Bulldogs will face Brian VanGorder, Willie Martinez at Auburn
ATHENS – Three current and former Georgia defensive coordinators will be on hand Saturday night when the Bulldogs play at Auburn.
On one side, of course, will be Todd Grantham, in his third season as Georgia’s defensive coordinator. On the other side: Grantham’s two immediate predecessors.
Willie Martinez, a member of Georgia’s coaching staff from 2001-09 and defensive coordinator from 2005-09, is in his first season as Auburn’s defensive backs coach. Brian VanGorder, Georgia’s defensive coordinator from 2001-04, is in his first season as defensive coordinator at Auburn, his fourth employer since leaving UGA.
VanGorder left Athens on his own accord for a job as linebackers coach with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. After one season in Jacksonville, VanGorder spent a year as head coach at Georgia Southern and five years with the Falcons, the first as linebackers coach and the last four as defensive coordinator.
Martinez, fired by Georgia coach Mark Richt after the 2009 regular season, was Oklahoma’s secondary coach in 2010-11.
VanGorder and Martinez were on Richt’s first staff at Georgia. Richt was asked this week if it’ll feel weird to compete against them.
“All I know is, I love both of them. I love their families,” Richt said. “But I think we all know we’ve got to prepare our teams to play ball, and that’s what will be going on from kickoff to the end.”
Richt made clear his respect for his former coordinators.
“I’ve always had a lot of respect for their ability, especially as a tandem, to figure out what you like to do best (offensively) and make you do something that you’re a little uncomfortable doing,” Richt said.
But Auburn’s defense, like the rest of the 2-7 (0-6 SEC) team, has struggled this season.
The Tigers rank last in the SEC in rushing defense, ninth in pass defense and 10th in scoring defense. They held LSU to 12 points on Sept. 22 but later gave up 41 to Ole Miss and 63 to Texas A&M.
Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray said he doesn’t think the Auburn defensive coaches’ former UGA jobs will help them prepare to face the Bulldogs’ offense, noting that it has changed a lot even since Martinez’s last season on staff three years ago.
“Every single year we add more and more and more plays,” Murray said. “He wasn’t here when we were doing the no-huddle … and the up-tempo.”
Georgia cornerback Sanders Commings, a fifth-year senior, looks forward to seeing Martinez on Saturday, or to Martinez seeing him.
“It’ll be fun playing against my old defensive coach,” Commings said. “… It’ll be a fun game to showcase my talents to him.”
Burnette’s status
Georgia offensive lineman Chris Burnette, the starting right guard, who left last week’s game against Ole Miss with a left shoulder injury, remains questionable for the Auburn game.
“We’re just not sure,” Richt said Tuesday.
After Burnette’s first-half injury, starting left tackle Kenarious Gates played mostly right guard in the second half against Ole Miss, with Mark Beard taking over at left tackle.
“I was comfortable moving over there,” Gates said. “I have fun at both (guard and tackle).”
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67 comments Add your comment
Shirley
November 7th, 2012
3:44 pm
AU fans should take a look at former players rent a scam, and (un)fairly now. See what they have done and not done. Is there anyone else who wonders why AU football could go so low after 2 years after NC? Two reasons are mentioned in first sentence. Other reason is they are now playing their OWN recruits and their new coaches. dUH!
joe jenkins
November 7th, 2012
4:16 pm
@ war eagle……dawgs 45 tigers 7….we have won 6 of the last 7…….If we lose sat…thats because of our injured players…you defenetly wont be getting a georgia team at full strenth
BILLY JACK
November 7th, 2012
5:02 pm
WAR EAGLE-YOUR GONNA GET REBOOTED ALL RIGHT.
RMikel58
November 7th, 2012
5:39 pm
Cant afford to overlook anyone! Think they dont know this already? How many times do you think their friends,families and coaches has driven this home? Boy if they had a nickle.
I think the Dawgs have found their Mojo now. Yeah Auburn will be ready and it should be a great contest down there.
Georgia should be able to handle them as long as they dont contract dumb penalties and turnovers.
It’ll start out slow with both Defenses but by late in the 2nd Quarter i think Georgia will get things going and prevail.
Not sure it’ll be a blowout which is usually not the case but the Georgia Defense will rise to the occassion after half time and take control of the game. Auburns defense will tire out by then hopefully and thats predicated on whether or not we keep giving them new life with penalties or not.
Georgia can lose if we have turnovers and penalties but not by talent. That would be our achilles heel if they get sloppy.
Richt already knows what Van Gorder will do but we’ll see Saturday what plays out. All i know is Auburn is the best 2-7 team in the country and they can also play like the best 7-2 team in the country Saturday.
Auburn always has played better in Athens then there but we know for sure that you can throw records out when these 2 teams play.
joe jenkins
November 7th, 2012
6:59 pm
Richt has never beaten tenn …..fla and sc in the same season……thats why we have to go play this stupid game against a 2-7 team with everything on the line…..if we would have took care of sc…we would have won the east last week comfortably at home vs ole missy….So thanks richt for causing us to have to go down into a lions den…..with everything hanging on the line
dc
November 7th, 2012
8:11 pm
uga loses sorry dicks i meant dogs
wins-by-a-link
November 7th, 2012
11:10 pm
Payback still due for Farley assult on Murray in 2010, Hope Dogs come out early and put Tigers away.
Smitty
November 7th, 2012
11:44 pm
joe jenkins ….find another team to pull against….please
Smitty
November 7th, 2012
11:46 pm
joe jenkins….thanks for being positive……not!!!!
DBAU81
November 8th, 2012
6:58 am
I expect the Dogs to play a lot of no-huddle up-tempo on offense; our defense has had a terrible time against that style (see Texas A&M) but has been much better against teams that play at a regular pace (see LSU). If y’all do win Saturday, as I expect, trust me on this: AU Nation will be pulling for you in the SEC Championship Game against Lord Saban and the Evil Kingdom.
Dawg 13¼
November 8th, 2012
8:05 am
Auburn will take this one 17-13. A very long day for Georgia as they watch their title hopes fade away.
Chris Mike
November 8th, 2012
8:13 am
I don’t miss the days when Martinez use to call plays that resluted to first down on 3rd and 15yds to go. I’m glad that we now have Todd Grantham. This is not a trap game, UGA will have to play like we did the last two games.
Moultrie Dawg
November 8th, 2012
9:10 am
Malcolm Mitchel is a GREAT player but he needs to quit all the talking and showboating. He can celebrate and be proud of his play but hes gonna keep getting the attention of the refs and cost us a penalty if he keeps it up.
tell me again
November 8th, 2012
11:14 am
War Eagle – rebooting? Except for the one year ya’ll went “all in” and bought Cam, what has Chizik or Auburn done? One word comes to mind – NADA. Look at Chizik’s record minus the Cam purchase – it’s horrific. After UGA and Alabama get through with Auburn, Chizik will be heading out of town and maybe then you can talk about rebooting. Get ready to be stripped nekkid and sent running out of the stadium on fire! GO DAWGS! By the way – ‘Bama ’s going to put a hundred on you guys – Richt will call off the Dawgs once we get into the 50’s – Saban WON’T! Our boys know what is on the line this week – it’s all good!
tell me again
November 8th, 2012
11:17 am
All of you boys predicting an Auburn win make sure and come back now after the game Without the “SCAM” you’re not worth a “D**N”
Bazooka Joe
November 8th, 2012
11:27 am
War Eagle – you wont be beating anything anytime soon. Remember even with your paid for championship you are what 1-5 over the last 6 years ? ooooh Im shaking in my boots.
We will destroy you Sat, then Bama will put the finishing touches on you.
O for the SEC….. how does THAT feel ?
LIVE: Georgia goes for SEC East clincher against Auburn | Jeff Schultz
November 10th, 2012
4:55 pm
[...] • The Dogs will face their last two defensive coordinators (Brian VanGorder and Willie Martinez), by Tim. [...]