Bulldogs look for new wideouts to step up as life after Marlon Brown begins
Expect the Bulldogs to go to this guy a little more with Marlon Brown joining Michael Bennett on the injured list. Malcom Mitchell has averaged 4.8 catches per game since returning to receiver full time. (AJC photo by Bob Andres)
ATHENS – Life without Marlon Brown began Monday for the Georgia Bulldogs. That was their first practice for the Auburn game and their first without Brown this season.
Make no mistake about it: Brown’s loss was a big blow. His season-ending knee injury is as hurtful as Michael Bennett in Week 6 and probably makes it twice as bad since Bennett was already gone.
The best thing about Georgia’s receiving corps this season is it doesn’t have a “feature guy” who Aaron Murray feels like he has to throw to every series. There are great things about having an A.J. Green or Sammy Watkins or Marqise Lee, but it’s even better if you have a 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D as Georgia did in Bennett and Brown and Tavarres King and Malcolm Mitchell. When coupled with a quarterback like Murray, who is a true reader of defenses and simply throws to the open man, it makes the Bulldogs a tough team to defend.
Case in point, Murray’s four touchdown passes against Ole Miss this pass weekend went to four different receivers. His 21 completions went to 11 different targets. Even more telling: He never had a leading receiver in back-to-back games through nine games. Brown led five different wideouts with three 100-plus receiving games, including this past Saturday, when he left the game in the third quarter with 113 on three catches.
The problem in losing Brown now is you lose the chance to have any guy like him. Bennett’s loss the week of the South Carolina could be absorbed in that he and Brown were very much the same kind of wideout — in the 6-4 to 6-5 range, faster than defenses expect, very sure hands in traffic. Brown left Saturday’s game sharing the team lead in receptions with 27 along with 469 yards and 4 touchdowns. Together with Bennett, they combined for 51 catches and 814 yards and 8 TDs over 14 games played. That’s tough for any team to absorb.
Certainly King has been stalwart captain of the group and he will continue to be so. As he did last season, he leads the Bulldogs again this one with 27 catches for 551 yards and a team-best 6 TDs. And Mitchell has proven to be the play-maker he was last year on offense since returning from the defense in week five. He currently has 26 catches for 358 yards and 2 TDs. Expect Murray to be looking their way a little more often.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs will be looking for somebody else to step up out of the “next” group. It includes experienced junior Rantavious Wooten (12-154-2), talented sophomore Chris Conley (7-84-1) and reliable junior Rhett McGowan (5-46). Now would be a good time redshirt freshman speedster Justin Scott-Wesley (1-43) to show he can get into the mix as well.
“We still have some playmakers,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said Sunday. “But Marlon and Michael were just two outstanding football players . . . And they actually had a nice physicality to them them (at) that position. We’ll miss that. Other guys are just going to have to step up and get after it.”
Fortunately for the Bulldogs, they also run a pro-style, multiple offense that’s very diverse when it comes featuring personnel groupings. It’s easy for offensive coordinator Mike Bobo to call more pass plays for tight ends and fullbacks, especially with Murray at the controls.
But as all the Bulldogs will attests, it’s certainly not going to be the same without Marlon Brown.
UGA WIDEOUTS
- Tavarres King, Sr. — 27 catches — 551 yards — 6 TDs
- Marlon Brown, Sr. — 27 — 469 — 4
- Malcolm Mitchell, So. — 26 — 358 — 2
- Rantavious Wooten, Jr. — 12 — 154 — 2
- Christian Conley, So. — 7 — 84 — 1
- Rhett McGowan — 5 — 46 — 0
- Justin Scott-Wesley — 1 — 43 — 0
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Bulldogs look for new wideouts to step up as life after Marlon Brown begins – Georgia – Dawg News
November 5th, 2012
6:07 pm
[...] posted here: Bulldogs look for new wideouts to step up as life after Marlon Brown begins ← Back to Home Tags: bulldogs, chris conley, christian conley, coupled, focal, [...]
ARdawg
November 5th, 2012
6:16 pm
GO DAWGS!!
ARdawg
November 5th, 2012
6:18 pm
The bad news is, the list is getting smaller but the good news is there is still a good list of quality receivers. In fact all of them are
Mobile Dawg
November 5th, 2012
6:20 pm
“Fortunately for the Bulldogs, they also run a pro-style, multiple offense that’s very diverse when it comes featuring personnel groupings. It’s easy for offensive coordinator Mike Bobo to call more pass plays for tight ends and fullbacks, especially with Murray at the controls.”
I think a lot of us have been wondering why we haven’t utilized the TE’s and backs more.
bigman
November 5th, 2012
6:26 pm
I think the guys who are behind on the Depth Chart will really step up to the plate. I’m waiting for a big game this weekend from some new faces. Go Dawgs!
Jborodawg
November 5th, 2012
6:26 pm
Terrible news and I wish Mr Brown a speedy, strong recovery. Quite a blow to lose both him and Bennett. Yes, looks like an opportunity to throw to the TE and FB more often. And, we’ll see how Scott-Wesley does.
Best wishes, Marlon.
SoGaDAWG
November 5th, 2012
6:29 pm
Really hate that for MB he was really coming on this season. I look to see Conley contribute more now. Would also like to see samuel more at FB.
jack bull
November 5th, 2012
6:31 pm
it’s the blocking we’ll miss. Both of those guys didn’t mind doing the dirty work.
How would you like a UGA vs K-State match-up in the Sugar Bowl? very possible.
Pj
November 5th, 2012
6:35 pm
This one hurts more than Bennett because Marlon is a senior leader. Wooten has got to step up and Conley and JSW are going to be thrown into the fire. Stick Jay Rome on the outside and let those natural abilities do their thing! One other thought – didn’t Josh Harvey Clemmons play some WR in high school? He’s 6′5″ right?
Armchair Observer
November 5th, 2012
6:35 pm
Chip, you need to roll your clock back.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
November 5th, 2012
6:45 pm
Should be interesting……….
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
November 5th, 2012
6:50 pm
I’m thinking this is where I say it sure would have been NICE to really beat some of the crappy teams early this year so we could have played these other guys more so they would have more game experience.
ARdawg
November 5th, 2012
6:54 pm
jack bull
Good point. The blocking we may miss more than the receptions
Bitter dawgs fan///--AARON MURRAY' EVIL TWIN
November 5th, 2012
7:00 pm
@–long name fool==========beat som crapy teams—–what???
really————please get banned agan—-TRAILER TRAMP
ZinoDawg
November 5th, 2012
7:01 pm
Marlon brown is a DGD. He will be missed. Both Marlon and Bennett were excellent downfield blockers which makes their loss even bigger.
Bitter dawgs fan///--AARON MURRAY' EVIL TWIN
November 5th, 2012
7:02 pm
BOBO and company will have them READY?????—-
—-THE LATEST FROM PAUL FINEBUM—–The BARN will be firing
—–cheese dik after the dawgs put up 60 points on the war-tramps
greg t
November 5th, 2012
7:08 pm
Godspeed on the recovery Marlon and thanks for giving it your all these last four years. DGD
Honey Badger Has the Munchies
November 5th, 2012
7:09 pm
Mobile Dawg…been wondering the same thing too…..why not throw to these highy recruited TE’S? Full back in the flat or a few screens to get the ball out quickly too. Freeze those linebackers. Wish you well Marlon Brown, you will be missed.
JB
November 5th, 2012
7:10 pm
Lynch not mentioned. He has 8″ cinder blocks for hands
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
November 5th, 2012
7:10 pm
Kentucky
Arkansas both need coaches
maybe
Auburn
Tennessee looking for coaches
Is Bobo’s phone ringing off the hook yet?
Has his name come up?
JB
November 5th, 2012
7:12 pm
Also, lot’s of soft optimism for Romney for tomorrow. The Dems are so sure of themselves, but polls ain’t showing it. Sorry, had to write it.
JB
November 5th, 2012
7:15 pm
I don’t think Bobo gets a shot at a SEC school. Someone like Wake Forest of NC State may come calling one day. I’ll get jumped for this, But Richt has not put Bobo in a position for a SEC job. Sorry, it ain’t happening. Richt’s short comings will enter the conversation.
The Other Lake Dog
November 5th, 2012
7:16 pm
Why noit give Josh Harvey-Clemons a shot at WR. We need another tall receiver now.
Mobile Dawg
November 5th, 2012
7:16 pm
We seem to be using the fullback more since Hall went down, coincidence? Jay Rome starting to make his presence felt also.
Hope you’re right JB.
Va Dawg 85
November 5th, 2012
7:17 pm
Did you see the play?
Teh Old Miss guy twisted his knee..
Chip-Do you think that caused the ACL tear?
I’m surprised more has not been said about that play
Va Dawg 85
November 5th, 2012
7:17 pm
Typo….The Ole Miss…
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
November 5th, 2012
7:22 pm
Va Dawg 85 that is part of the game. What is there to say.
JB…..you don’t think Bobo is thinking he will get the job after Richt is gone?
Bobo is a UVa grad too.
Can Bobo figure this out?
November 5th, 2012
7:30 pm
Put Jay Rome in the slot to create a mismatch in run blocking. He is a huge mismatch on slants/ins/out and can control the middle of the field. Then when they put a safety or linebacker out there, get Wesley-Scott or Wooten out there for the homerun. This is way above Bobo’s knowledge of the game, but a good idea.
Best of luck Marlon! We'll Miss You Big Guy
November 5th, 2012
7:37 pm
Marlon Brown DGD! Prayers for a speedy recovery and best wishes in NFL (you’ll be fine)!
TDB
Bulldawgman49
November 5th, 2012
7:38 pm
That was some bad news , I think Lynch and Rome need to be in the mix as well , I would like to see Conley in there he has speed and sure hands . Gowan is very underated player I seen a few
catches down the middle and he seems to catch it every time .
Georgia boy
November 5th, 2012
7:38 pm
I think Justin Scott-Wesley will be a different maker with his speed. . He can turn 5 gain to 75 td pass
bahits.com
November 5th, 2012
7:48 pm
The two MBs were MONSTER BLOCKERS. Is there any doubt why Gurley and Marshal haven’t had any of the 70 and 80 yard runs after Michael Bennett went down? It will now likely be even worse without Marlon Brown.
We need some guys to step up.
bahits.com
November 5th, 2012
7:53 pm
Has anyone considered moving Josh Harvey-Clemons over to receiver? He was a MONSTER in high school.
bahits.com
November 5th, 2012
7:54 pm
I like Can Bobo figure this out?’s suggestion of using Rome in the the slot.
T-TOWN DAWG
November 5th, 2012
7:55 pm
I saw it Va Dawg 85. Marlon was on the ground, tackled, play over when the punk twisted his knee.
bahits.com
November 5th, 2012
7:56 pm
JHC as receiver? http://onlineathens.com/sports/college-sports/2012-07-13/coaches-see-harvey-clemons-versatile-addition-dogs-defense
Simpson
November 5th, 2012
8:12 pm
Good luck in your recovery MB
dawgs
November 5th, 2012
8:12 pm
Brown was a true WR Mitchell needs to catch the ball first before trying to run with the ball
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
November 5th, 2012
8:13 pm
T-town Dawg….it is part of the game and it happens. If you don’t want to risk getting hurt then don’t play the game.
Haka Dawg
November 5th, 2012
8:20 pm
I feel bad for Marlon Brown. He was having a good season. I hope he gets healthy and pursue an opp at the next level. We’ll def missed his down field block. It’s time for Chris Conley and Rhett McGowan to rise up. Justin Wesley Scott is a good raw talent… excellent speed… throw him some tunnel screens, hitch, etc and he’ll take it to the distance. I like the fact we also spread out our TE’s in the slot. I still feel good about the skill guys that are healthy/game ready.
GATA!
jack bull
November 5th, 2012
8:34 pm
Not to get too far ahead, but I’m guessing Bobby Petrino ends up at either Tennessee or Auburn next season. Either way, that could make our schedule that much tougher. The guy can coach. And neither of those schools care about his past, especially Auburn.
Back to the issued at hand, C Conley is going to be the guy that steps up. I’ve got confidence in him to catch the ball in traffic, plus he’s got enough size to do some blocking.
T-Dawg
November 5th, 2012
8:50 pm
Unless there is something physically wrong with our TEs, they need to be utilized much more in the coming weeks to prepare for the SEC CG. Now would be a perfect time for Bobo to learn how to throw HB Screens. Alabama will have the deep stuff covered and like MISSOU and Ole Miss, they will be blitzing on every down.
Poopdawg
November 5th, 2012
9:01 pm
Thanks Marlon Brown, and good luck with your future.
pablo ramirez @swag brotha!! #? #UGA swagggggg
November 5th, 2012
9:05 pm
@Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz. Bobo is a UGA grad ‘97 (UGA QB) and he completed his last 19 passes against passes against Wisconsin in the outback bowl that year
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
November 5th, 2012
9:13 pm
I was confused DOOLEY with BOBO. and it was too late to edit it after I hit submit.
jojo
November 5th, 2012
9:23 pm
DGDs, both Marlon and Michael. Hope you both have a speedy recovery.
. Look for Conley to step up and for Woot to REALLY step it up
DILLIGAF
November 5th, 2012
10:26 pm
I hope Puketrino ends up at Auburn.
Not many mothers will want their babies playing for this moron.
Can you imagine sitting in the room with this d**bag as he tries to sell a potential recruit’s parents on why their boy should come play for Auburn for three or four years under his wing as he helps mold their characters for the future. There’s no denying that he’s a decent coach but I believe that he would have quite an obstacle in getting parents to buy into his spin, knowing the history of this clown.
Women also despise male adulterers.
Speaking of the Plainers……
GATA!
UGA85′
underdawg
November 5th, 2012
10:41 pm
Continues to amaze me how TK #12 does not get the press he deserves. Media and coaches alike seem to never recognize him. Leads the team in receptions this year, needs 2 more TD’s to become 4th in TD catches in UGA history, and is the ultimate team player. 9 catches at Kentucky and the next 2 weeks has 3 balls thrown to him??? Go to him more often, just saying. Probably go down as most underrated WR in UGA history.
JaxDawg
November 5th, 2012
10:54 pm
First of all good luck to Marlon in the future and with his career he has been a hard worker and a DGD… Not saying the lost doesn’t hurt but Malcom is clearly our best wideout and TK is doing his thing. The guy I wish would step up is Jay Rome, he has a great upside but a bad work ethic from what I hear. With two talented wideouts and a stud TE we should be just fine…
kingdaddy
November 5th, 2012
11:14 pm
I wanted to use the TEs more, but not like this. Good luck Marlon…
Skokie Dog
November 5th, 2012
11:16 pm
“When coupled with a quarterback like Murray, who is a true reader of defenses and simply throws to the open man, it makes the Bulldogs a tough team to defend.”
Chip, is this true when the open man that Murray throws to is a defensive player, snagging another interception?
L.A. BULLDAWG
November 6th, 2012
12:51 am
UGA WILL BE FINE! ADAPT AND OVERCOME! STEP IT UP, MCGOWAN, & CONLEY! NO EXCUSES!!!!
Rick
November 6th, 2012
12:55 am
Too bad Marlon was blind sided with a cheap shot on very dirty play and extended tackle. No 7 for Old Miss has already been suspended for four games this year for dirty play.
So much for pre-game surmons by Freeze. Can you say hypocrit?
Marlon brown was my favorite UGA receiver. Good guy great talent.
I don’t like Old Miss.
William
November 6th, 2012
4:17 am
I said it yesterday #7 for Ole Mss should be suspended for the rest of the year. I can’t believe we didn’t target him in the second half. What a cheap shot by him. We should have went after his knees after what he did. too bad we don’t play them next year.
This is Big Boy Football
November 6th, 2012
5:33 am
Rick UGA fans have a lot of nerve talking about dirty players when you have the king thug of them all in Sean Williams.
Destin Dawg
November 6th, 2012
7:13 am
if you pay taxes, love the USA., or have kids/grandkids… please vote Romney !!!!!
RedandBlackDAWG
November 6th, 2012
7:40 am
UGA has wide receivers that can step up and fill in. Conley played a lot last year and has very sure hands. He is not as fast as Marlon was but he has glue on his hands. Wesley was highly recruited and I expect that he could also step in and with some real game time experience, be a real asset.
Possibly, UGA will utilize their TE’s more now, as I think that has been an under used asset so far this year. When the big boy gets the ball, he is hard to bring down, and allows the offense to control the clock more. Of course, our OL will have to block a little better in order to free up the TE to accomplish that. Losing Marlon could also mean that we will run some more and I can’t see anything but positive if that is the case.
Ghost of Sinkwich
November 6th, 2012
8:11 am
Marlon will be missed. Good luck in your recovery and your NFL future.
The other wide-outs will have to bring more game and look for the TE’s to get more involved.
Harvey-Clemons could be inserted?
SEC Fan
November 6th, 2012
8:11 am
@Destin Dawg
Georgia voters are just as irrelevant as are Alabama or Mississippi voters. The Solid South is still solid, although demographic changes in our population might well render this the last presidential election in which the vote in the Deep South can be taken for granted by the GOP.
NC Dawg
November 6th, 2012
8:14 am
Mitchell will have 11 catches for 144 yards against AU
Doogsga
November 6th, 2012
8:49 am
Can Richard Samuel play wideout?
RMikel58
November 6th, 2012
8:58 am
Bring in the freshmen corp. Utilize the TE more.Losing MB will not give us 20 plus yard potential down the field. If we’re way ahead of Auburn come saturday CMR needs to take out those WR’s and put in Freshmen incase of injuries.
Same way on Defense. Bobo needs to do the same with Murray and put in someone else.
Too late in the season with so much at stake for a season ending injury to occur ending hopes for a SEC Championship and Bowl Game.
Quit building on individual stats and do things for the team……………. idiots.
Not about them, its about the Program.
i am Jeff Schultz and the only reason I write is for pageviews because I am not a journalist
November 6th, 2012
9:03 am
I am jeff schultz and I never went to j school but i do know how to generate pageview because that is what my editor tell me to do
RMikel58
November 6th, 2012
9:05 am
Why do you think when Bear Bryant was coaching Alabama , he put in everybody. They all got experience and played.
Our problem this year was we let teams stick around and make a game out of it.
Dont care what anyone says “Defenses” win games and it all starts there.
JJ should take more leadership role and seeing that the defense rises up and make sure that they play 100% and call them out if they dont.
JJ is the heart and soul of our defense and id say this is one area i think he has underperformed on.
Our defense has been looking for a player to step up and take control and yes who better than JJ to do that.
Joey
November 6th, 2012
9:27 am
We don’t have anymore WRs as big as Brown and Bennent, but Conley is 6′3″ and both of the TEs are huge, by college standards. So Murray still has some big targets.
Joey
November 6th, 2012
9:30 am
“if you pay taxes, love the USA., or have kids/grandkids… please vote Romney !!!!!”
************************************
Destin, I do, I do, I do, and I already did.
Go Dawgs!!!!
November 6th, 2012
10:35 am
u have to be an IDIOT if u r on a SPORTS BLOG but telling people who to vote for….do it somewhere else….all the real UGA fans are concerned about beating Auburn
seabass
November 6th, 2012
10:49 am
I still say put Josh Harvey Clemons in at slotback. Big, physical, athletic!
Tee off
November 6th, 2012
12:42 pm
Good thing we were 6 deep at WR coming into the season. Every team in the country would love to have T king, Malcom Mitchell, Wooten and Conley as their receivers. Plus our TE’s are servicable. Its tough to lose Marlon Brown but we’re so deep at WR we wont skip a beat.
Barry
November 6th, 2012
1:19 pm
Ole Miss was another quality win over a potentially dangerous SEC team. Congratulations to the Bulldogs!
I did think that freshman right tackle Theus appeared to be trying to get Murray killed early in the first quarter, but thankfully he got better later. Whew! Why do we always seem to start off so slow??
One other thought, though it is probably too late to worry about it now – Have we played Murray too long in games when we have convincing leads? Point being, we need to get whatever back-up that is next in line more experience. Not to mention keeping Murray healthy. Whenever he leaves UGA we will have no game experience at that critical position, and very little true game conditions in which to evaluate Murray’s successor. I dread the thought that anything happens to Murray this season. Don’t have a clue who might be able to lead the Dogs.
Just a thought…not meant as a criticism.
Destin Dawg
November 6th, 2012
3:40 pm
play LeMay when we are 3 TD’s ++ ahead in 2 nd half… BIG fault of CMR does not get back ups enough game experience… Marlin Brown should have been on the bench instead of injured ??
Atoaz12
November 6th, 2012
3:53 pm
This is a great opportunity to use Marshall and Gurley together. Marshall should be used just like Florida used Percy Harvin. Out of the backfield, on the slot, as a decoy… Get our two best playmakers on the field at the same time. Probably too late for this year but something to consider for next season
2_dawgs
November 6th, 2012
5:00 pm
Keep an eye on Artie Lynch. Lot of potential.
Showmeyurtd's
November 6th, 2012
9:56 pm
Prayers to brown and Bennett….put yo money on THE KING! I have…… Go Dawgs! Ga 34 auburn 17……Book it Danno!