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More on the Lance Terry decision
Damon Stoudamire has turned a negative into a (possible) positive.
On Dec. 22, Georgia Tech announced that guard Lance Terry elected to miss the entire 2023-24 season and will use the season as a redshirt toward his college eligibility. Terry had missed the Yellow Jackets’ first nine games of this season with an unspecified injury.
Terry, a senior from College Park and transfer from Gardner-Webb, averaged 10.1 points per game for Tech last season. He was expected to be a main piece of Stoudamire’s first team, so much so that The Heritage School graduate was a participant at the ACC’s annual Basketball Tipoff event in October in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“That was a Lance decision,” Stoudamire said of Terry shutting it down for the remainder of the campaign. “I’m for anything that a kid wants to do. Now that he’s done it, I would say this: You talk a lot about portal guys, the (transfer) portal, you know how I always get that hit? I mean, that’s a great portal guy right there sitting right here.
“When he got injured, he was probably a starter. So to have him coming back next year with what we’ll have coming back, I look forward to it.”
Terry (6-foot-3, 198 pounds) played three seasons at Gardner-Webb before enrolling at Tech. He shot 42.1% from the floor last season and had a 24-point night Jan. 4, 2023, against No. 12 Miami.
If he does return for the 2024-25 season, that certainly would seem to be a boost for Stoudamire and his program.
“I think (Terry) defensively is the best defensive guard on this team. I think he’s a proven shooter. And I think that athletically he’s one of the more athletic guys in the conference,” Stoudamire added. “I look forward to getting a chance to coach him next year.”
Defensive backs playing basketball in the offseason
Jerry Gray, the Falcons’ assistant head coach/defense, believes defensive backs should find the best pick-up basketball games and play in the offseason.
“I know they’re like, ‘Oh, what if he gets injured?’” said Gray, who played in the NFL and is a longtime coach. “Well, what if he doesn’t? What if he plays and gets his footwork down and all of the little drills that he’s supposed to do.”
Some basketball skills match those needed to play defensive back.
“He’s covering, and you get these receivers that know how to cut,” Gray said. “Well, that’s what you’re doing when you’re playing basketball. You learn how to play with four other guys. You learn how to keep vision on your man while you’re looking at the backboard. You start learning how to rebound.”
Going for a rebound is like going for an interception.
Also, playing secondary has to be coordinator, especially while playing zone coverages.
“You just don’t cover one guy, you’re actually covering everyone around you,” Gray said. “And then, you understand how you get the rebound. If the ball’s coming off this area, I’m going to go this way. So, that’s helps you a lot on getting interceptions. It’s the same thing.”
Bud Dupree thinks he should have 12 sacks, wants to return
Falcons outside linebacker Bud Dupree has rejuvenated his career this season.
“It’s going pretty good,” Dupree said. “A lot of plays I made. A lot of plays I could have made, that I left on the table. Being real, I should have about 12 sacks right now, just from the misses.”
Dupree, who played at Wilkinson County and Kentucky, signed a one-year, $3 million contract in free agency after six seasons with the Steelers and two seasons with the Titans.
“At the end of the day, I have a chance to be a pillar in my community where I’m from originally,” Dupree said. “I have made an impact on this team. I’m excited, this is a dream come true to be able to play for the Falcons.”
Dupree believes he can played a few more seasons in the league, but he doesn’t play to touch Calais Campbell’s 16-year longevity in the league. He also would like to re-sign with the Falcons.
“Oh, definitely,” Dupree said. “This is home base, so it’s always going to be an option.”
Bowers could join few tight ends in draft
Georgia tight end Brock Bowers officially declared for the NFL draft. He leaves Athens considered one of the greatest Bulldogs in history and will hear his name called in the first round this April.
How high will he go? Bowers could become just the third tight end to be selected in the top 10 over the past decade, joining Kyle Pitts (No. 4 in 2021; highest drafted at the position ever) and T.J. Hockenson (No. 8, 2019). Pitts, who’s a good player, has still underwhelmed statistically during his Falcons career – there are differing opinions as to why – and it remains to be seen whether that would affect how teams approach Bowers.
Tight end isn’t a premium position. There have been 26 first-round tight ends since 2000, most recently the Bills selecting Dalton Kincaid last year (No. 25). Bowers, though, is an exceptional talent. How he tests at the combine and Georgia’s pro day, assuming he works out, could heavily influence his range in the opening round.
The Bulldogs had 10 players drafted last year, including three in the first round. They should see Bowers and right tackle Amarius Mims go in the first 32 picks this year. Cornerback Kamari Lassiter could also be a first rounder. Other players, like center Sedrick Van Pran and receiver Ladd McConkey, seem likelier to be day-2 selections.
“I played with one of the best Dogs ever,” McConkey said. “I, personally, (think) he’s the best college tight end to ever play the game. Three-time All-American, he’s a great football player but even greater guy. I’m super thankful for him.”
This will be the sixth consecutive draft that the Bulldogs have had a tight end selected. Benjamin Watson is the only first-round tight end in school history, going No. 32 overall in 2004 to New England.
Florida Gulf Coast well-represented
New Braves left-hander Chris Sale is a Lakeland, Florida, native. The 34-year-old one of only seven Florida Gulf Coast University products to make it to the majors, and he’ll be the first to play for the Braves. He’s also the only big name among FGCU products.
The others: pitchers Casey Coleman (2010-14), Richard Bleier (2016-present), Jacob Barnes (2016-present), Devin Smeltzer (2019-present), Kutter Crawford (2021-present) and infielder Jake Noll (2019-20). Interestingly enough, Sale, Bleier and Crawford were teammates on the Red Sox last season.
Falcons interested in Russell Wilson?
It remains to be seen whether the Falcons will be interested in veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, whom the Broncos are set to jettison after the season. The common thought is the Falcons need a stabilizer at quarterback to get them into the playoffs, and Wilson – a future Hall of Famer – isn’t what he once was but could be an improvement.
Something worth mentioning: Wilson is 35 years old (turning 36 next November) and would be on his third team in four seasons. If the idea is to help the Falcons get over the hump and even into championship contention, history indicates that probably won’t be the case.
Only six quarterbacks have won a championship at age 35 or later: Johnny Unitas (37, 1970), Roger Staubach (35, 1977), Jim Plunkett (36, 1983), John Elway (37-38, 1997-98), Tom Brady (37, 39, 41, 43 in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020, respectively) and Peyton Manning (39).
Plunkett, Brady (2020) and Manning are the only players on that list who changed teams and won those titles.
-Staff writer Chad Bishop, Gabriel Burns and D. Orlando Ledbetter contributed to this report.
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