Bleacher Report - Articles by Wes Holtzclaw

Five Possible Bowl Destinations For the Georgia Bulldogs

Wes Holtzclaw — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:05:45 -0500

With the 2009 season coming to a close and Georgia becoming bowl eligible with their win against Auburn last week, let us take a look at some of the destinations the Dawgs could be going bowling.

Liberty Bowl—Memphis, Tennessee

If the Dawgs stumble to both Kentucky tonight and Georgia Tech on Thanksgiving weekend, they will wind up with a record of 6-6.

At 6-6 the Dawgs will be landing in the Liberty Bowl and could possibly face a team such as East Carolina who would be the Conference USA champion.

The last time Georgia played in the Liberty Bowl was in 1987 against Arkansas. In that game, John Kasay hit a last second field goal to give Georgia a 20-17 victory.

Music City Bowl—Nashville, Tennesse

If the Dawgs win against Kentucky, lose to Georgia Tech and finish the year with a 7-5 record, the Dawgs will be traveling to Nashville, Tennessee for the Music City Bowl.

This scenario also hinges on what teams like Tennessee, LSU, Ole Miss, Auburn and Arkansas do over the final two weeks.

The Dawgs will be facing the No. 5, 6, or 7 team in the ACC. Some of the teams Georgia would face are Boston College, Florida State, Miami, or North Carolina.

The last time Georgia played in the Music City Bowl was in 2001 against Boston College. This was coach Mark Richt's first bowl game and Georgia lost 20-16.

Chick-Fil- A Bowl—Atlanta, Georgia

If the Dawgs win out and go 8-4 they will have a shot to play the ACC No. 2 team.

This scenario hinges on Auburn losing to Alabama, Tennessee losing out and LSU winning out.

Some of the teams Georgia would play are Clemson, Virginia Tech or maybe even a rematch against Georgia Tech.

The last time Georgia played in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl was in 2006 against Virginia Tech. Georgia rallied from a 21-3 deficit at halftime to win 31-24.

Outback Bowl—Tampa, Florida

If the Dawgs plan to play in Tampa they will definitely have to win out. Some other things must happen: Auburn has to lose to Alabama and LSU has to win out.

Some of the teams Georgia would face would be Penn State, Wisconsin or Northwestern.

The last time Georgia played in the Outback Bowl was in 2005 against Wisconsin.

In this game, the Dawg Nation was able to say good-bye to two of the greatest bulldogs of all-time, David Pollack and David Greene.

These two went out on top, 24-21 as David Pollack set the record for career sacks at Georgia and David Greene set the NCAA record with victories.

Capitol One Bowl—Orlando, Florida

For the Dawgs to play in Orlando several things have to happen in the SEC.

Georgia must win out to be 8-4, LSU must lose out to finish 8-4 and Auburn must lose to Alabama.

Even though LSU defeated Georgia 20-13, a four-loss Georgia team might be a better draw than a four-loss LSU team. Especially after a win against Georgia Tech.

In the Capitol One Bowl Georgia would either play Penn State or Wisconsin.

The last time Georgia played in the Capitol One Bowl was last season as Georgia defeated Michigan State, 24-12.

This was also a good-bye game for two more bulldog greats, Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno.

Whatever bowl the Dawgs play in, it will hinge on the team taking care of business the next two weeks. It all starts tonight between the hedges without our beloved mascot, UGA VII.

In UGA VII's honor I suggest we wear the black jerseys, not for motivation but for mourning "Loren's Best".

Ten Possible Replacements for Willie Martinez

Wes Holtzclaw — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:08:14 -0500

Willie Martinez was named Georgia's defensive coordinator in 2005 and for three years his defense performed at a high level. In 2005, Georgia ranked No. 7 against the pass, No. 18 in total defense, No. 8 in scoring defense and No. 15 in interceptions. In 2006, Georgia ranked No. 5 against the pass, No. 8 in total defense, No. 20 in scoring defense and No. 9 in interceptions. In 2007, Georgia ranked No. 16 against the run, No. 14 in total defense, No. 18 in scoring defense and No. 8 in sacks. In 2008, Georgia ranked No. 27 against the run, No. 32 against the pass, No. 22 in total defense, No. 59 in scoring defense, No. 67 in interceptions and No. 72 in sacks. What happened in 2008? Injuries ravaged the Georgia squad all year long. Everything would go back to normal in 2009 right? Wrong, it has gotten worse. So far in 2009, Georgia ranks No. 60 against the run, No. 73 against the pass, No. 68 in total defense, No. 89 in scoring defense, No. 55 in sacks and No. 88 in interceptions. The time has come to start thinking about the future and that is what I have begun to do. The following list is the ten men that I believe can straighten out Georgia's defensive woes. Some are probably untouchable, but we can dream right?

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Three Keys for the Dawgs Avoiding a Gator Death Roll

Wes Holtzclaw — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:35:29 -0400

According to The Journal of Experimental Biology , the death roll of the gator consists of the animal grabbing a limb in their jaws and rotating around in a spinning movement until that limb is completely removed.

The following are three keys that the Dawgs must accomplish if they plan on avoiding a death roll on the field in Jacksonville against the Gators.

1. Getting Pressure on Tim Tebow

First and foremost, the Dawgs have to put pressure on Tebow. After the first five games of the season, I would have told you that this feat would be impossible. The Gator offensive line only gave up seven sacks in those first five games.

Then came the Arkansas Razorbacks. They exposed a weakness in the Gator line by sacking Tebow six times. To shore up the line, the Gators will start freshman Xavier Nixon.

Will the Dawgs be able to get to Tebow?

The Dawgs were able to force six sacks against LSU and against Vanderbilt they were able to get to the quarterback three times while also totaling nine tackles for loss.

2. Continue to Force Gators Into Red-zone Mistakes

In the Gators last 15 trips into the red-zone, they have managed to score a total of two touchdowns.

This maybe the most revealing stat in this game. The Dawgs have allowed their opponents into the red-zone 25 times this season and have only allowed 12 touchdowns—a 48 percent success rate.

And only three of the 12 touchdowns were scored on the ground. We all know who gets the ball when the Gators are inside the 5-yard line.

3. Pound the Football with the Run Game

Running been a weakness for the Dawgs this season. The offensive line has not opened the holes that many of us expected them to open this year.

The Dawgs will go with their fifth different combination on the line this year. Will they finally gel and become the experienced, dominant line we all expected them to be?

The Gators are giving up a total of 95 rushing yards per game with a 2.9-yard average rush.

The Dawgs are a 17-point underdog against the No. 1 Gators in 2009. Will this game turn out like 1985 when the Dawgs stunned the No. 1 Gators 24-3 or will it be like 1996 when the No. 1 Gators won 47-7?

When asked about the rushing-touchdown record that he is currently tied for with Georgia legend Herschel Walker, Tebow stated, “That would be really cool and special to break it against Georgia in Jacksonville.”

That statement could be bulletin-board material for the defense to man up and keep Tebow out of the end zone. Else it could be a sad day in Georgia history having a Gator break one of Herschel’s beloved records.

Georgia Bulldogs: Reaching Desperation Mode?

Wes Holtzclaw — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:49:38 -0400

For the Georgia Bulldogs, this past Saturday was the worst display of football played during the Mark Richt era.

The offense looked lethargic, mustering only 89 yards rushing, 152 yards passing, and a field goal in a 45-19 loss to Tennessee.

The defense was even worse, making another quarterback look like a Heisman Trophy candidate.

Jonathon Crompton, who had been mediocre at best all year, exploded for 310 yards passing (a career high) and four touchdowns.

The one thing to be said for the defense is that it outscored Georgia's offense with an interception returned for a touchdown by Bicarri Rambo.

Special teams seemed to be the only bright spot on the day, as Brandon Boykin returned his second 100-yard kick-off for a touchdown and the Dawgs were able to block a punt out of the end zone for a safety.

That means the Dawgs' special teams unit outscored both the offense and the defense.

But was Saturday finally a wake-up call? Have the Dawgs officially reached desperation mode yet?

At 3-3 on the year, the Dawgs have got to wake up, or a 4-8 season would not be out of the realm of possibility.

To finish out the year the Dawgs play Vanderbilt, Florida, Tennessee Tech, Auburn, Kentucky, and Georgia Tech.

Other than the Tennessee Tech game, which one of the remaining games is an easy win for the Dawgs, based on what we have seen so far this season?

Vandy always plays the Dawgs tough, Florida is the No. 1 team in the country, Auburn is 5-1, Kentucky is playing everyone tough, and Georgia Tech is starting to roll with its triple option attack.

Joe Cox showed me something this past Saturday after throwing his second interception of the game. He came off the field with the look of “I cannot do anything right.”

That is a major problem.

Coach Richt needs to sit Cox this week against Vanderbilt so that he will have two weeks to get his head back together for the biggest game in his career in Jacksonville.

It will also give Richt a good look at Logan Gray and what he brings to the table with his duel-threat ability.

The defense just simply needs to play better. It has been put into a lot of bad predicaments with short fields to defend, but it also has shown poor tackling and bad fundamentals.

Coaching also needs to improve on both scheme and play-calling, and that is something coach Richt addressed in his Sunday press conference. “We’ve got to get better period, on offense, defense, and coaching,” he said.

Coach Richt also stated, “We have to motivate them, these are all the things that coaches do. The point I’m making is where we are, it’s a culmination of everything and I’m not pointing at someone individually, we all have to improve.”

It all begins this Saturday with Vanderbilt. Will the Dawgs get back on track like they have in the past?

For that we will have to wait and see.

Georgia-Tennessee: A Tale of Redemption

Wes Holtzclaw — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:54:36 -0400

For the first time in 25 meetings, the Georgia Bulldogs and Tennessee Volunteers will meet with neither one of the two teams being ranked in the top 25.

Both teams are coming off heart-breaking losses and will be seeking some redemption to turn their seasons around.

Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin came into his first season letting his mouth get the best of him by bad-mouthing other SEC coaches.

So far his Vols have not been able to back up his big talk as they have started off the year 2-3 (0-2 in the SEC).

His team suffered their second SEC loss to a team, Auburn, that is led by fellow first year SEC coach Gene Chizik.

It was Chizik, not Kiffin, who was supposed to have all the trouble in his first year, especially since he was only 5-19 in his two years at Iowa State. Instead, he has the Auburn Tigers at 5-0 competing with Alabama for the SEC West lead.

After losses to Florida and Auburn, Kiffin will now have to try for his first SEC victory against Georgia and coach Mark Richt.

Mark Richt has had his success against Tennessee in his first eight meetings against the Vols going 5-3, including 3-1 in Knoxville.

Georgia, like Tennessee, is also seeking some redemption after a devastating 20-13 loss to No. 4 LSU in Athens.

For Georgia, this season has been a tale of two teams.

The Dawgs 3-2 (1-1 in the SEC) are 3-0 when the offense shows up and 0-2 when the offense decides not to play.

Who is going to show up in Knoxville?

If the offense starts clicking early, the Dawgs will have a chance to win, but if they struggle like they did the first half against LSU it could be a long day in front of 100,000-plus rabid Volunteer fans.

The defense showed signs of improvement last week against LSU. They totaled six sacks and held the Tigers out of the end zone for three and half quarters keeping the Dawgs in the game with opportunity to come out on top.

Unfortunately, they simply ran out gas after being on the field for most of the game.

That cannot happen in Knoxville if the team hopes to improve to 4-2 on the year.

Whatever team shows up it should be an exciting game with one team coming out of this game with a sense that they can make this season into a respectable year.

The losing team, well, the season will be pretty much over with no shot at postseason play.

Georgia-LSU: A Game That Could Change the Course of the '09 Season

Wes Holtzclaw — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:25:34 -0400

In 2008, Georgia took the trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana straight into the heart of Death Valley.

The two teams were in the same situation that they are in this year, looking for an identity.

Darryl Gamble had a career day with two interceptions for touchdowns to go along with 13 tackles and the Dawgs outscored the Bayou Bengals 52-38.

Georgia would use the 2008 victory over LSU to go on to a 10-3 record and a Capitol One Bowl berth, while LSU struggled to a 7-5 record and Chick-Fil-A Bowl berth.

This season, LSU has run out to a 4-0 record and a No. 4 ranking, but have they been impressive?

Many fans and people in sports media would say the answer to that question is no.

LSU did travel to Washington and defeated the Huskies 31-23 in a game that was way too close, but two weeks later Washington upset the mighty Trojans from USC.

After a couple of wins over Vandy and Louisiana-Layfette, the Tigers faced what should have been another easy win against lowly Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs were six inches from upsetting the Tigers in the last moments, but huge thanks goes to Chad Jones for his defense play on what would turn out to be the play of the game in the Tigers 30-26 victory.

Georgia on the other hand has taken a different road to where they are at this point of the season.

The Dawgs opened up with No. 9 Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Oklahoma and came away with a 24-10 loss.

The next two games, against South Carolina and Arkansas, were amazing shootouts that ended with Georgia scoring 93 points and the Gamecocks and Razorbacks combining for 78 points in Georgia’s first two victories of the year.

Many thought that Georgia had nothing left in the tank for Arizona State last week, and for one half the Dawgs were able to prove them wrong, running out to a 14-3 lead.

The Sun Devils were able to make a game out of it by taking a 17-14 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Dawgs were able to pull another one out of the hat on a Blair Walsh field goal as time ran out to win 20-17.

Now Georgia is ranked No. 14 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll and No. 18 in the AP Poll while LSU is ranked No. 4 in both polls.

The Dawgs are a surprise three-point favorite over Tigers this weekend in Athens in a game that is sure to change the course of each team’s season just as last season’s game in Baton Rouge.

If LSU comes out on top in this one it could be the springboard to an undefeated season, especially since it has not been said if Tim Tebow will be able to suit up in the Florida-LSU match up next week.

Do they have the weapons to go all the way?

If they can get quarterback Jordan Jefferson rolling along with Charles Scott and Branden Lafell, they will have one of the most deadly three-headed monsters in the country.

If Georgia comes out on top in this one it could possibly lead them to an SEC Championship.

After all of the fire Georgia has been thrown into so far this season, it is safe to say that the Dawgs would have all the confidence in the world that they can play with anyone they suit up against.

This game should be another thriller with it being either a 10-7 game or a 52-49 game. My prediction is somewhere in the middle, Georgia wins 28-27 simply because they are battle tested and LSU is not.

Five Things Georgia Fans Can Take from the Victory over Arizona State

Wes Holtzclaw — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:40:33 -0400

Once again Georgia was involved in a close game, and once again the Dawgs were able to come out with a victory.

Georgia (3-1, 2-0 in the SEC) and coach Mark Richt continued their dominance against non-conference opponents, running their record to 35-4.

This week the Dawgs welcome No. 4 LSU to town for another SEC showdown between the hedges.

But what can we take from the Arizona State victory?

1. The Georgia Defense Returned To Form

The defense finally woke up after a two-week coma. The Georgia defense only gave up 88 yards rushing on 28 carries, but the biggest improvement was in the pass defense.

Arizona State quarterback Danny Sullivan was 10-of-32 for only 116 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

That is a grand total of only 204 yards of total offense compared to the 485 total yards allowed by Arkansas and the 427 total yards allowed by South Carolina.

2. The Offense Still Can’t Hold On to the Ball

In a wet and nasty game, fumbles happen. The three turnovers after halftime almost cost the Dawgs the game. Especially the two errant throws by Cox.

One of his throws was returned for touchdown that gave the Sun Devils the lead and the other was returned to our 20-yard line late in the fourth quarter.

Thankfully, A.J. Green was able to get an elbow on the field goal attempt causing the kick to go wide left.

The Georgia turnover margin is now a ridiculous minus-9 after four games.

3. A.J. Green Continues To Get Better

Green has led the Dawgs in receiving each week this season. His receptions and yardage total has continued to improve week after week.

After his eight-catch, 153-yard performance against Arizona State, Green now has 25 receptions for 428 yards and four touchdowns.

He is averaging 107 yards receiving a game and 17.1 yards a catch.

Green has definitely become Cox’ favorite target this season and Green has proven that if Cox gets the ball anywhere close, he is going to come down with the ball.

4. Cox Has Played with Poise

Yes, Cox threw two more interceptions, but you have to admit he has played with poise during the first four games of the season.

Even after the two interceptions, Cox continued to throw the ball downfield helping set the Dawgs up for the winning score.

For the game, Cox was 17-of-31 for 242 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. For the season, he is 67-of-110 (60.9 completion percentage) for 980 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions.

He is also boasting a 153.65 passer efficiency rating.

5. Blair Walsh Is Money

Walsh has continued to impress, as he has converted on all of his kicks so far this season. He is 8-for-8 on field goal attempts and 13-for-13 on PATs.

He is 2-for-2 on field goals over 50 yards with a long of 53 yards.

There is nothing like being able to call on your kicker and have the confidence in him that he can make the kick from just about anywhere.

Those were the big things that stood out to me in this rain-soaked game. If you saw something else you would like to point out, please feel free to comment.

Three Things the Dawgs Must Change if They Want to Defeat the Sun Devils

Wes Holtzclaw — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:53:19 -0400

After two straight shootouts in their first two SEC contests, the Georgia Bulldogs get a visit from the Sun Devils of Arizona State.

Last season, the Dawgs made the cross-country trip to Tempe and left with a 27-10 victory. If they expect to win on Saturday, they are going to have to change a few of their tendencies.

1. Turnover Margin

Georgia ranks No. 116 in the country in turnover margin through the first three games of the year.

The Dawgs have a total of nine turnovers and two takeaways leaving them with a -7 turnover margin. Compare that to Arizona State, who ranks No. 1 in the country in the same category with a +7 turnover margin.

The Georgia offense has turned the ball over several times on their own side of the field, leaving the defense a short field to defend.

The defense has been able to hold teams to field goals most of the time, but sooner or later the teams are going to get in the end zone.

If this tendency doesn’t change, it could be a long day between the hedges.

2. Zone Defense

I know I have stated this several times and I will continue to do so until a lightbulb finally flashes in Willie Martinez’s head: The zone defense is not working!

During the last two weeks, we have seen mediocre quarterbacks look like Heisman trophy winners against the Georgia secondary.

Receivers are running around with nobody around them for 10 or 15 yards.

Guess what? A 10-year-old can complete passes if they have guys that are that wide open.

What happened to the defense Georgia used in the Oklahoma State game? The Cowboys have an offense that is one of the best in the country.

The Dawgs held the Cowboys to less than 150 yards passing and only 24 points. Are you telling me that Arkansas and South Carolina have a better offense than Oklahoma State?

Putting the safeties in cover-two with man-to-man coverage on the corners will give the defensive line time to get pressure on the quarterback.

People complain about no sacks, but when a quarterback can take a three-step drop and hit a guy running across the field wide open, you’re not going to get to him.

3. Directional Kicking

Blair Walsh can boom the ball deep into the end zone. For most of the first three games he has done just that, but for some reason he has been told to corner kick on a few occasions.

If there is one thing we found out last year, it is that Walsh has a hard time performing that kick.

There is nothing more disheartening than scoring a touchdown, and then kicking it out of bounds, giving the opposing offense the ball on their 40-yard line.

If the Dawgs are able to change these few tendencies they will have no problem with Arizona State. If they do not, it could wind up being their third shootout in a row.

If that happens, who knows who will win.

Joe Cox Finds Cure for the Swine-Flu in Fayetteville

Wes Holtzclaw — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:28:54 -0400

If there was ever a game that Georgia needed Joe Cox to come out and have his best performance to date, it was this past Saturday against the Razorbacks of Arkansas.

The Razorbacks, led by Michigan transfer Ryan Mallett, came out blazing in their home/SEC opener. The expectations were that Arkansas would handle the Dawgs since they had all off-season, a warm-up game and a bye week to prepare for Georgia.

The first quarter had shades of Georgia-Alabama ‘08 written all over it, until Cox led the Dawgs on two scoring drives to keep the team in the game, 21-10.

Cox showed poise as he delivered time and time again, never once could you see the fiery red head at all rattled.

Georgia took a 27-21 lead into half-time in a game that felt like the Dawgs were blown out early, but they weathered the storm.

Arkansas took the lead on a 40-yard touchdown from Mallett to Childs in the third quarter, but Cox came right back with a 50-yard pass of his own to Tavarres King to regain the lead.

Mallett came back with a two-yard touchdown to DJ Williams, but Cox once again answered with a 44-yard pass to Orson Charles to take the lead right back.

It felt like a heavyweight title fight as both contenders stood toe-to-toe throwing haymakers trying to knock each other out.

Cox would put the dagger into the Razorback faithfull’s hearts with his knockout blow, hitting A.J. Green on a 28-yard score in the fourth quarter that gave the Dawgs a two-score led they would never relinquish.

On the day Cox would complete 18 out of 26 passes for 375 yards and tie a school record five touchdowns with only one pick.

It only seemed fitting that Cox, who suffered from what some say was the swine-flu before the Oklahoma State loss, would have his coming out party against a team that was nicknamed the “Hawgs.”

With his efforts against Arkansas, Cox was named not only the SEC Offensive Player of the Week, but also the National Offensive Player of the Week.

Congratulations Joe, you have officially silenced the critics.

Can Georgia Hawg-Tie the Razorbacks in Fayetteville?

Wes Holtzclaw — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:21:54 -0400

After an emotional, thrilling win in the closing seconds against South Carolina last week, the Georgia Bulldogs head north for their first SEC road game against the Arkansas Razorbacks.

The Dawgs have already been road tested once this season, coming up short in a 24-10 loss to Oklahoma State.

Can the Dawgs deal with the pressure of playing on the road once again?

Coach Bobby Petrino is entering his second season at the helm in Fayetteville and is hoping to improve on what he started last season.

Petrino has had all offseason, a cupcake opener (Missouri State), and a bye week to get ready for Joe Cox and Company.

Petrino was known as an offensive genius while he was at Louisville and has yet to show that same success at Arkansas.

He has Michigan transfer Ryan Mallett running his offense along with a pair of talented running backs in Michael Smith and Ronnie Wingo, Jr.

The Razorbacks put up 447 yards passing against a porous Missouri State defense. If the Dawgs want to hold the Razorback passing game to a respectable number, they will have to tighten up the secondary in their coverages.

Will the Dawgs force the Razorbacks to beat them on the ground?

The Georgia defense has been stout against the run in spurts, but they have been unable to get pressure on the quarterback.

Even though they are giving up 143 yards a game, they are also only allowing 3.8 yards a carry, which is respectable.

The Dawgs lost DE Rod Battle to season-ending injury but got some good news with DE Justin Houston back this week after a two-week suspension, which should help with the pass rush.

The Georgia offense got on track last week against the Gamecocks, and the return of RB Caleb King should help in the running game.

One thing the Dawgs have to do in the hostile environment is control the clock with the run. Accomplishing that will open up the play-action passing game, and it will also keep the defense on the sidelines to rest.

They need to minimize the turnovers and keep from giving the opposing teams a short field to work with to score.

The defense was impressive last week as they held the Gamecocks to five field goals, even though they had their backs against the wall for much of the game.

When you are put in that situation, giving up field goals is much better than giving up touchdowns.

The Georgia opponents have been in the red zone a total of 10 times in two games and have scored nine times, but only four of those scores have been touchdowns.

For this reason the Dawgs will hold the Hawgs out of the end zone for most the game, and they go 2-0 in the SEC with a 34-23 victory on the road.

Five Things We Can Take From Georgia's Victory Over The Gamecocks

Wes Holtzclaw — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:22:19 -0400

On Saturday evening, the Georgia Bulldogs and South Carolina Gamecocks played one of the most exciting games in the history of the series between the two schools.

In a game that was expected to be a defensive struggle with a lot of poor offense, the teams combined for 78 points, 735 offensive yards and 418 return yards.

This game made fans from both teams want to kiss the TV one minute and then throw it out the window the next.

If a play could be made in a game of football, it was made in this one.

There was a 100-yard kick off return for a touchdown, two interceptions with one returned for a touchdown, a fake punt, four sacks, five fumbles, a safety and a blocked PAT just to name a few.

There were several things that stood out to me as I sat on the edge of my seat for most of this game.

1) Joe Cox CAN play quarterback

A lot of people in the media and on message boards put down Georgia's starting quarterback for the way he played against Oklahoma State. Some of that attention was well deserved and some was not. I believe with the way he played against the ‘Cocks (17 out of 24 for 201 yards with two touchdowns and one pick) he quieted some of his critics.

I think that he played poised while the Dawgs were down early and made the plays he needed to make down the stretch to ensure victory.

2) Richard Samuel will be UGA's tailback all year

Samuel proved that he should be UGA's tailback from here on out. He ran hard behind his pads taking on all defenders and breaking tackles for yards after contact. It was not easy to tackle him and many times it took more than one Gamecock defender to bring him down.

He carried the ball 20 times for 87 yards and touchdown on his way to averaging 4.7 yards a carry. The Dawgs could have probably given the ball to Samuel on first, second and third down and never would have had to punt.

3) Willie Martinez needs to go

Over the last year I have defended Willie Martinez saying that it was injuries that made our defense play the way it did last season. Now I can honestly say that it is time for the Georgia defensive coordinator to go.

I watched South Carolina play NC State two weeks ago and they looked like a team that would not be able to move the ball on a decent defense.

The defense did what they could in the red zone and played well in the front seven, but when you have Gamecock wide receivers running around catching balls with nobody around them for 10 yards, something has to be done.

4) Mike Bobo’s play-calling is coming around

One thing that I can say is that Bobo—UGA's offensive coordinator—used all the weapons that the Dawgs have this year against the ‘Cocks. I was excited to see them use Branden Smith on the reverse where we finally got to see him separate himself with his speed.

UGA seemed to mix the run and pass up well, but I think Georgia still needs to run the ball more to utilize its offensive line. I think as the season goes on, Bobo will realize this and we will see Samuel up over 100 yards multiple times.

5) Georgia's Special Teams are SPECIAL

The Dawgs special teams played awesome all night long. The only blemishes would have to be Smith’s fumble inside UGA's 10-yard line and the snap over Drew Butler’s head for the safety.

Brandon Boykin seperated himself from the other return candidates with his performance on kickoffs (four returns for 187 yards and a touchdown).

I know that the blemishes hurt, but if we did not get the kick return yards we did, the game would have been a blowout for the Gamecocks.

Those are the things that stuck out in my mind, you might have seen some more things and if you did please feel free to comment on what you saw.

Five Keys For The Dawgs To Continue Their Success Against The Gamecocks

Wes Holtzclaw — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:14:42 -0400

For the first time in Mark Richt's tenure at the University of Georgia, the Dawgs will play the University of South Carolina with 0-1 record.

Georgia will look to rebound after being outplayed by the No. 5 Oklahoma State Cowboys and start their SEC mark at 1-0.

The Gamecocks will look to go 2-0 (1-0 in the SEC), if they can get out of Athens with a "W".

The 'ol ball coach was not too happy with the performance his team gave in their victory of NC State two Thursdays ago.

In that game, the Gamecock offense struggled to move the ball against a Wolfpack defense that plays near the bottom of the ACC.

Their only scoring drive started after a fumble recovery on NC State's 12 yard line. You could tell that Stephen Garcia looked very uncomfortable running Spurrier's offense.

With that said, I have five keys the Dawgs will to need to accomplish in order to get back on track with a win Saturday night.

1) Quarterback play

Joe Cox suffered from the flu last week, but that is no excuse for his so-so day in Stillwater. Mike Bobo was no help with his play-calling and really hung Cox out to dry.

Cox will look to prove this week that he deserves to be the quarterback under center for the Dawgs. The Gamecocks secondary is young and athletic, but will Cox be able to sit back and pick them apart?

2) Play-Calling

As I said before, Bobo was no help to the Georgia offense after the first quarter. I believe he abandoned the run way too early and put Cox in a position to fail.

Bobo has got to get back to running a smash-mouth style of football with some play-action passing mixed in for the Dawgs to have any kind of success against the Gamecocks.

3) Offensive Line Play

The offensive line was supposed to be the strength of the team heading into 2009. With the loss of Trinton Sturdivant to another torn ACL, the Dawgs will have to go back to the starting lineup at the beginning of last season.

The line played well, pushing the OSU defensive line around when we ran the ball, averaging around four yards a carry. In pass protection, it was a different story.

Will Norwood and Co. be able to pressure Cox? The offensive line must protect Cox so that he has the time to make the right decisions.

4) Defensive Pressure

I have no complaints with the defense. They played their hearts out for four quarters and was let down by the offense.

The Dawgs were able to hold a team that averaged well over 400 yards of offense and over 40 points a game a year ago, to only 307 yards and 24 points.

For the Dawgs to have any success they have to put pressure on Garcia. He looked like a middle school kid playing in the NFL when he was pressured by the Wolfpack.

You could tell he was rattled by any type of pressure and he did not know what to do with the football.

5) Play Loose

One thing the Dawgs cannot do is come out and play tight against the Gamecocks. This series is a tough series with six out of the last eight decided by seven or fewer points.

The Dawgs have to come out and run the ball, play solid defense and try not to do everything without making a mistake.

I'm not saying that they need to make mistakes, they just need to play with the confidence that they know what they are doing.

If the Dawgs can hold true to these five keys they should be headed to Arkansas next week 1-1 (1-0 in the SEC). If not they might as well let all the freshman play and gain valuable experience for next season.

My prediction: Dawgs 20 Gamecocks 10.

Hitting Is Now Banned By NCAA

Wes Holtzclaw — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:32:23 -0400

Attention!! Attention!!

Defensive players can no longer hit an offensive player without drawing a flag for unnecessary roughness.

In the Georgia-Oklahoma State game, the Big XII officials started to enforce one of the penalties that the NCAA adopted from their parent league, the NFL.

If a receiver gets hit too hard according to the official, they are to throw a flag for unnecessary roughness on the wide receiver.

Give me a break!

This is the game of football isn't it? Where players are supposed to hit opposing players so that they do not catch the ball?

They were not biased either, as they threw flags on both teams for hits that were just great hits.

On one of the plays, Shaun Chapas got his helmet almost knocked off, but the officials huddled up and decided there was no foul on the play.

The other instance was on a crucial third and long play where Reshad Jones knocked a Cowboy receiver into next week.

The officials decided not huddle and the call ended up being the game-breaker.

The game of football has started to become a game for the weak.

The officials are going to make it to where defensive players have to play cautious and worry about if they are going to draw a flag for hitting a player too hard.

The result is going to be players getting hurt.

Defensive players cannot stop on a dime and not hit an opposing player. They cannot stop in mid-air and avoid a collision.

I understand the need for a flag for helmet to helmet hits because those can cause serious injuries to both players, but being flagged for great clean hits are outrageous.

This is by no means an excuse as to why the Dawgs lost Saturday. The Dawgs played a team that was just a little bit better than they were at the end of the day.

Both teams played well with the Cowboys winning the turnover battle 2-0. In my mind that was the difference.

I just wish the officials would let these boys play football and play it the way it was meant to be played.

Georgia-Oklahoma State: The Prediction

Wes Holtzclaw — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 22:44:52 -0400

Three days from now, the Bulldogs will enter into the newly renovated Boone Pickens Stadium and face a team that is being hyped almost as much as the Bulldogs were a year ago.

The Cowboys are not ranked preseason No. 1, like the Dawgs were last season, but they are a top-10 team.

One similarity between the ‘08 Dawgs and ‘09 Cowboys is that they are ranked high because of the NFL prospects they have on their offense.

Will the Dawgs be able to hold the Cowboy offense to less than three touchdowns?

Will the Dawgs be able to exploit a Cowboy defense that is replacing several starters?

Will Georgia continue their road dominance?

Can the Cowboys live up to the hype?

These are all legitimate questions and all of them will be answered come Saturday afternoon in Stillwater.

Here is how I see this game playing out.

The Dawgs win the toss and defer to the second half.

Why?

Because we like to play defense first. To lay that first lick and set the tone for the rest of the game.

Plus, we like to get the ball first in the second half.

The Dawgs come out applying pressure that is a little unexpected on the first play and force a turnover deep in Cowboy territory.

Georgia’s “make-shift” offense comes out on the field pumped up and ready to get the ‘09 campaign underway.

Cox drops back, fakes to Samuel on play-action and hits TE Aron White wide open in the end zone for six.

After Blair Walsh hits the PAT, the Dawgs lead 7-0 and the Cowboys are already on their heels.

For the rest of the game, well you are just going to have to watch it and see for yourself.

Why do I have the Dawgs jumping out so quickly catching the Cowboys off-guard?

Go back and look at the 2003 opener against Clemson in Death Valley (30-0).

You can look at the Boise State game in 2005 in Athens (48-13).

When people have the Dawgs picked to be upset in week 1, the Dawgs play unbelievable football.

This week will be no different as they are a seven-point underdog.

Am I confident in our football team?

Yes and I believe this game will not be as close as the experts think.

Georgia goes into Stillwater, shuts down the offensive juggernaut and wins 35-17.

Georgia's Secret Weapon In 2009?

Wes Holtzclaw — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:54:41 -0400

Not since the likes of Lindsay Scott, Gene Washington and Buzzy Rosenberg in the 1970’s, has Georgia possessed a player that could be considered a weapon in the return game.

Every once in awhile, during the Richt era, there has been a player that would take one back on occasion: Thomas Brown in ‘06, Prince Miller in ‘08, Mikey Henderson in ‘06, Thomas Flowers in ‘05 and Damien Gary in ‘01 and ‘02.

But have they had that player that opposing teams will try and kick away from because they are afraid for that player to get his hands on the ball?

Teams like Florida with Percy Harvin, Miami with Devin Hester, Michigan with Charles Woodson, and Missouri with Jeremy Maclin all forced teams into mistakes, simply because they were a weapon no one wanted to face.

Now Georgia has that player in Branden Smith.

Smith, a true freshman out of Washington High School in Atlanta, plays both receiver and corner. During his senior season, no matter where he played, when he touched the ball something good happened.

His senior season consisted of 32 receptions for 1,085 yards (a 33.9 average), 12 kickoff returns for 481 yards (a 40.1 average) with three touchdowns and 20 punt returns for 456 yards (a 22.8 average) with two touchdowns.

One of his attributes is his speed. He currently holds the fourth fastest time in Georgia history in the 100-meters with a time of 10.5 seconds.

He turned down schools like Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Michigan and Tennessee to become a Dawg.

With his skill set there is no reason coach Richt wouldn’t want to put him on the field as soon as possible.

Right now, Prince Miller is the punt return guy and Smith is competing with several others to be the team’s return man.

So my question to you is, if we have a player that can be that much of a force in the return game should he play as a true freshman?

Being an Underdawg Is a Good Thing In Athens

Wes Holtzclaw — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:05:12 -0400

The SEC is the strongest conference in the country according to many in the sports media. Florida is the consensus No. 1 in everyone’s mind, Alabama is a top five team and Ole Miss is everyone’s darling.

Oh yeah, let’s not forget about LSU who is hanging around the top 10 as well.

What happened to Georgia, last season’s consensus No. 1? Even though they are ranked No. 13 in both preseason polls, nobody is giving them a chance to compete in the SEC.

For the Georgia players and coaches, those expectations couldn’t be better.

Everybody talks about the losses of Stafford and Moreno, the inexperience of Joe Cox and the porous defensive play of last season.

Nobody talks of the team playing with the weight of the world on their shoulders with the high expectations or the 22 season-ending injuries the team faced during the season.

If Florida, as good as they are, has 22 season-ending injuries, they will lose two or three games just as the Dawgs did a year ago.

One thing the Dawgs took from last year is that you have to play together as a team. No one or two guys can win games for you. You have to have 11 guys on each side of the ball playing in unison if you want to have a championship team.

True, Joe Cox is inexperienced, but people will learn quickly that he will manage the game well and not force throws that can turn into turnovers.

Recently we learned that sophomore Richard Samuel will be the No. 1 tailback entering game one in Stillwater. Yes, he made mistakes last year, but you have to realize that he was 17 years old playing in front of 96,000 fans.

He has a year of experience under his belt and has shown up in camp hungry, wanting to prove that he deserves to be on the field and that he is the next great Georgia back.

The defense has a ton of experience and speed to get the ball. Last season, Richt pulled the reigns on the team trying to conserve the hitting the guys took during the season.

This year, it is safe to say he learned from that mistake. The defense should be much improved and very difficult to run against.

Being an underdawg has been a good thing in Athens. Just look back at the teams of ‘59, ‘66, ‘68, ‘71, ‘75, ‘78, ‘80, ‘91, ‘97, ‘02, ‘05 and ‘07.

All these teams followed up losing seasons or seasons that were not up to Georgia standards, with special years that ended with some winning championships.

Now I’m not saying that a championship is in store for the 2009 edition of the Georgia Bulldogs, but I definitely would not put it past them to put up a season that is special.

Mark Richt: Where Does He Rank Among Georgia's 25 Head Coaches?

Wes Holtzclaw — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:30:27 -0400

When former Georgia head coach and athletic director Vince Dooley announced the hiring of Florida State offensive coordinator, Mark Richt, as head coach on Dec. 26, 2000; there was an excitement that swept over the Bulldog Faithful.

Many fans were thrilled with the possibilities of the high-octane offenses Richt would bring to Athens and the SEC.

Not only would he bring his offensive scheme, but he also brought his commitment to excellence, both on and off the field.

He brought discipline to a team that was in disarray, following coaches Jim Donnan and Ray Goff, who seemed to let stuff slide when it came to the off the field issues.

His motto, “Finish the Drill”, is a saying the team has used as motivation for eight years. It is a saying that everyone has believed in, from coaches to the casual fan.

It’s a motto that has led him to a 82-22 career record (fourth among active coaches) and two SEC championships (’02 and ‘05). He is one of only seven coaches to win 80 games in their first eight seasons.

He has been named SEC coach of the year twice (’02 and ‘05) and his teams have won at least 10 games in six of his eight seasons.

When it comes to “finishing the drill”, 16 out of his 82 wins have been after his teams have been tied or trailed going into the fourth quarter, with seven of those wins being against ranked opponents.

He currently holds a 34-3 record against non-conference opponents and a 30-4 record inside opponents stadiums.

So looking at what he has accomplished in his first eight years as the “Head Dawg”, where does he rank among the 24 others that preceded him at the University?

Coaches such as Glenn “Pop” Warner, W.A. Cunningham, Herman Stegeman, George “Kid” Woodruff, Henry Mehre, Wally Butts, and the legendary Vince Dooley.

As far as wins go, Richt’s 82 victories rank third on the list following Dooley (201) and Butts (140). His two SEC championships rank third behind Dooley (six) and Butts (four).

Both Dooley and Butts both have a national title to their credit, where as Richt has yet to accomplish that feat.

His eight seasons as coach rank fourth behind Dooley (22), Butts (21), Mehre (nine) and Cunningham (nine).

More than anything, coach Richt has brought a family atmosphere to the University. He has a family night where all the players can eat with the coaches and their families.

It’s a time where the players can see how a father and husband should act around their families. Some may see this as minor, but to many of the kids that come to Athens they do not have a father figure to look up to back home.

Not only has the family atmosphere helped develop most of these young kids into men, it has also brought the Bulldog nation together.

He has made the program into a place that we all feel we can send our sons, nephews and even grandsons. We know its a program that will still have someone who will instill the morals and discipline that we know they need.

We have a confidence as players and fans, that we can win no matter who we play or where we play. It’s a confidence we lost under the guidance of Goff and Donnan.

Before Richt, only Dooley was able to accomplish the feat of bringing us all together. After looking at the body of work of each coach, I would have to rank Richt at No. 2 behind Dooley.

Like Dooley, Richt will be able to coach at the University as long as he desires. Let’s all hope that his tenure is just as long, if not longer, than coach Dooley’s.

Freshman Spotlight: Georgia TE Orson Charles

Wes Holtzclaw — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:17:16 -0400

Orson Charles is out of Plant High in Tampa, Fla., where he was a SuperPrep All-American and was selected to play in the Army All-American game in 2008.

Charles is a 6′3″, 230-pound TE, who chose to play for the Dawgs over schools such as USC, Tennessee, Florida State, Miami, and Florida.

During his senior season at Plant High, Charles was a dominant TE, hauling in 75 passes for 1,440 yards and 21 touchdowns.

He also played as a DE, recording 27 tackles, seven sacks and three fumble recoveries for touchdowns to help lead Plant to a 4-A state championship in Florida.

He was listed on Rivals.com as a four-star athlete and the No. 7 WR in the country and Scout.com had him listed as a five-star athlete and the No. 3 TE in the country.

Listed as a tight end on Georgia’s depth chart, Charles hopes to continue in a long line of TEs to make it to the NFL out of Georgia’s pro-style system.

The list includes Larry Brown, Jermaine Wiggins, Randy McMichael, Ben Watson, Leonard Pope and Martrez Milner.

Charles has been impressive during his short time in Athens; during the team’s first scrimmage he caught three passes for 55 yards and two touchdowns. In the second scrimmage, he caught two passes for 49 yards.

It seems as though the plan in the beginning was for Charles to back up Aron White in 2009 and join QB Aaron Murray, who was Charles’ teammate at Plant High, as possible starters in 2010.

But with Bruce Figgins suspended for the first six games and White struggling with injuries, I would not be surprised if we see N0. 7 hauling in passes during his freshman year between the hedges.

Georgia has shown in the past that having a TE that is a weapon and not just a run blocker is vital to their pro-style offense.

With Charles’ 4.5 speed in the 40-yard dash, he is sure to be a match-up problem for most of the linebackers the Dawgs will face week in and week out.

Georgia LB Rennie Curran: The Most Dominant Defensive Player In The Game

Wes Holtzclaw — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:12:49 -0400

If Rennie Curran has done one thing since he stepped foot on the Georgia campus in Athens, its make plays.

He has literally been a tackling machine on the Dawgs defense since 2007.

The 5′11″ 222-pound linebacker has a combination of speed and power that makes opposing offenses cringe.

They know that if they want to get any yards on a certain play they need to have No. 35 blocked.

Curran, a junior from Snellville, first played in 2007 as a true freshman starting in five of the 11 games that he played. In his first start, against Florida, he totaled five tackles with two tackles for a loss.

He ended his freshman campaign with 53 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and three sacks which landed him Freshman All-American honors.

During his sophomore season, Curran started all 13 games and led the Dawgs in tackles nine times. In five of those games he registered double-digit tackles, including a career high of 15 against Kentucky.

Curran ended the 2008 season with a team-leading 115 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks garnering him a first team All-SEC selection.

Not only was he named the team’s MVP on defense, but he finished as a finalist for the coveted Butkus Award given to the nation’s top linebacker.

Curran was also named “the most dominant defensive player in the game” by the Sporting News Magazine after the 2008 season.

Does he deserve that title?

There are probably players that have more tackles, tackles for loss, or even sacks. The reason he was given this label is for the simple fact that offenses have to know where he is on every play, at all times.

Curran enters his junior year on several watch lists including the lists for the Lombardi award and the Lott trophy respectively.

He anchors a defense that in 2009 wants to redeem itself after a pour 2008 showing.

Don’t be surprised if Curran ends up with double-digit tackles in all 12 games this season since he is going to have DT’s Jeff Owens and Geno Atkins eating up double-teams so that he can fly to the ball.

With MLB Akeem Dent, SLB Darryl Gamble, MLB Marcus Washington, and SLB Darius Dewberry joining Curran as Georgia’s line-backing corps, the Dawgs are sure to have the deepest and most talent group of LB’s in the SEC if not the country.

Coach Willie Martinez: Is 2009 His Last Season As D-Coordinator?

Wes Holtzclaw — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:18:45 -0400

After the 2008 season, a majority of Georgia fans were disappointed in how the defense performed, especially in the regular season finale against Georgia Tech.

It seemed as though the defense, after starting out strong, played worse as the season went on.

Was it the embarrassment of the 31-0 first half against Alabama during a “blackout” that started the downward spiral?

Was it the loss of the leadership that DT Jeff Owens provided on the field after he went down with a knee injury during the Georgia Southern game?

Was it the fact that the Dawgs had no defensive ends that even came close to applying pressure to the QB so that the defensive backs could capitalize on their mistakes?

Was it a combination of all three?

One thing is for sure, the defensive did not play up to their abilities in 2008.

Many believe it is because the Dawgs did not hit as much at practice hoping to prevent any further season-ending injuries.

Coach Martinez during his seven years at Georgia has proven that he can coach, both as a defensive backs coach and as the defensive coordinator.

If you look back over his years at Georgia and even Central Michigan, his defenses have been some of the best in the nation.

While he has been at Georgia he has coached players such as All-SEC corner back Tim Jennings, All-American safety Greg Blue, All-SEC corner back DeMario Minter, All-American safety Thomas Davis, All-American safety Sean Jones, and safety Jermaine Phillips.

As the defensive coordinator, Martinez’ 2006 defense ranked No. 8 in the country in total defense and No. 5 in pass defense. His 2005 SEC Championship defense finished No. 8 in the country in scoring defense as well.

As primarily the defensive backs coach, he was part of a defensive staff who coached the 2003 SEC Eastern Division Champs that finished No. 2 in the country in Scoring Defense, No. 4 in Total Defense,and No. 6 in Passing Defense.

He was also part of the 2002 SEC Champions that finished No. 4 in the country in scoring defense, No. 1 in the SEC in Red Zone Defense, and allowed only 31 second half points in the final seven games of the season.

This season he will have senior leadership in DT Jeff Owens, DT Kade Weston, DT Geno Atkins, DE Rodrick Battle, CB Prince Miller, FS Bryan Evans, LB Darius Dewberry, and LB Marcus Washington.

The seniors will want to prove that last season was a fluke and that they are one of the best units in the SEC. Every practice so far in camp you hear of players scooping up fumbles and picking off passes, returning most for touchdowns.

In the first scrimmage of fall camp, DE Roderick Battle recorded 3.5 sacks against the second team offense that is led by QB Logan Gray. Defensive back Shawn Williams also had a fumble return for touchdown on the day.

All I’m asking for is for the Bulldog faithful to give Martinez one more year to prove that last year was a fluke. It won’t take long as the we face a team in Oklahoma State that has a high powered offense led by Zac Robinson and Dez Bryant.

If the defense plays flat once again, then so be it, let's get someone else in there that can get the job done.

But until then, let's pull together and support the man that leads our sacred “Junkyard Dawg” defense. Who knows, with our support maybe 2009 will be a special season that we can all be proud of.

Experience in the Trenches Will Be the Key to Victory in Stillwater

Wes Holtzclaw — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:30:04 -0400

Georgia heads to Stillwater, Oklahoma to face Oklahoma State on Sept. 5 in what is sure to be a lopsided victory for the Cowboys, or that is what many of the experts think.

The Dawgs have too many holes to fill at the skill positions after losing Stafford and Moreno and the Cowboys offense is loaded with a three-headed monster called Zac Robinson, Kendall Hunter, and Dez Bryant.

Well in the words of Lee Corso, "Not so fast my friend!"

The key to victory in this one will not be the glamorous skill players who get all of the headlines, but the battle in both trenches among the big uglies.

Oklahoma State enters the 2009 season having to replace two starters on both the offensive and defensive lines.

They do have Lombardi hopeful, senior Russell Okung, anchoring the offensive line along with two other seniors, Brady Bond and Andrew Lewis. All three have been fixtures in the Cowboy offensive line for two or three years.

They will be trying to stop a front four that is big, athletic, and hungry to avenge a poor 2008 season.

The Georgia front four consists of DT Geno Atkins (6'1" 290 pounds), DT Jeff Owens (6'3" 300 pounds), DE Roderick Battle (6'4" 259 pounds), and DE Demarcus Dobbs (6'2" 274 pounds).

The edge in this battle goes to the Dawgs because not only will there be inexperience on the Cowboy offensive line, but the Dawgs will rotate in senior DT Kade Weston (6'5" 320 pounds) and sophomore DeAngelo Tyson (6'2" 294 pounds) to keep all four of the DT’s fresh and going at 100 mph.

On the other side of the ball, the Georgia offensive line will be one of the best in the country as they have seven players with starting experience.

They will be anchored by junior Clint Boling (All-SEC selection at LT in 2008) and sophomore Trinton Sturdivant (Freshman All-American at LT in 2007). Boling will likely move back to RT to give Sturdivant back his LT spot after Sturdivant missed the 2008 season with a knee injury.

Also on the O-line will be returning starters junior LG Chris Davis, sophomore RG Cordy Glenn (Freshman All-SEC 2008), and sophomore C Ben Jones (Freshman All-SEC in 2008).

They will also be rotating in junior Kevin Perez, senior Vince Vance, and junior Josh Davis who all have starting experience.

The Cowboy defensive line will return starters senior DE Derek Burton and junior DE Ugo Chinasa to go along with two new starters at the DT positions.

The Dawgs should win this battle as well.

Georgia’s offensive line will have another year of starting experience under their belts after they played at a high level as freshmen and sophomores in 2008. And new Oklahoma State D-Coordinator Bill Young will have his hands full working to improve on last season as offenses ran wild on the Cowboy defense, but having to replace five starters, it is not likely to change in 2009.

Freshman Spotlight: Georgia RB Washaun Ealey

Wes Holtzclaw — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 21:41:22 -0400

Washaun Ealey is out of Emanuel County Institute in Twin City, Ga where he was a Parade All-American, SuperPrep All-American and the Class 1-A Player of the Year in 2008.

In 2007, Ealey became the only underclassman to ever win the GSWA’s Player of the Year Award as a Junior when he rushed for 2,982 yards and a state record 58 TDs.

The 5′11″, 205-pound RB only seriously considered two schools: Georgia and Florida. Thankfully for coach Richt, the Dawgs won out in the end.

Ealey finished his high school career with 8,105 rushing yards and a state record 138 TDs.

He was listed on Rivals.com as a four-star athlete and the No. 11 RB in the country and Scout.com had him listed as a four-star athlete and the No. 15 ranked RB in the country.

Ealey’s 4.45 speed in the 40-yard dash, with his size, gives him a great combination of speed and power. Throughout his high school career he showed the ability to run down hill, but also the ability to hit the corner and take it to the house.

According to georgiadogs.com, coach Richt stated, “I like how Washaun looks. He’s good looking player, he runs with a great center of gravity and he looks like he isn’t going to get knocked off his feet very easily.”

With there being a total of five RB’s trying to win the starting job, will Ealey be able to get on the field as a freshman? Or will he end up being red-shirted?

The way Ealey has been practicing and carrying himself so far during fall camp, he is sure to work his way up the depth chart. He might not be the primary back, but with the effort he is putting out coach Richt will find a way to get him some carries.

Two years ago a red-shirt freshman wearing No. 24 stole many a Dawg fan’s heart, reminding them of the good ‘ol days of Herschel. In 2009, Ealey will be wearing No. 24 hoping to follow in Knowshon’s footsteps. Will he be able to steal hearts of the fans the way Walker and Moreno did?

If Caleb King and company can’t get the job done, I’m sure we will find out very quickly if he is the real deal.

Freshman Spotlight: Georgia WR Marlon Brown

Wes Holtzclaw — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 21:44:16 -0400

Marlon Brown comes to Georgia out of Harding Academy in Memphis, Tenn where he was named a Parade All-American and the Class 2-A Mr. Football.

He chose the Dawgs over schools such as Tennessee, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Florida, LSU, Oklahoma, and USC.

Brown finished his high school career with a total of 4203 all-purpose yards and 47 all-purpose tds.

Brown was listed on Rivals.com as a 4-star athlete and the No. 5 WR in the country and Scout.com had him listed as a 5-star athlete and the No. 2 ranked WR in the country.

In the picture above, Brown shows off some of his skill by scoring on a 71-yard touchdown pass in the Under Armour All-American Bowl on his team's first possession, getting behind Florida State commitment Greg Reid.

Brown hopes to cause problems for the DB’s in the SEC with his big athletic frame just as AJ Green did his freshman year in 2008. At 6′5″ and 205-pounds, Brown hopes to be lining up across from the 6′4″ 200-pound Green, giving the Dawgs a 1-2 punch at WR that they have not had in quite some time.

According to georgiadogs.com, coach Richt stated, “I saw Marlon Brown going up strong for a catch and a defender trying to rake the ball out of there and couldn’t do it. He’s got such strong hands.”

With both Brown and Green to throw to, Joe Cox should not have any worries with who is going to come down with the ball in 2009.

The only question now is, will Brown come close to the 56 receptions 963 yards and eight tds that Green was able to accomplish during his freshman year?

If he does, the WR position in Athens will be a dominate and feared position for opposing teams to account for and will take a lot of pressure off Cox and the rest of Georgia’s offense.

Bulldogs Continue To Land Top Talent in State of Georgia

Wes Holtzclaw — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:40:19 -0400

For the University of Georgia, the month of July was business-as-usual as they continued to land the top talent in the state.

During July, the Dawgs received six more verbal commitments, bringing their total to 18 so far this offseason.

Not only were the players some of the elite in the State of Georgia, they were also considered some of the elite in the country.

The first player to commit in July was Brandon Burrows, followed by Jakar Hamilton, Dexter Morant, Garrison Smith, Nickell Robey, and T.J. Stripling.

Burrows, a 6'3", 240-pound defensive end, is out of Walton High in Marietta, Ga. He is considered a three-star athlete, ranked the No. 31 DE by Rivals.com, and the No. 38 DE according to Scout.com.

Burrows chose the Dawgs over schools such as Maryland, NC State, Oklahoma, East Carolina, Alabama, Clemson, and Florida.

Jakar Hamilton, a 6'2", 196-pound safety, is out of Georgia Military Junior College in Milledgeville, Ga. Being from a junior college, Hamilton is not on the national rankings according to Rivals.com, but he is considered the No. 40 Safety by Scout.com.

Hamilton chose the Dawgs over schools such as Illinois, NC State, West Virginia, Alabama, and Auburn.

Morant, a 6'7", 240-pound defensive end, is out of Manning High in Manning, SC. He is a four-star athlete and ranked as the No. 16 DE according to Rivals.com, and is three-star athlete ranked as the No. 36 DE according to Scout.com.

Manning chose the Dawgs over schools such as Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, and Florida.

Smith, a 6'4", 250-pound defensive tackle, is out of Douglass High in Atlanta, GA. He is a four-star athlete ranked as the No. 3 DT according to Rivals.com, and is a five-star athlete ranked as the No. 2 DT according Scout.com.

Smith finished his junior year at Douglass with 108 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, and 14 sacks.

He chose the Dawgs over schools such as Georgia Tech, LSU, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio St, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, USC, Tennessee, Vandy, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, and Florida State.

Robey, a 5'8", 165-pound cornerback, is out of Frostproof Middle High in Frostproof, FL. He is a four-star athlete ranked as the No. 10 CB according to Rivals.com, and is a four-star athlete ranked as the No. 17 CB according to Scout.com.

Robey finished his junior year with six interceptions and has a total of 13 interceptions in his sophomore and junior years combined.

He chose the Dawgs over schools such as Michigan, Ohio St, USF, Stanford, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Clemson, and Florida.

Stripling, a 6'6", 215-pound defensive end, is out of Southwest Dekalb High in Decatur, GA. He is a four-star athlete ranked as the No. 4 DE according to Rivals.com, and is a four-star athlete ranked as the No. 16 DE according to Scout.com.

Stripling finished his junior year at Southwest Dekalb with 65 tackles and 15 sacks.

He chose the Dawgs over schools such as Kentucky, Miami, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, and Florida State.

With the additions of Stripling and Smith, the Dawgs continue to have a stranglehold on the talent in the State of Georgia.

To date, they have a total of five of the top seven prospects in Georgia committed to play between the hedges.

The 10 Reasons The SEC Is THE Conference In College Football

Wes Holtzclaw — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:29:12 -0400

When it comes to college football there is without a doubt only one conference that dominates year in and year out, the Southeastern Conference. Through the years some of the greatest coaches, greatest players, and greatest programs to step on a field have been associated with the SEC. The following slideshow is meant to showcase the players, coaches, teams, and traditions that make this conference so beloved.

Begin Slideshow

Atlanta Falcons: Position Battles to Keep An Eye On This Pre-season

Wes Holtzclaw — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 21:22:17 -0400

This preseason is shaping up to be an exciting one for the Atlanta Falcons.

After making the playoffs in 2008, the coaching staff’s first year in Atlanta, head coach Mike Smith and company have high expectations entering 2009.

Along with expectations comes the responsibility to make tough decisions that you feel will improve the team’s personnel.

The Falcons seem to have done everything right during the off-season trading for TE Tony Gonzalez, signing LB Mike Peterson to replace the departed Keith Brooking, and drafted players that will step in to fill holes left by free agency.

However, there are some positions on the Falcons squad that have yet to be nailed down by a veteran or rookie.

Backup quarterback

The first position battle to keep an eye on is Chris Redman vs. DJ Shockley to see who will back up QB Matt Ryan.

Chris Redman has held down the position the last two years, making a few starts along the way in 2007. Redman was 1-3 over the last four weeks of 2007, completing 59.7 percent of his passes for 1,079 yards 10 TDs and five INTs, giving him a 90.4 QB rating.

Shockley, who has yet to attempt a pass in the NFL, has pushed his way up the depth chart since he returned from a knee injury in 2007. Shockley possesses the dual-threat style of play that could land him in the backup role.

Prediction: I believe that after the dust settles, Redman will remain the No. 2 QB, but it will be a close competition.

Defensive tackle

When the Falcons did not re-sign “Big” Grady Jackson after the 2008 season, it left a huge hole at the defensive tackle position.

To help fill the void, the Falcons drafted Peria Jerry out of Ole Miss with their first-round pick and Vance Walker out of Georgia Tech with their seventh-round pick.

Jonathon Babineaux, who played at one defensive tackle position in 2008, recorded 39 tackles and three-and-a-half sacks last season and is sure to land one of the DT positions.

Also competing with Jerry, Walker, and Babineaux for the Defensive Tackle positions are Trey Lewis, Jason Jefferson, and Thomas Johnson.

Prediction: As long as the Falcons can get first-round pick Jerry signed, he along with Babineaux will start at the DTs for Atlanta.

Cornerback

At the left cornerback position, Brent Grimes will enter fall camp as the starter, but he will have one heck of a fight on his hands with rookie Chris Owens.

Grimes started the first six games of the 2008 season before losing his job to Domonique Foxworth, who signed with the Baltimore Ravens in the off-season.

To help with the departure of Foxworth the Falcons drafted Owens, who is out of San Jose State, with their 3rd round selection.

Prediction: Rookie Chris Owens will win this competition and it should not be close.

Strong safety

The strong safety position is another position the Falcons decided to cut loose some leadership and experience in Lawyer Milloy.

Instead of Milloy, the Falcons will let Thomas DeCoud and rookie William Moore battle it out to see who will be laying the wood in 2009.

DeCoud is a second-year player out of California who saw action in 10 games in 2008 totaling six tackles.

Moore, who was drafted in the second round out of Mizzou, is known as a ball hawk. He recorded a total of 11 INTs taking four to the house in his college career. One asset he brings to the table is his 4.5-4.6 speed in the 40-yard dash.

Prediction: Moore will start at SS simply because he brings a combination of speed and power to the Falcon defensive backfield that they have missed for quite some time.

This pre-season should be exciting to watch as these battles unfold in practice and on the field. One thing is for sure, coach Smith is not afraid to start a rookie (QB Matt Ryan) and whoever he feels is the best at each position will be on the field.

Georgia's Offense for the Ages

Wes Holtzclaw — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:15:35 -0400

After the great feedback that I received from my article “Georgia’s Greatest Junkyard Dawg Defense,” I started to reminiscence of all the great offensive players that have come through the University of Georgia.

As I started to go through the decades of the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s, I found all of the mean and nasty lineman that I would put on any offensive line.

The 80’s, 90’s, and early 2000’s brought about the skill position players that would be able to take it to the house on any defense.

So here is Georgia’s Offense for the Ages:

Center - Tommy Lyons (1967 to 1970)

Lyons was a two-time All-American, All-SEC in 1970, and a member of the 1968 SEC Championship team.

Left Guard - Pat Dye (1957 to 1960)

Dye was a two-time All-American, three-time All-SEC selection, and a member of the 1959 SEC Championship team.

Right Guard - Joel Parrish (1973 to 1976)

Parrish was an All-American and All-SEC selection in 1976, as well as a member of the 1976 SEC Championship team.

Left Tackle - Matt Stinchcomb (1995 to 1998)

M. Stinchcomb was a two-time All-American, two-time All-SEC selection, and a finalist for the Lombardi award in 1998.

Right Tackle - Jon Stinchcomb (1999 to 2002)

J. Stinchcomb was an All-American in 2002, three-time All-SEC selection, and a member of the 2002 SEC Championship team.

Tight End - Randy McMichael (1998 to 2001)

McMichael was a two-time All-SEC selection and was the first of a string of tight ends that have been instrumental in Georgia’s offenses over the past decade.

Split End - Brice Hunter (1991 to 1994)

Hunter was an All-SEC selection in 1994. He still holds the Georgia record for receptions in a single season (76) and he is currently second on Georgia’s career list in receptions (182) and touchdowns (19).

Flanker - Terrance Edwards (1999 to 2002)

Edwards was an All-SEC selection in 2002 and a member of the 2002 SEC Championship team. Edwards led the Dawgs in receiving every year he was in the Red and Black.

He is Georgia’s career leader in receptions (204), receiving yards in a single season (1004), receiving yards (3093), touchdowns in a single season (11), and touchdowns (30).

Fullback - Frank Sinkwich (1939 to 1942)

Sinkwich was a two-time All-American, two-time All-SEC, SEC Player of the Year in 1942, and Georgia’s first Heisman Trophy winner in 1942. He was a member of Georgia’s first SEC Championship team in 1942.

Tailback - Herschel Walker (1980 to 1982)

Walker was a three-time All-American, three-time All-SEC, three-time SEC Player of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year in 1980, and the Maxwell Award winner in 1982.

He was a member of three SEC Championship teams from 1980 to 1982 and a member of the 1980 National Championship team.

Walker came in third in the 1980 Heisman Trophy voting, came in second in the 1981 Heisman Trophy voting, and finally won the Heisman Trophy in 1982.

Walker still holds 11 SEC rushing records and numerous Georgia rushing records. His records include rushing yards in a single season (1891), rushing yards (5259), rushing yards per game (159.4), rushing touchdowns (49), total touchdowns (52), 200-yard rushing games (9), and 100-yard rushing games (28).

Quarterback - David Greene (2001 to 2004)

Greene was a three-time All-SEC selection, SEC Freshman of the Year 2001, SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year 2004, and was a member of the 2002 SEC Championship team.

Greene currently holds the NCAA record for wins (42) and is Georgia’s career leader in passing yards (11, 528), attempts (1440), completions (849), and touchdowns (72).

He currently holds a total of 15 Georgia and 6 SEC passing records.

Honorable Mention

Center - Peter Anderson 1982 to 1985

Left Guard - Max Jean-Gilles 2002 to 2005

Right Guard - Royce Smith 1968 to 1971

Left Tackle - Bernard Williams 1990 to 1993

Right Tackle - Edgar Chandler 1964 to 1967

Tight End - Ben Watson 2000 to 2003

Split End - Hines Ward 1994 to 1997

Flanker - Andre Hastings 1989 to 1992

Fullback - Brannan Southerland 2005 to 2008

Tailback - Charlie Trippi 1942 to 1946

Quarterback - Eric Zeier 1991 to 1994

I know many will wonder why I put Sinkwich at Fullback, but how could I not put him in the same backfield with Herschel?

All I could imagine while creating this team is David Greene dropping back and faking to Herschel on one of his perfect play-action passes and going deep to Brice Hunter for six.

Could you imagine a team with a running back like Herschel and quarterback like Greene in the same back field?

This is truly a offense for the ages.

Georgia Tech: Five Match-ups to Watch Out For In 2009

Wes Holtzclaw — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:56:09 -0400

As the Yellow Jackets from Georgia Tech enter the 2009 football season, several people feel as though they are the team to beat in the ACC.

Can Paul Johnson continue to build on what he started last season, his first in Atlanta? Will the schedule be too tough to maneuver through with out stumbling in a couple of games?

I see there being five match-ups that the Jackets will encounter that will either make their season a major disappointment or extremely special.

1. Clemson RB CJ Spiller vs. Georgia Tech Front Seven

In the second game of the season, the Yellow Jackets will face probably the most dangerous RB they will face all season in CJ Spiller.

Last season Spiller missed the GT game with a hamstring injury allowing the Jackets to focus soley on James Davis.

With Spiller's breakaway speed and Tech rebuilding their D-line, it could be a long day in Atlanta if Spiller hits the corner and gets past the front seven.

2. Georgia Tech Triple Option vs. North Carolina Front Seven

With another year running the triple option, the Jackets will run into their first true test in North Carolina's front seven. They return six starters from last year's front seven that helped lead the Tar Heels to a 28-7 victory.

Last season Tech rolled up 326 yards rushing against the Tar Heels, but with two turnovers late in the game the Tar Heel defense proved to be the difference.

Will they be the difference again this year or will the Tech RBs hold on the football?

3. Florida State QB Christian Ponder vs. Georgia Tech Defensive Backfield

After leading the ACC in scoring last season, Florida State QB Christian Ponder will look to improve on his passing efficiency especially against Tech.

Last year, Ponder only threw for 149 yards with one TD and one INT in Tech's 31-28 victory. This year, Ponder has his entire starting offensive line returning to protect him from the Yellow Jacket pass rush.

If he is able to sit back and throw the ball around it might not be pretty for the Jacket defensive backs, but if they are able to get some pressure on Ponder, he has been known to throw INTs.

4. Georgia Tech QB Jonathon Nesbitt vs. Virginia Tech QB Tyrod Taylor

Both of these QBs will be out to prove they are the real deal in 2009. Nesbitt will be returning to run the triple option for his second season and Taylor finally will have the starting job all to his self.

This game will be the game that decides who will win the ACC Coastal Division crown. Which ever QB plays his game and runs his offense better without turning the ball over should come out on top in this one.

5. Georgia Tech Head Coach Paul Johnson vs. Georgia Head Coach Mark Richt

Last season Coach Johnson delivered on his promise on beating Georgia and ending the seven-year losing streak to the Dawgs.

Can he make two in a row?

Odds will say that he will not as Coach Richt has a career record of 34-3 against non-conference opponents and his career record on an opponents home field is 30-4.

The game in 2009 will be played in Atlanta, can Johnson put another blemish on Richt's record?

With there being only a total of eight weeks left until Jacksonville State comes to Atlanta, Coach Paul Johnson will be trying his best to get his players and coaching staff ready to makes sure each one of these match-ups go in the Yellow Jackets favor.

Georgia's Greatest "Junkyard Dawg" Defense of All-Time

Wes Holtzclaw — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:10:24 -0400

Through the years the University of Georgia has produced some of the greatest defensive players of all-time. They have produced quality players at each position, unlike most schools who produce quality players at just a single position.

I have put together a defense that would have been dominant during any era or against any offense. It would be a defense that former coach Erik Russell would have been proud to call a “Junkyard Dawg” defense.

Defensive End - David Pollack 2001-2004

Pollack helped lead the Dawgs to the 2002 SEC championship, the first in 20 years. He finished his career 16th on Georgia’s career list with 283 tackles with 58 tackles for loss.

Pollack is currently Georgia’s all-time leader in sacks with 36. He also finished with 4 interceptions, with the most memorable one being against South Carolina in 2002 that proved to be the only touchdown of the game.

Pollack will go down as one of the most decorated Dawgs in Georgia history.

He joins Herschel Walker as the only two players to garner All-American honors three consecutive years.

Pollack was also a three-time All-SEC selection, a two-time Ted Hendricks Award winner (Top Defensive End), 2004 Lombardi Award winner (Top Lineman), 2004 Chuck Bednarik Award winner (Top Defensive Player), 2002 and 2004 SEC Player of the Year as voted by the coaches, and the 2004 AP SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

Defensive Tackle - Bill Stanfill 1966 to 1968

Stanfill was a member of two SEC Championship teams, 1966 and 1968. He was a All-American in 1968, as well as a three-time All-SEC selection.

Stanfill is currently the only player in Georgia history to win the Outland Trophy (Most Outstanding Lineman) in 1968.

Defensive Tackle - Richard Seymour 1997 to 2000

Seymour finished his career with 223 tackles, 10 sacks, and 26 tackles for loss. Seymour was an All-American in 2000, as well as a 2-time All-SEC selection in 1999 and 2000.

Defensive End - Freddie Gilbert 1980 to 1983

Gilbert was a member of the 1980 National Championship team and three SEC championship teams from 1980 to 1982.

He was an All-American in 1983 and a two-time All-SEC selection. Gilbert finished his career with 26 sacks which is currently fifth on Georgia’s career list.

Outside Linebacker - Jimmy Payne 1979 to 1982

Payne played both Defensive Tackle and Linebacker during his years at Georgia. He was a member of the 1980 National Championship team, as well as three SEC Championship teams from 1980 to 1982.

He was an All-American in 1982 and also a three-time All-SEC selection. Payne’s 28 career sacks currently rank third on Georgia’s all-time list.

Middle Linebacker - Ben Zambiasi 1974 to 1977

Zambiasi was a member of the 1976 SEC championship team. He was an All-American in 1976 and a three-time All-SEC selection.

Zambiasi is Georgia’s career tackles leader with 467. That is an average of 116 tackles a year for his four years as a Dawg.

Outside Linebacker - Tommy Thurson 1980 to 1983

Thurson was a member of the 1980 National Championship team and three SEC Championship teams from 1980 to 1982.

Thurson was a three-time All-SEC selection and his 448 career tackles currently rank 3rd on Georgia’s all-time list.

Cornerback - Scott Woerner 1977 to 1980

Woerner finished his career with 147 tackles and 13 interceptions. His 13 interceptions currently ranked as the fourth most in Georgia history.

Woerner was an All-American and All-SEC selection in 1980 while helping lead the Dawgs to the 1980 National Championship and SEC Championship.

Cornerback - Champ Bailey 1996 to 1998

Bailey finished his career with 147 tackles and eight interceptions. In 1998, Bailey won the Bronco Nagurski Award (Nation’s Defensive Player of the Year) while finishing seventh in the Heisman voting.

Bailey was an All-American in 1998 and was a two-time All-SEC selection.

Free Safety - Jake Scott 1966 to 1968

Scott was a member of the 1966 and 1968 SEC Championship teams. He was an All-American in 1968 and a two-time All-SEC selection.

In 1968, Scott was voted by the coaches as the SEC Player of the Year.

Scott is Georgia’s career interceptions leader with 16 and he held the single season record for 14 years with 10 interceptions in 1968.

Strong Safety - Terry Hoage 1980 to 1983

Hoage was a member of the 1980 National Championship team and three SEC Championship teams from 1980 to 1982.

Hoage was two-time All-American and a two-time All-SEC selection. He finished his career with 223 tackles, 10 sacks, and 14 interceptions. His 14 interceptions currently rank as 2nd on Georgia’s all-time list.

Hoage currently holds a Georgia and SEC record of 12 interceptions in a single season. He finished fifth in the 1983 Heisman voting and was viewed as possibly the greatest defensive player former coach Vince Dooley had ever seen.

Bulldogs Close Out June on High Note

Wes Holtzclaw — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:21:13 -0400

The University of Georgia closed out the month of June by collecting three more verbal commitments to bring their total number of commitments to 12.

During the last week of June, the Bulldogs received commitments from LB Deon Rodgers, S Alec Olgetree, and RB Kendrun Malcome.

Rodgers, 6′3″ 197-pounds, is out of Treasure Coast High School in Port St. Lucie, Fl. He committed to the Dawgs on June 25th after receiving offers from Buffalo, Western Michigan, and Duke.

Rodgers, who shows tremendous quickness (4.48-40), finished his junior season with 40 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 12 sacks.

Rodgers is a 3-star prospect and the No. 56 rated LB according to Scout.com. He is currently un-evaluated by Rivals.com.

Olgetree, 6′3″ 210-pounds, is out of Newnan High School in Newnan, Ga. He committed to Georgia on June 26th and is considered their biggest commitment to this point.

Olgetree also received offers from Georgia Tech, Maryland, Miami, North Carolina, Clemson, Florida State, West Virginia, Alabama, Auburn, and Florida. He finished his junior season with 62 tackles and two interceptions.

Olgetree is considered a 4-star prospect and rated as the No. 1 safety in the nation as well as the No. 29 overall prospect in the nation according to Rivals.com.

He is also considered a 5-star prospect and rated as the No. 2 safety in the nation as well as the No. 39 overall prospect by Scout.com.

Malcome, 6′0″ 213-pounds, is out of Southwest Dekalb High School in Decatur, Ga. He committed to Georgia on June 30th after receiving offers from Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, Clemson, Florida State, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida.

Malcome is considered a 3-star prospect and rated as the No. 31 overall running back in the nation according to Rivals.com. He is also considered a 3-star prospect and rated as the No. 27 overall running back in the nation according to Scout.com.

The Bulldogs picked up eight out of their 12 commitments in the month of June and they look to increase that total in the month of July.

Coach Richt has to be pleased with the way June went, as he has always stated that he prefers to go ahead and wrap up recruits early so it takes out all the stress of signing day.