UGA expects OG Kolton Houston to have his eligibility restored
ATHENS – Georgia coach Mark Richt remains vague about the “NCAA issue” that kept Kolton Houston sidelined all last season. But as evidenced by Houston’s regular presence with the No. 1 offense at left guard during spring camp, the Bulldogs obviously expect to have him for the coming season.
“We anticipate him to be able to play, but it’s not set in stone yet on him,” Richt said.
Houston
Houston is listed as a redshirt sophomore in Georgia’s spring media guide, even though he has not played since he has been with the Bulldogs. The Buford native was redshirted in 2010, his initial year of eligibility, then appeared to be a rising star in 2011. He was listed as backup to Kenarious Gates at left guard heading into preseason camp.
But by the time the season began, Houston had dropped off the depth chart. Richt has never referred to Houston as “suspended,” only that he was ineligible due to “an NCAA issue.” Requests to interview Houston have been denied since last fall.
The NCAA can suspend student-athletes from competition for one full year for a positive test of one of its random screens for banned substances. But The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Freedom of Information requests for documentation regarding the status of Houston’s NCAA eligibility have been denied by UGA citing federal laws that protect students’ academic and medical privacy.
Richt remained evasive when pressed on the issue again Thursday.
“What did we say it was?,” he asked rhetorically. “I forgot how much I’ve said so far.”
Reminded by another reporter of his standard reply, Richt laughed. “Yeah, NCAA issue. That’s what it is, an NCAA issue.”
Nevertheless, it’s clear the Bulldogs are getting Houston ready to play. During the short times the media is allowed to view practice, Houston has been lining up at left guard with the No. 1 unit.
Lee
Junior Dallas Lee, who is also a Buford product, started seven games at guard (and five at left guard) before breaking a leg against Florida this past season. He seems to be working more with the No. 2 unit.
“[Offensive line] Coach [Will] Friend is rotating the lineup around pretty good, so I wouldn’t say Kolton [Houston] is ahead of Dallas [Lee] right now,” Richt said. “On any given day or in any given rotation he may be in there and Dallas may be with the 2s. But they’re moving back and forth.”
So far, Richt likes what he’s seeing out of both players. The 6-foot-5, 291-pound Houston was an 2009 AJC Super 11 selection and an Under Armour High School All-American coming out of Buford High.
“We think Kolton can play,” Richt said. “He’s got a ways to go but, again, and I say this to the team a lot, I’m not that worried about who the starters are. I’m worried about how many guys are ready to play football for Georgia in the Southeastern Conference. That’s what I’m hoping these guys can prove to us. All those guys are fighting for that.
“Do I think Dallas can? Yes. Do I think Kolton can? Yes. We’re working our way through some of these other guys. Gates has already done it. Chris Burnette has already done it. So we’ve got guys that can do it.”
The Bulldogs are having to replace three starters off last season’s offensive line: left tackle Cordy Glenn, center Ben Jones and right tackle Justin Anderson. Currently the first five are Gates at left tackle, Houston, sophomore David Andrews at center, Burnette at right guard and sophomore Watts Dantzler at right tackle.
“We have high hopes for Andrews,” Richt said. “Right now he’s the No. 1 center. If he can get it done that will help us a lot, free up a guy like Burnette to stay at the guard position. We wouldn’t have David line up at anything but center at this point. But he’s doing a great job as far as knowing what to do and working on communicating and everything that has to be done. Next to the quarterback he’s got the toughest job there is as far as recognizing things, communicating things and doing it really fast.”
The second unit has JUCO transfer Mark Beard at left tackle, Lee at guard, walkon Hugh Williams at center, Hunter Long at right guard and Austin Long at right tackle.
OTHER NOTES: Richt said quarterback Michael Tamburo of Suwanee has decided to give up football. The junior out of North Gwinnett injured a knee but will remain with the team in a “student assistant” capacity. . . . Junior wide receiver Rantavious Wooten was unable to practice Thursday due to a pulled leg muscle. . . . The Bulldogs began their “competitive phase” of camp, as Richt called it, with their first contact practice of the spring. The coaches kept score of drills that pitted the offense against the defense and “the defense won the day,” Richt said.
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182 comments Add your comment
The Commissioner
March 23rd, 2012
4:07 pm
8-18; 13-1; or whatever your handle is:
Get a job…
Better yet, become a head coach. Richt’s not that great but I bet he’s better than you. While anyone can stay on a blog forever while they Google stats all day long and copy / paste them on blogs so they can feel powerful and important. It’s not working…I promise.
When it’s time for Richt to go, great! But until then, you’ll take your medicine like the rest of us.
Paddy
March 23rd, 2012
4:15 pm
We have every reason to be worried about Mizzo for our first game and on the road. It was not a proud moment for us last year in the dome against Boise St. They played us like we belong in the CAA.
AltamahaDawg
March 23rd, 2012
4:36 pm
It really wasn’t a big deal. As you can see going back and reading my point I was basically agreeing with you, and that was merely using the last SEC game (last time) to point out that there are more factors involved than just his personal performance in winning the SEC this year.
I guess another way to put it is
” Until (they) clean that {total lack of rushing, missed special teams plays, drop wide open TD passes, etc} up, no way will we win the SEC.”
Irrespective of his performance.
NOW, the wildcard here, is IF you think that all of those problem will exist this year, then absolutely your statement is 100% correct. We cannot win the SEC with him making as many mistakes, AND all that too. (my second comment did agree with that).
old dog
March 23rd, 2012
4:57 pm
If the o-line improves, we are better (good, actually.) If not then a long year is coming….beating the bads and losing to the goods. Gotta win in the trenches in the SEC.
Paddy
March 23rd, 2012
5:26 pm
Our line play was below avg last season as almost all Dawg fans agree. we lost 3 strarters from that line. Would that not tell us that our line must be better this season. It does to me! In fact the line play was below avg for the last couple seasons. Plus we have depth now. Am I missing something?
Joey
March 23rd, 2012
5:27 pm
I like Murray and I think he is a tough, smart QB. I guess we will never know if it him, or the system he is in that causes his failures vs good teams.
DawgByte
March 23rd, 2012
5:56 pm
Can someone please give me a NCAA status update on Scrotavius Ballchinian?
Ron O
March 23rd, 2012
7:06 pm
His sitting was due to a class he took at Buford that was deemed by the NCAA as not acceptable
Down the drain again for UGA
March 23rd, 2012
8:16 pm
Mizzou 37, Georgia 17
bitter coach grantham
March 23rd, 2012
8:24 pm
the first page was littered with garbage from 13-1, bamma turd———enough trailer trash
——–kolton has been on reserve duty in noth africa, or sent back to high school???
———————–cant wait for the SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, we will stomp tusk–urrs
———————————————–48-2 dawgs, the little fart will then head to texas—-hahahahah
phil
March 23rd, 2012
11:46 pm
Maybe you boneheads will shut up after Missouri blows us out….
Then again, you never do learn.
Texas Dawg
March 24th, 2012
1:02 am
Ref Houston you know how the ncaa treats UGA it will probable be two or three weeks into the season if they clear him.It only took 3 days to get Newton ready to play.Good old NCAA
10-Win Seasons by Mark Richt Opponents
March 24th, 2012
7:40 am
10-Win Seasons by Mark Richt Opponents :
30-33 Lost 2011 Michigan State Outback
10-42 Lost 2011 LSU Georgia Dome
42-45 Lost 2011 USCe Sanford Stadium
21-35 Lost 2011 Boise State Georgia Dome
06-10 Lost 2010 Central Florida Liberty
31-49 Lost 2010 Auburn at Auburn
24-31 Lost 2010 Arkansas Sanford Stadium
30-24 Win 2009 Georgia tek at Atlanta
17-41 Lost 2009 Florida at Jacksonville
10-49 Lost 2008 Florida at Jacksonville
30-41 Lost 2008 Alabama Sanford Stadium
2005 Season was 8 years ago now this up-coming 2012 season. Why has Mark Richt finished in the AP Poll Top 10 only once since 2005 ?
March 24th, 2012
7:47 am
2005 Season was 8 years ago now this up-coming 2012 season. Why has Mark Richt finished in the AP Poll Top 10 only once since 2005 ?
Aaron Murray is not all america ? What a hose job. Absolutely the Best QB in the nation, Heisman Trophy, National Championship just wait 'til next year !
March 24th, 2012
8:12 am
NCDawg March 23rd, 2012 5:33 pm
“Having a veteran QB is only as good as what the guys around him allow him to do. If he makes a read and somebody botches the play he looks like an idiot.”
________________________________________
*holds onto ball too long, 56 sacks 27 Starts
*completes 59% passes, # 72 nation 2011
*23 fumbles 27 Starts, fumbles a lot
*22 interceptions 27 Starts, inaccurate
*1 yard 6 & half carries 27 games, not dual-threat
*0-7 vs 10-Win teams, gets heebie-jeebies, yips
*0-9 vs teams end season Top 25
*Tweets before Boise State kick their butts Dome
*Beer can last Spring Break pic
*Georgia tek buddy at FSU game partying
*Declared NFL, told think of him game on line?
*Key West pic this Spring Break
Who is it who really botches the plays ?
Aaron Murray ?
Mike Bobo ?
The OL ?
The RB ?
The WR ?
The TE ?
The FB ?
Will Friend ?
Mark Richt ?
Who is it botching the plays ?
Yeah, I would pretty much say that
“If someone botches the play, Aaron Murray looks like an idiot.”
Yep, if it is Aaron Murray himself who botches the play.
And, it always at the most important moment vs top teams.
flo-ri-duh
March 24th, 2012
9:41 am
LT John Theus, LG Kolton Houston, C Chris Burnette, RT Mark Beard, RG Kenarious Gates….. by the 3rd game this will be the starting lineup.
UGA-ALL-THE-WAY
March 24th, 2012
10:18 am
This team is gonna shock the entire College Football world come this season….Best Defense coming back and the Offense is gonna be amazing to watch…Very fast and high scoring
AltamahaDawg
March 24th, 2012
11:20 am
“And, it always at the most important moment vs top teams.”
And that is obviously the exact time to pull your best chance to win and insert a less capable back-up.
Kingdaddy
March 24th, 2012
1:41 pm
Why don’t you UGA Haters go to your teams blog. Being a pessimistic tool and attacking EVERYTHING GEORGIA doesn’t make you anything other than an idiot being on a UGA blog. The post was about GA.s Linemen , not Arron Murray’s qualifications as a SEC quarterback. GT and Alabama Trolls are afraid of GA. this year. GT, I can understand, but you idiots at Alabama make it your business to come on a GA.blog badmouthing the Dawgs every chance you get. The only teams you need to worry about are the ones you have to play to get to us in the SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. I highly doubt you’ll make it…
Kingdaddy
March 24th, 2012
1:59 pm
UGA FANS
You need to get in groups and go on Alabama blogs and tell them what losers they are gonna be this year. THEY had no business playing LSU in the N.C. Game. Only the Saban butt-kissing media could have pulled that off. If the real truth was ever known, head would roll. Alabama bloggers have for a couple of months now, tortured GA.bloggers with blog after blog of negatives for no reason other than to discourage GA fans from a promising year. Give them a taste of their own medicine …
bitter dawgs fan
March 24th, 2012
2:19 pm
you cant visit bamma blog sites unless you have proff you live in a trailer park
——————-primary job at wal-mart, and part time work kill-in trees—hahahahahah
Kingdaddy
March 24th, 2012
2:32 pm
Why are Alabama Trolls so worried about Arron Murray? Even the best QBs struggle against SECDefences. That’s why you have a running game to win. This year UGAs run game will be second to none.SECw teams know this. Coach Bobo thinks he knows better than everyone else,but he’s DEAD WRONG. Defense and running behind a deep OL is what wins in SEC. PERIOD. A good ground game will take pressure off of Arron. MURRAY. If we throw less and run more, we’ll have less INTs. This will also control the clock and keep one of the Best Defenses in the nation fresh . Even Bobo should know this. I for one, don’t think Bobo knows his ashcan from a hole-in-the-ground …
Kingdaddy
March 24th, 2012
2:52 pm
Now that I got that out of my system, I will say this up-and-coming young OL will be the KEY to UGAs re-emergence of dominance in the SEC. We have to find a way to keep CTG because without his Defense, GA. will fail. Our OL is the key…
Hairy Dawg
March 24th, 2012
2:59 pm
Why the NCAA trying to keep us from reloading the OL. We got the talents and big men but NCAA got to get out of way. We reload OL and gets some experiences and then we capable of winning SEC that means BCS champs. We already loaded at QB, RB,WR and Defense. Now we just reloads OL and get nasty mean to win East and show that we own it.
Go Dawgs!
Can you handle the answer?
March 24th, 2012
4:07 pm
Why has Mark Richt finished in the AP Poll Top 10 only once since 2005?
Because Mark Richt is a 3rd rate coach, that’s why.
Any more questions?
ChrisATL
March 24th, 2012
4:37 pm
13-1/8-18,
Save 1,000 word posts and all your stats for a blog of your own. If anyone cares about your rambling they’ll go to it. If not, at least you didn’t waste hours of your life posting junk that 99% of readers just skimmed over. This is not exactly the proper forum for your self important essays.
NGD
March 24th, 2012
5:06 pm
UGA picks up commitment #9 for 2013: LB Johnny O’Neal(Ga.)
Kingdaddy
March 24th, 2012
5:54 pm
The SEC CHAMPIONSHIP is coming back to the East!!! GO DAWGS!!!
Brainiac(Dawg for life/Richt fan for life)
March 24th, 2012
10:06 pm
@ King Daddy:
Don’t hold back Bro. Tell us what you really think of Bobo.
Brainiac(Dawg for life/Richt fan for life)
March 24th, 2012
10:14 pm
@ King Daddy:
What the Bamatards post on here is no problem for me.
In order for something to be a problem one has to care about the problem. I treat most Bamas like I do 13-1 Fool, I just ride right on by their contributions. I do like to rattle their cages occasionally for entertainment.
A number of Bama posters are fine folks so let’s don’t lump all them in one group!!!!!!!!!!!
StackedDeck
March 24th, 2012
10:29 pm
GO DAWGS!! hooorrah!!
UGA / ‘74
Brainiac(Dawg for life/Richt fan for life)
March 24th, 2012
10:33 pm
@ Can you handle the answer?
Mark Richt gives his children more for an allowance than you gross in a year. He pays more to help out the lower salaried Assistant Coach’s annually than you paid for your 2-story Doublewide. He pays more income tax annually than your entire trailer park earns in salary each year, and he donates more to churches and charities than your entire family earns, including inlaws, annually.
The only thing you know about 3rd rate is that it is several notches higher than whatever your rate may be and I’m fairly certain your single digit IQ is not the only thing holding you back.
Just remember that CMR has 5 more years at well over $3,000,000.00 a year and after that the sky is the limit say for the following 30 years and we like it like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Things are good in DAWG NATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!