Loss of Brandon Burrows adds to UGA’s depth concerns at linebacker
Apologies for the brief absence. I had the matter of a 20th wedding anniversary to attend to. Thanks for your patience. Now, back to football. . . .
Georgia lost another linebacker on Thursday. The Bulldogs announced that Brandon Burrows, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound redshirt freshman from Marietta, will undergo shoulder surgery Tuesday morning at St. Mary’s. The procedure is meant to repair what they’re calling “chronic instability” in Burrows’ right shoulder. As one might expect, surgery on a linebacker’s shoulder the day players report for camp rules out any chance to play this season. It is not, however, expected to be a career-ending injury for Burrows.
Burrows
Not to ring the panic bell or anything but the linebacker position is beginning to look perilously thin. By my count, Burrows’ loss means the Bulldogs are now down to six eligible and healthy scholarship lettermen for their four linebacker positions.
That, of course, is not counting sophomore Jarvis Jones, who is slated to start at strong-side outside linebacker. But Jones’ eligibility is in question due to his relationship with a Columbus parks and recreation administrator recently convicted of theft and fraud. A new report out of Columbus this week alleges there may be more issues raised.
So assuming Jones is not available at least for a game or two, that leaves Georgia with three experienced inside linebackers and three experienced outside linebacker. That’s not ideal.
Junior Christian Robinson is a team leader with All-SEC potential at the “Mike” inside linebacker position. Sophomore Alec Ogletree also has all-conference potential, but he has never played a snap at the “Mo” inside ‘backer spot. He was moved there after excelling as a freshman at strong safety. Junior Michael Gilliard backs up Robinson and Burrows was behind those two on the depth chart.
Georgia’s not any deeper out on the flanks. Without Jones in the lineup, redshirt sophomore Chase Vasser is the only letterman left at Sam. Sophomores Cornelius Washington and Reuben Faloughi (a former walkon) man the “Will,” or weak-side position. The availability of sophomore T.J. Stripling (knee) and Dexter Morant (shoulder) remains unclear. Junior Richard Samuel, who was working at both inside and outside linebacker, moved back to tailback recently to shore up depth problems there.
What’s all this mean? Chiefly that the Bulldogs’ are going to need significant contributions from freshman linebackers. Georgia signed five in February. Two of those are currently unavailable. Sterling Bailey is still recovering from surgery last spring and Kent Turene has yet to receive the blessing of the NCAA Eligibility Center for freshman eligibility.
That leaves five-star prospect Ray Drew of Thomasville to shore up depth at outside linebacker and four-star prospects Amarlo Herrera of College Park and Ramik Wilson of Tampa for the inside positions. After that at least nine walkons stand at the ready.
Robinson met with reporters on Wednesday and I asked him about the depth issues at his position.
“People think we have depth issues,” Robinson said. “I just think we need guys to step up. That’s at any position. We have enough guys here at Georgia to get it done. Richard’s going to step up and help us at the running back position and somebody’s going to step up at linebacker and make those plays. They may not have as many reps, but it’s a matter of guys realizing they have shoes to fill.”
In the meantime, the Bulldogs might want to bubblewrap their remaining linebackers when camp gets underway late next week.
So who do you expect to step up at linebacker for Georgia this fall?
GEORGIA’S LINEBACKERS
- Mike — Christian Robinson (6-2, 226, Jr.), Mike Gilliard (6-2, 220, Jr.), Taylor Maxey (5-10, 220, Fr.), Jason Veal (5-11, 220, So)
- Mo – Alec Ogletree (6-3, 236, So), Jeremy Sulek (6-1, 209, Sr.), Kosta Vavlas (6-0, 219, Fr.), Cory Campbell (5-10, 210, Fr.), Robert Davis (6-2, 214, So.)
- Will – Cornelius Washington (6-4, 260, So.), Reuben Faloughi (6-5, 255, So.), Ricky Lowe (6-7, 258, Jr.)
- * Sam – Chase Vasser (6-3, 227, So.), Matthew DeGenova (6-1, 236, Sr.), Jamel Allen (6-2, 226, Jr.)
- Injured: OLB T.J. Stripling, OLB Dexter Morant, ILB Brandon Burrows
- Freshmen: Sterling Bailey (6-5, 260), Ray Drew (6-5, 243), Amarlo Herrera (6-1, 224), **Kent Turene (6-3, 225), Ramik Wilson (6-2, 218)
* Sophomore Jarvis Jones is expected to start once the NCAA addresses his eligibility issues.
** Turene has not yet been granted freshman eligibility by the NCAA.
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233 comments Add your comment
hotdawg
July 29th, 2011
8:47 am
Who is Ricky Lowe (6-7, 258, Jr.)?? Never heard of him. He has some size on him! Jr. College transfer maybe?
Russ the flawed bulldog
July 29th, 2011
9:00 am
Saying that Cecil Newton received money from Auburn and proving it are two very different things, and Cecil and Cam have nothing to do with Richt’s Carver Columbus problem.
Joey
July 29th, 2011
9:02 am
Dang, what is it with athletes’ shoulders at UGA? Bad luck?
Joey
July 29th, 2011
9:19 am
Can the State of Georgia just give Columbus to the State of Alabama?
It would be a better fit . . .
It is this same way at every major school
July 29th, 2011
9:23 am
It has always been this way. Back in my day in the 60s, UGA could, as could all SEC schools sign tons of great HS kids and let them compete, with virtually no scholarship limitations.
It eventually changed in the SEC and that is one huge reason GT ran from the conference, as Bobby Dodd felt the need to recruit a much wider pool of kids in order to be able to recruit and keep his high on campus numbers, so he went “Independent” status for GT but that too changed due to NCAA regs that came in.
No, if a young man thinks that he is a ball player, then let him step up and compete. This folks is life. There are no obamas out there to guarantee your life as being forever safe.
Men's Clothing Store in Tuscaloosa &^%$#$@
July 29th, 2011
9:28 am
ON TV last night, the Sports South Talking Football panel ( Bob Neal, Matt Schlebaugh and Tony Barnhardt) spoke of the HUGE scandal emerging in Tuscaloosa, in which a men’s clothing merchant there possibly traded threads for football player’s signatures and their presence there at his store signing autographs.
This story they all agreed “has legs”. Alabama is at it again. The NCAA is on this like white on rice.
DawginLex
July 29th, 2011
9:32 am
Hey dogs smell
Why don’t you drive your wimpy little a$$ over to Athens and call some of the players a puppy to their face???
Too Skeered??????????
Internet blowhard.
Tough guy behind a computer but would crap his pants if ever forced to actually fight someone.
DOG SMELL= 5′6 340 lbs DING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DAWGinSMY
July 29th, 2011
9:44 am
Everyone calm down these people on here don’t know a thing about the columbus situation if they did they wouldn’t say i’m hearing this that and the other they would say this is what i know and this is how i know it. All these nuts do is try to get on boards and get people fired up. As far as the injuries we are playing football injuries happen it’s part of the game. We have plenty of linebackers you only need 4 to play and as far as Thomas goes CMR can’t help that some of these guys are QUITTERS and are me 1st guys and don’t care about being part of a TEAM! Some of you people crack me up with your ignorance!
Big Dirty Dawg
July 29th, 2011
9:48 am
T. Brown…why dontcha use your real name on here..and stop hiding behind someone else? Scurred?
DAWGinSMY
July 29th, 2011
9:56 am
T. Brown knows nothing about UGA football obviously just look at his list of players that “could’ve played against Boise” Justin Houston is in the nfl i dont believe he can play on saturdays and sundays??? Not to mention all the other nonsense he has on the list, another example Sturdivent could’ve played with a torn acl i guess?? That list is a JOKE!
Tobias Funke
July 29th, 2011
9:58 am
Trolls, trolls, everywhere. Thomas Brown is an uber troll. His lists are so stupid. Funny and stupid. This article is dumb too. Count the people on the depth chart. There are 3 people for each “position.” They are all interchangable, people. Again, this is a dumb article and a very far reach. The coaches will maybe play 8 or 9 of the 16 players listed above. Again I ask, Depth Issue?
bawbie
July 29th, 2011
10:02 am
Fire Dave Perno!
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
10:09 am
I’ve got to admit I was wrong about something. I think CMR may need drop his stance on oversigning. This attrition of players this summer is a good example of why. Nick Saban has this down to a science. Alabama (and other schools) have kids quit/drop out of their program as frequently as UGA, there’s just not as much local publicity about it. Plus those programs are winning. They are winning because they have another quality play to step right in when someone leaves or becomes too injuried to stay on (hello medica scholarship). That’s why it seems Alabama, LSU, FL, Auburn, etc. always seems to have so much more depth and talent than UGA. We need to stock pile players like they do- since it is not illegal to do so.
Nothing Could Be Finer
July 29th, 2011
10:20 am
Lets see, they converted a linebacker to running back due to depth issues and all-of-a-sudden they have depth issues at linebacker.
Another case of the dog chasing its tail for Richt and Co.
OldSkoolFootballFan
July 29th, 2011
10:27 am
UGA football is ABSOLUTELY FINE! We have a former NFL linebackers coach who will assess the linebacker talent available to him and start & rotate the most productive players. Many college football coaches, at big-time college programs, tend to favor HS star ratings when playing a player above production. One reason Brian Van Gorder defenses did so well at UGA is that he assessed talent and played his most productive players irregardless of HS star ratings. Van Gorder’s defenses were not always chocked full of 5 & 4 star athletes. If a player produced he played for BVG. Where is BVG now? Coaching in the NFL, where our linebackers coach has just come from. I strongly believe Olavidatti will do excatly the same BVG. Our linebacker position will be in great shape this season because it’s in great coaching hands. Those hands belong to to coach Joe T & coach O. Nuff said, GO DAWGS!!
dawg4ever
July 29th, 2011
10:28 am
What a SHOCKER!! UGA is thin at another position. Name one position on this team where there is quality depth. Answer is none. Richt&Garner are such brilliant recruiters, they always recruit needs and not players ranked high by rivals. This shows once again that RIcht is the worst CEO in the SEC. If you kool-aid drinkers need anymore proof, try comparing Bama’s depth chart at every position with this clown Richt’s depth chart at UGA. And the sad thing, this is this is only Saban’s 4th year at Bama. He has stockpiled depth and quality depth at every position, and you don’t see Bama worrying about depth every year at every position like you do if you are a UGA. fan. The sad thing is, Richt&Garner have to take what is left in state after Bama, Auburn, FL, Tenn,,Fl.state, and hell now even S.C. for God’s sake, cherry pick the top talent. UGA doesn’t get to recruit by position, they can only recruit what is left of an empty cupboard after these schools have wiped out the cream of the crop. If you don’t believe me check out what UGA has committed for 2012!! UGA needs O.L desperately, the top O.L in state commits to S.C., and the second best O.L is down to a top 3 of Bama, Auburn&LSU. UGA also needs corners and safeties badly, but the top 2 D.B’s in state which are both ranked in rivals top 100, Geno Smith, who is leaning to either Bama or Auburn, and Hosley who has already committed to Auburn. Hell Auburn will probably wind up with the top 2 D.B’s in state, and UGA is trying to get maybe the 4th best D.B. in state Chaz Elder, but it looks like he is gonna commit to S.C. also. And you Richt lovers rave about how great he is at recruiting. This guy wouldnt know what position is in dire need of players if you asked him. He would just smile and give that dumbass laugh of his, while his competitors in the SEC are doing their homework and kicking his ass all over the place. This program is in shambles, and Saban, and Cheesestick, and now even Spurrier are wiping up because of the state RIcht has put this program in. So keep raving about his recruiting rankings, but rankings don’t mean anything if you don’t recruit to your needs, something RIcht & Garner haven’t figured out in 11 years. UGA=MEDIOCRITY!!!
Georgia | MrSEC.com
July 29th, 2011
10:43 am
[...] at that stretch from linebacker to tailback to O-line and almost across the board in Athens.Just don’t say that to linebacker Christian Robinson:“People think we have depth issues. I just think we need guys to step up. That’s at [...]
PaleRider
July 29th, 2011
10:45 am
Is this news? Looks like we have plenty of depth. Sportswriters have to create a “crisis” to make a story. It’s the nature of the beast. Most of the guys listed won’t even get into a game because really, there is no problem.
Paul N Destin
July 29th, 2011
10:49 am
Greyshirts….a concept that the president of uga find just awful!!!! At some point (after Richt) UGA might consider a greyshirt as an option because one would look pretty good about now since you could call in this guy since you’re short folks. Then again your hypocrite president would have to eat his words.
Auburn is in big trouble and they will attempt to take everyone with them but Bama will be their main goal.
this dawg want hunt!!
July 29th, 2011
10:51 am
Don’t look now, but BoBo and RIcht are already starting to use injuries and attrition for their upcoming 6-7 record again this year. BoBo is crying about how unnerving it is with the loss of Ealey,KIng,and Benedict.And now Richt will start crying about losing a 3rd string l.b. that would probably never make a play all year as a big reason UGA will go down hard this year. Truth of the matter is, if these guys could recruit it wouldn’t matter who leaves or who gets hurt, and if they could recruit quality people as well as quality athletes (A.E.Ealey, KIng&Benedict) UGA wouldn’t be in this state.So get ready for a beatdown again this year,and get ready for the same old crybaby excuses that these two losers will make, because in the end,excuses are for losers, and winners don’t make excuses. Too bad UGA fans have all become losers too, because that’s all you hear from them the past 3 years, excuses, excuses,excuses. If Richt was a CEO of any major company, his excuses wouldn;t matter, his bottomline would be all that mattered, but hey Richt is coaching at a school that accepts losing and his excuses. So drinkup UGA fans, i will be waiting to hear your excuses again in a couple of weeks. LOL!
Tobias Funke
July 29th, 2011
10:51 am
Again, has anyone read the article? Where is the depth issue? There is tons of depth. There are at least 15 players listed for the 4 LB positions. They are not that different and are interchangable.
Now this is the headline story for AJC? I FEEL LIKE I’M ON CRAZY PILLS! Is there anyone on this blawg that has actually played football?!!!!!!!?!?
Again, what depth issue? I don’t see it!!!!!!!!!!!
Perhaps the UGA beat writer could do a story on Jenkins or Ogletree or Geathers. Ya know, something the fans of UGA actually want to read about. Chip you usually do an incredible job, but this article is horrible.
Tobias Funke
July 29th, 2011
10:57 am
Any of you Trolls ever realize that UGA fans don’t want a coach like Saban and Chizik to run our program?
Hammer is coming down on both in the next year. Just wait.
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
11:00 am
I am very interested to see how our LB’s who have been in the new defense for over a year now perform. Hard to count on freshmen (you used to couldn’t at all), but we’ve seen freshmen on other teams make an impact. If those new guys could just come in and hold their own, not make too many mistakes, it will help alot. I really hope Jarvis Jones’ situation gets straightened out soon. I was really looking forward to seeing him in action- crushing Bronco RB’s! We can’t get practices started soon enough. Go Dawgs!
DawginLex
July 29th, 2011
11:02 am
Honestly, you could say that it is an advantage for us to be playing the redshirt freshmen who have only known the 3-4 assignments versus converting someone who was a holdover from the 4-3 to the 3-4.
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
11:05 am
Another note. It’s going to be very interesting to see how the coaches utilize Charles. It seems we’ve been our most dangerous in the past when we utilize the TE more. It will also be interesting to see if Murray finds one guy he gains the most confidence in to catch the ball or if he will spread it around more. It’s possible AJ just overshadowed everyone so much. Let’s face it, there are not a lot of AJ Greens running around out there- he was special.
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
11:08 am
DawginLex- you are right. If the coaches feel good about putting a RFr. in; I’m good with it. They are there every day, not me. When you study up on the 4-3 versus the 3-4, you realize it is quite a shift for an experienced player making the transition. There responsibilities can be quite different depending on the situation. The the DL technique is certainly different. We all know that everything starts up front. Any improvement in our DL performance is going to make the rest of the guys that much better.
Spike 80DF
July 29th, 2011
11:09 am
Any updates on how Dexter Morant, TJ Stripling, or Reuben Faloughi are doing at OLB? These guys may contribute but nothing is ever said of them.
In the middle Mike Gilliard has been around a while, any word on him? I hope Kent Turene can get on campus so he can get some immediate PT.
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
11:11 am
Hey, for the Dawg fans that want to read up on the team in more depth. I ran across a great publication that I had not seen before. It is Maple Street Press Bulldog Kickoff 2011. Found it at Books a million. For the other teams fans, I’m not sure if they do other teams or not, but it would be worth looking up.
ARdawg
July 29th, 2011
11:14 am
I like Robinson’s attitude and he is correct. C’mon Chip with the doom and gloom. Depth at the LB positions isn’t a question at this juncture. Get through camp before throwing in the towel. We’ve got the guys. They have to get ready. It’s not like there’ll be positions left open if someone gets hurt. Your paranoia is showing Chip
ARdawg
July 29th, 2011
11:16 am
Chip, Happy anniversary BTW
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
11:20 am
Spike, Gilliard is going to definitely see more playing time with Samuel moving over to offense. With the heat early in the season, they’ll need to play to deep. He is supposed to learn both ILB positions. He is going to have the opportunity to contribute.
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
11:24 am
Stripling is also an interesting player to look at. He was getting good reviews last year until he was injured on special teams during an early game. Hopefully, he will be fully recovered from his knee injury, but I have not heard what the staff is saying. He has the type of size Coach G likes in an OLB 6-6 222 lbs.
ARdawg
July 29th, 2011
11:24 am
Lou Holtz once said at ND, “all the 4’s better be playing like 1’s or don’t bother putting on the uniform”
call it like you see it or bend the truth
July 29th, 2011
11:26 am
Men’s Clothing Store in Tuscaloosa &^%$#$@
July 29th, 2011
9:28 am
ON TV last night, the Sports South Talking Football panel ( Bob Neal, Matt Schlebaugh and Tony Barnhardt) spoke of the HUGE scandal emerging in Tuscaloosa, in which a men’s clothing merchant there possibly traded threads for football player’s signatures and their presence there at his store signing autographs.
This story they all agreed “has legs”. Alabama is at it again. The NCAA is on this like white on rice.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Another Auburn fan trying to “keep hope alive” and the pressure off a program at Auburn that has so disrespected by everyone that they won the award for “schools that cheat the most” poll.
If I were an Auburn fan I would be more concerned about the latest reports of Mr. Recruiter Trooper Taylor and his troubles with a Tigerette. Add to that the lawsuit filed by his family on his son’s behalf and all the photos being circulated with him and other women, the issues of a bagman who the NCAA has interiviewed and now the Feds and IRS agents are now interviewing to insure he is going to be forthcoming with where the money came from and the entire story. Add to that the “tapes’ that by Auburn fan version “never were there’ are now included in a subpoena dump filed in the past two weeks in Montgomery. John Bond did not talk but the tapes will reveal a major major lie committed by Cam that he did not know what his dad was doing.
So before any auburn fan wants to smack talk they need to stop slamming UGA or Updye, and focus their efforts on how they are going to keep wearing orange and blue as this former Lowder milk program gets “lack of institutional control” pasted to the front gates of Jordon Hare Stadium and then how to place bids for the ‘Pat Dye field” logos to be removed.
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
11:26 am
ARdawgs- I LIKE IT!!
ARdawg
July 29th, 2011
11:26 am
Of course that was after a 4 touchdown victory over Purdue and he stated the team played bad
Dawgs Tell
July 29th, 2011
11:27 am
Depth at linebackers are not the problem.The problem is at the O/L.Now that is a BIG depth problem!! Go Dawgs!
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
11:28 am
I miss Lou Holtz’s quips at press conferences. I remember him remarking one time at So. Carolina when asked about his teams depth- “Well, if we were Noaha, we’d be in trouble because we don’t have two of anything.”
ARdawg
July 29th, 2011
11:29 am
Loyaldawg
Lou was right in this instance. Of course there are the freaks of nature that few can compare to but, if your 4’s don’t play like 1’s, why are they on the team?
DawginLex
July 29th, 2011
11:30 am
If these guys are in such great shape, let ‘em play both ways!!!
Samuel at RB and LB
Jenkins and Geathers at NT and OL
That will do it!!
ARdawg
July 29th, 2011
11:31 am
Lou sux as a commentator IMHO but he was a great coach and has the quips
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
11:31 am
Dawgs Tell- you are correct. We were really counting on Sturdivant to be available. Him going down was a serious blow. I really hate it for that guy. He must be devasted.
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
11:34 am
Yea, but you’ve got to admit- Lou and Mark May going at each other is pretty entertaining most of the time!
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
11:37 am
DawginLex- that’d be a sight to see. Jenk and Geathers wouldn’t know what to do, but all you’d have to do is tell them to block straight forward and tell the RB’s to stay right on their butts. Like road graders. Those two guys are HUGE human beings.
AltamahaDawg
July 29th, 2011
11:39 am
That’s a handsome young man. Was that wrong to say?
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
11:41 am
Who?
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
11:43 am
Oh, Burrows? I guess it depends on which “team you play for”
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
11:48 am
Quick trivia question for someone- Who do you think had a better QB efficiency rating- Stafford his Senior year or David Greene his Senior year or Murray last year?
ARdawg
July 29th, 2011
11:50 am
Altamaha….LOL…In a a tongue in cheek masculine sort of way. Nothing wrong with it. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that)
Loyal Dawg, I’m no Mark May Fan either. The Lou is a great guy and coach but, his speech impediment is damn annoying. He sounds like a drunk
Nothing Could Be Finer
July 29th, 2011
11:53 am
Ga might beat Boise, but the lack of depth on that team will have them limping in for SC. Doesn’t look good.