Georgia looks to avoid Florida hangover

Athens — Georgia players vowed Tuesday not to let Florida beat them more than once this season — that is, not to let last week’s loss cost them other games.

“We have a choice: We can let that game affect the rest of our season, or we can regroup and finish 11-2 like last year,” linebacker Rennie Curran said. “That’s pretty much the thing we have been talking about as a team.

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Georgia linebacker Rennie Curran is determined not let last week’s loss to the Gators ruin the rest of the Dogs’ season.

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“We all feel the same way about this: You can’t let one game ruin the rest of your season.”

With last week’s loss to the Gators derailing Georgia’s goals of winning the SEC championship and playing for the national title, Curran and several other players indicated that an 11-2 record has become the team’s new rallying cry.

To finish with that record, Georgia would have to win its remaining regular-season games at Kentucky (Saturday), at Auburn (Nov. 15) and at home against Georgia Tech (Nov. 29), plus a bowl game.

“I saw a stat yesterday where only eight teams in Georgia history ever had 11 [or more] wins,” senior fullback Brannan Southerland said. “We have a very strong chance of doing that.

“It may not be the national championship game. It may not be the way we drew it up to be at the beginning [of the season]. But it can still be a great year.

“We’ve got to tell the young players that losing two games is not the end of the season. We lost to two good teams. That doesn’t mean we are a bad team.”

Former assistant dies

Former Georgia assistant football coach Frank Inman died Monday at his home in Brunswick. He was 85.

He was on the Bulldogs’ staff from 1962-79, a stretch that included Vince Dooley’s first 15 years as head coach.

Under Dooley, Inman served as head scout, end coach, offensive line coach, offensive coordinator and recruiting director.

He later was athletics director of the Glynn County school system and long-time color analyst for Georgia Southern football broadcasts.

Guest speaker

One of Georgia coach Mark Richt’s former University of Miami teammates spoke to the Bulldogs’ Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting Monday night: Larry Pfohl.

If that name doesn’t ring a bell, Pfohl is better known as Lex Luger, the former pro wrestling star.

Versatile freshman

Georgia will have to keep a close eye on Kentucky freshman Randall Cobb’s whereabouts Saturday.

Cobb will start for the Wildcats at quarterback — a position he shares with sophomore Mike Hartline — and also will play extensively at receiver. Cobb also might return punts.

He made his first collegiate start at quarterback in Kentucky’s 14-13 win over Mississippi State last week.

Etc.

Richt soon will be No. 2 among SEC football coaches in length of time in his current job. The forced departure of 17-year Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer after this season will make Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville and Richt the league’s two longest-tenured coaches at their current schools — Tuberville at Auburn since 1999 and Richt at Georgia since 2001. … Kentucky hasn’t beaten a nationally ranked Georgia team since 1965. … Richt likes Saturday’s early (12:30 p.m.) kickoff: “The sooner the better for us. We need to get back to playing football.”