Notebook: Abry Jones plans to play in bowl, Alec Ogletree mum on NFL (UPDATED)
ORLANDO, Fla. – How much Abry Jones can play against Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl on Tuesday will come down to whether his body can pull off what his heart wants him to do.
Jones, a senior and starting defensive end for Georgia, has been out for the last nine weeks following ankle surgery. He returned to practice in a mostly-unlimited capacity this week and has been cleared to play in the game.
But there is definitely reservation in Jones’ voice when he talks about returning to the field for the first time since the seventh game of the season.
“I’m trying to,” Jones said of playing in the game. “I’ve been moving around a little bit. . . . It’s my senior year and I missed so much and I just want to play one more game with the fellas. If I feel confident enough and they let me play, I’m going to play. That’s what I want to do. But it’s just how I feel pretty much.”
Jones estimated he is about “75 to 85” percent recovered from the left ankle injury suffered against Kentucky on Oct. 20. He started practicing in a limited capacity back in Athens and is attempting to go full speed this week.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” he said before Friday’s practice at Celebration High School. “I can run at least, and I can cut a little bit, too.”
Jones said while he has been cleared to play by trainers, he will ultimately have final say. Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham indicated he would play Jones “in spots” and see how it goes.
That Jones is even considering playing is somewhat surprising. He is a senior who projects as an NFL prospect, so most in his situation would skip a bowl to get ready for the next level and avoid the risk of further injury.
“Ever since he got hurt his attitude was, ‘I want to get back and I want to play,’ and he’s been working toward that the entire time,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “I really don’t know how much he’ll be able to play or what kind of stamina he’ll have. But he wants to play and the plan is to play him. As practices go on we’ll have a little better gauge what that might look like. For now, just the thought of him fighting like mad to get back on the field is a sign of his integrity and his love of the game and his love of Georgia.”
The Bulldogs could definitely use Jones’ help. They already will be playing without starting noseguard John Jenkins, who was ruled academically ineligible to play in the bowl. Jenkins had been doing double-duty at Jones’ end position since Week 7. Those snaps will now have to go to Cornelius Washington, Ray Drew and Mike Thornton, all of whom lack Jones’ size (6-3, 309).
“I was feeling compelled to play from the get-go just because these are my teammates and I’ve been missing them for about nine weeks now,” said Jones, who has started 26 games and played in 46 for the Bulldogs. “I’ve been out here and it feels like normal. I’m loving all the love the guys are giving me for being out here, so it just makes me feel stronger.”
NFL UPDATE
For the first time in a while, junior linebacker Alec Ogletree addressed the impending decision he has to make with regard to the NFL draft. The Bulldogs’ “Mo” linebacker projects as a potential first-rounder and it’s generally thought he’ll make the jump. But surprisingly, Ogletree said he didn’t asked the NFL’s advisory board for an evaluation. And, as expected, he said he hasn’t come anywhere close to making a decision.
“Right now I’m still focusing on this season,” said Ogletree, who averaged nearly 11 tackles per game the second half of the season. “I’ve got the rest of this week to go, then I’ll talk to my parents about whatever I’m going to do after the bowl game, then make a decision . . . I’m here right now and that’s all I’m worried about.”
Junior noseguard Kwame Geathers said he has asked for an evaluation from the NFL. He also said who Georgia might hire as defensive line coach will factor into his decision.
Junior outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, who some project as the No. 1 overall pick, says he’ll make a decision after the bowl. Underclassmen have until Jan. 15th to declare for the 2013 NFL draft.
PRACTICE UPDATE
The Bulldogs practiced for two hours Friday in shoulder pads and helmets in a fairly physical practice at Celebration High. It was the second straight day Georgia went through such a workout as Thursday they went in full pads. Richt indicated the Bulldogs would taper off with non-contact practices the next two days, followed by a walk-through practice on Monday. The No. 7 Bulldogs kickoff against Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl on Tuesday at 1:07 p.m.
“We had good energy, everybody was locked in and ready to work today,” Richt said. “I feel good about preparations so far. I really like how we prepared in Athens, then got a little break and so far so good here in Orlando. It’s still a game of emotion and momentum, and hopefully we’ll start out with the right type of emotion, but we have to play for 60 minutes.”
Nebraska’s Martinez underwhelmed
Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez wasn’t going out of his way to diss Georgia’s defense, but neither was he tripping over himself to pay it any compliments.
Asked by reporters Friday what stands out about the Bulldogs’ defense, the Cornhuskers’ fleet-footed quarterback shrugged and said, “Nothing really. Just another typical Big Ten defense.”
Pressed on the subject, Martinez compared Georgia’s unit to the ones he faced from Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State.
“Everyone thinks the SEC is the strongest in the nation because they go to the national championship every year,” Martinez said. “I think this year the Big Ten conference was really strong. So we’ll see how all our teams play out this year.”
Etc. . . .
The Bulldogs had the choice of going to SeaWorld or attending the Russell Athletic Bowl game between Virginia Tech and Rutgers. Or they could choose as Hunter Long did and do neither. The sophomore offensive guard’s birthday is Saturday and he was going to the mall and out to eat with his parents and brother Austin Long. . . . Saturday the Bulldogs will embark on their biggest outing. After another morning practice, they’ll hit Disney’ World’s Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom.
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152 comments Add your comment
Joey
December 29th, 2012
9:48 am
Makes me nervous for the Husker QB to be described as fleet-footed. We had mixed results – did well vs Driskel and Franklin. Not so well vs Shaw.
Herman Talmadge
December 29th, 2012
10:35 am
I love it when Georgia fans get on their high horse about race relations. The hypocrisy is hilarious.
Bulldogs’ bowl update: Abry Jones plans to play, Alec Ogletree not ready to talk about NFL – Georgia – Dawg News
December 29th, 2012
10:42 am
[...] here to see the original: Bulldogs’ bowl update: Abry Jones plans to play, Alec Ogletree not ready to talk about NFL ← Back to Home Tags: abry, bowl, fla, football, jenkins, john, loss, people, pro 0 [...]
Joey
December 29th, 2012
10:48 am
What hypocrisy, nutcase?
Buckeye
December 29th, 2012
10:56 am
Buckeye,
Thanks for asking, We;re in the 12-0 undefeated #3 in the AP Bowl.
PMC
December 29th, 2012
11:16 am
Does Martinez realize they just got absolutely crushed, by a not very good, large or fast Wisconsin team?
The Big 10 conference was freaking horrifically bad this year. They barely competed. Wisconsin is going to the Rose Bowl with 5 losses.
Georgia’s defense is very lacking in a lot of areas, especially tackling, but they are vastly better than what the Big 10 put together this season with the exception of Ohio State who are about on the same level as UGA.
Almost 1%
December 29th, 2012
11:17 am
When opportunity knocks… open the door. I am a very successful business executive who now runs my own company. In 2007, my son was drafted in the NFL’s second round as a junior. It was a no brainer, you go!! He didn’t have a financial care in the world, but we felt when you are given such an extraordinary avenue to success it’s a no brainer.
)
FYI, finished his degree, still in the NFL and most important, out of my pocket!!!
perk
December 29th, 2012
11:22 am
Big Dawg fan here………….why should they stay? They all potentially will go in the 1st round. Betting Murray goes too. With this year’s QB’s in the draft – Aaron could be the 3rd one picked behind Collin-Klein K State and Barkely-USC. DGD’s – all of ‘em
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 29th, 2012
11:27 am
Joey
December 29th, 2012
10:48 am
What hypocrisy, nutcase?…………..You mean the Drunk Fake Blonde White Girls College & Plantation and you don’t see the hypocrisy?
Almost 1%………….your son didn’t grow up not understanding money and how it is worked for I am guessing. Your son was around people that were not hoping the LOTTO would be their life saver either. There is a big difference in his chances of keeping his NFL money over the kids that didn’t grow-up in a family that is considered Traditional in their marriage, work habits and how they value education.
McDawg
December 29th, 2012
11:28 am
Tree is going to take that QBs head off
is Nebraska’s D a typical BIg (10, 11, 12) defense-how much did the Badgers put on them?
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 29th, 2012
11:29 am
perk…………….BRAY of the VOLS is better than Murray. Look at what he was able to do in the SEC with no Defense to CYA.
Buckeye
December 29th, 2012
12:01 pm
Coach Urban Meyer and I will be watching the National Championship game in his hot tub together!
Delbert D.
December 29th, 2012
12:03 pm
Taking into account the intangibles, I think Murray has a better shot at making it in the NFL. His throwing beer bottles at cars and reckless jet skiing speaks to Bray’s lack of maturity.
Joey
December 29th, 2012
12:22 pm
Tongue in cheek, Timeout?
Hope so . . .
tampon gator
December 29th, 2012
12:38 pm
To Tampagator: “You people” never miss a chance to espouse racism towards “you people”. If you’re from tampa and you’re a gator, what the heck are you doing on this site? Is that something “you people” do, barge in on other sites to espouse your racial bs? “You people” are about as annoying as that guy that walks around telling everybody he meets that he’s gay and PROUD OF IT. That’s what “you people” love to do, ain’t it? You been held down by the “man” FO SOOOO long. Shouldn’t you be on Louis Farachan’s site, isn’t that where “you people” hang out harranging anybody who disagrees with “you people”? Ten to one says you haven’t worn your pants above your waist line with belt in five years, you have a police record, love blunts, have an electronic benefits card, a baby mama and no job. How’s dat, sucka?
Joey
December 29th, 2012
12:52 pm
Enter your comments here
Buckeye
December 29th, 2012
12:57 pm
Buckeye
December 29th, 2012
12:01 pm
Coach Urban Meyer and I will be watching the National Championship game in his hot tub together!
IMPOSTOR
If you want to claim my handle, just let me know.
Buckeye
December 29th, 2012
12:58 pm
dogs think they have exclusive rights to the blog.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 29th, 2012
1:24 pm
Joey is tongue-n-cheek like Hash Browns in the panties?
Should Earn It
December 29th, 2012
1:30 pm
Who cares!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dawgsalum92
December 29th, 2012
1:41 pm
Thanks for the locker room fodder, Martinez.
Tyler
December 29th, 2012
1:53 pm
Taylor Martinez will find out real quick in this game who his daddy is and that is our Defense. Talk all the trash you want but we will let our play do all the talking. GO DAWGS!!!!!
Joey
December 29th, 2012
1:56 pm
So, you were “Herman Talmadge” (10:35) too, Timeout, Smart, UOAD?
If so you are a sickening, hateful, SOB.
joe jenkins
December 29th, 2012
2:02 pm
How about them dawgs blog today had a article comparing willie’s 07-09 vs ctg’s 10-12 stats vs the top 50 offenses they faced in that span of time. Willie was actually better than ctg in most stats…how sad is that. I’m sorry i’m not sold on ctg….but maybe he will get better once he hires his own DL coach. Let’s just say that we give up 5 games with 300 + rushing yards next year. I’m going to write a petition to mcgarity to have grantham removed!!
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 29th, 2012
2:06 pm
No JOEY I only use Put In on the uga blog.
UltimateDawg
December 29th, 2012
2:11 pm
Another conferences talking trash, AGAIN… I hope this motivates our players to beat the crap out of Nebraska, & it’ll definately get their minds off the SEC championship loss now! That’s why I’d like Alabama to beat Notre Dame badly because I’m so sick & tired of people talking trash about the SEC. On the otherhand, I’d like Notre Dame to beat Alabama because Notre Dame fans are in Christ & they believe in their team no matter what, their fans actually have true class, Notre Dame fans have loyality and kindness. Alabama fans are so arrogant & cocky, they are used to winning & winning national championships, they’re getting everything they want, Alabama is getting all the love, Auburn going downhill, etc. On the otherhand, us Georgia fans aren’t used to winning national championships of course because we haven’t won one since 1980, so… To conclude this, I don’t care who wins the national championship, it’s pros and cons about the situation. I would like for us to kill Nebraska though, the SEC trash talking gets old, this will motivate the team and our fans, you think Wisconsin was bad, you wait until you go against an SEC defense, our run defense will be prepared!
My-Guy
December 29th, 2012
2:11 pm
Another conferences talking trash, AGAIN… I hope this motivates our players to beat the crap out of Nebraska, & it’ll definately get their minds off the SEC championship loss now! That’s why I’d like Alabama to beat Notre Dame badly because I’m so sick & tired of people talking trash about the SEC. On the otherhand, I’d like Notre Dame to beat Alabama because Notre Dame fans are in Christ & they believe in their team no matter what, their fans actually have true class, Notre Dame fans have loyality and kindness. Alabama fans are so arrogant & cocky, they are used to winning & winning national championships, they’re getting everything they want, Alabama is getting all the love, Auburn going downhill, etc. On the otherhand, us Georgia fans aren’t used to winning national championships of course because we haven’t won one since 1980, so… To conclude this, I don’t care who wins the national championship, it’s pros and cons about the situation. I would like for us to kill Nebraska though, the SEC trash talking gets old, this will motivate the team and our fans, you think Wisconsin was bad, you wait until you go against an SEC defense, our run defense will be prepared!
AGREED!!
UA Grad
December 29th, 2012
2:19 pm
I hope UGA pounds this turd into the ground. UGA by 4 TD’s. RTR.
UA Grad
December 29th, 2012
2:22 pm
My-Guy,
And ND is not used to winning championships? The media has a crush on ND like Anthony Michael Hall in Sixteen Candles. True, ND may find a way to win, but they are a 4 loss team in the SEC.
My-Guy
December 29th, 2012
2:33 pm
True that ND is not used to winning national championships, I would like Alabama to win so the SEC winning streak can continue & the trash talking about the SEC could stop, however, it be nice to see Notre Dame win because their fans are more kind than Alabama fans, but then the SEC winning streak would end, I would like the SEC streak to continue!
Tampa Gator
December 29th, 2012
2:36 pm
12;38…..to the idiot at that time post…..
1. I am a 62 year old white man..
2. I worked in the busines world successfully before retiring to the beach (and why I still read the AJC).
3. I have never left my house in pants without a belt.
4. And….obviously……I am not “one of those people” you hate with such passion.
5. Go take a “less hate” pill…..I guarantee you will feel better and be a much happier person.
Hairy Dawg
December 29th, 2012
2:47 pm
With Kwame and Arby we have solid nose play for Cap One. We got to do that with Adams and pointy heads ploy to suspends John Jenkins. We need send Adams packing soon so Dawgs not get pestering by pointy heads when Dawgs here to play. It makes me sick that pointy heads keep Jenkins from playing after all he done to help Dawgs repeat own East and should a won SEC and BCS if not for cheating by refs and Saban. We need new pres that supporting football to gives us winning many BCS without no recruiting restrictoins. They better pick a pres that supports Dawgs and not the sorry pointy heads that hurt Dawgs with bad rules against players. Dawgs is there to run Athens and not the sorry pointy heads.
Bill
December 29th, 2012
2:59 pm
Big Ten…funny……….
Hairy Dawg
December 29th, 2012
3:02 pm
And another thing is Dawgs goning make them Corn Pone Husks wish they back getting beating by 500 Whiskey team instead of mashed by real talents like Dawgs. We unloading a whooping can on Corn Pone Huskers and Bop-Elleni that they be hurting from for years. Corn Pone Husks is big slow and dum like rest of Big 10 sorry teams. Time to expose SEC talent and speed to make Corn Pones pay.
Bill
December 29th, 2012
3:09 pm
@12;38 = stupid fool
kerryb
December 29th, 2012
3:39 pm
Martinez needs to check his conference’s record. They were not strong. Matter of fact they sucked as a conference this year.
hit a single
December 29th, 2012
3:42 pm
How refreshing was it watching the Armed Forces Bowl with Rice and The Air Force Academy. Football the way it should be and use to be. No jawing and showboating anywhere, just go old respect for each other. Both programs are what college football should be. Our society sure could learn something from this. Damn with this new culture crap, lets get back to the American way, the right way.
Lonnie
December 29th, 2012
3:53 pm
Everyone thinks the SEC is the best because they go to the national championship every year”. Duh. That is why we are the best. Iets go dawgs!!!!!
Herman Talmadge
December 29th, 2012
3:56 pm
Truth is, Joey, most reasonable people would be saddened and ashamed to know the extent of racism amongst Georgia fans.
“all think you know so much, but in reality you know nothing. You don’t know what we come from, you don’t know our struggles, all you know is the number on our jersies. 99% of you don’t give a crap about us outside of football,” Washington posted on Facebook. “When we’re doing well you’re all in our faces, when things get tough and we need encouragement you’re nowhere to be found. You’re fake and I despise you for it. We shall band together guys, we’ve been working hard and we only need each other. NONE of those outsiders will contribute to our survival as a team or as individuals, you can guarantee that. #stickclosetoeachother ~corn washington”
You wouldn’t give these players the time of day if they didn’t provide entertainment for you on Saturdays. Then, you would only give them the time of day if they were winning.
Say Hay
December 29th, 2012
4:19 pm
My 82 year old grandmother has a better throwing motion than Martinez. He’s a joke. Makes Tebow’s motion look like Dan Marino.
James in Amelia Island , Florida
December 29th, 2012
4:57 pm
Jarvis and Alex have been great for Georgia. Can’t blame them for looking at their future in the NFL. Look forward to seeing both have a great game New Year Day. All true UGA fans appreciate your play in 2012.
GO DAWGS!
Buckeye
December 29th, 2012
5:27 pm
dogs record vs top 25:
Funnier
Buckeye
December 29th, 2012
5:28 pm
hey dogs,
Isn’t this the time of year that lady dogs start thinking of stealing bacon from the dining hall?
Buckeye
December 29th, 2012
5:38 pm
“Tub” Jenkins:
What’s for dinner?
Buckeye
December 29th, 2012
5:39 pm
Suggestion for “Tub” Jenkins:
The Varsity (entire menu)
Buckeye
December 29th, 2012
6:08 pm
“Tub” Jenkins:
Frozen Orange anyone?
catdog
December 29th, 2012
6:50 pm
Ogletree is over rated.
SEC Fan
December 29th, 2012
9:21 pm
…..so is jarvis jones.
Murray and the NFL
December 30th, 2012
8:26 am
If Aaron Murry jumps to the NFL, he is already close to his PhD. That would be a smart move, either way for him. He is not NFL caliber, however. Too short at 5′10″.
Murray has accomplished nothing important as UGA QB. If he turns pro, great. UGA needs to grasp the fact that empty passing records do not translate into SEC titles and BCS Bowl games. I for one, hope that Murray wil leave. Beyond defeating Florida twice in a row and almost 3 times in a row, Murray has done absolutely nothing of merit r UGA?
Time to show Nebraska's Martinez Grown Man football
December 31st, 2012
4:03 pm
Martinez sounds like he’s making comments similar to the Missouri players “grown man football” comments.
Keep spouting dummy…..And you’ll be meeting Mr. Jarvis Jones, Mr. Alec Ogletree, Mr. Baccari Rambo and company very shortly, while on your back