtin -- 5 tackles each
Nick Williams, 4 tackles
Dowtin had two PBUs, Chad Gloer and Darryl Gamble each had one. Richt said at least two of the PBUs should have been INTs though.
Kiante Tripp, 1 sack
Rennie Curran, Akeem Dent, Reshad Jones, Sanders Commings, Christian Robinson and Kade Weston, 3 tackles each
Dontavius Jackson, Akeem Hebron and Kris Durham all sat out the scrimmage.
"It was a much better effort, much better energy the entire time, a lot of hard hitting, just a lot of good intensity and leadership," Richt said.
After an up-and-down performance during the first scrimmage on Monday in which the team showed little resilience in the face of adversity, Richt said Saturday's practice was far more energetic. Still, the results were mixed.
The offense was stymied for much of the early part of the scrimmage, but once coaches changed field position, putting the defense on its heels, the momentum began to shift.
"When we had 50 or more yards on the offense, we stopped them every time," linebacker Rennie Curran said. "But when it was near the goal line or inside the 50, it was kind of like we shut down at times. No matter what the situation is or where we are on the field, we've got to dominate."
One player who was dominant was Justin Houston.
As the Bulldogs' lone healthy scholarship defensive end with any playing experience at the position, Houston has been shouldering a good bit of the pass-rush burden this spring. He responded Saturday with a four-tackle performance in which he racked up a sack on the first two plays of the scrimmage and later hauled in an interception that he returned for a 30-yard touchdown.
"I thought a lot of guys perked up, but the guy that really caught my eye in a hurry was Justin Houston," Richt said. "Considering the limited amount of plays these guys are getting, that was by far the most productive defensive player."
The defensive struggles came largely with the second-team defense in the game, and with so many injuries and inexperienced players on the field, Curran said that was to be expected. Still, he said, everyone on the team needs to be prepared to play their role, and he wants to find some serious improvement before the Bulldogs' annual G-Day game next Saturday.
"Toward the end, we let some big plays get in there, some third down-and-longs, and that kind of killed us," Curran said. "We've got to keep consistency. That's one of the things that killed us last year. It only takes a couple guys to kill the whole entire defense."
FAST LEARNERS
Joe Cox's veteran leadership seems to be paying dividends with his two young understudies pretty quickly.
For the second straight scrimmage, freshman Aaron Murray was responsible for the offense's best highlight, a 64-yard touchdown pass to Israel Troupe. Murray finished the scrimmage 6-of-10 passing for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
His fellow early enrollee, Zach Mettenberger, didn't post big numbers, but head coach Mark Richt said he has made solid progress, too, this spring.
"I'm really, really pleased with the quarterbacks," Richt said. "Zach is placing the ball very, very well. Aaron has found the open man deep a couple times, which is good. I stand right in the huddle and listen to them call the play and they're getting more and more confidence. There's a lot less confusion."
While the progress has been obvious, Richt isn't ready to make any decisions about the future just yet. The upside, he said, is that both Murray and Mettenberger have shown that, if needed, they would be ready to play in a game. Richt just isn't sure if they'll be needed at this point.
"I'm not going to be in a rush right now to say either one would be redshirted or not yet." Richt said. "When it gets closer to the moment of truth, we've just got to decide."
SHADES OF GRAY
The spring hasn't just been about the senior and the freshmen. Georgia's other quarterback has been impressive, too.
During Saturday's scrimmage, Logan Gray completed 7-of-9 passes for 52 yards and a touchdown and showed impressive accuracy and decision-making, Richt said.
After missing many quarterback meetings and prep time while playing on special teams a year ago, Gray is still playing catch up on the field, but Richt said the progress he's making has been evident at times.
"Logan is still a little inconsistent, but when he puts it together, it looks good," Richt said. "There's been a couple days he looked great, and a couple days when he was still kind of up and down."
Gray's arm is developing, but it's his legs that may be most intriguing. His speed and athleticism landed him a role as a returner on special teams last season, and Richt said that, as the second-string quarterback, Gray could see significant action on sets designed to exploit his athleticism, similar to the role D.J. Shockley played with Georgia while backing up David Greene.
For now, however, Bobo just wants Gray to concentrate on his fundamentals and let the coaches figure out how to use him down the road.
"This spring isn't about scheming or finding ways to get him in space," Bobo said. "It's about developing him as a quarterback. Halfway through spring, he's done a nice job of that."
BACK IN ACTION
Tony Wilson shed his green, non-contact jersey a few days ago, and getting back into the action on the field has been a huge relief for the junior wide receiver who missed most of last season with an ankle injury.
"It's encouraging to be back on the field after so long," Wilson said. "Being able to hit somebody yesterday, it had been since Arizona State (last September) since the last time I hit somebody. So it just felt good to be back out there."
Wilson participated in Saturday's scrimmage, but Richt said he is only at about 60 percent right now. Still, Wilson said he is encouraged by the progress and remains patient as the ankle heals.
"I've got four or five months to go, so we can break that 40 percent down and make it a healthy 100 by the time the fall comes," Wilson said.
Linebacker Charles White also returned to full participation in time for Saturday's scrimmage after missing the entire 2008 season, and Rennie Curran said he looked sharp in his debut.
"He looked really good having come off an Achilles injury," Curran said.
MOVING ON UP
Fred Munzenmaier said he has been chiding coaches for months to give him a few more touches on offense. The fullback has just two carries in his career, but both have resulted in touchdowns.
With two tailbacks out of action due to injuries this spring, and walk-on Kalvin Daniels missing most of this week's practice with a shoulder injury of his own, Munzenmaier's salesmanship finally paid off, and he made the most of it during Saturday's scrimmage.
Munzenmaier has worked at tailback for most of the past three practices, and he earned 11 carries – all but one at tailback – on Saturday. He finished the scrimmage with 54 yards rushing and a touchdown.
"He had a real excellent day Wednesday and did the same thing (Saturday)," Richt said. "If we're blocking for three, the kid's getting five."
While Munzenmaier doesn't fit the mold of the typical tailback, Richt said he has enough moves to be successful.
"He's got some vision," Richt said. "He's not going to dodge many guys, but he's fluid enough as an athlete to bounce it outside. He's not a burner, but he finishes the run."
Shaun Chapas remains the starter at fullback, and Josh Sailors has handled the bulk of the reserve duties during Munzenmaier's stretch at tailback.
Once Daniels, Richard Samuel and Dontavius Jackson return to action, Munzenmaier's days as a ball carrier could be numbered, but Richt said he wouldn't rule out a few more touches for his fullback down the road.
"He came in in a pinch but he's done very well," Richt said. "Is he going to get a bunch of reps when everybody's healthy? Maybe, because he's a different style runner."
THE STATS
One note, Mark Richt said that most of the offensive touchdowns occurred when the team practice drives that started on the plus side of the field (i.e. the wrong side of the 50 for the defense). Rennie Curran said the defense was dominant with the long field and struggled on the short field, as you'll see the stats indicate.
RUSHING
Caleb King 10-43-1 TD
Carlton Thomas 6-25
Fred Munzenmaier 11-54-1 (all but one carry came as a tailback)
Logan Gray 2-23
Aaron Murray 3-6
PASSING
Joe Cox 6-18-1-65 2 TDs (the INT came on the first play of the 1-minute drill)
Aaron Murray 6-10-0-132 2 TDs (including a 64-yarder to Israel Troupe)
Logan Gray 7-9-0-52 1 TD
Zach Mettenberger 1-5-0-39
RECEIVING
Israel Troupe 3-111-1
Marquis Brown 4-53-1
Shaun Chapas 3-8-1
A.J. Green 1-26-1
Michael Moore 2-12-1
Aron White 1-5
Vernon Spellman 1-18-1
Derick Rich 1-30
KICKING
Blair Walsh 1-of-1 on FGs (23 yards)
Only missed PAT was by Jamey Lindley
DEFENSE
Justin Houston 4 tackles, 2 sacks, and an INT return for a TD (30 yards off Cox)
Vance Cuff, John Knox, Marcus Dowtin -- 5 tackles each
Nick Williams, 4 tackles
Dowtin had two PBUs, Chad Gloer and Darryl Gamble each had one. Richt said at least two of the PBUs should have been INTs though.
Kiante Tripp, 1 sack
Rennie Curran, Akeem Dent, Reshad Jones, Sanders Commings, Christian Robinson and Kade Weston, 3 tackles each
Dontavius Jackson, Akeem Hebron and Kris Durham all sat out the scrimmage.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Practice Notes: Defense Takes a Hit
Head coach Mark Richt said the biggest lesson his team learned from its first spring scrimmage was that the players needed to do a better job of recovering from adversity. You can read what Richt said, along with stats from the day's scrimmage, HERE.
Beyond that, the big news of the day was the struggles of the defense. The secondary had a couple of interceptions, but didn't exactly capitalize, as they fumbled them away after the catch.
A few big plays, including a 75-yard touchdown from Aaron Murray to Vernon Spellman, turned the tide after a strong start defensively, and cornerback Prince Miller said he was disappointed in how his team responded.
"I know on our end, we gave up some big plays," Miller said. "We could have been better about being more vocal, being a team. Guys had good efforts, just overall we need to learn to be a team and fight through it."
That was the message defensive coordinator Willie Martinez imparted – with a healthy dose of angered inflection – after practice, too. But safety Bryan Evans said it shouldn't be up to Martinez to correct these problems. The responsibility falls on himself and the rest of the Bulldogs' senior leadership.
"Right now, as players, we don't want Coach Martinez to tell us what to do," Evans said. "We want to be led as a team, not be coach-driven. We want to show Coach we can do it without him having to jump down our backs."
Of course, the blame shouldn't fall completely on the leaders. The truth is, injuries are once again hampering the defense. With the high number of hampered defenders, defensive tackle Geno Atkins said the latter half of the scrimmage saw a lot of guys struggling to catch their breath.
"We had a couple good plays here and there, but we kind of got fatigued toward the end," Atkins said. "(The offense) got the best of us."
In addition to Spellman's big grab, A.J. Green was a full participant in practice and put up some good numbers. The other offensive highlights belonged to the guy who has been stealing the show all spring.
"Carlton Thomas looked pretty good," Atkins said. "He had a couple of touchdowns and a nice run where he cut it back one way and ran it all the way back the other way and scored a touchdown."
Richt felt Thomas had not only been the best of the bunch Monday, but said that the diminutive freshman had been Georgia's most consistent runner all spring -- ahead of Caleb King. While Thomas has been the talk of the spring, Atkins has been Georgia's most dominant player, and with two sacks, he offered the biggest highlights of the day for the defense.
"I knocked Carlton a couple times, had one up against Dallas (Lee)," Atkins said. "I guess I gave Cordy (Glenn) a run for his money a couple of times, too."
The performance by the offense wasn't perfect, quarterback Joe Cox said, but hearing the defense admit defeat was music to his ears.
"So many times people say the defense is normally going to get the better of the offense during the spring," Cox said. "Any time that they'll actually admit we beat them in something, that means we did something pretty good."
YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS
Georgia's defensive ends took another hit Monday, when freshman Jeremy Longo suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out of most of the day's scrimmage. Richt said he was unsure the severity of the injury immediately, but should Longo miss any significant time, Georgia will be down to just two healthy scholarship ends.
"By the time (the scrimmage) was over, (defensive tackle) Geno (Atkins) played a little D end and Kade (Weston) played a little D end," Richt said. "So I'm not sure how we'll proceed."
MORE HURTS
Incoming freshman offensive lineman Austin Long underwent back surgery Monday and likely won't be available to practice when he arrives at Georgia, possibly until December.
"I think we still plan on bringing him in at the normal time and being there to rehab him," Richt said. "By the end of the season, maybe by bowl practice, he might could get some work and be ready for spring. If he gets a medical redshirt his true freshman year, he'll still have four (seasons) to play."
AND YET MORE HURTS
Wide receiver Kris Durham suffered a minor shoulder injury that kept him out of Monday's scrimmage. Richt said he expected Durham to be back as early as Tuesday.
More concerning to Richt, however, was the status of receiver Tony Wilson, who is still recovering from ankle surgery – an injury he first suffered last spring and attempted to play through early last season.
"Tony's just not 100 percent," Richt said. "I don't think there's any question he can help us, but he's going at a certain percentage – my guess would be about 60 percent. He's healthy enough to go, but as far as his speed and agility, it's just not there right now."
MOVING ON UP
Nick Williams didn't figure on playing linebacker when he came to Georgia, but since making the move from safety late last season, he has quickly adapted to the new role.
Williams led all Georgia players with six tackles in Monday's first spring scrimmage, and linebacker Rennie Curran said the freshman from Bainbridge has looked right at home at his new position.
"He's looking good," Curran said. "He asks a lot of questions. He's real confident, but listens to what the coaches are saying. He's a great guy to have around."
While Williams adjusts to his new position, Curran said he has been adjusting to the role of mentor. He said he has taken Williams under his wing and tried to offer as much advice as possible.
One topic that has been a popular one for Williams is the issue of adding some bulk to his frame. Having arrived as a safety, adding some heft has been a top priority for Williams, and the weight room just so happens to be Curran's area of expertise.
"All of those guys when they come in as freshmen, they go through a transformation," Curran said. "I just try to let them know that it's more about making plays. Don't get stuck on gaining weight or anything like that. At the end of the day, it's about who gets to the ball and makes the tackle."
DECISION LOOMING
Former Clemson quarterback Jon Richt took in a scrimmage with his dad and his girlfriend at Valdosta State last weekend, and Mark Richt said the whole family was impressed by their visit.
Jon Richt announced earlier this month that he planned to transfer after spending a year at Clemson. His father said he had hoped to find a school close to home, which made Valdosta State an intriguing possibility.
"I'd never been to Valdosta State before, and it's a beautiful campus," Mark Richt said. "It's about the right size, and I think he'd really feel comfortable."
Mark Richt said the group took in the scrimmage, enjoyed a campus tour, sat in on the quarterback meetings and checked out the academics, too. The Richts have already visited Georgia State and Mark Richt said they plan to take trips to Chattanooga and Mars Hill (in North Carolina) before making a final decision, which could come in about two weeks.
"Everybody's been great," Mark Richt said. "They just lay it out – this is who we've got, this is why we think he has a chance to compete, this is what we've got. It's just been great."
FOND MEMORIES
Longtime NFL and college football coach Lou Saban died Monday at age 87. Saban was the head coach at Miami who recruited Mark Richt to play for the Hurricanes in college. Although Saban left after Richt's freshman season, the Georgia coach said he still had many fond memories of his first college coach.
"I've seen Coach Saban from time to time afterwards, and I loved him in that he's the one that sold Miami to me out of high school, gave me the opportunity to play," Richt said. "I was sad to hear it, but I know he lived a very full life and coached a lot of ball over the years at all levels."
Beyond that, the big news of the day was the struggles of the defense. The secondary had a couple of interceptions, but didn't exactly capitalize, as they fumbled them away after the catch.
A few big plays, including a 75-yard touchdown from Aaron Murray to Vernon Spellman, turned the tide after a strong start defensively, and cornerback Prince Miller said he was disappointed in how his team responded.
"I know on our end, we gave up some big plays," Miller said. "We could have been better about being more vocal, being a team. Guys had good efforts, just overall we need to learn to be a team and fight through it."
That was the message defensive coordinator Willie Martinez imparted – with a healthy dose of angered inflection – after practice, too. But safety Bryan Evans said it shouldn't be up to Martinez to correct these problems. The responsibility falls on himself and the rest of the Bulldogs' senior leadership.
"Right now, as players, we don't want Coach Martinez to tell us what to do," Evans said. "We want to be led as a team, not be coach-driven. We want to show Coach we can do it without him having to jump down our backs."
Of course, the blame shouldn't fall completely on the leaders. The truth is, injuries are once again hampering the defense. With the high number of hampered defenders, defensive tackle Geno Atkins said the latter half of the scrimmage saw a lot of guys struggling to catch their breath.
"We had a couple good plays here and there, but we kind of got fatigued toward the end," Atkins said. "(The offense) got the best of us."
In addition to Spellman's big grab, A.J. Green was a full participant in practice and put up some good numbers. The other offensive highlights belonged to the guy who has been stealing the show all spring.
"Carlton Thomas looked pretty good," Atkins said. "He had a couple of touchdowns and a nice run where he cut it back one way and ran it all the way back the other way and scored a touchdown."
Richt felt Thomas had not only been the best of the bunch Monday, but said that the diminutive freshman had been Georgia's most consistent runner all spring -- ahead of Caleb King. While Thomas has been the talk of the spring, Atkins has been Georgia's most dominant player, and with two sacks, he offered the biggest highlights of the day for the defense.
"I knocked Carlton a couple times, had one up against Dallas (Lee)," Atkins said. "I guess I gave Cordy (Glenn) a run for his money a couple of times, too."
The performance by the offense wasn't perfect, quarterback Joe Cox said, but hearing the defense admit defeat was music to his ears.
"So many times people say the defense is normally going to get the better of the offense during the spring," Cox said. "Any time that they'll actually admit we beat them in something, that means we did something pretty good."
YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS
Georgia's defensive ends took another hit Monday, when freshman Jeremy Longo suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out of most of the day's scrimmage. Richt said he was unsure the severity of the injury immediately, but should Longo miss any significant time, Georgia will be down to just two healthy scholarship ends.
"By the time (the scrimmage) was over, (defensive tackle) Geno (Atkins) played a little D end and Kade (Weston) played a little D end," Richt said. "So I'm not sure how we'll proceed."
MORE HURTS
Incoming freshman offensive lineman Austin Long underwent back surgery Monday and likely won't be available to practice when he arrives at Georgia, possibly until December.
"I think we still plan on bringing him in at the normal time and being there to rehab him," Richt said. "By the end of the season, maybe by bowl practice, he might could get some work and be ready for spring. If he gets a medical redshirt his true freshman year, he'll still have four (seasons) to play."
AND YET MORE HURTS
Wide receiver Kris Durham suffered a minor shoulder injury that kept him out of Monday's scrimmage. Richt said he expected Durham to be back as early as Tuesday.
More concerning to Richt, however, was the status of receiver Tony Wilson, who is still recovering from ankle surgery – an injury he first suffered last spring and attempted to play through early last season.
"Tony's just not 100 percent," Richt said. "I don't think there's any question he can help us, but he's going at a certain percentage – my guess would be about 60 percent. He's healthy enough to go, but as far as his speed and agility, it's just not there right now."
MOVING ON UP
Nick Williams didn't figure on playing linebacker when he came to Georgia, but since making the move from safety late last season, he has quickly adapted to the new role.
Williams led all Georgia players with six tackles in Monday's first spring scrimmage, and linebacker Rennie Curran said the freshman from Bainbridge has looked right at home at his new position.
"He's looking good," Curran said. "He asks a lot of questions. He's real confident, but listens to what the coaches are saying. He's a great guy to have around."
While Williams adjusts to his new position, Curran said he has been adjusting to the role of mentor. He said he has taken Williams under his wing and tried to offer as much advice as possible.
One topic that has been a popular one for Williams is the issue of adding some bulk to his frame. Having arrived as a safety, adding some heft has been a top priority for Williams, and the weight room just so happens to be Curran's area of expertise.
"All of those guys when they come in as freshmen, they go through a transformation," Curran said. "I just try to let them know that it's more about making plays. Don't get stuck on gaining weight or anything like that. At the end of the day, it's about who gets to the ball and makes the tackle."
DECISION LOOMING
Former Clemson quarterback Jon Richt took in a scrimmage with his dad and his girlfriend at Valdosta State last weekend, and Mark Richt said the whole family was impressed by their visit.
Jon Richt announced earlier this month that he planned to transfer after spending a year at Clemson. His father said he had hoped to find a school close to home, which made Valdosta State an intriguing possibility.
"I'd never been to Valdosta State before, and it's a beautiful campus," Mark Richt said. "It's about the right size, and I think he'd really feel comfortable."
Mark Richt said the group took in the scrimmage, enjoyed a campus tour, sat in on the quarterback meetings and checked out the academics, too. The Richts have already visited Georgia State and Mark Richt said they plan to take trips to Chattanooga and Mars Hill (in North Carolina) before making a final decision, which could come in about two weeks.
"Everybody's been great," Mark Richt said. "They just lay it out – this is who we've got, this is why we think he has a chance to compete, this is what we've got. It's just been great."
FOND MEMORIES
Longtime NFL and college football coach Lou Saban died Monday at age 87. Saban was the head coach at Miami who recruited Mark Richt to play for the Hurricanes in college. Although Saban left after Richt's freshman season, the Georgia coach said he still had many fond memories of his first college coach.
"I've seen Coach Saban from time to time afterwards, and I loved him in that he's the one that sold Miami to me out of high school, gave me the opportunity to play," Richt said. "I was sad to hear it, but I know he lived a very full life and coached a lot of ball over the years at all levels."
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