With health and spirit, ‘we’ll be much improved on defense’
A year ago, Georgia’s football team was preseason No. 1. A year later, that seems like a long time ago.
So, minus Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno, what is the general feeling about where the Bulldog program is today?
Coach Mark Richt tackled that question this week (and you’re welcome to do so below).
“I think in our building [the feeling] is very good,” Richt said. “We know we have a lot of guys who have been in our program for a while, you know, preparing for their opportunity.
“I think fans really know your starters pretty good and know your signing class pretty good, and they tend to forget about everybody in between that’s working their tail off for their opportunity. I think we as coaches know we’ve got a lot of guys in that category.”
Ask about any of the question-mark positions, and Richt mentions someone he sees as eminently capable of providing the answer.
Defensive end? Richt thinks Rod Battle is capable of a big senior season, ”and I think [Demarcus] Dobbs was really having a fantastic spring before he got hurt. I think Dobbs has matured a lot. He’s become a good leader for us and got to the point he has really bought into the Georgia way.” (Dobbs broke a bone in his foot during spring practice but is expected to be 100 percent come August.) Richt also reiterated the plan to use linebacker Darryl Gamble as a pass rusher in nickel situations. “We’re excited about him helping us in that department.”
Tailback? Richt doesn’t know who’ll be the starter, but he spoke highly this week of Caleb King’s progress as a pass protector and in understanding the system. Plus, “he’s an outstanding runner.” Still, the coaches are looking forward to seeing Richard Samuel, Dontavius Jackson and incoming freshman Washaun Ealey compete in preseason practice, too. “We’re just all going to observe and try to decide who deserves to start and who deserves the most amount of carries,” Richt said. “The big thing for all of them — Washaun especially — is to really get serious about pass protection.” Richt added: “I do think our running backs and quarterbacks will benefit from a strong, more veteran offensive line than Stafford and Moreno had the last couple of years. So I think that will help whoever plays that running back spot.” Richt has said it doesn’t matter to him whether one back gets the bulk of the carries or whether it’s tailback-by-committee.
The defense in general? “Jeffrey Owens, I know, is going to be huge for us to get back,” Richt said. “He’s an outstanding player, but he’s also a very spirited player — a guy who can rally people around him. And I think Rennie [Curran] has grown into his position now where he has the ultimate respect of his teammates. And you get that strong leadership right up the gut, it helps very much. And Reshad Jones and Bryan Evans. Right up the heart of our defense, there are a lot of veterans everybody respects and who are outstanding leaders for us. If we stay healthy and play with the type of spirit I know we can, we’ll be much improved on defense.”
Now, changing the subject to a couple of non-football topics:
– The baseball draft: The 11 UGA players picked in the MLB draft were the most from any school this year. Florida and Ole Miss had 10 each. And Georgia’s 11 were by far its most ever. Previously, the most Bulldogs chosen in one draft was six, most recently last year. Of this year’s 11 drafted Dogs, eight are juniors, meaning they could opt to return for one more season in Athens. Slugging 1B Rich Poythress has made it clear in a couple of recent conversations that he intends to sign with Seattle and get his pro career started. He points out he’ll be 22 by the end of the summer and figures this is his time. It’s also expected that closer Dean Weaver (seventh-round pick) and OF Matt Cerione (13th round) will sign pro contracts. But it’ll be interesting to see what the other five juniors, drafted in the 17th through 47th rounds, do –- stay or go? (I’d guess stay, in most cases.) Georgia also had six signees drafted. Here are the lists of drafted Dogs (with overall selection number):
UGA PLAYERS
51. Rich Poythress (Seattle Mariners, 2nd round)
81. Trevor Holder (Washington Nationals, 3rd round)
202. Dean Weaver (Washington Nationals, 7th round)
383. Matt Cerione (Seattle Mariners, 13th round)
506. Jeff Walters (Baltimore Orioles, 17th round)
771. Michael Demperio (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 25th round)
787. Alex McRee (Los Angeles Dodgers, 26th round)
901. Bryce Massanari (Colorado Rockies, 30th round)
966. Will Harvil (Arizona Diamondbacks, 32nd round)
1232. Joey Lewis (Kansas City Royals, 41st round)
1405. Justin Earls (Pittsburgh Pirates, 47th round)
UGA SIGNEES
404. Zach Dotson (New York Mets, 13th round)
798. Miles Head (Boston Red Sox, 26th round)
838. Eric Swegman (Atlanta Braves, 28th round)
925. Zach Taylor (Pittsburgh Pirates, 31st round)
958. Jake Montgomery (Atlanta Braves, 32nd round)
1016. Malcolm Clappsaddle (Baltimore Orioles, 34th round)
– NCAA track and field: The only person in the history of the UGA men’s track and field program to win the NCAA championship in the javelin, Chris Hill, will try to do it again tonight. (Here’s a story on Georgia’s unknown national champ.) Hill, who won the event last year, needed just one throw to qualify for this year’s finals at the NCAA Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. His opening throw of 234 feet, 4 inches was the second longest of the qualifying round Wednesday night. USC’s Corey White had the longest qualifying throw (254-10). Hill’s longest throw this season is 265-10. Six UGA athletes have won NCAA individual championships during the 2008-09 school year, led by gymnast Courtney Kupets, who won four. Four swimmers and one equestrian rider won NCAA titles in their events. A swimming relay team also won a title. Hill tries to add to the impressive list tonight.
(And with that, I’m off to vacation. Back on June 22.)
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171 comments Add your comment
athensdawg
June 12th, 2009
7:05 am
we will find out if this improved health and spirit is worth anything when we go to stillwater.
Fools Gold
June 12th, 2009
8:07 am
Until better recruiting,coaching and strength and conditioning vastly improves its SOS for UGA football.
weatherdawg
June 12th, 2009
8:24 am
I have no doubt that if the majority of our players are healthy, we will be ready to roll. There is a ton of talent on this roster and if everything clicks–who knows.
Gold foolishness—you are just a sad and pathetic individual. I actually feel sorry for you.
MiltonDawg
June 12th, 2009
8:41 am
I like our setup going into the season. the pressure is off us from being a #1 ranking. IF we can keep our lines healthy everthing else will fall into place. King will be probably be named starter for Ok St and we’ll see what happens from there. Rennie will be great this year and hopefully the captain on D along with Owens. We’re in good shape folks, i wouldn’t over analyze everything.
You
June 12th, 2009
8:50 am
If?
PTC DAWG
June 12th, 2009
9:07 am
Cue the GT fans that show their love here often…
Paddy
June 12th, 2009
9:14 am
Fools Gold… you must be watching some other team, not the Dawgs. No comment in the recent past has been so far off base. My guess you are an Arkansas fan and love your “no backbone” coach.
Saint Simons
June 12th, 2009
9:17 am
45-42!!!!!!!! hahahahahahaahahaahahahahah
Otto
June 12th, 2009
9:21 am
Looking forward to UGA’s second home coming party of the season in Bobby Dodd!
DawginLex
June 12th, 2009
9:25 am
Gold Fool,
You ever done a mat drill? You don’t know squat about anything inside the UGA football program and you never will. you are just another nerd Techie who is a UGA wannabee. Our program is a consistent winner and jealous haters like you can’t stand it. If that is SOS, I’ll take it: 82 wins in 8 years, 2 SEC titles and finishing in the top 10 most years under Richt.
Gold Fool=Big Tool
BugKiller
June 12th, 2009
9:35 am
The funny thing Mark Richt NEVER wants to talk about is the statistical trend following his Bulldog defense since the incompetent Willie Martinez, his BFF, took over in 2005.
You know, the trend that points down, EVERY YEAR, for four straight years.
Meaning one year of bad injuries is NOT the aberration Richt lies to us and tells us it is.
Every year, the defense has gotten worse in points allowed, yards allowed, and penalties accrued.
If they kept a stat for missed tackles, I’m sure that’d be up there, too.
11 games giving up 30 points or more in 4 years under Martinez. That’s a Georgia football record! Way to go, Coach! You deserve a raise! Wait a minute…
3 games giving up 40 or more points in ONE YEAR. That too, is a Georgia football record.
Do you know how many times in BVG’s four years that the Dawgs gave up 30 or more points?
ONCE. In the 2003 SEC Championship Game.
ONCE.
Willie Martinez is incompetent and a disgrace to Bulldog Football.
As long as he is mismanaging the defense, the Dawgs have NO SHOT.
He personally ruined what probably was one of the greatest seasons ever by a Bulldogs offense.
FIRE WILLIE MARTINEZ!!!
DawginLex
June 12th, 2009
9:43 am
Richt knows WM is under the microscope. He is not stupid. You really believe it was all WM’s fault last year? Missing all the players with injuries didn’t contribute? Stafford throwing dumb interceptions didn’t contribute?
m
June 12th, 2009
9:48 am
I hope ugag improves a lot so that they can give Paul Johnson and Tech a decent game. PJ doesn’t like to play patsies.
45-42…how sweet the sound.
bigdawg01
June 12th, 2009
9:52 am
Saint Simons,
It is really getting old. Get some new matierial. Hope you enjoyed your once a decade win.
BigMike
June 12th, 2009
9:55 am
It’s simple! Look at the top players from the dogs last year. R .Curren, Knowshon, Stafford, A.J. Green, and Geno Atkins, they all looked physically superior to there teammates. Get stronger, get faster, win CHAMPIONSHIPS. P.S. Ask Tebow, Harvin, and B. Spikes. And I hate the Gators!
BugKiller
June 12th, 2009
9:55 am
How many of those “dumb” INTs did Stafford throw when the Dawgs were down because Willie’s incompetent preparation and handling of his defense led to the need for the offense to make a comeback?
Stafford threw one horrendous INT all year. One.
Willie Martinez, over four years, has had a trend you can follow, that you can make graphs of.
Go look up the numbers for yourself. They, again, point to the fact that last year’s injuries WERE NOT an aberration.
The defense has been getting worse and worse, EVERY YEAR, under Martinez.
That’s why it’s called a TREND. It supersedes and overrides things like “one” bad year, or “one” injury-filled year.
Again… go look up the numbers yourself. The two most important statistics for any defense are points allowed and yards allowed.
Go see how they’ve gotten worse, EVERY year under Martinez.
Then go see how stupid his defenses play under him because of lack of preparation and terrible in-game management on his part in the amount of penalties (specifically 15-yard killers like roughing the passer) his defenses have gotten.
Willie Martinez is incompetent.
Willie Martinez got a raise from his BFF, Mark Richt… and Bulldog Nation needs to be asking WHY?
Why, Tim Tucker, has the worst defensive coordinator in Bulldog History (on numbers and performance alone) gotten a pay raise?
Why, Tim Tucker, does a guy who’s defenses have given up a Georgia record 11 thirty-point games in a four year period, get a raise and not a boot out the door?
It couldn’t be because he’s best friends with the Coach? That they used to be roomies together at Miami? Could it?
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Much in the way Bobby Bowden let his emotional attachment to his son destroy his once proud football program, Richt, a Bowden Disciple, has let his emotional attachment to his friend pull this team down, again and again.
The only difference is, Richt doesn’t have two national titles he can fall back on.
As long as Richt refuses to fire Martinez for the good of the program, his seat deserves to be getting warm.
swimdawg68
June 12th, 2009
9:59 am
Hey Saint Simons, UGA 7 trade school 1 under CMR, hahahahahahahahahaha Will become 8-1 in Nov.
BigMike
June 12th, 2009
9:59 am
Hey Bulldog nation, there is a NFL defensive co-ordinator with the HOUSTON TEXANS, named Frank Bush from Athens Ga. Might think about bringing him home. Just a thought! Still in his 40’s to!
Saint Simons
June 12th, 2009
10:01 am
I hate myself.
reservoirDAWG
June 12th, 2009
10:14 am
Is it football season yet?
UGA Belle
June 12th, 2009
10:16 am
If you think injuries, interceptions (& fumbles), and terrible special teams had no influence on our defensive performance last season, you must not have been watching UGA. Also, lets not forget that these are kids playing a game. Support them or find something else to do!
the real Athens Dawg
June 12th, 2009
10:43 am
Hey Bug, I’m a season ticket guy since ‘86, and am as huge a Dog fan as anyone, but seriously dude, calm down.
Georgia News - 6/12/09 | MrSEC.com
June 12th, 2009
10:57 am
[...] Here’s whazzup in the Peach State this morning:Mark Richt says that he’s going to “give a lot less of my opinion.” Some fans and writers have said the coach has come across as whiney in recent weeks. “A lot of times, I will say things pretty tongue-in-cheek, but it doesn’t read that way. So I’ve just got to guard my words.”Richt did share this opinion: “If we stay healthy and play with the type of spirit I know we can, we’ll be much improved on defense.” [...]
SavannahDawg
June 12th, 2009
10:58 am
Hey bugkiller, its time to get out of the sandbox and take your toys and go home. You sound like a spoiled child; if you are a Dawg Fan then you know that Coach Richt said long ago that when he chose BVG as defensive coordinator that BVG & WM were both capable of running the defense. And if you think lousy special teams play and turnovers did not affect the defense, you don’t know football! Stop your tired chants of FIRE WILLIE and support the dawgs of STFU!
nola dawg
June 12th, 2009
10:59 am
where is chip? did he get let go by the AJC?
Tim – like the topics you pick, but get involved in the discussion man… see DOB, Sekou, Led, Mark B, etc…
DR
June 12th, 2009
11:10 am
Saint Simons your team won 1 game in the past 8 years. I guess you are real happy?
HH
June 12th, 2009
11:12 am
If UGA has a season that doesn’t meet expectations this year any better then last, then there will be no point in blaming Willie or Bozo or any other member of the coaching staff any longer. The blame will have to be laid squarely where it should be: on Coach Overpaid and Overrated. This will be the year that shows Georgia fans whether Richt is worth 2.9 Mil or about 29 cents. No offense to the Richt lovers.
reality check
June 12th, 2009
11:34 am
There is no question Georgia’s defense was a problem last year, and a lot of that was due to injuries.
The poular view on this blog seems to be that Martinez is the cause of the problem and there is longing for the days of Brian Van Gorder. The reality is that the defensive statistics under Martinez are an average of 298 yards per game during his tenure. Van Gorder? 296 yards per game during his tenure. Even though I acknowlege the defense was a disappointment last year the average yards per game weren’t that far off – 314 yards per game.
Penalties last year were a problem on both offense and defense. Georgia also suffered from a negatve turnover ratio. I think we have a chance for a big improvement this year if players stay healthy.
One other thing I will mention is that Samuel could turn out to be a beast at running back. Last year he averaged over 5 yards a carry and he really improved his body lean as the year went on. He is by far the fastest Georgia back and now 225 pounds. He has just turned 18.
Will
June 12th, 2009
11:50 am
Remeber this name as well….Marcus Washington. The run-stopping linebacker will make a huge difference with Jeff Ownes. You had better have a hell of an offensive line to be able to push these boys around.
TW
June 12th, 2009
11:51 am
BugKiller – I feel your pain man. I feel for Willie’s D the same way I felt about Donnan’s Off, back when Tenn owned us for a decade and Jasper and Q weren’t doin’ jack squat.
And that they somehow PROMOTED Jancek, the LB ‘coach,’ is enough to make me sick.
We better have a GREAT off, cuz we gonna need 50s on a regular basis.
Huh?
June 12th, 2009
12:04 pm
I challenge anyone making excuses for the defense to re-watch the Kentucky and Georgia Tech games. I then challenge you to explain to me how injuries, the lack of a pass rush, or any other lame excuse you can come up with had anything to do with those sad and pathetic performances by our defense. Why pray tell do we need a pass rush against two teams with running QB’s that rarely pass? Nesbitt and Randall had only a combined 26 passing attempts against us and they only completed half of them. Yet their offenses still dropped 80 freaking points on us. What shred of good would a pass rush have done us against those guys? Get real people. And what pray tell do injuries have to do with the guys out there playing? They weren’t injured, but they still couldn’t tackle a granny in a wheelchair. You could make a two hour highlight film of all their whiffed tackles last year. Once again, get real.
Its hardly a bold proposition to suggest that our defense will improve in 2009 after the way they closed out 2008. The only way to go is up.
gTa==RaMbLiNg WrEcK
June 12th, 2009
12:09 pm
Yall are overrated every single year! When will you puppies realize that you are always going to be that 9-3 sec team for as long as richt is there! If richt was going to win a National championship he would’ve done years ago! UGA WILL ALWAYS BE A 10-2, 9-3 Team for as long as CMR is around! But that might not be too long if he keeps losing to florida, and Georgia Tech!
ceph
June 12th, 2009
12:21 pm
In Richts next press conference would someone please ask him what he means when he says,”The Georgia Way” he is constantly saying this but for the life of me I have no idea what he means (secretely I don’t think he does either) I don’t think he has a definitive answer but I would like to hear him explain it!!!!
REX FERAL
June 12th, 2009
12:22 pm
Tech fans would sell their slide rules to be a 10-2 team year after year.
Biscuit
June 12th, 2009
12:39 pm
Can’t wait for November in Bobby Dodd…i think im gonna go to jail for punching out every pansy in a golden tie I see, that is if they can fill the stadium. techies, your losers and wimps, all of you.
Nation
June 12th, 2009
12:40 pm
The only good thing about Tech is that you can walk to the Varsity from the campus. I still don’t understand why NERDS comment on our page? Can someone please explain that to me? I have never, and will never read or comment on a NERDS page/blog. It’s pathetic that NERDS would rather read about their rivals than their own team. Go write a stupid comment on your Facebook page – you are not welcome here.
Ely-Kelso
June 12th, 2009
1:04 pm
Saint Simons,
Overall 59-39-5
This decade 7-2
Past 20 years 15-5
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Let's Go Bravos!
June 12th, 2009
1:04 pm
I’m hoping we are going to be like Tennessee in 98, when Peyton Manning left and Tee Martin came in and led them to a National Title!! However, it’s possible that we lose to Florida, LSU, Oklahoma State, and maybe one more. I’m hoping that for the first one though!!
JaxDawg
June 12th, 2009
1:06 pm
Reality Check – good points, also a big difference is the field position the kicking game put us in as well. Penalties and turnovers left the defense with short fields on several occasions.
Also with the injuries, the thing we were missing last year that we haven’t missed in many years was a dominating defensive lineman that warranted a double team. Owens would have definitely been that guy last year before he got injured. Geno Atkins got a ton of great experience last year and I look for Owens and Atkins to a be a great tandem like Stroud & Seymour.
Having Marcus Washington back will be huge as well.
We should have a pretty good idea of what kind of team we’ll have after the first two games.
OkSt will let us know how good the D will be and SC will give us an idea of how strong the offense will be.
JaxDawg
June 12th, 2009
1:10 pm
Nation – you obviously haven’t taken a visit to the techies’ blog! go visit it for a few minutes and you will quickly understand why they hang out here!
GATOR CHOMP
June 12th, 2009
1:11 pm
Quit dreaming losers the Mutts will be lucky 2 win 7 games this year and thats being nice. Book It
Saint Simons
June 12th, 2009
1:18 pm
Rody jones just scored again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nation
June 12th, 2009
1:33 pm
JaxDawg – I’ll take your word for it. Regarding this season: 11-1 is very realistic if everyone stays healthy.
Pi$$onaDAWG
June 12th, 2009
1:34 pm
See you in the getto(hahaha)! I hope the athens rednecks can figure out how to get in/out of the big city. We don’t let MULES pull wagon homes through the city anymore.
Pi$$onaDAWG
June 12th, 2009
1:38 pm
11-1 what are you growing in your class? 0-1 to start and you think you will win the rest? HAHAHAHAH. I will use the old USC bumber sticker Line “you can’t lick our Cox”, but Arron will be the starter after 1 loss and a close game. Game 3 will be a loss but A. Murry looks like the man.
Roaddawg80
June 12th, 2009
1:40 pm
BuG Killer=Moron
You keep posting that about CWM. WHy? Have you looked up the numbers. Actually, CWM had better numbers than CBV did. You go look the figures up you incompatant idiot.
Not to include BVG did all his numbers over 3 years only with a control QB in David Greene. What does this mean? IT means Greene never turned the ball over and put his D in bad situations. He also had a veteran D for 2 out of the 3 years he was there.
Now CWM hasn’t had that luxery. He had Joe T at quarterback.(no offense to Joe) He also had to live through Staffords Freshman year where he threw 18 INT.
SO actually you idiot I am tired of illiterat Bulldog fans bashing something they don’t know. CWM has had better numbers than CBV overall. He had one bad year and it really was nothing he could do.
People like you Bug Killer are the reasons why I hate these posts. You are probably the guy that yells out stupid stuff in the stands(if you even go to games) that gives bad names to UGA fans.
ADAMT
June 12th, 2009
1:51 pm
Thanks for the suggestion, BigMike. In order to get rid of Martinez it’s going to have to come from the administration….Richt will never fire anyone. I’m for Willie this year, and hopefully that won’t have to happen.
Fools Gold
June 12th, 2009
2:27 pm
Seems like Bug Killer understands the state of UGA’s football program under CMR. I predict at least two games the mutts will allow 30 points and over. Too many kool aid drinkers just dont see the trend. Sorry dawg fans but get ready for the Stillwater blues.
dUmB dAWg
June 12th, 2009
2:33 pm
i SuRE hOPe dAwGs dOnt dRink ToO mUCh sPiriTs oN dEFenSE. tHey alreAdY loOkeD drUNk eNough uNdEr WiLlIE lASt yEar.
BruffDawg
June 12th, 2009
2:47 pm
Score from still water UGA 35 OSU 17. Write it down.
Hunk Erdown
June 12th, 2009
2:48 pm
Seems like every year the Dawgs are supposed to be scared to death of some western ooc game; Ok St, Boise St, Ariz St, Hawaii, etc. But every year we face them, win the game and you never hear from the doomsday crowd again… until we have to play another western team, then it all starts again. Okie St will not be able to stand up to sec caliber football. I’d rather play them or even Ohio St than any of our sec rivals. Its just two different brands of football. So, all you haters jump on the Okie St bandwagon, luckily we will play them 1st and you will go away for a while.
The best slam you can come up with against CMR is that he’s just a 10-2 coach and always will be? lol okay
BruffDawg
June 12th, 2009
2:52 pm
Look at Richt’s record against teams outside the sec. Loss to bc, wv, and wisconsin. Is that it? No fear against OSU dawgs. Over by the third quarter.
BruffDawg
June 12th, 2009
2:55 pm
Martinez just needs to be more aggresive. I am sick and tired of the bend but don’t break defense. Other than that let’s get behind him DAWGS and hope he proves us all wrong.
UGA Fan
June 12th, 2009
2:57 pm
I agree with Roaddawg80. After we beat Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl, all Dawg fans were excited and couldn’t wait for the 08 season to get started. Sure, the defense looked horrible at times last year but it looked pretty darn good the year before. I would love to see all the so-called experts on here do better. If you’re a true Dawg, then stop degrading the program and it’s coaches and back them up and wish them the best. You’re all starting to sound like Tech fans and lets please don’t do that.
Dawgrulz
June 12th, 2009
2:58 pm
UGA had an awlful defense last year, the stats don’t lie. However, it is not an excuse to cite contributing factors that caused this. Poor tackling, dumb penalties, horrible kicking game, injuries and stupid turnovers all come to mind throughout the year. UGA defense was equal opportunity we made heisman trophy winners and first or second start in career qbs look good. With all that said, I expect a better showing this year on Defense and believe CMR has earned the benefit of the doubt when he stated that injuries forced the live action practices to be cut back. We also have the talent to quit acting like scarred puppies and this starts at the top. Heres hoping the coaching staff gets it this year and turns the team loose when or lose.
BruffDawg
June 12th, 2009
2:58 pm
True story UGA fan.
dUmB dAWg
June 12th, 2009
2:59 pm
BrUFfdAWg… cMR dIdNT lOse tO wIsConSin, hE lOSt tO gEoRgIA tECh.
dUmB dAWg
June 12th, 2009
3:01 pm
bRuFfdAWg… yOu aRE dUMb!
Helluva engineer
June 12th, 2009
3:07 pm
as a Tech fan i have to honestly say that i think UGA will be a lot better off with out Stafford and knowshon, and all the pressure from the media! I think pressure is a big factor between winning and losing! UGA is coming this year from up under the table! I cant say the same about Tech!
I just hope yall Beat Arkansas , cause i hate bobby petrino
and also i dont think lane kiffen knows what hes gettin hiself into runnig his mouth! I hope every one beats Tennessee!
GO GEORGIA TECH!
JB
June 12th, 2009
3:13 pm
Tech fans can piss and moan on this blog all they want, but what they know and will not admit:
ACC vs SEC. No contest. Brand vs brand there is no comparison.
Game day: Grant field/Ghetto vs Athens…. Do I need to explain.
Girls: Ditto as above.
UGA Football vs. Tech: How about Walmart vs Dollar tree. Nuff said
Academics: Tech holding on to that like a life line. Plenty of Rhodes Scholars and very successful Ga. Grads( that’s all they got, so you hear it often).
Terrorist arrested this year…..Well, they have us there…………..GO DAWGS
Matt
June 12th, 2009
3:20 pm
I say let Saint Simons type that sh&% all he wants because he won’t get to do it again for another decade at least. Enjoy while it lasts nerds because it’s over come November.
GT=CPJ
June 12th, 2009
3:32 pm
Hey JB, Tell me why in the past 25 years the ACC has had a winning record 19 out of 25 years!
Also i would rather shop at dollar tree any day of the week than Wal-Mart!!! Wouldnt You
GT=CPJ
June 12th, 2009
3:33 pm
19 out of 25 against the ALMIGHTY SEC….INCLUDING LAST YEAR when wake forest beat OLE MISS! HAHAHAHA
JB
June 12th, 2009
3:37 pm
Tech did look pretty good during warm ups before the LSU game. ACC is a yawner ……..booger eater conference…….
pi$$onadawg
June 12th, 2009
3:43 pm
Who’s coming to the ticckle pile party tonight at Piedmont?
BruffDawg
June 12th, 2009
3:47 pm
Dumb dawg your name says it all as far as your intelligence. Im not here to fight with anybody. Sorry that we win so much I don’t remember the few defeats here and there. Grow up with that text. Whart are you 4 years old?
BruffDawg
June 12th, 2009
3:50 pm
Acc can win a bcs game then say its legit. Till then….booger eaters.
Dave In Tampa
June 12th, 2009
4:09 pm
Okie State will set the tone for the season. I hate to put so much emphasis on one game, but if we can pull a “W” out in Stillwater it could really set the tone for the year. Bring it on! Go Dawgs!
WildBill
June 12th, 2009
4:28 pm
Most of us really like CMR as a good person. But, all fans have to face facts, we have to see CMR for what he does, and not what he says. Any coach can talk up a good season before it starts, and then, reality sets in, and even rabid fans can read the proverbial writing on the wall. I hope we have a great season, but with WM still in there, I predict many long passes and runs against the dawgs. We will just have to wait and see.
Bassndawg
June 12th, 2009
4:35 pm
I typically don’t post on these forums, but after reading the post from Bug Killer and others criticizing Willie Martinez, I HAVE to chime in.
Usually when fans become critical of a coach or a coordinator, they do so out of frustration morew than anything, but is hardly ever grounded in reality and facts. Bug Killer’s post was a case in point.
The reality about our defense under CWM is this:
1. The average Defensive statistics under CWM, overall, are BETTER than than those under BVG. That is a fact. The caveat is that 2008 was the worst year, statistically, under Richt.
2. In 2002, when we won the SEC with a dominating D, we did so by shutting down opponent’s passing game with the #6 ranked pass defense in the country. The secondary coach? – Martinez!
The caveat is that we had a veteran and talented D, especially on the line led by Sullivan, that was mostly injury-free.
3. The defenses under Martinez, as well as BVG are designed to be effective when we can apply penetration and QB pressure from the front 4. After we lost Ownes, combined with the injuries to the DE’s, we were simply not talented nor deep enough on the DL to consistently apply pressure and penetration from the front. No one player had to be double teamed, something which hasn’t happened since 2001, and no one player stepped up to make big plays behind the LOS like Marcus Howard did the year before. That is NOT a coaching problem. That is a personnel problem caused by unfortunate injuries. Martinez attempted to compensate by using the LB’s and safeties differently, and by using more zone blitz packages, but the FACT was we didn’t have the players at either DL or LB or safety to be consistently good on defense. I don’t care who the coach was. We were especially vulnerable to an option attack because we COULD NOT penetrate and disrupt anything. Our secondary was good enough to keep most teams from killing us with long bombs from the pocket, but we had to play deep zone most of the time beacsue we simply COULD NOT pressure the QB on a consistent basis. Option plays, even when stopped by the safeties or corners (Asher made a LOT of tackles), were stopped downfield, not at the LOS. Agains, NOT a coaching problem. It is ALL we could do against talented teams.
Look, no matter what your scheme is, or who your coach is, or what your past success has been, it all goes out the window when the personnel you had practiced and shcemed with all year are suddenly gone. You can’t re-engineer your defense effectively in the middle of a season. No team in history has been able to do that. The same coach who coached our guys into stopping Florida’s great offense in 2007, and who coached our guys into complete and total destruction of the best passing offense in college football, and who coached our guys into embarrassing the potent Oklahoma State offense, is the SAME coach who coached the guys in 2008.
People calling for the firing Martinez are as ignorant as the Tennessee fans who somehow think Tiffin can do better than Fullmer, given their problems in national recruiting is recent years. You people are as ignorant as Auburn fans who think a new guy can do better than Tubberville at Auburn, given that Sabin OWNS the state over there. You wouldn’t recognize a good coach if your life deopended on it.
If a team loses or one part of the team breaks down, you immediately blame the coach. The buck DOES stop with the coach, but in the case of Martinez, ONE bad year does not mean he is sufddenlt a lousy coach. Similar fans as you, Bug Killer, demanded that Bear Braynt resign from Alabama after the 1969-1970 seasons claiming that the Bear was “too old”, and “out of touch” and that the “Game had passed him by”. You people callling for Martinez’ head sound EXACTLY like those ignorant Alabama fans of the late 60’s.
jaglaw
June 12th, 2009
4:36 pm
BUG KILLER,
You are correct. Defense is bad. Martinez is the reason. But dont forget the other UGA record…..injuries. 25 needed surgery. I know, our offense is why we had 10 wins. The injuries really added up down the stretch and did not help. We will be much better on Defense this year but not because of Martinez….fire him now. I look at it like this: I doubt that a replacement DC would be any worse, even an assistant coach could have put up the numbers Martinez has the last few years.
jaglaw
June 12th, 2009
4:42 pm
Bassndawg,
the only reason Martinez’s secondary was good was because the pressure up front…even i could coach with those front seven from 02-05. however your points are well taken. I would love nothing more than to see Martinez have a great year. But less face it, his track record, regardless of the reasons (exuses), is his track record. And its not a good one. I hope your right about Martinez….but i havent seen it yet.
Dawgtime
June 12th, 2009
4:56 pm
Okay AJC, you need to require that all bloggers must be “adults” in age at least. I know that you cannot verify the maturity levels of some of these peons. When you have people posting scores with hahahaha, you are left wondering if a 3rd grader posted. That has to be one of the most puerlistic comments you will see on here. I bet GT would give a great deal to go 9-3 every year. The fact is that GT was revealed by LSU. Everyone will watch the scheme that dominated GT and employ it. Your one hit wonder season is over. Any honest person would recognize that UGA was the better team. We just happened to have a defense that lacked leadership or direction. Spilt milk. I don’t remember making a big deal out of UGA’s decade of domination. I don’t consider GT to be a viable team to worry about. That is the typical win at the end of the season. Yes, GT gets lucky from time to time. In terms of UGA, I don’t see a need for any recruits to start as freshmen. Freshmen starters typically represent a program that is struggling with the exception of great talents like Herschel Walker. I believe in letting the kids transition to college with a year of getting stronger and faster.
Hunk Erdown
June 12th, 2009
5:01 pm
I think that Stacey Searles has been an absolute miracle worker coaching our offensive line the last few years. I am anxious to see how a Searles’ coached line performs now that they are healthy, mature, and experienced. I have a feeling that our o-line will be very special this year and even negate any short comings in the backfield. I don’t know how well many of you know Coach Searles, but he is a very special human being. I met him a few years ago at a dinner given to recognize heroes in our region. He is a very humble, dedicated individual.
Munson
June 12th, 2009
5:17 pm
I find it hilarious to see this clown pi$$onadawg calling UGA fans rednecks. I just read the following comment from this racist pos on the falcons blog:
Pi$$onaDAWG
June 12th, 2009
12:55 pm
FTN, FTN, who the F..k cares abouth Dat N.,,er. FTN.
Yeah, and UGA fans are the rednecks. You are a typical Tech piece of Sh1t!
Coach D
June 12th, 2009
6:03 pm
The thing that hurt last year’s team was a lack of leadership and accountability, whether it be offense, defense, special teams, or coaching. Last year’s team was a very immature team, and when things didn’t go their way, they packed it in because there weren’t tough enough mentally. After losing to Florida, the team was shell shocked and didn’t have a goal to play for. When a team is essentially knocked out of National Title Contention(or the SEC Championship for that matter), it’s hard to get motivated to blow out Kentucky, Auburn, and Tech. “Playing for Pride” is a tough sell for kids who were told during the preseason that they had the makings of a champion when in actuality those expectations were too lofty.
I’m not making excuses for the poor coaching. I’m not making excuse for the poor playing. But look at last year’s loss to Tech. I counted 3 missed tackles that led to TD’s. That has nothing to do with coaching and everything to do with imposing your will on another person. If beating Tech meant something to those players they would have rose to the occasion and stopped them. But since they chose to feel sorry for themselves, they lost to a team they had no business losing to.
braveshater
June 12th, 2009
6:17 pm
Fire Willie Martinez!
FL Dawg
June 12th, 2009
7:00 pm
I’m in the camp for Richt being more involved with Defense this year. Both his and CWM need a great year from the D after last year. There were two problems in week to week preparation for the Dawgs D last year: 1) Injuries continually forced changes to the D an no one becoming settled in their position. 2) UGA did not hit and tackle enough due to the high injury rate. That is why at the end of the year we missed tackles late in games and did not have the mental strength needed.
As stated Richt will need to be more involved with the D this year to ensure 1) a consistent high level of preparation and 2) that CWM has the coaching support needed. This will be Richts toughest season as a coach with WM on the hot seat and Bobo breaking in a new QB.
Saint Simons
June 12th, 2009
9:17 pm
Somebody please help me. I went to Georgia Tech and I have my head stuck up my arse.
It smells like chili dogs up here.
What was the final Peach Bowl score with LSU?
Dizkey
June 12th, 2009
9:37 pm
Can we please lose the fire WM campaign? Yes, his defense struggled quite often in 08. But, as a Dawg fan, I see no positives in blasting any members of the coaching staff in JUNE. I don’t care about last year. It’s over. Get over it! Nothing we say or complain about can change the outcome of previous games. Maybe I’m subject to seeing things through red and black colored glasses, but I see great days ahead of this UGA program. Not just in gymnastics and tennis, but also on the football field. If potential recruits spend their time reading this blog, I hope they understand that not all Georgia fans are eager to place blame on coordinators and disrespect the staff. If CMR was to fire WM, who would he bring in? Muschamp ain’t returning to Athens. Neither is BVG. True fans support their team through thick and thin. Some of these “Georgia fans” need to MAN UP! It’s JUNE, so quit cryin!!
GO DAWGS!!
david
June 13th, 2009
12:06 am
richt has not lost to wisconsin
SamoanDawg
June 13th, 2009
12:08 am
Bassndawg, amen brah! You’re absolutely correct. Willie Martinez is a good coach. He’s also down to earth man. I met the man in person last year. If you had the chance to talk to each of the coaches, they’re great family men. They all do great jobs of mentoring young men. I think Willie will have a ball toying with a much healthier personnels.
No worries DawgNation, our D will stand tall!
BugKiller
June 13th, 2009
12:13 am
To all of you people claiming the defensive numbers are better under Martinez…
… you’re all full of $hit.
And liars.
But hey, I guess if you’d rather be an apologist instead of a realist, that’s a YOU problem, not a ME problem.
G’night everybody!
BugKiller
June 13th, 2009
12:17 am
And what I mean by that is that RANKINGS really don’t mean all that much.
The actual NUMBERS, people… the NUMBERS are much worse, and have gotten worse every year under Martinez.
Yards Allowed. Points Allowed. Penalties Accrued.
All have gotten worse, every year under Martinez, with NO uptick. That’s called a trend, morons.
That’s truth.
Not the twisted facts and lies y’all bring to the table.
turkey
June 13th, 2009
12:17 am
As always Bugkiller is dead on it. Stats don’t lie and what will the kool-aid drinkers think when the dogs get blown out by 30 or more and lose to Tech again, more excuses for CWM.
Turkeys can't fly
June 13th, 2009
1:03 am
Bill, sorry for going off topic, but here we go:
turkey/bug killer- can’t you come up with something better to do than posting a statement, then creating an alter ego that praises your previous personality? It’s kind of strange how you can agree with bug killer’s comment at 12:17 with your own 12:17 post. You must type fast! LMAO!!
Now, back to business. If the lines are healthy, UGA will destroy Oklahoma State in Stillwater. Caleb King will rise to the occasion. A sound running game will make life easy on Joe Cox. King will have a Musa Smith-like career in Athens. Caleb is smaller and more compact than Musa was during his Bulldog days, but they are similar in their lower the shoulder and attack style of rushing the football. Caleb King won’t make anyone forget the name Knowshon, but he will play well enough to keep Washaun on the bench.
m
June 13th, 2009
9:25 am
The real question is how could you be any worse on defense?
And if you don’t learn how to defend the option, then you are doomed against Paul Johnson.
Thanks to God and Greyhound, you don’t have chan gomer gailey to kick around anymore…..as you hushpuppies found out last November.
Red Elephant
June 13th, 2009
9:45 am
As an Alabama fan I BEG GT to come back to the SEC. PLEASE! I’m so sick of your mouth.
Year in and year out you MIGHT contend with Kentucky. GT is a joke. As an outsider, it is painful to see you constantly acting out your inferiority complex with Georgia on these blogs.
You win one or two games a decade with them and suddenly you have a reason to live. Auburn has more self respect than you guys. Truly pathetic.
dUmB dAWg
June 13th, 2009
11:59 am
ThERe wAs nO eXCuSe In lOSInG tO GeOrGIa tECh lAst yEaR. Two WeekS tO pRePare aNd Blew a 28 – 12 HalFtIme LEad. CMr BeTtEr gET HIs aCT tOGetHEr.
Henry
June 13th, 2009
12:07 pm
It will be when the lights went out in UGA land. Ole ball coach does it again. Pepto Bismol sales will skyrocket in Athens as that ole sick feeling sinks deep inside of dawgie fans by Stevo. It just a gut feeling huh!
Cuz
June 13th, 2009
1:47 pm
Red Elephant, after reading your comment I would like to offer you a laurel and hearty handshake. In your honour sir, Roll Tide.
Now GATA Dawgs!
BugKiller
June 13th, 2009
1:54 pm
Turkey’s can’t Fly:
If you had an ounce of intelligence, you would have inferred that turkey probably posted in response to my 0013 post.
But I’m guessing you don’t even have an ounce.
But it’s just a guess.
Oledawg
June 13th, 2009
2:26 pm
SamoanDawg & Bassndawg-Keep the good stuff flowing. If we want Richt and Staff to hear the fan’s voices then I suggest your blogs be hot, heavy and often. BugKiller is not a Dawg. He puts out a good foot to suck you in, then gives inaccurate info to drag you in to agree with him. Too many of you without good info and questionable reasoning power go along with him and thereby show your ignorance and ability for someone to lead you by your shorthairs. Wake up! This idiot is doing noone any favors by attacking the Coach and members of our Staff. HE IS NOT A UGA BULLDAWG FAN. Look up the definition of a fan. The anti Martinez rant is based on false info and reasoning. When challenged in the past, he cannot name a better Defensive Coach available on the market. He will throw out some name from time to time that he leads you into believing a coach no one has heard of is better, but fails to tell you how you can compare. Don’t kid yourself. This BugKiller is a Richt hater and undermines our team with every opportunity. If you are a fan his standard reply includes “rose-colored glasses” and not so subtle negative inferences about men who are many times over his abilities in life. This guy will go cursing to his grave someday not having accomplished anything positive in his life. He just tries to tear down others. He will never concede the truth about our team because it will depose every statement he has made on blogs for the last year. He will never concede that injury forced us to limit practice, play personnel in positions that were not their primary positions and play new recruits on the line against very experienced SEC players.
Name any team that could lose the players we lost at the positions we lost them and not only be viable, but win 10 games as well. This team and their coaches need high accolades for the job that they did in filling in for fallen companions. I would love for BugKiller to be thrown into that millieu and take a couple of hits those guys took while possibly ruining their careers playing hurt and covering plays they weren’t familiar with. He would fold like an accordion. He has little and no respect for those players and what they accomplished because HE IS NOT A FAN!!
I’m with those who say “What about OK St. We beat them last year and will again this year.” They bring the same team back with a year’s experience tacked on. So does GEORGIA. If the players that were responsible for 2007 whoopin’ of FU played last year , they would have done it again. Well guess what! They are back this year(the players that beat FU in 2007). FU has another year under their belt and SO DOES UGA! Except this time perhaps the players that beat them in 2007,barring injury, will be available to do it again! Who has LSU added that makes their team so different than last year? New players? So have we. GT, our injured Defense gave you the points needed to make the difference last year. A pitiful difference at that. Let’s see. You will have the same D won’t you . We won’t. The older gang will be here this year to kick your pitiful butts. The teams we have to look over our shoulders for are still SC, Vandy, Auburn and Kentucky. Don’t let your memories get weak concerning these teams that beat us a couple of years ago. They can still play the game in the SEC. Nothing’s easy this year and we wouldn’t want it any other way. Wins against big opponents is what Champions are made of and we will be there. GO DAWGS!!
gatorman770
June 13th, 2009
3:32 pm
How many more days till kickoff…..I’m tired of hearing about last year. It’s water under the bridge and I thank God for the rain so there is water under the bridge again!
I’ve been a Tech fan since Bobby Dodd was coach, long before I became a Gator fan, but I sure hope the next person that post the score of the 2008 UGA/GT get stung by a hornet! Enough!
shane#1
June 13th, 2009
4:05 pm
gatorman, AMEN! Your Spencer Hall, aka Orson Swindle, got off a good one at his beloved Gators expense. “At this rate we won’t be selling textbooks illegally, just taking them at gunpoint. Along with the cash register!”. I am also tired of hearing about Lane Kiffin, whether or not the Dawgs will be better off without Stafford and Moreno{please}, and firing Coach Willie. David Hale has done some very good stories on some UGA players, both newbies and veterans. Is the AJC incapable of doing even a human intrest story? I would like to know if Ricardo Crawford is at Oxford now or if he has returned to Athens. A 300 lb DT, and Shakespearian scholar. Now there is a human intrest story!
Oledawg
June 13th, 2009
4:46 pm
And “Amen!” to you as well, shane#1. Requests for who is working out and who isn’t have gone unheeded as well. These writers get the same info we do in the media, twist them up and “viola!” they feed pablum to us in some way they hope we don’t recognize. Whenever a good human interest story about a player comes along the writer gets rewarded with over 500 blogs in a few hours, but they don’t seem to get it or they don’t think much of our interest depth. The general pablum gets passed out that the typical blogger could write better and with more info. The formula seems to reverberate around how many idiots from other blogs the writers can get on here to jab at the Dawgs and their fans. Human interest stories are beyond those slugs.
A nice article about the WRs last week was followed 3-4 days later on the same subject, except the last one was just generalized pablum by Bill King. Then he twisted Richt’s words to write his “whiney” article. He followed that with 3 articles on the same day about old general info on the team to cover up the criticisms he got on the Richt article from fans and national press. That made the Richt article disappear fast from the front page bloggers list so that you can’t click on to follow the blogs. Now you have to search the archives for an article written less than a week ago. Nice going.
dawgbone
June 13th, 2009
5:19 pm
all the dog fans that are so against willie m need to take in account the sec gets all the great athletes, the acc gets the rest, willies job is to challenge them to bring their “a” game every game for the duration, its tough to keep 18-21 yr olds to play like their hair is on fire every game
Cuz
June 13th, 2009
5:59 pm
Oledawg, don’t you just love this new and improved AJC. At least Chip gave us info on who was in town for the Summer doing workouts. I expect a blog next week on what type of mousse Mark Richt prefers followed by an article on what songs are on his Ipod.
I got the Willies
June 13th, 2009
6:05 pm
I wonder what the excuses will be this year? Year before last it was youth, last year was injuries. I know…. we dont have a Stafford or Moreno this year. Our supposedly great recruiting classes are just not panning out. Our defense suxs. Our offense is vanilla. Bwah Bwah Bwah! This is just a bunch of irresponsible kids that are 18 to 21 year olds who like to get in trouble with the ACC police Dept. They make dumb mistakes. Yeah thats ok let the Floridas , Alabamas, and LSUs continue to dominate while UGA struggles with the South Carolinas,Kentuckys and Vandys of the college fooball world!
SamoanDawg
June 13th, 2009
7:49 pm
Willie’s D will dominate, there’s no doubt in my mind. Jeff Owen/Geno Atkins will set the tone between the trenches. They’ll free up Roderick Battle, Demarcus Dobbs and look out for Cornelius Washington. Zac Robinson will be running for his life in Stillwater.. Darryl Gamble will be breathing down his neck. No where to run for Kendall Hunter and Keith Toston. Dez Bryant will have a quiet day.
All you Willie doubters, go suck on an egg!