Notes and quotes on position change, injuries (updated), QB race
(Updated 11:30 a.m.)
Justin Anderson seems intrigued and excited about his move from offensive line to defensive line, where he’ll probably play the nose position in Georgia’s new 3-4 defense.
Anderson said he first heard rumblings about a possible move in January but didn’t believe it would happen until coach Mark Richt called him into his office early last week.
“What was explained to me was that I was needed more on the defensive line than the offensive line,” Anderson said. “Because the offensive line has some depth with Tanner [Strickland] and Trint [Sturdivant] coming back [from injuries] and on the defensive line we lost Kade [Weston] and Jeff [Owens and Geno Atkins]. So we need to fill some bodies on defense. So I was like, ‘Of course. Change can’t hurt.’”
Anderson won’t be able to practice at his new position until summer, because he’s sidelined this spring after January surgery on his right shoulder. In the meantime, he plans to “learn as much as I can” from attending D-line meetings and studying the playbook, and he plans to drop 13 or 14 pounds to play the new position at about 320.
Anderson played on both the offensive and defensive lines at Irwin County High School. He said he was recruited mostly as an offensive lineman, although he noted that Georgia Tech wanted him as a defensive lineman.
“I feel like I got better as an offensive lineman [at Georgia], but injuries set me back,” Anderson said. “I just haven’t had a good career yet. I’m thankful I have two more years left to do what I can do.”
————————————-
Here’s an update on backup offensive lineman A.J. Harmon’s injury in Saturday’s scrimmage: He has a high ankle sprain, UGA said this morning, and will be sidelined for the remainder of spring practice.
On an earlier blog, someone asked about tailback Dontavious Jackson’s performance in the scrimmage. Jackson did not participate because of an ankle sprain.
Others who didn’t scrimmage because of injuries: OLB Justin Houston (shoulder), WR Marlon Brown (shoulder), WR Israel Troupe (hamstring) and TE Bruce Figgins (hamstring). None of those injuries are believed to be severe.
Full report on Saturday’s scrimmage is here.
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Here’s tight end Aron White’s take from late last week on the quarterbacks:
“I think they’re all doing really great. [Zach] Mettenberger has come out there and continued to perform. Logan Gray is probably in the best shape he’s ever been in; I think he looks like a specimen. Aaron [Murray] has been doing very well also; he’s a guy who’s a tremendous worker and puts in a lot of time outside practice. . . . It’s just so hard to tell at this point. . . . Whoever the coaches put in there, I feel like is going to get the job done, because all of them are very capable.”
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No football practice today. Georgia practices Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday this week. Saturday will be the second scrimmage of the spring in Sanford Stadium.
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283 comments Add your comment
Ernesto P. Chubbaleen
March 29th, 2010
12:17 pm
I agree that Mett’s footwork has gotten significantly better. However, getting better from being a Frankenstein puts things into perspective.
The reason why people are behind Murray is because of his Elite 11 status #2 all time behind Stafford, his compelling senior season coming off a broken leg and leading his team to a state championship. That shows will, leadership, toughness, desire… all the things that make a great quarterback. He also has a very quick release, can throw on the run and is an accurate passer. I think the starting role is his to lose.
Regarding the Taliban Trade School, we’ll beat them again, only this time by 2 TD’s!!!
PTC DAWG
March 29th, 2010
12:23 pm
Just get a registration process and makes these boards decent…otherwise, you’re spitting in the wind.
bob stringer
March 29th, 2010
12:24 pm
James Carpenter (OT), Chance Warmack(OG), Darius McKeller(ot), Alabama, Byron Isom (OG), Ed Christian (OT),Auburn, Jujuan James (OT), Tennessee, Maurice Hurt (OG) Florida, Ray Dominguez (OT) Arkansas, Sergio Render(OT) Va. Tech, and we move Kiante Tripp, and Justin Anderson. Fla. starts Mike Pouncey and we start Ben Jones. This is insane. No more former Uga players from South Ga. as coaches.Whoever is making these decisions on talent eval. on the offensive line is costing us national titles. What a crazy place UGA is!
mgdawg
March 29th, 2010
12:39 pm
Dog Dawg, at the D1 level injuries are cared for more conservatively, especially out of season.
Sounds like mettenberger and murray are the clear favorites, completion percentage was pretty much the same and one int in a spring game isn’t a big deal. The fact that mettenberger will miss atleast the first game really hurts him.
Pago Flyer
March 29th, 2010
12:55 pm
Yes, what the heck happened to the Diamond DAWGS?
Blue Max
March 29th, 2010
12:58 pm
I’m glad Mark Richt is not the coach of the Fightin’ Gators. We need a coach in Gainesville that is willing to show his lack of class one day and then privately apologize the next. Thank God Jeremy Foley got Urban Meyer to apologize to Jeremy Fowler or the SEC media days this Summer would have been horrific.
bbd
March 29th, 2010
1:08 pm
who cares – they are a running team anyway
dolby conn
March 29th, 2010
1:08 pm
Zach Mett has swagger, style, confidence. The guys responded well to him on the field in the scrimmage–says a lot. Richt should LOVE that FSU swagger that Zach brings. A little confidence, backed up by some mad skillz, could be what UGA needs to dominate in 2010. Cox looked like a deer caught in headlights most of the season.
qb derby special
March 29th, 2010
1:13 pm
Mett’s size is the most Pro-Style of the Georgia QB’s. He’s like Peyton Manning there. Big, strong guy, with a big arm. 6′ 5”, accuracy and footwork are the key to Mett winning the QB derby. It will be fun to see if that was a fluke, or if Mett is the real deal. Too early to tell.
bbd
March 29th, 2010
1:13 pm
Not to mention, one helluva partier too!
Blue Max
March 29th, 2010
1:14 pm
I love Ball less Dawgs who copy other handles. I guess they licked too hard.
Mark Richt
March 29th, 2010
1:15 pm
I hope I beat Ky and Vandy this year.
Techie
March 29th, 2010
1:19 pm
“Logan Gray is probably in the best shape he’s ever been in; I think he looks like a specimen”
Would that be a stool specimen?
takedowndawg
March 29th, 2010
1:29 pm
BLUE MAX, BLUE MAX?? Sounds like the name of a possible gay club downtown ATL. Could it be , blue max? By the way, a take down is a brutal tackle made behind your opponent’s line of scrimmage for a loss. FYI
Pi$$onaDAWG
March 29th, 2010
1:47 pm
UGA and Tech people quit with the stupib name calling and “MAKE a Joke” or tahl about what is going good or bad. UGA’s should be a top 5 team easy just look at who they play and the History. SOC may suck because UGA ain’t playing many good teams as we see then to start 2010.
Louisians- Lafayette 0-0 UGA WIN easy.
So. Carolina 43-14 UGA just has to showup most times.
Arkansas 9-3 UGA has them in the Septic Tank.
Miss State 16-5 Ga. Tech beat them 2 in a row.
Colorado 1-0 Took their best 5 downs to TIE TECH 4 NC
Tenn 16-20 UGA has not played the good as of late
VANDY 49-15 UGA homecomming can the dawgs lose this?
Kentucky 49-12 UGA fans left in the 4th last year!!!!
GATORS 47-39 UGA might not paint Russ’ butt UGA WIN
Idaho St 0-0 What Clarke Central was busy?
Auburn 50-49 This is always a ?
Tech 56-38 But TECH & ACC sux! UGA in a walk? Haha
Boy UGA should be a top 10 having the VOLS come to the septic tank. What a joke of a Schedule Will you need Ga Tech to tie like a Notre Dame so you can get to the National Championship Game like in 1980?
Monticello Dawg
March 29th, 2010
1:47 pm
UGA baseball- I cannot believe how bad this pitching staff is, however 3 trips to Omaha will be enough to give Perno a pass for this season.
How2fish
March 29th, 2010
1:53 pm
Blue Max you really think CUM can make it through the season..poor man is already melting down..best of luck with that but I have my doubt’s
Pi$$onaDAWG
March 29th, 2010
1:53 pm
SOS not SOC. I was thinking conference sorry.
RAMMER JAMMER YELLOW HAMMER
March 29th, 2010
2:04 pm
would love to see bama and the dawgs in the dome in december, so saban and smart can school grantham
Mark "2-7" Richt
March 29th, 2010
2:11 pm
We won’t see Bama at the Dome, we will see them next year in the regular season. I think we will have another blackout!!
DawgNation
March 29th, 2010
2:12 pm
RAMMER JAMMER YELLOW HAMMER ,
Your on. Would love to see that match up and Grantham can tell em that is how its done in the pros.
Pi$$onaDAWG
March 29th, 2010
2:14 pm
What will be the UGA excuse be this year when UGA isn’t the SEC EAST rep in ATLANTA? UF OWNs a Mutt? Vince’s Wife told her son some secrets? Man how did Kentucky do it to us again? Auburn and UGA always swap Home and Away wins? Why are the Bees tearing down our hedges again? WHERE IS MY JOHN DEERE LAWN TRACTOR I AM HEADED to SHERVEPORT NOW!
JMac 01203
March 29th, 2010
2:19 pm
Tech fans get on here so they can read how delusional you are and have a good laugh. And remember it took a bowl win against an undeserving Texas A&M team to get that 8th win last season. You might have to try for the same to get 8 this season. 7 wins would be a great season. An untested QB, a new defensive scheme… yeah, be thankful for 7 wins.
RAMMER JAMMER YELLOW HAMMER
March 29th, 2010
2:20 pm
hey richt,we shall see.bama wont be pre season # 1 because there going to be bad . reloading not rebuilding
Blue Max
March 29th, 2010
2:20 pm
How2, of course he will. Everything the guy does is for effect. Like him or not, he and Saban will continue to own the SEC. Meyer isnt going anywhere.
Tech rambler
March 29th, 2010
2:22 pm
U G A Y fans, what are you going to do when you find out the the Cleveland FREAKING Browns knew what they were doing when the fired Big Boy Grantham as their D Coordinator?
KimZ's Package
March 29th, 2010
2:25 pm
I have some unpublished photos of the Gym Dawgs and the HORSE RIDING HONEYS. Please hit KimZ’sGrlz and get the pics. I need the money.
KJ
March 29th, 2010
2:29 pm
“UGA and Tech people quit with the stupib name calling and “MAKE a Joke” or tahl about what is going good or bad ”
Pi$$onaDAWG, you should probably stop drinking so early in the day. I mean, I realize it’s probably the only way for you to forget that you’re a pathetic middle-aged loser who barely scraped by at chattahoochee tech, but that doesn’t mean the rest of us should have to suffer for it.
KJ
March 29th, 2010
2:31 pm
Seriously, if any of you gnatards want to bet your Geek Squad paychecks that UGA wins fewer than 8 games this year, please, PLEASE let me know.
KimZ's Package
March 29th, 2010
2:31 pm
How many hours on Clipboard Holding does Coach BOBO and Dalton Rug Richt give to the UGA QB’s? I guess Greene and Zeir are the Ass Profs with Bobo and Richt the Magun Cum Loudly.
ugaaccountant
March 29th, 2010
2:34 pm
“Logan Gray is probably in the best shape he’s ever been in; I think he looks like a specimen”
That’s the best his High School teammate can say about him? Clearly destined for 3rd place if the guy who should be his #1 supporter isn’t even talking about his QB ability.
KimZ's Package
March 29th, 2010
2:36 pm
KJ I just type and don spell check but I spent all yesterday doing research and I checked back on the UGA blog. Too funny. You dawgs are already attacking each other. I will pour a jack on Ice in about 2 hours. Tell me again whay you shouldn’t be a top 5 team before the UT game? UGA has a NC schedule that 8 of the top 15 teams could ride right to the Glass football, but not RICHT.
Blue Max
March 29th, 2010
2:37 pm
Of course Urban Meyer will make it through 2010. Why do you think he’s screaming at reporters taking attention and pressure off his team during the Spring practice?
DawgNation
March 29th, 2010
2:39 pm
10:04 this blog was posted. By 10:57 the first real irrelevant comment and by 11:11 everything else went to the trash heap. So much for intelligent discussion of a topic.
anotherdawg
March 29th, 2010
2:39 pm
Very good article Tim! Thanks for the updates!
HBTD
March 29th, 2010
2:40 pm
The sky is the limit with the team this year. My guess is that Richt is low keying it, but make no mistake about it, the Dawgs are loaded this year!!! With a break here and there, Dawgs can, and should, run the table. Of course the conference opposition will be tough, always is, but the out of conference schedule is terribly weak this year with Louisiana, Colorado, Idaho State and of course Tech who looks very weak again by SEC standards. My guess is that the Ga. Fl. game will once again decide who represents the East in the SECCG against Bama.
Looking forward to G-Day and the upcoming season!
Go Dawgs!!
Red Max
March 29th, 2010
2:41 pm
I am afraid that Urban will continue to own us Dawgs until he quits or croaks.
Blue Max
March 29th, 2010
2:42 pm
Sky is the limit? It is every year until the dogs under perform.
how2fish
March 29th, 2010
2:44 pm
The dawgs will win the SEC East this year and the NC in 2011.
Past Stats Don't Matter
March 29th, 2010
2:46 pm
Florida fans live in the past. Right now, Brantley is completing about 40% of his passes. Mett & Murray are completing aorund 70%. We live in the present here at UGA. And the present is lookin’ might fine for UGA, offense not good presently for Florida. Maybe by the Alabama game they’ll have improved without Tebow, Hernandez, and no go-to WR’s or RB’s but it’s doubtful.
KimZ's Package
March 29th, 2010
2:47 pm
DawgNation then make people register, Show Many years of Ticket Stubs, or a Diploma. Most UGA fans never attended a game or went to school in Athens. Just cuz Iz got a hat on sale at Walmart and had sex with a UGA freshman female before the 15lbs turned into 30 and an addiction don’t make me a DAWG! Well, unless I can get on the net and fakes itz.
HBTD
March 29th, 2010
2:49 pm
Uh oh! Looks like the HS kiddies have been dismissed for the day. I’m out.
DawgNation
March 29th, 2010
2:50 pm
KimZ’sPackage,
I rest my case.
hit em' hard
March 29th, 2010
2:50 pm
Gray’s conditioning will come in handy as QB, WR, or DB. Good to hear he is also in top condition.
Other SEC players are switching from offense to defense, like Jul. Jones of Alabama, switching over to safety because Alabama lost 8 players on defense.
termigator
March 29th, 2010
2:50 pm
Past Stats Don’t Matter, UF fans live in the past? hahahahaha You live in a 1980 time warp. Your team and HC are not relevant. Florida hasn’t lost to Vandy or Kentucky in 30 years.
Steve
March 29th, 2010
2:51 pm
One of the biggest reasons we lose is Evans scheduling. UF and Alabama played 3 weak sisters last year, we played one – change our schedules, our results may be different. This year – 2 weak sisters, same as UF – we’ll see what happens.
This is not to minimize our penalties, lack of cover on kick offs, and Willie’s terrible game planning sometimes, but the other is a factor as well….
Blue Max
March 29th, 2010
2:52 pm
Why do I use the name of the pills I take before I sit in side by side bathtubs with Urban Meyer as my handle?
KimZ's Package
March 29th, 2010
2:53 pm
HOW2FISH: you must be catching Trouser Minnows! You are fishing with C R A Z Y bate! Richt will have to have VINCE’S LUCK & have another Team to get UGA to the BIG GAME.
RAMMER JAMMER YELLOW HAMMER
March 29th, 2010
2:53 pm
BAMA lost 7 starters on defense from the 08 season and we see how that turned out
Blue Max
March 29th, 2010
2:54 pm
Yeah! Bulldogs live in the past! Way back in 1980? Gators history started in 1990! That’s why the Fightin’ Gators live in the here and now!