Questions surround UGA receivers, NCAA rules
Mark Richt has made it clear that he expects Joe Cox to be throwing the ball for the Dogs this season, but the outlook at receiver, with MoMass gone and Kris Durham hurt, is a lot murkier. The Dogs are thin in the receiving corps and last year’s breakout star, A.J. Green, is going to see a lot of double coverage. Who can take the pressure off him?
Michael Moore looked great in the bowl game, but can he do it consistently? It’s likely that at least one, if not more, of the incoming freshmen is going to have to come up big for Georgia’s passing game to take off.
A lot of preseason anticipation is building up around Marlon Brown, who seems capable of an A.J.-like debut. But can lightning like that strike two seasons in a row? And highly touted tight end Orson Charles, a high school teammate of QB Aaron Murray, is expected to be more of a receiver than a blocker. Is he the answer?
I have a sneaking suspicion the key to great things out of the receiving corps could be Georgia’s plan to use talented cornerback Branden Smith as a Champ Bailey-style two-way player.
Richt summed up the situation in an interview with Matt Hayes of the Sporting News:
“Of course we’re really comfortable with A.J., and we feel like Michael Moore is going to do an outstanding job. The rest of the guys have got some things to prove, and there aren’t many left. We’ve got Tavarres King and Israel Troupe and two true freshmen [Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten]. Orson Charles is more of a hybrid TE/WR, but he has great receiving skills. We also might use Branden Smith, a corner who is also a kick and punt returner, and a guy we think we can incorporate into the offense.”
So who do you see becoming Georgia’s next great receiver?
Meanwhile, the Birmingham News takes a look at the proliferation of “secondary violations” of NCAA rules and the perception that many coaches think they’re worth incurring.
At least one football-related secondary violation gets reported to the SEC every week. UGA’s most recent ones were pretty trifling inadvertent stuff, but with Lane Kiffin throwing around secondary violations like confetti and Auburn apparently crossing the line as its Big Cat recruiting tactics get more gonzo, the question arises: Should the NCAA crack down on these “isolated” violations that “provide only a minimal recruiting, competitive or other advantage”?
And what constitutes too many secondary violations? The News couldn’t get a clear answer from the SEC or the NCAA. Somewhere down the road, though, this situation is going to have to be resolved.
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262 comments Add your comment
ReptilesRule!
June 5th, 2009
9:53 pm
Glazed??
ReptilesRule!
June 5th, 2009
9:59 pm
Marlon Brown will probably develop into a beast. Orson Charles also has talent. Problem is they are both true freshmen and will go thru a learning curve. Michael Moore, don’t know too much about him other than Republicans don’t seem to like him and he doesn’t look too agile.
Fech Tuck
June 5th, 2009
10:44 pm
Dorsey got board with the tickle pile we won by 3pts whooping.
MtnDawg
June 5th, 2009
10:46 pm
Fact #1: Very few people on here want to read about Bama. If they did, they would look over at your websites.
Fact #2: Winningest prefers ad hominem attacks.
Fact #3: StumpleUpon.com is a popular way to surf the internet. If you were to say, use it, you could probably find other, more interesting sites. Maybe even sites were you could learn about “sportsmanship”– or the definition of “vicarious.”
ed
June 6th, 2009
12:14 am
the concern isn’t the passing game they’ll be fine with green and moore leading way. A running back needs to step up because teams won’t play a lot of eight man fronts with them being worried about green beating them deep
Mark
June 6th, 2009
12:52 am
I was lucky enough to be one of TKs coaches in high school. I can say it in 4 words: the kid can play!
Gravy Train
June 6th, 2009
1:07 am
Bill, nice article.
Kirk Herbstreit will never pick UGA to win the National Championship in a preseason nor any other time. The reasons for this are obvious:
1. The last college game Herbie played was ruined by a fella named Mitch Davis. Mitch owned Herbie in a Citrus Bowl game that enhanced Ohio State’s failure to beat an SEC team. The UGA defense made Herbie look like a shaved bird in shoulder pads. That game pretty much summed up Herbie’s playing career.
2. Herbie is a manicured and personal stylist pampered ego maniac. He connects with like minded people, (Urban Meyer) unless they coach for The Overrated State University. He can’t even fathom the success of a coach who is humble avoids the media traps, someone like Mark Richt. And even if Herbie could overlook that, he still sees those red jerseys and silver britches that drove him into the turf again and again, essentially ending his time as a sub mediocre QB. That is why he is a talking head now. He does what he is best at, running his mouth and spooning Jim Tressell.
Okay, maybe the last part was exagerrated. But, I for one, am glad that I can see a self promoting carpet bagger that is constantly trying to push Big Ten football and OSU on us, even when we all know they are fakers. You wont see him go out of his way to promote an SEC eam unless Urban is involved.
Trev Alberts told it like it was and they ran him off.
BigMike
June 6th, 2009
2:11 am
dogpoop!! Please get on your hand and knees, Uga needs a one night stand after the bar!
Big B CH 99
June 6th, 2009
2:48 am
Hey 100 yrs, U missed on something, Bama ain’t the all-time leader w/ 9 NC’s, Michigan has 11 (1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918, 1923, 1932, 1933, 1947, 1948, & 1997). Get your facts straight buddy.
Michigan didn’t start playing until 1979, & they also have the best all time wining percentage. And how long do U truly think that Saban’s gonna be there, he’s never in one place for very long.
Big B CH 99
June 6th, 2009
2:54 am
Tech has the same problem as UGA in terms of very little WR depth, & no established # 2 WR. BayBay Thomas isn’t in the same hemisphere as A.J. Green, but he ain’t bad. He’s fine, but Tech has nobody else at the WR position that can catch, incoming Freshman Stephen Hill will have a chance to get some playing time this fall, depending on how will he can block.
I know that Tech will run the ball at least 80%, but CPJ would like to mix in the pass more this yr, but his ability to do that will depend on # 1: the OL being able to Pass Protect much better than last yr (the pass protection was absolutely ATROCIOUS last yr), # 2: Josh getting much better throwing (mechanics which will help Accuracy), & # 3: the WR’s stepping up.
The key for UGA’s passing game will be getting someone to step up as a # 2 WR, to help A.J. out.
dap01
June 6th, 2009
7:45 am
That what I dislike about Bama. They win their first important games in years and they think that they are the BEST of all time, they post about Jesus, they are simply arrogant.
Bama, please try to show some class and try to be a top notch program without the arrogance of coming from a 2 tv station state.
Cuz
June 6th, 2009
10:07 am
When did this become the RedTide blog? I did not get the memo.
Kendawg
June 6th, 2009
10:15 am
It doesn’t look like receiver will be the question mark this season. We’re loaded there and Marlon may be a lot better than people think he will because of the competition. I saw him in an all-star game (like Army All-American) and he held his own against top-flite talent. Running back is a bigger question mark to me. We need someone to really step up, because I didn’t see it in the spring game. Aron White is going to surprise some people at tight end, if only the Dawgs will throw to him.
Kendawg
June 6th, 2009
10:17 am
Who cares about the Dawgs? Apparently, quite a few, because we fill Sanford Stadium to the tune of 92,746 at home games. How many does Tech bring out?
Paddy
June 6th, 2009
10:21 am
braveswin…you still can be a drunkard like Bear and win football games. Who cares if he was a lush. My grandfather was a fall down drunk like Bear too. But he played in 3 Stanley Cup Finals. Those old guys just had great recovery times.
Kendawg
June 6th, 2009
10:26 am
Who cares about the Dawgs? Apparently, quite a few, as we fill Sanford Stadium to the tune of 92,746 each home game. How many does Tech bring in?
Kendawg
June 6th, 2009
10:30 am
Receiver appears to be well stacked and is not a question mark to me. Some may question Marlon’s ability because of his competition. Not me, though, because I saw him in an all-star game against top-flite competition and he more than held his own. Running back is the question mark for me. Based on the spring game, it appears that we have not yet identified a top-flite running back. Perhaps, with our offensive line, it won’t matter as much.
Cuz
June 6th, 2009
10:35 am
If you know a WWII veteran, thank them for me this D-Day. My family members of the “Greatest Generation” are gone. The veterans at the Remembrance Ceremony with their wheel chairs and canes made me forget about football for awhile. The flyover by the US jets with the missing man right over the grave sites was truly spectacular to behold. It affected me, I am sure it affected them.
dd
June 6th, 2009
10:35 am
tech has ugly women
Johnny Danger Dawg
June 6th, 2009
10:51 am
“Michael Moore looked great in the bowl game, but can he do it consistently?” What are you talking about? Moore made tough catches ALL YEAR. Of course he’ll deliver this year.
Other receivers DO need to step up. However, the experienced O-line this year will allow our tight ends to do a little less blocking and a little more catching. That means that our wide receivers won’t need to pick up quite as many yards as last year.
Blog Referee
June 6th, 2009
11:18 am
Some great exchanges between the bama fan and the dog fans but then a Michigan fan has to jump in and talk some balogna about 11 national titles. The Bammers actually claim 12 and like Michigan several of them were retroactively awarded by historians. They probably only have something like 7-9 “real” ncs. Michigan has 2 “real” ncs, one in 1948 and a split title in 1997 in which Nebraska was clearly a much better team.
The Michigan fan is citing titles from the early 1900s when there was basically no intersectional play. I’m calling BS on that. You’re worse than the Bammer fan. How you can claim all these ncs from 1901-1910 is a joke. There weren’t even polls or bowls till years later.
Dap01, I think it was the Georgia fan that started mockingly posting about Jesus and God and Bear Bryant. In fairness to the Bammer it looks like he was responding to some over the top trash talking by the dog fan. The bammers have some crazies out there but you would do well to avoid arguing with them. UGA has the bragging edge in the 2000s while the Bammers were in NCAA jail but other than that the dogs have always been in the shadow of Alabama. Sorry but its just plain true.
As much as I hate to admit it they do have the biggest big boy tradition in your conference by far. If you are going to mock other programs you should go after South Carolina. Bama is too big for you. And in the 2000s the big boys are the mighty gators and LSU. Georgia is a distant 3rd or 4th and will be a distant 2nd in their division for a long time to come.
At least the Bammers are now strong enough to control their own division destiny and will be in regular contention in their division. Your guys destiny is out of your hands since Florida rules your division with an iron fist. Your only hope is that Urban eventually goes to ND. One can always hope.
Paddy
June 6th, 2009
11:24 am
I don’t believe wr is a problem. Lots and lots of talent this year. DB appears to be a minor concern but I believe the Dogs will have a breakout year if they can handle OKie St. I second the notion on our proud Vets. Our family just got back from the VA hospital from a visit. Took about 30 baseball caps to the guys. Sorry to say there were not 30 guys from WWII that appreciate the gifts. Sad, but very rewarding. I think you all know what I mean about the ability to appreciate.
BruffDawg
June 6th, 2009
11:36 am
We should be more worried about a guy who can get the ball to any wrs. Did anyone else watch the g day game? Cox does not start past week 5. The underthrow to aj green to start the game was devastating to watch. If anything with all the emotion of the first pass it should have been overthrown. Green made a perfect adjustment, but qb should be no. 1 concern. Leader or not we need a guy who can make the throws. Thereshinski was a great leader too….
Papa Bobby
June 6th, 2009
12:44 pm
I hope you ga fellers don’t mind me popping my mouth off about a few things. This rules business is gettin plumb out of hand! Now the NCAA is sayin that I didn’t win them games I won. Well dadgummit, I was there and I remember some of them games and I know blame well I won’em. There ain’t no way in the world I can beat Joe if they take them games away from me. It just ain’t right! I think I might just go home and fish off my dock for the rest of my life, this football business just ain’t fun anymore. Course, I need to look out for My boys cause only won of them has a job and I am not sure what he does. Mostly he just walks around New York City in allygater shoes and a dadgum suit that cost more than the first Fleetwood I bought. I sure do miss the old days though, Bear and ol’ Vince and Pat Dye, man we has some fun in them days
Papa Bobby
June 6th, 2009
12:52 pm
Sorry ya’ll, I hit the wrong button on this here contraption and cut myself off. I was goin to say I hope ya’ll will look after ol’ Mark for me. He is a good boy and still calls his old coach now and then. Now ya’ll can forget about the old man and start talkin about them Bulldogs again.
Cuz
June 6th, 2009
1:36 pm
Wide receiver, no problemo. Running back, Back to the Future with running back by committee.
shards1967
June 6th, 2009
1:44 pm
The Dawgs will utilize maybe TWO fullbacks in certain formations. Munsenmier and Chapas ARE the real deal. Both block, run and catch the ball equally well and both are old time FB players. They can be deployed as pass receiver after coming off of a full back block, then catch and go. They will help sustain drives and make big plays. Couple that dual threat with the over the middle catches by them or an Orson Charles, we ought to move the ball …………even in or especially in the Red Zone. AJ and Marlon and M Moore and T King will be gravy.
Yes, we have a couple of running backs like the kid from South Florida or the new kid from S Georgia ………..Easley.
We will be fine and 10-2.
Denver Dog
June 6th, 2009
1:49 pm
Hey winningnest subtract all the wins from the probation years and brag then big mouth redneck
Go to Alabama, turn your clocks back an hour and your calendars back 30 years.
Pago Flyer
June 6th, 2009
2:28 pm
Can we just beat the gaytors and gt this year?!
fuzzy gator
June 6th, 2009
2:34 pm
Georgia is Florida and Georgia Tech’s bitch.
fuzzy gator
June 6th, 2009
2:35 pm
Pago,
Florida, Georgia Tech (and Alabama) OWN you until you can beat them. So please STFU until that time
fuzzy gator
June 6th, 2009
2:38 pm
Pago,
And out of your new found respect for Georgia Tech, you need to write out “the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets” in your future post instead of just gt.
Thanks
SECPimp
June 6th, 2009
2:44 pm
To the Bama that keeps posting comments, your cousin just called from the trailer park and was wondering when you were gonna get home because she is feeling kind of frisky again and is ready to start working on another mutant child with you. Incestious Douche.
Cuz
June 6th, 2009
4:17 pm
fuzzy, I’ll agree with the UF recent ownership, hard to argue there. I will respectfully disagree with the Bama and Tech ownership. One win over a team in a one year period does not imply ownership. If that was so, UGA owned you for the win in 2007 until the game was played in 2008. I am sure you would disagree with that statement. Using your pretzel logic, the Ole Miss Rebels own the Gators. Imagine that, Houston Nutt “OWNS” the National Champs. We beat UT last year. I disavow any claims to ownership. Say what you will about the former late, Great Pumpkin, he knew how to beat Georgia.
By the way, I respect most teams, especially teams we play yearly or in our conference. I choose not to respect certain coaches and fans.
K-Town Dawg
June 6th, 2009
4:20 pm
fuzzy gator,
You sound like a sidewalk Florida fan. I bet you never attended UF, let alone graduated from it.
Laughable at best chump!
fuzzy gator
June 6th, 2009
5:50 pm
K-Town Dawg,
Actually I am a “dawg floor mat” Florida fan. And I graduated from Georgia Tech in 1990. And I could own the company you work for if K Town is Kennesaw.
BadgerDawg
June 6th, 2009
6:59 pm
Alabama needs a QB that doesn’t require 3 names before they’ll be relevant again.
John David Parker Bubba Billy Bob Wilson?
Island Dawg
June 6th, 2009
7:17 pm
WOW! Be#3, sounds like you may have actually suited up at some point. What a unique perspective. If you contribute to the Hartman Fund as well you are truly an exception on these blogs. BTW, others, watching CBS at home does not equal supporting UGA, sidewalk rubes.
K-Town Dawg
June 6th, 2009
7:44 pm
fuzzy gator,
Bandwagon…huh?
You could own a company in Kennesaw, but I doubt it.
Any dumb@ss that thinks UGA is Tech’s bitch isn’t smarter enough to own a company, let alone have graduated from Tech. Nice try though!
AltamahaDawg
June 6th, 2009
8:16 pm
Come on Bill, this one is played, time to post a new thread and set off all those the yellow cell phones.
Its a Gator World
June 6th, 2009
9:05 pm
BadgerDawg,
Not sure what you been smoking. Bama sure looked pretty relevant on Blackout night and judging by what Saban is doing it looks like they’ll be a lot more relevant for a lot longer time than you will. Matter of fact I’m looking forward to a renewal of the same kind of intense rivalry we had with them in the 90s. We have to look to them you understand as our new rival since you guys obviously can’t give us any sustained competition.
The Bammer fan was right. You boys just sit back and let the 2 big boys in the sec fight it out.
Compared to Bama you guys are like the proverbial gnat on that big Alabama elephant butT.
Compared to the defending national champion gators (did you get that?) you are like a minnow hanging out around our big gator tail.
YOU ARE IRRELEVANT!
Cuz
June 6th, 2009
10:34 pm
Gator World, keep on thinking that irrellevancy. I like it. I want your team and coach to embrace it. God and Mark Richt knows we need all the help we can get. Then that minnow that you think swims around your tail turns into the python that squeezes the breath out of you and dines on gator tail at the after game tailgate. Oh that could not happen. Then explain 2007.
Cuz
June 6th, 2009
10:49 pm
fuzzy gator, stop you are killing me. You graduated from Tech yet think your school is so insignificant that you have to take a moniker of another University that can beat UGA more than once in seven years. I have friends that never attended Tech but make their living as engineers who are better fans than you. They wear their logos proudly in good and bad years. I can see that during the CHAN years, you went south and reptilian. If you are ashamed of your alma matta, quit posting. There are plenty other grads and non-grads who are proud of the Trade school. And most have a sense of humor, something which you lack. Crawl back into your “63 Ford Falcon and pull the Dawg floor mat back over you. You will not be missed.
“Tech owns us.”
Far better to be thought a fool and keep silent than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain.
BUZZ
June 6th, 2009
11:18 pm
Mark Twain,
I got my masters degree from Florida. Nice theory though.
LOL.
Ozzfest
June 7th, 2009
3:07 am
OSUX…you figure it out. I will be in Stillwater, despite DELTA airlines attempt to jack the price to fly non-stop to Tulsa or OK City for Friday and returning Sunday to $500+ (regularly $300) and blocking frequest flyer miles for those cites for that entire week. (As a frequent flyer on Delta for 20+ years I can honestly say YOU SUCK!!!) Go you hairy dogs…butcher them Cowboys!
athensdawg
June 7th, 2009
9:10 am
Let’s face it. to be competitive, you have to figure out a way to bring these at-risk academic kids into your system and have them achieve academic minimums. The coaches who can do that with the least amount of trouble deserve all the credit in the world.
The NCAA is like NASCAR – they make up the rules as they go along and don’t uniformly apply them to everyone. They also act as if their standards are higher than anyone else. For those of you who don’t know, that is typical behaviour in academia.
What we need are three things. First, “graduate assistantships” for the athletes. They get a stipend that is equal from all schools, adjusted for cost of living in the different areas. They provide a service that brings income into the university. They should be compensated for said service.
Second, the universities should have the power to sue any and all alumni who violate NCAA infractions for lost income. For example…that guy from Auburn who tried to pay the players, he should have been sued by Auburn for the money it lost by not being able to go to bowl games and be on tv and missing a shot at the national championship with baby bowden.
Finally, If you have a kid leave school early to turn pro, you lose that scholarship until the kid would have graduated. For example, UGA can’t go sign two more players to make up for the loss in Stafford and Moreno.
In addition, there should be some rules that require the kid to finish his/her degree in a set period of time, or they have to pay the university back for the cost of their scholarship plus interest.
Dawgtime
June 7th, 2009
9:50 am
Why are people that are not UGA fans reading and posting garbage on UGA sites? No one cares about your pathetic views. Get over your jealous feelings of UGA. If you don’t care about the DAWGS, why are you reading UGA blogs? Get a clue. I hope UGA develops a group of about 4 or 5 complimentary WR’s. We have plenty of talent. The fact is the UGA hates the Gators. The fact is that the Gators have dominated the series of late. The fact is that most UGA fans don’t take GT serious because of their constant academic propaganda. The fact is that most UGA fans like BAMA. BAMA is a program rich in tradition and full of class. I enjoy playing BAMA because they play football the right way. They kicked our butts last year, but I was proud of how we fought back in the 2nd half. Many teams would have folded. In terms of GT, I’m impressed by their new coach. I like the way he took control of that program. They have a great running back and play with passion. The Gators have developed the offense of the next decade and it is incredible to watch. I’m wondering when the next defensive scheme will be developed. The watch and react scheme does not work. You have to attack and create constant pressure. Yes, you will give up big plays, but no one is stopping the new offenses with the present schemes.
Dawgtime
June 7th, 2009
9:56 am
Why are you reading UGA blogs? Simple question. The AJC should be biased to UGA, Georgia Southern, and GT. Hello, Atlanta is in Georgia. If you want to read about Florida, try a Florida newspaper. That is common sense. In terms of the fans making all these academic claims, that is pointless. I don’t care where you claim you went to school. That is irrelevant and questionable. Anyone can come on here and claim anything. What makes you think anyone believes your claims or cares? By the syntax and grammar structure, I question if some of these people graduated from 3rd grade. Go DAWGS……
Its a Gator World
June 7th, 2009
10:48 am
Cuz,
It does happen. In fact it happens about 3 times every 20 years. Congrats like in 2007.
GTMike
June 7th, 2009
10:55 am
Geez, after reading this blog, I think I’m gonna root for the Dawgs to thrash Bama next time they play!