Glory To Ole Georgia | A Georgia Bulldogs Chise

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Bulldogs Land Three On Lindy's Preseason All-America Teams



ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia juniors A.J. Green, Drew Butler and Blair Walsh have all been named to Lindy’s preseason All-American teams.

Green, a flanker from Summerville, S.C., is on the All-America Offensive First Team while Butler, a punter from Duluth, is on the All-America Defensive First Team. Walsh, a placekicker from Boca Raton, Fla., is listed on the All-America Offensive Second Team.

There are a total of 11 players from the Southeastern Conference on Lindy’s All-America teams. While Georgia has a trio of players, Alabama leads the league with four.

Lindy’s also has the Bulldogs at 21st in the preseason poll. Five teams from the SEC are listed in the publication’s top-25 poll.

Green was a semifinalist for last year’s Biletnikoff after earning All-SEC First Team honors. In just 10 games in 2009, Green hauled in a team-leading 53 catches for 808 yards and six touchdowns. He ranked second in the league in both receptions per game (5.3) and receiving yards per game (80.8). Green also blocked a field goal against Arizona State last season to help clinch the Bulldogs’ win.

Butler won the 2009 Ray Guy Award for being the nation’s top punter. The consensus First Team All-American posted a national-best 48.1 yards per punt average, becoming only the third Bulldog in school history to lead the NCAA in punting. In just his first season as a starter, Butler had 24 punts of 50 yards or more, including a career-long 75 yarder versus #9 Oklahoma State.

Walsh finished as one of three finalists for last year’s Lou Groza Award, which is given to the nation’s top placekicker. Highlighted by a 37-yard game winner against Arizona State, Walsh drilled 20 of 22 field goal attempts (90.9 percent, No. 2 in school history for field goal accuracy in a single season) in 2009. He connected on 11 of 12 kicks from 40 yards or longer and had a career-long field goal of 53 yards versus #9 Oklahoma State. Walsh is also 92-for-92 in PATs for his career.

Georgia opens the 2010 season in Athens versus Louisiana-Lafayette on September 4.

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The Quarterback Debacle: The 2006 Season



Final Record: Overall: 9-4; SEC: 4-4

Team Captains: LB Tony Taylor | C Nick Jones | C Nick Jones | DE Quentin Moses | Rov Tra Battle | P Gordon Ely-Kelso


*2006 Chick-fil-A Bowl (Atlanta, GA)


Stat Leaders
Passing: Matthew Stafford (135-256, 7 TDs, 1749 YDs, 13 Ints)
Rushing: Kregg Lumpkin (162 Att, 853 YDs, 6 TDs)
Recieving: Martrez Milner (30 Rec, 425 YDs, 3 TDs)


After losing D.J. Shockley just a year after losing David Greene, Georgia entered the season in one of the biggest quarterback controversies in the Richt Era. The candidates: Joe Tereshinski III, Matthew Stafford, Joe Cox, and Blake Barnes.

Joe Tereshinski III was a Senior whose father and grandfather had both played for the 'Dawgs. He had waited his turn just as Shockley had. He had played in one game, the 2005 Florida game because Shockley was unable to play. He threw for a career high 100 yards.

Matthew Stafford was a true freshmen with one of the best high school careers ever. He was considered a future John Elway and was already being penciled in as the top draft pick in whatever draft he would be in. He dazzled scouts with his heart strength and Texas grit. He was the top recruit and many fans thought he should start day one.

Joe Cox was a redshirt Freshman from Charlotte, North Carolina. Like Stafford, he was a top recruit and he won the Gatorade National Player of Year Award. Cox had never lost in high school with a 31-0 record at Independence High School.

Blake Barnes, a Sophomore, was also a top recruit at the quarterback position. Fans still new very little about him until the Spring Game in which he went 6-6 for 36 yards. Fans jumped on the Barnes bandwagon and wanted him to start.

Still, no player separated himself from the pack so Richt went with experience and Joe Tereshinski III. However, he never looked great at the beginning of the season and then got hurt leading to a huge quarterback carousel.

Richt used a multiple quarterback system for the first seven games which just meant that no quarterback got into a rhythm. The team struggled mightily with emberrasing losses to Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

Finally, star recruit Matthew Stafford ran away with the job but at that point, the damage was done. Georgia had lost two straight and would lose two of the next three as the team adjusted to the new quarterback.

However, the team did adjust and won the final three games of the season, all against top 25 teams.





Best Moment: Auburn Game. At this point in the season, many Georgia fans were just wanting the season to end as quickly as possible. After starting out to a promising 5-0 record, they had lost four of their last five games including losses to Vanderbilt and Kentucky.

Auburn on the otherhand was 9-1 and had a top five ranking going into the game. They had defeated Georgia the last two years so the common thought was this would be another victory.

However, Georgia went into Auburn and destroyed them 37-15. The team was led by safety Tra Battle who had three interceptions on Brandon Cox. Matthew Stafford also had a solid game with a 14-20 game with 219 yards and a touchdown.

This victory got the team clicking and they went on to win the final three games, all against top 25 teams.



Worst Moment: Homecoming 2006: Vanderbilt Game. In the Richt Era, the average score of the Vanderbilt game was 34 to 12. They hadn't been close. After a stunning defeat to Tennessee, Georgia looked to beat Vanderbilt for homecoming to regain momentum. However, the 'Dores upset the Dawgs 24-22 on a last second Field Goal.

Quarterback Chris Nickson had 249 total yards and two touchdowns. Also, Earl Bennett had 89 receiving yards on eight receptions and a touchdown. The Vanderbilt loss sent Georgia into a deep downward spiral losing four of five games and playing themselves out of the SEC East race for the first time since Richt's inaugural year.

Honors:
Third Team All-America: Rov Tra Battle
First Team All-SEC: Rov Tra Battle, TE Martrez Milner, OT Daniel Inman, RS Mikey Henderson
Second Team All-SEC: C Nick Jones, DE Charles Johnson, LB Tony Taylor
Freshman All-SEC: QB Matthew Stafford, DT Kade Weston
2006 Senior Bowl: DE Quentin Moses, LB Tony Taylor, TE Martrez Milner
2006 Hula Bowl: C Nick Jones, LB Danny Verdun-Wheeler, P Gordon Ely-Kelso
2006 Houston Bowl: OT Daniel Inman, DT Ray Gant, Rov Tra Battle, LB Jarvis Jackson
AFCA National Good Works Team: DE Quentin Moses
SEC Good Works Team: DE Quentin Moses
Academic All-SEC: Sean Bailey, Dale Dixson, Kris Durham, Gordon Ely-Kelso, Chris Gaunder, Mikey Henderson, Trahern Holden, Evan Kobialka, Justin Lyles, Brian Mimbs, Quentin Moses,
Joseph O'Keefe, Mitchell Pittman, Joe Tereshinski, Tommy Watkins, Stephen White.
SEC Players of the Week: DE Quentin Moses, DE Charles Johnson, OG Fernando Velasco, QB Joe Cox, DE Charles Johnson, QB Matthew Stafford, Rov Tra Battle, QB Matthew Stafford, CB Paul Oliver

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Motivated And Focused: The 2007 Season



Final Record: Overall: 11-2; SEC: 6-2

Team Captains: C Fernando Velasco | TB Thomas Brown | SS Kelin Johnson | PK Bandon Coutu

*2008 Allstate Sugar Bowl (New Orleans, LA)


Stat Leaders
Passing: Matthew Stafford (194-348, 19 TDs, 2523 YDs, 10 Ints)
Rushing: Knowshon Moreno (248 Att, 1396 YDs, 14 TDs)
Recieving: Sean Bailey (39 Rec, 615 YDs, 5 TDs)


As disastrous as the 2006 season was, it did give Georgia one thing: an experienced Matthew Stafford.

When running back Knowshon Moreno emerged also, the Georgia team really took off.

This didn't happen at the beginning however. After showing its potential in the season opener, Georgia lost to South Carolina for only the second time in Richt's time in Athens 16 to 12. Stafford had a horrible game.

Georgia responded by winning against Western Carolina 45 to 16 in a dominating fashion.

The next week is one of the most memorable games in Georgia history. After a hard fought game between Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide hit a field goal on the opening possession of overtime to go ahead 23 to 20. Then, on the first play of Georgia's possession, Stafford did a play action fake to Thomas Brown and then a fade to the left corner of the endzone where Mikey Henderson caught the pass for the win. It is known as the "One and Done" game.

However, Georgia's season seemed over when Tennessee blew them out in Knoxville. After key changes to personnel, it all seemed to click. Georgia ended the year as the hottest team in the nation. Their offense had NFL players all over with Matthew Stafford, Knowshon Moreno, Mohamed Massaquoi, and others.



Best Moment: Florida Game. Since 1990, nothing is harder for Georgia than beating the Florida Gators it seems. It seems as if Georgia has the game lost even before getting off the bus. They come out nervous and tight. They seem to try and do too much. However, with just one score, it seemed as if the whole mentality of the game was changed.

On the opening possession, the 'Dawgs decided to play smashmouth football, running the ball on every play. Moreno dominated the drive and after he leaped into the endzone, the entire team went to celebrate. And celebrate they did,. In one of the most controversial moments of the team's history, the entire team ran into the endzone and danced as if to say, "We aren't backing down this year."

Georgia dominated the game and won 42 to 30. Knowshon Moreno was the centerpiece of the offense, a staple that would remain for the rest of the year, and carried the ball 33 times for 193 yards and three touchdowns.

This win seemed to give the team a swagger that would get them rolling to end the year winning the final six games, all mostly in blowout fashion.



Best Moment II: Sugar Bowl: Hawaii Game. After being held from the National Title Game, Georgia was going to play Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl. Immediately, ESPN started to analyze the game and most had the same expectation for the game. What exactly was this common thought leading to the game:



Georgia would look past Hawaii and the Rainbow Warriors' high powered offense would be too much for the the Bulldogs.

Well, you could say they were wrong. Not only did Georgia get EIGHT sacks in the game, they seemingly got a hit on Colt Brennan every play. They manhandled the team from the Pacific to a score of 41 to 10.

Believe me, it could have been much worse too. Georgia called off the attack in about the second quarter or it would have been in the triple digits.

Georgia seemed to have their way on both sides of the ball as the Dawgs forced five turnovers and held the Heisman hopeful Colt Brennan to just 169 passing yards. Marcus Howard also had the game of his career with two forced fumbles and numerous sacks.



Worst Moment: Tennessee Game. Before the winning streak and the team gelled, the 'Dogs hit rock bottom. Not only did they get dominated in a 35 to 14 fashion, but they just didn't seem to even care. There was no emotion or passion and the game was a pathetic show and numerous fans were considering the season would go the way of 2006.

Everything Georgia usually does well, they didn't in this game. They only had 69 rushing yards and Knowshon Moreno was shut down to 30 yards off of 13 carries.

Tennessee ran the ball well and made critical passes to get the game out of reach early on.

This was the second straight year that the team had been blown out by the Volunteers.



Worst Moment II: The ESPN Propaganda. By the end of the year, most fans felt that Georgia was the hottest team in the nation if not the best. They had won five straight and looked incredible in every game.

However, because of the two early losses, the Dawgs only split the SEC Eastern Division with Tennessee. Since, Tennessee won the regular season matchup they represented the East in the SEC Championship Game.

In the final week of the season, the top two teams in the rankings (Missouri and West Virginia) both lost in their games. This created a controversy where two new teams would be pitted against each other for the National Title.

The prevalent thought would be since the #1 and #2 teams lost, the #3 and #4 teams should both move up to the two top spots. Ohio State did as they went from #3 to #1 to play in the title game.

However, ESPN decided to do propaganda and say Georgia (the #4 ranked team) didn't deserve to be in the title game. They constantly went on air saying why LSU should be in (the preseason favorite) and eventually, people started to believe it and in the poll LSU was moved to the #2 spot. LSU jumped from the #7 ranking all the way to #2.

The worst part however, was that not only did Georgia not move up, they actually moved down to #5. This meant that three teams leaped over the Dawgs while Georgia never played a game. The main reason for the movement down in the poll was due to ESPN proganda.



Biggest WTF Moment: In an Overtime SEC game, what are you thinking? How is the team going to win down 3? What type of play will they run? Well, if you are Mike Patrick, you are thinking about Britney Spears. Just a play before the game winning touchdown, Patrick stopped to ask what is Britney Spears doing with her life.

Team Highlights:


Original Video - More videos at TinyPic

Honors:
Academic All-District: P Brian Mimbs
2008 Senior Bowl: PK Brandon Coutu
2008 Hula Bowl: DE Marcus Howard
East-West Shrine Game: TB Thomas Brown
2008 Houston Bowl: OT Chester Adams
AFCA National Good Works Team: SS Kelin Johnson
SEC Good Works Team: SS Kelin Johnson
SEC Players of the Week: C Fernando Velasco, DT Jeff Owens, TB Knowshon Moreno, TB Thomas Brown, TB Knowshon Moreno, TB Knowshon Moreno, TB Knowshon Moreno, C Fernando Velasco, DT Geno Atkins,
First Team All-SEC: TB Knowshon Moreno (Coaches,AP), DT Geno Atkins (AP)
Second Team All-SEC: C Fernando Velasco (Coaches, AP), LB Dannell Ellerbe (Coaches, AP)
Coaches All-SEC Freshman Team: TB Knowshon Moreno, OT Trinton Sturdivant, OG Clint Boling
Academic All-SEC: Benjamin Boyd, Shaun Chapas, Jonathan deLaureal, Kris Durham, Bo Fowler, Chris Gaunder, Demiko Goodman, Andrew Gully, Mikey Henderson, Wes Jacobs, Andrew Johnson, Justin Lyles, Brian Mimbs, Casey Nickels, Mitchell Pittman, Jeff Potterbaum, Brannan Southerland, Matthew Stafford, Bo Stansell, Trinton Sturdivant, Will Sullivan.

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Spotlight: Mark Christensen



ATHENS, Ga. — Mark Christensen, a native of Commerce, Georgia, grew up dreaming about being part of the University of Georgia’s athletic programs. Ten years ago that dream came true by way of a volunteer situation with the Athletic Association for the first year, funded by the Georgia Personal Assistance Service Corps (a division of AmeriCorps) for the following three years, and then being employed part-time by the Athletic Association. Christensen’s role is not that of a regular sports medicine staff member. In his job as rehab assistant, Mark greets, talks, motivates and encourages positive attitudes within our athletes as well as keeps track of exercise repetitions for rehabilitating and conditioning athletes.

Mark’s positive attitude and motivation provide a great sense of perspective in terms of our athletes dealing with their own injuries. His influence has been so dramatic that St. Mary’s Health Care System has established a scholarship in his name. The Mark Christensen Spirit of St. Mary’s scholarship ($1,000) is awarded to an athletic training student each year who meets the following criteria: it must go to a person who’s willing to go out of his/her way to help other people; who cares about the people he/she works with; who demonstrates a caring heart; who gets involved with the under-served populations in the community; who represents academic achievement and high moral character.

Mark lives in Commerce, Georgia, with his parents, Paul and Mary Beth Christensen.

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Making A Dream Team



ATHENS, Ga. — UGA’s more aggressive recruiting reflects changing times

Talk about changing times in recruiting.

Georgia, traditionally one of the more conservative programs around when it comes to football recruiting, actually sent out a press release early Wednesday evening to call attention to its in-state recruiting efforts this week. This is unusual on several levels — I guarantee you UGA’s compliance office ran over that release with a fine-tooth comb — but chiefly because you usually can’t get a peep out of the Bulldogs regarding their recruiting.

Yet there it was in my e-mail’s inbox at 5:43 p.m. Wednesday. Subject line: “Georgia Football Coaches Busy Recruiting The State.”

In the release, head coach Mark Richt outlines the Bulldogs’ plans to canvass the state during the next few weeks. “By the end of next week, our assistant coaches will have been to more than 350 schools in the state of Georgia,” Richt said. “Our coaches are really pounding the state of Georgia. The focus of our staff is to make sure we recruit the state of Georgia first.”

Richt also goes on to sell the athletic and academic merits of UGA and the ongoing $40 million expansion project of the Butts-Mehre football complex.

Monday represented Georgia’s first full week of the NCAA’s designated spring “evaluation period” and the Bulldogs began it in uncharacteristic fashion. They sent out seven assistant coaches — the maximum number allowed on the road at any one time — all together in one bunch and, starting in South Georgia, they went from school to school to school, hitting the ones with the highest-profile prospects first. They did the same thing throughout North Georgia and the rest of the state on Tuesday and Wednesday, and apparently they intend to carry it on until the four-week period ends.

Not coincidentally, the Class of 2011 represents one of the best of all time in the state of Georgia, which traditionally produces upward of about 150 Division 1 prospects per year. Players like Valdosta tight end Jay Rome, Wilcox County quarterback Nick Marshall, Carver-Columbus running back Isaiah Crowell, Thomas County Central defensive end Ray Drew, Dalton offensive tackle Watts Dantzler, Grady cornerback Damian Swann and Tucker linebacker James Vaughters are among the tops in the nation at their particular position.

Georgia coaches know this, of course, and have been hard-selling a “Dream Team” theme to those prospects and others. The theory is, get all these Georgia kids to stay home and the Bulldogs will be in the hunt for championships.

Says Richt: “As we all know, recruiting is the lifeblood of any program and our state is a hotbed for talent. It’s our job to do everything we can to show these young men the academic and athletic merits of the University of Georgia. I know if we get the best players in our state to come to the University of Georgia, we will win championships. When we do go out of state, it’s always been our philosophy to only sign great players who are great people.”

Georgia’s actions are a reflection of the times in recruiting. The Bulldogs’ “canvass the state” strategy closely mirrors the one employed the last two year’s by Auburn under coach Gene Chizik. Last year and this one, Chizik had seven of his assistant coaches — head coaches are not allowed on the road in the spring — pile into a white limousine decorated with Auburn regalia and parade around the state and occasionally into Georgia, making sure to make a scene and draw attention to their presence. Lane Kiffin used a similar strategy during the fall evaluation period, renting a helicopter and choppering into metro Atlanta high school stadiums where prospects were playing, usually right about the time the national anthem was playing.

Never minding that it is not in the spirit of the NCAA rules regarding evaluations, the Bulldogs have always displayed a “we’re-better-than-that” attitude to such “look-at-me” tactics. And as far as I can tell they’re still not riding around in any limos wearing logoed bowling shirts.

But the fact is that Auburn signed a Top 5 class this past February and Tennessee also finished ahead of Georgia, which finished out of the Top 10 in recruiting rankings for the first time in a long while. It appears the Bulldogs are taking measures to ensure that doesn’t happen again.

As college football and recruiting fans, I’d say enjoy the show while it lasts. If I were to guess, I wouldn’t imagine the NCAA will let these shenanigans go on much longer. After all, this “evaluation period” is by definition provided as an opportunity for coaches “to assess prospective student-athlete’s athletic abilities and academic qualifications” and it forbids any direct interaction with said prospect other than a polite greeting.

At the current rate high school coaches will be shooting t-shirt cannons into high school cafeterias before it’s over.

[Nash]

Disappointment In Athens: The 2008 Season



Final Record: Overall: 10-3; SEC: 6-2

Team Captains: WR Mohamed Massaquoi | FB Brannan Southerland | DT Corvey Irvin | SS Andrew Williams

*2009 Capital One Bowl (Orlando, FL)


Stat Leaders
Passing: Matthew Stafford (235-383, 25 TDs, 3459 YDs, 10 Ints)
Rushing: Knowshon Moreno (250 Att, 1463 YDs, 16 TDs)
Recieving: Mohamed Massaquoi (58 Rec, 920 YDs, 8 TDs)


This was supposed to be the year. Finally, Georgia would win the national championship under Mark Richt. Everything was in place, a star quarterback and running back. A proven wide receiver along with the 2nd best newcomer in A.J. Green, one of the best offensive lines in the country, and an attacking defense that had future NFL players all over.

For whatever reason, the team never clicked. Yes, they had injuries (22 season ending injuries) and yes they had a hard schedule (#1 SoS) but there was very few points in the season where you thought this team was the real deal.

The offense and defense both showed signs of greatness, just never at the same time.

By the end of the year, the team's defense fell apart and the offense was nonexistent at key moments.

Early on, Georgia struggled to close out games. Allowing Georgia Southern and Central Michigan to make scoring runs to end the games.

As the season progressed, it seemed like the team got worse every game. The team had no discipline and looked unfocused. They won simply on talent in most games or the season could have been much worse.

The team was one of the most penalized teams in the nation and it killed them.

The record doesn't tell the story on this season as they never beat a great team and got blown out in the two biggest games of the season along with losing to Georgia Tech.



Best Moment: Arizona State Game. For the first time in the season, the preseason favorite looked like a contender. In the first time Georgia headed West of the Mississippi, Georgia dominated the Arizona State Sun Devils 27 to 10.

Knowshon Moreno had a big game with the first two touchdowns of the game and 153 yards. He jump started his Heisman campaign with the famous leap into the endzone.

The game was also Freshman A.J. Green's breakout game at Wide Receiver in which he had 8 receptions for 159 yards and a touchdown.





Best Moment II: LSU Game. The last two times Georgia played LSU, they had blown them out. Still, the Tigers were a different animal at home in Baton Rouge. Georgia took the crowd out early as linebacker Darryl Gamble intercepted the pass from Jarrett Lee and returned it for touchdown on the first play of the game.

Georgia's offense started the game on fire scoring on the first two possessions to jump out to a 28 to 7 lead in the 2nd quarter.

However, Georgia's defense fell apart allowing the Tigers back into the game.

The Bulldogs were still too much as the game turned into a shootout and the game was finally out of reach after Darryl Gamble returned another interception for a touchdown to make the score 52-31.





Best Moment III: Capital One Bowl: Michigan State Game. After the Georgia Tech loss, most fans didn't want the season to continue. The team seemed to quit and after giving up 409 rushing yards to Georgia Tech, fans feared what the nation's top rusher Javon Ringer would do.

Over the break, however, the team finally got healthy and they shut down Ringer to only 55 yards rushing. Even though the Dogs contained the Spartans top offensive player, the game was still in doubt until late.

The beginning of the game started in horrible fashion as Stafford struggled to start game making the halftime score 6-3. Bulldog nation was calling the game a disgrace and wanting Stafford to be benched saying that he only cared about the NFL and he had clocked out mentally.

However, Georgia came out in the 2nd half a different team. Stafford and Moreno put on a show and Georgia went on to win 24-12 in a dominant performance.



Worst Moment: Alabama Game. Coming into the game, there might not have been a more hyped game in the last decade. Two top five teams colliding in Athens on ESPN's College Gameday. It was also a Blackout and the atmosphere was like no other.

Instead of a classic, Georgia got embarrassed on national television. The whole country watched as Alabama ran all over the Dawgs to a half time score of 31-0.

Even though Georgia made a comeback in the 2nd half, most of the nation had already stopped watching and the reputation of Georgia was forever tarnished.

The game seemed to destroy any of Georgia's confidence and swagger it had had from the year before.





Worst Moment II: Florida Game. Even after the Alabama game, the goal of an SEC Championship was still intact. Georgia had just beaten LSU at Baton Rouge and it seemed as if they had regained their confidence.

Once again, the hype was growing for the game in Jacksonville especially after Georgia's dance to start the game.

"That wasn’t right," Meyer said in the book, which was written with sportswriter Buddy Martin and was written before the season. "It was a bad deal. It will forever be in the mind of Urban Meyer and in the mind of our football team. We’ll handle it and it’s going to be a big deal."

And handle it they did, the game was over as soon as Brandon Spikes flattened Moreno in the backfield. The floodgates opened and the rout was on.

Florida turned a 14-3 halftime lead into 49-3 lead behind Tim Tebow and a dominating defense.

To make the game even more embarrassing, Meyer called timeouts at the end of the game and continued to pass and run the score up at the end of the game.





Worst Moment III: Georgia Tech game. All season, fans had made fun of Tech's gimmick offense and how it wouldn't work in "big-time" football. Even as the season fell apart, fans looked forward to beating down Tech in the final game.

This looked to be coming true as Stafford had 300+ yards and four touchdowns in the first half. The Dawgs went to the locker room up 28-12.

However, Tech quickly erased the lead and took a 35-28 lead just 8 minutes into the 3rd quarter.

Georgia continued to battle but eventually lost after Roddy Jones broke for a 54 yard touchdown run with four minutes left.

Tech rushed for 409 yards on the game and most of it came in the 2nd half as Georgia's defense fell apart. Missed tackles and missed assignments occurred on every play as Tech beat Georgia for the first time in eight seasons.



Biggest WTF Moment: Late in the third quarter of the Georgia vs. Central Michigan game, UGA running back Knowshon Moreno breaks loose for a 29 yard run highlighted by a leap over Central Michigan's Vince Agnew

Team Highlights:



Honors:
SEC Players of the Week: TB Knowshon Moreno, LB Rennie Curran, WR A.J. Green, OT Clint Boling, TB Knowshon Moreno, TB Knowshon Moreno, LB Darryl Gamble, C Ben Jones, WR A.J. Green
First Team All-American: TB Knowshon Moreno (AFCA)
Second Team All-American: TB Knowshon Moreno (W. Camp, AP)
Freshman All-American: WR A.J. Green (Sporting News)
First Team All-SEC: TB Knowshon Moreno (Coaches, AP), LB Rennie Curran (Coaches), OT Clint Boling (AP), WR Mohamed Massaquoi (Coaches), WR A.J. Green (AP)
Second Team All-SEC: QB Matthew Stafford (Coaches, AP), WR Mohamed Massaquoi (AP), WR A.J. Green (Coaches), LB Rennie Curran (AP), FS Reshad Jones (AP), P Brian Mimbs (Coaches, AP)
Coaches All-SEC Freshman Team: OT Justin Anderson, OG Cordy Glenn, C Ben Jones, WR A.J. Green, DT DeAngelo Tyson, PK Blair Walsh
Academic All-SEC: Geno Atkins, Drew Butler, Shaun Chapas, Joe Cox, Ricardo Crawford, Matthew DeGenova, Jonathan DeLaureal, Kris Durham, Bo Fowler, Ty Frix, Andrew Gully, Wes Jacobs, Andrew
Jensen, Andrew Johnson, Ben Jones, Jeremy Lomax, Mohamed Massaquoi, Brian Mimbs,
Casey Nickels, Christian Norton, Joshua Sailors, Richard Samuel, Brannan Southerland, Matthew
Stafford, Trinton Sturdivant, Kade Weston, Aron White, Charles White, Antonio Wilson.
Academic All-District: FB Shaun Chapas, WR Kris Durham
2008 Senior Bowl: WR Mohamed Massaquoi, DT Corvey Irvin
East-West Shrine Game: LB Dannell Ellerbe
SEC Good Works Team: WR Mohamed Massaquoi

[Nash]

Richt Advises Uneasy Fans: Just Watch Aaron Murray’s Tape



ATHENS, Ga. — Most people who follow Georgia football had figured since the end of last season that Aaron Murray probably would be the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback in 2010. What no one figured, of course, was that his competition would dissipate as it has.

But with Zach Mettenberger dismissed from the team and Logan Gray shifting part-time to wide receiver, Murray seems suddenly solidly entrenched as the Dogs’ 2010 quarterback.

“We’re thinner at QB than we expected to be at this time,” coach Mark Richt told a Bulldog Club gathering this week, “but if you want to feel good about it, just go back on the Internet and do a little search on Aaron Murray and watch Aaron’s high school tape. And I think you’ll get just as excited as you were the day he . . . committed to Georgia.”

Richt has said that Murray, a redshirt freshman, would have been No. 1 on the post-spring depth chart even if Mettenberger had not been kicked off the team, and Gray’s desire to play wide receiver seems to speak volumes about how he saw the chances of surpassing Murray at quarterback this summer.

In high school in Tampa, Murray was a Parade Magazine All-American and MVP of the prestigious Elite 11 camp for the nation’s top quarterback prospects. But fresher on Georgia fans’ minds is his underwhelming performance in the G-Day spring game.

Richt seemed to be trying to ease those concerns during the Bulldog Club meeting at the Walnut Creek Shooting Preserve near Macon this week.

“His skill set -– you would take Aaron Murray every single year that you are recruiting a quarterback,” Richt said. “He’s got a very quick release. He’s an accurate passer. I know in the G-Day game he wasn’t super-accurate, but you got to admit we threw a lot of very low-percentage balls that day. He’s an accurate passer.”

Murray will be the only newcomer on an offense that returns starters at the other 10 positions. He’ll have the luxury of an experienced line, two talented tailbacks and one of the nation’s top wide receivers.

Murray “is to the point, in my opinion, where he just needs to play,” Richt said in an interview. “The biggest thing for him is to understand that you don’t have to do anything spectacular. You don’t have to put the team on your shoulders. You’re not required to carry this football team. You’re required to do your job. And part of your job is to not try to be a hero.

“My biggest thing is: Don’t turn a bad play into a catastrophe. If it’s a bad play, throw it away, take a sack, whatever you got to do.. . . Let’s not be flippant or casual with that ball.”.

Georgia committed 28 turnovers (17 interceptions thrown and 11 fumbles lost) last season and had an atrocious turnover ratio of minus-16 (28 lost, 12 gained). Richt calls turnover ratio the most important statistic in football.

“If we just turn that around, we win a minimum of 10 and probably 11 games [last season],” he said. “So we got to get better at that.”

That will require forcing more opponent turnovers, which is up to Todd Grantham’s defense, and protecting the ball better on offense, which starts with Aaron Murray.

[Nash]

Phil Steele Names Five Bulldogs Preseason All-Americans



ATHENS, Ga. — Five Georgia football players have been named to Phil Steele’s 2010 preseason All-American teams while 14 have been named to the publication’s All-Southeastern Conference preseason squads.

Junior flanker A.J. Green (Summerville, S.C.) and junior punter Drew Butler (Duluth, Ga.) highlighted the list after being named First Team All-Americans. Junior placekicker Blair Walsh (Boca Raton, Fla.) was named to the Second Team, senior offensive tackle Clint Boling (Alpharetta, Ga.) was included on the Third Team and junior kickoff returner Brandon Boykin (Fayetteville, Ga.) was placed on the Fourth Team.

The Bulldogs also had six players named to the All-SEC First Team. In addition to Green, Boling, Boykin, Walsh and Butler, junior outside linebacker Justin Houston (Statesboro, Ga.) was also named to the First Team.

Junior linemen Ben Jones (center) (Centreville, Ala.) and Cordy Glenn (offensive guard) (Riverdale, Ga.) joined sophomore tailback Washaun Ealey (Stillmore, Ga.) on the Second Team.

Sophomore tight end Orson Charles (Tampa, Fla.), senior offensive guard Chris Davis (Jefferson, Ga.), junior inside linebacker Marcus Dowtin (Upper Marlboro, Md.) and Boykin, this time as a cornerback, were named to the Third Team. Redshirt sophomore free safety Bacarri Rambo (Donalsonville, Ga.) was Georgia’s sole honoree on the Fourth Team.

Georgia is one of five teams with at least two players named preseason First Team All-Americans. Georgia and Alabama each have two players on the First Team and are the only two SEC teams with multiple players. North Carolina and UCLA leads the way with three players each on the First Team.

The Bulldogs and the Tide also lead the conference with six players on the All-SEC First Team. Georgia and Florida top the league with 14 players listed on all four preseason teams combined.

Phil Steele’s 2010 Preseason All-American Teams

First Team
WR – A.J. Green, Georgia
P – Drew Butler, Georgia

Second Team
K – Blair Walsh, Georgia

Third Team
OT – Clint Boling, Georgia

Fourth Team
KR – Brandon Boykin, Georgia

Phil Steele’s 2010 Preseason All-SEC Teams

First Team
WR – A.J. Green, Georgia
OT – Clint Boling, Georgia
KR – Brandon Boykin, Georgia
LB – Justin Houston, Georgia
K – Blair Walsh, Georgia
P – Drew Butler, Georgia

Second Team
RB – Washaun Ealey, Georgia
C – Ben Jones, Georgia
OG – Cordy Glenn, Georgia

Third Team
TE – Orson Charles, Georgia
OG – Chris Davis, Georgia
LB – Marcus Dowtin, Georgia
CB – Brandon Boykin, Georgia

Fourth Team
S – Bacarri Rambo, Georgia

[Nash]

Rock Bottom: The 2009 Season



Final Record: Overall: 8-5; SEC: 4-4

Team Captains: QB Joe Cox | WR Michael Moore | DT Jeff Owens | LB Rennie Curran | CB Prince Miller

*2009 AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl


Stat Leaders
Passing: Joe Cox (185-331, 24 TDs, 2584 YDs, 15 Ints)
Rushing: Washaun Ealey (125 Att, 728 YDs, 3 TDs)
Recieving: A.J. Green (53 Rec, 808 YDs, 6 TDs)


It seemed as if the nightmare of the 2008 season just carried over to 2009. The team had the same exact problems, plus many more new ones.

The overall defense seemed to continually worsen every game and the offense was either hit-or-miss.

Not only was this the worst season in Richt's history as coach, it was also one of the most embarrassing.

After having numerous players leave early to the NFL draft, new players were going to be the star players and expectations were high. Joe Cox was the ultimate leader and the whole team saw his as the captain.

However, no matter how good a leader Cox was, he simply wasn't a SEC-level quarterback. He struggled all year long.

It took the team over half the year to finally find the tandem of Caleb King and Washaun Ealey to replace now Denver Bronco Knowshon Moreno.

However, the one thing this season did do was build for the future with young players getting lots of playing time and excelling in the oppurtunity.



Best Moment: Arkansas Game. After looking sub par in the first two games of the season, Georgia finally showed potential of having an amazing offense. Young players made big plays all over the game and showed fortitude battling back from a 21-10 deficit early in a hostile environment.

Joe Cox had his best game by far with 18 completions on 25 throws for 375 yards and five touchdowns. Richard Samuel had 117 rushing yards. A.J. Green had 137 receiving yards while four different players caught a touchdown pass.

Georgia simply out scored the high flying Razorback offense, scoring on 7 of the final 10 drives.



Best Moment II: Georgia Tech Game. The picture above is the iconic image as center Ben Jones retaliated to the incident where Tech players cut some of the famous Hedges around the field and put them in there mouth. Jones decided he should put some of the Tech field in his mouth as he walked to get back at them.

This whole game was about revenge, about sending a message.

While Georgia was suffering through its worse season under Richt, Tech was enjoying their best season since 1990. They were the best team in the ACC and the Dawgs would not have superstar A.J. Green (out with injury). Add in the fact that the Jackets had ran for 409 yards in Athens the year before, many weren't expecting this to be close.

However, running back duo Caleb King and Washaun Ealey wanted to show that they still controlled the state. To prove the point, they both wrote "I RUN THIS STATE" on their arms and eye blacks.

And run they did. Washaun Ealey carried the ball 20 times for 183 yards. Caleb King joined in with 170 yards on 18 carries and a pair of touchdowns.

It was complete dominance on the ground and Georgia's defense also contained their offense enough as the Dawgs spoiled the Jackets best season in over two decades.





Best Moment III: Independece Bowl: Texas A&M Game. After firing all but one defensive coach, most wondered how the defense would look as Garner and Richt coached the defense.

Well if it was a test, they passed with flying colors. Going against one of the best offenses in the nation, the Dawgs held them to 20 points.

This game was won however with special teams as Georgia forced a blocked field goal, a muffed punt, and a blocked punt. Also, Georgia returned a kick for touchdown.

Georgia came back from down 7-0 to lead 44-14 until the Aggies scored late to make the score closer.





Worst Moment: Florida Game. It wasn't that bad because of the final score. Yes, it was bad, but almost every fan knew it was coming.

However, it was disappointing because one decision seemed to turn the fan base's thoughts on Mark Richt into a lost cause.

After continually getting worse the last three years, most fans were skeptical about Richt but still had faith we could return to 2002-2005 level of football.

Leading up to the game, Richt had said "he would have something to motivate the team." Unfortunately that "thing" was new jerseys that were not only hideous but also in the worst time possible. Georgia fans were still reeling from the embarrassment of the Alabama Blackout and didn't want to see new jerseys for a while.

Also, it seemed as if Richt was desperate and believed they would help the team. In one single decision, the perception of Richt completely changed.



Worst Moment II: LSU Game. In a hard fought game, Georgia finally took the lead 13-12 with 1:09 on an amazing catch by A.J. Green. The crowd went crazy but the roar quieted quickly as the ref flagged Green for "excessive celebration."

It was a horrible call and it would cost Georgia the game as it gave LSU great field position to win the game. A couple plays later, LSU did just that with a 33 yard run by Charles Scott.



Worst Moment III: Tennessee Game. This game wasn't just a blow out, it was a straight up beatdown. How bad was it? I'll put it this way, Georgia never got inside Tennessee's 40 yard line.

Georgia scored off of interception returns and kickoff returns. When that is your offense, you are in trouble.

The Bulldogs only had 241 total yards while the Volunteers dominated on offense... with one play over and over.

Georgia fans have nightmares of the bootleg roll out to the right as Tennessee ran this play numerous times, all with positive results.

One of the worst quarterbacks in the SEC, Jonathon Crompton, had 20 completions on 27 attempts for 310 yards and four touchdowns.



Worst Moment IV: Kentucky Game. This game meant more as UGA VII died the week of the game. This game was supposed to be the tribute to the deceased mascot.

It started this way as Georgia dominated the first half up 20-6.

However, on the first play of the 2nd half, Branden Smith fumbled the opening kickoff and the downfall was on. Kentucky scored the final three scores to battle back to a 34 to 27 win.

To make it worse, Georgia dominated the game, out gaining the Wildcats by 200 yards on offense.

The game was over as Joe Cox had a meltdown for the ages to end the game, turning the ball over on 3 of the final 4 possessions.



Biggest WTF Moment: After Georgia's Rennie Curran tips a Stephen Garcia pass to help the Georgia Bulldogs beat the South Carolina Gamecocks 41-37, two Georgia State Patrol Troopers guarding Steve Spurrier do the victorious fist bump.

Team Highlights:



Honors:
Ray Guy Award (Nation's top punter): Drew Butler
Freshman All-American: TE Orson Charles
First Team All-SEC: LB Rennie Curran (AP, Coaches), P Drew Butler (AP, Coaches), WR A.J.Green (AP, Coaches), OT Clint Boling (AP), WR A.J. Green (AP)
Second Team All-SEC: OT Clint Boling (AP), PK Blair Walsh (AP, Coaches), DT Geno Atkins (AP, Coaches), DE Justin Houston (AP, Coaches), C Ben Jones (Coaches)
Coaches All-SEC Freshman Team: TE Orson Charles, DE Montez Robinson
AFCA National Good Works Team: DT Jeff Owens
Academic All-SEC: Cameron Allen, Taylor Bradberry, Drew Butler, Shaun Chapas, Joe Cox, Ricardo
Crawford, Matthew DeGenova, Trenton Dittmer, Kris Durham, Bryan Evans, Ty Frix, Chad Gloer, Jackson Griffith, A.J. Harmon, Dontavius Jackson, Andrew Jensen, Andrew Johnson, Ben Jones,
Kevin Lanier, Dallas Lee, Jeremy Longo, Zach Mettenberger, Aaron Murray, Casey Nickels, Craig Sager, Josh Sailors, Jordan Stowe, Trenton Turner, Jason Veal, Brandon Wheeling, Aron
White.
Academic All-District: P Drew Butler
2009 Senior Bowl: DT Jeff Owens, DT Geno Atkins

[Nash]

Five Dawgs Who Could Surprise

By: David Hale



ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia announced it had placed five players on Phil Steele's All-America teams and 14 on his All-SEC teams. That's a pretty impressive tally, putting the Bulldogs on par with reigning national champ Alabama.

But while having 14 players make Steele's All-SEC teams, here's my question: Could there be more by season's end?

With that said, here are five players who didn't make Steele's preseason list who I think could turn into All-SEC caliber performers by year's end.



5. Branden Smith. If things fall right, Smith could find his name on the All-SEC teams twice at year's end. He's in line to earn a significant amount of time at corner -- and possibly the starting job -- and as a five-star recruit with blazing speed, there's no reason to think he won't develop into a legit playmaker. He could also end up returning punts this season and, if he avoids the fumbling problems he had last year, could turn in a Brandon Boykin-esque performance.



4. Akeem Dent. Last year was a lost one for Dent, but he made some nice strides in 2008 and appears to be fully healthy for 2010. He's the veteran leader of the linebacking corps, and he'll be counted on heavily in Todd Grantham's 3-4 defense. If he can turn in the type of senior season he's capable of having, that would be huge news for both Dent's future prospects in the NFL and for Georgia's defense as a whole.



3. Tavarres King. Perhaps Kris Durham should be here instead. Or maybe Marlon Brown or Rantavious Wooten. But someone is going to be the beneficiary of all the attention A.J. Green gets, which means there will be plenty of opportunities for another WR to step up and turn in a strong season.



2. Abry Jones. Any kid that impresses Rodney Garner within a few weeks of arriving on campus as a true freshman has to have something going for him. Jones is strong and fast and could be a force as a pass rusher in the 3-4. How well he holds up against the run as part of the new-look D line will likely be what defines his sophomore campaign, but the potential is definitely there.



1. Cornelius Washington. Justin Houston's inclusion on Steele's first-team All-SEC list was well deserved, but Washington -- the other starting OLB -- is going to be given a chance to shine this year, too. For one, his skill set makes him a perfect fit at OLB, whereas he was a bit out of place in the more traditional DE in a 4-3. Secondly, Houston had such a strong 2009 season that he'll have to command more attention from the opposition, which could help free things up for Washington. The sophomore showed flashes last season, had an excellent G-Day performance, and I'll be shocked if he doesn't become a consistent threat as a pass rusher in 2010.

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I should probably also include Caleb King on this list, but I'm guessing Phil Steele essentially flipped a coin on Georgia's running backs and went with Washaun Ealey as his rep. Odds are only one of the two will make an All-SEC team, but the chances are strong for either one. And, if by chance both prove to be All-SEC worthy by year's end, there's probably a good chance Georgia will be playing for an SEC title, too.

[Nash]

Georgia's Ten Most Gut-Wrenching Losses Under Mark Richt Part One



Over the past ten seasons, the University of Georgia has had a lot of success under Head Coach Mark Richt. The Bulldogs have brought home championships, and have competed at a very high level.

Unforunately, like any football team, the Dawgs have also been victim to gut-wrenching losses. The kind of losses that cause true fans to crawl under a rock and mourn for a week, a year, or maybe forever.

This article ranks the top-ten most heartbreaking losses endured by Bulldog Nation under Mark Richt.

10. 2008: Florida 49, Georgia 10



This game was none other than a complete demolition.

What started as a 14-3 deficit for the Dawgs quickly evolved into a 49-10 beatdown at the hands of the hated Gators.

Matthew Stafford threw three interceptions, Knowshon Moreno lost a fumble, and Blair Walsh missed two field goals in the 39 point defeat which was and is the worst loss (point-wise) under Mark Richt.

Georgia had hoped to win the SEC East, but it all came to a end as Florida won for the 16th time in the last 19 meetings.

To make matters worse, Urban Meyer decided to call two timeouts in the final 44 seconds of the game.

No. 9 2008: Alabama 41, Georgia 31



College Gameday, National TV, Sanford Blackout... the Dawgs can't possibly lose a game with this setting, right? Wrong.

Bulldog Nation is reminded of the shocking 41-31 loss to Alabama in 2008 every time ESPN shows highlights of the Crimson Tide.

Georgia entered the match-up with an eleven-game win streak and was ranked third in the country. What was supposed to be a statement game turned into a reality check for Georgia's players and fans.

Alabama jumped out to a stunning 31 point lead before halftime (assisted by Georgia penalties that extended their drives).

Georgia fought back in the second half, but it was already over by then.

No. 8 2004: Tennessee 19, Georgia 14



The third ranked Bulldogs strutted into this game with a 17-game home win streak, a victory over defending SEC Champions LSU, and were looking to take control of the SEC East.

However, throughout the game, the Bulldogs were unable to run the ball successfully. They also had 82 yards worth of penalties and a missed 29 yard field goal.

With one second left in the game, on the Tennessee 19, Georgia had a chance to win the game, but David Greene threw an incompletion which handed the Volunteers their first victory over Georgia since 1999.

No. 7 2006: West Virginia 38, Georgia 35



Surprisingly, home-field advantage in the Georgia Dome and a great second half effort were not enough to help Georgia overcome a 28-0 deficit in the 2006 Sugar Bowl.

West Virginia and running back Steve Slaton gave the Georgia defense fits throughout the game. Slaton was unstoppable as he ran for 204 yards (a Sugar Bowl record) and three touchdowns.

Despite 14 points off of two Georgia fumbles, the Mountaineers allowed Georgia to get within three twice during the second half.

Early in the fourth quarter, though, West Virgina converted a 4th-and-6 which led to a 38-28 lead for the Mountaineers with eight minutes to go, eventually sealing the Bulldogs' fate.

No. 6 2006: Vanderbilt 24, Georgia 22



On this fateful day, historically weak Vanderbilt upset the historically powerful Georgia on homecoming. It was a two point loss that left the entire Bulldog Nation dazed and confused.

It was a two point loss that made a four point loss to Kentucky later in the season look reasonable.

Coming off a beatdown by Tennessee, Georgia lost to Vanderbilt on a 33 yard field goal with two seconds left. It was a loss that could have gone the other way if Georgia had made a 37 yard field goal and converted a two point conversion with five minutes remaining.

What make this loss even worse are two stats: The Bulldogs lost to Vanderbilt for the first time since 1994; and they lost to an unranked team for the first time since 2002.

[Nash]

Georgia's Ten Most Gut-Wrenching Losses Under Mark Richt Part Two



Over the past ten seasons, the University of Georgia has had a lot of success under Head Coach Mark Richt. The Bulldogs have brought home championships, and have competed at a very high level.

Unforunately, like any football team, the Dawgs have also been victim to gut-wrenching losses. The kind of losses that cause true fans to crawl under a rock and mourn for a week, a year, or maybe forever.

This article ranks the top-ten most heartbreaking losses endured by Bulldog Nation under Mark Richt.

No. 5 2009: LSU 20, Georgia 13



Up until this point, both Georgia and LSU had their struggles.

At No. 4, LSU was looking to solidify itself as a top ten team. At No. 18, Georgia was looking to get the win that would boost them to yet another ten-win season.

Overall, this game was not hard to watch. Georgia found its running game, and seemed to be in it up until the end. Late in the 4th quarter, AJ Green caught an amazing touchdown pass that gave the Bulldogs a 13-12 lead, and sent Sanford Stadium into an absolute frenzy.

In the heat of the moment, Green drew a phantom excessive celebration penalty that will go down as one of the worst calls in Georgia football history.

On the ensuing kickoff, the penalty, along with poor coverage, gave the Tigers outstanding field position which led to a game-winning touchdown run by Charles Scott.

Poor officiating, poor tackling, and missed opportunities resulted in a heartbreaking for the Bulldogs.

No. 4 2009: Kentucky 34, Georgia 27



Last season, 14 second-half points off turnovers resulted in Kentucky's first win Between the Hedges in 32 years.

Despite a 20-6 halftime lead and gaining over 200 more total yards than Kentucky, Georgia could not hold on as it committed four turnovers and dropped to a miserable 6-5 on the season.

The Bulldogs had a chance to tie the game twice in the final two and half minutes, but a Washaun Ealey fumble at the one yard line, and a Joe Cox interception helped the Wildcats upset.

If you have never heard utter silence, you should have been in Sanford Stadium November 21, 2009.

No. 3 2005: Auburn 31, Georgia 30



If the Bulldogs had not won the SEC title in 2005, this easily could have been the No. 1 gut-wrenching loss under Mark Richt.

Two minutes left in the fourth quarter, 4th down-and-10, and up by two, the Bulldogs had this one in the bag.

But Auburn had other plans.

The Tigers converted the fourth down by completing a 62 yard pass to the Georgia three yard-line, and ran down the clock to hit a game-winning field goal.

The No. 9 Bulldogs walked off the field in shock after a one point loss to the hated Auburn Tigers.

No. 2 2002: Florida 20, Georgia 13



The 2002 loss to the Florida Gators is one that no Georgia fan ever wants to relive.

As if losing to the hated Gators were not enough, the Bulldogs also lost a shot at an undefeated season and a National Championship.

On this day, the Florida passing attack was seemingly unstoppable as Rex Grossman threw for 339 yards. Georgia was 0-13 on third down conversions, and led 13-12 in the fourth quarter.

After allowing a Florida touchdown, the Bulldogs had one last chance to tie the game with 2:23 left in the game. David Greene threw a pass to Terrence Edwards at the Florida 30, but on a day that was anything but lucky for the Bulldogs, Edwards proceeded to drop the pass.

After the game, Jon Stinchcomb, in tears, stated, "It's real unbearable. For the rest of our lives, all the seniors will know they never beat Florida."

No. 1 2008: Georgia Tech 45, Georgia 42



Here it is: The most gut-wrenching loss under Mark Richt.

In a season where nothing went as planned, the Bulldogs came into this game with hopes of having back-to-back 11 win, 2 loss, Top 10 seasons. Georgia also had the chance to tie Georgia Tech for the longest win streak in the series at eight games.

The first half started off predictably as the Bulldogs built themselves to a 16 point lead. However, Georgia's defense was pitiful and Georgia Tech's offense was ready to explode.

GT came out and dominated the third quarter. The Yellow Jackets finished the game with 409 rushing yards, and a three point victory over their arch-rivals.

The players took twigs from Sanford's hallowed hedges, and fans gave Bulldog Nation hell for the next 365 days.

What started out as a season destined for glory, ended with a loss to a team that had become irrelevant over the past seven years.

That is why the 2008 loss to Georgia Tech is the most heartbreaking.

Although I am focusing on the negative now, Part Three will be highlighting the biggest wins under Coach Richt.

[Nash]

Position Preview: Quarterback



Going into the 2010 season, if there is an offensive position with a question mark, it is the quarterback position.

It can be the difference between an SEC Championship or a season like last year.

Last year, 5th year Senior Joe Cox was supposed to be the ultimate leader and bring Georgia football back to prominence. However, he just did not possess the talent necessary for SEC football. He threw 17 interceptions which was the most in Georgia history since 1984.

With Cox out, most fans were already penciling in Aaron Murray to win the starting job. Murray is the ultimate leader like Cox, he was known to study game films as if he was the starter last year even though he was redshirted. He was always paying attention and even helped transfer the playcall to the field by doing hand signals.

Unlike Cox however, Murray has the ability to compete. He was the number two quarterback coming out in 2008 behind Matt Barkley (USC's starting quarterback) and most believed he was the better of the two. He won the top quarterback award at the Elite 11 Quarterback camp.

His biggest strength is accuracy and mobility. He is great at throwing on the run and expect Georgia to run the shotgun more with Murray in.

Although short in stature, he has a huge heart and passion for the game. This was shown in his Senior year in High School when he broke his ankle late in the regular season. However, he came back in the playoffs, and led his team to a State Championship.

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The backup for Murray, will be Logan Gray. Gray was an above average prospect coming out of Missouri and was known for his speed. He helped the team any way he could: punt returns, kick coverage, trick play, he did it all.

However, in doing so much, he never truly developed quarterback skills. He still checks down to the flats way too often and defenses can read his eyes.

The worst example of this is the Florida game where Gray threw one of the worst interceptions ever to Brandon Spikes.

After realizing he was not going to start this year, Gray flirted with the idea of transferring to a smaller college to be the Big Man on Campus. However, he decided against it and is rumored to be moving to Wide Receiver this season.

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The main competitor for Murray, was Zach Mettenberger. Mettenberger was also a big time recruit and had been starting to get a feel for the quarterback position. He was however, suspended for a game for an undisclosed crime over his Spring Break in Remerton, Georgia.

The suspension ruined almost all his chances to be the starter until the annual G-Day Game (spring game) where Mettenberger put on a show and was by far the best quarterback on the field that day.

However, a week later, Mettenberger was dismissed from the team as the crime committed earlier became a sexual assault charge.

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The last quarterback in Hutson Mason, a true freshmen from Lassiter, Georgia. He wasn't originally going to be offered by Georgia but after rumors of Gray becoming a receiver arose, he was given a scholarship.

Mason had a superb Senior season where he threw 54 touchdowns.

Don't expect Mason to see the field though unless the injury bug hits Athens this year.

[Nash]

Cuff's Speed Wows Coaches
By: Wayne Grandy



ATHENS, Ga. — Vance Cuff always had plenty of speed and had been clocked at 4.35 as a SuperPrep All-American cornerback and wide receiver at Colquitt County High in 2006.

That time had dropped to 4.28 after he got to Georgia, where he has played cornerback the last three seasons.

But Cuff wanted to drop that time even more his spring when he prepared for his two runs at Georgia’s “mini-combine.”

His first attempt produced an outstanding 4.27, but his reaction was, “That’s all I’ve dropped it in a year?”

His second run was better.

Much better.

With Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt looking on and confirming the time, Cuff ran an attention-getting 4.24, the fastest time ever recorded by a Georgia football player.

When his name was posted atop the list of former Bulldogs whose times he had surpassed, it was hard not to be impressed.

“There was Champ Bailey, Terrence Edwards, Fred Gibson,” Cuff said. “Those are guys I looked up to as a kid.

“It hasn’t soaked in yet.”

Cuff has been back in his hometown for the month of May, spending plenty of time with his mother and visiting with friends.

He also gets up every morning and goes to Snap Fitness, where he works out, getting ready for his senior season. He reports Thursday and summer workouts begin Friday.

The 5-11, 177-pounder wants to continue the work that led to Richt to calling him “the best of the corners in the spring.”

One of his biggest concerns this off-season has been to improve his hip flexibility and is planning to take some yoga classes in Athens.

Cuff is still looking for his first career interception and is expected to get plenty of opportunities at boundary corner. He will play on the short side of the field.

“I’ll play man-up on the Z receiver,” he said. “That’s where you want to be. You have their best receiver. I love that position. It’s so fun.

“But I’ve got to keep working. I just want to make some plays.”

Cuff appeared in nine games and made one start last season for the Bulldogs. He was credited with 21 tackles, including eight against Kentucky. He got his first career start in the victory over Georgia Tech.

But he missed four games with a sprained knee and hopes to be able to stay healthy for his final season of eligibility.

And he will play for a new defensive coordinator and secondary coach this season.

Cuff said he likes the style of play used by both coordinator Todd Grantham, who went to Athens from the Dallas Cowboys, and position coach Scott Lakatos.

“I love Coach Grantham,” Cuff said. “He is deep into it.

“He reminds me of Coach (Dextra) Polite (his seconary coach at Colquitt County High). He wants the ball. He wants you to go get the ball.”

Cuff said the new defense under Grantham and Lakatos suits his style of play.

“This is the style I was recruited to play,” he said. “I just need to go out there and react and make plays.”

Last week, Cuff conducted a camp at the Moultrie YMCA for young players, showing them ways to improve their speed and agility and appeared to enjoy the interaction with the youngsters.

“I know when I was a kid, I would have loved having something like that,” he said.

After his outstanding career at Colquitt County and signing with Georgia, Cuff was unsure about when he would get go to Athens.

There was some uncertainty about whether some of his high school courses would be approved by the NCAA Clearinghouse.

Those problems were resolved, and he remembers the support he received during that time not only from the Georgia football staff, but also from the university’s administration.

And he made the most of his time at Georgia, both in the classroom and on the field.

Majoring in housing and consumer economics with a minor in property management, Cuff made the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and the Dean’s List for the summer semester.

He was on track to graduate in December, but when he decided to add the minor, it moved his graduation up to next May.

Cuff says he hopes to play well enough to be invited to the NFL Combine next year, but if not, he will leave Georgia armed with a degree.

Asked about his decision to accept the football scholarship at Georgia, Cuff said, “It was a great decision. It’s worked out perfectly.”

He said he runs into a number of former Colquitt County High classmates in Athens, including Tyler Mobley, Matt DeMott, Michael Murray, Marshall Faircloth and Bulldog divers Hannah Moore and Owen Blank.

And he is aware that current Packer offensive tackle Xzavier Ward has a scholarship offer from Georgia. The 6-foot-7, 260-pounder has a number of others as well.

“I told him that’s a big decision and it’s decision you have to make,” Cuff said. “But I know we’d love to have him.”

[Nash]

Position Preview: Running Back



Going into last year, the Bulldogs were expecting a dynamic duo at the running back position. However, that duo was not King and Ealey; it was Richard Samuel and Carlton Thomas.

Samuel had all the raw talent in the world. He was the fastest back, he was the strongest, and just ran the most powerful. He was lacking three necessary traits though: field vision, balance, and ball security. Samuel would more likely run straight at a defender than through the gaping hole. You touched him, he fell to the ground. You touched him hard enough, the ball would be jarred loose. Samuel slowly was phased out of the offense and is now a linebacker for the defense (he was a 5 star recruit at linebacker in high school).

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The other back expected to make an impact was Carlton Thomas. Thomas was a quick scat back that with his small height (5'7") would be hidden behind our offensive line. He was by far the most talked about going into preseason and did not disappoint in the Spring Game.

However, with his small size comes the prone to be injured and fumble. Although he never looked bad in game time, he was simply too small for SEC football as he fumbled often.

However, after putting on weight, Georgia fans expect Thomas to make some big plays at running back and punt returner this year and could potentially make the duo a trio by the end of the year.

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Now on to the duo of running backs that will lead Georgia's offense: Caleb King and Washaun Ealey.

King coming out of high school was supposed to be the next big back coming out of Athens. He dominated every Gwinnett County (SEC football recruiting hot bed) High School football team coming out of Parkview High. He rushed for the most yards in state history (yes, more than Herschel Walker) his Junior Year and then his Senior year transferred to GAC, a private school that was a football powerhouse. However, he broke his tibia during the season.

As a freshmen at Georgia, he didn't look anything like the superstar back in high school. He was timid, afraid to make cuts, and avoided contact. He just lost the feel for the game it seemed and was obvious he wasn't the same back he was in high school before the injury. However, he continued to get playing time until he missed a key block in the Florida game where he didn't play for the rest of the season.

Over the offseason, he worked on his pass blocking and kept telling everyone he felt healthy for the first time since his Senior year. However, those rumors faded quickly as reports of fatigue in his hamstring came out. King missed the first part of the season, and finally was healthy for the LSU game.

However on just his 8th carry, he broke his jaw and received a concussion.

King continued to run and eventually became healthy and had a breakout season. His best game was the Georgia Tech game in which he ran for 170 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. King finished the year with the most touchdowns (seven) and the second most rushing yards.

Look for him to build on last season as he becomes healthier and more comfortable behind a dominant offensive line.

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The latter of of the duo is Washaun Ealey. Coming out of Emanuel County Institute, a small high school in Georgia, Ealey was one of the most talked about recruits in Georgia. He set the Georgia high school single season record with 58 touchdowns in 2007 and finished his high school career with 8,108 rushing yards and a state record 133 touchdowns, 22 more than the previous record.

Ealey wasn't looked for anything as a freshmen but as he started to play in the LSU game, more and more Georgia faithful started to compare him to previous back Knowshon Moreno. They had similar sounding first names, both wore the same number (24) and both played with a similar passion for the game.

Also, like Moreno, Ealey was flat out good. In just seven games, he ran for 728 yards and three touchdowns. Every game seemed to be better than his last game and expectations are sky high for the Sophomore this year.

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The darkhorse for some playing time behind King and Ealey is Dontavius Jackson. He struggles to stay healthy (only appeared in one game last year), but when healthy, watch out.

He looked superb at the end of the game against Vanderbilt and in this year's Spring Game. If he can stay healthy, then expect him to make his way into some playing time.