Posts tagged Todd Grantham
Four Long Weeks, One Will be Wicked
Aug 7th
The Dawgs start hitting today. It will be four weeks before they get to hit a “bad guy.” Tempers will flare, fights will break out, bonding will occur. Good stuff to be sure.
A lot has been made of the coaching staff’s decision to forego two-a-days. I don’t really have a strong opinion one way or the other. Two-a-days make the team tougher, but also tend to create many injuries.
My high school football coach, a great man that played for Paul “Bear” Bryant, was a staunch advocate of two-a-days. We would have summer camp across the river in Alabama at an old church retreat. There was no football field, just a big grassy field that had never been watered. It wasn’t as bad as “The Junction Boys” but it was bad enough.
That week of summer camp is where we learned the most about our teammates. As Coach would put it, we learned who was chicken shit and who was chicken salad.
The Dawgs may be only practicing once today, but they are finding out what the Freshmen are made of. There is plenty of time to teach scheme and responsibilities. These next few practices will determine toughness. Coach Searles and Coach Grantham are in the briar patch. I can’t wait to read their post practice comments.
Will Jakar “Hitman” Hamilton light up the likes of Bruce Figgins and Artie Lynch when they go over the middle? Can anybody slow down Justin Houston as he terrorizes the quarterback? Will Vance Cuff support the run?
Will our new 3-4 defense be able to slow down the “Downtown Connector” boys? Can Boykin do anything with AJ Green? Has Mike Bobo been watching Okie State tape again?
How many green jerseys will appear at the next practice? How busy will Ron Courson and his staff be?
All these and more are to be answered in the coming days. Just four weeks to kick-off and five till Columbia!
Links: Dawg Blogs
Jan 21st
A lot of great stuff out today from the Dawg bloggers. Here are a few choice links.
Bernie breaks down recruit Alec Ogletree and the comparisons to Thomas Davis, complete with a video of the hard hitting safety.
Bernie’s Dawg Blawg: Countdown to Signing Day…13
Ogletree is a super freak. Once he committed, immediately the comparisons to Thomas Davis began. But if Thomas Davis was a diamond found in the rough for Van Gorder back in ’02, Ogletree is sparkling from the front window. He’s a 5 star prospect and is ranked as the no. 3 safety in the nation. Back in ’02, it took a basketball game for Davis to get his first and only D-1 offer.
Ludakit takes a look at the 3-4 defense and predicts a sloppy G-Day game.
The Dawg-gone Blog
For those who don’t have time to read the article, essentially, the 3-4 is a defense tradiyionally designed to go against running teams. However, the traditional 3-4 calls for the DTs to have 2-gap responsibility, meaning every gap on the offensive line is supposed to be plugged by a DT. It is my understanding, but only a guess, that in Grantham’s 1-gap system, the LBs have their own gaps for which they are responsible. That means it’s basically one person per gap, or three DTs and two LBs responsible for every hole in the O-line, with the rest of the LBs and DBs free to play zone, man, spy packages, blitz, etc.
Patrick Garbin examines the production that must be replaced due to this years departures.

About Them Dawgs! Blawg: By the Numbers
Now that the 2009 campaign has completely ended and we look ahead to next season, presented is where the ’09 Bulldogs, whether current or departing players, rank in the school’s career record book.
Andy is uber optimistic about the 2010 campaign.
UGABlog.com: 10 Reasons UGA IS A Top 10 Team
I have seen several 2010 pre-season rankings go out on the wire already this off season. I am not quite ready to bust out the Coleman’s Top 25 just yet, but I will give the top 10 reasons I think UGA should be in the mix.
For all of you tennis fans, or John Isner fans, Jen takes a look at Andy Roddick and how he is embarrassing American tennis fans. FYI: Isner (#33 seed) is matched against Monfils (#12 seed) in the 3rd round on day 5.
Beat on the Brat « TheWorldAccordingToJenniferBlog
I like to see Americans win, but as time goes by, care less and less if Andy Roddick is one of them. I prefer to root for the good guys, those who don’t reinforce the unflattering stereotypes. In a nutshell, I no longer find the bad behavior entertaining. How about you? Are you watching the Australian Open? If so, I’ve posted a poll below, please let me know who you think will win it all. I’ve included the top five seeds plus Roddick who is seeded seventh. Personally, I am rooting for John Isner. If not him, I hope Nadal wins the top prize.
Dawgs Speak, as does the Boss
Jan 21st
Players were made available to the press yesterday. We have quotes! We even have quotes from Damon Evans.
Do not expect any raises or multi-year contracts being handed out to Georgia’s assistants not named Todd Grantham. Unless the climate changes, and by climate change I mean Mike Bobo gets a multi-year offer from another school, it sounds as though Damon Evans wants to limit Georgia’s exposure to the escalating financial commitments that have taken place on SEC staffs.
Evans not concerned with new coordinator’s salary || OnlineAthens.com
“Everything in and of itself is unique,” Evans said. “Every situation is different. A lot of things have to do with timing, a lot of things have to do with what you can command as an individual, what’s going on with the climate out there.”
The climate for Georgia is that it pursued three other high-profile targets in its defensive coordinator search: Alabama’s Kirby Smart, Virginia Tech’s Bud Foster and LSU’s John Chavis.
Former defensive coordinator Willie Martinez was making $325,815.
“We went after coaches that were making more than what we were paying before,” Evans said. “We knew that in order to get the individual that we wanted that we were going to need to step up and pay more than we’ve done in the past. We’ll continue to evaluate each individual based on performance, based on market and based on what we think is a fair and competitive wage based upon their performance.”
It sounds like we are in danger of having no more than three players miss spring. A huge improvement from last year.
Sanford Knows Best || Injury Updates
According to a Georgia press release today, these players have undergone surgery within the last week. Their exact injury wasn’t released but all are expected to be 100% by fall practice.
Offensive tackle Justin Anderson will be limited in the spring with a shoulder injury but should be fully healthy by fall camp.
Fullback Fred Munzenmaier also has a shoulder injury and will be limited in the spring but is expected to be 100% by August.
Defensive end Jeremy Longo will be out for all of spring practice with a knee injury but is expected to be fine come fall practice.
Demarcus Dobbs does not know much about the 3-4 defense, but he has a plan to change that. It also sounds like the 4-3 was not his first preference.
Players curious about roles on defense || OnlineAthens.com
Dobbs said he didn’t know much about the 3-4 scheme, but might try it now when playing his NCAA football video game.
“I’ve never played with it,” Dobbs said. “I’m pretty much clueless. I choose multiple D because I like to run a 4-6 and stack the box.”
Dobbs can envision another end, 6-4, 248-pound sophomore end Cornelius Washington, as an oustside linebacker.
“It gives us options,” Dobbs said. “It’s all about what the coach wants.”
Hutson Mason is, and has been, saying all the right things. I love his attitude about being a Dawg and competing right away. He is also smart enough to understand the reality of the situation.
Mason excited about UGA prospects – University Of Georgia – Macon.com
“One of the things that most excited me about it was that when I come in, from day one, I’ll have the chance to compete for a job — whether that’s the starting position from Day 1 or to be the backup,” said Hutson Mason, Georgia’s lone quarterback commitment for the 2010 signing class.
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“You go from trying to pick out three coverages to 20 coverages, and you have to know all of that stuff,” Mason said. “(Mettenberger) said that was the most difficult part was reading defenses and being able to determine what kind of defense they’re in, who’s coming and who’s not coming and stuff like that.”
It sounds like Montez Robinson has listened to some Patti LaBelle and now has a new attitude. Sorry, that was just awful. I am really rooting for Montez. I understand the seriousness of the charges that were filed against him. There are those, especially those with daughters on campus, that do not think matters like these deserve second chances. I believe Mark Richt and the structure of the Georgia football program are far more effective than any other rehabilitative program out there. I did not know all the details, but I was disappointed Michael Lemon blew his chance at UGA. Anytime a person has a chance to better themselves and future generations of their family it is a good thing.
Players ready for new coaches – University Of Georgia – Macon.com
“You can just tell the guy has a total change of attitude,” Dobbs said. “I don’t know if it was him going home for the bowl game and talking to his family or whatever it was, he has a great attitude.”
Robinson played sparingly last season but was named to the SEC’s All-Freshman team at year’s end. He was arrested on multiple charges last month, however, and was immediately suspended from the team.
Nobody really knows where they will be playing along the defensive front except DeAngelo Tyson, and he is just guessing. From a defensive standpoint, this years G-Day game should be the most interesting since Richt’s first year. Ironically, we saw some elements of a 3-4 in last years G-Day game, although that was due more to injuries than coaching philosophy.
UGA players face big changes | ajc.com
In last season’s 4-3 alignment, which has two tackles and two ends on the defensive line, Jones and Tyson were backup tackles. In the 3-4, which has a nose tackle and two ends up front, they don’t know where they will fit.
If given a choice, Jones said he would prefer to play defensive end, which he played in high school.
Tyson, meanwhile, said he sees himself as a 295-pound nose tackle. “I just feel I’d need to get stronger instead of bigger,” he said.
Dobbs, who started all 13 games at defensive end this past season, said he has “no idea” whether he’ll be an end or an outside linebacker in the new configuration.

