UGA Football Information Thread for the Upcoming NCAA Football Season

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Bulldogs possess rare depth at receiver

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Georgia's Sean Bailey is one of 13 receivers on scholarship, giving coach Mark Richt more depth than he's ever had at the position.
David Manning / Staff
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By Marc Weiszer | marc.weiszer@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 11:56 PM on Sunday, August 5, 2007
There may not always be strength in numbers but for wideouts Mikey Henderson and A.J. Bryant, the more receivers at Georgia's disposal this preseason the merrier.
"Ever since we started counting it up in the summer," Henderson said, "we were like, 'This is going to be the best camp ever.' "
The reason is Georgia has more than a dozen scholarship players working at receiver.
"We could actually practice three-deep in a four receiver set," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "That happens rare anywhere."
That's comforting for guys like Henderson, one of at least six Georgia receivers to miss practice time last preseason because of sore hamstrings.
The Bulldogs had a smaller pool of receivers to draw from last year and the decreasing numbers caused the coaches to switch up practices.
"The past years, about four or five receivers would go down every camp," said Bryant, a senior. "We have more depth this year and, hopefully, that will help us out, keep us a little more fresh."
Georgia started preseason camp with 13 scholarship receivers after the return from injury of Demiko Goodman, T.J. Gartrell and Sean Bailey and the addition of freshmen Israel Troupe, Walter Hill and Aron White. White was rated as the top tight end prospect by Rivals.com but is beginning his college career working with the wideouts.
"We have more depth than we've ever had," Richt said. "There's no question about that. We have more depth that understands what to do than we've ever had at receiver."
More players will mean more heated position battles, said receivers coach John Eason, who can't remember having this many players to work with in his previous six seasons at Georgia.
"At Florida State I've had that many, but not here," said Eason, who served on the Seminoles staff from 1981-94. "It's always nice to have that many. Some people think it's too many, but I've always felt it helps in terms of creating more competition."
If Georgia can keep its receivers healthy - and that's a big if in a preseason when the Bulldogs will practice 28 times - coaches could choose to tap into all of those bodies at receiver in ways they haven't been able to in the past.
"One of the things we wanted to do with no huddle is go to a four wide receiver set," Eason said. "We did not have enough people. In order to do that, you have to have at least eight, and you have to have eight to practice. What happens when you do that, you still have to have others because there will come a time when one of the eight will go down, even in a ballgame, and you can't keep it going."
Hamstring injuries to Henderson and Mohamed Massaquoi kept them out of games last year during a season in which Georgia's wideouts were plagued by dropped passes and totaled just four touchdown catches.
"It's so easy for us to go down because we probably run the most on the team constantly," Henderson said. "If two or three go down, you can't get a break. To have 15, it's the best thing that ever happened."
Henderson is counting walk-ons Percy Croffie and Vernon Spellman in the fresh body count.
"It gives us a little break so we don't have to run as much," Bryant said. "It's a blessing."

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 080607

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Notebook: CB Flowers has new look

By Marc Weiszer | marc.weiszer@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 11:56 PM on Sunday, August 5, 2007
Thomas Flowers' dreadlocks are gone, and so is the lofty spot he found himself on the depth chart last summer.
Flowers was penciled in as a starting cornerback and held the punt return job before a suspension knocked him out of the first two games last season.
In his first game back, his season was over because of a broken left foot.
"I just feel sorry for the whole situation because he was on top," senior Mikey Henderson said.
Now Flowers is backing up Asher Allen at the boundary corner and will have to overtake Henderson for the punt return job.
"Everybody wants to be the main guy and right now I'm taking it one day at a time," said Flowers, who says he's pain-free. "I'm trying to feel my (way) back through and get back in the groove of things and prove myself to me, the coaches and my players that I can be that guy again."
Flowers gives Georgia an experienced player who can play both corner positions as well as nickel back.
"It's huge for him to come back," defensive coordinator Willie Martinez said.
Flowers wore dreadlocks for three years but ditched the look when he showed up for summer workouts in June.
"It's a new look, feeling good," Flowers said. "Ready to go."

Advice from Dad: Keep it real
Freshman Drew Butler took part in his second college practice on Sunday.
Georgia might not settle on who will be its punter until the final scrimmage of the preseason. Butler will have to beat out junior Brian Mimbs for the job.
"I told him to keep his expectations real," said Kevin Butler, the former Georgia kicker and Drew's father. "He has to get through the first five days to get used to the game and to get comfortable.
"I'm sure his heart is beating real good."

Jumping into scraps a no-no
Receiver Tony Wilson and cornerback Ramarcus Brown got into a tussle at the end of Sunday's practice, but other players didn't get involved.
"I like toughness, I like guys to be physical, but we can't afford penalties," coach Mark Richt said. "We have a rule that if you get in a little scrap that doesn't belong to you that you're going to get your butt up at the crack of dawn and do a little extra running."

This and that
Starting cornerback Bryan Evans left Sunday's practice with a pulled hamstring. Richt didn't know the severity of the injury but said the redshirt sophomore won't practice today. Sophomore Prince Miller is Evans' backup. ... Ken Rucker, the Texas running backs coach who coached the same position at Georgia in 2003-04, announced Sunday that he will take a leave of absence Aug. 27 from the Longhorns after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, according to the Houston Chronicle's Web site. Coach Mack Brown told the newspaper that Rucker's prognosis was good.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 080607

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GALLERY:
View photos from the first day of practice for the Georgia Bulldogs:
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Tight end NaDerris Ward, left, and linebacker Akeem Dent have a playful fight during practice Saturday.
Kelly Lambert / Staff
Georgia receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, who hauled in this one-handed catch during the first day of camp, is a player coaches would like to see show some guidance.
Kelly Lambert / Staff
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By Marc Weiszer | Staff Writer | Story updated at 11:38 PM on Saturday, August 4, 2007
Preseason camp began for Georgia on Saturday with just three returning starters on defense, an offensive line with three projected starters who have never taken a snap with the Bulldogs and plenty of opportunity for leaders to emerge.
Coaches are curious to find out which players will step out of the shadows and be a guiding light on the team.
"The leadership is a concern," defensive coordinator Willie Martinez said. "Who's going to take it? Who are these guys going to follow?"
The leading nominees appear to be senior safety Kelin Johnson on defense and fifth-year senior center Fernando Velasco on offense.
"He is without question the No. 1 leader on our football team," coach Mark Richt said.
Georgia is replacing a pair of first-day NFL draft picks in defensive ends Quentin Moses and Charles Johnson and must also find a shutdown corner after Paul Oliver entered the supplemental draft when he was ruled academically ineligible.
The offense could be starting a freshman, Trinton Studrivant, at the all-important left tackle position, and a redshirt freshman, Chris Davis, at left guard, and a junior college transfer, Scott Haverkamp, at right guard.
"There's a lot of young guys, especially on the offensive line," Velasco said. "I'm just trying to lead those guys in the right direction and show them what SEC football is all about.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford has loads of talent, but will be in his first full-season as a starter.
"I think there's a lot of potential for this offense to do some good things," offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. "Like any year, it's how we come together chemistry-wise and what identity we'll take on as an offense ... Are we going to be a tough offense?
"A lot of that comes with experience and leadership. That's the one thing that concerns me a little bit. Not that we don't have leadership, but do we have enough with seniors?"
Georgia's defense had to replace impact players two years ago in 2005 when the unit was sapped of top 50 NFL picks David Pollack, Thomas Davis and Odell Thurman.
"When you look back when that happened we had a senior group," Martinez said. "We had experienced guys. (Greg) Blue. (Gerald) Anderson. (Kedric) Golston. (Tim) Jennings. We had experience coming back. We had guys that guys would follow. We had the leadership. We had established leadership. Here, it's not established. It's a youth group. It's a reserve group coming back. You don't know how the kids are going to react. You don't know how the team is going to mesh."
Johnson, the only returning senior defensive starter, said underclassmen such as C.J. Byrd, Asher Allen and Bryan Evans who have played on special teams will have to take on leadership roles as well.
"We're going to have to look down to our younger players, too," Johnson said. "Playing special teams in the SEC is a big deal. You having that experience is going to help out a whole lot. That's one thing those guys are going to bring."
Stafford plays a position that demands he be a leader. Stafford traded the starting job early last season with Joe Tereshinski and Joe Cox before he started the final six games.
"He knows the system," Richt said. "Instead of trying to fit in, he's now leading our program. I mean, he's come so far. Now he's had the experience of knowing what it's like to play in a pressure-packed ballgame, many of them."
Richt said Stafford has gained the confidence of his teammates and the staff. Richt credited the sophomore with ensuring that Georgia had probably the best attendance of its summer workouts since Richt has been at Georgia.
"That has a lot to do with the leadership of the quarterback," Richt said.
Said Stafford: "The leader on offense is your quarterback and I'm happy to be there and glad to have that responsibility. I think it's going to help a ton not trying to figure out a certain guy who's going to be there."

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 080507

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Kaltefleiter: Acting over for Stafford

| | Story updated at 11:38 PM on Saturday, August 4, 2007

John Kaltefleiter more Kaltefleiter columns

Matthew Stafford was toting Georgia's offensive playbook when he bumped into Bulldogs coach Mark Richt this past Friday.
There was no look of confusion or consternation on the face of Georgia's starting quarterback. Stafford beamed confidence, and was itching to take his first snap of preseason practice.
"He was like, 'I remember last year I was studying this thing three hours a night, and I still didn't know what I was doing,' " Richt said.
Judging by what took place during Georgia's final three games of last season and during spring practice, that's not a problem for him anymore.
Stafford is top dog as he enters his sophomore season.
There's no quarterback shuffle in sight, no questions about if he's ready to play quarterback in the SEC. His struggles with asserting his leadership are in the past. He's earned the respect of his coaches and teammates, and they just don't want his leadership - they demand it.
That probably wasn't the case at times during Stafford's freshman year.
As much as Georgia's seniors stuck up for him, you sensed some of them had their doubts about Stafford, especially when Kentucky fans ripped down the goal posts after Georgia's fourth loss in five games. It was hard watching their final season unravel as an 18-year-old minnow at quarterback tried to find his way.
"Matthew had to learn the hard way," Richt said Saturday before Georgia's first preseason practice.
"He played a bunch of games last year and made mistakes that contributed to some losses, and made some plays that contributed to some big wins, too. Most quarterbacks make their mistakes when no one's watching, or at least their coaches and teammates. Not many guys have to go through that learning process on national TV like Matthew did. It toughened him, made him stronger mentally.
"He learned how important it was to help put (his) teammates in positions to succeed, and that you don't have to play lights out to win a big football game."
Receiver Sean Bailey, who sat out last season with a knee injury, had a unique perspective. He watched from the sidelines as the frustrations mounted for Stafford and the rest of the team.
"Of course, coming in and playing in the SEC at probably one of the hardest positions to learn, he had his struggles early on," Bailey said. "But he stuck with it. To go out winning the last three games against three very talented teams, it put a lot of momentum in this team and gave Matthew a lot of momentum. He's a totally different guy."
Stafford was as much of an actor for some of last season as he was a quarterback, he said. There were times on the field when he wasn't completely sure what was going on around him, so he acted like he knew.
"More of it for me was not knowing what the defense was bringing rather than not knowing our offense," he said. "I knew the plays. It wasn't like I was out there calling a play and walking up to the line and not having an idea.
"You can't walk into a huddle and not act confident. You've got to act, at least, like you know what you're doing. It's a whole lot easier when the words coming out of your mouth make sense."
Stafford is not the same naïve freshman he was when photos of him power-lifting an empty keg of beer in Alabama turned up on the Internet in the spring. It took that photo, and a couple of other inopportune shots, to make him understand that he's not just some average kid from Dallas, Texas anymore.
"It helps you realize how much you have to have your guard up all the time, no matter what you're doing or where you are," he said. "It kind of ruins your personal life. But I'd rather be playing football and have no personal life than have a great personal life and not play football."
Sounds like a player who knows what he's doing.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 080507

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Tripp Chandler suspension could alter air attack

UGA football notebook

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Receivers like T.J. Gartrell, above, could benefit in Georgia's season opener against Oklahoma State because of tight end Tripp Chandler's suspension and because of backup NaDarris Ward's inexperience.
Kelly Lambert / Staff
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By Marc Weiszer | Staff Writer | Story updated at 11:38 PM on Saturday, August 4, 2007
With Georgia tight end Tripp Chandler serving a one-game suspension for the opener against Oklahoma State, the line of candidates to replace him as starter include NaDerris Ward, Coleman Watson and freshman Bruce Figgins.
It also might include guys like Mohamed Massaquoi, A.J. Bryant and Brannan Southerland, coach Mark Richt said Saturday.
"Our tight end situation especially the first ballgame has a little bit of unrest," Richt said as Georgia opened preseason practice with a three-hour workout.
"NaDerris Ward is not only competing with the other tight ends, Bruce Figgins and Coleman Watson, but they are competing against the fourth receiver. They are competing against a three-receiver, tailback, fullback set. They're competing against that fullback."
Massaquoi welcomes the opportunity for the receivers to pick up the slack with Chandler on the sideline as discipline for his alcohol-related arrest.
"We're a very complete group," he said. "We have a lot of speed, a lot of size. We can do things from a lot of different aspects."
Scooter 101 in session for players
There were some 29 scooters parked outside of the Butts-Mehre building before Saturday's practice.
After Caleb King and Ward were arrested while driving scooters in recent weeks, Richt added a "Scooter 101" lesson on Friday for his players.
"We talked about driver's licenses and what can cause you to have one suspended and what happens if you have a ticket and don't pay it on time or don't come for a court date," Richt said. "We had some folks come in to try to educate everybody on how serious it can be."
Richt learned that in the past when former Georgia defensive lineman Darrius Swain served 22 days of a 45-day sentence for driver's license violations.
"I quite frankly didn't take it that serious when he had the first arrest," Richt said. "As it turned out, it really turned out to be a huge embarrassment for him and the program."
Richt dismissed any notion that off field issues were tarnishing the program despite another slew of offseason misdemeanor arrests.
"There's not a discipline problem on our team at all, I don't think," Richt said. "Not even close to it. ...I think we've got a great bunch of guys that really care about doing things right."
Smith is the latest O-line departure
Ian Smith's departure from the Bulldogs' program marked the latest example of an offensive line recruit from the 2003-05 signing classes that didn't pan out on the field.
Six of the 10 offensive line signees during that stretch ended their Georgia careers with eligibility remaining.
Richt said Smith decided for lingering health issues that he wanted to give up the sport. He had battled concussions, migraines and a neck injury.
Tommy Gainous, Trey Chandler, Zeb McKinzey and Smith gave up football because of lingering health issues. Seth Watts quit the team, and James Lee eventually transferred.
"I guess it's just the luck of the draw," said center Fernando Velasco, a 2003 signee. "Some guys get hurt. Some guys it just doesn't' work out for them."
Freshman Justin Houston from Statesboro moved from defensive end to strongside linebacker on his first day of practice.
"His body type really fits that right now at this time of his career," Richt said of the 6-3, 224-pounder. "He may grow into more of a pure D-end here before it's over, but we'd really like to see what he can do."
Thomas Brown is again in the mix in a crowded tailback group after returning from an ACL injury sustained on a kickoff. And, he said, he is returning kickoffs again. Asher Allen, Ramarcus Brown, Caleb King and Knowshon Moreno also are candidates, Brown said ... Backup middle linebacker Marcus Washington, returning from LCL knee surgery, went through 75 percent of the practice before his knee got sore. He's uncertain if he'll take part in the first full contact practice on Thursday. "I'm going to see how much I can do," Washington said.
"I don't want to overpush it." ... Freshman offensive lineman Chris Little practiced in a green non-contact jersey with a cast on his right wrist. ... Backing up Velasco at center is Kevin Perez and Richt said Ben Harden also will get a look there. ...Freshman left tackle Trinton Sturdivant, listed at 6-5 and 286 pounds, is now up to 294. ...Georgia will practice again in helmets and shorts today.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 080507

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GEORGIA REPORT
Richt: 'We're not afraid to play Joe Cox'

By CHIP TOWERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/16/07 Athens — Matthew Stafford remains indisputably Georgia's No. 1 quarterback, but that doesn't mean he'll be the only one to play this season. In fact, coach Mark Richt said Wednesday that the Bulldogs plan to play Joe Cox regularly.
"Right now we're leaning toward getting him in the first game," Richt said of the Sept. 1 opener against Oklahoma State. "He'll play in every game, more than likely."

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Richt balked when asked in what kind of rotation he planned to deploy Cox.
"I don't want to pigeonhole us," he said. "But we're not afraid to play Joe Cox."
Cox, who was in a four-way battle for the starting job this time last year, said he has never asked for assurances regarding playing time and never considered transferring away from Georgia.
"I had a talk with coach [Mike] Bobo last spring, and I told him I didn't have to have playing time to keep me involved," Cox said. "I told him I'd do anything I could to help us get ready, in practice, in games, whatever. But it's nice to know they're thinking about getting me in."
Cox, a redshirt sophomore from Charlotte, started against Ole Miss and appeared in four games overall. He came off the bench to throw the deciding touchdown in a 14-13 win over Colorado.
Stafford, also a sophomore, started the last eight games of last season and has been unchallenged as the starter this season.
CB Brown suspended 2 games
Ramarcus Brown, who started nine games at weakside cornerback for the Bulldogs last season, was suspended for the first two games for an undisclosed reasons.
"He broke team rules," Richt said, refusing to elaborate. Asked how long Brown's suspension had been determined, he said, "we've known it for a while."
Brown started the first seven games last season and two of the next three before giving way to Bryan Evans for the remainder of the season. He was running third-string in the preseason behind Evans and Prince Miller.
"It hurts us, especially against those first two teams the way they like to spread it out and throw it around," Richt said. "And Ramarcus is a difference-maker on special teams.
Young Butler ahead in punting race
Well, it's not exactly official just yet, but Richt, with input from assistant David Johnson, hardily endorsed freshman Drew Butler as the winner in the punting compeition.
"We'd both give a slight edge to Butler right now," Richt said of Butler, who is competing with junior walk-on Brian Mimbs. "It hasn't been completely decided yet but, if we had to play today, it'd probably be Butler."
Richt said Butler, the son of College Football Hall of Fame placekicker Kevin Butler, who played at Georgia and at Redan High, has simply been more consistent.
Miller continues to dominate
Richt said Brandon Miller's move to middle linebacker from the strong side was "the whole key to the defense" this season, said Miller is now working more at his old strongside position.
"We're working [Dannell] Ellerbe more at the Mike [middle linebacker]," Richt said. "But that doesn't diminish Brandon's importance. He's still the most dominant player on the defense right now. He's been throwing our tight ends around pretty good."
Injury update
Offensive linemen Chester "Cheese" Adams (ankle) and Scott Haverkamp (ankle) returned to practice. ... Middle linebacker Marcus Washington (groin) sat out.

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Georgia’s ‘D’ will be fine

By Terence Moore | Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 08:28 PM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Terence Moore


Athens — Sometimes, you have these hunches. For instance: Despite Georgia’s defense preparing to face the horror that is an SEC football schedule with just three returning starters and uncertainty wrapped in youth everywhere else, the Bulldogs will bark just fine, thank you.
Georgia has two things going for it before Oklahoma State comes to town in 16 days in search of torching the hedges with its sizzling offense:
Tradition and talent. The Bulldogs’ coaching is impressive, too, which brings us back to tradition. As Mark Richt and his assistants like to say to their players, tradition never graduates. More specifically, when it comes to defense, that tradition has produced a slew of teeth-rattlers from Thomas Davis to David Pollack to Tim Jennings and lofty national defensive rankings in Richt’s six seasons.
There also is talent throughout Georgia’s depth chart. With the Bulldogs always ranking among the national elite in recruiting, their No. 3 guys could be Mr. Everything guys elsewhere.
Not only that, you can add truth to that tradition and talent. No matter how many ways I asked Georgia defensive coordinator Willie Martinez about what he thought his inexperienced group would do this season, he responded with the same answer or a derivative thereof.
“I don’t know.”
That’s because Martinez doesn’t know. I mean, who does know? The Bulldogs lost both starting defensive ends to the NFL, and they are missing three linebackers with a combined 76 career starts. They also watched accomplished defensive back Paul Oliver leave abruptly for the pros after academic issues.
Plus, the Georgia defense must try to conquer everything from a rising South Carolina offense under the ol’ ball coach to a Florida spread offense that remains potent while trying to defend its national championship.
So Martinez kept telling the truth (“I don’t know”), when others in his situation would have kept telling the myth (“We’ll be better than people think.”).
We’re back to that hunch, and that is, Georgia’s defense will be better than people think. Because Martinez kept telling the truth, you could believe him about those other things. Like whether Georgia defenders have progressed, regressed or stayed the same during the months since their ghastly effort in the spring game. In addition to allowing more than a few gigantic plays, there were missed tackles and botched assignments combined with a mighty dose of lethargy.
Martinez nodded, before leaning forward in his office to say, “The experience that some of the younger guys have gained between then and now has helped, but the mentality is just different. The offseason of strength and conditioning also has been a big plus, and whereas they were missing tackles, now they’re grabbing and holding on. They’re also getting off blocks better, and a big thing is that we have more depth this fall than we had in the spring.”
Here’s another big thing: According to Martinez, Georgia is filling the leadership void with the maturation of middle linebacker Brandon Miller and strong safety Kelin Johnson, two of those returning starters. “They’ve been contributing and having really good camps, and that’s a positive, because the younger players can see that,” said Martinez, whose unit finished last season ranked eighth nationally in total defense. This is Martinez’s third year as Georgia’s coordinator, and, at 44, he’s been coaching for more than a couple of decades, including every year of the Richt regime with the Bulldogs.
So, surely, Martinez has a feel about what his current unit …
“Don’t know,” Martinez said quickly. “You’re talking about 18- to 22-year-old kids. With three aspects of college — academics, athletics and social life — there are a lot of things going on in their lives, and you don’t know how a young man is going to prioritize those things. You also don’t know how they’ll react to adversity.”
This is what we do know: The Mighty Gators have one fewer returning starter on defense than the Bulldogs. Does that mean Georgia will conquer Florida for only the second time in 10 years?
Don’t know.
Permalink | Comments (13) | Post your comment | Categories: Terence Moore, UGA / SEC

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Brown (not that one) suspended; 2-a-days end

By Chip Towers | Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 02:13 PM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Another 100-plus-degree day, two-a-days are winding down and another Georgia player is suspended.
That’s right, the Bulldogs have suspended cornerback Ramarcus Brown for the first two games. We don’t have any details yet — just the old violation of team rules thing — and we may not get them because coach Mark Richt and his staff like to keep such things a secret. Two games could be anything from a second failed drug test or a violation of class attendance or tutoring rules or an arrest or something. For what it’s worth, we haven’t uncovered any instances of law-breaking or the like. We’ll let you know if and when we find out.
Even though Brown was running third string on defense, the Dogs will feel his loss. He’s one of the team’s fastest players and a major contributor on special teams.
For those keeping count, that’s three players the Dogs won’t have for the season opener against Oklahoma State, not including Akeem Hebron, who’s gone for the season, and Ian Smith, who quit football.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs this morning had their traditional “Cuttin’ of the Watermelon” to signify the end of two-a-days. Of course, two-a-days don’t actually end until after practice late this afternoon, but I guess late morning at Sanford Stadium made for a better photo op.
Our photographer Brant Sanderlin was there to chronicle the moment (reporters were banned from the morning workout) and reported some funkyk hairdos. Seems that the upperclassmen got hold of the rookies with their shears and razors some time before the practice. As a result, Tanner Strickland has something resembling a bunny tail on the back of his head and walk-on lineman has something even worse, if you could imagine. Expect them all to be Mr. Clean shaven by Fans Picture Day on Saturday.
Stay tuned for more updates later. As always, thanks for hanging out.
Permalink | Comments (26) | Post your comment | Categories: Football

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Great expectations from linebackers

Linebackers coach John Jancek expects linebacking corps to surprise opponents

Georgia center Fernando Velasco (not pictured) compares 6-foot-1, 232-pound linebacker Dannell Ellerbe's speed to former Bulldogs Odell Thurman.
Kelly Lambert / Staff

By Marc Weiszer | Staff Writer | Story updated at 11:31 PM on Thursday, August 16, 2007
The list of things for Georgia fans to worry about in the 15 days before the season kicks off against Oklahoma State includes:
An inexperienced offensive line.
No proven pass rushers at defensive end.
Lingering questions about receivers dropping passes.
Replacing the entire starting linebacker corps? Scratch that one.
"We've got as talented a group of linebackers as we've ever had here," linebackers coach John Jancek said.
Whoa. Hold on.
Jancek is only in his third season at Georgia, but last year's starters at the position - Tony Taylor, Jarvis Jackson and Danny Verdun Wheeler - combined for 91 career starts.
Junior Dannell Ellerbe won't take issue with his position coach.
"I'm not going to disagree with any part of it," Ellerbe said, clearly pleased with Jancek's assessment. "We have more speed, more agility. We have people that will go hit. It's looking really good."
This preseason, Ellerbe has shifted from the weakside to middle linebacker. Brandon Miller, the 253-pound senior who spent the spring learning to play in the middle, is now working mostly at strongside linebacker. Sophomore Darius Dewberry has gone from the strongside to the weakside and Jancek said, "the guy's a player. He's flat-out a good player."
In some packages, Miller still moves back to middle linebacker and Ellerbe to the weakside. Jancek likes the protection the cross-training at positions offers if the Bulldogs suffer an injury or two.
"Either way you do it, everybody's going to go hard," Ellerbe said.
Ellerbe and Dewberry combined to make 13 tackles last season, and Miller went from a regular starter in 2005 to part-time last year when his tackles dropped from 41 to 23.
That was then. This is now. A supposed weakness has the potential to turn into a strength.
"They're a great looking bunch," coach Mark Richt said.
Fullback Brannan Southerland figures with Ellerbe's raw speed and power, he's poised to become one of the most athletic linebackers in the SEC. Center Fernando Velasco compares the 6-1, 232-pound Ellerbe's quickness to former Georgia All-SEC linebacker Odell Thurman.
Ellerbe had a big showing in Georgia's first scrimmage last Saturday, accounting for a sack and half and six tackles.
"He can do a lot of things where he can shuck a lineman out of his way or run down a little tailback," Southerland said. "If he's got his job down pat and he's able to play, he's going to be something to deal with."
Back at strongside linebacker, Miller is physically dominating Georgia's tight ends, Richt said.
"We have some outside plays whether it's a toss or stretch, where the whole key to the play is can a tight end equalize or neutralize a (strongside) linebacker," Richt said. "I don't know if we've gotten around the edge yet."
The vibe has been mostly positive about the backup linebackers as well.
At middle linebacker, Marcus Washington has returned from a knee injury and led the team in tackles in the first scrimmage. Akeem Dent, No. 2 at strongside linebacker, started slow this preseason but pushed for a starting job in the spring. Second-string weakside linebacker Rennie Curran has been one of the most talked about freshmen, displaying an all-out work ethic and surprising strength for a 223-pounder generously listed at 5-foot-11.
"His height? Have you seen how big he is?" Miller said. "He can jump. He can do it all."
Georgia linebackers still have to show what they can do against somebody other than their own offense.
"I think our talent level in that first group is as good as anybody," Jancek said. "You've got to have experience and that's really what we lack right now, but I think we're making progress. The guys are focused and working hard and I think they're going to answer the bell."

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 081707

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OnlineAthens.com | DogBytes | Football | Great expectations from linebackers 08/17/07

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Notebook: No common trend

Recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner, not pictured, said the Bulldogs will not try to make a habit of recruiting junior college players such as Jarius Wynn, left. This year's team has four JUCO players.
Kelly Lambert / Staff

By Marc Weiszer | Staff Writer | Story updated at 11:31 PM on Thursday, August 16, 2007
No common trend
The addition of four junior college players to the Georgia football team this year marked the first time since 2001 that the Bulldogs have tapped into the JUCO ranks.
Recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner isn't saying it will be another six years before the Bulldogs bring in another junior college player, but it won't be a common occurrence.
Garner doesn't expect the Bulldogs to sign any junior college prospects this year.
"It's not something that we're ever going to major in, but there might be a given year that we have a need at a particular position that we feel like we really need to address it with some immediate help," Garner said.
That's what Georgia did with the four players it signed this year.
Scott Haverkamp from Butler (Kan.) Community College is holding down a starting spot at offensive guard.
Vince Vance is a backup offensive tackle and Corvey Irvin and Jarius Wynn are providing depth on the defensive line. All three played last year at Georgia Military College.
"If you ever commit to that, then you're committing to a two-year cycle," Garner said. "You're going to have to totally change your philosophy if you go that route. You can sprinkle in here and there something to supplement what you're trying to do in a need area."

Shhh, don't tell mom
Willie Martinez might need to start watching what he says in his defensive backs meeting room.
Molloy VanGorder, son of former Georgia defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder, was one of 21 additional walk-ons who joined the team on the first day of classes on Thursday.
Molloy VanGorder is a 5-foot-8, 160-pound defensive back. Drew Johnson, son of tight ends coach David Johnson, is a redshirt freshman walk-on safety.
"I've known Molloy for a long time and Drew, also," said Martinez, who was promoted to coordinator when VanGorder left Georgia after the 2004 season. "I've just got to watch myself that I don't lose it too much. I don't know what's going to be said back to mom. I think dads know how dads are.
"Boys and men usually keep it quiet and keep it to themselves. It's what the mothers pry out of them. I'll just tell both of them 'Whatever is said in this room stays in this room.' That includes emotions and personalities."
Molloy VanGorder is wearing No. 27, a number already owned by receiver/punt returner Mikey Henderson.
"They've seen their dads put in the time and effort, and we don't have to worry about effort and we don't have to worry about commitment," Martinez said. "They know exactly what to do."
Wide receiver Marquise Brown, a walk-on for South Carolina last year, also has joined the team. He will have to sit out this year due to transfer rules.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Brown is the son of former Washington Redskins Pro Bowler Charlie Brown.
Among those from area schools walking on: cornerback Christian Norton from Clarke Central, fullback Nick Stiles from Athens Academy and linebacker Patrick Williams from Cedar Shoals.

Adams likely to stay at tackle
Starting right offensive tackle Chester Adams probably is staying put.
Coaches have been considering whether to move Adams to his old position of guard, but coach Mark Richt said they are leaning toward keeping him at tackle.
"It's such a tough position out there and you need to have some maturity out there," Richt said. "We feel a little uneasy putting two true freshmen out there."
Freshman Trinton Sturdivant is the starting left tackle. Freshman Clint Boling would have likely stepped in for Adams if he moved to guard.
Richt said Asher Allen has a "50-50 shot" to unseat senior Thomas Flowers as the starter at one cornerback spot.
Flowers has been in a non-contact jersey because of a sore shoulder. Bryan Evans is the other starting cornerback.

This and that
Freshman tight end/receiver Aron White is a "bubble guy" on whether he plays this season, Richt said. "He might be one of the tougher calls." ... Practice was delayed at the start for about 40 minutes because of lightning in the area. Georgia will hold its second scrimmage this afternoon. ... Receiver A.J. Bryant and freshman safety John Knox didn't practice because of heat-related issues. Receiver Kris Durham (concussion) wore a non-contact jersey and safety Reshad Jones (knee) ran on the side with a trainer.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 081707

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Inexperience at tight end cause for concern

Tight learning curve


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Redshirt freshman tight end NaDerris Ward, left, is trying to work his way up the depth chart at tight end. Georgia has little experience at the position coming into this season.
Kelly Lambert / Staff

By Roger Clarkson | Staff Writer | Story updated at 12:55 AM on Thursday, August 16, 2007
Injuries an inexperience are not limited to the interior offensive line. Georgia's tight ends also are suffering from growing pains.
The projected starter is hurt and will serve a one-game suspension during the season opener against Oklahoma State. The senior backup, started his career as an offensive lineman and another is coming off a season as a redshirt. Two more are freshmen and one of those is splitting time at wide receiver.
"We're looking to Coleman (Watson) for leadership and we're trying to take in what coach (David) Johnson is telling us bit by bit," redshirt freshman NaDerris Ward said. "We're trying not to get overwhelmed. They're throwing a lot at us right now so we have to take it in piece by piece."
When Martrez Milner went to the NFL, junior Tripp Chandler won the starting job during spring drills. But Chandler has missed about a week of practice with a rib injury, leaving former interior lineman Watson, redshirt freshman Ward and freshmen Bruce Figgins and Aron White to split practice snaps. The four of them combined for three receptions and two touchdowns for the Bulldogs last season.
"We're inexperienced right now, so every practice is a chance to get better," Chandler said.
"We're working our tails off trying to get each and every detail right."
Chandler injured his ribs the first week of preseason practice and should be back in time for final preparation for Oklahoma State. But Chandler will serve a one-game suspension for an offseason alcohol arrest so his first game will be the second week against South Carolina.
"I can take on almost a coaching role," Chandler said. "When (tight ends) coach Johnson really gets on them, I can take them aside and help them because I know they're the ones who will have to play that day. I'm just trying to help out whoever will listen."
Last year Chandler caught two passes for 37 yards and a touchdown as a backup. Watson had one 13-yard touchdown catch. Chandler and Watson represent the sum of the returning experience at the position. Chandler's injury has forced Johnson to balance the repetitions primarily between Watson, Ward and Figgins.
"Everybody's getting equal reps," Johnson said. "We want them working with the good quarterbacks and the offensive lines so we can make a good determination based on having them in there with good personnel. When Tripp comes back, then we'll settle on who the backup's going to be."
Ward is coming off of a shoulder injury last season. Figgins and White were in high school three months ago. White is also working with the wide receivers.
"It's a learning time. But at the same time it's when the coaches are going to see who's ready to play," Ward said. "So you have to show them pretty much everything you have."
The injuries that have plagued the offensive line this summer might have an effect on the tight end situation. If the offensive line needs help providing protection to quarterback Matthew Stafford, the tight ends will probably get a call.
"That's one thing we can do if you're having protection problem," Johnson said. "That's an adjustment you'd rather not make because you want as many receivers out in the pattern as you can. The offensive line is young. But at some point they've got to do it. They've got to swim on their own and see what they do."

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 081607

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Bulldogs need Owens to own Interior

300-pound anchor

With Georgia's inexperience at defensive end, tackle Jeff Owens will be expected to stabilize the Bulldogs' front.
File/Staff
Jeff Owens will be expected to stabilize the Bulldogs' front.
File/Staff

By Marc Weiszer | Staff Writer | Story updated at 1:01 AM on Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Jeff Owens' job description on Saturdays includes bringing pressure up the middle to try to get to the quarterback.
The junior defensive tackle would rather be busting into opposing backfields than sweating through a conditioning run like he did last month.
"Dread it," Owens said. "It always hurts me. That long distance running kills me. I can't run for nothing."
Georgia's football players wrapped up their summer conditioning prior to preseason camp by running 110 yards 16 times. That's equal to a mile.

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Not a walk in the park for a guy listed at 6-foot-3, 300 pounds.
Owens is "not a great distance runner but you don't need to do that to be a D-lineman," coach Mark Richt said. "He finished last in some distance running."
Even Georgia's mammoth starting defensive tackle, Kade Weston (6-5, 316), bested his line mate.
"Yeah, I finished ahead of him," Weston said. "I guess everyone is good at something at one point, but he's been working at getting better so he'll be right for the season."
What Owens is good at is using his strength (535-pound bench press), quickness and hands to fend off blockers.
"He's a real talent," said senior Fernando Velasco, Georgia's most experienced offensive lineman. "I remember in April we ran the 40 and he ran like a 4.85 at 300 pounds. That's just unbelievable. I expect him to have a lot of tackles for loss and a lot of sacks this year. He's going to be a real force in the middle."
Before Owens' begins his third season at Georgia, he's already rated as the fourth best junior defensive tackle draft prospect by ESPN.com's Todd McShay. No other Bulldogs underclassmen made his rankings.
Owens' 26 tackles last season led all of Georgia's interior linemen and he had 19 quarterback pressures and a sack, but the Sunrise, Fla., native says he still needs to improve his footwork.
"Jeffrey Owens is a guy that can be an All-SEC performer," Richt said. "He's on the verge of that. I hope he reaches his full potential inside. He's very quick off the ball, a powerful guy."
Owens didn't get any recognition in the preseason All-SEC voting by the media or coaches.
That snub will be used as fuel for him this season, he said.
"It's motivation to go out there and prove because I am one of the best defensive tackles in the SEC," Owens said. "We're just going to show the world what we can do at Georgia."
Defensive line coach Rodney Garner wants Owens to show his Georgia teammates the way as one of the few veterans on a unit with only three returning starters.
Georgia lost starting defensive ends Charles Johnson and Quentin Moses and all three of its starting linebackers from last year.
"He really needs to step up in that area," Garner said. "For him to be a great leader, he has to do it. He has to walk the walk and not just talk it. That's something that we've talked about. He's a great kid. He's strong and all that. When it comes to conditioning, he's not the best one at that. To be a true leader, he needs to improve in all areas."
Owens, whose 12 career starts trails only senior safety Kelin Johnson and senior linebacker Brandon Miller, is taking Garner's message to heart.
"He challenges me a whole lot," Owens said. "Everyday he talks to me that we need more leaders. I know pretty much I have the most experience on defense. My goal is to step up and be a leader of the defense and step up and help my team win."
Even if he isn't winning any of those long distance runs.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 081507

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Tripp switches sides to bolster line depth

Notebook

Kiante Tripp
Special

By Marc Weiszer | marc.weiszer@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 12:18 AM on Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Georgia's offensive linemen greeted the news of a new addition on Tuesday morning with cheers when coach Mark Richt escorted Kiante Tripp to his new meeting room.
The move of Tripp from defensive end to offensive tackle was welcomed at an injury-riddled position the day after Richt bemoaned the fact that the Bulldogs were down to eight healthy scholarship offensive linemen.
Tripp's arrival is likely to have a domino effect on the line.
Georgia "probably would like to" move starting right tackle Chester Adams inside to his natural position of guard, Richt said. Freshman tackle Clint Boling, who has been working first-team while Adams is out with a sprained ankle, got some work at right guard Tuesday.
"It changes the whole complexion of our offensive line, at least the depth and the athletic body that you strive to recruit," Richt said. "It's like getting a commitment from a top two or three tackle in the United States."
Tripp was ranked as the ninth best offensive tackle in 2006 by Rivals.com coming out of Atlanta's Westlake High School.
The 6-foot-6, 270-pound Tripp, a redshirt freshman, wore jersey No. 64 and got work with the both the first and second-team line.
"He really looks good out there," Richt said. "He absolutely has a ton to learn but his body type and his athleticism is tailor-made for the position. It's going to really help Georgia and I think it's going to help him, too."
Georgia envisions Adams playing right guard if he moves from tackle.
Starting left guard Scott Haverkamp (ankle) and backup guard Josh Davis (shoulder) were limited in non-contact jerseys. Tanner Strickland (foot) rode a stationary bike.
Tripp was unavailable for comment because offensive players were unavailable to speak to the media Tuesday.
Offensive line coach Stacy Searels had mentioned to Tripp about playing tackle. When Richt talked to him Monday, he was receptive to the idea.
"He saw an opportunity and was very excited about a chance to do it," Richt said. "We have a lot of depth at D-end and not a lot of depth at tackle."
Miller comfortable back at strongside
Senior Brandon Miller is now playing predominately his old position of strongside linebacker with junior Dannell Ellerbe moved to the middle.
Linebackers coach John Jancek said Miller is working on the strong side about 80 percent of the time.
Richt raised eyebrows last month when he said that Miller would be "the key to our whole defense," after his move to middle linebacker.
"It doesn't diminish Miller's importance," Richt said. "Miller, even though he's not playing a lot of (middle) right now, he is the guy that is physically dominant. He quite frankly is throwing our tight ends around. ... Brandon is just thrashing everybody right now."
Miller is more comfortable at strongside linebacker.
"I know everything really good at (strongside)," Miller said. "I've just got to get greased up on everything. I pretty much know all the fits and coverages."
Freshman White working at tight end
Freshman Aron White, who was working as a receiver, is now getting snaps at tight end, Richt said.
The 6-4, 227-pound White is playing tight end in a three receiver set but not in a base I-formation set.
"He's light. He's getting tossed around a little bit," Richt said. "You don't necessarily have to be a masher in a three-receiver, tight end set. The blocking schemes are not quite as physical as in an I-formation."
Martinez outlines safety, DB plans
Defensive coordinator Willie Martinez indicated that the starting jobs of safeties Kelin Johnson and CJ Byrd appear secure for now, but that redshirt freshmen Reshad Jones and Quintin Banks will get playing time.
"I see more guys playing," Martinez said. "I see about four safeties playing and there could be up to five corners play on a regular basis."
Jones (knee bone bruise) said he expects to return to practice today.
This and that
Walk-on safety Andrew Williams and linebacker Chris Gaunder, both seniors, have been awarded scholarships. Snapper Jeff Henson was put on scholarship prior to preseason practices. ... Georgia is ranked 19th in Sports Illustrated's preseason issue. ... Among players in green jerseys: receiver Mikey Henderson (hip) and cornerbacks Bryan Evans (hamstring) and Thomas Flowers (shoulder). Kris Durham (concussion) did not dress.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 081507

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Homegrown guard part of line's foundation

By Roger Clarkson | roger.clarkson@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 11:12 PM on Monday, August 13, 2007
Chris Davis grew up less than an hour from Sanford Stadium.
He started going to Georgia games with his grandfather as early as he can remember.
So getting a chance to start for the Bulldogs is the fulfillment of a childhood fantasy for the Jefferson native.
"I've always loved Georgia," Davis said. "I've always dreamed of playing either baseball or football. I was always into sports. As long as I can remember, I was always into Georgia."
Davis' indoctrination into the Georgia program started early. His grandfather was a season ticket holder and used to bring Davis along for the games.
"I don't remember my first because it was so long ago," Davis said. "But I remember when we played LSU here about five or six years ago. They were ranked (No. 16) at the time. I remember one kickoff when the guy walked out of the end zone and kneeled at the 1-yard line. The stadium got really loud and everything. That's my favorite experience."
Davis, a redshirt freshman, moved into the starting spot at guard during spring drills. Injuries cut a swath through the offensive line during last Saturday's scrimmage, which left one redshirt freshman and three freshmen in the line beside senior center Fernando Velasco.
With all the inexperienced linemen, play was a little ragged. Since Davis was the redshirt freshman, he was the second-most experienced line starter up front durin Monday's practice.
"Overall, there was a lot of effort," Davis said Saturday. "There was a lot of missed assignments. That's something we've got to get in the film room and study our playbooks. We've got to put in the extra time, if it's important to us. You still want perfection in everything you do."
Davis' journey to the Bulldogs' program took a couple of turns through the depth chart. He was a tight end and defensive end in high school. He also was a standout baseball player.
When he enrolled at Georgia, he moved to the interior part of the offensive line.
"They told me when I came in that I could play tight end," Davis said. "But I knew in the back of my head that I might be offensive line. It all starts with the offensive line, so I'm happy where I'm at."
But before he could take his spot as an offensive guard, he had to gain weight. He put on about 55 pounds while he redshirted last season.
"I was 240. Now I'm 295," Davis said. "I did it eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every night. I'd eat about two or three a night. That's how you do it."
His background as a tight end gave Davis an head start in learning footwork necessary to play guard.
"He's getting a lot better," Velasco said. "He's really athletic. He played tight end coming out of high school and moved inside to guard so he's one of our better athletes in the line."
Davis also had to learn a new attitude that goes with playing on the line. As a high school tight end, he had to think in technical terms about pass patterns, angles to the quarterback and escaping coverage. But linemen operate in a confined space instead of roaming around the field like receivers.
"The biggest change has been getting that attitude, like, 'I'm going to kick somebody's tail,'" Davis said. "I don't want to say tight ends are finesse players. With the guards and the offensive line, you've got to really get after it. There's no glory, at least no individual glory. There's team glory. You've got to get in there and grind. It's a dangerous position. There's a lot of injuries. But you've got to get tough."

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 081407

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OnlineAthens.com | DogBytes | Football | Homegrown guard part of line's foundation 08/14/07

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Richt urges defense to temper its mood

Bulldog Notebook

By Marc Weiszer | marc.weiszer@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 11:12 PM on Monday, August 13, 2007
Georgia's defensive players had waited months to savor a strong showing like they produced on Saturday.
The offense torched them in the spring G-Day game, leaving the impression for all of those that watched that the Bulldogs could have troubles stopping teams this fall.
Now, Bulldogs coach Mark Richt wants his defensive players to remember the first preseason scrimmage came against an offensive line that is inexperienced and hurting with injuries.
"I told them to enjoy it but I said just temper it because we're playing with a bunch of rookies up front," Richt said. "The team we're going to play (Oklahoma State) is going to have nine returning starters and one of the hottest offenses in the United States of America. So don't get too happy."
Defensive tackle Jeff Owens seems to have gotten the message.
"The offense is young and inexperienced, so we've just got to get better day in and day out," Owens said.
Experience could give Brown a leg up
Running backs coach Tony Ball hasn't named a starter for the opener, but he said Monday that senior Thomas Brown is putting himself at the head of the pack for now.
Brown is returning from an ACL injury.
"If we had to play (today) and the game was on the line and we had to throw the ball and knowing what that defense is doing, I would put Thomas in the game because he understands," Ball said. "He's got the experience. He understands the defensive schemes and he understands protection."
Senior Kregg Lumpkin started the final six games last season. Redshirt freshman Knowshon Moreno led all rushers with 36 yards on five carries in the scrimmage.
Ball said freshman Caleb King is progressing well, but he indicated that he is likely to be redshirted if it looked like he would not be able to get enough snaps this season.
"We're not going to play him if he's not going to get the reps," Ball said.
Safety Jones added to growing injury list
Add redshirt freshman safety Reshad Jones the Bulldogs' growing injury list.
Jones missed Monday's two practices after sustaining a bone bruise in his knee in Saturday's scrimmage, but an MRI revealed no structural damage.
"It could still keep a guy out for a whole," Richt said.
Richt expects Jones back in time to practice for the Sept. 1 opener.
Backup offensive tackle Josh Davis on Monday joined starting tackle Chester Adams, starting guard Scott Haverkamp and backup guard Tanner Strickland on the injury list.
Davis suffered a shoulder injury in the morning, but isn't expected out long. Strickland has a sprained foot and rode a stationary bike.
Adams and Haverkamp are out with ankle injuries, but both walked around the practice field and hope to be back to practice later this week.
"We need those guys," center Fernando Velasco said. "We're already young and those are two of our older guys. That's a whole right side of the line."
Safety Antavious Coates did not practice because of a swollen knee due to the volume of practice work, Richt said.
Wide receiver Kris Durham did not practice after sustaining a concussion Saturday.
Other injured players: cornerback Bryan Evans (hamstring), receiver Mikey Henderson (hip), Tripp Chandler (ribs), offensive lineman Chris Little (wrist), receiver T.J. Gartrell, fullback Jason Johnson (heat-related), defensive tackle Ricardo Crawford (heat) and defensive tackle Tripp Taylor (heat).
Mimbs, Butler even in punting race
Georgia might have a better idea of who will be its punter after the second special teams scrimmage on Wednesday.
Saturday's first kicking scrimmage didn't give a leg up to either junior Brian Mimbs or freshman Drew Butler.
"Right now I think they're pretty even," Richt said. "We've just got to keep going. I think both are capable."
Kicker Brandon Coutu gives Georgia another punting option, but isn't competing for the job, assistant David Johnson said.
Mimbs and Butler have shown consistency.
"They're pretty good," Johnson said. "They don't have real bad days and real good days. It's just a matter of getting them in enough pressure situations where they have to perform under stress and let's see who could do it."
Richt said the deciding factor could be operation time in getting off the kick.
This and that
With tight end Tripp Chandler suspended for the opener, redshirt freshman NaDerris Ward and freshman Bruce Figgins have joined senior Coleman Watson in getting equal practice reps with the first-team. ... After cutting parts of practice recently because of heat, the Bulldogs conducted two full practices Monday, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 081407

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Notebook: Bobo has hands full

Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo has four childen, and his wife, Lainie, is expecting their fifth child in October.


By Marc Weiszer | marc.weiszer@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 11:19 PM on Sunday, August 12, 2007
Sometimes the joys of life can interrupt even the biggest of game weeks.
Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo should have plenty on his mind in the first week of October, in addition to the Bulldogs' hopes of extending their three-game winning streak in Knoxville, Tenn.
Lainie and Mike Bobo are expecting their fifth child with a due date of Oct. 3., three days before the showdown against Tennessee.
"We've always wanted a big family and are blessed to have four, and then to have another is just a blessing," Mike Bobo said. "We're just excited about it."
Coach Mark Richt knows something about how the football calendar can overlap with a pregnancy.
Mark and Katharyn Richt's second child, David, was due on Nov. 26, 1994.
That just happened to be the day that Florida State rallied to tie rival Florida 31-31.
David Richt didn't arrive on gameday. He was born on Dec. 1.
"We had a week off before we started recruiting again and I said, 'Let's have it now,' " Richt said. "We induced labor so I could be there."
Lainie Bobo said she won't be induced because she's already had a C-section.
"We're just taking it one day at a time and see where things are as the season gets closer, and we'll make a decision based on what will work," she said. "If Mike can't be here, we have family, thank God. His family is real close and my parents are just an hour flight away. But we may end up scheduling a C-section (a week before the due date)."
Mike Bobo isn't thinking that far ahead yet.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," he said.
The Bobos are the parents of 3-year old Drew and 11/2 year old triplets Olivia, Jake and Ava.
"We have two and two," Lainie Bobo said. "This one will be the tiebreaker."

Ellerbe could replace Miller in the middle

Georgia seems to have determined who its starting linebackers will be. What remains to be settled is exactly which position each will occupy.
That means senior Brandon Miller may not be starting at middle linebacker after all.
Miller is again getting plenty of work at strongside linebacker, where he's played the last three seasons. It's a move defensive coordinator Willie Martinez indicated in July could be coming.
Dannell Ellerbe is working in the middle and on the weak side. Darius Dewberry is getting work at the strong side and weak side.
"By the time the second or third scrimmage rolls around, we'll know how we're going to line them up," Richt said after Saturday night's scrimmage. "I would say it's not etched in stone now how we'll line up at linebacker."

Georgia wants line to make noise on field

More than half of Georgia's first-team offensive line is now off limits to the media.
That's because offensive line coach Stacy Searels decided before Saturday's scrimmage that all freshmen offensive linemen are unavailable for interviews.
By the time the scrimmage was over, the first-team consisted of three first-year freshmen, a redshirt freshmen and senior center Fernando Velasco.
The No. 1 defense dominated the scrimmage.
"It was no fun for the offense," Richt said. "We're just having some issues up front."
Left tackle Trinton Sturdivant, previously scratched off interview lists, is now joined on the first unit by freshman tackle Clint Boling and freshman guard Justin Anderson.
Boling moved into the starter's spot in place of Chester Adams, out with an ankle injury. Anderson moved in at right guard on Saturday when Scott Haverkamp sprained an ankle.
"He's got a big job, and he knows it," Richt said last week of Searels. "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. Some of those freshman linemen don't need to be chattering. You might be first or second team but that's all we've got."

This and that
Knowshon Moreno led all rushers in the scrimmage with 36 yards on five carries. "He's the only one that really had a hole," quarterback Matthew Stafford said. Kregg Lumpkin, Thomas Brown and Caleb King combined for 22 yards on 10 carries. ... Oconee County High product Bo Stansell is competing with Brandon Coutu for the kickoff job. Stansell "kicked off extremely well" Richt said. "Good height. Good hangtime. His placement was not perfect but pretty good." ... Defensive tackle Ricardo Crawford did not scrimmage because of heat-related issues.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 081307

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Bulldogs: Depth at O-line suffers some hits

Notebook

By Roger Clarkson | Staff Writer | Story updated at 12:05 AM on Sunday, August 12, 2007
Depth at O-line suffers some hits
Georgia's offensive line depth took some hits on Saturday when Scott Haverkamp and Tanner Strickland missed the scrimmage with ankle injuries.
Haverkamp, a junior college transfer, sprained his ankle during the scrimmage and should return to practice in a few days, Georgia coach Mark Richt said.
Strickland has a foot strain and his return is more uncertain. Senior tackle Chester Adams already has missed camp time with an ankle sprain.
"Chester's going to be out a while,² Richt said. "Strickland's going to be out a while. Haverkamp's going to be back pretty soon we hope. At one time out there tonight we were playing a senior with four freshmen on the first unit.²
Georgia started two-a-days without much depth on the line and with just two returning starters and none in the same position they played the year before. Projected starters also included a freshman, a redshirt freshman and a junior college transfer.
Strickland is a freshman guard who was listed as a second-team left guard.
Stafford shows some efficiency
Matthew Stafford was 13 of 20 passing for 125 yards and threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Tony Wilson during Saturday night's scrimmage. Backup Joe Cox was 5 of 16 for 64 yards. Caleb King ran five times for six yards. Kregg Lumpkin ran 3 times for 12 yards and a touchdown and Knowshon Moreno ran five times for 36 yards. Wilson caught three passes for 30 yards and a touchdown. Sean Bailey caught two passes for 45 yards and Kris Durham had three catches for 39 yards.
On defense, linebackers Marcus Washington and Dannell Ellerbe made seven and six tackles, respectively, and safety Kelin Johnson forced a fumble. Freshman drawing praise from staff

Richt isn't one to spend five minutes praising first-year freshmen. Linebacker Rennie Curran became an exception to Richt's rule Friday night.
Richt said Curran, a 5-foot-11, 202-pound linebacker out of Snellville, has made a quick impression with his coaches for his tackling and work ethic.
"Rennie is a great kid,² Richt said "He's a tackle maker. He got a million tackles in high school. He put up some unreal numbers. He's just got a knack. You're not supposed to run around a block. If you try to cut inside of a block a lot of the time the running back's gone. "But some people are really quick and have good enough judgment they can skate inside and make the play. But they also know when the guy's too far gone they have to fight over the top. He's quick. He's really low to the ground and he can accelerate. And he can strike you. We want our linebackers to go hunt and strike somebody. He's quick. He's smart. He's conscientious and he loves the game.² Curran was ranked as the fifth-ranked middle linebacker in the country by some scouting services, and was the 11th-ranked high school player in Georgia last year.
Velasco adjusts to center of attention
Last season, Fernando Velasco started every game at guard. This year, he's at a new position and looking at the world upside down. Velasco switched to center in the offseason and also assumed responsibility for calling the signals for the blockers. "It's going pretty well so far,² Velasco said. "There's a lot more going on. You've got to tell people what to do. You've got to make all the calls. You've got to make an adjustment. But I'm getting used to it.²
Richt supports vulnerable defense
Richt was quick to defend Georgia's defense after the G-Day game. After Thursday's win by the defense in 3-on-3 drills, Richt solidified his support.
"It doesn't surprise me,² Richt said. "The defense has caught way too much flack. Gosh, they were the eight-ranked defense in the United States of America last year. Everybody saw one spring performance and thought it was the end of the world when it was just one day. I'm not ready to say they're going to whip everybody's tail yet. But they're a good bunch.²
This and that
Georgia's defense won the first 3-on-3 session of two-a-days. Starting middle linebacker Brandon Miller had his own idea why. "It's because we're tough. We're going to play to the end,² Miller said. "It came close at the end. But the LBs pulled it out.² ... In the pre-scrimmage stretching line, Kade Weston worked with the first teamers, replacing Geno Atkins.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 081207

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OnlineAthens.com | DogBytes | Football | Bulldogs: Depth at O-line suffers some hits 08/12/07

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Important scrimmage on the horizon

By Chip Towers | Friday, August 17, 2007, 02:12 PM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s “getting down to brass tacks,” as the expression goes, in Georgia’s preseason camp. The Bulldogs are scrimmaging this afternoon at Sanford Stadium and what takes place there will go a long way in determining what players will start at which positions for the opener against Oklahoma State in two weeks.
But who wants to wait for that the coaches to look at video and evaluate and breakdown every snap and weigh it against every practice they’ve been through this month. As is proven here almost daily, those of us in the blogosphere have all the answers. So let’s put together our best powers of prognostication and predict which players are going to end up No. 1 on the depth chart when the season commences.
Now there are a few positions that you can go ahead pencil in — make that, cast in permanent marker — who’s going to start. Some of the easier ones include: On offense — Matt Stafford at QB, Fernando Velasco at center, Chester Adams at right tackle, Scott Haverkamp at right guard, Trinton Sturdivant at left tackle, Chris Davis at left guard, Brannan Southerland at fullback, Sean Bailey at split end and Mohamed Massaquoi at flanker; on defense — Jeff Owens at DT, Rod Battle and Marcus Howard at DE, Darius Dewberry at WLB, Dannell Ellerbe at MLB, Brandon Miller at SLB, and Kelin Johnson and CJ Byrd at the safeties; special teams — Brandon Coutu at place-kicker and Mikey Henderson at punt returner.
Other than that, some pretty good battles are raging. Among them: Thomas Brown, Kregg Lumpkin or Knowshon Moreno at tailback, Asher Allen and Thomas Flowers at strong corner, Bryan Evans (injured hamstring) and Prince Miller at weak corner, Geno Atkins and Kade Weston at defensive tackle, Coleman Watson, Naderris Ward and Bruce Figgins at tight end, and Drew Butler and Brian Mimns at punter.
Don’t assume I’ve got them all right. Perhaps I’m overlooking some. Perhaps some I have as solid aren’t so ironclad. And maybe some positions are set but not they way you think they should be.
Meanwhile, the most important scrimmage of the preseason shall commence this afternoon and, as usual, Carter Strickland and I will be there to chronicle it for you. Be sure to check back for updates.
Permalink | Comments (38) | Post your comment | Categories: Football

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Updated Friday, August 17 at 7:46 PM

Georgia Bulldogs football, 2007: Stafford at the forefront Associated Press With 15 days until the Georgia Bulldogs' football season opener, the Associated Press breaks down the 2007 UGA season. (Note: The University of Georgia's annual Fans picture day is set for Saturday, August 18 beginning at 1 p.m. at Sanford Stadium. The event features UGA VI from 1-3 p.m. with Bulldog coaches and players available from 3-5 p.m.) COACH: Mark Richt, seventh season, 61-17 career record. LAST YEAR: 9-4 overall, 4-4 Southeastern Conference (tied for third in Eastern Division); defeated Virginia Tech 31-24 in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. OFFENSE: After auditioning four potential starting quarterbacks before last season, the Bulldogs are set for 2007 and beyond. Sophomore Matthew Stafford (53 percent completions, 1,749 yards, 7 TDs, 13 INTs) locked up the job with a solid performance down the stretch, leading the Bulldogs to wins over Auburn, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. He is enormously talented and finally seemed to grasp the importance of not throwing silly interceptions. The Bulldogs' major concern is up front, where the only two returning starters are both playing new positions. Right out of high school, freshman Trinton Sturdivant is penciled in at the crucial left tackle position. Redshirt freshman Chris Davis has the inside track at one of the guard spots. Most of the depth is provided by freshmen, as well. The receivers are on the spot after producing only one wideout with more than 15 catches in 2006. The running game will likely be handled by committee again. Seniors Kregg Lumpkin (798 yards, 6 TDs) and Thomas Brown are trying to hold off redshirt freshman Knowshon Moreno and true freshman Caleb King. The Bulldogs haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher since Musa Smith in 2002. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo gets his first full year at calling plays after head coach Mark Richt gave up the job late last season. DEFENSE: The Dawgs have some big holes to fill. Both ends, Charles Johnson and Quentin Moses, were drafted by the NFL. The Bulldogs also lost their top two tacklers, LBs Tony Taylor and Jarvis Jackson. Sophomore Roderick Battle and senior Marcus Howard are the new ends, while the coaches were still trying to figure out who should play where at linebacker. Brandon Miller, Darius Dewberry and Dannell Ellberbe are sure to be the starters, but all worked at different spots during the preseason. The secondary is a strength, led by returning SS Kelin Johnson. CB Bryan Evans moved into the lineup late in the season. FS C.J. Byrd should be an able replacement for Tra Battle. Ditto for CB Asher Allen at the spot held last season by Paul Oliver. SPECIAL TEAMS: The Bulldogs need someone to take over for P Gordon Ely-Kelso, a four-year starter. True freshman Drew Butler and Junior Brian Mimbs are among the candidates. Kicker Brandon Coutu is a huge weapon, as Georgia learned the hard way. He missed the final seven games of the regular season with a freak hamstring injury, but returned to make three field goals, including a 51-yarder, in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Overall, Coutu was 10-of-11 on field goals and perfect on 17 extra points. Mikey Henderson, Asher Allen and Thomas Flowers give the Bulldogs plenty of potential in the return game. KEY LOSSES: DE Charles Johnson, LB Tony Taylor, DE Quentin Moses, C Nick Jones, S Tra Battle, CB Paul Oliver, LB Jarvis Jackson, TE Martrez Milner, OT Ken Shackleford, OT Daniel Inman, P Gordon Ely-Kelso. OPENER: Sept. 1, vs. Oklahoma State at Sanford Stadium. OTHER PIVOTAL GAMES: Sept. 22 at Alabama; Oct. 6 at Tennessee; Oct. 27 vs. Florida in Jacksonville, Fla.; Nov. 10 vs. Auburn; Nov. 24 at Georgia Tech. OUTLOOK: The Bulldogs hope to contend in the SEC East, but it could be tough with road trips to Alabama and Tennessee, along with the annual game in Jacksonville against defending national champion Florida. Georgia also faces a dangerous opener, hosting Oklahoma State. The Bulldogs appear to be in a bit of a rebuilding mode after the glorious era from 2002-05, when they captured two SEC titles and had at least 10 wins every year. An inexperienced offensive line is of particular concern, threatening to stunt the growth of promising QB Matthew Stafford. Still, the Bulldogs positioned themselves well for 2007 by winning their final three games last season, all against ranked teams. (Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

©Copyright 2007 AccessNorthGa.com / WDUN News/Talk 550. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.

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SPOTLIGHT: OLD DOGS LEARN NEW TRICKS
Letting go of play-calling a tough call for Richt

By CHIP TOWERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/29/07 Athens — The hardest part for Mark Richt was letting go.
Georgia's coach said he knew after that first season in Athens that his days as the Bulldogs' primary game-planner and play-caller might be numbered. He said he has known for well over a year that he would be handing those keys to Mike Bobo.

RELATED STORIES Letting go of play-calling a tough call for Richt Bulldogs hope pups are ready Former Dogs QB Greene faring poorly • More UGA coverage

Your Turn How do you feel about Mike Bobo taking over the play-calling? Good. He's ready for the job. OK, but I'm still anxious about it. Not so good. Don't know if he's up to the task. Who calls the plays doesn't matter -- winning does. Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

But knowing it and doing it are two entirely different things.
"It'd been on my mind and in my heart for a long time," Richt says of turning over the offense. "I'd been praying about it. I wanted to see if God would help me out a little bit. I'm not trying to be pious, but that's how I handle all my big decisions. And it came out pretty clear to me that that is what I should do."
Richt said he told his wife, Katharyn, back in the spring of 2006 that he had decided to relinquish his offensive duties in order to concentrate solely on being a head coach. She heartily agreed.
But then spring turned into summer, and preseason practice came and went, and then the 2006 season arrived, and Richt hadn't changed a thing.
"I didn't do it because I talked myself out of it," he says. "I rationalized; I let my human nature take over. It's one thing to make a decision, and it's another one to live it out.
"First, I got a little bummed out thinking I might be done doing something I really enjoy. Secondly, I got to thinking that we had done a pretty good job. We had just won the SEC in 2005, and we had won 'X' amount of games in so many years. Then, the next thing that came to my mind is, what if I do this and it doesn't work out? I could hurt Mike in the process, or I could hurt the team in the process. ... So I just kind of talked myself out of it."
But as the Bulldogs prepare for Saturday's season opener against Oklahoma State, the transition is now complete. Richt has turned loose of the reins.
Not only did Richt let the 33-year-old Bobo conceive and install the game plan for the Cowboys, he claims even he doesn't know what Georgia does on offense anymore.
"I'm as eager to find out as everybody else," he said.
Calling plays a labor of love
Richt's first season at Georgia was an indoctrination by fire. Not only was he a first-time head coach, he became one while also remaining the offensive coordinator for Florida State. After being named the Bulldogs' coach Dec. 26, 2000, Richt made the decision to stay on with the Seminoles — who were preparing to play Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 3 — while also handling his new duties at UGA. So for eight days he did both jobs.
His career has pretty much been a blur ever since.
"In the beginning I installed everything," Richt said. "I was the quarterbacks coach, too, so I went to every single meeting. I was in meetings all day long."
Georgia fans got a glimpse of Richt's abilities as a play-caller that first season. With the game clock winding down at Tennessee, Richt coolly and calmly called for redshirt freshman quarterback David Greene to run something called "P-44 Haynes," a play-action pass to fullback Verron Haynes. It worked to perfection, the Bulldogs pulled out a 26-24 victory, and Richt's reputation as an offensive genius was solidified.
But with that reputation came responsibility, and Richt labored all hours trying to balance his love, which is drawing up plays, with his ever-increasing duties as Georgia's head coach. The Bulldogs played in three SEC championships games and won league titles in 2002 and 2005.
But with every accomplishment Richt found himself pulled more and more out of the meeting room and into the boardroom or the banquet hall.
"It was a grind. It was exhausting. I don't know how healthy this business is for any of us because we all work hard."
Katharyn Richt describes what used to be a normal day during the season.
"He wouldn't get home until 10 or 11 o'clock at night, and then he was still preoccupied," she said. "Joe T. [Tereshinski] would download practice and game video on a laptop, and he'd bring that home. He'd be talking to me about the kids and what everybody was doing, but you could tell he was always felt like, 'I've got to get back to the game plan.' "
Bobo inspires confidence
Slowly but surely, Richt began to delegate responsibilities to Bobo. Each duty Richt parceled Bobo's way — first two-minute drills, then short-yardage situations, etc. — Bobo handled swimmingly.
"When it came to a point that I thought Mike could do a better job than me, then that's when I did it," he said.
Richt finally handed over play-calling duties to Bobo the week of the Georgia Tech game last season. He had considered doing it before then but thought the better of it after the Bulldogs lost four of five games toward the end of the season.
After the Bulldogs beat both Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech to finish the season, Richt knew he had has man.
With play-calling duties off his shoulders, nobody is sure what Richt is going to be like on game day. He'll still have the headphones on, and he'll weigh in on plays and make all the critical decisions. But, he said, "There won't be a lot of vetoing going on."
Said Bobo: "As far as during the game, it's tough to say how he will react. I think he'll be more aware of the total situation; that's his goal for doing this. He's really been stressing overall situational football in this camp. He's more involved in all situations and he's communicating more not only with us but with the players.
"I think that's good for our whole football team. I think it will pay off for us."

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GEORGIA REPORT
Even Richt unsure about Bobo's offense

By CHIP TOWERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/28/07 Athens — There are two schools of thought regarding offensive coordinator Mike Bobo replacing head coach Mark Richt as Georgia's play-caller this season: The Bulldogs won't look much different, or they'll be drastically different.
Bobo is not saying. Richt claims he doesn't know but figures the uncertainty has Oklahoma State working overtime.

RELATED STORIES Letting go of play-calling a tough call for Richt Bulldogs hope pups are ready Former Dogs QB Greene faring poorly • More UGA coverage

"Right now, their defensive coordinator can't just look at everything we've done the past couple of years and say, 'Well, that's what they're going to do,' " Richt said. "He can't be sure how Mike may call the game differently or what new twists Mike and the staff might put in. I don't think there's going to be that real, clear-cut confidence that 'this' is what Georgia does. I'm not even sure what Georgia does anymore. We're all going to find out. What I've seen in practice has been very good."
Quarterback Matthew Stafford said Bulldogs fans will probably notice a difference.
"Not so much the play-calling but what it looks like on the field," he said. "We're going to be, from what I've seen, in a bunch of different formations more often. We're just going to try to mix it up."
Depth chart issues on offensive line
Georgia will have a first-time tight end line up alongside all those first-time offensive linemen. Redshirt freshman Na-Derris Ward and true freshman Bruce Figgins will be the first two tight ends used. Senior Coleman Watson is slated to be third string.
In other depth-chart news, Knowshon Moreno is third string behind Thomas Brown and Kregg Lumpkin at running back. A punter has not been decided. It could be Brian Mimbs or Drew Butler. Thomas Flowers and Bryan Evans are the starting cornerbacks. Sophomore Geno Atkins is on the first-string depth chart at defensive tackle along with Jeff Owens.
Cox deserves to play, but just how much?
Richt was asked to clarify his plans for backup quarterback Joe Cox in the first game.
"Joe deserves to play; we're going to look for an opportunity to play him," Richt said. "We're not going to promise that he is going to play in any given game. We hope there will be a time that we feel like, now is the time to get him in there. But there's no guarantee of that. We don't want to disrupt Stafford's ability to be a leader and play.
"The point I'm trying to make is Joe is a very good player. Joe has practiced extremely hard and Joe is game-ready. He ought to play some. You've got to play your second-team guy because, if you get an injury and he hasn't played in five or six games, it's tough for that guy to really be ready."
Torn ACL puts end to Coates' career
Antavious Coates' playing career is over. The safety has torn his anterior cruciate ligament for the fourth time.
"It's just sad," Richt said. "If he was going to get hurt, you wished he could have just put his game gear on in a ballgame. He never got to play between the hedges — that really hurt him."
Coates first tore his left ACL as a senior in high school. He then tore his right ACL the next year. Saturday night, after a year of rehab, he tore his left ACL again.
"He wants to coach, and the NCAA allows us to use a student coach like a graduate assistant coach, so he is allowed to get on the field and get some coaching done," Richt said. "He's going to get a head start in that area. He is still an inspiration to our football team. He is still going to help us."
Injury report
Starting wide receiver Sean Bailey and backup strongside linebacker Akeem Dent were dressed in non-contact, green jerseys and worked out on the sideline because of concussions suffered last Saturday. Both are expected to be cleared before Saturday's game. ... Starting right guard Scott Haverkamp was cleared for full participation.

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GEORGIA REPORT
Bulldogs hope pups are ready

By CARTER STRICKLAND
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/29/07 Georgia's youth movement has become more of a march. Actually, make that a mad scramble.
Seven true freshmen and 11 to 13 redshirt freshmen could play against Oklahoma State, coach Mark Richt said.

RELATED STORIES Letting go of play-calling a tough call for Richt Bulldogs hope pups are ready Former Dogs QB Greene faring poorly • More UGA coverage

"We could, at any given moment, have three true freshmen at least playing along with a redshirt freshman guard [on the offensive line]," Richt said. "Four out of the six linemen when you include the tight end [will be true or redshirt freshmen]. That will probably happen sometime throughout the game."
What also could happen is some scrambling by quarterback Matthew Stafford,but he says he doesn't think so.
"I have faith in those guys up there," he said. "They have come a long way."
But they still have a long way to go.
"Physically they are ready," said running back Kregg Lumpkin. "But you can't judge anybody yet. We will see if our offensive line is really ready."
"It's going to be an adventure for sure," added running back Thomas Brown. "But a good adventure."
The seven most likely true freshmen to play will be: offensive linemen Trinton Sturdivant, Clint Boling and Justin Anderson, tight end Bruce Figgins, punter Drew Butler, linebacker Rennie Curran and cornerback Vance Cuff.
Richt institutes mentoring program
Players are at their most susceptible to negative outside influences and mistakes off the field when they are young, Richt believes.
So this year he decided to do something to help some of those players grow up. The coach instituted his Brother's Keeper mentor program.
"We are our brother's keeper," Richt said. "We on this team are like brothers. We are like family."
To make sure that family stays intact, Richt paired junior players with freshmen.
"I was hoping to get some older guys to help out with some younger guys to help them along," Richt said.
The players were paired by positions and personality. Since the start of practices Georgia hasn't had any off-field problems, which is a contrast to the many problems that surfaced in the offseason.
"It is a start," Richt said of the program.
End of an era when Dooley misses game
For the first time in 43 years, Vince Dooley will not be in Sanford Stadium when the Bulldogs kick off a season. He'll be in Ruston, La., to watch his son, Derek, debut as Louisiana Tech's coach.
It will be the first home game Dooley has missed since the 1989 season, when he served as an ESPN analyst. Other than a few games that season, he's been a Sanford Stadium regular since Oct. 3, 1964, his first game as Georgia's coach. He hasn't missed an opener.
"It's going to feel very strange not being there after 43 years," said Dooley, Bulldogs coach from 1964-88. "But [wife] Barbara convinced me that this was the right thing to do."
— Tony Barnhart

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Billionaire fan puts Cowboys on map

By CARTER STRICKLAND
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/27/07 T. Boone Pickens is somewhere between Cleburne and Fort Worth, Texas, 20,000 feet above the earth he is trying to paint orange one person at a time.
"Everywhere I go and every time I give a speech, I ended it by telling everyone to follow Oklahoma State football next season," Pickens said from his private jet.

AP (ENLARGE)

BP Capital founder T. Boone Pickens.

AP (ENLARGE)

Part of Boone Pickens' gift of $165 million to Oklahoma State's athletics department will be used to close the west end zone at — where else? — Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla.

RELATED STORIES Letting go of play-calling a tough call for Richt Bulldogs hope pups are ready Former Dogs QB Greene faring poorly • More UGA coverage

Pickens has been following Cowboys football for more than 50 years. Now the 79-year-old billionaire is leading it.
It was January 2006 when his $165 million donation to the OSU athletic department was made public. Pickens, who has an estimated worth of $1.5 billion, had been giving for years. But this was the largest one-time gift ever from a single donor to any athletics department.
Through shrewd investments in Pickens' own BP Capital, that gift has grown to nearly $300 million. Another $250 million is expected to be netted through Pickens' "Gift of a Lifetime" campaign. Twenty-eight donors have been selected and agreed to name OSU as beneficiaries of life insurance policies worth $10 million each.
They all are betting their money and their lives that Oklahoma State, the one-time sleepy little university in a backwater named Stillwater can become a national powerhouse.
"I'm not a fool," Pickens said. "I know we are not going to win every game. But what I want is a football team and a program that could do that. We may not win every game, but I want to have a chance to win every game. We may go undefeated. I'm not sure that I have got that much time left.
"But I'll do anything within my power as long as it is honest to try and make that happen," Pickens said. "Anything they need. But I am going to be honest about it."
The cold hard, honest facts are that Pickens has done just about everything a donor can do. Oklahoma State has gone from an overlooked program to one that has everyone looking over his shoulder.
"We just shake our heads on those kinds of things," Georgia coach Mark Richt said of his talks with other head coaches when Pickens' donation comes up.
"I think they are already catching a lot of teams' attention with the way they play football, and I am sure they are thinking they are on the verge of national [prominence] and they have the potential for it," Richt added.
"They will be a national power," Clemson athletics director Terry Don Phillips said.
It's not often a program pushes its way into the national picture. Traditionally, the powerbrokers in college football remain the same — Ohio State, Southern Cal, Texas, etc. It hasn't been since the emergence of Florida State, Miami and Florida in the 1980s and '90s that a major conference program has cracked the upper echelon of college football and stayed there.
And none of those schools had the golden foundation from which Oklahoma State has to work.
"You can't just increase spending and expect it to be a guarantee of winning," said Brad Humphreys, an economist with a history of investigating monetary issues in the NCAA. "But you can't compete without the money. This gives them the ability to build better facilities, pay better coaches. They can do what is necessary to become one of those programs.
"Most of the time, success on the field leads to money," he continued. "In this case money can and probably will lead to their success on the field."
That's not a guarantee. Oklahoma State still has to win to gain attention. It has beefed up its non-conference schedule with games against Georgia, Arizona, Washington State and Clemson to try to grab some of that attention on the field.
"Everywhere I went this summer people asked me if we have turned the corner," OSU coach Mike Gundy said. "I tell them we haven't turned it yet, but we are driving down the road and have started to turn the steering wheel."
To understand how off the beaten path Oklahoma State has been in college football, you have go back. Sure, the program had some decent teams. There were a few 10-win seasons, a couple of decent bowl games have been played and Barry Sanders captured the Heisman there. But despite being in a landscape with nary a tree, OSU was always in the shadow of the school 120 miles to the south — Oklahoma — and every other big-time or even mid-sized program.
When Phillips walked into OSU as athletics director in 1994, he decided to try something. He took a picture of the stadium. Then he went up to Kansas and took a picture of Wichita State's Cessna Stadium.
He would travel around with those photos in his pockets, pull them out and ask the people to pick out which one was Oklahoma State. Invariably WSU's was picked. It was bright, clean, freshly painted, etc. The Shockers had discontinued their football program eight years earlier. Oklahoma State was trying to compete in the Big Eight.
"Our stadium hadn't been painted since 1971," Phillips said. "It had lead paint that would come off in chunks. I would tell people, 'That is not rust; we're antiquing the stadium.' "
"As players, we didn't know any better," said Gundy, who was quarterback for the Cowboys in the late '80s. "But then when you get into this business and see what everybody has, you start to understand you can't compete with facilities like that."
In two years no one will have better facilities than Oklahoma State. Already their athletes' day-to-day lives from the training table to the oversized beds surpass those at some of the powerhouse programs.
And the recruits are starting to notice. Oklahoma State has 19 commitments and is rated 21st by Scout.com for 2008. The two previous years the Cowboys cracked the top 25 in recruiting rankings for the first time.
"We still need a couple of recruiting classes to build the depth like a Georgia has," Gundy said.
The Cowboys have already proven they have deep pockets.
"It's all Boone Pickens," Gundy said. "We wouldn't be where we are without him. He has put us on the map."

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Dogs’ schedule says BCS bowl

By Jeff Schultz | Friday, August 24, 2007, 01:30 PM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Jeff Schultz


It’s amazing how far that “what’ve-you-done-for-me-lately” mentality can carry you. Georgia closes a season with victories against Auburn, Tech and Virginia Tech, and suddenly everybody forgets about coupled losses to Kentucky and Vanderbilt for the first time in 33 years. But in this case perception is reality. Georgia will return to a BCS bowl this season. Not that it’ll make a difference in Jacksonville. Ugh(a).
Sept. 1: Oklahoma State at Georgia If Mike Bobo is nervous about inheriting the play-calling duties from Mark Richt, this should be a nice sedative. Oklahoma State’s offense can score, but the defense is a doormat. The Cowboys ranked 92nd in total defense last season and allowed 30 or more points in seven of their last 10 games. Check? Georgia 41, Oklahoma State 16.
Sept. 8: South Carolina at Georgia
Steve Spurrier is upset about admissions policies in Columbia, as if this were Princeton. Or even College of Charleston. He either really believes he has elevated the program to the extent that it should be above such things, or he’s already looking for an exit strategy. The Gamecocks are better, but so’s everybody else in the East. Quarterback Blake Mitchell can be a pretty good when he’s not in a bar fight or blowing off summer school. Oops. Georgia 27, South Carolina 14.
Sept. 15: Western Carolina at Georgia
Nothing like scheduling the annual punch-buddy from the Southern Conference. Western Carolina lost its final nine games last season, ending with a 62-0 face-plant at Florida. The Catamounts play Alabama and Georgia in the first three weeks. Presbyterian can declare last rites in week four. Georgia 48, Western Carolina 3.
Sept. 22: Georgia at Alabama
UA-Tuscaloosa gave Nick Saban a $32 million contract, which basically means there are several potholes in Alabama that aren’t going to be fixed for a while. But lost in Saban’s rock star status is the realization that ‘Bama just isn’t very good. The Tide is no closer to winning the conference than the Dolphins were to winning a Super Bowl when Saban arrived there. So right now, the man is selling dreams. Georgia 24, Alabama 16.
Sept. 29: Mississippi at Georgia
The Rebels are still losing (3-13 in the SEC under Ed Orgeron), but at least the quality of losses has improved. They gave scares last season to Georgia (14-9), Alabama (26-23, overtime), Auburn (23-17) and LSU (23-20, overtime). But the offense is still a Yugo, and Georgia gets Mississippi the week after it’s slapped silly by Florida. This time, not close. Georgia 24, Mississippi 6.
Oct. 6: Georgia at Tennessee
Everybody remembers the losses to Vanderbilt and Kentucky. But the season’s implosion really began when the Dogs allowed 51 points at home to a Phil Fulmer offense (which is sort of like trebled damages). But the Volunteers don’t have much on offense, and tailback LaMarcus Coker is on one of those chemical suspensions. Noteworthy: Ray Goff and Jim Donnan were 0-5 in Knoxville; Richt is 3-0. Georgia 27, Tennessee 24.
Oct. 13: Georgia at Vanderbilt
The Dogs will tell you they’ll be motivated for the Vandy game. Like that made a difference a year ago. Stomped by Knoxville (51-33) one week, humbled by Nashville (24-22) the next. Fortunately, Murfreesboro (Middle Tennessee State) wasn’t on the schedule. The Commodores return 17 starters to a team that went 4-8. Is that good news? Georgia 26, Vanderbilt 10.
Oct. 20: Bye week. 7-0.
The annual premature national title parade goes down Lumpkin, then left in Milledge.
Oct. 27: Georgia vs. Florida (Jacksonville)
Three titles in two sports in a span of 13 months. There are few things that can make a Georgia fan feel worse, except maybe this: Uga VI’s new caretaker — Michael Vick. Florida loses nine starters on defense. The offense is young. Does it matter? Have you not been watching for most of the past 17 years? I’ll believe a turnaround when I see it. Until then, here’s the safe bet: Florida 31, Georgia 27.
Nov 3: Troy at Georgia
The annual dirge and funeral procession will start down Lumpkin. … Fans in a funk. Players in a funk. Fortunately, here comes Troy, which actually isn’t a bad team, assuming you play in the Sun Belt. Georgia 37, Troy 16.
Nov 10: Auburn at Georgia
With Saban at Alabama, Auburn is back to being the ignored team in the state, even if still the better one. Auburn was 9-1 when its SEC hopes were punched out by a 37-15 home loss to the Dogs, who were coming off a loss to Kentucky. The Tigers might feel like they have something to avenge, but it won’t make a difference. Their running game will be average, which means Brandon Cox will be average, which means this year they don’t get to 9-1. Georgia 23, Auburn 20.
Nov. 17: Kentucky at Georgia
The Wildcats last year went 8-5 and won their first bowl game in 22 years. It would be time to give Rich Brooks another contract extension, except I think his current deal runs through 2027. Seriously, Kentucky has a good quarterback and, like, so what? Georgia 41, Kentucky 20.
Nov. 24: Georgia at Georgia Tech
Richt is 6-0 in this game and the worse news for the Yellow Jackets is the window for ending the cross-state misery probably closed last season. Letdown? Forget it. A BCS bowl awaits. Georgia 20, Tech 16.
Permalink | Comments (193) | Post your comment | Categories: Jeff Schultz, UGA / SEC

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Dogs’ close of ‘06 gives hope for ‘07

By Terence Moore | Friday, August 24, 2007, 01:30 PM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Terence Moore


There are so many reasons to cringe when contemplating Georgia’s upcoming football season. The offensive line is dominated by junior-college transfers and freshmen. The defense has neophytes everywhere. Who knows if the receivers actually can catch for the first time in a couple of years?
No problem.
Just take a deep breath, close your eyes and remember Auburn and the two Techs (Georgia and Virginia).
If you do such a thing, and if you’re among the barkers in the Bulldog Nation, you won’t have to consider peeking between your fingers at Georgia — from the opener in Athens against Oklahoma State through the visit in November to Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Courtesy of Auburn and the two Techs (Georgia and Virginia) last season, maybe the Bulldogs will survive South Carolina this season despite the Gamecocks’ renaissance under Steve Spurrier. Maybe the Bulldogs will leave Tuscaloosa smiling after ruining Alabama’s anticipated renaissance under Nick Saban. Maybe the Bulldogs will turn Big Orange Country in Knoxville into Big Blue Country. Maybe Georgia will make its fourth trip to the SEC championship game in six seasons by defeating Florida for only the third time since that other George Bush was in the Oval Office.
Maybe Georgia qualifies for a BCS bowl, and then maybe … then again, maybe not.
Surely you remember the way the Bulldogs finished last year. They shocked what was the nation’s No. 5 team in Auburn. After that, they returned home to dispose of Georgia Tech, ranked 16th at the time. If that wasn’t enough, the Bulldogs left the Chick-Fil-A Bowl at the Georgia Dome with an upset of No. 14 Virginia Tech. Mostly, they sprinted to goodness down the stretch of their season after looking rather ordinary or worse.
“I’ve been on a national championship team with Miami back in 1983, but I think one of the best situations that I’ve ever been involved in was what happened last year during that three-game stretch,” said Georgia defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, who has spent more than 20 years in coaching. “When you have adversity, you never know how you’re going to react to it, and during that three-game stretch, guys just tightened the screw down.”
Many of those guys are gone, including accomplished defensive ends Quentin Moses and Charles Johnson, solid defensive back Paul Oliver and all of those offensive linemen. And several of those guys are back — 45 returning lettermen, to be exact. They include rising quarterback Matthew Stafford, a trio of nice running backs (Kregg Lumpkin, Thomas Brown and Knowshon Moreno) and defensive back Kelin Johnson, who was among Georgia’s top five tacklers last season.
No question, Stafford, Johnson and Georgia’s other returnees recall what made Auburn and the two Techs (Georgia and Virginia) so impressive. There was that ugliness for the Bulldogs during each of their seven previous games. It began with a near home loss to a shaky Colorado team before Georgia barely survived a shaky Ole Miss team in Oxford. That all foreshadowed the Tennessee fiasco that had Georgia’s defense relinquishing 37 second-half points.
There also was yet another loss by the Bulldogs to the hated Gators, a near loss to shaky Mississippi State and brutal losses to Vanderbilt and Kentucky.
Then came Auburn and the two Techs (Georgia and Virginia), which showed three things about the Bulldogs: They had the talent, the coaching and the drive. They still have the talent and the coaching. As for the drive, well, let’s talk around Halloween. That’s about the time of Georgia’s little trip to Jacksonville.
Permalink | Comments (25) | Post your comment | Categories: Terence Moore, UGA / SEC

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Defenders aware of Cowboys' oft-hyped offense

Oklahoma State tight end Brandon Pettigrew figures prominently into the Cowboys' much-ballyhooed offense. Pettigrew had 24 catches for 310 yards last season.
File/Nate Billings, The Daily Oklahoman

By Marc Weiszer | marc.weiszer@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 11:40 PM on Monday, August 27, 2007
Oklahoma State has been ever present in the eyes of Georgia players for months leading up to Saturday's opener at Sanford Stadium.
There's the T-shirt highlighting the matchup that offensive coordinator Mike Bobo wore with regularity during spring practices. There are reminders about the showdown with the Sept. 1 date slapped down on the floor of work stations in the Georgia weight room that players can't miss.
Bulldogs defensive players also have taken notice they will be playing what was dubbed the "most powerful offense in the world" in a promotion on Oklahoma State's athletic department Web site prior to the spring game.
That label has been pointed out to them by the coaching staff.

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"Oh, yeah, oh yeah," safety C.J. Byrd said.
Extra motivation to slow down the Cowboys' locomotive?
"I guess you could say it like that," Byrd said.
"Not trying to talk any junk or anything, but yeah, it will be a good little game."
Cowboys star receiver Adarius Bowman didn't make any promises, but he told ESPN.com that his goal is for Oklahoma State to average 50 points a game this season.
"That's realistic," Bowman said. "We have a very explosive offense with a lot of weapons. It wouldn't surprise me if we can do something like that."
Such talk is noticed some 930 miles away in Athens.
"Yeah, we hear it," middle linebacker Dannell Ellerbe said. "It doesn't matter what the other teams say. We just want to go out there and play hard and let the pads do the talking. ... It motivates us. It motivates us to go out there and play hard."
"I'm sure our guys are aware of it," defensive coordinator Willie Martinez said. "They are a good football team. They are good offensively. They proved that with their stats and they're really good players. And they have an experienced group. You can tell they're very confident. They have a lot of guys returning back. I'm not surprised they feel that way because obviously on film it shows. It's got our attention and we'll see what happens."
The Cowboys aren't just whistling hot air as they head to Dixie.
They ranked seventh in the nation in scoring last year at 35.2 points per game and were one of only two teams last season (along with Boise State) to average 200 yards rushing and passing.
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said hype about the Cowboys offense should provide extra incentive for teams lining up against them.
"Most teams we play will be encouraged and look forward to competing against an offense that's had a lot of national recognition," Gundy said Monday. "One thing about that, I don't think it's ever changed in any sport and competition, is that nobody really cares what you did last year. I think our offense has approached it that way. ... We have some veteran players that have had success as a group. I would hope that they would be able to overcome that."
Those veterans include talented tight end Brandon Pettigrew, multi-threat quarterback Bobby Reid, who passed for 24 touchdowns and ran for five more last season, tailback Dantrell Savage, who averaged 6.5 yards per carry and Bowman, an All-American candidate.
"We don't want them to look great on TV," Ellerbe said. "We want to show everybody how the Georgia defense is."
Georgia safety Kelin Johnson has spent months preparing for this game. If Oklahoma State is the most powerful offense around, they'll have a chance to prove it Saturday.
"That's football," Johnson said. "That's what you put the pads on for. You don't want to just go out there and just play anybody. We're glad we're going to open up with difficult competition."

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 082807

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Miles: 'Georgia's going to be tested'

Bulldog Notebook

By Marc Weiszer | marc.weiszer@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 11:40 PM on Monday, August 27, 2007
Mike Gundy wanted his Oklahoma State team to know the program has some tradition of going on the road and knocking off a top-15 opponent before in a season opener.
Earlier this preseason, he told players the Cowboys knocked off a No. 12 Arizona State team in 1984 and a No. 12 Washington team in 1985.
Now, Oklahoma State hopes history can repeat itself Saturday at No. 13 Georgia.
Scheduling Georgia is part of Oklahoma State's philosophy of upgrading its nonconference schedule.

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Gundy calls Georgia "about as good as it gets in a very tradition-rich, athletic opponent and they have a tough environment. They'll have 92,000 there. That will help us later in the season and over a period of time help our team mature and learn to play well on the road, which we think gives us a chance to win the Big 12."
Gundy became head coach at Oklahoma State in 2005 when Les Miles took the LSU job.
Miles went 28-21 in four seasons in Stillwater, including 7-5 in his final season.
"We felt like they were improving at a rate that they would have an opportunity to win against any opponent that they would play in a very short amount of time," Miles said. "Georgia's going to be tested. It ought to be a heck of a game."
Another ACL injury ends Coates' career
Antavious Coates' fragile knees have robbed him of his dream to play football for Georgia.
The redshirt sophomore safety suffered a torn ACL Saturday for the third time since he arrived in Athens and fourth overall. This time there will be no comeback try.
Coates has torn ACLs in both knees, once while playing at Greenwood (S.C.) High School.
"If he was going to get hurt, you wish he could have at least put his game gear on and got in a ballgame," coach Mark Richt said. "That would have really meant something to him. He never got to play between the hedges. That really hurt him."
Coates will apply for a medical disqualification and plans to be a student coach for the Bulldogs before entering the coaching profession.
Figgins, Ward top chart at tight end
Freshman Bruce Figgins and redshirt freshman NaDerris Ward are holding down the top two spots on the tight end depth chart and both should play, Richt said.
The regular starter Tripp Chandler is suspended for the opener.
"We're both going with the ones," Ward said. "He's taking a few more than me at the moment."
The 6-foot-4, 254-pound Figgins "actually is a better looking specimen than I thought he was," Richt said. "He looked ready physically when camp began. He's learning and he's a very good blocker. He was a great blocker in high school and he's getting good at the college level."
Richt considers Ward "just about a true freshman" because he suffered a shoulder injury last season.
Richt makes it official; Brown starts
Richt confirmed the expected on Monday-that senior Thomas Brown will indeed be the starting tailback Saturday.
"You just can't keep him off the field and we have not been able to keep him out of the stating lineup," Richt said. "We just wouldn't have predicted after that knee injury that he would come back that strong and be that confident that fast. There's been no sign whatsoever of an injury once camp began."
Richt reflects on facility comments
A day after apologizing for his comments about the lack of an indoor practice facility, Richt explained that he a bad day on Friday before making comments he later regretted.
Richt said he got a couple of letters in the mail that "got me bent out of shape." A position segment was late for practice because of a meeting that ran long. Another player was missing because he was moving his car illegally parked outside. Another player tore the shirt under his jersey on purpose, which annoys Richt. Plus, Thursday's practice was lackluster and prepractice work Friday was "crummy." Then came word that lightning was forcing the team off the field.
"I was really hot by the end," Richt said.
Richt said he's been working with officials on a new indoor facility.
"I'm really not at liberty to say how far we've gone," Richt said. "We've been working together for quite some time and formulating a very good plan for the future. I'm excited about it, but I just can't elaborate anything at this point."
This and that
Offensive guard Scott Haverkamp (ankle) practiced except for 11-on-11 work Monday. He is expected to start. Linebacker Akeem Dent (concussion) is probable. Receiver Sean Bailey practiced in a non-contact jersey after landing on his head in practice Saturday, but said he'll play. Linebacker Darius Dewberry (shoulder) and cornerback Thomas Flowers (shoulder) were in non-contact jersey ... Georgia's delayed game telecast on CSS will now air on Mondays at noon and 9 p.m.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 082807

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Freshman poised to boost line

Sturdivant prepares to start at left tackle

By Marc Weiszer | marc.weiszer@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 11:22 PM on Sunday, August 26, 2007
Some phrases automatically conjure up images of impending disaster.
Hurricane warning.
Rush hour in Atlanta.
Freshman starting left tackle.
"It's a big job," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "Left tackle in our league. True freshman. That's a big job."
The job belongs to Trinton Sturdivant, an 18-year old who is being asked to protect quarterback Matthew Stafford's blindside for the No. 13 Bulldogs beginning Saturday against Oklahoma State in the season opener.
"Every once in a while a true freshman starts, but a lot of times they play but you're not thinking they're the guy," Richt said. "I think the No. 1 person that everybody will probably be watching will be Trinton."
The 6-foot-5, 293-pound Wadesboro, N.C., native arrived in Athens with an impressive high school pedigree: A USA Today All-USA second team selection and a background indicating he could be a quick study.
He had a 4.1 grade point average in high school, was a member of the National Honor Society and the student council president.
Sturdivant enrolled early last winter, hasn't moved from his spot with the starting line since the spring and has been shielded from distractions this preseason when offensive line coach Stacy Searels put Sturdivant, and then all freshmen, off limits from interviews.
"To this point, he's held up pretty good," Richt said. "Being here at the midyear probably made all the difference in the world for him to feel as comfortable as he does right now, but it will be quite an experience for him."
Sturdivant will become the first Georgia player to go straight from high school to the opening game starting lineup since defensive tackle Kedric Golston in 2002.
"You would think you wouldn't be starting a true freshman, that the program wouldn't be in such a state that a true freshman could come through and win that job," Richt said.
Even so, starting defensive end Marcus Howard says Sturdivant is ready for the important job.
"I think he's going to hold up pretty well," Howard said. "He's been here since the spring. I feel he's progressing everyday. He'll be able to help us win some ballgames. Over this past week, I've seen he's gotten a lot tougher. He's not letting us bully him around anymore. He's becoming a man. He's becoming a Georgia Bulldog."
Quarterback Matthew Stafford looks at Sturdivant and sees a player that has the physical tools you would want in a tackle.
Long arms. Tall. Athletic. Strong.
"He's got it all," Stafford said. "It's up to him. He knows his stuff for the most part and if he doesn't he's asking and trying to learn. He's just got to get it through his head it's going to be tough. It's not going to be easy. He's got to battle. I know he can do it. There's no doubt in my mind he's going to be a great left tackle in this league. He's just got to unfortunately learn quicker than other guys, but he can do it."
Sturdivant isn't in it alone. Georgia is slated to have three starters on the offensive line making their debuts on Saturday. The others are redshirt freshman left guard Chris Davis and junior college transfer Scott Haverkamp, the starting right guard. Another freshman, Clint Boling, could be in a three-man rotation at guard.
"I think it's something he can handle," Davis said of Sturdivant. "He's shown good drill work, good footwork all summer, all camp. I think he's going to be OK in there."
Georgia could choose to give Sturdivant some help against a Cowboys team that returns defensive ends Nate Peterson and Marque Fountain, who combined for 12 1/2 sacks last season.
"The good thing about a tackle position is at least you can set a tight end to help and slide a protection towards the tackle in case it's needed," Richt said. "It might be a guard or a back coming out of a backfield and chip a defensive end who's rushing in and give a good shot in the ribcage to slow him down just a little bit."
Sturdivant came to Georgia wanting to compete for the starting job and hasn't missed a single practice, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said.
Now comes the test of his first game on Saturday.
"The good news is he'll get over it pretty quick," Richt said, "and will become a veteran a lot faster than these guys that are getting redshirted."

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 082707

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Kaltefleiter: Expect the unexpected this season from Georgia

| | Story updated at 1:09 AM on Sunday, August 26, 2007

John Kaltefleiter more Kaltefleiter columns

The talent level at Georgia is the highest it's ever been since coach Mark Richt arrived six years ago.
Richt has players with extraordinary skills at every position. Watching the Bulldogs on the practice field is like peering into the sky on a clear night. Stars are everywhere.
Based on that, one would surmise that Georgia is primed for another run at an SEC title and a good bet to break the 10-win barrier for the fifth time in six years.
But talent takes a team so far. Experience and leadership are the understated ingredients of great teams, and let's face it, there's not much of either for Georgia as it enters this season.
Frankly, Georgia hasn't faced this much uncertainty since coach Jim Donnan's first year in 1996 when the Bulldogs finished 5-6. Even Richt's first team in 2001 had enough veteran players to convince most in the preseason that it had a chance to win at least seven games.
This year's group is different. It's a team capable of winning 11 games or more, but it's a team just as likely to stagger and win just six.
Most disconcerting for Georgia is the state of its offensive line. Only tackle Chester Adams and center Fernando Velasco return, and Velasco's playing a position that was completely foreign to him until the spring. The rest of the group is a pot luck serving of junior college transfers and freshmen. Georgia could have a first-year freshman, Trinton Sturdivant, starting at left tackle and protecting quarterback Matthew Stafford's back side in passing situations.
And you thought a machete-wielding Jason Voorhees was frightening.
If the offensive line surprises and stays healthy and provides Stafford with some semblance of comfort in the pocket, than what about Georgia's receiving corps? Having senior receiver Sean Bailey back is big, but the rest of his compadres are still in the midst of proving they're consistent pass catchers. What's more, for the first time in Richt's time at Georgia he doesn't have a proven tight end. Randy McMichael, Ben Watson, Leonard Pope and Martrez Milner each were vital to Georgia's pass attack in the past.
Georgia's players on the other side of the ball are just as unproven as their offensive brethren.
Brandon Miller, Dannell Ellerbe and Darius Dewberry, the Bulldogs' projected starting linebackers, are bigger, faster and more athletic than the three they're replacing from last season. But what Tony Taylor, Jarvis Jackson and Danny Verdun Wheeler lacked in athleticism, the trio made up for in game smarts and fundamentals.
There are just as many questions about the defensive front. Losing two starting defensive ends to the NFL could be crippling, unless Georgia's tackle rotation and linebackers can alleviate some of the pressure on ends Marcus Howard and Rod Battle.
Georgia's secondary is the most vulnerable. Paul Oliver's unforeseen defection to the NFL makes safety Kelin Johnson the only full-time returning starter. At this point, asking guys like Asher Allen, Bryan Evans, Thomas Flowers or CJ Byrd to guard against the pass with consistency is like asking Verne Troyer to help move a Frigidaire. The unit has some heavy lifting in front of it.
Predictions are the norm this time of year, but Georgia's have-and-have-not situation makes the crystal ball as cloudy as ever before.
All I can say is don't be surprised if Georgia ends up in the SEC title game and plays a juicy bowl game in early January. Then again, don't be stunned if the Bulldogs wind up somewhere like Shreveport, La. in late December, either.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 082607

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Georgia Football Practice Notes: August 27, 2007

Courtesy: UGA Sports Communications Release: 08/27/2007

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Article Videos 350k Video Practice Notes: August 27, 2007

Photo Credit: Steven Colquitt Thomas Brown View Flash Slideshow (NEW FEATURE!) Requires Adobe Flash Player. Click here to download for Mac OS X or here to download for Windows. ATHENS, Ga. --- With students picking up their season tickets across the street at Stegeman Coliseum, the Georgia football team kicked off “game week” with a 90-minute workout at the Woodruff Practice Fields on Monday. The Bulldogs put on the full pads for the final time before the 2007 season opener on Saturday. Coach Mark Richt said he was pleased with his team’s effort, particularly after the Bulldogs’ good work in Saturday’s two sessions. “It was a pretty good day,” Richt said. “I thought the guys were grinding it out. It was not as hot, so we didn’t take as many breaks. I thought the guys held up pretty well. We had pretty good energy.” Richt was asked about tailback Thomas Brown, who has grabbed the No. 1 spot on the depth chart as he returns from a knee injury that wiped out most of his 2006 campaign. “His work ethic is unbelievable,” Richt said. “You just can’t keep him off the field. We could not have predicted that he would come back that strong and that confident. He practices with a lot of energy. He gives maximum effort every day.” The injury report was not as good for safety Antavious Coates, who endured his fourth torn ACL on Saturday and is done for the season. Richt said the redshirt sophomore would like to coach one day, and he will get a head start as a student coach with the Bulldogs this season. “He will still help us and be a contributor,” Richt said. “He’s a beautiful kid who hasn’t complained once. He has a wonderful attitude.” Georgia opens the season Saturday, Sept. 1, at Sanford Stadium against Oklahoma State. Kickoff is slated for 6:45 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally by ESPN2. All Georgia games are broadcast live on the Bulldog Radio Network on AM 750 WSB in Atlanta and on both 106.1 FM and 960 The Ref in Athens. The radio audio also can be heard worldwide on both georgiadogs.com, the official website of UGA Athletics, and on XM satellite radio.

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UGA FOOTBALL
Moreno creates a 'Wow' factor

By CHIP TOWERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/31/07 Athens — It seems everybody around Athens has a Knowshon Moreno story. Georgia players and coaches like to tell one in particular.
"I think it was the spring of last year," quarterback Matthew Stafford said. "I threw a little screen to him, or a pitchout wide or something like that, and he ended up one-on-one with one of our corners. Knowshon broke him down with a little juke move and then jumped straight over him and kept running.

Brant Sanderlin / AJC (ENLARGE)

Knowshon Moreno scored 128 touchdowns as a high school player in New Jersey.

Your Turn How much will Knowshon Moreno contribute this season? A lot. He's going to be great this year. He'll have his moments. Not much. There's a lot of experience in front of him. Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

RELATED STORIES Moreno creates a 'Wow' factor On kickoffs, Dogs elect to receive first Legendary voices the last of the radio generation • More UGA coverage

"Never broke stride. Took it to the house."
The cornerback's identity was withheld by teammates to protect his dignity.
"Several times in practice he'll make a cut here or a cut there or jump over somebody or run somebody over," fellow running back Kregg Lumpkin said. "You never know what he's going to do."
Even running backs coach Tony Ball, who has tried to steer clear of the hype surrounding the former New Jersey high school player of the year, is hard-pressed to quell his excitement.
"He's always doing things that make you go, 'Wow,' " Ball said. "The thing that got my attention was the other day when we were working on conditioning.
"He was coming back from one of his reps and, all of a sudden, he does a one-hand cartwheel and finishes it with a somersault. It was like over my head. With pads on. Now that was impressive."
But lost in all the buzz that has surrounded Moreno since he arrived in Athens last summer is the fact that he still hasn't played in a game for the Bulldogs. Buried on the depth chart behind Lumpkin, Thomas Brown and Danny Ware, he redshirted as a freshman last season.
All that will finally change Saturday when Moreno suits up for Georgia in its season opener against Oklahoma State.
He remains behind Brown and Lumpkin but, as Ball said enthusiastically, "Oh, yeah, he's gonna play."
Brims with confidence on field
Coaches and teammates describe Moreno's on-field demeanor as confident, almost cocky. They say he's even a bit of a trash talker.
"On the field, you might say he's arrogant," Ball said. "Really, he's not. He's just a confident athlete. When he first got here, because of his upbeat attitude and his energy and his confidence, some of the guys were rubbed the wrong way. But that's the kind of personality that he has."
But when it comes to talking about himself, Moreno is as humble as a monk.
"I'm just going out there and working hard every day, trying to do whatever I can to help the team," he said.
As for remaining behind Brown and Lumpkin on the depth chart, Moreno said, "They're extremely hard workers. Whoever is the best guy is going to play. Whoever is preparing right, whoever's doing what they have to do during practice, that's who plays and that's up to the coaches."
Moreno grew up in Belford, N.J., a little hamlet just across Raritan Bay from New York. He was raised by his grandparents, Mildred and William McQueen. Mildred — aka "Granny" — is a retired contract worker for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and she ran a tight ship based on punctuality, respect and education.
"I guess you could say he was a typical suburban kid," she said. "We just tried to give him a suitable home and the love and financial support he needed to excel in all his endeavors."
Moreno's initial endeavors included art and school plays. Finally, at age 12, Moreno's mother let him go out for football.
"I remember going to his first Pop Warner game," Mildred McQueen said. "He had what I thought was a pretty good game for his first one. But his team lost and he didn't like that at all. I just remember him being so upset. That's when I first realized how competitive he was."
Liked Georgia's tailback tradition
Moreno didn't lose a lot after that. By the time he left Middletown South High, he'd scored a state-record 128 touchdowns, racked up the second-most rushing yards in New Jersey history (6,268) and led his team to three state titles.
Georgia, which had Moreno in its camp the summer before his senior season, beat out Boston College, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech and others for his services.
Moreno liked the Bulldogs' winning tradition, their history of top tailbacks and playing in the SEC. He knew that others would be ahead of him in the backfield but he didn't mind the competition – or redshirting.
"He concentrated on his schoolwork and tried to do everything his coaches asked him to do," his grandmother said. "He definitely wasn't angry about it."
Moreno's mother, Varashon, his high school coach, Steve Antonucci, and McQueen will be in attendance Saturday, when Moreno could play a big role.
"I couldn't give you a number, but if he's making plays and gets into a flow and he's making things happen, then we're gonna keep him going," Ball said.
Mark Richt preaches cautious optimism. "What if he goes in there and the first time he gets hit – really gets hit – the ball goes flying up in the air?" the coach asked. "I'm not saying he's a fumbler, but we don't know. Let's just give him the ball first and see what he can do."

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Stafford grasping what QB requires

By Mark Bradley | Thursday, August 30, 2007, 06:05 PM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Mark Bradley


What Georgia needs from Matthew Stafford: Less whizbang, more wisdom. What Georgia needs Matthew Stafford to be: Less Jeff George, more David Greene.
It was the big arm, as we know, that made Stafford the people’s choice before the ballyhooed freshman had taken a collegiate snap. It was, and is, the arm that impresses most, and it was, and is, one heck of a limb. Stafford can, as the old baseball line goes, throw a strawberry through a locomotive. But an arm, as we also know, doesn’t necessarily make the man.
Jeff George, once a Falcon but never a fixture anywhere, had the arm but not the head, and for a quarterback that’s the worst package possible. A quarterback with a big arm believes he can make any old throw any old time, defenders and percentages be hanged. A quarterback with a big arm but a faulty gyroscope winds up keeping both teams in the game - his with the occasional rainbow, the opponent with the more-than-occasional jaw-dropping interception - and such quarterbacks don’t last.
Stafford was that sort of quarterback as a freshman. He authored seven touchdown passes against 13 interceptions. In the abject loss at Kentucky, he threw the ball to the Wildcats on consecutive series - first from Georgia’s 1-yard line, next from Kentucky’s 2. “There’s something in young quarterbacks,” coach Mark Richt said that gray day, “that they have a hard time burning the ball.”
Give Stafford this. He grew up in the span of seven days. He played a beautifully measured game in the upset of Auburn the next Saturday - no interceptions! - and once threw the ball out of bounds rather than risk a turnover. (“I wanted to cheer,” Richt said.) He engineered the game-winning drive against Georgia Tech and the epic rally against Virginia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, although it must be said that another Stafford interception helped create that massive deficit in the first place.
And now he’s the unchallenged incumbent as Georgia embarks on what should be a better season. He looks more comfortable than he did this time a year ago. (You would, too.) He’s conspicuously sleeker - for a few scary months, it seemed Stafford was bound for Jared Lorenzen dimensions - and he says he’s no longer daunted by the size of the playbook.
The job is no longer his to win. From here, it can only be lost. Last season’s shuffle did none of the quarterbacks any favors, and Richt, in hindsight, concedes as much. Having a real No. 1 quarterback, the coach says, “affects everything. It affects how you design a plan. It affects the perception of the program.”
As Stafford goes, so go the Bulldogs. He’s talented enough to do all the things he needs to do; he just needs not to do those things that will undercut the whole operation. He needs to manage games the way Greene famously did - 72 touchdowns against only 32 interceptions over four distinguished seasons - and to manage himself and his big arm. He doesn’t have to complete every pass. “A punt,” Richt keeps telling him, “is not a bad play.”
There’s no reason Stafford can’t become what he was advertised to be: the next great college quarterback. He has the aptitude, and he seems to have the attitude. (Remember, he was so impressive in preseason practices after being designated the co-No. 3 quarterback that Richt scrapped any notions of redshirting him.) He appears to have a grasp on who he is and, more important, what his precious position entails.
Asked at media day if Georgia needed to find an every-down tailback, Stafford said: “I don’t think so. It’s more important that the offense have one focal point, one leader [meaning the quarterback]. Running back is more a physical position.”
And that’s the thing: Playing quarterback requires physical gifts, sure, but the mental makeup matters more. Were having a big arm the sole requirement, Jeff George would have been Joe Montana. But it isn’t, and he wasn’t.
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[dirty]

GEORGIA REPORT
On kickoffs, Dogs elect to receive first

By CARTER STRICKLAND
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/31/07 Athens — If Georgia wins the toss, it will take the ball. Plain and simple.
That's been coach Mark Richt's decision since the NCAA moved kickoffs back 5 yards, to the 30, in the offseason.

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"In talking to the coaches across our league, we are all going to take the ball," Richt said.
The theory is, the offense will start with much better field position this fall than last. Even if teams are unable to achieve first downs, a punt could pin opponents back and put the defense in prime position.
Richt does have some safety concerns about the new kickoff rule.
"The more times you kick off and get a true return, you are going have more opportunity for high-speed collision," Richt said. "So I would imagine guys would get banged up a little more.
"You can't predict what is going to happen any time that ball is snapped. The kickoff is a pretty violent play, especially when you get to game day and guys are selling out."
Georgia lost its kick returner, Thomas Brown, to a knee injury in a loss last year to Vanderbilt. Georgia has three returners listed as potential starters: Brown, Asher Allen and Knowshon Moreno.
Five to play on interior defensive line
Georgia will use five players on the interior of its defensive line. Jeff Owens and Kade Weston will start. Geno Atkins and Corvey Irvin will be the next two to come in. And in special situations, Jarius Wynn will be used. Wynn adds more speed to that position.
"We will see who is hot and who is not," defensive line coach Rodney Garner said. "Hopefully, they will play because with a team like [Oklahoma State] you have got to win the line of scrimmage. You have got to push the line back. If you are playing east and west, it is going to be a long night."
Keeping mental focus important
Mental toughness has to be learned. And it usually takes some adversity to get it.
Last year, Georgia experienced those tough times. Now, will the players remember what they went through in 2006?
"Are we going to stay mentally sound all season?" safety Kelin Johnson asked. "A big part of last year's defense and last year's leaders [was] we got the big head. We started off real good and then — boom — we hit that slump; we hit adversity.
"That is key for this year. Are we going to start out with a big win? Even if we lose, whatever the case may be, are the seniors going to step up and say, 'Look, we are not going to have one of those seasons that we had last year.' That is important, and that is the only question mark I have."

[dirty]

Bulldogs defense looking for stars

Football

Georgia defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, left, expects big things from redshirt safety Reshad Jones.
File/Staff

By Marc Weiszer | Staff Writer | Story updated at 12:07 AM on Friday, August 31, 2007
A new college football season finally arrives for Georgia on Saturday.
The unknowns start to become known. The inexperienced begin to gain experience.
Playmakers will emerge. On offense, that's expected to be guys like quarterback Matthew Stafford, receivers Sean Bailey and Mikey Henderson and redshirt freshman tailback Knowshon Moreno.
On defense, the 13th-ranked Bulldogs are about to find out starting in a 6:45 p.m. ESPN2 game against Oklahoma State.

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With just three returning starters, plenty of production is gone from last year's defense and plenty of potential remains.
Safety Kelin Johnson is the only returning player who had an interception last season. Starting defensive ends Marcus Howard and Rod Battle combined for two sacks last year. Brandon Miller is the only linebacker who has started a game.
"The challenge for us will be the inexperience on defense, how will we react?" defensive coordinator Willie Martinez said. "Who will be the playmakers for us? We don't know that. There's a lot of questions to be answered."
Johnson had two of Georgia's 19 interceptions last season. Players who made the other 17 are gone including linebacker Tony Taylor with seven and safety Tra Battle with six.
"Tra and Tony were big-time players on the team," cornerback Asher Allen said. "We have to make up for that and that's what we plan on doing."
Who will step up and replace them?
"I think the whole defense is playmakers," Howard said. "The guys that we lost last year, everyone that replaced them is faster. I think that's going to help us a lot. We're all trying to be playmakers, do our role and do our best."
Some of the names most mentioned by players and coaches as players that could fill the playmaking void are Johnson, middle linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, redshirt freshman safety Reshad Jones, Howard, and defensive tackle Jeff Owens.
"It's a talented defense that we have," center Fernando Velasco said. "There's not one guy I can point to. I really get jacked up talking about this defense because I know they're really fast. That's the thing that I think sets this defense apart."
Linebackers coach John Jancek hasn't been shy in declaring this group of linebackers as talented as any around.
"Dannell Ellerbe and Darius Dewberry, those guys are capable of jumping up in the air," Johnson said. "Darius runs like a deer, hits like a freight train, disruptions are liable to happen."
What kind of production Georgia's talent produces is still to be determined.
"It's going to be very interesting, very exciting for everybody," coach Mark Richt said. "Even the coaching staff, we don't know what's going to happen. We don't know how these guys are going to respond. We don't know who's becoming a gamer. You just don't know who's going to take off."
Jones, rated the No. 1 safety in the nation in the 2006 class, showed his potential by making plays in the spring game.
"He's a player," Jancek said.
A player whose raw skills are hard to keep off the field but grasp of the defense could keep him from getting out there as early and often behind starter CJ Byrd.
"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," Richt said.
Among others to watch: freshman linebacker Rennie Curran, who has racked up tackles and some punishing hits this preseason, and redshirt freshman defensive end Demarcus Dobbs, who had three sacks in Georgia's final two scrimmages
"Sooner or later, probably sooner than later, we will find out about those young guys," defensive ends coach Jon Fabris said. "You never know how people will react. They may play fairly well out here (on the practice fields) and then get in that big arena and they tighten up. Who knows? You really don't until you get out there."

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 083107

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[dirty]

Dogs hope to stop Bowman

Notebook

By Marc Weiszer | Staff Writer | Story updated at 12:07 AM on Friday, August 31, 2007
Big play receivers Calvin Johnson of Georgia Tech and Sidney Rice of South Carolina didn't make big plays against Georgia last season because Paul Oliver more than matched up against both.
Sophomore cornerback Bryan Evans wouldn't mind filling that role Saturday against Oklahoma State and its star receiver Adarius Bowman. It remains to be seen, however, if the Bulldogs have a player that can clamp down on Bowman in a fashion they grew accustomed to with Oliver, now in the NFL after becoming academically ineligible.
"I don't know if we can do that," defensive coordinator Willie Martinez said. "The guy's very talented. We have a young group. There will be times when a corner might be playing him one-on-one, but a lot of times we'll probably be doubling him up, giving him some help."
Bowman, a senior who transferred from North Carolina, caught 60 passes for 1,181 yards last season with 12 touchdowns. He set a Big 12 record with 300 receiving yards against Kansas and was 11th in the nation in receiving yards at 90.9 per game.
"There's not very many guys running around that are 6-3, 220 and can run and catch like he can," Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said.
Evans said Georgia has looked at past game tape of how Oliver blanketed Johnson for coverage insight. Johnson, drafted No. 2 overall by the Detroit Lions, was listed at 6-4 and 235 pounds with the Yellow Jackets.
Evans said Oliver "got in his face," played him physically and got help over the top.
"I'm just preparing myself for me to be the man to stick him," Evans said. "I'm pretty sure Thomas (Flowers) is preparing to do the same thing. Unless we're in man, we really don't have a specific person on him because he motions so much to the slot and the outside a lot."

Coutu reved up

It's been more than 11 months since Brandon Coutu kicked in a game in Sanford Stadium - all the way back to the 14-13 victory over Colorado on Sept. 23.
Coutu suffered a leg injury practicing an onsides kick two days before Georgia played an October home game against Tennessee and didn't return until the bowl game.
"I couldn't be more excited," said Coutu, who converted 10 of 11 field goals last season. "The other years you kind of take it for granted and then all of a sudden it's my last year. I missed half my junior year. You don't expect something like that to happen and it did, but I'm really excited to get one more opportunity to play in Sanford Stadium."

Byrd's time arrives

After 26 games with Georgia, junior CJ Byrd finally gets his first crack in the starting lineup on Saturday.
"I'm getting real anxious," Byrd said. "This is my first game starting and it's going to be a big game, good team. I think it's going to be a great experience."
Byrd, a native of North Augusta, S.C., had a strong preseason, coaches said.
"He's very consistent," Martinez said. "He's a guy that we can count on play in and play out."
Byrd held off a challenge from redshirt freshman Reshad Jones to secure the job.
"He's a big part of it," Byrd said. "Just being pushed every day. He's a great player."

This and that
Georgia's final practice of the week, held in steady rain, was entirely closed to the media on Thursday. The first half hour was scheduled to be open, but the team wanted to work on special teams in private, coach Mark Richt said. ... Freshman cornerback Vance Cuff might not play Saturday, but Richt said coaches think he will play this season and probably not redshirt. ... Saturday's game will mark the first time that Georgia's radio football broadcast will be aired nationally on XM Satellite Radio, which has 8.2 million subscribers. The Georgia call of the game will be on XM channel 144. The Oklahoma State feed will be on channel 231. ... All seven home games for this season at 92,746 seat Sanford Stadium are now sold out after the remaining 1,400 tickets left for the Sept. 15 Western Carolina game were purchased in a day and a half this week.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 083107

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