Depth Chart - Tailbacks
1. Isaiah Crowell, Freshman
2. Washaun Ealey, Junior
3. Caleb King, Redshirt Senior
4. Ken Malcome, Redshirt Freshman
5. Carlton Thomas, Redshirt Junior
Analysis
Based on Coach Richt's comments and the performance of Ealey and King in 2010, right now I have to believe Isaiah Crowell will be the starting running back come September. The coaching staff has made it clear that they will not have another case of "Knowshirting" and Crowell will definitely get his touches with the first team in summer practice. Even if Crowell earns the #1 spot, I expect Ealey, King, and Malcome to be part of the offensive gameplan. G-Day may help determine the pecking order for these guys. I am sure that the days of Carlton Thomas running the ball up the middle should be over.
Depth Chart - Fullbacks
1. Bruce Figgins, Redshirt Senior
2. Alexander Ogletree, Sophomore
3. Josh Sailors, Senior and Kevin Lanier, Redshirt Sophomore
Analysis
The decision to move Figgins fulltime could potentially pay huge dividends come this fall. During his time as OC, Bobo has used the fullback in the passing game a lot. Figgins will be perfect in the role. Zander Ogletree proved to be worth his scholarship last fall and will see plenty of playing time as well. Beyond Ogletree and Figgins, walkons make up the remainder of the fullback depth chart.
Friday, February 4, 2011
2011 Recruiting Wrap Up: Assessing the Depth Chart - Quarterback
*This is the first in a multi-part series examining the Georgia depth chart following National Signing Day.
Depth Chart
1. Aaron Murray, Redshirt Sophomore
2. Hutson Mason, Sophomore
3. Christian Lemay, Freshman (early enrollee)
Assessment
Aaron Murray had an amazing freshman season in 2010 that will go down as one of the best overall seasons for a quarterback in Georgia history. Unfortunately, a bad performance in the Liberty Bowl prevented him from setting a number of Georgia single season records. He sits comfortably atop the quarterback depth chart and will most likely be there for the next 2-3 seasons.
Hutson Mason played sparringly last fall, however he did throw for a touchdown on hist first career pass. He will head into the spring and summer at #2 on depth chart, but will battle with Christian LeMay to keep that spot. The highlights of Lemay in high school show he has all the skills of a true dual-threat quarterback. While he could take the backup job from Mason, my hope is that the coach staffing will redshirt him, leaving him with atleast two years to be a starter in Athens. Of course, all that could change if (heaven forbid) Murray got hurt.
Depth Chart
1. Aaron Murray, Redshirt Sophomore
2. Hutson Mason, Sophomore
3. Christian Lemay, Freshman (early enrollee)
Assessment
Aaron Murray had an amazing freshman season in 2010 that will go down as one of the best overall seasons for a quarterback in Georgia history. Unfortunately, a bad performance in the Liberty Bowl prevented him from setting a number of Georgia single season records. He sits comfortably atop the quarterback depth chart and will most likely be there for the next 2-3 seasons.
Hutson Mason played sparringly last fall, however he did throw for a touchdown on hist first career pass. He will head into the spring and summer at #2 on depth chart, but will battle with Christian LeMay to keep that spot. The highlights of Lemay in high school show he has all the skills of a true dual-threat quarterback. While he could take the backup job from Mason, my hope is that the coach staffing will redshirt him, leaving him with atleast two years to be a starter in Athens. Of course, all that could change if (heaven forbid) Murray got hurt.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
2011 Recruiting Wrap Up: The Dream Team is really the Complete Team
I know Coach Richt is still waiting on the final decision of big John Jenkins before officially wrapping up recruiting for this year, but at the point the 2011 recruiting season is over. Signing all 23 of the verbal commits the Dawgs had coming into yesterday and picking up Isaiah Crowell and Kent Turene was the icing on the cake for Coach Richt, Coach Bobo, and Coach Grantham. And while this class will be remembered by the Dream Team moniker, maybe the more appropriate name is the Complete Team.
In year's past, Georgia has tended to focus on certain positions to drive their recruiting efforts. Often a class rich in skill position players may have been thin on the lines or a class rich in offensive lineman was weak in the secondary. This class is a completely different story. The Dawgs were able to wrap solid commits at nearly every single position on the field. As a matter of fact, you could make almost an entire 22 man starting roster from this class. The only positions that we did not sign players at were fullback, kicker, punter, and center (though a couple of the offensive line recruits could play center). We even signed a freaking long snapper!
And it is not just the fact that we found bodies at nearly every position, but a number of players that may have immediate impacts. Crowell will be given a chance to start at tailback, Drew will compete for the vacated spot left by Justin Houston, Malcolm Mitchell will see action at receiver, Jay Rome may see the field with Figgins moved to fullback, and John Jenkins (if he signs) will most likely be the starting nose guard. Overall, this is an amazing class that filled our needs and stocked the cupboard with talent.
Tomorrow, I will take a closer look at the Georgia depth chart prior to spring practice with the new recruits in the mix.
In year's past, Georgia has tended to focus on certain positions to drive their recruiting efforts. Often a class rich in skill position players may have been thin on the lines or a class rich in offensive lineman was weak in the secondary. This class is a completely different story. The Dawgs were able to wrap solid commits at nearly every single position on the field. As a matter of fact, you could make almost an entire 22 man starting roster from this class. The only positions that we did not sign players at were fullback, kicker, punter, and center (though a couple of the offensive line recruits could play center). We even signed a freaking long snapper!
And it is not just the fact that we found bodies at nearly every position, but a number of players that may have immediate impacts. Crowell will be given a chance to start at tailback, Drew will compete for the vacated spot left by Justin Houston, Malcolm Mitchell will see action at receiver, Jay Rome may see the field with Figgins moved to fullback, and John Jenkins (if he signs) will most likely be the starting nose guard. Overall, this is an amazing class that filled our needs and stocked the cupboard with talent.
Tomorrow, I will take a closer look at the Georgia depth chart prior to spring practice with the new recruits in the mix.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Signing Day: Mid Day Report (UPDATED)
UPDATE - Crowell is a Dawg...and he has one too.
It is about to be 1:00 PM, only 30 minutes until the decision from Isaiah Crowell. As we stand right now, Georgia has signed all 23 of the players they had committed coming into today. We did miss out on Pagan and Richardson, but picked up linebacker Kent Turene.
I hope Crowell makes the decision to come to Athens, but if he doesn't we should not freak out. this is still one heck of a recruiting class and an excellent job by Coach Richt and staff. I still think Jenkins ultimately comes to Athens, and that would be the final touch on a great recruiting off season.
Coach Richt also said he expects to have a new o-line coach in place by next week.
I hope Crowell makes the decision to come to Athens, but if he doesn't we should not freak out. this is still one heck of a recruiting class and an excellent job by Coach Richt and staff. I still think Jenkins ultimately comes to Athens, and that would be the final touch on a great recruiting off season.
Coach Richt also said he expects to have a new o-line coach in place by next week.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Sign on the dotted line
In just two hours, it will officially be National Signing Day. By this time tomorrow, we will know whether the Dream Team is a completely reality or just really close. On Thursday, I will have a complete wrap from signing day, including who got, we we missed on, and how those players might fit into next year's depth chart.
Happy Signing Day to All!!!
Happy Signing Day to All!!!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Recruiting in the Richt Era – Top 5’s
Mark Richt took over as Georgia’s head coach following the 2000 season and has enjoyed a lot of success on the recruiting trail. While Richt was able to secure stars like DJ Shockley as part of the 2001 recruiting class, the class of 2002 was his first full class in Athens. Here’s my opinion of some of the best and worst of recruiting in the Richt era:
Top 5 Players who “Lived Up to the Hype”
1. AJ Green – Any questions?
2. Matthew Stafford – The kid from Texas was expected to lead Georgia to a National Championship. We got pretty close during his sophomore season.
3. Max Jean-Gilles – I remember all the hype about how big this kid was and how we stole him away from Miami. He definitely fit the bill, becoming a multi-year starter and an All-American.
4. Kade Weston – The five star recruit from New Jersey, turned in a great Georgia career.
5. Paul Oliver – Another top 5 player at his position, Oliver really developed during his career. Too bad academics got in the way.
Top 5 “Busts”
1. Akeem Hebron – Originally part of the 2006 class, Hebron went to Hargrave and then came back to Georgia. But the 5 star recruit never materialized into much on the playing field and he finished his time at Georgia this fall having never really made an impact.
2. Brandon Miller – The number on DE in the country in 2004, Miller eventually found a home at linebacker. And while he became a starter and was good on special teams, his career never met the expectations that most fans had.
3. Darius Dewberry – Like Hebron, he also failed to qualify initially but still found his way back to Athens. His impact was minimal at best, but much better than Hebron’s.
4. Kregg Lumpkin – You could probably put the careers of Lumpkin and Caleb King in the same boat. Both were 5 star recruits considered as one of the top 5 running backs in the country. But injuries and a crowded depth chart hampered their development.
5. Marquis “Mud Cat” Elmore – While other players on this list were 5 star recruits, Elmore was not. But his name was so distinctive that he developed almost a cult status before he ever saw the field. He made little to no impact in four years, and failed to have a good career to match his nickname.
Top 5 “Overachievers”
1. Fernando Velasco – “Bubba” was a two star O-lineman but turned into one of the key players on the Dawgs offensive line in 2007.
2. Knowshon Moreno – Yes, he was highly recruited and was considered one of the best running backs in the country out of high school. But the fact that he was redshirted in 2006 means the coaching staff was not really sure what they had. Clearly, if you rated him again he would have been a 5 star recruit.
3. Danny Ware – Ware was originally recruited as a two star linebacker. The fact that he ended up as a successful running back is pretty impressive.
4. Christian Robinson – Robinson will only be a junior this fall, but his development has been fun to watch. I only expect him to get better over the next two years.
5. Brannan Southerland - Fullbacks are rarely rated above 3 stars, but maybe they should be. Southerland was a vital part of the Georgia offense during his four years.
Top 3 "What were the Experts Thinking"
1. Israel Troupe - He was Georgia's highest rated player according to ESPN in 2007. Really???
2. Joe Tereshinski/Logan Gray - Both were rated 4 star quarterbacks, but they are no where near the level of Aaron Murray.
3. Bryan Evans - Don't get me started.
So what are your top 5’s of the Richt era?
Top 5 Players who “Lived Up to the Hype”
1. AJ Green – Any questions?
2. Matthew Stafford – The kid from Texas was expected to lead Georgia to a National Championship. We got pretty close during his sophomore season.
3. Max Jean-Gilles – I remember all the hype about how big this kid was and how we stole him away from Miami. He definitely fit the bill, becoming a multi-year starter and an All-American.
4. Kade Weston – The five star recruit from New Jersey, turned in a great Georgia career.
5. Paul Oliver – Another top 5 player at his position, Oliver really developed during his career. Too bad academics got in the way.
Top 5 “Busts”
1. Akeem Hebron – Originally part of the 2006 class, Hebron went to Hargrave and then came back to Georgia. But the 5 star recruit never materialized into much on the playing field and he finished his time at Georgia this fall having never really made an impact.
2. Brandon Miller – The number on DE in the country in 2004, Miller eventually found a home at linebacker. And while he became a starter and was good on special teams, his career never met the expectations that most fans had.
3. Darius Dewberry – Like Hebron, he also failed to qualify initially but still found his way back to Athens. His impact was minimal at best, but much better than Hebron’s.
4. Kregg Lumpkin – You could probably put the careers of Lumpkin and Caleb King in the same boat. Both were 5 star recruits considered as one of the top 5 running backs in the country. But injuries and a crowded depth chart hampered their development.
5. Marquis “Mud Cat” Elmore – While other players on this list were 5 star recruits, Elmore was not. But his name was so distinctive that he developed almost a cult status before he ever saw the field. He made little to no impact in four years, and failed to have a good career to match his nickname.
Top 5 “Overachievers”
1. Fernando Velasco – “Bubba” was a two star O-lineman but turned into one of the key players on the Dawgs offensive line in 2007.
2. Knowshon Moreno – Yes, he was highly recruited and was considered one of the best running backs in the country out of high school. But the fact that he was redshirted in 2006 means the coaching staff was not really sure what they had. Clearly, if you rated him again he would have been a 5 star recruit.
3. Danny Ware – Ware was originally recruited as a two star linebacker. The fact that he ended up as a successful running back is pretty impressive.
4. Christian Robinson – Robinson will only be a junior this fall, but his development has been fun to watch. I only expect him to get better over the next two years.
5. Brannan Southerland - Fullbacks are rarely rated above 3 stars, but maybe they should be. Southerland was a vital part of the Georgia offense during his four years.
Top 3 "What were the Experts Thinking"
1. Israel Troupe - He was Georgia's highest rated player according to ESPN in 2007. Really???
2. Joe Tereshinski/Logan Gray - Both were rated 4 star quarterbacks, but they are no where near the level of Aaron Murray.
3. Bryan Evans - Don't get me started.
So what are your top 5’s of the Richt era?
Finish like Herschel!!!
(Photo Courtesy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution)- It is make or break week for Georgia basketball. After two straight tough losses to Florida and Kentucky, the Dawgs face two SEC west opponents this week. Arkansas is coming off a win at Vanderbilt, so the Dawgs better be more ready than they were on Saturday. Auburn comes to town this weekend and if the Dawgs lose that one, there is not shot of making the NCAA tournament.
- But the real focus of this week is recruiting. National Signing Day is Wednesday, but the recruiting season won't officially end until Saturday when John Jenkins makes his decision. At this point, I am pretty confident that Georgia's gets Crowell and Pagan on Wednesday. Richardson and Turene would be nice as well. But getting Jenkins to fill the hole in the middle of the D-line remains the most important player left on Georgia's big board.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Hey Bobo - Here's an answer at receiver
This caught my eye this morning. Brice Butler was a star at Norcross but chose to go across country to play for Pete Carrol and the USC Trojans. Apparently, he did not fit into Kiffin's system, only catching 9 passes this season. The article says he is planning to transfer to an FCS school so he can play immediately, but how hard would it be to convince him to come home to Georgia, sit out a season and then play for the Bulldogs?
Jarvis Jones was a member of the same recruiting class at USC and decided to come home after things did not work out in LA. Butler could come on campus as a walk-on this fall and not count towards scholarship limits until next season. I know Mike Bobo is tied up with Crowell and Drew right now, but I think this would be a phone call worth making.
Here's a look back at Butler's highlights from his high school career and his freshman season at USC:
Jarvis Jones was a member of the same recruiting class at USC and decided to come home after things did not work out in LA. Butler could come on campus as a walk-on this fall and not count towards scholarship limits until next season. I know Mike Bobo is tied up with Crowell and Drew right now, but I think this would be a phone call worth making.
Here's a look back at Butler's highlights from his high school career and his freshman season at USC:
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Get Your Donations In
As most Georgia fans know, the deadline to submit donations to the Hartman Fund is February 15. Donating to the Hartman fund allows you to become eligible to purchase season tickets for the University of Georgia football games. As I documented here on the blog, last year I finally accumulated enough points to be eligible to purchase season tickets. The minimum donation to buy tickets last year dropped for the second consecutive season. After peaking at a ridiculous amount of more than $10,000 before the '08 season, the donation minimum last year to start new tickets fell to around $1,500. With the combination of the bad economy and a disappointing 2010, I expect the donation minimum to drop again. I know many of you are frustrated with the football team, but here are some reasons why you should make the donation this year:
1. This may be the lowest donation minimum to start new tickets you will ever see. Once you have tickets, the minimum donation per ticket to maintain your seats is $250 a year. If you want to buy 4 season tickets, that is going to cost you $1,000 a year in donations anyway. You may only have to donate the minimum requirement to maintain 4 seats to start your own tickets this year.
2. The Athletic Association needs donation to continue to revamp the facilities on campus. The result of the 2008 donations are the recent renovations to Stegeman and Butts-Mehre. Having nice facilities goes a long way with attracting recruits. I've heard people say they are going to cut their donations as a sign of displeasure for the recent season. While that is a personal choice they have every right to do, cutting donations is not going to help the program get any better.
3. We don't want to end up like Tennessee and Auburn, selling tickets to the general public. Georgia is one of 4 SEC schools that sold out all of its games last season. That is something to brag about. Despite their run to the national championship, Auburn failed to sell out all of its games this season.
4. We only have 6 home games this year. That means the cost to buy your tickets on top of the donation will be $80 less (if you get two seats) than it will be next year when we have 7 home games.
UPDATE: One more thing, Hartman Fund donations are 80% tax deductible. For those of you who itemize, there is a nice tax deduction to put down.
1. This may be the lowest donation minimum to start new tickets you will ever see. Once you have tickets, the minimum donation per ticket to maintain your seats is $250 a year. If you want to buy 4 season tickets, that is going to cost you $1,000 a year in donations anyway. You may only have to donate the minimum requirement to maintain 4 seats to start your own tickets this year.
2. The Athletic Association needs donation to continue to revamp the facilities on campus. The result of the 2008 donations are the recent renovations to Stegeman and Butts-Mehre. Having nice facilities goes a long way with attracting recruits. I've heard people say they are going to cut their donations as a sign of displeasure for the recent season. While that is a personal choice they have every right to do, cutting donations is not going to help the program get any better.
3. We don't want to end up like Tennessee and Auburn, selling tickets to the general public. Georgia is one of 4 SEC schools that sold out all of its games last season. That is something to brag about. Despite their run to the national championship, Auburn failed to sell out all of its games this season.
4. We only have 6 home games this year. That means the cost to buy your tickets on top of the donation will be $80 less (if you get two seats) than it will be next year when we have 7 home games.
UPDATE: One more thing, Hartman Fund donations are 80% tax deductible. For those of you who itemize, there is a nice tax deduction to put down.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Beating the Gators: Fred Gibson came through in 2002
One of my favorite basketball memories from my days at Georgia was the 2002 game against the Florida Gators in Gainesville. Florida came into the game ranked #2 in the nation and was a 16.5 point favorite. Georgia was enjoying a fine season at 14-3, that included a victory over then #8 Kentucky just the week before. But coming off a loss at home to #16 Alabama, few expected the Dawgs to steal a victory from the Gators at home.
Georgia was Jarvis Hayes and Ezra Williams, who would combine to score 42 points in the game. I remember the balance of that Georgia team, with Rashad Wright running the point and the Hayes brothers up front. For Florida, I remember the combination of Matt Bonner and Udonis Haslem leading the Gators to a 39-36 lead at half. But the Dawgs were able to come back and take the lead into the waning minutes of the game. Coach Herrick sent a reserve guard who had recently joined the basketball team after the end of the football season.
That player was Georgia wide receiver Fred Gibson. Gibson had originally committed to play football for Steve Spurrier at Florida, but switched his commitment to Georgia during the week before national signing day. After having an amazing freshman season on the football field, the Florida fans were ready to taunt Gibson, a player they felt had screwed them over. Gibson got the ball on three consecutive possessions with the Gators just outside of striking distance. Each time he was fouled and sent to the line. I kept wondering why we were leaving a football player out on the court who had little experience in such a crucial situation.
Gibson answered the call. He nailed all 6 of his free throws, helping secure the 84-79 victory. Gibson returned to Athens as probably the most popular player on the team. Gibson would only play one season at Georgia, but that one day in Gainesville will forever hold his place in Georgia basketball history.
Let's go beat them Gators tonight!!! GO DAWGS!!!
Georgia was Jarvis Hayes and Ezra Williams, who would combine to score 42 points in the game. I remember the balance of that Georgia team, with Rashad Wright running the point and the Hayes brothers up front. For Florida, I remember the combination of Matt Bonner and Udonis Haslem leading the Gators to a 39-36 lead at half. But the Dawgs were able to come back and take the lead into the waning minutes of the game. Coach Herrick sent a reserve guard who had recently joined the basketball team after the end of the football season.
That player was Georgia wide receiver Fred Gibson. Gibson had originally committed to play football for Steve Spurrier at Florida, but switched his commitment to Georgia during the week before national signing day. After having an amazing freshman season on the football field, the Florida fans were ready to taunt Gibson, a player they felt had screwed them over. Gibson got the ball on three consecutive possessions with the Gators just outside of striking distance. Each time he was fouled and sent to the line. I kept wondering why we were leaving a football player out on the court who had little experience in such a crucial situation.
Gibson answered the call. He nailed all 6 of his free throws, helping secure the 84-79 victory. Gibson returned to Athens as probably the most popular player on the team. Gibson would only play one season at Georgia, but that one day in Gainesville will forever hold his place in Georgia basketball history.
Let's go beat them Gators tonight!!! GO DAWGS!!!
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