Georgia’s Mike Gilliard: ‘I felt disrespected and, yes, I definitely took it personally’
Linebacker Mike Gillard, here tackling a Florida Atlantic player, was not at all happy about Shawn Williams' characterization of his play at inside linebacker. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
ATHENS — OK, here are a few addendum’s from Tuesday’s post-practice interview opportunities. Todd Grantham, Mike Gilliard and Jarvis Jones talked about Shawn Williams’ comments on the defense and a few other things. So here they are kind of raw and unabridged:
SENIOR LINEBACKER MIKE GILLIARD:
On Williams’ remarks about Amarlo Herrera being the better linebacker . . .
“As a man, I wasn’t hurt at all. I felt disrespected. And, yes, I definitely took it personally. Today in the linebackers meeting, I stood up and told them, ‘no disrespect to Amarlo and Ogletree, but when I read that I felt disrespected and I’ll definitely taking it personally. But there’s no issue between me and Shawn Williams. All it is is fuel for the fire and basically its given me motivation to go out there and give 100 percent. And that’s what I did today. You can ask any of my teammates. I was upset today at practice today any time the ball came my way I tried to knock the [expletive] out of him.”
On the response of the defense to Williams’ remarks. . .
“He called us out. Us as linebackers and asa defense as a whole, we’ve just got to deliver. This week, that’s what I plan to do. You best believe whoever’s carrying the ball, I’m gonna know the (expletive) out of them.”
On talking to Williams on Tuesday . . .
“He told me it was nothing person. Then again, by saying their names, he said my name without saying my name. I took that personal. I feel like when another man calls me soft, he’s disrespecting my manhood. So all I can do is go out there and deliver. It just gave me motivation. You best believe, on Saturday I’m going to be ready. And as a defense as a whole, we had a great practice. We flew around the ball, tried to hit hard. That’s what we’re going to continue to do for the rest of the week.”
On how he might have handled . . .
“Me, personally, I never would have told the media something like that. I’d keep it in-house and talk to the defense. I would have sat down and talked to the defense and tried to resolve the issue then and there. But there’s not going to be any issues after this right here. It’s just if another man calls me soft, I’m gonna show him there ain’t nothing sweet around here.”
JUNIOR OUTSIDE LINEBACKER JARVIS JONES
On Williams’ remarks . . .
“Everybody knows Shawn is a very passionate guy. He loves this game of football. Looking back at last year and this year, we’re playing down a level and not executing like we’re supposed to. I feel like that woke a lot of guys up. Guys understand where he’s coming from and definitely respect him. It wasn’t like he was throwing anybody under the bus, coaches or anything like that. Personally, me and a lot of other guys feel like it was just a challenge for us to go out there and just re-focus ourselves and get back on the right track and play the defense we’re known for playing and that’s smash-mouth football . Last year that’s the kind of football we played and that’s what Shawn is looking for, the team that played hard, that ran to the ball, that hit people, that got sacks and turnovers. Obviously we haven’t been that team and that’s what he wants to get back to.”
Has the controversy had an effect . . .
“Oh, yeah. Guys were turned up on both sides of the ball. They really pushed themselves to get better. I definitely think we got better in a lot of area today. Guys were giving everything they had as far as the mental stage and physical.
How might he have handled it . . .
“I’m more of a quiet guy; I’m not that vocal. I probably would have just called my defense in together and talked about it. But sometimes you have to look into different ways to get your team’s attention. Shawn was coming from the heart with it. He definitely got our attention. So we’ve just got to look past the negativity of it and what other people think. We understand where Shawn’s coming from. We’re a brotherhood here. We’ve just got to keep grinding and keep getting better this week.
“I know what kind of guy Shawn is and I know how he meant it. He’s just challenging us to get better and just push ourselves physically and mentally.”
On practicing Tuesday after sitting out since Oct. 6 with an ankle injury . . .
“It was good to get out there and move around a little bit,” said Jones, who hasn’t played since injuring his right ankle against South Carolina on Oct. 6. “Everybody’s working hard and focusing, and it was good to get back out there with the guys. I feel good right now. It’s just Tuesday, and I’m still getting better.”
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR TODD GRANTHAM
On Williams’ comments . . .
“It’s no big deal. Shawn’s a passionate guy. He cares about the way he plays and the way the other guys plays. I think it was probably taken a little bit out of context from the way he meant it in some ways. But really you’ve got a guy who wants to win and cares about his players and he’s ready to move on.”
On whether he had any advance notice from Williams . . .
“Shawn and I are pretty close and we talk. He’s a guy who wants us to play well and physical and do those kinds of things. So, you know, I don’t know.”
On Williams making lineup suggestions . . .
“Players have opinions. Everybody’s got their opinion. I have my opinion about (reporters), too.”
On how he addressed the situation with defense . . .
“We always have meetings before practice as a team. I let him have the floor for a couple of minutes and basically explain what he meant and what he cares about. The most important thing is getting ready to play Florida and it’s really not an issue. So we moved on with practice. “
MORE GEORGIA COVERAGE
- Teammates, coaches react to Williams ’soft defense’ remarks
- Georgia players and coaches preview Florida game
- Notebook: Richt floats idea of coaching kickers himself
- Georgia’s O-line eager for another chance against an elite defense
- QB Aaron Murray will take offensive player of week honors into Florida game
- Georgia-Florida week: Will Abry Jones or Jarvis Jones play?
- Dogs struggle vs. Kentucky, but win sets up marquee matchup with Gators
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370 comments Add your comment
Berto
October 24th, 2012
8:38 am
I thought that this was a great thing…Until this stories attention kept rising and this guy decides to create controversy with this article by interviewing Mike Gilliard (Whom he labeled without justifying was being called out). STOP WRITING ABOUT THIS STORY. IT’S ALL OVER THE PRESS NOW AND SOONER THAN LATER YOU’LL RIP APART OUR DEFENSE, BY JUST TRYING TO MEET YOU 500 WORD DEADLINE.
JB
October 24th, 2012
8:39 am
Saturday is important, but Nov 6th is HUGE.
AltamahaDawg
October 24th, 2012
8:40 am
And fellow postesr. We ALL get the idea that some folks(and you are in the minority a lot more than you think) believe Mark Richt needs to be fired as the coach of the Georgia Bulldogs. And that’s fine. You might be right, you might not be. That will all work out one way or another. Is it absolutely required to continue to clog up any discussion of actual football talk with the constant, over and over and over, reference to that? A deal that you have no control over? Is there any room for simply letting some Georgia fans who actually want to discuss football, do so? . You want the coach fired. Check.Got it. 99 more times saying that will not convince us anymore that’s you want that. Nor make it happen.
dawgdays
October 24th, 2012
8:44 am
George Patton: “There is no such thing as a successful defense.”
astrouga
October 24th, 2012
8:49 am
TY said it perfectly.
Plus I’d add that UGA has to come out strong in the 1st and 3rd qtr in particular. No mistakes in the first three possessions of each half. This is a game that is won/lost when one team perceives that it has the edge. UGA can’t afford to give Florida the mental edge.
Dawg_Mike
October 24th, 2012
8:49 am
“I am going to knock the ___ out of someone”
excuse me but should you not do that anyway ???
mike addington
October 24th, 2012
8:54 am
Where’s Meat Cleaver Williams when we need him? Bring back the Junkyard DAWGS. These pretty boys aint cuttin it. I never see our D make straight ahead tackles. They tackle from the side using only their arms or cutting with their pads. Bunch’a gum drops. Show me I’m wrong. Gilliard, get a grip; you and C Robinson both. Herrara/Williams/Geathers,Jones/Cummings are the ones I see making tackles. Has C. Washington left town? Oops, sorry I wasn’t supposed to name names, was I? Politically incorrect. C U Richt. Tired of the ups and downs with like was said above Top Level talent galore. U were second string in college and are now so in the coaching ranks.
HoneyBooBooDawg
October 24th, 2012
8:56 am
Well, if coach woulda put me in fourth quarter, we’d have been state champions – Go DWAGS!!!
Geaux Dawgs!
October 24th, 2012
8:57 am
Watch our defense this weekend and see how many times our defense bumps a runner instead of wrapping them up and tackling them. This drives me CRAZY! KNOCK their helmets OFF! Time and time again I see our d-backs and linebackers try and shove a running back out of bounds instead of laying the wood! Defense is played with emotion and desire!
Geaux Daws!
SimpleDawg
October 24th, 2012
8:58 am
Note to all you spades….the shovel has called you out.
Now it’s time to start diggin’ some bigger holes!
PS: This is an implement metaphor.
Geaux Dawgs!
October 24th, 2012
8:59 am
Geaux DAWGS!
typo….
AltamahaDawg
October 24th, 2012
9:02 am
Reading some othere reports, Williams spoke for a couple of minutes in front of the entire defense, so I am sure he was able to explain a lot more than the sound bites that only mentioned the LBs. I am also positive that nobody left the room with unresolved personal issues towards each other.
To me, the thing that (the focus on LBs) missed is that the DBs have not exactly been stellar either. I realize that the LBs are the “bridge” between run/pass defense, and if they are not playing fast and angry, nothing s well. But when they have commited, sold out to stop the run, they have. But I haven’t seen anything that gives me confidence that they can shut down the corners and allow the Grantham to load up the box. Not like the DLs have been blowing up the plays eithers.
Mobile Dawg
October 24th, 2012
9:06 am
All this focus on defense, this game IMO comes down to whether or not we can establish the run. Can we man up and push the Gators on the line of scrimmage and let the backs have some daylight? I think this offense is capable of power football, our staff just won’t game plan it. That is what will wear Florida down. Establishing the run to Bobo and Richt is not establishing the run in the SEC.
LCDawg
October 24th, 2012
9:07 am
Save it for Saturday boys! Get pissed off at the Gators not each other!!!!!!
ROLL TIDE
October 24th, 2012
9:10 am
WHAT A JOKE!!!!! YOU WOULD NEVER HEAR A ALABAMA PLAYER SAYING THEIR DEFENSE WAS SOFT!!!!!! A TEAM TAKES ON THE PERSONALITY OF ITS HEAD COACH!!!!!!
DEFENSE SOFT? LOOK AT WHO’S RUNNING THE SIDELINES
Dawg Tired
October 24th, 2012
9:11 am
If talking about knocking the (expletive) out of someone was relevant to actually knocking the (expletive) out of someone we would definitely be a whole lot better. Of course, talk is cheap and we are what we are – not very good, especially on defense against any team and on offense against good D’s. Of course, we can be great, at times, on offense if we are playing a pitiful D even though we could not even begin to run the ball against a pitiful KY D.
Double Zero Eight
October 24th, 2012
9:13 am
Richt should thank Willaims for doing what he apparently did not
have the guts to do. The team should have been called out in the
manner that it was done. Maybe they will show up against Florida
and play some inspired ball.
Mobile Dawg
October 24th, 2012
9:18 am
November 6 will be a day of “historical significance” for America one way or the other. The deeper problem however is the lack of respect congress has for the American people.
BMOC
October 24th, 2012
9:21 am
On Williams making lineup suggestions . . .
“Players have opinions. Everybody’s got their opinion. I have my opinion about (reporters), too.”
Substitute ‘reporter’ with ‘you’ ..
Jim Mora, Sr
October 24th, 2012
9:22 am
Williams said what needed to be said- the coaches are too soft to say it. The lack of intensity and pasion by the players is a direct reflection of Richts lack of the same on the sideline. Rambo should have stayed suspended, the way he’s played since his return. I still expect Florida to manhandle us, but maybe Williams comments will help.
Joey
October 24th, 2012
9:25 am
I find it strange that everything Gilliard said he would do on the field from now on (giving 100%, knocking the ____ out of ballcarriers, motivation, flwe around the ball) , are actually the things that he should have ALREADY been doing.
WTF?
So Williams was right . . .
IJS
October 24th, 2012
9:27 am
Shouldn’t a player on defense want to knock the s*^$ outta anyone with the ball anyway. Well, IMHO that’s the difference between good and GREAT defenses…IJS!!
King Gator
October 24th, 2012
9:27 am
Tough SEC Defense v. a Bunch of B*tchy Little Girls – Can’t wait for Saturday! Go Gators!!
zbulldawg
October 24th, 2012
9:29 am
WILL the REAL JUNKYARD DAWGS please stand up !!!! Way to go Shawn it’s way over due. LET THE BIG DAWG EAT
Joey
October 24th, 2012
9:29 am
Oh, and it sounds like Williams had the blessing from his DC to call out his teammates.
Maybe it will wake everybody up.
Just don’t smack anybody 3 yards out of bounds, please . . .
Buckbaloweme
October 24th, 2012
9:30 am
Gee, so many passionate coach’s and player’s. What is one to do. How do I choose. Oh my.
Mobile Dawg
October 24th, 2012
9:32 am
King Gator, one of two things will happen. The pups will run out, bark a little, and fold like the proverbial cheap tent, OR, the perfect storm will happen, everything we’ve been capable of doing but haven’t will come together, similar to the Auburn game last year, and UF will be tucking their “gator tail” between their legs and limping back to Gainesville whipped.
joe jenkins
October 24th, 2012
9:32 am
For me our sloppy play so far will all be forgiven if we beat the gators sat. If I had to choose…i would take 11 win season and a victory over the gators than a sec championship……I know most of us want richt gone and i kind of do too…but if we beat the gators all will be forgiven…To me this is the biggest game for mark richt in his whole coaching career!!! No more excuses fron the team! the defense has to play stronger and we going to need a miracle from our o-line…..I’m just being realistic about richt being fired…I’ts not going to happen anytime soon…for one we are 6-1…and we still have a shot winning 10-12 games……even though the defense gave up a bunch of yards to cream puffs….we still won those games and thats all mcgarity really cares about is winning the games and not how you win….so when we lose to fla i will be calling for richt to fired…but my opinion wont mean much….maybe things are not as bad as they seem and maybe things can be turned around….time will tell and its coming soon enough
Joey
October 24th, 2012
9:32 am
There’s a couple of other branches of govt who have an equal “lack of respect” for the American people, Mobile Dawg.
WnE
October 24th, 2012
9:35 am
re:
On Williams’ remarks about Amarlo Herrera being the better linebacker . . .
“As a man, I wasn’t hurt at all. I felt disrespected. And, yes, I definitely took it personally. Today in the linebackers meeting, I stood up and told them, ‘no disrespect to Amarlo and Ogletree, but when I read that I felt disrespected and I’ll definitely taking it personally. But there’s no issue between me and Shawn Williams. All it is is fuel for the fire and basically its given me motivation to go out there and give 100 percent. And that’s what I did today. You can ask any of my teammates. I was upset today at practice today any time the ball came my way I tried to knock the [expletive] out of him.”
________________
Newsflash!
It should not have taken public comments by Williams to make you want to do those things you said above.
You should have been doing those things from the time you enrolled at Muttvile.
No one should have to call you out to make you give 100%, that should come from within and it should be something you OWE your teammates, your coaching staff, your school, your PARENTS, YOURSELF, and everyone of your friends that ARE NOT good enough to play at the BCS level.
Those are the reasons you give 100%, not because Williams called you out.
Your responses let me as an outsider know that Muttville has an internal motivation & coaching problem.
King Gator
October 24th, 2012
9:37 am
Win or lose, this Gator team will not turn tail and limp back to Gainesville. (like last year’s beaten down team) This year’s team is a 100% tougher on defense and the OL, plus we’ll actually play with a seasoned, non-wounded qb and without that blowhard in Kansas as OC (he was worse than Bobo). After the beat down the Gators put on the Gamecocks, I think we’re going into this game with a ton of confidence and Georgia is letting the infighting and finger pointing get to them. Florida by at least 10 on Saturday! Go Gators! a little coke for color!!
Bazooka Joe
October 24th, 2012
9:38 am
So the defense might be fired up, play with the intensity we have been looking for all year…. but what about the offense ? They need to play just as inspired (although a little more under control than the defense), does calling out the D do anything for the O ?
Joey
October 24th, 2012
9:39 am
Joe, this game is so important he may have Bobo run 3 end-around plays!
Seriously, we cannot out-muscle UF’s D-line, so Richt/Bobo better figure out ways to give Murray time, roll him out, put Samuel in to pass-block (Lord knows the freshmen can’t), extra O-lineman, etc.
I don’t care what the D is ranked, if you give Murray time, he will eat you up – then as the D makes adjustments, DO THE SAME.
We had LSU, who had the best D in the country, confused and vulnerable last year, then Chavis adjusted, and we never did.
Bulldawgman49
October 24th, 2012
9:39 am
I am excited that someone has lit a fire under this team . I was there in lexington Saturday and they seem slow to the ball and also out of position . flordia def is a good one we got to protect the ball and play the game of a life time to win . Go DAWGS!!!
joe
October 24th, 2012
9:40 am
It is a conspiracy thought up by the entire athletic dept to motivate the team as Richt and Bobo and Grantham can not do it. They called up Navy Seals, the SIS, and the former head of KGB to get ideas.. They did rule out actual physical felony damage, much to most bloggers chagrin. There was a lottery on the team to see who the “scoundrel would be”. Just another example of pathetic attempts to motivate. Bloggers unite and open up this conspiracy-more important than the election.
Mobile Dawg
October 24th, 2012
9:42 am
Joey, we seriously need a movement from resposible Americans of all ethnic backgrounds that support a strong, secure, prosperous America. We can take care of those who honestly need it, and get the rest productive again. We trained them to expect entitlements, we can train them to be productive as well. That may take 50 years and several generations, but it’s the only thing that will save America. If we all worked together, people of all races, for the good of the country, it would end the divisiveness that permeates our society today. In order for this to happen all Americans need to re-engage, demand more from our elected ones. No more politics today.
Ga/Fl.Stillman dog
October 24th, 2012
9:44 am
Mike Gilliard, YOU ARE A WAISTE OF SCHOLARSHIP.. IT TOOK FOR SHAWN WILLIAMS TO CALL YOU OUT. BUT QUITE FRANKLY HE IS RIGHT YOU SCUK MIKE GILLIARD. YOU ARE VERY AVERAGE AT BEST. THE TWO LINEBACKERS THAT HE STATED SHOULD START IS ALSO CORRECT IN MY OPINION. TO BAD YOUR DUMB COACH COULD NOT FIGURE THAT OUT..
D-MAN
October 24th, 2012
9:45 am
Williams has no room to talk,he’s played like shit this year.
Missed tackles in alot of games and how bout the cocks game
when he got torched on that second td.I agree with you roll tide,
our D has been soft every game except Vandy.
RunninWithTheDawgs
October 24th, 2012
9:45 am
If we come out and play like we did against Tennessee this year we’ll win. Put a lot of points on the board and keep putting a lot of points on the board. Whether it’s pass or run points on the board is what it takes to win. GO UGA !
icedawg
October 24th, 2012
9:47 am
Talk is cheap. Time for action. Get it done on the field. Nuff said.
Mobile Dawg
October 24th, 2012
9:47 am
Joey, the Oline has the advantage in the run game, execution is the key. Our Oline can dominate the line of scrimmage given that challenge.
Bazooka Joe
October 24th, 2012
9:47 am
Couple of comments…
Mike – it was Meat Cleaver Weaver, not Williams (I know, got caught up in the S Williams thing ! happens to me all the time).
Second – everyone knock off the political ##&^%$ we all know what day we vote – if you want to comment politically – go find a politics blog – this if for football.
That is all, you may now return to your regularly scheduled programming.
Paul
October 24th, 2012
9:50 am
“All it is is fuel for the fire and basically its given me motivation to go out there and give 100 percent”
Well are you saying that you have not been giving 100%. Thats what it sounds like to me.
Obama Sucks
October 24th, 2012
9:52 am
Vote for Romney……………………..
NCDawg
October 24th, 2012
9:55 am
OK OK, jeez… no it shouldn’t take a player saying this to get other players attention but sometimes it does. Did you always listen to your parents? Or your teachers? Didn’t you think “blaah, blah, blah…” when they said something for the 100th time? Did you always do what you were told to do… even under threat of punishment? NO you did not. Sometimes it takes a peer to get through to you when others can not. The human being always justifies it’s behavior. We have this habit of delusing ourselves into believing what we want to believe… including our definition of giving 100% effort. We think we are and we want to believe we are but in reality we are not. These are kids… playing a GAME. Motivation is a strange thing. Sometimes you have to be insulted before you take notice. Having a coach tell you you are a panty waist is not likely to produce the same results as a girl telling you that you aren’t man enough for her. Think about it folks. It sux that it has to sometimes happen this way.
Somebody mentioned Pat Dye and the famed “not man enough” comment. If a coach had said that the guys would have blown it off and everybody knows it. Having someone publicly insult you sometimes is what it takes to get through the filters. I hope we get the results that occurred after that public “dissing”.
TossSweep
October 24th, 2012
9:56 am
Boy, it took this long to motivate this team…and by a player. Sad but coaching needs to change. Have the best players out there for Offense, Defense, and Special Teams and stop putting people in there just to have a little playing time. Do that when you’re ahead by 40 points!!!
JB
October 24th, 2012
9:57 am
I will say that the worst Auburn team in 30 years almost beat a top 10 LSU team this year, who had no business on the field with….. so weird stuff can happen
JB
October 24th, 2012
9:58 am
And all the talk is fine, but will our OL be able to open holes for our backs or protect Murray against a real good Florida defense. I doubt it with what we have seen so far.
clay
October 24th, 2012
10:00 am
I love how everyone in the country is counting the tide all in for an sec championship and a national championship. LSU WILL beat Bama, and get back to the SEC championship game. Those boys down at the bayou know exactly what is on the line. It’s at home and it’s at night. Bama does not have enough fire power for LSU defense. Granted LSU doesn’t have any fire power either, which is why everything cancels eachother out and give me LSU by 3.
o-my dawgs
October 24th, 2012
10:02 am
Talks Cheap!