Petrino’s return, Sturdivant’s comeback, Murray’s progress, etc.
ATHENS – Saturday’s game in Sanford Stadium will be Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino’s first in the state of Georgia since he abruptly resigned as the Falcons’ coach with three games left in the 2007 season.
“I haven’t even thought about it,” Petrino said Wednesday of his return to Georgia. “This game is all about our players.”
Petrino, who bolted the Falcons for Arkansas, is 15-12 (5-11 SEC) as the Razorbacks’ coach.
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Georgia offensive tackle Trinton Sturdivant, who missed almost all of the past two seasons because of knee injuries, played just one series — three snaps — against South Carolina last week. It was his first action of the season after missing the opener with a stomach ailment.
Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo thinks Sturdivant will play more as he gains confidence in his surgically repaired knees.
“He’s healthy,” Bobo said. “Anytime a kid goes through two major knee surgeries, it’s something that is hard for anybody to understand what he might be thinking. But he’s out there practicing, he’s out there getting better every day, and I think it’s going to click sooner or later that, ‘Hey, I’m ready to go, I’m full speed.’”
++++++++++
Georgia beat Arkansas 52-41 last year in a game in which Bulldogs quarterback Joe Cox threw five touchdown passes and earned a national player-of-the-week award. So Richt was asked if Cox’s successor, redshirt freshman quarterback Aaron Murray, has progressed to the point that he is ready for a similar shootout.
“We have to let him shoot a little bit more than we have lately,” said Richt, referring to Georgia’s conservative game plan the past two weeks.
Richt said he generally finds it impossible to predict whether a game will be high-scoring or low-scoring.
“Of course, Joe Cox had a heck of a game [against Arkansas] last year,” Richt said, “and no one would have predicted that, especially after we played Oklahoma State [two weeks earlier] and didn’t have much offensive production. Then it kind of flooded.”
Richt and Bobo made it clear after last week’s game that it’s time to open up the game plan for Murray. Bobo, of course, isn’t eager to disclose exactly what that means going into Saturday’s game against Arkansas. “Just allowing him to make some more plays, I guess, would be the answer,” he said in his weekly chat with reporters Tuesday night.
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After the debacle of poor tackling against South Carolina, Georgia has made its practices more physical this week.
“It got ramped up a little bit more,” Richt said Wednesday night. “Our practices have been good [previously this season] but apparently not good enough in regard to simulating tackling without tackling, which is what we call ‘thud.’ So we tried [this week] to make something a little bit more intense than thud but still a little bit less than grabbing guys and throwing them to the ground. When you tackle to the ground all day long in practice, you tend to get people hurt. … I’ll just say it got intensified a little bit.”
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A couple of freshmen who are impressing Richt on the practice field: safety Alec Ogletree and inside linebacker Demetre Baker.
On Ogletree: “He’s one guy that will strike you, there’s no doubt about that. He loves to hit. … Because of that, I’m anxious for him to learn what to do and continue to get work and hopefully get some scrimmage downs.”
On Baker: “I don’t know if it’ll turn into any kind of playing time right now, but one guy on the scout team that has really kind of ramped things up has been Demetre Baker. He is showing signs of being able to really run and strike. He’s been playing with a lot of energy, so when you watch him, you’re like, ‘That guy’s going to be pretty good one day.’”
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388 comments Add your comment
Gordon Sumner
September 17th, 2010
2:22 pm
Here’s a radical thought for Bobo (and Richt). Make adjustments to play calling DURING the game instead of getting your a$$ beat, then doing it.
TechNerds
September 17th, 2010
2:33 pm
Does ANY article about the Bulldogs bring out Techies that have jack better to do ??
Pago Pago Dawg
September 17th, 2010
2:38 pm
Whys is everybody so concerned about Petrino and the nfl?
Chief#1
September 17th, 2010
2:49 pm
GO TECH, GO TECH< GO TECH, Where are they going is the Question some body please tell us where TECH is GOING.
RaceCityDawg
September 17th, 2010
2:56 pm
I agee with you DawgNation. When I played ball in the 60s we did full contact work two days a week. Thuds= DUDS= embarassment on game day. If you don’t do it in practice its not going to happen in a game. You play like you practice.
WOW!!
September 17th, 2010
3:10 pm
Every coach I ever had preached it “you play how you practice”. The old addage of “practice makes perfect” sort of holds true here too (personally I believe pefect practice makes perfect, but I digress) If you are continuing to practice the repetition of NOT wrapping up and tackling then why would you expect to be able to do it on game day???
TechNerds
September 17th, 2010
3:13 pm
Didn’t we get ourselves in trouble last year by not tackling in practice?
When is it going to sink in ?
The real truth about GA Tech
September 17th, 2010
3:23 pm
Vance Duuley : read about that clean but dirty cheaters at Georgia Tech.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2227377
shreveport
September 17th, 2010
3:43 pm
i didn’t know uga had a game this week?
hope you enjoyed your short stay in the polls. see ya in Jax!!
TechNerds
September 17th, 2010
3:45 pm
Yeah, cause Florida looks SOLID. hahaha
shreveport
September 17th, 2010
3:48 pm
from down there where you are, i’m sure it does
bamarammer
September 17th, 2010
3:50 pm
shreveport, you made me laugh!
GirlHog
September 17th, 2010
3:52 pm
I really have never understood why you would hate Petrino. He did what all coaches do……what is best for his own future. It’s always about the end result. I live in Louisiana, and the LSU fans hate Nick Saban, too. That’s all we hear. He abandoned them for the NFL, and then he became the God at Alabama. Get over it! It’s very poor sportsmanship to boo anyone. Get out there and support your college team. Leave the BS behind. You’ll need all your fans cheering your team, not booing a coach. Next thing, the same ones will be booing Richt. Go out and have fun at the game, for goodness sake! Oh, by the way, I’m a Hog Fan! Hope we have a good game!
Broke
September 17th, 2010
3:52 pm
If you had just lost to allbarn and tech last year, then AJ wouldn’t have had a jersey to sell and he’d be playing. heha
shreveport
September 17th, 2010
4:07 pm
GO TECH!!!!!!
Sr. Confused
September 17th, 2010
4:08 pm
Can someone please help me understand the hatred GA has for Petrino? When so much has been written about this, the facts are that he asked Arthur Blank for permission to talk to an SEC school because he was not happy with his decision to go to the NFL – for personal reasons. Blank gave him permission and told him good luck. During the process, the whole Michael Vick debacle happened and Blank then went back on his commitment to Petrino and said that he’s bash him in the press if he left because he couldn’t take two PR hits at the same time. Because of the timing of college football, Arkansas needed an answer with 3 games to go in the season, or Arkansas would lose out on their list of coaching prospects. Petrino asked if he could address the players, and again Blank said no, so he made him leave without talking to his team. If Arkansas could have waited, they would have let him finish the season, but they couldn’t. It’s all about timing. And Blank is the one that tied Petrino’s hands. Why is he innocent? These are the facts of the story, so why the hatred? Why is he scum? If you went to a job you hated, and a better offer came along, would you be scum for taking it? You people are hypocrites! He’s a faithful father of 3 and a loving husband and his players love playing for him. He’s never once said a negative word about all of you saying the things you do about him. He has more character than all of you. I’m sorry he changed him mind on a job, but he made the right decision for him and his family. Don’t bring up Louisville either because of course he flirted with other jobs when he was there. And they were all in the SEC. He’s a top level coach that knew he was better than the Big East. He wanted in the SEC.
shreveport
September 17th, 2010
4:08 pm
Broke – get back in the kitchen and make me some dinner!
NORRIS
September 17th, 2010
4:09 pm
florida will lose 2 games this year maybe three
lsu might lose 3 or 4 hahahahaaha
shreveport
September 17th, 2010
4:09 pm
Girl that tloves Hog- did I say that you could leave the bedroom?
John Q. Public
September 17th, 2010
4:11 pm
It is sad that Tech is so bad all they have to root for is a UGA loss! They have been exposed for what they are, a second rate program and when all of Chan Gailey’s players are gone it will be a third rate program. But back to what this blog is for, talking UGA football I think Justin Houston will Introduce himself to Ryan Mallet saturday!! GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:12 pm
Shreveport do you have to use a mirror to see your Dinkie? I know you are too fat to see your feet and you dinkie is too smal to extend past your gut, but your sister loves you just the way you are.
shreveport
September 17th, 2010
4:14 pm
5150 P.O.A.D – You said you wouldn’t tell anybody about my Dinkie! That is the last time I make out with a redneck like you.
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:14 pm
shreveport – I heart your Dinkie!
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:16 pm
John Q Justin will have to introduce himself before the game because he will never get a chance to it during the game. I hear Richt just bought one of those inflatable Sumo wrestler suits to put sTURDavent in so he can play in the game and not get hurt. It is a body air bag for the easily broken and stupid.
5150 P.O.A.D. the Richard Head
September 17th, 2010
4:20 pm
Had to to go hide on another blog. Poor little man.
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:22 pm
Buck Blew Hershal on 680 the Fan just said Bobo needs to take the handcuffs off Murry and open up the playbook. Buck you should know better than to say Handcuffs and a UGA player. The only HANDCUFFS on the UGA O is that BOBO is in charge. I bet if you put Mike Bobo and Pat Nix in a room you might get enough brain power to light a 2 watt light bulb.
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:23 pm
Di..Head are you Blog Stalking me? You really love me don’t you. Please go to the EAGLE and find you a new man crush.
Broke
September 17th, 2010
4:23 pm
5150 P.O.A.D, how do you know that Justin will not have a sack against Arkansas? Are you psychic? No there is no way you are psychic cause if so you would have been able to make way better decisions in life and in return you wouldn’t be so lonely and angry. And you wouldn’t HAVE to always be on UGA blogs showing your anger because you would have more of a life!
5150 P.O.A.D. the Richard Head
September 17th, 2010
4:24 pm
Do I hurt your feelings little baby… Bwwaahhhh!
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:26 pm
That’s right not only do I read UGA blogs every day I also listen to UGA radio. I am obsessed with UGA!!!!!!
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:27 pm
GO NORTH DAKOTA STATE!!!!!!!!!!
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:28 pm
Yes broke that is the truth. you hurt my feelings now maybe mom will hold me while I cry. HAHAHAH.
D..Head do you wish to meet sometime? You can hurt my feelings in person all you can.
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:29 pm
Go IDAHO STATE.Please Idaho State don’t kick the mutts when they are down after the Gator game.
5150 P.O.A.D. the Richard Head
September 17th, 2010
4:29 pm
But I OWN my own Home and 50 acres. Also own my own business…. Someone just please touch me!
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:30 pm
Just in the ACC has 1 team ranked in the Top 25 and THE SEC has 6.
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:31 pm
Me and Dad hang out on the farm all day. Just the two of us. It is a wonderful life.
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:32 pm
GO TECH!!!!! We Beat South Carolina State
5150 P.O.A.D. the Richard Head
September 17th, 2010
4:32 pm
Don’t forget about my sister. Daddy always said that she is the best French Kisser!
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:33 pm
I don’t believe 680 the fan is owned by UGA. It is a sports talk radio station in Atlanta and covers all sports. Buck is on 680 and Pollack is on 790 the zone what is yourt point? I read all the sports blogs and listen to many radio stations. I post on the Miami paper and the Teeneesen and Roeanoke times to name a few. UGA is just the most fun to laugh at.
5150 P.O.A.D. the Richard Head
September 17th, 2010
4:34 pm
Poor sad Little boy!
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:35 pm
AKA I don’t have much of a life. I just post on random cities blogs all day and night. I was up at 2:30 am this morning posting on here. I sure wish women liked me.
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:35 pm
After 32 weeks the polls don’t mean nothing. I think I remember at week 1 a few years back UGA was #1 Then #3 then out of the top TEN by week 5. Polls are a joke and we all know it. After week 5 the nation will know better which teams are for real.
5150 P.O.A.D. the Richard Head
September 17th, 2010
4:36 pm
But I own my own home! Mommy, why does everyone always pick on me!
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:36 pm
sorry after 2 weeks.
TechGrad
September 17th, 2010
4:37 pm
5150 P.O.A.D, we all wish women liked you because then maybe you wouldn’t be on here as much posting your moronic post and embarrassing us Tech fans.
5150 P.O.A.D. the Richard Head
September 17th, 2010
4:38 pm
No your even sorry beyond 2 weeks…
5150 P.O.A.D
September 17th, 2010
4:38 pm
Techgrad go to a game and STFU.
Yikes!
September 17th, 2010
4:38 pm
5150 P.O.A.D – now you are getting made fun of by your own kind. Yikes!
Yikes!
September 17th, 2010
4:39 pm
TechGrad – go easy on him. He isn’t all there mentally.
SLim
September 17th, 2010
4:39 pm
This ain’t last year’s team….Ark 49 GA 14