I can't say I was shocked that Columbus' Dantrell Savage (Jordan High), the former Oklahoma State running back who ran for 100+ yards in each of his last 10 games, wasn't picked over the weekend in the draft. I do have to say I'm surprised that he didn't get a free-agent contract. He's working out for the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend to see if they'll offer him a FA deal. That seems odd to me. Yes he's small and has had some injury issues, but he was a highly productive player in a decent conference. When you run down the list of people who are going to camps as free agents, it surprises me that he's having to work out to show he deserves one. In the limited dealings I had with him, I found him to be a really likable kid, so I'd like to see something good happen for him.
Also, Kentucky linebacker Wesley Woodyard (LaGrange) has a free-agent deal. He's going to the Denver Broncos. Like Savage, I found him to be a friendly, likable guy at the Senior Bowl. Plus, he does a pretty funny impression of Rich Brooks. It's on YouTube, but I'm not linking to it from here. It's got a little profanity in it and I'm not getting myself in trouble.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Georgia adds commitment
Just sent this brief to work concerning Georgia's newest commitment.
Georgia added its 10th verbal commitment to its 2009 recruiting class Monday when Memphis' Austin Long pledged to become a Bulldog.
The 6-foot-6, 275-pound prospect is rated the No. 7 offensive tackle in the country by Scout.com and is rated as the No. 108 overall prospect in the country by Rivals.com. Both recruiting services give the Briarcrest Christian standout a four-star grade.
Long picked Georgia over a host of Southeastern and BCS conference schools, including Miami, Florida State, Michigan, Tennessee, Auburn, Florida and Alabama.
Georgia added its 10th verbal commitment to its 2009 recruiting class Monday when Memphis' Austin Long pledged to become a Bulldog.
The 6-foot-6, 275-pound prospect is rated the No. 7 offensive tackle in the country by Scout.com and is rated as the No. 108 overall prospect in the country by Rivals.com. Both recruiting services give the Briarcrest Christian standout a four-star grade.
Long picked Georgia over a host of Southeastern and BCS conference schools, including Miami, Florida State, Michigan, Tennessee, Auburn, Florida and Alabama.
Interesting recruiting note
My brother e-mailed me this observation he read today, which I thought was interesting. Kinda speaks to how big of a crock the high school recruiting star system can be. Twenty of the 31 first-round picks in the NFL draft received a three-star grade or below, while only 11 were rated either four or five stars coming out of high school.
... “Those of you who follow recruiting and the star system will find this interesting. In the first 31 selections of the NFL draft there were THREE non rated players, NINE 2-star players, EIGHT 3-star players, SEVEN 4-star players and FOUR 5-star players.” ...
I was intrigued by that point, so I applied it to the Georgia players who were drafted.
Marcus Howard: three stars
Thomas Brown: four stars
Brandon Coutu: came in as a walk-on, so I guess that means unranked
Chester Adams: three stars
Among the undrafted free agents:
Kregg Lumpkin: five stars
Brandon Miller: five stars
Sean Bailey: four stars
Fernando Velasco: three stars
Kelin Johnson: two stars
UPDATE WITH MORE:
Interestingly enough, there were a couple of blog posts elsewhere that fit into this subject, both of which I also found interesting.
* Here's one from the Birmingham News' Doug Segrest, about recruiting rankings of SEC teams versus the number of draft picks they produced.
* And another point, from Sunday Morning Quarterback, about how a five-star kid is substantially more likely to be drafted in the first five rounds than a four-star player or below. So there is THAT benefit to being a five-star guy -- while it wasn't reflected in this first round, five-star guys apparently stand a better chance of hearing their names called sometime.
... “Those of you who follow recruiting and the star system will find this interesting. In the first 31 selections of the NFL draft there were THREE non rated players, NINE 2-star players, EIGHT 3-star players, SEVEN 4-star players and FOUR 5-star players.” ...
I was intrigued by that point, so I applied it to the Georgia players who were drafted.
Marcus Howard: three stars
Thomas Brown: four stars
Brandon Coutu: came in as a walk-on, so I guess that means unranked
Chester Adams: three stars
Among the undrafted free agents:
Kregg Lumpkin: five stars
Brandon Miller: five stars
Sean Bailey: four stars
Fernando Velasco: three stars
Kelin Johnson: two stars
UPDATE WITH MORE:
Interestingly enough, there were a couple of blog posts elsewhere that fit into this subject, both of which I also found interesting.
* Here's one from the Birmingham News' Doug Segrest, about recruiting rankings of SEC teams versus the number of draft picks they produced.
* And another point, from Sunday Morning Quarterback, about how a five-star kid is substantially more likely to be drafted in the first five rounds than a four-star player or below. So there is THAT benefit to being a five-star guy -- while it wasn't reflected in this first round, five-star guys apparently stand a better chance of hearing their names called sometime.
More signings of interest
TE John Tereshinski, Wake Forest -- Chargers
RB Rafael Little, Kentucky -- Titans
DE Darrell Robertson, Georgia Tech -- Cowboys
CB Jonathan Zenon, LSU -- Browns
OG Nate McManus, Georgia Tech -- Saints
LB Luke Sanders, LSU -- Saints
DT Josh Thompson, Auburn -- Rams
TE Cole Bennett, Auburn -- Texans
RB Carl Stewart, Auburn -- Buccaneers
EDIT: More additions...
WR DJ Hall, Alabama -- Giants
WR Matt Caddell, Alabama -- Rams
WR Prechae Rodriguez, Auburn -- Jets
DE Casper Brinkley, South Carolina -- Panthers
RB Rafael Little, Kentucky -- Titans
DE Darrell Robertson, Georgia Tech -- Cowboys
CB Jonathan Zenon, LSU -- Browns
OG Nate McManus, Georgia Tech -- Saints
LB Luke Sanders, LSU -- Saints
DT Josh Thompson, Auburn -- Rams
TE Cole Bennett, Auburn -- Texans
RB Carl Stewart, Auburn -- Buccaneers
EDIT: More additions...
WR DJ Hall, Alabama -- Giants
WR Matt Caddell, Alabama -- Rams
WR Prechae Rodriguez, Auburn -- Jets
DE Casper Brinkley, South Carolina -- Panthers
Free agent list
Here is a list of the free agent signings I could find involving players from our area:
Georgia players:
Kregg Lumpkin -- Packers
Kelin Johnson -- Seahawks
Brandon Miller -- Falcons
Fernando Velasco -- Titans
Sean Bailey -- Chiefs
Georgia Tech:
FB Mike Cox -- Chiefs
LB Gary Guyton -- 49ers
Alabama:
DB Simeon Castille -- Bengals
OL Justin Britt -- Bengals
DE Wallace Gilberry -- Giants
Troy:
DT Chris Bradwell -- Buccaneers
CB Elbert Mack -- Buccaneers
LB Marcus Richardson -- Texans
WR Gary Banks -- Chargers
Others of interest:
QB Jayson Foster (Georgia Southern) -- Dolphins
DL Marcus Dixon (Hampton) -- Cowboys
WR Davone Bess (Hawaii) -- Dolphins
WR Ryan Grice-Mullins (Hawaii) -- Texans
WR Jason Rivers (Hawaii) -- Titans
LB Vince Hall (Virginia Tech) -- Rams
S Tony Joiner (Florida) -- Titans
LB Ali Highsmith (LSU) -- Cardinals
TE Chris Brown (Tennessee) -- Jaguars
CB Michael Grant (Arkansas) -- Jaguars
DT Theo Horrocks (Vandy) -- Jaguars
OL Drew Miller (Florida) -- Jaguars
OG Carlton Medder (Florida) -- Cardinals
DE Xavier Mitchell (Tennessee) -- Browns
DB Jonathan Hefney (Tennessee) -- Buccaneers
OL Eric Scott (Kentucky) -- Titans
DE Curtis Johnson (Clark Atlanta) -- Colts
LB J Leman (Illinois) -- Vikings
LB Erin Henderson (Maryland) -- Vikings
OT Drew Radovich (USC) -- Vikings
WR Darius Reynaud (West Virginia) -- Vikings
QB Kyle Wright (Miami) -- Vikings
Last I heard, Columbus native Dantrell Savage's agent Brian Overstreet was still trying to find the right free-agent deal for him tonight (same with Savage's Oklahoma State teammate and Overstreet client Adarius Bowman). There will probably be news on that front tomorrow.
Georgia players:
Kregg Lumpkin -- Packers
Kelin Johnson -- Seahawks
Brandon Miller -- Falcons
Fernando Velasco -- Titans
Sean Bailey -- Chiefs
Georgia Tech:
FB Mike Cox -- Chiefs
LB Gary Guyton -- 49ers
Alabama:
DB Simeon Castille -- Bengals
OL Justin Britt -- Bengals
DE Wallace Gilberry -- Giants
Troy:
DT Chris Bradwell -- Buccaneers
CB Elbert Mack -- Buccaneers
LB Marcus Richardson -- Texans
WR Gary Banks -- Chargers
Others of interest:
QB Jayson Foster (Georgia Southern) -- Dolphins
DL Marcus Dixon (Hampton) -- Cowboys
WR Davone Bess (Hawaii) -- Dolphins
WR Ryan Grice-Mullins (Hawaii) -- Texans
WR Jason Rivers (Hawaii) -- Titans
LB Vince Hall (Virginia Tech) -- Rams
S Tony Joiner (Florida) -- Titans
LB Ali Highsmith (LSU) -- Cardinals
TE Chris Brown (Tennessee) -- Jaguars
CB Michael Grant (Arkansas) -- Jaguars
DT Theo Horrocks (Vandy) -- Jaguars
OL Drew Miller (Florida) -- Jaguars
OG Carlton Medder (Florida) -- Cardinals
DE Xavier Mitchell (Tennessee) -- Browns
DB Jonathan Hefney (Tennessee) -- Buccaneers
OL Eric Scott (Kentucky) -- Titans
DE Curtis Johnson (Clark Atlanta) -- Colts
LB J Leman (Illinois) -- Vikings
LB Erin Henderson (Maryland) -- Vikings
OT Drew Radovich (USC) -- Vikings
WR Darius Reynaud (West Virginia) -- Vikings
QB Kyle Wright (Miami) -- Vikings
Last I heard, Columbus native Dantrell Savage's agent Brian Overstreet was still trying to find the right free-agent deal for him tonight (same with Savage's Oklahoma State teammate and Overstreet client Adarius Bowman). There will probably be news on that front tomorrow.
Coutu, Adams picked
Didn't get around to posting how Brandon Coutu and Chester Adams were drafted in the seventh round until now. Went to see a movie and watch basketball at the end of the sixth round (saw the new Harold and Kumar movie. It was funny enough, except for the 1) idiot GIs directly behind me who insisted on talking throughout the movie and cursing loudly the entire time 2) high school kids sitting a row in front of me talking on their cellphones in speakerphone mode and 3) at least four children in the room watching a very R-rated movie who were younger than 10 years old -- those parents should be ashamed of themselves, as should the theater people who sold tickets to that movie for little children. It's no wonder nobody goes to the theater anymore. I've never been more irritated in a movie. Somebody could have taken a flamethrower to the rest of the room and done the world a favor. Sorry...down from the soapbox. I'm no wilting daisy about profanity by any means, but this was ridiculous.)
At any rate, Chester Adams got his name called in the seventh round when the Chicago Bears selected him with the 222nd pick. Brandon Coutu went 13 picks later to the Seattle Seahawks. That brought Georgia's total to four guys who went on Day 2 -- the same number of UGA guys who went a year ago.
Round 5. Marcus Howard (161), Indianapolis
Round 6. Thomas Brown (172), Atlanta
Round 7. Chester Adams (222), Chicago
Round 7. Brandon Coutu (235), Seattle
I heard a couple days ago that Thomas got married in Atlanta on Friday, so congratulations to him for that, too. It was a big weekend for Mr. Brown. I'd expect to see several guys on Georgia's roster go with free agent deals in the next couple days (Brandon Miller, Fernando Velasco, Sean Bailey, Kregg Lumpkin, Kelin Johnson, Thomas Flowers).
At any rate, Chester Adams got his name called in the seventh round when the Chicago Bears selected him with the 222nd pick. Brandon Coutu went 13 picks later to the Seattle Seahawks. That brought Georgia's total to four guys who went on Day 2 -- the same number of UGA guys who went a year ago.
Round 5. Marcus Howard (161), Indianapolis
Round 6. Thomas Brown (172), Atlanta
Round 7. Chester Adams (222), Chicago
Round 7. Brandon Coutu (235), Seattle
I heard a couple days ago that Thomas got married in Atlanta on Friday, so congratulations to him for that, too. It was a big weekend for Mr. Brown. I'd expect to see several guys on Georgia's roster go with free agent deals in the next couple days (Brandon Miller, Fernando Velasco, Sean Bailey, Kregg Lumpkin, Kelin Johnson, Thomas Flowers).
Sunday, April 27, 2008
T. Brown to Falcons!
That's exciting. Thomas Brown just went in the sixth round (172nd) to the Atlanta Falcons. That will make a great story. Hometown guy. Great character. I hope he can stick with them.
It's good PR for the Falcons, too. I've never understood why they didn't bring in more guys of local interest, particularly UGA guys. It looks like it might be tough for D.J. Shockley to stick, at least the way things currently stand in their QB depth chart -- Ryan, Redman, Harrington and Shockley are all on the roster. I wouldn't be surprised to see one of those veterans cut, though. We'll see.
It's good PR for the Falcons, too. I've never understood why they didn't bring in more guys of local interest, particularly UGA guys. It looks like it might be tough for D.J. Shockley to stick, at least the way things currently stand in their QB depth chart -- Ryan, Redman, Harrington and Shockley are all on the roster. I wouldn't be surprised to see one of those veterans cut, though. We'll see.
Howard to Colts
Georgia's Marcus Howard just came off the board to the Indianapolis Colts with the No. 161 pick (26th in the fifth round). That's a good spot for Marcus.
EDIT: Georgia Tech punter Durant Brooks just went to the Redskins with the second pick of the sixth round. Mel Kiper currently has Brandon Coutu as the fifth-best available player, so I'd think Brandon has a chance to pop up on the board before too long. Hard to tell, though, with kickers and punters.
EDIT: Georgia Tech punter Durant Brooks just went to the Redskins with the second pick of the sixth round. Mel Kiper currently has Brandon Coutu as the fifth-best available player, so I'd think Brandon has a chance to pop up on the board before too long. Hard to tell, though, with kickers and punters.
Still waiting
It's getting late in the fourth round and Marcus Howard and Thomas Brown are still waiting to hear their names called. My best guess is that they'll both go by the end of the next round.
Here are some picks that were of interest, to me at least:
Falcons picks today: Third round Chevis Jackson, CB, LSU (68th), Harry Douglas, WR, Louisville (84th), Thomas DeCoud, S, Cal (98th). Fifth round Robert James, OLB, Arizona State (138th).
Georgia Tech: LB Philip Wheeler, third round (93rd), Indianapolis; RB Tashard Choice, fourth round (122), Dallas.
Auburn: DT Pat Sims, third round (77th), Cincinnati; CB Jonathan Wilhite, fourth round (129), New England
Alabama, Georgia: None yet
SEC players: Third round CB Chevis Jackson, LSU, Falcons(68); RB Jacob Hester, LSU, Chargers (69); WR Earl Bennett, Vanderbilt, Bears (70); TE Brad Cottam, Tennessee, Chiefs (76); DT Pat Sims, Auburn, Bengals (77); WR Early Doucet, LSU, Cardinals (81); WR Andre Caldwell, Florida, Bengals (97); Fourth round S Craig Steltz, LSU, Bears (120); TE Jacob Tamme, Kentucky, Colts (127); WR Keenan Burton, Kentucky, Rams (128); CB Jonathan Wilhite, Auburn, Patriots (129)
Here are some picks that were of interest, to me at least:
Falcons picks today: Third round Chevis Jackson, CB, LSU (68th), Harry Douglas, WR, Louisville (84th), Thomas DeCoud, S, Cal (98th). Fifth round Robert James, OLB, Arizona State (138th).
Georgia Tech: LB Philip Wheeler, third round (93rd), Indianapolis; RB Tashard Choice, fourth round (122), Dallas.
Auburn: DT Pat Sims, third round (77th), Cincinnati; CB Jonathan Wilhite, fourth round (129), New England
Alabama, Georgia: None yet
SEC players: Third round CB Chevis Jackson, LSU, Falcons(68); RB Jacob Hester, LSU, Chargers (69); WR Earl Bennett, Vanderbilt, Bears (70); TE Brad Cottam, Tennessee, Chiefs (76); DT Pat Sims, Auburn, Bengals (77); WR Early Doucet, LSU, Cardinals (81); WR Andre Caldwell, Florida, Bengals (97); Fourth round S Craig Steltz, LSU, Bears (120); TE Jacob Tamme, Kentucky, Colts (127); WR Keenan Burton, Kentucky, Rams (128); CB Jonathan Wilhite, Auburn, Patriots (129)
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Not a bad day
Like I said earlier, I'm not a huge fan of the Matt Ryan pick, but I like the Falcons' picks of Sam Baker and Curtis Lofton. Lofton's a player for sure and lord knows the Birds can use a few more of those. I met Baker at the Senior Bowl. Liked him, although he had a crazy mountain man beard. He was hurt some this past season, which hurt his draft prospects some, but he was generally considered one of the top tackles in the nation entering the year, so I think the Falcons might have gotten some good value where they got him.
Tomorrow will be an interesting day for Atlanta. They've got eight more picks on the board:
Third round (68)
Third round (84)
Third round (98)
Fifth round (138)
Fifth round (154)
Sixth round (172)
Seventh round (212)
Seventh round (232)
Tomorrow will be an interesting day for Atlanta. They've got eight more picks on the board:
Third round (68)
Third round (84)
Third round (98)
Fifth round (138)
Fifth round (154)
Sixth round (172)
Seventh round (212)
Seventh round (232)
Off we go...
So the draft is under way. Probably won't see anyone from our coverage area go today with the exception of Leodis McKelvin from Troy (who was just picked by Buffalo as I type this). But tomorrow should be a pretty active day for guys from Auburn, Alabama, Georgia and Georgia Tech.
I did a story earlier this week on Philip Wheeler, the Georgia Tech linebacker from Columbus, who could go somewhere in the third or fourth round. It will be interesting to see what happens with some of his Tech teammates (particularly RB Tashard Choice and P Durant Brooks). As for Georgia, I imagine Marcus Howard or possibly Thomas Brown will be the first guys off the board.
I've done a lot of reading on the Georgia guys' draft chances over the last few days. Here's my best guess of when they might go.
Marcus Howard -- third to fifth
Thomas Brown -- fourth or fifth round
Fernando Velasco -- fifth to seventh
Brandon Coutu -- sixth, seventh, free agent
Chester Adams -- free agent
Sean Bailey -- free agent
Thomas Flowers -- free agent
Kelin Johnson -- free agent
Kregg Lumpkin -- free agent
Brandon Miller -- free agent
On an semi-related note, what do you folks think about the Falcons taking Matt Ryan with their first pick? I can't say I'm a fan of that choice. I'm not a scout by any means, but I didn't see No. 3 overall pick in Ryan in the times that I saw him play. Yeah he threw for more than 4,000 yards, but he had 31 TDs against a whopping 19 interceptions this year. And against his better competition, his numbers weren't superb. I guess I'm just a little skeptical.
I would have liked to see the Falcons take a defensive lineman there (preferably Glenn Dorsey) and then address quarterback later with someone like Chad Henne (who looked great at the Senior Bowl practices I watched). Ryan seems like a good guy and I hope he works out, but I'm not sure he's as good as he's cracked up to be.
The Falcons can really help themselves if they draft wisely over the next two days. They have a ton of needs, but 10 picks left after taking Ryan. I'd like to see them wind up with a good running back in the next round or two and really address their needs on the offensive line. We'll see what happens...
I did a story earlier this week on Philip Wheeler, the Georgia Tech linebacker from Columbus, who could go somewhere in the third or fourth round. It will be interesting to see what happens with some of his Tech teammates (particularly RB Tashard Choice and P Durant Brooks). As for Georgia, I imagine Marcus Howard or possibly Thomas Brown will be the first guys off the board.
I've done a lot of reading on the Georgia guys' draft chances over the last few days. Here's my best guess of when they might go.
Marcus Howard -- third to fifth
Thomas Brown -- fourth or fifth round
Fernando Velasco -- fifth to seventh
Brandon Coutu -- sixth, seventh, free agent
Chester Adams -- free agent
Sean Bailey -- free agent
Thomas Flowers -- free agent
Kelin Johnson -- free agent
Kregg Lumpkin -- free agent
Brandon Miller -- free agent
On an semi-related note, what do you folks think about the Falcons taking Matt Ryan with their first pick? I can't say I'm a fan of that choice. I'm not a scout by any means, but I didn't see No. 3 overall pick in Ryan in the times that I saw him play. Yeah he threw for more than 4,000 yards, but he had 31 TDs against a whopping 19 interceptions this year. And against his better competition, his numbers weren't superb. I guess I'm just a little skeptical.
I would have liked to see the Falcons take a defensive lineman there (preferably Glenn Dorsey) and then address quarterback later with someone like Chad Henne (who looked great at the Senior Bowl practices I watched). Ryan seems like a good guy and I hope he works out, but I'm not sure he's as good as he's cracked up to be.
The Falcons can really help themselves if they draft wisely over the next two days. They have a ton of needs, but 10 picks left after taking Ryan. I'd like to see them wind up with a good running back in the next round or two and really address their needs on the offensive line. We'll see what happens...
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Bulldogs add big-time quarterback
Georgia picked up a big commitment today when quarterback Aaron Murray said he plans to be a Bulldog.
Murray is Scout.com's No. 8 quarterback prospect in the country and is the No. 48 overall prospect on Rivals.com's national board. Both recruiting services list him as a four-star player.
As a junior, the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder from Tampa's Plant High School was named first-team all-State with 4,012 passing yards, 51 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
He had a press conference this morning to announce his decision between Florida and Georgia, although he had offers from all over -- including Auburn, UCLA, Notre Dame, Tennessee, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina...basically you name it. His Scout profile says he has 52 offers in total.
He's Georgia's ninth overall commitment and second quarterback in the class, joining Oconee County's Zach Mettenberger.
Here's possibly the longest recruiting video I've ever seen, with clips of him throwing. Looks pretty good...
Murray is Scout.com's No. 8 quarterback prospect in the country and is the No. 48 overall prospect on Rivals.com's national board. Both recruiting services list him as a four-star player.
As a junior, the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder from Tampa's Plant High School was named first-team all-State with 4,012 passing yards, 51 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
He had a press conference this morning to announce his decision between Florida and Georgia, although he had offers from all over -- including Auburn, UCLA, Notre Dame, Tennessee, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina...basically you name it. His Scout profile says he has 52 offers in total.
He's Georgia's ninth overall commitment and second quarterback in the class, joining Oconee County's Zach Mettenberger.
Here's possibly the longest recruiting video I've ever seen, with clips of him throwing. Looks pretty good...
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Georgia adds eighth commitment
Georgia picked up its eighth known commitment Saturday when Buford OL/DL Dallas Lee picked the Bulldogs.
The 6-foot-4, 290-pounder told my buddy Dean from the Georgia Scout.com site that he expects to play guard or center at Georgia. He made 71 tackles and nine sacks last season at Buford as a defensive tackle.
Lee is listed as the No. 31 prospect in Georgia by Rivals.com. He picked Georgia over a considerable number of offers, including from Tennessee, Florida State, Georgia Tech, South Florida and Vanderbilt.
Here are Georgia's eight commits thus far for 2009:
Dallas Lee, DL/OL, Buford
Abry Jones, DE, Northside-Warner Robins
Shawn Williams, LB, Early County
Zach Mettenberger, QB, Oconee County
Washaun Ealey, RB, Emanuel County Institute
Dexter Moody, LB, Emanuel County Institute
Chase Vasser, LB, Chestatee
Chris Burnette, OL, Troup County
The 6-foot-4, 290-pounder told my buddy Dean from the Georgia Scout.com site that he expects to play guard or center at Georgia. He made 71 tackles and nine sacks last season at Buford as a defensive tackle.
Lee is listed as the No. 31 prospect in Georgia by Rivals.com. He picked Georgia over a considerable number of offers, including from Tennessee, Florida State, Georgia Tech, South Florida and Vanderbilt.
Here are Georgia's eight commits thus far for 2009:
Dallas Lee, DL/OL, Buford
Abry Jones, DE, Northside-Warner Robins
Shawn Williams, LB, Early County
Zach Mettenberger, QB, Oconee County
Washaun Ealey, RB, Emanuel County Institute
Dexter Moody, LB, Emanuel County Institute
Chase Vasser, LB, Chestatee
Chris Burnette, OL, Troup County
Friday, April 18, 2008
Atkins, Owens on Outland watch list
The Football Writers Association of America released its preseason Outland Trophy watch list today. Georgia's Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens are among the names on there.
Other names of interest:
Antoine Caldwell, Alabama
Andrew Gardner, Georgia Tech
Brett Helms, LSU
John Jerry, Ole Miss
Peria Jerry, Ole Miss
Herman Johnson, LSU
Jonathan Luigs, Arkansas
Sen'Derrick Marks, Auburn
Josh McNeil, Tennessee
Michael Oher, Ole Miss
Anthony Parker, Tennessee
Duke Robinson, Oklahoma
Andre Smith, Alabama
Jim Tartt, Florida
Vance Walker, Georgia Tech
Garry Williams, Kentucky
Other names of interest:
Antoine Caldwell, Alabama
Andrew Gardner, Georgia Tech
Brett Helms, LSU
John Jerry, Ole Miss
Peria Jerry, Ole Miss
Herman Johnson, LSU
Jonathan Luigs, Arkansas
Sen'Derrick Marks, Auburn
Josh McNeil, Tennessee
Michael Oher, Ole Miss
Anthony Parker, Tennessee
Duke Robinson, Oklahoma
Andre Smith, Alabama
Jim Tartt, Florida
Vance Walker, Georgia Tech
Garry Williams, Kentucky
Thursday, April 17, 2008
SEC Celebrity Golf Classic
The tournament director of the upcoming SEC Celebrity Golf Classic asked me to pass along word that they're still looking to fill UGA teams in their event, which will be held May 5 at the Country Club of Columbus. The proceeds will benefit the David Pollack Foundation, as well as the youth ministries of former Auburn running back Joe Cribbs and Alabama defensive back (and Phenix City native) Jeremiah Castille.
Among the UGA folks currently expected to attend are:
David Pollack
Kevin Butler
Robert Edwards
J.T. Wall
Joe Tereshinski
Jeremy Thomas
Evan Wells
Russ Tanner
David Jacobs
Corey Phillips
Craig Jacobs
Matt Stinchcomb
D.J. Shockley
So if that's something you might be interested in playing in or sponsoring, all the registration and sponsorship stuff is available on their Web site. There will also be a dinner banquet on Sunday the 4th with many of the celebrity participants.
In case you were wondering, here are more of those expected to attend. And before I have to read any jokes about Tra Battle intercepting Brandon Cox's tee shots and returning them for touchdowns, save it.
From Auburn: Joe Cribbs, Coach Pat Dye, Coach Hugh Nall, Brandon Cox, Ed King, Frank Sanders, Stan White, Rob Pate, Joe Beckwith, Terry Henley, Bret Eddins, Terry Daniel, Smokey Hodge, Chris James, Russ Carekker, Danny Lindsey, Aundray Bruce, Joe Cope, Sam Rives, Haven Fields, Steve Wallace, Gerald Robinson, Trey Gainous, Jeff Burger
From Alabama: Jeremiah Castille, Coach Nick Saban, Tim Castille, Barry Krauss, Ken Darby, Antonio Langham, Roger Shultz, Matt Miller, Ahmaad Galloway, Freddie Robinson, Rudy Griffin, Stacey Harrison, Brandon Brooks, Daniel Pope, Seth Moates, Antonio London, Chris Goode, William Watts
Among the UGA folks currently expected to attend are:
David Pollack
Kevin Butler
Robert Edwards
J.T. Wall
Joe Tereshinski
Jeremy Thomas
Evan Wells
Russ Tanner
David Jacobs
Corey Phillips
Craig Jacobs
Matt Stinchcomb
D.J. Shockley
So if that's something you might be interested in playing in or sponsoring, all the registration and sponsorship stuff is available on their Web site. There will also be a dinner banquet on Sunday the 4th with many of the celebrity participants.
In case you were wondering, here are more of those expected to attend. And before I have to read any jokes about Tra Battle intercepting Brandon Cox's tee shots and returning them for touchdowns, save it.
From Auburn: Joe Cribbs, Coach Pat Dye, Coach Hugh Nall, Brandon Cox, Ed King, Frank Sanders, Stan White, Rob Pate, Joe Beckwith, Terry Henley, Bret Eddins, Terry Daniel, Smokey Hodge, Chris James, Russ Carekker, Danny Lindsey, Aundray Bruce, Joe Cope, Sam Rives, Haven Fields, Steve Wallace, Gerald Robinson, Trey Gainous, Jeff Burger
From Alabama: Jeremiah Castille, Coach Nick Saban, Tim Castille, Barry Krauss, Ken Darby, Antonio Langham, Roger Shultz, Matt Miller, Ahmaad Galloway, Freddie Robinson, Rudy Griffin, Stacey Harrison, Brandon Brooks, Daniel Pope, Seth Moates, Antonio London, Chris Goode, William Watts
NFL draft story on Dale Murphy's son
I wasn't aware Dale Murphy's son was a lineman at Utah State who may just get picked in the upcoming NFL draft. It's an interesting story, considering he's 25 after spending two years away from the sport on a Mormon mission in Brazil, and that he played at three different colleges. I'll definitely root for the kid, considering his dad was one of my heroes when I was growing up. I think that was a requirement if you're a baseball fan my age and grew up in either Alabama or Georgia.
Story link
Story link
UGA announces spring awards
Georgia announced its spring football awards today:
Coffee County Hustle Award (offense): Knowshon Moreno, TB, Belford, N.J.
Coffee County Hustle Award (defense): Rennie Curran, WLB, Snellville, Ga.;
Quintin Banks, SS, Warner Robins, Ga.
Best All-Around Offensive Player: Kenneth Harris, SE, Cherryville, N.C.
True Grit Award (offense): Mohamed Massaquoi, FLK, Charlotte, N.C.
True Grit Award (defense): Asher Allen, SC, Tucker, Ga.
Most Improved Offensive Lineman: Ben Jones, C, Centreville, Ala.
Most Improved Receiver: Kris Durham, SE, Calhoun, Ga.
Most Improved Running Back: Kalvin Daniels, RB, Eastman, Ga.
Biggest Surprise of the Spring (offense): Richard Samuel, RB, Cartersville,
Ga.
Biggest Surprise of the Spring (defense): Darryl Gamble, WLB, Bainbridge,
Ga.
Outstanding Walk-on (offense): Kalvin Daniels, RB, Eastman, Ga.
Outstanding Walk-on (defense): Chad Gloer, WC, Fayetteville, Ga.; Andrew
Gully, DE, Vienna, Va.
Most Consistent Running Back: Knowshon Moreno, TB, Belford, N.J.
Most Improved Defensive Tackle: Ricardo Crawford, DT, Fair Bluff, N.C.;
Corvey Irvin, DT, Augusta, Ga.
Most Improved Defensive End: Michael Lemon, DE, Lizella, Ga.
Most Improved Linebacker: Darryl Gamble, WLB, Bainbridge, Ga.
Most Improved Defensive Back: Reshad Jones, FS, Atlanta, Ga.
Coffee County Hustle Award (offense): Knowshon Moreno, TB, Belford, N.J.
Coffee County Hustle Award (defense): Rennie Curran, WLB, Snellville, Ga.;
Quintin Banks, SS, Warner Robins, Ga.
Best All-Around Offensive Player: Kenneth Harris, SE, Cherryville, N.C.
True Grit Award (offense): Mohamed Massaquoi, FLK, Charlotte, N.C.
True Grit Award (defense): Asher Allen, SC, Tucker, Ga.
Most Improved Offensive Lineman: Ben Jones, C, Centreville, Ala.
Most Improved Receiver: Kris Durham, SE, Calhoun, Ga.
Most Improved Running Back: Kalvin Daniels, RB, Eastman, Ga.
Biggest Surprise of the Spring (offense): Richard Samuel, RB, Cartersville,
Ga.
Biggest Surprise of the Spring (defense): Darryl Gamble, WLB, Bainbridge,
Ga.
Outstanding Walk-on (offense): Kalvin Daniels, RB, Eastman, Ga.
Outstanding Walk-on (defense): Chad Gloer, WC, Fayetteville, Ga.; Andrew
Gully, DE, Vienna, Va.
Most Consistent Running Back: Knowshon Moreno, TB, Belford, N.J.
Most Improved Defensive Tackle: Ricardo Crawford, DT, Fair Bluff, N.C.;
Corvey Irvin, DT, Augusta, Ga.
Most Improved Defensive End: Michael Lemon, DE, Lizella, Ga.
Most Improved Linebacker: Darryl Gamble, WLB, Bainbridge, Ga.
Most Improved Defensive Back: Reshad Jones, FS, Atlanta, Ga.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Local link to Masters champ
It may seem surprising that there is a local connection when the newly green-jacketed winner of the Masters is from South Africa. And yet there is one. I'm sure readers of our paper's sports section are well aware, but for those of you who don't pick up the Ledger, Trevor Immelman's brother Mark is the golf coach at Columbus State and a former Division II all-American and national champion at CSU himself.
I'm sure this was a common sentiment around Columbus this weekend among those who have ever dealt with Mark, but I was excited to see that Trevor won the greatest golf tournament of them all this weekend. Mark is an exceedingly nice guy and has been a pleasure to deal with whenever I've written about his team and players. I thought about texting him congratulations tonight, but I figured his phone has probably been ringing non-stop and he's got bigger fish to fry than dealing with random texts from somebody like me today. Maybe I'll see him one day this week when things die down a little and I can congratulate him in person...and he does deserve some congratulations. He's one of Trevor's coaches, a role he serves for numerous pro golfers. He also teaches out of a facility on the back end of the driving range at Bull Creek in Columbus, so check the link if you're interested in that sort of thing. He might be charging a higher rate now, though. After all, he's the coach of the reigning Masters champion.
I'm sure this was a common sentiment around Columbus this weekend among those who have ever dealt with Mark, but I was excited to see that Trevor won the greatest golf tournament of them all this weekend. Mark is an exceedingly nice guy and has been a pleasure to deal with whenever I've written about his team and players. I thought about texting him congratulations tonight, but I figured his phone has probably been ringing non-stop and he's got bigger fish to fry than dealing with random texts from somebody like me today. Maybe I'll see him one day this week when things die down a little and I can congratulate him in person...and he does deserve some congratulations. He's one of Trevor's coaches, a role he serves for numerous pro golfers. He also teaches out of a facility on the back end of the driving range at Bull Creek in Columbus, so check the link if you're interested in that sort of thing. He might be charging a higher rate now, though. After all, he's the coach of the reigning Masters champion.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Owens, Allen on Lott watch list
Georgia cornerback Asher Allen and defensive tackle Jeff Owens were named today to the watch list for the 2008 Lott Trophy. Jeff and Asher are among 42 players on the list.
From the press release:
The Lott Trophy, named for NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, equally recognizes athletic performance and the personal character attributes of its recipients. Sponsored by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, the award is given to a player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.
Former Bulldog David Pollack won the initial Lott Trophy in 2004. Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previous finalists, the Board of Directors of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, The IMPACT Foundation Board of Advisers, comprised of many retired NFL players, and Master Coaches, a distinguished group of former collegiate head coaches that includes Georgia’s Vince Dooley.
Go here to read the entire release.
From the press release:
The Lott Trophy, named for NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, equally recognizes athletic performance and the personal character attributes of its recipients. Sponsored by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, the award is given to a player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.
Former Bulldog David Pollack won the initial Lott Trophy in 2004. Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previous finalists, the Board of Directors of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, The IMPACT Foundation Board of Advisers, comprised of many retired NFL players, and Master Coaches, a distinguished group of former collegiate head coaches that includes Georgia’s Vince Dooley.
Go here to read the entire release.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
G-Day impressions, stats
Just got home a little while ago from G-Day...Definitely looking forward to living up there again, to where the drive home from a game is 10 minutes and not a few hours...
Because of all the recent injuries, they ran the game with eight-minute quarters and a running clock. That meant the whole thing went really quickly, so the offensive stats won't look very impressive. Caleb King ran for 31 yards, which doesn't seem like much, but I thought he played great. He has some shake and some speed. I was very impressed in what was really the first time I've seen him play. The snaps I'd seem him take in practice before didn't amount to nearly enough to form a decent impression. I think he's going to be a very good player.
Michael Moore also had a very good day, catching three balls for 53 yards and two touchdowns. My story from the game today was about him. Universally, it seems people are expecting big things from him this year. I talked to six different people, including Michael, about him after the game. Every single one of them said he wasn't consistent enough in the past. He'd be good one day, or one play, and bad the next. They say he's turned the corner and was a highly effective player this spring. I've heard big predictions about him before and they didn't come to fruition, so I'll wait until seeing what he does when the season starts before I proclaim him a future all-American. But he looked great today, which is a start. He's always a nice kid to talk to, as well, so it would make a nice story if good things start to happen for him. He says he'll spend the month of May working out at home in Florida at a football camp run by former Pro Bowl receiver Cris Carter. Says he's been doing that since his sophomore year of high school, and he thinks it really does wonders for him and his conditioning. Just thought that was an interesting note...
Here are the significant stats:
RED TEAM
Stafford 6-10, 78 yards, TD (30, Michael Moore)
Gray 2-5 11 yards, TD (12, Michael Moore)
RUSHING
Gray 4-30
Moreno 3-16
Daniels 3-15
Samuel 7-13
Stafford 2-0
Lewis 2- -2
RECEIVING
Moore 3-53 2 TD
Durham 1-31
White 1-19
Moreno 1-11
Harris 1-7
Chapas 1- -1
PUNTING Mimbs 3-122 (40.6)
KICKING Behr 1-1 FGs 52 yds
BLACK TEAM
Cox 7-11 69
deLaureal 1-2, 4 yds, int
RUSHING
King 6-31
Daniels 2-6
Jackson 2-5
Bagby 1-1
deLaureal 2- -10
Cox 4- -18
RECEIVING
Troups 2-39
King 2-17
Munzenmaier 2-11
Brown 1-4
Daniels 1-2
PUNTING Butler 3-96 (32.0)
Dittmer 1-49
FIELDGOALS Jenson 1-1 47yds
DEFENSIVE LEADERS
BLACK TEAM
Jarius Wynn 4 tx, 1 TFL, 1 sack
Chad Gloer 4 tx, 1 TFL, 1 sack
Reshad Jones 4 tx
Charles White 4 tx, 1 TFL
Demarcus Dobbs 3 tx, 1 TFL
Rod Battle 2 tx, 1 TFL
RED TEAM
Akeem Hebron 5 tx, 1 FR (returned 40 yards)
John Knox 4 tx, 1 int (returned 21 yards)
Brandon Wheeling 3 tx, 1 sack
Justin Houston 1 tx, 1 sack
Michael Lemon 1 tx, 1 sack
Neland Ball 1 tx, 1 sack
Joe Travis, 1 tx, 1 sack
Lastly, I think this has probably already made the rounds on the Internet, but announcer Larry Munson had surgery to remove a blood clot on his brain this week. He is currently expected to make a full recovery and be able to call the home games again this season. Georgia put out a release on it today here.
If you're interested in sending him cards or letters, you can send them here:
Larry Munson
c/o UGA Athletic Association
P.O. Box 1472
Athens, GA 30603
Today was a great day. I really enjoyed seeing my friends who cover the team that I haven't seen since signing day and the people in the sports communications office who are always so easy to deal with. And there's a handful of players I always like to talk to, and it was good to see those guys, too...I really enjoy my job. Today reminded me of that.
I might transcribe Mark Richt's postgame press conference in the next day or two, but I'm not doing it tonight. Maybe tomorrow, after I get home from the Braves game. Smoltz-Santana tomorrow, you know. Looking forward to watching that and downing a cold beer or two. Should be fun.
Because of all the recent injuries, they ran the game with eight-minute quarters and a running clock. That meant the whole thing went really quickly, so the offensive stats won't look very impressive. Caleb King ran for 31 yards, which doesn't seem like much, but I thought he played great. He has some shake and some speed. I was very impressed in what was really the first time I've seen him play. The snaps I'd seem him take in practice before didn't amount to nearly enough to form a decent impression. I think he's going to be a very good player.
Michael Moore also had a very good day, catching three balls for 53 yards and two touchdowns. My story from the game today was about him. Universally, it seems people are expecting big things from him this year. I talked to six different people, including Michael, about him after the game. Every single one of them said he wasn't consistent enough in the past. He'd be good one day, or one play, and bad the next. They say he's turned the corner and was a highly effective player this spring. I've heard big predictions about him before and they didn't come to fruition, so I'll wait until seeing what he does when the season starts before I proclaim him a future all-American. But he looked great today, which is a start. He's always a nice kid to talk to, as well, so it would make a nice story if good things start to happen for him. He says he'll spend the month of May working out at home in Florida at a football camp run by former Pro Bowl receiver Cris Carter. Says he's been doing that since his sophomore year of high school, and he thinks it really does wonders for him and his conditioning. Just thought that was an interesting note...
Here are the significant stats:
RED TEAM
Stafford 6-10, 78 yards, TD (30, Michael Moore)
Gray 2-5 11 yards, TD (12, Michael Moore)
RUSHING
Gray 4-30
Moreno 3-16
Daniels 3-15
Samuel 7-13
Stafford 2-0
Lewis 2- -2
RECEIVING
Moore 3-53 2 TD
Durham 1-31
White 1-19
Moreno 1-11
Harris 1-7
Chapas 1- -1
PUNTING Mimbs 3-122 (40.6)
KICKING Behr 1-1 FGs 52 yds
BLACK TEAM
Cox 7-11 69
deLaureal 1-2, 4 yds, int
RUSHING
King 6-31
Daniels 2-6
Jackson 2-5
Bagby 1-1
deLaureal 2- -10
Cox 4- -18
RECEIVING
Troups 2-39
King 2-17
Munzenmaier 2-11
Brown 1-4
Daniels 1-2
PUNTING Butler 3-96 (32.0)
Dittmer 1-49
FIELDGOALS Jenson 1-1 47yds
DEFENSIVE LEADERS
BLACK TEAM
Jarius Wynn 4 tx, 1 TFL, 1 sack
Chad Gloer 4 tx, 1 TFL, 1 sack
Reshad Jones 4 tx
Charles White 4 tx, 1 TFL
Demarcus Dobbs 3 tx, 1 TFL
Rod Battle 2 tx, 1 TFL
RED TEAM
Akeem Hebron 5 tx, 1 FR (returned 40 yards)
John Knox 4 tx, 1 int (returned 21 yards)
Brandon Wheeling 3 tx, 1 sack
Justin Houston 1 tx, 1 sack
Michael Lemon 1 tx, 1 sack
Neland Ball 1 tx, 1 sack
Joe Travis, 1 tx, 1 sack
Lastly, I think this has probably already made the rounds on the Internet, but announcer Larry Munson had surgery to remove a blood clot on his brain this week. He is currently expected to make a full recovery and be able to call the home games again this season. Georgia put out a release on it today here.
If you're interested in sending him cards or letters, you can send them here:
Larry Munson
c/o UGA Athletic Association
P.O. Box 1472
Athens, GA 30603
Today was a great day. I really enjoyed seeing my friends who cover the team that I haven't seen since signing day and the people in the sports communications office who are always so easy to deal with. And there's a handful of players I always like to talk to, and it was good to see those guys, too...I really enjoy my job. Today reminded me of that.
I might transcribe Mark Richt's postgame press conference in the next day or two, but I'm not doing it tonight. Maybe tomorrow, after I get home from the Braves game. Smoltz-Santana tomorrow, you know. Looking forward to watching that and downing a cold beer or two. Should be fun.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
G-Day thoughts
Let's be honest, the spring game doesn't mean much of anything (remember how awful the defense was in last year's game? they still turned out to be pretty decent come fall.), but there are still some players/position groups I'm looking forward to seeing.
Last year, I was excited to see what Knowshon could do after hearing the veterans talk so much about him in the fall. They were more reserved in talking about Caleb King, but you can tell everyone is looking forward to seeing what he can do. For that matter, I'll be interested to see Richard Samuel and Dontavius Jackson run around some, too.
I'll be interested to see how they run linemen out there and what combinations they use. That probably won't mean a ton, but there are some guys I haven't seen much of/at all and I'm looking forward to seeing what they look like out there. Justin Anderson. Ben Jones. Chris Davis at center. Kiante Tripp at tackle. Stacy Searels still has a lot of projects to juggle, although the depth seems to be much-improved.
With the injuries they've had at receiver, I wonder how much we'll see of some of the older guys. Which might be fine, as I'm looking forward to seeing Walter Hill and Tavarres King and Israel Troupe -- and Aron White at tight end, too. Sounds like King has already been making an impact up there.
The defensive ends will be worth watching. They've got a bunch of guys to roll there, but who will get the most playing time? Rod Battle started every game, and Jeremy Lomax was pretty productive in the time he got. I think Jarius Wynn might have a pretty big senior year, plus you've got Dobbs and Lemon back and Justin Houston and Neland Ball also entering the mix.
Those are just a couple of the initial thoughts I have on the game. It's a fun thing to cover because it's a game, but it's not the end of the world...although Kelin Johnson seemed to be beside himself after the defense laid an egg in last year's game. That's kind of the way Kelin is...What about you folks? Any important storylines worth noting that I'm not thinking of just yet?
The honorary coaches, by the way, will be Frank Ros, Kevin Butler, D.J. Shockley and Greg Blue.
Last year, I was excited to see what Knowshon could do after hearing the veterans talk so much about him in the fall. They were more reserved in talking about Caleb King, but you can tell everyone is looking forward to seeing what he can do. For that matter, I'll be interested to see Richard Samuel and Dontavius Jackson run around some, too.
I'll be interested to see how they run linemen out there and what combinations they use. That probably won't mean a ton, but there are some guys I haven't seen much of/at all and I'm looking forward to seeing what they look like out there. Justin Anderson. Ben Jones. Chris Davis at center. Kiante Tripp at tackle. Stacy Searels still has a lot of projects to juggle, although the depth seems to be much-improved.
With the injuries they've had at receiver, I wonder how much we'll see of some of the older guys. Which might be fine, as I'm looking forward to seeing Walter Hill and Tavarres King and Israel Troupe -- and Aron White at tight end, too. Sounds like King has already been making an impact up there.
The defensive ends will be worth watching. They've got a bunch of guys to roll there, but who will get the most playing time? Rod Battle started every game, and Jeremy Lomax was pretty productive in the time he got. I think Jarius Wynn might have a pretty big senior year, plus you've got Dobbs and Lemon back and Justin Houston and Neland Ball also entering the mix.
Those are just a couple of the initial thoughts I have on the game. It's a fun thing to cover because it's a game, but it's not the end of the world...although Kelin Johnson seemed to be beside himself after the defense laid an egg in last year's game. That's kind of the way Kelin is...What about you folks? Any important storylines worth noting that I'm not thinking of just yet?
The honorary coaches, by the way, will be Frank Ros, Kevin Butler, D.J. Shockley and Greg Blue.
G-Day broadcasts
If you're interested in watching or listening to the G-Day game on Saturday, there are a lot of ways that will be possible -- aside from actually driving to Athens and forking over the $5 to attend -- according to a release they sent out today.
It will be televised live on CSS (saw a commercial for the game the other day, I believe while I was watching the Braves game on that new Peachtree TV thing that comes on CSS).
It will be carried by WSB and the Bulldog Radio Network (although you might need to check with your local station to see if they'll carry it), as well as on XM 199 for you satellite radio folks.
It will also air on the campus radio station and on UGA's premium site, G-Xtra.
It will be televised live on CSS (saw a commercial for the game the other day, I believe while I was watching the Braves game on that new Peachtree TV thing that comes on CSS).
It will be carried by WSB and the Bulldog Radio Network (although you might need to check with your local station to see if they'll carry it), as well as on XM 199 for you satellite radio folks.
It will also air on the campus radio station and on UGA's premium site, G-Xtra.
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