I wanted to direct your attention to a blog called Every Day Should Be Saturday, and in particular, a post today where they talk a bit about UGA football, Matt Stafford, and the road to the SEC Championship. You can read their post here, and I’ll comment on a few of their stances. Their conversation begins on the topic of the pre-season USA Today Top 25 Coaches poll, where Georgia is ranked number 1.
Georgia at number one. The g stands for “Going down a slot to the winner of the Ohio State USC game.” They’ve got a built-in pressure valve right thurr, since they can slide down and therefore avoid the full heat of the bullseye for a bit.
First off, there is a bit of truth to this statement. By the time the USC/Ohio State game is finished on September 13th, USC will have played Virginia and Ohio State, Ohio State will have played Youngstown State, Ohio and USC, and Georgia will have played Georgia Southern, Central Michigan, and South Carolina. USC has the toughest schedule there with Virgina just outside the Top 25 and OSU at #3. So, if USC beats Ohio State you may see them leapfrog Georgia. But to say that UGA will be able to “avoid the full heat of the bullseye” sounds like someone who just doesn’t understand how tough it is to play in the SEC. And I say this knowing that the two guys who write for EDSBS are Florida graduates. Go figure…
No real problems with them [UGA] in the top spot, but I think Florida will have an easier path to Atlanta in December. And I really, really hate Matt Stafford.
Once again, I agree here. Florida plays Mississippi, Arkansas, and LSU from the West this season. Mississippi and Arkansas should be no brainer wins for the Gators. Georgia plays Alabama, LSU, and Auburn. ‘Bama is ranked right outside of the Top 25 and LSU (#6) and Auburn (#11) are firmly entrenched in the Top 25. So, clearly based on pre-season rankings, Florida’s path is easier to Atlanta. Both teams could even be undefeated in the SEC prior to the Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party on November 1st. The winner would then own their own destiny, but UGA would still have to travel to Auburn two weeks later. I suppose my only problem with this statement is all the hate for Stafford. Why’s it gotta come to that?
Chip Caray, TBS baseball play-by-play and Peachtree TV Braves announcer, Georgia class of ‘87.
— (His general reaction:) “Like everybody else, I’m excited about it. To be ranked that highly you know the program is in great shape.
— (On possible banter with fellow Braves announcer Joe Simpson, who played baseball at Oklahoma. The Sooners were ranked fourth in the coaches’ poll): “I’m sure we’ll mention it. No. 4? I didn’t know the Sooners could count that high.”
Three Georgia Bulldogs make the initial Nagurski Award list. The Bronko Nagurski Award is given to the best defensive player in college football.
The three hopefuls are defensive tackles Geno Atkins, Jeffrey Owens and linebacker Dannell Ellerbe. Atkins was 2nd on Georgia last season in sacks and quarterback hurries. Owens had 27 tackles including 4 for loss. Ellerbe led the Dawgs in tackles last season with 93.
The award has been presented every year since 1993. Last year the winner was LSU’s Glenn Dorsey. The award will be presented on December 7th.
With the conclusion of this weekend’s NFL draft and subsequent free agent signing process, many familiar players from the area are headed off to pursue their NFL dreams. Here’s a rundown of who went where and what kind of role they’ll play on their new team.
Marcus Howard, Indianapolis - Faithful readers will know this is where I had Howard going (albeit in another round), and it makes plenty of sense. He’s a small edge rusher, and the Colts have shown they can have success with small, speedy linemen like Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. Howard won’t start any time soon, but he could be utilized as a situational rush specialist this year.
Thomas Brown, Atlanta - This is a great fit for Brown, and the new regime in Atlanta will value a hardworking athletic back who can block. He should beat out Jason Snelling, who is more of a fullback anyway, for the #3 spot in Atlanta. He won’t carry a full workload, but he should be a valuable 3rd down back somewhere along the line.
Chester Adams, Chicago - My guess is that Adams is in Chicago to provide bulk and versatility to a fairly shallow line. If Adams is starting or playing much this year, it means something has gone wrong for the Bears, but he should be a 3rd string player while they work on this project.
Brandon Coutu, Seattle - If Coutu can beat out Olindo Mare in camp this year, he will handle field goals. If not, he’ll probably be cut and find another team to kick for. He definitely has an NFL career ahead of him, with or without Seattle.
Kregg Lumpkin, Green Bay - With Green Bay loaded with running backs, Lumpkin’s a longshot to make it out of camp, but don’t be shocked if he does. With Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson, Vernand Morency, and DeShawn Wynn all also present, Lumpkin will be hard-pressed to make the team as a halfback. As a receiving fullback, though, he has a shot.
Kelin Johnson, Seattle - Kelin has a great chance to stick in Seattle as a special teams player and it won’t surprise me at all if he makes the team out of camp. Don’t expect to see him playing safety very much this season.
Brandon Miller, Atlanta - I didn’t even include Miller in my preview because I thought it was such a longshot he’d get drafted, and while that was true, Atlanta signed him, presumably to be a defensive end. Miller is blessed with exceptional athleticism, and while he played linebacker somewhat poorly in college, he could become a real sleeper at defensive end. He’s very raw, but with players this athletic, you can’t rule anything out.
Fernando Velasco, Tennessee - The Titans just got a lineman that will make them proud. He’s a hard working player who will adapt to anything the team asks of him. Considering Tennessee doesn’t really have any reliable backup guards, Velasco has a really good chance of sticking with the team.
Sean Bailey, Kansas City - It always surprised me when Bailey wasn’t considered a pro prospect, and now I’m really happy to see him sign somewhere. He has the NFL pedigree, he has the skills, and he just needs to add some bulk and work on some technical things. There’s no telling if he’ll make the team, or even be on the practice squad, but it’s nice to know there’s some interest out there for him.
As you read below in Bart’s article about the Atlanta Falcons seven undrafted players, the Falcons signed Brandon Miller from Georgia. Well if you are a big-time Bulldog fan or Falcon fan you might have heard this before.
There was another Brandon Miller that played defensive tackle for the Bulldogs in 1996 to 1999. He was from Greensboro, Georgia and had 76 career tackles and 2 big sacks in the 1998 Peach Bowl vs Virginia.
In 2000, he was a member of the Indianapolis Colts and then…
On January 9, 2002 he was signed as a free agent to the Falcons.
On August 31st he was let go…
But he was signed again on September 3rd…
But he was cut again on September 19th.
Later…
He did make the All-NFL Europe team in 2002 when he played for the Rhein Fire.
I can’t take any credit with the article, but Andy Staples of SI.com does a good job talking about the University of Georgia’s superhero, Knowshon Moreno.
Georgia’s next superhero may be the one Bulldogs fans call “Special K.” Mild-mannered — and able-footed — college student during the week, he turns into a relentless ground-gaining machine on fall Saturdays. His not-so-secret identity? Knowshon Moreno.
Two Georgia players and one Georgia Tech players made the initial list for the 2008 Lott Trophy Award. The Lott Trophy, named after Ronnie Lott is given to the college football’s best defensive player in the nation. It also represents players who give the best IMPACT (Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.)
There are only 42 student-athletes on the list including:
Georgia
CB - Asher Allen
DT - Jeffrey Owens
Georgia Tech
DT - Darryl Richard
Richard is one of only seven players on the overall list that were on the list last year.
Georgia’s David Pollack was the first winner of this prestigious award back in 2004.
The winner will be announced on December 14th later this year.
On a very rainy day in Athens the feeling was that people were not going to come out and support the UGA football team. But, at around two o’clock the fans came out of the wood work. Some were tailgating, but most showed up right on time. It is the largest turn out for a spring game that I have seen in the seven years that I have been attending the G-Day game, despite the weather.
With the eight minute quarters it was a short game, but we got a preview of what we are in store for this fall. Stafford looked solid going 6 for 10 with 78 yards and a touchdown. He had the poise and command that everyone has been talking about all year. At half-back Knowshon Moreno looked good, with his limited playing time. But, the buzz around the stadium was how well Caleb King would run the ball. He looked pretty smooth and made people miss. He had 6 carries for 31 yards and 2 receptions for 17 yards. King displayed his quick feet by making a man miss with a nifty spin move at mid-field. That move brought most of the fans to there feet and had most people feeling like we are going to have two special running backs. At receiver Israel Troupe and Michael Moore brought the people to their feet with their combined numbers of 5 receptions for 92 yards and a TD.
The defense looked pretty good. I got a chance to talk to defensive standout Dannell Ellerbe and asked him how the defense played and he responded with “I think the defense played an overall average ball game.” He was right on the mark with that comment. The defense didn’t look that bad and it didn’t look all that amazing it was just an average game. When I asked Ellerbe, in his eyes who stood out on the defensive side of the ball he said “that John Knox and Jarius Wynn were the two that played a good game.” John Knox had 4 tackles and one pick on the day while Jarius Wynn had four big tackles.
The day went well. I saw both intensity and desire out there. When I asked Dannell if he felt that he needed to step up and become a leader this year he said, “Of course I do, but it is not a new role for me because I was already a leader last year.” All in all it was a pretty solid day for the Dawgs and with veteran leaders like Dannell on the team, I am sure when practice starts back up at the end of the summer, he will help lead the team in recovering the same momentum and intensity that they played with last season. photo credit: popofatticus
I wanted to direct your attention to a blog called Every Day Should Be Saturday, and in particular, a post today where they talk a bit about UGA football, Matt Stafford, and the road to the SEC Championship. You can read their post here, and I’ll comment on a few of their stances. Their conversation begins on the topic of the pre-season USA Today Top 25 Coaches poll, where Georgia is ranked number 1.
Bart Stevens 
Three Georgia Bulldogs make the initial 
Dave McMahon 
With the conclusion of this weekend’s NFL draft and subsequent free agent signing process, many familiar players from the area are headed off to pursue their NFL dreams. Here’s a rundown of who went where and what kind of role they’ll play on their new team.
Brent Blackwell 
As you read below in Bart’s article about the 
Duke Lee 
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