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ATHENS – Starting his first full day on the job as Georgia’s interim athletics director, Frank Crumley addressed more than 100 staff members Wednesday morning, imploring them to carry on “business as usual.”

Exactly one week earlier, at the start of the day that would end with him being pulled over by the Georgia State Patrol, Damon Evans had gathered the same folks in the same room for a quarterly staff meeting. At the end of that meeting,  door prizes were handed out.

So when Crumley opened the floor for questions after brief remarks Wednesday, he got only one:

“Are there any door prizes?”

Rocked by the arrest and resignation of Evans, and still absorbing UGA President Michael Adams‘ statement that he’ll “first look outside” for a permanent successor to Evans as athletics director, Georgia’s staff seemed to seek some normalcy on Wednesday — and even an occasional laugh.

“It was short and sweet,” Crumley said of his remarks to the staff. “I said, ‘We’ve all had a stressful …

Continue reading Interim AD Crumley presides over the calm after the storm »

UGA president Michael F. Adams (left) announces the appointment of Frank Crumley (right) as interim athletic director on Tuesday. (Photo by Phil Skinner, pskinner@ajc.com)

(Click here for full report on Adams’ news conference.)

ATHENS — University of Georgia President Michael Adams on Tuesday named Frank Crumley interim athletics director and appointed a search committee to seek a permanent successor to Damon Evans.

Adams said the search for a new AD could last as long as six to 12 months, and he said UGA would look first at outside candidates for the position.  In the meantime, Crumley, who had been executive associate AD for finance and administration under Evans, will oversee the athletics department.

While acknowledging the difficulty and sadness of recent days, Adams said: “We still have important work to do, and it is time for us to move on.”

He named UGA law professor and faculty athletics representative David Shipley to serve as chairman of the search committee. …

Continue reading Adams names Frank Crumley interim AD, will look outside for Evans’ successor (UPDATED) »

Georgia football player Jordan Love was arrested late Monday night on a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of a law enforcement officer, but UGA Police Chief Jimmy Williamson told the AJC today that the arrest now appears to have stemmed from a “breakdown in communications.”

Williamson said UGA Police responded to a complaint about three individuals shooting off fireworks outside McWhorter Hall, an East Campus Village dormitory, and arrested Love at the scene for obstruction because he would not provide his full name to the officer. Williamson said Love would not or could not give  his middle name.

However, Williamson told the AJC that, after talking with Love’s family this morning, there are  extenuating circumstances that will be presented to a Municipal Court judge, who will decide whether to drop the charge.

“Mr. Love, I think, was honest in his attempt, and the officer felt he was being evasive,” Williamson said. “It was a breakdown in communications.

“The circumstances …

Continue reading UGA football player’s arrest ‘a breakdown in communications,’ police chief says (UPDATED) »

ATHENS — The same people who months earlier voted enthusiastically to give Damon Evans a new five-year contract moved swiftly Monday to end his tenure as the University of Georgia’s athletics director.

The executive committee of the UGA Athletic Association board of directors spent about 15 minutes on a conference call, voting unanimously to accept Evans’ resignation and approve a separation agreement that will pay him three months’ salary as severance and a $100,000 bonus for prior service.

The board’s action came five days after Evans’ arrest in Atlanta on a DUI charge and three days after the release of a police report with damaging details about the incident.

The settlement means Evans will get about $237,500, a small fraction of what he would have made under the contract he was given by the Athletic Board at a Feb. 3 meeting.

That contract, which was scheduled to take effect July 1, mere minutes after he was pulled over by the Georgia State Patrol, would have paid him …

Continue reading The end of the Evans era came quickly »

ATHENS — This statement was just received from Damon Evans:

“I would like to once again offer my sincerest apology to the University of Georgia people — the president and administration, athletic staff and coaches, fans and supporters, and especially the student-athletes. It had been my hope since taking the job in 2004 that I would have a long career at UGA.

“But because of a serious mistake in judgment, that won’t be the case,  and I understand that I have a long road to rebuilding my reputation and career.

“I do want to thank all those who have supported me and the Athletic Association over the past six years and would encourage all those in our Association to remember that they are there for the student-athletes. Keep them first and foremost in everything you do. God bless and ‘Go Dawgs.’”

Damon Evans

July 5, 2010

Continue reading Damon Evans offers apology, says ‘Go Dawgs’ »

(Updated 12:20 p.m.)

ATHENS -–The UGA Athletic Association board of directors’ executive committee this morning approved a settlement that will pay departing athletics director Damon Evans three months salary as severance, plus a $100,000 longevity bonus earned under his previous contract.

UGA President Michael Adams told the board that Evans submitted his resignation, “which I have accepted,” on Sunday.

The meeting, by teleconference, lasted about 15 minutes, most of that in executive — closed — session.

“As I said on Thursday morning, when I first learned of the situation, this is not an example of the kind of leadership that I expect our senior administrators to set,” Adams told the committee.

“We acknowledge the many positive accomplishments of [Evans'] tenure, including an increased focus on the academic success of student-athletes, the overall financial strength of the athletic department and the hiring of many very good people as head coaches and senior leaders in the …

Continue reading Evans’ settlement: 3 months salary plus previously earned $100,000 bonus »

The police report from the Georgia State Patrol officer who arrested Damon Evans in Atlanta Wednesday and it’s a damning document for the Georgia athletics director.

According to the report, filed by GSP Officer Mark Cabe, Evans’ black BMW was weaving noticeably on Roswell Road, which initiated Cabe to U-turn his cruiser and execute a stop. After Evans pulled into a parking space at the corner of Roswell Road and Chastain Drive, Cabe reports that he “noticed that the subject had a pair of lady’s red panties between his legs.” Later in the report Evans admits that the panties belonged to his passenger, 28-year-old Courtney Fuhrmann of Atlanta.

“She took them off and I held them because I was just trying to get her home,” Evans said, according to police.

While trying to conduct a field sobriety test on Evans, Cabe reports that Fuhrmann got out of the passenger side of the car several times despite instructions from both the officer and from Evans to remain in the vehicle. After …

Continue reading Police report damning for Georgia AD Damon Evans »

Georgia AD Damon Evans faces a room full of reporters Thursday evening at UGA. He was charged with DUI Wednesday night. (AJC photo by Curtis Comption)

Athens – It has been a pretty long 30 hours or so. That’s about how long I’ve been following the Damon Evans story.

Normally I wouldn’t be as involved as I have since I am no longer on the UGA beat. Nowadays I cover recruiting on the AJC Recruiting Blog and my talented colleague Tim Tucker normally covers the Bulldogs for us. But Tim, like the better part of the working world it seems, is on vacation this week. So I’ve been having to fill in.

I don’t think I’m off base here in saying I don’t care much for covering stories like these. I talked yesterday to virtually every one of the Georgia beat guys and assorted TV and radio reporters, most of whom I have known a long time, over at Evans’ press conference. I can tell you in all honesty that they all feel the same way.

It was a pretty surreal scene over at the Rankin Smith …

Continue reading Damon Evans’ story not one sports writers relish covering »

UGA blog readers: Mark Bradley has commented on the DUI arrest of AD Damon Evans on his blog at this link.

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Continue reading Evans DUI no laughing matter »

Georgia finished 20th in the Directors’ Cup national all-sports standings released this morning — two spots lower than a year ago and the Bulldogs’ worst finish since 1997.

The standings rank college athletics programs based on a points system tied to success at the national level in up to 20 sports, 10 men’s and 10 women’s.

Before finishing 18th last year, Georgia had been in the top 15 of the Directors’ Cup standings for 11 consecutive years, including top-10 finishes in eight of the 11 years. This year’s showing is Georgia’s poorest since finishing 28th in 1997.

Georgia athletics director Damon Evans acknowledged the disappointing performance in the national standings, telling the UGA Athletic Board in late May:  “We are not where we want to be nationally. I think our program should be much higher than it is. This is probably one of the toughest years from a competitive standpoint that we’ve faced in quite some time.”

Georgia ranked 25th in this year’s standings after …

Continue reading Georgia finishes 20th in Directors’ Cup standings, worst since 1997 »

I’m on vacation, so the UGA blog is on quasi-hiatus. But rather than shutting down entirely, I thought we could use this lull for a leisurely look at the 2010 football team. I put together synopses of the various position groups,  and one will post each weekday. Then the floor will be yours — at least those of you not on a beach somewhere. I hope everyone has a great summer. Just 82 days, by the way, until the season opener between the hedges.

THE OFFENSIVE LINE

• Returning starters: LT Clint Boling, LG Cordy Glenn, C Ben Jones, RG Chris Davis and RT Josh Davis.

• Others to watch: Trinton Sturdivant and Tanner Strickland are due back from knee and shoulder injuries, respectively, and  redshirt freshman Chris Burnette could make his presence felt.

• Key losses: All of the players who started at the end of last season are back, but one player with starting experience graduated (Vince Vance) and another shifted to the defensive line (Justin Anderson).

• Key fact: Georgia’s …

Continue reading Offensive line: Starting a summer series of synopses up front »

MACON — Kris Durham started his Georgia football career with Matthew Stafford and will end it with Aaron Murray.

Durham graduated early from high school and enrolled at UGA in January 2006, along with the fellow freshman Stafford. Fast forward to June 2010. Stafford is a multi-millionaire NFL quarterback, and Durham is the grizzled veteran of the Bulldogs.

The wide receiver from Calhoun received his bachelor’s degree last month. “That was probably one of the highlights of my life, getting that degree,” he said. This week he began graduate school, starting work toward a master’s degree in education. He wants to teach and coach. But first, he has one season of football eligibility remaining because he was redshirted last fall while rehabbing from shoulder surgery.

Durham represented UGA’s offense at the “Pigskin Preview” event at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in Macon on Tuesday, and the fifth-year senior exuded enthusiasm each time someone mentioned Murray, the redshirt …

Continue reading Veteran Durham ‘just can’t wait to see’ what Aaron Murray does »

MACON -– Mark Richt has heard the latest wave of rumors about the Pac-10 possibly annexing half of the Big 12 and about the Big Ten perhaps accelerating its own expansion timetable.

Still, he can’t quite see all of this reaching the SEC.

“It’s really interesting to hear that it’s such a hot topic,” Richt said today at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, where he and two of his UGA players joined representatives from other college football programs around the state at the annual Pigskin Preview.   “I think [part of it is that] this time of year people are just looking for things to talk about. But I think there is some really serious stuff going on out there.”

Even so . . .

“I don’t know about our league,” Richt added. “I really feel like we’ve got a great league, and we all believe that. We’ve got a tremendous SEC Championship Game; we’ve got our TV contract; we’re 98 percent full every time we roll out the carpet, so to speak; and we’ve had a lot of national champions …

Continue reading Richt on expansion: ‘Some really serious stuff going on out there’ »

(Update, noon Tuesday: Mark Richt and two UGA players, Akeem Dent and Kris Durham, appeared this morning at the “Pigskin Preview” event at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in Macon.  See what they had to say at twitter.com/ajcuga.)

Two Georgia players, wide receiver A.J. Green and punter Drew Butler, were named Monday to Playboy Magazine’s 2010 Preseason All-America football team.

This marks the first time since 1982 that Georgia placed two players on the Playboy preseason team, which the magazine has chosen annually since 1957.

In all, at least 18 other Georgia players have been on Playboy preseason All-America teams over the years: Knowshon Moreno (2008),  Quentin Moses (2006), Jon Stinchcomb (2002), Richard Seymour (2000), Matt Stinchcomb (1998), Eric Zeier (1994), Bernard Williams (1993), Terry Hoage (1983), Jimmy Payne (1982), Herschel Walker (1981-82), Rex Robinson (1979-80), Bill Krug (1977), Joel Parrish (1976), Royce Smith (1971), Jake Scott (1968), Bill Stanfill …

Continue reading Playboy names two UGA players to preseason All-America team »

After being dominated by Florida in various sports for most of this school year, Georgia has gotten a bit of revenge against the Gators lately by twice knocking them out of postseason events.

Georgia’s men’s tennis team eliminated Florida from the NCAA Championships a couple of weeks ago in Athens, and Georgia’s softball team eliminated the Gators from the Women’s College World Series on Saturday night in Oklahoma City.

Both victories were upsets.  In tennis, Florida was seeded No. 6 and Georgia No. 11.  In softball, Florida entered the postseason ranked No.5 and Georgia No. 9.

Georgia’s 3-2 victory Saturday was the Bulldogs’ first win against Florida in softball since April 15, 2006.  The teams had not met previously this season; their regular-season meetings were rained out.

Georgia’s Alisa Goler hit a two-run home run in the first inning and Brianna Hesson drove in the winning run with a single in the fifth.  Sophomore pitcher Erin Arevalo got credit for the win, …

Continue reading Bulldogs get a bit of revenge against Gators (UPDATED) »

Georgia today released the results of its spring testing of the football team in the broad jump, vertical jump, 40-yard dash, 225-pound bench press reps and “NFL Shuttle” — five traditional measures of agility, speed and strength.  (Descriptions of each test are at the end of this post.)

The team was broken down into three groups for testing: skill (WR, DB, TB); big skill (FB, QB, TE, LB, specialists); and linemen (OL, DL). All players were tested in all events unless an injury or illness precluded their participation.

Here, according to UGA, are the top-10 individual performances in each test for each group:

BROAD JUMP

Skill Group

Boykin, B. 11’ 4.5”

Jackson, D. 11’

Cuff, V. 10’ 9”

Hamilton, J. 10’ 9”

King, T. 10’ 9”

Green, AJ 10’ 5.5”

Commings, S. 10’ 5”

Durham, K. 10’ 4”

Smith, B. 10’ 4”

Love, J. 10’ 1”

Wooten, R. 10’ 1”

Big Skill Group

Dowtin, M. 11’ 3”

Samuel, R. 10’ 6”

Dent, A. 10’ 5”

Houston, J. 10’ 5”

Gilliard, …

Continue reading Check out the 40-yard dash times, bench press reps, etc., of UGA football players »

DESTIN, Fla. – Georgia officials had hoped for fewer night football games this year, and they appear to be getting their wish.

Starting times were announced Thursday for four Georgia games, and none will be under the lights:

• The Bulldogs’ first two SEC games, Sept. 11 at South Carolina and Sept. 18 vs. Arkansas in Athens, will start at noon and be nationally televised on ESPN or ESPN2.

• The Oct. 2 game at Colorado will kick off at 4:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. MT) and be shown on Fox Sports Net, including Atlanta-based Fox Sports South.

• And the Oct. 30 game against Florida in Jacksonville will start at 3:30 p.m. on CBS.

Starting times for Georgia’s other eight games have not been set. Most won’t be determined until 12 days in advance, per the SEC’s television contracts.

Last season, six of Georgia’s 12 regular-season games were at night, including four of the six home games –- numbers that tilted a bit more heavily toward night than UGA prefers.

UGA President Michael Adams …

Continue reading Times, TV set for four Georgia football games (UPDATED) »

DESTIN, Fla. — Is Georgia football coach Mark Richt on the hot seat?

Yes, according to several media-conceived lists of coaches whose jobs could be in jeopardy after the 2010 season.

No, according to Richt’s bosses.

In separate interviews at the SEC spring meetings here Wednesday, UGA President Michael Adams and athletics director Damon Evans rejected speculation that Richt will enter the season with the heat turned up on his job security.

“I don’t pay that stuff any attention,” Evans said. “Mark is a good football coach. I’m glad he’s our football coach. He’s had a great track record here.

“I think when they see a little adversity, people want to jump on it and attack it,” Evans said. “There is no need for that because he’s not on a hot seat. Mark is in a good place with us.”

Said Adams: “I don’t know whose hot seat he is on. He’s got a pretty nice long-term contract, seems to have the AD’s support, and I don’t have any reason to know where a hot seat would …

Continue reading Richt not on the hot seat, Adams and Evans say (UPDATED) »

ST. SIMONS ISLAND — Georgia athletics director Damon Evans conveyed the same message to the UGA Athletics Association board of directors Thursday that he previously delivered to the school’s coaches: The Bulldogs’ 2009-10 results were not good enough.

“I make no excuses,” Evans told the board at its spring meeting. “This has been an interesting year for Georgia athletics when it comes to a national perspective. We are not where we want to be nationally. I think our program should be much higher than it is. This is probably one of the toughest years from a competitive standpoint that we’ve faced in quite some time.”

Evans added that he is proud of Georgia’s No. 2 finish in the SEC all-sports standings, which were released this week, but displeased that the Bulldogs rank No. 25 in the most recent national all-sports rankings.

UGA President Michael Adams shared Evans’ assessment, telling the Athletic Board during its meeting at the King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort: “It’s not …

Continue reading Damon Evans sends clear message: Bulldogs must do better than in 2009-10 »

(Updated 7 p.m.)

ST. SIMONS ISLAND — Georgia’s athletics department will finish this fiscal year with about $7 million more in revenue than expenses — and will donate $2 million of it to help the university through hard financial times.

The contribution will be in addition to the $6 million over three years pledged by the UGA Athletic Association to the university’s academic programs last year.

The latest gift, which will go toward funding professorships and scholarships, was unanimously approved by the Athletic Association’s board of directors Thursday after a recommendation from athletics director Damon Evans.

Evans said the contribution was appropriate given the university’s struggle with reduced state funding and the Athletic Association’s surplus. The association is a separate legal and financial entity from the rest of the university.

“I listen to what’s going on throughout our campus,” Evans said. “When you are operating like we are and have the resources … I just …

Continue reading UGA Athletic Board actions include $2 million gift to university (UPDATED) »

Good morning from St. Simons Island, where the UGA Athletic Association board of directors will meet today and tomorrow.

The Athletic Association’s budget for fiscal year 2011, which runs from July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, will be presented for approval this morning. The association had an $84.8 million budget for fiscal 2010. The fiscal 2011 budget is expected to be roughly the same.

The board also will get a financial report on fiscal 2010 results and a report from athletics director Damon Evans on the 2009-10 sports year.

With three major construction projects currently underway -– the expansion of the Butts-Mehre building, the renovation of Stegeman Coliseum and the addition of a plaza in the Reed Alley area adjacent to Sanford Stadium –- no new projects of such scale are expected to be approved today. However, the board likely will approve a plan to install new chairback seats throughout the baseball stadium. Foley Field currently has a combination of chairback …

Continue reading Athletic Board convenes on St. Simons today »

University of Georgia teams will be playing Sunday for spots in the NCAA tennis semifinals and the NCAA softball super regionals.

• Tennis: Two late-night upsets on Friday set up an an interesting pairing of Georgia vs. Oklahoma in a Sunday men’s quarterfinal at the NCAA Tennis Championships in Athens. The Dogs and Sooners are scheduled to play at 5 p.m., with the winner advancing to Monday’s national semis against Sunday’s Baylor-Tennessee winner.

Roddick

Oklahoma is coached by John Roddick, a four-time All-American player for Georgia from 1995-99 and UGA’s Athlete of the Year in 1998. This is his first year as the Sooners’ coach. This is what he had to say about going up against the Bulldogs:

“What a day it will be . . . win or lose. This is going to be a great opportunity for the kids. If you had told me in June [when he took the job] that all of this was going to happen, I would have said you were crazy. I’m just so happy right now. . . . It’s emotional.”

Both Oklahoma …

Continue reading Stakes will be high for Bulldogs on Sunday (UPDATED) »

For the third time this spring, Georgia coach Mark Richt had the pleasure of informing a walk-on player that he will go on scholarship.

Richt called senior Chad Gloer, a special-teams standout the past three seasons, into his office Wednesday to give him the good news.

“He was excited, and he felt like his mom and dad would be even more excited,” Richt said. “He was really looking forward to telling them. He said, ‘Coach, don’t be surprised if my mom gets in the car and drives over here and gives you a big hug.’”

Gloer, a cornerback from Fayetteville, joins linebacker Reuben Faloughi and long snapper Ty Frix as walk-ons who have received scholarships for the 2010-11 year.

Two scholarships became available when linebacker Montez Robinson and quarterback Zach Mettenberger were kicked off the team following arrests.

NCAA rules allow Division I-A football teams to have 85 players on scholarship each season.

—————-

Georgia and Georgia Tech are discussing moving their annual men’s …

Continue reading Another football walk-on gets scholarship; Fox wants to play Tech earlier »

(Updated 6:45 p.m.)

MACON — Georgia backup quarterback Logan Gray, after considering the possibility of transferring to another school for the past few weeks, has decided to remain at UGA, where he’ll double as a wide receiver.

Gray informed coach Mark Richt of his decision by phone Wednesday morning.

Richt said in an interview before a Bulldog Club meeting here Wednesday night that Gray will have a dual role with the Bulldogs.

“He’s our second-team quarterback in my mind,” Richt said. “Logan has three years of knowledge in our system. He’s a very capable quarterback, so it’s nice to know that he’s there for that purpose.

“But he would like to spend some time at receiver. I think he feels like he might have a better chance of helping us there. So I’m fine with that, I really am.”

Gray, a junior, began considering the possibility of transferring after being listed as the No. 2 quarterback behind redshirt freshman Aaron Murray on Georgia’s depth chart at the end of spring …

Continue reading Quarterback Gray will stay at UGA, double as a wide receiver (UPDATED) »

(Updated 5 p.m. Wednesday)

Former Georgia quarterback Zach Mettenberger hopes to play football at another college. And Louisville is one place he’ll look, according to a website that covers the Cardinals.

After pleading guilty to misdemeanor sexual battery charges in Valdosta on Monday, Mettenberger said in a written statement that he hopes for “a second chance to compete at another university in the nation.” The Scout.com site that covers the Louisville program, InsideTheVille.com, reported Tuesday that its sources say Mettenberger is expected to visit Louisville later this month.

This could get interesting, if anything comes of it.

Mettenberger would be required to sit out the 2010 season under NCAA transfer rules, but do you know who Louisville is scheduled to open the 2011 season against?

Georgia.

In Sanford Stadium.

The Dogs and Cards also are scheduled to play in 2012 in Louisville.

UPDATE: Former Georgia football player Kelin Johnson reports on his website, …

Continue reading Might Mettenberger play against the Dogs in Sanford Stadium next year? (UPDATED) »

Georgia coach Mark Richt said Thursday afternoon that if quarterback Logan Gray “wants to stay at Georgia, I’ll work with him on what position he plays.”

Gray, the No. 2 quarterback on Georgia’s post-spring depth chart, met Monday with Richt to discuss his status on the team and the possibility of transferring to another school. Richt said Thursday there is no timetable for Gray to make a decision.

Richt reiterated that Gray still has a shot to be Georgia’s starting quarterback but said he also would have the option of playing another position. Gray previously expressed interest in playing wide receiver if things did not work out at quarterback. He was listed behind redshirt freshman Aaron Murray at quarterback on the depth chart released last week.

Gray “wants to play, and right now he’s not sure that he can,” Richt said. “I made it real clear, as clear as a bell, that we just had a post-spring depth chart that did not name anybody a starter at any position, including …

Continue reading Richt says no timetable for Gray decision but position switch possible if he stays »

Cleaning out the notebook:

• A couple of months back, while many college basketball coaches were pushing to swell the NCAA tournament from 65 teams to 96, Georgia’s Mark Fox argued for a much more modest expansion to 68 teams. As you’ve heard, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee last week recommended an expansion . . . to 68.

Didn’t realize how much clout you had, I said to Fox. . . .

“How about that?” he replied with a laugh. “I was the only one preaching that [a while ago]. I’m glad they expanded. Certainly, as you know, I supported 68 before people were talking a lot about it. I do think it eventually will go to 96.”

Actually, Fox said, his opposition to 96 has softened as he’s learned more about how it could work.  “It will still preserve the magic of the tournament,” he said. But his guess is that March Madness will stay at 68 teams for “at least two years.”

The NCAA Division I Board of Directors is expected to approve the expansion to 68 at its meeting on …

Continue reading The UGA notebook: Richt on turnovers, Fox on tournament and draft »

(Updated 8 p.m.)

Logan Gray, Georgia’s No. 2 quarterback, met Monday with coach Mark Richt to discuss his status on the team and the possibility of transferring to another school.

Gray remained with the Bulldogs as of Monday night, associate athletics director Claude Felton said, but “he is weighing options for the remainder of his playing career.”

The uncertainty about Gray’s future surfaced four days after Richt revealed the Bulldogs’ post-spring depth chart, which has Gray, a junior, behind redshirt freshman Aaron Murray at quarterback.

Richt’s dismissal of Zach Mettenberger from the team on April 18 left Murray and Gray as the only quarterbacks in the Georgia program until recruit Hutson Mason arrives this summer from Marietta’s Lassiter High.

So if Gray decides to transfer, that would leave a true freshman, Mason, as Murray’s apparent backup in the fall.

There was no indication Monday night that Gray has made a decision. He was not available for comment.

Gray has two …

Continue reading QB Gray meets with Richt; no decision yet on transfer (UPDATED) »

(11:20 A.M. SATURDAY UPDATE: The Cincinnati Bengals selected former Georgia defensive tackle Geno Atkins in the fourth round Saturday morning. He was the 120th pick of the NFL draft — and just the second from Georgia. Atkins said he went about where he expected to go in the draft — late third or fourth round — but that he was surprised to be chosen by the Bengals because they had not worked him out or interviewed him.)

(1:25 P.M. SATURDAY UPDATE: The Miami Dolphins drafted Georgia safety Reshad Jones late in the fifth round. Jones was the 163rd pick of the draft, the third from UGA.  Jones was drafted later than projected — he had expected to go in the second or third round — but it wasn’t a surprise the Dolphins picked him. They had brought him to Miami for a workout and interview a month or so ago. The Dolphins moved up in the draft to get Jones, trading sixth- and seventh-round picks to the Washington Redskins.)

(4:40 P.M. SATURDAY UPDATE: Finally, Jeff Owens has been …

Continue reading An excited Curran says ‘my heart skipped a beat’ when drafted by Titans (UPDATED) »

COLUMBUS -– Mark Richt reviewed Georgia’s newly released depth chart, player by player, for the Chattahoochee Valley Bulldog Club here Thursday night. When he got to the quarterbacks and reiterated the several-hours-old news that Aaron Murray is No. 1 on the depth chart, the gathering burst into applause.

Someone asked Richt to name a quarterback he has coached, either at Georgia or Florida State, who was similar to Murray.

“I personally think he’s a lot like Casey Weldon,” said Richt, referring to the former Florida State quarterback who was the Heisman Trophy runnerup in 1991.

“Casey Weldon was a really fine quarterback at Florida State. . . . [Murray] reminds me of him,” Richt said. “[Murray] has got a very quick release. He’s got a very strong arm. He moves well. I think he can move well enough to make plays in the pocket, but he will cross the line of scrimmage and get you a first down when you need them. He’s a leader. He’s a hard worker.”

Richt added that Murray …

Continue reading Richt: Aaron Murray reminds me of Heisman runnerup Weldon »