March Madness at UGA means spring football!
It's a big spring for Caleb King. (Photo by Jason Getz, AJC)
Ladies and gentlemen, March Madness has officially arrived and that can mean only one thing at Georgia — time for spring football practice!
That’s right. While all those other fools pour over brackets trying to figure out if Sienna has a backcourt that can hang with Ohio State’s, we’ll be finding out where Clint Boling might line up on the O-line, whether Caleb King has, uh, moxie, and if there is a Division I defensive end somewhere in Athens-Clarke County. And some other stuff.
The Bulldogs trot out onto the Woodruff Practice Fields for the first of 15 practices — including the April 11 G-Day Game — on Tuesday afternoon. Fittingly on St. Patrick’s Day, there will be a bunch of players in green jerseys, which also signifies they’re injured.
Actually these players never really stopped practicing. Football is truly year-round these days and, other than spring break and a brief respite after the Capital One Bowl, these players have been running, passing or kicking on those fields every day. But now the coaches join them and the early competition for playing time will heat up. And we’ll be there to chronicle every minute! Well, at least whatever minutes they let us come out and see. But the post-practice interviews, we’ll be all over those. Woo-hoo!
As you might be able to tell, I’m a little jaded about spring football practice. Other than the occasional injury — OK, in the case of Georgia, daily injury — I’ve never found them particularly newsworthy. Especially now that they allow us to actually observe for only a short while each day. Used to be we would watch intently all day every day and form our own opinions about who might be able to do what. Now we watch them stretch, run a couple of drills and maybe do a little kicking. Then we’re ushered out like school children when recess is over. That’s somewhat understandable in the fall when the coaches hide under the paranoid possibility that plays will be leaked to opponents. Doesn’t carry much weight in March.
But I digress. Tim Tucker and I will do our very best to provide as much insight and commentary as we can under the circumstances. The tentative schedule calls for the Dogs to be on the field Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of this week. They go only three times the next week (3/24, 3/26, 3/27).
So in order of importance, here’s what I think are the three priorities:
(1) Find a killer defensive end if you have to create one out of a wideout;
(2) With all due respect to the other tailbacks, find out what Caleb King is made of;
(3) Determine who is your backup quarterback (Joe Cox is “Da Man,” as you all well know).
But that’s just me. What do you guys think?
Some links:
No. 1-ranked Diamond Dogs avoid sweep.
Here’s the AJC’s Georgia football spring practice preview by Tim Tucker. . . .
Wouldn’t be a blog without something from UT’s wacky Lane Kiffin, right? Big surprise here but the Knowville News Sentinel got to the bottom of it and Kiffin denies the “go to South Carolina and pump gas” comment. We know because Ed Orgeron says so,.
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
137 comments Add your comment
Paddy
March 16th, 2009
5:22 pm
Bryce Brown… does any one really think we will be talking about this young man when it comes to playing football? Same old story just a different name. My guess he will have no chance of making a name for himself other than off field or locker room problems.
SECFootballRocks
March 16th, 2009
5:23 pm
Did it ever occur to you guys that she was simply trying to teach him to try out several different positions.
Cuz
March 16th, 2009
5:29 pm
First Alabamadawg, it was Freddie Gilbert and Jimmy Payne. Just got the first and last names mixed up. And yes both were awesome players. Too bad Jimmy blew his knee his senior year and was never able to come back from that injury. Freddie “Spiderman” Gilbert was one of the hero’s of the “Look at the Sugar falling from the sky!!”, Auburn game.
I want to see Caleb live up to the rep that preceded him and many of us Dawg fans have been waiting to see since he was at Parkview High, before Atlanta Christian.
I want to see Logan Gray or one of the two freshmen pull away and take that second string spot. Joe Cox until he is dethroned is “Da Man”.
Get a pass rush. Get a pass rush. Get a pass rush.
Get AJ healthy and keep him that way.
FLDAWG
March 16th, 2009
5:35 pm
UGA lacked leadership on the field. There really was no one on the offense or defense that made their respecitve teams come together as one cohesive unit. Curran’s play was great but, he did not lead the team. Owens was out. Hopefully Owens will be back and Curran will take another step in the right direction. On offense, Sturdivant, Boling and Jones all have the opportunity to step up for the O-line as a leader, actually anyone on the O-line has the same opportunity. Cox will need to be more of a leader than anything else. His play will have to be good enough to instill confidence in the rest of the Offense but, he will have to take the bull by the horns and get the entire unit working together. Last years injuries were a factor in the lack of on field leadership but, not the only one.
In the spring I would like to see Logan Gray get an opportunity at QB as he looked very good in last years spring game. He is definetly an athlete. RB’s should be very solid as I think we will see a trio of them in the backfield this year. WR’s look to be very promising with Green, Brown, Durham and Moore. UGA needs a TE to step up. OL should be solid with a bunch of experience.
On D as everyone has said, UGA needs to be more physical. We need to be able to hit and hit hard. That’s more than my two cents worth. GO DAWGS!!!
Oledawg
March 16th, 2009
5:36 pm
Many of you write about coaches or players that didn’t make your list for what you expect in a Dawg. I fight to stay away from the negative approach, but dawggone, my revenge blood has boiled all year. We can’t make up for what just happened, but we sure can have a modicom of revenge if the team comes out angry this fall. Can you coach anger or meanness into a team? Can you whip them with an alligator belt and make them revenge minded? “No!” to both questions. Can anyone suggest a way to make young men vengeful as a team and thereby make us old farts happy? If you can, I’d like to hear it. Alabamadawg sets my tone for those halcyon days of our youth with the Dawgs. A Sports Illustrated cover photo of our fullback in the late 60s taken from the end zone is a good example of the fight we need. His hand with the football inches off the ground with opposing players legs in the foreground. He is coming toward the camera low to the ground and then you see it- blood on his hand, a small smear on the ball and blood and gouges on his helmet. That’s what we mean! No stopping and no mercy revenge! Of course on the next play he fumbled the ball at the one yd line and it went through the end zone for a touchback. We lost to Arkansas and Lou Holtz in that Sugar Bowl. But the photo said wonders of how we played. I don’t ever recall having vengeful thoughts about that and other games during those years. Of course, FU was something of a doormat then. Ten straight wins over the teams we lost to last year won’t assuage my feelings of revenge, but it would keep me hummin’ going into my grave. Why don’t we try for ten years instead of one?
Chip Towers
March 16th, 2009
5:52 pm
FWIW, the Georgia baseball team remained ranked in the Top 5 of three of the four college baseball polls released Monday after dropping two of three at Bama this past weekend. They are No. 3 by USA Today/Coaches, and National College Baseball Writers Association and four by Collegiate Baseball. They’re still No. 8 per Baseball America.
gatorlady
March 16th, 2009
6:04 pm
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/031609/foo_410216576.shtml
Football signee Moody dropped from Georgia: ‘I’m not upset about it’
What kid wouldn’t be upset? Bet his parents are.
BILLY JACK
March 16th, 2009
6:13 pm
HEY MR MCKEEHAN-LET ME MAKE YOUR DAY-2009 TENNESEE VOLS 5-7-BIG TIME PROBATION BY THE YEAR 2011-YOU CAN BET YOUR LIFE ON IT.
CapeCodDAWG
March 16th, 2009
6:18 pm
My biggest concern with the Bulldogs is can they stay healthy?…Caleb King in my opinion ran scared last year.I dont want to disparage him,but I gotta call it as i see it.He looked as though someone had laid the wood to him and he was tramatized by it. Carlton Thomas is very exciting,but can he take the pounding?….Will Washaun Ealy pick up the playbook fast enough?….Richard Samuel is a powerful runner,but he has to get his pads lower or he’s gonna lose some teeth.
And Oh GOD PLEASE can we get (LB) Jeff Luc next year.He is the most devastating hitter I’ve seen in a looooong time!…
stevedawg
March 16th, 2009
6:26 pm
altadawg, reshaD has the numbers and twice i recall him making the game ending pic, maybe more i miss but when it counts he missed plays, tackles and pics when we needed them the most, he was in a position to make some huge game changing plays and didnt, i know you cant get them all, but he was touted a superstar, you must have been a safety, i was a backer, so asher allan had a broken hand as his excuse for dropped pics
Chip Towers
March 16th, 2009
6:33 pm
Word is basketball players Zac Swansey and Troy Brewer have requested releases from their scholarships. I’ll check on it later, possibly tomorrow.
Hunk Erdown
March 16th, 2009
6:35 pm
The biggest thing I want to see out of Athens is some discipline… On and off the field. As far as Off the field goes; I know That CMR and all the coaches preach to these players a lot about behaviour and conduct issues, but its going to take parents, friends, coaches, and team-mates all coming together to get it through these guys’ heads that discipline and sacrifice are the beginning ingredients to becoming champions. You can cop out by saying that “they’re just kids” and all the excuses we hear every year, and that’s fine if you just want to be like the average kid, but to be a winner you’ve got to be better than the average kid. It takes dedication and pride, but the payoff is well worth it.
The Tech game was a shining example of on the field lack of discipline. Not just penalties; but carrying out your assignments, staying in your lanes, not over-pursuing, containment, open field tackling, etc.
Tech RBs got a lot of big plays from our corners not containing the outside lanes. Swarm tackling is great but if you commit to the inside and the back bounces out around you its a 50 yard gain.
Discipline seems to be the hardest thing for our Coaches to teach, and all UGA fans will spend the next several months seeing what Chip and Tim can find on the Police Blotter… hoping and praying that we don’t lose too many guys to the annual stupidity of atheletes and alcohol. Before a player breaks the law, he needs to understand that when he does, he is turning his back on his team-mates and his own future.
stevedawg
March 16th, 2009
6:40 pm
altadawg, #9 was a step slow it has been mentioned, every pic is a game changing play i know, jones should have had a lot more, he dropped them, missed too many tackles and played avg for a 5 star recruit
Canis Athenas
March 16th, 2009
7:07 pm
Chip, why do the members of the team continually fall into the trap of saying “we need more swagger” or “more passion” to cure their ills. See Jeff Owens recent comments as an example. As a 5th year senior he should know better. The coaches nip that in the bud? I’ve never seen a Sports Center clip where the announcer says “Look at the turning point of the game, just watch this swagger!”. Its about execution. Period.
TW
March 16th, 2009
7:29 pm
An absolute sin that Jancek was actually elevated to the level of co-DC. Makes the bonuses being paid to the AIG execs look good. Our LB’s have been God awful since Van G left – they don’t read/react worth a crap, they don’t tackle, and they don’t persue. We’re gonna have to score forty a game. Bad, bad move by CMR.
AltamahaDawg
March 16th, 2009
7:43 pm
Not sure why he gets so much blame and critisism, when plenty of other folks made just as many mistakes, including future NFL 1st rounders.
He did do many things correctly, including recording more tackles than Erik Berry, and (except that he dropped 2), could have lead the SEC in Ints. Not sure a guy does that being one step slow or always out of position, as I have heard categorized. If so, imagine how good he can be.
I think like all 5 star and 2 star players, he can and will get a lot better in his second year starting.
Boston Williams
March 16th, 2009
8:33 pm
Will the loss of Moody drop UGA in the recruiting rankings?
stevedawg
March 16th, 2009
9:06 pm
It is difficult to follow this “blog” The conversation is all over the place. What is the topic anyway?
Chip Towers
March 16th, 2009
9:28 pm
Yeah, Swansey confirmed to me that he and Troy Brewer have filed paperwork for release. Wonder who might be next.
S.E. Dawg
March 16th, 2009
9:35 pm
My biggest worry is punting. Unless Butler improves this will be a big weakness. I’ve watched him in pregame warm-up and I haven’t been impressed.
FLDAWG
March 16th, 2009
9:44 pm
Chip, I’m not real worried, if they leave. That just gives more scholorships to the new coach. If they don’t want to be a Dawg then they need to go and the sooner the better. I wish them the best and hope they find a place to fit in. I also hope UGA finds the coach that can get things going and I hope he wants to be a DAWG for a long long time.
FLDAWG
March 16th, 2009
9:45 pm
Any word on how much Gray will compete for starting QB? The kid is the best athlete at QB since Shockley.
Dawgfan8694
March 16th, 2009
10:10 pm
Moody WAS NOT sleeping with a coaches wife. Please don’t spread the gossip. I am sure you would not want the same said about your wife or lies spread that would hurt your family. As for why he was released from UGA, I am sure that will come to light soon enough. It’s like someone else said – it wasn’t because he was doing he RIGHT thing……Thanks.
stevedawg
March 16th, 2009
10:25 pm
you are right alta, #9 played a good game against mich st,and should be better as he gets expirence, man eric berry needs to exit the sec before he kills someone, he may be #1 pick
JMO
March 17th, 2009
12:17 am
That two basketball players would request transfer before even knowing who the new coach will be says more about them than the program. Have they realized they cannot compete or don’t wish to put forth the effort?
When I played if you were benched it was your place to ask the coach if you could talk with him and what would it take to earn your spot back. This guy is blaming the coach for not initiating the dialogue. Obviously they are talented and hate to see them leave…but not sure I understand.
gdawginkalamazoo
March 17th, 2009
11:05 am
I agree with the people calling for a kicking game. It kills momentum to kick the ball out of bounds or not deep enough. There has to be some kids out there that can do it. Having the other team start at the 40 doesn’t help our defense one bit. Too bad about the Moody kid but why would you allegedly act that way when your future is set. Or should I say possibly set if you do the work required.
Hope the two BB players find a good place. Don’t know why they would want to drop from a D-1 program (okay don’t laugh it is still D-1 technically speaking). I am sure they would have just as good of a chance to earn their starting spots back with the new coach. I would hope the new coach wouldn’t quit on the kids already in the program.
Rick
March 17th, 2009
4:20 pm
All this interest in football in March is nice and all. Unfortunately, it also says a lot about why the Dawg’s basketball program is in such disarray.
Pitbull
March 17th, 2009
4:43 pm
Questions for spring practice:
1 Will the defense players learn to wrap when they tackle or will they just bump off of runners like last year.
2 Will Claeb King man up and punish tacklers this year or be a bust? He reminds me of Musa Smith who did not become a punishing running back until his senior year when we played and beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
3 Will the players continue to make stupid penalties such as illegal procedure and personal fouls that screw up drives and ruin scoring opportunities?
4 Will Georgia kick off into the other teams’ end zones and force them to run it back or will they bounce it out of bounds and consistantly give the team the ball at the 40 yard line?
5 Will the receivers look the ball into their hands for a completion, or will they be so focused on YAC that they turn their heads prior to the ball arriving resulting in an incompletion?
6 Will Georgia’s OL allow them to run and pound the ball in the second half when they have the lead and eat the clock, or will the defense stay on the field for 35+ minutes each game?
If the coaching team just addresses these issues, UGA should be an even better team this year.
Columbus Dawg
March 17th, 2009
5:56 pm
I agree with everything Pitbull says, and the only other thing that I would add is KEEP OUT OF TROUBLE THIS SUMMER! Go Dawgs!
Cuz
March 17th, 2009
6:26 pm
I agree with everything Pitbull says except about Musa Smith. It was his junior year, he went early to the NFL.
Chaka John
March 17th, 2009
6:33 pm
I really don’t feel like seeing football practice pictures online right now, let alone – talking about football. Can’t we all just give this a rest until August ?
chuck allison
March 17th, 2009
6:36 pm
I think Dexter Moody is our best recruit and I am looking forward to seeing him break into the starting lineup. Also, Knowshon and Matt have one more year of eligibility, so they should really come on strong. I am glad to see this article, because sometimes I do get a little behind on the football news out of Athens. YeeHaw! Hunker down, you silver britches! Don’t pay no attention to the nerds and serious students who look down on us and mock us for being a football factory. Dawgs is just as inteligant as thay is.
Jimmy
March 17th, 2009
7:16 pm
Chaka, Chaka, Chaka John, I said Chaka John,
If you don’t like hearing(or reading) about foozball, then your excused until August. IE, hit the road jack! This blog is catered to what us, Dog fans, want to read about-and that’s foozball! Chip thanks for the updates.
simplythetruth
March 17th, 2009
8:48 pm
It is so comical to see vols posting on a Dawg blog. ut fans(you stay small case letters until you actually accomplish something) think that they have recruited the Messiah. Imagine that, ut has a #1 pick according to all of the know it alls. Can you think of a ut player since Peyton that has amounted to anything? When I think about recent ut players, all I can imagine is a drunken punter(Colquitt) and a quarterback(Clausen) that fumbled 9 times during a rainstorm at home against Fla. Match that with a coaching staff comprised of recently fired coaches and yeeehhhaaawww we have the makings of another bowl-less ut football team.
John Waynesworld
March 19th, 2009
10:06 am
Chip, is it a good possibility that Marlon Brown will play this year, or will he be redshirted like Knowshon was when he came in? I remember what Coach Richt said in retrospect that he wished he had used Moreno sooner.
adawgfan
March 19th, 2009
5:41 pm
This Dawg fan is glad to see UGA cut a potential trouble maker loose early so as not to infect other athletes. They always travel in groups as they should (to help each other avoid trouble) but the trouble makers always seem to drag a couple of loyal teammates down with them.
DawgMom
March 23rd, 2009
3:31 pm
2009 or 2010 Brandon Boykin will step up to be the leader UGA needs. The season will be tough but he will be the breakout player of the year. (My prediction). Next year will be yet another building year for the Dawgs but by 2010 they shoudl have everything together. Although I am a dawg and a fball fan first, Ga Tech WILL come out on top this year and you can bet that but that is all they will be on top of. As for Dexter Moody nobody but the coaches and the player know the exact situation with the teacher or the extent of his troublemaking; therefore, I suggest we leave it alone before we regret the words we speak.