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 > 2008 > December
December 2008
MSU can’t keep pace with Dogs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
NOTE: Updated with news and notes from coaches press conference and Kickoff Luncheon in comments section below… .
Happy New Years eve, Dogs fans (and others). Today I’m coming to you from my little cubicle at the Kinko’s business center at the J.W. Marriott. Exciting place. I’d write from expansive desk in my room next to the window with the picturesque view of the four pools and wading areas but my college-age daughter is here with me and she seems the think morning is an optimum sleeping time. So I have a great view of three wooded walls.
Anyway, it’s time to get down to it. Georgia and Michigan State face off in the Capital One Bowl tomorrow at 1 p.m. and it seems like we’ve done very little talking about the actual matchup. So let’s talk about it.
There’s a reason ESPN’s Jesse Palmer picked this game as his biggest lock of the 34 bowl games. Now I don’t necessarily think the former Florida QB is the world’s greatest prognosticator or anything and I don’t feel as strongly as he does about the matchup. I just bring it up to make a point: Georgia is the better team and should win the football game.
The Talking Heads are going to babble a lot about Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno and Michigan State’s Javon Ringer and it is indeed an intriguing and exciting showcase of two of college football’s best tailbacks. But that’s really not what this game is going to come down to.
In my opinion it’s going to be about the Spartans defending the Bulldogs’ passing attack AND Moreno. I think you’re going to see huge games from quarterback Matthew Stafford and wideouts A.J. Green and Mohamed Massaquoi. MSU hasn’t played an offense as balance, explosive and effective as Georgia’s all season. They were ranked in the bottom third of the Big Ten and 64th in the NCAA against the pass and they’re actually worse at stopping the run (72nd). So I believe this is one of those deals where the Spartans are going to be on their heels all day defensively trying to figure out if Georgia’s going to pass or run and being a step behind by the time they do.
I know, I know, the Bulldogs’ defense ain’t so hot either. But it’s all relative. Georgia has had some awful games — especially that 409-yard rushing debacle against Georgia Tech — but it’s still 28th nationally in defense against what’s considered the third-toughest schedule in the country. And last time I checked Michigan State doesn’t run the triple option (though I bet it put some in!).
Bottom line, the Spartans will put up some points but no way they can keep pace with your Dogs. Now I’ll qualify all that with, I probably said a lot of the same things before West Virginia came to the Georgia Dome for the Sugar Bowl in 2005-06.
So you think I have it about right or am I totally off base?
I’ll get you some updates from the coaches’ press conference and kickoff luncheon later today. Play nice!
Permalink | Comments (64) | Post your comment | Categories: Football
Looking at Dogs’ glass as half full
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Greetings from the lobby of the J.W. Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes, and a nice lobby it is. I haven’t seen so much marble since my last trip to Washington D.C.
I’m waiting on Tim Tucker to come down so we can ride over to Georgia’s practice this morning at Olympia High. There will be a press conference later today and I have a lot of interviews to get in order to write tomorrow’s story. Trouble with getting two weeks off is the only legwork you get done is whatever you get exercising (in my case not much).
Regarding today’s blog, I’m tired of all the whining. Maybe it’s because of the bright sunshine and perfect weather we’re encountering down here or maybe it’s just because I just woke up on the right side of the bed but I’m not seeing all the doom and gloom I’ve been reading in the comments here lately.
So let’s focus on the positives. Like Georgia’s offensive line. Think about it, every one of this group will be back next season. Vince Vance will be the only senior. The trouble next season will be figuring out who to play where. Do you put Trinton Sturdivant back at left tackle and move All-SEC left tackle Clint Boling back to right guard or right tackle? If it’s right tackle what then do you do with Justin Anderson? Does Vance move back to guard?
Regardless, these are good problems to have. And regardless of what Knowshon Moreno and Matthew Stafford decide to do, that line is why I think Georgia’s offense will still be explosive next season. That line should make the transition to the next guys more smooth.
I don’t think Georgia’s defense can do anything but get better. Most of this group is back. The interior line loses only Corvey Irvin and will add Jeff Owens back in. We’ll see some new blood move in at defensive end. Three-fourths of the secondary is back. Again, lots of young talent to see on that side of the ball.
And isn’t that, after all, what’s great about college football? It’s a cyclical sport. Everything is going to change every four or five years.
Now I’m going to finish my cup of coffee. It’s still half full.
Permalink | Comments (203) | Post your comment | Categories: Football
Off to the land of Mickey
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Greetings from Gate A10 at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. I’m awaiting the departure of Delta Flight 957 to Orlando. Word of advice: If you’re flying out of Atlanta today, get there early. It was backing up before 7 a.m. this morning.
I’m back, folks. Sorry for the extended absence but I had a bunch of off time I had to get in before the end of the year. In sports jargon, we’re not as deep as a staff as we once were and, when one of us is sidelined there’s just not as many waiting to fill in for us. But, God willing, I’ll be joining my colleague Tim Tucker on the ground soon in Orlando and resume filing daily (multiple) reports as usual.
So let me know what’s foremost on your minds as I get there for today’s morning practice (I won’t be there in time to file any live practice reports. Sorry.) Have you heard enough about Moreno’s and Stafford’s pro decisions or do you want to know more? Are you excited about at all about the Capital One Bowl matchup with Michigan State? Are you more interested in talking about what went wrong this past season or what the expectations should be for next?
I’ll be traveling this morning, then checking in throughout the day. Next report will come from the Land of Mickey. Bon voyage!
Permalink | Comments (114) | Post your comment | Categories: Football
Richt: ‘I’m ready for a playoff’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Richt has become an outspoken advocate for a college football playoff. Listen to him from a couple of days ago:
“For the longest, I was like, ‘I like it the way it is. I’m fine with it.’ I’m not that way any more.
“I’m ready. I’m ready for a playoff. I’m ready for a four- or eight-team playoff.
“Having to live through last year and feeling like you’ve got to have this big filibuster or whatever you want to call it to go out there and try to convince people to vote for your team - I mean, it shouldn’t be that way in sports, especially in major-college football.
“And [there’s] the effect it has on the nation, which loves college football and probably deserves a better way of doing it.”
Richt went on to say that he senses sentiment shifting among coaches and even college presidents toward a playoff.
“It is a heavy political issue,” he acknowledged. “There are so many people who have to be on board to do it right, and all it takes is one or two that refuse and you have some serious obstacles.
“So will it happen? I do think at some time there will be at least a four-team playoff. My guess is that will be the next step. But it might go right to eight one day.”
Hear, hear!
Is Richt preaching to the choir here?
Permalink | Comments (313) | Post your comment | Categories: Football
You asked for it - here it is
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Quite a few of you - including Gman and Fla Dawg - asked in the past couple of days for the full list of players that Georgia has lost to season-ending injuries this year. Mark Richt said recently that the list was 18 or 19 names long. It’s actually longer.
The list, which now has 24 names on it, includes a mixture of starters, backups, special teamers, scout teamers, stars, walk-ons and true freshmen. Some of the players were lost before the season began, some early in the season, some recently. A couple of the players on the list were lost to illness (mono) rather than injury.
Anyway, here’s the Georgia training staff’s official list of players with season-ending injuries for 2008 (and thanks for asking):
Quentin Banks
Stephen Braue
Sanders Commings
Darius Dewberry
Justin Fields
Darryl Gamble
Akeem Hebron
Dontavius Jackson
Tavarres King
Chris Little
Richard Lowe
John Potts
Jeff Owens
Jonathan Owens
Christian Robinson
Josh Sailors
Craig Sager
Trinton Sturdivant
Vince Vance
Marcus Washington
Brandon Wheeling
Charles White
Micky White
Tony Wilson
Permalink | Comments (111) | Post your comment | Categories: Football
Catching history: two 1,000-yard receivers?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After focusing on final exams the past few days, Georgia’s football players now turn their focus to Michigan State. They’ll practice each day through Saturday, twice on Thursday, before dispersing for the Christmas break. On Dec. 26, they’ll reconvene in Orlando, site of the Jan. 1 Capital One Bowl against the Spartans.
Granted, it’s not the bowl game the Bulldogs and their fans envisioned at season’s start. It’s not in Miami, not in the BCS, not for the national title.
Georgia’s rallying cry for the game seems to be that it’s a chance to win a 10th game. Actually, that goes for both teams, which have 9-3 records in common. But the game has a few more compelling storylines than that.
It matches two of the three or so best running backs in college football, first-team AP All-American Javon Ringer of Michigan State vs. second-team AP All-American Knowshon Moreno of Georgia.
It offers this Georgia defense, which you’ll recall allowed 409 yards rushing against Georgia Tech, one last chance to stop the run. Or not.
It might, of course, be the Georgia finales for Matthew Stafford and Moreno, both considering the NFL draft.
Then there’s this: Both A.J. Green and Mohamed Massaquoi enter the game within range of 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Green is 49 yards short and Massaquoi 90 yards short. Georgia has never had two 1,000-yard receivers in a single season. In fact, Georgia has had only one receiver in school history with a 1,000-yard season: Terrence Edwards in 2002 (1,004 yards). So Georgia could come out of this game with more 1,000-yard receivers this season than in the past 115 years combined.
Anything else intrigue you about this game?
Permalink | Comments (75) | Post your comment |
Stories in the stats …
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Spent a few minutes scouring the stats and had a few things jump out at me:
• Georgia has allowed 25.6 points per game this season, just one point per game shy of the worst mark in school history (26.6 per game allowed in 1990).
• Georgia’s defense went from first to worst in sacking quarterbacks — from an SEC-leading 42 sacks in 2007 to a last-in-the-league 18 sacks this season.
• Georgia is minus-2 for the season in turnover margin, a telling drop from plus-nine in 2007.
• On a positive note, Georgia players continue to lead the SEC in passing, rushing and receiving yards per game. If that’s still the case after the bowls, it’ll be, according to the SEC, the first time since the 1966 Florida Gators that one team has had the league’s individual leaders in all three categories.
Matthew Stafford has an insurmountable lead in passing yards: 267.4 per game. Knowshon Moreno has a narrow lead in rushing yards: 111.5 per game. And A.J. Green’s closest competition in receiving yards comes from … teammate Mohamed Massaquoi. Green has 79.2 yards per game, Massaquoi 75.8.
The Bulldogs, by the way, have been away from the practice field for a few days because of final exams. They resume bowl preps on Wednesday and will practice daily through Saturday, then disperse for the Christmas break and reconvene in Orlando on Dec. 26.
Meanwhile, any stats jump out at you about this season?
Permalink | Comments (184) | Post your comment | Categories: Football
MVP Stafford, Capt. Massaquoi and other awards
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Feel free to agree or disagree with the choices below, but Georgia coaches handed out player awards at a banquet Saturday night in Athens.
There was no shortage of honorees — from most valuable to most improved players, from permanent captains to top newcomers.
The envelope, please …
The Vince Dooley Award winner as the team’s Most Valuable Player of the Year: Quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Offensive MVP: Tailback Knowshon Moreno.
Defensive MVP: Linebacker Rennie Curran.
Special teams MVP: Safety Andrew Williams.
Permanent captains: Receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (overall), fullback Brannan Southerland (offense), defensive tackle Corvey Irvin (defense) and Williams (special teams).
Most Improved Players: Fullback Shaun Chapas and receiver Michael Moore (offense), linebacker Darryl Gamble (defense) and cornerback Chad Gloer (special teams).
Newcomers of the Year: Receiver A. J. Green on offense, defensive tackle DeAngelo Tyson and cornerback Brandon Boykin on defense, and Zach Renner and Logan Gray on special teams.
The David Jacobs Award for courage, spirit, character and determination: Southerland and Williams.
The Leon Farmer Award for dedication to the strength and conditioning program: Massaquoi and Southerland.
Outstanding Scout Team Awards: Christian Robinson (offense), Josh Bagby (defense) and Kevin Lanier (special teams).
The Senior Scholar award: Quarterback Jonathan deLaureal (3.58 GPA in finance).
Your thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Any other awards you’d like to hand out?
Permalink | Comments (93) | Post your comment |
MVP Stafford, Capt. Massaquoi and other honorees
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Feel free to agree or disagree with the choices below, but Georgia coaches handed out player awards at a banquet Saturday night in Athens.
There was no shortage of honorees -- from most valuable to most improved players, from permanent captains to top newcomers.
The envelope, please:
The Vince Dooley Award as the team's Most Valuable Player of the Year: Quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Offensive MVP: Tailback Knowshon Moreno.
Defensive MVP: Linebacker Rennie Curran.
Special teams MVP: Safety Andrew Williams.
Permanent captains: Receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (overall), fullback Brannan Southerland (offense), defensive tackle Corvey Irvin (defense) and Williams (special teams).
Most Improved Players: Fullback Shaun Chapas and receiver Michael Moore (offense), linebacker Darryl Gamble (defense) and cornerback Chad Gloer (special teams).
Newcomers of the Year: Receiver A. J. Green on offense, defensive tackle DeAngelo Tyson and cornerback Brandon Boykin on defense, and Zach Renner and Logan Gray on special teams.
The David Jacobs Award for courage, spirit, character and determination: Southerland and Williams.
The Leon Farmer Award for dedication to the strength and conditioning program: Massaquoi and Southerland.
Outstanding Scout Team Awards: Christian Robinson (offense), Josh Bagby (defense) and Kevin Lanier (special teams).
The Senior Scholar award: Quarterback Jonathan deLaureal (3.58 GPA in finance).
Your thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Any other awards you would like to hand out?
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment |
Gifts that keep giving
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sorry it took a while to get the blog up. Had an emergency at home that had to be taken care of.
Earlier this week we had a story about the defensive ends, and their lack of success this year. It included what they were doing now to try to make sure they get a few more sacks next year. Hey, of course a few more compared to this year’s total still wouldn’t be much, but at least it’s a start.
That got me to thinking, if you could wish for anything for any of Georgia’s football players, or anyone else in the SEC, what would it be? (Keep it positive; no wishing for injuries or NCAA sanctions)
For example, Georgia’s defensive ends: about a .10 of a second lower speed in the 40, so that they can get to the QBs, or DBs who were a a bit taller, so that they couldn’t get called for pass interference on fade routes downfield.
Or perhaps a blog topic that wasn’t so lame?
Send your thoughts throughout the weekend.
Permalink | Comments (114) | Post your comment |
The fabulous freshman
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hello, Georgia fans.
First-time poster, long-time editor Doug Roberson here.
The SEC coaches’ All-Freshmen team will come out later today and wide receiver A.J. Green should be on it.
Green has arguably had one of the most dominating freshmen seasons in Georgia history. He led the conference with 951 yards receiving on 55 receptions. He added eight touchdowns. He also seemed to be a fairly capable blocker. All this got me to thinking on the long, wet drive in this morning, if you were to compose an All-Freshmen, All-Time Georgia set of offensive skill players, who would be on it?
Here’s a crack: WR: Andre Hastings WR: A.J. Green QB: David Greene RB: Herschel Walker ATH: Charley Trippi*
Or would you go with: WR: Mohamed Massaquoi WR: Terrence Edwards QB: Eric Zeier RB: Garrison Hearst ATH: Champ Bailey
*Freshmen weren’t allowed to play
The latest on Auburn’s coaching search can be found here
Former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer has a fan in another coach whose teams didn’t always live up to expectations
One man believes Tim Tebow can win another Heisman Trophy
Who is Dan Mullen, and what will he do?
Permalink | Comments (41) | Post your comment |
Fun, funky fall comes to close
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m here today to say “so long.” Not goodbye, mind you, just “see ya later.”
Like, much later.
I have a lot of vacation time and other off time accrued that I need to get in before the end of the year. So I won’t be cranking out a couple of stories and a blog a day like I have been pretty much since early August. In fact, I won’t be doing much at all until after Christmas. But don’t fret (as if you were). Tim Tucker, who is still on vacation this week but will be back next week, will keep the blog going for you. Our capable editor Doug Roberson will also be filling in occasionally as I understand it.
And, of course, I’m sure I will be checking in from time-to-time, if not daily. I’ll just be like the rest of you, an interested and critical observer ready to rip those guys if they come forth with a weak topic (like this one). Besides, you can’t be responsible for something like this every day for four months and all of the sudden have nothing to do with it. I may have to call Dave O’Brien and ask him how he handles it. He must suffer withdrawals when he takes some time off, if he ever does. As always, e-mail me story tips and suggestions directly or share them here. I always appreciate your feedback.
Anyway, it has been a real interesting fall to say the least. It started with all the talk that Georgia may be preseason No. 1 — I caught hell for saying it may be Florida instead — and of course will end with the Dogs needing to beat Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl to not drop out of the Top 25. For the record, I don’t think the Bulldogs were severely overrated or severe underachievers. I just think they had some really bad luck and played very poorly in three games. Nineteen season-ending injuries (that includes Darryl Gamble’s, which was essentially just the last two games) is a lot for the even the greatest of teams to absorb. Georgia’s still pretty doggone good.
If I had to guess I’d say Knowshon Moreno’s outta here and Matthew Stafford’s 50-50 but that won’t come down ‘til after the bowl. It’d be a pleasant surprise if both or even one came back because I do believe they could set some all-time marks with that line and A.J. Green next season. But I don’t know that coming back for that or certainly “the good of good ol’ U” is much of a motivation anymore.
I don’t think Auburn will hire Rodney Garner but somebody eventually will. I think Dennis Felton’s basketball Dogs will have 10 wins by the New Year but I’m not sure they will have 20 at the end of the regular season. I think I’m tired and a little burned out but will be totally re-energized in short order and ready provide you the best Georgia coverage I can upon my return.
Until then, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Festivus (I should be back for Kwanzaa, God willing). I’ll leave you with some links:
Because I didn’t have much time between the end of Georgia’s football practice and the beginning of the basketball game Tuesday night I wasn’t able to write a bunch on the football Dogs. I’d normally put it in the next day’s report but I won’t have one. But David Hale wrote pretty much everything that came up in his Bulldogs Blog… .
Did you catch the mini-march some Auburn students made in support of former coach Tommy Tuberville? You can read accounts HERE and HERE… .
Seems like the city of Nashville is not real thrilled with the Music City Bowl deciding to pick Vanderbilt as one of its participants. Not exactly the economic boost the hotel and entertainment industry was hoping for
Permalink | Comments (61) | Post your comment | Categories: Football and basketball
Losing Garner would hurt Dogs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I don’t know how serious Auburn is about hiring Rodney Garner as its next head coach. Reports out of Alabama refer to him as a long shot. But I can tell you for certain Georgia is seriously concerned about losing him. And if I was involved with the Tigers’ coaching search he wouldn’t be a long shot.
First of all, this is not like 2005. If you recall, LSU coach Les Miles was about to fly Garner to Baton Rouge by private jet to offer him a job on his defensive staff, allegedly as defensive coordinator. But before Garner could get on that plane, Georgia coach Mark Richt canceled his plans to serve as honorary coach in the Hula Bowl in order to meet with Garner face to face. UGA President Michael Adams also called Garner from London to implore him to stay, as did AD Damon Evans from Vietnam. They offered Garner a hefty raise and added the title of assistant head coach to the ones he already had as recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach.
And Garner stayed. He also “owes me a trip to Hawaii,” Richt said.
That gives you some idea of what Garner means to the Bulldogs’ football program.
But this is different. This is Garner’s alma mater. This is to be a head coach in the SEC. Even if he could, Richt wouldn’t stand in Garner’s way for something like this. In fact, CMR has been very outspoken of his belief that Garner could be an exceptional head coach. And Richt knows better than anybody much Garner leaving would hurt.
Garner is like a string that runs through everything the Bulldogs do. He’s the first UGA voice most prospects hear and the first face they see. Great defensive linemen want to play for him because his guys always end up in the NFL. He came to Georgia from Tennessee and immediately got the Dogs’ recruiting foot into the door of downtown Atlanta high schools, where it’d rarely been. He’s organized. He’s smart. Knowshon Moreno liked him.
Yep, losing Garner would be a big blow for the Bulldogs. But there is one thing they could possibly do.
The latest trend in the college game is to designate a hot assistant coach as “head coach in waiting.” Will Muschamp received that title (and a $900,000 salary) after just one season as defensive coordinator at Texas because other schools wanted to hire him away as a head coach. Jimbo Fisher has the same deal at Florida State (he’s mentioned for Auburn’s opening as well). Oregon did it with Chip Kelly as well.
I don’t know, just a thought. What do y’all think?
Some links:
Here you can see all the stories on Auburn’s coaching search… .
Georgia had eight players named to the AP All-SEC team. You can see the list of all the players from all the teams here at the SEC website. By the way, the coaches’ team should be posted there today or tomorrow… .
Here’s some great news for the Bulldog Nation: Florida QB Tim Tebow says he’s “leaning toward coming back”… .
Speaking of quarterbacks coming back next season, this Texan said he definitely is… .
Apparently Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen has been interviewed for Mississippi State’s head job… .
Our old buddy Mark Schlabach, now of ESPN.com, rates the bowls from best to worst. Spoil alert: Dogs-MSU made his Top 10… .
Here’s a great look at how every coach voted in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll. Spoiler alert: CMR voted Gators 1 but Urban Meyer voted Dogs 21st.
Permalink | Comments (144) | Post your comment | Categories: Football
How ‘bout that Georgia-MSU matchup?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, it’s set. No. 16 Georgia and No. 18 Michigan State will face off in the Capital One Bowl. Pretty interesting matchup of two 9-3 teams from the SEC and Big Ten, respectively. I didn’t realize it until I heard Sunday night that the Big Ten has won the last four of these Cap One games against SEC opponents. In fact the last SEC team to win in it was Georgia over Purdue after the 2003 regular season (34-27 OT).
The biggest storyline will obviously be the tailbacks of the respective teams. Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno and Michigan State’s Javon Ringer are two of the three finalists for the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top back (Iowa’s Shonn Greene is the other). Ringer has rushed for 1,590 yards and 21 TDs and carried the ball more than any other back — 370 times!
The Spartans’ other stars are QB Brian Hoyer (162-319-8 Int-9 TDs, 186.2 ypg), WR Blair White (39-628) and LB Greg Jones (115 tackles). Their losses were to Penn State (49-18), Ohio State (45-7) and Cal (38-31). Their team stats are all middle of the pack in the Big Ten and nationally — 66th total offense (352.4), 62nd total defense (357.9) — but that’s kind of deceiving since they played all the toughest teams in the league. Georgia, by the way, is 21st and 28th, respectively, in those main two categories.
If you haven’t already seen it I wrote a story about the bowl’s decision on these two teams and their reactions to it and you can SEE IT HERE.
There is a lot of speculation about whether the Bulldogs will be up for this game and, more importantly, whether their fans will be. So what about it? Anybody planning on going or not going based on or in spite of the supposedly disappointing season? If economics a concern for you? Are you intrigued by the matchup?
Some links:
Here’s a nice little story on Georgia tight end Bruce Figgins at TotalUGA.com… .
The scout.com site on Georgia provides a retrospective on the Bulldogs] last trip to the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1, 2004… .
Apparently Auburn was really serious about going after Mississippi’s Houston Nutt. As a result, Nutt got a sweetened contract from the Rebels… . Meanwhile, AuburnUndercover.com reporter Phillip Marshall has bunkered down at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York to monitor to Auburn coaching search… .
College football playoff proponents can get a good look at what a 16-team bracket would look like here at www.bowlpoint.com. Georgia, by the way, would be locked out thanks to its season-ending loss to Georgia Tech… .
Permalink | Comments (197) | Post your comment | Categories: Football
Tough weekend for Atlanta Dogs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By now Alabama and Florida fans are streaming into Atlanta. They’re coming in to witness what some are calling the greatest matchup ever in the SEC Championship Game — the No. 1-ranked and undefeated Crimson Tide versus No. 4 Florida and its offensive point-compiling machine. CBS’s Gary Danielson compared it to Ali vs. Frazier. Definitely should be a great one. I still can’t believe Bama is a 9.5-point underdog.
Anyway, it must be tough for Atlanta-based Bulldogs fans. They absolutely expected Georgia to be in this game. Already forced to watch Georgia Tech revel in its victory last weekend, now they have to watch the Tide and Gators party down in their fair city and waiting to get their tickets punched to Miami and some other BCS destination.
I asked coach Mark Richt, who lost to both teams, about the similarities between Alabama coach Nick Saban and Florida coach Urban Meyer.
“One similarity is they’ve both been in that game before,” he said. “Another one is their teams had seasons that they weren’t real thrilled about last year. Alabama was 7-6; Florida was 9-4. They probably used that to motivate and propel into this season. Both of them are outstanding coaches. Proven winners.”
Georgia, by the way, will be conducting a practice in Athens in the hours leading up to the SEC Championship. They should be through in time to watch it.
So who Bulldogs fans root for this weekend? Let’s hear it: “Roll Tide” or “Go Gators.” Regardless, who do you think will win.
Some links:
Speaking of Alabama and Florida fans in Atlanta, Birmingham’s Ian Rappaport blogs about what Bama fans should do while in town… .
Here’s an interesting column from UGA’s Loran Smith comparing the season Willie Martinez has endured to the Bulldogs’ former late, great defensive coordinator Erk Russell had in 1974… .
Don’t look now but Orlando columnist Mike Bianchi learns there is a chance Florida could win Saturday and not get into the BCS title game… .
Georgia linebacker Rennie Curran told Macon’s David Hale how hard it’s going to be for him to watch the SEC Championship Game. Hale also gets into more detail on the Dogs searching the JUCO ranks for players for next season… .
Here’s a good column from Birmingham’s Kevin Scarbinksy on Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville.
Permalink | Comments (220) | Post your comment | Categories: Football
Richt now dean of SEC coaches
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ladies and gentlemen, your new Dean of SEC football coaches is …
Mark Richt.
That’s right, the still relatively young head coach of your Georgia Bulldogs is now the longest-tenured head coach at his current institution with eight whole years. Yes, South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier has coached longer in the league when his years at Florida are taken into account. But it’s our own, mild-mannered man in Athens, where Richt has resided since December of 2000, that now is senior member of the SEC coaching fraternity.
Of course, that’s because Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville bought the farm on Wednesday. No, he didn’t die. He simply got his farm and a lot of other things paid for with his resignation Wednesday and what turned out to be a $5.1 million buyout to his contract (which was extended two years after last season, by the way). According to newspaper reports in Alabama, half is due in 30 days and the other half will come around next June or July. I thought Tuberville was making $2.85 million a season ($50 large more than CMR) but all the papers over there are saying it’s $3.3 million. So considering Tuberville was contracted through 2013, I guess Bobby Lowder, er, I mean, Auburn, is saving money. But hooray for Tuberville. He put up with more than his share of grousing on the Plains.
Speaking of grousing, now that Coach Richt is the ol’ timer of the SEC bunch, wonder how much longer he’ll hang around. He moves to the top of what is a slippery-with-blood totem pole this season. Phillip Fulmer (golden) parachuted off Rocky Top a month ago, followed by Sylvester Croom’s modest exit from Mississippi State this past weekend. Say, perhaps Tuberville could take Croom’s place over there in Starkville. That intra-divisional, change of address thing worked pretty well for Houston Nutt last year, and Ol’ Ears knows a thing or two about the Magnolia State.
Anyway, seems like just yesterday a fresh-faced, fair-haired Richt was stepping up to the podium at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall and introducing his young family that was sitting at the side of the room. Now that family is half-grown, with one of his four children already out of the house, and the gray hairs are starting to defeat the blond ones on Richt’s always-tanned pate.
It was during that first introduction in December of 2000 that Richt told the Bulldog Nation he had come there from Florida State because he believed Georgia was a program with massive amounts of untapped potential, that he felt it should be competing for SEC championships almost every year.
Eight seasons later, having tied for or won four SEC East titles, two outright SEC championships, having taken the Dogs to three Sugar Bowls and finished in the Top 10 six times, everybody is bitching and moaning that Georgia is not in the championship game this year and will probably have to settle for the lowly Capital One Bowl.
Yep, Georgia has come a long way. Congratulations Dean Richt! …
Speaking of Tennessee, here’s the latest out of Knoxville on new coach Lane Kiffin… .
Mike Leach and Bobby Petrino are among those contacted by Auburn about its new coaching vacancy, according to the Birmingham News… .
By the way, apparently it’s a big deal that this prospect, Ray Ray Armstrong of Sanford, Fla. loved meeting Georgia’s coaches and now wants to take an official visit to UGA, according to TotalUGA.com… .
All you “Willie Hatahs” will love the long diatribe here at a blog called dawgsports.com.
Permalink | Comments (171) | Post your comment | Categories: Football
By the way, hoops have started
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Anybody see Georgia’s basketball game last night at Western Kentucky? The Bulldogs lost 67-63 but it was a very good game and a pretty good effort. The Hilltoppers, coach Dennis Felton’s old team, knocked off No. 3 Louisville just this past weekend.
Georgia was the victim of some tough luck once again. It was ahead by five to seven points toward the end of the first half and, even after a 14-4 WKU run, stayed close throughout the second. But center Albert Jackson aggravated an ankle sprain and had to leave the game for a long spell, and he had been playing very well defensively. Also, freshman Trey Thompkins was playing well for a while but, again, ended up having to sit for a long time in the second half because he was gassed. Having missed all that time with foot and leg injuries, it’s going to be several weeks before Thompkins approaches anything resembling good condition.
A couple of ill-conceived 3-point attempts by Zac Swansey and Dustin Ware ended up costing Georgia the game. Terrance Woodbury was the leading scorer with 18 points but, once again, it took him 15 shots to get and that’s just way too inefficient. He needs to take fewer shots and the Dogs need to run more stuff for Thompkins, in my opinion.
But overall what I saw from Georgia was encouraging. As always it plays hard on defense and, if it can get everybody healthy for a stretch, has a chance to be a decent offensive team.
The Bulldogs are in the midst of a killer scheduling stretch. From Western Kentucky they go to Chicago for a game against Illinois (this was the one arranged for Billy Humphrey well before he was kicked off the team this past summer. Billy’s third arrest — the last one for DUI — led to his dismissal). They’ll play Virginia Tech in Athens next Tuesday and play Missouri and Georgia Tech the first week of January before SEC play begins.
“I probably over-scheduled to be honest,” coach Dennis Felton told me last week. “But I wanted to challenge these guys.”
Meanwhile, some links:
Macon’s David Hale puts a bow on Georgia’s football season and identifies the next generation of stars for the Bulldogs… .
Coach Mark Richt has walked the fine line of trying not to make excuses and trying to explain what the Bulldogs’ season did not turn out as planned. But it’s hard to overlook the fact they had 18 season-ending injuries (including redshirted players, of course). That number’s actually 19 if you add linebacker Darryl Gamble, who suffered a broken fibula from one of those hundreds of cut blocks by Georgia Tech this past Saturday. Anyway, Pete Thamel of the New York Times points out in this story how Alabama was very fortunate regarding injuries this season and that’s a big reason it got to the title game… .
Looks like Texas Tech coach Mike Leach is snooping around outside Lubbock… .
Alabama’s bearded players and other such important tidbits from Birmingham’s Ian Rappaport.
Permalink | Comments (45) | Post your comment | Categories: Football and basketball
Nobody’s getting fired, so what now?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What’s up, Bulldogs? I was going to say, “see, the sun did come up after all” in the wake of Saturday’s loss to Georgia Tech. But then I thought about it a minute and it has been mighty cloudy the last couple of days.
But, seriously, life goes on in victory or defeat and that’s the way it has been for Georgia the past couple of days, business as usual. As our resident recruiting guru Michael Carvell reported, the Bulldogs’ coaches — including defensive coordinator Willie Martinez — were out and about not long after the game, grabbing valuable face time with prospects and their parents. And apparently they’re still getting favorable responses. CMR is a staunch believer in staff stability. With all the upheaval all around this season this will be a good year to test that theory.
On that note, here’s what we know: Mark Richt is NOT going to fire Willie Martinez, as hundreds of you are calling for. He told our Tim Tucker Sunday night that there would be no staff changes in the wake of Georgia’s 9-3 regular season. So we can all forget about that.
However, he did say he’s going to evaluate every aspect of the program and everything they did this season and make adjustments accordingly. So let’s try being proactive in that regard rather than reactive the other way. Forgetting staff changes, what adjustments do you think Richt and his coaches need to make?
Here’s what I thought hurt the Bulldogs this past Saturday and most of the season, for that matter:
(1) Tackling: MLB Dannell Ellerbe and FS Reshad Jones were horrible against Tech and all season really;
(2) Special teams: Kickoffs and placekicking (Blair Walsh), kickoff coverage, kickoff returns (Richard Samuel, Remarcus Brown), punt returns (forget the average, no threat second half of season), were all subpar, something we’re not accustomed to seeing;
(3) Offensive line: Yes, they did a good job of pass protection and overachieved for their youth. But it was that group that was most responsible for Georgia’s struggles deep in the red zone. Couldn’t blow anybody off the ball;
(4) Quarterback: Matthew Stafford is great in many, many ways. When he’s on, there’s nobody better. But inaccuracy and interceptions continue to plague him as much three years later as they did as a freshman;
(5) D-ends: Not a single big-time pass rusher in the bunch. Perhaps Toby Jackson and Cornelius Washington can fill the bill next year.
That’s an off-the-top-of-the-head rundown from me. I’m sure you guys can do better.
Sorry I’m late getting something up today. I had a bunch of personal business to tend to this morning (it’s a long season, ya know?) So I’m going to leave this blog up through Tuesday.
By the way, don’t forget the basketball team has a big date against Western Kentucky tomorrow night in Bowling Green. In case you missed it, the Hilltoppers knocked off No. 3-ranked Louisville on Sunday.
Permalink | Comments (400) | Post your comment | Categories: Football
Services »
