A chat with new linebackers coach Warren Belin
(Updated)
When Georgia recently hired Warren Belin as a linebackers coach, it didn’t specify whether he would be responsible for the inside or outside linebackers in the Bulldogs’ new 3-4 defense.
Inside, Belin said Friday.
New defensive coordinator Todd Grantham will coach the outside linebackers.
“Todd and I will be working really together with the linebacker corps, [but] I’ll be focusing on . . . the inside linebackers,” Belin said. “There may be times in certain drills I may have to work with the outside linebackers as well.”
Completing what he called a “whirlwind” first full week on the job in Athens, Belin spoke with reporters on a conference call, his first media availability since being hired to complete the Bulldogs’ revamped defensive coaching staff.
Although acknowledging that inside and outside linebackers are distinct positions in the 3-4 defense in terms of skill sets, Belin said the core philosophy for both groups will be the same: “doing a great job with fundamentals and . . . playing with speed, being great tacklers and being productive players.”
“The outside linebackers, obviously, will be coming off the edge and bring[ing] a lot of pressure,” Belin added. “But we’ll also be bringing pressure with inside linebackers as well.”
Belin is a 20-year coaching veteran who was Vanderbilt’s linebackers coach the past eight seasons. He also served as the Commodores’ recruiting coordinator the past two years and special-teams coordinator in 2006-07. He said Georgia coach Mark Richt has talked with him and other assistants about “how we’ll divide up” special-teams coaching duties.
“We are currently working on some of those details and getting everything worked out, what we’re all going to bring to the table in trying to get better in our special teams area,” Belin said.
Three of Georgia’s four defensive coaches are new, with Belin, Grantham and secondary coach Scott Lakatos joining the lone holdover from last year’s defensive staff, line coach Rodney Garner.
As for how he came to be hired by Georgia, Belin said: “Coach Richt has been following my career for quite some time. . . . A couple of people recommended me to Coach Richt, and he followed through with that. After recruiting season was over, he contacted [Vanderbilt] Coach [Bobby] Johnson to ask permission. I came on the interview — had a really good interview with Coach Richt and Coach Grantham –- and I’m fortunate to have a chance to be a part of this great program.”
Since he has been on the job –- his first day was what he called the “whiteout,” the snow that hit Athens on Feb. 12 –- Belin has been busy. “I’m learning,” he said. “We’ve been meeting defensively as a staff, getting to know our defense and the package that we’re installing.
And he has started to get to know his players. “My philosophy for my players –- and I’ve sat down and told all of those guys the first day -– is: honesty No. 1, fairness No. 2, and then 100 percent effort and attitude on and off the field,” Belin said. “If you do those things and do them right every day, you have a good chance to be successful.”
On a different topic, here’s a story on the changes that will come to Stegeman Coliseum after this season.
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229 comments Add your comment
poopdawg
February 20th, 2010
7:41 am
BuLLdawg, your an early riser. None of the people shown at the Tiger confession looked like they wanted to be there. Funny his wife wasn’t there. Tiger can have everything except the one woman he decided to marry. His only addiction is to manipulation, and yes he should have appologized to the girlsssss(#?) he lied to. But thats none of my business but i wouldn’t mind Elin going Bobbit on Tiger so he can then compete against Michelle Wie on a regular basis. Dang BuLLdawg i was thinking about the Dawgs and you got me started on Tiger.
Buckhead Bulldog
February 20th, 2010
8:05 am
Welcome Coach Belin! Hopefully, with these defensive changes we will get back to the hard cracking Junkyard D….the one that made offensive teams tremble when they entered Sanford because they KNEW they were gonna get hit, and hit hard!
The Knox Culpeppers, Greg”Muddy”Waters, Thomas Davis, Greg Blue, Terry Hoage,Eddie “meat cleaver”Weaver, Jimmy Payne, on and on and with the many, many, many great Junkyarders…..
I can feel the change in the air with what these D coaches are saying. Good stuff! Can’t wait to see these guys on G-Day.
Sic’ ‘em Dogs!
steelchair
February 20th, 2010
8:15 am
Amen Daddydawg,
Hopefully, the DVC can be everything they want it to be now. I can pay to see boobs anywhere. And, the football information here is just about as good as what you pay for there.
I’d say the over under is 60 days on them welcoming us back. Maybe they’ll find there’s no one to welcome…
Louie
February 20th, 2010
8:43 am
Well,where do I start.
Louie
February 20th, 2010
8:58 am
Yes, it’s apparent the mutts are wishing in one hand and squeezing in the other when fantasizing about 2010 and what might be . Having said that, for years now you have UNDERACHIEVED as team that has been repeatedly THROTTLED by Fla., Tenn. Ala., ( remember 2008) and recently by O. SU., Kentucky, and nearly twice by Vandy and GT (who is so waiting ) to ramp it up come November.
A quarterback position in limbo, unknown position rotation on defense, and that looming question about another season of UNDERACHIEVING.
WILL YOU FILE OUT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE THIRD QUARTER COME NOVEMBER ??
Man that could be a BAD scene.
jackhammer, you out there?? Get in here..
STILL L M F A O
Later….
Since Vince
February 20th, 2010
8:59 am
OK what about Mr Boo Boo inept play calling at times and the sorry job Stacy Seal’s did last year? When will the offensive line start knocking people off the ball on a consistent basis. The third and short situations and not getting first downs against teams like Vandy are getting comical.
Liver Lip
February 20th, 2010
9:24 am
What a chinese fire drill is coming running out these clowns will be come G-Day. Look for Richt to have a down year, be relieved and the dogs be down and out for several more years. D. evans will have no answers . Going down, way down, the bottom in SEC.
Snuggie the bee
February 20th, 2010
9:27 am
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB LIKE ME BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB LIKE ME BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB LIKE ME BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB LIKE ME BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB LIKE ME BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB LIKE ME BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB LIKE ME
Dawg Fan
February 20th, 2010
9:33 am
Anyone know what year Samuel is in? Is he a SO or JR?
» SEC links: Death rocks Ole Miss football John Clay’s Sidelines
February 20th, 2010
9:36 am
[...] Georgia football staff still being sorted out, blogs the AJC’s Tim Tucker. [...]
Racetown Dawg
February 20th, 2010
10:15 am
Take this to the bank—Brantley is not that good—GA’s D will be chasing him all over the field and get 2-3 INTs, and Ga beats florida easy this year. I heard that meyer may not even be back in the fall. The gators short run is over—GA wins the SEC East!!!
DirtyDawg
February 20th, 2010
10:29 am
The one thing I will agree with that Pons-Day-Lee-Ahn guy is that we are, indeed, delusional. And the comment from another poster that said, in effect, ‘This is the SEC, we’re all delusional’. If by that he meant that we have faith, even maybe blind faith, in our guys, then you’re damn right I’m delusional. None of the ‘experts’, seem to think that Georgia has much of a chance to be any better than we were last year – so what? No matter how disappointed I may be in the overall results from last year, I defy anybody to get in my face and give me crap about my team and our chances. You may find yourself finding out what ‘delusional’ tastes like.
Sure there are, so-called, Dawg fans that want to take out their frustration on CMR, or Mike Bobo, or Willie or whomever, but to do so publicly shows a lack of loyalty to the program and the players. If you got a problem, keep it to your-own-self.
As for Mr. Ponce…your street here in town needs the trash picked up more regularly, get with it.
Pago Flyer
February 20th, 2010
10:43 am
Yea great…..can we just beat FL/UT/UK!!!
Da Roun Circle
February 20th, 2010
11:02 am
Since the Bama Florida SEC Champ game, the template is there on how to beat Florida: stop the run, make them pass to beat you. Like Ga Tech, they just don’t like tp pass. Then you need to have a great running game to control the clock.
Georgia’s running game is ranked #5 in the NCAA over the last few games of the year. We got it cookin’ and it’s gnna be fun crushing the Gators and other SEC teams.
They’re all going down in 2010.
Ponce DeLeon
February 20th, 2010
11:30 am
DirtyDawg, name isnt about the street in bad town; it’s the explorer that landed in St. Augustine. Happy you agree with me though. I don’t hate dawgs, just amused by the blind faith they have. Richt has the best gig in America because all he has to do is average 10 wins and he keeps his job.
Ponce DeLeon
February 20th, 2010
11:33 am
Da Roun Circle, I wouldn’t brag on the running game until you beat someone other than Tech and Tx A&M. You couldn’t crush the gators when Zook was there. See what I mean boys; blind friggin faith in CMR. How long will it be, 30 years?
McDawg
February 20th, 2010
11:55 am
Samuels will be next curran
SEC links: Death rocks Ole Miss football « MrSEC.com
February 20th, 2010
12:20 pm
[...] Georgia football staff still being sorted out, blogs the AJC’s Tim Tucker. [...]
Gatorbait 17-3
February 20th, 2010
12:27 pm
What kind of name is this?????????
Da Roun Circle
Da Roun Circle
February 20th, 2010
1:17 pm
Florida didn’t stop Georgia’s running game in 2009. Samuel got over 6 yards a carry, he’s a LB. King & Ealey both got over 4 ypc against Florida.
Bama has Ingram and Richardson at 5.2 and 6.1 ypc.
Georgia has King, Ealey, and Smith at 5.2, 5.7 & 12.2 ypc.
Georgia’s gonna run the ball in 2010 for 225 a game.
Da Roun Circle
February 20th, 2010
1:30 pm
Florida’s gonna give up 100 more yards a game on defense without Strong and with the 7 starters gone.
longDawg
February 20th, 2010
1:49 pm
tiger is black trash oh sorry wrong blog
Rickin' the 3-4
February 20th, 2010
3:03 pm
With Belin and Grantham, UGA’s gonna get to the QB with knock downs, pressures, and sacks. That’s gonna make all the difference this time around. UGA has the best defensive staff in the SEC East. This scheme is where it’s at. Lakatos back to defend the pass, Garner to defend the rush, and Grantham & Belin to get to the QB. Florida got hurt by Bama’s 3-4. Belin’s LB’s have great fundamentals and technique.
Floundering Fox Hounds Batman!
February 20th, 2010
3:16 pm
Be sure to watch the mutts get pummeled by Bama today at the antiquated heap Stegosaurus. Bring back the Diving Mules Act and dissolve UGA basketball because its a total embarrassment to UGA’s Sports program!
Buckhead Bulldog
February 20th, 2010
7:17 pm
Floundering Fox Hounds Batman!-You are WRONG on EVERY game..76-70 DAWGS on top. I would love to be your bookie. I could retire.
Da Roun Circle
February 20th, 2010
9:35 pm
Richt Stats to Know:
1- UGA is 62-7 when the defense allows LESS than 20 points
2- UGA is 53-5 when we allow LESS than 300 yards of total offense
Ponce DeLeon
February 20th, 2010
9:43 pm
Da Roun Circle
Stat to know:
Richt is 1-4 against Richt and 1-2 against Zook and lost to Vandy and Kentucky at home in the last 4 years. I can’t even remember the last time UF lost to either. Why is Sanford stadium a very tough place to play?
Ponce DeLeon
February 20th, 2010
9:46 pm
Rickin’ the 3-4, yokel it wasn’t the 3-4, Bama used the 3-4 in 08; it was the players! Bama had better players, UGA doesn’t.
HUNKER DOWN
February 22nd, 2010
9:41 pm
I think it is a mistake not to have a true specials team coach. Special teams win and lose games.