UGA’s Figgins feels old when telling teammates about ‘that Sugar Bowl’
ATHENS — Bruce Figgins‘ college football career began promisingly. He started the first game of his freshman season for Georgia in 2007 and even caught a touchdown pass in his debut. A few months later, he played in the Sugar Bowl as the Bulldogs routed Hawaii to finish the season ranked No. 2 in the nation.
Seems like a long time ago, doesn’t it?
Figgins
“It seems like forever ago,” Figgins, 22, said. “We talk about it in the locker room, and I say, ‘Man, I’m too old; I got to get out of here; y’all don’t know what I’m talking about.’
“Guys are used to Memphis and Shreveport and the Capital One Bowl,” he continued, recounting the Bulldogs’ more modest postseason destinations of the past three seasons. “All bowls are nice, but I tell them, ‘Oh, that Sugar Bowl!’”
One of just two players on this spring’s roster who appeared in that Sugar Bowl –- offensive tackle Trinton Sturdivant is the other -– Figgins now finds himself adjusting to a new position in hopes of finishing his UGA career with a flourish as a fifth-year senior in the fall.
Figgins has moved from tight end, where playing time would have been scarce behind Orson Charles and Aron White, to fullback, where the starting job is open.
“It’s going well,” Figgins said. “I’m doing a lot of learning on the run. Some things are clicking; some things are a little shaky. But we’re getting it done. . . It’s my last go-round.”
Figgins, from Columbus, has played in 37 games for Georgia but has started only four — the 2007 opener against Oklahoma State, two in 2008 and one last season. (He was redshirted in 2009 after shoulder surgery.) He has caught nine passes for 83 yards and three touchdowns, including a 12-yard TD pass from Matthew Stafford in the 2007 opener.
Now listed at 6-foot-4 and 272 pounds, Figgins began the transition from tight end to fullback in December and played “a couple of snaps” at the new position in the Liberty Bowl loss to Central Florida. This spring, he is battling rising sophomore Zander Ogletree for a starting spot. One thing that hasn’t changed for Figgins: his number. He is still proudly wearing No. 89, resisting suggestions that he might want to switch to a fullback-like number in the 40s.
Figgins “is seeing the possibilities of his new role and how it could be really good for him and very good for Georgia,” coach Mark Richt said. One potential advantage, Richt noted, is that when Figgins is in the game, opponents won’t know for sure whether he will line up at fullback or tight end. “It gives them less of a clue” what’s going on, Richt said.
Figgins just wants to be in the game — and to go out with a taste of the success with which he came in.
“That was great, playing in the Sugar Bowl my freshman year,” he said. “I just want to see a championship before I leave. So I want to do my part and contribute to the team the best I can.”
– Tim Tucker, AJC
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230 comments Add your comment
derekross
March 24th, 2011
7:11 pm
Richt threw it to Gray only 12 times because of guys like AJ Green, TK12, Charles, and Durham…
Gray getting 12 targets was alot more than I thought he would get. It’s not like he wasn’t out there alot though. 12 targets to an average atheletic WR is probably still alot of snaps.
Delta Stewardess
March 24th, 2011
7:15 pm
I guess we will get 1 more hour before kickoff to drink. I guess it is so we don’t think about the money we are paying for some crappy home games.
Nolan
March 24th, 2011
7:22 pm
Note:
Bruce Feldman has Crowell, as a dark horse HEISMAN TROPHY candidate.
On Feldman’s Top 10 list.
http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/blog?name=feldman_bruce&id=6250663&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncf%2fblog%3fname%3dfeldman_bruce%26id%3d6250663
Dawg Bite
March 24th, 2011
7:23 pm
I’m gonna keep saying this is the year until it is the year. I have high hopes until I’m proven wrong. Go Dawgs!!
Delta Stewardess
March 24th, 2011
7:35 pm
Bruce Feldman must have pulled out the darts and just threw them at names. Our O-line was so bad last year what makes him think Crowell can do anything. we need to see what the O-line can do first. Walker was so much bigger and in better shape over the defensive players he was running over. Crowell has not showed that ability yet. Crowell against Ogletree is different than Walker against Bates.
Nolan
March 24th, 2011
7:48 pm
ESPN had several analysts predict who will win the Heisman in 2014.
Crowell came in as Runner Up.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=6062312
I don’t think Georgia fans realize how good Crowell really is.
Delta Stewardess
March 24th, 2011
7:57 pm
Nolan did you see how old is this article? Please try again. A freshman QB and Running Back in the SEC Least are tops for the Heisman in 4 years? Please doubt both will still be in school for their Sr. years.
Nolan
March 24th, 2011
8:36 pm
The article is 8 weeks old, what are you talking about? That’s old? Feldman’s article isn’t a week old.
Nolan
March 24th, 2011
8:40 pm
I’ll go with what they professional unbiased college football analysts think instead of a male blogger posing as an airline stewardess.
Dawg89
March 24th, 2011
8:50 pm
The addition of Crowell sure is on the minds of the existing RBs. I think they are worried – a good thing indeed.
Delta Stewardess
March 24th, 2011
9:12 pm
Nolan thanks. I believe you would have a better chance of picking Lotto #s over a Heisman winner 4 years down the road. The Stanford QB was on nobodies list 4 years ago. I wish Crowell will be that good but I don’t see it yet. Crowell displayed a bad attitude in the high school playoff games. He was not doing well and showed his butt a little. I hope it was good passion not a bad attitude.
Nolan
March 24th, 2011
9:19 pm
I’ll go with Bruce Feldman’s professional opinion, instead of a male blogger posing as an airline stewardesss. But thanks for the input, whihc no one really values.
Nolan
March 24th, 2011
9:22 pm
Crowell’s for real, not just Georgia fans saying this, Crowell was considered the #1 rb in the country. Biggest rb signing really since Herschel Walker. Game changer. Gonna be fun watching this kid, and I don’t think Lattimore will get much more pub once this kid hits the field, Crowell’s much more explosive, and will light em up. Can’t wait.
Delta Stewardess
March 24th, 2011
9:33 pm
I can’t imagine how good this BYU team would be if the player didn’t get kicked off the team. Florida is really playing well in the overtime.
I will still wait to see him play big boy football not 2AA.
Nolan
March 24th, 2011
9:37 pm
Crowell’s speed is hard to imagine. Imagine Denard Robinson from Michigan and that’s about right. Robinson runs a 4.35 40, Crowell runs a 4.43 40. That’s blazing. Gonna be a lot of long runs this season and next.
Delta Stewardess
March 24th, 2011
9:44 pm
Is that time from a State Track meet? I believe times when they are certified by somebody other than the football coaches. Same with Height and Weigh. Too any stats on these measures are Fudged a little.
Mark Richt's hair cut
March 24th, 2011
10:06 pm
Typical loser UGA attitude….living in the past
Chadddd Scott
March 24th, 2011
10:07 pm
I need a job and a life
athdog
March 24th, 2011
10:20 pm
After watching one fullback drop multiple passes in more than one game last year, I’m looking forward to Figgins getting a chance to catch out of the backfield. 270 pounds in space? Seriously? Hopefully
Coach Bobo figures out how to use all of the toys he’ll have this year, and the D gets its act together. If so, it could be exciting
athdog
March 24th, 2011
10:29 pm
Jasper Sanks, Albert Hollis III, Barry Evans, etc…My point? High school running backs who were supposed to be ’studs’ and for one reason or another never hit it big. Throw in Caleb and Washaun for that matter. He won’t see one or two All State players every couple of weeks playing defense for the other team. He’ll see eleven All State players ever single week playing defense for the other team. I hope he’s better than Lattimore, but the past is littered with great high school players who never made big in college. Mr Crowell, if you’re reading this, it’s gonna take WORK, WORK, WORK. Good luck, Go Dogs
Nolan
March 24th, 2011
11:37 pm
I value Bruce feldman’s opinion over some fake blogger who acts like a stewardess or “athdog’. Their opinions have no worth.
Nolan
March 24th, 2011
11:38 pm
I’ll go with the ESPN professional anaylsts group’s opinion over the fake blogger.
Bawbie
March 25th, 2011
12:06 am
Fire coach K !!!!!!!
Hunker Down
March 25th, 2011
12:10 am
Has kept his nose clean while at GA. Done everything asked of him for his team. Will graduate with a diploma from UGA. Something not only to be proud of but will caryy him through life a long ways. And Mr. Figgins is one dang good Dawg!!!!
Dawg 64
March 25th, 2011
12:44 am
Butler better win that damn game Saturday or we have the spectre of a football school-at least when they are playing our sorry asses–having made 4 Final Fours in last 12 years.
Snoop Dawg
March 25th, 2011
8:33 am
The story here is that The Three Million Dollar Man has only two players on the entire squad who have ever even played in a decent bowl game now. That was about $12M-$15M ago now in UGA dollars to Mark Richt in unearned income.
Loyalty is a virtue, but the Bulldog Nation has to get its head (and its arse) out of the sand and read the writing on the wall.
Sheeps will mill around aimlessly until a leader appears. The best recruits in the world will lose if there isn’t a quality coach. UGA does not have one.
Dawg Gone
March 25th, 2011
2:09 pm
Snoop Dawg you know your not the worst of the trolls on the blog , but my man you are nothing if not consistent…
aprilglaspie
March 25th, 2011
7:02 pm
265 lb. FB that can run and has good hands? All good. See you in the Red Zone.
aprilglaspie
March 25th, 2011
7:06 pm
Snoop. Sheeps? Seriously? What a maroon.
We ruin this state
March 25th, 2011
11:43 pm
Yea UGA did beat Tech last year with a lousy team. The problem is that UGA has beaten Tech many times with lousy teams. Will UGA ever put a decent team on the field against Tech ?