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
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
11:57 am
I don’t see Boise beating us up physically. They just don’t have the size up front. If I am not mistaken, their starting center weighs about 260 lbs. He’s going to have his hands full with Jenk. I’d be more concerned about them finessing (sp?) us to death. You’ve got to be alert and disciplined when you play those guys.
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
12:01 pm
The answer is- Murray edges out Stafford (154.5 to 153.5) Greene had a 148.4 passer rating. I would never had guessed that. Stafford did suprise me, he had a tendency to throw more INT’s, but I thought Greene would have been higher.
Tobias Funke
July 29th, 2011
12:03 pm
Mark May is awful.
Lou Holtz can’t speak without spitting on the camera. Gross. Makes me gag a little.
1953dawg
July 29th, 2011
12:07 pm
Hopefully Murray will prove he has much more between the ears than Stafford. Stafford was nothing more than a gunslinger, strong arm with great talent, but not very bright. He couldn’t read defenses, and he threw the most boneheaded passes at times that would up being intercepted. Would much rather compare Murray with Greene. Think Murray has the knowledge of the game just as Greene did, but Murray has some running ability, something Greene lacked. Would take Murray&Green anyday over the big arm stafford.
Tobias Funke
July 29th, 2011
12:08 pm
“Georgia would not have won the game if they didn’t force the three turnovers.” Mark May
He’s deep I tell ya. Georgia probably wouldn’t have won if they didn’t score too, right Mark?
Richard
July 29th, 2011
12:08 pm
Chip – congrats to you and your wife on your 20th anniversary.
I have a question regarding walkons. Why is that every story that mentions a walkon player (not just your stories but others as well) has to identify that player as a walkon or former walkon. These guys are putting in the same amount of work as the guys on scholarship and to label them as anything other than a Georgia Bulldog football player is a little demeaning. If the guy suits up he is a Georgia player.
ARdawg
July 29th, 2011
12:17 pm
Mark May is convinced he knows everything about everything and is privy to info no one else has. He believes everything that comes out of his mouth is prophecy. He truly believes that. All told he’s nothing but an ESPN blowhard in a suit
ARdawg
July 29th, 2011
12:18 pm
Richard +1
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
12:20 pm
1953dawg- you’re probably being a little too hard on Stafford, but he was over confident because he had a great arm. Most big arm QB’s are like that. That’s probably why players like Murray and Greene seem to be better decision makers. They can rely on arm strength alone. I like QB’s that don’t throw interceptions. Eric Zier and Greene were like that. I think Murray will continue on that track.
Loyal Dawg
July 29th, 2011
12:28 pm
Later- gator haters!
Spike 80DF
July 29th, 2011
12:28 pm
playing BSU and USCe the first 2 games is actually a good thing IMO with our lack of depth especially on the OL since “hopefully” our guys will be ready to go early in the year and may get banged up as the season goes on. at least we’re playing 2 of our toughest games early on before the injury bug bites….
maybe that’s just wishful thinking?
Hunker down deep
July 29th, 2011
12:49 pm
Just scrape the silly unproductive 3-4 defense,
and go back to 4-3 with more beef up front.
AltamahaDawg
July 29th, 2011
1:00 pm
NO! No more injury bug. We’ve had 9 team’s worth already. Catch the bug, put the bug in a jar, put the jar in a box, and FED EX it to anywhere not in the State of Georgia.
tide roll
July 29th, 2011
1:04 pm
All they had to do was sign Chance Warmack, A. J. Hawkins, and JuWuan James. Uga would win the SEC East and probably more. That’s all they had do to.
Big Albany Dawg
July 29th, 2011
1:09 pm
Ray Drew (6-5, 243), too easy. Any more questions?
tide roll
July 29th, 2011
1:22 pm
Why is this kid Christian Robinson implying Marcus Dowtin and Nick Williams were “dead weight”? They are both better linebackers than he, Also, why are ya’ll starting that little kid (Robinson) anyway? Bama’s inside linebackers are Donta Hightower, 6′4″ 260lbs. and Courtney Upshaw 6′2″ 265lbs. That’s what you call “BIG BOY” football. Why ya’ll starting the little kid with the big mouth? Is that all you got ? Roll tide, Tide Roll.
24/7 DAWG
July 29th, 2011
1:27 pm
Probably because Dowtin had serious attitude problems! I work on campus and had heard it way before he left. I hope both have success and I don’t blame Nick for leaving after constantly having his position changed.
Tide roll, yep you sure will. You will roll into probation after your team took clothes in exchange for autographs that the dude promptly sold in his store. What a moron!
Nothing Could Be Finer
July 29th, 2011
1:28 pm
“Why ya’ll starting the little kid with the big mouth?”
—————————————————————————–
LOL
UGASlobberknocker
July 29th, 2011
1:43 pm
UGA has more shoulder injuries than anyone else in football by far. Why is that?
Nothing Could Be Finer
July 29th, 2011
1:47 pm
“UGA has more shoulder injuries than anyone else in football by far. Why is that?”
———————————————————————————-
Inbreeding
Big Dawg
July 29th, 2011
1:47 pm
Thomas Brown— yes we who have been regulars on this site for the last 5 plus years know who you are–”Bulldawg”.
Tide Roll— while I agree with some of the things you say especially about our offensive line woes, I believe some of those have been addressed with Coach Searels going to LSU, new strength and conditioning coach etc. But to keep harping on it is a little over the top. Yes UGA should be doing a better job of recruiting o-linemen especially numbers wise- IMHO they should be signing at least 6-OL every year and this is due to natural attrition that occurs on the offensive line, probably in retrospect the hardest and most dangerous of positions in football. Anyway it is what it is and if I had anything to do with it we would be signing more o-linemen each year than we do. One thing I have noticed about UGA is we get focused in on one player alot and lose sight of the fact that we need to bring in a number of quality recruits at each position to account for the natural attrition through injuries, academics, poor choices etc that seem to occur with these young men.
Go Dawgs
Big Dawg
July 29th, 2011
1:49 pm
I meant Texas for Coach Searels—
AFDawg
July 29th, 2011
1:54 pm
Tampa Gator, So you went to middle school with Kent? Get off here and go make foolish statements on the Gator blogs (which, by the way — I have zero interest in). Doesn’t it bore you to read a bunch of posts from Dawg fans writing about our beloved Dawgs? I know I would be absolutely bored to death to read blogs from Gator fans gushing about their Gators. Get a life dude.
DawginLex
July 29th, 2011
1:54 pm
I would think that tide roll and other bama folks would be concerned over recent developments in the tide program
1.)Whiffed on the #1 QB in the country who picked – INDIANA? instead of Bama?? Sez to me that NCAA sanctions might be coming and this kid knows it
2.)Injury to Dee Hart’s knee-Conditioning program at bama to blame or just another in long list of kids who were put into situations they couldn’t handle too soon
3.) 2 more major whiffs with high profile recruits this past week in addition to the QB
4.) AND THE BIGGEST-the clothing store thing is getting legs more and more everyday.- Bama is headed down the toilet bowl along with Auburn
Nothing Could Be Finer
July 29th, 2011
1:58 pm
Dawginlex:
1. That same QB denied georgia as well.
2. Sounds like your saviour Crowell has had his own summer conditioning issues. LOL
3. Ga just lost the best in-state OL to SC
4. Remember A.J. Green in Jersey-Gate? lol
AFDawg
July 29th, 2011
2:02 pm
tide roll, Have they not invented blogs for UA over there in Alabama yet? Why are you so concerned about our Dawgs? The way you troll the Georgia sites you would think you look at UGA as an in state rival. What you don’t understand is we don’t care what your opinion of UGA is — period. Go find something constructive to say on some of the Alabama sites. Goodbye.
Spike 80DF
July 29th, 2011
2:04 pm
turd roll had to copy and paste his same comment about OL depth again today……feel like i’m in Groundhog day with Bill Murray when he talks…..
DawginLex
July 29th, 2011
2:14 pm
WRONG
UGA didn’t offer the QB because we are not recruiting one for 2012 class
Crowell is doing great at workouts now. Report you refer to was from the 1st day.
joe Harris was born in SC and has family in SC. It would have been a bigger shock if he had gone to UGA or anywhere else
AJ Green’s penalty was served and is over. the shockwaves at Bama and auburn will be felt for years.
Next??
DAWGinSMY
July 29th, 2011
2:25 pm
We had plenty of lineman we loss some to injuries and some quit because they couldn’t handle the new strength and conditioning program. That happens at every program and come September 3rd we will strap it up and play with 5 offensive lineman. We aren’t going to go out there with a center and 2 guards and not have any tackles to play. Do you people just sit around and come up with nonsense. Roll tide roll you have too much free time on your hands? You’re not Harvey Updyke are you with all this free time.
DAWGinSMY
July 29th, 2011
2:30 pm
Sturdivent injured, Harmon didn’t care to make the grades, Benedict quit on the team, Ward injured and we signed 5 offensive lineman this year. How many lineman do we need 30?? How did Richt know Sturdivent would get hurt, Harmon wouldn’t care about his grades and Benedict would quit?? These things happen at every school get over it, move on and play with the players you have!!!
Russ
July 29th, 2011
2:30 pm
I smell a TROLL! *sniff, snif*- yep definitely a TROLL. The same TROLL that appears regularly. Funny thing about TROLLS is they tend to go away if you ignore them.
WOOF! WOOF!
Nothing Could Be Finer
July 29th, 2011
2:30 pm
“Where Georgia has question marks, South Carolina has exclamation points”
DAWGinSMY
July 29th, 2011
2:32 pm
Nothing could be finer all your credibility went out the window when you said that same QB denied UGA as well. UGA isn’t even signing a QB next year so go focus on your own team cause you know nothing about the Dawgs!
Russ
July 29th, 2011
2:33 pm
DawginLex- don’t fall for the TROLL. Don’t do it!!!!
UGAgrad71
July 29th, 2011
2:33 pm
News flash to the so called experts on this blog – the average NFL player was a 3-star recruit in high school. Something to think about.
Nothing Could Be Finer
July 29th, 2011
2:39 pm
According to CBS Sports, that QB was offered by georgia.
http://eye-on-recruiting.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/26895818/30917869
Sacker
July 29th, 2011
2:43 pm
Why hasn’t Saint Mark been sacked yet?
Toxic Waste
July 29th, 2011
2:50 pm
Jarvis Jones has more issues than you can shake a stick at, so many that he will NEVER play at UGA, so start looking at Plan B. This guy is so toxic that he may as well start looking for a job at Waffle House, because he’ll never play on Saturday OR Sunday.
Danger Will Robinson, Danger
July 29th, 2011
2:58 pm
TROLL ALERT!!!
Nothing Could Be Finer
July 29th, 2011
2:59 pm
Richt has the local u-haul office on speed-dial.
AltamahaDawg
July 29th, 2011
2:59 pm
What, did Boweevil make it back? Did this story come out at 2:00 am?
Gillislee
July 29th, 2011
3:07 pm
31 years and counting……………………….
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
July 29th, 2011
3:50 pm
Actually, Lou is a conservative. And in my humble opinion, a pretty good tv color guy.
(Opps, am I allowed to say “guy” and Not person!?)
Nothing Could Be Finer
July 29th, 2011
3:57 pm
Suppose Ga loses to Boise.
Would Richt get canned after that game?
They would be coming off an embarrassing loss to Central Florida and barely beating Ga Tech at home.
That Boise game could be do-or-die for Mr. Class Act.
FLA DAWG
July 29th, 2011
3:59 pm
I had the same surgery on the left side for the same reason (years ago) and the recovery was alot longer than I thought it would be. Once I got past a couple of months I pushed the recovery along with light weights and though the therapist was against it, it worked. But in all it was probably 4 months (at least) recovery time from surgery before being fairly strong and able to take hits of any kind.
Good Luck Kid
LOL
July 29th, 2011
4:06 pm
FLA DAWG, at first I though you were describing the labotomy that Nothing Could Be Finer had recently. That was kind of funny
Nothing Could Be Finer
July 29th, 2011
4:10 pm
For The Sake Of College Football
Please Don’t Lose To Boise
Thank You
Nothing Could Be Finer
July 29th, 2011
4:13 pm
UGA WR Tavarres King: “It is my time. It’s my time to step up and be a leader and be a play-maker.”
Yea, Maybe Against the Scout Team
Nothing Could Be Finer
July 29th, 2011
4:18 pm
UGA LB Christian Robinson on Richard Samuel’s move to TB: “I’m just upset I have to hit him everyday in practice. The guy’s a bruiser.”
Careful Mr. Robinson. Don’t get hurt in practice. Ya’ll are already experiencing major depth issues.
dawgislez
July 29th, 2011
4:28 pm
Got to love a clown who thinks that guys signing stuff and some booster deciding to sell it is a major story. I guess the compliance at every other school in the SEC does not match up to all compliance folks in Athens. We all know Lez or Lex is just a blowhard who likes to argue and lose over and over again.