Deleted Scenes: Georgia's Mentor Program

One of the biggest changes this offseason for Georgia has been a new dedication on the part of the team's veterans on teaching the younger players rather than simply letting the coaches do the coaching. I have an article in today's Macon Telegraph on how the new attitude has helped both the older guys and the new freshmen.

After you're done reading the article, check out these additional quotes from players about the emphasis on mentoring this offseason.

Fullback Shaun Chapas on the team-first mentality...
"I think this team's very united. We all love each other and we have good chemistry on the team. And I know that we all really care about each other, what we do on and off the field."

Defensive end Kiante Tripp on the different feel of this offseason...
"From the time I've been here, I'd have to say that this has been a real successful summer in that I've never seen the guys work as hard as we've been working. Everybody's out there working. It's a good environment to be around to prepare for the season."

Tripp on the team's new mantra...
"In order for us to be successful, we've got to be a team and help each other out. It's a team thing, and we've got to work together. Mark Richt said the star of the team is the team, and we took that and have run with it."

Linebacker Akeem Dent on the offseason philosophy...
"It started in the weight room. All of them came in and were really willing to work. We've had a lot of guys who when we go into the film room, they're already ready, they have pens and pencils to take notes, and we're ready to teach them."

Dent on this offseason compared to past ones...
"Now compared to when I got here, there's more guys willing to go out and teach, teach the whole playbook. When they first came in, guys like Mike Gilliard and Chase (Vasser), we started from the basics and then moved on and letting them go out and throw them into the fire to see if they're grasping everything."

Dent on handling the freshmen...
"You have those first time jitters the first time you go out on the field because you don't know what to expect, but me, Darryl Gamble, Rennie, we're out there and we critique them on everything, even if it's something minor because we want them to do it the best way."

Running back Carlton Thomas on the difference between this year and last...
"Everybody's just become more hands-on. You can just see it in every unit. Everybody has this focus, everybody's pushing each other, everybody's trying to learn more. We're getting in there to watch film, and that's something we really didn't do a lot of before. A lot of units are even coming in in the mornings to watch film. And it's not just a couple guys trying to improve each other. It's like everybody's on the focus of, if I can get my unit better, it's going to help the team."

Thomas on the attitude this year...
"Since mat drills we've been saying the thing, the star of the team is the team. It's been a team thing, and we want to be a player-driven team. That's basically been what it's been. Nobody's being forced. We're just coming out here and doing extra work."

Wide receiver Michael Moore on interacting with the youngsters...
"Everybody knew we had to step up as leaders. We all know how hard it is to come in as a freshman, and this year we're depending on everybody for success. When I knew Wooten and Marlon were coming in, even on Facebook before they got here, they were asking questions, and it's just good to see. Orson's asking me questions every day. And when you have players that want to learn, it makes it easier for us."

Moore on his experiences as a freshman...
"It was a lot different. The senior class that we had, everybody was more established. Everybody to me was more trying to get their own stuff together. This year, we're trying to take it as more of a team, because we need the younger guys. You don't want them to shy away. You want them to be able to perform and be able to compete with you."

Moore on dealing with the new freshmen...
"Sometimes it's funny because when you try to explain things to them, they're still looking at you like you're talking to a brick wall. So sometimes you need to take a step back and break it down for them from point A to point B to point C. You can't just go from A to C. The guys that we have now, they're real smart and they're picking it up real fast."

Wide receiver Kris Durham on teaching teammates...
"Sometimes you have to tell them what they did wrong and get in their face to explain it to them. Yeah, it might make them mad, but everybody realizes that you're trying to make them better."

Durham on learning lessons from last season...
"We've discussed what happened last year, and we're trying to move on and learn from it. Everyone's just trying to build off of what works."

Friday Links (7/17)

I had some things come up this afternoon, so unfortunately you'll have to wait until Monday for my Rex Robinson interview. In the meantime, here are some links for your weekend reading...

-- Georgia broadcaster Loran Smith was injured in a serious car accident in France earlier this week.

-- Tim Tucker chats with former Georgia coach Jim Donnan about his impending induction into the college football Hall of Fame.

-- SEC Rivals lists the five SEC coaches most likely to leave, and they have Mark Richt ranked No. 2.

-- The Red & Black talked with Damon Evans on a number of subjects, including the future of the UGA-Florida game.

-- About Them Dawgs writes that if Georgia wants to improve its defense in 2009, the biggest keys might be better special teams and creating more turnovers.

-- Battle Hymn Notes checks in with some more thoughts on how Georgia can eliminate those defensive struggles.

-- Matthew Stafford addresses the incident with the 49ers psychologist in an interview with MLive.

-- The Banner-Herald has a look at what David Greene has been up to since his retirement.

-- Georgia ranks fifth on the list of the teams with the most demand for tickets.

-- A top college prospect was injured during a workout with former Bulldog Garrison Hearst.

-- After being suspended for the season due to a failed drug test, Kentucky end Jeremy Jarmon was taken in the NFL's supplemental draft.

-- ESPN has a story on the continuing spending on major projects by many schools despite the bad economy.

-- Urban Meyer has spent most of the past week talking about his future employer, but managed to get in a nice jab at a past one, too.

OK, that's it, just football stuff today. Be back Monday with lots more as we get ready for SEC Media Days. Have a great weekend.

Landers Signs Extension

From UGA Athletics...

Andy Landers, the first and still only full-time women's basketball head coach in the University of Georgia's history, has signed a three-year contract extension, Director of Athletics Damon Evans announced on Friday. The agreement adds to the two remaining years on Landers' existing contract and now extends through the 2013-14 campaign.

"I am pleased and excited to extend Andy’s contract," Evans said. "His commitment and dedication to the University of Georgia and to our women’s basketball program is outstanding. I am confident that he will continue to build on his already impressive resume."

"I appreciate the continued support of the Georgia administration and fans, and I look forward to continuing our quest to win a national championship," Landers said.

Landers was a 26-year-old with four years of junior college experience when he was tabbed at UGA's head coach on April 24, 1979. He quickly turned the Lady Bulldogs into a national power and has kept UGA among the country's elite programs throughout his tenure.

What Can Brown Do for Georgia?

With just two weeks to go until fall practice begins, Georgia's new freshmen phenom – wide receiver Marlon Brown -- has already had a chance to impress his teammates during summer workouts, but senior Michael Moore said the comparisons to last year's standout receiver are a bit premature.

"It's really not fair to compare anybody to A.J. Green right now because he's one of the best in the country," Moore said. "Could (Brown) have an impact like that? Yeah, it's possible. But he needs to come in, work hard and prove it during the season."

Cornerback Brandon Boykin said he has seen a good bit of Brown this summer, and admits that the freshman looked a little nervous early on.

During a drill earlier this week, however, Brown made a circus catch on a hitch-and-go route that Boykin said underscored how much progress than freshman has already made.

"He's coming along," Boykin said. "I see Mike Moore taking him under his wing. I think he was a little nervous coming in the first day trying to run routes and stuff but he's improving, I definitely see him improving."

That will be a necessity for the Bulldogs, who only have two proven receivers on the roster. Beyond Moore and Greene, Georgia will be counting on contributions from three freshmen receivers this season.

That might be a lot to ask, but each -- Brown, Rantavious Wooten and Orson Charles -- brings plenty of talent to the table.

"Really from all three of them – Marlon, Orson and Wooten – I really feel like all three of them can make plays," Moore said. "Marlon, he's a huge body, and if you throw it up, he can go get it. Wooten, he's a fast, quick guy, and if you get him the ball in space, he can make something happen. And Orson, he's just a hard worker, a nitty-gritty guy who's a big body in the slot but also can run."

The key will be how quickly the trio -- Brown, in particular -- can turn the talent into production. The transition began when the players arrived on campus last month, and if their progress continues at such a dramatic pace, injured wide receiver Kris Durham said he wouldn't be surprised to see all three have a significant impact on the Bulldogs' offense.

"They're good, and they're definitely going to help us out this year and contribute," Durham said. "Both of them have learned the majority of what's going to be installed in fall camp, and I can't wait to see what they're going to do when we get pads on."

UGA Lands 9 on Preseason SEC Teams

From SEC release...

Defending SEC and national champion Florida Gators had a league-high 16 representatives on the 2008 All-Southeastern Conference Coaches’ Football Team, while LSU had 10 total selections and defending Western Division Champion Alabama and Georgia had nine each, the league office announced on Thursday.

Florida led the way with eight players selected on the first team while Alabama had six and LSU had three.

Nine of the 12 SEC schools had a member on the first-team All-SEC squad. Each SEC school had at least two student-athletes on either the first-, second- or third-team.

Ole Miss and Tennessee had seven total members on the squads, while Kentucky had six, Vanderbilt five, South Carolina and Arkansas four each, Auburn three and Mississippi State two.

There were only three unanimous selections to this year’s All-SEC pre-season squad – LSU offensive lineman Ciron Black, Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones and Tennessee defensive back Eric Berry. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players, thus a unanimous selection earns 11 of 12 first-team votes.

There are 10 first-team pre-season selections that were on last year’s first-team coaches All-SEC post-season team. Those include: QB Tim Tebow (Florida), RB Charles Scott (LSU), RS Brandon James (Florida), DL Terrence Cody (Alabama), LB Rolando McClain (Alabama), LB Brandon Spikes (Florida), LB Rennie Curran (Georgia), LB Eric Norwood (South Carolina), DB Eric Berry (Tennessee) and DB Trevard Lindley (Kentucky).

The All-SEC first-team squad had 15 seniors and 10 underclassmen, including eight juniors and two sophomores. The second-team had 18 seniors, seven juniors and three sophomores. The third-team had 16 seniors, eight juniors and five sophomores.

2009 SEC COACHES PRE-SEASON ALL-SEC FOOTBALL TEAM

First-Team Offense

Pos. Name, Team
TE Richard Dickson, LSU
*OL Ciron Black, LSU
OL Mike Johnson, Alabama
OL Mike Pouncey, Florida
OL John Jerry, Ole Miss
C Maurkice Pouncey, Florida
*WR Julio Jones, Alabama
WR A.J. Green, Georgia
QB Tim Tebow, Florida
RB Michael Smith, Arkansas
RB Charles Scott, LSU

Second-Team Offense

Pos. Name, Team
TE D.J. Williams, Arkansas
OL Lee Ziemba, Auburn
OL Clint Boling, Georgia
#OL Chris Scott, Tennessee
#OL Carl Johnson, Florida
#OL Cordy Glenn, Georgia
C Josh McNeil, Tennessee
WR Brandon LaFell, LSU
WR Dexter McCluster, Ole Miss
QB Jevan Snead, Ole Miss
RB Anthony Dixon, Mississippi State
RB Jeff Demps, Florida

Third-Team Offense

Pos. Name, Team
TE Aaron Hernandez, Florida
OL Jacques McClendon, Tennessee
OL Zipp Duncan, Kentucky
OL Mitch Petrus, Arkansas
OL Trinton Sturdivant, Georgia
C Jorge Gonzalez, Kentucky
WR Shay Hodge, Ole Miss
#WR Terrance Tolliver, LSU
#WR Gerald Jones, Tennessee
#QB Stephen Garcia, South Carolina
#QB Mike Hartline, Kentucky
RB Mark Ingram, Alabama
RB Ben Tate, Auburn

First-Team Defense

Pos. Name, Team
DL Terrence Cody, Alabama
DL Greg Hardy, Ole Miss
DL Carlos Dunlap, Florida
LB Rolando McClain, Alabama
LB Brandon Spikes, Florida
LB Rennie Curran, Georgia
LB Eric Norwood, South Carolina
*DB Eric Berry, Tennessee
DB Javier Arenas, Alabama
DB Trevard Lindley, Kentucky
DB Joe Haden, Florida

Second-Team Defense

Pos. Name, Team
DL Charles Alexander, LSU
DL Antonio Coleman, Auburn
#DL Geno Atkins, Georgia
#DL Dan Williams, Tennessee
#DL Malcolm Sheppard, Arkansas
LB Micah Johnson, Kentucky
LB Patrick Benoist, Vanderbilt
LB Rico McCoy, Tennessee
LB Dont’a Hightower, Alabama
DB Ahmad Black, Florida
DB Chad Jones, LSU
DB Prince Miller, Georgia
DB Myron Lewis, Vanderbilt

Third-Team Defense

Pos. Name, Team
DL Jeff Owens, Georgia
DL Marcus Tillman, Ole Miss
#DL Rahim Alem, LSU
#DL Corey Peters, Kentucky
LB Chris Marve, Vanderbilt
LB Jamar Chaney, Mississippi State
LB Ryan Stamper, Florida
LB Perry Riley, LSU
DB Major Wright, Florida
DB Janoris Jenkins, Florida
#DB Ryan Hamilton, Vanderbilt
#DB Chris Culliver, South Carolina
#DB Reshad Jones, Georgia

First-Team Specialists

Pos. Name, Team
PK Leigh Tiffin, Alabama
P Chas Henry, Florida
RS Brandon James, Florida

Second-Team Specialists

Pos. Name, Team
PK Jonathan Phillips, Florida
P Brett Upson, Vanderbilt
RS Javier Arenas, Alabama

Third-Team Specialists

Pos. Name, Team
PK Joshua Shene, Ole Miss
P Spencer Lanning, South Carolina
RS Trindon Holliday, LSU

* - Unanimous Selections
# - Ties

Thursday Links (7/16)

Only a handful of links today between player interviews...

-- I'm back to writing stories for the actual paper on a regular basis now, and we start with an update on the progress wide receiver Tavarres King has made this offseason.

-- Georgia Sports Blog reviews the new deal between Fox Sports Net and ESPN and says there figures to be a lot more night games this season in the SEC. GSB reviews the potential problems that may cause the Athens law enforcement community, but I'll point out another issue: Don't expect to read too much game coverage in your local newspaper this year. Smaller staff sizes and earlier deadlines pretty much mean that a night game will get you a column written before the game even ended and a brief game story with perhaps one or two generic quotes.

(*NOTE: My editor in Columbus has asked that I make clear that the deadline at that particular paper has not changed, and therefore their coverage of game day will not change. Sorry if this was unclear in my original post, which was meant as a general discussion of overall trends in the newspaper industry.)

-- Macon Dawg looks at all the defensive ends Georgia has landed in its 2010 class so far and says "more, please."

-- I spoke with Rex Robinson yesterday for a "Catching Up With" post that will be up tomorrow. In the meantime, however, Rex has a fun post up on his blog about running backs by committee, which was one of the issues we talked about.

-- Marc Weiszer blogs about the often difficult transition from high school star to SEC stalwart.

-- The AJC's Tim Tucker writes that Georgia's season ticket renewal rate is at 97 percent.

-- Tip o' the hat to ESPN's Chris Low, who linked to this site that combines the preseason magazine predictions to try to come up with a consensus opinion.

-- Dr. Saturday points out another, um, less entertaining Web site -- a blog by Dan Shanoff dedicated to Tim Tebow.

-- This is a really interesting piece on ESPN (I know, I'm surprised, too) on the impact of the big-money sports and Title IX on the smaller sports that are far too often disappearing from campuses around the country.

-- And finally, I was sort of excited about the G.I. Joe movie but after reading this post about how completely dreadful it is expected to be (note: the review referenced "Showgirls," which is always a good sign), I absolutely can't wait. The only thing better than a great movie is a truly awful one.

Discussing the D

Despite the departures of offensive stars Matthew Stafford, Knowshon Moreno and Mohamed Massaquoi, the consensus among most fans seems to be that the key to the 2009 season will be the defense.

Hard to argue with that notion after Georgia's D was a disaster throughout much of last season, allowing 38 points or more six times.

Much to the chagrin of a vocal portion of the fan base, no major changes were made among the defensive coaches and three veteran starters -- Dannell Ellerbe, CJ Byrd and Asher Allen -- are all gone. So how does the defense expect to be a lot better in 2009?

Here are some thoughts from some of Georgia's defensive players...

Marcus Washington on the lessons of 2008...
"Last year was kind of a letdown, and I felt as if we let Georgia down because we did not perform the way a Georgia defense traditionally plays. You go back and you look at the defensive aspect of the games, and maybe if we did things a little differently, things would have turned out different. We've got to go in and refocus. We've got to make some stops. We've got to not give up big plays."

Reshad Jones on the most important change the D can make...
"I would say just turnovers period. As far as fumbles, knocking the ball out, interceptions, the overall turnovers. Turnovers help win ball games, give the offense better field position, stuff like that. I think we just need to focus on getting more turnovers."

Rennie Curran on the importance of attitude...
"We started off well last season but we lost our focus. Guys got hurt, but things like that happen. Now this season that we have everybody back, we need to just focus on the basics – running to the ball, executing on every play, not having mental breakdowns or physical breakdowns. We just have to focus on being as disciplined as possible."

Rod Battle on getting back to basics...
"It's just a renewed focus. The same stuff worked in years past, and we know what we want our style of play to be. We want to be a team that plays fast and physical, and I think if you do that, you make up for a lot of mistakes you make."

Akeem Dent on focusing on the little things...
"We're basically doing running, lifting, things like that, but when we do set out to do the drills, we go through with the blocking dummies and work on the fundamentals and the techniques, letting everyone have a chance to complete every drill. That's one thing we want to focus on this year is being able to wrap up and tackle to the ground."

Darryl Gamble on finishing plays...
"We had chances to make plays last year but they just weren't made. So it's really about taking advantage of opportunities, and I don't think we did good with that last year. We would be in the right places, but we've got to execute on what's there."

Battle on the defensive ends this season...
"If I was looking from the outside in, I would say (there's questions) and we realize that as a group. We're just trying to refocus as a group this offseason and try to make up some lost practices that we've all had. Hopefully we can get some momentum going at the position going into the season and hopefully be a bright spot."

Curran on what the young players can add this year...
"It's going to be great to see what those young guys have to offer. They're all bright-eyed and hungry to get on the field and they all love Georgia and are committed players. That's what we need more than anything is guys just ready to buy in and do things right. That's what I think we have in these young guys and I'm excited to see what they can do."

Brandon Boykin on what he expects from the D this year...
"I expect that Junkyard Dawg mentality that Georgia used to have back in the day. You can just tell the intensity in our workouts. We're not taking anything for granted this year. You can see the games where we gave up big plays against Florida and Georgia Tech, we're just trying to focus on not giving up those plays this year. We're doing everything this summer so when we come in the fall we don't run into a wall. I feel like as long as we stay hungry for the ball, we'll be fine in the fall."

So, how about you... what concerns you the most about the defense this season? What new additions do you think can have the biggest impact? What are your expectations when the D opens the season against high-powered Oklahoma State?

Fox Sports Net to Air Some SEC Games

From FOX Sports Net release...

FOX Sports Net (FSN), the nation’s leader in local sports, today announced a new multi-year television rights agreement with ESPN that expands its long-time partnership with the Southeastern Conference (SEC). ESPN secured the rights of Southeastern Conference content in August 2008.

Beginning with the 2009-10 academic year, FSN’s three regional sports networks serving the SEC territory -- FOX Sports South, Sun Sports and FOX Sports Southwest -- will be the outlets for a minimum of 91 SEC athletic events each year. Events will include:

-- Seven live, exclusive football games
-- 20 men’s basketball games
-- 24 women’s basketball games (16 regular season, eight tournament)
-- 16 baseball games (10 regular season, six tournament)
-- 24 additional Olympic sporting events (softball, volleyball, soccer, gymnastics)

FSN will distribute these events to more than 24 million cable and satellite households across the SEC coverage area.

"FOX Sports Net strives to serve the local interest of sports fans across the Southeast by providing more coverage of the teams they are passionate about," said Jeff Genthner, senior vice president and general manager of FOX Sports South and SportSouth. "That commitment to local coverage is reflected in our partnership to televise SEC athletics. Our family of networks in the Southeast -- FOX Sports South, Sun Sports and FOX Sports Southwest -- has an 18-year history with the SEC and its member schools that has garnered the respect and trust of coaches, administrators and student athletes and we look forward to continuing that relationship."

"Sun Sports is pleased to bring sports fans in Florida this outstanding package of SEC programming, which supplements our extensive agreement with the University of Florida," said Steve Liverani, senior vice president and general manager, Sun Sports and FOX Sports Florida. "The SEC is one of the most competitive and popular conferences in the nation. This package gives us a terrific, high-profile lineup of live SEC games in football, basketball and more, ensuring that Sun Sports viewers will continue to see a wide variety of SEC sports and additional Gator programming not available anywhere else."

"The Southeastern Conference is pleased to continue its association with FSN," said Mike Slive, SEC Commissioner. "FOX Sports South, Sun Sports and FOX Sports Southwest have provided the SEC, and our institutions, with an important regional cable platform for the past 18 years both in terms of distribution and creative programming. FSN regional cable is an important part of the conference's overall television plan."

Wednesday Links (7/15)

Happy Wednesday, folks. Not sure if you all had come across this info anywhere else while I was gone, but I figured I'd pass it along now anyway...

-- SEC Media Days kicks off a week from today. Georgia's appearance will be Thursday, July 23. Joe Cox and Jeff Owens will be the two player reps.

-- The rest of the schedule for Media Days features Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and Kentucky on Wednesday, Alabama, Ole Miss and Florida on Thursday and Auburn, South Carolina, LSU and Tennessee on Friday. Way to go, SEC, keeping everyone waiting for the Lane Kiffin Crazy Train to arrive.

-- Players report for fall practice at Georgia on Monday, August 3. The first day of practice will be Tuesday, August 4. They'll practice every day except Sunday after that with the exceptions of August 17 (which is the first day of classes) and August 27. The first day of two-a-days is scheduled for Monday, August 10. All practice dates are subject to change.

So, mark your calendars. We're almost there.

Now, some links...

-- Georgia Sports Blog has some important info regarding the Hartman score cutoffs for seasons tickets.

-- Matt Hayes of the Sporting News ranked his top five best coaches in college football. Mark Bradley took issue with a few of those selections and came up with a top 10 list of his own.

-- T Kyle King chips in with his take on some recent musings on whether Mark Richt will ever win a national championship.

-- Georgia picked up yet another commitment at a position of great need.

-- Marc Weiszer has a story on Rod Battle, who is hoping to finish his career on a high note in 2009.

-- Bernie's Dawg Blawg takes a closer look at his namesake, freshman lineman Chris Burnette.

-- Orrin Hatch serves up the Senator with some material that's right in his wheelhouse.

-- After baseball's midsummer classic last night, ESPN's Chris Low comes up with All-Star teams for the SEC with the East facing off against the West. Georgia is represented pretty well.

-- Bruce Feldman lists 10 players he wants to see in action this year, and no UGA players make the list. (h/t Senator)

-- A man claims he came up with the idea for "Lost" in the 1970s. This sort of reminds me of Hurley writing the script for "Empire Strikes Back" when living with the Dharma Initiative.

-- And more "Lost" news... TV Guide has an interview with the mysterious man in black from last season's finale.

-- And finally, Deadspin has a rundown of all the free stuff the celebs get at the ESPYs this year.

Freshmen Sensations

Mark Richt has repeatedly said that everyone on Georgia's roster will be needed in 2009, but that's certainly a bit of an overstatement. Yes, the Bulldogs have a solid freshman class ready to get its first taste of life in the SEC this season, but it's a lot to expect all of them to play.

Even amid all the injuries last season, the majority of Georgia's freshman spent the year on the sideline. Of the 21-player class, 12 took redshirts (although Tavarres King did get some playing time before an injury) and only four (five if you count Richard Samuel) earned significant playing time.

While there may be more of a reliance on youth in 2009, the odds are that most of this year's class won't see the field for another year and just a few -- six or seven, perhaps -- will make any real impact this season.

So who will be the star freshmen of 2009 and who will ride the pine all year? It's hard to say with too much certainty before fall practice even begins, but given what we know about the depth chart and what I've heard from coaches and players, here's my best guesses as to which of the kids will be making a name for themselves between the hedges this fall...

THE (ALMOST) SURE THINGS

Nothing's definite, and obviously injuries can set a player back, but these are the guys who are nearly guaranteed to see the field early and often in 2009.

Marlon Brown (WR)

Brown was a stud in high school and is drawing immediate comparisons to last year's freshman sensation, A.J. Green. Brown didn't exactly play the top competition as a prep star, however, and it remains to be seen if he can make as quick a transition to the SEC as Green did. Still, Georgia's lack of depth at receiver means Brown is as safe a bet as anyone to get some instant playing time and possibly a starting job. Chances of playing time: 99 percent.

Arthur Lynch (TE)

Unlike the athletic Charles, Lynch comes closer to filling the prototypical tight end role, and that's exactly why he's so likely to be an integral part of the Georgia offense right away. With Bruce Figgins suspended for the first six games of the year, Lynch looks to be the Bulldogs only true blocking tight end, which while not particularly glamorous, it makes the freshman virtually indispensable. Chances of playing time: 95 percent.

Orson Charles (TE)

The hybrid tight end has made a great first impression among his new teammates with his enthusiasm and work ethic. More importantly, however, he looks to be a mismatch as a receiving threat at tight end, something Georgia sorely lacked last season and will need even more this year with the departure of so many offensive stars. Chances of playing time: 90 percent.

Branden Smith (CB)

Smith is as talented an athlete as anyone on the roster, and with the departure of Asher Allen, he appeared to have the inside track on earning a starting job after signing day. That could still be the case, but Brandon Boykin came on strong in spring practice, and Sanders Commings, Nick Williams and Makiri Pugh are all fighting for spots at the nickel position, too. Still, Smith offers so much in so many places -- including kick returns and potentially on offense -- that it would be nearly impossible to keep him off the field. Chances of playing time: 90 percent.

Rantavious Wooten (WR)

In most seasons, Wooten would be an ideal redshirt candidate, but in 2009, Georgia doesn't have the luxury of waiting for its receivers to develop. Everyone will be learning on the job. Wooten is undersized and doesn't have quite the pedigree of Brown, but senior wideout Michael Moore said Wooten already runs some of the best routes on the team and expects offensive coordinator Mike Bobo to find ways to get the ball into his hands. Chances of playing time: 85 percent.

WORK TO DO

With so few early enrollees, a lot of who plays and who sits this year will be determined by how the freshman perform in fall practice. These are the players with the most potential to win jobs.

Brandon Bogotay (K)

Head coach Mark Richt went out of his way to bring in Bogotay, a junior college transfer from San Diego, after Blair Walsh struggled mightily on kickoffs last season. Bogotay certainly has the leg to remedy that weakness in 2009, but he's only been playing football for a little more than a year, and the transition to the big time could prove a difficult one. Chances of playing time: 80 percent.

Montez Robinson (DE)

Robinson was called the best prep prospect in the state of Indiana by Rodney Garner, and Georgia has to hope he can step in and make a quick impact in the SEC, too. With the pass rush off the edge abysmal last season and likely to get off to a slow start this season with Justin Houston's suspension, Robinson will be given every opportunity to show what he can do and earn a spot in the lineup. Chances of playing time: 75 percent.

Abry Jones (DL)

Jones is sort of a tweener, in that he can contribute at tackle or end. There won't be a ton of reps at tackle to go around with the stellar trio of Geno Atkins, Jeff Owens and Kade Weston carrying the load, but if Jones can prove he's ready to handle a more versatile role in 2009, he could add a big boost to the pass rush. He's a high energy guy who is tough to block and has the potential to be the surprise star of the spring the way Cordy Glenn was on the other side of the ball a year ago. Chances of playing time: 75 percent.

Jordan Love (CB)

Love has the size to play safety but has been told by coaches he'll stay at corner. If that remains the case, he could find his path to playing time blocked by Boykin, Smith and Prince Miller. If, however, he can play some safety as well, the departure of John Knox for academic reasons could open up some playing time. Love has tons of athleticism and could be a significant special teams contributor, even if he doesn't get a lot of defensive reps, similar to the role Nick Williams played last season. Chances of playing time: 65 percent.

Aaron Murray (QB)

Murray had a tremendous spring considering he was coming off a broken leg and was on campus a semester early. He threw Georgia's longest TD pass in each of its scrimmages, including the G-Day game, and showed why he was the most coveted quarterback recruit in the country. In an ideal world, he won't be needed in 2009, and senior Joe Cox will handle the gig without any problems. But if Murray can prove he's the top option for 2010, Richt will be sure to find him some playing time this year to get him ready. Chances of playing time: 60 percent.

Chris Burnette (OL)

Georgia has plenty of depth at offensive line, which might seem to be an indication that Burnette is headed for a redshirt, but coach Stacy Searels isn't one to worry too much about class designations (as he showed last year with Glenn and Ben Jones), and Burnette is as quick a study as anyone on the Bulldogs' roster. More over, with the season-ending injury to Tanner Strickland and the expected late return of Josh Davis from two offseason shoulder surgeries, there could be more playing time available than there appears. Chances of playing time: 50 percent.

Shawn Williams (S)

With Knox's departure and Quintin Banks' ongoing recovery from various injuries, the door is open for Williams to see the field in 2009. The safety from Early County loves to play physical and is in a similar mold to Kelin Johnson. He'll have to prove he's ready by turning some heads in August, but the potential for playing time is there if he can earn it. Chances of playing time: 50 percent.

THE LONG SHOTS

Chase Vasser and Michael Gilliard (LBs)

Both have plenty of talent but are victims of a logjam at the linebacker position. Georgia has a ton of depth across the board, and only Darius Dewberry and Marcus Washington figure to be gone after 2009. It makes little sense for the coaching staff to burn a year of eligibility for either of these players unless there's a rash of injuries ahead of them on the depth chart. Chances of playing time: 30 percent.

Kwame Geathers (DL)

Geathers is a beast and has loads of potential, but he comes in with a package similar to what A.J. Harmon brought last year. He probably needs to lose a few pounds and refine his skill set a bit, and even then, there may not be much playing time available. With three seniors graduating at the position, however, he'll clearly be being groomed for a key role in 2010. Chances of playing time: 25 percent.

Derrick Lott (DT)

Lott is essentially in the same situation as Geathers and will have to force his way on to the field if he wants playing time this season. He'll be a crucial ingredient down the road. Chances of playing time: 20 percent.

Zach Mettenberger (QB)

Georgia's other freshman quarterback didn't have as impressive a spring as Murray, but he does have a cannon for an arm and a lot of potential. There are some fundamentals -- particularly in his footwork -- that he needs to work on before he's ready to play, and if one of the two freshman QBs is going to redshirt, the smart money is probably on Mettenberger. Still, stranger things have happened. Chances of playing time: 15 percent.

Dallas Lee (OL)

Lee has the advantage of enrolling early, but an injury late in the spring underscored what was a difficult transition. He's got talent, but with the logjam of experienced vets ahead of him on the depth chart, it'll be difficult for him to find any action this season. Chances of playing time: 10 percent.

Austin Long (OL)

A back injury will cost Long the season. The coaching staff hopes he'll be back to full practices by November or December. Chances of playing time: None.

THE WILD CARD

Washaun Ealey (RB)

Richt has talked repeatedly about regretting redshirting Knowshon Moreno in 2006 and Ealey could force the coach to make yet another tough decision about a freshman tailback. With Moreno's early departure to the NFL, Georgia will have five tailbacks at its disposal this spring (including Ealey) with Caleb King and Richard Samuel the only two with any playing experience. That would seem to make it a fairly level playing field as the runners compete for carries, but Ealey was a late qualifier and will have some serious work to do to pass the four more experienced players ahead of him. He has the talent to do just that, but it's nearly impossible at this point to guess how quickly he can force his way onto the field. Chances of playing time: ????

So what do you think? How many of these guys do you see making an impact right away? Who are you expecting the most from in 2009? Who do you think will be a surprise?

Fox Adds Three to Staff

From UGA Athletics...

University of Georgia basketball coach Mark Fox on Tuesday announced the completion of his first Bulldog staff with the hiring of three new support personnel: Director of Basketball Operations Kent Davison; Operations Coordinator Mark Pope and Graduate Assistant Todd Okeson.

Additionally, Fox said that Cory Cason will return for the 2010 season as the team's Graduate Manager, a position that he held last season.

The three most recent additions to the Georgia staff reflect different stages of Fox's career within the game of basketball. Davison coached Fox in the late 1980's at Garden City Community College in Kansas. Pope played collegiately for two seasons at the University of Washington, where Fox got his start as an assistant coach. Lastly, Okeson was recruited by Fox to play at Nevada when Fox was the Wolf Pack's Associate Head Coach.

"I think we've added three very bright and energetic people to our staff," Fox said. "A head coach is only as good as his staff, and we've been able to put together a group that, I believe, will really be an asset to our program, and also to the University."

Tuesday Links (7/14)

It's been a while, but I'm finally back in Athens and ready to get back to the daily grind... well, sort of.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about my vacation in the least. Over the past week-and-a-half, I hit Denver, San Diego and Salt Lake City and had a blast, but the final day was a bit... challenging.

I got to the Salt Lake Airport around 10:30 a.m. Mountain time yesterday. My girlfriend was taking an earlier flight than I was, so I had to get there early for a 2 p.m. flight. When I checked in, the Frontier Airlines employee didn't ask for my ID, which I thought was odd, but hey, it's Salt Lake City. The Mormons are trusting people, I figured.

About 45 minutes later, I got around to inspect my boarding pass a bit closer. Turns out, they had checked me in under the name "Michael Hale," which obviously, was not me.

This was the second time in three weeks that I had gone through airport security with a boarding pass that did not have my name on it, with multiple people checking it against my driver's license and sending me through. Unbelievable.

I rushed to remedy the situation, but my bag was already en route to Nashville. The Frontier employee promised to contact the Nashville airport, however, and have my bag waiting for me upon arrival in Atlanta.

The first leg of my flight was from Salt Lake to Denver. The woman in front of me had her seat reclined all the way and continued to try to push it back further throughout the flight. The kid behind me kicked the seat the entire way. At least three children screamed throughout, and due to storms in Denver, the flight circled the airport for 45 minutes before we were able to land.

When I got to Denver, my connecting flight had been pushed back by 90 minutes, which meant I'd be getting home awfully late. When I boarded the plane, the flight attendant -- a very nice young lady who undersold the significance of the sacrifice she was requesting -- asked if I would mind trading my window seat for an aisle. This seemed like a minor issue until I realized it was because I was being seated next to two energetic and completely unsupervised children.

It was two boys -- probably 3 and 5 years old. Their mother was seated with another child about six rows away. As far as I could tell, she did not speak English, but had little interest in speaking to her kids either way.

The nice flight attendant, feeling sorry for me, simply brought me two free drinks without me ordering them. The problem, however, was that she was not responsible for my area of the plane throughout the flight, and her replacement in handling the two kids was a rather effeminate gentleman who clearly was not a fan of children.

He insisted that the kids use proper manners. They insisted on ringing the service bell every few minutes and telling him they wanted pizza and had no interest in saying please. (And no, the flight did not serve pizza.)

Eventually the flight attendant stopped paying any attention to the children, which meant they were now my responsibility. Every two or three minutes, they started shouting "Mama, Mama" (pronounced "ma-MAH, ma-MAH," a phrase that will haunt my dreams for years). Mama had no interest in responding, so then I was forced to help them change the channels on their TVs, fix the headphones they had purposefully torn apart, explain the flight's lack of pizza, repeatedly order more apple juice, etc., etc. At one point they asked for my credit card so they could order a Pay-per-View showing of "The Pink Panther." I wish I was making this up.

Although the children were apparently starving throughout the flight, I'm guessing they must have eaten something during their time in Denver, because let's just say that every few minutes the smell around our particular seating area became unbelievably unpleasant. Eventually they would decide they needed to get up to use the bathroom, and since I was in the aisle seat, that meant I had to move.

The problem was that they didn't want to wait for me to move. I picked up my cup of water and iPod, and they would simply flip up my tray and climb over me before I had a chance to stand, twice spilling water all over my lap.

Even beyond the kids, the flight was awful. We were in the air 45 minutes longer than we were supposed to be. Some woman was laughing uproariously at reruns of "House of Pain" for about an hour. When we finally landed at 1:30 a.m., the flight attendant informed the crowd that the last train from the D terminal to baggage claim left in 10 minutes, and we'd all have to deboard as quickly as possible. As you can imagine, this didn't engender the most hospitable of atmospheres.

I was lucky enough to make the train, and while waiting for its arrival, a woman wearing a priest's collar came up to me and told me she had prayed for me on the flight.

"You always hear about flights like that," she said. "But I'd never actually seen it happen until now."

As you can probably guess by now, I waited at baggage claim for a while before an employee finally arrived to inform me that my bag never came from Nashville (the bag, by the way, which I paid $15 to check). I finally arrived home at 4 a.m. this morning, and as of the writing of this post, Frontier still has no clue where my bag is. This, sadly, leaves me desperately low on Polo shirts.

Anyway, the voyage left me needed a bit of extra sleep today, so this post comes a bit later than I had anticipated, but in honor of my return to work, here are some links to get you through a Tuesday afternoon...

-- A big thanks to Ryan Scates over at Bulldog Illustrated for his kind words in listing this blog among his best covering the Bulldogs. While I won't comment on my own contributions, I couldn't agree more with the rest of his selections.

-- T Kyle King compares SEC and Big Ten fans, which is probably a lot closer battle than comparing the actual football programs.

-- Wally Hall of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette ranks the SEC quarterbacks and has Joe Cox coming in dead last. (h/t Blutarsky)

-- Battle Hymn Notes takes a look at Georgia's immense success on the road during the Mark Richt era.

-- The AJC's Bill King asks the reverse of that question, wondering why Georgia has played so much better on the road under Richt.

-- Bleacher Report looks ahead and tries to identify the five most important in-game matchups of Georgia's season.

-- The Athens Banner-Herald looks at some of what remains on Georgia's to-do list for recruiting.

-- The Red & Black's Tyler Estep looks at what some folks are saying on Twitter about the Bulldogs.

-- Don't forget the annual Countdown to Kickoff charity event hosted by Matt and Jon Stinchcomb and David Greene will be this weekend.

-- Tony Barnhart looks at the uber competitive SEC West and thinks it'll be another banner year for Alabama.

-- Phil Steele has his list of coaches on the hot seat in 2009.

-- Chris Low answers some reader mail, including a question about fan access at SEC Media Days, which begin a week from tomorrow.

-- Paste Magazine looks at the 10 best rock and roll documentaries ever made.

-- EW.com has some info on the new characters being added for Season 4 of "Friday Night Lights."

-- And finally, I'll reserve making any comments on the film itself, but Newsweek has an interesting article that identifies how much of "Bruno" was actually real and how much was staged.

Get to Know: Orson Charles

It's been a few weeks since we've caught up with any of Georgia's new recruits, but after my extended vacation, I figured that'd be a good way to start back. We caught up with Arthur Lynch a couple months ago, so I figured we should track down Georgia's other new tight end, Orson Charles.

David Hale: Who is your favorite NFL player?

Orson Charles: I've been trying to change this, but my most favorite NFL player is actually Terrell Owens. But also Antonio Gates and Anquan Boldin. I like what they bring to the table playing-wise, and they just can't be stopped.

DH: Well, which player would you say you model yourself after the most?

OC: Most likely Terrell Owens because I've talked to a lot of people who have said his work ethic is just unbelievable, like he practices 100 percent every play. He's got some off-the-field issues, but I don't really look toward that. I try to look toward what he brings on it.

DH: So you won't be holding press conferences while doing push-ups in your driveway?

OC: Oh, no, not at all.

DH: Speaking of the NFL, you played with Tony Dungy's son and got to know Tony pretty well. What was that like?

OC: It was a great opportunity. When you get to talk to him, you kind of forget about all the stuff that he's done. But you pick up his book and read about it, and it's just an honor to talk to him and have actually sat in his house and talked to him. It was an honor to talk to him and play with his son and get to know his family better.

DH: You waited a while before decided to go to Georgia. What was it that drew you to Athens?

OC: A lot of people think I went to Georgia because of Aaron Murray, but that wasn't my deciding factor. That was a positive, but that wasn't my deciding factor. I sat with my family and did pros and cons as far as my top five schools and we picked from there. Everybody in my family said they felt comfortable with Georgia, and if I'm going to go away to school, I'd like to feel like I'm at home.

DH: What were your best and worst class in high school?

OC: My best class is math. I had an A in that. My worst is Spanish. I got a B.

DH: A B was your worst grade? That's not too shabby. So have you decided what you want to major in at Georgia?

OC: The big picture is civil engineering, but the small branch of it is building construction.

DH: That's an impressive selection. What got you interested in that?

OC: When I was growing up my uncle owned his own business and I used to go in and help him out, and I fell in love with it.

DH: So aside from football, what do you like to do with your free time?

OC: Probably play NCAA or just chill at the house.

DH: Since you signed with Georgia, what has been the best advice you've gotten from one of the current players?

OC: A lot of people have told me that your freshman year is going to be hard, but don't quit. It gets easier as you go. I've had a bunch of people say that and say you've really got to organize yourself and put forth the effort. They say it's not really hard, but you've got to put in the effort your freshman year. You have help, you have tutors and what not. That's what I'm hearing a lot, and a lot of people on our football team at Plant have asked me, too, and I've told them the same thing.

One More Day...

I'll be back to work Tuesday with lots more UGA material (we're just nine days away from SEC Media Days!), but in the meantime, I figured I'd share this photo forwarded to me by Joe Kovak. It slightly resembles a young Joe Cox... although with a revamped offensive line, hopefully Cox's jersey won't end up quite this dirty at any point during the '09 season.

Video Blog: Israel Troupe

Wide receiver Israel Troupe talks about what it's like to have Joe Cox as the team's starting quarterback.

Video Blog: Cox Talks Leadership

Georgia QB Joe Cox talks about his approach to leading the Bulldogs and what it takes to be a leader.

Leader of the Pack

Mark Richt has told the same story throughout this offseason. At the end of spring practice, each player was given an exit interview that included a question asking who the leaders on the team were.

Of 110 interviews completed, 107 players included quarterback Joe Cox on their list.

Perhaps it's no surprise that a team's quarterback is implicitly considered a leader, but Cox isn't exactly a star in the passing game. He's never thrown for 300 yards in a game or hit A.J. Green down the sideline for a long touchdown. In fact, the last time Cox started a game, most of those 107 players who voted for him weren't even on the team.

So, how is it that a fifth-year senior with little playing experience has so quickly gained the respect of his teammates? I did an informal poll of my own, and here's what more than a dozen of Georgia's players had to say about their quarterback:

Defensive tackle Jeff Owens, whose name turned up often on the list of leaders as well...
"Joe's been here a long time and everyone always wanted him to get his opportunity. Now he has it, and you can see that fire that he has and how bad he wants to be out there and play. And especially in the quarterback role, it's a leadership role in itself. He's going to be a great leader for us and a great quarterback for us."

Tailback Richard Samuel, who was tutored on the second team by Cox last season...
"His actions show he wants the team to strive in a positive direction. He wants to help out others. He wants to go out of his way to make sure that the team is doing everything right and everybody's on the right path. Even at pass skels, when some of the running backs or the new incoming freshmen at tight end and wide receiver, he'll pull them to the side, tell them how to run certain routes, tell them how to look the defense off. He's always willing to help."

Senior linebacker Darius Dewberry....
"Even though he didn't start, he was a leader. He was a leader even though he wasn't playing. He kept guys on their stuff. He made sure everyone was doing what they were supposed to do."

Redshirt freshman wide receiver Tavarres King...
"He's just very vocal and he can get through to you so easy that it's hard not to call him a leader. He's an awesome guy, he's fun to be around, he's fun to work with. And I think that's what you look for in a leader. You look for somebody that's going to lead you into battle full force, and he's going to do that."

Senior linebacker Marcus Washington....
"Joe's a great guy and he's very verbal about what he believes. He'll rally the troops. He's a great leader off the field – stuff you don't see behind closed doors. If he sees a guy doing something wrong, Joe's there to tell them to cut it out and do things the right way. All these summer workouts and summer activities, Joe's the guy who's organizing them, saying you need to be here or there. Joe's the guy who orchestrates all that."

Linebacker Rennie Curran, whose name was listed the second most often in the exit interviews...
"He's a guy that always keeps his composure. He's calm and humble as a leader. He owns up to it. He does what he has to do. He doesn't cause problems. He does all the right things and shows all the young guys an example of how to do things right. In terms of how to play football at Georgia, there's no better example than Joe Cox."

More from Curran....
"He's like that big brother figure. He's been here for a while. He's seasoned. He's watched it from pretty much every angle. He didn't play much and now coming in and having the world on his shoulders – you have to respect him because of what he's experienced. He speaks up if somebody's not doing things right on and off the field. He's not a guy that's going to yell at you or try to shoot you down or make you feel bad, but you can tell that he's sincere and wants you to do well and that makes you have respect for him."

Defensive end Demarcus Dobbs....
"Joe just has that confidence. A lot of people have talked bad about him. I mean Matt Stafford was a great quarterback and a great leader and Joe's just been in that shadow. You can tell by looking at him how hungry he is, and you can see that fire in his eye. Despite what everyone else says about him, Joe still has that confidence, and that's just something that as players we can follow. He has so much wisdom because he has been here so long, and he does a great job of leader people who aren't even in his unit."

Sophomore cornerback Brandon Boykin...
"I think it really all started in mat drills. I felt like Joe really took on a leadership role as not just a quarterback, but being the leader as far as pushing players. He was the vocal leader in mat drills and it's just carried over to the spring and summer."

Offensive lineman Vince Vance...
"It's not really based on what Joe has done on the field. It's what he does off the field, what he does in the film room. He works to be that great leader all around. In the weight room, the film room, the meeting room, it doesn't matter. He works to fill that role. If you're looking at a guy and they're not working hard, not doing what they got to do, it's easy not to give him much respect. But you see Joe, and he's doing everything he needs to do in the classroom, off the field, on the field, he always has a positive attitude, he's always pushing us, you can't help but respect him,"

Senior wide receiver Michael Moore....
"Joe's just a natural leader. He works hard, he's vocal, and everybody brings it back to the Colorado game. You can't lead much more than that, coming off the bench and putting the team in a position to win, and actually winning the game in the last second. All the attention is on Joe right now. Everybody knows you can go to Joe if you have a question. Joe has a connection with the whole team, and he's definitely going to fit in that role."

Redshirt freshman tailback Carlton Thomas...
"Joe's very laid back. He's cool to be with off the field, so you know how to approach him on the field. He's not that type of guy that's going to curse at you, but he's such a cool guy that you say, 'I don't want to disappoint Joe. That's my guy, so I'm going to do my thing right.' He's not going to cuss at you, he's just going to look at you and say, 'Hey, get it right.' He's calm, cool, and that's what attracts me to him."

Left tackle Trinton Sturdivant, whose job will be to protect Cox's blind side this season...
"He has a confidence about himself that no matter what happens we're going to always prevail. That's something that Stafford had, too, but with Cox it's more like, when you look at him, you know you're looking at a champion, and his energy feeds into you to do the best you can. It's just the confidence he gives off. I don't know the critiques he's being given by the commentators or the scouting reports, but when we look at him, we look at a ball player. And when we look at him, we're ready to play."

Head coach Mark Richt....
"Work ethic. He's got charisma. Guys like being around him. They know he cares about them. They know he wants the team to succeed. They know he's all about the team. They've seen him in practice every day know exactly what to do, hit his target day after day. They just believe in the guy."

Of course, the last word should go to Cox, himself. I asked him why he thought the rest of the team had rallied around him so quickly. Here's what he said...

"I think people just know that I'm a Georgia guy at heart. I stayed around for four years when I didn't play at all, and I think people respected that from me and want this to be a successful year for not only everybody, but for me, too. I think people have really bought in to the same things that I've been preaching about buying into. I think everybody's just having a good time with this whole moment, building up to a big season with people doubting us. It's a good feeling knowing that many guys think that highly of me, but it's really all of our seniors and everything we've put into place since January."