Dogs’ Orson Charles, Kwame Geathers earn spring MVP awards (updated)
On Thursday, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and defensive line coach Rodney Garner lauded Kwame Geathers for his strong performance this spring. On Friday, the Georgia coaches reiterated that assessment by designating the sophomore lineman as the defensive MVP for spring practice.
Big Kwame Geathers (99), here getting in on a tackle against Vanderbilt last year, earned notice during Georgia's spring practice. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
After the final practice of the spring Thursday Garner said Geathers, 6-foot-6, 341-pounder from Georgetown, S.C., has shown “a lot of improvement. He’s using his hands much better than he did last year and playing stouter.” Grantham revealed the staff is considering ways to play both Geathers and 355-pound junior college transfer John Jenkins this fall.
Geathers was one of three UGA players to come away with MVP awards because of their spring performances. Tight end Orson Charles and quarterback Aaron Murray — fellow Tampa-Plant grads — shared offensive MVP honors.
The most storied of Georgia’s annual spring awards is the Coffee County hustle awards. Those went to freshman offensive tackle Kolton Houston of Buford and linebacker Christian Robinson of Norcross.
Georgia fans will be able to see all these players in action Saturdy during the annual G-Day spring football game at Sanford Stadium. Admission is free and kickoff is at 1 p.m.
The other awards were:
OFFENSE
- True Grit Award: C Ben Jones, Centreville, Ala.
- Most Improved: FB Alexander “Zander” Ogletree, Newnan; QB Hutson Mason, Marietta
- Outstanding Walk-On: TB Brandon Harton, Reidsville; WR Taylor Bradberry, Winder
DEFENSE
- True Grit Award: CB Brandon Boykin, Fayetteville; FS Shawn Williams, Damascus
- Most Improved: CB Jordan Love, CB, Glen Allen, Va.; CB Branden Smith, CB, Atlanta
- Outstanding Walk-On: CB Connor Norman, Duluth
Speaking of G-Day
Former Georgia football letter-winners will be first on the field Saturday before the G-Day. Approximately 74 former players, team managers, coaches and trainers — spanning five decades of matriculation at UGA — will divide into two teams and participate in the annual Letterman Flag Football Game. Among the ex-Dogs expected to participate are Mikey Henderson and Thomas Flowers for the Red Team and Amp Arnold, Jevaris Johnson, Burt Jones and Fred Gibson for the Black Team.
Admission to G-Day is free. Fans are encouraged to bring items for the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia and/or make monetary donations to the Johnathan Taylor Fund. The gates at Sanford Stadium will open at 11 a.m.
By Chip Towers, The UGA Blog
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78 comments Add your comment
2012 FEAR THE END
April 15th, 2011
2:38 pm
1
Billo
April 15th, 2011
2:41 pm
First
Billo
April 15th, 2011
2:41 pm
damn
truedawg
April 15th, 2011
2:42 pm
Go Dawgs!! lets see how they do Saturday
matt
April 15th, 2011
2:45 pm
Too bad they won’t throw to him more than twice a game.
Burma Shave
April 15th, 2011
2:45 pm
Don’t be
So touchy-feely.
It’s time to
Get rid of Ealey.
BURMA SHAVE
truedawg
April 15th, 2011
2:48 pm
Still hard to see if our defense is better or is our running games still that bad, but have to love seeing what we have about Geathers. Just hope with all this depth at tight end, BoBo looks back at some film and sees the bubble we used to throw alot with Bailey, and Ward. I hope we use that talent more this year.
Wonder with the lack of depth at FB if thye have thought of moving Lynch to that Postion? He’s a pretty big kid.
2012 FEAR THE END
April 15th, 2011
2:50 pm
Thanks!!
JAWJeRDAWG
April 15th, 2011
2:50 pm
It’s encouraging to see ZANDER (?) Ogletree and Hudson Mason are most improved on offense, and Jordan Love and Branden Smith, have both come on strong on defense at CB.
RockyMountainDawg
April 15th, 2011
2:55 pm
Not quick enough on the draw.
2012 FEAR THE END
April 15th, 2011
2:56 pm
Creative… thanks for the info
JB
April 15th, 2011
3:03 pm
If our D can get after the Boise Qb like the 2007 team did to Hawaii, We win that game big and move in the polls…….Let that guy sit back and survey the field, we lose by 2-3 TD’s.
FBR
April 15th, 2011
3:05 pm
Where is Big Time—-NOT!!! ?
tide roll
April 15th, 2011
3:05 pm
I can’t believe Dallas Lee didn’t land the true grit award. You can’t keep losing in state studs like James Carpenter, Chance Warmack annd now Cedar Grove’s Brandon Green and hope to remain competitive. Bobo and his South Georgia ways are killing you.
Timmy
April 15th, 2011
3:05 pm
Mason throws for 5 td’s in Spring games (60% MORE than the WUNDERKID) , Murray for 3, Richt names Murray Spring MVP???
Geez, talk about whacky…
Bubba J. Dawgman
April 15th, 2011
3:07 pm
Get Brandon Smith a position already and let him stick with it. Glad to see he’s most improved, maybe because they’re letting him practice with cb’s all the time and he can actually learn something. I’m also hoping they get Orson Charles the ball a little bit more this year, that kid is a beast.
truedawg
April 15th, 2011
3:10 pm
Agree Bubba, Smith needs to stick with the D side. We have all this talent at TightEnd, We need to use them more.
dawgfacedboy
April 15th, 2011
3:10 pm
Can’t remember if it was Buck or Pollack earlier in the week talking about the gameplan for the dawgs this year. With the expected lack of weapons in the passing game they are expected to run, run, run the ball this fall. Don’t know abou the rest of you but unless this Crowell kid comes in and immediately looks like Knowshon that doesn’t make feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
DawginLex
April 15th, 2011
3:12 pm
Timmy the TROLL
Get some new material.
Your act has been cancelled!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Revis
April 15th, 2011
3:12 pm
Timmy-
Mason could have thrown for 500 td’s, and Richt would have named Murray MVP.
You don’t get it yet.
DawginLex
April 15th, 2011
3:13 pm
tide roll,
so in your illustrious opinion, the following teams have better offensive lines than UGA solely based on being “big black road graders”???
Grambling
Winston Salem State
Jackson State
Howard
Fort Valley State
Albany State
????????????????????????????
DawginLex
April 15th, 2011
3:15 pm
Give it up Revis/Timmy
Get some new material or leave.
Act is old.
truedawg
April 15th, 2011
3:16 pm
If our O line isn’t better We aren’t running the ball on anyone. I don’t care who we have in the backfield
JB
April 15th, 2011
3:19 pm
With AJ gone, a couple of these receivers will shine and emerge. O. Charles will catch 40 passes from the TE spot this year. Some of this young talent will see the field this year. No time to grow a crop for this staff.
Burma Shave
April 15th, 2011
3:24 pm
Sometimes you run
Out of luck.
It’s too bad
The bulldogs suck.
BURMA SHAVE
JAWJeRDAWG
April 15th, 2011
3:28 pm
@ tide roll
‘Bobo and his South Georgia ways are killing you.’
Have never responded to your usual tirade. However, you obviously didn’t follow our 2011 recruiting very closely. CMB did pretty well in South Georgia recruiting (Wilcox Co., Valdosta, Camilla, and Thomasville) if I remember correctly. … Go Dawgs!
DawginLex
April 15th, 2011
3:29 pm
Blogger named of
Burma shave.
Should thrill us all
and dig his grave.
BURMA SHAVE
footballfan-365
April 15th, 2011
3:31 pm
Man tide roll will not quit. I really think he has some weird obsession with 18 &19 yr old fat guys. Samething everytime he post a comment man what reaction are you looking to get from us
DawginLex
April 15th, 2011
3:32 pm
Blogger named for
shaving cream.
Actually dumber
than he seems.
BURMA SHAVE
dawg from a distance
April 15th, 2011
3:42 pm
Love and Smith were the only 2 corners who made the spring aren’t they? That simple fact made them most improved. Just being on the field.
Buckeye
April 15th, 2011
4:12 pm
Spring Practice MVP awards? You’ve got to be kidding. I hope the plaques are engraved correctly.
Suprised Win With doesn’t give everyone a trophy.
AltamahaDawg
April 15th, 2011
4:16 pm
Kwame is very fun to pronounce.
gdawginkalamazoo
April 15th, 2011
4:21 pm
tide roll = OL rainman
#1's get a job
April 15th, 2011
4:33 pm
Everyone who jumps on the AJC and puts up 1, 1st and anything else that resembles that you are first place…take note – you are a loser!
Scott
April 15th, 2011
4:35 pm
Shhh.
Heard from the trophy engraver Murray’s award was engraved in Jan. Richt just waited 3 months to give it to him.
Tech is Rennie's B!TC#
April 15th, 2011
4:37 pm
We need to give give give give the ball to Orson, great hands, great athleticism, great strength. From what I’ve heard he’s a freak now. Second coming of Ben Watson???
gdawginkalamazoo
April 15th, 2011
4:38 pm
Buckeye, yes Richt prefers giving out the plaques for being MIP (Most Improved Player) or MVP Most Valuable Players.
Not like Tressel passing out the gift cards to the tattoo palors. Tressel gives out MIT awards (Most Improved Tatoo) and MVT (Most Valuable Tatt).
SOUTHGADAWG88
April 15th, 2011
4:50 pm
Kwame and Jenkins are the most important players on the D this year.If Jenkin is good as advertized then we could have an outstanding D.The OL is THE key to the O this year….not Crowell.Charles.any wr or even Murrray.How well they come together will dictate how much success we have on O.
SOUTHGADAWG88
April 15th, 2011
4:55 pm
Also I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about Samuel and Burrrows at Lb.
Buckeye
April 15th, 2011
5:00 pm
Kalmazoo,
Perhap Tress could share his scoring/evaluation method with Win With before Isaiah (The Annointed One II), to hit his first blocking sled. Looking forward to Isaiah’s (The Annointed One II ) tatts debut.
extrapoint
April 15th, 2011
5:02 pm
Enter your comments here
big john 360 lbs
April 15th, 2011
5:06 pm
put branden smith on offense! does anybody remember the toss sweep against sc 2 yrs ago? we don’t have anybody on offense that can do that.
extrapoint
April 15th, 2011
5:12 pm
With Green having left for the pro’s, Bobo will have to change his ways. I still shudder at his play calling on our first pass against Florida when Green ran to the defender, stop, without driving him back and the pass to him was intercepted. Murray was toast for the first half. It’s time the receivers we recruited become receivers instead of standing on the field watching Murray thrown the ball to Green. Even Durham became a lamp post when Green returned. If I was a Georgia receiver this year, I would thank my lucky star that Green left before my career was over at Georgia and I realized I caught only ten passes while playing for four years.
LakeDawg
April 15th, 2011
5:29 pm
dawgfacedboy
April 15th, 2011
3:10 pm
Can’t remember if it was Buck or Pollack earlier in the week talking about the gameplan for the dawgs this year. With the expected lack of weapons in the passing game they are expected to run, run, run the ball this fall. Don’t know abou the rest of you but unless this Crowell kid comes in and immediately looks like Knowshon that doesn’t make feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
It makes me feel great! The only way to win in the SEC is to run the ball. Opens up the passing game as well. Don’t need a great back, just a great O-Line.
Dawg Gone
April 15th, 2011
5:30 pm
Buckeye,Buckeye….your team is so TATed up all the sweater vest in the free world can’t hide them…OSU was tolerable when they were honorable…now not so much. Your next engraving job will be on the Fulmer Cup.
Paddy
April 15th, 2011
5:32 pm
tide roll……..you need new material. You are so predictable.
jack bull
April 15th, 2011
5:38 pm
I didn’t get much info from my nephew this spring, as he wanted to focus on practice (he very well may get some quality PT this fall), but, he did give me a few tidbits. He says M Bennett is a player, sure handed. He said again this year, like last, that Zander will flat out knock the s— out of ya(he actually thinks he could be like a R Curran type LB, if he played on that side of the ball). He also said again this year, that H Mason is a very good QB(he wouldn’t be shocked if he were wearing orange and purple up the road in a year or two if he don’t get on the field here). And like we read in the article, he says Jenkins is going to have to come here and battle Geathers for that nose spot. Kwame stepped up big time. and lastly, he thinks Alec will be an All-American at LB before its all said and done. there ya have it….See ya tomorrow..
Dawg Gone
April 15th, 2011
5:41 pm
jack Bull thanks for the info!
Randall "Pink" Floyd
April 15th, 2011
5:41 pm
Been waiting for Jordan Love to make some noise. In his limited PT last year he showed tremendous athleticism. Much more so than Vance Cuff. Maybe it was a between-the-ears thing with him. We need another CB to step up to make it easier on our safeties, who still scare me to death.
Ghost of Erk
April 15th, 2011
5:44 pm
My Spring Awards go to DawginLex and gdawginkalamazoo for “Best Retorts to Idiots” today. (Maybe even two awards for getting rid of Burma Shave and Cheaty McSweatervest.) You’re both in fine Fall form.
Michael
April 15th, 2011
5:52 pm
The BEST thing about the AJC app is no commenting.
I-DOG
April 15th, 2011
6:18 pm
I believe that C. Robinson getting the hustle award is very significant. I think he got a bit of a raw deal when he was quoted about the fact that not everyone stepped up last year and some thought that he wasn’t including himself.
Whatever side you might have come down on from his comments earlier this Spring, it is great to see that he is recognized as one of the hardest working players on the team for Spring Practice. That is what you want to see from one of the vocal leaders on the team… he backs up the talk and nobody else outworks him.
I-DOG
April 15th, 2011
6:29 pm
I’m hoping that Kwame is a lot of the reason that UGA has had trouble running it this Spring. It is GREAT to hear that Kwame is poised to step up and be a dominant force. We all want to give Jenkins the starting NG role, but maybe Kwame will be tough to beat?
The players that I think are most important to UGA if they can play close to their potential this year that haven’t yet are:
Marlon Brown, Garrison Smith, Chris Burnette, Deangelo Tyson, Ealey, Rambo, Abry Jones, and Cornelius Washington. That is a long list, but if we can even get half of them to play close to their potential this year, we should have a very good year.
Sir Barks A Lot
April 15th, 2011
6:54 pm
Congrats to all the players that won awards.
Should be fun to watch tomorrow!
WOOF!
cantondawg
April 15th, 2011
7:14 pm
Snide Troll,
Man you say the same thing every time…You need to get some new material
RichmondDawg
April 15th, 2011
7:37 pm
@roll tide…Its raining offensive linemen…
RichmondDawg
April 15th, 2011
7:37 pm
Hope you have a nice stash of ruffies and fatback, big boy
Shawn
April 15th, 2011
9:41 pm
I was saying during recruiting that I was not worried about Jenkins signing as much as Crowell. I really felt Geathers had all the tools to fill the NG role. It sure is nice to have both those big boys though. Nobody is running on our D this Year. It is going to be a banner year for the Dawgs!
lakega
April 15th, 2011
9:58 pm
I am glad to see that people are finally realizing that Hutson Mason is the real deal. How a local kid with the stats and sucess he had in high school could not be at the very least a local darling is beyond me. I hope that he is so impressive in G day game that once again we will be shaking our heads at the coaches. Mason has flat out beat all of the competion in spring ball. And if i remember correctly it was stated that all positions were open. Now lets do the right thing and get behind him. or as was predicted in an ealier thread we will be facing him in another teams colors before you know it.
Seriously
April 15th, 2011
10:16 pm
Mason is a good backup. Our returning STARTER is going to be all conference this year. Stop this age old love affair with backup quarterbacks. please.
Busted play
April 16th, 2011
5:47 am
You people need to wake up. The midget aint going to get it done at UGA. Mark it down. Both Mason and Lemay are better than Murray. Mark Richt is a clown its time for him ,Boo BOO and the rest of the coaching staff to move on.
JE
April 16th, 2011
5:47 am
We better find a blocking fullback. No one has mentioned the status of the fullback experiment. Even as big as he is how quick and mobile is he to block for the qb. If we are going to have a running game the fb has to get the ball more than in the past to be a real threat. This one back running the ball offense is not hard to defense.
In Da Hunt
April 16th, 2011
5:54 am
Hope McGarity will be” in the hunt” for some new coaches next year. We lose again to the Gators in baseball. Fire Perno and Richt!
Guy McIntyre
April 16th, 2011
8:07 am
That’s Jeff Solomon from Vantage Insurance!
fair weather fans
April 16th, 2011
9:26 am
@Revis and Timmy the retard….you do realize that when Mason throws five TD’s its against the 3rd string defense right? Wise up jacknuts! Just like Mettenberger last spring. Get your fact straight before posting that dumb stuff! These guys won’t be passing against 3rd stringers when the games are played.
AltamahaDawg
April 16th, 2011
10:00 am
Cheaty McSweatervest. That deserves an award right there,
A revised but SMARTER O game plan
April 16th, 2011
10:02 am
With AJ gone, I see UGA going to a short to intermediate but more efficient passing game. With AJ in there, both Jumping Joe Cox and Batman gloved Aaron Murray tried to chunk that ball 60 yds and hope that AJ would make a play. Usually, we blew the down and ended up punting. THAT is ONE reason that we stunk in 2009 and 2010. Our % s were not in our favor of generating a nice drive. Bob thought we could chunk it in AJ’s direction and he might make a grab. Not smart day in and day out.
We can in 2011 hit the 6′5″ Fullback (converted tight end) or Orson or Tavarres or Alpharetta’s Michael Bennet or Israel Troupe, Wooten, or the Memphis kid or CHRIS CONLEY, or Valdosta’s Mitchell, or any number of receivers. I see us moving the ball more efficiently with this crew. Period. Spread the wealth as Obama says. It works in football, not in governing.
Either we win around 9 or 10 games, with a MUST WIN over Florida, accented with a nice NY Day bowl invite or we get a new regime. UGA should always compete for The SEC East and always shoot for 9-10 win seasons and NY Day bowls in 8 out of 10 years.
Goooooooooooooooooooooooo Dogs.
claytondawg
April 16th, 2011
10:53 am
To Revised: Very well said and thought out. You hit the bottom line perfectly. Get the ball to the PLAYMAKERS, and you have a chance to move the chains every time.
It Ain't Rocket Science
April 16th, 2011
10:55 am
Buckeye,
You can be assured the plaques will be engraved properly. We hired your tatoo artist from Ohio and gave him the engraving tool, and we got lessons for him from the tatoo five. Not a mistake will be made. Thank.
Burma Shave
April 16th, 2011
12:50 pm
The best folks
Are Ramblin Wrecks.
They’re much smarter
Than DawginLex.
BURMA SHAVE
VAdawg
April 16th, 2011
1:36 pm
check out ctdsports.com for GATA tshirts!!!!
DawginLex
April 16th, 2011
2:04 pm
Watch those nerds
they travel in herds.
Burma Shave is
one of those turds.
BURMA SHAVE
McDonough Dawg
April 16th, 2011
3:39 pm
I think that the offensive line play we need this season should mirror that of the 2002 line that was “MAN ENOUGH” to lead us to a 13-1 record. That should be the motivation for the guys on the line this year, stop being “soft” and get some fire under their tails, watch film on how the 2002 line played in every game especially the BAMA game. I dont think this will happen because we have been recruiting sissies the past few years but for this team to be successful, it all starts up front so if any of these players are reading this blog, F&$@ING DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!
Destin Dawg
April 16th, 2011
4:54 pm
Junk Yard Dawg Defense is back !!!! we”ll win with field position and turnovers…. we need to play ‘em all and play’em early !! No seniority system…. play Mason and Malcome some too… should have last year….
Stinger
April 16th, 2011
5:27 pm
This is one pathetic team. Take it to the bank – guaranteed 7 losses!!!
DawgByte
April 16th, 2011
8:13 pm
It was a good crowd today at Sanford Stadium, I’d still like to see 50K fans show to one of these G-Day games… you know show your support for the team and all that stuff.
My game ball today went to Connor Norman. He had a great pick and was all over the field making plays. I don’t know if he’ll ever see any game time at UGA, but that kid showed me a ton today. Great effort.
My Beast of the East Award goes to Kwame Geathers. His improvement is nothing short of remarkable. He owned the line today. I can’t even fathom having Jenkins and Geathers on the line at the same time. They will destroy the Boise St. OL.
Honorable mentions go to the following players for solid performances today:
Alec Ogletree
Marlon Brown – This kid is going to have a big year, mark my words!
Orson Charles
Tavarres King
Hutson Mason
Aaron Murray
Chase Vasser – This kid needs to see the field this year!
Artie Lynch
Bruce Figgins
Ken Malcome
Ben Jones – He had to get mentioned… anyone who has to go up against Geathers is worth a tip of the cap.
Brandon Smith – Memo to Bobo… kid this guy the ball, heeeeeeeello!
There were a couple of DL guys that also stuck out, can’t remember their names.
My Used Jock Strap Award goes to A.J. Harmon. He got smoked today. There’s no way he starts on this OL. He was pitiful.
It Ain't Rocket Science
April 17th, 2011
6:30 am
I do believe that the defensive line is going to be the “Beast of the East”, for UGA next year. If the DC can find a way to utilize both Jenkins and Geathers on the line at the same time, I would bet that Latimore will not approach 250 yards against them. Tech can forget about 400 yards rushing also. And, their opponent better get used to seeing the linebackers in thier backfield as well. Get our safeties up to snuff and it will be mighty hard to recognize this team and last years in comparison. If they can force teams into leaving their comfort zone as far as running goes and rely on the pass more than they want, with the exception of Boise State, a lot of teams will be in trouble come the fall.
GO DAWGS and put a whuppin’ to some folks this year.
MountainDawg
April 18th, 2011
10:58 am
Good to see Connor Norman getting reps at CB. I hope he keeps it up & earns a scholarship + PT during the season.