Secondary: Star power, depth, versatility give the Bulldogs reason to bark
Eighth in a series breaking down Georgia’s 2011 football team by position groups. . . .
The return of senior cornerback Brandon Boykin is a big reason for optimism that Georgia's improved play in the secondary will continue this season. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
THE DEFENSIVE BACKS
- Projected starters: CB Brandon Boykin (Sr., 5-10, 183), FS Bacarri Rambo (Jr., 6-0, 218), SS Shawn Williams (Jr., 6-1, 220), CB Sanders Commings (Jr., 6-2, 217)
- Returning starters: All of them. Rambo started all 13 games (nine at strong safety and four at free safety) while Boykin has started 24 of the last 26 and has played in every game since he’s been at Georgia. Commings started nine games at cornerback while Williams started three games at free safety.
- Others to watch: You might as well add Branden Smith as another returning starter as the junior from Atlanta got nine starts last season as either a corner or nickelback in a five-defensive back formation. Senior Jakar Hamilton started five games at free safety and will be in the playing rotation. Redshirt freshman strong safety Marc Deas is one to keep an eye on.
- Key losses: Vance Cuff, who started five games at cornerback and played in 44 in his career, graduated. One-time starting safety Nick Williams, who would have been a senior, transferred to North Alabama.
- Key newcomers: Georgia loaded up on elite defensive backs in recruiting. The Bulldogs landed a pair of AJC Super 11 selections in Damian Swann of Grady and Nick Marshall of Wilcox County. Marshall starred as a quarterback but agreed to sign with UGA as a defensive back with the promise of getting some looks on offense. Devin Bowman, Quintavious Harrow and Corey Moore also came in as defensive backs. Valdosta’s Malcolm Mitchell, who was nationally rated as a cornerback prospect, is listed on Georgia’s roster as “athlete” but is expected to begin his career as a wide receiver.
- Key fact: Boykin bypassed the chance to enter the NFL draft in order to return for his final season and is being rewarded by seeing his named on virtually efvery preseason watch list, including the Thorpe, Bednarik and Nagurski awards. This honor roll student from Fayette County is also the school record holder for career kickoff return yards (1,871) and is the only player in SEC history to have three 100-yard plays of any kind. . . . Rambo also has found his way on some preseason lists.
- Key question: Can the Bulldogs maintain the trajectory of improvement in pass coverage it established this past season? A year after allowing an SEC worst 25 touchdown passes and intercepting only 10, Georgia gave up just 15 scores and picked off 16 passes (13 by defensive backs).
- Outlook: Very good. In their second year under secondary coach Scott Lakatos, with the return of an experienced and deep unit, the addition of young talent and the anticipation of an improved pass-rushing presence from the front seven, there’s reason to expect this group to only get better.
- Your turn: What are your thoughts on Georgia’s secondary?
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130 comments Add your comment
Lowcountry Bulldawg
July 12th, 2011
5:36 pm
Still no Bryan Evans? Yes it is a strength then….
Stinger
July 12th, 2011
7:32 pm
LMAO UGAly will fold – GT will absolutely run them off the field come November. GT will have the best team in the state once again. Nobody (even the vaunted UGAly defense) will be able to slow the Jackets TO down.
BirdDog
July 12th, 2011
8:28 pm
Boykin is a DGD! Have a beast of a senior year dude!
RamboDog
July 12th, 2011
8:31 pm
Stinger @ 732 pm
The UGA Dline will “stuff” the middle, then the DBacks and LBackers will TKO Gay Techs running backs when they go outside on keeper or pitches, then pick up 2 or 3 fumbles and a couple of helmets when they get “ROCKED”, just like last year…. then ya’ll will have to put it in the AIR…I can’t wait!!! My Tech buddy or me always have a GA / GT game at either my house or his. Each year the location is determined by winner of previous year’s game. My wife is starting to get tired of it “always” being at my house…9 out of last 10…the Tech guys have been making excuses to stay home, breaks their little hearts to see the “beat downs”.
UGA owns this state and ALWAYS will…. just be happy you get to beat your chest “every few years”, like my little Tech buddies do…
If Texas Tech tries to come to the SEC, I HOPE Ga Tech grows a pair and comes in also…SEC Football, the BEST.
ugab
July 12th, 2011
8:56 pm
I have heard alot this off season about the S and C changes. OK!!!!! What have the players been doing to prepare for Boise and SC. These 2 teams are going to exploit all the changes and unpreparedness of MR. Coaches know there are problems and weanesses.
Levondawg
July 12th, 2011
11:14 pm
a true strong point of the entire team. i’m no fortune teller, but if they have their stuff together early, i see a fearsome foursome making things problematic. things could look a WHOLE lot worse at DB.
Levondawg
July 12th, 2011
11:21 pm
my favorite posters are the guys that have nothing better to do than to sabotage an otherwise friendly and informative space. please go to your respective team pages and support your own team. UGA fans will stay thick no matter the win-loss record, attrition situations, or any other problems that every team faces throughout time. trolls are haters without accountability or credibility.
Garrett
July 12th, 2011
11:36 pm
As long as Bryan Evans isn’t back there we will be okay.
Chip Towers
July 12th, 2011
11:40 pm
7576DAWG: You must’ve missed my answer to your question Tuesday morning. UGA hasn’t decided its start date yet but expected to be Aug. 2 or 3. Haven’t heard if there will be any two-a-days this year but infamously there was not last summer. I’m betting there’s at least a couple this year. But that’s just a guess. Coaches go on their “hideaway” soon to determine all these things.
Chip Towers
July 12th, 2011
11:42 pm
Charlie Hayes: I should have mentioned Chris Sanders. Stupid oversight on my part. Not sure he’ll have an impact this season but he’s a fine prospect for sure.
Chip Towers
July 12th, 2011
11:43 pm
macrotech: I agree. In fact, I’d say the key to Georgia’s season is how well the defense plays. Along with strong special teams, they must win with defense this season.
truedawg
July 12th, 2011
11:48 pm
if they don’t score we will never lose…Erk
Tech is Rennie's B!TC#
July 13th, 2011
1:03 am
First of all stop slamming Malcome on his “breakaway speed” 6 yards and a cloud of dust can go a long way for a drive. And second if Jarvis get’s suspended Ray Drew will start in his position and he is a hard hard hard worker. I believe the last freshman linebacker we started was Rennie Curran and look what he did for us!
DawgFan
July 13th, 2011
1:30 am
Secondary is clearly our biggest weakness on defense, but it isn’t too bad. Brandon Boykin has always been solid and Bacarri Rambo is decent. Strong Safety and our other CB spot are worry-spots. I liked Connor Norman, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of the safety spots and CB spots taken.
Frankie Teasley
July 13th, 2011
5:37 am
The thing I enjoy the most is watching the Dawgs beat GT into the ground while treating myself to a dozen doughnuts during the game!!!!!
Paddy
July 13th, 2011
6:57 am
Conner Norman did not move up yet because all the guys mentioned in this article are ahead of him. It is impossible to name everyone who might see some playing time.
RedandBlackDAWG
July 13th, 2011
8:05 am
We will learn a lot I think with this campaign coming up and the practices that start in August. I hope some folks are working out on their own because 30 days is not a lot of time to get it together. We are going to find out this year, how many of these young men are willing to work hard and put in the work needed to be successful. We are thin in a few places on experience, but a lot less on defense than offense. Hunker down DAWGS.
RedandBlackDAWG
July 13th, 2011
10:13 am
I still think the team can have a fairly decent season given the schedule. Admittedly, the first two games are tough, but the competition, at least on paper, looks manageable after that. This year, an 8 win season might be good, but the next year should be a whole lot better, given the experience that a lot of the younger players will be given, versus having more time to adjust and train for the SEC and big time college football. I know everybody expects each year to be a top year for their team, but sometimes, the team has to learn on the field, and step it up just a little. I don’t think any coach prepares for the attrition and injuries that have already occurred with UGA at this time, but it may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. The AD has said the evaluation of this year and CMR is going to be based on more than just wins, so we shall see. I think we will see at the least a more physically fit team, and I think the players are going to come together as a team. These young members of the Dream Team, will learn at a little quicker pace than would be normally required, but that will be a good thing. I look forward to them being stronger, faster, and I hope, more team oriented than lat years team. I don’t hold any high expectations of UGA winning the SEC East or beyond that, but I think you will see a team that is focused on their job, plays with a lot of enthusiasm and is in shape. If this happens, next year might be really special.
BigDawgZ
July 13th, 2011
11:30 am
I agreee with Frank, Conner Norman is a smart and very capable player. He needs to get more looks on the field.
HardTruth Soldier
July 13th, 2011
11:34 am
Sure hate that they moved Ogaltree, this was the second coming of T. Davis. Receivers would’ve refused to go across the middle.
bobby
July 13th, 2011
12:00 pm
yes this could a strength especially at corner. but i want to see brandon smith start a corner with boykin and move sanders cummings to safety. i don’t know a shawn williams at safety he got talent but did’nt make any big plays last year and rambo struggled in coverage uga needs competiton at safety but i think corner will be a big strength.
'94 UGA Alumni
July 13th, 2011
12:37 pm
Hey Big Earl,
You must have read my mind about Samuel because I’ve been thinking the same thing. Move him back to RB where he is needed more.
Big Dirty Dawg
July 13th, 2011
1:27 pm
HT Soldier….big Tree will still make receivers think twice coming thru the middle! LOL plus RBs trying to break through the hole. Tree was a liability at safety…getting completely blown by in coverage, gave some some big BIG TDs last year. He’s better fit at LB. =0)
chickenman
July 13th, 2011
2:11 pm
i think this is the most talented group in a few years… hopefully a pass rush will give us that back edge danger
Special teams: Georgia’s group looks as good as any anywhere | UGA sports blog
July 13th, 2011
4:13 pm
[...] July 12 — Secondary [...]
Nauti-dawg
July 13th, 2011
6:07 pm
really? no,….. REALLY?
The secondary sucked last year. Why should the same guys be great this year?
Chips on drugs.
Nauti-dawg
July 13th, 2011
6:15 pm
With BooBoo calling plays they’ll need to win on D.
… and what part of last year’s Defensive Coaching by Daddy G has everyone so optimistic?
I hope y’all are right, but I reckon you’re drinking the Koolaid.
Hendu
July 14th, 2011
2:02 am
Key loss? Cuff’s departure very much STRENGTHENS our secondary. He could barely cover his own mouth when coughing. Chip, you probably were sad to see Bryan Evans go too. Those two were the most putrid DB’s since Kirby “put my head down when I tackle” Smart. Horrid.
RedandBlackDAWG
July 14th, 2011
9:32 am
Nauti-dawg,
I guess you do not have much knowledge about football. If you can’t see what having two true NT’s can make a difference on the D team, then you really don’t understand the game. It is really quite simple. Shut down the middle, force them to the outside and let your LB’s pick them up. If three men occupy the 5 OL men of the opposing team, guess who has the numerical advantage? You have four linebackers, where one can blitz, one can fall into pass coverage to protect the middle, and two can follow the ball and put the hit on the player with it. You shut down the middle, you make for a long day, for any RB, I don’t care who he is. The big ugles can change the shape of a game. We have the big uglies, and the LB’s to do just that. Everybody will be in better shape and if they play with their skills and heart, we might just see Junkyard DAWGS again. This will help a lot as our offense gets its act together and some of the key players get seasoned.
deacon
July 14th, 2011
6:42 pm
a five star recruit big fast explosive in your progam 3 years and you still have not found and defined way to use him what world is going on in athens