Yes, amid all the hoops, spring football practice also starts today
About an hour after the Georgia men’s basketball team finishes its SEC tournament opener against Auburn at the Georgia Dome this afternoon, the Bulldogs’ football team will hit the field in Athens for the start of spring practice. I’ll be at the Dome, and Andy Johnston will be covering football practice. There’s much SEC tournament coverage on AJC.com today, but I know some of you might be looking for football fodder on the first day of spring ball. So here, culled from a full preview of Georgia spring practice that ran in Sunday’s paper, are three key issues facing the Bulldogs:
1. Rebuilding the receiver corps: While A.J. Green trains for the NFL draft, Georgia faces the daunting task of replacing arguably the best receiver in school history. The Bulldogs also must replace last season’s second most productive receiver, Kris Durham, who completed his eligibility. Rising junior Tavarres King, the leading returning receiver with 27 catches last season, will line up at flanker “to have an opportunity to do some of the things A.J. was doing,” coach Mark Richt said. Coaches will look for others to emerge this spring from a group that includes Marlon Brown, Rantavious Wooten, Michael Bennett, Israel Troupe and early enrollee Chris Conley. “I think there are plenty of guys who can make plays for us,” Richt said, “and young guys coming in [this summer] who are going to be hungry.”
2. Shoring up the offensive line: Expected to be a pillar of last season’s team, the unit underachieved. With the graduation of starters Clint Boling and Josh Davis, the departure of coach Stacy Searels to Texas and the hiring of Will Friend from UAB as Searels’ replacement, the offensive line bears watching closely this spring. Ben Jones is back for his fourth season as the starting center, and Trinton Sturdivant and converted guard Cordy Glenn are the almost-certain starters at left and right tackle, respectively. “The guard spots are really up for grabs right now,” Richt said. Rising sophomore Kenarious Gates, who started three games last season, is a leading candidate for one of the spots.
3. Filling the holes at linebacker: Georgia must replace three of last season’s four starters at the position — Justin Houston, a possible first-round NFL draft pick who started all 13 games at outside linebacker; Akeem Dent, the team’s leading tackler who started 13 games at inside linebacker; and Darryl Gamble, who started seven games on the outside. The linebacker group also lost a coach with the departure of inside linebackers coach Warren Belin to the Carolina Panthers; he was replaced by Kirk Olivadotti, hired from the Washington Redskins. At inside linebacker, the Bulldogs will count on Christian Robinson, who started 10 games last season, and converted safety Alec Ogletree. At outside linebacker, the leading candidates to start are Cornelius Washington and USC transfer Jarvis Jones. Prized signee Ray Drew will join the OLB competition in August.
- For the AJC’s full preview of UGA spring football practice, please click here.
- And for 10 players to watch this spring, please click here.
– Tim Tucker, AJC
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163 comments Add your comment
Dutch
March 10th, 2011
12:10 pm
If Brandon Smith comes in on offense, strip him, as he only worries about his speed and has no awareness of potential defensive strips. He’s one of the easiest guys to force a fumble on, besides Caleb King & Aaron Murray. Ealey is prone to ball strips in the red zone, as Ealey seems focused on scoring, and not protecting the football.
Dutch
March 10th, 2011
12:17 pm
Florida & South Carolina beat Georgia by forcing Grantham’s defense into passing defenses, and then running the ball against that formation. Worked great, expect to see more, Grantham had no clue how to stop it.
Dutch
March 10th, 2011
12:18 pm
Defense is coached to be aggresive, so they’re vulnerbale to cut back runs, double moves, and whell routes. Grantham never corrected any of these.
Dutch
March 10th, 2011
12:19 pm
On punt coverage, if near Georgia’s own 20, Richt will fair catch it 90% of the time, so go for punt blocks.
A village has lost their idiot....
March 10th, 2011
12:20 pm
Dutch, you might want to consider coming upstairs from your mother’s basement every once in awhile. And when you do so, be sure to take the aluminum foil off of your head.
Dutch
March 10th, 2011
12:22 pm
Richt doesn’t have a designated special teams coach, so you can really exploit his kick off return coverage and punt coverage, as both are among the worse in the league. Even UCF ran the KO back on the first play of the Bowl game. Not hard to do, as this unit does not have a coach.
Dutch
March 10th, 2011
12:24 pm
Georgia will not run their QB, so no need to keep linebckers close by, let your lb’s cover receivers or blitz, as Richt’s afraid Murray will get hurt, and won’t let him run. Easy to capitalize on this fear.
A village has lost their idiot....
March 10th, 2011
12:25 pm
Dutch, you moron and scumbag, UGA’s new linebacker coach is also their special teams coach. Quite brilliant you are.
Dutch
March 10th, 2011
12:26 pm
Be aware that Richt emphasizes only winning the fourth quarter. So dominate Georgia in the first quarter, as the players know this is not a priority for Richt. Florida’s beat Georgia 80% last decade by using this one plan.
Dutch
March 10th, 2011
12:29 pm
Well known, Georgia is 3rd class in their conditioning & nutrition program. Worked out of trailers last season and didn’t monitor meals for example. This year, even though more emphasis, still 2nd class. You can use a hurry up offense like Florida & Auburn did to wear Georgia down, and they just tire out, and when they’re tired, they make a lot of mistakes.
Dutch
March 10th, 2011
12:31 pm
Plus Georgia’s unwillingness to change to a spread offense has really hurt them. They are not utilizing Murray’s talent and the talent of the offensive line. The offensive line was their strength last year and it hurt them not to shift to the spread.
Dutch
March 10th, 2011
12:33 pm
Georgia’s an easy team to hurt morale on. If a QB can be forced into making a lot of mistakes, you can kill Georgia’s morale, because Richt will not bench his QB, even if he throws 17 interceptions like Cox, or 3 to’s in a Bowl game like Murray, or 4 to’s against Florida like Murray. This divides teammates into groups. Spurrier prevents this by benching his QB, Richt hasn’t figured this one out either.
Dutch
March 10th, 2011
12:36 pm
the team is not disciplined, look at all of the off the field arrests. Richt usually leads the league in penalties and turnovers. Take advantage of this by hard snaps, motion, etc. If you get a lead on them they become frustrated and start getting a lot of flags thrown on them.
Dutch
March 10th, 2011
12:40 pm
Also, the team’s graduation rate is way too high. Look at all of the top programs in the last 10 years and their grad rates are low. If Georgia wants to get back on top they need to get their players out of the classroom and onto the practice field.
Fleming Island Dawg
March 10th, 2011
12:40 pm
Haven’t seen any arrests, this is a new season, we had the best kickoff coverage last year, Florida didn’t score first from the pick the defense held. Jack W aka Dutch
Dutch
March 10th, 2011
12:43 pm
Props Fleming Island Dawg. I stand corrected.
SEC Football
March 10th, 2011
12:45 pm
Last season is gone and the players that left didn’t do much for the program to win games. The O-lines and RB were horrible. The D did improved a little.
With the new season coming up, mixing in the new bloods into the program, Ya’ll better watch out!!!
This team can win 10 or more games. Schedules are in our favor, just need some bounches our way and we’re back in the SEC Elite.
#1Stunna
March 10th, 2011
12:53 pm
This “Dutch” guy is hilarious. But, for real though, you need to get a life buddy, and get off of our blog…by the way, who do you root for anyway?
Sanford on Saturday
March 10th, 2011
12:59 pm
wow what a comment get the guys out of the classroom and onto the practice field. Its about not only making these guys winners on the field but setting them up for sucess after football. Dutch is a moron. Can we lock him up in a room with Jarvis Jones?
Dutch
March 10th, 2011
1:00 pm
Paul Johnson is cute!
Sanford on Saturday
March 10th, 2011
1:02 pm
yeah triple option offenses are great. what an arm that tevin washington has
WIN WITH RICHT
March 10th, 2011
1:36 pm
At WR, If Wooten and Brown don’t start producing during the spring, Richt will take a long look at Michael Bennett and Chris Conley. Malcolm Mitchell is another freshman who will get a long look over the summer. It is time for Wooten, Brown, and Troupe to live up to their high school press clipppings, because a lot of young WRs are coming in hungry for playing time
Brucerugby79
March 10th, 2011
2:06 pm
Dutch=BB wish we could track down these trolls and send exterminating party out to rid ourselves of the vermin
JDawg1785
March 10th, 2011
2:19 pm
There’s definitely some work to do in the receiving corps, but T King is a proven go-to guy and we should expect to see signs of life from Marlon Brown. He’s got all the potential but never had many balls thrown his way with AJ and Durham ahead of him last season.
ugaclassof2004
March 10th, 2011
2:23 pm
Things that must happen this year.
1. The O-Line needs to get off their fat a$$es and block, get back to imposing their will onto other teams.
2. Washuan Ealey and Caleb King need to get their heads out of their a$$es, rededicate themselves in the weight room, film, and practice field, and stay away from downtown.
3. The WR’s must have someone step up. If they do, the offense is capable of averaging 4 TD’s a game. If they don’t, expect a lot of single degit losses.
4. Punt Return and Kickoff return? What the hell has happened here? Can we not find anyone on our current roster to fill the roles that Mickey Henderson and Damien Gary used to perform in this area? I refuse to believe that is the case!
5. The defense needs to grow a pair and play more solid fundamental football. Is it really too much to ask to expect a defense to hold a team on 3rd and long? I mean do I have to completely lower my expectations and celebrate when the defense ONLY gives up 28 points? 3-4, 4-3, or 5-2…I don’t give a damn what formation we use. Just make plays!
6. Richt needs to be hungry again. The desire to win comes from the coach! I’m sorry, but when a team has almost a month to prepare for a bowl game, and then they slop around and lose to an inferior opponent( yes an 11-3 Central Florida team is inferior talentwise to UGA), then that blame falls on the coach. What the hell have they been practicing for the last month!! I’m sick of this half-a$$ ” I’ll turn it on when I feel like it” mentality from our players. As coaches, you either demand more or you allow mediocrity to happen. Richt has shown that he can field a nasty, tough minded, and disciplined team when he wants to, so do it week in and week out damn it!
ALL of these things need to improve THIS season or EVERYTHING WILL improve next season.
Randy Etheridge
March 10th, 2011
2:30 pm
Interesting news! I’m a big Dawg fan. I wonder if this will get any mention on Twenty-First Tycoon. http://www.21Tycoon.com
Stinger2
March 10th, 2011
3:18 pm
I am a GT fan who also likes UGA. I think the Dawgs will have a very good season at 9-3 and win their bowl game if they get a good matchup. The schedule is very favorable in that they do not play Alabama or LSU. The Florida, SC,
Boise State games will be the toughest.
dawg from a distance
March 10th, 2011
3:19 pm
Knowing we are without AJ will help in our prep and getting guys ready. Last year was a distraction with he is or isn’t playing and then the hang over of him being gone that long. I think we have WR talent.
I like the new LB’s and coaching changes. Let’s all hope we have a Friend in Will to make a solid OL.
Go DAWGS!
dawg from a distance
March 10th, 2011
3:23 pm
Dutch what insight. I would get mad if it weren’t so right on. Kind of embarrased now with our cover being blown.
Old Coach
March 10th, 2011
3:26 pm
@ Dutch
Why in the world do we need ANY coaches in Athens with someone like you that has ALL the answers? I guarantee that this clown never played a down after rec ball. What a jerk!!!
goodness gracious
March 10th, 2011
3:37 pm
Michael Bennett will have a huge year, as well as Marlon Brown. Defense will be strong and special teams will carry us.
Dawg Trainer
March 10th, 2011
3:38 pm
“U mean the Vols that we trounced up and down the field last fall? Those Vols. With your half breed mangy dog, and your silly overplayed fight song.”
Exactly right. You dawgs will be severely punished in Neyland this season, just like the LAST time you were in Neyland. Does 45-19 ring a bell? And that was with Jon Crompton throwing. Bray should be good for 6 TDs this time out, Smokey will be howling, and you’ll have Rocky Top haunting your dreams when we’re done with you.
And when you Dawgs go through YOUR coaching carousel like we just finished doing, we’ll pile on the victories until you get stable again. Get used to it. The Trainer has spoken.
DawginLex
March 10th, 2011
3:53 pm
41-14 trainer
a 6-7 team beat you that bad
It was beautiful.
I sat right behind the UT band and they only played Rocky Top 3 times all day.
I was also in Hillbilly ville in 2003 for the 41-14 beatdown.
Richt 6-4 vs the Viles
About to go to 7-4
Rad Penties
March 10th, 2011
3:54 pm
Attention, everyone, especially dawgtards. We will now observe a moment of silence in memory of Saint Jan Kemp, who exposed the shameful practices at UGA that were initiated and carried out by slimeball Vince Dooley. Dooley’s image as a coach and a nice guy were forever shattered during the trial, not to mention the one million dollars that dawgtards had to pay Saint Jan. These practices of recruiting morons and coddling them for four years, them tossing them out like garbage, are still going on, but at least the world knows what’s happening in Athens now.
And now, the moment of silence…
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Thank you, you may resume your normal activities now.
Dan
March 10th, 2011
3:58 pm
AJ who?
SpiffY
March 10th, 2011
4:03 pm
UGA, perennial winner of the Fulmer/Richt Cup.
Mark Richt gained 22 lbs
March 10th, 2011
4:17 pm
Fran said UGA is in BIG BIG trouble and I believe him.
Bubbatavious
March 10th, 2011
4:22 pm
Too many question marks on this team along with a midget Qb who has yet to register a win over a winning team.
Ear Bling Galore
March 10th, 2011
4:24 pm
Dawgs need to play players who want to win rather than those sportin Mr. T’s gold collection.
UGA Insider
March 10th, 2011
4:26 pm
I will be at several practices over the next few weeks and will be analyzing and reporting back with juicy information. Looking back at my notes from last spring I was wrong on a few major projections…… I thought Ealey was going to have a monster year. I thought he looked awesome at practice and I thought he would have 1500 yards easily. I actually thought he would be in The Heisman conversation by week 6. Which I also predicted we would be 6-0. Sorry, I missed on that one. I also missed on our oline being better. I still think there was bad chemistry there and I still think that is why Tanner Strickland left before his eligibility ran out. Really bad move by him.
I also predicted Justin Houston and Akeem Dent were going to have monster years… I was right there and unfortunately I thought correctly that our db’s and safeties looked small and non physical and that clearly showed at game time. These guys just look little compared to other SEC teams at that time. I predicted Justin Houston as defensive player of the year and just missed on that prediction by a guy named Nick Fairley who nobody had ever heard of at that time.
This year I am anxious to see Jarvis Jones and Richard Samuels on the field. I have seen them in street clothes and they pass the eye test for sure. Each one is about 250 and look strong. They are not as big as Akeem Dent but that guy is a stud. Some NFL team is going to get lucky when they get him. Willie Martinez is pathetic for not making him a better player than he did.
Anyways, looking forward to hearing Grantham screaming again. CMR would not let him do it any in December so it’s been awhile.
Tin Wiss
March 10th, 2011
4:32 pm
Think about the football team THUGA puts on the field. 81% of the players are academically provisionally accepted, with Richt and his cronies knowing full well that they will use up all their coaching and tutors and elligibility and then have their asses kicked out on the street and soon be pushing grocery carts around Atlanta looking for a warm place to sleep. What a pitiful way to run the State’s flagship university.
UGA has become a huge embarrassment for all Georgians.
Nachos the barn burner
March 10th, 2011
4:38 pm
Prepare for another A$$ whipping tomorrow night flea bag nation………..
You should be use to losing by now.
Gatormeat
March 10th, 2011
4:57 pm
I see the mutts are making excuses already. Can’t blame them really, this year is shaping up to be a disaster. The so-called dream team is going to wonder if they made such a great decision after they get beat up and down the field by the Mighty Gators in Oct. It will be pretty bad, pictures of your arrogant coach threatening to choke our kicker are already posted all over the weight and locker rooms. I doubt murray will finish the game
Nachos the barn burner
March 10th, 2011
5:04 pm
Crowell = Jasper Sanks
shankit
March 10th, 2011
5:18 pm
Best Receiver in Georgia History? Lindsey Scott, Lindsey Scott
Best Quarterback in Georgia History? Tossup between Belue and
Lastinger.
Beast from the East
March 10th, 2011
5:26 pm
Congrats on the win today, Dawgs!
Gary
March 10th, 2011
5:27 pm
If we can do some good coaching this spring we can salvage a decent season with this crew. Auburn is done, Florida won’t get much better, Tennessee is a disaster. USC should be strong again. Kentucky and Vandy should be wins. Georgia has a good chance in most games if they put forth the kind of effort the did against auburn rather than ucf. curious what boise returns this year. hate to open with a loss.
Jim
March 10th, 2011
6:17 pm
Have to agree Green may have been the most talented receiver UGA ever had but I think he was also vastly under-used. In other words another UGA wasted tallent. As for being the best he ranks right up there with Stafford in wasted tallent. Too bad these two didn’t have the attitude of the late President John F. Kennedy in looking for what they could do for UGA rather than what UGA could do for them. All the hype of AJ being the first pick of this year’s draft is a pipe dream designed by the AJC sports writers. Maybe after A.J. signs he can buy his jersey back so he will have something to show for his fame as a football player when he gets old.
Saben
March 10th, 2011
7:07 pm
Oh well another season of pain and futility.
Richt makes another 2 milllion plus, choakdwag eats 3000 krispy kremes and the dream team ends up in jail.
And by the way Boise State 50 Dawgs 8. And another season with signature wins against Coastal Carolina and Vanderbilt.
IRISH DAWG
March 10th, 2011
7:23 pm
GEORGIA WILL BEAT AUBURN IN 2011 FOR THE 5TH TIME IN 6 YEARS.