Gator chomps and Bulldog barks followed Richt on spring break
ATHENS – Georgia’s football team switched gears from spring break to spring practice Tuesday — a rather jolting change.
Just back from the university’s spring break, which many players and coaches spent on the beach, the Bulldogs returned to the practice field on an unseasonably warm afternoon. They held their second session of spring practice, 12 days after the first.
“Spring break — for spring football, it really does stink,” coach Mark Richt said. “You get ‘em working; you get ‘em up to a certain point of readiness, mentally, physically. And then boom, they’re gone. . . . And we [coaches] are, too. Our minds — we’re out of here, too.
“It’s hard to just come back off spring break and just expect everybody to look great. But hopefully we’ll be locked in and ready to go from here on.”
Richt spent part of his spring break on the beach in Jamaica, and listen to what greeted him there:
“I’m not lying to you: The first time we laid down our stake at the beach — laid it down just barely, hadn’t even sat down yet, just trying to get the chair aligned with the sun — two Gators [fans] are right [next] to where my chair was, right where I was looking.”
He had other encounters with SEC fans on the trip, too.
“I’ll tell you what, man: The SEC is everywhere,” he said.
“I got a couple of these,” he added, showing the Gator chomp. “But I had a lot of great Bulldogs barking, too, so it was good.”
Anyway, a rested Richt and his team were back at work Tuesday.
“I thought we were a little sluggish,” Richt said. “I hate to make it sound like it was a bad [practice] because it really wasn’t, but I don’t think everybody did a real good job over spring break staying in shape.”
The Bulldogs will practice again on Thursday.
Bare-handed Murray
If you’re wondering, quarterback Aaron Murray practiced without gloves Tuesday.
He wore them in Georgia’s 10-6 Liberty Bowl loss to Central Florida, a choice that drew much debate after the game.
“Yeah, I definitely heard a lot of second-guessing,” Murray said Tuesday. “But when you go back and watch the film, most of the bad plays were not due to throwing. It was more mental errors. So it had nothing to do with the glove.”
In any case, Murray said he doesn’t plan to wear a glove on his throwing hand during games or practices in the future unless cold weather possibly dictates.
“I felt good with it heading into the [bowl] game, with the weather and everything,” he said. “But as of right now we’re just using the hand.”
Murray participated fully in Tuesday’s practice, and he said his ankle, which he sprained in a pickup soccer game last month, “feels 100 percent.”
“I’m still doing rehab just to make sure it stays strong,” he said. “But I felt great out there today and really haven’t had any problems in about a week or so.”
Benedict’s long road back
Offensive lineman Brent Benedict, who was redshirted as a freshman last season after suffering a severe knee injury in high school, said he is a “full-go” participant this spring.
“It was a long road coming back,” he said.
He is working at right guard.
Donations rise
Donations to the Georgia athletics program have topped last year’s level despite the Bulldogs’ first losing football season in 14 years.
Contributions to the “Hartman Fund,” the fund-raising vehicle that is tied to football season tickets, stood at $22.94 million as of Monday night with “still a few dribbling in,” according to Dave Muia, the athletics department official who oversees fund-raising and alumni relations.
That total exceeds last year’s contributions of $22.74 million.
This year’s stated deadline for contributions was Feb. 15, but the cutoff, as usual, was flexible.
– Tim Tucker, AJC
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320 comments Add your comment
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
10:42 am
JB – is 7 wins enough for the fan base?
And if 7 wins is the standard what then?
gdawginkalamazoo
March 23rd, 2011
10:44 am
Snake Doc, depends on who those 8 wins are against IMO. I am hoping for a few more than that. 10 wins would be a huge accomplishment with the dream team being freshmen.
GT1977
March 23rd, 2011
10:44 am
Yech huh? Very clever there Snake Doc…. you wanna go a round with a GT cannonball? Come and get it…
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
10:44 am
Larry Bird – I defeated you early on when you had UGA going undeafeted and winning the NC. I defeated you with logic, history and facts. All you have brought to the argument is dreams, all CAPS, and fantasy!
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
10:45 am
GA Yech about says it all! What have you got cannonball? a slide rule and calculator? wow – I’m scared of that!
Nerd!
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
10:47 am
$% wins against obvious inferior opponents should be a given.
Lose to UF again and I say fire the CEO!
Beating UF and winning 8 games should not save his job, losing should be his Waterloo!
UGA Insider
March 23rd, 2011
10:48 am
I wasn’t at practice yesterday but I had a friend who was there and he was NOT impressed with Mike Bobo and his offensive unit. They were sluggish and not ready for practice. However he said Grantham’s crew were zoned in and in damn good shape. He said Grantham was yelling and screaming and getting his crew fired up. He said Jarvis Jones is going to be a beast!!! He said he looks huge in pads. Bobo just paced around with a note pad in his hand while the offense stumbled and bumbled around.
This is not a god sign to me and I’m worried…. Why isn’t our offense prepared for practice? Why are we getting our asses kicked on the recruiting trail? Why is CMR acting like spring football is such a dark dreary thing?
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
10:48 am
should 4 wins against inferior opponents. sorry bout that
Larry Bird
March 23rd, 2011
10:50 am
Nuh uh!!! I defeated you, I said it first. Your logic is flawed, your bitterness towards Mark Richt is very evident and not necessary. What did he ever do to you huh? Are you secretly Colt Brennan from the Hawaii team still holding a grudge? He is a great man and great coach, so get off his back. I wish I could come see you after the season and shove these posts right down your aged, grizzly old throat.
Choke Grantham
March 23rd, 2011
10:51 am
The reason the offense looked so bad yesterday Insider was because every time choirboy Aaron came to the line, I gave him the choke sign.
Spokesman for the SEC East
March 23rd, 2011
10:52 am
Larry Bird I agree, Richt is the best of all time, the East hopes he gets a 10 year contract extension!
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
10:54 am
What did he do to me? Nothing personally.
However the CEO is not a great coach. He is soft, his teams are soft, the 10-3 debacle, 2-8 vs UF.
I want UGA to actually contend for NC’s. The CEO will never contend
Thats why the tanned one must go!.
GT1977
March 23rd, 2011
10:54 am
I’ll show you a nerd buddy! Right upside your head.
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
10:55 am
GT 1977 – What with the limp wrist it takes to work an abacus. Don’t make me laugh!
UGA Insider
March 23rd, 2011
10:57 am
Regardless of how many wins UGA gets this season CMR will be the head coach at UGA in 2012. I think McGarity wants the Cam Newton/Dan Mullen saga to die down for another year or so.
npgator
March 23rd, 2011
10:57 am
I forgot that the Dawgs lost to Central Florida last year! LOL! And those of you who think the Dawgs are headed for the BCS Championship within the next few years – don’t give up your day (work free drug place) jobs!
GT1977
March 23rd, 2011
10:58 am
If by limp wrist you mean super death fists then yeah. And you won’t be laughing after GT pummels you guys into the ground, HS offense and all.
gdawginkalamazoo
March 23rd, 2011
10:59 am
UGA Insider, thanks for the comments on the practice. How can you say that we get our a$$es kicked in recruiting? After the worst season in his coaching career Richt and his staff landing a top 6 class. He got most of the top 10 players in the state to come to Athens. He got the #1 RB in the enitre nation. The once rated #1 QB. Wow, let’s try and look at the positive in some of this. Dogging the team and coach in spring pratice doesn’t help anybody. Everybody knows that results and not excuses are what counts this year. I am as disappointed as anybody of the results from last year. Our offense was pathetic when it counted. I think Bobo knows his job is on the line regardless of the win loss record. He needs big results. Glad to see Grantham out there getting them going on the D.
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
11:03 am
GT1977 – I did state that UGA does run a pee wee league offense. And that is the only thing that will give Yech a chance.
If CPJ actually ran a different offense, with his coaching style, fire and football knowledge I’d give the little trade school you are so fond of a chance to compete for ACC championships. And yes he did win one his first year – it was a fluke! Of course ACC championships are nothing compared to SEC championships and National Championships.
Put CPJ in the SEC with a real offense and he might win an NC or 2. But at little ole Yech, he ain’t winning anything!
1eyedJack
March 23rd, 2011
11:04 am
“Super death fists”? Is that a World of Warcraft thing or a Dungeons and Dragons thing? Coach Fishfry and that Div II squad won’t even be able to pummel Duke into the ground.
Somebody wake Al up. It’s time for his bath.
MSU is ........
March 23rd, 2011
11:04 am
Folks, MSU is vastly over rated. They might win 7 games and UGA will not be one of them.
UGA 37-MSU16. Book it. Last year was just that ……….. last year. SC also will get theirs.
Go Dogs.
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
11:06 am
Super Death fists actually means Limp wrists of fury!
DawginLex
March 23rd, 2011
11:06 am
Snake doc,
i have argued this with a lot of people.
I believe Johnson could take his offense at UGA and tweak it a little bit with more passing and could win big in the SEC.
I guarantee you he would have gone for it on 4th and inches in the bowl game.
He is so stubborn though that he might be unwilling to change even though he threw the ball a lot at Hawaii
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
11:09 am
DawginLex – I agree with you.
IF CPJ added some pro sets and did advance the passing game in his offense he could be a great coach.
He is too stubborn to change his offense and thats his downfall!
Time to review UGA's W/L record
March 23rd, 2011
11:09 am
Counting two coaches ( JD and CMR) UGA is STILL one of the top 10 or 12 or so teams in w/l over the last few years.
Also, UGa is only 4th by one game to PN State in being #3 all time bowl winner.That breaks down like this:
Alabama is #1
the REAL USC is #2
PN State is # 3
UGA is 4th ALL TIME >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>ALL TIME BOWL winner. CMR has had alot to do with UGA’s w/l record in bowls. Take GT as only one example, CPJ has 0 wins. Folks that means Nada IN BOWLS. ZILCH, GOOSE EGGS.
Go Dogs.
gdawginkalamazoo
March 23rd, 2011
11:10 am
BTW, I think our new AD will have more say so in the program. I think that slacker Evans was afraid to tell Richt to do anything. All these slow decisions that Richt let linger the past two years won’t be happening anymore. I think McGarity will tell Richt he needs fire certain personel before it lingers too long. A better CEO at the top of the athletic dept will make a better CEO of the football team.
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
11:14 am
gdawg – If what you say is true – Why was Spring Practice scheduled with Spring break starting after the first practice?
I think thats one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard. The dumbest is the CEO stating he will allow his assistant coaches to take on more responsibility and that he will cut back on off season non football commitments so that he can devote more time to focus on and study football. How dumb was that? What was he doing the past 10 years?
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
11:15 am
gdawg – not stating your comment was dumb, i meant scheduling spring practice and spring break at the same time was dumb.
GT1977
March 23rd, 2011
11:16 am
Yeah, the ACC championship was a fluke, we just stumbled into that one. They are so common, they’re giving em away at wal-mart with a $30 purchase huh? Any league championship is something to be proud of. Glad to see I can get you turds worked up over a little thing called winning! Enjoy the cellar Dawg turds…
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
11:20 am
GY1977 – yeah, you did kind of stumble into that one – CPJ first year, weird offense that teams were not prepared for, 3 great backs to run that offense, yep, I’d state it was a fluke!
UGA Insider
March 23rd, 2011
11:21 am
gdawginkalamazoo,
Sorry to be so negative. I’m just frustrated at CMR and CMB. I want them so badly to turn things around I just don’t know if it’s possible at this point. Regarding recruiting I was speaking about the 2012 class. UF has 6 commitments many of them from GA and Bama has 12. Many of them from GA as well. The 2011 class was awesome and I took my hat off to them on this blog many, many times. Although it is very early we usually have more commitments than the present 1 or 2.
I really think the defense is going to be solid and in fact could be one of the SEC’s best. Jones and Ogletree are studs. I just look at that group of receivers and offensive lineman it it’s scary. How are we going to score against USCe?
gdawginkalamazoo
March 23rd, 2011
11:21 am
Snake Doc. LMAO on that 11:06 post of yours.
Regarding the 1 practice then spring break. I think we are only allowed a certain # of practices in the spring. I don’t know when the spring game is supposed to be played but I would imagine you have some days off. Maybe he had the one practice to run the guys and let them know that if anybody gets in trouble during spring break or does anything stupid you are off the team. IF that was the only thing he did then it appeared to have worked. No problems or arrest that we are currently aware of. After last year I would spend 1 practice on that alone.
I agree on with you on the “studying football” statements. But I’ll take those over lying to the NCAA and covering up ineligible players.
Fake Blogger Alert
March 23rd, 2011
11:23 am
All posts on this page are the same person using fake names to talk with himself (not this one)
BUCKEYE
March 23rd, 2011
11:26 am
kalamazoo,
I bet (opps, poor choice) you’ve got Ohio State in your Fnal Four bracket, don’t you.
Larry Bird
March 23rd, 2011
11:29 am
Hey GT1977, how about you go find something else to do besides trying to get everybody fired up on here. I’ll argue with a bitter UGA fan all day but you have nothing to bring to the argument. I find myself agreeing with my arch nemesis Snake Doc again.
gdawginkalamazoo
March 23rd, 2011
11:30 am
UGA Insider, I understand your frustration. I have been a Bulldog fan since the day I was born. I am just as frustrated as the next fan if not more. When I talk about that “seasonal anxiety disorder” that I suffer from come kick off time in the fall, it is for real. I suffer until the first loss. It lessens with each subsequent loss. By the middle of Sept last year, wow, completely gone. Most of Coach Richts seasons though, I need the Jim Beam as medicine because he has been winning. I look at other programs like Texas and feel pretty good about our situation. They went 5-7 last year and loss their DC.
I wouldn’t worry about the recruiting war with Bama and Florida. IF the dawgs win this year, which they need to do, Richt & Co will be just fine for the 2012 season. If they don’t we had one hell of a great 2011 class and a new coach (we all know who it will be, right?) will bring new excitement and a good to great class.
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
11:33 am
Larry Bird – yeah we don’t want to agree on too many things do we? Its amazing that GY1977 can make us allies.
All UGA fans can agree that we mean more to GY then the little ole trade school means us!
GT1977
March 23rd, 2011
11:33 am
WAAAAH! You dawgs are a bunch of babies. @ Larry Bird, I’ll do what I want. If you can’t take the heat, stay out of the blog.
gdawginkalamazoo
March 23rd, 2011
11:37 am
Buckeye, one of them yes. The one where I put all four of the #1 seeds through. I can’t remember if I had you guys winning it all or not. I know the bracket where I had my Bulldogs running the table is all shot to hell and back. Should be a great game with Kentucky. Even I can’t stand the man I think Calipari’s coaching might be the difference in the game.
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
11:37 am
Remember fellow UGA bloggers – It means more to the limp wrist one to be here, then his presence means to us!
This is his greatest accomplishment in life, other then using a slide rule to calculate GY’s chances of winning a game this year!
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
11:40 am
I’m sure to everyone’s surprise here – I will state that if I had to choose between the CEO or Calipari, I would choose the CEO every time.
MR as a man and a honest person is a someone that can be looked up to and admired. As a football coach, not so much!
Fake Blogger Alert
March 23rd, 2011
11:41 am
Snake Doc = gdawginkalamazoo
AltamahaDawg
March 23rd, 2011
11:41 am
Great line from one of the other blog sites………Kyle King……
“…Tuesday night in Auburn Arena, where the scoreboard (unlike the wall plaques) told no lies.”
GT1977
March 23rd, 2011
11:45 am
Hey Snake Doc, its GT not GY, the t an y are very close on the keyboard. If you’re going to insult me I would prefer it if you get my name right. Its not my fault Techs chances of winning this year are 100X better than yours. And fyi, your wife likes my limp wrists.
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
11:50 am
Snake Doc is Snake Doc – No one else!
Okay GT1977 – Yechs chances of winning anything are far less then UGA wining 8 games!
gdawginkalamazoo
March 23rd, 2011
11:52 am
Fake Blogger Alert = Wrong, Ask AltamahaDawg. Besides I might rib the Tech fans (or any school) but I don’t denigrate their name, e.g., GT/GY.
GT1977
March 23rd, 2011
11:54 am
Omg, I know you guys at UGAy are morons but that last post was too much! First UGAy will not win 8 games, you’ll be lucky to notch 6 again. Second, we will be miles ahead of you losers. They should kick you out of the SEC. You guys are the new Vanderbilt, thats why they schedule you on there homecoming every year, easy win for em.
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
11:54 am
GT1977 – My wife likes a real man, not some limp wristed Nerd.
Is that better for ya?
Snake Doc
March 23rd, 2011
11:55 am
GT1977 – You make some good points. As for GY being miles ahead of UGA, won’t ever happen again in this century or any for that matter
Delta Stewardess
March 23rd, 2011
12:03 pm
A gator was arrested for POT and a Bama player was arrested for hindering prosecution. Where are the articles about these arrests?