First thought on Alabama

I know. It's so hard not to keep re-living those memories of the Rose Bowl. What an epic win! But we didn't do all that work just to rest on laurels, right?

VIA

The halftime adjustments by Tucker and Smart were what we've seen all season, just on a grander stage. My initial reflection was that Tucker got away from trying to contain Mayfield and squeeze the pocket, and used more stunts and blitzes, especially up the middle.

Well, I was partially right, as this video will show best. It's the back to back sacks on Mayfield in the third quarter that really started prove that the Sooners were going to have a tougher row to hoe in the second half.

The first sack is a coverage sack in my opinion. Tucker again uses four rushers to squeeze the pocket and by the time Mayfield tries to use his legs because there's no where to throw, Ledbetter is in his face with an easy sack.

And then...well, Tucker lets the boys loose!

Those two plays prove that, even though it may not have played out that way in the first half, Georgia had the defense to go up against this high-powered offense.

Okay, but aren't we supposed to be talking about Alabama? Yes, and that's my next point.

Jalen Hurts has a high of 16 completions in one game this season. And that was in the Sugar Bowl. We know he can hurt you with his arm, but only if you don't manage to stop the run.

Both of these defenses Monday night are going to be trying to do the same thing - stop each other's run game. And I think both are built just for that.

But I think Tucker will use similar schemes in containing Hurts that he did in the Rose Bowl's second half. He wants to contain Hurts as much as he can and force him to throw when he's uncomfortable. Stopping Harris and Scarbrough is a topic for later, because that is surely Tucker's biggest headache this week. Alabama has gained nearly a thousand more yards rushing this season than they have passing.

But games like this tend to come down to quarterback play. Hurts is a true winner, for sure. I like his style and leadership. Plus he comes up big in big moments.

But I like our guy. I think Fromm complements his offense in ways Hurts can only dream of. I just hope Tucker and those Savages can minimize Hurts' impact on the game.

Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing...Go Dawgs!

Monday's thoughts on Georgia Southern

A day late and a dollar short, but...

- The Eagles were exactly who we thought they were. Those that thought Georgia would pull away and cover either underestimated GSU harshly or have a lot more faith in Schottenheimer than I do. (And maybe his boss as well...hmmm...)
- What a great game for our defense though. My Eagle friends were explaining to us at the tailgate how their offense is a little different than what we see from Tech. Hard argue that this wasn't a good "tune-up" for Clean Old Fashioned Hate, but glad Pruitt's guys didn't treat it that way.
- They also said that Ellison is pretty banged up after a season of wear and tear. So when GSU put Upshaw in they took some shots down field to loosen things up. I thought they had as much momentum late in the game and in overtime as we could claim. If Fritz had decided to play overtime conservative, no telling how things would have played out. They were trusting a kicker who hasn't been on the job that long. And Marshall had already missed one and banked in an extra point.
- Was especially worried when Trent Thompson didn't trot out there, but Mayes had a whale of a game in the middle. Our linebackers were free to roam most of the night and as a result we were able to hold Breida to a season low in yards.
- All in all, a decent game for Lambert. If he hits some open receivers it's probably a little easier to breath towards the end.
- Michel carries the load again. Marshall still not healthy evidently and Douglas only had two carries. If Marshall is limited at all this week I hope we use McKenzie more on those sweeps.
- Speaking of which, can that little guy throw the ball?

It was a great game. Great way for the seniors to go out and a fine evening to be in Sanford to close out the home schedule. Let's eat some turkey, get to Atlanta and then remind Tech why we own their ass.

Go Dawgs!

Picture of the night right there.

Bama week - their OL vs our front seven

Probably goes without saying that this will be the biggest line our front seven has gone up against to date. Alabama's starters average 6-5 and 312 pounds.

Still, they may not be world beaters. Against our one common opponent in ULM, the Crimson Tide offensive line lead the way towards a modest 137 yards rushing on 35 carries. By comparison, we rushed against the Warhawks 38 times for 243 yards.

I would expect our defensive front to really stretch their protection on passing downs by using our speed off the edge, bringing Ganus/Kimbrough inside, and stunting Floyd and Carter up the middle. Guys like Sterling Bailey, John Atkins, and Chris Mayes will be called upon to do what they do best - eat space - so that our linebackers can roam free and make plays.

A lot has been made over the Alabama passing game. (I personally think too much is being made of it, but what business is it of mine if Tide fans want to criticize an offense that's averaging 35 points a game.) And I do think this week we could see Saban exert more control over Kiffin's play calling, or at least his game planning. They'll want to run the ball, play field position, and chew as much clock as the score will allow.

So that is why I found this nugget from the Bama-ULM writeup interesting:

There was an overload formation on Henry's fourth-and-1 touchdown run. They moved right tackle Dominick Jackson to the left side next to left tackle Cam Robinson. Henry ran right behind them for the score.

If you want to neutralize a defense's speed you run right at it with power. Like we said yesterday, this game will be won in the trenches. So look for the coaches on both sides to try and gain an advantage there whenever they can.

Patience, a noun. (part one)

"In this day and time, patience gets your butt fired."

Tracy Rocker, ladies and gents. Please, try the veal.

There's been little question that Trent Thompson is gonna have to be the key to helping stop the run and making plays that eluded Pruitt's first Georgia defense in losses to Florida and Tech last season. But it's nice to know two things: 1) Thompson's being groomed by President of the Athens Chamber of Hardasses, Mr. Tracy Rocker, and 2) Mr. Rocker plans to rotate his d-line.

In 2012 we had two future NFLers at nose and Grantham wore Jenkins and Geathers down to the point where in the SECCG they couldn't stop Bama from anything they wanted to do on the ground when it counted the most. Glad Rocker is bringing his talent along as it develops.

All of that aside, "patience" is an interesting word for this season. Let's look at that a little closer in the next post...

Tailgate Roundtable - filling the gap on the defensive side of the ball

Day four also tackles some shoes that need to be filled. This time from the other side...

Similarly, on the defensive side of the ball a lot of tackles need to be replaced now that Ramik Wilson and Amarlo Herrera are gone. Who do you see stepping up to drag opposing ball carriers down? 

AHD - Thompson,Floyd,Carter, Jenkins, plenty of talent!

Robert - Jordan Jenkins, Lorenzo Carter, and Leonard Floyd are all studs.  They can all throw opposing ball carriers around like rag dolls.

BDB - Hearing great things about Thompson already. Don't think he stacks up a bunch of tackles in the stat line, but if he can plug the middle the way we need then those guys behind and around him stand to gain from the fruits of his labor.

Defensive tackle - optimism and concern

The dismissal of Johnathan Taylor hurts the depth, no doubt. But the thought I keep coming back to is that the defensive front was a much deeper and well balanced unit last season under Chris Wilson. He substituted a lot more and it helped tremendously as the season wore on.

So losing a tackle with a lot of upside can hurt, but we're much better off to absorb that loss now than a year ago. Sure, Wilson is gone. But I didn't get the idea this spring from new d-line coach Tracy Rocker that he was go one deep along his line.

I'll let Gentry Estes pick it up from there.

Reasons for optimism: Even without Taylor, the depth is good. So is the experience. Georgia doesn't really have holes to fill on the defensive front as much as it will be choosing from a menu of entrees with the ability to sample each one or favor different ones on a weekly basis. While that creates a question mark at the moment, depth and variety is not a bad thing for a coach to have. Rocker has several different paths he can cross, and it's likely that Georgia will have an effective D-Line because of it.

 And then down to the nitty gritty truth:

The guess: So much of what you see from this D-Line will be based on scheme. Georgia may only technically have two defensive linemen in nickel packages, for instance. Then perhaps other times, the Bulldogs really will go with four across the front (with OLB Jordan Jenkins likely playing with his hand down as a DE). Anyway, Georgia's D-Line is deep enough to where the Bulldogs have the luxury of playing by situation if they want. In other words, maybe one type of down-and-distance is better for Toby Johnson, and another favors what Chris Mayes can do, etc ... Having said that, though, the fact that we honestly have no clue who Rocker is going to tap to start is why this topic was included in the series. This is going to have to be sorted out in the preseason better than it was in the spring.

I'd feel much worse about losing Taylor if Mayes hadn't played so well down the stretch. He really has the size and athleticism I think we'd like to see at tackle. Hopefully between him, Johnson and Thornton give Coach Rocker what he needs for a good rotation.

Mike "Meatball" Thornton planning to finish on top

The fifth year senior has everything to earn in his fifth season of eligibility, including a starting role on Tracy Rocker's defensive line, a college degree, and a shot at the NFL next year.

It turned out the 6-foot-1, 290-pound Thornton still didn’t get on the field much for Georgia last season.

The now fifth-year senior played in 11 games, making five tackles with one sack.

via

“The younger guys were pushing hard, and I guess they just beat me out,” Thornton said.

There’s a new defensive coaching staff, but Thornton doesn’t sound overly concerned about trying to pass Chris Mayes on the depth chart this spring.

He talks about helping to “coach up the young guys as best as I can.”

He’s getting his reps but he’s trying to set the example for his teammates moreso than trying to land a starting job.

Thornton says he “knows it’s my fifth year and they have younger guys that they need to develop. Whatever role they want me to play, I’ll play it. I just want to give it all to the team and get my degree and hopefully pursue the NFL after that.”

No more "maybe" in Mayes

It's been a long road for Chris Mayes to get on the field for Georgia. Saturday against North Texas it'll finally end. Between a stint at Mississippi Gulf Coast, redshirting last season, enrolling at UGA early to participate in spring ball, and then a concussion last month, no one's more ready than the Griffin GA native.

“It set me back a while,” Mayes said. “I couldn’t work out for weeks. I couldn’t do any conditioning. I was frustrated about that. It took me a while to get back into playing shape. A lost technique and stuff, but I’ve gained it back. … I feel like I’m 100 percent right now. I’m doing well in practice, taking a couple of reps and playing real well right now.”

...

“I feel like I’m more of a run-stopper,” Mayes said. “I can clog up lanes. I try to make plays. If you’re trying to run the ball, I don’t like to allow that.”

I certainly like the sound of that.

Monday's Meatloaf - by a show of hands

Ok, I admit. I was morally and ethically outraged over Lester's roster management technique last week with Jeremy Hill's creative reinstatement. Almost as morally and ethically outraged as I was over the judge's decision to slap his wrist. But given some time to digest everything...I think Miles is once again proving to be one step ahead of the rest of us.

To illustrate, here's some ways in which I utilized this technique this past weekend

• "By a show of hands kids, who thinks Mommy needs to make strawberry shortcake every night?"
• "Hey y'all, by a show of hands, who thinks the youngest should pull my finger?"
• "Ok, ok. Let's vote on it. By a show of hands..." (looks around and realizes everyone else is upstairs, eats rest of the bag of Lay's Chicken n Waffles)

"I call em like I wanna see em Coach."

Anyway, so...those results were a mixed bag of opportunity, poor wordage, and absentee ballots. But this revolutionary idea could have serious wide-ranging benefits. Should When Pwnn Wagers calls an unsportsmanlike penalty after a Malcolm Mitchell go ahead touchdown over the Tigers September 28th, while Uncle Verne sells some Miller Lite to the television viewers Coach Richt can stroll to midfield, grab that sonofabitch's microphone and ask, "By a show of hands...was Malcolm being unsportsmanlike when he blew his momma a kiss?"

In Jacksonville, when that lonely gator fan wanders into the Georgia section and starts spouting off at the mouth with his football knowledge (post 1990) and refuses to use a napkin to wipe the nacho cheez wiz off his chin, you can just stand up straight and ask, "By a show of hands y'all, should we help this lonely reptile find a better seat?" Go gatuh! Bye!

And when a one loss SEC Champion trails Oregon and Ohio State in the final BCS standings despite the fact that everyone in the nation knows the Buckeyes are no better than the sixth best team in the nation, I'll just stroll onto the set of the selection show, grab the mic from Fowler, look into the camera and ask, "Show of hands out there America, who'd rather see an actual tackle football team rather than these tattooed Urbanites?"

/drops mic, glares at Mark May and heads to Pasadena

Today's Ingredients
- First off, congrats to friend of the blog David Hale...catching the lead story on the mothership's college football page.
- Kimberley has a nice look at freshman tight end Jordan Davis and his adjustment to Georgia's playbook.
- Tyler finds some comfort in some Auburn press notes. Yes, you read that right. Check it out.
- Speaking of GSB, Tyler let PWD out long enough to kill amateurism. Dead. Thanks guys.
- Meanwhile, in Athens, Weiszer reports that the defensive line is taking to Coach Wilson's way of things.
- Blutarsky asks, "Wherefore art thou Xzavier Ward?"
- In his continuing breakdown of the Capital One Bowl, Ching picks up on what was one of my favorite plays of the 2012 season.
- Ed Thomas looks at a few questions for the defense.
- Elsewhere, Run Home Jack finds Jadeveon Clowney sitting out of scrimmages.
- Remember Mizzou is an actual SEC opponent. And DavetheDawg treats them as such with this preview.
- And over at DudeYouCrazy, Brad attempts to justify an argument for a college football preseason.

Giggity!!

It's mid-August. And everyone you meet is happy. Everybody is undefeated and the sun is even shining on Charlie Weis' schematic advantage. Houston Nutt impressions are a dime a dozen.

Sure, there's a little tension. Most teams have a few games circled on the calendar that are causing some stress, even weeks ahead of time. But overall, the general consensus is that the pot of gold is still at the end of everybody's rainbows.

I even got a wave back from our neighborhood Tech fan this weekend. His gaze is usually fixed upon his shoelaces, but he met my greeting and gave me a smile. They're so cute in the summer sometimes aren't they?

Anyway, that's all about to change. I ran some numbers this weekend and it turns out that since 1996 when overtime was introduced, the first weekend that college football is available to fans inside of stadiums and on television sets, roughly half of the teams that play actually lose. Yes, 50% of teams will have a loss even before the second week of the season!

Here's hoping the Tiger tears are big. Have a great Monday Reader. Here's your fork.

Bernie

A leaner and meaner position battle, hopefully

Ching does a thorough job of breaking down the top position battles to watch out for now that practices are upon us. And of course there's lots of intrigue, from how Kolton Houston will fit into a fairly muddy offensive tackle rotation to who can challenge for Josh Harvey-Clemons' spot in the opener.

But after watching the defensive line grow softer and softer in the final games of 2012, the position I'm watching with the keenest eye will be the nose tackle. It is Thornton's starting spot to lose. But he gives up 60 or so pounds to his predecessors and has some eager and slightly bigger bodies right behind him. To make it even more intriguing, longtime defensive line coach Rodney Garner is gone. Newly appointed Chris Wilson has already made a name for himself on the recruiting trails. Can he have this line ready for prime time opener AND the grind of the SEC slate?

Returning contenders: Michael Thornton (0 tackles), Taylor
Newcomers: Junior college transfer Chris Mayes, prep school transfer John Atkins, freshmanDe’Andre Johnson
Breakdown: Fourth-year junior Thornton inherited the job from the massive duo of John Jenkins and Kwame Geathers. And yet it’s reasonable to wonder how the line will function differently with the 290-pound Thornton in the middle instead of his 350-pound-plus predecessors. Coaches and teammates say Thornton can handle the job, but Mayes and Atkins -- who both weighed roughly 320 pounds -- are lurking behind him on the depth chart. And it’s not out of the question that Taylor could move inside in certain situations, either. The job seems to be Thornton’s to lose, but it would not be a surprise to see several different players lining up inside early in the year as new line coach Chris Wilson weighs his options. 

Five star DT Lamont Gaillard commits to Georgia

A huge commitment for Coach Richt and his staff. Gaillard (6'4", 300lbs) is one of the top overall prospects in the nation and ranked #2 at his position. He's from Fayetteville NC and has chosen Georgia over Alabama, Clemson and Florida, among many, many others.

Even if you don't put much stock in "commitments" or recruiting in general, this is pretty big news for Dawg fans. That can't really deny. For one it shows that despite a small class in 2014 that is down to its last few spots available, Georgia continues to target top players and convince them Athens is the place to be. And also, Chris Wilson is becoming quite a force in recruiting overall and as a coach that can sell his position.

And from what Gaillard's high school coach says ($), you can see why Wilson really wanted North Carolina's top prospect.

“For a big guy, he runs very well,” Sochovka said. “He has great lateral movement down the line of scrimmage. There is one play on his highlight tape where, when I saw it, I told him jokingly before all this exploded, ‘That is going to be the one that gets you recruited.’ He came down the line of scrimmage, fought off a double-team, the play went outside and he made a tackle three or four yards downfield. He said, ‘But I didn’t make the sack.’ I told him it wasn’t about that. ‘You did everything you were supposed to do and you caught the guy from behind. That was a great effort and what they want to see.’ ” 

...

“They are going to get a player that can play all three downs,” Sochovka said. “He’s good enough on the pass rush and quick enough off his explosion that you don’t have to bring in a smaller, quicker guy to give you an inside pass rush. He is definitely a guy who can play all three downs at the college level.”  

Coach Richt has lost control of Toby Johnson's back flips

We are certain to see a leaner, more agile defensive front this season. And this video Shaq Wiggins posted to Instagram last night proves it - CLICK HERE. 


On the one hand, watching that makes me even more eager to see what this less obese and more athletic front can do this fall. On the other hand, I'd rather not see potential starters like Johnson and Jay Rome doing acrobatics. Surely Jimmy Williamson and his band of merry men have some law against this sort of thing. I mean, they weren't even wearing shirts.

Kwame goes west

Great weekend for Coach Richt and staff as they had eight former Dawgs drafted and at least two more to sign free agent contracts after the NFL Draft's conclusion.

One of those undrafted signings was Kwame Geathers who signed with San Diego. The Chargers need bulk in the middle of their 3-4 alignment and they'll get that with Geathers. At six and a half feet and 350+ pounds he eventually settled pretty well into Grantham's scheme.

The knock on Kwame (who if you'll remember bounced around a bit on Richt's roster) has been staying low. And that's going to continue to be a challenge for him as the the opposing blockers he goes up against will only get better. He's a gifted athlete with super human size and he has great hands. Understandably, many felt he should've stayed another year at Georgia to improve his game to more than just a first and second down tackle. Hopefully he continues to craft his skill and makes the Chargers' roster.

Dontavius Russell makes a "peaceful" commitment

Carrollton GA defensive tackle four star Dontavius Russell became Georgia's fourth commitment for 2014 yesterday, choosing the Dawgs over a host of other schools including Bama, Florida, FSU and Clemson. And it sounds like it had less to do with football than about just feeling at home.

via

“I just left Georgia,” Russell said. “It was just like every other time I visited. But when we got in the car on our way back, I just thought about, ‘What if I committed?’ The thought of that was just so peaceful, and it felt like a place that I wanted to be, so I just went ahead and made a decision.” 

With his decision made, Wilson called the coaches from the car. 

“I just called them back and spoke to Coach Wilson and then Mark Richt,” Russell said. “I committed to them. They said, ‘That is awesome,’ and, ‘We are glad to have you,’ and a bunch of other stuff.” 

Russell credits the Bulldogs' consistent message for winning him over.

Russell is a 6'3" 300lb plug in the defense for Carrollton High. His frame is there, but he will obviously grow even more. He'll be a good one to watch this fall during his senior season to see how he develops, physically and athletically.

Leaner "Meatball" at the nose

Mike Thornton may not be fond of the nickname, but he's not letting it affect his low center of gravity.

Center David Andrews has had some battles with Thornton this spring, according to coach Mark Richt.

“He’s very low to the ground,” Richt said. “David was very used to blocking them big guys and sometimes David could use his quickness to his advantage and get his pads underneath theirs naturally just because of the size difference, but Michael, he’s got some good quicks and he’s got a low center of gravity. David’s had some trouble dealing with him on certain blocks. He’s trying to cut him off and Michael’s made some plays.”

It's only natural to compare Thornton and Mayes's size to the guys they're attempting to replace. So it's likely to be a recurring storyline well into the fall. But if they can help this defense stop the run better than the one Jenkins and Geathers centered then size really won't matter.

Taylor moved to end, nose locked up?

The team will scrimmage again this morning. And it appears as if the nose guard spot has been solidified well before GDay. At least in terms of the rotation.

Redshirt freshman Jonathan Taylor has been moved to defensive end. This seems to show Grantham's hand in terms of who will compete for the top nose spot this August.

Mike Thornton, who is 6-foot-1 and 289 pounds, is holding down the first-team nose guard spot with 6-4, 315-pound junior college transfer Chris Mayes behind him, but Thornton estimates that the Bulldogs playing nickel defense—not the base 3-4—about 70 percent of the time last season. Thornton can play nose or end.

Georgia also signed junior college defensive lineman Toby Johnson and Newnan defensive tackle De’Andre Johnson.

Taylor said it was a big adjustment because of the mindset of being the nose but he sees the ability to make plays at end as a pass-rusher that fits his skill set.

Taylor has told the media he's around 325-330 pounds. I'll leave that as food for thought...

Welcome! Toby Johnson!

When you least expect it....expect it!

In a weird twist that college football recruiting could only understand, Hutchinson Community College defensive tackle Toby Johnson (6'4", 305 lbs) chose Georgia yesterday over Auburn, Oklahoma and Miss State. He'll play defensive end but says he'll slide inside in nickel situations.

Surprising because last we heard, he and Georgia had cooled off completely. Just last week when Radi Nabulsi sat down with us here he said that Georgia coaches' recruitment of Johnson was done.

There was a lot of buzz late in the day on signing day about a late signee. Any updates along that front? 

Toby Johnson had contacted the coaches about dropping his final official visits and signing with Georgia.  But he changed his mind apparently. Georgia had moved on from him earlier in January after it became apparent he was going to have trouble qualifying but after missing on some top targets, Georgia had room to take a chance. I do not think Georgia is actively recruiting him now.

Something changed. And it might be his academic prospects. It never appeared as if Georgia was shying away due to a knee injury Johnson's rehabbing. They've always recruited him to play immediately. And now it appears as if Johnson will enroll in June and be ready to do just that.

And it also appears as if we have new defensive line coach Chris Wilson to thank for the final signee of the 2013 class.

As weeks passed, however, some thought Georgia -- a program Johnson considered a longtime leader -- was looking more like a dark horse candidate while Auburn and Mississippi State were front-runners.

But Georgia seemed to creep back in the picture when Chris Wilson left Mississippi State to take a defensive line position with Georgia.

"I liked Coach Wilson when he was at Mississippi State," Johnson told ESPN's DawgNation in January. "I think he can make me better each and every day. He can make me versatile and help me get to the next level." 

Indeed. Welcome Toby!

Countdown to NSD - 9 days

If you're a Dawg fan you have to be as pleased as you could possibly be after this weekend's visits from the top remaining targets: Alvin Kamara (RB, Norcross), Reuben Foster (ILB, Auburn), Davin Bellamy (OLB, Chamblee) and Montravius Adams (DT, Dooly Co.). Just getting all four to come the same weekend is a huge win. But from all the feedback it's clear they all had a good time and enjoyed each other as much as they did Athens.

Here's a quick update on each of them.

Reuben Foster

Davin Bellamy - Grantham clearly put the full court press on the talented edge rusher out of Atlanta. Bellamy mentioned that he described him as the best outside linebacker in the country and it appears as if Georgia could be a clear leader. After the coaching changes in Tallahassee, this is a kid that is looking to feel comfortable somewhere. Sounds like Georgia has provided itself as a clear option.

Alvin Kamara - Still strikes me as someone that is balancing the art of playing things close to the vest while also making the most of his visits. My guess is still Bama here, but he's clearly comfortable ($) with the coaches, the players (including Gurley and Marshall who hosted him) and the program as a whole.*

Montravius Adams - Georgia has given him everything they could to sway this big prospect ($). But it still is an uphill climb. Clemson offered him first, so you have to feel they hold the edge.

Reuben Foster - Grantham showed ($)Foster ways in which they could move the nation's top inside linebacker around to utilize his talents in rushing the passer and making plays. Georgia has a lot in their favor, especially since Foster and Tray Matthews are so close. But nothing is going to be certain until the ink is dry with this one.

*Word is that Georgia coaches offered Vanderbilt commitment Johnathan Ford last night. He's a three star running back prospect out of New Hope, Alabama. Read into that what you will.

Countdown to NSD - 14 days

In just two weeks the faxes will be rolling in!

Alvin Kamara - The Norcross running back had a good visit in Tuscaloosa last weekend, but we assume its impossible to have a bad one if you are a stud recruit that Saban has in his cross hairs. Georgia will get its "official" turn this weekend and it remains possible that another school (Clemson, Tennessee or maybe FSU) might get his final visit during the week afterwards. Kamara will be spending time with family on the last weekend of recruiting before signing day.

Tunsil - a VERY large paint ball and recruiting target

Laremy Tunsil - He was in Athens this past weekend and had a chance to show his mom around while also getting to know ($) some of the players, including a paint ball excursion that he really enjoyed despite being such a big target. It continues to look pretty good for Georgia with Tunsil: he has a chance to compete for early playing time at the tackle position opposite John Theus, has a couple good running backs in the backfield along with a four year starter under center, and he seems to really like the program from the top down.

“Alabama and Georgia are similar in most areas and they are both winning programs. You cannot go wrong with either. I do not really know where I want to go and it is hard, but God will lead me in the right direction.”

Incidentally, he sat next to Coach Richt in church on Sunday. Something drastic would have to happen for Tunsil not to sign with Georgia.

Montravius Adams - The five star defensive tackle from Dooly County has been making the rounds and this weekend it's Georgia's turn/ It's unknown whether Adams will make another visit anywhere after that, so Coach Richt and staff could get the final crack at this talented monster. Auburn seems to be making a late push, but it's still a battle between Clemson and Georgia.

Toby Johnson - Georgia might have a better shot at Johnson than with Adams. This junior college defensive tackle prospect has made no secret of the fact that he likes the Dawgs. New defensive line coach Chris Wilson has known Johnson for awhile and has stuck with him through his transition to Athens as well as Johnson's ACL tear in November when a lot of schools lost interest. Despite the injury he is on track to play this fall.

The College Park GA native is finishing his academic work and rehabbing at Hutchinson Community College and will make his final decision known on Signing Day.

Davin Bellamy - Another one that is visiting this weekend, Bellamy is weighing options after committing to FSU. Grantham has supposedly long been enamored with his quick burst and UGA is definitely back in the running now that Garner is in Auburn. Is there too much ground to make up? Maybe so. But you cna bet that the coaches and players will make a strong pitch on Saturday. He strikes me as someone who is really looking for a place to further develop his skills and we know from last year that Grantham can do a good job selling the program in terms of what it can do. Especially good pass rushers.

So, give FSU the nod here. But UGA is far from out of the running.


Reuben Foster - This kid reminds me of a piece of driftwood floating about 50 feet from shore, rocking back and forth with a turbulent high tide. Committed to Alabama, de-committed, committed to Auburn, de-committed. All of that while also changing high schools and getting program specific tattoos. He finished a good visit to Tuscaloosa this past weekend and hits the road towards Athens on Friday. Auburn gets the last official. So the more things change the more they stay the same possibly. Whichever direction he sways last will get his signature. But it's hard to believe the drama would end there right?


Tomorrow we'll look at one linebacker that UGA will get the final crack at, Matthew Thomas out of Miami.

Kwame's counts as two scholarships right?

Now that it's official, Geathers scholarship counts as two for the next year right? I mean if we weight his scholarship proportionally since he was a little heavier...plus he had an extra year that he's leaving behind...PLUS he played multiple positions while on campus.

Yes. His is at least a 1.5 scholarship. At least.

As for his decision, if you ask me Kwame has known he was hopping out of Athens ASAP right after this play happened in Nashville. Defensive tackles only get so long to make their scratch in the NFL.