Pooch kicks: Hungry defense, fullback challenge, rethinking Vandy
Todd Grantham keeps reminding his defense of the four losses last season. (University of Georgia)
Georgia’s defense returns nine starters from the unit that ranked No. 5 nationally last year, but looming early-season suspensions apparently have a lot of folks taking a wait-and-see attitude, as an ESPN.com poll shows the Dawgs coming in fourth in a “best defense” vote, behind South Carolina, Alabama and LSU.
Still, as ESPN’s Edward Aschoff notes, “at full strength, this defense will be a handful, especially with one of the best linebacking corps in the country” and a potent starting secondary.
But I’m glad to see that Todd Grantham and his crew are reminding their troops there’s still much room for improvement. Rising senior linebacker Christian Robinson told ESPN that this spring the players dwelled on the 35 points given up to Boise State, the 45 to South Carolina, the 42 to LSU and the 33 to Michigan State — all losses.
“We’re not perfect, so when we go in our meeting rooms we watch the tape and there are always things to get better at,” Robinson said.
Mark Richt summed it up well: “You’re really not a great defense until you play great and we haven’t done that in 2012. We haven’t had a chance to do that yet. There’s an anticipation of having a chance to be pretty good if everybody keeps it together, stays healthy and does their part.”
Better than pretty good, actually. As Robinson said, “We have an opportunity to do something special, as a defense and as a team. If we go out and do what we know and what we’ve learned, we could be one of the best ever to play at Georgia.”
A FULLBACK BATTLE?
Freshman fullback Quayvon Hicks won’t report to Athens until June 4, but he’s already thrown down the gauntlet to junior Zander Ogletree, the presumed starter (assuming Richard Samuel doesn’t move over from the crowded tailback corps). Speaking to the Athens Banner-Herald, the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Hicks said of 5-foot-10, 224-pound Ogletree: “Zander Ogletree, I think, is a great man, but in SEC ball, you’ve got to have the size and I think that’s what he’s missing right now. I think I can come in and become great teammates with him and we can do this thing together.”
Of course, we’ve heard big talk from players arriving on campus before (remember the “Hitman”?), but Hicks, who won the Class AA discus throw this week at the state track meet, was rated as the No. 3 fullback prospect nationally by Scout.com.
If he lives up to his billing and his big talk, it’ll be great to see fullback once again become a strength for the Dawgs.
NOT YOUR FATHER’S GEORGIA-VANDERBILT
OK, so as we’ve discussed, Georgia’s home schedule is a bit lackluster this year and that’s probably one reason I’m hearing a lot more fan chatter about the Vanderbilt game than you’d normally expect. But thanks to last year’s close one with the Commodores in Nashville and the post-game fracas between Grantham and Vandy coach James Franklin, the Dawgs and the Dores actually looks like a pretty compelling story line this year.
As the Macon Telegraph reported, Richt was even asked about it at a fan gathering this week in Macon and joked that he might have to send Grantham upstairs to the booth for that one. He added: “I don’t think we’ll have much trouble getting jacked up to play the Vanderbilt Commodores this year, I’ll tell you that.”
Just what UGA football needs: Another meaningful SEC rivalry!
Got something you want to discuss 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
166 comments Add your comment
bill arp
May 11th, 2012
2:47 pm
All of those points given up by the D? Not! About half, maybe less. The other points given up in those games were single handidly given up by the Great One himself, Aaron Murray. How soon we forget.
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
2:48 pm
UGA fans’ sheer stupidity still never ceases to amaze me.
Your “defense” was shredded by every decent team you played. I didn’t even say good as MSU scored 30+. A Big 10 team.
This is why the rest of country laughs at you and why BYU has won a championship since you.
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
2:50 pm
Good defenses work through offensive mistakes. Wasn’t Todd Grantham like your 4th choice?
The fact that you give a raise to a guy who is shredded by every quality opponent is one biggest of many reasons who will never win a championship.
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
2:51 pm
Instead of blaming the offense, Bama would have just fired Grantham and got a better coordinator.
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
2:52 pm
HAHAHAHA, UGA and Vandy are a rivalry now. Kinda like Mississippi – Mississippi State.
Flo-Ri-Duh
May 11th, 2012
2:56 pm
UGA’s defense was great for half a game and then the turnovers came and the “D” couldn’t hold up. The OL also wilted in the 2nd half and rarely had a time consuming drive. Not to mention that special teams were the worst in the modern history of UGA football. The “D” will hold their own this year. The “O” and the OL needs to be more consistent and avoid stupid turnovers. Special teams can’t get worse.
Flo-Ri-Duh
May 11th, 2012
3:09 pm
In the big games turnovers and special teams blunders cost UGA 3 of it’s four losses. The only team UGA played that was better was Boise State. Boise was definitely a top 10 team and they had 21 seniors returning from a ranked team the year before. UGA had about 6 seniors returning as starters as I recall. UGA has experience back every where this year except the OL which has talent on the 1st team but again has little quality, experienced depth. Still for some reason I expect the OL to be better. I expect the Game Crocks, the Lizards and Missou to give UGA all they can handle but UGA will win the close ones this time by having less mistakes and better special teams. UGA should take the east. LSU is better on paper than Bummer but I wouldn’t bet on Mettinbubba leading LSU over Bummer in his 1st year in the SEC. Arkansas has the talent but has to be emotionally down with Petrino’s embarrassment.
SSIgator
May 11th, 2012
3:16 pm
Still@theKool-aidBAR -
Ever notice how a new screen name visitor shows up on a blog and when they do not agree with your opinion the next thing you know, they have hijacked your screen name? I guess they think that is “classy”.
LogicalUS
May 11th, 2012
3:22 pm
“only team UGA played that was better ”
Laughable…MichState, LSU and SC was better than UGA.
That is why they finished Top 10 and beat UGA on the field, but really I am just trying to find out where the greatest defense in the country spin is coming from? Is it because of the homer AJC “reporters” are referenced by other journalist across the country?
Looking at UGA numbers from last season they were good against the weaker teams like UK\Miss St\UT…but who wasn’t? Their numbers against those teams pail in comparison to the numbers by LSU, Bama & even SC who had defenses that outshown the efforts by the UGA defense against those teams, but nobody is touting those teams as the greatest defense evah? And didn’t SC lose both their starting QB and the best RB in the nation, it didn’t seem to slow down their defense?
All of that can’t be because of the Coach Bobo?
kingdaddy
May 11th, 2012
3:23 pm
Tide is rolling
Haha haha haha What are you like 11 or 12 years old? Michigan is gonna roll the tide like a cheap blount! You are the most childish bloger on here with your asinine comments about something you know absolutely nothing about! Grow-up and quit being such a Dingelberry…
AltamahaDawg
May 11th, 2012
3:25 pm
So there is the 2012 standard of counting points, and then there is the 2008 standard. Depending on if you like the name of the DC or not.
SSIgator
May 11th, 2012
3:25 pm
Flo-Ri-Duh -
“The only team UGA played that was better was Boise State”
Seriously? Even though it is a slow day for Bill King today, comments like this are at least good for a hearty laugh to take the edge off if you are having a bad day. Wow!
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
3:25 pm
A good defense could shut Vandy out…
kingdaddy
May 11th, 2012
3:26 pm
Nice article Bill (The Real) King…
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
3:27 pm
Kingdaddy,
Georgia has a good defense based on what?
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
3:28 pm
Kent State could have had a top 10 defense with UGA’s schedule
Charlie Hayes
May 11th, 2012
3:33 pm
There are a lot of people on this post that didnt watch the same games that I watched. Take the UGA giveaways back from USC, LSU and Michigan State and then add the score up. The O and lack of Special Teams coaching gave most of those points up, not the D. The D this year will be the strongest and best ranking that CMR has ever had on the field. I just hope that CMR and CMB will get their play calling together and move the ball in the 2nd half instead of throwing INT’s and giving up the game…..
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
3:37 pm
So, Charlie Hayes, it’s the offenses and special teams fault that the defense gave up points?
Who fault was it when the offense didn’t produce? Was it the defenses fault or still the offense? How does one determine this?
Still@theKool-aidBAR
May 11th, 2012
3:38 pm
Lady Jackets playing for the ACC Championship and the lady dWags have to face BAMA @ 5:30. Lady jackets 9-0 winners over FSU
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
3:38 pm
It’d take me a while too, Kingdaddy…
Still@theKool-aidBAR
May 11th, 2012
3:39 pm
SSIgator it happens ALL the time on ALL the blogs with dWag fans.
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
3:41 pm
UGA’s offense was 4th in the SEC.
It all comes down the fact that you UGA fans don’t understand football. You’ve seen Alabama and LSU’s success with their defense so you’ve pumped up your defense. Every year it’s UGA’s year to win a championship. This time, the D will carry them. It’s the same song, just to a different tune.
Pilfer Dawg
May 11th, 2012
3:42 pm
Guys you still are obsessing aren’t you? What sad individuals… I”ll pray for you
Pilfer Dawg
May 11th, 2012
3:44 pm
Tide- You do realize you are on a UGA blog right? You are a UA fan so what in Sam Houston are you obsessing over UGA and it’s fans for? Do you really care that much about the Dogs? Come on man, I’ll lead you back to your straight jacket and don’t you wiggle out again…. OK?
Charlie Hayes
May 11th, 2012
3:46 pm
@ Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it-
You are a moron. “Who fault was it when the offense didn’t produce? Was it the defenses fault or still the offense? How does one determine this?” If an offense doesnt produce then it is the offenses problem. You have to score to win a game. Idiot.
AltamahaDawg
May 11th, 2012
3:46 pm
Well I know what games I saw. I saw both side have lapses and utter meltdowns. The Offense and ST shouldn’t be giving up any points, and gave up too many. Some is too many, Especially if they were enough to have been within the margin of defeat. But to say they gave up “most of those points” is just factually incorrect.
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
3:49 pm
So Charlie,
According to you, when the pts are given up, it’s the offenses fault. When pts aren’t scored, it’s the defenses fault.
Geez, no wonder you guys don’t like Mike Bobo.
SSIgator
May 11th, 2012
3:50 pm
It just occured to me that it is Friday afternoon and True Dawg Fan or TDF or whatever else he called himself, has not been around in some time. I guess his extensive play time on the computer at Tire Kingdom, where he was a customer advisor, finally caught up with him. I hope he didn’t lose his job because of it. I hear it is still a pretty tough economy out there for employment. Maybe he just got sent back to the garage to work on the cars.
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
3:51 pm
So, according to logic champion of the world, Charlie Hayes.
UGA has a great defense (39 pts to ranked teams)
The offense, (4th in the SEC) sucks and it’s the reason the defense gives up points.
Can I interest you in some Enron stock?
Charlie Hayes
May 11th, 2012
3:52 pm
@ AltamahaDawg-
Anyone that has followed college football knows that momentum changes are the key to winning a game. I don’t dispute that the D game up some drives last year that should have been stopped. My point is that the O and Special Teams start the momentum swings that create the pressure on the D. Look at the LSU game. In control by 10 points at the half. Kick the ball directly to the best return guy in the country. Not just once, but twice in back-to-back punts. That gave LSU a 14-10 lead and the O never recovered. Even if the D would have held the game at 14-10, what would be the outcome? Still would be a loss.
My problem is that we dont play smart on O with play calling and on Special Teams. I would have never punted the ball to the honey badger….Kick it out of bounds and let the D play ball. It worked the entire first half until the O started stalling around our own goal line and then we gave up the momentum to LSU. Cant hang that game on the D. (Unless you expect them to get a TO and score).
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
Not enough points, fire Bobo
Give up too many points, fire Bobo
Boise, freaking Boise, shredded UGA in their own backyard in the first game of the season.
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
It may appear that way to UGA fans, Charlie, but LSU simply came out flat and UGA was super fired up. AFter a half of getting kicked around, LSU woke up and exposed UGA for the mid-tier team they were.
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
3:56 pm
LSU, in a National Championship game COULDN”T SCORE AT ALL against Bama. Now that’s a real defense. Not some sorry scheduled with a 4th choice for a coordinator.
Charlie Hayes
May 11th, 2012
3:57 pm
@ Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it,
My decision is that you are still an idiot. Go look who gave up most of those points. In the USC game the O and Special Teams gave up 21 points (1 pick-6, kick return TD and a fake FG for TD. Go watch the freaking game and you will see. How can a D be blamed for that?
Why are you an idiot? Because you are on a UGA forum with nothing better to do that stroke your own ego. When Smart leaves to take a HC job and you lose those paid recruits then Bama will be back in the crapper and you will not be on this forum any longer. Your time is coming….Idiot.
Charlie Hayes
May 11th, 2012
3:58 pm
@ Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it-
Tell us about Utah. We never lost to them….But Bama did. Tell us about that game. Idiot.
DawginLex
May 11th, 2012
4:01 pm
I see SSIGator is still a big dumb fool
At least she is consistent
SSIgator
May 11th, 2012
4:02 pm
Charlie Hayes -
Stop digging. The hole is just getting deeper. BTW, I think you should also quit dreaming about being a football analyst for television games.
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
4:02 pm
Charlie, I’m an idiot because you are making me reply in idiotic fashion. Isn’t that the logic you apply to your football team.
And also, since the UTAH lose, Bama has won two titles. As much as UGA can claim in the entire mediocre existence.
BTW, am I an idiot?
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
4:05 pm
But, if the ball hadn’t bounced this way…
But, if Murray would have done this…
But, we kicked this direction…
Barack Obama should hire you for his campaign. I’m sure with your logic you could continue to blame the other guy.
AltamahaDawg
May 11th, 2012
4:05 pm
Folks want to talk about the INT in the bowl game but that didn’t give MSU the lead (and 100% Kings fault). And nobody seems to remember the defense giving up 2 EASY scores in the 4th qtr. Once after our offense put the game away with a TD and 2pt conversion. MSU only had 1:55, 85 yrds and no TO. That gave should have been over at that point.
AltamahaDawg
May 11th, 2012
4:06 pm
game
Charlie Hayes
May 11th, 2012
4:08 pm
Just want we need. A gator trying to tell everyone what to do. You are a Dawg at heart that just cant lose the jean shorts….right? I feel bad for you….You want to bleed red and black, but they want let you in with those jean shorts and the fanny pack. That sucks…
SSIgator
May 11th, 2012
4:08 pm
DawginLex -
HI Nancy. How was lunch with the girls today? Did you have your usual ceasar salad with your glass of pinot grigio? BTW, my wife said she will be glad to bring another wine for you to our tailgate in Jax this year if you would prefer something else.
AltamahaDawg
May 11th, 2012
4:09 pm
And would you 2 trolls please just go to another room, and let the adults have a conversation, please.
I’ve never seen anybody so obsessed with acting so damn childish. You are an embarrassment to rest of us college football fans.
Ole Big Dawg
May 11th, 2012
4:09 pm
Looks like we have alot of folk from other fanbases that fear the Dawgs as yall should!! Watch the ole Big Dawgs get after that hindside! Sic’em!
Charlie Hayes
May 11th, 2012
4:10 pm
@ AltamahaDawg-
I agree with the MSU game completely. The D gave up the last minute drive that costs us the game. But, what about USCe and LSU? You cant hang those games on the D.
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
4:12 pm
AltamahaDawg
Embarassing is Michigan State
Boise State
Central Florida
Colorado
Blackouts
and each time you play a ranked offense (39 pts)
Charlie Hayes
May 11th, 2012
4:13 pm
Take the TO’s and poor Special Teams play out of the USCe and LSU games and where would we be? SEC Champs with an 11-2 record. I know, I know…TO’s and poor execution are part of the game. My point is that the D was good enough to get us the SEC championship title this year. It is the poor play calling, TO’s by the O and poor execution/decisions by the special teams that cost us that chance….
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
4:13 pm
Charlie, you know that it’s your fault that I am posting on this blog, right?
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 11th, 2012
4:14 pm
No, Charlie, it wasn’t the D that got you into the SEC championship, it was your schedule.