Dogs move a tight end to fullback, are close to hiring offensive line coach
ATHENS –- Three non-recruiting bits of news:
- 1. Position change. Georgia is moving Bruce Figgins from one of the team’s deepest positions, tight end, to one of its thinnest, fullback.
Figgins, a rising senior, worked some at fullback in Liberty Bowl practices in December, but the plan now is to make him a “fulltime fullback,” coach Mark Richt said Wednesday. “We think that’s going to be a really good move for Bruce,” Richt said.
Georgia returns a wealth of talent at tight end: Orson Charles, the 2010 starter; Aron White, the 2009 starter; and Arthur Lynch, who redshirted last season. Plus, Georgia signed a highly regarded tight end, Jay Rome, as part of its “Dream Team” recruiting class.
The 6-4, 265-pound Figgins figures to get a chance to contribute more at fullback, where the top two players last season -– starter Shaun Chapas and backup Fred Munzenmaier –- graduated.
- 2. Coaching search. Richt expects to fill the offensive-line coaching position, vacated by Stacy Searels‘ departure for Texas, soon.
“We’ll probably knock that out hopefully in the next few days or so,” Richt said. “For sure by early next week.”
He said there has been a “tremendous amount of interest” in the job. “My phone was blowing up hard after Coach Searels decided to go to Texas. . . . We have some tremendous people to choose from.”
- 3. Mat drills no more. The famous/infamous mat drills –- a grueling part of Georgia’s off-season conditioning program since 2001 –- have been replaced in the Bulldogs’ revamped strength and conditioning operation under Joe Tereshinski. Several players have commented on the difficulty of their weight-room workouts under Tereshinski, a long-time staffer who took over Jan. 1 as director of strength and conditioning.
“We’re not doing mat drills,” Richt said. “Some people say, ‘Why aren’t you doing mat drills?’ Well, you can ask the boys why we’re not doing mat drills, because they’re getting a taste of that just about every day with ‘Coach T’ and his strength staff. It’s already paying off.”
Richt mentioned that two members of the 2011 signing class who enrolled this semester, wide receiver Chris Conley and quarterback Christian LeMay, already have gained seven and 10 pounds, respectively, through their work in the strength program.
– Tim Tucker, UGA Blog
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164 comments Add your comment
Bigdawgtoo
February 3rd, 2011
10:47 am
Thanks for the update Massive Dawg! Do you know anything about the kid from Between, Ga? 365 lb mammoth animal. Think his name is Peter Goesenya (sp?)
MassiveDawg
February 3rd, 2011
10:51 am
Bigdawgtoo-I’ve heard of Peter… His name is spelled “Gosinya.” The kid is a MONSTER, 6-8 370 lbs to be exact. He’s a Junior that is supposedly ranked in the Top 5 nationally for Defensive Tackles.
ugab
February 3rd, 2011
11:01 am
CMR knew our Fullbacks were graduating this year. It will take a couple of years for a new fullback to adjust to the system. CMR never plans ahead of time
Oversigning
February 3rd, 2011
11:42 am
See a lot of dawg fans hoping John Jenkins will sign and become Georgia’s 26th commit
Georgia cannot take John Jenkins because then it would be the dog’s 26th committ. The limit you can take in a class is 25. And as much as the dog fans love to whine about other program’s oversigning I know Saint Richt and the dog fans don’t want to be just another group of hippocrites.
Now inevitably some dawg moron will say that with Logan being run off that it opens up another slot and that’s why the dawgs will oversign if they get Jenkins.- 2 points to be made bout dat. 1) Isn’t that why other programs oversign- to account for natural attrition like transfers to begin with? and no. 2) doesn’t matter how much attrition you have. The max # you can take in a given class is 25- not 26. Regardless of how many players you have overall on scholarship- the max is 85 you cannot take more than 25 in a given class- at least according to dawg fans always whining about oversigning.
If the dawgs accept Jenkins then I guess that just makes you guys a bunch of oversigning hypocrites and cheaters trying to gain an advantage. Just going by the logic of dawg fans anyway.
how2fish
February 3rd, 2011
11:48 am
Oversigning your a fool and a long winded fool at that…if your were right which your aren’t being one over will never be a problem as there is always 1-2 guys that don’t work out…the numbers at some schools and you know who there are are much higher…now go in the corner put your thumb in you mouth and STFU…we signed a really good class you’ll have to deal with it.
Vance Duly
February 3rd, 2011
11:51 am
Oversigning – wrong. 2 of our players are ALREADY enrolled at UGA (Conley and Lemay). They are allocated to existing scholarship numbers. So, they do not count for 2011’s 25 max. They only count as part of the 85 overall max.
Y'all missed it ............. UGA did find a blue chip FB that can play now
February 3rd, 2011
11:57 am
UGA HAS a big time FB. Y’all must have missed it. No, I know …………… Chapas and Munzenier are gone, I know.
UGA’s new FB? FIGGINS at 6′4″ and 265. What is not to like??? He CAN Block at 265 lbs. and he CAN catch the ball. At FB, I will take that anyday.
Next year, we can use TE Arthur Lynch from MASS.
UGA needs to use all of these athlets that know their assignments and I will guarantee Figgins knows whom to hit and when. I love this move.
Go Dogs. Sic them Boise Cowboys or whatever.
dbc
February 3rd, 2011
11:58 am
You guys who keep bringing up this beast from Pago Pago are high. Vasi “Tombstone” Papalu is a made up character by Pacific Dawg to make you look foolish. Congratulations…
Vance Duly
February 3rd, 2011
12:02 pm
For the one rude individual on here who insulted another person just for pointing out the predictability of Bobo’s offense at times, I’ve noticed our tendency to run between the tackles on 2nd down following an incomplete 1st down pass over the past 2 years. Even one of the post-game WSB guys (either Kevin Butler or Jeff Dantzler), questioned the wisdom of running that play repeatedly after an incomplete pass. It is simply a pattern Bobo has fallen into, and if you look at those plays, often we were stuffed for a loss or a maximum 2 yard gain, leaving 3rd & long for a freshman QB to deal with. MAYBE, with Crowell and/or an improved offensive line, we can get 4 or 5 yards from those 2nd & 10 draws between the tackles. ….Maybe.
One of the best things Joe T has instituted with our strength & conditioning is accountability (checking in). 2 different Athens trainers had commented about players showing up late, skipping workouts, or having to ask non-football trainers for advice for their workout regimens.
bruce mac
February 3rd, 2011
12:04 pm
Oversigning = ignorant blow hard.
Looking To The Future
February 3rd, 2011
12:14 pm
The o line men Ward is grey shirting, he will count for the 2012 class. thats why we have and extra
the sham
February 3rd, 2011
12:19 pm
@how2fish, Van Duly, bruce mac (re:oversigning) – way to knock the slobber out of that Closet Bama fan! He’d rather drag other programs down to his Sabanic level than worry about uplifting his program…
cantondawg
February 3rd, 2011
12:19 pm
Oversigning,
You need to do some research on scholarship limit. The SEC limit is 28 per year. Two commits count towards last years.
the sham
February 3rd, 2011
12:27 pm
AND THE SLOBBER KEEPS FLYING!
OVERSIGNING IS ON THE ROPES AND LOOKS DAZED! HIS MOMMY IS SCREAMING FROM THE AUDIENCE: “GO DOWN SWEETY, GO DOWN!!! LET THE NICE MAN WITH THE BOW TIE COUNT YOU OUT!!! YOU ARE GETTING PUMMELED!!!”
I DONT’ KNOW HOW MUCH MORE HE CAN TAKE BEFORE HE SLUMPS BACK INTO HIS MOTHER’S BASEMENT AND RESUMES HIS NORMAL EXISTENCE ONLINE AS A WORLD OF WARCRAFT FAIRY WIZARD…
Da'Rick
February 3rd, 2011
12:28 pm
dbc you a hater, “Tombstone” is coming to play with me…er the Vols, after a intense “session” with him earlier this week he will be signing with the Vols…of course it may take a few days for the passenger pigeon to get to K’ville with the LOI..but he is a Vol baby..oh Rocky Top you’ll always be……
Dean
February 3rd, 2011
12:29 pm
Well, I thought we were going to have a board with Dawg fans only for once. But, oversigning showed up and had to show how others obsess over the dogs even when we have a losing season.
Mikey
February 3rd, 2011
12:31 pm
Wow 10lbs gained in a single month. They either found the juice Hershel is still on or it is from Beer Intro 101
San Francisco Dawg
February 3rd, 2011
12:32 pm
This is a great move…Figgins will probably be more like an H-back then a fullback…he has good hands and decent speed…looks like more screen plays and passes in the flat…more options for Murray with Charles and Rome both in the game in a two tight end formation, Figgins in as fullback…who said we need wide receivers?lol
Ed (The Original)
February 3rd, 2011
12:33 pm
Cool, now we need to hit a home run with our next head coach hire, and Georgia football should be flying high. The talent is there and it looks like Coach T is off to a good start with conditioning.
Bama Mike
February 3rd, 2011
12:39 pm
Appears several of us missed those classes regariding differential equations. Ok Dawgs you have 20 scholarships to give. You have 2 juniors turn pro, 2 graduate early and give up football from previous classes. How many can you sign? No not 20 you now have 24. It is based on a constant 3mm 6mm and 12mm moving average..It is only a phrase if you go behind the numbers no one oversigns it is statistically impossible.
the sham
February 3rd, 2011
12:51 pm
@ Ed – are you really going there now? Can’t you pessimists let it lay for just one week and bask in the glow?
What are you going to do if we win the Conference, but not the NC? Call for his head to save face for all you “Told You Sos”? Good grief! The guy got a little complacent and waited a year or two too late to fire his DC/close friend. But CMR has shown he can continue to make the moves lateley, that will get us back on top and restore our dignity.
Fire him and replace him with who? There’s no one better to run our program better than CMR and this year will be he redeeming year that will shut your types up.
DrDawg
February 3rd, 2011
12:51 pm
You can be predictable if you execute. If you can’t execute, all the tricks and gimmics in the world won’t work. If we can block and tackle, and out muscle the other guys, we win. Looks like that might happen in 2011. I love the idea of a 265 fullback opening up some holes.
azdawg
February 3rd, 2011
12:53 pm
GA needed another big FB and Figgins can block and is big enough to get the tough one yarders. Don’t mess w/his weight coach Garner.
the sham
February 3rd, 2011
12:55 pm
his year rather…
the sham
February 3rd, 2011
1:03 pm
@azdawg – don’t forget his pass catching skills either! I like the move. It utilizes our depth at one position while not tying up another scholarship that could be used to help address a need elsewhere.
woebegong
February 3rd, 2011
1:05 pm
I believe the rule is that you can sign 25 players on the current years class, and on I believe July 1st, your total scholarships are limited to 85. UGA presently has 23 signed to the class of 2011, since LeMay and Conley are spring enrollees and count towards the scholarship year of 2010.
Oversigning, at least know the rules if you are going to act like an idiot on a UGA blog. The only exception to the acting part, being, If you are from Alabama, Auburn, Florida or Tech. It is probably not an act in that case.
the sham
February 3rd, 2011
1:26 pm
AND WOEBEGONG COMES OUT OF NOWHERE WITH A CRUSHING UPPERCUT! OVERSIGNING DIDN’T SEE IT COMING AND IS LYING 1/2 IN THE RING AND 1/2 OUT OF THE RING. HIS MOMMY IS HOLDING HIS HEAD, WHIPING THE BLOOD FROM HIS NOSE.
Gosh I love blog jabs…
the sham
February 3rd, 2011
1:27 pm
wiping rather…
gosh I love spellcheck… just need to use it.
FLA DAWG
February 3rd, 2011
1:36 pm
Great update – thanks.
Now when can we expect a Head Coaching Change Please?
And when can we expect an Offensive Coordinator Change Please?
Ed (The Original)
February 3rd, 2011
1:40 pm
“What are you going to do if we win the Conference, but not the NC? Call for his head to save face for all you “Told You Sos”?”
Only if he beats UF. If Richt falls to 2-9 against UF, I could care less what we win. A Georgia football season cannot truly be considered successful when you lose to UF. If Richt wins the SEC and beats the Gators, I’ll definitely give him his due. It’s time for Richt to prove that he can win without his original coaching staff. It’s time for him to prove that his early success was more him than it was Van Gorder, Pollack and Green.
There are coaches out there who beat UF at least half the time. For some reason they all coach in the SEC West. Let’s get one of them.
Richt has proven time and time again that the can’t coach up a team, and he can’t discipline a team. Check the definition of insanity.
“Fire him and replace him with who?”
How much time do you have?
“…bask in the glow?”
Of what, recruiting? We’ve been basking in that glow for 10 years now. I’d like to see it translated to coached-up players who perform well on the field. Georgia has made Richt a multi-millionaire, so I don’t think that’s too much to ask.
td
February 3rd, 2011
1:44 pm
Ed (The Original)
February 3rd, 2011
1:40 pm
I have been blocked with my last comment to you so I will just say it is time for you to go and support another team. We true UGA fans are firing you and replacing you with a real fan.
td
February 3rd, 2011
1:47 pm
FLA DAWG
February 3rd, 2011
1:36 pm
When can we get some new fans, Please? Since you are in Fl how about selling your UGA gear and buying some Gator gear so that we true fans will not be embarrassed by you BS any longer? PLEASE
dawgerbrown
February 3rd, 2011
1:49 pm
CALHOUNDOG & STEINER: I agree, between the tackles is where the game is won. I would love to see UGA be a team able to move the ball consistenly on the ground too. I’m just saying that when we were face with second and long the last two years we were way too predictable. I understand the idea is to try and pick 4-5 yds and make third down down less challenging. However, most of the time we would only pick up a yard or two at best. Then, we were in third and long. STEINER-you are so right, I don’t, have, or will ever know one/fourth of what Bobo knows. Never said I did. But, when I can watch a game and anicipate what’s gonna be called in certain situations, then maybe it’s time to think about making some adjustments. But, I do feel like an O-Coordinator is better off learning his job a a lower level instead of a D-1 job being his first.
Ed (The Original)
February 3rd, 2011
1:54 pm
“I have been blocked with my last comment to you so I will just say it is time for you to go and support another team. We true UGA fans are firing you and replacing you with a real fan.”
Thanks for the advice td, but I think I’ll keep pulling for UGA since that’s all I’ve known since 1976, when I was old enough to start paying attention.
I can distinguish between an underperforming head coach (who’s a Miami Hurricane, by the way) and the team he coaches. Can you?
DawgTurd
February 3rd, 2011
2:00 pm
Da’rick-Tell me more about this “intense session” you and Vasi had together… Was it at Swinging Richards? Did you see Coach CPJ there…
Bigdawgtoo
February 3rd, 2011
2:03 pm
DBC- there is a Vasi Palulu from Pago Pago. Look him up in the International Rivals section. This junior from Between, Ga., Peter Goesenya, will be even better than Vasi. Book it!
td
February 3rd, 2011
2:14 pm
Ed (The Original)
February 3rd, 2011
1:54 pm
Thanks for the advice td, but I think I’ll keep pulling for UGA since that’s all I’ve known since 1976, when I was old enough to start paying attention.
I can distinguish between an underperforming head coach (who’s a Miami Hurricane, by the way) and the team he coaches. Can you?
I have been a UGA fan since 76. I guess you were calling for Dooley’s (Auburn Graduate) head after the 79 season? (77 (5-6), 78 (9-2-1), 79 (6-5)? I guess he underperformed and needed to go? Or could it have been that he just had a few years of bad luck with some of his recruits and needed to reload?
Kendawg
February 3rd, 2011
2:29 pm
UGA did not recruit a fullback probably because the coaches had already decided to move Bruce Figgins to fullback. He’s 6′4″ and 265 or so pounds. That may be big enough to play fullback. They are trying to get Johnathan Jenkins at nose guard. He’s 6′4″ and about 340 pounds. That sounds like a prototypical nose guard to me. Last year our nose guard weighed only 297 pounds and teams consistently ran up the middle for big yardage against us. That’s a big reason we lost seven games. We couldn’t stop a team of grandmothers. If we don’t get Jenkins, look for another tough year.
Big Dick
February 3rd, 2011
2:29 pm
Great move, moving Figgins to Fullback. Choosing a TE is a natural, because of his blocking ability. He is a good reciever, and can be thrown to out of the backfield. He should also be great in pass proteciton. But at 6′5, I hope the Tailback will be able to see the QB. when in the I formation.
cantondawg
February 3rd, 2011
2:30 pm
Lester Miles,
I agree with you. Tan Man is that pos Herschel Talker. Possibly the worst UGA fan ever. he said the other day that he hoped we had a bad season where CMR would get fired. He’s a true piece of crap. I’m glad to see i’m not the only one who ridicules him
Big Dick
February 3rd, 2011
2:35 pm
Kendawg, If we do not get Jenkins, Kwame Geathers and Justin Anderson will have to decide if they really want to play college football. They both have the size to play Nose, and need to step up to the task, and make a name for themselves. Hopefully we get Jenkins.
Ed (The Original)
February 3rd, 2011
2:36 pm
[I posted something similar to this, but it got lost in cyberspace. Here's attempt no. 2]
“I have been a UGA fan since 76. I guess you were calling for Dooley’s (Auburn Graduate) head after the 79 season? (77 (5-6), 78 (9-2-1), 79 (6-5)? I guess he underperformed and needed to go? Or could it have been that he just had a few years of bad luck with some of his recruits and needed to reload?”
Dooley’s teams didn’t embarrass Georgia fans by failing to show up, like Richt’s teams did against Tennessee in ‘07 and ‘09, Florida in ‘08 and ‘09, and Alabama in ‘08. As well as the rest of the game against Auburn after getting up 21-7 (10-42 blowout after that. You must be proud). Dooley’s teams didn’t have a rash of arrests that have become the norm under Richt. And Dooley didn’t play two guaranteed win cupcakes games a year like Richt does. Dooley played Clemson, not Idaho State. And that was back when Clemson was still Clemson.
I’ll take Dooley any day, td. Win or lose, at least his teams had heart and discipline.
Ed (The Original)
February 3rd, 2011
2:42 pm
Oh, and how could I forget td – Dooley beat Florida about 70% of the time. And that includes some excellent Florida teams, including ones that would have won the SEC in ‘66, ‘76 and ‘80 if not for Dooley’s Georgia teams beating them. He beat Florida’s no. 1 ranked 1985 team 24-3. It wasn’t even that close.
Richt is 2-8 against Florida, and that includes three games against Ron Zook’s 5-loss teams and two games against Meyer without Tebow, including last year’s mediocre version.
If this is acceptable to you, then fine. But don’t question my loyalty just because I point out the obvious: Richt isn’t getting it done.
LBL
February 3rd, 2011
2:43 pm
Any inside information on Jonathan Jenkins? What’s the percentage he becomes a DAWG?
Berzerk8dawg
February 3rd, 2011
2:44 pm
Love it! GO Joe T! lets Get the Junkyard Dawg Mentality back and get ready for the Blue Ponies from up North!
Big Dick
February 3rd, 2011
2:52 pm
LBL, I have no inside information concerning John Jenkins. I know he wanted to make his announcement at home this weekend in Connecticuit. And he had to travel there from his school in Mississippi. I think he will commit to the Dawgs, because he will want to be a part of the good things that are going to happen, here at Georgia next year. And the year after.
Pacific Dawg
February 3rd, 2011
2:58 pm
dbc
Just because international players don’t get coverage in the U.S., that is no reason to doubt the existence of Vasi “Tombstone” Papulu. Everyone knows that Samoa is famous for producing more NFL players per capita than any place on the planet. There are a lot of awesome players here that go unnoticed across the Pacific. Tombstone is interested in UGA bigtime because he knows that Grantham turned Jay Ratliff into a Pro Bowl player for the Cowboys. You will be eating your words when Tomnstone is laying some massive hits on Lattimore and Dyer in the future for UGA.
Michael from Macon
February 3rd, 2011
3:13 pm
can’t wait to see JJ in a Ga uniform in the fall.
tree & rambo
February 3rd, 2011
3:36 pm
“ROCK THE DOME” 9/3/11
run the ball
February 3rd, 2011
3:39 pm
Does it matter who we have a fullback? Bobo forgets that there are 11 men on the field, and fails to utilize all of his weapons. How many touches to Chapas have last year? He is all american material and he simply was not present in the play calling. Bobo lacks innovation.