Bobo: Georgia’s offensive issues extend beyond tailback
RECRUITING: GEORGIA PICKS UP 2 COMMITMENTS AT ‘DAWG NIGHT’
Athens — To hear Mike Bobo enumerate Georgia’s deficiencies on offense is to realize that the Bulldogs problems on that side of the ball go much deeper than the recent dismissal of tailback Isaiah Crowell. Tailback, it seems, may be the least of their issues.
“Going into fall camp it’s going to be about trying build our identity, you know, who we are,” said Georgia’s offensive coordinator, who met with reporters Friday at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. “We lost three guys off the offensive line and we’re still trying to find those five to seven linemen that are going to play and help us. We lose our top two tight ends, we lose our top fullback, one of our running backs is now gone and [defensive coordinator Todd] Grantham’s trying to steal one of our receivers. So there’s some parts that we’ve got to replace offensively.”
Georgia’s coaches all returned from vacations this past week. The Bulldogs host their annual “Dawg Night” elite prospect camp Friday evening at Sanford Stadium. Seventeen of their 19 signees are on campus — signees John Atkins and Leonard Floyd failed to achieve freshman eligibility and are headed to prep school, according to multiple reports — and the rest of the team never left town. So now Bulldogs acutely focused on preseason camp. Players report for fall orientation and testing on July 31 and actual on-field practices begin on Aug. 2.
Clearly, there is much work to get done, particularly on Bobo’s side of the ball.
“I do think we’ve got enough guys to go out and be successful offensively,” he said. “That’s what practice is for, that’s what camp is for and that’s our focus: Trying to figure out who we are, what’s our best personnel group, what gives us the best chance to be effective offensively.”
Bobo confirmed that senior Richard Samuel will work “primarily” at tailback now that Crowell is enrolled at Alabama State. Samuel was slated to make a full-time switch to fullback before Crowell was arrested on weapons charges and dismissed on June 29.
Redshirt sophomore Ken “Boo” Malcome of Decatur was bracketed with Crowell for the No. 1 spot and will enter fall camp there. He was Georgia’s fifth-leading rusher with 174 yards in six games, most of it coming after he left the team only to return 24 hours later in late September.
“Ken grew up a lot last year,” Bobo said. “Obviously it’s been documented that he was struggling with whether he wanted to be here and stuff. But I think he got his attitude right about what he had to do and how he approached every day. When he got his attitude right his play started to improve. He’s in a good place right now with his attitude. I saw him the other day and he’s confident. He’s still got to prove it on the field, but I’m pleased with where he’s at mentality and with his attitude and how he looks. So I’m excited about him.”
Of course, everybody is eager to find out how much the incoming freshmen can contribute. Five-star prospect Keith Marshall of Raleigh enrolled in January and participated in spring practice while four-star recruit Todd Gurley of Tarboro, N.C., arrived in June.
“Keith being here in the spring is a big plus because he already has the system and the verbiage in his mind and he’s able to understand what they’re doing out here in the summer because he’s already been in the meeting room with Coach [Bryan] McClendon,” Bobo said. “Todd’s obviously going to be behind, but I’ve seen him over here a lot studying this summer. Both of them know the opportunity they have and they came here to play and get on the field and they’ll be given that chance.”
Grantham mum on suspensions
Georgia knows it will be without starting cornerback Sanders Commings for the first two games of the season due to a domestic violence arrest in January and acknowledges that cornerback Branden Smith will be facing discipline due to a misdemeanor marijuana arrest. But no one from the athletic association has confirmed multiple reports that All-America safety Bacarri Rambo and linebacker Alec Ogletree will miss multiple games for alleged positive drug tests this past spring. Grantham did not shed any more light on the situation on Friday.
“You have the media guide right there,” Grantham said with a grin. “Right now they’re all available.”
Pressed a short time later, Grantham said: “We’ll be ready to play with the guys that strap it up and wear the ‘G.’”
THIS & THAT: UGA finally confirmed that sophomore defensive back Quintavious “Cootie” Harrow has “left the team.” Sources familiar with the situation indicate his departure was academically related and occurred before Crowell was dismissed. Harrow was Crowell’s best friend and teammate at Carver-Columbus High and was a passenger in Crowell’s car when it was pulled over by police on June 29. . . .
Bobo said incoming freshman outside linebacker Josh Harvey-Clemons will be given a look at wide receiver during preseason camp. “Right now he’s going to start out on defense,” Bobo said. “But there will be some plan throughout the 28, 29 practices to give him some opportunities over there. We’re thin at receiver and they’re thin at the back end and a little at linebacker, so both sides would like to use him. We just need to see where he best fits the team. But I told him it’s up to you, if you make plays in practice they’ll be an opportunity to play in games.”
The tug-of-war between Bobo and Grantham continues for the services of Malcolm Mitchell, who will open camp at cornerback after starring as a wide receiver as a freshman. Bobo joked that Grantham was “trying to steal” Mitchell. Grantham responded Friday by saying Bobo “should be upset; I’d be upset, too.”
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139 comments Add your comment
Pj
July 13th, 2012
5:07 pm
I didn’t say Rome was a freshman – even though he is (redshirt). The Uga offense will rely on a handful of guys who are supremely talented but have little to no experience. I hope Murray makes this his last season and let’s Hutson and Lemay be the 2013 version of Greene/Shockley
Spanky
July 13th, 2012
5:12 pm
good post, Altamaha…
AltamahaDawg
July 13th, 2012
5:14 pm
75, Bobo’s qualifications aside, (or that you are quoting Chip’s, not Bobo’s words, who actually said he thought they WOULD be successful) wouldn’t you say that PLENTY of highly qualified OC around the country are going to give interviews and explain several areas that they are concerned about this year on thier squad? Are they all admitting the job is just too big for them, if that is your criteria?
Spanky
July 13th, 2012
5:20 pm
Pj, point taken..”not proven”. He will have a biiiig year, though! Hard to believe we used to be “Tight End U”, but he could have skills to bring it back! I do believe Theus will back the hype,…we’re gonna need him to!!
Topp Dogg
July 13th, 2012
5:28 pm
I thought all the idiots in Tuscaloosa got blown away and yet Tide Roll survived WTF.
7576DAWG
July 13th, 2012
5:29 pm
AltamahaDawg
I just want Bobo to act like he is not lost all the time. For example, Marshall and Gurley have been running back’s most of their life. Play both in the first game. Marshall will be able to know more of the play book than Gurley but you can make up one or two play’s for Gurley and run it . Make it simple so we will have fresh leg in the second half. Gurley can learn the blocking schemes latter but play him.
I agree with another blogger who said we have Bennett and Conley as Receivers. Both have excellent hands and should get the ball more than 2 times a game.Rome will be great if you throw to him. I think we under utilize some of our best players.
This year if we will concentrate on making the defense as strong as possible ,with just a little help from the offense , the offenses main concentration should be not hurting us with mistakes and turnovers , Georgia will win 12 or more games.
Delbert D.
July 13th, 2012
5:30 pm
Without those key DBs, it’s going to be really tough going in the Missouri game. That offsets one of Mizzou’s early season weaknesses, WR. They are likely to get back to going to T.J. Moe a lot more than last year, and the new kid, 6-6 220 WR Dorial Green-Beckham is going to stretch the field, if nothing else.
North Georgia Dawg
July 13th, 2012
5:34 pm
Conley and Bennett have great hands and don’t drop many passes. Conley made a huge catch late in the Florida game and Bennett made a great catch against the Gators as well. They were both freshmen last season, though Bennett had been redshirted.
North Georgia Dawg
July 13th, 2012
5:36 pm
Missouri is going to complete some passes with those guys out, no question about it. I just think the dawgs will make them one-dimensional with some great run defense and MIssouri no longer having Josey at running back. I know Lawrence is good as well, but our run defense is tough on almost everybody we play. It was great in the bowl game.
Joey
July 13th, 2012
5:42 pm
I made a promise last week to myself to stop reading the moronic, embarrassed of his own team, “tide roll” and scroll to the next post. It’s easy. Best thing I’ve done to date on these blogs.
It’s amazing that a football program of the stature of UGA has to move players around from offense to defense – and back – seemingly every season.
Snoop Dawg
July 13th, 2012
5:52 pm
The biggest issue with the offense is Bobo. I mean, er uh, Bozo…
dawg4u
July 13th, 2012
6:05 pm
@Pitbull – so the Braves are “boring and fading.” They are four games out of first with their best pitcher on the DL at the all star break. They may be boring at times but not fading. One more starting pitcher may put this team in the driver’s seat for the division crown.
harooki2
July 13th, 2012
6:16 pm
These are the facts:
UGA has had a winning tradition (.612) since 1910 with the exception of those 10 years coached by Johnny Griffith and Ray Goff. Mark Richt has improved that record by 21%. In fact, Coach Richt was preceded by 23 other coaches over the course of 108 years. His record is almost 50% better than the average of all these coaches spanning all these years. When you consider the variables in that statistic, this is a telling accomplishment.
The modern era started in 1939 with Wally Butts, followed by four others before Richt. None of them has achieved like him. Butts falls far short. His record is a good .615, but his teams were ranked in only six years (less than a third of his tenure). That compares to Richt’s record of a great .741, with his teams being ranked at year-end 82% of the time.
Johnny Griffith was a bad joke, and Ray Goff was probably overwhelmed. Their statistics are easy enough to find without thrashing them here.
Jim Donnan might have at least eclipsed Dooley had he learned to keep his mouth shut, but his personality didn’t stand a chance. At a good (almost great) .678, he spent 80% of his time ranked at year end.
So, what about Dooley? In my opinion, he went from good to great (.715) in 1980 when “you know who” took college football downtown for three years. Without Herschel he was a good .667, but even with Herschel his teams were ranked at year-end only 12 times (less than half of his term). He overcame this shortcoming with longevity of 25 years to earn greatness.
Fact is,
• Mark Richt has a better winning percentage record than Vince Dooley had with or without Herschel Walker.
• Vince Dooley had a .648 record in his first 11 seasons; Mark Richt has a .741 record in the same time span.
• Richt’s worst downturn has been a two-year stretch of a .538 winning record. Dooley had a two-year losing run of .476, and Butts’ team went through four straight losing years (compiling a .350 record).
• Dooley’s record spans 25 years; Richt has less than half of that under his belt. His sustainability compared to Dooley’s remains to be seen.
Safe to say though, Mark Richt is Georgia’s best coach at this point by any parameter we use to measure football coaching. Given that he has already exceeded the average tenure of head coaches, he could be considered great if he quit tomorrow.
He stacks up very well with UGA’s past, but what about compared to others?
Mark Richt’s record is better so far than the all-time records of our biggest rivals – Alabama, Tennessee, LSU, Auburn, and Florida. None match Richt’s .741. In the past 11 seasons only one of them, LSU, has had a better record (8% better) than UGA. During this time, he has more SEC wins than any SEC team except LSU; and he is tied for second to LSU in SEC titles (including division titles).
The biggest boys – Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and USC – have better records during Richt’s time than UGA (with Texas being only 16% better) , but they don’t over the life of their programs. Not even Notre Dame’s all-time winning percentage of .732 surpasses Mark’s record.
I won’t even mention that this man pays his employees out of his own pocket. Or that he may have saved the lives and given the gift of loving privilege to two young people who might have perished otherwise. Or that he spends mountains of his money and time helping needy people. Or that not one shred of dishonor has been uncovered about his character since he has been our coach. There has been no probation and no wins vacated by scandal. His image value as a University of Georgia representative is immeasurable but substantial without question. All this and the clear impact he is having on the character of the young men he mentors.
C’mon, people. Let’s all quit whining about the little dips that happen in the inevitable, natural bio cycles that influence our lives. If you can look at these statistics, along with all the unselfish intangibles, and think that Mark Richt ought to be fired, then bless your heart.
kingster
July 13th, 2012
6:23 pm
There you go TOP DAWG, always joking about TECH not beating you, I haven’t heard you joke about TECH not getting all their recruits qualified for school, just about every year two or three 4 or 5 stars studs cann’t fill out their paper work because they have pupwood between their ears., listen to Murfdawg at 3:56, he makes a valid point, check out the character and school habits before you look at his stars, then maybe you can get your complete recruiting class in and like the coach at South Carolina knows, every year the season starts out with 4 or 5 subspended (ms) players.Interesting, the university President should wonder about this every year, its not a fad.
Benadawg
July 13th, 2012
6:38 pm
I for one am worried that again we are too young in too many positions, My god is it never gonna end? No solidarity on the O-Line, a different set of backs every year, at the very least i think Garners act is stale and Mcclendon is in over his head…Freshmen kicking game, shaky special teams, can all the talent gel in time to be taken seriously by the “gods” of espn and stay in the top 5….someone has to be responsible for the actions of our players, yet no coaches have been called out, so i am doing it Mcclendon and Garner get your act together or be gone, period.
georgie boys
July 13th, 2012
7:05 pm
Out of all these statistics and ballyhoo. How many national championships has Richt won? Huh, how many? Thought so. That’s what makes you georgie boys look like such idiots!!!
Chris
July 13th, 2012
7:30 pm
@ Patrick
Saban has 3 national championships. Richt has zero.
That is the only stat you need to know. You need to stop drinking that coolaid because Richt will never be on the same level as Saban and this is coming from a DAWG fan.
Here’s another fact for you. Saban would have fired Bobo in 2009 and Saban would have won at least one national title, possibly two at Georgia over the last 7 years.
If you call a coach that thinks Bobo is a great O.C. the best coach in the SEC, then it is obvious that you know absolutely nothing about football.
If Bobo wants to talk about how Georgia has problems on offense that extend beyond tailback, he needs to look no further than the closest mirror.
SEC Observer
July 13th, 2012
7:58 pm
With the 2 signees ineligible this means that UGA nets out only 17 from last February. Also, the Dawgs have no more than 70 on scholarship and a depleted O line.
With all of that and now with the suspended players, the Missouri game suddenly looks like a very dangerous game for Georgia.
Rick James
July 13th, 2012
8:06 pm
Josh Harvey-Clemons to start out on defense..Some guy who calls himself A Person Smart Enough to Know or something like that said that his granfather was making him pack up a leave Athens because he was in the car with Crowell…What do Tech fans know about UGA football?
whiskey breath
July 13th, 2012
8:36 pm
I might be the only one in Ga that is aware of it.
Richt not only is phony Christian, but he has some a hole in him too.
Go back and watch the blackout halftime. He talks to Holly Rowe like
She is one fat, stupid woman.
GoForTwo
July 13th, 2012
8:52 pm
Any chance we could sign Saban’s daughter to a scholarship. We know she has good genes and looks like a fighter. Could use her in the secondary in the early going.
Rossville Bulldog
July 13th, 2012
9:19 pm
Branden, Alec, and Isaiah didn’t do anything wrong. What an idiotic policy to test kids after spring break. It’s like shooting yourself in the foot. I don’t think Sanders did anything wrong, either. I don’t think he hit that girl, but was probably trying to get her attention or correct a bad attitude. Look at the losses of good players pile up! Enough! Change the policy now. Weed is harmless.
Sussex Club
July 13th, 2012
9:26 pm
Could have been 14-0 if Bobo
had used fragile Crowell in the secind half only like Vince Dooley would have.
Sussex Club spell check
July 13th, 2012
9:27 pm
second half only
Sussex Club
July 13th, 2012
9:29 pm
Could have been 14-0 if Bobo
had used fragile Crowell in the second half only like Vince Dooley would have.
Parade of Knuckleheads
July 13th, 2012
9:32 pm
ALCOHOL KILLS, not weed.
Smitty
July 13th, 2012
10:07 pm
Whiskey breath….put your bottle down.
Smitty
July 13th, 2012
10:09 pm
Whiskey breath….you are the only one….
Mobile Dawg
July 13th, 2012
11:01 pm
Good lord, the ignorance, and denial, on these blogs never cease to amaze me. Mike Bobo is no more of a “good” OC than I would be, but I don’t think I would be any worse.
onceadawgalways
July 13th, 2012
11:12 pm
Why, Why, Why do you people thta hate UGA so much constantly read and post on these blogs. U bash Richt, bash Bobo who by the way has been a DGD his entire adult life. Look at the numbers. His offenses are pretty good. Do I wonder about some of his calls? Yes. But it is very easy to second guess from the couch and not be in the heat of battle. We just have never been able to put it all together. Good QB young line. Vetran line Young QB and so on and so on. This is the SEC folks. CMR statistically is the best coach UGA has ever had. Two SEC champs, 4 apperances. 2 of those losses were to the eventual national champs. 2 times we were the hottest team in the nation at the end of the season and didnt get a chance to play fo the NC because of what I believe is a slight national bias toward UGA. Give the coaches and the players a break, quit bashing the team and be Real dawgs. I remeber the late 80s and eraly to late 90s do you? And fans of other teams get off the blogs and do somthing useful with your lives.
Joey
July 13th, 2012
11:21 pm
Patrick, you are one, insane, Mark Richt, lover.
Do you really think anyone will remember those stats you posted?
Does it matter a whit that Mark Richt has a better winning % than Nick Saban, WHEN SABAN HAS WON 3 BCS TITLES DURING RICHT’S TERM AT UGA?
If you think so, you are a freaking idiot, or you are Kathryn Richt.
Joey
July 13th, 2012
11:26 pm
Mobile Dawg, I’ll admit Bobo sometimes doesn’t seem to have a good rhythm in playcalling. But just remember, he is running Richt’s offense, and Richt has a headset on, during every offensive play.
How easy would it be for Richt to over-ride Bobo on a called play?
IT IS RICHT’S OFFENSE.
zoli
July 13th, 2012
11:54 pm
@harooki2–nice work and well said. I just solidified the Trip to Missouri. Columbia will be a sea of red flowing through it! Hoping to leave that state w/ 2 W’s over the weekend.
Cmdawg99
July 14th, 2012
12:12 am
We are stil trying to figure out who we are. Wow, after how many years?
Fair n Balanced
July 14th, 2012
12:56 am
Well, Bobo has already begun his list of excuses. But honestly, the solution is recruiting for what is needed to build a team. Let the stars emerge at Ga. Seems like all the HS stars that sign with Ga go somewhere else….jail and then Lsa, Alabama St….. Build a team in the trenches and then see who emerges as a star in the backfields.
aladawg
July 14th, 2012
12:57 am
Tide Roll, you better be happy that you have a half assed football team because that is the only thing that this backward egg sucking state has to offer. I know because I live in this back assed illiterate state. All a person has to do to know the state of Alabama is full of morons and idiots is to listen to one of Paul Finebum’s raido show. Yes, Finebum because is is also an idiot.
aladawg
July 14th, 2012
12:59 am
he is also an idiot.
mark
July 14th, 2012
5:34 am
patrick, you have been drinking way too much of the punch! Our O=line last year was only good at eating. too fat to get down in there stance properly, Bobo is in way over his head as is Richt ,Grantham needs Mitchell ,Bobo wil waste him if he has him,TODD GRANTHAM FOR HEAD COACH!!
Bama Rolling
July 14th, 2012
7:02 am
All of this comparison of CMR and CNS is irrelevant. CMR has an impressive record over his tenure at UGA. The question UGA fans have to ask themselves is this good enough? The big issue this year is your scholarship player count is around 70 which is where Fulmer was his last year at Tn. Uga cannot afford anymore issues or injuries early on this season. You have a great QB and I am sure the coaches will figure it out.
AAAAA Athens Bail Bonds R Us
July 14th, 2012
7:31 am
Any more arrests?
ugab
July 14th, 2012
8:46 am
CMR will lose 4 to 5 games
ugab
July 14th, 2012
9:02 am
No CBs, no safeties, no OL.. There will no running game. The DL will be good.. Boykin will be misses..Must be some good pot growing in the hills of athens
ugab
July 14th, 2012
9:03 am
Weed will make the players more focused.. Alot of these players smoked in high school with the coaches before games. lol
sapelodawg
July 14th, 2012
9:48 am
Bobo and St. Mark managed to make Stafford look average ………… nuff said.
LogicalUS
July 14th, 2012
10:07 am
“No CBs, no safeties, no OL.. There will no running game.”
UGA doesn’t need OL\RB\CB\S or anything else…haven’t you heard… There is a “new focus and attitude” in Athens for the 7th consecutive year. Unfortunately for UGA beaners that new is pretty much the old and quickly disappears right after the 1st kickoff of September.
UGA is going to be a slightly worse edition of the team from last year. 2nd half defensive collapses against the better teams, certain loss at SC and a horde of UGA fans cheering like demons for LSU\ARK to help them back into another SECCG where they will get destroyed again after “winning” the 1st quarter leading to predictions for another preseason MNC for the 2013 season.
UGA had better find a way to do something this season because they have to rejoin the SEC next season.
claytondawg
July 14th, 2012
10:12 am
Bobo’s comments do not tell the real problems: his coaching/recruiting and Rodney Garner’s coaching/recruiting. Which in lies the total problem: Richt is not taking responsibility to FIX the real problems. Nuff said this Saturday morning.
Pitiful
July 14th, 2012
10:34 am
Complain, complain, complain… you guys won the SEC East last year and now you want to fire Richt and who knows how many more on that staff. Pitiful.
steve
July 14th, 2012
10:47 am
Plenty of talent here. The main issue is Bozo….I mean Bobo.
New title comes along with raise, contract extension for D-coordinator Todd Grantham | UGA sports blog
July 14th, 2012
11:04 am
[...] coordinator Mike Bobo each had 30-minute interview sessions with beat reporters on Friday. Bobo talked about backfield adjustments being made in the wake of tailback Isaiah Crowell’s dismissal and other challenges facing the [...]
Paddy
July 14th, 2012
11:05 am
tide roll……….you don’t need probable cause to search Crowell’s car. He gave his permission to search. If he had said no maybe some of this would not have happened. You never seem to get anything right! This whole blog nation laughs at you every time you post. What a Maroon!!!!!!!!!