UGA safety Shawn Williams rants that Dogs’ defense is ‘too soft, playing wrong players
Georgia strong safety Shawn Williams, here tackling South Carolina tailback Marcus Lattimore, called out Georgia's defense and some teammates for not playing hard enough. (AP photo)
ATHENS – You figured somebody would say something eventually. Monday night, Georgia strong safety Shawn Williams obliged.
The Bulldogs’ senior and de facto defensive captain ripped into his unit for what he called “soft play” all season. And Williams wasn’t above calling out a few teammates, identifying a couple of linebackers he didn’t think were playing up to snuff.
Do you like that Williams spoke out?
- Yes. Somebody needed to give a wake up call. (86%, 1,144 Votes)
- No. He should have kept his complaints in-house. (14%, 189 Votes)
Total Voters: 1,333
Loading ...“We’re playing too soft as a defense,” said Williams, talking to reporters after Monday night’s practice. “That goes for the D-line, linebackers, corners, safeties, everybody. We’re just not playing with the same attitude we were last year. I don’t know what it is.”
Asked if he had communicated his frustration to his defensive mates, Williams said he did during the Kentucky game and he plans to again this week as the Bulldogs prepare for Saturday’s game against No. 2 Florida in Jacksonville.
“After the first series [against Kentucky], I told everybody we played too soft,” said Williams, Georgia’s leading tackler with 51 stops. “They got the ball at the 20 and went 80 yards right up the middle. I came to the sideline and said ‘y’all are playing soft.’ It gets frustrating because I’m sitting here and I’m giving all I got and I feel like I’ve got some guys that are not. I feel we’ve got some guys that are in a whole different place.”
Asked what he thought needed to be done, Williams said, “I don’t know. I’m trying to see if I have to take somebody’s helmet off and slap them and say, ‘what’s going on’? We’re not playing with any emotion right now. Period.”
Willliams then got into specifics.
“Personally, if I was the coaches, I can’t tell them what to do, but I’d have Amarlo Herrera in the game more,” Williams said of Georgia’s starting Mike linebacker. “I wouldn’t bring him out. . . . I want to see Amarlo (Herrera) and (Alec) Ogletree in the game at linebacker; I don’t want to see anybody else at linebacker. I feel like they’re two guys that are going to go out and give you all they got, no matter if they mess up or do right. I feel like they’re going to get to the ball and tackle. That’s what we need.”
As it stands, those two are playing the most at Georgia’s inside linebacker positions. Seniors Mike Gillard and Christian Robinson split time with Herrera at the Mike. But Herrera played less against Kentucky than he has in the previous six games. He came in averaging 7.8 tackles per game. Against the Wildcats he had three, tying his season low.
“I just feel like he’s better,” Williams said. “I don’t know what he’s doing that’s better than them, getting off blocks, getting around blocks. He just gets to the football, and that’s what we need, somebody who gets to the football and tackles.”
More than any specific individuals, Williams indicated it was attitude in general that has seen the Bulldogs plunge down the national defensive rankings. Heading into Saturday’s game against run-heavy Florida, Georgia is ranked 47th in total defense (367.43 yards per game), 72nd against the run (167.86) and 49th in scoring (24.14 ppg). They were top 23 in all those categories to end last season. Kentucky rushed for 206 of their 329 total yards in a 29-24 Georgia victory.
“Right now, Florida plays very physical and they’re going to come out and try to just manhandle you,” Williams said. “So I’m really looking forward to seeing what we do. Somebody’s gonna get punched in the mouth. It’s going to be us or them. Whoever gets punched in the mouth is going to have to decide, ‘what do we do now?’ You’re either going to give in or you’re going to fight back. Point blank that’s what we’ve got to do.”
Williams’ teammates – at least those available after Monday night’s late-finishing practice — concurred with his assessment.
“I understand where he’s coming from,” senior free safety Bacarri Rambo said. “He wants to win and he wants to be the best in whatever he does. I’m in the same boat with him. I see him as a leader and a captain of the defense. He just wants what’s best for the team and the defense. So if he feels like that I feel the same way. . . . That’s what we’re upset about, because we’re not playing the best we can play, not to the potential we have as a defense.”
Said Malcolm Mitchell, who played nearly half the season at cornerback before switching back to defense full time: “Yeah, we’ve got to amp it up. We’ve got to play harder.”
Williams was asked if he thought some players were worried too much about NFL and complacent because they’ve already proven themselves. Williams is among four Georgia starters that have been projected as first-round draft picks.
“I don’t know if it’s the NFL or worried about messing up or worried about a game down the road,” Williams said. “We’ve just got to do what we do and play physical football. And we’re not. That’s what you’ve got to do to win.”
NOTES . . .
Junior outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, who was nominated as a Butkus Award semifinalist on Monday, was not listed on Monday’s injury report. Generally that means he was able to practice without limitations. The 2011 All-American was unable to play against Kentucky due to right ankle sprain. Neither Jones nor any coaches were available to comment after practice… . Starting defensive end Abry Jones was listed on the practice report as “out.” He left the Kentucky game on the second defensive play with a left ankle injury… . Quarterback Aaron Murray was named the SEC’s offensive player of the week Monday for his 427-yard, four-touchdown passing performance against Kentucky. Murray was also tabbed a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award for the nation’s best quarterback on Monday.
MORE GEORGIA COVERAGE
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
527 comments Add your comment
Hugh
October 23rd, 2012
5:09 am
Teams play like they practice. And every game so far this year was practice for Florida. So, I’m not buying the theory UGA can rise to the occasion Saturday. So, half of our ILBs can play but they can’t get the team lined up or call the defenses. BTW are Washington and Rambo still in school? And Williams (the complainer) – I wonder if playing the deep pass route is still in his job description?
timboy
October 23rd, 2012
5:11 am
You know you’ve got problems when a safety on your defense is the leading tackler. Nuff said!
mark
October 23rd, 2012
5:21 am
Ogletree may be his choice but he looks lost out there to me slow to react and never meeting the runner in the hole He seems to make his tackles 5 or 6 yds down the field,D line again is poorly coached. and all our players look slow, guess they get the munches and sit around and eat all night, Fire Mark Richt
Motivating the Dawg
October 23rd, 2012
5:33 am
Time for more end zone celebrations. That should get emotion and intensity back into this game for UGA…
zbulldawg
October 23rd, 2012
5:42 am
HE’S RIGHT they have been playing slow & grabbing when tackling.You have seen it ALL year. There’s no junkyard dawg in this team on the field. What happened to that hungry team that wasn’t going to have NO REGRETS !!!!! Amario should be playing MORE. What happen to playing the best 11. YES GATA 1980.
gomdawg
October 23rd, 2012
6:23 am
I say play Samuel he has to do a better job at linebacker than what we ‘ve had . At least he plays with heart and he will give all he’s got . A true Bulldawg . GO DAWGS
gomdawg
October 23rd, 2012
6:25 am
IF THEY WANT TO LOOK GOOD FOR THE NFL THEN ITS TIME THIS WEEKEND
B
October 23rd, 2012
6:50 am
You guys can do this. Just get ANGRY! Go DAWGS!
Bozo N. Richt
October 23rd, 2012
7:05 am
Ya’ll keep that cool-aide coming, I I’ve seen this movie many times before. Here’s how it goes – - – - UGQ gets yet another beat down by a nationally ranked team. This one will be worst than South Carolina. Then UGA trots off to the outback bowl and . . . loses again.
AND WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR WHEN UGA WINS 6 GAMES AT MOST – - THE FISH ROTS FROM THE HEAD
Gorilla Biscuit
October 23rd, 2012
7:17 am
Bozo, I think your head is rotten.
tell me again
October 23rd, 2012
7:25 am
Is there a rumor that CMR is packing it in? He sure looked like a visitor on the sideline against Kentucky. He just looks like he’s going through the motions lately. It just doesn’t look like his heart is in it anymore. Kind of like when Spurrier left Florida ~ nothing he did was good enough anymore. He’d had it and left.
Jim
October 23rd, 2012
7:27 am
amazing how a player gets it and our $$$$$$$$$$$$ coaches dont…This is a bunch of BS. We get out butts handed to us in JAX and hopefully we will have a new staff next year. I am willing to deal with the growing pains to stop having this sort of crap happen. This was supposed to be a great year and look at it….defense goes from 4th to 54th….totally unacceptable. Glad that Shawn finnaly had the balls to speak up- funny you dont hear that fire from any of the so called coaches…..one was smiling walking into the locker room last week- wonder if he will be smiling at halftime this week. That my fellow dawg fans spoke volumes
tell me again
October 23rd, 2012
7:28 am
It’s not whether we win or lose lately. It’s how we’re winning and losing.
PTCDAWG
October 23rd, 2012
7:38 am
Good for Williams! I think a nasty attitude has been missing all year!
QB
October 23rd, 2012
7:39 am
I 100% agree with everything williams said UGA vs FLA is a street fight plain and simple you either sit back and get punched in the mouth and do nothing or you be aggressive and take the fight to FLA. Williams hit in UK game was great the other 10 players need to play with that can of intensity and swagger that he brings.
Dawg Gone
October 23rd, 2012
7:40 am
Richt needs to step down. Whoever gets the job is inheriting a mess.
Jim
October 23rd, 2012
7:42 am
Richt reminded fans on Twitter Monday that Georgia is the home team in Jacksonville this year: “We will be wearing our red. Crowd noise is crucial when they have the ball!”
Really coach????? Really????? I would say that preparation and attitude are key for this game- something we have been missing for how long????? Oh, right, were 6-1 and thats a good place to be…..the problem is all 6 have losing records……our 1 game against a decent team was a blowout. I dont holdout much hope for a different result this time…..probably something to the tune of 38-16. We talk a great game during the week with were going to do this and were going to change that…BS coach! crowd noise is the least of this teams problems…..it starts with coaching.
Gator Alley
October 23rd, 2012
7:42 am
Gators 52, Dwags 7
Buh bye to the dwags.
Jim Mora, Sr
October 23rd, 2012
7:44 am
Long overdue! Our defense has been playing half-assed all season. Why haven’t the caoches said anything? It’s just not in MR to get on anybody, and that really hurts the team! Rambo has been terrible since his return, and the Defensive Ends have been pitiful. They’re too concerned about their NFL prospects, and in turn are hurting their draft position with their terrible efforts and play. Maybe Williams speaking out will help- I hope so. As it stands, I think Florida will kick sand in our faces.
Jimmy Crack
October 23rd, 2012
7:45 am
It’s a must win game. Calling out his own guys and stirring the soup is good for this team. Too many times we have seen future NFL defensive ProBowlers roll through this town quietly on their way to the big payday, leaving in their wake lackluster collegiate win-loss records. Good for Shawn to light an SEC Championship fire underneath these all-too-comfy Bulldogs.
Hurt Kurbstreit
October 23rd, 2012
7:49 am
Somebody had to say it. I hope Shawn can fire these guys up for Florida.
Columbia SC Dawg
October 23rd, 2012
7:57 am
Finally someone with balls steps up. Get out there Saturday and play like you want to murder folks. Kill em. Play with fire. Knock the crap out of every Gator every damn play.
Sad, Sad UGA
October 23rd, 2012
8:06 am
It is just pitiful that a player has to tell Richt how to coach————Richt should listen, because he is the most clueless coach in the SEC. It should not a surprise that the D is playing soft, just like Richt. He thinks he is still in the ACC, please wake Richt up and tell him he is in the SEC now.
Buckeye
October 23rd, 2012
8:07 am
dogs d is tough from Feb-July.
hit a single
October 23rd, 2012
8:09 am
Williams is one thing wrong. You don’t solve problems in the media. You do it in the Dressing Room. Grow up Williams!
1eyedJack
October 23rd, 2012
8:12 am
Some things just need to be said. Put the dirty laundry out there and see who has skid marks and who will clean up their act.
outkasted
October 23rd, 2012
8:21 am
been saying it for ever and especially lately… christian robinson does not belong on the field… case in point the south carolina game he was the spy on their QB shaw and everytime he out ran him for the 1st down on 3rd down…. he’s the weak link I agree with Williams…. Go Dawgs!!
Pat
October 23rd, 2012
8:25 am
Dawg fans are mostly retarded on this blog. Get real, morons.
Chris Snow
October 23rd, 2012
8:26 am
I’m glad some one FINALLY spoke up! It’s been very obvious to us fans that have been watching. But it concerns me that the coaching staff will not acknowledge it.
2plyguy
October 23rd, 2012
8:29 am
Sean Williams just made a huge mistake by taking his criticism of coaches and team mates public. He will learn that setting a personal example and holding others in his sphere of influence within the team is the right thing to do.
NCDawg
October 23rd, 2012
8:30 am
Well, that was refreshing. A player not being muzzled by the coaching staff. Yes, what he said is obvious but coming from a player it is particularly indicting. It could be said that the coaching staff relies too heavily on player leadership that, in preferring that players do the policing, they are somehow abdicating their responsibility. In some cases it works and in others it does not. Coach Grantham must be being muzzled because he doesn’t seem like a guy to mince words. I sure hope this gets some action from the players because I really think they should be aware that they are playing for their coaches jobs on Saturday. No regrets? How about the millstone of knowing that you, because of a lack of effort, cost a family man his job in this economy? Forget championships and crap like that… this is consequential stuff. Your best is all that is ever asked of you. A coach can not play for you… they can punish you but that can’t MAKE you play hard. UGA players it is solely on YOU to give everything you’ve got. Leave it on the field or spend the rest of your lives why you didn’t. Pretty simple isn’t it?
HoneyBadger Has the Munchies
October 23rd, 2012
8:30 am
Pat….maybe you should go to the blog of your favorite team.. I do believe that you just sounded retarded.
NCDawg
October 23rd, 2012
8:32 am
that = they … in too big a hurry
funny...
October 23rd, 2012
8:32 am
Even the players know Georgia is effed.
Someone should show Williams how to cover and not get beat deep.
This coaching administration is totally useless. Even if Georgia miracles against Florida, no way they’re beating Alabama.
Get Richt and his band of idiots out of Athens.
…..wait, wait, wait….. We should be just happy to escape Lexington with a win. ha, what a joke
Bozo N. Richt
October 23rd, 2012
8:33 am
Here’s how this movie plays out – - – - UGA gets yet another beat down by a nationally ranked team. worst than South Carolina. Then UGA trots off to the Outback Bowl and . . . loses again. THE FISH ROTS FROM THE HEAD
tee
October 23rd, 2012
8:36 am
It’s great for a player who’s there everyday to speak up. Not a fan or a member of the media calling out the guys. I just hope that on Saturday that he’s not benched for a quarter by Richt. We lay an egg on Saturday Richt must go!!!
obamaSINLADEN
October 23rd, 2012
8:39 am
don’t forget to wear crosses. crosses ,crosses. everywhere!!!
Statesborodawg
October 23rd, 2012
8:39 am
do you guys actually look at the game. When the kentucky team ran it down our throats the sideline reporter said there was a defensive huddle on the sideline and DC Grantham was yelling and screaming and I guarantee it was not nice. So this thing about Richt neutering grantham is totally ludicrous. Also that personal file that the kid got on the kickoff all three of those players were met by RICHT!!! at the sideline. I don’t if you idiots have DVR but I watched it in slow mo to make sure . You guys are idiots. A couple of weeks ago it was bring back Van gorder Now that he is 0-5 in the SEC 1-6 overall all that has magically disappeared. Now that being said You can yell and scream all you want at a kid to work hard and be physical but if he doesn’t you have to yank his butt out the game and bring him to the sideline and when he ask when can I go In. You Say When you Bust somebody in the mouth….. I do fault the coaching staff for that IF they are not going to play hard your soft buttocks can sit on the bench
dean
October 23rd, 2012
8:40 am
If the whistle hasn’t blown, KNOCK THE DOGPISS OUT OF SOMEBODY.
That is all.
Chris Snow
October 23rd, 2012
8:45 am
@ NC Dawg, very well said. People want to blame the coaches, but the players HAVE to be willing to put forth the effort as well.
Dawg Tired
October 23rd, 2012
8:46 am
Maybe they all should start grabbing the ball carrier’s face mask like he does. Heck it’s only a 15 yard penalty.
timgin
October 23rd, 2012
8:48 am
Glad to see some leadership..too bad it didn’t come from the qb but that is what we have come to expect from Murray. He never steps up for the big game..anything that matters. We can’t even beat South Carolina now. And then our coach says we took our tail beating together …wow…just once I would like to see a Mark Richt team step up and play with heart and emotion…and discipline!
BamaDan
October 23rd, 2012
8:48 am
That’s signature Mark Richt…SOFT. I really hope UGA finds a way to beat Florida and make it to Atlanta this year. I love playing Georgia…soft as a baby’s bottom. Georgia would fit right in in the Pac 12.
Paper Bag Wearing Dawg
October 23rd, 2012
8:49 am
UGA’s player positional coaches have done a pathetic job motivating these team members who are better than almost anyone at position.
The buck stops here…
CMR should do a “blank out” in Jacksonville in response to a lethargic performance by the Dawgs at crunch time this season and I don’t give a flip if they did win last week…..
The GD coaches from CMR on down need to hear and take heed to my “thousand yard speech…”
What got you here, will not get you there, and until the GD sorry, lazy coaches who I will refer to as “couches” (until I see some potential and bite) can KMA.
Take the names off the jerseys, take the G off the helmets and scrape the GD helmet stickers for starts off immediately!!!!
Put all the fat lazy “COUCHES” on bread and water until they learn their jerb is not a free ride including CMR.
Make CMR read from the Old Testament on Sundays, and from the book of John alone on Fridays.
This program needs some gun powder served up on a cold dish and made to lick the GD bowl!
NCDawg
October 23rd, 2012
8:50 am
Statesborodawg, evaluations of talent are one thing… evaluations of heart are quite another. I don’t know if Coach Grantham is hung up on the talent he sees or if there is something else that makes him keep these guys in the game. Personally I’d open competition for playing time every week until someone shows that they have the desire to play along with their talent. Great physical ability often has a downside of lack of self initiative. It is because things come too easily for the mega talented. Rennie Curran played with everything he had even though he was under sized and probably didn’t have the physical tools other guys had. We need a bunch of guys like that right now. It is on the coaching staff to evaluate such things and do what has to be done. I’m not sure what is wrong but if we lose to UF then a change has to be made. The mulligans have been used up.
dean
October 23rd, 2012
8:52 am
To be clear, I should have said, KNOCK THE GATORPISS OUT OF SOMEBODY.
Tider
October 23rd, 2012
8:57 am
I thought y’all were going to win the national championship this year? Richt is a good man and deserves to be at UGA for as long as he wants. Everything is fine.
Lance
October 23rd, 2012
8:57 am
UGA D has always been soft… Bout time they “Man Up” and play with some big balls or we will get boatraced by the Gaytors.
hornblowermg
October 23rd, 2012
8:57 am
the ones counting their nfl money on the sideline need to stay on the sideline. let the dogs be dogs.
Mobile Dawg
October 23rd, 2012
8:59 am
You don’t change the spots on a Dawg. At this point we are what we are, a soft, undisciplined, underperforming football team, with marginal (at best) leadership. I think we see the total collapse of the Georgia program under Mark Richt Saturday. IMO, even the players feel the apathy in program, emotion will only carry them so far. The further into the game we get, again JMO, the more lost we will look.