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Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Wednesday Practice Notes (11/26)

Corvey Irvin isn't ready to leave.

The senior defensive tackle who transferred to Georgia from Georgia Military College last year said he feels like he just arrived in Athens and would like to accomplish a lot more before leaving.

"I wish I had another year to come back next year and play again," Irvin said. "I've got some good experience under my belt, I know what I'm doing, I know what it takes. I'd really shock some people if I had another year."

Irvin has already surprised some people with his play this season. After senior Jeff Owens went down with a season-ending knee injury in Georgia's opener, Irvin stepped into a starting role and has excelled throughout the season.

Now, instead of simply moving on to a life outside of football, his experience this year has his thinking about making it at the next level.

"I got invited to the Senior Bowl, so I'll go there, work hard, train and do my thing there," Irvin said. "Hopefully I get a shot at the next level and continue my football career."

-- Georgia head coach Mark Richt said he doesn't expect to be going after many of the same athletes at Georgia Tech will on the offensive side of the football now that Yellow Jackets coach Paul Johnson has installed the triple option offense.

While Richt uses a pro-style offense that aims for a balanced attack, Tech runs the ball almost exclusively, meaning wide receivers spend more time blocking than pass catching and the quarterback might throw just a few times a game.

"I would think on the offensive side of the ball, the recruits we might go after would be different, there'd be less crossover," Richt said. "The defensive players we'll be competing for, I would say we'd be going after the exact same guy."

When it comes to grabbing those top defensive recruits, Richt said, one thing that isn't part of his sales pitch is Georgia's seven-game winning streak over its in-state rival.

"I don't think I've ever mentioned it," Richt said. "I think the kids care more about where they see themselves fitting into your system. They all want to know what are your plans for me here? I don't think (the rivalry) crosses their mind that much."

-- After Kentucky's Randall Cobb helped scorch the Georgia rush defense three weeks ago, Irvin called a players-only meeting to set goals for their next game against Auburn. Among the intentions for the Bulldogs' defense was to hold the Tigers to fewer than 100 yards on the ground.

Irvin and company fell just short, and against a Tech offense that thrives on the running game, it might be a lofty standard for this week, too. But Irvin said this time his defense isn't going in with any set goals. He just wants his teammates to play hard, and that will be enough to get the job done.

"We're just going to go out and play football," Irvin said. "If we go out and play football, everything else will take care of itself."

INJURY UPDATES

-- Right tackle Justin Anderson was expected to miss Saturday's game against Georgia Tech, but Richt said the redshirt freshman has moved around well in practice this week and will be available to play.

"I don't think (Anderson) will start, but he'll be able to play," Richt said. "He'll be dressed and ready."

Richt said Josh Davis is likely to get his second consecutive start at right tackle this week, although the final decision will be made by line coach Stacy Searels.

-- Tight end Tripp Chandler has been cleared to play also, but his injured knee will likely limit his playing time.

"(Trainer) Ron (Courson) believes he'll be dressed and ready to play, but (tight ends) Coach (John) Lilly will have to determine how much he thinks he can help us," Richt said of Chandler.

-- Linebacker Darius Dewberry (shoulder) and fullback Justin Fields (knee) each underwent surgery earlier this week with mixed results.

Richt said Dewberry is wearing a protective shoulder harness designed to keep the injury cool and stable, but just two days after the surgery, Dewberry looked good.

"Dewberry is such a tough guy," Richt said. "He was just kind of smiling like nothing happened to him."

Fields' surgery on his ACL met with some complications. Doctors found damage to the cartilage in his knee which needed to be repaired and delayed the ACL reconstruction. Richt said it will be four to six weeks before the second surgery can be performed.

"That hurts," Richt said. "He was pretty down about that when I talked to him (Tuesday) night."

-- Richt also noted that the rehab for Jeff Owens and Trinton Sturdivant has gone very well so far, but that he doubted either would participate in full-contact drills during spring practice.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jerrard Tarrant, who was going to be Georgia Tech’s Starting Cornerback for Paul Johnson this year, is out on a $40,000 Bail for Rape. I see another arrest is made of a Bulldog Football player. In half of the arrests of UGA Football players after the end of last season through this Thanksgiving Day Weekend, the charges against them have been dropped. The arrests do not include any Rape Charges.

Georgia Tech in 1998 ended up Number 9 in the Final AP Poll and UGA Number 14. In 2000, Georgia Tech ended up Number 17 and UGA Number 20. Georgia changed its coach over it.

Tech went on NCAA Major Infractions Database Football Probation for George O’Leary Academic Cheating playing as his best 11 Football Players, players who not a 1 would have been eligible to play anywhere in America and Lost 6 Football Scholarships for the Duration of the Chandler Gailey Era at Tech.

Since 1997 UGA has been ranked in the Final AP Polls.

Since 2002, Tech has not been ranked any year in the Final AP Polls.

Starting in Coach Richt’s 1st year, 2001, Tech has not been ranked ahead of UGA in any Final AP Poll and only 1 of these past 7 years has Tech been ranked at all. That was 2001 when Tech ended up Number 24 and UGA Number 22.

In the down ACC this year, Tech seems destined to play a far better football team than they are in their bowl game because the ACC just doesn’t have any top-ranked team or teams at all while The SEC finds that Alabama is Number 1 in the AP Poll, Florida is Number 2 in the AP Poll, UGA is Number 13 in the AP Poll and Ole Miss is moving way up from Number 25 prior to their 45 to Nothing thrashing of their opponent this Holiday Weekend in the Egg Bowl.

South Carolina seems poised to rejoin the rankings as well.

Meanwhile, every week for the last 6 Consecutive Weeks every ranked ACC team who played a game, Lost and dropped out of the rankings.

Will Georgia Tech be ranked in the Final AP Poll for the 1st time in 7 years ?

Will Georgia Tech be ranked ahead of UGA in the Final AP Poll for the 1st time in 8 years ?

When is the Court Case for Jerrard Tarrant charged with Rape as Georgia Tech’s Starting Cornerback for Paul Johnson this year ?

Will the Loss of Jerrard Tarrant, out of Jail charged with Rape on $40,000 Bail, cost Tech its ranking, cost Tech its game and be shoved under the rug like it never happened as everything is at Georgia Tech ?

The way to keep 11 kids from being arrested this up-coming season again, is to state to them NOW that if you are arrested, you Lose your Scholarship at UGA until such time as you are found Not Guilty.

The other part of it in the off-season is the 18 kids injured in Camp and since, lost for the entire season this season.

It leaves our team scrambling for a set line-up, and there is no doubt that there is a correlation between the number of players lost to injury and to suspension, and our woes in being penalized, when every day for the entire year starting since the end of last season, either one of the 11 were arrested or 1 of the 18 were injured and lost for the season. We stay in the bad press.

These are recurring themes that have left us finishing in the Coach Richt Era in the Final AP Poll :

Number 22 in 2001 Final AP Poll.

Number 3 in 2002 Final AP Poll.

Number 7 in the 2003 Final AP Poll.

Number 7 in the 2004 Final AP Poll.

Number 10 in the 2005 Final AP Poll.

Number 23 in the 2006 Final AP Poll.

Number 2 in the 2007 Final AP Poll.

Number 13 in the 2008 AP Poll before this morning’s game against Number 18 Georgia Tech.

There is little comfort to UGA fans that Tech has NOT finished ahead of UGA in the Coach Richt Era in the Final AP Polls starting 2001.

There is little comfort to UGA fans that Tech has its Starting Cornerback Jerrard Tarrant charged with RAPE and out on $40,000 bail when we have 11 arrests since the end of last season and 18 lost for the entire year this year due to injury, dropping like flies from the 1st day of Camp this year.

There is little comfort to UGA fans that UGA is therefore 2nd in the nation in penalties.

And, 1st in the papers for bad press.

It disrupts the entire team.

And, if you play for UGA and are arrested - You MUST LOSE YOUR SCHOLARSHIP to UGA until such time as the charges are dropped or you are found not guilty.

If we end up as Number 13 this season in the Final AP Poll, as we are today, this gives Coach Richt a double-digit average finish in the Final AP Polls.

10.88

Number 11 in the nation therefore average ranking for Coach Richt’s entire 8-season record.

I presume you know that Number 11 is NOT that good ?

1 poster here the other day mentioned that Florida is Not Ranked 1 year and National Champions the next. Which would you prefer, he questioned.

Frankly, there is no comfort from being ranked consistently Number 11 in the Nation.

Sorry.

29 Players missing games because of arrest and suspension or injury in 1 year. No wonder we are right where we are consistently in the Coach Richt Era with our NCAA Number 24 Ranked Total Offense and Number 23 Ranked Total Defense at Number 13 in the nation.

I want some changes.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Thomas Brown!