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
Paddy
July 14th, 2012
11:11 am
RossvilleDawg=Neanderthal @9:19
Frank
July 14th, 2012
11:19 am
Give me a response. redshirt all freshmen football payers. Must complete one full academic year before competing.
earlysigningperiod Aug. 1 through Aug. 15.
Bernie Matt
July 14th, 2012
11:41 am
I hate the approach and philosophy of the Bobo’s and Richt’s. “If he makes plays in practice, then he’ll get on the field in the game”. That’s dumb as hell, when you recruit kids that are playmakers and supposed to be studs, put them in the damn game and then let them make plays! Nobody cares about practice highlights! That’s why the elite recruits are shying away from UGA. Bobo needs to develop a Grantham mentality or he needs to go! Period! The guys a loser, already looking for excuses for underperforming.
Go Dawgs!!!!
July 14th, 2012
11:43 am
If Cootie knew he was done at UGA when Crowell was caught with the gun, he shouldve told the cops it was his gun so Crowell would still be on the team. Then Crowell couldve just repaid him when he got to the NFL….happens all the time in “the Hood”….sounds like maybe they didnt know the gun was iin the car…who really knows??
bill curry
July 14th, 2012
12:00 pm
typical vince dooley poor mouthing. why didn’t sherman march thru athens instead of atlanta? the road is paved thru atlanta. uga is an example of public schools. ask about the bonuses given to the elite behind close doors.
Freehawk
July 14th, 2012
12:10 pm
UGA needs to run their All Wesleyan backfield.
michael
July 14th, 2012
12:20 pm
uga is so large it can afford problems, but what about the fans and those kids that do care about integrity?
Pitbull
July 14th, 2012
12:27 pm
Make Bobo and Richt suit up and play on the offensive line or at running back for 30 snaps against South Carolina and see how long it takes them to put together a recruiting class that includes enough quality offensive linemen and some running backs that can run downhill.
nuggets
July 14th, 2012
12:34 pm
Mark Richt has faced Alabama 4 times. He’s won 3 out of 4. Get back to your lawnmowing job, Bama fans.
senior citizen kane
July 14th, 2012
12:48 pm
Dawgs will be fine on the OL.
Dean Tate
July 14th, 2012
12:50 pm
I love it when Alabama fans slam Richt’s coaching. Other than Ga. Tech, Vandy and Ky., Richt has dominated Bama more than any other team
Captain
July 14th, 2012
12:56 pm
tide roll – what an idiot. Facts are never considered by tide roll, he has a theme and by God facts be damned, they do not factor. Carpenter was a Juco, we had Sturdivant on campus; we hotly recruited James, he committed to Ala then allowed himself to be manipulated by Kiffin and a booster from the area, turned to UT, after Kiffen left he tried to leave for Athens, caught up in a mess, has been unhappy since. We eased off Devine due to concerns with his body makeup, foot quickness, and ability to play in the SEC.
As for our QB, why an issue tide roll? Is it because unlike AJ McCarron who is covered with tattoos and earrings like a punk, Murray is clean cut has already earned one degree and headed towards a second? Quite an accomplishment in three years. Regarding our blonde Q B commit, are you unaware that Saban went to Utah to find his blonde, blue eyed QB of the future? Utah? Yes, the state of Utah. Might he be a Mormon?
Tide roll if you are a Bama fan it’s hard to understand why you worry about Georgia. Isn’t winning Champuonships enough to keep you busy? Why are you damning those of us who are inferior to the great Bama program? I would accuse you of piling on but you aren’t that intelligent. Find your rock numb nuts and get under it.
Son of Sammy Davis Jr, Jr
July 14th, 2012
1:02 pm
Spurrier was right about players being suspended for the first few games. What’s the Vegas over/under on the amount of Georgia players being suspended the first few weeks?
Doug
July 14th, 2012
1:07 pm
WHAT AN INSPIRING LEADER!
Wonka
July 14th, 2012
1:23 pm
Bobo is a joke…even in years we have had veteran oline we can’t get anything going on offense. O line problems are always his excuse. Don’t buy it. He doesnt have the mental capacity for the job
Steamer Lane Bulldog
July 14th, 2012
1:57 pm
I believe Will Friend will turn around the Offensive line problems. Searls was not as good as advertised. Although I will say Searls did have some very tough luck due to attrition.
As long as we have Grantham as the Defensive Coordinator, UGA will be great, on that side of the ball! I still wish we had a different Offensive Coordinator.
birdo
July 14th, 2012
2:01 pm
Smoke and mirrors, that is Bobo. Prado can play RB.
Steamer Lane Bulldog
July 14th, 2012
2:03 pm
Frank that is a great idea, but you would only have your best players, for 2 seasons.
Along with the money football brings in, that is the reason, it will never happen.
Dangerous
July 14th, 2012
2:20 pm
When is Bobo going to grow up and get his attitiude right! When is he going to do the things he needs to do to BE HERE and WIN. He is an absolute pop warner playbook fool.
Hardy Har
July 14th, 2012
2:28 pm
The AJC headline reads: “50 days until Georgia kicks off season”
And all God’s people said: WHO F’N CARES!?!
pfffft
July 14th, 2012
2:36 pm
U can “dog” tide roll all u want. Day right is awesome all u want. Think woulda coulda shoulda all u want. But have you won anything ot even been in the NC game some Hershel’s sophomore year? I didn’t think so. With the talent uga recruits every year a good coach and OC would have destroyed the sec and won a few NC’s to boot. End of story
‘Countdown to Kickoff’ unites Georgia Bulldogs and their fans | UGA sports blog
July 14th, 2012
7:40 pm
[...] Bobo: Offensive issues extend beyond tailbacks [...]
zbulldawg
July 14th, 2012
8:50 pm
It’s time to SHUT up & PUT up !! LET THE BIG DAWG EAT !!
LogicalUS
July 14th, 2012
8:58 pm
UGA has problems on offense..
average WR corp without threats to scare defenses, below average RBs and OL..a decent QB but little help so it is going to be another struggle on offense which is only going to expose Grantham’s overrated defense to more 2nd half collapses against the better teams.
Leonardo
July 15th, 2012
12:53 pm
He is right about one thing, the issues go all the way to MIKE BOBO and his play calling selection. If I can sit on my couch and accurately predict the play call then something is wrong. The offense has been broke for 3 seasons now!
takedowndawg
July 15th, 2012
1:27 pm
During this season, OL Friend’s offensive “techniques” and mammoth 6′5″+ linemen had better start opening some running holes for our backs greater than a FOOT wide like we in recent seen in recent history. Boise state’s undersized linemen did a number on our DAWGS in the last contest we played against them.. Maybe smart determined,,undersized linemen win most the time against big 6″5″+ 330 pd+ that do not apparently mentally adjust their individual strategies against their respective opponents across the line from them. ? Has UGA dumbed down their offensive linemen in favor of larger and larger linemen.?????? I do believe that we have maintained one of the largest OL group in the country but can’t seem to sustain a consistent running attack when we have needed to in close games where we have needed to burn some clock time. Am missing something here?
Mountain Dawg
July 15th, 2012
5:49 pm
Our only offensive issue besides Tailback is BOBO.
1953dawg
July 15th, 2012
7:20 pm
Why is this idiot allowed to give his opinion on what the issues are on offense. He is the worst O.C. in the SEC, and no one really cares what he has to say. Between his brain dead play calling and his head coach trusting him to make those calls, UGA can’t win a big game. To win a big game, you have to make plays in crunch time, and your O.C. has to make good play calls at crunch time. Unfortunately for UGA fans that hasn’t happened, and it never will with this clown calling a run up the middle with a 160 lb. running back on 3rd and 8. This guy is the biggest joke that has ever coached at UGA, and the bigger joke is the idiot that promoted him to O.C. with no previous experience. Richt&Bobo=Dumb&Dumber!!!
Brainiac(CMR/UGA fan for life)
July 15th, 2012
10:28 pm
@ Tide Roll:
There’s just no way we could survive without your intelligent contributions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Should you and your Single Digit IQ be running an NFL entity??????????????
Brainiac(CMR/UGA fan for life)
July 15th, 2012
10:36 pm
@pfffft:
That would be Herschel’s freshman year but that not the only thing you got wrong!!!!!!!!!!
If you don’t like things the way they are at UGA pick another team to contribute your negative BS to!!!!!!!!!!
SEC Football Morning Coffee: Georgia Adds to RB Depth | Sandy
July 16th, 2012
7:15 am
[...] Richard Samuel has bounced around at various positions during his career at Georgia. With the dismissal of Isaiah Crowell, the rising senior will work primarily at tailback, according to Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. [...]
SEC Football Morning Coffee: Georgia Adds to RB Depth | SEC Football
July 16th, 2012
8:34 am
[...] Richard Samuel has bounced around at various positions during his career at Georgia. With the dismissal of Isaiah Crowell, the rising senior will work primarily at tailback, according to Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. [...]
old dog
July 16th, 2012
9:10 am
Here we go again with the elephant in the room…….without an SEC caliber o-line, NO offensive coordinater is going to find top-tier success. We have let our recruiting at this most important area slip badly, and no offense to the kids we have but we are not on the top level. We bring in these great recruiting classes: super d-linemen, backs, receivers, etc. but let the o-line flounder around. This is nothing new; it has been a problem for awhile. Yeah, we send a few to the pro’s, but AS A UNIT the over-all talent has not been there. Until we get serious about the line, we will lag behind the top-tier teams (LSU, ‘Bama) that we wish to be in the leage with.
docdawg
July 16th, 2012
1:07 pm
Interesting to see different takes on the team`s outlook, lots of fans from other teams doing the neg/rant, pretty humorous actually, and very obvious most never played a down in their life except in their backyards, but this will be an interesting year in the SEC. Ga could be very good, so could SC, Fl should be a better team, west should be strong again, maybe Murray and Mettenberger meet in the big one, which will be fun if both teams make it. Can`t wait for Sept, always the best time of year.
Georgia Bulldogs: Mike Bobo Emphasizing Quality Over Quantity in 2012 | The Lady Sportswriter
July 16th, 2012
1:51 pm
[...] our best personnel group, what gives us the best chance to be effective offensively. (Chip Towers, “Bobo: Georgia’s offensive issues extend beyond tailback”, ugasportsblog.com, [...]
strickdawg
July 16th, 2012
8:46 pm
Is an Alabama fan really on here calling other schools racist? Tide roll, are you delusional? Sorry, that was a silly question to ask a gump. You must be on drugs. Do you not remember Gov. Wallace blocking the entrance to U of A so BLACK students couldn’t enter?
Bulldawg Bob
July 17th, 2012
11:21 am
Tide Roll, yeah Crowell is innocent. Right. Yeah, the “white” coaches are just keeping this young, black man down. Yeah Right…..
First of all, Crowell has been given every opportunity in the world because of his talent, an opportunity many other people never get whether they are white, black, yellow, red-skinned, ect. Second of all, Crowell has been given so many chances since high school and his first year at UGA, but he continued to break rules and get into trouble. He probably has been given more chances than the average person would get regardless of the color of his or her skin because he has so much talent.
As far as probable cause or he is innocent till proven guilty: he was riding around in a car that smelt like it had been Cheech and Chong short film with an unregistered, altered handgun on school property after midnight? WTF was he even doing in the car after the trouble he had been in all last year? If you are I had gotten stopped in the same circumstance, we would have been along with the vehicle searched, then arrested and charged too….no matter what color our skin was.
Oh, and before you judge UGA, CMR and the current coaching staff for final having had enough of a player whom they had bent over backwards for and finally dismissed him, I’m sure Chizik and Auburn were wrong to do so with Dyer? Heck, what about Saban and Bama: Darrington Sentimore, Keiwone Malone suspended indefinitely; Robby Green dismissed from Alabama. I am sure Saban was wrong about these 3 players. Of course, he might have been according to this article from 4 players that did not play in the 2009 for Bama: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704243904575630593438793612.html
‘Do-it-all Dog’ Richard Samuel coming through for Georgia again | UGA sports blog
July 17th, 2012
11:25 am
[...] Tailback not the only concern for offensive coordinator Mike Bobo [...]
DawgInTheBayou
July 17th, 2012
1:29 pm
Tide Roll- “Crowell will be proven innocent. No probable cause for a search. Nice going DAWGS. Is richt a vegtable or what. ”
I think you are misunderstanding how the criminal justice system works. You do not need probable cause to search if the driver of the vehicle gives concent to search the vehicle (Which Crowell did).
On a Seperate note,
CMR got rid of him because enough was enough. Richt recruits plenty of kids from bad backgrounds and sure, some get in trouble or kicked off the team, but some do make it and are successful. CMR is a class act that gives opportunities to players from all walks of life. But then, unlike many other SEC coaches, he holds them accountable. Tell me how any of this is a bad call by CMR. I don’t get the constant posts about why we shouldn’t recruit out of ATL, Columbus, or any “bad” areas”. I guess we should just stick to all those 5 star recruits that live on golf courses and are members of country clubs because we all know how pletiful those are. It is all just part of the process and luckily, CMR does it the right way.