Most questions have been answered as Georgia prepares for 2nd preseason scrimmage
ATHENS – Georgia will hold it’s second controlled scrimmage of the preseason this afternoon at Sanford Stadium. And for many of the Bulldogs, this will be their most important practice of the year.
After today, Georgia will pretty much settle in on organizing its game plan for the season opener against Buffalo. But the players who will figure into those plans will largely be decided on after today.
Most of the Bulldogs’ personnel decisions have been made. We all know who the quarterback will be and, even though there were three starters to replace, the offensive line was basically established in the first week of camp.
The only real questions on the offensive side of the ball is who will start at fullback and what will the tailback rotation look like. So this is an important day for tailbacks Ken Malcome, Richard Samuel, Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall, as it is for right tackles John Theus and Watts Dantzler. If Samuel or freshman Quayvon Hicks going to unseat Merritt Hall at fullback, they’ll need to prove they’re worthy of it today.
“I believe we’re ahead of last year and I think that’s due to a lot of guys coming back, one being our quarterback being a third-year starter and having more knowledge of the offense,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said, refeering to junior quarterback Aaron Murray. “He’s getting us into better plays, getting our protections set better and that’s making the adjustments easier for our offensive line. We’ve just got to keep improving daily and throughout the season.”
Defensively, Georgia basically has nine starters returning, so there’s not a lot of mystery about who will be playing on that side of the ball (suspensions notwithstanding). It looks like senior Cornelius Washington has nailed down the defensive end spot opposite Abry Jones, with multi-game starter Garrison Smith filling in on either side. Ray Drew needs to prove he’s worthy of being in the rotation but remained in a non-contact status due to a concussion as of the last practice. Redshirt freshman Sterling Baileyis battling for snaps as well.
Your cornerbacks after Sanders Commings are Branden Smith, Damian Swann and Malcolm Mitchell with Devin Bowman, Blake Sailors and Sheldon Dawson providing depth. Connor Norman and Corey Moore have to prove they’re dependable backups for Bacarri Rambo at free safety.
Whether or not Rambo or Alec Ogletree will be available for the first game — or any of the first four — is a question that remains unanswered and coach Mark Richt is still not ready to address it.
“I don’t know when we’ll let y’all know that,” Richt said this past weekend. “I don’t like talking about that.”
Of course, Georgia’s kicking game is the biggest unknown heading into the season. But we pretty much know who will be doing the work. Freshman place-kicker Marshall Morgan and punter Collin Barber will be looking to instill confidence in the coaches — and their teammates.
Georgia’s scrimmage won’t get started until 5 o’clock this afternoon, so it will be later this evening before I’ll be able to share any stats or observations. In the meantime, what is your biggest concern with 17 days remaining before the season opener?
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188 comments Add your comment
Ghost
August 15th, 2012
5:11 pm
Lets use some logic here, Every program has walk ons that play, other wise with the 85 scholarship rule you would be unable to redshirt many of the incoming freshman. do you actually want your startrers playing on special teams when you leading Buffalo by 35 points or some of our lesser opponents.When your up 3 tds vs tech with 8 minutes you want Jarvis Jones or the starters covering punts in those situations? I want to see the better players play a bigger role in special teams but at times that matter .Georgia is lower than it should be on scholarships ,it is what it is but a large talented class is coming with at least 8-10 early enrolees,Georgia like many other schools recruit preferred walk ons, Time to move on and get over it.
Let the season play itself out.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 15th, 2012
5:42 pm
LOL
I see Joe’s Kool-aid shak has re-opened for this season
I have enjoyed reading all the delusional posts today
Face it kool-aid drinkers this coaching staff will lose 2 again even with the easiest schedule we have played in decades
Texas Dawg
August 15th, 2012
5:57 pm
This year I have only 1 concern. Win every game and get to the National Title Game….and WIN it too. It’s been 31 years. Let’s make 32 a charm. We have the talent, the coaches, and the team chemistry, and the schedule to do it…so LET’S DO IT DAWGS!!! GATA!!!!!
otn dawg
August 15th, 2012
6:08 pm
Dang Columbus that’s a way to get em fired u!! I’m with you a 100%. CMR is the best thing we’ve had in a long time. People need to leave him alone and let him coach our young men up. Would they rather have Ray Goff back lol
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 15th, 2012
6:10 pm
Texas Dawg
Yes we have the talent; heck weve had the talent since 1999 we dont have the coaching staff to win
This coaching staff hasnt beat a top 15 team in over 3 yrs
We arent winning a national title people
Golden Isles Dawg
August 15th, 2012
6:25 pm
coastal dawg- NAIL ON THE HEAD!!
Bob
August 15th, 2012
6:29 pm
Two words…Mike Bobo?
TMC DAWG
August 15th, 2012
6:41 pm
My only fear is coaching. Defense will save the day, BUT ON OFFENSE YOU GOT TO CUTUM LOOSE> GOOOOOOOOOOOO DAWGS
Jerry the race car driver
August 15th, 2012
6:51 pm
CMR by the numbers: 106-38 record is fourth best in the country in winning percentage among active coaches (.736)
He will 13 to 14 more this season! Mark it down dbags!!!
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 15th, 2012
6:59 pm
Jerry the race car driver
check his record against the top 10 and top 25 its not that stellar dbag
padding up wins shouldnt be that hard with the best players in the SEC during his tenure
get a clue
BC
August 15th, 2012
7:26 pm
I know a bunch of you think Gurley’s last scrimmage was a fluke.
I know football. He is no fluke, as you are about to discover.
Can’t wait until the scrimmage notes come out in a few hours.
Gurley is the man.
7576DAWG
August 15th, 2012
7:52 pm
Bobo still making excuses for Murray. When you say this is his 3RD year the only reply should be. Georgia hopes Murray will prove he can be a consistent Quarterback and leader . Can Newton brought Auburn a national title and he was on campus for about 9 or 10 months.
No excuses for multiple mistakes this year , Murray. Stop patronizing Murray, Bobo and demand excellence.
7576DAWG
August 15th, 2012
7:56 pm
BC
I agree with what you are saying about Gurley. If any of the other Tailback’s can stay with Gurley Georgia will have one of the best group of running back in the nation. If given a chance Gurley will WOW us this year.
Adam
August 15th, 2012
7:57 pm
Too many damn turnovers!!!! Where’s Marlon Brown??
Champion Dawg
August 15th, 2012
8:10 pm
Coach Richt, You are my Head Coach, l support you all the way. l have one point to make, The Bulldawg Nation supports our players. Our fine young men with the “G” on their helmets. Let them loose. Free the RED CLAY HOUNDS!! Our Dawgs lift weights, do drills in the sand, do mat drills, run, run, run some more, perform MMA martial arts, run with parachutes holding them back, do stretching exercises to extreme, practice 7 on 7 passing drills, lift weights some more. These kids are dedicated to the maximum for 14 games a year. Oh they do spring practice, play the “G” Day Game, Go through Summer “lt is not the heat it is the humidity.”Camp. When the games actually arrive, l repeat, “LET MY GEORGIA RED CLAY HOUNDS BULLDAWGS GATA. DO NOT HOLD THEM BACK WHAT SO EVER. SET MY TEAM FREE. HANG HALF A HUNDRED ON THEM OFFENSIVELY.. CONSISTENTLY PITCH SHUTOUTS FOR OUR DEFENSE. MAKE SPECIAL TEAMS SPECIAL, VERY SPECIAL. GO DAWGS, SIC”EM, WOOF WOOF WOOF. LET THE FANS BARK. Thank you Coach for your attention. Please Unleash the Beasts.
Champion Dawg
August 15th, 2012
8:15 pm
Coach Richt, usce or sos does not beat us this year my friend. UNDERSTOOD. Chickens do not beat us 3 in a row. Unheard of. Absolutely unacceptable. Coach that day like your hair is on fire to match the intensity of the jerk. You want your players to match the other teams intensity, time for you to match or overmatch sos intensity.
kingdaddy
August 15th, 2012
8:26 pm
Champion Dawg= ADGD…
Atlanta Dawg
August 15th, 2012
8:44 pm
Flat tire , Enlighten us as to what the other coaches in the conference records are vs top 25 opponents. I an tell you now Richt is ahead of many coaches out there, The most wins and best % coach in Georgia history over 1 st ,11 seasons. If you’re a consider yourself georgia fan, please go somewhere else.
Jerry the race car driver
August 15th, 2012
8:58 pm
That flat tire dbag is miserable and needs to WAKE UP! Let me guess you have a better solution. You claim to be a UGA fan what’s up with the anger?
Mizzouboy
August 15th, 2012
8:59 pm
Can’t wait to watch Mizzouri kick some bulldawg butt come week 2. Suspensions and a team full of thugs isn’t the best combination. Richt really outta reconsider the type of kids he recruits. On another note, doesn’t the “faithful dawg nation” always predict a national championship every year? What a joke.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 15th, 2012
9:01 pm
Atlanta Dawg
Elighten me on what Richt has done with the Superior talent that UGA has had
Oh yea
Has never beat every SEC East team in the same year yet Spurrier did it last year at USC
Has always needed the help of other teams losing out to allow UGA to go the SEC Championship game
Has put more players in the NFL than any other school in the SEC since 1999 and has never sniffed the National Championship game
Has yet to beat a half decent FL team nor has beaten them 2 yrs in a row yet
Hasnt beaten a top 15 team in over 3 yrs
a 500 record against top 25 teams and a less than 500 record against the top 10
Has made us the laughing stock around the country as the University thats out of control with player arrests
No bud you go somewhere else like KY who accepts mediocrity
Bad Dawg
August 15th, 2012
9:06 pm
Richt won’t lead UGA to a national or SEC title. He has reached his peak as a head coach. The sad part is UGA could go 12-0 in the regular season and it won’t amount to much because a well coached Alabama or LSU will be waiting in the SECCG. I’m telling you guys so you can get ready for the Capital One Bowl. That’s all I can expect as a reasonable fan. When UGA gets an elite head coach then the rest of the SEC will be in trouble.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 15th, 2012
9:08 pm
Jerry the race car driver
whats up with the anger
You are the one that has the anger issue coming on here calling non kool-aid drinkers dbags
one of the solutions is you dont sign a coach that hasnt beat a good team since 2005 a 3 yr extension when he has 2 more years to go on his current contract
Bad Dawg
August 15th, 2012
9:10 pm
Right on Flat Tire. You would think some of these UGA homers would be sick of the status quo by now but they just don’t get it.I’m shocked after all the constant underachieving of the football program and off the field issues that so many people still support Richt. What does the man have to do get fired? Maybe he loses to Buffalo and that gets him terminated. I’m sure alot of the guys on here will just blame the players and Mike Bobo.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 15th, 2012
9:11 pm
Bad Dawg
The season is just a short time away and the kool-aid we are winning a national title this year crowd is back on this blog again
They seem to forget this coaching staff loses 2 games every year with the usual loss to FL
Bad Dawg
August 15th, 2012
9:15 pm
Yeah I actually started trolling some of our fans because I’m tired of listening to their nonsense. UGA needs alot more fans like you that demand excellence instead of a bunch of fans who are complacent with mediocrity so they can keep the good ol’ preacher as the head coach. Some of these fools are saying UGA wins the SECCG this year. They truly believe UGA can compete with Alabama or LSU for 4 quarters. That’s laughable.
Mobile Dawg
August 15th, 2012
9:18 pm
It’s hard to believe some of you are actually college graduates, Columbus Dawg, you are the first to come to mind this evening. I base my opinions, and feelings on reality, not hope. I hope Richt makes progress and learns how to coach at this level. Reality is his first five years he “tremendously” benefited from the recruits of Jim Donnan and the defense of Van Gorder. When this program became the “entire” entity of Mark Richt it started to tank. At this point he is still a deer in the headlights. He doesn’t know how to handle prime time, JMO.
I love family, and take care of them, but I know how to differentiate family from business. Richt runs the team like family, and doesn’t have the backbone to make tough business decision.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 15th, 2012
9:21 pm
Bad Dawg
It is laughable
Laughable cause this coaching staff shows every single year that a team with less talent Arkansas; Boise St, Central FL, Michigan St, Ok St, USC and the list goes on with half decent coach ends up taking that lesser talent and out coaching our coaching staff
Then when it comes to supierior talent or equal talent we have no chance; You never saw that with Dooley; I saw many times where UGA didnt have the talent that the other team had yet Dooley’s staff figured out a way to win
Mobile Dawg
August 15th, 2012
9:29 pm
Flat, I will raise you one glass of kool aid. I’ve seen Richt teams quit after the coaching staff made bad decisions, got away from what was working, i.e. poor play calling by Bobo. Specifically the 2008 game vs UF. We were dominating early, but Bobo’s playcalling shortchanged the team and they reacted accordingly. These players know when their coaches take them out of a game and aren’t going to bust their butt. Richt hasn’t been able to build any semblance of chemistry, common committed objective, he’s simply not a great leader. I don’t think we achieve what we’re capable of under his watch.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 15th, 2012
9:48 pm
Atlanta Dawg
LOL
I played for Dooley…………
Give me a break;
yea I played for Walley Butts
oops did I make your kool-aid taste bad with a dose of reality
boo hoo suck your thumb and have mommy tell you a bedtime story
Have mommy read my favorite UGA bedtime story its called
The Little ENERGY VAMPIRE that couldnt
Mobile Dawg
August 15th, 2012
10:20 pm
Atlanta Dawg, I’m not one to profess that Dooley was a great coach. What qualifies Richt as a good coach and why do you still consider him one. Appears to me the program has been less than completely under control the last few years. Would appreciate a players honest perspective.
Bad Dawg
August 15th, 2012
10:34 pm
Atlanta Dawg is your typical AJC UGA fan. Either a super homer or a Mark Richt apologist. I don’t know what it is about Richt that everyone loves but I guess him being a Christian makes him the best man for the job. I thought winning big games consistently was his job but I guess if you beat Ga Tech and the bottom of the barrel SEC teams that means you are a great coach nowadays. We all should be happy to have such a nice man as our head coach.
7576DAWG
August 16th, 2012
2:12 am
Are we going to get # 27 today?
Here we go again......
August 16th, 2012
9:36 am
Richt said his quarterbacks fumbled “every time they got touched” in Wednesday session. Richt says overall the Bulldogs played “pretty good” but he says that would only translate to eight or nine wins.Starter Aaron Murray completed 8 of 14 passes for 158 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Funny…..8 or 9 wins is what I have expected all along. That’s totally unacceptable with the schedule we have. Guarentee- Murray and his stupid mistakes cost us at least 2 games this year-
Dog4Life
August 16th, 2012
11:35 am
Alt Dawg–I used to argue with these idiots, but i just leave the trolls alone–let them troll. It is quite apparent they do not understand football; 1) do not understand the concept of 1 and 2s or 2 and 1s; 2) no comprehension of how to organize or execute quality practice measures and know its limitations; 3) do not understand recruiting numbers and how they work. Never argue with a stupid person, they will drag you down to their level, and then beat you to death with experience. If Murray and BoBo exude confidence in the play book and we understand that maybe Gurley and Marshall are the real deal, with a powerful Boo–runnin backs will be solved. I am not worried about the defense too much–we fix TOs everyone will be surprised how hard it is to score on our D–also we need to get them off the field to rest–O needs game sustaining drives–we’re getting there (obviously Crowell wasn’t the guy–I thought as many did he was–bad attitude). I think we’ll be fine. GO Dawgs!!!!
MountainDawg
August 16th, 2012
5:59 pm
I wanna see Sailors and Norman get some reps.
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