Injuries piling up at inside linebacker for Dogs

ATHENS – Injuries have hit hard at inside linebacker for Georgia.

Four players at the position were sidelined from practice Wednesday: Akeem Dent (toe surgery last month), Marcus Dowtin (scrapes from  a minor scooter accident, according to coach Mark Richt), Richard Samuel (unspecified leg injury) and Mike Gilliard (unknown injury).

No position moves are planned to shore up the position, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said after Wednesday’s practice, because none of the injuries are long-term.

“They are injuries that are a nuisance right now, but when you look at status for the first game, [the players] are probable,” Grantham said. “Because no one is out for the year or expected to miss games, I think we just stay the course.”

Samuel is expected to miss a week or two, and that “hurts him a lot,” Grantham said. “Just because he’s young as a linebacker anyway, and he basically needs reps. . . . Anytime you miss an opportunity for that, it’s going to slow you down a little bit.”

Might the missed time increase the chances of Georgia redshirting Samuel, the converted tailback, as he adjusts to defense?

“I think we’ve still got a ways to go with that,” Grantham said. “How soon he would get ready could indicate what we would do. But right now I would still plan on using him and just see how he can come along.”

Georgia currently has only three scholarship players practicing at inside linebacker: redshirt sophomore Christian Robinson, a projected starter who Grantham said “is having a great camp”; senior Akeem Hebron, who had a scrimmage-high six tackles Tuesday; and freshman Demetre Baker.

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Cornerback Branden Smith was absent from practice again Wednesday. He is not expected to rejoin the team until, or unless, he is cleared academically for fall semester.

Jordan Love and Sanders Commings are getting more reps at cornerback with Smith out, secondary coach Scott Lakatos said.

Lakatos on Smith’s absence: “Any time you’re missing one of your players, it’s disappointing. But whatever he’s doing –- and I don’t know any more than you guys –- I just hope everything works out and we get him back.”

152 comments Add your comment

robdawg08

August 12th, 2010
8:51 am

Minor scrapes from a scooter accident ? Come on, are these football players or cheer leaders ?

robdawg08

August 12th, 2010
8:52 am

I guess they will sit out with a hang nail too ?

robdawg08

August 12th, 2010
8:55 am

I betcha Rennie Curran wouldn’t of sit out with some scrapes…

Jan Kemp

August 12th, 2010
9:00 am

How2fish

August 12th, 2010
8:47 am

Do you really believe CPJ was “out-coached” in last year’s game? That’s a delusional muttie. He certainly “out-coached” your CMR, with a new team, new system, against your “pre-season #1″ in 08, didn’t he?

ryan

August 12th, 2010
9:05 am

Why do the Haters on these UGA blogs want to talk man boobs sounds gay to me.

Paddy

August 12th, 2010
9:09 am

lucky 21…..thanks for the update on remedial courses. Sort of remember now that in the Jan Kemp deal. But I am just flabbergasted that you are allowed to take remedial in college. How does one pass an entrance exam for a major U. and still need work with on math , science and english? Better yet, how does one graduate HS if you are classified as remedial? Is that not what Prep Schools and places like Georgia Military JC are all about? I was pushed to excell in HS to the point of wanting to blast my teachers! Didn’t dare, had all male teachers in HS and they were tough s.o.b.’s.

How2fish

August 12th, 2010
9:10 am

Jan that’s all you got? Two years ago really ? And how about his excuse after the game they were “looking past UGA to the bowl game” How did that work out for you? Lets all say it together shall we “IOWA” !!! Another stellar coaching job !!

TardDawg

August 12th, 2010
9:15 am

Good chance of another subpar season.

Dawg Land

August 12th, 2010
9:20 am

No big deal—these are all minor injuries. UGA has the deepest LB group in the SEC.

Ted Striker

August 12th, 2010
9:21 am

Nice column, however the comments on the blog are quickly deteriorating.

JB

August 12th, 2010
9:22 am

Tech finished in Rivals ranking in recruiting last year 43rd. ( I know they don’t mean much, but they do tell a story) Tech, by hiring Johnson, Who I think is a pretty good coach ( I think he thinks a lot of himself) has really shut the door on a lot of young men who want to play at the next level. Yes, I know Tech has some guys on the roster who chose Tech …For Tech…….But if you are a “blue chip”, that being the key word, maybe 4 or 5 star, and you are a TE, OL, WR, and want to play on Sundays, you have to ask ask yourself some questions. No, I’m not knocking his offense, just his coaching and development of players to run it, and those positions I mentioned are not going to develop for the NFL……. I’m not talking about Gaily’s recruits who were brought in for a pro offense, I’m talking about Johnson’s. OL have to pass block in the NFL, TE block, but must have tape of catching balls, and WR’s must catch more than 10-15 balls a year. So, If you are a “blue chipper” at these positions, you’re not signing with Tech.

DawginLex

August 12th, 2010
9:22 am

Over a 100 comments and half of them are from the nerd herd.

Don’t you nerds have your own blog?

Obsession continues.
What you can’t be.
Someone who dates and marries a real girl, not a blow up doll.
Someone who owns a home and doesn’t live with mommy.
Someone who removes panties from the hips of real girls, not someone who plays with mommy’s panties while she is at work.

Paul H

August 12th, 2010
9:23 am

Robdawg08 – I agree. I’m not sure minor scrapes qualifies as an “injury.”

Jan Kemp

August 12th, 2010
9:23 am

How2fish

August 12th, 2010
9:10 am

If you’re gonna talk “history’, why are you limited to 1 year? Oh, pick and choose, the muttie way! As for “out-coached” last year, it looked more like “lack of execution”. But, I doubt you would understand what that.

JB

August 12th, 2010
9:28 am

The 2008 loss for us to Tech was all about ” lack of execution” on defense…….Jan, you did watch the first half didn’t you ? We understand it…….At the end of the day, it was a lousy 3 point lucky win for you guys……..

DawginLex

August 12th, 2010
9:29 am

Jan Kemp you want to talk history?

How about Tech beating UGA an average of twice each 10 years for the past 40 years?

How about you nerds obseesing over UGA 24/7 because you can’t beat us in anything?

Next will be the “let’s compare paychecks” crapola.

Anytime you want to compare, just let me know.

You a$$clowns are so stupid you don’t even realize how pathetic you truly are.

DawginLex

August 12th, 2010
9:30 am

obsessing, not obseesing for the spell check nerds

JB

August 12th, 2010
9:30 am

As far as history goes, line the two teams up 9 times, I say we win 8………..LOL

lucky21

August 12th, 2010
9:32 am

yea paddy I’m not sayin that it is right but it does happen the concessions universities make for football players when they are already paying for their entire college experience.

Jan Kemp

August 12th, 2010
9:33 am

JB

August 12th, 2010
9:28 am

Just what I expected…mutties lose, and it’s “luck” or “only 3 points”. Surprised you didn’t “blame the refs”. A loss is a loss. Face it, you guys are a second tier, mediocre SEC team.

JB

August 12th, 2010
9:33 am

Dawginlex………………….do you think the real Tech successful elitist are blogging here this Morning on the injury reports of our linebackers ?

JB

August 12th, 2010
9:34 am

Now Jan, that hurts.

DawginLex

August 12th, 2010
9:35 am

Is there any such thing? All these idiots appear to be basement dwelling nerds. The few that work don’t usually show up over here until later.

JB

August 12th, 2010
9:35 am

Mediocre, but good enough to beat the ACC’s best on their home field.

DawginLex

August 12th, 2010
9:37 am

After the 2008 fluke all we heard was, “You will never beat CPJ.” The tide has turned blah blah blah.

2009-Back to normal.

Tech piles up wins against a nothing league and loses to real teams.

Jan Kemp

August 12th, 2010
9:37 am

JB

August 12th, 2010
9:30 am
As far as history goes, line the two teams up 9 times, I say we win 8………..LOL

Kinda like lining up against those Gators, say 17 out of 20 times. LOL

JB

August 12th, 2010
9:38 am

Jan, for a Tech guy/gal………..you are really unarmed on here………….run along to your blog…..

DawginLex

August 12th, 2010
9:38 am

Typical nerd response Jan. You must be an Obama lover. Answer a question related to your own shortcomings by jumping on another bandwagon.

Pathetic.

Jan Kemp

August 12th, 2010
9:40 am

Naaah…you guys can’t match up to the LSU’s, Bama’s, and FLA’s of the SEC. Maybe you should leave.

DawginLex

August 12th, 2010
9:41 am

We play in a real league. Not a girly basketball league.

And we don’t need help in beating our little brother year after year after year after year…………………………..

JB

August 12th, 2010
9:41 am

Big difference Jan, We know where we stand with them……We don’t live to say we are better, or gonna kill them ever year like you do us…………..Civil people call it respect…….by the way, you like history, we do lead that series…… as we do with Tech…..

Dr. Benjamin Mayes, Super. City of Atl Schools

August 12th, 2010
9:41 am

A long, long time question about the UGA football program has been ” why does UGA not recruit kids from the city of Atlanta”?

Answer …………… see # 1. Smith. These kids for the most part, simply are ill prepared ( see the current standardized test cheating scandal by teachers ) and cannot do real college work.

I have followed UGA for many decades and this has “only been a problem” for the last 20 years or so.
This is why GT and Auburn and Clemson come in and get Atlanta kids to play for them. GT for example, has their recreation program, where the players eventually learn the difference in a 8′- 4×4 post vs a 8′ – 6 x 6 post.

Remember, if it ain’t osmose, you don’t want it. These words are on every diploma from GT for football players and Navy pilots that fly too low.

DawginLex

August 12th, 2010
9:43 am

The same LSU that we beat 34-13 to win the SEC?

The same LSU that waxed your pathetic excuse for a football program 38-3?

JB

August 12th, 2010
9:45 am

You guys looked pretty Good against LSU the last time you played………

Jan Kemp

August 12th, 2010
9:45 am

How’s that “series record’ working out with Bama, LSU, Tenn, and I think AUB, too.

DawginLex

August 12th, 2010
9:47 am

Richt has winning records against all 4

Could Tech do the same?

Aren’t you late for fry cook duty at the Varsity?

What’ll you have? what’ll you have?

JB

August 12th, 2010
9:48 am

Jan, do they sell those curly yellow wigs ya’ll wear at home games in the book store…..if you had girls sitting in the student section, they would really like those….hope you have one…..

Jan Kemp

August 12th, 2010
9:49 am

GA, SEC “wanna-be”.

DawginLex

August 12th, 2010
9:50 am

Tech wants to be like UGA in so many ways.

I’m done conversing with an idiot.

Don’t burn yourself on the grill today.

Jan Kemp

August 12th, 2010
9:51 am

JB/dawgin

Those were nice pictures last year of the, what was it, 4 or 40 tons of trash left on your campus last year? Nice.

JB

August 12th, 2010
9:53 am

Jan, why is it that ya’ll were ACC champs last year, played some pretty good football, and couldn’t interest a few thousand citizens out of a city of 5 MILLION people to fill out that rust bucket, girder blocking view stadium of yours? Hummmm……

JB

August 12th, 2010
9:55 am

OK Jan, I’m through…….Just having some fun…Have a good day and I hope Ya’ll have a good year……..

Jan Kemp

August 12th, 2010
9:56 am

JB

Same to you JB, it was fun….you too.

Thumper

August 12th, 2010
10:07 am

Janet, like has been said so many times, we don’t talk sh!t to anything Florida because they have whipped us like a rented mule for 20 years. We get that. You and some of your cronies….don’t get that. You’re like the mentally challenged kid that keeps getting his a$$ beat and still talks trash. Most of us feel sorry for you and try hard not to laugh in your face when we meet you in person. It is what it is Jane. Deal with it.

How2fish

August 12th, 2010
10:58 am

Jan I grew up in the ATL and many of my friends fathers were Bugs of the old school you remember Bobby Dodd Bugs back in the day Bugville had a program …how they would hate to see that the Bug village has sunk to the level that the big come back of the Bug village against UGA was about how bad UGA record was against UF?? So very sad!

TRUDAWG

August 12th, 2010
11:29 am

Can we please castrate anyone who uses the term “GATA”?

Ace

August 12th, 2010
11:36 am

Injuries and arrests, perfect excuses for 2nd tier.

Captain

August 12th, 2010
12:04 pm

A few things:

If Washun Ealey made 650 he wouldn’t be at Georgia, he would not have been NCAA cleared for admission. The only school I can recall who admitted a “non qualified” athlete was GT, when they admitted a LB from Cartersville. The same GT who played multiple academically ineligible players and was placed on NCAA probation.

Georgia does not have any roster member with the last name of Samuels. For goodness sakes, if you are going to call yourself a Georgia fan the very least you can do is know the player’s name. It is SAMUEL, no ’s’ on the end.

For Tide Roll, so typical of some Ala fans. The team wins, you guys come piling out of every trailer park from Arab to Andalusia, Dothan to Tuscaloosa, Selma to Wadley hop in your pulpwood truck and off to the public library so you can use their computer to visit sites like this. Go back to your MD20/20, dog on a chain, tank tops, brush your teeth it’s mid August and they’re due a good un, worry about all those Yankees who will be invading Ala from Penn in Sept. Grill some possum, smoke some carp, roast a few mountain oysters and call it a good day, Jerry Springer comes on at 4 and your cousin and uncle are headliners today, sit back, turn the window fan on super high.

How2fish

August 12th, 2010
12:22 pm

Captain I laughed so hard I spilled my coffee….Grill some possum, smoke some carp, roast a few mountain oysters and call it a good day, Jerry Springer comes on at 4 and your cousin and uncle are headliners today, sit back, turn the window fan on super high…Now that’s a riot!

Catherine

August 12th, 2010
2:59 pm

Hey How2fish, Atlanta has its own online casino black jack tournament for free at http://www.gameon247.com plus find other casino tournament games soon.