UGA depth chart shows opportunities for incoming ‘Dream Team’
Officially the football depth chart released Monday by UGA is labeled “post-spring,” but it might as well be designated the “placeholder” chart.
As was painfully clear if you read past the top names at several positions (and even if you only read the top names at a couple), there are going to be chances for some members of Mark Richt’s “Dream Team” to battle for playing time early in their collegiate careers.
Mostly, the depth chart played out like you’d expect from what the coaches have been saying since G-Day, but one of the eye-openers was tailback, where Caleb King was listed as the starter, as expected, with diminutive Carlton Thomas (5-feet-7, 163 pounds) next, followed surprisingly by equally diminutive walk-on Brandon Harton (5-feet-6, 174 pounds) ahead of the much talked about redshirt freshman Ken Malcome. This could, of course, merely be a reflection of hard-working Harton having made a really good showing in the spring while Malcome was hobbled with hamstring problems. At least, that’s what I’m hoping. Obviously, the arrival of Isaiah Crowell will shake this chart up considerably.
Then there’s the offensive line, where there was no surprise in the starters listed (Cordy Glenn at left tackle, Kenarious Gates left guard, Ben Jones center, Chris Burnette right guard and Justin Anderson right tackle), but you got slapped in the face with just how thin Georgia is on the line by seeing walk-on Hugh Williams listed second at left tackle. In reality, Richt has said that if either starting tackle goes down, Gates will switch over from guard, but any SEC depth chart that lists a walk-on as the main backup is cause for concern.
The listing of Sanders Commings still at cornerback wasn’t really a surprise, but the coaches have said he’ll probably get another look in August at safety, where Shawn Williams currently is listed as starter as strong safety and Jakar Hamilton is backing up Bacarri Rambo at free safety.
Playing freshmen on the OL would be strictly a worst-case scenario, but besides Crowell, John Jenkins on the defensive line, Ray Drew getting a look at linebacker, and plenty of opportunity for Malcolm Mitchell at wide receiver, the secondary is definitely the area where we’re likely to see a true freshman (Damian Swann, Nick Marshall or Corey Moore) get some playing time.
I’m sure for several of Georgia’s position coaches, August can’t come soon enough.
A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
I was at lunch over in Athens Monday with my brother Jon and his UGA student daughter when my niece was greeted by a man she’s met while working as a waitress at a downtown restaurant. The guy is a street artist and showed her his two latest works featuring a Georgia Bulldog theme. They were really good. That in itself wouldn’t be unusual in Athens, but the man has no arms and draws his amazing works by holding a marker in his teeth. He didn’t stay long, but while there he talked about what a “blessing” his artistic ability is and how he likes to provide an example to others that “you can do anything you want to.”
I’m going to try and keep that guy in mind next time I feel like complaining. About anything.
ONE MORE THING
Happy birthday wishes to Bob Dylan, who’s 70 today, and my son Bill, who’s 26!
Got a question for the Junkyard Blawg? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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— Bill King, Junkyard Blawg
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167 comments Add your comment
Good Grief
May 24th, 2011
12:37 pm
” so that’s more losses to Florida, Georgia Tech, and Tenn.”
hahahaha thats good stuff right there. takes balls to predict a loss to GT.
Good Grief
May 24th, 2011
12:39 pm
“Losers lose, winners win.”
that’s deep, bro.
WDE
May 24th, 2011
12:39 pm
@Rufus how many blogs names have you used to post that same old tried crap under 15-20 or more..troll on
RabidDawgFan
May 24th, 2011
12:40 pm
Last year, last year, last year, that’s all we hear! Talk about what CMR has accomplished. Don’t just bring up last season. I don’t see anybody bringing up Nick Saban’s inaugural season at Alabama when they went 6-6 and lost to the powerhouse Louisiana-Monroe. Do I? Didn’t think so. But Saban is God, I forgot. How about when Alabama got housed by Utah in the Sugar Bowl in 08? Didn’t hear about that one. God forbid UGA have one bad season.
Good Grief
May 24th, 2011
12:50 pm
it’s fair to bring up last year. Its also fair to expect improvement.
UGA Insider
May 24th, 2011
12:52 pm
South Carolina is going to beat us like a drum which will be a new low in the series. UGA has NEVER lost two in a row to USCe. USCe is going to have one of the best defensive units in the country and we all know what they have on offense. Looking at our depth chart I don’t even know if we will score against them. Match that loss with another loss to UF and I think we have a new coaching staff by Jan 1. My money is on Chris Peterson…by the way… he is meeting with McGarity at the Chick Filet- game.
Richt`s Hammer
May 24th, 2011
12:52 pm
Boise State 66 Dawgs 6.
I will blame choakdawg and all of those krispy kreme`s.
DawginLex
May 24th, 2011
1:00 pm
Insider,
If McGarity is meeting with Peterson at the opening game to discuss coaching at UGA, then we have a low life scum bag of an AD who makes Petrino look like Mr Rogers.
WDE
May 24th, 2011
1:03 pm
Enter your comments here
Lincolnton Dawg
May 24th, 2011
1:08 pm
I really do feel sorry for a lot of you.
If you are not a Dawg fan, the fact you are here simply to bash optimistic people who have a true passion for their home team makes you pretty pathetic.
If winning a national championship is the only way to justify having optimistic, passionate fans, the sport wouldn’t exist.
I don;t care if UGA loses every game for 5 years, I will be in Sanford Stadium thinking optimistically every chance I get, screaming “GO DAWGS” until my voice goes horse.
101 days til kickoff folks.
FlaGtrs94
May 24th, 2011
1:19 pm
@RabidDawg – WOW! Those are some pretty lofty expectations! Why dont you take it one game at atime and see where you are after the first few weeks? Just tyring to help. Not saying you CAN’T go 12-0, but saying that if you win the first 2 games and then beat Florida you’ll go undefeated is exactly why you never beat florida…. Florida looks at UGA as maybe the 2-3rd biggest game on the schedule, our season never rests on beating uga. There is something to be said for playing loose and not letting small mistakes compound like uga does every single year in that game. You can see it on the coach’s, player’s and fan’s faces the second something doesn’t go to plan. The whole sideline breathes a collective sigh of, here we go again…. That’s what happens when in may you hinge your season on beating florida…..
RabidDawgFan
May 24th, 2011
1:25 pm
Ok @FlaGtrs94…if your season doesn’t rest on UGA, then who does it rest on? Tennessee? UAB? Kentucky? Vanderbilt? Yeah right man. UGA and Florida always circle the calendar on each other and you know it and that’ll never change. I do take it one game at a time but looking at the schedule there are teams that we should beat. We will beat Florida this year. Who is on your starting O-line? Name one impact guy at receiver for you. Name your secondary. Is Brantley still your QB? God I hope not. He’s awful. A 9 to 10 TD/INT ratio won’t cut it in the SEC buddy.
reebok
May 24th, 2011
1:25 pm
Not really a great thing to have to play a bunch of true Freshman…would much rather get them in the program and the weight room for a year…but you cana’t very well go into the season with only 6 healthy O-linemen either.
JB
May 24th, 2011
1:30 pm
I’m concerned about the OL in 2012. Yes I’m getting ahead of myself, but that big class coming in this year only yielded 3 OL? Should have been 6.
JB
May 24th, 2011
1:31 pm
There’s hope. Tennessee won 6 games last year playing 5 freshman OL and NO depth.
SSIgator
May 24th, 2011
1:33 pm
“opportunities for incoming ‘Dream Team’”
As they try to keep from becoming a wet dream. UGA – where all promising football players go to be wasted by the coaching staff.
RabidDawgFan
May 24th, 2011
1:34 pm
People need to get a grip. I remember back in 2002 we had a line that was banged up but they played through it. Offensive line is the position where you break fingers, break hands, scratch up knuckles. The toughest of the tough fight it out in the trenches. If these boys aren’t ready to put their body on the line then they don’t need to be here. Back in 02 we won the SEC title with the same situation we’re in now. But what happened to the heart that we had back then. What has changed?
Colorado Dawg
May 24th, 2011
1:38 pm
I was watching ESPN the other night when they were announcing this year’s pre-season ranking and they had Boise State at #5 ? I believe they are that good and Georgia will need to buckle their chin straps and go all out or we could lose this game.
I still believe Georgia will have a good year. I believe the offensive line will be much stronger and I’m sure they will be ok. I do have some concern for rb, and hope that someone/or several of the backs step up or it could be a long season. I still intrigued by Malcome and feel that he could very well be the key.
Either way, it’s good to be a Georgia fan in Colorado. GO DAWGS!!!
radly dawg
May 24th, 2011
1:45 pm
Hey Coaching World!!!!!!!!!!!! So now….. you’re telling me the Jake Scott,Terry Hogue, Buzzy Rosenberg, Scott Woerner type athletes, (WITH BRAUN AND BRAINS) that played in the secondary are ALL EXTINCT OR TOO SLOW????????????????? GIVE ME A BREAK please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Purely reverse discrimination, and the game suffers because of it….not to mention the court dockets!!!!!!!!!!
Old Dawg
May 24th, 2011
1:48 pm
Bill, I’ve seen the artist your mentioned on several occasions. He’s a great inspiration to me and I think about him often, especially when someone says they don’t have an job skills.
There’s a similar guy in the company I work for now. He’s mentally challenged but he can count like nobody I’ve ever know, so he keeps track of all the cookware processing down his line as he cleans them.
He’s also great for providing stats at local high school ball games.
Thanks for your blogs.
JB
May 24th, 2011
1:50 pm
Colorado Dawg…………You tube Crowell and check him out. The haters on here had been saying he was just average. Watch that 9 minute video and tell me he’s average. Phenom is a word I would use….He’s a beast. Our haters wish he was average.
JB
May 24th, 2011
1:52 pm
SSIgator…………….Nobody nationally is giving your Gators much love. You guys have got some problems…………….And a head coach who HAS NEVER WON A GAME. That would be reason to have pause. Yes, we all know about the last 20 years…Guess what….they’re gone.
JB
May 24th, 2011
1:55 pm
Let’s hope this years much improved defense keeps the games tighter and gives the offense some short fields to work with.
AceDawg
May 24th, 2011
1:56 pm
I remember that painter. I remember when UGA had a winning record too. Here’s to seeing both in the fall.
SOUTHGADAWG88
May 24th, 2011
1:56 pm
The Oline is the only serious issue we have imo.I don’t see why Shawn Williams gets so much flak…he played every bit as well as Olgeltree(Tree had horrible cover skills)If the front 7 can get at least a decent pass rush the secondary should be fine.For all the Crowell talk going around I still say Jenkins and Geathers are the two most important players on the team besides Murray
Dr Stu Green ...
May 24th, 2011
2:05 pm
Besides the ATM receipt from the Bellagio for …. EIGHT-HUNDRED DOLLARS!! Here’s what I got for the Dawgs in 2011:
They will beat BSU in game 1 b/c BSU ain’t that good. They are ONE-DIMENSIONAL after losing 2 stud WRs and 1 stud TE. Unless the WR/TE replacements are just as good as their predecesors, GA wins this one easily. So Dawg fans quit trying to build this as some BIG TIME opponent, BSU ain’t that!
Most likely a loss to SC … they are just simply better. And probably have better coaching.
Now … to GA’s offensive concerns:
If the O-Line isn’t very good to great then the Dawgs will lose more than most think. As the Dawgs will be ONE-DIMENSIONAL as well. You don’t lose AJ Green & the White Boy, a couple Sr OL, your best returning OLineman, and WE (kid had talent, just no discipline) and get … better. If the OL can’t protect AM, with no bailout option in AJ then the O will struggle.
Nobody foresaw these losses (MSU, Colorado, or Ark), and the Dawgs had better offensive pieces last year.
I believe GA is 2-1 heading into the meat grinder part of the schedule:
9/24 AT Ole miss
10/1 vs. Miss St
10/8 AT Tenn
10/15 AT Vandy
10/29 AT Jax vs. UF
IF the Dawgs lose to BSU and SC … the meat grinder will what determines GA’s over or under .500 record in 2011.
JB
May 24th, 2011
2:07 pm
Doc…………….You are so right. If we can’t run the ball and lose games 1 and 2, the whole season will just be for talking about the new head coach while the season plays out. If we can’t run the ball, we could lose a couple of Games like Miss St and Auburn again. Florida would be tough, as I think their D will be tough….and Tech would be in play. We run the ball and win those first two, We go to Jacksonville undefeated!
ugaclassof2004
May 24th, 2011
2:23 pm
Looking at this season obectively, here is what I think:
In regards to the team- I like Aaron Murray. I think everything should filter through him offensively like it did towards the end of last season. The offense just flows better that way, even though I know the running game “purist” don’t like that kind of offense. Now with that being said, I think the receiving corp is going to have to step up BIG TIME not just to replace AJ’s production but Kris Durham’s as well. Tavarres King has been way too inconsistent for my liking and Orson Charles drops too many passes. One of these guys needs to step up and be a CONSISTENT factor this year, otherwise the offense will struggle. I also think the defense lacks talent. However, being in the system another year will help and moving Ogletree to LB was a good decision. So I say they are marginally better this year. Losing AJ Green those first 4 games really took the air out UGA’s season last year. They would have probably finished 8-4 instead of 6-6, had AJ played the entire year. The offense just had more confidence when he played.
Now in regards to the schedule: UGA is in rebuild mode, but then again so is everyone else. Boise State lost a ton of folks, UT is young, Auburn will be down, Florida is learning a new system on offense and defense. The SEC EAST is an absolute joke, but if I had to put my money on a team winning it, it would be the South Carolina Gamecocks. Even with Stephen Garcia’s problems, they seem to have the most talent and experience. I don’t think the Dawgs have the horses on both sides of the ball to win the SEC EAST, but I think they can finish 8-4 and go to a decent bowl game IF they are willing to work hard for it and not expect things to just happen.
Buckeye
May 24th, 2011
2:23 pm
0-2 by 9/11/11.
Dream on.
timthebrave
May 24th, 2011
2:26 pm
Bill King, that guy has been in Athens since I was in school there 94-99. I gave him some money for a picture of Uga that he drew
Dawgs will rise again!!
May 24th, 2011
2:30 pm
I’m as excited as any Dawg fan about the potential of IC and it would be great if he could deliver this year or at least be steady and show some flashes of greatness. But the biggest difference maker coming in is going to be Big John Jenkins. Along with Jarvis Jones. I can’t wait to see what kind of an impact they will make on our D. I think they have a chance to be dominant and finally win some games the good old fashioned way. GATA
WDE
May 24th, 2011
2:33 pm
@ Buckeye riddle me this oh slave of the vest…if OSU started the season against Bosie and USCe without the Vest and his TAT 5…what do you think would be their record after the 2 games.hmmmm?
UGA Insider
May 24th, 2011
2:34 pm
DawginLex:
You act like college football is some kind of ethical business. Get your head out of the sand, that’s how business is done.
SSIgator
May 24th, 2011
2:45 pm
JB -
“we all know about the last 20 years…Guess what….they’re gone.”
They sure are. 1980 – so long ago.
CFBFan
May 24th, 2011
2:50 pm
You know how you can tell a desperate fanbase?
Their excited about their depth chart favoring a bunch of kids who have never played a down of college football.
Sad.
AltamahaDawg
May 24th, 2011
2:50 pm
Hopefully Bill still had mad frisbee skills at the ripe old age of 26.
CFBFan
May 24th, 2011
2:51 pm
*They’re not their above.
1eyedJack
May 24th, 2011
2:53 pm
The sky is falling! The sky is falling!!!
DMR
May 24th, 2011
2:54 pm
Hey Bill,
The artist you referred to, his name is Michael Davenport. He is extremely talented. I have actually bought a work of art from him and I am having do another one for my son. Not only is he extremely talented, he is just a helluva nice guy.
Ron Smith
May 24th, 2011
2:54 pm
UGA will win over: Ole Miss, Coastal Carolina, Vanderbilt, New Mexico State, GA Tech, Kentucky
UGA will lose to: Florida, Tennessee, Auburn, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Boise State,
(6-6)and another mid-level bowl (BTW) I hope I’m wrong!!
WDE
May 24th, 2011
2:55 pm
@ UGA Insider really that is how business is done? If one of my employees is interviewing during the season and I’m AD..he won’t have a choice on IF he’s going just maybe where…
AltamahaDawg
May 24th, 2011
2:55 pm
SC is going to have one of the best defensive units in the country? No kidding. I really have not read one credible source stating that, in fact without exception they list their entire front 7 as quite an unknown. Who do you like so well on that unit that nobody has seen play yet?
WDE
May 24th, 2011
2:56 pm
@Ron Smith no worries you are….UT,Auburn and Miss St…at least are wins.
MD
May 24th, 2011
2:57 pm
Agreed w/ UGA insider. Keep our options open, it’s not a secret UGA’s HC job might be open sooner than later. Richt knows about this meeting, it might even be the reason he keeps his job, it seems like he’s finally woken up to find out the game has passed him by a little. You should be glad our AD is not sitting back waiting to see what happens, Proactive vs. Reactive. I’ll take it any day…
AltamahaDawg
May 24th, 2011
2:58 pm
Why would you think TN and Auburn, Ron? Or Miss state? The other losses I can understand the specualtion, but what do you like in those teams as far as the matchup?
Joey
May 24th, 2011
2:58 pm
Our head coach in ‘02 coached to win games. He was bold and often gambled. Does everyone else remember David Greene passing the ball down the field on 3rd and 25? Or getting in the hurry-up offense on the very first series of most games, then several more times during games? Fake punts and trick plays? All out rushes to block punts?
Richt now coaches to not lose. No boldness, just predictablilty. 3rd and 12? We run up the middle, then punt. 2nd and 1? He never ever calls a play-action pass. 4th and goal from the 1 in a meaningless bowl game? Goes for the FG.
Maybe he will thake some chances now that his career at UGA is on the line. He better.
JB
May 24th, 2011
2:58 pm
SSIgator…………you guys had a great 20 year run….before that, most my age remember many years of disappointment for the Gators….Fact is, I don’t think you even won a SEC title before that run.. I’ll be one Dawg who will admit we have been spotty at best since 1980. We’ve had some decent seasons, but nothing like you guys have had the last 20……….My point to all this, The cycle goes round all the time. See Bama, see FSU….They have all had down cycles. Florida is primed for a down cycle. You’re due!
7576DAWG
May 24th, 2011
2:59 pm
UGA Insider
I think Ray Drew will be a tremendous leader on defense. A lot of the incoming Freshmen will play this year and provide the defense with the depth that will make them nationally ranked. Even though our offense will be challenged the old Dawg teams won a lot of games with only a great defense and thus the reputation of the JUNKYARD DAWGS. I think this could be one of those years with a great field goal kicker returning. A lot of low scoring games. example: 13-10. What is wrong with that prediction? You are not giving any credit to the defense and the possibility they can carry the team.
SOUTHGADAWG88
May 24th, 2011
3:01 pm
Our coach in 02 had a defense behind him.
1eyedJack
May 24th, 2011
3:02 pm
Joey, Murray should know the offense well enough to run the no-huddle this year.