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From the editor : vance leavy In the spirit of full disclosure, I will definitely admit to being glad I didLike in my belief in our head coach, I’m also banking on this 2012 n’t have to write my editor’s note last Sunday. Yes, the open week came at team who began this year’s season with the motto … “Our Team, Our the perfect time because this disgruntled Bulldawg fan would certainly Time, No Regrets”. Without question, the time is now for these young have written some things that I probably would not have been proud of men. And if they truly desire to have no regrets, then they better show it once seeing it in print the following day. on the playing field on each and every play. Surely, even they would have Like most of you in the Bulldog Nation, I was enraged with our guys’ to admit that they’ve merely scratched the surface on what it means to performance in Columbia against Spurrier’s Gamecocks. How could they play as a complete team. be so thoroughly trounced in such a huge game? How could they revert Our team here at Bulldawg Illustrated certainly enjoyed the midseato many of the same mistakes (in big games) that have plagued other Mark son break that the open week provided, but thankfully everyone reRicht teams? How could they do this to us? grouped to put out another outstanding issue. But with a mere week behind us, On page 4, Jeff Dantzler delves suddenly, thanks to the Mad Hatter’s into some of the worries he wrote win over the Cocks, things are certainly about for our Season Preview issue looking better for our Georgia Bulldogs back in June and compares them to and they haven’t even returned to the where the program is at this point. If gridiron yet. you’re not into facing reality then you Like in life, sports are full of ups might skip his page. But if you can and downs, where you have a couple of handle the truth, then you will read choices. You can either wallow in your his piece with the optimism that misfortunes or you can pull your bootachieving some of his suggested obstraps up and deal with the task at hand. jectives are still very attainable. I’m going with the latter choice and Then on page 5, Murray Poole hope all of you will join me. Without continues our Athletic Board member question, our team, now more than If you’re not heading to Lexington, the Golden Isles and the PGA profile with Professor Jeff Dorfman. It’s ever, needs to feel the support of its fan Tour beckons this week. www.mcgladreyclassic.com so neat to capture how proud each base. That starts Saturday night in Lexmember of the board is to serve and ington. Let the rally begin! assist our university’s athletic program. Dorfman told Murray his first vote Still, I’m not naïve enough to think hoping for the best will right was the hiring of Greg McGarity, saying he got off to a good start. things for this coaching staff and their team. It starts at the top and I’m I echo Dorfman on his praise, which certainly rang true after watchbanking on Coach Richt doing the most soul searching of anyone within ing McGarity’s appearance on this week’s Inside Georgia Football television the Georgia football program. Surely, he must look at his unit and admit show. Like all of us in the Bulldog Nation, McGarity wasn’t pleased with that something is missing when the biggest games arrive on the schedule. the South Carolina game, but he refused to let anyone over at Butts-Mehre The numbers don’t lie and they were certainly plastered all over the ESPN “be in the jar all week long”. He then reminded viewers of the successes broadcast at the close of the Georgia-South Carolina game. that other Georgia teams had lately, including Chris Haack’s golf team win- Since 2008 vs. teams which finished ranked: 2-15 ning a tournament and the number one ranked equestrian team captur- Last 2 years vs. teams which finished ranked: 0-10 ing another victory. For sure, something to celebrate for old Georgia. - Since 2008 vs. SEC teams which finished ranked: 0-10 Like in all our issues, you will find plenty of fan photos of people you - Since 2008 vs. Top 12 teams which finished ranked: 0-10 might know. Yes, the BI camera had to act swiftly in Columbia as the onSo you ask, what will it take for our team to slaught began to unfold, but we did manage to capture some folks before overcome this poor trend? the scours set in. Great question, but unfortunately I’m not a Well I’m now over my space limit, so will bid you farewell. Let’s rally soothsayer, thus do not have the answer. That will behind this team this week in Lexington and gain some much needed have to come from the young men that are actually momentum for the remaining portion of the 2012 docket. And to this on the playing field. After all, they are the ones that team and its coaching staff, it is time to do your part and play football to must show enough discipline to remember the as- your fullest capability. signments they have been taught by coaches beFinally, the Bulldog Nation lost a great UGA supporter recently in the ginning in peewee football all the way to the college passing of Athens’ Phil Hughes. His uplifting spirit will be missed. level. Rally Call ... Go Dawgs!
Kentucky 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
Everybody hates losing. Especially heading into an open date. You have to wait an extra week to have the chance to get back in the win column. But for Georgia, coming off of a poor performances and one of the most humbling losses in program annals, the open date came at a good time. The Bulldogs needed a week to work on getting right and focusing on the second half of the season, beginning Saturday night in Lexington against struggling Kentucky. Prior to the campaign, in this space, here are the keys for an outstanding campaign that were touched on. Here they are and here’s how it’s gone: June - Stop the Self-Inflicted Wounds – To make the final step to the top rung, Georgia has to get out of its own way. Catastrophic turnovers, special teams meltdowns and costly penalties must be averted. Georgia threw four pick-six’s last year, three in losses. That’s not a national championship formula. In the loss to South Carolina, the Bulldogs gave up three non-offensive touchdowns, and a fumble was returned to the Georgia five, setting up another. The Dogs led Michigan State 16-0 and threw interceptions – one returned for a touchdown – on subsequent possessions. The Spartans would win in overtime. Off field problems that lead to suspensions obviously fall into the category of beating yourself. One game, one loss can make national title dreams go up in smokes. October - Georgia survived disaster turnovers and special teams miscues in a heart-stopping 51-44 win over Tennessee. But a costly interception with Georgia driving and down 7-0 led to a South Carolina touchdown and 14-0 advantage. The Gamecocks then returned a punt for a touchdown. Selah. To rinse and repeat – for Georgia to return to great, improving from good the Dogs must first stop beating themselves. June - Stars must Play Like Stars – Jarvis Jones, Malcolm Mitchell, Alec Ogletree, John Jenkins, Aaron Murray and the rest of Georgia’s frontline talent must perform even better than a year ago. Your guys have got to be guys. Think about the SEC Championship Game and what Honey Badger Mathieu and Mo Claiborne did. They were the country’s best cornerback combination and they both scored touchdowns. In the BCS Championship Game, Trent Richardson was the best player on the field. When the Dogs beat Florida, Jones had an incredible performance. In the win in Knoxville, Mitchell had two huge catches. Against Auburn, everything was clicking. Having your best players at their best, and the ensuing trickle down is how big games and championships are won. October - Jarvis Jones had one of the great individual performances by a Georgia defender in program history, as the Bulldogs beat Missouri 4120. Todd Gurley has been sterling. Mitchell is a dynamo, and Keith Marshall has scored long touchdowns. But there are several defenders projected to be high draft picks who have not played to form thus far. For the Dogs to run the table, this defense must live up to the hype. June - Get at least Good Offensive Line play – It would be a stretch to hope and anticipate this offensive line playing like the powerhouse units from 1976, 1982, 1997 or 2002. But to win the big prize, the offensive line has to at least be good. Murray is mobile (more on that later), but the Dogs don’t need him scrambling from pressure. He needs to be moving by design. And the front has to open holes for the Crowell-led cast of tailbacks, which leads to key number four. October - Clearly a lot has happened since June. Crowell is gone. Gurley has Heisman potential, headlining this talented crop of tailbacks. The offensive line had a tough go against South Carolina’s tremendous defensive front. But they have performed well and figure to keep getting better. Plus there are no seniors in the starting five. They can get things back on track against Kentucky, then another great D-Line awaits. June - Run with Power and Purpose – All of these SEC national championship teams have had highly successful power running games as a primary attribute. Tim Tebow, Cam Newton, Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson . . . these championship teams have put the ball into the hands of their stars when the other guy knew they were going to run. And they got first downs and touchdowns. With Crowell and highly touted Keith Marshall headlining the backs, plus the running ability of Murray, if the offensive line can at least create stalemates, Georgia’s running game should be outstanding. Plus, LSU and Alabama’s front sevens don’t have to be faced – at least until Atlanta potentially. Have you heard, Georgia is 46-5 since 2001 when a tailback goes for 100 yards. It’s how you win in the SEC and it opens up so much more. Which leads us to ‌. October - Georgia is now 50-5 when a tailback goes for 100-plus yards. Twice this season, Gurley and Marshall both topped the century mark in the same game. Remember too, that in Georgia’s rare wins over Florida in the past 20-plus years, the Bulldogs had great success running.
June - Fully Utilizing Murray – He’s not real tall, so those 10-15 yard throws into traffic from the numbers in aren’t his strength. Murray is an excellent runner and throws the deep ball very well. Most of Georgia’s disastrous offensive plays came on straight drop back pass plays last year. Getting Murray out moving, especially if the tailback running game is going good, gives Georgia the potential to be dynamic on offense. October - Georgia has kept Murray in the pocket for the most part this season. His legs are a weapon. June - Defensive Depth – Georgia’s first team defense could very well be the nation’s best. But here’s the cold hard truth: Georgia’s couldn’t stop Boise State. Georgia got gashed in the fourth quarter by Marcus Lattimore. LSU proved it had more good players than the Bulldogs, overpowering Georgia in the second half. The Bulldogs couldn’t stop Michigan State with the game on the line. Some highly touted true freshman and heavily recruited players who have been in the program a year or two will have to step into vital backup roles so that talented first unit isn’t out of gas in season and program-shaping moments. October - Due to the suspensions, the defense has been out of whack all year. There is some promising young talent, headlined by Jordan Jenkins. But more players have to come on – hopefully pushing some veterans who have struggled. June - Deliver the Knockout Blow – Taking out the two games against one another (one of which was a double digit win), Alabama and LSU won all of their games by at least 13 points. Most were by 20 or more. Now this is extremely rare, especially in this league. Easy wins in the SEC are hard to come by. But against the likes of Ole Miss and Kentucky, the Dogs need to win big, conserving gas in the tank and sending a message. The message is, this team should be feared, not looked at as an upset victim. October - Georgia delivered the knockout blow against Missouri and Vanderbilt. The Bulldogs did not against Tennessee. It took a lot of gas to hang on against the Vols. Then the Dogs were running on empty in Columbia, S.C. June - Don’t be Field Goal U – Georgia wasn’t in the win over Florida. The Bulldogs came through with a pair of enormous fourth down touchdowns that helped deliver a desperately needed win. Georgia got touchdowns against Auburn and Tech. Georgia got second half touchdowns against Tennessee. Obviously, you are not going to get a touchdown every time. But when visiting the red zone, the Dogs need the mentality and aggressiveness of what happened this past year in Jacksonville, not the Orlando overtime. Touchdowns win championships. But when you don’t get TD’s, you’ve got to make the kicks. Which leads us to . . . October - Because of Gurley and a vastly improved running game, Georgia was strong in the red zone – until South Carolina, when the Dogs on third and goal and fourth and goal from the Gamecocks one, went out of the shotgun and threw incomplete twice. Marshall Morgan has struggled with extra points, but he has nailed critical field goals against Missouri and Tennessee. June - Vast Special Teams Improvement – Georgia beat Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Florida despite “F-minus� kicking game performances. But the punt return score for LSU, the missed field goals in all four losses, the fake punt TD for South Carolina . . . these are things that championship teams don’t give up in such large numbers. Georgia’s depth isn’t what it could/should be. Some of the aforementioned up-and-comers on defense will be asked to fill vital roles on special teams. And oh yeah, the Dogs will have a true freshman at punter and kicker. October - Richard Samuel snuffed out the fake punt against Missouri and Morgan has made the aforementioned huge kicks. But the Dogs gave up the punt return for a touchdown at South Carolina. Against Tennessee, the Bulldogs started two possessions on the one yard line, misplaying kicks. And extra points have been a struggle. In tight games, every detail means so much. June - Hit the Explosive Plays – LSU and South Carolina beat Georgia with them, and Bama had a ton last year. The defenses in this league are so good, it is essential to come up with those 20, 30, 50, 70 yard plays on offense, defense and special teams to get those big chunks of yardage and long touchdowns. October - Georgia has been great with this. Despite the loss of Michael Bennett to a knee injury, the Bulldogs are loaded with big play makers. Even in the loss to the Gamecocks, Malcolm Mitchell had a couple of big-gainers. The problem is the defense has given up seven pass plays of 40-plus yards. Big picture, to run the table and post an 11-1 mark, Georgia must first eliminate the high number of self-inflicted wounds. Then that defense, with a full week to get ready and pull together has to play like a unit loaded with stars.
Bulldawg Illustrated
poole shots By Murray Poole
Childhood to UGA exciting path for Dorfman In his path to the University of Georgia, where he is now a professor in the Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics and a three-year member of the Board of Directors of the Georgia Athletic Association, Jeff Dorfman’s childhood and teen years were a bit more exciting and glamorous than that of the average American youth. Dorfman is a native of California but lived there only up until his ninth grade year in school. “I then spent my high school years in England and Japan,” he related. “And that was very cool. My dad worked for Bank of America and we spent some time overseas so I got to live in the English countryside for a couple of years and got to travel around England and then we lived right in downtown Tokyo for my senior year of high school.” But it was back to California Dorfman migrated for his college years. He attended the University of California, Davis where he earned his B.S. degree in Agricultural Economics in 1987 before then earning his Ph. D in 1989. “After I finished my Ph. D there were two jobs in my field, one at the University of Southern Cal and one at UGA and I ended up choosing the one at UGA,” Dorfman said. “I came to Georgia in 1989 and I’ve been here ever since.” Dr. Dorfman, who has written one book, co-authored another and authored or co-authored over 50 academic articles, is a recognized expert in the economics of growth, sprawl, green space, and farmland preservation. But what you must also know is that Jeffrey Dorfman was also a pretty good athlete in his own right, thus bringing a bit of experience and expertise in that area to his role on the Georgia athletic board. “I ran track and cross country in college,” Dorfman said. “UC Davis was Division II when I was there and now I guess you could call it I-AA (FCS) but we’ve moved up. In high school I was always doing sports and on a team. I did basketball, soccer, track and cross-country, didn’t do baseball because it was during the track season.” Dorfman and his wife, Melody, have one daughter, Jennifer, 18, who is a freshman at the University of Chicago. Melody Dorfman is a California girl who also went to UC Davis but earned her master’s degree in public administration from UGA. In the following question-andanswer session, Jeff Dorfman talks more about his background and his role on the Georgia athletic board. What is your occupation?
I’m a professor of economics at the university. I’m in the Agricultural and Applied Economics Department and I teach classes on micro-economics and on the economics of the food industry. I teach two or three classes per day.
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What has been the most exciting part for you serving on UGA’s athletic board?
I guess I’ve been impressed by a lot of the student-athletes, their dedication, their commitment. It’s been nice to get to meet some of the behind-the-scenes people and also get to know a lot of the coaches from some of the sports that people don’t notice as often.
The thing I like best is getting to teach the kids. I like when you can explain stuff to the students and they learn and a light bulb goes on and you see that they now understand economics. And also I do a lot of speaking around the state and a lot of work with local elected officials like county commissioners and city council members on economics and I enjoy doing that a lot. What do you think are the biggest challenges for Georgia athletics in the near future?
There are probably two. One is recruiting as the Internet and TV make it so that people can learn lots about lots of colleges. So you’re not competing just against nearby places anymore, you’re competing against everybody in terms of recruiting. The second is trying to figure out how to make going to games in person a good enough experience so people can do it. One of the things that we have to struggle with is that people can sit on their couch at home and watch football games on their big-screen high-def TV. So we have to figure out, how do we make it so that the experience of actually being there is still better than watching it on TV at home? I think that’s a really big challenge.
Where did you grow up and what made it special?
Your favorite UGA sports moment?
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How has the knowledge from your occupation helped in the betterment of UGA athletics?
I’m in my third year. Actually the first meeting I went to for the athletic board was the one when we hired (athletic director) Greg McGarity. That was my first vote so I got off to a good start.
As I mentioned, I had a special childhood, growing up in California and then England and Japan. I ran track for a high school in England for a couple of years, ran track for my high school in Japan and in both those countries we competed against other American international schools so we would go up against the military base schools but also against local schools.
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What has been the most exciting aspect of your career?
I try to make occasional points on the financial side of managing the association because as an economist, I think I understand that. And I try and remember back to when I was a student-athlete and try to help some of the student-athletes today with an understanding about time management and how they can squeeze a little more time out of their day to get in their studies.
How many years have you served on the UGA athletic board?
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It was the Georgia-Georgia Tech football game in 1997 in Atlanta. It was back and forth and they scored what they thought was going to be the winning touchdown with something like 43 seconds to go and we just zipped down the field and scored on a pass from Mike Bobo to Corey Allen (with eight seconds left) and tore their hearts out. Tech was already celebrating on the sideline and all of a sudden, we won (by 27-24). It was great. I like Tech to lose and lose as painfully as possible.
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GO DAWGS 5
Dogs vs. Cats With new life, after LSU win over USC, can 2012 team reboot, reload and restart? By Travis Ragsdale
A
fter another disappointing loss at the hands of Steve Spurrier, the Dawgs are in need of a morale victory. Luckily, they’re playing perhaps the cellar dweller of the SEC this year in Kentucky. The Cats were just thrashed and gashed by an Arkansas team this past week that has been struggling to find any sort of peace after a tremulous off-season. Now, Kentucky seeks its first SEC win of 2012 against the Dawgs. On paper, it seems like an easy task for Georgia but it’s far from that. Reboot! Hope Remains
Nobody in the Bulldog nation was happy with the outcome of the game in Columbia. Expectations were high but they came to a screeching halt. But the season is not close to being over. With LSU taking care of the Gamecocks, the Dawgs still have a chance to make it back to Atlanta but that means they have to take care of business the rest of the way through the season. Kentucky has struggled all year but don’t forget the 2009 season. The Dawgs were expected to trounce the Wildcats but ended up coughing up hairball with a 27-34. Georgia didn’t win another game that year. If the Dawgs have hope of getting back to Atlanta, it has to start this week. Players and fans alike had a lot of hope that this would finally be the undefeated Georgia had so longed for under Coach Richt. It turned out not to be, and now there are new objectives; the first one is getting through Lexington unscathed. Reload! Offense needs to get back on track
After scoring at least 40 points a game through week number five, Georgia’s offense fell flat on it’s face against Carolina. No doubt, the Gamecock’s defense is stout but the Dawgs laid an egg as well. This week should be different with Kentucky’s D ranking at or near the bottom in almost all statistical categories for the SEC. Already they are giving up an average of over 30 points a game and nearly 400 yards of total offense. Ironically though, the Wildcats are quite good at creating takeaways. This leads most to believe that coaches have decided that the defense is not god enough to sit back and play with SEC offenses. The solution is to coach their players to be extremely aggressive and try to force turnovers even if they aren’t there. This means linebackers stripping the ball from the running back instead of tackling; it means defensive backs attempting to jump routes and getting burned by receivers with a good double move. This could spell either disaster or triumph for Aaron Murray and the offense. Georgia has watched plenty of film of this during the past two weeks and will be prepared for it. Expect the Dawgs to come out and pound the ball between the tackles early and then go over top with play-action against this over-aggressive Cat defense. Restart! Time to buckle down on defense
South Carolina exploded in the first half against Georgia’s defense. Much of this was due to the fact they were clearly unprepared for the type of running ability of Connor Shaw. If it was 3rd and 6, it was easy to call what was going to happen. South
photos by Rob Saye
Carolina in the shotgun, Shaw takes the snap, no receivers open, Shaw takes off and runs for a gain of 8. First down, Carolina. Georgia was just unable to stop it or make any adjustments. Depending on who will start at QB for Kentucky, this could once again be a problem. It’s been a carousal at the quarterback position with freshman Jalen Whitlow taking the reigns this past weekend. This is the guy the Dawgs need to worry about. He is the definition of a dual-threat quarterback and can‘t be taken lightly just because of the fact he’s a freshman. Georgia could also see Morgan Newton. Newton is an interesting story. In 2009, he was named to the SEC All-Freshmen team, but since his stock has dropped like a rock and he’s now number three on the depth chart after suffering a shoulder injury last fall. Maxwell Smith is another candidate to get snaps. He started all five games leading up to this past weekend before Whitlow took over because of Smith’s issues with the turnover bug. It really doesn’t matter who it is, the Dawgs have to be prepared and know that Kentucky’s offense runs through the QB. You won’t see any crazy gimmicks or any sneaky plays, it’s a simple offense but if their quarterback isn’t accurate, they don’t have a very strong running game to fall back on and could end up being a long, long night. Intangibles
Lexington isn’t exactly the most intimidating place to play and after dealing with Columbia, the Dawgs are going to feel like they are playing football in a library Saturday. Still, it is an away game and not the cozy confines of Sanford so Georgia needs to prepare hard nonetheless. Georgia can’t let this be a let down game either. Pundits talk about let down games after big wins but rarely is it ever mentioned that let downs can come after big losses as well. It depends on what the make-up of this Georgia team is. Do they have fight? Then they’ll come out Saturday and maybe play the best they have all year. Did that loss in Columbia completely demoralize the squad? If that’s the case, then this game is going to be way too close for comfort. This could also be one of those “playing for a job” type games for Kentucky head coach Joker Phillips. He took over in 2010 and has led Kentucky to a couple of bowl games since but it seems the team has digressed quite a bit this year. He probably needs a signature win against a ranked team to inspire his players and keep folks in the athletic association happy. Make no mistake; Georgia has a big target on their back this weekend.
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Enjoy a memorable evening g with leg legendary gendary coach Vince e D l y at the h Jekyll J k ll Island I l d Dooley Club Hotel’s Hotel’s Morgan Cen Cen-ter. Tic Tickets ckets include dinner and drinks an d are $45 per person n and or $75 per co couple. uple.
UGA Alumni Oyster Roast Oct. 26
Oct. 26 Party down with Southern rock icons drivin’ n’ cryin’ at the Cum cryin mulus Radio GA/FL Pr re-Game Cumulus Pre-Game Party! Also appea aring: Will Hoge Band d and The appearing: Cadillac Black!.
Great Dunes Park
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Georgia 7 Carolina 35
Scott Lanier and Tori Thompson
Michael Otis and Caroline Kinney
Bruce Dixon and David Yon
Bobby and Stephanie Ordon
Joe McDonough and Lynn McDonough
Steven Quarles and Renee Briscoe
Jacob Nixon and Alison Nixon
Carla Lee, Bryce McKinnon, Grace Alexander, Carl Alexander and Mike Hodges
Jennifer Clancy, Jeff Nettles and Leasa Bonilla
Beth and Ben Holland and Tap and Dede Bennett
Discover What Locals Already Know… Don’t Fight the Downtown Crowd!
The Brunswick News is proud to present:
The 2012 Georgia Literary Festival at the Golden Isles Hosted by:
College of Coastal Georgia Golden Isles Arts & Humanities Golden Isles Convention and Visitors Bureau Jekyll Island Authority
2310 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 706-353-7667
Best Steak and Seafood in Athens!
Bulldog Brunch Sundays 10 a.m.-noon Kevin Butler & Jeff Dantzler
Marker 7 Coastal Grill breaks ground in 5 points
Sunday Night Special- Kids eat free with each dinner entree
Reser vations Welcome. Visit www.hilltopgrille.com for updated menu & wine list.
Live Music Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 7 p.m.
GEORGIA LITERARY FESTIVAL
November 9-11 Jekyll Island www.GoldenIslesLiteraryFestival.com Sponsored by the Georgia Center for the Book and the Georgia Humanities Council
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8
Bulldawg Illustrated
Georgia 7 Carolina 35
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Brian Clonts and Mackie Sweatman
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Nathan Wayne, Rachael Miller, Colleen Fleming, Donnell Francis and Chas Fails
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Aaron Commings and Jared Stevenson
Scott Jordan and Jack Jordan
Marcus Wilson, Kenny Lewis, Austin Johnson, Lauren Husser, Brandon Obama, Samuel Gifford and Montez Flenoury
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Who kic kicked cked the game-winning ÄLSK NV VHS PU .LVYNPH»Z ]PJ JÄLSK NVHS PU .LVYNPH»Z ]PJ[VY` H[ 2LU[\JR` PU [VY` H[ 2LU[\JR` PU WYVTW[PUN WYVTW[PUN 3HYY` 4 4\UZVU»Z MHTLK ¸@ @LHO @ L @LHO L 3HYY` 4\UZVU»Z MHTLK ¸@LHO @LHO @LHO ¹ JHSS& @ L LHO ¹ JHSS& Go to bulldawgi bulldawgillustrated.com illustrated.com Answer r: Rex Robinson Answer: Chance to win $25 $2 25 gift cards carrds d for the UGA Bookstore Bookkstorre at TATE TATE if you answer trivia trrivia correctly. corrre ectlyy.
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Winne Winner: er: Kevin W Weakley e eakley of Ath hens, GA Athens, Other than Herschel, Hersch hel, who is your favorite Bulldog Bullldog and why? Bo – Matthew Staf Stafford ffo forrd because he was a great gr gre eat quarterback q Hank – David Pollack Pollac ck Stacy S tacy – Champ Champ Bailey Bailey b because ecause he he was was so so exciting exciting tto o watch watch on on both both sides sides of the ball and still ex xciting to watch in the NFL after affter all these years. exciting Who is your favorite favoritte player on the current currre ent UGA UG GA roster roster o and why? Bo – Aaron Aarro on Murray and a Todd Todd o Gurley Hank – Jarvis Jones :[HJ` ¶ 4HSJVST 4P[ [JOLSS ILJH\ZL ÄYZ[ VM HSS OL PZZ MYYVT T` OVTL [V^U V :[HJ` ¶ 4HSJVST 4P[JOLSS ILJH\ZL ÄYZ[ VM HSS OL PZ MYVT T` OVTL [V^U and second because e he is such a great grre eat receiver. re eceiverr. I am excited to see what he will do the rrest est e off the year now that he is primarily prima marily back on offense. offffense. What makes Wh k you a true Bulldog? B lld ? Stacy – I gr grew rew e up in Valdosta Valdosta a where wherre football is a passion p and we just always addition a lways loved loved tthe he Dawgs Dawgs in in a ddition to to our our high high sschool chool football. football. I was was blessed to come to the University of Georgia Georrgia g and d now to live in this great grreat e town. Bo is a great grreat e Bulldog B because he loves college co ollege football so much and has even taken Jeff Jefff Dantzler’s Dantzler’’s weekly poll fr rom o the Bulldawg Illustrat tfrom Illustrated and cut it up to make m his own top 25. Hank iss the kind of true fan who has to stay until the end e of every game he attends. attend ds. He is emotional and rreally e eally takes it to heart hearrt when the Dawgs get behind behin nd or lose.
What is the most memorable play you have experienced in person? Bo & Hank – we were werre at the e game g where wherre Aron Arro on White scored sco orre ed the TD and got stuck in the hedges. It was w right in front frro ont of where wherre we e sit and it was so funny. funny y. Stacy – in Aubur rn 2002 when whe en Michael Johnson caught the t pass from frro om Auburn +H]PK .YLLUL [V ZLUK \Z [V [OL :,* *OHTWPVUZOPW .HTL MVY [OL ÄYZ[ +H]PK .Y YL LLUL [V ZLUK \Z [V [OL :,* *OHTWPVUZOPW .HT TL MVY [OL ÄYZ[ time. My friend Betsy Hatcher Hatch her Glass and I both burst into intto tears and our husbands thought we were werre crazy! o you enjoy beating the most? mo ost? Which one of our rivals do Stacy & Hank – Florida Bo – Geogia T Tech e ech because we always beat them What makes Wh k your tailgating tailgatin il ing scene so special? i l? Stacy S tacy - Our Our ttailgate ailgate is is very very family family friendly friendly and and the the kids kids are are rrunning unning a around round with good w ith ttheir heir ffriends riends tthrowing hrowing the the football. football. IItt is is great great to to be be with with g ood ffriends riends that we may not see throughout thrrough o hout the year except during football f season. Bo & Hank – We We get to drinkk lots of carpisuns and juice boxes b while nonobody is paying attention and d we get to see our friends and an nd the DawgWalk. DawgW Walk. a
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10
Bulldawg Illustrated
ZTA Pink Week UGA Accidentals perform at BraCapella
Alex Faas, Marlee Roos and Katie Lewis
Wesley Nichols, Hannah Cornelia, Tyler Morris, Kelsey Schmidt and Jacob Plunkett
ZTA Pink Week Yogurt Eating Contest.
Melat Tekle, Kaci Whiddon and Segen Teklehaimanot
Anna Marchman, Emily Curl and Courtney Emery
Celia Bouton, Lauren McCurdy, chest of UGA swimmer Matt Ellis, Rebecca Rykard and Madison Kocks
Jillian Hart and Ashleigh Crook
Mackenzie Ryals, Yogurt Eating Contest Winner Devlin Bridges and Danielle Miller
Sarah Moore and Tia Riedlinger
Lucy Tyler, YoDawgs owner Bob Rushton and Madeline Lefferts
Griffin Reynolds, Georgia Powell, Caroline Gaines, Mary Frances Webb and Kate Powell at the ZTA Legacy Lemonade Stand
Bulldog Beat
Terry College reception in Dallas TX: (Back row) Dallas Hall, Mark Tenenbaum, Brian Studey, Mark Estes, Casen Gregg, Chris Eldridge, Drew Levey, Marc Garofalo; (Front Row) Debbie Storey, Jacob Rauers, Allison Dalehite, Marline Stephens Blaze, Sam Doan, Anna Wong, David St. Louis Vickie Farmer’s Birthday: (front row) Vickie Pruitt Farmer, June Pruitt (back row) Terrie Lewis, Cheri Leavy, Kelley Pruitt Blanton, Dot Smith, Barbara Hartman
Mount Pleasant Bulldog Game Watching Party: Will Pruitt, Erica Wolf, Trish Pruitt, Brett Walker and Jesse Nuzze
UGA Coaches’ Wives Luncheon: Dottie O'Brien, Barbara Hartman Howell, Ann Winger, Cheryl McGarity and Cindy Fox
UGA Coaches’ Wives Luncheon: Kitty Wilson, Doris Ramsey, Faye Butts Jones, Barbara Hartman Howell back: Mara Damke, Dottie O'Brien, Becky Reynolds and Ann Winger
Kick Back and let Events with a Twist Handle Everything Reservations Concierge Services Grocery Shopping Personal Errands Event/Party Planning and more!
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The UGA Alumni Association and the University of Georgia Bookstore Invite You to the
Faculty & Staff Authors Reception UGA BOOKSTORE Wednesday, October 24th 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Join UGA alumni and friends to celebrate distinguished University faculty and staff that have published a book within the last two years. Refreshments will be provided. Contact Wanda Darden at wdarden@uga.edu or 706-542-2251 for more information.
www.alumni.uga.edu
12
Bulldawg Illustrated
Five keys for a Bulldog victory By Jeff Dantzler
1.
King Awareness – In his three previous games against Georgia, Wildcats wide receiver LaRod King has reeled in three touchdown receptions. He had a big one in Kentucky’s comeback victory between the hedges in 2009 and King pulled in two scoring receptions in the Bulldogs win in Lexington in 2010. Georgia has been blistered by big passing plays this year. The Dogs have allowed seven throws of 40-plus yards, with four of those going for 60 or more. You can bet the Wildcats will target King in search of those big chunk pick-ups.
2.
Get Physical Up Front – In the Bulldogs embarrassing 35-7 loss at South Carolina, the Gamecocks flat out whipped Georgia on both lines of scrimmage. For a young offensive line, featuring standout freshman John Theus, that had been making huge strides, it’s vital to get back on track. By the way, looming after Kentucky, if you haven’t noticed, is another fierce defensive front comparable to South Carolina. After the performance in Columbia, the Dogs offensive line is hungry to get back on the field and get back on track.
3.
Give it to Gurley – That offensive line is hungry to get back on the field and get physical. The best way to get it going is to lead with the run. Todd Gurley is a magnificent freshman tailback, four times this year going for 100-plus yards. With him leading the way, and headlining an outstanding group of runners, Georgia can make its mark on the ground. And you better believe the following week, it is going to take a powerful running attack to prevail. Georgia has to get the attitude of toughness on the run back. In the Mark Richt era, the Dogs are a sterling 50-5 when a tailback goes for 100-plus yards. That includes 4-0 this year with Gurley – and in two of those, Keith Marshall hit it too.
4.
Salty Defense – One of the primary reasons the Bulldogs were ranked so highly headed ]into the 2012 campaign was a defense that returned 10 starters from a year ago and a unit that was ranked in the nation’s top ten. This year, the defense has been disappointing. Several frontline players were suspended for multiple games. It has taken time to mesh. But with that open date to focus on practice, and with everyone having at least two games together, now is the time for this defense to decide if they want to be great and live up to the hype. There’s still a chance to have an outstanding season, but to get to 11-1, the defense is going to have to be great. Saturday night in Lexington is the first opportunity to take a step in that direction.
5.
Strike Hard, Strike Fast – It was bad in Columbia. Georgia had an open date to stew. Do the Dogs come out on fire and deliver an early knockout blow, then keep pouring it on with the following week in mind? One of the popular terms that talking heads like to use is “sending a message.” Playing great and looking sharp is the message the Dogs need to send at Commonwealth Stadium. Florida will be locked up in a sure-fire physical slugfest with South Carolina. It would be nice for the Dogs to put it away and have plenty of gas in the tank for the Cocktail Party. photo by Rob Saye
Kentucky Wildcats’ stars
Scouting the Cats By Murray Poole
By Jeff Dantzler #16 LaRod King, WR 6-4, 222 Sr. Radcliffe, Ky. (North Hardin H.S.)
#11 Maxwell Smith, QB 6-2, 224 Soph. Granada Hills, Cal. (Birmingham)
#40 Avery Williamson, LB 6-1, 254 Jr. Milan, Tenn. (Milan H.S.)
Location: Lexington, KY
A total package at wide receiver, King has the size, the hands and the speed. At 6-4, he’s an inviting target over the middle. King is also a very tough match-up for smallish corners. In what has been a disappointing campaign, King has been a bright spot, leading the team in receptions, yards and scores. Last season, he hauled in 40 receptions for 598 yards and seven touchdowns, leading the team and ranking in the top ten in the Southeastern Conference in all three categories. The last time Georgia came to Lexington, King put on a show in the Bulldogs win, collecting two touchdowns and 88 yards on three catches. As a freshman in 2009, he made a magnificent catch and scored a 21-yard touchdown in the Wildcats 34-27 win at Sanford Stadium, Kentucky’s first win in Athens since 1977. King scored in Kentucky’s first two games this season and has two games thus far with at least eight receptions. In a 27-14 loss to Mississippi State in Lexington, King
Marred by a pair of injuries this season, Smith is a standout quarterback whom the Wildcats hope to have back for Saturday night’s game in Lexington. Only a sophomore, Smith gives Kentucky the hope for a competitive offense in the present – when healthy – and the near future. Over the first three games of the season, Smith twice threw for over 300 yards and had a 280yard performance. He threw four touchdown passes against Kent State, and in those first three contests, totaled eight scoring tosses. His 354 yards passing against the Golden Flashes are the most by a Wildcat signal caller since 2007. Smith proved himself to be one of the SECs top freshmen in 2011, throwing for 819 yards in eight appearances, with three starts.
One of the leading tacklers in the toughest league in the land, Williamson has been a strong performer for the Wildcats defense. He has double digit stops in four games thus far this season. Williamson’s two best performances came against Western Kentucky and Mississippi State. In a stunning 32-31 loss to the Hilltoppers, Williamson recorded a career-best 14 stops and made his second career interception. Against Mississippi State, Williamson helped keep the Wildcats in it with 13 tackles and he recorded an onsides kick. He is one of the most improved up-andcomer defenders in the league. Williamson didn’t start a game last season, but still chalked up 49 tackles and forced turnovers against both Florida and South Carolina. As Kentucky tries to salvage its disappointing season with a major upset or two and improve defensively, Williamson will be leaned on heavily as the centerpiece of the Wildcats stop unit.
Enrollment: 27,108
College football midterm evaluation ... By Jeff Dantzler Chris Brame, my buddy and esteemed co-host for our afternoon daily talk show on 960 The Ref in Athens, gives us his keen insights into the world of college football. One of the favorite parts of my work is doing a show with Chris Monday-Friday. He’s a great guy and awfully sharp. Here we go: What’s your take of the college football season so far this year? I’m impressed by how static Alabama is with Nick Saban. I don’t think they’ve been any worse than the second best team in the country every season for the last five years. Teams, especially in the SEC, rise and fall. Auburn won it all two years ago and this year haven’t won a game in the league, and probably won’t be favored to the rest of the year. Florida had its run, followed by two mediocre seasons. LSU is still great, but last year’s version would beat this year’s by three or four touchdowns. Bama keeps rolling. I haven’t seen any team play so far this year that would beat them. Who has been the biggest surprise? Unfortunately, Florida’s offense. They entered week one a punch line with a game plan that included playing Jacoby Brissett for a quarter, then Jeff Driskel the next. That worked as well you thought it would. The Gators were tied with Bowling Green in the third quarter at the Swamp. They survived, stuck with Driskel, and have put together the best resume of wins of any team in the country, so far. A pleasant surprise has been Auburn. I didn’t think they would be any good, but I didn’t see this. If they don’t win in Nashville this weekend, there’s a good chance they finish 0-8 in the conference. WAREAGLE! Cheaters. What have been the biggest disappointments? Georgia’s defensive line. Last year John Jenkins and Abry Jones combined for seven sacks. This year they have none. Last year they combined for 13 tackles for losses. This year they have two. Last year opponents converted just 29% on third down. This year they’re successful 35% of the time. Last year Georgia allowed 3.2 yards per carry. This year opponents are averaging 3.9.
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Can Georgia recover from what happened at South Carolina? Sure. At the risk of having this paragraph taped up in Kentucky’s locker room, the rest of the season comes down to the result in Jacksonville. A win over Florida would, of course, be a second straight, which hasn’t happened since 1989. It would keep Georgia’s dreams of reaching Atlanta alive, and would finally bust the slump against ranked teams. However, unless the season ends with some type of championship, we will have to deal with the sobering reality that after 119 years Georgia is no longer better at football than South Carolina. Are you surprised the Bulldogs defense hasn’t been better? Yes, it was the basis of all the lofty preseason expectations. Suspensions aside, they should have been better than allowing 318 yards to Florida Atlantic. North Texas did better than that. The 347 yards Buffalo had is almost a hundred more than the Bulls produced last year against Tennessee, and the Vols were 1-7 in the SEC last season.
Conference: SEC East
Wildcats in a thumbnail: After returning six offensive starters and five defensive regulars from last year’s 5-7 team (2-6 SEC), Kentucky will carry a disappointing 1-6 season mark and 0-4 conference record into Saturday night’s 7 o’clock kickoff against Georgia at Commonwealth Stadium. The extremely young Wildcats have defeated only Kent State (47-14) while losing to Louisville (32-14), Western Kentucky (32-31, OT), Florida (38-0), South Carolina (38-17), Mississippi State (27-14) and Arkansas (497), with the game against the Razorbacks this past Saturday night being halted with 5:08 left in the third quarter due to severe weather and lightning. A look at the Kentucky offense: Finishing at the bottom of the SEC in nearly every statistical category in 2011, the Wildcats have struggled once again this season. Only in their win over Kent State and the overtime loss to Western Kentucky did the Wildcats tally more than 17 points. To date, they have been led in rushing by junior tailbacks Raymond Sanders and Jonathan George. Sanders, from Stephenson High out of Stone Mountain, has run for 324 yards while George has totaled 201 yards on the ground. Sophomore quarterback Maxwell Smith (6-4, 224) has passed for 975 yards and eight touchdowns, with four interceptions, but missed the Arkansas game with an ankle injury. Freshman Jalen Whitlow stepped in for Smith and accounted for the Wildcats’ only score when he hooked up with senior receiver La’Rod King on a 61-yard touchdown pass. Kentucky’s leading receiver from a year ago, King tops that department once again with 31 catches for 351 yards and four touchdowns while sophomore Demarco Robinson, from Ellenwood, Ga., follows with 22 receptions for 194 yards. A look at the Kentucky defense: In coordinator Rick Minter’s new ever-changing system (combo 3-4, 4-3), the Wildcats lost the SEC’s top two tacklers from last year in Danny Trevathan and Winston Guy but have gotten good production this season from formidable linebackers Avery Williamson (243, Jr.) and Alvin Dupree (249, Soph.). Williamson has recorded a team-leading 68 tackles while Dupree follows with 49 tackles and 3.5 sacks. Senior cornerback Martavius Neloms, the leading returning tackler from 2011, is a force in the UK secondary.
What is the high end win mark for Georgia this season? Georgia will be favored in all but one of their remaining games. What Wildcats head coach Joker Phillips says: “I They’ll probably be a slight underdog to the Gators, who aren’t un- told the team at half (against Arkansas), we’re all responsible for what we see. It starts with me. I’m rebeatable. So, 11 wins is still the ceiling. sponsible for it. The players, the coaches, we’re all Who do you see playing the SEC Championship Game this responsible for it. Now, we’ve got to get ready for a good Georgia team.” year? Alabama and South Carolina. Game Prediction: Coming off one of their most disapWho do you see playing for the BCS championship this year? pointing setbacks in years, the 35-7 spanking by South My preseason pick was Bama vs Oregon, and I haven’t seen any- Carolina, I look for the Bulldogs to be a bit inspired to get things going once again. If they aren’t, then something thing from those teams to make me change my mind. is badly wrong in Athenstown. And, too, Georgia ought to be a bit motivated by South Carolina’s loss to LSU this If you were commissioner of college football, what are past Saturday evening. I’ll ride with my preseason foresome changes you would make? cast here … Georgia by 41-14 over the “Mildcats.” I would ban Yankees and Canadians from discussing the sport.
13
Jeff Dantzler’s Top 25 It was another exciting Saturday of college football, full of marquee match-ups. Most of the best games have been at night, and this past week was no exception. LSU was dominant in the fourth quarter. Oklahoma was the story of the day. Or was it Texas? The Longhorns got humiliated yet again by the Sooners. The SEC remains the class of college football. The PAC-12 and Big XII are very strong and deep though. And then of course there is Notre Dame. Say what you will about the Irish, but they have a lot of impressive wins. 1. Alabama – Coming off an open date, the Crimson Tide jumped all over Missouri in Columbia. The game was delayed for 40 minutes because of lightning and then Bama had special teams problems to tighten things for a bit. T.J. Yeldon and Eddie Lacy are a stellar tailback duo. Nick Saban has flat out reloaded the defense. Bama has big play thunder all over the field. A.J. McCarron is a fantastic quarterback. 2. Florida – It was a little scary for the Gators, but Jeff Driskel had an awesome performance and Florida was great on special teams in a 31-17 victory at Vanderbilt. The Gators hit list is the most impressive of any team in America to this point. This is a huge couple of weeks with South Carolina and then Georgia. 3. Oregon – The Ducks are flying high, perfect at 6-0 and the class of a stout PAC12. Oregon has it all. Despite losing high end backfield talent, Chip Kelly has reloaded the offense and it is still one of college football’s most explosive. The Ducks defense has bill. They specialize in pick-sixes. Oregon appears to have the best shot at ending the SEC’s run of six straight national champions. 4. Kansas State – Bill Snyder’s rebuilding job – Round Two – is one of college football’s great stories. The Wildcats survived a scary game at Iowa State, which has pulled off several impressive wins over highly ranked teams over the last few years. There’s a lot of heavy lifting remaining, but K-State is undefeated halfway home. 5. LSU – The Tigers defense, offensive line and running game pounded away and made the big plays in a huge victory over South Carolina. Les Miles’ teams have done a great job bouncing back through the years – now 18-1 following a loss. Another tall order awaits, as the Fightin’ Tigers visit the Aggies in College Station. 6. South Carolina – Coming off that 35-7 blowout of Georgia, the brutal Gamecocks schedule continued in Baton Rouge and they came up short. No time to worry about it. South Carolina now goes to Florida, and the winner sits in the catbird’s seat of the SEC East. 7. Notre Dame – The Fighting Irish have put together a mighty impressive hit list against a slew of teams that have posted a bunch of wins against Notre Dame over the past couple of decades. The Notre Dame defense is tremendous. The unit hasn’t allowed a touchdown since the second week of the season. 8. Oregon State – This is the undefeated team that has gotten the least attention. But Oregon State has proven itself against tough competition and pulled out an impressive victory at Brigham Young despite losing its quarterback. 9. Ohio State – The Buckeyes survived a 52-49 scare at Indiana and still appear to be the best team in the Big Ten. Ohio State is ineligible for the postseason because of cheating. Urban Meyer has a great quarterback to run his spread in Braxton Miller. Meyer has to be licking his chops at what he can do in Columbus over the next few years. 10. Oklahoma – Once again Bob Stoops led the Sooners to a flat our rout of Texas in the Red River Shootout. This one goes down as one of the ‘Horns most embarrassing losses in the program’s history. To win the league outright, Oklahoma needs to win the rest and have Kansas State drop a pair. 11. Mississippi State – Tyler Russell is the best quarterback Mississippi State has had in several years. The Maroon Bulldogs are sitting at 6-0 and host upset minded Middle Tennessee. Then comes a potential undefeated vs. undefeated showdown with Alabama. State is one tough team with Dan Mullen leading the way. 12. Southern Cal – The Trojans got a nice win over Washington, and they’ve bounced back from that humbling loss to Stanford. Matt Barkley is a terrific quarterback and the Trojans can boast the country’s most dynamic one-two punch at wide receiver.
13. Georgia – You never like to lose heading into an open date, but Georgia needed the break badly after getting drubbed 35-7 at South Carolina. Todd Gurley is a special freshman tailback. The defense has a long ways to go. Georgia should handle Kentucky in Lexington, then comes the big showdown in Jacksonville. 14. Boise State – Chris Petersen has done phenomenal job as the head man at Boise State, and they have been fortunate to keep him this long. They have developed a tough defense and running game to accompany the high octane passing game. 15. Florida State – They really blew a golden opportunity at a dream season, doing what they do, falling to N.C. State. You can kiss any national title dreams goodbye. Florida State came back strong to blister Boston College. Can they stay focused, take care of business and make it to the ACC Championship Game? 16. Clemson – After that disappointing second half that cost the Tigers at Florida State, the Tigers have come back with a couple of impressive wins. They had this past Saturday off and now Virginia Tech comes to Tiger Town. This could really get Clemson back on a roll. 17. Texas A&M – The Aggies survived a scare against Louisiana Tech in a wild Shreveport shootout. Johnny Manziel is one of the most exciting players in the country. Now comes the grind of the SEC and a huge showdown with LSU at Kyle Field. Texas A&M has an outstanding offense. 18. Texas Tech – It’s all about double letters for Tommy Tuberville’s Texas Tech Red Raiders, and they put a beatdown on West Virginia – a stone cold bludgeoning. Texas Tech is in the midst of a brutal stretch, but this walloping puts plenty of gas in the tank. 19. Louisville – Charlie Strong is doing excellent work at Louisville. And that’s not a shocker. He was a high end defensive coordinator for South Carolina and Florida, and has taken advantage of his shot. The Cardinals are one of three unbeatens in the Big East and maybe the best. There will be a lot of interest expressed in the Cardinals head coach from floundering programs. 20. Rutgers – It was a dangerous game for Rutgers, and the Scarlet Knights were locked up with Syracuse in a 7-7 halftime tie. But Rutgers took over, jumped in front 23-7 and held on to win by eight. Like Kansas State, this program has come light years from where it once was. 21. Cincinnati – Say hello to the third undefeated team in the Big East. Much like Rutgers, the Bearcats lost an elite coach – Brian Kelly to Notre Dame – but have remained relevant. There are some big games coming up in this small conference that really needed this kind of boost. 22. Northwestern – Not since the glory days of the mid-1990’s when Gary Barnett was coaching, and Darnell Autry and Pat Fitzgerald were starring for a Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl team, have the Wildcats been flying this high. But they are 6-1, bowl eligible and in the mix for a berth in Indianapolis. 23. West Virginia – Even on a charter flight, it can’t be easy to get from Morgantown to Lubbock. Welcome to life in a major conference. After winning a thriller at Texas, and with a huge showdown looming with Kansas State, Lubbock was a classic trap. And they flat out got smoked. This is going to be a tough recovery. 24. Stanford – The loss at Notre Dame is one that will sting for a while. The Cardinal had third and goal inside the one in overtime and twice couldn’t punch it in. Stanford has a tough defense, but the offense isn’t close to what it was with the great Andrew Luck behind center. 25. UCLA – Jim Mora Jr. likes his running attack and the solid start the Bruins have gotten off to. UCLA’s defense isn’t awful, as it often has been over the past decade. The PAC-12 is strong and the Bruins are an up-and-comer.
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’ 35-7 loss to South Carolina on Oct. 6. OFFENSE – Sophomore tailback Ken Malcome, who came off the bench near game’s end and sparked the Bulldogs’ only touchdown drive by running for a team-high 45 yards on just five carries and scoring on a 3yard run. “Ken has been a very good leader this year with the success of the freshman running backs but in this game when you’re playing against one of the best defenses in the SEC, a running back with the size of Malcome and his experience led him to a nine-yard average for 45 yards on only five carries and was the one and only bright spot for the offense,” said Butler.
DEFENSE – Sophomore inside/outside linebacker Amarlo Herrera, who recorded 11 total tackles to pace the Bulldogs’ defense in the one-sided loss to the Gamecocks. “After great success at inside linebacker over the first four games Herrera has transitioned to his second starting position on the defense and still continues to give great effort and production,” said Butler. “In a game where the rush was going to be the whole factor, Herrera was a bright spot on our defense.” SPECIAL TEAMS – Sophomore kick returner Malcolm Mitchell, who returned South Carolina’s first kickoff 48 yards and also caught three passes for 52 yards. “Malcolm is a great athlete and with the focus on offense now, his skills as a kickoff return specialist can be utilized,” said Butler. “His long return on the first kickoff against South Carolina provided Georgia with a great counter punch to their 85-yard touchdown drive. Unfortunately, the offense turned the ball over and nullified Mitchell’s return. We can look for more great things from him as a kickoff return guy.”
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