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
ARdawg
September 25th, 2010
11:24 pm
We couldn’t beat Ole Miss today
Joe Cox for Heisman
September 25th, 2010
11:25 pm
Does Georgia have an OLINE coach haha
Nick Saban
September 25th, 2010
11:26 pm
8 million a year and I’m there. I will even keep Grantham.
Shorter commute to the lake house sounds good.
don
September 25th, 2010
11:26 pm
Why are all of our players so much smaller than everyone esle in the SEC?
Bobby Houseman
September 25th, 2010
11:27 pm
Ask Richt, Don.
don
September 25th, 2010
11:28 pm
The O-Line is a JOKE !!!!!! Murray has no time.Bobo got ot go. He is SOOOO out coached
Joe Cox for Heisman
September 25th, 2010
11:28 pm
Thank god ga doesnt play BAMA and/OR LSU this year this years schedule is alot easier than it could be
GeorgiaGirl
September 25th, 2010
11:28 pm
Let’s stop Bobo from calling the plays and let Richt resume that part and see how we do. If it’s not any better, then let’s talk about firing Richt.
rincon dawg
September 25th, 2010
11:28 pm
93,000 seats at sanford. 6 games = close to 27 million dollars. plenty of money to buy cmr out and get a new coach
gabulldog66
September 25th, 2010
11:29 pm
The problem here is our low IQ felons are worse athletes than their low IQ felons. Oh, an dumber.
SowegaDawg
September 25th, 2010
11:29 pm
I’ve been a diehard UGA fan since I was 12 years old, and I’m 55, but people when we can’t beat Miss. State and Kentucky–It’s WAY past time for a coaching change. I’m sick and tired of all the arrests, stupid penalties, and losses to teams we should handle easily. UGA football is a joke–NOBODY fears playing us anymore, and with the talent in this state, that is a shame.
Joe Cox for Heisman
September 25th, 2010
11:29 pm
UGA is hurting the image of the SEC
don
September 25th, 2010
11:29 pm
CMR is too busy doing Ford ads on TV. I like CMR…. don’t get me wrong, but the football program is a $100 Million business. We will (already have) lose recruits. We can’t keep players in the state any more
Joe Cox for Heisman
September 25th, 2010
11:30 pm
does joe t have any eligibility left man he was good just wait till next year when ga plays bama and lsu haha
NORRIS
September 25th, 2010
11:31 pm
There are a lot of comments on here from people that dont have a clue about football.
But there are some things that are evident.
Murray didnt do all that bad. He just didnt have any time to do much with that HORRIBLE offensive line. NO protection at all.
Bobo has got to go. he is the worst offensive coordinator ever.
Coach Richt has got to tighten the strings here with Bobo or he will find himself on the chopping block.
The secondary was horrible. Arm tackling still.
No blitz at all or pressure on their quarterback. He had all day.
and for what its worth no luck at all. Everytime the ball hit the ground it went right back to them.
rincon dawg
September 25th, 2010
11:31 pm
cant believe people are saying let cmr call the plays! He is supervising bobo duh!!!!!!! its his offense. got to have a change now. Or the next four years are in the toilet
don
September 25th, 2010
11:32 pm
Amen SowegaDawg !!!! NO ONE worries about UGA. Load the box , b/c we can’t block and Bobo is goint ot run up the moddle
Ed
September 25th, 2010
11:32 pm
“CMR is not the problem.”
Of course not. Just like it wasn’t Captain Smith’s fault that the Titanic was steaming full speed through an ice field. The helmsman is to blame. Or the first officer. Or the lookout. Anyone but Smith.
UGA football reminds me of the last large corporation I worked for. The buck didn’t stop at the top; instead, the crap rolled downhill.
Richt ties Goff with 0-3 SEC start
September 25th, 2010
11:33 pm
The dawgs have problems a mile wide and very, very deep.
Joe Cox for Heisman
September 25th, 2010
11:33 pm
Ga has lost its handle on recruiting in south ga and metro atl richt has no control of the team the team as a whole has no discipline and you have bobo calling out your redshirt freshman qb hahah bobo what a class act
techbuzzer
September 25th, 2010
11:34 pm
Hey “Reality stinks” and Eduardo – exactly how many touchdowns did your precious dawgs get today against a third rate team? And how many of your players are on probation? I do not think 7-11 would give any of you Athens drunks a job.
Erk
September 25th, 2010
11:35 pm
Tonight could have been a turning point but now we’ll tailspin. We show absolutely no creativity in offensive play calling. Anyone else notice that we only gain 2 yards EVEN when we open a hole? And Miss St gained a minimum of 4 most plays because apparently we immediately get pushed off the ball. Bobo has to go by season’s end at the latest. Surely Richt learned that lesson w/ Martizez being here too long. I still think Richt has at least next year regardless of how rest of this year goes.
Joe Cox for Heisman
September 25th, 2010
11:35 pm
IS CONFERENCE USA INVITING ANY NEW TEAMS???
rincon dawg
September 25th, 2010
11:35 pm
every team knows that you put pressure on a young qb and load the box against us. So what do you do? they keep doing the same thing. Spread the field throw slants and screens. We dont even throw to our rbs, we throw to our fbs instead who are much slower.
don
September 25th, 2010
11:36 pm
techbuzzer ….. what time is it back in NC
ed
September 25th, 2010
11:37 pm
UGA is not a powerhouse program at all uga is a lower tier sec team looking foward to the matchup with Tennessee wow that will be a shotout
don
September 25th, 2010
11:38 pm
CMR will do nothing….. do you really think he will fire Bobo w/5 kids…. CMR will not fire anyone. Bobby Bowden all over again
BoWeevil
September 25th, 2010
11:38 pm
GaDawg,
Who do you think is a better Offensive Coordinator than Mike Bobo ?
cwm
September 25th, 2010
11:39 pm
RICHT HAS TO GO HE LOOKS OVERMATCHED ON THE SIDELINE …… NO FIRE IN HIM NO FIRE IN HIS TEAM ….. HE MUST GO ……..
Ed
September 25th, 2010
11:39 pm
techbuzzer, your team got its ass handed to it today by NC State, in your house. Since you are talking smack on a UGA board, I figured you hadn’t heard.
Richt ties Goff with 0-3 SEC start
September 25th, 2010
11:40 pm
The problem with the dawgs is the good players they do get, get no coaching at all, our best player Murray is very good despite Bobo, not because of Bobo. Same with Stafford, he would have been great playing for a juco.
don
September 25th, 2010
11:40 pm
Let me make One more coacktail and go to bed….one last thought….. If I was a recruit….who would I want to play for in the SEC….. UGA do not know any more.
Old Tackle
September 25th, 2010
11:40 pm
A former MSU player, here. It’s great that you guys continue to disrespect the team that that just whipped your team. Just one more thing for me to say, you still have to play us in basketball this season. We’ll beat you then, too. Just like we usually do. More cowbell!
fred
September 25th, 2010
11:41 pm
HEY don atleast TECH can score points UGA will get destroyed by the bees
BoWeevil
September 25th, 2010
11:41 pm
Yes, Coach Richt has NEXT YEAR.
It’s been his cry since 2005.
But, with us LOSING 15 seniors after this season along with 4-5 juniors, and a poor offensive recruiting class 2010 and appears to be poor offensive recruiting class 2011 too, Coach Richt will have a
WORSE SEASON NEXT YEAR 2011
Buford T. Pusser
September 25th, 2010
11:42 pm
Reality check for all UGAy fans. You will not win the national championship this year, or any year for that matter ; your one and only NC in 1980 was thirty years ago. It was an abberation, an anomaly. It will never happen again. You are insignificant on the national scene. No matter what your drunken neighbors in the trailer park tell you. Now please get back to reality by sobering up and reporting to your job at the convenience store. The Sheriff has spoken.
BoWeevil
September 25th, 2010
11:42 pm
Old Tackle,
I will disrespect Mississippi State until Hell Freezes over.
fred
September 25th, 2010
11:43 pm
maybe the dawgs need to call up jimbo fisher and get some help mark stoops looks like the answer in tally LOOK OUT A BEAST IS GROWING IN TALLY!!!!!!!!
cwm
September 25th, 2010
11:43 pm
RICHT MUST GO …………. I AM TIRED OF SPENDING MY M O N E Y RICHT MUST GO ………………. GO DAWGS
don
September 25th, 2010
11:44 pm
Hey fred my watch still is stuck on 8-1 …….does that tell you anything…. GT is joke more than UGA is right now.. Sell out your stands and call us..By the way…. coming to Athens this year or are you staying home….remember…can’t jump on 85 and get out town fast in Athens..
BoWeevil
September 25th, 2010
11:44 pm
Old Tackle,
You come running in here after a decisive victory over Georgia, and you know NOTHING about what has been written on these blogs for the last 3 years.
We are on a mission around here.
It starts with the FIRING of Mike Bobo and his entire offensive coaching staff
Old Tackle
September 25th, 2010
11:44 pm
Get your parka, BoWeevil.
Jeff
September 25th, 2010
11:44 pm
FLORIDA WILL CRUSH UGA LIKE EVERY YEAR MAN ITS SUX TO BE A GEORGIA FAN
cwm
September 25th, 2010
11:45 pm
A CAN’T BELIEVE I AM SAYING THIS BUT BRING ON BASKETBALL….
a-son-sir
September 25th, 2010
11:45 pm
Wow. I really thought your mutts were gona step up and trounce Ms.St. Very surprised. I caught some of the USC game and the highlights against Ark. I think UGA is as talented as USC and Ark and more talented than Ms.St. Mutts are just playing poor ball and finding ways to lose.
Looks like a close race between UGA and Tech for sorriest playing team this year. Jackets have put together a couple of stinkers now as well.
Not so sure about all the fire CMR talk. Really think UGA will hire a better coach? Hire the wrong guy and you might see a real tailspin.
To the Tech haters…yeah we are pretty disappointed right now as well. Difference is we know our coach will right the ship. No worries about the future here. Can’t wait to see you folks in Athens again this year.
don
September 25th, 2010
11:45 pm
fred…. when it’s 4th down and 10 today…. was that Reggie or josh?
MS Bully
September 25th, 2010
11:46 pm
I believe the last time you lost to Mississippi State was 09/25/2010. Georgia needs to kick the cheap shot artist #61 off the team after his actions trying to intentionally injure an opponent after the game was decided.
rincon dawg
September 25th, 2010
11:46 pm
Hey Buford dont forget 1942.
Richt ties Goff with 0-3 SEC start
September 25th, 2010
11:46 pm
With this lose to Miss State the dawgs are doomed to a 6-6 season, they lose 2 of 3 games with Tenn, Vandy and Ky. Then they lose to Florida, Auburn, but have chance to beat Tech and save a 7-5 season. Sad, very, very sad.
MS Bully
September 25th, 2010
11:46 pm
You suck #61