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
George Edwards--The New Willie Martinez!
January 23rd, 2010
1:02 pm
Miami’s defense was #18 against the run.
Dallas was #4.
South FL Chapter of the Bulldog Nation
January 23rd, 2010
1:07 pm
Mr. Gator…you don’t have to look too far back to remember my friend. JAX ‘07…remember? I do…it wont be long till you get to be reminded of it again. Go Dawgs!
GaGator
January 23rd, 2010
1:08 pm
G Ewards,
I’ll put Edwards resume up against Grantham in a heartbeat.
How you think that yankee is going to do recruiting southern boys?
George Edwards
January 23rd, 2010
1:10 pm
George Edwards–The New Willie Martinez!
And Grantham will be the next Van Gorder; still owned by the Gators!!
GaGator
January 23rd, 2010
1:11 pm
PS
Edwards is a southerner by birth and is coming from a hot bed of talent in south
Florida———-you probably think he hasn’t made any connections.
ga gator
January 23rd, 2010
1:14 pm
Edwards is a Dukie. Played for Spurrier while he was at Duke, got his coaching start at UF under Bates-Spurrier, coached at UGA amoung others for a while then followed Spurrier to the NFL; not a bad resume.
South FL Chapter of the Bulldog Nation
January 23rd, 2010
1:15 pm
Ex Dawg Fan…we didn’t ever and still don’t need ya. take a hike pal! CMR is a first class coach and the Bulldog Nation is damn proud to have him at the helm. So to you….so long, good bye and good riddance! Go Dawgs!
GaGator
January 23rd, 2010
1:19 pm
You will never beat the Gators until Mark Richt instills some discipline on your team,
both on and off the field. Maybe it’s just smarter players, you know those who
don’t drive with learner’s permits and are expired to boot.
PowerDawg
January 23rd, 2010
1:36 pm
Would someone please give BuLLdawg a shot of Jack or something? Dude, that last rant was painful to read. Next time mail a letter or something!
And quit using WE, US and OUR!
If you are so unhappy with things in Athens then pick one of those teams you claim are so much better than us and start wearing their baLLcaps! Which by the way, is probably the depth of your so-called fan support. (”Man, them hats cost 20 dollars!”)
And just for our information…How many D-1 college football teams have you coached? You know, we still have an opening on our defensive staff. You should apply for it, man. Because you obviously have ALL the answers and every AD, Head Coach and player could learn from your omnipotence!
Jackass!
..I.,
January 23rd, 2010
1:37 pm
GaGator: Seriously, dude! Why do you and the other Gators troll this blog…just looking to get into an argument on a Saturday afternoon. Not much going on with you, and the other ‘Gators since 2006 bandwagon fans’, lives, eh?
I bet you have never even set foot on the campus in Gainesville, except maybe one Saturday in the fall, when one of your buds threw some free tixs at ya?
Buckhead Bulldog
January 23rd, 2010
1:43 pm
Why are all of these Gators on this blog today? Grab life…will ya? This blog is about UGA’s new DC, and has ZERO to do with UF.
I really don’t get it. Could someone please explain to me why a fan from another school wishes to jump onto another school’s blog topic and talk smack? Maybe, I’m missing some sort of thrill, but good grief this gator stuff is getting stale.
Gaytors r nervous
January 23rd, 2010
1:44 pm
I find it interesting that gagator, gatorzip and others are spending so much time trolling on a UGA blogpost. If I were in your shoes and I really thought that Florida was gonna reload, I wouldn’t waste the time…Just like I don’t spend any time on the tech posts as a Ga fan. Kinda exciting to see you all up in arms. On another note, it says a lot that your coach has heart issues from attempting to keep up with all the snot nosed, pride stuffed expectations in Gainesville. Honestly, given recent developments in the news regarding everyone in your program from the players to the reporters, I wouldn’t be lecturing UGA about discipline…you’re in the same boat.
ga gator
January 23rd, 2010
1:46 pm
..I., Please dont confuse me with GaGator, but there aren’t many 2006 Bandwagon fans as opposed to 1980 bandwagon fans, most have been since 90 though and I guess like you they don’t have much to do on Sat afternoons since its too nasty for golf.
ga gator
January 23rd, 2010
1:49 pm
Gaytors r nervous
Not nervous at all, just interested to read about your excitement over the next Van Gorder.
Taggart Transcontinental
January 23rd, 2010
1:50 pm
Gaytors r nervous, you’re exactly right. They confess their ultimate respect by posting on UGA blogs. And I too never go to any of their blogs. Their’s no need or desire. I don’t like them so I don’t care what their fans have to say to each other. They hate us because they know we’re about to turn the tables back around to the way it used to be and the world will be right again. Hell, in regards to tech, even the past few years we’ve owned them so who cares what they have to say anyway. LOL!
ga gator
January 23rd, 2010
1:56 pm
Taggart Transcontinental
We (most gators) dont hate UGA (especially ones living here). I even go to all of your home games and to Jax with my UGA girlfriend for the past 3 years. We reserve our hatred for FSU and the Vols.
randdumb
January 23rd, 2010
2:09 pm
In the SEC, the team with the best defense wins. Georgia just made the hire of the decade. Edawards is at the bottom in defensive scoring in the NFL, Grantham is at the top. Game over.
ga gator
January 23rd, 2010
2:17 pm
randdumb, Channing Crowder (dolphin LB) who played for Strong at UF and Edwards at Miami says that Edwards is better than Strong. It’s not reality to compare Edwards with Miami talent who coaches Linebackers to Grantham who coaaches D line with Cowboy talent. Neither called the defense so I think all of us could be in for a surprise. Granthams stint as DC in Cleveland didn’t work out too well with Cleveland talent and I wouldn’t think that would be fair to compare that to what he did at Dallas.
Carnac
January 23rd, 2010
2:26 pm
Look at this dude’s expression on page 1.
messin with sasquatch
January 23rd, 2010
2:44 pm
last?
PowerDawg
January 23rd, 2010
2:50 pm
GaGator, gagator, or whatever ID you’re using this week…
There is no “1980 bandwagon”, ok? I have been a fan since I was a kid. Sat there and suffered through Sugar bowl losses to PITT when guys like Tony Dorsett and Dan Marino were playing. Watched the NC game against Penn State as a student. (Class of 84).
I’ve probably been a “bandwagon” fan longer than you’ve been alive. And I’ve probably donated more money to this program than you make in a year.
Here are the facts. Until 1990, the year that they hired Spurrier, the University of Florida was not much better than Kentucky or Vandy. They were pretty much SEC doormats. They have greatly improved since then, It’s something all UF fans should be proud of.
But these things run in cycles, my friend.
NO team is going to always dominate the others in the SEC. There has never been nor will there ever be any such thing as a dynasty. If there was, it would probably be Alabama. They have won more SEC titles and National Championships than any other team in the league. But they too have just started to come back around to winning only recently. Until this year, they hadn’t won since 1992.
Cycles, pal. Cycles.
UF is headed for a down period, and is re-building. Tenn is re-building. Carolina is well, Carolina. UGA is due for another up turn. Bama will be our biggest obstacle for a while.
Argue all you want. See if you can yell a little louder. Brag about your good fortunes the last few years. You’ve earned it.
It will not change the facts.
See you in October.
messin with sasquatch
January 23rd, 2010
2:50 pm
nerds went 2-1 vs SEC defenses. so thats what it takes to win in the SEC?? what were you thinkin?
ga gator
January 23rd, 2010
3:07 pm
PowerDawg, unless you were born before 1952 you havent been a fan longer than me and I have used the same for over a year. I agree with most of what you said though, with the talent in this league, no one is on top for long. I sat through many games being abused by UGA fans and unless you went to games before 1990 you’re not aware of that. Before 90, UGA was in UF’s head until spurrier reversed it. Many games since 90 UGA has had the better team, but was out of it mentally. Until you get a leader who can reverse the psycological part of the game it will continue; perhaps that is what Grantham is trying to do now. I go to all of the UGA home games, so maybe I will see you before Jax. Go Gators, Go Dawgs(except in Jax) and go SEC.
Mike
January 23rd, 2010
3:11 pm
There are 3 things that must happen this year – !) Georgia’s football team must beat Florida, 2) on election day in November, every member of the House of Representatives needs to be voted out of office, and 3) Georgia’s football team must be playing for the SEC championship in December. If numbers 1 & 3 don’t happen, the entire football coaching staff needs to be let go, including Damon Evans. If number 2 doesn’t happen, our country is in deep peril.
Suwaneedawg
January 23rd, 2010
3:23 pm
Mike, come on dude, get serious. You have a better chance at #2 then #1 & #3 and I am a bulldog fan through & through. They are 2-3 years away from being a real contender for the BCS and if they are by chance this year in the top five? Then Richt should be annointed coach of the decade after the season. Let us all stay real on our expectations.
tampadawg86
January 23rd, 2010
3:30 pm
GOOOO DAWGS SIC EM!!!! WOOOF WOOOF WOOOF WOOOF WOOOF !!!!!!!! You better believe it CTG the DAwg Nation is ready to let loose on Saturdays this fall! Can’t wait to see how aggressive your defenses are… Getting Chills just thinking about it!!!! GO DAWGS HUNKERDOWN BABY!~~
dawgcrzy
January 23rd, 2010
3:37 pm
Suwaneedawg… surely you are not going to go all year thinking we are not going to beat UF.what a long miserable spring and summer.with the loss of players and coaches UF has lost we should beat UF and be in the the sec east race.cheer up buddy good things are coming.
Downtown Gator
January 23rd, 2010
3:43 pm
dawgcrzy, I think we lost about the same number of players and coaches as UGA did. The difference the players were better and the coaches were not fired; they were persued by other programs for promotions. How many of Richts former coaches are HC now?
George Edwards--The New Willie Martinez!
January 23rd, 2010
3:51 pm
Gators lost 5 KEY starters on defense, and 6 KEY starters on offense. 5 coaches quit because they didn’t think the Gators would be good in 2010.
Georgia lost 6 starters on defense, and 1 starter on offense. NONE of the coaches VOLUNTARILY QUIT because they thought Gergia would have a bad year in 2010.
Any RATIONAL person can see that the guy Saban asked to be his DC must be a lot better than George Edwards, who coached with Saban, and Saban did NOT ask Edwards to be his DC.
il5
January 23rd, 2010
3:54 pm
A lot of teams will beat Florida this year, it’s a rebuilding year for Florida, Florida loses 4 games a season every other year. 1 big year, one down year. 2 out of 5 of Meyer’s seasons have been 4 loss seasons.
ESPN & SI ranked Florida #1 as the biggest loser for 2009 of players.
No one ranks UF pre-season top 10. Wonder why if they’re going to be SO DOMINANT?
dawgcrzy
January 23rd, 2010
3:57 pm
did’nt say we were going to win,but i;m not going all year thinking we are going to lose.FL lost Spikes and Hayden and a few juniors,a DC ,Tebow,the twins and you think ya’ll won’t lose a step or to? gimme a break
George Edwards--The New Willie Martinez!
January 23rd, 2010
3:58 pm
The SEC is about defense.
Edwards at Miami had one of the worst defenses in the NFL in allowing points and against the run.
Grantham at Dallas was top 4 in both defensive scoring and against the run.
Edwards = Willie
PowerDawg
January 23rd, 2010
4:01 pm
gagator-
If you are a different poster than GaGator, my apologies. And if you read my latest post then you must know that I was indeed around before 1990. I may have been one of those fans rubbing your nose in it. I am, after all, just a little passionate about my ‘dawgs. Sorry. ( Ah, to be a young man again.) Talk at ya later.
Buckhead Bulldog
January 23rd, 2010
4:12 pm
I can respect what you wrote ga gator….Cheers! I do remember some of those WLOCParty’s in the 80’s where UF had better atheletes but just could’nt beat the Dogs….pay back has been hell. Oy!
PowerDawg
January 23rd, 2010
4:13 pm
Mike-
This is a UGA football blog. For UGA football fans. Others log on and post about their FOOTBALL teams as well.
This is not the forum for POLITICS. Keep that to yourself. We ain’t interested.
And before you go off on some insane diatribe, just know I am a conservative republican and I never vote otherwise. This is a UGA Football blog. Try to keep that in mind.
Wolfdawg
January 23rd, 2010
4:26 pm
test
NoGaGator
January 23rd, 2010
4:28 pm
Relax everyone…all this just in fun but I have a few questions.
As far as next year, why do most of the so-called experts have UF rated top 10 – or at least top 20 and UGA isn’t even ranked?
Why is the turnover for UF coaches the result of promotions while UGA’s is the result of overdue firings?
How many in the know wouldn’t pick Brantley over whomever is the QB for UGA?
Who’s been winning in recruiting the last 4 yrs and especially this year?
UF is losing 5 on Offense and 6 on Defense but the replacements are high quality. We may not be in the mix for the NC in 2010 but we’ll be one of the favorites in 2011 with the talent plus experience.
Any experts picking same for UGA?
Didn’t think so…3-17….time to pick another rivalry because this sure isn’t one.
PowerDawg
January 23rd, 2010
4:31 pm
PI$$ on a Dawg-
How ironic.
Having a user name that identifies you as an obvious fan of a team whose colors are “Old Piss and White”.
Jealousy is an ugly thing. It must really suck to be a fan of such a pitiful excuse for a football program.
Go ahead and keep using that anomaly in ‘08 as your example of superiority. It’s all you have to cling to, so hold on tight!
45-42! 45-42!…Wooooooweee!…We showed them, didn’t we boys?
Sad, very sad.
il5
January 23rd, 2010
4:31 pm
Florida has the toughest schedule in the nation for 2010.
They willl lose to:
Georgia, LSU, Bama, Tenn, and SC.
They might also lose to:
Miss St., FSU, and Kentucky
I see a 7-5 year, but that’s pretty good considering their schedule is like Georgia’s 2009 schedule.
Go Buffalos 1990 National Champs!
January 23rd, 2010
4:37 pm
3-4= New College Defense to stop the Spread. Get used to it.
il5
January 23rd, 2010
4:49 pm
Georgia will be favored in all games except 2 in 2010, Arkansas and Florida.
4 best teams Georgia plays in 2010:
Arkansas, Ga Tech, Florida, and Auburn
il5
January 23rd, 2010
4:52 pm
Florida does have Gergia on the 2 week bye in 2010, but will have already played Bama, LSU, Tenn, and SC by that time, will already have 3 losses, the guys won’t have anything to play for.
il5
January 23rd, 2010
4:55 pm
By the time UGA plays Florida, the only game Georgia will not be favored to win is Arkansas. If UGA wins that one, then UGA should be undefeated entering the Florida game. If UGA beats Florida, then the next tough game will be Ga Tech.
Georgia has 2 weeks to get ready for Ga Tech in 2010, and we have one that one 9 out of 10 times.
So, it’s Ark & Flordia we have to get past to get ot the SEC Champ. Then beat Bama to get to the Natl Champ.
Esiest schedule Georgia has had since Richt’s been there.
California Dawg
January 23rd, 2010
4:57 pm
Grantham >> Edwards—no comparison. Check the dolphins D last year—terrible!
It's Really Dumb
January 23rd, 2010
5:01 pm
il5…if florida is going to be so terrible next year why are you so worried about them? Maybe you should be posting about kentucky, south carolina and tennessee since they are going to be so much better than those horrible gators.
It's Really Dumb
January 23rd, 2010
5:06 pm
California Dawg….you comparison is what is really dumb….neither Grantham or Edwards were the defensive coordinators of their respective NFL teams. Grantham was in charge of the DL and Edwards was in charge of the LBs. And that Dallas D really looked good against the Vikes last week, didn’t it? Is that Grantham’s fault??? Think before you post or you will really look dumb.
il5
January 23rd, 2010
5:08 pm
I ain’t worried about em, neither is Tenn, SC, Bama or LSU.
Just responding to that Florida clown who posts here on the UGAS forum because he has no friends. He brought it up, so I had to set him straight about how Meyer loses 4 games 40% of the seasons at UF.
It's Really Dumb
January 23rd, 2010
5:10 pm
Also…college football is a lot about recruiting and I think Edwards has be big edge on your man in that department. Coached at Georgia and Florida and in south Florida with the dolphins. You might be concerned about Edwards coming up into georgia and taking more of your players back to gainesville with him. Your man can go into texas and get more staffords. what good did he do you?
PowerDawg
January 23rd, 2010
5:12 pm
NoGaGator-
It’s called SPECULATION. Your team is more highly ranked because you were either #1 or #2 for most of the year. And you finished in the top 5. Where else would they rank you this pre-season?
Many of the so-called experts base their GUESSES on info coming out of Vegas. Rankings, polls…It’s a numbers game, dude. Don’t make it out to be something it ain’t. Do you know how many times they have actually been right? How many teams actually finished where they started? Not many, dude. Check it out. Going wire-to-wire is very rare.
If ANY team has a chance this year, it’s Alabama. And I don’t think they will. The SEC is just too tough year to year.
Even the most knowledgable of the experts, the Coaches Poll, are just giving their best guesses. It is still just hypothesis.
Florida’s QB situation is the same as ours. Unknown. Lot’s of talent, but completely unproven.
That’s why they play the games.
And as far as those “in the know” about Brantley, here’s a question for you. If he’s so great, and so much better than Murray, then why did UF recruit Murray so hard? They have other QB’s on the current roster, but they wanted him. Why?
You know why. And he’s going to show you in October.
All of these over-inflated heads in Gatorville will soon realize they have sprung a leak. Better go buy a patching kit, you’re going to need it.
old coach
January 23rd, 2010
5:12 pm
Listen folks, whether you run a 3-4, 4-3, 5-2, or wide tackle/ split 6 as Erk did, it all comes down to fundamentals, execution and tackling on defense. I would love to see all these experts trying to comment on Erk’s defense it would really be funny to hear the pros and cons from the internet coaches!!! Now all the “coaches” want to talk about is strength/conditioning and the offense. Know that CMR and staff know EXCATLY what they are doing. Support or find another team to gripe about!!!