2011 Season Preview

BE A PEAK PERFORMER The team at Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery treats athletes of all ages and abilities, from recreational to professional. Our experienced boardcertified orthopaedic surgeons, therapists and athletic trainers work together to get you back in the game quickly and safely using conservative measures and state-of-the-art surgical techniques.

Beau Sasser, M.D., a Glynn County native, was fellowship-trained at the Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute in Sports Medicine, and has worked extensively with elite athletes, including the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs.

Put us on your winning team!

Beau Sasser, M.D. Board-certified Orthopaedic Surgeon Medical Director, Southeast Georgia Health System Sports Medicine

Summit Professional Plaza 1111 Glynco Parkway, Bldg. 2, Suite 100 Brunswick, GA 31525 912-262-9961 Wellness Way Medical Complex 7000 Wellness Way, Suite 7110 St. Simons Island, GA 31522 912-466-5570 Camden Medical Pavilion 2040 Dan Proctor Drive, Suite 120 St. Marys, GA 31558 912-576-6355

A strategic affiliate of Southeast Georgia Health System

© 2011 SGHS

6/2011

From the editor : vance leavy Well here we go Bulldog Nation, the countdown to kickoff is only one fun summer away. And as you can tell by our cover, everyone at BI has their sights set on one and only thing and that is Operation Double Dome.

Let me explain.

By now all those who love red and black know that our Bulldogs will open the season in the Georgia Dome against Boise State in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game on September 3. Kudos must go to UGA athletic director, Greg McGarity and Coach Richt for making the opening of the 2011 season so meaningful.

There’s no sense in spending much time on the last few years other than to say they’ve been disappointing indeed. Nonetheless, this 2011 Georgia Bulldogs team finds themselves with the ability to open its new season with a bang in Atlanta.

That’s part one of Operation Double Dome. This group of young men must find a way to take care of a well-coached Boise State team to show they are truly ready to return to a championship level.

A win in Atlanta will set the scene for the Bulldogs home opener in Athens against Steve Spurrier and the Gamecocks. And that is where the quest for part two of Operation Double Dome begins.

Like every team in the Southeastern Conference, the number one goal is to play in the conference championship in early December. And that’s definitely what Coach Richt and company began striving for since the lowly bowl loss to Central Florida.

Georgia is the only team in the SEC who has the ability to play in the Georgia Dome twice in 2011. And for that reason, that is why anyone and everyone who loves the Dawgs should be striving for Operation Double Dome.

To paint the picture for this 2011 goal, we went with a montage of photos on our cover that encompasses all the aspects of being a Georgia Bulldog. Children, mascots, a cheerleader and UGA celebs join several of the football team’s leaders around the Georgia Dome. Plainly put, that’s where we all want to be two times between September and December.

Before I delve into what that will take, you will notice on our cover a photo of Bulldogs’ Angie and Bubba Watson with UGA golf coach, Chris Haack. You gotta think that photo will certainly bring some good karma. Of course, I’m talking about Watson being at the very top of the PGA Tour this season with two wins already. And then there’s the awesome season Coach Haack and his team just completed as runners-up in the NCAA championship finals.

The beauty of being a Bulldawg is that it doesn’t matter what sport it is, there’s nothing like seeing an individual or team wearing the Georgia G doing well in athletics.

Speaking of that, while the beginning of June signifies the true countdown to kickoff for the Georgia football team, it also means that most of UGA’s other sports have come to a close. I must give kudos to Dave Perno, his staff and team for having such an amazing season given the unfor-

tunate injuries the team suffered the last few seasons. They are Bulldogs in every sense of the word.

While there have yet to be any national titles for any UGA teams, there is so much to be proud of with our athletic program. As you will read in Murray Poole’s story on Greg McGarity (page 7) not only did our student-athletes perform at high levels, their grades were at the very top in all of the SEC. And with McGarity’s leadership you have to think the Bulldog Nation is just at the beginning of even greater accomplishments.

Hopefully for our football team, their drive to greatness began the moment they arrived back in Athens for summer workouts. From the seniors to the highly touted newcomers, it will take total focus over the next two months for this team to be ready for kickoff in the Georgia Dome.

It doesn’t take rocket scientists to come to the realization that a good football team begins with excellent leadership from your players. And, oh boy, am I thrilled with the players Coach Richt named in Murray Poole’s story on page 22.

Brandon Boykin, Ben Jones, Aaron Murray and Christian Robinson have all shown they have the fight and moxie to make our football program even greater. And it’s even more refreshing to see how each player respects one another. And while they greatly appreciate Richt’s faith in them, they know that the title of leader is just that unless the overall goals of the team are accomplished.

To those four I say one thing … Operation Double Dome!

Now that my space is dwindling, I must encourage you to sit back at some point this summer and read every page in this Season Preview issue.

On the sports side, JD breaks down every game and every position throughout our pages, including his Top 25. And he also adds his thoughts on what it will take to right the ship in 2011 (page 4). And Travis Ragsdale (our new BI online editor) gets fan reactions on page 10.

Like most fans this time of year, optimism is at an all-time high. And that includes Murray Poole who predicted a 10-2 season for the Dawgs on page 5.

On the social side, we have certainly been active with our camera.

Enjoy finding Bulldog friends from Charlotte to Lake Oconee to the Georgia coast. And please don’t miss the features that the better half of Bulldawg Illustrated has put together in this issue. Cheri’s In the Kitchen feature (page 21) lets you meet an awesome Georgia family in the Channells with the bonus of a killer recipe. And her spotlight on Neely Young (page 25) is a blast as she puts the well-known Georgia publisher on the other side of a Q&A session. And on page 17, she previews the Countdown to Kickoff event that the Stinchcomb brothers and David Greene hold annually. What an awesome event they have created. One that no true Dawg should miss on July 16 in Athens.

Wow, I’ve totally run out of space. Oh well. Here’s to everyone in the Bulldog Nation accomplishing Operation Double Dome this football season.

Enjoy and Go Dawgs!

2011 Season Preview Cha Cha Cha Publishing Editor Vance Leavy Editorial & Ad Director Cheri Leavy Sports Guru Jeff Dantzler Public Relations Director Andrew Miller Sales Kelley Blanton Andrew Miller Holly Stanfill Alan Lanier Sports Murray Poole Layout/Design Vance Leavy Photographers Rob Saye and Ryan Scates Ad Design Cheri Leavy Andrew Miller Cover Design Boyd Martin Cover Photos Rob Saye Columnists Carlton DeVooght Al Hickson Reg Murphy Rob Sherrell Loran Smith Chad White

Season Preview, June 7, 2011 FOR ADVERTISING OR TO SUBSCRIBE: andrew@bulldawgillustrated.com

1-877-456-4624

Now’s Your Chance to Join Our Italian Family Franchising Opportunities Available

Visit our web site to learn what is required to become one of our founding franchisees.

Downtown • Eastside • Timothy Rd. www.depalmasitaliancafe.com www.bulldawgillustrated.com

3

jeff dantzler

BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR !!! ( ASK OHIO STATE )

"LADY DAWG" HEADQUARTERS SINCE 1974 SPORTSWEAR 2-16 + PLUS SIZE SECTION 1X-3X ACCESSORIES + GIFTS

1616 Frederica Road + St. Simons Island 912-638-3995 + 10- 5:30 MON.-SAT.

t t t t t t t t t t t

t t t t t t t t t t t

LADY DAWG HEADQUARTERS

DRESSING DAWG FANS FOR 36 YEARS

• Angus Snack Wraps

•

McCafe Frappes

•

Happy Meals

2230 W. Broad St 706-549-4265 475 US Hwy. 29 706-549-0067 1124 Prince Ave. 706-543-0522 3825 Atlanta Hwy 706-613-0340 150 Gaines School Rd. 706-543-8010 1741 Epps Bridge Pkwy.

706-227-9200

Frozen Springtime means ...

Strawberry Lemonade Smoothie time Real Fruit Smoothies

• Angus Snack Wraps

•

McCafe Frappes

•

Happy Meals

%UHDNIDVW ‡ /XQFK ‡ 'LQQHU

EHVW SDQFDNHV LQ WKH ZRUOG 2125 N. Decatur Rd.

404.634.6294

Decatur, GA 30033

Go Dawgs!

6HUYLQJ 0RQGD\ 6DWXUGD\ DP XQWLO SP KRPH RI WKH SHU SHUVRQ FDWHULQJ WD[ OLPLWHG GHOLYHU\ DUHD LQFOXGHG

4

Chicken McNuggets • Quarter pounder w/Cheese • Premium Salads

Chicken McNuggets • Quarter pounder w/Cheese • Premium Salads

Real Fruit Smoothies

What it will take to rise again This is clearly a critical year for the Georgia football program. The Bulldogs are not far removed from one of the greatest stretches of success in school history, highlighted by Southeastern Conference championships in 2002 and 2005 and a No. 2 national finish in 2007. But in the rough and tough Southeastern Conference, which produced the last five national champions from a four school pool, if your stagnant or only slightly regressing, you’ll not just get passed – you’ll get lapped.

So while the Bulldogs certainly haven’t fallen to the depths, four of the last five seasons have been downright disappointing. Now, the win totals in these years has been nine, 10, eight and six, again not wretched, but certainly not to the standards and expectations of the Georgia people.

There have clearly been problems in assembling talent – recruiting – and in its development. Georgia has fallen from arguably the best and most stable program in the league from ’02 – ’07 to second tier. And unlike other leagues where dropping a notch still provides the opportunity for strong seasons, such is not the case in the SEC’s vicious ocean of predatory Great White’s sniffing for any drop of blood in the water.

Think about how tough this league is. The coaches at what most would consider the seventh, eighth and ninthto-11th best programs in the league are Bobby Petrino, Steve Spurrier and Dan Mullen.

Following an embarrassing 10-6 loss to Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl, the enthusiasm of the Georgia people was at its lowest point since the dark days of 1993-95.

But then Georgia got some juice.

The Bulldogs put together their best recruiting class in five years. This crop, which featured five of the consensus top six players in the Peach State was generally regarded amongst the country’s top five, and No. 3 in the SEC – behind the last two national champions, Alabama and Auburn.

There were still some standouts, particularly in the trenches and on the front seven, that got away, but it was an impressive and important haul.

The biggest reason Georgia fell from the top of the SEC was a failure to land – with development being the next step – enough of the state’s elite. Take 2007, for example, when Georgia whiffed on Eric Berry, Cam Newton, Cameron Heyward and Morgan Burnett.

But Georgia closed strong this past winter and a rather pedestrian crop turned into a standout class with the commitments and eventual signings of the Valdosta duo of Jay Rome and Malcolm Mitchell, Thomasville’s Ray Drew and Isaiah Crowell from Columbus.

Junior College nose tackle John Jenkins was an enormous cherry on top, and all of sudden the hopes of the Bulldog nation were back on the upswing.

This class gives Georgia a boost for 2011, and certainly for the near future.

Coming off of arguably the most disappointing season in school history – at the very least, the biggest flop since the 1970s – the program needed a jump start.

So how will that translate to the win column in 2011? The schedule is never a breeze, but for a second straight year, there’s no Alabama or LSU. Cam Newton is gone at Auburn. Urban Meyer is gone at Florida. Unlike 2008 when the Dogs faced arguably the nation’s most daunting schedule and went a disappointing 10-3 with a wealth of skill position talent, if Georgia underwhelms for a second straight season with another more than generous slate, all of the big picture blame comes inward.

So can the Dogs do it in 2011?

Here are 10 things that must happen – in Cliff’s Notes form.

1. Improve greatly against the run – In critical games last year, the Bulldogs were flattened by enemy rushing

attacks. If you can’t stop the run in this league, you don’t win. Marcus Lattimore and South Carolina, Mississippi State, Colorado, Florida, Auburn, Tech and even Central Florida gashed the Bulldogs. Turnovers saved the day against Tech. All of the others were losses. There is some major transition on the front seven and it’s the second year of the “3-4� base defensive scheme.

If Georgia doesn’t make a big jump here, then expect a year similar to the last two.

2. Have Crowell and Jenkins remind fans of Lattimore and Dyer and Cody and Fairley – This is pretty easy.

For Georgia to be great, the Dogs need freshman juice at tailback – a la Lattimore and Dyer - from Crowell and for Jenkins to have a similar impact to that of Cody and Fairley for the last two national champs.

3. Deliver on the Offensive Line – This is scary. Georgia is yet again thin up front and there are serious concerns about the talent level of the younger players in the program at this position.

Will some sophomores and redshirt freshmen step into prominent roles or did Georgia suffer some serious recruiting whiffs? The success of the front goes a long way towards Georgia’s next two issues.

4. Get bang and electricity out of the running game – In the Mark Richt era, Georgia is 42-4 when a tailback goes for over 100 yards. Will Georgia base its offense around this. News flash, the defense gets a lot better too when backs go big. Even against LouisianaLafayette and pitiful Idaho State last season, there were third-and-short’s when Georgia lined up and ran and couldn’t convert.

5. Aaron Murray must deliver – As a redshirt freshman, Murray had an outstanding year and it would surprise no one if he ended his career in the conversation as one of Georgia’s best ever quarterbacks. He can run, he can throw the deep ball and he can make plays.

But Murray is not real big, and those medium range throws over the middle and to the sidelines have to get better.

With a strong running game, he’ll be dynamite off of play action on roll outs and throwing the deep balls. But who’s going to catch them?

6. Emergence of talent at wide receiver – Mitchell will get a big time look. This is another freshman that Georgia is counting on. There are veterans in the program, but do Tavarres King, Marlon Brown, Israel Troupe and Rantavious Wooten have what it takes to be a No. 1. Chris Conley could help and Georgia is loaded at tight end. If Jay Rome is ready, expect a lot of two tight sets.

7. Get back that road swagger – During the first half of the Richt era, Georgia was arguably the best road team in the country. That is no longer the case. In fact, the Bulldogs have lost on their most recent visits to Auburn, Knoxville and Columbia.

8. Beat Florida – It’s not Urban Meyer. It’s former Georgia walk-on safety Will Muschamp in his first year as a head coach. It’s 3-18 since 1990.

9. Start strong – If Georgia – and it’s a tall task with both Boise State and South Carolina preseason top ten picks – can come out of the gates strong, the schedule shapes up for Georgia to make a championship run.

10. Put it all together – Too many times the last couple of years, the defense would shine one Saturday, the offense the next. Too many times –and this never happened during Richt’s first five years – Georgia has gotten flat out blown out. This team must come together. The offense, defense and kicking game feeding off of one another.

The schedule and circumstances couldn’t be any better.

Enjoy the Summer. Tick tick tick, the countdown to kickoff moves quickly.

Bulldawg Illustrated

poole shots

By Murray Poole

New strength & conditioning nets 10-2 While in attendance at Georgia’s spring practice this year, UGA Sports Communications Director Claude Felton had one of his student assistants, Joseph Feldman, give me a tour of the newly-expanded Butts-Mehre training facility.

As we walked through the building, I noticed that the Bulldogs’ new strength and conditioning director, Joe Tereshinski, was present in his office, which sits adjacent to Georgia’s spacious and state-of-the-art weight room. So I dipped in to greet “Coach T,” thinking we would be exchanging quick pleasantries and then I’d be on my way.

But to my pleasant surprise, Coach Tereshinski talked at length with me on what the new strength and conditioning regimen was doing for the Georgia football team. He illustrated what the grueling workouts have meant to the players’ bodies and also what the new routine has done for the Bulldogs’ confidence and mental outlook going forward.

Coach T used likely the biggest and smallest players on the Georgia team for his examples of how the Bulldogs have paid the price and bought into his system.

Tereshinski called Kwame Geathers, rising sophomore nose guard at 6-6, 340 pounds, likely the most improved player on the team when it came to turning unneeded body fat into hard muscle and thereby gaining extra explosiveness, stamina and quickness to come off the ball and penetrate into the opposing team’s backfield. And, certainly, Tereshinski’s praise of Geathers’ work habits was borne out at the end of spring drills when the Georgetown, S.C. product was named as the team’s MVP on defense.

Coach T also illustrated up on his player performance board how small walk-on freshman redshirt tailback Brandon Harton – who wasn’t even listed in the spring media guide player bios – had through the weight room and conditioning workouts added muscle and strength to his now 5-6, 175-pound frame.

And under Tereshinski’s tutelage, Harton must have also increased his quickness and speed as he was heavily lauded by teammates and his coaches throughout the spring practices while eventually earning the Outstanding Walk-on on Offense award.

Also, on Coach T’s huge desk computer screen, he showed me photos of the football players eating in the dining hall and how they’ve had to alter their old eating habits in order to adhere to Georgia’s new nutrition guidelines. Tereshinski, making his point, displayed an original picture of rising junior wide receiver Marlon Brown having breakfast. On his tray, Brown was chowing down on fried foods and for his drink, was partaking of a Coca-Cola.

“Needless to say, he didn’t have that again,” smiled Coach T. “Our players now either drink Power-Ade or water and eat very little fried stuff.”

What I’m getting at here is that while head coach Mark Richt and his coaching staff shelved the infamous off-season mat drills for the first time since Richt came to UGA in 2001, this weight training and conditioning work under Tereshinski and his assistant staff has simply done wonders into shaping the current Bulldogs’ physical bodies and mindsets into what they must be in order for Georgia to become an SEC and National championship contender once again.

For one thing, these definitely leaner and hopefully meaner Bulldogs should be able to “finish” in the fourth quarter in the upcoming 2011 season … something Richt pointed to as maybe Georgia’s No. 1 problem en route to last year’s 6-7 debacle.

And because of the Bulldogs’ great gains made in the off-season under Coach T and his staff and because of the subsequent positive mindset the Georgia team is carrying into its summer workouts and then preseason camp in August, I’m thinking this will all evolve into the Bulldogs barking to a 10-2 regular-season mark this autumn.

That said, let’s venture out on that yearly limb once again and tab Georgia’s 2011 wins and losses: Sept. 3 – Boise State in Georgia Dome – The old Dome in the ATL will be rocking on Labor Day weekend. Once again, the Broncos – ranked as high as No. 5 in some preseason polls – will bring an explosive offense to town led by All-America QB Kellen Moore but with the Bulldogs having an all-star quarterback of

www.bulldawgillustrated.com

their own in Aaron Murray, freshman tailback Isaiah Crowell making an impressive debut and Todd Grantham’s 3-4 defense looking much more ferocious in its second year, Georgia will kick off the new season in style with a 34-24 win over the Broncos.

Sept. 10 – South Carolina – While the nationally-televised game against Boise is all important for the Bulldogs’ image on the national scene, this SEC opener against the Gamecocks looms much, much bigger for Richt’s men.

With the Georgia defense doing a better job of slowing Marcus Lattimore this time, the Dogs avenge last year’s 17-6 loss in Columbia with a hard-fought 24-17 win over the Cocks.

Sept. 17 – Coastal Carolina – After the monumental first two games, the Dogs clear their bench with a 48-13 pasting of the Chanticleers.

Sept. 24 – at Ole Miss – This definitely has the makings of a trap game for Georgia but not having to show everything against Coastal Carolina the week before, the Bulldogs hammer an Ole Miss team that should be improved after last year’s 4-8 campaign. Georgia, 31-17.

Oct. 1 – Mississippi State – This is gonna be a tough one for the Bulldogs as Dan Mullen’s State team comes between the hedges off last season’s 9-4 finish and 52-14 dismantling of Michigan in the Gator Bowl. Still, at home, Georgia wins a tight one, say by 24-21 over those other Dogs.

Oct. 8 – at Tennessee – After five straight “up” weeks, the Bulldogs have to have a letdown game, or do they? The last two visits to the Vols’ Neyland Stadium have seen Georgia being routed and while I don’t envision that happening again, Derek Dooley’s team, led by ultra-promising quarterback Tyler Bray, are the pick to pull a mild upset and thereby deal the Dogs their first loss of the season. UT, by 28-21.

Oct. 15 – at Vanderbilt – Up in the Music City the next week, Georgia rebounds mightily by smacking James Franklin’s first Commodore team by 41-17.

Oct. 29 – Florida at Jacksonville – The open week after the Vandy game should be a great boost to the Bulldogs’ chances as they try to begin doing something about all the misery they’ve suffered against the Gators over these last two decades. But, thing is, the Gators under first-year coach Will Muschamp – he of the Bulldog vintage – also enjoy an open date prior to the collision on the banks of the St. Johns River. I think clearly Georgia will have a better football team than Florida in this, the Gators’ year of transition, but with this game it’s now reached the “Show Me First” stage. Until Georgia is able to put that mental thing against UF in its rearview mirror, I have to pick Florida to somehow prevail again, by 27-24 in a second straight overtime meeting.

Nov. 5 – New Mexico State – The Dogs snarl back from the Florida loss by routing the Aggies, 40-17.

Nov. 12 – Auburn – No Cam Newton, no after-the-whistle hitting Nick Fairley, the rebuilding Tigers will run into a Bulldog team seeking revenge for last season’s 49-31 pasting on the Plains. Georgia, 35-20.

Nov. 19 – Kentucky – Georgia scored 44 points on Joker Phillips’ first UK team last season. This time, the Dogs tally 37 in a 37-14 whipping of the Cats at Sanford Stadium.

Nov. 27 – at Georgia Tech – Dogs put the cap on their 10-2 season by swatting the Jackets for a third straight year, say by 42-31 at Bobby Dodd Stadium (difficult to keep Paul Johnson’s rarely-played-against attack from scoring).

So, there you have it, Georgia winning 10 of its 12 2011 outings. Now will that 10-2 overall and 6-2 SEC finish be good enough to get the Bulldogs to the SEC title game? I think it will because in addition to its East Division slate, Florida has to face Alabama, LSU and Auburn out of the West. And South Carolina has to meet West Division foes Auburn, Mississippi State and Arkansas.

As for Georgia’s first excursion to the SEC Championship Game since 2005, let’s first wait and see who’s going to provide the Georgia Dome opposition as the Western Division champion.

Of course, as I look back, I must confess I’m predicting for a second consecutive year that Georgia will log a 10-2 won-loss ledger. A little off the mark in making that forecast last season, I’d say, but I’m pretty sure Richt’s 2011 Dogs will be real close to hitting that target … or even bettering it.

5

Macon Bulldog Club Hudson Benton, Shelley Greene and Wheeler Benton

Mark Fox, Carter Smith and Spencer Smith

Debbie Holland and Kyle Butler

Mike Cavan and Tootle Neel

Brother Stewart and Mark Fox

David Wilson, Larry Willson and Josh Wilson

Don Handberry, Andrew Blascovich and K Shockley

John Holmes, Graham Thorpe and Brittany Lee

William Stuart and Barry Stuart

Phil Spence, Ed Freeman and Autumn Calder

Rhonda and Larry Thigpen and Macy Morris

Stephens Lamb, Mark Richt, Josie Lamb and Will Lamb

Your Y our m main ain ffocus ocus iiss ttoo m manage anage yyour our b business. usiness.

Let uss m manage Let u anage your your risk. risk.

At BB&T Insurance Services, that’s exactly what we do, every day, for thousands of businesses.

From risk assessment to plan design, we take the time to get to know you and your business.

We offer a wide range of carriers, programs and competitively priced coverage tailored to meet your insurance needs – all through a single source. You can count on us to be your trusted insurance partner. ‘•Â?†—Š™™† NJȢȢțǪ ČĄČĄČ&#x;Ç‚ČĄČŁČœČŁ ÇŚ ™Â?Š“˜ NJȢțȥǪ ČžČ Č&#x;ǂȞȣȤȞ ÇŚ †——”‘‘™”“ NJȢȢțǪ Č?ČœČ&#x;Ç‚ČœČ¤Č¤Čœ ”“žŠ—˜ NJȢȢțǪ Č&#x;ȣȞǂțțȣț ÇŚ †‘™”“ NJȢțȥǪ Č?Č˘ČŁÇ‚ČœČœČ&#x;Ȥ ÇŚ †žŠ™™Š›Ž‘‘Š NJȢȢțǪ Č&#x;Č˘ČœÇ‚Č˘ČœČ›Č›

†Ž“Š˜›Ž‘‘Š NJȢȢțǪ Č ČžČĄÇ‚ČžČžČœČœ ÇŚ Š““Š˜†œ NJȢȢțǪ Č&#x;Č?ȤǂțČ&#x;ČŁČ? ÇŚ ”Œ†“›Ž‘‘Š NJȢȢțǪ Č&#x;ČĄČĄÇ‚Č?Č¤ČœČ› †ˆ”“ ÇŠČ&#x;ȢȣǪ Č&#x;Č›Č Ç‚Č&#x;Č?țț ÇŚ ”“—”Š NJȢȢțǪ Č?ȥȢǂČ&#x;Č Č&#x;Č ÇŚ †›†““†Â? ÇŠČ¤ČœČ?ÇŞ ČžČ ČžÇ‚ČžČ¤ČŁČ› Â?”’†˜™”“ NJȢțȥǪ ČĄČ&#x;Č˘Ç‚ČŁČœČ?Čœ ÇŚ Ž“‰Š— NJȢȢțǪ ČŁČĄČ˘Ç‚ČœČ?Č&#x;Čœ

B A N K I N G

I N S U R A N C E

I N V E S T M E N T S

“‘ž ‰Š•”˜Ž™˜ †—Š Ž“˜š—Š‰ǀ “˜š—†“ˆŠǀ ǀˆ”’ǀ “‘ ž ‰Š•”˜Ž™˜ †—Š Ž“˜š—Š‰ǀ Š “˜š—†“ˆŠǀ ǀˆ”’ǀ ČŠ Č?Č›ČœČœ —†“ˆÂ? †“Â?Ž“Œ † ČŠ Č?Č›ČœČœ —†“ˆÂ? †“Â?Ž“Œ †“‰ —š˜™ ”’•†“žǀ “‰ —š˜™ ”’•†“žǀ

6

Bulldawg Illustrated

The McGarity effect

By Murray Poole

his coming Aug. 13, Greg McGarity will mark his first full year as the athletic director at the University of Georgia.

And in these past 10 months after returning to his alma mater from the University of Florida, McGarity has continually worked to put the wheels in motion to enable the Georgia athletic program to take its place among the nation’s best.

Not only in football, where McGarity has lifted some of the off-the-field responsibilities from Mark Richt’s plate to enable the Bulldogs’ head coach to concentrate fully on the X’s and O’s of the game in his attempt to steer Georgia back into the SEC championship picture, but McGarity has also taken the necessary steps to make for improvement in every other team sport on campus as well.

And, know this: Greg McGarity is demanding excellence from every single coach and player in the UGA athletic department. And that doesn’t necessarily mean every Bulldog team has to win an SEC championship but it does mean every Georgia athletic team has to continue making strides toward that goal, instead of reversing into a downward spiral.

Said McGarity in an extensive interview with Bulldawg Illustrated shortly after succeeding Damon Evans as Georgia’s new athletic director: “You can’t take a day off in this business. Let’s say the coaches had a great year in whatever sport, and they think, ‘well, we’ve got this thing figured out and we might can coast a year.’ I promise you that when you’re competing at this level if you take that attitude, it’ll take 10 years to get it back so what you have to do is when you have some success then you’ve got to work that much harder to stay at that level because, you know what, everybody’s going to be gunning for you. So what you’ve got to do is keep the pedal to the metal. Now how long can coaches maintain that and maintain a family life and stable life, some coaches have a short time frame, some coaches have a larger time frame.

But I think it’s a business that is really, really, really tough. If someone wants to compete just for the fun of it, they probably need to go to another institution that maybe doesn’t expect to compete at the high level. It may be OK (for them) just to be middle of the pack in the SEC. “The first week I was here,� McGarity continued, “I met with all the coaches and basically laid out what they can expect from me as athletic director and what I need to expect from them, but if you look at those charts, it didn’t say anything about winning SEC championships. There were no magic numbers for any coach. For me to do that, that’s not being fair to them. The next hires we have or what have you, the expectations will never be to win (national championships). For me to say as athletic director, ‘you will win a championship, you will do this.’ Again, it gets back to coaches. Coaches know what they need to do – they need to be competitive, they need to have good students, good citizens, and they need to work as hard as they possibly can work.

T

“And at the end of the day,� McGarity said, “if you have those three things working you’re going to be successful but you look at various sports (and say) we have to win a national title, we have to win an SEC championship, that’s so hard to do. You not only have to be talented but have to be lucky in some circumstances. It takes some help from others to maybe get up to the mountain top. But I think it’s an expectation we all have, to be competitive in everything we do and if we’re not competitive, you have to look at, well, why aren’t we competitive? I’ve been in situations at Florida where we’ve had to make program changes and the people who have been affected by that are some of the greatest people in the world. But at the end of the day, you have to make decisions that are best for the institution, maybe not best for the individual, but you have to do what’s in the best interest of the institution and that’s the tough part of our job, having to make those calls. “Schools in this conference are always competing for national championships,� he said. “If you’re competitive in the SEC, you’re going to be competitive nationally and it really takes a special type of a coach that wants to work under those conditions.

You know it before you ever come in, the expectations.�

Of course, one key move McGarity has made to provide Richt’s football Dogs the opportunity to move themselves back into national prominence – following last season’s dismal 6-7 finish – is lining up Georgia to confront national power Boise State in the Sept. 3 2011 season opener at the Georgia Dome. That game is being embraced by everyone in the Bulldog Nation ‌ and especially by Richt and his team. “The bottom line,â€? said Richt, “going into year 11, I feel like a new head coach. That’s because our AD is new and he’s asked me over and over again, ‘what can I do to help you succeed and to help football become the best in the country?’ And that’s been very exciting for me and certainly revived me in a lot of ways. “Greg came to me about the Boise State game after I think ESPN came to him and we talked it over,â€? said Richt. “I don’t think he would have done it without me wanting to do it but both of us agreed – it was a very good idea to do it. It has generated excitement for our fans, excited our recruits (which led to the Bulldogs landing a top six national recruiting class) and our coaches. And our current players are excited about it too and motivated.â€?

McGarity’s decision to schedule the Bulldogs vs. Boise State in the annual Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game also aided in Bulldog Club/Hartman Fund contributions increasing by $300,000 to a total of $23 million this year. Anyone contributing at least $100 to the Hartman Fund was eligible to buy tickets to the game and Georgia fans quickly purchased all 53,000 that were available.

This spring, McGarity also put his stamp of approval on moving the Bulldogs’ G-Day game back a week.

That the spring game no longer conflicted with Masters weekend proved to be an added bonus as a record crowd of

43,117 was in attendance at Sanford Stadium but then, that was not the reason for moving the game from April 9 to April 16. “That was not our thought process,� informed Richt. “Coach (strength and conditioning director Joe) Tereshinski and myself, in discussing our strength and conditioning program and what we needed to get accomplished, just wanted to get another week of the strength and conditioning cycle in before we started spring ball. So that was it, not necessarily moving the game away from the Masters.�

In commenting on McGarity’s freeing him of extra duties not related to the coaching aspect itself, Richt said, “It was not any one particular thing, it was just the overall mentality of his and his willingness to get some things done with our program.�

Under McGarity, who has expressed an adamant desire to keep the Georgia-Florida tradition going in Jacksonville but has also begun taking steps to assure that all future Bulldog teams won’t be strapped by too strenuous non-SEC schedules, the UGA athletic program finished second behind Florida this year in the race for the SEC All-Sports Trophy.

Georgia’s second place overall standing was highlighted by finishing second in the annual men’s sports competition and third in the women’s. The Bulldogs were boosted by SEC championships in men’s tennis and women’s swimming and diving.

And last, but certainly not least, Georgia’s athletic teams have continued with their excellence academic progress since McGarity took over as the school’s AD. Eight UGA sports teams were among the top three in the Southeastern Conference in the annual NCAA Academic Progress Rate released recently. With a perfect score of 1,000, the men’s golf team was tops in the SEC. And the Bulldog football team’s 976 APR score ranked tied for second best in the SEC, only one point behind league-leading Vanderbilt.

The Academic Progress Rate, now in its sixth year, measures the eligibility, retention and graduation of student-athletes competing on every Division I sports team. It also serves as a predictor of graduation success. The most recent APR scores are multi-year rates based on the scores from the 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, and 2009-10 academic years but clearly, the present Georgia teams are continuing to make great gains in the classroom under McGarity’s watch. “Greg is about treating people the right way, internally with our coaches and staff and externally with our ‘customers,’� offered Georgia Senior Associate Athletic Director/Sports Communications Director Claude Felton. “He sees his job as putting coaches and staff in positions to be successful and let them run their programs. He’s very competitive when it comes to our sports teams and is committed to providing the resources and support for each to be the best they can be. Greg has brought a transparency to the athletic program that has fostered a sense of ownership among all the employees. He’s back home and been received in a very significant way among all our constituencies.�

Celebrate Cele brrate on Jekyll J yll Island!

Jek Is sland!

Get a jump on summer at Inn and Suites.

Suites.

Oceanside Inn

7

JJoin oin us ffor or a relaxin relaxing ng early early Summer g etaway. Enjo hfront getaway.

Enjoyy our beac beachfront lo ocation including these location amenities: Rates st artin i g at

$95*

Oceanfront ont ‡ Oceanfr

guestrooms guestr ooms and suites

abulous oceanocean‡ FFabulous front fr ont pool and hot tub

4th of July Weekend Celebration on Jekyll Island

‡ Island hot spot The SandBar & Grill

L

‡ On premise Red

ocated on n th thee tudee 31o Historic Wharf on Jekyll Island, Latitude R Rah ood & the “Rah�

Bar offers the freshest seafo seafood in ncredible setting! and an incredible

s $AYS)NN*EKYLL COM

s $AYS)NN*EKY YLL COM 4th of JJuly uly P Poolside oolside P Party arty & Cook Out (additional (additiional $10 pp) ght Minimum Requir red e 4 Nig Night Required e Continental C Br eakfast Each Eac ch Mor ning Includes Delux Deluxe Breakfast Morning or o Days Day y Inn & Suites Guests Only. ys On nly. *F For Valid V a alid July July 1–4th, 2011. No other discounts d to apply. applly. Must be paid in ad advance. dvance. No cancellation or refunds. refunds. e Reg Reg.. rrates ates may may be booked bo ooked with standard standard 72 h cancellation policy. p policy . Limited space. space.

Plannin ngg an event on the coast?

Planning We can help! h lp Our cateringg team We deliv d l ver an exceptional p l experiexper p can deliver whhether h h it’s a corporate p ence - whether g, social s l function, f cocktai k outing, cocktail p yy,, rehearsal rehhhearsall dinner, dinner d r, reception receptio party, weddin dd ng ceremony! or wedding Viisit ourr F Facebook acebook and request info online!

Visit

coastaldining.com

jekyllisland.com jek yllissland.com

//j/jekyllisland jekyllisla and

Bug & bike rentals

‡ Wireless internet

6.553.5955 Call 1.86 1.866.553.5955 or visit us u online at OceansideInn nandSuites.com OceansideInnandSuites.com 711 N. N BBeachview Beac hvie h i w Driv D Drive i e Jekyll J k ll IIsland, l d GA 31527 *Rate *R ate based on availability. availabilityy. RRate ate does not include resor resortt service taxes. ser vice ccharges harrges and tax es.

//j/jekyll_island jekyll_island

visitjek yll.mobi visitjekyll.mobi

Maxwells Whittles Gift Shop Light V Vending ending www.bulldawgillustrated.com

7

Lake Country Bulldog Club

Ron Kalpak and David Kalpak

Marty Jordan, Mark Richt and Doug Foreback

Mike McDonald and Julian Suggs

Joe Tereshinski and Mike Bobo

Dottie Suggs and Greg McGarity

Kirk Olivadotti and Mark Garafalo

Tony Ball and David Hoersten

David Robertson and Todd Grantham

Katie Medrano, Dana McMichael, Amanda Black, Jamie Dutton, Crystal Trantham and Sofia Netchaeva

Our Carpet

Phil Neal, Al Hoyle and Trip Agerton

BONUS

CARPET BONUS PACKAGE PRICING

SAVES

BONUS

PACKAGE

You More!

SALE

Carpet & Pad Take Up

CARPET

BONUS EXTRAVAGANZA BONUS

3690 Atlanta Highway (Next to Honey Baked Ham) 706.353.0547 www.daltoncarpetone.com *With approved credit. See store for details.

8

Furniture Moving

BONUS

BIGGEST BONUS If you don’t like the way your floors look, we’ll replace them for FREE. It’s...

Pre-Measure & Estimate

24-Month Special Financing Available* Bulldawg Illustrated

Brad Lastinger, Bradley Lastinger and Craig Meeks

Stadion Classic at UGA Steve Shewmaker and Pat Allen

Dan Hall, Sarah Doherty, Clay Alliston, Veronica and Steve Beard and Roy Burns

Angie Watson, Chris Haack and Bubba Watson

Steve Smith, Charlie Smith and John Coffee

John Rhodes and Dax Langley

Ford Neel, AJ Green, John Neel and Steven Farmer

Debbie Phillips, Jerry Warshaw and Laura Jolly

Don DeColaines, Foy Horne and Art Archibald

Tim Chapman, John Maudlin and Avery McLean

Jim Douglass and David Dukes

Sarah and Jud Doherty, Cutts Benedict and Pat Day

Andy Clifton, Camila Clifton, Mary Nelle Clifton and Butch Clifton

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES AND FIREWORKS at The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee Rekindling the spirit of endless summer. It’s our pleasure. Experience the enchantment of Georgia’s Lake Country from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. every Sunday evening either under the stars, on your lake-view balcony, or while indulging in cuisine.

FIREWORK PACKAGE Starting at $289 USD per night Valid on the following Sundays: June 12, 19, 26 July 10, 17, 31 August 7, 14, 21, 28 Firework Package Includes: x Overnight accommodations in a lake-view guestroom x Valet Parking for one vehicle x Firework “Snack Pack” with wine for two x Firework show and concert to be viewed from your lake-view room or the lakeside lawn

JUNE June 5, The Jimmy Hall Band Classic Southern Rock & Rhythm & Blues

JULY July 3, Horace Reeves & The Happy Five

AUGUST August 7, Diane Durrett & Soul Suga’ Summer Soul Serenade

June 12, Tommy Talton Band International Slide Guitar

July 10, Yonrico Scott Band Grammy Award Winning Jazz

June 19, Davin McCoy & The Coming Attractions Blue-eyed Georgia Soul

July 17, The Mosier Brothers Newgrass, Bluegrass & Pickin’ to the Classics

August 21, Big Band Atlanta Big Band & Swing

June 26, The Fly Brothers Reggae and Boogie

July 24, Men of Soul The Music of Motown

August 28, Shannon Tanner Summer Family Show

August 14, Webb Wilder Classic & New Alternative Country

July 31, Good Vibrations Classic Party Hits One Lake Oconee Trail • Greensboro, Georgia 30642 TEL 706.467.0600 GUEST FAX 706.467.7124 www.ritzcarltonlodge.com

www.bulldawgillustrated.com

9

Voices of the Bulldog Nation What the fans are saying about the 2011 football season

By Travis Ragsdale

homas Sanford - Athens, GA I think we’re in for a great year. Aaron Murray, fully expect that he can be an All-American this year, no doubt. We are set at quarterback for years to come. I know our offensive line is young but they are huge. They can push some people around down in the trenches so “the man”, Isaiah Crowell, can bust off some big runs. I think we win the SEC East no problem this year.

Florida isn’t any good this year, South Carolina is overrated and there isn’t anyone else to challenge us really. I think if we get to the Dome though we may have more issues just because Alabama is so good and they will probably be there with us. It’s going to be a good year though.

Prediction: 11-1

T

Thomas Wilson - Augusta, GA First of all, I’m behind Coach Richt 100%. I think he is the man for the job and can’t get the Dawgs to where they need to be. But at the same time some things do need to change. Like Coach Bobo, I don’t think he can be an offensive coordinator in the SEC. Who knows though, with Crowell coming in and Murray with a year under his belt Bobo might be able to game plan more. Either way, I know everyone is excited to see this freshman class and how far we can go with these guys.

Prediction: 9-3 Doug Ensley - Rome, GA I think we are definitely in a transition period but at least it’s on the upswing. Last year was our lowest point.

Coach Richt rededicated himself this off-season with the recruiting and all that so it seems like he’s more energized.

Which is nice because seeing how fired up Coach Grantham gets, it will be good to get that out of our head coach from now on.

Prediction: 10-2 Charles Ogle - Peachtree City, GA With the Dream Team coming in I think we have a good shot to bounce back from last year. Crowell is going to be really good I think and that’s one of the things we’ve been missing the past few years; a good running back that is. But then again, our offensive line isn’t looking so hot with all the injuries so who knows.

10

Photo by Ryan Scates

As far as Coach Richt goes I think that he has earned the ability to “right the ship.” He won us a Sugar Bowl so he has proven he can get it done so I say we give him a little leash.

Prediction: 8-4 Brent Hammond - Macon, GA I think that after two bad seasons, at least by Georgia standards, Coach Richt has got to have a good season. I think he has to win at least nine games to stay another year but that’s just me. It’s kind of a make or break year if you ask me.

Prediction: 8-4 Taylor Hooven - Augusta, GA After a 6-7 season, the only direction I can see the Dawgs going is up. Even with the departure of the ultra-talented AJ Green, I'm excited to see how well Aaron Murray does at the offensive helm, and I look forward to seeing the much-heralded Isaiah Crowell in action. I think with an entire season under Murray's belt, and with a workhorse like Crowell lining up in the backfield, the Dawgs will be able to develop a potent offensive assault.

The experience is there, the personnel is there, the

coaching is there, and the Bulldog Nation is there - the only spot that'll work for us is the top spot.

Prediction: 10-2 Jared Hopkins - Atlanta, GA I look for the Dawgs to bounce back and win the SEC East with a much improved defense that looks to dominate with all the incoming and existing talent. I also expect Isaiah Crowell to surpass expectations and provide the offense a much-needed boost that we have lacked the last couple years. He will be the best running back in Athens since #34.

Prediction: 11-1 Allison Kirksey - Savannah, GA I am so pumped for the upcoming UGA football season. I am excited to see some new leaders step up on the team. The team has been working incredibly hard in the off season, and I think that it will pay off come fall. Living in Savannah during football season is great because there are loyal fans everywhere, and I cannot wait for a competitive season!

Prediction: 10-2

Bulldawg Illustrated

Our luxury tailgate parks make you feel like you own the place, because you do…

why aren’t you here?

Enjoy unparalleled amenities in our beautifully landscaped parks...

Have a great time with friends and family in a safe and secure setting...

Park in the same space, with the same neighbors, every season...

NEW financing options for qualified buyers! n uld ow You co space for V your R 294/mo.! $ t s tails! ju s for de tu Contac

Athens’ only RV Park with a Country Club Atmosphere

www bulldogpark com www.bulldogpark.com

Athens’ only Luxury Tailgate Park

You c your sopuld own just $1 ace for 48/mo Contac .! t us fo

www.tailgatestation.net Contact Jamie Dutton, Keller Williams Lake Oconee, for more information on our luxury tailgate parks

706-473-0990 or jdlakeoconee@gmail.com

Owning a space at Bulldog Park and TailGAte Station just got easier!

r detai ls!

3200 Atlanta Hwy. • Athens, Ga 1-800-969-0347

www.philhugheshonda.com

Discover What Locals Already Know‌ Don’t Fight the Downtown Crowd!

2310 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 706-353-7667

Best Steak and Seafood in Athens!

Look who is heading to...

KENTUCKY DERBY PARTY

Sunday Night Special- Kids eat free with each dinner entree

Proud supporters of the Georgia Bulldogs since 1976

R e s e r v a t i o n s We l c o m e . V i s i t w w w. h i l l t o p g r i l l e . c o m f o r u p d a t e d m e n u & w i n e list.

Come In And Test Drive The All New Redesigned 2012 Honda Civic Today!

Live Music Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 7 p.m.

Monday Night Special- Half price off any bottle of wine under $30

ĹŠĹŹĹšĹ¨ĹƒĹłĹ˛ĹŹĹąĹˇĹśĹƒĹŻĹŹĹšĹŹĹąĹŞ

2XU 6WUHQJWK

ĹŻĆ’Ć†Ć„Ć—ĆŒĆ’Ć‘Ĺ?ĹƒĹśĆ—ĆœĆ?ĆˆĹƒĆ„Ć‘Ć‡ĹƒĹŻĆ˜Ć›Ć˜Ć•ĆœĹ„

,V ,Q 7KH 1XPEHUV

‡ RYHUORRNV 0LOOHGJH $YHQXH ‡ WZR EHGURRPV WZR EDWKURRPV ‡ UHVHUYHG WZR FDU FRYHUHG SDUNLQJ ‡ QHZ FRQVWUXFWLRQ WRS à RRU ORFDWLRQ ‡ RSHQ à RRU SODQ ZLWK ODUJH EDOFRQ\ ‡ FXVWRP NLWFKHQ Z JUDQLWH FRXQWHUWRSV DQG VWDLQOHVV VWHHO DSSOLDQFHV ‡ IXUQLWXUH LQFOXGHG H[FOXGHV DUW

8F IBWF CFFO JO CVTJOFTT PWFS ZFBST 0VS FNQMPZFFT IBWF PWFS ZFBST PG FYQFSJFODF "OE XF IBWF DMJFOUT JO BMM TUBUFT BOE EJĂľFSFOU DPVOUSJFT *U T TJNQMF NBUI 8F LOPX OVNCFST 8IFUIFS ZPV BSF KVTU FOUFSJOH UIF XPSL GPSDF DMPTF UP SFUJSFNFOU B GBNJMZ PG GPVS PS BO PXOFS PG BOZ TJ[F CVTJOFTT JU T UJNF GPS ZPV UP DBMM 5IF OVNCFST EPO U MJF

ĹŻĆŒĆ–Ć—ĆˆĆ‡ĹƒĹłĆ•ĆŒĆ†ĆˆĹƒĹ‡Ĺ•ĹœĹœĹ?ĹœĹ“Ĺ“ ĹŻĆ„Ć˜Ć•Ć„ĹƒĹşĆŒĆ?ƉƒƑƊĹ?ĹƒĹľĆˆĆ„Ć?Ć—Ć’Ć•

ĹšĹ“Ĺ™Ĺ‘Ĺ˜Ĺ—Ĺ–Ĺ‘Ĺ–Ĺ›Ĺ“Ĺ“ĹƒĆ’ČŽĆ†ĆˆĹƒĆšĹƒĹšĹ“Ĺ™Ĺ‘Ĺ˜Ĺ—Ĺ“Ĺ‘Ĺ›ĹœĹœĹ”ĹƒĆ†ĆˆĆ?Ć?

PVW

1SPWJEJOH USVTUFE CVTJOFTT DPOTVMUJOH JO UBY XFBMUI NBOBHFNFOU BDDPVOUJOH BOE FTUBUF QMBOOJOH

/FXDBTUMF 4U #SVOTXJDL ("

"UMBOUB (XJOOFUU

4U 4JNPOT *TMBOE

"UMBOUB (XJOOFUU

Ć?Ć„Ć˜Ć•Ć„ĆšĆŒĆ?ƉƒƑƊţƋƒƗĆ?Ć„ĆŒĆ?őƆƒĆ?

12

Bulldawg Illustrated

Golden Isles Bulldog Club

Mary Alice Kimel, Larry Kimel and Rachel Sellinger

Billy Joe Nelson Jr. and Stephanie Boatman,

Jackie and Michele Collins

Connie Bach, Lily Bach and Rickey Bach

Zack Potter, Amy Potter and Ray Potter

Margy Wagner & Tye Pipkin

Lily Bach & Sarah Baker Pipkin

Phyllis Whitley and James Whitley

April Herbert, Billy Joe Nelson Jr. and Troy Vollenweider

63$&,286 /8;85< $3$570(176 63 3$ $&,286 /8;85< $3$5 $&,286 $ 70(176 # WKH FFRUQHU RI %URDG # WKH FRUQHU RI %URDG :LOORZ :LOORZ EORFNV WR &DPSXV 'RZQWRZQ EORFNV WR &DPSXV ' 'RZQWRZQ 6WXGLRV %5 6WXGLRV %5 6XPP 6XPPHU DQG )DOO PHU DQG )DOO $YDLODEOLW\ $YDLODEOLW\ Y

VVoted ootteed Athensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; # 1 communit community co ty two twwo years in a rrow! oow!!

6DYH 7LPH *DV /LYH DW 6DYH 7 LP PH *DV /LYH H DW ZZZ EURDG FRP ZZZ EUR RDG FRP Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021;

( %URDG 6W Â&#x2021; $WKHQV *$ ( %URDG G 6W Â&#x2021; $WKHQV *$ $ www.bulldawgillustrated.com

13

loran smith Summertime different than past for collegiate football athletes

W E I S

B E L I E V E A L W A Y S

H E L P I N G A

G O O D

O T H E R S

I N V E S T M E N T

MORGAN KEEGAN IS PROUD TO SUPPORT

THE GEORGIA BULLDOGS

HAL GREER • MANAGING DIRECTOR 121 Perimeter Parkway • Macon • Georgia • 31210 478.471.4442 • 866.560.4440 hal.greer@morgankeegan.com www.hal.greer.mkadvisor.com

Morgan Keegan A Regions Company Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. | Member FINRA, SIPC Not FDIC Insured | May Lose Value | No Bank Guarantee | Not a Deposit | Not Insured by Any Government Agency

There was a time when football players stayed home for the summer and found part time work. If they chose to go to summer school, the decision was based on enhancing their degree status. It wasn’t all that long ago that most players had a goal of leaving campus with a degree, even if the National Football League offered opportunity.

Nobody made you go to class. You expected that of yourself, and you were diligent about passing your work—not just to stay eligible, but to place an order for a cap and gown the last quarter of your college career.

That, we know, was the way it was in another era. It is much different now.

It wasn’t too far in the distant past that the newspapers would write feature stories on what the college players were up to on their summer vacation. Most players found outside work, like construction, which would help keep them in shape for the fall season. Whatever the job, when you got off work, you headed to a local high school field to work out, get in some running and report back to campus in late summer lean and fit for the fall season.

The newspaper coverage about summer jobs would usually confirmed that most players found an outdoor job, but there were times when some player would come up with an unusual and exciting part-time job which garnered a big headline. A prospective medical student might find work at a hospital or a doctor’s office. Some enterprising player might travel out west and work the wheat harvest, gaining a broadening and exciting exposure which would enable his teammates to share in the experience vicariously when he would tell them what it was like to work the harvest in Kansas or Montana.

Players who came along in the sixties and seventies always found summer work to help them keep in shape. As late as the eighties, summer jobs were often routine although summer school, by that time, became more important to help many players to maintain eligibility requirements. Happy Dicks, a linebacker, who became a doctor, worked on a farm in Grovetown and other players, including Billy Payne, found summer employment

at a farm in Kite, owned by alumnus, Dr. Harold Harrison.

The University operated on the quarter system at that time with the spring quarter ending in late May and the fall quarter beginning in September. In those years the seasons were made up of ten games; the first game was usually played in late September. There were few open dates. You reported around Labor Day weekend to start practice for the first game.

Now athletes, for the most part, spend their entire summers in summer school, making sure that their eligibility status is in order and also find time to work out with their teammates on a regular basis.

Players are not bothered by the expectations of today. They are expected to enroll in summer school and follow a prescribed workout routine on a daily basis. There is good reason for this. They know the competition is following the same procedure, but the big thing is that they are motivated to prepare for the NFL. If the average life of an NFL player is three and one-half years, it is obvious that a lot of athletes are going to be looking for work long before they want to and will be involved in job searches without a degree. Some persevere and get their degree, but many wind up in the streets with little opportunity.

College football is more exciting than ever. There are athletes who line up on Saturday with remarkable skills. They can dazzle us with their abilities and bring glory to our alma mater, but one thing is missing for all too many of today’s college stars. They don’t have time to enjoy the campus experience. They are too busy training for the NFL which includes their summers. The well rounded concept of the college athlete still exists, but for the many, the goal is to make it to the NFL which doesn’t allow for much exposure to the extracurricular experience.

The collegiate football experience ought to be more than preparing for game day. Traditionally, college was meant to underscore the well-rounded experience. Somehow or other, I think we’d be better off if the system allowed players to spend a summer out West.

NOW LEASING! Tennis Courts

Market your business to the best audience i n t h e s t a t e

Business Center

)>8C>8 G:6

Call us to develop a media plan for you 1.877.456.4624 Cyber Cafe

Fitness Center & Laundry

24 Hour

The Pointe Apartments

750 Gaines School RoaD Athens, Ga 30605 706-353-3033 www.liveatthepointe.com thepointe@clkmm.com 14

Next Issue July 26

Order a subscription mailed directly to your home 1.877.456.4624 or online

BulldawgIllustrated.com Bulldawg Illustrated

Free ATM use.

Always!

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time you chose a new bank?

/R\DOW\ 'HVHUYYHV 5HZDUGLQJ /R\DOW\ 'HVHUYHV 5HZDUGLQJ %HFRPH D PHP PEHU RI %HFRPH D PHPEHU RI

No charges for ATM use â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ever! If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe us, give us a call. 706-355-3122.

*2/' 3/86 5(:$5'6 *2/' *2/' 3 3/86 3/86 5(: 3 5(:$5 :$ $5'6 $QG OHHW XV 5HZDUG <RX $QG OHW XV 5HZDUG <RX R &RQYHQLHQFH 3OXV 7KDW·V 8V &RQYHQLH HQFH 3OXV 7K KDW·V 8V ) )DPLO\ RZQHG VLQFH

Athens â&#x20AC;¢ Gainesville â&#x20AC;¢ tnbg.net

Member FDIC

%.1 3'$ 3(,$ .% 8.41 +(%$ %.1 3' '$ 3(,$ .% 8.

8.41 +(%$ Fea Featuring aturing ADQ@ PIDLP@ AGJJ ADQ@ PIDLP@ AGJJM KG<IN JM KG<IN all a with DI?DQD?P<G =<OCMJ DI?DQD?P<G =<OCMJJHN JJHN Condominiums is one of Polo Club C

OOC@IN` -@R@NO &<O@? "JHHPIDOT OC OC@IN` OC@ CC@IN` @@IN @IIN` INN`` -@R@NO &<O@?

-@@R@NO -@R @R R@N @N @NO NO &<<O@ O@@?

O@? @?? "JHHPIDOT "JJHH "JH JH HHP H HPPID HPIDOT PIIDO IDDOT DOT DOT

Athensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; HJN HJNO @S>DODIB NO @S>DODIB apartmen apartmentt communities. you prefer high energy y activities such Whether you as swimming swimmin ng in a N<GOR<O@M KJJG N<GO N< N<G <GOGOR OR OR< R<<O@ R<O@M K <OO@M O@@MM KJ KJJG JJJG JJG JG, sand s and water volleyba all, tennis or basketball, basketb ball, or more volleyball, , l i p i such h as a game ga ame off pooll relaxing pursuits watching your yo our favorite movie on n our big screen TV or enjoying e our e to youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sure

JPO?JJM ADM@KG<>@ JPO?JJM A ADM@KG<>@@ . . .

A<GG DI +.5$ RDOC /JGJ "GP= A< A<G A<GG A<GG DI <GGG DI +.5$ <GG <GG DI +. +.5 .5$ RDOC .5$ RDDOOC RDOC RDO OC /JGJ "GP= /JJGJ /JG /JGJ JGJ "GP= "GGP= "GP P= P=

-JR IB D N < @ +

1<O@N <N GJR <N 1<O@N @N <N GJR <N <N K@M HJIOC K@M =@?MJJH

K@M M HJIOC K@M ==@?MJJH

RRR >GP=KMJK@MOD@N >JH RR RRR RRR RR RR R >GP=KMJK@MO >GP >G >GP GP= P==KM P=K =KKMJ KMMJK MJJK@ JKK@M K@@MO @MMOOD@N >JH OD@N OD@ OD@N @NN >JH @N >>JH >J >JJH www.bulldawgillustrated.com

3ROR & 3ROR &OXE &RQGRPLQLXPV &OXE &RQGRP PLQLXPV ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 'U ,QWHUQDWLRQDDO 'U $ $WKHQV *$ $WKHQV *$ $

15

Countdown to Kickoff Dawgs for Kids Atlanta David Greene, Mary Margaret Shealy and Brian Fortson

Clint Boling, Brandon Tolbert, Trey Sipe, Matt Stinchcomb and Ben Lewis

Laura Folsom, Kristin Stanley and Nicole Townsend

Milan, DJ and Portia Shockley

Veronica Greene, Zach Dollar and Jennifer Dollar

Judy Hyde, Steve Hyde, Hemi Patel, Kunal Patel, Jay Patel and Sajal Patel

Shaina Barth and Cathy Butler

Corey Allen and Lisa Jackson

Chris Rosh, Brandy Rosh, Ben Butler and Alison Derringer

Kelly and Curt McGill

The Course Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Always Wanted to Play!

The Course Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Always Wanted to Play!

1RZ $FFHSWLQJ /LPLWHG 3XEOLF 7HH 7LPHV 0RQGD\ ² 7KXUVGD\ )ULGD\ ² 6XQGD\ +ROLGD\V 5DWH LQFOXGHV KROHV FDUW

0LG GD\ WZLOLJKW DQG VHQLRU UDWHV DOVR DYDLODEOH

&DOO 72'$< WR ERRN \RXU 7(( 7,0( *New members only. Restrictions apply.

(DVW &OD\WRQ 6WUHHW Â&#x2021; 'RZQWRZQ $WKHQV Â&#x2021; 3DUNVLGH &RPPRQV Â&#x2021; /DNH 2FRQHH 9LOODJH Â&#x2021;

16

Ask about our Intro Membership Only $

200/ month

1500 Chambers Court â&#x20AC;˘ Bogart, GA 706.548.1852 â&#x20AC;˘ jenningsmillclub.com

Bulldawg Illustrated

Countdown to kickoff

By Cheri Leavy

WHO: : Bulldog fans and their favorite UGA football players in the NFL, legends from the past, and the current UGA football team hosted by Matt Stinchcomb, Jon Stinchcomb and David Greene WHat: : The 6th Annual UGA Countdown to Kickoff is the ultimate Dawg fan experience: take pictures, get autographs, catch passes, run drills, and play games WHen: : July 16, 2011 3-6 p.m.

ugakickoff.com

WHere: : UGA Practice Fields in Athens, GA why : To have a day of family fun benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Georgia Transplant Foundation with the $25 tickets why are you excited about attending Countdown to Kickoff? ? why Did you organize Bentley long : Countdown to Kickoff? ?

I am really excited about going to Fan Day so I can meet some Matt Stinchcomb? : of the players from this year’s team like Isaiah Crowell and

Because we were just a bunch of kids once that got to grow up and play college football for the Georgia Bulldogs and we want to do what we can so that these children get the same crack at realizing some of their dreams too.

why Did you partner with Countdown to Kickoff? ?

Cheri leavy :

Fan Day much like Bulldawg Illustrated is an effort to unite the Bulldawg Nation in a fun way for multi-generations of Bulldog fans.

Aaron Murray. I like Isaiah because he is the #1 running back in the nation and Aaron is a great quarterback. The recruiting class is really good this year and it will be fun to see them running drills and throwing passes up close. I also want to meet David Greene because he has set so many records. I hope some of Georgia’s all-time greats like Fran Tarkenton and Hines Ward might be there, too.

mary whitney long :

I can’t wait to meet the cheerleaders!

Whitney and Vic Long are coming to Fan Day from St. Simons with their children. Pictured: Bentley, 11-years-old; John Wise, 7-years-old; Ellis, 6-years-old and Mary Whitney, 5-years-old

Castangia is available exclusively at Miller Brothers Ltd.

(404) 233-8000 | www.millerbrothers.com

Now Shop Online

PGA Tour Professional, Matt Kuchar

heerys.com

195 College Avenue Athens, GA 706.543.0702

www.bulldawgillustrated.com

17

)$1 2) 7+( :((.

$QG\ 3HUUL 'HQYHU &2

4 :KDW PDNHV \RX D WUXH %XOOGRJ" , ZDV ERUQ DQG UDLVHG LQ $WKHQV *$ 1HHG , VD\ PRUH"

75,9,$ &217(67 6321625 /DVW LVVXH¶V TXHVWLRQ DQG DQVZHU 4 :KR ZHUH WKH WZR RIIHQVLYH SOD\HUV DQG RQH GHIHQVLYH SOD\HU QDPHG VSULQJ IRRWEDOO 093"

$ $DURQ 0XUUD\ 2UVRQ &KDUOHV DQG .ZDPH *HDWKHUV $1' 7+( :,11(5 ,6

(GGLH 'XSUHH RI 6DYDQQDK *$ 7KLV LVVXH¶V TXHVWLRQ

4 :KDW ZDV WKH VFRUH ZKHQ 8*$ SOD\HG %RLVH 6WDWH LQ " +DYH WKH DQVZHU" 9LVLW ZZZ EXOOGDZJLOOXVWUDWHG FRP

FOLFN WKH 75,9,$ WDE DQG SRVW \RXU DQVZHU IRU D FKDQFH WR ZLQ D JLIW FHUWL¿FDWH WR 8*$ %RRNVWRUH

4 :KR LV \RXU IDYRULWH SOD\HU RQ WKH FXUUHQW 8*$ URVWHU DQG ZK\" , ZDQW WR VD\ ,VDLDK &URZHOO EHFDXVH , FDQ¶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«7KH IULHQGV WKH IRRG WKH EHHU DQG WKH ZKLVNH\

)($785(' 5(&,3(

%RQ]DL 3LSHOLQH

6HUYHV

,QJUHGLHQWV

,QVWUXFWLRQV

R] :LOG 7XUNH\ SURRI R] 0HORQ OLTXHXU R] %DFDUGL SURRI UXP

,Q D VKRW JODVV FRPELQH :LOG 7XUNH\ DQG PHORQ OLTXHXU )ORDW WKH %DFDUGL RQ WRS VR \RX FDQ OLJKW WKH GULQN RQ ¿UH LI \RX FKRRVH MXVW PDNH VXUH WR EORZ LW RXW EHIRUH \RX GULQN WKHQ SXW \RXU KHOPHW RQ EXFNOH \RXU FKLQ VWUDS DQG WXUQ LW XS

5(&,3( &217(67 $1' 7+( :,11(5 ,6 %ULDQ &ORQWV RI 'HQYHU &2 5HFLSH %RQ]DL 3LSHOLQH

:DQW WR YLHZ DOO RI WKH UHFLSHV" +DYH D UHFLSH WR VXEPLW" ZZZ EXOOGDZJLOOXVWUDWHG FRP &OLFN WKH 5(&,3( WDE IRU D FKDQFH WR ZLQ D JLIW FDUG WR 8*$ %RRNVWRUH

GO DAWGS 2011 Nike® sideline football footb ball apparel now available

Find us on Facebook facebook.com/ugabookstore faceb book.com/ugabookstore 0095JS050411B 0095JS05041 1B

18

Bulldawg Illustrated

UGA DAY Charlotte Sara Hondrou, Elisabeth Campbell, Deborah Dietzler Sydney Battle and Barrington Harvey Bill Davis, Harrison Cooper and Marc Cooper and Todd Rose

Scott Lanier and Greg McGarity

Beth Blickenstaff and Ashley Hausman

Jeff Long, Justin Buford and Mickey Buford

Elizabeth Reinhardt, Fred Griffith and Tucker Griffith

www.bulldawgillustrated.com

Barry Batson and Jordan Batson

Bob Taylor and Chuck Toney

Robert Brownlow, Jay Murphy and Ed Ferguson

Matthew, Mason, Cullen and Maria Burril

Marwen McDowell. Woods and William Potts

Michael Adams and Tori Thompson

Dan Richardson, Ben Richardson, Hadley Richardson, Charles Watson and Charles Watson

Brecken, Krissie and Bauer Jackson

19

Savannah Bulldog Club Claude Felton and Cliff McCurry

Frank Brown, Katheryn Brown, Joe Tilton and Sonny Seiler

Dave Muia and Walter Corish

Holden, Tripp and Carter Geriner with Mark Richt David Culverhouse and Steve Greenberg

Tim Edwards and Tom Alexander

Frank Hardeman and Hannah Hardeman

Kim, Breezy and Brian Stewart

Tom Wiley and Jeff Jenkins

Joseph Brennan and Rachel Warner

Paul, Jon, Kimberly and James Pannell

Sonny Seiler and Amy Repella

%X\ L %X\ LWHP DW UHJXODU SULFH %X\ LLWHP DW U LWHP DW UHJXODU H HJXODU SU SUULFH ULFH JHW D QG LWHP RI HTXDO RU OHVVHU YDOXH P RI HTXD DO RU OHVVH HU YDOXH JHW D QG LWHP DW RII RII FD FDQQRW EH FRPELQHG ZLWK RWKHU VDOHV DQQRW EH FRPELQHG Z ZLWK RWKHU VDOHV H[FOXGHV DOUHDG\ UHGXFHG VDOH LWHPV H[ [FOXGHV DOUHDG\ UHGXF FHG VDOH LWHPV H[SLUHV H[ [SLUHV PXVW SUHVHQW WKLV DG FRXSRQ DW WLPH RI SXUFKDVH PXVW P PXVW SU SUHVHQW WKLV DG FR HVHQW WKLV DG FR RXSRQ DW WLPH RI SXUFKDVH RXSRQ DW WLPH RI SXU F

(DVW &OD\WRQ 6WUHHW

(DVW &OD\WR RQ 6WUHHW $WK $WKHQV *$ HQV *$

+RXUV + 0RQ :HG D S 0 0RQ : HG D S 7 7KXUV 6DW D S S 6 6XQ S S

Ă LUWWZLWKDW ZLWKDWKHQV FRP WKHQV F FRP 20

Bulldawg Illustrated

In the kitchen

with Mel Channell Mel Channell’s great granddaddy Coleman DeVane who was born in 1876 created the recipe, DeVane’s Durkees Chicken. It was published in 1957. It has been passed down for many generations. Mel’s mom, the former Carolyn Devane and her husband of 48 years, Georgia House Representative (House District 116 Greene County) Mickey Channell, serve it at all their family gatherings because it is delicious and such a crowd pleaser. I have known Mel’s sister Carrie Channell Shepherd for years so it was a treat to experience this family tradition with them recently for a summer cookout with friends in Athens, GA. You may know Mel from his days at UGA as a Sigma Nu and nowadays you can find him fraternizing at his tailgate near the Tate Center with Bulldog friends and these days their kids too. Mel is known for being a great cook and host. His wife Kelly feels blessed to have Mel handle kitchen duties and he is training their daughter and son how to cook. I loved watching the two sous chefs, Isabella and Robert, assist their dad in our dinner prep. Their great great granddaddy DeVane would be proud!

Visit guide2athens website to see more of the photo shoot, all the recipes and “how to” for Mel’s entire summer cookout of DeVane’s Durkees Chicken with rice, fried okra and watermelon salad.

Bon appetit- Cheri Leavy

DeVane’s Durkees Chicken Dozen chicken breasts with skin and bone in 2 10-oz.bottles Durkee Famous Sauce® juice of 6 lemons 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar quart of water 1 lb. butter 2 Tbs yellow mustard 2 Tbs sugar 2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper Mix ingredients. Mel’s trick is to pour the cider and water in the Durkee bottles to rinse and get all the sauce. Bring all ingredients to a boil and turn off heat.

Family Tradition Carrie and Mel

Grill chicken for about an hour to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Dunk the chicken in the sauce every 6-8 minutes while cooking. Save some sauce to reheat on stove to serve with chicken. You must reboil the sauce as you have been dunking raw chicken in it.Serve with rice so you can enjoy the sauce.

Watermelon Salad

Perfect for summer time with fresh tomatoes and watermelon. watermelon, chopped 2 tomatoes, chopped large sprig of mint, chopped jalapeno, chopped fine, seeds bring the extra heat so use as desired arugula Dressing: 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 1/2 red onion, chopped 1/3 cup olive oil 1 1/2 Tbs sugar tsp salt Mix ingredients in large bowl except dressing. Mix dressing ingredients and set aside until time to toss and serve.

DeVane’s Durkees Chicken

Come into our charming sunlit salon and experience for yourself what makes us the best salon, as recognized in the Athens Banner-Herald Reader’s Poll. We strive to continue to live up to that award, one client at a time. Our specially trained Client Coordinators, and our professional and dedicated stylists, massage therapists and aesthetician are what have made DRee & Co. the best. They will exceed your expectations, while remembering your specific needs in your day to day routine.

760 N. Chase Street Athens, Ga. 30601 706.548.0770

Tuesday-Friday: 9-7 Saturday: 9-4 Closed Sunday & Monday

Visit us at our new location or online @ www.dreeandco.com www.bulldawgillustrated.com

21

Richt’s 2011 leaders Boykin, Jones, Murray and Robinson will be key to Bulldogs quest to return to championship level

By Murray Poole

n what is looming to be one of Georgia’s most important football seasons ever, it’s imperative the Bulldogs have strong leadership from its top players … guys that have truly bought into the system over the past few seasons and have proven themselves not only inside the confines of Sanford Stadium but away from the playing arena as well.

And for the upcoming 2011 campaign, head coach Mark Richt seems to have found the kind of leadership he and his assistant coaching staff are going to need if the Bulldogs are to rebound from back-toback disappointing seasons and become an SEC championship contender once again.

It should be noted that Richt, who in 2010 suffered through his only losing season (6-7) in his 10 years at UGA, usually stays with rising seniors when he designates two leaders for the offense and two leaders for the defense. This time, however, the Georgia coach has inserted a bit of youth into the team leadership roles. To go with senior center Ben Jones and senior cornerback/kick returner Brandon Boykin, Richt has tabbed junior linebacker Christian Robinson and, yes, quarterback Aaron Murray, who is a mere redshirt sophomore.

Jones, the 6-3, 300-pound product of Centreville, Ala., is a four-year starter at center for the Bulldogs. He was named All-SEC Second Team in 2009 and All-SEC Fourth Team last season. Named to UGA’s Team of the Decade, Jones was cited as SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week after Georgia tallied 547 yards of offense against Vanderbilt and was named to the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy.

“If you’re going to say there’s a position where you’d like your leader to be up front, it’s at center,” said Richt. “Ben is right in the middle of everything and is definitely our leader on the offensive line. He’s also the leader of our entire offense and you can also throw in the entire team with him. Ben’s leadership resonates throughout the team and our entire team respects him that way.”

Jones said he’s simply honored to be chosen by his head coach as one of the primary team leaders.

“Coming from Coach Richt, that is a big honor,” Jones said. “Coach Richt is just a great coach and a great person and when he chooses you to be a captain or leader of the team, you really don’t want to let him down. It makes you work much harder both when you’re in Athens or at home.

“Coming in as a freshman, my goal was just to get on the field and play,” said Jones. “But now, through the years of playing and working hard and seeing great leaders lead the team, it’s just my time to step up and be a leader and continue what they did in the past here.”

Boykin, the 5-10, 183-pound senior corner out of Fayetteville, will be a three-year starter for the Bulldogs this fall. Named to the All-SEC Fourth Team last season, Boykin recorded 44 tackles including 6.5 for loss and had three interceptions and three pass breakups. A record- breaking kickoff returner, Boykin returned 34 kicks for 825 yards. Named Georgia’s defensive MVP of the Liberty Bowl after recording three tackles and an interception, Boykin ranks as UGA’s alltime leader in career kickoff return yards with 1,813 and is the only player in SEC history with three 100yard plays (of any kind).

“Brandon has certainly proven on defense and special teams that he is a major contributor in productivity,” said Richt. “He brings energy to the team with his practice habits and has also earned the respect of his teammates and his coaches through his play and his work.”

Boykin, likewise, is thrilled that Richt has honored him with team leader status.

“It’s a big honor for me,” Boykin said. “I think growing up in my years at Georgia, I’ve always been looked upon as a young player but I think now Coach Richt has seen my progression as a person and a player and for him to recognize me as one of the leaders of the team, like I said it’s a big honor. It’s been my way my whole life to lead by example but being a senior now, I’m going to work hard to become more of a vocal leader, in order to lead the young guys.”

Robinson, the 6-2, 226-pound junior inside linebacker out of Norcross, recorded 46 tackles including 6.0 for loss while starting 11 games for the Bulldogs in 2010. He also recovered two fumbles and had a career-high six tackles in Georgia’s win over Georgia Tech.

“At linebacker, Christian is the center of the defense,” Richt pointed out. “He has people behind him and in front of him. You like to have a linebacker that understands why we’re doing the things we’re doing and Christian’s greatest assets are his knowledge and his ability to communicate well with his teammates.”

“This (being appointed a team leader) is something that I really take seriously and I feel very honored to have that title,” declared Robinson. “My dad always taught me how to be a leader and handle certain situations and he told Coach (former LB coach

I

22

John) Jancek and Coach Richt that they were not going to get just a football player but a leader who would be that guy for your program. At that time, I didn’t realize how things would be unfolding and my eyes were wide open just trying to figure out what was going to happen, getting used to college and so forth. But now,” added Robinson, “going into my fourth year and being around this program and seeing how things work, I now realize what my dad was talking about.”

Murray, the 6-1, 209-pound rising redshirt sophomore out of Tampa’s Plant High School, simply went out last season and had more accomplishments than any previous first-year starting quarterback in Bulldog history.

Named both first team Freshman All-America and Freshman All-SEC, Murray passed for a school freshman record of 3,049 yards (2nd in SEC history for a freshman) with 24 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. He also rushed for 167 yards and four touchdowns. Murray ranked first in Georgia history for a freshman with 3,216 total offensive yards and tied for first in UGA history for touchdown responsibility (with D.J. Shockley, 2005) in a season with 28. In his very first season guiding the Bulldog attack, Murray was named the team’s offensive MVP and also received the Newcomer of the Year award on offense.

“At quarterback, Murray is obviously in a leadership position,” said Richt. “That just kind of comes with the territory. You can become a better leader over time as you mature and I think Aaron has all the characteristics of leadership when it comes to loyalty to the team, his love of the team and his work ethic.”

Like Jones, Boykin and Robinson, Murray is very thankful and honored to be so chosen by Richt and especially so in his case, being such a young player.

“It feels good that he has the confidence in me, that I’m doing the right things on and off the field,” said Murray. “Not only do I have to produce but also be a good example for the guys off the field. I think leadership comes with this position but it’s something you have to work at. Just because you’re a quarterback,” added Murray, “you’re given a leadership role but it’s something you have to continue to work for and be able to take over the offense.”

And, know this. All four of the Bulldogs’ designated leaders have tremendous respect for each other.

“Everyone knows Christian,” said Murray. “He knows what he’s doing and our defense really looks to him calling out plays and assignments. Ben Jones is the overall leader of the whole team. He’s put in the time and produced on the field and that’s my goal, to keep working hard and help him out and help this offense go in the right direction. And Brandon is just a worker,” said Murray. “He works his tail off and the biggest thing, he produces on the field.”

Said Jones: “Aaron is a guy that really works hard.

He might not be that much of a vocal guy but everybody sees how hard he’s working on and off the field and he’s always going to put in that extra work. Christian is really a leader of the defense. At middle linebacker, he calls all the plays, knows what to do out there and gets everyone on the same page. And Brandon Boykin is the energy guy of our defefnse. He comes out every day with energy and brings life to the defense, gets everybody up. And Brandon really makes plays, he’s not just a cheerleader out there.”

“Aaron is one of my best friends,” offered Robinson. “He’s like a brother to me. You want a guy at the quarterback position that cares and loves football and he does. Aaron wants to be great and takes every opportunity to get better. And I never met anybody tougher than Ben Jones,” said Robinson. “He’s the epitome of toughness. Ben has heart and will fight you. I don’t care who you are. Ben brings his lunch every day and is the heart and soul of the O-line. Brandon Boykin is not a big vocal guy but a guy who shows you how to work. He loves this game and loves this team and that’s one of the reasons he decided to come back.

Brandon was my roommate my first two years here.”

“You take Aaron Murray,” said Boykin. “He’s just a redshirt sophomore but you could tell when he came on campus that he had leadership qualities and ability as a player. Aaron is just a natural leader not by just the way he plays but by his example as a person. He’s just a great person and teammate to be around. And Ben is the most likable guy on our team,” said Boykin. “He gets along with every single person and is just a downright country player who gives it his all, through injuries and everything, and that’s what makes him a great leader. And Christian and me are like family in a lot of ways, our progression as players. We came in not highly rated and had to work our way up. Christian studies the game and works really hard. He’s not really vocal himself but he studies and that’s got him to where he is now.”

Looks like Georgia’s team leadership is in very good hands this year and if the rest of the Bulldogs follow the example and work ethics of Jones, Boykin, Robinson and Murray, this very important 2011 season could become a very special one for Bulldawg Nation.

Photos by Rob Saye

Bulldawg Illustrated

Jacksonville Bulldog Club Mike Gratiano and Bud McCleskey

2011 Vince Dooley- UGA Scholarship recipient from Jax Club, Shabria Lanier; with proud parents Janet and Michael Lanier

Hank Staley, Drew Story and Bob Kuhn

Matt Robinson, Ray Wolford and Allen Leavitt

Randy Bishop and Dave Muia

Glenn, Abby and Vicki Champion

Mark Richt, Colton Champion and Richard Champion

Greg McGarity and Drew Story

Tim Pike with Larry DeFoor

Troy Bankston and Mark Fox

Nikki Rooks and Troy Bankston

Colton Champion and Mark Fox

Vicki Joiner and Mary Shannon Daniel

NEWEST Luxury Boutique Hotel In the Heart of the St. Simons Island Village

Catty corner to the Lighthouse 599 Beachview Drive St. Simons Island

912-634-2122 oceaninnsuites.com

PLEASE compare our location, quality and rates www.bulldawgillustrated.com

23

Grady School launches sports journalism program Chris Jones and Susan Rosenberg

Vance Leavy and Mark Schlabach

Charlie Hayslett and Neely Young

Jimmy Alston and Parker Middleton

Dan Magill and Kent Middleton

Margaret Story, Deanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Award honoree Swann Seiler, Sonny Seiler and Sarah Story

David Koonin and Cecil Bentley

Tom Jackson, Charlie McAlexander, Tony Barnhart and Claude Felton

Melody and Jeff Dorfman

Horace Newcomb, Greg McGarity and Mark Smith

Dave Muia and Anne Sweaney

Jeff Jowdy, Brad MacAfpe and Michael Gray

Don Nelson and Millard Grimes

7:2 3($6 7:2 3($6 ,,1 $ 3$' 1 $ 3$ '

$ZHVRPH $Z $ZH $ZHV ZHV HVVRRRPH HV RP PH

12: /($6,1* 12: /($6,1* 7:2 %('5220 $3$570(176 7:2 %('5220 $3$570(176 v %HGURRPV v ,QGLYLGXDO %DWKURRPV v % H G UR R PV v , Q GL Y LG X D O % D W KUR R PV v 6DOW :DWHU 3RRO v 7DQQLQJ 'RPH v )LWQHVV &HQWHU 6 D O W :D W H U 3R R O v 7D Q QLQ J ' R P H v )LW Q H V V & H QW H U v v & R P S X W H U / D E v 6 W X G \ 0 H H W LQ J 5R R PV v &RPSXWHU /DE v 6WXG\ 0HHWLQJ 5RRPV v 7HQQLV %DVNHWEDOO 9ROOH\EDOO &RXUWV v *DWHG (QWU\ v 7H Q QLV % DVNH W E D OO 9R OO H \ E D OO & R XU W V v * D W H G (QW U \

24

,QWHUQDWLRQDO 'ULYH v $WKHQV *HRUJLD

, Q W H U Q D W L R Q D O ' U L Y H v $ W K H Q V * H R U J L D

Z 5 H V H U YYH$W$WKHQV FRP H $ W $ W K H Q V F R P v v Z Z Z 5HVHU

IDFHERRN FRP 7KH5HVHUYH$W$WKHQV v ),1' 86 72'$< I D F H E R R N F R P 7 K H 5 H V H U Y H $ W $ W K H Q V v ) , 1 ' 8 6 72 '$<

Bulldawg Illustrated

DYNAMIC DAWG Neely Young By Cheri Leavy Neely Young might cover our arch rival Georgia Tech in his magazine ‘Georgia Trend’ but his heart bleeds red and black. He was graduated from the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism with a BBA in 1966 and his entire family of four attended the University of Georgia. Neely is an inaugural member of the Grady Fellowship honored for his accomplishments, friendship and service to Grady.

I am fortunate to know and love Neely and his wife Kathy. They are ambassadors for our state and alma mater. I enjoy their annual Georgia-Florida party and couldn’t help but notice every politician in attendance got elected last year!

Favorite magazine besides Georgia Trend: NY: Garden and Gun, The New Yorker and Georgia Back Roads

Who is your go to journalist that you trust for your national news?

NY: Jim Lehrer of the nightly PBS NewsHour

Favorite place to travel: NY: Athens, GA, next is northern Italy

Since you spend time on St. Simons Island, what do you love about the Golden Isles?

NY: I love St. Simons and the Cloister resort.

My favorite time is GeorgiaFlorida Weekend. Let us pray to beat Florida the fall.

Dinner party of eight, who are you inviting dead or alive?

NY: I would invite ex-coaches Shug Jordan, Bear Bryant, Wally Butts, The Chinese Bandits of LSU, Billy Cannon, Vince Dooley, Mark Richt, and Bobby Dodd. We would discuss how to get Georgia to the national championship in 2012.

What are Georgia’s greatest strengths right now?

What is Georgia’s biggest weakness right now?

NY: It’s our ports and Atlanta

NY: The Georgia Senates inability

Airport that makes us the transportation hub of the southeast. In football, we have the greatest high school sports program in the nation.

to get its act together. No one is in charge.

Fondest memory of the University of Georgia Henry W. Grady School of Journalism (BBA ´66): NY: My senior year was Vince Dooley’s first year as coach. After going 3-3-4 for two straight years, the Bulldogs went 7-3 and went to a bowl and won!

Proud Moment in Publishing: NY: I am proudest of our cover story in Georgia Trend of Vince Dooley’s “Georgia Trustee” Award given this past February.

gs!

Go Daw Macon 550 Professional Dr. Macon, GA 31201 (478) 741-3007

Warner Robins 6084 Lakeside Dr. Warner Robins, Ga 31088 (478) 333-2370

www.bulldawgillustrated.com

25

Position by Position Let the competition begin to find out who will be starting when the whistle blows at the Dome

By Jeff Dantzler

Q

uarterback - This was one of the Bulldogs biggest question marks heading into last season, but Aaron Murray responded with a standout redshirt freshman campaign. Now quarterback is one of Georgia’s biggest strengths heading into the 2011 campaign, with Murray at the head of the Southeastern Conference’s signal calling class. He’s an excellent runner, throws the deep ball well and has a good command of the Bulldog offense. There is room for improvement. His throws of the 10-15 yard range to the hash and numbers need work.

Murray’s not real big and sometimes in the pocket has trouble seeing through the mass of enormity in the SEC’s line of scrimmage. Plus, there’s no A.J. Green and Kris Durham to throw to.

O-Line - He’s very good out of the pocket, and if Isaiah Crowell is a standout at tailback, Murray will be doubly dangerous. He’s tough and competitive, a fighter. Murray could be on his way to joining the long list of stellar Georgia quarterbacks, from John Rauch to Matthew Stafford. Behind him is sophomore Hutson Mason, who looked good in limited action last year. True freshman Christian Lemay, as has been well documented, did not play his senior season in high school. He graduated early and took part in spring practice.

One option would be Lemay playing this season and redshirting next year, while redshirting Mason this season to break up the classes.

Tailback – Crowell is one of the most sought after recruits in the Mark Richt era, and the Bulldogs are hopeful that that he’ll continue Georgia’s great history of standout tailbacks while having the kind of impact that Marcus Lattimore and Michael Dyer had at South Carolina and Auburn a year ago. Washaun Ealey is gone. Caleb King is the first-stringer. Ken Malcome is listed as fourth on the depth chart, while scatback Carlton Thomas is the backup.

Even if Crowell is dynamic, the Dogs will need a counter-puncher. Is there one on the roster?

Fullback – Bruce Figgins moves to fullback from tight end, with Alexander Ogletree as the back-up. Figgins is an excellent blocker, and should be a good receiving option out of the backfield. Maybe Malcome could move to fullback if his progression at tailback stalls.

Wide Receiver – This is a big-time question mark for Georgia with the loss of Green and Durham. Blue chip freshman Malcolm

Mitchell could be the bulldogs best option, and fellow first year pass-catcher Chris Conley, who took part in spring practice, figures heavily in the mix. Tavarres King, Rantavious Wooten, Marlon Brown and Israel Troupe have all had their moments. Can one emerge as a Number One? Another option is junior Branden Smith.

A five-star recruit, he has had some explosive moments on offense, most notably an electric 61-yard touchdown run against South Carolina as a freshman in 2009. He was voted most improved defensive player in the spring, and is listed as a back-up to Georgia’s best defensive player Brandon Boykin at corner.

Tight End – This is a big time strong point for the Bulldogs, as supremely talented Orson Charles is back for his junior year with Aron White and Arthur Lynch behind him and super recruit Jay Rome coming in. It would seem likely, with the talent and depth here, that Georgia will frequently work out of two tight end sets.

Offensive Line – This is a big concern for the Bulldogs, especially after a third devastating knee injury suffered by fifth-year senior Trinton Sturdivant. Cordy Glenn moves to left tackle with Kenarious Gates at guard and Ben Jones at center. The right side has questions.

Chris Burnette and Brent Benedict, who is recovering strongly from a major knee injury, give Georgia good size and excellent potential at right guard. Justin “Bean” Anderson is the starter at right tackle, moving back to the OLine from defense. Will Burnette, Dallas Lee, Austin Long and Kolton Houston turn out to be players. Two second-teamers on the line are walk-ons. Five offensive linemen are in this freshman class. Judging by his size, Watts Dantzler is the most likely candidate to contend for time this year. Securing at least one big time offensive tackle and a strong O-Line class is a top priority for the next class.

Defensive Line – This is an area where Georgia must get much better. The front seven overall has to be vastly improved, most notably against the run if the Bulldogs are going to contend for the Southeastern Conference championship. An influx of talent and a year to become accustomed to the base “3-4” defensive scheme give the Bulldogs hope. At the nose, big John Jenkins comes in from the junior college ranks, and red and black fingers are crossed that he can have the kind of impact Terrance Cody and Nick Fairley had at Alabama and Auburn over the last three years. Big

photo by Rob Saye

Kwame Geathers made big strides in the spring, and Georgia potentially has an outstanding one-two punch at the nose. At the tackle/end positions, DeAngelo Tyson, Abry Jones, Garrison Smith, Mike Thornton, and Derrick Lott were all heavily recruited. The Dogs desperately need for standouts to emerge up front.

Linebacker – The same goes for linebacker.

This is area the last few years where Georgia has not gotten the bang for the buck in terms of scholarships doled out. Cornelius Washington on the outside, and at times playing defensive end, could potentially be a tremendous pass rusher. Alec Ogletree, a highly touted freshman safety a year ago, has moved up to linebacker. Jarvis Jones, a five-star recruit, sat out last season after transferring from Southern Cal, where he suffered a neck injury. Richard Samuel, a second-teamer, redshirted last season after moving from running back and kick returner. Christian Robinson has experience and then there are a lot of question marks. The Dogs need for true and redshirt freshman talent to emerge. If healthy, T.J. Stripling is a potential future star.

Secondary – In 2002, Georgia won the SEC Championship. Thomas Davis, Greg Blue and Tim Jennings were first year defensive backs.

They were all back-ups. Georgia’s talent level and production has dropped off at defensive back, and with the move of Ogletree to linebacker, where Georgia is flat out in dire need

of a great player, the Bulldogs are a little thinner than second year secondary coach Scott Lakatos would like. Can Bacarri Rambo return to his pre-concussion Freshman form.

Can Shawn Williams and Jakar Hamilton hold down the other spot? At corner, Brandon Boykin is a standout and he’s back. Sanders Commings, who has size, starts on the other side. Branden Smith, a five star recruit coming out of high school, has had electric moments with the ball in his hands, but has not shined on defense. He was voted Most Improved Defensive Player of the spring, and is Boykin’s backup. A one-time five star who’s a back-up as a junior and was voted Most Improved . . . again, more offense seems to make sense.

Georgia put together an outstanding secondary recruiting class. Corey Moore could help right away at safety. If Mitchell plays offense, there’s a good chance that blue-chipper Nick Marshall, who was an incredible prep quarterback, will get a look at corner. Damian Swann, a highly recruited corner, will also get a look. The secondary, like tailback, is an area where Georgia is counting on freshmen to have an early impact.

Special Teams – Drew Butler and Blair Walsh are back for a third year together as one of the country’s top kicking combos. It would be a shame to have these two legs together and no hardware to show for it. Boykin is a record setter as a kick returner. Georgia needs stability at punt returner. That race will be wide open when August practice cranks up.

www.Herdlinger.com

26

Bulldawg Illustrated

Schedule Preview

By Jeff Dantzler

oise State – One of the country’s most successful programs of the 2000s, the Broncos seek another signature win over a royal foe, as they tangle with the Bulldogs at the Georgia Dome. Chris Peterson has taken Boise State to another level. Once known almost exclusively for high powered pass attacks, Boise is now a much more physical program, with a defensive line and running game far superior to the one that the SEC Champion Bulldogs of 2005 faced in Athens.

Kellen Moore is an ace at quarterback. The senior southpaw is extremely accurate. Tailback Doug Martin is one of the country’s best runners. He gets better as the game goes along. And with Moore’s accuracy, Martin is lethal on play-action. Boise has to replace a lot of talent off of last year’s one-loss team, but they should still get to double digit wins without much worry. If they beat the Bulldogs, the Broncos are a national title contender. If Georgia wins, then the Bulldogs head into the following week with a chance to storm to an impressive 2-0.

B

South Carolina – In their 19th season of league play, South Carolina made it to the SEC Championship Game for the first time last year. It was not a fluke. The Gamecocks are the favorites in the SEC East and could be in the national championship mix. Legendary coach Steve Spurrier is still going strong, and he has a truly special talent in tailback Marcus Lattimore, who was the most impressive runner in the country last year. Quarterback is a question mark. But with Lattimore and stellar receiver Alshon Jeffery, the Gamecocks have weapons. Stephon Gilmore is a standout at corner and on special teams. All eyes will be on the country’s top recruit, JaDavean Clowney, at defensive end. Spurrier and the Gamecocks have been able to sign these top flight in-state talents, and because of that, back-to-back trips to Atlanta is within their grasp. South Carolina has historically beaten Georgia in back-to-back years. If they do it again, Georgia can still recover and contend. An 0-2 start would have the Bulldog faithful on red alert. A 2-0 start, and the Dogs will be barking loud.

Coastal Carolina – This is obviously a game should Georgia should easily win. And after those first two, and with five consecutive Southeastern Conference games on deck, the Dogs need a breather. There is some athletic history with Coastal Carolina. At Foley Field, Georgia beat Coastal Carolina 8-7 on Jeff Keppinger’s heroic 9th inning blast to capture the Regional Championship en route to the College World Series. The sensational Keppinger went five-forfive with three homers the day after hitting for the cycle in an elimination win over Georgia Southern.

Ole Miss – If Georgia is going to contend for the SEC Championship, this is a must-win for the Bulldogs. It won’t be easy. They rarely are in the league. But Ole Miss is trending down. The schedule sets up great for Georgia. The bottom four teams from last year are all on the docket – and that includes the Rebels. As usual, Houston Nutt will find a way to move the ball effectively on offense in a physical nature. Ole Miss’s big question marks come on defense. This is always a fun game for the faithful of both schools. Georgia and Ole Miss fans of course are famous tailgaters and the campus queens will certainly show out in The Grove not to be outdone for pre and postgame revelry.

Mississippi State – Dan Mullen has the Maroons rolling. He’s one of the hot coaches in the country. Just two years on the job after a highly successful stint as Florida’s offensive coordinator, Mullen has Mississippi State at one of its highest points in the history of the program. Last season, Mississippi State beat Georgia for the first time since 1974. Mullen led MSU to an upset win at Florida. And the Starkville Bulldogs obliterated Michigan in the Gator Bowl. It’s not every year that Mississippi State beats Georgia, Florida and Michigan in the same year – and oh yeah, arch-rival Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl.

Chris Relf is a tough runner and a vastly improved passer. Georgia couldn’t stop State in the clutch in the fourth quarter last year. It’s going to be tough and physical between the hedges.

Tennessee – After winning three straight times in Knoxville from 2001 – 2005, while falling to the Volunteers in Athens in 2004 and 2006, this series was going through a period of road domination.

From 2001-2006, the road team won five of six meetings. The home team has won four straight now. And Georgia, after those signature victories of ’01, ’03 and ’05 has been embarrassed on its last two trips to Neyland Stadium. The Volunteers blasted the Bulldogs 35-14 in ’07 after surging to a 28-0 lead. On Georgia’s last visit in 2009, the Dogs turned in the most embarrassing offensive performances in

school history in a 41-19 loss. Georgia scored touchdowns on an interception (Bacarri Rambo) and kickoff return (Brandon Boykin), a 53-yard Blair Walsh field goal and a blocked punt for a safety. Georgia did not get inside the Volunteers 35-yard line. That’s staggering.

Derek Dooley is rebuilding the Vols, and knocking off Georgia would be a signature win. With Murray under center, can the Dogs regain that road swagger that was a trade-mark during the first five years of Mark Richt’s tenure?

Vanderbilt – This game, in years when the Bulldogs have been in October contention, the trip to Nashville has been tough. Coming off of an emotional game with over 100,000 fans in Knoxville to the mundane setting of the Music City can be a challenge for getting players full attention. The last two years, when the Bulldogs have been 33 and 2-4 following the Tennessee game, Georgia has blown the Commodores out. James Franklin takes over in Nashville, Vandy’s third coach in third years and has the typically tough assignment. The Commodores just have very little offensive punch and that puts a tremendous strain on a defense. This should be an easy Georgia win – hopefully with the Dogs in the thick of the SEC race.

Florida – Will Muschamp, former Georgia walk-on safety and defensive coordinator at Auburn and Texas, lands a dream job. Georgia is an embarrassing 3-18 against the Gators since 1990. It’s right there with the infamous drought against Tech as the worst blemishes in series against arch-rivals. Muschamp has already guaranteed a win.

And why would anyone doubt him? Why should Georgia have any confidence going to Jacksonville? Well it’s a first year head coach, who may turn out to be outstanding. But we’ll see. It’s not Urban Meyer.

It’s not Steve Spurrier. This is a chance for the Bulldogs to not only get a win, but with the turnover, perhaps lay the early groundwork for turning the season around. If Florida wins, that would be four different Gator head coaches who would have notched Jacksonville wins in the 2000s. The Georgia people are in dire and desperate need of a win on the banks of the St. John’s. So much could hinge on this one.

New Mexico State – This should be an easy Georgia win, and hopefully Sanford Stadium will be packed with a gleeful throng after a victory in Jacksonville pushes the Bulldogs record to 7-1 or 8-0.

With Auburn, Kentucky and Tech on the horizon, this is a good spot for a breather and an opportunity to get some reserves and younger players “live” snaps.

Auburn – Georgia had won four straight over the Tigers prior to last season’s 49-31 fourth quarter Auburn pull-away. That win streak was Georgia’s longest in the series since winning five straight from 1944-48. The national champion Tigers flat out pushed the Bulldogs around and put up gaudy rushing numbers on the plains.

There were not so subtle whispers coming out of that fourth quarter shellacking that Auburn players were “laughing” at Georgia players for being out of shape and so physically whipped. Well here’s a big test. Cam Newton and Nick Fairley are gone, but Michael Dyer and Onterrio McCalleb and a fleet corps of receivers is back. This should be a dead on even match-up. Auburn must replace a lot of talent on the offensive line as well. It’s year two of the “3-4” base scheme for the Georgia defense and this will be a great measuring stick to see how far the Bulldogs stop-unit has progressed. As is almost always the case with these two, at least a sniff of a championship for at least one will be on the line.

Kentucky – The Bulldogs exploded for big plays and Washaun Ealey had a big day carrying the football in one of Georgia’s most impressive wins last season. The year before, Georgia blew a pair of 14point second half leads and lost at home to Kentucky for the first time since 1977. If this is a championship caliber Georgia team – especially with the dynamic Randall Cobb having moved on to the NFL – this is one that the Bulldogs simply have to have.

Tech – Victories over the Yellow Jackets the last two years have been season-salvagers. Despite disappointing records, the Georgia people have been able to enjoy state-wide supremacy and put up Christmas trees. Tech’s triple option ate the Bulldogs alive last season, but Georgia took advantage of turnovers to topple the Yellow Jackets.

Georgia’s offense will have to be on. It’s rarely easy on the flats and there are a lot of external factors that seem to work against the Red and Black at historic Grant Field. A lot could be on the line. Georgia will be eyeing a third straight victory. Will a berth in Atlanta and the SEC Championship Game be on deck?

photos by Rob Saye

ʰʧʹ ʵʧʣʵʱʰ ʯʱʴʧ ʶʱ ʸʫʵʫʶ ʴʧʣʵʱʰʵ͚ʦʱʹʰʶʱʹʰ ʣʶʪʧʰʵ

ʩˋˈ˖ ˅ˇ˔˖ˋˈˋ˅˃˖ˇ˕ ˃˘˃ˋˎ˃˄ˎˇ ͗ ˏˑ˔ˇ ˖ˊ˃ː ʙʗ ˔ˇ˖˃ˋˎ ˃ːˆ ˆˋːˋːˉ ˎˑ˅˃˖ˋˑː˕ʂ ʙʒʘʎʕʗʕʎʓʖʔʓ

www.bulldawgillustrated.com

27

UGA DAY Albany photos by Debbie Hambley Thomas Brown, Marianne Grebel, Mark Richt, Coni Grebel and Richard Grebel

Carolyn Cook and Mark Richt

Mark Richt, Sara Annie Floyd and Deborah Fiveash

Mark Richt and Bryan Brinson

Kathleen Cooper, Coach Mark Richt and Margaret Moore

Jack Bauerle and Dee Matthews

Bill Stanfill, Mark Richt and Don Parton

Nancy and John Stephenson

Avery Morris, Mark Richt, Shannon Morris and Ben Morris

Mark Richt and John Mann

Everything For The Dawg Fan Tees • Sweats • Hoodies • Shorts • Caps Jackets • Jerseys • Golf Shirts • Gifts Tailgate Supplies • Much more 706-549-3081 • www.dawgwear.net FREE Parking • Located on Baxter Hill across from the dorms.

28

Bulldawg Illustrated

Augusta Bulldog Club Laura Jane Turner, Wes Turner, Chris Johnson, Linda Lake and Brent Lake

Mitchell Smeak, Mark Richt and Russell Smeak

Jeanne Christy and Aria Martin

Donna and Steve McCall

Ashlee Postell, Conor Rodman and Summer Keepers

Travers and Natalie Paine

P.O. and Emmalene Youmans

John P. Smith, Philip Pearson and Ernie Blackburn

John P. Smith and David Muia

Neal Brook, Alice Brook and Philip Shapiro

Joel Simmons and Kevin Hynes

We始re all about the number one sport on the planet retail center with all major brands

and custom club fittings for all types of players 706-612-1159 www.bulldawgillustrated.com

1850 Epps Bridge Rd, Athens golfetcathens.com 29

Jeff Dantzlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top 25 Here is an early Summer preseason top 25. The big story, can an SEC team, with the league losing an amazing horde of underclassman talent to the NFL, extend its unprecedented run of five national titles â&#x20AC;&#x201C; won by four different schools? Oklahoma seems to have the most juice. Ohio Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s star has obviously fallen. Southern Calâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appeal to play in a bowl this year got denied.

Nebraska has moved to the Big 10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which has 12 teams now. The former Big XII has ten teams. The PAC-10 is now the PAC12 with Utah and Colorado joining. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll play in a division with the Los Angeles and Arizona schools. There is clearly an unprecedented amount of transition for 2011. So here we go â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with a reserved right to change for our August Kickoff edition.

1. Oklahoma - Boomer Sooner is loaded. Bob Stoops has led Oklahoma to four BCS Championship Games. Since 2000, the Sooners have won seven Big XII championships. Texas two. The schedule is more than manageable. The Aggies come to Norman.

2. Oregon â&#x20AC;&#x201C; What a game to open the season in Dallas. The Ducks and LSU go head-to-head at the Cowboys Stadium. The PAC-10 might not have a slew of top ten teams, but there are plenty of schools capable of pulling off the upset. If Oregon beats the Bayou Bengals, a return to the BCS Championship Game could be in the cards.

3. Alabama â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Crimson Tide lost a lot of talent, four first-rounders, including 2009 Heisman winner Mark Ingram, Marcel Dareus and Julio Jones.

But Nick Sabanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last four recruiting classes have all been ranked in the top three nationally. With Saban at the helm, the Bama fans have been able to put away their â&#x20AC;&#x153;dig him upâ&#x20AC;? bumper stickers.

4. South Carolina â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Marcus Lattimore is on his way to being an all-time great back. And the Gamecocks are loaded for a run in 2011. They are clearly the team to beat in the SEC East and Cam Newton-less Auburn comes to Columbia. If Steve Spurrier gets settled at quarterback, the skyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the limit.

5. LSU â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Bayou Bengals have a brutal schedule, opening with Oregon and fighting through the teeth of the SEC West. LSU lost a lot of talent on defense, most notably the sensational Patrick Peterson, a dynamo at corner and on returns, and a beast of a dominating defensive tackle in Drake Nevis.

6. Florida State â&#x20AC;&#x201C; It will be tough for the Seminoles to replace Christian Ponder, but the Seminoles still have the best talent in the ACC. Plus, Florida is not what Florida was while dominating the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Noles in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;2000s. Same goes for Miami, which has won nearly every big game ever contested with FSU. 7. Nebraska â&#x20AC;&#x201C; What an opportune time for the Cornhuskers to be moving to the Big Ten (12). With chaos at Ohio State and a shaky hire with low talent at Michigan, the window is open. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be surprised if Nebraska wins the Big Ten championship within its first couple of years in the league.

8. Oklahoma State â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mike Gundy has a good thing going in Stillwater.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only one problem. The Cowboys play in the same state as Bob Stoops and the Sooners. As usual, Oklahoma State will be able to score a ton of points. Can they make enough stops? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the challenge.

9. Wisconsin â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Many favor the Badgers to win the Big Ten this year, and with good reason. As usual, they will have an excellent, massive offensive eline and be able to run the ball at will in the league.

10. Boise State â&#x20AC;&#x201C; If Boise State beats Georgia, the Broncos will have the credibility to get a crack at the BCS Championship Game if they go undefeated and there arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t two big boy unbeatens. Kellen Moore and Doug Martin are a tremendous one-two backfield punch.

11. Stanford â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Cardinal will drop off some. Jim Harbaugh did incredible things on the Farm, most notably posting winning records over both Southern Cal and Notre Dame, and leading the Cardinal to a No. 4 national finish last season. Andrew Luck is incredibly special and will be the top pick in the draft.

Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be second only to Elway in Stanfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s illustrious signal caller annals.

12. Texas A&M - Mike Sherman, slowly but surely, has Texas A&M turned back around. How about this trifecta: the Aggies beat Oklahoma, Texas and Nebraska last season. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pretty good bet thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a first. Texas A&M will miss Von Miller, but the Aggies can move the ball.

13. Ohio State â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Both the crime and the cover-up were bad. How did the NCAA let those five players participate in the Sugar Bowl? What a farce. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re reeling in Columbus. Jim Tressel is second only to Woody Hayes in Buckeye coaching lore.

Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hoping that after a year away, Urban Meyer may be ready to strap the whistle around his neck again.

14. TCU â&#x20AC;&#x201C; What a job Gary Patterson has done at TCU. This program was borderline dormant for decades. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taken the Horned Frogs back to their glory days of Davey Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien and Slinginâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sammy Baugh. Not even the greatest writer of them all Dan Jenkins could have scripted TCU going to Pasadena and winning the Rose Bowl. Patterson is the toast of the town at Joe T. Garciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, home of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest Tex-Mex. 15. Virginia Tech â&#x20AC;&#x201C; What a bizarre season for the Hokies, who lost a heart-breaker to Boise State, were stunned by James Madison, then ran the table in the ACC, before getting clocked by Stanford in the Orange Bowl. Frank Beamer is a hall of famer and his program is very consistent.

16. Arkansas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ryan Mallett will be missed on the field. Make no mistake. But Tyler Wilson is solid and Knile Davis emerged last season as a premier tailback. And say what you will about Bobby Petrino, the guy took Louisville to an Orange Bowl and Arkansas to the Sugar.

17. Auburn â&#x20AC;&#x201C; On the heels of the dream season, it will be difficult for Auburn to repeat as SEC kings with the loss of Cam Newton and Nick Fairley. But oh theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got the tailbacks and that house money victory ride. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t count Auburn out in the SEC West.

18. Mississippi State â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dan Mullen has done some kind of job in Starkville.

Think about this, and throw in all the factors you wantâ&#x20AC;Śwhatever: Mississippi State beat Georgia, Florida and Michigan last season. And Chris Relf is coming at quarterback.

19. Miami â&#x20AC;&#x201C; You just never know in the ACC. But if Al Golden had a nine win season at Temple and took the Owls to a bowl, then certainly he can push Miami in the top 25. Newsflash, the Hurricanes have tons of speed.

20. Penn State â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Joe Paterno should have another solid team in State College.

The schedule, as usual, is far from challenging. The Nittany Lions could take advantage of the situations at Ohio State and Michigan. The Penn State people are right there with the Buckeye faithful hoping that Urban Meyer is their next guy.

21. Missouri - The Tigers have fallen into that 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10 win range and with Nebraska gone out of the Big XII North, Missouri has a window to make a jump. With Chase Daniel and Blane Gabbert, the Tigers have been a standout QB â&#x20AC;&#x201C; producing school.

22. Michigan State â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Spartans put together one of their great seasons of alltime, going 11-1 and sharing the Big Ten championship. The downer: Alabama lambasted Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl, just humiliated Sparty. Michigan State has enough to contend again, if they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hung over from the Crimson Tide pasting.

23. Texas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; What a crushing season for the Longhorns. Texas should never lose to Baylor and Iowa State in the same year at home. With all of their resources and a cake schedule, the Longhorns standards should be higher than almost any. Mack Brown made Texas nationally relevant again, but heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no Stoops. Texas needs an offensive identity. Getting heralded tailback Malcolm Brown is a big step in getting the Longhorns back.

24. Georgia â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Bulldogs have a manageable schedule that has neither LSU nor Alabama. There are questions on defense, the O-Line and at receiver. Georgia needs freshman help from a talented crop. If Georgia can beat both Boise State and South Carolina, the Bulldogs could contend for a top ten season.

25. Florida â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Will Muschamp was a surprise hire for the Gators. In his first year as a head coach, Muschamp brought in Charlie Weis to run the offense. There figure to be some growing pains. Florida has been recruiting very well, especially on defense.

Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021;

Residential and Commercial Moving Local and Long Distance On-site Document Destruction Document Data Storage Go Miniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Portable Storage Units Packing Materials

Moving Dawgs Across Georgia Since 1972 706) 548-3359

2095 S. Milledge Ave. by the loop

Athens

www.georgeslowcountrytable.net :LWK D WRXFK RI &DMXQ DQG &UHROH DV ZHOO DV Ă DYRUV IURP DOO RYHU the south, we are serving the best dishes possible to our guests. /LYH PXVLF :HGQHVGD\V RQ WKH SDWLR IXOO EDU

30

Lindsay Transfer & Storage, Inc. 180 Trade Street Bogart, GA 30622 Tel: 706.549.8902 Duke Lindsay dlindsay@thelindsaygroup.net

Bulldawg Illustrated