THE PACKING LIST REVIEW: TENNESSEE

Now, that’s what I’m talking about. The DAWGS pushed that momentum ball all the way up to Rocky Top, crushed the Vols with it and now we’re downhill and gaining speed toward the Cocktail Party in Jacksonville in a couple of weeks. There is still the business of the Vanderbilt Commodores in Music City, but we’ll get to that soon enough. First, let’s check the Packing List for Tennessee and see how we did.

FIRST ITEM: *BOYKIN’S MOUTHPIECE* CHECK

Brandon Boykin didn’t take his turn on offense this week and Branden Smith performed very well when his number was called in place of Boykin’s, however Bam did play the entire game on defense and took his normal position on special teams as well. Boykin was hyped before the game and smiling widely during the post-game celebration, so it’s safe to assume Bam is not experiencing any problems with those loose teeth.

SECOND ITEM: *BLAIR’S BOOTS* CHECK

Walsh hit both of his field goal attempts on Saturday against the Vols (35, 23) and was perfect on his extra point attempts. Looks like Blair’s visit with an old friend last week has paid dividends and things are back on track. Walsh is striking the ball well and my money says Coach Richt will not hesitate to call on his veteran kicker at any point going forward, our wrinkly bulldawg asses on the line or not.

THIRD ITEM: *DEFENSIVE READING GLASSES* CHECK

We were concerned about the play-action game from Tennessee’s dangerous quarterback Tyler Bray headed into the game last week, but the were reading the Volunteers mail from the first snap of the game and put an end to all that business early on. The DAWGS dominated the line of scrimmage at the point of attack and held the Vols to negative 20 yards rushing. As the game went along, Georgia began to get more and more pressure on Bray. The result was a third straight game in which the opposing starting quarterback was not taking the snaps at game’s end. Coach Grantham seems to have found the right prescription for his guys and the DAWG Nation is loving the results.

FOURTH ITEM: *SPECIAL TEAMS BOOM* CHECK

Once again, special teams came up big for the DAWGS in Knoxville. Tennessee did a good job of kicking the ball away from the Georgia kick returners Saturday, but Georgia still found a way to have an impact in the “third” phase of the game. The DAWGS kicking game was solid and the kick coverage was good, but it was a defensive play made by a big man that went all “double thump” on the Vols this time as Kwame Geathers got a big paw on the Tennessee extra point attempt following their late 4th quarter touchdown to make the odds a little longer on a Tennessee comeback.

So, there you have it. Rocky Top is as tough a place to play as there is in the country regardless of how the team is performing in any given year. Georgia rolled in, eventually took the game over and the DAWGS were mere inches from making this one a laugher. The 4th quarter penalty debacle was astonishing. I know it was 80 degrees on Saturday, but that effort is making me strongly consider adding mittens to the Packing List for the offensive unit before the trucks pull out for Nashville this week…heat be damned. Anyway, Georgia is on the right path and is excited about the challenge that lies ahead. It’s way too early for the DAWGS to be looking too far ahead, but if you just keep putting one foot in front of the other you will get to where you wanna go…and the Nation will be right behind you woofin’.

Glory, Glory.

A FIST BUMP FOR THE DEFENSE

Although we were looking on from a dizzying height (literally) last Saturday in Neyland, we could still see the most beautiful sight our eyes could behold on the gridiron...a will-breaking rush defense sporting red helmets.

I'm not going to make this a long explanation piece by breaking down why it's happening or answering questions about whether this stout run defense is a mirage. I'm only writing to say that these DAWGS deserve some real credit when it comes to stopping the base run game of their opponents.

The following snippet comes from Marc Weiszer at the Athens Banner-Herald:

Georgia’s defense now ranks in the top 12 in five categories nationally: total defense (sixth), rushing defense (12th), third-down defense (fourth), pass-efficiency defense (eighth) and passing defense (11th).

The Bulldogs are also tied for 20th in scoring defense and 17th in tackles for loss.

Georgia held Tennessee to minus-20 yards rushing, the lowest total ever by an opponent against Richt.

“I’m enjoying a defense beginning to play like a Junkyard Dawg bunch,” Richt said.

Do not just dismiss that rushing total on Rocky Top as what should be expected against any opponent. That is NOT common as Weiszer points out and the DAWGS did not do it against some directional school. This rush D is for real.

As we've pointed out before, defense is where it's at and it should come as no surprise that Georgia's four (should've been five) straight wins have coincided with Georgia playing better and better on the defensive side of the ball.

Watching the opposing team's backs disappear into a huge stack of linemen time after time may not be the most flashy visual, but it is a beautiful thing to behold. One thing leads to another...Kwame Geathers, John Jenkins and Co. swallow up backs, linebackers run free to the ball, a twist along the defensive line here and a bull-rush there gets a little pressure, the quarterback's timing is thrown off and the end result is more sacks, forced fumbles, broken up passes and interceptions.

Good job, DAWGS. I'm not branding you Junkyard DAWGS just yet. Great defense is played by men that constantly carry a chip on their shoulder that have something to prove because they know that you are only as good as your last game. Junkyard DAWGS...well not just yet, but a strong effort in Jacksonville against a team with multiple game-breaking threats in a few weeks would go a long way proving you've earned it.

Go DAWGS and G.A.T.A!!!

Glory, Glory.

HOT READS: WARM UPS ARE OVER

HOT READS: WARM UPS ARE OVER

Competition is vital. In the game of football, competition between players is an absolute must. It must be whole hearted and fierce, driven by a burning desire that cannot be doused by the self-doubt of benchwarmer reasoning. After the challenge, what is left is only the very best a group has to offer, but there really are no losers. No. The right to play has been won and as a result, the second option has been proven worthy of the right to join the winner in that great, common challenge that lies ahead.

Coach Richt as made it clear that competition and effort among this year’s DAWGS has not been lacking. The latest word from the practice fields only serves to validate that statement. Offensive line coach Will Friend has already issued a battlefield promotion to freshman David Andrews, moving the first year player up to the back-up role at center. If Andrews continues to progress, this should bode very well for the future.

Competition shows you who your “players” are, regardless of class. One thing that has apparently become abundantly clear over the first few days is there is a lot of athleticism on the practice fields, especially in this freshman class. Secondary coach Scott Lakatos raved about the physical talents of the new defensive backs and it seems the staff intends to find a spot for them saying, “We’ll put them out there and let them play.” This leads me to believe that several of these guys will get every chance to play immediately on special teams and possibly more. I say that’s a good thing.

I’m really feeling the attitude that I hear coming from the coaches too. When asked about his short numbers on the O-line, Friend said “All you need is five, nobody’s fretting.” That’s right. Man ‘em up, coach. Let’s play.

Defensive Coordinator Todd Grantham has a singular target for his men: WIN. When asked for five goals for this year’s defensive unit, Grantham only offered one. WIN. Every situation. Every one on one battle. Every drill. WIN. I hear ya, coach! Keep it simple. Grantham went on to say, “If you’re on our team and play defense, you have to know how to compete.”

You have to compete to have any chance to win. Once you’ve won enough battles to earn the right to step out and compete again, on Saturdays between the hedges with that G on the side of your helmet, then you will know that you are ready to take on all comers.

It appears that Kwame Geathers is down for the challenge. Big John Jenkins is on campus and competing hard, but Geathers has met every advance so far. Jenkins will have an impact on the field this year for the DAWGS, but at this point Jenkins is “…a very talented big man that’s very inconsistent,” coach Rodney Garner said. “He’s going to have to improve his fundamentals to play at this level.” Two anchors in the center of a defensive line, rotating to assure that they will always have a little bounce in their step. Yes, please.

Running backs coach Bryan McClendon is making me feel better and better every time I hear him talk about Isaiah Crowell.

“It’s easy for him, but the great thing that you see with him is you see a guy that doesn’t necessarily accept that ‘Hey, I’ve been doing this good so far.’ He’s constantly working, constantly trying to get better so that’s very encouraging.” McClendon continued, “He’s doing a good job of studying. He’s doing a good job of learning it. That stuff comes pretty quick to him. And that happens when you have a guy that, one, wants to be as good as he wants to be; and, two, is serious about football. Football is serious to that kid.”

That is exactly the type of focus and dedication it will take for Crowell to meet his own goals and lift his team to meet the expectations and hopes of the DAWG Nation.

Four practices down and the warm ups are over. It’s time to hook it up and get after somebody. I can’t wait to get the reports from the first practice in full pads and then the first scrimmage later this week. Just like Offensive Coordinator Mike Bobo said, “I want to see who will strike somebody, who won’t flinch. That’s the biggest thing.”

Glory, Glory.

WE HEAR YOU AND WE'LL BE WATCHING

Kwame Geathers has done some great work since arriving in Athens last summer to get himself in position to challenge for playing time. We all knew that, but it appears that Geathers has some game to go along with his 6 foot 6 inch, 308 pound frame. So much so that he has managed to impress his fellow defensive linemen with his play so far this spring. Brandon Wood and Demarcus Dobbs were quoted recently in the Red and Black as saying...

"...he’s moving fast and throwing people out of the way, and he’s going to be a beast.”

We certainly hope they're right.

Glory, Glory.

SPRING PROVING GROUNDS III

DOMINANT. That was the word often used heading into last season when describing just how good Georgia’s interior defensive line could be. Thanks to the emergence of Justin Houston last spring, there was also a buzz surrounding the defensive ends heading into the 2009 season. At times these units played the way most Georgia fans expected them to…very well. Other times they did not. Maybe the most obvious sore spot for fans and the DAWGS defense was a lack of a pass rush and an inconsistent ability to stop the run. On the other hand, Georgia’s senior defensive linemen played very well down the stretch of the season and with the emergence of Houston and Cornelius Washington at defensive end, the DAWGS defensive line led a resurgence of a determined Georgia defense that managed to shut down Georgia Tech’s vaunted running game to end the season. As spring practice 2010 gets cranked up, there is a big hole in the DAWGS defensive line. Georgia lost five players that earned starts along the D-Line in 2009 to graduation, including three future NFL players in Geno Atkins, Jeff Owens and Kade Weston. Now, there is talent on hand to step into the gaping holes along Rodney Garner’s defensive front to be sure. The question is will the DAWGS young pups with new homes step to the front of the line and get the job done?

SPRING PROVING GROUNDS III: DEFENSIVE LINE

A couple of things are clear about the new 34 defense that the DAWGS will be playing…Georgia’s defensive line athletes will be asked to take on more of a role as a play-maker due to the one-gap style of defense Coach Grantham prefers, and we also know that despite where they are listed on the roster, all of the defensive linemen will be cross-training at all of the three positions that will play with their hand in the dirt. To better understand why this information is telling, let’s look at a one-gap defensive mentality as compared to the two-gap style.

Two things are vital to good defensive line play…playing with great technique and maintaining gap responsibilities. Depending on the play called and the philosophy of the defensive coordinator, a defensive lineman could be responsible for either one or two gaps.

One-gap responsibility is relatively simple: the defender attacks a hole and must take care of whatever business happens there. He is expected to tackle any running back who goes through that hole, or to force the running back to move laterally into the arms of another tackler. If the offense is passing, the defender's gap is his route to the quarterback.

Two-gap responsibility requires more discipline on the part of the defender. A defensive tackle may be responsible for both the A and B gaps on his side of the field. His job is not so much to crash through a gap as to read the play, occupy blockers, anticipate which gap a running back might choose, and clog it. The two-gap defender must quickly diagnose the blocking scheme (whether he is battling a base block, a reach block to seal an edge or a down/back block to get a ball carrier to the outside) and determine which of his gaps is more vulnerable.

Three of the DAWGS defensive line hosses from 2009, Justin Houston, Montez Robinson and Cornelius Washington, have been moved to outside linebacker this spring to take advantage of their pass rushing abilities. In recent days, the coaching staff has indicated that DeAngelo Tyson, Kwame Geathers, Derrick Lott and incoming freshman Mike Thornton will man the Nose position. The defensive end spots will be held down by Abry Jones, Demarcus Dobbs, Brandon Wood, Kiante Tripp and 2010 signees Garrison Smith, Dexter Morant and Brandon Burrows. Dobbs and Wood are the only two seniors among this group. This youth, coupled with the position changes, leaves a lot of things to be sorted out.

Every coach’s goal is to put his players in position to make plays. All indications are that Coach Grantham’s 34 style defense will be player friendly and will allow the DAWGS young and athletic defensive players to attack offenses, run to the football and have success early and often as they find their way in the new scheme. Of course, this is all conjecture at this point, but not for much longer. This is what spring ball is for. Soon enough we will know if the boys are out there mixing it up and getting excited about the opportunities to get after the football that most certainly await them. Youth will be served along the DAWGS D-Line this year and it all starts this spring. If there is really going to be a new identity of aggressiveness and intensity on Georgia’s defense, the evidence will be in the play of the DAWGS defensive line…regardless of their youth or relative inexperience at a new position.

Glory, Glory.



Courtesy Onlineathens.com

SUPERIOR ATHLETES AND THE DAWGS 34 PUZZLE

One of the unforeseen highlights of Signing Day 2010 was the announcement that Richard Samuel will be moving from running back to linebacker this spring. This news has been received well by most DAWG fans. Whether that is because they are frustrated with the results Samuel produced as a running back or because they believe his skill set and robo-athlete measureables make him a lock for future All-SEC consideration…well, that you can decide for yourself.



Courtesy Kelly Lambert

I am riding the train of thought that says there is not a defensive coach alive that would not drool over the opportunity to have a 6’2”, 222 lb rocket ranging from sideline to sideline on the glide at sub 4.4. If you disagree, then you’ve never known a defensive coach. Richard is smart and he really wants to please his coaches. I really hope this move is a fantastic success. I want this not only because it will make the athleticism of the DAWGS defensive squad start to look downright scary, but also because I am rooting for a young man that wants to do the right thing to have success.

This will hardly be the first instance of a player switching positions…or not…during the last nine seasons.



Courtesy Kelly Lambert

One of the many whipping posts the former defensive regime in Athens was regularly tied to was the charge that defensive players were not being coached up or utilized correctly. I can be counted among those that felt players were not always put in the best position to make plays. The example that I point to most often is former DAWG Brandon Miller. Miller came to Georgia as a five-star talent with a skill level that allowed him to play both defensive end and linebacker in high school, while also lining up to play wide receiver when the offense was on the field. As a DAWG, Miller played Sam linebacker and was never able to lock down a full time starting job. When he did play, Miller often came off the field in the passing situations in favor of the nickel set which features an extra defensive back. I saw this as a waist of a tremendous talent. To me, an obvious option here would have been to have Miller put his hand in the dirt as a defensive end (he clearly had the size and strength to do so) and turn him loose to rush the passer off the edge. This would allow you to bump another DE inside to tackle to keep your best pass rushers on the field and you could still match-up on the outside with the extra defensive back. LSU has done something similar in recent years with a personnel group they call their “express package” by playing four defensive ends along the defensive front in pass rush situations to get their best players on the field at the same time. Makes sense to me. What is the purpose of recruiting superior athletes if you do not allow them to use their ability?



On the other side of the ledger, there is Kiante Tripp. Tripp came to Georgia as a big time recruit and a four-star talent that played offensive tackle in high school. Since arriving in Athens, Tripp has played defensive end, offensive tackle and even tight end for the DAWGS. To his credit, Tripp has approached the game with a team-first attitude and has done everything the coaches have asked of him. Tripp will be a senior in 2010. Early word has it that he will be back on the defensive side of the ball this spring learning the new 3-4 scheme that Coach Grantham will be installing. If there is any sort of justice in the world, Tripp will find a home and find some success on Saturday’s inside Sanford Stadium this fall.

As David Hale wrote about on Friday, virtually every returning player in Georgia's defensive front seven as well as the DAWGS newly signed recruits could be in store for a position change from what they have played most recently. There is talk of Justin Anderson switching from the offensive to the defensive line, Alec Ogletree could end up at one of the outside linebacker positions and the ultimate position destinations for Kwame Geathers and AJ Harmon will be interesting to watch as well.

There is no doubt that one of the main reasons Coach Grantham is at Georgia today is because of his reputation as an evaluator of talent, and one of the absolutes of Coach Grantham’s short time with Georgia has been the importance that has been placed on talent evaluation of the current roster. The defensive plan that the DAWGS new coaching staff will implement in the coming months is an empty puzzle and the players are the pieces. I hope that the changes that are coming for the DAWGS will fit all the pieces of that defensive puzzle together as the designer intends, for the good of the players and the good of the team.