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
The GoalLine Fumbler
September 25th, 2010
10:59 pm
Who do we replace Richt with? Well, first of all he has not won anything like 90% of his games. Second of all, look at the mid-majors that are doing well–Utah, Boise, TCU. Then, perhaps look to a DC that happens to be a Georgia alum–from Texas or Bama.
FLA DAWG
September 25th, 2010
10:59 pm
Mark,
Did you see the game!?
Such a fine man and coach does not lose to the worst team in the SEC.
Dawg Catcher
September 25th, 2010
10:59 pm
Great comeback FLA Dawg…how about a trailer park or Bear is Dead joke? Those are always good. I don’t have time to go back through these blogs and quote Patrick or many of the other stellar GA greats that said ALL of those very things…and more. Please, don’t get amnesia 4 weeks into the season.
Coach Richht
September 25th, 2010
10:59 pm
People we lost because we didn’t ‘you know what’. We could of won if we had ‘you know what’. What you ask? Finish the darn drill’, that’s what! Now go to bed!
Krogunner
September 25th, 2010
11:00 pm
Mark, He’ll have plenty of time next fall to “help under privledged kids from other countries”.
acedawg
September 25th, 2010
11:00 pm
there was absolutely no inovative game plan in the 2nd half! none! thats not the players fault!
Pitbull
September 25th, 2010
11:00 pm
Well said Coach!
edumacated
September 25th, 2010
11:00 pm
Richt supporters………….get in line and take your medicine. It’s time to make you sane.
FLA DAWG
September 25th, 2010
11:00 pm
That is because you have no quotes.
Your team had to overcome a three TD point downer to win today.
National Champ Bama Again – This Year No Way.
spider
September 25th, 2010
11:01 pm
well it least the panthers won today
kydawg
September 25th, 2010
11:01 pm
Did anyone else think Tim Couch was loving this…he never beat UGA once! It’s just like listening to Robert Smith with ESPN…he’s a hater as well. IF you can’t beat ‘em…join ‘em I guess!!!
Reality Stinks
September 25th, 2010
11:01 pm
I think we will still beat FL by 3 touchdowns
87RxDawg
September 25th, 2010
11:01 pm
Kev, come on man give Ealey a break, we don’t pay him for his brains.
Pitbull
September 25th, 2010
11:02 pm
Our problem is our schedule! We should be playing more AA teams. You can’t blame the Coach and players for that!
K-Town Dawg
September 25th, 2010
11:02 pm
How many more times is Bobo going to call the run up the middle on both 1st and 2nd down when it is not working?
Richt needs to start calling the plays and if he can’t get it done, he needs to move on.
As bad as the defense looks, we’ve been in all these games (17 to SCAR, 31 to Arky, and 24 to Miss St.). The offense can’t score when they need to, that is on Richt and Bobo.
Krogunner
September 25th, 2010
11:03 pm
Reality Stinks, I want some of what you’re smoking or drinking.
Dawg Catcher
September 25th, 2010
11:03 pm
Whatever. Those who are regularly on here know EXACTLY what I am talking about.
Every team has adversity through the season. The difference is…they do it…your boys don’t.
Reality Stinks
September 25th, 2010
11:04 pm
i wonder if we can beat tennessee…………………..tech?
Me
September 25th, 2010
11:04 pm
Who should be Georgia’s next head coach? DDW has an idea.
http://dealingdominiquewilkins.blogspot.com/
GaDawg
September 25th, 2010
11:04 pm
Give me a break! Petrino, Derek Dooley, Mullens, Kirby Smart who almost lost to Arkansas today. Muschamp who got his a%% handed to him by UCLA. These examples are worst than Richt on his worst day. Muschamp and Smart have never lead a team they have ridden the coat tails of Saban and Brown. Both coaches in waiting. Meaning – we don’t think you;re good enough to be a head coach. Come on let’s have som more serious names. Not real impressed yet.
FedDawg
September 25th, 2010
11:05 pm
Call me crazy, but I still think we can win the SEC East. We’ve got the hard part of the schedule behind us. Win out the rest of our games and get a little help from some upsets and Atlanta Here We Come!
acedawg
September 25th, 2010
11:05 pm
fumbler- so your logic is stay with richt until his winning % is what .75? cant u see? it aint gonna get better than this. looking backward does not solve the problem. get real – richt won the sec with players leadin the team he did not recruit. he has not won since
Reality Stinks
September 25th, 2010
11:05 pm
Im drinking the UGA will win the rest of the season Green Kryptonite Gatorade
Want some
Its gooooood
BoWeevil
September 25th, 2010
11:06 pm
We just don’t coach our boys
larry
September 25th, 2010
11:06 pm
Good bye, coach Reekt and so long OC BooBoo. What a sorry state you clowns have put us in. Loss to Missy State? Please!!!!
Pitbull
September 25th, 2010
11:06 pm
Coach Richt says “screw y’all, I’m crying all the way to bank!”
92 UGA Grad
September 25th, 2010
11:07 pm
Dawg Catcher…you’re right, there were UGA fans on here early this year talking trash about Bama. One thing you fail to mention is that it was Bama fans on a UGA BLOG talking trash that precipitated all the smack talk. I’ve never gone on a Bama, Auburn, UT, Florida, or GT blog and talked trash. If you would just stay on your own sites or blogs, you wouldn’t get your panties twisted…
CMR
September 25th, 2010
11:08 pm
Guys, it’s Coach here. Let’s not get carried away. It’s still September, and we can still win out and get to Shreveport or another good bowl game. We need your support up in Boulder, and I need you to stay positive. I love UGA, and I love you all. It’s been an honor to be your head coach for 8 years now, and I appreciate your patience and support. Please don’t wave red panties in the air during timeouts – our players are very confused by that, and I don’t want to explain what that’s all about. And even though I like Ray Goff very much as a person, I’d appreciate it if you’d stop comparing us. All we need to do to turn this around is Wrap Up more – Ray Goff never even thought of that, now did he?
BoWeevil
September 25th, 2010
11:08 pm
GaDawg,
I don’t give a rats behind.
Coach Richt’s “coaching staff” is the dead last worst in the nation.
92 UGA Grad
September 25th, 2010
11:10 pm
Did any of you Dawg fans watch the Stanford-ND game today?? Harbaugh coaches SEC style football better than most of the coaches in the SEC. He plays power running game, good defense. He is recruiting all over the country and out-recruited UGA for the best LB in the state, James Vaughters. Go offer him whatever it takes and get him here ASAP.
GaDawg
September 25th, 2010
11:11 pm
BoWeevil – Rat’s behind about what? Prove that Richt’s cocahing staff is the worst in the nation. Give me facts! Put up or shut up! I like how all of you call for change but cannot come up with one.
larry
September 25th, 2010
11:12 pm
UGA will NOT win the rest of the season. It will be 5-7 at best. UGA has a bunch of pansies for ‘coaches’ and that is why they have not won a conference game so far. Bunch of puzzies if you ask me. Puzzy = UGA.
#3
September 25th, 2010
11:13 pm
we suck!
BoWeevil
September 25th, 2010
11:15 pm
Mississippi State that is LOSS Number 9 in the Coach Richt Era to a team who will NOT end up in the Final AP Poll Top 25.
K-Town Dawg
September 25th, 2010
11:15 pm
They won’t fire Richt, his buy-out is too large this year.
BoWeevil
September 25th, 2010
11:17 pm
GaDawg, I have been posting on this blog about what the FACTS are about this Coaching Staff for 3 years.
If you haven’t read them, don’t bother asking me.
How about 2-7 vs SEC last 9 SEC games ?
larry
September 25th, 2010
11:18 pm
Fire CMR, dildo Bozo and the rest of the coaching staff. C’mon, now UGA fans, how long would Saban allow the douche bag Bobo to hang around? Think!!!!!
gabulldog66
September 25th, 2010
11:19 pm
if you think the cowbells were the problem…jeez.
larry
September 25th, 2010
11:20 pm
Fire that SOB!!!!!!
Dawgs Tell
September 25th, 2010
11:20 pm
Sorry boys and girls,Richt will not lose his job until after the 2011 season. If he wins the east next year he stays until his contract expires. He has obtained alot of political capital in Athens town.I know 3.2 Million is a lot of money and he will stay until the mules drag him away. If you made his salary and there was no pressure from the top to win, would you not ride the golden goose till they ran you off. 7and 5 baby and WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR!
Bobby Houseman
September 25th, 2010
11:20 pm
The Dawgs should go to a bowl for sure. The toilet bowl. Keep Richt and that’s where they’ll wind up.
BoWeevil
September 25th, 2010
11:22 pm
87RxDawg,
We don’t pay
WASHAUN EALEY
for his brains ?
What the hell is that a reference to :
(1) DRIVING on a suspended license ?
(2) Hit & run with 3 witnesses all UGA emplyees telling him to stay ?
(3) Fumbling the football in 2 SEC games at the goal line ?
(4) Having the damn football at your feet and watching the defenders pick it up for a touchback, instead of you for a touchdown ?
don
September 25th, 2010
11:22 pm
UGA is the Vandy and Ole Miss of the SEC. Watching Auburn/SC game…..it is Night and Day b/t UGA’s. We need to clean house. But, who is out there for a head coach?
archaeopat
September 25th, 2010
11:22 pm
I attended my first Georgia game in 1963. I have seen good and bad team over the years, but almost all of the teams showed a whole lot more character than we have seen out of Georgia for the past two years. Is it time for real change?
gabulldog66
September 25th, 2010
11:23 pm
So CMR hires Mr 3-4 without realizing we dont have the players to play a 3-4. No strong nose guard, not inside LBs who can tackle, weak CBs and Safeties. Add this to an offense run by a 16 year old coordinator and you get what we got. Bobo is not the problem, the Defensive Coordinator (I use the term losely) is not the p[roblem. CMR hired these bozos. Let him fall on his sword.
john
September 25th, 2010
11:23 pm
say bye bye to ray drew
Stephen Garcia's Parole Officer
September 25th, 2010
11:23 pm
Georgia is a surprisingly bad team. You can talk about AJ Green’s absence all you want and breaking in a new quarterback, but the young QB and the receiving corp are actually the strength of the offense. Durham is the surprise star of the first 1/3 of the season. But the running backs are mediocre, the tight ends are so-so, and the offensive line is dreadful. This with almost the entire offense coming back. That doesn’t happen without bad coaching folks, and it starts with Richt.
Arkansas looked pretty good today, but lost at home. They are a good, but not great, team. South Carolina lost tonight and will probably end the season with its usual 5-6 losses. Georgia lost to both, plus Miss. St. It’s really THAT bad.
K-Town Dawg
September 25th, 2010
11:24 pm
I hear Saban is available for 8 mil a year
larry
September 25th, 2010
11:24 pm
Fire his butt!! Try to hire a real coach who knows how to win. Too late for Nick Saban. Maybe the guy from Boise. UGA has the cash so why stick with this douche bag Richt? What has he done since 2004?
don
September 25th, 2010
11:24 pm
I am tired of hearing “NEXT YEAR” ……. We have been Passed by. We are OUT COACHED!!!! Does the new AD care??? Season tckets next year……. don’t know