Offensive line: Continued attrition makes this position one of Georgia’s biggest liabilities
It’s July, which means we’re about one month away from the start of preseason football practices in Athens. So it’s time to start taking a closer look at Georgia’s 2011 football team. Over the next 10 days or so, I’ll be breaking down each of the Bulldogs’ position groups to give you an idea who are the projected starters and what the expectations might be for this season. Then, as always, we’ll throw it open for your commentary and analysis. There are only 64 days until Georgia’s season opener against Boise State. Time to get busy. . . .
THE OFFENSIVE LINE
- Projected starters: LT Cordy Glenn (Sr., 6-5, 348), LG Kenarious Gates (So., 6-5, 328), C Ben Jones (Sr., 6-3, 316), RG Chris Burnette (RSo., 6-2, 313), RT Justin Anderson (Sr., 6-5, 342).
- Others to watch: Austin Long, Kolton Houston and Dallas Lee all will be getting their first action as backups this season. Their development will be critical to establishing much-needed depth.
- Key losses: Four-year starter Clint Boling took his talents to the NFL and would-be senior and projected starter Trinton Sturdivant was lost for a season for the third time in his career due to a knee injury this past spring.
- Recent developments: Georgia lost two players who would have otherwise contributed this season. Junior A.J. Harmon, who was battling for the starting job at right tackle, transferred to Alabama State this past spring after running into academic problems at UGA. Redshirt freshman Brent Benedict, who was slated as a backup at right guard while recovering from a serious high school knee injury, abruptly quit the team in June for “personal reasons.” He, too, was offered an unconditional release.
- Key fact: The offensive line will be under the direction of first-year coach Will Friend. Friend was hired on Feb. 7 to replace Stacy Searels, who bolted for the University of Texas the previous month. Friend came to Athens from UAB, where he worked under former Georgia line coach Neil Callaway. Friend served as a grad assistant under Mark Richt at Georgia in 2003-04.
- Key fact II: This line is not as inexperienced a bunch as it may appear. The projected starters have 85 starts between them, including 70 combined by Glenn and Jones. The problem is there is zero experience among the backups and both Glenn and Anderson are relatively new to tackle having gotten most of their action at guard.
- Key question: Will any of the incoming freshmen be asked to contribute? The Bulldogs signed five highly-touted linemen out of this high school, none of whom was initially counted on to play. Tackle Xzavier Ward is recovering from knee surgery and is a likley redshirt. But someone out of the group that includes C David Andrews, G/T Watts Dantzler, T Zach DeBell and G Hunter Long is going to have to help.
- Outlook: Poor. If Georgia manages to negotiate the season without a starter losing significant time to an injury — a virtual impossibility — this could end up being a serviceable SEC group. More than likely the Bulldogs are going to have to coach around this position as a liability.
- Your turn: What say you about the offensive line?
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242 comments Add your comment
FBfan
July 1st, 2011
7:51 pm
Bill King picks us #1 in the east with problems like these??? We will be very lucky to start better that 0-2. No depth in O-line, freshman and sophs in the backfield and w/r spells big trouble for the offense. No way we can out score Boise and South Cacalakie. Better hope they beat themselves.
powerhouse?
July 1st, 2011
7:57 pm
The health of your only QB with experience would seem equally important…murry not there would be a large liability. Hope he does stay healthy.
Common Sense
July 1st, 2011
8:15 pm
Benedict was soft.
Rich kid at prepschool.
tc
July 1st, 2011
10:30 pm
sounds like donnan needs to get back into coaching
DawginLex
July 2nd, 2011
12:23 am
Vacation boys. No desk to sit at hence no computer.
Borrowed one of my kid’s.
Talk to y’all Tuesday
RED DOG 77
July 2nd, 2011
1:24 am
Being able to trot out the deepest Tight End stable in the nation should help considerably in our Oline situation. You have one tight end who will be one of the most feared recievers in the country in #7…….dude knows how to block as well………All the others can catch the rock as well, but they are some pretty big boys ……..in a two tight end set it will be like having two tackles on both sides……….Think about it! with White and Charles in the game, you can pass, play action, or just ram it down their throats………..Remember, you have big Bruce Figgins at Fullback………Yea we will hve some problems this year, but so will everyone else………..If Richt takes a larger role in playcaling, he certainly has the smarts enough to overcome some of our 2011 issues………………..Me?…….I say, “Don’t worry, be happy”………GO DOGS!!……We’ll be allright!………..Best to all DOGS, RED
Terry
July 2nd, 2011
1:28 am
FBfan, When the going gets tough, the tough get going, doubter never amount to much in this life, all things are possible to those who believe.
idiots
July 2nd, 2011
1:47 am
Bob,
You just made the single dumbest comment on this entrie blog and considering how immensely retarded some of these posts are..you should be extremely embarassed. “Richt has been padding his stats by playing non-SEC foes past few years..” EXCUSE ME??? We play the strongest out of conference schedule in the SEC by FAR. Oklahoma St twice, Arizona St twice, Ga Tech every year, Colorado twice, Boise St, Clemson, the list goes on! Now you could be like Florida who plays three divison two schools and sometimes Fla St. But nooo uga never has an easy out of conference schedule, ever.
William
July 2nd, 2011
2:02 am
Can we not sign some JUCO player out there who wants a chance to play? Is there a time limit on when you can sign someone? Is there nobody in the entire U.S. that could play that might want to come to UGA? No walk ons, no nothing? I can’t believe that we can’t find someone willing to come play for us.
Thwg
July 2nd, 2011
2:08 am
Two horse race in the sec east for the foreseeable future – fl and sc. Uga is irrelevant as usual. Maybe all these redneck dawg fans will finally realize Noone cars about Uga football anymore. Especially with au, al, sc, fl, and lsu. Uga is now down with ky and vandy.
Thwg
July 2nd, 2011
2:11 am
One more thing, any average coach would be defeated going into the fl game with that mickey mouse schedule. Is there an easier schedule on D1 this year. Compare Uga schedule with fl and then talk about schedules.
Buzz 2010
July 2nd, 2011
5:53 am
Jim Donnan in and Richt out!! Ray Goof in too!!
It Ain't Rocket Science
July 2nd, 2011
7:34 am
William,
There are certain time periods when you can sign recruits. If not teams could sign ringers halfway through the season and a div. II player could sign in Div. I halfway through the season if he had gotten over looked early in his career. For some teams it is also the scholarship limit as well. 85 player limits usually work pretty good, but there are always circumstances that jump up that you can’t plan for. UGA’s OL backups just need some experience and it looks like they will get it a little sooner than planned.
It Ain't Rocket Science
July 2nd, 2011
7:39 am
THWG,
So you open your big mouth and say that UGA fans are rednecks and nobody cares about UGA football anymore. Go away little boy. There are a ton of UGA fans on these blogs. Some are concerned about the direction of the team and others believe that the coach will get the ship on course this year. Loyal fans one and all, and if you do not think so, attend a game on Saturday at the stadium, and open your mouth then, with your insults. I would rate your chances of survival at about a million to one that you get your butt whipped.
GT
July 2nd, 2011
8:07 am
They are always saying Georgia is thin on the offensive line. They were talking about it when Herschel was there. I remember someone saying if Walker had Southern Cal’s line how unbelievable he would be. Then about half those linemen at Georgia went on to the NFL. They judge this by the experience. Georgia has a very talented group of linemen. A third string guy at Georgia would start many places. Somewhere talent trumps experience. If Georgia mixes it up with the run more next year which I can’t imagine they won’t these guys will be healthier and Georgia’s results will be better. Nothing wrong with Georgia talent and if there was all they have to do is decide this is what they want to recruit and it will happen. No team in the SEC controls its own destiny like Georgia.
Larry Lane
July 2nd, 2011
8:28 am
I’m a Richt fan and still think he’s going to win championships, but he’s got to get some assistants to recruit linemen. You will not win in this league without lots of big uglies. Richt’s downfall could be his loyality to those not producing.
Wide receivers: No A.J. Greens, but plenty of options | UGA sports blog
July 2nd, 2011
9:38 am
[...] July 1 — Offensive line [...]
ugab
July 2nd, 2011
11:19 am
Same ole sht different season with MR. MR is a great man. We need a coach.
ugab
July 2nd, 2011
11:22 am
We just lost 2 FBs this year. MR should have been on top of getting another FB ready the last 2 years.
Rabid Dawg'84
July 2nd, 2011
12:51 pm
I hope our own D-line doesn’t injure these guys in practice.
vetdawg
July 2nd, 2011
3:05 pm
No unlike you beast i am retired military.And yes it is easy to hide behind a computor.You should know.
Hairy Dawg
July 2nd, 2011
4:43 pm
I not worried about line cause we got the line manned by Ben Jones. He teaching the others how to punish bad players like Nick Farley for goning after Dawgs QB. Ben showing younf OLs how to be mean and nasty when getting dirty in mans game of controlling line. We beating teams with front 5 unloading whooping can to make teams like Gaytors and Auburns pay for stealing game last year with lucky wins againts Dawgs.
RED DOG 77
July 3rd, 2011
12:51 am
@LarryLane…………Dude, we have recruited very well over the past decade at Oline. Problem has been, a rash of injuries, a few that decided they didn’t want to be DOGS, but for the most part we are doing just fine………..sometimes with graduation, early NFL Jrs. you have to throw some young guys out there……..We have some very talented RS Freshmen ready to step-up and play some ball this year………no experience, but neither did Trinton Sturdivant when he became a Freshman All American……….That is what college football is all about Larry Lane……..sometimes you just have to throw the young guys out there………most of what you are reading about our Oline is hype! With our stable of Tight Ends, and a former Tight End at Fullback I think you will be pleasantly surprised with our ability to pass block………and run that rock down hill when we want to……..Just relax Larry Lane we’ll be OK…………….And by the way I’m a Mark Richt supporter as well………Just about time to start Summer practice, which means Boise St. is just around the corner………2011 looks like a good ride to this BULLDOG………..Regards Larry, RED
Thomas Brown
July 3rd, 2011
5:42 am
Mark Richt has said since his fateful Macon Bulldogs’ Meeting 28 April 2011 that his biggest disappointment has been, not the way underperforming OL and not the way under-talented secondary, and not the non-existent fullback this 2011 season, but the tailbacks. 28 April none of them had shown Mark Richt that any of them were worthy of starting.
# 72 in the nation at 1st Downs 2010 and we played 8 cupcakes, losing to 2 of them and to all 5 teams who did finish in the AP Poll Top 25, what this football program lacks in its pass-happy offense is a commitment to the run. Oh, sure, Aaron Murray runs the football 8 times a game, every game, stealing 8 carries from the tailbacks every game – and averaging Less Than 2 Yards a Carry ( 1.9 ), but this failed offense is mostly failed because we have not, do not and will not run the football with a featured tailback. Look at the Top Running Backs in The SEC going into this season, and you will see that this, not a pass-happy offense, is what has led to 5 Consecutive SEC BCS Consensus National Championships and 7 of the 12 BCS NC not vacated by cheating.
This OL cannot turn out well because we don’t run the football, but rely upon only a pass-happy Conference USA type Offense in The SEC. This is why, in 1 of the nation’s weakest divisions of any conference – over the last 5 years now, we are 13-12 – and hoping and Praying that we win game 2 this season, or Mark Richt will not have a winning record in his own weak division (only had 1 team any good these last 5 years and now they are weak too) – not a winning record in his weak division over then that day these last Six (6) seasons.
Run the football. All we talk about the tailbacks, is that they cannot BLOCK.
joe
July 3rd, 2011
8:27 am
UGA’s recruiting per position is lacking in the OL. The WR and QB position debth is overwhelming while the OL will have to struggle to put up a two deep line without shifing some first teamers to other positions when a sub is needed. That is why the Offense tires in the fourth quarter. Plus scoring so quickly puts the defense on the field longer than it should be. Last year the defense was on the field at least 45 minutes longer than the offense the whole year. So even if we are in top Joe T. shape for the fourth quarter. If we do not control the clock on offense it may not mean anything to be in top notch shape. Hope I am wrong but Offense needs to control the time of possession to win 14 games. It will not happen as long as we have such a high powered passing game.
DawgToo
July 3rd, 2011
9:30 am
Wishing BOBO is better this year on ability to counter the called “on the fly”. There no time to f…..g around during the game of today football.
It Ain't Rocket Science
July 3rd, 2011
7:37 pm
See you later folks. I found a place where people actually stick to the topic of the blog, and make sense. You all can have fun insulting each other. Some would benefit greatly by doing some solid analysis though, and substantiating their statements. That is not going to happen very often on an AJC blog.
AltamahaDawg
July 3rd, 2011
11:53 pm
sounds like what the AJC blogs used to be a few years ago, can I join?
RED DOG 77
July 4th, 2011
1:02 am
I’ve seen alot of BULLDOG teams through the years with a young Oline do just fine when chemistry is there and players decide to step-up and make some plays. Yes Georgia has some problems, but not too big to overcome with some “team not me” attitude. We have the strongest TE stable in the country , that should go along way to shoring up our Oline. Something tells me the chemistry is back in Athens this year………..Time for some big time pay-back!…………GO DOGS!! GATA……..RED
Thomas Brown
July 4th, 2011
7:53 am
Attitude is back ? That is why 10 players have transferred out in the last year ?
Big-time year 2010 ? You mean we are going to get on the national stage at the end of the year in a bowl game and beat a team who finishes in the Top 10 of the AP Poll ? That would be the 1st time Mark Richt did that. His 3-9 vs teams finishing in the AP Poll Top 10 shows only 3 wins in 12 tries against such teams, and all 3 of those years he Lost 4, Lost 3 and Lost 4 games. In addition, in 10 years Mark Richt has lost to 10 teams who did not finish even in the AP Poll Top 25.
Pay-back would be to (1) get on the national stage & for the 1st time ever Mark Richt then beats a teams who finishes in the AP Poll Top 10, while (2) not also losing to a team who does not end up in the AP Poll Top 25.
Anything less than that, say 10-3 – worse than 10-4 meaning 6 consecutive seasons of not even playing The SEC Championship Game – is no pay-back. It is more of the same which is 21 Losses over the last 5 years, averaging in Excess of 4 Losses per season; and Mark Richt if he does not beat South Carolina in Week 2, will have then that day Not a winning record over the last then that day 6 seasons in his own Weak Division – a division which only has had 1 team I point out over the last 5 years, and now that team is Down too.
Michael
July 4th, 2011
9:29 am
You don’t Coach around an Offensive line you field one or your in big TROUBLE. Concerned but Hopeful for 2012.
pop
July 4th, 2011
10:52 am
i think ga needs to let the 2 freshmen tackles dantzler and ward play they are big enought and strong enought to hold their on how are they ever going to learn if you dont see any sec action.turn them loose
Thomas Brown
July 4th, 2011
11:45 am
Michael,
Right.
Give Mark Richt two (2) more years, before this up-coming season, even starts.
New heights here.
Previously, Bulldog fans said to ourselves : Wait until next year.
Now, that Mark Richt has been exposed as incapable of hiring anyone ever on his staff
Now, that Mark Richt has been exposed as incapable of any kind of motivation
Now, that Mark Richt has been exposed 13-12 vs SEC East last 5 years
Now, that Mark Richt has been exposed as # 2 All-Time in Fulmer Cup Standings
Now, we ask
BEFORE THIS SEASON EVEN STARTS
wait
until the year
AFTER THIS YEAR.
Yeah, right.
What will change after this season ?
Go ahead.
You can say it :
NOTHING.
Nadsmasher
July 4th, 2011
4:05 pm
DEAD MEAT!
UGAgrad71
July 4th, 2011
4:52 pm
Control the clock is key. We have a projected starting O-line of 6′4″ and 329 pounds per man. If coach Joe T is doing what I think is going on in the weight room, we should push a few people around this year. Running the ball may not be sexy, but it will keep the other O off the field – provided we can make 1st downs.
Rhall55
July 4th, 2011
6:29 pm
This is the result of poor recruiting and allowing other SEC schools accumulate starting linemen w/ the state of GA ties; also, the result of a poor conditioning program; the result of CMR hanging on to poor coaches may cost him his job; he’s got to “Win, Baby, Win”!!! “You Snooze, You Lose”
And finally a side note, UGA has done a poor job of securing OL in this present recruiting season: 1) Jessemen Dunker, another top OT with the state of GA ties, was handled incorrectly and has committed to FL; Vadal Alexander, the top OT in the state, does not have UGA in his top 5!!!!; and finally, Avery Young, with the state of Ga ties, mentioned in a recent article that CMR has not come to see him; he is the top OT in the state of FL; OL should be a priority, and we are not treating it that way!! So dissappointed; again, “You Snooze, You Lose”!!!!
Thomas Brown
July 5th, 2011
2:28 am
Rhall55
Correct you are, right down the line
Every single word
4
3
3
3
8
5
1
2
7
5
This is what Mark Richt has recruited and signed for his recruiting classes in order starting with this 2011 signing class ranked not in the Top 5 by Scout.com but around here it is the Dream Team.
He either signs way more than an entire 2-Deep OL in two classes or signs no one of consequence. It is feast or famine around here on the OL under Mark Richt. It is all he has ever done here. I call it bubble-recruiting the OL by Mark Richt every single solitary year.
There is no way that this OL on his Dream Team is any good whatsoever for what we needed to fix the issues he has put us in on his own on our OL every single year he has been here.
Lonnie Walls
July 5th, 2011
12:10 pm
Gates was overlooked by Georgia until the last minute. Now he is a major key to the line. They won every game that he started last year!. He is a great person and will develop with this line. We need to be in good condition, He was originally redshirted and worked his butt off to earn a spot. 3-0 when he started!
Palmetto Surfer
July 5th, 2011
12:57 pm
Every year they talk about the O Line being a liability, and every year we come out avearage. The only times they line costs us big time is when it is supposed to be one of our strong points.
Tight ends: Led by Orson Charles, strong UGA legacy poised to continue | UGA sports blog
July 5th, 2011
1:36 pm
[...] July 1 — Offensive line [...]
dapperdanman
July 6th, 2011
4:22 am
Thunder Dome!!!!
This Sept. 3 in Atlanta, we Georgians (and Dawg Fans) have the opportunity to make a statement.
This may be the most pivotal game we play in deciding our outcome this season. Even if we were to win out the remainder of our schedule and win the SEC championship (the best you could hope for after a loss in the opener), we would not play in a National Championship if Boise remained undefeated, or anybody else for that matter, thus ending the SEC streak with the title game. Well this just can’t happen. We must win. Not because we think we should because we are the bigger program from the SEC and that should be enough to win. Not because we think we can play in a National Championship if we do. Our toughest games will be still to come. It is not because they think they will destroy us since they beat Va Tech last year right before James Madison did and “this isn’t the same team we beat in 2005”. It is because… THIS IS OUR HOUSE. THIS IS IN OUR STATE, IN OUR CAPITAL. THIS IS OUR COCA~COLA. THAT IS OUR DAMN CHICKEN SANDWICH. Do they even have Chic-fil-a in Boise?
When Boise St comes to the Georgia Dome to face us, we the fans have a responsibility to do our part to help our team. If you have ever been to the Dome you know how loud it can be. It is our job to make the walls crumble from our thunderous roar!!!!!!!!! Anytime the Boise offense is on the field it is our job to make as much noise as you’ve ever made. STAY ON YOUR FEET between plays still SCREAMING with all your might. STOMP THE GROUND and CLAP YOUR HANDS. SHAKE YOU KEYS. Bring those CRYING BABIES that you always bring to restaurants. Take off your belts, fold them in half, hold both ends, move your hands in then pull away making the belt pop. Try it, pretty loud. I don’t care if you wear tap shoes. We might take some heat for it if we all showed up in tap shoes, but that would make a ton of noise. Just sayin…
The point is we help win games too. We help motivate our kids to sell out body and mind for us and we strike fear and confusion into the other team. Though our part is nothing to what the players’ and coaches’ roles are, we must still show up prepared and ready to give our all, just like we expect from the team every Saturday. I don’t care if the score is 100-0, we don’t quit making noise or leave early. I want the TV announcers to show the noise meter at the Dome showing new records. Noise can cause miscommunication with play calling, unheard check-offs or audibles from the QB or sidelines, missed kicks, penalties, and turnovers. It can strike fear into the other team and kill momentum. We don’t need to take our feet off the gas, on the field or in the stands, till the game is over and we get that chicken dinner.
I WANT THAT CHICKEN DINNER!!!!!!!!
Then I want to eat chicken again the next week.
Don’t let me down Dawg Fans.
Don’t let our team down.
We will only become champions with each other.
Running backs: Competition between King, Crowell, others should translate into success | UGA sports blog
July 6th, 2011
12:49 pm
[...] July 1 — Offensive line [...]