Bulldog’s blog takes readers inside UGA football

Athens — If Jeff Owens is not in class or in the weight room or on the football field, his friends and teammates know exactly what he’ll be doing.

He’ll be typing up his latest blog … or interviewing one of his teammates for his blog … or editing his blog … or reading comments from his blog … or talking to somebody about his blog.

“That’s all he talks about,” Georgia quarterback Joe Cox said of his senior teammate. “He’s on it every day. If you walk back there [in the locker room] by the computers, he’s always there putting new stuff on it and trying to interview people and stuff. He’s all excited about it.”

So are a lot of other people, apparently.

Owens’ blog — called “Jeff Owens: The Real Deal” — is the latest rage sweeping the Bulldog Nation. You can find links to it from virtually every Web site devoted to Georgia football, of which there are dozens. His page views, Owens said, are increasing exponentially.

Georgia’s outspoken defensive tackle, who hopes to one day have his own radio talk show, said he is using the forum to “let people know the real inside scoop of the college athlete and our everyday lives and what we go through from time to time.”

“It has always been something I wanted to do,” said Owens, a starter who missed all but eight plays last season because of a knee injury. “I always wanted to start a little Web site, but I never knew where to go or where to turn to. … So one day I was reading one of my friend’s blogs, and it just dawned on me: ‘I have a lot of ideas; I have a lot to talk about. People say I’m a very talkative person.’ So I was, like, ‘might as well put it on paper. I’ll just start my own blog.’ “

Since having that revelation the first week of February, Owens figures he has written at least 15 new blogs. In addition he has spent countless hours trying to figure out how to post pictures and graphics and generally tooling around in his new domain.

“I try to post something every day,” Owens said. “That’s my goal.”

Owens’ creative routine is an unusual one. He doesn’t sit down with a laptop or in front of a PC to pen his works. He doesn’t even use a pad and pencil.

He taps out the entire thing on the screen of his ever-present I-phone.

“I’m real quick typing on the phone. I’m not on the computer,” Owens explained. “I’ve got good texting skills, so I prefer doing it on the phone. … I have Microsoft Word in my phone so I just type it up in there. Then I send it to my e-mail and edit it and put it online. That’s it.”

Owens slowly started to piece together question-and-answer blogs. Defensive end Rod Battle, linebacker Marcus Washington and Cox are a few of his most recent subjects.

Increasingly, however, his works have become more introspective and opinionated.

Owens revealed this week that he looks up to Washington — who Owens said is the only married player on the team, and who has two children — more than any other Georgia player.

“Because he has more on his plate than any 22-year-old I know,” Owens said. “He plays collegiate football, he’s a college student and also works a part-time job to support his family. His whole focus is his family and how he can be a better provider.”

Owens also has written about how athletes need to break the stereotype of “the dumb jock.” His most popular blog to date was “What It Means to Wear the ‘G.’ “

“That one got a lot of response,” he said.

So far he has avoided the binds of censorship.

“So far [the coaches] haven’t come at me,” he said. “Only compliance did. I had to take off two links, the Netflix link and also the Google bar at the bottom of the screen. Other than that everything’s been fine. Perfect.”