Inside linebackers: Sorting out the ‘Mike’ and the ‘Mo’
(Seventh in a summertime series looking at Georgia’s football team by position.)
TODAY: INSIDE LINEBACKERS
- Returning starter: Akeem Dent started the final four games last season after being sidelined for five games earlier in the season with a pulled hamstring. He started 10 games in 2008 and five in 2007. He had a career-high 11 tackles in last season’s win at Georgia Tech.
- Others to watch: There are two inside-linebacker positions — the “Mike” and the “Mo” positions — in Georgia’s new 3-4 defense, and all of the inside linebackers worked at both spots during spring practice. On the latest depth chart, Dent, a senior, is No. 1 at “Mike” and Christian Robinson, a redshirt sophomore who appeared in 12 games (no starts) last season, No. 1 at “Mo.” Sophomore Mike Gilliard and junior Marcus Dowtin are listed as the No. 2’s behind Dent and Robinson, respectively. Dowtin finished last season with a career-high nine tackles in the Independence Bowl victory over Texas A&M. His competition with Robinson for the starting job at “Mo” will be interesting to watch in preseason.
- Key fact: Other than Dent, the only current ILB with starting experience is Dowtin, who started four games last season — two early and two late. (And what, you might ask, about Darryl Gamble, who started 17 games the past two seasons? After working most of the spring at inside linebacker, he was shifted to outside linebacker, and the current plan is for him to remain there. We’ll get to the OLB’s tomorrow.)
- Key question: How quickly and how well will the players adapt to the new defensive scheme and the teachings of new ILB coach Warren Belin, who had a good reputation for developing linebackers at Vanderbilt?
- Recent developments: After starting the spring at outside linebacker, former tailback Richard Samuel was quickly moved to inside linebacker, where he currently is listed as a third-teamer (as is senior Akeem Hebron). There’s a possibility of Samuel, a junior, being redshirted, but that depends on how he progresses in preseason practice.
- Outlook: Uncertain and uneasy.
- Your turn: What say you about the inside linebackers?
————
Links to previous entries in this series:
Tomorrow: Outside linebackers.
———-
Please follow @ajcuga on Twitter for the latest on the Bulldogs.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
215 comments Add your comment
Dawg House
June 22nd, 2010
9:00 am
HATE ON HATERS!!!
While we are busy supporting our team and getting excited fir the upcoming season, you be sure not to forget to buy those Thursday Night tickets!!
GO DAWGS!!!!! 74 days!!!!!
JB
June 22nd, 2010
9:00 am
Tech nerds are not happy because they are getting very little cred in all the pre season mags and after being ACC champs(sic) last year, they thought that would propel them to some respect. Well, it didn’t. Most have them 3rd or 4th best in the ACC this year. VT and FSU and NC getting lot’s of praise. Tech is picked to play Tennessee in the music city bowl in Athlon’s rag. Can you dig it. That means 4 or more loses.
Wally's Boots
June 22nd, 2010
9:01 am
I’ve got to feel sorry for poor Tim Tucker. He posts a nice little update (nothing most of don’t already know, but harmless enough) and just about everyone who comments ignores it and insults everyone else who comments. As they say on ESPN: C’mon, man!
Dog Dawg
June 22nd, 2010
9:06 am
GT Dog and Poad,
Get a room. You fight like an old married couple.
Phoneguy
June 22nd, 2010
9:06 am
I’m with ya Wally. If all these posters would just ignore the Tide,Tech,Gator trolls this would actually be an informative blog.
BTW thanks for the updates Tim, keep ‘em coming
Uga with a banana crown
June 22nd, 2010
9:07 am
Run a Mickey Mouse offense, get Mickey Mouse respect.
I SWEAR to you, cone New Years 2011, Tech fans will be SCREAMING to get Paul “Manboobs” Johnson out of there. MARK IT!!!!!
GT and Marijuana: both frequently smoked in bowls.
Dog Dawg
June 22nd, 2010
9:08 am
Belin makes his players give attention to detail. They tackle better and play smarter. LB’s will be better this year.
BG
June 22nd, 2010
9:08 am
8 out of 9 against tech. I love it!!
Tom
June 22nd, 2010
9:13 am
Phil Steele has the Georgia LB’s as the #11 LB unit in the country, likes Houston & Samuel. Steele sees Houston, Gamble & Dowtin as #29, #30, & #36 at LB. Steele thinks the run defense will be strong and give up just 110 yards a game. Georgia LB’s are experienced and one of the best in the country. You have to think with Grantham coaching the OLB’s and Belin working on the ILB’s, these guys will be solid.
Tom
June 22nd, 2010
9:17 am
Houston had 18 QB pressures, 15 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks last season for the Dogs in just 10 games. He will compete for the SEC sack leader and once he hits you, you go down, lots of tackles for loss.
jason
June 22nd, 2010
9:17 am
Looking at the depth of our OLBs, looks more like we are running a 5-2 rather than a 3-4.
For example: DE) Dobbs NT) Tyson DE) Tripp
OLB) Houston ILLB) Dent IRLB) Robinson OLB) Washington
I think we will still be goos vs. the run. The question is the changes made in the schemes the pass defense runs.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
June 22nd, 2010
9:18 am
Was it lack of depth that moved Samuels inside? It is two schools of thought with him. The first is him at outside his speed off the edge would seem a natural to pressure of the edge. Secondly were the coaches more apt to utilize his speed in space and allow him to play sideline to sideline?
DawginLex
June 22nd, 2010
9:21 am
Coaching matters in college football.
Willie is gone.
We have real coaches who have proven they can coach up talented players.
Talent has never been the issue in Athens.
If Grantham is anything close to Van gorder, we are going to win a lot of games.
jason
June 22nd, 2010
9:24 am
Lowcountry Bulldawg
Great question. You would think Samuel would be perfect at OLB. The speed to rush and drop and cover space. Just hope Samuel doesn’t disapear now that he has changed positions.
Will
June 22nd, 2010
9:31 am
We are in good shape here. Excellent shape as a matter of fact when Jarvis Jones finds himself in shape later this summer and forgets about all that redshirt stuff. Plus I think we will have some true frosh that can help out some as well. The defense will not be as good as the 2011 group but be much better than the last two seasons. I am going to guess we give up 18 points per game as a good guess.
Adonisdaking
June 22nd, 2010
9:34 am
Go Dawgs!
AltamahaDawg
June 22nd, 2010
9:36 am
I think some of you guys are just fooling yourselves to think the front 7 are going to be radically better just because Willie is gone. Maybe the final results are betetr, maybe the excitment and energy is better, maybe the direction is better. But UGA has been both excellent and poor in this area under the old staff irrespective of thier style or “idiocy” as some of you call it. Can they tackle better, be more aggressive, sure, but the front 7 is a matter of Jimmy and Joes, and we didn’t look so hot last year, and I don’t see where we have made huge upgrades yet. Some of these new guys might be fine, but in terms of (D) talent and more experience, We are not going to have the edge in a lot of game this year.
Tom
June 22nd, 2010
9:39 am
Alec Ogletree is one of best defensive players in the country. What if we move him to OLB, just this year, and back to safety soon? Could be a great OLB combo with Houston on one side, Ogletree on the other. No way that guy is red-shirted, he’ll at least dominate on special teams. Grantham likes athletes, and he’ll be challenged to find a better defensive athlete than Alec. Samuel will be tough once he learns the system. Another possibility is moving new recruit Dexter, 6′ 7”, 240, fast as lightning, over to OLB. This LB unit will be solid.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
June 22nd, 2010
9:40 am
Alt,
Is it a matter of the type of players they recruit? More finesse players rather than guys who play with mean streaks? I have thought for a while we on both sides of the line didnt have guys who could line up and knock someones D$c$ in the dirt, stealing an old football saying. What say you?
KeithB
June 22nd, 2010
9:41 am
I think the key to the LB’s success is the front. Can they force double teams and keep the blockers off of the LB’s. Look at the Bears LB’s when they lost their big DT’s. Production dropped. I think the guys in there are tallented, obviously. They can play a little more down hill in the 3-4, with some pass responsibility on play action. I think the ILB’s will be good, but I really think they need that Cody like player at the Nose to eat up blocks.
dawgfan
June 22nd, 2010
9:47 am
What linebacker does NOT look good against Texas freaking A&M? Good grief who cares? How did our linebackers look against Florida last year? How did Dowtin look when he blew that tackle in the final seconds against LSU? Pull your heads out of your rear ends people and wake the crap up. Since when do we consider Texas A&M a peer? Since when do we judge ourselves by how we perform in the weedeater bowl? Give me a break. We’re trying to win SEC and national titles here people and you’re talking about Texas A&M? Get real.
I swear that our standards and expectations have gone right down the crapper. I said the same thing last year when everyone was talking about what a big “test” Oklahoma State would be. I said then that if that’s a “test” for us we’re in some serious freaking trouble. And guess what? I was right.
You can go ahead and book this right now: If playing at South Carolina is going to be this big “test” that everyone says it is, 8-5 or 9-4 here we come. Its South freaking Carolina. I long for the day when we’re back to talking Florida, Bama, and LSU again. That’s who we should be judging ourselves by. Texas A&M, South Carolina, and Oklahoma State? Really people? REALLY?
Good grief.
shreveport
June 22nd, 2010
9:51 am
got your tickets yet???
PMC
June 22nd, 2010
9:55 am
They should adapt to the scheme fairly quickly. I do wonder how they will shed blocks because the weakest part of the defense could be up the middle.
Now that they have changed coaches I believe that Coach Belin will have a very large impact on tackling technique which has been nonexistant in the past several years for players not named Curran.
Bill W.
June 22nd, 2010
9:59 am
@’94 UGA Grad,
I totally agree with you about Dowtin. No way he doesn’t start.
gdawginkalamazoo
June 22nd, 2010
10:01 am
“Another possibility is moving new recruit Dexter, 6′ 7”, 240, fast as lightning, over to OLB”
A 6′7″ linebacker? Holy sh!t!
destin dawg
June 22nd, 2010
10:06 am
you’ll see tight coverage.. aggressive DDDEEEE… yes much better tackling technique… NO LATE HITS !!! but hard hits that create turnovers…. Coach “em up Belin
Gators Eat Boogers
June 22nd, 2010
10:07 am
Tom, I think you are going to get your wish regarding Alec Ogletree. The last I read, he is over 230 lbs. that should us something.
DawginLex
June 22nd, 2010
10:09 am
altamaha,
If you don’t think coaching matters at the D-1 level of football then just wait and see. The talent level is fine. It is about motivation, scheme and technique.
I have said it before and I will say it again, if Grantham is anywhere near BVG, we are going to win a lot of games.
RxDawg
June 22nd, 2010
10:12 am
“How did Dowtin look when he blew that tackle in the final seconds against LSU?”
Yeh, that would be none other than the departed Mr. Rennie Curran that bounced right off of Scott in the end of that LSU game.
DawginLex
June 22nd, 2010
10:13 am
Will,
Pretty sure that Jarvis Jones has to sit out a year. Only the juniors and seniors can transfer and play right away.
disneydawg
June 22nd, 2010
10:14 am
If we could get one of the pretty girls at Tech to kiss ol Poad, will he turn into a handsome prince. Oh heck, wrong school.
DawginLex
June 22nd, 2010
10:15 am
shreveport,
considering that the Shreveport Bowl is now an ACC tie-in, you must be talking to the nerds.
RxDawg
June 22nd, 2010
10:17 am
“you’ll see tight coverage.. aggressive DDDEEEE… yes much better tackling technique… NO LATE HITS !!! but hard hits that create turnovers…. Coach “em up Belin”
Well that is certainly what I hope we see.
ugaclassof2004
June 22nd, 2010
10:25 am
Tim
I think the Outlook for this entire team should be “Uncertain and Uneasy”.
BigCaliDawg
June 22nd, 2010
10:27 am
As far as tech goes, we’re fine at Inside Backer. The last couple of years, our issues have been with blowing contain on the option runs, rather than against ISO’s, or dive plays.
We might struggle against Tenn, Aub, and Fla, as they will attempt to expose us inside.
We COULD just line up at midfield against tech and run Oklahoma drills.
Bill King is a.................
June 22nd, 2010
10:32 am
we will go through some growing pains with our defense but i rather be learning from our mistakes iwth Coach Grantham than doing the same ol same ol with Willie. Our new Defense is just another reason why we need to take advantage of our big/experienced O Line and run the damn ball!!!! Keep the Defense on the sidelines
Roll Tide with Pride!!!
June 22nd, 2010
10:33 am
Regarding Linebackers and your defense and the 3-4.
When Saban came to Alabama – he installed the 3-4 – and said it will take at least one season for everything to really click – by that he means it will take at least one season of learning curve against live competition and blown assignments to be in position to dictate a game.
He was correct – we were much improved in Saban – year 2.
UGA will go through some learing curve and blown assignments against good OC’s that will scheming against your new D.
As a result – I think UGA will lose a few games – and will not be as good as many folks out there think they will be. However – I think UGA will be much better toward the end of the season and will beat GT. I think UGA will lose to South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi State (in an upset)Florida and Auburn.
On offense – UGA could be really good – or struggle early and come on late – which is a trait ever since Staffords freshman season.
In that year – the excuse was we were playing a freshman QB
The next year – it was injuries and too many underclassmen.
The next year – the same
Last year – the O-Line was pathetic early in the season – played much better toward the end.
Will 2010 be any different? Hope so – not convinced until I see it.
Same OL players , same coaches – maybe they will be ready to hit some teams in the mouth early on this year until waiting after they get blown out by Florida.
I really think that Coach Richt needs to study what the heck is going on. Hey, Alabama and UGA are not rivals – I root for UGA against Auburn and other SEC WEST foes – and even root for them against Florida and Tennessee. I am just calling it as I see it.
Also – I am not looking at Alabama through rose colored glasses – we have issues replacing a lot of starters on Defense – and will struggle at times as well – but overall – our program is on the up cycle with better depth that fits need – and hopefully will sustain for several years.
Meanwhile – it will be Alabama/Florida again in Atlanta. Hate it – but calling it as I see it.
SEC in Omaha
June 22nd, 2010
10:33 am
0-3. OOPS!
SEC
SEC
SEC
BWAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAAAAA
gdawginkalamazoo
June 22nd, 2010
10:33 am
Give me a Tommy Davis or Greg Blue back there and that will solve a couple of problems a game.
Tom
June 22nd, 2010
10:40 am
Mike Gilliard was top notch in High School. Top 15 ranked LB in the country, great Jr & Sr year, Sr yr: 118 tackles, 12 for loss, 2 interceptions, 2 fumbles recoveries. I bet he’ll become the ILB starter. He’s a tackling specialist, like Curran.
AltamahaDawg
June 22nd, 2010
10:43 am
Not so sure that the type or style of front 7 guys is all that dramatically different on the recruiting boards from one staff to the next. Some I guess. But considering that we have run the exact same style of defense for the past 9 years, some better than others, I would say that its again J & J, not X & O.
The fact is that UGA has not recruited as well as it should have in this area over the past several years. (might be why the entire staff just turned over).
I can name at least 6 SEC team that on average have recruited better than UGA over the past 4 years. 3 are in our division.
AltamahaDawg
June 22nd, 2010
10:45 am
….recruited better in that area, I meant to say.
Hopefully the fact that UGA has in other areas can offset enough.
Tom
June 22nd, 2010
10:45 am
Dowtin played big in high school too. Top 10 ranked LB. Like to see Gilliard and Dowtin starting at ILB by Sept.
Connor
June 22nd, 2010
10:47 am
Grantham will turn this team around fast. He did it at Colts, 3-13 to 13-3 in 1st year, and Browns, 4-10, to 10-6 in 1st season. Richt also turns around fast after bad season, after 2001 & 2006, finished in top 3 in country both times. Grantham & Richt’s turnaround skills bode well for Georgia in 2010. Look for a big, fast, turnaround.
Ross
June 22nd, 2010
10:52 am
The size and speed of some of the new guys is impressive. Dexter Morant, DE, is like 6 7, 240, Jalen Fields, DE, is 6 5, 240. These guys are big.
DawginOH
June 22nd, 2010
10:55 am
I like Belin’s attitude and approach to coaching. He seems to have an eye for detail and, Lord knows, this team has lacked that over the past two seasons. Go Dawgs!
POAD
June 22nd, 2010
11:00 am
I just read that Sanford is covered in sand. I know the KENTUCKY WILDCATS beat you at home, but to show respect UGA didn’t have to make the whole place a Kitty Litter Box. God E-mail and Faxes are great for doing business. Why drive when you can just send the Contracts over the WIRE.
Ken
June 22nd, 2010
11:21 am
Wrong RX dawg… that was Dowtin that bounced off Scott in the LSU game.I can see how you would get confused as Curren did this all the time too. He was awesome as a freshman, but never duplicated or got better….way overrated!
Tuck Fech
June 22nd, 2010
11:25 am
“F” POAD and all the Techies!
Quote from Athlon “Georgia Tech will always be the SECOND most popular program in it’s OWN CITY”
How Bout Them DAWGS!
UGA DC TG is like steaks
June 22nd, 2010
11:26 am
I seriously doubt that most of you have ever dined in a fine Chicago steak house or one in Ft Worth or NYC or even, Atlanta. Sometimes the filet is gone or the prime rib is gone or the rib eye steaks are gone, so you go with the NY strip steak. Not one is a bad choice. Not one. Just like all the DC candiidates were for UGA.
UGA’s TG is just like that ………… all men contacted were outstanding candidates and UGA got their man. Recently, i dined at the Old Homestead in NYC and really wanted a prime rib but we
arrived too late and so I had the filet ………… it was fabulous. Just like UGA’s TG as HDC.
You young thugs and teens on this site eat too many cheeseburgers at McDonald’s or at Tech’s Waffle House. Try a filet once in a while. UGA has one in TG and as he ages and learns the SEC, he will get even BETTER.
Go Dogs.