DEL.ICIO.USMoreno says Stomp talk won’t help Florida win
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Athens — It’s a given that Florida players are trying to use last year’s famous/infamous Georgia celebration as a source of extra energy and motivation for Saturday’s showdown in Jacksonville.
“Yeah, they probably are,” Georgia tailback Knowshon Moreno said Tuesday. “But, you know, it’s not going to help them win the game.”
Jason Getz/jgetz@ajc.com
Quarterback Matthew Stafford, who’s been sacked just once in the past three games, compliments Georgia’s offensive line saying, ‘They’re doing a heck of a job.’
Winning the game, he said, will come down to execution.
Munzenmaier still thrilled by chance
Three days later, Fred Munzenmaier was still beaming about the play.
“I never really thought you could get three fullbacks in the game at the same time,” he said Tuesday. “But I guess anything is possible.”
Indeed, Georgia’s three scholarship fullbacks — Brannan Southerland, Shaun Chapas and Munzenmaier — were in the game simultaneously for one play Saturday. On LSU’s 1-yard line, Southerland lined up at tight end and Chapas and Munzenmaier in the backfield.
It was the first time the trio had been in a game at the same time “aside from special teams,” Munzenmaier said.
“It was a great experience to be out there together. We’re great friends.”
A redshirt sophomore from Norcross, Munzenmaier was further surprised when he got the call to carry the ball on the play.
“I expected to be blocking,” he said.
Instead, he plunged into the end zone for the second touchdown of his Georgia career.
It also was the second carry of his Georgia career, the other a 6-yard run vs. Ole Miss last season.
Two carries. Two touchdowns. “Maybe there’s a little magic there,” he said with a laugh.
Munzenmaier’s touchdown against LSU left Chapas as the only one of Georgia’s top three fullbacks not to have scored this season — a source of some ribbing from teammates.
Chapas got almost all of the playing time at fullback in the first five games while Southerland was recovering from foot surgery. Southerland scored a touchdown against Tennessee Oct. 11 on his first carry of the season.
Against LSU, Chapas and Southerland alternated series at fullback, with Southerland also playing tight end in two-tight-end sets.
O-line’s progress
Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford has been sacked once in the past three games — the clearest sign of the progress of the Bulldogs’ young and injury-depleted offensive line.
“They’re doing a heck of a job,” Stafford said. “I feel they’re getting to that point now where they’re starting to jell and … just playing real sound fundamental football.”
Unsettled earlier in the season, the line will have the same starters in the same positions for the third consecutive week.
“Now that we’re playing with more confidence and more consistency on who’s starting, that helps,” sophomore Clint Boling said.
Boling became Georgia’s fourth starter of the season at left tackle after Vince Vance sustained a season-ending knee injury Oct. 11.
“If you told me in preseason we’d be 7-1 with our fourth left tackle,” coach Mark Richt said, “I’d never have dreamed that could be true.”
Evans enjoys move
Bryan Evans, a starter at cornerback through Georgia’s first five games, now is getting most of his work as the backup free safety — and he’s happy about it.
“I can see where the ball is being thrown instead of running with somebody,” Evans said. “This way I can freelance a little bit. It’s pretty fun. After I started doing it, I kind of got attracted to it.
“A lot of times [at corner] I thought I was in pretty good position, but they still caught the ball.”
Evans said he talked with his friend, Tennessee safety Eric Berry, about the position switch. “He said it might benefit me just to use my speed in open areas,” Evans said. “Hopefully that will be the outcome.”
Gator wounded
Florida anticipates being near full strength by Saturday.
The most consequential injury belongs to cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who sustained a bruised right shin last week against Kentucky. A freshman who has started five of the Gators’ seven games, Jenkins was still limping noticeably early in the week but, according to coach Urban Meyer, is expected to be available.
Running back Emmanuel Moody, who has carried the ball three times all year due to a recurrent ankle problem, is expected to be at full strength. Reserve defensive tackles Troy Epps (knee) and John Brown (wrist) are questionable.
— Staff writer Thomas Stinson contributed to this article from Gainesville, Fla.
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