With Smith sidelined, Green hoping to return punts vs. Vols (updated)
ATHENS — Georgia coaches are looking for ways to get the ball in A.J. Green’s hands more often, and they’re seeking a temporary replacement for Branden Smith as the punt returner.
Green would love for the coaches to address both issues simultaneously by letting him return some punts Saturday against Tennessee.
“I hope so,” he said Tuesday night. “I would love to do that, but who knows?”
Green said he has returned punts in practice this week, as have Carlton Thomas, Logan Gray and freshman Derek Owens, but Green said the coaches haven’t told him whether he’ll do so in the game Saturday.
“They said, ‘Just be ready,’” Green said.
Green lobbied for the punt-return job in the spring and summer, triggering much debate about whether the coaches should risk injury to the star wide receiver in that role. The punt-return job ultimately was won by Smith.
Smith suffered a concussion last week against Colorado, his second in less than three weeks, and it’s not known when he’ll be able to return to action. Coach Mark Richt said Smith definitely won’t play this week and “probably not any time soon.”
Richt said Tuesday he’s not sure who will return punts against Tennessee but said all the players getting reps in practice are “certainly capable.” UPDATE: On Wednesday, Richt said Gray “more than likely” will be the primary punt returner.
By the way, Green considers his leaping, left-handed touchdown reception against Colorado last week the best catch of his Georgia career.
“I think that’s the best one by far,” he said.
In his season debut after a four-game NCAA suspension, Green caught seven passes for 119 yards and rushed for another 40 yards on an end-around. Returning an occasional punt, he figures, could be an opportunity for more playmaking.
“I just like the ball in my hands,” he said. “I feel like I can make plays. It would be nice to do that.”
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One note:
- Tennessee returned 400 tickets from its allotment for Saturday’s game, and UGA put them on sale to the general public Tuesday. The tickets are $70 apiece and can be purchased online (www.georgiadogs.com) or by phone (877-542-1231). Assuming they’re sold, Saturday’s game will be Georgia’s 60th consecutive home sellout. The last Georgia home game not to sell out was the Nov. 25, 2000, game against Georgia Tech. UPDATE: As of early this afternoon, Georgia had slightly more than 200 tickets remaining for the Tennessee game.
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76 comments Add your comment
Randy Moss
October 6th, 2010
2:26 pm
He’s gonna be the next me suckas!!!!!
RUSHING
ATT YDS TD LG
Green 1 40 0 40
RECEIVING
REC YDS TD LG
Green 7 119 2 50
Mike Bobo
October 6th, 2010
2:30 pm
Since I can’t figure out how to get the ball to him on offense, this is a great idea!
Vick=Dog killing thug
October 6th, 2010
2:41 pm
haha Mike Bobo
Give Green the ball anyway possible!
Hey reebok
October 6th, 2010
2:41 pm
Reebok, you are 100% correct ………….let AJ play to the max and frankly, now to UGA he is very, very, very,very expendable so use him and emphasis on the word U-S-E- , instead of the other way around.
Ankle, Knee? Who the heck cares??? For sure let him build his market value returing punts. Do I care if um, ah, well, you know ……………..
USE HIM UP.
Go Dogs.
In context of the entire ugly season - Try this
October 6th, 2010
2:48 pm
Try this:
Use Orson Charles at QB and use Trinton Sturdivant at Fullback with Chapas as a wide out and have Wiggins playing DB ..nichel back. Why not??? Let Aaron Murray kick FGs, with Walsh hauling water for The Water Girl.
As for ealey …………let him return K.O.s and get creamed along with Caleb King.
I context of this ugly year, who the heck cares anymore? After baby Vince comes in and roughs up this group BULLDOG pretenders, I could care less. The $$$ alumni, which I am part of, have seen and read enough …………this staff is toast and SHOULD BE.
Failures in recruiting SEC caliber kids.
Failures in coaching up to the mid level SEC standards.
Failures to grow UGA ball to a much higher level than Goff and Donnan took it to.
Go Dogs.
Class of 71 & 73
Patrick
October 6th, 2010
2:51 pm
Not allowing Green to return punts is the exact reason UGA has struggled the last two years. Play the best players available, and play to win. Don’t play afraid… Don’t play not to lose….Don’t play not to get hurt. I’m disgusted by all the people on here who are afraid AJ will get hurt. Give me a break! This is footbal…Unreal….
Hey UGA Insider
October 6th, 2010
2:52 pm
MIKE TOMLIN????? SERIOUSLY??? There is no way Tomlin would leave the Steelers to come and coach our team. Same argument goes for Gruden as well. I don’t know where you delusional fans get these ideas, but it does make these blogs interesting.
LLoyd Christmas
October 6th, 2010
3:07 pm
Man, you are one pathetic losers. No offense.
FATLEGS
October 6th, 2010
3:12 pm
um.. $70 dollars? Seems a little bit much doesn’t it?
Daniel
October 6th, 2010
3:13 pm
This doesn’t make any sense to me.
If we want Green to get the ball more often (and we do), we should set up more pass plays for Murray to connect with him. I’m tired of our sad run plays that go no where because our offensive line and tailbacks aren’t playing well. Put it in the air, and Green will get more chances to handle it. Save the run game for 3rd and 4th and short, and then give it to the fullback.
As for a replacement punt returner, why not let Boykin take it? He’s an excellent kick-off return man, and I think he’s tough enough to play on both sides of the ball.
Dawg Gonnit
October 6th, 2010
3:28 pm
I’m sure Green can fair-catch as well as anyone else on the team..put him back there! We are 1-4 and we need to do anything we can to win. AJ helped screw-up this entire season when he decided to sell his jersey when he new it was the wrong thing to do. I think he has a ways to go to earn back his team’s (and the fans) trust and good will. He needs as many touches as possible! Put him in the Wildcat! What would it hurt, we are 1-4 people and 0-3 in the SEC!! It’s time to put up or shut up – everyone better be balls to the wall on every play!!!!!!
Bucky Belue hand it to Herschel
October 6th, 2010
3:40 pm
More touches for the best weapon on the field??? & whats the problem? No brainer, DO IT CMR!
Boston Dawg
October 6th, 2010
3:42 pm
What is with people continuously posting that we should hire guys like Mike Tomlin, Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden? I’m as big and optimistic a UGA fan as there is, but there is absolutely ZERO chance any of those guys would come to UGA. Tomlin is coaching a team he just won the Super Bowl with two years ago. Cowher and Gruden have both been lifetime NFL guys, so they wouldn’t come out of retirement for ANY college coaching job. Even if they did, there’s no reason to believe they’d be good recruiters, having never held a college head coaching job before.
The UGA head coaching job is very attractive, but it ain’t THAT attractive. Get a clue, people.
hornblowermg
October 6th, 2010
4:01 pm
ajg should consider another year playing at dawgville rather than sitting out a year in the nfl after a player lockout next year.
Bdawg
October 6th, 2010
4:19 pm
Too risky to lose him for the rest of the season. Julio Jones is always hurt. Tougher practices will translate to better and more discipline on the field. For the off field issues, Richt cannot determine who will screw up but, the players have to want to play for a NC and a chance to make it to the next level. Richt does have to instill discipline into the players and a more physical mentality. I looked at some of the OL that we have coming in next year and they look really soft and with the OL coach and strength and conditioning coach we have that is not good. There are some major changes that need to be made with the coaching staff and it will start with Richt’s attitude and deamanding a tougher mentality.
Marlon Brown Out This Week - VolNation
October 6th, 2010
4:40 pm
[...] Branden Smith, punt returner definitely out too. With Smith sidelined, Green hoping to return punts vs. Vols | UGA sports blog [...]
Bigguy
October 6th, 2010
5:01 pm
When you are 1-4 I don’t think anything is too risky.
Joey
October 6th, 2010
7:05 pm
It don’t matter who’s returning punts.
Georgia gonna win em’ all from here out.
Check it.
UGAVII
October 6th, 2010
7:58 pm
I can`t stand it anymore.
Send UGA VIII to the other side so I can have company.
AJ can sell jersies as he runs down the field.
Tenn. wins by 30.
DAWG07
October 6th, 2010
8:18 pm
Would like for A.J. to return for his senior year to make up for the 4 games he missed. Know thats asking a lot.
daddydog
October 6th, 2010
9:17 pm
To everyone wanting to expand AJ’s role, remember he doesn’t have himself in good enough shape to plat a whole game @ receiver without cramping up
TheTaxJacket
October 7th, 2010
2:34 am
**** “Well, they’re losing a lot of games and have a lot of people getting arrested,” Crowell said of Georgia. “There’s just a lot of things going wrong. I do want to play right away but I also want to be where it’s disciplined and they win championships.” ****
(((( 45 – 42 ))))
bbcsickdawg
October 7th, 2010
8:57 am
can aj play defense and offense line
AltamahaDawg
October 7th, 2010
9:46 am
Personally, I am glad to see the reports of the O-line being shaken up. Not to pick on the boy, but the one in question has whiffed on a bunch of critical situations. Just need to get him in some kind of different situation, coming in as a reserve fresh, whatever. But something has to give. A freshman LG cant be any worse that a Sr. RT has been doing. As much as I question the overall job coach SS is doing, he has shown in the past he can change things around and get better results. Not getting better results from game one is the question, but we are not at day one, so game 6 is better than never.
Well I should say I am glad it’s happening, the “seeing the reports” is not really the important thing. I am like most of us an info junkie about the team, but BUT when the coach says……..hey local paper, can you shut up about that…..is there any doubt what that meant?
AltamahaDawg
October 7th, 2010
9:49 am
Is it true that the tech bookstore ran out of Crimson Tide hats already? I heard they even had to convert some of the Gator section over.
JT
October 7th, 2010
10:00 am
I hate to say this but Richt has given in to Grey allowing him to catch punts when someone else could have returned punts last year in many cases. He also has given time to Grey to develop as a wr at the cost of others getting time at wr. We have a freshman as a backup qb who may not ever get experience on the field when we had Grey that at least competed for the starting qb job and who backed up the starter last year. If Mason has lost his RS season to have one series and one td we have set him up to be in the same boat as Samuel has been….Wasted Talent…Especially since the greatest thing go come out of NC since Cox is on his way to UGA without playing in any HS this year…Can you understand recruits being a little leary of coming to UGA? Especially QB’s.