Offense, defense gear up for ’showdown’ in Saturday scrimmage
ATHENS –- Saturday morning in Sanford Stadium, Georgia coaches will get their best look yet at their quarterback competition and new 3-4 defense.
The Bulldogs will hold their first of three spring scrimmages, and even though the 92,000 seats will be empty, coach Mark Richt and his assistants have stressed that this is showtime.
“Coach Richt was talking after practice [Thursday],” quarterback Aaron Murray said, “that this is going to be the first test for everyone, [the time] to see where everyone is at, what we have learned and where we have come after two weeks of practice.”
The scrimmage will be closed to the public and media, but closely analyzed by the coaches.
“Tomorrow ought to be fun,” Richt said Friday. “I think guys will be revved up, ready to go. . . . I think they’re ready to compete.”
Defensive end Demarcus Dobbs went so far as to say that he expected players to be studying their playbooks Friday night.
“I think it’s going to be a good showdown,” Dobbs said, between the revamped defense and the quarterback-seeking offense.
At quarterback, Richt said Murray, Logan Gray and Zach Mettenberger will share scrimmage snaps equally. And on the revamped defense, Richt said the fog has cleared enough for quasi-game-like conditions.
“I’m glad we have waited this long to have the first scrimmage,” he said, “because I think our defense is more prepared now than if we had tried something a little sooner.
“It’s still a little foggy for coaches and players, quite frankly, but the thing I love the most is just the high energy level out there.”
No firm personnel decisions will be reached based on what happens in one scrimmage, of course, but players are not underrating the importance of their performances.
“It’s the first chance to get out there and really just compete and cut it loose,” tight end Aron White said. “It’s a way to see where you’re at. . . . It definitely helps [the coaches] shake out the depth chart, see who’s ready, who’s not ready, what we have to work on.”
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Orson Charles apparently has taken the early lead in the battle for the starting job at tight end, one of the Dogs’ deepest positions.
“I believe Orson is No. 1 on the depth chart right now,” White said. “He’s been taking reps vs. the 1’s, but you never know who’s going to be in there.”
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- Outside linebacker Justin Houston will miss Saturday’s scrimmage after his shoulder “flared up,” Richt said. “It’s nothing serious.”
- Wide receivers Marlon Brown and Israel Troupe also will miss the scrimmage with a bruised shoulder and strained hamstring, respectively. “When I look out there, it is a scary thing . . . four [healthy] scholarship receivers,” Richt said.
- About 100 or so high school coaches, holdovers from the 500-plus who attended a two-day clinic on campus, watched Friday’s late-afternoon practice in Sanford Stadium. One was conspicuously wearing an Alabama windbreaker.
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68 comments Add your comment
DawgNation
March 27th, 2010
10:15 am
POAD,
Gold Rush was the best. All the people you listed must have been after I left. (82) My brother-in-law was a member of Phi Kappa and sister-in-law with Phi Mo but they graduated the year before I started but their friends still showed us a great time at the toga parties. We can never thank “Animal House” enough can we? Mr. Price (Tactical Officer) and “Lord” Layle (freshman English) stood out during my freshman year. Thank God for Mrs. Gains getting me through English. LOL Was the Ridge still there when you went? Now THAT was fun times. The only place a freshman could go except for the occasional trips to Gainesville to “Blackbeard’s”. I was in BRAVO Company and did play football before getting married. Insurance wouldn’t cover me playing after I got married. I switched to coach (defense) and first year went 0-10 but the next year went 10-0. God those were the years. Wished I stuck with coaching but made the military my career. Retired now and visit NGC (Can’t get use to calling it NGC & State University) when I can. I look forward to Octobers.
Well don’t let the name callers get to you. It’s good to be a fan no matter who you pull for. You just pull for the wrong team.
(Just Kidding) Again I did like what you had to say on the injuries being key to how we stack up after spring and summer. As for the linebackers in the 3-4 I called the two inside and the two outside linebackers. I used the strong safety to for the strong side and he usually called which side was strong for the linebacker and line adjustments. Don’t know if he will utilize that or not. I would imagine Coach Grantham will make the defensive calls and I would think he would use the terminology that he was use to in the pros. Mine is from the 70’s when I played and used it at NGC.
Compare the excitement and anticipation
March 27th, 2010
10:20 am
Think about all the excitement about SEC spring ball and compare to the ACC. Take the East division of the SEC. Questions abound. Too many to list here. Each school has its fans and all except Vandy ( tech did defeat them in 09 ) feel that their school can win the East. Fun stuff.
Take the ACC Coastal? or whatever it is. Miami or Tech or NC State or Clemson??? See? Except for the Urange Bowl last year ………………what major bowl have ANY of these few schools gone to LATELY??? Miami is old, old, old news and frankly, as I predicted when they hooked up with the ACC, have done nothing since. FSU died when Richt bailed out. UGA handled them in the Sugar.
Clemson won the NC in 82? NC State did defeat UGA in the 67 Liberty Bowl, I drove there to see it. This is the entire history of these ACC schools. UGA did defeat MD in ealry 70s in the mighty Peach Bowl. Tech was co champs in 90 In Citrus Bowl too. Tech tied ND, Colorado, Miami, Brigham Young, Oregon and USC and San Diego State, the year they gained a small % of the title. It depended ( the NC ) on what newspaper that you read and what region of the USA you were in, as ot the real NC that year. 4% is better than no %.
Spring ball is THE thing in the SEC ………..a tune up for yet another run at the National Championship for ONE of it’s schools. Excitement abounds EVER year in the SEC East and the West. Prospects of playing in the Capital One and Sugar and Cotton, Pasadena and too many MAJOR bowls are so exciting.
Who cares about the ACC? Small ball it is. The CHi FIl A is ready wehn you are.
Bruce Mac
March 27th, 2010
10:20 am
SEC fan and all the rest of you Morons that want to pull out the last four years in half the SEC as proof of something. Idiots, UGA under CMR has been playing for more than 4 years and they play more than just games in the SEC East. They all count, so just STFU for goodness sake. That is like saying CUM is 500 in his last two games so he is not a good coach. Give it a break already.
sogadog
March 27th, 2010
10:24 am
I have to agree with bugkiller
Mettenberger needs to be on the scout team awhile
. Cmr is a great guy but he will continue to have discipline problems if he doesnt tighten up.
mwh6767
March 27th, 2010
10:27 am
hey compare the excitement , when you talk about all the great bowls dont forget about the one in Shriveport! Man thats a great one! Play the 10th place team from the Big 12 and what 2pm on a Monday? In a run down high school stadium. And when you win the game get on every blog proclaim how great you are! Hey shouldnt Uga be ranked #1 at the start of the season for that???
DawgNation
March 27th, 2010
10:36 am
mwh6767,
Don’t shriek to loud as Shreveport is now a ACC tie in. You just may have a chance to see it for your self.
Delbert D.
March 27th, 2010
10:39 am
What? No depth chart? That is a travesty.
Mike Jay
March 27th, 2010
10:50 am
Let’s see if you use the Urban Meyer rule book for discipline. You know, the one that states trying to permanently injure a player on the field grants you a half game suspension. I would say that Richt has it about right by saying that Mett will most likely get a one game suspension for the terrible transgression of drinking underage and having a fake ID.
You all really think that deserves more than that? He wasn’t stealing, beating someone up, driving under the influence, cheating in school. He was drinking beer. Sure it was dumb for someone in his position but come on.
mwh6767
March 27th, 2010
11:09 am
And if Tech goes there Dawgnation i will not be like most UGA fans and think it was a great season or a program changing win.
Shreveport Magic
March 27th, 2010
11:11 am
Glad that guy brought up Shreveport. It has a migical quality to it. Oklahoma won the National Championship after playing in the bowl in Shreveport, and Alabama played Shreveport in 2007, and won the Natl Championship 2 years later. Shreveport is a magical place, for both Oklahoma and Alabama, something magical happened in Shreveport. We love Shreveport!!!
Pi$$onaDAWG
March 27th, 2010
11:47 am
If the Bowl game is not on a Friday Night, Saturday or Sunday I will watch it on TV. I have to work and I am not Blowing too much money for a Middle of the Week Game in a Nowhere town. Nashville is nice, Miami is good weather, I love the Chick-fil-A because I can take MARTA to and from the Party Downtown. I will not spend money on too many bowls anymore. I like to travel to the games during the season better.
DawgNation
March 27th, 2010
12:05 pm
mwh6767,
I don’t think you would ever find a fan here who believes that last season was a success as far as the expatiations we have for the Bulldogs. However I do believe the Independence Bowl in Shreveport was a program changer. It finally opened up the eyes of the remaining coaching staff that the problem was with in the defensive scheme and that a change in the program was warranted. That change has accrued and the fruits of it are just now becoming evident during this spring training camp. Will it spill over into the season? I firmly believe it will.
shane#1
March 27th, 2010
12:21 pm
Good to see you NGC guys on the blogs. IMO, NGC ranks up there with VMI as far as military colleges go. I didn’t attend NGC because I was damn lucky to get into a junior college. I did get to know a Capt. Branch in my younger years. He was Airborn Ranger and a damn fine officer. Unfortunately he was killed in Nam. I did read in the AJC a few years ago that Capt. Branch had a daughter that was an instructor at NGC. Now to the subject at hand, injuries will play a key role in the SEC this year at the QB posistion. USCe, ‘Bama, and UF are thin at the QB spot. Then there are teams like UT and UGA that are breaking in new QBs. UGA may be in a relatively good place with three QBs getting equal practice reps. At least I prefer to see it that way, me being a glass half full kind of guy. I read on the Senators blog that the OBC is having major injury problems and will not play a full four quarters in his spring game because he doesn’t have enough healthy players. Where have we heard that before? Coach Spurrier, I can feel your pain!
shane#1
March 27th, 2010
12:25 pm
Speaking of The Visor, heres the quote of the day, “what’s the matter Stevie, did I step on your dress?”- Bill Stanfill
Bremen Dawg
March 27th, 2010
12:38 pm
Yep, Alabama is already spying. UGA vs Alabama at the Dome for the SEC Championship. You heard it here first.
DawgNation
March 27th, 2010
12:45 pm
Shane#1
Thanks. I am pretty sure there are a lot more of old NGC’ers here. I was proud to have gone to NGC. It is one of the four Army institutions West Point, VMI, The Citadel, and NGC. Too bad you didn’t attend it was the best years and a lot of memories. I was in 78-82 so I never got to meet Capt Branch’s daughter. I’m not sure when she would have been an instructor.
I’m with on QB’s. Any of the teams you mentioned have QB problems I don’t think they have the backup yet to fill in. I think I heard that USC back up left leaving Garcia solo with a freshman who hasn’t even shown up yet the only QB’s. The half full glass thing works for me too. I think with the reps each Georgia QB are getting that a shorter learning curve will be there if the starter goes down or performs poorly. Georgia may just be in a better place in that position with the line and RB’s we have.
shane#1
March 27th, 2010
2:07 pm
DawgNation, The problem with Garcia, IMO, is that he is so inconsistant. He can play lights out in one game, then absolutely suck in the next. That has to drive the OBC crazy. I would rather coach a mediocre QB that was consistant, knew his limitations, ran the plays the way iI called them, and took care of the ball. Garcia is like Cox, you never knew if Cox was going to throw for 350 yds or throw three ints. How in the hell do you game plan for a guy like that?
DawgNation
March 28th, 2010
7:49 am
Shane#1,
I am an outsider looking in on the SC program and haven’t really paid much attention to their recruiting but from what I can tell as an outsider it looks as if the hopes the fans had when Spurrier took over was he would be able to recruit the 5 star quarterbacks and players based on his success at Florida. He found out, as did USC, that he wasn’t the sole reason for the players coming to Florida. You game plan to Garcia by setting up to his strengths and hope he performs to the potential you saw in him as a HS senior. Spurrier tends to lean hard on his quarterbacks and expects them to win all the games on their arm alone. With out the supporting cast around him it usually fails. When it doesn’t happen the funny sight of the visor hitting the ground makes me smile. That’s a lot of pressure to put on a kid. Some can handle it but most can’t.