UPDATED: Georgia’s Marlon Brown, Todd Gurley star in pass-happy scrimmage
Freshman tailback Todd Gurley is generating some buzz in the Bulldogs' preseason camp. He led the backs with 58 yards and a touchdown during Wednesday's scrimmage. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
ATHENS – Georgia held its first full-scale, controlled scrimmage of the preseason at Sanford Stadium on Wednesday. Head coach Mark Richt called it a “good scrimmage” with “some bumps and bruises, but I don’t think anything came from it.”
Following are the “unofficial official stats,” as Richt likes to call them. Below that are some comments from coaches and players and general observations.
RUSHING
- Todd Gurley 6 carries — 58 yards — 1 touchdown
- Ken Malcome 5-32-0
- Brandon Harton 7-25-0
- Kyle Karempelis 4-15
- Keith Marshall 7-11
PASSING
- Aaron Murray 12 completions — 17 attempts — 170 yards — 1 touchdown — 0 interceptions
- Hutson Mason 9-13-86-1-0
- Christian LeMay 3-6-44-0-1
- Parker Welch 4-7-18-0-0
- Faton Bauta 0-3-0-0
RECEIVING
- Marlon Brown 6 receptions — 103 yards — 2 touchdowns
- Tavarres King 4-66-0
- Rantavious Wooten 2-45-1
- Justin Scott-Wesley 3-43
- Michael Bennett 2-26
- Arthur Lynch 2-21
- Merritt Hall 1-16
- Taylor Bradberry 2-13
DEFENSE
- Connor Norman 6 tackles
- Cornelius Washington 6 tackles/3 sacks
- Devin Bowman 4 tackles
- Shawn Williams 4 tackles
- James DeLoach 4 tackles
- Amarlo Herrera 3 tackles/1 fumble recovery
- Ramik Wilson 3 tackles
- Corey Moore 3 tackles
- Bacarri Rambo 3 tackles/1 sack
- Sheldon Dawson 3 tackles
- Jordan Jenkins 1 sack
- John Jenkins 1 sack
- Josh Dawson 1 tackle for loss
- Sanders Commings 1 interception
- Branden Smith 1 TFL
- Jarvis Jones 1 PBU
KICKING
- Marshall Morgan 0-1 on FGs
GEORGIA COACH MARK RICHT
- On overall play . . .
“Overall the No. 1 units played well. The No. 1 offense actually scored touchdowns on their first three drives. The No. 1 defense didn’t allow but one first down on the first three drives. So I thought both No. 1 units were dominant, which I like this time of year.”
- On Gurley’s perfomance . . .
“Todd, he ran the ball well, but he had some good space provided for him at times where some other guys didn’t. I mean, Marshall had a great three-yard run one time but that doensn’t impress anybody unless you see it in person. I thought all the backs ran well really. There were a cpouple of times I didn’t think they hit it like they should have or could have. But it wasn’t bad.”
- On Brown’s performance . . .
“He has started hot. He’s been hot this whole camp. He’s been outstanding. We’re all just praying that he stays healthy and he does well. He really has had a great camp. We were saying this a year ago.”
- On pass protection . . .
“Offensively I thought the pass protection improved, even with the No. 2 unit. There were still some sacks but, as many times as we threw it, there were some times [the quarterbacks] could stand up in there and make their reads and make a throw. I don’t know if the No. 1 offensive line gave up a sack.”
- On all the sacks . . .
“I like it when my No. 1 defense is getting sacks. It doesn’t really bother me. You’ve got guys like [Bacarri] Rambo and [Alec] Ogletree, John Jenkins, Jarvis Jone and Cornelius Washington; you hope and expect to get sacks from those guys. If it’s you’re first unit getting beat real bad, then you get concerned. But I’m not too concerned because they’re going against some pretty good guys.”
WR MARLON BROWN
“It was from Hutson Mason. I was just kind of running down the middle of the field and he put it on me. I was wide open.
“At the beginning of the scrimmage I had a ball across the middle I should have caught. But I realaxed a little bit. It was an easy touchdown and I kind of dropped my hands a little bit and it went through my hands. After that I was like, Man, I’m not missing anymore passes today.”
SS SHAWN WILLIAMS
“[Alec] Ogletree got a good hit on short yardage on Todd Gurley. He hit him and I was like, ‘wow!’ I liked hjow it sounded. I got pretty hyped.”
Also, on freshman RBs . . .
“They’re doing real well. Both of them, Keith and Todd, they’re going to go I there and get the job done. They’re running the ball hard and not shying away from hits or blows. They’re trying to take it to you. I feel like we’re making them better an d they’re making us better.”
NG JOHN JENKINS
“It’s like a big tease, man. I’m just looking forward to the games. Just to be back in the stadium between the hedges gets you excited.”
INJURY REPORT
- S Marc Deas, hamstring strain, out
- DE Ray Drew, concussion, out
- OLB Dexter Morant, shoulder sprain, out
- CB Damian Swann, cervical sprain, no contact
- TE Hugh Williams, left hand surgery, out
TIDBITS
While special teams was not the focus of Wednesday’s scrimmage, freshman place-kicker Marshall Morgan missed on his only attempt of the day. Richt could not say how far it was but did say the line of scrimmage was inside the 20-yard line, so it was “relatively short range.” Morgan did make all his extra points, however. . . . “You can tell they’re nervous,” Richt said of the kickers. “They’re human. Everybody’s talking about them. I’m sure they’re feeling it a little bit.” . . . Walkon punter Adam Erickson, a redshirt sophomore from Athens, has established himself as the holder from placement kicks. . . .
Freshman John Theus worked with No. 1 offense at right tackle on the No. 1 offense’s first possession. He’s competing with sophomore Watts Dantzler for the starting job. . . . Starting RG Chris Burnette was back in action on Wednesday. He split time with Dantzler. . . . Richt said he would ask the coaches to begin formulating the travel list for their respective positions so they might begin to assimilate a 70-man SEC roster.
Richt said the plan is still for Mason, the junior quarterback from Marietta, to redshirt this season. But Wednesday’s play distribution once again underscored that he remains Plan B should Murray be injured. LeMay (3-for-6, 44 yards, interception) got less work and that was limited mainly to the second and third units. “We’re going to work all three of those guys a lot,” Richt said. “Like I’ve said before, if something happens today, Hutson’s No. 2. Things could change throughout camp, but Hutson simply has a tremendous feel for what he’s doing. He’s got another year under his belt compared to LeMay. LeMay is getting there as far as progress. But as of right now, if something happened to Murray it would be Hutson.”
MORE GEORGIA FOOTBALL
- Focus intensifies on Georgia’s kickers
- Jarvis Jones wants to ’seize the moment’
- UGA changes policy on injury info
- Rodney Garner talks roster management, Penn State and recruiting character
- Malcolm Mitchell all-defense for now, but double-duty starts soon
- Georgia clears Branden Smith to play in opening game
- Aaron Murray spends summer honing craft with football’s finest
- The Kolton Houston case
- The top five priorities of preseason camp
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253 comments Add your comment
Mobile Dawg
August 8th, 2012
9:50 pm
If you’re seriously looking for Richt to commit to a “physical”, “power” running game IMO you will be disappointed. I don’t think he has the patience for a running game. Only real running attack I remember was against GT in the game after WM was fired. And it worked quite well if memory serves me well.
Smitty
August 8th, 2012
9:51 pm
Tampa gator …you are only one year older than me…which makes you really old
Smitty
August 8th, 2012
9:53 pm
Tampa gator not really..I feel great
Dwags
August 8th, 2012
9:53 pm
Another win for the Dwags! Next game is tomorrow. Its gonna be 1980 all over again this season.
Smitty
August 8th, 2012
9:57 pm
Dawg scrimmage is like Olympic beach volley ball some body is going to win gold
BC
August 8th, 2012
10:04 pm
For those of you thinking I’m off in my assessment of Hutson Mason, check out this quote from today’s scrimmage about Huston Mason from the Red & Black:
Said safety Shawn Williams: “With Hutson, we feel like he’s kind of up there with Murray. He can throw good balls. He was making us be on our job. You can’t be lacking coming in out of breaks because he’s going to have the ball on our target.”
PIERCE DAWG
August 8th, 2012
10:11 pm
Thanks GT, LOTS OF CLASS!!!!
BC
August 8th, 2012
10:18 pm
Wonder why Richt didn’t share Richard Samuel’s rush totals? Might have been negative yards perhaps?
Why is Samuel getting reps at tailback, he’s not a tailback. Give those reps to Gurley & Malcome, move Samuel to special teams.
Dawg-Gawn
August 8th, 2012
10:29 pm
I read a interesting article today in regards to coach Mike Bobo. It seems he spent the off season visiting with Jim Harbaugh, in San Fransisco, talking Philosophy. Jim Harbaugh did a tremendous job at Stanford with offensive run blocking schemes, of the physical smash-mouth type, before UGA turned into a finesse type offense, UGA was also know for running the ball.
Harbaugh is also famous for using one back two Tight End sets of power running formations… with Arthur Lynch at 6′5″ 260 lbs and Jay Rome at 6′6″ 257 lbs UGA should be able to run the ball while protecting their young OT’s
This offense is about to happen…. smash-mouth is coming back!
Believe in the “G”
harold
August 8th, 2012
10:31 pm
ANY ARRESTS TODAY?
Tampa Gator
August 8th, 2012
10:34 pm
Smitty…..
Florida is in its opposite of winter months right now when most people just stay in during the day…with AC churning (very hot and steamy out today). We usually get a breeze on the beach most of the time….but not lately. Not compaining….since too much breeze in August usually means a storm in coming. No fishing today. Fishing is not good right now unless you go out deeper than I go. Not catching much on the beach or on the flats right now. Biking is good late in the afternoons or early in the morning….both the peddle and motor kind. Fishing will pick up in September….I hope….if hurricanes stay away….cross my fingers. I remember a few years ago when an early September hurricane messed up a Florida game. Not this year, I hope.
kingdaddy
August 8th, 2012
10:43 pm
Thanks for the updates Chip. Sometimes I feel like a mouse waiting on the buzzer so I can run the maze to get my cheese (your articles and updates), lol. Most of the regulars may deny they anticipate your inside info., the way I just worded it (humorous), but they wouldn’t be regular posters unless they were looking for a little cheese, lol.
bitter Hill-folk
August 8th, 2012
10:43 pm
MY BOY—-”ROCK” HUDSON MASON “DIXON”—is KICK-IN A$$
A FUTURE #1 DRAFT PICK——-Soon COACH Richt will pull Turnover murphy
–The tampa guy who’s favorite quato—-who the heck is own my team
———–GO DAWGS and too bad we lost a chance too take-it to the
————————————–crimson slush
———-take a crap on the little used car salesman—slick nick saban
———–and the holly chruch of bammaism
bitter Hill-folk
August 8th, 2012
10:46 pm
Good cheese king, Chip is a great writer but to political for me
he will not ask the tough question when richt needs to be honest about
——Turnover murphy———hahahah
bitter Hill-folk
August 8th, 2012
10:54 pm
One word—————MALCOUM MITCHELL
—————————–#1 college PLAYA
kingdaddy
August 8th, 2012
10:58 pm
Tamp
Even bad fishing on the surf is better than no fishing. Very peaceful and sometimes fishing isn’t always about catching fish, but enjoying yourself. The ocean is very therapeutic. I’ve got blanked many times fishing, but still had a great time…
RHall55
August 8th, 2012
11:31 pm
Where was Jay Rome??
Murray sucks Bobo little pinky finger
August 8th, 2012
11:45 pm
They was affraid to admit that Murray still sucks.. even after Manning camp…thats why he went against #2…… he is poo poo….. everyone who has vision can approve this message…
Murray sucks Bobo little pinky finger
August 8th, 2012
11:47 pm
Jay Rome was sitting the bench.
Murray sucks Bobo little pinky finger
August 8th, 2012
11:50 pm
we gonna get our arse’s kicked again… Murray and Bobo is hurting us……. Go Mason…
Hey BC...
August 8th, 2012
11:57 pm
Give it a rest,,,you’ve been going at it for over 8 freaking hours
sic dawg
August 9th, 2012
12:29 am
Same Song ?VERSE High preseason rank Absolutely die when season starts
EXTEND richt contract again idiots
7576DAWG
August 9th, 2012
4:09 am
BC
Mark Richt has already said Murray will be the QB unless Murray gets hurt and if he does get hurt if LeMay has progressed enough to be the QB starter then Mason will red shirt and LeMay will run the team. CMR can’t make it any more plain than that. Listen to his press conference.
WR Rantavious Wooten emerges from lost season healthy and refocused | UGA sports blog
August 9th, 2012
6:07 am
[...] Marlon Brown, Todd Gurley star in Dogs’ first scrimmage [...]
Wow
August 9th, 2012
6:10 am
As I read the overnight posts, need I say more…………………….sad
We Run the East
August 9th, 2012
6:14 am
I sense disaster building for the G. I went back and read articles ffrom 2011, about how the signing of IC was the biggest day in UGA football since 1980. And now he is gone, the super talented back, and we are supposed to believe everything is ok? I don’t believe it. Jarvis Jones will be regretting his decision to stay and will cost him big $, most likely. I see disaster for Dawgs, as anything but undefeated will be a let down. 3 to 5 regular season losses (SC, AU both road games, and FL) maybe others.
Game Changer
August 9th, 2012
7:12 am
UGA 2012: OOOOVERRRAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!1
NGD
August 9th, 2012
7:25 am
Game Changer = LOSER
Jimmy Crack
August 9th, 2012
8:30 am
This is one talented team. 2 concerns…
1) Murray.
2) Bobo.
Anybody who thinks the early suspensions will hurt our chances hasn’t looked at the depleted offensive lines our experienced defensive 7 will be facing in the first quarter of the season. Missouri just lost two more linemen to injuries and SC only has two returners on their line.
tell me again
August 9th, 2012
8:32 am
for all of you experts who think Murray is so poor just read the comments from the Peyton camp. The kid has all the tools. He’ll be making millions in the NFL while all of you experts are at home watching him on TV.
Jimmy Crack
August 9th, 2012
8:48 am
Tell me again, who’s the expert? Are you an NFL evaluator? Aaron does have most of the tools, except height, but he has to cut down on the interceptions. In 14 games last season he had at least one pick in 10 of those games, as opposed to 2010 when he only had 5 games where he threw an interception. Additionally he has to better his record against ranked competition. Cold facts.
GO DAWGS.
AltamahaDawg
August 9th, 2012
8:48 am
Why are you guys arguing with BC? He couldn’t care less who the starting QB at Georgia is, other than what name to plug in, trying to get under your skin.
UGA Insider
August 9th, 2012
9:26 am
Special teams is going to really be a problem. I just don’t understand why CMR doesn’t focus on it more. It cost us atleast 2 games last year and almost the Vandy game. CMR could go undefeated but we have a freshman pc and punter and 67 scholarship players so many walk-ons will be on punt and receiver team. We also don’t have a ST coach so mistakes like punting to Honey Badger twice will still happen.
G-Dawg
August 9th, 2012
9:48 am
Kickoffs out the endzone…and high fair catching punts…more TDs..and less FGs. Then we’ll be fine for special teams.
And #2 defensive unit is pretty good..for all those complaining about #1s vs #2s in practice.
G-Dawg
August 9th, 2012
9:49 am
Insider, if you want a ST coach..then you’re gonna have to fire someone else from the staff. Suggestions?
DawginLex
August 9th, 2012
9:56 am
Hey game changer, since you are so dam smart, why don’t you answer this?
What high school has NCAA investigators on campus today to discuss a certain recruit driving around in a brand new sports car and momma has 135,000 in the bank?
Committed to what school?
Auburn and Georgia scrimmage updates | Saturday Down South
August 9th, 2012
10:00 am
[...] Richt on his freshman RB Gurley: “Todd, he ran the ball well, but he had some good space provided for him at times [...]
AltamahaDawg
August 9th, 2012
10:03 am
6 of the punts during the LSU game were executed to perfection. The 2 that were not, its widely known that those were just plain too low, and the coverage paid for it. Everybody can see that, its been discussed. Its been explained. That’s how it went down. It happens, especiallly standing in the back of your own end zone, but it was an error in execution, not strategy. And no ST only coach would have called it any differently.
Nor would a ST coach just pull some more regular players out of his hip pocket, which is what you have said is the issue…..personel. So how does that change?
And as everybody keeps asking, who do you want to fire to open that spot?
Dawg fanfor real
August 9th, 2012
10:08 am
BC reminds me of a little child who didn’t get his “fair” share of the cake and it didn’t go his way so he is going to throw the team under the bus.
he has nothing good to say and is a cancer that needs to be cut out.
Dawgboy
August 9th, 2012
10:08 am
Redshirting Hutson Mason is like redshirting Knowshon Moreno.
Dawg fanfor real
August 9th, 2012
10:21 am
I think BC stands for Bull Chat, so here’s some TP u got some on your lips.
AltamahaDawg
August 9th, 2012
10:29 am
It’s not like there is some secret strategies that ONLY a coach named “special teams” knows about. I’d guess pretty much every person who coaches for a living already knows all of that. Decades of football have pretty much settled the debate on best way to punt and cover it.
The only way that a ST coach can add value to the equation, is that if his focused attention makes sure that the players are working harder, and longer. But given the time restraints I wonder how much HE can really change that. AS a staff they can decided to apply more of thier alloted time to ST. Which I understand we have already done.
The other part of equation (which applies most to us, IMO, and as you keep saying, you agree with) is who is on the field. A ST teams coach I would think has very limited input on recruiting. He is trying to field his squad out of regular players. So given our current situation, I do not see how he is going to be working with anybody more than what we have. I understand they have decided to take a risk and use more of them.
To me, a big part of having one guy is that it frees up the other coaches NOT to worry about it.They don;t shere the burden or the blame/praise. I would guess that is actually why some coaches believe in it. To free up his other position coaches,. not because they think he knows something they don’t. For all but one year of his tenue, Richt HAS had somebody co-ordinating that, but shared coaching responsibility. SO that sort of a hybrid, which I think its the most common set-up around the country.
Richt has said, when ask, given THIS current staff, he preferes they all share BOTH the responsibility AND the task. Appearantly he wanted Olividatto, more than he wanted a LB coach who could co-ordinate special teams. I would bet that could change on the next flip of a staff member.
But to insist that if we only hired this One guy, for a opening we don’t have, all of the ST problem would some how majically disapear without fixing the actual real issues, just doesnt hold up IMO.
Fair n Balanced
August 9th, 2012
10:40 am
Brilliant….”I like for the number 1 units to be dominant this time of year.”. Does this mean we want the number 2 units to be dominant in mid-season? Dang! The reason they are the nu,bet 1 units is because the are the number 1 units! What else makes them the number 1 units?
Chip Towers
August 9th, 2012
10:40 am
Dawgboy: Except in this case it’s Hutson who is asking to be redshirted.
SEC Notebook: Gators looking for offensive advantages in 2012 | SEC Football
August 9th, 2012
10:44 am
[...] Aaron Murray, RB Todd Gurley and WR Marlon Brown all had strong performances in Georgia’s scrimmage on Wednesday. “He has started hot,” coach Mark Richt said [...]
BC
August 9th, 2012
10:58 am
I wouldn’t read too much into Lemay going 50% in the scrimmage against the No 1 defense.
Murray went 40% on G-Day against the No 1’s, so Lemay did better going 50% than Murray’s 40%.
Thought Mason and Lemay looked very sharp on G-Day, both threw for around 60-70% accurate, Murray, well, he was down around 40%.
Murray completed 70% yesterday, AGAINST THE NO 2 DEFENSE. I sure wouldn’t read anything into that, as Murray rarely completes 70% against a No 1 defense on any team.
BC
August 9th, 2012
1:20 pm
Funny, how people make it a big deal that Gurley was going against the No 2 defense
But they forget to mention that Murray was going against the No 2 defense too
Lemay & Mason went against the No 1 defense, keep that in mind.
Bazooka Joe
August 9th, 2012
2:27 pm
Back River, if I read correctly (or maybe it was an earlier article) the #1 defense was going against the #2 offense so I would expect more sacks. Persoanlly I think our #1 O should be going against our #1 D to make them better.
Ash Adams
August 9th, 2012
4:15 pm
Can’t wat to eat some chicken Oct.6th Gooooooo Dawgs!!!!!!
Brainiac (CMR/UGA Fan For Life)
August 9th, 2012
7:35 pm
@ BC & Frank:
If you two are such GENIUSES on QBs why aren’t y’all in the business and getting paid the big bucks like CMR???
CMR pays more in taxes each year than you you two GENIUSES combined will gross in the next decade(Decade means 10 years). Fortunately you two and your ilk(Ilk means other DUMMIES like you two) have ZERO to do with anything related to coaching a College Football Team, especially the one in Athens!!!!!!!!!!!
Each of you is dumb enough to be triplets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!