Notes: Dogs seek taller cornerbacks; Grantham praises Garner; full pads Saturday
(UPDATE: For a report on Saturday’s practice, please click here.)
There was no football practice Friday. The Dogs will hold their fourth session of spring ball Saturday in Sanford Stadium, their first in full pads. Meanwhile, a few notes and quotes:
- The overhaul of Georgia’s defensive staff and scheme naturally affects the type of players the Dogs are looking to recruit. “I mean, you got different body types, because you got to get outside linebacker types and your defensive end and nose types,” said Rodney Garner, defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator. He added that new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and new defensive backs coach Scott Lakatos “like taller corners. So we want bigger corners, too. So it’s really just trying to find exactly what [Grantham] wants to fit his scheme.”
- Grantham said Garner, the only holdover from the previous defensive staff, “has meshed very well. Rodney is a conscientious guy. He’s worked hard to understand what we want to get taught. I think he works his guys extremely hard in practice. I think he has done a good job so far with the guys, and I have been pleased with the progress — not only him but, really, I’ve been pleased with the way the coaches have worked and the way the players have responded.”
- It takes good players to have a good defense, yes, “but everybody also has to understand their role,” Grantham said. “‘What is my role on the team? What do I do to contribute?’ Right now, everybody is working hard to define their role to me. They’re showing us their abilities. They’re showing us how much they want to play. They’re showing us how they can learn, showing us how they’ll hustle to the ball. Because to me we’re going to put guys out there who are physical and give effort. And if we do that, we’ll beat you.”
- It’s not just the players learning a new defensive scheme. None of the coaches — not Garner, not Lakatos, not Warren Belin — has ever coached in Grantham’s 3-4 system before. Said Garner: “Football is football, but it’s . . . definitely a much different scheme than what we did. The terminology is totally different. So it’s a lot to learn, a lot to grasp. We’re putting a lot in at a time, so it’s a lot for us [coaches] too. We’re trying to learn it and get it taught to our kids. We’ve got to get this package put in. Coach Grantham is going full speed. He’s trying to get everything in so we can be good at it. . . . We’re all in there trying to learn exactly . . . his terminology, how he wants to call it, everything.”
- Several of you have asked about Trinton Sturdivant’s comeback from his second torn ACL. He’s not participating in spring practice, but he is still expected to be back for preseason camp in August. Same goes for Justin Anderson and Tanner Strickland, missing the spring because of shoulder injuries.
- And to end on a positive note, Mark Richt had this to say after Thursday’s practice: “I’m really encouraged right now. It’s early, but I’m encouraged right now.”
If you missed it: Richard Samuel has changed positions . . . again.
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96 comments Add your comment
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March 20th, 2010
8:14 am
*THWG*
Recruiting Update 20Mar: Leather Helmet Blog
March 20th, 2010
8:16 am
[...] Dawgs want taller corners: [...]
kydawg
March 20th, 2010
8:26 am
Taller corners, pass coverage first/run support second = better “D”
Let’s get this party started!!!
computersaremyonlyfriend
March 20th, 2010
8:31 am
jacket fans could blog on their own stories like we got our first recruit, who never got an offer from the football power schools. I guess he will have to be okay with playing in front of 30,000 losers.
Mikey
March 20th, 2010
8:35 am
Is Ed Too Tall Jones too tall?
DawgNation
March 20th, 2010
8:44 am
Louie,
WHAT about them Jackets? Two nobody teams playing each other and your team finally found the free throw line for the first time all year. Didn’t make a goal the last part of the game but OKST handed you the game which could have just as easily gone the other way. Ohio St will bring your buzz high down tomorrow.
The idiots that trashed the North Campus last year brought about the changes that only affect the North Campus. Most of the “pigs” that trashed the area last year didn’t even attend the game. Most of the offending “pigs” were students and non student friends of students that don’t care about the game. My wife and I attended the next home game and we were impressed with the evident change from within the fan base in respects to the cleanliness of the campus. The student volunteers we saw out handing out trash bags and ensuring everyone knew where the extra trash containers were at were exceptional and I was very impressed with those kids. Did Mr. Adams over react? In my opinion no. He took steps to eliminate the core problem. Is there still trash? Yes but not out of the ordinary considering over 100,000 extra people converge in a small area for an 18 hr period. Any other school has the same issue and handles it the same. They haven’t had anyone take pictures with their camera phones and post it on YouTube yet.
So go ahead and laugh your buzz off if it makes you feel better. Dog fans will have the last laugh once the recruits that are being sought after and the existing players take hold in this new defense (the old one did a job on you guys didn’t they?) and continue to dominate your Buzz town and make a serious run for the SEC title for years to come.
New Tricks
March 20th, 2010
8:48 am
Tim, has anyone ever asked coach Grantham how the 3-4 will work against the Ga. Tech run based triple option? will he have to make modifications for that one game?
Stinger
March 20th, 2010
9:16 am
New Tricks, he will have to make modifications, but it won’t work. Our offense will practice against the best 3-4 coach in the nation.
DawgNation
March 20th, 2010
9:40 am
Stinger,
Seems to me I’ve heard that one before.
GoDOGS1
March 20th, 2010
9:49 am
Stinger- Your 15 minutes of fame are OVER! You know it, they know, and best of all the the Dog Nation knows it. Your little trick football is toast. Dogs 45-21 this November. The Dogs are gonna slam it down your throat, and there will be nothing you can do. Nothing! Other than being the puzz wads your truly are, and hop in your car in the middle of the 3rd to drive home to Atl..
Mt. Pleasant Dog
March 20th, 2010
10:13 am
We need 3 things from our defense:
1- Force 2+ turnovers per game, lead the SEC in turnover margin
2- Hold the other guys to less than 300 total yards on offense
3- hold the other guys to less than 20 points
1eyedJack
March 20th, 2010
10:14 am
Some body wake up Coach Groh and tell him it’s time to take his medicine.
Edman
March 20th, 2010
10:15 am
Does Elmer Fudd have trouble with the letter R?
Edman
March 20th, 2010
10:17 am
Does a 10lb bag of flour make a really big biscuit?
Edman
March 20th, 2010
10:17 am
Do the Waltons take waaaay to long to say goodnight?
Edman
March 20th, 2010
10:18 am
That’s funny right there, I don’t care who you are.
da dawg pound
March 20th, 2010
10:24 am
A bammer friend told me our spring game is not being televised on ESPN while the bammer game is. Anyone know if this is true or not?
1eyedJack ;)
March 20th, 2010
10:25 am
Can someone find Al’s teeth…he want’s his breakfast now.
DawgNation
March 20th, 2010
10:26 am
da dawg pound,
That is true. It is on CSS this year.
Paul Harvery said it correctly " Now you
March 20th, 2010
10:26 am
Paul Harvey said it correctly with is famous” now you know the rest of the story” as it pertains to that midget corner back from Frostproof,Fl that “bolted” on UGA> we did not want him. All 5′6″ of him and so, good luck to him at Louisville.
I for one applaud going out and getting some D. guys that can run and can cover and with some size. Martinez put a premium on back peddling with midgets and that was how he saw defense in the SEC. TG&G, as far as CWM and his coaching style is concerned.
There is a new day dawning for UGA and such tumultuous coaching things must happen about every three or four years in order to keep it fresh and invigorated. Lifetime gigs like Dooley and Shug Jordan and Bobby Dodd, Paul “Bear” Bryant and Johnny Vaught and John Majors had are Gone With the Fricking Wind.
Go Dogs.
The 1970 Super Bowl and Al Groh
March 20th, 2010
10:32 am
Has Al Groh impressed some big time recruits yet with his mention of coaching with Hank Stram and Budd Grant back in the 60s and 70s? Both coaches were in the 70 Super Bowl and the Chiefs won it in a huge upset. I’ll bet when he relates that story to today’s kids, that they will be um, ah speechless.
I know when he mentions knowing Paul Horning and Lenny Moore and even Big Daddy Lipscomb, that today’s kids will be simply wowed and really be impressed with Groh’s relevance.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAH,AAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHHAHA
Go Dogs.
Respect
March 20th, 2010
10:39 am
I really believe that UGA’s kids do respect Coach TG and that will go a loooooooooooong way toward UGA success on the field. This aspect is rarely talked about. Someone mentioned chemistry and that is so correct in building MUTUAL respect. CWM was NOT respected by the kids that he coached. They laid low often on him. It was soooooooooooo evident to watch it. See Tech game in second half in 08. They went to sleep.
Go Dogs.
1eyedJack
March 20th, 2010
10:48 am
Now Coach Groh…you’ve got to put on your diaper…you know you can’t go through a whole practice without it…that’s a good boy…who stole coach’s walker!?
BobDog
March 20th, 2010
10:54 am
I’m sure 6′2″ 4.3 corners are everywhere. Coach Martinez probably said to get tiny guys so they couldn’t cover big receivers.
Little guys are faster. Big guys are slower. Corners have to be the fastest players on the field in order to close and cover. When you can get the rare big guy with speed, get him.
jughead brown
March 20th, 2010
11:03 am
You can covert a high school WR to corner pretty easily. WR’s have both the size and speed to play the 3-4 corner. Ideally, ypu want a guy who has played DB and WR in high school, because he can understand how WR’s think.
Paul's Johnson
March 20th, 2010
11:12 am
Talk about a honeymoon period! Wow. Watching Mutts turn on Grantham when it goes bad will be a treat. Mutts are saddled with a passion-less head coach whose hands-off approach is slowly sinking his program. He rung up big numbers when Tennessee was in decline and Zooker coached the Gators (although Richt was still 1-2 vs. him). They’re stuck in 4th place in the SEC behind LSU, ‘Bama and Florida, with Auburn and UT nipping at their heels. Enjoy!
What’s even funnier is the unclassy trashing of Martinez. Good job Mutts!
Chdawg
March 20th, 2010
11:14 am
Who are our short corners having to work against? Green, Brown, Durham, etc. I believe our tall receivers will dominate the SEC this year…you heard it here first. CMR is pleased.
Slap em, slap in their 1980 faces
March 20th, 2010
11:29 am
Since about 1966, Yech has gone thru football coaches every 4.5 years and CPJ is in his 3rd. He has made his mark at Tech with the Urange bowl loss ( like Dodd did too ) and he must build it to higher levels or he will be regressing. Me thinks the latter is about to happen. That middle school, triple break offense is so 1960s and 70s. It was junked by the good schools years before him.
ACC is caught on now and CPJ is on the downhill side of his tech career. 4.5 years and they ALL leave one way or other.
Go Dogs.
Dawg fans love new approach on defense | The Junkyard Blawg
March 20th, 2010
11:38 am
[...] Martinez was the Dogs’ penchant for signing undersized cornerbacks, so I was pleased to see Tim Tucker quoting recruiting coordinator and defensive line holdover Rodney Garner as saying that in addition [...]
jughead brown
March 20th, 2010
12:00 pm
Love hearing the 1 Gator fan bashing Grantham. Intimidated already by Grantham–it’s only March?
But yes, Oct. 30 UGA will blow out Florida by 20+, and FINALLY win the turnover margin against Florida and stop giving away games, not letting Georgia beat Georgia. What a concept.
bruce mac
March 20th, 2010
12:41 pm
Paul Johnson, thank goodness we will always have Tech to kick around and feel good about that fact no matter what. Thanks for being the piece of crap program you are. It must be extremely comforting to CMR when he goes to sleep every night knowing that even when you are at your best and we are at our worst we can still waltz into ATL and whip your azz.
Paul Johnson
March 20th, 2010
12:47 pm
Yea, but we can jump up and down like it is a Duke basketball game better than UGA.
Dogs are between the hedges today; Green, Thomas among those returning punts | UGA sports blog
March 20th, 2010
1:11 pm
[...] Notes: Dogs seek taller cornerbacks; Grantham praises Garner; full pads Saturday [...]
tampadawg86
March 20th, 2010
2:31 pm
Can we get some Info on Marlon Brown. Is he picking up the playbook better and will we see him get the ball more?
oledawg
March 20th, 2010
3:06 pm
Yes! to the Fight Song question. The HallelujahSchool closed down and we picked up the song from them. Early. That’s why “to old” is still in there. It was done a long time ago.
oledawg
March 20th, 2010
3:12 pm
tampadawg86- Have wondered exact same thing. Marlon may see limited duty later in the games when everyone’s tongue is hangin’ out. That way he can do simple fly patterns and just be responsible for catching the ball. No head work.
Recruiting News 21Mar: Leather Helmet Blog
March 21st, 2010
4:02 am
[...] Dawgs want taller corners: [...]
WonderDawg
March 21st, 2010
8:15 am
Yeah, but Paul’s Johnson, the 4th best team in the SEC is obviously much better than the the best in the acc. The Gator Bowl and ESPN even thinks the 5th best SEC team is better than the 2nd best acc team. The Gator Bowl made that change and ESPN fell all over itself getting the rights and moving it New Years Day. SEC > acc. Haha.
Don't let the facts get in the way of the truth...
March 21st, 2010
10:15 am
Must have been looking at last years roster…CB’s on the year’s roster…Commings 6′2″ 210 lbs, Cuff 5′11″ 177 lbs, Elliott 5′9″ 186 lbs, Gloer 5′10″ 191 lbs, Smith 5′11″ 172 lbs, Williams 6′1″ 206 lbs, Dunson 6′0″ 192 lbs (listed as a DB)…
not too bad in the size dept, wonder how they are speed wise and leaping ability…of course you can have all the size, speed, and leaping ability, but if you can’t cover, then you’re a safety
AltamahaDawg
March 21st, 2010
10:58 am
Agree with Delbert, who cares how tall they are? We just need the best guys we can get. Alabama just won a NC with the 3-4 defense and both CB under 6′. J.Arenas is5′9″ for pete sake. UF has one CB on thier entire roster over 6′ and he is mostly a ST guy. Their best CB is 5′11″. Some body else mentioned the pass rush, or lack of. That will make anybody look “short”. I’m not against recruiting bigger CB, but the 2 best teams in the SEC for the past couple of years have proven that height at that position is really a non-factor.
AltamahaDawg
March 21st, 2010
12:38 pm
so, our 2 deep CB was already going to be a couple of 5′11′ guys, 6′1″, 6′2″. Good thing Grantham wants taller guys since thats what we had.
AceDawg
March 22nd, 2010
12:13 pm
No matter what the truth is, I’m very convinced that bringing in Grantham is changing the urgency UGA plays with. He wants guys to be tenacious like they are in the NFL. Grantham must be very enthused to be the head honcho on D again as well as to return to college, and I think Dawgs fans are really going to be happy from the get-go. Richt just needs to shore up the offense and stay afloat for other great defensive coaches because Grantham probably will only be around a couple years if he is successful so that he can be a head coach.
mauidawg
March 23rd, 2010
12:03 am
New D-Coordinator New Scheme, New Coaches, First year quarterback, play in the SEC EAST
Be careful of expectations, I love the dawgs but we do have alot of issues to deal with in 2010
noah
March 23rd, 2010
10:51 am
First!!
NYDAWG
March 24th, 2010
7:24 pm
I’ve seen pictures of a young Al Groh giving a laddle of water to General Custard right before the Battle of the Alamo.
SC Boy
April 11th, 2010
8:51 am
SC’s receivers: 6′6″, 6′5″, 6′4″, 6′3″ (Saunders, Gurley, Barnes, Jeffrey). Yeah, UGA needs taller corners.