Wide receivers: Green’s final season? Brown’s breakout season?
(Note: I’m on vacation, so the UGA blog is on quasi-hiatus. But rather than shutting down entirely, I thought we could use this lull for a leisurely look at the 2010 football team. I put together synopses of the various position groups, and one will post each weekday. This is the second in the series.)
WIDE RECEIVERS
- Returning starters: FLK A.J. Green, SE Tavarres King.
- Others to watch: Fifth-year senior Kris Durham returns for a final season after being redshirted last year because of a shoulder injury/surgery, and sophomores Rantavious Wooten and Marlon Brown are expected to have impacts.
- Key loss: Michael Moore graduated (and signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent).
- Key fact: Green, a junior, is widely projected as a top-five pick in the 2011 NFL draft, a clue this will be his final year in Athens. So enjoy the show.
- Key questions: Can Green have his first injury-free year at Georgia (strained groin throughout ‘08, bruised lung and separated shoulder in ‘09) and achieve his goal of an All-America season? And can Brown live up to his high-school accolades?
- Recent developments: Logan Gray will work extensively at wide receiver, although it remains unclear exactly how he’ll juggle that role with preparing as the No. 2 quarterback. . . . Nagging injuries to Brown and Israel Troupe during spring practice reduced the number of scholarship WR’s on the field to four at times.
- Outlook: Green is, as you know, an electrifying talent, and his supporting cast is promising, if not proven. King started nine games last year, had a good spring and has added strength and weight (he’s at 192 pounds). Durham’s experience and sure hands should help. Wooten showed flashes last season, and coaches seem convinced Brown will come into his own after struggling to get onto the field as a freshman. (Mark Richt said recently that Brown wasn’t physically challenged in his high school league and “I really felt it was going to take him a little time to get up to speed with SEC play.”) Also, it should be noted that Georgia expects the tight ends (tomorrow’s topic) to be big pass-catching weapons.
- Your turn: What say you about the wide receivers?
Earlier in this series:
The offensive line: 155 starts and counting.
Tomorrow: Tight ends.
And please follow @ajcuga on Twitter for the latest on the Bulldogs and related matters.
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169 comments Add your comment
Urbane Myers
June 15th, 2010
10:30 am
Where do I give for the Aurthur Marshall legal appeal fund…. Once a convict leg humper..always a convict..did Arthur think he was still at UGAY
Bruce Mac
June 15th, 2010
10:37 am
All of you Yechsters and Gayturds continue to display your ignorance by projecting that the Dawgs are going to Shreveport again. The SEC does not have ties to Shreveport anymore so that is not possible. Talk about a fan base that does not have a clue, that would be you retards.
sogadog
June 15th, 2010
10:38 am
Israel Troupe is the dark horse in this race. If the coaches give him a chance he will excel. He has talent and speed, and he is a great kid who works hard. I dont understand why he doesnt get more playing time. Against Auburn last year, when Green was injured, Troupe entered the game in Green’s spot. As I understand the story, Joe Cox did not realize Troupe was in before the ball was snapped and he thought he was going to throw to Green. However, Troupe hauled in the pass and made the touchdown. That touchdown was the difference in the game.
Bruce Mac
June 15th, 2010
10:40 am
Urbane Myers, the Gayturds and Yech have the only players kicked off the team this past week you idiot. Some people are so stupid it is embarrasing.
Dorsey Hill
June 15th, 2010
10:44 am
Tim and Urbane,
That’s funny. It reminds me of some of the stuff I wrote on a gator blog…. Wait a minute, I haven’t been on a gator blog because 1) they aren’t my team and 2) I’m not pathetic.
Why yech fans and reptiles constantly obsess over the UGA blogs is just beyond me. Does your collective classlessness know no bounds? Why don’t you gators go over to the Bama blog and run your mouths? Its because you are cowards isn’t it? Why don’t you yech fans get together and figure out how you lost the biggest recruit in the CPJ era in Nick Marshall who’d rather play DB at UGA than be your star QB?
tim
June 15th, 2010
10:46 am
Bruce Mac you can spell anyway you want to that will not change the truth, and the truth is uga cannot compete with the Gators not last year and certainly not this year…you just don’t have the players Bruce..you can rah rah all day long but when the rubber meets the road uga is still second rate
TechFan
June 15th, 2010
10:47 am
Dorsey Hill – ouch! I will shut up now!
Jax Gator
June 15th, 2010
10:50 am
tim – as a Gator fan you sound like an idiot. UGA has great players and I am pretty sure everyone who watches college football knows that. UGA’s down fall has been their coaching staff. We have had better coaching then UGA in recent years plain and simple.
Eisendawg
June 15th, 2010
10:52 am
Urbane, try this site:
CollegeFootballTalk NBC Sports
Florida cornerback Wondy Pierre-Louis is wanted on five felony charges after a serious altercation with his girlfriend.
According to reports, Pierre-Louis choked his girlfriend, threatened her life, and tried to strangle her, and now faces charges of domestic battery by strangulation, burglary, simple battery, false imprisonment and hindering/delaying communication to law enforcement. The senior cornerback apparently became enraged when he saw his girlfriend with another man.
There’s several other’s listed on this site. People are people, there’s good ones, bad ones, and some good ones that make a mistake. This applies to all teams, and life in general.
tim
June 15th, 2010
10:54 am
Jax Gator….please
hobnail boot
June 15th, 2010
10:55 am
I think that Israel Troupe will will finally live up to his potential and make a big impact this season. We saw some flashes last season. Brown has a long way to go in my opinion. I hope that Durham can help in bringing him along.
Jax Gator
June 15th, 2010
11:01 am
tim – I don’t understand why you are on here in the first place bashing UGA fans. I live in ATL so I read some of these articles but I rarely comment. Now I do comment about my team on the Gator boards. The Gator fans on here that just bash UGA all day are an embarrassment to our fan base. Do you really have nothing better to do? But I guess all schools have their idiot fans. If you want to talk Gator football let me know and I can give you some good sites to go to.
Ouch!
June 15th, 2010
11:03 am
little timmy is getting made fun of by his own kind. Even UF fans don’t want you cheering for their team. HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Eisendawg
June 15th, 2010
11:05 am
Jax Gator,…. Thanks!
Joe
June 15th, 2010
11:07 am
I hope and pray that we dont look back on the three years AJ was here as wasted….he is such a telent- hope we can do something while he is here. That will have alot to do with 1. Offensive line FINALLY living up to expectations and executing and 2. our QB not throwing to the other team more than to his own
tim
June 15th, 2010
11:08 am
I’m just being true to the tradition Jax Gator…I lived in Atl for 20 years during uga’s heyday in the late 70’s early 80’s and had all that puppy abuse heaped on UF..If you can read you’ll see that it’s uga football that I bash not the fans…so you’re either a Gator or you’re not…just keep sticking up for the puppies you ahole
Jax Gator
June 15th, 2010
11:15 am
tim – Really tim? You are worried about what some fans said to you 30 to 40 years ago? Really? That means you have to be in your 50’s or 60’s. Yikes now that is really embarrassing. Let it go old man. You obviously have a lot of anger built up from 30+ years ago. I can’t imagine what those mean UGA fans could have said to you. I am off to the Gator blogs. Enjoy yourself on here! Sorry UGA fans but looks like you are stuck with this crazy old man. Go Gators!
Sonny Saddle
June 15th, 2010
11:16 am
Marlon Brown has great size & speed but it’s the mental side of the game that worries me about Marlon—he looked lost on G-Day. Georgia runs a complex offense, some guys just can’t understand it, Brown is one of those. Hopefully that will change.
As far as WR’s go, Durham & King will have a strong year. Wooten is on the same side as AJ, so his touches will be limited unless AJ gets injured again.
I’d like to see Wooten used as a Percy type of runner, and punt returner, he’s one of the best playmakers on the team. Really impressed with Wooten as I watched the games last year. He just makes plays.
But, since Wooten’s behind AJ on the WR chart, look for Durham and T. King to have the strongest season. Tavarres King is small, but like Golden Tate, it doesn’t seem to matter. T. King is extremely productive once he gets the ball. Durham needs to stay injury free, he knows the playbook inside out, could have a big impact if he stays healthy.
tim
June 15th, 2010
11:20 am
Jax Gator…now you’re the name calling jerk. You certainly are not a Gator because no UF fan would ever post the crap you’ve posted here..just stay in Atl buddy because you’ve already become a dog in every sense of the word
DesertDawg
June 15th, 2010
11:24 am
Sonny Saddle – You mean Wooten is small right? T. King is 6-1 and up to 192 now. I wouldn’t call that small for a WR.
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
June 15th, 2010
11:24 am
If AJ doesn’t have the year he wants to have (all-american), IMO, he’ll stay for his senior year. Other than that- I could see Gray be like a Jordan Shipley or Riley Cooper in the WR dept.
Sorry guy!
June 15th, 2010
11:27 am
tim – might want to switch and become a Tech fan. UF doesn’t want you. Tech will gladly take you. They only have like 300 fans as it is.
Sonny Saddle
June 15th, 2010
11:30 am
Yep, Wooten’s small. What worries me about the WR’s is injuries. Durham’s had all kinds of injuries last 2 seasons, ankle, borke his hand, and shoulder. AJ’s been injured last 2 seasons too. If Durham & AJ go down, as far as the WR’s go, T King & Wooten will really need to step up, AND stay injury free. We have Troupe & Brown, but both have not been an every down type of guy. Could get dicey there. Thankfully, Logan Gray also moved over there, so adds some much needed additional depth.
Eisendawg
June 15th, 2010
11:35 am
I agree Sonny. AJ is the greatest receiver in UGA history talent wise, but is he durable enough for the NFL? I hope so; he’s exciting to watch.
Sonny Saddle
June 15th, 2010
11:36 am
Logan Gray’s a team oriented guy. I’d love to see him rewarded with some touches, bet he can make plays, fast, and knowing the playbook as well as he does, and knowing what the QB needs, could be a big advantage for him. His loyalty should count for something. Wouldn’t be a bit surprised if Logan Gray shows some star quality if given a chance, especially if Georgia gets hit with some injuries at WR again, good chance of that happening.
Eisendawg
June 15th, 2010
11:38 am
Look for the tight ends to be really involved this year. We’re deep there, it helps the running game, and causes some major match-up problems for a defense.
Sonny Saddle
June 15th, 2010
11:41 am
Durham & AJ, like Aaron Murray, lack body awareness and decision making. They don’t seem to think through impact, hits, falls, angles, etc, so they all get injured a lot. I don’t kwow if you can coach body awareness, I doubt it, so for these three, I think the injuries will keep on happening. Which is a bummer.
Contractor
June 15th, 2010
11:49 am
Sonny Saddle,
A.J. Green doesn’t think through impact, hits, falls, and angles? Take a look at some film and see the acrobatic catches he has made and the position he has put his body in to get nailed because he goes up and leaves his feet for the ball. And when he catches the ball in stride, he rarely is caught or touched, until he stops in the end zone. Someone who puts their body on the line like he does is going to get banged up. Running backs and tight ends are used to it, so therefor they are more blow takers, but wide receivers are made to get open and stay away from the contact, duh.
Sonny Saddle
June 15th, 2010
11:49 am
Georgia’s only chance is stay injury free on the O-Line, QB, and at WR. Both have been problematic last few years.
Need to use the TE’s more, maybe even as a primary option.
Need to run the ball more, most O-Line, QB & WR injuries happen on passing plays. Not sure Richt will stay with a heavy run philosophy in SEC match-ups, especially if the O-Line gets banged up against SC & Ark, Georgia usually abandons the run in situations like that, because being arun heavy, counters Richt’s natural inclination. Richt has Charlie Weiss syndrome, pass happy. Leads to turnovers and injuries.
Unbelievable
June 15th, 2010
11:52 am
Marlon Brown will be another victim of the typical he doesn’t know the plays yet.
You know the Knowshon Morreno excuse
Unbelievable
June 15th, 2010
11:52 am
Hope Im wrong though
Eisendawg
June 15th, 2010
11:53 am
Durham & AJ, both long in body, and willing to lay out to make a play are more prone to get hurt, especially in traffic. I heaven’t heard of any Murray injuries, other than the broken leg. He seems to have a pretty good pocket awareness, although the spring game this year was not a good performance. But, if he manages the game well, hopefully he’ll be fine. He has a veteran line, and alot of skilled players around him. If he performs well, and this defense can pick up the new scheme quick enough, it could be a good year.
Sonny Saddle
June 15th, 2010
11:53 am
AJ has good pass receving skills, but poor body awareness when it comes to contact. AJ injured last 2 years in a row obviously lacks body awareness when it comes to contact, Durham too, Murray too. You have to know how to handle contact from a player, or the ground.
Sonny Saddle
June 15th, 2010
11:57 am
Herschel Walker was a master in college at handling contact properly, great decisions. He was durable, always seemed to be thinking ahead to the contact and how to position his body so he was ready for it. Off-season conditioning was also a key–nobody has ever worked harder in the off-season than Herschel. Very smart guy–Walker was Valedictorian.
Bill W.
June 15th, 2010
11:59 am
Tim, why are you on his blog? If you are a true Gator fan then you would let the score and series record the past 17 of 20 years speak for itself. UF conitinues to have better recruting classes and execution. With that said The Dawgs recruits and players are just as talented, it just hasn’t translated on the field whether its execution, coaching or both. Predicition I’ll make is that UF won’t keep this up starting this season. The Dawgs loaded up with any of the top teams in the league on offense and the defense will be improved. Last years loss was not on the offense as we rolled up 24 points in half the time we had the ball compared to UF. The Dawgs D did nothing in that game and for most of the season for that fact.. AJ Green is not and was not scared playing against the Gators. He can do what he wants essentially. Wisen up or go to your own teams page.
Sic ‘em! GATA
Sonny Saddle
June 15th, 2010
12:09 pm
Georgia’s pretty thin at WR depth wise, and the coaches don’t know how to coach guys to stay injury free. Been real problem for Georgia, look at the O-Line last season. Richt has so many areas to fix, injury prevention, turnovers, penalties, defensive secondary, kick off return coverage, just don’t see him getting any of these ongoing issues under control, certainly not all of them. Wish he could, but considering his results form the last several years, he won’t.
tim
June 15th, 2010
12:12 pm
bill w…..wisen up? is that a new word
tim
June 15th, 2010
12:13 pm
btw bill w what 24 points?
Sonny Saddle
June 15th, 2010
12:14 pm
Offense has potential at O-Line & WR, but injuries will devastate the team again at both positions. Just the way it’s been.
Sorry guy!
June 15th, 2010
12:17 pm
tim = pathetic!
Sonny Saddle
June 15th, 2010
12:21 pm
Richt’s a proven assistant coach, but as a head coach, he’s overhwhelmed. Wish it wern’t so, but he just can’t figure out how to turn things around the last few years since Alabama & Florida have arrived.
tim
June 15th, 2010
12:27 pm
I have accomplished what I set out to do on this blog…I had a dog fan pretend to be a Gator, and a slew of puppy fans barking at me…..you girls are easy, and delusional…..
harold
June 15th, 2010
12:27 pm
RICHT IS UNDER MAJOR PRESSURE TO WIN THE SEC TITLE THIS YEAR. GEORGIA SHOULD NOT HAVE TO ” DREAM” OF SUCCESS. LIKE ALABAMA AND FLORIDA, GEORGIA SHOULD BE LIVING IT. LESS TALK. MORE WALK!
poopdawg
June 15th, 2010
12:29 pm
Little tim leave the Tebow Tears on the Gator blogs!
go gaytors
June 15th, 2010
12:38 pm
Hi, My name is Tim….my boyfriend calls me Timmypoo!! I like long walks on the beach and big strapping men from Florida. Tim is not my real name but I hope to one day be Ms Tim Tebow. He is such a hunk..grrrrr!!!! Anyway, I’m really sick of you dog fans making fun of me…meanies! and to all you techies….tootles.
Bruce Mac
June 15th, 2010
12:38 pm
Thanks tim, nothing like an old dillusional GAYTURD to churn things up. All time record still belongs to Dawgs my friend by a bunch.
Luke M
June 15th, 2010
12:47 pm
Scary WR corps for the Dawgs, if Brown and Wooten can break out. As an LSU fan, I’m of the belief that Julio Jones is more terrifying (though Patrick Peterson shut both of them down*) but AJ is a supreme talent as well.
*thanks to a fortuitous Joe Cox overthrow, I know, I know.
Eisendawg
June 15th, 2010
1:00 pm
Luke, you should thank the ref’s for ths bogus celebration call. The force was with you, on that one.
chazzo
June 15th, 2010
1:09 pm
Look for AJ to have 1000 yard season. Look for Orson Charles to line up at receiver randomly at some point, essentially creatng a 3 TE set. Look for Durham to have a huge year much like Michael Moore. King and Brown are both up to snuff. I keep waiting for Troupe to have a break out performance. While I agree with a lot of you here about running being the key, Murray is going to surprise a lot of folks with his arm. He is mobile and at any given time will have a multitude of targets. Teams simply cannot get away with doubling AJ without suffering consequences.
Michael Bicknell
June 15th, 2010
1:31 pm
I hope we run the ball effectively and about 65 percent of the time and make big plays downfield in the passing game