Mark Richt has admitted that using Logan Gray on special teams last year slowed his development as a quarterback. After spring practice, Gray is the leading candidate to be Joe Cox’s backup, and Richt has said that his staff might prepare a special package of plays to take advantage of Gray’s running ability at quarterback (which would fit in with No. 7 on my list yesterday of things I’d like to see this season: Gray inserted some of the time in the Red Zone).
But the coach apparently can’t quite let go of the idea that he needs to get Gray on the field even if he’s not behind center. Richt is quoted in the Athens Banner-Herald as saying, “We also think Logan is athlete enough to play a little bit of receiver, too, so that’s a possibility.”
As long as this doesn’t take away from Gray’s needed reps at quarterback in practice (and getting him some real game experience), it sounds like an intriguing idea. Sort of a Hines Ward type role. And who knows, if Aaron Murray comes on strong and challenges Gray for the backup spot this season, receiver might be Gray’s best shot at playing in the long run.
What do you think? Should Richt try to get Gray on the field, wherever, or should they just concentrate on developing Gray at QB?
Bulldog Bites: Sportsillustrated.com has come up with its post-spring practice Top 25, which makes about as much sense as any other pre-season ranking. They have the Florida Gators at No. 1, followed in the Top 10 by Texas, Oklahoma, USC, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State (UGA’s opener), Ole Miss (apparently a rising media darling), Oregon, Ohio State and Alabama. Then TCU, Boise State and LSU. The Dogs are ranked 15th, one spot behind the Trade School. Encouraging summary, though: “After a year marred by season-ending injuries to key players (DT Jeff Owens, OT Trinton Sturdivant, among many others), the Bulldogs could be much better than expected in 2009.” You can check out the listing here. …
After stumbling in another midweek game against Jacksonville State, the Diamond Dogs are beginning to look like they might have peaked too early this season. But they still lead Florida by a game in the SEC East and face the Gators in a sold-out three-game series in Athens beginning Friday night. The mandate from coach David Perno is clear: “There is an urgency to win this weekend.”
166 comments Add your comment
Diamond Dawg
April 30th, 2009
1:10 pm
If our offensive line stays healthy Joe Cox will be fine. Gray in the redzone does sound like a great idea. Hopefully we can find a true tailback and make a run at the East. Go Dawgs!!!
uuugh.
April 30th, 2009
1:12 pm
…and if Stafford cared about UGA as much as Joe T, he might have had a Tebow type career and still gone first in the draft. The team needs just as many Joe T’s as it does 5 star guys that want to play 2 years ang go pro.
DawginLex
April 30th, 2009
1:14 pm
So it’s ok to bash a DGD in Joe cox but Joe T’s career summary is not up for discussion?
I’m well aware of his family’s history. I didn’t mean to degrade him, just speaking the difference between him and joe cox ability wise.
DawginLex
April 30th, 2009
1:18 pm
On the flip side, one of my favorite players is Ray Goff. You know the one everyone refers to as Ray Goof? He played with more heart and courage than any QB we have had in 40 years.
He also had the decency to give his bonus money back to Denver when he got cut from the team. Yet he is known as Ray Goof?
We have all been guilty of it.
uuugh.
April 30th, 2009
1:30 pm
Who bashed Joe Cox? I wrote about the game plan for him in the G-day game…which, unless he is a coach now too, was decided by someone other than him. The coaches smartly didn’t show anything gameplan-wise that would show their hand. The coaches did what they were supposed to do and Cox did what he was supposed to do. I think that Cox is competitive as hell and I don’t think he would have seemed so mellow on the field if the lackluster performance wasn’t discussed beforehand.
I am only bashing your poor-mouthing of Joe T. You can make comparisons that build Cox up all day as long as it isn’t at the expense of another good dawg. Uuugh.
Gatorzone
April 30th, 2009
1:30 pm
Voice of reason, good post.
typical bulldawg fan
April 30th, 2009
1:33 pm
We are gonna win it all this year, wait and see! Joe cox or logan will take us to the promised land, since we have that saint coach richt. Not like that idiot gailey….Thank God and Greyhound he is gone!!!!
DawginLex
April 30th, 2009
1:33 pm
My comments were meant to compare the two ability wise. I’m sorry if I offended you regarding joe T. He and his family are DGD’s. The Cox bashing was all over this blog, not necessarily from you.
The name calling ain’t needed though cause I ain’t no clown(at least I don’t wear makeup to work)
uuugh.
April 30th, 2009
1:37 pm
…and you are right. Hats off to Ray Goff. Adding 5 items to the Guthries menu and calling it Zaxby’s was a stroke of genius! Way to go Coach!!
Didn’t we pay that cat for 3 or 4 years after canning him? Where was the refund on those payments?
I love me some Goff–but really dude?
typical bulldawg fan
April 30th, 2009
1:37 pm
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, WE ARE NUMBER 15!
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
WE WILL WIN IT ALL IN 09
HUNKER DOWN
WOOF WOOF
uuugh.
April 30th, 2009
1:42 pm
Sorry Lex…clown was uncalled for.
WTF???
April 30th, 2009
1:43 pm
Is it just me, or are these nerds exceptionally annoying today?
WTF???
April 30th, 2009
1:46 pm
I think Goff earned the monicker Goof from his coaching days & not his playing days.
DawginLex
April 30th, 2009
1:48 pm
Goff is only guilty of living his dream. He can’t help he wasn’t ready. UGA was guilty of letting him hang on too long but that is because of who he is and what he did.
Cuz
April 30th, 2009
1:51 pm
WTF, arguing among ourselves does give some people something to do at work.
typical bulldawg fan
April 30th, 2009
1:52 pm
awwwww, WTF??? Lighten up! There just nerds from north avenue!
Cuz
April 30th, 2009
1:54 pm
We took the best recruiter we had at the time in Ray Goff and gave him a role as head coach for which he was not prepared. It was not his fault and of course he wanted to be head coach of his college team, who wouldn’t? Impossible to turn down and an unbelievable mountain to climb.
WTF???
April 30th, 2009
1:54 pm
http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-tech-sports/2009/04/30/no-14-and-thats-not-bad/?cxntfid=blogs_georgia_tech_sports
The Nerd Blog is over here….
uga_b
April 30th, 2009
1:54 pm
Voice, I was making a funny comment about the receivers meaning I would like to see them step up since a lot of them were inconsistent last year–excluding the starters and sometimes Moore. I am all for getting Logan on the field but lets concentrate on getting production out of our receivers we gave scholarships to. Still think Logan should be a wrinkle, but not if it as horrible to watch as the plays they ran with DJ and Greene. I am more in favor of a special sprint package for him as a change of pace QB.
RedandBlack
April 30th, 2009
1:56 pm
We all have to realize that G-Day was the Spring Game. A scrimmage to conclude the Spring practice that was successful with no one else receiving any more major injuries. However, there happened to be 25 players who did not participate along with the rest of the 2009 recruiting class who will arrive this summer. All that being the case, when the 2009 Georgia Bulldogs hit the field in Oklahoma in September, they will be a different team than what we all saw last year and definitely different from what we all saw at G-Day.
I like the fact that everyone else is putting us back in the field. The Dogs will be getting ready to hit them hard and often. Go Dogs!!!
WTF???
April 30th, 2009
1:57 pm
Bump that! Line them up in the power I & pound Samuel up the gut till they run out of people to tackle him. Throw it deep when the safeties come in & bang it down their throats when they play deep.
DawgGirl32
April 30th, 2009
2:00 pm
All of the coaches- not just Mark Richt- have said that Cox proved why he should be the starter this year. You might have seen the spring game but you didn’t go to all the spring practices. Mark Richt knows what he’s doing. He’s not going to risk an entire season if he didn’t think Cox was really the man for the job. It’s about a lot more than talent alone. I think we saw that last year. There’s obviously something about Cox that the coaches like.
elvis
April 30th, 2009
2:02 pm
I’m not a QB expert, but I think it may be better to let a crew of guys who see the two side by side every day decide rather than some dudes on an AJC blog response- especially since about 33% are Tech fans in creep’s… er sheep’s clothing.
Herschel Talker
April 30th, 2009
2:11 pm
Based on his overreaction, I would guess that DawginLex is indeed a clown. Bill King is one scary looking mofo.
Big Dawg
April 30th, 2009
2:12 pm
Gray is one heck of an athlete! He is actually better than cox. Richt and Bobo will soon find out. He throws frozen ropes and can beat defensive backs to the corner for first downs. He is one of the if not the fastest guy on the team. Yes there should be a wild dog formation with Logan Gray,Carlton Thomas,Israel Troupe.Defensive corrdinators would be looking for the nearest bridge. This is the season to throw everything we got at every game! We must win. There are no more excuses. The talent is there ……………
DawginLex
April 30th, 2009
2:14 pm
Thanks Herschel (S)Talker, I’ll have another.
mreastside73
April 30th, 2009
2:18 pm
Why do all the black quarterbacks never get to play quarterback
mreastside73
April 30th, 2009
2:25 pm
The funny part is after the season end up in the tank thats when Richt will make Gray the starter and try to salvage the season. Just like with D.J. I am wondering who is running UGA program. Is it Rich or the boosters
WTF???
April 30th, 2009
2:30 pm
Throws frozen ropes? I hope we have a QB that can throw footballs….
Looks like Tiger is gonna make em pay for that azzwhippin in Augusta. He busted a 65 on em…
WTF???
April 30th, 2009
2:31 pm
Dude, Logan Gray is a honkey.
Voice of Reason
April 30th, 2009
2:31 pm
uga_b– in that case, well said and i agree.
typical dawg fan– your name is not very accurate since you are the only person on here who says UGA will win it all this year. I have seen no real UGA fans making that claim. I also have not seen anyone but yourself call our coach saint richt. Give it a rest bud. You are pathetic in that you have nothing better to do in life than come on a UGA blog and talk bad about UGA. Let the UGA fans discuss our team and you can go talk Tech football on the tech blogs. And by the way it would be THEY’RE just nerds from north avenue! You must not be an actual Tech grad. You probably, like most Tech fans, just decided to pull for the rivals of the team that all the kids who picked on you in school pulled for.
notoptomistic
April 30th, 2009
2:33 pm
That didn’t work to well with A.J. Bryant. He was AAA Offensive Player of the Year and a top 10 nationally ranked QB. Moved him to WR, became injury plagued and didn’t do squat. Hate the idea. If he’s such a freak of an athlete stick his a$$ at QB where he can touch the ball every single down!!! That is you know…HIS NATURAL POSITION!!!! He’s no scrub, great athlete, why the &$*&%^$$ would you move him???? If we have to rely on Aaron Murray this year then we are screwed boys!!!
Voice of Reason
April 30th, 2009
2:36 pm
UGA doesn’t have any black QBs you moron. And when did Richt start Shockley to salvage a season? He backed up David Greene (winningest QB is CFB history) and then started day 1 of his senior season. ???? dumba$$
matt
April 30th, 2009
2:36 pm
mreatside73- I must’ve missed the joke. Logan Gray is white. As far as the DJ reference to salvage the season, he played behind the all-time winningest QB in college football history. He didn’t “salvage” anything. He only played sparingly and then started every game he was healthy for during his senior year. Either i’m misunderstanding you or you don’t know $hit about what you speak.
braveshater
April 30th, 2009
2:37 pm
This is why the recievers we have cant get into a rythym and become solid players. The damn coaching staff is always tinkering with their heads. What else does Logan Gray have to do to prove he is a quarterback. He looked the best out of everyone at the spring game and this soft ass coach we got wants to play him at reciever. I see why the top recruits head elsewhere. Mark Richt is becoming a joke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saint Simons
April 30th, 2009
2:38 pm
45-42!!!!!!!! hahahahahhahahaha
Voice of Reason
April 30th, 2009
2:39 pm
you would move him because we already have a QB and they want to let him play. How do you know AJ Bryant wouldn’t have been just as injury plagued or worse at QB? Natural position? what is that? He is a QB because his high school coaches decided to play him there. It wasn’t based on his fingerprint or bllod type or something.
WTF???
April 30th, 2009
2:39 pm
Nerds – “There” just idiots…
typical bulldawg fan
April 30th, 2009
2:39 pm
Elvis, why dont you leave the building?!
HUNKERDOWN 09 NATIONAL CHAMPS!!!
braveshater
April 30th, 2009
2:40 pm
Your the dumb ass, voiceoftreason, if Shockley had been the starter instead of David Greene, he would be the all time leader in wins. David Greene didnt win a single game with his skills, he’s not even as good as Joe Cox. Politics and his wealthy following won him the starting job. He got booed at several games I attended in Athens Idiot. Get your mind right before u start talking.
Voice of Reason
April 30th, 2009
2:43 pm
braveshater– stick with baseball. You see, a football team can only play one person at QB at a time. If you want someone else to be used in the game then you have to use them at another position. The faster and more athletic guys are typically used at Reciever (that’s the guys that catch the ball and line up on the outside of the formation). Its really a pretty easy game to understand. I suggest you go read “Football for Dummies” or something.
braveshater
April 30th, 2009
2:47 pm
Didnt I say DJ Schockley should have been the QB or u having trouble reading this afternoon. David Green should have been on the bench, and we wouldnt still be waiting for our first championship since my man Herschel and Buck Belue. Just because I hate the braves doesnt mean I dont know football moron, ive been to more games than u’ve seen on TV. Get your facts together brother.
WTF???
April 30th, 2009
2:48 pm
59-39-5 hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!
51-7 in 02!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Voice of Reason
April 30th, 2009
2:48 pm
Really? Shockley WOULD HAVE BEEN the all time leader in wins? David Greene was a dang good COLLEGE QB, that is why he was the starter. I remember Shockley being booed many times when he came in the game for Greene and made dumb plays. David Greene had a decent arm, made good decisions, and was great at selling the Play action. My mind is right big man.
Saint Simons
April 30th, 2009
2:48 pm
uga #15!!!!!! hahahahahahhahaahhahha
typical bulldawg fan
April 30th, 2009
2:50 pm
WHATS WITHALL THIS 45-43 SH!T? HOW ABOUT 38-3. WE DIDN’T BEAT YOU, BUT LSU DID AND WE BEAT THEM, SO THERE!!!!
HUNKERDOWN YOU HAIRY DAWGS!!!!
RICHT IS THE BEST!!!
PRESEASON 15, END OF SEASON #1
NATIONAL CHAMPS IN 09
WAIT AND SEE BOYZ!
WTF???
April 30th, 2009
2:52 pm
Hey, where is Athens Idiot?
braveshater
April 30th, 2009
2:53 pm
Well voice, if ur the starter u should make good decisions because hey, ur the starter and u get more reps and game action. If ur coming off the bench, when only god knows, then ur going to struggle at times. Thats pretty obvious to everyone I believe. Shockley was a better playmaker and had the better arm, we are a playaction offense, and David greenie couldnt get the ball down the field. Point Blank.
braveshater
April 30th, 2009
2:53 pm
I feel what ur saying though.
typical bulldawg fan
April 30th, 2009
2:55 pm
FIRE WILLIE AND WE WILL TAKE IT TO THE HOUSE IN 09!!!!