Todd Grantham: ‘I understand who UGA fans want to beat’
Todd Grantham briefs the media, admits meeting Jessica Simpson. (Photo by M. Bradley)
Athens – Let’s stipulate that one or two folks on this planet care deeply about how the Dallas Cowboys fare on given autumn Sundays. But even at the highest level of pro football, there’s a difference in passion between that found in the college game, and this was reflected on, of all places, AJC.com.
A guy (blush) asked readers to submit questions for Todd Grantham. Within 12 hours came more than 350 suggestions. Yes, some were impertinent, but the majority were detailed and incisive, and that says all you need to know about the interest/scrutiny Georgia’s new defensive coordinator will encounter.
And Grantham, to his credit, welcomes it. (At least he did Friday, though it must be noted his first in-person media briefing came well before a Grantham-coached Georgia defense has lost a game.) “That’s the reason I wanted to take this job,” he said. “I understand the passion. I understand who Georgia fans want to beat and where they want to be. And I feel like we can achieve that.”
Grantham has spent the past decade working in the NFL. Not to go all Charlie Weis on you, but it’s clear Georgia’s new DC believes his new team will have a schematic advantage because of his background. Here, responding to a question submitted by Luke, was Grantham’s response about the ongoing quest of pro teams to exploit matchups, as opposed simply to playing a basic defense every down:
“The last 11 years I’ve been dealing with matchups, and that’s what you have to do in the NFL. You don’t get guys running free to the quarterback very often; the best you can hope for is getting a one-on-one. We’re going to find ways to make [opponents] in pass protection make blocks, whether it’s a back kept in or an offensive lineman.”
The 3-4 defense remains a relative novelty in collegiate circles, and that’s one reason Grantham considers it well suited to defuse exotic offenses. (See: Florida’s spread or Paul Johnson’s option. This question was offered by Chem.) “I don’t think there’s any question [the 3-4] can be better,” Grantham said. “We don’t have to declare our pass rusher until we see the formation. We can adjust.
“With the 4-3, you know the four guys who stick their hands in the dirt are going to rush. One of the things about the 3-4 is that you know one of those four [linebackers] is going to be coming 95 percent of the time. You just don’t know which one.”
Grantham has already gone recruiting — he passed his NCAA-mandated test, Steve Spurrier should know — but said Georgia isn’t suddenly in the market for every Grady Jackson lookalike of tender years. (This question was submitted by doodoo bailey and Suwaneedawg.)
“There are two types of 3-4,” Grantham said. “There’s the New England type, where you’ve got a big massive guy up front. We’re going to be a 1-gap team. In Dallas we had Jay Ratliff [a stripling at 303 pounds] make the Pro Bowl. We’ll have a standard [for nose tackles] as we go forward, but we also have to have position flexibility.”
Todd Grantham, you should know, is an impressive guy. He says much of what you’d expect — “We want to be physical and aggressive and relentless … We want the other team, when they get done playing you, not to want to play you again” — but says it in a way that makes you believe he can deliver. He made it known he expects UGA fans to deliver, too.
“I’ve heard [Georgia fans] bark when [a defender] makes a play,” he said, smiling. “Is that true? That’s my question to them.”
One thing more: The guy who asked readers to submit questions posed one of his own, this on a matter of global importance. While with the Cowboys, did Grantham meet Jessica Simpson?
“I did,” he said. Then, kidding, he pointed to reporters’ tape recorders on the table. “Turn those off.” Then this: “I can tell this little story. I was sitting in my office one Tuesday watching film [here he mimicked a guy reared back in a chair with a remote in his hand], and Tony [Romo, Simpson's former flame] walked by. He said, ‘Hi, Todd.’ Then someone else said, ‘Hi, Todd.’
“I’m like this. [Mimicking craning his neck around a corner.] It was Jess. Nice girl. Nice girl.”
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432 comments Add your comment
RxDawg
January 22nd, 2010
2:42 pm
I’m liking what I hear. Grantham was my original first choice. I’m glad we got em. Should be fun to see what he can do. But to the irrational dawg fans out there, procceed with caution. Don’t expect our D to just all of a sudden be lights out next year. A lot of our defensive failures had something to do with the players too.
46 Wins & 39 Losses--Georgia OWNS FLorida
January 22nd, 2010
2:43 pm
Did Saban ever want the little Gator dude DC to be his DC? Don’t think so. Wonder why?
Gville Dawg
January 22nd, 2010
2:43 pm
RxDawg, correct about the players. Personally I wish Richt had of fired Garner also. I dont think the recruiting classes that we have had were really all that good.
il5
January 22nd, 2010
2:45 pm
UF couldn’t handle Ealey last year, UF couldn’t handle Moreno, UF couldn’t handle Ingram, Edwards (is that his name?) is no Charlie Strong.
Gville Dawg
January 22nd, 2010
2:46 pm
46 Wins & 39 Losses–Georgia OWNS FLorida, quit living in the past. If we dont figure this out quick they are going to catch us!!
il5
January 22nd, 2010
2:46 pm
Me thinks Grantham’s resume is a bit more impressive than Van Gorder’s. Saban didn’t try to hire an Gorder.
gatorman
January 22nd, 2010
2:48 pm
il5, Moreno had 1 good game and then he ran scared the next year. Time will tell if Edwards is as good as strong as far as Ealey, they were protecting against the pass because UGA was so far behind. As far as you know Grantham might not be as good as Willie, he did get fired from the Browns and the Boys sucked against Minn.
Gene
January 22nd, 2010
2:51 pm
Is it me or do I know more about this guy and his defensive scheme than I ever did with Willie for the past 5 years? As fans, we were as clueless as our Defense it appears!
Jessica S.
January 22nd, 2010
2:51 pm
is Tony from Rome GA and is that where they have those Gondolos?
gatorman
January 22nd, 2010
2:51 pm
il5, I dont think Van Gorder was ever fired. And if Grantham was wanted by Saban it was the same reason Kirby was hired; Saban knew that he was going to really be pulling the strings anyway.
PowerDawg
January 22nd, 2010
2:53 pm
gatorman- You sound like Brantley is a friggin’ veteran. A few passes in mop up duty against cream-puffs don’t mean sh!t! And you still haven’t proven that you have anyone that can be a receiving threat, anyway. Donte…Juquante…I can’t remember the guy’s name… what is his name?
You guys will struggle to win eight games this year and that is just the way it is, pal!
Get ready for the reality.
JB
January 22nd, 2010
2:57 pm
Garner is still with us because he has used the ” offer me more or I’m gone Two years in a row.
It’s worked, but perspective employers have quit calling because of it. Derek won’t call him for obvious reasons, but Tenn would love to have him for Recruiting Georgia, but it won’t happen.
il5
January 22nd, 2010
2:57 pm
Todd Grantham fired George Edwards when he took over as DC at Cleveland. Grantham is not Edward’s biggest fan. He doesn’t think the guy can coach.
UF alum
January 22nd, 2010
2:59 pm
PowerDawg, no veteran but put up good numbers when he did play. Came in cold against KY after Tebow was hurt and the first play threw a TD pass + he was National High School player of the year. This is reality pal, we will reload and win at least 10 and continue to embarass the dawgs. Who will challenge in the east, UGA? hahahahaha
Conyers Yellow Jacket
January 22nd, 2010
2:59 pm
Good days work Mark. Maybe the UGA blogsters will get off your case about being
partial to GT. The comments on this blog seem to indicate that the UGA fans are all excited
and ready to declare a new beginning in Athens GA where football was invented.
1eyedJack
January 22nd, 2010
3:01 pm
Tron….Funny!
Belicose Nerd: the person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about.
gatorman
January 22nd, 2010
3:01 pm
il5, I guess that didnt work out so well for Mr. Grantham did it, since he was let go. Word is that he tried to back stab the HC, maybe CMR had better watch his back.
ButlerDawg
January 22nd, 2010
3:01 pm
Job #1 for Grantham and Richt: Pull Robey’s offer and let him scurry off to So. Cal! We need kids that want to play in Athens!
HeHateMe
January 22nd, 2010
3:03 pm
Gatorman….keep dreaming…..your team is about to go down in a ball of fire this year. I predict at least four loses for the gators this season. I don’t care who your new coaches are or how great you think your recruiting class is…the gators are in for a long season.I’ve watched some of your recruits this year…..most of them are nothing more than show boat thugs.I’m still trying to figure out how they get into Florida. The majority of them barely got out of high school because of poor grades.Rumor has it that the NCAA is looking into the “special” classes that Meyer has created for his players to enroll in to ensure they stay eligible while in school.I hope Meyer comes back to coach…I want to see him cry and make excuses when Carolina, Alabama, Florida State and Georgia take the Gators to the woodshed. Its always fun to watch a pompous jerk get his just reward.The reason Florida lost so many coaches is because they all wanted to get away from Meyer. Since Tebow graduated they no longer had anyone there to make them look good and Meyer is notorious for taking credit for everything.So go wash your mullett and get your cut off jeans shorts ready Florida’s gonna need all the suport they can get this year.
JB
January 22nd, 2010
3:03 pm
WANTED: Coach Groh has ask the Tech community if anyone has any equipment to convert digital imaging back to a 8MM projector format ? call 1-buzz-863-TECH.
UggA
January 22nd, 2010
3:06 pm
Has he ever been a defenisice cooridnator or a head coach before?
il5
January 22nd, 2010
3:06 pm
Here’s the question Gator fans have to sit around and think about until September:
Why did Saban offer the DC job to Grantham at Miami instead of Edwards, and why did Saban not take George Edwards with him to Bama?
Could be the same reason Grantham fired Edwards at Cleveland.
gatorman
January 22nd, 2010
3:07 pm
eHateMe, just in case you can’t read, almost half the class is already enrolled and will go through the spring. We had players who only were on special teams who would have started for UGA. But I understand the hatred; its the price that success brings. Have never owned jeans shorts or had a mullett, but also have never seen inbreeding like I do here in this state.
il5
January 22nd, 2010
3:08 pm
The Browns went 2-14 after Grantham split.
The Cowboys hired Grantham in less than 24 hours after Cleveland fired him. I don’t think Grantham tried to get Wade fired did he?
JMc12203
January 22nd, 2010
3:08 pm
My question is that if the 3-4 is as good as Grantham is leading you to believe, then WHY IS IT NOT USED BY MORE TEAMS ? Simply put, it is a defense, dependent upon the players that are trying to execute it. If they do their job, then the 3-4 will be good. If not, then…. It will be worth watching to see which team busts your bubble first. That also goes for GT, but their DC has the experience teaching it to COLLEGE athletes, and that might make a difference. You have to TEACH college players. The pros, YOU SHOW, because they make more money than the coaches.
gatorman
January 22nd, 2010
3:10 pm
eHateMe, Jealousy and hatred is the price of success which is ok. It’s never good to be liked by inbred deliverence types. Alabama will be the only game we lose this year; remember it when you return to Shreveport.
Dawg Fan
January 22nd, 2010
3:14 pm
Woof
Marilyn Monroe
January 22nd, 2010
3:16 pm
Mark, ask Al Groh about me.
Tiger
January 22nd, 2010
3:16 pm
gatorman, she is his sister you fool.
il5
January 22nd, 2010
3:16 pm
the top 5 NFL defenses are all 3-4’s.
Can you dig it?
January 22nd, 2010
3:18 pm
Gatorman,I too have heard that the NCAA is looking into Florida’s enterence requirements for their athletes. I don’t care how many have enrolled early,if the school is making it easy for them to enroll and stay in school by creating special classes that’s an NCAA violation. All you have to do is listen to some of Floridas recruits talk and you half to wonder how they got in college period when they can’t even put a gramatically correct sentence together.It just doesn’t pass the smell test,although Floridas program has always smelled…kinda like a shi–y swamp. Can You Dig It !
PowerDawg
January 22nd, 2010
3:20 pm
I understand your mentality, UFAlum.
You guys have deservedly earned a little bragging rights over us since 1990. Can’t take that away from you. But you have also developed this Napoleon Complex. You think that you’re invincible.
No problem. Your Waterloo is just down the road, my scaly friend.
You will have to totally change your offense for Brantley. The spread that Tebow ran is going away.
You have absolutely no proven receivers on your roster. This isn’t speculation. This is a fact.
Your offense has to be re-established. It will take time. The big, bad gator machine will not just keep on bulldozing over everything in it’s path like you and your fellow gator fans have come to expect.
Defense is where you are just flat missing too many parts to keep the motor running. This too is a fact.
For the first time in a good while the Dawgs and Gators will be pretty evenly matched in October. It will be fun to see how things turn out this year…for both of us.
WonderDawg
January 22nd, 2010
3:23 pm
That’s disgusting, Gatorman. Inbreeding in any state is just wrong. Some one report this degenerate!!
UA Alum92
January 22nd, 2010
3:27 pm
I’ve posted something similar before but all the comments about Saban has me wondering why you don’t hear more about Richt’s coaching lineage. I know about CMR’s ties to Bowden, but don’t know much about other coaches’ connection to Richt. Do you ever hear about someone being a “Richt disciple” like you do with Saban, Leach, Beamer or Carroll?
Also, as a Tide fan, it’s cool to have your HC used as a yardstick of excellence.
ga gator
January 22nd, 2010
3:28 pm
PowerDawg, the offense will more resemble the offense when Leak was QB. I do think that the talent will be alot closer this year, with the main difference being I like what we will have at QB as opposed to the unknown. It will be interesting.
Bremen Dawg
January 22nd, 2010
3:28 pm
Yes, we do bark when plays are made. Just wait, you will see whats its like to be in Athens on a game day.
nash
January 22nd, 2010
3:30 pm
If this guy is a tough coach like Paul Johnson was at GT in his first season we could see his defense working wonders in the first year. He will have play makers and GA is recruiting players everyday. We might not have to wait 2 or 3 years to see what he can do with a wiss bang db coach coming in if these guys are seriouse about ga football wwe could see what we are all hoping for in 2010 ( Ga in the SEC titel game 2010 ) GO DAWGS WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF
robodawg
January 22nd, 2010
3:30 pm
Yes, yes, we do bark for defensive plays. Welcome, CTG, to Dawg Nation! Woof!
I like everything I’m hearing. The 4-3 is great for stopping a power running game, which we still did reasonably well in 09. (Reason #1 why I thought we could beat Tech? By shutting down the dive play.) But offenses have adjusted. The 3-4 gives you more adaptability, more mobility to stop sophisticated passing offenses, spread offenses, etc. And if you’re playing a power running offense, you can still load the box.
Barking Dawg
January 22nd, 2010
3:31 pm
Easy dawg fans. The gators have already started to recess from within. Not too long till we are whoppin their butts on the regular. Murray could be the antidote to the florida game we have been looking for. 2 in a row is not far off.
ga gator
January 22nd, 2010
3:33 pm
Barking Dawg, win 1 in a row first.
ga gator
January 22nd, 2010
3:34 pm
Enter your comments here
Cunk Rogers
January 22nd, 2010
3:34 pm
Grayson Thompson for LB Coach!
Without-a-clue
January 22nd, 2010
3:34 pm
What defensive scheme you employ is immaterial as long as you play it well and GATA.
Dog Island Gator
January 22nd, 2010
3:34 pm
Talk is cheap. That’s the way it’s been for 20 years. Bring it on. The Gators will be waiting.
PowerDawg
January 22nd, 2010
3:35 pm
gatorman-
You are walking on very thin ice, man. Comments about someone’s spouse is not cool. If you want hurl insults at a poster, that’s one thing. Talking about someone’s family is another. You can be barred from posting on this or any blog by tossing out personal attacks like that.
Do do it again.
ga gator
January 22nd, 2010
3:36 pm
PowerDawg, agreed tasteless nonsense.
ga gator
January 22nd, 2010
3:37 pm
PowerDawg, agreed tastless.
UA Alum92
January 22nd, 2010
3:40 pm
Starting to tire of the DC discussion. Sounds like a good coach and he’ll surely be an improvement.
On to something interesting: Who do you like on Sunday? I’d love to see the Colts and the Saints make it to the big game. Peyton is just incredible and I was sick of hearing about Favre two years ago. Thoughts?
Without-a-clue
January 22nd, 2010
3:40 pm
I agree with PowerDawg and ga gator. Mark, are you watching?
DoubleD
January 22nd, 2010
3:43 pm
Florida is going down this year.Their fans know it but are afraid to look that far ahead.Meyer is lying to their recruits about his situation until after signing day.Curious as to why the majority of his coaching staff bailed out on him after the season concluded this year.If everything is so rosy at Florida and the future so bright why would the majority of the staff leave for lateral move jobs at other schools? I smell trouble in the future for the Florida program.