With all five starters returning from last season, Georgia’s offensive line will be among the most experienced in the country this season. Still, there’s one big question mark looming on the horizon that could throw the established line into chaos.
After two years sidelined with injuries, left tackle Trinton Sturdivant is on pace to be ready for the season opener, and that could mean a shake-up among the five starters – Clint Boling, Cordy Glenn, Ben Jones, Chris Davis and Josh Davis – who performed so well down the stretch in 2009.
“Trinton looks good,” Josh Davis said. “I think he’s right on schedule to be back when they said he was. I saw him out there (last week). He looked real good. He’s moving around real well. He told me he feels strong and he thinks he’ll be able to come back and do what he’s supposed to do.”
That’s good news for the Bulldogs, no doubt. Sturdivant was a freshman All-American in 2007 and oozes potential – assuming he’s healthy.
But Georgia’s line jelled nicely in the latter half of last season, and a healthy Sturdivant would likely displace Boling – another potential All-American – and send either Josh or Chris Davis to the bench. That’s a possibility that Josh Davis has done his best to ignore for now.
“It crosses my mind but I have no idea,” Josh Davis said. “I have no clue about what (will happen). That’s why (offensive line) coach (Stacy) Searels gets the big bucks to figure that out. I’m sure the best five will play every week. That’s how we’ll roll with it.”
That’s been Searels’ mantra since he arrived at Georgia, so it’s likely a scenario that the current crop of Bulldogs linemen are familiar with. Still, chemistry matters more on the line than virtually anywhere else on the field, and even Davis admits that there will need to be some adjustments as the season progresses.
“Of course chemistry is important,” Davis said. “We played together the last six games of last year and we did all right. But it’s just as important to have a good player. Trinton is a good player. Any way he plays he’s going to do good. I feel like that about all of us. Most of us can play most of the positions. That’s why we did so well in the past because certain guys moving around just learning new positions. It really won’t matter about chemistry because he’s a good player and everyone that can possibly be put in that slot can play that position.”
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
As Georgia’s starting quarterback, Aaron Murray knows he’ll be viewed as a leader on the offense. As the lone new face on a unit that returns 10 starters, however, he also knows that leadership role won’t simply be handed to him either. So one of Murray’s biggest goals for this offseason is to prove to his teammates that he’s earned the job.
With that in mind, Murray has already been busy prepping for the 2010 season. He’s organizing passing drills twice a week around class schedules. He’s doing rehab and strength training on his shoulder nearly every day to make sure he’s healthy for the season. He’s putting in at least 90 minutes of time in the gym each day, working with receivers and defensive backs with some one-on-one drills, running a handful of seven-on-seven drills with the rest of the offense and then spending more than an hour a day in the film room. It’s a grind, but it’s something he knows he needs to do to earn the respect of the veterans around him.
“I’ve got to find my way of being a leader on this team, my way to motivate people and figure out ways to push them and make them do stuff they never knew they could do,” Murray said. “That’s not going to come in a week or two. It’s going to take some time to better understand the guys and what they can do and motivate them and hopefully by this summer hopefully I’ll make some strides in that category.”
So far, so good on that front. Murray’s teammates are already touting his work ethic and expecting big things from the freshman quarterback when the season gets going in a couple of months.
Last week, after players wrapped up a workout session, Murray got some of his linemen and running backs together to spend a few extra minutes practicing handoffs. He just wanted to work on the little things, lineman Josh Davis said.
“He’s stepping up to the challenge tremendously,” Davis said. “He’s putting in extra work. He’s trying his best to lead because the quarterback is a leadership position. He’s working his butt off to get it done every day.”
BRING THE PAIN
Last year, Justin Houston averaged more sacks per game than anyone in the SEC – and that was under Georgia’s old defensive regime.
This year, he’ll be turned loose on opposing quarterbacks as an outside linebacker – moving from defensive end in Todd Grantham’s new 3-4 scheme – and be given the freedom to play a more aggressive style than in years past.
“It’s going to allow me to get more pressure on the quarterback,” Houston said. I’m a stand up guy, so this defense is pretty much a pressure defense so it’s going to allow me to rush more.”
So, if he was already among the best in the SEC last year, how much better might he be now that he’s playing in a scheme that focuses his skills on getting to the quarterback?
Houston isn’t exactly giving away any answers to that question just yet other than to say he’ll do what it takes to win.
“I don’t have an individual goal really,” Houston said. “I just want to do my part and whatever that is to win I just want to do that. I haven’t really looked at individual goals lately. If it takes for me to get 15 sacks for us to win, I’ll get 15 sacks. That’s my goal.”
ON AN ISLAND
New defensive backs coach Scott Lakatos thinks he has a pretty strong corps of cornerbacks, and he’s planning to let their talents take over on the field in 2010 by waving goodbye to a lot of zone coverage and rolling the dice with a lot more man-to-man.
“He’s basically saying that my guy is better than your guy, and we’re going to see what happens,” junior Brandon Boykin said. “He’s basically putting you out there on that island, and you just have to have confidence in yourself. I think that’s something that he’s trying to build in us. If we make mistakes we just have to have that short memory, so he’s kind of teaching all those things.”
Those are some lessons Boykin is thrilled to learn. After two straight years with few takeaways and too many big plays allowed, Boykin thinks the new scheme plays to the Bulldogs’ strengths and will make the secondary a lot more dangerous.
“That’s what every corner wants is to get that one-on-one matchup,” Boykin said. “That’s what people get their respect from – not playing zone as much. It gives you a chance to just go out there and show what you have.”
Of course, Boykin also knows that the trust Lakatos has put in his corners has to be rewarded with a lot of effort by the players. The increased man coverage every Saturday means an increased level of importance in how Georgia’s defensive backs prepare for those one-on-one battles during the week.
“No matter how good you are, you still have to work on our technique,” Boykin said. “It’s something that you got to continually work on because everybody is different as far as receivers. You have to see what their strengths are. It will require watching film and things like that. I think we’re doing a good job of that early, and I think we’ll see those improvements going into the fall.”
NEW KID IN TOWN
In terms of hype entering their freshmen years, there probably isn’t much that Branden Smith has in common with the newest member of the Georgia secondary, but that doesn’t mean Derek Owens hasn’t already drawn some comparisons to his speedy teammate.
“He reminds me a lot of Branden Smith,” Boykin said of the 5-11, 180-pound Owens. “He’s quick, great hips. He doesn’t have a lot of technique right now but his quickness makes up for all of that. Really, really quick and has fluid hips. Once he gets the technique he’s going to be really good.”
Owens will likely be competing with Jordan Love and Sanders Commings for a backup role among the cornerbacks in 2010.
DIFFERENT STYLE, SAME RESULTS
As they did at the end of 2009, the Bulldogs figure to open this season with an even split in carries between tailbacks Washaun Ealey and Caleb King, and that’s OK with the offensive line.
For the line, Josh Davis said it doesn’t matter which player gets the football, the blocking schemes are still the same. The only difference between King and Ealey, as far as he’s concerned, is how much smack talk he hears coming from the backfield.
“The only difference we can tell between those two guys in the backfield is Washaun is more lively, and he talks more than Caleb,” Davis said. “You know Caleb is a quiet guy, and Washaun will be talking a little more trash. That’s the only difference to me is the personalities. They both have good speed, good power and a little swagger about them. It’s good having both of them.”
Showing posts with label Trinton Sturdivant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trinton Sturdivant. Show all posts
Thursday, June 24, 2010
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.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Updating the Spring Injuries
Figured you all might be interested in an updated list of the injuries Georgia will be dealing with this spring...
Justin Anderson (RSJr/OL) -- Shoulder injury, will be limited throughout the spring. Anderson will be in the mix for some playing time in the fall, but certainly won't be a favorite, and his absence this spring won't help his cause.
Austin Long (RSFr/OL) -- Back injury, will not participate this spring. Long underwent back surgery last year and is still only doing light workouts. He expects to be ready for full participation in the fall, but he'll essentially be starting his college career from scratch then.
Longo, Jeremy (RSSo/DE) -- Knee injury, will miss all of spring. Longo is an unfortunate case, and he's quickly approaching "bust" status. He's been injured virtually his entire career, and while he was already behind on the learning curve, things will get worse by missing a crucial month of practice in Todd Grantham's new 3-4.
Fred Munzenmaier (Jr/FB) -- Shoulder injury, will be limited during the spring. Munzenmaier's injury shouldn't affect his 2010 season much, as Shaun Chapas clearly has the starting job nailed down, and Munzenmaier has enough experience in the offense to pick up right where he left off in August.
Josh Murray (Sr/S) -- Shoulder injury, will be limited during the spring. Murray had name recognition coming in last season because he is the older brother of Georgia QB Aaron Murray. Josh could have a shot at some special teams work, but injuries have nagged at him since he arrived at Georgia, and he only had minimal work on the scout team in 2009.
Tanner Strickland (Jr/OL) -- Shoulder injury, will be limited during spring practice. Strickland suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery during offseason workouts last summer and is still not fully healed. He's been a weight-room wonder for much of his time at Georgia, but he has yet to see that translate into on-field performance, but a strong fall could put him in position for some playing time in a reserve role in 2010.
Trinton Sturdivant (Jr/OL) -- Knee injury, will miss spring practice. At this point, Georgia fans might best consider Sturdivant a luxury for next season rather than a key component of the offensive line. Sturdivant has missed virtually all of the past two seasons with two separate knee injuries. His most recent ACL tear wasn't nearly as serious as the one he suffered prior to the 2008 season, but he's nevertheless going to be a real wild card in 2010. If he's healthy and can perform anywhere near the level he did as a freshman in '07, it would be a huge boost for Georgia. But that's a big assumption at this point, and the Dawgs are probably better off hoping for a pleasant surprise than setting themselves up for another disappointment.
Those are the current crop of injuries. Here's another quick list of a few guys to keep an eye on:
Aaron Murray (RFr/QB) -- Murray is clearly the front-runner for the starting QB job, and a strong performance this spring would be helpful in easing some concerns of fans who know he's the biggest wild card on an offense that returns 10 starters. But he suffered through a broken leg his senior season in high school and was limited last spring because of it, then suffered arm fatigue and shoulder soreness last fall that may have been the determining factor in redshirting him. So is he injury prone? Not likely -- the leg injury was a freak thing, and the arm problems aren't uncommon for a guy getting a lot more work throwing than he probably ever had before. But the fact remains that, with a thin depth chart at the position and so much riding on his success, he can't afford another injury.
A.J. Green (Jr/WR) -- We all love A.J. How can you not? But despite all his greatness, he's been hurt for about 75 percent of his Georgia career, and that has limited how great he could be. He nearly hit the 1,000-yard mark as a freshman, but he did so with a nagging groin injury that stuck with him all season and had slowed him significantly by year's end. Last year, he dominated when healthy, despite few other offensive threats, but his season was cut short when he was injured against Florida, missed the Tennesssee Tech game with a lung bruise, then got hurt again in the first half against Auburn and missed the remainder of the regular season. So the idea here is this: Green at 75 percent is probably the best WR in the SEC. Green at 100 percent could be one of the two or three the best players at any position in the country.
Josh Davis (Sr/OL) -- Speaking of injury-prone players, Davis might fit the bill better than most. First off, he's undersized for a typical SEC tackle, so he puts a lot of strain on his body. The result was a serious shoulder injury that coast him last spring after two surgeries and forced him to miss the start of the 2009 season. Once he returned to the lineup, Georgia's running game flourished, but the injury bug cropped up once again as a sprained ankle kept him out of the Bulldogs' bowl game against Texas A&M. Davis should be 100 percent for spring, but he's being counted on unlike any previous season in his career, and he needs to stay healthy all year.
Caleb King (RSJr/RB) -- A healthy King means a dangerous running game for Georgia in 2010. The problem last year, however, was King wasn't consistently healthy. A nagging hamstring injury cost him his chance at a starting job during fall camp and held him out of the team's first two games. A concussion and broken jaw cost him the Tennessee game as well -- a game in which Georgia was completely frustrated on the ground. When healthy, however, King averaged more than 5 yards per carry, so keeping him on the field for 12 (or, ideally, 14) games this season would be a huge boost for Georgia's offense.
Jordan Love (RFr/CB) -- It's still a bit too soon to tell how much of an impact Love could have this season, but with Prince Miller's departure, there's playing time to be had, and at 6-foot, 190 pounds, Love has the size to fit into new DBs coach Scott Lakatos' defense well -- particularly as in nickel situations. But again, we just don't know what to expect from Love, since he missed almost all of last season with a toe injury -- originally suffered in high school -- that ended up requiring surgery. Love should be a full go this spring, and it will be interesting to see what he contributes.
Bruce Figgins (RSJr/TE) -- Figgins played hurt as a sophomore out of desperations, but missed all of last spring after having shoulder surgery. He served a six-game suspension to start the 2009 season and then elected to take a medical redshirt for the remainder of the year, in part due to lingering problems with his shoulder. While Georgia's tight ends -- Arthur Lynch, Orson Charles and Aron White -- turned in a solid campaign last year, their work as blockers, particularly in the running game, was short of where it needed to be. That's a role Figgins could fill nicely if he's back to full health in 2010.
Justin Anderson (RSJr/OL) -- Shoulder injury, will be limited throughout the spring. Anderson will be in the mix for some playing time in the fall, but certainly won't be a favorite, and his absence this spring won't help his cause.
Austin Long (RSFr/OL) -- Back injury, will not participate this spring. Long underwent back surgery last year and is still only doing light workouts. He expects to be ready for full participation in the fall, but he'll essentially be starting his college career from scratch then.
Longo, Jeremy (RSSo/DE) -- Knee injury, will miss all of spring. Longo is an unfortunate case, and he's quickly approaching "bust" status. He's been injured virtually his entire career, and while he was already behind on the learning curve, things will get worse by missing a crucial month of practice in Todd Grantham's new 3-4.
Fred Munzenmaier (Jr/FB) -- Shoulder injury, will be limited during the spring. Munzenmaier's injury shouldn't affect his 2010 season much, as Shaun Chapas clearly has the starting job nailed down, and Munzenmaier has enough experience in the offense to pick up right where he left off in August.
Josh Murray (Sr/S) -- Shoulder injury, will be limited during the spring. Murray had name recognition coming in last season because he is the older brother of Georgia QB Aaron Murray. Josh could have a shot at some special teams work, but injuries have nagged at him since he arrived at Georgia, and he only had minimal work on the scout team in 2009.
Tanner Strickland (Jr/OL) -- Shoulder injury, will be limited during spring practice. Strickland suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery during offseason workouts last summer and is still not fully healed. He's been a weight-room wonder for much of his time at Georgia, but he has yet to see that translate into on-field performance, but a strong fall could put him in position for some playing time in a reserve role in 2010.
Trinton Sturdivant (Jr/OL) -- Knee injury, will miss spring practice. At this point, Georgia fans might best consider Sturdivant a luxury for next season rather than a key component of the offensive line. Sturdivant has missed virtually all of the past two seasons with two separate knee injuries. His most recent ACL tear wasn't nearly as serious as the one he suffered prior to the 2008 season, but he's nevertheless going to be a real wild card in 2010. If he's healthy and can perform anywhere near the level he did as a freshman in '07, it would be a huge boost for Georgia. But that's a big assumption at this point, and the Dawgs are probably better off hoping for a pleasant surprise than setting themselves up for another disappointment.
Those are the current crop of injuries. Here's another quick list of a few guys to keep an eye on:
Aaron Murray (RFr/QB) -- Murray is clearly the front-runner for the starting QB job, and a strong performance this spring would be helpful in easing some concerns of fans who know he's the biggest wild card on an offense that returns 10 starters. But he suffered through a broken leg his senior season in high school and was limited last spring because of it, then suffered arm fatigue and shoulder soreness last fall that may have been the determining factor in redshirting him. So is he injury prone? Not likely -- the leg injury was a freak thing, and the arm problems aren't uncommon for a guy getting a lot more work throwing than he probably ever had before. But the fact remains that, with a thin depth chart at the position and so much riding on his success, he can't afford another injury.
A.J. Green (Jr/WR) -- We all love A.J. How can you not? But despite all his greatness, he's been hurt for about 75 percent of his Georgia career, and that has limited how great he could be. He nearly hit the 1,000-yard mark as a freshman, but he did so with a nagging groin injury that stuck with him all season and had slowed him significantly by year's end. Last year, he dominated when healthy, despite few other offensive threats, but his season was cut short when he was injured against Florida, missed the Tennesssee Tech game with a lung bruise, then got hurt again in the first half against Auburn and missed the remainder of the regular season. So the idea here is this: Green at 75 percent is probably the best WR in the SEC. Green at 100 percent could be one of the two or three the best players at any position in the country.
Josh Davis (Sr/OL) -- Speaking of injury-prone players, Davis might fit the bill better than most. First off, he's undersized for a typical SEC tackle, so he puts a lot of strain on his body. The result was a serious shoulder injury that coast him last spring after two surgeries and forced him to miss the start of the 2009 season. Once he returned to the lineup, Georgia's running game flourished, but the injury bug cropped up once again as a sprained ankle kept him out of the Bulldogs' bowl game against Texas A&M. Davis should be 100 percent for spring, but he's being counted on unlike any previous season in his career, and he needs to stay healthy all year.
Caleb King (RSJr/RB) -- A healthy King means a dangerous running game for Georgia in 2010. The problem last year, however, was King wasn't consistently healthy. A nagging hamstring injury cost him his chance at a starting job during fall camp and held him out of the team's first two games. A concussion and broken jaw cost him the Tennessee game as well -- a game in which Georgia was completely frustrated on the ground. When healthy, however, King averaged more than 5 yards per carry, so keeping him on the field for 12 (or, ideally, 14) games this season would be a huge boost for Georgia's offense.
Jordan Love (RFr/CB) -- It's still a bit too soon to tell how much of an impact Love could have this season, but with Prince Miller's departure, there's playing time to be had, and at 6-foot, 190 pounds, Love has the size to fit into new DBs coach Scott Lakatos' defense well -- particularly as in nickel situations. But again, we just don't know what to expect from Love, since he missed almost all of last season with a toe injury -- originally suffered in high school -- that ended up requiring surgery. Love should be a full go this spring, and it will be interesting to see what he contributes.
Bruce Figgins (RSJr/TE) -- Figgins played hurt as a sophomore out of desperations, but missed all of last spring after having shoulder surgery. He served a six-game suspension to start the 2009 season and then elected to take a medical redshirt for the remainder of the year, in part due to lingering problems with his shoulder. While Georgia's tight ends -- Arthur Lynch, Orson Charles and Aron White -- turned in a solid campaign last year, their work as blockers, particularly in the running game, was short of where it needed to be. That's a role Figgins could fill nicely if he's back to full health in 2010.
Monday, January 4, 2010
UGA Notes: Samuel Expects to Stay at RB
He opened the year as Georgia’s bell-cow tailback, but the pickings got slim for Richard Samuel by midseason, and 2010 remains a bit of a mystery at this point.
But while rumors have swirled surrounding a potential move to linebacker for the rising junior, Samuel said he’s happy to stay right where he’s at. In fact, that’s the plan – for now.
“Going into spring my thought is that I’m still going to be playing running back,” Samuel said. “If coaches decide to do anything with me, I’ll be glad to do whatever helps the team win.”
Head coach Mark Richt said that there could be several position changes in the works for Georgia players, but he declined to comment on any specifics, saying those announcements would likely come following national signing day when the Bulldogs have a better idea of what their new recruiting class will look like.
“I'm not saying there's some certainty that there'll be some changes but there's going to be some thought about that as a staff,” Richt said. “What you want to do at this point of the season, which is very young and brand new, is to get everybody in the right spot where they'll have the greatest chance of success.”
That’s the lingering question surrounding Samuel, who landed the starting tailback job to start the year after a strong fall camp coupled with an injury to Caleb King made the decision easy.
Samuel had 51 carries in Georgia’s first three games and had more than 85 yards of total offense in each, including a 16-carry, 104-yard game against Arkansas. But his yards-per-carry slipped throughout the early season, and when King returned from injury and freshman Washaun Ealey exploded onto the scene, Samuel’s role virtually disappeared. He failed to earn a single touch in any of the Bulldogs’ final four games.
Georgia has two running back commitments for 2010 so far -- Ken Malcolme and Alexander Ogletree (who is likely to end up at fullback or linebacker) -- and King and Ealey appeared to have secured the bulk of the carries out of the backfield by year's end.
“He got some nagging injuries, and I think he lost a little confidence at times,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “Richard’s a guy who needs some confidence, too. He’s relatively new at playing the position and developing those instincts. We’re not disappointed in Richard that he’ll never play running back. I think he has a bright future and a lot of ability, but it’s growing into his role. He just hasn’t figured it out totally yet, but I would not say Richard Samuel’s done and he’ll never play running back.”
He may not be done, but Richt publicly acknowledged that a move to linebacker, where Samuel played in high school, was a possibility earlier in the season. So the speculation continues, and that’s fine with Samuel.
While he wants to stay at running back, and he believes he can ultimately succeed there, he said the difference between playing tailback and linebacker isn’t such a broad leap for him.
“I liked both of them about the same,” Samuel said of his high school days. “It’s hard to choose between running back and linebacker.”
QB BATTLE BEGINS
When Georgia left the field following an Independence Bowl win over Texas A&M, it officially marked the end of Joe Cox’s career at Georgia and the start of a new era at the quarterback position.
Rising junior Logan Gray will enter the spring as the Bulldogs’ only experienced quarterback, but the Georgia coaches are still waiting to learn whether Gray even plans to play quarterback when practice begins again.
"I think he's trying to make a decision right now,” head coach Mark Richt said of Gray, who has considered moving to wide receiver where he could earn more playing time down the road. “I don't know for certain what he'll come up with but we want to respect what he wants to do. We didn't put a timetable on that."
Whether or not Gray swaps positions, it appears that freshmen Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger are far enough along that the coaching staff believes Georgia can win with one of them as the starter in 2010.
While both redshirted last season, Cox said they both showed enough on the practice field to inspire confidence.
“They both have the ability and they’re both really smart kids,” Cox said. “I look at them and I know that both of them are past where I was my true freshman year in understanding what’s going on. They adjusted rather quickly, and once both of them get a chance to compete with the first team and understand that it’s open and this is their chance to play, that does a lot for your confidence level.”
Confidence has been a key for both young quarterbacks, but both have made strides, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said.
For Mettenberger, the goal was to improve his footwork and fundamentals to match his impressive arm.
“He’s got to continue to improve with his foot quickness,” Bobo said. “Just seeing a lot of strides there, and he’s not just relying completely on his arm.”
Murray was clearly the better performer in Georgia’s scrimmages, and his preparation has been lauded by coaches and teammates, despite his role as a redshirt. But there are still small things to polish, Bobo said, if Murray wants to step into the starter’s role with confidence.
“Being able to progress faster, seeing it faster and understand the concepts, and that will come with reps,” Bobo said. “He can move in the pocket, he can use his legs and he has a really quick release. He can get rid of the ball quickly. He’s got a lot of confidence and belief that he can get it done, and that carries over when he’s in the huddle.”
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT?
It’s hard for coaches to ask much more of A.J. Green, the All-SEC wide receiver who was virtually Georgia’s only playmaker during the early part of the 2009 season. But when putting his entire season into context, Bobo thinks there are still a few chinks in the armor that Green could improve upon during the offseason.
“He’s got to stay healthy for a full season,” Bobo said. “He’s got to get bigger and stronger. He’s got to be able to run routes with a little more consistency. There’s no denying his playmaking ability of catching the ball in the air and doing things when he has the ball in his hands. But it’s being more consistent and being able to finish the season and a good offseason in the weight room will help that.”
Green finished his freshman campaign by nearly eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark, but a nagging groin injury hampered him throughout the year.
As a sophomore, Green finished with 53 catches and 808 yards receiving, but he missed three of Georgia’s final five games and reached the end zone just once after Oct. 3.
“He’s a tough kid and a physical kid,” Bobo said. “I think he wants to stay healthy for the entire season so he can do what he does for 12 games, and there’s no telling how good he can be or how many plays he can make for a full season.”
SURGERY-FREE SPRING
A year ago, January was filled with doctor’s visits and trips to the hospital for many of Georgia’s players. This year, Richt said the Bulldogs are hopeful that they’ll avoid the operating table altogether before spring practice begins in March.
“I don’t think there’s any,” Richt said. “The surgeries that have already happened are the only ones we anticipate this offseason, and that would be tremendous for us.”
Right tackle Josh Davis, who underwent two offseason shoulder surgeries last year, missed Georgia’s bowl game against Texas A&M, but Richt said he should be fine to return for spring practice.
Left tackle Trinton Sturdivant, who tore his ACL for the second straight season in Georgia’s opener against Oklahoma State, isn’t likely to participate in spring drills, Richt said, but is recovering quickly.
“I am glad it’s nothing serious with Josh and that he’ll be back and won’t have to deal with any offseason surgery,” Richt said. “I don’t think we expect Trinton to participate in any live contact in the spring, although we think he’ll be far enough along to do some walkthroughs.”
ON THEIR OWN
For the past four years, Kade Weston, Jeff Owens and Geno Atkins have been virtually inseparable as Georgia’s big three defensive tackles. But now all three are preparing for the NFL draft, and Weston said he’s still getting used to the idea of life without his partners in crime.
"Right now, it’s starting to be a business," Weston said. "It can’t be, oh, we want to go here together. It’s what’s best for me from a business perspective.”
TOUGH LOVE
In the wake of scandals at Texas Tech and Kansas, coaches are getting a more critical look at how they motivate and push their players, but Richt said that won’t make much difference in Georgia’s preparations.
“It won’t change one thing in regard to what we’re trying to get accomplished on the field,” Richt said. “I want our coaches to push the young men to do their very best. Not many young men can be at their best unless someone pushes them beyond their comfort zone. But there’s a way to do that that’s well within what every parent would want to be done.”
But while rumors have swirled surrounding a potential move to linebacker for the rising junior, Samuel said he’s happy to stay right where he’s at. In fact, that’s the plan – for now.
“Going into spring my thought is that I’m still going to be playing running back,” Samuel said. “If coaches decide to do anything with me, I’ll be glad to do whatever helps the team win.”
Head coach Mark Richt said that there could be several position changes in the works for Georgia players, but he declined to comment on any specifics, saying those announcements would likely come following national signing day when the Bulldogs have a better idea of what their new recruiting class will look like.
“I'm not saying there's some certainty that there'll be some changes but there's going to be some thought about that as a staff,” Richt said. “What you want to do at this point of the season, which is very young and brand new, is to get everybody in the right spot where they'll have the greatest chance of success.”
That’s the lingering question surrounding Samuel, who landed the starting tailback job to start the year after a strong fall camp coupled with an injury to Caleb King made the decision easy.
Samuel had 51 carries in Georgia’s first three games and had more than 85 yards of total offense in each, including a 16-carry, 104-yard game against Arkansas. But his yards-per-carry slipped throughout the early season, and when King returned from injury and freshman Washaun Ealey exploded onto the scene, Samuel’s role virtually disappeared. He failed to earn a single touch in any of the Bulldogs’ final four games.
Georgia has two running back commitments for 2010 so far -- Ken Malcolme and Alexander Ogletree (who is likely to end up at fullback or linebacker) -- and King and Ealey appeared to have secured the bulk of the carries out of the backfield by year's end.
“He got some nagging injuries, and I think he lost a little confidence at times,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “Richard’s a guy who needs some confidence, too. He’s relatively new at playing the position and developing those instincts. We’re not disappointed in Richard that he’ll never play running back. I think he has a bright future and a lot of ability, but it’s growing into his role. He just hasn’t figured it out totally yet, but I would not say Richard Samuel’s done and he’ll never play running back.”
He may not be done, but Richt publicly acknowledged that a move to linebacker, where Samuel played in high school, was a possibility earlier in the season. So the speculation continues, and that’s fine with Samuel.
While he wants to stay at running back, and he believes he can ultimately succeed there, he said the difference between playing tailback and linebacker isn’t such a broad leap for him.
“I liked both of them about the same,” Samuel said of his high school days. “It’s hard to choose between running back and linebacker.”
QB BATTLE BEGINS
When Georgia left the field following an Independence Bowl win over Texas A&M, it officially marked the end of Joe Cox’s career at Georgia and the start of a new era at the quarterback position.
Rising junior Logan Gray will enter the spring as the Bulldogs’ only experienced quarterback, but the Georgia coaches are still waiting to learn whether Gray even plans to play quarterback when practice begins again.
"I think he's trying to make a decision right now,” head coach Mark Richt said of Gray, who has considered moving to wide receiver where he could earn more playing time down the road. “I don't know for certain what he'll come up with but we want to respect what he wants to do. We didn't put a timetable on that."
Whether or not Gray swaps positions, it appears that freshmen Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger are far enough along that the coaching staff believes Georgia can win with one of them as the starter in 2010.
While both redshirted last season, Cox said they both showed enough on the practice field to inspire confidence.
“They both have the ability and they’re both really smart kids,” Cox said. “I look at them and I know that both of them are past where I was my true freshman year in understanding what’s going on. They adjusted rather quickly, and once both of them get a chance to compete with the first team and understand that it’s open and this is their chance to play, that does a lot for your confidence level.”
Confidence has been a key for both young quarterbacks, but both have made strides, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said.
For Mettenberger, the goal was to improve his footwork and fundamentals to match his impressive arm.
“He’s got to continue to improve with his foot quickness,” Bobo said. “Just seeing a lot of strides there, and he’s not just relying completely on his arm.”
Murray was clearly the better performer in Georgia’s scrimmages, and his preparation has been lauded by coaches and teammates, despite his role as a redshirt. But there are still small things to polish, Bobo said, if Murray wants to step into the starter’s role with confidence.
“Being able to progress faster, seeing it faster and understand the concepts, and that will come with reps,” Bobo said. “He can move in the pocket, he can use his legs and he has a really quick release. He can get rid of the ball quickly. He’s got a lot of confidence and belief that he can get it done, and that carries over when he’s in the huddle.”
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT?
It’s hard for coaches to ask much more of A.J. Green, the All-SEC wide receiver who was virtually Georgia’s only playmaker during the early part of the 2009 season. But when putting his entire season into context, Bobo thinks there are still a few chinks in the armor that Green could improve upon during the offseason.
“He’s got to stay healthy for a full season,” Bobo said. “He’s got to get bigger and stronger. He’s got to be able to run routes with a little more consistency. There’s no denying his playmaking ability of catching the ball in the air and doing things when he has the ball in his hands. But it’s being more consistent and being able to finish the season and a good offseason in the weight room will help that.”
Green finished his freshman campaign by nearly eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark, but a nagging groin injury hampered him throughout the year.
As a sophomore, Green finished with 53 catches and 808 yards receiving, but he missed three of Georgia’s final five games and reached the end zone just once after Oct. 3.
“He’s a tough kid and a physical kid,” Bobo said. “I think he wants to stay healthy for the entire season so he can do what he does for 12 games, and there’s no telling how good he can be or how many plays he can make for a full season.”
SURGERY-FREE SPRING
A year ago, January was filled with doctor’s visits and trips to the hospital for many of Georgia’s players. This year, Richt said the Bulldogs are hopeful that they’ll avoid the operating table altogether before spring practice begins in March.
“I don’t think there’s any,” Richt said. “The surgeries that have already happened are the only ones we anticipate this offseason, and that would be tremendous for us.”
Right tackle Josh Davis, who underwent two offseason shoulder surgeries last year, missed Georgia’s bowl game against Texas A&M, but Richt said he should be fine to return for spring practice.
Left tackle Trinton Sturdivant, who tore his ACL for the second straight season in Georgia’s opener against Oklahoma State, isn’t likely to participate in spring drills, Richt said, but is recovering quickly.
“I am glad it’s nothing serious with Josh and that he’ll be back and won’t have to deal with any offseason surgery,” Richt said. “I don’t think we expect Trinton to participate in any live contact in the spring, although we think he’ll be far enough along to do some walkthroughs.”
ON THEIR OWN
For the past four years, Kade Weston, Jeff Owens and Geno Atkins have been virtually inseparable as Georgia’s big three defensive tackles. But now all three are preparing for the NFL draft, and Weston said he’s still getting used to the idea of life without his partners in crime.
"Right now, it’s starting to be a business," Weston said. "It can’t be, oh, we want to go here together. It’s what’s best for me from a business perspective.”
TOUGH LOVE
In the wake of scandals at Texas Tech and Kansas, coaches are getting a more critical look at how they motivate and push their players, but Richt said that won’t make much difference in Georgia’s preparations.
“It won’t change one thing in regard to what we’re trying to get accomplished on the field,” Richt said. “I want our coaches to push the young men to do their very best. Not many young men can be at their best unless someone pushes them beyond their comfort zone. But there’s a way to do that that’s well within what every parent would want to be done.”
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Practice Notes: Recruiting Implications Will Be Big Saturday
In his first year on the job at Tennessee, Lane Kiffin made a point to put a target on Georgia. He called the Bulldogs his team’s biggest rival, and for good reason. The Volunteers need to recruit in Georgia, and Kiffin wanted to get his regime off on the right foot. The result was a dominant win over the Bulldogs in Knoxville last month.
This week, Georgia faces another first-year coach of another SEC program that relies on the Peach State to fill a sizable portion of its roster when Auburn comes to Athens. And once again, the victor will earn bragging rights – not just among fans, but in the living rooms of recruits throughout the state.
“Winning helps recruiting,” Georgia recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner said. “That’s the single most important factor is winning. Everybody loves a winner, and if you win, you’re hot, and you’re the most attractive person out there.”
For the past three years, Georgia’s had the edge over Auburn, but that hasn’t stopped the Tigers from competing for many of the same players the Bulldogs have recruited. Twenty players on Auburn’s current roster hail from Georgia, and a win for first-year coach Gene Chizik would help to boost that number in the future.
But the familiarity also breeds a bit of intensity, too, and head coach Mark Richt said his current players aren’t interested in letting Auburn become the latest to earn a win over the Bulldogs, on the field or on the recruiting trail.
“Auburn being so close to our border, just about every guy that we have on our team was more than likely recruited by Auburn and has been to Auburn and has seen what they are all about,” Richt said. “It’s a big deal for us as a staff, it’s a big deal for us as a team.”
CHANGE FOR THE BETTER
A year ago, Clint Boling was pressed into action at left tackle thanks to a slew of injuries at the position, and he never quite felt at home.
This season, Boling has made the move once again, but now he’s a bit more comfortable playing the most demanding position on the offensive line.
“I got a lot of experience playing left tackle last year and I’ve been working on it the last few weeks of practice, so I feel a lot more comfortable there now,” Boling said. “It’s not a big deal at all.”
Boling has started the past two games at left tackle after opening the season as Georgia’s starter on the right side of the line. When Trinton Sturdivant went down with a season-ending knee injury, many fans clamored for Boling to return to the left side where he eared rave reviews a year ago, but the change was slow to come.
With the return of junior Josh Davis from injury, however, Georgia had more leeway to fill any void Boling might leave on the right side of the line, and Boling said one the pieces were in place, everyone was happy to make the move.
“I think Coach (Stacy) Searels was just trying to find the best lineup he wanted with a group of guys that could play hard and do what he wanted to do,” Boling said. “And if that was me at left tackle and Josh at right tackle, then both Josh and I will do whatever Coach Searels wants to do.”
NO HUDDLE, NO PROBLEM
Georgia opened last week’s game against Tennessee Tech with a new look on offense – a no-huddle attack that kept the Golden Eagles guessing.
“We did the first couple of series. It wasn’t no-huddle, hurry-up offense, but it was just something we had gone into the game planning on doing,” quarterback Joe Cox said. “We wanted to get some plays run, get the line up and down fast, and try to put points on the board quick those first couple of drives. We scored on both those drives.”
The fast-paced offense was something offensive coordinator Mike Bobo had been toying with but saw a prime opportunity to run it against Tennessee Tech, and it gave Georgia a chance to show a more dynamic side of an offensive unit that has failed to show much life at times this season.
“It was just a change of pace, something that a lot of people haven’t seen us do, and it definitely caught them off guard because they were looking to the sideline trying to figure out what they needed to get in, and we went right down the field,” Cox said.
Despite the success the offense had against Tennessee Tech, Bobo isn’t sure if he’ll continue to use the approach going forward, but he said he liked the results enough to keep it as a possibility.
“It’s something we mess around with from time to time, and a lot is depending on our depth at receiver and how much we can do,” Bobo said. “But it was one of those games that we did want to spread them out and get our guys in space, and that’s something we could use in any game.”
TIGHT ENDS ARE TOP DAWGS
With A.J. Green out of the lineup last week, Cox found his tight ends made for appealing targets downfield against Tennessee Tech. The Bulldogs’ tight ends caught seven passes and one touchdown in the game, and that’s a trend Cox said he thinks can continue as Aron White and Orson Charles continue to develop within the offense.
“We’ve got two tight ends that are really making a lot of plays right now,” Cox said. “They’re dedicated to run blocking and work hard on it every day, and they’re great in the passing game. Orson and Aron, they run great routes and have great hands. You don’t have too many of those, and we’re lucky enough to have to of them on the same team.”
LINEMEN ON THE MEND
Two of Georgia's injured offensive linemen are making strides toward recovery, but Richt isn't sure either will be practicing before the spring.
Freshman Austin Long underwent back surgery before the season and has yet to practice with the team. There was hope he might be ready to practice by December leading up to an anticipated bowl game, but Richt said that's unlikely.
"He's got another appointment with the doctor, and it's sometime in December, to try to gauge how well it's healing," Richt said. "There's a possibility it's healed, but there may have to be some things that are taken out."
Richt said Long has been relegated to minor workouts -- elliptical machines and exercise bikes -- but he has not been able to run or do any significant weight lifting.
Trinton Sturdivant tore his ACL for the second time in as many years in Georgia's opener against Oklahoma State, but Richt said the left tackle is already well ahead of where he was two months after his first surgery.
"He's very excited about the repair," Richt said. "This is so much different than the last one because there was so much less damage that was done. The recovery is faster or at least he feels better faster. He feels like it's a great repair, he's confident in it, and he's excited about the future."
INJURY UPDATES
Richt on A.J.: "A.J. looks like A.J. Green, which is a very good thing. You'd never know he had any issues, and he might be a little more fresh than he would have been because we really didn't let him exert hardly at all."
Richt on Justin Houston: "He was wearing green but he was practicing and we expect him to play."
Richt on Quintin Banks: "He had a dislocated finger and they just kind of put it back together again and taped it to the next finger and go."
PRACTICE UPDATE
For the second straight day, Georgia's coaches and players braved the elements to get in a day's worth of practice, and while the energy was high, Richt said the passing game has been challenged by a day of rain and a day of high winds.
"We really haven't had a chance to throw and catch extremely well with the horrible weather yesterday," Richt said. “I think the wind was blowing like 14 to 20 mile-an-hour gusts out there, so it wasn't ideal conditions. Hopefully tomorrow we can have a pretty day. But we got the work in we needed to get done these last two days, and I'm happy with that and think we've got a good, solid plan.”
FOX LANDS RECRUIT
In the first day of college basketball’s early national signing period, first-year Georgia coach Mark Fox landed another recruit from the state of Florida when Orlando-area prospect Cady Lalanne signed a national letter of intent to join the Bulldogs.
“Cady is a terrific young kid who has the ability to score inside and outside,” Fox said of the 6-foot-8, 215-pound Lalanne. “One of the things we were looking for was a good interior offensive player, and I think we were able to find him. But his versatility on offense is something I really like, too. He was also very well-coached in high school, so I expect that his transition to college will be a smooth one.”
Lalanne is Georgia’s first recruit for the 2010-11 season, but Fox also landed guard Vincent Williams from the state of Florida soon after being hired in April.
Lalanne is rated as the nation’s No. 37 forward prospect by ESPN and the No. 21 center prospect by Scout.com.
This week, Georgia faces another first-year coach of another SEC program that relies on the Peach State to fill a sizable portion of its roster when Auburn comes to Athens. And once again, the victor will earn bragging rights – not just among fans, but in the living rooms of recruits throughout the state.
“Winning helps recruiting,” Georgia recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner said. “That’s the single most important factor is winning. Everybody loves a winner, and if you win, you’re hot, and you’re the most attractive person out there.”
For the past three years, Georgia’s had the edge over Auburn, but that hasn’t stopped the Tigers from competing for many of the same players the Bulldogs have recruited. Twenty players on Auburn’s current roster hail from Georgia, and a win for first-year coach Gene Chizik would help to boost that number in the future.
But the familiarity also breeds a bit of intensity, too, and head coach Mark Richt said his current players aren’t interested in letting Auburn become the latest to earn a win over the Bulldogs, on the field or on the recruiting trail.
“Auburn being so close to our border, just about every guy that we have on our team was more than likely recruited by Auburn and has been to Auburn and has seen what they are all about,” Richt said. “It’s a big deal for us as a staff, it’s a big deal for us as a team.”
CHANGE FOR THE BETTER
A year ago, Clint Boling was pressed into action at left tackle thanks to a slew of injuries at the position, and he never quite felt at home.
This season, Boling has made the move once again, but now he’s a bit more comfortable playing the most demanding position on the offensive line.
“I got a lot of experience playing left tackle last year and I’ve been working on it the last few weeks of practice, so I feel a lot more comfortable there now,” Boling said. “It’s not a big deal at all.”
Boling has started the past two games at left tackle after opening the season as Georgia’s starter on the right side of the line. When Trinton Sturdivant went down with a season-ending knee injury, many fans clamored for Boling to return to the left side where he eared rave reviews a year ago, but the change was slow to come.
With the return of junior Josh Davis from injury, however, Georgia had more leeway to fill any void Boling might leave on the right side of the line, and Boling said one the pieces were in place, everyone was happy to make the move.
“I think Coach (Stacy) Searels was just trying to find the best lineup he wanted with a group of guys that could play hard and do what he wanted to do,” Boling said. “And if that was me at left tackle and Josh at right tackle, then both Josh and I will do whatever Coach Searels wants to do.”
NO HUDDLE, NO PROBLEM
Georgia opened last week’s game against Tennessee Tech with a new look on offense – a no-huddle attack that kept the Golden Eagles guessing.
“We did the first couple of series. It wasn’t no-huddle, hurry-up offense, but it was just something we had gone into the game planning on doing,” quarterback Joe Cox said. “We wanted to get some plays run, get the line up and down fast, and try to put points on the board quick those first couple of drives. We scored on both those drives.”
The fast-paced offense was something offensive coordinator Mike Bobo had been toying with but saw a prime opportunity to run it against Tennessee Tech, and it gave Georgia a chance to show a more dynamic side of an offensive unit that has failed to show much life at times this season.
“It was just a change of pace, something that a lot of people haven’t seen us do, and it definitely caught them off guard because they were looking to the sideline trying to figure out what they needed to get in, and we went right down the field,” Cox said.
Despite the success the offense had against Tennessee Tech, Bobo isn’t sure if he’ll continue to use the approach going forward, but he said he liked the results enough to keep it as a possibility.
“It’s something we mess around with from time to time, and a lot is depending on our depth at receiver and how much we can do,” Bobo said. “But it was one of those games that we did want to spread them out and get our guys in space, and that’s something we could use in any game.”
TIGHT ENDS ARE TOP DAWGS
With A.J. Green out of the lineup last week, Cox found his tight ends made for appealing targets downfield against Tennessee Tech. The Bulldogs’ tight ends caught seven passes and one touchdown in the game, and that’s a trend Cox said he thinks can continue as Aron White and Orson Charles continue to develop within the offense.
“We’ve got two tight ends that are really making a lot of plays right now,” Cox said. “They’re dedicated to run blocking and work hard on it every day, and they’re great in the passing game. Orson and Aron, they run great routes and have great hands. You don’t have too many of those, and we’re lucky enough to have to of them on the same team.”
LINEMEN ON THE MEND
Two of Georgia's injured offensive linemen are making strides toward recovery, but Richt isn't sure either will be practicing before the spring.
Freshman Austin Long underwent back surgery before the season and has yet to practice with the team. There was hope he might be ready to practice by December leading up to an anticipated bowl game, but Richt said that's unlikely.
"He's got another appointment with the doctor, and it's sometime in December, to try to gauge how well it's healing," Richt said. "There's a possibility it's healed, but there may have to be some things that are taken out."
Richt said Long has been relegated to minor workouts -- elliptical machines and exercise bikes -- but he has not been able to run or do any significant weight lifting.
Trinton Sturdivant tore his ACL for the second time in as many years in Georgia's opener against Oklahoma State, but Richt said the left tackle is already well ahead of where he was two months after his first surgery.
"He's very excited about the repair," Richt said. "This is so much different than the last one because there was so much less damage that was done. The recovery is faster or at least he feels better faster. He feels like it's a great repair, he's confident in it, and he's excited about the future."
INJURY UPDATES
Richt on A.J.: "A.J. looks like A.J. Green, which is a very good thing. You'd never know he had any issues, and he might be a little more fresh than he would have been because we really didn't let him exert hardly at all."
Richt on Justin Houston: "He was wearing green but he was practicing and we expect him to play."
Richt on Quintin Banks: "He had a dislocated finger and they just kind of put it back together again and taped it to the next finger and go."
PRACTICE UPDATE
For the second straight day, Georgia's coaches and players braved the elements to get in a day's worth of practice, and while the energy was high, Richt said the passing game has been challenged by a day of rain and a day of high winds.
"We really haven't had a chance to throw and catch extremely well with the horrible weather yesterday," Richt said. “I think the wind was blowing like 14 to 20 mile-an-hour gusts out there, so it wasn't ideal conditions. Hopefully tomorrow we can have a pretty day. But we got the work in we needed to get done these last two days, and I'm happy with that and think we've got a good, solid plan.”
FOX LANDS RECRUIT
In the first day of college basketball’s early national signing period, first-year Georgia coach Mark Fox landed another recruit from the state of Florida when Orlando-area prospect Cady Lalanne signed a national letter of intent to join the Bulldogs.
“Cady is a terrific young kid who has the ability to score inside and outside,” Fox said of the 6-foot-8, 215-pound Lalanne. “One of the things we were looking for was a good interior offensive player, and I think we were able to find him. But his versatility on offense is something I really like, too. He was also very well-coached in high school, so I expect that his transition to college will be a smooth one.”
Lalanne is Georgia’s first recruit for the 2010-11 season, but Fox also landed guard Vincent Williams from the state of Florida soon after being hired in April.
Lalanne is rated as the nation’s No. 37 forward prospect by ESPN and the No. 21 center prospect by Scout.com.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Following Directions: Boling Move Makes Sense
One thing about the problems in the running game that remains difficult to really analyze statistically is the impact of the offensive line. I'm not a coach, so film study of the line is both inaccessible and fairly useless for me. Maybe the line stinks, maybe the runners do. I pretty much have to take the coaches' words for it. It's the ultimate anecdotal evidence position.
Of course, there is one bit of statistical data I do have access to that might tell us a little bit about Georgia's O line as it relates to the running game.
While the play-by-play from each game is hardly a vivid description of actual events, I do have directional results from four of Georgia's seven contests so far. That is, the play-by-play tells us whether the tailback ran left, right or up the middle. For three of the games, I don't have that info, but for 88 of Georgia's 165 carries by its tailbacks this season, we do have the data. Considering that's more than 50 percent, I think it's fair to extrapolate those results out to give us a bit better overall picture of where Georgia has had success and where it has struggled.
| Direction | Carries | Yards | Average |
| Middle | 46 | 204 | 4.43 |
| Left | 18 | 41 | 2.27 |
| Right | 24 | 131 | 5.46 |
First, a couple of notes:
-- This research is for tailbacks only. I did not include runs by Branden Smith and Logan Gray or any of the fullbacks or QB sneaks, etc., as those tend to be the most reliable examples of true rushing attempts.
-- The directional analysis was at the complete disgression of the scorekeeper, so it's hard to truly define whether "middle" means between the left guard and left tackle or straight behind center, etc. It's simply a "between the tackles" run.
-- The four games we get these numbers from are South Carolina, Arkansas, Arizona State and LSU.
Now, some conclusions:
-- Georgia's split between "up the middle" and "outside" runs is nearly 50/50. That may not be a good thing and it may also be another holdover of Mike Bobo's fascination with "balance." (Also, I think I'm overusing "quotation marks" on this post.)
-- Those numbers down the middle are skewed a bit by Richard Samuel's 80-yarder against Arkansas. Obviously that run can't be discounted, but it does inflate the overall average quite a bit. If you calculate the yards per carry average for runs between the tackles without that carry, it's a mundane 2.75 ypc.
-- The overall yards per carry average by the tailbacks in these games was 4.17 ypc. So looking at the raw numbers, Georgia was about average down the middle, well below average running left and well above average running right.
Considering Georgia has started three different left tackles this season and has had left guard manned by an injured Chris Davis and Vince Vance, who is recovering from ACL surgery less than 12 months ago, there's probably a good reason why the Bulldogs have had less success running in that direction. I've said for more than a month now that Georgia has missed Trinton Sturdivant far more than people are acknowledging, but these numbers really bear that out.
On the other hand, Clint Boling has essentially been a constant at right tackle this season, and clearly that has been Georgia's best option to run behind (or around).
So perhaps the news that Stacy Searels was considering moving Boling from the right side back to left tackle, where he played last year, shouldn't come as much of a surprise. In fact, it seems like a pretty obvious solution.
Now the question becomes -- can anyone else step up to provide a few more running lanes for the Dawgs?Sunday, September 6, 2009
Sunday Notes: Sturdivant Tears ACL
As if the news on offense wasn't bad enough after Saturday's 24-10 loss to Oklahoma State, things got worse Sunday when an MRI revealed that left tackle Trinton Sturdivant tore his ACL in his left knee -- the same injury that kept him off the field for the entirety of the 2008 season.
"Mentally would be the only thing that could keep him from making a full recovery," head coach Mark Richt said. "If he rehabs the same way he did a year ago, he'll be able to play again next year. It's just one piece of ligament that can be repaired, can be replaced, and then you just start over again. Psychologically it's tough, but physically I've had guys that had the injury a second time around and it went great the rest of their career. So it's just going to be Trinton's state of mind, but we know he's going to battle and he has goals in his life, and he's going to come back again."
Richt said Sturdivant was surprised by the injury but has kept his spirits up since learning the news.
"He really didn't feel like that was the situation after the ballgame, and we weren't predicting that," Richt said. "He seemed kind of more philosophical. He's just like, 'Well, I've got two choices. I can either give up or I can go fight again.' He knows and we know that he's going to fight and that he'll be back."
That leaves Georgia short a left tackle for the remainder of the season, and Richt said the current solution will be to use senior Vince Vance at the position, but that more options could open up down the road.
"It won't be long before Josh Davis will be able to play again also," Richt said. "He can play either tackle. All three of those kids (including Clint Boling) can play tackle, and Cordy (Glenn) can play tackle but would be more of a right tackle. So we still have some options there."
The offensive line was expected to be a strong point for Georgia this season, but Sturdivant's injury clearly puts a damper on the lofty expectations. More concerning was the lack of dominant play by the line during Saturday's loss -- and Richt said the struggles came in both the passing game and the running game.
"It was hot and cold," Richt said of the line's play. "It wasn't flawless by any means. The sack that caused the fumble was a protection issue. Most of the time we protected well, but that time in particular it wasn't very good."
On the run blocking, Richt said the scheme was strong, but the execution was lacking.
"Their safeties tackled well, they closed space quickly, and there was a couple times when we just didn't finish blocks," Richt said. "Schematically we were creating good space, but if we'd have stuck on our blocks a little bit better, we might have broken some big runs."
EXTRA POINTS
-- With Sturdivant out, Richt said there is clearly a concern about how Georgia's line will hold up against South Carolina's stout defense, led by linebacker Eric Norwood and defensive lineman Cliff Matthews.
"It's going to definitely create an issue for us," Richt said. "Hopefully we won't be in a bunch of third-and-longs where we absolutely have to live and die by the drop-back pass. Hopefully we can pass when we want to."
-- Regarding Joe Cox's performance -- 15-of-30 for 162 yards, 1 TD and 2 turnovers -- Richt said it wasn't as bad as it might have seemed, and he wasn't sure how much Cox's struggles could be pinned on his ailing health.
"I really don't know how he's feeling to be quite honest," Richt said. "He wasn't going to miss that game. Oklahoma State did some things that were good. I think Joe will be sharper as we go. Overall I think he played a pretty decent ballgame. It wasn't anything to sit there and say it was spectacular by any means, but it was solid."
-- Still, Georgia's passing game was far from impressive, and the burden of responsibility can be shifted in any number of directions.
"In the pass game, I would just say we weren't sharp at all," Richt said. "There were some times when we looked good, but for the most part, we just weren't consistent in our effort in the passing game."
Richt said improvements need to be made in all areas, including receivers hanging on to the football, better route running and quicker decisions from Cox.
"I would say the route running certainly needs to improve, and that's for the tight ends also," Richt said. "We've just got to get our timing squared away. We made some throws where we went to the right guy, but not as quick as we should. But we're not far off there either, but I thought we were closer to being in sync in the running game that we are in the passing game."
-- One receiver who managed to impress, Richt said, was redshirt freshman Tavarres King. Although King had just one catch for four yards, Richt said he saw an increased level of aggression from King that earned kudos from the coaches.
"I think Tavarres King has earned himself some more playing time," Richt said. "He really got after it as a blocker and made one catch across the middle where he had to really extend that took some bravery. We gained more confidence in Tavarres' ability to play more downs and get more opportunities."
-- Branden Smith got four touches on offense, and Richt said the decision to include the freshman cornerback in the game plan was a no-brainer.
"One was speed and agility and a confidence about him that we wanted to tap into," Richt said. "We knew he was going to play some defense, so it wasn't like we were worried about whether he was going to redshirt or not."
-- A missing ingredient from Saturday's performance was clearly tailback Caleb King, and Richt said he's hopeful that the sophomore will return to action quickly.
"I would love it," Richt said. "He's a guy that we need to get healthy and get in there and compete and play. We need him."
Richt said that he hasn't spoken with trainer Ron Courson about King's progress following a pulled hamstring, but I've spoken with multiple sources who said there's a strong possibility King won't be able to return until at least Week 3.
"Mentally would be the only thing that could keep him from making a full recovery," head coach Mark Richt said. "If he rehabs the same way he did a year ago, he'll be able to play again next year. It's just one piece of ligament that can be repaired, can be replaced, and then you just start over again. Psychologically it's tough, but physically I've had guys that had the injury a second time around and it went great the rest of their career. So it's just going to be Trinton's state of mind, but we know he's going to battle and he has goals in his life, and he's going to come back again."
Richt said Sturdivant was surprised by the injury but has kept his spirits up since learning the news.
"He really didn't feel like that was the situation after the ballgame, and we weren't predicting that," Richt said. "He seemed kind of more philosophical. He's just like, 'Well, I've got two choices. I can either give up or I can go fight again.' He knows and we know that he's going to fight and that he'll be back."
That leaves Georgia short a left tackle for the remainder of the season, and Richt said the current solution will be to use senior Vince Vance at the position, but that more options could open up down the road.
"It won't be long before Josh Davis will be able to play again also," Richt said. "He can play either tackle. All three of those kids (including Clint Boling) can play tackle, and Cordy (Glenn) can play tackle but would be more of a right tackle. So we still have some options there."
The offensive line was expected to be a strong point for Georgia this season, but Sturdivant's injury clearly puts a damper on the lofty expectations. More concerning was the lack of dominant play by the line during Saturday's loss -- and Richt said the struggles came in both the passing game and the running game.
"It was hot and cold," Richt said of the line's play. "It wasn't flawless by any means. The sack that caused the fumble was a protection issue. Most of the time we protected well, but that time in particular it wasn't very good."
On the run blocking, Richt said the scheme was strong, but the execution was lacking.
"Their safeties tackled well, they closed space quickly, and there was a couple times when we just didn't finish blocks," Richt said. "Schematically we were creating good space, but if we'd have stuck on our blocks a little bit better, we might have broken some big runs."
EXTRA POINTS
-- With Sturdivant out, Richt said there is clearly a concern about how Georgia's line will hold up against South Carolina's stout defense, led by linebacker Eric Norwood and defensive lineman Cliff Matthews.
"It's going to definitely create an issue for us," Richt said. "Hopefully we won't be in a bunch of third-and-longs where we absolutely have to live and die by the drop-back pass. Hopefully we can pass when we want to."
-- Regarding Joe Cox's performance -- 15-of-30 for 162 yards, 1 TD and 2 turnovers -- Richt said it wasn't as bad as it might have seemed, and he wasn't sure how much Cox's struggles could be pinned on his ailing health.
"I really don't know how he's feeling to be quite honest," Richt said. "He wasn't going to miss that game. Oklahoma State did some things that were good. I think Joe will be sharper as we go. Overall I think he played a pretty decent ballgame. It wasn't anything to sit there and say it was spectacular by any means, but it was solid."
-- Still, Georgia's passing game was far from impressive, and the burden of responsibility can be shifted in any number of directions.
"In the pass game, I would just say we weren't sharp at all," Richt said. "There were some times when we looked good, but for the most part, we just weren't consistent in our effort in the passing game."
Richt said improvements need to be made in all areas, including receivers hanging on to the football, better route running and quicker decisions from Cox.
"I would say the route running certainly needs to improve, and that's for the tight ends also," Richt said. "We've just got to get our timing squared away. We made some throws where we went to the right guy, but not as quick as we should. But we're not far off there either, but I thought we were closer to being in sync in the running game that we are in the passing game."
-- One receiver who managed to impress, Richt said, was redshirt freshman Tavarres King. Although King had just one catch for four yards, Richt said he saw an increased level of aggression from King that earned kudos from the coaches.
"I think Tavarres King has earned himself some more playing time," Richt said. "He really got after it as a blocker and made one catch across the middle where he had to really extend that took some bravery. We gained more confidence in Tavarres' ability to play more downs and get more opportunities."
-- Branden Smith got four touches on offense, and Richt said the decision to include the freshman cornerback in the game plan was a no-brainer.
"One was speed and agility and a confidence about him that we wanted to tap into," Richt said. "We knew he was going to play some defense, so it wasn't like we were worried about whether he was going to redshirt or not."
-- A missing ingredient from Saturday's performance was clearly tailback Caleb King, and Richt said he's hopeful that the sophomore will return to action quickly.
"I would love it," Richt said. "He's a guy that we need to get healthy and get in there and compete and play. We need him."
Richt said that he hasn't spoken with trainer Ron Courson about King's progress following a pulled hamstring, but I've spoken with multiple sources who said there's a strong possibility King won't be able to return until at least Week 3.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Practice Notes: Samuel Impresses During First Scrimmage
The spotlight was on Georgia's tailbacks during the Bulldogs' first scrimmage of the fall Wednesday, and sophomore Richard Samuel didn't disappoint.
Samuel stole the show with a series of impressive runs, totaling 108 yards on five carries, two of which went for touchdowns, and adding another 70-yard reception for a score.
"He ran the ball well," head coach Mark Richt said. "He definitely had more space to work with than any other back, but he broke some tackles also. He finished strong."
Samuel saw minimal playing time in a backup role a season ago, showing flashing of potential, but had trouble picking up extra yards downfield at times.
While Richt said Samuel benefited from some big holes at the line of scrimmage Wednesday, a great deal of his production came on moves the sophomore made in the open field, including a few impressive maneuvers on a 63-yard touchdown dash.
"We were running off of the right side of the line and it kind of got congested," Richt said. "He broke it back across the grain and got vertical. He either made a safety miss or stiff-armed him and then made the last guy miss."
Samuel had the majority of the carries with Georgia's No. 1 offense, Richt said, while his primary competition for the starting tailback job, Caleb King, split time between the first- and second-team offense. King finished the day with just 18 yards on five carries.
Georgia's other running backs met with mixed results as well. Carlton Thomas tallied 60 yards on five carries, including a long run of 28 yards, while Dontavius Jackson ran four times and lost six yards. Freshman Washaun Ealey added just 13 yards on five carries, but Richt cautioned fans not to read too much into the final statistics.
"You can get a pretty good gauge of who ran with the No. 1 offensive line and who ran with the No. 2s," he said.
NOT ALL GOOD NEWS
As impressive as Samuel's scrimmage stats were, the sophomore is still having some problems holding on to the football.
One of Samuel's most impressive runs of the scrimmage came on a third-down play in which he darted through the line of scrimmage for a first down and a long gain. The play ended with Samuel coughing up the football, however, and that's something Richt won't tolerate in a starting tailback.
Richt said the fumble may have been the first of the fall for Samuel, but after the tailback struggled with the same problem as a freshman a year ago, it's an issue he needs to resolve quickly.
"Right now I would think the incentive of playing time would really help him hold on to the ball," Richt said. "That's probably the only thing that will keep him from getting a substantial amount of playing time is just being a guy who fumbles."
DECISIONS, DECISIONS
After Georgia's coaches have a chance to break down the film from Wednesday's scrimmage, Richt said he expects the depth chart at tailback to be reshuffled a bit, with two or three of the top performers to be moved to the front of the pack. Although Richt cautions that his evaluations won't be all about the numbers.
"When we evaluate, we will put more on a scrimmage than we do on any other grading system," Richt said. "This is as live as we can get, as real as we can get. So the scrimmages mean a lot, but we do understand when one guy's got a lot of space and other guys don't."
While the new-look depth chart will likely be a hot topic among fans, Richt said he's not overly concerned with who has earned starting jobs just yet. The bigger issue for him is finding enough depth that Georgia won't have to worry about employing a back-up from time to time.
"I don't particularly care who's No. 1 today or tomorrow," Richt said. "I'm looking for guys that are ready to play. I'm not even looking for starters. I'm looking for guys that, if we put them in the game, they could function at winning football. That's really and truly all I'm concerned about right now."
PASSING GRADES
Beyond tailback, the biggest position battle on the roster may be for the No. 2 quarterback job, a position to which sophomore Logan Gray continues to stake his claim.
Gray was the top performer among Georgia's backup quarterbacks Wednesday, completing 6-of-12 passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns, going mostly against Georgia's No. 2 defense. While Gray has continued to impress, however, Richt said the second spot on the depth chart is still an open competition.
"He's done a nice job, and I would say he's still a solid No. 2 but Aaron (Murray) has done some nice things," Richt said.
Murray finished the scrimmage 5-of-16 for 52 yards and a touchdown, while fellow freshman Zach Mettenberger completed just 1-of-10 passing.
Mettenberger's performance was as much a function of some problems with the No. 2 offensive line, Richt said, which has made it tough to evaluate the freshman's overall ability.
"I hate it for him because the great majority of his passes that were incomplete were batted at the line of scrimmage," Richt said. "When he got in there, he didn't get much help from the line at all. When Mettenberger gets time and space, he can really throw it beautifully, but he's just not getting that luxury right now."
While Murray and Mettenberger are both battling to move up the depth chart by the time fall practice ends, Richt said he still wouldn't write off the option of playing one of them this season even if they don't beat out Gray for the No. 2 job.
"If we felt one of those two guys was our No. 2 then we'd absolutely play them," Richt said. "One of them is going to be No. 3 if they're not No. 2, and we still may choose to play them, but I'd be hesitant to do that."
Starting quarterback Joe Cox completed nine of his 13 attempts for 158 yards and two touchdowns in Wednesday's scrimmage.
BRINGING THE PRESSURE
Rod Battle missed four games last season and all of spring practice due to a litany of injuries, but Richt said his senior defensive end is making up for lost time.
Battle was a force during Wednesday's scrimmage, racking up three-and-a-half sacks. The senior's return to health – and to the starting lineup – will be a key for the defense this season, Richt said.
"He missed four of five games, some at the beginning, some in the middle, some at the end, and he never really got on track (last season)," Richt said. "He's excited he's healthy, and he's practicing well. It's good that we've got a bunch of healthy D ends right now, period. We will be better."
Fellow defensive end Demarcus Dobbs had half-a-sack during Wednesday's scrimmage.
NEW LOOK AT LINEBACKER
A number of Georgia's usual starters at linebacker sat out of Wednesday's scrimmage nursing injuries, but Richt said none were serious. Rennie Curran, Darius Dewberry, Akeem Dent and Darryl Gamble all missed the practice with soreness in their hamstrings.
The absences were likely as much about getting a closer look at the youngsters as it was about giving the time off to the veterans.
"I think that's partially to get those guys a lot of work and then we had some veterans that are a little banged up, and we wanted to just keep them from getting hurt unnecessarily," Richt said. "I think Coach (John) Jancek wanted to see his young pups play. He knows Rennie can play, he knows Dent can play, he knows Gamble can play."
In place of the veterans, Nick Williams, Marcus Dowtin and freshman Mike Gilliard ran with the No. 1 unit for most of the scrimmage. Dowtin tallied seven tackles and a half-a-sack at middle linebacker, while Gilliard had five tackles and a half-a-sack, as well, while playing the Sam position.
"(Gilliard) seems to be picking things up well," Richt said. "He lined up properly, and certainly he will hit you. I think he's gaining the respect of his teammates."
MORE BUMPS AND BRUISES
Receivers Marlon Brown and Tavarres King skipped Wednesday's scrimmage as well. Brown is recovering from a jammed finger, and Richt said King's back has been sore after taking a particularly rough hit during practice earlier this week.
While Caleb King and Washaun Ealey both played in the scrimmage, Richt said neither was at full strength. Ealey has practiced with a sore elbow after hyperextending it last week, and King had a sore hamstring, Richt said.
Tight end Aron White also missed the scrimmage with a sore hamstring, Richt said.
HAPPY RETURNS
The number of scratches from the starting lineup was extensive, but two returning veterans looked good in their first live action of the fall.
"Jeff Owens got to play today and came out of it outstanding, and Trinton Sturdivant played and came out of it just fine," Richt said. "So they were happy, I'm sure, to get that full scrimmage out of the way."
EXTRA POINTS
-- While Richt and running backs coach Bryan McClendon have insisted that blocking will be as important in deciding on a starting tailback as their rushing totals, Richt said his runners didn't have too many chances to show their stuff Wednesday.
"The defense didn't bring a lot of pressure," Richt said. "You usually have to bring a linebacker or a safety in order for the backs to get involved in the blocking schemes. ... The true test comes when they're bringing pressure where you have to recognize it, get in position to do it, then follow through on your block. We didn't (bring) much pressure at all."
-- Richt said the No. 1 units performed admirably, as expected, but he was disappointed with the performances of some of Georgia's backups.
"Our No. 1 offense did really well and our No. 1 defense did really well, but there's too much disparity between our ones and twos right now," he said. "There should be better competition when our twos go against our ones on both sides of the ball."
-- Georgia's coaches have worked tirelessly to eliminate penalties this season, and the defense seems to be on board. The offense, however, has been a slightly different story.
"It's not horrific, but we're still jumping offsides a bit too often on offense," Richt said. "The defense might have had one. The defensive line has been better this camp than the offense as far as just aligning properly and just not jumping off. The neutral zone penalties (for the offense) are a little bit of a bother right now."
-- Orson Charles had two touchdown receptions in the scrimmage and Richt said he has been impressed by what the freshman tight end has done in practice thus far. Arthur Lynch added a third touchdown reception during Wednesday's action, too, and Richt is hopeful the position could be a key weapon in the red zone this season. "We do have some good-looking receiving tight ends right now," he said.
-- Richt said Marcus Washington worked almost entirely at defensive end during the scrimmage. Sounds like that's close to being a full-time gig for Washington now.
-- For those of you who asked, no, I didn't get to watch the scrimmage. The stats were provided by Richt and were "unofficial."
-- One other note I meant to mention yesterday: Talked to A.J. Green for a story and the subject of Mohamed Massaquoi came up. He said he spoke with Mo earlier this week and that Massaquoi is working as the starting No. 2 receiver with the Browns alongside Braylon Edwards right now.
-- For full scrimmage stats, click HERE (or scroll down an extra half inch).
Samuel stole the show with a series of impressive runs, totaling 108 yards on five carries, two of which went for touchdowns, and adding another 70-yard reception for a score.
"He ran the ball well," head coach Mark Richt said. "He definitely had more space to work with than any other back, but he broke some tackles also. He finished strong."
Samuel saw minimal playing time in a backup role a season ago, showing flashing of potential, but had trouble picking up extra yards downfield at times.
While Richt said Samuel benefited from some big holes at the line of scrimmage Wednesday, a great deal of his production came on moves the sophomore made in the open field, including a few impressive maneuvers on a 63-yard touchdown dash.
"We were running off of the right side of the line and it kind of got congested," Richt said. "He broke it back across the grain and got vertical. He either made a safety miss or stiff-armed him and then made the last guy miss."
Samuel had the majority of the carries with Georgia's No. 1 offense, Richt said, while his primary competition for the starting tailback job, Caleb King, split time between the first- and second-team offense. King finished the day with just 18 yards on five carries.
Georgia's other running backs met with mixed results as well. Carlton Thomas tallied 60 yards on five carries, including a long run of 28 yards, while Dontavius Jackson ran four times and lost six yards. Freshman Washaun Ealey added just 13 yards on five carries, but Richt cautioned fans not to read too much into the final statistics.
"You can get a pretty good gauge of who ran with the No. 1 offensive line and who ran with the No. 2s," he said.
NOT ALL GOOD NEWS
As impressive as Samuel's scrimmage stats were, the sophomore is still having some problems holding on to the football.
One of Samuel's most impressive runs of the scrimmage came on a third-down play in which he darted through the line of scrimmage for a first down and a long gain. The play ended with Samuel coughing up the football, however, and that's something Richt won't tolerate in a starting tailback.
Richt said the fumble may have been the first of the fall for Samuel, but after the tailback struggled with the same problem as a freshman a year ago, it's an issue he needs to resolve quickly.
"Right now I would think the incentive of playing time would really help him hold on to the ball," Richt said. "That's probably the only thing that will keep him from getting a substantial amount of playing time is just being a guy who fumbles."
DECISIONS, DECISIONS
After Georgia's coaches have a chance to break down the film from Wednesday's scrimmage, Richt said he expects the depth chart at tailback to be reshuffled a bit, with two or three of the top performers to be moved to the front of the pack. Although Richt cautions that his evaluations won't be all about the numbers.
"When we evaluate, we will put more on a scrimmage than we do on any other grading system," Richt said. "This is as live as we can get, as real as we can get. So the scrimmages mean a lot, but we do understand when one guy's got a lot of space and other guys don't."
While the new-look depth chart will likely be a hot topic among fans, Richt said he's not overly concerned with who has earned starting jobs just yet. The bigger issue for him is finding enough depth that Georgia won't have to worry about employing a back-up from time to time.
"I don't particularly care who's No. 1 today or tomorrow," Richt said. "I'm looking for guys that are ready to play. I'm not even looking for starters. I'm looking for guys that, if we put them in the game, they could function at winning football. That's really and truly all I'm concerned about right now."
PASSING GRADES
Beyond tailback, the biggest position battle on the roster may be for the No. 2 quarterback job, a position to which sophomore Logan Gray continues to stake his claim.
Gray was the top performer among Georgia's backup quarterbacks Wednesday, completing 6-of-12 passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns, going mostly against Georgia's No. 2 defense. While Gray has continued to impress, however, Richt said the second spot on the depth chart is still an open competition.
"He's done a nice job, and I would say he's still a solid No. 2 but Aaron (Murray) has done some nice things," Richt said.
Murray finished the scrimmage 5-of-16 for 52 yards and a touchdown, while fellow freshman Zach Mettenberger completed just 1-of-10 passing.
Mettenberger's performance was as much a function of some problems with the No. 2 offensive line, Richt said, which has made it tough to evaluate the freshman's overall ability.
"I hate it for him because the great majority of his passes that were incomplete were batted at the line of scrimmage," Richt said. "When he got in there, he didn't get much help from the line at all. When Mettenberger gets time and space, he can really throw it beautifully, but he's just not getting that luxury right now."
While Murray and Mettenberger are both battling to move up the depth chart by the time fall practice ends, Richt said he still wouldn't write off the option of playing one of them this season even if they don't beat out Gray for the No. 2 job.
"If we felt one of those two guys was our No. 2 then we'd absolutely play them," Richt said. "One of them is going to be No. 3 if they're not No. 2, and we still may choose to play them, but I'd be hesitant to do that."
Starting quarterback Joe Cox completed nine of his 13 attempts for 158 yards and two touchdowns in Wednesday's scrimmage.
BRINGING THE PRESSURE
Rod Battle missed four games last season and all of spring practice due to a litany of injuries, but Richt said his senior defensive end is making up for lost time.
Battle was a force during Wednesday's scrimmage, racking up three-and-a-half sacks. The senior's return to health – and to the starting lineup – will be a key for the defense this season, Richt said.
"He missed four of five games, some at the beginning, some in the middle, some at the end, and he never really got on track (last season)," Richt said. "He's excited he's healthy, and he's practicing well. It's good that we've got a bunch of healthy D ends right now, period. We will be better."
Fellow defensive end Demarcus Dobbs had half-a-sack during Wednesday's scrimmage.
NEW LOOK AT LINEBACKER
A number of Georgia's usual starters at linebacker sat out of Wednesday's scrimmage nursing injuries, but Richt said none were serious. Rennie Curran, Darius Dewberry, Akeem Dent and Darryl Gamble all missed the practice with soreness in their hamstrings.
The absences were likely as much about getting a closer look at the youngsters as it was about giving the time off to the veterans.
"I think that's partially to get those guys a lot of work and then we had some veterans that are a little banged up, and we wanted to just keep them from getting hurt unnecessarily," Richt said. "I think Coach (John) Jancek wanted to see his young pups play. He knows Rennie can play, he knows Dent can play, he knows Gamble can play."
In place of the veterans, Nick Williams, Marcus Dowtin and freshman Mike Gilliard ran with the No. 1 unit for most of the scrimmage. Dowtin tallied seven tackles and a half-a-sack at middle linebacker, while Gilliard had five tackles and a half-a-sack, as well, while playing the Sam position.
"(Gilliard) seems to be picking things up well," Richt said. "He lined up properly, and certainly he will hit you. I think he's gaining the respect of his teammates."
MORE BUMPS AND BRUISES
Receivers Marlon Brown and Tavarres King skipped Wednesday's scrimmage as well. Brown is recovering from a jammed finger, and Richt said King's back has been sore after taking a particularly rough hit during practice earlier this week.
While Caleb King and Washaun Ealey both played in the scrimmage, Richt said neither was at full strength. Ealey has practiced with a sore elbow after hyperextending it last week, and King had a sore hamstring, Richt said.
Tight end Aron White also missed the scrimmage with a sore hamstring, Richt said.
HAPPY RETURNS
The number of scratches from the starting lineup was extensive, but two returning veterans looked good in their first live action of the fall.
"Jeff Owens got to play today and came out of it outstanding, and Trinton Sturdivant played and came out of it just fine," Richt said. "So they were happy, I'm sure, to get that full scrimmage out of the way."
EXTRA POINTS
-- While Richt and running backs coach Bryan McClendon have insisted that blocking will be as important in deciding on a starting tailback as their rushing totals, Richt said his runners didn't have too many chances to show their stuff Wednesday.
"The defense didn't bring a lot of pressure," Richt said. "You usually have to bring a linebacker or a safety in order for the backs to get involved in the blocking schemes. ... The true test comes when they're bringing pressure where you have to recognize it, get in position to do it, then follow through on your block. We didn't (bring) much pressure at all."
-- Richt said the No. 1 units performed admirably, as expected, but he was disappointed with the performances of some of Georgia's backups.
"Our No. 1 offense did really well and our No. 1 defense did really well, but there's too much disparity between our ones and twos right now," he said. "There should be better competition when our twos go against our ones on both sides of the ball."
-- Georgia's coaches have worked tirelessly to eliminate penalties this season, and the defense seems to be on board. The offense, however, has been a slightly different story.
"It's not horrific, but we're still jumping offsides a bit too often on offense," Richt said. "The defense might have had one. The defensive line has been better this camp than the offense as far as just aligning properly and just not jumping off. The neutral zone penalties (for the offense) are a little bit of a bother right now."
-- Orson Charles had two touchdown receptions in the scrimmage and Richt said he has been impressed by what the freshman tight end has done in practice thus far. Arthur Lynch added a third touchdown reception during Wednesday's action, too, and Richt is hopeful the position could be a key weapon in the red zone this season. "We do have some good-looking receiving tight ends right now," he said.
-- Richt said Marcus Washington worked almost entirely at defensive end during the scrimmage. Sounds like that's close to being a full-time gig for Washington now.
-- For those of you who asked, no, I didn't get to watch the scrimmage. The stats were provided by Richt and were "unofficial."
-- One other note I meant to mention yesterday: Talked to A.J. Green for a story and the subject of Mohamed Massaquoi came up. He said he spoke with Mo earlier this week and that Massaquoi is working as the starting No. 2 receiver with the Browns alongside Braylon Edwards right now.
-- For full scrimmage stats, click HERE (or scroll down an extra half inch).
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Practice Notes: QBs Struggle Early
If Mark Richt has an early complaint after two days of practice, it's about his quarterbacks. A handful of fumbles and a fair number of interceptions – including two picks and two fumble recoveries by Darryl Gamble – have been the result of some sloppy play early on by his group of passers.
"Most of the picks happened because of the quarterback just throwing the ball where he shouldn't have thrown it, making a bad decision," Richt said. "They've got to take better care of the ball."
It's all about fundamentals said sophomore Logan Gray, who currently is second on Georgia's depth chart at quarterback.
"Just getting back to the little things that are kind of sloppy the first couple of days," Gray said. "We've got to make sure we're touching up on those every single day – not fumbling the snap, fumbling giving the ball to the running back, missing a read and throwing into traffic – whatever it might be, every quarterback needs to be careful with the decisions they're making with the ball."
For now, however, Georgia's secondary is enjoying the early gifts, and they're making sure the quarterbacks know how much they appreciate it.
"We've got to talk a little smack to them," safety Nick Williams said. "That's what makes it fun."
SO FAR, SO GOOD
The first two days of fall practice have been the first full workouts of any kind in quite a while for a hefty contingent of players returning from injuries. While the Bulldogs haven't reached a particularly grueling part of their routine just yet, the early results for players like Jeff Owens, Trinton Sturdivant and Vince Vance have all been positive.
"You see no ill effects," Richt said. "You don't see them favoring anything. Again, until we have that first day of contact, you won't really know how that guy is feeling on the inside. I'm sure they're a little anxious about that first hit, but they no their best shot is to play full speed, and they're doing that now."
Richt said tailback Richard Samuel's wrist has not limited him at all thus far and said that he didn't expect any players to be held out of contact drills when the Bulldogs begin two-a-days Monday.
A HARD-LINE APPROACH
Georgia was one of the most penalized teams in the country a year ago, and Richt said he's taking steps this fall to ensure there isn't a repeat performance in 2009.
During practice, he's pulling players out of drills after they commit a penalty, and numerous players are being singled out when they're flagged. Assistants are tracking each penalty during practice, as well, and for the first time, Richt is personally monitoring the results.
"You've got to drill it, discipline it and the guys have to be serious about never wanting it to happen again," Richt said. "But so far, I see a good healthy attitude toward it."
The hard-line tactics even apply to Georgia's assistant coaches, Richt said.
In the past, assistants could argue a flag with the team's practice refs, but this year, they're not even allowed to joke about it.
"It's, 'Yes, sir, thank you for your help,' and go discipline your player," Richt said. "We can't let anything at this point get in the way of taking a very serious attitude toward every flag that's called."
A MINOR PROBLEM
Linebacker Christian Robinson played with his hand wrapped after a minor thumb sprain, Richt said. The injury may require a cast, but surgery would not be needed and Richt expects Robinson to continue practicing.
"Most of the picks happened because of the quarterback just throwing the ball where he shouldn't have thrown it, making a bad decision," Richt said. "They've got to take better care of the ball."
It's all about fundamentals said sophomore Logan Gray, who currently is second on Georgia's depth chart at quarterback.
"Just getting back to the little things that are kind of sloppy the first couple of days," Gray said. "We've got to make sure we're touching up on those every single day – not fumbling the snap, fumbling giving the ball to the running back, missing a read and throwing into traffic – whatever it might be, every quarterback needs to be careful with the decisions they're making with the ball."
For now, however, Georgia's secondary is enjoying the early gifts, and they're making sure the quarterbacks know how much they appreciate it.
"We've got to talk a little smack to them," safety Nick Williams said. "That's what makes it fun."
SO FAR, SO GOOD
The first two days of fall practice have been the first full workouts of any kind in quite a while for a hefty contingent of players returning from injuries. While the Bulldogs haven't reached a particularly grueling part of their routine just yet, the early results for players like Jeff Owens, Trinton Sturdivant and Vince Vance have all been positive.
"You see no ill effects," Richt said. "You don't see them favoring anything. Again, until we have that first day of contact, you won't really know how that guy is feeling on the inside. I'm sure they're a little anxious about that first hit, but they no their best shot is to play full speed, and they're doing that now."
Richt said tailback Richard Samuel's wrist has not limited him at all thus far and said that he didn't expect any players to be held out of contact drills when the Bulldogs begin two-a-days Monday.
A HARD-LINE APPROACH
Georgia was one of the most penalized teams in the country a year ago, and Richt said he's taking steps this fall to ensure there isn't a repeat performance in 2009.
During practice, he's pulling players out of drills after they commit a penalty, and numerous players are being singled out when they're flagged. Assistants are tracking each penalty during practice, as well, and for the first time, Richt is personally monitoring the results.
"You've got to drill it, discipline it and the guys have to be serious about never wanting it to happen again," Richt said. "But so far, I see a good healthy attitude toward it."
The hard-line tactics even apply to Georgia's assistant coaches, Richt said.
In the past, assistants could argue a flag with the team's practice refs, but this year, they're not even allowed to joke about it.
"It's, 'Yes, sir, thank you for your help,' and go discipline your player," Richt said. "We can't let anything at this point get in the way of taking a very serious attitude toward every flag that's called."
A MINOR PROBLEM
Linebacker Christian Robinson played with his hand wrapped after a minor thumb sprain, Richt said. The injury may require a cast, but surgery would not be needed and Richt expects Robinson to continue practicing.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
10 Wins is No Easy Task
As I mentioned in my posts this week on players I think will break out and players I think need to step up, we put together a package for the Telegraph this weekend on five reasons Georgia will be better and five reasons they'll be worse.
Perhaps surprisingly, putting together the five reasons to think the Bulldogs can improve wasn't difficult. There's a lot to like about this team, starting with its attitude -- and that's a pretty big departure from last year.
Even on the field, the talent is pretty solid. It's just less experienced than you might want, particularly in the same division with big, bad Florida.
When I put together the five reasons for concern, the list was a little more difficult. Obviously the loss of Matthew Stafford, Knowshon Moreno and company is huge, so by grouping it together as one reason the team will be worse is probably understating the impact.
Then again, if you have to trade Stafford, Moreno, Asher Allen and Mohamed Massaquoi and in exchange you get this year's freshman class along with all of last year's injured players -- Trinton Sturdivant, Vince Vance, Jeff Owens, Marcus Washington, Rod Battle -- isn't that a trade you'd feel OK about?
Beyond that, it was tough for me to actually come up with five reasons to think Georgia could struggle this year. Yes, the defense was bad last season -- but doesn't the unit almost certainly have to be better this year?
No, there isn't a ton of experience in a lot of areas -- but the Dawgs do have veterans in all the key positions like O line, quarterback, interior D line, linebacker and safety.
Sure, the pass rush off the edge looks problematic -- but that interior line might be one of the best in the country.
So all of that forced me to ask one key question: If it's so easy to find reasons to be hopeful and so difficult to find causes for concern -- shouldn't we expect Georgia to be better than it was in 2008?
The answer depends on how you define "better."
Yes, I think this team has a good chance to be better in terms of sheer performance. When you watch the games on Saturdays, I think you'll see a team stronger in the fundamentals, more dynamic in what it can do overall, more reliable at key moments in games. Those would be welcome improvements.
But in terms of wins and losses, it's just hard to find more than nine or 10 wins on this schedule. Are any marginal improvements enough to close that 49-10 gap with Florida? Haven't teams like LSU and Georgia Tech improved, too? And remember how bad Georgia played the week after its two biggest road wins last year? That should probably have you worried about the South Carolina game this season.
The bottom line is, Georgia may well be better. You could even make the argument that the Dawgs should be better. But when you put all of it into the perspective of wins and losses, it should also illustrate just how hard it is to put together a 10-win season and serve as a good reminder that maybe last year wasn't so bad after all.
Anyway, below is the full list of my "Five Reasons" from today's Telegraph. You might also want to check out the story I wrote to accompany the list, which focuses on Georgia's biggest reason for hope in 2009 -- the offensive line.
Five Reasons Georgia Will Be Better in 2009
1.) The offensive line. Eight different offensive linemen started games for Georgia last year, and that doesn't include left tackle Trinton Sturdivant, who hurt his knee in fall practice and missed the year. The upside is that the Bulldogs now have a bevy of veteran lineman that could become one of the top units in the country – a huge benefit to an offense that will have a lot of new faces elsewhere.
2.) Joe Cox's leadership. Georgia will certainly miss the cannon arm of Matthew Stafford, but what the Bulldogs lose in talent, they may make up for in heart with new quarterback Joe Cox. Cox is a vocal leader, a true rah-rah guy, and a veteran who isn't afraid to call out a teammate who isn't getting the job done. He's been the backbone of a dramatically more focused offseason, but only time will tell if that pays dividends this fall.
3.) Lower expectations. Last year, Georgia began the season as the No. 1 team in the country and faltered miserably under the spotlight that comes along with such lofty expectations. This year, the Bulldogs are flying quietly under the radar, and that's a role Mark Richt and company say they're far more comfortable playing.
4.) Dominant defensive tackles. Jeff Owens hurt his knee in Week 1 last year, depriving Georgia of what could have been a dynamic tandem on the interior defensive line. This year, he's back to full health and will pair with Geno Atkins to give the Bulldogs a dominant defensive front up the middle that can cause plenty of havoc in the backfield while still shutting down the run.
5.) They have to be healthier. There's virtually no way Georgia could be bitten any harder by the injury bug this year than they were in 2008. More than 30 players missed action or were hindered in practice last year due to injuries, and the run of bumps and bruises caused Richt to scale back practice. This year, the injured Bulldogs are on the road to recovery and everyone's keeping their fingers crossed that last year's bad luck is balanced by an injury-free 2009.
Five Reasons Georgia Will Be Worse in 2009
1.) So long to the stars. The talent possessed by Matthew Stafford, Knowshon Moreno, Mohamed Massaquoi, Dannell Ellerbe and Asher Allen were big reasons why Georgia was last year's preseason No. 1. All will be playing on Sundays this season, and it remains to be seen whether Joe Cox, Caleb King and company can fill the void left by so many stars.
2.) The pass rush lacks pressure. Georgia finished 10th in the SEC in sacks last season, and things didn't improve much over the offseason. All but two defensive ends missed all or parts of spring practice with injuries, and one of the healthy ones – Justin Houston – will be suspended for the first two weeks of the season. When the Bulldogs open against Oklahoma State, they'll do so without a single defensive end who recorded so much as half-a-sack in SEC play last year.
3.) The schedule looks tough. Phil Steele ranks Georgia's 2009 slate as the seventh hardest in the country with 11 games against BCS conference opponents. The opener against Oklahoma State may be the toughest of Mark Richt's tenure and dates with South Carolina and LSU and a trip to Arkansas in the first five weeks mean things won't get easier for a while.
4.) Skill position experience. There is talent at Georgia's offensive skill positions, but not many veterans. Cox threw just 15 passes last season, tailbacks Caleb King and Richard Samuel both struggled in minimal reserve duty in 2008 and beyond Michael Moore and A.J. Green, there isn't anyone on the roster with more than 10 career catches.
5.) Defensive struggles. The defense could be better this season. In fact, it might be tough to be worse. But as much as the Bulldogs' D struggled last year, no significant changes have occurred – on the coaching staff or in terms of personnel. So can Brandon Boykin and Bryan Evans replacing Allen and CJ Byrd make them better or will it be another year of shootouts for Georgia?
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Video Blog: Trinton Sturdivant
Georgia left tackle Trinton Sturdivant discusses his return from a severe knee injury and his health as he gets ready to start fall practice.
O Line Finally Taking Shape
If you follow me on Twitter, you got some of this information yesterday, just minutes after I spoke with Georgia left tackle Trinton Sturdivant. If you're not following me on Twitter... what are you waiting for?
Since Sturdivant first hurt his knee last August, Georgia's offensive line has been in flux. Seven different players started games on the line during the season, and since the Bulldogs' bowl game, three linemen have undergone surgery. Still, the strength projected to return in the fall is staggering, but the question has remained: What exactly will the line look like when Georgia takes the field against Oklahoma State to start the season?
While the ongoing answer throughout the offseason so far has been, "We don't have a clue," Sturdivant said the team is actually working on solidifying a starting five now.
"Right now we have a set lineup that we're going through at and we look really good," Sturdivant said. "We're just focusing on getting used to the player beside us because last year, everybody was mixed up, switching positions every week."
That lineup features Sturdivant back at left tackle where he starred as a freshman in 2007. He said he's 100 percent recovered from the severe knee injury he suffered in the second week of fall practice last year and says he injured knee actually feels stronger than the healthy one now. He has completed treatment and is a full go.
Next to Sturdivant is Vince Vance at left guard. Vance is also recovering from ACL surgery, but is getting closer to a complete recovery. Although Vance started the first six games of last season, he's never played with Sturdivant, and building that relationship has been a focus of the past few weeks of drills, Sturdivant said.
Ben Jones reprises his role as the team's center after grabbing the job as a true freshman last season. Jones underwent surgery this offseason, but is already back at full speed.
Cordy Glenn was Georgia's other true freshman starter on the offensive line last season, and while Sturdivant said Glenn prefers to work on the left side of the line -- and he has been practicing some at left tackle, too -- he's currently slotted as the right guard.
Clint Boling, last year's MVP of the line, is currently working at right tackle after holding down the job on the left side after Vance's injury midway through the year last season.
"We're just getting better with knowing each other, how our tendencies are on the field, on pass situations, run situations," Sturdivant said. "Right now, we're focusing on getting better with the lineup that we have now."
Of course, there are still a few other linemen with eyes on playing time. Josh Davis started four games last season but has undergone two shoulder surgeries this offseason and isn't a sure bet to be ready when the season starts in September.
Chris Davis played all of last season with a nagging and painful hip injury. He's been getting work at left guard and center this offseason, but Sturdivant said he still hasn't fully recovered from surgery to repair the hip injury and has been unavailable during a number of the team's drills. Whether Davis can recover completely in time to make a run at a starting job remains to be seen.
"We really don't know how he will pan out as far as the injury," Sturdivant said. "We know he's an excellent player, but we're just hoping he can get back his strength to where he was."
Justin Anderson found his place at right tackle midway through the 2008 season as well, but a foot injury limited him during the team's final three games. He still has a shot at the starting lineup in 2009, too, but for now he's been working behind Glenn at right guard.
Perhaps the most intriguing name still in the mix, however, is freshman Chris Burnette.
Burnette arrived on campus earlier this month but has already impressed his teammates with his physical skills.
"He's really quick, really fast, explosive," Sturdivant said. "He's not as strong as he wants to be right now in the weight room, but that will come. He's very explosive, has really good technique. He's going to be a really good player."
Beyond the physical tools, however, Burnette has picked up the playbook astoundingly fast. Burnette was nearly named valedictorian at Troup County High School and his academic accomplishments have been obvious on the playing field, Sturdivant said.
"He already knows all the calls and the plays and it's really amazing how fast he's caught on since he's only been here about three weeks," Sturdivant said. "But everything that we've put in front of him, he knows. We can call any call, and he just spits it out just like that. I know he had a 5.8 GPA in high school, and it's definitely transferring."
So, does Burnette really have a shot at significant playing time his freshman year? Considering the track record of offensive line coach Stacy Searels, Sturdivant thinks it's likely.
"With Coach Searels, I feel like anybody has a shot," he said. "And of course we have a lot of experienced players, and it may seem like he may not play, but if he gets on the field and puts those pads on and is showing great technique and blowing people off the ball, I don't see signs of him not playing."
Since Sturdivant first hurt his knee last August, Georgia's offensive line has been in flux. Seven different players started games on the line during the season, and since the Bulldogs' bowl game, three linemen have undergone surgery. Still, the strength projected to return in the fall is staggering, but the question has remained: What exactly will the line look like when Georgia takes the field against Oklahoma State to start the season?
While the ongoing answer throughout the offseason so far has been, "We don't have a clue," Sturdivant said the team is actually working on solidifying a starting five now.
"Right now we have a set lineup that we're going through at and we look really good," Sturdivant said. "We're just focusing on getting used to the player beside us because last year, everybody was mixed up, switching positions every week."
That lineup features Sturdivant back at left tackle where he starred as a freshman in 2007. He said he's 100 percent recovered from the severe knee injury he suffered in the second week of fall practice last year and says he injured knee actually feels stronger than the healthy one now. He has completed treatment and is a full go.
Next to Sturdivant is Vince Vance at left guard. Vance is also recovering from ACL surgery, but is getting closer to a complete recovery. Although Vance started the first six games of last season, he's never played with Sturdivant, and building that relationship has been a focus of the past few weeks of drills, Sturdivant said.
Ben Jones reprises his role as the team's center after grabbing the job as a true freshman last season. Jones underwent surgery this offseason, but is already back at full speed.
Cordy Glenn was Georgia's other true freshman starter on the offensive line last season, and while Sturdivant said Glenn prefers to work on the left side of the line -- and he has been practicing some at left tackle, too -- he's currently slotted as the right guard.
Clint Boling, last year's MVP of the line, is currently working at right tackle after holding down the job on the left side after Vance's injury midway through the year last season.
"We're just getting better with knowing each other, how our tendencies are on the field, on pass situations, run situations," Sturdivant said. "Right now, we're focusing on getting better with the lineup that we have now."
Of course, there are still a few other linemen with eyes on playing time. Josh Davis started four games last season but has undergone two shoulder surgeries this offseason and isn't a sure bet to be ready when the season starts in September.
Chris Davis played all of last season with a nagging and painful hip injury. He's been getting work at left guard and center this offseason, but Sturdivant said he still hasn't fully recovered from surgery to repair the hip injury and has been unavailable during a number of the team's drills. Whether Davis can recover completely in time to make a run at a starting job remains to be seen.
"We really don't know how he will pan out as far as the injury," Sturdivant said. "We know he's an excellent player, but we're just hoping he can get back his strength to where he was."
Justin Anderson found his place at right tackle midway through the 2008 season as well, but a foot injury limited him during the team's final three games. He still has a shot at the starting lineup in 2009, too, but for now he's been working behind Glenn at right guard.
Perhaps the most intriguing name still in the mix, however, is freshman Chris Burnette.
Burnette arrived on campus earlier this month but has already impressed his teammates with his physical skills.
"He's really quick, really fast, explosive," Sturdivant said. "He's not as strong as he wants to be right now in the weight room, but that will come. He's very explosive, has really good technique. He's going to be a really good player."
Beyond the physical tools, however, Burnette has picked up the playbook astoundingly fast. Burnette was nearly named valedictorian at Troup County High School and his academic accomplishments have been obvious on the playing field, Sturdivant said.
"He already knows all the calls and the plays and it's really amazing how fast he's caught on since he's only been here about three weeks," Sturdivant said. "But everything that we've put in front of him, he knows. We can call any call, and he just spits it out just like that. I know he had a 5.8 GPA in high school, and it's definitely transferring."
So, does Burnette really have a shot at significant playing time his freshman year? Considering the track record of offensive line coach Stacy Searels, Sturdivant thinks it's likely.
"With Coach Searels, I feel like anybody has a shot," he said. "And of course we have a lot of experienced players, and it may seem like he may not play, but if he gets on the field and puts those pads on and is showing great technique and blowing people off the ball, I don't see signs of him not playing."
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