Richt: Branden Smith will play Saturday, barring setback
Cornerback/punt returner Branden Smith, who missed Georgia’s past three games because of a concussion, is expected to return to action Saturday against Florida, coach Mark Richt said Monday night.
“Branden, we believe, will be ready to play,” Richt said on his weekly radio show. “If there is no setback, then he’ll play for us. We feel like he’ll be ready to go.”
In addition to using Smith on defense and punt returns, Georgia also occasionally plays him on offense. In punt-return situations Saturday, Richt said the Bulldogs will have the option of using Smith or A.J. Green. “A.J. still might be back there,” Richt said.
Smith suffered his second concussion of the season in the Oct. 2 game at Colorado and has not played since.
Richt also said wide receiver Logan Gray will be “ready to go.” Gray left last week’s game with a minor hamstring injury in the first half but returned later.
“I don’t think he has any ill effects from what happened in the ballgame this last week,” Richt said. “I just talked to him today, and he feels real good. More than likely, Logan will be the guy back there when we’re in our punt-safe, as he has been, standing on that 10-yard line deciding whether to field the punt or let it roll into the end zone.”
Click here for news from the Gators: Offense ‘modified quite a bit’ for Dogs
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
115 comments Add your comment
Thumper
October 26th, 2010
9:12 am
BOSS……..you’ve got to be a tech fan. A gator mentioning parole officers? Seriously?
jtdawg
October 26th, 2010
9:12 am
Yeauh BOSS GATOR, whuteva.
Just keep laptops, impounded cars, eyeballs and feisty MILFs away from your baby GayTurds and they just might make the field, barring a collapse from Urban as he runs out to the field….
Be careful, that annual ass whuppin just might come your way….
SECWasteManagement
October 26th, 2010
9:14 am
*Sanders Commings* Excuse me.
jtdawg
October 26th, 2010
9:16 am
To me, this is a MUST WIN for Richt. I praise him and his staff for getting the pups better prepared the last 3 weeks, but if there is ever a time he needs to beat the Gators and turn around this “once” rivalry, it’s now.
Our rivalry with the Gators has been my biggest sore point with Richt so far…. he just seems to let some “ghost” whip him every year just about. No gimmicks, no excessive celebrations or unsportsmanlike BS, just go out and GATA!
gdawginkalamazoo
October 26th, 2010
9:27 am
When did Tennessee start playing football in France?
SECWasteManagement
October 26th, 2010
9:41 am
That’s pretty funny kalamazoo.
But I’m telling you people, Georgia’s secondary needs to be lock down for this game because they gave up 355 and 4 TD’s through the air vs. UK. If the front 7 comes out like they did last week in the first half, expect Brantley to be un-rooting himself frequently from the ground.
McDawg
October 26th, 2010
9:42 am
controlled drives–no interceptions (Murray has gotten away w/ a few)–and punish Brantley
McDawg
October 26th, 2010
9:43 am
do you think the German people will be offended by Dooley’s comments
SECWasteManagement
October 26th, 2010
9:49 am
If we establish the run, well then keep pounding the rock, and if needed, get Orson Charles the football please.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 26th, 2010
10:01 am
Yes the secondary is horrendous. They give up more bombs than the Enola Gay.
Cuz
October 26th, 2010
10:04 am
Why do the Gators hate Corey Smith’s “Every Dog is gonna have his day”? It starts with a gator win in JAX. Still good song though.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 26th, 2010
10:06 am
Derek Dooley also compared Terry Bowden to Napoleon.
Cuz
October 26th, 2010
10:06 am
I hope we do not get two touchdowns ahead and play prevent defense and offense like we did last weekend. Hey I am glad it worked on UK, I don’t think it will work against UF.
Cuz
October 26th, 2010
10:07 am
zoo the Enola Gay only gave up one.
Zeb
October 26th, 2010
10:07 am
kalazoo.. enola gay.. now that was funny
Cuz
October 26th, 2010
10:09 am
Sanders played well in the secondary but Vance Cuff got burned so many times his new nickname is Toast.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 26th, 2010
10:24 am
Cuz, one is all it takes in some games.
Bulldogs will have top returner back | ChuckOliver.Net
October 26th, 2010
10:26 am
[...] http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/2010/10/25/richt-branden-smith-will-play-saturday/?cxntfid=blog... [...]
JayD
October 26th, 2010
10:31 am
Glad to have Smith back – I think Cuff should lose some time – not Commings.
Nanook
October 26th, 2010
10:32 am
I’ve never understood how anyone – even an alumnus – could support and take pride in UGA’s football team. When you look at their history for the past forty years, how can anyone ignore Jan Kemp and the “remedial studies” scam, the Jim Harrick fiasco, the DUIs in the athletic office, the DUIs and other arrests of players, the #1 party school tag (i.e., the most drunk students), the suspensions and outright dismissals, the Fulmer Cup, and on and on?
As disgraceful and humiliating as it is, I don’t see many alums and fans demanding an end to this sordid activity. It sets UGA apart as the kind of school most people abhor, and it’s become an embarrassment to the whole state of Georgia.
Will it never end? Apparently not while Mark Richt is at UGA. Richt is perhaps the biggest hypocrite in the United States. But even with all the cheating and lawlessness that he ignores, he still can’t win the SEC.
So you’re paying him to be BCS champions, but he can’t even win his SEC division. So why do you pay him millions of dollars a year?
Just asking.
uga's girl
October 26th, 2010
10:32 am
Yes, I believe Boss Gator (or Boss Hogg) is a Techie. Seriously, comparing our arrests to the Gators’ is like comparing riding a bicycle without a helmet & murderers. Good Lawd, give it up!
I believe this is our year to take care of things in Jax. This game (as it normally is) doesn’t seem to be “in the heads” of our players. They seemed focused & ready to go. We didn’t have to have an air attack last week & that was good game play by our staff. Can’t believe I just said that, but it’s true. I saw what they were doing & why. CUM knows why we did it too, but it gave him a little less to look at. We surprisingly have cut down the penalties & need to keep that under control again. I see Houston having a dawg bone feast on Brantly on Saturday. Three big hits & he’s out!
Chris Rainey might not have had to serve time for his crime, but I would love to see his punishment coming from the Dawgs. We all knew Oscar Meyer would bring him back for this game, I just hope everything else they do is as predictable.
Murray, AJ, Boykin, Houston, Durham, Charles, Smith, Ealy, Dent, Walsh & Butler all bring their A game to Jax! Can’t wait to see it! Also, I hate to leave Chapas out. He’s silent but deadly. Kind of like that smell the gayturds bring to Jax.
Haven’t made my prediction yet, but I see a Dawg win & a big one.
Hunker down you hairy dogs!!! Oh, and UGA VIII will bring us some flair! (I know that was totally girlish, but I had to throw something in there)
Degas
October 26th, 2010
10:35 am
Get rid of Ealey, King, and Green. These smartass punks are like cancer to a team.
Thumper
October 26th, 2010
10:48 am
Degas….better idea….why don’t we just get rid of you? Don’t go away mad moron, just go away.
UGA Insider
October 26th, 2010
10:48 am
UGA will win big Saturday…. 42-10. We just have too much talent and speed. When I go to practice I still can’t believe we are a 4 loss team. Folks, this team is a top-10 team without a doubt and the offensive coaching staff should be ashamed because Grantham and co have done a hell of a job!
uga's girl
October 26th, 2010
10:50 am
Nanook, didn’t you post the exact bunk on a blog yesterday or Sunday?
Sorry no one answered you, but let’s see. First tell us where you went to school and we will give you more answers, but for now I will keep it simple.
Name one college, I don’t care about size, athletics or anything, just one college who hasn’t had problems. While you are coming up with an answer for that, it comes down to being alumni & being proud of your school. Period. I would definitely like to live in your fantasy world where apparently your alma mater was perfect, but none are. Zero, nada, zippity do-dah!
So, tell us about your proud alma mater who never had problems. I know I would love to hear about it. May even send my kids there. Not really, they will go to UGA just as we did & do it with pride.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 26th, 2010
10:56 am
Yes what’s up with the long passes. KY had 3 TD passes over 20+ yards.
Thumper
October 26th, 2010
11:03 am
Kalazoo, Rambo and Cuff are the worst cover safeties we’ve had in a while. It seems they’re too focused on making a hit like Blue and Davis used to. I don’t care how fast either one of them are, they “bite” at the wrong times and consistently get burned.
DawgNation
October 26th, 2010
11:12 am
I’m with Cuz. If they get a lead they can not afford to go conservative with the defense. The last quarter against KY is a perfect example of a team that played three quarters with intensity, change to prevent, and looked bad. They will not be able to get away with that kind of play with FL. Opening kick off to last second, play every down with the fire they played in the first half last week, then a quality win will be theirs. Go soft trying to protect a lead then they will get beat. Its a mental thing and has been for 20 years. No one on this team should give two hoots about what happened the last 20 years. Go DAWGS!!! UGA 44 FL 31 (Looks familiar doesn’t it?)
gdawginkalamazoo
October 26th, 2010
11:17 am
Thumper, I thought the coach from UConn was suppose to be pretty good at teaching the DB’s a coverage? What happen with that. I don’t have the numbers but it seems that we get beat deep just about every game.
DawgNation
October 26th, 2010
11:20 am
Thumper,
I agree about the safeties but I have noticed the last three games Rambo making more sound tackles (wrapping with his hands and driving through the tackle) instead of the ESPN highlight shots with his shoulders. I attribute that to him being coached up. Now if he can just learn not to bite on the play action of pump fakes. Cuff on the other hand is a hopeless cause this year. Maybe if he is sat down this spring and summer and given remedial lessons on fundamentals maybe he could contribute to the defense next year but right now that one has no clue.
The Real SugarHillDawg
October 26th, 2010
11:33 am
Can Branden PLEASE fill in for Vance Cuff???!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PowerDawg
October 26th, 2010
12:13 pm
Enter your comments here
ATL Native
October 26th, 2010
12:28 pm
Nanook, get a life, please, you dork. just sayin
PowerDawg
October 26th, 2010
12:41 pm
Can you bunch of doom & gloom, hand-wringing, comment-qualifying, half-a$$ed fans please refrain from posting so much negative garbage this week?
I know that we have had to endure a lot of heartbreak in Jacksonville over the past twenty years, but dang…
This team, the players, the staff…they need positive reinforcement right now. We need to show this team, not only with our money and presence at the stadium on saturdays, but even through our blogged writing, that we are behind them and that we believe in them. They don’t need a sub-culture of fans that talk out of both sides of their mouths…”I love the dawgs, but”… “yeah, we’ve been playing good football lately, but”… “we’ve won three straight, but”..
“See whut ah Meen?”
As an alum, I believe in unconditional love and support for these players and this team. That doesn’t make me a homer, just a source of support, no matter what. When they run out of that tunnel this saturday, we need to make sure that they feel the energy, enthusiasm and support they deserve. They need to know that we believe they can be victorius this day and it is time to GATA.
But that’s just me.
PowerDawg
October 26th, 2010
12:44 pm
“VICTORIOUS”
Fat fingers, I guess. My bad.
EricADawgFan
October 26th, 2010
12:50 pm
CMR really need to return the favor to Coach Meyer as to what he did to the Dawgs last year. Coach Meyer was angry at the Dawgs because of the on field celebration the year the Dawgs beat Florida. So he took it upon himself to call a time out to add insult to the Dawgs demise to the Gators. They ran the numbers up on the Dawgs as well. So this year, the Dawgs should really run the number up on Meyer to let him know what it feels like to be done that way. I sure hope that the Dawgs put at least 50 points on the board and the defense keep the Gators out of the end zone. No touchdown for the Gators.
Run The score up CMR. Leave Absolutely no doubt……..
Old Dawg
October 26th, 2010
12:58 pm
I don’t care how many points we score. I don’t care how many yards we gain. I don’t care how many sacks Houston or any other Dawg gets. I just wanna win. 1 point or 100, it doesn’t matter.
The only thing that matters is the W!
Saben
October 26th, 2010
1:30 pm
Doesn`t matter who plays for Georgia. Florida wins by 30.
You folks haven`t beat a team with a winning record yet.
wolfbait67
October 26th, 2010
1:35 pm
NRBQ:…………..Tampon Gator is on the ……if not , he will be come Saturday nite……..Ga Dawgs and to H_ _ _ with Suburban Myers and the rest of the Crocks…………..
uga's girl
October 26th, 2010
1:46 pm
PowerDawg, that was my speech from last week, but different wording. I couldn’t agree more. We have to stop feeding the trolls. If they can’t survive under the bridge, it’s their own fault, but I refuse to give them a morsel.
GO DAWGS!!!! This is your year! I don’t care about the losses, you look great & we love you in this house!!!!
Spike
October 26th, 2010
2:00 pm
Bench Vance Cuff! He sucks! Put in Branden Smith!
jimmymack
October 26th, 2010
2:20 pm
can cuff cover anyone
76-DAWG
October 26th, 2010
2:28 pm
PowerDawg
I think you are forgetting that this is an open blog to anyone. Most of your so called doom and gloom negative posters are not even UGA fans. You have a lot of young immature posters that have no business commenting at all because of their lack of knowledge or genuine concern about UGA football.
I am also a loyal UGA Alum but I am not a passive , wait for life to come to you, do nothing about the current problems with the football team , person. I am in the aggressive but cautious personalities that when encountering a problem want it resolved as soon as possible and that doesn’t get done by accepting the status quo.
Certainly you will agree that there are problems at UGA right now . We just have a disagreement as to if anything should be done. You support UGA with your time and money with unconditional love , willing to accept anything , win or lose. I on the other hand can’t accept a lose when we are not being beat on the field because of the lack of talent. What is beating UGA over the last three years is poor coaching , not having the team mentally prepared and not having your best players on the field.
An example is that it took 3 years too long to get rid of Willie Martinez even though the statistics proved that the defense was getting worst to really bad. In the SEC if you care anything about winning you better have a good defense.
I too spend a lot of money supporting UGA and fill both of us care equally . I will support your way of showing that if you will agree that your way is not the only way’
Vick=Dog killing thug
October 26th, 2010
2:28 pm
We gotta stop them dagum Gators on 3rd down.. That’s it .. yesss sur
gdawginkalamazoo
October 26th, 2010
2:38 pm
Amen PowerDawg and UGA’s girl, I support the dawgs 100%. Gotta like the heart they have played with all season, playing as a team. I would like to see Boykin take one to the house again.
Bigdog24
October 26th, 2010
2:58 pm
If your a dog fan and your going to Florida I suggest you download this song for the trip.
http://www.jfareal.com the song is called Go Dawgs by j. fareal or you can just google him.
sav'h dawg
October 26th, 2010
3:05 pm
One major loss for Florida in this game is Charlie Strong. Let’s dont forget that Tebow is gone as well. I was in the Atlantis Casino this past summer gambling with some Gators and all they talked about was John Brantley being so much better of a passer than Tebow. They are also vulnerable on the offensive line. I’m pumped! Go Dawgs, see ya in Jax.
jsmithc
October 26th, 2010
3:32 pm
i think urban is going to fake retiring or fake a heath issue by thursday to get his team motivated. o yea and im glad to see demps will be back by the georgia game
Scrambled Dawg
October 26th, 2010
3:48 pm
Alright Branden! Looking forward to your return. If the Dawgs can keep the turnovers to a minimum (maybe one, or none would be nice) and not let the Gators receivers burn us deep, we will win the game. I think we can control the ball on O and come up with a big play or two on special teams (I think #8 will be returning punts Saturday). Let’s Go Dawgs!! Sic Em!!!
Hot Diggity
October 26th, 2010
4:09 pm
Hey Dawgs, how bout if we get a lead we try not to slip into a “prevent” defense. We all know what the prevent defense does. Maybe we can stay focused for 60 minutes and “Finish The Drill” as I’ve heard someone say a time or two..