Auburn just sent this out...Interesting...You had to see this coming. He's a good player, but wait till you see Mario Fannin when he's healthy. That kid's gonna be a star.
dc
AUBURN, Ala. -- Auburn junior running back Brad Lester has been suspended due to unresolved academic issues, head coach Tommy Tuberville announced Friday. Lester’s suspension will last until those issues have been resolved.
A 5-11, 194-pound native of Lilburn, Ga., Lester has rushed for 869 yards and 14 touchdowns in his Auburn career, including 510 yards and nine touchdowns in 104 carries in 2006. Lester was suspended for Auburn's Cotton Bowl Classic game in January.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Ball discusses Southerland
I spoke with running backs coach Tony Ball for several minutes for the story I did in today's paper on Brannan Southerland (you can read it here). I always like getting coach Ball's perspective on things. The conversation I had with him completely changed the angle I would have taken on the story.
I also led my notebook with fullback stuff. It's kind of a fluffy notebook lead, but I thought it was entertaining. It stems from a conversation Marc Weiszer and I had with Joe Cox a week or so ago about redshirt freshmen Shaun Chapas and Fred Munzenmaier and how they're basically joined at the hip. When the EA Sports College Football video game came out last year, there was only one freshman fullback in the game and they didn't know which of them this player was supposed to represent. So they named it "Fraun Chapenmaier" and started calling each other "The Fraun." I thought that was hysterical, and it kind of illustrates how joined at the hip they really are. So I talked to Chapas about it and threw it in there today since there wasn't much new to report, as we talked with Richt before practice. I think you'll see Chapas and Munzenmaier both play some tomorrow, if not scrimmage downs, then most likely on special teams.
So here's the Q/A with Tony Ball:
Do you think Brannan doesn't get more attention because he plays fullback?
It's the public and media perception of the position. But also, to know him, you've watched him in practice and you know he's a talented young man, but I'll be the first to tell you and Brannan would be the first to tell you, Brannan, I don't think he has done those things on a consistent basis to warrant all that attention. I want to see him do the things -- and I'm being very candid and telling you the things I've told him -- I want to see Brannan dominate. And I want to see him do it on a consistent basis. When he does that, it doesn't matter what they write, because you know you're getting it done.
Was it a situation where there were only flashes of that last year? He didn't always dominate last year?
Not consistently. It's about consistency. He may have done it this game, but what about that next game. You've gotta be consistent. Teams that are fundamentally consistent, those are the teams that win.
Do you feel like he's on the verge of that?
I hope so. I hope so, God almighty I hope so. He's had a decent camp. He has improved tremendously fundamentally this camp. He's very smart. Brannan has a great football IQ. The only thing I just sit back and hope is on game day, he just takes no prisoners.
You talked about him needing to improve fundamentally. Is it blocking? Is it everything?
I'll tell you, he improved last year fundamentally on his ballcarrying. He improved at reading the defenses and knowing what the defenses are gonna do so he could find the creases. He did a great job of that and he needs to continue to do that. But he has worked extremely hard at getting better in run blocking and pass pro. That's not something that you're born to do, you've got to be trained to do that. He has really made strides. We still have a ways to go and we still have things we've got to get better at, but he has made strides in that area.
Is that symbolized by him being the personal protector on punt team now or is that something separate?
I think they go hand in hand. What he does on the punt team as personal protector is also an indication of just how intelligent he is. There's a lot of communication going on in that phase. So I think that's also an indication of how intelligent he is, but then when it comes down to protecting, now it goes back to your fundamentals at protecting.
He's always struck me as someone who's agile for his size. Is that something that sets him apart?
He is athletic. He is athletic and an explosive, powerful athlete that's playing fullback. He has very good ball skills and as an athlete, you've got to be explosive, you've got to have talents, the ability to change direction -- and he can do those things. He's not a speedburner or speed merchant, but he has the ability to change direction and make people miss. He's strong enough to keep his balance, athletic enough to adjust and stay on his feet. Those are the attributes that he has.
I also led my notebook with fullback stuff. It's kind of a fluffy notebook lead, but I thought it was entertaining. It stems from a conversation Marc Weiszer and I had with Joe Cox a week or so ago about redshirt freshmen Shaun Chapas and Fred Munzenmaier and how they're basically joined at the hip. When the EA Sports College Football video game came out last year, there was only one freshman fullback in the game and they didn't know which of them this player was supposed to represent. So they named it "Fraun Chapenmaier" and started calling each other "The Fraun." I thought that was hysterical, and it kind of illustrates how joined at the hip they really are. So I talked to Chapas about it and threw it in there today since there wasn't much new to report, as we talked with Richt before practice. I think you'll see Chapas and Munzenmaier both play some tomorrow, if not scrimmage downs, then most likely on special teams.
So here's the Q/A with Tony Ball:
Do you think Brannan doesn't get more attention because he plays fullback?
It's the public and media perception of the position. But also, to know him, you've watched him in practice and you know he's a talented young man, but I'll be the first to tell you and Brannan would be the first to tell you, Brannan, I don't think he has done those things on a consistent basis to warrant all that attention. I want to see him do the things -- and I'm being very candid and telling you the things I've told him -- I want to see Brannan dominate. And I want to see him do it on a consistent basis. When he does that, it doesn't matter what they write, because you know you're getting it done.
Was it a situation where there were only flashes of that last year? He didn't always dominate last year?
Not consistently. It's about consistency. He may have done it this game, but what about that next game. You've gotta be consistent. Teams that are fundamentally consistent, those are the teams that win.
Do you feel like he's on the verge of that?
I hope so. I hope so, God almighty I hope so. He's had a decent camp. He has improved tremendously fundamentally this camp. He's very smart. Brannan has a great football IQ. The only thing I just sit back and hope is on game day, he just takes no prisoners.
You talked about him needing to improve fundamentally. Is it blocking? Is it everything?
I'll tell you, he improved last year fundamentally on his ballcarrying. He improved at reading the defenses and knowing what the defenses are gonna do so he could find the creases. He did a great job of that and he needs to continue to do that. But he has worked extremely hard at getting better in run blocking and pass pro. That's not something that you're born to do, you've got to be trained to do that. He has really made strides. We still have a ways to go and we still have things we've got to get better at, but he has made strides in that area.
Is that symbolized by him being the personal protector on punt team now or is that something separate?
I think they go hand in hand. What he does on the punt team as personal protector is also an indication of just how intelligent he is. There's a lot of communication going on in that phase. So I think that's also an indication of how intelligent he is, but then when it comes down to protecting, now it goes back to your fundamentals at protecting.
He's always struck me as someone who's agile for his size. Is that something that sets him apart?
He is athletic. He is athletic and an explosive, powerful athlete that's playing fullback. He has very good ball skills and as an athlete, you've got to be explosive, you've got to have talents, the ability to change direction -- and he can do those things. He's not a speedburner or speed merchant, but he has the ability to change direction and make people miss. He's strong enough to keep his balance, athletic enough to adjust and stay on his feet. Those are the attributes that he has.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Richt prepractice comments, Thursday
We talked to Mark Richt for a few minutes before practice today. They moved it up trying to beat the rain. May be finishing up about now. It was completely closed today so they could work on some special teams stuff in private. Which means I'm probably not supposed to tell you about the fake punt they run where Mimbs slips the ball under his jersey and runs backwards with it to confuse the other team...Whoops, I guess that ruined it...Believe me though, it's the dangdest thing I've ever seen.
Anyway, Josh Kendall must be working on something on Jon Richt and the recruiting process and committing to Clemson because for the first 10 minutes or so today, we talked about that subject. I didn't transcribe that, but I did for the rest of the time that included UGA stuff. The first several questions were from me for a story I'll have in tomorrow's paper on Brannan Southerland. So here's all that:
On whether Southerland gets the attention he deserves:
The touchdown stat was fairly impressive. It's hard to really quantify how good a fullback is because statistically they don't get a lot of rushing yards, you don't really keep track of blocks, keep track of a guy picking up a blitz. The things that a fullback does is just a little bit ahead of what a lineman does as far as glory goes -- you don't get much attention unless you blow it. And then we were a 9-4 team which is not a bad team, but not necessarily the kind of team that would get a lot of attention to a fullback. If you win the SEC or you're playing for the national championship, a lot more people would know who he was. The NFL's gonna know who he is. I don't think there's much doubt about that.
Coach Ball was talking about how he needs to get more consistent. Do you see that too?
Yeah. I brag about him a lot, but he's not perfect. Coach Ball sees everything he does. Coach Ball's a stickler for detail and doing it exactly right. He needs to get better.
How does he need to improve?
It's just consistent things like just exactly where you put your hat every time you block. Are you using your hands properly? If you're cut blocking somebody, are you really running through the guy or are you just flopping on the ground and hoping you get him? All those little things. It's hard doing it perfect every time. Coach Ball's trying to get him to do that.
I guess that plays a part in him being the punt protect guy this year?
Oh yeah. He's good at that. He is a smart kid. And fullback's such a high-contact position, it's not all that uncommon for a guy to get hit out....He's not done that at this point. I've got a feeling he'll have a little bit more enthusiasm to knock somebody down in a game than he does in practice. If you do it over and over and over, you're like, 'Coach, when the time comes, I'll be ready.'
On the possibility of Vance Cuff playing:
We think before the season's over, Cuff'll play. I don't think we'll be going, 'Should we play him, should we not?' as far as would it burn his redshirt or not. I think we think he'll play this year sometime. If he doesn't play, it might just be situation or not feeling comfortable that he's ready right this second. But we think this season he'll play.
On the options at kickoff return, Asher Allen, Thomas Brown and Knowshon Moreno:
They're all capable of doing something special for different reasons. Thomas is just about pure power. He'll break tackles just because he's so strong and fearless...I'd say Asher is gonna change direction more than any of them, which could be good, could be bad. Most touchdown runs on a kickoff are not a whole lot of dancing, but sometimes you've gotta dance a little bit to get a good return, maybe not a touchdown. Knowshon's somewhere in between, speed, power, change of direction. You never know. The one thing that the other two have over Knowshon is they've been in games where they got hit full-speed, a major-college hit, tackle, running through there with a lot of hat speed. Knowshon's not really felt that since he's been here and probably never felt it in high school either. I imagine he's gonna get hit pretty hard. He's probably gonna get hit harder Saturday than he's ever gotten hit in his life, probably, at one time or another, whether it's a kickoff or just running the ball. I hope he doesn't, but more than likely he'll take a shot here and there. Gotta hold onto the ball.
On the comparison between Ben Watson and Bruce Figgins:
There's similarities in body type. I think that's about as far as you can go because Ben was truly a freak of nature. Figgins looks like he could be a young Ben Watson. I don't know if he'll quite end up like Ben as far as the sheer ability to lift the weight and that kind of thing, but he's really got good height, good weight already, good strength and he's really pretty good fundamentally. If you don't step properly, it's hard to block anybody. If you don't bend your knees right and get your hat and your hands in the right spot, no matter how strong you are, it's hard to be good at it. But he's got good fundamentals and he's athlete enough to change direction. If you've got a guy going and he tries to lose you one way, can you stick on him? That's not easy to do. But if you are athlete enough and strong enough and have got quick enough feet, you can change direction quickly and maybe stay on the guy, stick on him long or just make you a better blocker. He's got a lot of potential in that way.
Do you feel better about things now than a year ago going into the first game?
Yeah I guess. I think so. The QB thing is so big. It just affects everybody. If you've got another position, it probably might affect one side of the ball, but QB affects everything. So we're much more solid there. We know who it is and we also know we've got a great backup. I mean I feel real good about that part of it. We just haven't been tested. We haven't had our backs against the wall yet. We'll see how we react to it.
On needing to face adversity to see how the team responds:
I think that's kinda true every season. You just never know how a team's gonna react when it gets tough. If a team goes undefeated, they're gonna have a lot of times where they feel at least game adversity, if the game's close or a bad thing happening, what are you gonna do now? Or you're losing at halftime or whatever it is. They're gonna face some adversity that they really haven't faced as a team. It's a group of leaders -- I talked to the guys, the seniors, today about that -- Saturday's their first true test of being held...A true test of leadership is how do you respond in an adverse situation, so we're gonna find out some more about our leadership on Saturday.
Anyway, Josh Kendall must be working on something on Jon Richt and the recruiting process and committing to Clemson because for the first 10 minutes or so today, we talked about that subject. I didn't transcribe that, but I did for the rest of the time that included UGA stuff. The first several questions were from me for a story I'll have in tomorrow's paper on Brannan Southerland. So here's all that:
On whether Southerland gets the attention he deserves:
The touchdown stat was fairly impressive. It's hard to really quantify how good a fullback is because statistically they don't get a lot of rushing yards, you don't really keep track of blocks, keep track of a guy picking up a blitz. The things that a fullback does is just a little bit ahead of what a lineman does as far as glory goes -- you don't get much attention unless you blow it. And then we were a 9-4 team which is not a bad team, but not necessarily the kind of team that would get a lot of attention to a fullback. If you win the SEC or you're playing for the national championship, a lot more people would know who he was. The NFL's gonna know who he is. I don't think there's much doubt about that.
Coach Ball was talking about how he needs to get more consistent. Do you see that too?
Yeah. I brag about him a lot, but he's not perfect. Coach Ball sees everything he does. Coach Ball's a stickler for detail and doing it exactly right. He needs to get better.
How does he need to improve?
It's just consistent things like just exactly where you put your hat every time you block. Are you using your hands properly? If you're cut blocking somebody, are you really running through the guy or are you just flopping on the ground and hoping you get him? All those little things. It's hard doing it perfect every time. Coach Ball's trying to get him to do that.
I guess that plays a part in him being the punt protect guy this year?
Oh yeah. He's good at that. He is a smart kid. And fullback's such a high-contact position, it's not all that uncommon for a guy to get hit out....He's not done that at this point. I've got a feeling he'll have a little bit more enthusiasm to knock somebody down in a game than he does in practice. If you do it over and over and over, you're like, 'Coach, when the time comes, I'll be ready.'
On the possibility of Vance Cuff playing:
We think before the season's over, Cuff'll play. I don't think we'll be going, 'Should we play him, should we not?' as far as would it burn his redshirt or not. I think we think he'll play this year sometime. If he doesn't play, it might just be situation or not feeling comfortable that he's ready right this second. But we think this season he'll play.
On the options at kickoff return, Asher Allen, Thomas Brown and Knowshon Moreno:
They're all capable of doing something special for different reasons. Thomas is just about pure power. He'll break tackles just because he's so strong and fearless...I'd say Asher is gonna change direction more than any of them, which could be good, could be bad. Most touchdown runs on a kickoff are not a whole lot of dancing, but sometimes you've gotta dance a little bit to get a good return, maybe not a touchdown. Knowshon's somewhere in between, speed, power, change of direction. You never know. The one thing that the other two have over Knowshon is they've been in games where they got hit full-speed, a major-college hit, tackle, running through there with a lot of hat speed. Knowshon's not really felt that since he's been here and probably never felt it in high school either. I imagine he's gonna get hit pretty hard. He's probably gonna get hit harder Saturday than he's ever gotten hit in his life, probably, at one time or another, whether it's a kickoff or just running the ball. I hope he doesn't, but more than likely he'll take a shot here and there. Gotta hold onto the ball.
On the comparison between Ben Watson and Bruce Figgins:
There's similarities in body type. I think that's about as far as you can go because Ben was truly a freak of nature. Figgins looks like he could be a young Ben Watson. I don't know if he'll quite end up like Ben as far as the sheer ability to lift the weight and that kind of thing, but he's really got good height, good weight already, good strength and he's really pretty good fundamentally. If you don't step properly, it's hard to block anybody. If you don't bend your knees right and get your hat and your hands in the right spot, no matter how strong you are, it's hard to be good at it. But he's got good fundamentals and he's athlete enough to change direction. If you've got a guy going and he tries to lose you one way, can you stick on him? That's not easy to do. But if you are athlete enough and strong enough and have got quick enough feet, you can change direction quickly and maybe stay on the guy, stick on him long or just make you a better blocker. He's got a lot of potential in that way.
Do you feel better about things now than a year ago going into the first game?
Yeah I guess. I think so. The QB thing is so big. It just affects everybody. If you've got another position, it probably might affect one side of the ball, but QB affects everything. So we're much more solid there. We know who it is and we also know we've got a great backup. I mean I feel real good about that part of it. We just haven't been tested. We haven't had our backs against the wall yet. We'll see how we react to it.
On needing to face adversity to see how the team responds:
I think that's kinda true every season. You just never know how a team's gonna react when it gets tough. If a team goes undefeated, they're gonna have a lot of times where they feel at least game adversity, if the game's close or a bad thing happening, what are you gonna do now? Or you're losing at halftime or whatever it is. They're gonna face some adversity that they really haven't faced as a team. It's a group of leaders -- I talked to the guys, the seniors, today about that -- Saturday's their first true test of being held...A true test of leadership is how do you respond in an adverse situation, so we're gonna find out some more about our leadership on Saturday.
Upon closer examination: OSU and 200-200
A reader, Bryan Ramsey of Indianapolis (I assume he doesn't mind my mentioning his name. Sorry Bryan if you do) sent me a game-by-game account of Oklahoma State's offensive totals last year, paying attention to how the defenses were ranked that the numbers were coming against. It was fairly eye-opening...although let's remember they had some good games against a couple of pretty good defenses.
He sent it to me as an excel spreadsheet, but I'll try to reproduce it here (the games are ranked by total defense rank from top to bottom)
Team/Rushing yds/Passing yds/Total/NCAA defense rank
Oklahoma/119/243/362/16th
Texas/80/123/203/22nd
Alabama/207/212/419/23rd
Florida Atlantic/246/186/432/28th
Arkansas State 171/167/338/32nd
Texas A&M/226/133/359/46th
Nebraska/267/229/496/56th
Texas Tech/221/164/385/58th
Kansas State/193/138/331/70th
Houston/165/281/446/72nd
Kansas/192/411/603/94th
Missouri State/230/213/443/104th (in DIVISION I-AA!)
Baylor/387/123/510/110th
* Let's keep in mind here that Georgia loses a lot of key defensive players this season. Let's also keep in mind that, after finishing 49th in total defense in Mark Richt's first season in Athens, the Bulldogs have finished no worse than 18th in any season since. They were eighth last year, one of three times they've been eighth or better in Richt's six seasons. I'd be shocked if they weren't a top-20 total defense again this year, despite the youth.
* Much has been made of OSU's averaging 200 rushing and 200 passing per game last year, but they actually only accomplished that three times -- versus Nebraska, Division I-AA bottom feeder Missouri State and an Alabama team playing with a lame duck coach.
* So with all of THAT said, here's an important distinction Bryan made in his analysis:
*** Against top 50 defenses, Oklahoma State averaged 175 rushing yards and 177 passing yards, good for a total of 352 total yards per game.
*** Against defenses ranked 50th or worse, OSU averaged 236 rushing, 223 passing and 459 total.
*** That's a pretty substantial difference. How big of a difference? Louisiana-Monroe averaged 350 yards per game last year. West Virginia averaged 460.
Don't get me wrong, I think Oklahoma State's skill players are extremely talented and fun to watch. That bowl win over Alabama was one of the most exciting bowl games last year. Reid, Bowman, Savage and Pettigrew can all light up a scoreboard, no doubt about it. But will they do it on Saturday? I'm guessing that they won't really. Just one man's opinion.
He sent it to me as an excel spreadsheet, but I'll try to reproduce it here (the games are ranked by total defense rank from top to bottom)
Team/Rushing yds/Passing yds/Total/NCAA defense rank
Oklahoma/119/243/362/16th
Texas/80/123/203/22nd
Alabama/207/212/419/23rd
Florida Atlantic/246/186/432/28th
Arkansas State 171/167/338/32nd
Texas A&M/226/133/359/46th
Nebraska/267/229/496/56th
Texas Tech/221/164/385/58th
Kansas State/193/138/331/70th
Houston/165/281/446/72nd
Kansas/192/411/603/94th
Missouri State/230/213/443/104th (in DIVISION I-AA!)
Baylor/387/123/510/110th
* Let's keep in mind here that Georgia loses a lot of key defensive players this season. Let's also keep in mind that, after finishing 49th in total defense in Mark Richt's first season in Athens, the Bulldogs have finished no worse than 18th in any season since. They were eighth last year, one of three times they've been eighth or better in Richt's six seasons. I'd be shocked if they weren't a top-20 total defense again this year, despite the youth.
* Much has been made of OSU's averaging 200 rushing and 200 passing per game last year, but they actually only accomplished that three times -- versus Nebraska, Division I-AA bottom feeder Missouri State and an Alabama team playing with a lame duck coach.
* So with all of THAT said, here's an important distinction Bryan made in his analysis:
*** Against top 50 defenses, Oklahoma State averaged 175 rushing yards and 177 passing yards, good for a total of 352 total yards per game.
*** Against defenses ranked 50th or worse, OSU averaged 236 rushing, 223 passing and 459 total.
*** That's a pretty substantial difference. How big of a difference? Louisiana-Monroe averaged 350 yards per game last year. West Virginia averaged 460.
Don't get me wrong, I think Oklahoma State's skill players are extremely talented and fun to watch. That bowl win over Alabama was one of the most exciting bowl games last year. Reid, Bowman, Savage and Pettigrew can all light up a scoreboard, no doubt about it. But will they do it on Saturday? I'm guessing that they won't really. Just one man's opinion.
I wouldn't bet on it, Week 1
With LSU and Mississippi State kicking off the season tonight, it's time for my favorite time waster, picking SEC games against the spread, just to prove without a shadow of a doubt why I'm not a gambler. Last year, I went 78-18 straight-up and 46-44 against the spread. So that means you'd do about as well by setting your money on fire as by betting it based on my lousy picking skills.
So with that said, here's what's gonna happen tonight and on Saturday:
LSU AT MISSISSIPPI STATE 8 p.m. ESPN
Line: LSU by 17.5
My guess: I wouldn't be shocked to see the Bulldogs cover, but it's hard to see them putting a scare into LSU. My guess is LSU takes command early and goes on to win fairly easily. LSU 30-10.
WESTERN KENTUCKY AT FLORIDA 12:30 p.m. LF Sports
Line: No line
My guess: I didn't find a betting line on this game, so I'll guess Florida wins 174-3. I'm actually going to try to watch a little of this one, just to see old Tebow get behind the center and throw it around some. Playing Western Kentucky won't prove much, but I'd like to see how the Gators look with all the new faces.
OLE MISS AT MEMPHIS 3:30 p.m. CSS
Line: Ole Miss by 2.5
My guess: I stayed on the Rebels' bandwagon for a couple weeks too long after correctly picking them to beat Memphis early on last season. I'm not jumping aboard this time around. Seth Adams sounds like a better option at QB than Brent Schaeffer and I think BJ Green-Ellis is a good tailback, but I still don't think much of Ole Miss. Memphis had a terrible time last year (try 2-10), but I think they'll turn it around quite a bit. Memphis 20, Ole Miss 19
EASTERN KENTUCKY AT KENTUCKY 6 p.m. No TV
Line: Kentucky by 35
My guess: It's hard to figure out these I-AA versus I-A matchups -- and this is one of three in the SEC this weekend (or is it four? I think Western Kentucky is considered a I-A team this year). Kentucky beat Texas State by 34 last year and another by 17. Those were the Wildcats' largest margins of victory. So I'll pick them to win big but not cover. Kentucky 40, Eastern Kentucky 7
OKLAHOMA STATE AT GEORGIA 6:45 p.m. ESPN2
Line: Georgia by 6
My guess: You know what? I think Georgia's gonna lay a beatdown on Oklahoma State. I feel like somebody's gonna take a whipping in this game -- and it could go either way -- but I think Okie State's gonna be the one that takes it. Okie State was 2-4 on the road last year and averaged approximately 100 rushing yards and 180 passing yards in losses to Texas and Oklahoma, teams whose defenses typically rank in the nation's top 20...which is where Georgia's always resides. So I think Georgia's gonna overpower the Cowboys, although I think Okie State has some impressive skill players. I'll be a bit conservative on the score prediction because I could be completely off base, but I'll pick the Bulldogs to cover easily. Georgia 31, Oklahoma State 17
WESTERN CAROLINA AT ALABAMA 7 p.m. No TV
Line: Alabama by 37
My guess: Here's another bad I-AA/SEC matchup. Western Carolina is absolutely horrible, even on the I-AA level. I think the Tide beats the tar out of them and puts a big number on the board to make a statement for Saban's first game. Alabama 45, Western Carolina 7
TROY AT ARKANSAS 7 p.m. No TV
Line: Arkansas by 24
My guess: I like Troy, but they're not going to be able to contain McFadden and Jones. Good SEC defenses don't do much of a job of that. I think the Hogs win easily, but they build enough of an early lead that they don't leave those guys in all game. Troy won't roll over, but I don't think they can really scare Arkansas. Arkansas 35, Troy 13
RICHMOND AT VANDERBILT 7 p.m. No TV
Line: Vanderbilt by 25
My guess: I like Vandy's offense. Nickson's an exciting player, Earl Bennett is one of the most productive receivers in SEC history and Cassen Jackson-Garrison is a talented running back. I really think they might contend for a bowl bid this year. This game won't really prove much, but it might be a good start. Vanderbilt 40, Richmond 10
LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE AT SOUTH CAROLINA 8 p.m. No TV
Line: South Carolina by 29.5
My guess: You have to figure La-Lafayette's gonna get drilled, with or without Blake Mitchell. South Carolina's gonna make some strides this year, but I think they're a year away from really competing for the conference title. South Carolina 37, Louisiana-Lafayette 7
KANSAS STATE AT AUBURN 7:45 p.m. ESPN
Line: Auburn by 13.5
My guess: Even if Brad Lester doesn't play, Auburn is gonna put it on Kansas State. The Tigers have a similar problem to Georgia in that they have unproven offensive line, defensive end(s) and secondary. But I think both teams will be fine in all of those areas. K-State's quarterback will be a good player one day, but I don't think his team can hang with Auburn at all. Auburn 38, Kansas State 17
TENNESSEE AT CALIFORNIA 8 p.m. ABC
Line: California by 6
My guess: I think the smartest pick for a darkhorse to win the SEC is Tennessee -- if Tennessee can be considered a darkhorse. They've got a dangerous team, with a senior starting quarterback -- which is hugely important. Cal's a tough place to play and Tennessee's offense (shaky running game and new receivers) is unproven, but I think the Vols will get it done. Tennessee 30, California 24
So with that said, here's what's gonna happen tonight and on Saturday:
LSU AT MISSISSIPPI STATE 8 p.m. ESPN
Line: LSU by 17.5
My guess: I wouldn't be shocked to see the Bulldogs cover, but it's hard to see them putting a scare into LSU. My guess is LSU takes command early and goes on to win fairly easily. LSU 30-10.
WESTERN KENTUCKY AT FLORIDA 12:30 p.m. LF Sports
Line: No line
My guess: I didn't find a betting line on this game, so I'll guess Florida wins 174-3. I'm actually going to try to watch a little of this one, just to see old Tebow get behind the center and throw it around some. Playing Western Kentucky won't prove much, but I'd like to see how the Gators look with all the new faces.
OLE MISS AT MEMPHIS 3:30 p.m. CSS
Line: Ole Miss by 2.5
My guess: I stayed on the Rebels' bandwagon for a couple weeks too long after correctly picking them to beat Memphis early on last season. I'm not jumping aboard this time around. Seth Adams sounds like a better option at QB than Brent Schaeffer and I think BJ Green-Ellis is a good tailback, but I still don't think much of Ole Miss. Memphis had a terrible time last year (try 2-10), but I think they'll turn it around quite a bit. Memphis 20, Ole Miss 19
EASTERN KENTUCKY AT KENTUCKY 6 p.m. No TV
Line: Kentucky by 35
My guess: It's hard to figure out these I-AA versus I-A matchups -- and this is one of three in the SEC this weekend (or is it four? I think Western Kentucky is considered a I-A team this year). Kentucky beat Texas State by 34 last year and another by 17. Those were the Wildcats' largest margins of victory. So I'll pick them to win big but not cover. Kentucky 40, Eastern Kentucky 7
OKLAHOMA STATE AT GEORGIA 6:45 p.m. ESPN2
Line: Georgia by 6
My guess: You know what? I think Georgia's gonna lay a beatdown on Oklahoma State. I feel like somebody's gonna take a whipping in this game -- and it could go either way -- but I think Okie State's gonna be the one that takes it. Okie State was 2-4 on the road last year and averaged approximately 100 rushing yards and 180 passing yards in losses to Texas and Oklahoma, teams whose defenses typically rank in the nation's top 20...which is where Georgia's always resides. So I think Georgia's gonna overpower the Cowboys, although I think Okie State has some impressive skill players. I'll be a bit conservative on the score prediction because I could be completely off base, but I'll pick the Bulldogs to cover easily. Georgia 31, Oklahoma State 17
WESTERN CAROLINA AT ALABAMA 7 p.m. No TV
Line: Alabama by 37
My guess: Here's another bad I-AA/SEC matchup. Western Carolina is absolutely horrible, even on the I-AA level. I think the Tide beats the tar out of them and puts a big number on the board to make a statement for Saban's first game. Alabama 45, Western Carolina 7
TROY AT ARKANSAS 7 p.m. No TV
Line: Arkansas by 24
My guess: I like Troy, but they're not going to be able to contain McFadden and Jones. Good SEC defenses don't do much of a job of that. I think the Hogs win easily, but they build enough of an early lead that they don't leave those guys in all game. Troy won't roll over, but I don't think they can really scare Arkansas. Arkansas 35, Troy 13
RICHMOND AT VANDERBILT 7 p.m. No TV
Line: Vanderbilt by 25
My guess: I like Vandy's offense. Nickson's an exciting player, Earl Bennett is one of the most productive receivers in SEC history and Cassen Jackson-Garrison is a talented running back. I really think they might contend for a bowl bid this year. This game won't really prove much, but it might be a good start. Vanderbilt 40, Richmond 10
LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE AT SOUTH CAROLINA 8 p.m. No TV
Line: South Carolina by 29.5
My guess: You have to figure La-Lafayette's gonna get drilled, with or without Blake Mitchell. South Carolina's gonna make some strides this year, but I think they're a year away from really competing for the conference title. South Carolina 37, Louisiana-Lafayette 7
KANSAS STATE AT AUBURN 7:45 p.m. ESPN
Line: Auburn by 13.5
My guess: Even if Brad Lester doesn't play, Auburn is gonna put it on Kansas State. The Tigers have a similar problem to Georgia in that they have unproven offensive line, defensive end(s) and secondary. But I think both teams will be fine in all of those areas. K-State's quarterback will be a good player one day, but I don't think his team can hang with Auburn at all. Auburn 38, Kansas State 17
TENNESSEE AT CALIFORNIA 8 p.m. ABC
Line: California by 6
My guess: I think the smartest pick for a darkhorse to win the SEC is Tennessee -- if Tennessee can be considered a darkhorse. They've got a dangerous team, with a senior starting quarterback -- which is hugely important. Cal's a tough place to play and Tennessee's offense (shaky running game and new receivers) is unproven, but I think the Vols will get it done. Tennessee 30, California 24
Tony Ball talks RBs, kickoff return
I spoke with coach Ball about a few things on Wednesday. The main news out of this is that Asher Allen looks to be the kickoff return man, although he says he'll decide today and could change his mind as late as Saturday pregame. I also found it interesting listening to him talk about how he envisions splitting carries between the three tailbacks.
How do you expect to decide who gets the carries and when?
It'll be based on plays that are called, No. 1. We have certain plays that we like to especially get the ball in a guy's hands. There's certain situations, a third-down situation, and we know we need protection and we're gonna play that guy that we feel most comfortable with. That's how it'll be determined. Obviously you've gotta go into the game and say, 'Here's the guy you're gonna hang your hat on when it gets down to it.' That will be based on a week-to-week thing. I don't like playing musical chairs and I hope that we're mature enough that guys are getting the job done, doing their job and making plays. But you certainly have to go with that guy that's demonstrating that he can be productive, that he can be trusted in the gameplan. You've certainly gotta go with that guy.
So it's something that is determined in the week of practice?
(It's more determined) in the week of practice, yeah. Or in this case, what has been demonstrated in camp up to this point.
Is there such a thing as going with who's hot in the game?
Sure there is. Let's say for example in the first 10 plays, let's say two of those guys have had a chance to put their hands on it in the first 10 plays. And in the first 10 plays, one of 'em breaks a couple of them -- I'm gonna make sure he's in there because he's doing what I want to see them do. When it gets down to it, we want to know who can put the pressure on the defense, who can take it the distance. So in those 10 plays, if somebody's doing it, I'm gonna make sure he's in there.
From your view in the box, you feel like you can tell how things are developing pretty well?
I can see pretty much ... what happened. Sometimes the play's not gonna be blocked exact and I wanna know who's putting the pressure on the defense.
Is Asher the guy on kickoff return?
We've got one more practice tomorrow and we're gonna do some full-speed work. I've had a chance to evaluate yesterday's returns and I'm gonna evaluate tomorrow's and I'll make a decision tomorrow. Right now, I've got Asher, Thomas and Knowshon back there.
Is it in that order?
Yes. And I've gotta look at tomorrow and see which one seems to have the flow that I feel like we need.
Could it even go down to gametime?
Sure. No question. I like to see how people are preparing. That's important to me. When I see people preparing and they're going about their business and they're ready to take care of business, that's a guy I want to hang my hat on.
How do you expect to decide who gets the carries and when?
It'll be based on plays that are called, No. 1. We have certain plays that we like to especially get the ball in a guy's hands. There's certain situations, a third-down situation, and we know we need protection and we're gonna play that guy that we feel most comfortable with. That's how it'll be determined. Obviously you've gotta go into the game and say, 'Here's the guy you're gonna hang your hat on when it gets down to it.' That will be based on a week-to-week thing. I don't like playing musical chairs and I hope that we're mature enough that guys are getting the job done, doing their job and making plays. But you certainly have to go with that guy that's demonstrating that he can be productive, that he can be trusted in the gameplan. You've certainly gotta go with that guy.
So it's something that is determined in the week of practice?
(It's more determined) in the week of practice, yeah. Or in this case, what has been demonstrated in camp up to this point.
Is there such a thing as going with who's hot in the game?
Sure there is. Let's say for example in the first 10 plays, let's say two of those guys have had a chance to put their hands on it in the first 10 plays. And in the first 10 plays, one of 'em breaks a couple of them -- I'm gonna make sure he's in there because he's doing what I want to see them do. When it gets down to it, we want to know who can put the pressure on the defense, who can take it the distance. So in those 10 plays, if somebody's doing it, I'm gonna make sure he's in there.
From your view in the box, you feel like you can tell how things are developing pretty well?
I can see pretty much ... what happened. Sometimes the play's not gonna be blocked exact and I wanna know who's putting the pressure on the defense.
Is Asher the guy on kickoff return?
We've got one more practice tomorrow and we're gonna do some full-speed work. I've had a chance to evaluate yesterday's returns and I'm gonna evaluate tomorrow's and I'll make a decision tomorrow. Right now, I've got Asher, Thomas and Knowshon back there.
Is it in that order?
Yes. And I've gotta look at tomorrow and see which one seems to have the flow that I feel like we need.
Could it even go down to gametime?
Sure. No question. I like to see how people are preparing. That's important to me. When I see people preparing and they're going about their business and they're ready to take care of business, that's a guy I want to hang my hat on.
Wednesday notes and Richt Q&A
Good news on the injury front today. A lot of the guys who had been working in green were in regular jerseys today. Few of the injuries were especially serious, so that's not a big surprise. Sean Bailey, Kris Durham, Thomas Flowers, Darius Dewberry, Akeem Dent (and I'm pretty sure Michael Lemon) -- all of whom had been in green in recent days -- were back today. Only backup fullback Jason Johnson is questionable for Saturday as of now.
Here are a couple other things from today:
* Asher Allen leads Thomas Brown and Knowshon Moreno for kickoff return duties, although Tony Ball will make the decision on who gets the job tonight after practice. (I'm posting a separate Q/A with coach Ball, so look for that)
* People in Columbus will be excited to know that tight ends coach David Johnson said Shaw High's Bruce Figgins is in the lead to start at tight end on Saturday. That's quite an accomplishment for a true freshman preparing for his first game. Johnson said the competition is close between Figgins and NaDerris Ward and he hasn't settled on his starter just yet, but Figgins has a narrow lead.
* If Jason Johnson doesn't play, Ball said Shaun Chapas would be the backup fullback.
* It looked to me like Brandon Coutu will be the kickoff man, but nobody but Jon Fabris apparently knows who it will be. Coutu said he hasn't been told he has the job and Richt said Fabris isn't talking. (see below).
* The guys in green were Chris Little, Tanner Strickland, Walter Hill and Justin Houston. Brandon Wood looked like he was stretching out his legs during early practice, but he was not in green. Neland Ball was also in a normal defense jersey, but he spent the first 30 minutes we watched walking laps around the field and not practicing.
Here is the Q/A time with coach Richt after practice today:
Today was our dress rehearsal No. 1. We'll have a dress rehearsal again tomorrow. I think it's really good for the guys to be able to rest their legs a little bit and just get their energy back. It was just a big day for mental preparation. I watched mostly offense today and it was a pretty sharp day. There was a few missed assignments. A couple guys jumped offsides, things you just don't want to have. When you practice 15 periods, which is an hour, 15 and multiply that times 8, you've got about 120 or so plays. They did a pretty good job I think. Kinda ask me anything you want, I don't even know what we've talked about anymore. It's been a long time.
On whether Brandon Coutu will be the kickoff man:
I'd say that you can make any observation you want about that. I'm not gonna make any comment because I ask coach Fab every day and he won't give me a straight answer. I was asking one of the guys and he just said, 'He just likes everybody to not be sure,' so I can't tell you 100 percent that's gonna happen.
Do you know what Stansell's injury was?
I think just about every one of those kickers at one time or another has had deadleg or whatever. Just overkicking. It's a long time to do nothing during practice and I guess they feel they might as well kick. That's what made it so difficult. Everybody took a turn at different times giving out. It's been very difficult to say who's the best.
On several players practicing in normal colored jerseys instead of in green on Wednesday:
You also know there's no contact today and tomorrow and I'm sure that has a little something to do with it. But it means they'll play in the game. They'll be healthy enough to play in the game. If they've still got a green shirt on by now, they'd be questionable. The guys that weren't we feel like can play.
On Jason Johnson's injury:
Yeah, we were in inside drill yesterday and he kinda went right up the gut, ran into Rennie and Ellerbe at the same time. Didn't look like anything out of the ordinary, but it kinda jacked him back a little bit. He got a little bit of a burner, so I don't know. I would say he's probably questionable right now.
Who would that make your backup fullback?
That's a good question. I don't know who he's got ahead right now. I don't know. Tony would know. Munzenmaier and Chapas have both done a good job. I think either one would be very capable.
Was Brandon Miller not doing anything today?
No he's fine. He practiced...(long pause)...It's about that time of the year isn't it...
Are you excited about playing?
Yeah, everybody's excited.
Does Katharyn say you get irritable or anything like that?
She's gone. She took off and went shopping for a couple days. She doesn't want to be around me this week.
On whether Figgins and Ward are fighting this week for playing time later this season:
It'll define some things for us. With Chandler coming back, they'll be battling hard for No. 2. That's what they're doing right now. One of them's gonna start and more than likely Tripp will overtake them, just from sheer experience and ability. Tripp practiced the last couple days and had the green jersey off yesterday and looked full-speed and he looked fresh. He was kinda resting a little bit because he was injured. He looked excited about playing. You know he knows what he's doing and the other guys are not sure. They're battling for playing time after this ballgame. If they do great, who knows? Tripp might be battling to get his job back.
On free safety competition and CJ Byrd's progression:
Very good. You feel very comfortable that CJ knows exactly what to do in all situations, where you're not 100-percent sure on that with Reshad yet. He's still learning and is just a little bit behind in that way and just being comfortable with the system. Byrd's had a very good camp and he's become a much more physical tackler. You can count on him. He knows what to do. He's got very good ball skills, he catches the ball well. I think he'll play extremely well for us.
What about Banks? How much playing time does it look like he deserves?
I think he's a little bit further behind right now than Reshad, but I'm not saying he won't get any scrimmage snaps. He'll definitely get some special teams work and hopefully some scrimmage snaps too.
How much will the new redshirt guys help with special teams.
A lot. We'll be faster. I mentioned it...I don't even know where, I've spoken at so many things lately, but I did mention I think our special teams will be a lot better than a year ago because of the amount of players who can run and hit and tackle. And we've had a relatively healthy camp too. We're rolling into this thing, maybe JJ won't go. Coates of course won't go. There may be a couple others I just can't think of right now. But most of the guys that we thought would be ready to go right now are ready to go.
Durham's ready to go?
Durham's ready to go. A.J. Bryant has missed a little bit here and there, but he looks full speed, ready to go. Gartrell, all those guys.
Charles White?
Charles was kind of a...We weren't necessarily saying Charles was gonna be one from the beginning. He was definitely more of a bubble guy before he got hurt. Who knows, still? Right now he won't be playing for a week or two and that could certainly move him closer to the possibility of a redshirt. We still don't know. We're just not super deep at the linebacker position.
Here are a couple other things from today:
* Asher Allen leads Thomas Brown and Knowshon Moreno for kickoff return duties, although Tony Ball will make the decision on who gets the job tonight after practice. (I'm posting a separate Q/A with coach Ball, so look for that)
* People in Columbus will be excited to know that tight ends coach David Johnson said Shaw High's Bruce Figgins is in the lead to start at tight end on Saturday. That's quite an accomplishment for a true freshman preparing for his first game. Johnson said the competition is close between Figgins and NaDerris Ward and he hasn't settled on his starter just yet, but Figgins has a narrow lead.
* If Jason Johnson doesn't play, Ball said Shaun Chapas would be the backup fullback.
* It looked to me like Brandon Coutu will be the kickoff man, but nobody but Jon Fabris apparently knows who it will be. Coutu said he hasn't been told he has the job and Richt said Fabris isn't talking. (see below).
* The guys in green were Chris Little, Tanner Strickland, Walter Hill and Justin Houston. Brandon Wood looked like he was stretching out his legs during early practice, but he was not in green. Neland Ball was also in a normal defense jersey, but he spent the first 30 minutes we watched walking laps around the field and not practicing.
Here is the Q/A time with coach Richt after practice today:
Today was our dress rehearsal No. 1. We'll have a dress rehearsal again tomorrow. I think it's really good for the guys to be able to rest their legs a little bit and just get their energy back. It was just a big day for mental preparation. I watched mostly offense today and it was a pretty sharp day. There was a few missed assignments. A couple guys jumped offsides, things you just don't want to have. When you practice 15 periods, which is an hour, 15 and multiply that times 8, you've got about 120 or so plays. They did a pretty good job I think. Kinda ask me anything you want, I don't even know what we've talked about anymore. It's been a long time.
On whether Brandon Coutu will be the kickoff man:
I'd say that you can make any observation you want about that. I'm not gonna make any comment because I ask coach Fab every day and he won't give me a straight answer. I was asking one of the guys and he just said, 'He just likes everybody to not be sure,' so I can't tell you 100 percent that's gonna happen.
Do you know what Stansell's injury was?
I think just about every one of those kickers at one time or another has had deadleg or whatever. Just overkicking. It's a long time to do nothing during practice and I guess they feel they might as well kick. That's what made it so difficult. Everybody took a turn at different times giving out. It's been very difficult to say who's the best.
On several players practicing in normal colored jerseys instead of in green on Wednesday:
You also know there's no contact today and tomorrow and I'm sure that has a little something to do with it. But it means they'll play in the game. They'll be healthy enough to play in the game. If they've still got a green shirt on by now, they'd be questionable. The guys that weren't we feel like can play.
On Jason Johnson's injury:
Yeah, we were in inside drill yesterday and he kinda went right up the gut, ran into Rennie and Ellerbe at the same time. Didn't look like anything out of the ordinary, but it kinda jacked him back a little bit. He got a little bit of a burner, so I don't know. I would say he's probably questionable right now.
Who would that make your backup fullback?
That's a good question. I don't know who he's got ahead right now. I don't know. Tony would know. Munzenmaier and Chapas have both done a good job. I think either one would be very capable.
Was Brandon Miller not doing anything today?
No he's fine. He practiced...(long pause)...It's about that time of the year isn't it...
Are you excited about playing?
Yeah, everybody's excited.
Does Katharyn say you get irritable or anything like that?
She's gone. She took off and went shopping for a couple days. She doesn't want to be around me this week.
On whether Figgins and Ward are fighting this week for playing time later this season:
It'll define some things for us. With Chandler coming back, they'll be battling hard for No. 2. That's what they're doing right now. One of them's gonna start and more than likely Tripp will overtake them, just from sheer experience and ability. Tripp practiced the last couple days and had the green jersey off yesterday and looked full-speed and he looked fresh. He was kinda resting a little bit because he was injured. He looked excited about playing. You know he knows what he's doing and the other guys are not sure. They're battling for playing time after this ballgame. If they do great, who knows? Tripp might be battling to get his job back.
On free safety competition and CJ Byrd's progression:
Very good. You feel very comfortable that CJ knows exactly what to do in all situations, where you're not 100-percent sure on that with Reshad yet. He's still learning and is just a little bit behind in that way and just being comfortable with the system. Byrd's had a very good camp and he's become a much more physical tackler. You can count on him. He knows what to do. He's got very good ball skills, he catches the ball well. I think he'll play extremely well for us.
What about Banks? How much playing time does it look like he deserves?
I think he's a little bit further behind right now than Reshad, but I'm not saying he won't get any scrimmage snaps. He'll definitely get some special teams work and hopefully some scrimmage snaps too.
How much will the new redshirt guys help with special teams.
A lot. We'll be faster. I mentioned it...I don't even know where, I've spoken at so many things lately, but I did mention I think our special teams will be a lot better than a year ago because of the amount of players who can run and hit and tackle. And we've had a relatively healthy camp too. We're rolling into this thing, maybe JJ won't go. Coates of course won't go. There may be a couple others I just can't think of right now. But most of the guys that we thought would be ready to go right now are ready to go.
Durham's ready to go?
Durham's ready to go. A.J. Bryant has missed a little bit here and there, but he looks full speed, ready to go. Gartrell, all those guys.
Charles White?
Charles was kind of a...We weren't necessarily saying Charles was gonna be one from the beginning. He was definitely more of a bubble guy before he got hurt. Who knows, still? Right now he won't be playing for a week or two and that could certainly move him closer to the possibility of a redshirt. We still don't know. We're just not super deep at the linebacker position.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Brown, Lumpkin on Doak Walker list
Here's the release:
DALLAS, TEXAS - The Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum announced Tuesday that University of Georgia senior tailbacks Thomas Brown (Tucker, Ga.) and Kregg Lumpkin (Lithonia, Ga.) are among the candidates on the list for the 2007 Doak Walker Award. The award is presented annually to the nation's top college running back.
Lumpkin was the team’s leading rusher in 2006 with 798 yards on 162 carries, an average of 61.4 yards per game, and six touchdowns. Brown rushed for 256 yards on 62 attempts, averaging 36.6 yards per game, before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Brown has been named the opening-day starter at tailback.
Georgia has had one past recipient of the Doak Walker Award. Garrison Hearst earned the honor in 1992 as he rushed for 1,547 yards on 228 carries and crossed the goal line 19 times.
The field of candidates includes 2006 Doak Walker Award recipient Arkansas junior Darren McFadden, as well as 2006 Doak Walker Award finalists Michigan senior Mike Hart and West Virginia junior Steve Slaton. Other candidates include Boise State junior Ian Johnson, who led the nation in touchdowns last season; and Rutgers junior Ray Rice who rushed for more yards than any returning player and set a Big East record with 1,794 yards in 2006.
The Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will select the semifinalists on November 12, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the finalists to be announced on November 19. The committee will cast a second vote beginning on November 26 to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.
The recipient of the 2007 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on ESPN along with other NCFAA member awards on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, December 6. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held at The Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas , Texas , on Friday, February 15, 2008.
The award, now in its 18th year, is named for SMU's three-time All-America running back Doak Walker. It is the only major collegiate award that requires all candidates to be in good academic standing and on schedule to graduate within one year of other students of the same classification.
Gameday at Sanford Stadium news
The school put out this release today about some new fan stuff at the stadium...new eateries, Munson commemorative cups, other stuff. It's not exactly news, but I figured some folks might be interested to glance at it.
Here's the link to the release on the official site.
Here's the link to the release on the official site.
Several additions have been made at Sanford Stadium for
the upcoming football season with concessions, merchandise and photos
that will serve to enhance the overall gameday experience for Georgia
fans.
Two new eateries were added in Moe's Southwest Grill and McAlister's
Deli. Moe's will be located in the west lower end zone and will serve
chicken burritos with chips and salsa. McAlister's will be located on the
600 level and will offer fans a choice of turkey or ham cold deli
sandwiches with chips.
Sanford Stadium also will become the first stadium in the country to
offer Dippin Dots in school colors. The Dawg Dots will be colored red and
black in lemon and strawberry ice flavors. Fans will have the option
to order any Dippin Dot flavor in a mini replica Georgia helmet.
A special addition to concessions this year includes a set of seven
32-ounce Stadium Series Cups featuring memorable calls of Bulldog football
announcer Larry Munson. The calls on the cups include Herschel Walker
over Bill Bates, Richard Appleby to Gene Washington, Kevin Butler's
last-second field goal to beat Clemson, Rex Robinson's field goal to
defeat Kentucky, Buck Belue to Lindsay Scott to defeat Florida, the "hobnail
boot" call against Tennessee in 2001 and the "sugar falling from the
sky" call against Auburn in 1982. The 32-ounce souvenir cups will be
available at all full-service stands and selected portable stands
throughout Sanford Stadium.
Sanford shops will remain in their 15 locations throughout the stadium
with a few new items in the mix. Georgia Crocs ® will be added to the
merchandise inventory in the stands near Gates 2 and 6. In addition,
the shop located on the Gate 6 Michael Kahn Plaza now will feature a
complete line of Nike Georgia sideline and gameday merchandise.
Fans also will have the opportunity to commemorate their experience
with special Gameday Photos. The Gameday Photos Picture Patrol staff will
be available throughout Sanford Stadium from the time gates open until
the final horn sounds. Fans view and order photos immediately following
the game by going to georgiadogs.com and clicking on the Gameday Shots
icon located on the left side of the home page.
Tuesday update
Listened to lots of stuff today. Richt had his first game week Tuesday press conference, which went for a good 31 minutes. (No, I'm not transcribing that). Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy also had a teleconference today and I listened in on that. Neither of them said a whole heck of a lot.
Also got a chance to talk to Fernando Velasco, Thomas Brown, Brannan Southerland, CJ Byrd, Shaun Chapas, Kelin Johnson, Willie Martinez, Matthew Stafford, Bryan Evans and listened some to Kregg Lumpkin today. Should have some stuff from those guys in the next couple days.
Here are some of the news and nuggets from today. I'll drop a few interesting quotes at the bottom:
* Richt said Brian Mimbs has won the starting punter job over Drew Butler. Said the lead is slim and that Butler will be ready to go Saturday and may even get a shot to punt. (I read that to mean he probably will punt at some point on Saturday)
* Dawg Walk will be at 5:05. Captains will be Velasco, Brown, B. Miller and Johnson.
* He expects 18 to 20 freshmen to play, including as many as seven true freshmen, on Saturday. The beat writers discussed it for a bit and combined with what he said today and in past conversations, we decided he meant Trinton Sturdivant, Clint Boling, Justin Anderson, Vance Cuff, Bruce Figgins, Butler and Rennie Curran.
* Richt said the surprises -- or at least pleasant progressions -- of preseason camp have come from Reshad Jones, Boling and Marcus Howard, who he thinks might just have a big year.
* Thomas was talking about coming back from his ACL injury yet again today and said something I'd never heard. He had the option between using part of his hamstring or part of a knee ligament or tendon (patellar maybe?) to replace the torn ACL when he had surgery. He chose hamstring because he didn't want to further aggravate a knee problem he'd had previously. I don't guess I'd ever thought about how that happens, but it was interesting listening to him talk about it. Hopefully I didn't butcher the facts of that surgery. I wasn't recording him talking about it, I was just listening to him talk.
* Did you know Richt has started a mentorship program within the team? I didn't until it came up today. He talked about players being their brothers' keeper and how he matched up juniors with freshmen to basically help show them the ropes. It's still a work in progress, apparently, but it might be worth doing something on in the future.
* He answered a question about whether he thought Vince Vance has been one of the bigger disappointments in camp by saying no. I think they would have loved for Vance to win a starting job, but he's backing up Sturdivant. Does that make him a disappointment? I think that's extremely harsh, considering most considered him a project when he signed. He redshirted his first year of junior college for goodness sakes because he'd never played offensive line before. So he's about to start his second season of playing the position and he's not a starter...is that a huge disappointment? I wouldn't say so. Other people may disagree.
* Thomas basically said Gundy was right in that he thinks they'll probably run right at them to start off. Oklahoma State's interior linemen are pretty raw.
"We're gonna be a balanced offense run and pass. I think it's always important for our offense to establish the run first, but we're gonna mix it up on 'em."
Here are some quotes:
Kelin Johnson, talking up OSU running back Dantrell Savage:
"He's a weapon. The more and more I watch film on him, he's a guy where (I say), 'OK, he's a good back,' but then I'll keep watching and (say), 'This guy's real good.' This guys's a pretty excellent back coming out of the backfield. He can catch, he actually is real shifty. That's one thing I notice watching film on him. He'll lower the shoulder too. He's 190, that's what the scouting report says, but he runs like 230 or something."
Bryan Evans on Adarius Bowman:
"We actually started watching a lot of film, I would say probably right after spring ball, we started watching cut-ups on him. We saw that he's a great receiver, kind of similar to Calvin (Johnson) when the ball's in the air. He has very good ball skills and he's a bigger type receiver."
Evans on the possibility of covering Bowman now that Paul Oliver isn't around:
"That's what my first thought was. I had my confidence up coming out of the last game of the season and I just wanted my chance. Coming to the first game of the season, going against a top-five receiver, I just wanted to take this chance and try to compare myself with him."
Richt on the punting decision:
"Right now I will say Mimbs, he will punt the first punt. I can say that much. Butler will be on the ready. And I say that not because we think Mimbs has been shaky, but just because it's been very close competition. When the competition's that close, you kinda begin competing actually in the ballgame and not so much in practice."
Richt on what influenced the change:
"Mimbs got more consistent and he also reduced his get-off time, the time from where it touches his hand to where he got the ball off. I think his time has improved there. And he's become more consistent. But it's very, very close. It's about as close as it was when I said Butler was in the lead. To sit here and say that Mimbs has locked it down and he's gonna punt every punt all season long or even in the first game for that matter, I don't know if I'm ready to say that. But I am ready to say he will punt the first one of the game and we'll just see after that."
Gundy on trying to recruit Matthew Stafford in high school:
"I don't think we had much of a chance. We tried hard. We got on him early and I went down and saw him the spring prior to his senior year."
More Gundy on that subject:
"I think he was one of the better high school quarterbacks I had seen mechanically in my 16 years of coaching at this level, not that I think I've got all the answers, but I thought he was pretty good."
Gundy on why his program is starting to attract more attention:
"We had a good season last year, we finished strong by winning in the bowl game against Alabama. Alabama was better than what people thought. They lost four very difficult road games last year. And then when you put $300 or $400 million into your facilities, people are gonna consider you a program on the rise. Our coaching staff are locked into three-, four- and five-year contracts, which is basically unheard of in this profession. I'm gonna guess that there's not many staffs in the country that have as many years invested in them as we do. That's a solid commitment to them from our administration. We've had two top-25 recruiting classes back-to-back, not that that's always the answer either, but obviously we're getting some of the right players and we're winning some battles against the top teams in our league."
Gundy on all the hype around his offense:
"I don't think there's any question that all the attention our offense has received would be a motivating for Georgia's defense. I don't know any of their players, but I'm sure they're very competitive and are looking forward to the challenge of the offense. I think that's just par for the course. In the Internet and the media coverage of college football today, if you have success, then your name's gonna get thrown out there. That question's been asked a lot to me, but I feel better about where we are offensively than a year ago when we were 93rd in the country. I think you have to take the good with the bad."
Also got a chance to talk to Fernando Velasco, Thomas Brown, Brannan Southerland, CJ Byrd, Shaun Chapas, Kelin Johnson, Willie Martinez, Matthew Stafford, Bryan Evans and listened some to Kregg Lumpkin today. Should have some stuff from those guys in the next couple days.
Here are some of the news and nuggets from today. I'll drop a few interesting quotes at the bottom:
* Richt said Brian Mimbs has won the starting punter job over Drew Butler. Said the lead is slim and that Butler will be ready to go Saturday and may even get a shot to punt. (I read that to mean he probably will punt at some point on Saturday)
* Dawg Walk will be at 5:05. Captains will be Velasco, Brown, B. Miller and Johnson.
* He expects 18 to 20 freshmen to play, including as many as seven true freshmen, on Saturday. The beat writers discussed it for a bit and combined with what he said today and in past conversations, we decided he meant Trinton Sturdivant, Clint Boling, Justin Anderson, Vance Cuff, Bruce Figgins, Butler and Rennie Curran.
* Richt said the surprises -- or at least pleasant progressions -- of preseason camp have come from Reshad Jones, Boling and Marcus Howard, who he thinks might just have a big year.
* Thomas was talking about coming back from his ACL injury yet again today and said something I'd never heard. He had the option between using part of his hamstring or part of a knee ligament or tendon (patellar maybe?) to replace the torn ACL when he had surgery. He chose hamstring because he didn't want to further aggravate a knee problem he'd had previously. I don't guess I'd ever thought about how that happens, but it was interesting listening to him talk about it. Hopefully I didn't butcher the facts of that surgery. I wasn't recording him talking about it, I was just listening to him talk.
* Did you know Richt has started a mentorship program within the team? I didn't until it came up today. He talked about players being their brothers' keeper and how he matched up juniors with freshmen to basically help show them the ropes. It's still a work in progress, apparently, but it might be worth doing something on in the future.
* He answered a question about whether he thought Vince Vance has been one of the bigger disappointments in camp by saying no. I think they would have loved for Vance to win a starting job, but he's backing up Sturdivant. Does that make him a disappointment? I think that's extremely harsh, considering most considered him a project when he signed. He redshirted his first year of junior college for goodness sakes because he'd never played offensive line before. So he's about to start his second season of playing the position and he's not a starter...is that a huge disappointment? I wouldn't say so. Other people may disagree.
* Thomas basically said Gundy was right in that he thinks they'll probably run right at them to start off. Oklahoma State's interior linemen are pretty raw.
"We're gonna be a balanced offense run and pass. I think it's always important for our offense to establish the run first, but we're gonna mix it up on 'em."
Here are some quotes:
Kelin Johnson, talking up OSU running back Dantrell Savage:
"He's a weapon. The more and more I watch film on him, he's a guy where (I say), 'OK, he's a good back,' but then I'll keep watching and (say), 'This guy's real good.' This guys's a pretty excellent back coming out of the backfield. He can catch, he actually is real shifty. That's one thing I notice watching film on him. He'll lower the shoulder too. He's 190, that's what the scouting report says, but he runs like 230 or something."
Bryan Evans on Adarius Bowman:
"We actually started watching a lot of film, I would say probably right after spring ball, we started watching cut-ups on him. We saw that he's a great receiver, kind of similar to Calvin (Johnson) when the ball's in the air. He has very good ball skills and he's a bigger type receiver."
Evans on the possibility of covering Bowman now that Paul Oliver isn't around:
"That's what my first thought was. I had my confidence up coming out of the last game of the season and I just wanted my chance. Coming to the first game of the season, going against a top-five receiver, I just wanted to take this chance and try to compare myself with him."
Richt on the punting decision:
"Right now I will say Mimbs, he will punt the first punt. I can say that much. Butler will be on the ready. And I say that not because we think Mimbs has been shaky, but just because it's been very close competition. When the competition's that close, you kinda begin competing actually in the ballgame and not so much in practice."
Richt on what influenced the change:
"Mimbs got more consistent and he also reduced his get-off time, the time from where it touches his hand to where he got the ball off. I think his time has improved there. And he's become more consistent. But it's very, very close. It's about as close as it was when I said Butler was in the lead. To sit here and say that Mimbs has locked it down and he's gonna punt every punt all season long or even in the first game for that matter, I don't know if I'm ready to say that. But I am ready to say he will punt the first one of the game and we'll just see after that."
Gundy on trying to recruit Matthew Stafford in high school:
"I don't think we had much of a chance. We tried hard. We got on him early and I went down and saw him the spring prior to his senior year."
More Gundy on that subject:
"I think he was one of the better high school quarterbacks I had seen mechanically in my 16 years of coaching at this level, not that I think I've got all the answers, but I thought he was pretty good."
Gundy on why his program is starting to attract more attention:
"We had a good season last year, we finished strong by winning in the bowl game against Alabama. Alabama was better than what people thought. They lost four very difficult road games last year. And then when you put $300 or $400 million into your facilities, people are gonna consider you a program on the rise. Our coaching staff are locked into three-, four- and five-year contracts, which is basically unheard of in this profession. I'm gonna guess that there's not many staffs in the country that have as many years invested in them as we do. That's a solid commitment to them from our administration. We've had two top-25 recruiting classes back-to-back, not that that's always the answer either, but obviously we're getting some of the right players and we're winning some battles against the top teams in our league."
Gundy on all the hype around his offense:
"I don't think there's any question that all the attention our offense has received would be a motivating for Georgia's defense. I don't know any of their players, but I'm sure they're very competitive and are looking forward to the challenge of the offense. I think that's just par for the course. In the Internet and the media coverage of college football today, if you have success, then your name's gonna get thrown out there. That question's been asked a lot to me, but I feel better about where we are offensively than a year ago when we were 93rd in the country. I think you have to take the good with the bad."
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Notable Monday Richt comments
Here are the links to my stories today:
Butler not used to competition (This was some interesting stuff from Drew Butler, who told me he didn't pick up football until 10th grade. I didn't realize that.)
Figgins could start opener (This concerns Richt's comment today that NaDerris Ward and Columbus' Bruce Figgins are in line for the most playing time at TE on Saturday. Ward said Figgins got the most reps with the first-team offense on Monday, but it doesn't sound like it's full settled as to who'll start the game. If it is, they're not saying. They're both nice kids so good for them.)
Also, figured I'd post Richt's comments on a couple things I transcribed tonight.
On why Ward and Figgins in the tight end race:
"It's just overall consistency right now. They're all learning. Coleman's got a better idea of what's going on, but the two younger guys are still learning, but they're...They'll do some things that make you know that they're gonna be pretty special one day, they've just got to put it together. I don't think there's any question that at least two will play if not all three."
On what he sees from Figgins:
"We knew he had the body to compete. Actually he's a better looking specimen than I thought he was. A lot of times when you recruit these guys, you see them in their street clothes and a lot of times it's baggy pants or shirt or whatever -- loose-fitting clothes -- and it's hard to tell what a guy really looks like. You see film, but that's usually from a distance. I never saw Figgins in his practice uniform or his game uniform. I never saw him in person, I saw him on film and our coaches saw him. But when I saw him here on campus, I was like, 'This guy's a better looking guy than I thought,' as far as does he look ready. He looked ready physically when camp began and he's learning. He's a very good blocker. He was a great blocker in high school and he's beginning to really get good at the college level, so that helps him. NaDerris is just about a true freshman also. He really played none. he got a little bit of work in the spring without pads, but he never hit anybody at Georgia until this year, so he's about a true freshman. In essence you've got two true freshmen out there."
On Antavious Coates:
"We did have some bad news with Antavious Coates. He actually tore his ACL again. It was Saturday and he...what happened, he didn't think it was that, we didn't think it was that. And then the MRI came out yesterday and we found out that he's done it again. Really it's the fourth one. I think this is the one that he did in high school He's had two on the other knee also. We'll be applying for a medical DQ on him. The good news is he wants to coach and NCAA rules allow us to use a student coach like you would a graduate assistant coach. He's allowed to get on the field and actually get some coaching done. So he's gonna get a really great head start in that area. He's still an inspiration to our football team, he's still gonna help us, be a contributor on this team, and we'll also give him a good head start on his career because he's gonna get all he wants. But it's a sad day for him and his family, and for Georgia. He's just a beautiful kid who's not complained one bit, tremendous in the training room getting ready...If he was gonna get hurt, you wish he could have at least put his game gear on and done it in a ballgame. I think that would have really meant something to him. He never got to play between the hedges -- that really hurt him."
"It's just sad. The guy trained so hard and he's in such tremendous shape. Even a couple scrimmages, 11-on-11s, he was just flying down the field making a play and getting excited. We were getting excited for him. So it's tough."
"He was working on the scout team the last couple days. He was like, 'Coach if I can just help the team win on the scout team, play some special teams, get the scout team fired up, I can help us win.' He just (had) a wonderful attitude. He was thinking this season, special teams and help on the scout team, and next year hopefully be able to play, and it just didn't work out for him."
Here's a little NaDerris Ward I had left over:
"I'm just trying to keep pushing myself to make sure that my body is physically and mentally ready so that on Saturday, I don't have any (missed assignments), any mistakes and any wrongdoings and I just want to be part of that victory."
On how he'll feel Saturday at gametime:
"Last year, it was just a remarkable feeling just to be a part of the university, but I knew I wasn't gonna play so the energy wasn't as ecstatic as I probably wanted to be. But this year I know that I'm gonna be able to step on the field and hopefully do something special in front of 94,000. My adrenaline's gonna be rushing so much, I don't even got no words for it right now. It's just gonna be go time. I'm ready to go."
On not being able to compete in the spring because he was recovering from shoulder surgery:
"I think that was pretty much one of the toughest times for me. I got down on myself at one point, just pretty much being out there in a green jersey and not being able to do everything physically, but still taking mental reps and taking some physical reps, but not just the whole aspect, 100 percent going through it. So I pretty much got down on myself and really wasn't high at the moment on myself because I wanted to compete and show that I did want to compete with Tripp for the spot, but I just had to shake it off and come in this summer and build myself up as much as possible so I'd be ready in the fall."
Butler not used to competition (This was some interesting stuff from Drew Butler, who told me he didn't pick up football until 10th grade. I didn't realize that.)
Figgins could start opener (This concerns Richt's comment today that NaDerris Ward and Columbus' Bruce Figgins are in line for the most playing time at TE on Saturday. Ward said Figgins got the most reps with the first-team offense on Monday, but it doesn't sound like it's full settled as to who'll start the game. If it is, they're not saying. They're both nice kids so good for them.)
Also, figured I'd post Richt's comments on a couple things I transcribed tonight.
On why Ward and Figgins in the tight end race:
"It's just overall consistency right now. They're all learning. Coleman's got a better idea of what's going on, but the two younger guys are still learning, but they're...They'll do some things that make you know that they're gonna be pretty special one day, they've just got to put it together. I don't think there's any question that at least two will play if not all three."
On what he sees from Figgins:
"We knew he had the body to compete. Actually he's a better looking specimen than I thought he was. A lot of times when you recruit these guys, you see them in their street clothes and a lot of times it's baggy pants or shirt or whatever -- loose-fitting clothes -- and it's hard to tell what a guy really looks like. You see film, but that's usually from a distance. I never saw Figgins in his practice uniform or his game uniform. I never saw him in person, I saw him on film and our coaches saw him. But when I saw him here on campus, I was like, 'This guy's a better looking guy than I thought,' as far as does he look ready. He looked ready physically when camp began and he's learning. He's a very good blocker. He was a great blocker in high school and he's beginning to really get good at the college level, so that helps him. NaDerris is just about a true freshman also. He really played none. he got a little bit of work in the spring without pads, but he never hit anybody at Georgia until this year, so he's about a true freshman. In essence you've got two true freshmen out there."
On Antavious Coates:
"We did have some bad news with Antavious Coates. He actually tore his ACL again. It was Saturday and he...what happened, he didn't think it was that, we didn't think it was that. And then the MRI came out yesterday and we found out that he's done it again. Really it's the fourth one. I think this is the one that he did in high school He's had two on the other knee also. We'll be applying for a medical DQ on him. The good news is he wants to coach and NCAA rules allow us to use a student coach like you would a graduate assistant coach. He's allowed to get on the field and actually get some coaching done. So he's gonna get a really great head start in that area. He's still an inspiration to our football team, he's still gonna help us, be a contributor on this team, and we'll also give him a good head start on his career because he's gonna get all he wants. But it's a sad day for him and his family, and for Georgia. He's just a beautiful kid who's not complained one bit, tremendous in the training room getting ready...If he was gonna get hurt, you wish he could have at least put his game gear on and done it in a ballgame. I think that would have really meant something to him. He never got to play between the hedges -- that really hurt him."
"It's just sad. The guy trained so hard and he's in such tremendous shape. Even a couple scrimmages, 11-on-11s, he was just flying down the field making a play and getting excited. We were getting excited for him. So it's tough."
"He was working on the scout team the last couple days. He was like, 'Coach if I can just help the team win on the scout team, play some special teams, get the scout team fired up, I can help us win.' He just (had) a wonderful attitude. He was thinking this season, special teams and help on the scout team, and next year hopefully be able to play, and it just didn't work out for him."
Here's a little NaDerris Ward I had left over:
"I'm just trying to keep pushing myself to make sure that my body is physically and mentally ready so that on Saturday, I don't have any (missed assignments), any mistakes and any wrongdoings and I just want to be part of that victory."
On how he'll feel Saturday at gametime:
"Last year, it was just a remarkable feeling just to be a part of the university, but I knew I wasn't gonna play so the energy wasn't as ecstatic as I probably wanted to be. But this year I know that I'm gonna be able to step on the field and hopefully do something special in front of 94,000. My adrenaline's gonna be rushing so much, I don't even got no words for it right now. It's just gonna be go time. I'm ready to go."
On not being able to compete in the spring because he was recovering from shoulder surgery:
"I think that was pretty much one of the toughest times for me. I got down on myself at one point, just pretty much being out there in a green jersey and not being able to do everything physically, but still taking mental reps and taking some physical reps, but not just the whole aspect, 100 percent going through it. So I pretty much got down on myself and really wasn't high at the moment on myself because I wanted to compete and show that I did want to compete with Tripp for the spot, but I just had to shake it off and come in this summer and build myself up as much as possible so I'd be ready in the fall."
Monday, August 27, 2007
Bad news from postpractice
Antavious Coates tore his ACL on Saturday. If you're keeping track, that's the fourth time he's done so. His career is over, but they're applying for a medical DQ and hope to let him become a student coach, since he wants to be a coach anyway. That's very sad news. I've enjoyed talking to Antavious the few times that I interviewed him. You can tell everyone down there thinks a lot of him.
Dent and Bailey are probable for Saturday.
NaDerris Ward and Bruce Figgins are the top two TEs for Saturday.
There are no plans to redshirt A.J. Bryant as some have suggested.
Dent and Bailey are probable for Saturday.
NaDerris Ward and Bruce Figgins are the top two TEs for Saturday.
There are no plans to redshirt A.J. Bryant as some have suggested.
Early practice report
Lots of guys in green jerseys today:
Akeem Dent (concussion)
Darius Dewberry (shoulder?)
Chris Little (wrist)
Walter Hill (shoulder?)
Tripp Chandler (ribs)
Sean Bailey (I heard he hurt his back on Saturday, but I wasn't here to hear that)
Justin Houston (looks like hamstring)
Thomas Flowers (shoulder)
Caleb King (hamstring)
Kris Durham (not sure)
Tanner Strickland (foot sprain)
OL Scott Haverkamp is back in a normal-colored jersey.
Will have more later...
Akeem Dent (concussion)
Darius Dewberry (shoulder?)
Chris Little (wrist)
Walter Hill (shoulder?)
Tripp Chandler (ribs)
Sean Bailey (I heard he hurt his back on Saturday, but I wasn't here to hear that)
Justin Houston (looks like hamstring)
Thomas Flowers (shoulder)
Caleb King (hamstring)
Kris Durham (not sure)
Tanner Strickland (foot sprain)
OL Scott Haverkamp is back in a normal-colored jersey.
Will have more later...
CSS rebroadcasts moving to Mondays
Comcast Charter Sports Southeast (CSS) carried its rebroadcasts of Georgia's games on Tuesday nights last year, but it's moving to Mondays at 9 p.m. this season. I enjoy watching those things because it's usually the first time I've been able to see replays of some of the plays I had questions about while watching live. It's tough picking everything up and retaining it all from the pressbox, no matter how good the notes you take are.
So here's their press release on the matter, complete with quote from unfortunately named CSS GM Mark Fuhrman...
Comcast Charter Sports Southeast (CSS) and the University of Georgia Athletic Association announced Monday a new UGA Encore Game night. The delay telecast of the Georgia football games moves to prime time on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET (from it's 2006 time slot on Tuesdays). The change also includes a daytime airing at 12 noon ET every Monday.
The Mark Richt Press Conference coverage will continue to air live on CSS Tuesdays at 12 noon ET.
"We're excited to feature one of the top programs in the country on Monday nights which is a prime viewing slot for sports fans all around the Southeast," said CSS GM Mark Fuhrman.
So here's their press release on the matter, complete with quote from unfortunately named CSS GM Mark Fuhrman...
Comcast Charter Sports Southeast (CSS) and the University of Georgia Athletic Association announced Monday a new UGA Encore Game night. The delay telecast of the Georgia football games moves to prime time on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET (from it's 2006 time slot on Tuesdays). The change also includes a daytime airing at 12 noon ET every Monday.
The Mark Richt Press Conference coverage will continue to air live on CSS Tuesdays at 12 noon ET.
"We're excited to feature one of the top programs in the country on Monday nights which is a prime viewing slot for sports fans all around the Southeast," said CSS GM Mark Fuhrman.
Grantland Rice Super 16 voting results
I posted my ballot from the Football Writers Association of America preseason poll about a week ago, I guess. The FWAA posted the results for the poll, officially known as the Grantland Rice Super 16, tonight. At No. 13, Georgia is one of five SEC schools to make the list, along with LSU (2), Florida (6), Auburn (14) and Tennessee (16).
Here's the release on the poll.
1. USC (109)
2. LSU (17)
3. West Virginia (2)
4. Michigan (1)
5. Texas (3)
6. Florida (1)
7. Wisconsin
8. Oklahoma
9. Virginia Tech
10. Louisville
11. Ohio State
12. California
13. Georgia
14. Auburn
15. UCLA
16. Tennessee
Also receiving votes: Rutgers 191, Florida State 183, Penn State 170, Arkansas 108, Nebraska 89, Hawaii 77, TCU 64, Boise State 48, Texas A&M 42, South Carolina 40, Alabama 38, Miami 33, Georgia Tech 28, Notre Dame 25, Boston College 22, Oregon 21, Oregon State 14, Missouri 11, Illinois 8, Oklahoma State 6, Arizona State 5, BYU 5, USF 4, Wake Forest 2, Clemson 1, Colorado 1, Iowa 1, Kentucky 1, Southern Miss 1, Purdue 1.
Here's the release on the poll.
1. USC (109)
2. LSU (17)
3. West Virginia (2)
4. Michigan (1)
5. Texas (3)
6. Florida (1)
7. Wisconsin
8. Oklahoma
9. Virginia Tech
10. Louisville
11. Ohio State
12. California
13. Georgia
14. Auburn
15. UCLA
16. Tennessee
Also receiving votes: Rutgers 191, Florida State 183, Penn State 170, Arkansas 108, Nebraska 89, Hawaii 77, TCU 64, Boise State 48, Texas A&M 42, South Carolina 40, Alabama 38, Miami 33, Georgia Tech 28, Notre Dame 25, Boston College 22, Oregon 21, Oregon State 14, Missouri 11, Illinois 8, Oklahoma State 6, Arizona State 5, BYU 5, USF 4, Wake Forest 2, Clemson 1, Colorado 1, Iowa 1, Kentucky 1, Southern Miss 1, Purdue 1.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Richt issues apology for Friday remarks
The University sent out a statement a little while ago from Mark Richt concerning his remarks on Friday about having to cancel practice and not having an indoor practice facility. Says he felt bad about the tone of his statements, like he's ungrateful for what he's got, so he wants to apologize. He's an interesting dude sometimes. How many head coaches do you see issuing apology statements because their tone was too negative while discussing things with reporters?
Anyway, here's what he said in his statement...
I would like to make a public statement following up on my recent comments pertaining to our facilities at UGA.
First I am very proud to be at the University of Georgia. I have poured a lot of my life and energy into this program and I’m thankful every day for where God has placed me. I’m also thankful for the leadership of our University, Athletic Association, and Athletic Board.
Friday’s comments regarding the lack of an indoor practice facility were a knee-jerk reaction to a series of events that happened throughout the day ending with the cancellation of practice due to a storm in the area.
When I actually read my comments late in the day on Saturday I was very disappointed in what I said and the way I said it. It appeared to be someone who was ungrateful for what he had and that is certainly not the case. For that, I want to apologize to President (Michael) Adams, (athletic director) Damon Evans, and the Bulldog Nation.
I am very blessed at UGA and Damon and I have a great working relationship. In fact, we have been working together in planning a project that will provide a major facility improvement.
I want to end by saying that this statement is heartfelt and I was not asked to make it by anyone other than my own conscience.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Thoughts on A.J. Green
Today was a miserable day. The first half of the game was unbearably hot. Then the hour-long rain delay where I got soaked to the bone made things ever so pleasant. And to top it off, the kid who we traveled all that way to see's team wet the bed. Those two teams had no business being on the same field. If you missed it, A.J. Green's team (Summerville, S.C., the No. 13 team in USA Today's high school top 25) lost 36-3 to Booker T. Washington of Miami (USA Today's No. 16 team).
A.J. caught four passes for 33 yards and had a 15-yard run on a reverse. Those numbers really aren't his fault. Their quarterback was under HEAVY pressure from BTW's front line, so he didn't have much time to get him the ball. Plus, they often either put their best DB, four-star corner Brandon Harris, on him in man coverage, or they would put a corner on him with Harris typically helping in coverage over the top. They were determined to keep him from beating them deep, although he came VERY close to connecting on a pair of deep balls.
The bottom line is that Green's team simply got out-athleted today. That's not his fault. But what I was unimpressed by was his effort. He was a bit sloppy and did nothing to sell his routes when he wasn't the primary receiver. And if he went out for a pass and the ball went to someone else, forget about him blocking. It was a hugely disappointing day for his team, so I'm guessing I saw him on the worst possible day. But he can't pull some of that stuff and play in the SEC. Despite his outstanding ability, his chances of playing next year (assuming he qualifies) will be seriously damaged if he does that stuff next preseason.
With all that said, he looks just like a Randy Moss clone to me, which I mean in a complimentary way. His tools are very impressive. If he decides he wants to be a player, he'll be a great player.
Here are a couple of the things that his opponents had to say about him today.
BTW cornerback Brandon Harris (who by the way is reportedly leaning toward either Miami or Florida, although Ohio State and Oklahoma are also among his suitors):
"I see him as a great wide receiver. He has the total package. He has the height, he can run good routes and he can catch the football very well. I think he'll do great on the college level."
Brandon Harris:
"I think we got under his skin because we were talking a lot of trash to him, like, 'Yeah, all-American, they're not getting you the ball. They're not getting you the ball.' So when he was going to the huddle, he was frustrated, 'Throw the ball! Throw the ball!' He was really wanting to get the ball to prove to us that he could do what everybody says he can do. That really got him out of his game."
BTW coach Tim "Ice" Harris:
"When you're a big-time receiver -- we've got guys who get like that too -- you get frustrated when you don't get the ball a little bit. Then you get doubled and you get kinda frustrated. I know it's difficult for a big-time receiver like that when you don't have the ball as much as you want it. Our guys get the same way."
A.J. caught four passes for 33 yards and had a 15-yard run on a reverse. Those numbers really aren't his fault. Their quarterback was under HEAVY pressure from BTW's front line, so he didn't have much time to get him the ball. Plus, they often either put their best DB, four-star corner Brandon Harris, on him in man coverage, or they would put a corner on him with Harris typically helping in coverage over the top. They were determined to keep him from beating them deep, although he came VERY close to connecting on a pair of deep balls.
The bottom line is that Green's team simply got out-athleted today. That's not his fault. But what I was unimpressed by was his effort. He was a bit sloppy and did nothing to sell his routes when he wasn't the primary receiver. And if he went out for a pass and the ball went to someone else, forget about him blocking. It was a hugely disappointing day for his team, so I'm guessing I saw him on the worst possible day. But he can't pull some of that stuff and play in the SEC. Despite his outstanding ability, his chances of playing next year (assuming he qualifies) will be seriously damaged if he does that stuff next preseason.
With all that said, he looks just like a Randy Moss clone to me, which I mean in a complimentary way. His tools are very impressive. If he decides he wants to be a player, he'll be a great player.
Here are a couple of the things that his opponents had to say about him today.
BTW cornerback Brandon Harris (who by the way is reportedly leaning toward either Miami or Florida, although Ohio State and Oklahoma are also among his suitors):
"I see him as a great wide receiver. He has the total package. He has the height, he can run good routes and he can catch the football very well. I think he'll do great on the college level."
Brandon Harris:
"I think we got under his skin because we were talking a lot of trash to him, like, 'Yeah, all-American, they're not getting you the ball. They're not getting you the ball.' So when he was going to the huddle, he was frustrated, 'Throw the ball! Throw the ball!' He was really wanting to get the ball to prove to us that he could do what everybody says he can do. That really got him out of his game."
BTW coach Tim "Ice" Harris:
"When you're a big-time receiver -- we've got guys who get like that too -- you get frustrated when you don't get the ball a little bit. Then you get doubled and you get kinda frustrated. I know it's difficult for a big-time receiver like that when you don't have the ball as much as you want it. Our guys get the same way."
John Eason discusses WR depth chart
Here's my link to the Saturday notebook.
Coach Eason was very frank today about where they stand at receiver. He said players caught their way onto the depth chart or dropped their way off of it.
Here's how he sees it.
Split end (X receiver): Sean Bailey-Kenneth Harris
Flanker (Z receiver): Mikey Henderson-Tony Wilson-Michael Moore
Slot (Y receiver): Mohamed Massaquoi, Kris Durham
A couple notable names who aren't on there are A.J. Bryant, T.J. Gartrell and Demiko Goodman. I got the feeling this is pretty much the way it will stand through next week, barring injury or horrible performances by one of the top seven. The surprise of that bunch for me is A.J., but I listened to him briefly after practice and he understood that he can work his way back into the mix. Demiko is playing some -- he caught a touchdown last night -- but it might be a few games before he's back ready to go full-bore.
Here's what coach Eason had to say:
After last night, I'm planning on Mikey Henderson, Massaquoi inside and Sean Bailey. Backing them up will be Tony Wilson as the flanker, Kris Durham inside as the Y and Kenny Harris as the split end. That's kind of it. And Michael Moore will be the third Z going in. As of right now that's it.
Do you expect all seven will play?
I feel really good about the three Zs. It was close, it was based on grades and some of them eliminated themselves with a dropped pass. Basically that eliminates you. I feel good about those guys. Some guys, the ones that I did not name, basically threw themselves out of the mix at this point. They've got to kind of earn their way back in. They've got to do a better job in order to earn playing time.
On Michael Moore and Tony Wilson's preseason:
Yeah, the thing that helps Mike, Mike Moore I guess has been a surprise in the preseason with the effort and the way he's competed. He has the ability to really run some good routes and he's done a nice job catching the football. Tony Wilson is a tough kid and that's the thing that really helps him. And Mikey is very explosive. So I feel that all three will play. And throughout the course of the year, you may see all three start at some point. I think that's healthy for us, and it's basically gonna be based on performance.
Do you think Tony's toughness is something the group needed?
I think so. I think that's something we were missing last year and it's one of the things I talked about in the meeting room. I said, 'Tony Wilson's the toughest guy in the room.' And I feel that he is based on the way that he blocks -- he really gets after it. I think that's what we need. And he does a nice job of catching the football.
On Mikey having a starting spot despite missing time in the preseason:
Mikey was obviously the starter coming in and Mike Moore moved up there for a while because Mikey was injured. Then we were just kinda moving guys around, it's based on performance. Mikey's back healthy again and he's responded. He's responding and the other guys have had a dropped pass and some missed assignments so hey, you move up and down.
How many do you dress and how many do you like in a game?
We may end up dressing about 10. We may end up dressing about 10, but in terms of who gets in the game, basically I've just about determined that. Kind of their last opportunity was last night.
On Aron White being on the redshirt bubble:
That's a possibility. We're not ruling anything out at this period. Obviously we've got up until the third game to decide it. He's progressing very well and I think he's gonna be an excellent football player. It's just a matter of time. Whether he gets that opportunity this year, it may be based on injuries or lack of production from some of the other guys. I think we just kind of have to wait and see how things go.
Is there a number you work into the game that's too many, where it becomes unproductive?
No, I think all of them can't play. And I think what happens is they basically eliminate themselves. What you like to have is what we had going into camp. If you have a lot of injuries like we've had in the past, then the guys that are out there basically have to have a lot of reps and (get) dead legs and those kinds of things and they wear themselves out. In the ballgames you're not as productive because of that. So it's good to have them to get you to this point and then now at this point, the guys that have performed will play. And those, even though they're on scholarship, even though they work, hey we look at the film every day and it's based on that.
Coach Eason was very frank today about where they stand at receiver. He said players caught their way onto the depth chart or dropped their way off of it.
Here's how he sees it.
Split end (X receiver): Sean Bailey-Kenneth Harris
Flanker (Z receiver): Mikey Henderson-Tony Wilson-Michael Moore
Slot (Y receiver): Mohamed Massaquoi, Kris Durham
A couple notable names who aren't on there are A.J. Bryant, T.J. Gartrell and Demiko Goodman. I got the feeling this is pretty much the way it will stand through next week, barring injury or horrible performances by one of the top seven. The surprise of that bunch for me is A.J., but I listened to him briefly after practice and he understood that he can work his way back into the mix. Demiko is playing some -- he caught a touchdown last night -- but it might be a few games before he's back ready to go full-bore.
Here's what coach Eason had to say:
After last night, I'm planning on Mikey Henderson, Massaquoi inside and Sean Bailey. Backing them up will be Tony Wilson as the flanker, Kris Durham inside as the Y and Kenny Harris as the split end. That's kind of it. And Michael Moore will be the third Z going in. As of right now that's it.
Do you expect all seven will play?
I feel really good about the three Zs. It was close, it was based on grades and some of them eliminated themselves with a dropped pass. Basically that eliminates you. I feel good about those guys. Some guys, the ones that I did not name, basically threw themselves out of the mix at this point. They've got to kind of earn their way back in. They've got to do a better job in order to earn playing time.
On Michael Moore and Tony Wilson's preseason:
Yeah, the thing that helps Mike, Mike Moore I guess has been a surprise in the preseason with the effort and the way he's competed. He has the ability to really run some good routes and he's done a nice job catching the football. Tony Wilson is a tough kid and that's the thing that really helps him. And Mikey is very explosive. So I feel that all three will play. And throughout the course of the year, you may see all three start at some point. I think that's healthy for us, and it's basically gonna be based on performance.
Do you think Tony's toughness is something the group needed?
I think so. I think that's something we were missing last year and it's one of the things I talked about in the meeting room. I said, 'Tony Wilson's the toughest guy in the room.' And I feel that he is based on the way that he blocks -- he really gets after it. I think that's what we need. And he does a nice job of catching the football.
On Mikey having a starting spot despite missing time in the preseason:
Mikey was obviously the starter coming in and Mike Moore moved up there for a while because Mikey was injured. Then we were just kinda moving guys around, it's based on performance. Mikey's back healthy again and he's responded. He's responding and the other guys have had a dropped pass and some missed assignments so hey, you move up and down.
How many do you dress and how many do you like in a game?
We may end up dressing about 10. We may end up dressing about 10, but in terms of who gets in the game, basically I've just about determined that. Kind of their last opportunity was last night.
On Aron White being on the redshirt bubble:
That's a possibility. We're not ruling anything out at this period. Obviously we've got up until the third game to decide it. He's progressing very well and I think he's gonna be an excellent football player. It's just a matter of time. Whether he gets that opportunity this year, it may be based on injuries or lack of production from some of the other guys. I think we just kind of have to wait and see how things go.
Is there a number you work into the game that's too many, where it becomes unproductive?
No, I think all of them can't play. And I think what happens is they basically eliminate themselves. What you like to have is what we had going into camp. If you have a lot of injuries like we've had in the past, then the guys that are out there basically have to have a lot of reps and (get) dead legs and those kinds of things and they wear themselves out. In the ballgames you're not as productive because of that. So it's good to have them to get you to this point and then now at this point, the guys that have performed will play. And those, even though they're on scholarship, even though they work, hey we look at the film every day and it's based on that.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Rainy day Friday
The team had barely finished the special teams section of practice and started the normal part when the lightning came and the skies opened up. Not sure whether they'll get on the field again today, but I'm guessing they probably will at some point and have an abbreviated practice. Who knows, it's really pouring outside. I'm sure the drive to Charleston is going to be pleasant.
Nothing terribly notable. I missed flex line, which means little these days, but I watched punt team for a bit. I never claim to be an expert, so I couldn't tell you who was better between Mimbs or Butler. They both look about the same to me...but then again, whoever you ask about the two of them says they're very, very close. I spoke with Butler the other day and I think I'll be including some stuff from that conversation in my notebook for tomorrow.
In green at practice: Caleb King (hamstring), Tanner Strickland (foot sprain), Tripp Chandler (ribs), Scott Haverkamp (ankle), Chris Little (wrist) and Darius Dewberry (?). Haverkamp was looking pretty mobile and participating in some of the line work, so it looks like Richt's prediction that he'll be back Monday is dead on. Justin Houston was not wearing green, but he was walking laps around the field pretty slowly a member of the conditioning staff trying to stretch out his hamstring (I think).
Nothing terribly notable. I missed flex line, which means little these days, but I watched punt team for a bit. I never claim to be an expert, so I couldn't tell you who was better between Mimbs or Butler. They both look about the same to me...but then again, whoever you ask about the two of them says they're very, very close. I spoke with Butler the other day and I think I'll be including some stuff from that conversation in my notebook for tomorrow.
In green at practice: Caleb King (hamstring), Tanner Strickland (foot sprain), Tripp Chandler (ribs), Scott Haverkamp (ankle), Chris Little (wrist) and Darius Dewberry (?). Haverkamp was looking pretty mobile and participating in some of the line work, so it looks like Richt's prediction that he'll be back Monday is dead on. Justin Houston was not wearing green, but he was walking laps around the field pretty slowly a member of the conditioning staff trying to stretch out his hamstring (I think).
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Scrimmage stats/quotes
Here's my scrimmage notebook link.
They played a half at the stadium, Georgia vs. Oklahoma State (scout team). Georgia won 31-7
Unofficial scoring summary
G - Mikey Henderson long punt return for TD (blown dead by Richt)
G - Stafford 6 pass to Tony Wilson (Coutu PAT)
O - Logan Gray 2 run (?)
G - Moreno 93 kickoff return (blown dead by Richt)
G - Chapas 4 run (2pt pass intercepted by Molloy VanGorder)
G - Cox 50 pass to Goodman (?) ("He highstepped the last 45 yards," Richt said.
OFFENSIVE STATS (remember these aren't exact)
Stafford 7-14 59 yards, TD
Cox 4-6 64 yards, TD
Thomas Brown 3 carries-14 yards
Lumpkin 3-12
Moreno 1-1ish
Jason Johnson 6-62
Chapas 3-53 TD
Southerland 2-5
Harris 2 catches-23 yards
Wilson 1-6 TD
Durham 1-7
Southerland 1-8
Bryant 1-7
Massaquoi 1-6
Munzenmaier 2-6
Goodman 1-50 TD
Moreno 1-10
DEFENSIVE STATS
Washington 3 tackles
Atkins 3 tx, 2 tackle for loss, 2 sacks
Williams 3 tx
Dobbs 3 tx, fumble recovery, 1 sack
Curran 3 tx, 1 TFL, 1 pass breakup
Howard 2 tx
Dewberry 2 tx, 1 TFL
Allen 2 tx, 2 TFL
* Stafford had a lot to say about how unhappy he was with the effort, but I was trying to talk to other people and missed some of it. Here's a quote that pretty much summarizes what he said.
"It's tough, I'll tell you what. Maybe it was guys being worn down, but there's no excuse. We were in shorts yesterday. We should have plenty of energy ready to go. I don't know what it was. People are gonna find out quick, (the) young guys, what it takes to win in this league. I'm just hoping they realize it before they get out there and play."
Bryan Evans, on how much he got to test his injured hamstring:
"It wasn't really full-speed because we couldn't get a look with the D-line getting so much pressure. Other than that, that's probably the only thing that really got us."
Evans, More on that:
"I really didn't get pushed as hard as I would have liked to. I would've liked to. I didn't really get to open up as much just because of the pressure. But I feel pretty comfortable by the end of this week, I should be going, trying to get it out."
Evans on Logan Gray's performance as scout team QB:
"He cut back across the field plenty of times. But it was just the D-line, it was kinda unrealistic. But he gave us a good luck for what he could do himself."
Kregg Lumpkin, on whether Thomas Brown looks like starter at TB:
"Yeah that's how it's gonna be."
* Michael Moore said Tony Wilson started at flanker and that he made it in a couple plays later.
Moore on whether they got a clue tonight as to who'll start Saturday:
"Really we have no idea yet. It's up to the coaches right now. They said we'll find out next Saturday."
Moore, on how they thought they might find out the starters tomorrow, but how that changed:
"That's what it seemed like at first. They evaluate every day, really, every day in practice out there. Coach Eason just said there's going to be open competition until the game starts, so we never know."
Mark Richt, on problem with practice game:
"We tried our best to simulate one half of football. The only thing we couldn't simulate was we couldn't simulate a Dawg Walk or the enthusiasm of a crowd, the reality of playing in front of 96,000 and millions on TV. That probably was the biggest difference."
Richt, on whether Thomas Brown can be this team's D.J. Shockley:
"I think Fernando (Velasco) has the best chance of kind of pulling it all together because he's in every play. He's right in the heart of the offense, right in the center. Not the QB, but he's right in the very middle of it. Not that Thomas isn't a great leader, please don't read that into it because that's not the case. But he'll be in and out and all that and Bubba, he'll be in every single huddle. It's easier to lead when you're on the field."
Richt, on Logan Gray's performance in the practice game:
"He escaped on more than one occasion wehre in a normal setting, we'd have called it a sack -- 'Oh, he'd have had him.' Well, no he didn't have him. The guy's quick, spun out, he's got speed, bought time. He just showed us that we've gotta truly be able to contain. That's tough on the defensive ends if you're not allowed to tackle for real. We're probably doing them an injustice. We might even let them tackle once or twice next week because it's just hard. You get used to saying, 'Well I got there, so I sacked him.' No you've gotta wrap him up and you've still gotta contain him."
They played a half at the stadium, Georgia vs. Oklahoma State (scout team). Georgia won 31-7
Unofficial scoring summary
G - Mikey Henderson long punt return for TD (blown dead by Richt)
G - Stafford 6 pass to Tony Wilson (Coutu PAT)
O - Logan Gray 2 run (?)
G - Moreno 93 kickoff return (blown dead by Richt)
G - Chapas 4 run (2pt pass intercepted by Molloy VanGorder)
G - Cox 50 pass to Goodman (?) ("He highstepped the last 45 yards," Richt said.
OFFENSIVE STATS (remember these aren't exact)
Stafford 7-14 59 yards, TD
Cox 4-6 64 yards, TD
Thomas Brown 3 carries-14 yards
Lumpkin 3-12
Moreno 1-1ish
Jason Johnson 6-62
Chapas 3-53 TD
Southerland 2-5
Harris 2 catches-23 yards
Wilson 1-6 TD
Durham 1-7
Southerland 1-8
Bryant 1-7
Massaquoi 1-6
Munzenmaier 2-6
Goodman 1-50 TD
Moreno 1-10
DEFENSIVE STATS
Washington 3 tackles
Atkins 3 tx, 2 tackle for loss, 2 sacks
Williams 3 tx
Dobbs 3 tx, fumble recovery, 1 sack
Curran 3 tx, 1 TFL, 1 pass breakup
Howard 2 tx
Dewberry 2 tx, 1 TFL
Allen 2 tx, 2 TFL
* Stafford had a lot to say about how unhappy he was with the effort, but I was trying to talk to other people and missed some of it. Here's a quote that pretty much summarizes what he said.
"It's tough, I'll tell you what. Maybe it was guys being worn down, but there's no excuse. We were in shorts yesterday. We should have plenty of energy ready to go. I don't know what it was. People are gonna find out quick, (the) young guys, what it takes to win in this league. I'm just hoping they realize it before they get out there and play."
Bryan Evans, on how much he got to test his injured hamstring:
"It wasn't really full-speed because we couldn't get a look with the D-line getting so much pressure. Other than that, that's probably the only thing that really got us."
Evans, More on that:
"I really didn't get pushed as hard as I would have liked to. I would've liked to. I didn't really get to open up as much just because of the pressure. But I feel pretty comfortable by the end of this week, I should be going, trying to get it out."
Evans on Logan Gray's performance as scout team QB:
"He cut back across the field plenty of times. But it was just the D-line, it was kinda unrealistic. But he gave us a good luck for what he could do himself."
Kregg Lumpkin, on whether Thomas Brown looks like starter at TB:
"Yeah that's how it's gonna be."
* Michael Moore said Tony Wilson started at flanker and that he made it in a couple plays later.
Moore on whether they got a clue tonight as to who'll start Saturday:
"Really we have no idea yet. It's up to the coaches right now. They said we'll find out next Saturday."
Moore, on how they thought they might find out the starters tomorrow, but how that changed:
"That's what it seemed like at first. They evaluate every day, really, every day in practice out there. Coach Eason just said there's going to be open competition until the game starts, so we never know."
Mark Richt, on problem with practice game:
"We tried our best to simulate one half of football. The only thing we couldn't simulate was we couldn't simulate a Dawg Walk or the enthusiasm of a crowd, the reality of playing in front of 96,000 and millions on TV. That probably was the biggest difference."
Richt, on whether Thomas Brown can be this team's D.J. Shockley:
"I think Fernando (Velasco) has the best chance of kind of pulling it all together because he's in every play. He's right in the heart of the offense, right in the center. Not the QB, but he's right in the very middle of it. Not that Thomas isn't a great leader, please don't read that into it because that's not the case. But he'll be in and out and all that and Bubba, he'll be in every single huddle. It's easier to lead when you're on the field."
Richt, on Logan Gray's performance in the practice game:
"He escaped on more than one occasion wehre in a normal setting, we'd have called it a sack -- 'Oh, he'd have had him.' Well, no he didn't have him. The guy's quick, spun out, he's got speed, bought time. He just showed us that we've gotta truly be able to contain. That's tough on the defensive ends if you're not allowed to tackle for real. We're probably doing them an injustice. We might even let them tackle once or twice next week because it's just hard. You get used to saying, 'Well I got there, so I sacked him.' No you've gotta wrap him up and you've still gotta contain him."
Scrimmage report
Team Georgia creamed Team Oklahoma State (the scout team) 31-7. No surprise there.
* Stafford was very unhappy with the offense's energy level, but Richt wasn't quite as upset -- pointing out it's hard to get too excited about playing the scout team.
* Sounds like Thomas Brown will be the starting tailback.
* Knowshon Moreno had what might have been a 93-yard kickoff return TD and Mikey had a long punt return that might have gone for a score, but Richt said he blew the plays dead.
Quotes and stats later.
* Stafford was very unhappy with the offense's energy level, but Richt wasn't quite as upset -- pointing out it's hard to get too excited about playing the scout team.
* Sounds like Thomas Brown will be the starting tailback.
* Knowshon Moreno had what might have been a 93-yard kickoff return TD and Mikey had a long punt return that might have gone for a score, but Richt said he blew the plays dead.
Quotes and stats later.
Stafford on O'Brien watch list
Here's the university's release:
Georgia sophomore quarterback Matthew Stafford is one of 35 players named to the 2007 Davey O’Brien Watch List, the Davey O’Brien Foundation announced.
The Davey O’Brien Award, given annually to the nation’s best quarterback, honors the legacy of former TCU quarterback Davey O’Brien, the first player ever to win the Heisman, Maxwell and Walter Camp trophies in the same year. It is the country’s oldest award for college quarterbacks.
Georgia sophomore quarterback Matthew Stafford is one of 35 players named to the 2007 Davey O’Brien Watch List, the Davey O’Brien Foundation announced.
The Davey O’Brien Award, given annually to the nation’s best quarterback, honors the legacy of former TCU quarterback Davey O’Brien, the first player ever to win the Heisman, Maxwell and Walter Camp trophies in the same year. It is the country’s oldest award for college quarterbacks.
Stafford played in all 13 games for Georgia last year, starting in eight and completing 135-of-256 passes for 1,749 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was voted SEC All-Freshman by the league’s coaches.
Semifinalists for the O’Brien Award will be announced in late October as voted on by the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award Selection Committee, which is comprised of prestigious journalists and previous winners. The field will be narrowed to three finalists, and the winner will be announced on ESPN’s Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 6.
Stafford and the Bulldogs open the 2007 season against Oklahoma State at Sanford Stadium on Sept. 1.
Few things from Wednesday
Here's a link to my practice notebook for today.
Today was another fairly uneventful day, as far as I could tell. I spent a good portion of practice trying to find out if any SEC radio play-by-play/color team besides Georgia didn't have an ex-player in the booth. Nope, Georgia was the last one...although Eric Zeier will change that fact for the five away games this year. Thought that was interesting. Not good or bad, just different. Although having Larry Munson in the booth made it a pretty non-traditional set-up to begin with, at least by today's broadcasting standards.
As far as practice went, looked like Thomas Flowers (shoulder) was out of green for the first time in a while. TE Tripp Chandler (ribs) was still in green, as were OL Chris Little (wrist), OL Tanner Strickland (foot sprain). WR Walter Hill didn't practice after aggravating an old high ankle sprain injury. Richt doesn't expect it to be serious enough to require surgery. OL Scott Haverkamp (ankle) and TB Caleb King (hamstring) likely won't participate in today's practice game.
Richt kind of avoided the general 'did anybody get hurt today?' question, which may have just been because he gets tired of answering it every single day. Not sure.
Also:
* Richt had some pretty complimentary things to say about Logan Gray embracing his role as scout team QB, particularly for this first game against Oklahoma State's multi-talented QB Bobby Reid. Although as a true freshman he's obviously not as polished, Gray can do some of the same things Reid does, so he's a good candidate to simulate him in scout team work. He even asked to be "live" in tomorrow's practice game, meaning defensive players can hit him, in order to give the defense as good of a look as possible. For his sake, let's hope he doesn't get his head taken off. You can read more about that in my practice notes linked above.
* Sounds like Asher Allen, Thomas Brown and Knowshon Moreno are still competing to be the kickoff return man, although you very well may see more than one of them in the opener.
* I'm going to Charleston Friday night to see A.J. Green's Summerville (S.C.) team play Saturday on ESPN. I've never been to Charleston, so I'm looking forward to it, although I'm not sure how much I'll see. The game's at noon on Saturday and we'll be coming back right after the game. Won't be at practice Saturday morning, though, so I won't have anything to report from that...
Lastly, I got an e-mail from a UGA student asking to help support the students' attempt at a "red-out" for the Oklahoma State game. I'm not supporting it or not supporting it, but I figured I'd reprint a portion of his e-mail so you might know that the kids are attempting it. This is informational only. Wear/don't wear red to the opener at your own discretion. Boos from the home fans in Sanford Stadium sound just as loud no matter what color you're wearing (just kidding)...
Word traveling around the UGA students is a red-out for the opening home game against OSU. Many of us really want this to happen and for it to work successfully. ... Please PLEASE get the word out about this red-out to as many friends and fans as you possibly can. A red-out against a visiting Big XII program on national television would give the Bulldog squad added publicity and attention, and we as students feel it would energize the team and the crowd to no end. We also feel like it would be a GREAT beginning to what could be a very promising season. PLEASE do everything you can to support this cause.
Today was another fairly uneventful day, as far as I could tell. I spent a good portion of practice trying to find out if any SEC radio play-by-play/color team besides Georgia didn't have an ex-player in the booth. Nope, Georgia was the last one...although Eric Zeier will change that fact for the five away games this year. Thought that was interesting. Not good or bad, just different. Although having Larry Munson in the booth made it a pretty non-traditional set-up to begin with, at least by today's broadcasting standards.
As far as practice went, looked like Thomas Flowers (shoulder) was out of green for the first time in a while. TE Tripp Chandler (ribs) was still in green, as were OL Chris Little (wrist), OL Tanner Strickland (foot sprain). WR Walter Hill didn't practice after aggravating an old high ankle sprain injury. Richt doesn't expect it to be serious enough to require surgery. OL Scott Haverkamp (ankle) and TB Caleb King (hamstring) likely won't participate in today's practice game.
Richt kind of avoided the general 'did anybody get hurt today?' question, which may have just been because he gets tired of answering it every single day. Not sure.
Also:
* Richt had some pretty complimentary things to say about Logan Gray embracing his role as scout team QB, particularly for this first game against Oklahoma State's multi-talented QB Bobby Reid. Although as a true freshman he's obviously not as polished, Gray can do some of the same things Reid does, so he's a good candidate to simulate him in scout team work. He even asked to be "live" in tomorrow's practice game, meaning defensive players can hit him, in order to give the defense as good of a look as possible. For his sake, let's hope he doesn't get his head taken off. You can read more about that in my practice notes linked above.
* Sounds like Asher Allen, Thomas Brown and Knowshon Moreno are still competing to be the kickoff return man, although you very well may see more than one of them in the opener.
* I'm going to Charleston Friday night to see A.J. Green's Summerville (S.C.) team play Saturday on ESPN. I've never been to Charleston, so I'm looking forward to it, although I'm not sure how much I'll see. The game's at noon on Saturday and we'll be coming back right after the game. Won't be at practice Saturday morning, though, so I won't have anything to report from that...
Lastly, I got an e-mail from a UGA student asking to help support the students' attempt at a "red-out" for the Oklahoma State game. I'm not supporting it or not supporting it, but I figured I'd reprint a portion of his e-mail so you might know that the kids are attempting it. This is informational only. Wear/don't wear red to the opener at your own discretion. Boos from the home fans in Sanford Stadium sound just as loud no matter what color you're wearing (just kidding)...
Word traveling around the UGA students is a red-out for the opening home game against OSU. Many of us really want this to happen and for it to work successfully. ... Please PLEASE get the word out about this red-out to as many friends and fans as you possibly can. A red-out against a visiting Big XII program on national television would give the Bulldog squad added publicity and attention, and we as students feel it would energize the team and the crowd to no end. We also feel like it would be a GREAT beginning to what could be a very promising season. PLEASE do everything you can to support this cause.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
More from Howard, Zeier
There was a teleconference introducing the new road radio duo today and there was so much that I couldn't possibly fit it all into one story. So I'll drop some of the stuff I didn't use here...and maybe some of the stuff I did use.
SCOTT HOWARD:
"It's been a great thrill for me professionally and personally to be able to work with Larry Munson for the last decade and a half on the Georgia football broadcasts and I'm tremendously excited to be able to do it this year. That's gonna be something that'll be a lot different for us on the Network, and different for me as far as calling the football games. It'll bring a different feel to the broadcast, I think, for the road games that we're planning on doing. I'm greatly looking forward to that."
Howard, on how he wanted the job:
"From a professional standpoint, this is something that I've wanted to do for a long time. When the day came when Larry was ready to step down or retire or whatever he wants to do, then I'd always hoped that I would get a look and get an opportunity. That's all I could ask for and all I'd hoped for. Fortunately I'm getting that chance and hope to take advantage of it."
On their test run at last Friday's scrimmage:
"It was supposed to be top secret and as far as I know it was because you guys didn't find out about it. It went well. Once we got started it was very different just because you don't have any of your typical ambience from the game. There was no crowd noise, heck we didn't even have any windows open. And it was a scrimmage, so it wasn't anything you could get into the flow of, you were just calling plays. And Eric and I were just trying to get comfortable with one another in that situation. Everybody involved, at least that I've spoken to, seemed to feel good with it and thought we got a lot accomplished. We kinda got some of that nervous jitters out of the way that first time."
On Larry Munson seeming to support his candidacy for the job:
"It's like having Angelo Dundee in your corner. That was tremendous. I can't really describe how good it felt for me to have Larry's support. I'm very grateful that he said the things that he did. Hopefully he wasn't lying that he actually feels that way because my wife has made him cookies or something. Maybe he felt obligated."
On whether they'll incorporate Munson into the road broadcasts:
"I can't answer that, I don't know. To me it would be a good idea to be able to incorporate Larry in everything that we do this season, but I don't know that that's on the table. Hopefully it is, that sounds like a good idea to me, but I don't know. He might be fishing and might not be near a phone, that's what he keeps saying."
On the pressure he'll be under in taking over the job on the road this year:
"I don't know if I feel pressure. I'm sure I'll have a good case of the nerves when the Alabama game rolls around. Maybe Eric will be able to calm me down. The more people that we get involved, I think the more comfortable we'll all be and we'll do fine. I know the magnitude of the situation, but I feel like with my background I'll be able to handle it. Hopefully people won't compare us on that first game because we can't compare to Larry. He's a hall of fame broadcaster in college football and I'm not gonna try to replace him, I'm just gonna try to do what we can do best as a radio crew, and hopefully that's to provide accurate information and be as informative as possible and be entertaining as well."
ERIC ZEIER:
On the adjustment he'll have to make to call a game live for the first time:
"I believe what the biggest challenge is going to be is really just learning the rhythm and the timing within the booth. Obviously my role is to bring my opinion because of my playing experience into the game and interject really what's happening from a football standpoint. And then also drawing on the experience that I've had, so much of the college football game is the pageantry and tradition behind the game. It's what makes SEC football and Georgia football so very special. So being able to draw upon those things is a luxury that I will have."
On whether he'll be nervous to be calling a game live:
"I get nervous before every Georgia football game even now. I want us to do well, so I'm sure there will be some nerves and butterflies. But I'm very fortunate to have a great team around me, knowing Scott and even in the initial runthrough that I had working with him really calms my nerves to a great extent. He's so very professional and good at what he does that it just allows me just to fall in and relax and fall back on what it is that I know, which is the game of football and really the history and tradition behind playing in the SEC. So there will be some nerves, just like I'm sure there always is before you go live in one of these things."
On the value of having an ex-player on the broadcast team:
"I think being able to bring someone who has played the game and played at that school, I think that there is tremendous value to that. I say that with this caveat, is that we have been unbelievably fortunate to have a Larry Munson be the man for so very long. He really represents what Georgia football is all about. Because of him is the reason Georgia hasn't gone to what is really a typical-type broadcast team. It's because he is so very good at what he does. Like I said, the first time I listened to him, the thought never crossed my mind that it wasn't a traditional-type broadcast. I just fell in love with him and fell in love with the way he called the game. So I think moving forward, it makes sense because it can bring some value because it's hard to find Larry Munsons out there."
On whether he'd like to have the job beyond this season:
"If I were approached and asked to do this long-term, I would absolutely love to do it. I've got, and always will have, a place in my heart for Georgia. To be involved in this type of capacity is something that would be a great honor for me. I approach this year really very humbly and as a way to honor Larry and what he has meant to Georgia for so long, and continue to be a part of the program. If it's just this year, that's fine and if I'm asked to do it beyond this one year and off into the future, I would absolutely jump at that chance. I've shared with Damon and with the athletic department, WSB, that I'm really here at their disposal and whatver capacity they need me in."
SCOTT HOWARD:
"It's been a great thrill for me professionally and personally to be able to work with Larry Munson for the last decade and a half on the Georgia football broadcasts and I'm tremendously excited to be able to do it this year. That's gonna be something that'll be a lot different for us on the Network, and different for me as far as calling the football games. It'll bring a different feel to the broadcast, I think, for the road games that we're planning on doing. I'm greatly looking forward to that."
Howard, on how he wanted the job:
"From a professional standpoint, this is something that I've wanted to do for a long time. When the day came when Larry was ready to step down or retire or whatever he wants to do, then I'd always hoped that I would get a look and get an opportunity. That's all I could ask for and all I'd hoped for. Fortunately I'm getting that chance and hope to take advantage of it."
On their test run at last Friday's scrimmage:
"It was supposed to be top secret and as far as I know it was because you guys didn't find out about it. It went well. Once we got started it was very different just because you don't have any of your typical ambience from the game. There was no crowd noise, heck we didn't even have any windows open. And it was a scrimmage, so it wasn't anything you could get into the flow of, you were just calling plays. And Eric and I were just trying to get comfortable with one another in that situation. Everybody involved, at least that I've spoken to, seemed to feel good with it and thought we got a lot accomplished. We kinda got some of that nervous jitters out of the way that first time."
On Larry Munson seeming to support his candidacy for the job:
"It's like having Angelo Dundee in your corner. That was tremendous. I can't really describe how good it felt for me to have Larry's support. I'm very grateful that he said the things that he did. Hopefully he wasn't lying that he actually feels that way because my wife has made him cookies or something. Maybe he felt obligated."
On whether they'll incorporate Munson into the road broadcasts:
"I can't answer that, I don't know. To me it would be a good idea to be able to incorporate Larry in everything that we do this season, but I don't know that that's on the table. Hopefully it is, that sounds like a good idea to me, but I don't know. He might be fishing and might not be near a phone, that's what he keeps saying."
On the pressure he'll be under in taking over the job on the road this year:
"I don't know if I feel pressure. I'm sure I'll have a good case of the nerves when the Alabama game rolls around. Maybe Eric will be able to calm me down. The more people that we get involved, I think the more comfortable we'll all be and we'll do fine. I know the magnitude of the situation, but I feel like with my background I'll be able to handle it. Hopefully people won't compare us on that first game because we can't compare to Larry. He's a hall of fame broadcaster in college football and I'm not gonna try to replace him, I'm just gonna try to do what we can do best as a radio crew, and hopefully that's to provide accurate information and be as informative as possible and be entertaining as well."
ERIC ZEIER:
On the adjustment he'll have to make to call a game live for the first time:
"I believe what the biggest challenge is going to be is really just learning the rhythm and the timing within the booth. Obviously my role is to bring my opinion because of my playing experience into the game and interject really what's happening from a football standpoint. And then also drawing on the experience that I've had, so much of the college football game is the pageantry and tradition behind the game. It's what makes SEC football and Georgia football so very special. So being able to draw upon those things is a luxury that I will have."
On whether he'll be nervous to be calling a game live:
"I get nervous before every Georgia football game even now. I want us to do well, so I'm sure there will be some nerves and butterflies. But I'm very fortunate to have a great team around me, knowing Scott and even in the initial runthrough that I had working with him really calms my nerves to a great extent. He's so very professional and good at what he does that it just allows me just to fall in and relax and fall back on what it is that I know, which is the game of football and really the history and tradition behind playing in the SEC. So there will be some nerves, just like I'm sure there always is before you go live in one of these things."
On the value of having an ex-player on the broadcast team:
"I think being able to bring someone who has played the game and played at that school, I think that there is tremendous value to that. I say that with this caveat, is that we have been unbelievably fortunate to have a Larry Munson be the man for so very long. He really represents what Georgia football is all about. Because of him is the reason Georgia hasn't gone to what is really a typical-type broadcast team. It's because he is so very good at what he does. Like I said, the first time I listened to him, the thought never crossed my mind that it wasn't a traditional-type broadcast. I just fell in love with him and fell in love with the way he called the game. So I think moving forward, it makes sense because it can bring some value because it's hard to find Larry Munsons out there."
On whether he'd like to have the job beyond this season:
"If I were approached and asked to do this long-term, I would absolutely love to do it. I've got, and always will have, a place in my heart for Georgia. To be involved in this type of capacity is something that would be a great honor for me. I approach this year really very humbly and as a way to honor Larry and what he has meant to Georgia for so long, and continue to be a part of the program. If it's just this year, that's fine and if I'm asked to do it beyond this one year and off into the future, I would absolutely jump at that chance. I've shared with Damon and with the athletic department, WSB, that I'm really here at their disposal and whatver capacity they need me in."
Loran Smith discusses new radio team
I sat down with Loran Smith for a few minutes today to discuss Eric Zeier and Scott Howard taking over in the radio booth for this season's road games. Loran has been part of Georgia's football broadcasts in various capacities since 1971, so I think he's got a pretty good perspective on what this change means in Georgia's radio history. Loran's role as sideline reporter and pregame show host will remain unchanged.
This was the logical move, to have Scott take over when Larry stepped down, wasn't it?
I think that was logical, although I had hope that Munson could do a full slate and have a farewell tour, and I think that we could've done the things that we needed to do to do that. I guess you reach a point to where your physical condition affects your mental condition. Sometimes if you're up for things mentally, you can force your body to shape up to where you can do what you want to do. I can now see that the long season was sort of wearying for Larry, so I can understand why he made the decision that he made. But like I said, I held out hope that he could do a farewell tour. Since that didn't work out, I'm really happy that Scott's gonna be doing the games because I think he has a good grasp of anything Georgia. He has a good style, a great voice, so I think he'll do a nice job.
It's tough for any new announcer to step into Munson's shoes. How can he possibly prepare for being compared to Larry?
Looking at it from a Georgia standpoint, we don't really care if opposing teams don't like our announcer. We don't really care. But thinking about all teams who develop followings, it's hard to give 'em up. Can you imagine how people are gonna feel when Vin Scully doesn't do the Dodgers? Someday that's gonna happen. I'm sure the person that follows Vinny will be judged according to what they liked and enjoyed about Vinny. So I think you have to adjust to new people. It's sort of like having a piece of furniture in the same place in your house -- maybe it's your favorite chair -- and you come home one day and your wife's moved it. You may not like that. So I think that Munson, we've had him since 1966, and all of a sudden he's not there. We've gotta adjust to that. I think people want to know the score and want to know the down and distance, which Scott'll do a good job of. So it shouldn't matter if his voice is not the same voice they've been hearing all these years, he still can do a good job and it still can be a wonderful delivery of the broadcast and the play-by-play action. So I hope people will recognize Scott is highly professional and he loves Georgia. He may express it different from Larry, but he loves Georgia.
Do you foresee this change altering anything that you do on the broadcast?
It shouldn't be any different for any of us. I think the good thing about the broadcast for years is there's just been great harmony. Scott himself said for a story I did in the football program about three years ago, I think it was, I did a little story on Scott and he said nobody had an ego to mess things up. Munson wasn't difficult to work with. Munson had a style, a regimen, and we all knew, so we adjusted to his style and his routine and all of that, which was not any problem for any of us. I don't see it being any different. And then Friday night before the game on the road, everybody's together. I didn't go to the Friday night dinners, which Neil Williamson started when WSB took over, taking everybody to dinner. I didn't go to those consistently because of other responsibilities, if it were a donor or if I had some family or personal reason, I didn't go as consistently as the others. But that was great fun mainly because of Munson's off-the-wall antics.
I think Georgia was the only school that didn't have a former player on its broadcast team. And I think that's because of Larry and how well things went for all these years. But what do you think adding Zeier to the broadcast will bring that might have been missing?
Well I think him having played quarterback puts him in position to provide a little insight, a little analytical viewpoint. It will probably be different from what we've had. You haven't had a so-called expert. But it depends on how you look at it. Howard Cosell was probably one the most successful, insightful color guys, or color types, and he wrote a book, 'I Never Played the Game.' I think Eric having played quarterback, he'll have some insight and he'll have a feel for a lot of things that take place on the playing field that will be good for the broadcast. I'm looking forward to working with him. He's very enthusiastic. He's real upbeat. I just talked to him and he's all excited, as he well should be.
This was the logical move, to have Scott take over when Larry stepped down, wasn't it?
I think that was logical, although I had hope that Munson could do a full slate and have a farewell tour, and I think that we could've done the things that we needed to do to do that. I guess you reach a point to where your physical condition affects your mental condition. Sometimes if you're up for things mentally, you can force your body to shape up to where you can do what you want to do. I can now see that the long season was sort of wearying for Larry, so I can understand why he made the decision that he made. But like I said, I held out hope that he could do a farewell tour. Since that didn't work out, I'm really happy that Scott's gonna be doing the games because I think he has a good grasp of anything Georgia. He has a good style, a great voice, so I think he'll do a nice job.
It's tough for any new announcer to step into Munson's shoes. How can he possibly prepare for being compared to Larry?
Looking at it from a Georgia standpoint, we don't really care if opposing teams don't like our announcer. We don't really care. But thinking about all teams who develop followings, it's hard to give 'em up. Can you imagine how people are gonna feel when Vin Scully doesn't do the Dodgers? Someday that's gonna happen. I'm sure the person that follows Vinny will be judged according to what they liked and enjoyed about Vinny. So I think you have to adjust to new people. It's sort of like having a piece of furniture in the same place in your house -- maybe it's your favorite chair -- and you come home one day and your wife's moved it. You may not like that. So I think that Munson, we've had him since 1966, and all of a sudden he's not there. We've gotta adjust to that. I think people want to know the score and want to know the down and distance, which Scott'll do a good job of. So it shouldn't matter if his voice is not the same voice they've been hearing all these years, he still can do a good job and it still can be a wonderful delivery of the broadcast and the play-by-play action. So I hope people will recognize Scott is highly professional and he loves Georgia. He may express it different from Larry, but he loves Georgia.
Do you foresee this change altering anything that you do on the broadcast?
It shouldn't be any different for any of us. I think the good thing about the broadcast for years is there's just been great harmony. Scott himself said for a story I did in the football program about three years ago, I think it was, I did a little story on Scott and he said nobody had an ego to mess things up. Munson wasn't difficult to work with. Munson had a style, a regimen, and we all knew, so we adjusted to his style and his routine and all of that, which was not any problem for any of us. I don't see it being any different. And then Friday night before the game on the road, everybody's together. I didn't go to the Friday night dinners, which Neil Williamson started when WSB took over, taking everybody to dinner. I didn't go to those consistently because of other responsibilities, if it were a donor or if I had some family or personal reason, I didn't go as consistently as the others. But that was great fun mainly because of Munson's off-the-wall antics.
I think Georgia was the only school that didn't have a former player on its broadcast team. And I think that's because of Larry and how well things went for all these years. But what do you think adding Zeier to the broadcast will bring that might have been missing?
Well I think him having played quarterback puts him in position to provide a little insight, a little analytical viewpoint. It will probably be different from what we've had. You haven't had a so-called expert. But it depends on how you look at it. Howard Cosell was probably one the most successful, insightful color guys, or color types, and he wrote a book, 'I Never Played the Game.' I think Eric having played quarterback, he'll have some insight and he'll have a feel for a lot of things that take place on the playing field that will be good for the broadcast. I'm looking forward to working with him. He's very enthusiastic. He's real upbeat. I just talked to him and he's all excited, as he well should be.
Howard, Zeier to call road football games
I'm sure many of you have already seen this news. The school officially announced this fall's broadcast pairing for road games with Larry Munson unavailable -- Scott Howard and former UGA quarterback Eric Zeier. I'll have more on this later.
Here's the official university release.
Here's the official university release.
Late Tuesday update
Nothing really earth-shattering came out of postpractice today. Although I found out today that I'm in the new issue of The Sporting News for most likely the first and only time. (I got my copy of the magazine yesterday and hadn't looked at it). On the back inside cover, page 80, they reprinted a great photo that the AJC's Brant Sanderlin took last week of walk-on Chad Gloer jumping off the high dive when the team went to the pool. And over in the right hand corner are the writers watching them jump. I'll have to scan it in sometime for laughs. It's the college football issue, by the way, and they rank Georgia 14th.
I've been working on a story on Jason Johnson, who's truly an interesting kid, so I spent a good portion of my interview time on that today. Talked to Johnson, Brannan Southerland and Tony Ball for that. Also got some funny stuff from Joe Cox that I plan to use sometime soon. He, Stafford and a couple other guys went to see Superbad over the weekend and they gave it a thumbs up. Said it was hilarious. I've been wanting to see that one myself.
Honestly I think it's a lot more fun talking to these kids about non-football stuff, although you have to mostly focus on football. I think they prefer to talk about that stuff too. Jeff Owens was great yesterday talking about how he likes Rocky Top and where the toughest places to play are. It might not be as interesting for fans to read about, but I think it's a lot more fun interesting talking to them about video games and movies than about whether they think they'll start on Saturday. It's easy to get bogged down in football-football-football all the time, but you miss some pretty interesting stuff if you do.
On that note, here's some stuff from Richt after today's practice:
On Brannan Southerland:
I'd say 70 percent of his job is blocking, whether it's run blocking or pass blocking, regardless of what your line situation looks like. The great majority of his job's gonna be blocking, there's no doubt about it. We'll still try to use him some as a runner, ball catcher. I don't know if his role will change much.
On sophomore fullbacks Shaun Chapas and Fred Munzenmaier:
Very good. Those kids, they oughta help us on special teams and I think they're ready to play. And they're very versatile backs too. They have good running skills. You watch 'em in high school, they were very good runners, tackle breakers. A little bit of shiftiness in the open field. They're big and strong and physical and they're starting to block that way. I think our fullback situation is very outstanding for some years to come.
On whether they thought about redshirting Marcus Washington:
Because of the knee? If it didn't respond, yeah. We were hoping it would respond, we're thankful it's responding. We really need him. I think Marcus, every once in a while you'll look back and say we should have played so-and-so more than we did, Marcus is one of those guys. He shoulda played more last year. We need to make sure he gets in the game because he's a very good football player. He understands what we're doing and he's got his weight down, he's in great shape. He looks good.
On the subject of redshirts:
Here's the bottom line, not many times do we talk about redshirt with any signee. Logan Gray was discussed. He probably was the only one. There are some that ask about the redshirt. A lot of times offensive linemen and sometimes at any position, a parent might say, 'Is there some merit or some advantage to being redshirted academically and getting acclimated to school?' and all that. Some parents want to know about that and we tell them the same answer, and it's the truth: We want to have everybody come in in great condition and compete. Try like mad to become the starter, try like mad to become a guy who's second team or who's ready to play because we really don't know. We don't know what our injury situation's gonna be like, we don't know who may just be flat-out better than the next guy. So we tell 'em to come in with the attitude of getting in great condition, learning what to do and competing. Usually after the second scrimmage, which is about now, we have a much better feel of where those guys are. Even the guys right now that are working on the scout team, I told 'em, I said, 'First of all, Thursday night's scrimmage, there's almost always one or two guys that play so good for Oklahoma State or that first opponent that we're like, 'We've gotta get him in the game, he's a natural. He's gonna make tackles, let's get him on special teams.'' You see enough to say by Game 3 or 4 or 5, this guy's gonna be ready to play. Nothing's etched in stone. I know you guys want to have an answer and you guys want to write about it. I don't know an answer yet. We have our guesses, but guesses only cause pain.
On how guys respond to the possibility of redshirting:
Sometimes guys really get bent out of shape, but most times the guys can kinda look at the big picture and see that, 'Maybe it is in our best interest.' They'll see other guys that've been redshirted. Thomas Davis was a first-round draft pick, he redshirted. Reshad Jones is a tremendous player, he redshirted. Knowson Moreno is all anybody wants to talk about, he redshirted. There's a lot of guys that end up redshirting who become some of the greatest football players in the country. A redshirt, to me, is not a bad thing. Most guys, when they get...like a guy, (Ken) Shackleford, he wished he got redshirted. Even Chester Adams, he might even be feeling like, especially toward the end of the year, 'It would've been nice if I'd had another season.' A lot of guys look at it as a blessing. I know Fernando Velasco, when we redshirted him two or three years into it, when we first talked about it, he was not too happy about it. But now he's thankful, he's excited, he's the leader of our football team. He's got a chance to play a position that may help him in the future, in the NFL. So a redshirt's not a bad thing. Some people want to make it out to be, but it's not.
On the tight end scenario for the opener:
It's muddy. To me it's real muddy. I couldn't tell ya who's gonna start, how much anybody's gonna play. To me it's still wide-open, very wide-open.
I've been working on a story on Jason Johnson, who's truly an interesting kid, so I spent a good portion of my interview time on that today. Talked to Johnson, Brannan Southerland and Tony Ball for that. Also got some funny stuff from Joe Cox that I plan to use sometime soon. He, Stafford and a couple other guys went to see Superbad over the weekend and they gave it a thumbs up. Said it was hilarious. I've been wanting to see that one myself.
Honestly I think it's a lot more fun talking to these kids about non-football stuff, although you have to mostly focus on football. I think they prefer to talk about that stuff too. Jeff Owens was great yesterday talking about how he likes Rocky Top and where the toughest places to play are. It might not be as interesting for fans to read about, but I think it's a lot more fun interesting talking to them about video games and movies than about whether they think they'll start on Saturday. It's easy to get bogged down in football-football-football all the time, but you miss some pretty interesting stuff if you do.
On that note, here's some stuff from Richt after today's practice:
On Brannan Southerland:
I'd say 70 percent of his job is blocking, whether it's run blocking or pass blocking, regardless of what your line situation looks like. The great majority of his job's gonna be blocking, there's no doubt about it. We'll still try to use him some as a runner, ball catcher. I don't know if his role will change much.
On sophomore fullbacks Shaun Chapas and Fred Munzenmaier:
Very good. Those kids, they oughta help us on special teams and I think they're ready to play. And they're very versatile backs too. They have good running skills. You watch 'em in high school, they were very good runners, tackle breakers. A little bit of shiftiness in the open field. They're big and strong and physical and they're starting to block that way. I think our fullback situation is very outstanding for some years to come.
On whether they thought about redshirting Marcus Washington:
Because of the knee? If it didn't respond, yeah. We were hoping it would respond, we're thankful it's responding. We really need him. I think Marcus, every once in a while you'll look back and say we should have played so-and-so more than we did, Marcus is one of those guys. He shoulda played more last year. We need to make sure he gets in the game because he's a very good football player. He understands what we're doing and he's got his weight down, he's in great shape. He looks good.
On the subject of redshirts:
Here's the bottom line, not many times do we talk about redshirt with any signee. Logan Gray was discussed. He probably was the only one. There are some that ask about the redshirt. A lot of times offensive linemen and sometimes at any position, a parent might say, 'Is there some merit or some advantage to being redshirted academically and getting acclimated to school?' and all that. Some parents want to know about that and we tell them the same answer, and it's the truth: We want to have everybody come in in great condition and compete. Try like mad to become the starter, try like mad to become a guy who's second team or who's ready to play because we really don't know. We don't know what our injury situation's gonna be like, we don't know who may just be flat-out better than the next guy. So we tell 'em to come in with the attitude of getting in great condition, learning what to do and competing. Usually after the second scrimmage, which is about now, we have a much better feel of where those guys are. Even the guys right now that are working on the scout team, I told 'em, I said, 'First of all, Thursday night's scrimmage, there's almost always one or two guys that play so good for Oklahoma State or that first opponent that we're like, 'We've gotta get him in the game, he's a natural. He's gonna make tackles, let's get him on special teams.'' You see enough to say by Game 3 or 4 or 5, this guy's gonna be ready to play. Nothing's etched in stone. I know you guys want to have an answer and you guys want to write about it. I don't know an answer yet. We have our guesses, but guesses only cause pain.
On how guys respond to the possibility of redshirting:
Sometimes guys really get bent out of shape, but most times the guys can kinda look at the big picture and see that, 'Maybe it is in our best interest.' They'll see other guys that've been redshirted. Thomas Davis was a first-round draft pick, he redshirted. Reshad Jones is a tremendous player, he redshirted. Knowson Moreno is all anybody wants to talk about, he redshirted. There's a lot of guys that end up redshirting who become some of the greatest football players in the country. A redshirt, to me, is not a bad thing. Most guys, when they get...like a guy, (Ken) Shackleford, he wished he got redshirted. Even Chester Adams, he might even be feeling like, especially toward the end of the year, 'It would've been nice if I'd had another season.' A lot of guys look at it as a blessing. I know Fernando Velasco, when we redshirted him two or three years into it, when we first talked about it, he was not too happy about it. But now he's thankful, he's excited, he's the leader of our football team. He's got a chance to play a position that may help him in the future, in the NFL. So a redshirt's not a bad thing. Some people want to make it out to be, but it's not.
On the tight end scenario for the opener:
It's muddy. To me it's real muddy. I couldn't tell ya who's gonna start, how much anybody's gonna play. To me it's still wide-open, very wide-open.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Practice notes
The most interesting thing from the early part of practice didn't concern football at all. One of UGA's football grad assistants, Jake Miller, tried out for the U.S. Bobsled team last weekend and was invited to training camp on Sept. 5 in Lake Placid. Pretty interesting. So he'll be leaving coach Van Halanger's strength and conditioning staff next month to focus on training for the team and hopes to compete in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
On the football side, Josh Davis is back in red today and participating. It looked like Caleb King (hamstring) and Jarius Wynn (groin) are still going to be on the side. Scott Haverkamp (ankle) was walking the sidelines with Tanner Strickland (foot sprain), but wasn't favoring it much, if at all. So that's got to be a good sign for Scott.
In green: Tripp Chandler (ribs), Thomas Flowers (shoulder), Chris Little (wrist). There may have been others, but those are the ones I noticed.
On the football side, Josh Davis is back in red today and participating. It looked like Caleb King (hamstring) and Jarius Wynn (groin) are still going to be on the side. Scott Haverkamp (ankle) was walking the sidelines with Tanner Strickland (foot sprain), but wasn't favoring it much, if at all. So that's got to be a good sign for Scott.
In green: Tripp Chandler (ribs), Thomas Flowers (shoulder), Chris Little (wrist). There may have been others, but those are the ones I noticed.
Richt talks redshirts
At least, that was what I found most interesting in what he had to say after practice today. Also had a funny interview with Jeff Owens today. We talked about the wildest atmospheres and the toughest places to play and he surprised me with one of the places -- Vanderbilt. The fans are so close to the opposing team's bench, he said, that they could reach down and hit you in the head. Interesting. He also said -- and you're not gonna like this -- that he likes Rocky Top, Tennessee's fight song. It was a funny conversation. The batteries in my tape recorder ran out just now, so I haven't transcribed that yet, but I imagine I'll do a note on it in the near future.
Speaking of notes, here's a link to my Monday notebook.
On the injury front, Bryan Evans was back full-go today and said he felt pretty good. Scott Haverkamp re-injured the ankle he sprained before the first scrimmage. He may be out a week. Kiante Tripp was back and Bruce Figgins was doing some stuff. Caleb King was still out. Antavious Coates practiced in a green jersey after some soreness in his surgically repaired knee flared up. Jarius Wynn has been limited recently by a groin injury. He was riding a stationary bike during the early part of practice.
Also in green today: Josh Davis, Chris Little, Tripp Chandler, Thomas Flowers, Tanner Strickland, John Knox.
So here's Mark Richt:
I'll tell ya what, it's an understatement, but it was hot out there today. Going on that Fieldturf, I don't know if we should've or not, but it was definitely hotter on the Fieldturf. It's a safer surface right now I think. The grass is not getting as much water as you'd like. The grass fields are getting harder because of the lack of rain, so we decided to go on the Fieldturf -- and it's hotter. We chose a little safer surface, we thought, and a little warmer temperature. The guys handled it real well. I was real proud of them. We ended up getting everything done that I wanted to get done. I canceled conditioning afterwards. I thought they did a good job. Haverkamp re-sprained his ankle, because I know you'll ask that.
Same one?
Yeah, same one. He just tweaked it. I'm trying to think of who else might've come back a little bit. Kiante Tripp was back. You can ask me on the guys that were out. A lot of guys did come back, though Caleb did not come back. Jarius Wynn's still messing with the groin a little bit. If you think of guys, I'll try to tell you what I know about who got actually got some work. Bryan Evans got to work today. I think he did everything. Coach Martinez might've held him out of some things, but he seemed to do everything. We did break into scout teams today and began to work Oklahoma State on both sides of the ball. Thursday we'll scrimmage that look. We'll have a practice game, we'll play a half of football on Thursday and we'll simulate everything from the pregame warmup to how we leave the field -- from how we leave the locker room to the field, go out the proper gate and come back in by the bulldog and all that kind of stuff that we would normally do. We'll try to get a dress rehearsal.
On hot weather being good or bad in camp:
So far it's been good because everybody's held up pretty well. There's a couple guys that haven't held up completely, but I don't know if we've ever been through a camp where a few guys didn't have the heat get 'em or something like that a little bit. But overall I'm pretty proud of how the guys've held up. I think our strength staff did a very nice job of getting our guys in condition, considering it wasn't that hot this summer compared to what we're dealing with now. Ironically it started the first practice and hasn't relented yet.
Did I hear right that Ricardo Crawford passed out at one point from the heat?
He might've. I don't know if he passed out. It was early in practice, though, one day during our fundamental work. He was out, I don't know if he "passed out." If you say you passed out, does that mean you were unconscious. I don't think he was unconscious. But the heat got him and he couldn't go anymore. But I mean I wouldn't want to say he was unconscious or anything.
How much does the composure of the young guys concern you with what they're about to face?
It's a concern. I haven't had to live through that very often. I've had freshmen, every once in a while a freshman starts -- I'm talking about true freshmen. A lot of times they play, but you're not thinking they're the guy. I think the No. 1 person everybody'll probably be watching would be Trinton, just to see how he holds up there. It's a big job, left tackle in our league, true freshman, that's a big job. To this point, he's held up pretty good. Being here at the midyear I would think made all the difference in the world for him to feel as comfortable as he does right now. It's gonna be weird for him. It's gonna be quite an experience for him.
Is there anything you can do to keep their head from swimming around?
I don't think so, you've just got to go play. The good news is he'll get over it pretty quick and he'll become a veteran a lot faster than these guys that are getting redshirted. But you know, Josh Davis, I don't think he's ever played a snap of offensive line in his life. He was a tight end in high school, and I'm sure it's a little bit of an unreal experience for him too. And Haverkamp tweaking his ankle again, we put Boling at right guard today and that could possibly be the lineup.
Haverkamp could be out?
I don't think he would, but if Haverkamp keeps tweaking it or whatever, I think Boling...Boling, he'd be competing with Justin Anderson right now, but today coach threw Boling in there at the No. 1 right guard. Do we think Haverkamp will be back? Yes, but we probably won't do anything with him until after Thursday's scrimmage and maybe even wait till Monday, just depending on how he does.
With those young guys like Trinton, do you wait on how much you tell them because you don't want to freak them out?
The term ignorance is bliss is a true statement. They don't know. And we always say they don't know that they don't know, no matter what you tell 'em. It's just like being a head coach for the first time. You can tell a guy all you want, but until you live through it, you just can't understand it until you've done it. You prepare the best you can, you think you're as ready as you could be and then it's just more than you ever dreamed it could be.
Update on punters. Could both play?
Well, I guess there'd be an outside chance there, but I don't know if we're in that situation right now. I'll be honest with you, I haven't talked with Dave Johnson since our last conversation when I was talking about how we felt. I didn't. I should have, I asked about every offensive and defensive position over the last couple days and I did not ask about how he felt about the punting situation. Or kickoff, for that matter.
Still don't know on kickoff?
No, I know that Bo has done a nice job and Coutu is in the running. But Ben Wilson's back since school began. Ben's a talented guy. Ben's done that for us before in a game. I really think it's gonna come down to a matter of the guy that can consistently put it where it needs to be put. They're all a little bit erratic right now.
Is there any hesitation with Coutu to not put his body in harm's way?
That would not be the determining factor. He's one of the safeties, so hopefully it doesn't get to him. And usually when it does, it's a little bit more of an open-field situation. We've got a couple guys helping him, trying to help him with the return man where he's not the only man that's in a safety role. Not very often would you, even if he's trying to make a tackle, would it be like a head-on-head blow or anything like that. Not to say a kicker couldn't get hurt because they've gotten hurt trying to make a tackle.
On whether they've settled any of the vacant position battles. Tailback, cornerback...
Those have not really been decided yet. Again, those three backs are gonna play. I don't know who's gonna start. I don't know if Tony has decided.
Everybody's talking about Vance Cuff. Have you seen enough from him to maybe make him a bubble guy?
Yeah, I'd say right now we're leaning toward playing Vance. He's a very good cover guy, he's tough, he's very athletic. Sometimes freshmen kinda get in the tank somewhere along the way. So far he's competed every day. Let's face it, we've got some teams that we're playing that've got a lot of three- and four- and even five-receiver looks and we're gonna need some help. I think he'll be able to do that for us.
He wasn't here to be in the shape to come in and be ready.
I know, I assume he was doing something because he really is holding up very well. Some kids are just, they're lean and it's hot where he's from. He's probably used to the heat maybe more than others. He may not have spent his whole summer in the air conditioning playing Xbox or Playstation or something.
Bryan Evans was saying the other day he looks like a second-year guy already...
He looks good. He's not lost and he's competing, he's playing hard and he's making some plays. I think he's holding up very well, enough to where we're gaining some confidence in him. He hasn't mastered some of the special teams things that we'd like for him to get, but we did meet on that today. We talked about kids that we thought would more than likely play, and to get more serious about training them on the special teams, and he was one of those guys.
When he came in, and I'm just making a guess, y'all probably were not expecting him to be ready to go this year?
Nah, we didn't even know if he was gonna get here.
So it's been a surprise then?
Yeah, it's been a very pleasant surprise, for Vance, for us. There's no doubt about that.
I saw Figgins get out there a little bit today. Is he?
Bruce looks decent, as far as coming off the injury. He looks decent. I don't think he's full speed yet, but Bruce, I'd say there's a high-percentage Bruce will play.
You didn't know Saturday whether it was hamstring or groin. Do you know now?
Anybody know what that was? I just don't sit there...they're either in or out. I don't know which one it was.
Do you feel more certain about the tight end situation after the scrimmage?
Certain in what way?
Who's 1, who's 2?
For this game? Not really. Figgins lost some practice time and it might have to sort out after this scrimmage. I doubt it's gonna be just one guy. That's probably another position that'll be done by committee a little bit. I'd say it's still pretty wide-open.
On Aron White:
He's more of a bubble, true bubble guy. I wouldn't say we're leaning one way or another. I would say his situation is, a lot has to do with his size, too. He's a tweener by position. Is he a flex position, is he a tight end? That's kinda up in the air. And then is he ready to play or not? As a true tight end, it would be tough for him right now. As a flex receiver, I think he probably could, but would he really play enough and is he ahead of the others? Is he ahead of Mo, is he ahead of other guys that might play inside? I don't know if he's there, so we'll just have to play it out a little longer with him.
On whether they're leaning toward redshirting Walter Hill and Israel Troupe:
Yeah, those guys as of right this second. Again, we haven't determined that yet. I wouldn't say redshirt, but I would say right now, they're not in the two-deep right now. Things could change, but right now they're not.
Would one of those guys be ahead of the other?
Not really. They're both just learning what to do.
Charles White?
Charles is more of a bubble guy. I wouldn't say one way or the other right now. Some you say, like Rennie, we're leaning towards playing. He's not at that point right now.
How much has Caleb's injury set him back on your evaluation?
It's tough. It's tough to get better when you don't practice. It's tough to know. His race isn't against running ability and athleticism and all that, his race is against knowledge, just learning what to do, getting comfortable with the role that we would be giving him. You need repetitions to get good at it, and he just hasn't been able to get 'em right now.
Chip Towers from the AJC walked up to him at the end and asked if he wanted to comment on Mickey Andrews' son's death (Andrews is Florida State's defensive coordinator and the son, Ronnie, walked on at FSU while Richt was a young coach there). He said some nice things and you could tell it had been tough news to hear. I turned my tape recorder off when Chip asked the question so I didn't transcribe that part. I kinda felt like it was Chip's question and response since he walked up and individually asked the question. If you want to see what Richt had to say, I'm sure you can read it in whatever is in their paper about it.
Speaking of notes, here's a link to my Monday notebook.
On the injury front, Bryan Evans was back full-go today and said he felt pretty good. Scott Haverkamp re-injured the ankle he sprained before the first scrimmage. He may be out a week. Kiante Tripp was back and Bruce Figgins was doing some stuff. Caleb King was still out. Antavious Coates practiced in a green jersey after some soreness in his surgically repaired knee flared up. Jarius Wynn has been limited recently by a groin injury. He was riding a stationary bike during the early part of practice.
Also in green today: Josh Davis, Chris Little, Tripp Chandler, Thomas Flowers, Tanner Strickland, John Knox.
So here's Mark Richt:
I'll tell ya what, it's an understatement, but it was hot out there today. Going on that Fieldturf, I don't know if we should've or not, but it was definitely hotter on the Fieldturf. It's a safer surface right now I think. The grass is not getting as much water as you'd like. The grass fields are getting harder because of the lack of rain, so we decided to go on the Fieldturf -- and it's hotter. We chose a little safer surface, we thought, and a little warmer temperature. The guys handled it real well. I was real proud of them. We ended up getting everything done that I wanted to get done. I canceled conditioning afterwards. I thought they did a good job. Haverkamp re-sprained his ankle, because I know you'll ask that.
Same one?
Yeah, same one. He just tweaked it. I'm trying to think of who else might've come back a little bit. Kiante Tripp was back. You can ask me on the guys that were out. A lot of guys did come back, though Caleb did not come back. Jarius Wynn's still messing with the groin a little bit. If you think of guys, I'll try to tell you what I know about who got actually got some work. Bryan Evans got to work today. I think he did everything. Coach Martinez might've held him out of some things, but he seemed to do everything. We did break into scout teams today and began to work Oklahoma State on both sides of the ball. Thursday we'll scrimmage that look. We'll have a practice game, we'll play a half of football on Thursday and we'll simulate everything from the pregame warmup to how we leave the field -- from how we leave the locker room to the field, go out the proper gate and come back in by the bulldog and all that kind of stuff that we would normally do. We'll try to get a dress rehearsal.
On hot weather being good or bad in camp:
So far it's been good because everybody's held up pretty well. There's a couple guys that haven't held up completely, but I don't know if we've ever been through a camp where a few guys didn't have the heat get 'em or something like that a little bit. But overall I'm pretty proud of how the guys've held up. I think our strength staff did a very nice job of getting our guys in condition, considering it wasn't that hot this summer compared to what we're dealing with now. Ironically it started the first practice and hasn't relented yet.
Did I hear right that Ricardo Crawford passed out at one point from the heat?
He might've. I don't know if he passed out. It was early in practice, though, one day during our fundamental work. He was out, I don't know if he "passed out." If you say you passed out, does that mean you were unconscious. I don't think he was unconscious. But the heat got him and he couldn't go anymore. But I mean I wouldn't want to say he was unconscious or anything.
How much does the composure of the young guys concern you with what they're about to face?
It's a concern. I haven't had to live through that very often. I've had freshmen, every once in a while a freshman starts -- I'm talking about true freshmen. A lot of times they play, but you're not thinking they're the guy. I think the No. 1 person everybody'll probably be watching would be Trinton, just to see how he holds up there. It's a big job, left tackle in our league, true freshman, that's a big job. To this point, he's held up pretty good. Being here at the midyear I would think made all the difference in the world for him to feel as comfortable as he does right now. It's gonna be weird for him. It's gonna be quite an experience for him.
Is there anything you can do to keep their head from swimming around?
I don't think so, you've just got to go play. The good news is he'll get over it pretty quick and he'll become a veteran a lot faster than these guys that are getting redshirted. But you know, Josh Davis, I don't think he's ever played a snap of offensive line in his life. He was a tight end in high school, and I'm sure it's a little bit of an unreal experience for him too. And Haverkamp tweaking his ankle again, we put Boling at right guard today and that could possibly be the lineup.
Haverkamp could be out?
I don't think he would, but if Haverkamp keeps tweaking it or whatever, I think Boling...Boling, he'd be competing with Justin Anderson right now, but today coach threw Boling in there at the No. 1 right guard. Do we think Haverkamp will be back? Yes, but we probably won't do anything with him until after Thursday's scrimmage and maybe even wait till Monday, just depending on how he does.
With those young guys like Trinton, do you wait on how much you tell them because you don't want to freak them out?
The term ignorance is bliss is a true statement. They don't know. And we always say they don't know that they don't know, no matter what you tell 'em. It's just like being a head coach for the first time. You can tell a guy all you want, but until you live through it, you just can't understand it until you've done it. You prepare the best you can, you think you're as ready as you could be and then it's just more than you ever dreamed it could be.
Update on punters. Could both play?
Well, I guess there'd be an outside chance there, but I don't know if we're in that situation right now. I'll be honest with you, I haven't talked with Dave Johnson since our last conversation when I was talking about how we felt. I didn't. I should have, I asked about every offensive and defensive position over the last couple days and I did not ask about how he felt about the punting situation. Or kickoff, for that matter.
Still don't know on kickoff?
No, I know that Bo has done a nice job and Coutu is in the running. But Ben Wilson's back since school began. Ben's a talented guy. Ben's done that for us before in a game. I really think it's gonna come down to a matter of the guy that can consistently put it where it needs to be put. They're all a little bit erratic right now.
Is there any hesitation with Coutu to not put his body in harm's way?
That would not be the determining factor. He's one of the safeties, so hopefully it doesn't get to him. And usually when it does, it's a little bit more of an open-field situation. We've got a couple guys helping him, trying to help him with the return man where he's not the only man that's in a safety role. Not very often would you, even if he's trying to make a tackle, would it be like a head-on-head blow or anything like that. Not to say a kicker couldn't get hurt because they've gotten hurt trying to make a tackle.
On whether they've settled any of the vacant position battles. Tailback, cornerback...
Those have not really been decided yet. Again, those three backs are gonna play. I don't know who's gonna start. I don't know if Tony has decided.
Everybody's talking about Vance Cuff. Have you seen enough from him to maybe make him a bubble guy?
Yeah, I'd say right now we're leaning toward playing Vance. He's a very good cover guy, he's tough, he's very athletic. Sometimes freshmen kinda get in the tank somewhere along the way. So far he's competed every day. Let's face it, we've got some teams that we're playing that've got a lot of three- and four- and even five-receiver looks and we're gonna need some help. I think he'll be able to do that for us.
He wasn't here to be in the shape to come in and be ready.
I know, I assume he was doing something because he really is holding up very well. Some kids are just, they're lean and it's hot where he's from. He's probably used to the heat maybe more than others. He may not have spent his whole summer in the air conditioning playing Xbox or Playstation or something.
Bryan Evans was saying the other day he looks like a second-year guy already...
He looks good. He's not lost and he's competing, he's playing hard and he's making some plays. I think he's holding up very well, enough to where we're gaining some confidence in him. He hasn't mastered some of the special teams things that we'd like for him to get, but we did meet on that today. We talked about kids that we thought would more than likely play, and to get more serious about training them on the special teams, and he was one of those guys.
When he came in, and I'm just making a guess, y'all probably were not expecting him to be ready to go this year?
Nah, we didn't even know if he was gonna get here.
So it's been a surprise then?
Yeah, it's been a very pleasant surprise, for Vance, for us. There's no doubt about that.
I saw Figgins get out there a little bit today. Is he?
Bruce looks decent, as far as coming off the injury. He looks decent. I don't think he's full speed yet, but Bruce, I'd say there's a high-percentage Bruce will play.
You didn't know Saturday whether it was hamstring or groin. Do you know now?
Anybody know what that was? I just don't sit there...they're either in or out. I don't know which one it was.
Do you feel more certain about the tight end situation after the scrimmage?
Certain in what way?
Who's 1, who's 2?
For this game? Not really. Figgins lost some practice time and it might have to sort out after this scrimmage. I doubt it's gonna be just one guy. That's probably another position that'll be done by committee a little bit. I'd say it's still pretty wide-open.
On Aron White:
He's more of a bubble, true bubble guy. I wouldn't say we're leaning one way or another. I would say his situation is, a lot has to do with his size, too. He's a tweener by position. Is he a flex position, is he a tight end? That's kinda up in the air. And then is he ready to play or not? As a true tight end, it would be tough for him right now. As a flex receiver, I think he probably could, but would he really play enough and is he ahead of the others? Is he ahead of Mo, is he ahead of other guys that might play inside? I don't know if he's there, so we'll just have to play it out a little longer with him.
On whether they're leaning toward redshirting Walter Hill and Israel Troupe:
Yeah, those guys as of right this second. Again, we haven't determined that yet. I wouldn't say redshirt, but I would say right now, they're not in the two-deep right now. Things could change, but right now they're not.
Would one of those guys be ahead of the other?
Not really. They're both just learning what to do.
Charles White?
Charles is more of a bubble guy. I wouldn't say one way or the other right now. Some you say, like Rennie, we're leaning towards playing. He's not at that point right now.
How much has Caleb's injury set him back on your evaluation?
It's tough. It's tough to get better when you don't practice. It's tough to know. His race isn't against running ability and athleticism and all that, his race is against knowledge, just learning what to do, getting comfortable with the role that we would be giving him. You need repetitions to get good at it, and he just hasn't been able to get 'em right now.
Chip Towers from the AJC walked up to him at the end and asked if he wanted to comment on Mickey Andrews' son's death (Andrews is Florida State's defensive coordinator and the son, Ronnie, walked on at FSU while Richt was a young coach there). He said some nice things and you could tell it had been tough news to hear. I turned my tape recorder off when Chip asked the question so I didn't transcribe that part. I kinda felt like it was Chip's question and response since he walked up and individually asked the question. If you want to see what Richt had to say, I'm sure you can read it in whatever is in their paper about it.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Monday postpractice
Mark Richt was pretty frank today about where they're leaning with a lot of the true freshmen, so that was what a good portion of the postpractice interview time on today.
The one that surprised some of the reporters was Vance Cuff, who appears to be in line for playing time this year. I'll probably be including most of that stuff in my notebook that I'll write later tonight. My story tomorrow is actually about the rotation at corner, so this Cuff stuff is pretty timely for me.
Here's what Richt said today about Vance:
I'd say right now we're leaning toward playing Vance. He's a very good cover guy, he's tough, he's very athletic. Sometimes freshmen kinda get in the tank somewhere along the way. So far he's competed every day. Let's face it, we've got some teams that we're playing that've got a lot of three- and four- and even five-receiver looks and we're gonna need some help. I think he'll be able to do that for us.
On how he's doing well despite not arriving until camp:
I assume he was doing something because he really is holding up very well. Some kids are just, they're lean and it's hot where he's from. He's probably used to the heat more than others. He may not have spent his whole summer in the air conditioning playing Xbox or Playstation or something.
On Bryan Evans' statement that Vance already looks like a second-year guy:
He looks good. He's not lost and he's competing, he's playing hard and he's making some plays. I think he's holding up very well, enough to where we're gaining some confidence in him. He hasn't mastered some of the special teams things that we'd like for him to get, but we did meet on that today. We talked about kids that we thought would more than likely play, and to get more serious about training them on the special teams, and he was one of those guys.
On whether they expected that when he arrived:
Nah, we didn't even know if he was gonna get here. It's been a very pleasant surprise, for Vance, for us. There's no doubt about that.
The one that surprised some of the reporters was Vance Cuff, who appears to be in line for playing time this year. I'll probably be including most of that stuff in my notebook that I'll write later tonight. My story tomorrow is actually about the rotation at corner, so this Cuff stuff is pretty timely for me.
Here's what Richt said today about Vance:
I'd say right now we're leaning toward playing Vance. He's a very good cover guy, he's tough, he's very athletic. Sometimes freshmen kinda get in the tank somewhere along the way. So far he's competed every day. Let's face it, we've got some teams that we're playing that've got a lot of three- and four- and even five-receiver looks and we're gonna need some help. I think he'll be able to do that for us.
On how he's doing well despite not arriving until camp:
I assume he was doing something because he really is holding up very well. Some kids are just, they're lean and it's hot where he's from. He's probably used to the heat more than others. He may not have spent his whole summer in the air conditioning playing Xbox or Playstation or something.
On Bryan Evans' statement that Vance already looks like a second-year guy:
He looks good. He's not lost and he's competing, he's playing hard and he's making some plays. I think he's holding up very well, enough to where we're gaining some confidence in him. He hasn't mastered some of the special teams things that we'd like for him to get, but we did meet on that today. We talked about kids that we thought would more than likely play, and to get more serious about training them on the special teams, and he was one of those guys.
On whether they expected that when he arrived:
Nah, we didn't even know if he was gonna get here. It's been a very pleasant surprise, for Vance, for us. There's no doubt about that.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Much-needed day off
Today was an awesome day, as it was the first true day off I've had in weeks. Seriously.
At any rate, I figured I should post something just to have a post for the night. The subject came up yesterday morning with coach Richt about which starting positions are still up in the air. The ones that are most obvious are tailback, cornerback and receiver. Punter may still be up for grabs, too. Can't be too sure on that one. I feel pretty confident that all the rest are settled, but like Richt said, there's still a lot of playing time to be won.
Just for fun, here's my "two weeks to go" guess on what happens, position by position. And at the end of the predicted starters, I'll go over what/who's still up in the air.
OFFENSIVE LINE
LT Trinton Sturdivant. Sounds like this is pretty solid.
LG Chris Davis. Same here
C Fernando Velasco. The most settled of any of them at OL, I'd say.
RG Scott Haverkamp. Haven't heard anything bad about the guy.
RT Chester Adams. They might like to move him inside, but it won't happen soon.
What else: The starters are in place. I'll be interested as to who works into the rotation, particularly out of the freshmen. LT Vince Vance, C Kevin Perez and G/T Clint Boling sound like they'd be first off the bench if need be. RT Kiante Tripp is a wild card of sorts, depending on how quickly he picks things up. True freshmen Justin Anderson and Ben Harden are also in the mix. My guess is that Tanner Strickland redshirts because of the time in camp he's missed with a foot sprain and that Chris Little redshirts because of his wrist injury and because he's not in good enough shape.
TIGHT END
I feel fairly sure Tripp Chandler will start once he returns from a one-game suspension.
What else: In his stead, it looks like Coleman Watson and NaDerris Ward will hold things down, with Aron White possibly working in certain passing formations. My guess is that they'll burn White's redshirt. Not so sure about true freshman Bruce Figgins. He should be back from injury this week, but he'll have to show in the next several days that there's a reason to play him this year.
QUARTERBACK
Matthew Stafford may be the most secure of any starter on the team.
What else: Richt didn't guarantee Joe Cox will play in every game, but he said they'd like to get him as much playing time as circumstances dictate. That's probably a smart move as he doesn't have a ton of game experience and he's only an injury away from being in the game. Blake Barnes will be the No. 3 and it's a safe bet that something crazy will have to happen for Logan Gray to avoid a redshirt.
TAILBACK
Coming into preseason camp, I expected Kregg Lumpkin to get the starting nod, but lately it's looking like it might wind up being Thomas Brown.
What else: Really it doesn't matter which of the two starts, they're both going to get their touches, as will Knowshon Moreno. I think Bobo might run the ball more frequently than Georgia has in the past and they'll probably stick with the hot hand starting out until somebody shows he deserves the lion's share of the carries. It looks like a redshirt is in Caleb King's future.
FULLBACK
Actually I take back what I said a second ago, Brannan Southerland might be the most secure in his starting position.
What else: It'll be interesting to see which of Southerland's backups -- Jason Johnson, Shaun Chapas and Fred Munzenmeier -- makes it onto the field after Brannan.
WIDE RECEIVER
Sean Bailey and Mikey Henderson have stretched as the first-team guys at split end and flanker, respectively, throughout camp. My guess is that Bailey's pretty secure in his spot, but I don't know what's going to happen at flanker.
What else: Mikey and A.J. Bryant have been hurt and it sounds like Michael Moore has played well. Kenneth Harris has to be in the conversation as well. Mohamed Massaquoi has been stretching as Bailey's backup and I figure Tony Wilson and Kris Durham to figure in as well. If they started in a three-receiver set, I'd guess Bailey, Henderson and Massaquoi would be on the field, but I honestly don't know what to expect. I don't think either Walter Hill or Israel Troupe will play.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Jeff Owens and Kade Weston appear to be the starters. Owens is pretty much locked in, but I wouldn't say Kade is a 100 percent certainty.
What else: My estimation is that Corvey Irvin and Geno Atkins would probably be first off the bench. Tripp Taylor, Jarius Wynn and Ricardo Crawford will get in there too.
DEFENSIVE END
Rod Battle and Marcus Howard seem locked in as the starters.
What else: It sounds like Demarcus Dobbs is starting to pick things up well. I figure you'll also see Michael Lemon, Jeremy Lomax and maybe Wynn play some downs at end. I imagine Neland Ball will redshirt.
LINEBACKER
Dannell Ellerbe in the middle, Darius Dewberry at weakside and Brandon Miller at strongside appear settled.
What else: The most interesting thing to me is how much true freshman Rennie Curran plays and whether Charles White will play. Curran will definitely play and I think White may as well. SLB Akeem Dent and MLB Marcus Washington sound like they'll get some playing time. I expected Darryl Gamble to figure into the mix in the spring, but I'm not sure where he is right now. I haven't asked about him, but Justin Houston is probably looking at a redshirt because of the logjam ahead of him on the depth chart.
SAFETY
I think Kelin Johnson is a lock at strong safety and CJ Byrd is pretty close to certain at free.
What else: FS Reshad Jones is by all accounts a gifted player, but I think Willie Martinez hasn't seen everything he wants out of him as far as understanding of the defense. He's a playmaker, though, so I think they'll try to get him in the game. Quintin Banks is Kelin's backup, but it's hard to expect Kelin coming out all that frequently. It would be a nice story to see Antavious Coates get back on the field. His thrice-repaired knees have been swelling up with all the work in camp, which is probably to be expected, but he may eventually figure into the picture as well. Hard to tell. I think it's safe to guess that John Knox will redshirt.
CORNERBACK
This may be the one that's the most up for grabs at this point. I think coach Martinez would like to start Bryan Evans and Thomas Flowers in the opener, but both of them have been injured in camp. My guess is that's still the combination you'll see start out against Oklahoma State.
What else: Sophomores Asher Allen and Prince Miller are going to play a good bit, regardless of whether they start. None of these guys are in Paul Oliver's class yet, so I think Martinez is going to get all of them on the field and give them a shot. With Ramarcus Brown suspended for the first two games, that means some other corners might have to be ready because of how frequently the first two opponents -- Oklahoma State and South Carolina -- figure to put the ball in the air. Donovan Baldwin would probably be next on the field, although Evans has been very complimentary of how well true freshman Vance Cuff has come along. I think they'd like to redshirt Cuff if they don't need him, but we'll see what happens.
At any rate, I figured I should post something just to have a post for the night. The subject came up yesterday morning with coach Richt about which starting positions are still up in the air. The ones that are most obvious are tailback, cornerback and receiver. Punter may still be up for grabs, too. Can't be too sure on that one. I feel pretty confident that all the rest are settled, but like Richt said, there's still a lot of playing time to be won.
Just for fun, here's my "two weeks to go" guess on what happens, position by position. And at the end of the predicted starters, I'll go over what/who's still up in the air.
OFFENSIVE LINE
LT Trinton Sturdivant. Sounds like this is pretty solid.
LG Chris Davis. Same here
C Fernando Velasco. The most settled of any of them at OL, I'd say.
RG Scott Haverkamp. Haven't heard anything bad about the guy.
RT Chester Adams. They might like to move him inside, but it won't happen soon.
What else: The starters are in place. I'll be interested as to who works into the rotation, particularly out of the freshmen. LT Vince Vance, C Kevin Perez and G/T Clint Boling sound like they'd be first off the bench if need be. RT Kiante Tripp is a wild card of sorts, depending on how quickly he picks things up. True freshmen Justin Anderson and Ben Harden are also in the mix. My guess is that Tanner Strickland redshirts because of the time in camp he's missed with a foot sprain and that Chris Little redshirts because of his wrist injury and because he's not in good enough shape.
TIGHT END
I feel fairly sure Tripp Chandler will start once he returns from a one-game suspension.
What else: In his stead, it looks like Coleman Watson and NaDerris Ward will hold things down, with Aron White possibly working in certain passing formations. My guess is that they'll burn White's redshirt. Not so sure about true freshman Bruce Figgins. He should be back from injury this week, but he'll have to show in the next several days that there's a reason to play him this year.
QUARTERBACK
Matthew Stafford may be the most secure of any starter on the team.
What else: Richt didn't guarantee Joe Cox will play in every game, but he said they'd like to get him as much playing time as circumstances dictate. That's probably a smart move as he doesn't have a ton of game experience and he's only an injury away from being in the game. Blake Barnes will be the No. 3 and it's a safe bet that something crazy will have to happen for Logan Gray to avoid a redshirt.
TAILBACK
Coming into preseason camp, I expected Kregg Lumpkin to get the starting nod, but lately it's looking like it might wind up being Thomas Brown.
What else: Really it doesn't matter which of the two starts, they're both going to get their touches, as will Knowshon Moreno. I think Bobo might run the ball more frequently than Georgia has in the past and they'll probably stick with the hot hand starting out until somebody shows he deserves the lion's share of the carries. It looks like a redshirt is in Caleb King's future.
FULLBACK
Actually I take back what I said a second ago, Brannan Southerland might be the most secure in his starting position.
What else: It'll be interesting to see which of Southerland's backups -- Jason Johnson, Shaun Chapas and Fred Munzenmeier -- makes it onto the field after Brannan.
WIDE RECEIVER
Sean Bailey and Mikey Henderson have stretched as the first-team guys at split end and flanker, respectively, throughout camp. My guess is that Bailey's pretty secure in his spot, but I don't know what's going to happen at flanker.
What else: Mikey and A.J. Bryant have been hurt and it sounds like Michael Moore has played well. Kenneth Harris has to be in the conversation as well. Mohamed Massaquoi has been stretching as Bailey's backup and I figure Tony Wilson and Kris Durham to figure in as well. If they started in a three-receiver set, I'd guess Bailey, Henderson and Massaquoi would be on the field, but I honestly don't know what to expect. I don't think either Walter Hill or Israel Troupe will play.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Jeff Owens and Kade Weston appear to be the starters. Owens is pretty much locked in, but I wouldn't say Kade is a 100 percent certainty.
What else: My estimation is that Corvey Irvin and Geno Atkins would probably be first off the bench. Tripp Taylor, Jarius Wynn and Ricardo Crawford will get in there too.
DEFENSIVE END
Rod Battle and Marcus Howard seem locked in as the starters.
What else: It sounds like Demarcus Dobbs is starting to pick things up well. I figure you'll also see Michael Lemon, Jeremy Lomax and maybe Wynn play some downs at end. I imagine Neland Ball will redshirt.
LINEBACKER
Dannell Ellerbe in the middle, Darius Dewberry at weakside and Brandon Miller at strongside appear settled.
What else: The most interesting thing to me is how much true freshman Rennie Curran plays and whether Charles White will play. Curran will definitely play and I think White may as well. SLB Akeem Dent and MLB Marcus Washington sound like they'll get some playing time. I expected Darryl Gamble to figure into the mix in the spring, but I'm not sure where he is right now. I haven't asked about him, but Justin Houston is probably looking at a redshirt because of the logjam ahead of him on the depth chart.
SAFETY
I think Kelin Johnson is a lock at strong safety and CJ Byrd is pretty close to certain at free.
What else: FS Reshad Jones is by all accounts a gifted player, but I think Willie Martinez hasn't seen everything he wants out of him as far as understanding of the defense. He's a playmaker, though, so I think they'll try to get him in the game. Quintin Banks is Kelin's backup, but it's hard to expect Kelin coming out all that frequently. It would be a nice story to see Antavious Coates get back on the field. His thrice-repaired knees have been swelling up with all the work in camp, which is probably to be expected, but he may eventually figure into the picture as well. Hard to tell. I think it's safe to guess that John Knox will redshirt.
CORNERBACK
This may be the one that's the most up for grabs at this point. I think coach Martinez would like to start Bryan Evans and Thomas Flowers in the opener, but both of them have been injured in camp. My guess is that's still the combination you'll see start out against Oklahoma State.
What else: Sophomores Asher Allen and Prince Miller are going to play a good bit, regardless of whether they start. None of these guys are in Paul Oliver's class yet, so I think Martinez is going to get all of them on the field and give them a shot. With Ramarcus Brown suspended for the first two games, that means some other corners might have to be ready because of how frequently the first two opponents -- Oklahoma State and South Carolina -- figure to put the ball in the air. Donovan Baldwin would probably be next on the field, although Evans has been very complimentary of how well true freshman Vance Cuff has come along. I think they'd like to redshirt Cuff if they don't need him, but we'll see what happens.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Saturday stuff
I wrote a long notebook after this morning's practice that's already posted on the LE Web site. Talks about the possibility of redshirts for Caleb King and Bruce Figgins and the likelihood of Rennie Curran playing this season (it's gonna happen. The only freshman who's more of a certainty is Trinton Sturdivant). Also some stuff on position battles at RB, WR and CB, Dannell Ellerbe's emergence at MLB, an injury update and some other general stuff.
I always enjoy the details on picture day of who showed up first for the guaranteed tickets for photos with Uga VI and Mark Richt and WHEN. This year's Uga winner was Athens' Joe D'Angelo, who got in line for the first of 120 guaranteed tickets at 8 p.m. Friday night (the dog's time at the stadium was between 1 and 3 p.m. today). Jackson's Wayne Parker started the Richt line at 4:30 this morning. He got the first of 250 Richt tickets. Demand again was pretty high. A little more than seven minutes after UGA staff began distributing the tickets at 9 a.m., they were all gone.
The team doesn't practice on Sunday and will return to the field at 3:35 on Monday. Unless something happens, I may not post anything on Sunday. We'll see.
By the way, Richt said he had not spoken with D.J. Shockley this morning. I was watching the game Friday night when he hurt his knee and you automatically assume the worst. He had an MRI this morning and was diagnosed with a sprain, but may have damaged knee ligaments (per the AJC's Steve Wyche). Here's hoping it's not as serious as it appeared. Although his senior year was the one before I started covering Georgia, he's universally liked by the other writers because he's such a nice, genuine kid. Those are the ones you like to see do well.
So here are some quotes I have left over from Friday and Saturday that would probably never see the light of day otherwise:
Matthew Stafford, on why he was more excited about the offense's performance after Friday's scrimmage than he was after an outstanding G-Day game:
"I think even more now than it was then. Back then it was just basic stuff. We didn't run half the stuff we run now and we're executing stuff that's new to us. So it's promising to see. There's always room for improvement. We've just got to keep working at it."
Sean Bailey, same subject:
"In the spring, everything's real simple. It's just basic. But to have everything in the playbook and throwing it all at us and us being able to grasp it and make the best of our opportunties is a good feeling going into the season."
Thomas Brown, on the receivers' performance in Friday's scrimmage:
"The receivers were making plays. They've received a lot of criticism in last season and in the spring about not being able to catch the ball. But they've made a lot of great steps. They've been doing it all camp long in practice, making diving catches and things like that, so they're gonna be fine."
Bryan Evans on his injured hamstring. (I used some of this in the notebook):
"I'd say right now I feel around 93 percent. I can run, but I can't open it how I want to open up. But I think I'm doing pretty good right now. I've been running, and I've been accelerating and decelerating pretty good, so right now they're trying to tell me that Monday I can probably get in a full day."
"It's just gonna be that time that I have to chase Mikey Henderson down or something like that to see how it's gonna feel."
Mark Richt (this morning), on possible depth chart changes after the scrimmage:
"If you're gonna ask about depth chart moves, there just hasn't been much time. I'm sure coaches might have some things in their mind, but we haven't discussed anything yet. We graded film fairly late last night, we got up and met with the players immediately and now we're crashing through picture day, so we'll probably get some time to talk over the weekend. Maybe by Monday we'll have some things."
Richt, on the question of what starting positions are up in the air:
"I'd say our linebackers are pretty solid as where we're gonna line up right now. D-line, as far as the starting four that's probably pretty close. I think those two positions is more of an emphasis on how much our reserves will play. That's as important as anything. Like at tailback, I can tell you. There's gonna be I guess some prestige as who's named the starter, but we expect all three of those guys to play. Whether people like it or not, they're all very talented and they all are ready to play and they're gonna play. Fullback, it's a matter of how much are the other two guys gonna get. Who's gonna be No. 2? Who's getting in the game after Southerland? That's a race going on. Receiver, no matter who you start, you tend to not play that guy over and over and over. He's gonna get substituted for. How important is that starting lineup? There's definitely prestige to it, you get your picture on the big scoreboard and I know the guys are fighting for that, but a lot of these positions it's just a matter of who's gonna start and then after that, there'll be a lot of substitution as the game goes on."
Richt, on whether Rennie Curran will play:
"I think we will want to get Rennie in the game. A lot will just depend on when we put the plan in, is he getting it? Is he playing fast in practice? Coaches gain confidence and lose confidence in meetings. You're installing. Right now he looks like he is gonna play some. When you put a gameplan in and try to start trying to scout team it and simulate it, if he's getting it, coach'll be more likely to get him in. If he looks lost, he'll be less likely to get him in. That's what I think could keep Rennie out of the game as a scrimmage down player, is coaches feeling he's not quite understanding it. Special teams, I'm sure we'll find a place for him to help. But yeah, Rennie's gonna play. The decision's pretty much been made on whether he'd be redshirted or not. I don't think he'll redshirt."
Richt, on Caleb King and redshirts:
"He hasn't practiced in a while. He's got a hamstring. He probably hasn't practiced the last four or five practices. We'll see how he comes back and just see where we are. It's a physical game, we've still got another scrimmage. You never know what could happen there too...a lot of those guys, we may know with a lot of them Game 1, it'll be obvious if they get in the game, and then there'll be some that it'll take a couple games to really be sure."
Richt, on Demarcus Dobbs:
"I see a guy who's just beginning to get comfortable knowing what to do, being able to deal with our coaching and all that kind of thing. Sometimes guys just have a hard time handling the pressure of the coaching. I think he can handle that real good. He just seems to be one that's beginning to play faster and more confident. I'm sure he'll play."
Michael Moore, on the receivers' state of mind:
"In the past, the receivers have caught flak since I've been here. They put a lot of pressure on coach Eason and coach Bobo, coach Richt, and blamed them for the drops, when really it's us. But we just kept working at it and we're like one big family now. Everybody's like...when Tony Wilson scores a touchdown, I'm running down the field. When I score a touchdown, they're running down the field. That's how we are."
I always enjoy the details on picture day of who showed up first for the guaranteed tickets for photos with Uga VI and Mark Richt and WHEN. This year's Uga winner was Athens' Joe D'Angelo, who got in line for the first of 120 guaranteed tickets at 8 p.m. Friday night (the dog's time at the stadium was between 1 and 3 p.m. today). Jackson's Wayne Parker started the Richt line at 4:30 this morning. He got the first of 250 Richt tickets. Demand again was pretty high. A little more than seven minutes after UGA staff began distributing the tickets at 9 a.m., they were all gone.
The team doesn't practice on Sunday and will return to the field at 3:35 on Monday. Unless something happens, I may not post anything on Sunday. We'll see.
By the way, Richt said he had not spoken with D.J. Shockley this morning. I was watching the game Friday night when he hurt his knee and you automatically assume the worst. He had an MRI this morning and was diagnosed with a sprain, but may have damaged knee ligaments (per the AJC's Steve Wyche). Here's hoping it's not as serious as it appeared. Although his senior year was the one before I started covering Georgia, he's universally liked by the other writers because he's such a nice, genuine kid. Those are the ones you like to see do well.
So here are some quotes I have left over from Friday and Saturday that would probably never see the light of day otherwise:
Matthew Stafford, on why he was more excited about the offense's performance after Friday's scrimmage than he was after an outstanding G-Day game:
"I think even more now than it was then. Back then it was just basic stuff. We didn't run half the stuff we run now and we're executing stuff that's new to us. So it's promising to see. There's always room for improvement. We've just got to keep working at it."
Sean Bailey, same subject:
"In the spring, everything's real simple. It's just basic. But to have everything in the playbook and throwing it all at us and us being able to grasp it and make the best of our opportunties is a good feeling going into the season."
Thomas Brown, on the receivers' performance in Friday's scrimmage:
"The receivers were making plays. They've received a lot of criticism in last season and in the spring about not being able to catch the ball. But they've made a lot of great steps. They've been doing it all camp long in practice, making diving catches and things like that, so they're gonna be fine."
Bryan Evans on his injured hamstring. (I used some of this in the notebook):
"I'd say right now I feel around 93 percent. I can run, but I can't open it how I want to open up. But I think I'm doing pretty good right now. I've been running, and I've been accelerating and decelerating pretty good, so right now they're trying to tell me that Monday I can probably get in a full day."
"It's just gonna be that time that I have to chase Mikey Henderson down or something like that to see how it's gonna feel."
Mark Richt (this morning), on possible depth chart changes after the scrimmage:
"If you're gonna ask about depth chart moves, there just hasn't been much time. I'm sure coaches might have some things in their mind, but we haven't discussed anything yet. We graded film fairly late last night, we got up and met with the players immediately and now we're crashing through picture day, so we'll probably get some time to talk over the weekend. Maybe by Monday we'll have some things."
Richt, on the question of what starting positions are up in the air:
"I'd say our linebackers are pretty solid as where we're gonna line up right now. D-line, as far as the starting four that's probably pretty close. I think those two positions is more of an emphasis on how much our reserves will play. That's as important as anything. Like at tailback, I can tell you. There's gonna be I guess some prestige as who's named the starter, but we expect all three of those guys to play. Whether people like it or not, they're all very talented and they all are ready to play and they're gonna play. Fullback, it's a matter of how much are the other two guys gonna get. Who's gonna be No. 2? Who's getting in the game after Southerland? That's a race going on. Receiver, no matter who you start, you tend to not play that guy over and over and over. He's gonna get substituted for. How important is that starting lineup? There's definitely prestige to it, you get your picture on the big scoreboard and I know the guys are fighting for that, but a lot of these positions it's just a matter of who's gonna start and then after that, there'll be a lot of substitution as the game goes on."
Richt, on whether Rennie Curran will play:
"I think we will want to get Rennie in the game. A lot will just depend on when we put the plan in, is he getting it? Is he playing fast in practice? Coaches gain confidence and lose confidence in meetings. You're installing. Right now he looks like he is gonna play some. When you put a gameplan in and try to start trying to scout team it and simulate it, if he's getting it, coach'll be more likely to get him in. If he looks lost, he'll be less likely to get him in. That's what I think could keep Rennie out of the game as a scrimmage down player, is coaches feeling he's not quite understanding it. Special teams, I'm sure we'll find a place for him to help. But yeah, Rennie's gonna play. The decision's pretty much been made on whether he'd be redshirted or not. I don't think he'll redshirt."
Richt, on Caleb King and redshirts:
"He hasn't practiced in a while. He's got a hamstring. He probably hasn't practiced the last four or five practices. We'll see how he comes back and just see where we are. It's a physical game, we've still got another scrimmage. You never know what could happen there too...a lot of those guys, we may know with a lot of them Game 1, it'll be obvious if they get in the game, and then there'll be some that it'll take a couple games to really be sure."
Richt, on Demarcus Dobbs:
"I see a guy who's just beginning to get comfortable knowing what to do, being able to deal with our coaching and all that kind of thing. Sometimes guys just have a hard time handling the pressure of the coaching. I think he can handle that real good. He just seems to be one that's beginning to play faster and more confident. I'm sure he'll play."
Michael Moore, on the receivers' state of mind:
"In the past, the receivers have caught flak since I've been here. They put a lot of pressure on coach Eason and coach Bobo, coach Richt, and blamed them for the drops, when really it's us. But we just kept working at it and we're like one big family now. Everybody's like...when Tony Wilson scores a touchdown, I'm running down the field. When I score a touchdown, they're running down the field. That's how we are."
Fabris on the new kickoff rule
I talked with coach Jon Fabris on Wednesday for a story I did for Saturday's paper on the new kickoff rule that's been getting so much attention nationally. In case you haven't read stories like this one, the NCAA is moving kickoffs back 5 yards from the 35 to the 30. Coaches are pretty much universally saying this will lead to 1) far more kickoffs being returned and 2) far more injuries occurring on the kickoff. Some of these guys, like Purdue's Joe Tiller, who blasts the new rule in the story I linked above, are vehemently opposed to the new rule. I don't get that vibe from Mark Richt, but I don't think he's a huge fan of the kickoff, period. He suggested at the Peach State Pigskin Preview in Macon this summer that he'd be in favor of getting rid of the kickoff altogether and simply starting a new series at the 24-yard line...
Anyway, since Georgia typically opts for high directional kicks, this isn't going to affect the Bulldogs quite as much as it would a school like Auburn, which had more than three times as many touchbacks (51-15) as Georgia did last year. Touchbacks are simply going to be harder to achieve.
I talked to coach Fabris, who constructs Georgia's kicking team coverages, about what the new rule will bring, and I figured posting that Q/A might be a nice companion piece to the story. He was an interesting interview as always, particularly at the end when a couple of the other writers joined in on the interview...
On whether it helps Georgia now to have used the placement kick strategy in the past:
Truly I haven't looked at it as some kind of advantage or anything like that. I really don't. I think it has to do with who you have running down the field. That has a lot to do with it right there. We've never had a lot of touchbacks through the years. We've had some, but we didn't have a lot, so it's not like, 'Oh gosh.' I know some teams, like 75 percent of their balls or maybe more are touchbacks. Maybe they're concerned. I think a lot of those teams are gonna put their very best players on it to try to make sure that they've got it ironed out.
On what kinds of changes to expect (I hadn't thought about how this could affect the punt return game as well. That was an interesting point):
I think the thing is you can almost count on, unless there's a wind involved, there's not gonna be hardly any touchbacks. Even if you kick a ball on a line drive and it goes 5 yards deep, I can't imagine why a team if you kick it off at the 30 wouldn't want to run it out anyway. Make sense? You're a long ways away from the coverage team. Surely you can get it to the 20. That's where you get it if you just down it, so I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't return it anyway. I guess what I'm saying is it isn't a whole lot different. We've backed it up 5, are we gonna be to have 5 yards less field position now than we used to because we're kicking it from 5 yards further back? It's just a rule that helps the offense with field position and it's gonna hurt the punt return game. There'll be less opportunities there because more of the punts will be pooch punts because of the field position. They want to help the game, and I think it does help the game to have the return of the kickoff, but until they make the rules consistent in terms of people kicking the ball out of bounds or whatever -- that's why the NFL has the rule they do, that only two men on the line of scrimmage can cover, because they want returns in the game. To me it's an art to punt a ball out of bounds inside the 10-yard line. That's an art. But just punting the ball out of bounds, just so you can't return it, is that what the fans want? See my point? It's not consistent. The kickoff is penalized heavily. I don't know about you guys, but I always felt like if we kick the ball out of bounds, you make us move the ball back 5 yards and rekick, that's enough of a penalty as it is. We're tired, we've gotta cover again and we're 5 yards further back. Or you could take it where it went out. Kick it out again? That to me was a fair penalty. This thing now, I don't know, it's almost like it's just almost overboard, but it's not on the other phases. It's almost like they don't care about the other phases. That's one of the most exciting plays in football is the punt return. That's why the NFL has the rules that they have, because it's entertainment.
Coach Richt was saying as many as 85 to 90 percent of kickoffs might be returned now. Is that the way you see it?
I've never studied it or anything. I guess you can't study it until this season. But I can see that being true.
Mark was saying he's for abolishing kickoffs altogether, really, if that could happen. Is that an insane thing to think?
I'm not saying my boss is insane, OK? (which drew a good bit of laughter) That might be one of the signs of the apocalypse, man, if you're gonna do away with something that started the first game in 1869. I don't know. It's the most pure play in football. I don't know, I don't see that happening. Unless Teddy Roosevelt is in office and wants to do something like he did with the forward pass to make the game more civil -- a lot of people don't know how that all came about -- because the game was so quote-unquote, people were getting killed.
He almost abolished it, didn't he?
Yeah because of deaths and whatnot. And Teddy Roosevelt liked a good fight and a challenge as much as anybody. But you know, all that did was make the game better. Forward pass, open it up a little bit. We still know who wins the games -- people who run the ball.
Anyway, since Georgia typically opts for high directional kicks, this isn't going to affect the Bulldogs quite as much as it would a school like Auburn, which had more than three times as many touchbacks (51-15) as Georgia did last year. Touchbacks are simply going to be harder to achieve.
I talked to coach Fabris, who constructs Georgia's kicking team coverages, about what the new rule will bring, and I figured posting that Q/A might be a nice companion piece to the story. He was an interesting interview as always, particularly at the end when a couple of the other writers joined in on the interview...
On whether it helps Georgia now to have used the placement kick strategy in the past:
Truly I haven't looked at it as some kind of advantage or anything like that. I really don't. I think it has to do with who you have running down the field. That has a lot to do with it right there. We've never had a lot of touchbacks through the years. We've had some, but we didn't have a lot, so it's not like, 'Oh gosh.' I know some teams, like 75 percent of their balls or maybe more are touchbacks. Maybe they're concerned. I think a lot of those teams are gonna put their very best players on it to try to make sure that they've got it ironed out.
On what kinds of changes to expect (I hadn't thought about how this could affect the punt return game as well. That was an interesting point):
I think the thing is you can almost count on, unless there's a wind involved, there's not gonna be hardly any touchbacks. Even if you kick a ball on a line drive and it goes 5 yards deep, I can't imagine why a team if you kick it off at the 30 wouldn't want to run it out anyway. Make sense? You're a long ways away from the coverage team. Surely you can get it to the 20. That's where you get it if you just down it, so I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't return it anyway. I guess what I'm saying is it isn't a whole lot different. We've backed it up 5, are we gonna be to have 5 yards less field position now than we used to because we're kicking it from 5 yards further back? It's just a rule that helps the offense with field position and it's gonna hurt the punt return game. There'll be less opportunities there because more of the punts will be pooch punts because of the field position. They want to help the game, and I think it does help the game to have the return of the kickoff, but until they make the rules consistent in terms of people kicking the ball out of bounds or whatever -- that's why the NFL has the rule they do, that only two men on the line of scrimmage can cover, because they want returns in the game. To me it's an art to punt a ball out of bounds inside the 10-yard line. That's an art. But just punting the ball out of bounds, just so you can't return it, is that what the fans want? See my point? It's not consistent. The kickoff is penalized heavily. I don't know about you guys, but I always felt like if we kick the ball out of bounds, you make us move the ball back 5 yards and rekick, that's enough of a penalty as it is. We're tired, we've gotta cover again and we're 5 yards further back. Or you could take it where it went out. Kick it out again? That to me was a fair penalty. This thing now, I don't know, it's almost like it's just almost overboard, but it's not on the other phases. It's almost like they don't care about the other phases. That's one of the most exciting plays in football is the punt return. That's why the NFL has the rules that they have, because it's entertainment.
Coach Richt was saying as many as 85 to 90 percent of kickoffs might be returned now. Is that the way you see it?
I've never studied it or anything. I guess you can't study it until this season. But I can see that being true.
Mark was saying he's for abolishing kickoffs altogether, really, if that could happen. Is that an insane thing to think?
I'm not saying my boss is insane, OK? (which drew a good bit of laughter) That might be one of the signs of the apocalypse, man, if you're gonna do away with something that started the first game in 1869. I don't know. It's the most pure play in football. I don't know, I don't see that happening. Unless Teddy Roosevelt is in office and wants to do something like he did with the forward pass to make the game more civil -- a lot of people don't know how that all came about -- because the game was so quote-unquote, people were getting killed.
He almost abolished it, didn't he?
Yeah because of deaths and whatnot. And Teddy Roosevelt liked a good fight and a challenge as much as anybody. But you know, all that did was make the game better. Forward pass, open it up a little bit. We still know who wins the games -- people who run the ball.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Scrimmage stats
They gave us some more great post-scrimmage stats, which I'll assume again came from Christopher Lakos -- so many thanks to him.
I'll get right to it:
PASSING
Stafford 14-17 218 yds 4 TDs
Cox 8-15 94 yds 2 TDs, int
RECEIVING
Bailey 3-71 TD (40 yards from Stafford on final play before half)
Harris 2-51 TD (37 yards from Stafford to cap 55-yd drive)
Wilson 3-47 TD (24 yards from Stafford to cap 60-yd drive)
Moore 2-40 TD (diving catch from Cox with No. 1 offense to cap 70-yd drive)
Watson 2-37 TD (1 yd from Stafford in goalline drill)
Southerland 2-18
Gartrell 1-10 TD (10 yards from Cox in goalline drill)
Chapas 2-10
Hill 1-3
RUSHING
Moreno 3-27
Lumpkin 5-26
Johnson 16-15 (3-yd TD run with No. 1 offense)
Brown 6-14
Chapas 3-13
Walk-on RB Kalvin Daniels also went head-to-head with Reshad Jones on the 1-yard line and scored the TD on second effort
DEFENSE
Ellerbe 9 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, sack
Curran 9 tackles
Irvin 6 tackles, TFL, sack
Jones 5 tackles, 1 pass breakup, forced fumble
Owens 5 tackles, TFL, sack
Dobbs 4 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks
Allen 2 PBU, 1 tackle
Atkins 4 tackles, 2 TFL, fumble recovery for 40-yd touchdown
Johnson 2 tackles, TFL, interception, sack, safety
Lomax blocked 57-yd FG
Byrd fumble recovery
Lemon forced fumble
Williams forced fumble
* In second half, Johnson got safety on situational series where No. 2 offense started at its own 1-yard line. Demarcus Dobbs and Quintin Banks combined for a sack against the No. 1 offense in the same situation.
* In overtime simulation, the starting defense stopped the No. 2 offense and Andy Bailey hit a 42-yard field goal. The No. 2 defense held the starting offense to 5 yards and Brandon Coutu hit a 40-yard field goal.
* In goalline drill, the No. 1 defense beat the No. 2 offense 3-1. The No. 1 offense and No. 2 defense split 2-2.
* The kickers made all their extra points.
* Scrimmage injuries: Kiante Tripp sprained his ankle and both Vince Vance and Rennie Curran suffered injuries on shots to the ribs. Richt didn't believe any of the injuries were especially serious.
* Lumpkin, Moreno and Brown only played in the first half because, Richt said, they're already game-ready. (It looked to me like Caleb King was stretching with the injured players on the side as we were leaving and I'm not sure how much he played in the scrimmage, if at all. That could very likely be an indication on this redshirt thing.)
I'll get right to it:
PASSING
Stafford 14-17 218 yds 4 TDs
Cox 8-15 94 yds 2 TDs, int
RECEIVING
Bailey 3-71 TD (40 yards from Stafford on final play before half)
Harris 2-51 TD (37 yards from Stafford to cap 55-yd drive)
Wilson 3-47 TD (24 yards from Stafford to cap 60-yd drive)
Moore 2-40 TD (diving catch from Cox with No. 1 offense to cap 70-yd drive)
Watson 2-37 TD (1 yd from Stafford in goalline drill)
Southerland 2-18
Gartrell 1-10 TD (10 yards from Cox in goalline drill)
Chapas 2-10
Hill 1-3
RUSHING
Moreno 3-27
Lumpkin 5-26
Johnson 16-15 (3-yd TD run with No. 1 offense)
Brown 6-14
Chapas 3-13
Walk-on RB Kalvin Daniels also went head-to-head with Reshad Jones on the 1-yard line and scored the TD on second effort
DEFENSE
Ellerbe 9 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, sack
Curran 9 tackles
Irvin 6 tackles, TFL, sack
Jones 5 tackles, 1 pass breakup, forced fumble
Owens 5 tackles, TFL, sack
Dobbs 4 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks
Allen 2 PBU, 1 tackle
Atkins 4 tackles, 2 TFL, fumble recovery for 40-yd touchdown
Johnson 2 tackles, TFL, interception, sack, safety
Lomax blocked 57-yd FG
Byrd fumble recovery
Lemon forced fumble
Williams forced fumble
* In second half, Johnson got safety on situational series where No. 2 offense started at its own 1-yard line. Demarcus Dobbs and Quintin Banks combined for a sack against the No. 1 offense in the same situation.
* In overtime simulation, the starting defense stopped the No. 2 offense and Andy Bailey hit a 42-yard field goal. The No. 2 defense held the starting offense to 5 yards and Brandon Coutu hit a 40-yard field goal.
* In goalline drill, the No. 1 defense beat the No. 2 offense 3-1. The No. 1 offense and No. 2 defense split 2-2.
* The kickers made all their extra points.
* Scrimmage injuries: Kiante Tripp sprained his ankle and both Vince Vance and Rennie Curran suffered injuries on shots to the ribs. Richt didn't believe any of the injuries were especially serious.
* Lumpkin, Moreno and Brown only played in the first half because, Richt said, they're already game-ready. (It looked to me like Caleb King was stretching with the injured players on the side as we were leaving and I'm not sure how much he played in the scrimmage, if at all. That could very likely be an indication on this redshirt thing.)
Scrimmage stuff
Sounds like it was a better day for the offense. Stafford was 14-17 for 218 yards and 4 TDs.
Sean Bailey, Kenneth Harris, Tony Wilson, Michael Moore, Coleman Watson and T.J. Gartrell all caught TDs.
Moreno ran three times for 27 yards to lead the tailbacks. None of them played in the second half.
Talked with Stafford, Moore, Kelin Johnson, Coutu and Thomas Brown afterwards. Will post more stats and stuff after I write my story later.
Sean Bailey, Kenneth Harris, Tony Wilson, Michael Moore, Coleman Watson and T.J. Gartrell all caught TDs.
Moreno ran three times for 27 yards to lead the tailbacks. None of them played in the second half.
Talked with Stafford, Moore, Kelin Johnson, Coutu and Thomas Brown afterwards. Will post more stats and stuff after I write my story later.
Pre-scrimmage stuff
Holy cow it was hot as heck at the stadium. Things got off to a late start after it rained and there was some lightning/thunder in the area. But they got started about an hour late.
In green/pads: J. Davis, Strickland, Little, Evans, Durham, Knox, Gaunder, Flowers.
Flex lines:
OFFENSE
Stafford-Cox
Brown-Lumpkin
Southerland-Johnson
Sturdivant-Vance
C. Davis-Tripp (don't read anything into that. he's a backup RT)
Velasco-Perez
Haverkamp-Anderson
Adams-J. Davis
Chandler-Watson
Bailey-Massaquoi-Wilson-Goodman
Henderson-Bryant-Harris-Gartrell-Moore-Hill
DEFENSE
Battle-Wynn
Howard-Lomax
Weston-Irvin
Owens-Taylor
Dewberry-Dent
Miller-Washington
Ellerbe-Curran
Byrd-Banks
Johnson-Jones
Flowers-Miller
Evans-Allen
In green/pads: J. Davis, Strickland, Little, Evans, Durham, Knox, Gaunder, Flowers.
Flex lines:
OFFENSE
Stafford-Cox
Brown-Lumpkin
Southerland-Johnson
Sturdivant-Vance
C. Davis-Tripp (don't read anything into that. he's a backup RT)
Velasco-Perez
Haverkamp-Anderson
Adams-J. Davis
Chandler-Watson
Bailey-Massaquoi-Wilson-Goodman
Henderson-Bryant-Harris-Gartrell-Moore-Hill
DEFENSE
Battle-Wynn
Howard-Lomax
Weston-Irvin
Owens-Taylor
Dewberry-Dent
Miller-Washington
Ellerbe-Curran
Byrd-Banks
Johnson-Jones
Flowers-Miller
Evans-Allen
Thursday notes
Here's the link to my Thursday notebook.
I guess you could say today's a calm-before-the-storm type of day. There really wasn't a ton to report. There was a lightning strike nearby during the early portion of practice, so the team came in for about 50 minutes. They eventually practiced again, but coach Richt said it was kinda lackluster after coming back...which is pretty understandable, not only because they had to break in the middle of practice, but because today was the first day of classes at UGA.
Friday, on the other hand, is an enormous day as far as settling some of these position battles. They scrimmage at the stadium at 3:50 p.m., and you could start to see things shake out more at cornerback and offensive line afterwards. I think things are close to settled at OL, with Sturdivant and Adams at tackle, Chris Davis and Haverkamp at guard and Velasco at center. Boling and Tripp could make things interesting as the season progresses, but I'd be surprised to see someone other than that first five I mentioned starting on Sept. 1 (excluding injury). You're going to see a lot of the different cornerbacks no matter who draws the starting nod. Strictly guessing, Evans and Flowers could be your starters Game 1 because of experience. I fully expect to see a lot of Prince Miller and Asher Allen, though. Tomorrow might have a big say in who wins those jobs, though. I don't have a feel for what to expect, truthfully.
Corner should be an interesting position, particularly in the first couple games with Ramarcus Brown out on suspension. Both Oklahoma State and South Carolina will put the ball in the air. They need all the live bodies available that they can have in those games, particularly one who started nine games last year like Ramarcus did...I talked to Flowers, Donavon Baldwin and Vance Cuff about that subject today. I'll probably be writing about that in the near future.
I guess you could say today's a calm-before-the-storm type of day. There really wasn't a ton to report. There was a lightning strike nearby during the early portion of practice, so the team came in for about 50 minutes. They eventually practiced again, but coach Richt said it was kinda lackluster after coming back...which is pretty understandable, not only because they had to break in the middle of practice, but because today was the first day of classes at UGA.
Friday, on the other hand, is an enormous day as far as settling some of these position battles. They scrimmage at the stadium at 3:50 p.m., and you could start to see things shake out more at cornerback and offensive line afterwards. I think things are close to settled at OL, with Sturdivant and Adams at tackle, Chris Davis and Haverkamp at guard and Velasco at center. Boling and Tripp could make things interesting as the season progresses, but I'd be surprised to see someone other than that first five I mentioned starting on Sept. 1 (excluding injury). You're going to see a lot of the different cornerbacks no matter who draws the starting nod. Strictly guessing, Evans and Flowers could be your starters Game 1 because of experience. I fully expect to see a lot of Prince Miller and Asher Allen, though. Tomorrow might have a big say in who wins those jobs, though. I don't have a feel for what to expect, truthfully.
Corner should be an interesting position, particularly in the first couple games with Ramarcus Brown out on suspension. Both Oklahoma State and South Carolina will put the ball in the air. They need all the live bodies available that they can have in those games, particularly one who started nine games last year like Ramarcus did...I talked to Flowers, Donavon Baldwin and Vance Cuff about that subject today. I'll probably be writing about that in the near future.
Jarius Wynn talks D-tackle
The pack talked with Jarius Wynn for a bit after practice today about moving over to play defensive tackle. Sounds like he's mostly going to be there and will play some strongside defensive end in some situations as well. I'll give this to Jarius, he says what he's got to say when you ask him a question and you don't have to fill up a notebook to get it all down...
Are you playing mostly D-tackle now or D-end?
Well mostly I'm playing D-tackle now, but I think they're still gonna play me at a little bit of end. I really don't know.
How do you like D-tackle?
I like it. It's more hitting.
Do you feel like you have a bigger quickness advantage at tackle than you do at end?
Yes sir, I do. I do.
Will that help you in pass rush situations?
Yes sir, that'll help me a lot. It'll help me a lot in pass rush.
Can you eat more seconds and thirds now when you're at the training table?
Yeah I can gain a little bit more weight, eat like I want.
What's the ideal playing weight for you at that spot and where are you now?
Well, in camp I dropped to like 267, but I'm gonna try to get back to 275.
You think that's adequate for that spot?
Yes sir.
How was the decision made for you to go over there?
Well, coach Garner called and talked to me and asked me what I thought about it and I just went with my heart.
Did you like it right away?
Yes sir, I played D-tackle in high school. I played a lot of D-tackle.
Did you play that at all at Georgia Military?
We played a 3-3-5, so I played end.
That position you played at Georgia Military is probably a fairly similar responsibility to defensive tackle...
Yes sir.
Are you playing mostly D-tackle now or D-end?
Well mostly I'm playing D-tackle now, but I think they're still gonna play me at a little bit of end. I really don't know.
How do you like D-tackle?
I like it. It's more hitting.
Do you feel like you have a bigger quickness advantage at tackle than you do at end?
Yes sir, I do. I do.
Will that help you in pass rush situations?
Yes sir, that'll help me a lot. It'll help me a lot in pass rush.
Can you eat more seconds and thirds now when you're at the training table?
Yeah I can gain a little bit more weight, eat like I want.
What's the ideal playing weight for you at that spot and where are you now?
Well, in camp I dropped to like 267, but I'm gonna try to get back to 275.
You think that's adequate for that spot?
Yes sir.
How was the decision made for you to go over there?
Well, coach Garner called and talked to me and asked me what I thought about it and I just went with my heart.
Did you like it right away?
Yes sir, I played D-tackle in high school. I played a lot of D-tackle.
Did you play that at all at Georgia Military?
We played a 3-3-5, so I played end.
That position you played at Georgia Military is probably a fairly similar responsibility to defensive tackle...
Yes sir.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Lightning delay
The team made it through 30 minutes of practice before a lightning strike nearby forced them indoors.
Couple things I noticed, real quick:
Reshad Jones (knee) and Antavious Coates (knee) were at practice, running on the side. Bryan Evans (hamstring) too.
In green:
Tripp Chandler (ribs), Thomas Flowers (shoulder), Mikey Henderson (hip), Josh Davis (shoulder), Chris Little (wrist), Tanner Strickland (foot), A.J. Bryant (heat) Kris Durham (concussion). In green with no pads, John Knox (not sure).
Asher Allen and Prince Miller stretched with the first-stringers, but I'm not sure whether that means anything. Probably not.
Couple things I noticed, real quick:
Reshad Jones (knee) and Antavious Coates (knee) were at practice, running on the side. Bryan Evans (hamstring) too.
In green:
Tripp Chandler (ribs), Thomas Flowers (shoulder), Mikey Henderson (hip), Josh Davis (shoulder), Chris Little (wrist), Tanner Strickland (foot), A.J. Bryant (heat) Kris Durham (concussion). In green with no pads, John Knox (not sure).
Asher Allen and Prince Miller stretched with the first-stringers, but I'm not sure whether that means anything. Probably not.
Tripp talks about move to OT
Here's my notebook for Thursday. One minor correction I noticed after looking at the notes on the LE Web site: Clint Boling was at backup right guard today and cross-training at other positions. I wrote he was at backup right tackle. Technically, he is a backup right tackle, but that's not what I intended to type...
And here's Kiante Tripp discussing his move from defensive end to offensive tackle:
On how subject of position switch came up:
Every day in practice, coach Searels would come up, 'Hey man, I'll make you some money, I'll make you some money.' I'll be like, 'OK, OK.' Then one day, I just seen enough O-tackles just go down and I'm like, 'Man, they might need me for real.' So I just came up and talked to coach Richt for a minute and told him I'm cool with whatever to help the team out. If you need me, you can have me. Next day I was in that red jersey, 64. I played in high school. I played both of them, so I'm comfortable in both of them. I've just got to catch up with these plays. I'm a quick learner, so I'm trying to get it. Hopefully I'll be ready for the first game. Gotta gain a couple pounds, but it'll come. The weight'll come.
Is it realistic to think you'll be ready by Sept. 1?
I caught on pretty quick. Coach is real impressed at how I caught on real quick. I'm real good with plays, just picturing it in my mind. Right now I've still got a lot to learn, but I'm trying to get it down.
You think you'll have it down by then to where you can get out there and not be lost?
Oh yeah. I'm trying to help the team. I'm gonna get in my book every night, I'm gonna study, I'm gonna be in the book, I'm gonna do whatever I can to help the team. Help do whatever I can.
How much weight do you need to gain and how easily do you gain that weight?
I've been trying to maintain 270 and watch my diet. Now they've given me the go-to just to eat. I'm trying to gain weight and try to get to at least 285, 290. I can gain that easy, but they want me to gain it the right way. So I'll do that, eat and try to lift weights at the same time and the weight will come in a good way.
What did you cut out of your diet before?
Last summer, I got up to like 279 and that was like too heavy. So I had to cut out and just start eating two-a-days. I was eating three-a-days. I started eating two-a-days, eating light stuff, and now I might have to start eating three-a-days and take my protein shakes and stuff like that to gain.
If you had your way, what would you be eating? What's your vice?
Peanut butter and jelly.
That worked for Chris Davis. He said he gained like 30, 40 pounds.
He's the one that suggested it to me, peanut butter and jelly, when I first got in there. 'Peanut butter and jelly, man!' So I'm gonna try to do that and get meat, protein, all the good stuff. Nothing bad.
Do you know who Bernard Williams is?
I have no idea.
Bernard switched from defensive line to offensive tackle about 15 years ago now. He was eventually a first-round draft pick. Is that what coach Searels was whispering in your ear?
That and he had players from LSU switch over, making money in the league now. There was a guy, I think it was (Chris) Terry, who played with Bobo, and he switched over. He's in the league for about 10 years. He's making money, so...It's looking good for me right now. I came from third-string defense all the way up to the twos. I worked my way up to the ones some plays, so it's looking good right now.
How important was it when you got here to start out at defensive end? Was that something you wanted?
Georgia was recruiting me for defensive end. Everybody else was recruiting me for defensive end. A couple schools, little small schools, recruited me for tackle. But everybody knew I could be versatile, whatever they need me. So when I got here, it was just D-end.
So it wasn't important to you to start there, you would have been OK with either one, wherever they wanted you?
Yeah, it was fine. I had fun with it in high school. Pancaking and all that, I love that. Getting tackles, I love that too, so anything.
Is your mental state better now because you're on the two-deep and you've got a senior ahead of you? It looks pretty good if you get the system down, you would get a chance to probably compete for a starting job next year.
Right now, I'm just worrying about just helping the team out because we're kinda short on tackles. But if everything plays out just like you said, I do have a senior in front of me. If he goes I'll be starting if I work hard enough. I guess that's just how it rolls, that's how I play.
And here's Kiante Tripp discussing his move from defensive end to offensive tackle:
On how subject of position switch came up:
Every day in practice, coach Searels would come up, 'Hey man, I'll make you some money, I'll make you some money.' I'll be like, 'OK, OK.' Then one day, I just seen enough O-tackles just go down and I'm like, 'Man, they might need me for real.' So I just came up and talked to coach Richt for a minute and told him I'm cool with whatever to help the team out. If you need me, you can have me. Next day I was in that red jersey, 64. I played in high school. I played both of them, so I'm comfortable in both of them. I've just got to catch up with these plays. I'm a quick learner, so I'm trying to get it. Hopefully I'll be ready for the first game. Gotta gain a couple pounds, but it'll come. The weight'll come.
Is it realistic to think you'll be ready by Sept. 1?
I caught on pretty quick. Coach is real impressed at how I caught on real quick. I'm real good with plays, just picturing it in my mind. Right now I've still got a lot to learn, but I'm trying to get it down.
You think you'll have it down by then to where you can get out there and not be lost?
Oh yeah. I'm trying to help the team. I'm gonna get in my book every night, I'm gonna study, I'm gonna be in the book, I'm gonna do whatever I can to help the team. Help do whatever I can.
How much weight do you need to gain and how easily do you gain that weight?
I've been trying to maintain 270 and watch my diet. Now they've given me the go-to just to eat. I'm trying to gain weight and try to get to at least 285, 290. I can gain that easy, but they want me to gain it the right way. So I'll do that, eat and try to lift weights at the same time and the weight will come in a good way.
What did you cut out of your diet before?
Last summer, I got up to like 279 and that was like too heavy. So I had to cut out and just start eating two-a-days. I was eating three-a-days. I started eating two-a-days, eating light stuff, and now I might have to start eating three-a-days and take my protein shakes and stuff like that to gain.
If you had your way, what would you be eating? What's your vice?
Peanut butter and jelly.
That worked for Chris Davis. He said he gained like 30, 40 pounds.
He's the one that suggested it to me, peanut butter and jelly, when I first got in there. 'Peanut butter and jelly, man!' So I'm gonna try to do that and get meat, protein, all the good stuff. Nothing bad.
Do you know who Bernard Williams is?
I have no idea.
Bernard switched from defensive line to offensive tackle about 15 years ago now. He was eventually a first-round draft pick. Is that what coach Searels was whispering in your ear?
That and he had players from LSU switch over, making money in the league now. There was a guy, I think it was (Chris) Terry, who played with Bobo, and he switched over. He's in the league for about 10 years. He's making money, so...It's looking good for me right now. I came from third-string defense all the way up to the twos. I worked my way up to the ones some plays, so it's looking good right now.
How important was it when you got here to start out at defensive end? Was that something you wanted?
Georgia was recruiting me for defensive end. Everybody else was recruiting me for defensive end. A couple schools, little small schools, recruited me for tackle. But everybody knew I could be versatile, whatever they need me. So when I got here, it was just D-end.
So it wasn't important to you to start there, you would have been OK with either one, wherever they wanted you?
Yeah, it was fine. I had fun with it in high school. Pancaking and all that, I love that. Getting tackles, I love that too, so anything.
Is your mental state better now because you're on the two-deep and you've got a senior ahead of you? It looks pretty good if you get the system down, you would get a chance to probably compete for a starting job next year.
Right now, I'm just worrying about just helping the team out because we're kinda short on tackles. But if everything plays out just like you said, I do have a senior in front of me. If he goes I'll be starting if I work hard enough. I guess that's just how it rolls, that's how I play.
Richt Wednesday postpractice
I'm planning on posting Kiante Tripp's postpractice interview as well, because I thought he was funny. Dean's posting video every day on Dawgpost and I think he might have posted the Kiante interview, which is probably funnier to watch (if you subscribe over there) than it is to read in print...But I'll post it here shortly.
Here's Richt:
We accomplished most everything we needed to find out. We're still experimenting up front offensively with the line. Still not sure where we're gonna fit. We've got a few different combinations that hopefully we can settle on here pretty soon because we need to get those five guys working together. With Boling possibly tackle, Boling possibly guard. I'm not sure if Chester's gonna be at tackle or guard yet. That's kind of a big thing right now. If Chester becomes a guard, it might make Haverkamp a left guard instead of a right guard so we're rolling around a little bit
and trying to find the very best combination. That's probably the biggest question mark we have right now. Everything else is settling in pretty good. We had a kicking scrimmage this morning. As far as the punting job is concerned, we would -- and when I say we, coach Johnson and I would both say that we have a slight edge to Butler right now. We haven't decided, but you always want to know if it was today, we probably would have Butler kick, but it's still a very competitive situation. It's very similar to the QB situation last year when we gave a pecking order and by time the games started it changed. I'm saying this could change. It's very tight, but if we had to sit there and honestly sit there and honestly say where we felt like we were, it would be just a slight edge to Butler right now.
What do you like about him?
Well, just a little...if you measure the long kicks and then you measure the poor kicks or the shanks, Mimbs has got more bombs, but he's got a couple more shanks, where Butler doesn't have quite as many bombs, but he doesn't have quite as many shanks. Consistency is probably the issue right at this moment. But it's not an ability thing as much as a consistency thing right now.
We're almost at two weeks. Is that about the time where you'd like to have answers on the O-Line?
Well, on the O-line, of course by Saturday, yeah I would love to have it done by Saturday. We absolutely have to have it done by after that Thursday night scrimmage next week. Hopefully by time we have our practice game against Oklahoma State, hopefully we'll have the guys set by then. Like you say, hopefully it will have been set for a couple days.
Is that true of every spot? By that Thursday (scrimmage) you'd like to have all your starters?
You'd like to. Yeah, that'd be the goal.
Can you shed light on Ramarcus' suspension?
Yes. He broke team rules.
No, really expound on it.
That's all I got.
How long has that been determined?
Oh, a while. I've known it for a while.
Injuries? Marcus Washington?
Groin. Marcus Washington, groin.
Didn't seen Jones or Coates out there either.
Reshad is whatever he had before. Coates has a little swelling of the knee. We did get Chester back, we got Haverkamp back, we got Josh Davis back for some of the drillwork, not the entire practice.
Against Oklahoma State, is four cornerbacks enough do you think? Or do you think you need to have Cuff possibly?
Uhh, that's a good question. I don't know if it will be enough. If everybody's healthy, we might be OK, but like you say, they're a spread team and they're gonna put some pressure on us. We need all hands on deck that we can get.
Ramarcus is a former starter. Can you tell us how that affects things? He started nine games last year.
Against the first two teams, they do spread the field and we do need more help at corner. That hurts definitely there. Ramarcus is an outstanding special teams player also. He's a difference maker on special teams too.
Is Baldwin getting any corner work or is he strictly safety?
No, he's getting corner work.
What was the thought process behind Jarius Wynn's move to DT?
Well, mainly when we go to our nickel package is when we're more apt to need a pass rush from the interior. Usually what happens with a four-man rush, you'll get a couple tackles working. You'll get a double-team on your noseguard usually and then you've a three-technique sitting on a guard. That guy usually draws some one-on-one situations and if you can get a really good mismatch, you might do more damage as a three-technique than you would on the edge. We're just trying to get our best four pass rushers. But you also learn how to play run because some people will run the ball third-and-long, so you've got to have some run-stopping knowledge and experience and that's why he's been working there.
I guess you were getting to the point were y'all thought that the DTs that were already there didn't provide the same versatility?
Well, when it comes to pure pass rush, we thought Jarius would give us a boost there. But he's still also learning the buck, which is a strongside defensive end.
What's Marcus Washington's situation?
Groin.
On Joe Cox as the backup, not the starter:
He's the kind of guy that first of all really loves it here at Georgia. He loves his teammates and coaches. I think he just flat-out enjoys it here. He loves the whole atmosphere and the whole bit. He's the kind of guy that he doesn't want to play unless he's earned it and deserves it, and even if we play him in the first half or second half or whatever in any ballgame, he'll be like, 'Coach, don't play me unless you think I can help us win.' That's just the kind of kid he is. If he plays, it's because we believe he's earned it and right now we're leaning toward wanting to get him in the game.
Would you say in terms of having a backup role, that you would equate him as one of the better backups in the South?
Yeah, now I would, just as I watch him practice every day, and even the one opportunity he had to save the day, I mean he saved the day in a very adverse situation. So we have a lot of confidence that he can come off the bench and help us win.
When you say leaning toward wanting to get him in the game, how do you envision that? What kind of scenario are you talking about?
I don't know, just get him in the game at one point or another. Maybe in the first half. I don't want to pigeonhole ourselves. Sometimes you have every intention to get a guy in there and if you don't, people will question why didn't you and then you'll hurt the kid's feelings. So we're not promising him anything, but the way he's been performing, he deserves to get in there. Hopefully we'll find the right time to do that.
On a regular basis? On a game-by-game, as you set up the game plan?
Uh, more than likely, the way I see it right now. Game situations could always dictate something different, but we're not afraid to play Joe Cox at all.
Would it have made a big difference for Boling to be here in the spring?
Yeah it woulda helped him.
You'd have been more comfortable throwing him in there?
Maybe. We just woulda known more. Right now we like what we see, but he really hasn't been tested enough to really know for sure how he's gonna react. Not that you would know even if he was here in the spring, but we would know more. We would know more than we know now.
How did Kiante Tripp do on Day 2?
You know what, I didn't watch him nearly as close. That first day, it was kinda exciting for me too, to watch every step that he made. I didn't watch him close enough.
Wide receivers, you said they need to play not good but great. What's your opinion?
Well, I don't know if they're playing great right now, but they're playing very good. They're playing very good. All of them are taking turns making plays. Michael Moore has probably made the biggest move of all of them, from where he was to where he is now, which is battling for a starting position at the Z, the flanker.
Has anybody stood out as the starting tight end yet?
You've got NaDerris, you've got Figgins. When it was going in (to the scrimmage), I think it was Watson, Ward, Figgins...(He basically did a hand gesture here showing that they were 1-2-3 before and now they're all even).
When Chester got hurt, why did y'all leave Vince as the second-team left tackle instead of moving him to right?
We could've, but it's just the training. If we thought Chester's injury was long-term, we probably would've done it right away. But if we're figuring Chester'll be back in a few days, if you throw him over there for a while, get him confused at right tackle and then throw him back at left tackle, it's tougher to compete. Right now he's competing and if you throw him over there, it'd be kinda tough on him.
Michael Moore's battling with Henderson?
Mikey and I don't even know who else is out there. I guess it would be Harris is probably working some out there too.
It's not really an issue of Mikey just being slowed by his injury?
Well there's that, but Michael Moore has really made plays. He's really smoothed out his game and he looks like a ballplayer right now. We'll see how he handles gametime because he'll get some playing time unless something really crazy happens.
On the watermelon cutting this morning:
I think most everybody likes it. There's a couple guys that walked away from it...said I'm just not a watermelon guy. I said, all right, that's hard to believe. There was a few guys like that. I think they all enjoy it after a hot practice, to have a cool watermelon. I had two pieces myself and took a watermelon to the house.
How long have you been doing that?
Since I've been here, it was already...(it's been going on for more than 30 years)
Can you comment on Matthew lining up as a third-team quarterback?
He did? Yeah, I was late getting that thing done. I was supposed to have everybody arranged prior to stretching, but we had a couple last-minute changes. DeLaureal moved to No. 1 and Knowshon and Caleb were No. 1 and 2.
You had (Marc) Weiszer (from the Athens paper) all freaked out.
Did it freak you just a minute?
I wasn't even paying attention today. My son was out there with me...
I know, it was bad timing all-around. I'm real disappointed that we didn't plan it out in advance.
You've still about 17 practices to come up with something.
I know. I've got to think of something.
Here's Richt:
We accomplished most everything we needed to find out. We're still experimenting up front offensively with the line. Still not sure where we're gonna fit. We've got a few different combinations that hopefully we can settle on here pretty soon because we need to get those five guys working together. With Boling possibly tackle, Boling possibly guard. I'm not sure if Chester's gonna be at tackle or guard yet. That's kind of a big thing right now. If Chester becomes a guard, it might make Haverkamp a left guard instead of a right guard so we're rolling around a little bit
and trying to find the very best combination. That's probably the biggest question mark we have right now. Everything else is settling in pretty good. We had a kicking scrimmage this morning. As far as the punting job is concerned, we would -- and when I say we, coach Johnson and I would both say that we have a slight edge to Butler right now. We haven't decided, but you always want to know if it was today, we probably would have Butler kick, but it's still a very competitive situation. It's very similar to the QB situation last year when we gave a pecking order and by time the games started it changed. I'm saying this could change. It's very tight, but if we had to sit there and honestly sit there and honestly say where we felt like we were, it would be just a slight edge to Butler right now.
What do you like about him?
Well, just a little...if you measure the long kicks and then you measure the poor kicks or the shanks, Mimbs has got more bombs, but he's got a couple more shanks, where Butler doesn't have quite as many bombs, but he doesn't have quite as many shanks. Consistency is probably the issue right at this moment. But it's not an ability thing as much as a consistency thing right now.
We're almost at two weeks. Is that about the time where you'd like to have answers on the O-Line?
Well, on the O-line, of course by Saturday, yeah I would love to have it done by Saturday. We absolutely have to have it done by after that Thursday night scrimmage next week. Hopefully by time we have our practice game against Oklahoma State, hopefully we'll have the guys set by then. Like you say, hopefully it will have been set for a couple days.
Is that true of every spot? By that Thursday (scrimmage) you'd like to have all your starters?
You'd like to. Yeah, that'd be the goal.
Can you shed light on Ramarcus' suspension?
Yes. He broke team rules.
No, really expound on it.
That's all I got.
How long has that been determined?
Oh, a while. I've known it for a while.
Injuries? Marcus Washington?
Groin. Marcus Washington, groin.
Didn't seen Jones or Coates out there either.
Reshad is whatever he had before. Coates has a little swelling of the knee. We did get Chester back, we got Haverkamp back, we got Josh Davis back for some of the drillwork, not the entire practice.
Against Oklahoma State, is four cornerbacks enough do you think? Or do you think you need to have Cuff possibly?
Uhh, that's a good question. I don't know if it will be enough. If everybody's healthy, we might be OK, but like you say, they're a spread team and they're gonna put some pressure on us. We need all hands on deck that we can get.
Ramarcus is a former starter. Can you tell us how that affects things? He started nine games last year.
Against the first two teams, they do spread the field and we do need more help at corner. That hurts definitely there. Ramarcus is an outstanding special teams player also. He's a difference maker on special teams too.
Is Baldwin getting any corner work or is he strictly safety?
No, he's getting corner work.
What was the thought process behind Jarius Wynn's move to DT?
Well, mainly when we go to our nickel package is when we're more apt to need a pass rush from the interior. Usually what happens with a four-man rush, you'll get a couple tackles working. You'll get a double-team on your noseguard usually and then you've a three-technique sitting on a guard. That guy usually draws some one-on-one situations and if you can get a really good mismatch, you might do more damage as a three-technique than you would on the edge. We're just trying to get our best four pass rushers. But you also learn how to play run because some people will run the ball third-and-long, so you've got to have some run-stopping knowledge and experience and that's why he's been working there.
I guess you were getting to the point were y'all thought that the DTs that were already there didn't provide the same versatility?
Well, when it comes to pure pass rush, we thought Jarius would give us a boost there. But he's still also learning the buck, which is a strongside defensive end.
What's Marcus Washington's situation?
Groin.
On Joe Cox as the backup, not the starter:
He's the kind of guy that first of all really loves it here at Georgia. He loves his teammates and coaches. I think he just flat-out enjoys it here. He loves the whole atmosphere and the whole bit. He's the kind of guy that he doesn't want to play unless he's earned it and deserves it, and even if we play him in the first half or second half or whatever in any ballgame, he'll be like, 'Coach, don't play me unless you think I can help us win.' That's just the kind of kid he is. If he plays, it's because we believe he's earned it and right now we're leaning toward wanting to get him in the game.
Would you say in terms of having a backup role, that you would equate him as one of the better backups in the South?
Yeah, now I would, just as I watch him practice every day, and even the one opportunity he had to save the day, I mean he saved the day in a very adverse situation. So we have a lot of confidence that he can come off the bench and help us win.
When you say leaning toward wanting to get him in the game, how do you envision that? What kind of scenario are you talking about?
I don't know, just get him in the game at one point or another. Maybe in the first half. I don't want to pigeonhole ourselves. Sometimes you have every intention to get a guy in there and if you don't, people will question why didn't you and then you'll hurt the kid's feelings. So we're not promising him anything, but the way he's been performing, he deserves to get in there. Hopefully we'll find the right time to do that.
On a regular basis? On a game-by-game, as you set up the game plan?
Uh, more than likely, the way I see it right now. Game situations could always dictate something different, but we're not afraid to play Joe Cox at all.
Would it have made a big difference for Boling to be here in the spring?
Yeah it woulda helped him.
You'd have been more comfortable throwing him in there?
Maybe. We just woulda known more. Right now we like what we see, but he really hasn't been tested enough to really know for sure how he's gonna react. Not that you would know even if he was here in the spring, but we would know more. We would know more than we know now.
How did Kiante Tripp do on Day 2?
You know what, I didn't watch him nearly as close. That first day, it was kinda exciting for me too, to watch every step that he made. I didn't watch him close enough.
Wide receivers, you said they need to play not good but great. What's your opinion?
Well, I don't know if they're playing great right now, but they're playing very good. They're playing very good. All of them are taking turns making plays. Michael Moore has probably made the biggest move of all of them, from where he was to where he is now, which is battling for a starting position at the Z, the flanker.
Has anybody stood out as the starting tight end yet?
You've got NaDerris, you've got Figgins. When it was going in (to the scrimmage), I think it was Watson, Ward, Figgins...(He basically did a hand gesture here showing that they were 1-2-3 before and now they're all even).
When Chester got hurt, why did y'all leave Vince as the second-team left tackle instead of moving him to right?
We could've, but it's just the training. If we thought Chester's injury was long-term, we probably would've done it right away. But if we're figuring Chester'll be back in a few days, if you throw him over there for a while, get him confused at right tackle and then throw him back at left tackle, it's tougher to compete. Right now he's competing and if you throw him over there, it'd be kinda tough on him.
Michael Moore's battling with Henderson?
Mikey and I don't even know who else is out there. I guess it would be Harris is probably working some out there too.
It's not really an issue of Mikey just being slowed by his injury?
Well there's that, but Michael Moore has really made plays. He's really smoothed out his game and he looks like a ballplayer right now. We'll see how he handles gametime because he'll get some playing time unless something really crazy happens.
On the watermelon cutting this morning:
I think most everybody likes it. There's a couple guys that walked away from it...said I'm just not a watermelon guy. I said, all right, that's hard to believe. There was a few guys like that. I think they all enjoy it after a hot practice, to have a cool watermelon. I had two pieces myself and took a watermelon to the house.
How long have you been doing that?
Since I've been here, it was already...(it's been going on for more than 30 years)
Can you comment on Matthew lining up as a third-team quarterback?
He did? Yeah, I was late getting that thing done. I was supposed to have everybody arranged prior to stretching, but we had a couple last-minute changes. DeLaureal moved to No. 1 and Knowshon and Caleb were No. 1 and 2.
You had (Marc) Weiszer (from the Athens paper) all freaked out.
Did it freak you just a minute?
I wasn't even paying attention today. My son was out there with me...
I know, it was bad timing all-around. I'm real disappointed that we didn't plan it out in advance.
You've still about 17 practices to come up with something.
I know. I've got to think of something.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Evening comments
I'm just now starting my notebook at 10 p.m. because I've had some other stuff to deal with tonight. A big chunk of oak tree broke off in my back yard and is currently sitting on top of my house in Columbus. Obviously I haven't seen it in person, but I've seen pictures and it's not something I want to deal with myself. So if any readers down that way know of a good tree cutting company to recommend (preferably one who can do it for cheap), by all means let me know at dching@ledger-enquirer.com
Anyway, here are a couple of things from the postpractice. My notebook will be pretty long once I finish it.
* We talked with Kiante Tripp about the switch to offensive line. He was pretty funny about it. Seems to have a good attitude about changing, like coach Richt said yesterday.
* Drew Butler has a slight lead in the punting race, Richt said, because he's been more consistent.
* Talked to Richt about Jarius Wynn's move. He says he's still getting a little time at the "buck" defensive end spot, but they think he can give a good pass rush from the defensive tackle spot.
* Richt talked about wanting to get Joe Cox in as much as possible. I didn't take from that that Joe will be in frequently, but that he's been impressed with his play in the preseason and that he'd like to get him in whenever it makes sense. I'm planning on writing about him wanting to get Joe in the game, but my perspective on it is this...Let's not jump to any crazy conclusions about what Richt really meant with an innocent statement about how his backup QB has played well in the preseason. I haven't looked, but I'm sure the message board lunatics are going nuts right now.
So there's all that. I'm guessing I'll have the notebook done in a couple hours. I'll link it here when I finish it.
Anyway, here are a couple of things from the postpractice. My notebook will be pretty long once I finish it.
* We talked with Kiante Tripp about the switch to offensive line. He was pretty funny about it. Seems to have a good attitude about changing, like coach Richt said yesterday.
* Drew Butler has a slight lead in the punting race, Richt said, because he's been more consistent.
* Talked to Richt about Jarius Wynn's move. He says he's still getting a little time at the "buck" defensive end spot, but they think he can give a good pass rush from the defensive tackle spot.
* Richt talked about wanting to get Joe Cox in as much as possible. I didn't take from that that Joe will be in frequently, but that he's been impressed with his play in the preseason and that he'd like to get him in whenever it makes sense. I'm planning on writing about him wanting to get Joe in the game, but my perspective on it is this...Let's not jump to any crazy conclusions about what Richt really meant with an innocent statement about how his backup QB has played well in the preseason. I haven't looked, but I'm sure the message board lunatics are going nuts right now.
So there's all that. I'm guessing I'll have the notebook done in a couple hours. I'll link it here when I finish it.
Hardy har har
If you needed a reminder that the pre-practice stretching lines don't necessarily mean much, you only needed to see today's. They jumbled it all up to mess with us. I first got confused when I saw Brannan Southerland stretching as a backup fullback. Then I saw Caleb King stretching as a starter with Knowshon Moreno second-team and Kregg Lumpkin and Thomas Brown as third and fourth. And then it was Jonathan DeLaureal and Joe Cox lining up as first- and second-team, Matthew Stafford third and Blake Barnes fourth.
Josh Kendall and I were standing there joking about it when Matthew looks over and tells us that he's been demoted and we need to write a story about it. I actually probably will do that, just for a funny notebook item. Depends on whether he has anything funny to say about it after practice.
On a more serious note, Jarius Wynn was practicing with the defensive tackles, so there's apparently something to that. Will talk to Richt about it after practice.
The injury situation seems to be improving. Chester Adams, Scott Haverkamp and Josh Davis were all dressed out and participating in what we watched early on. T.J. Gartrell and Brandon Wood too (I think Wood's been back for a day or two). Kris Durham and John Knox were watching from the side in jersey and shorts.
Josh Kendall and I were standing there joking about it when Matthew looks over and tells us that he's been demoted and we need to write a story about it. I actually probably will do that, just for a funny notebook item. Depends on whether he has anything funny to say about it after practice.
On a more serious note, Jarius Wynn was practicing with the defensive tackles, so there's apparently something to that. Will talk to Richt about it after practice.
The injury situation seems to be improving. Chester Adams, Scott Haverkamp and Josh Davis were all dressed out and participating in what we watched early on. T.J. Gartrell and Brandon Wood too (I think Wood's been back for a day or two). Kris Durham and John Knox were watching from the side in jersey and shorts.
Rodney Garner q/a
Here's a link to my practice notebook.
And here's a few minutes with coach Garner after today's practice:
On how they viewed Kiante Tripp as a recruit on either OL or DL:
He was a kid that there were some schools that liked him as an offensive lineman and there were some that liked him as a D-lineman. When we had a discussion with coach Richt yesterday when all this was about to come about, here's a kid that we thought could be a good D-lineman. We really feel like he could be a D-lineman. At the same time we understand needs and this and that, but it's always hard when you lose one that you think CAN play on that side because they're so hard to come by. He had the athleticism, he could be...you ask, is he young? Yeah, but we thought in time, he had a chance to be a really good player.
Did I hear correctly that Jarius Wynn is moving inside?
We're working him some there. We're gonna crosstrain him. There's no difference between a 3 and a 5. He's still got to deal with combos just coming from different angles...Now he's dealing with combo with the guard-tackle, (and before) he was dealing with the tackle-tight end. If you can play 3 you can play 5. If you can play 5, you can play 3. It's just that the difference is gonna be pad level. That's gonna be something that he's got to be very, very, very conscientious of. It's a chance just to make us more athletic.
How's Corvey Irvin coming along compared to what you expected of him?
Corvey was progressing actually pretty well until today. Today he went backwards. I don't know if it was just hitting the wall or whatever, but today was not a good day for Corvey Irvin.
What was the problem today? Effort?
Production. It wasn't effort, he just didn't produce. We're in a bottom-line business. Production. He didn't produce today.
On Kade Weston lining up ahead of Geno Atkins at DT right now:
Y'all know how my line changes, my line changes every day. It's whoever's working the best, whoever's making the plays. That's all I'll ask of them. They've all got a chance. Just as soon as somebody gets good enough, I'm gonna bench Jeff Owens. I'll tell you right now. Because his fundamentals are terrible. As soon as one of 'em gets good enough that I can put him on the bench, he's going. To get his attention.
On the three Georgia Military guys, Jarius Wynn, Vince Vance and Corvey Irvin, coming in together:
They're all very good players. Obviously Wynn was probably the most highly recruited one of them and then I guess it would have been Irvin and then Vince. But they were all very good players. We didn't take them as a package deal or anything like that. We were very glad that we were able to get them. It definitely worked to our advantage, we thought.
That's what I was getting at. Did you feel like if you could get one, you could get the bunch?
I always felt that Wynn and Irvin were good friends, just by being D-linemen together and all that. They did a lot of things together. I was hoping that it would play in our favor, but you just don't ever know. Of course, Irvin wasn't getting ALL the attention that Wynn was getting, but he still got several offers, so we were just very fortunate. We had a need and we thought that it was a blessing, that we needed D-linemen, we needed O-linemen and there just happened plenty at GMC. Our administration did a great job with us of getting them in school. Then Haverkamp, I went out and saw Haverkamp open week and at that point, I didn't know if we were gonna actually have a chance to get that kid. We haven't done much JC period. They were shocked when I walked in. Georgia just don't do it. I explained it to them and saw the kid and was like 'Whoa.' All these other schools, they obviously had relationships with the kid and they'd been recruiting him a lot longer. But he had some interest, which was shocking that he did, but he had a lot of interest in the SEC.
Do you see that as something y'all will do more frequently now or will that be a need thing?
It would be a need. Don't take that the wrong way, it's just that if you ever commit to that, then you're committing to a two-year cycle. You're gonna have to totally change your philosophy if you decide to go that route. I think you can sprinkle in here and there something to supplement what you're trying to do and address a need area. Like this year, I would say right now this year we probably would not take any. You never know where we'll be two years from now, maybe we'll take another one again.
And here's a few minutes with coach Garner after today's practice:
On how they viewed Kiante Tripp as a recruit on either OL or DL:
He was a kid that there were some schools that liked him as an offensive lineman and there were some that liked him as a D-lineman. When we had a discussion with coach Richt yesterday when all this was about to come about, here's a kid that we thought could be a good D-lineman. We really feel like he could be a D-lineman. At the same time we understand needs and this and that, but it's always hard when you lose one that you think CAN play on that side because they're so hard to come by. He had the athleticism, he could be...you ask, is he young? Yeah, but we thought in time, he had a chance to be a really good player.
Did I hear correctly that Jarius Wynn is moving inside?
We're working him some there. We're gonna crosstrain him. There's no difference between a 3 and a 5. He's still got to deal with combos just coming from different angles...Now he's dealing with combo with the guard-tackle, (and before) he was dealing with the tackle-tight end. If you can play 3 you can play 5. If you can play 5, you can play 3. It's just that the difference is gonna be pad level. That's gonna be something that he's got to be very, very, very conscientious of. It's a chance just to make us more athletic.
How's Corvey Irvin coming along compared to what you expected of him?
Corvey was progressing actually pretty well until today. Today he went backwards. I don't know if it was just hitting the wall or whatever, but today was not a good day for Corvey Irvin.
What was the problem today? Effort?
Production. It wasn't effort, he just didn't produce. We're in a bottom-line business. Production. He didn't produce today.
On Kade Weston lining up ahead of Geno Atkins at DT right now:
Y'all know how my line changes, my line changes every day. It's whoever's working the best, whoever's making the plays. That's all I'll ask of them. They've all got a chance. Just as soon as somebody gets good enough, I'm gonna bench Jeff Owens. I'll tell you right now. Because his fundamentals are terrible. As soon as one of 'em gets good enough that I can put him on the bench, he's going. To get his attention.
On the three Georgia Military guys, Jarius Wynn, Vince Vance and Corvey Irvin, coming in together:
They're all very good players. Obviously Wynn was probably the most highly recruited one of them and then I guess it would have been Irvin and then Vince. But they were all very good players. We didn't take them as a package deal or anything like that. We were very glad that we were able to get them. It definitely worked to our advantage, we thought.
That's what I was getting at. Did you feel like if you could get one, you could get the bunch?
I always felt that Wynn and Irvin were good friends, just by being D-linemen together and all that. They did a lot of things together. I was hoping that it would play in our favor, but you just don't ever know. Of course, Irvin wasn't getting ALL the attention that Wynn was getting, but he still got several offers, so we were just very fortunate. We had a need and we thought that it was a blessing, that we needed D-linemen, we needed O-linemen and there just happened plenty at GMC. Our administration did a great job with us of getting them in school. Then Haverkamp, I went out and saw Haverkamp open week and at that point, I didn't know if we were gonna actually have a chance to get that kid. We haven't done much JC period. They were shocked when I walked in. Georgia just don't do it. I explained it to them and saw the kid and was like 'Whoa.' All these other schools, they obviously had relationships with the kid and they'd been recruiting him a lot longer. But he had some interest, which was shocking that he did, but he had a lot of interest in the SEC.
Do you see that as something y'all will do more frequently now or will that be a need thing?
It would be a need. Don't take that the wrong way, it's just that if you ever commit to that, then you're committing to a two-year cycle. You're gonna have to totally change your philosophy if you decide to go that route. I think you can sprinkle in here and there something to supplement what you're trying to do and address a need area. Like this year, I would say right now this year we probably would not take any. You never know where we'll be two years from now, maybe we'll take another one again.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Brown suspended for two games
I saw Ramarcus Brown come into the interview room, but I didn't go talk to him other than to say hello when he walked by. Look what I missed.
Link (Scout.com subscription needed)
Josh Kendall is reporting he's been suspended for the first two games of the year for breaking team rules.
Link (Scout.com subscription needed)
Josh Kendall is reporting he's been suspended for the first two games of the year for breaking team rules.
Newsy Tuesday
Lots of folks moving around these days. Kiante Tripp's now an offensive lineman. Aron White's working some with the tight ends in certain formations. The movement in the linebacker positioning sounds permanent -- with Ellerbe in the middle, Dewberry at weakside and Miller at strongside. There are some others as well. (All right, I was gonna hold onto this till later, but since it's already on the Dawgpost, Jarius Wynn is working at D-tackle, per Rod Battle and Rodney Garner, who said they're "cross-training" him there. Battle made it sound like the move was a bit more permanent.)
Also, walk-ons Chris Gaunder and Andrew Williams were given scholarships today.
I spoke with Jon Fabris, Rodney Garner, Rod Battle and Brandon Miller today and listened in while a couple guys talked with Reshad Jones (he expects to be back at practice tomorrow, by the way). I may post some of that stuff later.
So here are most of Richt's comments from postpractice today.
On Kiante Tripp's move to offensive line:
He really looks good out there. He absolutely has a ton to learn, but his body type and his athleticism is tailor made for the position. I think it's really gonna help Georgia and it's gonna help him too. A lot of it had to do with just the amount of injuries we've had and the lack of depth. He saw an opportunity and was very excited about the chance to do it. I'm glad he's got the right attitude. You don't want to move a guy if he doesn't want to move, but he was ready to move. He told me that he played D-end and tackle in high school and liked them both. He sees the opportunity. So he's No. 64 now and we're excited about that. It changes the whole complexion of our offensive line, at least the depth and the athletic bodies that you're striving to recruit. It's like getting a commitment from a top two or three tackle in the United States, so that's pretty exciting for us.
On how the move came about:
I think coach Searels had been kinda playfully throwing a carrot out there, you know? I was talking to Kiante yesterday, just asking him how he's doing. I actually asked him how much he weighs nowadays. He said he weighed 270 and then he said, 'Coach Searels is kinda playing around with me maybe being a tackle,' and I said, 'Well, what would you think of that?' That's when he said, 'I played both in high school. I liked 'em both, coach. I would do that.' And I said, 'Well I'll talk to you tonight,' which was yesterday, last night. I called him into my office and we talked a little bit. I just wanted to know what was on his heart because we thought the very same thing before camp started. But my feeling was if the guy's trained all summer, he's got his weight to 270, he hit it right on the money, to play D-end. Now I'm gonna tell him he's a tackle? I'm not gonna do that. So we didn't even talk about it with him. But then with some injuries and we have a lot of depth at D-end and very little depth at tackle. He saw an opportunity. Now his spirit's right, he's excited about it, and I think that's gonna make all the difference in the world. If we'd have pushed it on him, he might've resented that, but right now, I think he feels real good about it. He didn't do everything just right, but it's just amazing to see him move and how he can even make a mistake and then be athlete enough to change direction and run a guy by the quarterback. It's certainly not textbook but it's kinda hard to teach and coach that athleticism, so I think it's gonna be a great move for us.
On how this situation compares with Dale Dixson's short-lived move to OL last preseason:
Dale's a wonderful kid. I asked him to think about it one evening. We were more trying to say we really need you here son. It seemed like Kiante was excited about it when he talked to me originally. You knew Dale was gonna be a harder sell. I talked to Dale about thinking about it, feeling comfortable about it and if in the morning he wanted to do it, then we'd do it. I said you don't have to do it if you don't want to do it. Well, the next morning he never said anything to me. The next morning I just saw him in another color jersey, so I just assumed he was fired up and ready to go. I didn't think anything about it. But then I think it was after one practice or one day, he was in the tank about it. I'm like, you don't have to move son. I think he felt like he had to move because he felt like the team needed him, but in his heart he didn't want to do it so we moved him back. We've always held that policy that we're not gonna move a kid against his will. We didn't do it with Dale and we're not doing it right now with Kiante.
On how Tripp's addition affects what might happen in the future with the OL:
I don't know what's gonna happen. It could free us up to have Chester at guard and always ready to go to tackle, which is probably what we'd like to do. But we had Clint Boling get a little right guard today too, just a little taste. Because we feel like Clint could play center, guard or tackle, he's just that good of an athlete. So it just gave us a little breathing room. Some guys got some rest that don't ever get rest in practice. When I walked Kiante in the offensive line room and introduced him, the linemen, they're in there cheering. Linemen need help, they want help. If you said, 'Hey, here's a new tailback, some all-American from wherever,' the tailbacks would probably be in there grumbling. But when a new lineman comes in the room, they get excited.
On line flexibility meaning Chester Adams could maybe move back inside to guard:
He could. I think it would make more sense for Chester to be on the right side, where he's also right tackle, and then Haverkamp's gonna crosstrain. We'll crosstrain Haverkamp with both guards and then we'll crosstrain Davis at guard and center, just to give us a little depth. I'm not saying we won't have 10 ready, but I'm not sure we'll have 10 ready. It might be seven or eight guys ready.
This late in the game and with his size, how long do you think till he can be ready?
He might be ready Game 1. I'm not saying he's gonna win the starting job, but I would think...Just from what I saw today, I think he could hold up. It's like if you take a tight end, some tight ends are big, strong, physical bruisers and they will block that way. Some guys are extremely athletic and quick tight ends that they can still be effective blockers, not devastating blockers, but effective in that they can get their hat in the right spot, their feet in the right spot, work your feet and keep a guy from getting to the play without mashing him. He's gonna be in that category for right now. But I don't know how hard he's been trying to keep his weight down. If he just decides to eat a meal after dinner every night, he could go to 280 probably, 285 maybe in just a couple weeks, if he's been fighting hard to keep it off.
Did he work at all with the ones today?
He got some ones and twos today. He probably got more reps than anybody on the front, just to try to catch him up. He held up pretty good.
You said Saturday you didn't want to move a defensive lineman to O-line. Was Josh Davis' injury what put you over the top on that?
That was part of it, but even then I wasn't sitting there going, 'Hey we've gotta do it,' because all the injuries that I see are a day, two days, three days, maybe four days away. Most of those guys are pretty close to coming back. So I didn't feel like anything really changed. We were gonna suffer for a couple days with the lack of depth, but I didn't see any season-ending injuries that would make you do that. Most good line coaches, offensive line coaches and D-line coaches, are looking for somebody to move their way. Coaches will sometimes playfully plant the seed out there and just see what a kid's thinking. And Kiante, he liked the idea of it, so that was very positive for everybody. I don't know if I can talk too much about a recruiting class -- I guess I could, I'm not mentioning names -- but like I said, it's like getting a signee at tackle right there.
On Brandon Miller's move from middle linebacker back to strongside:
Brandon as of late has played more sam and Dannell Ellerbe's played more mike. If it happened today, we'd probably play Ellerbe at mike and Miller at sam. But that doesn't diminish Miller's importance. Miller is still, although he's not playing a lot of mike right now, he's the guy that is physically dominant. He quite frankly is throwing our tight ends around. We have some outside plays, whether it's toss or stretch, what we call a stretch play, and the whole key to that play is whether a tight end can at least neutralize a sam linebacker the way our defense plays our looks. And Brandon's just thrashing everybody right now. I don't know if we've gotten around the edge yet with him playing the sam linebacker.
More on Miller's move back to sam:
He's just comfortable there. Like I said, the will is much more like the mike in that if you spread out, usually the sam spreads out and usually the mike and the will play inside. So I think it was a little more natural for Ellerbe to be there and Dewberry, Dewberry's coming along at the will. They're a great-looking bunch. Marcus Washington's come along at the mike also. That gives us a good comfort level. Rennie Curran's working hard to be No. 2 will. He's kinda moved into that position, for now anyway. And then Akeem Dent has been a very solid sam linebacker also. So that's kind of our two-deep there.
How's Aron White's transition coming?
He's light. He's getting tossed around a little bit. He's learning new terminology, technique, everything. He's just getting a taste for it. He has played tight end before, but he hasn't heard coach Johnson teach it yet.
So he's working at tight end now?
He's been that Y, that flex Y, but yesterday we started giving him a taste of tight end. More in a three-receiver set than in a base I-formation set. Like I was describing styles of blocking, you don't have to necessarily be a masher in the three-receiver, tight end set. The blocking schemes are not, you don't have to be quite as physical as you do in the I-formation. I don't think he's learned any tight end in the I-formation.
Is the punter or kickoff job settles?
We're gonna have a kicking scrimmage tomorrow morning. That will probably help us some.
Might that determine it?
It could determine it. I know Bo did a good job and I thought both punters were pretty close to being equal last one.
Also, walk-ons Chris Gaunder and Andrew Williams were given scholarships today.
I spoke with Jon Fabris, Rodney Garner, Rod Battle and Brandon Miller today and listened in while a couple guys talked with Reshad Jones (he expects to be back at practice tomorrow, by the way). I may post some of that stuff later.
So here are most of Richt's comments from postpractice today.
On Kiante Tripp's move to offensive line:
He really looks good out there. He absolutely has a ton to learn, but his body type and his athleticism is tailor made for the position. I think it's really gonna help Georgia and it's gonna help him too. A lot of it had to do with just the amount of injuries we've had and the lack of depth. He saw an opportunity and was very excited about the chance to do it. I'm glad he's got the right attitude. You don't want to move a guy if he doesn't want to move, but he was ready to move. He told me that he played D-end and tackle in high school and liked them both. He sees the opportunity. So he's No. 64 now and we're excited about that. It changes the whole complexion of our offensive line, at least the depth and the athletic bodies that you're striving to recruit. It's like getting a commitment from a top two or three tackle in the United States, so that's pretty exciting for us.
On how the move came about:
I think coach Searels had been kinda playfully throwing a carrot out there, you know? I was talking to Kiante yesterday, just asking him how he's doing. I actually asked him how much he weighs nowadays. He said he weighed 270 and then he said, 'Coach Searels is kinda playing around with me maybe being a tackle,' and I said, 'Well, what would you think of that?' That's when he said, 'I played both in high school. I liked 'em both, coach. I would do that.' And I said, 'Well I'll talk to you tonight,' which was yesterday, last night. I called him into my office and we talked a little bit. I just wanted to know what was on his heart because we thought the very same thing before camp started. But my feeling was if the guy's trained all summer, he's got his weight to 270, he hit it right on the money, to play D-end. Now I'm gonna tell him he's a tackle? I'm not gonna do that. So we didn't even talk about it with him. But then with some injuries and we have a lot of depth at D-end and very little depth at tackle. He saw an opportunity. Now his spirit's right, he's excited about it, and I think that's gonna make all the difference in the world. If we'd have pushed it on him, he might've resented that, but right now, I think he feels real good about it. He didn't do everything just right, but it's just amazing to see him move and how he can even make a mistake and then be athlete enough to change direction and run a guy by the quarterback. It's certainly not textbook but it's kinda hard to teach and coach that athleticism, so I think it's gonna be a great move for us.
On how this situation compares with Dale Dixson's short-lived move to OL last preseason:
Dale's a wonderful kid. I asked him to think about it one evening. We were more trying to say we really need you here son. It seemed like Kiante was excited about it when he talked to me originally. You knew Dale was gonna be a harder sell. I talked to Dale about thinking about it, feeling comfortable about it and if in the morning he wanted to do it, then we'd do it. I said you don't have to do it if you don't want to do it. Well, the next morning he never said anything to me. The next morning I just saw him in another color jersey, so I just assumed he was fired up and ready to go. I didn't think anything about it. But then I think it was after one practice or one day, he was in the tank about it. I'm like, you don't have to move son. I think he felt like he had to move because he felt like the team needed him, but in his heart he didn't want to do it so we moved him back. We've always held that policy that we're not gonna move a kid against his will. We didn't do it with Dale and we're not doing it right now with Kiante.
On how Tripp's addition affects what might happen in the future with the OL:
I don't know what's gonna happen. It could free us up to have Chester at guard and always ready to go to tackle, which is probably what we'd like to do. But we had Clint Boling get a little right guard today too, just a little taste. Because we feel like Clint could play center, guard or tackle, he's just that good of an athlete. So it just gave us a little breathing room. Some guys got some rest that don't ever get rest in practice. When I walked Kiante in the offensive line room and introduced him, the linemen, they're in there cheering. Linemen need help, they want help. If you said, 'Hey, here's a new tailback, some all-American from wherever,' the tailbacks would probably be in there grumbling. But when a new lineman comes in the room, they get excited.
On line flexibility meaning Chester Adams could maybe move back inside to guard:
He could. I think it would make more sense for Chester to be on the right side, where he's also right tackle, and then Haverkamp's gonna crosstrain. We'll crosstrain Haverkamp with both guards and then we'll crosstrain Davis at guard and center, just to give us a little depth. I'm not saying we won't have 10 ready, but I'm not sure we'll have 10 ready. It might be seven or eight guys ready.
This late in the game and with his size, how long do you think till he can be ready?
He might be ready Game 1. I'm not saying he's gonna win the starting job, but I would think...Just from what I saw today, I think he could hold up. It's like if you take a tight end, some tight ends are big, strong, physical bruisers and they will block that way. Some guys are extremely athletic and quick tight ends that they can still be effective blockers, not devastating blockers, but effective in that they can get their hat in the right spot, their feet in the right spot, work your feet and keep a guy from getting to the play without mashing him. He's gonna be in that category for right now. But I don't know how hard he's been trying to keep his weight down. If he just decides to eat a meal after dinner every night, he could go to 280 probably, 285 maybe in just a couple weeks, if he's been fighting hard to keep it off.
Did he work at all with the ones today?
He got some ones and twos today. He probably got more reps than anybody on the front, just to try to catch him up. He held up pretty good.
You said Saturday you didn't want to move a defensive lineman to O-line. Was Josh Davis' injury what put you over the top on that?
That was part of it, but even then I wasn't sitting there going, 'Hey we've gotta do it,' because all the injuries that I see are a day, two days, three days, maybe four days away. Most of those guys are pretty close to coming back. So I didn't feel like anything really changed. We were gonna suffer for a couple days with the lack of depth, but I didn't see any season-ending injuries that would make you do that. Most good line coaches, offensive line coaches and D-line coaches, are looking for somebody to move their way. Coaches will sometimes playfully plant the seed out there and just see what a kid's thinking. And Kiante, he liked the idea of it, so that was very positive for everybody. I don't know if I can talk too much about a recruiting class -- I guess I could, I'm not mentioning names -- but like I said, it's like getting a signee at tackle right there.
On Brandon Miller's move from middle linebacker back to strongside:
Brandon as of late has played more sam and Dannell Ellerbe's played more mike. If it happened today, we'd probably play Ellerbe at mike and Miller at sam. But that doesn't diminish Miller's importance. Miller is still, although he's not playing a lot of mike right now, he's the guy that is physically dominant. He quite frankly is throwing our tight ends around. We have some outside plays, whether it's toss or stretch, what we call a stretch play, and the whole key to that play is whether a tight end can at least neutralize a sam linebacker the way our defense plays our looks. And Brandon's just thrashing everybody right now. I don't know if we've gotten around the edge yet with him playing the sam linebacker.
More on Miller's move back to sam:
He's just comfortable there. Like I said, the will is much more like the mike in that if you spread out, usually the sam spreads out and usually the mike and the will play inside. So I think it was a little more natural for Ellerbe to be there and Dewberry, Dewberry's coming along at the will. They're a great-looking bunch. Marcus Washington's come along at the mike also. That gives us a good comfort level. Rennie Curran's working hard to be No. 2 will. He's kinda moved into that position, for now anyway. And then Akeem Dent has been a very solid sam linebacker also. So that's kind of our two-deep there.
How's Aron White's transition coming?
He's light. He's getting tossed around a little bit. He's learning new terminology, technique, everything. He's just getting a taste for it. He has played tight end before, but he hasn't heard coach Johnson teach it yet.
So he's working at tight end now?
He's been that Y, that flex Y, but yesterday we started giving him a taste of tight end. More in a three-receiver set than in a base I-formation set. Like I was describing styles of blocking, you don't have to necessarily be a masher in the three-receiver, tight end set. The blocking schemes are not, you don't have to be quite as physical as you do in the I-formation. I don't think he's learned any tight end in the I-formation.
Is the punter or kickoff job settles?
We're gonna have a kicking scrimmage tomorrow morning. That will probably help us some.
Might that determine it?
It could determine it. I know Bo did a good job and I thought both punters were pretty close to being equal last one.
Interesting move at OL
Apparently because of the depth issues/injuries on the OL, Kiante Tripp has shifted over to offensive tackle today. He's wearing jersey No. 64.
Coach Richt poo-pooed the idea of shifting a defensive lineman to OL after Saturday's scrimmage, but I guess it's possible that Josh Davis' injury was enough to necessitate a change. Here's what Richt said about the possibility Saturday night:
"Well...I just don't think it would help us. I don't think it would help us. They're not gonna know what to do and they're probably not gonna be too thrilled about it. The combination of those two things is not very good. Before the season's over, or before long, Chester should be back, Strickland should be back, Haverkamp should be back, Chris Little oughta be able to go. We'll be up to 12 or 13 guys again here unless everybody takes a turn getting hurt. But there's no season-ending injuries or anything like that. So I don't think we'll (do that). If we had some season-ending injuries, if every guy hurt now was for the season, we'd probably have to do something like that."
Not sure if this is a temporary move, but we'll find out more after practice. I'd requested coach Fabris for some other stuff anyway and I'm sure he'll have an interesting perspective on Tripp's move.
Here's flex line today:
OFFENSE
Stafford-Cox
Lumpkin-Brown
Southerland-Johnson
Sturdivant-Vance
C. Davis-White
Velasco-Perez
Haverkamp-Anderson
Boling-J. Davis
Chandler-Watson
Bailey-Massaquoi-Harris
Henderson-Bryant-Wilson
DEFENSE
Battle-Wynn
Howard-Lomax
Weston-Irvin
Owens-Taylor
Dewberry-Dent
Miller-Washington
Ellerbe-Curran
Johnson-Banks
Byrd-Williams
Evans-Miller
Flowers-Allen
In green: Evans, Chandler, Flowers, Haverkamp, Little, J. Johnson, J. Davis, Gartrell, Crawford, Gaunder, Adams
Watching on side: Durham, Strickland, Coates, Jones
Coach Richt poo-pooed the idea of shifting a defensive lineman to OL after Saturday's scrimmage, but I guess it's possible that Josh Davis' injury was enough to necessitate a change. Here's what Richt said about the possibility Saturday night:
"Well...I just don't think it would help us. I don't think it would help us. They're not gonna know what to do and they're probably not gonna be too thrilled about it. The combination of those two things is not very good. Before the season's over, or before long, Chester should be back, Strickland should be back, Haverkamp should be back, Chris Little oughta be able to go. We'll be up to 12 or 13 guys again here unless everybody takes a turn getting hurt. But there's no season-ending injuries or anything like that. So I don't think we'll (do that). If we had some season-ending injuries, if every guy hurt now was for the season, we'd probably have to do something like that."
Not sure if this is a temporary move, but we'll find out more after practice. I'd requested coach Fabris for some other stuff anyway and I'm sure he'll have an interesting perspective on Tripp's move.
Here's flex line today:
OFFENSE
Stafford-Cox
Lumpkin-Brown
Southerland-Johnson
Sturdivant-Vance
C. Davis-White
Velasco-Perez
Haverkamp-Anderson
Boling-J. Davis
Chandler-Watson
Bailey-Massaquoi-Harris
Henderson-Bryant-Wilson
DEFENSE
Battle-Wynn
Howard-Lomax
Weston-Irvin
Owens-Taylor
Dewberry-Dent
Miller-Washington
Ellerbe-Curran
Johnson-Banks
Byrd-Williams
Evans-Miller
Flowers-Allen
In green: Evans, Chandler, Flowers, Haverkamp, Little, J. Johnson, J. Davis, Gartrell, Crawford, Gaunder, Adams
Watching on side: Durham, Strickland, Coates, Jones
Monday, August 13, 2007
Update
I'm really tired, so check out my notebook for most of the stuff I'd update with here. Here's a link.
I'll try to run through the injuries real quick though and give my best guess on when they might be back. These impressions come from comments either Mark Richt or the player himself made...
* Reshad Jones -- bone bruise on knee from scrimmage Sat. MRI revealed no structural damage, but he's out for a while.
* Josh Davis -- shoulder. out for a short while
* Chester Adams -- ankle. could be back within a week or so
* Scott Haverkamp -- ankle. says he could be back this week
* Bryan Evans -- hamstring. might practice by end of week, early next week
* Mikey Henderson -- hip pointer. next few days
* Tripp Chandler -- rib cartilage. not sure on timing of return
* Tripp Taylor/Jason Johnson -- heat. day-to-day.
* Kris Durham -- heat/head. few days
* Chris Little -- wrist. maybe two more weeks
* Tanner Strickland -- ankle. another week or two.
* Thomas Flowers -- shoulder. not sure
* T.J. Gartrell -- not sure. not sure.
* Ricardo Crawford -- heat. day-to-day.
* Chris Gaunder -- not sure. not sure.
I might be missing one, but that's all I can think of off the top of my head. More tomorrow.
I'll try to run through the injuries real quick though and give my best guess on when they might be back. These impressions come from comments either Mark Richt or the player himself made...
* Reshad Jones -- bone bruise on knee from scrimmage Sat. MRI revealed no structural damage, but he's out for a while.
* Josh Davis -- shoulder. out for a short while
* Chester Adams -- ankle. could be back within a week or so
* Scott Haverkamp -- ankle. says he could be back this week
* Bryan Evans -- hamstring. might practice by end of week, early next week
* Mikey Henderson -- hip pointer. next few days
* Tripp Chandler -- rib cartilage. not sure on timing of return
* Tripp Taylor/Jason Johnson -- heat. day-to-day.
* Kris Durham -- heat/head. few days
* Chris Little -- wrist. maybe two more weeks
* Tanner Strickland -- ankle. another week or two.
* Thomas Flowers -- shoulder. not sure
* T.J. Gartrell -- not sure. not sure.
* Ricardo Crawford -- heat. day-to-day.
* Chris Gaunder -- not sure. not sure.
I might be missing one, but that's all I can think of off the top of my head. More tomorrow.
FWAA Top 16 ballot
Here's how I voted in the Football Writers Association/Grantland Rice Super 16 preseason poll. I think I maybe should have ranked Wisconsin higher. I like them this year. I moved things all over, but wound up with this. Who knows, really, where everyone really belongs?
1.: USC
2.: Texas
3.: LSU
4.: Michigan
5.: Wisconsin
6.: West Virginia
7.: Oklahoma
8.: Ohio State
9.: Louisville
10.: Georgia
11.: Florida
12.: Virginia Tech
13.: Tennessee
14.: California
15.: Rutgers
16.: Auburn
1.: USC
2.: Texas
3.: LSU
4.: Michigan
5.: Wisconsin
6.: West Virginia
7.: Oklahoma
8.: Ohio State
9.: Louisville
10.: Georgia
11.: Florida
12.: Virginia Tech
13.: Tennessee
14.: California
15.: Rutgers
16.: Auburn
Afternoon practice
There'll be a little more to ask Mark Richt about after practice today, injury-wise. Several guys missing or not practicing.
On the field, but not in shoulder pads (only wearing t-shirt/jersey and shorts) were Josh Davis (?), Kris Durham (concussion), Tripp Taylor (?) and Jason Johnson (?). I didn't see Reshad Jones at all. Thomas Flowers may have been out there, but I missed him if he was and Asher Allen stretched with the starters.
In green: Haverkamp (ankle), Adams (ankle), Henderson (hip), Little (wrist), Strickland (foot sprain), Chandler (ribs), Gaunder (?) and new addition T.J. Gartrell (?).
Ricardo Crawford was back in pads and helmet, but he was only riding the exercise bike when we were on the field. Not sure what he'll do in practice.
Here's how they lined up in flex line (and I'll remind you, this isn't necessarily an absolutely accurate depth chart):
OFFENSE
QB Stafford-Cox
TB Lumpkin-Brown
FB Southerland-Munzenmeier
LT Sturdivant-Vance
LG C. Davis-White
C Velasco-Perez
RG Anderson-Potts
RT Boling-J. Davis (?)
TE Chandler-Watson
WR Bailey-Massaquoi
WR Henderson-Bryant (?)
DEFENSE
DE Battle-Wynn
DE Howard-Lomax
DT Weston-Irvin
DT Owens-Crawford
LB Dewberry-Dent
LB Miller-Washington
LB Ellerbe-Curran
SS Johnson-Banks
FS Byrd-Williams
CB Evans-Miller
CB Allen-Brown
On the field, but not in shoulder pads (only wearing t-shirt/jersey and shorts) were Josh Davis (?), Kris Durham (concussion), Tripp Taylor (?) and Jason Johnson (?). I didn't see Reshad Jones at all. Thomas Flowers may have been out there, but I missed him if he was and Asher Allen stretched with the starters.
In green: Haverkamp (ankle), Adams (ankle), Henderson (hip), Little (wrist), Strickland (foot sprain), Chandler (ribs), Gaunder (?) and new addition T.J. Gartrell (?).
Ricardo Crawford was back in pads and helmet, but he was only riding the exercise bike when we were on the field. Not sure what he'll do in practice.
Here's how they lined up in flex line (and I'll remind you, this isn't necessarily an absolutely accurate depth chart):
OFFENSE
QB Stafford-Cox
TB Lumpkin-Brown
FB Southerland-Munzenmeier
LT Sturdivant-Vance
LG C. Davis-White
C Velasco-Perez
RG Anderson-Potts
RT Boling-J. Davis (?)
TE Chandler-Watson
WR Bailey-Massaquoi
WR Henderson-Bryant (?)
DEFENSE
DE Battle-Wynn
DE Howard-Lomax
DT Weston-Irvin
DT Owens-Crawford
LB Dewberry-Dent
LB Miller-Washington
LB Ellerbe-Curran
SS Johnson-Banks
FS Byrd-Williams
CB Evans-Miller
CB Allen-Brown
More from the punters
What the heck. I transcribed the interviews with Drew Butler and Brian Mimbs. Might as well post them since I posted the one with Johnson.
Up first, here's freshman Drew Butler, talking about how he performed in Saturday morning's kicking scrimmage:
Going into Saturday, I just wanted to go in and get a feel for the game because it was all new. I knew it was gonna be our first live punt rush. I just wanted to get acquainted with that and see how it feels and just get as many reps as I can. That worked out well. I got the reps I wanted. I'm trying to get a feel for the speed still, so that's what I was going in looking for.
Coach Richt said the race was close enough that get-off might be the deciding factor. How do you feel about how you're doing with that?
I feel like I'm doing that well. That's one thing I always work on and try to get real consistently is my own get-off time. Pairing that up with the snapper's snap, just to try to get it as short as possible with a good kick that's not returnable. That's what I've been working on and I think that'll definitely be a difference. I know Brian and I both do it real well, so it's just gonna come down to the wire.
Somebody was telling me you have a shorter catch and get-off. Is that right?
Yes sir, I'm a two-step punter. I catch the ball and two-step punt, so I catch it, I just take two steps and get it off. That definitely helps with my get-off time. I'm not sure what other punters do, but that's what I've always worked on. It's what feels most comfortable with me.
Is that what you've always done since you've been punting.
In high school, it was a bit of a two-and-a-half step, but this summer working with my dad, we just decided, 'Hey, if you just cut out that half-step, you're only taking time off your get-off and that's only gonna help the team.' We worked on that all summer. We were working really hard and we got it down to now where it's real comfortable. We're still trying to work with that and hopefully get it to perfection sometime soon.
And here's Brian Mimbs. Starting with the same question on Saturday's scrimmage:
I always feel like it could have went a little better. I didn't hit the ball as well as I would've wanted. But it's the first scrimmage, we've got one more, so I'm just looking forward to improving in that second one.
Did being the man in the spring help you coming into the preseason?
It was the first time that Gordon wasn't around. I wasn't behind Gordon in his shadow, so it was kinda me. It gave me a feeling of what it was like not being behind him for the first time. It let me concentrate -- and not get caught up in the moment, but concentrate -- and punt like I was when he was here.
Conversely, I guess having Drew here now is good because it lets you see what your competition looks like?
Definitely. In the spring, he wasn't here so I didn't know what I was going up against. It was kinda hard to gauge where I was. But when you have your competition right there in front of you, you know what you've got to do and how hard you've got to punt to get the job. Him being here has helped a lot as far as knowing what I need to do.
The coaches seem to think this could go down to the last week or so of preseason. Is that something that bothers you at all?
It doesn't bother me. It's what I expected. He's a good punter. I just try to take it one day at a time and not worry about what's gonna happen two, three weeks from now.
Up first, here's freshman Drew Butler, talking about how he performed in Saturday morning's kicking scrimmage:
Going into Saturday, I just wanted to go in and get a feel for the game because it was all new. I knew it was gonna be our first live punt rush. I just wanted to get acquainted with that and see how it feels and just get as many reps as I can. That worked out well. I got the reps I wanted. I'm trying to get a feel for the speed still, so that's what I was going in looking for.
Coach Richt said the race was close enough that get-off might be the deciding factor. How do you feel about how you're doing with that?
I feel like I'm doing that well. That's one thing I always work on and try to get real consistently is my own get-off time. Pairing that up with the snapper's snap, just to try to get it as short as possible with a good kick that's not returnable. That's what I've been working on and I think that'll definitely be a difference. I know Brian and I both do it real well, so it's just gonna come down to the wire.
Somebody was telling me you have a shorter catch and get-off. Is that right?
Yes sir, I'm a two-step punter. I catch the ball and two-step punt, so I catch it, I just take two steps and get it off. That definitely helps with my get-off time. I'm not sure what other punters do, but that's what I've always worked on. It's what feels most comfortable with me.
Is that what you've always done since you've been punting.
In high school, it was a bit of a two-and-a-half step, but this summer working with my dad, we just decided, 'Hey, if you just cut out that half-step, you're only taking time off your get-off and that's only gonna help the team.' We worked on that all summer. We were working really hard and we got it down to now where it's real comfortable. We're still trying to work with that and hopefully get it to perfection sometime soon.
And here's Brian Mimbs. Starting with the same question on Saturday's scrimmage:
I always feel like it could have went a little better. I didn't hit the ball as well as I would've wanted. But it's the first scrimmage, we've got one more, so I'm just looking forward to improving in that second one.
Did being the man in the spring help you coming into the preseason?
It was the first time that Gordon wasn't around. I wasn't behind Gordon in his shadow, so it was kinda me. It gave me a feeling of what it was like not being behind him for the first time. It let me concentrate -- and not get caught up in the moment, but concentrate -- and punt like I was when he was here.
Conversely, I guess having Drew here now is good because it lets you see what your competition looks like?
Definitely. In the spring, he wasn't here so I didn't know what I was going up against. It was kinda hard to gauge where I was. But when you have your competition right there in front of you, you know what you've got to do and how hard you've got to punt to get the job. Him being here has helped a lot as far as knowing what I need to do.
The coaches seem to think this could go down to the last week or so of preseason. Is that something that bothers you at all?
It doesn't bother me. It's what I expected. He's a good punter. I just try to take it one day at a time and not worry about what's gonna happen two, three weeks from now.
Talking punting with David Johnson
I spoke with several folks this morning after the 8:30 practice -- Brian Mimbs, Drew Butler, David Johnson, Tony Ball and Knowshon Moreno among them. Also saw Scott Haverkamp and asked him how the ankle's holding up. He said someone rolled up on it in the scrimmage, but that he thinks it'll be OK and believes he will be back later this week.
Coach Johnson is in charge of the punters, so I talked to him about the competition betwen Mimbs and Butler. As if the list above didn't give it away, I'm writing about special teams for tomorrow.
Here's a quick Q/A:
On what he saw from Brian Mimbs and Drew Butler in Saturday morning's kicking scrimmage:
It's a competitive situation and that's what we thought it would be. They both performed pretty well. We have one more kicking scrimmage to go and just about every day we're charting, we're working at it. So we'll compile all the stuff and sit down as a staff and make a decision at that point.
When did Brandon Coutu leave the conversation?
It's just a matter of reps. It's a matter of you've got to get in there now. There's just not enough time in the day to put everybody in at this point. Now he's still getting some kicks when we're in special (?) and that type of thing and I feel very confident that he can handle football and he can get a kick off if need be. He's very reliable and we feel very good about him at any point. It's just a matter of us finding out what's going on with the other two and making a decision.
Is Brian in the lead now?
There's no one in the lead now.
Well who's your punter if you play tomorrow?
We're not playing tomorrow.
Coach Richt said it might come down to get-off. Is that the way you see it, is that the deciding factor?
Well, if everything's even, yeah. That would definitely...If the hangtimes and the distances and the accuracy is all fairly even, then that would be a deciding factor, that's for sure.
And all those things are fairly even at this point?
They are. It's amazing. They're very close.
Coach Johnson is in charge of the punters, so I talked to him about the competition betwen Mimbs and Butler. As if the list above didn't give it away, I'm writing about special teams for tomorrow.
Here's a quick Q/A:
On what he saw from Brian Mimbs and Drew Butler in Saturday morning's kicking scrimmage:
It's a competitive situation and that's what we thought it would be. They both performed pretty well. We have one more kicking scrimmage to go and just about every day we're charting, we're working at it. So we'll compile all the stuff and sit down as a staff and make a decision at that point.
When did Brandon Coutu leave the conversation?
It's just a matter of reps. It's a matter of you've got to get in there now. There's just not enough time in the day to put everybody in at this point. Now he's still getting some kicks when we're in special (?) and that type of thing and I feel very confident that he can handle football and he can get a kick off if need be. He's very reliable and we feel very good about him at any point. It's just a matter of us finding out what's going on with the other two and making a decision.
Is Brian in the lead now?
There's no one in the lead now.
Well who's your punter if you play tomorrow?
We're not playing tomorrow.
Coach Richt said it might come down to get-off. Is that the way you see it, is that the deciding factor?
Well, if everything's even, yeah. That would definitely...If the hangtimes and the distances and the accuracy is all fairly even, then that would be a deciding factor, that's for sure.
And all those things are fairly even at this point?
They are. It's amazing. They're very close.
Quentin Moses news
Someone mentioned to me that Quentin Moses was mentioned in Peter King's NFL notebook on CNN/SI as one of 10 rookies to start their team's preseason opener. Quentin signed with Oakland on July 26, by the way. He was the last UGA draft pick to sign.
Here's the snippet from King's notebook:
Rookie starters on opening preseason night, among others: (Chicago tight end Greg) Olsen; Pittsburgh strongside linebacker LaMarr Woodley; St. Louis defensive tackle Adam Carriker; Washington strong safety LaRon Landry; Houston defensive tackle Amobi Okoye; Cleveland left tackle Joe Thomas; Oakland defensive end Quentin Moses; and three for the Dolphins -- center Samson Satele (second round), defensive tackle Paul Soliai (fourth) and right guard Drew Mormino (sixth).
Here's the snippet from King's notebook:
Rookie starters on opening preseason night, among others: (Chicago tight end Greg) Olsen; Pittsburgh strongside linebacker LaMarr Woodley; St. Louis defensive tackle Adam Carriker; Washington strong safety LaRon Landry; Houston defensive tackle Amobi Okoye; Cleveland left tackle Joe Thomas; Oakland defensive end Quentin Moses; and three for the Dolphins -- center Samson Satele (second round), defensive tackle Paul Soliai (fourth) and right guard Drew Mormino (sixth).
Two-a-days morning update
I didn't catch flex line this morning at 8:30, so I'll have to wait until this afternoon's practice to look for any possible depth chart changes. But I paid attention to see how the injured guys were looking:
In green no-contact jerseys were:
OG Chris Little (wrist)
OT Chester Adams (ankle)
OG Scott Haverkamp (ankle)
CB Bryan Evans (hamstring)
WR Mikey Henderson (hip flexor)
TE Tripp Chandler (ribs)
LB Chris Gaunder (not sure)
* Haverkamp's injured ankle appears to be his right one. He was wearing pads and tennis shoes and walked up and down the sidelines with Chester Adams during early practice.
* Tanner Strickland was not in green and was not walking on crutches, but he wasn't practicing. He was wearing pads and has his left foot in a walking boot.
* Ricardo Crawford was not practicing. He was in shorts and a t-shirt watching practice.
* John Knox came out to practice in shoulder pads and a helmet, but turned around and went back inside. He came back out in shorts and t-shirt. He hasn't finished his five-day acclimation period yet, so he's only allowed to participate in one practice today. My guess is it must be the afternoon one.
* Mohamed Massaquoi rode the exercise bike to loosen up early in practice. I don't know if he's 100 percent recovered from the various ailments that bothered him a year ago, but he seems like he's feeling more spry this year if you watch his body language...whatever that's worth.
Watched the offensive linemen for a bit this morning. Stacy Searels wasn't taking it easy on them. Here's how they lined up:
LT Sturdivant-Vance
LG C. Davis-Harden
C Velasco-Perez
RG Anderson-M. White
RT Boling-J. Davis
It appears that Chris Little will play right guard when his wrist heals and the cast comes off.
Also, if you're interested in information on Fan Day this Saturday, here's a link to the release on the official UGA site.
In green no-contact jerseys were:
OG Chris Little (wrist)
OT Chester Adams (ankle)
OG Scott Haverkamp (ankle)
CB Bryan Evans (hamstring)
WR Mikey Henderson (hip flexor)
TE Tripp Chandler (ribs)
LB Chris Gaunder (not sure)
* Haverkamp's injured ankle appears to be his right one. He was wearing pads and tennis shoes and walked up and down the sidelines with Chester Adams during early practice.
* Tanner Strickland was not in green and was not walking on crutches, but he wasn't practicing. He was wearing pads and has his left foot in a walking boot.
* Ricardo Crawford was not practicing. He was in shorts and a t-shirt watching practice.
* John Knox came out to practice in shoulder pads and a helmet, but turned around and went back inside. He came back out in shorts and t-shirt. He hasn't finished his five-day acclimation period yet, so he's only allowed to participate in one practice today. My guess is it must be the afternoon one.
* Mohamed Massaquoi rode the exercise bike to loosen up early in practice. I don't know if he's 100 percent recovered from the various ailments that bothered him a year ago, but he seems like he's feeling more spry this year if you watch his body language...whatever that's worth.
Watched the offensive linemen for a bit this morning. Stacy Searels wasn't taking it easy on them. Here's how they lined up:
LT Sturdivant-Vance
LG C. Davis-Harden
C Velasco-Perez
RG Anderson-M. White
RT Boling-J. Davis
It appears that Chris Little will play right guard when his wrist heals and the cast comes off.
Also, if you're interested in information on Fan Day this Saturday, here's a link to the release on the official UGA site.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Scrimmage depth chart
Figured I'd post how everyone lined up tonight in flex time, just to see how things change next week.
OFFENSE:
WR Henderson-Bryant-Harris-Gartrell-Moore
WR Bailey-Massaquoi-Durham-Wilson-Goodman
TE Chandler-Watson-Ward-Figgins
OT Boling-J. Davis
OG Haverkamp-Anderson
C Velasco-Perez
OG C. Davis-White
OT Sturdivant-Vance
FB Southerland-Johnson
TB Lumpkin-Brown-Moreno-King
QB Stafford-Cox-Barnes-Gray
DEFENSE
DE Battle-Wynn
DE Howard-Lomax
DT Weston-Atkins
DT Owens-Taylor
SLB Dewberry-Dent
MLB Miller-Washington
WLB Ellerbe-Curran
S Johnson-Banks
S Byrd-Jones
CB Evans-Miller
CB Flowers-Allen
OFFENSE:
WR Henderson-Bryant-Harris-Gartrell-Moore
WR Bailey-Massaquoi-Durham-Wilson-Goodman
TE Chandler-Watson-Ward-Figgins
OT Boling-J. Davis
OG Haverkamp-Anderson
C Velasco-Perez
OG C. Davis-White
OT Sturdivant-Vance
FB Southerland-Johnson
TB Lumpkin-Brown-Moreno-King
QB Stafford-Cox-Barnes-Gray
DEFENSE
DE Battle-Wynn
DE Howard-Lomax
DT Weston-Atkins
DT Owens-Taylor
SLB Dewberry-Dent
MLB Miller-Washington
WLB Ellerbe-Curran
S Johnson-Banks
S Byrd-Jones
CB Evans-Miller
CB Flowers-Allen
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Post-scrimmage observations/Richt comments
Here's a link to my notes from tonight's scrimmage. It contains a lot of stuff that didn't go into the actual paper.
And here's what Richt had to say after tonight's scrimmage. Some quick observations from what we observed before the scrimmage started:
* Chester Adams is off crutches, but he did not participate. He walked around in pads and tennis shoes, but did stretch with the team.
* Tanner Strickland is on crutches. He sprained his foot and had his left foot in a walking boot.
* Bryan Evans was not in a green no-contact jersey, but I never got to ask whether he participated at all. My assumption is that he did not.
* Ricardo Crawford did not dress for the scrimmage. That was a heat-related thing from the morning scrimmage, where he did not gain back enough of the weight he lost in the morning heat by time to scrimmage that night. Not a huge deal. He walked around in shorts and t-shirt during flex time.
* In green were Mikey Henderson (hip), Chris Little (wrist), Tripp Chandler (ribs), Brandon Wood (back).
* Kade Weston supplanted Geno Atkins for a No. 1 DT spot for tonight.
* They fed the players Domino's pizza after the scrimmage. I felt bad for the delivery guy who was bringing in armload after armload of pizza. He said they ordered a total of 135 pizzas. It was funny seeing the guys (or at least one, but I don't know that I should say who he is other than that he's an OL) who are over their expected weight and were arguing about not getting a pizza.
Now here are a couple of opinions, take them for whatever they're worth:
* Richt was fairly cryptic in discussing how they're cross-training the starters at LB. He said they're not displeased with anybody, but what else can this possibly mean other than that they think Ellerbe might be a better fit at MLB than Miller? You can read the comments below. He said nothing's "etched in stone" about who lines up where, except that Dewberry, Miller and Ellerbe are most likely the starters. It's just interesting to hear that right now. We'll see what happens...
* You might have the perfect storm scenario developing on the offensive line. Chester Adams (ankle), Tanner Strickland (foot), Chris Little (wrist) and Scott Haverkamp (ankle) are all hurt right now and they're not sure when some of them will be back. So your starting offensive line right now is senior center Fernando Velasco, redshirt freshman guard Chris Davis and then true freshman tackles Trinton Sturdivant and Clint Boling and true freshman guard Justin Anderson. If you wonder why some offensive guys are a little pissy right now, there ya go. They apparently didn't fare especially well tonight. You can look at the stats below and decide how you feel about it for yourself.
Thomas Brown told me tonight he's not concerned about that because the defense always wins the first scrimmage and then the offense improves as they go along. But this offensive line was already something of a question mark coming in -- and that's when everyone was healthy. With two of the most experienced guys probably missing at least a quarter of preseason practice, it's going to be tougher for that group to gel. Then again, maybe their experience will allow them a little leeway in missing some time that would have hurt a younger player more. We'll see about that as well pretty soon...
Now, here are coach Richt's comments:
Opening comments:
It was a very high-energy scrimmage. I'm glad we went later in the evening. Our defense, especially our No. 1 defense, was very dominant. The No. 1 offense did have a touchdown drive and a long drive that ended up with a field goal and a couple other scores happened once we got into the red zone. I can't remember exactly how many times we scored inside there. But we did a couple drives from the 20 and from the 12 in and we scored a couple times there too. I do have some unofficial statistics. We didn't run the ball that well, really.
He went on to read some stats that sports communications ace Christopher Lakos compiled, God bless him:
Lumpkin 3 carries for 12 yards, TD
Brown 2-4
Moreno 5-36
Johnson 7-12, TD
King 5-6
Stafford 13-20 for 125 yards, 1 TD (9-yarder to Tony Wilson)
Cox 5-16 64 yards
Barnes 2-6 26 yards
Logan Gray 2-4 8 yards, one TD on fade to Durham
Bailey 2 catches for 45 yards
Durham 3-39, TD
Ward 1-16
Troupe 1-5
Wilson 3-30, TD
Bryant 2-17
Watson 1-24
Coutu 36 FG "That was a long drive that ended up with a field goal for our No. 1 offense"
Bailey 44 FG
Washington 7 tackles
Dent, Ellerbe 6 each
Dewberry 5 tackles
K. Johnson forced fumble
Owens fumble recovery
Ellerbe 1.5 sacks
R. Brown 2 pass breakups
Irvin, Weston combined on a safety on drive started that started at offense's 1
On how the offense seems frustrated by the way things are going right now:
It's no fun for the offense today, really. There were some good things that happened. There was a 70-yard touchdown drive, probably a 70-yard field goal drive with the ones. Coming off the minus-1, they got a first down on the very first play. Probably got half of their third-down situations, scored two out of four times on the goalline I think. (He corrected that to say they scored on one out of four on the goalline)
Overall we're just having some issues up front. Chester has a sprained ankle, he's out, and that didn't help. So now we had two true freshman tackles, redshirt freshman guard. Haverkamp sprained his ankle fairly early on, he's out. Then you have another true freshman guard. So we had a senior center and four freshmen, three of which are true freshmen. And that was with the one unit. The second unit was Vance, who's a first year guy, sophomore, I think Perez is a redshirt freshman, and everybody else was a true freshman I think.
It was a little bit of musical chairs at that point because we had eight left on scholarship. In the fall...that's usually a spring kind of thing. So it's not very good.
It's very, very rare should any true freshman lineman every play. But we may be playing three or four.
Does that concern you about what the offense is gonna be able to do this year?
Yeah (big sigh). Yeah.
It's tough. There's no veteran competition. We have two seniors, one junior, one sophomore. The rest are freshmen. That's all we've got. Next year we have one senior. The year after that we have one senior....We've got our work cut out for us.
On Mimbs and Butler in morning kicking scrimmage:
No changes at this point. We're just getting them a little taste of it. Both of them caught the ball and got it off pretty good. We've got to get our snaps a little bit better. We had it come off right or left a couple times when we shouldn't have had to. We've got to get our whole operation down. It may come down to operation time. Right now I think they're pretty even. We've just got to keep going. I think both are capable. It might not be until, maybe after our second kicking scrimmage we might try to narrow it down.
Is Coutu punting too?
no.
on kickoff:
Bo (Stansell) kicked off extremely well today, I thought. He's thrown his hat for the kickoff job. I thought he did a nice job, good height. Most of it's hangtime and placement was not perfect, but pretty good.
On developing continuity with the OL before the opener:
Well we're not gonna be able to. Chester's out for a while. I don't know how long a while is. Haverkamp is probably out for a while. That in itself just about guarantees that there won't be any group of five working together this week, not all week, maybe as early as Wednesday, I don't know. I can't even predict.
(Haverkamp injured his ankle. Strickland has a foot sprain)
Tanner, he's gonna be a few weeks. He's gonna be two weeks....Chester's is not severe, but I just don't know on Chester. Chester's off crutches. That's a good sign.
Chance of looking at defensive line players to boost depth on OL:
Well...I just don't think it would help us. I don't think it would help us. They're not gonna know what to do and they're probably not gonna be too thrilled about it. The combination of those two things is not very good. Before the season's over, or before long, Chester should be back, Strickland should be back, Haverkamp should be back, Chris Little oughta be able to go. We'll be up to 12 or 13 guys again here unless everybody takes a turn getting hurt. But there's no season-ending injuries or anything like that. So I don't think we'll (do that). If we had some season-ending injuries, if every guy hurt now was for the season, we'd probably have to do something like that.
Was Ricardo a heat thing today?
Yeah. That was a carryover from (the morning scrimmage)
Do you think the bad taste in the defense's mouth is gone at this point from the spring game?
Well, yeah, they enjoyed it and I told them to enjoy it. But I said to just temper it a little bit because we're playing with a bunch of rookies up front. The team we're gonna play is gonna have nine returning starters and one of the hottest offenses in the United States of America, so don't get too happy. I don't want to ruin their day because they flew around to the ball, they gang tackled, they played with enthusiasm, they played great team Georgia defense. It was fun to watch without question, but they've got to temper their excitement because of what they were going up against.
On linebackers' playing with acceptable level of pursuit:
They did today. They did a good job. Miller, we're still going back and forth at sam. We'll cross-train guys so don't be shocked to see Miller playing some sam linebacker. We're making sure Miller knows it, making sure Ellerbe knows it. We're cross-training Dewberry to be sam-will, Miller at sam-mike, Ellerbe mike-will, so we're rolling them around to create a little bit of depth in that way.
That's not out of displeasure out of the job anybody's doing, it's just to be safe?
Oh yeah. Your veterans ought to be able to learn two positions. And by the time the second, third scrimmage rolls around, we'll know how to line 'em up. I would say it's not etched in stone right now how we'll line up at linebacker. It'll be a combination of those three -- whichever we think is the one that everybody feels the most comfortable at.
On Marcus Washington's performance. Was he pretty active at MLB?
Yeah, he did a good job. He's the No. 2 mike, so he did a good job.
How extra 5 yards on kickoff return affected things:
We just had our kicking scrimmage in the morning, we didn't do any of that tonight. It didn't affect field position tonight, we just set the ball down and go, so it didn't matter. When we were working on our kickoff return, we had our return men up. It's gonna be a huge deal. It's gonna be a huge deal. I'll betcha on average 85 percent to 90 percent of the kicks will get returned, where it might've been 50 percent last year.
On how more returns makes injuries more likely:
I don't necessarily dislike the kickoff, I just know it's a dangerous play. That's what I'm talking about. I think it's exciting. If I'm a fan, I love it. But as a coach, you see how hard these guys run into each other on these things, I just worry about these guys.
And here's what Richt had to say after tonight's scrimmage. Some quick observations from what we observed before the scrimmage started:
* Chester Adams is off crutches, but he did not participate. He walked around in pads and tennis shoes, but did stretch with the team.
* Tanner Strickland is on crutches. He sprained his foot and had his left foot in a walking boot.
* Bryan Evans was not in a green no-contact jersey, but I never got to ask whether he participated at all. My assumption is that he did not.
* Ricardo Crawford did not dress for the scrimmage. That was a heat-related thing from the morning scrimmage, where he did not gain back enough of the weight he lost in the morning heat by time to scrimmage that night. Not a huge deal. He walked around in shorts and t-shirt during flex time.
* In green were Mikey Henderson (hip), Chris Little (wrist), Tripp Chandler (ribs), Brandon Wood (back).
* Kade Weston supplanted Geno Atkins for a No. 1 DT spot for tonight.
* They fed the players Domino's pizza after the scrimmage. I felt bad for the delivery guy who was bringing in armload after armload of pizza. He said they ordered a total of 135 pizzas. It was funny seeing the guys (or at least one, but I don't know that I should say who he is other than that he's an OL) who are over their expected weight and were arguing about not getting a pizza.
Now here are a couple of opinions, take them for whatever they're worth:
* Richt was fairly cryptic in discussing how they're cross-training the starters at LB. He said they're not displeased with anybody, but what else can this possibly mean other than that they think Ellerbe might be a better fit at MLB than Miller? You can read the comments below. He said nothing's "etched in stone" about who lines up where, except that Dewberry, Miller and Ellerbe are most likely the starters. It's just interesting to hear that right now. We'll see what happens...
* You might have the perfect storm scenario developing on the offensive line. Chester Adams (ankle), Tanner Strickland (foot), Chris Little (wrist) and Scott Haverkamp (ankle) are all hurt right now and they're not sure when some of them will be back. So your starting offensive line right now is senior center Fernando Velasco, redshirt freshman guard Chris Davis and then true freshman tackles Trinton Sturdivant and Clint Boling and true freshman guard Justin Anderson. If you wonder why some offensive guys are a little pissy right now, there ya go. They apparently didn't fare especially well tonight. You can look at the stats below and decide how you feel about it for yourself.
Thomas Brown told me tonight he's not concerned about that because the defense always wins the first scrimmage and then the offense improves as they go along. But this offensive line was already something of a question mark coming in -- and that's when everyone was healthy. With two of the most experienced guys probably missing at least a quarter of preseason practice, it's going to be tougher for that group to gel. Then again, maybe their experience will allow them a little leeway in missing some time that would have hurt a younger player more. We'll see about that as well pretty soon...
Now, here are coach Richt's comments:
Opening comments:
It was a very high-energy scrimmage. I'm glad we went later in the evening. Our defense, especially our No. 1 defense, was very dominant. The No. 1 offense did have a touchdown drive and a long drive that ended up with a field goal and a couple other scores happened once we got into the red zone. I can't remember exactly how many times we scored inside there. But we did a couple drives from the 20 and from the 12 in and we scored a couple times there too. I do have some unofficial statistics. We didn't run the ball that well, really.
He went on to read some stats that sports communications ace Christopher Lakos compiled, God bless him:
Lumpkin 3 carries for 12 yards, TD
Brown 2-4
Moreno 5-36
Johnson 7-12, TD
King 5-6
Stafford 13-20 for 125 yards, 1 TD (9-yarder to Tony Wilson)
Cox 5-16 64 yards
Barnes 2-6 26 yards
Logan Gray 2-4 8 yards, one TD on fade to Durham
Bailey 2 catches for 45 yards
Durham 3-39, TD
Ward 1-16
Troupe 1-5
Wilson 3-30, TD
Bryant 2-17
Watson 1-24
Coutu 36 FG "That was a long drive that ended up with a field goal for our No. 1 offense"
Bailey 44 FG
Washington 7 tackles
Dent, Ellerbe 6 each
Dewberry 5 tackles
K. Johnson forced fumble
Owens fumble recovery
Ellerbe 1.5 sacks
R. Brown 2 pass breakups
Irvin, Weston combined on a safety on drive started that started at offense's 1
On how the offense seems frustrated by the way things are going right now:
It's no fun for the offense today, really. There were some good things that happened. There was a 70-yard touchdown drive, probably a 70-yard field goal drive with the ones. Coming off the minus-1, they got a first down on the very first play. Probably got half of their third-down situations, scored two out of four times on the goalline I think. (He corrected that to say they scored on one out of four on the goalline)
Overall we're just having some issues up front. Chester has a sprained ankle, he's out, and that didn't help. So now we had two true freshman tackles, redshirt freshman guard. Haverkamp sprained his ankle fairly early on, he's out. Then you have another true freshman guard. So we had a senior center and four freshmen, three of which are true freshmen. And that was with the one unit. The second unit was Vance, who's a first year guy, sophomore, I think Perez is a redshirt freshman, and everybody else was a true freshman I think.
It was a little bit of musical chairs at that point because we had eight left on scholarship. In the fall...that's usually a spring kind of thing. So it's not very good.
It's very, very rare should any true freshman lineman every play. But we may be playing three or four.
Does that concern you about what the offense is gonna be able to do this year?
Yeah (big sigh). Yeah.
It's tough. There's no veteran competition. We have two seniors, one junior, one sophomore. The rest are freshmen. That's all we've got. Next year we have one senior. The year after that we have one senior....We've got our work cut out for us.
On Mimbs and Butler in morning kicking scrimmage:
No changes at this point. We're just getting them a little taste of it. Both of them caught the ball and got it off pretty good. We've got to get our snaps a little bit better. We had it come off right or left a couple times when we shouldn't have had to. We've got to get our whole operation down. It may come down to operation time. Right now I think they're pretty even. We've just got to keep going. I think both are capable. It might not be until, maybe after our second kicking scrimmage we might try to narrow it down.
Is Coutu punting too?
no.
on kickoff:
Bo (Stansell) kicked off extremely well today, I thought. He's thrown his hat for the kickoff job. I thought he did a nice job, good height. Most of it's hangtime and placement was not perfect, but pretty good.
On developing continuity with the OL before the opener:
Well we're not gonna be able to. Chester's out for a while. I don't know how long a while is. Haverkamp is probably out for a while. That in itself just about guarantees that there won't be any group of five working together this week, not all week, maybe as early as Wednesday, I don't know. I can't even predict.
(Haverkamp injured his ankle. Strickland has a foot sprain)
Tanner, he's gonna be a few weeks. He's gonna be two weeks....Chester's is not severe, but I just don't know on Chester. Chester's off crutches. That's a good sign.
Chance of looking at defensive line players to boost depth on OL:
Well...I just don't think it would help us. I don't think it would help us. They're not gonna know what to do and they're probably not gonna be too thrilled about it. The combination of those two things is not very good. Before the season's over, or before long, Chester should be back, Strickland should be back, Haverkamp should be back, Chris Little oughta be able to go. We'll be up to 12 or 13 guys again here unless everybody takes a turn getting hurt. But there's no season-ending injuries or anything like that. So I don't think we'll (do that). If we had some season-ending injuries, if every guy hurt now was for the season, we'd probably have to do something like that.
Was Ricardo a heat thing today?
Yeah. That was a carryover from (the morning scrimmage)
Do you think the bad taste in the defense's mouth is gone at this point from the spring game?
Well, yeah, they enjoyed it and I told them to enjoy it. But I said to just temper it a little bit because we're playing with a bunch of rookies up front. The team we're gonna play is gonna have nine returning starters and one of the hottest offenses in the United States of America, so don't get too happy. I don't want to ruin their day because they flew around to the ball, they gang tackled, they played with enthusiasm, they played great team Georgia defense. It was fun to watch without question, but they've got to temper their excitement because of what they were going up against.
On linebackers' playing with acceptable level of pursuit:
They did today. They did a good job. Miller, we're still going back and forth at sam. We'll cross-train guys so don't be shocked to see Miller playing some sam linebacker. We're making sure Miller knows it, making sure Ellerbe knows it. We're cross-training Dewberry to be sam-will, Miller at sam-mike, Ellerbe mike-will, so we're rolling them around to create a little bit of depth in that way.
That's not out of displeasure out of the job anybody's doing, it's just to be safe?
Oh yeah. Your veterans ought to be able to learn two positions. And by the time the second, third scrimmage rolls around, we'll know how to line 'em up. I would say it's not etched in stone right now how we'll line up at linebacker. It'll be a combination of those three -- whichever we think is the one that everybody feels the most comfortable at.
On Marcus Washington's performance. Was he pretty active at MLB?
Yeah, he did a good job. He's the No. 2 mike, so he did a good job.
How extra 5 yards on kickoff return affected things:
We just had our kicking scrimmage in the morning, we didn't do any of that tonight. It didn't affect field position tonight, we just set the ball down and go, so it didn't matter. When we were working on our kickoff return, we had our return men up. It's gonna be a huge deal. It's gonna be a huge deal. I'll betcha on average 85 percent to 90 percent of the kicks will get returned, where it might've been 50 percent last year.
On how more returns makes injuries more likely:
I don't necessarily dislike the kickoff, I just know it's a dangerous play. That's what I'm talking about. I think it's exciting. If I'm a fan, I love it. But as a coach, you see how hard these guys run into each other on these things, I just worry about these guys.
Interesting note
Coach Richt said in the post-scrimmage talk that the linebacker spots aren't set yet so don't be surprised to see Brandon Miller line up at strongside linebacker some. Interesting.
He said nothing's "etched in stone" right now at linebacker except that Miller, Dewberry and Ellerbe are probably the starters. So there's that. More later
He said nothing's "etched in stone" right now at linebacker except that Miller, Dewberry and Ellerbe are probably the starters. So there's that. More later
scrimmage news
The scrimmage is tonight under the lights at sanford stadium, 7 p.m.
I understand the motivation behind it completely, as it would be hard to get everything they want out of the kids to scrimmage in 105 degree heat after going through one in the morning. That said, it's going to be hard to get much for tomorrow's paper from it. I would have written my story for tomorrow's paper from the scrimmage had it occurred in the afternoon. Instead, I'll be writing a feature for the paper and leading my notebook with scrimmage stuff. And of course, I'll dump as much info as I can gather here as well. So check back late tonight or tomorrow if you're dying to know what the kids have to say afterward.
I understand the motivation behind it completely, as it would be hard to get everything they want out of the kids to scrimmage in 105 degree heat after going through one in the morning. That said, it's going to be hard to get much for tomorrow's paper from it. I would have written my story for tomorrow's paper from the scrimmage had it occurred in the afternoon. Instead, I'll be writing a feature for the paper and leading my notebook with scrimmage stuff. And of course, I'll dump as much info as I can gather here as well. So check back late tonight or tomorrow if you're dying to know what the kids have to say afterward.
From the falcons game...
I didn't watch the game, but I looked at the box score to see how the former Georgia players did after seeing this note in the last sentence of the AP story:
"Jets rookie Danny Ware, an undrafted free agent out of Georgia, led the Jets with 48 yards on 12 carries."
Danny's long run was for 26 yards, which was the long for anyone in the game. In addition, Tony Taylor had one solo tackle for the Falcons and D.J. Shockley went 5-for-12 for 77 yards and an interception.
Unrelated to the Falcons, here's a link to my Friday UGA notebook. And here's one to my story on freshman linebackers Rennie Curran and Charles White.
"Jets rookie Danny Ware, an undrafted free agent out of Georgia, led the Jets with 48 yards on 12 carries."
Danny's long run was for 26 yards, which was the long for anyone in the game. In addition, Tony Taylor had one solo tackle for the Falcons and D.J. Shockley went 5-for-12 for 77 yards and an interception.
Unrelated to the Falcons, here's a link to my Friday UGA notebook. And here's one to my story on freshman linebackers Rennie Curran and Charles White.
Richt Friday coments
Here are some highlights from what Mark Richt had to say after practice today:
On John Knox clearing the Clearinghouse and all 23 signees qualifying:
“I think it's great. You hope that that happens, but there's a reason why it's the first time in a long time -- because it's not an exact science. You do the very best you can to try to find guys that can play, guys that you think can handle the academics and guys that you believe are good people. The way the system is structured, by the time you get commitments, you get commitments so early, you're getting a commitment with an entire senior year of academics to go. A guy could be in good shape and actually get a little complacent and go backwards. We've had guys do that. We've had some guys that just are so close, either by grade point average or test score, that we feel like if he goes up just a normal progression -- every time they take a test, you can kinda count on a little bit of advancement in their score. So if they advance X amount of points the next three times, you think they could get about here. They get a couple Bs, and an A and a C or whatever it is that final semester, then they can make it. So you say let's go, and sometimes they make it and sometimes they don't. It was really a credit to all those people I mentioned in the press release and especially those players too. They're the ones who have to get the job done. It's great for Georgia, really.”
On the heat outside, which might cause them to move the scrimmage to Saturday night:
“It's pretty brutal out there. It showed today. It was a tough, tough day today. We had some guys sucking it up, but it's just rough out there. It's as hot as I can remember.”
On how they’d like to wait until after the scrimmages to adjust the depth chart:
“We try to reserve judgment until we do scrimmage. We put a lot more weight on scrimmage than we do...I guess we'll get an inclination of what we think. We usually don't try to make any decisions on any kind of changes until after the scrimmage.”
On the importance of the morning special teams scrimmage:
“Not many people want to have statistics of the kicking scrimmage, but it's a very important scrimmage. So many guys are gonna prove that they're ready to help us win there. That's where the majority...there's a lot of veterans that'll be tough to beat out on special teams. Usually a young guy can't beat an older guy on special teams, but sometimes an older guy might get removed from a special team because he might be more of an every-down player, starter and all of a sudden. If you're a starter on defense, but you're still a starter on three or four special teams, chances are you're gonna be pulled off of a couple special teams. Not all of 'em, but it'll be reduced. So now all of a sudden, that's a job that opens up for the younger guys, some of the redshirts from last year. And I'm sure there'll be some true freshmen that'll play special teams for us.”
On redshirts:
“We're already starting to see who we think might redshirt, who you think probably won't. Those discussions are going on right now, but it's kind of a working discussion where nothing really gets decided till usually after the third scrimmage, for most of them.”
On the coaches’ discussions on redshirt decisions:
“There's heated discussions on just about everything in there, at times. I think it's pretty healthy to be able to voice your opinion. I don't want guys to just sit there on their hands and not be willing to say what they believe and say it with passion. I want them to do it in a respectful way. It doesn't get personal, but it'll get heated, a guy wanting to make his point come through. That's where I've got to step in and just say, 'This is what we're gonna do.' Usually I'm the only one in there that doesn't have some kind of...I mean, I've got a vested interest, but the punt team coach, he'll want that guy because...but I've gotta see a little bit bigger picture and try to decide what's best for the team and for the player.”
On the NCAA’s decision to uphold the text messaging ban for now:
“
You just do what they say. There's nothing we can do to change it right now. We'll do what we need to do to change it if we feel like we need to as coaches. A lot of times, let's face it, that's a relatively small issue, a minor issue. The powers that be usually let us win a battle once in a while. But we'll e-mail, we'll write letters, we'll call. We're allowed to call. It'll be just like it's been for the longest, so it's not gonna be that big of a deal.”
On Clint Boling:
“He's competing for a starting job. They all are, really. There's not many of them -- there's only 10 of them practicing. You're first- or second-string right now. He's doing very well. He's got ability and he's pretty sharp. He's picking it up the best he can, but again, we're so thin, true freshmen are making hay. This year we've got two seniors, next year we'll have one senior, the next year we'll have one senior after that. We'll have two seniors, one senior, one senior, so almost all of them are very young.”
On whether Chester Adams could move back to guard if Boling’s good enough at tackle:
“If he's one of the best five, that could be a combination. That could be a possibility.”
On whether he’s comfortable with the experience level on the offensive line:
“You think I'd be comfortable with that? I just never thought it would happen again. I knew after 2002 we were gonna have issues, but we kinda swore it would never happen again. Here we are.”
On Rennie Curran’s work outside practice/regular position meetings to pick up the defense:
“That's just Rennie. A very conscientous kid, wants to be great. Hard worker, humble, just tough mentally physically. He's a beautiful kid, he's a great kid and working hard. He's doing very well. He made a couple big sticks today. He's one of them guys that, he's a tackle-maker. He got a million tackles in high school, kinda these unreal numbers. I don't know if he's got 180 tackles a year or what he had, 150, 180, I don't know what the numbers were, but they were kinda crazy numbers. He's just got a knack, making people miss, knowing when to run through a guy.”
On how Curran can cut inside a run blocker, which is not exactly advisable, and still race down a running back who’s trying to run outside:
“You don't really teach that because if you do that all day, you'll be in trouble. But every once in a while, guys like him can do that. He's quick and of course very low to the ground -- he's not very tall -- and very powerful. He can accelerate and strike people. We talk about we want our linebackers to hunt. We want our linebackers to go hunt and strike somebody. Some guys do it better than others, and he's got a nice knack for that. The sooner he gets comfortable with the system, the more he'll play.”
More on Curran:
“When we recruited Rennie, we felt like Rennie was exactly what we got. It was all the things I've mentioned already -- smart, tough, quick, conscientious. The kid loves Georgia. He's so fired up about being at Georgia, it's unbelievable. I think he would literally bleed for the team. That's the kinda guy he is, the way his momma and daddy raised him.”
On John Knox clearing the Clearinghouse and all 23 signees qualifying:
“I think it's great. You hope that that happens, but there's a reason why it's the first time in a long time -- because it's not an exact science. You do the very best you can to try to find guys that can play, guys that you think can handle the academics and guys that you believe are good people. The way the system is structured, by the time you get commitments, you get commitments so early, you're getting a commitment with an entire senior year of academics to go. A guy could be in good shape and actually get a little complacent and go backwards. We've had guys do that. We've had some guys that just are so close, either by grade point average or test score, that we feel like if he goes up just a normal progression -- every time they take a test, you can kinda count on a little bit of advancement in their score. So if they advance X amount of points the next three times, you think they could get about here. They get a couple Bs, and an A and a C or whatever it is that final semester, then they can make it. So you say let's go, and sometimes they make it and sometimes they don't. It was really a credit to all those people I mentioned in the press release and especially those players too. They're the ones who have to get the job done. It's great for Georgia, really.”
On the heat outside, which might cause them to move the scrimmage to Saturday night:
“It's pretty brutal out there. It showed today. It was a tough, tough day today. We had some guys sucking it up, but it's just rough out there. It's as hot as I can remember.”
On how they’d like to wait until after the scrimmages to adjust the depth chart:
“We try to reserve judgment until we do scrimmage. We put a lot more weight on scrimmage than we do...I guess we'll get an inclination of what we think. We usually don't try to make any decisions on any kind of changes until after the scrimmage.”
On the importance of the morning special teams scrimmage:
“Not many people want to have statistics of the kicking scrimmage, but it's a very important scrimmage. So many guys are gonna prove that they're ready to help us win there. That's where the majority...there's a lot of veterans that'll be tough to beat out on special teams. Usually a young guy can't beat an older guy on special teams, but sometimes an older guy might get removed from a special team because he might be more of an every-down player, starter and all of a sudden. If you're a starter on defense, but you're still a starter on three or four special teams, chances are you're gonna be pulled off of a couple special teams. Not all of 'em, but it'll be reduced. So now all of a sudden, that's a job that opens up for the younger guys, some of the redshirts from last year. And I'm sure there'll be some true freshmen that'll play special teams for us.”
On redshirts:
“We're already starting to see who we think might redshirt, who you think probably won't. Those discussions are going on right now, but it's kind of a working discussion where nothing really gets decided till usually after the third scrimmage, for most of them.”
On the coaches’ discussions on redshirt decisions:
“There's heated discussions on just about everything in there, at times. I think it's pretty healthy to be able to voice your opinion. I don't want guys to just sit there on their hands and not be willing to say what they believe and say it with passion. I want them to do it in a respectful way. It doesn't get personal, but it'll get heated, a guy wanting to make his point come through. That's where I've got to step in and just say, 'This is what we're gonna do.' Usually I'm the only one in there that doesn't have some kind of...I mean, I've got a vested interest, but the punt team coach, he'll want that guy because...but I've gotta see a little bit bigger picture and try to decide what's best for the team and for the player.”
On the NCAA’s decision to uphold the text messaging ban for now:
“
You just do what they say. There's nothing we can do to change it right now. We'll do what we need to do to change it if we feel like we need to as coaches. A lot of times, let's face it, that's a relatively small issue, a minor issue. The powers that be usually let us win a battle once in a while. But we'll e-mail, we'll write letters, we'll call. We're allowed to call. It'll be just like it's been for the longest, so it's not gonna be that big of a deal.”
On Clint Boling:
“He's competing for a starting job. They all are, really. There's not many of them -- there's only 10 of them practicing. You're first- or second-string right now. He's doing very well. He's got ability and he's pretty sharp. He's picking it up the best he can, but again, we're so thin, true freshmen are making hay. This year we've got two seniors, next year we'll have one senior, the next year we'll have one senior after that. We'll have two seniors, one senior, one senior, so almost all of them are very young.”
On whether Chester Adams could move back to guard if Boling’s good enough at tackle:
“If he's one of the best five, that could be a combination. That could be a possibility.”
On whether he’s comfortable with the experience level on the offensive line:
“You think I'd be comfortable with that? I just never thought it would happen again. I knew after 2002 we were gonna have issues, but we kinda swore it would never happen again. Here we are.”
On Rennie Curran’s work outside practice/regular position meetings to pick up the defense:
“That's just Rennie. A very conscientous kid, wants to be great. Hard worker, humble, just tough mentally physically. He's a beautiful kid, he's a great kid and working hard. He's doing very well. He made a couple big sticks today. He's one of them guys that, he's a tackle-maker. He got a million tackles in high school, kinda these unreal numbers. I don't know if he's got 180 tackles a year or what he had, 150, 180, I don't know what the numbers were, but they were kinda crazy numbers. He's just got a knack, making people miss, knowing when to run through a guy.”
On how Curran can cut inside a run blocker, which is not exactly advisable, and still race down a running back who’s trying to run outside:
“You don't really teach that because if you do that all day, you'll be in trouble. But every once in a while, guys like him can do that. He's quick and of course very low to the ground -- he's not very tall -- and very powerful. He can accelerate and strike people. We talk about we want our linebackers to hunt. We want our linebackers to go hunt and strike somebody. Some guys do it better than others, and he's got a nice knack for that. The sooner he gets comfortable with the system, the more he'll play.”
More on Curran:
“When we recruited Rennie, we felt like Rennie was exactly what we got. It was all the things I've mentioned already -- smart, tough, quick, conscientious. The kid loves Georgia. He's so fired up about being at Georgia, it's unbelievable. I think he would literally bleed for the team. That's the kinda guy he is, the way his momma and daddy raised him.”
Friday, August 10, 2007
Friday update
I tried to track where things stood for a two-deep today and I think I got it down. The first full scrimmage is tomorrow and you can probably start reading more into the depth chart after that:
DEFENSE
CB Flowers-Allen
CB Miller-Evans
S Byrd-Jones
S Johnson-Banks
LB Ellerbe-Curran
LB Miller-Washington
LB Dewberry-Dent
DT Owens-Taylor
DT Atkins-Weston
DE Howard-Lomax
DE Battle-Wynn
OFFENSE
QB Stafford-Cox
RB Lumpkin-Brown
FB Southerland-Johnson
LT Sturdivant-Vance
LG C. Davis-Strickland
C Velasco-Perez
RG Haverkamp-Anderson
RT Boling-J. Davis
TE Chandler-Watson
WR Bailey-Massaquoi-Harris
WR Henderson-Bryant-Durham
I think Tony Wilson would have been fourth-team at WR, but it was hard to tell by that point.
I'm not really sure of the situation in the backup OL spots on the right side because RT Chester Adams missed practice today with an ankle injury. The official preseason depth chart has Justin Anderson as the backup right tackle and Josh Davis as the backup right guard. When Adams returns, I'm not sure what happens to those spots on the depth chart...But I have heard that Boling is acquitting himself well and has added considerable size. He was listed at 270 pounds when he signed, but he's listed at 290 right now.
Among those in green no-contact jerseys today: TE Tripp Chandler (ribs), WR Mikey Henderson (hip), CB Bryan Evans (hamstring), OL Chris Little (wrist), DT Brandon Wood (back), OT Chester Adams (ankle) and walk-on S Andrew Williams (not sure).
We talked with Richt, Martinez and Bobo after practice today. Talked about John Knox being certified by the Clearinghouse, Thomas Flowers vs. Asher Allen and got some good stuff for the story I did on Rennie Curran and Charles White for tomorrow. I'll post some quotes later.
The team has a completely closed kicking/special teams scrimmage in the morning and a full team scrimmage later at the stadium. It's scheduled for 4:30, but Richt said they might go under the lights to escape from the heat a bit. That's going to be hard to do, though, because it was 100 degrees at 8 p.m. and right now, at 11:15 p.m., it's 88.
DEFENSE
CB Flowers-Allen
CB Miller-Evans
S Byrd-Jones
S Johnson-Banks
LB Ellerbe-Curran
LB Miller-Washington
LB Dewberry-Dent
DT Owens-Taylor
DT Atkins-Weston
DE Howard-Lomax
DE Battle-Wynn
OFFENSE
QB Stafford-Cox
RB Lumpkin-Brown
FB Southerland-Johnson
LT Sturdivant-Vance
LG C. Davis-Strickland
C Velasco-Perez
RG Haverkamp-Anderson
RT Boling-J. Davis
TE Chandler-Watson
WR Bailey-Massaquoi-Harris
WR Henderson-Bryant-Durham
I think Tony Wilson would have been fourth-team at WR, but it was hard to tell by that point.
I'm not really sure of the situation in the backup OL spots on the right side because RT Chester Adams missed practice today with an ankle injury. The official preseason depth chart has Justin Anderson as the backup right tackle and Josh Davis as the backup right guard. When Adams returns, I'm not sure what happens to those spots on the depth chart...But I have heard that Boling is acquitting himself well and has added considerable size. He was listed at 270 pounds when he signed, but he's listed at 290 right now.
Among those in green no-contact jerseys today: TE Tripp Chandler (ribs), WR Mikey Henderson (hip), CB Bryan Evans (hamstring), OL Chris Little (wrist), DT Brandon Wood (back), OT Chester Adams (ankle) and walk-on S Andrew Williams (not sure).
We talked with Richt, Martinez and Bobo after practice today. Talked about John Knox being certified by the Clearinghouse, Thomas Flowers vs. Asher Allen and got some good stuff for the story I did on Rennie Curran and Charles White for tomorrow. I'll post some quotes later.
The team has a completely closed kicking/special teams scrimmage in the morning and a full team scrimmage later at the stadium. It's scheduled for 4:30, but Richt said they might go under the lights to escape from the heat a bit. That's going to be hard to do, though, because it was 100 degrees at 8 p.m. and right now, at 11:15 p.m., it's 88.
Knox cleared by Clearinghouse
John Knox has been certified by the NCAA Clearinghouse. Here's the Georgia release. Hopefully we'll be able to talk to him today, although only Bobo, Martinez and Richt are supposed to be available after practice:
ATHENS, Ga. --- The University of Georgia has been notified that freshman football signee John Knox of Statesboro has been officially certified as a full qualifier by the NCAA Clearinghouse.
As permitted by NCAA rules, Knox reported for fall practice two days ago while his certification process was being completed. He's still undergoing the mandatory acclimation period which requires a minimum number of days prior to practicing in full pads.
"It was exciting to get the news," said UGA head football coach Mark Richt. "It's even more exciting to have all 23 of our signees now here in school. There's so much work that goes into the admissions timeline and I'm very grateful to President Adams, Nancy McDuff (UGA Associate Vice-President for Admissions), Carla Williams and Glada Horvat from our athletic staff and many others for their support and guidance throughout this process."
ATHENS, Ga. --- The University of Georgia has been notified that freshman football signee John Knox of Statesboro has been officially certified as a full qualifier by the NCAA Clearinghouse.
As permitted by NCAA rules, Knox reported for fall practice two days ago while his certification process was being completed. He's still undergoing the mandatory acclimation period which requires a minimum number of days prior to practicing in full pads.
"It was exciting to get the news," said UGA head football coach Mark Richt. "It's even more exciting to have all 23 of our signees now here in school. There's so much work that goes into the admissions timeline and I'm very grateful to President Adams, Nancy McDuff (UGA Associate Vice-President for Admissions), Carla Williams and Glada Horvat from our athletic staff and many others for their support and guidance throughout this process."
Thursday, August 09, 2007
evening update
The 8:30 p.m. practice was canceled, so there's not a ton to report.
I've seen some really good pictures from the afternoon at the pool. Brant Sanderlin from the AJC got some great pics. Dean Legge from the Dawgpost had some hysterical shots of Demiko Goodman battling the fear of jumping off the three-story-high diving platform. I told Dean he's got to do a photo story of that Demiko stuff and not let it go to waste. He'd step up to the edge and jump back and try to psyche himself up, with all of his teammates up there egging him on. He went as far as sitting on the edge before backing off again. He finally jumped off, arms and legs flailing the whole way down. There were really a lot of laughs in there this afternoon. It was fun to watch.
Here's an official UGA photo of Demiko sitting on the edge.
I wish someone had taken pictures of Ramarcus Brown, who started with a little floatie vest and then went and put on a full life jacket before he'd get in the pool. Also a funny sight.
If you want to check it out, here's my notebook for today. It's got some stuff on the tight ends competing for playing time, the trip to the pool, Brandon Miller at middle linebacker (I've been holding onto that one for a few days...probably too long), and injury report and a few other small things.
I've seen some really good pictures from the afternoon at the pool. Brant Sanderlin from the AJC got some great pics. Dean Legge from the Dawgpost had some hysterical shots of Demiko Goodman battling the fear of jumping off the three-story-high diving platform. I told Dean he's got to do a photo story of that Demiko stuff and not let it go to waste. He'd step up to the edge and jump back and try to psyche himself up, with all of his teammates up there egging him on. He went as far as sitting on the edge before backing off again. He finally jumped off, arms and legs flailing the whole way down. There were really a lot of laughs in there this afternoon. It was fun to watch.
Here's an official UGA photo of Demiko sitting on the edge.
I wish someone had taken pictures of Ramarcus Brown, who started with a little floatie vest and then went and put on a full life jacket before he'd get in the pool. Also a funny sight.
If you want to check it out, here's my notebook for today. It's got some stuff on the tight ends competing for playing time, the trip to the pool, Brandon Miller at middle linebacker (I've been holding onto that one for a few days...probably too long), and injury report and a few other small things.
afternoon update
Coach Richt pulled I guess what you'd call a fast one on the team today. They piled up in buses and went to the Ramsey Center thinking they were going to practice inside because of the heat. But instead they went swimming. The team walks into the pool and Richt is sitting in a chair on the high dive about three stories up in the air. Then he stands on the edge facing backwards and did a flip off the top. It was funny to watch, although I was sure I was about to see the head coach at the University of Georgia die in a freak high dive accident. Apparently he used to do the dive all the time in high school.
So they played in the pool for about half an hour. It was fairly entertaining to watch guys like Ricardo Crawford jump off the top. I've got to hand it to Fernando Velasco, he's pretty nimble for a big guy. Didn't see him jump off the top, but he did some pretty agile moves off the lower diving boards, especially for a 320-pound guy.
Chester Adams watched from the side with several guys. He came in on crutches with his left ankle heavily taped. Apparently he "tweaked" it in practice this morning and will miss tonight's practice that's been moved back to 8:30. Richt said he may be able to go tomorrow.
So they played in the pool for about half an hour. It was fairly entertaining to watch guys like Ricardo Crawford jump off the top. I've got to hand it to Fernando Velasco, he's pretty nimble for a big guy. Didn't see him jump off the top, but he did some pretty agile moves off the lower diving boards, especially for a 320-pound guy.
Chester Adams watched from the side with several guys. He came in on crutches with his left ankle heavily taped. Apparently he "tweaked" it in practice this morning and will miss tonight's practice that's been moved back to 8:30. Richt said he may be able to go tomorrow.
From the morning practice...
They just put out an updated roster. John Knox will wear No. 32. He should make his debut in this afternoon's practice.
Not a ton to report from this morning. Bryan Evans was in pads with everybody else, but wearing a green jersey. I spoke to him after practice and he said he's feeling good. Is surprised by how well the hamstring injury is coming along.
Mikey Henderson injured his hip this morning and he may not practice this afternoon. But I did see him walking off after practice and he didn't look terrible. Quintin Banks apparently took a shot to the head and is also questionable for this afternoon's practice. T.J. Gartrell and Thomas Flowers were both riding the exercise bike on the side during the early part of practice, but I assume both took part in practice. Aside from Evans, the only other player in green was Chris Little (wrist).
Spoke with Evans, Corvey Irvin, Rennie Curran and Charles White after practice. I think Irvin's going to see a good bit of the field this year. Curran and White were very impressive kids. They say all the right things, which doesn't necessarily make for a really interview that's full of colorful quotes, but it's impressive that they'd be thrown into this insanity and seem to have their heads on straight.
LATE AFTERNOON EDIT: I wasn't at the practice field yet during flex time this morning, but Dean Legge from Dawgpost.com just told me that Thomas Flowers lined up ahead of Asher Allen at cornerback this morning. I wouldn't read too terribly much into depth chart issues right now, but I thought that was interesting.
Not a ton to report from this morning. Bryan Evans was in pads with everybody else, but wearing a green jersey. I spoke to him after practice and he said he's feeling good. Is surprised by how well the hamstring injury is coming along.
Mikey Henderson injured his hip this morning and he may not practice this afternoon. But I did see him walking off after practice and he didn't look terrible. Quintin Banks apparently took a shot to the head and is also questionable for this afternoon's practice. T.J. Gartrell and Thomas Flowers were both riding the exercise bike on the side during the early part of practice, but I assume both took part in practice. Aside from Evans, the only other player in green was Chris Little (wrist).
Spoke with Evans, Corvey Irvin, Rennie Curran and Charles White after practice. I think Irvin's going to see a good bit of the field this year. Curran and White were very impressive kids. They say all the right things, which doesn't necessarily make for a really interview that's full of colorful quotes, but it's impressive that they'd be thrown into this insanity and seem to have their heads on straight.
LATE AFTERNOON EDIT: I wasn't at the practice field yet during flex time this morning, but Dean Legge from Dawgpost.com just told me that Thomas Flowers lined up ahead of Asher Allen at cornerback this morning. I wouldn't read too terribly much into depth chart issues right now, but I thought that was interesting.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Wednesday practice notes
I've already posted my practice notebook on the Ledger site. You can read it here.
The biggest news today was that John Knox was at practice. He'll dress out tomorrow and will be allowed to go through one of the team's first two-a-day workouts. My guess is that it will be the one at 8:30 a.m., but I didn't ask which. This is not a sign that the Clearinghouse has cleared him, particularly since he received his graduation test score only two days ago, but there's an NCAA rule that allows him to practice once he has enrolled and is expected to join the team. He has a 14-day grace period to work out with the team while the Clearinghouse evaluates his stuff, but he is not allowed to compete in a game during that time (conveniently, they don't play for 24 days).
Georgia's ace sports communications czar Claude Felton printed out the NCAA rule (14.3.5.1.1) that will allow Knox to practice. It states:
"If a recruited student-athlete reports for athletics participation before the high school-core curriculum grade-point average and test score have been certified, the student may practice, but not compete, for a maximum of 14 days, provided the student is enrolled full time or has been accepted for enrollment as a regular full-time student. After this 14-day period, the student shall have established minimum requirements as a qualifier (as certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center) to continue practicing or to compete."
All right, I've got a headache now. Knox will have to go through the five-day heat acclimation period all players do. His will just start five days late. That means he'll be in shorts and helmet tomorrow when the other players are in full pads. But for his sake, at least he's here.
Watched Bryan Evans moving around a bit today. I think he'll be back in time for a week or two of practice before the season starts. Looked pretty good. Carter and I were standing around chatting with strength and conditioning coach Dave Van Halanger before practice (and I'll just say he was giving his best standup comedy routine today. He had quite a field day with my pink and burgandy polo shirt). Anyway, he said Bryan ran the team's fastest 40 time this summer. 4.26. And he asked Bryan to confirm it, which he did. I'm thinking I can take him right now with him on one leg, but it'd probably be a good race.
Here are some Richt quotes from today's post-practice:
"I'm just very impressed with their work ethic and their competitive spirit. I'm excited about that, but I'll say we're definitely not disciplined enough yet. We're not disciplined enough yet, but we can always tighten the screws. Sometimes it's hard to get a team to compete, sometimes it's hard to get a team to give great effort, but we've got plenty of that. We've just got to be more disciplined.
"What happens is this is the last day of installation so now everything from this point forward should be review. You should have less mistakes, you should have less foolish penalties and things like that now that we're this far into it. And I think we're just beginning. We're just gonna tighten down the screws on assignments and alignments and jumping offsides or all these little things, fumbling snaps. That tends to happen every time you get started. We've got to get better and better at that."
On the offensive line:
"As a whole, we're struggling, but there's individual victories. If you look at a play it looks awful and then you look at the film, you realize if that one guy would've done the right thing, we've got it. That's probably what's happening. I don't think there's four guys messing up, or three a play. It might be one or two. But all it takes is one guy to step the wrong way and a guy comes clean and a guy blows up the play and you're like, 'My gosh, we're terrible,' and then you look at the film and you see four of them doing it really, really well. That's probably what's going on right now."
On Stacy Searels' apparent "bunker mentality" as one guy put it, where he refuses interview requests and has made freshman tackle Trinton Sturdivant unavailable indefinitely:
"I've never asked him, but I think he's been at places where assistant coaches weren't allowed to speak anyway. I think maybe he liked that. He's got a big job and he knows it. He's got a lot of young and inexperienced guys trying to get ready to play in our league and that's not easy to do. That's why some of our freshman linemen don't need to be chattering. You might be first-team, first- or second-team, but that's all we've got. Sometimes they have a false sense of how far they've come."
On Vince Vance:
"I'll say this about Vince, I think he's decided he's gonna do it coach Searels' way. I think that's helping him.
"In the spring, he didn't hardly get to practice. It just takes a while for the guys to realize there's no short cuts and just do it coach's way. That's your best shot of getting to play and getting better. He was not defiant. I think he was kinda wondering if this is really all worth it, but really most of this camp, I think his attitude's been very good and I think that's gonna help him."
On the throwing and catching in practice thus far:
"We did have a few drops. When you go full-speed thud, there's a little more chance of getting whacked in there. I don't know if that was the reason for any of that. We had some really good throws hit guys right in the hands and we had a couple drops today. But when you consider how many balls we throw and catch, no group is perfect. But it was not bad at all."
On John Knox. He expects him to start out at safety, not linebacker, by the way:
"He's allowed to be in town, and that was him out there just a minute ago. He's allowed to practice with us. The NCAA has a 14-day grace period as you try to iron out clearinghouse issues and all that, so he's got that grace period he's allowed to be with us. He must start with a five-day acclimation period. We're doing two-a-days tomorrow, he can only go one-a-day for five days. He's gotta be in shorts for the first two days. He's gotta go through the same acclimation. So he'll be off to the side probably doing things. There are certain drills he can do that have no contact involved whatsoever. He'll be in the meetings and all those kinds of things."
On the injury situation thus far:
"Very good today. Nothing today. I don't think there was anything yesterday other than we did say there's a couple guys that began to cramp at the end of practice. We thought Thomas Brown's hamstring kinda tightened up yesterday and didn't think he'd go today, but he felt great, went through the whole practice after he spent a little time stretching. I think we're good."
On Bryan Evans and his hamstring:
"Bryan is a lot further along than we thought he was gonna be after it first happened. When it first happened and Ron looked it over, he was like, 'Ooh, this could be a while.' He can full squat. Some hamstrings, you can't even hardly get like this (squatting down). He can sink down to a full squat. He actually jumped, which if it's severe, you can't do that. But I was like, 'Don't jump son.' He's feeling good. It's gonna be a while yet because he's not ready to go full speed. But we were thinking four weeks in the beginning and maybe it won't be that long."
The biggest news today was that John Knox was at practice. He'll dress out tomorrow and will be allowed to go through one of the team's first two-a-day workouts. My guess is that it will be the one at 8:30 a.m., but I didn't ask which. This is not a sign that the Clearinghouse has cleared him, particularly since he received his graduation test score only two days ago, but there's an NCAA rule that allows him to practice once he has enrolled and is expected to join the team. He has a 14-day grace period to work out with the team while the Clearinghouse evaluates his stuff, but he is not allowed to compete in a game during that time (conveniently, they don't play for 24 days).
Georgia's ace sports communications czar Claude Felton printed out the NCAA rule (14.3.5.1.1) that will allow Knox to practice. It states:
"If a recruited student-athlete reports for athletics participation before the high school-core curriculum grade-point average and test score have been certified, the student may practice, but not compete, for a maximum of 14 days, provided the student is enrolled full time or has been accepted for enrollment as a regular full-time student. After this 14-day period, the student shall have established minimum requirements as a qualifier (as certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center) to continue practicing or to compete."
All right, I've got a headache now. Knox will have to go through the five-day heat acclimation period all players do. His will just start five days late. That means he'll be in shorts and helmet tomorrow when the other players are in full pads. But for his sake, at least he's here.
Watched Bryan Evans moving around a bit today. I think he'll be back in time for a week or two of practice before the season starts. Looked pretty good. Carter and I were standing around chatting with strength and conditioning coach Dave Van Halanger before practice (and I'll just say he was giving his best standup comedy routine today. He had quite a field day with my pink and burgandy polo shirt). Anyway, he said Bryan ran the team's fastest 40 time this summer. 4.26. And he asked Bryan to confirm it, which he did. I'm thinking I can take him right now with him on one leg, but it'd probably be a good race.
Here are some Richt quotes from today's post-practice:
"I'm just very impressed with their work ethic and their competitive spirit. I'm excited about that, but I'll say we're definitely not disciplined enough yet. We're not disciplined enough yet, but we can always tighten the screws. Sometimes it's hard to get a team to compete, sometimes it's hard to get a team to give great effort, but we've got plenty of that. We've just got to be more disciplined.
"What happens is this is the last day of installation so now everything from this point forward should be review. You should have less mistakes, you should have less foolish penalties and things like that now that we're this far into it. And I think we're just beginning. We're just gonna tighten down the screws on assignments and alignments and jumping offsides or all these little things, fumbling snaps. That tends to happen every time you get started. We've got to get better and better at that."
On the offensive line:
"As a whole, we're struggling, but there's individual victories. If you look at a play it looks awful and then you look at the film, you realize if that one guy would've done the right thing, we've got it. That's probably what's happening. I don't think there's four guys messing up, or three a play. It might be one or two. But all it takes is one guy to step the wrong way and a guy comes clean and a guy blows up the play and you're like, 'My gosh, we're terrible,' and then you look at the film and you see four of them doing it really, really well. That's probably what's going on right now."
On Stacy Searels' apparent "bunker mentality" as one guy put it, where he refuses interview requests and has made freshman tackle Trinton Sturdivant unavailable indefinitely:
"I've never asked him, but I think he's been at places where assistant coaches weren't allowed to speak anyway. I think maybe he liked that. He's got a big job and he knows it. He's got a lot of young and inexperienced guys trying to get ready to play in our league and that's not easy to do. That's why some of our freshman linemen don't need to be chattering. You might be first-team, first- or second-team, but that's all we've got. Sometimes they have a false sense of how far they've come."
On Vince Vance:
"I'll say this about Vince, I think he's decided he's gonna do it coach Searels' way. I think that's helping him.
"In the spring, he didn't hardly get to practice. It just takes a while for the guys to realize there's no short cuts and just do it coach's way. That's your best shot of getting to play and getting better. He was not defiant. I think he was kinda wondering if this is really all worth it, but really most of this camp, I think his attitude's been very good and I think that's gonna help him."
On the throwing and catching in practice thus far:
"We did have a few drops. When you go full-speed thud, there's a little more chance of getting whacked in there. I don't know if that was the reason for any of that. We had some really good throws hit guys right in the hands and we had a couple drops today. But when you consider how many balls we throw and catch, no group is perfect. But it was not bad at all."
On John Knox. He expects him to start out at safety, not linebacker, by the way:
"He's allowed to be in town, and that was him out there just a minute ago. He's allowed to practice with us. The NCAA has a 14-day grace period as you try to iron out clearinghouse issues and all that, so he's got that grace period he's allowed to be with us. He must start with a five-day acclimation period. We're doing two-a-days tomorrow, he can only go one-a-day for five days. He's gotta be in shorts for the first two days. He's gotta go through the same acclimation. So he'll be off to the side probably doing things. There are certain drills he can do that have no contact involved whatsoever. He'll be in the meetings and all those kinds of things."
On the injury situation thus far:
"Very good today. Nothing today. I don't think there was anything yesterday other than we did say there's a couple guys that began to cramp at the end of practice. We thought Thomas Brown's hamstring kinda tightened up yesterday and didn't think he'd go today, but he felt great, went through the whole practice after he spent a little time stretching. I think we're good."
On Bryan Evans and his hamstring:
"Bryan is a lot further along than we thought he was gonna be after it first happened. When it first happened and Ron looked it over, he was like, 'Ooh, this could be a while.' He can full squat. Some hamstrings, you can't even hardly get like this (squatting down). He can sink down to a full squat. He actually jumped, which if it's severe, you can't do that. But I was like, 'Don't jump son.' He's feeling good. It's gonna be a while yet because he's not ready to go full speed. But we were thinking four weeks in the beginning and maybe it won't be that long."
More from practice
Here's a link to my practice notebook from today that goes over the Beamer stuff, a quick talk with Vance Cuff, Kelin Johnson's professional opinion on Bryan Evans' injured hamstring and some other stuff.
And here are some leftover quotes from today.
Kelin, talking up Bryan Evans:
"He's still helping those corners out. He's still out here with a bum leg, helping everyone out, motivating each and every one of us. That's the type of leader you need. He's gonna do great things for us."
And here's some of the Richt highlights:
"These guys are ready compete and want to hit. It's hard to keep them from getting after each other, so tomorrow we'll be in our shells. Actually we're allowed to be in full pads tomorrow, but we'll put 'em in shells tomorrow, but we'll start to engage in the thud aspect of the game and be a bit more competitive."
On Tony Wilson:
"Tony's doing a great job because he's talented, No. 1, but he's also a physical guy. He's probably our most physical receiver right now and that's gonna go a long way."
On Beamer's allusion to Georgia spying during bowl practice:
"I can assure coach Beamer, we had no idea about anything that was going on. But I can understand why he'd want to close practices. I'm for that myself. I wish I could just close it down completely. It's kinda hard to do with our setup. I can understand why any coach would want to close anything."
More on that subject:
"Sometimes you hit the right call at the right time. If it happens enough times, coaches begin to wonder, 'Gosh, they must've had us. They must have had our signals or had something.' I can't tell you how many times I've been signaling plays in and things aren't going well, I'll immediately grab the guy and whisper in his ear what the play is and I'll run him in there."
On how having people at practice can be detrimental:
"I don't think everybody's necessarily purposely trying to sabotage Georgia. Even if we let our fans come in, who love us, they would just talk about everything that happens. And then people would read it and be able to decipher some things that could help 'em win."
And if that wasn't enough...
"You really don't know where it's coming from sometimes. Sometimes it's some boy within, some young kid -- I'm not gonna actually accuse anybody -- but some kid out here, it could be anybody even within your own system. They're not really trying to hurt the Dogs, but just trying to brag on some knowledge that they had, get everybody to pat 'em on the back, and all of a sudden they give away the goods."
On the tailback depth chart:
"The top three guys, Lumpkin, Brown and Knowshon are the ones that are ready to play right now. Caleb I'm sure can run the rock pretty good, but he's still just got so much to learn today, it's Day 4, and we haven't even installed anything yet. So he's not ready yet."
On whether they're being careful with Thomas Brown:
"We haven't been careful at all, he hasn't been careful at all. He shows no sign whatsoever of fear or tentativeness. It's amazing. He's going full-speed, spinning and just doing everything. It's like nothing ever happened."
And here are some leftover quotes from today.
Kelin, talking up Bryan Evans:
"He's still helping those corners out. He's still out here with a bum leg, helping everyone out, motivating each and every one of us. That's the type of leader you need. He's gonna do great things for us."
And here's some of the Richt highlights:
"These guys are ready compete and want to hit. It's hard to keep them from getting after each other, so tomorrow we'll be in our shells. Actually we're allowed to be in full pads tomorrow, but we'll put 'em in shells tomorrow, but we'll start to engage in the thud aspect of the game and be a bit more competitive."
On Tony Wilson:
"Tony's doing a great job because he's talented, No. 1, but he's also a physical guy. He's probably our most physical receiver right now and that's gonna go a long way."
On Beamer's allusion to Georgia spying during bowl practice:
"I can assure coach Beamer, we had no idea about anything that was going on. But I can understand why he'd want to close practices. I'm for that myself. I wish I could just close it down completely. It's kinda hard to do with our setup. I can understand why any coach would want to close anything."
More on that subject:
"Sometimes you hit the right call at the right time. If it happens enough times, coaches begin to wonder, 'Gosh, they must've had us. They must have had our signals or had something.' I can't tell you how many times I've been signaling plays in and things aren't going well, I'll immediately grab the guy and whisper in his ear what the play is and I'll run him in there."
On how having people at practice can be detrimental:
"I don't think everybody's necessarily purposely trying to sabotage Georgia. Even if we let our fans come in, who love us, they would just talk about everything that happens. And then people would read it and be able to decipher some things that could help 'em win."
And if that wasn't enough...
"You really don't know where it's coming from sometimes. Sometimes it's some boy within, some young kid -- I'm not gonna actually accuse anybody -- but some kid out here, it could be anybody even within your own system. They're not really trying to hurt the Dogs, but just trying to brag on some knowledge that they had, get everybody to pat 'em on the back, and all of a sudden they give away the goods."
On the tailback depth chart:
"The top three guys, Lumpkin, Brown and Knowshon are the ones that are ready to play right now. Caleb I'm sure can run the rock pretty good, but he's still just got so much to learn today, it's Day 4, and we haven't even installed anything yet. So he's not ready yet."
On whether they're being careful with Thomas Brown:
"We haven't been careful at all, he hasn't been careful at all. He shows no sign whatsoever of fear or tentativeness. It's amazing. He's going full-speed, spinning and just doing everything. It's like nothing ever happened."
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Hot Day 4
Man, it's hot as heck outside. The heat index topped 110 degrees on the field and I was sweating within seconds. Of course, I'm fat and out of shape, which I'm sure had nothing to do with it. I was just chatting with Jeff Owens after practice and he said this is the hottest he's ever been. You can tell they're really feeling it, but I guess this is what gets them ready for when things really count. I'm just glad I don't have to be out working so hard under those conditions...
We talked to coach Richt about the Frank Beamer thing. Of course, he said they didn't have any prior knowledge of anything. We also talked about how he understands why Beamer would want to close practices. He has a point, but it's also an issue that kind of irritates me a bit. It's neither here nor there. As many a good newspaper reporter has said, and people on ESPN should probably heed this lesson, 'We aren't the story.'
Talked with Vance Cuff, who looked like he was ready to drop, Kelin Johnson, Asher Allen and Antavious Coates today. Believe it or not, I've got some defensive back stuff in the works. Coates looks good out there, and after all he's been through (three torn ACLs since his senior year of high school -- two on one knee and one on the other), it's nice to see the kid on the field. I've only talked to him a handful of times, but he's always been a pleasant kid and I appreciate that. Not all of them are.
Kelin said he thinks Bryan Evans will be back in two weeks, which is about half as long as was originally expected, apparently. He was walking around at practice today and looked like he was moving around better than before. I'm going to get some dinner and then I'll write my notebook later. I'll post some quotes and a link to the notebook when I get it done.
We talked to coach Richt about the Frank Beamer thing. Of course, he said they didn't have any prior knowledge of anything. We also talked about how he understands why Beamer would want to close practices. He has a point, but it's also an issue that kind of irritates me a bit. It's neither here nor there. As many a good newspaper reporter has said, and people on ESPN should probably heed this lesson, 'We aren't the story.'
Talked with Vance Cuff, who looked like he was ready to drop, Kelin Johnson, Asher Allen and Antavious Coates today. Believe it or not, I've got some defensive back stuff in the works. Coates looks good out there, and after all he's been through (three torn ACLs since his senior year of high school -- two on one knee and one on the other), it's nice to see the kid on the field. I've only talked to him a handful of times, but he's always been a pleasant kid and I appreciate that. Not all of them are.
Kelin said he thinks Bryan Evans will be back in two weeks, which is about half as long as was originally expected, apparently. He was walking around at practice today and looked like he was moving around better than before. I'm going to get some dinner and then I'll write my notebook later. I'll post some quotes and a link to the notebook when I get it done.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Beamer takes shot at UGA
I hadn't seen this until I saw it linked on Dawg Sports. Frank Beamer's cutting back his practice acccess policy, in part because he thought Georgia knew what his team was doing in last year's Chick-Fil-A Bowl after having open practices at Georgia Tech during bowl prep. He doesn't out and out say Georgia was spying on his practices, but that's definitely what he implies. And maybe they were, what do I know...But I'm sure someone will be asking about it tomorrow.
Link
Here's the relevant quote, from the Roanoke Times:
"We practiced out at Georgia Tech and we let all kinds of people through there ... people we didn't really know," Beamer said. "And I thought it hurt us in the bowl game. I'm not blaming anybody ... but I thought Georgia knew exactly what we were doing in several situations.
"What we've done is when we get to 'team' type stuff we're closing practice down. I think that's in our best interests. I want to give our football team the best opportunity to win on Saturday."
Link
Here's the relevant quote, from the Roanoke Times:
"We practiced out at Georgia Tech and we let all kinds of people through there ... people we didn't really know," Beamer said. "And I thought it hurt us in the bowl game. I'm not blaming anybody ... but I thought Georgia knew exactly what we were doing in several situations.
"What we've done is when we get to 'team' type stuff we're closing practice down. I think that's in our best interests. I want to give our football team the best opportunity to win on Saturday."
Practice stuff + John Knox
I would have reported this earlier, but I didn't have Internet access until practice was over. Statesboro safety John Knox has made his graduation test score and awaits word from the NCAA Clearinghouse that he can enter college. He's already enrolled at Georgia and from what I understand, there are no likely roadblocks from the Clearinghouse. If he makes it in, that would be 23-for-23 on signees qualifying, which may be a record of some sort around these parts.
On the practice front, I spoke with Chris Little, Tripp Chandler, Dave Johnson, Aron White and Israel Troupe. There were some interesting nuggets in those conversations, including that:
* Troupe wants to play baseball, but that's still up in the air. He said it can't interfere too much with his knowledge of what's going on with football and he has to have his academics in order.
* Chris Little said his wrist has been broken since last October and had bothered him ever since, but he didn't know about the break until he showed up in Athens this summer and had it examined. He said he currently weighs 350 pounds and they want him down around 300.
* Tripp Chandler said Bruce Figgins reminds him of current New England Patriot Ben Watson and said he's even called him "Ben" a couple times.
* David Johnson said Brandon Coutu is an active participant in the punting race along with Brian Mimbs and Drew Butler and has fared well thus far. EDIT: Looking back, I guess Coutu did punt in the G-Day game, but I didn't really think he was part of the punter competition. I tend to doubt he'll be the guy who winds up as the punter, not because he's incapable, but because they'd rather he focus on kicking alone.
I'll probably transcribe some stuff later tonight. If one of those guys jumps out at you as somebody you'd like to see the Q/A from, drop me a note and I'll post it.
Here's the link to my practice notebook from today. It's got more on a lot of the things I mentioned above.
On the practice front, I spoke with Chris Little, Tripp Chandler, Dave Johnson, Aron White and Israel Troupe. There were some interesting nuggets in those conversations, including that:
* Troupe wants to play baseball, but that's still up in the air. He said it can't interfere too much with his knowledge of what's going on with football and he has to have his academics in order.
* Chris Little said his wrist has been broken since last October and had bothered him ever since, but he didn't know about the break until he showed up in Athens this summer and had it examined. He said he currently weighs 350 pounds and they want him down around 300.
* Tripp Chandler said Bruce Figgins reminds him of current New England Patriot Ben Watson and said he's even called him "Ben" a couple times.
* David Johnson said Brandon Coutu is an active participant in the punting race along with Brian Mimbs and Drew Butler and has fared well thus far. EDIT: Looking back, I guess Coutu did punt in the G-Day game, but I didn't really think he was part of the punter competition. I tend to doubt he'll be the guy who winds up as the punter, not because he's incapable, but because they'd rather he focus on kicking alone.
I'll probably transcribe some stuff later tonight. If one of those guys jumps out at you as somebody you'd like to see the Q/A from, drop me a note and I'll post it.
Here's the link to my practice notebook from today. It's got more on a lot of the things I mentioned above.
Richt Sunday postpractice Q/A
This is most likely the only time I'll post a postpractice Q&A with coach Richt on a Sunday. They'll be off for the remaining Sundays during preseason practice and don't traditionally practice on Sundays in-season. Can't say this one is especially memorable, but maybe someone will like to read it. I needed some of this stuff so I just went ahead and transcribed nearly all of his answers...
So here you go:
The weather hurt us and helped us. We had to kinda stop halfway and let the lightning clear and then had a couple meetings. We came back out and finished and it helped us in that it kinda cooled the day off. Ten times more energy than yesterday. Yesterday was just so smoking hot, it really zapped ‘em. I think the nervous energy of the first day and just the heat and humidity, they didn’t look like a team that was real energetic. But they came back today and had a lot of energy and we had some good learn, good teaching, some great plays on both sides of the ball as far as ball in the air, guys getting picks. Asher’s really been impressive at corner, Stafford’s been throwing the ball extremely well in all the drills. Joe Cox’s been throwing the ball well. Just about all the receivers are catching the ball real well -- very few drops. That’s about all you can kinda judge. We’ll know more about the big men once we put the pads on…do a little of the competitive stuff.
On whether Darius Dewberry can play at full-speed:
I don’t know if he knows everything yet, but I think he’ll be able to play fast this year. Yeah.
Will his speed be a factor?
Oh yeah. I think our defense overall will be faster. I don’t think there’s much doubt about that. Dannell’s looked good. And really, Brandon moving to mike, his speed -- not that he’s a slow guy, he’s not quite as quick as the other two -- but he still runs pretty good for a big 255 pounder. But the mike doesn’t have to play out in space like the sam does sometimes on that tight end, running with the tight end all over the field in man coverage. So might even help Brandon’s speed to be playing mike.
Is corner about attitude and do they have that?
They’ve got it, I can promise you. They’ve got it, Asher, Prince, Bryan Evans, Ramarcus, he’s really had a good camp, Thomas Flowers. Cuff, he’s just shown up. He’s so happy to be here. He’s got a long way to go and he knows that. He knows that. We’ve got some good players, we’ve got some good corners.
On the inexperience at corner:
They are. They’re competitors and they’re very talented. They all catch the ball really good, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but if you drop three or four interceptions a year when the ball absolutely should be caught, if you’ve got guys that can really catch back there, that’ll jump your numbers up.
On whether that inexperience concerns him:
Well they’re gonna get beat. They’re gonna get beat from time to time. All corners get beat from time to time, but I think what was mentioned earlier was the attitude of how you’re gonna handle it if you do get beat. I don’t think any one of them’ll go in the tank. You’re gonna get beat. There’s great quarterbacks and receivers. And in some coverages, all it takes is one little stumble and you’re beat for a touchdown. You’re gonna get beat.
On running backs pushing each other:
They have been ever since they got here, really. They’re tremendous competitors, leaders. That’s probably the reason both of them are on the front cover of the magazine, the media guide. They’re players and they’re leaders.
On giving Jeff Henson a scholarship:
It’s fun to give a guy a scholarship who came in with no promise of anything. He did a good job and earned it and now you get to reward him with that, that’s fun to do as a coach. I’m happy for Jeff, we’ve just got to make sure he doesn’t…every guy I ever give a scholarship to, I’m like, ‘Don’t go in the tank on me now that you’ve got the easy life.’ That’s not true that they have the easy life, but a lot of times if your goal is to get a scholarship and you get it, guys have a tendency to relax a little bit. Hopefully that won’t happen.
There was some more about scholarships, snappers and walk-ons here that I don’t feel like transcribing.
On playmakers with ball in the air:
Well, Asher right now I’ve seen make plays. Prince. All of our corners really do have very good ball skills, safeties too. But the guy that’s made the most plays so far would be Asher.
On whether he believes the occasional practice fight might be good, after watching Ramarcus Brown and Tony Wilson go at it late in Sunday's practice:
Like I told them, I like toughness, I like guys to be physical, but we can’t afford penalties? Did you see what happened? You didn’t see a bunch of guys join in. That’s because we’ve got a rule that if you get into a little scrap that doesn’t belong to you, then you’re gonna get your butt up at the crack of dawn and do a little extra running. So if you noticed, everybody just kinda walked away and let it go. It’s mainly because if they get in the habit of doing that, they’ve got a chance of getting kicked out of that game and the next game and a penalty that could cost us a game. I’m more apt…I mean I like it sometimes for guys to get after it and get excited, but in the fall, there’s kinda no tolerance of it. In the spring, we let it go a little bit in the spring.
On Bryan Evans’ injury:
Yeah, he pulled a hamstring. I don’t know how severely, but he won’t be able to go tomorrow, I know that.
Are you concerned about hamstrings at this moment in the year, because it seems to bite y’all every year:
Well, I think most everybody gets hamstring issues because of just the volume, the heat and the volume of work. Even when guys train hard in the summer, they usually don’t train for two and a half hours or whatever it is. And they’re not competing the way they do. They may compete for a few minutes out there, but nothing like a full day’s work. It was the end of the day and it got him.
On whether the new kickoff rule will affect the personnel on the kickoff return team:
No it won’t change the players. Just hopefully we’ll be real good at it.
So here you go:
The weather hurt us and helped us. We had to kinda stop halfway and let the lightning clear and then had a couple meetings. We came back out and finished and it helped us in that it kinda cooled the day off. Ten times more energy than yesterday. Yesterday was just so smoking hot, it really zapped ‘em. I think the nervous energy of the first day and just the heat and humidity, they didn’t look like a team that was real energetic. But they came back today and had a lot of energy and we had some good learn, good teaching, some great plays on both sides of the ball as far as ball in the air, guys getting picks. Asher’s really been impressive at corner, Stafford’s been throwing the ball extremely well in all the drills. Joe Cox’s been throwing the ball well. Just about all the receivers are catching the ball real well -- very few drops. That’s about all you can kinda judge. We’ll know more about the big men once we put the pads on…do a little of the competitive stuff.
On whether Darius Dewberry can play at full-speed:
I don’t know if he knows everything yet, but I think he’ll be able to play fast this year. Yeah.
Will his speed be a factor?
Oh yeah. I think our defense overall will be faster. I don’t think there’s much doubt about that. Dannell’s looked good. And really, Brandon moving to mike, his speed -- not that he’s a slow guy, he’s not quite as quick as the other two -- but he still runs pretty good for a big 255 pounder. But the mike doesn’t have to play out in space like the sam does sometimes on that tight end, running with the tight end all over the field in man coverage. So might even help Brandon’s speed to be playing mike.
Is corner about attitude and do they have that?
They’ve got it, I can promise you. They’ve got it, Asher, Prince, Bryan Evans, Ramarcus, he’s really had a good camp, Thomas Flowers. Cuff, he’s just shown up. He’s so happy to be here. He’s got a long way to go and he knows that. He knows that. We’ve got some good players, we’ve got some good corners.
On the inexperience at corner:
They are. They’re competitors and they’re very talented. They all catch the ball really good, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but if you drop three or four interceptions a year when the ball absolutely should be caught, if you’ve got guys that can really catch back there, that’ll jump your numbers up.
On whether that inexperience concerns him:
Well they’re gonna get beat. They’re gonna get beat from time to time. All corners get beat from time to time, but I think what was mentioned earlier was the attitude of how you’re gonna handle it if you do get beat. I don’t think any one of them’ll go in the tank. You’re gonna get beat. There’s great quarterbacks and receivers. And in some coverages, all it takes is one little stumble and you’re beat for a touchdown. You’re gonna get beat.
On running backs pushing each other:
They have been ever since they got here, really. They’re tremendous competitors, leaders. That’s probably the reason both of them are on the front cover of the magazine, the media guide. They’re players and they’re leaders.
On giving Jeff Henson a scholarship:
It’s fun to give a guy a scholarship who came in with no promise of anything. He did a good job and earned it and now you get to reward him with that, that’s fun to do as a coach. I’m happy for Jeff, we’ve just got to make sure he doesn’t…every guy I ever give a scholarship to, I’m like, ‘Don’t go in the tank on me now that you’ve got the easy life.’ That’s not true that they have the easy life, but a lot of times if your goal is to get a scholarship and you get it, guys have a tendency to relax a little bit. Hopefully that won’t happen.
There was some more about scholarships, snappers and walk-ons here that I don’t feel like transcribing.
On playmakers with ball in the air:
Well, Asher right now I’ve seen make plays. Prince. All of our corners really do have very good ball skills, safeties too. But the guy that’s made the most plays so far would be Asher.
On whether he believes the occasional practice fight might be good, after watching Ramarcus Brown and Tony Wilson go at it late in Sunday's practice:
Like I told them, I like toughness, I like guys to be physical, but we can’t afford penalties? Did you see what happened? You didn’t see a bunch of guys join in. That’s because we’ve got a rule that if you get into a little scrap that doesn’t belong to you, then you’re gonna get your butt up at the crack of dawn and do a little extra running. So if you noticed, everybody just kinda walked away and let it go. It’s mainly because if they get in the habit of doing that, they’ve got a chance of getting kicked out of that game and the next game and a penalty that could cost us a game. I’m more apt…I mean I like it sometimes for guys to get after it and get excited, but in the fall, there’s kinda no tolerance of it. In the spring, we let it go a little bit in the spring.
On Bryan Evans’ injury:
Yeah, he pulled a hamstring. I don’t know how severely, but he won’t be able to go tomorrow, I know that.
Are you concerned about hamstrings at this moment in the year, because it seems to bite y’all every year:
Well, I think most everybody gets hamstring issues because of just the volume, the heat and the volume of work. Even when guys train hard in the summer, they usually don’t train for two and a half hours or whatever it is. And they’re not competing the way they do. They may compete for a few minutes out there, but nothing like a full day’s work. It was the end of the day and it got him.
On whether the new kickoff rule will affect the personnel on the kickoff return team:
No it won’t change the players. Just hopefully we’ll be real good at it.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Practice No. 2
Today's practice was delayed, about 30 minutes in, for about half an hour because of rain. But they got back on the field and had what coach Richt said was a spirited practice. We got a pretty good taste of what he meant when we showed up right at the end to do postpractice interviews. Ramarcus Brown and Tony Wilson got into a fight and Ramarcus' helmet wound up coming off. They tussled for a minute before coach Richt himself jumped up in the middle of it to pull Tony out and separate them. It's stuff that happens all the time, I'm sure, but the writers aren't usually around when it does. I asked coach Richt about their take on those kinds of things and he said it's something they kind of like, moreso in the spring, because they're showing a little fire. But he said they have less tolerance for those scraps during the fall because if they get into that habit and get into one in a game, they'd face suspension.
Also on the spirited front, you get another taste of it when you watch the offensive linemen work. Stacy Searels is quite the yeller, which of course is fairly common among line coaches. He really lit into Justin Anderson and Vince Vance at different times I saw today.
On the injury front, cornerback Bryan Evans left near the end of practice today with a pulled hamstring. Not sure the extent of the injury, but Richt said he's not expected back on Monday. OL Chris Little also worked out in a green no-contact jersey again today.
So there are a couple of observations from today. Talked to Brannan Southerland and Bruce Figgins a bit today. I might post a little of that sometime. Obviously with him being a Columbus guy, I'll be doing something on Mr. Figgins here pretty soon.
On a completely unrelated note, how bout that Tom Glavine? He was always one of my favorite players to watch when he was a Brave. I got his autograph in the players' parking lot at Fulton County Stadium when I was about 10 and he was a rookie with the Braves. It's pretty cool to see him win his 300th game. He seems to be a genuinely good dude.
Also on the spirited front, you get another taste of it when you watch the offensive linemen work. Stacy Searels is quite the yeller, which of course is fairly common among line coaches. He really lit into Justin Anderson and Vince Vance at different times I saw today.
On the injury front, cornerback Bryan Evans left near the end of practice today with a pulled hamstring. Not sure the extent of the injury, but Richt said he's not expected back on Monday. OL Chris Little also worked out in a green no-contact jersey again today.
So there are a couple of observations from today. Talked to Brannan Southerland and Bruce Figgins a bit today. I might post a little of that sometime. Obviously with him being a Columbus guy, I'll be doing something on Mr. Figgins here pretty soon.
On a completely unrelated note, how bout that Tom Glavine? He was always one of my favorite players to watch when he was a Brave. I got his autograph in the players' parking lot at Fulton County Stadium when I was about 10 and he was a rookie with the Braves. It's pretty cool to see him win his 300th game. He seems to be a genuinely good dude.
Richt press conference
This is the complete text from Mark Richt's media day press conference this afternoon. Hopefully the text formatting comes out all right. I'm trying out a new program and it might not look great when I paste it here, but this is way too long to fix the spacing to where it's just right if it doesn't come out perfect...
So here we go:
It's good to see everyone. I know it's gonna be an exciting year for
us. We're excited about what's gonna happen this year. We've got an awful
lot of unknowns right now. That probably makes it a little more
exciting for us. But we're working hard. The guys have actually been out this
morning walking through their assignments with their coaches --
offense, defense, special teams. Everything started in earnest today. As
Claude said, we've got practice this afternoon. We'll be in shorts of
course for the five-day acclimation period. Five days of one-a-days,
two-a-day, one-a-day, two-a-day until school starts. We have 29 practice
opportunities until our first ballgame against Oklahoma State, and we'll try
to be ready for that moment. I feel very good about our team. I like
the way we finished last year, I like the momentum we carried throughout
the offseason, spring ball and throughout the summer. The guys came
back looking like they're in great shape. Of course we did lose one
player yesterday, Ian Smith came to see me yesterday and decided for health
reasons that he did not want to continue to pursue playing football.
It's an issue that he had even earlier in his career that he was kinda
not sure, but decided to go through spring and go through summer and
right at the very moment of truth, he decided not to stay with us...as a
player. He will stay with our program, he will still use our academic
resources and be part of our program and part of our family, but he just
won't be part of the active 85. Of course, you read I guess that we had
a release last night about Blake and Tripp not playing the first
ballgame, that's set in stone. I felt like the punishment was about right for
what happened, so that's why I chose that amount of time, although
there's other things those guys have gotta do besides just miss a game.
That's what I think the media and the fans care most about -- will he
play, will he not -- there's other things that are involved in the
discipline of our guys. Punishment, missing a game, that's punishment. Doing
some early morning running, things of that nature, that's punishment. We
also educate them as to what they did and why it was wrong and how to
keep that from happening in the future. And also, we're gonna love 'em.
Punishment, education, love, that's the formula for discipline here at
Georgia and in my family for that matter. That's kinda how we go about
it. So with that, I'll just open it up for anybody's questions:
On what they saw in Trinton Sturdivant in the spring:
Trinton Sturdivant is a true freshman of course. he came in at the
midyear, he came in in January and was allowed to practice in the spring
and learn the system. He was athletic enough for us to feel like he could
play the left tackle position, which is crucial for protecting your
right-handed quarterback. I'll say depth was certainly one of the issues.
If we had 10 returning lettermen, it would have probably been very
difficult for him to move into the No. 1 position. But because our depth
was short and he came in at the right time, with the right attitude and
the right ability, he's sitting as our No. 1 left tackle. He's gotta
hold onto that before the first game, but he's got a very realistic shot
of doing it. He's competing with another brand-new player right now,
which is Vince Vance. Of course he's a junior college player, but even
so, they both have about the same amount of experience in our system. By
the way, I think Trinton's up to about...I asked him the other day what
he weighed and he said he weighed about 294, so he's gotten a little
stronger and a little more muscle on him. He still looks very lean. I
imagine he'll be about 310 to 320-pounder when he's fully grown and
matured.
On how receiver depth and tight end situation might lead to more
four-receiver sets:
Well yeah, that'll make a big difference. I do expect our receivers to
play better. They expect to play better. We have four seniors coming
back, three juniors. I mean it's time for these guys to play not only
good but great, not only as receivers but blockers, special teamers,
everything. They've got to really play well and I think they will. Will we
play more four-receiver sets? We have more depth than we've ever had.
There's no question about that. We have more depth that understands what
to do at receiver than we've ever had at receiver. So the opportunity
to actually practice, we could actually practice three-deep at a
four-receiver set, which that happens rare anyway. So we feel good about that.
And as you said, our tight end situation, especially this first
ballgame, has a little bit of unrest there. NaDerris Ward is finally
competing with the other tight ends, Bruce Figgins and Coleman Watson, and
they're competing against the fourth receiver. They're competing against a
three-receiver, tailback, fullback set. They're competing against...if
we think Southerland, Lumpkin and three receivers is gonna be more
productive than a three-receiver, a tight end and a back set, then we'll
play that. So they're competing not only against each other, but against
other personnel groups.
On the arrests this summer and whether that represents a discipline
problem at Georgia:
There's not a discipline problem on the team at all, I don't think. I
don't think it's even close to that. Guys have made some mistakes. To
quote you, you said they were minor. Everything they do that's against
the rules or against the law, some are more minor than others certainly.
I'm not alarmed or shocked that these guys are making foolish mistakes
here and there. Some of them are relatively innocent, some of the
scooter stuff. I know Caleb, he knew his license was suspended, but he had
no idea that if you're riding on a scooter, you had to have a license to
ride a scooter. Now he should've known that and we should've told him,
but we've only had him for about a week. So we had Scooter 101 in our
team meeting yesterday. We did have that, I can tell you. NaDerris is
sitting behind a car who's indecisive about what to do at an
intersection where the light was green, trying to figure out what to do and he
decided to go around it like I think most everybody in America would
probably do, and he gets stopped. He did have a valid license in California.
He didn't have it on his body. But nonetheless, there are laws that
were broken. Those things happen. I'm not alarmed at all. I think we've
got a very disciplined football team. I think we've got a great bunch of
guys that really care about doing things right. I'm excited about
them.
Is that the first time you've gone over a scooter policy?
Yeah, scooter policy. We talked about driver's licenses and what can
cause you to have them suspended and what happens if you have a ticket
and don't pay it on time or don't show up to the court date. (We had some
folks?) come in and try to educate everybody as to how serious it
could get. And of course we all know what happened to Darrius Swain. If you
let things go, it could really cost you in a big way, and it did
Darrius. I quite frankly didn't take it that serious back then when he had
the first arrest for driving without a license. I knew it was important,
but I didn't see it as that important and as it turned out, it really
turned out to be a huge embarrassment for him and for the program. I
think the major lesson that we talked about was that regardless of what
we're talking about, whether it's a parking ticket, a speeding ticket,
maybe getting in trouble for setting your trash outside your door when
you shoulda put it in the dumpster or whatever, if you don't address the
problems and you just act like they're gonna go away, they won't and
sooner or later it could cost you dearly. And that's just true in life.
We've all got to learn that. That's part of the process of learning and
getting ready for life after college.
Is there a chance you'd go from scooters to golf carts?
I don't know. I remember when Breedlove, Kevin Breedlove, was the first
guy to ride a scooter. Breedlove was about 340 pounds, maybe, and he
didn't look real pretty. He didn't have a pretty body, I'll say that. It
was just like this big 'ole giant round thing with his face sticking
out of his helmet riding around on this little bitty scooter and
everybody used to make fun of him. But he realized that's a pretty good way to
get around campus without having a car and without riding a bike or
having to mess with the bus system. All of a sudden, people realized
that's not a bad way to go and all of a sudden everybody got one. And the
University, I guess, did not have a policy for scooters or parking and
treated them as a bike I think in the beginning. Now it's got to be
registered for parking and all those things, so it's just taken a while for
our guys to understand it's not quite like riding in a car, but it's
very much like it in a lot of the rules on campus and the rules of the
road, too.
Do you think the players have a good understanding that they're not
gonna catch a break around here? Because a lot of the incidents have been
pretty minor and in some cases you'd think somebody might let you go,
but it appears that no one on the football team's gonna get that break
(I figured I should type that question, courtesy of Bulldog Illustrated,
in verbatim.)
Well, I'll bet there were some things some guys got a break on. I'll
betcha somebody was going too fast and a police officer said slow down.
I'm sure there were other things that happened when they probably said,
'Hey, do better next time.' And I think that's true across the board. I
think the main thing, and I always tell them, 'Once you break a rule,
break a law and get .... especially, basically you've lost control of
what happens.' That's just the way life is. If you make a mistake, now
you're at the mercy of the authority over you. If a police officer
chooses to arrest someone for something that is wrong, they have every right
to do that. Our guys have to understand that they've lost control at
that point. The other thing that they've got to understand, and I think
it's pretty obvious, I'm not gonna say how many arrests there were on
campus, but I know there was a lot of alcohol-related arrests...like in
the hundreds...You guys might know that number. But there's probably
about nine of them that were reported on the Internet, TV, radio,
newspapers, international Web sites. They've just got to understand that
they're without question some of the most well-known people in the state of
Georgia.
On Stafford's progression:
Matthew had to learn the hard way. He played a buncha games last year
and made mistakes that contributed to some losses and some plays that
contributed to some big wins, too. But he had to go through the maturing
process right in front of everybody's eyes. I was saying that all last
year -- most quarterbacks make their mistakes when nobody's watching
them. It's only their coaches and their teammates, but that's natural. It
happens all the time. Not many guys have to go through that learning
process on national TV like Matthew did. So that was tough, but I think
it toughened him. I think it made him stronger mentally, I think it
taught him how to win the game. I think after finishing the way we did and
the way he did, he learned to take care of the football, how important
it is to put your teammates in position to succeed, that you don't
have to play lights out to win a big football game, it's OK to punt once
in a while. Defense is exciting and there's nothing wrong with that --
turning it over to the defense from time to time. But I think he has
gained the confidence of his teammates, the staff. I think he definitely
believes in himself and he's excited about being a leader. Part of the
leadership role of the quarterback in the summertime, if you're the
starting quarterback, is to organize all the summer workouts. From what
I've heard, it was probably the best-attended summer of all. That has a
lot to do with the leadership of the quarterback.
On why he's gained respect:
He knows the system. He's been through the fire. Everybody who plays
football knows how hard it is to be the quarterback. Every once in a
while, they'll be saying, 'Ah he gets a green jersey in practice,' and all
that stuff, but for the most part, not many guys that don't play
quarterback would want the responsibility of being the quarterback. So I
think they have a high regard for anybody who goes through that and they do
see his talent, they do see his work ethic, they do see his knowledge
of the game, they did see him perservere through some really tough
situations, so I think he's gained the respect of the team.
On the Ian Smith's injuries that led him to quit:
Ian, he's had concussions, he's had neck injuries, he's had migraine
issues. All those things kinda culminated in this decision. Right now,
we've got Perez backing up and we want to give Ben Harden some work at
center also. Chris Davis will snap. We usually have four or five guys
learning how to snap at all times and then we actively practice two or
three centers. Chris may not get a lot of active center participation, but
he'll be practicing his snapping. Of course, by playing guard, so many
of the things are tied into the center anyway, he'll be playing close
attention to that also.
Do you guys tweak the depth chart based on what you're hearing from
summer workouts?
No you can't do that and we don't. We did move Justin Houston from
defensive end to sam linebacker. His body type really fits that right now
at this time in his careeer. He may grow into more of a pure D-end here
before it's over, but we'd like to really see what he can do. He's very
excited about the opportunity, really. I think he felt like he has a
much better opportunity to make a difference on this team at sam
linebacker this year than as a defensive end. I wouldn't necessarily say it's
a career move, but it's definitely a ....... (couldn't make it out).
Do you know who else you have at sam?
At sam? Well you know, Dewberry and Dent mainly, those are the guys.
On how being a sophomore has changed Stafford's personality:
I talked to him yesterday. He had his playbook in his hand and he said,
'Man, I remember last year I was studying this thing three hours a
night and I still didn't know what I was doing.' He's so much more
comfortable in the system. Let's face it -- brand-new guy, doesn't even know
what string you are. He didn't know if he was first or fourth team last
year. Just getting used to college for the first time, just still
trying to fit in with the team.
Now he knows the system, he is now an outstanding college student. I
know last semester, he had a 3.74. He's been through the fire and he is
one of our leaders now. It's just a greater comfort level for him. And
really, it's kinda what he's used to. He wasn't used to being a rookie,
he's used to being the guy that everybody looked to at his high school,
winning state championships and breaking records and being considered
one of the best in the country. I think he's moving closer towards what
he's really comfortable at and it's that type of thing.
On how things have changed for him preparation-wise with Bobo calling
the plays:
Well, I turned the playcalling responsibilities over to Mike and the
coordinating and gameplanning over to Mike. Coach Callaway was
coordinating the offense. There's a difference between coordinating the offense
and all the little things that have to be done, the nuts and bolts and
meetings with coaches and players and planning practice schedules and
all those types of things. Neil coordinated all that, Neil had a lot to
say about the gameplan when it came to the running game, protections,
short yardage, goalline. But the overall gameplan fell under me.
Playcalling came under me. Little by little, I'd been giving Mike the
responsibility to call the game, call two-minute drill, to call spring games, to
call scrimmages in the spring and even to script some team work
because I really saw that in time that Mike was really gonna be handling the
responsibility, if not at Georgia somewhere else. So now that I've
turned it over, I do believe in giving people responsibility and I believe
in giving them the authority to carry out their job. When Neil was
here, Neil knew exactly what the format was gonna be from Day 1 and
everybody agreed with that and that's how we operated. Now that has changed
and I've completely turned it over to Mike. But you know, the same
thing's true with Martinez. Willie has had that responsibility going (on a
year or two?) Our special teams, I was not coordinating the special
teams. I'm not calling many, if any, special teams plays. Every once in a
while, I'll give somebody the OK to work a gadget or something like that.
But now I've got a little more time to kinda get an overview of
everything that we do. I was sitting in the special teams meeting this
morning. I'll try to sit in every special teams meeting I can. I'll be
sitting in other coaches' segment meetings. I want to learn more about what
we're teaching and why -- at every position, not just the ones that I
was more in tuned to, not so much an expert at. But if I have knowledge
of anything football-related, it's more offense than anything else. I
will say this, just getting a little taste of it this morning, we've got
some wonderful teachers. Our coaches are great teachers, they're
implementing our systems and they're very, very good at what they do.
Everything's very well-thought-out and everything's organized. It's amazing
when you see our practice schedule and our meeting schedule to see how
much gets accomplished in the amount of time that we have. Our coaches do
a great job. I've got a great sense of peace at their ability to get
it done.
On the running back depth and how Knowshon Moreno figures in:
I assume you're talking more the tailback position than true running
back. Of course, Lumpkin, Thomas Brown are very accomplished players. We
pretty much know what we're gonna get from them -- and that's good,
hard running, pass protection, knowledge of the game, guys that'll break
tackles, guys that can take it the distance if the right situation
occurs. So we feel very comfortable there. Knowshon, we've seen potential, a
lot of it. We've seen a lot of potential, a lot of excitement. He's
now got to prove that he can do it. He's not had one snap, he's not had
one carry at the University of Georgia in a real game. He's got to prove
that he knows what to do still, although he's come a long way. He's
got to prove that he can pass protect at the moment of truth, although
he's made great strides. We have every reason to believe he'll do that,
but we haven't seen him do it in games. He's got to prove he can wrap up
the football. I've seen a lot of great runners get less reps because
they put the ball on the ground, because they don't protect the
quarterback as they should. So we're gonna give him that chance, barring injury
or him somehow.....He's not redshirting. He can't be. He's gonna play
and we're just gonna see what he does when he gets the ball.
On whether not having a 1,000-yard rusher since 2002 concerns him:
I don't think it's a problem not having a 1,000-yard rusher, I think
it's a problem if you don't have enough production at the running back
position. I don't know, we might have rushed for more yards that year
than any other, but I bet it wasn't too far off from other years where
other guys just did it as a group. The good thing about .... is there's
consistency there. But if you only have one and he gets hurt, you're in
trouble. We didn't have as many guys like we do now that we really felt
were ready to play big-time for us. Musa was, we felt, heads and tails
better than everybody else and that's why he got that many carries.
Until we see a guy separate himself from the pack, we'll probably do it by
committee for a while.
On how the rushing yards were down to 127 yards per game last year from
160 the year before:
Well, I think a big part of our problem with offensive production,
there's two things that happened. No. 1 if you remember the rule change,
where you had on average 15 plays a game subtracted from the game. If
you'd subtract seven to eight plays from a game, if you're running it five
to eight times and you're averaging four or five yards per carry,
that's 20 or 30 right there. And the other thing is when you turn it over
as many times as we turned it over, you lose an entire drive. I can't
tell you how many drives we lost -- you probably could -- just by virtue
of the fact that we turned the thing over. So those are a couple of
reasons why I think those numbers were down a bit.
Is there a timeline for when you'd like to settle the punting
situation?
Well, we do have three scrimmages, two kicking scrimmages and our
practice game, which is our third scrimmage. We have two scrimmages where we
just run our offense and defense and we have two scrimmages where we
do nothing but kicking game and then the third scrimmage, I guess the
fifth scrimmage or however you want to say it, the last scrimmage we
have, it's a practice game, so we run scrimmage downs, we make
substitutions for special teams, we kick, we punt, we do everything. So I'm saying
it could go until that very scrimmage before we decide who the punter's
gonna be. I'd not be surprised to see it go that deep into it.
On Caleb King's summer work and whether he may play:
We can't observe what they do in the spring (he meant summer), I don't
know exactly what he's done in the spring. You run into him and you
say, 'How's it going?' and this and that, and he feels like he's worked
hard. He's trying to learn everything. But today, it's obvious that he's
got a lot to learn. So that's gonna be his biggest thing -- how quickly
can he learn what to do? And when we do give him opportunities not
only in the scrimmages, but in the scrimmage situations and other
practices, we've just got to see how he handles it. By no means am I saying
he's a redshirt. He may be the best back we've got, I don't know, we'll
just have to watch and see.
How's Thomas Brown coming along?
Thomas is doing great. Really strong and confident. He knows that an
ACL injury is just as much a mental issue as it is a physical issue. He's
so strong mentally, I really believe he's ready to go full-speed
mentally as well as physically. He's impressive.
Are we gonna be sharing carries like we have in the last few years
(another Bulldog Illustrated question)?
Like I said, until somebody separates themselves from the pack, it'll
be by committee. They decide, in my opinion, that they are on the field
and prove what they can do and somebody is a little bit more special
than the others -- and I say it that way because I do think they're all
special talents -- then that guy will get the most opportunities.
Do you put any emphasis on getting 100 yards out of a back? Because I
think we're like 26-2 when somebody goes over 100 (more Bulldog
Illustrated).
No. Again, if we rush for 180 yards in a game and nobody gets over 100,
I'm much more excited than if a guy runs for 101 yards and that's all
we get. If we give 80 yards (in sacks?), you know what I'm saying? It's
the production from the running game that's crucial, not so much just
one individual guy getting that yardage.
Curious to see how the defense responds this week in the wake of the
spring game?
Well, everybody made such a big fuss about the G-Day game, that's the
one time the public got to see the defense and our team in general. It
was one of those scrimmages -- it's really just another scrimmage to us,
in a lot of ways -- and it just happened to be one that our offense
won. If you say who won, the offense won that scrimmage. If the only
thing that we videoed was the first scrimmage, everybody woulda said, 'This
offense is in trouble and our defense is gonna be the most dominating
defense in the history of Georgia football.' It was that lopsided of a
first scrimmage. So it was one day, and one day that just happened to
be on TV and everybody got to talke about it for a long time. But I
think it was probably a little bit healthy for them to see what it feels
like. I think if they'd have had a big day, they might have had too high
an opinion of themselves at this point. I believe they'll be hungry and
our offense will be hungry.
On how the QB position being settled affects the whole team:
If you're unsettled at quarterback, that position either has injuries
or poor production or the coaches can't figure out who to play, it
affects everything. It affects the coaches, it affects how you're trying to
design a plan. If a guy's inexperienced, you have to be careful with
what he can handle and what he can't handle. Did you go too far? Did you
throw him in there too soon? And all of a sudden he's lost his
confidence. So many things go on that affects the coaches, the player himself,
his teammates, offensively, defensively, everything. It affects
everything. It affects the perception of the program, by people outside the
program. So now to have him in there and have him settled that he's the
one, knowing that we're gonna get better production from him than we got
a year ago, it's an exciting thing for everybody.
So here we go:
It's good to see everyone. I know it's gonna be an exciting year for
us. We're excited about what's gonna happen this year. We've got an awful
lot of unknowns right now. That probably makes it a little more
exciting for us. But we're working hard. The guys have actually been out this
morning walking through their assignments with their coaches --
offense, defense, special teams. Everything started in earnest today. As
Claude said, we've got practice this afternoon. We'll be in shorts of
course for the five-day acclimation period. Five days of one-a-days,
two-a-day, one-a-day, two-a-day until school starts. We have 29 practice
opportunities until our first ballgame against Oklahoma State, and we'll try
to be ready for that moment. I feel very good about our team. I like
the way we finished last year, I like the momentum we carried throughout
the offseason, spring ball and throughout the summer. The guys came
back looking like they're in great shape. Of course we did lose one
player yesterday, Ian Smith came to see me yesterday and decided for health
reasons that he did not want to continue to pursue playing football.
It's an issue that he had even earlier in his career that he was kinda
not sure, but decided to go through spring and go through summer and
right at the very moment of truth, he decided not to stay with us...as a
player. He will stay with our program, he will still use our academic
resources and be part of our program and part of our family, but he just
won't be part of the active 85. Of course, you read I guess that we had
a release last night about Blake and Tripp not playing the first
ballgame, that's set in stone. I felt like the punishment was about right for
what happened, so that's why I chose that amount of time, although
there's other things those guys have gotta do besides just miss a game.
That's what I think the media and the fans care most about -- will he
play, will he not -- there's other things that are involved in the
discipline of our guys. Punishment, missing a game, that's punishment. Doing
some early morning running, things of that nature, that's punishment. We
also educate them as to what they did and why it was wrong and how to
keep that from happening in the future. And also, we're gonna love 'em.
Punishment, education, love, that's the formula for discipline here at
Georgia and in my family for that matter. That's kinda how we go about
it. So with that, I'll just open it up for anybody's questions:
On what they saw in Trinton Sturdivant in the spring:
Trinton Sturdivant is a true freshman of course. he came in at the
midyear, he came in in January and was allowed to practice in the spring
and learn the system. He was athletic enough for us to feel like he could
play the left tackle position, which is crucial for protecting your
right-handed quarterback. I'll say depth was certainly one of the issues.
If we had 10 returning lettermen, it would have probably been very
difficult for him to move into the No. 1 position. But because our depth
was short and he came in at the right time, with the right attitude and
the right ability, he's sitting as our No. 1 left tackle. He's gotta
hold onto that before the first game, but he's got a very realistic shot
of doing it. He's competing with another brand-new player right now,
which is Vince Vance. Of course he's a junior college player, but even
so, they both have about the same amount of experience in our system. By
the way, I think Trinton's up to about...I asked him the other day what
he weighed and he said he weighed about 294, so he's gotten a little
stronger and a little more muscle on him. He still looks very lean. I
imagine he'll be about 310 to 320-pounder when he's fully grown and
matured.
On how receiver depth and tight end situation might lead to more
four-receiver sets:
Well yeah, that'll make a big difference. I do expect our receivers to
play better. They expect to play better. We have four seniors coming
back, three juniors. I mean it's time for these guys to play not only
good but great, not only as receivers but blockers, special teamers,
everything. They've got to really play well and I think they will. Will we
play more four-receiver sets? We have more depth than we've ever had.
There's no question about that. We have more depth that understands what
to do at receiver than we've ever had at receiver. So the opportunity
to actually practice, we could actually practice three-deep at a
four-receiver set, which that happens rare anyway. So we feel good about that.
And as you said, our tight end situation, especially this first
ballgame, has a little bit of unrest there. NaDerris Ward is finally
competing with the other tight ends, Bruce Figgins and Coleman Watson, and
they're competing against the fourth receiver. They're competing against a
three-receiver, tailback, fullback set. They're competing against...if
we think Southerland, Lumpkin and three receivers is gonna be more
productive than a three-receiver, a tight end and a back set, then we'll
play that. So they're competing not only against each other, but against
other personnel groups.
On the arrests this summer and whether that represents a discipline
problem at Georgia:
There's not a discipline problem on the team at all, I don't think. I
don't think it's even close to that. Guys have made some mistakes. To
quote you, you said they were minor. Everything they do that's against
the rules or against the law, some are more minor than others certainly.
I'm not alarmed or shocked that these guys are making foolish mistakes
here and there. Some of them are relatively innocent, some of the
scooter stuff. I know Caleb, he knew his license was suspended, but he had
no idea that if you're riding on a scooter, you had to have a license to
ride a scooter. Now he should've known that and we should've told him,
but we've only had him for about a week. So we had Scooter 101 in our
team meeting yesterday. We did have that, I can tell you. NaDerris is
sitting behind a car who's indecisive about what to do at an
intersection where the light was green, trying to figure out what to do and he
decided to go around it like I think most everybody in America would
probably do, and he gets stopped. He did have a valid license in California.
He didn't have it on his body. But nonetheless, there are laws that
were broken. Those things happen. I'm not alarmed at all. I think we've
got a very disciplined football team. I think we've got a great bunch of
guys that really care about doing things right. I'm excited about
them.
Is that the first time you've gone over a scooter policy?
Yeah, scooter policy. We talked about driver's licenses and what can
cause you to have them suspended and what happens if you have a ticket
and don't pay it on time or don't show up to the court date. (We had some
folks?) come in and try to educate everybody as to how serious it
could get. And of course we all know what happened to Darrius Swain. If you
let things go, it could really cost you in a big way, and it did
Darrius. I quite frankly didn't take it that serious back then when he had
the first arrest for driving without a license. I knew it was important,
but I didn't see it as that important and as it turned out, it really
turned out to be a huge embarrassment for him and for the program. I
think the major lesson that we talked about was that regardless of what
we're talking about, whether it's a parking ticket, a speeding ticket,
maybe getting in trouble for setting your trash outside your door when
you shoulda put it in the dumpster or whatever, if you don't address the
problems and you just act like they're gonna go away, they won't and
sooner or later it could cost you dearly. And that's just true in life.
We've all got to learn that. That's part of the process of learning and
getting ready for life after college.
Is there a chance you'd go from scooters to golf carts?
I don't know. I remember when Breedlove, Kevin Breedlove, was the first
guy to ride a scooter. Breedlove was about 340 pounds, maybe, and he
didn't look real pretty. He didn't have a pretty body, I'll say that. It
was just like this big 'ole giant round thing with his face sticking
out of his helmet riding around on this little bitty scooter and
everybody used to make fun of him. But he realized that's a pretty good way to
get around campus without having a car and without riding a bike or
having to mess with the bus system. All of a sudden, people realized
that's not a bad way to go and all of a sudden everybody got one. And the
University, I guess, did not have a policy for scooters or parking and
treated them as a bike I think in the beginning. Now it's got to be
registered for parking and all those things, so it's just taken a while for
our guys to understand it's not quite like riding in a car, but it's
very much like it in a lot of the rules on campus and the rules of the
road, too.
Do you think the players have a good understanding that they're not
gonna catch a break around here? Because a lot of the incidents have been
pretty minor and in some cases you'd think somebody might let you go,
but it appears that no one on the football team's gonna get that break
(I figured I should type that question, courtesy of Bulldog Illustrated,
in verbatim.)
Well, I'll bet there were some things some guys got a break on. I'll
betcha somebody was going too fast and a police officer said slow down.
I'm sure there were other things that happened when they probably said,
'Hey, do better next time.' And I think that's true across the board. I
think the main thing, and I always tell them, 'Once you break a rule,
break a law and get .... especially, basically you've lost control of
what happens.' That's just the way life is. If you make a mistake, now
you're at the mercy of the authority over you. If a police officer
chooses to arrest someone for something that is wrong, they have every right
to do that. Our guys have to understand that they've lost control at
that point. The other thing that they've got to understand, and I think
it's pretty obvious, I'm not gonna say how many arrests there were on
campus, but I know there was a lot of alcohol-related arrests...like in
the hundreds...You guys might know that number. But there's probably
about nine of them that were reported on the Internet, TV, radio,
newspapers, international Web sites. They've just got to understand that
they're without question some of the most well-known people in the state of
Georgia.
On Stafford's progression:
Matthew had to learn the hard way. He played a buncha games last year
and made mistakes that contributed to some losses and some plays that
contributed to some big wins, too. But he had to go through the maturing
process right in front of everybody's eyes. I was saying that all last
year -- most quarterbacks make their mistakes when nobody's watching
them. It's only their coaches and their teammates, but that's natural. It
happens all the time. Not many guys have to go through that learning
process on national TV like Matthew did. So that was tough, but I think
it toughened him. I think it made him stronger mentally, I think it
taught him how to win the game. I think after finishing the way we did and
the way he did, he learned to take care of the football, how important
it is to put your teammates in position to succeed, that you don't
have to play lights out to win a big football game, it's OK to punt once
in a while. Defense is exciting and there's nothing wrong with that --
turning it over to the defense from time to time. But I think he has
gained the confidence of his teammates, the staff. I think he definitely
believes in himself and he's excited about being a leader. Part of the
leadership role of the quarterback in the summertime, if you're the
starting quarterback, is to organize all the summer workouts. From what
I've heard, it was probably the best-attended summer of all. That has a
lot to do with the leadership of the quarterback.
On why he's gained respect:
He knows the system. He's been through the fire. Everybody who plays
football knows how hard it is to be the quarterback. Every once in a
while, they'll be saying, 'Ah he gets a green jersey in practice,' and all
that stuff, but for the most part, not many guys that don't play
quarterback would want the responsibility of being the quarterback. So I
think they have a high regard for anybody who goes through that and they do
see his talent, they do see his work ethic, they do see his knowledge
of the game, they did see him perservere through some really tough
situations, so I think he's gained the respect of the team.
On the Ian Smith's injuries that led him to quit:
Ian, he's had concussions, he's had neck injuries, he's had migraine
issues. All those things kinda culminated in this decision. Right now,
we've got Perez backing up and we want to give Ben Harden some work at
center also. Chris Davis will snap. We usually have four or five guys
learning how to snap at all times and then we actively practice two or
three centers. Chris may not get a lot of active center participation, but
he'll be practicing his snapping. Of course, by playing guard, so many
of the things are tied into the center anyway, he'll be playing close
attention to that also.
Do you guys tweak the depth chart based on what you're hearing from
summer workouts?
No you can't do that and we don't. We did move Justin Houston from
defensive end to sam linebacker. His body type really fits that right now
at this time in his careeer. He may grow into more of a pure D-end here
before it's over, but we'd like to really see what he can do. He's very
excited about the opportunity, really. I think he felt like he has a
much better opportunity to make a difference on this team at sam
linebacker this year than as a defensive end. I wouldn't necessarily say it's
a career move, but it's definitely a ....... (couldn't make it out).
Do you know who else you have at sam?
At sam? Well you know, Dewberry and Dent mainly, those are the guys.
On how being a sophomore has changed Stafford's personality:
I talked to him yesterday. He had his playbook in his hand and he said,
'Man, I remember last year I was studying this thing three hours a
night and I still didn't know what I was doing.' He's so much more
comfortable in the system. Let's face it -- brand-new guy, doesn't even know
what string you are. He didn't know if he was first or fourth team last
year. Just getting used to college for the first time, just still
trying to fit in with the team.
Now he knows the system, he is now an outstanding college student. I
know last semester, he had a 3.74. He's been through the fire and he is
one of our leaders now. It's just a greater comfort level for him. And
really, it's kinda what he's used to. He wasn't used to being a rookie,
he's used to being the guy that everybody looked to at his high school,
winning state championships and breaking records and being considered
one of the best in the country. I think he's moving closer towards what
he's really comfortable at and it's that type of thing.
On how things have changed for him preparation-wise with Bobo calling
the plays:
Well, I turned the playcalling responsibilities over to Mike and the
coordinating and gameplanning over to Mike. Coach Callaway was
coordinating the offense. There's a difference between coordinating the offense
and all the little things that have to be done, the nuts and bolts and
meetings with coaches and players and planning practice schedules and
all those types of things. Neil coordinated all that, Neil had a lot to
say about the gameplan when it came to the running game, protections,
short yardage, goalline. But the overall gameplan fell under me.
Playcalling came under me. Little by little, I'd been giving Mike the
responsibility to call the game, call two-minute drill, to call spring games, to
call scrimmages in the spring and even to script some team work
because I really saw that in time that Mike was really gonna be handling the
responsibility, if not at Georgia somewhere else. So now that I've
turned it over, I do believe in giving people responsibility and I believe
in giving them the authority to carry out their job. When Neil was
here, Neil knew exactly what the format was gonna be from Day 1 and
everybody agreed with that and that's how we operated. Now that has changed
and I've completely turned it over to Mike. But you know, the same
thing's true with Martinez. Willie has had that responsibility going (on a
year or two?) Our special teams, I was not coordinating the special
teams. I'm not calling many, if any, special teams plays. Every once in a
while, I'll give somebody the OK to work a gadget or something like that.
But now I've got a little more time to kinda get an overview of
everything that we do. I was sitting in the special teams meeting this
morning. I'll try to sit in every special teams meeting I can. I'll be
sitting in other coaches' segment meetings. I want to learn more about what
we're teaching and why -- at every position, not just the ones that I
was more in tuned to, not so much an expert at. But if I have knowledge
of anything football-related, it's more offense than anything else. I
will say this, just getting a little taste of it this morning, we've got
some wonderful teachers. Our coaches are great teachers, they're
implementing our systems and they're very, very good at what they do.
Everything's very well-thought-out and everything's organized. It's amazing
when you see our practice schedule and our meeting schedule to see how
much gets accomplished in the amount of time that we have. Our coaches do
a great job. I've got a great sense of peace at their ability to get
it done.
On the running back depth and how Knowshon Moreno figures in:
I assume you're talking more the tailback position than true running
back. Of course, Lumpkin, Thomas Brown are very accomplished players. We
pretty much know what we're gonna get from them -- and that's good,
hard running, pass protection, knowledge of the game, guys that'll break
tackles, guys that can take it the distance if the right situation
occurs. So we feel very comfortable there. Knowshon, we've seen potential, a
lot of it. We've seen a lot of potential, a lot of excitement. He's
now got to prove that he can do it. He's not had one snap, he's not had
one carry at the University of Georgia in a real game. He's got to prove
that he knows what to do still, although he's come a long way. He's
got to prove that he can pass protect at the moment of truth, although
he's made great strides. We have every reason to believe he'll do that,
but we haven't seen him do it in games. He's got to prove he can wrap up
the football. I've seen a lot of great runners get less reps because
they put the ball on the ground, because they don't protect the
quarterback as they should. So we're gonna give him that chance, barring injury
or him somehow.....He's not redshirting. He can't be. He's gonna play
and we're just gonna see what he does when he gets the ball.
On whether not having a 1,000-yard rusher since 2002 concerns him:
I don't think it's a problem not having a 1,000-yard rusher, I think
it's a problem if you don't have enough production at the running back
position. I don't know, we might have rushed for more yards that year
than any other, but I bet it wasn't too far off from other years where
other guys just did it as a group. The good thing about .... is there's
consistency there. But if you only have one and he gets hurt, you're in
trouble. We didn't have as many guys like we do now that we really felt
were ready to play big-time for us. Musa was, we felt, heads and tails
better than everybody else and that's why he got that many carries.
Until we see a guy separate himself from the pack, we'll probably do it by
committee for a while.
On how the rushing yards were down to 127 yards per game last year from
160 the year before:
Well, I think a big part of our problem with offensive production,
there's two things that happened. No. 1 if you remember the rule change,
where you had on average 15 plays a game subtracted from the game. If
you'd subtract seven to eight plays from a game, if you're running it five
to eight times and you're averaging four or five yards per carry,
that's 20 or 30 right there. And the other thing is when you turn it over
as many times as we turned it over, you lose an entire drive. I can't
tell you how many drives we lost -- you probably could -- just by virtue
of the fact that we turned the thing over. So those are a couple of
reasons why I think those numbers were down a bit.
Is there a timeline for when you'd like to settle the punting
situation?
Well, we do have three scrimmages, two kicking scrimmages and our
practice game, which is our third scrimmage. We have two scrimmages where we
just run our offense and defense and we have two scrimmages where we
do nothing but kicking game and then the third scrimmage, I guess the
fifth scrimmage or however you want to say it, the last scrimmage we
have, it's a practice game, so we run scrimmage downs, we make
substitutions for special teams, we kick, we punt, we do everything. So I'm saying
it could go until that very scrimmage before we decide who the punter's
gonna be. I'd not be surprised to see it go that deep into it.
On Caleb King's summer work and whether he may play:
We can't observe what they do in the spring (he meant summer), I don't
know exactly what he's done in the spring. You run into him and you
say, 'How's it going?' and this and that, and he feels like he's worked
hard. He's trying to learn everything. But today, it's obvious that he's
got a lot to learn. So that's gonna be his biggest thing -- how quickly
can he learn what to do? And when we do give him opportunities not
only in the scrimmages, but in the scrimmage situations and other
practices, we've just got to see how he handles it. By no means am I saying
he's a redshirt. He may be the best back we've got, I don't know, we'll
just have to watch and see.
How's Thomas Brown coming along?
Thomas is doing great. Really strong and confident. He knows that an
ACL injury is just as much a mental issue as it is a physical issue. He's
so strong mentally, I really believe he's ready to go full-speed
mentally as well as physically. He's impressive.
Are we gonna be sharing carries like we have in the last few years
(another Bulldog Illustrated question)?
Like I said, until somebody separates themselves from the pack, it'll
be by committee. They decide, in my opinion, that they are on the field
and prove what they can do and somebody is a little bit more special
than the others -- and I say it that way because I do think they're all
special talents -- then that guy will get the most opportunities.
Do you put any emphasis on getting 100 yards out of a back? Because I
think we're like 26-2 when somebody goes over 100 (more Bulldog
Illustrated).
No. Again, if we rush for 180 yards in a game and nobody gets over 100,
I'm much more excited than if a guy runs for 101 yards and that's all
we get. If we give 80 yards (in sacks?), you know what I'm saying? It's
the production from the running game that's crucial, not so much just
one individual guy getting that yardage.
Curious to see how the defense responds this week in the wake of the
spring game?
Well, everybody made such a big fuss about the G-Day game, that's the
one time the public got to see the defense and our team in general. It
was one of those scrimmages -- it's really just another scrimmage to us,
in a lot of ways -- and it just happened to be one that our offense
won. If you say who won, the offense won that scrimmage. If the only
thing that we videoed was the first scrimmage, everybody woulda said, 'This
offense is in trouble and our defense is gonna be the most dominating
defense in the history of Georgia football.' It was that lopsided of a
first scrimmage. So it was one day, and one day that just happened to
be on TV and everybody got to talke about it for a long time. But I
think it was probably a little bit healthy for them to see what it feels
like. I think if they'd have had a big day, they might have had too high
an opinion of themselves at this point. I believe they'll be hungry and
our offense will be hungry.
On how the QB position being settled affects the whole team:
If you're unsettled at quarterback, that position either has injuries
or poor production or the coaches can't figure out who to play, it
affects everything. It affects the coaches, it affects how you're trying to
design a plan. If a guy's inexperienced, you have to be careful with
what he can handle and what he can't handle. Did you go too far? Did you
throw him in there too soon? And all of a sudden he's lost his
confidence. So many things go on that affects the coaches, the player himself,
his teammates, offensively, defensively, everything. It affects
everything. It affects the perception of the program, by people outside the
program. So now to have him in there and have him settled that he's the
one, knowing that we're gonna get better production from him than we got
a year ago, it's an exciting thing for everybody.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Bobo talks Stafford, King
I got a few minutes of one-on-one time with Mike Bobo after practice today. Mostly I asked him about what differences he's seeing in Matthew Stafford and the drawbacks of playing QB at Georgia, as it relates to things like the Talladega keg incident Stafford was involved in this summer. As I wrote in the story for tomorrow, Bobo is uniquely qualified to mentor these young QBs on that kind of thing because he's been the QB at Georgia. And he wasn't an angel in his days here, as most of us weren't. In a lot of ways, you have to envy those kids because of the status that accompanies being a football player on this campus. But it's tough to imagine what it's like for someone like Stafford around this town, considering people are paying attention to what you're doing no matter where you go. I don't think I'd enjoy that...Anyway, here's that Q/A with Bobo. (And by the way, as Bobo mentions in this thing, Stafford is looking considerably thicker than last year, particularly across the chest and shoulders).
What are you seeing in Stafford compared to what you saw at this point last year?
I see a guy that's got command of the offense, command of the huddle. I see a guy that's still young, but I see already the maturity and the management of the huddle -- in and out of the huddle -- the confidence in his voice. All that right there is reassuring to those 10 other guys. When there's doubt in that guy going up to the line of scrimmage, it can cause doubt in those other guys. But when this guy believes we're gonna get it done, if he believes, they're gonna believe. So I feel real good about it. We've got 28 practices and a long way to go offensively, no doubt about it, but there were a lot of positives today. A lot of things I wasn't pleased with, but there were probably more positive than negatives.
I imagine you were telling these guys that you're never anonymous when you're a football player at Georgia before they even got here, but do you think that really hit home for Matthew with that thing at Talladega this summer?
I think so. You can continue to tell those guys that, but sometimes it's hard for them to understand until you get in trouble or get in the spotlight. Sometimes you tell them about your own experiences, tell them about my experiences, making mistakes. They can listen to their parents, but sometimes you've got to learn from your own mistakes. I think he's done that and grown up. Is he gonna make another mistake again? That's hard to say. He's still only 19 years old. So odds are he'll probably make some more, but I think he's grown up and he realizes what's at stake and that there are a lot of people counting on him. He's dedicated. I think his body looks great, he looks great, I'm excited about him.
I don't think most people even understand just how much it doesn't matter where these kids go, people are always watching what they do...
Especially at that quarterback position, that comes with that position. But that's why a kid like that, that's highly recruited, wants to come to a school like this. He knows what he's getting into, coming to a state school, Georgia, he knows that when he's being recruited. These kids now have got pressure on 'em when they're in high school, with Internet, recruiting, all that stuff constantly talking about 'em. Then they come here and they realize it's a bigger spotlight, it's everything. You look for a guy that's got intangibles and can handle it. Not just the physical stuff, but all of it. And I'm sure every time you've talked to him, you've seen he's got a very calm demeanor about him. He respects where he's at, the place he's at, he's grateful to be here, and he says all the right things. I think he believes all the right things, but he does a good job of representing himself. People might say he learned that stuff, but he's always represented himself in a way that we'd be proud of him.
So how do you see the situation that Caleb King's facing right now?
We've got three guys in front of him right now, but Thomas Brown had three guys in front of him when he came here. What he needs to do is go to work every day, try to learn this offense and get better and see what happens. If he's one of the best ones, he'll play. If he's the fourth team, we'll talk about it. But all he can control is what he does and then we'll make the decision that's best for the team. He can't worry about where he's at on the depth chart. He's got a lot to learn instead of worrying about that depth chart right now. He's got to learn to go right, left, there's a lot for that kid to learn. Right now with him, all we're focusing on is trying to get better every day.
I guess it's too early to tell much after the first day...
Let me tell you something, all them guys, even our veterans, made a lot of mistakes today. They get a lot more of them in installation. We'll meet tonight. The tough thing is we'll install a whole other part of the offense tomorrow and probably won't run anything we ran today. So those freshmen, they'll have something else new thrown at 'em and won't even know what we ran today. It'll be about Day 6 or 7 before things start slowing down and we're coming back to run some stuff we ran the first couple days. It's an adjustment for 'em. Their head's spinning, they feel like they'll never get it. But just keep pushing and keep fighting and they'll make it.
What are you seeing in Stafford compared to what you saw at this point last year?
I see a guy that's got command of the offense, command of the huddle. I see a guy that's still young, but I see already the maturity and the management of the huddle -- in and out of the huddle -- the confidence in his voice. All that right there is reassuring to those 10 other guys. When there's doubt in that guy going up to the line of scrimmage, it can cause doubt in those other guys. But when this guy believes we're gonna get it done, if he believes, they're gonna believe. So I feel real good about it. We've got 28 practices and a long way to go offensively, no doubt about it, but there were a lot of positives today. A lot of things I wasn't pleased with, but there were probably more positive than negatives.
I imagine you were telling these guys that you're never anonymous when you're a football player at Georgia before they even got here, but do you think that really hit home for Matthew with that thing at Talladega this summer?
I think so. You can continue to tell those guys that, but sometimes it's hard for them to understand until you get in trouble or get in the spotlight. Sometimes you tell them about your own experiences, tell them about my experiences, making mistakes. They can listen to their parents, but sometimes you've got to learn from your own mistakes. I think he's done that and grown up. Is he gonna make another mistake again? That's hard to say. He's still only 19 years old. So odds are he'll probably make some more, but I think he's grown up and he realizes what's at stake and that there are a lot of people counting on him. He's dedicated. I think his body looks great, he looks great, I'm excited about him.
I don't think most people even understand just how much it doesn't matter where these kids go, people are always watching what they do...
Especially at that quarterback position, that comes with that position. But that's why a kid like that, that's highly recruited, wants to come to a school like this. He knows what he's getting into, coming to a state school, Georgia, he knows that when he's being recruited. These kids now have got pressure on 'em when they're in high school, with Internet, recruiting, all that stuff constantly talking about 'em. Then they come here and they realize it's a bigger spotlight, it's everything. You look for a guy that's got intangibles and can handle it. Not just the physical stuff, but all of it. And I'm sure every time you've talked to him, you've seen he's got a very calm demeanor about him. He respects where he's at, the place he's at, he's grateful to be here, and he says all the right things. I think he believes all the right things, but he does a good job of representing himself. People might say he learned that stuff, but he's always represented himself in a way that we'd be proud of him.
So how do you see the situation that Caleb King's facing right now?
We've got three guys in front of him right now, but Thomas Brown had three guys in front of him when he came here. What he needs to do is go to work every day, try to learn this offense and get better and see what happens. If he's one of the best ones, he'll play. If he's the fourth team, we'll talk about it. But all he can control is what he does and then we'll make the decision that's best for the team. He can't worry about where he's at on the depth chart. He's got a lot to learn instead of worrying about that depth chart right now. He's got to learn to go right, left, there's a lot for that kid to learn. Right now with him, all we're focusing on is trying to get better every day.
I guess it's too early to tell much after the first day...
Let me tell you something, all them guys, even our veterans, made a lot of mistakes today. They get a lot more of them in installation. We'll meet tonight. The tough thing is we'll install a whole other part of the offense tomorrow and probably won't run anything we ran today. So those freshmen, they'll have something else new thrown at 'em and won't even know what we ran today. It'll be about Day 6 or 7 before things start slowing down and we're coming back to run some stuff we ran the first couple days. It's an adjustment for 'em. Their head's spinning, they feel like they'll never get it. But just keep pushing and keep fighting and they'll make it.
And we're off...
Things are kinda dragging today. The newsiest thing out of coach Richt's press conference was that incoming freshman Justin Houston has shifted from defensive end to strongside linebacker. I don't know that it's a permanent move, but it sounds like they think that's the best position for him and the team, depth-wise, right this second. There was also a lot of talk about scooter riding. Richt said they had "Scooter 101" with the players yesterday, going over what they can and can't do. I'd planned on writing a feature about all the scooters sometime during the preseason, but now the Caleb King and NaDerris Ward arrests on scooters might give it a bit newsier angle.
Chris Little was the only player in a green jersey when practice started today. He walked out of practice early and was working in the weight room on a stair climber when we came inside when the competition periods started.
There are several already committed prospects at practice today. OL Ben Jones and CB Brandon Boykin (Georgia) are here, as is Duke commit S Matt Daniels from Fayette County. Interestingly, Clemson commit A.J. Harmon is also here. I don't know if that says anything about how solid his commitment is, but he's here. I was talking to Macon writer Josh Kendall about A.J. being at practice and then he says, "Look here, it's another Clemson commitment walking up." And then I looked up and Jon Richt was walking up to the sideline to watch. I'm guessing his commitment to the Tigers is a bit more firm...
Anyway, practice is about halfway over. I imagine you'll be reading lots of stuff on Matthew Stafford in tomorrow's papers. Surprise, surprise, that's who I'll be writing about.
Chris Little was the only player in a green jersey when practice started today. He walked out of practice early and was working in the weight room on a stair climber when we came inside when the competition periods started.
There are several already committed prospects at practice today. OL Ben Jones and CB Brandon Boykin (Georgia) are here, as is Duke commit S Matt Daniels from Fayette County. Interestingly, Clemson commit A.J. Harmon is also here. I don't know if that says anything about how solid his commitment is, but he's here. I was talking to Macon writer Josh Kendall about A.J. being at practice and then he says, "Look here, it's another Clemson commitment walking up." And then I looked up and Jon Richt was walking up to the sideline to watch. I'm guessing his commitment to the Tigers is a bit more firm...
Anyway, practice is about halfway over. I imagine you'll be reading lots of stuff on Matthew Stafford in tomorrow's papers. Surprise, surprise, that's who I'll be writing about.
Friday, August 03, 2007
Player suspensions, Smith retires
As expected (at least it's what I figured would happen), Blake Barnes and Tripp Chandler were given one-game suspensions for their June arrests for drinking in public.
Also, offensive lineman Ian Smith has retired from the team for medical reasons. They did not elaborate in the release. He will remain at Georgia.
All the players reported as scheduled, otherwise. The first practice begins tomorrow afternoon.
Also, offensive lineman Ian Smith has retired from the team for medical reasons. They did not elaborate in the release. He will remain at Georgia.
All the players reported as scheduled, otherwise. The first practice begins tomorrow afternoon.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Cuff gains eligibility
I found out about new UGA cornerback Vance Cuff being awarded his eligibility this afternoon in my truck while on the way home from Athens. So since I was sitting in traffic in my favorite location, Hwy. 316, I called him to talk about it while rolling along at about 1.5 mph. Obviously, he was in a good mood. He said he'd started to lose hope that he'd become eligible after the NCAA Clearinghouse denied his third appeal. It wasn't until Georgia took up the case and went straight to the NCAA that he finally was approved.
It's interesting that it made it to that point. Here's how it basically worked out. Cuff's high school, Colquitt County High in Moultrie, argued that Cuff's oral speech communication class should count as a core credit, giving him the 14 necessary to become eligible to be an incoming NCAA athlete. The NCAA Clearinghouse doesn't see it that way and would only count the course as an elective -- despite the school's argument that the same course is allowed as a core class in other school systems. That would have left Cuff a credit short of eligibility.
The Clearinghouse still does not approve this particular class at Colquitt County, but the good news for Cuff is that the Clearinghouse isn't always the be-all, end-all decision maker.
UGA academics officials filed a waiver petition directly with the NCAA -- arguing on Cuff's merit as a prospective student-athlete, rather than on the merit of this particular speech course, as CCHS has to do with the Clearinghouse -- and the NCAA agreed that he had a solid enough case to grant eligibility. Interestingly, the Clearinghouse will fall under the auspices of NCAA control next year, rather than the separate entity that it is now (it's simply contracted by the NCAA to evaluate initial eligibility certification). UGA's eligibility officer Glada Horvat explained this waiver stuff to me on the phone (I was sitting in traffic near downtown Atlanta by the time of THIS phone call) and thank goodness she was so helpful. I can't say I fully understood how the process worked in this instance.
Anyway, the bottom line is that Cuff is eligible to compete and he'll report this Friday. He's going to room with Walter Hill, although he says Hill's about the only new freshman he hasn't met. Since the eligibility tie-up kept him from reporting and working out this summer, you have to think he's a strong redshirt candidate. I got the feeling from talking to him this afternoon, though, that he's just happy to be reporting at all. Sounds like he thinks everything else is icing on the cake.
It's interesting that it made it to that point. Here's how it basically worked out. Cuff's high school, Colquitt County High in Moultrie, argued that Cuff's oral speech communication class should count as a core credit, giving him the 14 necessary to become eligible to be an incoming NCAA athlete. The NCAA Clearinghouse doesn't see it that way and would only count the course as an elective -- despite the school's argument that the same course is allowed as a core class in other school systems. That would have left Cuff a credit short of eligibility.
The Clearinghouse still does not approve this particular class at Colquitt County, but the good news for Cuff is that the Clearinghouse isn't always the be-all, end-all decision maker.
UGA academics officials filed a waiver petition directly with the NCAA -- arguing on Cuff's merit as a prospective student-athlete, rather than on the merit of this particular speech course, as CCHS has to do with the Clearinghouse -- and the NCAA agreed that he had a solid enough case to grant eligibility. Interestingly, the Clearinghouse will fall under the auspices of NCAA control next year, rather than the separate entity that it is now (it's simply contracted by the NCAA to evaluate initial eligibility certification). UGA's eligibility officer Glada Horvat explained this waiver stuff to me on the phone (I was sitting in traffic near downtown Atlanta by the time of THIS phone call) and thank goodness she was so helpful. I can't say I fully understood how the process worked in this instance.
Anyway, the bottom line is that Cuff is eligible to compete and he'll report this Friday. He's going to room with Walter Hill, although he says Hill's about the only new freshman he hasn't met. Since the eligibility tie-up kept him from reporting and working out this summer, you have to think he's a strong redshirt candidate. I got the feeling from talking to him this afternoon, though, that he's just happy to be reporting at all. Sounds like he thinks everything else is icing on the cake.
Update
Sorry I haven't updated much since media days, but I've been all over and without Internet access for most of that time. Here are a couple quick nuggets from UGA news releases today.
Long snapper Jeff Henson was awarded a scholarship today. Those are always nice things to hear. You know those walk-on kids work their butts off to get to that point, so good for him.
Here's coach Richt's quote from the release:
"Jeff has done an outstanding job handling this very difficult position,” said Richt. “He’s provided stability at an important spot and we feel he’s well-deserving of the scholarship."
The other thing is that Picture Day is scheduled for Aug. 18 at Sanford Stadium. Uga will be available from 1-3 p.m. and the players and coaches from 3-5. You can read the whole release for more information here.
Well, I just got finished unloading a load of stuff that I brought from Columbus in my new digs in Athens. Gotta turn around and go get the last of my stuff (and my dog) now. Will be back in Athens full-time tomorrow, just in time for when players report on Friday and practice starts on Saturday.
Long snapper Jeff Henson was awarded a scholarship today. Those are always nice things to hear. You know those walk-on kids work their butts off to get to that point, so good for him.
Here's coach Richt's quote from the release:
"Jeff has done an outstanding job handling this very difficult position,” said Richt. “He’s provided stability at an important spot and we feel he’s well-deserving of the scholarship."
The other thing is that Picture Day is scheduled for Aug. 18 at Sanford Stadium. Uga will be available from 1-3 p.m. and the players and coaches from 3-5. You can read the whole release for more information here.
Well, I just got finished unloading a load of stuff that I brought from Columbus in my new digs in Athens. Gotta turn around and go get the last of my stuff (and my dog) now. Will be back in Athens full-time tomorrow, just in time for when players report on Friday and practice starts on Saturday.
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