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 Cocktail Party. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cocktail Party. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
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.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Media Days Notes: Lower Expectations For Dawgs
Joe Cox wasn't sure what to expect when he arrived at the Wynfrey Hotel for SEC Media Days on Thursday, but there was one question he figured he would hear early and often.
"I figured a lot of questions would just be about how we're going to come back this year after losing so many guys, about everybody's expectations," Cox said. "Our expectations haven't changed. We know a lot of people are probably overlooking us, and that's probably the best thing for us. It's made us have a good offseason."
Georgia's expectations may not have changed, but the perception of the program by the great majority of the media members in attendance Thursday had.
A year ago, Mark Richt and his Bulldogs contingent came to Hoover as the consensus No. 1 team in the country, fresh off an 11-win season and with star quarterback Matthew Stafford and running back Knowshon Moreno the backbone of what figured to be an offensive juggernaut.
This year, Moreno and Stafford are gone – both were selected in the first round of the NFL draft – and so are the hefty expectations that Georgia failed to realize last season. The way Richt sees it, that's a good thing.
"Everybody expected us to win 'em all because we had two guys that everybody considered stars, and then maybe subconsciously our guys thought, we can count on these guys," Richt said. "Now that they're gone, I think our team understands the only chance they hace is to play together, work together, earn it as a team. They've done a great job of buying into that."
NO OFFENSE TAKEN
Beyond Florida's Tim Tebow and Mississippi's Jevan Snead – both of whom made appearances at Thursday's second session of SEC Media Days – there isn't a lot of experience among the SEC's quarterbacks. But that didn't stop one Arkansas columnist from slotting Cox, who has started just one game in his four seasons in Athens, at the bottom of the class in a well-publicized column recently.
The slight might come as a major insult to some quarterbacks, but not Cox, who admitted he probably wouldn't have ranked himself much higher.
"I'm probably the one with the least amount of playing experience," Cox said. "If I had to choose between all those guys, I wouldn't put myself up very high. It's something I'm going to have to prove to everyone, and I'm looking forward to doing that."
YOUNG AND RESTLESS
Richt spent a good portion of his time in Hoover hyping his new starting quarterback, but he couldn't avoid a question about the three players behind Cox on the depth chart.
Freshmen Zach Mettenberger and Aaron Murray both arrived in Athens in January and managed to impress coaches with their quick adjustments to the college game. While nothing is set in stone yet, Richt said there's chance one of the two will earn considerable playing time this year.
"When it comes to the true freshmen, if I feel one is the true second-team quarterback, we will play him, get him as much experience as we can," Richt said.
Of course, for that to happen, either Murray or Mettenberger will need to pass sophomore Logan Gray on the depth chart first. Gray looked sharp this spring, and his athleticism makes him an interesting change-of-pace on offense for Georgia's coaching staff. With that in mind, Richt said he expects Gray to see the field regardless of where he ends up on the depth chart.
"We may still have a kind of package for him separate from our overall package just because he is athletic enough to do those kind of things that people do in the wildcat (offense)," Richt said.
A WIN SOLVES EVERYTHING
After creating a bit of controversy earlier this offseason, Richt seems to have learned his lesson when it comes to discussing the future of the Florida-Georgia game.
This spring, the coach told reporters he felt Florida had an unfair advantage by playing the game in Jacksonville, but when posed the question again Thursday, Richt dodged any potential bulletin-board fodder.
"I want to focus on winning that game," he said. "That's all I want to focus on when it comes to that game. That will be my pat answer from now on."
QB CONTROVERSIES
Cox, Snead and Tebow appear to be among a select group of SEC quarterbacks with a firm grasp on the starting job this season, a trend that has grown during the past two years.
A year ago, only five quarterbacks in the conference started every game for their teams, and three are no longer with those programs. The fluid situations at so many programs may be a function of increasing impatience by SEC fans.
Cox thinks the same pressure to win early and often that cost established coaches like Tommy Tuberville and Phillip Fulmer their jobs last year has trickled down to the quarterback position, and potentially productive quarterbacks simply aren't being given the chance to develop.
"That comes with when people start recruiting different types of quarterbacks and two in the same year, and when something goes wrong or someone gets injured, things get shuffled all around," Cox said. "Then you get in a situation where people say they don't have a quarterback. Well, obviously they have one, you just need to find the one who can get it done."
DON'T BLAME RICHT
Day 2 of Media Days found most of the coaches a bit more prepared for the interrogation by reporters wanting to know who left Tebow off their All-SEC ballot. For his part, Richt assured everyone it wasn't him.
"If I had a vote on a national level, I'd have voted for him, too," Richt said. "I think that guy might be the greatest player/leader, maybe the greatest one ever in college football. When you take his ability, his productivity, his leadership, his ability to get everybody to rally around him, I don't know if there's been many like that."
For what it's worth, Nick Saban and Houston Nutt also said they had Tebow on their ballot as well. Urban Meyer, the day's fourth presenter, was barred from voting for players on his own team.
HANDLING THE HYPE
Tebow was the topic du jour Thursday, as he has been most of the week. While the Florida quarterback finally addressed media as the final speaker of the day, virtually every other coach and player in attendance were forced to answer at least one Tebow-related inquiry.
By the time Georgia's Jeff Owens was posed a few questions about the former Heisman winner, the Tebow hype alone had become its own story. But when a reporter asked Owens if he was tired of hearing so much about Tebow, the Georgia defensive tackle said the hype would only make a game-day matchup that much sweeter.
"He's a great football player and will go down in history as one of the greatest to ever play college football," Owens said. "He's a great talent, great leadership ability. You don't get tired of hearing about him. You just want to get after him, that's all."
"I figured a lot of questions would just be about how we're going to come back this year after losing so many guys, about everybody's expectations," Cox said. "Our expectations haven't changed. We know a lot of people are probably overlooking us, and that's probably the best thing for us. It's made us have a good offseason."
Georgia's expectations may not have changed, but the perception of the program by the great majority of the media members in attendance Thursday had.
A year ago, Mark Richt and his Bulldogs contingent came to Hoover as the consensus No. 1 team in the country, fresh off an 11-win season and with star quarterback Matthew Stafford and running back Knowshon Moreno the backbone of what figured to be an offensive juggernaut.
This year, Moreno and Stafford are gone – both were selected in the first round of the NFL draft – and so are the hefty expectations that Georgia failed to realize last season. The way Richt sees it, that's a good thing.
"Everybody expected us to win 'em all because we had two guys that everybody considered stars, and then maybe subconsciously our guys thought, we can count on these guys," Richt said. "Now that they're gone, I think our team understands the only chance they hace is to play together, work together, earn it as a team. They've done a great job of buying into that."
NO OFFENSE TAKEN
Beyond Florida's Tim Tebow and Mississippi's Jevan Snead – both of whom made appearances at Thursday's second session of SEC Media Days – there isn't a lot of experience among the SEC's quarterbacks. But that didn't stop one Arkansas columnist from slotting Cox, who has started just one game in his four seasons in Athens, at the bottom of the class in a well-publicized column recently.
The slight might come as a major insult to some quarterbacks, but not Cox, who admitted he probably wouldn't have ranked himself much higher.
"I'm probably the one with the least amount of playing experience," Cox said. "If I had to choose between all those guys, I wouldn't put myself up very high. It's something I'm going to have to prove to everyone, and I'm looking forward to doing that."
YOUNG AND RESTLESS
Richt spent a good portion of his time in Hoover hyping his new starting quarterback, but he couldn't avoid a question about the three players behind Cox on the depth chart.
Freshmen Zach Mettenberger and Aaron Murray both arrived in Athens in January and managed to impress coaches with their quick adjustments to the college game. While nothing is set in stone yet, Richt said there's chance one of the two will earn considerable playing time this year.
"When it comes to the true freshmen, if I feel one is the true second-team quarterback, we will play him, get him as much experience as we can," Richt said.
Of course, for that to happen, either Murray or Mettenberger will need to pass sophomore Logan Gray on the depth chart first. Gray looked sharp this spring, and his athleticism makes him an interesting change-of-pace on offense for Georgia's coaching staff. With that in mind, Richt said he expects Gray to see the field regardless of where he ends up on the depth chart.
"We may still have a kind of package for him separate from our overall package just because he is athletic enough to do those kind of things that people do in the wildcat (offense)," Richt said.
A WIN SOLVES EVERYTHING
After creating a bit of controversy earlier this offseason, Richt seems to have learned his lesson when it comes to discussing the future of the Florida-Georgia game.
This spring, the coach told reporters he felt Florida had an unfair advantage by playing the game in Jacksonville, but when posed the question again Thursday, Richt dodged any potential bulletin-board fodder.
"I want to focus on winning that game," he said. "That's all I want to focus on when it comes to that game. That will be my pat answer from now on."
QB CONTROVERSIES
Cox, Snead and Tebow appear to be among a select group of SEC quarterbacks with a firm grasp on the starting job this season, a trend that has grown during the past two years.
A year ago, only five quarterbacks in the conference started every game for their teams, and three are no longer with those programs. The fluid situations at so many programs may be a function of increasing impatience by SEC fans.
Cox thinks the same pressure to win early and often that cost established coaches like Tommy Tuberville and Phillip Fulmer their jobs last year has trickled down to the quarterback position, and potentially productive quarterbacks simply aren't being given the chance to develop.
"That comes with when people start recruiting different types of quarterbacks and two in the same year, and when something goes wrong or someone gets injured, things get shuffled all around," Cox said. "Then you get in a situation where people say they don't have a quarterback. Well, obviously they have one, you just need to find the one who can get it done."
DON'T BLAME RICHT
Day 2 of Media Days found most of the coaches a bit more prepared for the interrogation by reporters wanting to know who left Tebow off their All-SEC ballot. For his part, Richt assured everyone it wasn't him.
"If I had a vote on a national level, I'd have voted for him, too," Richt said. "I think that guy might be the greatest player/leader, maybe the greatest one ever in college football. When you take his ability, his productivity, his leadership, his ability to get everybody to rally around him, I don't know if there's been many like that."
For what it's worth, Nick Saban and Houston Nutt also said they had Tebow on their ballot as well. Urban Meyer, the day's fourth presenter, was barred from voting for players on his own team.
HANDLING THE HYPE
Tebow was the topic du jour Thursday, as he has been most of the week. While the Florida quarterback finally addressed media as the final speaker of the day, virtually every other coach and player in attendance were forced to answer at least one Tebow-related inquiry.
By the time Georgia's Jeff Owens was posed a few questions about the former Heisman winner, the Tebow hype alone had become its own story. But when a reporter asked Owens if he was tired of hearing so much about Tebow, the Georgia defensive tackle said the hype would only make a game-day matchup that much sweeter.
"He's a great football player and will go down in history as one of the greatest to ever play college football," Owens said. "He's a great talent, great leadership ability. You don't get tired of hearing about him. You just want to get after him, that's all."
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
UGA in the ATL
Mark Richt is all for playing some football in Atlanta in the coming years, but don't ask him for specifics.
For one, he's through talking about moving the annual Cocktail Party game between Georgia and Florida to the Georgia Dome, a notion that has been discussed at length during the past few weeks. Richt's initial comments on the game, which is played every year in Jacksonville, Fla., was that the Gators had a distinct advantage because the venue is significantly closer to Gainesville than Athens. But the backlash to his comments was swift and generally harsh, and Richt said he has learned his lesson on putting his two cents in on that topic.
"Every time I say something it becomes a much bigger deal than it is," he said. "I really don't think it's neutral, but then everybody's wanting to make a big stink about where should we play the game. I don't care where we play the game quite frankly."
That doesn't mean he wouldn't like to lead his team onto the field for a game at the Georgia Dome soon. Richt said he is in favor of playing a neutral-site game in Atlanta each year, but he won't do it at the expense of a home game at Sanford Stadium. If an opponent is willing to sacrifice a home game to play at the Dome, however, Richt's all for it.
"We have a neutral site game (against Florida) already, so every other year we're losing a home game," Richt said. "If you have another neutral site situation, you're losing another home game, and I don't think we should trade a home game for a game in the Dome. But if they want to trade a home game to play in Atlanta, that would be great for us."
For one, he's through talking about moving the annual Cocktail Party game between Georgia and Florida to the Georgia Dome, a notion that has been discussed at length during the past few weeks. Richt's initial comments on the game, which is played every year in Jacksonville, Fla., was that the Gators had a distinct advantage because the venue is significantly closer to Gainesville than Athens. But the backlash to his comments was swift and generally harsh, and Richt said he has learned his lesson on putting his two cents in on that topic.
"Every time I say something it becomes a much bigger deal than it is," he said. "I really don't think it's neutral, but then everybody's wanting to make a big stink about where should we play the game. I don't care where we play the game quite frankly."
That doesn't mean he wouldn't like to lead his team onto the field for a game at the Georgia Dome soon. Richt said he is in favor of playing a neutral-site game in Atlanta each year, but he won't do it at the expense of a home game at Sanford Stadium. If an opponent is willing to sacrifice a home game to play at the Dome, however, Richt's all for it.
"We have a neutral site game (against Florida) already, so every other year we're losing a home game," Richt said. "If you have another neutral site situation, you're losing another home game, and I don't think we should trade a home game for a game in the Dome. But if they want to trade a home game to play in Atlanta, that would be great for us."
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Hot Reads (3/22)
I started this blog the last week of July of this past year. This post that you are currently reading will be my 802nd. I'm no mathamagician, but I believe that works out to about 25 posts per week. Add to that the dozen or so links posted each day, my stories for the Telegraph and Ledger-Enquirer, and the enormous quanitity of content from other resources that isn't shared on this blog, and it's a wonder a hardcore Georgia fan has time to shower or eat lunch each day. There's a lot of Dawg news out there.
That's really both the cost and the benefit of the age of the Internet. We have access to so much more information than we did before that it can become a bit overwhelming. But fear not, I'm here to help.
Starting today, I'm going to launch a new weekly feature tentatively titled "Hot Reads" in which, every Sunday, I'll take a look back at the top four or five storylines in Georgia athletics from the previous week and provide links to the essential reading material you may have missed. Consider a Cliff's Notes on the week that was. Will you still miss a few things along the way? Sure. But you didn't need to understand that the ship was a microcosm for society to get that Moby Dick was a pretty pesky fish (...mammal... whatever).
So, here's what you should have learned this week...
1.) Georgia's basketball program is in flux. First, Zac Swansey trashed his team. Then he and Troy Brewer were planning to transfer. Then Brewer wanted to stay. Then they were both officially leaving. And of course, there's still no coach, but there are plenty of rumors.
2.) Pro Day was a big hit. Tons of scouts and former players came to Athens to watch this year's draft-eligible Bulldogs workout. Matthew Stafford had a decent day and has remained calm despite the spotlight. Knowshon Moreno didn't improve on his 40 time much, but several of the other Georgia players managed to up their draft stock with strong performances.
3.) Spring practice got started. There's a lot on the line this spring, but the big storylines to start the spring involved Joe Cox taking over the offense -- which raised a bit of debate on whether he was more like D.J. Shockley or more like Joe Tereshinski -- and Caleb King getting his shot at running back. As it turns out, Cox's understudy, Logan Gray, had a big first day, and King's backup, Carlton Thomas, seems to have stolen the show, which you could have read earlier this week HERE, but more like found the stories yesterday HERE, HERE, HERE or HERE. Don't worry, I'm not bitter or anything.
4.) Atlanta wants to throw a cocktail party. The Atlanta Business Journal reported that the city was making efforts to bring the annual Georgia-Florida game to the A-T-L. Georgia AD Damon Evans said the whole thing was blown way out of proportion. Of course, some smart, pragmatic folks think it's a bad idea to move the game no matter what.
5.) Tony Dungy came to town. Dungy was in Athens with Mark Richt to promote an organization called All Pro Dad, which encourages fathers to spend more quality time with their kids. Dungy didn't talk much football, but he did mention a meeting with incoming UGA tight end Orson Charles. Later, Charles said it was that conversation that convinced him to become a Bulldog.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
