Issue 10, 2012

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8/2012

From the editor : vance leavy Wow, what a win for our boys in red and black. And boy wasn’t it a thing of beauty in all phases? Where shall I begin?

Well, as much I want to celebrate the drubbing of Vandy, we all here at Bulldawg Illustrated thought it was prudent to first eat a big slice of humble pie. Actually, it was a delicious tomato pie that Cheri made for our tailgate, but I hope everyone who loves Georgia football gets my point.

That means our coaches, players and fans alike.

Yes the Vandy win was sweet, but there’s still a ton of football to be played towards our quest for a magical season. The next step in our journey brings Derek Dooley’s Volunteers to Athens and boy, does this one worry me.

Throughout the summer leading up to the start of the football season, I told anyone I knew that I thought Dooley would beat either Florida or Georgia this season. And unfortunately, the Gators didn’t cooperate a few weeks back, so now I’m wishing I would have kept my big mouth shut.

Nonetheless, whether Georgia has the moxie to prove they can follow up a big victory with another stellar performance really won’t have anything to do with my prediction. Instead, it will come down to whether the leaders of this football team can corral their teammates to yes enjoy the fruits of their labor, but quickly refocus on their next opponent.

Thankfully, one of those main leaders is Aaron Murray and the progression he continues to make certainly has me feeling good about the prospect of our team playing well versus the Vols.

Murray Poole spoke with Aaron a few weeks ago (page 17). Not only does Aaron excel on the football field, he is also very active on the UGA campus helping various causes.

Most of the time, when a young man is so polished it usually has a lot to do with his parents. Poole also spoke with Aaron’s mom and you can certainly tell where Aaron gets so many great traits. The Murrays are a very close family and it’s obvious how much they love everything to do with the University of Georgia. Enjoy getting to know a little more about them.

Now that I have showered Aaron with all these

praises, I do want to encourage him to continue to protect the football like he has done so far in 2012. The Georgia schedule is only getting tougher each week and the defenses that will be chasing him will be even stronger and faster. Keep up the good work #11. Everyone in the Bulldog Nation is counting on you.

This issue of BI is packed with a ton of other treats.

Rob Sherrell returns with a great one on one interview with UGA swim team coaching extraordinaire, Jack Bauerle (page 21). There’s not a better Bulldawg than Jack and Rob’s interview with him is a classic. Enjoy.

Loran Smith also returns this issue with an awesome piece on Derek Dooley (page 19). I’m a big fan of Derek and I sincerely hope the Vol Nation will show some patience. He definitely has them heading in the right direction. While I root on him, I am counting on his signature win coming against Steve Spurrier or Nick Saban later in the season and not in Sanford Stadium on Saturday.

On page 15, Carlton DeVooght gets us caught up on the recruiting trail, which is looking good according to photo by Cheri Leavy his insight. There will be a ton of recruits at the game on Saturday, so a stellar performance by our Dawgs will certainly go a long way to landing a few more top-notched players.

And in our center spread (pages 12,13), our intern Pierce Persons shares some reflections from UGA and UT students about their 2012 trips with Global LEAD. Enjoy learning more about this life-changing program where students travel and learn more about other countries and themselves.

Also throughout this issue there are tons of fan photos. Picture taking doesn’t get any better than when our team is kicking some tail on the field. Without question, the Vandy game was one of Mark Richt’s most complete wins. But like I reminded you in the beginning, let’s keep eating our humble pie and take things game by game. Let’s get into Sanford early on Saturday. Our team needs to feel our support. Keep it going guys. It’s a thrill to watch how much you are improving each and every game.

Go Dawgs.

DAWG FANS.

Tennessee Cha Cha Cha Publishing Inc. Editor Vance Leavy Editorial & Ad Director Cheri Leavy Sports Guru Jeff Dantzler Sales Caroline Kinney, Holly Stanfill Sports Murray Poole Travis Ragsdale Layout/Design Cheri Leavy, Vance Leavy Cover photo Rob Saye Sports Photography Rob Saye Columnists Carlton DeVooght Al Hickson Rob Sherrell Loran Smith Chad White Student Online Editor Travis Ragsdale Interns Fan Hughes, Katherine Parke, Pierce Persons. Annie Trice Delivery Hatton Abernathy, Martin Cameron Jake Davis, Will Hayes, Frank Sinkwich IV, Champ Vance

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4

Georgia and Tennessee meet for the 21st consecutive season Saturday afternoon between the hedges. Before the Southeastern Conference expanded and split into divisions in 1992, the two schools – a mere four hour drive apart – had met but 21 times.

No school has the number of ancient arch rivals that Georgia does. Florida, Auburn and Tech – for decades the final three games of the year – represent an unprecedented schedule of arch nemesis opponents. Over the last two decades, Tennessee – though the history is not comparable – has been added to the list.

It’s funny to me that many Georgia fans in their 20s actually detest the Volunteers more than Auburn. The Bulldogs and Tennessee didn’t even play between 1938 and 1967. Georgia and the Volunteers met twice in the 1960s, twice in the 1970s and four times in the 1980s. But since divisional play began, as big and historic as Auburn is, Tennessee does indeed mean more in the SEC standings.

And Auburn can now say the same about LSU. This series has an interesting history.

Georgia won 33-0 in Athens in 1924 and didn’t beat the Volunteers again until 1973 - Andy Johnson scoring the game winner on a famous broken play and legendary call by The Mighty Munson. The Bulldogs didn’t beat Tennessee in Athens again until 1981, a 44-0 runaway en route to a second consecutive Southeastern Conference crown. In between, Tennessee won five times and there was the agonizing sister-kisser 17-17 in 1968.

That was the season-opener, and Georgia’s eventual SEC champions led 17-9 in the closing minutes – the highlight, a sensational Jake Scott punt return for a touchdown, as he eluded tacklers and jumped over a helmet. It was the first year, and therefore first game, that the clock stopped after first downs. Naturally at Neyland Stadium, the clock sure wasn’t winding fast as the Volunteers drove down and scored on the final play of the game and then tied it with a twopoint conversion. To cut to the chase, Georgia was robbed.

Of course the most famous Georgia victory in the series came on September the 6th, 1980. The Bulldogs trailed 150 in the third quarter, but rallied to win 16-15, highlighted by the debut of the greatest college football player ever.

Larry Munson was at his very best, introducing the world to that most special of freshman tailbacks. “Gonna get him out, 10, 8, 7, 5, Herschel, Herschel Walker.� That one, followed by AllAmerican Rex Robinson’s PAT, gave the Dogs the lead. “Five, 10, 12, he’s running over people, Oh You Herschel Walker! My God a Freshman.� That one made it 15-9. The rest is history, as the Bulldogs would go on to an incredible perfect 12-0 national and SEC championship campaign. And who saw that coming in the middle of the third quarter?

Then came the season-opening rout of the Vols in 1981. Georgia and Tennessee next met in Vince Dooley’s final

season at the Bulldogs helm, with a powerful rushing attack sparking a 28-17 victory. At that point, Georgia led the series 10-8-2. Dooley was succeeded by Ray Goff. Georgia didn’t beat the Volunteers again until 2000. The Volunteers ran off nine consecutive victories over Georgia, the longest Bulldog losing streak to any school in history. There was the 34-31 heartbreaker in 1992 when a more talented Georgia team got burned on fourth down and turned it over six times. There were some ugly ones, like 38-6 in 1993.

Jim Donnan rebuilt the Georgia program, bringing the talent level to a comparable level with the Vols and Florida, who at that point in the late 1990s were two of the five premier programs in the country. When the Bulldogs broke that nine-game losing streak, with a memorable 21-10 win between the hedges, Georgia’s student body stormed the field, and for the first time in Sanford Stadium history, the goal posts came down. I had just turned 16 when the Dogs defeated Tennessee, as the skies opened in 1988.

I was 28 in 2000. It was a long wait.

That victory in 2000 started Georgia on a four game winning streak in the series. Mark Richt became the Bulldogs head coach in 2001, and his first signature win came at Neyland Stadium on the famed Hobnail Boot play – after a couple of great catches by Randy McMichael. Tennessee handed Georgia a devastating 19-14 loss in 2004, one of the biggest heart-breakers of the 2000s, and it cost the Bulldogs a spot in the SEC Championship Game. It was the second in a year of stretch of road team wins in the series. The Dogs downed the Vols 27-14 in 2005. The final should’ve been 27-7. A Tennessee player landed on the two yard line on the final play of game, but was awarded a touchdown anyway.

The Volunteers then won three of the next four meeting – and with authority.

Tennessee stormed back from a 24-7 deficit to romp the Dogs 51-33 in 2006.

The following year, the Vols surged to a 28-0 lead and won 35-14. In 2009, Georgia didn’t penetrate the Tennessee 35-yard line and was pounded 41-19 (by the way, to score 19 points, and the Dogs did it on a kick return, pick six, long field goal and safety, without penetrating the 35 is pretty darn tough to do) Georgia has won the last two, downing outmanned Tennessee squads 41-14 in Athens and 20-6 a year ago at Neyland Stadium. This is the Volunteers most talented team since 2007 and Georgia will have its hands full. For the winner, a special season is within reach. For the loser, it’s a massive uphill climb – with serious help needed - to make it to the SEC Championship Game.

Under Richt’s watch, the Bulldogs are 7-4 against the Vols. It should be 83‌.that ’04 loss still hurts bad. Georgia has close the gap in the series – Tennessee leads 21-18-2. This is a chance for a third straight win over the Vols, which is a rarity, and to put those nine straight losses even further in the rearview mirror.

Bulldawg Illustrated

poole shots

HAIL C CAESAR. CAESAR R.

By Murray Poole

Guest’s time in trenches serves him well on Board Mack Guest played on two of Vince Dooley’s best-ever Georgia football teams, the 1976 SEC champions led by SEC Player of the Year Ray Goff and the 1978 UGA team that posted a 9-21 record (5-0-1 SEC), was led by SEC Player of the Year Willie McClendon and just missed playing for the conference title. On that “Wonder Dogs” team of ’78, Guest was named to the Associated Press All-SEC team as an offensive lineman.

Today, in addition to numerous other responsibilities, Guest serves as a proud member of the Board of Directors of the Georgia Athletic Association.

“In 1976, I played behind Moonpie (Wilson),” Guest recalled. “I did get a start against Clemson over in Death Valley. I think we beat them 41-0 that day. In 1977, I started at left tackle, then in ’78 I started at right tackle. Willie was our team captain and I was the offensive captain.”

Guest will always cherish certain games when he was clearing the way for Bulldog running backs in the late 1970s.

“Without a doubt, the ’76 Alabama game (21-0 win) and the ’76 win at Auburn (28-0 that clinched SEC title), both of them were big back then,” Guest said. “The 1978 team, we also had a great season that year. We had to come from behind at LSU to win down there (24-17). We won at Kentucky, then of course Florida and then we beat Tech 29-28 there in Athens. Buck (Belue) came off the bench and led us to victory.

“We were behind 16-0 in the second half against Kentucky and came back and won 17-16 (on Rex Robinson’s field goal which made for Larry Munson’s famous call, “Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

Yeah!”). I know it was cold that night, sleeting and cold, I remember that,” said Guest. “It was always cold in Lexington. We then tied Auburn. If we had beaten Auburn we would have gone to the Sugar Bowl but because we tied them we had to wait until Auburn and Alabama played to see if we would go (to Sugar) but we ended up in the Bluebonnet Bowl. We played Stanford and that was Bill Walsh’s last collegiate game. Steve Dils was their quarterback; we had over 500 yards and got beat (by 25-22).”

Guest has given heavily back to the Athens community through the years. Besides being involved in many civic organizations, he is a past president of the Athens Touchdown Club and the Georgia Lettermen Education Foundation and currently serves as president of the UGA Football Lettermen’s Club. “You know, Coach (Bill) Hartman started our lettermen’s club and he turned it over to Leroy Dukes and then Leroy turned it over to me and I’m still running that,” he said. “That’s just a tremendous network of ex-players there.”

Mack is married to the former Camilla Morris of Athens and the couple has three children, Mack H. Guest, IV (Dutch), 28; Laura, 21, and a senior at UGA, and Amanda, 19, who is a freshman at UGA. Guest is also most proud of his twoyear-old granddaughter, Sarah Beth, the daughter of Dutch and Mary Beth Guest.

In the following question-and-answer session with Bulldawg Illustrated, Mack Guest talks more about his background and his role on the Georgia athletic board.

What is your occupation?

I’m president of LAD Logistics, LAD Truck Lines and Dutch Properties, all here in Athens.

LAD Logistics is a third party logistics company and LAD Truck Lines, which my brother Judson and I have, we’re a refrigerated perishable freight carrier, and Dutch Properties is the land and the warehouses. We have a couple of warehouses where we store bottle caps in one warehouse and then we do hospital distribution in the other warehouse. And we have a transformer distribution that we also do.

How many years have you served on the UGA athletic board?

I’ve served on the athletic board since 2006 as an alumni representative and am in my second term. I’m on the board’s finance committee.

Where did you grow up and what made it special?

I was born and raised in Macon, Georgia and played at old Lanier High School, which became Central High School. We were the first class at Central and matter of fact, I don’t want to bring up a dead horse but we played Ray Goff and the Moultrie Packers in 1972 for the (South Georgia) championship and won on penetration that night.

Moultrie I think dressed out 88 boys and we dressed out 23. We lost the state championship the next week to Lakeside-Atlanta. Nineteen of those 23 boys got a college scholarship before they graduated. We had people like Steve Dennis, Neil Callaway, Michael Jolly, Al Pollard and we had a

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boy, Jimmy Lewis, who went on to West Point and became a general. We had some great guys and players and we all played for Coach Goot Steiner and Coach Gene Brodie. And my brother Jud was on the state championship team in ’75 at Central Macon and he was also on Coach Dooley’s 1980 national championship team as a manager.

What has been the most exciting part for you serving on UGA’s athletic board?

I think, No. 1, it’s a privilege to serve under Dr. (Michael) Adams’ leadership. And being around Damon (Evans) and Greg (McGarity), both of them had the vision to lead Georgia with our facilities as well as our student-athletes. And especially Greg is doing an excellent job and, make no doubt, Dr. Adams is a tremendous leader and does a good job, too. That’s quite a place over there at Butts-Mehre (Heritage Hall) compared to what it was when I played and our locker room was in the Coliseum. We had to share a bench and seniority was based on who got to sit on that bench. Now they’ve all got fourfoot lockers and their own chairs. So we’ve come a long way in facilities and I would say the development of all minority sports too, it’s just a great time to be in Athens. Like Coach (Erk) Russell always said, “It’s great to be a Bulldog on Saturday night.” A lot of good things are going on. One of the best things I’ve seen happen is when Dr. Tommy Lawhorne got the team to go back to flying out of Athens. Back when we played, we always flew the old Piedmont Airlines, the prop jets.

And Dr. Lawhorne really pushed that when he was on the athletic board. I know the team’s happy now they don’t have to drive to Atlanta first.

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What has been the most exciting aspect of your career?

I guess the most exciting thing is being able to work with my brother and the team we’ve assembled here at the trucking business. As you know, people do business with people. And like I say, we’ve been able to assemble a good team – we try to keep it simple and do what we say and treat people the way we want to be treated. And we’re fortunate, we’ve got excellent drivers and customers that have been with us a long time.

What do you think are the biggest challenges for Georgia athletics in the near future?

I think it’s easy to get to the top but it’s hard to stay at the top. We feel like our facilities are the best in the southeast, if not the country. And now we’ve just got to continue to recruit the best athletes and maintain our facilities and keep the top coaches in all sports so we’ll eventually win that overall national all-sports trophy all the schools are after all the time.

How has the knowledge from your occupation helped in the betterment of UGA athletics?

I think playing at the university as a studentathlete has helped me understand what it’s like to be a student-athlete in football and that’s really carried over to help me in business in my everyday challenges. We all report to somebody and I think understanding the financial demands and how hard it is to plan and accept net profit is key in any business and especially in the athletic budget as well. And we try to keep people happy and really, the only bottom line management in athletics is winning. But people do make the difference and I think we’ve done an excellent job of treating our people right and giving them every opportunity to succeed, in every area.

Your favorite UGA sports moment?

I’d have to say our 1978 win over Georgia Tech in Athens, 29-28. That and the 21-0 win over Alabama in 1976 when we blocked off and shut Milledge down.

5

Dogs vs. Vols Georgia must remain focussed as UT comes to town looking for an upset

By Travis Ragsdale

T

he offensive machine just keeps on rolling for the Dawgs with a 48-3 beat down of Vanderbilt this past weekend. But now comes the first big test of the season. The Tennessee Volunteers arrive into Athens this week and would love nothing more than to derail Georgia. Tennessee provides a unique challenge for the Dawgs. Quarterback Tyler Bray can sling it around and if there is one question mark for Georgia it would be the secondary. The Volunteer defense is a different story.

They’re giving up almost 400 yards of total offense a game to opposing offenses. Aaron Murray has to be licking his chops knowing that. It’s going to be a battle and the Dawgs better be ready to come out swinging early.

Tyler Bray, the self-proclaimed gunslinger photos by Rob Saye

What Tyler Bray is going to show up on Saturday? Will it be the Tyler Bray who threw for over 300 yards to start off the season against NC State? Or will it be the Tyler Bray that the Dawgs saw last year, who was only able to lead his offense into the end zone?

There’s bound to be a bit of lasting effect from last year’s game where broke his thumb. Sure, Bray has some skills and with Tennessee’s running game in shambles, Bray is throwing the ball 30+ times a game on a regular basis. He also has a great wide receiver in Justin Hunter. But Bray has yet to see a pass rush this year like Georgia will throw at him. Their offensive line is going to have a tough time handling Jarvis Jones and the rest of this hungry Dawg defense. Ultimately, that’s the key with Bray; if he has time to sit back in the pocket and chuck it around the field to those good receivers then he’s going to be successful. But as soon as he gets a little bit of pressure in his face, he struggles and that’s when the Gunslinger starts slinging it to the other team. Having a couple All-American candidates back on defense won’t hurt Georgia either.

40+ again?

For the first time in school history, Georgia has scored at least 40 points in four consecutive games. The weapons for this offense are everywhere; from Gurley to Marshall to Brown and King. But the show runs through Aaron Murray. Following the win against Vanderbilt, Coach Richt said that Murray was the most well prepared quarterback since he’s been at Georgia. That’s some high praise considering the quarterbacks that have come through Athens. But it’s because of Murray’s preparation that the offense is producing at this high level. With his preparation being so great, the coaches have allowed him to do much more with audibles at the line of scrimmage. He has put his receivers and backs in the right places at the right times and allowed them to make big plays. Even more so, he’s protecting the ball this year, something he’s struggled with in the past. He’ll be just as well prepared for this Tennessee whose defense has already had a tough time this year without having faced a high powered offense. They gave up 37 points to a Florida team who wasn’t even set on who their starting quarterback was going to be until the second week of the season. This past week was probably the best indication of where the Tennessee defense is. In the first half alone, they gave up 23 points to the Akron Zips. If the Akron Zips are capable of putting those kind of numbers up, imagine what Murray and this offensive machine can do. It shouldn’t surprise anyone to see Georgia’s fifth straight 40+ point game.

Tennessee’s last chance

It’s tough to say that a team’s season may be determined by just the fifth game of the year but that’s the boat that Tennessee is in. They’ve already lost to Florida so a loss Saturday will drop them to 0-2 in the SEC East, which basically puts them out of contention for a trip to the SEC Championship. Tennessee is on the ropes here, so is head coach Derek Dooley. They’re on a very slippery slope. A loss here on Saturday could have a domino effect and ruin the rest of the season for this team. As result, Derek Dooley might not be in Knoxville next year. They will be fighting like dogs next weekend to make sure that doesn’t happen. Plus, with the way the SEC East is, a one loss team could certainly make it to Atlanta. As soon as that second loss pops up though, you can kiss those hopes goodbye.

Intangibles

Georgia has great momentum right now. The thumping of Vanderbilt was exactly what the Dawgs needed before Tennessee. Confidence has always been a key ingredient for Mark Richt coached teams and that’s something the team has plenty of right now. But with a showdown looming against South Carolina, Georgia can’t be too confident and over look Tennessee game. This is a trap game if there has ever been one. If Georgia starts looking forward to South Carolina, then Tennessee will come into Sanford Stadium and ruin Georgia’s perfect season. Good news though, fans and players have never had trouble in the past getting excited for the Tennessee game. Even with their recent struggles, they remain one of Georgia’s biggest rivals. This will help the atmosphere Saturday afternoon and the team will feed off of that. One last thing, if it’s true that #9 and #18 are back and ready to go this week, then the defense could unleash something like Georgia fans have never seen before. The Dawgs need to keep the momentum rolling by slugging Tennessee in the mouth like they are capable of doingf.

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Reflections from LEAD 2012 Students

Global LEAD

By Pierce Persons

¸0 HT H ÄYT ILSPL]LY [OH[ [OLYL PZ UV IL[[LY ^H` [V \UKLYZ[HUK H JV\Utry than to serve in that country. Ecuador was a life-changing experience, not only because of the amazing students that walked beside me through the jungles of Tena, the cobblestone streets of Baùos or the international market of Otavalo, but because of the relationships we forged with the teachers, volunteers, children, and locals we interacted with while there. When I think back to Ecuador I will have more than just the images of the mountains and lush scenery, but the spicy taste of Aji sauce, the smell of Casa Sol’s biscuits, and the feeling of the cool Quito wind and sunshine brushing my cheek.�

Don’t just go. LEAD. Courtney Doran, COO and Robbie Reese, CEO Robbie Reese, CEO: “It all started with an idea to create a remarkable experience, an urge to step outside of our comfort zones and do something WOW. Global LEAD was started by a team of Georgia Bulldawgs who weren’t afraid to dream big. We believed that by creating a holistic experience that combined the service component of an international volunteer project, the adventure of a backpacking trip and the course credit of study abroad, we could change lives. “We packed up for a 100-day expedition throughout Africa from Kenya to Cape Town. We spoke at a conference next to the Prime Minister of Uganda, rafted down the Nile, served at an AIDS orphanage in Nairobi and hiked with gorillas in the forest of Uganda. Each day was a new opportunity to serve and understand the world, each other and the organization we were creating.

¸:PUJL P[Z PUJLW[PVU PU ^L OH]L [HRLU V]LY Z[\KLU[Z HIYVHK (M[LY V\Y ÄYZ[ Z\Tmer in Cape Town, we added LEAD Greece traveling to Athens, Crete and Santorini and in 2012, we added LEAD Ecuador to explore South America’s secret gem. And it all started with 4 UGA Alums who refused to accept the status quo.�

Courtney Doran, COO: “While teaching in the Marshall Islands, I received a Skype call from Robbie telling me about this “big idea.� I only heard about every 4th word because of the poor connection: Africa.... education....change the way students travel...team. That was enough for me. I was sold. I knew that I had to be a part of this idea to impact students’ lives and reinvent study abroad.�

¸0 YLTLTILY KYP]PUN [V [OL HPYWVY[ [V NYLL[ [OL ÄYZ[ NYV\W VM Z[\KLU[Z PU HUK 0 Z[HY[LK crying. I was overwhelmed. I knew that the buses would come, the speakers would be great and the tours would run smoothly. If running a program was all I wanted to do I wouldn’t have been worried at all. But that is not what I cared about. All I wanted was to ensure that students had a space to discover something new about themselves and to see the world through a wider lens. Forty-nine students had entrusted us with 6 weeks of their lives, and I didn’t want to waste a minute. Since [OH[ ÄYZ[ `LHY PU .SVIHS 3,(+ OHZ NYV^U HUK TH[\YLK ZPNUPÄJHU[S` 0U ^L [VVR Z[\dents from 25 universities to 3 continents and we have big plans for 2013 and beyond.�

Margaret Smith University of Tennessee LEAD Ecuador 2012

Bulldawg Illustrated interns Pierce Person and Annie Trice at LEAD Cape Town 2012

“Imagine 5 weeks of action-packed adventure: skydiving, hiking a “toptenâ€? wonder of the world, bungee jumping off the highest bridge, riding an ostrich, or cage diving with Great White Sharks. These moments deĂ„UL [OL PUJYLKPISL L_WLYPLUJL 0 OHK ^OPSL PU *HWL ;V^U ;OL LULYN` HUK vibe during the trip was young, exciting and adventurous. Fear is temporary, while regret is forever. I will never regret exploring an incredible culture, gaining a strong sense of who I am, and living life to the fullest with 150 of my closest friends (120+ girls). This experience has given me the perspective and know-how to chase my dreams and live a venturesome life. Take a chance, Cape Town will change your life.â€?

“The Global LEAD program in Greece provides a unique medium through which its participants are molded and transformed into self-aware global citizens. The program begins in the nation’s capital, Athens. Much of the time spent in Athens is devoted to service, such as volunteering with refugees or cleaning local parks. This service is eye-opening, inspiring and thought-provoking. It leaves the student with a changed view of the world and the role that he/she should play in the global community.

Additionally, the city’s history and its present-day political climate provide the perfect backdrop for lessons on effective leadership.�

Ryan Reed University of Georgia LEAD Cape Town 2012

Jim Thompson The University of Georgia LEAD Greece 2012

=PZP[ I\SSKH^NPSS\Z[YH[LK MVY TVYL YLĂ…LJ[PVUZ MYVT Z[\KLU[Z MYVT University of Georgia and University of Tennessee

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Who did did Herschel Walker Walker rush for a school-record school-record 283 yards yards against? agains st?

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Winner: Winne er: William Long

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A: David Pollack k. He always seemed to o be having the best time!

sure A: Honestly I’m not sur A s e about the most memorable m play, memorable play, but the most me morable game for me was in 1997 ^ ^OLU ^L ÄUHSS` ILH[ -SVYPKH PU 1HJRZVU]PSSL L ( NYLH[ ^OLU ^L ÄUHSS` ILH[ -SVYPKH PU 1HJRZVU]PSSL ( NYLH[ t time was had by all!

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Bulldawg Illustrated

recruiting news

By Carlton DeVooght

No matter what your favorite Christmas Carol may say, fall is truly the most wonderful time of the year. The weather starts to change, college football is back on center stage, bow season has started, and the serious recruiting battles are starting to heat up. The Bulldog coaches are once again showing why they are one the best coaching staffs on the recruiting trail in college football. As I had reported in the last recruiting column, the Bulldogs could sign up to 34 players in this years’ recruiting class. Since the last recruiting update, the coaches have added seven more commitments, driving the current total of commitments to this years’ class to 29. It is anticipated that several of these players will also be early enrollees, reporting to Athens for bowl practice in December.

The most recent commitments include some players who could make an immediate impact at positions of need next year.

John Atkins is a defensive tackle originally from Thompson, Georgia, who committed to the Bulldogs to be a part of their 2012 recruiting class. Atkins is spending this semester at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia getting all of his academics squared away so that he can report in time for bowl practices. He has also worked on his strength and conditioning (6’4”, 310 pounds, 5.2/40) and is anxious to get to Athens. The season of prep-school football has also helped Atkins work on refining his technique on the defensive line. Look for him to challenge for playing time at defensive end, or bulk up and move inside for Coach Grantham’s 3-4 defense.

The Bulldog coaches have worked hard to develop a pipeline to Plant High School, a powerhouse in Tampa, Florida. As all Bulldog fans know, former Bulldog Orson Charles and current quarterback Aaron Murray are both products of Plant High School. On August 13, Paris Bostick, a safety prospect from Plant, committed to the Bulldogs. Bostick has the size (6’1”, 225 pounds) that Coach Scott Lakatos likes in his defensive backs. At Dawg Night, Bostick earned the “Sunshine State MVP” and was dominant drills. Bostick is extremely athletic, with the ability to cover like cornerback, but delivers a punishing blow. Bostick chose the Bulldogs over offers from Arkansas, Louisville, South Carolina, Texas A&M, West Virginia, and many more prominent programs. He is a bit of a sleeper pick and will wake up the Georgia fan base the first time he lays a lick on an opposing player.

Coach Richt and Coach Friend made it clear that they were going to recruit several offensive linemen in this class. No prospect was bigger on their list, literally and figuratively, than Trenton Brown, an offensive tackle from Georgia Military College in Milledgeville, Georgia. Brown is a massive man (6’8”, 360 pounds) who is incredibly quick on his feet for a man of his size. His friend is so large that he actually looks like he could add some weight to his frame. Brown is slated to be in the mix in Athens at offensive tackle. There have been some rumblings that Florida was a serious player and could get Brown to de-commit from the Bulldogs. At this point, he is still committed to the Bulldogs. Additionally, Florida received a commitment from a freshman All-American offensive tackle transfer from the University of Nebraska. This will likely help solidify Brown’s commitment to the Bulldogs. When he gets on campus, he will challenge for playing time immediately and will provide much needed class separation along the offensive line. Brown chose the Bulldogs over offers from Florida, LSU, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and several other national programs. Look for him to form a titanic trio at tackle with John Theus and a recruit to be identified later in this column.

John Atkins is not the only Thomson High School player who will be a part of the Bulldogs class of 2013. Jordan Davis, who plays tight end at Thomson, committed to the Bulldogs on the July 29. Davis is a hard working tight end who actually likes to block but has soft hands as well. He earned his offer at the Mark Richt mini camp in June and has the size (6’4”, 225 pounds) and strength that coaches dream of at tight end. He will need to bulk up and work on finishing his routes. It should not take too much for him to add another 10 to 20 pounds to his frame, which will help him blocking and getting separation from linebackers in the passing game. Davis picked the Bulldogs over Florida, Louisville and South Carolina. Look for him to be the next to shine at the position of honor at Tight End U. Like John Atkins, Dodge County High School Alum Leonard Floyd committed to the Bulldogs in 2012, but enrolled at Hargrave Military Academy this fall. Floyd currently plays Defensive End in the 4-3, but will likely play outside linebacker for the Bulldogs, where his size (6’4”, 220 pounds) and his long arms will help him both disrupt the passing game and help set the edge to keep opposing runners from getting to the outside of the Bulldog’s defense. Coming out of high school, Floyd was ranked as one of the top 13 defensive ends in the country, and picked the Bulldogs over Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Mississippi State, and several others. Like Atkins, Floyd is planning to join the Bulldogs in time for bowl practice and enroll in school for the second semester this year. He has added 10 pounds of good weight already this fall and his frame could hold another 20 to 25 pounds without giving up any speed.

The Bulldogs were looking to add a hard-hitting safety who would help give them some class separation. They found their man in Shaquille Fluker from East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, Mississippi. Fluker committed to the Bulldogs on August 14, and will come to Athens with three years to play two seasons. Originally from Meridian, Mississippi, Fluker plans to graduate in December so that he can enroll in Athens in January. He has the size (6’1”, 210 pounds) to provide run support, but also has the speed (4.5/40) to help the passing situations. Remember that the Bulldogs did not sign a single safety prospect in 2013, so this was clearly a position of need in the 2012 class.

Fluker was the fourth safety commitment to this class, but his junior college status allows this class to have separation between these prospects.

So Who is Next?

It looks like the Bulldogs will try to sign five more prospects in this class. There is, however, a possibility that the Bulldogs could sign up to 36. it is still my belief that there will be 34 signees to the Bulldogs’ 2013 class, with the final six players being top prospects. Look for the final six spots to be filled by the following players: Laramie Tunsil, Offensive Tackle, Columbia High School, Lake City, Florida (6’6”, 295 pounds). Tunsil is the top ranked Offensive Tackle in the country and is in great demand. It is believed that the Bulldogs have led for Tonsill’s services for quite some time now, although Alabama has made a recent push. I believe in the end the relationships that Tunsil has built with Coach Friend and Coach Richt will win out and the Bulldogs will sign the #1 Offensive Tackle (both in the country and from the State of Florida) two years in a row.

Alvin Kamara, Norcross High School, Norcross, Georgia (5’10”, 195 pounds, 4.50/40). Kamara is one of the top three all-purpose running backs in the country. This four star athlete actually delivers quite a load for his size and has good football speed on the field. Kamara is just as deadly catching a pass out of the backfield as he is running between tackles. Current Bulldog commitment Brice Ramsey is friends with Kamara and is working hard to ensure his buddy picks the Bulldogs over the likes of Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and others. In the end, will the Bulldogs do sign this electrifying running back.

Jonathan Rumph, Holmes Community College, Goodman, Mississippi (6’5”, 215 pounds, 4.5/40). Jonathan Rumph is one of the top wide receivers in Junior College football this year. He also has the size

that the Bulldog coaches would love to add to our receiving corps. It appears that Rumph recognizes that the situation in Athens is one of the best places for him, and that he can make an immediate impact. Right now it looks like Georgia has the lead over the other Bulldogs’ from Starkville.

Toby Johnson, Hutcheson Community College, Hutcheson, Kansas (6’4”, 305 pounds). Right now Johnson is looking at some national powerhouses, such as Oklahoma in addition to the Bulldogs. He is originally from Georgia and has built an extremely close relationship with Coach Garner. He has also planning to make Athens his final official visit before he makes his decision. If history is any indicator, this always bodes well for the Bulldogs. Johnson will be graduating in December, which will allow him to participate in bowl practice and enroll early. This will help him make an immediate impact for the Bulldogs should he sign with Georgia.

Greg Bryant, American Heritage School, Delray Beach, Florida (5-11”, 197 pounds). Bryant, a five star prospect, is one of the top two running backs in the country, one of the top five prospects in the state of Florida and the 14th ranked player overall in the country. Originally committed to Oklahoma, Bryant recently de-committed and the Bulldogs worked quickly to get in touch with him. It is believed that Auburn and Georgia are the top two for Bryant at this point, and many feel that Auburn will receive the commitment, the top ranked running back in the country, which could help the Bulldogs’ chances with Bryant. Either way, it is clear that Bryant is very serious about the Bulldogs and the Bulldogs have made it clear that he is a top priority for this class.

There are three other prospects to keep an eye on.

Marquez North from Mallard Creek High School, Charlotte, North Carolina is the #2 ranked wide receiver in the country, but does not appear to enjoy the recruiting process. He is clearly focused on his senior season and helping his team to be as successful as possible. Those close to him have indicated that he is serious about the Bulldogs and intends to take an official visit to Athens at some point, probably after his senior season is completed. He is comparable in size to Jonathan Rumph (6’4”, 215 pounds) but is a little bit more explosive. There is no doubt that his recruitment will heat up once his senior season is completed.

Joshua Outlaw from Martin Luther King High School in Lithonia, Georgia is another offensive lineman on the Bulldogs’ radar. He decommitted from the Gators recently, and the Bulldogs have been in touch with him. He projects at offensive guard at the college level (6’4”, 290 pounds). Should the Bulldogs decide that they are able to sign up to 36 players, look for Outlaw to be one of those additional signees.

The news is not quite as good on Dooley County High School Defensive Tackle Montravius Adams. Currently ranked as one of the top two overall players in the State of Georgia and one of the top two defensive tackles in the country, Adams appears to have the Bulldogs behind Auburn and Clemson. There are many moving parts to Adams’ recruitment, and the Bulldogs are not out of this. Plus, Vienna is solid Bulldog country, which will certainly help as signing day draws near.

The longer Adams delays his commitment and the better the Bulldogs play, the better the Bulldogs’ chances to sign this monster defensive tackle.

Should Greg Bryant decide not to sign with Georgia, look for the Bulldogs to turn up the heat on A.J. Turman, from Boon High School in Orlando, Florida and Walton running back Tyren Jones. Jones is currently an Alabama commitment but many speculate that he will reconsider his commitment if former Bulldog commitment, Derrick Henry, commits to the Tide.

In the end, I believe the Bulldogs will sign the six prospects that I have highlighted if the class is comprised of 34 signees. Should the Bulldogs decide they are able to sign 36, look for them to make a serious push to add Outlaw and North. If Adams were to elect the Bulldogs, it would be a huge turn of events from the current situation. Either way, this class is going to be a top three class and should challenge for the national recruiting title.

As always, Go Dawgs!

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Bulldawg Illustrated

Bulldawg leader: Aaron Murray

His Foundation: Mother, Lauren Murray

Veteran quarterback relishes his role at the University of Georgia, both on and off the field

Four questions for Lauren Murray, mom of Georgia’s star quarterback, Aaron Murray.

How would you describe each of your three children?

I’ll start with Josh (former UGA player and oldest child of Dennis and Lauren Murray). Describing Josh would be extremely loyal and intense. Aaron I would describe as sweet and silly.

And Stephanie, we always say we will all be working for Stephanie some day. She’s very bright, extremely smart and has a very big heart. There’s no doubt what all three of my kids have in common. They’re all extremely self-motivated, goaloriented and conscientious and all are very athletic.

By Murray Poole

One of the very top leaders for this 2012 Georgia team, Bulldog quarterback Aaron Murray is on a record-setting pace throwing the football. Following his hot passing performance in Georgia’s 483 win over Vanderbilt, the redshirt junior has thrown for 69 career touchdowns, which moves him past Eric Zeier for second place on the all-time UGA record list and leaves Murray just four TD strikes away from passing David Greene’s schoolrecord total of 72. Just last year, Murray established a new single-season record for touchdown passes when he threw for 35 scores. In leading the Bulldogs over Buffalo, Missouri, Florida Atlantic and Vanderbilt Murray has totaled 1,092 yards and 10 touchdown passes. Here are a few pertinent questions for Georgia’s No. 11 as the Dogs now get ready for consecutive big SEC tests against Tennessee and South Carolina.

How have your previous years at Georgia helped prepare you to be one of the main leaders of this team?

My main goal every year is continuing stepping up as more of a vocal leader. I pride myself as a guy that leads by example, by working harder than everyone else, but this year especially I think I’ve definitely grown more into the vocal role if I need to talk up and get guys ready to go.

Talk about a quarterback’s fine line of needing to make plays versus trying to do too much?

I think it’s all determined on preparation. If you know what you’re doing, if you know the game plan well, if you know what they’re doing defensively, then you’re really not trying to make too many plays because you know what’s going on. So if you’re going out there and are concerned about yourself and not confident, then that’s when you’re not going out there and do your part. You just have to be smart, trust the ball and trust yourself and I think I’ve been through a lot of situations since I’ve been here and am capable of handling them.

photo by Rob Saye

Describe some of the student groups or philanthropic events you have supported at UGA and why?

It’s great to get involved. I’ve got tons of friends who are part of fraternity life and other organizations and it’s just nice to be able to reach out and help others out. I’ve dressed up in costumes for a number of events, I can’t remember them all. But I’ve helped out in auctions, stuff like that, to help raise money, along those lines.

Editor’s note: Murray was recently named to the Allstate/AFCA Good Works team because of his community service activism. The national award is given to only 11 Division I athletes in the country each year.

Tell about the team’s focus for this season?

This team is very focused. I think we had a tremendous off-season, worked extremely hard and then we have some great leaders, guys making sure the team is working hard throughout the season and making sure we stay focused.

What are a few of your favorite things to do in Athens outside of football?

I just like hanging out with the guys. Athens is a great place to be in, there are events going on all the time, on the weekends and a little different things to do downtown so, like I say, it’s just a great place to be.

What’s a typical game-day routine for you and your family?

I can tell you on the road we actually get to see Aaron more so we enjoy being on the road more than at home. Because we get to see him Friday at the hotel and he also usually will come to our room in the morning on Saturday just to hang out for a little bit and then we just all go back to sleep. We’re a very close-knit group so sometimes we’ll tailgate with other players’ families, but that’s rare. We never miss a Dog Walk. The whole day for me is, “We gotta get going for the Dog Walk, we want to get ready for the Dog Walk.” I don’t want to miss the Dog Walk. Everything is centered around backing up the day when we have to be there for the Dog Walk. Whatever time it is, it’s “We need to be parking by, we need to be walking by, we need to leave the house by” … everything’s backed up. Dog Walk is No. 1, tailgating is No. 2.

Besides Coach Richt and Coach Bobo, who would you say has had the most influence on helping Aaron become the leader he is?

There’s no doubt it’s his father. He’s been an example for Aaron his entire life with everything he does, day-in and day-out … what he does, how he carries himself, what he believes in. And so it wasn’t words that were spoken to teach Aaron, it was the actions of his father that he emulates. Right under that would be Josh, who’s six years older than Aaron. Josh has been an incredible role model for Aaron in terms of leadership.

In what profession, other than playing football (in NFL), could you see Aaron and why?

This is an absolute also. It’s coaching football. And the why is because he’s passionate about it. He’s found his passion and is very fortunate to have found his passion. He loves every aspect of the game, he loves studying it, loves figuring it out. Aaron was always a very good chess player and football is like a chess game to him. He just loves the game and I think he would be a great coach. He works well with people, he enjoys instructing others. You know his degree is in industrial psychology which is learning all about leadership and how to lead people and how to motivate people, which is key I think to being a good coach in understanding others and knowing how to communicate well, so I think he has a lot of the attributes that would make him a great coach.

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Featuring UGA graduate Mary Kay Andrews

Mary Kay Andrews Spring Fever, Summer Rental New York Times bestselling author Mary Kay Andrews is actually UGA graduate Kathy Hogan Trocheck ’76. Catch up with her and her two most recent novels – Spring Fever and Summer Rental – during the 2012 Georgia Literary Festival at the Golden Isles.

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Bulldawg Illustrated

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loran smith Derek Dooley has Vols moving forward Imagines of Derek Dooley’s youth flashed back this week as the Tennessee coach brought his Volunteer team to town for the second time in his career.

He knows what it is like to “romp about between the hedges” because he did just that as a kid, thinking there was no more important team on the planet than the Georgia Bulldogs. He cavorted about the stadium with his buddies, most of all his best friend, Hamp McWhorter, whose father, Boyd, was faculty chairman of athletics and would someday become the commissioner of the Southeastern Conference.

Derek also is keenly aware of what the on-the-field action is like between the hedges as a player. He was a wide receiver with Virginia when the Cavaliers lined up against the Bulldogs in 1987 when his father, Vince, was still coaching. Georgia won 30-22.

When Derek brought his first Tennessee team to Athens as head coach of the Volunteers in 2010, he was not exactly welcomed with open arms--he was wearing the orange of the enemy from north of the border. Georgia won, 40-14, as he was fighting off frequent references to being his father’s son. Understandably, he wanted, from the start, to be his own man.

When he walked on the field, pregame, two years ago, I began a conversation with him and some comment was made about his dad, and he said, “I’ve had enough of those stories.

I ain’t my daddy’s little boy. I ain’t my mother’s little boy.” He always cringed when Barbara Dooley called him “Precious” in coaching circles, a sometimes reference which eventually reached public consumption.

Anybody familiar with the deep pride that runs in the veins of the Dooley clan would understand Derek’s position. Barbara, enjoying the glory of having a son function as a head coach at a major SEC powerhouse, was invited for talk show appearances and making speeches in the state of Tennessee. Recently, she laughed, “I’ve been muzzled.”

This doesn’t suggest that there are any issues in the family. The familial love is deep-rooted. It is just that Derek didn’t want to be Vince and Barbara’s little boy, which was the image that was flung about in the early days of his career. Derek is in constant contact with his dad, whose fundamental approach to coaching can be found in the style of his youngest child.

Derek took over a stiff challenge when Lane Kiffin, who spent a controversial year in Knoxville in 2009, bolted for Southern California, leaving a trail of contempt and insult. Most of all it put a crimp in Tennessee’s recruiting at a critical time. The feeling was that Derek arrived in Knoxville when “the cupboard was bare.”

With training under Mike Cavan at SMU and Nick Saban at LSU and the Miami Dolphins, Derek later became the head coach and athletic director at Louisiana Tech, a team whose mascot is also the bulldog. It wasn’t long before there were “Dooley’s Dawgs” stickers in Rushton. One prominent sticker could be found on his mother’s car at 755 Milledge Circle.

I heard the news about Lane Kiffin’s departure for California one night at dinner in Orlando with former Tennessee coach Johnny Majors, following the conclusion of the annual gathering of the American Football Coaches Association. Johnny’s cell phone rang, and you could immediately see that the breaking news emanating from Knoxville would send shock waves throughout Tennessee and the world of college football.

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As our order came and dinner began, Majors said, “I wonder if Tennessee might be interested in Derek Dooley.” When dinner was over, Majors retired to his room, saying, “I’m going to make some calls.” Majors knew of Derek’s reputation in coaching circles of being a sound fundamental coach. He saw the on-the-field discipline of his Louisiana Tech teams and wanted his alma mater to look in Derek’s direction. Majors has become a loyal supporter and defender of Dooley, the younger.

With Tennessee coming to play between the hedges with a 3-1 record, Derek is rebuilding Tennessee with an eye on regaining a lofty spot in the Southeastern Conference. The honeymoon ended long ago—reality has set in. He is expected to win. However, he expects that and more of himself. He knows the vicissitudes of a coaching life and experienced them first hand when he was the son of a coach growing up.

This year will be an important one in his coaching career. A winning season and a bowl invitation would be a soothing emotional tonic for Tennessee alumni and would move him one step closer to returning the program to prominence.

For those who knew Derek as a kid, it becomes quite an adjustment seeing him across the field in Sanford Stadium wearing orange. Scenes of him wearing red and black in his youth, hanging around his dad’s Bulldog team continue to flash back. You won’t find him reminiscing about those times today. He is now a confirmed Volunteer.

There will always be a soft spot in our memory banks for his emotional outburst in November 1980 when Georgia had just finished an undefeated season and was headed to the Sugar Bowl to play Notre Dame for the national championship.

Auburn interrupted the euphoric celebration in Athens by offering Vince the dual position of head coach and athletic director. Derek took great emotional offense at that possibility.

As Vince and Barbara were leaving their home for a charter flight from Athens to Auburn for a round of interviews, there was twelve-year-old Derek Dooley screaming in the driveway, “I hate Auburn.”

Now, some 32 years later, Derek Dooley is a seasoned veteran of coaching who has become poignantly familiar with this sort of rivalry antipathy and hate in his profession.

You just never know who you’ll see in

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A view from Knoxville

Scouting the Vols

By Murray Poole

By Jeff Dantzler

Location: Knoxville, Tenn.

Bob Kessling, the voice of the Tennessee Volunteers, takes some time to preview the big game Saturday. Bob is one of the great guys in the SEC and truly one of the country’s best play-by-play announcers. He has glowingly succeeded the legendary Jon Ward for one of the best ever transitions in the business.

Are you surprised how quickly and effectively Justin Hunter has come back from the knee injury? No. He worked extremely hard to get back. They worked him during spring practice and while he wearing a red no contact jersey, they still bumped him around a bit. He came through that in good shape and I think that gave him confidence that the knee was fine.

How big has Corarelle Patterson been, teaming with Hunter, to deliver that big play potential? They certainly give Tennessee that WOW factor in the passing game. Hard to double team both of them.

How does Tyler Bray, with his size, arm, and potential, compare with some of your favorite Tennessee quarterbacks from days gone by? From a throwing standpoint, he stacks up with the likes of Tony Robinson, Heath Shuler and some of the other strong armed guys of the past. To be listed on the same page with Peyton Manning, Casey Clausen, Bobby Scott and the other great quarterbacks, he needs to continue to make strides in producing when the big game is one the line.

What is your take on Georgia? Talented with a veteran quarterback which is always a plus in the SEC. The defense is getting better. They will be tough to beat at home and will get better as the season goes along.

Conference: SEC East Enrollment: 28,512

What does Tennessee need to do to win? Get the passing game going early and often. Tennessee has not been a very good come from behind team in recent years. Getting up by a couple of scores early would be a big plus for Tennessee.

Is Lane Kiffen the most disliked person in Knoxville?

People still bristle when his name comes up that’s for sure.

What most impresses you about Derek Dooley? I think he is very bright and very committed to the process of getting Tennessee back to a championship level. It has probably been tougher than he or any of the Tennessee fans thought it would be, but Coach Dooley seems to be as focused as ever on the getting the program back on championship footing.

What’s your take on this rampant conference expansion? Not sure it is done quite yet. I am still having a problem trying to figure out how many teams are in the Pac 10 or if it is the Pac 12 right now. Eventually it will settle down and we will all get a beat on what team is in which conference. I am looking forward to my first visit to Texas A&M for a football game. Like most SEC fans, I’m not sure how to get to College Station just yet.

Tennessee Volunteers stars

By Jeff Dantzler #8 Tyler Bray, QB 6-6, 215 Jr. Kingsburg, Cal. (Kingsburg H.S.)

#11 Justin Hunter, WR 6-3, 200 Jr. Virginia Beach, Va. (Ocean Lakes H.S.)

#45 A.J. Johnson, LB 6-2, 240 Soph.

Gainesville, Ga. (Gainesville H.S.)

National Football League scouts love Bray and he’s projected to be one of the top quarterbacks taken – perhaps as high as the second signal caller selected – should he decide to turn pro. Bray battled injuries and missed half of last season, but is off to an excellent start here in 2012. The tall, strong-armed California native has a fleet receiving corps to target – one of the best groups in the Southeastern Conference.

Tennessee struggled to sustain a threatening offense a year ago, and when Bray was gone, the mountain was much taller. But four weeks into the season, with Bray as the triggerman, the Tennessee passing game is one of the SEC’s best. He is awfully good throwing the deep ball, and with that strong arm, can really squeeze it into small areas. Bray is averaging right at three touchdown passes and over 300 yards per game. His completion percentage, in the low .60’s, is amongst the SEC’s best.

One of the first premier recruits that Volunteers coach Derek Dooley brought in, the super-fast made a huge impact as a freshman in 2010, scoring seven touchdowns on 16 catches. He went down early last season against Florida with a knee injury and it dealt the Volunteers a huge blow. Hunter played in two and a half games, pulling in 314 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 17 grabs. They didn’t have anyone who could stretch the field after he went down.

Hunter rehabilitated the knee, and has made a quick and impressive comeback.

Averaging a touchdown and 100 yards per game, he is producing at an outstanding rate. Hunter headlines one of the premier groups of receivers in the SEC. He, junior college transfer Cordarrelle Patterson, Mychal Rivera and Zach Rogers have all shown the ability to get to the end zone. Hunter can get behind any defense, and is at the top of the list of SEC playmakers who give defensive coordinators sleepless nights.

Tennessee’s top two tacklers, Johnson and Brian Randolph, are Georgia natives and you can bet they are extra jacked up to play in their home state against the Bulldogs in Sanford Stadium. One of the Peach State’s top prospects in 2010, Johnson committed to Lan(c)e Kiffin (inside Al Davis laugh track here) as a prep junior in 2009. He maintained his pledge when Dooley took over and is one of the top defenders Tennessee has brought in over the last five years. He is a fierce, aggressive, hard-hitting sure tackler. Johnson is also a threat on offense running out of the Wildcat.

He had two carries against Florida, one went for a first down. The second went for a touchdown that gave the Volunteers a 20-13 lead in their loss to the Gators.

Volunteers in a thumbnail: Derek Dooley, of course the son of legendary Georgia coach Vince, is hoping for an outstanding season this year after going 11-14 in his first two seasons at the UT helm. The Volunteers, who returned nine offensive starters and eight defensive regulars from last year’s 5-7 squad (1-7 SEC), got out of the gate fast this season, toppling N.C. State 35-21 and Georgia State 51-13 before then succumbing to Florida’s fourth-quarter explosion and falling to the Gators by 3720. The Vols then got in a tune-up for Georgia by romping over Akron this past Saturday, 47-26, exploding in the final half after being locked in a 23-23 tie at the break.

A look at the Tennessee offense: The Vols boast a high-powered passing attack, what with 6-6 junior Tyler Bray throwing to the likes of 6-4 junior Justin Hunter, talented junior college transfer 6-5 Cordarrelle Patterson, and senior tight end Mychal Rivera. Bray threw for 333 against the Wolfpack, for 310 against Georgia State, for 257 in the loss to Florida and then came back with a whopping 401 yards and four touchdowns against Akron.

Hunter had nine catches in the opener, eight catches for 146 yards and three TDs in the rout of Georgia State and five for 76 yards vs. the Gators. Patterson snared eight balls for 75 yards and a touchdown against Florida. Tailback Rajion Neal ran for 151 yards in the win over Akron.

A look at the Tennessee defense: Under new coordinator Sal Sunseri, who spent the previous three seasons helping Alabama win two national championships, the Volunteers were hoping for better things defensively this fall. And they are strong at linebacker, what with A.J. Johnson coming off last season’s Freshman All-America honors and teaming with also sophomore Curt Maggitt, who earned All-SEC freshman laurels in 2011, and senior stalwart Herman Lathers. Another young player, sophomore strong safety Brian Randolph, has been among the leading tacklers thus far. Up front, UT has received a big boost in 380-pound juco transfer Daniel McCullers.

What Volunteers head coach Derek Dooley says: “I hope we learned. We’re going to be in there again (tight game) and we'll see how we handle it. We play a heck of a team next week in Georgia. That team and a couple others are going to be contending for it all. They have the ability to. I hope we learned and grew, but we won't really know until we get back in there in our league.”

Game Prediction: In the preseason speculation, I said the Bulldogs would take down the Vols for a third consecutive year, by a 24-14 tally. Now, based on the two teams’ first four outings, I can’t really see the Dogs’ defense limiting the explosive UT offense to a pair of touchdowns but, at the same time, I can’t envision the somewhat shaky Volunteer defense checking Georgia to 24 points. A whole lot on the line for both football teams here and in this 3:30 CBS special Saturday ‘tween the hedges I go with the Dogs to rock the Vols 37-21 and thereby head for Columbia the next week with a flawless 5-0 mark.

Five keys for a Bulldog victory

By Jeff Dantzler

1.

Relentlessly Pressure Bray – Tennessee’s 6-6, 215 long, tall, hard and long throwing signal caller Tyler Bray is one of the nation’s best passers. He can make all the throws.

If Bray has time to throw, he will pick Georgia apart. The Bulldogs must get to him, putting Tennessee in negative yardage situations, potentially causing turnovers and holding penalties, and protecting the secondary against the Volunteers stellar group of wide receivers. Georgia can’t let this potential first rounder get comfortable in the pocket. Jarvis Jones will get plenty of attention in the Vols protection packages. Not only does the Dogs great linebacker need a big night, but Georgia has to administer pressure from all points to rattle Bray.

2.

.

Limit Big Plays by Hunter and Patterson – Tennessee has one of college football’s best and fastest corps of wide receivers. Highlighting the group is lightning fast junior Justin Hunter – Freshman All-American in 2010, who has recovered strongly from last year’s knee injury – and Junior College All-American Cordarrelle Patterson. Both have blazing speed and are capable of quick strike touchdowns. Patterson made an immediate impact with a dynamic performance in the Georgia Dome against North Carolina State, hurting the Wolfpack on deep throws and the reverse. Georgia’s defense has given up a lot of big plays in the passing game, and this will be the best group of receivers the Bulldogs face this season.

3.

Run it Strong – Under Mark Richt’s watch, Georgia is 48-5 when a tailback goes for 100-plus yards. Tennessee was worn down by Florida’s running attack in the Gators victory over the Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Georgia must stay patient offensively. Todd Gurley has the ability to get the tough yards and can strike for a score any time he touches the ball … he is an elite back. If Gurley is leading the way with a strong running game, that will open up the ability for Georgia to hit the big play downfield. Last year’s offensive MVP of Georgia 20-6 win at Tennessee was Malcolm Mitchell, who pulled in two long bombs. He’s an elite threat, and doubly dangerous off play-action set up by a strong running game.

4.

Win the Kicking Game – Without a doubt, the area where Georgia needed to make its greatest strides in 2012 was special teams improvement. Going through the regular season, the Bulldogs could potentially be better than every foe on offense and on defense. So don’t lose it in the kicking game. Tennessee has had some place-kicking problems, so despite having some dangerous return men, Saturday afternoon is an opportunity for Georgia’s special teams to win this facet.

5.

Bring it for the Full 60 – Georgia has been marred by slow starts this season.

Most games in the toughest league in the land are won in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs are eyeing to adhere to both sides of 60-minute football. Beginning, middle and end. Sanford Stadium will be on fire Saturday afternoon. Georgia and Tennessee are two of college football’s proudest programs, and to be in the conference’s prime scheduling position means much of the country will be watching. This can be a showcase for the Bulldogs of 2012 with an electric atmosphere to bring the fire for all four quarters. photo by Rob Saye

20

Bulldawg Illustrated

one on one

By Rob Sherrell

Jack Bauerle: The Real Captain Jack

Jack Bauerle could be considered one of the most successful coaches in all of the NCAA. He's been coaching the Lady Dawgs Swimming and Diving team since 1979 and the men since 1983. He's won four NCAA titles and has has seven runner-ups. He was an Assistant Coach on the 2000 Olympic team and Head Coach of the 2008 Womens Olympic team. That team won 14 medals, more than any other country. Let's meet the greatest coach you've never heard of.

normally don't do this but I think this thing is over!" And I'm from the Coach Dooley school of not thinking anything is over until it's done. But this thing was completely finished!

What was you most disappointing NCAA Championship?

The very next year after because we lost by three points at home. It went down to the last relay. But, it should not have. We had some things happen in the last day that were not in our control. A couple swimmers from some other team swam horribly because they sort of cashed in the chips. And because of that, Auburn slipped one or two kids in. We actually swam well enough to win that thing by 30 or 40 points. And hats off to them for doing it. But there's never a day where I walk in to that pool and don't think about that one. Since that time, this sounds unbelievable, but I'd go in every day at the back of the pool, and I started using the other door. The left door instead of the right. I just needed to change things.

That thing bothered me so much. I had to do something.

That thing about crushed me. And you're really crushed for the kids. A championship is great.

You are originally from the Philly area, how the heck did you end up attending college and coaching your entire life at UGA?

Probably because I didn't know what else to do. No, really I came down here on a recruiting trip and fell in love with it. I was here less that 24 hours and had already decided where I wanted to go. When I finished school, I really never wanted to leave. And I was lucky enough I got a grad assistant job. Next thing I know I'm coaching.

I mean I didn't go to school to coach, I was an English major for gosh sake. But I had two professors that changed my life, which was a blessing because I liked to do a lot of things besides school at that point. A guy named Tom Tuggle and a guy named Gerry Chambers kind of took me under their wing. And I think because of that I kind of enjoyed school. They probably taught me a little bit about how to coach as well.

You started coaching right out of college and became a head coach four years later, how hard is it to keep the separation and not just be one of the guys when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re about the same age in some cases?

I realized that at a very early age, even as a grad assistant. You know you don't socialize, you can't do that.

So I made that decision at age 22. And I was living way out in the Old Ashford Manor. Dr. John Ashford, captain of the 1939 UGA Swim Team, owned it and I lived there from 1974 to 1982. Being out there in those years, I was just reclused. Actually about four years into that I woke up to the house on fire and was able to put it out. So Dr. Ashford never allowed me to pay rent again. So I had a great deal out there. I loved him like a second father.

Well I remember reading one time that Univ. of Florida came after you real hard in 1998. But you decided to stay at UGA. How tough was that decision?

Well, Florida was one of the premier swim programs at the time. And then the financial part, well the change would have been dramatic. But I'll tell you what. I'll never forget for the life of me how uncomfortable I felt walking around down there. Even worse, I remember that plane with a Gator on it picking me up at the Athens airport and that about made me sick to my stomach. It always came down to a point in my time where I said "You know, I've spent my whole life trying to beat' em and I don't want to stop now!" And fortunately, that next year we won our first National Championship. You know it was sort of funny. Jeremy Foley is a very persuasive guy. So there was a little bit of a draw. But to be able to coach where you went to school? It's a privilege, it's an honor, and it's easier.

We'll get into your athletic accomplishments soon enough, but I'd like to ask you about the academics. I am amazed at the number of Academic All-Americans you have coached. I think I read that one year 27 or 30 swimmers were Academic AllAmericans. Do you only recruit at Mensa meetings?

Well you go after the ones you can find and you know it's harder. A lot of people think just because they're swimmers they're smart. And you know everyone wants the real smart ones. Stanford wants them. Harvard wants them. That recruiting is not easy. You know right now we're at our easiest time to sell the academic part of it.

We have led the country in NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship Winners which we are extremely proud of. We are as proud of that as we are the athletics. I know it sounds hokey and people don't believe it. But the athletes I truly respect are those that get it done on both sides. We honor excellence in the classroom in the same manner we honor excellence in the pool. We had three swimmers win NCAA Woman of the Year. Krisy Kowal and Kim Black were Olympic Medalists that won the award. Then the third Woman of the Year was an NCAA Champion and her name was Lisa Coole. The Most Prestigious Award given from our Foundation Fellow Program, which is our highest scholarship at Georgia, is named for her. And she died in a tragic car accident the year after she finished her first year in vet school at the University of Illinois It was a traumatic thing for everyone especially for her family, but she was a loss to everybody. We had six other Foundation Fellows in our program and they're very kind to keep me involved with it with the year-end banquet and I consider that an honor and a privilege. I tell ya, I love the communion of the sports and the academics here. It gets me around some people I wouldn't normally have gotten around. That's what I love about this town. It's a great mix. You can have a lot of friends in a lot of different places and have a hell of a lot of fun.

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Which of the Championships surprised you the most? Well, we've been second a few times and it's been

With all the great kids to come through here, is there one team that holds a special place in your heart?

Well, when we first started we were pretty bad. It's been a long haul. One of the groups I'm closest to are the women on my first team. That group was a very special group. Were still in touch and talk a lot. They love being part of the program now because everyone thinks they were a lot better than they were. That's a neat thing though and it makes you feel real proud about how good they feel being part of the program.

Let's talk about recruiting for swimming and diving. When you're recruiting a 16 or 17 year-old kid, what's more important, natural talent or work ethic?

Work ethic! Now, if you get the combination, that's when you're in hog heaven. But if you're going to pick one thing or another, I'll go for work ethic every time. But to me, the most important thing in recruiting is getting into their home and seeing how they interact with their mother and father. That's either a 100% turn on or 100% turn off.

If they treat mom and dad well, their stock goes up about ten fold. If they don't treat mom and dad well, we're not going to be treated well and their teammates won't be either. So it's a really important thing to be in the house.

If you were judging yourself, what do you think is your biggest attribute as a coach?

Oh jeez, I don't even know how to answer that. You'd have to almost ask somebody else.

Well, that's exactly what I intended to do anyway. My next question is if I were to ask one of your swimmers or divers what you biggest asset was as a coach, what would they say?

Well, I don't know. But if I think I'm able to do anything half decent, I think I'm able to instill confidence. It's about positive reinforcement. I always tell them it's a choice you make every day. It's either love or hate. Pick love. You know sometimes it has to be tough love. First, you have to be able to inspire them to work harder than they'd probably like. I think I can help instill confidence because that is the last step in becoming world class. And I believe this in any sport, I don't believe anyone's great unless they get it done when it's gigantic, on the biggest stage. So you're striving to get in that place where you're great when it's the most important. You know on the women's side, we've been I think first or second nine out of thirteen years. So in basketball terms, we're in the final game 9 of 13 years. We had one year we got the Elite Eight. And one year we got to the Final Four. Well I think I saw where you finished in the top three of the SEC 19 out of 22 years.

In football terms, you're a Bear Bryant at that point!

Our conference in swimming is like it is in football. It's a challenge because there's a trickle down effect from football I believe. Everybody and every sport is competitive as heck.

Everybody recruits hard because in the SEC, you've got to be busting your tail all the time or you simply do not survive.

Looking back at all the success, what is one of your all-time favorite NCAA Championship wins? I

remember one year we were maybe the best team in the history of the NCAA Championships in 2005 and we barely got second in the conference. But our point of focus is always at the end of the year. You have to sacrifice to do that.

We teach them to swim tired. So we didn't even win the conference that year but we won the NCAAs by the second highest margin ever. I actually remember calling Coach Dooley after the first of three nights and saying "I know I

great. I mean, that was a bad second. But we had a men's team in 97 or 98 that was third and that may be one of my most favorite groups of people I've ever coached. We were supposed to be not even top 12 of 15 that year. And we went to the NCAAs with only 10 guys. You're allowed to have 18. We came very close to finishing second in the country. What a group of guys. I had two African-Americans, a sort of well-to-do young guy from South Carolina, I had a Muslim on the team, I had a free-spirited boy from Covington, La that was an NCAA Champ. I had a Mormon that was an All-American. How many teams had a Muslim and a Mormon? Yeah! And they were best friends.

I had a boy from Kentucky that was a great relay swimmer and a local kid from Watkinsville that ended up being an NCAA Champ. I love that team to this day. And this past year, from my foundation, we gave them Final Four rings because they were never really honored in a way they should've been I thought.

Obviously you were head coach of the 2008 Olympic team. What was the best part and worst part of that experience?

The worst part was being named two years before and worrying about it every day. It was sort of like being the head coach of the best team in the world. You're damned if you do, damned if you don't. The great part about it was just representing your country in that situation. And it didn't matter if I were head coach or assitant coach.

Walking in for the opening ceremonies and then also seeing your own athletes achieve and do well, that makes everything worthwhile. You feel like it was a lifetime journey to get to that point, and it couldn't be more satisfying.

When the athletes have a great experience with it, you see a happiness that's almost indescribable. You very rarely see it in any walk of life. (Coach said he ventures that UGA has had around 50 Olympians compete in swimming and diving.)

In 2012, you were a personal coach for your swimmers instead of the Head Coach. Were you able to enjoy a little more of the Olympic experience this year?

Well I didn't have to go to the training camp and I didn't have to be in the Village. It's my first Olympics where I had a chance to see another sport. I got with UGA tennis great George Bezecny and he was able to get us tickets to see the tennis, or actually John Isner and Manuel got the tickets. That is so George! Not even getting tickets. So I took my son Magill because I had my two sons over in 2008 and I never saw them. They were there for two weeks but I never saw them other than about one hour one day. I brought them into the Village to meet Michael Phelps and Dara Torres. But this time, the weight of the world was not on my shoulders. And, I just don't like to be away from Athens that long. I was away 59 straight days in 2008. And that's when you know you have great assistant coaches. You're not even missed.

My staff is an unbelievable group. So you have an Olympic high, then two months later an Olympic low.

When you finally wrap up this decorated career, how does Jack Bauerle ride off into the sunset? Hopefully enjoying my three sons, my wife, and

being outside as much as I can. I want to play tennis. I want to surf, and I also want to help Georgia in some capacity. I love this place so much. It basically gave me an opportunity to pursue all of my dreams. So I feel like I owe Georgia a lot. I know it sounds sort of old-fashioned, but I truly believe some how or another I was meant to be here. I still remember that recruiting trip. It took about two hours and I decided this was it. I just want to enjoy my friends, enjoy my family, and I want to surf in a few places that I haven't surfed yet. That's important to me.

But I also want to stay connected to Georgia in some form or another. I never want to stop being part of this place.

21

Jeff Dantzler’s Top 25 It was a great day of college football this past Saturday and most of the biggest games took place under the lights. There were two top ten vs. top ten match-ups, and both Kansas State and Florida State chalked up memorable wins. LSU got scared to death but hung on. Other teams who showed their best – Georgia, South Carolina, Oregon and Notre Dame. The SEC East is back – with three top ten teams.

1. Alabama – Of course there were no problems for the Crimson Tide, who steamrolled Florida Atlantic. Ole Miss comes to Tuscaloosa Saturday, and the Rebels have a much improved offense. But they’ll be overmatched by Bama. The Tide and LSU are the two best teams in the country again.

2. Florida State – The Seminoles got off to a slow start, but then turned it on and ran away from Clemson in Tallahassee. Florida State has firepower and an excellent defensive line. This was a showcase game, just the ninth in ACC history pitting a pair of top ten’s. If the Seminoles can avoid the upset, they can dream awfully big.

3. LSU – It’s life in the SEC. They don’t come much scarier than this one, but the Bayou Bengals pulled it out 12-10 over game Auburn. That Tigers defense just saved the day as the offense could never get untracked. LSU gets a tune-up with Towson State, then comes a huge trip to Gainesville where the Gators awat.

4. Florida – The Gators defense was outstanding in a runaway victory over struggling Kentucky. After two straight impressive road victories at Texas A&M and Tennessee, the Florida faithful were out in full force for the Wildcats. The Gators are off this week, then the Fightin’ Tigers roll into Gainesville for a mega-showdown.

5. Oregon – After a couple of attention-grabbing early season wins, Rich Rodriguez and Arizona stepped into prime time. Ouch. Oregon pummeled the Wildcats 49-0, the defense shining for the high octane Ducks. Pick-Six’s just buried Arizona. Chip Kelly has another very talented team.

6. Stanford – The schedule worked out well for Stanford. After a fourth straight win over Southern Cal, the Cardinal could smell the roses for a couple of days. A Thursday showdown against Washington is a nice treat to lead off the weekend.

Stanford is big and tough and physical.

7. South Carolina – Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks were on fire. They dominated Missouri in the Tigers first ever road SEC game. The final was 31-10, and it could’ve been worse. The defensive front is outstanding, and led by Marcus Lattimore, that offense is clicking.

8. Kansas State – The Wildcats picked up one of the biggest wins in school history, topping Oklahoma in Norman. Bill Snyder has done remarkable work with the Wildcats – both times around. This was Bob Stoops first loss at home to a top ten team at home.

9. Georgia – It was an mighty impressive victory for the Bulldogs in a 48-3 pounding of Vanderbilt. Todd Gurley is a special freshman tailback. This is a huge one coming up Saturday night with Tennessee. Jarvis Jones and that defense will have to be at their best against the big play Vols passing attack.

10. Texas – After scoring an astounding 66 points in beautiful Oxford against Ole Miss, the Longhorns caught their breath this Saturday. Up next is a heavyweight Big XII slugfest, with Texas venturing to Oklahoma State. Expect a bunch of points. The ‘Horns offense can really go.

11. Notre Dame – You can wake up the echoes, at least for one more week. The Fightin’ Irish have beaten Navy, Purdue, Michigan State and Michigan – all programs that have dealt Notre Dame some tough losses over the last few years. The Notre Dame defense is the best its been in years.

12. West Virginia – The Mountaineers defense needs to improve for them to have a shot at the Big XII title in their first year in the league. But the offense has plenty of juice, led by quarterback Geno Smtih, who has put up very impressive numbers this year. Baylor comes to Morgantown for the first intra-conference contest in school history.

Kevin Butler’s Players of the Game

photo by Rob Saye

Kevin Butler, former University of Georgia legendary kicker and a member of the Georgia radio broadcast team, will each week during the 2012 football season select his offensive, defensive and special teams players of the week for Bulldawg Illustrated. Here are Butler’s selections and reasons why for the Bulldogs’ 48-3 win over Vanderbilt.

OFFENSE – Sophomore center David Andrews, who sparked the Georgia offensive line that enabled the Bulldogs to pile up 567 yards against the Commodores, 302 of that total coming on the ground and another 265 through the air.

“I think what David’s done on the offensive line this year is probably the best story line we have going on offense,” said Butler. “Our running backs are certainly talented athletes but what is going on on the offensive line right now has to be recognized and you look at the captain of that group and it’s the center. And David has stepped up and has performed in a very positive way and has been more influential on the development of our offensive line when I think traditionally we look for that left tackle to be the guy that brings the offensive line together. I think David has taken on a leadership role and has picked up the game mentally and it makes him look like a veteran.”

DEFENSE – Sophomore inside linebacker Amarlo Herrera, who captures the defensive player of the game for a second consecutive week after turning

in a team-high eight tackles including one tackle for loss, which enabled Todd Grantham’s defense to limit the Commodores to a measly field goal in the game.

“Jarvis Jones is obviously the first person who sticks out but I’m gonna go with Herrera again this week,” said Butler. “He is always around the ball and is always at the right place at the right time. He is beginning to be a very consistent performer and the way his development is going this year, it gives our defense even more opportunity to control the offensive performance. The leading tackler this year, the leading tackler in this game, Amarlo is certainly one of the up and coming young leaders of the defensive unit.”

SPECIAL TEAMS – Sophomore Connor Norman and junior Blake Sailors were standouts on the Bulldogs’ kick coverage teams, which prevented Vanderbilt from making any sizable returns in Georgia’s one-sided victory. Norman was credited with three tackles in the win.

“Both of them are leading the specialty teams’ coverage teams, which is producing great field position for both offense and defense,” said Butler. “Not only on the punt team but also on the kickoff team, if everybody follows Connor’s and Blake’s performance, Georgia will only continue to get better and virtually eliminate the big play opportunities that have plagued us in the past off the specialty teams.”

13. Oklahoma – It was a heart-breaker for the Sooners, who fell at home to Kansas State in a tight one. The Sooners just can’t seem to get on track offensively. There’s still a long way to go in the Big XII race, and Bob Stoops will get his team back in the race.

14. Clemson – You know the Tigers proud fans are hurting. In the rare top ten vs. top ten ACC showdown, Clemson came out flying, but got dominated by Florida State down the stretch. The question for Clemson, can the Tigers avoid that upset loss to someone unexpected.

15. Southern Cal – The Trojans avoided the letdown after a tough loss to Stanford, and took care of Cal. Lane Kiffen is getting in the news a lot for stuff off of the field. Southern Cal’s passing attack is one of the PAC-12’s best, but they’ve got some questions up front.

16. Mississippi State – Dan Mullen has led Mississippi State to a 4-0 start. Outside of the win over Auburn, none of the victories resonate as signature. But 4-0 openings in Starkville aren’t every day happenings. This is the sleeper team in the SEC. 17. TCU – The Horned Frogs have the nation’s longest winning streak at 11 games.

TCU took care of business in Ft. Worth, topping Virginia. It’s the battle of the metroplex in an old Southwest Conference showdown, as TCU goes to SMU. 18. Oregon State – Mike Riley is a very good coach. His Beavers are 2-0 (their opener got hurricane out because Nichols State couldn’t get out of town), and both wins are big – over Wisconsin and at UCLA. The Beavers defense has some teeth. They have shut down Monte Ball and the Badgers and slowed down UCLA’s explosive offense.

19. Ohio State – The Buckeyes didn’t exactly blow away UAB. It was a slow start, as UAB got three of the first four scores. Then the Blazers cut it to 21-15 in the fourth quarter, but Ohio State pulled it out. Now comes a big test with Michigan State in East Lansing.

20. Michigan State – Sparty had some serious wound licking to do after falling hard to the Fighting Irish. Michigan State got well this past Saturday and now the Buckeyes head to East Lansing for one of the league’s biggest games of the year.

21. Boise State – Chris Petersen has done great work in Boise. Known for their high octane offense, Petersen has brought toughness and defense to the program. Boise State’s 7-6 win over Brigham Young brought back any spirits that might have been sagging after a tough opener at Michigan State.

22. Tennessee – Following a heartbreaking loss to Florida – a game that the Volunteers led 20-13 in the third quarter, it had to be tough to bounce back emotionally. But Tennessee fought through and handled Zippy the Roo, Terry Bowden and Akron. Now comes a huge showdown in Athens, as the Vols try and climb right back in the thick of the SEC East race.

23. Northwestern – There are three teams in the Big Ten (which has 12 teams) that are undefeated – Ohio State, Minnesota and the Wildcats. Pat Fitzgerald is an excellent coach. The only downer for the Wildcats is that they are on the much tougher side, so a trip to the Big Ten Championship Game is going to be difficult.

24. Rutgers – The Scarlet Knights added to Arkansas’s misery with an impressive win in Fayetteville. The Big East is down and thin, and Rutgers might be the best team in the league – and to beat an SEC team is a big deal to a program that doesn’t have an illustrious history.

25. UCLA – The Bruins are a factor in the PAC-12 South, highlighted by a high scoring offense. They were done in by Oregon State at the Rose Bowl, and must now bounce back at Colorado. This is the type of game they just can’t afford to lose. But funny things happen out west.

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