The following, a weekly feature of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, allows our reporters to open their notebooks and provide even more information from our local teams that we cover daily. We think you’ll find it informative, insightful and fun.
There’s another Vrabel in the NFL stat book
After Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews had his knee rolled up against the Bucs, Tyler Vrabel, son of Titans coach Mike Vrabel, was sent into the game.
Vrabel, who was signed as an undrafted player out of Boston College in 2022, went into the game and made his NFL debut after almost two full seasons of working on the practice squad.
“It was great,” Mike Vrabel said to the Tennessee media on Wednesday. “I’m happy for him that he prepared. I told him the same thing I tell our guys, you’re one play away once you get activated.”
Tyler Vrabel has been toiling away on the Falcons’ practice squad. He was promoted on Saturday.
“I know he’s been working extremely hard,” Mike Vrabel said. “I don’t know where it goes from here. He went in and I got to see a couple of plays before we took off.”
Mike Vrabel, who played 1997-2010 in the NFL for the Steelers, Patriots and Chiefs, didn’t assess his son’s play.
“No, that’s not for me,” Mike Vrabel said. “Critique. I’m happy that he got an opportunity.”
Tyler Vrabel played 57 offensive snaps (79%) and four snaps on special teams against the Bucs.
“It was pretty awesome,” Tyler Vrabel said. “For the most part, I was ready to go. But definitely unexpected, but super cool. I thought I handled it pretty well and it definitely was a cool experience.”
Tyler Vrabel started 33 of 35 games at Boston College from 2018-21. He’s spent most of the past two seasons on the practice squad.
“The big thing is try to improve every day, every week,” Tyler Vrabel said. “Just getting better. I think when you’re on the practice squad, you have to make the most of the reps that you get in practice. I’ve been doing that to the best of my ability, and it’s been paying off. I just have to make sure that I stay on top of that and keep grinding.”
Tyler Vrabel doesn’t plan to change his approach.
“Keep doing the same things,” he said. “Keep preparing like you’re going to play. Go from there. Just staying on top of it every week. Make sure that I’m on top of my (stuff).”
He credits offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford with his development.
“Coach Led told me to go out there and have fun,” Vrabel said. “He had trust in me, and I appreciate that and all of the work that he’s put into me.”
Arthur Smith seeing the ghost of Dan Orlovsky
The Falcons can’t afford to take the 1-12 Carolina Panthers lightly on Sunday.
“If you let that creep into your – look, that’s such a funny thing in human psychology because it’s the National Football League,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said. “I mean, just look at this past weekend’s games. That’s life in the NFL.”
Smith then flashed back to the 2011 season when he was an assistant with the Titans.
“You go to history,” Smith said. “Part of the reason (Tennessee) didn’t make the playoffs in 2011, the year that Indy with Peyton (Manning) had the neck issue, and they were 0-for-whatever. That game probably cost us the playoffs.
“We ended up going 9-7. I think they were 0-13. We went up to Indy. Ugly game, didn’t play well, give Indy credit. They got hot. I think it was Dan Orlovsky that was playing quarterback.”
Orlovsky, who played at Connecticut, is currently a popular analyst on ESPN. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown to lead the Colts to a 27-13 victory over the Titans. Running back Donald Brown had 16 carries for 161 yards to lead the upset and get the Colts’ first win of the season.
“They hit a shot in Cover 2,” Smith said. “We got a penalty on a punt. They broke an 80-yard – we had a (chance) in four-minute to get the ball back, and the guy (Brown) popped an 80-yard run, and you lose.”
You can bet that Smith shared that story with the Falcons.
“It’s just that’s pro football,” Smith said. “You shouldn’t have to use that historical example, but you just look week-to-week and know the fine line. There’s a lot of close games. Carolina has been in a lot of close games. This will be a challenge, like they all are.”
Singleton’s sensational season
Georgia Tech freshman receiver Eric Singleton had an impressive debut season for the Yellow Jackets and continued to earn accolades this month for his 2023 campaign.
A 5-foot-11, 173-pound product of Alexander High in Douglasville, Singleton was named an All-American by The Athletic and by 247Sports. He averaged 64.2 receiving yards per game, hauled in six touchdown receptions, totaled 706 receiving yards and 47 catches.
Previously named a freshman all-America by On3, Singleton was considered a three-star prospect by the 247Sports Composite.
“My goal before the season was to just get on the field,” Singleton said. “But my dad told me he wanted me to be a freshman All-American. I had to make it happen for my dad.”
Singleton’s six touchdown receptions are one shy of the Tech freshman record of seven held by Calvin Johnson (2004) and Ahmarean Brown (2019). Singleton finished second in voting for ACC offensive rookie of the year and third in balloting for the conference’s overall rookie of the year.
25 Bulldogs walk in graduation ceremonies
Twenty-five Georgia athletes were set to pick up their degrees at UGA’s fall commencement ceremony this week. Nearly half of them were football players (12), past and present.
One of the oldest was David Marshall. The oft-injured defensive lineman signed with the Bulldogs in the freshman Class of 2016, coach Kirby Smart’s first, and completed his eligibility in 2019. Seven years later, the Thomaston native earned his degree in housing management and policy.
Current football players who also picked up degrees Friday included Austin Blaske (history), Warren Brinson (housing), Sevaughn Clark (housing), Graham Collins (economics), Dan Jackson (agribusiness), Collin Lark (management), Zion Logue (sociology), Kendall Milton (consumer economics), Micah Morris (sociology), Drew Sheehan (sport management) and Brock Vandagriff (communication).
Vandagriff, a redshirt sophomore quarterback, graduated in just three years. The former 5-star prospect from Bogart is transferring to Kentucky. Blaske also is graduating in three years and seeking a transfer.
Other UGA athletes who were scheduled to graduate Friday:
Baseball -- Nolan Crisp (Advertising; Locust Grove, Ga.), Josh Stinson (Mechanical Engineering; Lawrenceville, Ga.)
Equestrian -- Megan Seidel (Master of Natural Resources; Birmingham, Ala.)
Soccer -- Lizzie Ammon (Art; Aldie, Va.), Nicole Vernis (Psychology; North Palm Beach, Fla.)
Softball -- Sydney Kuma (Sport Management; Fresno, Calif.)
Swimming and Diving -- Callie Dickinson (Master of Science; Virginia Beach, Va.), Riley Scruggs (Mechanical Engineering; Newnan, Ga.)
Tennis -- Anna Hertel (Entertainment & Media Studies; Warsaw, Poland)
Track and Field --John-Isaac Autry (advertising; Augusta), Darius Carbin (Master of Science; San Jose, Calif.), Alencar Pererira (Cognitive Science; Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil)
Volleyball -- Mallory Downing (real estate; Winter Park, Fla.)
Star power
Recently, Braves center fielder Michael Harris II held a bowling event to benefit his Catch 23 Foundation. Of course, Harris and Co. had a packed guest list.
But did you expect it to include Mookie Betts?
That’s right: The Dodgers star – who finished second to Ronald Acuña Jr. in National League MVP voting – was at the event supporting Harris.
Betts is a professional-level bowler. He’s competed in pro bowling tournaments, and he probably could make a living bowling if he didn’t play baseball.
Harris also loves bowling, in addition to golfing.
But baseball worked out for both Harris and Betts.
Interrupting the Packers
Jarred Kelenic, the Braves’ new outfielder, is from Wisconsin.
You know what that means: He’s a huge Packers fan.
On Dec. 3, he was at his house with a bunch of buddies for the Packers game … when he received a call.
He had been traded to the Braves.
“Once I heard that, I was fired up, because I knew I was gonna go to a really good organization,” Kelenic. “They’ve had a winning history the last however many years, and it’s no question that they were one of the best teams in baseball all last year and years prior. I was really looking forward to just being a part of that and learning from those guys, and kind of just having a fresh new start with a new organization. I’m fired up.”
-Staff writers Chad Bishop, Chip Towers, Justin Toscano and D. Orlando Ledbetter contributed to this report.
