Check out Jakar Hamitlon talking about the origins of his nickname "The Hitman" and Orson Charles discussing life with three quarterbacks...
*Video courtesy of Brandon Spoon
Showing posts with label Jakar Hamilton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jakar Hamilton. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Notes: Samuel's Success is No Sure Thing
(Be sure to check out my story in today's Telegraph on how Georgia is working to build depth on the offensive line.)
Decisions are still a long way off, and the progress hasn’t been disappointing, head coach Mark Richt said. But Richard Samuel, the newly converted inside linebacker, still isn’t guaranteed to see the field in 2010.
“He’s new to the position and we want him to be ready to really compete for us,” Richt said. “If we think he’s ready to do that and produce at a high level, then we want him to play. But if he’s still finding his way a little bit, I don’t think we’ll be in a big rush to get him out there.”
Samuel, who entered Georgia in the spring of 2008 as a 16-year-old running back, played as a true freshman, and thus still has a redshirt year available should coaches choose to let him learn a new position from the sidelines this season.
While Samuel earned the starting tailback job out of fall camp last year, his role diminished significantly down the stretch and it was announced he’d switch to defense for 2010 – a role he played in high school. He opened the spring at outside linebacker, but was moved to the interior early on, and his play in last Saturday’s scrimmage gave Richt some cause for optimism.
“I can envision one play where he took on a fullback on an isolation block and played off the block to make the tackle right there in the hole,” Richt said. “He looked like a linebacker, and he hasn’t played a lot of defense lately.”
Richt said there won’t be a set standard for whether or not Samuel earns playing time this fall, and he’ll likely be evaluated the same way any first-year player would be. For now, Richt said, he wants Samuel to simply keep working, and the evaluation won’t need to be made until the games start being played.
“The big thing is just practice hard, learn what you can,” Richt said. “We have these thoughts but then sometimes by the second scrimmage in the fall, two or three guys are down ahead of you, and you’re playing whether you’re ready to or not.”
HIT MAN MAKES HIS MOVE
The competition at safety has been intense this spring, with four players vying for time with the first team alongside Bacarri Rambo. While Shawn Williams looked like a leading candidate through much of the early spring workouts – and Williams chipped in with a long interception return for a touchdown – that role may now belong to junior college transfer Jakar Hamilton.
“Jakar has really done well,” Richt said. “He’s been playing a good bit with Bacarri, working with the No. 1 unit. They’re trying to find combinations of guys working together that make the most sense, and they’re still trying to work those things out. But those two right now are out front.”
FINDING A BALANCE
Speaking of those scrimmage stats, Georgia’s three quarterbacks are trying not to let the numbers carry too much weight as they move forward.
Zach Mettenberger and Aaron Murray each had good outings Saturday, while Logan Gray’s numbers were a bit off the pace, but all three quarterbacks are trying to remember that there’s still a long way to go.
“You have to balance it all out because you don’t want to have a great day and think you’re in the lead for the race or you have a bad day and think I fell behind,” Gray said. “You still want to go out and do your best every single day and try to get better. Especially at the quarterback position, if you have a good throw or a bad throw, you’ve got to put it behind you because there’s going to be so many more coming.”
That’s a lesson Murray has learned, too. While he’s aware the scrimmages earn a bit more attention – both from the fans and the coaches – he said he’s been assured that a final decision on the starter will be made only after a thorough evaluation of each day of practice and practically every throw the quarterbacks have made.
“Some days you’re going to have great days, and some days you’re going to have bad days,” Murray said. “One of those days might be the spring game, and that’s the day everybody sees the stats but they don’t see in practice you might do well the rest of the time.”
***
Decisions are still a long way off, and the progress hasn’t been disappointing, head coach Mark Richt said. But Richard Samuel, the newly converted inside linebacker, still isn’t guaranteed to see the field in 2010.
“He’s new to the position and we want him to be ready to really compete for us,” Richt said. “If we think he’s ready to do that and produce at a high level, then we want him to play. But if he’s still finding his way a little bit, I don’t think we’ll be in a big rush to get him out there.”
Samuel, who entered Georgia in the spring of 2008 as a 16-year-old running back, played as a true freshman, and thus still has a redshirt year available should coaches choose to let him learn a new position from the sidelines this season.
While Samuel earned the starting tailback job out of fall camp last year, his role diminished significantly down the stretch and it was announced he’d switch to defense for 2010 – a role he played in high school. He opened the spring at outside linebacker, but was moved to the interior early on, and his play in last Saturday’s scrimmage gave Richt some cause for optimism.
“I can envision one play where he took on a fullback on an isolation block and played off the block to make the tackle right there in the hole,” Richt said. “He looked like a linebacker, and he hasn’t played a lot of defense lately.”
Richt said there won’t be a set standard for whether or not Samuel earns playing time this fall, and he’ll likely be evaluated the same way any first-year player would be. For now, Richt said, he wants Samuel to simply keep working, and the evaluation won’t need to be made until the games start being played.
“The big thing is just practice hard, learn what you can,” Richt said. “We have these thoughts but then sometimes by the second scrimmage in the fall, two or three guys are down ahead of you, and you’re playing whether you’re ready to or not.”
HIT MAN MAKES HIS MOVE
The competition at safety has been intense this spring, with four players vying for time with the first team alongside Bacarri Rambo. While Shawn Williams looked like a leading candidate through much of the early spring workouts – and Williams chipped in with a long interception return for a touchdown – that role may now belong to junior college transfer Jakar Hamilton.
“Jakar has really done well,” Richt said. “He’s been playing a good bit with Bacarri, working with the No. 1 unit. They’re trying to find combinations of guys working together that make the most sense, and they’re still trying to work those things out. But those two right now are out front.”
FINDING A BALANCE
Speaking of those scrimmage stats, Georgia’s three quarterbacks are trying not to let the numbers carry too much weight as they move forward.
Zach Mettenberger and Aaron Murray each had good outings Saturday, while Logan Gray’s numbers were a bit off the pace, but all three quarterbacks are trying to remember that there’s still a long way to go.
“You have to balance it all out because you don’t want to have a great day and think you’re in the lead for the race or you have a bad day and think I fell behind,” Gray said. “You still want to go out and do your best every single day and try to get better. Especially at the quarterback position, if you have a good throw or a bad throw, you’ve got to put it behind you because there’s going to be so many more coming.”
That’s a lesson Murray has learned, too. While he’s aware the scrimmages earn a bit more attention – both from the fans and the coaches – he said he’s been assured that a final decision on the starter will be made only after a thorough evaluation of each day of practice and practically every throw the quarterbacks have made.
“Some days you’re going to have great days, and some days you’re going to have bad days,” Murray said. “One of those days might be the spring game, and that’s the day everybody sees the stats but they don’t see in practice you might do well the rest of the time.”
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Practice Notes: Samuel Moving Inside
Richard Samuel is on the move again, although this time it’s not quite as drastic as his switch from offense to defense earlier this offseason.
After a brief tryout at outside linebacker, new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham decided Samuel was a better fit playing inside linebacker, where he’ll be better able to utilize his speed in coverage.
“He can run, he can cover, and by playing inside, you can still blitz, but there’s a little more coverage element involved, and that would utilize his speed,” Grantham said.
Grantham said all his inside linebackers have crosstrained at both inside positions – the Mike and Mo, as Grantham is calling them – and Samuel will work at each.
That still leaves Georgia a bit thin at outside linebacker, but head coach Mark Richt said the staff felt the best option was to put Samuel where he had the best chance to succeed rather than trying to fill out a depth chart.
“It’s probably a little bit more natural for him (to play inside),” Richt said. “We started him outside a little bit because of some issues with numbers at outside linebacker, but to give him a more fair opportunity, we moved him inside.”
NICKEL FOR YOUR THOUGHTS
Georgia’s new-look secondary has been a work in progress so far this spring, with Brandon Boykin, the lone returning starter, switching from boundary corner to field corner, and three other starting jobs up for grabs.
Bacarri Rambo appears to have one of the open safety jobs locked down, but the other two players working with the No. 1 unit have been a bit of a surprise – sophomore Shawn Williams at safety and senior Vance Cuff at corner.
“I like what I see out of Vance, he’s definitely competing hard,” Boykin said. “I definitely think (Williams) has gotten better and is continuing to compete. Nothing’s set in stone, but I think he could definitely have a shot at that safety spot.”
Nick Williams, Jakar Hamilton and Quintin Banks are also in the running for the vacant starting safety job, while Sanders Commings, Jordan Love and Branden Smith are battling for the open cornerback role.
At nickel, Boykin said he and Smith have gotten the most work, but even that remains an open competition.
“As of right now, we’re the nickels,” Boykin said. “I plan on being the nickel once the season starts, but we really don’t know. Right now we’re just trying to learn the system, so we’ll see.”
NOWHERE MAN
Senior offensive lineman Clint Boling said he has been pleased with the progress of Trinton Sturdivant, who is recovering from his second knee surgery in as many years. Sturdivant has been jogging and doing some light workouts, but won’t be a full participant in spring practice.
That leaves the future for Boling wide open once again. Boling started as a freshman at guard, then shifted to right tackle as a sophomore. After Sturdivant went down, he eventually moved to left tackle, but swapped back to the right side again to start the 2009 season. Midway through last year, however, Boling was on the move again to replace Sturdivant, so by the time his senior season is ready to kick off, he has no idea where he might end up.
“I really don’t know,” Boling said. “I’ve switched around so much that it’s all kind of run together so it doesn’t matter which position I’m playing, I guess.”
BUILDING LEADERSHIP
Georgia held its first character education meetings of the spring on Thursday, and Richt talked to his seniors about developing their leadership on the practice field. The result was the most spirited day of practice so far, Richt said.
Identifying some leaders within the locker room will be a key step this spring. Last year’s veterans – Joe Cox, Jeff Owens and Rennie Curran – are all gone, and while Richt singled out Clint Boling, Darryl Gamble and Akeem Dent as players who have stepped into that leadership role, he said there are plenty of jobs available and plenty of candidates for the gig.
“I don’t want to discourage anybody by not calling him out because all those guys are really doing a good job,” Richt said.
EXTRA POINTS
-- Richt on Thursday’s practice: “It’s a great energy bunch right now. They’ve got a lot of enthusiasm. It was the first day in some form of pads where they could actually hit somebody, I think they were excited about that. But both sides of the ball came out to get better. We’re making a ton of mistakes, I know that. But when we’re making mistakes with the type of tempo and energy we’re having, it’s fun to see. We see really good athletes out there making plays on both sides of the ball, and I’m really encouraged right now.
-- On the injury front, offensive lineman Dallas Lee left practice for about 10 minutes due to some asthma issues, but returned for the completion of workouts. Safety Jakar Hamilton left practice early Tuesday with a foot injury, but he was back to a full workout Thursday.
-- Richt singled out an unnamed blogger who he thought misunderstood how the team planned to use Logan Gray on special teams this season. While Richt didn’t name names and said he “rarely, if ever” reads blogs, he felt the need to clear the air because, “the gentleman just didn’t understand why he was back there returning punts”
“When Logan is back there, it’s a time when the offensive team is punting it in, it’s a pooch kick,” Richt said. “Our defense, our punt return team, is in punt safe to keep them from faking the punt because they’ve crossed our 50-yard line. So all Logan is doing is making the decision on whether to make the fair catch or let the ball hit. The fine gentleman who writes the blog, I don’t think he really understood that very much. I just thought if everybody got educated on that, they might understand a little bit better why Logan would do that. He was 100 percent last year on making those decisions and never bobbled the ball. That’s not a hard thing to do, and we’re not expecting him to return the punt because those punts don’t get returned.”
Re-reading what I wrote Tuesday about Logan, I’m fairly certain I wasn’t the offending party. Then again, Richt was looking in my general direction during his remarks. Or perhaps he was simply checking out the score of the UNLV-Northern Iowa game.
After a brief tryout at outside linebacker, new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham decided Samuel was a better fit playing inside linebacker, where he’ll be better able to utilize his speed in coverage.
“He can run, he can cover, and by playing inside, you can still blitz, but there’s a little more coverage element involved, and that would utilize his speed,” Grantham said.
Grantham said all his inside linebackers have crosstrained at both inside positions – the Mike and Mo, as Grantham is calling them – and Samuel will work at each.
That still leaves Georgia a bit thin at outside linebacker, but head coach Mark Richt said the staff felt the best option was to put Samuel where he had the best chance to succeed rather than trying to fill out a depth chart.
“It’s probably a little bit more natural for him (to play inside),” Richt said. “We started him outside a little bit because of some issues with numbers at outside linebacker, but to give him a more fair opportunity, we moved him inside.”
NICKEL FOR YOUR THOUGHTS
Georgia’s new-look secondary has been a work in progress so far this spring, with Brandon Boykin, the lone returning starter, switching from boundary corner to field corner, and three other starting jobs up for grabs.
Bacarri Rambo appears to have one of the open safety jobs locked down, but the other two players working with the No. 1 unit have been a bit of a surprise – sophomore Shawn Williams at safety and senior Vance Cuff at corner.
“I like what I see out of Vance, he’s definitely competing hard,” Boykin said. “I definitely think (Williams) has gotten better and is continuing to compete. Nothing’s set in stone, but I think he could definitely have a shot at that safety spot.”
Nick Williams, Jakar Hamilton and Quintin Banks are also in the running for the vacant starting safety job, while Sanders Commings, Jordan Love and Branden Smith are battling for the open cornerback role.
At nickel, Boykin said he and Smith have gotten the most work, but even that remains an open competition.
“As of right now, we’re the nickels,” Boykin said. “I plan on being the nickel once the season starts, but we really don’t know. Right now we’re just trying to learn the system, so we’ll see.”
NOWHERE MAN
Senior offensive lineman Clint Boling said he has been pleased with the progress of Trinton Sturdivant, who is recovering from his second knee surgery in as many years. Sturdivant has been jogging and doing some light workouts, but won’t be a full participant in spring practice.
That leaves the future for Boling wide open once again. Boling started as a freshman at guard, then shifted to right tackle as a sophomore. After Sturdivant went down, he eventually moved to left tackle, but swapped back to the right side again to start the 2009 season. Midway through last year, however, Boling was on the move again to replace Sturdivant, so by the time his senior season is ready to kick off, he has no idea where he might end up.
“I really don’t know,” Boling said. “I’ve switched around so much that it’s all kind of run together so it doesn’t matter which position I’m playing, I guess.”
BUILDING LEADERSHIP
Georgia held its first character education meetings of the spring on Thursday, and Richt talked to his seniors about developing their leadership on the practice field. The result was the most spirited day of practice so far, Richt said.
Identifying some leaders within the locker room will be a key step this spring. Last year’s veterans – Joe Cox, Jeff Owens and Rennie Curran – are all gone, and while Richt singled out Clint Boling, Darryl Gamble and Akeem Dent as players who have stepped into that leadership role, he said there are plenty of jobs available and plenty of candidates for the gig.
“I don’t want to discourage anybody by not calling him out because all those guys are really doing a good job,” Richt said.
EXTRA POINTS
-- Richt on Thursday’s practice: “It’s a great energy bunch right now. They’ve got a lot of enthusiasm. It was the first day in some form of pads where they could actually hit somebody, I think they were excited about that. But both sides of the ball came out to get better. We’re making a ton of mistakes, I know that. But when we’re making mistakes with the type of tempo and energy we’re having, it’s fun to see. We see really good athletes out there making plays on both sides of the ball, and I’m really encouraged right now.
-- On the injury front, offensive lineman Dallas Lee left practice for about 10 minutes due to some asthma issues, but returned for the completion of workouts. Safety Jakar Hamilton left practice early Tuesday with a foot injury, but he was back to a full workout Thursday.
-- Richt singled out an unnamed blogger who he thought misunderstood how the team planned to use Logan Gray on special teams this season. While Richt didn’t name names and said he “rarely, if ever” reads blogs, he felt the need to clear the air because, “the gentleman just didn’t understand why he was back there returning punts”
“When Logan is back there, it’s a time when the offensive team is punting it in, it’s a pooch kick,” Richt said. “Our defense, our punt return team, is in punt safe to keep them from faking the punt because they’ve crossed our 50-yard line. So all Logan is doing is making the decision on whether to make the fair catch or let the ball hit. The fine gentleman who writes the blog, I don’t think he really understood that very much. I just thought if everybody got educated on that, they might understand a little bit better why Logan would do that. He was 100 percent last year on making those decisions and never bobbled the ball. That’s not a hard thing to do, and we’re not expecting him to return the punt because those punts don’t get returned.”
Re-reading what I wrote Tuesday about Logan, I’m fairly certain I wasn’t the offending party. Then again, Richt was looking in my general direction during his remarks. Or perhaps he was simply checking out the score of the UNLV-Northern Iowa game.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Get to Know: Jakar Hamilton
If you didn't get to read it over the weekend, I had a story in Sunday's Telegraph on the quick start junior college transfer Jakar Hamilton has enjoyed in his first few weeks at Georgia. The kid certainly doesn't lack confidence.
Anyway, I had a chance to chat with Jakar for a while last week, so I figured it'd be a perfect time for the second installment of this year's "Get to Know..." series.
David Hale: I've talked to Bacarri Rambo, who said you've already been pushing yourself pretty hard these first few weeks on campus. What's it been like?
Jakar Hamilton: Every day in the weight room now is competition. Rambo is going to get up and do high weight, so I’m going to do it. Washaun will do high weight, so I’m going to do it. We’re all pushing each other in the weight room. If he’s going to do it, then I’m going to do it. And if I can’t, then I’m going to get a spot and work towards it. That’s what I’m doing now.
DH: There are a couple of starting jobs open at safety. Is that what you and Rambo are talking about?
JH: I talk to him all the time about the best safety duo in the SEC. That’s what we’re pushing for. In the weight room we say it. Out of the weight room we say it. On the way to class we say it.
DH: Well, your path to get here wasn't exactly the traditional one. In fact, you've moved around quite a bit in your life. What was your favorite place you lived?
JH: It's got to be Houston. I've lived in New Jersey, I've lived in West Virginia. I've lived in South Carolina. But there's nothing like Houston. It's just a great atmosphere. You see stars just about every day -- basketball players, rappers, actors. Even at the airport, you'll see Beyonce come through once or twice. Motumbo came through. It's just a great experience living in Houston.
DH: Well your new position coach is a Jersey guy, too. Will you have a few Jersey stories to swap with him?
JH: Oh yeah, lots of them. I like shopping in New Jersey. It's a cool place to live at.
DH: After high school, you ended up at Georgia Military College. That's a tough transition for anyone, and I've talked to guys like Corvey Irvin and Jarius Wynn who did it before. What was your experience at GMC like?
JH: It was hard. I'm not going to lie, it was hard. But in the back of my mind, I made my decision that it was either I do it here or I can go back home and be on the streets. It's hard to quit. I have a bunch of people back home who would beat me up. So I'd just read the Bible, pray to God each night before I went to sleep and thank him. I got my way through there, and now I'm here. So hard work is starting to pay off. And I'm still working.
DH: Now that you're gone, do you find yourself appreciating things more?
JH: Oh yeah, I really appreciate it. I called up my DB coach and I thank him for pushing me. The hard work I did, I thought it was stupid at the time, like 'Why are we doing this?' But now I see why, because I thought it would be better coming here, but we also work hard. GMC actually prepped me up for something like this, so I'm really thankful for GMC.
DH: You have an older brother -- Mike Goodson -- who plays with the Carolina Panthers. Does having someone you're so close to who has already made it to the NFL provide you with a good template on how it's done?
JH: People asked me if I was going to go to Texas A&M (where Goodson played), but I didn't want to live up under my brother's name. He made his name, and I'm going to make mine. But since he made it, I've got to make it. I also have another brother, my second-oldest brother, he plays point guard at Gonzaga. So hopefully he'll be going to the NBA, and I'll do what I do here, and all three of us will be in professional leagues. So I just keep praying every day that that happens.
DH: So which of you was the best athlete?
JH: I don't know. It was always kind of even, but I was stuck in the middle. My oldest brother, Michael, he always played football. Demetri was always playing basketball. I was stuck with both, so I had to choose between basketball and football. My dad told me (to pick) and I listened to him and just stuck with football. But I hated football. I hated it. I cried when he made me play. But I started it and I was like, 'Wow, I'm really good at it.' I thank him, I thank God, I thank GMC, and now I'm thanking Georgia for giving me the opportunity to come here.
DH: When did you start playing football?
JH: I think it was my eighth grade year. I was a really good basketball player and started playing running back and went from there.
DH: So at what point did you decide there might be a future in football for you?
JH: First game I scored four touchdowns at running back and thought, 'Wow, I kind of like this, running people over and juking them.' From there on out, I just loved it.
DH: You played a bunch of different positions. Which was your favorite?
JH: Receiver. I loved receiver because small cornerbacks, and I was kind of big, taller than everybody. So I just slapped them out the way and go catch the ball for a touchdown.
DH: OK, last question is a basketball one. Rambo says you've already impressed him on the court, but Georgia's got a bunch of good hoops players like Brandon Boykin and A.J. Green. How do you stack up?
JH: Oh yeah, A.J. can shoot. But the other day we were playing basketball and I jumped over somebody's head for an alley-oop and dunked it. After that, everybody was like, man, this guy can play. In high school I took my team to the third round of the playoffs and was mentioned All-State. I ended up breaking my foot, which put me back from playing in an All-Star game. But I've seen A.J. play, and Boykin can jump to. I don't know. It'd be a pretty good match with me and them three.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Notebook: New Scheme Creates Plenty of Questions
Abry Jones admits it has been a popular topic of conversation among Georgia’s defensive linemen and linebackers. As the Bulldogs prepare to switch schemes to a 3-4 defense, no one is quite sure where they’ll end up or what their role will be, which makes for an interesting, if somewhat anxious, guessing game among the holdovers.
“It’s pretty much just talking about where we could play,” Jones said. “But mostly we’re just waiting to see.”
Jones played exclusively at defensive tackle last year but said he’s prepared to play defensive end in new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s 3-4 scheme that features just three down linemen.
Other players could find themselves on the move, too. Some of Georgia’s defensive ends from a year ago could make the move to linebacker, while the Bulldogs are still in search of a player to fill the void at nose tackle.
While the process has made for a confusing few days for players still unsure of what lies ahead, senior Demarcus Dobbs said the change in scheme could create some new opportunities, particularly for some underutilized reserves like Cornelius Washington and Kiante Tripp.
“Cornelius being the athlete he is, he’s excited he could be a stand-up guy and play outside (linebacker),” Dobbs said. “But it’s all where your heart is. Those are talented guys, and with the coaching change, everybody’s on a clean slate. People are out to compete again, and that’s going to make everybody else better. A guy like Cornelius, an undersized D end, he might get a lot better. It gives us options.”
Options are nice. Answers might be a bit better for Georgia’s defenders.
But that will come in time as Grantham and his new staff get settled – their first team meeting is slated for Friday – and begin to implement their scheme during spring practice.
What isn’t a concern, Jones said, is the Bulldogs’ ability to adapt. While few players are certain of what’s in store for the 2010 season, he’s sure there is enough athleticism and talent on the roster to navigate any early turmoil.
“At Georgia, we have a lot of athletic players, so I’m pretty sure we’re all going to be able to adjust,” Jones said. “The athletic ability is still going to be there. It’s just catching up to learning the scheme as well as we knew the last scheme.”
AN EARLY START
Two of Georgia’s rookies for 2010 are already getting started in their preparations for the coming season.
Offensive lineman Kolton Houston and safety Jakar Hamilton, a junior college transfer from Georgia Military College, enrolled early and have spent the past two weeks in school, getting accustomed to classes while hitting the weight room and working out with teammates.
“I just wanted to get an edge on some of the other players and get stronger and faster and learn the playbook, so when they get in here, I already know all that stuff,” Houston said. “Just adjust to the college life without all the practice stress in the summer and fall.”
The adjustment to college isn’t quite as big a transition for Hamilton, who spent two years studying for the role under the strict rules at GMC and head football coach Bert Williams.
So when his new teammates warned him about the big obstacles ahead, he hasn’t gotten particularly stressed about meeting the challenge.
“Coach Williams is a great coach, and I know he pushes everybody there that plays football hard,” Hamilton said. “Everybody kept talking about mat drills. We did mat drills there, too, but it was like 5:30 in the morning outside in the cold.”
Of course, that doesn’t mean Hamilton sees his new life at Georgia as a walk in the park. Quite the opposite, actually.
“It’s been pretty busy lately,” Hamilton said. “Everybody’s been trying to call me and I tell them, ‘I’m pretty busy right now so I’m going to have to hit you up later.’”
GETTING TOUGH
Grantham’s introductory news conference last week met with a fond reaction from fans who drooled at his promises of an aggressive, attacking defense. Those promises weren’t lost on his players either.
“You want to have that mentality as a player and when you hear that, it gets you excited,” cornerback Brandon Boykin said. “I remember last year in spring football, we were real aggressive. So if we can bring that same excitement, I think it’ll be able to carry over to next season.”
As aggressive as Georgia may have been last spring, the evidence didn’t show up on the field in the fall. The Bulldogs ranked second-to-last nationally with just 12 takeaways all season and in their five losses mustered just two interceptions and didn’t recover a single fumble.
That’s an issue Grantham and new secondary coach Scott Lakatos hope to address immediately.
"I think those takeaways come basically with guys being in position to make those plays when they come about,” Lakatos said. “I think you put yourself in position by being fundamentally sound and that's one of the things I bring to the table with those guys on the back end. … That's something we'll definitely emphasize and practice and hopefully it will carry over into a game situation."
Grantham said his hope was to create a defense that left the opponents glad to see a game end, and that’s music to the ears of Georgia’s defenders, including newcomer Hamilton.
“On defense, you’ve got to be aggressive,” Hamilton said. “I’m one of those players who just doesn’t care. I’ll throw my whole body even if I have to break something to do it. If I have to catch a concussion, I’ll do it. And having (Grantham) coming in, I’m real excited to see what he’s bringing to the table.”
NEW LOOK FOR DBs
A year ago, Boykin was trying desperately to soak up all the knowledge he could as the lone newcomer in Georgia’s secondary.
As the Bulldogs begin their offseason workouts in preparation for spring practice, Boykin now finds himself as the lone holdover from last year’s unit.
“It’s a quick change,” Boykin said. “I’m trying to take over that leadership role like they did, but it’s going to be fun. A lot of us are going to be young out there -- me, (Bacarri) Rambo, Branden Smith. It’s going to be a challenge for us, but I think we’re up to it.”
Seniors Prince Miller and Bryan Evans and junior Reshad Jones are all gone – Jones leaving a year early to enter the NFL draft – meaning a big shakeup among the defensive backs. Smith and Rambo are likely to land two of the open spots, and Hamilton, a junior college transfer, is hoping to secure the free safety job as an early enrollee.
“I knew nobody was going to give me a starting position,” Hamilton said. “I knew I was going to have to come in and work hard and earn that starting position, and that’s what I’m doing now.”
Veterans Vance Cuff and Quintin Banks figure to be in the mix for starting jobs along with youngsters Sanders Commings, Jordan Love, Shawn Williams and Makiri Pugh and incoming freshman Alec Ogletree.
Grantham has promised that the depth chart starts fresh upon his arrival, and no jobs are secure. So while Boykin remains the lone holdover among Georgia’s starting defensive backs, he’s also one of the biggest proponents of the newfound competition at the position.
“I think it’s an opportunity for people who didn’t really play a lot last year to have a fresh new start and for the people who played last year not to get complacent,” Boykin said. “I think it’ll definitely help us as a team.”
THE PRO PERSPECTIVE
Beyond Grantham’s hard-nosed approach to defense, he brings another big plus for Georgia’s defenders: A road map to the NFL.
Grantham has spent the past 11 years coaching in the NFL, including his last stop with the Dallas Cowboys as a defensive line coach. Those are credentials that look awfully impressive to Georgia’s players hoping to turn their performance in Athens into a professional contract in the coming years.
“It’s exciting knowing that he came from the NFL so he can give us tips and tools to get us where we want to go,” Jones said. “He’s a person who’s been there before and he knows how it’s done.”
Even for seniors like Dobbs, who might otherwise have some concerns about adjusting to a new defense in his final year at Georgia, Grantham’s resume offers a measure of enthusiasm about the lessons that can be learned from a former NFL defensive coordinator.
“Being my senior year, you want somebody to steer you right,” Dobbs said. “With all his experience, you know he has a lot to share with all of us, and I’m just trying to learn as much as I can. It’s good to have somebody like him come in, and I think it’s going to work out for the better.”
“It’s pretty much just talking about where we could play,” Jones said. “But mostly we’re just waiting to see.”
Jones played exclusively at defensive tackle last year but said he’s prepared to play defensive end in new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s 3-4 scheme that features just three down linemen.
Other players could find themselves on the move, too. Some of Georgia’s defensive ends from a year ago could make the move to linebacker, while the Bulldogs are still in search of a player to fill the void at nose tackle.
While the process has made for a confusing few days for players still unsure of what lies ahead, senior Demarcus Dobbs said the change in scheme could create some new opportunities, particularly for some underutilized reserves like Cornelius Washington and Kiante Tripp.
“Cornelius being the athlete he is, he’s excited he could be a stand-up guy and play outside (linebacker),” Dobbs said. “But it’s all where your heart is. Those are talented guys, and with the coaching change, everybody’s on a clean slate. People are out to compete again, and that’s going to make everybody else better. A guy like Cornelius, an undersized D end, he might get a lot better. It gives us options.”
Options are nice. Answers might be a bit better for Georgia’s defenders.
But that will come in time as Grantham and his new staff get settled – their first team meeting is slated for Friday – and begin to implement their scheme during spring practice.
What isn’t a concern, Jones said, is the Bulldogs’ ability to adapt. While few players are certain of what’s in store for the 2010 season, he’s sure there is enough athleticism and talent on the roster to navigate any early turmoil.
“At Georgia, we have a lot of athletic players, so I’m pretty sure we’re all going to be able to adjust,” Jones said. “The athletic ability is still going to be there. It’s just catching up to learning the scheme as well as we knew the last scheme.”
AN EARLY START
Two of Georgia’s rookies for 2010 are already getting started in their preparations for the coming season.
Offensive lineman Kolton Houston and safety Jakar Hamilton, a junior college transfer from Georgia Military College, enrolled early and have spent the past two weeks in school, getting accustomed to classes while hitting the weight room and working out with teammates.
“I just wanted to get an edge on some of the other players and get stronger and faster and learn the playbook, so when they get in here, I already know all that stuff,” Houston said. “Just adjust to the college life without all the practice stress in the summer and fall.”
The adjustment to college isn’t quite as big a transition for Hamilton, who spent two years studying for the role under the strict rules at GMC and head football coach Bert Williams.
So when his new teammates warned him about the big obstacles ahead, he hasn’t gotten particularly stressed about meeting the challenge.
“Coach Williams is a great coach, and I know he pushes everybody there that plays football hard,” Hamilton said. “Everybody kept talking about mat drills. We did mat drills there, too, but it was like 5:30 in the morning outside in the cold.”
Of course, that doesn’t mean Hamilton sees his new life at Georgia as a walk in the park. Quite the opposite, actually.
“It’s been pretty busy lately,” Hamilton said. “Everybody’s been trying to call me and I tell them, ‘I’m pretty busy right now so I’m going to have to hit you up later.’”
GETTING TOUGH
Grantham’s introductory news conference last week met with a fond reaction from fans who drooled at his promises of an aggressive, attacking defense. Those promises weren’t lost on his players either.
“You want to have that mentality as a player and when you hear that, it gets you excited,” cornerback Brandon Boykin said. “I remember last year in spring football, we were real aggressive. So if we can bring that same excitement, I think it’ll be able to carry over to next season.”
As aggressive as Georgia may have been last spring, the evidence didn’t show up on the field in the fall. The Bulldogs ranked second-to-last nationally with just 12 takeaways all season and in their five losses mustered just two interceptions and didn’t recover a single fumble.
That’s an issue Grantham and new secondary coach Scott Lakatos hope to address immediately.
"I think those takeaways come basically with guys being in position to make those plays when they come about,” Lakatos said. “I think you put yourself in position by being fundamentally sound and that's one of the things I bring to the table with those guys on the back end. … That's something we'll definitely emphasize and practice and hopefully it will carry over into a game situation."
Grantham said his hope was to create a defense that left the opponents glad to see a game end, and that’s music to the ears of Georgia’s defenders, including newcomer Hamilton.
“On defense, you’ve got to be aggressive,” Hamilton said. “I’m one of those players who just doesn’t care. I’ll throw my whole body even if I have to break something to do it. If I have to catch a concussion, I’ll do it. And having (Grantham) coming in, I’m real excited to see what he’s bringing to the table.”
NEW LOOK FOR DBs
A year ago, Boykin was trying desperately to soak up all the knowledge he could as the lone newcomer in Georgia’s secondary.
As the Bulldogs begin their offseason workouts in preparation for spring practice, Boykin now finds himself as the lone holdover from last year’s unit.
“It’s a quick change,” Boykin said. “I’m trying to take over that leadership role like they did, but it’s going to be fun. A lot of us are going to be young out there -- me, (Bacarri) Rambo, Branden Smith. It’s going to be a challenge for us, but I think we’re up to it.”
Seniors Prince Miller and Bryan Evans and junior Reshad Jones are all gone – Jones leaving a year early to enter the NFL draft – meaning a big shakeup among the defensive backs. Smith and Rambo are likely to land two of the open spots, and Hamilton, a junior college transfer, is hoping to secure the free safety job as an early enrollee.
“I knew nobody was going to give me a starting position,” Hamilton said. “I knew I was going to have to come in and work hard and earn that starting position, and that’s what I’m doing now.”
Veterans Vance Cuff and Quintin Banks figure to be in the mix for starting jobs along with youngsters Sanders Commings, Jordan Love, Shawn Williams and Makiri Pugh and incoming freshman Alec Ogletree.
Grantham has promised that the depth chart starts fresh upon his arrival, and no jobs are secure. So while Boykin remains the lone holdover among Georgia’s starting defensive backs, he’s also one of the biggest proponents of the newfound competition at the position.
“I think it’s an opportunity for people who didn’t really play a lot last year to have a fresh new start and for the people who played last year not to get complacent,” Boykin said. “I think it’ll definitely help us as a team.”
THE PRO PERSPECTIVE
Beyond Grantham’s hard-nosed approach to defense, he brings another big plus for Georgia’s defenders: A road map to the NFL.
Grantham has spent the past 11 years coaching in the NFL, including his last stop with the Dallas Cowboys as a defensive line coach. Those are credentials that look awfully impressive to Georgia’s players hoping to turn their performance in Athens into a professional contract in the coming years.
“It’s exciting knowing that he came from the NFL so he can give us tips and tools to get us where we want to go,” Jones said. “He’s a person who’s been there before and he knows how it’s done.”
Even for seniors like Dobbs, who might otherwise have some concerns about adjusting to a new defense in his final year at Georgia, Grantham’s resume offers a measure of enthusiasm about the lessons that can be learned from a former NFL defensive coordinator.
“Being my senior year, you want somebody to steer you right,” Dobbs said. “With all his experience, you know he has a lot to share with all of us, and I’m just trying to learn as much as I can. It’s good to have somebody like him come in, and I think it’s going to work out for the better.”
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Notebook: Players Eagerly Await Coaches' Arrival
When he first heard the news that Scott Lakatos had been hired as Georgia’s new secondary coach, cornerback Brandon Boykin did a quick image search on the Internet, just to find out what his new coach looked like. Beyond that, however, Lakatos remains a mystery.
The same is true of new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, who like Lakatos has yet to meet any of his new players, despite extensive anticipation on the part of the current crop of Bulldogs.
“The anticipation comes and goes, but I’m ready for the coaches to be here, and ready for everybody to settle down and get rolling,” defensive end Demarcus Dobbs said. “I’m ready to know what position I’m going to be in, what position I need to play, so I can try to be the best at that and learn as much as I can.”
Dobbs’ eagerness is understandable. With a brand new set of coaches and a brand new defensive scheme, the 2010 season could look a good bit different from the 2009 version of the Georgia defense, and like the rest of his teammates, he’s anxious to learn how he’ll fit into the big picture.
While Dobbs is a senior wondering what his final year has in store, freshman Jakar Hamilton arrived on campus just two weeks ago without even knowing who his first college coach would be.
“It was difficult but I knew Coach Mark Richt was going to get the job done,” Hamilton said. “Fortunately we got (Grantham) from the Cowboys who has been in the league for 11 years, and I’m just excited and ready to meet him.”
Georgia has a team meeting scheduled for Friday, which is likely to be the first time most of the players meet their new coaches in person. With recruiting season coming to an end and Georgia’s staff playing catch up, time has been limited for the coaching staff as a whole, and Grantham just wrapped up his NFL season with the Dallas Cowboys last weekend.
So while it will no doubt be a busy few weeks before offseason conditioning shifts into high gear in early February, the excitement and the jitters are both evident, defensive tackle Abry Jones said.
“It’s a little bit excitement and nerves,” Jones said. “It’s exciting that we finally got a new coach and a new scheme but we’re also nervous because we’ve never run it before, so it’ll be like a first time.
ON THE MOVE?
Grantham brings with him a brand new scheme on defense, and many of Georgia’s players are still a bit up in the air about where they’ll fit into the 3-4 defense.
One player who is a bit more excited than concerned, however, is Jones, the former Northside star, who thinks the changeover in scheme could mean a move to a position he played extensively in high school.
“I could play defensive end because I played in high school,” Jones said. “It wouldn’t be much of a jump.”
Jones said he hasn’t heard any indication of how the depth chart will shake out in Grantham’s new 3-4 look, but he said if it’s up to him, defensive end would be his preference.
Either way, Jones said his role will change a bit in 2010 with an increased responsibility in stopping the run with just three down linemen. Still, it will be a new experience for the sophomore.
“I played in high school in a three down linemen type of scheme, but never in a real 3-4,” Jones said. “Seeing that I came in as a freshman and had to learn one new defense, the only bear would be learning a whole other defense. Other than that I don’t see a problem with it.”
A NEW ATTITUDE
After two arrests and an indefinite suspension in early December, the future looked bleak for rising sophomore defensive end Montez Robinson. But Georgia announced last week that Robinson had been reinstated – save a two-game suspension to open the 2010 season – and Dobbs said the time away has worked wonders for Robinson’s outlook.
“You can just tell the guy has a total change of attitude,” Dobbs said. “I don’t know if it was him going home for the bowl game and talking to his family or whatever it was, he has a great attitude.”
Robinson played sparingly last season but was named to the SEC’s All-Freshman team at year’s end. He was arrested on multiple charges last month, however, and was immediately suspended from the team.
Since his return, however, Dobbs said Robinson has worked hard and shown a far more outgoing personality.
“He’s happy. He’s upbeat. Before he was never like that,” Dobbs said. “He was just kind of a mellow guy, walking around finding his way. But now you can tell there’s a complete difference in him, and I’m excited to see what he can do this season.”
ON THE MEND
Three Georgia players underwent offseason surgeries last week and will be limited during the spring.
Offensive lineman Justin Anderson and fullback Fred Munzenmaier both had shoulder surgery and will be limited during spring practice. Defensive end Jeremy Longo had surgery on his knee. He will miss all of spring practice.
All three are expected to be fully recovered by the start of fall practice in August.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“There was actually no other open rooms. It was him or like two baseball players and a tennis player. So I was like, I’ll just live with A.J.” – Georgia early enrollee Kolton Houston on how he ended up roommates with offensive lineman A.J. Harmon.
The same is true of new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, who like Lakatos has yet to meet any of his new players, despite extensive anticipation on the part of the current crop of Bulldogs.
“The anticipation comes and goes, but I’m ready for the coaches to be here, and ready for everybody to settle down and get rolling,” defensive end Demarcus Dobbs said. “I’m ready to know what position I’m going to be in, what position I need to play, so I can try to be the best at that and learn as much as I can.”
Dobbs’ eagerness is understandable. With a brand new set of coaches and a brand new defensive scheme, the 2010 season could look a good bit different from the 2009 version of the Georgia defense, and like the rest of his teammates, he’s anxious to learn how he’ll fit into the big picture.
While Dobbs is a senior wondering what his final year has in store, freshman Jakar Hamilton arrived on campus just two weeks ago without even knowing who his first college coach would be.
“It was difficult but I knew Coach Mark Richt was going to get the job done,” Hamilton said. “Fortunately we got (Grantham) from the Cowboys who has been in the league for 11 years, and I’m just excited and ready to meet him.”
Georgia has a team meeting scheduled for Friday, which is likely to be the first time most of the players meet their new coaches in person. With recruiting season coming to an end and Georgia’s staff playing catch up, time has been limited for the coaching staff as a whole, and Grantham just wrapped up his NFL season with the Dallas Cowboys last weekend.
So while it will no doubt be a busy few weeks before offseason conditioning shifts into high gear in early February, the excitement and the jitters are both evident, defensive tackle Abry Jones said.
“It’s a little bit excitement and nerves,” Jones said. “It’s exciting that we finally got a new coach and a new scheme but we’re also nervous because we’ve never run it before, so it’ll be like a first time.
ON THE MOVE?
Grantham brings with him a brand new scheme on defense, and many of Georgia’s players are still a bit up in the air about where they’ll fit into the 3-4 defense.
One player who is a bit more excited than concerned, however, is Jones, the former Northside star, who thinks the changeover in scheme could mean a move to a position he played extensively in high school.
“I could play defensive end because I played in high school,” Jones said. “It wouldn’t be much of a jump.”
Jones said he hasn’t heard any indication of how the depth chart will shake out in Grantham’s new 3-4 look, but he said if it’s up to him, defensive end would be his preference.
Either way, Jones said his role will change a bit in 2010 with an increased responsibility in stopping the run with just three down linemen. Still, it will be a new experience for the sophomore.
“I played in high school in a three down linemen type of scheme, but never in a real 3-4,” Jones said. “Seeing that I came in as a freshman and had to learn one new defense, the only bear would be learning a whole other defense. Other than that I don’t see a problem with it.”
A NEW ATTITUDE
After two arrests and an indefinite suspension in early December, the future looked bleak for rising sophomore defensive end Montez Robinson. But Georgia announced last week that Robinson had been reinstated – save a two-game suspension to open the 2010 season – and Dobbs said the time away has worked wonders for Robinson’s outlook.
“You can just tell the guy has a total change of attitude,” Dobbs said. “I don’t know if it was him going home for the bowl game and talking to his family or whatever it was, he has a great attitude.”
Robinson played sparingly last season but was named to the SEC’s All-Freshman team at year’s end. He was arrested on multiple charges last month, however, and was immediately suspended from the team.
Since his return, however, Dobbs said Robinson has worked hard and shown a far more outgoing personality.
“He’s happy. He’s upbeat. Before he was never like that,” Dobbs said. “He was just kind of a mellow guy, walking around finding his way. But now you can tell there’s a complete difference in him, and I’m excited to see what he can do this season.”
ON THE MEND
Three Georgia players underwent offseason surgeries last week and will be limited during the spring.
Offensive lineman Justin Anderson and fullback Fred Munzenmaier both had shoulder surgery and will be limited during spring practice. Defensive end Jeremy Longo had surgery on his knee. He will miss all of spring practice.
All three are expected to be fully recovered by the start of fall practice in August.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“There was actually no other open rooms. It was him or like two baseball players and a tennis player. So I was like, I’ll just live with A.J.” – Georgia early enrollee Kolton Houston on how he ended up roommates with offensive lineman A.J. Harmon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
