Saturday, July 31, 2010

Preview – Offensive Line – Center

Football

G-Day 2010 204 In 2008 Ben Jones became one of those rare players that leave the state of Alabama when he signed with the Dawgs and by the fourth game was the teams starting center. The 6-3, 300 pound junior was named to the All-SEC freshman team that year. Coach Stacy Searels loves his work ethic and the fact that he plays with a nasty attitude.

Redshirt freshman Chris Burnette (6-2, 300) is another Dean’s List member that has quickly worked his way onto the two deep depth chart.

A number of other Dawgs have cross trained at center and could be called upon if an emergency arose, among those; Chris Davis, Tanner Strickland and Ben Harden.

Depth Chart:

Ben Jones, Junior, 6-3, 300, 23 starts

Chris Burnette, RS-Freshman, 6-2, 300

Friday, July 30, 2010

Preview – Offensive Line – Left Guard

FOOTBALL

The only question the Dawgs face at left guard is who will backup second team All-SEC Cordy Glenn. The 6-5, 300 pound junior has started all but three games since arriving on campus. He is athletic enough to play left tackle if needed but is more at home as a road grader opening holes for the running game.

Junior Ben Harden (6-3, 310) saw action in two games during 2009 and will compete with redshirt freshman Dallas Lee (6-4, 305) for the backup role. Lee worked on the scout team last season and has been named to the Dean’s List. Both are capable of playing either guard position.

Depth Chart:

Cordy Glenn, Junior, 6-5, 330, 23 starts

Ben Harden, Junior, 6-3, 310

Dallas Lee, RS-Freshman, 6-4, 305

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Akeem Dent Undergoes Surgery for Toe Injury

FOOTBALL

G-Day 2010 171 Senior inside linebacker Akeem Dent underwent surgery this morning for a toe injury suffered in an off-field accident last week.

The outpatient surgery on Dent’s left big toe was performed at St. Mary’s Hospital by orthopedic physician Dr. Joe Johnson, team foot and ankle specialist.

Recovery time from the surgery will be four to six weeks according to UGA Director of Sports Medicine Ron Courson.

Dent should be available for the SEC opener with South Carolina.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Preview – Offensive Line – Left Tackle

FOOTBALL

Ask any right handed quarterback, a veteran or a young inexperienced one, what position is the most important to him and you can rest assured the answer will be, left tackle. It is the left tackle’s job to protect his blindside and most teams put their best lineman at the position.

The most versatile starter the past three years for the Dawgs has been all SEC first teamer Clint Boling who has played every position on the line except center. The 6-5, 310 pound senior anchored a line that gave up the fewest sacks in the conference last season, a total of 12 for 96 yards.

Boling returns for his final season and will be a starter, he just won’t know where until it is determined if Trinton Sturdivant has recovered from his second ACL surgery well enough to become the starter at left tackle. 

Sturdivant excelled as a true freshman starting every game and earning a spot on the all SEC freshman team. He tore his ACL in preseason camp in 2008 and took a redshirt while rehabbing the injury. The SEC coaches named him to the 2009 second team pre-season offense but in the opening quarter of the Oklahoma State game he reinjured the knee and missed the remainder of the year.

The 6-5, 320 pound junior feels that his second surgery went much better and has been given a full release to begin practice when pre-season camp opens on August 2nd.

Rising sophomore A. J. Harmon (6-5, 310) has shown the ability to handle the position as well and will see plenty of playing time this year. He can also play left guard and right tackle.

Two freshmen, Austin Long (6-5, 295) and Brent Benedict (6-5, 305) are both recovering from injuries and if released will get the opportunity to compete for a back-up role.

Either way the Dawgs will have plenty of experience at the position.

Personally I would like to see Boling stay at left tackle in a rotation with Sturdivant. This would give the responsibility of protecting a young quarterback to the two most experienced players at the position.

With three consecutive mid-day starts, depth will be a huge factor in the outcome of each game and there would be no drop-off in protection with either Boling or Sturdivant on the field. It would also allow Harmon to back-up Davis at right tackle.

Depth Chart:

Clint Boling, Senior, 6-5, 310, 36 starts

Trinton Sturdivant, Junior, 6-5, 320, 14 starts

A. J. Harmon, Sophomore, 6-5, 310

Austin Long, RS-Freshman, 6-5, 295

Brent Benedict, Freshman, 6-5, 305

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Kickoff Time For Season Opener

FOOTBALL

The Saturday, Sept. 4, season opener between
the Dawgs and the University of Louisiana-Lafayette in Athens has been set for 12:21 p.m. ET.

Previously announced early season game times included:

South Carolina in Columbia (Sept. 11) – 12 Noon

Arkansas in Athens (Sept. 18) – 12 Noon

Colorado in Boulder (Oct. 2) – 4:30 p.m. ET.

Florida in Jacksonville (Oct. 30) – 3:30 p.m. ET.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Six Dawgs Named To Coaches Preseason All-SEC Teams

FOOTBALL

Six Georgia football players have been named to the Southeastern Conference Coaches Preseason All-SEC teams, according to a league announcement today.

Georgia and Auburn are tied with the third-most players on the All-SEC teams as Florida leads the way with 10 selections and Alabama has nine.
The Dawgs have four players who were named First Team selections.  Only the Crimson Tide has more players on the First Team with six.


G-Day 2010 233

Junior flanker A.J. Green, a native of Summerville, S.C., and senior offensive tackle Clint Boling, a native of Alpharetta, were named to the First Team offense. 

From the special teams, junior place kicker Blair Walsh, a native of Boca Raton, Fla., and junior punter Drew Butler, a native of Duluth, also both grabbed First Team honors.

G-Day 2010 058

Junior offensive guard Cordy Glenn,  a native of Riverdale, was named to the Second Team offense while junior cornerback/returner Brandon Boykin, a native of Fayetteville, was placed on the special teams Second Team.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Huge Basketball Commitment

BASKETBALL

Coach Mark Fox received a verbal commitment from one of the top rated players in the country Saturday evening.

Kentavious Caldwell a 6-6, 185 pound shooting guard from Greenville, Georgia decided to end his recruiting and become a Dawg after receiving offers from a number of schools around the country.

Caldwell averaged 29.7 points a game for the Patriots last season.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Two New Dawgs

FOOTBALL

The Dawgs picked up a couple of big commitments during the annual Dawg Nights camp, both from the state of Florida.

Offensive tackle Zach DeBell (6-7, 270) from Tarpon Springs made his decision public.

The top rated long snapper in the country, Nathan Theus (6-3, 255) from the Bolles School in Jacksonville committed shortly after Debell made his announcement. 

Friday, July 16, 2010

Fan Day Saturday

FOOTBALL

Countdown to Kickoff will host its annual “Fan Day” charity event featuring Georgia football standouts and current NFL players on this Saturday, July 17 at the University of Georgia’s Woodruff Practice Fields off Lumpkin Street from 3- 6 p.m.

The event, sponsored by Hotel Indigo, is organized by three former Bulldogs: former NFL quarterback David Greene, NFL first-round draft choice Matt Stinchcomb and current New Orleans Saints lineman Jon Stinchcomb.

Benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the Georgia Transplant Foundation, as well as the Children’s Tumor Foundation, the University of Georgia College of Education and UGA’s own Pediatric Exercise and Motor Development Clinic, the event provides Georgia fans the opportunity to spend an afternoon with some of their favorite Bulldogs of the past and present. There are activities for fans of all ages from autograph and photo sessions, games, face painting, and training camp drills. Mascot Hairy Dawg and the UGA cheerleaders are scheduled to be in attendance along with the Redcoat Band.

In addition, fans will have the opportunity to join Georgia coaches and players at the Countdown to Kickoff Golf Tournament scheduled for Friday, July 16, at the UGA Golf Course. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. followed by a shotgun start at 11 a.m. Corporate Gameday will host a reception for the golfers and event sponsors later that evening. 

“Fan Day is an extraordinary event that allows us to show our support for pediatric healthcare,” Matt Stinchcomb said. “We can’t overstate the passion and support of the fans, players and coaches. There are so many different activities for the fans to engage in, and they also have the opportunity to interact with the players they have supported which gives them a chance to meet the person, not just the athlete.”

Tickets are $25 each for the Saturday event. A Family Pack costs $75, which includes four tickets.
The 2009 Countdown to Kickoff “Fan Day” charity event was very successful, giving over 1,200 people the ultimate UGA fan experience. For more information regarding the 2010 Countdown to

Kickoff and to order tickets, please visit www.ugakickoff.com.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Jackson To Transfer

FOOTBALL

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Suspended tailback Dontavius Jackson has informed coach Mark Richt that he will transfer following the summer semester. 

Jackson was currently listed as the fourth running back on the depth chart after gaining 38 yards on four carries last season and was not likely to see much playing time outside of special teams this year.

Jackson was a highly recruited four star running back from Franklin, Georgia and attended Heard County High School. The sophomore has already taken a red shirt season and will have to sit out a year if he attends another Bowl Championship Series (BCS) division school.

King and Jackson Suspended

FOOTBALL

Wide receiver Tavarres King and running back Dontavius Jackson, both sophomores, have been suspended following their arrest on alcohol related charges.

King will miss the opener against Louisiana – Lafayette after being charged with underage possession of alcohol.

Jackson will miss at least the first six games after being charged with DUI and underage possession, he was also involved in a minor accident prior to the traffic stop. Charges from that incident include following too close, leaving the scene of an accident, violation of a learner’s permit and violation of the mover-over law.

Two other passengers in the car were charged with underage possession while sophomore cornerback Branden Smith was questioned but not charged.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Damon Evans Resigns

FOOTBALL

Athletic Director Damon Evans has resigned following his arrest for DUI last Wednesday night. President Michael Adams will make the official announcement on Monday.

The details of Evans arrest revealed in the trooper's report led Adams to ask for his resignation.

Evans was arrested six minutes before his new contract was to become effective, he would have received a $110,000 raise.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Athletic Director Arrested

FOOTBALL

UGA athletic director Damon Evans was arrested last night in Buckhead. Evans was stopped by a Georgia State Trooper and charged with DUI and driving in an improper lane, an unidentified passenger was also arrested. Evans was released from jail at 10:20 this morning.

The university will release a statement later this afternoon.