GDay - preview one

Bad news guys. I'm not going to GDay. I was able to find a bigger game to attend. But I do have two preview posts for you. The first one, which you have already found here, addresses some transportation developments since we last transported ourselves to Athens as well as some day of events that you may or may not have heard about. The tomorrow I'll be back with a look at what we might can expect to come out of the actual scrimmage.

Travel
Wanted to update you on the 316 corridor through Lawrenceville. If you're not aware, the Collins Hill and Highway 20/Buford Dr. interchanges are undergoing a major overhaul. They're adding overpasses and access roads which has turned the area into a traffic bipolar danger zone: extreme caution needed at times, and at others it's pretty much status quo. Luckily, if you're just passing through and not exiting on one of those roads you aren't affected nearly as much as those of us who are doing that on a regular basis. And I doubt a fan friendly scrimmage in Athens is going to lock the interchanges down completely. Most of the added buildup is coming on the weekdays.

The NEW intersection at Highway 20 and 316!

That being said, I believe travel through Lawrenceville along 316 will be affected come fall. Especially for any early games where the gameday traffic is more concentrated. So Saturday might be a good time to try out a new possibility for navigating around this "hotspot". The "Sugarloaf By-Pass" is fully functional now and would probably help Atlanta residents trying to get down 316 that have no need to pass through Lawrenceville. Sugarloaf Parkway is the first eastbound exit on 316 and skirts along the outer edge of Lawrenceville. The road used to dead end into Grayson Highway, but they've opened up another few miles to get traffic all the way to 316 just before the Harbins Rd-Dacula stoplight. Back in the fall west bound 316 traffic couldn't access this "by-pass", but they've completed construction now so that traffic from any direction can use the interchange.

Although there are several stoplights, this Sugarloaf option would still be a favorable alternative to the construction zone that Lawrenceville has become. Saturday might be a good time to test it out.

Rennie Curran's book signing
In case you've missed it this week as he's been publicizing it, Rennie Curran has a book out - Free Agent: The Perspectives of a Young African-American Athlete. He'll be on hand at the UGA Bookstore for autographs and signings ($10 each, or for the price of the book) as he promotes it. You can pre-order a copy at his website.

Here's a link to a video made as a trailer for the book. You can get more info about the Bookstore appearance from the Facebook invite.

Lunch with the Legends
The tickets and autographed footballs sold out quick. Hopefully you were able to get in on the action. If not, there stands a good chance that there will be a third annual event like this next year.

Annual Letterman Game
Past heroes of Sanford's turf gather and play a flag football game prior to the start of the intra-squad scrimmage. I believe this starts at 11:00am and is a lot of fun and a chance to root for some former players once again.

Plus, you get an early crack at the shaded seats before the crowd comes in.

Canned Food Drive
As in most years, UGA Athletic Association is asking GDay attendees to bring canned goods to donate. The scrimmage is free to attend, but these donations go towards helping the Food Bank of Northeast GA. Additionally, it appears some of the players have organized themselves into teams and are asking for specific foods to be donated. Keith Marshall (aka #TeamMarshall) would like you to bring canned corn and sliced peaches; #TeamBennett would prefer you bring peanut butter and mixed veggies; and #TeamSwann wants more baked beans and sliced pears than anything else. Still no word on #TeamLynch lobbying for canned haddock on a Wicked Saturday. Oh well.

Regardless, bins will be set up at the main gate, plus gates 2,4,6 and 9. Monetary donations are welcome as well. For more info on the Food Bank of NEGA - click here.

Evening fare
Of course once the game ends you really have two options: go on home or make a day of it. If you choose the latter there is some little concert at Sanford as well as the Diamond Dawgs taking on Missouri at Foley. Of course there's always the allure of downtown. And regardless of what happens on the field you can stop and ring the Chapel Bell. [CORRECTION: that concert is next Saturday, 4/13. Sorry for any confusion.]

Go Dawgs!

The Tray Matthews' kool-aid comes in black AND blue

I know, I know. It's spring. Plus, he's just a freshman. But this is just too good.

Then this:

"I'm not going to sit here and say (his spring) has been anything but impressive," Richt said. “I really don’t know if he’s doing everything correct, assignment-wise, but he’s a very fundamentally-sound football player and tackler. He enjoys competing, and he enjoys the physical aspect of the game. When a guy can tackle out in space like he does and just plays with speed and confidence, it’s been impressive. He hasn’t nailed down any particular job yet, but he’s made a very strong impression on everybody. I think he’s proved that he’s earned playing time. “

Hope the kid's head still fits in his helmet come Saturday.

Humpday Hilarity - Go hard or go home!

H/T AthensHomerDawg

Quayvon Hicks: size PLUS scheme = playing time

"He's the guy you want to get off the bus first." - Coach Bobo talking about fullback Quayvon Hicks.

via

Hicks, a sophomore from Pierce County, is turning a few heads this spring. And it's not just because the depth chart at his position is a lot narrower. Merritt Hall is nursing an injury and Zander Ogletree is not in Athens any longer.

All that being said, what makes you a little nervous about that last sentence may also convince you to get the pitcher of kool-aid out of the fridge. As consistent as Hall proved to be in run and pass blocking last season before an ankle injury sidelined him against Florida, Hicks has an extra few inches and 30+ more pounds.

If that's not enough for you, there's this:

“You don’t read any stats about him, but just playing some fullback (Friday), he picked up a blitz and just did it with enthusiasm,” Richt said. “He’s very physical, and he’s just starting to play a lot faster, and he’s more comfortable with the scheme. He’s just blocking extremely well, pass blocking, run blocking. He actually had a short-yardage run (Saturday) and he’s got good ball skills.”

Richt talked about Hicks in the context of how there was less separation between the starters and backups at many spots.

“I don’t want to brag too much about him, but he’s really starting to look like he could become a heck of a fullback,” Richt said.

Reminds me of how much Richt gushed over LSU fullback JC Copeland before the 2011 SEC Championship game.

“This kid Copeland, I smile when I talk about him because he’s a beast,” Richt said. “He wears No. 44 but he looks more like a (defensive tackle). He’s a guy that has worn out more Sam linebackers than anybody I’ve ever seen in a season. Normally by the end of the game, those guys are jumping out of the way when he comes downhill at him. …Hopefully our guys won’t jump out of the way of him.”

The key for Hicks has always been picking up the scheme so that he can help his large frame pick up the blitz and get in the way of would be tacklers. Physically, he walked onto campus ready to go. Now it sounds like his mind is in the right place when the opportunity has come knocking.

Look for him to knock a few of Grantham's boys around this Saturday.

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.

C'mon Ladies...GATA!

For previews, you can't really do better than Tyler and Groo. Should be a good game. So remember, 9:30pm on ESPN. Go Dawgs!

Image via The Dawgbone

Happy Mike Campo Day!!

Four years! Can't believe it's been four years since Terence Moore was so fantastically duped that the internet was changed forever. Well, that may be a bit much. But it was funny enough to remember fondly each year as the calendar turns to April.

Because in the spring of 2009 UGA was looking for a basketball coach. And Terence Moore, AJC typist and note idiot, was busy lobbying for Tubby Smith (okay, I get that Captain Obvious) or Craig Robinson (wuh? who?).

In April 2009 Craig Robinson had just finished his first season as Oregon State's head coach, going 18-18 and winning the College Basketball Invitational. Prior to that he'd gone 30-28 at Brown. Those sterling credentials aside, Robinson is also Barack Obama's brother in law. This point of fact alone clearly qualifies him to be the head coach at Georgia.

So Moore continued to type, much to everyone's regret. At least those with internet connection that could also read. Thankfully there was one person to intervene. Mike Campo.

Mike is not necessarily a real person. Although he could be. Or she, perhaps. But whoever Campo is he got the better of Moore and put him back in his place with just a few words, expertly crafted, on the Fools' most recognizable day.

Mike Campo 4/1/09, 11:38am - Mr. Moore, I am 12 years old and love reading your articles. I think they are great! Please keep writing and inspiring the youth like me to write!

Chief Craptastic 4/1/09, 11:48am - Mike Campo - Thanks for the kind words. Since you’re 12 years old, I’m sure you’ll change your mind several times in regards to what you want to do in life. But keep studying hard in general, and I’m glad you enjoy writing. The more you write, the more you’ll enjoy it, and the more you’ll develop your craft. Having the ability (and the will) to write effectively will help you in whatever you decide to do. So, Mike, keep listening to your parents and to your teachers, and you’ll be just fine. 

Mike Campo 4/1/09, 11:51am - Just kidding, your writing and opinions suck 

Chief Craptastic 4/1/09, 11:51-12:02pm - silence....

Mike Campo 4/1/09, 12:02pm - Sorry, my dad typed that. He doesn’t like you and says you are racist. i don’t know what that means. he want’s me to ask you when you are moving to another state? He says he’ll buy me a new bike if you go. Please hurry up and move far away. 

And scene. Excellent. It's a lot like "catfishing" just with a better 40 time and tackling skills. Moore took a voluntary buyout later that month. He now makes up shit for something called AOL Fanhouse. Craig Robinson, by the way, has compiled a 59-70 record since 2009. Clearly Damon Evans was drunk in not hiring him. Clearly.

But that's all conjecture. Today we celebrate the man (supposedly), the myth, the legend. Somewhere I hope Mike Campo is steering his Schwinn with one hand and drinking a raspberry slushy with the other. Perhaps one day we'll meet outside of the wires of the internets. Until then...

Happy Mike Campo Day!

Bonus material:

- original Moore article

- Hale weighed in with a response

- Williard's interview with Moore

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.

Scrimmage, second time around

UPDATE: Saw this post this morning by Weiszer. Couple injuries should knock Autin Long and Sheldon Dawson.

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First and foremost, if you didn't see THIS VIDEO that Blutarsky posted yesterday you really, really need to watch it now. Warning, watching the full four minutes may cause pregnancy.

Some other observations from the tweets, stats and video reactions of the second spring scrimmage:

• Chris Conley having a heckuva spring y'all. From what little I've read and even less than I've seen, he's making great catches and earning some yards after catch. Living up to that bowl game performance for sure. Keep it up!
• We heard a couple days ago that Gurley was hoping to be more involved in the passing game. So far (at least in scrimmages) that's what we've seen. If you go to GDay, don't be surprised to see a couple handoffs to #3 and then maybe a couple designed screens to him. That'll be about it.
• If you believe all of the scrimmage stats, there's a stark dropoff from Murray and Mason to the second tier of the quarterback depth.
• But hey...LeMay was the only quarterback without an interception.
• Reggie Wilkerson wins standout early-enrollee of the day.

Here's Josh Harvey-Clemons talking about his role in the defense:

Lady Dawgs chop down Stanford

This is a great group of seniors intermixed with talented freshmen. And last night they played with all heart, defeating top seed Stanford 61-59 despite a slow start and great shooting by the Trees Cardinal.

Georgia overcame three major scoring droughts, including falling behind 9-0 to start the game, to oust the No. 1 seed from the Spokane Regional and end Stanford’s hopes of reaching the Final Four for the sixth straight year.

Jasmine James led Georgia (28-6) with 16 points, including a pair of free throws with 23.5 seconds left that gave the Lady Bulldogs a 60-56 lead. It’s the 11th trip to the regional finals for coach Andy Landers in his long tenure at Georgia.

Next objective: Monday at 9:40 vs. Cal-LSU winner for a chance at the Final Four. Go Dawgs!