Sports Page Atlanta

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

Longtime Radio Announcer Larry Munson is recovering from surgery he had on Friday. The 85-year old underwent a procedure to remove a subdural hemotoma, a condition in which blood collects on the surface of the brain. He is expected to recover fully.

Munson’s family asks everyone to respect his privacy during the recovery.

Anyone wishing to send a card can send it to…

Larry Munson

c/o UGA Athletic Association

P.O. Box 1472

Athens, GA 30603
photo credit: tcgathens

Here are the some of the leaders in Saturday’s Georgia spring football game…

The Red team defeated the White team 17-3

Matthew Stafford (red) 6 comp 10 att 78 yards 1 td 0 int

Logan Gray (red) 2 comp 5 att 11 yards 1 td o int 4 rush att 30 yards

Joe Cox (white) 7 comp 11 att 69 yards o td o int

Knowshon Moreno (red) 3 rush att 16 yards 1 rec 11 yards

Caleb King (white) 6 rush att 31 yards 2 rec 17 yards

Dontavious Jackson (white) 2 rush att 5 yards

Richard Samuel (red) 7 rush att 13 yards

Michael Moore (red) 3 rec 53 yards 2 td

Kris Durham (red) 1 rec 31 yards

Aron White (red) 1 rec 19 yards

Kenneth Harris (red) 1 rec 7 yards

Israel Troupe (white) 2 rec 39 yards

Fred Munzenmeier (white) 2 rec 11 yards

Akeem Hebron (red) 5 tackles, 1 fumble rec

John Knox (red) 4 tackles, 1 int

Ramarcus Brown (red) 3 tackles

Akeem Dent (red) 3 tackles

Darryl Gamble (red) 3 tackles

Jarius Wynn (white) 4 tackles

Chad Gloer (white) 4 tackles

Reshad Jones (white) 4 tackles

Rennie Curran (white) 3 tackles

Geno Atkins (white) 3 tackles

Story to follow…
photo credit: popofatticus

In 2002 it felt as though the numbers lined up for the University of Georgia Football team. It seemed that with the twenty year SEC championship drought on everyone’s mind and a team that could be great, people expected some kind of SEC miracle. The numbers just seemed to line up. Fresh off a season with a hobnail boot and a new coach getting his feel for the team the next year just seemed to have it all line up to shatter that drought. Of course we all know with a Michel Johnson’s miracle catch in the Auburn game the rest was history and the numbers indeed lined up.

This 2008 season seems to line up in the same kind of way. Destiny seems to smile on the team as the 2008 schedule, with the leap year, end’s up having all the same dates as that magical 1980 season in which the Dawgs won it all. Due to the longer schedule there is an extra game, but here is how it all lines up:

2008 Schedule                                                1980 Schedule
Aug. 30 Georgia Southern                                 Extra game due to longer season.
Sept 6 Central Michigan                                     Sept 6 Tennessee
Sept 13 South Carolina                                       Sept 13 Texas A&M
Sept 20 Arizona State                                        Sept 20 Clemson
Sept 27 Alabama                                                 Sept 27 Texas Christian
Oct 11 Tennessee                                               Oct 11 Mississippi
Oct 25 LSU                                                         Oct 25 Kentucky
Nov 1 Florida                                                      Nov 1 South Carolina
Nov 8 Kentucky                                                  Nov 8 Florida
Nov 15 Auburn                                                    Nov 15 Auburn
Nov 29 Georgia Tech                                          Nov 29 Georgia Tech

Fate is a strong word to use when you want something as important as a national title for a team, but is that not the perfect example of the “numbers lining up”. The numbers just seem to be right and the team just seems to have the talent and maybe all we need is that small touch of destiny to put us over the top. This could be one of those years.

Georgia Bulldog’s starting defensive tackle Jeff Owens dislocated his shoulder in a scrimmage on Saturday and will miss the rest of spring practice. Owens started all 13 games last season and had 27 tackles and 22 QB hurries.

Owens is expected to recover fully within 2 months.

Georgia Bulldog Wide Receiver Tony Wilson underwent successful surgery on Monday to repair a fracture on his left ankle and damaged ligaments. He will have surgery once again in about 8 weeks to remove screws that were placed to stabilize the joint and allow ligaments to heal.

The injury occurred in last Saturday’s scrimmage. He is expected to be fully recovered by the fall and be ready to play next season.

Last season, he played in 12 games, while starting 2. He also added 14 receptions which was 6th on the team.

The Bulldogs linebacking group just got a little smaller this week. Marcus Washington has injured his left shoulder and will have surgery. He will most likely redshirt next season.

The senior from Keysville, Georgia started 6 games at middle linebacker for Georgia last year and finished the season with 40 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks.

Dean Legge, Josh Kendall and Quentin Grant of Dawg Post talk about Georgia spring football practice and Georgia’s basketball program.

University of Georgia head football coach, Mark Richt talks about the first day of spring football practice.

Source: [YouTube] via [DawgPost]