On White’s move to fullback — and Samuel’s future
Mark Richt’s weekly radio call-in show was much tamer last night. Whereas a week before most callers vented about Georgia’s performance at Tennessee, last night’s callers mostly commended the win at Vanderbilt.
A couple of interesting items from Richt’s comments, which came by phone from his pickup truck in a Columbus parking lot after a speaking engagement:
On last week’s practice-field move of backup linebacker Charles White to fullback: “[He] hasn’t been getting a lot of reps at the linebacker position, and we feel the best chance he can help this football team in the future is at fullback,” Richt said. “So we have made a change for him to play fullback in mid-season because we don’t believe we are pulling away from the defense and he can still play special teams. We will have two senior fullbacks next year [Shaun Chapas and Fred Munzenmaier], so we need to cultivate another fullback.”
White, a redshirt sophomore, has two years of eligibility remaining after this one.
– Richt was asked about the possibility of moving Richard Samuel from tailback to defense. (The most frequently mentioned position is linebacker, at which Samuel made the AJC’s All-State team in high school.) Richt said such a move would be premature — but did not rule it out eventually. If Samuel ever were to switch positions, it would be between seasons, Richt said.
“The thing about Richard, first of all, is that he’s got a lot of reps at running back,” Richt said. “He’s still in the race to be our No. 1 running back, and at this point I think his best chance to help Georgia win is to stay at running back. If there was ever going to be change, it would be an off-season change for him.”
Samuel started the first six games of this season at tailback for Georgia but did not play until the third quarter last week, getting six carries for 18 yards.
By the way, the Dogs are back on the practice field today, one of two practices this week. The other is Thursday. They’ll lift weights Wednesday and Friday.
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
183 comments Add your comment
Billy Ray Valentine
October 20th, 2009
11:31 am
Could they bring Boykin over to the offensive side and use him like Florida used Harvin last year. Wildcat formation, quick sweeps, even throw to him.
Bottom line is he is a play maker, and you want to get the ball into the hands of your play makers, right?
Dan Mullins was crative in getting the ball into the hands of his play makers last year, can CMR and Bobo do the same? Or do they stick to the line up and go style?
CMR reminds me of Bobby Cox, loyal to a fault. Even if something isn’t working, they seem to stick with it and hope that it will soon work.
dawgfan13
October 20th, 2009
11:31 am
This will be Aaron Murray’s team next year and I would like to see him get som reps this year. Dont red shirt the guy, let him take some bumps and bruises now. In the Spring and next year he will be ready but you dont want the guy out there without any game experience.
coachx
October 20th, 2009
11:31 am
If we make the safeties worry about the TE’s it will free up Green for more 1 on 1 coverage.
coachx
October 20th, 2009
11:33 am
Billy Ray Valentine
October 20th, 2009
11:31 am
“Could they bring Boykin over to the offensive side and use him like Florida used Harvin last year. Wildcat formation, quick sweeps, even throw to him.”
Sure they could……..that is exactly what they have done with (true freshman) Brandon Smith this year……..who has more expierence as a WR, then does Boykins, and is equally explosive.
Paddy
October 20th, 2009
11:35 am
Boykin to RB. I sort of like that idea.
Billy Ray Valentine
October 20th, 2009
11:40 am
coachx….true about the numerous possibilities with both TE’s being in an ACE set, and yes Joe Cox is a 5th year senior, but does he have the game experience to read a Charlie Strong defense with Brandon Spikes in the middle well enough to make the right call. I don’t know.
Is Logan Gray the future? is Aaron Murray? is Zach Mettenberger?
bottom line is this…Joe Cox likes to stare at his receiver, doesn’t check down through his progression, SEC safetys see this, and Joe Cox is gone after this year. Is it time to at least get Logan Gray some game time, calling the offense, reading a defense, making game decisions, seeing if you can open up the offense with him at the helm?
When does that process start?
TY 44
October 20th, 2009
11:40 am
I support CMR all the way.. Ya, know there is a time when you have to support your team. That is players as well as coaches. Think about it folks. There were a couple of NFL teams that let their coordinators go week or two before season started….how have they fared? Coach Mark, will take care of buisness and this team….ye nay sayers need to think about what your are saying…..And, dont sell Mark Richt and these Bulldogs short! Beware of the DAWG!
Johnny DangerDawg
October 20th, 2009
11:47 am
Billy Ray Valentine,
The Gators do not have a consistent deep threat this year. Their offense was scarier last year. As much the Dawgs defense has been disappointing the last few years, they have actually played some of their better games against the spread offense (the exception being last year’s Florida game, which was more of a total meltdown than real flaws in our defense).
On a good day, the Dawgs D can play a lot better against Florida than against a team with a more traditional offense (like Alabama or Arkansas). The key to beating the Dawgs D is lots of play action passes.
There have been a few games this year when teams (like LSU) used the option, and the Dawgs D played it pretty well. I think we are better at defensive end than we were a year ago, so I think we will play better defensively against GT than we did last year.
Now before you call me a silly optimist, I would like to add that I’m still very worried about the Dawgs running game, and *that* is the reason why I won’t be putting any money of the Dawgs.
buzz
October 20th, 2009
11:49 am
Would someone please put a muzzle on Ramblin’ On? What is amazing (and I am a GT fan) is you couldn’t find his sorry A@# anywhere after the Miami game.
coachx
October 20th, 2009
11:57 am
Billy Ray Valentin, I think Joe cox gives us the best chance to win heading into the Florida game by a long shot.
I do not think it is worth pulling the red shirt off Murray or Mettenberge to play a snap here or a snap there. I would rather keep them for a full 4 years then 3 years and a handful of plays.
Now if we are down 28-0 nothing to the Gators I may change my tune but I do not see that happening with an off weak to prepare. These Dawgs still have some fight in them and I expect them to play their best game of the year in Jacksonville when it matters the most. Cox has that fire about him…….a win in Jacksonville would turn his 1 year tenure at QB into a success with a BIG TIME win to hang his hat on that Dawg fans will never forget……….by beating Tebow in his senior season, vs. the #1 team in the nation, who also happens to be our biggest rival. It just doesn’t get any bigger then that and UGA will circle the wagons and be ready to give their maxium effort.
Cox does not look off the safeties very often, that is true………..but I trust him the most right now at QB and truely believe we have a legitimate shot vs. Florida. That game vs. Arkansas showed us how beatable Florida is. We need to scrap the “cover 2″ and keep a safety in the box vs. Tebow. Hit him hard and often and force him to pass the ball vs. 8 man fronts.
We have some beefy DTs that will make it more difficult for Tebow to simply plow it up the middle like he prefers to do. We may actually make Tebow have a 2nd thought about that, I hope. I really like how we matchup vs. Florida this year with our DTs……….believe it or not.
timthebrave
October 20th, 2009
11:58 am
Bernie Matt, “If you are a big time recruit don’t go to Georgia until a significant change is made on the staff up to and including the Head Coach.” You are no dawg fan. In fact I can smell the honey from here you da$# yellow jacket
Nuffsaid
October 20th, 2009
12:01 pm
Don’t think there is a biased love for Tebow? He has the worst stats of every candidate in the top 10 and he’s in 2nd place by 1 point. Nuff said.
timthebrave
October 20th, 2009
12:04 pm
Sometimes you lose on the road to an inferior opponent with a first year starter. Richt is a good coach in my opinion that is competing in a league that is the toughest to win. Saban hasn’t won anything at Alabama yet.(not even a bowl game) Meyer is lucky to have one of the best players to play college football ever. Miles got a championship with 2 losses and the 2nd best team in the league that year(A LOT of luck). The sky is not falling you bunch of chicken littles. The dawgs will be fine. Go Dawgs!
Billy Ray Valentine
October 20th, 2009
12:11 pm
Johnny Danger,
True the deep threat is not in Gainesville this year, they’ve had a hard time stretching the field vertically this year.
You would have a hard time selling that as the reason the dawgs defense stands a chance.
With speedy backs like no other in Demps and Rainey, I don’t think the dawgs can tackle them (provided they can even catch them)
And if Urban Meyer watched any of the UGA/UT game, all he has to do is find a way to slip TE Gonzalez out and sit down in the middle of the soft shell zone, and hit him for 8-12 yard every time (just like crompton did)
The gators seem to spread the ball around. Can’t key on one guy. they have different weapons all over the place, and they find a way to get the ball to the play makers.
Stopping the Tech offense is tricky in itself. First to play the option you have to remain disciplined for 4 quarters, because one missed assignement and Dwyer takes it to the house. And based on what I’ve seen, the dawgs defense hasn’t been much for keeping up with assignments, much less the number of missed tackles. When the dawgs do get a hand on a running back, they have to make the tackle. They cannot afford to let Nesbitt and Dwyer break tackles.
Chef montuer
October 20th, 2009
12:23 pm
maybe he should switch to another team!
Sanford Drive
October 20th, 2009
12:25 pm
I want to know why Dontavius Jackson didn’t play until the last 30 seconds of the Vandy game. Anyone????
LAKE OCONEE DAWG
October 20th, 2009
12:26 pm
LOT OF TECH PEOPLE COMING ON THIS SITE IN DISGUISE AND WRITING LIKE THEY ARE UGA FANS…NICE TRY….THE TECH PEOPLE ARE GOOD AT DISGUISE…THEY DISGUISED THEMSELVES FOR THE 7 YEARS THAT THE DOGS WHIPPPED THAT FANNY, BUT NOW THEY ARE BACK IN FORCE…THEY WIN ONE GAME AND GET A RING FOR IT, AND SOME NERD IN SAINT SIMONS PUTS THE SCORE UP AGAIN AND AGAIN…THEY “HID OUT” AND CRITICIZED THE AD AND COACH, JUST LIKE THE WEAK UGA FANS ARE DOING NOW…FAIRWEATHER FANS GO AND GET ANOTHER TEAM, AND LEAVE COACH RICHT AND THE BULLDOG COACHES TO DO THE COACHING….AT ALABAMA THEY HAVE HAD A 100 YARD INDOOR PRACTICE FIELD FOREVER….AT UGA WE ARE JUST NOW GETTING AROUND TO BUILDING A 25 YARD INDOOR FIELD FOR WALKTHROUGHS….GUESS THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN PRIORITIES AT UGA AND ALABAMA….THE EXPANSION OF THE BUTTS-MEHRE FACILITIES CAME IN 10 MILLION UNDER BUDGET….DAMON, PLEASE TAKE A MILLION OR SO AND BUILD A REAL INDOOR PRACTICE FACILITY, NOT A WALK THRU 25 YARD FIELD…NOT ONLY WILL IT BE USED IN BAD WEATHER, IT IS ALSO A GREAT RECRUITING TOOL…SINCE THE BID FOR THE EXPANSION IS SO LOW, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT….
Sanford Drive
October 20th, 2009
12:29 pm
UF is going to be the crap out of us. All this talk of a bye-week to prepare is just wishful thinking. Sorry. The sooner you accept that, the better off you’ll be.
Wil Walton
October 20th, 2009
12:34 pm
Sanford Drive, I think D.Jackson was set back by his injury last year, and he is still feeling the affects of that injury or at least the inexperience caused by the injury. He will be a solid backup TB, if not the starter in a few years.
Remo
October 20th, 2009
12:39 pm
Georgia coaches have got to be the dumbest most out of touch bunch of deadbeats in the SEC. If you look at the tapes of the games this year, Richard Samuel is the hardest running tailback they have. He always moves the pile and is always going forward. He is the most physical back they have. When they feature him on drives, the chains always move. If they cant see that them I see why Georgia is out coached each and every game.
nuffsaid
October 20th, 2009
12:39 pm
Those of you who keep comparing Mallet and Arkansas to Cox and UGA need to stop. Cox can’t hold Mallet’s jock!! I expect 3 int-minimum and at least one of those for a TD. Our inept running game is not going to suddenly break through against that Florida D and Cox is not going to carry this team on his back. he’s not good enough. This is going to be a beatdown just like last year.
nuffsaid
October 20th, 2009
12:40 pm
Realistic doesn’t equal not being a fan.
WHAT??
October 20th, 2009
12:42 pm
Remo- you are a moron.
Dawg4UGA
October 20th, 2009
12:44 pm
There are a lot of coaches in here today. Let the coaches do their jobs and at the end of the season we will see where they stand. Lets not forget that Oklahoma is 3-3 we are having a bad year it happens look at GT for the past 7 years! Stay loyal to the dawgs every now and then this happens it is hard to fill holes when superstars leave. The Dawgs will get back on track someday stop bashing the dawgs and start being dawgs fans again. GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lane
October 20th, 2009
12:46 pm
Sounds like Kiante Tripp, all over again
We know how that has worked out for Tripp
Tech Rules
October 20th, 2009
12:55 pm
“Let the coaches do their jobs and at the end of the season we will see where they stand”
????? Ga is 4-3—are the “coaches doing their job?”
tom
October 20th, 2009
12:55 pm
I like the redshirt idea for samuel and a move to LB. Remember he is still just 18 years old. I thought they should have redshirted him to begin with for just that reason. Major college football is a sport for men. Let the kid catch up a bit.
LOWNDES COUNTY
October 20th, 2009
12:57 pm
I WILL SUPPORT GA UNTILL THE AD DECIDES TO MAKE CHANGE. I LOVE ALL OUR COACHES AND PLAYERS. WE CANT ALWAYS WIN AND BE NUMBER 1. IF YOU WANNA MAKE A CHANGE GO BE A COACH OR AN AD. IF NOT SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND SUPPORT GA!!!
ONELOVE GA
"Robert Edwards" says...
October 20th, 2009
12:57 pm
…that it took Ray Goof 3 years for figure out that he was a running back, and we know what happened to Goof.
Didn’t it take CMR 1.5 years to figure out that Knowshon was a great running back, thus costing UGA a year of his services? So, CMR may have to start looking over his shoulder if NEXT year is not a return to UGA football!
DUFFERDAWG
October 20th, 2009
12:57 pm
any thoughts on Samuels at the Safety position ?……..
Chris
October 20th, 2009
1:04 pm
Saint Simon….The only stat that matters UGA 59 GATech 39
Dawg4UGA
October 20th, 2009
1:10 pm
Tech rules what exactly does tech rule the always crappy conference than bravo. GT would be 4-3 in the sec if not worse. GT wow they beat VT congrats. Win your own crappy conference and then ask about coaches doing their job. No acc tittle for you no NC for you and a loss to UGA sounds like a great year to me. Yes UGA will beat you because UGA can somewhat stop the run and your QB has no passing game and like 10 completions and 8 int great coaching job. GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Buddy El
October 20th, 2009
1:12 pm
Marcus Howard was recruited as a linebacker rather than a db
reasonable
October 20th, 2009
1:17 pm
I agree that UGA’s defense matches up well in certain areas with Florida’s offense. The two glaring exceptions are inability to cover the outside on both either runs or passes. The soft zone will be stretched as Florida uses its speed to go wide and throw wide. When our defense is forced to adjust to that, then Florida will hit our soft zone in the middle with the TE. Its actualy our offense against their defense that will cause us the biggest problems. Running against Florida is not really viable which hurts our play action pass based offense. Their team speed will cause us a lot of problems and most importantly going deep will be very hard to do. Florida plays its safeties very deep and they charge the pass and receiver once the ball is in the air. They have done this ever since Nelson was at Florida. Stafford made them pay two years ago because of his strong arm, the ball got to the receiver too quickly for the then young Florida safeties to make a play. Mallett has the same sort of arm strength and took advantage of their safeties last week. Joe Cox simply does not have that kind of arm strength and if the ball hangs even a little bit, Florida’s safeties will be all over it and there will be some interceptions. As the defense ends up on the field because our offense cannot sustain drives, they will wear down. When coupled with the glarngly obvious defensive problems we have, not the least of which is a lack of three and outs, poor tackling, weak pass rush, and a failure to generate turnovers, Tebow will return to his fullback mode of play and batter us even more as the game goes on.
Rush!
October 20th, 2009
1:20 pm
Yes, dufferdawg, Samuels could play safety. However, given that he played LB in HS makes sense to look at him there. Plus Rambo is a really solid safety developing for next year as well as a stud recruit.
coachKR
October 20th, 2009
1:25 pm
Richard is their best option at Tailback. Run to his strength. Use the O-line to blow people off the ball. It is very hard to run the ball when you are getting hit 2 yards behind the line. Knowshon didn’t have that problem near as much as we are this year. Give Richard the ball 20-25 times a game and you will have your 100 yard plus rusher a game.
Sid
October 20th, 2009
1:27 pm
Will someone make Blackberry Cobbler a la mode? Thanks !
Michael
October 20th, 2009
1:31 pm
I love Ga. However, we are more then likely gonna finish up 6-6 with losses to Fl, Auburn, & Ga. Tech. CMR is just gonna have to regroup next year. The only thing I would presume to comment on is a noticeable lack of discipline which is pretty obvious even to the untrained eye.
Alabama Jack
October 20th, 2009
1:33 pm
It seems that while Tech has mastered the “take a knee” the dawgs have only gotten the “bend over” right.
end zone celebration again?
October 20th, 2009
1:37 pm
only 2 years removed from that low-class stunt. I know urban meyer’s memory is not that short…should be another arse whoopin in jax again this year
Willie Martinez
October 20th, 2009
1:39 pm
Wow, I just had a thought! What is Hershel played whiel Willie was DC? OMG! We would not have won that championship game.
LCDawg
October 20th, 2009
1:41 pm
Samuel is a FB. Pretty simple.
T'ville Dawg
October 20th, 2009
1:43 pm
You so-called adults are bigger whiners that my son was at 2 years of age.You may look back on this day and think Samuels turned out as one of the best linebackers we’ve had. By the way he is playing with men who are more physically mature than he is.History lesson, Samuels moved here from the Virgin Islands and was adacemically advanced for his age, so he was placed in a higher grade, he should be playing his senior year in High School.The young man is already carring a pretty heavy load being a good student and all, so get off his dag-um back. sINCE ALL OF YOU PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ON THE PRACTICE FIELD AND HAVE SEEN AND EVALUATED EVERYONE, WELL MAYBE YOU SHOULD THROW YOUR HAT IN THE RING FOR A MAJOR COLLEGE HEAD COACHING POSITION. While I’m pissed leave Mike Bobo alone he is developing his skills on the fly, you’ll be glad in the next few years they stayed the course on him.Do you really think Mark Richt became a great offensive coordinator out of the blue, being an ex-quarterback gives an advantage but it’s developed after years of grooming. Bobo is the reason Uga has gotten all of these great QBs in the last several years.
Willie Martinez
October 20th, 2009
1:46 pm
T’ville Dawg
October 20th, 2009
1:43 pm
Yep they sure do UGA real good while they are playing with the pro’s.
LizDawg
October 20th, 2009
1:46 pm
Lost in this mess is Chase Vasser, I feel SO bad for him.
Willie Martinez
October 20th, 2009
1:47 pm
Maybe that injury has Stafford wondering why he left/abandoned UGA. I have not heard anything about Mareno. Is he playing at all?
SEC1
October 20th, 2009
1:54 pm
Who is Mareno?
IlliniDawg
October 20th, 2009
1:57 pm
You could have seen Knowshon last night on MNF – he did pretty well. He certainly moves the pile better than I thought he would. And he still can leap over a defender or two – as he showed us last night on that fourth-down-and-1.
Billy Ray Valentine
October 20th, 2009
2:02 pm
Willie Martinez
October 20th, 2009
1:47 pm
Maybe that injury has Stafford wondering why he left/abandoned UGA.
I bet Sam Bradford is the one doing the thinking. Coming back for his senior year instead of taking the money.
Matthew might be hurt, but I bet you while he’s laid up hurt, he’s counting his money.
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
October 20th, 2009
2:05 pm
put in the strongest armed quarterback whoever he is and have him throw deep to AJ every play he probably catches one out of three even if triple covered , then have AJ play corner , samuels LB and Running back , Lets bring back iron man football , I will get right on looking for a 35 year old quarterback with eligibility left. Just don’t make the old guy return punts.
all jokes aside
GO DAWGS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!