Notebook: King’s return, Green’s absence and, oh yes, cowbells
For a complete roundup of the AJC’s coverage of Georgia’s loss to Mississippi State, please click here.
(Updated 11:45 p.m.)
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Georgia got a number of players back on the field from injuries Saturday night.
Tailback Caleb King, who had missed the previous 2 ½ games with a sprained right ankle, entered the game against Mississippi State late in the first quarter.
He was the third Georgia tailback into the game, following starter Washaun Ealey and Carlton Thomas. King entered the game on Georgia’s next possession after a goal-line fumble by Ealey thwarted a scoring opportunity. King broke free for a 12-yard gain on his first play since the season opener, but that proved to be the highlight of his night. He finished with 23 yards on nine carries.
Meanwhile, Branden Smith, Shaun Chapas and Marcus Dowtin returned to action after missing the previous game with a concussion, sprained ankle and shoulder stinger, respectively.
Smith started Saturday at cornerback. Chapas entered at fullback, in relief of Fred Munzenmaier, on the first play of the second quarter. And Dowtin came into the game at linebacker early in the second quarter.
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Football games here have a unique sound: cowbells.
Before Saturday night’s game, messages played on Davis Wade Stadium’s video board, imploring fans to “respect the bell” and “ring responsibly.”
The SEC has a rule against artificial noisemakers, but the league in June passed an exception on a one-year trial basis to officially allow Mississippi State fans to continue their decades-old tradition of ringing cowbells. The catch is that the bells are supposed to be rung only at certain times -– pregame, between quarters, halftime and after MSU touchdowns. The school will be fined by the conference for violations of the policy.
Early-arriving fans started ringing the bells two hours before kickoff Saturday. During the game, the upper right corner of the video board offered a constant reminder of whether it was time to “ring” or “yell.”
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Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green was not allowed under NCAA rules to accompany the team to Mississippi State. He was serving the final game of his suspension for selling his Independence Bowl jersey to a person the NCAA considers an agent, former North Carolina football player Chris Hawkins. Green is scheduled to return to action next Saturday at Colorado.
He has played in only two of Georgia’s past nine games, missing three of the final five last season because of lung and shoulder injuries and the first four this season because of the suspension. In one of the games Green played late last season, he left with a shoulder injury early in the second quarter against Auburn. So his only full game out of Georgia’s past nine was the Independence Bowl victory over Texas A&M.
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Georgia has more former players currently serving as captains of NFL teams than any other school.
That’s according to this report by the Dallas Morning News, which counted the colleges of the 124 players who were elected full-season captains by votes of their teammates on 26 NFL teams. The other six NFL teams have captains appointed weekly by their coaches.
Six of the 124 permanent captains are former Georgia players: Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey, Saints offensive tackle Jon Stinchcomb, Bills defensive tackle Marcus Stroud and Panthers kicker John Kasay.
Stafford was quoted by the Dallas paper as attributing his captaincy to this: “We have a great coach, a great leader at Georgia [in Mark Richt]. It probably rubs off on us.”
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Davis Wade Stadium is the nation’s second oldest Division I-A on-campus football stadium. It was built in 1914, making it one year younger than Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium. But Mississippi State’s old stadium has a new-age feature the largest high-definition video board in the SEC and the second largest (behind Texas’) in college football. The screen is 111 feet wide by 47 feet high. In square footage, it is slightly smaller than Turner Field’s video board.
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308 comments Add your comment
TigerOne
September 25th, 2010
10:16 pm
Honestly. So is it your intention to actually beat an FBS opponent this year? I mean really. Mississippi State? Just curious.
Nick
September 25th, 2010
10:17 pm
This for certain has nothing to do with AJ Green. I frankly wouldn’t blame him if he doesn’t come back the rest of the season.
WG Dawg
September 25th, 2010
10:19 pm
Wow, I am embarassed to be a UGA fan. It’s so bad that I laugh about it now. We are becoming the punching bag for the SEC. We keep playing like this, we will lose our ability to recruit top notch players. Well actually, we can still recruit leftovers or players that have criminal records. It’s sad to know that basically our season is over. I can see us losing at least 3 more games. My friend and I were betting during the games on what plays Bobo will call. I pretty much predicted most of the plays.
Ralph
September 25th, 2010
10:19 pm
Ooops. Looks like a losing season for the thug dwags.
coachKR
September 25th, 2010
10:19 pm
Anybody else second-guessing the decision to not hire Diaz as our D- coordinator? Our defense is pathetic. Nobody fills a gap or steps up to make a tackle. They sit back and try to “catch” opposing players. Washington is terrible!
And what about our experienced offensive line? Davis stood and watched on every running play. They don’t know there blocking assignments!
This team is not well coached….and that my friends is a reflection of Mark Richt! I have always supported him until now. I believe it is time for a change!
NXS
September 25th, 2010
10:20 pm
Put a fork in it… we’re done, we suck!
UGA4EVER
September 25th, 2010
10:21 pm
Nick i dont anyone would at this point
Bugsquacher
September 25th, 2010
10:23 pm
MARK RICHT HAS A FEVER! AND THE ONLY PRESCRIPTION…IS MORE COWBELL!
BoWeevil
September 25th, 2010
10:23 pm
POORLY coached
acedawg
September 25th, 2010
10:23 pm
its time toclean the doghouse. fire richt
George P Burdell
September 25th, 2010
10:23 pm
Dawgs have worst won/loss record in SEC!!!!
24 to 12 yea baby!!! I love it!!!! Mississippi State yea yea yea!!!! Do the Dawgs play Vandy this year?????
gomdawg
September 25th, 2010
10:24 pm
WORST COACHED TEAM I HAVE EVER WATCHED. HANG YOUR HEAHS YOU NO PLAYING BULLDAWGS, EALEY SUXS.
Welcome to the bottom of the SEC
September 25th, 2010
10:24 pm
Signed Vandy….
There are no perks…. you will lose many recruits… but don’t worry it comes and goes in cycles….
BoWeevil
September 25th, 2010
10:24 pm
1-5 vs last 6 SEC East teams
2-7 vs last 9 SEC teams
Jake
September 25th, 2010
10:24 pm
When you can’t beat a not-very-good Mississippi State team, you are worse than not very good.
87RxDawg
September 25th, 2010
10:24 pm
Boots, you right on brother! We post when passion runs high but our problems are all over the field and they are real. We look like a high school team and there is plenty of blame to go around and changes need to begin Monday morning.
Mike S
September 25th, 2010
10:24 pm
FIRE MARK RICHT!!!!
If you can’t beat a high school team like Mississippi St you don’t deserve to coach in the SEC.
Georgia will go 4-8, 5-7 at best — Win vs Colorado, Idaho St, GA Tech (Who may be worse than Georgia somehow) and maybe a win vs Tennessee (who may even be worse than Ga Tech).
Lose by 10 to Kentucky, 7 to Vandy, 40 to Florida and 20 to Auburn.
George P Burdell
September 25th, 2010
10:25 pm
Hey St. Simons- 24 to 12 yea yea yea!!! Worst record in the SEC!!!
BR-549
September 25th, 2010
10:25 pm
I’m a big Richt fan, but you can tell that he has lost the respect of his players. They do not fear him. With about 10:00 left he tried to get in the grill of #50 and the kid wouldn’t stand still and just kept walking away from him disrespectfully. Same thing happened late with #61. Can’t see this happening with Saban, Meyer or Spurrier.
acedawg
September 25th, 2010
10:25 pm
i knew we wre in trouble when richt said at the beginning of the half: we jst need to keep doing what we are doing.
SentientDawg
September 25th, 2010
10:26 pm
Come on Idaho St — maybe that will be our second and only other win this season. The Dawgs have just quit trying — I believe this will be Richt’s last year.
MSDawg
September 25th, 2010
10:26 pm
We are the Real Dawgs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Be proud UGA,ya’ll are our Bitches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BoWeevil
September 25th, 2010
10:26 pm
WAIT until NEXT YEAR ?
We LOSE 15 seniors and 4-5 juniors after this already over season
AND, we had a POOR RECRUITING SIGNING DATE 2010 on Offense and are headed to another 2011 on Offense
SatillaDawg
September 25th, 2010
10:26 pm
I’m done.
Fire the whole hapless coaching staff.
This is a pitiful excuse of a team.
CMR, you need to resign immediately, and take Dodo and the rest of the Can’t Shoot Straight Gang with you.
You’re an embarrassment to the great State of Georgia.
No more money from this alum until there’s a house cleaning.
Pitiful. Absolutely, positively pitiful.
Pardon me while I go throw up.
acedawg
September 25th, 2010
10:27 pm
absolutely no vision for adjustments.
Right On Time
September 25th, 2010
10:27 pm
How can I put this…
This looks like a Ray Goff team.
He had 3 winning seasons and one of those was 6-4-1.
Unprepared.
Lethargic.
Disorganized.
Poor fundamentals.
RB’s don’t hit the hole with authority.
Fair catch on almost every punt.
10 times as many arrests as wins.
0 meaningful touchdowns on the road.
I could go on and on, but you get the picture.
5-7 or 4-8 this year?
It appears it is time for a change.
kydawg
September 25th, 2010
10:27 pm
We are soft…we suck!!! Everybody gets hurt every play. Ealey is wearin’ the _____ #3 jersey…must think he is B.Evans in that shirt!
No effort…no answers to the opponent’s stuff! I’m out!!!!
George P Burdell
September 25th, 2010
10:27 pm
Best offensive line in the SEC??? Top ten recruiting classes??? 24 to 12 Miss State???? Hey St.Simon’s where are you??????
BoWeevil
September 25th, 2010
10:27 pm
acedawg,
I thought Coach Richt said “WRAP UP”
It is more than coaching
September 25th, 2010
10:28 pm
Are players are not very smart…. did you see the play at the end of the game where we almost get in a fight trying to steal the ball in the protect formashun..
WTF did we think we were going to do…. Grab the ball and score 12 points in 12 seconds….
I have held out judgement, but agree we have lost it…. That was classless and dumb…. kinda shows how we led the nation in arrests this year.
I guess the players have the fulmer cup to chairish this year.
I have had Season Tickets sense the year before Richt arrived. This is my last year.
kydawg
September 25th, 2010
10:28 pm
What I meant was “somebody” gets hurt every play
BR-549
September 25th, 2010
10:28 pm
Lack of respect for the head coach will make a team soft and undisciplined. Ask the Jim Mora Jr’s and Ron Jirsa’s of the world.
GaDawg
September 25th, 2010
10:29 pm
the upper classmen are not stepping up. No on the field leadership from the seniors. Bobo is not a OC. No creativity at all. Just don’t know what else to say. I know that most of you want Richt gone but I do not think that is the problem.
acedawg
September 25th, 2010
10:29 pm
what does cmr think???? msstate is not going to make adjustments. nothing new the second half
Sportsrealist
September 25th, 2010
10:29 pm
2 Years ago we were ranked #1 in the nation, now we are the butt crack of the SEC. Way to go UGA.
Nick
September 25th, 2010
10:29 pm
Wait, I’ve changed my mind. It could be worse. I could be a Lousiana-Lafayette fan. They are the worst team in the country.
acedawg
September 25th, 2010
10:30 pm
cmr IS the main problem. everyone follows his leadership GADAWG
MSDawg
September 25th, 2010
10:31 pm
How does it feel to be THE cellar dweller of the SEC?
GaDawg
September 25th, 2010
10:31 pm
It is more than coaching – That was actually a smart play. They should have reviewed that play. MS QB was not down when the ball was stripped. If the QB is going to stand around then knock the sh*t out of him!
acedawg
September 25th, 2010
10:32 pm
little discipline on the team. same as past years. but there is no stafford/moreno to cover up
GT Fan
September 25th, 2010
10:33 pm
KARMA – Got what you deserved UGA for all the crap you low-rent bulldog fans have placed on our blog today. Life sucks at the bottom doesn’t it?
Mike S
September 25th, 2010
10:34 pm
LOL that is rich .. a GT Fan posting crap…. When they are probably worse than UGA.. At least UGA us losing to SEC teams
aladawg
September 25th, 2010
10:34 pm
Sandy Springs Dawg, hell yes we are that bad or even worse.
BR-549
September 25th, 2010
10:35 pm
I think Richt is a great man and a great coach but sometimes a change of scenery is good for everyone. He has lost this team. Any school teacher will tell you that you can always loosen up but it’s almost impossible to tighten up. He can’t get them back at this point. UGA started circling the drain with the endzone celebration against UF
kevdawg
September 25th, 2010
10:35 pm
MSDawg – Not to Good I can tell you that.
MSDawg
September 25th, 2010
10:36 pm
Love reading all the post from the so called Georgia fans.What was that sound?Must be another UGA fan falling of the bandwagon.
GaDawg
September 25th, 2010
10:36 pm
Tell me about his leadership? He’s not all of the problem. You cannot stay on top of every player 24/7 just like your kids, if you have any.
Arrest for traffic violations in my book are not major. Felonies like what FL has and the kid that was just arrested for hitting is pregnant girlfirend. Then you have an issue. It’s not all about winning.
BoWeevil
September 25th, 2010
10:36 pm
Arkansas still has NO DEFENSE
Georgia tek has now LOST to the likes of Kansas and NC State
But we LOST to Mississippi State
Chris Relf played better than Aaron Murray
And, South Carolina Garcia was better than Aaron Murray
And Arkansas’ quarterback Mallett is better than Aaron Murray
And, Auburn’s Cam Newton is a better QB than Aaron Murray
Aaron Murray threw 4 passes tonight that should have been intercepted or it would have been 50-6
George P Burdell
September 25th, 2010
10:37 pm
Richt says he has never been in a position like this in his football career??? You Dawgs better get use to it!!!! 24 to 12 Miss State yea yea yea baby!!!!!!
kevdawg
September 25th, 2010
10:37 pm
GT Man – You would know as your are there most of the time. I guess I know what it feels like to be a Tech fan now