Archive for November, 2011

NOTE: These are just my notes from Wednesday’s practice but I thought folks might want to comment on Georgia’s uniform situation. . . .

ATHENS – Georgia coach Mark Richt made a promise to his players before playing Boise State in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. If they made it back to the Georgia Dome as SEC Eastern Division champions, he told them then, they could wear their Nike Pro Combat uniforms in the SEC Championship game.

Thankfully, he said on Wednesday, the Bulldogs did not hold him to his promise.

“A couple of them actually said, ‘don’t do it, Coach,” Richt said with a grin.

As a result, “Georgia are red with silver britches,” Richt said following Georgia’s last full-contact workout on Wednesday. “No Pro Combats. Nobody even asked me.”

Georgia hasn’t performed well in recent years when it deviated from its traditional uniform of red helmets, red jerseys and silver pants. They lost to No. 5 Boise State 35-21 while wearing the all-red Pro Combat uniforms on Sept. 3; …

Continue reading Bulldogs pass on chance to wear Nike Pro Combat uniforms again »

Aaron Murray has passed for 14 TDs and 2 interceptions in Georgia's last four games. (UGA photo by Elizabeth Wilson)

ATHENS — Greetings everyone. Sitting here waiting for Georgia to take Woodruff Practice Fields for another SEC Championship workout. I’m working today on story about Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray.

I’ve been taking a look at some of the best UGA quarterbacks of the past and some of the best quarterbacks from around the nation this season to try to get an idea of where Murray might stack up. A consensus preseason All-SEC selection, Murray appears to be the most likely choice for postseason All-SEC quarterback. If so, that’s quite an accomplishment for any quarterback in this league but especially for a sophomore.

I asked Mike Bobo, Georgia’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (and a former UGA quarterbaback himself), where he thought Murray might stack up since he’s been around.

“I still think he’s so young,” Bobo said. “He has a tremendously high …

Continue reading Georgia QB Aaron Murray in line for All-SEC honors as sophomore »

ATHENS — Just finished covering Georgia’s weekly media day session at UGA’s Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. Bulldogs coach Mark Richt held his weekly press conference followed by interviews with selected players.

This was the 13th such session I’ve attended this season and probably the most lively from the standpoint of the players’ comments. They’re most definitely focused and motivated for Saturday’s SEC Championship Game against No. 1-ranked LSU.

First, I’ll give you a quick synopsis of the highlights with regard to the news of the day, then I’ll offer up a transcription othe comments from Richt and some selected players.

• Richt didn’t go into much detail but it looks like freshman tailback Isaiah Crowell (left ankle sprain) is going to be ready to play. He practiced without limitations on Monday and is expected to go again today. The Bulldogs are not making any of the tailbacks available this week.
• Richt was much more vague about backup tailback Richard Samuel, saying only that …

Continue reading Richt, Bulldogs respectful of LSU, but not intimidated »

Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones (L) may have inadverently threw down a challenge to LSU when he talked up the Dogs' defense on Monday. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)

ATHENS – It was a simple question that was posed to Georgia’s Jarvis Jones during a teleconference call with reporters on Monday. The sophomore outside linebacker was asked if he thought the Bulldogs’ defense was somewhat overshadowed by LSU’s and how he thought the two units stacked up.

Jones answered it quickly and honestly.

“I mean, everybody praises LSU defense, but I know we’ve got a pretty good defense,” said Jones, the SEC’s leader in quarterback sacks with 13.5. “We’re not cocky at all. We’re just going to play. We do our job and get after it on the field. We like having fun. We love playing football. We’re aggressive. We play just as well as them. A lot of people don’t give us credit [for] how we play. I think we play two different styles.”

Then came the line that caught everybody’s attention.

Said …

Continue reading Jarvis Jones thinks Dogs’ defense just as good as LSU’s, ‘if not better’ »

Welcome to championship week. Raise your hand if you expected Georgia to be in this position back on Sept. 11th. That was the day after the supposedly devastating 45-42 loss to South Carolina. To his credit, Bulldogs’ coach Mark Richt did, as his comments after that game indicate.

Since then the Bulldogs won 10 straight, culminating with Saturday’s 31-17 win over Georgia Tech to conclude the regular season. Now it gets real interesting!

Georgia’s season began with a rather lackluster loss to No. 5 Boise State in the Georgia Dome. Now the Bulldogs head back and will face an even bigger challenge in No. 1-ranked LSU in the SEC Championship Game. No one’s giving them a chance to win. The early lines I’ve seen have the Tigers favored by 11.5 to 13 points. So Las Vegas is expecting a rout.

What I think is most interesting about Saturday’s game is the apparent lack of bearing it will have on LSU’s BCS national championship hopes. Virtually every prediction out there has the Tigers …

Continue reading Outcome of SEC Championship won’t impact LSU’s BCS opportunities »

Video report from Georgia Tech beat writer Ken Sugiura and I following Georgia’s 31-17 win Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium. . . .

Continue reading Video: Goals still to be had for Bulldogs, Jackets »

Where is Georgia going to play in a bowl game?

Excellent question, and one that’s impossible to answer at this point. Now if you couch it to ask, where might the Bulldogs go bowling?, we can give that one a go.

Much is going to depend on the outcome of today’s game between Georgia and Georgia Tech, and other rivalry games as well. Suffice it to say, a Bulldogs’ win — which would be their 10th in a row –  puts them in a very favorable position. However, a loss to the Jackets followed by another one to LSU makes Georgia a bit of a problem for the bowl bosses.

Regardless, Georgia should end up in one of these five bowl games:

• Allstate Sugar Bowl, New Orleans, Jan. 3: The Bulldogs get here only if they beat LSU in the SEC Championship Game. They would be representing the league as SEC champion, then could hang around six days in New Orleans to catch LSU and/or Alabama play in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 9.
• Capital One Bowl, Orlando, Jan. 2: The Cap One …

Continue reading Bowl scenarios: It’s anywhere from Sugar Bowl to Chick-fil-A for Dogs »

ATHENS – The saga that is Georgia’s tailback situation continued on Wednesday as coach Mark Richt would not concede that either Isaiah Crowell or Carlton Thomas will be available to play against Georgia Tech on Saturday.

Richt met with the media for the final time this week before Wednesday’s late-afternoon practice. He said that Crowell still hasn’t gotten clearance from trainer Ron Courson to return from a sprained ankle the limited him to two carries against Kentucky this past Saturday. Richt said it would come down to how much work Crowell would be able to get in against the scout team Wednesday and Thursday.

“It’s very similar to what we did with Malcolm Mitchell and his hamstring,” Richt said. “We’re just trying to get him as ready to go as we can without putting him in a competitive situation. The most important part is the scout work, the game plan and simulated work. So we’ll see how much work he gets.”

Meanwhile, Richt remained cryptic regarding Thomas, who served …

Continue reading Notebook: Isaiah Crowell’s availability remains uncertain »

Ken Sugiura, the AJC’s Georgia Tech beat writer, and I both chat with Noah Coslov of CineSport about Saturday’s game between the Yellow Jackets and the Georgia Bulldogs in Atlanta. As you might expect, we each predict different outcomes. . . .

Continue reading Video: Opposing views about Saturday’s game between Dogs, Jackets »

I wrote a story for the print section on how Katharyn Richt helps her husband Mark Richt get through the trials and tribulations of being a college football coach. As usual, there was a lot of good stuff that I couldn’t fit in. I’ve included some of the leftovers below and the blog will give you a forum to talk about the story itself. Also, scroll to bottom or links to more stories we’ve done for Georgia-Georgia Tech week.

Katharyn Richt:

• On 0-2 start: “It was a struggle, especially when you know you’ve got a good team but one that may be young and needs to grow up. He believed this team had great senior leadership and he went into the season with high hopes. But even after South Carolina, I was surprised that he had as positive an outlook as he did. I think in that game, although South Carolina came out and won, Mark saw in our team and in Aaron [Murray] and in the leadership and everything, he saw what the future was and he was encouraged by it. He said he’d seen it in …

Continue reading More on family helping Mark Richt navigate tough start to win 9 in row »

THEY SAID IT

Following is a transcription of comments made Tuesday by Georgia head coach Mark Richt and various players during the the Bulldogs’ weekly media gathering at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. . . .

COACH MARK RICHT

Opening statement:

“We have Georgia Tech coming up. Coach (Paul) Johnson and his staff have done a fantastic job during the time he’s been there. They are really an outstanding football team and one that we really have a lot of respect for and one that we know we have our work cut out for us. Anybody who has ever played Coach Johnson’s offense, they know it’s an awful lot of work to get done in a short amount of time. We’re thankful that we don’t have school this week. It helps us to get in a few more walkthroughs and a few more meetings.

“The toughest part for us it to get the scout team to try to vaguely resemble it. It’s hard to simulate what we are going to experience during the game. That will be one of the greatest challenges of the week as …

Continue reading Richt: ‘Can’t imagine the atmosphere being anything but electric’ »

Georgia has already displayed recognitiion of its 2011 SEC Eastern Division championship on the wall of the team meeting room at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. (AJC)

UPDATE (6:20 P.M.) Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said he expects both Carlton Thomas and Isaiah Crowell to play at tailback. . . .

ATHENS — The question posed to Georgia coach Mark Richt was a simple one. His answer was not.

Richt was asked what the Bulldogs’ tailback rotation might look on Saturday against archrival Georgia Tech. In a nutshell, he either legitimately does not know or is not saying.

“I don’t know the answer to that,” Richt said at his weekly news conference Tuesday at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. “We have to sort through it. It’s just not cut and dry. I don’t know who is going to start. I don’t even know who’s going to play 100 percent. But we’re working our way through it and we’ll know more by the end of the week. I don’t know what I’ll announce, but right this second I do …

Continue reading Georgia drags major tailback dilemma into Georgia Tech game (UPDATED) »

UPDATE: All three flags — UGA, state of Georgia and U.S. — were at half-staff in front of Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall on Monday. Just inside the double doors, a hand-painted portrait of Larry Munson sat on an easel in the entry way. Otherwise, it was business as usual inside the complex. The Georgia Bulldogs met late morning and early afternoon, practiced into the evening and ate a Thanksgiving dinner together there on Monday. Afterward, head coach Mark Richt said the team was planning a way to pay tribute to Munson their uniforms this Saturday against Georgia Tech, most likley some kind of decal for their helmets, but he wanted it to be a surprise.

ATHENS – Buck Belue and Larry Munson forever will be linked because of Munson’s famous Belue-to-Scott call from Jacksonville, Fla., in 1980. But Munson actually made an impression on Belue well before he played football for the Bulldogs.

“He was a legendary guy even when I was a kid,” said Belue, quarterback of Georgia’s 1980 …

Continue reading Larry Munson’s calls have forever linked him with his UGA subjects (UPDATED) »

Most of the following provided by UGA Sports Communications . . .

WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT LARRY MUNSON

“His face is on the Mount Rushmore of the Georgia Bulldogs. He will forever be the voice of the Georgia Bulldogs and one of our most beloved icons and treasures. His legacy will live forever in the hearts of the Georgia people.”

– Jeff Dantzler, 2011

“Ask any sports fan in the South for the name of a college announcer other than his own and the chances are the one he or she will know is Munson.”

–Loran Smith, 1986

“I’ve never known a college announcer who means more to his school’s alumni and friends than Larry Munson. He delivers a passionate, emotional broadcast that has endeared him to all Bulldogs and it has also made him the toast of the state.”

–Mike Faherty, General Manager, WSB Radio, 1986

“Nobody that I know does play-by-play like Larry. He has a certain way of following the ball and his pwers of concentration are unbelievable. He captures the feeling of the moment. …

Continue reading More on Larry Munson: Comments, calls and his stories »

Larry Munson called Georgia football games for more than 40 years. Nobody loved the Bulldogs more. (AJC photo)

UGA officials have confirmed that legendary UGA broadcaster Larry Munson passed away Sunday night in Athens. He was 89. He died from complications of pneumonia, according to his son, Michael. Funeral arrangements have not been determined. Following is an obituary written mostly by former AJC staffer Tony Barnhart with some small contributions from me. . . .

From AJC Staff

ATHENS – For a few unforgettable days in 1941, it seemed fate had plans for Larry Munson that had nothing to do with the Georgia Bulldogs. After all, once you’ve shared the stage with Frank Sinatra, it’s hard to dream of night games in Starkville, Miss.

As a high school senior in Minneapolis, Munson was, by his own account, a “decent” piano player who loved jazz. He was in class when the phone call came. The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, in town and scheduled to play 28 shows over the next week, had lost …

Continue reading Legendary UGA broadcaster Larry Munson dies in Athens at age of 89 »

What players and coaches on both sides were saying after Georgia’s 19-10 victory over Kentucky (transcript provided by UGA):

Georgia coach Mark Richt:

“I left the South Carolina game [when Georgia was 0-2] encouraged. I wasn’t encouraged that we lost, but I was encouraged that as we moved forward that we could win. I knew we had good leaders, good players and good coaches. We had to protect the ball and get after it. It’s hard to win nine in a row, especially when you need every single one to get back to the Dome. I’m just so proud of them right now.”

“Today was definitely a team victory. Everybody had to do their part. I thought the special teams played extremely well. The offense made enough plays and the defense did their thing.”

“Brandon Harton had to come through for us. Even though the ball came out a few times, he had over 100 yards. And Ken (Malcome) did a few things. Overall, the tailbacks protected pretty good. As the game went on, they made some plays.”

“Our defense …

Continue reading Richt: ‘It’s hard to win nine in a row — period.’ »

My video report from Sanford Stadium following Georgia’s 19-10 win over Kentucky. It wasn’t a thing of beauty but it got the Bulldogs where they want to go — the Georgia Dome for the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 3.

Continue reading Video: Perfect ending to an imperfect day for Bulldogs »

Three storylines

Bus rolls on. The Bulldogs (8-2, 6-1 SEC) arrive at Saturday’s game against Kentucky (4-6, 1-5) having won eight straight games since dropping their first two to No. 5 Boise State and No. 10 South Carolina. The winning streak has been made possible, coaches and players say, by the team adhering to the its credo this season, “Get on the Bus,” as in “get on or get off because we’re rolling on.” That attitude has put Georgia in position to clinch the SEC East title and championship game berth with a victory.

Senior Day. Twenty-four players and four student managers/assistants will be recognized in Senior Day ceremonies before Saturday’s game. Among the seniors that will be playing their last games between the hedges are six starters: offensive linemen Justin Anderson, Cordy Glenn and Ben Jones; fullback Bruce Figgins; defensive end DeAngelo Tyson; and cornerback/kick returner Brandon Boykin. They’re 32-17 over the past four seasons.

Mark Richt’s milestones. By …

Continue reading Preview: Georgia’s ‘bus’ rolls on seeking 9th straight victory vs. Kentucky »

My video chat this week with the newly-married, pecan-pie-loving Noah Coslov of CineSport. We discuss how Georgia’s championship pie should be divided up in terms credit for the turnaround this season. . . .

Continue reading Video: Three reasons the Bulldogs are going to win SEC East »

When Isaiah Crowell has stayed on the field, he has proven extremely effective. He has 821 yards rushing despite missing five quarters of play for disciplinary reasons. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)

ATHENS — There has been a lot to complain about in Isaiah Crowell’s first season with the Bulldogs. The freshman tailback has been suspended twice for disciplinary reasons, has had some fumbling issues and has frustrated many with his inability to remain in games. But as Georgia prepares to face Kentucky in a game that could clinch the SEC East on Saturday, it is evident that Crowell is also pretty darn good at what he does on the football field.

Crowell (5-foot-11, 215 pounds) is on pace to become the Bulldogs’ first 1,000-yard rusher since Knowshon Moreno had, 1,400 yards in 2008. With 821 yards rushing, he has already surpassed Washaun Ealey’s production from a year ago (811). He is  currently third in the SEC with an average of 91.2 yards per contest.

Getting to the …

Continue reading Despite missteps, Isaiah Crowell on pace to run down 1,000 yards »

ATHENS — Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said Tuesday he’s focusing on nothing this week but preparing his unit for Kentucky’s offense and leaving contract negotiations to his agent.

Grantham has 14 months remaining on a three-year contract he signed to become Georgia’s defensive coordinator in January of 2010. His annual salary of $750,000 ranks among the highest in the country for assistant coaches.

Grantham’s agent/attorney, Michael Harrison of Stevenson Ranch, Calif.,  told the AJC on Sunday that Grantham wants a contract extension. Harrison said he has already “gotten inquiries” from some NFL teams about the possibility of Grantham returning to that league and that he has “gotten feelers” indirectly from colleges gauging Grantham’s interest in becoming a head coach. Ultimately, however, he said Grantham wants to remain in Athens.

Grantham was asked about his agent’s comments on Tuesday.

“You hire people to do a job for you and I let him handle that …

Continue reading Georgia’s Todd Grantham focusing on Kentucky, not contract extension »

A transcription of comments from Georgia head coach Mark Richt and selected players from the Bulldogs’ weekly media day Tuesday at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall . . .

Head Coach Mark Richt

Opening statement:

“Kentucky has an awful lot of Georgia boys on their team. I know they’ve had tremendous success recruiting our state. They have gotten a lot of great players out of our state. I’m certain that will be a big motivation for those guys. You wish you could sign all the guys in your state, but there’s just not enough room with the current rules. . . .

“Coach (Joker) Phillips is a guy we have a lot of respect for. When we watch their offense, we really like what they do. Schematically they have tremendous concepts and do great things and have great balance. So we know we have our work cut out for us. We’re excited about the possibility of winning the SEC Eastern Division championship. That’s the goal: win the game and if we win that game we’re in. We know what’s at stake. I think …

Continue reading Georgia’s 4th SEC Championship Game berth on line versus Kentucky »

Georgia head coach Mark Richt (L) and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham have proven to be a pretty effective tandem for the Bulldogs this season. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)

ATHENS — It’s reasonable to assume — and we have to assume since Athletic Director Greg McGarity is reserving comment — that Georgia will extend the contract of head coach Mark Richt after the season  if the Bulldogs get past Kentucky on Saturday to secure a spot in the SEC Championship Game.

Richt has only two years remaining on his agreement following this season and it would only seem logical that UGA would lengthen that by at least three or four years sometime after the season.

But there’s another contract matter with which the 15th-ranked Bulldogs are going to have to deal if the season continues to progress as it has.

The three-year contract that Todd Grantham signed to come to Georgia to coach its defense expires on Jan. 31, 2013. And while that’s still 14 months away, what the Bulldogs’ …

Continue reading Contract extension likely for Mark Richt, but what about Todd Grantham? »

My video report from Sanford Stadium after Georgia’s 45-7 win over Auburn. The Bulldogs improved to 8-2, 6-1 SEC. The defending national champion Tigers fell to 6-4, 4-3.

Continue reading Video: Georgia finally puts together complete game »

Transcript, provided by UGA, of comments from coaches and players after Georgia’s 45-7 victory over Auburn:

GEORGIA

Coach Mark Richt:

“We just played great. I’m trying to think of another game where we played this well in a situation that was so important to us. We knew South Carolina won its game, so we had to win. We played a top-25 team, a very good football team, and we played solid. I am as proud as I can be of our coaches and players. It’s a great night to be a Georgia Bulldog. … We had tremendous execution. I know we haven’t done that for an entire game like we did tonight.”

“We finished well. We had a lot of first downs when we decided to run the ball and chew up the clock. First downs like that are a tribute to the offensive line, but it also takes the fullbacks and the tight ends, everybody. To have two guys go over 100 yards is a tribute to everyone.”

“I thought the most impressive play of the game was when Quintavious Harrow had that knock-’em-back, …

Continue reading Richt: Harrow’s hit ‘most impressive play of the game’ »

Georgia legends Bill Stanfill, Jake Scott and Mike Cavan ham it up in the Dan Magill Pressbox before Saturday's Georgia-Auburn game. (AJC photo by Chip Towers)

ATHENS – Greetings from Sanford Stadium on yet another beautiful Saturday afternoon. It’s about 65 degrees and sunny here today. Aside from some frigid winds last week early in Georgia’s homecoming game against New Mexico State, I think that’s a perfect 10-for-10 on nice days for football games.

The No. 15-ranked Bulldogs play No. 20 Auburn here today in a game of great significance. With South Carolina apparently taking care of business against Florida in Columbia (Gamecocks lead 17-12 late in the fourth quarter), the scenario as it is shaping up right now is that a Georgia loss here today eliminates it from the SEC East race. Of course, a victory keeps the Dogs in first and will set up a potential next week at home against Kentucky.

But enough of that. We have plenty of time to weigh in on the important matters of …

Continue reading UGA legends Jake Scott, Bill Stanfill ham it up before Auburn game »

My video chat with CineSport’s Brian Clark regarding Georgia’s status as it prepares to face Auburn on Saturday in the Oldest Rivalry in the Deep South. . . .

Continue reading Video: Dogs’ Crowell, Mitchell back in time for ‘South’s Oldest Rivalry’ »

Blair Walsh, who has missed 10 of his 23 field goal attempts this season, has gotten plenty of advice on fixing his slump. (AP photo)

ATHENS — Technically, Blair Walsh doesn’t have a kicking coach. Not at Georgia anyway.

The Bulldogs don’t include a kicking coach or even a special teams coordinator among their NCAA limit of nine assistant coaches.

But that doesn’t mean Walsh doesn’t get advice. For that, Georgia’s senior place-kicker has endless resources.

Through high school, Walsh trained under Nick Gancitano of the Nick Gancitano Kicking Academy in South Florida and Walsh still talks to Gancitano regularly about kicking. But Walsh hears from plenty of other experts as well.

“Nick Gancitano is a guy I refer to as my coach, but I’ve had a lot of guys reach out to me and talk to me about kicking throughout my entire career,” Walsh said this week. “I talk to them about the ups and downs of the job and they give me words of encouragement or advice or tell me if they see …

Continue reading PK Blair Walsh getting lots of advice amid worst slump of career »

News release from UGA Sports Communications announcing the signing of three prospects on Wednesday, the first day of the NCAA’s early signing period:

University of Georgia basketball coach Mark Fox announced on Wednesday the signing of three in-state high school seniors to national letters-of-intent to attend UGA and play next season for the Bulldogs: Kenny Gaines, a 6-4 guard from Atlanta; Charles Mann, a 6-6 guard from Alpharetta; and Brandon Morris, a 6-8 forward from Lithonia.

Gaines, at 6-4 and 190 pounds, is currently beginning his senior season at Whitefield Academy in Smyrna. As a junior last season he averaged 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in leading the Wolfpack to a 23-4 overall record. Whitefield Academy reached the Georgia Class A Final Four last season after reaching the state championship game in Gaines’ sophomore year.

He is rated as the nation’s No. 20 shooting guard prospect by Scout.com and the #24 shooting guard by Rivals.com. ”Kenny is …

Continue reading Georgia inks 3 basketball prospects on opening day of early signing period »

Following is a transcription of comments from Georgia coach Mark Richt and various players from Tuesday’s media luncheon at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. The Bulldogs (7-2, 5-1 SEC) play host to Auburn (6-3, 4-2) on Saturday . . .

Head Coach Mark Richt

Opening Statement . . .

“We all know Auburn is the defending national champions. They have impressed me quite a bit, especially how they have fought to win a couple of fourth quarter battles, some very close games that they have prevailed in. Even game one, I remember watching a little bit of that on TV as we were getting prepared to play Boise State. It looked like Utah State had won the game and went up 10 with just a couple of minutes to go. Auburn scored, got the onside kick, and scored again. You can’t do that unless you have a special team, and you can’t do that unless you really prepare for those types of moments. That’s great coaching.

“Coach (Gene) Chizik has done a wonderful job at Auburn. They play hard, they are …

Continue reading Q&A: Richt says faith helped him endure early-season criticism »