*The Official SEC FOOTBALL* Season Report

Cali Dro Cardo:

Caleb King got arrested last night. Dude was going the wrong way on a one-way street on his moped and they got him for a suspended license.

No DUI, thankfully...

Preseason All-SEC teams are out...

FIRST-TEAM OFFENSE

TE : Jacob Tamme, Sr., Kentucky

OL: Will Arnold, Sr., LSU ; Michael Oher, Jr., Ole Miss; Drew Miller, Sr., Florida; Chris Williams, Sr., Vanderbilt; Jonathan Luigs, Jr., Arkansas

WR: Earl Bennett, Jr., Vanderbilt; Early Doucet, Sr., LSU

QB: Andre' Woodson, Sr., Kentucky

RB: Darren McFadden, Jr., Arkansas; BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Sr., Ole Miss


FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE

DL: Glenn Dorsey, Sr., LSU; Quentin Groves, Sr., Auburn; Derrick Harvey, Jr., Florida

LB: Ali Highsmith, Sr., LSU; Jonathan Goff, Sr., Vanderbilt; Jasper Brinkley, Sr., South Carolina; Jerod Mayo, Jr., Tennessee

DB: Simeon Castille, Sr., Alabama; Jonathan Hefney, Sr., Tennessee; Chevis Jackson, Sr., LSU; Derek Pegues, Jr., Mississippi State


FIRST-TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS

PK: Brandon Coutu, Sr., Georgia

P: Britton Colquitt, Jr., Tennessee

RET: Mikey Henderson, Sr., Georgia


SECOND-TEAM OFFENSE

TE: Andy Boyd, Sr., South Carolina

OL: Phil Trautwein, Sr., Florida; Robert Felton, Sr., Arkansas; Andre Smith, Soph., Alabama; Brian Stamper, Sr., Vanderbilt; Antoine Caldwell, Jr., Alabama; Brett Helms, Jr., LSU

WR: Marcus Monk, Sr., Arkansas; Keenan Burton, Sr., Kentucky

QB: Erik Ainge, Sr., Tennessee

RB: Felix Jones, Jr., Arkansas; LaMarcus Coker, Soph., Tennessee


SECOND-TEAM DEFENSE

DL: Titus Brown, Sr., Mississippi State; Tyson Jackson, Jr., LSU; Antwain Robinson, Jr., Arkansas

LB: Wesley Woodyard, Sr., Kentucky; Prince Hall, Soph., Alabama; Darry Beckwith, Jr., LSU; Brandon Miller, Sr., Georgia

DB: Tony Joiner, Sr., Florida; Jonathan Zenon, Sr., LSU; Jonathan Wilhite, Sr., Auburn; Kelin Johnson, Sr., Georgia


SECOND-TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS

PK: Ryan Succop, Jr., South Carolina

P: Ryan Succop , Jr., South Carolina

RET: Felix Jones, Jr., Arkansas


THIRD-TEAM OFFENSE

TE: Ben Cleveland, Soph., Arkansas

OL: Ciron Black, Soph., LSU; King Dunlap, Sr., Auburn; Anthony Parker, Jr., Tennessee; Herman Johnson, Jr., LSU; Royce Blackledge, Sr., Mississippi State; Fernando Velasco, Sr., Georgia

WR: Percy Harvin, Soph., Florida; Andre Caldwell, Sr., Florida

QB: Chris Nickson, Jr., Vanderbilt

RB: Brad Lester, Jr., Auburn; Cory Boyd, Sr., South Carolina; Rafael Little, Sr., Kentucky


THIRD-TEAM DEFENSE

DL: Wallace Gilberry, Sr., Alabama; Josh Thompson, Sr., Auburn; Casper Brinkley, Sr., South Carolina; Marcus Harrison, Sr., Arkansas

LB: Tray Blackmon, Soph., Auburn; Weston Dacus, Sr., Arkansas; Jamar Chaney, Jr., Mississippi State; Freddie Fairchild, Soph., Arkansas

DB: Craig Steltz, Sr., LSU; Eric Brock, Sr., Auburn; Patrick Lee , Sr., Auburn; Jamarca Sanford, Jr., Ole Miss; Matt Hewitt, Sr., Arkansas


THIRD-TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS

PK: Jamie Christensen, Sr., Alabama

P: None

RET: Rafael Little, Sr., Kentucky

@ 3 Vandy players being on the 1st team.

Nah, Jonathan Goff is black. Mike Goff is white.

Gunna can you post the UGA Blue Ribbon?

Team preview: Georgia
Blue Ribbon College Football YearbookERS RETURNING 7
DEF. STARTERS RETURNING 3
NICKNAME Bulldogs
COLORS Red & Black
HOME FIELD Sanford Stadium (92,746)
HEAD COACH Mark Richt (Miami '82)
RECORD AT SCHOOL 61-17 (6 years)
CAREER RECORD 61-17 (6 years)
ASSISTANTS John Eason (Florida A&M '69), Associate Head Coach/Wide Receivers
Mike Bobo (Georgia '97), Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
Willie Martinez (Miami '86), Defensive Coordinator/Secondary
Tony Ball (Chattanooga '83), Running Backs
Rodney Garner (Auburn '90), Recruiting Coordinator/Defensive Line
John Jancek (Grand Valley State '91), Linebackers
David Johnson (West Virginia '85), Tight Ends
Stacey Searels (Auburn '90), Offensive Line
TEAM WINS (Last five yrs.) 13-11-10-10-9
FINAL RANK (Last five yrs.) 3-9-6-8-15
2006 FINISH Beat Virginia Tech in Chick-fil-A Bowl.
2007 Schedule | 2006 Results | 2006 Stats

COACH AND PROGRAM

Mark Richt is one of 10 but not one of 20, which leads one to wonder, why?

With nine victories last fall, Georgia's leader stitched his name on a very short list of head coaches who have won 60 or more games in their first six seasons. Walter Camp, Pete Carroll, Urban Meyer and Barry Switzer are among the nine other coaches on the list; Steve Spurrier, Bear Bryant, Nick Saban and Bobby Bowden conspicuously are not.

Yet out pops a curious "Power Ranking" last May from Rivals.com that rates the top 20 college head coaches heading into 2007. Meyer and Carroll rightfully sit one and two, respectively, and the next 18 names include the nouveau riche (Rutgers' Greg Schiano) and the perceived up-and-comers (Wisconsin's Bret Bielema).

But Richt is nowhere to be found, and it's not just an isolated incident. The Sporting News published a similar list of BCS coaches last April, and Richt ranked 23rd, behind luminaries like Nebraska's Bill Callahan, NC State's Tom O'Brien and Jim Grobe of Wake Forest. So, is this what happens when one "stumbles" to a 9-4 record, snapping a streak of four straight 10-win seasons? That's some bonus for "lurching" across the 2006 finish line by beating three ranked teams in succession with a true freshman quarterback.

Just like any other coach on those lists, Richt isn't going to give two pylons about such popularity roll calls. What he will acknowledge is last year's midseason swoon, when the Bulldogs lost four of five to plummet out of sight in the SEC East race, caused a good deal of the "what have you done for me lately" mentality.

"Looking back on this season, we started out 5-0 and we were No. 7 in the United States," Richt was quoted as saying on UGASports.com, a Rivals network Web site. "We actually were ahead of Tennessee (24-7) to start the ballgame, and before you knew it the game was over and they took a run on us in the second half. Things definitely didn't go very well that day, and then we ended up losing to Vanderbilt and Kentucky along with Florida.

"We lost four out of five games, and all of a sudden we were way out of the rankings. No one is really even paying attention to us across the nation. A lot of people outside the program were saying that Georgia was finished, that Georgia had lost it. They didn't have it anymore and they were not capable of winning."

When Richt's teams excel, they churn opponents to bits in a vanilla ice-cream maker sort of way; offense, defense and special teams all blend together. The Bulldogs lacked that cohesion in 2006; with freshman Matt Stafford overcompensating behind center, Georgia was minus-1 in turnover ratio.

"Our turnover ratio was too high last year," offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mike Bobo said. "That's the fastest way to lose a football game-turning the football over. We stressed that a lot this spring."

Too, the Bulldogs lost premier place-kicker Brandon Coutu to injury for the last six regular-season games. UGA lost three of those games by seven or fewer points.

"The reason why we've won a lot of ball games around here the last six years is because we played like a team-consistent on special teams, consistent on offense, consistent on defense," defensive coordinator Willie Martinez said. "We're not a flashy team. We're not going to give you a bunch of superstars. We didn't do that in that five-game stretch."

But Georgia didn't go gently into that good night. By sweeping aside No. 5 Auburn, No. 16 Georgia Tech and No. 14 Virginia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, the Bulldogs proved they hadn't lost their mojo. Stafford improved incrementally toward the end of the season and the underrated defense (eighth nationally, allowing 258.2 yards per game) forced 11 turnovers in the three-game winning streak. More importantly, the Bulldogs didn't backbite when things went sour in October.

"We never had a time when coaches were pointing fingers at other coaches, or where players were pointing fingers at another player, where the offense was pointing fingers at the defense, or the defense was pointing fingers at the special teams, or the players were looking at the coaches like, 'You all are crazy,'" Richt told UGASports.com. "You know, the thing that we did that I was most proud of last season is that we stayed together. We stayed unified."

If Richt coaxes 10 wins out of the 2007 season, there's no way he can be left off of any top-20 lists. The Bulldogs must replace eight defensive starters, including six of the front seven. It's entirely possible that three starting offensive linemen will line up for their first collegiate snaps ever against Oklahoma State on Sept. 1. A playmaker or two at wide receiver needs to emerge as well.



QUARTERBACKS

When the first-string quarterbacking job was loaned to Matt Stafford (6-3, 237) last fall, he handled it as if it wasn't truly his own. Inside the SEC
Take an Inside look at the SEC with Blue Ribbon's 2007 team reports :
Alabama Crimson Tide
Arkansas Razorbacks
Auburn Tigers
Florida Gators
Georgia Bulldogs
Kentucky Wildcats
LSU Tigers
Mississippi Rebels
Mississippi State Bulldogs
South Carolina Gamecocks
Tennessee Volunteers
Vanderbilt Commodores
2007 Blue Ribbon Index
Once the carousel music stopped, however, and Richt gave Stafford an option to buy, the big Texan treasured the role.

In 2007, the Stafford loan program is over. The first true UGA freshman to start at quarterback since Quincy Carter in 1998 and the first out of high school to start since Eric Zeier in 1991, Stafford is playing for keeps as a sophomore.

"There is no comparison from this year to last year," Richt said of Stafford after he went 6-of-12 for 155 yards and two TDs in the G-Day game last spring. "Before he was just trying to fit in with the team and with the offense. This year he is our starter. He is the one everyone looks to for leadership and great plays. Matthew is starting to do that for us, he is starting to become a leader."

At first, Stafford didn't start anything last season. Joe Tereshinski had the controls until he was injured against South Carolina. Stafford, widely regarded as one of the top three prep signal-callers in the country after a dazzling senior year at Dallas's Highland Park, steered UGA home against the Gamecocks (despite three interceptions) and UAB the following week.

Then the prodigy stepped in it against Colorado, completing just 50 percent of his throws before being relieved by sophomore Joe Cox (6-1, 210). Cox salvaged a 14-13 victory with two fourth-quarter touchdown tosses.

The next week at Ole Miss, it was Stafford closing for Cox in a 14-9 win. Tereshinski wrested the starting job away for the next two games-both losses-before Stafford was finally given full reign over the last six games.

Remember Stafford the renter? He was on display in the first three of that half-dozen, throwing eight interceptions against three TDs.

But Stafford the owner bucked up in the final three games, throwing three scoring strikes against one pick and rallying the Bulldogs from a 21-3 halftime hole to victory in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Overall, Stafford completed just 52.7 percent of his passes and nearly threw twice as many interceptions (13) as TDs (seven). He struggled to find the comfort zone with his receivers, often zinging passes over their heads and through their hands.

"I think touch comes with knowing where the ball is supposed to go and feeling comfortable throughout the play," Stafford told UGASports.com last March. "If you are late, then you have to zing it in there as hard as you can. If you are on time, you do not have to throw it as hard all the time. That comes with being more comfortable in the offense."

This spring, Bobo, himself a former Georgia quarterback, told his Lone Star star to focus foremost on protecting the ball. The rest-clock management, throwing the ball away instead of taking an unnecessary sack-will come with time.

"Toward the end of the year he started playing better and playing within himself," Bobo said. "We knew we were going to go through some rough spots with him last year. He was going to make some mistakes, and that's part of it as a freshman.

"Sometimes there's nothing wrong with throwing it away or taking a sack and punting the football. With a year's experience, there's going to be a lot of improvement in that area."

Stafford did prove to be an adroit scrambler during his SEC All-Freshman campaign. He caught Auburn unaware for 83 rushing yards and a touchdown on seven carries; for the year, Stafford netted 191 yards and three scores.

The last circumstance either Richt or Bobo wants to see is another three-ring circus under center, but if Stafford should stumble, Cox is ready. The successor to ex-Florida Gator Chris Leak at Charlotte Independence High, Cox completed 17-of-28 passes for 225 yards and two TDs.

Cox clearly hurdled junior Blake Barnes (6-3, 230) for the backup role, but the latter was hampered by a hamstring injury in the spring. Barnes acquitted himself well in the G-Day game, connecting on 9-of-15 throws.

If there's any drama to be found in Bobo's bunch, it might come from freshman Logan Gray (6-2, 185) challenging Barnes for number three. Gray set career records of 5,734 passing yards and 53 touchdowns at Rock Bridge High in Columbia, Mo.



RUNNING BACKS

Do you know Knowshon Moreno (5-11, 207)?

Chances are, you will by October. Moreno, a redshirt freshman who reigns as New Jersey's prep career scoring leader, knocked the socks off spring observers. He rumbled for 68 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries in the G-Day game, and ESPN.com forecast Moreno as the SEC Newcomer of the Year in its spring roundup.

"He's not a big back ... but he runs extremely physically and hard," Bobo said of Moreno. "He really likes to go out there and compete. Obviously he still has a lot to learn as far as pass protection, but we're really excited about his attitude, the way he practices and the way he runs the football."

Not too shabby-for a second-string tailback. For all of the attention Moreno drew, he still must hurdle senior Kregg Lumpkin (6-1, 222) for top billing.

Lumpkin, after all, was Georgia's leading rusher by a wide margin in '06. On 162 carries-twice as many as Danny Ware, who declared early for the NFL draft and wound up in the Tennessee Titans' camp as an undrafted free agent-Lumpkin gained 798 yards, ninth in the SEC. He topped the century mark twice, against Ole Miss and Auburn, and punched in six rushing scores.

A fine chain mover with more refined pass-blocking skills than Moreno at this point, Lumpkin too had a fine G-Day, dashing for 53 yards on 13 carries.

"He's improved a little on pass protection and had a nice spring," Bobo said of Lumpkin.

Lumpkin rose as undisputed feature back last fall because senior Thomas Brown (5-8, 200) was felled by a torn ACL on a kickoff return against Vanderbilt. Before the season-ending injury, Brown had compiled modest numbers (278 yards on 62 carries, a 4.1-yard average). An anticipated full recovery by the beginning of fall camp makes Brown a mystery man in Georgia's back-field play.

"Thomas is one of my favorite football players on the whole team-just the way he carries himself every practice, his work ethic, his dedication," Bobo said. "We've got to find a way to get him some touches."

Junior Brannan Southerland (6-0, 240) is perhaps the most versatile fullback in the SEC. His 60 points on ten touchdowns (eight rushing, two receiving) led the Bulldogs, the first fullback to do so since Theron Sapp did it in 1957. Southerland caught 14 passes for 157 yards and mopped up the Auburn game as the feature back.

Senior Jason Johnson (5-9, 203) possesses the persistence of a New York City windshield washer. A walk-on tailback/fullback hybrid who kept overshadowing the "name" backs every spring, Johnson has all of three carries for 44 yards in three seasons, none last year.

And yet, there goes Johnson again, picking up 48 yards on 13 carries in the showcase spring scrimmage. The only difference-Johnson is now a scholarship player with a meatier role expected this season.

"He was voted our most consistent running back, even over Kregg and Knowshon," Bobo said. "He's a tough-nosed kid who will play a lot for us this year."

The Bulldogs do not lack for options in the run game, but Bobo is not keen on rotating three healthy tailbacks just for off-speed sake. Georgia had only one back rush 20 or more times in a game last fall (Lumpkin's 21 carries against Auburn), and the Bulldogs flailed to seventh among league cohorts in total rushing.

A clear No. 1 should emerge from the fall fray -- you know?



WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

Call it a case of varsity blues, but the Bulldogs receivers seemed a lot more like mail carriers last fall.

Tight end Martrez Milner, of late a fourth-round draftee of the Atlanta Falcons, caught three touchdown passes in '06, or one fewer than Georgia's wideouts combined. Milner also accumu-lated a team-high 425 receiving yards and tied Mohamed Massaquoi (6-2, 19 ed 11-of-13 games last fall, but the rate of return (14 catches, 251 yards) was penurious. Bryant would like to reclaim the starting flanker slot now occupied by Henderson.

Juniors Harris and Demiko Goodman (6-2, 190) are jousting for minutes after moderately successful sophomore seasons. Harris's 20.3 yards-per-grab average led the squad in 2006. Good-man sat out the spring because of a knee injury.

A notch below Harris and Goodman are sophomores Kris Durham (6-5, 193) and Michael Moore (6-2, 191), and redshirt freshman Tony Wilson (5-11, 19 . Durham and Moore combined for 10 catches last year, but the gritty Wilson had the stoutest spring camp.

"With another year in the weight room," Bobo said of his youngest receivers, "they're going to be a little more confident about their game."

Job security, thy name is Tripp Chandler (6-6, 259). The junior was the only scholarship tight end practicing last spring, and he rose to the fore as Milner's heir apparent. Chandler played in all 13 games in '06 but caught only two passes.

"I'm really pleased with the way he caught the ball, his route-running, his blocking," Bobo said. "He's going to have to carry the load for us next fall."

Senior Coleman Watson (6-6, 253) has a scholarship too, but a sports hernia sidelined him in April. In any event, he might not be much of a factor; the coaches are high on redshirt freshman NaDerris Ward (6-5, 255), who ran through no-contact drills while nursing a bad shoulder.

True freshman Bruce Figgins (6-4, 23 ers and barely ankle-deep in reserves. Tackle Ken Shackleford was the best of the departed, a sixth-round draft pick by the St. Louis Rams.

Already two possible starters have been culled from the newbies, and the fall could incite even more insurgency.

The peach-fuzzers won't make a dent in the old guards, namely seniors Fernando Velasco (6-4, 32 ing all 13 games at guard last season and anchoring a unit that allowed just 17 sacks (second-fewest in the SEC), Velasco is moving to center for 2007. The alpha dog among the youngsters, Velasco is backed up by redshirt freshman Kevin Perez (6-3, 275).

"With the 20-hour rule and as much as coaches can meet with guys, it's hard to get guys ready," Bobo said. "You've got to have good senior leadership, and the No. 1 leader on our team so far is probably Fernando."

Not far behind Velasco in terms of grit is Adams, who slides out to right tackle. An 11-game starter at tight guard last fall, Adams has twice been chosen the most improved offensive lineman after spring drills.

Trinton Sturdivant (6-5, 286) just turned 18 last January, but the freshman from Anson High in Wadesboro, N.C. marched right into the starting left tackle slot in the spring. A USA Today All-USA second team performer, Sturdivant's work ethic and smarts caught the coaches' attention immediately. He might be a four-year rock at the line's premier position.

Pitching a tent in Adams' old spot is junior Scott Haverkamp (6-4, 310), out of Butler County Community College in Kansas. Haverkamp originally signed with the University of Kansas out of Silver Lake High, where he graded out at 97 percent as a senior.

Redshirt freshman Chris Davis (6-4, 292), a tight end and defensive lineman as a senior in high school, has worked his way into the other guard slot.

"He's young and not where he needs to be strength-wise," Bobo said of Davis, "but he's going to have to play this year."

Vince Vance (6-8, 310), another early enrollee from Georgia Military College, was injured for much of the spring; his best shot is backing up Adams at right tackle. Redshirt freshman Josh Davis (6-6, 293) slipped behind Sturdivant in spring drills and may be working at guard by the opener. Freshman Justin Anderson (6-5, 320), who matriculated early from Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy, will angle for either tackle spot.

Even though three-fifths of the projected starting line has not seen a snap, the Bulldogs might find the right mix to protect Stafford and shovel a path for the running game.

"It's going to be a struggle early, but we've got to be smart as coaches to put them in situations they can handle -- don't overwhelm them," Bobo said.



KICKERS

When the defensive coordinator singles out the place-kicker's absence as a prime contributor to a bad stretch, that's one valuable colt in the corral.

Willie Martinez said as much about senior Brandon Coutu (6-0, 200), who missed the last seven games of 2006 with a hamstring injury. Coutu was 7-of-8 before going down prior to the Tennessee game, booting a season-long 55-yarder against UAB. "That made a difference in a couple of ball games," Martinez said.

Coutu returned for the Chick-fil-A Bowl and promptly pounded home all three tries, including a 51-yarder. He still holds the SEC record for longest field goal without a tee, a 58-yarder in 2005.

Coutu's sub, senior Andy Bailey (6-2, 223), missed all three attempts from 38 yards and beyond but made his other five tries last fall. Simply put, Coutu's length is an underrated weapon Georgia desperately needs for a full season.



DEFENSIVE LINE

Water's wet, the sky is blue, and at least two Bulldogs will hear their names called on the first day of the NFL draft.

That's happened in each April of this new century, and Quentin Moses (third round by the Oakland Raiders) and Charles Johnson (third round by the Carolina Panthers) kept the tradition alive in 2007.

The tiny hitch with that heritage is Moses and Johnson, who passed on his final year of eligibility, were bookends of the defensive line and responsible for 14 sacks among 31 tackles for loss between them last fall.

Subtract starting tackle Ray Gant and reserve Dale Dixson because of graduation and Georgia suddenly has some heavy cross-stitching to do on the front four.

"We've got a couple of older kids that never started and younger kids that have talent," Martinez pointed out, "but they're inexperienced and it showed this spring. It's going to be a huge offseason for us."

Martinez is reasonably certain about his top tackles, junior Jeff Owens (6-3, 292) and sophomore Geno Atkins (6-1, 275). Owens paced his interior brethren with 26 tackles and 19 quarter-back pressures last year and had a very productive spring.

Atkins stormed from the outside rail this spring to beat out Kade Weston (6-5, 315) for Gant's old spot. Atkins, who also throws the shot for the Bulldog track team, registered nine tackles in 11 games last fall.

Weston started the first five games of '06 but was lapped by Gant by the end of the year. The sophomore has had difficulty resisting the allure of Twinkies and needs to round into shape this fall.

Sophomore Tripp Taylor (6-1, 25 ers, Tony Taylor, Jarvis Jackson and Danny Verdun Wheeler, have graduated. All three were offered free-agent contracts by NFL teams after going undrafted. All of them had been contributors since their freshman seasons. Together, they produced 204 of Georgia's 731 tackles last fall; Taylor's seven interceptions ranked second to Florida's Ryan Smith (eight) in the SEC.

"We lost three guys who played a lot of ball and played as true freshmen," Martinez said. "Tony was around here for five years and was our No. 1 playmaker."

Too bad, but a bullet that had to be bitten. Bring on the youngsters and let's see what linebackers coach John Jancek can do.

Except junior Marcus Washington (6-0, 245), a projected Mike linebacker backup to senior Brandon Miller (6-4, 257), who missed the spring in the wake of lateral collateral ligament surgery on his knee. And down goes redshirt freshman Darryl Gamble (6-2, 240), a victim of a broken foot after the first week of spring. Then erase redshirt freshman Akeem Hebron for good, suspended by the school for the year after a second alcohol-related arrest.

After redshirt freshman Akeem Dent (6-2, 21 ing Sam slot, broke his foot during a voluntary May workout, Georgia had only three healthy scholarship linebackers as summer workouts neared.

Gamble and Dent will be back for the fall, but the dearth of bodies behind a reworked defensive line raises suspicions about the Dawgs' defensive capacity in 2007.

"To lose six of seven starters in the front seven, it's a concern," Martinez said. "It's tough to rebound from that, but we have no choice but to hit the ground running."

Wherever his compatriots come from, Miller is the de facto general of this group. After accumulating 23 tackles as a part-time starter at the Sam in '06, Miller is swinging over to the Mike this year.

Sophomore Darius Dewberry (6-3, 230), who played sparingly as a true freshman in '06, will have to fight off Dent for the Sam slot. Junior Dannell Ellerbe (6-1, 232), another spot reserve last fall, may not be able to fend off Dewberry at the Will; Ellerbe didn't thrill the coaches in the spring.

Georgia pulled four linebackers on board in its '07 recruiting class, but Martinez isn't hyping any of them as a quick fix.

"Our inside guys, to us they're very similar to the quarterback," he said. "There's so much that you have to know. You have to make all our checks. It's a difficult position to come in and play right away."

Dent and Dewberry, the best athletes of the bunch, represent the future of this unit. It's just circumstantial that they'll have to shine immediately for the Dawgs.



DEFENSIVE BACKS

After ringing up three interceptions, six pass break-ups and 57 tackles last season, star cornerback Paul Oliver mulled an early break to the NFL but passed on it. He should have followed his first instinct.

Last May, Oliver was declared ineligible for the 2007 season after failing to show adequate academic progress required by the NCAA. He petitioned the NFL to enter July's supplemental draft and will try to latch onto a team.

Oliver's departure opens a gaping hole in what promised to be a robust unit. The Sporting News listed Oliver as one of its five best returning cornerbacks in the nation; now the Bulldogs will lean heavily on underclassmen on the edges.

Georgia does retain part-time starter Bryan Evans (5-11, 179) at the field corner slot, but the sophomore's hold on the first string is tenuous. Evans beat out classmate Ramarcus Brown (5-11, 179) to start the last three games and posted five tackles in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Evans sustained a broken wrist in the G-Day game, so his summer development may be curtailed.

Even without Evans' injury, sophomores Asher Allen (5-10, 192) and Prince Miller (5-8, 182), both of whom saw ample time as true freshmen, were prospects for the field corner job. With Oliver out of the picture, Allen and Miller are now boundary corner candidates as well.

In coverage, Allen packs more tartness than Sour Patch Kids (his favorite snack), and Miller vaulted ahead of Brown on the post-spring depth chart.

"They're smart players," Martinez said of Allen and Miller. "They're not the biggest guys on the team, but they play with a lot of energy."

Senior Thomas Flowers (5-10, 186) is the most knowledgeable cornerback in the lot, but he was suspended two games early in 2006 for academic reasons and then suffered a broken foot that shelved him throughout the fall and spring. Assuming Flowers stays in good graces for preseason camp, he will be a valuable back-up.

Red-shirt freshman Donavan Baldwin (6-2, 194), who slid over from safety, also provides corner depth. Speaking of safeties, senior Kelin Johnson (6-1, 194) was the Bulldogs' third-leading tackler last year and will reprise his role at strong safety.

Johnson's vocal leadership will accelerate the growth of the new kids on the block. Replacing Tra Battle at free safety should fall to sophomore C.J. Byrd (6-2, 190) or redshirt freshman Re-shad Jones (6-2, 194). Byrd posted eight tackles in scant minutes last season, while Jones had such a stellar spring (interception in the G-Day game) that Baldwin became movable.

"He's a young man that is going to get better every day," Martinez said of the Atlanta-bred Jones.

Two other safety candidates are redshirt freshman Quentin Banks (6-2, 197) and sophomore Antavious Coates (6-4, 211). Banks wowed observers with a hard-hitting spring, while Coates was sidelined with a torn ACL.

Despite so many young components, Georgia ranked second in the SEC in pass defense last season, surrendering just 150 yards per game. Oliver's subtraction stings, but the 2007 secondary still has the look of a ball-hawking outfit that should erase some mistakes by a questionable front seven.



PUNTERS

Gordon Ely-Kelso, a dependable leg for four years, has graduated, so the Bulldogs are in dress-rehearsal mode. Junior Brian Mimbs (5-10, 205) punted three times for a 43.3-yard average in the G-Day game, but his most notable achievement to date was a successful onside kick and recovery during Georgia's Chick-fil-A Bowl comeback.

The Bulldogs signed freshman Drew Butler (6-2, 195) for just this contingency. Butler is the son of former UGA kicker (and four-time All-SEC honoree) Kevin Butler. The younger Butler averaged 40 yards a boot as a junior at Peachtree Ridge High in Duluth, Ga.



SPECIAL TEAMS

By the final third of last season, Mikey Henderson had attained the Valhalla of punt returners; opposing teams kicked in every direction but his. Henderson went the distance against Western Kentucky and Tennessee -- the latter an 86-yard return -- and led the SEC with a 14.7-yard average on the season.

Nevertheless, Henderson has competitors lurking in the background. Thomas Brown rambled 99 yards with a kickoff -- also against Tennessee -- and paced the team with a 25.3-yard average. Asher Allen fielded four punts and 19 kickoffs, posting a 22.1-yard net on the latter. Whatever option the Dawgs choose, they have the potential to loose lightning from the bottle on any return.

Punt coverage was a relative strength last year, while kickoff coverage (21.9 yards allowed per return) was lackluster.



BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS

This offseason has been a tangled web for Georgia's defense, which leaves this season's prospects dangling in the air.
Grading the Bulldogs
Unit Grade
Offense B-
Special teams A
Defense C
Intangibles B
The expected losses in the front seven, coupled with Hebron's suspension and Oliver's ineligibility shocker, means the Bulldogs are backpedaling in an area where they've been ranked top-10 nationally (yards allowed) in three of the previous four seasons.

If a more stable Stafford melds with a hard-charging running game, perhaps the offense will take primary responsibility for another top-tier bowl season. Otherwise, the Bulldogs are poised for a fall.

After Kentucky and Vanderbilt upset Georgia last year, you can bet both teams believe they can overtake Georgia in the SEC East race in 2007. A young wave of Bulldogs will be relied upon to restore the mystique between the hedges.


For the most comprehensive previews available on all 119 Division I teams, order the "Bible" of college football, the 2007 Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, at www.blueribbonyearbook.com or call 1-866-805-BALL (2255).

@ Florida winning with Tebow.

Tennessee...



airmission, what's hannen?

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2007 Heisman Watch: Andre' Woodson
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Athlon Sports
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Its the most prestigious individual award in all of sports, and this year, theres no shortage of candidates. Kentucky quarterback Andre' Woodson is next up in Athlon's 2007 Heisman Watch, which will be released in no particular order.

When last we saw Andre Woodson in action, he was completing 20 of 28 passes for 299 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the Wildcats 2820 victory over Clemson in the 2006 Music City Bowl. Woodson was named the games Most Valuable Player for his performance. He had already been selected second-team All-SEC by both the media and coaches behind the 2007 NFL Drafts No. 1 overall pick, LSUs JaMarcus Russell.

For the season, Woodson completed 63 percent of his passes (264-of-419) for 3,515 yards, 31 touchdowns and seven interceptions. This represents a quantum leap over his sophomore numbers. He threw for 25 more touchdowns, nearly 2,000 more yards and increased his completion average by more than five percentage points over 2005, his first year as a starter after backing up Shane Boyd as a redshirt freshman in 2004.

Athlon's 2007 Heisman Watch

A 65 dropback passer in the NFL mold, Woodson isnt much of a threat to run, but he possesses the deadliest arm in the league. Last fall, he led the conference in passing yards, touchdown passes, and total offense despite a minus-137 net yards rushing.

Woodsons career interception ratio of one per 54.3 passes is the lowest in SEC history for passers with a minimum of 400 attempts, and he enters 2007 with a streak of 162 passes without a pick. Not bad for a quarterback who almost lost his starting job in 2006 spring practice. He threw three touchdown passes in each of the first three games of the 06 season, and later in the year threw for 450 yards and four TDs against Vanderbilt.

Kentucky Team Preview

All of Woodsons favorite targets Keenan Burton, Dicky Lyons and tight end Jacob Tamme are back along with tailback Rafael Little to aid their quarterback in his bid for the 2007 Heisman.

Why hell be holding the hardware: Hes the best quarterback in the nations best conference and Kentuckys pass-happy offense will help him produce numbers.

Why hell be left out: The Wildcats third-place finish in the SEC East last fall was more than respectable, but theyve got to do better than that to get their quarterback a Heisman. And until their defense proves it can stop somebody, they wont.

Final analysis: Its a matter of getting him enough help. Woodsons not Paul Hornung, so his team will have to win a certain minimum number of games to put him in the spotlight and keep him there. A bid for first-team All-SEC might be as good as it gets for Woodson at Kentucky.

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5. Sammy Sosa - 603*6. Ken Griffey Jr. - 587
7. Frank Robinson - 586​

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Alley Broussard is done playing ball at LSU

LSU running back Broussard leaves team
ESPN.com

Updated: July 24, 2007, 9:21 PM ET
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU running back Alley Broussard said Tuesday he is leaving the team but will remain in school.


Broussard, a senior from Lafayette and four-year member of the team, played in 35 games, starting eight times. He finishes his career with 1,537 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns.

"My heart was no longer in it," Broussard said in a statement released by the university. "I'm scheduled to graduate in December, so I want to use the fall semester to dedicate my time towards getting my degree.

"I enjoyed my four years as part of the LSU football team and I wish my teammates success in 2007."

Broussard, who missed all of the 2005 season with a knee injury, returned to action last year, rushing for 281 yards and four touchdowns on 74 carries.

"We understand Alley's decision and we'll support him as he continues to pursue his college degree," LSU coach Les Miles said. "We wish him success in his future endeavors and thank him for the time that he spent with our program."

sports.espn.go.com/ncf/ne...id=2947746

Tough break for dude, but not unexpected. Props for sticking through it and getting that degree, though.

The SEC announced that they will begin running background checks on all their football and basketball officials, in light of the NBA's recent issue.

Media All-Southeastern Conference team (votes in parentheses; 80 total voters; *-tie)

FIRST TEAM Offense
TE Jacob Tamme, Kentucky (67)
OL Will Arnold, LSU (65)
OL Michael Oher, Ole Miss (59)
OL Andre Smith, Alabama (43)
OL Phil Trautwein, Florida (2
C Jonathan Luigs, Arkansas (5
WR Earl Bennett, Vanderbilt (65)
WR Marcus Monk, Arkansas (27)
QB Andre Woodson, Kentucky (62)
RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas (80)
RB Felix Jones, Arkansas (27)

SECOND TEAM Offense
TE Cornelius Ingram, Florida (3)
OL Chris Williams, Vanderbilt (21)
OL King Dunlap, Auburn (16)
OL Drew Miller, Florida (13)
OL Brian Stamper, Vanderbilt (6)
C Antoine Caldwell, Alabama (15)
WR Percy Harvin, Florida (19)
WR Keenan Burton, Kentucky (17)*
WR Early Doucet, LSU (17)*
QB Erik Ainge, Tennessee (6)
RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Ole Miss (26)
RB LaMarcus Coker, Tennessee (7)

FIRST TEAM Defense
DL Glenn Dorsey, LSU (7
DL Quentin Groves, Auburn (72)
DL Derrick Harvey, Florida (4
LB Jasper Brinkley, South Carolina (75)
LB Jonathan Goff, Vanderbilt (73)
LB Ali Highsmith, LSU (5
LB Jerod Mayo, Tennessee (37)
DB Simeon Castille, Alabama (7
DB Jonathan Hefney, Tennessee (60)
DB Chevis Jackson, LSU (51)
DB Derek Pegues, Mississippi State (46)

SECOND TEAM Defense
DL Titus Brown, Mississippi State (14)
DL Tyson Jackson, LSU (
DL Wallace Gilberry, Alabama (
LB Wesley Woodyard, Kentucky (36)
LB Prince Hall, Alabama (14)
LB Darry Beckworth, LSU (5)*
LB Brandon Miller, Georgia (5)*
DB Tony Joiner, Florida (30)
DB Trevard Lindley, Kentucky (5)
DB Jonathan White, Auburn (4)

FIRST TEAM Special teams
PK Ryan Succop, South Carolina (39)
P Britton Colquitt, Tennessee (64)
RS Felix Jones, Arkansas (31)

SECOND TEAM Special teams
PK Brandon Coutu, Georgia (35)
P Ryan Succop, South Carolina (16)
RS Rafael Little, Kentucky (1

Predicted order of finish (first-place votes in parentheses)
SEC East
1. Florida (41)
2. Tennessee (16)
3. Georgia (12)
4. South Carolina (11)
5. Kentucky
6. Vanderbilt

SEC West
1. LSU (63)
2. Auburn (5)
3. Arkansas (5)
4. Alabama (7)
5. Ole Miss
6. Mississippi State

SEC Champion: LSU (54 votes), Florida (7), Arkansas (5), Auburn (4), Alabama (3), South Carolina (3), Tennessee (2), Georgia (2).

I may have been hasty in my judgement of the Volunteer WR situation.
Apparantly, Gerald Jones, Brett Vinson & Kenny O'neal Are Picking up the pffense quite well.

and After seeing some footage of Jones

I can't wait to see him in the open field. Ive only been this excited to see one other Vol Freshman and that was jamal Lewis. We'll see......

They're gonna lose to the Dores.

Been on vacation so i wanted to give a bump to my SEC

THE RAIDER NATION​

Nah, saw 3 of his games plus a couple of his hilight dvd he sent out /gave dead leg just had us dyin and screamin OOOOOOOOOOOO!

Ya'll better redshirt him for like 3 years. No need for a player that you say to have PDub like abilities to be playing until at least the 2010 season.

Aight hold the presses.

Arkanas better watch out. Hopefully there is no torn cartilage.

Hogs' Monk hurt on first day in full pads
August 9, 2007

Associated Press


FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- The first pre-season practice in full pads by the Arkansas Razorbacks boosted the intensity of the team's workout Thursday, and receiver Marcus Monk suffered a knee injury.

"We had a good day of practice, but it's hard to feel good when No. 85 walks off the field," coach Houston Nutt said. "He probably has some torn cartilage, so we're going to get him an MRI right now."

Nutt said the players will need to be able to find the balance between being too laid back and being too physical with their teammates during practice.

"Yesterday we weren't aggressive enough," Nutt said. "It's the hardest thing there is when you want to be aggressive, but you don't want to be here on Sept. 1 (against Troy) saying 'we're awfully soft."'

But Nutt said his players adjusted well to wearing the extra equipment, even in heat that sent temperatures into the mid-90s.

"It was very hot and our guys fought through it very well," the coach said.

Do I ever steer yall wrong?

About Saturdays' scrimmage:

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Thumbs Up: Gerald Jones -- This is the one notable exception mentioned in the above paragraph. Jones showed up in a big way, and if he can come anywhere close to playing like he did on Saturday consistently, then he'll get plenty of snaps this fall.

Jones' acrobatic catch of a pass thrown high and behind him over the middle was the most impressive individual play of the day.

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With all the buzz about the new wideouts, plenty of observers where anxious to see what they could do in a scrimmage situation. For the most part though they were quiet with freshman Gerald Jones being a very notable exception.

Jones caught three passes for 45 yards on the day, all three were good for first downs and one of the grabs was an absolute circus catch where Jones went high in the air and reached behind his body to one-hand the catch in traffic.


He may not be a finished product yet, but no one left the field on Saturday thinking anything other than Jones could possibly help immediately.

Count Taylor among those thinking Jones had made a move up the depth chart.

"I'm really pleased with Gerald's effort. He's a natural," Taylor said. "He made a move today and when you can get in this atmosphere, just being on this stage, to step up and do what he did today, that lets you know he has a chance to help you. For him to make the plays he did today against the 'ones', that's exciting to see."

What makes Jones' early play even more impressive is that he's really just now learning the wide receiver position. That's an impediment in some obvious ways, but Taylor said that his experience as a high school quarterback is actually helping him in some other areas of learning the position.

"What makes Gerald sharp is that he can get lined up, he knows what he's supposed to do. I think a lot of that is from playing quarterback in high school," Taylor offered. "He understands things like how to set a route down in a zone and not run into a 'blow-up'.

"Today he stacked a guy and settled down in a blind spot to be able to make a play. He's so athleticI don't have a drill for him to go up and get the football like he did on that one play."

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E. Berry

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One of the bright spots in the secondary was unquestionably freshman cornerback Eric Berry who has been impressive since the first day of practice.

Berry didn't start with the first team defense today, but he got plenty of reps with the 'ones' and didn't disappoint. He had a couple of deflections and one interception against the first team, and essentially served notice that the all the hype he arrived with was well-placed.

"Eric is going to show up. He's a playmaking fool," Slade said. "He's done it all camp. He's not a normal freshman. He's going to show up out there no matter what."

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The Andre Berto Movement:Get Down or Lay Down
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Friday, August 17, 2007
Tigers will have the biggest SEC bite in 2007

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By Mark Schlabach
ESPN.com

Peering into the crystal ball revealed the following five predictions for the 2007 SEC season:


1. Florida won't repeat as national champion (or SEC East champion)
The defending national champion just has too many holes to fill on defense. Replacing the heart of the defense -- tackles Ray McDonald and Joe Cohen, middle linebacker Brandon Siler and free safety Reggie Nelson -- will be too difficult for co-coordinators Greg Mattison and Charlie Strong to overcome. The Gators take a step back in 2007, before jumping forward in a big way in 2008 and 2009.


Les Miles' team looks primed to play for the national title.
2. LSU will play USC in the BCS championship game
Tigers coach Les Miles will get his wish with a date against the Trojans in the Jan. 7 BCS National Championship Game in the Louisiana Superdome. After USC easily defeats the Tigers in front of LSU's home crowd, Miles will leave to become head coach at Michigan, replacing Lloyd Carr, who will retire after winning the Rose Bowl (and, of course, losing to Ohio State).


3. Nick Saban loses to LSU (but beats Auburn)
Saban's first season at Alabama will be a successful one, but the Crimson Tide won't come close to catching LSU in the SEC West. Alabama will lose twice in September and to LSU in November, but Saban will win the two games that matter most to Crimson Tide fans -- against Tennessee and Auburn.


4. The Egg Bowl loser gets poached
Ole Miss and Mississippi State will continue to struggle, and both will have losing records going into the Nov. 23 Egg Bowl in Starkville, Miss. Rebels coach Ed Orgeron and Bulldogs coach Sly Croom will be under intense pressure, but the winner of the game will buy himself another year. The loser gets a pink slip.


5. The SEC East champion will have two losses
Only three times in the last 15 years has the SEC East champion had more than one loss. That number should increase. Kentucky and Vanderbilt will each upset at least one of the other four teams in the division -- and possibly more -- causing havoc in the East. LSU will defeat either Georgia or Tennessee in the SEC championship game in the Georgia Dome, possibly opening the door for Arkansas to receive a BCS at-large berth, along with the unbeaten Tigers.

The Erick Berry Legend grows

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With just under two weeks left until kickoff, Tennessee went through an important dress-rehearsal under the lights in Neyland Stadium on Saturday night. There were some highlights on both sides of the ball, but most importantly for the staff, the coaches will leave the film study from the scrimmage with a fairly firm handle on what the two-deep roster will look like when the team heads to Cal.



Berry had yet another standout performance in a scrimmage situation.
Most of the obvious highlights on the night were on the offensive side of the ball. Erik Ainge had a very good night throwing the football and freshman wide receiver Denarius Moore validated some of the hype he's been getting this past week by finding the end zone twice; once on a kickoff return and the second time on a 27-yard reception.

Defensively, there were some big plays as well, most notably another interception by Eric Berry off of Ainge, but John Chavis was not exactly bubbly after the scrimmage. Even before breaking down the tape Chavis had already identified a couple of areas that his troops need to improve on.

"There were some good things but not enough. We were sloppy with our tackling, we've got to get better there," Chavis said. "I thought a lot of guys gave good effort. We'll look at the film and get better. We need to have a sense of urgency. We've got two weeks and a lot of work to do."

Berry got loads of work with the first team defense on Saturday. He, Antonio Gaines and Marsalous Johnson all appeared to get close to the same number of reps with the 'ones'. Berry got work at both the left and the right corner spots, and the notion that he could begin his Tennessee career as a starter is gaining more and more credibility with every big play he makes.

"I think he'll play a good bit. Right now he's the one guy we have back there who's very, very consistent. He's a big play guy and he got his hands on the ball tonight," Chavis said.

In addition to his pick, Berry also had a couple of break-ups on deep balls and showed that he's more than willing to get dirty when the need arises. He flung himself in front of Jeff Cottam tonight when the big tight end had a head of steam after catching a short out. Berry predictably took the worst of the collision, but he made the tackle and popped right up.

Ainge, perhaps more than anyone on the team or the staff, has gained a distinct appreciation for the precocious freshman's ability. Berry picked Ainge off in last Saturday's scrimmage, got him again on Thursday during goal-line scrimmage work in practice and then made it a hat trick for the week with tonight's theft.

"Eric Berry is a special football player. He is going to do a lot of good things for us this year," Ainge said Saturday night. "You can't teach his ability to find and to go get the ball like he has. He has a lot of things you can't teach that is for sure."

No one on the staff has proclaimed that Berry is going to start yet, but if he keeps making plays with the alarming consistency he has to this point, he's going to leave the coaches no other option.

Defensive backs coach Larry Slade has worked in college football for 34 years, and was part of a national championship team at Washington in 1991. He's seen plenty of big time players in all that time, but tonight, when asked if he had ever had a freshman as prepared as Berry to come in and contribute immediately, the veteran coach couldn't come up with an answer.

"No (I haven't), we've seen a few, but he comes in as a high character guy, has a great work ethic and extraordinary athletic ability," Slade surmised.

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Yea I know Im mad hyped over these two LMAO Sue me dammit

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Lower then Low, The Scum of the Earth
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