Picking the highlights of a frustrating season for Dogs
A.J. Green's touchdown catch against Colorado was one for the ages. (Cliff Grassmick / Dailycamera.com)
Can you think of 10 really great plays by UGA’s football Bulldogs this year?
In a 6-6 regular season, the honest answer is probably not. But that hasn’t stopped the official UGA Web site, Georgiadogs.com, from letting fans vote in a countdown to select their 10 favorite plays of this season, which will be shown on the Dec. 26 edition of “Inside Georgia Football With Mark Richt” and posted online Dec. 28. You can see the 25 nominated plays (yes, they actually came up with that many!) and vote by going here.
The first play listed is pretty much a lock to finish No. 1 and that, of course, is A.J. Green’s amazingly acrobatic one-handed circus catch for a touchdown in the otherwise eminently forgettable game against Colorado. That one will be on UGA highlight reels for decades to come.
The other nominated plays are:
Justin Houston recovering a fumble forced by Akeem Dent and then returning it for a touchdown against Georgia Tech. Most of the time, players are better off just covering a fumble with their body instead of trying to scoop it up and advance it, but this was a definite exception and provided one of the biggest plays in Mark Richt’s ninth win over the Jackets.
Aaron Murray’s near-textbook 63-yard touchdown pass down the middle to Tavarres King against Florida. A great play call by Mike Bobo, too.
Kris Durham’s 66-yard catch and run to score against Tech. The senior wide receiver definitely is going to be missed next year.
Murray running for a touchdown just before halftime against Louisiana-Lafayette. Georgia’s redshirt-freshman quarterback let us know early on that he was going to develop into a dual scoring threat.
Murray’s 35-yard scramble for a touchdown against Tennessee. A heads-up play by the young QB.
Brandon Boykin’s 100-yard kickoff return for a score against Kentucky. And that was the third such run of his career!
A.J. Green making a touchdown catch against Florida as three Gators converge on him at the same time. A big-time play by Georgia’s most gifted receiver. Man, that four-game suspension really hurt this year.
Murray’s touchdown throw to Green against Auburn with the Dogs facing fourth-and-1. Another good call by Bobo.
The interception against Tennessee where Vance Cuff deflected the ball and Bacarri Rambo, racing across the field, snagged it and then hurdled the hedge after running out of bounds. Take-aways was the one area where the defense improved this year.
Sanders Commings’ fine interception against Louisiana-Lafayette where he managed to reverse course and get a decent return, too. (I’d nominate a different interception by Commings, though. See below.)
Justin Houston beating a block and sacking South Carolina’s Stephen Garcia. One of the reason’s he’s a finalist for this year’s Butkus Award.
Backup QB Hutson Mason throwing a 26-yard scoring strike to former QB Logan Gray on the first pass of his career, making him only the eighth quarterback to ever do that in FBS history.
Murray spinning away from a sack on third-and-goal at the 7 and just hitting the pylon to score against Tennessee.
Washaun Ealey cutting back with some nifty moves in a 55-yard touchdown run against Vanderbilt. You’ll notice this is the only play on the list featuring one of Georgia’s tailbacks, which says something unfortunate about the Dogs’ running attack this year.
Bacarri Rambo’s interception and return for a touchdown against Idaho State. Rambo showed some nice moves on that return.
Tavarres King breaking two tackles and diving for the goal line on a touchdown pass from Murray against Arkansas. The Dogs are going to need King to step up big-time next season if Green leaves as expected.
Murray faking to Ealey on fourth-and-goal from the 1 and then bootlegging left to run for a touchdown against Arkansas.
Darryl Gamble intercepting a throwback on a gimmick play against Mississippi State.
Walk-on special teams player Blake Sailors recovering a fumbled punt against Tennessee.
Drew Butler’s 58-yard coffin-corner punt to the 2-yard line against Kentucky.
Murray throwing to tight end Orson Charles for a score and then running it up the middle himself on the 2-point conversion to tie the game against Florida.
Ace receiver Green stiff-arming one defender and outrunning the rest for a score against Idaho State. Terrific open-field running.
Murray buying time with his feet until finding Bruce Figgins open in the back of the end zone for a score against Tech.
Houston intercepting a pass and wisely downing the ball to end Georgia Tech’s chances of a comeback.
Most of those selections are worthy nominees, but there are a few on that list that I’d subsitute with some plays that got ignored. Such as the third-and-10 catch by A.J. against Florida when he held on despite taking an immediate big hit. (That one made ESPN’s Top 10 plays of the day.)
And what about Sanders Commings’ interception in the end zone against Kentucky, with a catch worthy of A.J. Green? (Using Commings as a receiver some next year wouldn’t be a bad idea.)
Another memorable catch was Kris Durham going up high and still coming down with the ball despite triple coverage against Vandy. And Green made some great moves on another touchdown catch against the Commodores.
So what were your favorite plays of this season? And are there any others that weren’t mentioned that deserve recognition?
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146 comments Add your comment
producewiz
December 5th, 2010
11:47 am
Bill, they can take these recruiting services and stick them where the sun isn’t shining.Ask Florida,Georgia,Texas,even Alabama.Ole ball coach right.Let’s see how they do in 2 years
cheesewiz
December 5th, 2010
11:50 am
gee-whiz
5150 P.O.A.D
December 5th, 2010
12:27 pm
11 Arrests, an AD fired over a DUI and Red Panties, All the teachers arrested for DUIs or fired for being drunk at the game. #1 Party School is such an honor even the Players, Students, Teachers, and Administrators like to get in the act. It has been a GREAT YEAR for UGA. I can’t wait to hire a Drunk UGA Engineer to do my electrical wiring. That should be fun to watch.
funny...
December 5th, 2010
12:51 pm
5150, the arrests have nothing to do with UGA exclusively.
It has to do with the players that are being recruited by big time programs. Arrests and behavior issues are abound at any major university, the AJC just chooses to crucify Georgia for it. These idiot thug players are getting arrested everywhere.
I mean does the NCAA really care? Heck, it’s ok for a players father to shop him to schools.
The whole system is a joke and the schools/media/NCAA is making excuses for the “hip-hop” attitude that is ruining this country.
first tier program
December 5th, 2010
1:42 pm
UGA is now in the same class as Kty., Ole Miss, andVandy. You guys are now bottom feeders of the SEC. We blew out Tuberville because we new he could not compete with Saban and Urban. CGC is building fairest tier program along with Saban and Meyer. Miss. ST. is coming up to along with LSU and Ark. We say War Eagle you guys say wait till next year. You guys are not feared or even respected anymore. UGA brought in the old guard to be the S and C coached. hahahahahahahaha
Highlighter
December 5th, 2010
1:53 pm
Pick the highlights of the UGA season? For most of the UGA thugs, not getting arrested was the biggest highlight.
Vance Duuley
December 5th, 2010
1:57 pm
5150 has got UGA figured out pretty well. I look forward to more of his insightful analyses!
Morris
December 5th, 2010
2:01 pm
When you look at UGA’s history for the past forty years, how can anyone ignore Jan Kemp and the “remedial studies” scam, the Jim Harrick fiasco, the DUIs in the athletic office, the DUIs and other arrests of players, the #1 party school tag (i.e., the most drunk students), the suspensions and outright dismissals, the Fulmer Cup, and on and on?
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 5th, 2010
2:11 pm
Hey Bill Could Post These highlights on The Weight Room Wall for Me So The players can have some motivation for next year
1. 11 arrests be proud of that players
2. Another beat down by SORRY FL team 2-8 now Be proud of that coaches
3. Hit and Run Ealey
4. 6-6 with the talent that we have Be proud of that coaches
5. Lost to a terrible Colorado team
6. Defense did not get any better
7. Conservative play calling once again at times when we didnt need it
8. Poor conditioning
And my personal favorite
9.Having to make extra donations for season tickets to watch the same crap over and over again
All in all status quo with this gang
Kelton
December 5th, 2010
3:15 pm
Highlights were mostly from the 85% of the touchdowns the offense scored against teams with losing records like Louisiana Lafayette. Not many highlights against good teams like South Carolina and Mississippi State.
Big L
December 5th, 2010
3:43 pm
I have undeniable proof that college football is a better product than the NFL. There will NOT be a lockout next year at UGA. The Dawgs WILL play a season oener. They Will pay FLorida, Tennessee, Boise st and Tech. They will win some games and make the post season. Can anyone at this point, make that same statement about the Baby Football League of whiners. He’ll, I understand how they feel, I probably couldn’t feed my family on 4 mil a year and and 20 million up front money either. But I ain’t never made that so it’s hard for me to sympathize. Come back A.J. You and Arron could blow the roof off the spot next year.
DawgVoiceofReason
December 5th, 2010
3:57 pm
Mobile Dawg,
In your comments below, you fail to even hint at the defensive problems in the very same game. We got steamrolled by Marcus Lattimore and made him look even better than he already was. Our defense was equally as bad as anything the offense did or didn’t do in that game. We couldn’t tackle and we couldn’t adjust. That one performance pretty much put the lie to the “fire Willie” crew last year who said that there was “no way we could do any worse” with anyone who might replace Willie. That being said, it was time for Coach Martinez to go. Also, I have not given up on Coach Grantham, but I sure was disappointed in the results of his first season. The two things I will give him credit for are the reduction in the number of stupid defensive penalties (offense did better there too) and the increase in the number of takeaways. Amazingly, we improve 100 places (118 to 18) in the nation in turnover ratio but you absolutely couldn’t tell it from our results on the field. Really amazing when you think about it that we didn’t get any W/L results from it.
December 4th, 2010
10:13 pm
“We were submarined by Bobo and Richt’s play calling in the USC game and really never recovered or got on track. “
Jerry
December 5th, 2010
4:48 pm
Defense played great against South Carolina. Held them to 17 points, SC’s lowest point season of the 12 game season.
offense just couldn’t score.
Jerry
December 5th, 2010
5:03 pm
Offense only manufactured 1 td in the Miss State game. Came too late, with 1:27 to go.
1 td by the offense, total, in the South Carolina & Miss State games, that was the season right there.
Tom
December 5th, 2010
5:15 pm
The Arkansas game sticks in your gut.
With 2:25 left, tied 24-24, UGA hands off to Ealey, 10 yard gain, Murray sacked, then thomas runs for 10 yard gain, then Murray sacked again and punt to Mallet with less than a minute to go.
Why Murray didn’t audible calls to Ealey & Thomas, when both got 10 yards on that late drive, a mystery.
Jerry
December 5th, 2010
5:26 pm
To me, 3 games were the difference.
Of course, since Georgia plays in the SEC East, you have to look at the South Carolina & Florida games.
The offense just didn’t lick on those days. Couldn’t score a point on South Carolina, and couldn’t stop turning the football over against Florida, what 4 turonovers in the Florida game?
Hopefully, the offense will show up against the 2 biggest SEC East teams next year.
SugarRay
December 5th, 2010
5:38 pm
Here’s da latest on UGA QB of the future;
http://rise.espn.go.com/all-sports/articles/2010/12/01-DEC-Mag-Unfinished-Business-Christian-LeMay.aspx
Buzzfan
December 5th, 2010
6:49 pm
The highlight of the year is the dawg who tried to rip Anthony Allen’s head off early in the game pulling off his helmet. Richt should give him the Red Panties Award. I was glad to see Allen come up laughing and take it out on the dawgs by being the best player on the field. Richt couldn’t order his thugs to deliberately injure Nesbitt as he did in 2009 and 2008 since our best player was already out for the year, so he went after Allen instead. Tech nearly won the game despite not having their best player, Nesbitt. I don’t understand why the dirty dawg-thugs can’t win more games with all the talent they get from the criminal element most of whom would never get into Tech.
UGADawg83
December 5th, 2010
8:05 pm
Bill actually showing up for a road game….now that’d be a highlight.
SickandTired
December 5th, 2010
8:24 pm
My personal favorite was Grantham exuding the class of the organization and giving the Florida punter turned place kicker the choke sign when UGA iced him and then the punter turned place kicker knocking down the field goal in overtime to put the Dawgs down. That was priceless and was the highlight of the season.
Mathemetician
December 5th, 2010
9:24 pm
Too many low points to count. And that’s using my calculator.
Mathemetician
December 5th, 2010
9:27 pm
Another low off the football field.
My bammer friend told me they haven’t had a player arrested since August of 2009- a span of about 16 months. And here we had 11 players arrested this year. Unbelievably shameful.
snoop Dawg
December 5th, 2010
9:38 pm
Best play of the year should be da Preacha Man, Markt Wrecked, getting fired. But that won’t happen this year. Cross your fingers for next year. It will be worse next year.
Second best play would be to fire Bobo. That hasn’t happened yet, but I’m still hoping…
Other than that, I am remembering all those fumbles that our back who Run the State lost during games that if they had held on to the ball we could have won. I’m thinking about that big Team Player AJ who sold out his team for a thousand bucks. I’m thinking about Gangsta behavior by Ealey and Rambo on the field. I remember a lot of jiving and break dancing a la Soldjah Boy in between plays and during TV timeouts instead of a little focus and concentration on the game. I remember players being showboats on the field every time they made a play instead of acting like champions.
All in all, a season to forget. This senior class will live in infamy.
It is all on Richt’s shoulders. He’s leading us to loserville. Acutally, we’re already in the Promised Land.
SugarRay
December 6th, 2010
8:19 am
All those interceptions by Murray, all I can remember.
Buckeye
December 6th, 2010
8:25 am
Going 6 and 6 to QUALIFY to go to Memphis!
sogadog
December 6th, 2010
8:38 am
The only highlight of this season was Van Halenger’s demotion.
SugarRay
December 6th, 2010
9:42 am
The hits by Fairley on Murray, the lack of mobility, the ice age slow release of Murray, can’t get those Fairley highlight hits out of my head.
Dave Grantham
December 6th, 2010
9:55 am
How about my choke sign that motivated Chaz Henry into kicking the winning fieldgoal against us?
Christian LeMay and his Pimping Preacher Daddy=Cammie Cam and his Pimping Preacher Daddy
December 6th, 2010
10:00 am
Of course UGA fans think he is an honorable man. Did he cost as much as Hershel did 30 something years ago?
Harry
December 6th, 2010
10:46 am
Georgia only scored 8 touchdowns against teams with winning records.
Not much of a highlight reel, unless you like watching Georgia beatdown a 1-11 team like La Lafayette.
Al
December 6th, 2010
12:41 pm
Agreed, not too many highlights this season. The only way it gets any better is for the fans to start demanding improvment. Lets all face it, CMR will be there again next season so rather than complaining, lets start demanding that the program get better whatever it takes.
Wreckmaniac
December 6th, 2010
1:10 pm
dawgfan: I’m pure solid Tech and your team has defeated ours 9 out of the last 10. You won. Get it ?
You won. You didn’t cheat . You won fair and square. No gimmes. Refs were fair. Everything straight up. No excuses.
Now that thats been said, I say we get rid of any coach who can’t produce wins against UGA especially the last 2 UGA teams. If you can’t beat UGA in 09 and 2010, you should retire. The blame lies on us (Tech) for finding ways to play our B game when we play UGA. Thats our fault and we need to change it.
shankit
December 6th, 2010
1:20 pm
Worst – Losing the coin toss to Florida
Jackson
December 6th, 2010
1:51 pm
Its great to talk about all the things that go wrong, but don’t you think that might be some of the problem. The program has spiraled into a spin of all the things that are wrong with the program. We have to many arrests or we run too conservative of an offense or we aren’t strong enough on the line or we don’t know how to tackle or… keep on filling in the blank. I applaud Bill for trying to put together some highlights of what he will remember from this season outside of the obvious. Unfortunately, even if we won the national championship, there would still be those who belly ache about the program. Seriously? Seriously? It is almost shameful. Its like everyone is waiting for the other shoe to drop and is quick to point out it was the wrong shoe and when is the correct shoe going to drop.
It reminds me of the AU UGA game. I am sitting with an isolated pocket of random UGA fans. We are up 21 – 7 and we are cheering and having great fun. Then a “well meaning” UGA fan says, “Don’t get too excited yet, we are just in the first quarter” — What? I might jinx us… You really think we have a chance against AU… I am going to enjoy the score as long as it lasts!
This goes ditto for the comments. Did we win the MNC? no. Did we win the SEC? no. Did we win our division? no. Did we barely escape the toliet bowl…yes, well, no. Having said all that, I am still going to cheer for the great plays win or lose. And as the saying goes, you learn a lot more from losing than you ever do from winning…. So the highlight of the year for me will be seeing what we learned and how well we apply it.
Averyboy
December 6th, 2010
2:26 pm
This may be the most pathetic blog I’ve ever laughed at. Well….it’s pathetic just in a general sense all of the time…but trying to list THUGA’s top plays of the pathetic year they had, most of them coming against the likes of LA Lafayette, Idaho State, Vanderbilt………..man you guys ARE a bunch of losers! Wow!!
ugaclassof2004
December 6th, 2010
2:32 pm
Can you imagine the tandem of Cam Newton throwing to AJ Green??? No knock on Murray, because he’s a great QB, but Newton to Green would be unreal!
Harry
December 6th, 2010
2:57 pm
Highlight of 2010?
Well, at least the mascot Dog didn’t die this season.
Carl
December 6th, 2010
2:58 pm
Thse 3 spirals Murray threw in the Florida game were so beautiful, just hit the wrong team.
Will Hill
December 6th, 2010
9:11 pm
Loved the throw Murray the midget threw to me in overtime in Jax. Made the ride to Gainesville sweet.
Jethro Dawg Tull
December 6th, 2010
10:15 pm
Buzzfan
It was in the Vegas odds, as to how many times Anthony Allen’s helmet would come off against UGA. The over/under was 5. It came off on theie 1st play from scrimmage matter of fact.
As far as UGA players not being able to get into Tech.
Look.Let’s face it. None of the Tech players want to be at Tech either.
Can you Buzzfan actually say you saw a Ga. Tech player that seemed happy to be playing at Tech?? No.
At least the Ga Tech players can say they played before a sellout croud in 2010.
IN ATHENS
col fot
December 6th, 2010
10:33 pm
how about picking the low lights of the blowflys season!
Brandon Spikes
December 6th, 2010
11:08 pm
Mark Sanchez reminds me of Joe Cox.
Sam
December 7th, 2010
12:42 am
Plays against Idaho State and UL-Lafayette should not count.
The Bizarro King
December 7th, 2010
2:38 am
Ahh yes…the memories of 2010!
The panties.
The jersey.
The choke sign.
Banned from Valdosta.
Hit and run.
“Where’s my scooter helmet?”
The suspended licenses…again.
The DUIs…again.
The unused scholarships…again.
The suspensions…again.
“What? No two-a-days? Allright!”
“Let’s go to the pool!”
The thud tackles.
“A personal foul…and an unsportsmanlike conduct.”
“…but I want to be where it’s disciplined and they win championships.”
“Looked like a flee flicker to me…”
“Another fumble…try to scoop it…or maybe just stare at it.”
“The 3rd and long draw play…and another first down.”
“The wheel route…and another TD.”
“1st down and Georgia goes into the wildcat.”
“2nd down and its Carlton up the middle…again.”
“3rd and long and Georgia runs play action out of the I…again.”
“3rd and one…and Georgia’s stopped short.”
“4th and one…and Georgia’s stopped short.”
“…and another screen pass goes over his head.”
“And their punter runs for a first down…”
“It’s an on-sides kick…”
Chop block the Tennessee players.
Chop block the Mississippi State players.
Chop block the Auburn players.
“Whipped again by Fairley…and Georgia starts another fight.”
“Johnson suckered them into that TD…take a knee and they would have won the game.”
Bowl-eligible.
The Low Lights
December 7th, 2010
11:11 am
Here’s the list of memorable low-lights:
1. Damon Evans
Really not much you can add here.
2. 2010 Fulmer Cup Champion
3. Ben Jones spearing MissState in the knee from behind.
Making ALL UGAG fans total hypocrites.
4. 3rd Year in a row for 10+ player arrests.
5. AJ Greenback lying to Mark Richt.
6. Caleb King and Waushan Ealy STILL have not completed
ANY college-level credit courses.
7. Watching Jim Rome DESTROY Mark Richt AGAIN over player arrests and many other discipline issues.
8. We HIT & run this State
9. Florida
10. (Next: Fill in the Blank:) Year isnt over yet.
U – U
G – Get
A – Arrested
wesleywhatwhat
December 7th, 2010
12:24 pm
http://www.keepmarkricht.com