Georgia’s defense prepares to bring Alec Ogletree, Bacarri Rambo back into fold
Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham is not saying it just yet, but he's darn glad to have linebacker Alec Ogletree back in the fold. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
ATHENS – Georgia has survived the Great Suspension Plague of 2012.
While no one is still coming right out and saying as much, we know from outside testimony, school policies, indirect hints and good old-fashioned horse sense that star linebacker Alec Ogletree and All-American free safety Bacarri Rambo are returning from four-game suspensions this week. And they’re getting back just in the nick of time as next on the dance card is Tennessee and its high-octane offense.
Ogletree and Rambo are the last two of four defensive starters that were missing for the Bulldogs this first part of the season as a result of internal team discipline. Cornerback Sanders Commings and outside linebacker Chase Vasser were benched two games each for off-season arrests.
Retrospectively, some might say that there was no great challenge there; that it was only Missouri, Vanderbilt, Buffalo and Florida Atlantic and that the Bulldogs should have been able to handle them with four starters out. But nobody could have foreseen what the Tigers and Commodores would present heading into the season. And the book is still out on how good or bad Georgia’s first two SEC opponents are.
What we do know is Georgia, now ranked No. 5 and undefeated at 4-0, came through the ordeal unscathed. And it was a lot harder than it looked.
Not only did coach Todd Grantham have to get inexperienced players ready to play major roles — including converting receiver Malcolm Mitchell into a starting boundary corner — but he had to do so while also repping the suspended players in to the mix and making sure they stayed sharp.
“That’s probably been the most difficult thing,” said Grantham, in his third season as Georgia’s defensive coordinator. “You’ve got to look at developing guys and have a vision as the season goes along getting your best guys on the field. At the same time you have to get some young guys ready to play this moment. So it’s a balancing act between preparing guys to play the game and do well in the game and continuing to develop guys who maybe weren’t playing for whatever reason. That’s been the challenge. I think we’ve done a pretty good job with it. Now we’ll try to continue to develop guys and play the best ones available.”
Now comes Phase II of the transition. Phase I, bringing back Commings and Vasser, was relatively smooth. Commings spoke of being a little rusty in his first game back at free safety in more than a year. But the secondary part of the Phase II would appear fairly simple. The Bulldogs will merely plug in their All-American back at free safety and Commings will roll back in at boundary corner, where he belongs.
The linebacker part of the equation is not quite as easy. First of all, the player that has been playing Ogletree’s “Mo” inside linebacker position — Amarlo Herrera — has been doing so at a high level. The 6-foot-2, 245-pound sophomore from College Park leads the team and is ninth in the SEC with 30 tackles. He also has a couple of tackles for loss, two pass break-ups and an interception return for a touchdown.
“I’ve been doing pretty good,” Herrera said with a grin.
But Ogletree (6-3, 232) brings another whole element to the position. He’s faster, rangier and more of an up-field pressure threat. The combination of him on the inside and Jarvis Jones on the outside — with Big John Jenkins in the middle — is problematic for offenses.
For his part, Herrera says he’ll take whatever comes.
“That’s tricky because you know Tree’s going to play,” Herrera said. “He has to. He’s a great player.”
Said senior Christian Robinson, who splits time between both the “Mo” and “Mike” positions: “The way it worked last season is we had five different guys at inside linebacker all playing. I could see that happening again. It’s basically just the next guy in. You can’t win the whole season with 11 guys. You need a lot of guys to contribute. I imagine we’ll continue to rotate and we’ll have a bunch of hungry guys ready to make plays.”
Georgia’s defense hasn’t stunk without its full complement of players, but neither has it been the dominant unit everyone expected. The Bulldogs enter Saturday’s game against Tennessee ranked 7th in the SEC in points allowed (16.5 ppg) , 8th in total defense (343.2 ypg) and 8th against the rush (135.5 ypg).
The prospect of a deep and motivated inside linebacker corps has to excite the Bulldogs and certainly must unsettle Georgia’s opponents. And with the pass-happy Vols coming to town, it certainly is a relief to be back at full strength.
“I think as we move forward it will give us a little bit of depth,” Grantham said. He, too, was smiling.
MORE ON GEORGIA FOOTBALL
- Notebook: Bobo docked 30 days recruiting for secondary violation
- A look at Georgia’s next opponent: Tennessee
- QB Aaron Murray’s bookish approach works for him, Bulldogs
- Dawg Talk: Richt, Georgia wary of explosive Tennessee Vols
- Notebook: OG Chris Burnette attracts attention with dramatic marriage proposal
- Georgia-South Carolina game time, TV broadcast set
- Video of Chris Burnette’s marriage proposal at church
- Video: Offense, defense, special teams come together in 48-3 win over Vandy
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216 comments Add your comment
Armchair Observer
September 26th, 2012
6:26 pm
I am amazed that GT Bob has made an appearance after the Hurricane that demolished Grant Field on Saturday. Oh, he must have been in Mom’s basement!
joe jenkins
September 26th, 2012
6:30 pm
@gtbob….you want to talk about our schedule. what about ya’ll weak ass conference…..the best team yall have is still suspect….fsu is not there yet. maryland and virgina…what a couple of joke high school teams
Dawg Bite
September 26th, 2012
6:37 pm
I remember several years back we smashed LSU and we were really pumped about our team. The next week the Vols came to town and brought us back to reality. This UT team may not be as talented as we are, but I never will take them for granted. UT is always going to play hard, and even though we are heavily favored, we better bring our “A” game as they will bring theirs.Just look at last weeks LSU vs Auburn game. I would guess that we all would have thought LSU would blow them away, and I am sure LSU was happy to get out of there alive. The next two weeks may well define our season, so the Dogs better beware and be ready!!
Tim-Buck-Two
September 26th, 2012
6:38 pm
Flat, Huh?…. just a couple Techerheads.
And one more thing, Joey’s right! Do the “crime”, do the time, all sins are forgiven.
Now, GATA!
tulevol
September 26th, 2012
6:42 pm
I love that the dawgs are confident, maybe a little overconfident? I am glad you have your full defense back as well, that makes you even more overconfident. I expect UT to play with a chip on their shoulder after the 4th quarter fla meltdown. Don’t know about us winning, but I think it will be closer than you dawg fans are saying.
Red
September 26th, 2012
6:45 pm
Just like last year, Richt “forgives” right before a big game. His grace knows no bounds. Wait. Maybe big game bounds.
shamydog
September 26th, 2012
6:48 pm
Whomever does the scheduling for the the dogs needs to be replaced. We have 7 home games, not a single one in October and an off week before Kentucky! I know giving Florida our home game every other year throws the schedule off a bit but to go 34 days with no home game is getting beyond ridiculous. This has been happening fairly often in the last decade with no explanation from the Athletic department. As far as I know no other SEC school has this problem.
Since we give Florida our home game we should at least schedule the off week before that game.
Kingsx7
September 26th, 2012
6:53 pm
JUST WIN BABY !!!!!!!!!!!!
Say What???
September 26th, 2012
6:57 pm
So Red, if Richt forgives before big games, why didn’t he forgive all of them before the Mizzu game? That was a pretty big game. Why would he hold these players out of that game but instead use them for this one? UGA’s penalty for repeated failed drug tests is crystal clear: 4 games. Guess what? Tennessee is our 5th game.
So again, what is your point?? I am so sick of people coming on this blog and accusing CMR of a lack of integrity. You can say a lot things about him that I can’t argue: he doesn’t have the killer instinct, he is too loyal to his coaches, he does not get fired up. But I ask you to name one thing that he has done to show a lack of integrity. Other than innuendo, you got nothing.
7576DAWG
September 26th, 2012
7:03 pm
I agree that Herrera has done a great job but even he admitted that Ogletree was faster and deserved to play. Herrera said that Ogletree bring a level of play for the defense. Hererra will be a huge substitute but he will not start ahead of Ogletree.
SM9
September 26th, 2012
7:03 pm
Mrs. Dooley’s baby boy better get his team ready to face a hungry Georgia team. Go Dawgs!!
Huh?
September 26th, 2012
7:06 pm
TimBuckTwo….I know it’s a common thing to call anybody that doesn’t drink the UGA Kool-Ade a Tech fan…but you need to not assume so much. Several people on this blog can tell you who I am a fan of.
JB
September 26th, 2012
7:07 pm
Mark Richt has waited for a team like this his whole life………………..Whoops……..didn’t mean that…………….Dawgs go 12-0 and give Bama fits, and ESPN will tell us Bama is a 3 TD favorite
joe jenkins
September 26th, 2012
7:08 pm
Anybody else noticed that gurley is bigger than lattimore…i think he maybe faster too. If gurley remains humble he really could end up having a special career at uga…he reminds me of a faster tim worley….keith marshall reminds me of robert edwards not quite as big as him…but they are really fast and nobody can them once they got into the secondary. marshall also kind of runs like marcus allen did…with long strides
Neutral
September 26th, 2012
7:13 pm
Please don’t respond to Red……he is just plain old stupid!!!! That comment about CMR forgiving before big games shows he literally doesn’t have a clue!!!
Neutral
September 26th, 2012
7:20 pm
Last year we did a great job on Lattimore for 3qtrs, but he was tough in the 4th when we were getting tired. There is a big difference this year because we are so deep on defense that it would take 7 qtrs to wear us down. Tree and Rambo will even add more to our depth….just in time. Go Dawgs!!!
Neutral
September 26th, 2012
7:26 pm
Joe,
I agree and believe both TG and KM will be superstars. Glad they are roommates because they are great kids and will keep each other out of trouble. I’m still not sure which one will be the best when the smoke clears. All I know is that KM may be the only kid in the history of football to have a higher HS GPA (3.4) than his best time in the 40 (3.25). I’m impressed, incredibly impressed!!!
Neutral
September 26th, 2012
7:30 pm
Oooooops, I made a huge mistake. KM had a 4.3+ GPA and a 4.25 forty. Sorry Keith….I’m a bit dyslexic and had you faster, but dumber!!! Go Dawgs!!!
croomy
September 26th, 2012
7:34 pm
rambo will play,tree will play,herrera will play.its called depth people!!!!! tyler brey better do like murry and treat his offence to icev cream.j is a beast.go dawgs old man football gata
Atlanta Vol
September 26th, 2012
7:39 pm
Bray will throw six TDs on the overrated Dogs defense. UT has the best OL in the SEC, and Georgia will be exposed Saturday for what they are…an 8-4 team at best. Richt will never beat UT again and will be gone within two years. Any Vol fan with a pulse can see UT improving weekly. The Florida game was a fluke loss. Hey Dog defenders, get ready to be run over Saturday! Hope you boys are reading this! We gonna bring it to Neyland South!
kingdaddy
September 26th, 2012
7:48 pm
Let’s get by this Tn. High-powered offense before we start whipping the chickens. I hope Bray doesn’t “chuck” any beerbottles up in the stands after the game. I doubt he will feel like celebrating after the game…
Moe
September 26th, 2012
7:49 pm
Lay down the crack pipe ATL Vol.
Mobile Dawg
September 26th, 2012
7:53 pm
Good defense usually beats good offense, and we have a good offense as well. Trump Dawgs. No way UT stays on the field with us four quarters unless we have a breakdown.
ringleader
September 26th, 2012
8:02 pm
Atlanta Vol………
So whats the reason yall returned 3,000 tickets you could not sell, but I guess thats better than the 5,000 Florida tickets you returned last year. Alabama will again have a home game in Knoxvegas. You cannot sell out your own place after you reduced the capacity.
CHDawg
September 26th, 2012
8:08 pm
Atl Vol, Tn has a better offensive line than Alabama? OK. I guess that means Florida could blow Bama off the field? Six TDs on the Dawgs? OK. Neyland South? We’ll see.
WDE
September 26th, 2012
8:11 pm
@tulevol I agree I think it will be a closer game than most “experts” but do us a favor and take the bottle away from Atlanta Vol he might try and drive..
Mike Franklin
September 26th, 2012
8:23 pm
You gotta play every opponent like they are the number one team in the nation. Tennessee is never easy so… we don’t have the luxury of taking them lightly.
But, that said… Neyland Stadium South? You’d choke on the hedges shoved up your stovepipe by the kids in red and black before you could hang the first letter on the stadium.
georgianabulltiger
September 26th, 2012
8:32 pm
Red
“Just like last year, Richt “forgives” right before a big game. His grace knows no bounds. Wait. Maybe big game bounds.”
Missouri was a huge game, you knucklehead.
joe jenkins
September 26th, 2012
8:34 pm
@atlanta vol….you suck bro…….i think murray will be the one throwing 6 td’s on that weak vol defense……yall are nothing but a bunch of toothless hillbilly possum eating redneck scums of the earth
Golden ROD
September 26th, 2012
8:35 pm
THUGUGAY is back!
Huh?
September 26th, 2012
8:35 pm
Georgianabulltiger…Huge game? UGA was ranked in the top 10 and Missouri was unranked. Not sure you could call that a “huge game.”
Golden ROD
September 26th, 2012
8:38 pm
Rambo= Thugugay
Mobile Dawg
September 26th, 2012
8:39 pm
Huh? Showing your ignorance, it was a huge game, a lot of unknowns. Not sure I could call you anything but a troll. If people had an ounce of sense collectively, you, GTbob and others should just be ignored.
ga gator
September 26th, 2012
8:40 pm
Vols had a poor pass defense even before we played them and then lost their best DB in the 4th qtr. Murray goes wild and UGA wins 47-24.
Mobile Dawg
September 26th, 2012
8:41 pm
Golden Idiot, may one day you be in Rambos path when he is in a hurry to get somewhere.
joe jenkins
September 26th, 2012
8:42 pm
goldon rod= flaming homo!!! lol
Huh?
September 26th, 2012
8:43 pm
Mobile…it might have been huge for UGA fans, but it certainly wasn’t a “huge game” by anybody else’s standards….if you are the #6 team in the country, then an unranked team should not pose that much of a problem.
And Mobile…you can call me whatever you like, and I’m sure you will. However, the fact that you disagree with me shouldn’t be a reason to insult someone.
Mobile Dawg
September 26th, 2012
8:47 pm
Huh, the game was covered nationally, and billed as a big “statement” game for both programs, for different reasons. If your not intelligent enough to figure that out, sorry. As for name calling and insulting someone, WE, get tired of you “jerks” trolling our blogs never having anything except sarcastic, negative comments toward our program. Take it or leave it sport.
douglas
September 26th, 2012
8:47 pm
I thought Da’Rick Dooley got kicked off of the team.
joe jenkins
September 26th, 2012
8:53 pm
I hope ray drew finally steps up and has a break through game…because we all know abry jones wont be able to play probaly more than 20 minutes with his ankle being bad
Huh?
September 26th, 2012
8:53 pm
Mobile…if was covered nationally because it was Missouri’s first SEC game…just like Texas A&M vs. Florida…obviously there was interest due to the fact that both of those teams were new to the SEC, and people wanted to see how they stacked up. But for you to call it a “huge game?” A mid-pack former Big 12 team…come on.
As far as me being a “troll,” I have been on this site for two years. CHDawg, AltamahaDawg, WDE, and others can vouch for me. I haven’t always agreed with them, or them with me, but we have a discussion and enjoy talking college football. Now, you certainly have the right to insult, call names, etc…I for one, enjoy talking about college football and like to carry myself with a bit more class.
JB
September 26th, 2012
8:56 pm
We dodged a bullet with Da’Rick. Not him playing. Him being a Dawg
WDE
September 26th, 2012
8:58 pm
@Huh? Sorry old boy it was a huge game nationally for both programs if UGA lost it would be portrayed as the death of the old SEC power ranking..ie the new members are imposing their will on the mighty SEC etc etc..and if you don’t think it was huge for either UGA or Mizzou just ask their fans. And as for the importance of the rankings of the two teams if Mizzou had won they damn sure would have been ranked and if they had lost UGA damn sure wouldn’t have been…
WDE
September 26th, 2012
9:01 pm
@JB you hit that on the head..we dodged a BIG bullet there.
Huh?
September 26th, 2012
9:01 pm
WDE…every game to a fan is a big game…Most people think that the #7 team in the country should have no issue with an unranked team. If so, then maybe UGA shouldn’t have been ranked so high. When Alabama plays an unranked team, do they call it a “huge” game…don’t think so.
Sure…if Missouri had won, they would have been ranked…and UGA would have fallen in the rankings if they lost. However, outside of UGA fans, most people were interested in the “newness” of Missouri to see how they would fare in the SEC…as it turns out, they haven’t faired so well.
ZinoDawg
September 26th, 2012
9:03 pm
@ Flat Tire – You are a moron. These guys are college kids who got caught partying.
News flash – that’s what college kids do.
GATA!
Mobile Dawg
September 26th, 2012
9:05 pm
Huh, it was a huge game for UGA, to see how we would respond. If you’ve been around for two years you know our program has been an abyss; as fans we looked at this game, in a hostile environment, with the pressure on us, as a huge game. I like what I see so far. Can Richt steer the ship to a championship, or at least be competitive, I’m still a doubter until he does it, with consistency. As for you, my opinion hasn’t changed, you’re a troll, that caught me on a bad day, I usually don’t respond to your types constant sarcastic, negative remarks.
WDE
September 26th, 2012
9:05 pm
@Huh? I disagree I work with a ton of fans of the Big 10 and 12 and a even a few ACC fans and they all regarded it as a big game…you have the reasons right just missing the point it was a big game and not just to the fans of both programs a lot of folks were watching , wondering , hoping and in my case exulting !!
Neutral
September 26th, 2012
9:06 pm
@Huh,
The Missouri/UGa game may not have been “huge” in your book, but according to their coach and local sportswriters it was the biggest game in school history……so you are totally wrong with your comments. Of course, this is not the first time you have been totally off-base……in fact, I don’t think you have ever gotten to “first”!!!
Huh?
September 26th, 2012
9:09 pm
Mobile…constant, negative remarks? Early, I predicted UGA to beat TN. I have also predicted UGA to represent the East in the SEC CG. Now, I, like you, am not completely convinced that Richt/UGA can’t do it consistently…I’m also not convinced that they will go undefeated in the regular season…but I have predicted them to win the East.
It seems that you are a little quick on the draw with me. You seem to really be wanting to call out a troll…might need to look elsewhere. Again, I’m not a UGA hater…it’s just that I don’t drink the Kool-Ade either.