|
WR/PR
Mikey Henderson |
|
|
2006
Statistics |
Coach:
Mark Richt
61-17,
6 years |
2006
Record: 9-4 |
|
WESTERN
KENTUCKY |
WON
48-12 |
at
South Carolina |
WON
18-0 |
UAB |
WON
34-0 |
COLORADO |
WON
14-13 |
at
Mississippi |
WON
14-9 |
TENNESSEE |
LOST
33-51 |
VANDERBILT |
LOST
22-24 |
MISSISSIPPI
STATE |
WON
27-24 |
vs.
Florida |
LOST
14-21 |
at
Kentucky |
LOST
20-24 |
at
Auburn |
WON
37-15 |
GEORGIA
TECH |
WON
15-12 |
CHICK-FIL-A
BOWL |
Virginia
Tech |
WON
31-24 |
|
2006
Final Rankings
AP-23, Coaches-UR, BCS-UR
|
2007
Outlook |
Last
year’s rollercoaster ride will
be avoided this time around after
sophomore QB Matthew Stafford proved
he is ready by leading Georgia to
three big wins over major, ranked
programs to end 2006. Crucial in all
of this was the promotion of Mike
Bobo to OC for ’07. Bobo, the
quarterbacks coach, too, was immediately
put in place for the last two wins.
This smart move (enabling Bobo and
Stafford to work together in real
game reps) will create momentum for
the upcoming campaign, for UGA had
struggled most of last year offensively
and head coach Mark Richt had few
answers prior to that move. The offense
showed consistency against Virginia
Tech’s No.1 defense, so expect
the Dawgs to be back in ball moving
form. The defense has to contend with
some big losses in every major unit,
especially DEs Moses and Johnson.
But Georgia has had such great recruiting
under Richt that they will not skip
a beat after finishing No.18 and 8
the last two years for total defense,
respectively. Georgia’s biggest
away games are against Tennessee and
Alabama (playing rivals Tech in Atlanta
is still in-state, and Florida is
neutral in Jax, so neither counts),
so they again have one of the easier
roads to the BCS. Like the Vols last
year after they tanked 2005, this
Dawg squad will have to prove they
have truly rebounded before voters
put them back into the top 15. Don’t
be surprised to see them there by
the end of a busy September and again
challenging Florida and UT for the
East’s top spot.
Projected
2007 record: 9-3
|
|
GEORGIA
*POWER RATINGS |
Offense |
Defense |
QB
- 3 |
DL
- 3.5 |
RB
- 4 |
LB
- 3 |
WR
- 3.5 |
DB
- 4.5 |
OL
- 3 |
.. |
|
RETURNING
LEADERS |
Passing:
Matthew Stafford, 135-256-13, 1749
yds., 7 TD
Rushing: Kregg Lumpkin, 162
att., 798 yds., 6 TD
Receiving: Mohamed Massaquoi,
30 rec., 366 yds., 2 TD
Scoring: Brannan Southerland,
10 TD, 60 pts.
Punting: None
Kicking: Brandon Coutu, 10-11
FG, 17-17 PAT, 47 pts.
Tackles: Kelin Johnson, 60
tot., 48 solo
Sacks: Kelin Johnson, 2.5 sacks
Interceptions: Paul Oliver,
3 for 44 yds.
Kickoff Returns: Asher Allen,
19 ret., 22.1 avg., 0 TD
Punt Returns: Mikey Henderson,
25 ret., 14.7 avg., 2 TD
|
|
|
|
|
GEORGIA |
|
|
OFFENSE
- 7 |
----RETURNING
STARTERS---- |
DEFENSE
- 5 |
|
KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Joe Tereshinski-QB, Mario Raley-WR,
Martrez Milner-TE, Ken Shackleford-OT,
Nick Jones-C, Michael Turner-OG, Daniel
Inman-OT, Danny Ware-RB (NFL) |
DEFENSE:
Ray
Gant-DT, Quentin Moses-DE, Danny Verdun
Wheeler-SLB, Jarvis Jackson-MLB, Tony
Taylor-WLB, Tra Battle-ROV, Gordon Ely-Kelso-P,
Charles Johnson-DE (NFL), Paul Oliver-CB
(NFL) |
|
|
2007
OFFENSE |
The
offense, regardless of last year’s
“musical chairs” rotation, is
sophomore Matthew Stafford’s to start
2007. The 6’3”, 237-lb. Dallas-native
was last year’s top pro-style QB (rivals.com),
though he proved his 4.7 second speed in
the 40 means he is worthy of earning big
yards and making defenders miss in the process.
He proved he needs work with some struggles
in ’06. But new coordinator Mike Bobo
- the former and current QB coach, too -
was given the offensive reigns for UGA’s
last two games, both wins over ranked foes
(posted 31-24 against Virginia Tech’s
top defense). In beating Georgia Tech, the
Hokies and Auburn to close, the Dawgs offense
signaled that it is out of the struggling
stage with its new QB. Expect a big year
from Stafford. Joe Cox, proven in the comeback
win against Colorado, also quells fears
as his backup. But even with two of their
three leading TBs (both seniors) and their
starting fullback returning, there are no
guarantees for the ground production on
a team losing both tackles, its center and
its top reserve. Both backs pack a wallop
for foes wishing to tackle them, as does
bulldozer Brannan Southerland, who gets
lots of touches, especially near the endzone.
On the line, JUCO-transfers have been tapped,
and four-star recruits abound for a new
line coach (Stacy Searals from LSU). The
ability to run should improve as a better
passing game makes foes crowd the box less
(a real problem last year with inconsistency
at QB). Also important is the new starter(s)
at tight end, which has produced the team’s
leading receiver the last two years. Tripp
Chandler has the size to help the new tackles
and the hands needed for snarling. With
the top TE pick of this year’s recruiting
class and the No.2 from last year’s,
Chandler & Co. can continue the tradition
of soft-handed bigmen coach Richt has established
here. Sprinkle in Mohamed Massaquoi and
A.J. Bryant leading an experienced, well-sized
receiving corps and you get a team that
only has to answer its pending questions
up front before it can again boast a dangerous
offense.
|
|
RB
Kregg Lumpkin
|
|
|
GEORGIA
2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Matthew
Stafford-So (6-3, 237) |
Joe
Cox-So (6-1, 210) |
FB |
Brannan
Southerland-Jr (6-0, 240) |
Jason
Johnson-Sr (5-9, 203) |
RB |
Kregg
Lumpkin-Sr (6-1, 229) |
Thomas
Brown-Sr (5-8, 200)
Knowshon Moreno-Fr (5-11, 207) |
WR |
Mikey
Henderson-Sr (5-10, 150) |
A.J
Bryant-Sr (6-2, 200)
Demiko Goodman-Jr (6-2, 190) |
WR |
Sean
Bailey-Sr (6-1, 174) |
Mohamed
Massaquoi-Jr (6-2, 198)
Kenneth Harris-Jr (6-3, 205) |
TE |
Tripp
Chandler-Jr (6-6, 259) |
Coleman
Watson-Sr (6-6, 253) |
OT |
Trinton
Sturdivant-Fr (6-5, 286) |
Vince
Vance-So (6-8, 330) |
OG |
Chris
Davis-Fr (6-4, 292) |
Tanner
Strickland-Fr (6-5, 318) |
C |
Fernando
Velasco-Sr (6-4, 328) |
Kevin
Perez-Fr (6-3, 274) |
OG |
Scott
Haverkamp-Jr (6-4, 310) |
Ian
Smith-So (6-3, 295) |
OT |
Chester
Adams-Sr (6-4, 330) |
Justin
Anderson-Fr (6-5, 335) |
K |
Brandon
Coutu-Sr (6-0, 200) |
Andy
Bailey-Sr (6-2, 223) |
|
|
2007
DEFENSE |
Rebuilding
the front seven is paramount, and replacing
ends Moses and Johnson is priority one.
Senior Marcus Howard and super soph Roderick
Battle are the lone Dawg DEs with experience
at this level, while JUCO-transfer Jarius
Wynn, a second-team NJCAA All-American,
looks very ready to succeed at the I-A level.
Jeff Owens and Kade Weston are solid in
the middle as returning starters, so there
seems to be enough structure so that the
line will only take a small step back (depth
is there amongst the unknowns). Senior Brandon
Miller is the only LB with starting experience,
and he is a great building block with so
much speed for his ample size. No less than
six top linebacker recruits have been procured
in the last two recruiting classes, and
with the track record here for producing
dominant corps, expect a few LBs you’ve
yet to hear of to soon become new household
names in Athens. Senior and top CB Paul
Oliver has been declared academically ineligible
and has entered his name into the NFL supplemental
draft. Junior Ramarcus Brown can be left
one-on-one with opposing receivers as he
helped to produce UGA’s No.5 pass
defense last year. Five-star prospect Reshad
Jones will help senior Kelin Johnson fill
the safety slots after losing Tra Battle;
how the “rover” position plays
out will not be known until summer. The
great tradition of Georgia defensive backs
will continue, but the loss of Oliver certainly
raises a few concerns - even so, this entire
defense is reloading more than rebuilding,
so expect the Dawg D to be strong even with
the depletions along the line.
|
|
DB
Kelin Johnson
|
|
|
GEORGIA
2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
DEFENSE |
DE |
Roderick
Battle-So (6-4, 256) |
Kiante
Tripp-Fr (6-6, 263) |
DT |
Jeff
Owens-Jr (6-3, 292) |
Corvey
Irvin-Jr (6-4, 286) |
DT |
Geno
Atkins-So (6-1, 275) |
Kade
Weston-So (6-5, 315) |
DE |
Marcus
Howard-Sr (6-2, 220) |
Michael
Lemon-Fr (6-4, 260) |
SLB |
Brandon
Miller-Sr (6-4, 257) |
Marcus
Washington-Jr (6-0, 245) |
MLB |
Darius
Dewberry-So (6-3, 230) |
Akeem
Dent-Fr (6-2, 218) |
WLB |
Dannell
Ellerbe-Jr (6-1, 232) |
Darryl
Gamble-Fr (6-2, 240) |
CB |
Asher
Allen-So (5-10, 192) |
Thomas
Flowers-Sr (5-10, 186) |
CB |
Bryan
Evans-So (5-11, 179) |
Ramarcus
Brown-Jr (5-11, 165) |
ROV |
Kelin
Johnson-Sr (6-1, 194) |
Quintin
Banks-Fr (6-2, 197) |
FS |
C.J.
Byrd-Jr (6-2, 190) |
Reshad
Jones-Fr (6-2, 194) |
P |
Brian
Mimbs-Jr (5-11, 205) |
.. |
|
|
|
2007
SPECIAL TEAMS |
Senior
kicker Brandon Coutu is sure to make the Groza
watch list after going 10-for-11 last year. Brian
Mimbs looks ready to take over after waiting at
punter. Punt return guy Mikey Henderson was tops
in the SEC, and Asher Allen showed enough promise
in both return slots as just a frosh so that all
areas are amply covered.
|
|