UGA blog finds new home
Morning all. As I’ve said a couple of times this week, we’re converting this blog over to a WordPress platform and it will be a permanent move the first of next week.
Those of you who are regulars probably know that I’m not what you’d call techno-wizard when it comes to these things. But from what I understand the technology offered in this new format should make the blogging and commenting experience better for all. Of course, I’ll be learning as we go along, too. But I’m hoping to provide more pictures and video and things like that which should bring the blog more to life.
Of course, this blog is nothing without all you guys so I want to heartily invite (read: beg) you to come over to the new site by CLICKING HERE ON THE NEW ADDRESS and save it in your browsers. As of Monday, Feb. 23rd, this will be the permanent home of the UGA blog you so love or, in the case of some of you, love to loathe. If you’d prefer to copy and paste or just memorize, the new address is: http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/.
See at the new place!
AJC > Sports > UGA > Blog > Archives > 2007 > March > 16
Friday, March 16, 2007
Scouting the defensive ends
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One of the more intriguing battles to watch when spring practice resumes Monday is the one raging at defensive end.
The Bulldogs have eight players competing for basically four spots — two starters and two backups — and nearly every candidate is either very young or very inexperienced. Say what you will about what kind of seasons Charles Johnson and Quentin Moses may have had last year, there’s a lot more to the position than quarterback sacks and those guys are both going to be first-day NFL draft picks. So there is a lot for these next guys to live up to.
The most experienced player is senior Marcus Howard. Though undersized (6-2, 220), he’s played in almost every game the last three seasons and has 40 career tackles (but only 1.5 sacks). The guy Georgia coaches would love to see bloom this season is sophomore Roderick Battle (6-4, 256). Battle had two sacks in limited play last season and has the more protypical size for the position. Those two opened the spring No. 1 on the depth.
Another player that could be a difference-maker is junior Jeremy Lomax (6-4, 233). Lomax has shown flashes throughout his career but has been slowed down some by an ankle injury. He’ll certainly be in the rotation this fall.
Look out for this guy: Jarius Wynn, a 6-5, 275-pound transer from Georgia Military. A team captain and defensive MVP in junior college, he’s impressed coaches with his work ethic and, that buzz word among UGA DEs, a “motor” that never idles down.
The good news is Georgia has plenty to choose from. Michael Lemon, Brandon Wood, Demarcus Dobbs and Kiante Tripp all came to Athens highly regarded. That’s a lot of talent and I’m sure at least a couple of these guys will come through big time.
I’ll be sure to catch up with Coach Fab next week and get his insights on the position he coaches. In the meantime, which one of these guys do you think will be an all-conference caliber for the Bulldogs? Is there a potential All-American in there? How critical do you believe the defensive end position will be to Georgia’s defensive success next fall?
