Day 1 of spring practice for Dogs’ defense: ‘We all looked lost today’
(Updated 10 p.m.)
ATHENS — Mere minutes into spring football practice at Georgia, Todd Grantham did not like the way his players broke from a huddle. So the Bulldogs’ new defensive coordinator ordered them to do it again with more enthusiasm.
The revamping of the Georgia defense began in earnest Thursday, the first day of spring football for the Bulldogs and the first day on a practice field with college players in 12 years for the intense Grantham.
“You can tell he came from The League,” said safety Nick Williams, meaning the NFL. “You can tell he’s used to coaching grown men.”
Grantham, an NFL assistant for the past 11 seasons, began the process of converting Georgia’s former 4-3 defense to a 3-4, meaning three linemen and four linebackers rather than vice versa. Many players took the practice field in unfamiliar positions.
For example, former defensive ends Justin Houston, Cornelius Washington and Montez Robinson were playing outside linebacker. And their transition is tame compared to that of Richard Samuel, who has moved from running back to outside linebacker.
“We all looked lost today,” Houston said, “so [Samuel] fit right in.”
After practicing the 3-4 for the first time, Houston conceded that the transition might be a bit more difficult than he thought from watching film. “There was a lot of stopping and looking around,” he said. “It’s not as easy as it looks on film. Those guys in the pros make it look easy.” Houston said the biggest adjustment for him and the other ends-turned-linebackers is dropping back in coverage on occasion.
Defensive lineman DeAngelo Tyson, who is playing the nose position in the 3-4, said he was encouraged that “we didn’t have as many mental errors as we thought we would have” in the opening practice. “As we continue learning, we can play faster,” he said.
Georgia opened practice with three defensive coaches who were working elsewhere when the Dogs were last on the field – Grantham, formerly with the Dallas Cowboys; inside linebackers coach Warren Belin, formerly at Vanderbilt; and secondary coach Scott Lakatos, formerly at Connecticut, who donned red pants for his first UGA practice.
“I got a chance to walk around the field a little bit and observe our new coaches do their job,” head coach Mark Richt said after practice. “I just thought they looked locked in. They were very decisive about what they were doing. They all looked like they had been working together for quite some time.”
Grantham and the other assistants were not made available for interviews after practice.
Players said the new coaches brought new teaching methods, new styles, new philosophies. But not everything was new.
“Ultimately it’s all the same,” Williams said with a smile. “When you do something wrong, you get your butt chewed out.”
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As promised, the three candidates for the starting quarterback job –- Logan Gray, Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger –- divided snaps evenly.
So who’s the starter based on Day 1 of practice?
“I am,” Gray said with a laugh.
Turning serious, Gray said his sense is that “no one has an upper hand” at quarterback. “I think right now, it’s just everybody trying to get better, [like] at all positions.”
—————————————————-
Tailback Washaun Ealey is wearing a new number: 3.
Ealey wore No. 24 –- Knowshon Moreno’s old number –- last season, but lobbied the coaches for a switch to No. 3, which he wore in high school. Ealey said it’s a tradition for athletes in his family to wear No. 3, which was unavailable when he arrived at UGA last year because it was being worn by senior safety Bryan Evans.
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– The Bulldogs’ first practice of spring ball also will be their last for a while. UGA’s spring break runs from this weekend through March 15, so the Dogs won’t practice again until March 16.
– Georgia lost both of last season’s starting safeties, Evans to graduation and Reshad Jones to the NFL draft. But Nick Williams, like most other observers, sees only one opening for a starting spot at the position. “Because [Bacarri] Rambo’s got his locked,” Williams said after practice Thursday. “He’s ready to go.” Williams returns to safety, his original position, from linebacker this spring. “I knew I wasn’t big enough” for linebacker, he said.
– These players were wearing green non-contact jerseys, signifying injury: wide receivers Marlon Brown and Israel Troupe and defensive linemen Kiante Tripp, Brandon Wood and Kwame Geathers. Geathers was riding a stationary bike off to the side. Wood was jogging. Brown and Troupe, who seemed to be moving around fine despite hamstring tweaks, are expected to shed the green jerseys for the next practice.
– Here are the jersey numbers for the two incoming recruits who are participating in spring practice: junior-college-transfer safety Jakar Hamilton No. 23 and freshman offensive lineman Kolton Houston No. 66. Linebacker Michael Gilliard has switched from No. 55 to 35, Rennie Curran’s old number.
– Among those playing inside linebacker: Darryl Gamble, Akeem Dent, Marcus Dowtwin, Akeem Hebron, Gilliard. And among those at OLB: Houston, Washington, Robinson, Samuel, Chase Vasser.
– There seems to be a larger than usual amount of media interest in Georgia’s spring practice, undoubtedly because of the QB battle and the defensive makeover. About 20 media members were on hand Thursday.
Please follow me on Twitter for updates throughout spring practice.
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161 comments Add your comment
HIGHTIDE
March 4th, 2010
11:39 pm
hey gary all ya’ll say is how good GA. will be next year, same thing for 30 years now
football fan
March 5th, 2010
1:43 am
If you like a team, aren’t you suppose to think each year will be better? Seriouslly, people like HIGHTIDE, what do you expect from a fan?
Reptillicide
March 5th, 2010
3:07 am
Okay…. I think its stupid but I know why FL and GT fans show up here to run their mouths… but Alabama fans now??? A perfect sign that their bandwagon has officially filled up… they now have trolls on the AJC website. Probably people who were Florida fans 2 years ago.
Reptillicide
March 5th, 2010
3:08 am
Bama trolls? Really? Why are you even here? What’s next? Is a Kansas State fan going to show up to start badmouthing the Dawgs?
Fire Mark Richt
March 5th, 2010
5:02 am
WHAT AN ODIOUS SMELL – MARK RICHT IS
BuLLdawg
March 5th, 2010
6:20 am
REUBEN HOUSTON was NEVER ordered by the Court to have to play against The Georgia Bulldogs in 2005. But, on the 1st opportunity to put Reuben Houston into the game, Georgia tek certainly ceased the moment and played him against UGA. Played and played and played Reuben Houston the whole entire game.
CONVICTED FELON REUBEN HOUSTON, you recall just had granted an interview with the AJ-C, and had ADMITTED that he was in the van with his child on his lap, with the 90 lbs. of drugs ON GEORGIA tek’s campus, leading them to where they could SELL THE 90 LBS. OF DRUGS.
Bryan McClendon a wide receiver, now UGA running backs’ coach, caught the pass from DJ Shockley with 3 minutes to go for UGA to prevail 14-7 ANYWAY.
LAST NIGHT REUBEN HOUSTON is AGAIN sought on FELONY CHARGES. This time taking a gun to his neighbor’s house and holding them at bay for 5 minutes over the same child he had on his lap before jumping from the van to elude Georgia tek campus police, GBI, Georgia State patrol and Fulton County Sheriff’s office in hot pursuit.
It seems there was a dispute among kids, and therefore Reuben Houston went over to square the situation with that child and his family.
CONVICTED FELONS are NOT ALLOWED TO CARRY A GUN.
LAM.
Reuben Houston is on the lam from now 3 more FELONY CHARGES.
ARMED AND DANGEROUS.
Contact police do not approach. Anyone seeing former Georgia tek FOOTBALL PLAYER who played against UGA almost the entire football game in 2005 before Tim Jennings intercepted the pass at our goal line with 1 minute to go from the best UGA football player for 4 years in a row, Reggie Ball.
Señora Weeb
March 5th, 2010
6:24 am
>>>“We all looked lost today,” Houston said.<<<
Just wait till Jacksonville. That will define just how "lost" this bunch is.
BuLLdawg
March 5th, 2010
6:35 am
REUBEN HOUSTON was NEVER ordered by the Court to have to play against The Georgia Bulldogs in 2005. But, on the 1st opportunity to put Reuben Houston into the game, Georgia tek certainly ceased the moment and played him against UGA. Played and played and played Reuben Houston the whole entire game.
CONVICTED FELON REUBEN HOUSTON, you recall just had granted an interview with the AJ-C, and had ADMITTED that he was in the van with his child on his lap, with the 90 lbs. of drugs ON GEORGIA tek’s campus, leading them to where they could SELL THE 90 LBS. OF DRUGS.
Bryan McClendon a wide receiver, now UGA running backs’ coach, caught the pass from DJ Shockley with 3 minutes to go for UGA to prevail 14-7 ANYWAY.
Louie Jr.
March 5th, 2010
6:59 am
Louie – Congrats on your accomplishment. One question though. Why would, I assume, a pretty smart guy continue o come over to an UGA blog to talk smack every day? I’m curious as to why you hate UGA so much?
.
March 5th, 2010
7:03 am
Señora Weeb: Just wait until the GT dame in November, and see how focused the Dawgs will when they smack your little stinger all over the field, AGAIN. Your 15 mintues of fame is over Jackets.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
No more quarters=game over.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
LOSER ALERT AKA LOUIE JR.-BIG L- PORTY
March 5th, 2010
7:18 am
GET OFF HIM
Hey Todd....Oh Mr. Grantham
March 5th, 2010
7:59 am
“what has Georgia done since 1980?” coach Paul Johnson is asking….
chazzo
March 5th, 2010
8:01 am
Win, lose, or draw, we need a “D” that other teams will leave the field not wanting to play against ever again.
30-24 Dawgs - WE RUN THIS STATE!
March 5th, 2010
8:14 am
Are 30 and 24 taken?
Slack-a-rama
March 5th, 2010
8:19 am
I think the problems with the UGA football program have more to do with the players’ attitudes than who the coaches are. Eliminating the dancing will not change the fact that a good number of the players just don’t have the desire to do what it takes to excel on the field. Just my 2 cents.
Dawg Tired
March 5th, 2010
8:47 am
How is the defense “looking lost” newsworthy? The defense has looked lost DURING THE GAMES for the last three to four years. I like Grantham getting on them for breaking the huddle lackadaisically and hearing he is “intense.” These are good signs that things are changing in more ways than one on the D side of the ball.
Tom
March 5th, 2010
9:31 am
Its just the first day, they will pick it up. Logan Gray sucks……
Endzone Dance
March 5th, 2010
9:36 am
Come on mark, we need a new, creative dance this year in the endzone after a TD!!! That 2007 Florida dance worked good, so get your staff working on it my man!! Bring in some dance instructors from the PE dept!! The Dawgs need to be looking good after they score!!!
CLEVON LITTLE
March 5th, 2010
10:00 am
HIGHTIDE, it wasn’t too long ago that ‘BAMA’ was 6-6, 5-7 or worse. UGA has whipped yo butt 3 out of the last 4 times; final point lead for that infamous ‘black’jersey funeral’ was 10, not exactly a ‘whuooppo’n. Mark Richt has beaten Saban plenty of times. All of that’s in the past. That NC won’t stop BAMA from falling; NOW, yiou just have further to fall! Have fun & I hope we get yiou in the SEC Cahmpion ship game! REVENGE!!!!!!!!
Lethargy got FSU and also got UGA
March 5th, 2010
10:10 am
Complacency or lethargy got both FSU and UGA. UGA won BIG quickly with CMR’s arrival and for one reason or other, UGA position coaches decided to slide. Life in Athens, with night time continued education classes and suntanned Tri Delts and Kappas walking around campus and cold beer and GOLF and did I mention more GOLF …….simply got to the staff. Period. Oh, um I forgot to mention the Lake Oconne lifestyle and g-o-l-f and b-o-a-t-i-n-g. Life for the coaches was smooth and easy. Such a life it was. WAS is gone. TG is on board now and it is the here and now attitude around UGA.
With the dismal 10-3 season of 08 and the horrific 8-5 season of 09, Richt knew that he needed to instill NEW ATTITUDES on the staff. As a professional coach with class and style, he will rebuild UGA to SEC Championship levels and within one, two or three years. If we win the SEC, then it all falls into place and he is the man to do it. 2010 might be a fabulous year.
TG is a fabulous hire, as are the new D backs and L backers coaches. NEW ATTIITUDE is everything and most SUCCESSFUL businesses are run by havng new execs come in a add their input. UGA is no different. Obama for example, will be dumping all of his advisors, or else, is illustrative of this point.
UGA is a class program ……….just ask The MOBILE REGISTER or Forbes magazine. MONEY TALKS AND SMOKE WALKS. MONEY $$$$ determines the viability of a program’s BRAND. PERIOD.
2010 is gonna be fun and so will 2011 and 2012. In 2012 Zack M and A. Murray and the Lassiter Qb will still be on campus. We are loaded. We will recruit more talent this next season and simply re tool and continue to roll along the SEC road ways.
Go Dogs.
No kidding? Armed around GT campus??
March 5th, 2010
10:15 am
Fans wanna know …………..was Tech’s #37 there too?? The APD wants to know here that guy is ALL the time and so do the homely coeds in and around N Avenue.
Lance
March 5th, 2010
10:18 am
People, I’m the biggest uga fan around, but this talk of winning the sec and whipping florida in 2010 is a little early. For all we know these new coaches may not be able to live up to our expectations. The only way i will ever believe that we can beat uf on a regular basics is by doing it and not hoping and waiting for the following year.
John Bell
March 5th, 2010
10:24 am
With Ealy and King in the backfield at the same time, the Dawgs will have a 3 & 4 behind the QB. That can’t be a bad thing.
82DAWG
March 5th, 2010
10:39 am
I’m not “overly” superstitious BUT “34″ is UGA’slucky number:
34 = Herschel
3 (Ealey) and 4 (King) = 34
J Dawg
March 5th, 2010
10:41 am
Hightide What is Nick Sabans record against CMR ?
Plus when has CMR had a losing record in a season like Saban had in the La. Monroe year as I like to call it? HaHaHa . Come back to earth dude
82DAWG
March 5th, 2010
10:41 am
I’m not “overly” superstitious BUT “34″ is UGA’slucky number:
34 = Herschel
3 (Ealey) and 4 (King) = 34
new defense = 3-4
THIS is the DAWGS year to get back to where we belong – top of the SEC and palying for the N.C. that we SHOULD have played for but were robbed of a couple of years ago.
slingblade
March 5th, 2010
10:47 am
82DAWG when are the doggies going to wake up to the fact when you come in 3rd in your conference, you are not EVER going to play for the NC. If you had of taken care of business and beaten Tenn and if I recall it was a blowout, you could have played for the conference championship.
jackhammer
March 5th, 2010
10:49 am
Louie,
I’m gonna do what I want to do and you’re gonna like it!!! The phone will be off for the next 60 days…period. Don’t ‘BH’ me; just accept that. Tell ‘her’ she needs to start doing e-mail. Over for now.
Dr. Phil
March 5th, 2010
10:51 am
Now I know why Hershel had multiple personalities; he had 2 numbers: 3&4.
Carl Childers
March 5th, 2010
10:54 am
uuhmm aiight denn but I did whoopin dat gayta but dat yeahh ! can I have sum musterd wit dem biscets!
Dr. Phil
March 5th, 2010
10:56 am
Carl go eat some chitlins.
CORCH MEYER & PEARCY HARVY
March 5th, 2010
11:11 am
1 2 345 THEM GATORS DONT TAKE NO JIVE. I WANT TO GRADILATE. GO GATOR
Dr. Phil
March 5th, 2010
11:15 am
Corch and Pearcy, go to Carl’s, he is havin chitlins and watermelon
Dawghater
March 5th, 2010
11:24 am
They are all lost! They still think they are in Shreveport!
Dawg 3/20
March 5th, 2010
11:25 am
You guys haven’t seen Grantham mad until you see him at an all you can eat buffet and they tell him that restaurant policy is no doggy bags allowed. Wow he was angry!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kodywynne/4062514424/sizes/l/
Dr. Phil
March 5th, 2010
11:28 am
I treated coach grantham after he was fired as the world champion cleveland browns coordinator. I helped his self image so much that he now takes credit for the amazing defense of the dallas cowboys.
Dave Grantham
March 5th, 2010
11:33 am
I had better not spend much of that 750K I am getting paid because with as many stupid athletes we have on this team, we will suck this year and the whole coaching staff will be fired. I think I made a big mistake. These Dawg fans are more delugional than Jerry Jones.
masivatack
March 5th, 2010
12:01 pm
three… is the magic numba’
yes it is… it’s the magic numba’
SEC East Headlines – 3/5/10 « MrSEC.com
March 5th, 2010
12:16 pm
[...] program has struggled since 2007? Here are five reasons (as well as eight reasons for hope).4. Georgia’s players “looked lost” on Day One of spring practice.5. Mark Richt is looking to “restore attitude, [...]
CMR
March 5th, 2010
12:19 pm
They always look lost, thats just thier nature. I have to go to funeral this weekend. I had a friend that was in the doghouse with his wife, started across the road and stopped to lick himself and a car ran over him.
Pessimistic Dawg Fan
March 5th, 2010
1:15 pm
I’m new to this blog stuff so be patient with me boys. With our #1 defensive staff and top diving Head Coach, I predict that we will go 10-1 and lose to Bama in overtime in the SEC Championship game.
Rambo Wins!
March 5th, 2010
1:33 pm
I agree with everyone here, 14-0 in 2010, Dogs win the SEC and the Natl Championship.
Florida goes 5-3 in the SEC AGAIN…for the 3rd time in 6 years.
Señora Weeb
March 5th, 2010
1:34 pm
The defense lost something when Erk Russell left, and they’ve never recovered completely.
A word to the technicians out there: it’s not about the 4-3 vs. the 3-4 and all that stuff. It’s about talent and heart. The Dawgs have had the talent, it’s the heart and the fire that have been missing.
ga gator
March 5th, 2010
1:35 pm
Pretty quiet blog today Mr. King.
slingblade
March 5th, 2010
1:36 pm
Rambo Wins! 5-3 for the 3rd time in 6 years is not as bad 4-4 for 2 out of the last 4years with no NC to show for it. Good try bobo junior.
Debose
March 5th, 2010
1:45 pm
Todd Grantham – He went from 11 All Americans on a defense to 0. Good Luck
Dr. Phil
March 5th, 2010
1:48 pm
Don’t talk bad about Rambo, he is still under my care. I am greatful that Hershel referred him to me.
cantondawg
March 5th, 2010
1:49 pm
Hightide,
We know the only reason that you’re on the UGA board is that you’re too overqualifed to be on the BAMA board. When you can spell more than 10 words and say half of the alphabet, then those folks in Alabama think you done got uppity on them so you have to hang out with the UGA fans.
Standing on the sidelines
March 5th, 2010
1:49 pm
Probably not any more lost then they looked last season.
ga gator
March 5th, 2010
1:50 pm
Dr. Phil, kind of old with the Hershel jokes don’t you think?