Star rising to new heights

So far, this has been the biggest news of Fall camp for me. Branden Smith has gone from a offensive weapon of mass destruction to a defensive force on the edge.

“Right now, he’s a different guy to me,” coach Mark Richt said.

Smith has created buzz as a Bulldog during his career for what he’s done on offense. He scored a pair of touchdowns as a freshman, including a 61-yard touchdown on a reverse against South Carolina.

“I’m an athlete,” Smith said. “I want to be known for both. I’m trying to do whatever just to get the ball in my hands.”

Smith is focused this month on “trying to get a starting spot” on defense, but he actually started in all nine games he appeared in last year. Smith missed the other four games because of two concussions.

This is big for Smith, but also big in terms of the flexibility it gives Lakatos with Sanders Commings. I'll say it again, the more Commings is able to play safety the better.

The sounds of progress

Some great soundbytes coming out of yesterday's practice, the last of the Fall camp, courtesy of Bulldawg Illustrated. The overall impression I got was that the team has progressed enough to be ready for basic game prep.

• First, Coach Grantham discusses personnel and development. What's more than noticeable is that the inability to get off the field after third and longs has stuck in his craw all off season long.
• Coach Bobo raves some on Marlon Brown among other things.
• Coach Olivadotti says Tree is ready for the NFL already. Well, kind of.

The more I think about it the more I believe the third and long woes last year under Grantham's defense was a goofy and annoying caricature of the defense's adjustment. A strong resemblance to the actual subject, but grossly exaggerated...we hope. I just keep thinking that surely...surely this season we'll be reacting quicker to the ball and spending less time waving red flags at bulls.

Beer of the Week: Southern Tier's Crème Brûlée

I figured it was about time for dessert...


If you're a fan of beer there is surely plenty in Southern Tier's arsenal that you like. Although I can't name one of theirs my favorite in a certain style, I also can't think of anything they've done that isn't really good. In terms of breweries they are similar to Dogfish in that they distribute well nationally and internationally and really enjoy the art of brew making. It's a creative process that they take seriously. And I dig that.


If you haven't had their Crème Brûlée...well, it's nothing like you've had before. If you don't like vanilla, stay away. But even if you do like the taste it may be a little much.


It pours as expected, dark, thick and very little head. The vanilla aroma is prominent and reminded me of my favorite porter, the Breckenridge Vanilla. But it's much stronger than that. The taste is prominent and doesn't ever relent. It's like drinking a dessert by the same name that has been doused in some liqueur.


I had this from a bomber and usually I can finish one in a sitting no problem. The Crème Brûlée however is like 9.6% and sweet as hell. So I had to take a break. I mean at times it was as thick as motor oil and the alcohol seemed to come through stronger with each sip. And unlike some other stouts, I don't think this one gets better the closer it gets to room temperature. I thought it was better cool. The warmer it got the easier it was to taste the alcohol and the more unbalanced it became.


Don't worry. I eventually finished it. And I'd truly like to have this one again. I just think it might be better shared with someone. They ain't lying when they label it an imperial. 


Until next week, stay thirsty dudes.

SEC Expansion: "ficts" vs "faction" UPDATED

UPDATE - I won't update every time the wind changes this weekend. But the strongest gale now has FSU, Mizzou and Clemson joining TAMU. That and VA Tech is happy where they are.

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The truths and the half-truths at this point are all so intertwined it's easy to get caught up in the wicked web that is being spun in the land of the Big 12 10 9...whatever. It seems by the time someone with knowledge tweets or clicks Publish!, the news is old or already being disputed.


But I found this piece by Travis to be a fair assessment of both what is known, what could be and what is very unlikely. Truthfully, I both find this stuff compelling and repulsive. I guess I'm intrigued because I think the SEC stands to win this "arms race" towards mega conferences. But I'm against the idea of expansion simply on its basis. I kind of like things the way they are, but it seems that the idea of super conferences is a matter of when and not if. So...here are my thoughts:

• It appears Mike Slive is nearing third base rounding third base sliding into home with the $exy TAMU. But for the record, they started the heavy petting in the first place. (FWIW...looks like the next BoR meeting in College Station is on Monday)
• After A&M is where I think it gets interesting. VA Tech seems most logical to me. Florida (and Georgia for that matter) don't want FSU for basic, age-old territorial issues. Clemson would come next, but SCU has a similar argument against them. NATS...bwahahaha! (All that aside, there are some serious rumors of FSU following A&M. Guess anything is possible.)
• Memphis...Louisville...please. 
• Oklahoma I just don't see happening. A&M has all but divorced Texas' whoring ass, but OU and Okie State are still married at the hip. One set of alumni with 10 gallons permanently affixed to their craniums is enough. We don't need three.
• Will Vandy be forced out? I just don't think so. Meaning, I haven't seen anything substantial that tells me it is even a possibility. Have I seen message bored posters that make viable points as to why it makes sense? I guess. But that's a long way from kicking a strong academic school to the curb in an age when the 'Dores continue to be a pretty smart looking feather in Slive's pimp'N cap.
• North Carolina. Wait...we'll come back to spit our tobaccky.
• The hoops. While we're raking in football dollars, can we raid some good basketball schools and officially make the SEC the best hoops conference as well? To do that would seem to take a miracle...and act of God...Mike Krzyzewski crapping his pants. Or maybe all three. All I know is my head just starts spinning when I try to fathom the variables.
• Now, back to NC. Travis makes a case for why Slive might make a play at Duke. But I just can't believe they'd listen. I know, I know. It doesn't make sense that if the NCAA athletic world were to start crumbling around the ACC that there wouldn't be some schools with solid basketball programs that might consider jumping to a historically football conference. But I also know that in wine and cheese country reality takes a back seat to full court presses.
• However, if the SEC were to look into the state of NC (and when you're evaluating geographical regions where Slive might want to establish a televise footprint NC just makes sense) I think I'd only want Duke. For these reasons: 1) I already hate them 2) it'd finally answer the question of how many rabid Dawg fans you can fit into a high school football stadium and 3) it would finally force the dookies to play us in basketball.
• North Carolina would've been nice, but I think they're about to be castrated. Bad timing Heels. Sorry. And NC State...nah thanks. Wake...call us when your football fans equal the number of lacrosse fans. Plus you stole JT3's brother from us. (All that aside, there are just as serious rumors as the FSU ones that UNC is lined up. So...whatevs. AwwBarn can show the Heels the ropes down heyuh!)

What'd I miss? More specifically, how do you feel about a bloated SEC?

The Ben Jones barometer

Sounds like our center is not only the CEO of the offensive line, but also the measuring stick for whether or not our NTs are SEC ready.

“You’ve got to think about it, Kwame (Geathers) has been here for a while,” [Jenkins] said. “As he’s been on first team, I’m learning. This is a tough defense. It’s not like junior college. It’s a lot of things to be accountable for. They want to make sure I’m able to handle that pressure, and by Kwame being in front of me I’m learning. And it gives me an opportunity to go against Ben Jones and the first offensive line. Ben Jones is a heck of a player. Every time he gets me on a play or what not, I get angry and I want to fight back. But I also go to him and I ask him what I did wrong. He’s been in the SEC for a while. I’m learning from every experience. I’m learning from the guys.

Grantham's D, post transition

Being cautiously optimistic is hard as a fan when Coach Grantham speaks. The guy just makes me want to bury a helmet shoulder into Alshon Jeffery's ribcage. Year one wasn't a complete disaster, but had more than its share of lowlights. Now Grantham needs his prize recruits to mature quickly.

"We did a good job of targeting guys that could really help us and then focusing in on the top guys," Grantham said. "I think it will pay off for us down the road."

The freshmen already have shown their abilities.

In Georgia’s first preseason scrimmage Wednesday, Herrera racked up seven tackles and returned a fumble 65 yards for a touchdown while Moore broke up two passes and Bowman intercepted a two-point conversion.

Hitting the ground running also meant he knew he didn't already have the pieces to his 3-4 puzzle. Getting Jenkins was huge, but also getting larger players has been a noticeable change in recruiting since Martinez and Co. were let go. Damian Swann will play this Fall as a true freshman not only because he has the skills to make plays but also because he has the size to lock up with SEC receivers. If he would've made it to campus, Kent Turene would have also. Amarlo Herrera is another one. Their larger frames are suited for the style of play Grantham wants.

The 5-11, 177-pound Swann "continues to impress," coach Mark Richt said Thursday,

"If he keeps going, we’ll find a way to get him in the game," Richt said. "I don’t know if he’s ready to breakout and take anybody’s position right yet, a starting position, but he sure is working on grabbing some playing time in my mind. He’s made plays and seems to be making very few mental errors. I think he’ll help us this year."

Herrera, a 6-2, 231-pound product of North Clayton High, is backing up starting inside linebacker Alec Ogletree.

"Amarlo’s another guy that we’re wanting to get him in there," Richt said. "Strictly from a depth standpoint at that position, Amarlo’s probably going to have to play."

Richt said he’ll meet with his coaching staff as early as Sunday to discuss which freshmen appear ready to play this season.

Of course having the size and absorbing the playbook are two different hurdles. There's much work to be done says Ray Drew. And the coach that brought them to Athens is there to "help":

Said Drew, a five-star recruit from Thomas County Central: "I got all the basic stuff down, but the playbook got much larger when I got here. I had to take it as they threw it at me and do my best to learn it."

While the young talent is fighting for playing time, Richt senses that their older teammates have opened the door for the newcomers rather than closing it on them.

"I think they’re more excited than threatened by it," Richt said. "Everybody wants to fight for their job and playing time and all that, but they also like to win."

After trying to woo them to Georgia, Grantham is now attacking the freshmen he recruited on the practice field.

"He gets after it," said Moore, a safety from Griffin. "He sees you lagging around, he’ll call you out. That’s what everyone needs."

All the pieces are in place now. No excuses in 2011. I doubt no one knows that better than Coach Grantham.

Ol Ball Coach with a case of the oldtimers

"Ahhh sh*t!" 


h/t Kegs 'n Eggs

Or maybe he'd just had too many Banquet Beers himself.

Scrimmage scramble, part uno

First let's be honest with each other...the stats we get from these scrimmages are basically whatever the coaches want us to read. No that doesn't mean Crowell only had 12 yards on 30 carries. But it does mean that the real news out of scrimmages is in what's said afterwards.

• Namely...no injuries.
• Blair Walsh - for the love of God! He kicked the whatchamacallit out of it!
• John Jenkins working with the 2nd team defense legitimizes Kwame's spring. They're competing and pushing each other. That's a damn good thing.
• Crowell's the real deal. Is there a backfield in the nation with four more diverse styles/body types/skills than in Athens?
• The more Branden Smith impresses the more we'll see Sanders Commings at safety. That's a big deal right there as safety is the only spot on the defensive side worth a worry at this point.
• We'll talk more about this later, but putting Tree closer to the snap of the ball is both the biggest no brainer and the greatest move since calling that end around for Smith against Carolina in '09.
• Tree and Jarvis Jones are really getting me excited about seeing Grantham2.0. And speaking of closer to the ball...Well hello there Amarlo Herrera!

Other readings:

- Weiszer with complete "stats" and actual CMR quotes.

- Legge reacts to the first scrimmage ($$).

- Tyler gets a revisionist perspective. 

- Big Muddy has some reaction and links to video interviews.

Giving the Horns the finger

Looks like it might be time to start scoping out which airports are closest to College Station and what kind of night life there is in town.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry says his alma mater, Texas A&M, and the SEC are discussing the Aggies possible future membership in the league, according to a report in the Dallas Morning News.

Perry was asked by reporters from the paper on Wednesday about recent swirling speculation surrounding the move.

"I'll be real honest with you. I just read about it the same time as y'all did. ... As far as I know, conversations are being had. That's frankly all I know. I just refer you to the university and the decision makers over there."

Perry once served as a yell leader for the university, whose president, R. Bowen Loftin, recently acknowledged that there was "uncertainty" regarding the university's future membership in the Big 12.

Also, is gas any cheaper in Texas? Maybe Coach Sherman could bring a barrel or two to sweeten the pot.

"I solve problems."

Reading about UGAs attorney in the Jarvis Jones case can only lead to this clip from one of my all time favorite movies... (warning - NSFW)

UGA paid Winston Wolf Mike Glazier's firm over twenty-five grand to work on the Jarvis Jones case. On September 3rd we should find out that was money well spent.