Practice report: Boise State’s Tommy Smith will feel at home in the Dome
ATHENS – Everybody in Boise, Idaho, is excited about playing Georgia in the Georgia Dome on Sept. 3, but no one is more excited than Tommy Smith.
Smith
Smith is a junior inside linebacker for the Broncos and, thanks to quarterback Michael Tamburo’s transfer to UGA, the only Boise State player from Atlanta, or Georgia, for that matter. As such, he has been the No. 1 thorn-in-the-side of his teammates the past few weeks.
Players get just two tickets apiece for away games. Smith said he needs 27 — at least.
“I’ve got 17 right now,” Smith said in a telephone interview this week. “I thought this would be an easy game to get tickets for but it’s been pretty hard. Hopefully I can get 10 more.”
It’s a problem Smith is happy to have. Playing Georgia in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game – playing Georgia anywhere, in fact — is something Smith never dreamed of when he signed with the Broncos out of North Atlanta High.
“Definitely not in the Georgia Dome,” Smith said. “I’m really excited about getting back home and playing in the Georgia Dome in front of my friends and family. I found out when it was released to the newspaper. I started thinking then about how many tickets I could get.”
Smith said he and his family used to attend Atlanta Falcons’ games regularly at the Dome. But he’s never had the pleasure of playing in it. His North Atlanta teams never made it that far in the high school playoffs.
Smith is currently a backup linebacker to Byron Hout, a senior who’s best known for being knocked out by Oregon’s LaGarrett Blount in 2009. Smith plays regularly, though, and filled in last season when Hout was out with a broken foot. He has had 49 tackles the last two seasons and was named to the All-WAC academic team both years.
So how did this Atlantan end up all the way out in Boise?
“It was all about how recruiting played out,” said Smith, a two-star rated recruit. “I wasn’t that highly recruited out of high school. I had a couple of offers but nothing major. Somehow I found myself all the way out Boise on a recruiting visit and I liked it. It was in the winter, like a couple of days before the Super Bowl. There was snow everywhere. I thought it was pretty cool.”
Tailback talk
There were conflicting reports after practice Thursday as to how much tailback Richard Samuel was able to participate. Running backs coach Bryan McClendon said the big junior was able to do everything, including 11-on-11 work. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo insisted he did not have Samuel for 11-on-11.
Suffice it to say, Samuel is back and is involved in preparations for the Boise State game. The 6-2, 238-pound running back has been out for nearly two weeks with a strained quadriceps.
Nevertheless, McClendon indicated that, barring further injury setbacks, Samuel will likely be the starter against Boise State.
“If they’re healthy it’d be Richard and Isaiah right now,” he said when asked the order of appearance. But he said Crowell will play a significant role against Boise State and may eventually start this season.
“You definitely want to see him just keep improving,” McClendon said. “He’s put himself in great position to get a lot of work in that first ballgame. He’s a guy we’re going to have to depend on a lot.
McClendon also listed Brandon Harton ahead of Ken Malcome for the third and fourth spots.
Injury report
Asked to comment on the play of nose guard John Jenkins, defensive line coach Rodney Garner groused. “If you want to know about him you have to ask Ron Courson,” he said.
Courson is, of course, Georgia’s director of sports medicine. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Jenkins remains in Courson’s charge. He has now been out a week with a pulled hamstring.
Harton was also out Thursday with an undisclosed leg injury suffered in Wednesday’s scrimmage. McClendon indicated it was not serious. Fullback Bruce Figgins (hamstring) and wide receivers Marlon Brown (ankle) and Malcolm Mitchell (hamstring) also sat out.
Etc. . . .
Georgia practiced for 90 minutes Thursday in a workout that focused mainly on special teams. . . Offensive line coach Will Friend said sophomore Dallas Lee will be the “first guy in” off the bench for the Bulldogs at either guard position or center. He’d be followed by David Andrews, then Austin Long. However, Kenarious Gates would shift from guard to either left or right tackle if one has to come out of the game. Lee would actually be . . . Outside linebacker Ray Drew has recovered enough from the separated shoulder he suffered in a scooter crash to be counted on to play against Boise State. “He’ll play and he’ll give us some depth,” defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said. “I think he’ll be a guy that will continue to rise as the season goes.” . . . Safety Corey Moore and cornerback Damian Swann are freshmen currently playing on the second-team defense.
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268 comments Add your comment
DawgDawgDawg
August 26th, 2011
4:46 am
@7576DAWG
I agree with your strategy, but it’s hard to win the time of possession without a solid running game. All we know is that we have an unproven running game.
Good luck, Dawgs.
JB
August 26th, 2011
6:41 am
Jenkins= Out of shape, cramps, gimpy, nothing wonderful from the coaches= thank goodness for Geathers.
Paddy
August 26th, 2011
6:47 am
tide roll….you have been told, get some new material, little fella. You are boring.
Paddy
August 26th, 2011
6:49 am
Jenkins sounds like he was not prepared for SEC football. Hope we can get something out of him next season.
bubba4dawgs
August 26th, 2011
7:01 am
Don’t forget to tell Crowell to PULLLLLEZE DO NOT CELEBRATE when he scores. He has been known to do that and it’s very costly! He’s in the Big Leagues now! GO DAWGS!!
RedandBlackDAWG
August 26th, 2011
7:53 am
Idaho P.B.
The idea of a playoff sounds good, but I don’t think it would ever be practical if you had 4 super conferences. NCAA DIV. 1 football just has too many teams. It works in the NFL for two reasons. 32 teams and the fact that the teams and players make more money, the longer the season goes on. Sure the colleges would make more money, but if this happened, then college ball could forget about ever being anything else but the minor league of the NFL, not that it isn’t pretty close to that anyway. It is professional. I don’t think it is fair to have these kids play a 16 or 17 game season, as the controversy would still be there with some teams saying they were left out and deserved a chance and such. It would be a nightmare to have 35-40 teams in one conference and come up with a winer in a division.
I am not sure what the solution is, and I think the BCS format and rankings need a lot of twinking, but I don’t think a four conference NCAA div. playoff would be any better.
RedandBlackDAWG
August 26th, 2011
8:16 am
Bubba,
If he does celebrate, I hope it is after he crosses the end zone and then at least it is only 15 yards on kickoff. Celebrating before you tote in into the end zone, would be just bad.
DawginLex
August 26th, 2011
8:40 am
I watched the replay of Boise and Nevada and boys, I just don’t see it.
I know we blew grits last year but if we play like we did against Arkansas or Florida(even though we lost) we will whip Boise.
Pettus and Young WON that VT game and carried the load for Boise against Nevada too. They are in the NFL
Doug Martin is a quality back but if you can’t open your eyes and compare Nevada’s line of scrimmage to ours and not see a big difference, I can’t help you.
" HOT " seat
August 26th, 2011
8:50 am
`
. . . gotta beat boise state in the GEORGIA dome . . .
.
GET DOWN BIG MAN
August 26th, 2011
8:52 am
tide roll
The fact that you are on a UGA website blog crying about IC is enough to convince me that you are just upset IC dissed on BAMA — obviously just trying to stir something up. Advice: Go to an ALA blog.
JB
August 26th, 2011
8:55 am
Lex, I agree. If you look at the size and speed of our team vs Boise, the pedigrees (Star ratings) of our recruits, it appears to be a romp. Coaching will come into play. Peterson wins look impressive, but look a little closer and you will see 90% against pretty much cupcakes. I do think it will be a tough game, bit I really do think we win. Went to hear McGarity, among others speak last night at the Augusta Bulldog club honoring sonny Siler. McGarity is pumped. He said he could SEE a big difference in this team, and the focus has been unreal, as 63 of 77 players on scholarship were in Athens all summer working out and in the weight room under the direction of Murray,Ben Jones and Orson. Not one player in trouble. Go Dawgs
RedandBlackDAWG
August 26th, 2011
8:58 am
I think the game will come down to, which team can implement their game plan best and impose their will on the other team. UGA is going to try and control the lines of scrimmage and play “Junkyard DAWG” football, and Boise is going to try and score and score more to keep UGA, in the catch up mode. If UGA’s defense can apply the pressure and control the line of scrimmage, then they have a great chance of winning. If Boise state can score on the UGA defense pretty easily, Boise walks away with the victory.
UGA’s offense will probably be a a little tentative, but if they can run the ball, and control the game a little, then UGA will be OK on that side of the ball.
If the UGA defense physically over powers the Boise offense, then UGA’s offense will get the ball in good field position a fair amount of times. I trhink UGA’s defense can physically wear down, Boise’s offense and make it a long, last 15 minutes. If Boise states quick defense over powers UGA’s offense, it is going to be a tough game to call.
There are a lot of if’s for both teams and it will be a good game.
GO DAWGS and GATA
DawginLex
August 26th, 2011
8:59 am
i don’t think Murray is gonna be tentative at all. I think he has a field day on their secondary
JB
August 26th, 2011
9:00 am
Also interesting, Joe Cox was there last night. In town on Business, and just wanted to come by. He was well received.
JB
August 26th, 2011
9:03 am
Gotta get to Moore and rattle him and flush him out and hit him hard and early. We do that, we win pretty easy. We allow him to “sit” in the pocket and survey the field, all bets are off.
Offensive Protocol
August 26th, 2011
9:05 am
Coach Richt
needs to review and approve every offensive play call by Bobo.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 26th, 2011
9:06 am
“Nevertheless, McClendon indicated that, barring further injury setbacks, Samuel will likely be the starter against Boise State.”
————————————————————
This guy hasn’t played at RB for two years and has sat out the last two weeks of practice and is still gonna start?
Not looking good for the dogs.
DawginLex
August 26th, 2011
9:09 am
NCBF
They still have to tackle a 243 pound man. He knows the offense. He plays then IC comes in. Changeup from a battering ram to someone super fast.
Looks like a great plan to me.
1eyedJack
August 26th, 2011
9:10 am
Who’s willing to gamble? It will come down to success or failure on special teams.
JB
August 26th, 2011
9:11 am
Finer, you and your ilk need to be patrolling the Beer stores in Columbia to keep your Qb and his coach ready for the season. Drunk and peeing in the street is not part of fall camp i’m sure.
Tobias Funke
August 26th, 2011
9:11 am
tide roll is a Tech fan. He slipped in a blog last week. Nothing but a bitter, nerdy, tech fan.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 26th, 2011
9:13 am
Who’s willing to gamble? It will come down to success or failure on special teams.
———————————-
Ga has the edge in that dept.
JB
August 26th, 2011
9:14 am
Spurrier is letting a QB start who he has suspended FIVE times in his career. How bad you think ole Stevie wants to win?……..And the sad part, he wants to win for HIM, not the good folks of Carolina.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 26th, 2011
9:15 am
They still have to tackle a 243 pound man.
————————————————————
Yes, but Samuels has not been conditioned to play RB.
It will take a few games for him to get there, if he does at all.
Chip Towers
August 26th, 2011
9:16 am
Say goodbye to Gay Dawg, Dogma, Mo Ped, T Dawg and 5 Time National Champion Nebraska. They’ve been banned.
I’m tired of people thinking this is a forum to be mean and nasty to others simply because they root for a different team. Obnoxious behavior and unsavory comments won’t be tolerated.
JB
August 26th, 2011
9:17 am
tide roll is Techie. He has slipped up on here and used the term “we” when talking about Tech before. Ain’t a Bama fan in the world that interested in UGA. only a Techie eat up with envy would be on here daily hating on the Dawgs.
TampaDawg
August 26th, 2011
9:17 am
@Idaho Potato Bowl — Good to see you already got your excuses ready to go. Every loser needs to follow that mold. BTW, where did BSU rank on US News College Academic rankings? And levying a charge like using PEDs is pretty serious for someone who has NO SHOT at backing it up. You know nothing about their academics. You know nothing about them as people. So just stick with potatoes, it might be the only thing you do know something about.
JB
August 26th, 2011
9:18 am
Yea Chip…………..How about tide roll?
DawginLex
August 26th, 2011
9:19 am
You da’ man Chip!
Tobias Funke
August 26th, 2011
9:19 am
Dawgs will win. I put my money where my mouth is last night. Thanks for the bonus 3 1/2 points, Vegas!
Tobias Funke
August 26th, 2011
9:22 am
Thanks Chip. We are sick of it too.
7576DAWG
August 26th, 2011
9:22 am
Samuels will do great as far as running the ball . It was never about his running ability. But, can he run without fumbling the ball? That’s the real question.
If we have no turnovers I think we beat Boise State 10 points.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
August 26th, 2011
9:23 am
Thanks Chip! Would be nice to actually discuss the actual game of football every now and then.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
August 26th, 2011
9:25 am
NCBF,
RS only has to muster enough energy to carry the ball 15 times. He is not expected to be a Lattimore back, meaning 30-35 carries. IC should be getting the bulk of the carries after the first two games.
TampaDawg
August 26th, 2011
9:26 am
Yeah, Idaho Potato, it was just the tennis team ..
http://www.recordpub.com/news/sports_article/5029548?page=0
Nice detective work there hypocrite …
DawginLex
August 26th, 2011
9:26 am
Playing devil’s advocate here:
Let’s take worse case scenario and say we lose the 1st 2 games:
Boise by 3
SC by 3
Don’t we know what we have better than anyone in the country?
I know it will be AWFUL if it happens but seriously, will we not be better prepared to go through the next 10 games knowing we have played the best 2 teams on our schedule already?
I need a diet coke.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 26th, 2011
9:27 am
But, can he run without fumbling the ball?
————————-
Thats part of the conditioning thing.
Tired players tend to fumble the ball more.
DawginLex
August 26th, 2011
9:29 am
Tampa
The AD quit because of the tennis team? he expects us to believe that?
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lowcountry Bulldawg
August 26th, 2011
9:32 am
NCBF,
That is the million dollar question. Dawg Nation will be holding there collective breathe each time he is handed the ball.
DawginLex
August 26th, 2011
9:34 am
He had 3 fumbles. Everyone remembers the one against Arkansas and that makes him a “fumbling machine” to a lot of folks.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 26th, 2011
9:34 am
But if he gets around 15 carries per, he should be able to sustain a steady hard pace.
If he gets more, then he might get in trouble.
TampaDawg
August 26th, 2011
9:35 am
Good call Chip .. now if you can lump GT Joe in that list. He was definitely worse than the Nebraska dude.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
August 26th, 2011
9:38 am
Lex he had more than three didn’t he? Two against Arkansas and how many in the Tech debacle. Not for sure how we could get the stats of fumbles and then fumbles lost for him, but I think it was more than three.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
August 26th, 2011
9:41 am
NCBF,
I think you have a number of about 35 runs that the carries will be split between IC/RS. Then you will have 3-4 carries between Harton/Malcome. So that puts the Runs at close to 40, then Pass plays at about 25 to get to total plays of about 65. Remember last year when AM threw over 30 times we were 0-3. Also the more pass plays the more of a track meet we “run” into. That is the recipe for disaster.
Tobias Funke
August 26th, 2011
9:43 am
RS is in the right situation this time. He doesn’t have to be “the guy.” If he can give us 10-15 good carries, then he has done his job. Nothing like chasing a rabbit (IC), then getting pounded by a bulldozer.
TampaDawg
August 26th, 2011
9:51 am
You mean you’re 4-3 versus the SEC right GT Joe .. err .. I mean, Paul Johnson
Beat UGA 1
Beat Miss St 2
Beat Vandy 1
Lost to UGA 2
Lost to LSU 1
Gators Eat Boogers
August 26th, 2011
9:53 am
UGA is going to dominate Boise from start to finish. The Dome is going to be rockin’ in a sea of red and this UGA team is finally motivated I think to play good. If not this signals the end of the CMR era. The Lousville games were cancelled for this very reason………..to see how far UGA has fallen or has improved over the last 12 months. If we get embarrassed on National TV against Boise then lose to USCe again. The CMR era will end on 9-11.
DC
August 26th, 2011
9:53 am
oh geez chip is banning everyone who doesn’t support uga…now all the talks will be about UGA being SEC champs and how they are going to run the table and how crowell is H walker v 2.0
DawginLex
August 26th, 2011
10:09 am
Nah Dc, I’m pretty sure that’s not what Chip said but you interpret it however you want to that makes you feel good ok?
DC
August 26th, 2011
10:10 am
haha…you have to admit Gay dawg was a funny Troll..RIP