New LB coach ‘looking forward to’ competing ‘for SEC and national championships’
Warren Belin
The Georgia football team’s defensive coaching staff is whole again.
The final opening on the staff was filled this afternoon, when UGA coach Mark Richt hired Warren Belin from Vanderbilt as a linebackers coach.
The addition of Belin, following last month’s hires of Todd Grantham from the Dallas Cowboys as defensive coordinator and Scott Lakatos from Connecticut as defensive-backs coach, completed the makeover of a defensive staff that was decimated by Richt’s Dec. 2 firing of three assistants.
Belin is a 20-year coaching veteran who spent the past eight seasons as Vanderbilt’s linebackers coach. He also was Vandy’s recruiting coordinator the past two years and special-teams coordinator in 2006-07.
“I’m looking forward to the next step in my career with Coach Richt and the opportunity to compete for SEC and national championships,” Belin said in a statement late this afternoon.
A former Wake Forest football player (1987-90), Belin coached at SMU, William & Mary, Cornell and East Tennessee State before going to Vanderbilt, where his work drew Richt’s attention.
“Warren has had some of the best linebackers and tacklers in the league for years,” Richt said in a statement.
Richt added that when he and Grantham interviewed Belin, “we were very impressed with his knowledge of the game, schemes and fundamentals. He’s going to be a perfect mentor for our players as well.”
Belin will share the linebacker-coaching duties with Grantham, who plans to convert Georgia’s defensive alignment from a 4-3 to a 3-4, meaning three linemen and four linebackers rather than vice versa.
Grantham said last month that he will coach either the inside or outside linebackers with the final hire –- Belin -– coaching the other. Georgia didn’t announce their specific assignments today.
The linebacker position added a player earlier this week when Richt confirmed that Richard Samuel will move there in spring practice. Samuel was Georgia’s starting taiback at the start of last season but had fallen well behind Caleb King and Washaun Ealey at the position by season’s end.
Grantham, Lakatos and Belin join the only holdover on Georgia’s defensive staff, Rodney Garner, who will coach the linemen. Garner also is the recruiting coordinator.
“I look forward to working with Coach Grantham, Coach Garner and Coach Lakatos in installing the new defensive package,” Belin said. “My wife and family are excited about the opportunity to become part of the Athens community, Bulldog Nation and the great tradition at UGA.”
Belin and his wife, Yolanda, have three daughters: 7-year-old Camryn and 4-year-old twins Morgan and MacKenzi.
Please follow me on Twitter for the latest UGA news and notes.
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
503 comments Add your comment
Louie
February 5th, 2010
9:43 pm
Thanks, Ramble Away.
Your kind words are thoughtful, to say the least.
VANDY ?
I’m still laughing so hard I can’t type.
Didn’t you cringe when you heard the news??
Come on now, tell the truth (I know you can’t) , you didn’t like it, did you.
If he came from the Florida Gators or the Alabama Tide this page would be LOADED with the necks popping PBR brewskies and hanging out of their speedo’s.
Hell yes I’m STILL L M F A O
11-3 and ranked and STILL UGA's BITCH!!
February 5th, 2010
9:45 pm
What will it take to get you low lifes off our blog??Are you keeping warm in your mom’s basement??
6 POINTS IS A BEATDOWN !!!
February 5th, 2010
9:46 pm
NOT !!!
6 POINTS IS A BEATDOWN !!!
February 5th, 2010
9:51 pm
WhAt HaPpEnEd ThE yEaR bEfOrE In 2008?/?/?/?/?/?/?/?/
tELl mE pLeAsE !!
FNFAL
February 5th, 2010
9:52 pm
The hydrant moisteners are looking pathetic again. It’s going to be another great year for redneck haters!
btw, anyone that ends a post with “nuff said” is a redneck.
brucemac
February 5th, 2010
9:52 pm
Please techies, quit making fools of yourselves. Your coach came from Navy, how did that work out?
6 POINTS IS A BEATDOWN !!!
February 5th, 2010
9:53 pm
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
BLABLABLABLABLABLABLABLABLA
HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO
OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOH
gadawgs
February 5th, 2010
9:56 pm
6 points…. I am just using the same rationale that you guys used the year before when Tech beat us by 3 points and you guys were so proud that you came on our blogs for a entire year and professed that you guys “beat us down” on our home field (not to mention putting the score on a ring for goodness sakes). Well, if a 3 point win for you was a beat down on us a 6 point win for us is twice the beat down on you don’t ya think. We have always owned you maggots and we always will. Your team is not relevant. Don’t go away mad… Just go away.
Wramblin Wreck has Taken Over
February 5th, 2010
9:57 pm
WE CAME AND WE CONQUERED——————————
THIS IS NOW GT CENTRAL=====================
DO NOT ADJUST YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN————-
PUT YOUR MOUSE DOWN AND COME OUT WITH YOUR PAWS UP!!
——————————————————————————————————
Wramblin Wreck has Taken Over
February 5th, 2010
10:01 pm
gadawgs……………………….
MAYBE YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND===== WE HAVE TAKEN OVER THIS SITE===========
PUT YOUR BONE DOWN AND COME OUT WITH YOUR PAWS UP
brucemac
February 5th, 2010
10:05 pm
Wramblin, at least you are funny. Good job. Please impart some humor to your brethren, they are just plain STUPID.
GT Dog
February 5th, 2010
10:06 pm
Incredible. Top Five or Top Ten finishes year, after year, after year. Drop down to 16th out of what, 120 D1 schools and half the clowns in town know EXACTLY what has to be done to change our recruiting system.
Is this, like, Stay-Home-And-Get-Drunk-Friday? Hey guys, thanks for staying off the roads!
FNFAL
February 5th, 2010
10:07 pm
Rednecks have a hard time “compre-hindin’,” WW.
Take away their “nuff said,” and there’s not much left.
gadawgs
February 5th, 2010
10:07 pm
Alright, I surrender….
6 POINTS IS A BEATDOWN !!!
February 5th, 2010
10:08 pm
It must be relevant, all you lickers know to say is 30-24.
Ok, that made your season. Got to look to salvage something after Fla, Tenn., KY., performed a hysterectomy on you. Awesome hire, Vanderbilt. Louie does make sense after all.
FNFAL
February 5th, 2010
10:12 pm
GT Dog posting on a Friday night calling the kettle black.
Bama Dave
February 5th, 2010
10:15 pm
LOL!!!!!!!!! Vandy has and always will suck!
GT Dog
February 5th, 2010
10:16 pm
Hmmmm, I don’t think so slick, I’m sitting here watching a movie with my kids and laughing at some of these asinine blogs…
6 POINTS IS A BEATDOWN !!!
February 5th, 2010
10:16 pm
and i’m not going away , found a new place to vent.
gadawgs
February 5th, 2010
10:20 pm
6 points…. On the contrary, unlike you Techies beating you did NOT make our season. Our season was WAY below what we expect and we know we will rebound next year. Now you guys on the other hand win one game against us in 10 years and you had rings made with the score put on them. That my friend is the pot calling the kettle… You have to bring up our losses to FL, TN & KY to make yourself feel better because you could not beat us. That is pretty pathetic. You hired your head coach from Navy for goodness sakes so please do not say anything about us hiring someone from Vanderbilt.
Wramblin Wreck has Taken Over
February 5th, 2010
10:21 pm
WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED OR FORCED TO LEAVE====================
WE ARE HERE– WE ARE GEORGIA TECH ———————————————————–
CPJ HAS STARTED HIS MISSION AND WILL NOT STOP.
NOTHING CAN STOP HIM ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Diamond Dog's Parole Officer
February 5th, 2010
10:22 pm
According to UGA Chuck, UT will not be successful because Coach Dooley was not their first choice. (7th, right Chuck?)
Using that logic, how will UGA fare with their 4th or 5th choice (Grantham) at the DC position? Aren’t you projecting immediate greatness? How’s that possible?
Please, explain it to everyone like you would a 3rd grader (means 1/3 of you guys will still not get it)
Louie
February 5th, 2010
10:25 pm
Just checking back, looks like a entertaining night.
Be back on Saturday.
Look for me.
I’ll be looking for you.
STILL L M F A O
Diamond Dog's Parole Officer
February 5th, 2010
10:25 pm
But hey… you do run this state! Which is good enough to get you to Shreveport!
FNFAL
February 5th, 2010
10:29 pm
ok, SLICK. Have a nice night, SLICK. Thanks for equivocating everything I typed, SLICK.
GT Dog
February 5th, 2010
10:30 pm
Hehehe, are we a little sensitive tonight?
Bill Belichick
February 5th, 2010
10:32 pm
GaGator, you’re an idiot……wow. Get a life.
Iraq Dawg.... Hooah
February 5th, 2010
10:33 pm
Vols Rule… Let me remind you that your team LOSS to Wyoming at home (((((13-7))))) in 2008. Who the fu%$ is Wyoming??? And you loss to UCLA twice. Hurts doesnt it. I cant remember the last time we lost to a team that was in the Mountain Conference.
And for all the so called Bama guru’s….. let me remind you too that Saban wont last to long in Alabama with you hillbillys. He will roll tide out on you to some NFL team. Then you will go back to becoming 2nd to Auburn who had a nice recruiting class. So dont start writing checks your ass cant cash yet.
GATA DAWGS!!!!!!!
GT Dog
February 5th, 2010
10:37 pm
I gotta admit, Bama and Tenn. whipped us the last time we played each of those teams. I’m looking forward to the game in Athens against Tenn. this year…we need a big win.
Diamond Dog's Parole Officer
February 5th, 2010
10:41 pm
Iraq Dawg… Let me remind you that your team lost (or as you like to say, loss) to UT. They smacked the taste out of UGA VII and that chain gang of a football team.
OO-RAH!!!
MESSENGER
February 5th, 2010
10:43 pm
Let me get this straight please, obviously I must be fuzzy on this.
LOST to LSU
LOST to Florida
LOST to Tennessee
LOST to Kentucky
http://www.secsports.com/sport_stats/football/confldrs.htm
2009 SEC Football
SCORING OFFENSE G TD FG XPT 2XP DXP Saf Points Avg/G
1. Arkansas 12 58 14 56 0 0 1 448 37.3
2. Florida 13 56 21 52 0 0 0 451 34.7
3. Auburn 12 50 14 49 0 1 1 395 32.9
4. Alabama 13 47 29 39 2 0 0 412 31.7
5. Tennessee 12 47 13 44 0 0 1 367 30.6
6. Ole Miss 12 46 15 42 0 0 0 363 30.2
7. Georgia 12 39 19 37 1 0 1 332 27.7
TOTAL OFFENSE G Rush Pass Plays Yards Avg/P TD Avg/G
1. Florida 13 2928 2823 849 5751 6.8 51 442.4
2. Arkansas 12 1632 3640 778 5272 6.8 54 439.3
3. Auburn 12 2566 2622 842 5188 6.2 45 432.3
4. Alabama 13 2806 2573 884 5379 6.1 44 413.8
5. Ole Miss 12 2194 2673 800 4867 6.1 42 405.6
6. Tennessee 12 2038 2707 821 4745 5.8 45 395.4
7. Miss. State 12 2731 1732 821 4463 5.4 30 371.9
8. Georgia 12 1885 2457 725 4342 6.0 36 361.8
RUSHING OFFENSE G Att Yards Avg. TD Yards/G
1. Miss. State 12 555 2731 4.9 21 227.6
2. Florida 13 521 2928 5.6 26 225.2
3. Alabama 13 550 2806 5.1 27 215.8
4. Auburn 12 511 2566 5.0 21 213.8
5. Kentucky 12 509 2319 4.6 26 193.2
6. Ole Miss 12 453 2194 4.8 20 182.8
7. Tennessee 12 446 2038 4.6 18 169.8
8. Vanderbilt 12 451 1920 4.3 12 160.0
9. Georgia 12 407 1885 4.6 14 157.1
PASS OFFENSE G Comp Att Int Pct. Yards Avg. TD Avg/G
1. Arkansas 12 232 403 9 57.6 3640 9.0 31 303.3
2. South Carolina 12 228 402 9 56.7 2811 7.0 18 234.2
3. Tennessee 12 218 375 13 58.1 2707 7.2 27 225.6
4. Ole Miss 12 190 347 17 54.8 2673 7.7 22 222.8
5. Auburn 12 198 331 7 59.8 2622 7.9 24 218.5
6. Florida 13 218 328 5 66.5 2823 8.6 25 217.2
7. Georgia 12 175 318 16 55.0 2457 7.7 22 204.8
FIRST DOWNS G Rush Pass Pen Total Avg/G
1. Florida 13 150 123 13 286 22.0
2. Alabama 13 143 114 15 272 20.9
3. Tennessee 12 118 126 14 258 21.5
4. Auburn 12 131 107 10 248 20.7
5. Ole Miss 12 111 124 11 246 20.5
6. Arkansas 12 86 140 18 244 20.3
7. Kentucky 12 132 85 13 230 19.2
8. Miss. State 12 140 78 11 229 19.1
9. South Carolina 12 86 125 16 227 18.9
10. LSU 12 96 104 17 217 18.1
11. Georgia 12 87 108 14 209 17.4
3RD-DOWN CONVERSIONS G Conv. Att. Pct.
1. Florida 13 81 165 49.1
2. Auburn 12 67 164 40.9
3. Alabama 13 74 182 40.7
4. Ole Miss 12 64 158 40.5
5. Tennessee 12 66 165 40.0
6. LSU 12 58 148 39.2
7. Kentucky 12 69 177 39.0
8. Georgia 12 59 152 38.8
PENALTIES G No. Yards Avg/G
1. Ole Miss 12 62 482 40.2
2. Kentucky 12 55 487 40.6
3. Tennessee 12 59 488 40.7
4. Alabama 13 64 560 43.1
5. LSU 12 76 569 47.4
6. Miss. State 12 67 590 49.2
7. Florida 13 83 645 49.6
8. Vanderbilt 12 75 600 50.0
9. Arkansas 12 83 654 54.5
South Carolina 12 76 654 54.5
11. Auburn 12 85 707 58.9
12. Georgia 12 99 839 69.9
TIME OF POSSESSION G Poss. Time Avg/G
1. Alabama 13 435:41 33:30
2. Miss. State 12 381:18 31:46
3. South Carolina 12 370:50 30:54
4. Tennessee 12 369:21 30:46
5. Florida 13 398:06 30:37
6. Kentucky 12 359:57 29:59
7. Ole Miss 12 353:52 29:29
8. Arkansas 12 352:43 29:23
9. Georgia 12 351:01 29:15
Gained Lost
TURNOVER MARGIN G Fumb Int Total Fumb Int Total Margin Per/G
1. Alabama 13 6 20 26 6 4 10 +16 1.23
2. Arkansas 12 16 11 27 5 9 14 +13 1.08
3. LSU 12 5 13 18 4 7 11 +7 0.58
4. Florida 13 3 20 23 11 5 16 +7 0.54
5. Tennessee 12 14 9 23 6 13 19 +4 0.33
6. Kentucky 12 6 16 22 8 11 19 +3 0.25
Vanderbilt 12 7 12 19 6 10 16 +3 0.25
8. Auburn 12 7 12 19 12 7 19 +0 0.00
9. South Carolina 12 10 6 16 10 9 19 -3 -0.25
10. Miss. State 12 8 17 25 13 17 30 -5 -0.42
11. Ole Miss 12 8 9 17 9 17 26 -9 -0.75
12. Georgia 12 2 8 10 11 16 27 -17 -1.42
layinlow
February 5th, 2010
10:45 pm
Bill Parcells, Bobby Night, and coach K at Duke all coached at ARMY. That was a statement to all who ask the question- “we hired a linebacker coach from Vandy”.
UGAKev
February 5th, 2010
10:50 pm
For those ignorant fans that laugh because we hired coaches from u conn and vandy ..you have no idea what you are talking about. I would take a guy that does the best with what he has any day. All coaches have to start some where… I think I remember a guy named Urban Meyer that coached at Bowling Green….enough said.
Diamond Dog's Parole Officer
February 5th, 2010
10:54 pm
That’s right, Messenger… Forget reality. Just drink the following UGA Kool-Aid:
We’re fixin’ to (or you can insert the South Georgian “gonna” phrase) dominate the SEC and win multiple National Championships! woofwoofwoofwoofwoofwoofwoofwoofwoofwoof
Keep in mind, they haven’t done sh*t in the past 30 years, really 50 years except for their lone NC with the greatest RB in college football history. (Who also had more personalities than any player in college football history)
Remember, fixin’ to and gonna win it all… woofwoofwoofwoofwoofwoofwoof
West Ga Dawg
February 5th, 2010
10:55 pm
Hey Nance you are nothing but a rich punk. When you attended school you probably didn’t have enough ability to play putt-putt.If you couldn’t buy your son a scholarship he couldn’t play Quarterback for Agnes Scott.As far as Da’rick goes why don’t you load him up and go drop him off on Bankhead Highway in Atlanta because that is where he would fit in perfectly. He doesn’t deserve to shovel UGAS’ crap.He is a gutless punk just like you are Nance.Hey Ga Gator you are a punk also.The Dawgs are going to start kicking your butts just like they have before. You and your Coach Meyer have lace on your underwear. You lose a game and your quarterback cries and your coach faints at home.What a bunch of “Candy Asses”. Tell Tebow that Stafford needs someone to shine his shoes that is about his capabilities as a Quarterback.
Diamond Dog's Parole Officer
February 5th, 2010
10:56 pm
UGAKev… How has Urban worked out? Multiple NC’s, right?
Please compare to to Captain Butt-Cut Spray Tan.
Diamond Dog's Parole Officer
February 5th, 2010
10:59 pm
Thanks for proving my point WGD… UGA is “going to start kicking tail.” Aren’t doing it now, but “fixin” to!
hind tit
February 5th, 2010
11:11 pm
if this guy can teach a 4 star how to tackle things will be just fine. you ever heard that ole saying a blind hog can find an acron ever now and then. that’s the way ga. tackled the last 3 years ever now and then. play after play game after game ball carriers were hit behind the line by these shoulder hitters only to make big yards after the hit. you can’t waste a tackle for a lose on every series of down. i’ve never seen anybody run if they can’t move their feet.
Diamond Dog's Parole Officer
February 5th, 2010
11:13 pm
Have you ever heard the phrase “that’s like putting lipstick on a pig?”
I’ll go ahead and apologize in advance. I know that this statement will and probably offend most UGA fans.
mpc
February 5th, 2010
11:18 pm
This is a GREAT hire for the Dawgs. I played for Coach Belin at Cornell and can attest that he is a great coach and an even better person. Congrats Coach Belin! Go Dawgs!
Iraq Dawg.... Hooah
February 5th, 2010
11:26 pm
Diamond Dog’s Parole Officer…. Lets not speak upon chain gangs when you have felons playing at UT commiting Robbery. What has Tenn achieved in the last 2 years?? Absolutely……. Nothing! Your teams problems are much bigger than our so get those fix before you comment on a UGA post.
Cai’t wait to say that famous line after your defeat in Athens in 2010 … “We just stepped on their face with a hot nail boot and broke their nose”
Iraq Dawg.... Hooah
February 5th, 2010
11:33 pm
Hey West Ga Dawg…. Lets not talk about bankhead Highway cause thats where I grew up in the projects and went to UGA and graduated with honors. So lets not go there. There are good people that stay there if you spent the time with some of the people in the community. Its all good…. Go DAWGS!!
jaxdawgfan
February 5th, 2010
11:51 pm
Meanwhile, back on the subject….
I think this will be a great hire, a guy who has been able to do a lot with middle-of-the-road talent and smaller numbers overall. What he’ll be able to do with our better talent as well as the improvements he’ll bring to special teams looks very promising… and he recruits, too!
Mikey
February 6th, 2010
12:23 am
Great hire UGA! Jancek, the old LB coach, was a joke and was the reason our linebackers (minus Curran) couldn’t tackle anyone. Christian Robinson, Nick Williams, Marcus Dowtin, Akeem Hebron, Michael Gilliard were all 4 star linebackers and he couldn’t teach them how to tackle. Vandy has done a great job developing linebackers, so it should be a great hire!
Bama Stan
February 6th, 2010
12:32 am
I thought Mark Richt was too loyal to ever fire his coaches, but I was wrong, and he’s hired a really solid defensive staff. What Belin and the guy they hired from UCONN have done with 2 and 3 star talent speaks for itself. UGA’s defense should be much improved and hopefully they’ll tackle a lot better.
Just not when Ingram is running because no one can stop him.
Good hire dogs, and ROLL TIDE!!
RED DOG 77
February 6th, 2010
12:34 am
Looks like just another night in paradise on the ol blog fellas. Me? my opinion ? Great hire, Vandy has, as has been pointed out, had a tough scratch and claw D for the last few years. I remember watching them and thinking, Now that is some smash mouth LB play. To those who would criticize this hire, I will remind you, Urban ‘ gotta take a break’ Meyer, coached Bolling Green before going to Utah. Got to get your start somewhere. Regards to all in trash mouth land, RED
FL Dawg
February 6th, 2010
12:43 am
Bama Stan good post…and I might even agree with the Ingram comment as he is a beast.
If you break down all the hires by Richt, this could easily become a great defensive staff. Grantham has a lot of experience in the NFL (graduate school for coaching as Grantham put it) coupled with two very good coaches that know how to coach up players. Both Lackotos and Belin did more with less…and we have been missing that on the D side of the ball for awhile now. In addition Belin was ST Coordinator for Vandy. Lackotos also has a good bit of experience with STs. It may take a year for everything to completely gel,but I think we have some solid coaches on the D side of the ball. All signs are that the UGA D should be heading in the right direction.
RED DOG 77
February 6th, 2010
12:44 am
Bowling Green, excuse me
Don Smith
February 6th, 2010
12:45 am
Vangorder came from a small school
Glenn
February 6th, 2010
12:50 am
He will be a great fit for UGA and I am excited. Great defensive unit of coaches. Oh yea cant wait. We had a great class just a small class. All will be well.