Isaiah Crowell Says He "Can Be A Starter" At Georgia This Year

Photo Credit: Jason Getz

In an interview by Gentry Estes of Dawgs247.com, Georgia 2011 signee Isaiah Crowell speaks on his goals coming into this season as one of the most heralded tailbacks the Bulldog Nation has seen in a good while. And it's clear, from the tone of their conversation, that Crowell is ready to make good on his hype, saying, "I know they're depending on me, so I've got to work hard. I've got a point to prove."

And you can best believe all eyes will be on this young man, as well as others in his signing class, as they arrive on campus to debut just how much of a dream team they have the potential to become.

For Crowell, the main competition will be with his own expectations as the guys currently on Georgia's roster seem to already be playing second-fiddle to the five-star phenom out of Carver-Columbus High School. But, to be clear, those stars won't amount to much if Crowell can't block and pick up blitzes for Aaron Murray—arguably the most important player on the field for the Bulldogs last year.

That last point is one of the main reasons why former Georgia running back, Washaun Ealey, wasn't as popular with coach Richt as he was with a lot of the fans in his short career.

It's no secret that Richt values blocking ability as much as running ability where his tailbacks are concerned, and you can bet your red and black glasses if Crowell can't pick up on pass-blocking schemes and blitzes, he will definitely find his reps limited no matter how well he runs.

Even so, his overall work ethic, drive, and desire to prove that he's more than just hype could very well be the difference in him finding immediate success on the field.

One things is certain, he will have plenty of chances to make his mark this summer as the starting tailback job is wide open. Crowell knows that and says his main goal is to prove that "... I can be a starter. That’s the main thing.", he wants his shot and he feels good about his chances to make his mark for the program he loves.

Many are hoping that is indeed the case as the young man could become the spark that Georgia needs in the running game this season—one of the most critical in Mark Richt's career—and possibly the key to making the offense really come together for offensive coordinator Mike Bobo. If nothing else, it would take some of the pressure off Aaron Murray.

June 6th will mark the beginning of Crowell's tenure at Georgia and many are hoping it starts with a bang.

Related articles

• Mark Richt: Caleb King Has "Become...a very dependable football player" (theladysportswriter.blogspot.com)
• Georgia Bulldogs: Are The Running Backs Man Enough? (theladysportswriter.blogspot.com)
• Reset (blutarsky.wordpress.com)

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. 

Mark Richt: I Want To Stay At Georgia for 10 More Years..."At Least"

Mark Richt spoke openly about his desire to remain in Athens as head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs and, given the buzz that suddenly seems to be accumulating around the team (both positive and negative), he has a good chance to state his case for seeing that happen if he completes a solid 2011 campaign.

In the meanwhile, he might want to take a long look at how his staff recruits offensive linemen as, yet again, Georgia finds that very unit in the news again for all the wrong reasons. This time the news surrounds junior, A.J. Harmon, who has decided to transfer.

Harmon was expected to play a key role in the offensive line rotation this season—particularly in the wake of the Trinton Sturdivant injury—but was unable to get his academics in order (at least that's the rumor floating around), leaving depth on the offensive line at dangerous levels.

That said, Mark Richt has made it clear that Georgia is not out of options yet.

Watts Dantzler, Xzavier Ward, and Zach DeBell are all due in this summer and, at least two of those three guys, are expected to play a contributive role on the line this year and that likely would have been the case even if A.J. Harmon had not made the decision to transfer.

As for Richt, he's been in this situation on far more occasions than he'd like during his tenure at Georgia and, to be frank, it would be more disconcerting if this were a conversation about Cordy Glenn or Ben Jones as Harmon hasn't been as impactful on the line as the scurry around him now might lead you to believe.

Although, to be fair, anytime you lose significant experience at the left tackle position—even if it is in a reserve capacity—you feel a little less easy heading into the season. Harmon certainly had the reps and the familiarity with the blocking schemes that you like to see in your linemen, but he never was able to breakthrough as a starter and it is likely he didn't see that changing much this season either—academic problems or not.

The arrival of the heralded tackles from the 2011 signing class just got a lot more interesting—hope these dreams won't be of the deferred kind.

Aaron Murray: Change A Few Plays And "...Our Season is Completely Different"

In a one-on-one interview with Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel earlier this week, Aaron Murray spoke about his progress over this past spring, what he will need to work on this summer, and what he hopes to see happen in 2011.

From some of his statements, it's clear that he is still bothered by how everything turned out (6-7 overall record, losing to Central Florida in the bowl game, etc.), but you also get a sense that's he's feeling good about Georgia's potential in 2011—if everyone is one the same page.

He says his biggest goal this summer is to "...work on my timing with my receivers.  We’ve got a lot of new guys out there...but not a lot of guys with experience."

That's not exactly news to those who follow the team closely. With the departure of A.J. Green, junior Tavarres King steps into the role of Georgia's No. 1 receiver and, with only 47 receptions in his three year career, he's a No. 1 of a different collar. By contrast, Chad Bumphis of Mississippi State had 44 receptions in 2010, as a sophomore, on a team that ran the ball nearly three times as much as it passed.

So, to say that King has a bit more work to do in the experience department is an understatement.

That said, last season was his most productive one to date (27 receptions, 504 yards, and three touchdowns) so there is reason to be optimistic that the transition will go well.

As for Murray's options beyond King, there is no denying that Orson Charles is that guy. Richt has been vocal about Charles' place in the offense and he hasn't been shy about calling the tight end his "best receiver". So, look for him to get a lot of reps this summer in anticipation of his increased role.

One thing is certain, Murray won't be sneaking up on defenses this season and he knows it. He took one heck of a beating last year, thanks in large part to an offensive line that didn't seem to play consistently, and he's added a few more pounds to his frame (about 10 to be exact) in order to "...be able to endure a bit of the punishment". Although, most fans will be hoping that he won't see the turf nearly as much in 2011 as he did in 2010 (25).

On the other hand, from an armchair point of view, many are just hoping to see Murray stay focused for all four quarters. 

Murray, admittedly, had some mental lapses in the 2nd and 3rd quarters of games last year and that often led to negative lulls in the offense. But, with a year under his belt, perhaps he will be able to correct those inconsistencies and play more evenly across the board.

Overall, Murray looks to be confident that a lot of the mistakes of 2010 can be forgotten in 2011, if the team does what it's supposed to do on the field—play well every second, of every down, of every game.Said Murray,

"...Every week is going to be to the end, it’s going to come down to the fourth quarter. That was our biggest problem last year, just not finishing off games. Maybe three or four plays every game you go back and change and our season is completely different. So, just come in with a mindset that it’s going to be a long year and you are going to have to mentally prepare yourself for 13-to-14 games and you have to mentally prepare yourself that you are going to play every play of every one of those games."

His statement echos a common sentiment that has been heard a good bit around Butts-Mehre this off-season—from Joe Tereshinski Sr. to coach Mark Richt—the hard line is Georgia just didn't finish games last season and that played the biggest role in a most every one of their losses.

If that is the case, Georgia's players are doing all they can to not make those same mistakes twice, especially with jobs and reputations so firmly on the line, and that motivation is hopeful to continue this summer when the new class comes to town.

Related articles

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Washaun Ealey: "...I probably need to go somewhere I can focus."

Photo Credit: Josh D. Weiss

In case you hadn't heard, former standout Georgia Bulldog running back, Washaun Ealey, has been granted his unconditional release by the University of Georgia football team. And, from the looks of it, that's precisely what needed to happen in order for the team to truly move forward in a more postive, team-focused, direction.

Now, I am never one who likes to bash a kid, but Ealey has grated my nerves for quite some time with his poor attitude and inability to place the team (not his jersey number) first. So, when I peeped some of the comments he made this afternoon in regards to his departure from the program, I can't say that I was surprised he said them, but I was disappointed that he said them out loud.

Here are just a few of the gems he dropped:

On his time at Georgia:

"I probably would have stayed out of a little more trouble than I did, but I feel like everything happens for a reason. So I probably wouldn't change anything." 

Is this kid for real? I completely get the whole idea behind not having regrets, but his actions at Georgia would have bordered on insubordination if he were employed.

On why he decided to transfer:

"...I just felt like I want to be able to stay focused. For me to be successful, I probably need to go somewhere I can focus." 

Ummmm, okay. I only have one question for him on that one: what the heck were you focusing on before—if not the game of football and being a student at the University of Georgia?

On his diminishing role as a tailback:

"I'm a person where I want to be a premier back, if I was to play here, I would have had to share the backfield with Caleb (King) and Carlton (Thomas) also. Then they were going to try to give the freshman Isaiah his chance... I just felt like I didn't want to be in that mix of things anymore."

It's called COMPETITION, Washaun and, if you're a good, quality, back then you relish the opportunity to show why you're still the best option.  You were never entitled to have the role of starter and you certainly did not prove yourself worthy of consideration with your shenanigans....just wow. 

It seems to me that Washaun Ealey was looking for a place where his ego could be coddled and his skill level unquestioned. Georgia might suffer on the depth chart because of his departure but, as a fan, does he really sound like the type of player you want on your team?

Read the entirety of the interview (conducted by Gentry Estes of Dawgs 24/7) here ($$$).  

Related articles

• The rise and fall of Washaun Ealey (blutarsky.wordpress.com)
• RB Ealey transferring after problems at Georgia (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Georgia Bulldogs: Is Washaun Ealey's Release Really A Surprise?

Photo Credit: Brant Sanderlin/AJC

It has been announced that Georgia Bulldog running back, Washaun Ealey, has been granted an unconditional release by the team—he will finish his career elsewhere.

Now, raise your hand if this news surprises you.

Okay, raise your hand if you truly saw Washaun Ealey playing any significant downs for the University of Georgia football team in 2011.

I'm willing to lay a bet down that not many of you raised your hand because, to be quite honest, the surprise would have been if Washaun Ealey made it through the summer based on some of Mark Richt's comments last month at a Bulldog Club gathering in Augusta, GA.

Said Richt, at that time, "Washaun has a ways to go still to show me that he deserves to start or even play right now..."

Does that sound like a guy who's in a hurry to bring back a kid who has been, for the last 12-16-months, displaying less and less interest in wearing a Bulldog uniform? Let's face it, Ealey wore out his welcome a long time ago and, I'll go on record and admit, I'm not so sure how much a pulled hamstring had to do with his lack of carries this past spring.

It has long been rumored, although not confirmed, that Ealey wasn't happy with the new attitude being promoted and enacted at Georgia (mostly from the strength and conditioning aspect) and he wasn't buying into the program that new strength coach, Joe Tereshinksi was selling. It was for that very reason he was given an indefinite suspension this past February.

If we assume the latter is all true, then Ealey's release was not only a matter of time, but a necessary evil as there is no place for that level of dissension on a team that is already heading into a tenuous 2011 football season.

That said, there will be even more pressure for new recruit, Isaiah Crowell, to be all he can be—now—as the depth chart at tailback just got real thin, real fast.

Hopefully Mr. Ealey can find what he's looking for at another institution. He's clearly got a lot of talent, but he'll need to mature a bit before he can reach his max potential.

Related articles

• Georgia Bulldogs reinstate Washaun Ealey after 2-week-plus ban (sports.espn.go.com)
• Put on notice (blutarsky.wordpress.com)
• Lingering hamstring issue to sideline UGA's Ealey for spring game. (collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com)

Georgia Bulldogs: RB Coach Bryan McClendon Gets A Hefty Raise

Photo Credit: David Manning

Chalk this one up to the 'he's one helluva recruiter' explanation because, otherwise, I'm scratching my head at how running backs coach, Bryan McClendon managed to get a raise which more than doubles what he made in 2010 ($90,000 to 200,000). Tony Ball, Georgia's wide receivers coach, will also see his paycheck get a bump from $165,000+ to $200,000.

But, back to McClendon.

The raise, according to Chip Towers, was McGarity's way of being proactive in keeping the football staff intact. Both Ball and McClendon were apparently pursued by other schools this past season and opted to stay at Georgia. As a result, they were given "competitive counter offers" that allowed them to stay at Georgia and not disrupt the continuity of the coaching staff.

While I can certainly get on board with maintaining continuity, particularly in a year already marked with a ton of questions about Mark Richt's future at Georgia, McClendon's pay raise seems too generous given what he's done as a coach.

That said, it's easy to see that McClendon's value as a recruiter has given him more rope than he might normally have had. Mark Richt said as much himself when he was forced to defend McClendon's sub-par performance at recent speaking engagement.

Said Richt of McClendon's worth, "...Bryan McClendon is a hell of a coach, he’s a hell of a recruiter. And I’m glad we got Bryan McClendon."

Last season, McClendon was key in the recruitment of Isaiah Crowell, Zach DeBell, Quintavious Harrow, and Nick Marshall—all of whom are expected to be impact players at Georgia in the near future and a good recruiter is something that most any head coach will covet.

Bobo has a similar talent and has elicited as much loyalty from Richt as both McClendon and Garner.  By way of mention, however, all three men have had their fair share of criticism from both pundits and fans, about their ability as coaches—none of them appear to be in danger of losing their jobs anytime soon.

I suppose you can't blame Richt for wanting some of the best recruiters in the nation peppering his staff but, at some point, you would hope their coaching talents would be every bit as worthy of the praise.

McClendon is still young, only 27 years old, so he's still growing into his role as running backs coach (much like Bobo), but he is clearly a star on the rise, particularly as a recruiter, and if he's able to bring it all together this season, then Georgia will have made one very good deal.

Related articles

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Georgia Bulldogs Offer 2012 Prospect Dillon Lee

Whenever you mention the Georgia Bulldogs and Dillon Lee in the same sentence, most people only have one thought: why hasn't Georgia offered him yet?

Well, finally, after it seemed Georgia would let this top in-state product get away, they extended an offer to the stud linebacker prospect from Buford High School in Buford, GA.

Lee is 6'4", 220, and seems tailor made for the 3-4 defense. He moves well, has great presence in space, and uses his hands well—he's played tight end and could play there at the next level depending on his college choice. Personally, I feel he'll make his living on defense as an outside linebacker as he has too much defensive upside.

He's a big hitter who knows how to get into the backfield and lay out a guy.

With such a late offer by the Bulldogs, most would assume that Mark Richt's bunch are well out of the race, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Lee is reportedly adding Georgia to his list of finalists and will be considering them as a possible destination in 2012—although most still feel he could land in Tuscaloosa with the Crimson Tide (FSU is also a real possibility).

One thing is certain, Lee looks like he's ready to be a big time ball player at the next level.

Georgia Bulldogs: 2012 DE Prospect Leonard Floyd Chooses Dawgs

Leonard Floyd has given his verbal commitment to the Georgia Bulldogs for 2012. The defensive end from Dodge County made his announcement this morning and cited a desire to focus on school and football as his reason for getting it done this early in the game.

Floyd's announcement comes less than 24-hours after Markuss Eligwe—one of the state's top linebacking prospects—selected FSU over both Georgia and Florida.

Floyd has the reputation as one of the Georgia's best pass-rushing prospects in this season's class and will be a nice addition to the 3-4—whether he plays OLB or DE has yet to be determined. Coach Grantham has already expressed a desire to place him at outside linebacker, but there is admittedly some work to be done with Floyd, technique wise, before he will be ready to assume that role.

Floyd is Georgia's sixth commitment and he chose the Bulldogs over both Alabama and Florida.

Georgia Bulldogs: 2012 RB Prospect Rushel Shell

A fair number of Georgia fans who follow college football recruiting closely already know all about Keith Marshall—the stud running back out of North Carolina is the player on the Bulldog's wish list for 2012. So, it's not likely you'll ever see his profile on this site as there are plenty of others who can tell you all about him.

However, there seems to be a lot less fanfare around Georgia's offer to Pennsylvania running back, Rushel Shell—the No. 5 running back prospect in the nation according to 247sports.com—and while that may have a lot to do with Georgia's perceived chances to nab him (which seem pretty slim at the moment), he still bears watching this season.

As a junior, Shell put up monster numbers (323 attempts, 2,510 yards, and 32 touchdowns) to cap off his second consecutive 2,400+ yard season, and he's poised to repeat the feat again in 2011. His combination of speed and power make him a challenge for defense, to bring down and his ceiling is high where the next level is concerned as he appears to be built to carry the running game of just about any team he chooses.

Shell expressed a serious interest in six schools early on—three of which are in the SEC—but has stated that he is open to every suitor at this time and is going to take his time with the process.



(h/t FRONTPAGESCOUT)

Related articles

• Scout.com releases updated 2012 position rankings (e3athletics.com)
• Top 12 for 2012 (elevenwarriors.com)
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Georgia Bulldogs: Richt Feeling No Pressure in 2011

Photo Credit: Kelly Lambert

When asked if he felt any pressure coming off a 6-7 season, Georgia Bulldog head coach had this to say, "None, I don’t feel any pressure. None at all".

Well, alrighty then.

As much as the Georgia Bulldogs have been under the microscope these last 18-months, it's nice to see the head coach still taking it all in stride (I say that tongue-in-cheek, of course).

However, sarcasm aside, it might be a good thing that Richt is taking a laid-back approach to things this year. The optimist or, as some have come to label them—the Disney Dawg—might say that Richt's attitude belies a man who feels confident in his team, his strategy, and his coaching staff. He's not worried because he knows he'll be kicking butt and taking names in 2011.

On the other hand, the pessimist might look at him and say, "well, it's the same ol' shuck and jive from Richt. I swear that man is like a James Bond drink—shaken, never stirred". Okay, well, maybe that's a bit corny, but you get the point—everything about this program is under speculation and no one is certain what to believe just yet.

I tend to fall somewhere between 'wait and see' and 'it has to get better from here'.

Surely, Murray will be even better in year two of this offense. He has a better understanding of the reads, the progressions, and his role as a leader on this team. And, even if the running game stalls out of the gate, it won't be due to guys who have forgotten how to play ball or who have become complacent at doing their jobs because they somehow feel entitled to be starting in every game. 

Both Washaun Ealey and Caleb King, in my opinion, began believing their own press too much after a successful 2009 campaign that saw them enter 2010 as, possibly, one of the best running back tandems in the SEC. As a result, they were not prepared to get smacked in the mouth the way they were and, seemingly, lost all confidence as ball carriers—not to mention their lack of focus off the football field.

The emergence of Ken 'Boo' Malcome, and the pending arrival of Isaiah Crowell, has relegated both Ealey and King to second-tier status. For the most part, no one is expecting either of them to do anything more than contribute. To be frank, if Ealey breaks 500-yards this season, I would be surprised because he suddenly can't seem to stay healthy and, if Crowell or Malcome turn out to be the types of players many feel they can be, Ealey will likely be competing with Carlton Thomas for the last spot on the depth chart.

As for the receivers, that should be interesting. Neither Marlon Brown nor Rantavious Wooten look like they will be world beaters in 2011, but Orson Charles, Arthur Lynch, and Tavarres King look ready to make something happen and that may be all Georgia needs if the run game takes off.

I suspect the defense will be better in year two and, once offensive line coach, Will Friend, finds his rotation, the offensive line should be competent—if nothing else.

Does that mean Georgia is primed to win the SEC East and shock the world this year? We'll just have to wait and see about that one, but I'm certainly not willing to best against them—yet.

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• G-Day, You Turn Me Inside Out: Notes on the Georgia Bulldogs' Spring Scrimmage (dawgsports.com)

Georgia Bulldogs: 2012 DB Prospect Deion Bonner

Deion Bonner is one of the top defensive back prospects in the country for the 2012 recruiting season. He's been offered by Georgia, Auburn, South Carolina, and Alabama thus far and, barring any missteps, was on par to pick up a few more looks as the season progressed.

He was also a sure-bet to land at Georgia in 2012 but, somewhere between 'sanity' and 'have you lost your damn mind', Bonner decided it would be cool to steal a few items from the players at one of his suitors' facilities—that suitor being Georgia and those players being his potential teammates.

I have to tell you, this incident had me scratching my head because it screams of the type of idiocy that seemed to plague the Georgia football team last season when the program became the butt of just about every SEC joke involving a criminal, an arrest, or a suspension—it wasn't a happy time.

So, naturally, my first thought was that coach Richt would yank this kid's offer and concentrate on landing someone else—maybe send a little more attention in Ryan Dillard's direction. Don't know who Dillard is? Well, he plays for AA Buford High School and, so far, has only fielded one offer—Harvard.

Dillard's claim to fame is shutting down former 5-star recruiting prospect, Da'Rick Rogers in 2009's AA finals—call that a plus—and, oh yeah, not being a thief (sorry, if that seems harsh or insensitive, but...whatever). 

However, when you look at Mark Richt's comments today, it doesn't look like he's ready to cut bait on Bonner just yet. Said Richt, "...these were just 16-, 17-year-old kids, that kids do different things, and it’s part of growing up".

Well, alright then.

Listen, thieving was never a part of my indoctrination into post-adolescence but, hey, different strokes for different folks, I guess.

Quite frankly, given the giant microscope Mark Richt is under this season, it would surprise me to see Bonner given an opportunity to play at Georgia. After all, what teammate wants a thief as his roommate and what on earth would Georgia's continued pursuit of him do to team morale?

Chances are Bonner will have to pay his penance playing football somewhere outside of the 30605 zip code.

In the end, I think T Kyle King of DawgSports.com summed this situation up best with the following statement:

...Visitors to Athens are alleged to have committed a crime against Georgia players, yet the likely outcome is that the purported perpetrators still will receive scholarship offers commensurate with those they would have received anyway, rival institutions will snag players they otherwise might not have gotten, and the only folks meaningfully harmed in all this will be the ones in the Classic City, who were the only ones with clean hands in the entire affair.

Such is life in Bulldog Nation, where forthrightness and honesty cost us our best offensive player for one-third of a season while other schools’ stonewalling and obfuscation earned them conference championships and BCS bowl victories. Maybe I watched a few too many cowboy movies growing up, but I’m about ready for the good guys to win one for a change.

Amen to that, Mr. King. Amen to that.

Related articles

• College prospect allegedly steals from Georgia players' lockers (georgia.scout.com)
• Three Football Recruits Named In Georgia Locker Room Robbery (sbnation.com)
• Prep prospect among three charged with theft from Georgia locker room (sports.espn.go.com)

VIDEO FLASHBACK: Odell Thurman Runs A Loooonnnnngggg Way

The 2003 Auburn Tigers came into the year ranked in the Top 10 and poised for a run at the National Championship. However, after opening the season with two road losses* to USC and Georgia Tech, respectively, it seemed that the Tigers may have been given a little bit too much respect by the pollsters.

While they quickly recovered from the stumble—winning their next five games in a row—by the time they met up with the Georgia Bulldogs in Sanford Stadium, they were losing steam fast as they'd lost two of their last three games—including a heartbreaking 20-24 loss to Ole Miss in Auburn—and were trying desperately to get back on the winning track.

Georgia, coming off their first SEC Championship in 20 years, was enjoying their resurgence in the SEC as a perennial contender—under the leadership of third-year head coach Mark Richt and defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder—and entered the contest ranked No. 7 in the nation, with a 7-2 overall record.

Considering the history of this rivalry, the average football fan would have thought Georgia's chances were pretty good coming into the contest—after all, they were playing this game at home. However, the truth of it was, Georgia hadn't beaten Auburn, in Athens, since 1991, and had only accomplished the feat three times in the previous 14 meetings at Sanford. It wasn't exactly a sure thing for Georgia.

However, the offense didn't need to be great on this day, as it was all about the defense. The Dawgs held the Tigers to 259 yards of total offense and put the kibosh on their stud tailback, Carnell Williams holding him to 45-yards on the day.

That said, the most memorable defensive play of the game came in the fourth quarter when linebacker Odell Thurman collected a tipped Jason Campbell pass in the Auburn endzone, and ran it back for 99-yards and the score—sealing the deal on a 26-7 Georgia Bulldogs' victory.




*The Auburn/USC match-up was played in Atlanta—a neutral site.

Georgia Bulldogs: Tight End Is The New Wide Receiver

In case you missed the bulletin, A.J. Green is gone. No longer will No. 8 traverse the fields of Sanford Stadium, and while there is currently not a guy on the Georgia Bulldogs' roster who seems ready to step into Green's huge shoes—have no fear—the tight end could be back in style again.

While a plethora of questions are worthy of conversation where the wide receiving corps is concerned—can Tavarres King be effective as a No. 1, will Marlon Brown or Rantavious Wooten ever become legit, is Michael Bennett the sleeper of the SEC this season—there seems to be little of that wondering going on where the tight ends are concerned. As a matter of fact, the only question that seems to keep cropping up is whether or not Aaron Murray will be able to air it out enough to keep his plethora of ends happy?

We start, of course, with Orson Charles who has been beastly since his arrival on campus in 2009. He has rarely disappointed, but you get the feeling that the best is still yet to come with this young man. Perhaps in his second season catching footballs from best friend, and former Plant High teammate, Aaron Murray, we will finally see him reach his full potential.

Next up is Aron White who, at 6'4", 239, is one of the smallest tight ends on the depth chart, but who has continually made his presence felt on the field during some of the more crucial downs. He's been hampered a bit by an injury this spring but, as the senior leader of this group, what he offers in poise and experience far outweighs his stat line which, given the lack of attention this position has been  given over the years, is still impressive.

Arthur Lynch looks like he's ready to make a difference on the football field this season as well. The redshirt sophomore gained better than 20 pounds this past offseason, and has looked solid in drills thus far. Lynch has always been lauded for his great blocking ability—a trait that will always get you on the football field for Mark Richt—but he has the potential to be every bit as useful as a pass-catcher. Look for him to step it up this season.

Finally, there's Jay Rome—who isn't even enrolled yet. You can expect to see him get a better than average shot at early playing time in 2011. He's got the size, the speed, the build, and the potential to make a nice contribution for the Bulldogs if placed in the right offensive situations.

There's no doubt that Georgia will be looking for playmakers this year and, as already mentioned, the wide receiving corps could use a boost with both Green and Durham now gone. It wouldn't surprise me to see one of these guys, perhaps Charles or White, step onto the football field in a hybrid role to fill in the blanks—particularly Charles who is known to get loose in the middle of the field to make the big play.

If offensive coordinator, Mike Bobo, can FINALLY see fit to open up his playbook to include more offensive sets for his talented tight ends, perhaps the obvious void in the receiving corps won't seem nearly as daunting.

Georgia Bulldogs Recruiting: 2012 DE Prospect Leonard Floyd

Leonard Floyd is 6'5", 220, and he's been on Georgia's radar for quite some time. He has an offer from coach Richt—secured after his participation in 2010's Dawg Night—as well as several other SEC powerhouses.

Floyd, considered by many to be one of the best pass-rushers in the state, is as gifted an athlete as they come, and he could be solid at the next level. As a "rover" (Floyd has played linebacker, defensive end, safety, wingback, and tight end) at Hawkinsville High School, Floyd has amassed quite the resume. However, it's most likely he'll settle into either a linebacking or tight end position in the college ranks.

While Georgia defensive coordinator, Todd Grantham, has already locked Floyd in as an outside linebacker, coach Richt has also mentioned the possibility of Floyd contributing on offense—if he were to choose Georgia as his destination.

Said Floyd, last October, "I like playing defense, but I like playing tight end/wide receiver about the same. No one had talked to me about playing on offense before, but Mark Richt said he had heard about my numbers catching the ball and said I would have a chance to play there as well. That made me feel good because that was the first time anyone had said I could play offense at the next level as well..." (Kipp Adams, UGASports.com, 10/17/10).

Floyd has long arms and quick feet, but will need to add more muscle to his frame if he expects to be effective in the Division I ranks.

His main strength is rushing the passer, but he's mostly played defensive end in high school, so he would need some practice if he were to play in Grantham's 3-4 as an outside linebacker—he would need more work standing up as opposed to playing with one hand on the ground.

Floyd is a strong Georgia lean at this time.

Mark Richt: "We Didn't Win The Fourth Quarter"

During a Thursday presser, some of which can be heard here via UGASports.com ($$$), Mark Richt discussed a few of the things that went wrong with the team last season, and what he feels needs to happen to not see a repeat of it again in 2011. Said Richt,

"...we all gotta be pulling in the same direction, and we all gotta be believing, and we all gotta get better at doing the things that will help us win the fourth quarter, really. I mean it's...we gotta, we have to finish well,  ya know? I think that's the main thing that we did not do. Six out of seven games I believe we were within a touchdown in the fourth quarter...and we didn't win the fourth quarter. That was our biggest problem—really."

In short, finish the drill.

There were many things that went into Georgia's inability to finish well in 2010—hopefully most of that will be remedied with the institution of a new strength program—but the attitudes on and off the field were in need of tweaking as well. There were too many alpha dogs trying to mark their territory, in my opinion, and that made for a team that didn't have the type of continuity or effort that we would have liked to see late in games last season.

All signs this off-season point to a team with a renewed interest in playing football for Georgia—not just at Georgia—and if that ends up being the truth, 6-7 will be a footnote for Mark Richt and not just the kink in the chain that led to his departure.

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• You get what you pay for. (blutarsky.wordpress.com)

Bitter Much?

While perusing the offerings of chuckoliver.net, I came across this little gem from one of the site's contributors, Joseph Wyatt:

...When you run a program that has been as undisciplined as Mark Richt does it’s easy to see why “secondary violations” should be viewed just as importantly as major ones. You don’t want your players picking and choosing which rules they will abide by, so the head coach needs to set the example.  But that’s exactly what happens at UGA, players like Washaun Ealey and Caleb King decide which rules should be important to follow and there’s never any real consequence. 

It's easy to see why UGA has discipline issues...they learned it by watching Richt.

This excerpt is from an article—if you want to bother calling it that—about coach Mark Richt's credibility as a disciplinarian on a team where suspensions have become more prevalent than most would like—particularly in the last 18-months. 

The premise of Wyatt's post might have been more intriguing had it not been such a poorly veiled attempt to make Richt look like some sort of "aw, shucks' con-man.

As a matter of fact, it seethed with so much contempt, that it led me to question the author's allegiances—a question which was quickly answered upon reading the following byline underneath his name, "Atlanta native, lifetime Georgia Tech fan."

Well, that explains that. 

Georgia Bulldogs: Aaron Murray Is Ready To Take A Few More Hits in 2011

Aaron Murray (standing left of center) has gained weight and muscle under the guidance of Joe Tereshinki's strength and conditioning program—and it shows:



While you hope to see the offensive line protecting the backside of No. 11 a lot better in 2011, it's nice to see that Mr. Murray is ready to take a few shots, if necessary.

Keep pumping that iron, boys.

Georgia Bulldogs: 2012 DL Prospect Jordan Watkins

The Georgia coaching staff hasn't been resting on their laurels since landing one of the top recruiting classes in the country this season, they are fully focused on keeping that trend going for 2012, and Jordan Watkins is the latest defensive prospect to get a nod from Mark Richt and Co.

Watkins is 6'5", 260, and is an absolute beast off the line. He has a great nose for the ball and moves well for his size. He's likely not done developing yet, but he's certainly capable of playing at either  defensive end or defensive tackle at the next level.

Said Watkins about the offer from the Bulldogs, "An offer from Georgia gives me three things as far as my family is concerned. I can stay close to home, which my mom would probably be happiest about with all of this. It is a great place to play football, and it is a great place to go to school for four years" (Kipp Adams, Rivals.com). 

If Georgia can put together a winning record this year, and make it back to a respectable bowl, you have to like their chance to stay in the hunt for Watkins. 

You can find out more about Georgia's latest target here ($$$) if you are a subscriber, but one look at his video and it's clear the kid has the potential to be a monster:




Watkins touts 29 offers as of today, which includes several other SEC schools—Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina and Alabama among them.

He totaled 61 tackles (13 tfl) and 6 sacks as a junior.

Georgia Bulldogs: Former LB, Demetre Baker, Didn't Feel The Love

Demetre Baker, the former four-star linebacker who was kicked off the Georgia football team following a DUI incident, is now at South Alabama—playing running back—according to Tommy Hicks of al.com.

Baker, who admits that Richt kept his word in helping him to find a school that best fit him, also had this to say about his time at Georgia, "I felt like this school [South Alabama] offered a lot of things and a lot of love and a lot of family, and that's what I was looking for. I didn't get that at Georgia."

The statement is a curious one given the amount of prospects who often state those very things as the reason they choose to play at Georgia in the first place.

Perhaps there is still some bitterness held by Baker because of the swiftness Richt took in dismissing him—which, at the time, was necessary given the atmosphere at Georgia

Whatever the case, it looks like Baker is happy with his current position at South Alabama. Hopefully he doesn't squander another opportunity to maximize his talents.