Georgia saw Cam Newton as ‘more of a tight end prospect’
ATHENS – Sound bites from Mark Richt’s news conference today:
- On Auburn quarterback Cam Newton: “Just when you thought [Tim] Tebow left town, he showed up again in another jersey.”
- On recruiting Newton as a high school player: “I remember him. He was a very talented guy, a guy that we did look at. We actually had him pegged as more of a tight end prospect. A lot of it had to do with what we like to do offensively, more of a fit [issue] than any disrespect to his ability to play quarterback. He’s proven to be pretty darn good, though.”
- On whether he expects Newton to be distracted by all the controversy swirling around him: “It was swirling last week. It didn’t seem to bother him last week. So I doubt it. . . . Usually, when you start playing ball, no matter what’s going on around you, it’s a haven for an athlete be in his element and shut the world out and go have some fun and play ball.”
- On who will simulate Newton in Georgia’s practices this week: “Well, we’ve got Parker Welch, just because he’s been our scout-team quarterback all along. And one of the best similarities I guess I could say he has to Cam is he wears No. 2 this week. Parker, he’s a great scout-team quarterback. He throws the ball real good. He’s doing great for us. But he’s not 6-6, 250. It’s just a little different.”
- On Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley: “I’ve not really seen any one man block him. I rarely have seen two guys block him very well. I’ve seen him get a sack without even touching the quarterback –- he knocked a guard into the running back and then the running back into the quarterback and the quarterback got knocked down. . . . And then when he sacks guys, he tends to like to body slam them. It makes me real nervous. Hopefully, [Aaron] Murray won’t see this press conference.”
- On whether Georgia figures it can get the ball downfield to A.J. Green vs. Auburn: “You know what the biggest problem is? The biggest problem in my opinion is Nick Fairley. Because when you’re talking about getting the ball downfield to A.J., to do that you’ve got to hold the ball a little while. And it’s hard to hold the ball a little while when that guy is coming. Because he is relentless. I think Ben Jones is a pretty good center, and I think Cordy [Glenn] is a pretty good guard, but I tell you: This guy, he’s a lot to handle. . . . Fifteen quarterback hurries, 18 tackles for loss, 7 ½ sacks — those are huge numbers for an interior defensive linemen. Those are [Warren] Sapp type of numbers. . . . Nick, he’s the closest thing I’ve seen to Warren Sapp in all the years I’ve been coaching.
- On the high profile of Saturday’s game: “We know everybody in the country is going to watch the game, but they’re probably tuning in to watch Auburn. Hopefully we’ll show up and give them something to watch.”
- On Arkansas’ victory over South Carolina last week, an outcome that would have boosted Georgia’s chances of reaching the SEC title game IF the Bulldogs had beaten Florida on Oct. 30: “I was sick. I’ll be honest with you; I was sick. . . . If we had won the Florida game, we’d have been in position to go to Atlanta depending on what happens this Saturday in Florida vs. South Carolina. And it would have been a wonderful story. But it’s not.”
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293 comments Add your comment
78 DAWG
November 9th, 2010
3:08 pm
Richt knows best! If he thinks he would have been a great TE, he probably ought to be a TE. Clearly Florida has proven they can’t evaluate players! I think CMR has earned the benefit of the doubt, he has to recruit players of high character under one of the toughest admission requirements, on a tiny salary, in a state with no credible D1 players and he has been able to put together back to back 7-5 & 6-6 seasons. Imagine if he was at a school like Florida where all they care about is winning and would give him and his assistants big contracts and let them act like fools. Think how good his record would be then!
Maddog
November 9th, 2010
3:08 pm
The view from on high
November 9th, 2010
2:52 pm
How many penalties has Jones been called for this year?
MURPHY
November 9th, 2010
3:08 pm
Mathews Dawg,
You are right we have a system-Please tell me of you satisfaction with our system this year.I think Murray has done well,but our system is lacking.I for one am tired of the Dawgs getting beat.Our system is failing us.
The Grinch
November 9th, 2010
3:10 pm
The view from on high = Bishop Eddie Long
BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Maddog
November 9th, 2010
3:13 pm
Jigsaw
November 9th, 2010
3:07 pm
Resorting to throwing out the “thug” word? My definition of thug would be the four who stomped the boy to death over the weekend.
MURPHY
November 9th, 2010
3:14 pm
Dawgbyte,
Watch #5 for AU this Sat and tell me he wouldnt work in the system Mathews Dawg speaks of. Im sorry to all Dawg fans if I sound negative but I am tired of excuses from our coaches and fans.Heck Im tired of making excuse.Every year for the past 27 years I have sent in my donation and purchased season tickets.Im tired of excuses I want to see results. All Dawg fans deserve better than what we are getting.
Dawgs73
November 9th, 2010
3:15 pm
It’s pretty clear that overall Mark Richt and his coaching staff are good to great recruiters, but are weak at player development. More to this point, there are only a few college coaching positions/states that you can basically say, “just recruit within your state” and you should reasonably have a top ten to top five recruiting class every year (Georgia being on of those states/coaching posisitions). The other programs/states that traditionally produce high level recruits year in and year out are Texas, California, & Florida. Also, If you look at it objectively, UGA has only GT (in state to contend with) and should be able to attract most top tier talent.
If we could only combine Richt’s recruiting with the very best coaching, then I can reasonably say that we would/should be in the hunt every few years. If replacing Martinez was not enough, then do you continue cleaning house and get rid of Bobo (while bringing in the very best OC you can find) or is it time for wholesale changes?
Maddog
November 9th, 2010
3:16 pm
War Eagle
November 9th, 2010
2:40 pm
I don’t think many UGA fans will tell you our defense will stop AU this weekend. Both teams seem to give up a ton of points.
MountainDawg
November 9th, 2010
3:17 pm
Dawgs need to load up the box & commit to stopping the run first & force (s)Cam to throw the ball. As for UGA recruiting (s)Cam, they already had (future #1 NFL draft pick) Stafford on board. In terms of (pocket) passing, (s)Cam can’t hold Stafford’s jock (despite all (s)Cam’s hype).
DawgByte
November 9th, 2010
3:18 pm
MURPHY & Dawg73 -
What I’m clearly stating is your argument regarding Richt’s evaluation of Cam Newton being off, is a pointless one at best. You’re looking at this situation from a tactical point of view. I’m sure other SEC teams were looking at Newton to fill a variety of roles. So to say Richt is the only person who missed the boat is ignorant. At 6′6″ Newton can fill many positions on the football field.
The simple fact is coaches see hundreds of tapes from kids across the country, expecting them to evaluate every player within a zero margin of error is stupidity at its finest.
Maddog
November 9th, 2010
3:18 pm
Dawgs73
November 9th, 2010
3:15 pm
I don’t think our new AD will want to make wholesale changes, but Richt may have to purge the offensive coaches (or offensive coaches
) the same way he did the D last year.
Richie
November 9th, 2010
3:21 pm
The guy is a bad apple.What can you say!!!!!
Mobile Dawg
November 9th, 2010
3:23 pm
Murphy, you can’t pin down a blind supporter to answer any question. Same lame response every time. Richt is our guy. We were in Destin the week of the USC game. I went to Beef O’bradys to catch the game. Just so happened the “NW Florida Bulldawg Club” was gathered there to watch the game, if any of you are out there. Their actual lack of interest in the game shocked me. Most were there for a social gathering. I tried talking football with a couple of them but as soon as I brought up anything critical they bolted. I will debate any blind homer here on the state of this program and why it’s where it is.
MURPHY
November 9th, 2010
3:23 pm
DawgByte,
Doesnt matter to me who else missed on Cam.Doesnt even matter to me that he didnt come to UGA.What matters is who we do recruit and the countless ones that got away or the recruits our coaches saw fit to red-shirt or not play when clearly they would have helped us win.
1 example of each: Berry to UT
Knowson sitting his first year.
There are plenty more instances in both catagories.
As far as simple facts you state on reviewing recruits-Saban and Meyer seem to get it.
DawgByte
November 9th, 2010
3:23 pm
Dawg73 -
Your quote:
“More to this point, there are only a few college coaching positions/states that you can basically say, “just recruit within your state” and you should reasonably have a top ten to top five recruiting class every year (Georgia being on of those states/coaching posisitions).”
The problem with that statement is not that we aren’t recruiting Top 10 classes on average – we are. The problem is UGA is going up against programs like Florida, Alabama and LSU that are consistently getting BETTER classes than ours, therefore it’s seems illogical to expect to consistently beat those teams when you don’t have as many 4 & 5 star players.
The question you have to ask is whether you’re willing to continue to support Rodney Garner as your Recruiting Manager. In his entire tenure at Georgia he’s never recruited a class that was ranked #1 in the SEC. Fact!
MURPHY
November 9th, 2010
3:25 pm
Mobile,
I dont have an issue with Richt being our headcoach.I have an issue that his teams under-perform.
Skitty Fritty
November 9th, 2010
3:25 pm
Cam’s Dirty! The Auburn fans don’t want to face it.
doggie
November 9th, 2010
3:26 pm
Sorry, been wondering a while… WTF does fear the thumb mean?
MURPHY
November 9th, 2010
3:27 pm
Mobile,
You considering me a BLIND HOMER?
Mobile Dawg
November 9th, 2010
3:29 pm
I do have an issue with him being our coach. Our team consistently shows up unprepared, they do under perform, and our offensive game plan usually stinks. When on ocassion it does work we abandon it almost immediately. Drives me crazy and an avid tactician and student of the game.
Defense gets a bye this year.
dawgfacedboy
November 9th, 2010
3:29 pm
Gotta love that scouting!!! A Heisman candidate QB (most likely will win) was being scouted as a TE by UGA!!!! Great job fellas!!!!!
doggie
November 9th, 2010
3:32 pm
Never mind…pretty lame saying…leave it to auburn.
Mobile Dawg
November 9th, 2010
3:32 pm
No Murphy, I was pointing out the fact that when “you” or anyone else, try to debate a “blind homer” with facts and logic they don’t comprehend because they have “logic” or “fact” filter installed on their comprehension device.
MURPHY
November 9th, 2010
3:34 pm
Sorry Mobile I mis read your post. Sorry bout that. These Dawg defenders of mediocre coaching and play got me all fired up.
DawgByte
November 9th, 2010
3:35 pm
Big Mouths -
So what’s your proposal? Fire Mark Richt? If it is I don’t want to waste my time debating you, because every educated college football pundit/analyst thinks Richt should get one/two more years to right the ship.
Until, someone can guarantee that a “better” proven coach is willing to come to Georgia then I will support Mark Richt. The more appropriate solution is to make tweaks to the existing staff. All is not well in Athens and everyone sees that, however the most intelligent observers realize that making wholesale changes gaurantees NOTHING. There’s so much involved in this game, including LUCK that expecting National Championships year-in-and-year-out is FOOLISH. Look at those toothless Bama fans who were on this board earlier this year telling us they would roll on to National Championships for the next ten years. Oh my, look at what just happened. LOL.
Change for change sake is idiotic. See last Tues. for further evidence of how well change worked out for the libtards.
Dave
November 9th, 2010
3:39 pm
You people screaming about “Why didn’t Richt recruit Newton?” all have the benefit of hind sight. Cam wasn’t even rated ahead of BRANTLY on Florida’s depth chart. Does that mean Urban doesn’t have his head on straight? All of you know it all, couch coaches can see 20/20, I guess. How about this…OPEN YOUR OWN RECRUITING SERVICE! I’m sure you’ll be 100% right all the time. Has it occurred to you that maybe Cam wasn’t interested in UGA? You harp on every single recruit from Georgia that goes somewhere else and blossoms as “Richt has no eye for talent”. How many 4-5 star recruits crash and burn each year. Heck, even David Pollock was just a three star! Sit down, shut up and know your role!
MURPHY
November 9th, 2010
3:42 pm
Dawgbyte,
OK-I will be calm and debate you thinking with you.Here goes my complaint:
This era Richt is in reminds a little of the Goff era.We recruit top talent but for some reason they never reach the expectation level the coaches sought by signing them. Example-In business if a manager hires an employee and ultimately the manager ends up firing them because they didnt perform,who’s is at fault ? The manager! They hired them.It is the managers responsibilty to show them how to improve and reach their highest level. Richt is our teams manager so to speak.In your eyes where does the blame lie?
John
November 9th, 2010
3:43 pm
And how many titles have Georgia won with this “Pro-Styled” offensive set? And how many has Florida won with their spread? What about Texas with Vince Young spread offense? Georgia always wants AA players to move to other positions and reserve the QB postions for Gray & Joe. Cam Newton is better than every QB on Georgia staff put together. Defenses is getting faster, a QB that can move will give you a better chance of scoring. Notice which QB LSU played against Alabama’s fast defense last weekend. They went with the mobile QB that minimalized the blitz. Georgia coaches and fans are stuck in the 50’s & 60’s and will not win a National Title until they realize this. This is why the offensive firepower leaves the state and Georgia can not recruit in the Atlanta area.
MURPHY
November 9th, 2010
3:46 pm
John,
Thank you! Finally someone other than myself and Mobile Dawg gets it today!
dagnabit
November 9th, 2010
3:49 pm
Mark was sick? Just wait.
John
November 9th, 2010
3:49 pm
MountainDawg ….what did Stafford win while at Georgia? How many national titles? SEC championships? SEC East championships? NONE
IF you’re going to brag on someone, brag on someone that actually did something for UGA, yeah he had a strong arm, but what did it get UGA? Nothing! Cam Newton is undefeated and Auburn has a shot at the National title, something Stafford never got Georgia. Which would you rather have at Georgia, a National Title or a Peach Bowl invitation?
Mobile Dawg
November 9th, 2010
3:52 pm
Dawgbyte, I have to analyze your first paragraph. There aren’t many educated, knowledgeable, pundits and analyst out there. After that, the analysts that work for the major networks and outlets are being “politically correct” and not giving their true opinion.
Second, you will never get a guarantee of success from anyone. The institution goes through a rigorous hiring process setting the right goals. A successful coach doesn’t necessarily have to have a big name when he comes in. Look at the body of work they have done, and the type of people they have surrounded themselves with. Looking at past results goes a long way in predicting future performance.
This will probably insult quite a few of you but apparently we have a lot of fans, alumni, with some self esteem issues. Personally, I’m very proud of UGA, and I believe it to be a school where almost anyone would want to come to coach.
The problem we are going to have in attracting top level talent is the instability going on under the current HC. Until that instability goes away, look to continued toiling.
BONAIREDAWG
November 9th, 2010
3:53 pm
JUST TRYING TO MAKE FUN OF COACH RICHT AGAIN WITH THE TIGHT END COMMENT. YALL FIND SOMETHING ELSE. THIS IS GETTING REAL OLD FAST.
MURPHY
November 9th, 2010
3:54 pm
John,
Stafford never won an SEC Championship or was even close to a National Championship,and the Detroit Lions paid him millions to play for them. If the NFL reconized him as the elite Q.B in the draft why didnt he perform at that level while at UGA? Was it the offensive system at UGA or the coaching at UGA?
tc
November 9th, 2010
3:55 pm
Do we need any more reasons to fire CMR? I don’t!
RussDawg
November 9th, 2010
3:59 pm
Well that explains a lot !
Ask CMR what he thinks of this tight end prospect after the beat down Sat.
Will
November 9th, 2010
3:59 pm
I’m afraid I will be in my deer stand by 5 Saturday. AU is going to take 4 years of frustrations out on us….I don’t blame them, I wish we could do it to UF.
Oh by the way did anyone hear CMR was going to Miami if they fire Randy Shannon?
John
November 9th, 2010
4:00 pm
Georgia has this great “system” that doesn’t require mobile QB. But Florida and Texas is winning National Titles with mobile QB’s, Alabama blows out Georgia with the “Great Stafford” while LSU beats Alabama with a mobile QB. Let’s just keep doing with CMR wants for his system and expect different results every year. CMR can’t evaluate talent if he could he wouldn’t have Smith playing CB with 4.3 speed, and would have him playing slot receiver.
tc
November 9th, 2010
4:01 pm
DawgByte: You mention that We need “tweeks” to the staff, well CMR doesn’t think so, if he did he would do it. He only does it when he is afraid of losing his job. That is half of the problem. CMR does not know what to do and has publically admitted as much.
Matthews Dawg
November 9th, 2010
4:02 pm
Murphy, Mobile Dawg, John, Dawgbyte…all of you bring up great points. It’s like everything else on here. “My thinking is the only correct thinking” on these blogs. I say that meaning that we all feel our opinion is correct. In fact each person has made a good point about recruiting. It is a crap shoot at times. I don’t disagree that the evaluation by our “Recruiting Coordinator” should be questioned. Rodney should be looked at as to the job he is doing evaluating talent. The others that like to call us “blind homers” think we don’t know what we are talking about. In some cases that may be true. But, I will put my trust in the coaches at UGA until they are not the coaches anymore. Then when the new one’s come in, I will do the same with them. Call me a blind homer, that is fine! I actually think CMR is the man for the job! You can disagree and that is fine! But, you guys that slam some of us for not agreeing with you is a joke! It’s easy to complain when everyone is doing it. Sometime you have to back the one’s that are in charge. You are either “On the bus or you are not”! It’s your choice!
Players have to make plays! Period! CMR and the other coaches have put our guys in position to make plays and they have not at times. Because of that, you may be correct that player evaluation by our “recruiting coordinator” may need to be re-evaluated! Strength Coach too!
Go Dawgs!!
MURPHY
November 9th, 2010
4:03 pm
Will,
The only place I have heard this is on these blogs today.He would take a serious pay cut to go to Miami.Private school that doesnt have the funds to pay high price coaches.Thats the main reason Shannon got the job.
JB
November 9th, 2010
4:04 pm
OK, I’ll defend Richt about the Cam at TE comment…..This is the same coach that moved a 2 star fullback to DE that became a 2 time All American and a #1 draft pick. At Florida or AU or Bama, Pollack might have rode the bench for 4 years as a back up TE.
Mobile Dawg
November 9th, 2010
4:05 pm
Just like I thought. No one wants to come out and play this afternoon.
Just keep this in mind Dawg Nation, we share a common bond. Our love for the Dawgs. We will all be united again at some point down the road. Hopefully sooner than later. If CMR survives this, turns things around, hires a top notch staff, I will eat a little crow, and be one proud Dawg. Can all you “homers” say the same if he doesn’t?
Go Dawgs….Have a great afternoon folks….MD
DawgByte
November 9th, 2010
4:05 pm
Murphy -
You make a realistic observation when it comes to developing talent. However, for every 5 star player that hasn’t panned out (Branden Miller, Marquis Elmore, Akeem Hebron, AJ Harmon etc.) we can also find diamonds in the rough.
When it comes to blaming someone for the type of season we are having, well I pass it across the board. When I hear someone like Bacarri Rambo say the defense is mentally weak and that he admits to loafing, I want to go postal. I blame the players for not fulfilling their God given talents, I blame the coaches for allowing behavior that does not enable them to succeed and I blame the strategic direction of our recruiting.
I’m not happy about this season, or last year for that matter. I’m mad at AJ Green for selling his jersey I mad at Richt for not instilling more discipline et. al. I’m just not ready to cut the chord on Richt.
If we go 5-7 next year, or don’t make dramatic improvement then I think it will be time to seriously look at alternatives. Even the greatest coaches in college football history experienced cycles where they were not competing for National Championships. We live in a much different world… people today have an attention span of 30 seconds or less. I don’t base my analysis on those views.
Matthews Dawg
November 9th, 2010
4:06 pm
TC….Do you know Coach Richt? I didn’t think so, so how do you know he is afraid? Have you even ever spoken a word to the man? Did you call him on his radio show? Did you go by practice and talk to him? Of course you didn’t. So, don’t act like you know what he is thinking about his job! Now, if you have spoken to him and he said that please quote him and you could be hired at AJC or some other media outlet.
RussDawg
November 9th, 2010
4:06 pm
Newton is not going to be happy with all these UF leaks etc. etc.
I would expect him to take it out on the field.
Huumm UGA lost to Colorado, Colorado just fired their coach for being a loser.
I believe a fresh bottle of Evan Williams will be required to get through this game.
Dave
November 9th, 2010
4:06 pm
OK, using the Stafford example, why didn’t Danny Wuerffel do any better at the pro level? How about Tommy Frazier?, Look at Matt Leinart? Matt can’t BUY his way on to a team these days. I guess it was just coaching, huh? Peyton manning never played for a Natl. championship. Neither did Eli, Matt Ryan, Rothlisberger or the QB from the Ravens. I guess that was just the coaching, huh? You people are just squealing, complaining little girls because someone else is going out with the boy you like.
John
November 9th, 2010
4:07 pm
MURPHY…the point is Georgia goes for the Staffords, not the Newtons. They move their AA players to other positions, while other schools tell recruits that they will have a chance to play QB. This is why Georgia can’t recruit in the Atlanta area, and Atlanta talent will continue to go elsewhere until Georgia realizes that it is legal for AA to play QB. Where did the great Stafford arm get UGA? Nothing! But Cam Newton doesn’t fit CMR and Georgia’s famous “Pro-Set”, he would be better suited for TE? But guys like Logan Gray and Joe Cox are recruited for QB? How is the 7-5 and 4-6 records working out for Georgia? Idiots! Keep doing the same thing expecting different results.
MURPHY
November 9th, 2010
4:09 pm
Mathews Dawg,
You are correct we all have our opinions.Recruiting is a crap shoot and you could be a hero or a zero with each player.As far as a blind homer-I dont use that staement but I can see the point in it.I think we can all agree on this: We all want whats best for out football program and we all want to see an improvement over what is on the field in 2010. If Richt is the man then fine,but if he is he must change his outlook and systems so our team can move forward and compete for SEC titles and on the National stage.
WALLACE BUTZ
November 9th, 2010
4:09 pm
Well at least we didn’t ruin CM’s career by hiding him at TE.
This should be the proof of what is wrong. We have a possible
Heisman QB that was ONLY looked at as a TE??????