GP THE GEORGIA PLAYBOOK
FIFTH ISSUE NOVEMBER COACHES PROFILES
We go beyond the playing field to let you know what makes each SEC football head coach tick
THE ROAD AHEAD
UGA’s football team tackled Florida but still has some major obstacles to face Han Vance of BigHairyBlawg.com talks UGA basketball and how Mark Fox’s young squad can rebound after losing key players
KATHLEEN GATES
The volleyball team captain talks staying calm, cool, and collected before a match
+ See how the UGA cross country
team likes to set the pace
contributors
Contents
CREATOR/GRAPHIC DESIGN Justin Gaymon
6. THE RUNDOWNS Highlights on all in-season UGA sports
Senior Copy Editor A.J. Pappas
18. KATHLEEN GATES The volleyball team captain talks staying calm, cool, and collected before a match
Promotions Leader Emily Houston Melanie Watson Men’s and women’s tennis rundowns Karthik Adimula Men’s and women’s golf rundown Faith Middlebrooks Men’s and women’s cross country, soccer, and volleyabll rundowns Han Vance of bighairyblawg.com Football rundown and Senior Guards Lead Young Hoop Hounds Jonathan Branch The Road Ahead and SEC coaches profiles Emily Houstin Just a Few Things
All photos courtesy of Georgia Sports Communication PHOTOGRAPHERS Ethan Treacy and Justin Gaymon
20. THE ROAD AHEAD Mark Richt and an SEC-Eact title 22. YOUNG HOOP HOUNDS Han Vance of bighairyblawg.com talks about UGA’s young basketball team 24.SEC COACHES Jonathan Branch profiles SEC football coaches 30. SETTING THE PACE UGA Cross country stand outs J.P. Hackney and Matt Cleaver talk race strategy and finishing strong 32. JUST A FEW THINGS A few cool things you may not know about UGA athletics
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November 2011
Editor’s Letter Life is a competition, and if you don’t work hard and play smart, you’re going to lose. Whether you’re a working professional or an athlete, you can’t afford to wait for opportunities to arise. You need to make them happen on your own. I’ve always been told this, but as I’ve grown older, it has become clearer and undeniable. In fact, it’s one of the main reasons that I decided to start this magazine. After graduating from UGA, I wanted a job that was fun, creative, and intellectually challenging, but I didn’t have the time to begin a full-time career with my hectic traveling schedule for track & field. So instead of searching for a flexible job, I created my own. I’ve put more work into this magazine and have learned more from it than I ever could have imagined. Right now it’s 7:21 in the morning and I’m going on my second night without sleep so this issue can be released on time. I’ve put a lot of tough hours into this, but I love every moment. It’s something that I can call my own and be proud of, even if there are a few imperfections. I’m writing this with the hope that it will inspire you, my readers, to go out and chase your dreams. I know it sounds cliché, but we only have one life to live, and the worst thing you can do is waste it. If you want to make a difference in the world, search for an area that interests you, and start thinking of ideas. Take that idea, put it on paper, and take the first steps towards making it happen. But you have to be smart. Plan your steps wisely and don’t wait until the last minute like me, writing this editor’s letter at the crack of dawn. To everyone that’s helped out and supported The Playbook, I want to say thanks. I couldn’t have made it happen on my own, especially the latest issue. I’m glad I took a chance on this idea, and even happier that you’re here with me. You can get more on me and my travels as a professional track athlete at my blog www.justingaymon.tumblr.com Justin Gaymon
The Rundowns October Coverage
At 0-2 following an uncharacteristically poor 6-7 campaign, Mark Richt was on the proverbial hot seat early in his 11th season as football head coach. Although the first two games were played against a tough Boise State team that had gone 38-2 over forty games and the defending SEC East Champion South Carolina Gamecocks playing at full strength, the Dawg Nation was vocally mystified. Richt insisted he saw the characteristics necessary to win in the game two loss: a 45-42 heartbreaker in which Georgia significantly outgained Carolina. The schedule softened over the next few weeks, and UGA began to compile wins as the team matured, especially freshman runner Isaiah Crowell. Coastal Carolina was clearly outmatched by the total team talent Between the Hedges. A trip to Ole Miss was more noteworthy for the scenery than the competition, and the Miss State Maroon Pups were paid back for beating us last year at their place. A tough spot was at Tennessee, where UGA had been blown out on two previous trips and the Vols featured SEC leading passer Tyler Bray. Georgia won behind Dream Team receiver Malcolm Mitchell’s huge game and a salty defense that eventually knocked Bray out of the game. A trip to Nashville at night proved more daunting than anticipated as Vandy played us hard, before succumbing to our talented team. Georgia was 5-2 entering the bye week before a looming trip to Jacksonville, where the program had a horrible 18 of 21 record and Richt was nearly as bad, just 2-8. Similarly to S. Carolina and Tennessee, Florida would be at full strength for the Georgia game with the return of injured quarterback John Brantley. As all too often happens in what has been a house of horrors for Georgia, Florida got and made some early breaks and jumped out to a twotouchdown lead. Determined that this year was different, Richt dialed up the gusto to go for it twice on fourth down; each play resulting in an Aaron Murray touchdown pass. Georgia overcame numerous special teams gaffes to outlast, and in the end outclass, the Gators. Todd Grantham’s defense yielded just one first down and 32 yards in the second half. As the clock ticked down on Florida’s chances, Georgia was on Florida’s goal line running the seconds away and then celebrating again in that end zone. Turnaround complete.
The Men’s Tennis team had a sensational start in early October’s Georgia Tech Invitational as four members advanced to the quarterfinals. Campbell Johnson and Eric Diaz advanced in the singles “A” draw and Will Reynolds and Will Oliver moved forward in the “B” draw. Diaz and Garrett Brasseaux defeated the No. 2 seeded duo from UNC Wilmington in doubles to advance them to the quarterfinals. The team went on to continue their success at the ITA All American Championships. WIl Spencer won both of his opening matches to advance him into the round of 16 at the Championships. Doumbia won his opening round singles match but fell in the second round to Texas A&M’s Alexis Klegou. Wil Spencer’s incredible run in the ITA AllAmerican Championships came to an end in the finals, when he lost to Virginia’s Mitchell Frank. Despite the loss, Spencer became the first Bulldog to reach the final of the ITA All-American Championships since Travis Helgeson in 2007. He went 13-1 this season and 5-1 in the tournament. At the USTA/ITA Southeast Regional Championship, six Georgia players won their opening round matches at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. No 1. Seed Doumbia, Taboada, Pieters, Pasha, and Diaz all won their respective singles matches in straight sets. Campbell Johnson eliminated his opponent in the third set. Georgia’s six players in the singles main draw is the most of any team in the tournament. In the doubles matches, the tandems of Taboada and Spencer, Doumbia and Pasha, Spencer and Brasseaux, and Johnson and Will Reynolds all won two matches to reach the quarterfinals. Three Bulldogs advanced to the finals of the USTA/ITA Southeast Regional Championships. Taboada won two more singles matches to qualify while Spencer and Brasseaux were competing for the doubles crown. No one representing the red and black advanced past the finals as Georgia Tech’s Kevin King defeated Taboada and the No. 1 duo of Florida’s Billy Federhofer and Nassim Slilam knocked out Spencer and Brasseaux.
In day one of pre-qualifying at the Rivera/ITA All-American Championships, Freshman Lauren Herring was the only Lady Bulldog to capture a win. She led the team during the early October tournament, defeating Cal Poly’s Alexa Lee in the first round. She was later eliminated in the second round by No. 86 ranked Katie Le from Santa Clara. This was Herring’s first collegiate singles loss, dropping her season record to 7-1. Chelsey Gullickson won her first match at the Rivera Championships against Emily Frasier of Virginia to advance to the round of 16. In doubles, Gullickson and Nadja Gilchrist teamed up to defeat the No.19 Old Miss tandem of Boxx/Guthrie, placing the Bulldog duo at a record of 5-0. In round of 16, Gullickson fell to SMU’s Marta Lesniak but moved on to the quarterfinals along with Gilchrist in doubles. The pair would advance to the semifinals where they would fall short of their bid for a collegiate grand slam doubles title. The team managed to reverse their luck on the opening day at the USTA/ ITA Southeast Regional Women’s Tennis Championships. All five Bulldogs won their opening round match in straight sets to advance to the round of 32 during singles. The two Bulldog double teams went a combined 4-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. Four Bulldogs advanced to the semifinals in singles along with both Bulldog tandems. The only Bulldog to make it to the finals was Gullickson, who ended up taking the singles title. The doubles final was all Georgia as well as Gullickson/Kimbell defeated Fuller/Herring. This duo went 5-0. Next up for Gullickson/Kimbell is the USTA/ ITA National Indoor Championships.
The Georgia men’s cross country team is very familiar with hard work and dedication. This month, it definitely paid off. The team had solid performances at the Wisconsin Invitational in Madison, Wisconsin and the Crimson Classic in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but by far, the most memorable was the topplace finish at the Southeastern Conference Championship meet. With two top-ten finishers, senior Matt Cleaver (8th) and sophomore Brandon Lord (10th), the team managed to score 68 points and grasp the 3rd place spot at the Southeastern Conference Championship Meet. Both Matt Cleaver and Brandon Lord were given AllSEC 2nd Team honors while Brendan Hoban was given All SEC Freshman honors for his performance. Matt Cleaver finished the race in 24:30.82, one of his best times yet. Brandon Lord was a few seconds shy of his personal best but earned SEC Runner of the Week honors for his performance at the Wisconsin Invitational, finishing as the top SEC contestant and 37th overall. Georgia had several finishers in the top twenty-five including Brett Richardson (15th) and Luke Baker (17th), however, Brian Detweiler (18th) showed to be the most improved after finishing the last two conference meets in 41st place. All three competitors had their best conference meet showing and helped contribute to Georgia’s first top finish since 2004. The trail doesn’t end here for men’s cross country, as they prepare for the NCAA Regional Championship meet on November 12th in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The exact time of the event is TBA.
The Lady Dawgs cross country team gave strong efforts in competitions at the Wisconsin Invitational and the Crimson Classic meets, and did nothing less at the SEC Championship meet at Lambert Acres Golf Course. The team ran their way into 124 points and a 4th place finish as the Lady Dawgs rallied to clinch the spot that was predicted for them during the preseason. Kristie Krueger, the 2010 SEC Cross Country Champion, managed to grasp the 6th place spot in this year’s meet after battling an injury just a week prior to the meet. She finished with a time of 20:40.45 and a First-Team All SEC honor. This makes three top-ten finishes for the senior. Ashley Shiver, Leslie Boozer, and Abbie Robinson all aided in the success of this year’s meet finishing 22nd, 32nd, and 38th. Leslie was able to improve two spots from last year’s competition while Shiver was able to improve five spots from her previous SEC meet. Anna Bowles, a freshman runner, was able to secure the 27th spot and receive the All SEC freshman team honor. She was The team has been consistent and finished the last four years in fourth place but are looking to do major things at the NCAA Southern regional conference meet.
On the final leg of their fall schedule, the UGA mens’ golf team hit the greens hard in October. The Bulldogs took the stage at the ODU/Outerbanks Collegiate Invitational with juniors Bryden Macpherson and T.J. Mitchell, and sophomores Brian Carter, Michael Cromie and Keith Mitchell. But of all the players, T.J. Mitchell made the Bulldogs shine, while making it look easy. Closing with a 5-under 67 to finish first at 15-under 201, first-time medalist Mitchell rose to the spotlight and helped his team capture the 1st place title at the tournament. Coach Chris Haack was noted saying “I could not be prouder of T.J. He got off to such a great start and really just kept his foot on the gas. Coming in, he knew what was at stake for the team and for him individually and he never backed off. He really grew up this week.” As the ODU/Outerbanks Collegiate Invitational came to a close, it was obvious that the Bulldogs were ready to get their next win. Though they’ll have to wait until February for the Puerto Rico Shootout, it’s clear that the practice and field time during the fall schedule has prepared these guys for a very competitive year of golf in 2012.
Women’s golf got off to a cold swing in October when the 15th ranked Bulldogs headed into the Mercedes Benz SEC/ PAC 12 Challenge. Early into the weekend, the team had difficulty finding their rhythm as their tournament was winding down. Coach Kelley Hester considered this year’s schedule to be especially tough, saying “We haven’t had that really strong tournament – that breakthrough tournament – where everything clicks and everyone plays well. We didn’t have a bad tournament. We were fairly consistent. We’ve played a very difficult schedule. I would venture to say we’ve played perhaps the most difficult schedule in the country”. But on the second leg of the Mercedes Benz, the women turned up the heat with heavy contenders: Marta Silva Zamora, Emilie Berger, Rocio Sanchez Lobato, Tess Fordham, and Milena Savich. The Bulldogs caught their spark and climbed from 10th place to seal the Challenge with a 7th place finish. The team will be gearing up for their 2012 run starting at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic in February.
The end of breast cancer awareness month also brought about a bittersweet ending to the regular season for the seniors of the Lady Dawgs soccer team. Honored before the game on October 28th were seniors Jenna Buckley, Ashley Miller, Jamie Pollock, and Bailey Powell. The final home game which was later postponed to October 29th due to weather conditions, resulted in a 2-0 loss against Tennessee, however, the Lady Dawgs’ season was strong enough to land them a spot in the Southeastern Conference Tournament. Early October started off rough with a 2-1 loss at LSU, but the Lady Dawgs didn’t let that stop them. In a double overtime win against Mississippi State (4-3), Ashley Miller scored the game winning goal constituting this game as the biggest comeback in Georgia soccer history. This win sparked a four game winning streak against SEC opponents in which UGA also beat Ole Miss (3-0), Vanderbilt (2-0), and Kentucky (2-1). The Lady Dawgs later went on to tie Auburn (0-0) and Alabama (2-2 in 2OT), ending their regular season with a 6-3-2 SEC record. Sophomore Alexa Newfield is no stranger to the spotlight. TopDrawerSoccer.com listed Newfield as the No.37 player in their top 100 women’s college soccer list at midseason. She leads the team and the SEC in goals, points, and shots and is currently third in the nation on the gamewinning goals list with seven. With just one more goal, Alexa becomes the first player in Georgia history to score ten goals against SEC contestants in one season. The Lady Dawgs soccer team is preparing for the SEC tournament hosted in Orange Beach, Alabama. They start competition on Nov. 2nd against their conference rival, Florida at 8:30pm ET. The schedule for advancing teams will be announced at the start of the tournament.
This season has been quite the struggle for the UGA Volleyball team. Ending the month of October with an 11-7 record, there is much room for improvement as the Lady Dawgs continue their season, and there are still plenty of opportunities for them to get the job done and turn this season around. After a disappointing loss to No. 13 ranked Florida, the Lady Dawgs fought hard to secure wins against SEC contenders Auburn (3-1) and Mississippi State (3-1). They fell short on the road against LSU (3-1) but were able to pull it together to beat the Razorbacks at Arkansas (3-2) the following week. However, things went downhill from there as the Lady Dawgs lost four straight matches to No. 24 ranked Kentucky (3-1), No. 20 ranked Tennessee (3-1), Alabama (3-0), and Ole Miss (3-0). Key contenders this season have been sophomore Brittany Northcutt and redshirt sophomore Kathleen Luft. They have led the team offensively this season with kills and continue to help motivate the team to progress. Georgia’s Volleyball schedule doesn’t get any easier with the remainder of the season being conference opponent matches. The next scheduled game is November 4th in Athens, Georgia against Arkansas at 7pm ET.
v o l l e y b a l l
t e a m
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Kathleen Gates talks staying calm, cool, and collected before a match the pregame: Our coach really does stress having our pregame ritual down. As a team we always have walkthroughs and a pregame meal. After the pregame meal we have our own time. During that for about an hour I’ll listen to music, rap and rock, always the same playlist. Then I go over all of our plays and what the other teams running. I’ll visualizing all the plays that we want to run against our opponent and then take a quick two minute nap to get ready for the match.
nerves of steel or scared stiff: I’m in the middle. Sometimes if it’s an opponent, like with Florida, I’m not really nervous, just more excited. I wanna get things going because I’m really excited to play them.
pumped or calm, cool, and collected: I just remain calm right before the match. Just remaining focused. But then right before the match I flip that switch and change the mindset. I get really fired up.
coaches words: Our coach always tells us that we work hard during practice and that game time is time for us to just get out there and not think, just do. We’ve trained hard during the week so the game should be easy.
Rituals and superstitions: When I’m putting on my gear I have to put on my left sock, left ankle brace first. Anything on my left side like my left shoe or kneepad I have to put on before my right.
THE ROAD AHEAD BY JONATHAN BRANCH
GEORGIA’S FINAL STRETCH IS UPON US. After struggling out of the gates, the Bulldogs appear to have righted the ship. However, speed bumps lie ahead in November on UGA’s road to success. NEW MEXICO STATE: This game is not a trap game. It should not be very close. New Mexico State enters with a sub.500 record. The injury bug has ravaged the Aggies’ roster in 2011, and the biggest hits came at the quarterback position. Three Aggie signalcallers have gotten injured this season, causing Trevor Walls, who converted from quarterback to tight end before the 2011 season, to move back to the position he played earlier in his college career. Walls may likely be the starter when NMSU rolls into Athens on November 5. If the Bulldogs can keep tailback Kenny Turner and wide receiver/kick returner Taveon Rogers in check, this game will be Coastal Carolina Round 2. Expect Sanford Stadium to be half-filled and hungover from the night before. This game starts early and should be over by halftime or soon after, leaving many Bulldogs supporters to prepare for the Alabama-LSU showdown later in the evening.
TM
AUBURN: Let’s be honest. This is nowhere close to the same team that ran the table and won the National Championship a season ago. Cam Newton and Nick Fairley are gone. This is good news for the Bulldogs. Auburn enters November without a clear-cut starting quarterback. The Tigers ranked 106th in passing yards in the NCAA at the end of October and, on average, were outscored by their opponents through their first eight games (5-3 record in those games). This is the biggest test of the month for the Bulldogs and could be Georgia’s make-or-break contest if it wants to make a return trip to the Georgia Dome.
KENTUCKY: Through its first seven games, not only is this Kentucky squad one of the worst teams in the SEC, it may be one of the worst in all of college football. The Wildcats mustered just over 115 yards per game through the air, which ranked 116th out of 120 FBS teams. As long as the Bulldogs do not overlook this contest, sandwiched between two rivalry games and possibly after clinching the SEC East title, there should be no problem handling the Wildcats. However, last time the Bulldogs defeated a cupcake and Auburn before hosting Kentucky, the Wildcats left Athens with a 34-27 victory. The Bulldogs, at this point, should remain focused on winning out to help its postseason chances and not take Kentucky too lightly. GEORGIA TECH: The Yellow Jackets boasted the best offense the first half of the 2011 season. After scoring more than 49 points in each of their first three games this season, the Yellow Jackets could muster no more than 21 points in losses to Virginia and Miami (FL). Led by first-year starting quarterback Tevin Washington, the Yellow Jackets triple-option offense remains one of the best rushing attacks in the NCAA. However, in Tech’s first six games, all victories, the Yellow Jackets scored 27 rushing touchdowns. In their two losses, however, the Jackets managed just three scores on the ground. Head coach Paul Johnson’s team will be battle-tested when clean, old fashioned hate kicks off for the season finale. The Yellow Jackets two toughest ACC opponents, Clemson and Virginia Tech, roll into Atlanta just a few weeks before the Bulldogs. If Georgia Tech can find its signature running game, the Bulldogs may encounter trouble in the final game of the regular season. If not history may repeat itself. The Yellow Jackets are 1-9 in their last 10 meetings against UGA.
TM
SENIOR GUARDS LEAD YOUNG HOOP HOUNDS BY HAN VANCE OF WWW.BIGHAIRYBLAWG.COM
As UGA clawed to an NCAA berth in Mark Fox's second year at the helm of the men's basketball program, interchangeable dual scoring point guards distributed to star forwards Travis Leslie and Trey Thompkins. With both primary weapons gone as early NBA entrants - awaiting an end to a prolonged professional labor dispute as teammates on the Los Angeles Clippers - more of the scoring load falls to the senior backcourt tandem of Gerald Robinson Jr. and Dustin Ware. Very little differentiates these two from one another in skill sets as both can run, dribble, shoot, dish assists and pressure the ball. Fox plans to go more up-tempo as he plays to the strengths of the only two returning players with extensive game experience.
Top recruit Kentavious Caldwell-Pope moves out to the wing to replace Leslie and will immediately be asked to potentially lead the team in scoring while defending more physically mature SEC competition. Sophomore forward Marcus Thornton probably gets a bulk of minutes in the post, but at only 6-7 he will need help from a trio of tall newcomers, two freshmen (Cannon and Dixon) and a J.C. transfer (the 7-footer, Florveus). Footballers Nick Marshall and Jay Rome should add quality depth once bowl season ends. Until then look for Connor Nolte, a guard/forward, to be first off the bench. Year three of the Fox era is a bit of a rebuilding campaign with so much young talent.
TEAM ROSTER JR, Sherrard Brantley, G SR, Matt Bucklin, G FR, Kentavious CaldwellPope, G FR, John Cannon, G FR, Tim Dixon, F/C FR, Nemanja Djurisic, F JR, John Florveus, F/C RS FR, Elliot Long, G/F RS SR, Connor Nolte, G/F RS SR, Gerald Robinson, G SO, Marcus Thornton, F SR, Dustin Ware, G SO, Donte Williams, F JR, Vincent Williams, G
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SECCOA JONATHAN BRANCH PROFILES
WILL
DAN MUSCHAMP MULLEN FLORIDA FAVORITE MOVIE: Anything but a “Star Wars” film. In September, one reporter asked Muschamp a question, referencing characters from “Star Wars.” Muschamp appeared stumped and had no idea who or what the “Padawans” were. Muschamp then admitted to watching two of the six “Star Wars” movies, but clearly they did not rank among his favorites. FAVORITE SONG: “Boom” by P.O.D. Nicknamed “Coach Boom,” after ESPN’s microphones caught Muschamp screaming “Boom” on the sideline after a play in 2007, Muschamp is one intense character. His sideline antics have carried over from Auburn to Texas and now to Florida. The former Georgia player is oftemotional and rarely quiet during games.
MISSISSIPPI STATE FAVORITE SONG: “Hit the Road Jack” by Ray Charles. No, MSU fans aren’t ready to send Mullen packing after an 0-4 start in the SEC in 2011. Mullen may be hitting the road on his own terms. Mullen has been the talk of every vacant coaching position in the Southeast for the last two seasons. Even with a record close to .500 and an already disappointing 2011 season under his belt, Mullen is thought to be moving up in the ranks of college head coaches. He may not stay in Starkville for long. FAVORITE ACTORS: Will Ferrell and Christopher Walken. After taking over at Mississippi State, where cowbells are used by fans during the games, Mullen’s favorite Saturday Night Live skit has to be “More Cowbell,” one of the most famous skits in SNL history which features Ferrell and Walken.
BOBBY PETRINO
ARKANSAS FAVORITE VACATION SPOT: Anywhere. Petrino was born in Montana. In his 28-year coaching career, he has coached in Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Kentucky, Alabama, and Arkansas. If anyone needs to visit somewhere exotic or, for that matter, interesting, it is Petrino. FAVORITE SONG: “On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson. Petrino does not stay in one town for too long. In fact, he has coached for five different teams in the last 10 years. Most notably, Arkansas’s head coach spent a few months as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons in 2007. What many fans do not know is that in July 2006 Petrino signed a 10-year extension at Louisville. In January 2007, Petrino left Louisville to join the Falcons. In December 2007 with three games left in the season, Petrino left the Falcons and took the reins at Arkansas.
ACHES JOKER JAMES FRANKLIN PHILLIPS VANDERBILT FAVORITE SONG: “Respect” by Aretha Franklin (no relation). In his first year as a head coach, James Franklin has made it clear that he wants to be respected. After a disheartening loss to Georgia, Franklin had a postgame exchanging of words with Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. Franklin said in the postgame news conference following the game, “We are not going to sit back and take stuff from anybody. Anybody. No one. Those days are long gone and they are never coming back. Ever.” Sounds like a coach in need of a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T. IF HE WASN’T COACHING FOOTBALL HE WOULD BE... a psychologist. Franklin holds a degree in psychology and once worked at an adult psychiatric facility in Philadelphia.
KENTUCKY FAVORITE TV SHOW: “Lost.” Phillips isn’t stranded on an island. But it is safe to say that the Kentucky football program has been lost in recent years. Phillips is in his second season as the head coach of the Wildcats and improvement from his first season has been less than recognizable. Phillips was a great assistant coach and great recruiter, and he deserved the job at UK. Unfortunately, the program is just too far behind to be successful in his early head coaching career. FAVORITE SONG: “The Joker” by the Steve Miller Band. Of course. If your name is Joker and “The Joker” is not your favorite song, you must be joking. But, in all honesty, it’s a good song. And its laid-back tune might help when searching for the first SEC win of the season.
GENE CHIZIK AUBURN FAVORITE MOVIE: “The Untouchables.” No, it has nothing to do with the fact that Auburn won the 2010 National Championship amidst questions of illegal payments and corruption. Or that Auburn escaped any punishment from the NCAA regarding the issue. This is Chizik’s favorite simply because of its name. Chizik has been a part of three undefeated teams in the last seven seasons. In 2004, he was the defensive coordinator for Auburn when the Tigers went 13-0. In 2005, he served in the same capacity for Texas as the Longhorns won the National Championship with a 13-0 record. Then came 2010 and a 14-0 record. FAVORITE CAR: Limousine. This is probably not Chizik’s main mode of transportation, but when he was hired by Auburn in 2009, he and his assistants took to the road in a white limo decorated with Auburn decals and flags. Their motive: recruiting. The Auburn staff, led by Chizik, wanted to restore its presence in the minds of high school coaches and athletes across the state of Alabama. While it is not as flashy as Lane Kiffin using a helicopter to recruit while at Tennessee, the use of the limo was a very creative tactic.
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NICK SABAN
ALABAMA FAVORITE SHOW: House. The similarities between Dr. House and Saban are numerous. They are both considered the finest in their field and share similar personality traits. Both are often rude, unconventional, and speak minimally with others. FAVORITE ACTOR Charlie Sheen. Saban is all about winning.
LES MILES
LSU FAVORITE FOOD: Cajun food. This should be no surprise. He coaches in the heart of Cajun Country. But the main ingredient of Cajun food is spice, and with his many trick plays, Coach Miles has become synonymous with spicing up an offense. IF HE WASN’T COACHING FOOTBALL... he would be a professional poker player. I am not sure who coined the phrase “it’s better to be lucky than good,” but I would not be surprised if it was Les Miles. No coach in the SEC is luckier than Miles.
DEREK DOOLEY TENNESSEE FAVORITE SONG: “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Dooley, son of legendary former Georgia coach Vince Dooley, was born with a silverspoon in the coaching world. The
last name “Dooley” is one of the most recognized in the Southeast. So, in 2010 when Tennessee was searching for a new head coach, Derek Dooley, with a losing record at Louisiana Tech, became the man to beat. Now, in his second season, Tennessee fans remain extremely supportive for a coach who has continued to have a losing record in Knoxville. IF HE WASN’T COACHING FOOTBALL HE WOULD BE...
a politician. Dooley holds a bachelor’s degree in government and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia and received his Law degree from the University of Georgia. Before coaching, Dooley practiced law in Atlanta. Continuing on that path, by now, Dooley would probably be in politics at the state or federal level. If he doesn’t turn things around in Knoxville, he may still get that opportunity, but he shouldn’t expect many votes to come from Tennessee.
MARK RICHT
STEVE HOUSTON SPURRIER NUTT
GEORGIA FAVORITE CAR: A Red Ford F-150. No surprises here. Georgia fans have seen Richt cruising around in the red pickup truck on the Ford commercial more times than they would care to count.
SOUTH CAROLINA FAVORITE SPORT OTHER THAN FOOTBALL: Golf. Though Spurrier has been caught in attendance at the Daytona 500, racing is not Spurrier’s favorite sport. Football may not be either. Nicknamed “Darth Visor,” Spurrier’s signature visor can often be found on the links during the offseason, and he hosts a golf tournament each year.
FAVORITE SONG: “No More Mr. Nice Guy” by Alice Cooper. For years it seemed the Georgia faithful loved Coach Richt. That was before the Bulldogs had a few rough seasons. Quickly, fans began blaming Richt for his conservative play-calling and passive nature for the Bulldogs’ struggles. Richt has the program headed in the right direction again, but some fans aren’t buying it. Some still believe Richt should lose that “nice guy” stigma.
FAVORITE BEVERAGE: The only answer here is the Spurrier Vineyards Gamecock Garnet. That’s right. Steve Spurrier has his own wine label. After the Gamecocks’ successful 2010 season, a local distributer created a commemorative red wine that is sold across the state of South Carolina and bears a picture and the namesake of the ‘Old Ball Coach.’
OLE MISS FAVORITE SONG: “Help” by The Beatles. Houston Nutt’s chances of remaining the head coach at Mississippi after this season are slim. He’s in dire need of help, but help doesn’t seem to be coming any time soon. After losing to Alabama earlier this season, Nutt became the first coach in school history to lose nine straight SEC games. Then Ole Miss lost its tenth straight against Arkansas the following week. FAVORITE SPORT OTHER THAN FOOTBALL: Basketball. Nutt’s father played basketball under Adolph Rupp at the University of Kentucky and coached high school basketball when Houston was growing up. Nutt played football and basketball at Oklahoma State University.
SETTING THE PACE
After leading the team to a third place SEC Championships finish, cross country leaders J.P. Hackney and Matt Cleaver talk race strategy and finishing strong.
J.P. Hackney
Matt Cleaver
Being Mentally Prepared
Everybody’s a little bit different, but for me, I like to have a goal in mind. An attainable realistic goal. Like I want to stick with a certain guy on our team, or their guy on Florida or Arkansas. That tends to relax me, knowing what I can do and just going out and accomplishing that task. I guess I’m micro-managing it in having a single task that I’m going after and not worry too much about the big picture.
We know that we are more than capable of running with these guys and beating them for that matter. We have a lot of confidence and motive to take charge.
Starting Each Race
I go off of how I feel. I want to feel pretty relaxed in the beginning. If you don’t feel relaxed at the start it’s a long race and you will pay for it at the end. I try and stay mentally comfortable with the situation. Physically it’s going to be very painful with a lot of stress so mentally you want to eliminate that stress and remain calm.
We want to be in the front pack. We have a really solid group of seven guys. We run pretty conservatively and pretty smart so we have enough to bring it home.
Finishing Each Race
You know that safety is coming at the end, but getting there is such a great challenge. It’s just an all out effort mentally to focus and physically to sprint and turn over. Sometimes... I just think to myself that’s all I have to do now. Just finish up.
The last 400 is a make it or break it time. So many points are at hand. We lost to Florida by two points, so the end of the race can definitely be a major factor. So the last 400 meters you just wanna be giving it all you got because anything can happen.
Define UGA Cross Country
With the exception of a couple guys, everyone’s from Georgia. That’s pretty unique. Most teams have a lot of people from out of state… We’re all Georgians so everything that we do means a lot to us because we’re representing where we’re from. I think that’s very important for all of us.
What I’ve noticed is our team unity. I don’t know about other teams but we’re super close to each other. We’re definitely true teammates.
JUST A FEW THINGS
The beautiful 759 acre campus of The University of Georgia is full of music, boutiques, beautiful historic buildings and most importantly, UGA sports. And like the bustling college town, there’s more to UGA Athletics than meets the eye. We dug beyond the surface and discovered a few facts that many of you may not know about UGA Athletics. Check it out. SWIMMING & DIVING Swimming and diving coach Jack Bauerle holds the UGA record for most consecutive hours of doubles tennis.
MEN’S TRACK & FIELD Andras Haklits, UGA Track and Field 3-time NCAA Champion was a member of the 2010 Croatian Winter Olympic bobsled team.
BASEBALL Claud Derrick was the first University of Georgia athlete to make it to the Major League level.
VOLLEYBALL The Women’s Volleyball team has had four celebrity sightings this year alone. The team has meet Marc Summers, Karen from Will and Grace, Jake from the infamous Bachelor and Rev Run from run DMC.
MEN’S BASKETBALL The University of Georgia Bulldogs began playing basketball in 1905. Since that time, the Bulldogs have competed in 2414 games and have compiled an overall record of 1246-116.
CROSS COUNTRY The Georgia Women’s cross country team runs an average of 1710 miles per week. That’s enough mileage to travel from Athens to Atlanta 11 times in six days.
UGA Georgia’s original colors included ‘old gold,’ until the intense rivalry between Georgia Tech and Georgia resulted in a qualm over colors. Georgia students declared yellow an unfit color for the Georgia Bulldogs, calling it “cowardly.” ‘Good old Georgia Red’ and black have been the official colors ever since.
MEN’S TENNIS Former Georgia tennis Star John Isner holds the world record for playing the longest tennis match in the sports history. In 2010 Isner battled against Nicolas Mahut of France for over 11 hours. During the match Isner record 1094 strokes, 240 backhands, aced Mahut 112 times, and spent nearly an hour and a half sitting down.
GYMNASTICS The Gymdogs have a pre-meet ritual that they stick to! As the girls do their opening stretches for warm up, Coach Jay Clarke comes around and gives the girls a high five. If Clarke is busy the Lady Gymdogs make sure to get his attention and keep this pre-meet ritual alive. By Emily Houston
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