Richt to opponents: Guess what, we’re throwing to A.J.
Mark Richt says everyone knows Georgia wants to get the ball to A.J. Green. (Johnny Crawford / AJC)
The common theme of many preseason assessments of the 2010 Dogs has been that with an inexperienced quarterback, a veteran offensive line and two good (possibly great) tailbacks, Georgia is likely to lean heavily on its running game.
And to an extent, that’s probably going to be true. At least early in the season, while Aaron Murray gets his first game experience, the offense might not be quite as balanced as Mark Richt and Mike Bobo generally would prefer.
But the way a Richt offense works, a successful running game opens up the passing game, and vice versa. And with a weapon like A.J. Green in their arsenal, not to mention a slew of tight ends who are talented receivers, the idea that Richt and Bobo are going to be offering up Dooleyball this season is pretty unrealistic.
Richt said as much this week speaking to fans in Macon. “If we don’t throw the ball to A.J., we’re not very smart,” he said. “We better get the ball to A.J. Green, and I don’t think it’s a news flash to any defense that we’re going to get the ball to A.J.”
Everyone knows Green will be the Dogs’ top target, and Richt is basically saying to opponents: Stop him if you can.
Of course, if defenses load up on A.J., that makes it more likely Rantavious Wooten or Tavares King or Kris Durham is open. And then there’s those tight ends, led by Orson Charles and Aron White.
As Richt put it talking about the tight end position: “For a while there, whether through injuries or recruiting, we didn’t quite have the guys who could become a mismatch for a linebacker or safety, but we have that now. So we’ll definitely use the tight ends, and I’d imagine we’ll have more two tight-end sets than we have since the days of having Watson and McMichael at the same time.”
Ah yes, those were good times.
So, yeah, Washaun Ealey and Caleb King are going to get plenty of carries this fall. But the Dogs’ young quarterback isn’t likely to just be handing off the ball.
Does that put a certain amount of pressure on Murray to make smart decisions and avoid Coxian picks? Sure. And you can bet that defensive coordinators will be crowding the box to try and shut down Georgia’s running game and force Murray to throw.
With targets like Green and Charles, though, that strategy might come back to bite them.
IF YOU’RE KEEPING TRACK …
Georgia has made a preseason Top 20. The Athlon Sports 2010 College Football Annual has UGA at No. 15.
Their somewhat outdated analysis of Georgia’s offense is based on the idea that Logan Gray is still in the running for starting QB and that the Dogs will have to lean heavily on the run, opining that A.J. Green “may go hungry for a while.” But, they say, “With that rushing attack and a 3-4 defense that is light only in the secondary (stud corner Brandon Boykin excepted), Georgia should be just fine until Gray or redshirt freshman Aaron Murray comes around.”
Of course, as the Senator noted, you have to hope they didn’t base their Top 20 prediction on the version of the Georgia schedule that they have on their Web site, which is missing a certain game in Jacksonville.
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171 comments Add your comment
DRUNKYARD DOGS
May 15th, 2010
9:52 am
I believe we need to focus on beating Kentucky and not aim too high like beating the Gators as well. One step at a time guys. Hope everyone gets a nice suntan this summer.
Big Dawg
May 15th, 2010
10:07 am
Lets not forget the surprise equalizer….Yep Mr. Carlton Thomas.**Just like Barry Sanders** A real threat!! Needs to be utilized.
Can y'all say F-u-l-l-b-a-c-k ?
May 15th, 2010
10:18 am
The SECRET play for UGA will be to utilize the fullbacks often. Folks will be looking to stop CK and WE and AJG but Aaron/LOgan can hit the fullbacks all day long and they can do some major damage. The SWD HS kid will make an impact at that position and this vanilla or “secret” play will be a huge UGA advange come game day. Oh, um , ah, they also can block like tanks in a street riot in ATHENS ………GREECE.
Hey .....Drunkyard
May 15th, 2010
10:21 am
Did you even attend one college level class in some community JC somehwere? I seriously doubt it.
UGA is one fabulous place to spend 6 years, like I did.
Go Dogs.
TD TWINS
May 15th, 2010
10:26 am
Great idea??? …………..use Carlton Thomas AND Brandon Smith as backs and allow the huge full backs to be in front blocking. Aaron or Logan can sprint out or toss it to one of them or throw it to the TWINS and allow their SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSPPPPPPPPPPEEED to do the rest. TD !!!
The 3 step drop back passing attack will not be UGA’s strong suit. Need to get our QBs on the move, then they can best utilize their assets and their fassssssssssssst teammates. Fun to think about.
Can you imagine getting excited about ” who is” our A-back.?? AAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Confused
May 15th, 2010
10:30 am
I am confused ……….are bowl bids handed out now or in December? If the asnwer is December, then what is all the fuss about national rankings now? Hmmmmmmmm??
Get real folks. If UGA were ranked # 1 by every new organization ever on this planet, we UGA folks would STILL know that they matter not. They DO MATTER in December.
Go Dogs. Sic em!!!
I'm an Idiot!!
May 15th, 2010
11:29 am
Last??????
Could it be??? Ican’t believe it!!!
I am Last!!!!!
Inspector Kemp
May 15th, 2010
11:29 am
Mr. King, I disagree… A.J. Green is not a key to UGA’s offense. He’s a known quantity. The key is to get A.J. the ball; therefore, the key player is Aaron Murray. Aaron is going to have to learn to read SEC defenses and make 2nd & 3rd WR passing adjustments within milliseconds. That’s the key!
BuLLdawg
May 15th, 2010
1:02 pm
Last 2 times we were in this situation, we lost 4 games in 2006 breaking in a new quarterback and 5 games 2009 breaking in a new quarterback.
What makes this year any different ?
walkerdawg
May 15th, 2010
1:43 pm
dave in tampa like your comments on aaron murray but not as overall as talented as tim tebow,come on man,let’s hold off on that,your bias gator love is coming out.this kids a gunslinger, a scrambler a very unusual breed that can make throws on the run i’ve never seen,time will decide that fact..
walkerdawg
May 15th, 2010
3:42 pm
hey (midget qb)amen brother give them hell.goobers they are,but don’t you love it when the kid (aaron murray) can ignore ignorance.(predictions) he’ll show them on the field,and those goobers
will be sorry.open mouth stick foot in (ha ha)
BuLLdawg
May 15th, 2010
4:35 pm
Yeah, you are really in charge of this blog
or
any other blog
walkerdawg
May 15th, 2010
4:45 pm
(dawg nation) I know this can’t be true die hard dawg fans making these comments on (cmr) what kind of perfect world do think we live in.let’s just stop competition all together and just give it to the player you think deserves it from the begining.what a brillant idea .Are you crazy,please let (cmr) just do his job,get of his ass, we’ll be just fine.
BuLLdawg
May 15th, 2010
4:45 pm
The funny truth about the posts is that I say we are going to be 9-4 or 10-3, and NONE of you think we will be any better than that.
walkerdawg
May 15th, 2010
5:05 pm
(bulldawg) your to negative,what are you basing this on,the (qb)2006 stafford wasn’t near as seasoned and ready to go as murray(true freshman) and cox love em but need I say any more.have confidence were going to be fine.
BuLLdawg
May 15th, 2010
5:49 pm
What makes you think Aaron Murray is more seasoned than th 3 quarterbacks we had in 2006 ?
Aaron Murray has NEVER taken a snap under center in his lifetime.
Last year, Aaron Murray missed 21 Fall Practices because some coach let him THROW HIS THROWING ARM
out
The year before that a lineman in high school caught him from behind and tackled him breaking his leg and injuring his ankle.
He is 4.7 in the 40-yard dash.
Defensive Linemen in The SEC are FASTER than that.
Go ahead walkerdawg, sir,
I said 10-3 or 9-4.
What is your prediction, if you think I am so negative.
We have a great defense this season, our best in 30 years
We have the 2 best kickers in America on one team.
What we don’t have is a seasoned quarterback.
Or, ANYONE behind him when he gets injured.
He is NOT 200 lbs.
He is NOT 6 feet tall.
He is small, injury prone
NEVER taken a snap under center
In the 3 scrimmages, he threw the MOST interceptions
he threw the FEWEST Touchdown Passes.
He threw 5 deeper type passes in the G-Day game, all were OVERTHROWN
That was in front of 39,000 fans at Sanford Stadium.
Why am I negative you ask walkerdawg.
Well, excuse me we have 1 QB and he is NOT READY according to Coach Richt last night in Macon.
Coach Richt said last night in Macon that he doesn’t know the playbook and that he needs reps
He needed reps last year.
He could NOT get them.
He was injured.
21 Practices he missed from an arm he threw out
He also was recovering from the ankle injury and the leg injury
We have NO ONE behind him.
This year he could not get his reps either.
Logan Gray held Coach Richt HOSTAGE
Made him split the snaps under center with the # 1 unit with Logan Fringin Gray.
Gray has been in this system now for this today his 4th year.
Gray has 2 interceptions, 0 touchdown passes and 5 completions.
Is this where you tell me about Hutson Mason ? Or Christian LeMay who won’t be here for another 12 months.
No, this is where you tell me we are beating Florida this year.
I am not negative; you are out of your ever-loving mind.
Now, go ahead and put your 10-3 or 9-4 up there and let me read you said we will do better than that, which is what I have said all along.
?
Chris W., Class of 1990
May 15th, 2010
6:35 pm
The best thing that can happen is that they get Murray comfortable and turn him loose. They definitely need to lean on the running game and not get too cute, like Bobo did sometimes with Cox, but let Murray do what he can do well.
ARdawg
May 16th, 2010
12:13 am
BuLLdawg….seriously, with you posting here we don’t need the annoying tech nerds and jorts
GR82BAG8R
May 16th, 2010
8:29 am
Georgia will depend on a dominating running game until Murray gets enough experience and confidence to make a difference. You have the O-Line to make that happen. As long as you are ahead, or down no more than a touchdown, you will be in the game. Richt’s goal is to not let Murray get rattled, and that means simple plays. If the other team stuffs the line, you will have to show some patience and accept quite a few three and outs. Otherwise, you will be setting Murray up for some mind numbing blitzes….
SILLY UGA FANS
May 17th, 2010
5:04 pm
Not bashing here. I have a serious question. How do you expect to have this great running game when your best three rushing games were against the three worst defenses you faced? I am not taking anything away from your RBs, they both have NFL potentiol. I am just curios because opposing Ds are definitely going to presure your QB and look for the run. I hope UGA does great so GT can hopefully pull out the win when your ranked to get some payback.
aw
May 18th, 2010
10:36 am
Great! Maybe Aaron Murray can throw to Marlon Brown; Oh I’m sorry he will be standing on the sideline for another 2 years while Richt decides if he is good enough to play.