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
Let's Talk About UGA!
November 9th, 2010
5:36 pm
John,
I was just making the point that I am a Dawg fan and a loser.
I get drunk every day and watch pirated replays of Georgia’s greatest moments.
You see, I had a chance to play for the dawgs until that felony occured.
Now, I live with my mother in her trailer.
I am completely torn on the issue of Coach Richt.
Some days, I want to put the ‘Grantham choke-hold’ on him. Yet, other days, I look up at that big, Fathead, poster of him and smile — it’s right next to my REM poster.
Please continue your thoughts on our season. I love to read.
Anybody want a beer?
Go Dawgs!
Sic ‘em!
Woof! Woof! Woof!
Joe
November 9th, 2010
5:40 pm
“Imagine that-Richt wanted to make Cam a tightend-Go figure. And Dawg fans ask why we cant get the most out of our recruits?”
Murphy, are you an idiot. What sense would a QB whose better at running than passing do in a pro-style offense like UGA runs? None. That’s why Newton would be a TE in UGA’s offense.
MURPHY
November 9th, 2010
5:44 pm
Joe,
No kidding-dumba…! Funny how D.J Shockley was successfull! Oh by the way-Cam can throw pretty well also. You missed the whole day’s conversation-Go read all the comments and come back with intelligence my man.
tide roll
November 9th, 2010
5:53 pm
LISTEN : IS RICHT TALKING ABOUT RECRUITING CAM AS A TIGHT END OUT OF WESTLAKE OR BLINN? PLEASE SAY YOU ARE NOT TELLING ME THEY EVALUATED HIM AS A TIGHT END AFTER HE LED BLINN TO A NATIONAL TITLE!? THESE GUYS NOT ONLY DIDN”T RECRUIT HIM AFTER HE’D PROVE HIS METTLE AS A QB IN JUCO. THEY ALLOWED HIM TO SIGN WITH AUBURN, A HATED RIVAL! I”M CONCERNED ABOUT RICHT. IS HE OK? HE DOESN”T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND OR CARE HOW THIS NEGLIGENCE CONTRIBUTES TO UGA GETTING THEIR REAR ENDS KICKED. HE DOES REALIZE THAT NEWTON WAS AT BLINN LAST YEAR AND UGA COULD RECRUIT HIM AGAIN DOESN’T HE ? THE REAL QUESTION IS NOT HOW YOU EVALUATED NEWTON OUT OF HIGH SCHOoL, IT”S THIS: AFTER YOU ACKNOWLEDGE MISTAKENLY EVALUATING HIM AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, WHY THE HELL DIDN’T YOU GO AFTER HIM WHEN GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE!? THAT”S THE QUESTION THAT NEEDS TO BE ASKED! UGA IS JUST A WEIRD PLACE RUN BY STRANGE DUDES
59bulldawg
November 9th, 2010
5:53 pm
Just a few years ago Georgia fans were desperate for Richt to give up the play calling and hand it over to Bobo. I’ll be honest . . . even in the early years when things were good and Richt was calling the plays. . . I was never overwhelmed with the play calling . . . and have always found it baffling that Richt was considered some sort of offensive genius. Perhaps it’s the scheme . . . but it does at times seem that we are woefully behind the times in our philosophy and I’m talking imaginative play calling and not just PPG here. I sometimes wonder if CMR is too reliant on his old FSU scheme and not willing enough to tinker with and evolve it . . . if not try something completely new from time to time. Even a conservative coach as Vince Dooley recognized the value of freshening up the scheme every now and then. And he pretty much always had a special play ready for the Florida game. I don’t see that same willingness to make changes in our attack with Richt.
Jim
November 9th, 2010
5:55 pm
Looks like Dan Reeves wasn’t the only one after all who had a bias towards tight ends, since when coaching the Falcons, there wasn’t many tight ends that Mr. Reeves didn’t like.
Jeff
November 9th, 2010
5:59 pm
yes….it would have been a wonderful story but it’s not……my- where have I heard that before. Thanks PLAYERS!!!! you need to take this one. You are the ones that got in trouble and made your teammates play with basically one hand behind their back…..who really cares what happens this week- I honestly doubt the game is in question by the 3rd qtr. If it is close- we will find a way to lose it….we have Caleb, we have ealey, we have our O-line….with that many options to lose- we always find a way!
59bulldawg
November 9th, 2010
6:07 pm
Actually I think we have a great opportunity for an upset this week. I think it all depends on our O-line and defensive backfield play. Cam may be distracted and Auburn may be overlooking us. The only question in my mind is can we grow up and GATA for an entire game without turning it over.
Mobile Dawg
November 9th, 2010
6:13 pm
59, I fear the worst. I’m pretty sure they haven’t overlooked us. This scandal in the making may just motivate them to be the best they can be. Newton waters down your defense, can’t just concentrate on stopping Newton running, to many weapons for AU. He can beat you running or throwing. And they have a great corps of running backs. My question is how good will their defense be?
All that said, we play well there and have beaten a Goliath or two before.
Castle Pines Canine
November 9th, 2010
6:14 pm
Pac Man Jones, Michael Vick, Braylon Edwards, NFL superstars. Arenas in NBA. Why in the world are we writing about a class cheating incident. Auburn knows whether there is something unruly going on, and my guess is that there is. Proving it is something else. My guess is that they run the table, Cam wins the big trophy, and 4 years they will have to forfeit it all and he will give up the trophy. The precedent is there.
Hats off to CMR for kicking some of the trouble makers off of the team. I see that Bama wants Metz, and more power to him. Our thugs drive Scooters without a license, Fla thugs try to kill people, and Auburn, just sweeps it under the carpet
Castle Pines Canine
November 9th, 2010
6:20 pm
Tide Roll, one problem with your thesis. Because of Jan Kemp we do have to have some grade recognition. They don’t have to be 4.0, but they do have to meet minimums. So I’m sure that your god Saban didn’t recruit him either, nor did anyone else but Miss State, and Cow College U over in Auburn. There is a trail there that says, something is just not quite right here, and I guess we will find out in about 4 years. Why didn’t Miami, Ok, Texas, Ohio St. USC, there are a lot of places that didn’t go after this young man.
ignition
November 9th, 2010
6:21 pm
Cam gonna hang 50 on UGA.. What disrespect?? A 6′6 phenom right down the street at your disposal and UGA insults the man.
59bulldawg
November 9th, 2010
6:27 pm
Can’t disagree with you Mobile Dawg! But we can hope! I will be watching closely Fairley against Ben and Cordy . . . hopefully we can slow him down. Murray may approach this game with a bit of a chip on his shoulder after last week. If we can keep him from running for his life, he may be on the verge of playing his best game yet. I really like this kid. He has the tools to be a great one before he’s done. But I agree the odds are very much against us.
UGA Giants
November 9th, 2010
6:33 pm
Brilliant! How did they see joe cox?
EagleNationRising
November 9th, 2010
6:48 pm
This is a highlight of just how disconnected from reality Mark Richt and his pathetic staff have become. This guy acutally said “out loud” that he and his staff saw Cam Newton as a tight end. Has this guy started smoking weed or something. Either Richt is retarded or he is attempting to get under Newton’s skin. Tight end? Seriously? Obviously, Mark Richt can not evaluate Georgia talent. This is why many of the top players from across the state are going to other schools. In the meantime, Richt continues to sign hapless out of state QBs that can’t win.
The Richt era includes Georgia native David Greene (the 2nd winningest QB in NCAA history); Georgia native D.J. Shockley (who led our Dawgs to the SEC Championship in his only season as a starter; Texas native (and the best 8-3 QB in Georgia history, who struggled to beat Georgia Tech) Matthew Stafford; North Carolina native …I refuse to speak his name because he is the worst Georgia QB since Mike Bobo; and Florida native …I refuse to speak his name until he leads our team to a winning record.
In the meantime, Richt sees top tier Georgia QB talent as a potential TE. This guy has to go!
Coffee Bluff DAWG
November 9th, 2010
6:49 pm
UGA has a decent chance for the W. UK took AU to the wire in the 4th before losing to a last sec FG.
The O will have to play turnover free in order to give us a shot.
EagleNationRising
November 9th, 2010
6:56 pm
59Bulldawg: Georgia could run the ball 40 times and win the SEC. For a matter of fact, if you evaluate the games over the past 5 seasons when Georgia ran the ball and remained committed to the run, Georgia practically always wins. Football is not a wheel that is constantly evolving. Alabama lined up and played smash-mouth football all the way to the national title game. Les Miles, ridiculed mercilessly in Louisiana for being too conservative and runnig too much. This supposedly innovative spread offense is nothing short of an option offense out of the shotgun. Guys just figured out that it was harder to get a job running the option. Heck, even Nebraska fired their option coach and hired a former NFL guy. Georgia would be competitive if the offense became more conservative. Seriously, look up the box scores over the past few years. When Georgia plays 1950s football and runs it right at their opponents, we win. When we get cute with the passing and over-passing we get exposed, i.e. Florida. Georgia would be sitting 7-1 (with one loss to Mississippi State) if Richt would commit to the run. He will NEVER commit to the run, which is why Georgia needs to find a new coach.
UGAVIII
November 9th, 2010
6:56 pm
Some people on this blog actually seem to wish we had Cam Newton. I don’t. He is a petty thief, an academic cheater, and a liar. Those are facts. I think we got rid of some guys recently with off-field issues. UGA doesn’t need players that the head coach has to defend at a news conference.
There is smoke at Auburn. Where there is smoke, there is usually fire. They can have him even if they beat us 100-0.
bitter "OLE" School Dogs-fan
November 9th, 2010
7:03 pm
metlenberg will start for lsu next year and they will win the sec champ.
the kis is 6′5 and 240 and a arm to throw the ball 80 yards butt “O” the kid grabs a little as— in a bar and he gets kicked off the team and he was clearly better than tampa 6′0, but capt america (aka) coach richt just could not give him a 4 game susp. please im tired of this hokiss pokiss act. give me coach donnan and fire batman (adams)and robin (richt). auburn 48 and ga 12, get that plane ticket now boy best price 2 weeks in advance, slick rick. hahahahahah
numb nutz
November 9th, 2010
7:03 pm
If you did have him pegged as a tight-end….why would you go on the record and say that….with the type of season that he is having…Richt says the dumbest @hit sometimes.
John
November 9th, 2010
7:04 pm
UGAIII…ummmm, petty thief, how about Olgetree (UGA safety) who stole the scooter helmet. Are you willing to bet that no Georgia player has ever cheated on a test, or bought a term paper off the internet?
You’re such a hyprocrite!
George
November 9th, 2010
7:06 pm
No doubt, Mettenberger seemed to get an unusually harsh punishment for something that happens all the time at college bars. He got drunk and groped a chick in a bar. It ain’t the first time it’s ever happened.
John
November 9th, 2010
7:07 pm
CMR says Cam Newton is more of a tight end, Cam Newton will throw for more than 300 yards and run for 100 yards on Georgia saturday. How’s that for talent evaluation? Mark Richt is clueless of talent!
John
November 9th, 2010
7:09 pm
I hope Miami fires Shannon so they can have the preacher back.
UGAVIII
November 9th, 2010
7:09 pm
John, There is a bit of a price difference between a helmet and laptop. In fact, the laptop could be grand theft as opposed to petty theft on the helmet. Unless you know something specific about players cheating on exams or buying term papers, etc. then your statement has no merit. What we know about Newton is factual, not speculation.
As far as a hypocrite, not sure what you mean by that one. Let’s keep it civil.
Fred
November 9th, 2010
7:15 pm
numb nutz, you make a good point. I think Richt comes across sounding stupid sometimes when he is really just trying to say nothing while saying something. When I hear other coaches give interviews, they actually sound like football coaches. Richt sounds too much like a politician.
SWATS GUY
November 9th, 2010
7:16 pm
And you wonder why the top talent in Ga. go elsewhere.Richt can’t think out of box…. don’t mention the racist undertone of the fans!
John
November 9th, 2010
7:16 pm
The more talent you have, the more breaks you get…That’s life, get over it. The prettier the girl, the more drama you’re willing to accept from her. Cam Newton is like any other talented college player, he got breaks at Florida, they covered it up, now they’re mad he’s at Auburn having a successful season.
bitter "OLE" School Dogs-fan
November 9th, 2010
7:18 pm
if im coaching ill take a kid who grabs aS Ss all the time at least you no he plays hard on the field and h ard off the field, re-recruit metlenberg, go dawgs, hahahahahahaha ps lead by example vote yes for metlenberg, hahahahahah yaaaawww thumpers
59bulldawg
November 9th, 2010
7:19 pm
Eagle . . . I don’t have a problem with running the ball more. But good coaches do evolve their offensive philosophy . . . from adding and tweaking plays from the “active playbook” to the sequence of their playcalling. If your playcalling becomes stale, with little or no change from season to season, you run the risk of becoming predictable and easier to scheme against. As for the assertion that we could run the ball 40 times a game and win the SEC . . . sorry but I don’t think so. Too one dimensional and it assumes we a shut-down defense which we most definitely do not! And BTW you’re right about Alabama playing “smash mouth” football last season. Passion and effort are important. But you would be wrong to assume that Bama won by sheer brute force. They were also very well-coached on both sides of the ball.
John
November 9th, 2010
7:21 pm
SWAT GUY…you’re absolutely correct. I have cousins in the Atlanta schools that speak about the “network” at Georgia. The subtle undertones that when being recruited by Richt and Bobo, AA are regularly asked to switch positions. There are schools in Atlanta where a Georgia recruiter dare not go. They love the Joe Cox’s and Logan Grays but the Cam Newtons will have to change positions if they want to play at Georgia.
59bulldawg
November 9th, 2010
7:22 pm
You know John . . . last Saturday I was pulling for Maryland against the Canes for the same reason.
New cast of characters
November 9th, 2010
7:23 pm
… give me coach donnan and fire batman (adams) and robin (richt).”
Well said!
Go Dogs
November 9th, 2010
7:23 pm
http://www.thegeorgiasportsreport.com
Beast from the East
November 9th, 2010
7:24 pm
UGAVII,
None of those things you posted about Cam are known facts.
He did not steal. He bought stolen property.
Where is the proof of cheating? Because someone leaked a story to Fox?
Where is your proof that he has lied about anything?
It may all tuen out to be ture or not, but we cannot say that those things are factual at this time. Unless you have some proof otherwise.
John
November 9th, 2010
7:27 pm
UGAIII….he bought a laptop that was previously stolen. He didn’t steal the laptop, get your facts straight. He was charged with buying stolen property. How is that a felony? Georgia saftey actually stole the helmet himself, Cam bought a laptop from someone that stole it. Stealing is stealing, but how is what Cam do was worse? So therefore what you’re doing is lying about a situation with Cam, but overlooking a Georgia player that actually stole property.
bitter "OLE" School Dogs-fan
November 9th, 2010
7:32 pm
jack as– swats guy go f—slf and please try playing with yourself instead of playing the race card , us dawg fans and the rest of the human race are truely sick of the weak as– tards that keep playing the race card every f—time they cant get there poo way!!! just go back to gaytard nation and stay off this site. ps did i say no more race card tards
John
November 9th, 2010
7:36 pm
I hope Cam Newton hangs a hundred on Georgia to show them tight end talent. Georgia fans will be reduced to name-calling to make themselves feel better.
John
November 9th, 2010
7:41 pm
bitter OLE School Dogs-fan….The truth shall set you free. Do you ever wonder why Auburn, Alabama, and Florida takes what they want out of the Atlanta schools? Why Georgia can’t recruit anywhere but Tucker High School? There’s a reason…but I’ll let you go back and stick your head in the sand and pretend it’s not happening.
UGA89
November 9th, 2010
7:42 pm
ahhhhhh…. while CMR probably thought it was a throw-away line about CN being a tightend prospect…
It actually says that they really don’t know what a potential QB would be.
You might want to change your mind coach on what type of QB you are passing up on.
59bulldawg
November 9th, 2010
7:43 pm
John I’m not a CMR fan. The guy has many faults as a coach . . . including inability to correctly assess talent. But I don’t think anyone can legitimately say the man is a racist. That’s just pure BS!
Chizik
November 9th, 2010
7:48 pm
Do we know whether the helmet was stolen, or did he borrow it? Were charges filed? Maybe he can be declared ineligible before Saturday.
Chizik
November 9th, 2010
7:49 pm
John, glad you are a season ticket holder.
John
November 9th, 2010
7:49 pm
UGA89…Georgia recruited Joe Cox and Logan Gray as QB’s, yet Florida & Auburn recruited him as a QB, but what does Florida know about QB’s they’ve only won a 2 National Titles in the last 4 years…but UGA thinks he should be a tight end, that shows you that CMR and Bozo are in bizzaro world with evaluating talent. CMR gave Newton board material to motivate him to hang 100 points on UGA.
Buckhead Bulldog
November 9th, 2010
7:50 pm
Good luck Cam, just not this Saturday! No doubt he is a winner and leader, and I wish him the best… watching him a few times on TV, I have been utterly amazed at his athletic abilities. I really enjoying watching an incredible athelete play…even it if it is against my Dogs. I just hope we can contain him enough for us to out score them with our passing game.
Dawg89
November 9th, 2010
7:53 pm
59bulldawg, absolutely. That some people would suggest that Richt is a racist, is pure BS.
John
November 9th, 2010
7:54 pm
59bulldawg….who said CMR was a racist? I don’t think he’s a racist, I believe he has misguided views on who’s the best candidate for the valuted “Pro-style” offenses he and Bozo runs at Georgia.
tyger
November 9th, 2010
7:57 pm
Black Power Poll
Week 10
1. Bethune (13)
2. S. Carolina St (14)
3. Grambling (24)
4. Albany St (5)
5. FAMU
6. FVSU
7. Shaw
8. Tuskegee
9. Morehouse
10. Texas Southern
Full story: http://www.hbcuclassics.com
John
November 9th, 2010
7:59 pm
Georgia can’t recruit in the Atlanta Schools, but look at the players on Auburn, Alabama, and Florida roster from Atlanta. Auburn has almost more from Georgia than UGA has from Georgia. What do you experts assume to be the problem? I know what my associates in football programs in Atlanta schools say, but I would like to hear what you think. This should be interesting….
bitter "OLE" School Dogs-fan
November 9th, 2010
8:00 pm
“john” 1980 national champs with a dont say it “white” coach, “white Q.B., i guess we all should give it back cause dooley was a rasist and buck belue also, there take that and shove it where the sun do shine, as— ol–. please whinner’s go to GAYTARD site stay off uga web site’s, punk as—