Georgia Bulldogs: 2011 Post-Spring Depth Chart Surprises

Georgia released it's post-spring depth chart today and while there were few surprises, a few things stood out—at least to me—as curious.

For one, the sight of Ken 'Boo' Malcome at No. 4—behind the walk-on Brandon Harton and the diminutive Carlton Thomas—seemed odd. Malcome was one of the major standouts this past spring and seemed poised to challenge Caleb King for more significant carries come summer. However, the fact that he didn't even manage to land at No. 2 concerned me a bit—but only a little bit.

Perhaps the groin injury that plagued Malcome all spring played a role in where he ended up on the chart (although, it does seem worth noting that, Baccari Rambo missed all of spring managed to maintain his position on the depth chart despite missing the majority of spring practice).
It's a situation that bears watching once summer drills commences as, hopefully, there isn't more to it than meets the eye.

Keep in mind, for those who don't know, this chart does not speak to where guys like Isaiah Crowell or Damian Swann will land once they arrive and throw their respective skills into the mix. It's sole purpose is to present a guide as to where guys stand as of right now.

Another small surprise, although no one should be too shocked by it at this point, is the fact that Michael Bennett has leaped over Israel Troupe. Troupe's stock has really declined over the last 18-months and it looks as if his impact at Georgia will be relegated to a reserve capacity from this point forward. It's too bad that he hasn't really found his groove, he's got the physical attributes needed to be a solid competitor, I'm just not sure he ever really committed fully to playing football.

On the other hand, the 'Michael Bennet Hype Train' continues to gain traction and, by summer, it will likely be at full bore as this young man continues to make sure he's not overlooked by anyone.

Oh, and in case you missed it, we are thin on the offensive line, at safety, and at wide receiver. I'm praying the new strength program also includes a heavier emphasis on injury prevention. We are one hamstring injury away from seeing a tight end being a permanent fixture on the offensive line and that's not a comforting thought. 

Georgia Bulldogs: Tough Break for Trinton, What's Next for Georgia?

Photo Credit: DAVID MANNING

Trinton Sturdivant is out for the 2011season. He tore the anterior crucial ligament (ACL) in his right knee during Saturday's scrimmage and will spend the next year rehabbing.

Because Sturdivant took a medical redshirt in 2008—a player who uses his redshirt season for medical reasons is eligible to apply for a medical hardship year—he could possibly receive a sixth year of eligibilty from the NCAA based on his circumstances.

Medical Hardship Waivers

In order to be eligible for a medical hardship waiver, a student-athlete must have competed in at least one contest in the first half of the season, but no more than three contests or 30%, whichever is greater (14.2.4). The total number of contests is calculated by the schedule on the first date of competition. Participation in Conference postseason is counted as one competition.

If a student-athlete is unable to compete at all during an entire season because of an injury or illness, the student-athlete may not file for a medical hardship waiver. In this case, the season would be considered a medical redshirt season.

If the student-athlete has two or more seasons of medical redshirt because of an injury or illness (or one season of medical redshirt and one season of medical hardship), the Compliance Office can file for an extension of the five-year clock (a sixth year) only after the student-athlete has reached the end of the existing five-year clock [emphasis added].

However, much of this seems unlikely given Sturdivant's flirtation with the NFL this past season. He may want to take this opportunity to get strong and apply for next year's draft in hopes of having a ahot at playing in the pros.

We'll have to wait and see what happens here, but it's most likely Sturdivant has played his last game at the University of Georgia.

That said, the next question is what will Georgia do at left tackle?

Cordy Glenn appears to be the best option as he has experience playing the position, but if he moves from right tackle—a position he is admittedly more comfortable playing—Georgia will have to find someone to take his place. Some choices, according to Anthony Dasher of UGASports.com, would be Austin Long, Kolton Houston, and Justin Anderson.

Kolton Houston is a redshirt freshman with plenty of talent, but he seems best built to play offensive guard due to his average pass-blocking skills. He has impressed offensive line coach, Will Friend, in practices thus far, but it seems doubtful he would be ready to play right tackle this season. That said, he has gotten some looks all across the line this spring and remains a legitimate option—even if only as a reserve.

Justin Anderson has moved back to the offensive line after one season of trying his wares on defense, and while he's adjusted well to being back in his natural element, he's practiced solely at guard this spring. Add to that, Anderson has a lengthy injury history—he missed a majority of 2010 with a turf toe—and may not be physically ready for the rigors of playing on the outside.

Austin Long is the wild card of this bunch. He was highly touted when he arrived at Georgia, but has been besieged by injuries and hasn't contributed much. This is his first spring of really giving it a go and he's already had to miss some time with a sore shoulder.

Those are Georgia's best options for the moment, but there is still the possibility they could find their solution when the 2011 signees enroll—Watts Dantzler, Zach DeBell, and Xzavier Ward among them.

Looks like coach Friend has a lot more work yet to do this spring.

Related articles

• Gerogia Bulldogs OT Trinton Sturdivant has torn right ACL, will miss season (sports.espn.go.com)
• Heartbreak v3.0: UGA lineman suffers another ACL tear (collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com)

Georgia Bulldogs: Aaron Murray Is The Starting QB—No Question

Photo Credit: BRANT SANDERLIN/AJC

There will always be naysayers where Aaron Murray is concerned, but those people obviously didn't see how well Murray played in 2010. The redshirt freshman showed poise beyond his years and showcased a bevy of skills that even the coaching staff could not have expected.

So, when this article was published, questioning whether or not Georgia should "sit or start" Murray in 2011, I found myself intrigued as to what a non-Bulldog fan had to say on the subject. Below are the only two reasons this writer has for sitting the tough, young man from Tampa.

#1. Lack of Size

Murray measures in at 6'1" and 209 pounds. He needs to add a little weight to help endure some of the sacks he takes. Murray was sacked 24 times and suffered a number of hits during the 2010 season. Until the Georgia Bulldogs' offensive line improves, Murray should expect to have pass-rushers in his face at times.

His lack of height also occasionally leads to passes batted down at the line of scrimmage.

Okay, it's true that Murray is not the prototypical height and size of a pro-style quarterback, but that is not the only characteristic that goes into a quality starter.

There are plenty of 6'3", 225 lb, signal-callers that don't have the poise, pocket presence, or leadership ability that Murray displays on the football field and those are the intangibles that matter—every bit as much as the physical attributes.

Oh and, FYI, the nation's leading passer last season was shorter than Murray—Bryan Moniz. It also seems safe to assume that Boise State wouldn't trade their quarterback for  all the tea in China either. Kellen Moore clocks in at 6'0".

The point is, size doesn't always matter.

Furthermore, his lack of body weight is less important, where sacks are concerned, than Georgia's need to get their offensive line in order.

Murray didn't miss one game last season, despite being knocked on his backside better than 20 times. Even more, the anemic running game, the absence of playmakers in the receiving game (particularly in A.J. Green's absence), and the inability of the coaches to loosen the reigns as the season progressed, all played a hefty roll in Murray's inability to succeed in the win-loss column.

#2. Record

Murray was only able to produce a 6-7 record on the year and 3-5 record in Southeastern Conference play. While Murray's performances were decent, he wasn't able to lead the team to a winning record.

The fact that Murray was unable to "lead the team to a winning record" wasn't all on him. Poor playcalling, unfortunate turnovers, and defensive lapses in the secondary played key roles in losses at South Carolina, at Mississippi State, at Colorado, at Florida, and versus Arkansas—only one of those losses could, arguably, be attributed to Murray's play—he threw an ill-advised interception against Florida that led to the game-winning play in overtime.

If Georgia had taken care of business, on both sides of the ball in every one of those games, that 6-7 record might easily have been 10-3 or 11-2 (7-1 or 6-2 in the SEC).

Murray's lack of a winning record isn't all on him and there is no question that 2011 should be better for the Georgia Bulldogs—if Mark Richt and his staff can right the ship on both sides of the football field.

Georgia Bulldog TE Bruce Figgins' Return Should Bolster Offense

When Bruce Figgins was suspended at the start of 2009, many felt that the tight end position took a hit. Despite the potential at the time, of both Aron White and Orson Charles, it was the size and blocking ability of Bruce Figgins that many hoped to see on the field in 2009--especially given the inexperience of Joe Cox at quarterback.

After the first few games of the season however, it became clear that both Charles and White were doing a solid job as starters and, their production on the field was significant enough, that Figgins felt comfortable opting for a medical redshirt.

This allowed him to continue rehabbing his shoulder and preparing for a fully healthy season in 2010.

His six-game suspension in August 2009 likely factored into the decision as well. He was due to return for the seventh game of the year, but there was no guarantee that he would have been ready, conditioning wise, to play at the level fans were accustomed to seeing.

2010 brings a fresh start and Figgins is ready to get back to buisness on the football field.  Even so, that doesn't mean it will be an easy task for him to steal reps from the firmly established rotation of Orson Charles and Aron White.

After all, their performances firmly established them as receiving threats in the offense and Charles, in particular, could prove a comfortable target for new quarterback Aaron Murray--the two are good friends and played together at Plant High School--as he gets comfortable with his starting role.

On the other hand, it couldn’t hurt to bolster the offensive lines expected strength with an extra body that knows how to pick up a blitz and open up running lanes for the tailbacks.

Last season, the Dawgs offensive line struggled against the pass rush and was inconsistent blocking in short yardage situations. Figgins’ size and aggressive nature at the point of attack could help alleviate some of those issues in 2010 by adding another big body on the line of scrimmage.

Figgins has always shown a proclivity for being an outstanding blocker and he can hold his own against some of the tougher defensive ends in the SEC.

This year it is expected that the Dawgs will lean on the run game heavily in the early going and a healthy, strong, and rejuvenated Figgins lining up alongside an experienced crew, would be beneficial in both protecting Aaron Murray and opening running lanes for the tailbacks.

Furthermore, his healthy influence on Arthur Lynch cannot be discounted. He and Lynch are similar in both size and style of play, and Lynch has shown that he can be a formidable blocker in the future.
Figgins’ ability to catch passes should also not be dismissed. He may not be called upon to fill that role very often, but that does not mean he is not capable of doing so. He has good hands to go with his strong frame and that makes him an excellent redzone target.

Georgia has a lot of talent at the tight end spot, but the return of Figgins is significant because of his above-average blocking ability. Georgia will need him to remain healthy and focused (both on and off the field) this season. If he can do so, both the passing and running game should be helped by his presence on the field.