Updating the Spring Injuries

Figured you all might be interested in an updated list of the injuries Georgia will be dealing with this spring...

Justin Anderson (RSJr/OL) -- Shoulder injury, will be limited throughout the spring. Anderson will be in the mix for some playing time in the fall, but certainly won't be a favorite, and his absence this spring won't help his cause.

Austin Long (RSFr/OL) -- Back injury, will not participate this spring. Long underwent back surgery last year and is still only doing light workouts. He expects to be ready for full participation in the fall, but he'll essentially be starting his college career from scratch then.

Longo, Jeremy (RSSo/DE) -- Knee injury, will miss all of spring. Longo is an unfortunate case, and he's quickly approaching "bust" status. He's been injured virtually his entire career, and while he was already behind on the learning curve, things will get worse by missing a crucial month of practice in Todd Grantham's new 3-4.

Fred Munzenmaier (Jr/FB) -- Shoulder injury, will be limited during the spring. Munzenmaier's injury shouldn't affect his 2010 season much, as Shaun Chapas clearly has the starting job nailed down, and Munzenmaier has enough experience in the offense to pick up right where he left off in August.

Josh Murray (Sr/S) -- Shoulder injury, will be limited during the spring. Murray had name recognition coming in last season because he is the older brother of Georgia QB Aaron Murray. Josh could have a shot at some special teams work, but injuries have nagged at him since he arrived at Georgia, and he only had minimal work on the scout team in 2009.

Tanner Strickland (Jr/OL) -- Shoulder injury, will be limited during spring practice. Strickland suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery during offseason workouts last summer and is still not fully healed. He's been a weight-room wonder for much of his time at Georgia, but he has yet to see that translate into on-field performance, but a strong fall could put him in position for some playing time in a reserve role in 2010.

Trinton Sturdivant (Jr/OL) -- Knee injury, will miss spring practice. At this point, Georgia fans might best consider Sturdivant a luxury for next season rather than a key component of the offensive line. Sturdivant has missed virtually all of the past two seasons with two separate knee injuries. His most recent ACL tear wasn't nearly as serious as the one he suffered prior to the 2008 season, but he's nevertheless going to be a real wild card in 2010. If he's healthy and can perform anywhere near the level he did as a freshman in '07, it would be a huge boost for Georgia. But that's a big assumption at this point, and the Dawgs are probably better off hoping for a pleasant surprise than setting themselves up for another disappointment.

Those are the current crop of injuries. Here's another quick list of a few guys to keep an eye on:

Aaron Murray (RFr/QB) -- Murray is clearly the front-runner for the starting QB job, and a strong performance this spring would be helpful in easing some concerns of fans who know he's the biggest wild card on an offense that returns 10 starters. But he suffered through a broken leg his senior season in high school and was limited last spring because of it, then suffered arm fatigue and shoulder soreness last fall that may have been the determining factor in redshirting him. So is he injury prone? Not likely -- the leg injury was a freak thing, and the arm problems aren't uncommon for a guy getting a lot more work throwing than he probably ever had before. But the fact remains that, with a thin depth chart at the position and so much riding on his success, he can't afford another injury.

A.J. Green (Jr/WR) -- We all love A.J. How can you not? But despite all his greatness, he's been hurt for about 75 percent of his Georgia career, and that has limited how great he could be. He nearly hit the 1,000-yard mark as a freshman, but he did so with a nagging groin injury that stuck with him all season and had slowed him significantly by year's end. Last year, he dominated when healthy, despite few other offensive threats, but his season was cut short when he was injured against Florida, missed the Tennesssee Tech game with a lung bruise, then got hurt again in the first half against Auburn and missed the remainder of the regular season. So the idea here is this: Green at 75 percent is probably the best WR in the SEC. Green at 100 percent could be one of the two or three the best players at any position in the country.

Josh Davis (Sr/OL) -- Speaking of injury-prone players, Davis might fit the bill better than most. First off, he's undersized for a typical SEC tackle, so he puts a lot of strain on his body. The result was a serious shoulder injury that coast him last spring after two surgeries and forced him to miss the start of the 2009 season. Once he returned to the lineup, Georgia's running game flourished, but the injury bug cropped up once again as a sprained ankle kept him out of the Bulldogs' bowl game against Texas A&M. Davis should be 100 percent for spring, but he's being counted on unlike any previous season in his career, and he needs to stay healthy all year.

Caleb King (RSJr/RB) -- A healthy King means a dangerous running game for Georgia in 2010. The problem last year, however, was King wasn't consistently healthy. A nagging hamstring injury cost him his chance at a starting job during fall camp and held him out of the team's first two games. A concussion and broken jaw cost him the Tennessee game as well -- a game in which Georgia was completely frustrated on the ground. When healthy, however, King averaged more than 5 yards per carry, so keeping him on the field for 12 (or, ideally, 14) games this season would be a huge boost for Georgia's offense.

Jordan Love (RFr/CB) -- It's still a bit too soon to tell how much of an impact Love could have this season, but with Prince Miller's departure, there's playing time to be had, and at 6-foot, 190 pounds, Love has the size to fit into new DBs coach Scott Lakatos' defense well -- particularly as in nickel situations. But again, we just don't know what to expect from Love, since he missed almost all of last season with a toe injury -- originally suffered in high school -- that ended up requiring surgery. Love should be a full go this spring, and it will be interesting to see what he contributes.

Bruce Figgins (RSJr/TE) -- Figgins played hurt as a sophomore out of desperations, but missed all of last spring after having shoulder surgery. He served a six-game suspension to start the 2009 season and then elected to take a medical redshirt for the remainder of the year, in part due to lingering problems with his shoulder. While Georgia's tight ends -- Arthur Lynch, Orson Charles and Aron White -- turned in a solid campaign last year, their work as blockers, particularly in the running game, was short of where it needed to be. That's a role Figgins could fill nicely if he's back to full health in 2010.

Notebook: Players Eagerly Await Coaches' Arrival

When he first heard the news that Scott Lakatos had been hired as Georgia’s new secondary coach, cornerback Brandon Boykin did a quick image search on the Internet, just to find out what his new coach looked like. Beyond that, however, Lakatos remains a mystery.

The same is true of new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, who like Lakatos has yet to meet any of his new players, despite extensive anticipation on the part of the current crop of Bulldogs.

“The anticipation comes and goes, but I’m ready for the coaches to be here, and ready for everybody to settle down and get rolling,” defensive end Demarcus Dobbs said. “I’m ready to know what position I’m going to be in, what position I need to play, so I can try to be the best at that and learn as much as I can.”

Dobbs’ eagerness is understandable. With a brand new set of coaches and a brand new defensive scheme, the 2010 season could look a good bit different from the 2009 version of the Georgia defense, and like the rest of his teammates, he’s anxious to learn how he’ll fit into the big picture.

While Dobbs is a senior wondering what his final year has in store, freshman Jakar Hamilton arrived on campus just two weeks ago without even knowing who his first college coach would be.

“It was difficult but I knew Coach Mark Richt was going to get the job done,” Hamilton said. “Fortunately we got (Grantham) from the Cowboys who has been in the league for 11 years, and I’m just excited and ready to meet him.”

Georgia has a team meeting scheduled for Friday, which is likely to be the first time most of the players meet their new coaches in person. With recruiting season coming to an end and Georgia’s staff playing catch up, time has been limited for the coaching staff as a whole, and Grantham just wrapped up his NFL season with the Dallas Cowboys last weekend.

So while it will no doubt be a busy few weeks before offseason conditioning shifts into high gear in early February, the excitement and the jitters are both evident, defensive tackle Abry Jones said.

“It’s a little bit excitement and nerves,” Jones said. “It’s exciting that we finally got a new coach and a new scheme but we’re also nervous because we’ve never run it before, so it’ll be like a first time.

ON THE MOVE?

Grantham brings with him a brand new scheme on defense, and many of Georgia’s players are still a bit up in the air about where they’ll fit into the 3-4 defense.

One player who is a bit more excited than concerned, however, is Jones, the former Northside star, who thinks the changeover in scheme could mean a move to a position he played extensively in high school.

“I could play defensive end because I played in high school,” Jones said. “It wouldn’t be much of a jump.”

Jones said he hasn’t heard any indication of how the depth chart will shake out in Grantham’s new 3-4 look, but he said if it’s up to him, defensive end would be his preference.

Either way, Jones said his role will change a bit in 2010 with an increased responsibility in stopping the run with just three down linemen. Still, it will be a new experience for the sophomore.

“I played in high school in a three down linemen type of scheme, but never in a real 3-4,” Jones said. “Seeing that I came in as a freshman and had to learn one new defense, the only bear would be learning a whole other defense. Other than that I don’t see a problem with it.”

A NEW ATTITUDE

After two arrests and an indefinite suspension in early December, the future looked bleak for rising sophomore defensive end Montez Robinson. But Georgia announced last week that Robinson had been reinstated – save a two-game suspension to open the 2010 season – and Dobbs said the time away has worked wonders for Robinson’s outlook.

“You can just tell the guy has a total change of attitude,” Dobbs said. “I don’t know if it was him going home for the bowl game and talking to his family or whatever it was, he has a great attitude.”

Robinson played sparingly last season but was named to the SEC’s All-Freshman team at year’s end. He was arrested on multiple charges last month, however, and was immediately suspended from the team.

Since his return, however, Dobbs said Robinson has worked hard and shown a far more outgoing personality.

“He’s happy. He’s upbeat. Before he was never like that,” Dobbs said. “He was just kind of a mellow guy, walking around finding his way. But now you can tell there’s a complete difference in him, and I’m excited to see what he can do this season.”

ON THE MEND

Three Georgia players underwent offseason surgeries last week and will be limited during the spring.

Offensive lineman Justin Anderson and fullback Fred Munzenmaier both had shoulder surgery and will be limited during spring practice. Defensive end Jeremy Longo had surgery on his knee. He will miss all of spring practice.

All three are expected to be fully recovered by the start of fall practice in August.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“There was actually no other open rooms. It was him or like two baseball players and a tennis player. So I was like, I’ll just live with A.J.” – Georgia early enrollee Kolton Houston on how he ended up roommates with offensive lineman A.J. Harmon.

Post-Game Notes: Bobo's Move Pays Dividends

(NOTE: You can read my game story from Georgia's win over Vanderbilt HERE.)

With his offense struggling to find its way the past three weeks, Mike Bobo decided he needed to take on a more personal approach to play calling.

For the first time since becoming Georgia’s offensive coordinator in 2007, Bobo watched Georgia’s 34-10 win over Vanderbilt from the sideline rather than the press box – a change that seemed to spark the offense.

“I think he just wanted more energy on the sideline,” quarterback Joe Cox said. “He wanted to celebrate when we made plays, and even on the defensive side of the ball, he was getting us into the game the way he was cheering for the defense. It was great to have him on the sideline.”

The move came as a surprise to virtually everyone on Georgia’s sideline other than head coach Mark Richt and the Bulldogs’ quarterbacks, whom Bobo had informed of his plans last Thursday.

It wasn’t exactly a comfortable surrounding for Bobo, but it was a chance to get a more personal feel for the action.

“I just really didn’t have a good feel for our football team and have been thinking about it all year,” Bobo said. “We hadn’t played well the last two weeks and kind of put it on the backburner. It’s more to look into their eyes and try to get a feel for how we’re doing and hopefully relax a little better.”

From his bird’s-eye view in the press box, Bobo said he can get a better look at the types of defenses the opposition employs, but he thought the experience of being surrounded by his players outweighed the drawbacks.

“It’s a little more difficult to see the play unfold,” Bobo said, “but you really get an idea of what they’re in. It was pretty evident to see what their game plan was. They were going to play two deep to our base personal, and we had to be able to run the ball.”

The move paid dividends as the Bulldogs racked up 399 yards of total offense – nearly double their tally from a week earlier. Georgia found the end zone four times, too, including twice in the red zone, after failing to move the ball inside Tennessee’s 35-yard line last week.

While the offensive execution wasn’t always perfect, it was a vast improvement, and Bobo’s presence on the sideline had a lot to do with the increased production, Cox said.

“He’s a real competitive guy and he coaches with a lot of energy,” Cox said. “He wants his players to play with a fire and a passion, too, and I think it was good to have that on the sideline where he could convey that to us instead of being up in the booth and having to talk to individuals one after another.”

Bobo’s move to the field left just linebackers coach John Jancek and receivers coach Tony Ball in the press box, but Jancek said the small contingent of coaches upstairs didn’t have any ill effects.

Richt had told Bobo that if the plan wasn’t working out by halftime, he could return to the press box for the remainder of the game, but an in-game adjustment proved unnecessary.

“I think it’s up to the coordinator to decide where he’ll be most effective,” Richt said. “Do I think it was a positive thing to be down on the field? I think it was, and I’m assuming he’ll want to do that in the future.”

GROUND GAME GETS GOING

It was the drive Georgia had been waiting for all season, even if it didn’t prove crucial to the game’s outcome.

The Bulldogs’ had already secured their win over Vanderbilt – the final tally was 34-10 – but it was that last touchdown that really gave the team something to celebrate.

Georgia’s struggling running game had mustered just 53 yards on 20 carries through three quarters, despite Vanderbilt ranking as one of the worst run defenses in the league. The Bulldogs’ final scoring drive, however, represented a turning point.

Georgia drove 68 yards on 10 plays – all runs – and capped the drive with a 9-yard touchdown run by fullback Fred Munzenmaier on fourth down.

“That eats up a lot of clock, and it gives you a lot of confidence in your running game when you say, we’re going to run the ball right at you at the end of the game,” quarterback Joe Cox said. “When you do it all the way down the field and put points on the board, it’s a great feeling. I think we needed that probably more than any other drive.”

The drive was anchored by a 33-yard run by freshman Washaun Ealey, but Carlton Thomas and Munzenmaier each contributed key yardage, too.

For the game, six Georgia running backs totaled at least 10 yards apiece, and the dedication to running the football was a key in the Bulldogs’ increased offensive output.

“It felt good that we ran the ball,” receiver A.J. Green said. “Success is running the ball, and that opens up the passing game. We did that (Saturday), and it felt good.”

Georgia finished with 37 rushes for 173 yards – its highest total of the season.

The success was crucial for the stagnant Bulldogs’ offense, which ranked last in the SEC and 104th nationally in rushing entering Saturday’s contest.

“We want to run the ball, we have good backs, and we have a good line,” Cox said. “We just needed to get it working. We don’t need to give up on it if it’s not working in the first half, and I’m glad we stuck with it. It turned out to be big for us.”

HIS PLAY DOES THE TALKING

Sophomore tailback Caleb King had been waiting a long time to get his first touchdown of the season, but when the moment finally arrived, he couldn’t do much celebrating.

“They tell me I can’t really talk that much,” said King, who is still recovering from a broken jaw suffered two weeks ago in a loss to LSU.

King was fitted with a special protective facemask and a mouth guard with additional padding to ensure he would make it through the game without doing additional damage to his jaw.

He missed last week’s game while recovering from the injury along with a concussion that occurred on the same play, another stumbling block in what has been a difficult season for King. He also missed the first two games of the season along with much of preseason practice with a hamstring injury.

“I thought this was my year, and then the injuries came,” King said. “It was tough just sitting down and watching the game, but I knew I could contribute to the team.”

King was a key contributor in Saturday’s win, picking up 35 yards on six touches, including two touchdowns.

His first score was a two-yard rumble into the end zone, and his second came on a screen pass that went 21 yards.

“It was the perfect call at the perfect time, and the line was out there blocking, so I just followed them straight to the end zone,” King said of the latter touchdown.

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT’S DUE

Joe Cox had a career-long 65-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter Saturday, one he’ll probably tell his kids about one day.

Just don’t expect him to go into too much detail.

The score came on a short dump to receiver A.J. Green, who made people miss on the way to the end zone, and a personal career-best for himself too.

“We were on the right hash, I threw it further than a yard,” Cox said, laughing. “No, I probably won’t mention that. I’m not going to sit here and act like I made a great play. Everybody saw what A.J. did.”

Green merely provided his weekly addition to his personal highlight reel, making a Vanderbilt defensive back miss in space before weaving his way through the rest of the Commodore defense.

It was a departure from his usual jump-ball touchdown grabs, but hardly surprising.
“That was fun,” Green said. “This right here is just real life for me. I’m loving every minute of it. It’s just getting better each game.”

As for the highlight-reel run, Cox said it was a nice change-of-pace from Green’s usual heroics, but it hardly came as a shock.

“Everybody knows what he can do,” Cox said. “That play he scored on, that was a little crazy, but nothing really surprises me anymore, and that’s why we throw him the ball.”

EALEY BREAKS A LONG ONE

Georgia’s leading rusher was freshman Washaun Ealey, who broke a 33-yarder in the fourth quarter. That was the longest run by a Georgia tailback since Richard Samuel broke an 80-yarder against Arkansas a month ago, and the longest of Ealey’s short career.

“I was just trying to score, hopefully I could get my first big touchdown,” Ealey said. “It didn’t happen, but we’ve got to get some more.”

Ealey finished the game with 71 yards on 13 carries and enjoyed the first start of his career.

“He’s running with a lot of energy right now, that’s the main thing,” Cox said of Ealey. “He wants to run hard, he wants the ball in his hands and he’s been practicing real hard, and that’s what gets guys on the field.”

GARBAGE TIME PROVES PRODUCTIVE

The fourth quarters haven’t been much fun for Georgia this season. The Bulldogs have trailed in every game this year prior to Saturday’s win over Vandy, and there hasn’t been much time for the Bulldogs’ backups to see action.

So when the opportunity finally came for head coach Mark Richt to get some reserves in the game, he was happy to do it.

The Bulldogs final drive was meant to run the final 1 minute, 15 seconds off the clock, but it turned out to be a showcase for some reserve linemen and fifth-string tailback Dontavius Jackson, who picked up 38 yards on just three carries.

“That very last drive, we probably could have taken a knee,” Richt said. “We didn’t call a timeout or anything. We just had some young kids that we were just trying to let them play. We had some offensive linemen that had never played before and Dontavius got a few totes, which was good to see.”

Linemen A.J. Harmon, Kevin Perez and Casey Nickels all saw action for the first time this season on the drive.

KICK BACK AND RELAX

The key to Georgia’s win Saturday was a new relaxed approach, Green said, and the key to the new approach was a liberating realization the team came to during the week.

“We had nothing to lose,” Green said.

Georgia set aside its big-picture goals and simply played for the moment, and the players found a renewed bit of enthusiasm that they hope will follow through into this week’s open date and a looming showdown with No. 1 Florida.

“We got things rolling in the right direction, and we’ve got to use these two weeks to get ready to play our best game,” linebacker Rennie Curran said. “People are going to doubt us, and we know people don’t have as much respect for us as Florida – deservingly so. They’ve got the record, they’ve made plays. We’ve got to keep our minds right and do everything it takes to get ready for this game.”

Saturday’s win was a big morale boost, and the bye week should give Georgia plenty of time to prepare for its archrival. But it’s that new attitude that might be the key for the Bulldogs as they mold their strategy for a potentially enormous upset in two weeks.

“The pressure is on them,” cornerback Brandon Boykin said of Florida. “We’ve got nothing to lose. We can just go out there and play as hard as we can, and this momentum from this win, I feel like we’re going to carry that over and continue to get better.”

WALSH’S SECOND SHOT

Blair Walsh continued his torrid start to the season, connecting on two more field goals Saturday. The sophomore kicker is now 10-of-11 on field-goal tries this season, including a perfect 3-for-3 on kicks of 50 yards or longer.

Walsh didn't add to the total on those 50-yarders Saturday, but he did come close.

With the clock about to expire on the first half, Georgia was pinned on a third-down play, and Richt sent Walsh in to attempt a 57-yard field goal. The kick would have been his career long.

Instead, a Vanderbilt defender got his hand on the ball, sending it sideways just as it got off the ground. As it turned out, the Commodores' player was flagged for illegally jumping over the defensive line to block the kick, and Walsh got a second crack at it -- this time from just 42 yards out.

“I thought it was good off my foot," Walsh said of his first try from 57. "But a make is a make, and I’m glad they called it because it wasn’t cool that the guy jumped over the line.”

EXTRA POINTS

-- Josh Davis got his first start of the season at right tackle, while Clint Boling opened the game at right guard. Tailback Washaun Ealey and fullback Fred Munzenmaier also got their first career starts Saturday.

-- After failing to record a sack last week, Georgia's defensive front rebounded with three sacks of quarterback Larry Smith -- one each by Kade Weston, Justin Houston and Demarcus Dobbs. Georgia tallied nine tackles for a loss in the game.

-- Rennie Curran led Georgia with nine tackles. He has been the Bulldogs' leading tackler in every game this season.

-- Safety Quintin Banks returned to action after missing all but one game during the past two seasons due to a variety of injuries. He finished with two tackles, including one for a loss.

-- Reshad Jones recorded his first interception of the season for Georgia in the first half, and the Bulldogs turned it into a touchdown on the other end following the long bomb to A.J. Green. It was the first time all season Georgia had more points off turnovers than its opponent. For the season, Georgia has scored 21 points off six turnovers and allowed 71 points following 17 turnovers.

-- Georgia got its first taste of the red zone Saturday, capping an eight-play, 64-yard drive with a two-yard TD by Caleb King, his first of the year. The Bulldogs scored a touchdown on another red-zone try in the fourth quarter. Last week against Tennessee, Georgia did not reach the red zone for the first time since the 1990 Clemson game, a span of 232 contests.

* Tyler Estep contributed to this notebook.

Practice Notes: Players-Only Meeting Called to Boost Morale

Georgia’s players received text messages Tuesday night following practice informing them of a players-only meeting, where a number of the team’s veterans spoke.

The message was simple, senior Jeff Owens said. The team needed to look toward the future rather than last week’s embarrassing loss to Tennessee.

“We told them we have to turn around this season,” Owens said. “We all know what we’re looking at right now. We’re 3-3, but we can just go up and progress. The main purpose was to get everybody on one accord and get this thing turned around.”

Senior wide receiver Kris Durham, who also spoke at the meeting, said the team needed to change its perspective on the season in the wake of Georgia’s 3-3 start. Rather than look at the big picture, he said, he urged his teammates to simply work on improving each day and winning their next game.

“What’s happened has happened, and it’s in the past,” Durham said. “We can’t sit there and dread it or think that’s our season, because it’s not. There’s still (six) more games left. We need to push on from here and start like it’s Game 1.”

Owens said the team was reminded of Georgia’s turnaround following a stretch of four losses in five games in 2006 that resulted in an unexpected three-game winning streak against three ranked opponents to close out the year.

The message was meant to revitalize some sluggish morale, Durham said, and remind the players that unity is crucial to overcoming the team’s recent slide.

“It was like we didn’t have the fire in us, and we needed to get together and let them know we have their back,” Durham said. “We have to stay strong together.”

CHAPAS LIKELY OUT

Fullback Shaun Chapas is doubtful for this week’s game against Vanderbilt, Richt said, after suffering multiple stingers in his neck and shoulder.

Chapas has started every game since the start of the 2008 season, but is likely to give way to junior Fred Munzenmaier this week. Senior Justin Fields could also see action.

“I think (Munzenmaier) will do a good job, and Fields is a guy I think can do a good job, also,” Richt said. “Both of them will hit you. I would think it’ll end up being a good opportunity for Fred.”

Munzenmaier has seen limited playing time this season, but he did have four carries against Arizona State, including one for a touchdown.

KING CONTINUES PROGRESS

Tailback Caleb King worked in a second day of practice and is on pace to be ready for action Saturday against Vanderbilt after missing last week’s game with a concussion and broken jaw.

King worked in non-contact drills Tuesday and Richt said they’ll simulate contact work Thursday before making a final decision, but the expectation is that the sophomore will be ready. The same is true for receiver Tavarres King, who also missed last week with a concussion.

“You phase them in to a non-contact situation in a practice like (Tuesday),” Richt said. “Then if they do well with that exerting and doing all the things minus the contact, then you give them some contact and move them forward from there. But (trainer) Ron (Courson) is pretty confident they’ll both be fine.”

MOVING AIN’T EASY

Georgia has struggled sustaining drives this season, suffering through three-and-outs on nearly 20 percent of all offensive possessions and failing to move the ball inside Tennessee’s 35-yard line last week.

The task won’t get any easier this week, Richt said, as Vanderbilt’s defense has a propensity for making offenses work for yardage.

“You’d like to say we are going to line up and methodically move it down the field, but I haven’t seen anybody do it yet,” Richt said of the Commodores’ defense. “Guys are going to have to make plays, guys are going to have to get in situations and do something to kind of break the dam.”

Vanderbilt ranks fifth in the SEC in total defense and has allowed just nine touchdowns in six games.

AVOIDING THE CRITICISM

Following a deflating loss to Tennessee last week, the criticism of Georgia’s sluggish offense and woeful defense has reached a crescendo. While a number of players already try to avoid the headlines, Richt said he was careful to remind his players to keep focus in spite of rampant criticism.

“There are certain things you can control in life and certain things you can’t control,” Richt said. “What people say about you or your team or your coaches, you can’t control that. All you can control is how you focus, how you prepare and how you keep your mental frame of mind.”

EXTRA POINTS

-- Linebacker Rennie Curran also faced some legal trouble as a bench warrant was issued last week after he failed to appear in court for a speeding ticket. Richt said Curran planned to pay the fine on Thursday and he did not anticipate Curran would receive a suspension.

-- Durham said his shoulder, which required offseason surgery and forced him to redshirt this year, is feeling much better and he expects to resume full practice work within the next month.

-- Take this for what it's worth: Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo made freshmen Aaron Murray, Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten unavailable to the media this week. No explanation was given.

Regarding Murray, however, Bobo did offer praise of the quarterback's work ethic: “He’s got the right frame of mind. He comes in like he’s a starting quarterback. He came in on our day off to watch film and graded himself like he was starting.”

Five Against One

The biggest question many Georgia fans have about the upcoming season might be who'll carry the load at tailback, but redshirt freshman and spring standout Carlton Thomas said the players are pretty sure they already know the answer.

"Right now we're looking at it as tailback-by-committee," Thomas said. "That's how we're looking at it and everybody's just trying to get better. But maybe if there's a guy that's really doing his thing, it might be (a featured back), but right now, everybody's got to be ready."

That's not to say that nothing can change in the five-player battle to replace Knowshon Moreno. While Thomas, Caleb King and Richard Samuel appear to be the front-runners for playing time, Thomas said running backs coach Bryan McClendon has assured each tailback that there's no limit or guarantee when it comes to carries this season. Redshirt freshman Dontavius Jackson and incoming freshman Washaun Ealey will also compete for playing time.
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"He told us it's a clean slate," Thomas said. "Whoever comes out and performs, that's who's going to play."

That's a mantra that has superseded any planned committee approach, Thomas said. With five potential vultures in the backfield and only one football to go around, the tailbacks have been working hard even if a true starting job isn't in the cards.

"As a unit, we're communicating good and everybody's pushing each other behind (fullbacks) Shaun (Chapas) and Fred (Munzenmaier) who are leading the group, and everybody's falling in line behind them," Thomas said. "We're coming in and working, then doing some extra work, and even sometimes we might come back and do some more. Everybody's on track and everybody's holding everyone accountable."

So, what do you think? Are you in favor of the tailback-by-committee approach or would you like to see the trend Moreno started of one featured back continue in 2009? If so, which tailback do you think can do the most damage?

Scrimmage Notes: Houston Dominates

It wasn't anything near a perfect practice, but Mark Richt said he was pleased with the effort his team showed during its second spring scrimmage on Saturday.

"It was a much better effort, much better energy the entire time, a lot of hard hitting, just a lot of good intensity and leadership," Richt said.

After an up-and-down performance during the first scrimmage on Monday in which the team showed little resilience in the face of adversity, Richt said Saturday's practice was far more energetic. Still, the results were mixed.

The offense was stymied for much of the early part of the scrimmage, but once coaches changed field position, putting the defense on its heels, the momentum began to shift.

"When we had 50 or more yards on the offense, we stopped them every time," linebacker Rennie Curran said. "But when it was near the goal line or inside the 50, it was kind of like we shut down at times. No matter what the situation is or where we are on the field, we've got to dominate."

One player who was dominant was Justin Houston.

As the Bulldogs' lone healthy scholarship defensive end with any playing experience at the position, Houston has been shouldering a good bit of the pass-rush burden this spring. He responded Saturday with a four-tackle performance in which he racked up a sack on the first two plays of the scrimmage and later hauled in an interception that he returned for a 30-yard touchdown.

"I thought a lot of guys perked up, but the guy that really caught my eye in a hurry was Justin Houston," Richt said. "Considering the limited amount of plays these guys are getting, that was by far the most productive defensive player."

The defensive struggles came largely with the second-team defense in the game, and with so many injuries and inexperienced players on the field, Curran said that was to be expected. Still, he said, everyone on the team needs to be prepared to play their role, and he wants to find some serious improvement before the Bulldogs' annual G-Day game next Saturday.

"Toward the end, we let some big plays get in there, some third down-and-longs, and that kind of killed us," Curran said. "We've got to keep consistency. That's one of the things that killed us last year. It only takes a couple guys to kill the whole entire defense."

FAST LEARNERS

Joe Cox's veteran leadership seems to be paying dividends with his two young understudies pretty quickly.

For the second straight scrimmage, freshman Aaron Murray was responsible for the offense's best highlight, a 64-yard touchdown pass to Israel Troupe. Murray finished the scrimmage 6-of-10 passing for 132 yards and two touchdowns.

His fellow early enrollee, Zach Mettenberger, didn't post big numbers, but head coach Mark Richt said he has made solid progress, too, this spring.

"I'm really, really pleased with the quarterbacks," Richt said. "Zach is placing the ball very, very well. Aaron has found the open man deep a couple times, which is good. I stand right in the huddle and listen to them call the play and they're getting more and more confidence. There's a lot less confusion."

While the progress has been obvious, Richt isn't ready to make any decisions about the future just yet. The upside, he said, is that both Murray and Mettenberger have shown that, if needed, they would be ready to play in a game. Richt just isn't sure if they'll be needed at this point.

"I'm not going to be in a rush right now to say either one would be redshirted or not yet." Richt said. "When it gets closer to the moment of truth, we've just got to decide."

SHADES OF GRAY

The spring hasn't just been about the senior and the freshmen. Georgia's other quarterback has been impressive, too.

During Saturday's scrimmage, Logan Gray completed 7-of-9 passes for 52 yards and a touchdown and showed impressive accuracy and decision-making, Richt said.

After missing many quarterback meetings and prep time while playing on special teams a year ago, Gray is still playing catch up on the field, but Richt said the progress he's making has been evident at times.

"Logan is still a little inconsistent, but when he puts it together, it looks good," Richt said. "There's been a couple days he looked great, and a couple days when he was still kind of up and down."

Gray's arm is developing, but it's his legs that may be most intriguing. His speed and athleticism landed him a role as a returner on special teams last season, and Richt said that, as the second-string quarterback, Gray could see significant action on sets designed to exploit his athleticism, similar to the role D.J. Shockley played with Georgia while backing up David Greene.

For now, however, Bobo just wants Gray to concentrate on his fundamentals and let the coaches figure out how to use him down the road.

"This spring isn't about scheming or finding ways to get him in space," Bobo said. "It's about developing him as a quarterback. Halfway through spring, he's done a nice job of that."

BACK IN ACTION

Tony Wilson shed his green, non-contact jersey a few days ago, and getting back into the action on the field has been a huge relief for the junior wide receiver who missed most of last season with an ankle injury.

"It's encouraging to be back on the field after so long," Wilson said. "Being able to hit somebody yesterday, it had been since Arizona State (last September) since the last time I hit somebody. So it just felt good to be back out there."

Wilson participated in Saturday's scrimmage, but Richt said he is only at about 60 percent right now. Still, Wilson said he is encouraged by the progress and remains patient as the ankle heals.

"I've got four or five months to go, so we can break that 40 percent down and make it a healthy 100 by the time the fall comes," Wilson said.

Linebacker Charles White also returned to full participation in time for Saturday's scrimmage after missing the entire 2008 season, and Rennie Curran said he looked sharp in his debut.

"He looked really good having come off an Achilles injury," Curran said.

MOVING ON UP

Fred Munzenmaier said he has been chiding coaches for months to give him a few more touches on offense. The fullback has just two carries in his career, but both have resulted in touchdowns.

With two tailbacks out of action due to injuries this spring, and walk-on Kalvin Daniels missing most of this week's practice with a shoulder injury of his own, Munzenmaier's salesmanship finally paid off, and he made the most of it during Saturday's scrimmage.
Munzenmaier has worked at tailback for most of the past three practices, and he earned 11 carries – all but one at tailback – on Saturday. He finished the scrimmage with 54 yards rushing and a touchdown.

"He had a real excellent day Wednesday and did the same thing (Saturday)," Richt said. "If we're blocking for three, the kid's getting five."

While Munzenmaier doesn't fit the mold of the typical tailback, Richt said he has enough moves to be successful.

"He's got some vision," Richt said. "He's not going to dodge many guys, but he's fluid enough as an athlete to bounce it outside. He's not a burner, but he finishes the run."

Shaun Chapas remains the starter at fullback, and Josh Sailors has handled the bulk of the reserve duties during Munzenmaier's stretch at tailback.

Once Daniels, Richard Samuel and Dontavius Jackson return to action, Munzenmaier's days as a ball carrier could be numbered, but Richt said he wouldn't rule out a few more touches for his fullback down the road.

"He came in in a pinch but he's done very well," Richt said. "Is he going to get a bunch of reps when everybody's healthy? Maybe, because he's a different style runner."

THE STATS

One note, Mark Richt said that most of the offensive touchdowns occurred when the team practice drives that started on the plus side of the field (i.e. the wrong side of the 50 for the defense). Rennie Curran said the defense was dominant with the long field and struggled on the short field, as you'll see the stats indicate.

RUSHING
Caleb King 10-43-1 TD
Carlton Thomas 6-25
Fred Munzenmaier 11-54-1 (all but one carry came as a tailback)
Logan Gray 2-23
Aaron Murray 3-6

PASSING
Joe Cox 6-18-1-65 2 TDs (the INT came on the first play of the 1-minute drill)
Aaron Murray 6-10-0-132 2 TDs (including a 64-yarder to Israel Troupe)
Logan Gray 7-9-0-52 1 TD
Zach Mettenberger 1-5-0-39

RECEIVING
Israel Troupe 3-111-1
Marquis Brown 4-53-1
Shaun Chapas 3-8-1
A.J. Green 1-26-1
Michael Moore 2-12-1
Aron White 1-5
Vernon Spellman 1-18-1
Derick Rich 1-30

KICKING
Blair Walsh 1-of-1 on FGs (23 yards)
Only missed PAT was by Jamey Lindley

DEFENSE
Justin Houston 4 tackles, 2 sacks, and an INT return for a TD (30 yards off Cox)
Vance Cuff, John Knox, Marcus Dowtin -- 5 tackles each
Nick Williams, 4 tackles
Dowtin had two PBUs, Chad Gloer and Darryl Gamble each had one. Richt said at least two of the PBUs should have been INTs though.
Kiante Tripp, 1 sack
Rennie Curran, Akeem Dent, Reshad Jones, Sanders Commings, Christian Robinson and Kade Weston, 3 tackles each

Dontavius Jackson, Akeem Hebron and Kris Durham all sat out the scrimmage.

Rock of Love with Shaun Chapas

Matthew Stafford may be headed to the NFL, but for now, he's still hanging out in his old college living room.

Until he has to report to minicamp for whichever team selects him in next month's NFL draft, he's planning to be in Athens and live in his old house with roommate Shaun Chapas, Fred Munzenmaier and Kris Durham.

"He'll be in and out of town now for a month doing promotional stuff and working out, so he's still living there now," Chapas said.

But the bigger question is: What happens after Stafford leaves?

There are obviously a few key things the guys are looking for, particularly someone who can keep the place clean. The obvious choice might be to stick with a quarterback and have freshman Aaron Murray -- a notorious neat freak -- move in. Sadly for Chapas and company, that wasn't an option.

"The (freshmen) still have to be on East campus for two years," he said.

Of course, the chance to room with three Georgia football players might seem like a dream-come-true for fans around Athens, and that got the players thinking.... what about a contest?

"Fred was saying we should take applications from only females and have interviews and pick somebody," Chapas joked.

The idea would be that candidates come in, they're interviewed by Chapas, Durham and Munzenmaier, and perhaps perform a few chores around the house to see who's best qualified to take over for Stafford.

Add a few cameras, and it might just be a ratings winner, Chapas laughed.

"That," he said, "would be much better than 'Rock of Love.'"