Grantham on Phillips' firing, more A.J. Green on Newton, and more

It's been a busy day here on campus. But before I pack up to go watch the ESPN documentary on Marcus Dupree (which I recommend you watch too), here are a few late notes:

- Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham hadn’t spoken to anyone in Dallas since the Monday firing of Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips. Grantham was the defensive line coach the past few years under Phillips in Dallas.

“Tough situation,” Grantham said. “That’s a good example of how hard it is to win in this league. I mean we were what, 11-5 last year, and then now. It’s a tough situation, just because a ball here or a ball there and you can win some games. And then you get confidence. Just a tough situation.”

Paul Pasqualoni, who replaced Grantham on the Dallas staff, was elevated to defensive coordinator in the aftermath of Phillips’ firing.

- The one Georgia player who knows what Cam Newton is going through is star receiver A.J. Green. The junior was suspended the first four games of this season by the NCAA, and reiterated earlier comments that he sympathized with Newton’s plight.

“I don’t even think it’s true,” Green said of the mounting allegations against Newton. “I just think he’s doing so well and somebody’s trying to haul him back. But I hope it’s not true. He’s a great player.”

Green added that all he knows about the Newton situation is what he’s been watching and reading about.

- Parker Welch is a walk-on, scout team quarterback. But he may have one of the most important roles on the team this week in practice: He is imitating Auburn star quarterback Cameron Newton.

It’s not quite a perfect fit: At 6-foot-2, Welch is four inches shorter, and he’s also not an athletic quarterback. But it’s the best the Bulldogs can do.

Welch laughed when asked if he felt he had a lot on his shoulder this week.

“Of course, definitely,” he said. “It’s hard to imitate Cam Newton himself, and it’s just going to take everything I’ve got and the rest of the scout team to imitate and give the defense the best look we can, so when they see it Saturday it won’t be anything new to them.”

Welch was already feeling one of the effects of the role.

“I got hit by Justin Houston today,” he said. “That didn’t feel good.”

- Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray imagined a pregame conversation with Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley going something like this:

“I may say, Hey how’re you doing today – Please don’t kill me,” Murray said.
Murray may have only been half-kidding. So far this season Fairley, a 6¬-foot-5, 298-pounder, has given one opposing quarterback (Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett) a concussion, and body-slammed another (LSU’s Jordan Jefferson).

“I don’t even want to think about that. That’s not a pleasant thought,” Murray said. “I’ll do some extra praying this week. Hopefully I don’t get a concussion if it does happen. Maybe I’ll treat the offensive line a little better in practice this week and make sure they have my back this weekend.”