Notes: Grantham Adds Enthusiasm to Dawgs' D

Mark Richt has heard enough people wonder aloud if he has a proper football personality. The truth is, he’s not going to argue with anyone who says he’s an exceptionally nice guy – even if it’s not meant as a compliment.

But while Richt doesn’t plan to change his attitude on the field much, he recognizes that his new defensive coordinator may help fill a gap when it comes to that in-your-face style generally associated with football coaches.

“He’s intense, there’s no doubt,” Richt said of Todd Grantham’s demeanor on the field. “That’s what you want is a guy that’s got some fire in him. Everybody knows my demeanor and has a little bit of a feel for that. I think it’s probably good to have somebody who’s a little more outwardly excited. I do get excited on the inside sometimes, but it’s good to have that energy on the sidelines.”

For his part, Grantham said he has plenty to be excited about.

After 11 years in the NFL, being back in the college ranks has provided a healthy dose of excitement for a coach who already exudes enthusiasm, and last week’s G-Day game offered Grantham his first taste of what life is like inside Sanford Stadium.

"It was awesome.” Grantham said. “The fans are great, you know? Everybody's got their red on. I look forward to seeing it filled up.”

It will be a few more months before that happens, but when Georgia opens its first season with Grantham on the sideline, the coach’s lofty expectations won’t be limited to just his players.

“We need to make sure that stadium becomes a benefit to our defense because if they're loud, with the things we're going to be doing, it will be very difficult for an offense to change plays, change protections,” Grantham said. “When you're loud at home, the offense has to go on a solid count. That means that everybody's looking for the ball. So basically the advantage that normally the offense has is no longer there. So I'm definitely going to encourage our fans to be as loud as they can from here on out."

MARLON ON THE MEND

Marlon Brown spent the majority of the spring in a green non-contact jersey and he finished G-Day without a catch, which all might be a good indication that 2010 could look far too much like his disappointing 2009 campaign.

But while Brown may still be a bit shy of where he’d like to be in terms of progress, his teammates think he’s light years ahead of where he was a year ago.

“I see some qualities I didn’t see last year,” fellow sophomore receiver Rantavious Wooten said. “He’s gotten faster, he’s getting in and out of cuts and moving better than he did last year. He’s lost some weight, too, and I credit that to him. I think he’s ready to play.”

Given the lack of depth at receiver this year, Brown won’t be looked at as a luxury this season as he was last year when he caught just two passes as a true freshman.

Much of his shortcomings in 2009, however, could be attributed to a lack of experience after he played at a small high school that didn’t provide anything close to SEC caliber competition.

But those problems have been largely rectified in the past few months, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said, and that’s a credit to Brown’s dedication.

“A lot of times that has to do with being more comfortable with the offense and getting more comfortable with his ability to execute things,” Bobo said. “That comes with practice. We’re definitely pleased with Marlon. I like how he comes out and doesn’t back down. He’s very physical. He needs to continue to fine-tune his route running, and I think he’ll be a major player for us this year.”

HAPPY IN ATHENS

On Georgia’s crowded depth chart at tight end, Arthur Lynch is clearly the odd man out for much of the spring. He lacks the experience of Bruce Figgins, the speed of Orson Charles or the versatility of Aron White. But his 39-yard touchdown catch-and-run at G-Day gave ample evidence that Lynch is still a dangerous weapon for the Bulldogs.

“I wanted to get some film on me and make some plays out there, and this was a good way to do it,” Lynch said.

While Lynch was the low man in the tight end pecking order a year ago, the Massachusetts native was also a bit of a fish out of water in Athens. Although the lack of playing time did frustrate Lynch, Charles said his teammate still felt right at home at Georgia.

“Transferring and stuff like that, it never crossed Arthur’s mind,” Charles said. “Yeah, he was upset, but he knew he had to get better, and now he’s looking good out there. I’m really excited for this year and to see how coaches are going to use us.”

GLAD TO BE BACK

In Georgia’s second spring scrimmage, Kris Durham hauled in three touchdown catches. Last week on G-Day, he was the day’s top receiver. It’s not exactly the same as celebrating a big score on a fall Saturday, but there’s no doubt that after a year on the sideline following a shoulder injury, Georgia’s lone senior receiver was thrilled to be back at work.

“It makes you appreciate the game more and appreciate everything everyone goes through,” Durham said of last year’s lost season. “I was kind of on the outside last year, so I’m just looking forward this year to being back in the mix.”

Georgia’s coaches are excited about the possibility, too. The Bulldogs’ receiving corps will be a bit green – with only A.J. Green having more than 20 career receptions. But Durham provides a veteran presence that Richt said will be crucial in 2010.

“Kris is so valuable because he knows every wide receiver position, he can get to the line of scrimmage and make sure everybody gets lined up properly,” Richt said. “He’s a tough guy you can throw screens to – because not many guys want to take the ball over the middle like he will. He can play inside or outside receiver, he’ll block, and he’s a leader.”

WOOTEN WAITING

His freshman season started slowly, but once Rantavious Wooten got onto the field, things began to click quickly. After catching just two passes in Georgia’s first six games, Wooten grabbed a reception in five of the team’s last six regular-season contests and earned the confidence of his coaches.

This season, Wooten is hoping to build on his strong finish to 2009, but he’s not expecting to be treated like one of the veterans just yet.

“I just want the ball,” Wooten said. “I don’t know what Coach Bobo or Coach (Tony) Ball have in store for me, but I just want to show them that I can play, and hopefully they see that and try to get me the ball. That’s all I can hope for.”

POSITIVE RESULTS

Corners Brandon Boykin and Vance Cuff shared the spring award for most improved players on defense, and Richt credits a good bit of that to the impressive work being done by first-year defensive backs coach Scott Lakatos.

“One thing about Coach Lakatos that I see, he’s a great technician and he seems to communicate well,” Richt said. “I think the players have a healthy respect for him and his knowledge, and there’s been some positive results which gives guys more faith in what’s being taught.”

Scrimmage Notes: Richt Reserves Comment on Cab Controversy

(Note: CLICK HERE to see the stats from Saturday's scrimmage. The rest of my notes from the day's work are below...)

Two days after reports surfaced that as many as four Georgia football players may have been involved in an incident in which three university students were threatened and assaulted in a taxi, head coach Mark Richt remained mostly silent on the matter – for now.

“I believe by Monday we’ll have all the information needed,” Richt said. “There’s things I’d like to say about it, but I won’t. I’ll wait. I’ll wait until Monday.”

The report first came to light in a story in The Red & Black last Thursday, in which three people filed a police report claiming that four black men had shared a taxi from downtown Athens with them, making violent and sexual comments on the ride while slapping or hitting two of the accusers multiple times. The report indicated that the accusers believed the men were members of the Georgia football team.

Police continue to investigate the incident, but as of Saturday, no players had been charged with a crime, and Richt indicated that the only players who missed Saturday’s scrimmage were due to injury.

DURHAM, CUFF STEAL THE SHOW

Georgia’s scrimmage proved to be a big day for the offense, particularly senior receiver Kris Durham.

Three of the Bulldogs’ four offensive touchdowns went to Durham, Richt said, and the senior finished with four catches for 74 yards.

“I was about the second best (receiver),” said A.J. Green, who caught six passes for 80 yards. “But I didn’t compare to Durham though.”

Durham caught a fade pattern from Logan Gray on the first drive of the scrimmage then hauled in two post pattern passes for touchdowns, too. The big numbers were a welcome after Durham missed all of last season with a shoulder injury.

“He’s doing good, and I know he’s excited about practicing again and playing football again,” Richt said.

Added Green: “From Day 1, I know he’s going to be a weapon. The question is just going to be can he stay healthy, but he’s going to make some big plays, and it was good to see him out there with three touchdowns.”

While the defense didn’t have quite as impressive a showing Saturday, corner Vance Cuff managed to turn in the day’s highlight, making a one-handed interception of an Aaron Murray pass in the back of the end zone.

“Vance is really gaining confidence daily, and he’s making some really nice plays – plays that I hadn’t seen him make on a consistent basis,” Richt said. “I think you can just see his demeanor, his confidence level has really risen.”

Green said Cuff has grown by leaps and bounds this spring and, although he’s still involved in a stiff competition with Branden Smith for the open starting cornerback job, Cuff has added an element of physicality to his repertoire that makes him a touch matchup.

“He’s getting more aggressive. He has the speed to go with anybody, but he’s getting much better,” Green said. “He’s more slender, tall, and I feel like he can get his hands on you quicker than some of the shorter ones because he has long arms. And he’s just jamming a lot of the receivers at boundary, and he’s been real aggressive.”

FEWER FLAGS SATURDAY

There were so many penalties during Thursday’s practice that Richt said he hardly cared how the offense and defense performed. When practice ended, he had his players rolling the length of the field – twice. It was enough punishment to have several players on the verge of vomiting, but it seemed to get his point across.

Georgia’s offense committed just one infraction during Saturday’s scrimmage – a false start on one of the receivers – and the defense had just three.

Richt said he hoped Saturday’s more refined play would be the rule, and said Thursday’s lackluster performance was likely based more on a bit of displaced energy from his players.

“Spring ball, you’re smacking that same guy day after day after day,” Richt said. “You’re competing with him, and sometimes they just lose their patience with each other and you get a dumb foul. He’ll lose his composure because he wants to whip that guys o badly. It wasn’t all bad because the energy level and the fight was great, but we just had too many penalties.”

BUMPS & BRUISES

Aside from players out for the remainder of spring practice, Georgia had just three players miss Saturday’s scrimmage. Tailbacks Caleb King and Dontavius Jackson and receiver Marlon Brown all sat out, but all are expected to be back for the final week of practice.

“It’s getting better,” King said of his sore knee. “They just wanted me to rest on it, and I know for sure I’m coming back on Tuesday. It was just flaring up.”

Fellow tailback Washaun Ealey was also limited during the day’s scrimmage due to a minor knee injury, getting just five carries, leaving the majority of the tailback work to Carlton Thomas and walk-on Kevin Lanier.

“I got a little banged up, so it was mostly Carlton,” Ealey said. “I just got a little knee bruise, but I’m still practicing. It’s not a factor.”

FINAL THOUGHTS

While the offense was the winner Saturday, Richt said the defense had it's moments, too.

“Offense really had a pretty good day," he said. "Defense didn’t have as much success as they’d had during the mid-week, although they made some big plays at the tail end of some drives that were really impressive. The defense won the short-yardage drill at the end of practice.”

And while there is still one more week of spring practice yet, Aron White adds that today's work was a crucial moment for many of the players involved in position battles.

“We’ve still got a couple more practices to get in, so it’s by no means over, but it was definitely a day to go out and see where we’re at," White said. "It’s close to a game as we’ll get before the (fall), and guys tried to take advantage of that.”

While the quarterbacks said the rotation between the first and second-team units was about even, Clint Boling said he was fairly impressed with how the backup offensive line performed.

“There’s a little bit of different experience-wise," Boling said. "Us in the first group, we’ve been playing together for two or three years, and we have a continuity between all of us. Those guys rotate around a lot. But they’re doing a good job out there.”

QB COMPETITION

I'm writing my feature for tomorrow's Telegraph on the quarterback derby, so be sure to check that out. In the meantime, here's a few of the quotes about the QBs following Saturday's scrimmage.

Logan Gray on his performance...
“I felt good today. It was nice on the first drive getting some rhythm going and completing some balls, and we kept it going throughout. Me, Aaron and Zach, it seemed like the whole offense had a pretty solid day.”

Aaron Murray on his spring...
“I think I’ve definitely improved, and that was my main goal this spring. So I just want to keep improving this week and have a good G-Day.”

Richt on how the QBs have done this spring...
“It has been a good competition and I am pleased with it. I’m pleased because by sitting in there every day and listening to Coach Bobo install and coach and teach, watching how they react and watching how quickly they can answer the questions correctly, and just to see them have their notepads and making notes, they’re just good students of the game. And you can see it out on the field. They’re really making very few mistakes, and we’re pretty complicated when it comes to declaring linebackers for blocking schemes and deciding whether you should run this way or that way or check to a pass or change the protection or if you’re throwing hot. All these things, there’s a lot to think about and they’re really processing it very well.”

Notes: Offense Gets in Sync

By FLETCHER PAGE

Compared to their defensive counterparts, Georgia’s offensive players are breezing through spring practice.

Returning nine starters, who have multiple years of experience in coach Mike Bobo’s system, made it easy for the unit to begin spring practice in full stride.

“We’re installing things pretty fast, going pretty fast with things,” said quarterback Aaron Murray. “That’s just because the guys know what they’re doing out there. We don’t have to take it slow. We’re pretty much rapid fire right now.”

With so much experience returning, less time has been spent teaching, with fewer repetitions needed to get formations and plays in sync.

But the wealth of knowledge doesn’t end with the starters. The two-deep depth chart is littered with plenty of guys who have seen quality minutes, such as backup fullback Fred Munzenmaier, along with considerable depth along the line, and at tight end and running back.

“Definitely makes it easier,” said receiver Kris Durham. “Just having, you know, a line that’s been there, a receiving corps that’s been through it, two fullbacks that have been through it, and two running backs that have been through it.”

The only unproven position is quarterback, the most important according to most. Having such a well-tested bunch of players surrounding the new quarterback acts like a support group, Durham says.

“The only people that haven’t been in the fire are the new quarterbacks, but with so much depth that we have around them, I think we’ll be able to protect them until they get used to game speed and just the mentality,” he said.

Added Murray: "It’s definitely comforting. Especially since whoever is going to be quarterback is going to be the new guy. We’re not really going to be thrown into the fire, expected to complete every ball 30, 40 times a game. We have unbelievable running backs, and a really great offensive line to take the pressure off us. So, we really don’t have to go into every game, stressing.”

SHOULDER THE BURDEN

Georgia has three wide receivers with three separate shoulder injuries, and all three are just fine.

Durham missed all of last season after surgery on his left shoulder. He fell on the repaired joint Thursday in practice, and was relieved when he got up fine.

“I caught a ball, just landed on it,” Durham said. “It’s fine. It’s something I’ve got to get used to, not trying to restrict it in any way. I’ve rehabbed it, so now I’ve just got to let it go.”

A.J Green took a similar fall in practice Saturday, landing on the left shoulder he injured last season.

“And no problems,” he said.

Lastly, Marlon Brown hurt his shoulder Saturday, sitting out practice while icing it on the sideline. The injury is not serious, and will not keep him from practice this week.

FINALLY HEALTHY

Running back Dontavius Jackson was all smiles after practice Saturday.

Finally 100 percent healthy, Jackson has seemingly worn the smile all spring.

“I feel real good. I’m just trying to keep working hard everyday in practice, just trying to get better,” he said.

Injuries to his wrist and knee limited Jackson in the past, and kept him from being a serious contender to get on the field during games. He carried the ball just three times last season, all against Vanderbilt in mop-up duty.

Jackson, a native of Franklin, is just glad to be back in the rotation on a regualar basis.

“It feels good being back,” he said. “We’ve got some great backs, and we’re all fighting. That makes us better, and basically that’s our goal.”

Caleb King and Washuan Ealey have repped as the No. 1 back for most of the spring. After a strong end to 2009 for both backs, and Carlton Thomas’ change-of-pace potential, at times Jackson can get lost in the shuffle. But he’s trying to get recognition, every day in practice.

“I don’t know what real people expect,” Jackson said. “All I can do is my part, try to work hard and improve.”

Notes: Outside Look at Inside Linebacker

It’s safe to say Justin Houston is excited about his new role on Georgia’s defense. His job – mainly crushing a few quarterbacks – won’t change much, but he’s loving the new setting of the 3-4 defense, where he moves to outside linebacker from defensive end.

“It was a good experience to be out there learning what we’ve got to work on,” Houston said of the Bulldogs’ first taste of the new scheme last week. “I just have to drop back (into coverage) every now and then. I like to drop back. I get tired of just banging all the time.”

Houston admitted he wasn’t always fully aware of where he was supposed to be or what he was supposed to do during Day 1 of practice, but he thinks he’ll pick up the basics pretty quickly. His teammates playing inside linebacker, however, won’t have it quite so easy.

“The inside guy has a lot to learn,” Houston said. “The outside guys, to me it’s simple. I’m picking it up pretty fast. But the inside guys, Akeem Dent and Darryl Gamble, we were talking about it coming off the field that the things they have to learn, they’ve got a long ways to go.”

New defensive coordinator Todd Grantham will be coaching the outside linebackers and said their primary role is still to rush the quarterback. The inside linebackers, however, will have an increased presence in the running game, will be required to work in coverage and the Mike linebacker position will essentially be the quarterback of the defense.

“It’ll mean more communication, especially from my part,” said Gamble, a senior who played middle linebacker for much of the past two seasons. “You’ve got to be able to see more, get the line and even the DBs adjusted to what’s going on in front of us.”

It’s no surprise then that the two top contenders for the job are Georgia’s most veteran linebackers – Gamble and Dent.

“Me and him, we’ve got a lot of reps under our belt, more than a lot of other guys on the defense,” Gamble said. “So it’ll be better off hearing it from us than hearing from somebody else that doesn’t know a lot about what’s going on on Saturdays.”

ON THE MOVE

Nick Williams arrived at Georgia as a safety. Midway through his freshman season, he moved to linebacker. When injuries disrupted the depth chart at safety last spring, he moved back to safety. By the time the season started, however, he was a linebacker once again. And now, as spring begins for Georgia in 2010, Williams is once again on the move – and he couldn’t be happier.

“I was excited when I heard I was back at safety,” Williams said. “I liked linebacker, but I wasn’t big enough. I knew that, but I was going to play it regardless. So when Coach (Mark Richt) told me I was going back to safety, and this was my permanent spot, I’m like, ‘That’s good.’ It wasn’t hard switching back.”

Williams said he needs to drop a few pounds before the season starts – he’s at about 220 now – but beyond that, safety feels like home.

Even better than the new position, however, is the new style, Williams said. In Grantham’s new defense, the safeties are given a lot more room to run and make plays, and that’s exactly what Williams wants to do.

“This is just a fun defense to play in,” he said. “You’re running around making plays. You’re not just assigned to one gap. You’re making plays. You never know who’s blitzing, the safeties are always running and moving around. It’s fun.”

Of course, before Williams can make too many plays, he needs to land a starting job. Both of last year’s starters are gone, which leaves the competition this spring tight between Bacarri Rambo – last year’s top backup – junior college transfer Jakar Hamilton, veteran Quintin Banks and Williams.

During Georgia’s first practice, Williams said he and Hamilton split most of the first-team reps, but said the other safety position really isn’t up for grabs.

“I see it as one open position because Rambo’s got his locked,” Williams said. “He’s ready to go.”

ANY WAY YOU WANT IT

Branden Smith had plenty of highlight moments in his freshman campaign, but he didn’t exactly secure his place in the pecking order of the defensive backfield. In fact, much of Smith’s impact in 2009 was felt on the offensive side of the football.

That should change a bit this season as Smith battles to land the starting job at cornerback opposite Brandon Boykin, but his playing time on offense last year didn’t necessarily maximize his study time for his current job.

“I wish I could have played defense a little more last year, but on the other hand, I’m just here to help the team win, that’s all,” Smith said.

Smith finished last season with just 14 tackles and two pass break-ups, playing in a back-up role on defense, generally in nickel coverages.

On offense, Smith met with a bit more success – rushing for 208 yards and two touchdowns on the season. He handled kick returns, too, but has occasional problems hanging onto the football.

This spring, Smith said he plans to focus on developing his skills at corner and said he hasn’t spoken with new defensive backs coach Scott Lakatos about playing offense or special teams, too. Still, the idea of being an all-purpose contributor remains of keen interest for Smith.

“I like playing both ways, but my main focus is just winning,” Smith said. “If I had to play offense the rest of the season to help the team win, that’s what I’d have to do.”

For now, however, Smith's role is to be the student, and he's enjoying the early lessons from his new coach.

“Coach Lakatos is real different from (former) Coach (Willie) Martinez. Both of them have their ways, just teaching different stuff," Smith said. "Now we’ve got to learn the things (Lakatos) is teaching us, and … his teaching style is way different. Coach Lakatos, he sits down and shows us how to do things. He is a teacher, really.”

HEAD OF THE CLASS

Kris Durham is thrilled to be suiting up this spring in order to finish out his Georgia career on a high note. But it's not just on the field.

Durham gets decked out for his other full-time gig each day this semester, too. He's student teaching a history class at Oconee County Middle School to finish up his degree, and while he's in charge of the classroom, he said he's learned a few lessons along the way.

“It’s definitely different," said Durham, who plans to begin grad school at UGA this summer. "I used to think I was getting away with a lot of stuff, but teachers see more than you think they do.”

Each weekday from 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., Durham is in the classroom, with recent lectures focusing on civil rights, Rosa Parks and the Montgomery bus boycott.

Of course, before he could get to teaching, he had to get past the excitement among his students that they would be learning from a Georgia football player.

Durham didn't reveal his other job, but his students had no trouble unveiling his true identity.

“They figured that out after about the first 20 minutes," Durham said. "I had to get that out of the way real quick and make sure they saw me as not just a football player, but I’m here to help you guys learn and help educate.”

As much as Durham is looking forward to getting back on the football field after missing all of last season with a shoulder injury, his off-field work is proving every bit as rewarding.

“I’ve been blessed by having so many good teachers and coaches, I just feel like that’s how I’ve got to pay it forward,” he said. "I get to enjoy the youth of America. I get to have my influence on them. It’s just a good way to give back.”

WHAT THE OFFENSE SEES

Not sure if I had posted this before, but here's Mike Bobo's take on the 3-4 defense:

“I think the big difficulty in the 3-4 is you have the outside backers that are backers/rush guys. As an offense, it’s hard to account – do I account for those guys as outside guys as a D lineman or as a linebacker? You’re worried about mismatches and blocking. I still want my left tackle to block that guy, but in that front, my fullback or my back might have to block that outside backer, and that’s a mismatch. So that’s where it causes some confusion for offenses is identifying personnel and trying to get the right matchup on those guys. In a 3-4, you can disguise and you don’t know where they’re coming from. You create mismatches, get to the quarterback and cause confusion.”

Notebook: Durham Brings Seniority to Receivers

It was hardly the way Kris Durham wanted things to play out, but sometimes things have a way of working out in strange ways.

Durham was preparing for a breakout senior season last spring when he hurt his shoulder, and the ensuing surgery to repair the damage kept him on the sidelines for the entire year. After seeing regular playing time for three seasons, waiting and watching was no easy task.

As it turns out, however, it was just what Georgia needed. The Bulldogs have just five other scholarship receivers on their roster, and Durham will be the only senior of the bunch this season. That makes his extra year in Athens a serendipitous turn of events.

“It’s been a blessing in disguise,” Durham said. “I wanted to come back for Joe (Cox) and all the seniors, and you don’t want to sit out a year. It’s hard after you’ve already played. But I definitely learned a lot, and sitting back and taking a year off makes you appreciate the game more.”

It also gave Durham a chance to work with those younger receivers and develop into a leader among the group that features just two returning wideouts who had more than 10 receptions last year.

But Durham warns that the lack of experience at receiver shouldn’t worry Georgia fans. He thinks the group is ready to take a big step forward in 2010.

“They’re definitely progressing,” Durham said. “Your first year, it’s hard to come in and really contribute because you’re trying to learn the plays and what the offense is. In your second year is when you figure out, OK, I understand what I’m supposed to do, now I’m starting to understand what the guy opposite of me is doing and how everything inter-relates.”

HURRY UP AND WAIT

It was an odd feeling, defensive lineman DeAngelo Tyson admitted. After more than two months of waiting and wondering, the Bulldogs finally got back to practice last week in what was a frenzied first experiment with Todd Grantham’s new 3-4 defensive scheme.

The follow-up to those early efforts, however, was a bit out of place – a 12-day vacation.

“It’s weird to practice one day and then take a week off. You can get out of shape and get weak, but I think we have players who will buy in and do what they’re supposed to do over spring break.”

Georgia opened spring practice on March 4 to take advantage of additional meeting time afforded by the NCAA, but players are now relaxing again on their spring breaks before returning to work on March 16 to finish out the spring. It was an odd schedule, but head coach Mark Richt said he hopes his players are using their vacation time wisely and will come back ready to impress.

“Guys can gain a lot of confidence during the spring, especially from a competitive standpoint, from a physicality standpoint,” Richt said. “If you learn to play hard and play physical in the spring and see what it feels like, they’ll remember that. It’s also a big time just to prove to the coaches, should you be in the lineup, should you be playing? I don’t worry about who starts in the spring so much as who’s going to be ready?”

TIPPING THE SCALES

It’s an annual spring story for tight end Aron White, but this year, he’s not going to let it dominate his approach to the offseason.

The undersized tight end has fought an ongoing battle to put on weight and improve his blocking during his first two offseasons at Georgia, but this year things are different. He’s tipping the scales at 240 pounds – a career high for him after playing last year closer to 230 – and he’s through worrying if he gets any heavier.

“I’ve always struggled a little bit keeping the weight on, just with the working out that we do and just genetics,” said White, who caught 13 passes for 197 yards and four touchdowns last year. “It’s always been something people have talked about with me, but I try not to think about it. I want to let it come naturally. I don’t want to put on 10 pounds overnight and then go out there and lose a second on my 40. I definitely feel like that’s not my strength, running people over. I have to get out there and be athletic. That’s what suits me best.”

CHANGE HAS COME

Tailback Washaun Ealey officially unveiled his new uniform number at Georgia’s first spring workout, switching from the No. 24 to No. 3 – the same number he wore during his high school days.

The move got the stamp of approval from backfield mate Caleb King, who said it fits with the dynamic he’s trying to establish among the running backs.

“I just called him my son now,” King joked. “He’s three and I’m four.”

Good Quote, Bad Quote: Pre-Spring Edition

We got to pepper Georgia's players with a lot of questions yesterday, and to prove they weren't anywhere close to midseason form when it comes to dealing with the media, we actually got a few good, candid answers. They'll be sick of us soon enough, though, no doubt.

Of course, mixed with the great quotes were a few not-so-great ones, too. So, let's trot out the first edition of our new feature at Bulldogs Blog… Good Quote, Bad Quote.

GOOD QUOTE:

“I was talking to Coach (Mark) Richt about being All-American. I believe that if I would have stayed healthy last year, I would have easily gotten that. So that’s my goal is just to be an All-American.”

That's from A.J. Green, the only guy I know who can use the phrase "Just an All-American" and I wouldn't suggest he might be underselling the accomplishment.

BAD QUOTE:

I asked A.J. what it's been like for him that, entering his third year at UGA, he'll now be playing with his third different quarterback. He said it was definitely a bit odd, particularly since he played with the same QB all through high school. So my follow-up question, of course, was this: "So, does that mean you'll definitely be sticking around for your senior year so you can play with the same QB twice?"

Sadly, there was no such commitment coming from the star wide out: “I don’t know, man," Green said. "Whatever happens.”

I think we all have a pretty good feel for what might happen.

GOOD QUOTE:

“Tell Darick ‘pretty boy’ Rogers he doesn’t have to know me but I bet he will feel me!! Lol”

And…

“I compete against the best receiver in the nation everyday at practice. Why should i worry about that guy.”

Both of those quotes came from Bacarri Rambo's Twitter page in the days following Da'Rick Rogers' last-minute departure from his commitment to UGA and his eventual decision to head to Tennessee instead. Funny stuff, and we all love a little trash talk, right?

Of course, that leads us to...

BAD QUOTE:

“I wasn’t really directly talking to him. I was just shocked that you would say you were going to one school and then change your mind at the last (minute). It wasn’t directed to him. It was directed to no one. I was just confused and curious as to why they would do things like that. But if he wanted to think it was him, I can’t stop him from thinking that, so it’s whatever.”

That's Rambo on his explanation of the war of words with Rogers. Hey, I'm all for trying to throw some water on the fire now, Bacarri, but it's hard to say you didn't direct your comments at a guy when you used his name. Of course, I guess when you hit like Rambo does, who's gonna argue with him?

GOOD QUOTE:

Kris Durham was on hand for interviews, all dressed up in khakis and a button-down shirt. The reason for the nice duds? Well, he said he got dressed up for us, which we of course appreciated, but in fact it's because he has been student teaching at Oconee County Middle School.

Anyway, Durham said he's had the occasional behavior problems with his students, so I asked if he ever threatened to send Bacarri Rambo after them to get them to behave.

“No," Durham said, "I don’t have him using his Twitter page very much.”

Burrrrrrrn!

BAD QUOTE:

Tell me if you remember hearing this before…

“I believe we’re working harder than last year. Last year, we had a lot of leaders and we thought things were just going to be handed to us and didn’t work as hard as we should, I thought at least. This year, we’re working hard.”

That's not from Joe Cox or Rennie Curran or any of the guys who spoke on the subject last offseason. That's from A.J. Green yesterday.

Sorry, A.J. I'm just not buying in this year.

GOOD QUOTE:

“From what they said the other day, they gave more A’s than they’ve given in a long time. The guys are really going to work, just really trying hard to impress the coaches and trying to get better. You can tell everybody’s excited around here, especially the defensive guys. We’re ready to go to where I feel Coach (Todd) Grantham and the defensive staff will just let us play and let us have fun out there."

Now, I'm definitely going to be a bit more skeptical of the hard work and leadership quotes this offseason, but I gotta say, this quote from Marcus Dowtin is pretty encouraging.

While I'm sure every offseason is The Best Offseason Ever, I think there probably is a good bit of truth to what Dowtin said. In fact, it was obvious just from talking to the defensive players how enthusiastic and excited they are about the new regime and the new scheme.

In fact, here's one last quote I think every UGA fan will be excited about, courtesy of Mr. Rambo...

GOOD QUOTE

“It’s a whole lot different, especially with the footwork that Coach (Scott) Lakatos is teaching us," Rambo said of working with his new defensive backs coach. "Most of the people in the NFL run the same thing as Coach Lakatos is teaching us. It’s a whole different footwork thing from Coach Martinez.”

And not to bash Willie Martinez, but here's how Branden Smith discussed learning that new footwork:

“Backpedaling, coming out of the breaks, turning – those are different," Smith said. "The footwork that Coach Lakatos is teaching us right now, I’ve done it in high school, so it’s nothing new and it’s easier to learn.”

I can only assume if it was good enough for the five-star player in high school, and it's good enough for the pros in the NFL, it's going to be a nice addition to the secondary at UGA.

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.”

Practice Notes: Questions Remain on King's Status

It’s been a roller-coaster ride for tailback Caleb King the past few days, and that’s probably been the most painful part of his month-long hiatus from football.

On Saturday, he watched Georgia play Oklahoma State, sitting alone in his room. Sunday, he returned to practice and for the first time in weeks, he felt pretty good. By Tuesday, however, his practice was cut short once again, and his prospects for playing against South Carolina this Saturday took a hit.

“We saw him Sunday and for what we asked him to do that day, he ran around well,” head coach Mark Richt said. “Then we got into a full pads day and added more periods, the hamstring fatigued faster than it normally would, and we pulled him out. I would say it’s not a slam dunk at this point.”

King did some light work during individual workouts Wednesday and practiced during scout-team work, but he said he’s still not sure whether he has any chance of playing in Georgia’s home opener Saturday.

“I honestly don’t know,” King said. “If they don’t think I’m 110 percent, I know they’re not going to play me at all. So if I don’t, I’m not going to play at all, and if I do, I’ll play a lot.”

King said his hamstring is feeling much better, but the muscle fatigues much faster than normal due to his extended absence from the playing field and said coaches could decide to rest him another week to allow him time to build up the strength again.

That’s OK with him, King said, but he would just like to know an answer one way or the other.

“It’s frustrating, but it’s more frustrating because I don’t know what they’re going to do with me,” he said. “But it’s all right. I’ll play if I have to play, but if I don’t, I’ll sit down and wait ‘til next week.”

Richt said it will likely be after today’s practice that coaches will make a final decision on King’s availability.

DON’T BLAME THE FRESHMAN

Freshman kick returner Branden Smith took some heat from fans for twice deciding to return kicks from deep in his own end zone, but Tony Ball said it wasn’t Smith’s decision.

“It’s on (Shaun) Chapas,” Ball said. “The returner can sometimes get disoriented trying to field that type of kick, especially a young player like Branden. And I told (Chapas) if you have to, you go in the end zone and grab him and don’t let him come out. Those are the trials and tribulations, but they’re not issues that can’t be fixed.”

Chapas, who works as the upback, was told to make the decision on whether to return the kick or take a knee in the end zone for a touchback, but the angle of the kick made the choice difficult.

“My initial thought was Chapas should have kept him in the end zone,” Ball said. “After asking Chapas about it, he felt like it being a line-drive kick, that threw things off. There was some dynamics there where he had to make some decisions, but Chapas has done it for a couple of years, so I trust him.

NEW LOOK ON O LINE

Georgia’s offensive line will have a different look to it in the Bulldogs’ second outing of the season, and it won’t be just because starting left tackle Trinton Sturdivant is out for the season following an ACL injury.

Justin Anderson will get the starting nod at right guard this week over incumbent Chris Davis, who Richt said lacks the size to create a favorable matchup against South Carolina’s hefty defensive front.

“The guys we’re playing are big men, and (Anderson) has just got more girth to him,” Richt said. “Chris, I’m sure, will end up playing, but you get two big guards in there when you play a team that’s mostly a four-man front, usually they cover your guards and you want to get some big men in there to hold up against them.”

Senior Vince Vance will step in at left tackle for Sturdivant, who tore his ACL for the second time in as many years during the second half of Georgia’s opener against Oklahoma State.

Vance filled in for about 25 snaps against the Cowboys, and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said he turned in a strong performance.

“He did good,” Bobo said. “He played with energy and didn’t have hardly any missed assignments which is what we expect from Vince.”

NO HARM DONE

Both Richt and Bobo offered some minor criticisms of the offensive line’s performance against Oklahoma State, but Richt said he didn’t think any problems were a result of ankle injuries suffered by Davis and center Ben Jones late in preseason practice.

“I can’t say they feel great, but they weren’t limping around as they prepared in practice,” Richt said. “They did miss some work, some of those opportunities to just kind of get in the groove, but I don’t think the pain from the injuries caused any change of their ability to do their job.”

EALEY STILL IN THE MIX

With King potentially missing another week of action, Richt said he hasn’t ruled out using freshman tailback Washaun Ealey – both at running back and on special teams.

The problem, Richt said, is that due to an early elbow injury during fall camp, Ealey is still behind in terms of how much progress the coaching staff had hoped to see.

“If you have some cumulative reps and you miss some time, that’s one thing,” Richt said. “But if you’re not there to learn it from scratch, it’s hard to throw them into the middle of a game plan and say, ‘Go do it,’ when he doesn’t even have the basics down.”

Despite being a bit behind on the learning curve, however, Richt said Ealey has remained in the mix during practice and could still see action – if not against South Carolina, potentially down the road.

“We are still trying to incorporate him in those areas, and we’re still getting him reps to try to keep him greased up and keep his mind in it,” Richt said.

DURHAM BACK AT WORK

Senior receiver Kris Durham, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery during the offseason, returned to receiving drills Wednesday for the first time.

Durham was kept out of any competitive situations, Richt said, but he got work in catching passes, which was an important benchmark.

“It’s encouraging and certainly he’s excited about it,” Ball said. “And it’s always good to have Kris around.”

CLOSER INSPECTION

After watching the film, Joe Cox said it was obvious he held the ball too long on too many snaps against Oklahoma State, a problem that led to a number of incompletions.

The problem, he said, was he started overthinking the situation, but when he takes the field against South Carolina, he’s promising a back-to-basics approach to making his reads.

“When you start looking around, you start getting your eyes in the wrong spot, you start worrying about too much,” Cox said. “It’s almost over-analyzing what’s going on. So that’s what I felt was happening with me, but it’s something where you just go back to your basic reads and fundamentals and work on timing.”

WHO’S TO BLAME?

When Richt addressed the media on Tuesday, his analysis of Georgia’s shortcomings against Oklahoma State was a fairly harsh critique of his offense. In short, he said the intensity was lacking.

“We didn’t play with speed and finish blocks like we should,” he said. “We just need that little extra effort on each play to block a little bit longer or create a little bit more space, and that can make all the difference in the world between a guy getting tripped up and a guy going to the house. I don’t want to cause any kind of panic, because it’s not that at all, but we want to see a little more fire coming out of them.”

Upon further review, however, Richt decided his comments might have been a bit too severe.

He said he watched the game film once more Tuesday evening and came to the conclusion that the shortcomings weren’t quite as problematic as they appeared at first blush.

“It really wasn’t so much up front, it was some perimeter blocking issues, some backs needing to continue running their feet or place their hat in a better spot,” Richt said. “We ran some outside plays and were getting hats on everybody and fit up on them pretty good, but just didn’t sustain long enough.”

TO PLAY OR NOT TO PLAY

Logan Gray figured to see some action against Oklahoma State, but as it turned out he was in on just one offensive play – a designed run for a short gain.

After the offense struggled to just 10 points, however, a vocal contingent of fans was hoping to see a bit more of the backup quarterback in Georgia’s next game.

That could be the case, Richt said, but nothing’s guaranteed.

“He can run our system, and we had planned to get him in the game mostly in the red-zone area,” Richt said. “We did get him in there one time, but unfortunately we didn’t get in the red zone very often. Right now, Joe’s definitely the No. 1 guy, and we’ll see if and when Logan will get in there.”

ONGOING BATTLE

Brandon Bogotay was brought in this offseason to provide competition on kickoffs for sophomore Blair Walsh, but it was the incumbent who earned the job again.

Richt said Walsh's consistency, hangtime and accuracy landed him the job, but he hasn't ruled out the possibility that Bogotay could still win the job down the road.

“It was very, very close," Richt said of the competition. "It wasn’t like Bogotay did poorly. In my opinion, they both kicked it good enough to win the job, and Bogotay’s not done by any stretch.”

IT’S NO BEAUTY PAGEANT

The history of the Georgia-South Carolina series suggests there won’t be many points scored Saturday. So despite his offense struggling badly in its first game of the season, Richt said a low-scoring affair wouldn’t be more cause for concern.

“All I’m worried about is winning the game,” Richt said. “I appreciate the victory and not the style points.”

NOTABLE QUOTABLE

From Georgia receiver A.J. Green on what this week’s game means: “Losing that last one last week, I just want a victory to get this feeling out of my stomach and get a victory under my belt.”

Deleted Scenes: Georgia's Mentor Program

One of the biggest changes this offseason for Georgia has been a new dedication on the part of the team's veterans on teaching the younger players rather than simply letting the coaches do the coaching. I have an article in today's Macon Telegraph on how the new attitude has helped both the older guys and the new freshmen.

After you're done reading the article, check out these additional quotes from players about the emphasis on mentoring this offseason.

Fullback Shaun Chapas on the team-first mentality...
"I think this team's very united. We all love each other and we have good chemistry on the team. And I know that we all really care about each other, what we do on and off the field."

Defensive end Kiante Tripp on the different feel of this offseason...
"From the time I've been here, I'd have to say that this has been a real successful summer in that I've never seen the guys work as hard as we've been working. Everybody's out there working. It's a good environment to be around to prepare for the season."

Tripp on the team's new mantra...
"In order for us to be successful, we've got to be a team and help each other out. It's a team thing, and we've got to work together. Mark Richt said the star of the team is the team, and we took that and have run with it."

Linebacker Akeem Dent on the offseason philosophy...
"It started in the weight room. All of them came in and were really willing to work. We've had a lot of guys who when we go into the film room, they're already ready, they have pens and pencils to take notes, and we're ready to teach them."

Dent on this offseason compared to past ones...
"Now compared to when I got here, there's more guys willing to go out and teach, teach the whole playbook. When they first came in, guys like Mike Gilliard and Chase (Vasser), we started from the basics and then moved on and letting them go out and throw them into the fire to see if they're grasping everything."

Dent on handling the freshmen...
"You have those first time jitters the first time you go out on the field because you don't know what to expect, but me, Darryl Gamble, Rennie, we're out there and we critique them on everything, even if it's something minor because we want them to do it the best way."

Running back Carlton Thomas on the difference between this year and last...
"Everybody's just become more hands-on. You can just see it in every unit. Everybody has this focus, everybody's pushing each other, everybody's trying to learn more. We're getting in there to watch film, and that's something we really didn't do a lot of before. A lot of units are even coming in in the mornings to watch film. And it's not just a couple guys trying to improve each other. It's like everybody's on the focus of, if I can get my unit better, it's going to help the team."

Thomas on the attitude this year...
"Since mat drills we've been saying the thing, the star of the team is the team. It's been a team thing, and we want to be a player-driven team. That's basically been what it's been. Nobody's being forced. We're just coming out here and doing extra work."

Wide receiver Michael Moore on interacting with the youngsters...
"Everybody knew we had to step up as leaders. We all know how hard it is to come in as a freshman, and this year we're depending on everybody for success. When I knew Wooten and Marlon were coming in, even on Facebook before they got here, they were asking questions, and it's just good to see. Orson's asking me questions every day. And when you have players that want to learn, it makes it easier for us."

Moore on his experiences as a freshman...
"It was a lot different. The senior class that we had, everybody was more established. Everybody to me was more trying to get their own stuff together. This year, we're trying to take it as more of a team, because we need the younger guys. You don't want them to shy away. You want them to be able to perform and be able to compete with you."

Moore on dealing with the new freshmen...
"Sometimes it's funny because when you try to explain things to them, they're still looking at you like you're talking to a brick wall. So sometimes you need to take a step back and break it down for them from point A to point B to point C. You can't just go from A to C. The guys that we have now, they're real smart and they're picking it up real fast."

Wide receiver Kris Durham on teaching teammates...
"Sometimes you have to tell them what they did wrong and get in their face to explain it to them. Yeah, it might make them mad, but everybody realizes that you're trying to make them better."

Durham on learning lessons from last season...
"We've discussed what happened last year, and we're trying to move on and learn from it. Everyone's just trying to build off of what works."

What Can Brown Do for Georgia?

With just two weeks to go until fall practice begins, Georgia's new freshmen phenom – wide receiver Marlon Brown -- has already had a chance to impress his teammates during summer workouts, but senior Michael Moore said the comparisons to last year's standout receiver are a bit premature.

"It's really not fair to compare anybody to A.J. Green right now because he's one of the best in the country," Moore said. "Could (Brown) have an impact like that? Yeah, it's possible. But he needs to come in, work hard and prove it during the season."

Cornerback Brandon Boykin said he has seen a good bit of Brown this summer, and admits that the freshman looked a little nervous early on.

During a drill earlier this week, however, Brown made a circus catch on a hitch-and-go route that Boykin said underscored how much progress than freshman has already made.

"He's coming along," Boykin said. "I see Mike Moore taking him under his wing. I think he was a little nervous coming in the first day trying to run routes and stuff but he's improving, I definitely see him improving."

That will be a necessity for the Bulldogs, who only have two proven receivers on the roster. Beyond Moore and Greene, Georgia will be counting on contributions from three freshmen receivers this season.

That might be a lot to ask, but each -- Brown, Rantavious Wooten and Orson Charles -- brings plenty of talent to the table.

"Really from all three of them – Marlon, Orson and Wooten – I really feel like all three of them can make plays," Moore said. "Marlon, he's a huge body, and if you throw it up, he can go get it. Wooten, he's a fast, quick guy, and if you get him the ball in space, he can make something happen. And Orson, he's just a hard worker, a nitty-gritty guy who's a big body in the slot but also can run."

The key will be how quickly the trio -- Brown, in particular -- can turn the talent into production. The transition began when the players arrived on campus last month, and if their progress continues at such a dramatic pace, injured wide receiver Kris Durham said he wouldn't be surprised to see all three have a significant impact on the Bulldogs' offense.

"They're good, and they're definitely going to help us out this year and contribute," Durham said. "Both of them have learned the majority of what's going to be installed in fall camp, and I can't wait to see what they're going to do when we get pads on."

The Truth About Stafford

If you happened to read the comments on this post yesterday, you're probably aware why I led my links today with a rather long rant on journalistic ethics.

As a reporter, the one thing you cannot allow to be damaged is your reputation, so that's a battle I'm likely to fight every time.

Having said that, I'm not above accepting a good suggestion on ways to be a BETTER reporter. The original arguments came because a reader disagreed with my willingness to link to a story that first appeared on ProFootballTalk.com that said Matthew Stafford was telling former teammates that his deal with the Lions was all but done.

I passed along the link because the news was already out there, and I figured my readers deserved to know where it was coming from. What I did not do was judge the accuracy of the article or give my opinion as to its legitimacy. I still don't believe that was something I needed to do.

Still, I understand the desire to get to the truth, and the truth really wasn't that hard to come by. I spoke with Kris Durham today, who is one of Stafford's closest friends on the team and his roommate for the past year. Here's what he had to say:

"There isn't any truth to that. He still doesn't have any idea where he's going yet."

So there you have it... the truth at last!

Now, don't let this extra effort on my part fool you into thinking you can bully me into doing anything you want. Although you probably can.

Also, don't forget to watch Stafford on Jimmy Fallon tonight with Rachel McAdams and Lost's Michael Emerson.

Talent Trumps Experience at Receiver in '09

The season-ending injury to Kris Durham takes a potential starter out of the rotation from a depth chart that already figured to be fairly shallow.

With the departures of Mohamed Massaquoi, Kenneth Harris and Demiko Goodman, along with Walter Hill's decision to leave the program, left Georgia with just six scholarship receivers before Durham's injury. The additions of Rontavious Wooten and Marlon Brown gave some much-needed depth, but without Durham, experience will still be at a premium.

So how might the wideout situation work out this fall?

The star: A.J. Green

Green led the SEC in receiving a year ago despite playing with a groin injury all year. He said he's finally 100 percent healthy, however, and he expects an even better performance in 2009, with coaches moving him around a lot more this spring, hoping to use different schemes to get their top target open.

"It's going to be something special what I can do when I'm healthy," he said.

The slot receivers: Michael Moore and Tony Wilson

Moore came on strong last season, hauling in 29 passes for 451 yards, including a team-best six grabs for 97 yards in Georgia's bowl win over Michigan State.

"I just gained confidence," Moore said. "I kept working hard in the weight room, kept working hard on the practice field, and once the ball came my way, I started making plays. I just tried to build off that each week."

Moore, who is heading into his senior season, will be Georgia's only other experienced receiver, which means coaches will rely heavily on him to take some of the pressure off Green.

Moore is likely to play most of the year in the slot, however, where he will share time with Wilson. Wilson battled an ankle injury all year last season, making just one catch before accepting a redshirt that ended his year.

Wilson still isn't 100 percent healthy, but he said he feels better than he did this time last year, and expects to be ready to go by the fall. Both Moore and Wilson are exceptional blockers and -- given their experience -- are easily the most knowledgeable receivers on the team.

"I think that (Moore) and Tony are pretty interchangeable," head coach Mark Richt said. "I think one will be the X and one will be the Y, and they'll probably crosstrain. Those two guys have to be our best blockers, and they will be that. Both of them have to go down the middle and be brave and make plays, and they both can be very good at that."

The rookies: Rontavious Wooten and Marlon Brown

Both Wooten and Brown will arrive in Athens this summer, and with Durham's injury, the expectations surrounding them will be high.

Wooten checks in at a generous 5-foot-10 and just 158 pounds, which won't make him an obvious target, but Richt said the speedy pass-catcher out of Florida can be an exceptional weapon if coaches can find ways to maximize his skills.

"If you get the ball to him with a little bit of space – whether it's reverse, quick screens, and he still can penetrate the deep field – he's a pretty complete receiver, and he does have quicks and can make people miss," Richt said.

Wooten is clearly overshadowed, however, by Brown, who was among the top wide receiver recruits in the nation this year.

Following Green's monster freshman year, anything short of a repeat performance by Brown would be a disappointment for many fans who have watched the Memphis product's high school film and drooled over his potential.

The comparisons between Green and Brown aren't entirely unfair, however, and Green said he's happy to be in a position to help his soon-to-be teammates follow in his footsteps.

"Marlon is a great kid. I talked to him during the recruiting process, and I was the first to know he was coming to Georgia. I'm trying to help him out, and I've got Mike helping me out, so we both can help him."

Richt said he expects Brown to work primarily at split end or flanker opposite Green this season.

The up-and-comers: Israel Troupe and Tavarres King

Neither King nor Troupe have seen significant playing time despite both arriving in Athens amid a good deal of hype.

Troupe, entering his third season in Athens, has just a handful of catches to show for his first two years with the Bulldogs, but he said he has taken a new approach to this spring in hopes of revitalizing his career.

"This year coming in is kind of like my freshman year all over again. I've got a clean slate coming in and I'm just starting over from scratch," Troupe said. "This spring is a great opportunity for me to be seen and get my name heard. With the people coming in, all it is is competition for me."

Troupe had flown mostly under the radar this spring, but a long touchdown grab from Aaron Murray in Georgia's second scrimmage of the year opened a few eyes. With Durham out, Troupe's name will be near the top of the list of players who need to take that next step in 2009.

King actually earned some playing time early in the year last season, but an ankle injury slowed him after the Arizona State game, and coaches eventually decided to hold him out the rest of the year to get him a medical redshirt.

The taste of playing time was a big help in his development, King said, but that doesn't mean he's ready to take the next step into being a consistent performer in the SEC. Richt said King still needs to add some size and strength to help his blocking -- an area he has struggled this spring -- and needs to show a more consistent effort during practice.

"He's still got a ways to go to really be ready for our league," Richt said. "But he's got the ability, and he absolutely has had his moments when you're like, he can do it. We're expecting him to play, but he has to continue to get better to be a really effective receiver in our league. But he has the ability and he's smart, and he's just got to realize that it takes great effort every single day in practice."

The secret weapons: Orson Charles and Branden Smith

Neither Charles nor Smith are officially on the wide receiver depth chart, but both could play key roles in the pass-catching department in 2009.

Charles has been an enthusiastic learner since signing with Georgia last month, and Richt said the tight end has already gotten his weight up to 225 pounds. At Plant High in Tampa, Charles played with fellow Bulldog Aaron Murray and was a huge threat in the passing game as a hybrid tight end. Richt envisions a similar role for him this year at Georgia.

"It would be very natural for him to know the tight end or just flex and be that third receiver on the inside because we really call the routes the same," Richt said. "As he's training at tight end, he'll be training as a flex wide anyway."

Smith won't spend nearly as much time at receiver -- or even on the offensive side of the field. The five-star athlete from Atlanta figures to be in the mix for a starting cornerback job, but his speed and athleticism make him a potential weapon in the receiving game, too.

"We could take a guy like Branden Smith and use his abilities," Richt said. "He's going to be a corner, but there might be some plays where we can use him."

Defensive coordinator Willie Martinez has no problems with that plan, as long as Smith still gets his reps on defense, too.

"That's one of the reasons why we wanted him," Martinez said. "I'm for winning games and if we've got to play kids like Branden both ways, we're going to do it."

Note: Bruce Figgins, Aron White and Arthur Lynch figure to make the tight end position a lot more productive in 2009 than it was a year ago, and running back Carlton Thomas says he's anxious to prove his pass-catching skills out of the backfield, too. One thing that won't happen, however, is the use of White -- a Charles-like hybrid tight end -- split out wide. Richt said the rising sophomore has proved he belongs at tight end, and his experience will be crucial to that group.

The verdict: Durham's injury doesn't kill Georgia's receiving corps, but the lack of veteran experience will be an issue. That means much of the responsibility for turning this group into a productive unit will fall to the coaching staff -- namely Mike Bobo and Tony Ball.

Finding ways to get Green open in 2009, even with opposing defenses focused on stopping him, will be essential. While Green had a notably crucial mentor-protoge relationship with Mohamed Massaquoi that keyed his big freshman season, the coaches will likely have to take a more active role with Brown when he arrives. Finding time to school Charles and Smith at multiple positions will also be the responsibility of a coaching staff that hasn't had hybrid athletes of their caliber in a while.

Long story short, Georgia's receivers won't lack talent and ability. But it will take a top-notch performance by the coaching staff to turn that ability into success on Saturdays.

Practice Notes: Durham to Miss '09 Season

Georgia wide receiver Kris Durham will miss the season with a torn labrum in his shoulder, head coach Mark Richt announced Wednesday.

Durham, a senior who caught 13 passes for 199 yards last season, suffered the injury two weeks ago and has not practiced since. Richt said Durham could have attempted to play through the injury, but that the coaches, trainers and Durham were all in agreement that surgery was the best option.

"It's a decision that we all feel like was in his best interest," Richt said. "He feels very strong that it is in his best interest, too. He just wants to make sure that his senior year is a strong, healthy one."

Durham will redshirt the upcoming season and return for a fifth year with the Bulldogs in 2010.

Richt said the surgery is scheduled for May. Had Durham hoped to get on the field in 2009, they would have performed the procedure earlier, but instead the receiver will wait until the end of his academic year before undergoing the surgery. Richt said it is typically a minimum recovery time of about six months.

Durham's absence leaves Georgia with just seven scholarship receivers for 2009. Michael Moore and A.J. Green are the projected starters, with Tony Wilson, Tavarres King, Israel Troupe and incoming freshmen Rontavious Wooten and Marlon Brown rounding out the roster. Richt said freshman cornerback Branden Smith could get some action at receiver, too, and freshman tight end Orson Charles could also be split out wide.

"It is going to push other guys to the forefront," Richt said. "Durham would have been a big part of what we're doing, and him leaving definitely puts a hole. He was at least in our top four."

JUST FOR KICKS

The spring isn't exactly a showcase for special teams, so Mark Richt hasn't seen a whole lot of punter Drew Butler, but he's still pretty confident Butler is ready to take over for Brian Mimbs.

The son of former Georgia kicker Kevin Butler, Drew got in a few punts a season ago, mostly in situations that dictated a pooch kick. That's all Richt needed to notice the best asset Butler brings to the table.

"One thing about Butler is he's got a very quick operation time where he'll catch it and get the ball off really quickly," Richt said. "Mimbs wasn't slow by any means, but Butler is a little bit quicker. The snap, the catch and the punt, that operation time is really outstanding."

Of course, replacing a two-year starter like Mimbs won't be easy, and Butler still needs to work on the one thing for which Mimbs was best known.

"Butler, when he hits it, it's very, very nice, but he has to become a little more consistent," Richt said. "But it's good to see he has the ability to hang it high and deep. He just has to get a little more consistent."

STILL THE SAME

Offensive line coach Stacy Searels got a new title this offseason – that of running game coordinator – but Richt said that hasn't meant anything new for the offense.

"Coach Searels title was basically a public announcement of what's already been happening. He's been the run game coordinator, and him and Coach (Mike) Bobo work close. Coach Bobo still has the final say on everything, but as Mike's studying the perimeter, (Searels) is studying the guts."

A NEW ATTITUDE

Richt was vocal in his support for defensive coordinator Willie Martinez a year ago, even as the defense struggled down the stretch.

The support has paid off this spring, Richt said, and the Georgia defense has looked sharp during the past four weeks.

"I see a defensive team that is very unified right now and has a little bit of a chip on their shoulder," Richt said. "They feel like they have something to prove. We've quite frankly allowed them to practice in such a manner as to create the attitude or the edge that they need to."

WRAPPING THINGS UP

Georgia finished its 13th practice Wednesday of the 15 allowed by the NCAA in the spring.

"It went fast," Richt said, "real fast."

Richt said the players looked sharp in the pleasant conditions offered by the light winds and warm temperatures. The team will be back in action Friday for a brief workout before hitting the field at Sanford Stadium on Saturday for the annual G-Day game.

"Friday will be not a whole lot. It's a shorts day." Richt said. "We'll probably do a little pass skel, then break up into teams."

The G-Day game is free to attend, and Richt encouraged Georgia fans to pack the house, including organizing group outings if possible. The game will air on ESPN at 1 p.m. Saturday.

"You can even TiVo it," Richt said, "and watch yourself when you get home."

Practice Notes: A Cold Day in Athens

It was an abridged media session with Mark Richt today, and there wasn't exactly anything immensely important to come of it, but here's some news worth noting:

-- It was cold... really cold. Richt lamented the weather over some hot chocolate after practice, and he reflected a bit on what Georgia might be missing under wet, windy conditions this coming season.

"Matt can throw the ball extremely well in the wind and the wet situations. It didn't seem to faze him at all," Richt said of former quarterback Matthew Stafford. "As a matter of fact, if it rained with Matt, it was probably an advantage to us because the DBs were going to slip around a little bit, and it wasn't going to affect how Matt threw the ball. Joe, we'll see how well he throws the wet ball if we play in those conditions."

Richt then showed a bit of rooting interest for where Stafford might land in this month's NFL draft.

"I guess Detroit plays inside," Richt joked. "Oh, but I guess he might not go to Detroit. But when the wind was whipping out there, we said, 'This is how Stafford's going to have it every day.'"

-- Richt discussed his rationale for moving spring practice back one week this year, noting that the agreement with ESPN to broadcast the G-Day game did play into the decision.

-- Dontavius Jackson returned to a full practice without a green, non-contact jersey for the first time this spring today and Richt said he'll be a full participant in the G-Day game.

-- A few guys who won't be available for G-Day: Kris Durham, who injured his shoulder two weeks ago, will miss the rest of the spring. Richt said they have not decided yet whether it will require surgery and Durham didn't offer too much more detail than that. Akeem Hebron was a player Richt mentioned last week as potentially returning to action, but by Monday, Richt admitted he wasn't ready. Same goes for Quintin Banks, who is still rehabbing from a mid-season injury that has limited him to mostly non-contact work this spring.

-- Baccari Rambo suffered a minor MCL sprain last week and has not practiced since, but Richt said he should be ready for the spring game.

-- Bryan Evans suffered a concussion during the scrimmage on Saturday, but Richt said he is responding well and should be good to go later this week.

-- One player who is now completely healthy is wide receiver A.J. Green, who said he is 100 percent for the first time since last summer. "I didn't limit me game-wise, but practice-wise, not being able to go every day and stuff like that. Sometimes it would be bothering me and I was missing out on reps that could help me."

As for the rest of the practice news and notes, here's the UGA official release, which employs a delightful use of the word "blustery" in the lead. That always reminds me of my favorite childhood episode of "Winnie the Pooh"...

The Georgia football team practiced for an hour and a half in pads and shorts at the Woodruff practice fields on a blustery Monday afternoon.

With the wind gusting up to more than 30 miles an hour and temperatures dropping into the 40s, the Bulldogs had their first of three practices before the annual G-Day game arrives on Saturday.

“It was very cold and windy out there today so we just tried to layer up and get things done,” said head coach Mark Richt. “According to Coach (Wayne) Norton, who has coached the track team for almost 20 years here, this was the coldest day his teams have practiced on during the month of April and I can believe it.”

Richt also commented on several players who are either returning from injury or who will now be out for the rest of the spring.

“Kris Durham injured his shoulder a few days back and he is definitely out for the rest of spring,” Richt said. “Bryan Evans also got a concussion during Saturday’s scrimmage, but we think he could be back as soon as Wednesday. As far as coming back, Charles White practiced for the first time (since an Achilles tendon injury last season) during the scrimmage and did a nice job. He was very physical out there and remembered all of the schemes from his position.”

One of the questions marks for Georgia this offseason has been who will replace running back Knowshon Moreno, who entered the NFL draft and is expected to be a first-round pick. So far, redshirt freshman Carlton Thomas has impressed Richt and the coaching staff.

“He’s a little like Tyson Browning. Probably more powerful but not as fast,” explained Richt. “But his agility and ability to change direction are probably more like Tyson than any other player I have coached at Georgia or Florida State.”

The annual G-Day spring game will kick off at 1:00 p.m. and be televised live by ESPN. Brad Nessler will handle the play-by-play duties, with Kirk Herbstreit providing the color analysis and Wendy Nix adding sideline reporting. Admission to the game is free. A lettermen’s alumni game will precede the varsity game with starting time scheduled for 11:15 a.m.

Sanford Stadium gates will open at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. Gates utilized for the public will be the main gate under the Sanford Drive bridge as well as gates 2, 4, 6, 7 and 9.

In lieu of an admission fee, fans are encouraged to bring food donations to benefit the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. Among the items most needed are soups, peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables, cereal, rice, pasta and pop-top canned goods.

Practice Notes: Longo Done For Spring

Just when coaches thought things couldn't get much worse for Georgia's defensive ends, another Bulldogs pass rusher has been shelved for the spring.

Freshman Jeremy Longo suffered a shoulder injury that will likely keep him off the practice field for the remainder of spring practice, head coach Mark Richt announced Tuesday. Longo was hurt during Monday's scrimmage, suffering what Richt called a "sublex" injury, which momentarily shifts the shoulder out of joint.

"It didn't dislocate," Richt said. "Sometimes those will create enough damage where you need to operate, but they don't think is one of those situations. But it's going to be sore enough where I doubt he gets back in before spring is over."

That leaves Georgia with just two healthy scholarship players at the position – Justin Houston and Kiante Tripp, who just moved from the offensive line last month.

With so few players to fill the void lefty by the myriad injuries at the position Georgia's coaches have been forced to resort to desperate measures.

"We took two of our walk-on tight ends, and I'm not even sure which two we took, and moved them to defensive end to help us get through the rest of the time," Richt said.

Beyond the sudden shift of the walk-ons, Richt promises few other changes. While the situation at defensive end has become dire, he said it was crucial to make sure the rest of the players were able to get in the requisite work they need to improve this spring.

"We're not going to cancel spring ball, we're not going to stop practicing, we're not going to quit tackling, we're not going to quit going full speed," Richt said. "We've just got a lot of guys that need a lot of work, and we want to continue to improve on the tempo of really both sides of the ball. We're not going to back down."

HE CAN'T BE STOPPED

Sure, several of Georgia's top offensive linemen are sidelined with injuries, but Mark Richt isn't sure it would matter who was lined up across from defensive tackle Geno Atkins.

"Geno is just a dominant football player right now," Richt said. "I don't know if anybody can block him."

For his part, however, Atkins is playing it coy. He said he definitely feels his game has improved – and he did have two sacks during Monday's scrimmage that was largely won by the offense – but he said there's still plenty of things he hopes to improve before he hits the field this fall.

"I feel like I've still got a lot to work on, but my pass rushing skills have gotten better," Atkins said. "I felt like I needed to work on my fundamentals and my footwork and have a better pass-rush game."

SHOWING OFF

While Atkins has been dominant, Richt said he has seen plenty of other Bulldogs step up their games this spring as well.

Near the top of his list of spring standouts has been linebacker Nick Williams, who had six tackles in Monday's scrimmage and is making a quick adjustment to his new position after moving from safety last fall.

"Nick Williams made some great strides," Richt said. "He's still learning what to do, but he's a guy who will play hard, will stick his face on you and try to run through you. He's certainly got some technique issues right now, but his effort, his attitude and his toughness have really showed."

Ah, but it wouldn't be like Richt to dispense small doses of platitudes when he could heap some praise on a handful of other top performers as well.

Here's a quick run-down, via Richt, of the top spring performances…

"A.J. Green, I thought he's done outstanding. Joe Cox has total control of everything he was trying to do. I think Cordy Glenn has been practicing extremely well. I thought Bryan Evans played with great energy and enthusiasm. Bryan had a nice day. (Vance) Cuff is coming along. Cuff, for a guy that when spring started wasn't even getting any reps, he's really had a nice spring so far. Rennie (Curran) is outstanding. (Akeem) Dent is playing well."

Richt said that depth chart decisions are usually made after the first scrimmage, but he had not had a chance to discuss any changes with his assistants prior to Tuesday's practice.

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK

While the injuries at defensive end continue to mount for the Bulldogs, two other players who have spent the spring in green non-contact jerseys appear close to returning.

Running back Dontavius Jackson has participated in many of the non-contact drills this spring and Richt said he could be good to go at full speed by this weekend or early next week.

Richt also said linebacker Akeem Hebron appears ready to return to full participation by this weekend as well.

NO WORRIES

Georgia's freshmen quarterbacks have been the center of attention, and Logan Gray said he has been impressed by their progress. But when it comes to the battle to land the No. 2 spot on the depth chart, Gray isn't too concerned with what the young pups on the roster are doing.

"I'm watching them every day in practice, but all I've tried to focus on is myself and every single rep that I take," Gray said. "No matter what they do, that doesn't have any outcome on my situation."

HE'S FINE

Wide receiver Kris Durham sat out of Monday's practice with a minor shoulder injury, but he said he returned to individual drills Tuesday and doesn't anticipate any longterm problems.

"It's fine," he said. "I was out there today and did some individual (workouts) and other stuff, just trying to work it back in."

STRONG SHOWING

Former Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford held an individual workout for the Detroit Lions on Tuesday in hopes of securing his spot as the first overall pick in next month's NFL draft. While the workout was meant for a select audience, several of his former teammates and coaches dropped by to check out his performance.

"I came down and watched a little bit of it," Kris Durham said. "I had to show a little support. He looked pretty good out there. Hopefully he can settle that No. 1 spot."

Durham said Stafford has remained fairly stoic throughout the process, a fact that isn't at all surprising for those who know the quarterback well.

"That's just his personality," Durham said. "You can tell he has that confidence, and whoever wants him, he's going to go in there and show what he can do."

BUSY WEEK

Mark Richt said the team will have two more short practices this week and will scrimmage for the second time on Saturday. Last week's rained out practice session resulted in a five-practice week for the Bulldogs, which is something Richt hadn't done in the past.

"I don't know if we've gone five practices in one week since I've been here during spring ball, but that's the plan for now," Richt said.