A second player in three weeks was arrested for misdemeanor traffic violations Wednesday when offensive lineman Vince Vance was taken into custody by the Athens-Clarke County police for driving without a license.
Head coach Mark Richt said Vance, 22, had a learner’s permit, which would allow him to operate the vehicle if another adult was present, but that was not the case at the time of the arrest. The violation is the second in the past year for Vance, who was arrested on a similar charge last November.
“He doesn’t have a car, and he claims that he never drives unless he has someone 21 (years old) with (him) which is legal to do," Richt said. "So here’s a kid who doesn’t have a suspended license. It’s a legal license. Now, why he has a learner’s permit at this age, everybody’s asking the same question. But he drove by himself and had a traffic violation and when they ran it, he broke the law."
Richt said the arrest will not affect Vance’s playing time in this week’s game against Florida.
“It’s not affecting his playing status at all,” Richt said. “If he starts, he was going to start, if he doesn’t start, he wasn’t going to start.”
Richt said further punishment is being handled in-house, but said that the team’s focus on these minor traffic offenses has increased in recent weeks.
Three weeks ago, cornerback Vance Cuff was arrested for driving a scooter with a suspended license, and linebacker Rennie Curran also had a bench warrant issued for him after he failed to appear in court following a speeding violation.
“I can’t even tell you what we’ve been trying to get done in regard to making sure these things don’t happen,” Richt said. “I’m highly frustrated. I’ve taken things a little bit more into my own hands to make sure these things get resolved.”
The problem, Richt said, is that rules are often nearly impossible to enforce. While the school tries to ensure each player has a valid license, situations like the one faced by Vance result from players not having the proper class of license, which is forcing Richt to take a firm stand on the issue.
“My feeling is, every single Georgia football player must have not only a valid license, but a Class C license,” Richt said.
Still, Richt said, it remains difficult to keep tabs on any potential moving violations, parking tickets and other minor issues that can, if ignored, become more serious. Finding a foolproof plan to combat the issues will take some time, he said.
“I can’t snap my finger and get it done overnight,” Richt said. “If a kid gets a ticket and he can’t take care of it quickly enough, he could find himself with an issue there. So it’s a real pain in the rear, quite frankly.”
While neither Vance nor Cuff were charged with anything more serious than a misdemeanor, Richt said the problem is more about image than substance.
"It’s one thing to get stopped and get a citation," Richt said. "I don’t think anybody gets too bent out of shape. But if a guy gets stopped and he’s arrested, that’s a more serious matter. These are misdemeanor issues, but it’s an arrest nonetheless, and it’s embarrassing. It’s embarrassing to the program and to them. So we’ve got to do a better job, and I’m taking the blame for not making certain these things were taken care of, but we’re going to get it straight.”
Richt said he would personally take account of players' driving status and make an effort to constantly remind players that moving violations and other traffic citations must be reported to the coaching staff.
In Curran's case, a traffic ticket went unpaid, and a bench warrant was issued. That's not uncommon, Richt said, as the busy schedule of classes and football can often cause a player to forget to follow up on such issues.
While Richt is understanding of why the problems can arise, however, he's unwilling to tolerate further excuses.
“I don’t think anybody’s purposely trying to do those things, but if they don’t follow through, that’s another problem," he said. "So all these things can happen and they seem little … but those little things if you don’t handle your responsibilities, then you get bigger problems. That’s part of growing up, that’s part of college, that’s part of what we’re trying to help these guys understand. They’ve got to grow up, be a man, handle your responsibilities so we don’t have to deal with this. But we have got to make sure we’re monitoring these things so we don’t have these things blow up on us.”
RECORD CHASER
As far as the record books go, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is currently tied with former Georgia great Herschel Walker for the SEC’s record for career rushing touchdowns, meaning the much-reviled Gators star could set the mark against Walker’s old team this week. That doesn’t exactly sit well with some of Georgia’s players.
“It seems like everybody is trying to make history on us,” defensive tackle Jeff Owens said, referencing Eric Berry’s attempt to set a record for interceptions against Georgia three weeks ago. “We want to keep him out of the end zone. He’s a tough player, always trying to get that extra yard, so we’ve just got to scratch and claw and try to stop him.”
Tebow has 49 career rushing touchdowns, five of which have come against Georgia. While that officially ties the record, Walker has five additional touchdowns that came in bowl games, which were not counted toward official totals at the time.
Regardless of the caveats, Georgia isn’t interested in seeing Tebow break Walker’s record – officially or unofficially – this week.
“Just knowing the type of player that Herschel was and the type of guy that he is now, we just want to represent for the guys who played before us,” linebacker Rennie Curran said. “That would be huge for us to hold their offense and Tebow and not let them score. We know they like to put the ball in his hands on the goal line so that is going to be our main goal. Not just because it is going to be a record but because as a defense we just want to play our best game.”
Of course, that’s as much a compliment to Tebow as anything. For as much as Georgia’s players hope they can maintain Walker’s record, quarterback Joe Cox admits he has a great deal of respect for Tebow, too.
“He’s unique being such a big, powerful runner,” Cox said. “You see a lot of quarterbacks nowadays that can run, but it’s not like a guy that runs like a fullback. You don’t have a lot of guys that play quarterback that are your goal line back. I think he’s different in that sense. I don’t know how many guys can take that many carries in a conference like this. I don’t know how many you’ll see that are like him. You’ll see a lot of guys that are dual-threat, but guys that can take that many carries and be the goal-line back? I don’t know.”
HAPPY TO BE BACK
Cox is making his first start in a Georgia-Florida game this season, and he’s happy to be doing it in Jacksonville, Fla.
There was a great deal of debate over the future of the game in recent months, but a deal to keep the game in Jacksonville appears imminent, and that’s just the way it should be, Cox said.
“I know there are people that think this game needs to come to Atlanta, but it doesn’t matter because wherever you are, it’s going to be a 50-50 crowd, and it’s always really cool to see it like that,” he said. “Two teams that are big rivals, they get to share the stadium, and it’s one of the best games in college football and it’s always fun to be a part of.”
NEW FACE EARNS PRAISE
Early in the season, Christian Robinson was buried on the depth chart at linebacker. But with injuries to Akeem Dent and Marcus Dowtin, the redshirt freshman has seen significant playing time the past two weeks, and he’s made the most of it.
In the past two games, Robinson has made six tackles – including one for a loss – in reserve duty, and linebackers coach John Jancek said his progress has been impressive.
“Christian has a very bright future here,” Jancek said. “He’s only a freshman, but he’s really caught on to things very well. He’s a dedicated player, he plays very hard. I look for him to continue getting better and better and better. His biggest thing will be his physical development once we end this season.”
EXTRA POINTS
-- Georgia practice in full pads today, a change from its normal schedule following a bye week. The Bulldogs were making up for yesterday’s indoor workout, which was necessitated due to bad weather. The team will practice in shorts Thursday and have a brief walk-through Friday in preparation for Saturday’s game against Florida.
-- Richt said he was not sure who would start at tailback this week but indicated several of Georgia’s five scholarship tailbacks could play. He said, to this point, no one back has emerged that can handle all of Georgia’s playbook to the standards necessary, so different backs will be used for different play calls. Of the backs on the roster, however, Richt said sophomore Caleb King is closest to being a full-time player.
-- Richt still would not comment on a starting lineup for the offensive line, but Clint Boling (LT), Cordy Glenn (LG), Ben Jones (C), Chris Davis (RG) and Josh Davis (RT) handled the first-team reps during the early periods of Wednesday’s practice.
-- Richt said linebacker Akeem Dent went through a full practice today and will be able to play Saturday. Defensive end Kiante Tripp has also been cleared to play after missing most of the season with a neck stinger.
Showing posts with label Vince Vance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vince Vance. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
More Traffic Problems for UGA
Vince Vance is the latest Bulldog to be arrested for driving without a license.
Marc Weiszer reports that there will not be a suspension.
I gotta say... I can't condone that. No, it's not the worst charge in the world. But it's also not the first time Vance has been arrested for it.
Can someone at UGA please arrange a field trip to the DMV?Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Practice Notes: Richt Mum on Jax Deal
One of the offseason’s most controversial topics for debate took another step toward being settled Wednesday when Georgia’s athletics association board of directors approved a recommendation by athletics director Damon Evans to continue negotiations to keep the annual game between the Bulldogs and Florida Gators in Jacksonville, Fla.
The current contract for the game runs through next season, sparking debate that the venue could be changed – either moving it to Atlanta on a permanent basis or alternating between the two cities.
Georgia coach Mark Richt said during the offseason that he felt Florida had a distinct advantage by playing closer to its campus, but after the board’s decision Wednesday, he was taking a more political stance.
“My only focus on that game or any game is just trying to win it, and not really being too concerned about where it’s being played,” Richt said. “So any question that you ask me about the game, that will be my answer. Refer to answer No. 1.”
While negotiations with the city of Jacksonville remain ongoing, Evans endorsed the status quo during a quarterly meeting with the athletics association’s board of directors Wednesday, saying that the current venue offers significant benefits for both the school and the fanbase.
“An extraordinary amount of study has been done on the various options available and a great deal of input has been gathered,” Evans said. “After all the fact-gathering and evaluation of those factors, I’m convinced that moving forward with discussions on extending the contract in Jacksonville is the appropriate way to go.”
In May, Richt told fans at a Bulldog Club meeting that he thought the current set-up was inequitable for Georgia, which has lost 15 of the past 18 matchups with Florida – 16 of which occurred in Jacksonville.
“When people ask me the question, ‘Do you really think (Jacksonville) is a neutral site?’, I say, ‘No, it’s not neutral,’” Richt said at the meeting, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “When you play in the state of Florida every year –- we fly, they drive; it’s hotter for us, it’s cooler for them. It’s played in a stadium that (used to be called) the Gator Bowl. But what the heck? If nothing else, we’ll make Jacksonville pay more to keep it there. . . . I wouldn’t feel bad having a ‘neutral site’ game in Georgia – in the Georgia Dome.”
Richt has since backed off those statements and refused to comment further about the issue.
Meanwhile, Evans said he thought continuing to play the game in Jacksonville would provide significant recognition for Georgia, assist in recruiting and provide a boost to the economy in the southern part of the state.
Richt said he has not had recent conversations with Evans about the issue.
“Not any time in recent times,” Richt said. “There’s been discussions over the years but I’m really more concerned about trying to win the game than where it’s being played.”
KING, SAMUEL TO SEE SPLIT
After Caleb King made a successful return to the playing field following a six-week absence with a hamstring injury and incumbent Richard Samuel fumbled twice in Georgia’s win over Arkansas last week, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said the decision on who would start at tailback was “still yet to be determined.”
Samuel ran for an 80-yard touchdown in the game, but had just 24 yards on his 15 other carries, two of which ended with fumbles. King picked up 59 yards on 11 carries in the game and earned praise for his improved pass blocking.
Bobo said the likely scenario will be that both players will see action early.
“I think it a lot depends on how they’re running the football,” Bobo said. “I think both guys will get equal amount early on and if we feel one guy is hotter than the other, I think we’ll stick with him.”
MURRAY TO REDSHIRT?
Freshman quarterback Aaron Murray is sitting out of practice for the second straight week with triceps tendonitis, and Bobo said that doesn’t bode well for his chances at avoiding a redshirt.
“He’s still not practicing,” Bobo said when asked if Murray would earn a redshirt. “Yeah, I would say so. He hasn’t practice in over two weeks. Right now, he’s not playing.”
Richt was more cautious in his approach, saying that there was still a chance Murray could play this season.
The same is true of several of Georgia’s other freshman who have yet to see playing time, including tailback Washaun Ealey and linebacker Chase Vasser.
“I’m pushing that decision closer to Week 6,” Richt said. “If you had some injury situations or promoted a guy to first or second team and you know he’s going to get considerable reps every game, I think getting him in the last six games is worth it. It might be worth it with just four to go, especially if you’re in contention for an SEC title.”
GETTING SOME REST
Left tackle Vince Vance sat out of Tuesday’s practice with some soreness in his left knee. Vance missed the latter half of last season following ACL surgery on the knee, but Bobo said the recent soreness was nothing to be concerned about.
“It’s just natural for any guy coming off an knee injury to have some soreness, and you’ve got to work through that,” Bobo said. “He practiced (Wednesday) and looked fine.”
Cordy Glenn worked at left tackle during Tuesday’s practice, and Bobo said Glenn worked there for significant snaps during Georgia’s game against Arkansas last week, with Chris Davis subbing in for Glenn at left guard. Bobo said Vance will start this week’s game, however, with Glenn at guard and Davis coming off the bench.
HE’S NO SLOUCH
Like every Wednesday, quarterback Joe Cox didn’t throw a pass during yesterday’s practice. A nerve problem in his throwing shoulder causes pain during many everyday activities, and coaches have decided an extra day of rest could mean a stronger arm on game day.
But despite the reduced role during practice, Cox said he’s hardly taking the day off. While he may not be throwing passes, he said he’s staying involved in everything else that’s happening on the practice field.
“It’s not like I come out there in my street clothes and just watch,” Cox said. “I practice. There are some periods where I’ll still do the pass plays, I just won’t throw. I’ll take my drop and act like I’m going to throw, just won’t throw it. It’s not a day off of practice. It’s just a day off from throwing.”
NO HARM DONE
Georgia’s back-to-back shootout wins have created a renewed round of criticism for defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, whose unit struggled down the stretch last season and has allowed 78 points in the past two games this year.
While the cries for Martinez’s job have worked to galvanize some players, Richt said the ire from fans rarely seeps into the coaches’ offices.
“I think people don’t understand how busy we are,” Richt said. “We are working our tails off. I would guess we are working somewhere around 80 hours a week. We are looking at the next opponent. We are getting prepared for the next game and trying to correct any mistakes that we made in this game, but we are moving forward and constantly doing that. We don’t get too caught up in that kind of thing.”
For his part, Martinez knows the criticism, but he’s not taking it to heart. He admits he needs to have his players better prepared than they have been the past two games, but said his time is best spent coaching rather than addressing the critics.
“I don’t pay attention to it, but obviously it’s not fun playing this kind of defense,” Martinez said. “I’m very happy that we won. … You want to do whatever you can to help the team win, and we want to play better defense. So yeah, we’re not happy about it.”
While Richt isn’t settling for how the defense has performed the past two games, he said it’s far more important that Georgia won the ballgames and that the team hasn’t splintered amid the criticism.
“We are a very, very strong team,” Richt said. “You are not going to see anyone pointing fingers. You are not going to see anyone do anything other than encourage their teammate and their fellow coach. That’s just the way we’ve been operating here for the last nine years and that’s not going to change.”
PASSING FANCY
Georgia’s defense has been stout against the run this season – but perhaps a little too stout.
While the Bulldogs have held opposing tailbacks far below their season averages in each of their three games this season, defensive end Demarcus Dobbs said that the focus on stopping the run has allowed offenses to take advantage through the air.
“Our defense is centered on stopping the run first, but we are so focused on stopping the run that we have to do a better job at converting to pass rush and getting to the quarterback,” Dobbs said.
The excessive focus on the run has left Georgia particularly prone to play-action passes by the offense, and Dobbs said that was a particular problem in recent weeks as South Carolina and Arkansas combined for 721 yards through the air. More than 70 percent of the offensive plays the opposition has run the past two weeks have been passing plays.
“A lot of teams kill us with play action because we’re so zoned into the run,” Dobbs said. “Play action will kill a defense and we have to learn to convert and get into the quarterback’s face, even if it isn’t a sack, but just to alter his throws a little bit so our DBs can make a play.”
That’s an ongoing process, Dobbs said, but it starts with preparation in the film room and at practice.
“It will come with experience and being able to read stats better and studying their offensive line,” Dobbs said. “It just goes by reading stances, reading the way the linemen are blocking, if they’re giving half-effort blocks and heading down the line and not advancing upfield, you should be able to see that with your eyes and convert into a pass rush.”
NO LOVE FOR LOVE
Freshman cornerback Jordan Love has yet to play this season due to a toe injury he originally suffered in high school. While Richt hoped the injury would heal with rest, the answer isn’t quite so clear now.
“He’s not recovering well enough to where he’s close to playing and I still don’t know if this will require some surgery ultimately,” Richt said. “We’re trying to get it to where he could play this season, but as time’s rolling on it may take a repair to get him right.”
EXTRA POINTS
Richt said linebacker Darius Dewberry would likely return to action this week after missing the past two games. Akeem Dent, who missed action during the preseason with a sore hamstring and sat out last week’s win over Arkansas, is unlikely to play this week, Richt said.
The current contract for the game runs through next season, sparking debate that the venue could be changed – either moving it to Atlanta on a permanent basis or alternating between the two cities.
Georgia coach Mark Richt said during the offseason that he felt Florida had a distinct advantage by playing closer to its campus, but after the board’s decision Wednesday, he was taking a more political stance.
“My only focus on that game or any game is just trying to win it, and not really being too concerned about where it’s being played,” Richt said. “So any question that you ask me about the game, that will be my answer. Refer to answer No. 1.”
While negotiations with the city of Jacksonville remain ongoing, Evans endorsed the status quo during a quarterly meeting with the athletics association’s board of directors Wednesday, saying that the current venue offers significant benefits for both the school and the fanbase.
“An extraordinary amount of study has been done on the various options available and a great deal of input has been gathered,” Evans said. “After all the fact-gathering and evaluation of those factors, I’m convinced that moving forward with discussions on extending the contract in Jacksonville is the appropriate way to go.”
In May, Richt told fans at a Bulldog Club meeting that he thought the current set-up was inequitable for Georgia, which has lost 15 of the past 18 matchups with Florida – 16 of which occurred in Jacksonville.
“When people ask me the question, ‘Do you really think (Jacksonville) is a neutral site?’, I say, ‘No, it’s not neutral,’” Richt said at the meeting, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “When you play in the state of Florida every year –- we fly, they drive; it’s hotter for us, it’s cooler for them. It’s played in a stadium that (used to be called) the Gator Bowl. But what the heck? If nothing else, we’ll make Jacksonville pay more to keep it there. . . . I wouldn’t feel bad having a ‘neutral site’ game in Georgia – in the Georgia Dome.”
Richt has since backed off those statements and refused to comment further about the issue.
Meanwhile, Evans said he thought continuing to play the game in Jacksonville would provide significant recognition for Georgia, assist in recruiting and provide a boost to the economy in the southern part of the state.
Richt said he has not had recent conversations with Evans about the issue.
“Not any time in recent times,” Richt said. “There’s been discussions over the years but I’m really more concerned about trying to win the game than where it’s being played.”
KING, SAMUEL TO SEE SPLIT
After Caleb King made a successful return to the playing field following a six-week absence with a hamstring injury and incumbent Richard Samuel fumbled twice in Georgia’s win over Arkansas last week, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said the decision on who would start at tailback was “still yet to be determined.”
Samuel ran for an 80-yard touchdown in the game, but had just 24 yards on his 15 other carries, two of which ended with fumbles. King picked up 59 yards on 11 carries in the game and earned praise for his improved pass blocking.
Bobo said the likely scenario will be that both players will see action early.
“I think it a lot depends on how they’re running the football,” Bobo said. “I think both guys will get equal amount early on and if we feel one guy is hotter than the other, I think we’ll stick with him.”
MURRAY TO REDSHIRT?
Freshman quarterback Aaron Murray is sitting out of practice for the second straight week with triceps tendonitis, and Bobo said that doesn’t bode well for his chances at avoiding a redshirt.
“He’s still not practicing,” Bobo said when asked if Murray would earn a redshirt. “Yeah, I would say so. He hasn’t practice in over two weeks. Right now, he’s not playing.”
Richt was more cautious in his approach, saying that there was still a chance Murray could play this season.
The same is true of several of Georgia’s other freshman who have yet to see playing time, including tailback Washaun Ealey and linebacker Chase Vasser.
“I’m pushing that decision closer to Week 6,” Richt said. “If you had some injury situations or promoted a guy to first or second team and you know he’s going to get considerable reps every game, I think getting him in the last six games is worth it. It might be worth it with just four to go, especially if you’re in contention for an SEC title.”
GETTING SOME REST
Left tackle Vince Vance sat out of Tuesday’s practice with some soreness in his left knee. Vance missed the latter half of last season following ACL surgery on the knee, but Bobo said the recent soreness was nothing to be concerned about.
“It’s just natural for any guy coming off an knee injury to have some soreness, and you’ve got to work through that,” Bobo said. “He practiced (Wednesday) and looked fine.”
Cordy Glenn worked at left tackle during Tuesday’s practice, and Bobo said Glenn worked there for significant snaps during Georgia’s game against Arkansas last week, with Chris Davis subbing in for Glenn at left guard. Bobo said Vance will start this week’s game, however, with Glenn at guard and Davis coming off the bench.
HE’S NO SLOUCH
Like every Wednesday, quarterback Joe Cox didn’t throw a pass during yesterday’s practice. A nerve problem in his throwing shoulder causes pain during many everyday activities, and coaches have decided an extra day of rest could mean a stronger arm on game day.
But despite the reduced role during practice, Cox said he’s hardly taking the day off. While he may not be throwing passes, he said he’s staying involved in everything else that’s happening on the practice field.
“It’s not like I come out there in my street clothes and just watch,” Cox said. “I practice. There are some periods where I’ll still do the pass plays, I just won’t throw. I’ll take my drop and act like I’m going to throw, just won’t throw it. It’s not a day off of practice. It’s just a day off from throwing.”
NO HARM DONE
Georgia’s back-to-back shootout wins have created a renewed round of criticism for defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, whose unit struggled down the stretch last season and has allowed 78 points in the past two games this year.
While the cries for Martinez’s job have worked to galvanize some players, Richt said the ire from fans rarely seeps into the coaches’ offices.
“I think people don’t understand how busy we are,” Richt said. “We are working our tails off. I would guess we are working somewhere around 80 hours a week. We are looking at the next opponent. We are getting prepared for the next game and trying to correct any mistakes that we made in this game, but we are moving forward and constantly doing that. We don’t get too caught up in that kind of thing.”
For his part, Martinez knows the criticism, but he’s not taking it to heart. He admits he needs to have his players better prepared than they have been the past two games, but said his time is best spent coaching rather than addressing the critics.
“I don’t pay attention to it, but obviously it’s not fun playing this kind of defense,” Martinez said. “I’m very happy that we won. … You want to do whatever you can to help the team win, and we want to play better defense. So yeah, we’re not happy about it.”
While Richt isn’t settling for how the defense has performed the past two games, he said it’s far more important that Georgia won the ballgames and that the team hasn’t splintered amid the criticism.
“We are a very, very strong team,” Richt said. “You are not going to see anyone pointing fingers. You are not going to see anyone do anything other than encourage their teammate and their fellow coach. That’s just the way we’ve been operating here for the last nine years and that’s not going to change.”
PASSING FANCY
Georgia’s defense has been stout against the run this season – but perhaps a little too stout.
While the Bulldogs have held opposing tailbacks far below their season averages in each of their three games this season, defensive end Demarcus Dobbs said that the focus on stopping the run has allowed offenses to take advantage through the air.
“Our defense is centered on stopping the run first, but we are so focused on stopping the run that we have to do a better job at converting to pass rush and getting to the quarterback,” Dobbs said.
The excessive focus on the run has left Georgia particularly prone to play-action passes by the offense, and Dobbs said that was a particular problem in recent weeks as South Carolina and Arkansas combined for 721 yards through the air. More than 70 percent of the offensive plays the opposition has run the past two weeks have been passing plays.
“A lot of teams kill us with play action because we’re so zoned into the run,” Dobbs said. “Play action will kill a defense and we have to learn to convert and get into the quarterback’s face, even if it isn’t a sack, but just to alter his throws a little bit so our DBs can make a play.”
That’s an ongoing process, Dobbs said, but it starts with preparation in the film room and at practice.
“It will come with experience and being able to read stats better and studying their offensive line,” Dobbs said. “It just goes by reading stances, reading the way the linemen are blocking, if they’re giving half-effort blocks and heading down the line and not advancing upfield, you should be able to see that with your eyes and convert into a pass rush.”
NO LOVE FOR LOVE
Freshman cornerback Jordan Love has yet to play this season due to a toe injury he originally suffered in high school. While Richt hoped the injury would heal with rest, the answer isn’t quite so clear now.
“He’s not recovering well enough to where he’s close to playing and I still don’t know if this will require some surgery ultimately,” Richt said. “We’re trying to get it to where he could play this season, but as time’s rolling on it may take a repair to get him right.”
EXTRA POINTS
Richt said linebacker Darius Dewberry would likely return to action this week after missing the past two games. Akeem Dent, who missed action during the preseason with a sore hamstring and sat out last week’s win over Arkansas, is unlikely to play this week, Richt said.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Practice Notes: Questions Remain on King's Status
It’s been a roller-coaster ride for tailback Caleb King the past few days, and that’s probably been the most painful part of his month-long hiatus from football.
On Saturday, he watched Georgia play Oklahoma State, sitting alone in his room. Sunday, he returned to practice and for the first time in weeks, he felt pretty good. By Tuesday, however, his practice was cut short once again, and his prospects for playing against South Carolina this Saturday took a hit.
“We saw him Sunday and for what we asked him to do that day, he ran around well,” head coach Mark Richt said. “Then we got into a full pads day and added more periods, the hamstring fatigued faster than it normally would, and we pulled him out. I would say it’s not a slam dunk at this point.”
King did some light work during individual workouts Wednesday and practiced during scout-team work, but he said he’s still not sure whether he has any chance of playing in Georgia’s home opener Saturday.
“I honestly don’t know,” King said. “If they don’t think I’m 110 percent, I know they’re not going to play me at all. So if I don’t, I’m not going to play at all, and if I do, I’ll play a lot.”
King said his hamstring is feeling much better, but the muscle fatigues much faster than normal due to his extended absence from the playing field and said coaches could decide to rest him another week to allow him time to build up the strength again.
That’s OK with him, King said, but he would just like to know an answer one way or the other.
“It’s frustrating, but it’s more frustrating because I don’t know what they’re going to do with me,” he said. “But it’s all right. I’ll play if I have to play, but if I don’t, I’ll sit down and wait ‘til next week.”
Richt said it will likely be after today’s practice that coaches will make a final decision on King’s availability.
DON’T BLAME THE FRESHMAN
Freshman kick returner Branden Smith took some heat from fans for twice deciding to return kicks from deep in his own end zone, but Tony Ball said it wasn’t Smith’s decision.
“It’s on (Shaun) Chapas,” Ball said. “The returner can sometimes get disoriented trying to field that type of kick, especially a young player like Branden. And I told (Chapas) if you have to, you go in the end zone and grab him and don’t let him come out. Those are the trials and tribulations, but they’re not issues that can’t be fixed.”
Chapas, who works as the upback, was told to make the decision on whether to return the kick or take a knee in the end zone for a touchback, but the angle of the kick made the choice difficult.
“My initial thought was Chapas should have kept him in the end zone,” Ball said. “After asking Chapas about it, he felt like it being a line-drive kick, that threw things off. There was some dynamics there where he had to make some decisions, but Chapas has done it for a couple of years, so I trust him.
NEW LOOK ON O LINE
Georgia’s offensive line will have a different look to it in the Bulldogs’ second outing of the season, and it won’t be just because starting left tackle Trinton Sturdivant is out for the season following an ACL injury.
Justin Anderson will get the starting nod at right guard this week over incumbent Chris Davis, who Richt said lacks the size to create a favorable matchup against South Carolina’s hefty defensive front.
“The guys we’re playing are big men, and (Anderson) has just got more girth to him,” Richt said. “Chris, I’m sure, will end up playing, but you get two big guards in there when you play a team that’s mostly a four-man front, usually they cover your guards and you want to get some big men in there to hold up against them.”
Senior Vince Vance will step in at left tackle for Sturdivant, who tore his ACL for the second time in as many years during the second half of Georgia’s opener against Oklahoma State.
Vance filled in for about 25 snaps against the Cowboys, and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said he turned in a strong performance.
“He did good,” Bobo said. “He played with energy and didn’t have hardly any missed assignments which is what we expect from Vince.”
NO HARM DONE
Both Richt and Bobo offered some minor criticisms of the offensive line’s performance against Oklahoma State, but Richt said he didn’t think any problems were a result of ankle injuries suffered by Davis and center Ben Jones late in preseason practice.
“I can’t say they feel great, but they weren’t limping around as they prepared in practice,” Richt said. “They did miss some work, some of those opportunities to just kind of get in the groove, but I don’t think the pain from the injuries caused any change of their ability to do their job.”
EALEY STILL IN THE MIX
With King potentially missing another week of action, Richt said he hasn’t ruled out using freshman tailback Washaun Ealey – both at running back and on special teams.
The problem, Richt said, is that due to an early elbow injury during fall camp, Ealey is still behind in terms of how much progress the coaching staff had hoped to see.
“If you have some cumulative reps and you miss some time, that’s one thing,” Richt said. “But if you’re not there to learn it from scratch, it’s hard to throw them into the middle of a game plan and say, ‘Go do it,’ when he doesn’t even have the basics down.”
Despite being a bit behind on the learning curve, however, Richt said Ealey has remained in the mix during practice and could still see action – if not against South Carolina, potentially down the road.
“We are still trying to incorporate him in those areas, and we’re still getting him reps to try to keep him greased up and keep his mind in it,” Richt said.
DURHAM BACK AT WORK
Senior receiver Kris Durham, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery during the offseason, returned to receiving drills Wednesday for the first time.
Durham was kept out of any competitive situations, Richt said, but he got work in catching passes, which was an important benchmark.
“It’s encouraging and certainly he’s excited about it,” Ball said. “And it’s always good to have Kris around.”
CLOSER INSPECTION
After watching the film, Joe Cox said it was obvious he held the ball too long on too many snaps against Oklahoma State, a problem that led to a number of incompletions.
The problem, he said, was he started overthinking the situation, but when he takes the field against South Carolina, he’s promising a back-to-basics approach to making his reads.
“When you start looking around, you start getting your eyes in the wrong spot, you start worrying about too much,” Cox said. “It’s almost over-analyzing what’s going on. So that’s what I felt was happening with me, but it’s something where you just go back to your basic reads and fundamentals and work on timing.”
WHO’S TO BLAME?
When Richt addressed the media on Tuesday, his analysis of Georgia’s shortcomings against Oklahoma State was a fairly harsh critique of his offense. In short, he said the intensity was lacking.
“We didn’t play with speed and finish blocks like we should,” he said. “We just need that little extra effort on each play to block a little bit longer or create a little bit more space, and that can make all the difference in the world between a guy getting tripped up and a guy going to the house. I don’t want to cause any kind of panic, because it’s not that at all, but we want to see a little more fire coming out of them.”
Upon further review, however, Richt decided his comments might have been a bit too severe.
He said he watched the game film once more Tuesday evening and came to the conclusion that the shortcomings weren’t quite as problematic as they appeared at first blush.
“It really wasn’t so much up front, it was some perimeter blocking issues, some backs needing to continue running their feet or place their hat in a better spot,” Richt said. “We ran some outside plays and were getting hats on everybody and fit up on them pretty good, but just didn’t sustain long enough.”
TO PLAY OR NOT TO PLAY
Logan Gray figured to see some action against Oklahoma State, but as it turned out he was in on just one offensive play – a designed run for a short gain.
After the offense struggled to just 10 points, however, a vocal contingent of fans was hoping to see a bit more of the backup quarterback in Georgia’s next game.
That could be the case, Richt said, but nothing’s guaranteed.
“He can run our system, and we had planned to get him in the game mostly in the red-zone area,” Richt said. “We did get him in there one time, but unfortunately we didn’t get in the red zone very often. Right now, Joe’s definitely the No. 1 guy, and we’ll see if and when Logan will get in there.”
ONGOING BATTLE
Brandon Bogotay was brought in this offseason to provide competition on kickoffs for sophomore Blair Walsh, but it was the incumbent who earned the job again.
Richt said Walsh's consistency, hangtime and accuracy landed him the job, but he hasn't ruled out the possibility that Bogotay could still win the job down the road.
“It was very, very close," Richt said of the competition. "It wasn’t like Bogotay did poorly. In my opinion, they both kicked it good enough to win the job, and Bogotay’s not done by any stretch.”
IT’S NO BEAUTY PAGEANT
The history of the Georgia-South Carolina series suggests there won’t be many points scored Saturday. So despite his offense struggling badly in its first game of the season, Richt said a low-scoring affair wouldn’t be more cause for concern.
“All I’m worried about is winning the game,” Richt said. “I appreciate the victory and not the style points.”
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
From Georgia receiver A.J. Green on what this week’s game means: “Losing that last one last week, I just want a victory to get this feeling out of my stomach and get a victory under my belt.”
On Saturday, he watched Georgia play Oklahoma State, sitting alone in his room. Sunday, he returned to practice and for the first time in weeks, he felt pretty good. By Tuesday, however, his practice was cut short once again, and his prospects for playing against South Carolina this Saturday took a hit.
“We saw him Sunday and for what we asked him to do that day, he ran around well,” head coach Mark Richt said. “Then we got into a full pads day and added more periods, the hamstring fatigued faster than it normally would, and we pulled him out. I would say it’s not a slam dunk at this point.”
King did some light work during individual workouts Wednesday and practiced during scout-team work, but he said he’s still not sure whether he has any chance of playing in Georgia’s home opener Saturday.
“I honestly don’t know,” King said. “If they don’t think I’m 110 percent, I know they’re not going to play me at all. So if I don’t, I’m not going to play at all, and if I do, I’ll play a lot.”
King said his hamstring is feeling much better, but the muscle fatigues much faster than normal due to his extended absence from the playing field and said coaches could decide to rest him another week to allow him time to build up the strength again.
That’s OK with him, King said, but he would just like to know an answer one way or the other.
“It’s frustrating, but it’s more frustrating because I don’t know what they’re going to do with me,” he said. “But it’s all right. I’ll play if I have to play, but if I don’t, I’ll sit down and wait ‘til next week.”
Richt said it will likely be after today’s practice that coaches will make a final decision on King’s availability.
DON’T BLAME THE FRESHMAN
Freshman kick returner Branden Smith took some heat from fans for twice deciding to return kicks from deep in his own end zone, but Tony Ball said it wasn’t Smith’s decision.
“It’s on (Shaun) Chapas,” Ball said. “The returner can sometimes get disoriented trying to field that type of kick, especially a young player like Branden. And I told (Chapas) if you have to, you go in the end zone and grab him and don’t let him come out. Those are the trials and tribulations, but they’re not issues that can’t be fixed.”
Chapas, who works as the upback, was told to make the decision on whether to return the kick or take a knee in the end zone for a touchback, but the angle of the kick made the choice difficult.
“My initial thought was Chapas should have kept him in the end zone,” Ball said. “After asking Chapas about it, he felt like it being a line-drive kick, that threw things off. There was some dynamics there where he had to make some decisions, but Chapas has done it for a couple of years, so I trust him.
NEW LOOK ON O LINE
Georgia’s offensive line will have a different look to it in the Bulldogs’ second outing of the season, and it won’t be just because starting left tackle Trinton Sturdivant is out for the season following an ACL injury.
Justin Anderson will get the starting nod at right guard this week over incumbent Chris Davis, who Richt said lacks the size to create a favorable matchup against South Carolina’s hefty defensive front.
“The guys we’re playing are big men, and (Anderson) has just got more girth to him,” Richt said. “Chris, I’m sure, will end up playing, but you get two big guards in there when you play a team that’s mostly a four-man front, usually they cover your guards and you want to get some big men in there to hold up against them.”
Senior Vince Vance will step in at left tackle for Sturdivant, who tore his ACL for the second time in as many years during the second half of Georgia’s opener against Oklahoma State.
Vance filled in for about 25 snaps against the Cowboys, and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said he turned in a strong performance.
“He did good,” Bobo said. “He played with energy and didn’t have hardly any missed assignments which is what we expect from Vince.”
NO HARM DONE
Both Richt and Bobo offered some minor criticisms of the offensive line’s performance against Oklahoma State, but Richt said he didn’t think any problems were a result of ankle injuries suffered by Davis and center Ben Jones late in preseason practice.
“I can’t say they feel great, but they weren’t limping around as they prepared in practice,” Richt said. “They did miss some work, some of those opportunities to just kind of get in the groove, but I don’t think the pain from the injuries caused any change of their ability to do their job.”
EALEY STILL IN THE MIX
With King potentially missing another week of action, Richt said he hasn’t ruled out using freshman tailback Washaun Ealey – both at running back and on special teams.
The problem, Richt said, is that due to an early elbow injury during fall camp, Ealey is still behind in terms of how much progress the coaching staff had hoped to see.
“If you have some cumulative reps and you miss some time, that’s one thing,” Richt said. “But if you’re not there to learn it from scratch, it’s hard to throw them into the middle of a game plan and say, ‘Go do it,’ when he doesn’t even have the basics down.”
Despite being a bit behind on the learning curve, however, Richt said Ealey has remained in the mix during practice and could still see action – if not against South Carolina, potentially down the road.
“We are still trying to incorporate him in those areas, and we’re still getting him reps to try to keep him greased up and keep his mind in it,” Richt said.
DURHAM BACK AT WORK
Senior receiver Kris Durham, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery during the offseason, returned to receiving drills Wednesday for the first time.
Durham was kept out of any competitive situations, Richt said, but he got work in catching passes, which was an important benchmark.
“It’s encouraging and certainly he’s excited about it,” Ball said. “And it’s always good to have Kris around.”
CLOSER INSPECTION
After watching the film, Joe Cox said it was obvious he held the ball too long on too many snaps against Oklahoma State, a problem that led to a number of incompletions.
The problem, he said, was he started overthinking the situation, but when he takes the field against South Carolina, he’s promising a back-to-basics approach to making his reads.
“When you start looking around, you start getting your eyes in the wrong spot, you start worrying about too much,” Cox said. “It’s almost over-analyzing what’s going on. So that’s what I felt was happening with me, but it’s something where you just go back to your basic reads and fundamentals and work on timing.”
WHO’S TO BLAME?
When Richt addressed the media on Tuesday, his analysis of Georgia’s shortcomings against Oklahoma State was a fairly harsh critique of his offense. In short, he said the intensity was lacking.
“We didn’t play with speed and finish blocks like we should,” he said. “We just need that little extra effort on each play to block a little bit longer or create a little bit more space, and that can make all the difference in the world between a guy getting tripped up and a guy going to the house. I don’t want to cause any kind of panic, because it’s not that at all, but we want to see a little more fire coming out of them.”
Upon further review, however, Richt decided his comments might have been a bit too severe.
He said he watched the game film once more Tuesday evening and came to the conclusion that the shortcomings weren’t quite as problematic as they appeared at first blush.
“It really wasn’t so much up front, it was some perimeter blocking issues, some backs needing to continue running their feet or place their hat in a better spot,” Richt said. “We ran some outside plays and were getting hats on everybody and fit up on them pretty good, but just didn’t sustain long enough.”
TO PLAY OR NOT TO PLAY
Logan Gray figured to see some action against Oklahoma State, but as it turned out he was in on just one offensive play – a designed run for a short gain.
After the offense struggled to just 10 points, however, a vocal contingent of fans was hoping to see a bit more of the backup quarterback in Georgia’s next game.
That could be the case, Richt said, but nothing’s guaranteed.
“He can run our system, and we had planned to get him in the game mostly in the red-zone area,” Richt said. “We did get him in there one time, but unfortunately we didn’t get in the red zone very often. Right now, Joe’s definitely the No. 1 guy, and we’ll see if and when Logan will get in there.”
ONGOING BATTLE
Brandon Bogotay was brought in this offseason to provide competition on kickoffs for sophomore Blair Walsh, but it was the incumbent who earned the job again.
Richt said Walsh's consistency, hangtime and accuracy landed him the job, but he hasn't ruled out the possibility that Bogotay could still win the job down the road.
“It was very, very close," Richt said of the competition. "It wasn’t like Bogotay did poorly. In my opinion, they both kicked it good enough to win the job, and Bogotay’s not done by any stretch.”
IT’S NO BEAUTY PAGEANT
The history of the Georgia-South Carolina series suggests there won’t be many points scored Saturday. So despite his offense struggling badly in its first game of the season, Richt said a low-scoring affair wouldn’t be more cause for concern.
“All I’m worried about is winning the game,” Richt said. “I appreciate the victory and not the style points.”
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
From Georgia receiver A.J. Green on what this week’s game means: “Losing that last one last week, I just want a victory to get this feeling out of my stomach and get a victory under my belt.”
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Practice Notes: Offense Moves Forward Without Jones
Ben Jones made an appearance at practice Thursday, but it was Chris Davis and Kevin Perez taking all the reps at center for Georgia.
Jones sprained his left ankle during Wednesday's practice and coaches said his return remains a day-to-day decision. Meanwhile, Georgia's offense is already moving forward without him.
"You hate to see anybody go down," quarterback Joe Cox said. "Everybody was pretty worried at first, but people get hurt in football. We've just got to move on for now, and hopefully he's back in time to play."
Asked whether that meant in time to play Oklahoma State, Cox pleaded ignorance – a refrain repeated by right tackle Clint Boling, who said Jones remained in high spirits despite the injury.
"He's a tough kid," Boling said. "It definitely hurts him not being out there, but I'm sure he'll get back out there as soon as he can, and we'll be ready to have him back, too."
Head coach Mark Richt declined comment on the injury Wednesday and skipped his normal post-practice media session Thursday in order to attend his son's football game.
While the timetable for Jones' return remains vague, Boling said the important point is that the sophomore center will be back eventually, which is a big departure from the season-ending injuries suffered by two of Georgia's starters on the line last season.
"That's the last thing anybody wants is to have anything like last year with that many guys getting hurt," Boling said.
STAYING POSITIVE
Caleb King has made a point of ducking reporters since injuring his hamstring last week, but fellow tailback Carlton Thomas said it's not because King is sulking.
Despite being forced to the sideline in the middle of an intense competition for playing time at tailback, King has kept a positive attitude throughout the process, Thomas said.
"He's been very positive in practice every day," Thomas said. "He's come in in the morning to rehab, just trying to get ready. You never see him down, even though there's probably a time when he's down because he wants to compete. But he's doing everything he can to get back and be ready for Oklahoma State."
While King is missing crucial chances to perform before a final depth chart is set for Georgia's opener, Thomas said he thinks King's attitude on the sideline has impressed coaches as much as anything he could have done on the field.
"It is a big test," Thomas said. "It's a test for anybody who has an injury this close to playing time. It's going to test you mentally, so I feel like if he overcomes it, he's going to have a lot of success."
A HELPING HAND
Adjusting to college football and memorizing a playbook is no easy task, but freshmen receivers Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten said the process has been made a lot smoother thanks to the leadership of their quarterback.
"He's been a great help," Brown said of Cox, a fifth-year senior. "He's been going over the playbook with me whenever we're free. It's a blessing because he knows everything."
While Wooten has worked tirelessly to grasp the intricacies of the playbook, he said he has been amazed at Cox's knowledge of the offense – not just at quarterback, but for every position.
"He'll teach me different releases, spinning, all that different kind of stuff," Wooten said. "He's a great teacher, a great leader. He's teaching me all the right things."
For his part, Cox isn't taking much credit for his receivers' development. He said he has made a point of offering tips when needed, but said Michael Moore and A.J. Green have been the real mentors for the young wideouts.
Regardless of who has done the bulk of the teaching, the lessons appear to be paying off, Cox said.
"When you come in as a freshman at any position, you get to a point where your head starts spinning, and then you start coming out of it," Cox said. "I think they're definitely out of that fog now, and they're starting to recognize things quicker and run the right routes. They're coming along nicely."
UNTIMELY VACATION
Georgia president Michael Adams announced the dates for the university's mandatory furlough days Wednesday, and the off time isn't well suited to the football staff, who are being forced to take time off along with faculty and staff.
All university employees will be forced to take off Oct. 30, Nov. 25 and Dec. 24 this year – which would mean Richt and his staff would be on vacation the day before Georgia takes on Florida and three days before the Bulldogs travel to Georgia Tech.
Georgia's sports information department confirmed that the football staff will comply with the furloughs, but there will be an appeals process available to request different days from the ones Adams announced Thursday. The caveat, as reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is that the days must still occur during October and November, meaning coaches must take time away during the height of football season.
While the details are still being ironed out, Boling said he had his doubts that his rather intense line coach, Stacy Searels, would really be able to step away at such a crucial time.
"I wish," Boling said, "but I don't think it's going to happen."
(NOTE: You can read Tim Tucker's excellent recap of the situation HERE.)
CATCHING ON
The platitudes for freshman tight end Orson Charles have come pretty regularly from players, but the general consensus was that his skills were still fairly raw.
No doubt, the tight end still has some work to do, but Cox said the finer points aren't too far off.
"He's always been a good route runner," Cox said. "Now it's just fine-tuning certain routes, and I think he's gotten better every day. He's been working on his blocking a lot and done a good job getting better."
SOUNDS PAINFUL
Richt wasn't around to comment on today's practice, and no assistant coaches were made available. But thanks to the beauty of social networking, there is a bit of insight into today's workouts, courtesy of Jeff Owens' Twitter page.
"Today's practice was one of the hardest practices in four years," Owens wrote, then followed with, "Just stitting in the training room icying (sic) my knee. The coaches tried to kill us today."
BUT HOW ARE YOU?
Boling answered plenty of questions about Jones' injury -- OK, maybe answered is a strong term -- but he was quick to put an end to any concern about his own sore wrist.
Boling injured his wrist during a practice last week when he collided with a player's helmet. He has had the wrist wrapped since then, but he said it hasn't slowed him any.
"It's fine, it was nothing serious," Boling said. "I just kind of wrapped it up and go. It was no big deal at all."
HEALTHY AS CAN BE
Vince Vance managed to get in some work with the first team offensive line with Jones out, and Boling said the senior has looked strong in his return from an ACL injury.
Vance was the team's starting guard before moving to left tackle four games into the season. One month later, however, he tore his ACL and joined teammate Trinton Sturdivant, who suffered a similar injury last August, in the trainer's room.
"He's been fine physically," Boling said of Vance. "Trinton hurt his a little bit earlier, but they both really look the same physically. They both have been full speed in practice the whole time, and there haven't really been any setbacks."
QUIET POKES
This time it's a team Georgia's playing that is having a blackout.
Oklahoma State isn't planning to don the black uni's, but the team has instituted a media blackout, apparently due in part to coach Mike Gundy's annoyance at the constant questions about the health of his quarterback, Zac Robinson.
Tuesday was the last day Gundy or any players met with the media, and Wednesday a blanket "no comment" was issued to all reporters. Players, coaches and Gundy will all be taking a vow of silence until the Monday before the season opener.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Practice Notes: Geathers Makes the Grade
It took a little longer than expected, but Georgia's 2009 freshman class is finally complete.
Head coach Mark Richt confirmed Thursday that lineman Kwame Geathers was cleared by the NCAA and will be on campus when Georgia holds its fourth day of fall practice today.
Richt said he was informed Tuesday morning of the decision, but Geathers still won't be a full participant in the Bulldogs' practice sessions for a few more days. The NCAA mandates that players are given five days of acclimation time before participating in contact drills, which means Geathers will be in shorts today when his teammates are in shoulder pads, and he'll still be in shoulder pads when the team holds its first full-contact practice Monday.
Geathers brother, Robert, played at Georgia and is currently a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, and his uncle, James, played 13 years in the NFL as well, so Richt said he's confident Kwame Geathers will be in good shape upon arrival.
"He comes from a family that has a lot of football players," Richt said. "They know how to work."
DOWN AND OUT
Safety Reshad Jones injured his hamstring Wednesday and was held out of Thursday's practice. Although the injury is not serious, Richt said Jones will miss some time.
"It's too bad because he was really practicing well and leading," Richt said. "He'll be healthy enough by the time the season starts and he has enough quality reps and playing time that I don't think it will be a huge deal, but he quite frankly had a lot of positive momentum coming into this camp."
Quintin Banks took reps with the first team in place of Jones on Thursday, with Baccari Rambo and Sanders Commings working with the second team.
SHOWING IMPROVEMENT
With Justin Houston suspended for two games and nearly every one of Georgia's other defensive ends coming off an injury, the start of fall practice figured to be rough at the position. Instead, Richt said the defensive ends have been among the most impressive groups in camp.
"(Demarcus) Dobbs is in great shape, (Rod) Battle's in great shape, Cornelius Washington, we're getting a chance to see him do some things," Richt said. "I see a lot of good."
BACK AND FORTH
Sophomore Nick Williams arrived as a safety, moved to linebacker midway through the season last year, then was switched back to safety this offseason when John Knox transferred. The changes didn't end there, however, and Williams is back to weakside linebacker yet again.
The change during the offseason was made to strengthen the numbers among the safeties, but now that Georgia's freshmen have arrived on campus, Richt said the coaches made the decision to move Williams where they thought he would have the biggest impact.
"You want as much speed on the field as you possibly can," Richt said. "We feel like he's one of the guys that's going to make an impact for us, and right now we're trying to find where he's best going to be able to do that. I don't want to give away too much of the game plan, but we think he can help us there."
MOVIN' ON UP
Richt wasn't sure how much Chris Davis would be able to practice before the team took the field for its first practice Tuesday afternoon, but by the end of the day, the junior offensive lineman was back with the first team.
Davis started all 13 games last year, but underwent hip surgery during the offseason and was slow to recover. After three days of practice, however, Richt said Davis is doing much better.
"I don't think it feels great, but he played with it last year, and he says its better than it was a year ago," Richt said. "He's fighting through it, and it doesn't seem to be slowing him down."
Davis joins Trinton Sturdivant, Ben Jones, Cordy Glenn and Clint Boling with the first-team offensive line, bumping senior Vince Vance to the second team. Vance is coming off ACL surgery, and while his knee is close to 100 percent, Richt said he still has a ways to go in terms of conditioning and mentally preparing for the grueling pace line coach Stacy Searels insists upon.
"Coach Searels has a way of getting guys to practice a certain way, and it takes a while to get there," Richt said. "I think he was at that point before he got hurt, but he was away from it a while, and now he's got to get back into that mode."
ODDS AND ENDS
-- Darryl Gamble recovered a fumble Thursday, marking the third straight practice in which he has come up with a turnover. "He's just making plays," Richt said.
-- The buzzword all offseason has been leadership, and while that has come naturally to a lot of Georgia's veterans, Richt has been particularly pleased with one senior who has had to work a bit harder at become a vocal leader. "Prince Miller has probably done one of the best jobs of getting out of his comfort zone and becoming more of a vocal leader."
-- Richt on who has impressed so far:
"It's so great to have Geno (Atkins), Jeffrey (Owens) and Kade (Weston) inside. Those three seniors know the ropes and they're doing a great job."
"A.J. Green, he just makes plays every day. A.J. is practicing very well."
"I do like how our running backs seem to be very focused and are competing very hard. I think they truly believe it is a wide-open competition, which it is."
-- Freshman tight end Arthur Lynch has been working as the long snapper on special teams for the past three days. Richt said Lynch is likely the third man on the depth chart at the position. Ty Frix is considered the front-runner for the job.
-- Logan Gray got another vote of confidence from his head coach, but Richt isn't setting anything regarding the No. 2 QB job in stone just yet. "I like how Logan's practicing. Today, in my opinion, he's still a very solid No. 2, but we'll continue to rep everybody and see."
Head coach Mark Richt confirmed Thursday that lineman Kwame Geathers was cleared by the NCAA and will be on campus when Georgia holds its fourth day of fall practice today.
Richt said he was informed Tuesday morning of the decision, but Geathers still won't be a full participant in the Bulldogs' practice sessions for a few more days. The NCAA mandates that players are given five days of acclimation time before participating in contact drills, which means Geathers will be in shorts today when his teammates are in shoulder pads, and he'll still be in shoulder pads when the team holds its first full-contact practice Monday.
Geathers brother, Robert, played at Georgia and is currently a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, and his uncle, James, played 13 years in the NFL as well, so Richt said he's confident Kwame Geathers will be in good shape upon arrival.
"He comes from a family that has a lot of football players," Richt said. "They know how to work."
DOWN AND OUT
Safety Reshad Jones injured his hamstring Wednesday and was held out of Thursday's practice. Although the injury is not serious, Richt said Jones will miss some time.
"It's too bad because he was really practicing well and leading," Richt said. "He'll be healthy enough by the time the season starts and he has enough quality reps and playing time that I don't think it will be a huge deal, but he quite frankly had a lot of positive momentum coming into this camp."
Quintin Banks took reps with the first team in place of Jones on Thursday, with Baccari Rambo and Sanders Commings working with the second team.
SHOWING IMPROVEMENT
With Justin Houston suspended for two games and nearly every one of Georgia's other defensive ends coming off an injury, the start of fall practice figured to be rough at the position. Instead, Richt said the defensive ends have been among the most impressive groups in camp.
"(Demarcus) Dobbs is in great shape, (Rod) Battle's in great shape, Cornelius Washington, we're getting a chance to see him do some things," Richt said. "I see a lot of good."
BACK AND FORTH
Sophomore Nick Williams arrived as a safety, moved to linebacker midway through the season last year, then was switched back to safety this offseason when John Knox transferred. The changes didn't end there, however, and Williams is back to weakside linebacker yet again.
The change during the offseason was made to strengthen the numbers among the safeties, but now that Georgia's freshmen have arrived on campus, Richt said the coaches made the decision to move Williams where they thought he would have the biggest impact.
"You want as much speed on the field as you possibly can," Richt said. "We feel like he's one of the guys that's going to make an impact for us, and right now we're trying to find where he's best going to be able to do that. I don't want to give away too much of the game plan, but we think he can help us there."
MOVIN' ON UP
Richt wasn't sure how much Chris Davis would be able to practice before the team took the field for its first practice Tuesday afternoon, but by the end of the day, the junior offensive lineman was back with the first team.
Davis started all 13 games last year, but underwent hip surgery during the offseason and was slow to recover. After three days of practice, however, Richt said Davis is doing much better.
"I don't think it feels great, but he played with it last year, and he says its better than it was a year ago," Richt said. "He's fighting through it, and it doesn't seem to be slowing him down."
Davis joins Trinton Sturdivant, Ben Jones, Cordy Glenn and Clint Boling with the first-team offensive line, bumping senior Vince Vance to the second team. Vance is coming off ACL surgery, and while his knee is close to 100 percent, Richt said he still has a ways to go in terms of conditioning and mentally preparing for the grueling pace line coach Stacy Searels insists upon.
"Coach Searels has a way of getting guys to practice a certain way, and it takes a while to get there," Richt said. "I think he was at that point before he got hurt, but he was away from it a while, and now he's got to get back into that mode."
ODDS AND ENDS
-- Darryl Gamble recovered a fumble Thursday, marking the third straight practice in which he has come up with a turnover. "He's just making plays," Richt said.
-- The buzzword all offseason has been leadership, and while that has come naturally to a lot of Georgia's veterans, Richt has been particularly pleased with one senior who has had to work a bit harder at become a vocal leader. "Prince Miller has probably done one of the best jobs of getting out of his comfort zone and becoming more of a vocal leader."
-- Richt on who has impressed so far:
"It's so great to have Geno (Atkins), Jeffrey (Owens) and Kade (Weston) inside. Those three seniors know the ropes and they're doing a great job."
"A.J. Green, he just makes plays every day. A.J. is practicing very well."
"I do like how our running backs seem to be very focused and are competing very hard. I think they truly believe it is a wide-open competition, which it is."
-- Freshman tight end Arthur Lynch has been working as the long snapper on special teams for the past three days. Richt said Lynch is likely the third man on the depth chart at the position. Ty Frix is considered the front-runner for the job.
-- Logan Gray got another vote of confidence from his head coach, but Richt isn't setting anything regarding the No. 2 QB job in stone just yet. "I like how Logan's practicing. Today, in my opinion, he's still a very solid No. 2, but we'll continue to rep everybody and see."
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Practice Notes: QBs Struggle Early
If Mark Richt has an early complaint after two days of practice, it's about his quarterbacks. A handful of fumbles and a fair number of interceptions – including two picks and two fumble recoveries by Darryl Gamble – have been the result of some sloppy play early on by his group of passers.
"Most of the picks happened because of the quarterback just throwing the ball where he shouldn't have thrown it, making a bad decision," Richt said. "They've got to take better care of the ball."
It's all about fundamentals said sophomore Logan Gray, who currently is second on Georgia's depth chart at quarterback.
"Just getting back to the little things that are kind of sloppy the first couple of days," Gray said. "We've got to make sure we're touching up on those every single day – not fumbling the snap, fumbling giving the ball to the running back, missing a read and throwing into traffic – whatever it might be, every quarterback needs to be careful with the decisions they're making with the ball."
For now, however, Georgia's secondary is enjoying the early gifts, and they're making sure the quarterbacks know how much they appreciate it.
"We've got to talk a little smack to them," safety Nick Williams said. "That's what makes it fun."
SO FAR, SO GOOD
The first two days of fall practice have been the first full workouts of any kind in quite a while for a hefty contingent of players returning from injuries. While the Bulldogs haven't reached a particularly grueling part of their routine just yet, the early results for players like Jeff Owens, Trinton Sturdivant and Vince Vance have all been positive.
"You see no ill effects," Richt said. "You don't see them favoring anything. Again, until we have that first day of contact, you won't really know how that guy is feeling on the inside. I'm sure they're a little anxious about that first hit, but they no their best shot is to play full speed, and they're doing that now."
Richt said tailback Richard Samuel's wrist has not limited him at all thus far and said that he didn't expect any players to be held out of contact drills when the Bulldogs begin two-a-days Monday.
A HARD-LINE APPROACH
Georgia was one of the most penalized teams in the country a year ago, and Richt said he's taking steps this fall to ensure there isn't a repeat performance in 2009.
During practice, he's pulling players out of drills after they commit a penalty, and numerous players are being singled out when they're flagged. Assistants are tracking each penalty during practice, as well, and for the first time, Richt is personally monitoring the results.
"You've got to drill it, discipline it and the guys have to be serious about never wanting it to happen again," Richt said. "But so far, I see a good healthy attitude toward it."
The hard-line tactics even apply to Georgia's assistant coaches, Richt said.
In the past, assistants could argue a flag with the team's practice refs, but this year, they're not even allowed to joke about it.
"It's, 'Yes, sir, thank you for your help,' and go discipline your player," Richt said. "We can't let anything at this point get in the way of taking a very serious attitude toward every flag that's called."
A MINOR PROBLEM
Linebacker Christian Robinson played with his hand wrapped after a minor thumb sprain, Richt said. The injury may require a cast, but surgery would not be needed and Richt expects Robinson to continue practicing.
"Most of the picks happened because of the quarterback just throwing the ball where he shouldn't have thrown it, making a bad decision," Richt said. "They've got to take better care of the ball."
It's all about fundamentals said sophomore Logan Gray, who currently is second on Georgia's depth chart at quarterback.
"Just getting back to the little things that are kind of sloppy the first couple of days," Gray said. "We've got to make sure we're touching up on those every single day – not fumbling the snap, fumbling giving the ball to the running back, missing a read and throwing into traffic – whatever it might be, every quarterback needs to be careful with the decisions they're making with the ball."
For now, however, Georgia's secondary is enjoying the early gifts, and they're making sure the quarterbacks know how much they appreciate it.
"We've got to talk a little smack to them," safety Nick Williams said. "That's what makes it fun."
SO FAR, SO GOOD
The first two days of fall practice have been the first full workouts of any kind in quite a while for a hefty contingent of players returning from injuries. While the Bulldogs haven't reached a particularly grueling part of their routine just yet, the early results for players like Jeff Owens, Trinton Sturdivant and Vince Vance have all been positive.
"You see no ill effects," Richt said. "You don't see them favoring anything. Again, until we have that first day of contact, you won't really know how that guy is feeling on the inside. I'm sure they're a little anxious about that first hit, but they no their best shot is to play full speed, and they're doing that now."
Richt said tailback Richard Samuel's wrist has not limited him at all thus far and said that he didn't expect any players to be held out of contact drills when the Bulldogs begin two-a-days Monday.
A HARD-LINE APPROACH
Georgia was one of the most penalized teams in the country a year ago, and Richt said he's taking steps this fall to ensure there isn't a repeat performance in 2009.
During practice, he's pulling players out of drills after they commit a penalty, and numerous players are being singled out when they're flagged. Assistants are tracking each penalty during practice, as well, and for the first time, Richt is personally monitoring the results.
"You've got to drill it, discipline it and the guys have to be serious about never wanting it to happen again," Richt said. "But so far, I see a good healthy attitude toward it."
The hard-line tactics even apply to Georgia's assistant coaches, Richt said.
In the past, assistants could argue a flag with the team's practice refs, but this year, they're not even allowed to joke about it.
"It's, 'Yes, sir, thank you for your help,' and go discipline your player," Richt said. "We can't let anything at this point get in the way of taking a very serious attitude toward every flag that's called."
A MINOR PROBLEM
Linebacker Christian Robinson played with his hand wrapped after a minor thumb sprain, Richt said. The injury may require a cast, but surgery would not be needed and Richt expects Robinson to continue practicing.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
A Painful Reminder
Rennie Curran spent most of the early offseason reminding his teammates how important it was to avoid off-field problems this year. Dozens of teammates repeated a similar mantra.
But for all the talk, the axe still fell last month when defensive end Justin Houston and tight end Bruce Figgins were suspended for violations of team rules -- Houston for two games, Figgins for six.
Rather than lament the losses, however, Curran said he's tried to use the suspensions as a refresher course for the rest of the team. Even with all the reminders earlier this offseason, trouble still found its way into the locker room. The pressure to remain dedicated to the cause was turned up another notch.
"We know how hard we worked as a team this offseason, having mat drills and coming through the spring, having guys make awesome strides during this offseason," Curran said. "It's just disheartening to see somebody make a mistake when they know they have so much to lose. But at the same time you have to continue to motivate the guys and encourage them and continue to let them know that we're all in this together, that you've got to stay out of trouble and that you're not invisible to the public."
While the disappointment was significant, Curran said, the rest of the team has handled the situation as well as could be expected.
For one, other players are stepping up and volunteering to take on some of the load their suspended teammates leave behind.
"Houston's out because of some slight things that happened, and we have guys in our unit that have the capability to step up and make plays," defensive end Demarcus Dobbs said. "All I'm trying to do is just make up some of the slack, and just do as much as I can."
"I didn't need somebody to get suspended to know that I'm going to step up to the challenge," freshman tight end Orson Charles said. "I have my own mind-set from the get-go that I just want to make everybody better around me. I just want to win."
The suspensions were a challenge to the rest of the roster and a reminder of just how careful everyone needs to be, but they can't serve as a distraction from the task at hand.
"The player reaction was that we've got to keep moving on," offensive lineman Vince Vance said. "Things happen, but we've got to let those players that it's not the downfall of their careers. But we also have to keep everyone on the right track."
But for all the talk, the axe still fell last month when defensive end Justin Houston and tight end Bruce Figgins were suspended for violations of team rules -- Houston for two games, Figgins for six.
Rather than lament the losses, however, Curran said he's tried to use the suspensions as a refresher course for the rest of the team. Even with all the reminders earlier this offseason, trouble still found its way into the locker room. The pressure to remain dedicated to the cause was turned up another notch.
"We know how hard we worked as a team this offseason, having mat drills and coming through the spring, having guys make awesome strides during this offseason," Curran said. "It's just disheartening to see somebody make a mistake when they know they have so much to lose. But at the same time you have to continue to motivate the guys and encourage them and continue to let them know that we're all in this together, that you've got to stay out of trouble and that you're not invisible to the public."
While the disappointment was significant, Curran said, the rest of the team has handled the situation as well as could be expected.
For one, other players are stepping up and volunteering to take on some of the load their suspended teammates leave behind.
"Houston's out because of some slight things that happened, and we have guys in our unit that have the capability to step up and make plays," defensive end Demarcus Dobbs said. "All I'm trying to do is just make up some of the slack, and just do as much as I can."
"I didn't need somebody to get suspended to know that I'm going to step up to the challenge," freshman tight end Orson Charles said. "I have my own mind-set from the get-go that I just want to make everybody better around me. I just want to win."
The suspensions were a challenge to the rest of the roster and a reminder of just how careful everyone needs to be, but they can't serve as a distraction from the task at hand.
"The player reaction was that we've got to keep moving on," offensive lineman Vince Vance said. "Things happen, but we've got to let those players that it's not the downfall of their careers. But we also have to keep everyone on the right track."
O Line Finally Taking Shape
If you follow me on Twitter, you got some of this information yesterday, just minutes after I spoke with Georgia left tackle Trinton Sturdivant. If you're not following me on Twitter... what are you waiting for?
Since Sturdivant first hurt his knee last August, Georgia's offensive line has been in flux. Seven different players started games on the line during the season, and since the Bulldogs' bowl game, three linemen have undergone surgery. Still, the strength projected to return in the fall is staggering, but the question has remained: What exactly will the line look like when Georgia takes the field against Oklahoma State to start the season?
While the ongoing answer throughout the offseason so far has been, "We don't have a clue," Sturdivant said the team is actually working on solidifying a starting five now.
"Right now we have a set lineup that we're going through at and we look really good," Sturdivant said. "We're just focusing on getting used to the player beside us because last year, everybody was mixed up, switching positions every week."
That lineup features Sturdivant back at left tackle where he starred as a freshman in 2007. He said he's 100 percent recovered from the severe knee injury he suffered in the second week of fall practice last year and says he injured knee actually feels stronger than the healthy one now. He has completed treatment and is a full go.
Next to Sturdivant is Vince Vance at left guard. Vance is also recovering from ACL surgery, but is getting closer to a complete recovery. Although Vance started the first six games of last season, he's never played with Sturdivant, and building that relationship has been a focus of the past few weeks of drills, Sturdivant said.
Ben Jones reprises his role as the team's center after grabbing the job as a true freshman last season. Jones underwent surgery this offseason, but is already back at full speed.
Cordy Glenn was Georgia's other true freshman starter on the offensive line last season, and while Sturdivant said Glenn prefers to work on the left side of the line -- and he has been practicing some at left tackle, too -- he's currently slotted as the right guard.
Clint Boling, last year's MVP of the line, is currently working at right tackle after holding down the job on the left side after Vance's injury midway through the year last season.
"We're just getting better with knowing each other, how our tendencies are on the field, on pass situations, run situations," Sturdivant said. "Right now, we're focusing on getting better with the lineup that we have now."
Of course, there are still a few other linemen with eyes on playing time. Josh Davis started four games last season but has undergone two shoulder surgeries this offseason and isn't a sure bet to be ready when the season starts in September.
Chris Davis played all of last season with a nagging and painful hip injury. He's been getting work at left guard and center this offseason, but Sturdivant said he still hasn't fully recovered from surgery to repair the hip injury and has been unavailable during a number of the team's drills. Whether Davis can recover completely in time to make a run at a starting job remains to be seen.
"We really don't know how he will pan out as far as the injury," Sturdivant said. "We know he's an excellent player, but we're just hoping he can get back his strength to where he was."
Justin Anderson found his place at right tackle midway through the 2008 season as well, but a foot injury limited him during the team's final three games. He still has a shot at the starting lineup in 2009, too, but for now he's been working behind Glenn at right guard.
Perhaps the most intriguing name still in the mix, however, is freshman Chris Burnette.
Burnette arrived on campus earlier this month but has already impressed his teammates with his physical skills.
"He's really quick, really fast, explosive," Sturdivant said. "He's not as strong as he wants to be right now in the weight room, but that will come. He's very explosive, has really good technique. He's going to be a really good player."
Beyond the physical tools, however, Burnette has picked up the playbook astoundingly fast. Burnette was nearly named valedictorian at Troup County High School and his academic accomplishments have been obvious on the playing field, Sturdivant said.
"He already knows all the calls and the plays and it's really amazing how fast he's caught on since he's only been here about three weeks," Sturdivant said. "But everything that we've put in front of him, he knows. We can call any call, and he just spits it out just like that. I know he had a 5.8 GPA in high school, and it's definitely transferring."
So, does Burnette really have a shot at significant playing time his freshman year? Considering the track record of offensive line coach Stacy Searels, Sturdivant thinks it's likely.
"With Coach Searels, I feel like anybody has a shot," he said. "And of course we have a lot of experienced players, and it may seem like he may not play, but if he gets on the field and puts those pads on and is showing great technique and blowing people off the ball, I don't see signs of him not playing."
Since Sturdivant first hurt his knee last August, Georgia's offensive line has been in flux. Seven different players started games on the line during the season, and since the Bulldogs' bowl game, three linemen have undergone surgery. Still, the strength projected to return in the fall is staggering, but the question has remained: What exactly will the line look like when Georgia takes the field against Oklahoma State to start the season?
While the ongoing answer throughout the offseason so far has been, "We don't have a clue," Sturdivant said the team is actually working on solidifying a starting five now.
"Right now we have a set lineup that we're going through at and we look really good," Sturdivant said. "We're just focusing on getting used to the player beside us because last year, everybody was mixed up, switching positions every week."
That lineup features Sturdivant back at left tackle where he starred as a freshman in 2007. He said he's 100 percent recovered from the severe knee injury he suffered in the second week of fall practice last year and says he injured knee actually feels stronger than the healthy one now. He has completed treatment and is a full go.
Next to Sturdivant is Vince Vance at left guard. Vance is also recovering from ACL surgery, but is getting closer to a complete recovery. Although Vance started the first six games of last season, he's never played with Sturdivant, and building that relationship has been a focus of the past few weeks of drills, Sturdivant said.
Ben Jones reprises his role as the team's center after grabbing the job as a true freshman last season. Jones underwent surgery this offseason, but is already back at full speed.
Cordy Glenn was Georgia's other true freshman starter on the offensive line last season, and while Sturdivant said Glenn prefers to work on the left side of the line -- and he has been practicing some at left tackle, too -- he's currently slotted as the right guard.
Clint Boling, last year's MVP of the line, is currently working at right tackle after holding down the job on the left side after Vance's injury midway through the year last season.
"We're just getting better with knowing each other, how our tendencies are on the field, on pass situations, run situations," Sturdivant said. "Right now, we're focusing on getting better with the lineup that we have now."
Of course, there are still a few other linemen with eyes on playing time. Josh Davis started four games last season but has undergone two shoulder surgeries this offseason and isn't a sure bet to be ready when the season starts in September.
Chris Davis played all of last season with a nagging and painful hip injury. He's been getting work at left guard and center this offseason, but Sturdivant said he still hasn't fully recovered from surgery to repair the hip injury and has been unavailable during a number of the team's drills. Whether Davis can recover completely in time to make a run at a starting job remains to be seen.
"We really don't know how he will pan out as far as the injury," Sturdivant said. "We know he's an excellent player, but we're just hoping he can get back his strength to where he was."
Justin Anderson found his place at right tackle midway through the 2008 season as well, but a foot injury limited him during the team's final three games. He still has a shot at the starting lineup in 2009, too, but for now he's been working behind Glenn at right guard.
Perhaps the most intriguing name still in the mix, however, is freshman Chris Burnette.
Burnette arrived on campus earlier this month but has already impressed his teammates with his physical skills.
"He's really quick, really fast, explosive," Sturdivant said. "He's not as strong as he wants to be right now in the weight room, but that will come. He's very explosive, has really good technique. He's going to be a really good player."
Beyond the physical tools, however, Burnette has picked up the playbook astoundingly fast. Burnette was nearly named valedictorian at Troup County High School and his academic accomplishments have been obvious on the playing field, Sturdivant said.
"He already knows all the calls and the plays and it's really amazing how fast he's caught on since he's only been here about three weeks," Sturdivant said. "But everything that we've put in front of him, he knows. We can call any call, and he just spits it out just like that. I know he had a 5.8 GPA in high school, and it's definitely transferring."
So, does Burnette really have a shot at significant playing time his freshman year? Considering the track record of offensive line coach Stacy Searels, Sturdivant thinks it's likely.
"With Coach Searels, I feel like anybody has a shot," he said. "And of course we have a lot of experienced players, and it may seem like he may not play, but if he gets on the field and puts those pads on and is showing great technique and blowing people off the ball, I don't see signs of him not playing."
Monday, June 22, 2009
Georgia (Tech) On My Mind
No one wants to say it was more important than any other game. In fact, as far as the standings were concerned, it was less significant. But darned if Georgia's players aren't reminded about that loss to Georgia Tech nearly every day.
"I have a lot of friends who go to Tech, and I'v heard it, but I don't really pay attention to it," offensive lineman Vince Vance said.
"It was very hard at the time and it's still tough to get over now," said defensive end Rod Battle. "I've got an uncle that likes Georgia Tech, and I'd like to shut him up a little bit."
The 45-42 loss to the Yellow Jackets was a first for Bulldogs' head coach Mark Richt, and the defeat stung for a myriad of reasons.
The defense was abysmal in a disastrous third quarter. Big plays abounded for the Yellow Jackets. The Bulldogs blew a big lead on their home field. Tech celebrated by tearing limbs from the famed hedges surrounding Sanford Stadium's field. It was an embarrassment, and one that the players are reminded of often.
And yet, the coaches of both teams aren't fueling the fire.
Before the season, Tech coach Paul Johnson listed beating his in-state rival as a top priority. Now he's backed away from that claim.
"Our players circled that game," he said.
At Bulldog Club meetings, Tech has been as big a topic of consternation as the annually reviled Florida Gators, but Mark Richt isn't acting as if it's any different.
"Our fans have never gotten to the point in my opinion where that games wasn't real meaningful," he said.
Even the future of the rivalry has been downplayed a bit. Richt said things have always been intense between the two schools, no more so now. He even pointed out that, due to their divergent styles of offense, last year's loss won't have much impact on recruiting since the two schools rarely go head-to-head for the same recruits.
Johnson gives the win a bit more significance, but he said it meant more to the fans that it did the team.
"It's the in-state rival, the two biggest schools in the state. It's an important game, and we approach it that way," Johnson said. "It was more important to the fans and the alumni than anything else. We hope we're going to be here for a while, and hopefully that won't be the last time."
But for all the sugar coating, the bottom line remains the same: This offseason has come with a heaping helping of gloating by those in-state rivals, and that's a dose of reality the Bulldogs haven't felt in a long time. So while they may want to downplay the desire for revenge, they're not ignoring it.
"I wouldn't even say it's in the back of my mind," Vance said. "It's there. We ain't forgot."
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