An inside look at UGA’s famous mat drills
A much-discussed but generally unseen aspect of the Georgia football program -– the famous mat drills –- will be featured extensively on SportSouth’s “Under the Lights: Georgia Football,” a 30-minute behind-the-scenes look at the Bulldogs that airs for the first time at 10 p.m. Saturday.
“We haven’t had a camera man in here in 10 years,” Mark Richt tells his players at the start of the mat-drill session featured on the show. “We’re going to allow them in here today.”
The show — I watched an advance copy –- gives a good glimpse of the February mat drills: players arriving at 4:48 a.m., going through a grueling series of conditioning drills, then struggling to put the ordeal into words.
“It makes February the longest month of the year,” snapper Ty Frix says.
“Under the Lights” is SportSouth’s occasional series of behind-the-scenes looks into the lives of players, coaches or teams.
In addition to mat drills, the Georgia show also puts cameras in team meetings, practices and even Richt’s truck as he drives to the G-Day game.
On the practice field, Richt is shown reacting to another special play by A.J. Green: “Doesn’t seem right. Doesn’t seem fair. When in doubt, throw it to No. 8.”
Click here for video of the mat-drills portion of the show.
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182 comments Add your comment
AltamahaDawg
August 5th, 2010
4:20 pm
Then explain why the teams that make up the top 20 are typically some of the top penalized teams in the nation while the least penalized teams don’t seem to win very many game. There are exception of cource.
Maybe Richt needs to visit Ball State this offseason.
Mat drills are meant to built teamwork, and obviously fend off the winter bellies, but halfway through the season a lineman holding did NOT come from a failed winter conditioning program.
BTW GT was only about 25% less “undiscliplined” than UGA by your criteria last year.
Reality Check II
August 5th, 2010
4:23 pm
UGA football has taken a serious slide the last two years. In 2008 the Dawgs were embarrassed by Alabama, Florida and even GT rushed for like 400 yards in the second half alone. 2009 was followed by weak losses to OK State, Tennessee, Kentucky and another blowout to UF. The last two years have included high amounts of penalties, turnovers and lack of discipline on the field. I have been a CMR supporter over the years and feel that this year better show improvement all of those areas. If not, it will be time for him to go. I think if we improve the character and toughness of the team should be at least 9-3. UGA SHOULD NEVER be blown out by Alabma, UF and Tennessee on a consistent basis.
DawginLex
August 5th, 2010
4:29 pm
It is all about the D or lack thereof.
It is all on Grantham.
insert favorable dawg comment
August 5th, 2010
4:33 pm
MAT drills?
Math Aptitude Test.
Not hardly, UGA doesn’t
make their guys do reedin’/rytin’/rithmatick
drills.
Maria in Dalton
August 5th, 2010
4:38 pm
Unlike fine wines, cesspools do not improve with age.
DawginLex
August 5th, 2010
4:38 pm
Congrats to Coach Richt for maintaining highest APR scores since 2003 in the SEC
Berger
August 5th, 2010
4:42 pm
Please continue to believe you guys have the biggest strongest lines in the SEC and that Mark Richt is a great coach. it’s working out great for us.
Amen. Give Richt a lifetime contract!
And the red panties will never get old, you’re going to be hearing about for many, many years.
Barney
August 5th, 2010
4:47 pm
Congrats to Coach Richt for maintaining highest APR scores since 2003 in the SEC.
APR = All Panties Red.
Gloom and Doom
August 5th, 2010
4:51 pm
1980: Look at the sugar falling from the sky!
2010: Look at the red panties falling from the sky!
2011: Look at Mark Richt being ridden out of town on a rail!
Tech Sucks
August 5th, 2010
4:51 pm
Tech Wreck before you talk smack maybe your team should actually beat us at something. We own you in every possible sport except comic book conventions and playing Warcraft. Dumbass nerd.
Tech Sucks
August 5th, 2010
4:52 pm
Richt 8
Nerds 1
Ray Barone
August 5th, 2010
5:09 pm
From up here in New York, it appears that UGA generally has the better football program than the GT program. Not just counting wins and losses but overall it looks superior year in and year out.
15 wins in 50 years
August 5th, 2010
5:10 pm
Hattie
Tech has an interesting laundry list of its own: a heroin overdose, A drug smuggler, academic probation in 2005, and can you please explain the coincidence between flunkgate and Morris brown losing its accreditation?
NoGaGator
August 5th, 2010
5:11 pm
DawginLex -
You’re correct in that Brantley is no Tebow. After losing 9 players to the NFL draft, I don’t expect UF to win the NC this year, I believe Brantley, if healthy, will have a great year, putting UF on pace to go for the NC in 2011. UF’s offense will change to take advantage of Brantley’s being a better passer than Tebow. No they won’t be running Brantley on 3rd and short but they have plenty of backs to do the job.
UF’s recruiting classes the last 5 years were ranked 1,2,4,5, and 1 by ESPN. UGA classes were ranked 4,13,5,6,12. That’s a pretty big spread and UF’s staff has proven that they can develop these guys.
With 2 NC’s in the last 4 and a very talented roster UF will reload this year and contend next year.
Tebow's Gone
August 5th, 2010
5:26 pm
Without Tebow, UF will be ordinary. The Dawgs will take over the SEC east this year—take that to the bank. UGA’s D is loaded and they have the best receiver in the SEC. Too much talent for florida to deal with. Dawgs win by 13 over UF—place your bets.
NoGaGator
August 5th, 2010
5:41 pm
Tebow’s Gone -
Love the “take that to the bank” and “place your bets” talk. Did you also bet all these years when UF beat UGA without Tebow?
I’d love to take your bet. We’ll soon see how it goes.
ugag is irrelevant
August 5th, 2010
5:47 pm
really sad that the red panty thing is hyped in athens as more “heritage material” …. anyone over there ever study ethics, fidelity, temperance, or any other form of social restraint or even respect for one another? really sad …….
Hyper
August 5th, 2010
6:29 pm
The dawgs should be truly craptacular this year.
Sojourner
August 5th, 2010
6:32 pm
… anyone over there ever study ethics, fidelity, temperance, or any other form of social restraint or even respect for one another? really sad…
This is UGA. Are you crazy?
Question Mark
August 5th, 2010
6:46 pm
After all these vaunted drills, years of having top 5 rated recruiting classes, and sending so many players to the NFL, UGA still can’t win their division, much less win the SEC, and play in a BCS bowl. That goal keeps slipping further and further away.
So why is Mark Richt still in Athens? Do you think Alabama or Florida would put up with this situation?
Just askin’…
Harriet
August 5th, 2010
6:50 pm
The Dawgs will take over the SEC east this year—take that to the bank.
I did. The check bounced for insufficient funds.
BrownDog
August 5th, 2010
6:56 pm
Tech fans, get a life. You guys cannot stand UGA because you cannot beat UGA. That’s why you hang out on our blog talking stupid, trying to find anything you can to put our program down. YOU ARE OBSESSED with uga and you know you have to talk all the B.S. you can before we whip the living sh!t out of you in Athens this year, and yes my little yellow
f@ggots it is going to be ugly. So get back to your dugeons and dragons and get ready to crawl back under your little rocks when the clock sais :00 this year. You know that it’s coming.
AltamahaDawg
August 5th, 2010
6:58 pm
Uh yes, mark. That would, and they have.
D-MAN
August 5th, 2010
7:04 pm
Northside Warner Robins has got to be ahead of left boob,good list though Dawg House!
TampaGator
August 5th, 2010
7:23 pm
Dawginlex….most people are doing the “red panties” thing for fun…and it is fun. What is not fun is contantly reading posts about Jamar Hornsby (credit card) and Ronnie Wilson (gun) when they have long ago left the Florida program and don’t reflect the current culture at Florida….or people saying really negative things about any of the Georgia players who messed up and who are no longer part of the team. I, for one, hope your former QB can get his act together in JC and maybe return to Georgia or some other program in good standing like Cam Newton did. I think Cam Newton deserves to be respected for his comeback but Georgia fans are on here all the time calling him all kind of names even though the kid was NEVER convicted of a crime, all charges against him were dropped, and he left Florida by his choice. He could have stayed at Florida. But….on the football field….Cam Newton knew he would never beat out John Brantley and made a wise choice to leave. I wish him a lot of luck at Auburn…except when he plays the Gators of course. People get on here and post all kinds of negative comments….some maybe….like me yesterday….because their wives ticked them off…or maybe the dog did. But I would like to read more intelligent posts than what is written in the majority of the posts…most are just one line insults and contain a lot of racial or homophobic content. I frankly get tired of ready the insults and the slurs against race and creed. I think Florida and Georgia preseasons are reflected two very alike teams with very similar objectives and purposes…with both having a lot of talent. I post something on here about some of the Gator talent or maybe some recruiting news….and a lot of time all I get is “Gay….” insults and “why are you on this site” comments…which frankly….are jevenile and immature…and lack insight into anything worthwhile reading. But that is negative thinking and an insult to those who post such things….and maybe I shouldn’t do that. But it would be nice….when an AJC reporter does some research and writes an interesting article…that we….could avoid…at least once…post civil and intelligent responses to reading the artice….and not just express our frustrations about life because we can on here.
FDAWG
August 5th, 2010
7:25 pm
To freelemur and all the other UGA haters…get this. UGA is the ONLY school that has won at least 8 games a season over the last 13 years.
TampaGator
August 5th, 2010
7:31 pm
P.S…..rumor is the Gator D will also be showing a lot more 3-4 this year with the LB core of A.J. Jones, Brandon Hicks, Jon Bostic, and Jelani Jenkins. Now…that is a lot of speed and talent at the LB positions my friends….and Jeremy Brown (who nearly beat out Janoris Jenkins last summber before going down with a back injury for the season) seems to have made it all the way back…to replace Joe Haden. And he is being pushed by talented Jaylen Watkins and Joshua Shaw, both freshmen CBs. And Will Hill, Ahmad Black, and Matt Elam manning the safety positions…and…if Ronald Powell can step in and replace the 2nd and 3rd and long pass rush of Dunlap….the Gators will be might tough on D this year….and a lot faster than they were last year…which is hard to imagine…but true.
TampaGator
August 5th, 2010
7:34 pm
FDAWG….Georgia is an outstanding football program….but Richt needs to win an SEC title first…and then win a NC…for your program to be considered a top tier program like Florida is right now. Just the facts. This year is your opportunity to set a new standard other than just winning 8 games a year. Not good enough in today’s college football world…ask the coach at LSU who might lose his job if he just wins 8 games this year.
FDAWG
August 5th, 2010
8:16 pm
TampaGator…….I agree, 8 wins will not cut it anymore.
AltamahaDawg
August 5th, 2010
8:57 pm
What did ESPN rank the Gator recruiting class in the 5 years before the NC runs? Just curious.
AFDawg
August 5th, 2010
10:49 pm
Freelemur and other Techies, GA Tech has won only one NCAA Team National Championship in its entire history. GA Tech is a a great academic school but a loser in sports — period! Also, did you know Tech’s student body is only 30 – 35% female — no wonder you guys get so steamed up about a pair of red panties. My prediction — in five years GA State will have a stronger football program than Tech. Tech also won’t play them just like they don’t dare play GA Southern.
TampaGator, Richt has won a SEC title. The national championship will come just like it did for Bobby Bowden eventually. Georgia’s biggest curse has been top talent like Stafford and Moreno leaving early for the draft.
Dawg on Top
August 6th, 2010
10:40 am
Tech had that fluke, miracle win 2 years ago GA, which was flat and overconfident—no big deal. Ga blew out the ACC champions last year and will beat Tech like a drum this year in Athens—you can bet the house on that. Tech will be lucky to win 8 games. With all the top talent and better coaching, GA’s winning the SEC east this year. florida’s down big in talent.