Mizzou evidently "ready" for Georgia

If they're coming for us, why'd I book a flight out there?

Three weeks...21 days...

I can hear the trumpet from the southwest corner...

Symbiotic in our existence!

...if you didn't hear it also, I can't help you here. Sorry.

See the rest of y'all soon.

Tyler Bray pass chart

Yesterday we watched Murray throw the fade to Pollack. Today I thought we'd look at arguably the greatest QB in the SEC the best back tat bottle thrower and jet ski shredder on Rocky Flop.

h/t John

Ninth day reactions: worlds collide

"Because this world is your sanctuary and THAT world comes in contact..."

"YES!!! It BLOWS up!!

The kids are mingling and tangling with the men. And they're not just coming in contact and brushing elbows. They're locking down and getting after it.

But first, some bad news. Hunter Long broke his foot (officially, after probably breaking it a couple days ago...damn good Dawg!) yesterday trying to block Kwame. Hunter's had a hard go of it, but had been drawing some praise and working hard with the second team mostly. It's about the same injury Tree had last September. Hopefully Long recovers fully.

Its neck and neck determining which is more SEC ready, John Theus' skills or his mind. Smart money is on the mind after this quote though:

On chippiness with Washington in practice: “It’s not a contact sport, it’s a collision sport.”

Theus is making strides, rather quickly, from going up against teenagers to going up against "21 or 22 year old men". He and Dantzler are sharing time on the first line, but it appears it's just a matter of time before the kid takes over. Still, Richt fell short of naming him a starter. 

Perhaps what's holding him back is the complete grasp of the offense, from head to no huddle.

On adjusting to the no huddle: “It’s hectic. You’ve got to be on your game. We all need to work on that. When you get up to the line, they make the call. It’s snap, snap. I’ve just got to get in the playbook more and just learn my stuff. Once you know your stuff, you’re good.”

Now enter Jordan Jenkins, heir apparent to another JJ...Jarvis Jones.

"The linemen are huge here, which makes me have to work harder, and that makes me get tired quicker," Jenkins said Thursday by phone following Georgia's ninth preseason workout. "I remember going out there early on and doing about four straight plays, and I remember thinking, 'I'm not used to this.' We do a lot of conditioning drills, though, so I'm starting to get adjusted to it." 

Maybe it's the August heat, but I'm dizzy from all these quotes and notes. I'm ready for Athens. I'm ready for tailgates. I'm ready to hear the Chapel Bell! 

Independent George is dying. Three weeks. Just 21 Days.

Malcolm's split personality

I thought I was doing work back in February when I posted this piece on Malcolm's move to dual threat, resplendent with Champ Bailey stats and everything. Then yesterday Ching goes out and disaggregates Bailey's stats by individual game. Must be awesome to have Felton on speed dial...

Not to mention Scott Woerner.

In all seriousness, the only thing that could keep this Malcolm Mitchell two huddles deal from being a complete success is an injury. That last sentence probably made you cringe. I know I did. And many of you likely would prefer the status quo of his ho-hum All-SEC freshman season.

But status quo ain't doin' shit around here y'all. Strap em up. Malcolm's about to take me back to my grad school days!

GATA!

Pollack catches a fade

Murray passes better than Corey Jenkins.

Stormin' Norman leading by example

With all the talk this week about Coach Richt pushing starters to take special teams duties...

Richt also reiterated that veterans and starters are expected to contribute on special teams.

“In the past we’d say: If your heart’s not in it, don’t get on the team,” Richt said. “You want guys whose heart’s in it. But this year, we’re saying: You change your heart. If you don’t want to be on the special team, you change your heart.”

One example: Star linebacker Jarvis Jones is working on the punt unit.

“A lot of guys, especially older guys, want to get put in those positions,” Jones said. “Because they know to win the big games we need special teams.”

via

...what about a special teamer that might take a starting defensive spot? Connor Norman was an all-star last year on special teams. In part thanks to a suspicious brownie on spring break, he might get some playing time at safety next month.

Norman’s grasp of the playbook has impressed starting safety Shawn Williams. Last year, Williams had to learn almost the entire defensive playbook as he bounced from safety to cornerback and even to linebacker.

“He knows his stuff,” Williams said. “Connor will talk a little bit, but he’s mostly on a serious note. He understands that the more valuable you are, the more you know out there, the more you can contribute. I’m glad to have him on my team.”

Norman made five tackles and intercepted a pass in the spring G-Day game. Norman’s background as a special teams enforcer gives him a knack for making big hits, which has impressed Smith.

“He’s kind of laid-back and quiet,” Smith said. “But when he makes a play, you’lll really see the excitement come out of him. He’s a good player and a good person and I definitely like him as one of my teammates. He doesn’t talk too much, but he’ll talk a little out there on the field when he makes a play. He can get excited.”

I doubt All-American Rambo would lose much playing time to Norman. But it's nice to see more than cliches being thrown the potential replacement's way. Norman leads example and lets the results speak for themselves.

Seventh day reactions - "Welcome to Miami (norte)"

h/t BassinDawg

It was the first scrimmage, and despite all the stats you've pored over...despite all the quotes to the contrary...it was the trainer's table that won the competition.

No. Injuries.

Here's what I'm taking away:
- Murray had a big day, which tells me that the starting offensive line did their job against the 2nd team defense.
- Gurley won the rushing accolades, but sounds like he did so against mostly the 2nd team defense. I'll watch the poll over there to see how many of you over-react and change your votes.
- The 1st team defense dominated and devastated, led by Corn who took out some frustrations on the QB depth chart.
- For one I like the attitude from the guy that's always good for a quote (just ask Jimmy Franklin), Shawn Williams would prefer to play against the 1's and knock em down a notch: “I just wish they’d let us get up there and embarrass the ones a little bit, but you know they’re not going to do that.”
- Connor Norman continues to lead by example; he had six tackles.

Other than that...No. Injuries.

Flashback - 1982 BYU

The Mormons stormed into town with Steve Young as the signal caller. It was just a few days after a Monday night game in Sanford that saw Georgia handle Clemson 13-7. Now Dooley's Dawgs had to face the Cougars' high flying offense. But in the end BYU and Young couldn't handle a junkyard, Herschel's broken thumb or the Butler's right boot.

Look at it! Look at it! Look at it!

via Dawg19

Sixth day reactions - QBs and WRs

Let's look at the two positions that are going to help keep those safeties and linebackers from cheating towards the alleys of DickSamIV/Boo/Marshall/Gurley. First, some video of one of yesterday's drills.

via 247SportsStudio

Hard to tell exactly which quarterback is throwing each rep, but the receiver sequence rolls along like this: Marlon (catch), Bennett (catch), Conley (through his hands), Scott-Wesley (off the finger tips), Michael Erdman (catch), Taylor Bradberry (catch), Conley again (underthrown) and Rhett McGowan (catch).

The wide receiver position should have Aaron Murray licking his chops, even on plays when Malcolm Mitchell is on the sideline. Conley and Scott-Wesley have terrific breakaway potential to compliment Tavarres King, Marlon Brown and Michael Bennett. And we recently learned that Conley has been working out wide as well as in the slot, which means you could see King, Conley and Bennett on the field together.

In short, gone are the days of waiting for Wooten and Brown to step up. They either do or someone else is ready to fill their spot. 

Some questions at WR:

• Can King build upon that monster CapOne Bowl performance?
• A noted speedster, can JSW's hands match the talent level of his feet?
• After sitting out most of last season, how hungry is Wooten?
• If Bennett makes one more clutch catch, will I be able to contain my man crush?

On the surface the quarterback position would seem low on intrigue: a third year starter atop the depth chart with both young and experienced arms behind him. However, the what if's? add plenty of curiosity to the mix. Murray's been known to use his feet some, and he has a young line in front of him. There is always the possibility of a much needed arm off the bench.

This is a topic that Hutson Mason himself describes as "difficult" ($). So here are some questions to put things in perspective:

• At what point (if any) is Mason not an option off the bench, even in dire straits? He's not your "typical" redshirt candidate in that he'll travel with the team, take second team reps, be ready to come off the bench just like the last two seasons.
• Is there a point at which the coaches feel so comfortable with LeMay as the backup that it's okay if Mason misplaces his helmet on the sideline?
• Is sharing the reps between Mason and LeMay hurting the younger arm's (and for all intents and purposes the second string QB) development?

Ifs and buts...candy and nuts. What it boils down to is that we have a second string quarterback who has a junior emergency quarterback that's either ahead of him or just behind him on the depth chart. Definitely a tough situation for the coaches and players to balance and handle perfectly.

The point right now is that the signal caller and receiving positions are a strength for the Georgia Bulldogs. If the line shapes up like I think they eventually will, it could be a very merry Christmas!

Humpday Hilarity - Bob!

Perhaps you saw this already. I got it from Awful Announcing. Even if you have seen it, it's worth another glance. Maybe this guy should go work for the local CBS affiliate...or the nearest Seiko factory..

Buttem N. Sternum on...avoiding injuries

From his calendar, it looks like Erk grabbed this from that classic 1960's poet Sternum, who I believe also once forewent his typical iambic pentameter and said - "Run. Neck Iso's. Run some more." 

I think it's fitting for the Dawgs' first two-a-days today.

Fifth day reactions: one on one

Yesterday was the fifth straight day of drills. Pads are starting to CRACK! out there.

A lot of what we're hearing about is coming from the media watching one on one drills. And this is good stuff because we get a feel for how the offensive line is doing after replacing so many key parts this off season. 

• And we also get to hear about Coach Garner's motivation tactics.
• As we've talked about before, David Andrews is going to be fine. He's giving Jenkins all he can handle. And of course, Jenkins is giving it right back. Looking forward to seeing what the competition breeds.
• Michael Bennett talks with BI on the receivers and the DBs they're going up against.
• Then Merritt Hall gets the mic and talks about the experience of being newly discovered and going full pads.
• Yesterday we learned that Conley is getting looks out wide and in the slot. This kid, along with Justin Scott-Wesley, could really break out this season. Last year we learned Bennett had clutch hands. I'm really excited about our receiving corps.

And the goatee...

...goes pretty well with the hat I think.

Trench drills (video)

Dasher put this video up after this morning's media session overlooking the drills. Good shot of Andrews, Dantzler, Theus, Gates going against Jenkins, C Wash, Smith and Johnathan Taylor.

"Always a chance to get restarted"

Nobody said it would be fair...but life was pretty good Saturday night in Marietta. It's easily been 20+ years since I've seen Drivin n Cryin. Things have changed a lot, but then again...hardly at all. Kevn Kinney is bigger around the middle, kinda like me. But he still plays with those eyes closed. I think I only saw him open them twice.


Talking with Chris pre-show I was reminded how big DnC could've been. I mean, if you are from down here, you know them. But they're not a band with a national footprint. At the point when they were a hot ticket, Kinney chose the rock and roll road less traveled. Kept things simple. Stuck to just making good music.


One big thing that has changed however is the lead guitarist is now a young man that wasn't even born when the rest of us were swaying back and forth to the Honeysuckle Blue. How scarred could a twenty-something year old be?


Well, meet Sadler Vaden. This kid has been through a lot in his life, and now has hit a trajectory that may know no limit. A legend around Charleston and the former front man for Leslie, Vaden plays with his soul pouring through his finger tips. The kid just has it.


Take a look.

That was the lead in to the encore. It was clear well before then that this Vaden guy was worthy of a stage shared with the legendary Kevn Kinney. In fact, with all due respect to Kevn's vocal chords, in my view Vaden's guitar was the highlight. Here's some more on his transition into one of the greatest rock bands ever.


So if you're a Drivin n Cryin fan, check out their new EP Songs from the Laundromat. It's the first of four EPs to be released within the next year. Good stuff. And it also has the tribute to REM on it. 


And one more thing to look for will be Eric Von Haessler's documentary Scarred but Smarter. As great as the last 26 or so years have been, the best may be just comin' around to the Powerhouse.

Weekend reactions: catching up

Spent the weekend pretending to be 19 again. Now I'm tired, hungover and I KEEP SHOUTING AT PEOPLE BECAUSE MY EARS ARE STILL RINGING!!


So, what'd I miss:

• Branden Smith is clean. No suspension. As happy as I am to see the first weeks' depth chart at CB a little deeper now, I'm even moreso for Smith. Still very poor judgment, just not to the level that radio shock jocks hoped we had anticipated.
• Nice article by Ching here on Merritt Hall, leading the charge at fullback. Jarvis says he "brings the tempo for the offense." Reminds me a little (at least so far) of JT Wall.
• Freshmen are already making an impact on the pecking order at Woodruff. 
• Future Boo > Past Boo. Let's hope 2012 is the season of less pain in the rear as far as tailbacks go.

Ramik Wilson, ready to contribute. (via)

Flashback - 1976 Dawgs blank Bama

Is there a greater sound in all the world than Larry Munson counting down with the clock? Maybe so, but it's definitely music to my ears. And you get to hear it here in this video that takes us back to 1976 when #10 Alabama came to Athens to meet #6 Georgia. With the help of "Russell's Runts" and the tandem of Matt Robinson and Ray Goff at quarterback (not to mention an assist to whoever gave a UGA student the hotel Bama was staying in), the Dawgs shut out the Tide 21-0 with the SEC crown on the line.

h/t Dawg19

I got a little chill there after the captains shook hands, seeing the teams draw together towards midfield. I love big time games and this was certainly one of Sanford Stadium's biggest. Glory, Glory!