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 > August > 13
Monday, August 13, 2007
Dogs’ defense need defending?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m sure most of you have probably seen my story on the Georgia defense. If not, you can find it still up on our UGA page.
In a nutshell, I broke down the numbers from last season and determined that the Bulldogs were actually pretty darn good on defense last season. In fact, the 258 yards a game they gave up was the fewest of the Mark Richt era, fewer even than the stoutest of Brian VanGorder’s units. The problem was the turnovers the offense was committing which often put the defense in difficult situations either deep in its own territory or from a sudden switch of momentum.
To his credit, defensive coordinator Willie Martinez would not use any of that as an excuse. He said it’s the defense’s job to get momentum back when the offense uses it and his unit didn’t react well to sudden adversity. Players also admitted to losing some “leadership” and “confidence” in the middle of the year when problems arose against Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Florida. They said they got it back and then some at the end of the year.
Anyway, all but three of that group is being replaced this season. As it stands at the moment, and it’s subject to change daily, I’d say the Dogs’ D will look like this: CB Asher Allen, CB Bryan Evans or Thomas Flowers, FS CJ Byrd, SS Kelin Johnson, LBs Brandon Miller, Dannell Ellerbe and Darius Dewberry, DEs Rod Battle and Marcus Howard and DTs Jeff Owens and Geno Atkins.
The question is, do you think this group and their backups can be as good as or better than the 2006 defense? What, in your opinion, will the strength and weaknesses be? And do you have confidence in Martinez as the coordinator.
Meanwhile, I’ve been off today to tend to a bunch of personal business, so I didn’t get out to practice this morning as the Bulldogs went in full pads. Carter Strickland was there, of course, and said nothing of major significance took place. He’ll have a practice report in tomorrow’s paper and I’ll see if he has time to throw a practice update onto the blog. Things will be back to normal tomorrow and I’ll try to let you know what’s going on.
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