UGA practice update: Defense wins day on first day of full contact
1:25 pm August 8, 2011, by Chip Towers
ATHENS — A quick post-practice update. . . .
- S Shawn Williams on first day of full contact: “All I know is Branden Smith came up and hit somebody so hard he knocked their helmet off.”
- DE DeAngelo Tyson said Isaiah Crowell so quick and shifty that nobody got a good shot on him today.
- CB Branden Smith confirms he’ll be returning punts again, or at least intends to. “There’s competition there. Me, Boykin, TK and some freshmen. But I’m not going to make it easy for them.”
- B. Smith on sharing No. 1 with Crowell: “Me and Isaiah are both all right with No. 1. He plays offense and I play defense so it’s not a problem. If they asked me to I’d wear another number if they needed us together on offense. . . . The number doesn’t make me. I make the number.”
- Injuries: TB Brandon Harton out with “mild concussion.” Will return later this week “hopefully,” Richt says. . . . CB Chris Sanders held out of contact due to bruised shoulder suffered yesterday. . . . Boykin and Jakar Hamilton still out with hamstring pulls. “Usually 7-10 days,” Richt says. Going on six days tomorrow.
- Lot of talk about “energy vampires.” See blog later.
- Sophomore Chase Vasser solid No. 2 at SAM (strongside) outside linebacker. This means he’d start if Jarvis Jones unable to go in Game 1. T.J. Stripling and freshman Ramik Wilson also getting work there.
- Vasser into theater, acting, movies and modeling. Looks the part of action hero.
- LB Michael Gilliard having phenomenal camp, per Richt and others. Busted lip in 3-on-3 drill today. “Mike’s one of the guys who has flipped the switch, so to speak. He’s decided he’s going to do it the Georgia way and he’s doing it well.”
- CMR gives more love to Damian Swann and Malcolm Mitchell. Go ahead and put them in the “definitely will play” category along with Crowell, Ray Drew.
- CMR said Crowell “really good at running behind his pads.”
- Defense “won the day” in very close competition. Coaches keep score every day using points system. Was 17-17 going into last four or five plays of days. Then No. 3 D whipped up on No. 3 O.
- Freshmen thrilled about “first chance to get to wear Silver Britches,” Richt said.
- Richard Samuel and Crowell both running with No. 1 offense.
- Richt says Samuel “trucked” freshman safety yesterday. “He’s a locomotive when he gets up a head of steam. . . . Crowell faster getting around the end.”
- Richt said only injury was a “mildly sprained ankle” but could not recall who.
255 comments Add your comment
Rdawg
August 8th, 2011
4:40 pm
I love how you people who claim to be dawg fans are trashing our team with negative comments. If you truely are dawg fans then stand up and get behind our team don’t be a band wagon fan. The dawgs are a different team this year our defense is stronger our offense is smarter and they look prime to play 60 minutes of football every game. These boys have a fire lit under them this year. As for band wagon fans we don’t need you your not a true fan NO EXCUSES. GO DAWGS
Big Dirty Dawg
August 8th, 2011
4:42 pm
LMAO…thats the weakest comeback I’ve heard in awhile…7 for 103…and no points on the board!! Listen I think Jeffery can be a great receiver…but by your logic, he should have dominated and score at least a couple TDs…on Boykin or whomever was covering him. Hell even southern miss and furman kept Jeffery out of the endzone! If Jeffery’s is that good then he should have dominated any DB on our squad…however, that wasnt the case!! all your point were scored by USCe RB corp. Therefore, i call BS to your assessment!! But thanks for the topic of conversation! =0) Ramble On!!
Big Dirty Dawg
August 8th, 2011
4:43 pm
AMEN RD!! LOL
Phuch Le` Duch
August 8th, 2011
4:44 pm
[..`tis pronounced - foosh le duke..]
Who the foosh cares about typos;
is it knot a blaag ?
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 8th, 2011
4:44 pm
LOL
You’ll see more BS from Alshon on September 10 at 4:30 p.m.
Nate the Great
August 8th, 2011
4:45 pm
Guys you don’t do a toss sweep with a 500+lb fb/tb combo. That is a freight train that runs north south. Plus getting outside the tackles against boise plays into the speed of their d-line’s hands. Line up and knock the guy in front of you down and then move onto the next level of defenders and try knock them into next week. Toss sweeps will work with someone like CT or IC, guys that can get the edge or make the cut up field. If we try and finesse or do anything other than over-power a smaller team like Boise, then we will be in for a long, long season.
RabidDawgFan
August 8th, 2011
4:46 pm
TUCK FECH! And GUCK the FATORS! If your smart you know exactly what I’m talking about!
GO DAWGS! All the way to the top
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 8th, 2011
4:48 pm
Gator Bait 18-3
We have to many Bong smoking fans like ALTAMAHA DOPE
As long as we beat Div II GT all is well, they still live in the Bobby Dodd days.
What they fail to realize is GT is irrelevant now in today’s college football landscape, heck they cannot even fill a high school stadium with fans in the middle of almost 6 million people
They crawl into a ball when they face the Gaterds
No we have too many 10 win season loving fans like him who come to games to get drunk and puke all over their red pants instead of wanting excelence like the AL and FL’s of this league
RabidDawgFan
August 8th, 2011
4:50 pm
Nothing Finer…you don’t think you could lose to UGA do you? You just might on Sept 10th at about 7:30. Your team may be the ones that walk out losers. Ever thought about that?
Beast from the East
August 8th, 2011
4:50 pm
RabidDawgFan is quite the intellectual. Way to represent!
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 8th, 2011
4:52 pm
you don’t think you could lose to UGA do you?
———————————-
Its possible.
murray county mystic
August 8th, 2011
4:52 pm
tha mystic is in tha house…offerin help to dawg fans whose ignorant dreams have outperformed reality…if you have the term “dawg” in your screen name, i’m here to help…
Mr. Marcus
August 8th, 2011
4:53 pm
I live in AL and im a DAWG fan lets get back to playing some tuff DEFENSE
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 8th, 2011
4:53 pm
With Lattimore, Jeffery, Garcia, Gilmore, Taylor, Ingram, & Co. I like SC’s chances.
murray county mystic
August 8th, 2011
4:53 pm
chip won’t let me talk…afraid of the truth…
RabidDawgFan
August 8th, 2011
4:54 pm
I mean, you guys beat us 17-6…with a freshman QB…no running game….1st year in the 3-4…no discipline…lack of killer instinct…no attitude…an Ealey fumble that would have tied the game…plus we were in your back yard.
This season…2nd year with Murray who is the best QB in the SEC…Samuel & Crowell toting the rock…new attitude & hunger…best special teams unit in the country…bad apples gone…fire has been lit…and we’re in ATHENS.
What you think?
LawDawgy
August 8th, 2011
4:54 pm
‘tha mystic is in tha house…offerin help to dawg fans whose ignorant dreams have outperformed reality…if you have the term “dawg” in your screen name, i’m here to help…”
Does that include Dawgys?
RabidDawgFan
August 8th, 2011
4:56 pm
Well you feel confident in your crew and I sure as hell am with mine. Murray. Crowell, Samuel, Tavarres King, Charles, Jenkins, Geathers, Ogletree and Co. Let’s hook it up
JAKE
August 8th, 2011
4:57 pm
isiah !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! crowell !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
isiah !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! crowell !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BigTimeTechFan
August 8th, 2011
4:58 pm
Tech fan here, sounds like things are looking good so far in Athens. Anytime you hear helments are flying that’s a good sign.
LawDawgy
August 8th, 2011
4:59 pm
Isaiah
Snoop Dawg
August 8th, 2011
4:59 pm
I’m highly impressed with our players this year. Looks like a good group.
Now I want to see Richt the Action Man. No more Buddha on the sidelines. I want this guy to exude energy to his players, emotion to the team as the head ball coach. I also want the players trained up, motivated, and executing well thought out plays based on scouting and strategy.
If he does all this, we’ll let him live until the end of the season.
RabidDawgFan
August 8th, 2011
5:02 pm
Big Time Tech….you ready to make it 10 out of 11?
dawg4ever
August 8th, 2011
5:04 pm
WOW!! First time in many years that UGA will have 3 or 4 legit corners to counter the spread offenses they will face in the SEC. With Smith finally becoming the 5 star athlete he is, and Boykin, Marshall, and Swain, this will be the most talented group of corners UGA has had. Marshall is a true stud, could probably play q.b. for alot of spread offenses in the SEC. If Grantham can’t put pressure on opposing Q.B’s with this group of shutdown corners then he isn’t what everybody thought he would be. He has the size and talent in the front 7 to bring pressure, so we will see.
Beast from the East
August 8th, 2011
5:06 pm
All kidding aside, I have to admit the news from Athens is completely different from last year. With the favorable SEC schedule this year, you Dawgs do have reason to be optimistic.
Best of luck except for Jax.
PS…Please represent the SEC well in the Dome on September 3rd. We’ll never hear the end of it if BSU gets out of there with a W.
shane#1
August 8th, 2011
5:07 pm
Things I would like to see against Boise. Power I over and over. Beat’em up with the run game and then go play action. Start Samuel and bring in Boo if he’s healthy, then spring Crowell on’em. Start Figgins and Lynch and then bring in White or Charles. Split out some TEs. Boise doesn’t play that many teams that even use TEs so UGA should throw three or four at them. No trick plays, no fancy stuff, just good old fashion headknocking. On D they might try some 4-2-5. I hear some of those new D backs can play. Use Ray Drew as a DE with his hand on the ground. He already knows how to do that.
Joey
August 8th, 2011
5:08 pm
“Muschamp has closed all practices this year,…”
**********************************
Beast, is it true that Muschamp did that to keep the press from seeing Weis’s snacking habits?
P_The_Ricker
August 8th, 2011
5:10 pm
Ah, pre-season……all of this crowing by UGA and FL fans about their offenses.
UGA fans cannot say w/ any certainty of how good their offense will be this year. UGA has what looks to be a pretty good QB, but there are questions everywhere else on offense, save TE. Could the offense be good, sure….but it could result in a lot of 3 and outs on account of a suspect offensive line and ability of their WRs to create space. Aside from King, no WR has proven he can consistently create space in the defensive backfield.
UF fans have to know that their offense will be a work in progress. muschamp wants a power running back….which UF doesn’t have and weiss wants a drop-back passer….which UF may have the most questionable offensive line in the league. schemes may sound great on paper, but w/out the proper personnel, you’re looking at a potential disaster. expect some kind of hybrid offense that will vary from game to game.
SC is SC. the division is their’s for the taking, but I personally can’t see the day that SC will ever win back to back division crowns.
Can’t give TN, KY or Vandy any real consideration for this year.
the good money is that either UGA or UF will figure things out enough on offense, but it will be their defenses that actually carry them to the division crown. going to give the slight edge to UGA, on account that they may have the best kicker, punter, kick returner combination in the country.
Bama Mike
August 8th, 2011
5:16 pm
Nice that Crowell is fast around the ends. Would like to hear how strong he is up the middle or that he ran through a couple of linebackers. Of course if I were a freshman and had just seen a couple of helmets go flashing by I would probably stick with running around the ends as well. Sounds like the D is improved from a scheme standpoint and appears to be more physical aka SEC style.
Bob
August 8th, 2011
5:17 pm
I’d rather see a good D and an average O rather than vice versa. If this holds, we’ll be much improved. Didn’t read all the previous posts, but any way Turene makes it in? Thanks.
Beast from the East
August 8th, 2011
5:17 pm
“Beast, is it true that Muschamp did that to keep the press from seeing Weis’s snacking habits?”
Joey,
Just a rumor. I have info from a very reliable source that he closed Gator practices to hinder Richt from “studying cutting-edge football”.
LMAO!!!!!
RabidDawgFan
August 8th, 2011
5:18 pm
If your a fan of another team talk like you have some sense. Don’t come here and bash us just because you see we’re having good things starting to happen. I really believe that we are on the cusp of something great. Maybe not this season, but 2012 should really be something. 2011 will be a good year, I say 9 or 10 wins but 2012 is when things will really get clicking.
The secondary seems to have turned into one of the strengths of this team. No doubt. I think our D-line can be dominant if they work hard. And I think our offensive line will be in good shape in the coming years.
dawg4ever
August 8th, 2011
5:20 pm
S.C fans, you have your stud Clowney, we have our stud Drew, but you have no one with the talent of the freak T.J. Stripling if he is 100%. This guy is a freak of an athelete at 6′6, and put him and Drew at outside L.B. and good luck defending them. You should be happy you catch UGA early before T.J. is 100% and Drew learns the system.But even when they are still learning it might be too much for your drink q.b. to handle.
Bob
August 8th, 2011
5:20 pm
Beast…LOL! “Cutting-edge football” under Richt is the grounds crew preparing the field at Sanford Stadium.
Chris
August 8th, 2011
5:28 pm
Please tell me we’ve got someone else that can return punts besides Brandon Smith.
The kid is fast, but he fumbles the punts half the time. He is too much of a liability in that regard.
RabidDawgFan
August 8th, 2011
5:29 pm
I just hope SC makes sure Garcia nor his coach is drunk when they play us.
Kool Aid Dawg
August 8th, 2011
5:32 pm
I really believe that we are on the cusp of something great. Maybe not this season, but 2012 should really be something.
If not 2012 then 2013 or maybe 2014
P_The_Ricker
August 8th, 2011
5:33 pm
FL Fans,
you guys do recall that Weiss is the same guy who said that he alone scores/brings 8 points to the game on account of his believed systematic advantage in play-calling?? shortly after saying that, he was shut-out in 2 games the ensuing season.
the guy is a blow-hard and anyone that arrogant is always going to get in their own way…..save spurrier.
Sept is nearly here
August 8th, 2011
5:42 pm
Yea – the Dawgs want a ring so they can sell it to stupid dawg buyers on ebay!
PTCDAWG
August 8th, 2011
5:44 pm
I think our greatest weapons are our tight ends including Rome! GO CRM and you Hairy Dawgs!
Lowcountry Bulldawg
August 8th, 2011
5:45 pm
Murray Mystic showed up, must mean the Chicken Coops in Chatsworth are clean for the day. Keep up the good work on that tractor plowboy. Conagra appreciates it.
Bodda Getta
August 8th, 2011
5:46 pm
Ask him if he is going to practice against the onside kick this year.
AltamahaDawg
August 8th, 2011
5:47 pm
seriously, grown men should never end a sport related comment with a middle school girlie text acronym.
It's always 5:50 in Athens
August 8th, 2011
5:48 pm
How is Blair Walsh looking from 20 yards in this year?
alabamaDawg
August 8th, 2011
5:49 pm
Jenkins and Geathers will stuff Lattimore this year and Garcia will be flagged for D.U.I. by halftime. It’s a new dawn at the UGA. College football fortunes change with every incoming class and UGA is loaded this year. I agree with some of you that 2012 will be great but 2011 will turn some heads. Boise will bring speed sure enough and we will slobberknock that speed and turn it to fear!
Bob
August 8th, 2011
5:50 pm
Ya’ll leave Murray alone. I bet he’s a big carpet magnate or owns a talc mine. Maybe both.
RabidDawgFan
August 8th, 2011
5:57 pm
Dude, Boise is not going to beat us. I don’t care what you say. They have a new OC…. lost their top 2 WR’s… have an anorexic O-line and D-line…etc. We are bigger, faster, stronger, deeper and just better than Boise. Plus we have the driving factor and that’s hunger…attitude. No way we let Boise come to our house (virtually a home game for UGA) and beat us in front of our fans.
Paddy
August 8th, 2011
5:59 pm
What is it with hamstring pulls? We have more hammeys than all the rest of the SEC combined. Just ask all the college coaches that require their players to do a swimming regiment in the off season. Those teams don’t have hamstring problems. Longer, leaner and stronger muscles to fight this season crippling injury.
Brucerugby79
August 8th, 2011
6:00 pm
It is that time of year!-time for me to call Calvin Stephenson Jr and talk some Bulldog Football!
P_The_Ricker
August 8th, 2011
6:00 pm
To the dawg fans that keep speaking of what 2012 may bring,
do you guys remember 2008? everyone was projecting that 2008 was going to be a special year, when in fact 2007 was the banner year of that group of dawgs (moreno, stafford, massaqois, jones, etc).
just saying, don’t start getting all wide-eyed about a season when there’s so many unknowns.