Talking football with Todd Grantham: ‘We want to attack. We want to be relentless.’
ATHENS – Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham sat Thursday at the head of the long table in the large conference room in what used to be Damon Evans‘ office suite on the fourth floor of the Butts-Mehre building, talking football with a roomful of reporters:
- Grantham said junior DeAngelo Tyson will enter preseason practice as the likely starter at the nose position on Georgia’s defensive line, but that doesn’t mean Grantham sees Tyson as exclusively a nose.
“He’s the No. 1 [nose], but he’s a guy who can give us flexibility and play an end position, too,” Grantham said. “Based on how other guys come on at both nose and end, he can move.”
Grantham is looking for Kwame Geathers, a redshirt freshman, and Justin Anderson, a junior who is shifting from the offensive line, to provide options at nose.
Geathers had a good spring, and his continued development in preseason practice is “critical,” Grantham said.
Anderson missed spring practice with a shoulder injury, so Grantham has never seen him on the field. But the 6-foot-5, 330-pounder certainly has piqued Grantham’s interest.
“He’s obviously, from a size standpoint, a guy we feel like can command double teams in there,” Grantham said. “I know he’s worked hard in the offseason to try to learn the system. He’s going to be somewhat behind just because it’s one thing to learn it in a classroom, but then to go out on the field in 90-degree heat is totally different. If he can come on, that obviously gives us some depth. I’m excited about . . . seeing what he can do.”
- Building depth up front is a high priority for Grantham.
“I believe in playing a lot of guys on the defensive line because up there it’s a relentless approach to the ball each play,” he said. “They’re going to get gassed more than probably some other positions. Sometimes it’s harder, because they’re bigger guys, to get rejuvenated quickly. So rotation is important, and to rotate you’ve got to have depth.”
- Six months on the Georgia staff have reaffirmed Grantham’s view of this state as a recruiting goldmine.
“The talent in this state is everything I anticipated, and I feel like we can reach all the goals we want to reach -– well, I know we can -– if we just stay the course with what we are doing right now,” he said.
- Grantham is excited about the arrival of Jarvis Jones, the linebacker who transferred to UGA from USC. Jones will redshirt this season.
“It will be good to get him around the other players [and] get him introduced to our system,” Grantham said, “… because he’ll definitely make an impact in the future.”
- OK, I know you’ve heard these (or very similar) words from Grantham before. But I thought you might enjoy hearing them again:
“We want to be aggressive. We want to attack. We want to be relentless in our pursuit to the ball.”
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173 comments Add your comment
KeithB
July 16th, 2010
9:03 am
I agree with the concept of the best defense is a ball control offense. Get back to the 3 and a third and a cloud of dust. UGA has a stable of backs…just turn around and hand it off. Bootleg every now and then just to keep them honest.
Bride of Chucky Knapp
July 16th, 2010
9:03 am
Wow. Thanks, Mick. I’ll go find another team to support, then. I didn’t know this. But, your illuminating collection of nouns and verbs strung together to represent sentences showed me the way.
Willie Martinez
July 16th, 2010
9:05 am
I am not familiar with the expression “aggressive”. What does it mean?
How2fish
July 16th, 2010
9:07 am
Football Mind you coached where? Unreal a specific recipe from a armchair DC to a man who has coached at the college and pro level..how could he NOT heed such wise advice..I mean really!
gadawgs
July 16th, 2010
9:08 am
Football mind…Did you say the competition at this level (SEC) is unlike CTG has ever seen? Really? Seriously? He was the defensive line coach for freaking Dallas Cowboys who play on Sundays in that little league called the NFL. As good as the talent is in the SEC is I believe in his time in the league he has seen and coach against better. I like our chances and your post lost all creditbility with that statement.
YELLOW HAMMER
July 16th, 2010
9:12 am
DOME, yes ,very un-common at this point of a season w/ a new coach. even with a returning coach . these kids need to compete to get better and by publicly announcing a dept chart and saying this guy is better than that guy. you are getting in their heads.sports are just as much mental as they are physical at this level.
How2fish
July 16th, 2010
9:21 am
YELLOW HAMMER with respect, I’m pretty sure there are dept charts already made up at most schools. I’d be shocked if that’s not the case at Bama, UF etc..getting in a kids head..really these kids have been dealing with dept charts since Pee Wee football..its nothing new. As long as he isn’t stating and I didn’t see it anywhere that the dept chart is locked this is SOP to my mind.
DawginLex
July 16th, 2010
9:22 am
I’m so glad I got on this blog today and read the insightful analysis of Mick and Football Mind. Two obvious experts on everything in life.
1 who can predict and tells us that we should not even bother to watch UGA football for the next few decades because he already knows the outcome.
Another 1 who must be an adviser to NFL coaches and college coaches since he tells Coach Grantham what to do, what to say and how to act.
I feel so enlightened.
In all fairness
July 16th, 2010
9:22 am
A Tim Tucker article with open comments! wow this is crazy…now I can finally say this. You are such a UGA blow hard…you and the AJC had no problem plastering the UT players all over the AJC and you left the comment section wide open for anyone to say whatever they wanted about those kids. When UGA embarrassed itself, shortly after, you closed the comments so no one could say anything negative about UGA. This practice is fine…as long as you do it for every school…including Georgia Tech and UT. Allow free speech in all situations or none…you cant play favorites and claim to be a journalist all in the same breath. Just my 2 cents.
puppydawg
July 16th, 2010
9:23 am
Yellow Hammer, I respectfully disagree. I believe it helps these kids in their development if they know how they stack up against the competition. That way, they can observe and understand what is expected of a # 1 on the depth chart.
JB
July 16th, 2010
9:23 am
These blogs are all fun and games and gives us something to talk about waiting on opening day…nobody knows what will happen. Dawgs could go 12-0….or 7-5…… Tech could do the same.
gotta play the games…….I think UGA AND Tech will be better on Defense….Groh and Grantham have been in the NFL and have been around the block. I look for both units to be improved, Of course, especially my Dawgs….
1eyedJack
July 16th, 2010
9:23 am
YELLOW HAMMER
Do you believe every participant should get a trophy?
Are you one of the Spockonians who think that spanking your child damages his self-esteem?
If you are 2nd or 3rd on the depth chart then that should be a signal to you that you have got to work harder and hustle more to impress the coaches and earn playing time.
Unless you’re playing behind the coach’s kid….but that’s a different story.
YELLOW HAMMER
July 16th, 2010
9:23 am
hey MOUSE, No matter what anyone says there bushes and almost everybody has them.
rogeriter
July 16th, 2010
9:25 am
Football mind–Please give us your coaching background and credentials! Surely, Florida, Geogia, LSU and Alabama are all fighting to get you on their coaching staffs!
Florida Dawg
July 16th, 2010
9:27 am
I second Calhoundawg’s post and JB’s post! All of these nay sayers are just a bunch of armchair QBs and Coaches who would NEVER make it in ANY sport at any level coaching or playing, but feel their text book study (watching and listening to a lot of ESPN analyst BS)of the game makes them experts.
YELLOW HAMMER
July 16th, 2010
9:27 am
MOUSE, JUST KIDDING,couldn’t resist . i’m just instigating now.
puppydawg
July 16th, 2010
9:28 am
Hey fairness, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome your head back from your a$$. With regard to DE and the 2 football players arrested recently, there have been MANY negative comments on AJC blogs from the haters out there.
Bride of Chucky Knapp
July 16th, 2010
9:28 am
Hey Mick, can you ask your Mom to bring down some more of those Hot Pockets? Those were awesome.
JB
July 16th, 2010
9:28 am
Yellow Hammer= no depth chart= redistribution of wealth= make it all fair for all who show up= weakness for all=Obama philosophy……………………people need to know why they are second string…….and we NEED second stringers……….
Mick ey Mouse
July 16th, 2010
9:30 am
Yellow Jacket…..Really……Your Momma Doesn’t Have Hedges…HEE ! HEE ! HA ! HA !
Hunker Down You Georgia Bulldogs………….Sic Um ! ! ! !
In all fairness
July 16th, 2010
9:33 am
puppydawg…did my idea go right over your head? I am suggesting that the AJC needs to at least try to appear unbiased. They dont need to protect UGA…because that’s exactly what they were doing by closing comments for days after each incident. However if they do this, they need to close the comment sections on every arrest story….including the ones about UT players and GT players when arrests happen in those programs. These are kids at the end of the day and we should not play favorites…they all deserve protection or none. Thats fair.
atlxmen
July 16th, 2010
9:34 am
yellowhammer. nothing wrong with getting into their heads..you want the best player playing and these guys at UGA are use to competeing by now and have no problem beating each other up competeing plus this defense will be sending in tons of def linemen during the game it doesnt really matter who is listed as a starter really..they all will have a chance to play and play a ton..
YELLOW HAMMER
July 16th, 2010
9:35 am
MOUSE ,yet again i will say, YELLOW HAMMER is the ALABAMA state bird!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not a georgia state pest.
Mick ey Mouse
July 16th, 2010
9:37 am
Yellow Jacket…..Just Fartin Around……My Apologies to You and Your Mom…….I wish all Georgia Schools Much Success ! I Think Georgia H.S.’s Produce The Most Impact Players In The Country….per ca pita. GO PEACH STATE………..WOOF ! WOOF!
Bride of Chucky Knapp
July 16th, 2010
9:38 am
Apologies Mick, didn’t know she was your wife.
JB
July 16th, 2010
9:39 am
AJC is based in Atlanta and is in Georgia and UGA is the STATE university and 90% of bloggers are UGA/Tech fans and they sell ad’s based on traffic on their web site ( ajc.com) and why would most not be about Georgia and not Tennessee, Florida etc…………………I have NEVER gone to a Florida or Tennessee or Bammer paper looking to blog……. And how many Georgia stories do you think you would find?…………………….class over
jerry
July 16th, 2010
9:41 am
Grantham, Lakatos, Belin. Still Tier 2 until proven otherwise.
St. Richt
July 16th, 2010
9:42 am
Hey Grantham, we get the picture. You guys are gonna play like a pack of hungry wolves.. Looks like the new coach is fitting in already in Athens- all talk, no walk.
YELLOW HAMMER
July 16th, 2010
9:42 am
guys , a depth chart is fine 2 weeks before the season starts,but to name a depth chart before fall camp starts . thats just crazy, why would you do that? maybe to give the fans something to talk about. as far as the poster asking about spanking my kids ,i dont have to tell them when they are going to get one,they already know
Huh?
July 16th, 2010
9:43 am
Was he supposed to say that he wants them to stand back and get smacked in the mouth?
JB
July 16th, 2010
9:46 am
jerry…..St richt…………………….30-24……………………..8 of 9………………even 2nd tier coaching taking care of the ACC champs………………….
In all fairness
July 16th, 2010
9:47 am
JB that does not make it right. Journalistic integrity should be defined by fairness and an objective mindset. If you dont have that your stories wont hold water and they will only appeal to other blowhards…such as yourself. That’s like saying the bias in North Korea’s media is ok because its news for only North Koreans…well its still bias bull crap that isn’t true. I think the AJC should be fair to all schools and student athletes…let due process handle everything. Thats why the UT arrest report should have been closed also….but it wasn’t. It was very funny watching UGA embarrass itself the day after though…and btw I am not a Tech or UT fan…just a person who believes in fairness and law for all no matter what.
dawgfan
July 16th, 2010
9:47 am
Well, he certainly knows what we all want to hear. Let’s hope they can deliver.
Nose tackle is the most important position in the 3-4, as Alabama will soon find out now that Cody is gone. Do we really have a guy that can clog up the middle like that? I just don’t know.
atlxmen
July 16th, 2010
9:49 am
the depth chart right now is not set in stone. it will change about 3 or 4 times before the first game. being a former player i would like to know where i stand on a depth chart. its not crazy to name a depth chart that is not set in stone..colleges do it all the time. breeds competiton which is always a good thing in sports.
JB
July 16th, 2010
9:50 am
in all fairness…………………….funny reading blowhard and integrity in the same paragraph……..
JB
July 16th, 2010
9:53 am
I don’t know who your team is, but at least I know you are a Dem……..Can’t discuss something without a personal attack……LOL……….
How2fish
July 16th, 2010
9:53 am
In all fairness really in all fairness are you truly saying there are no blogs on the AJC where people post negative things about UGA ? WTF do you need me to send you the links ? My understanding is that sometimes the articles are opened to comments or closed depending on if the blogger is available to monitor them..sometimes they can and sometimes they can’t it works or pretty fairly..but to come around saying you have no format to spew is just wack!
dawgfan
July 16th, 2010
10:00 am
In all fairness isn’t a Techie and I’m the freaking tooth fairy. LOL @ this clown. Nobody has embarassed themselves more than you have right now TECHIE. Are you really this upset over a closed comment section on an internet blog? Is this what it has come to for Tech fans? I’ve really never seen you idiots more desperate than I have since 30-24. Speaking of 30-24, your Techie AJC beat writer wouldn’t let UGA fans bring it up for a month after the game. How’s that for censorship crybaby? I’d file a frivolous lawsuit or something but I’m not an idiot or a crybaby. I just moved on with my life. I suggest you do the same.
Good grief.
Bulldog59
July 16th, 2010
10:00 am
Can’t resist this one.
Hey Mick…..”Dream on. Change “years” to “decades,” and maybe there’s hope….”
Follow your own advice please, change M to D and you have a more appropriate screen name.
SC Boy
July 16th, 2010
10:04 am
All you boys excited about how Lakatos performance against USC in the pizza bowl ought to go back and look at the film. USC’s receivers were wide open all day. 12 drops. Sorry but that’s lousy defense but good luck. Spurrier is going to rip that secondary.
Schmeckdawg
July 16th, 2010
10:07 am
Hey Huffy (8:24 a.m.), what did you do, sleep through spelling class in the 3rd grade!
Moron!!!!!!!!!!
GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In all fairness
July 16th, 2010
10:08 am
No I know there are but the arrest articles were closed…thats my issue. I am just commenting on the arrest blogs and the fact that the UT arrest blog was open while the UGA arrest story was closed. Can we stay on topic please…of course there are negative comments about UGA….a lot of people hate the school and its fan base. I dont but there really are a lot of people who do for some reason…your comments are illustrating to me why. JB I am a Libertarian…but we are not talking politics at all. Just journalistic integrity and fairness to those who have not yet had proper due process…you know the whole innocent until proven guilty thing. I think all players no matter what school should be protected from public terrorism like this….at least from the journalists. Bloggers can say what they want…but a journalist should never chose a side. The AJC bloggers chose a side when they posted mug shots, ripped Darick, and left the comment sections wide open. They should have done the same thing to the UGA players to remain fair…thats my opinion. “class over”…. You had a sarcastic remark at the end of your comment. Whats wrong you cant take it but you can dish it out.
UWGWolves
July 16th, 2010
10:08 am
Yellow Hammer and Football Mind, they actually did have Spring Practice and a scrimmage so coaches should have an idea of a depth chart at this point. I have never coached at D-1 level but it does make sense to know by this point your players and some of their strengths.
Everyone talking about how bad a coach the CMR is is funny. All joking aside this is the most consistent 9 year stretch in UGA history or least since 1950 anyways. The dawgs have underperformed the last two years and coaches have been changed. I think understated is the respect that the LB coach and DB coaches coming in have from the ranks. Not counting wins and losses if UGA goes 9-3 this year and shows improvement in fundementals, less stupid penalities, etc, I will be pleased and feel we are back on track. Also the talent level is still there to the point we can compete with the Alabamas and Floridas of the league.
harold
July 16th, 2010
10:09 am
TOO BAD GEORGIA DOESN’T HAVE “THE WOW FACTOR” LIKE SABAN HAS AT ALABAMA AND MEYER HAS AT FLORIDA. GEORGIA FOOTBALL WAS 20-12 THE LAST 4 SEASONS AND 4-4 IN THE SEC. FOUR COACHES REJECTED BECOMING THE “D” COORDINATOR, INCLUDING KIRBY SMART.
GEORGIA IS JUST AN AVERAGE FOOTBALL TEAM. GEORGIA NEEDS LESS TALK & MORE WALK! REALITY—–NOT DREAMS!
jasont13
July 16th, 2010
10:11 am
Yellowhammer- Coach Grantham named one guy as starting nose guard and even at that it says will LIKELY be the starter at the nose position. If you really and truly believe your beloved TIDE doesn’t already have a pre-determined depth chart then you are seriously mistaken.
MonticelloDawg
July 16th, 2010
10:11 am
Don’t want to beat a dead horse, talking about the depth chart, but it would appear to be essential to avoid chaos. Without one, when it is time for the first August scrimmage, do the players draw straws to see who goes on the field first? Do they flip coins? Guess a number between 1-100, and the closest ones make up the first unit? The coaches will make adjustments as they learn more about the players, there will be many changes as constant re-evaluation takes place.
Evansdawg
July 16th, 2010
10:12 am
That critical depth that he speaks of is what troubles me THIS year. We are going to have a lot of “gassed” guys out there as the games and season roll on. Building that depth is going to be key. Personally, I think we are going to start the season very sloppy and tighten as it unfolds. This is not the year to demand that Mark Richt deliver a 10-win season. Another 8 or 9 win season with the usual Tech win with better defensive results overall may have to suffice.
In all fairness
July 16th, 2010
10:12 am
Dawg fan…promise I am no Techie. I moved here from New Hampshire….graduated from Dartmouth…and we could drink UGA under the table…I assure you of that…just an attempt at humor. But seriously I am no Tech fan or UT fan…30-24 doesn’t mean anything to me. So your attempts to dilute my argument are to no avail.
DAWGS 2010
July 16th, 2010
10:12 am
Finally UGA plays agressive,attacking defense.CTG has lots of talent on defensive side of the ball and Justin Houston is going to have a monster year.CTG’s defense will give up somr big plays but they will create havoc and many turnovers for opposing team.Love our CB and LB,feel sorry for opposing QB like Garcia of South Carolina,he will lose the game to UGA because he will not be able to handle pass rush.Dawgs win in Columbia on way to playing in the Dome for SEC championship. GO DAWGS
Bassey
July 16th, 2010
10:13 am
Grantham makes immediate impact qwhen he comes on to a new team. Colts went from 3-13 to 13-3 in Grantham’s 1st year. Browns went from 4-10 to 10-5 in his 1st year. Colts, Browns, & Cowboys ALL had best year in 15 years when Grantham was on staff. Grantham was offered 2 times the defensive head coach by Nick Saban, at Mich St, and later at Miami. Grantham also has been training Alabama in the off-seasons.
Grantham is an excellent teacher. He keeps things simple, doesn’t overload his players, and doesn’t run a big playbook. He reps over and over so guys master what they’re learning. He rotates a lot so if he gets an injury, it doesn’t effect his year. He cross-trains so guys know what the other guys are doing.
People are going to be surprised at how much better the Dogs play, especially how well they play in the first 3 games.
Belin and Lakatos are 2 excellent coaches too. Gonna be fun.