Springtime in Georgia

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Springtime in Georgia! Spring practice coverage • Board of regents photos • In the Kitchen • Bully Ball photos • Signee profiles • Dynamic Dawgs feature

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From the editor : vance leavy Ahhhh, don’t you just love springtime in Georgia? There’s nothing like seeing all the beautiful plants and flowers in full bloom. And the weather is absolutely perfect with warm days and a few remaining cool nights. But really what I love most about this time of year is the optimism surrounding Georgia football. The Dawgs are undefeated right now, which has fans giddy about what the upcoming 2011 season holds. Since I’m the editor of BI, folks are always curious to hear my feelings toward the upcoming season. Unfortunately, I’m not giving them much fodder because until I see this team suit up in the Georgia Dome against Boise State, I’m taking a Switzerland stance which means I’m neither up or down on this Georgia season However I will say that four months into 2011, Mark Richt and company continues to impress with their progress. First there was the amazing recruiting class they put together in early February (see our signee profiles on pages 28-30). And now spring drills are in the books and while the G-Day game wasn’t the prettiest brand of football I’ve ever seen there were some good signs. The best highlight certainly is the fact that our players appear to be physically bigger which is absolutely necessary if this season is to be better than the last few. Our players have bought into the tough-love philosophy of new strength and conditioning coach, Joe Tereshinski. With nutrition at the center of Coach T’s program, players are bulking up that need to, while others are slimming down if that is what is required to perform best at their individual position. Keep it coming, Coach T. And if you want another good sign, then make sure you read Murray Poole’s story on the Georgia defense in year two under Todd Grantham (page 22). Evidently, a Florida player basically called our Dawgs soft after last year’s game and good old, Coach T is reminding our players of it every time they hit the weight room. I love it! Okay, I need to temper things a little as I’m not staying neutral like I promised. Like Jeff Dantzler accurately says in his column on page 4, the 2011 season will come down to whether Georgia can have a productive running game on the offensive side of the ball. And

whether the Georgia D can stop the run better than they did last season. However I will add one more element that I deem to be the most important to Georgia getting back to playing championship football. Something has to give in 2011 on the day of games. Too many times in recent years our entire program from the head coach down has been a discombobulated mess highlighted by unnecessary timeouts, predictable play calling and way too many missed assignments by players on both sides of the ball. I’m not exactly sure how you teach better game day preparation or actually it’s game day reaction, but I must say that it’s quite obvious that some of the changes athletic director, Greg McGarity has helped Coach Richt implement definitely has our headman the most at peace I’ve seen him in many years. I think after 10 years, Richt found himself overwhelmed with many of the requirements that were put on him that had nothing to do with coaching football. Some of those have now been redirected with the hope that this found time is going to prove most beneficial for not only Richt, but the entire program. I sure hope that is the case because I’m ready to see a brand of Georgia football where at the end of each game either we will be the victor because we were the better team or the loser because the other guy was. That certainly hasn’t been the case the last few years. All right that’s enough for now. Please enjoy our spring issue of BI. Like in previous years, Murray Poole spent a week in Athens putting together great stories for our readers. And don’t you know there are tons of photos from the G-Day game to the Bully Ball to UGA’s Celebration of Support, just to name a few. Find someone you know and make sure you tell them you saw their photo in BI. And please don’t miss Cheri’s pages in this issue. She is determined not to let me get too sports crazy this year. Read about two Dynamic Dawgs (page 24) from Athens, Jenny Sligh and Kitty Culpepper. These ladies are real dynamos. And if you’re looking for an incredible beef brisket recipe, do not miss Cheri’s In the Kitchen with David Abernathy feature on page 12. I speak with authority because I had two plates and was still nibbling out of the pan when leaving. Well, that will do it. Enjoy this wonderful spring weather and we will see you June 5 with our Season Preview issue. Until then, Go Dawgs and all hail to Switzerland!

Springtime in Georgia Cha Cha Cha Publishing Editor Vance Leavy Editorial & Ad Director Cheri Leavy Sports Guru Jeff Dantzler Public Relations Director Andrew Miller Sales Kelley Blanton Alan Lanier Andrew Miller Holly Stanfill Sports Murray Poole Layout/Design Vance Leavy, Cheri Leavy Photographers Ryan Scates, Rob Saye Ad Design Cheri Leavy Andrew Miller Cover Design Vance Leavy Signee Photos Rivals.com, Scout.com Columnists Carlton DeVooght Al Hickson Reg Murphy Rob Sherrell Loran Smith

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We will know two games in ... Alabama, the 2009 national champion is not on Georgia’s schedule, nor were the Crimson Tide a year ago. LSU, the 2007 national champion, is not on Georgia’s schedule, nor were the Fightin’ Tigers last season. The four teams who had the worst four records in the Southeastern Conference last season – Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Kentucky, all of whose league wins with the exception of the Wildcats victory over South Carolina came against one another – are on Georgia’s docket. Urban Meyer, who guided Florida to a pair of national championships and a trio of 13-1 campaigns since 2006, is no longer at the Gators’ helm. Former Georgia defensive back and Texas defensive coordinator/coach-in-waiting Will Muschamp is steering the Gators’ ship. Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, who accounted for an astounding 51 touchdowns on Auburn’s run to the national championship, is bound for the National Football League. You would get little argument for any fan, follower, player, coach or administrator that the Bulldogs 6-7 campaign of 2010 goes down as one of the most disappointing in Georgia’s proud and storied football history. No Bama. No LSU. Florida goes 8-5. Tennessee goes 6-7. Tech goes 6-7. And so does Georgia. Mark Richt has led the Bulldogs to great heights in his decade-plus tenure, highlighted by two Southeastern Conference championships and five consensus top five finishes – including a No. 3 in 2002 and No. 2 in 2007 – over a six-season stretch bookended by the aforementioned final rankings that are the program’s highest since the Golden Era of 1980-83. But the disappointment of last year that reached a maddening crescendo with a head-pounding 10-6 Liberty Bowl loss to Central Florida from Conference USA. I woke up and it was 1974. As a quick historic reference, that promising Georgia team went 6-6, lost in a freezing rainstorm to Tech and then fell in the Tangerine Bowl to Miami. Of Ohio. That disappointment, underachievement and poor performance led Vince Dooley and Erk Russell to rally the program as underdogs and “Junkyard Dawgs.” Georgia responded in 1975 by posting a 9-2 regular season and Cotton Bowl berth highlighted by a sweep of Florida, Auburn and Tech. One year later, the Bulldogs won the SEC championship, again sweeping the “big three” and finishing with a 101 regular season mark that earned a Sugar Bowl date for the national title with Pittsburgh. So the big question, will the Bulldogs of 2011, like the “Junkyard Dawgs” of 1975, resiliently respond with a championship caliber campaign? Optimism is high around the program, based largely on a recruiting class that is generally regarded as one of the country’s top five, and one of the SEC’s three best. Headlining the crop is tailback Isaiah Crowell of Columbus, the Peach State’s top prospect, and a potential difference-maker early in his career. Going back to 1980 and the emergence of the greatest college football player ever, Herschel Walker ran for 1,616 yards and the led the Bulldogs to a perfect 12-0 season and the national and SEC championships. Since the Goal Line Stalker, several Bulldog runners have shined as freshmen, including Tim Worley, Keith Henderson and Rodney Hampton. Knowshon Moreno was unfortunately a redshirt freshman in 2007, as he led Georgia to an 11-2 record, No. 2 national ranking and victories over Alabama, Florida, Auburn, Tech and

undefeated Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl. Meanwhile, last season’s two SEC Championship Game combatants, Auburn and South Carolina both featured magnificent freshman tailbacks, Michael Dyer, who broke Bo Jackson’s Tiger freshman rushing yardage record, and Marcus Lattimore, arguably the nation’s premier runner. Is Crowell in the class? Can he be Georgia’s next great back? Well, we’ll know early. Richt said on signing day that Crowell may even touch the football on the first play of the season. It’s a lot to put on a freshman, but if Crowell is an elite back, most of Georgia’s offensive question marks – replacing Trinton Sturdivant, A.J. Green and Kris Durham – will become moot. A great tailback combined with sophomore signal caller Aaron Murray, a talented passer and runner, would give the Bulldogs a dangerous backfield combination. But if Georgia is to become a legitimate national player and SEC championship contender in 2011, perhaps most important is overall defensive improvement – particularly against the run. If you can’t stop the run, you can’t win big, especially in the rough and tough SEC. And in Georgia’s big games last year, Georgia was buried in the run game. Lattimore, in his second collegiate contest, ran for 184 yards on 37 carries. Georgia couldn’t stop Mississippi State on critical fourth quarter third downs. Colorado had an average back run for 148 yards. Florida had its finest rushing performance of the season. Auburn, led by Newton and Dyer, absolutely gashed the Bulldogs. Thanks to fumbles, Georgia was able to overcome a monster rushing performance by Tech, and the Bulldogs chalked up a 42-34 victory over the Yellow Jackets. The other aforementioned performances were all losers of course. As was the Liberty Bowl, where Georgia gave up 100 yards rushing to a Central Florida tailback. There is hope though on the front seven. The emergence of Kwame Geathers and the signing of junior college defensive tackle John Jenkins – providing the Bulldogs hope that he could follow in the footsteps of Alabama’s Terrance Cody and Nick Fairley of Auburn – gives Georgia the potential for vast improvement and a much more stout defensive front. This is a must. So is improvement at linebacker. The Bulldogs are aiming for newcomer impact here as well. Highly touted sophomore Alec Ogletree has moved up from safety. Jarvis Jones sat out last season, after transferring from Southern Cal following a neck injury. Richard Samuel redshirted last season after sliding over from tailback. Justin Houston, who will soon be Georgia’s first defensive player drafted in the first round since Thomas Davis and David Pollack following the 2004 campaign, leaves a big void on defense. He’s a stellar play-maker and saved the day in the win over Tech. Winning the running game and coming up with explosive plays are the biggest factors in Georgia making the jump this season. It’s a unique schedule as arguably the two toughest contests show up out of the gate, as the Bulldogs play Boise State at the Georgia Dome and then host South Carolina. Everyone will know how good Georgia is two games in. If things don’t go well, the schedule does set up for the Bulldogs to get back in the picture. If things do go well in the first two, the stage may well be set for the Bulldogs to make a run at a second appearance in the Georgia Dome.

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Yes, Aaron Murray can get even better Three thousand and 49 yards passing, which is a Georgia freshman record and the second most yards by a freshman in Southeastern Conference history. Twenty-four touchdown passes, which ties Eric Zeier, D.J. Shockley and Joe Cox for the second most scoring passes in a single season in Bulldog history … only one back of the school record of 25 set by Matthew Stafford in 2008. 3,216 total offensive yards, which ranks first in UGA history for a freshman and second in SEC history. Tied for first in Georgia history (with D.J. Shockley, 2005) for touchdown responsibility in a season with 28 (24 passing, 4 rushing). A passing efficiency rating of 154.48 which ranked 14th nationally (top freshman) and fourth in the SEC. Was named Freshman All-America by The Sporting News, College Football News.com, and Rivals.com and selected to Phil Steele’s AllFreshman First Team. Also selected to SEC Coaches All-SEC Freshman Team and named to SEC Academic Honor Roll. As a mere redshirt freshman, was named Georgia’s Most Valuable Offensive Player as well as Newcomer of the Year on offense. Really, after scanning through all the above accomplishments, you have to ask the question: How can this guy, now redshirt sophomore quarterback Aaron Murray, get any better in his upcoming second season of directing the Bulldogs’ offense? Although Georgia struggled through a 6-7 season in 2010 – the only losing season for Mark Richt in his 10 years at the UGA helm – the 61, 209-pound Murray did everything he possibly could to help the Bulldogs win football games. Indeed, if anything, Murray more than lived up to all the recruiting hype that enveloped him coming out of Tampa’s Plant High School where he earned Parade All-America honors and came back from a broken leg in his senior season to pace Plant to the Class AAAA state championship … in the process throwing for 344 yards and three touchdowns. And that’s saying something. But Murray is the first to tell you he can develop into a much more efficient quarterback in the fall of 2011. Those numbers he put up in his redshirt freshman campaign last season are indeed nice to ponder over but Murray is quick to point out that a college quarterback is judged only by team numbers, like in wins and losses, and his only goal – the only reason he pushes so hard in the weight room, in the film room and on the practice field – is to help make the Bulldogs SEC, and yes, national champions. And while many Southeastern Conference pundits see Murray as the top returning starting quarterback in America’s best collegiate league, Murray says there are absolutely no guarantees he’ll be as good, or put up the same kind of numbers, that he did in his first season of barking the Georgia signals. “Not at all,” he declared. “In the SEC, you’re playing against tough guys every year and you have to come out with that hunger and determination and just have to stay focused. Coach (Mike) Bobo makes sure we stay grounded and continue working on our skills and making sure we’re just working hard at all times. “I’m not satisfied until we win a national championship,” added Murray. “Quarterbacks are not determined by how many touchdowns and interceptions they have but their greatness is determined on how many championships they win. You look at guys like Dan Marino compared to Tom Brady. Marino is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time but, no ring. All that matters is how many championships you’ve got and that’s all I really care about.” Murray, who completed 12-of-17 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown and a two-point PAT to lead the Black team over the Reds in the recent G-Day game, said there’s a number of areas he can improve on to become the kind of QB who can put his team in championship games. “I just need to keep working on my footwork, get into my progressions faster, get my feet into the right position to throw the football on time,” he said. “I definitely feel comfortable out there, I feel good. I think I’ve definitely matured as a quarterback when it comes to not looking at the rush. Young quarterbacks are also worried about guys flying around them and seeing the game and the biggest parts are getting your eyes off what’s going on in front of you and worry more about what’s going on downfield with the coverages, with the receivers and things like that so I feel like I’ve definitely developed when it comes to not seeing all those ghosts

around you and not being concerned with the rush the entire time.” Another thing Murray wants to get better at this season is playing consistent over all four quarters. “Coach Bobo has talked to me about that,” Murray related. “It usually starts off slow and then second and third quarter I usually get really hot but at the end of the game I start going down a little bit. I just have to stay focused throughout the game and mentally not lose it at times. I don’t know if there are any drills to prepare yourself. I just think it’s experience and understanding how the game goes and how the flow is and just making sure I’m mentally in it at all times. “I don’t want to say last year I wasn’t purposely focusing on every play,” said Murray, “but you just have to make sure that every play you’re honed down on and have to make sure you’re perfect when it comes to your footwork, to your progressions, things like that, and I definitely think with a year under my belt and a little more experience, I understand that and I know how much each play is worth. As I go back and look at the film of last year, if we could change 10 or 15 plays, the whole season could have been different for us. You never know when those plays are going to happen.” Georgia offensive coordinator Bobo says Murray is one of the most studious, conscientious and hard-working quarterbacks he’s ever tutored when it comes to having the desire to make himself a better football player. “There’s no question Aaron is one of the most diligent guys in preparing I’ve ever had and as a result, he’s benefitted and had some success at a young age,” Bobo said. “And I haven’t seen any letting up of that. He knows that he’s got to continue to improve every day to get where he wants to be and where we want to be as a football team. “You saw improvement as the season went on last year,” said Bobo. “You saw him getting better every week and improving on little things and now this spring was about going back and addressing those things we’ve got to continue to work on … why are we not being as consistent as we should be, as accurate as we should be? What are those reasons? Is it footwork here, are our eyes in the right spot, working on the little things of trying to make us better at that position. “Obviously, there’s a lot of little things he can improve on in the fundamentals of playing the position and that’s big in spring. Fundamentals and getting your timing right and the footwork, understanding your progressions better and knowing when to check it down, the little things of playing the position which comes with the more reps and the more experience you have. And a great opportunity in spring is to get better fundamentally. “I think another thing,” said Bobo, “we want to take his leadership to the next level. I think he’s a natural leader in the way he works and his work ethic and people respond to a guy they see put in the time and obviously perform like that on the field but I want his leadership to go to the next level where he’s inspiring his teammates to play harder, to work as hard as him. It can’t be just you spending the extra time, I want that to carry over into affecting others, that part of the leadership. You’re obviously going to be in that leadership position, playing quarterback, and it’s hard for a young guy to kind of put himself out there and take control and I think he’s earned that right and he’s in that phase where he’s got to go to the next level and start to affect change with other people and not just himself. And that’s kind of a big thing we’re working on with him and talking about in the spring and this off-season as well. The off-season is always huge in college football because the quarterback has to run it. So that’s what we want him to work on and just the fundamentals and mechanics of playing and just to improve on leadership.” And Murray truly believes – even though he’s still a very young college football player – he’s making great strides in evolving into the kind of leader Richt, Bobo and his teammates want him to be. “I feel like that’s growing and I have to keep working toward that,” he said. “One of my main goals besides the play is really to try and develop as a leader for this team.” The sky would seem to be the limit for the guy who wears No. 11 for the Georgia Bulldogs, and if Aaron Murray does indeed get better over the next couple of seasons, he could become that Tom Brady-type quarterback he’s shooting to be … you know, the one who does nothing but win championships.

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Spring depth chart movers Competition at all positions is just what the doctor ordered for a team seeking vast improvement By Murray Poole

somebody, it makes each one of them better which ultimately makes our team better. So I think the competition has been good there and it will continue and we’ll see how it unfolds as we move forward.” But Geathers is hardly the only Bulldog who impressed both the coaching staff and their fellow players this spring. There are a number of other maybe not-so-well-known Bulldogs who have made their presence felt and, accordingly, have solidified their chances of contributing to the team on the field this coming fall. Such players as redshirt freshman receiver Michael Bennett, redshirt freshman tailback Brandon Harton, and new linebackers Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree all had excellent springs and were continually cited by Georgia team members and their position coaches. Also coming in for accolades over the course of the April practice sessions were the likes of rising junior wideout Marlon Brown, redshirt freshman tailback Ken Malcome, sophomore guards Kenarious Gates and Chris Burnette, redshirt freshman guard Kolton Houston, junior outside linebacker Cornelius Washington, sophomore tight end Arthur Lynch and sophomore backup quarterback Hutson Mason. “I tell you what, I’m sure you’re going to hear the buzz,” related junior flanker Tavarres King, expected to be the leader of the Georgia wide receivers in 2011 after All-America A.J. Green exited school early to join the NFL ranks. “The freshman walk-on running back, Brandon Harton, looks tremendous, coming out of nowhere and that’s great. Having a number of guys to compete, it’s awesome. If you’re competing and going head-to-head, you’re making everybody better so it’s good for him to step up. Michael Bennett, he’s playing well, Marlon’s (Brown) play-

hen you talked to Georgia’s football players and coaches during the recently-completed spring practice, to get their opinions on Bulldogs making a serious move on the depth chart, many of the same names kept popping up over and over. It all seems to start with Kwame Geathers, the huge (6-6, 340) redshirt sophomore who improved so much at the nose tackle position over the course of the 15 practice sessions he was named as the Bulldogs’ defensive MVP for the spring drills. Indeed, Geathers has been so impressive he has clearly sounded a warning … that he’s not going to relinquish the starting nose position to incoming junior college All-America Johnathan Jenkins without a fight. In this year’s G-Day game, won by Geathers’ Black team, 18-11, the Georgetown, S.C. product had four solo tackles including two crushing hits of Red backs behind the line for eight yards in losses and also forced a Red team fumble. Said Georgia head coach Mark Richt in his post-game remarks: “Well, when you get named the defensive MVP, you’ve done some good things and Kwame has done some good things. Kwame has gotten himself in good condition. You hear this term he’s got better pad level, well, you've got to play low. A man that tall, if you get low at all they’re going to get underneath your pads, run you and dump you, so to speak. “Kwame probably heard big Johnathan Jenkins was coming to take his job and I’m sure that lit a fire under him to a certain extent,” Richt added. “That’s what competition does, and that’s what we tried to make sure we reestablished in the spring.” Bulldogs defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said all the credit goes to Geathers for his making huge strides this spring. “Kwame is a guy that came back in the winter and worked his tail off in the weight room,” said Grantham. “He’s gotten stronger, he’s actually probably lost weight (10 pounds, in fact) but gotten less body fat. He’s really changed his body and is playing hard and is playing physical. And that’s a credit to him. As competitors, you thrive on competition and anytime you’re competing with

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ing well, we’ve got a lot of guys playing well for us,” said King. “We’ve got a little running back, Brandon Harton, who bought out in the first scrimmage,” offered Georgia senior center Ben Jones. “He’s been playing good. Ken Malcome’s been playing well; Michael Bennett has had a lot of good catches on the offense. (Alec) Ogletree, moving down from safety to linebacker, has really been playing hard and moving around. And, of course, (Kwame) Geathers has really been playing good – he’s coming off the rock on the defense and that’s who I see there every play. He’s definitely putting his work in this spring.”

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Depth Chart movers Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo tells what Georgia coaches look for out of their players when it comes to making changes on the depth charts. “Coach (Richt) has done a great job,” said Bobo. “The players have embraced it and we’ve all embraced it. It’s competition, it’s open competition in the spring and we’re going to compete in practice, one, against the defense, two within your segment … the competition within your segment where you compete through yourself to get better every day. Those guys have really competed and played hard and kind of juggling the depth chart daily keeps people on their heels. A guy sitting there saying, ‘hey, this is my job,’ really, there’s no job that’s yours. There’s nothing guaranteed. These guys have had good days and bad days but they know they’ve got to perform and they’ve got to be able to show us as coaches they’re someone we can count on this spring because when fall rolls around, we’re going to give the freshmen a chance to make an impact. Don’t say ‘I’m going to wait until the fall and, hey coach, I’m ready to go.’ Your opportunity is now. “And in saying that,” continued Bobo, “this little running back Brandon Harton, a guy who played receiver last year who we’ve put at tailback, has really impressed us because he’s ran hard, he’s been physical and made some nice plays. It’s a new position for him and he doesn’t know all the little things that go with that position but he’s flashed the ability to make plays … good speed. He’s just made plays. The bottom line is when you’ve got an opportunity to make a play, you’ve got to make it. There’s only so many opportunities in a game when we might block something exactly right or the defense might have blown a gap or something and we’ve got a chance to take advantage of it, we’ve got to do it. And he’s (Harton) taken advantage of his opportunities. “The same thing with our receivers,” said Bobo. “When the ball is in the air, there’s the opportunity to make a play. Either they’re going to make it or you’re going to make it. You want to prove to your coaching staff you can make them, not that you’ve got potential and so forth. You’ve got to make them in practice in order to get on the field and at receiver Michael Bennett has made a lot of plays. When the ball has come his way, he’s caught the ball so he’s caught people’s eye. At tight end, Aron’s (White) been banged up but Artie Lynch has made a few more plays. He’s had a lot

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more opportunities. This has been a big spring for him and he’s made plays. There’s not a change in the depth chart but Orson Charles (voted spring co-MVP of the offense along with Murray) has been outstanding. He’s really competed his tail off every day and he wants to leave no doubt that he’s the guy and he’s practicing like it.” “Kenarious Gates has done a very good job up front,” said Bobo. “Two other guys on the line of scrimmage would be Kolton Houston and Chris Burnette. Chris Burnette, who we thought highly of last spring, battled injuries all fall and didn’t really get in the mix but he’s come out this time and had a good spring. And then Kolton Houston has impressed. Both of those guys, if they continue to improve, could be somebody we can count on. Marlon’s (Brown) done a good job, just has to take advantage of his opportunities more. But Hutson Mason, the little running back, Brandon Harton, and Kolton and Burnette, those guys are the ones who have really impressed and made some plays.” Defensive coordinator Grantham really likes the progress of Alec Ogletree at inside linebacker since he made the move from strong safety and also the performance of Jarvis Jones at outside ‘backer, after Jones sat out last season after transferring from Southern California. Ogletree recorded seven tackles to lead the Red team in the recent G-Day contest. “Moving Tree there was 100 percent the right thing to do,” said Grantham. “He’s obviously still got to develop as a linebacker but based on the few days we’ve had that was the right place to put him and we’ve just got to continue to develop him. The same thing with Jarvis, there’s no doubt that playing him where we’re playing him is going to help us. One advantage of having the bowl practices was that we got to practice Jarvis and some other guys a lot who we knew weren’t going to play in the bowl game,” said Grantham. “(Jarvis) played in the middle during those practices and he could probably play there too. But he’s very athletic, has good hands and is a fluid outside linebacker and should be able to make a difference there. I think Jarvis is ahead of the guys last year at linebacker just from the standpoint of understanding the linebacker position.” Bottom line, there’s going to be a whole plethora of Georgia Bulldogs who haven’t exactly been household names in the past but promise to help this football team win in the autumn of 2011

Photographs by Rob Saye

9

An Evening with Bulldogs Sanford Co Macon Claudia Clark, Sarah Kate Sellers, Maggie Greer and AJ

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11

In the kitchen

with DAVID ABERNATHY Masters weekend is considered a national holiday for my family. This year, we gathered with friends at our Athens neighbor’s Alison and David Abernathy’s. David is a master of the Big Green Egg, you might say a scratch golfer on the grill. We started smelling the brisket early in the day as the smoke wafted over the fence. We knew we were in for a treat. And that is an understatement. David’s brisket was outstanding and the side dishes were all square. Two styles of deviled eggs and Lacy Sinkwich’s Chinese cole slaw with a grand finale of homemade icecream gained cheers from the gallery as well. Visit guide2athens website to see more of the photo shoot, all the recipes and Bon appetit- Cheri Leavy “how to” for the entire Masters Sunday buffet.

BBQ Brisket

Untrimmed brisket - Prefer 8-10 lbs. But for this crowd, David had a 6 lbs. brisket. Marinate for 2-4 hours in a covered dish.

Marinade ½ bottle Dales seasoning ½ bottle dark beer 4 cloves garlic, chopped While marinating, create a “Mop” which will be used for basting the brisket while smoking.

Mop 1 red onion, chopped coarsely 4 cloves garlic 2-3 serrano chiles, chopped 1 12 oz can of Dr. Pepper 2 bottles of dark beer ¼ cup dark brown sugar 1 tsp. ground chipotle pepper Salt to taste Place all ingredients in medium sauce pan and cook over medium heat for 20-30 minutes. Remove and reserve for basting. Remove brisket from marinade and coat with a generous portion of coarse ground sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Add a dash of cayenne pepper and ground chipotle pepper to taste. Prepare grill or smoker (or for David, Big Green Egg) to cook with indirect heat with drip pan at 225 degrees. Place brisket over drip pan with the fat side up and cook for 45 minutes to one hour per pound basting with mop every 45 minutes. Add soaked wood chips (mesquite and hickory) for added smoke flavor. Put 1 cup apple juice in drip pan and add as needed to keep moist. At five hours, pull brisket from grill and wrap in a generous amount of aluminum foil. Carefully remove drip pan as you will use the drippings for the BBQ sauce. Put wrapped brisket back on the grill for one hour.

BBQ Sauce 2 cups ketchup ¾ cups beef drippings ½ cup cider vinegar ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/3 cup brown sugar ¼ cup onions, very finely chopped ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper Combine ingredients, simmer over low heat while brisket finishes cooking. Finish- Remove brisket from grill, remove foil and let stand for 10 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain and serve with BBQ sauce.

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G-Day game rewind Despite very few offensive explosions, Richt is pleased with effort of both Black and Red teams By Murray Poole

s is often the case in spring football games, the team’s fans will come away with more questions than answers. That certainly is applicable to Georgia’s 2011 GDay game, held Saturday in Sanford Stadium and won by the Black team 18-11 over their Red counterparts. And likely the biggest question from the intrasquad scrimmage that was played on a sunny, wind-swept afternoon before an announced crowd of 43,117 is this: Will the Bulldogs be able to come up with more offensive firepower than they displayed over these four 12-minute quarters? After all, after three periods had been completed, the Blacks led the Red team by a baseballlike score of 10-5. The Black team would put eight more points on the board late in the contest while the Reds would score six in the fourth to make for the final tally. Certainly not the sort of point production Georgia is going to need in the 2011 season opener on Sept. 3 to keep pace with an explosive Boise State team. And, a few other area of concerns as the Bulldogs now gear toward the summer workouts and the beginning of fall camp in early August: (1) Are the Bulldogs going to be able to discover a solid running game to complement the passing of All-SEC quarterback candidate Aaron Murray? After all, Georgia didn’t run the ball very effectively in their final Saturday scrimmage leading up to G-Day, nor did the Bulldogs show a solid ground game in the spring game. The winning Black squad rushed for just 65 yards on 21 carries while the Reds attempted 26 running plays and netted only a total of 73 yards. Redshirt freshman tailback Ken Malcome was the Black’s leading ground gainer with 39 yards on seven carries while junior-to-be Carlton Thomas paced the Reds with 48 yards on 13 totes. Rising senior Caleb King had only five carries for 30 yards. (2) That said, how much will Georgia’s ground game be bolstered when junior Washaun Ealey rejoins the lineup in fall camp ‌. after sitting out nearly all of the spring drills with a strained hamstring? Most assuredly, there would seem to be a golden opportunity for a newcomer to make an impact here, say a guy such as Isaiah Crowell, the nation’s top-rated prep tailback who will be arriving on campus in June. (3) And, now to Todd Grantham’s defense. The trouble the Black and Red teams had scoring for most of the afternoon, can that be attributed to this 3-4 defense being much more formidable the second time around under Grantham or, again, was the lack of point production due to the fact neither offensive unit established enough of a run game to keep the defenses honest?

A

(4) And finally, though the defenses of the two teams acquitted themselves well against the run, the Red quarterbacks completed 14 of 28 passes for 193 yards and the Black team QBs completed 15 of 23 attempts for 160 yards, this coming mind you in a 48-minute game where the clock kept moving rather than the regulation 60-minute games of the regular season. Is there going to be any pass defense issues for these Bulldogs when they begin playing games for real? In actuality, however, maybe none of the above questions are reasons for the Bulldog Nation to be concerned. At least that’s the feelings of rising sophomore quarterback Murray – who completed 12 of 17 attempts for 122 yards for the Black team, including a short throw out to junior Branden Smith, who raced down the right sidelines to complete a 28-yard scoring play. “I’ve been working with all those receivers, those running backs (that comprise No. 1 unit) and those offensive linemen, we’ve all worked together (in practice), so it’s kind of hard to gel as an offense when you haven’t worked with the guy next to you (as was the case with the two drafted teams in G-Day),� said Murray. “But I think we definitely moved the ball pretty well and especially in the second half. So just putting teams together and not really practicing with those units, I thought we did pretty well.� Georgia head coach Mark Richt also wasn’t overly concerned with the fact there wasn’t an explosion of touchdowns in the spring game, or the lack of a potent running game by each squad. In addition to Smith’s 28-yard touchdown reception from Murray, the only other six-pointers came on a 5-yard run by Thomas and a 12-yard run by Malcome, with just 2:53 left to play. Blair Walsh and Brandon Bogotay booted 43 and 33-yard field goals, respectively, the Reds got a safety when they trapped Murray in the end zone early in the first period and Murray had a two-point PAT pass to Taylor Bradberry after Malcome’s score. “I thought it was a pretty well-played game overall,� said Richt. “The draft made the game a bit more interesting. It’s not easy to split up the units but I think by splitting them up, it really created some excitement for the guys. Today was tough on the offensive line because the first and second teams were mixed up,� added Richt. “To think they were going to knock people off the ball on every play was a bit unrealistic but I think they played well regardless of the circumstances.� Receiving-wise, junior flanker Tavarres King paced the Reds

Photograph by Ryan Scates

with five catches for 62 yards while senior tight end Aron White caught three balls for 44 yards. Rising juniors Marlon Brown and Orson Charles had four receptions each for the Blacks, for 47 and 41 yards, respectively. Red quarterback Hutson Mason followed Murray in the passing department, completing 8-of-16 for 109 yards with one pick. Defensively, sophomore linebacker Chase Vasser paced the winning Blacks with seven solo tackles while walk-on safety Connor Norman and also safety Lucas Redd followed with five stops each. Norman also notched the game’s only interception. Rising sophomore nose guard Kwame Geathers, who was named the spring’s defensive MVP, had four tackles, two well behind the line when he crashed through the Red’s offensive linemen. Rising sophomore Alec Ogletree seemed to take to his new inside linebacker position as he paced the Red defense with seven total tackles, followed by cornerback Corey Dunson with six tackles. Sophomore defense end Derrick Lott was credited with the tackle on Murray that produced the Red team’s safety. One thing was for certain after this year’s G-Day. No matter who played well, or who didn’t play well, Richt made it clear that every single position on the team will be up for grabs when August practice starts, that is, with the exception of quarterback where Murray may indeed be the top returning starting signalcaller in the SEC and at tight end, where Richt said this about Orson Charles: “Orson has great hands, speed and is a tough match-up for linebackers and defensive backs. I would say Orson is our MVP of the entire spring.� “I think the freshmen we have coming in will make a big impact,� said Richt. “They are very talented, hungry, want to come in and play and are going to make everyone compete a little harder. No one job on our team is really safe and every veteran has got to nail down their job or work to hold onto their job.�

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Bulldawg Illustrated

UGA Celebration of Support

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21

Georgia defense, year 2 Todd Grantham looking for his unit to get more physical up front and have more third down stops By Murray Poole

ow motivated are members of the Georgia defense to make the second season of Todd Grantham’s 3-4 alignment much more successful than the defense that made its debut under first-year coordinator Grantham in 2010? Listen to the words of Bulldog redshirt sophomore defensive end Derrick Lott: “Every time we walk in the weight room, Coach T. (Strength and Conditioning director Joe Tereshinski) tells us that the guy from Florida said, ‘Playing the game against Georgia was easier than practice’ so that kind of stuff stuck with us as a defense. So hearing Coach T. say that, we’re now in the weight room working harder, we’re on the field working harder … I feel like our defense wants it more now. “Last year,” added Lott, “we learned the defense, now we’re grasping it and going out on the field and executing it. Really, our defense as a whole, we really want it and you can tell by watching practice and watching us work and do film. Each guy on the defense whether the first group, second group and even the third group, we want it as one together and want to go out there and show the coaches what we can do and go win more games.” It’s not that the Georgia defense was all bad in the Bulldogs’ first endeavor with the 3-4 last autumn. They improved drastically in turnover margin, in fact climbing to second in the SEC with a plus-10 finish … when measuring turnovers gained against turnovers lost. Georgia ranked fourth in the league in total defense in 2010 while surrendering 328.5 yards a game and was fifth in scoring defense, allowing 22.1 points per outing. But, conversely, there were also a number of things the Bulldog defenders didn’t do so well while helping contribute to a 6-7 season finish … Mark Richt’s only losing year in his 10 seasons at the UGA helm. Georgia was seventh in the SEC in rush defense, giving up 147.2 yards per game; the Bulldogs ranked only ninth in sacks with 24 total and in the all-important area of opponents’ thirddown conversions, Georgia finished 12th and last in the conference, allowing Bulldog foes to convert on 72 third downs, or 41.9 percent of their attempts. And, let’s face it, allowing point totals of 31, 24, 29, 31, 34, 49 and 34 in seven different games last season is hardly the accomplishments of a top-notch defensive team. But then, that was last year. As the Bulldogs worked through the recently-completed spring drills, Grantham and his defensive players saw enough signs that lead them to believe it’s going to be a much more ferocious Georgia stop-em crew that will be taking the field in the upcoming 2011 campaign. The fact that the Bulldogs are no longer in strictly a learning process with this defense, as they were this time last year, is going to pay huge dividends the second time around, they all say. Says Georgia sophomore quarterback Aaron Murray, who faces the Bulldog defense each day in practice including the Saturday scrimmages at Sanford Stadium: “Compared to last year, they just know what they’re doing more. It definitely helps when you’re not thinking and second guessing and you can just go. A lot of times last year,” said Murray, “they were not exactly sure where to line up and now I look at the safeties, whereas last year when they were new to the defense, those

H

guys would be in coverage before I even snap the ball and now they’re disguising, moving around and trying to play games with me because they feel more comfortable. “They know what they’re doing, know where they need to go and are able to do more things disguising, maybe showing a blitz, maybe showing a different coverage,” Murray said. “Last year, they basically just came out with that defense and you knew pretty much what they were going to do so now they’re a little bit more freedom and going out and making plays. They’re definitely moving a lot faster. It’s a huge improvement.” Defensive coordinator Grantham, while acknowledging his guys have grasped the concepts of the 3-4 much better now, said it’s going to continually be a work in progress for the Bulldogs to get to where they need to be on that side of the ball. “First off, to improve our defense is the No. 1 thing,” Grantham related during the next-to-last week of spring practice. “I think we’ve got to be physical up front. We’ve got to be able to get a hand on guys and knock them back and control the line of scrimmage. We’ve got to know where our run fits are based upon the coverage and based upon where guys are. And then we’ve got to get off blocks and be relentless in our pursuit to the ball, from that standpoint. So I think that’s critical then as far as improving. I think the communication has improved from last year, which it should,” Grantham said. “You’re in your second year so I think the players are communicating better and they’re also communicating faster which allows guys to play faster. So I think that’s important. “I think guys have to continue to develop themselves because we do have a young team,” he pointed out. “I mean, defensively, Tree’s (Alec Ogletree) basically playing first year linebacker, Jarvis (Jones) is only a first-year player (at outside LB). We’ll see what happens at the nose position; Kwame’s (Geathers) coming on and doing a good job, (Outside LB) Cornelius Washington is moving to a new position so we are still young but the guys have played. I think the biggest thing is right now to know the defense, honing on your techniques and understanding the ability to play fast and running to the ball.” Grantham said stopping opposing offenses on third down all comes down to execution. “From a third-down standpoint,” he related, “I think it’s just a matter of improving our rush, improving our coverage, you know mixing it up a little bit and understanding that most third down possessions are sticking on the routes and understanding what the down and distance is and being able to play relative to the situation on third down. Some of that involves making decisions in zone on how to match things and some of it is basically being able to cover guys in match-up coverage. And then from a rush standpoint, it’s a combination of, one, beating a guy one-on-one and being able to execute your pass

Photograph by Rob Saye

rush game and also being able to keep the quarterback from running because, in college football, you’ve got to worry about the quarterback running as much as anything on third down when you play certain coverages. So I think all of that is something that we’ve got to do better and I think it’s really going to be a unit effort in the sense that you know, the tighter the coverage is, the longer the guy holds the ball which helps the rush, the better the rush is the more erratic throws he makes, the more bad decisions he makes, so I think that’s really more of a unit improvement there.” Grantham really likes the way his defensive leaders – people such as linebacker Christian Robinson and cornerback Brandon Boykin – stepped up to the challenge this spring. “I think the guys that have come back have bought into what we’re doing,” said Grantham, “really since the beginning as far as the weight room, working out, how we’re going to approach every practice … how we expect them to work because there’s no substitute for hard work to improve, and I think they’ve bought into that and are doing that. And I think that when you have good leaders on your team and it comes from within the locker room, I think that’s a positive, and the guys have done a good job with that and we’re expecting them to continue to do that over the summer and in training camp next fall.” One thing’s for certain, this revived Georgia defense will be put to the supreme test in the 2011 season opener on Sept. 3, when high-scoring Boise State gallops into the Georgia Dome. “I think they’re a very talented team,” Grantham said. “They’re explosive, they know their offense and have a reason for what they do. They’ve got good skill guys, they’ve got a great quarterback and a good running game. You look, nobody stopped them last year. So obviously it’s going to be a huge test for us and because of that kind of opening day game, it helps you with your preparation over the summer because you’ve got something looking at you right now and you understand, ‘hey, I’ve got to push through this last 40 or this last 220, this last run because come September we’re opening up with Boise State’ so I think it helps with your preparation for the season.”

G-Day festivities

Photographs by Rob Saye and Ryan Scates

22

Bulldawg Illustrated

Five questions for Mark Richt Five spring questions for Georgia head coach Mark Richt as he and his assistant staff seek to make last season a distant memory and get the Bulldogs back in the SEC championship picture in the upcoming 2011 campaign:

1.

How ready (morale-wise) are you to get to the Georgia Dome to begin a new season?

2.

How do you see the 3-4 defense performing in year two under Coach Grantham?

3.

What is the number one aspect you want immediate improvement out of for the new season?

4.

What would you say Coach T’s (strength and conditioning director Joe Tereshinski) new program (staff) has done for the betterment of the Georgia players?

5.

Who is the number one leader in your program right now?

“I’m excited, we’re all excited. I tell you what, you watch that film of Boise State, you see why they win a lot of games. They’re a great football team, both sides of the ball. They play football the way it should be played and it’s going to be a tremendous challenge and we all know it.”

“We’re all excited about the fact there’s a greater comfort level with our players. There’s a greater knowledge of the system by the players. They’re working more on technique and perfecting their trade rather than just trying to figure out where to line up and what their assignment is. In football, you learn your assignments and then you learn how to do your assignments well. I think we’re kind of into that second phase, which is good, and I think also our coaches have a greater understanding of our personnel and what they can do, too. And with the addition of this class of recruits that we recruited specifically for this defense, I think that will help us also.

“I think we’ve got to learn to finish better. We really were in most of the games we played. The losses that we had, I know in six of them we were within a touchdown in the fourth quarter. We didn’t finish.”

“You know, I think there’s an awful lot of work being put in. I think when the players can actually see their bodies grow and see that their body fat is being reduced and see that they’re gaining strength, that excites them. Then they see that happening not only with themselves but with their teammates, it gives them more confidence to the team as a group. And when a group of guys work hard together, they tend to get closer and they tend to believe.”

“I’ll pick one on each side of the ball. I’d say (senior center) Ben Jones on offense and (senior cornerback) Brandon Boykin on defense right now. They would be at the top right now (as far as team leadership goes).”

Photograph by Rob Saye

- Compiled by Murray Poole

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23

DYNAMIC DAWGS Jenny Sligh & Kitty Culpepper By Cheri Leavy Common descriptions thrown around about these two Athens grand dames run the gamut from they don’t act their age to look out for these evil twins. Don’t gasp that I would show such disrespect, evil twins is Michael Mansfield’s affectionate nickname for these two best friends and business partners. I know just the mischieviousness Michael is alluding to and feel fortunate I have been able to see it in action. I am blessed to know them and look forward to every visit. Now let me share one of my typical Appointments at Five porch visits with you.

Greatest Extravagance: J: Chanel makeup and I know I shouldn’t do it, it doesn’t hide the wrinkles. K: Hermes perfume and Grey Goose Vodka

Best investment piece? K: A chest can be moved from room to room. Antiques add warmth to your home and an old piece made from solid wood can cost less or the same as some of these new pieces made of particle board.

Dinner party of eight, who are you inviting dead or alive? Ronald Reagan, Lionel Ritchie, Ann Rand, Bill O’Reilly, Robert Redford, Neal Diamond, Kelley Blanton and Frank Sinatra

Best hostess gift? Pewter napkin box with monogram weight to make it personal. Something made in Athens is neat like R. Wood Pottery or Gena Knox’s cookbooks. Everyone loves candles.

Favorite Magazine: J: ‘Bulldawg Illustrated’ (nice answer from a supportive mentor!) and ‘Garden and Gun’ (my favorite too!)

Best Advice: J: Live each day to the fullest and make the best of bad situations. K: There is no easy way to get rich except through hard work.

Best home accessory? K: A good lamp can make a room! Five of their children were graduated from the University of Georgia and so were they! Their late husbands, Charlie Sligh and E.H. Culpepper were Georgia graduates too. Generations of bulldogs.

They constructed the concept and shop, Appointments at Five, in 1987. It is now a landmark institution in Athens specializing in English and French antiques and great gifts.

Jenny’s Brood in Athens: Beverly and Gordon Sligh with Hays and Maggie Michelle and Matt Sligh with Charles, Duncan, Matthew and Betsy Howard Sligh in Savannah: Mary Brooke and Stuart Sligh with Brookey and Stuart

Kitty’s Brood in Athens: Katherine and John Culpepper with Mimi and Hamilton in Atlanta and Athens: Evelyn and David Dukes 24

I captured this photo for a marketing campaign when they were combating road construction near their shop in Five Points.

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25

Spring practice diary By Murray Poole

A

day by day look at each of Georgia’s 2011 spring practice sessions: Thursday, March 10

The Georgia football team opened its 2011 spring camp with a two-hour workout Thursday at the Woodruff Practice Fields. It was the Bulldogs’ only practice before UGA students begin spring break following Friday’s classes. “It was a little nippy out there, but it was a good day,” head coach Mark Richt said. “I thought the practice was well-organized and we had outstanding tempo from drill to drill. Players were giving great effort and coaches were coaching hard. It was a good day.” Tuesday, March 22

Following a spring break week, Georgia’s football team returned for its second practice of the spring at the Woodruff Practice Fields on Tuesday afternoon. The Bulldogs practiced for two and a half hours under clear skies with temperatures hovering in the low 80s. Richt had mixed emotions with his team’s performance following spring break. “I thought we were a little sluggish out there today,” Richt said. “I think our team enjoyed spring break just like the rest of the student body. But overall, I thought they did a good job and I saw some things I liked out there. They just didn’t finish like I would have liked.” Thursday, March 24

Georgia worked out for two and half hours in shells Thursday afternoon at the Woodruff Practice Fields. It was the Bulldogs’ final practice before they wear full pads for the first time on Saturday. “It was a good day of competition liked I hoped it would be,” said Richt. “We got a chance to have a little competition between the offense and the defense in some of the drills we do. It was highly spirited and real good competition. It was a very good day. Saturday, March 26

Georgia’s football team returned to work on Saturday morning, but had its practice cut short by a thunderstorm rolling through Athens. The Bulldogs started their fourth spring practice of the year at Sanford Stadium as the team hosted its annual spring Junior Day for future prospects. But 30 minutes into warm-ups, rain, along with thunder and lightning, forced the practice to be cancelled. Tuesday, March 29

The Bulldogs worked out for two hours Tuesday on the Woodruff Practice Fields. After the session, Richt had high praise for the members of the defense. “It was a very good day for the defense,” he said. “They really got after it today and they pretty much shut down the offense. We’re still installing and that’s part of the process, but I’m seeing lots of competition.” Thursday, March 31

The Bulldogs continued spring practice on Thursday, working out for approximately 90 minutes on the Woodruff Practice Fields. Georgia is hosting a high school coaches clinic this week, meaning 175 more people than usual took in practice. “I liked the fact that they were out there,” running back Ken Malcome said. “It helped us get our intensity even higher. I think it was good for us to have so many people watching.” Friday, April 1

Georgia practiced for 90 minutes under clear skies on Friday afternoon, marking the team’s second practice in as many days. It was revealed that Georgia starting safety Bacarri Rambo sustained a sprained MCL and was expected to miss the remaining two weeks of spring practice. Saturday, April 2

Photographs by Rob Saye

The Bulldogs scrimmaged at Sanford Stadium for 90 minutes on Saturday morning. “I thought we had an outstanding scrimmage today in regards to the guys playing with energy,” said Richt. “There was great competition throughout the scrimmage on both sides of the ball.” Richt singled out several players who had particular strong outings. He mentioned redshirt freshman receiver Michael Bennett, junior receiver Marlon Brown and junior tight end Orson Charles as three of the players who stood out on offense. He also noted the play of redshirt freshman walk-on tailback Brandon Harton. Harton, a native of Reidsville, Ga., made several impressive runs during the scrimmage, including a 65-yard touchdown run. On defense, Richt said that sophomore outside linebacker Jarvis Jones and senior cornerback Brandon Boykin both made notable plays and that sophomore nose guard Kwame Geathers is showing more development in the middle. Tuesday, April 5

The Georgia offense won three of five head-to-head competitions with their defensive teammates during Tuesday’s practice as the Bulldogs worked out for just over two hours in full pads. “It was a very spirited practice today,” Richt said. “We had a great, great day. The offense won the day for the first time this spring. The offense won three of five competitions but the competition was very, very good and very, very close. The first three drills were decided on the final play.” Thursday, April 7

With temperatures in the 70s and clear skies with a light breeze blowing, the Bulldogs practiced for 90 minutes during its second session of the week. “The defense won today, but I thought it was still a pretty spirited practice from both sides,” said Richt. Saturday, April 9

The Georgia football team held its second scrimmage of the spring at Sanford Stadium just one week prior to the annual G-Day game. The Bulldogs recorded five touchdowns on the day, all coming through the air, as Michael Bennett, Tavarres King, Orson Charles, Marlon Brown and Taylor Bradberry all caught touchdown passes. Brown and freshman tailback Brandon Harton led the team with four catches apiece. Bennett had 94 receiving yards including a 66-yard touchdown strike from Christian LeMay, and King had three grabs for 77 yards with a 45-yard touchdown reception. Hutson Mason threw three of the touchdown passes, while Aaron Murray and Christian LeMay threw one each. Mason went 12-of-19 for 192 yards, while Murray was 11-of-16 for 125 yards. “The guys protected pretty well, and we threw and caught the ball well,” said Richt. Tuesday, April 12

In Georgia’s first practice since it was learned that senior tackle Trinton Sturdivant suffered the third torn ACL of his career in Saturday’s scrimmage, the Bulldogs inched closer to the end of spring drills with a 90-minute practice. “I thought it was a good day competition-wise,” Georgia head coach Mark Richt said. “I liked the energy and the tempo the guys showed. I thought we got better today.” Thursday, April 14

The Bulldogs practiced for the final time of the spring at the Woodruff Practice Fields during an hour session on Thursday afternoon. “It was a short practice today, but everyone did pretty well,” said Richt, adding that steak and lobster will be the dinner of the victors at Saturday’s G-Day and Beanie Weenies will be the dinner for the losing team. “There was not a lot at stake between the offense and defense out there today since there was no conditioning after the practice. But both groups wanted to keep score anyway and the defense came out on top.” Saturday, April 16

Sophomore quarterback Aaron Murray completed 12-of-17 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown and also threw for a 2-point PAT to lead the Black team to an 18-11 win over the Reds in the annual G-Day game at Sanford Stadium. Only three touchdowns were scored in the game which put the cap on the Bulldogs’ 2011 spring practice.

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Bulldawg Illustrated

5 questions for Will Friend Meet Georgia’s new offensive line coach Will Friend, who came to the Bulldogs from the University of Alabama-Birmingham and succeeded Stacy Searels on the UGA staff:

1. 2.

How has the adjustment been for you since joining the Georgia staff? It’s been good. Practice has been going good and I’ve enjoyed working with the team. I’ve liked the attitude of the offensive team and the offensive linemen are working hard and have a lot of enthusiasm and excitement so it’s been a good adjustment with guys getting after it. What do you think of the Bulldawg Nation thus far? I know it’s important for a lot of people, being here before (as graduate assistant in 2003-04)), and it’s great to be a part of that and great to be at a place where it’s so important for so many people. That’s what it’s all about and nowhere is it more important than at the University of Georgia, and that’s an awesome deal.

3.

What do you think of the Georgia athletes – the offensive linemen – you’re coaching thus far? We’ve got an older group of guys who have been around and want to improve on the last two years. They had some success early in their careers and got a little sour taste in their mouths last year and are working extremely hard. They’re a good group and we’ve got a good young group that is pushing to try and get on the field. So there’s a lot of competition going on and the thing that’s impressed me the most is they’ve approached everything with a good attitude and have come to work every day so far.

4.

Do you think the potential is there under Coach Mark Richt for the Bulldogs to be annual contenders for SEC and national championships? When people talk about their dream job, my dream job has always been to coach at the highest level with people I believe in and like working for and Georgia is the highest level. I believe in Coach Richt. I’ve seen it first hand and on top of that he’s exactly what he preaches. He’s a great man and so I’m excited and that’s what was so intriguing about the job, to have the opportunity to work with Coach Richt and Coach Bobo and the rest of the staff.

5.

Who are the members of your family and what has their support meant to you in your move from UAB to the University of Georgia? My wife is Carrie and my oldest daughter who is 6 is Katie. And my youngest daughter who just turned one April 1 is Ashley Brooks. We call her Brooks. So I’m the man of the house. My family support has been awesome. They’ve been great. In this profession, it starts with a strong wife because of the hours that we’re away and they’re very supportive and are excited since I’ve been back. We really like Athens as a town; course, I was married here as a G.A. and my wife’s been here. She liked Athens our first trip and our oldest daughter actually was born here. But they’re excited and they’re fired up.

- Compiled by Murray Poole, photos by Rob Saye

5 questions for Kirk Olivadotti Meet Georgia’s new inside linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti, who came to the Bulldogs after serving as an assistant coach for the Washington Redskins for 11 years and succeeded Warren Belin on the Georgia staff.

1.

How has the adjustment been for you since joining the Georgia staff? It’s going well. I’m enjoying the staff, I’m enjoying the players, the people of Athens have been great … it’s outstanding. It’s been a pretty easy adjustment and once my family gets down here full tilt we’ll be ready to go and hopefully we’ll get that done in the next week or two (speaking in the next-to-last week of spring practice).

2.

What do you think of the Bulldawg Nation thus far?

3.

What do you think of the Georgia athletes – the inside linebackers – you’re coaching thus far?

4. 5.

I tell you what, my exposure to it so far has really been just through the players and the other coaches and we’ve had a lot of fun this spring and during that fun we’ve got a lot of work done. So that’s the part that will spread throughout the Bulldog Nation. The more excited we are about what we’re doing, the more excited people are to come watch us play well.

They’ve been doing a nice job. They’re trying to do what we ask them to do and that’s all you can ask for. We’ve had some really, really good days and we’ve had some below average days so our really, really good days, we need to pile them on top of one another and minimize the bad days and that’s what we’re trying to do, make those guys feel comfortable and be excellent every day. (Comparing coaching college athletes as opposed to NFL players) “You know, people are people and football players are football players. Yes, there is a little bit of a difference no doubt just in the maturity level and some of those things but the group we have here at the University of Georgia, they’re a mature group that likes to work and that’s a big thing. Like I said, they’re trying to do what we ask them to do and that’s half the battle and the results will come. Do you think the potential is there under Coach Mark Richt for the Bulldogs to be annual contenders for SEC and national championships? I painted myself into such a corner in the NFL I was only going to leave for a very specific set of college jobs and there was probably only a couple of programs in the country I was going to leave for; obviously, this was one of them because of the potential to win recruits in state. And because if you have the potential to win the SEC you have the potential to be playing for the national title and those are things that everybody aspires to, to be at the highest level of your competition and that’s what I think we have here at the University of Georgia. Who are the members of your family and what has their support meant to you in your move from the Redskins to the University of Georgia? “My wife, her name is Keely. We’ve been married for 10 years now so we’ve been through it all together. And we have a daughter coming up on four and her name is Kasyn, and then my wife wanted to make sure that we didn’t leave her little guy out. So we named him Kruz with a ‘K’ and he’s a year-and-a-half old. My daughter’s all excited. She knows we’re the Georgia Bulldogs and I think she thinks she might be getting a bulldog right when she gets in the state or something like that. But she’s all excited to get down here. And my wife, this is one of the drawbacks of doing the move because I’ve been down here kind of ripping and rolling ever since I got here and she got the house ready, kept the kids and kept life as normal as possible during this time. So without her, that would be very difficult. She actually is in Athens for the first time, she got in late last night so she’s here and got to see what house we’re going to live in and all that. We’re going to have fun – we said way back more than 10 years ago as long as we’re together, we’ll be able to get through anything.

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“... he’s ready to step up and take charge” Parents names: Kevin and Laura Bailey.

Sterling Bailey

Sterling Bailey is the kind of football player who seems tailor-made for Coach Todd Grantham’s 3-4 Georgia defense. The 6-5, 260pound outside linebacker/defensive end out of Gainesville’s East Hall High School is a SuperPrep All-America and All-Dixie performer who is rated a four-star prospect by both Rivals.com and ESPN.com and the No. 8 and 16 defensive end nationally by those respective recruiting services. Named to the Class AAA All-State first team, Bailey shined in the recent U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Tex. In this question-and-answer session with Bulldawg Illustrated, Sterling’s mom, Laura Bailey, gives a special insight into the player who should make quite an impact in Athens the next four seasons.

Siblings’ names and ages: Lelonda, 24; Korentheus, 21; Brandon, 20. What Georgia coach did you have the most contact with during Sterling’s recruiting process and what did you like most about that coach? Coach Todd Grantham. When we had concerns or questions, he answered it with accuracy for us and showed interest that he was concerned about what we were concerned about. And if it was information he didn’t know, he would get that information and relay it to us.

Thomas, who was also a nurse and told them of his love for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and would it be OK if he ate those all the time. Well, they said it was perfectly all right. So when Sterling even today comes in after practice when he’s hungry, he makes three of those sandwiches and eats them all. What is his favorite school subject and why? I think it’s both psychology and science. He loves to understand about ways of helping people. And least favorite and why? Math, he’s just not crazy about math.

In the end, why do you think Sterling chose Georgia? Our pastors prayed with Sterling and he felt like God was leading him to Georgia. And it just felt like home to him.

What is the number one thing you have tried to instill in him? Values and character. Both of those mean a lot, if not for society, certainly for your own self.

Can you tell the Bulldog Nation a few unique things about him outside of football? First of all, Sterling loves Jesus Christ. He’s a young man who stays to himself and is not a troublemaker. And Sterling loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. He’s been eating them since he was four years old and still does today, like clockwork.

What was his favorite TV show or TV character? Rug Rats, that’s what he started out watching.

What is the nicest thing he ever did for you? When my daughter Lelonda was 13, she made me a poem for Mother’s Day and then along with Sterling and Korentheus, they put their handprints on construction paper and put it in there with their pictures and the poem and framed all of it. It’s the best Mother’s Day gift I’ve ever gotten and it’s still hanging on the wall in our hallway. What makes him a leader on and off the field? Sterling has got a lot of compassion and sees the need to step up a lot of times. Whatever he has to do in certain situations, he’s ready to step up and take charge. Does he have any classic childhood stories worth noting? When Sterling was younger, he didn’t want to eat anything but those peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. When I would fix something like green beans or fruit, something healthy for him, he always told me he would die if he ate it. So I talked to the doctor and our pastor, Veola

His favorite college and pro football team growing up? Georgia was his college team, he always followed the Bulldogs. His favorite pro team of course was the Falcons. He also liked the Tennessee Titans. In your mind, what is the best play he made during his high school playing days? It was when Sterling sacked his friend, Shunquez Stephens, who was the quarterback at West Hall High School, East Hall’s rival. Sterling sacked him twice this past year. Who were his heroes growing up? He really looked up to his brother Korentheus when Korentheus was being recruited for football. He played at Western Kentucky, where he was a defensive lineman. Coach Richt is a great man of character. What else impresses you about him? Coach Richt has a humble spirit and just his spiritual connection with God is awesome. You couldn’t ask for a better quality in a coach and we just appreciate him.

- Compiled by Murray Poole

“Amarlo is actually a pretty good cook.” Parents names: Stacy Dallas.

Amarlo Herrera

Georgia’s linebacking corps received a huge boost on National Signing Day when Amarlo Herrera signed his letter-of-intent with the Bulldogs. The 6-1, 224pound Herrera out of North Clayton High in College Park was named the No. 9 outside linebacker in the country by ESPN, the No. 11 middle linebacker in the nation by Scout.com and the No. 13 LB nationally by Rivals.com. A four-star rated player by all three services, Herrera was named as Defensive Player of the Year in Clayton County and Region 4-AAAA and his 181 career tackles set a new school record. In this questionand-answer with Bulldawg Illustrated, Amarlo’s mom, Stacy Dallas, gives the Bulldog Nation a personal look at her son.

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Siblings’ names and ages: Carletta Hayes, 17. What Georgia coach did you have the most contact with during Amarlo’s recruiting process and what did you like most about that coach? Coach Todd Grantham and Coach Rodney Garner. They were very honest, cut to the chase and never sugar-coated anything. They asked us what we were looking for and told us what we could expect. In the end, why do you think Amarlo chose Georgia? Amarlo liked Georgia because it was close to home and he’s just always been a Georgia fan. Can you tell the Bulldog Nation a few unique things about him outside of football? Amarlo is actually a pretty good cook. He also loves to help out around the house and loves working with kids.

touchdown to him. He could catch pretty well and scored several touchdowns on that play before they started figuring it out. What is his favorite school subject and why? He’s very good in math. And least favorite and why? English is the one he dislikes most. What is the number one thing you have tried to instill in him? To get a good education and make sure you do what you’re supposed to do because, at the end of the day, you have to have an education. When you can’t play football any longer, you will still have that education. What was his favorite TV show or TV character? It was Barney but he’ll probably kill me for saying this. His favorite college and pro football team growing up? He always liked Georgia; it’s hard to say about a pro team.

What is the nicest thing he ever did for you? This year, my birthday was on signing day so Amarlo gave me four years of paid education, and I couldn’t ask for a better gift than that.

In your mind, what is the best play he made during his high school playing days? It was in the 2009 season, his junior year, when Amarlo picked up a fumble and ran 76 yards for a touchdown.

What makes him a leader on and off the field? It’s his drive for the game. He plays because he really enjoys football. It’s not for recognition or anything … he just loves the game.

Who were his heroes growing up? He always loved sports and wanted to be a football player but I can’t remember him having one certain hero.

Does he have any classic childhood stories worth noting? When Amarlo first started playing football, he didn’t have a lot of speed. He was always a good hitter but never could run well. Well, of course, he got better and improved a whole lot. And they created a play for him called the Amarlo Sneak. He would line up as a lineman and slip into the end zone and they would throw a

Coach Richt is a great man of character. What else impresses you about him? Coach Richt puts God first and is very honest about it. And he tells you he believes in prayer. He’s just a man of honesty and lets you know that if you have a problem, you can call him at any time

- Compiled by Murray Poole

Bulldawg Illustrated

“ ... a lifelong dream for Corey to play at Georgia” Parents names: Oscar and Lisa Moore

Corey Moore

Griffin High defensive back Corey Moore is a splendid addition to Scott Lakatos’ Georgia secondary. The 6-1, 195-pound Moore has the cover skills of a top cornerback and with his size, hits like a linebacker. Rated a four-star prospect and the No. 5 defensive back nationally by Rivals.com and the No. 6 safety nationally by Scout.com, Moore was named to the SuperPrep All-America and All-Dixie teams, the 2010 PrepStar Top 150 Dream Team and was a member of the U.S. Army All-America team. In this question-andanswer session with Bulldawg Illustrated, Corey’s proud mom, Lisa Moore, talks about her son.

Siblings’ names and ages: Oscar III, 20; Lauren, 16. What Georgia coach did you have the most contact with during Corey’s recruiting process and what did you like most about that coach? Coach Rodney Garner. He was very personable and just straight to the point. In the end, why do you think Corey chose Georgia? It’s been a lifelong dream for Corey to play at Georgia. He’s loved Georgia since he was a young boy and when the opportunity presented itself, Corey jumped at it. Can you tell the Bulldog Nation a few unique things about him outside of football? Other than football, he’s very good at playing basketball and baseball. Baseball was actually his first choice in sports. Corey’s also a practical jokester, one of those guys who loves to be around his friends and would give them his last penny in his pocket if he had it. What is the nicest thing he ever did for you? When Corey was 14 or 15, he made me a birthday card, hand-made it, and it was very special to me. What makes him a leader on and off the field? His dedication. Whenever he decides to get into any cause, he is totally dedicated to it. And he’s going to put every effort into perfecting it. Does he have any classic childhood stories worth noting? When he was playing little league baseball, he decided to take his money that he was going to purchase him something with at the concession stand and buy all his teammates something instead. One of the parents came to us and told us how

sweet that was, how much they appreciated Corey for doing that and how much of a leader they thought he was going to be. What is his favorite school subject and why? I think it’s English because he’s very expressive and a person who likes to read and gain knowledge of things in the media and so on. He plans to major in journalism at Georgia. And least favorite and why? Probably math, he has a fit with that math. What is the number one thing you have tried to instill in him? To always be honest, that honesty is the best policy. If you’re honest, people will be behind you 100 percent. What was his favorite TV show or TV character? Probably Sponge Bob. His favorite college and pro football team growing up? It was Georgia and the Atlanta Falcons. In your mind, what is the best play he made during his high school playing days? It was any of Corey’s interceptions. We always get real excited when he intercepts the ball. Who were his heroes growing up? His No. 1 hero was always his dad. And I think Michael Jordan and Michael Vick were his favorite athletes. Coach Richt is a great man of character. What else impresses you about him? I love Coach Richt’s spirituality. I love the fact he’s very in tune with God’s word and he shows that every time we interact with him. . - Compiled by Murray Poole

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Get the inside scoop on the Georgia Bulldogs’ upcoming seasons, hear the latest news from the University, and learn more about local UGA Alumni chapters. Coaches Mark Richt, Mark Fox, and other special guests will be on hand to share their insights with host, Chuck Dowdle.

May 5 - Columbus May 11 - Greenville, SC May 12 - Charlotte, NC May 17 - Gainesville For more information, please contact the UGA Alumni Association, at alumni@uga.edu or (404) 814-8820.

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“Hunter is his own person, not a follower.” Parents names: Tim and Lisa Long.

Hunter Long

In joining his brother Austin on the Georgia roster, Hunter Long brings much-needed talent and depth to the Bulldogs’ offensive line. Long, 6-3, 293, earned PrepStar All-Southeast Region and SuperPrep All-Dixie honors while playing at Briarcrest Christian High in Memphis and was rated as the No. 18 offensive guard nationally by ESPN.com. A three-star rated player by both Rivals and Scout, Long was also the 18thranked prep player in Tennessee. Here in this question-and-answer with Bulldawg Illustrated, Lisa Long gives Georgia fans a special insight into her son.

Siblings’ names and ages: Austin, 20, a redshirt freshman offensive lineman at Georgia. What Georgia coach did you have the most contact with during Hunter’s recruiting process and what did you like most about that coach? Coach Stacy Searels. He was the one that recruited Austin and we hit it off with him from the beginning. Hunter got to know Coach Searels in Austin’s recruiting and always felt comfortable with him. Hunter was really sad when Stacy left but the new coach (Will Friend) has already contacted Hunter and talked to him and Hunter said he really seemed down to earth, just like Coach Searels. In the end, why do you think Hunter chose Georgia? In the beginning his recruiting was a lot different than Austin’s, with Hunter being a center and Austin a left tackle. But Hunter had a standard and it was Georgia. He tried to leave his recruiting open and give everybody an opportunity and he visited most of the SEC schools. His first offer was Memphis and that was special because that’s where his dad played. But last year he went to the Mark Richt camp and Hunter wanted to prove there he was worthy of getting a scholarship. And he really worked hard and did prove himself on what Hunter called the hottest, hardest day of his life. He got offered shortly after that and committed right then. Can you tell the Bulldog Nation a few unique things about him outside of football? Hunter played competitive baseball from age eight and was a really good pitcher and first baseman. But in high school, he gave up baseball to focus on football. He’s a big duck hunter and enjoys hanging out with his buddies. He’s a fun-loving person who likes to make people laugh. What is the nicest thing he ever did for you? We would always go to different playgrounds in Memphis and take a picnic. Well, wherever we were, Hunter would find a flower and pick it and give it to me. That was very special and I have them in a vase on my mantle today. Hunter is a sweet boy with a tender heart, to be so tough on the field. What makes him a leader on and off the field? Hunter is his own person, not a follower. He has his mind straight and is very focused. Whatever he knows is wrong, he won’t do that and is not swayed by peer pressure and trying to make everybody like him. Does he have any classic childhood stories worth noting? When he was little, he was so shy that when people tried to talk to him, he would get behind my leg and cling to me. Now, people hardly believe that because Hunter is such a full personality, so fun-loving and witty and likes to make people laugh. I guess he started coming out of his shyness around the fifth grade.

What is his favorite school subject and why? I would say math because he just really excels in it. And least favorite and why? His least favorite would be science. What is the number one thing you have tried to instill in him? With Austin and Hunter, we realized early on they would have success in athletics and we wanted them to just be humble and thankful, know that their talents were God-given and not ever take that for granted. Also, to just treat others as you want to be treated. What was his favorite TV show or TV character? Hunter loved “Friends.” And when he was very young, he and Austin loved Batman and Robin and they would dress up like them every Halloween. His favorite college and pro football team growing up? His favorite college team was the University of Memphis. He loved to watch the Tigers because his dad played there. And in the NFL, it was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He loved the Bucs and Coach Tony Dungy and when Coach Dungy came to an FCA fund-raiser, the boys got their team jerseys signed by him. In your mind, what is the best play he made during his high school playing days? I think Hunter’s best game came in his senior year against White Station. They were ranked No. 1 in Memphis and we (Briarcrest Christian) were ranked No. 2. They had a lot of Division-I players on their defense and Hunter played really hard and really well. He had a great night blocking and we beat them in overtime. Who were his heroes growing up? He always looked up to his dad. Tim was Hunter’s offensive line coach in high school and was his role model. He also looked up to Austin as well. Also, when Hunter was in the fifth or sixth grade, he was a water boy for the varsity and that’s when Michael Oher (subject of “The Blind Side” movie) played here and when he left (to play at Ole Miss) he gave Hunter his jersey and Hunter has had it pinned to his wall ever since. And Hunter’s friend, SJ Tuohy, the little boy in the movie, went with Hunter to a Ravens game and they stayed at Michael’s house. Well, Michael signed the jersey that he had given Hunter when he left high school. Coach Richt is a great man of character. What else impresses you about him? It’s Coach Richt’s honesty. With Austin’s injury last season, I think Hunter saw that Coach Richt stood beside him and helped him get better. Everything he promised Austin in the beginning, he didn’t dismiss him just because he was injured. When he makes a commitment to a young man, he’s going to stay with it and we feel Coach Richt is going to make Austin and Hunter the best young men and players they can be when they leave Georgia. . - Compiled by Murray Poole

“Ramik likes to be in charge, likes to be in control” Parents names: Robert and Regina Wilson

Ramik Wilson

When the Georgia Bulldogs landed Ramik Wilson in their 2011 recruiting class, the UGA program acquired one of the nation’s top linebacking prospects. The 6-2, 218-pound Wilson, from Jefferson High in Tampa, is rated a four-star player by Rivals.com and ESPN.com, the No. 11 linebacker by ESPN and the No. 27-rated outside linebacker in the country by Scout.com. In his senior season at Jefferson, Wilson recorded 90 tackles, 18 sacks and six forced fumbles at his inside LB position and also caught 19 passes for 258 yards and five touchdowns as a tight end. Here, in this question-and-answer with Bulldawg Illustrated, Ramik’s proud mom, Regina Wilson, talks about her son. 30

Siblings’ names and ages: Krystal, 26; Robert Jr., 24; Ricky, 21.

What is his favorite school subject and why? I would say English, it’s one he doesn’t struggle with. And least favorite and why? Probably Math.

What Georgia coach did you have the most contact with during Ramik’s recruiting process and what did you like most about that coach? It was Coach Bryan McClendon and he was very patient, nice and respectful. He answered everything we needed to know and was very informative. In the end, why do you think Ramik chose Georgia? It was for the education Georgia offers. Also, Georgia is not too far from home but far enough for Ramik to go away to school. Can you tell the Bulldog Nation a few unique things about him outside of football? Ramik loves football, period. He tends to play it even in the off-season. He also loves basketball. He just loves watching sports in general, lives and breathes sports. Of course, he loves to eat also. What is the nicest thing he ever did for you? When Ramik was a little boy, he was always making me those Mother’s Day cards and birthday cards. He also loved to shop with me. What makes him a leader on and off the field? Ramik likes to be in charge, likes to be in control. He’s a little vocal and leads by example also. Does he have any classic childhood stories worth noting? When he was little, he loved to dance. He would always dance around the house with his brothers. He would tell them to call me “Mik Man,” and when they did, that would make him dance even more.

What is the number one thing you have tried to instill in him? The number one thing is to serve the Lord; No. 2 is always take advantage of your education, and No. 3 is don’t fall into the statistic of not making it, be better than that. What was his favorite TV show or TV character? It was Sponge Bob. His favorite college and pro football team growing up? I’m not sure about a college team but his pro team was the Green Bay Packers because of Brett Favre. In your mind, what is the best play he made during his high school playing days? His best play was when we kicked off and Ramik forced a fumble and then picked it up and ran it in for a touchdown. That was this past year in his senior season. Of course, he also scored some touchdowns as a tight end. Who were his heroes growing up? Brett Favre was one of his heroes. Coach Richt is a great man of character. What else impresses you about him? That he’s a Christian man and appears to be very honest and straight-forward. But I love the Christian part of Coach Richt, and Ramik certainly needs that Christian influence. Coach Richt is just a wonderful person with a sweet spirit.

- Compiled by Murray Poole

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