UGA’s Gilliard, Walsh receive player-of-week honors from SEC
Two Georgia players received honors from the SEC today for their performances in Saturday’s victory at Tennessee.
Inside linebacker Mike Gilliard was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Week after a huge game in which he had a career-high 12 tackles, as well as a sack (for minus 14 yards), 2.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup.
It was the latest in a series of strong performances by Gilliard, who stepped up in the wake of injuries to inside linebackers Alec Ogletree and Christian Robinson. Gilliard, a junior, has led the Bulldogs in tackles for the past four games.
Placekicker Blair Walsh was named the SEC’s Special Teams Player of the Week after making both of his field-goal attempts at Tennessee. His 35- and 23-yard field goals accounted for all of Georgia’s scoring in the first half, which ended in a 6-6 tie.
The game was a bounce-back performance for Walsh, who missed six of 12 field-goal attempts in this season’s first five games after missing just five of 45 over the two previous seasons. He is the SEC’s active career leader with 63 field goals, the eighth most in league history.
In addition to the SEC honor, Gilliard also was named the College Football Performance Awards’ National Linebacker of the Week.
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237 comments Add your comment
dawg4ever
October 10th, 2011
3:51 pm
Gilliard is the real deal at inside linebacker, and when Tree gets back, if Robinson starts instead of Gilliard then that says all you need to know about UGA and it’s coaches. Good teams play the best players that make plays when they are given the opportunity. Gilliard and Herrara have both done that, sorry, but Robison is not one of UGA’s top 3 inside backers. He never makes plays, he hesitates instead of making plays, and i don’t give a crap about he is guy that calls the defensive sets. Hell, last time i checked that is why we pay Grantham $750,000 per year. Get Robinson and his lack of playmaking ability off the damn field, and play the guys that make plays. So far that is Gilliard, and Herrera, and until Tree shows he can make plays on the field, I’m sorry, Robinson and Tree have done nothing on the field, especially Robinson. If Tree shows up great, if he doesn’t move him back to safety, and play the 2 playmakers UGA has at inside backer. Richt and his staff have always played their favorite, and hardly ever the best player. We will see if this loser mentality continues when Tree gets back, and if Robinson starts ahead of Gilliard, it will be a total disgrace. Time will tell about this staff, but until now, they have proven they don’t make the right decisions when it comes to talent evaluation. UGA fans can only hope this loser mentality will end now.
Dawg fans please RELAX
October 10th, 2011
3:52 pm
I think we have a really good team…congrats to gillard and walsh and CMR this week.
Rabid Dawg'84
October 10th, 2011
3:54 pm
Retro, Tech offered almost every UGA recruit and would love to have had them. Don’t be stupid and vote for Obama again.
HECKLE
October 10th, 2011
3:56 pm
This blog is sooo boring when UGA wins!!!!!!!!!
Where's The Talk???
October 10th, 2011
3:57 pm
DawginLex…you are talking about the wrong play. I’m not talking about the hit on Rogers when he caught the ball (and by the way that wasn’t Boykin who made that hit). I’m talking about the play in the first quarter on the QB sneak. The name calling is classy by the way.
South GA Dawg
October 10th, 2011
3:58 pm
I will say you are uninformed because this is a UGA blog and we dont give a crap about Tenn. So go play somewhere else idiot!!!!
Dawg fans please RELAX
October 10th, 2011
3:58 pm
lol @ HECKLE i feel you but i love it though.
Where's The Talk???
October 10th, 2011
3:59 pm
Dawg Gone…and the whole world knows that what I am saying is true. UGA fans always want to go back after the game, erase their teams mistakes, and say “we should have won”…or “we beat ourselves.” Other fans have the same right.
South GA Dawg
October 10th, 2011
3:59 pm
I must have missed that cheap shot. I will have to watch that 1st quarter again.
Where's The Talk???
October 10th, 2011
3:59 pm
South GA Dawg…this is a NEWSPAPER site….not a real UGA blog. Again, the name calling just proves how classy some UGA fans are.
Dawg fans please RELAX
October 10th, 2011
4:00 pm
I’ll take a lifetime of boring blogs if they mean W’s
Where's The Talk???
October 10th, 2011
4:00 pm
South GA Dawg….7:40 of quarter one. Go watch it and then come back and tell me what you think. I can’t wait.
South GA Dawg
October 10th, 2011
4:04 pm
I will say that I hated to see Tenn QB go down with that injury. He is a very talented player and will bounce back. I do wish him a speedy recovery. It is never good to see anyone get injured. I thin Tenn will be fine though, that back up QB has some ball skills. I think they can beat SC. Not sure about AL and LSU though.
Dawg Gone
October 10th, 2011
4:05 pm
@Where’s The Talk??? still crying I see and the whole world doesn’t know that either, for the love of all that’s holy grow up, move on.
South GA Dawg
October 10th, 2011
4:05 pm
I will watch it and let you know, I am not a fan of cheap shots.
Tideman
October 10th, 2011
4:06 pm
Good Game for the Dawgs & Gillard . I don’t see anybody else in the East beating you guys this year. Looks like you will make it to SEC Championship game. Hope we can make it also. Good luck & don’t overlook Vandy. They have a good defense.
LHarding Dawg
October 10th, 2011
4:06 pm
Actually the cheap shot artist known a Nick Fairley was flagged in the GA/AU game and the National Champion game.
DawginLex
October 10th, 2011
4:08 pm
You are on here spewing crap and you want to talk about class?
Who made you the Blog judge?
Winners win
Losers whine
You are a whiner
Which category do you fit in?
Destin Dawg
October 10th, 2011
4:08 pm
Grantham’s Junk Yard Dawg Defense is good and improving….. Come on Richt call the plays.. Bo Bo coach the QB’s”…. Malcome… step up man we need a strong RB to spell Crowell…. Grantham’s Junk Yard Dawg defense is good and improving… as we expected.. Ollivetti and Lakatos.. wins with tough DDEEEEE are never pretty… Go dawgs !!!
Destin Dawg
October 10th, 2011
4:10 pm
Go Dawgs… beat Vandy
Momentum
October 10th, 2011
4:10 pm
UGA is gaining steady momentum. If we can keep it rolling, then we’ll be upstart in SEC title game. Then, anything can happen. I don’t care if it’s Alabammer or Geaux Tigers. It won’t matter. Those teams could run into a hot UGA team and given a few fumbles, turnovers, penalties, injuries to key players at those schools, then we might pull the unimaginable. SEC champs!
McDawg
October 10th, 2011
4:11 pm
great D again
too bad about Bray as we will need him down the road when UT plays USC
Dawg48
October 10th, 2011
4:11 pm
@ dawg in lex I’m not a fan of firing bobo either. But would love to see ralf friegien calling plays in athens
phil
October 10th, 2011
4:16 pm
What’s the deal with you illiterates on here arguing about take away mistakes, win the game?
A loss is a loss is a loss….We’re good at that much of the time in recent years.
We couldn’t beat SC because we couldn’t get out of our own way. We only beat UT because it’s apparently God-awful as it turns out. If they had anything, they would’ve run us out of the stadium.
Boise kicked our teeth in because they’re good and we aren’t. Against solid teams, we have no chance.
Coastal Carolina (lol), Ole Miss, Miss St and UT (this year) are far from being good teams or anything approaching tests…
3rd down and 57? Remember that? good grief.
Fire CMR!!
Where's The Talk???
October 10th, 2011
4:16 pm
Thanks South GA Dawg…
@DawginLex…I’m sure you are stinging from being called out on the wrong play, but for you to imply that I am a whiner is disingenious. I’m only doing the same thing that UGA fans do all the time. I am no worse than UGA fans.
I also don’t have to be a Blog judge to call out bloggers who call names.
phil
October 10th, 2011
4:17 pm
Momentum
October 10th, 2011
4:10 pm
UGA is gaining steady momentum. If we can keep it rolling, then we’ll be upstart in SEC title game. Then, anything can happen. I don’t care if it’s Alabammer or Geaux Tigers. It won’t matter. Those teams could run into a hot UGA team and given a few fumbles, turnovers, penalties, injuries to key players at those schools, then we might pull the unimaginable. SEC champs!
******************
Are you completely and totally insane? Out of your ever loving mind?
We can’t even compete with those 2 schools, much less beat them. Wake up and try to think and act rationally…..
Where's The Talk???
October 10th, 2011
4:23 pm
LHarding Dawg…Fairley was flagged once in the UGA game…but not the other two times that UGA fans say he took a cheap shot. So where do you stand on the “un”Boykin cheap shot on Rogers?
Dawg48
October 10th, 2011
4:25 pm
Phil afraid to take on the big boys! We are gaining momentum we are getting better if you want to keep on being down about the team and complaining stay at home!
phil
October 10th, 2011
4:26 pm
Who cares about the cheap shot. Good for him. Maybe we’ll get in a few more and start winning some games that matter for a change….
Where's The Talk???
October 10th, 2011
4:26 pm
@phil…there you go….keep talking. Every time you do you prove my point. Ha ha
phil
October 10th, 2011
4:28 pm
Dawg48 – I didn’t say we weren’t getting better. We are.
But we’re still a long way from being a good football team. Wish it was different but it isn’t.
Put down your beer and your cigs and try thinking rationally for a minute and maybe you’ll understand.
duronimo
October 10th, 2011
4:29 pm
How often do we see someone subbing for an injured “star” who’s actually better than the person he is replacing. Some players sort of just blend in during practices but when the game starts something clicks inside and they play at the highest of levels. That’s why I’m an advocate of getting a lot of people into ball games to ferret out these diamonds in the rough. Vassar looked pretty good as well.
phil
October 10th, 2011
4:29 pm
You have a point, where’s the talk? What is it as I don’t read every word on here as you apparently do….
GADAWG13
October 10th, 2011
4:30 pm
Please Georgia shut Tennessee down. The PAss Interference they called was correct, the ball was palyred and the defender was not looking and ran into the reciever therfore pass interference, that has always been called, you may not like it but it happened, get over it Georgia won the game by shutting down Tennessee’s offense, this Defense is a very good one, and By the way Georgia scored 20 where do you come up with 11, Stupid you are.
phil
October 10th, 2011
4:30 pm
Fire FG…
Dawg48
October 10th, 2011
4:32 pm
@ Phil I don’t Drink or smoke
phil
October 10th, 2011
4:32 pm
GADAWG13….
Please, I’m begging you, take a remedial course in English before you ever post again. You’re a total embarassment to those of us who actually graduated from UGA. Rehab is also an option you might consider.
Choke
October 10th, 2011
4:33 pm
First off, Hmm’s post was pretty funny, even if it was troll.
Second, everybody shouldn’t get ahead of themselves. Make no mistake: Tree is the best athlete on that defense (w/ the possible exception of Jarvis Jones). He didn’t get to play much in the Boise State game, but he was constantly in on the action. He’s definitely better than Gilliard and Herrera at ILB. BUT, I do agree that Gilliard is better than Robinson. I’ve never been a big Robinson fan. He’s talented, and his tackling has improved drastically, but he’s still only an average tackler. He plays soft. The coaches are in a better position to judge how important his intangibles are to the team, but in his absence, Gilliard and Herrera may have closed the leadership gap. Neither of those guys seems to have any trouble being in position to make a play. W/o claiming to know the exact scheme the Dawgs were running at the time, Robinson appeared to be out of position when Rivera ran that drag route to the 1 yd line.
phil
October 10th, 2011
4:33 pm
Dawg48 – Fair enough.
Where's The Talk???
October 10th, 2011
4:35 pm
Phil…you are a bit late to the party. Go back and read. I don’t have the time to hand it to you on a silver platter.
@GADAWG13…yes, the score was 20-12. You win a prize. Again, I am only using the same logic UGA fans do after they lose (or didn’t win impressively enough).
Dawg48
October 10th, 2011
4:36 pm
Thanks phil
Choke
October 10th, 2011
4:38 pm
As for the officiating, it was pretty bad. UGA got away w/ at least one PI, but I think Herrera recovered Lane’s fumble early in the game, so that’s even. I know the announcers were complaining about the Tenn’s PI call against Orson, but that was crap. #9 was holding onto Charles’s jersey, not just making fair contact at the 2nd level. SEC officiating crews are notoriously bad, though.
phil
October 10th, 2011
4:40 pm
Where’s the Talk? – Sorry, bud, I don’t care enough to go back and read whatever the senseless drivel is…
As for the officiating, please. It was two not very good teams playing and we prevailed, in spite of ourselves. Let’s leave it at that and hope we can beat Vandy this week.
Where's The Talk???
October 10th, 2011
4:41 pm
Choke…fair enough. However, UGA got away with 2 PIs (one should have been a TD). There was also the “no-call” at the five on the long Bray pass. AND the announcers even said that two of UT’s PIs should have been called. Point is, if you are going to call questionable PIs, then do it to both teams.
Where's The Talk???
October 10th, 2011
4:42 pm
Phil…If you don’t care to “go back and read whatever the senseless drivel is,” then how about now commenting in the first place?
Where's The Talk???
October 10th, 2011
4:42 pm
not commenting
phil
October 10th, 2011
4:46 pm
Thanks for your blog police contributions, Where’s the talk, but I’ll decide for myself what to read and when to say something….
Although I will agree completely with you about the general idiotic, brainless nature of the typical Dawg fan on here….an embarassment to the school, most of em….
GADAWG13
October 10th, 2011
4:47 pm
@wherethe talk, I was asking for the logic of where you get the 16- 11 score when the score was 20-12. Tennessee did not score 16, take it for what you like but yall are grasping, Tennessee will be a good team in a couple of years, they were left in bad shape by Kiffen and Dooley is doing what he can to fix it, but Ga need that win and got it, bad calls and all, went both ways. The USC game you keep talking about was all turnovers no referees made those GA did and lost, i live with it, we could have won but didnt, move on and GA is doing that by getting better every week. I am now looking at this weekends game no tohers win the one you got this week and then move on
JAWJeRDAWG
October 10th, 2011
4:49 pm
Where’s The Talk???
“Point is, if you are going to call questionable PIs, then do it to both teams.”
Now that’s a point of twaddle! Would make for some interestingly unfair football, I expect.
Where's The Talk???
October 10th, 2011
4:51 pm
Phil…I am not the blog police…you can say what you want when you want. You might not know what you are talking about, and it might make for an uninformed post, but be my guest.
Having said that…I do think we are on the same page with regard to most UGA fans.