What was your favorite Bulldogs play of the season?
Brandon Boykin goes 80 yards against Boise State. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
If you haven’t been over to Georgiadogs.com lately, they’ve got a vote going to pick fans’ favorite plays from UGA’s 2011 football season.
They’ve compiled 25 plays (or performances), which are represented by video clips complete with Scott Howard’s play-by-play description — which makes for some very enjoyable viewing. They’re all individual plays except for Jarvis Jones’ four sacks against the Gators, which are clustered together as one entry.
Many of the nominees are, naturally, touchdowns, but you’ve also got key plays like Isaiah Crowell’s 29-yard third–and-9 run against Ole Miss, Sanders Commings’ interception against Mississippi State, Shawn Williams’ diving interception against Tech and Drew Butler’s game-saving tackle on a blocked punt against Vandy.
And there are other fan favorites like Aron White getting trapped in the hedges, John Jenkins body-slamming a Mississippi State player like a pro wrestler and Quintavius Harrow delivering a big hit on an Auburn kick returner.
Michael Bennett's touchdown catch against Auburn (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
You can vote for your favorite and the Top 10 plays will be counted down on the Christmas Day edition of “Inside Georgia Football With Mark Richt” and then posted on the website on Dec. 27.
Just for the sake of discussion, here in reverse order, Letterman-style, are my choices for the Top 10 plays from the list:
10. The daring and perfectly executed onside kick against LSU, complete with a decoy kicker, Brandon Bogotay popping the ball up just right and Alec Ogletree recovering it. Too bad more of the SEC championship game wasn’t like that.
9. Orson Charles going up high to haul in a touchdown pass on a fade pattern against Ole Miss. A really nice catch just as he was about to go out of the end zone.
8. White vaulting one of the Redcoat Band’s marimbas for a touchdown catch against New Mexico State and then getting stuck in the famed hedges. You had to smile when his teammates excitedly jumped up and down after finally freeing him!
Orson Charles with an impressive catch against Ole Miss. (Associated Press)
7. Chris Conley leaping high to make the first-down reception that iced the game against Florida. As Howard put it, the freshman looked like a senior on that play.
6. Brandon Boykin taking the handoff on his first offensive play of the season against Boise State at the Georgia Dome and breaking it all the way for an 80-yard score, thanks to a key block thrown by Bruce Figgins. Unfortunately, the success against the Broncos didn’t last.
5. Tavarres King going up over a defender to snatch the ball away and score against Florida. A great catch but, incredibly, only the second best of the day for a Georgia receiver (see No. 1).
4. Bacarri Rambo’s pick 6 against Auburn. Rambo weaving his way through Tigers defenders all the way to the end zone produced the loudest ovation heard in Sanford Stadium in years.
Jarvis Jones with one of his four sacks against the Gators. (Jason Getz / AJC)
3. Michael Bennett’s diving, over-the-shoulder touchdown catch against Auburn. And it wasn’t even the right shoulder!
2. Jones’ four sacks against the Gators. He basically made Florida QB John Brantley a nonfactor in the game, and he also forced a key fumble in one of the best defensive performances by any player nationally this year.
And my favorite Bulldogs football play of the season …
1. Bennett scoring against Florida. On fourth-and-5 with Georgia trailing 17-3 against the Gators, Aaron Murray pump-faked and threw to Bennett in the corner of the end zone. The redshirt freshman made a spectacular touchdown catch falling backwards with a Florida defender all over him. A.J. Green couldn’t have done it any better.
Feel free to share your own favorites, and don’t forget to go vote in the poll.
Got something on your mind concerning UGA athletics or a question for the Junkyard Blawg? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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173 comments Add your comment
AltamahaDawg
December 23rd, 2011
9:25 am
Ah, to have seen the faces of the SC fans watching the Uga/Au game unfold.
AltamahaDawg
December 23rd, 2011
9:33 am
Actually I have never seen a man that makes decisions any more deliberately than Mark Richt.
I think perhaps it’s just easier for you to question his motives/timing, than admit that maybe he just simply disagrees with you on some things, or sees from a different perspective.
St Simons - its hard to get xmas lights up in these palm trees
December 23rd, 2011
9:38 am
the one where we didn’t fire Mark, that’s the one
Mobile Dawg
December 23rd, 2011
9:45 am
So you’re really naive enough to think he thought WM, DVH, and a couple of others still around are/were the best coaches available vs they were just good friends.
AltamahaDawg
December 23rd, 2011
9:48 am
I know one thing, I sure wouldn’t want to test the softness his back bone if I were on the other side of his decision.
AltamahaDawg
December 23rd, 2011
9:53 am
I think he strongly believes in staff continuity, and when he had made up his mind that he did not think those guys were what was best for the program, he let them go despite them being good friends. And would again, no matter who it was.
Mobile Dawg
December 23rd, 2011
9:57 am
I have to admit, since McGarity has arrived his backbone has stiffened a bit. Coincidence?
AltamahaDawg
December 23rd, 2011
10:00 am
To me a “soft back bone” guy would have taken a far easier path and be swapping staff members depending on popular sentiment. Incidentally, I don’t see those guys hanging around very long anywhere.
You just disagree with some of his actions. Very unfair to suggest that you know his motives or decisioin making processes.
Mobile Dawg
December 23rd, 2011
10:02 am
Staff continuity is a good thing to a point, I also believe a staff can get stale and ineffective, and to routine. You’ve been around “big business”. A good leader grooms his subordinates for promotion. You just haven’t seen to many of UGA’s coaches approached for other positions considered an advancement in their career.
AltamahaDawg
December 23rd, 2011
10:02 am
I would guess so. Men don’t normally change in a matter of weeks. Circumstances do though.
Mobile Dawg
December 23rd, 2011
10:07 am
I think I’m fair in my assessments of CMR and his leadership/performance. I admit I don’t care for his “more” finesse approach to offense, but that doesn’t cloud my judgement of the overall results he has achieved, more in the past vs the last several years.
UGA fan...not fanatic
December 23rd, 2011
10:08 am
Should never had made WM the DC, BooBoo should have been gone too. Does CMR work for UGA or his friends?
AltamahaDawg
December 23rd, 2011
10:13 am
I don’t really put much faith in that theory. Some coaches are just more apt to have a lot more turn over. Really flattering if somebody wants to hire your assistance. And nothing wrong with that. But it’s not some sort of acid test. I can think of plenty of very good assistants that have stayed a long time with somebody.
And in my observations, those staff with higher turnover, pretty much self destruct in time, and the HC’s who seem to hire just by who might be in high demand (or be looking for a stepping stone position) tend to be pretty apt to move around themselves.
AltamahaDawg
December 23rd, 2011
10:24 am
Well let’s see…he has WAY more “friends” that would benifit from his success at UGA than the handful of those (that would still be his friend no matter what) that your mentioned. An big and extended family living in Athens. A high paying job. A lifestyle, and a personal ministry that is afforded by his position …………….hmmm. I wonder who he would say he works for?
AltamahaDawg
December 23rd, 2011
10:27 am
So, you are asking if he is just proving he would throw all of that away, based on 1/3 DC he has hired not working out?
Burma Shave
December 23rd, 2011
10:37 am
MSU will rule the day
Down the dawgs will go
Once again they prove they can’t
Beat a decent foe
BURMA SHAVE
dawginflorida
December 23rd, 2011
4:41 pm
best no plays was
CitizenK9
December 23rd, 2011
8:36 pm
I thought the hit that Jarvis Jones made over the middle agains UF that forced the fumble was the best play. A good player makes the tackle. A great player makes the tackle and knocks the ball loose.
SEC Observer
December 24th, 2011
12:34 am
The best play has to be the Honey Badger making 9 Dawgs miss him for the 2nd punt he nearly turned into another TD.
Football Guy
December 24th, 2011
6:12 am
Obsess much. 3 of the 5 plays are against UF. Funny that none of the plays occured against LSU.
ole yeller
December 24th, 2011
8:15 am
I think some of the blogers must not have seen the same game I saw between UGA and LSU. I think the second half UGA was burned out from the effort in the first half and didn’t have the depth to continue at that level of play. LSU starting back’s didn’t do too much the second half they were spent also. I believe LSU “RB” Hillard 4th string did most of the dammage the second half. If you don’t have the horses you can’t run.. LSU came to town with four (4). Remember this, UGA will be back with a stable of horses just like LSU and they will run..
dawg150
December 24th, 2011
11:09 pm
My man Bennett….throw it in his area code and he’ll dial it in….get used to that combo..but hey, all those are up for consideration. Nice season, good recovery, lets build on it, not live off it…..GATA in Tampa.
The Diesel
December 25th, 2011
5:53 pm
I would have to say the entire game against “The East Alabama School of Animal Husbandry”.Really enjoyed the beatdown AU received.Even better seeing all the GoatHumper fans leaving in the 3rd.qtr.