Making a list: The 10 most important people for Georgia football

Here’s the start of another feature on Le Blog, one we’ll update every now and then: The most important people for the Georgia football program, when it comes to turning things around in 2011.

The list below is a snapshot, and therefore has an emphasis on the events of the next few weeks, and then the lead-up to Boise State.

This time, I take the liberty of exempting from consideration the obvious (Mark Richt. Greg McGarity and Michael Adams) and assuming one person won’t be around much longer (A.J. Green).

Here you go:

10. Ray Drew: The Thomasville High School standout is listed at DE but could also play OLB at Georgia. His addition wouldn’t be as critical on an immediate basis as some other recruits, but he’s probably too good not to play next year.

9. Brandon Boykin: I would put the junior CB-KR higher on this list if there was a better chance of him leaving. And who knows, he still might.

8. John Jekins/Kwame Geathers/TBA: Clearly, the defense needs a classic, big nose guard. The staff has targeted Jenkins, the junior college standout from Connecticut. If they don’t get him, do they sign another guy who isn’t being mentioned right now? And if not, it may be up to Geathers, who didn’t play much as a freshman.

7. Cordy Glenn and Trinton Sturdivant (tie): With these two, the Georgia line has at least four experienced linemen for next year, along with center Ben Jones and guard Kenarious Gates. But without one or both, a few inexperienced guys will be starting.

6. Justin Houston: Not many people have given much chance that the SEC’s sack leader in 2010 would return for his senior season, and he’s still likely to go pro. But it looks like the UGA coaches are putting the full-court press on him to stay. If he did, that would be a huge lift to a defense that needs playmakers.

5. Mike Bobo: Whether fans like it or not, the play-calling sheet is still in Bobo’s hands. And his fate at this point may be tied with Richt’s.

4. Joe Tereshinski: The new strength coach is known around the team as a hard-you-know-what. Will Tereshisnki, and the cadre of former players he’s bringing onto the staff, be able to whip the team into shape?

3. Aaron Murray: It would be easy to take it for granted that Murray will have another good season in 2011, and be the foundation of the offense. But Georgia can’t take it for granted, and assuming Green isn’t back, Murray absolutely has to be just as good, if not better, for the program to improve.

2. Todd Grantham: Georgia’s defense has to get better next year, so it’s up to Grantham, both on the recruiting trail and in the offseason, to push his unit to the needed improvement in Year Two.

1. Isaiah Crowell: Yeah, I’m buying into the hype. I was in an upstate South Carolina church last February when a kid named Marcus Lattimore announced he was signing with the Gamecocks. And look what happened. I don’t know if it’s a perfect comparison, but after watching Georgia’s running game in 2010, it’s hard to argue.