Spring practice didn’t answer Dogs’ biggest questions
Replacing the likes of Cordy Glenn on the offensive line remains a work in progress for the 2012 Dogs. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
While Bulldogs fans did come out of G-Day reassured that the defensive front will continue to be a major Georgia strength and that prospects are encouraging at running back, backup quarterback and tight end, most of the major questions hanging over Mark Richt’s 2012 team won’t be answered until the fall.
The biggest of those uncertainties remains the rebuilding of the offensive line, because of the impact that has on other aspects of the game: running, passing, quarterback protection. While I was pleasantly surprised with how well the tentative first-team OL held up against one of the best defensive lines in the nation on G-Day, there still was inconsistency and not much depth — the second-team OL looked pretty woeful. Most observers see true freshman John Theus having a real chance to start come September if he lives up to advance billing.
On the other side of the ball, the linebacking corps looked solid and should be able to sustain a possible suspension of Alec Ogletree, but we didn’t really see anything in the spring game to alleviate the worries about how the secondary will handle Missouri with starters possibly suspended, since designated two-way player Malcolm Mitchell wasn’t able to play because of another hamstring problem.
And while speedster Justin Scott-Wesley showed some potential, we’ll still have to wait and see how the receiving corps handles having Mitchell, its biggest playmaker, spending time on defense.
And, of course, one of the biggest problem areas that needs shoring up — special teams — won’t really be addressed fully until August, when the likely new punter and placekicker join the team. While coaches still have to address who’ll be returning punts and kickoffs, the larger issue that must be resolved is coverage, where Georgia stunk last year, ranking 116th nationally in punt coverage and 88th in kickoff coverage, with a tendency to give up big returns at the worst possible times.
Spring work on special teams was mainly concerned with drills designed to see who’ll be populating the coverage teams come fall, Richt told the Athens Banner-Herald. “The goal in the spring for the special teams was to get a lot of guys involved and do a lot of drill work that will help us. First of all, evaluate, ‘Can a guy do what we’re going to ask him to do. Can he get off a block. Can he tackle in space? Can he protect a kick?’ We were just wanting everybody to understand that everybody and anybody could end up on a special team — a starter, a second-teamer, whatever it is.”
Kirk Olivadotti, who oversees the kickoff-coverage unit, indicated that in terms of approach, it won’t be so much wholesale change as tweaking coverage and changing up personnel.
Hopefully, that’ll be enough, but I’m more encouraged by Richt’s contining emphasis this offseason on the need to up the Dogs’ game in special teams play, which hasn’t always been a high priority during his tenure.
“My guess is, we will have more live kicking reps in the fall than we’ve had in a while,” Richt said, though he allowed that “some of that is because we’re going to be breaking in a new punter and a new kicker. They need to be under pressure as much as possible, and it’s hard to create that pressure unless you’re doing some live situations.”
Offensive line. Secondary depth. Special teams. All three could be make-or-break areas for the Dogs this season and the picture unfortunately remains pretty hazy with all of them. Any other lingering concerns you have coming out of spring practice?
Got something on your mind concerning UGA athletics or a question for the Junkyard Blawg? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
Find me on Facebook.
Follow me on Twitter.
— Bill King, Junkyard Blawg
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
212 comments Add your comment
DawgInaTruck
April 20th, 2012
5:05 pm
Spring practice is just that-practice in the spring. I’m always glad when we get through it without any sgnificant injuries. This team looks pretty solid and one that is ready to improve upon the progress we saw last year.
CH, Malcome looks like he is getting better and better. Whatcha think dude?
Lamar
April 20th, 2012
5:26 pm
HEY ANOTHER DOG, you need to get a life with your posting! Anybody who complains about a person losing a loved one , IS PATHETIC! I HOPE YOU DON’T HAVE ANY DEATHS IN YOUR FAMILY! Because people might take up your “SORRY ATTITUDE ABOUT IT”! GET A LIFE BUM!! GO DAWGS! Besides, IF YOU DO NOT LIKE BILL’S COMMENTS, DON’T READ HIS BLOGS LOSER!
The Factor
April 20th, 2012
5:27 pm
@SSIgator
What’s with this “SSIgator”? What, is this some lingo from Gilligan’s Island like the SSMinnow? What a Pinhead……
Harry Dawg
April 20th, 2012
5:32 pm
Maybe Richt will decide he wants to go build churches in South America and Grantham will take over as Coach.
Blog Cop
April 20th, 2012
5:34 pm
settle down Lamar.
Blog Cop
April 20th, 2012
5:38 pm
@ The Factor…who are you supposed to be? An unintelligent version of Bill O’Reilly? Now settle down.
GTBob
April 20th, 2012
5:40 pm
Leaving for the GT spring game in a little while. I look forward to seeing how our young men look up close and personal. I predict this is the year we beat UGA.
Blog Cop
April 20th, 2012
5:40 pm
Honestly, I don’t know what it is about these Georgia fans. Seems like once they put on that “G”, somebody sprinkles stupid dust all over them.
Blog Cop
April 20th, 2012
5:41 pm
Way to support your team GTBob. Enjoy your evening.
The Factor
April 20th, 2012
5:47 pm
@Blog Cop,
Go with GTBob to the game. I hear this is the warm up to the headliner, Chamblee HS vs St Pius X HS
Blog Cop
April 20th, 2012
5:51 pm
Factor, you’re swimming in the deep end of the pool boy. Watch your tone.
Blog Cop
April 20th, 2012
6:19 pm
Everything is under control here. The Blog Cop is gone for the weekend. 10-98.
Bob
April 20th, 2012
6:19 pm
Bill, you are The Man and you should be ashamed of this article…we always play good against ourselves. The biggest problem I see with the Dawgs is the same as the past four years, we’re too inbred at the coaching position. Maybe that’s why we always play good against ourselves. Just my opinion.
micromanager
April 20th, 2012
6:26 pm
Anyone going up to Knoxville for the orange and white game? Hope little Dooley can turn that ship around, cause patience is wearing thin. And he wasn’t A.D. Hart’s hire. Gonna be tough.
Alabama Jack
April 20th, 2012
6:36 pm
And the largest question of all? How early will UGA capture the Fulmer Cup this year?
War Mongrel
April 20th, 2012
6:37 pm
At the risk of being kicked out of Dawg Nation, I must say I feel like if we (UGA) don’t win the SECCG this year (not just get there only to be throttled again), then it is time for a coaching change in Athens. The schedule is very favorable. I see the same things most rational fans see, ie, no depth on the o-line, discipline issues year after year, no special teams leadership. I like Richt, but, it’s time to put up or shut up.
CHDawg
April 20th, 2012
6:43 pm
DawginaTruck, Boo’s looking good, but we knew he was good last year, didn’t we? I hope he will take it up a notch this summer in the weight room. Another 5-10 pounds of muscle and I think he has the chance to really be a special Georgia tailback. IC looks great, too. They are going to complement each other beautifully. Samuel can mix it up with them, but I hope they will move him to a hybrid FB. He can block like a FB and run like a TB. So, I would us RS to run a lot, catch a lot, throw him some shovels, screens, etc. A series with Samuel/Crowell and one with Samuel/Malcome will be awfully tough to defend. What I really like is how quickly we could switch from a power I to a wide open shotgun with Samuel and any of the TBs. A linebacker will wind up trying to cover one of them, and that wouldn’t be easy. The Carolina All-Stars look to make a statement, too. UGA is sitting on some serious running talent next year, imho.
Dawg Day Afternoon and early evening
April 20th, 2012
6:49 pm
CHDawg, the next head coach will recruit linemen to block for all these backs. Because god knows, the present head coach doesn’t see the need.
bubba4dawgs
April 20th, 2012
10:38 pm
I hope when Murray turns sour that Mason is ready to take over. At least, we sure would like to see him play more and also Lemay! GO DAWGS!!
Dawg One
April 20th, 2012
10:42 pm
Frankly, I’m pretty fed up with all of the UGA apologists with their lame whining that all schools have the same problems with their athletes. That’s utter tripe. UGA has so many athletes arrested and suspended or dismissed outright because Mark Richt recruits low class morons with no moral code, no sense of teamwork, and a “me first” attitude that’s like a cancer to the team.
Selah.
Thomas Brown
April 20th, 2012
11:00 pm
Yeah, when are we going to beat a team who makes the top 10 ?
Thomas Brown
April 20th, 2012
11:06 pm
Leaving for the Georgia tek Spring Game, huh ?
What’s that called ?
The Yellow T-game ? Is it tonight ? Leaving for it now ? Don’t tell you don’t even live here – with all this junk you post to have every article about us, be instead about your lousy football program on
NCAA PROBATION IN FOOTBALL back-to-back repeat offenders.
Thomas Brown
April 20th, 2012
11:39 pm
“Georgia stunk last year, ranking 116th nationally in punt coverage and 88th in kickoff coverage, with a tendency to give up big returns at the worst possible times.”
_______________________
# 88 Kick-Off Coverage team
# 116 Punt Coverage team
_______________________
# 65 Kick-Off Return team & that with Brandon Boykin
http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/1057/p2
# 43 Punt Return team
Face it, our Special Teams sucked, obviously all we needed to do was tweak it a little-bit, right ?
# 78 in the nation Special Teams, no Special Teams’ Coach and the one who steps up and says he does coach Special Teams’ for UGA says we played well on Special Teams.
Great Scott.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 20th, 2012
11:46 pm
I DID answer the Biggest question………….Can BOBO get the Grass cut and field lined before the game.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 20th, 2012
11:47 pm
Yes Bobo can.
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
April 21st, 2012
12:39 am
Somebody told us that Bama had over 80,000 at their Spring game?
That’s a few more than UGA had? Interesting and sad….
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 21st, 2012
12:42 am
Dixie Band but it is not deer season in Bama so what the F else was there to do?
Thomas Brown
April 21st, 2012
6:04 am
Bill King asked the question, “Any other lingering concerns you have coming out of spring practice?”
_________________________________________
When are we going to beat any team who makes a top 10 poll, since we have lost 7 in a row dating all the way back to Auburn in 2006; or, indeed when are we going to beat any team who even makes any top 25 poll, since we have lost 9 in a row – and, as far as that goes when are we even going to beat an SEC team with a winning SEC record, since we have lost 9 in a row starting with the Kentucky game in 2007.
Look, this is the 2012 season, this up-coming season after which we lose everyone on Defense, the whole entire team and again this season we only play 1 team who made any top 25 poll all 12 regular season games. The 2005 season was eight (8) seasons ago now this 1-year window this up-coming 2012 season. It’s getting very old and very stale around here, and it’s not like we’re doing it the right way either hitting little girls, 7 failed drug tests in the last 4 months, and 11 defensive backs we gave scholarships none of whom will play vs Mizzou. Bill King has hit upon some of the troubled areas, and there are many this coaching staff puts us in every single season of the current 11-year mediocre results. 21 losses the current 5-year period and Jim Donnan fired for having 19 losses his 5-year reign. # 32 in won/lost record the last 4 years. # 21 in win/lost record the current 6-year period.
Get your heads out of the sand around here. We need to beat top teams, and instead we found ourselves the # 5 SEC team in just our own conference again in 2011-2012. I’m sorry that doesn’t hack it. And, what do we have for 2012 ? No LSU and no Alabama, again but we face both after this season in 2013; that with no defense since all ours is gone after 2012. 1 team the entire “schedule” for us 2012 who made any top 25. We have a Favorite at QB who somehow has managed to throw away games in which it would appear any other QB certainly could not have done worse. His opponent QB out-performed him head-to-head those excruciating 9 losses in a row to teams who made any top 25 poll. Our program goes on the Summer Tour and all they can discuss is how we punish our players, who goof-off and don’t stay on the team. 24 attrition of the 109 signed scholarships toward our 85-man scholarship limit. Only 78 on scholarship and we are allotted 85, and 3 of those are walk-ons who none of them play offense or defense. Our OL, again this up-coming season, as has been an all too often occurrence these 11 years, is saddled with the fewest returning started games of any team in America, and of course they’ve none of them beat any team making any top 10 or even top 25 poll. Again, hamstrings from improper strength and conditioning. Again, platitudes about Special Teams then the 1 Special Teams coach who does speak up actually states our Special Teams played well at # 78 Special Teams in the nation, and still no Special Teams’ Coach.
A poorly performing QB. A RB in nothing but trouble bragging how he’s going to win the Heisman Trophy 2012, when his performance less than a week ago, again was what it has always been – very poor. No Fullback, move someone there with 1 FB recruited despite 200 a season available in 6 seasons.
Best WR moved to troubled defensive back position, after we recruited only 1 DB for 2012.
Chris Conley also as a WR but he too cannot practice, even.
7 QB and none of them are going to get a snap and you know it.
Best TE will be held back and some senior TE installed into the Starter role despite all the heroics in the Spring G-Day Game by Jay Rome. We once started Joe Tereshinski III instead of Matthew Stafford # 1 NFL pick. Excuse me ? Knowshon Moreno redshirted so we saw him only 2 seasons. Aron White made the Starter instead of now arrested, Orson Charles. 3 players kicked off the team for stealing from their own teammates. We have no teamwork around here.
Standing pat with Mike Bobo as Offensive Coordinator. Good heavens. See any issues with this football program ? Oh, not much.
Neutral
April 21st, 2012
8:02 am
@Thomas Brown
Please pick a new team to follow…..Dawg fans hate your longwinded negative posts. P.S. And no one reads them because it is the same stuff over and over and over. Get a life and take your meds.
Bartlett P. Hanover
April 21st, 2012
8:30 am
Honestly, I don’t know what it is about these Georgia fans. Seems like once they put on that “G”, somebody sprinkles stupid dust all over them.
And as everyone knows, you can’t fix stupid.
Dawg One
April 21st, 2012
8:35 am
I have to say that I enjoy reading Thomas Brown’s posts very much, and I imagine that most other readers do, too. If you don’t enjoy his posts, don’t read them.
Dawg Day Afternoon and early evening
April 21st, 2012
9:02 am
I second that Dawg One. The blind homers would love to ban anyone who doesn’t agree with them or criticizes CMR or the program. Well, the trophy case is full of mid-tier bowl trophies and participation ribbons, while the rest of the SEC is showing crystal.
Neutral
April 21st, 2012
9:03 am
I don’t……and you must be Thomas Brown blogging as “Dawg one”. You didn’t fool me and if you read these often you would know that 100’s of Dawg fans have said the same thing. You, I mean Thomas Brown just keep cutting and pasting the same stuff everyday. We have seen the exact stats over and over and over again. If you aren’t Thomas…..then you haven’t been reading these blogs enough to know about his redundant and manic rants. Brown is the most negative Dawg fan I have ever seen and most of us real fans think he is intentionally spewing his poison to deter recruits who may be reading these blogs. My guess he is a Techie trying to use reverse psychology.
Dawg Fan
April 21st, 2012
9:09 am
I agree with Neutral, I’m so tired of Brown’s constant rants. He ruminates over the same stats and never focuses on the positives……which are many.
Dawg Day Afternoon and early evening
April 21st, 2012
9:10 am
Hey Neutral…it doesn’t matter what most of you “real” fans think. If you don’t like what he posts, don’t read it. But quit your whining.
Bob
April 21st, 2012
9:11 am
I second, third, and …….Neutral’s comments. Get another team Mr. Brown!!!
Dawg Day Afternoon and early evening
April 21st, 2012
9:11 am
you too dawg fan.
Dawg Alum
April 21st, 2012
9:16 am
@Neutral
You have a point and I hate having to scroll past the same information everyday that Thomas Brown posts. I agree with you that he is intentionally tearing down the Dawgs to “deter recruits who may be reading these blogs”.
Dawg Day Afternoon and early evening
April 21st, 2012
9:17 am
here comes the “conspiracy theorist”
atl xman
April 21st, 2012
9:22 am
http://espn.go.com/colleges/georgia/football/story/_/id/7838461/brice-ramsey-rises-elite-level
good article on a future UGA qb.
Neutral
April 21st, 2012
9:24 am
Right on….and you are also known as Thomas Brown. Please quit tearing down the Dawgs…..we know what you are trying to do.
Neutral
April 21st, 2012
9:29 am
@atl xman
Thanks for the article on Ramsey and I hope it is correct about Henry.
Old Dawg
April 21st, 2012
9:30 am
“The blind homers would love to ban anyone who doesn’t agree with them or criticizes CMR or the program. Well, the trophy case is full of mid-tier bowl trophies and participation ribbons, while the rest of the SEC is showing crystal.”
I agree 100%. Coach Richt doesn’t seem to care if he wins a NC. He shows blind loyalty to his quarterback and he is in total denial about Special Teams. These are defects in the COACH not the team.
Neutral
April 21st, 2012
9:33 am
I’m not a “blind homer” Thomas, but I am tired of the same manic rants every day.
Old Dawg
April 21st, 2012
9:38 am
If we didn’t blow games like the Michigan State Bowl Game, and nearly lose the Vandy game, you would not see nearly as many rants. If we didn’t throw an interception in overtime in the GA-Fla game that loses the game, you would not see as many rants.
Dawg Day Afternoon and early evening
April 21st, 2012
9:41 am
I’m not Thomas Brown, but that being said, the guy makes some valid points. He is in your face, but he has the right to blog here until someone takes it away. I guarantee you, more bloggers lean his way more than they do the homers, let’s live in the past, Notre Dame of the South, dawg fans.
based in reality dawg fan
April 21st, 2012
9:43 am
“Notre Dame of the South”. I like that analogy. It seems to fit.
Neutral
April 21st, 2012
9:44 am
Old Dawg = Thomas BROWN
based in reality dawg fan
April 21st, 2012
9:46 am
neutral = living in the past homer. Move along fake dawg.
Neutral
April 21st, 2012
9:47 am
That’s OK to be compared to Notre Dame…..the most storied program in football….and a damn good university to boot!!! Great comparison!!!