Video Blog: "The Dungeon"

I wrote a lot last week about all the new toys Georgia is getting with the additions to the Butts-Mehre building, but in the meantime, they're stuck in some not-so-modern digs over at the Coliseum. The players have taken to calling their new weight room "The Dungeon," and this video should give you a little bit of an idea as to why.



As always, video courtesy of the great Mr. Brandon Spoon.

Video Tour of Butts-Mehre Expansion

Be sure to check out my feature in today's Telegraph on the Butts-Mehre expansion.

And if you haven't seen the photos of our tour through the construction, you can view them HERE and HERE.

And, finally, here's a quick video tour of the new facilities, courtesy of our pal Brandon Spoon...

Video Blog: Richt, Dent Talk Defense

Mark Richt and a very dapper Akeem Dent talk about adjusting to the 3-4 defense in Year 1 under Todd Grantham...



*Video courtesy of Mr. Brandon Spoon.

Video Blog: Murray's the Man

Georgia coach Mark Richt and receiver Kris Durham discuss the advantages and challenges Aaron Murray will have as the team's new quarterback in 2010.



*Video courtesy of Brandon Spoon

Video Blog: G-Day Wrap-Up

What better way to wrap up the spring than with some highlights and interviews from G-Day put together by the lovely and talented Mr. Brandon Spoon...

Video Blog: Learning the Defense

Linebacker Reuben Faloughi talks about the teaching style of Todd Grantham, and corner Brandon Boykin discusses how quickly the defense is learning the new scheme.



*Video courtesy of Brandon Spoon

Video Blog: Belin Talks Fundamentals

Two things on this video:

1.) Warren Belin is a guy who knows the difference between using what my mom would call "his inside voice" and "his outside voice."

2.) I'm going to go out on a limb and guess this will be hands down your favorite video of the spring.

So, if your boss doesn't like you watching football videos at work, tell him you think he's just being soft.

And for the record, No. 37 is Akeem Hebron.



*Video courtesy of the great Brandon Spoon, who if he's not the next Steven Spielberg, he's certainly as good as his Mexican equivalent.

(*"Non-union" Mexican equivalent... can't believe I screwed up the quote!)

Video Blog: Walsh Talks Special Teams

Kicker Blair Walsh talks about his motivations for 2010, the competition he still gets from Brandon Bogotay and how his special teams brethren have been left without a home, now that two of the practice fields have been overtaken by the Butts-Mehre expansion.



*Video courtesy of Brandon Spoon

Video Blog: Orson and The Hitman

Check out Jakar Hamitlon talking about the origins of his nickname "The Hitman" and Orson Charles discussing life with three quarterbacks...



*Video courtesy of Brandon Spoon

Video Blog: Lakatos Talks DBs

Georgia secondary coach Scott Lakatos talks about the caliber of players he inherited, the number of players he's looking at for recruiting and how he's evaluating the position battles so far.



Video courtesy of Brandon Spoon.

Video Blog: Grantham Explains the One-Gap Scheme

(*Note: Read my feature from today's Telegraph on the latest on the QB competition HERE.)

I wrote on Friday that listening to Todd Grantham talk football is a fun experience. While I'll readily admit, a good bit of it goes over my head, I'm thrilled to interview a coach who doesn't dumb down what he's explaining just because the reporters he's explaining it to aren't exactly in football shape. He's direct, informative and, more than anything, extremely enthusiastic about what he's talking about.

Anyway, JM From Louisville posted this question on the blog a week or two ago: "Could you get one of the coaches to explain better the difference between a 2 gap 3-4 and a 1 gap 3-4 scheme?"

It's a good question, and one I'm guessing more than a few of you might have. So I of course posed the inquiry to Grantham, who delivered a patented Todd Grantham explanation.

If you want to get excited about football, you definitely want to watch this video. (And apologies in advance for the lighting.)



And that's not all from Grantham. Here's his thoughts on the advantages of the one-gap vs. the two-gap scheme...

"People that two-gap, they still play the gap based on the release of the block, so they still only have one gap, they're just squeezing the other gap. Which, truthfully, in a one-gap, you do the same thing, it's just -- you're playing this gap. Personally, the way we play it, it's better suited for today's game because, No. 1, you play the run physical and it allows you to rush the passer when that occurs. I think you have to be more disciplined to play this way, because you can always attack a guy, knock a guy back and come out of your hips, deliver blows and strike guys, then when he goes to pass, you convert. I think the way we play now is the way you want to play."

*Video courtesy of Brandon Spoon

Video Blog: New D, Fair Catches and Aaron Murray's Love Life

Brandon Spoon gives us some video of Aron White talking about playing against the 3-4 and having the TEs pick up the slack for the lack of depth at receiver, while Logan Gray chats about his relationship with his fellow QBs and his interest in fielding punts. Enjoy...

Video Blog: Lack of Depth Pushes Receivers

Georgia receivers A.J. Green and Marlon Brown show off some pass catching skills and talk about the lack of depth at their position this spring.



Video courtesy of the great Brandon Spoon.

Video Blog: Aron vs. Aaron

I'm finally back in Athens, but after spending only two-and-a-half days at home in the last three weeks, I find myself with a mountain of chores (and about 200 emails) that need to be attended to in the immediate future. So today is going to be a bit of a recovery day while I try to get organized, and I'll have a bunch of stuff to post tomorrow.

In the meantime, Aron White is filling in for me on the interview circuit, chatting with quarterback Aaron Murray.



(* Video courtesy of Brandon Spoon)

Video Blog: Dawgs Get Wet

Courtesy of Brandon Spoon -- who got a little wet himself -- here's some footage of Georgia's players practicing between the raindrops on Thursday...

Video Blog: Perusing the Passing Game

Some practice highlights of Georgia's quarterbacks and receivers...



Video courtesy of the lovely and vivacious Brandon Spoon.

Video Blog: Grantham Talks Fundamentals

You've heard plenty about Todd Grantham's coaching style. Now see it in action...



Video courtesy of Brandon Spoon.

Video Blog: Talking DBs and Recruiting

Jordan Love, Brandon Boykin and Rodney Garner talk about better fundamentals, position battles in the secondary and a new look on the recruiting trail...



Video courtesy of Brandon Spoon

Video Blog: QB Reps, Limiting Turnovers & Running at Richard

Carlton Thomas, Mike Bobo, Ben Jones and Aaron Murray talk about spring practice so far...



Video courtesy of Brandon Spoon.

Van Halanger Talks Strength & Conditioning

The S&C program at UGA has been a hot topic of discussion since last season, which isn't surprising given Georgia's performance on the field in 2009. But while strength coach Dave Van Halanger admits it was a down year last year, he said things are definitely headed back in the right direction this season.

On mat drills this year...
“The last day, we gave out 18 As. We’ve never done that before. They have six stations and they have to have a total A. That means they’re performing at a high, high level. We had a bunch of B-plusses, too. So guys did a great job. Richard Samuel’s had six As. Christian Robinson, Shaun Chapas, Dent, they came out fighting. We’ve got guys who are fighting.”

On the input he's gotten from Todd Grantham, Scott Lakatos and Warren Belin...
“The NFL is different in the way they go about it. They don’t want to get guys hurt. We’ve got to get guys better. Those guys that come to Dallas, they’re pretty good. So they just maintain their strength. I talk a lot to Scott, talked a lot to Warren, about what did you guys do? Because they’re college, and you’ve got to get college guys better. They’re 18 and they’re going to leave here at 22 or 23 and you need to get them better."

On what the feedback has been from the new coaches...
"We’ve talked to (Lakatos and Belin) a lot, and there’s just a lot of similarities. It was the first time those guys saw our mat drills and they were like, ‘Wow, that’s really unique.’ Because a lot of people don’t do that – getting in early in the morning, but it’s mentality. You win football games because you’re mentally, physically and spiritually tough, and you can get it done when you’re on the field. It’s chemistry and morale, and you’ve got to create that. You’ve got to get the guys believing they can do that, and if you do, you’re going to win football games. We get our kids believing and going in the right direction. Last year, that was a pretty bad blip. But this year, I think it’s going to be pretty good. I’m excited about this year.”

And here's some video -- courtesy of Brandon Spoon -- of Van Halanger talking about the current state of affairs in the UGA S&C program...