‘Very impressed’ with QBs, Richt plans to rank them soon (PLUS: scrimmage notes)
(Scrimmage statistics are here.)
ATHENS -– After Georgia’s second scrimmage of the spring Saturday in Sanford Stadium, coach Mark Richt said: “Today, you walk away feeling like we’re in good shape” at quarterback.
Three quarterbacks battling for the starting job — Logan Gray, Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger — shared snaps, as they have throughout spring practice. And by all accounts from the intra-squad scrimmage, which was closed to the public and media, each of the three had a strong day.
“I’m not going to get into any pecking order today,” Richt said afterward. But he said, for the first time, that coaches will come up with a quarterback depth chart after spring practice concludes.
“We’ll rack ‘em where we think they are,” Richt said. “We won’t necessarily say, ‘This guy is the starter,’ but we might give a 1-2-3. We might give a co-No. 1 and a 2. . . . We’ll give some kind of indication of where we think they stack up going into the fall. . . . I just think it would be good at the end of the spring to give everybody a feeling of where we think they are.”
Richt added that he doubts “very seriously” he’d go so far after spring ball as to “say someone has won the job.”
Whatever the depth chart reveals, Richt acknowleged that Mettenberger will not start the season opener against Lousiana-Lafayette on Sept. 4 because he faces a suspension of at least one game under UGA Athletic Association policy for his alcohol-related arrest near Valdosta last month.
In Saturday’s scrimmage, Murray completed 13 of 19 passes for 159 yards and one touchdown, Mettenberger 10 of 16 for 126 yards and two TDs, and Gray 7 of 11 for 111 yards and a touchdown. Murray and Mettenberger threw one interception each, Gray none.
“The quarterbacks, I was very impressed,” Richt said. “They just had a very good command of what was going on out there. They moved well in the pocket. They made nice scrambles. . . . The throwing and catching, I thought, was outstanding. . . . Very accurate, just all of them, putting the ball on the money.”
Richt apparently wasn’t the only one impressed. “Some of the officials [working the scrimmage] even mentioned, ‘You guys are really throwing the ball well,’ ” Richt said.
Said Gray: “It seemed like our whole offense, QB’s included, just had a pretty solid day.”
“The offense was real good today,” Murray said. “I think we had our best day.”
The quarterbacks apparently have no inside information about what a post-spring depth chart might look like.
The coaches “haven’t really given us any insight or let us know yet,” Murray said. “They’ve done a good job of rotating us and making sure we had equal time with the first team and second team and stuff like that. So I really couldn’t say who’s where right now.”
———————————-
More from the scrimmage:
- A.J. Green said he was “about the second best” receiver on the field — behind Kris Durham, who caught three touchdown passes. Green had six catches for 80 yards, and Durham, who missed last season because of shoulder surgery, had four for 74. “From day one, I know he’s going to be a weapon,” Green said of Durham. “The question is, can he stay healthy?”
- Georgia’s top tailbacks have minor knee injuries. Caleb King sat out with a strained knee, and Washaun Ealey got only five carries before calling it a day with a bruised knee. King and Ealey said their injuries aren’t serious and that they should be ready to go in next Saturday’s G-Day intra-squad game. Carlton Thomas got a heavy workload at tailback in the scrimmage, gaining 93 yards on 16 carries.
- A defensive highlight was a leaping, one-handed interception by cornerback Vance Cuff in the back of the end zone. The Murray pass was intended for Green.
- Overall, Richt said the defense “didn’t have as much success as during the middle of the week, although they made some big plays at the tail end of some drives that really were impressive.”
- Richt was pleased by the scarcity of penalties –- just one against the offense and three against the defense. Two days earlier, practice had been marred by excessive penalties.
- Offensive lineman Austin Long, who missed his freshman season last fall after back surgery, has been cleared to lift weights for the first time since the surgery, Richt said.
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196 comments Add your comment
Calhoun Dawg
April 4th, 2010
1:07 pm
@ Big L…..based on your moronick response I would have to say the “L” stands for LOOSER. We want have a very good year this year cause we dont have any good quarterbacks and our best receever Darren Rogers went to UT instead of us.
Lake Oconee Dawg
April 4th, 2010
1:11 pm
dawgfan13:
They run crossing routes everyday, just for your information….They run a “mesh” route to rub off man to man coverage where two receivers cross underneath and they have a bootleg naked pass off the 1 back counter pulling the tackle to the counter side as a diversion that is their best crossing route…For you Dawgfan 13, I will speak to Coach Bobo about possibly putting in one more crossing route….Just so you would be happy….And don’t call him BOZO, cause he’s forgotten more football than you will ever know….
roger
April 4th, 2010
1:33 pm
We gotta pick a QB who QUITS THROWING INT’S!!!!
Bama was +16 in turnover margin in 2009
Florida was +7 in turnover margin in 2009
LSU was +7 in turnover margin in 2009
Georgia was -17 in turnover margin in 2009!!!!!
The td to int ratio is related to wins/losses:
fla- 25 td’s/5 int’s = 5.0 td-to-int ratio = 13-1 record
bama- 17 td’s/4 int’s = 4.25 td-to-int ratio = 14-0 record
lsu- 18 td’s/7 int’s = 2.6 td-to-int ratio = 9-4 record
Ga – 22 td’s/16 int’s= 1.38 td-to-int ratio = 8-5 record
Logan Gray Outguns Gatorade Player of the Year
April 4th, 2010
1:54 pm
In the last 2 scrimmages, Logan Gray and the Gatorade Player of the Year John Brantley are tied at 52% pass completion rate.
ESPN Chris Low Overlooks UGA Again?
April 4th, 2010
2:03 pm
Be interesting to see if Chris Low “accidentedly” forgets to post Brantley’s QB stats again after the scrimmage. I am sure Meyer doesn’t want the world knowing that Brantley has averaged 52% completion in his last 2 scrimmages.
Nor will Low likely report on the 10 bad snaps, 4 sacks, 3 interceptions, 3 fumbles, and 2 field goal misses for Florida from the Aril 3 scrimmage.
Low will likely write something like:
“The defense had a great day for Florida.”
qb derby special
April 4th, 2010
2:30 pm
Hope 1 of these UGA QB’s will seperate on G-Day with a 3 TD, 0 Int performance.
Waiting for that breakout performance.
If Mett has a huge day, lots of td’s, no int’s, there will be an outcry on the blogs if Murray gets the #1 position.
On the other hand, if Murray or Logan has a huge day like 3 td, o int’s, the job is his.
QB competition at UGA over like 50 years
April 4th, 2010
3:12 pm
UGA is at the juncture in the road for QBs that they have to engender a competitive spirit among the QB contenders and also keep that frosh QB Hutson Mason happy and studying the play book. One never knows when he might have to step in.
Over like 50 years, UGA ( we are no different than any other school) has always had a “competition” between the QBs, unless, unless he was the established guy. To argue that “Richt is cluless” proves that the writer of that idiotic statement IS clueless. Richt has developed two Heisman QBs and one # 1 draft choice plus, about 5 other FSU QBs that played in the NFL. Please, dispense with that crap. Frankly, very likely Joe Cox as better with RICHT. Imagine that …….Cox w.o. a Mark Richt. He then plays for 4 at The College of Charleston, maybe.
Kirby Moore in the early 60s had Preston Riddlehuber and then Mike Cavan in 68-69 had Paul Gilbert and Andy Johnson had some guy from SC that supposedly could hum it and then Goff in 74,75 and 76 had Matt Robinson, who was a NY Jets starter QB for more than one or two years and Buck Belue had Board Hands Jeff Pyburn and later, John Lastinger and then we had NO QBS for about 8 years. I do not count James Jackson or Edwards.
Then, later we had Erc Zeir who was special. Then, noboies again until Daivd Green and DJ Shockley played. I do not count Quincy Carter as he was simply bad medicine for the entire UGA team. That brings us up to Matt Stafford’s era who was NOT the go to guy, at first …….until Joe T was the failure that he was.
There are peaks and valleys in recruiting and for now, UGA is gonna enjoy aboyt 4-6 years of very decent QBs with what we NOW HAVE and waht is forthcoming.
Now? We have three fine and YOUNG QBs and one fine frosh ( soon to redshirt ) and we are really, really in an enviable spotfor the future for quality QBs. THAT is where all of the negativity is coming from …………JEALOUSY.
Go Dogs.
roger
April 4th, 2010
3:47 pm
Florida over the last 4 years has maintained a 4.9 td-to-int ratio. Georgia over the last 4 years has maintained a 1.96 td-to-int ratio.
Georgia has committed 14 turnovers against Florida in the last 4 seasons.
Richt doesn’t appear:
1) to be aware of the td-to-int problem (never heard him mention it)
2) to know how to fix it
3) he seems to be “very impressed” when 2 out of 3 of his qb’s turn in an 1.0 td-to-int ratio in 1st 2 scrimmages.
If Richt is ‘very impressed’ with a 1.0 td-to-int ratio, Richt doesn’t know what’s going on. This is worse than last year’s 1.3 td-to-int ratio.
Delusional Dawg
April 4th, 2010
4:08 pm
Another UGA player arrested. Must be an Urban Meyer conspiracy.
Delusional Dawg
April 4th, 2010
4:12 pm
Brantley only has a 52% completion percentage this spring?? Meyer needs to kick him off the team IMMEDIATELY! That might work against UGA, but that’s not gonna cut it against the REAL teams in the conference!
Deputy Dawg
April 4th, 2010
4:17 pm
Man….I hope the Athens- Clarke County jail is big enough to hold all the UGA thugs and felons. Hopefully enough will be out on probation before the season starts
Pi$$onaDAWG
April 4th, 2010
4:29 pm
What do they do in Athens for community service? I guess clean up the campus after a football game. I will say with only 2,679 African Americans on camups and around 1/2 of those being female it is a good bet the students on the Van Taxi were on some team at UGA. The numbers would bare that out.
Pi$$onaDAWG
April 4th, 2010
4:35 pm
I think Richt should keep the QB race going as long as he can. Make the Guys work harder to earn the spot. I think the other players will be behind the starter then. It should be interesting. Well, Tech get pads this week and we will find a backup QB and see how the 3-4 will look.
Adele
April 4th, 2010
4:43 pm
Woohoo, another UGA arrest today, and may four more tomorrow. This crap is not going to end until Richt stops recruiting thugs.
I love it!
bobbydawg
April 4th, 2010
4:45 pm
Who cares about Montez, what really matters is how its going at richt and Grantham,’s vacation homes on lake oconee. Will Damon Evans ever step up!?
Pi$$onaDAWG
April 4th, 2010
5:09 pm
Other players were twittering that is was not a football player. I guess you don’t know your teamates to well after all. I know innocent and all but already with a arrest the kids needs to be headed home on a greyhound tomarrow. Hopefully Richt will handle this fast and get back to the QB race. I hope no Tech kids get in trouble.
KimZ's Package
April 4th, 2010
5:11 pm
There is no way Russ can get the UGA VIII job now without having his butt painted every game.
how2fish
April 4th, 2010
5:24 pm
Pi$$onaDAWG “bare” this you moron…
Haley Hutchinson
April 4th, 2010
5:26 pm
BuLLdawg — Another long, rambling, post. Congratulations on using the most words to say the least.
The Dogfighter Returns
April 4th, 2010
5:28 pm
it must be summer because the darn puppies are getting carted by the bus load to vacation at Athens PD.
WTF is wrong with the water in that county up yonder.
UGA's 10 Man QB Race Derby Spectacular!
April 4th, 2010
5:33 pm
Maybe we should trow the walk-ons into the QB battle. This is using Richt and Bobo’s approach.
If competition makes QB’s better, then adding 10 more QB’s into the competition will make each QB better.
Makes perfect sense. If you’re Richt or Bobo.
Never Declare a QB Starter for UGA!!!
April 4th, 2010
5:40 pm
Come to think of it, if competiton makes the QB better, then never declare anyone a starter. Always make everyone on the team uncertain about who their leader is. Keep those QB’s competing, rotate all 10 in the games, that’s how QB’s excel–it’s all about competition, nothing to do with the NUMBER OF REPS they get!! If a guy’s declared the starter, he’ll get lazy. So NEVER DECLARE A STARTER ON THE WHOLE TEAM, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, AND ROTATE EVERYBODY, EVEN THE HEAD COACH!!!
Coahc Wooden's Philosophy is Counter to UGA's QB Rotation
April 4th, 2010
5:44 pm
Coach Wooden says his team got WORSE when he rotated players and he couldn’t ever win a championship rotating starters. It was only when he STOPPED rotating his best players out, that he started to win championships.
Then again, what does Wooden know, Bobo’s WAY smarter.
UGA's 10 Man QB Race Derby Spectacular!
April 4th, 2010
5:53 pm
Great plan. 10 qb’s. 4 scholarship QB’s and 6 walk-ons. Give each 10% of the snaps with the 1st team.
The QB skills will magically improve by 1000%, even though they’re each only getting 10% of the reps.
Pi$$onaDAWG
April 4th, 2010
5:54 pm
Howtofish what are you trying to say? Is it the wrong use of BARE? No! Are the numbers wrong? No, because they came from the Athens Banner Herald Feb. 27, 2010. Football, Baseball, Basketball, and Track teams would have a great number of the African American Students as members.
UGA's 10 Man QB Race Derby Spectacular!
April 4th, 2010
6:01 pm
Ok, right now,we have 3 QB’s “competing”.
1) assume all have exactly equal talent
2) assume the worst about each–that they’ll be lazy if named the starter
3) assume the worst about each, that they’re only pumped up by others, can’t pump themselves up,
4) rotate each evenly, reducing the reps by 67% for each starter
5) their skills will improve by 300% as reps go down by 67%
6) continue to be indecisiveness by not naming a starter until well into the fall season so the reps stay down, yet the skills go up
7) assume that indecisveness by the head coach is the key to leadership
Can UGA Players Play for 3 QB's?
April 4th, 2010
6:17 pm
Is having 3 QB’s a good thing for the WR’s and the team? Can you play for 3 QB’s?
Is Being Divided into 3 Minds Good for UGA Players?
April 4th, 2010
6:20 pm
Is being divided into 2 or 3 minds a good thing for the players? Is it how to best help them succeed? Is that doubt and uncertainty best for them? Is it best for the QB’s by reducing their reps? Is it best for the Coaches?
Very Impressed with Kirby Smart
April 4th, 2010
6:57 pm
Coach Richt needs to know, if he falters again with another 40 fumble/interception year, that there’s a guy named Kirby Smart waiting in the wings for his job. Richt is about one 8-5 season away. Maybe the idea of having someone right behind you works for Richt, if so, keep looking at Kirby Smart in the rear view mirror. Smart will not put up with a -16 turnover margin.
Deacon
April 4th, 2010
10:57 pm
Another player in jail and the possibility of more. Let change the names to the Georgia Thugs.
BuLLdawg
April 5th, 2010
5:37 am
How could you not discuss instead the arrest yesterday morning of yet another Georgia Bulldog football player ?
Quote from a blog post at 11:45 p.m. last night :
“All these off campus incidents need to stop.”
Well, unfortunately, we have become a group of fans who have a new list of excuses for each and every 1 of now 90 arrests / suspensions in the Coach Richt Era that began now 9 years ago. That’s 90 available today on the Internet 9 years later, documented.
You can say that he was a very good football player. He was. He was previously suspended twice for 3 games on 2 previous arrests. 3 of the 90 arrested / suspended Georgia Bulldogs in the Coach Richt Era are his alone.
T J Stripling 6′6″ 215 lbs. 4.6 speed was going to beat him out as Starter on the field at some point and Montez Robinson 6′5″ 235 lbs 4.6 speed was going to be a big help coming in off the bench, although Robinson was recruited here one year ago.
In that year, Coach Richt has taken a lot of heat for his 90 now arrests / suspensions readily available for anyone to see on the Internet. This at a time when for the last 4 years since DJ Shockley’s graduation when UGA has gone 1-3 vs the vols 1-3 vs Florida 21 fumbles a year for the last 4 years now 14 interceptions a year for the last 4 years now and averaged # 96 in the NCAA in Penalties the last 4 years now.
We have never beat a Final AP Poll Top 10 Bowl Opponent. The 1st SEC Championship we got 5-loss FSU and the 2nd SEC Championship we Lost our bowl game. That was 5 years ago now, this coming season. In these last 4 years since we have gone 10 wins 10 losses the last 20 games against SEC East teams. We did get to play in a 3rd BCS Bowl game against what is in fact Hawaii Number 19 in the Final AP Poll, but that was after we lost to the 4-loss vols and lost to the 6-loss South Carolina when South Carolina did not even play in a bowl game.
BuLLdawg
April 5th, 2010
5:38 am
We cannot get out of our own division, fired the entire coaching staff on the defensive side of the ball except for the 1 guy who recruited Montez Robinson here, and should have fired the entire offensive coaching staff.
Instead, Coach Richt has taken over all the Offensive Coaching Staff’s duties. Teach the Quarterbacks, run the offense, and even determine the depth chart for the offensive coaching staff.
You can expect another arrest May 5. It is what we have done for 9 solid years.
Montez Robinson was the number 8 best Defensive End in the nation and the top football player of all positions in the state of Indiana. Alabama, for example, thought they had Montez Robinson this time last year, only to have our recruiting class rankings add Montez Robinson instead.
We have not done our duty to society with Montez Robinson. We have had to react to now 90 arrests / suspensions readily available for all to see on the Internet like this story right here by David Hale in the Coach Richt Era.
Comparing us to Florida over the Coach Richt Era or even over Urban Meyer tenure, we have had a lot more arrested / suspended than Florida – although Florida’s are more high profile.
The problem is that our 90 arrests / suspensions in the Coach Richt Era are 1 a month for 9 years. March 7 Zach Mettenberger to April 4 Montez Robinson for example.
There are actually more than 90 arrests / suspensions in the Coach Richt Era. I don’t have the time or inclination to find them when these 90 pop right up for everyone to easily tally up.
BuLLdawg
April 5th, 2010
5:39 am
It’s a problem for Coach Richt in the face of him having to take over the Offensive Coaching Staff’s complete job description admitting Mike Bobo cannot handle it all by himself and having to fire his entire Defensive and Special Teams’ Coaching Staffs as well. It is obviously not possible to go a month without an arrest / suspension.
Just as it is not possible for us to beat a Top 10 Final AP Poll team in a bowl game – you know a big huge win on the national stage.
Just as it is not possible to beat Florida.
Just as it is not possible to have the expectation to win more than 10 games in 14-game seasons nowadays.
9-4 or 10-3 that is our HOPE for the season.
QB ? Do we have a QB ready like Florida has ? No. We did not have one ready for 2010, 2009 or 2006.
Maybe we should have done more for Montez Robinson. We have bigger fish to fry right now than deal with him on top of all this. Best of Luck Montez Robinson. You should have chosen a place without 90 arrests / suspensions where you could be dealt with properly. You obviously did not fear your 1 game suspension Shreveport Bowl Game your 1st arrest last October 20 beating up a woman. You did not fear your 2 game suspension to start this 2010 season with your 2nd arrest November 30 then bashing her car’s taillights drunk in public, and now you have another battery arrest. The best place for you to learn that lesson is in jail.
Jeff
April 5th, 2010
7:18 am
hmmmmm….have learned from the past not to read to much into all of this…….how about lets just stop with the “feel good” messages and do the talking on the field next year….novel concept..huh?
SaintsLSU
April 5th, 2010
8:44 am
What up Dawg fans? Your baseball team gave us a tough series in the first two games. Ya’ll beat us pretty good in the second game, but then we had to take care of business in the rubber match. Even though your record isn’t good now, that team will be good. Its mostly all fresh and sophs. You guys were just in the CWS in ‘08, but lost a lot of talent from that team. As for my Tigers, we are gonna make another run to OMAHA! Geaux Tigers!!!
trailer park manager
April 5th, 2010
10:10 am
Logan Gray Outguns Gatorade Player of the Year and ESPN Chris Low Overlooks UGA Again?
April 4th, 2010
Most Gator fans are just interested about all SEC teams and because we live in the Area we read the AJC. But it is idiots like Patrick that cause us to write the negative crap replys about UGA.
Just so all of you clones know who this idiot is; its Patrick!!! http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1158327737&ref=name
Florida Bloggers Upset with Gators!
April 5th, 2010
11:55 am
The Gatos own blogs are going nuts. They are so upset with the Gators mistakes. you have to read their blog. too funny.
http://www.gatorcountry.com/football/article/mistakes_the_norm_at_saturday_scrimmage/8800
Florida Fans Say Gators Lack Depth
April 5th, 2010
12:59 pm
the Gator fans are NOT excited about the depth issues for both the offensive line AND the defensive line for the Gators. It truly will be one of the biggest falls from 1 season to the next in Meyer’s history as a coach. 13-1 to 6-6? Very likely. too many holes to fill.
http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20100403/ARTICLES/100409813/1136?Title=Lines-lacking-depth
Delusional Dawg
April 5th, 2010
1:24 pm
Well Patrick, guess we might as well put the Spring Football National trophy right next to the Fulmer Cup in the ‘ol trophy case this year. After all, Brantley can’t complete any of his passes and Bama can’t miss a pass againt that decimated defense. Hope springs eternal. Then what always happens is here comes the Fall… and then the fall. And reality and the real season sets in once again. There are plenty of “springtime heros”, like who that little running back who was the star of your Spring Game last year??
Logan Gray Equals #3 QB in the Nation Brantley
April 5th, 2010
1:45 pm
According to ESPN, Brantley is the 3rd best QB in the nation. And Logan Gray, has the same completion rate as Brantley at 53% in the last 2 scrimmages.
Murray- 68%
Mettenberger- 65%
Gray- 53%
#3 Best QB in Nation Brantley According to ESPN- 53%
Football is now about turnovers
April 5th, 2010
3:28 pm
Like it or not, the best don’t necessarily win anymore. It’s not even the team with the best coaches, or the best talent.
Which guys:
1) force turnovers on defense and special teams
2) protect the ball on offense and special teams
Like it or not, that’s football in 2010. Change or get your lunch eaten.
Like how Dan Hawkins is Tracking QB's
April 5th, 2010
3:34 pm
Dan Hawkins is a smart man. He’s using the computer to track every play the QB’s make, and they can come up and check in with the compunerd guy, anytime they want to know where they stand.
Very objective.
http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/11551/colorado-qb-race-starts-with-a-chart
Ron Burgundy
April 5th, 2010
3:46 pm
Sure is alot of uga haters in here..it make yall feel better bout your teams or just nothing better to do with your days?
Football is now about turnovers
April 5th, 2010
7:13 pm
Out of the 12 teams in the NFL who made the playoffs, only 1 had a negative turnover margin.
http://simononsports.blogspot.com/2010/01/quick-regressions-turnover-margin-to.html
Generally speaking, for each 4 turnovers you force, you can add a win. So if you force 39 turnovers, like the Saints did, you should be Champs if your offense doesn’t GIVEAWAY the ball too much on their side.
I feel sure Grantham, Belin, and Lakatos will force turnovers, I do NOT feel sure the offense will PROTECT THE BALL.
John Brantley, the New Joe Cox
April 5th, 2010
8:04 pm
Consider the similarities.
Both had excellent high school stats.
Both missed out on starting for a few seasons due to a better QB in front of them.
Both had great scrimmages and practices.
Both had great game stats in mop up duties.
Brantley will turn into a Joe Cox. Throw a couple of dozen tds, maybe 2500 yards, and around 15 or 16 interceptions. And Brantley’s team will finish like 8-5, give or take a game less or more.
Bill W.
April 6th, 2010
10:32 am
Murray & Gray Co-#1 (Murray will start) and Mettenberger(b/c of suspension)#2.