Jordan Love, Brandon Boykin and Rodney Garner talk about better fundamentals, position battles in the secondary and a new look on the recruiting trail...
Video courtesy of Brandon Spoon
Showing posts with label Jordan Love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jordan Love. Show all posts
Monday, March 22, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Sunday Football Fix
I'm likely going to be away from Athens most of this week, but I'm hoping to still have a reasonable amount of content to post.
Fletcher Page is covering practice, and I posted his notes yesterday.
In the Telegraph this weekend, I also had stories on Jordan Love's return to the playing field after missing all of last year with a foot injury and the added weapon on offense Georgia could enjoy this year if the fleet-footed Aaron Murray wins the quarterback job.
Hopefully that can serve as your UGA fix for the weekend, and we'll have some more UGA practice video up tomorrow.Thursday, February 25, 2010
Notes: Dawgs View Sturdivant as 'Luxury'
After missing all but about 40 minutes of the past two seasons, Trinton Sturdivant hasn’t been forgotten by Georgia’s coaches. But just the same, they’re not exactly counting on him either.
After an impressive freshman season at left tackle in 2007, Sturdivant tore multiple ligaments in his left knee in fall camp in 2008, then suffered a torn ACL in Georgia’s opening game last season.
“When we’re talking about our objectives as an offense and what we want to accomplish this spring, we want to establish depth at the offensive line with out counting on Trinton Sturdivant,” Bobo said. “He’s a luxury. We think he’s going to be back, he’s ahead of schedule, he’s doing great, but we have to establish depth besides him.”
In each of the past two seasons, Georgia shuffled replacements at left tackle after Sturdivant’s injuries, and in both cases, it took the offensive line a while to find its groove.
So this season, Bobo hopes to have a group ready to play with or without Sturdivant – which likely means opening with senior Clint Boling filling the left tackle job, where he worked at the ends of both the 2008 and 2009 season and performed well enough to earn All-SEC honors.
Of course, while that’s the plan for now, it’s certainly not etched in stone if that luxury becomes a reality, Bobo said.
“If we get ‘The Luxury,’ he’ll probably be at left tackle,” Bobo said of Sturdivant. “Whoever those best five are, we’re going to put them in the best position where we think they can be successful. If Trinton’s out there, and he’s one of our best five, my bet is he’d be at left tackle.”
QUIETING THE CONTROVERSY
After soon-to-be Tennessee wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers spurned Georgia just days before signing day this year, Bulldogs safety Bacarri Rambo voiced some displeasure with the lack of commitment shown by players who were once committed to coming to Athens.
On his Facebook page, Rambo wrote he though it was “messed up” for players to renege on a commitment at the last minute and promised, “When I catch you on the field I’m going to knock fire from you.”
That started an ongoing war of words between Rambo and Rogers in which the receiver lambasted the safety via Facebook and Twitter and Rambo returned serve with a few quips of his own.
Now that the feud seems to have simmered down, Rambo said it was all a bit of a misunderstanding.
“I wasn’t really directly talking to him,” Rambo said. “I was just shocked that you would say you were going to one school and then change your mind at the last (minute). It wasn’t directed to him. It was directed to no one. I was just confused and curious as to why they would do things like that. But if he wanted to think it was him, I can’t stop him from thinking that, so it’s whatever.”
Regardless of any confusion, Rambo doesn’t think he has much to clear up. He said he has no plans to contact Rogers, but won’t continue the war of words either.
“I’m going to try to be the better man and just let that die down and not say anything to him,” Rambo said.
A GOOD MOVE
A large contingent of Georgia fans that drooled over Richard Samuel’s physical skills but scratched their heads at his inability to avoid contact as a tailback got their wish this offseason when the rising junior was moved to linebacker.
As it turns out, those fans weren’t alone in hoping for a change for the talented former tailback. Junior linebacker Marcus Dowtin said he has been lobbying Samuel to make the switch for two years.
“I spoke to Richard when we first got up here freshman year and told him you should make that switch and come over to linebacker with me,” Dowtin said. “So I always wanted him to do that, and now that he’s over there, he’s definitely going to do something great. He’s an athlete. He’s strong, he’s fast, and I think he’ll be a great complement to me, and I can be a great complement to him out there. He’s made our linebacker corps a lot more athletic and a lot faster.”
EXTRA POINTS
* Tailback Washaun Ealey said he still hopes to swap his uniform number from 24 to 3 – the number he and all of his family members wore during their high-school playing days – but he has yet to get a final OK from head coach Mark Richt.
* Cornerback Chad Gloer was moved to wide receiver this month to help fill in the gaps on a shallow depth chart.
* Despite some rumors that a move to the offensive line could be in store, Bobo said Kwame Geathers is staying put on defense.
* Cornerback Jordan Love is back at work after missing much of last season with a toe injury that has nagged him since high school. He underwent surgery to repair the injury, and fellow corner Branden Smith said the results are encouraging so far. “Right now, he’s feeling good,” Smith said. “He’s ready for the season to start right now. His recovery is coming along very well.”
* Spring practice officially begins Thursday, but Bobo said that is more of an opportunity to meet with the players and maximize their practice time. The team will then take 12 days off during Georgia’s spring break before reconvening – and essentially re-doing the Day 1 workouts – on March 14.
* Bobo was also sporting a black eye during interviews Thursday. The injury came courtesy of grad assistant Mitch Doolittle during Wednesday's pick-up basketball game.
I got lots more info, including plenty on the defensive changes, from today’s meetings with players, but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow for that.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Changing Faces: 5 Potential Breakout Players on Defense
At this point, it's hard to gauge how Todd Grantham's new 3-4 defense is going to affect the current roster of Bulldogs other than to say it's definitely going to shake things up.
But of all the fan-friendly quotes I've heard from Grantham so far, I think this one caught my eye more than any others when it comes to player development:
So, with that in mind, I tried to put together a quick list of five players I think might see the biggest impact in Year 1 from Grantham's arrival.
Now, keep in mind, this isn't a list of which players I think will find the most success. My guess is Justin Houston is going to be a first-team All-SEC guy in 2010 -- but he might have been that anyway.
And it's not a list of who the new faces will be this season. Players like Garrison Smith and Jakar Hamilton appear to have bright futures, but again, they would have likely had bright futures regardless of the DC.
This list is of five guys who have already been in Athens for at least a year who have a chance to see the career path they were on shifted in a positive direction now that the new staff is (almost) in place. For some, it's a matter of the scheme now matching their skills. For others, it's about getting a fresh start with a new opportunity to prove themselves. And for others, it's just about getting some better coaching to iron out the flaws in their game.
Anyway, here's what I came up with...
Cornelius Washington (RSo./DE). At 6-4, 250, Washington is a big boy, but his pass-rush skills have always hinged on his speed. Add to that the fact that in the 4-3, he was going to be stuck behind Houston and Demarcus Dobbs on the depth chart, and you have a guy with a ton of skill who wasn't being utilized in the best way. Enter the 3-4 and it's a completely different story. While Dobbs possesses the wider frame that could keep him at DE, Washington is a prototype outside linebacker in Grantham's scheme and could be an absolute stud as a pass rusher. If he teams with Houston at OLB in 2010, Washington's numbers could be off the charts, and Georgia's pass rush could be downright frightening.
Akeem Hebron (Sr./LB). I'm not entirely sure where Hebron fits in, but the fact of the matter is, he arrived at Georgia as one of the most highly recruiting linebackers the Dawgs had landed in recent years and his career has come and gone with about as little fanfare as any top-100 recruit could have. He has appeared in just nine games and made just four tackles total at Georgia, but with a fresh start under Grantham and the departure of Rennie Curran, there's a chance Hebron could salvage the final season of his college career much the way Brandon Miller did in 2007.
Marcus Dowtin (Jr./LB). Dowtin made huge steps forward in 2009 and was arguably Georgia's second best linebacker already. But the biggest chink in Dowtin's armor has been his consistency. I've been told by Curran and John Jancek and Darryl Gamble and even Dowtin himself that he has a tendency to take a play or two off on occasion or to let down his guard from time to time. Something tells me that Grantham and his 11 years of NFL experience won't be letting that happen any longer. Dowtin is talented enough to be a future star at the next level, and I wouldn't be shocked if Grantham gets him to just that point. Add to that Dowtin's strong tackling skills, strong work in blitz situations and ability to play in coverage and he seems like a good fit at ILB in the 3-4 to boot.
Kiante Tripp (Sr./DE). This might be wishful thinking on my part, but for anyone who has followed Tripp's career, you have to root for the kid to finally make something of himself at Georgia. He's been misused from the beginning, and he hasn't complained. Wherever coaches have needed him, he's gone. And each time he makes a position change, he gets thrown to the wolves, then cast aside quickly. The same was true last year after moving to DE when Tripp struggled to get onto the field after some early injury concerns. And as much as it would be a shame for a guy who has given his all for Georgia to miss out on a finding some success, it would be a crime for UGA to let someone with Tripp's combination of size and athleticism to graduate without turning him into a real player. Tripp's body type could work very well on the D line in Grantham's 3-4, and while he'll no doubt be pushed by some younger talent like Abry Jones and Kwame Geathers, he won't be without a good group of fans pulling for him to turn the corner after so many setbacks.
Jordan Love (RFr./CB). A lot of competition for the final slot -- with Geathers and Jones among the younger players who might thrive in new roles and Darryl Gamble or Akeem Dent among the older players who might cap their careers nicely in the 3-4 -- but I didn't want to only consider the front seven. In any defense, it's incumbent upon the corners to provide solid play in the run game, and Prince Miller did that really well last year. In the 3-4, that responsibility becomes even more important. Certainly Branden Smith could fill that role and do it well, but Love is bigger and more physical and could find himself in competition for a bit more playing time this season than he might have been otherwise. A foot injury kept him off the field in Year 1 of his career, which might have put him behind the 8-ball with the previous regime, but a strong spring could now leave him in prime position to be, at worst, the top corner off the bench in nickel situations.
So, what do you guys think? Any sleepers you're particularly excited about in 2010? Any veterans you're hoping will get one last shot?
But of all the fan-friendly quotes I've heard from Grantham so far, I think this one caught my eye more than any others when it comes to player development:
"The best thing you can do is create one-on-ones. You try to get the guys that can win for you against the guys that can’t win for them. I don’t think there’s any question that can be an asset for us, and I think that some players will thrive because of that. I think some guys will enhance their careers because of that, because we’re going to find ways to make guys in protection – whether it be a back or a freshman guard or tackle – we’re going to find ways to make those guys block.”Add that to Grantham's insistence that the best players will play and there's a clean slate for those who hadn't seen much playing time in the past, and I'd say it's a safe bet that we'll see some new stars emerge on defense next season.
So, with that in mind, I tried to put together a quick list of five players I think might see the biggest impact in Year 1 from Grantham's arrival.
Now, keep in mind, this isn't a list of which players I think will find the most success. My guess is Justin Houston is going to be a first-team All-SEC guy in 2010 -- but he might have been that anyway.
And it's not a list of who the new faces will be this season. Players like Garrison Smith and Jakar Hamilton appear to have bright futures, but again, they would have likely had bright futures regardless of the DC.
This list is of five guys who have already been in Athens for at least a year who have a chance to see the career path they were on shifted in a positive direction now that the new staff is (almost) in place. For some, it's a matter of the scheme now matching their skills. For others, it's about getting a fresh start with a new opportunity to prove themselves. And for others, it's just about getting some better coaching to iron out the flaws in their game.
Anyway, here's what I came up with...
Cornelius Washington (RSo./DE). At 6-4, 250, Washington is a big boy, but his pass-rush skills have always hinged on his speed. Add to that the fact that in the 4-3, he was going to be stuck behind Houston and Demarcus Dobbs on the depth chart, and you have a guy with a ton of skill who wasn't being utilized in the best way. Enter the 3-4 and it's a completely different story. While Dobbs possesses the wider frame that could keep him at DE, Washington is a prototype outside linebacker in Grantham's scheme and could be an absolute stud as a pass rusher. If he teams with Houston at OLB in 2010, Washington's numbers could be off the charts, and Georgia's pass rush could be downright frightening.
Akeem Hebron (Sr./LB). I'm not entirely sure where Hebron fits in, but the fact of the matter is, he arrived at Georgia as one of the most highly recruiting linebackers the Dawgs had landed in recent years and his career has come and gone with about as little fanfare as any top-100 recruit could have. He has appeared in just nine games and made just four tackles total at Georgia, but with a fresh start under Grantham and the departure of Rennie Curran, there's a chance Hebron could salvage the final season of his college career much the way Brandon Miller did in 2007.
Marcus Dowtin (Jr./LB). Dowtin made huge steps forward in 2009 and was arguably Georgia's second best linebacker already. But the biggest chink in Dowtin's armor has been his consistency. I've been told by Curran and John Jancek and Darryl Gamble and even Dowtin himself that he has a tendency to take a play or two off on occasion or to let down his guard from time to time. Something tells me that Grantham and his 11 years of NFL experience won't be letting that happen any longer. Dowtin is talented enough to be a future star at the next level, and I wouldn't be shocked if Grantham gets him to just that point. Add to that Dowtin's strong tackling skills, strong work in blitz situations and ability to play in coverage and he seems like a good fit at ILB in the 3-4 to boot.
Kiante Tripp (Sr./DE). This might be wishful thinking on my part, but for anyone who has followed Tripp's career, you have to root for the kid to finally make something of himself at Georgia. He's been misused from the beginning, and he hasn't complained. Wherever coaches have needed him, he's gone. And each time he makes a position change, he gets thrown to the wolves, then cast aside quickly. The same was true last year after moving to DE when Tripp struggled to get onto the field after some early injury concerns. And as much as it would be a shame for a guy who has given his all for Georgia to miss out on a finding some success, it would be a crime for UGA to let someone with Tripp's combination of size and athleticism to graduate without turning him into a real player. Tripp's body type could work very well on the D line in Grantham's 3-4, and while he'll no doubt be pushed by some younger talent like Abry Jones and Kwame Geathers, he won't be without a good group of fans pulling for him to turn the corner after so many setbacks.
Jordan Love (RFr./CB). A lot of competition for the final slot -- with Geathers and Jones among the younger players who might thrive in new roles and Darryl Gamble or Akeem Dent among the older players who might cap their careers nicely in the 3-4 -- but I didn't want to only consider the front seven. In any defense, it's incumbent upon the corners to provide solid play in the run game, and Prince Miller did that really well last year. In the 3-4, that responsibility becomes even more important. Certainly Branden Smith could fill that role and do it well, but Love is bigger and more physical and could find himself in competition for a bit more playing time this season than he might have been otherwise. A foot injury kept him off the field in Year 1 of his career, which might have put him behind the 8-ball with the previous regime, but a strong spring could now leave him in prime position to be, at worst, the top corner off the bench in nickel situations.
So, what do you guys think? Any sleepers you're particularly excited about in 2010? Any veterans you're hoping will get one last shot?
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Practice Notes: Richt Mum on Jax Deal
One of the offseason’s most controversial topics for debate took another step toward being settled Wednesday when Georgia’s athletics association board of directors approved a recommendation by athletics director Damon Evans to continue negotiations to keep the annual game between the Bulldogs and Florida Gators in Jacksonville, Fla.
The current contract for the game runs through next season, sparking debate that the venue could be changed – either moving it to Atlanta on a permanent basis or alternating between the two cities.
Georgia coach Mark Richt said during the offseason that he felt Florida had a distinct advantage by playing closer to its campus, but after the board’s decision Wednesday, he was taking a more political stance.
“My only focus on that game or any game is just trying to win it, and not really being too concerned about where it’s being played,” Richt said. “So any question that you ask me about the game, that will be my answer. Refer to answer No. 1.”
While negotiations with the city of Jacksonville remain ongoing, Evans endorsed the status quo during a quarterly meeting with the athletics association’s board of directors Wednesday, saying that the current venue offers significant benefits for both the school and the fanbase.
“An extraordinary amount of study has been done on the various options available and a great deal of input has been gathered,” Evans said. “After all the fact-gathering and evaluation of those factors, I’m convinced that moving forward with discussions on extending the contract in Jacksonville is the appropriate way to go.”
In May, Richt told fans at a Bulldog Club meeting that he thought the current set-up was inequitable for Georgia, which has lost 15 of the past 18 matchups with Florida – 16 of which occurred in Jacksonville.
“When people ask me the question, ‘Do you really think (Jacksonville) is a neutral site?’, I say, ‘No, it’s not neutral,’” Richt said at the meeting, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “When you play in the state of Florida every year –- we fly, they drive; it’s hotter for us, it’s cooler for them. It’s played in a stadium that (used to be called) the Gator Bowl. But what the heck? If nothing else, we’ll make Jacksonville pay more to keep it there. . . . I wouldn’t feel bad having a ‘neutral site’ game in Georgia – in the Georgia Dome.”
Richt has since backed off those statements and refused to comment further about the issue.
Meanwhile, Evans said he thought continuing to play the game in Jacksonville would provide significant recognition for Georgia, assist in recruiting and provide a boost to the economy in the southern part of the state.
Richt said he has not had recent conversations with Evans about the issue.
“Not any time in recent times,” Richt said. “There’s been discussions over the years but I’m really more concerned about trying to win the game than where it’s being played.”
KING, SAMUEL TO SEE SPLIT
After Caleb King made a successful return to the playing field following a six-week absence with a hamstring injury and incumbent Richard Samuel fumbled twice in Georgia’s win over Arkansas last week, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said the decision on who would start at tailback was “still yet to be determined.”
Samuel ran for an 80-yard touchdown in the game, but had just 24 yards on his 15 other carries, two of which ended with fumbles. King picked up 59 yards on 11 carries in the game and earned praise for his improved pass blocking.
Bobo said the likely scenario will be that both players will see action early.
“I think it a lot depends on how they’re running the football,” Bobo said. “I think both guys will get equal amount early on and if we feel one guy is hotter than the other, I think we’ll stick with him.”
MURRAY TO REDSHIRT?
Freshman quarterback Aaron Murray is sitting out of practice for the second straight week with triceps tendonitis, and Bobo said that doesn’t bode well for his chances at avoiding a redshirt.
“He’s still not practicing,” Bobo said when asked if Murray would earn a redshirt. “Yeah, I would say so. He hasn’t practice in over two weeks. Right now, he’s not playing.”
Richt was more cautious in his approach, saying that there was still a chance Murray could play this season.
The same is true of several of Georgia’s other freshman who have yet to see playing time, including tailback Washaun Ealey and linebacker Chase Vasser.
“I’m pushing that decision closer to Week 6,” Richt said. “If you had some injury situations or promoted a guy to first or second team and you know he’s going to get considerable reps every game, I think getting him in the last six games is worth it. It might be worth it with just four to go, especially if you’re in contention for an SEC title.”
GETTING SOME REST
Left tackle Vince Vance sat out of Tuesday’s practice with some soreness in his left knee. Vance missed the latter half of last season following ACL surgery on the knee, but Bobo said the recent soreness was nothing to be concerned about.
“It’s just natural for any guy coming off an knee injury to have some soreness, and you’ve got to work through that,” Bobo said. “He practiced (Wednesday) and looked fine.”
Cordy Glenn worked at left tackle during Tuesday’s practice, and Bobo said Glenn worked there for significant snaps during Georgia’s game against Arkansas last week, with Chris Davis subbing in for Glenn at left guard. Bobo said Vance will start this week’s game, however, with Glenn at guard and Davis coming off the bench.
HE’S NO SLOUCH
Like every Wednesday, quarterback Joe Cox didn’t throw a pass during yesterday’s practice. A nerve problem in his throwing shoulder causes pain during many everyday activities, and coaches have decided an extra day of rest could mean a stronger arm on game day.
But despite the reduced role during practice, Cox said he’s hardly taking the day off. While he may not be throwing passes, he said he’s staying involved in everything else that’s happening on the practice field.
“It’s not like I come out there in my street clothes and just watch,” Cox said. “I practice. There are some periods where I’ll still do the pass plays, I just won’t throw. I’ll take my drop and act like I’m going to throw, just won’t throw it. It’s not a day off of practice. It’s just a day off from throwing.”
NO HARM DONE
Georgia’s back-to-back shootout wins have created a renewed round of criticism for defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, whose unit struggled down the stretch last season and has allowed 78 points in the past two games this year.
While the cries for Martinez’s job have worked to galvanize some players, Richt said the ire from fans rarely seeps into the coaches’ offices.
“I think people don’t understand how busy we are,” Richt said. “We are working our tails off. I would guess we are working somewhere around 80 hours a week. We are looking at the next opponent. We are getting prepared for the next game and trying to correct any mistakes that we made in this game, but we are moving forward and constantly doing that. We don’t get too caught up in that kind of thing.”
For his part, Martinez knows the criticism, but he’s not taking it to heart. He admits he needs to have his players better prepared than they have been the past two games, but said his time is best spent coaching rather than addressing the critics.
“I don’t pay attention to it, but obviously it’s not fun playing this kind of defense,” Martinez said. “I’m very happy that we won. … You want to do whatever you can to help the team win, and we want to play better defense. So yeah, we’re not happy about it.”
While Richt isn’t settling for how the defense has performed the past two games, he said it’s far more important that Georgia won the ballgames and that the team hasn’t splintered amid the criticism.
“We are a very, very strong team,” Richt said. “You are not going to see anyone pointing fingers. You are not going to see anyone do anything other than encourage their teammate and their fellow coach. That’s just the way we’ve been operating here for the last nine years and that’s not going to change.”
PASSING FANCY
Georgia’s defense has been stout against the run this season – but perhaps a little too stout.
While the Bulldogs have held opposing tailbacks far below their season averages in each of their three games this season, defensive end Demarcus Dobbs said that the focus on stopping the run has allowed offenses to take advantage through the air.
“Our defense is centered on stopping the run first, but we are so focused on stopping the run that we have to do a better job at converting to pass rush and getting to the quarterback,” Dobbs said.
The excessive focus on the run has left Georgia particularly prone to play-action passes by the offense, and Dobbs said that was a particular problem in recent weeks as South Carolina and Arkansas combined for 721 yards through the air. More than 70 percent of the offensive plays the opposition has run the past two weeks have been passing plays.
“A lot of teams kill us with play action because we’re so zoned into the run,” Dobbs said. “Play action will kill a defense and we have to learn to convert and get into the quarterback’s face, even if it isn’t a sack, but just to alter his throws a little bit so our DBs can make a play.”
That’s an ongoing process, Dobbs said, but it starts with preparation in the film room and at practice.
“It will come with experience and being able to read stats better and studying their offensive line,” Dobbs said. “It just goes by reading stances, reading the way the linemen are blocking, if they’re giving half-effort blocks and heading down the line and not advancing upfield, you should be able to see that with your eyes and convert into a pass rush.”
NO LOVE FOR LOVE
Freshman cornerback Jordan Love has yet to play this season due to a toe injury he originally suffered in high school. While Richt hoped the injury would heal with rest, the answer isn’t quite so clear now.
“He’s not recovering well enough to where he’s close to playing and I still don’t know if this will require some surgery ultimately,” Richt said. “We’re trying to get it to where he could play this season, but as time’s rolling on it may take a repair to get him right.”
EXTRA POINTS
Richt said linebacker Darius Dewberry would likely return to action this week after missing the past two games. Akeem Dent, who missed action during the preseason with a sore hamstring and sat out last week’s win over Arkansas, is unlikely to play this week, Richt said.
The current contract for the game runs through next season, sparking debate that the venue could be changed – either moving it to Atlanta on a permanent basis or alternating between the two cities.
Georgia coach Mark Richt said during the offseason that he felt Florida had a distinct advantage by playing closer to its campus, but after the board’s decision Wednesday, he was taking a more political stance.
“My only focus on that game or any game is just trying to win it, and not really being too concerned about where it’s being played,” Richt said. “So any question that you ask me about the game, that will be my answer. Refer to answer No. 1.”
While negotiations with the city of Jacksonville remain ongoing, Evans endorsed the status quo during a quarterly meeting with the athletics association’s board of directors Wednesday, saying that the current venue offers significant benefits for both the school and the fanbase.
“An extraordinary amount of study has been done on the various options available and a great deal of input has been gathered,” Evans said. “After all the fact-gathering and evaluation of those factors, I’m convinced that moving forward with discussions on extending the contract in Jacksonville is the appropriate way to go.”
In May, Richt told fans at a Bulldog Club meeting that he thought the current set-up was inequitable for Georgia, which has lost 15 of the past 18 matchups with Florida – 16 of which occurred in Jacksonville.
“When people ask me the question, ‘Do you really think (Jacksonville) is a neutral site?’, I say, ‘No, it’s not neutral,’” Richt said at the meeting, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “When you play in the state of Florida every year –- we fly, they drive; it’s hotter for us, it’s cooler for them. It’s played in a stadium that (used to be called) the Gator Bowl. But what the heck? If nothing else, we’ll make Jacksonville pay more to keep it there. . . . I wouldn’t feel bad having a ‘neutral site’ game in Georgia – in the Georgia Dome.”
Richt has since backed off those statements and refused to comment further about the issue.
Meanwhile, Evans said he thought continuing to play the game in Jacksonville would provide significant recognition for Georgia, assist in recruiting and provide a boost to the economy in the southern part of the state.
Richt said he has not had recent conversations with Evans about the issue.
“Not any time in recent times,” Richt said. “There’s been discussions over the years but I’m really more concerned about trying to win the game than where it’s being played.”
KING, SAMUEL TO SEE SPLIT
After Caleb King made a successful return to the playing field following a six-week absence with a hamstring injury and incumbent Richard Samuel fumbled twice in Georgia’s win over Arkansas last week, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said the decision on who would start at tailback was “still yet to be determined.”
Samuel ran for an 80-yard touchdown in the game, but had just 24 yards on his 15 other carries, two of which ended with fumbles. King picked up 59 yards on 11 carries in the game and earned praise for his improved pass blocking.
Bobo said the likely scenario will be that both players will see action early.
“I think it a lot depends on how they’re running the football,” Bobo said. “I think both guys will get equal amount early on and if we feel one guy is hotter than the other, I think we’ll stick with him.”
MURRAY TO REDSHIRT?
Freshman quarterback Aaron Murray is sitting out of practice for the second straight week with triceps tendonitis, and Bobo said that doesn’t bode well for his chances at avoiding a redshirt.
“He’s still not practicing,” Bobo said when asked if Murray would earn a redshirt. “Yeah, I would say so. He hasn’t practice in over two weeks. Right now, he’s not playing.”
Richt was more cautious in his approach, saying that there was still a chance Murray could play this season.
The same is true of several of Georgia’s other freshman who have yet to see playing time, including tailback Washaun Ealey and linebacker Chase Vasser.
“I’m pushing that decision closer to Week 6,” Richt said. “If you had some injury situations or promoted a guy to first or second team and you know he’s going to get considerable reps every game, I think getting him in the last six games is worth it. It might be worth it with just four to go, especially if you’re in contention for an SEC title.”
GETTING SOME REST
Left tackle Vince Vance sat out of Tuesday’s practice with some soreness in his left knee. Vance missed the latter half of last season following ACL surgery on the knee, but Bobo said the recent soreness was nothing to be concerned about.
“It’s just natural for any guy coming off an knee injury to have some soreness, and you’ve got to work through that,” Bobo said. “He practiced (Wednesday) and looked fine.”
Cordy Glenn worked at left tackle during Tuesday’s practice, and Bobo said Glenn worked there for significant snaps during Georgia’s game against Arkansas last week, with Chris Davis subbing in for Glenn at left guard. Bobo said Vance will start this week’s game, however, with Glenn at guard and Davis coming off the bench.
HE’S NO SLOUCH
Like every Wednesday, quarterback Joe Cox didn’t throw a pass during yesterday’s practice. A nerve problem in his throwing shoulder causes pain during many everyday activities, and coaches have decided an extra day of rest could mean a stronger arm on game day.
But despite the reduced role during practice, Cox said he’s hardly taking the day off. While he may not be throwing passes, he said he’s staying involved in everything else that’s happening on the practice field.
“It’s not like I come out there in my street clothes and just watch,” Cox said. “I practice. There are some periods where I’ll still do the pass plays, I just won’t throw. I’ll take my drop and act like I’m going to throw, just won’t throw it. It’s not a day off of practice. It’s just a day off from throwing.”
NO HARM DONE
Georgia’s back-to-back shootout wins have created a renewed round of criticism for defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, whose unit struggled down the stretch last season and has allowed 78 points in the past two games this year.
While the cries for Martinez’s job have worked to galvanize some players, Richt said the ire from fans rarely seeps into the coaches’ offices.
“I think people don’t understand how busy we are,” Richt said. “We are working our tails off. I would guess we are working somewhere around 80 hours a week. We are looking at the next opponent. We are getting prepared for the next game and trying to correct any mistakes that we made in this game, but we are moving forward and constantly doing that. We don’t get too caught up in that kind of thing.”
For his part, Martinez knows the criticism, but he’s not taking it to heart. He admits he needs to have his players better prepared than they have been the past two games, but said his time is best spent coaching rather than addressing the critics.
“I don’t pay attention to it, but obviously it’s not fun playing this kind of defense,” Martinez said. “I’m very happy that we won. … You want to do whatever you can to help the team win, and we want to play better defense. So yeah, we’re not happy about it.”
While Richt isn’t settling for how the defense has performed the past two games, he said it’s far more important that Georgia won the ballgames and that the team hasn’t splintered amid the criticism.
“We are a very, very strong team,” Richt said. “You are not going to see anyone pointing fingers. You are not going to see anyone do anything other than encourage their teammate and their fellow coach. That’s just the way we’ve been operating here for the last nine years and that’s not going to change.”
PASSING FANCY
Georgia’s defense has been stout against the run this season – but perhaps a little too stout.
While the Bulldogs have held opposing tailbacks far below their season averages in each of their three games this season, defensive end Demarcus Dobbs said that the focus on stopping the run has allowed offenses to take advantage through the air.
“Our defense is centered on stopping the run first, but we are so focused on stopping the run that we have to do a better job at converting to pass rush and getting to the quarterback,” Dobbs said.
The excessive focus on the run has left Georgia particularly prone to play-action passes by the offense, and Dobbs said that was a particular problem in recent weeks as South Carolina and Arkansas combined for 721 yards through the air. More than 70 percent of the offensive plays the opposition has run the past two weeks have been passing plays.
“A lot of teams kill us with play action because we’re so zoned into the run,” Dobbs said. “Play action will kill a defense and we have to learn to convert and get into the quarterback’s face, even if it isn’t a sack, but just to alter his throws a little bit so our DBs can make a play.”
That’s an ongoing process, Dobbs said, but it starts with preparation in the film room and at practice.
“It will come with experience and being able to read stats better and studying their offensive line,” Dobbs said. “It just goes by reading stances, reading the way the linemen are blocking, if they’re giving half-effort blocks and heading down the line and not advancing upfield, you should be able to see that with your eyes and convert into a pass rush.”
NO LOVE FOR LOVE
Freshman cornerback Jordan Love has yet to play this season due to a toe injury he originally suffered in high school. While Richt hoped the injury would heal with rest, the answer isn’t quite so clear now.
“He’s not recovering well enough to where he’s close to playing and I still don’t know if this will require some surgery ultimately,” Richt said. “We’re trying to get it to where he could play this season, but as time’s rolling on it may take a repair to get him right.”
EXTRA POINTS
Richt said linebacker Darius Dewberry would likely return to action this week after missing the past two games. Akeem Dent, who missed action during the preseason with a sore hamstring and sat out last week’s win over Arkansas, is unlikely to play this week, Richt said.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Practice Notes: Dawgs Aren't Thrilled With Handshakes
After a grueling month of hitting each other during practice, exchanging pleasantries with the opposition before Saturday's game isn't exactly the ideal way to kick off the season, several Georgia players said, but they're willing to do it if Oklahoma State is.
The American Football Coaches Association requested that all teams shake hands before their first game in order to promote sportsmanship, but Cowboys' head coach Mike Gundy expressed some concerns about potential fights between the teams. That's a sentiment Georgia quarterback Joe Cox can understand.
"I think it could definitely happen, especially between teams that have bad blood," Cox said. "If you have that many guys going to midfield to shake hands, somebody's going to say something they shouldn't say probably. I think it could get out of hand and the whole team is on the field."
That was Gundy's worry when he told reporters he was unsure whether he supported the plan. Georgia head coach Mark Richt said he would have his players participate if Gundy agreed – it's up to the head coach of the home team to decide, Richt said – but he would also remind his players what is at stake should a problem escalate.
"I'd like to have all of our guys who traveled be able to participate in the game, and if you get in a fight, you're out, you're done," Richt said. "That in itself, I would think, would keep things cool."
Keeping things cool is part of the problem, Cox said.
While Cox said he's not against the idea, he would prefer his players be as focused and intense as possible before kickoff. The handshakes only distract from that.
"If I was a coach and I was trying to get my team really focused on physically beating somebody in a physically demanding game, I wouldn't want to go do a full-team handshake before the game," he said.
While Richt said the gesture is fine for the opening game, he wouldn't be in favor of continuing the tradition throughout the season as more rivalry games are played.
Oklahoma State and Georgia certainly aren't traditional rivals – as will be the case with many of the opening-week games – but the two teams did play just two years ago, and Cox said he has no doubt there are still some bitter feelings about the outcome in the Cowboys' locker room.
"Everybody knows how they were talking after the game, saying they didn't come ready to play and thought they were outplayed and outcoached, and nobody wants to play again and have the same feeling after the game," Cox said. "So they're going to be focused and fired up and I'm sure the last thing on their mind is meeting at midfield and shaking hands before the game."
KING STAYING HOME
As reported by the Telegraph earlier this week, sophomore tailback Caleb King will not make the trip to Stillwater for Georgia's opener against Oklahoma State.
A hamstring injury has sidelined King since Aug. 12, and while coaches remained hopeful last week that he might return in time to make the trip, the injury has been slow to heal.
Richt said he watched King jogging at practice Wednesday and thought he looked better, which gave him some hope that the tailback would at least be able to return in time for the South Carolina game.
"He was running at least three-quarters speed," Richt said. "I would think he'll be ready for that game."
King's absence leaves just two scholarship tailbacks likely to see significant action against the Cowboys – sophomore Richard Samuel and redshirt freshman Carlton Thomas.
It's a far cry from how the preseason began, with five players fighting for carries. Both Dontavius Jackson and freshman Washaun Ealey will make the trip to Stillwater, Richt said, but neither is expected to see much action. Walk-on Kalvin Daniels will be Georgia's No. 3 tailback for the game, and fullback Fred Munzenmaier is also available for duty should he be needed.
"That's pretty surprising," Cox said of the shallow roster of running backs, "but I think they tried to find the guys that were the most consistent, and I think we have two good ones that know what's going on and are going to do fine with our plan."
NO TRIP FOR TRIPP
Junior defensive end Kiante Tripp is another veteran who will miss the Oklahoma State game due to injury.
Tripp suffered what Richt described as a "stinger" that has been slow to heal, costing the converted offensive lineman a shot at his first action of his career on the defensive side of the football.
We don't think it's anything real serious, but sometimes it's like a hamstring – it just lasts longer," Richt said. "It's one of those things."
The loss is particularly problematic at a position in which Georgia lacks experienced depth. Demarcus Dobbs and Rod Battle will start Saturday, but with sophomore Justin Houston suspended for the first two games, the Bulldogs do not have another defensive end on the roster with playing experience at the position.
Senior Marcus Washington, who moved from linebacker last month, and redshirt freshman Cornelius Washington will be the top two players off the bench, Richt said, and freshman Montez Robinson will be ready to go if called upon.
"I think we're well prepared," Marcus Washington said of the group. "It's been a long grind ever since camp started. Guys are learning, pushing, fighting trying to get right. We're all fighting hard trying to make sure we get it done."
FRESHMEN MAKE THE CUT
A majority of Georgia's freshmen will make the trip to Oklahoma State, Richt said, and most of those will play.
Quarterbacks Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger will be on the plane, as will receivers Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten. Ealey and tight ends Orson Charles and Arthur Lynch are all part of the offensive travel squad, while Robinson, Abry Jones, Mike Gilliard, and Branden Smith will be a part of the defensive unit.
One player not making the trip is freshman cornerback Jordan Love, who continues to battle a toe injury. Richt said that isn't a sign of things to come for Love, however.
"He would have made the trip," Richt said, "but he's not able."
Richt said a total of 72 players will make the trip to Oklahoma State.
TIGHT QUARTERSMark Richt was on a recruiting trip to meet current St. Louis Cardinals slugger Matt Holiday the first and only time he has been in Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater. He said he doesn't remember much of what he saw, and he doubts it looks the same after a huge renovation project, but he's heard the horror stories about the cramped sidelines the opposing teams must endure.
"You'd rather have a little more breathing room, but you've just got to deal with it." Richt said. "That's part of being in a hostile environment. It adds to it."
While it won't be the most comfortable of working environments, Richt said there may be a small advantage for the Bulldogs.
During last week's practice game, Richt complained about problems many of the younger players had making substitutions. The cramped quarters, however, might help keep the players' heads in the game.
"In some ways it may help you because the kids will be closer to coaches, and I doubt they'll want to be turning around," Richt said. "I'm sure they'll be focused on what's ahead, so it may help us."
CHANGE OF PACE
Richt announced a new twist to Georgia's regular practice schedule today.
Beginning this weekend, the Bulldogs will begin practicing on Sundays and take Mondays off completely.
It was a move Richt said he had considered several times, but in the end, he decided there was an advantage in terms of preparation by working out the kinks from the previous game the day after playing, then moving on to preparation for the next game after a day's rest.
The final push may have actually come from Richt's brother-in-law, Brad Johnson, who said the NFL works from a similar schedule.
"I've considered it a lot of times, and we're going to give it a try, and I think the players will like it," Richt said. "A lot of teams do it, and it's actually based on the NFL model."
NOT GOOD ENOUGH
Georgia practiced in shorts for the first time in weeks Wednesday, a nice change of pace for the players. The response, however, wasn't exactly what Richt was hoping for.
"We had one of two dress rehearsals today," Richt said. "It was not super sharp. It wasn't horrible, but I'm thankful we have another day of what should be a review."
Georgia holds its final walk-through in shorts tomorrow before leaving Friday for Oklahoma.
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
A few more quotes on Mike Gundy's "handshake" comments...
From Makiri Pugh: “Sportsmanship is important, and that’s why you shake up after the game. As jacked up as we’ll be, I wouldn’t mind shaking a guy’s hand because it is a contest. I don’t think it’s a personal grudge outside of playing football. But of course, our two schools have met before, so there’s some blood between us, but sportsmanship is important, too.”
From Marcus Washington: “That’s his right if he feels that way. If he’s not inclined to shake our hand, he doesn’t have to. It’s all good.”
From Michael Moore: “We’ll have to talk about that after the game. We recognize what happened, and we’ll try to settle that on the field.”
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Practice Notes: No Limitations for Dawgs' Offense
With all the new faces on offense this year, head coach Mark Richt might like to have a little time to break in the rookies and get a feel for how the unit functions before taking off the training wheels.
With high-powered Oklahoma State looming in Georgia’s first game of the season, however, that’s a luxury Richt said Georgia can’t afford.
“We’ve got to turn it loose,” Richt said. “We can’t sit there and think too much. We’ve got to let them all play, put them in a position to make plays, and hopefully they will.”
The combination of Oklahoma State’s quick-strike ability and potentially sizzling temperatures in Stillwater for the game, Richt said he’ll have little choice but to put his young players on the field and give them a chance to make an impact.
That list of new faces includes first-year starting tailback Richard Samuel, two freshmen tight ends in Orson Charles and Arthur Lynch, and freshmen receivers Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten, along with first-year starting quarterback Joe Cox. With so many inexperienced players on the field, there are plenty of questions for Richt and his staff, but he said the Bulldogs aren’t planning to wait long to find out who’s ready for the job.
“If you’re not quite sure of all your personnel, you’re more apt to make sure the right guys are getting the ball, which is not as much fun as a coordinator,” Richt said. “When you’re sitting there going, ‘Well, so-and-so is in the game, so I’ve got to do this or that,’ I hope that we don’t have to do that. We’re not going into this game saying that’s what we’re going to do because we feel like we’ve got to let these guys go out there and make plays.”
If there’s an upside, however, it’s that so much transition can affect both sides of the ball.
While all the changes on offense make game planning for the opener a tricky task for Georgia’s play callers, it also complicates the job for Oklahoma State’s defense, Richt said.
“I’m sure they’re sitting there not sure who’s going to be where or who’s going to make plays or who we’re going to put in position to make plays,” Richt said. “The only thing they probably know for sure is A.J. Green. Other than that, they’re probably guessing a little bit.”
MUCH IMPROVED
Saturday’s practice marked the official end of the preseason, with the focus Monday shifting entirely to Oklahoma State as Georgia begins its usual practice routine leading up to a game.
While not every question the coaches had entering fall practice has been answered, Richt said there’s no mistaking the improvements he has seen in the preparation his team has gotten this preseason.
“By a long shot, we were able to prepare the way we normally like to in terms of the number of days we scrimmage and tackle to the ground and every single day in inside drill was live tackling,” Richt said.
The biggest different, Richt said, has been a reduced number of injuries. While a number of players missed some action with minor hamstring injuries, there haven’t been any catastrophic injuries similar to what occurred last preseason.
The result has been an increased focus on the fundamentals – particularly tackling. Richt said in addition to the tackling during scrimmages and inside drills, the team added tackle work to perimeter drills as well – a new addition from past seasons.
“It’s a world of difference when you look at how many times we were in pads and tackled to the ground,” Richt said.
STILL WAITING ON O LINE
Offensive linemen Ben Jones and Chris Davis both missed practice again Saturday, each recovering from ankle sprains that Richt said shouldn’t cost them any playing time.
“I expect Ben to be practicing Monday, and Chris I’m not certain,” Richt said. “Ben might do everything, but my guess would be just scout work. Chris may be ready for scout work, too, I’m just not sure.”
For the second straight day, Kevin Perez handled the first-team snaps at center, and while the 265-pound junior might be a bit overmatched in size, Richt said he’s confident that Perez can get the job done if called upon.
“Perez knows what to do, his body just didn’t get as big as he would hope and we would hope it would,” Richt said. “But he’s very smart, he’s been tremendous in our meeting rooms, and now that he’s had this opportunity to play, he’s done a very admirable job. We could certainly function with him.”
SECONDARY THOUGHTS
Defensive coordinator Willie Martinez said the depth chart in his secondary has taken shape, and it’s not exactly what Richt had discussed earlier this week.
Bryan Evans and Reshad Jones will be the starting safeties, with Brandon Boykin and Prince Miller the starting corners. Behind them, Sanders Commings, Baccari Rambo and Makiri Pugh will handle reserve duties at safety, with Branden Smith and Vance Cuff the first two corners off the bench.
Richt had suggested that Pugh and linebacker Nick Williams might handle the bulk of the work at nickelback, but Martinez indicated that role would actually belong to Miller, with either Cuff or Smith filling in at corner.
Smith’s emergence this preseason has been particularly impressive, Martinez said, given his mix of immense athletic ability and strong work ethic.
“He’s a very competitive player,” Martinez said of the freshman cornerback. “He’s a worker. He’s a fast learner. He’s always trying to do his best. He’s got a great attitude and with his ability, he’s coming on. He’s getting better.”
As to Georgia’s other two freshmen defensive backs, the news is a bit more tepid.
Cornerback Jordan Love has been limited in practice for the past week due to a toe injury, and the reduced reps have been a setback.
Safety Shawn Williams, on the other hand, has gotten more looks than expected due to some other injuries at his position, but Martinez said Williams still isn’t close to being where he needs to be to earn significant playing time on game day.
“We like him, but how much he’ll play this year, right now, that’s undetermined,” Martinez said. “He’s got a ways to go. But that’s expected for a young kid, particularly at safety, which is pretty difficult.”
PASS RUSH PROJECTIONS
With Justin Houston suspended for the first two games of the season, Martinez pronounced Demarcus Dobbs and Rod Battle the starters for Oklahoma State – a move that hardly comes as a surprise given the lack of experience further down the depth chart.
Martinez said Dobbs and Battle have both looked good, but the challenge now will be finding players who can fill in as backups consistently.
“Those are the two guys with a tremendous amount of experience, and they’ve been doing a good job,” Martinez said. “The other group of guys are just mixing in there trying to develop the depth. Some guys are getting better.”
FAST AND FURIOUS
Georgia ran through a final scrimmage against the scout teams Saturday, albeit a particularly regimented one.
Richt said the Bulldogs’ first-team offense and defense each ran 20 scripted plays against the scout team, and each of the six kicking units took three reps apiece. Some goal-line and short-yardage work involved tackling, but the majority of the practice was thud drills.
While the workout was brief, Richt said the team got what it needed from the practice.
“We had what I hoped we’d have today – a situation scrimmage that was thud the majority of the plays where we got good tempo, the sense of a game where you have to substitute,” Richt said. “It was good energy. We had 20 plays on each side of the ball. It was spirited, it was organized.”
Georgia returns to practice Monday, and will spend the first two days of the week in full pads. The Bulldogs will go to shorts and shoulder pads Wednesday and Thursday, then have an off day Friday before the game.
NOTABLE TWEET
According to Jeff Owens' Twitter feed, he found a nice note in his locker after coming off the practice field Saturday. It was an invitation to the East-West Shrine Game. Next up, according to Owens, is a similar invite to the Senior Bowl.
With high-powered Oklahoma State looming in Georgia’s first game of the season, however, that’s a luxury Richt said Georgia can’t afford.
“We’ve got to turn it loose,” Richt said. “We can’t sit there and think too much. We’ve got to let them all play, put them in a position to make plays, and hopefully they will.”
The combination of Oklahoma State’s quick-strike ability and potentially sizzling temperatures in Stillwater for the game, Richt said he’ll have little choice but to put his young players on the field and give them a chance to make an impact.
That list of new faces includes first-year starting tailback Richard Samuel, two freshmen tight ends in Orson Charles and Arthur Lynch, and freshmen receivers Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten, along with first-year starting quarterback Joe Cox. With so many inexperienced players on the field, there are plenty of questions for Richt and his staff, but he said the Bulldogs aren’t planning to wait long to find out who’s ready for the job.
“If you’re not quite sure of all your personnel, you’re more apt to make sure the right guys are getting the ball, which is not as much fun as a coordinator,” Richt said. “When you’re sitting there going, ‘Well, so-and-so is in the game, so I’ve got to do this or that,’ I hope that we don’t have to do that. We’re not going into this game saying that’s what we’re going to do because we feel like we’ve got to let these guys go out there and make plays.”
If there’s an upside, however, it’s that so much transition can affect both sides of the ball.
While all the changes on offense make game planning for the opener a tricky task for Georgia’s play callers, it also complicates the job for Oklahoma State’s defense, Richt said.
“I’m sure they’re sitting there not sure who’s going to be where or who’s going to make plays or who we’re going to put in position to make plays,” Richt said. “The only thing they probably know for sure is A.J. Green. Other than that, they’re probably guessing a little bit.”
MUCH IMPROVED
Saturday’s practice marked the official end of the preseason, with the focus Monday shifting entirely to Oklahoma State as Georgia begins its usual practice routine leading up to a game.
While not every question the coaches had entering fall practice has been answered, Richt said there’s no mistaking the improvements he has seen in the preparation his team has gotten this preseason.
“By a long shot, we were able to prepare the way we normally like to in terms of the number of days we scrimmage and tackle to the ground and every single day in inside drill was live tackling,” Richt said.
The biggest different, Richt said, has been a reduced number of injuries. While a number of players missed some action with minor hamstring injuries, there haven’t been any catastrophic injuries similar to what occurred last preseason.
The result has been an increased focus on the fundamentals – particularly tackling. Richt said in addition to the tackling during scrimmages and inside drills, the team added tackle work to perimeter drills as well – a new addition from past seasons.
“It’s a world of difference when you look at how many times we were in pads and tackled to the ground,” Richt said.
STILL WAITING ON O LINE
Offensive linemen Ben Jones and Chris Davis both missed practice again Saturday, each recovering from ankle sprains that Richt said shouldn’t cost them any playing time.
“I expect Ben to be practicing Monday, and Chris I’m not certain,” Richt said. “Ben might do everything, but my guess would be just scout work. Chris may be ready for scout work, too, I’m just not sure.”
For the second straight day, Kevin Perez handled the first-team snaps at center, and while the 265-pound junior might be a bit overmatched in size, Richt said he’s confident that Perez can get the job done if called upon.
“Perez knows what to do, his body just didn’t get as big as he would hope and we would hope it would,” Richt said. “But he’s very smart, he’s been tremendous in our meeting rooms, and now that he’s had this opportunity to play, he’s done a very admirable job. We could certainly function with him.”
SECONDARY THOUGHTS
Defensive coordinator Willie Martinez said the depth chart in his secondary has taken shape, and it’s not exactly what Richt had discussed earlier this week.
Bryan Evans and Reshad Jones will be the starting safeties, with Brandon Boykin and Prince Miller the starting corners. Behind them, Sanders Commings, Baccari Rambo and Makiri Pugh will handle reserve duties at safety, with Branden Smith and Vance Cuff the first two corners off the bench.
Richt had suggested that Pugh and linebacker Nick Williams might handle the bulk of the work at nickelback, but Martinez indicated that role would actually belong to Miller, with either Cuff or Smith filling in at corner.
Smith’s emergence this preseason has been particularly impressive, Martinez said, given his mix of immense athletic ability and strong work ethic.
“He’s a very competitive player,” Martinez said of the freshman cornerback. “He’s a worker. He’s a fast learner. He’s always trying to do his best. He’s got a great attitude and with his ability, he’s coming on. He’s getting better.”
As to Georgia’s other two freshmen defensive backs, the news is a bit more tepid.
Cornerback Jordan Love has been limited in practice for the past week due to a toe injury, and the reduced reps have been a setback.
Safety Shawn Williams, on the other hand, has gotten more looks than expected due to some other injuries at his position, but Martinez said Williams still isn’t close to being where he needs to be to earn significant playing time on game day.
“We like him, but how much he’ll play this year, right now, that’s undetermined,” Martinez said. “He’s got a ways to go. But that’s expected for a young kid, particularly at safety, which is pretty difficult.”
PASS RUSH PROJECTIONS
With Justin Houston suspended for the first two games of the season, Martinez pronounced Demarcus Dobbs and Rod Battle the starters for Oklahoma State – a move that hardly comes as a surprise given the lack of experience further down the depth chart.
Martinez said Dobbs and Battle have both looked good, but the challenge now will be finding players who can fill in as backups consistently.
“Those are the two guys with a tremendous amount of experience, and they’ve been doing a good job,” Martinez said. “The other group of guys are just mixing in there trying to develop the depth. Some guys are getting better.”
FAST AND FURIOUS
Georgia ran through a final scrimmage against the scout teams Saturday, albeit a particularly regimented one.
Richt said the Bulldogs’ first-team offense and defense each ran 20 scripted plays against the scout team, and each of the six kicking units took three reps apiece. Some goal-line and short-yardage work involved tackling, but the majority of the practice was thud drills.
While the workout was brief, Richt said the team got what it needed from the practice.
“We had what I hoped we’d have today – a situation scrimmage that was thud the majority of the plays where we got good tempo, the sense of a game where you have to substitute,” Richt said. “It was good energy. We had 20 plays on each side of the ball. It was spirited, it was organized.”
Georgia returns to practice Monday, and will spend the first two days of the week in full pads. The Bulldogs will go to shorts and shoulder pads Wednesday and Thursday, then have an off day Friday before the game.
NOTABLE TWEET
According to Jeff Owens' Twitter feed, he found a nice note in his locker after coming off the practice field Saturday. It was an invitation to the East-West Shrine Game. Next up, according to Owens, is a similar invite to the Senior Bowl.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Boykin Assesses Freshmen
UGA cornerback Brandon Boykin discusses the Georgia receiving corps and the new additions in the defensive backfield, along with assessing A.J. Green's basketball skills.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Practice Notes: Freshmen Receivers Catching On
Marlon Brown has already been asking around to find out what to expect when he takes the field in Stillwater, Okla. for the first game of his college career.
The wait for game day seemed endless for the first three months he was on campus, but now that it's less than two week away, he's starting to feel the pressure a bit.
"It's actually real, real soon," Brown said. "I've asked Mike (Moore) and Kris Durham and A.J. (Green), and they said it's hectic."
Brown's debut may be coming faster than he expected, but head coach Mark Richt said his freshmen receivers – Brown and Rantavious Wooten – need to be ready for action.
"Both of them started out pretty good, then I think both of them hit a little bit of a wall, and now I think both of them are beginning to pick it up again and make progress," Richt said. "But they're getting a ton of opportunities in practice, and they'll both get playing time."
Moore said he's seen his fair share of mistakes from the two freshmen, but their attitude has remained positive and the progress has been steady. Moore said Brown and Wooten have demonstrated a strong knowledge of the playbook, and now they're simply working on executing at full speed.
That's crucial for the Bulldogs, who have just four other scholarship receivers.
"I think they're far along enough where they can help the team now," Moore said. "I think the coaches are comfortable with them, and as a player, I feel comfortable with them now, too."
THE PRESSURE IS ON
Georgia will have a first-year starter at punter and could have another handling kickoffs, and both will be tested early.
Oklahoma State's special teams are among the best in the country, with punt returner Dez Bryant, who had two returns for touchdowns last season, and kick returner Perrish Cox, who is on pace to break the Big 12 record for return yards early this season.
"They're outstanding there, and our kicking game has just got to be outstanding," Richt said. "It starts with the kicker and punter, but our coverage teams, when you talk about wanting to be in midseason form Game 1, we better be."
As to which player will be handling kickoffs -- either Brandon Bogotay or Blair Walsh -- remains a mystery – and it's not one for which Richt is planning to offer a solution any time soon.
"I doubt that will ever be announced before the first game, so don't ask," Richt said, joking with reporters Monday. "We've narrowed it down to two, so that's pretty good."
While Richt is playing coy on who will handle kickoffs, he said he simply hasn't decided on the approach that kicker will take. Georgia's kicking game struggled badly last year with directional kicking, but Richt said that still could be the plan against Oklahoma State.
"As we get closer to it, we'll have to make some decisions on if we'll kick to them or not," Richt said.
One bright spot, however, appears to be the work of new punter Drew Butler, who Richt said has had a tremendous few weeks in practice.
"I hope he punts in the games like he's been punting in practice," Richt said. "He's been very good. He never had an issue with operation time."
INJURY UPDATES
Freshman cornerback Jordan Love missed Monday's practice due to a lingering toe injury he has had since high school. Richt said it's less severe than a turf toe, but Georgia's staff is taking a conservative approach.
"We let him rest a bit, cool off, then hook him up again," Richt said. "It's a day-to-day, pain-tolerance kind of thing."
Safeties Bryan Evans and Reshad Jones and tight end Aron White all returned to a full practice Monday after sitting out the majority of the past two weeks with hamstring injuries. While none participated in a sprinting exercise at the end of practice, Richt was otherwise pleased with their progress.
"They had green jerseys on, but they did just about everything," Richt said.
Two players who did not participate were left tackle Trinton Sturdivant, who Richt said is sick with a gastro-intestinal illness, and Darius Dewberry, who Richt said was close to returning from a hamstring injury.
NICKEL FOR YOUR THOUGHTS
With so many teams running spread offenses around the SEC, Richt said the nickel back position has become ever more important. The problem is, Georgia has been limited in who it can use at the position recently thanks to fall injuries to safeties Jones, Evans and Quintin Banks.
The primary nickel at this point, Richt said, has been redshirt freshman Makiri Pugh, who has also worked at safety. Redshirt freshman Sanders Commings was getting reps, but Richt said that has tapered off some. Prince Miller, who is Georgia's starting wide corner, could also handle the job if need be, with freshman Branden Smith handling cornerback duties, Richt said.
One more intriguing option at the nickel is linebacker Nick Williams, who moved from safety last season. Williams has already been playing the strongside linebacker spot, which is the position that leaves the field when the nickel enters the game. With Williams' versatility, Richt said, Georgia could essentially run a base package in the nickel, too.
"He in essence knows the nickel also," Richt said. "He runs pretty good for a linebacker, so he might be able to play some downs without having to make that substitution."
EARNING HIS PLAYING TIME
While Kiante Tripp hasn't been working with the first-team defensive ends this fall, Richt said he has been impressed with how the converted offensive lineman has handled himself.
"I thought Kiante was playing extremely hard," Richt said. "He's gotten in tremendous condition. He's a very athletic big guy. I would say he's going to play, and the better he plays, the better chance he has of gaining more playing time."
Tripp missed much of last week with a minor shoulder injury but returned to practice Monday.
NO ONE-TRICK PONY
With Michael Moore working so much in the slot, a few fans wondered if he would see a lot of the field when Georgia was in a two-wideout set. Not to worry, Moore said.
He has spent a significant amount of time working at the Z and X receiver spots, too, and said he'll be starting opposite A.J. Green in all sets.
That means there will be a good bit of pressure on Moore to perform, Richt said, but a strong start to the season for the senior receiver could go a long way toward opening up Georgia's offense.
"A.J.'s going to get the most attention, so the bottom line is he's got to win when he has man coverage, which he'll probably see a good bit of," Richt said of Moore. "If he proves he can defeat it and it becomes an issue for people, they'll have to mix up what they're doing, maybe try to double both, and then we'll have a lot better opportunity to run the football."
PRACTICE REPORT
Here's what Richt had to say about the current practice schedule: "Today we were in full pads. It was a pretty long practice. We had some live inside drill, live open-field tackling. Tomorrow will be mostly scout work and then we'll kind of prepare everybody for our practice game on Wednesday."
The wait for game day seemed endless for the first three months he was on campus, but now that it's less than two week away, he's starting to feel the pressure a bit.
"It's actually real, real soon," Brown said. "I've asked Mike (Moore) and Kris Durham and A.J. (Green), and they said it's hectic."
Brown's debut may be coming faster than he expected, but head coach Mark Richt said his freshmen receivers – Brown and Rantavious Wooten – need to be ready for action.
"Both of them started out pretty good, then I think both of them hit a little bit of a wall, and now I think both of them are beginning to pick it up again and make progress," Richt said. "But they're getting a ton of opportunities in practice, and they'll both get playing time."
Moore said he's seen his fair share of mistakes from the two freshmen, but their attitude has remained positive and the progress has been steady. Moore said Brown and Wooten have demonstrated a strong knowledge of the playbook, and now they're simply working on executing at full speed.
That's crucial for the Bulldogs, who have just four other scholarship receivers.
"I think they're far along enough where they can help the team now," Moore said. "I think the coaches are comfortable with them, and as a player, I feel comfortable with them now, too."
THE PRESSURE IS ON
Georgia will have a first-year starter at punter and could have another handling kickoffs, and both will be tested early.
Oklahoma State's special teams are among the best in the country, with punt returner Dez Bryant, who had two returns for touchdowns last season, and kick returner Perrish Cox, who is on pace to break the Big 12 record for return yards early this season.
"They're outstanding there, and our kicking game has just got to be outstanding," Richt said. "It starts with the kicker and punter, but our coverage teams, when you talk about wanting to be in midseason form Game 1, we better be."
As to which player will be handling kickoffs -- either Brandon Bogotay or Blair Walsh -- remains a mystery – and it's not one for which Richt is planning to offer a solution any time soon.
"I doubt that will ever be announced before the first game, so don't ask," Richt said, joking with reporters Monday. "We've narrowed it down to two, so that's pretty good."
While Richt is playing coy on who will handle kickoffs, he said he simply hasn't decided on the approach that kicker will take. Georgia's kicking game struggled badly last year with directional kicking, but Richt said that still could be the plan against Oklahoma State.
"As we get closer to it, we'll have to make some decisions on if we'll kick to them or not," Richt said.
One bright spot, however, appears to be the work of new punter Drew Butler, who Richt said has had a tremendous few weeks in practice.
"I hope he punts in the games like he's been punting in practice," Richt said. "He's been very good. He never had an issue with operation time."
INJURY UPDATES
Freshman cornerback Jordan Love missed Monday's practice due to a lingering toe injury he has had since high school. Richt said it's less severe than a turf toe, but Georgia's staff is taking a conservative approach.
"We let him rest a bit, cool off, then hook him up again," Richt said. "It's a day-to-day, pain-tolerance kind of thing."
Safeties Bryan Evans and Reshad Jones and tight end Aron White all returned to a full practice Monday after sitting out the majority of the past two weeks with hamstring injuries. While none participated in a sprinting exercise at the end of practice, Richt was otherwise pleased with their progress.
"They had green jerseys on, but they did just about everything," Richt said.
Two players who did not participate were left tackle Trinton Sturdivant, who Richt said is sick with a gastro-intestinal illness, and Darius Dewberry, who Richt said was close to returning from a hamstring injury.
NICKEL FOR YOUR THOUGHTS
With so many teams running spread offenses around the SEC, Richt said the nickel back position has become ever more important. The problem is, Georgia has been limited in who it can use at the position recently thanks to fall injuries to safeties Jones, Evans and Quintin Banks.
The primary nickel at this point, Richt said, has been redshirt freshman Makiri Pugh, who has also worked at safety. Redshirt freshman Sanders Commings was getting reps, but Richt said that has tapered off some. Prince Miller, who is Georgia's starting wide corner, could also handle the job if need be, with freshman Branden Smith handling cornerback duties, Richt said.
One more intriguing option at the nickel is linebacker Nick Williams, who moved from safety last season. Williams has already been playing the strongside linebacker spot, which is the position that leaves the field when the nickel enters the game. With Williams' versatility, Richt said, Georgia could essentially run a base package in the nickel, too.
"He in essence knows the nickel also," Richt said. "He runs pretty good for a linebacker, so he might be able to play some downs without having to make that substitution."
EARNING HIS PLAYING TIME
While Kiante Tripp hasn't been working with the first-team defensive ends this fall, Richt said he has been impressed with how the converted offensive lineman has handled himself.
"I thought Kiante was playing extremely hard," Richt said. "He's gotten in tremendous condition. He's a very athletic big guy. I would say he's going to play, and the better he plays, the better chance he has of gaining more playing time."
Tripp missed much of last week with a minor shoulder injury but returned to practice Monday.
NO ONE-TRICK PONY
With Michael Moore working so much in the slot, a few fans wondered if he would see a lot of the field when Georgia was in a two-wideout set. Not to worry, Moore said.
He has spent a significant amount of time working at the Z and X receiver spots, too, and said he'll be starting opposite A.J. Green in all sets.
That means there will be a good bit of pressure on Moore to perform, Richt said, but a strong start to the season for the senior receiver could go a long way toward opening up Georgia's offense.
"A.J.'s going to get the most attention, so the bottom line is he's got to win when he has man coverage, which he'll probably see a good bit of," Richt said of Moore. "If he proves he can defeat it and it becomes an issue for people, they'll have to mix up what they're doing, maybe try to double both, and then we'll have a lot better opportunity to run the football."
PRACTICE REPORT
Here's what Richt had to say about the current practice schedule: "Today we were in full pads. It was a pretty long practice. We had some live inside drill, live open-field tackling. Tomorrow will be mostly scout work and then we'll kind of prepare everybody for our practice game on Wednesday."
Friday, August 21, 2009
Practice Notes: Samuel a 'Solid No. 1'
What seemed like the likely outcome since last week’s first scrimmage is now official, according to head coach Mark Richt. Sophomore tailback Richard Samuel is firmly atop Georgia’s depth chart with a chance to become an every-down runner.
“I’d say Richard is a solid No. 1,” Richt said. “He’s playing with a lot of energy. Some of these practices, by the end of practice he’s still blazing a trail pretty good. When the other guys fatigue, he looks even faster.”
Samuel figured to have a more competitive battle with fellow sophomore Caleb King for the starting job, but King went down with a hamstring injury last week and has been unable to practice.
Richt was quick to note, however, that King’s injury hasn’t made Samuel the default choice as the starter.
“We would have rated Richard No. 1 after the scrimmage regardless of the injury,” Richt said, “but we’re anxious to get Caleb back healthy, I can promise you that.”
Both Samuel and King struggled in reserve duty at times a year ago, but Samuel has been able to take a huge leap forward during the offseason.
In two scrimmages, Samuel has tallied 233 yards on 19 touches with four going for touchdowns.
“That one year makes a huge difference,” linebacker Rennie Curran said. “You can tell he knows his plays, knows the right fits, he knows where to be. It shows on the field. He’s running that ball hard. He’s definitely that type of running back we need in the SEC to play that hard-nosed football.”
While Samuel’s upright running style has drawn some criticism of scouts and fans, Curran said a tailback who enjoys contact as much as Samuel can be difficult for defenses to stop.
“I remember tackling him one time and I got a headache,” Curran said. “He’s the type of back that can beat a defense down over time. If you throw a speed tailback in there to mix it up with him, that can really wear a defense out with a guy who runs straight ahead and hits the hole as hard as he does.”
Richt said redshirt freshman Carlton Thomas remains in the tailback competition after posting two strong scrimmage performances as well, but the bottom line is that Samuel has been the most impressive and has earned the trust of his coaches.
“He’s shown some flashes where he runs hard, plays hard and has a much more comfortable air about him, his body language,” Richt said of Samuel. “He’s in control of what to do, and he’s giving people confidence right now.”
WHAT A RELIEF
Richt said it looked bad when sophomore center Ben Jones collapsed with a sprained ankle Wednesday, but it turns out the injury doesn’t appear too serious.
Jones suffered a lateral sprain of his left ankle which resulted in some significant swelling, but Richt said there’s virtually no chance Jones will miss any playing time.
“I’d be shocked if he didn’t play (against Oklahoma State),” Richt said. “He really is day to day. When it happened, it looked worse than it ended up being. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him get some work next week.”
Chris Davis and Kevin Perez took reps at center with the No. 1 unit for a second straight day Friday.
TO BE DETERMINED
Georgia president Michael Adams announced dates all school employees must take mandatory furloughs Thursday, but Richt said things remain undecided as to when the Bulldogs’ coaching staff will be on vacation.
The dates set by Adams would require Georgia’s coaches to take off work the day before the Bulldogs play Florida along with another day during Georgia Tech week.
While Richt said he’ll be meeting with athletics director Damon Evans next week to discuss how best to work around the furloughs, he said he isn’t expecting any time off during a crucial period of the season.
“If the university needs to do it, then we need to cooperate,” Richt said. “My guess is, I don’t know if we’ve ever had a day off during the season, so I really doubt that we’ll be able to just stay home and relax.”
PLANS HAVEN’T CHANGED
Before opening fall camp, Richt said he expected all of his true freshmen linebackers, defensive backs, wide receivers, tight ends and running backs to play this season. Three weeks into the preseason, things are still going according to plan.
“The majority of them are still absolutely in the race,” Richt said. “Some are right in the thick of it, and some of them are kind of right on the fringe, but they’re still battling, still working.”
Among the most likely to play are tight ends Orson Charles and Arthur Lynch, wideouts Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten, cornerback Branden Smith and linebacker Michael Gilliard.
While several others are still working to secure playing time, Richt said finals decisions on redshirts aren’t likely to come until after the fourth game of the season.
“You just don’t know with injuries and you don’t know who’s going to perk up all of a sudden,” Richt said. “Once we get into a little bit of a different routine and everything becomes a little more familiar, they start to play a little faster and they’re not as confused. So all of a sudden a guy who you didn’t think had a chance after scrimmage No. 2 has a lot of life.”
HOW THEY DOING?
Richt's comments on two of the potential "fringe" guys:
On Jordan Love: “Jordan has done very well, and we still have every intention of playing Jordan this year.”
On Chase Vasser: “Chase is more of a bubble guy right now. He’s got to prove that he can be reliable on special teams at this point, and he’s still got a ways to go to learn what’s got to be done as an every-down scrimmage player. We haven’t given up on the thought of him playing as a true freshman, but he’s probably a little farther off than some of the others.”
GETTING CLOSER
Safety Reshad Jones has been back at practice for two days, but he's still donning a green non-contact jersey. Although he's being kept out of contact drills, he said he's feeling just fine.
"Hamstrings are frustrating and kind of tricky," Jones said. “I’m full speed, I’m just limited in drills, not being able to do everything right now. But next week, I should be back without the green on.”
Consider that the case for the majority of Georgia's cast of characters missing action due to sore hamstrings.
Bryan Evans, Caleb King, Akeem Dent, Aron White and Darius Dewberry all fit the bill, and while Richt said all are looking a lot better, the training staff is taking a cautious approach to bringing them back.
“We’re at the point with some of these hamstrings where, if we were three or four weeks away from a game, they’d probably be going right now," Richt said. "But we know if we get another little tweak right now, it might cost those guys the ability to play in that game. So we’re being conservative right now, but they’ll almost all be back next week.”
DOBBS DOING FINE
Demarcus Dobbs has been in green the past two days thanks to a sore neck suffered during 11-on-11 drills, but Richt said the junior defensive end hasn't missed much.
“Dobbs is fine," Richt said. "He got his neck tweeked a little bit, but he’s out there running full speed. We’re just trying to keep him from using his (head to tackle) right now.”
Dobbs said he feels good and expects to practice fully Saturday.
Beyond the injury report, Richt also gave Dobbs a ringing endorsement in terms of production, too.
“Dobbs has really had a good camp," Richt said. "I’m proud of his effort. He’s come a long way.”
TRIPP'S TAKING IT EASY
Kiante Tripp has missed the past several practices as well due to a sore shoulder. While the time away isn't helping the converted offensive lineman prepare for Oklahoma State, he said the rest is mostly for precaution.
“The shoulder’s good," Tripp said. "I’m just trying to stay in shape. I’m still in the green jersey now because they don’t want any contact because they want to keep it alright until game time, but everything feels good.”
ANOTHER SCORCHER
After Thursday's practice, Jeff Owens sent a Twitter message telling friends he had just been through the toughest practice in four years.
Friday, the sun was still hot, the bodies still sore, but the coaches didn't let up -- and that's exactly what Richt was hoping to see.
“It was hot out there and kind of miserable, but they fought real good," Richt said of the team's practice. "We’re still making a few mistakes here and there, but I really liked how they practiced today. They pushed. Yesterday was a tough day, so to come right back with another one, coaches are just coaching their tails off and guys are responding. We need days like today.”
The tempo being set by the coaches hasn't diminished throughout the preseason, Curran said. Considering the problems of a year ago, that's fine by him.
"We know nobody’s going to feel sorry for us this season, nobody’s going to give us any breaks when it comes to playing those games," Curran said. "If we don’t sacrifice now, it’s going to get ugly. The way I look at it is I’d rather hurt now than hurt on ESPN or in front of those fans and look sloppy in front of the fans. We’ve been putting work in day in and day out, and hopefully it’s going to pay off.”
NO HARD FEELINGS
The Sporting News posted a list of its selections for the top 10 players in the SEC, and while Florida was well represented, and Alabama receiver Julio Jones earned a spot, no Georgia players made the cut.
That might add a touch of motivation for the current season, Curran said, but the truth is, he doesn't think any of the Bulldogs have earned that type of recognition just yet.
"At the end of the day, you’re just trying to win those games," Curran said. "If the offense is doing well, the defense is doing well and we’re winning games, that respect is going to come. The lists that they’re making because their teams made it far. They made it to the SEC championship, to the national championship. We can’t expect to get respected when my defense isn’t producing and people are getting 40 points on us. That’s how it works.”
ONE MORE THIS WEEK
Georgia practices at 9 a.m. Saturday, followed by the team's annual fan picture day at Sanford Stadium.
“I’d say Richard is a solid No. 1,” Richt said. “He’s playing with a lot of energy. Some of these practices, by the end of practice he’s still blazing a trail pretty good. When the other guys fatigue, he looks even faster.”
Samuel figured to have a more competitive battle with fellow sophomore Caleb King for the starting job, but King went down with a hamstring injury last week and has been unable to practice.
Richt was quick to note, however, that King’s injury hasn’t made Samuel the default choice as the starter.
“We would have rated Richard No. 1 after the scrimmage regardless of the injury,” Richt said, “but we’re anxious to get Caleb back healthy, I can promise you that.”
Both Samuel and King struggled in reserve duty at times a year ago, but Samuel has been able to take a huge leap forward during the offseason.
In two scrimmages, Samuel has tallied 233 yards on 19 touches with four going for touchdowns.
“That one year makes a huge difference,” linebacker Rennie Curran said. “You can tell he knows his plays, knows the right fits, he knows where to be. It shows on the field. He’s running that ball hard. He’s definitely that type of running back we need in the SEC to play that hard-nosed football.”
While Samuel’s upright running style has drawn some criticism of scouts and fans, Curran said a tailback who enjoys contact as much as Samuel can be difficult for defenses to stop.
“I remember tackling him one time and I got a headache,” Curran said. “He’s the type of back that can beat a defense down over time. If you throw a speed tailback in there to mix it up with him, that can really wear a defense out with a guy who runs straight ahead and hits the hole as hard as he does.”
Richt said redshirt freshman Carlton Thomas remains in the tailback competition after posting two strong scrimmage performances as well, but the bottom line is that Samuel has been the most impressive and has earned the trust of his coaches.
“He’s shown some flashes where he runs hard, plays hard and has a much more comfortable air about him, his body language,” Richt said of Samuel. “He’s in control of what to do, and he’s giving people confidence right now.”
WHAT A RELIEF
Richt said it looked bad when sophomore center Ben Jones collapsed with a sprained ankle Wednesday, but it turns out the injury doesn’t appear too serious.
Jones suffered a lateral sprain of his left ankle which resulted in some significant swelling, but Richt said there’s virtually no chance Jones will miss any playing time.
“I’d be shocked if he didn’t play (against Oklahoma State),” Richt said. “He really is day to day. When it happened, it looked worse than it ended up being. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him get some work next week.”
Chris Davis and Kevin Perez took reps at center with the No. 1 unit for a second straight day Friday.
TO BE DETERMINED
Georgia president Michael Adams announced dates all school employees must take mandatory furloughs Thursday, but Richt said things remain undecided as to when the Bulldogs’ coaching staff will be on vacation.
The dates set by Adams would require Georgia’s coaches to take off work the day before the Bulldogs play Florida along with another day during Georgia Tech week.
While Richt said he’ll be meeting with athletics director Damon Evans next week to discuss how best to work around the furloughs, he said he isn’t expecting any time off during a crucial period of the season.
“If the university needs to do it, then we need to cooperate,” Richt said. “My guess is, I don’t know if we’ve ever had a day off during the season, so I really doubt that we’ll be able to just stay home and relax.”
PLANS HAVEN’T CHANGED
Before opening fall camp, Richt said he expected all of his true freshmen linebackers, defensive backs, wide receivers, tight ends and running backs to play this season. Three weeks into the preseason, things are still going according to plan.
“The majority of them are still absolutely in the race,” Richt said. “Some are right in the thick of it, and some of them are kind of right on the fringe, but they’re still battling, still working.”
Among the most likely to play are tight ends Orson Charles and Arthur Lynch, wideouts Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten, cornerback Branden Smith and linebacker Michael Gilliard.
While several others are still working to secure playing time, Richt said finals decisions on redshirts aren’t likely to come until after the fourth game of the season.
“You just don’t know with injuries and you don’t know who’s going to perk up all of a sudden,” Richt said. “Once we get into a little bit of a different routine and everything becomes a little more familiar, they start to play a little faster and they’re not as confused. So all of a sudden a guy who you didn’t think had a chance after scrimmage No. 2 has a lot of life.”
HOW THEY DOING?
Richt's comments on two of the potential "fringe" guys:
On Jordan Love: “Jordan has done very well, and we still have every intention of playing Jordan this year.”
On Chase Vasser: “Chase is more of a bubble guy right now. He’s got to prove that he can be reliable on special teams at this point, and he’s still got a ways to go to learn what’s got to be done as an every-down scrimmage player. We haven’t given up on the thought of him playing as a true freshman, but he’s probably a little farther off than some of the others.”
GETTING CLOSER
Safety Reshad Jones has been back at practice for two days, but he's still donning a green non-contact jersey. Although he's being kept out of contact drills, he said he's feeling just fine.
"Hamstrings are frustrating and kind of tricky," Jones said. “I’m full speed, I’m just limited in drills, not being able to do everything right now. But next week, I should be back without the green on.”
Consider that the case for the majority of Georgia's cast of characters missing action due to sore hamstrings.
Bryan Evans, Caleb King, Akeem Dent, Aron White and Darius Dewberry all fit the bill, and while Richt said all are looking a lot better, the training staff is taking a cautious approach to bringing them back.
“We’re at the point with some of these hamstrings where, if we were three or four weeks away from a game, they’d probably be going right now," Richt said. "But we know if we get another little tweak right now, it might cost those guys the ability to play in that game. So we’re being conservative right now, but they’ll almost all be back next week.”
DOBBS DOING FINE
Demarcus Dobbs has been in green the past two days thanks to a sore neck suffered during 11-on-11 drills, but Richt said the junior defensive end hasn't missed much.
“Dobbs is fine," Richt said. "He got his neck tweeked a little bit, but he’s out there running full speed. We’re just trying to keep him from using his (head to tackle) right now.”
Dobbs said he feels good and expects to practice fully Saturday.
Beyond the injury report, Richt also gave Dobbs a ringing endorsement in terms of production, too.
“Dobbs has really had a good camp," Richt said. "I’m proud of his effort. He’s come a long way.”
TRIPP'S TAKING IT EASY
Kiante Tripp has missed the past several practices as well due to a sore shoulder. While the time away isn't helping the converted offensive lineman prepare for Oklahoma State, he said the rest is mostly for precaution.
“The shoulder’s good," Tripp said. "I’m just trying to stay in shape. I’m still in the green jersey now because they don’t want any contact because they want to keep it alright until game time, but everything feels good.”
ANOTHER SCORCHER
After Thursday's practice, Jeff Owens sent a Twitter message telling friends he had just been through the toughest practice in four years.
Friday, the sun was still hot, the bodies still sore, but the coaches didn't let up -- and that's exactly what Richt was hoping to see.
“It was hot out there and kind of miserable, but they fought real good," Richt said of the team's practice. "We’re still making a few mistakes here and there, but I really liked how they practiced today. They pushed. Yesterday was a tough day, so to come right back with another one, coaches are just coaching their tails off and guys are responding. We need days like today.”
The tempo being set by the coaches hasn't diminished throughout the preseason, Curran said. Considering the problems of a year ago, that's fine by him.
"We know nobody’s going to feel sorry for us this season, nobody’s going to give us any breaks when it comes to playing those games," Curran said. "If we don’t sacrifice now, it’s going to get ugly. The way I look at it is I’d rather hurt now than hurt on ESPN or in front of those fans and look sloppy in front of the fans. We’ve been putting work in day in and day out, and hopefully it’s going to pay off.”
NO HARD FEELINGS
The Sporting News posted a list of its selections for the top 10 players in the SEC, and while Florida was well represented, and Alabama receiver Julio Jones earned a spot, no Georgia players made the cut.
That might add a touch of motivation for the current season, Curran said, but the truth is, he doesn't think any of the Bulldogs have earned that type of recognition just yet.
"At the end of the day, you’re just trying to win those games," Curran said. "If the offense is doing well, the defense is doing well and we’re winning games, that respect is going to come. The lists that they’re making because their teams made it far. They made it to the SEC championship, to the national championship. We can’t expect to get respected when my defense isn’t producing and people are getting 40 points on us. That’s how it works.”
ONE MORE THIS WEEK
Georgia practices at 9 a.m. Saturday, followed by the team's annual fan picture day at Sanford Stadium.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Video Blog: Boykin Talks 2009
Georgia corner Brandon Boykin talks about his first impressions of Orson Charles (you'll be impressed), Georgia's offseason attitude (he was impressed) and his own preparations for 2009 (he's ready to be the starting corner).
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
For Love of the Game
It's a bit of an odd situation. Coming from Virginia, Jordan Love doesn't exactly know too many of his new teammates all that well, and he never spent any time facing off against any of his fellow freshmen in high school.
So he's done his best to build close ties with the players he's met so far, and as it turns out, two of his closest friends will be the two players he's competing for reps with this season -- Branden Smith and Brandon Boykin.
Rather than start things off on the wrong foot, however, Love said he's looking forward to squaring off against his friends on the practice field.
"I think healthy competition is good," Love said. "You get out there, and everybody's going to be pushing each other, so whoever gets the job is going to be really deserving of the spot."
Most pundits weren't exactly sure where Love would be competing when he finally does hit the practice field. At 6-foot-1 and closing in on 200 pounds, Love looked more like a safety than a corner -- the position he played in high school -- but Georgia's coaches didn't see it that way.
"The coaches said they needed corners and wanted me at corner," Love said. "I'm big for a corner, which they said they liked, so I'll probably be starting off there, but if they need me to play safety, that's what I'll do."
With Boykin (5-10, 195), Sanders Commings (6-2, 215) and Love, Georgia won't lack for big corners, and that's an advantage Love said he thinks the Bulldogs can exploit regularly.
"The receivers in the SEC, they're getting bigger, so you'd like to have a corner that can match up in bulk and size with those receivers," he said.
Beyond his size, however, Love said he brings a few other skills to the table.
"I have good hips, and I've been working on my footwork with an NFL coach, (Oakland's) Lionel Washington, so I have good hips and footwork for someone my size," he said.
Love said he isn't looking at Smith, a fellow freshman and five-star recruit, as his measuring stick, although he expects many fans will invariably compare the two at times. The way he sees it, Smith's game is about speed, and his is about power. They're two different players.
He also doesn't expect to get the iron man treatment Smith has been promised. While Love did play on both sides of the ball in high school, he said he isn't holding his breath to earn any offensive snaps at Georgia. Special teams, on the other hand, is a real possibility.
"I can definitely see myself returning punts and kicks," Love said. "I think if I can get started off on special teams, that will eventually get me on the field whether its offense or defense or different positions."
Whatever it takes to get on the field is what Love wants to do, but added he wants to make plays more than just earn playing time.
The possibility of early playing time is there, however, due in large part to the departure of junior Asher Allen for the NFL draft -- a move that surprised and somewhat disappointed Love. In the end, however, he's just happy for the opportunity.
"I was kind of hoping that when I got there I'd be able to learn from (Allen)," Love said, "but the fact that he left, it was kind of a win-win if he stayed or if he left. If he stayed, I could have learned from him, but since he left, it opens up some more playing time."
So he's done his best to build close ties with the players he's met so far, and as it turns out, two of his closest friends will be the two players he's competing for reps with this season -- Branden Smith and Brandon Boykin.
Rather than start things off on the wrong foot, however, Love said he's looking forward to squaring off against his friends on the practice field.
"I think healthy competition is good," Love said. "You get out there, and everybody's going to be pushing each other, so whoever gets the job is going to be really deserving of the spot."
Most pundits weren't exactly sure where Love would be competing when he finally does hit the practice field. At 6-foot-1 and closing in on 200 pounds, Love looked more like a safety than a corner -- the position he played in high school -- but Georgia's coaches didn't see it that way.
"The coaches said they needed corners and wanted me at corner," Love said. "I'm big for a corner, which they said they liked, so I'll probably be starting off there, but if they need me to play safety, that's what I'll do."
With Boykin (5-10, 195), Sanders Commings (6-2, 215) and Love, Georgia won't lack for big corners, and that's an advantage Love said he thinks the Bulldogs can exploit regularly.
"The receivers in the SEC, they're getting bigger, so you'd like to have a corner that can match up in bulk and size with those receivers," he said.
Beyond his size, however, Love said he brings a few other skills to the table.
"I have good hips, and I've been working on my footwork with an NFL coach, (Oakland's) Lionel Washington, so I have good hips and footwork for someone my size," he said.
Love said he isn't looking at Smith, a fellow freshman and five-star recruit, as his measuring stick, although he expects many fans will invariably compare the two at times. The way he sees it, Smith's game is about speed, and his is about power. They're two different players.
He also doesn't expect to get the iron man treatment Smith has been promised. While Love did play on both sides of the ball in high school, he said he isn't holding his breath to earn any offensive snaps at Georgia. Special teams, on the other hand, is a real possibility.
"I can definitely see myself returning punts and kicks," Love said. "I think if I can get started off on special teams, that will eventually get me on the field whether its offense or defense or different positions."
Whatever it takes to get on the field is what Love wants to do, but added he wants to make plays more than just earn playing time.
The possibility of early playing time is there, however, due in large part to the departure of junior Asher Allen for the NFL draft -- a move that surprised and somewhat disappointed Love. In the end, however, he's just happy for the opportunity.
"I was kind of hoping that when I got there I'd be able to learn from (Allen)," Love said, "but the fact that he left, it was kind of a win-win if he stayed or if he left. If he stayed, I could have learned from him, but since he left, it opens up some more playing time."
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Get to Know: Jordan Love
Georgia's new recruits are just a few days away from arriving on campus to start their careers. In the meantime, we've been talking to a few of them to get to know what they're all about away from the football field. In our latest addition, I talked with defensive back Jordan Love...
David Hale: So you're just a few days from leaving for Athens. How have you been spending your time?
Jordan Love: I’ve been hanging out with a couple friends, but I moved down here last year from Baltimore, so I’m going up there to see people and stuff like that. Once I get back from there I’m going to start packing up and get ready to hit the road.
DH: Georgia's had some good luck plucking players from the Northeast region lately, but it doesn't seem like a natural place a guy from your part of the country would consider. What drew you to Georgia?
JL: It was just, I’ve always wanted to do something out of the ordinary. I wasn’t the typical guy who gets recruited by the schools in the Northeast and you go up there. It wasn’t really on my list, but when I went down to Georgia, you can’t really describe how it was. Everybody there, it’s like a family atmosphere. The coaches are one-of-a-kind. They didn’t really have to recruit me because they can just recruit players from the South, but when they came up north to recruit me, that really said something to me that they really wanted me as a player.
DH: Is there an NFL player you think your game resembles or who you really look up to?
JL: Probably (Antonio) Cromartie, because he’s kind of long like me and I just like the way he plays. He’s more of an athlete. Him and Charles Woodson.
DH: If you could meet any celebrity, who would it be?
JL: Kobe Bryant. Kobe’s the man. Everybody talks about LeBron James, but Kobe’s the man.
DH: I've spent a lot of time in Baltimore, so I may already know the answer to this, but what's your favorite meal?
JL: Any type of shrimp is my favorite – fried, scampi, baked – I just love shrimp.
DH: Not crabs?
JL: No, I definitely eat the crab legs, too. Crab cakes, crab legs, anything.
DH: You've spoken with a bunch of the players already on the team. What type of advice have they been giving you?
JL: Come in in shape and get ready by learning the playbook as much as possible. Whenever you can look at the playbook, do it, because it’s really hard to learn.
DH: Coming from Baltimore and Virginia, what worries you the most about moving to the South?
JL: The heat. And it’s a lot slower than up north. Up here you’ve got the cities and everything’s fast and up-tempo. People in the South, they’re slow, laid back. I’m always in a rush to get places, but people down there like to take their time. I guess I’ve got to get used to that.
DH: If you could take a vacation anywhere, where would it be?
JL: I think I would probably want to go to Panama. I heard it’s really cool. I like to be on the beach.
DH: What do you like to do in your free time?
JL: Play video games. That’s all we do is play video games, work out and football.
DH: Any favorite games?
JL: Call of Duty and NCAA.
DH: Do you always get to be Georgia when you're playing NCAA with your friends now?
JL: Well a couple of my friends are going to Virginia Tech and UVA, so when we play we all pick our own squads and go up against each other. And I always win.
DH: Do you see many Georgia fans up your way or do people think it's strange that you're going to play football here?
JL: When I got back from there, I was surprised how many people up here like Georgia. There’s a couple people in our neighborhood who are Georgia fans. One of my teachers went to Georgia. You would actually be surprised how many times I’ll ride around town and see people with the Gs on the back of their car or the Bulldog. So it’s pretty surprising how many people up here like Georgia.
DH: That's got to get you pretty excited to get down here and get to work, right?
JL: Definitely.
David Hale: So you're just a few days from leaving for Athens. How have you been spending your time?
Jordan Love: I’ve been hanging out with a couple friends, but I moved down here last year from Baltimore, so I’m going up there to see people and stuff like that. Once I get back from there I’m going to start packing up and get ready to hit the road.
DH: Georgia's had some good luck plucking players from the Northeast region lately, but it doesn't seem like a natural place a guy from your part of the country would consider. What drew you to Georgia?
JL: It was just, I’ve always wanted to do something out of the ordinary. I wasn’t the typical guy who gets recruited by the schools in the Northeast and you go up there. It wasn’t really on my list, but when I went down to Georgia, you can’t really describe how it was. Everybody there, it’s like a family atmosphere. The coaches are one-of-a-kind. They didn’t really have to recruit me because they can just recruit players from the South, but when they came up north to recruit me, that really said something to me that they really wanted me as a player.
DH: Is there an NFL player you think your game resembles or who you really look up to?
JL: Probably (Antonio) Cromartie, because he’s kind of long like me and I just like the way he plays. He’s more of an athlete. Him and Charles Woodson.
DH: If you could meet any celebrity, who would it be?
JL: Kobe Bryant. Kobe’s the man. Everybody talks about LeBron James, but Kobe’s the man.
DH: I've spent a lot of time in Baltimore, so I may already know the answer to this, but what's your favorite meal?
JL: Any type of shrimp is my favorite – fried, scampi, baked – I just love shrimp.
DH: Not crabs?
JL: No, I definitely eat the crab legs, too. Crab cakes, crab legs, anything.
DH: You've spoken with a bunch of the players already on the team. What type of advice have they been giving you?
JL: Come in in shape and get ready by learning the playbook as much as possible. Whenever you can look at the playbook, do it, because it’s really hard to learn.
DH: Coming from Baltimore and Virginia, what worries you the most about moving to the South?
JL: The heat. And it’s a lot slower than up north. Up here you’ve got the cities and everything’s fast and up-tempo. People in the South, they’re slow, laid back. I’m always in a rush to get places, but people down there like to take their time. I guess I’ve got to get used to that.
DH: If you could take a vacation anywhere, where would it be?
JL: I think I would probably want to go to Panama. I heard it’s really cool. I like to be on the beach.
DH: What do you like to do in your free time?
JL: Play video games. That’s all we do is play video games, work out and football.
DH: Any favorite games?
JL: Call of Duty and NCAA.
DH: Do you always get to be Georgia when you're playing NCAA with your friends now?
JL: Well a couple of my friends are going to Virginia Tech and UVA, so when we play we all pick our own squads and go up against each other. And I always win.
DH: Do you see many Georgia fans up your way or do people think it's strange that you're going to play football here?
JL: When I got back from there, I was surprised how many people up here like Georgia. There’s a couple people in our neighborhood who are Georgia fans. One of my teachers went to Georgia. You would actually be surprised how many times I’ll ride around town and see people with the Gs on the back of their car or the Bulldog. So it’s pretty surprising how many people up here like Georgia.
DH: That's got to get you pretty excited to get down here and get to work, right?
JL: Definitely.
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