With Cornelius Washington suspended 2 games, is it now Ray Drew’s time?
With Cornelius Washington's suspension, 5-star freshman signee Ray Drew could be in position to step into the spotlight. (UGA photo)
Lots of things going on in the wake of Georgia’s 24-10 win over Mississippi State on Saturday. Of course, the big news was starting outside linebacker Cornelius Washington, who had served as defensive captain and starred in the game, getting arrested for DUI about 10 hours after the game was over.
As Tim Tucker reported, Washington is now going to be suspended “at least” for the upcoming road games against Tennessee and Vanderbilt. That’s obviously a major blow as Washington was playing his best ball and was emerging as perhaps the Bulldogs’ best pass rusher.
The question is, what happens now?
Fans have been calling all season to see more of five-star signee Ray Drew. One of the things that was holding back Drew, if you will, has been the stellar play of Washington. We’ll see very whether Washington’s suspension will automatically result in more playing time for Drew. You’d think it would, but defensive coordinator Todd Grantham coulld decide to shift some things around.
Here’s what coach Mark Richt had to say about Drew Sunday night:
“It’ll be an opportunity for him certainly. He’ll be part of the mix, as far as our discussions. Any time a guy goes out of the game, whether it’s by suspension or whatever it is, it always creates opportunities for guys. Will Ray be the sole beneficiary of that playing time or part beneficiary of it? I don’t know. That’s what we’ve got to decide. Some of it might be decided in practice as far as how their performance goes in practice.”
Drew will certainly get a hard look and likely will get more snaps. But chances are good that the starting nod will go to redshirt sophomore Chase Vasser. Vasser already has two starts under his belt and actually started the Ole Miss game ahead of Washington because of his superior ability to drop into pass coverage. Redshirt sophomore Reuben Faloughi will also get a hard look this week.
One thing that’s certain about playing the Vols on Saturday, Georgia will see a lot of passing. Sophomore quarterback Tyler Bray leads the SEC in passing at 332 yards per game and pass efficiency (176.1) with 14 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions. Meanwhile, Tennessee has allowed just 7 sacks in four games, third least in the league.
Said Richt: “There’s no doubt, they are very good at what they do. Tyler is very accurate, as you can see. He’s got a quarterback rating that may be the best in the country. I know he’s the best in our league. So it’s definitely going to be a great challenge for us.”
Here’s a rewind of everything we’ve written since Saturday’s game:
- OLB Cornelius Washington suspended 2 games for DUI arrest
- Game story: Georgia gets defensive in 24-10 win over Mississippi State
- Bradley: Dogs dominate but don’t dazzle
- Freshman Malcolm Mitchell catching on as wide receiver
- Georgia’s defense motivated by pregame taunt
- Georgia-Mississippi State rewind
- Postgame notes: Murray says 3 picks no cause for alarm
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417 comments Add your comment
Spaceman Spiff
October 3rd, 2011
3:53 pm
@Still – that explains those crazy snowmen…
confused out west
October 3rd, 2011
3:54 pm
TampaDawg – ok I will take that spin and offer another that is just as likely (both really arent but hey). What if Murray throws a 4th pick and then six without trying another QB and then they do the onsides….etc? EVERYONE would be against Richt (and maybe Murray) than a bad Mason play. Murray already has shown he can lose games with picks. He already has shown he can throw 3 picks in this exact game. Mason is a blank slate. While there is NO reason to think he would do any better than Murray for sure, there is NO reason to believe he wouldnt offer some difficulties to a MST defense and some new life to UGA with a quick set of short throws.
Again, this is all speculation but that is my point. We dont know if we have an option in Mason till we try him in what is a fairly safe but REAL game situation.
Mobile Dawg
October 3rd, 2011
3:58 pm
TampaDawg, all your speculation and opinions are like everyone elses, just your opinion. You seem to be one of those people that if I asked them to do something they would give me a hundred reasons it wouldn’t work, rather than trying to find a way to make something work.
TampaDawg
October 3rd, 2011
4:02 pm
I hear ya confused, but I don’t think with the game still not completely in hand that that is the time to TRY out Mason. The team still has a chance to have a very good year. I think at this point, Mason should be getting about 50% of the snaps in practice with the first team offense to see what he can do there. But no way do you make the change mid way through the 4th quarter of an SEC game.
Give him those snaps, then if Murray struggles against UT, then maybe you give Mason 100% of the snaps before the Vandy game and let him start.
TampaDawg
October 3rd, 2011
4:05 pm
Ok Mobile Dawg, you go ahead and put in a guy with 0 starts late in the game against an SEC opponent. UF has the biggest QB prospect in football and it didn’t work at all for them and they have put him in a few games prior to Bama, even if it was out of necessity. Might be my opinion yes, but shouldn’t the idea being pitched at least kind of make sense? I am a long way from a negative guy but you can’t tell me that any other coach in the country would have pulled Murray in that situation.
RawDawg
October 3rd, 2011
4:12 pm
I’m not sure I get all the comments complaining about Richt/Bobo’s conservative play calling with the lead in the last couple games. When you are up by 3 scores and your offense is giving up more points in turnovers than your outstanding D, doesn’t it make sense to protect the lead and trust your D to do the job? If a more conservative offense doesn’t give up 21 points to SC, do the Dogs come out ahead in that one?
One thing is consistent on these blogs is that people will a way to complain about every coaching decision, even when it works.
phil
October 3rd, 2011
4:21 pm
yep, serious about Mason….
the suggestion to play him over murray is idiocy…
phil
October 3rd, 2011
4:36 pm
Still@theBar
October 3rd, 2011
4:26 pm
Murray is 9-9 with NO WINS against teams over .500. UGA is 8-10 in their last 18 SEC games. Hope & Change is bad, but HOPE and doing the same crap is CRAZY.
***************
While this is true, it’s hard to do much at QB with little O-line protection, idiots for coaches and while trying to play catch up most of last year as a freshman.
Let’s wait until he totally collapses against some actual competition before we come completely unglued, ok?
Florida likely will be the one, maybe UT this week.
UGAKEV
October 3rd, 2011
4:40 pm
Still@thebar
Although Murray is beginning to drive me crazy a little with some of his decisions, those numbers are a bit misleading. Let’s se how his numbers look at the end of the season before we make that judgment on him. The Defense is really beginning to click and we now have an identity with the running game showing promise. I see an upward trend with this team. All Murray has to do is give the ball to crowell and run some play action. Murray could be who you think he is Bar, but I will have to see after game 12 to make that assumption.
Scream Machine
October 3rd, 2011
4:44 pm
Tennessee 37, Georgia 17
Fasten your seatbelts, it’s a rocky ride, but have hope – the dawgs’ descent into total irrelevancy has almost bottomed out. It’s a much calmer ride when you’re in the lowest tier.
John
October 3rd, 2011
5:02 pm
UGAKEV…that’s just the point, at the end of the season Murrays and Bobo’s numbers always look good, but when you break it up into indivdual games their game decisions are not even average. Murray performs well against good teams in the 4th quarter against prevent defenses when the opposing teams have a lead and back their CB’s off, and makes his end of game stats look “respectable”.
AltamahaDawg
October 3rd, 2011
5:05 pm
Steve, Bobo called for a run on 3rd and long all of ONE time late in that game with about 3:00 left when they obviously were just trying to kill the clock. And as much as that gets said, it’s the exception. Was last year as well.
Why do people make up things to complain about when there are so many actual things that go wrong?
UGAKEV
October 3rd, 2011
5:29 pm
Bar,
I don’t see Richt getting fired before the season ends unless there is a total meltdown. If that somehow happened, Grantham would probably finish the season as head coach. In that case Grantham is a guy that will not play favorites and would play Mason if he was performing better in practice. I hope Murrays numbers are great against bad teams. But this is a defining year and Murray will not get away with playing bad against any good teams left on the schedule. I believe Lemay is going to be a special player. When you look at his Junior numbers, 44 TDS and only 2INTs in a good division in North Carolina and what he was able to do by beating that one powerhouse team thats up there ( I forget their name) it shows that this kid is a winner and he is way more physically gifted than Murray with a confident swagger. I got to watch Lemay before the Ole Miss game throw some routes in regular clothes and was excited just watching that. He throws a very strong and accurate ball. The only thing that is holding Lemay back is the playbook. He will be red shirted this season and rightfully so. He should only be brought out when is comfortable with what he is doing. We got to see a flash of this kid in the G Day game without any knowledge of the playbook so there is definitely an excitment with this kid in the next few years. Lemay will not be the answer this season. He will be the answer in the future.
Mountain Dawg
October 3rd, 2011
5:29 pm
Drew can’t play until hs ’scooter scratch’ heals.
UGAKEV
October 3rd, 2011
5:40 pm
John,
Not this season, there is no more leadway with this coaching staff. The coaching staff knows this too. McGarrity will make the right decision to help the program.
Big Mike Dawg
October 3rd, 2011
5:48 pm
CMR said it like it was ” Bray is better than our Poo- poo passer Murray” Murray needs to leave with Bobo on his shortbus.. Its time for Mason dawg fans.. oh yea.. Bobo u still the lead retard!!!!
Bob
October 3rd, 2011
5:49 pm
Two second half FGs against two mediocre teams…our S&C isn’t working, mental brakedowns and holding in third/fourth quarters…nothing good happens when Samuel IV is in the game…a loss Sat night and Richt’s gone at the end of this season, and you almost sense that he wants it to happen.
Nub
October 3rd, 2011
5:59 pm
In my opinion we have only played good in half of one ball game dag gumit… And that was Missy State’s first half offensively …. Defense played very well entire game and played good against SC….the offense and special teams gave up 21 points so CTG gets a B+ so far this year… Bobo’s offense on the other hand rates out a C- and could be worse if it were not for IC…. Special teams c+…. U get the picture..
AltamahaDawg
October 3rd, 2011
6:13 pm
So how would Grantham playing whichever one he thinks give him the best chance to win anything but playing favorites as well? What is it that folks thinks the term “favorite” means anyway? For Richt it’s a derogatory, questional motives, but for somebody else it’s making a well informed and wise choice?
melanie
October 3rd, 2011
6:24 pm
Why do they continue to let these boys play when they have done wrong? 2 games suspension?? Really?? They need to lay down the law & suspend them for the year, make them pay a fine for their wrong doings & the coaches need to stop holding their hands & telling them it is all right….these boys need to held accountable for their actions, not given a slap on the hand> I am so sick & tired of UGA getting hand slapped when they need to be whipped in the butt & thrown off the team.
Chuck UGA
October 3rd, 2011
6:25 pm
The General Feeling….of what you type after smoking pot all day. What an idiotic statement. Georgia with no pass defense? LMAO! Pass the bong…no, not that one, the EXTRA LARGE one that I bought from Janzen Jackson.
Nub
October 3rd, 2011
6:31 pm
Pass d has improved game after game … Can’t say the same about the o line…
gdawginkalamazoo
October 3rd, 2011
6:33 pm
I think Washington will still have all the fines and civil penalties that come along with the DUI. I have never had one but I have heard that they are quite expensive to deal with. As for football the penalty is two games for his mistake. I wouldn’t call all that letting him off of anything. This could potentially cost him his future in professional football if Drew or Vasser get out there and play lights out and he only gets back on in a limited roll. The kid made a mistake, lucky nobody got hurt, and now he pays his fine and does his time.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 3rd, 2011
6:40 pm
Oh and plus Washington will be dealing with the university penalties also. Not sure what they are but I think probation is on the docket. Maybe a student can fill us in on what happens if you get a DUI.
tommy
October 3rd, 2011
7:04 pm
should have scored 45 + .Boring 2nd half. Use your skill players .Let them play Bulldog fans deserve
exciting play calling ,they have players use them .I say If Bobo not gonna be cfreative get somebody who will. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Santa Cruz Bulldog
October 3rd, 2011
7:17 pm
Saban does not have to deal with problems because in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, he doesn’t have to worry about the authorities. Where his players are concerned.
Columbus
October 3rd, 2011
7:23 pm
FIRST, Mark BRADLEY sucks and I REFUSE to click in his articles ANYMORE so he does NOT get ANY WEB TRAFFIC HITS FROM ME! I ask the rest of you to boycott him the same…..
Second, WHAT IN THE WORLD was Washington driving for?! All them passengers and HE is behind the wheel?! We REALLY NEED him this week in Tennessee!? What was HE and his FRIENDS thinking? Thast not really a good friend…..
Just FOOLISH! THINK PEOPLE….!
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
October 3rd, 2011
7:29 pm
You don’t have a damn clue about anything that happens at Bama. Stick to you little Jr Hight team the UGA bulldogs. You folks been asking for Drew and you’re about to findout he aint it!! The SEC isn’t GA high school football. I only hope Bama can make to the SECCG and UGA does as well. Nick and Kirby will be the living sheet out of you and laugh every minute.
angry mangy mutt
October 3rd, 2011
7:42 pm
Washington did something stupid. He knows that and so does everybody else who did the same thing.
The passengers are not innocent, they made the decision to be passengers. The price is being paid and it is a heftier price than many other college coaches impose. Thank God nobody was hurt and the rest of us need to get over it, it is history and cannot be changed.
TampaDawg
October 3rd, 2011
7:47 pm
Wet Willie…keep on smiling … so the SEC isn’t GA high school football. Agreed. But your boy Nicki sure spends a lot of time recruiting there so it must not be too bad. As for Drew, I know you’re a self-proclaimed expert and all, but please don’t act like you have know anything about recruiting. You obviously don’t know more than Chizcik and Saban because they sure as heck wanted him enough to make an offer. So did Miles at LSU .. enough so that he and Chizcik had him in for an official visit. How does that taste genius?
TampaDawg
October 3rd, 2011
7:54 pm
Scream Machine
October 3rd, 2011
4:44 pm
Tennessee 37, Georgia 17
Fasten your seatbelts, it’s a rocky ride, but have hope – the dawgs’ descent into total irrelevancy has almost bottomed out. It’s a much calmer ride when you’re in the lowest tier.
—————————————-
Nothing like a quote about irrelevancy immediately after picking UGA to lose to a team that, well, has redefined irrelevancy. Nice running game there UT. Should get at least 20 yards against UGA.
Go DOGS!
October 3rd, 2011
8:02 pm
Wet Willie…keep on smiling – Just by reading your horrid attempt at the English language, I must deduce you drool and have spittle when you attempt to speak, too?
TampaDawg
October 3rd, 2011
8:04 pm
And a clueless Grim Reaper tag appears with his “as long as Richt continues to recruit low class morons”. Dude, unless you’re a fan of Georgia Southern, you can bet that YOUR team was recruiting the same group of players. It’s just the dumbest oldest argument on the board next to red panties and only true IDIOTS even play that card.
AltamahaDawg
October 3rd, 2011
8:07 pm
He just apologized to the whole team. Good. That’s really the least he can do at this point. But people do get in trouble and don’t even do the least, so at least he is handling it correctly and is on his way of learning a lesson. Pay the price now, move on.
angry mangy mutt
October 3rd, 2011
8:08 pm
Tampa-
Well put
bubba4dawgs
October 3rd, 2011
8:29 pm
The Vols are good pickers and they will be playing the best in the league at throwing pics! Murray on that note should feel right at home and most accommodating in Knoxville. Just think of all the cheers you will get, Aaron! 107,000 screaming idiots! They’re liable to give you a big hug when the game is over!! GO DAWGS!!! Uh, at least try!!!
layinlow
October 3rd, 2011
9:19 pm
Color me worried going into this weekend. I am certainly of the belief that our defense has made a measurable improvement over last season. But I also have to admit that the offenses of both the Mississippi schools are essentially impotent. Tennessee is going to score some points at home and our offense will have to step up and help our defense this weekend. This game will not be a repeat of what we have seen the two previous weeks where our offesne muddled thru the second half with a nice cushion. I firmly believe this game will be won or lost in the 4th quarter which will require our offense to step up with the game on the line. That begs the question, can they do it?
when will they learn
October 3rd, 2011
10:47 pm
The Commerce Police Officers were obviously “profiling”. Who knew they’d be pulling over every car going 92 mph in a 55 mph zone? I wish these players would realize that whether they want it or not when they play at a major college and become a high profile player they are in the position to be a role model for a lot of younger team mates and more importantly younger children. Therefore I wish they would consider their actions before they taint their image and the image of UGA. It’s obvious by comments on this article as well as other ones that CW’s actions immediately reflect on UGA, the team and the staff. Who knows what younger players and kids will do similiar things because CW and some of some of his past team mates did it. No matter if they are Dawgs, Jackets, Gaytors, Tiders or Tigers I wish these guys would learn to set better examples, respect themselves and their schools. I’m just saying.
Mobile Dawg
October 3rd, 2011
10:49 pm
I don’t understand how someone can respond to a hit without reading or understanding it. I never once said to replace Murray with Mason. I’m pretty sure I said play Mason for a couple of series and let Murray think about his mistakes.
Jimmy the Greek.......
October 4th, 2011
12:18 am
Enter your comments here
RED DOG 77
October 4th, 2011
1:26 am
People!!!……….Go back to the first page of posts on this story and read #6………..TampaDawg……….By damn Rocks the house!……….If you are a University of Georgia Football fan…….You need to read this guy!…….To me?……That TampaDawg is indeed “A damn good Dawg”……….GATA BULLDOGS rip the top of Rockytop off and bring it back home…..GO DOGS!!!
Thomas Brown
October 4th, 2011
1:40 am
UGA # 52 Total Offense
UGA # 56 Passing Offense
UGA # 46 Rushing Offense
UGA # 7 Total Defense
UGA # 4 Passing Defense
UGA # 32 Rushing Defense
UGA # 94 Sacks of Aaron Murray
UGA # 53 Sacks of Opposing Quarterbacks
UGA # 69 Offense making 3rd Down Conversions
UGA # 2 Defense preventing 3rd Down Conversions
UGA # 93 Interceptions Thrown by Aaron Murray
UGA # 4 Interceptions by our Defense
UGA # 76 Turnovers Lost 9 by almost exclusively Aaron Murray
UGA # 21 Turnovers Gained by our Defense
UGA # 61 Offense gaining 1st Downs
UGA # 5 Defense giving up 1st Downs
Cornelius Washington arrested – ESPN
October 4th, 2011
4:02 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
Spaceman Spiff
October 4th, 2011
9:13 am
It’s nice to see that the ultimate troll and Thomas Brown (aka rooster, etc) lover is back with his useless statistics…yawn…
I love it when techies live vicariously through us…
DawginLex
October 4th, 2011
9:50 am
All the losers with a loser mentality always look at the glass half empty.
What do I want?
I want us to win out
I want to play in Atlanta for the SEC title
I want to play Bama or Lsu or whoever it is
How do you losers know we wouldn’t win?
To be the best you have to play the best
All you losers who don’t want to even try are pathetic.
It is obvious there aren’t many former athletes on these blogs.
vettefoolvol
October 4th, 2011
9:56 am
as a Tennessee fan I really can’t see many, if any, positions on the field that Tn has better personel than Ga. quarterback maybe, at least potentially.. wide receiver with Hunter’s injury is probably in Ga favor a little. everywhere else Ga. has better players than Tennessee. we are still a couple of years away. if we can do a better job recruiting and analysising the potential recruits. hopefully our coaching can make up for the lack of tallented players. have not shown that they can yet.
just wish for a good close game.
SEC lunch links - SEC Blog - ESPN
October 4th, 2011
10:13 am
[...] With Cornelius Washington suspended, Georgia true freshman Ray Drew could get his shot. [...]
RedandBlackDawg
October 4th, 2011
10:40 am
If UGA controls Tenn. passing game, that ends their offensive output. Bray may be a good QB in the future, but like so many detractors and haters of UGA football, complain, what has he done against good competition? He didn’t do well against the one SEC opponent he faced, and his stats. have benn elevated by having played Montana, Cinn. and Buffalo. Darn, I am over 60 years old, and I might be able to pitch a couple of TD’s against that quality of an opponent. He didn’t look exactly like a game breaker against a quality defense, and UGA will bring a lot of pressure on him, so time will tell. Pressure him and give him happy feet, and those stats. will sink like a torpedoed ship. Worse even for this youngster, is the fact that after UGA, they play Alabama and LSU in a row. Welcome to big time SEC play young man.
UGA’s offensive output in the second half, is the direct result of how Bobo thinks he is suppose to manage a game. In a post game interview, he stated that if they get a lead in the first half, they try and slow down the offensive play calling in ther second half and basically leave it up to the defense to keep the win. This conservative play calling will get you killed in the SEC. Think Spurrier, Saban, or cheesestick are going to sit back and try and hold onto a lead in a game. Bobo, is just not my choice as the leader of the offense. When you have a team down, you don’t give them a chance to get up, you step on their back and keep them down.
Another thing I noticed and I think it explains a lot is that Murray is starting to get gun shy in the pocket because he has gotten sacked and battered a lot. This offensive line, will give the runners some holes , but they are not made for holding a block all day long, while Murray waits for a WR to get open 45 yards downfield. We need to use more slants, short out passes and short passes over the middle. We do not need to go for broke every other play. If you want to keep the other team off the field and keep them from scoring, keep the offense on the field with high probablility plays, instead of bombs. Run the heck out of the defense on the other side and make them stop you that way. A coach is suppose to play to the strengths of his players, not try to make the players conform to a style they are not suited for. WR’s like Mitchell will be just as successful, taking a pass, 10 yards downfield and then getting his yards after the catch. I hope that we utilize this fine bunch of young talent better in the future.
GO DAWGS and GATA
Honky Talkin'
October 4th, 2011
10:57 am
Georgia fans need to lower their expectations. You are a 2nd tier SEC team with Tenn, Miss St, Kentucky, etc. You are not in the category of Alabama and LSU….deal with it.
RawDawg
October 4th, 2011
11:28 am
UGA not in the same category as LSU and Bama, hmmm?
In the past 10 years, UGA has met with Bama and LSU 10 times, and come away with 6 wins.
2001
No games
2002
UGA 27 – 25 Bama W
2003
UGA 10 – 17 LSU L
UGA 37 – 23 Bama W
UGA 13 – 34 LSU L
2004
UGA 45 – 16 LSU W
2005
UGA 34 – 14 LSU W
2006
No games
2007
UGA 26 – 23 Bama W
2008
UGA 30 – 41 Bama L
UGA 52 – 38 LSU W
2009
UGA 13 – 20 LSU L
2010
No games