University of Georgia Athletics
2001 Bowl Game Notes
December 12, 2001 | Football
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Bowl Practice Notes
#16 Georgia (8-3, 5-3 SEC) vs. Boston College (7-4, 4-3 Big East) Dec. 28, 2001: Adelphia Coliseum (68,498), Nashville, Tenn., 5:00 pm et., ESPN Radio: Georgia Radio Network (WSB 750 AM-Atlanta, WNGC-FM 106.1 Athens) INTERNET GAME DAY LIVE: http://georgiadogs.fansonly.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/geo-m-footbl-sched.html
What's at Stake?
For the first time in school history, Georgia can post five consecutive seasons where it has finished ranked in the Associated Press final Top 20. Twice in school history, the Bulldogs have had four seasons of finishing in the AP Top 20 (1980-83 and 1997-2000). u For the first time in school history, Georgia has posted five consecutive seasons (1997-2001) with at least eight wins. Twice in school history, the Bulldogs have had four consecutive eight-win seasons (1980-83, 1997-2000).
BULLDOG SEASON REVIEW
Year Rec. AP Bowl 1997 10-2 10th Outback d. Wisconsin 33-6 1998 9-3 14th Peach d. Virginia 35-33 1999 8-4 16th Outback d. Purdue 28-25OT 2000 8-4 20th O'ahu d. Virginia 37-14 2001 Currently 8-3, ranked 16th
Currently, Georgia has set a school record with four consecutive seasons with a bowl victory. Overall, Georgia is making its 37th bowl appearance, which ranks sixth nationally. The Bulldogs have a 19-14-3 bowl record. With their invitation to the Music City Bowl, the Bulldogs have participated in 18 different bowls throughout their 109-year history, more different games than any other team in the nation.
Up Next: Boston College in the Music City Bowl
Georgia faces Boston College (7-4, 5-3 Big East) for the fourth time in school history with the three previous matchups coming in 1950, 1951 and 1986. The Bulldogs are 2-1 against the Eagles. 1950 in Boston: Georgia wins 19-7 1951 in Athens: Georgia wins 35-28 1986 in Tampa: Boston College wins the Hall of Fame Bowl 27-24
Fast Facts from the Last Meeting
Boston College scored the winning touchdown with 32 seconds left to edge Georgia 27-24 in the first Hall of Fame Bowl held in Tampa, Fla. Shawn Halloran threw a five-yard strike to Kelvin Martin for the victory. Georgia trailed by 13 at the half but rallied back to take a 24-20 lead on a five-yard TD run by QB James Jackson early in the fourth quarter. In the first quarter, Jackson gave the Bulldogs the early lead on a seven-yard TD run but then the Eagles responded with 20 straight points. The Eagles got on the board with a 23-yard field goal at the end of the first quarter by Brian Lowe and then scored 17 points in the second quarter for a 20-7 halftime advantage.
Georgia (8-3, 5-3 SEC)
National Ranking: #16 AP, #19 Coaches Sept. 1 ARKANSAS STATE W, 45-17 Sept. 8 #21 SOUTH CAROLINA(ESPN) L, 14-9 Sept. 29 ARKANSAS (ESPN2) W, 34-23 Oct. 6 @ #6 Tennessee(CBS) W, 26-24 Oct. 13 @ Vanderbilt W, 30-14 Oct. 20 KENTUCKY (JP) W, 43-29 Oct. 27 %#6 Florida (CBS) L, 24-10 Nov. 10 #24AUBURN (CBS) L, 24-17 Nov. 17 @ Ole Miss (JP) W, 35-15 Nov. 24 @ #21Ga. Tech (ESPN) W, 31-17 Dec. 1 *HOUSTON W, 35-7 Dec. 28 Boston College (ESPN) 5 p.m. %Jacksonville, Fla., *Originally scheduled for Sept. 15 but postponed
DID YOU KNOW? Six teams Georgia played this season are going to bowl games.
Georgia's Last Five Bowls
Date Bowl Result Game Notes
12/30/95 Peach L, 27-34 Virginia edges Georgia with an 83-yd. kickoff return
in the final minute of the game.
1/1/98 Outback W, 33-6 MVP Mike Bobo completes 26-of-28 for 235 yards and Robert Edwards rushes for 3 TDs in a Bulldog rout over Wisconsin.
12/31/98 Peach W, 35-33 Overcoming a 21-point second quarter deficit, Georgia
rallies behind 110 yards by Olandis Gary to defeat Virginia.
1/1/00 Outback W, 28-25(OT) Georgia posts the greatest comeback in bowl history,
rallying back from a 25-0 deficit to beat Purdue in overtime.
12/24/00 O'ahu W, 37-14 MVP Terrence Edwards leads Georgia in rushing (97 yds) and receiving (79 yds) and the Bulldog defense scored 2 TDs to beat Virginia on Christmas Eve in Hawaii.
* Georgia in Bowl Games decided by Seven points or Less: 10-7-3
* Biggest Bowl win: 27 (33-6 vs. Wisconsin-1/1/98 Outback Bowl)
* Biggest Bowl loss: 39 (45-6 vs. Nebraska-12/20/69 Sun Bowl)
COACHES CORNER
Mark Richt,
Georgia Alma Mater: Miami, Fla. ('82)
UGA: 8-3 (1st year)
Overall: 8-3 (1st year)
Vs. BC: 0-0
Notes : Best record by a first-year coach at Georgia since 1920 when Herman Stegeman went 8-0-1... Georgia owns a 8-3 record including 4-2 at home and 4-1 on the road...Came to the Bulldogs after 15 years at FSU, the last seven as offensive coordinator.
Tom O'Brien, Boston College
Alma Mater: Navy ('71)
BC: 30-27 (5th year)
Overall: 30-27 (5th year)
Vs. Georgia: 0-0
Notes: Came to Boston College after spending 15 years as an assistant coach at Virginia, the final six as offensive coordinator...Has led the Eagles to a pair of bowl games including a win over Arizona State in last year's Jeep Aloha Bowl.
Herschel...Hearst...Haynes
Considering what he has done in his last three games, senior Verron Haynes has joined some elite running backs in Georgia history. Haynes' three-game rushing total of 521 yards (192 vs. Ole Miss, 207 vs. Ga. Tech, 122 vs. Houston) was the most by a Bulldog since 1992 when All-American and Doak Walker Award winner Garrison Hearst collected 590 yards in a three-game span (173 vs. Ga. Southern, 246 vs. Vanderbilt and 171 vs. Kentucky). The best three-game total belongs to Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker, who ran for 633 in 1980 (283 vs. Vanderbilt, 131 vs. Kentucky and 219 vs. South Carolina). Haynes 207 yards in the win over then 21st-ranked Yellow Jackets was the most by a Bulldog since Hearst's 246 against the Commodores in 1992. Also, Haynes' 39 carries was the most by a Bulldog since Walker carried it 39 times for 215 yards against Miss. State in 1982. Walker holds the school record for most 200-yard games rushing, doing it nine times in his career while Haynes and five other Bulldogs in school history have done it just once.
Haynes and Wall Form New Bulldog Backfield
With sophomore running back Musa Smith sidelined with a hip flexor of late, Georgia's backfield for the last three games featured one-time fullback Verron Haynes at tailback and junior J.T. Wall at fullback. Against Ole Miss, both rushed for career-highs with Haynes getting 192 yards on 26 carries while Wall managed 23 yards on seven carries. Haynes' encore performance against Ga. Tech was even better, collecting 207 yards on 39 carries. Recently, Haynes was named one of the three permanent team captains for the 2001 squad. Also, six times this year, Haynes served as one of the Bulldog captains. Wall, a former walk-on, was awarded a scholarship during fall camp by Coach Richt. An accomplished blocker, Haynes had 126 rushes for a team-best 691 yards and 7 TDs plus 19 catches for 242 yards and 2 TDs on the year. Not one to go down after the first hit, Haynes' rushing yards after initial contact totaled 324 yards with 120 of those against Ga. Tech. For the year, Wall had 58 yards on 15 carries with two receptions for 21 yards. Haynes gained instant notoriety when he caught David Greene's game-winning touchdown pass against then sixth-ranked Tennessee. Against Vanderbilt, Haynes set career-highs for receiving yards (88) on three catches including one for a career-long of 43 yards.
Opponent record conf.
Arkansas State (season over) 2-9 - South Carolina (vs. Ohio State in the Outback Bowl) 8-3 5-3 Arkansas (vs. Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl) 7-4 4-4 Tennessee (vs. Michigan in the Citrus Bowl) 10-1 7-1 Vanderbilt (season over) 2-9 0-8 Kentucky (season over) 2-9 1-7 Florida (vs. Maryland in the Orange Bowl) 9-2 6-2 Auburn (vs. North Carolina in the Peach Bowl) 7-4 5-3 Ole Miss (season over) 7-4 4-4 Georgia Tech (vs. Stanford in Seattle Bowl) 7-5 - Houston (season over) 0-11 - Overall 61-61 ---
Georgia in the Top 25 Polls Georgia was not ranked in the preseason for the first time since 1998. After week one, the Bulldogs made their debut at #24 in the coaches at #25 in the AP before dropping out after a loss to #21 USC. The 26-24 road win over then sixth-ranked Tennesee vaulted Georgia back in the top 25 where it has remained, moving up and down throughout the season following the wins and losses to date.
Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. pre. 2 9 16 23 30 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 2 9 Final AP NR 25 NR NP NR NR 19 17 15 18 19 23 19 16 16 16 Coaches NR 24 NR NP NR NR NR 19 16 23 21 NR 23 19 18 19 AP=Associated Press, Coaches=USA Today/ESPN, NP=No Poll
Boston College's 2001 Results
Date Opponent Time/Result Record 9/1 *West Virginia W, 34-10 1-0 9/8 at Stanford L, 38-22 1-1 9/22 at Navy W, 38-21 2-1 9/29 Army W, 31-10 3-1 10/6 *Temple W, 33-10 4-1 10/13 at *Virginia Tech L, 34-20 4-2 10/20 *Pittsburgh W, 45-7 5-2 10/27 Notre Dame W, 21-17 6-2 11/10 *Miami (Fla.) L, 18-7 6-3 11/17 at *Rutgers W, 38-7 7-3 11/24 at *Syracuse L, 39-28 7-4 *BIG EAST Conference game
Fast Facts on Boston College
Junior William Green, a first team All-America selection by several publications, led the BIG EAST in rushing and ranked second nationally with 1,559 yards and 15 TDs. Green and Miami QB Ken Dorsey shared BIG EAST Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors. The Eagles are not ranked in the Top 25 but back on Nov. 18 they were No. 25 in the AP poll following a win over Rutgers to improve to 7-3. The Eagles ranked second in the league in total offense (396.5 yards per game) and third in scoring defense (19.2 points per game).
2001 Honors
Quick Facts
Georgia in the Top 25 Polls
Avg. Height and Weight Chart
Moose Tracks
Bulldog Record Book Watch
Inside the Red Zone
Uga through the years
2001 Stat Leaders
GEORGIA
Rushing: Verron Haynes: 126 for 691 yds., 7 TDs, Long of 26 Passing: David Greene: 192x324 for 2,789 yds., 17 TDs, 9 INTs Receiving: Terrence Edwards: 39 for 613 yds., 6 TDs Punting: Jonathan Kilgo: 42 punts, 43.8 avg., Long of 63 Kicking: Billy Bennett: 17x25 FGs, Long of 55, 34x34 PATs BOSTON COLLEGE
Rushing: William Green: 265 for 1,559 yards, 15 TDs, Long of 71 Passing: Brian St. Pierre: 149x279 for 2,016 yds., 25 TDs, 10 INTs Receiving: Dedrick Dewalt: 37 for 539 yds., 5 TDs, Long of 68
Punting: Kevin McMyler: 59 punts, 43.2 avg., Long of 71
Kicking: Kevin McMyler: 7x10 FGs, Long of 45, 29x32 PATs
Greene Named SEC Freshman of the Year
Quarterback David Greene holds the Georgia record and ranks second in SEC history for Most Passing Yards by a Freshman with 2,789. The 6-3, 222-pound native of Lithonia, Ga., ended up trailing only Kentucky's Jared Lorenzen who had 3,687 yards in 2000. Greene's passing total ranked third overall in school history, trailing only Eric Zeier (3,525 in 1993 and 3,396 in 1994). Greene led the team to an 8-3 mark including four road wins. His performance against then #6 Tennessee earned him SEC Offensive Player of the Week Honors. He led the Bulldogs on a game-winning touchdown drive in the final 44 seconds, capped by a six-yard TD pass to Verron Haynes for a 26-24 victory. It was Georgia's first win in Knoxville since 1980. Overall, Greene ranked 4th in the SEC in Total Offense (257.3 yds./g), 4th in Passing Avg./Game (253.5 yds./g) and 5th in the league in Passing Efficiency (144.3). He was named the SEC Freshman of the Year by the Associated Press and SEC Coaches. Greene is the fifth Bulldog to be so honored, joining Garrison Hearst RB (1990), Eric Zeier, QB (1991), Randall Godfrey, LB (1992) and Quincy Carter, QB (1998). David Greene Game by Game
Gibson Gives Bulldogs Big Play Threat
Fred Gibson, a 6-4, 180-pounder out of Waycross, Ga., recently was named to the SEC Coaches All-SEC Freshmen team.
*Gibson had four of the five longest Georgia plays from scrimmage this season and all of them went for TDs.
*The most 100-yard Receiving Games a Bulldog has had in his career is 7 by Brice Hunter (1992-95) and Terrence Edwards (1999-current) and Gibson had 5 this year.
*Gibson was the first Bulldog to have four 100-yard games receiving in a season and he did it in four straight games. *Because Gibson did not catch his first pass until the fourth game this year, his Average over the span of the last eight games was 96.5 Receiving Yards Per Game on 4.1 Receptions. Not bad considering Gibson didn't play high school football until his junior year. He was in the band. He became a key contributor for the Bulldogs on offense and special teams by game three when sophomore Reggie Brown was lost for the year (torn ACL vs. Arkansas). During the record four-game stretch, he tallied 24 catches for 549 yards (22.9 avg.) and 4 TDs. The streak came to an end in the win over Ole Miss when Gibson did not catch a pass as Georgia focused the offense around a rushing attack that gained 287 yards. Georgia was just
8-of-14 for 93 yards through the air against the Rebels, who had the league's top-rated pass defense.
Also, a dangerous returner, teams tended to kick away from him. He ranked 3rd in the SEC and 15th nationally in kick return average (26.8). He had 14 returns for 375 yards in 10 games. He led the team and ranked 4th in the SEC in all-purpose yards with 1,174 in 10 games. He had 33 receptions for a team-high 772 yards and 6 TDs. Gibson's TD catches covered 12, 15, 56, 58, 67 and 68 yards. He came up big against the sixth-ranked Volunteers with 2 kick returns for 62 yards plus 2 receptions for 70 yards. His first career catch was a
15-yard TD. He most likely forced UT to squib their last kick which set the stage for the comeback in the final 44 seconds of the game .
ROCKIN' ROVER: Phillips Headlines Georgia Secondary
Senior Jermaine Phillips, one of the team's top NFL prospects and biggest hitters, had another solid year on defense. Phillips, a 6-2, 211-pounder out of Roswell, Ga., ranked 2nd on the team in tackles with 80 including 46 solo stops plus 7 Pass Breakups, a team-best 3 INTs and 4 Caused Fumbles. Recently, he was named one of the three permanent team captains for the 2001 squad.
Phillips earned SEC Player of the Week honors after the Ole Miss game. Against Ole Miss, Phillips returned an interception 82 yards for a TD, the fourth longest in school history and longest since 1962 (Joe Burson-87 yards vs. Auburn). In three games this year (Arkansas State, Arkansas and Vanderbilt), Phillips led the Bulldogs in tackles. In the Florida game, Phillips collected eight tackles and forced a fumble after a crunching hit on RB Earnest Graham in the fourth quarter.
Phillips arrived at Georgia in 1997 and was forced to sit out as a partial qualifer. Since he graduated this past Spring with his incoming class, he regained a fourth year of eligibility. He moved to safety from split end in the Spring of 2000, and he made quite an impression on defense and special teams last year.
In 2000, he tied for third on the team in tackles with 85 including a team-high 56 solo stops. Also, he had two interceptions, caused two fumbles and had seven pass breakups. He found time to log a few plays at his old spot on offense in all 11 games but did not catch a pass.
TRACKING PHILLIPS IN 2001
Arkansas State: 7 tackles (6 solo, 1 assist), Tied Team-High #6 Florida: 8 tackles (5 solo, 3 assist), 1FF #21 South Carolina: 6 tackles (3 solo, 3 assist) #24 Auburn: 4 tackles (1 solo, 3 assist), 1 FR Arkansas: 12 tackles (8 solo, 4 assist) Team-High, 1 PBU, Ole Miss: 5 tackles (4 solo, 1 assist), INT for a TD, 3 TL #6 Tennessee: 5 tackles (3 solo, 2 assist) 1 INT, 2 PBU #21 Ga. Tech: 7 tackles (2 solo, 5 assist) Vanderbilt: 13 tackles (9 solo, 4 assist) Team-High, 2 FF, 1 PBU Houston: 3 tackles (3 assist in limited action) Kentucky: 10 tackles (5 solo, 5 assist), 1 INT, 1FF PBU=Pass Breakup, FF=Forced Fumble, FR=Fumber Recovery
2001 Analysis Scoring Drives
*The Bulldog offense has scored 35 touchdowns in 2001 with 10 drives going for 80-plus yards including a 99-yarder vs. Arkansas State, which marked the second year in a row that the Bulldogs have had a 99-yard drive. They did it against Tennessee in 2000 which secured a 21-10 victory.
Also, the Bulldogs special teams unit has a TD as Damien Gary had a 72-yard punt return vs. Tennessee. The defense has 2 TDs as Jermaine Phillips returned an INT 82 yards vs. Ole Miss and Tim Wansley took one back 28 yards vs. Ga. Tech.
KILGO JOINS WALDEN WITH THREE STRAIGHT SEASONS OF PUNTING FOR A 40+ AVERAGE
Junior punter Jonathan Kilgo, who is one of the 10 finalists for the Ray Guy Award, is one of the top punters in the SEC and ranks among the top 15 in the country. Kilgo's net average this season was an SEC-best 40.5 and ranked 3rd nationally. It could've been much better if not for Arkansas' Marvin Jackson, who returned one 74 yards for a TD.
Overall, Kilgo ranked third in the SEC with a 43.8 average behind Kentucky's Glenn Pakulak (44.5) and Auburn's Damon Duval (44.0), also a Ray Guy Award finalist. Kilgo became the first Bulldog punter to average 40+ yards a punt for three consecutive seasons since Bobby Walden (1958-60). Kilgo and Walden are the only Bulldogs to do this in records dating back to 1950. For his career, Kilgo has a 42.5 average (117 punts/4976 yds.). Last season, Kilgo had a 42.2 average including an SEC-best 39.5 net average. 2001 Highlights
*42 Punts for 43.8 yard Avg. (3rd in SEC)
*40.5 Net Avg. for the season (1st in SEC)
*8 punts for 50+ yards (LG: 63 @ Tenn.)
*10 punts Inside the 20
EDWARDS TIES CAREER MARK FOR TD CATCHES
With 6 more TD catches this season giving him 19 for his career, Terrence Edwards has tied Brice Hunter's school record along with his mark for Most Games with 100 Yards Receiving. The 6-1, 178-pound native of Tennille, Ga., moved up the Bulldog career charts for Receptions (2nd) and Receiving Yards (2nd) and looks to set those marks next season.
Edwards has caught a pass in 33 of 34 games he has played (counting bowl games). The 2001 Florida game snapped a 30-game streak as he did not have a catch. For the year, Edwards led the team with 39 catches for 613 yards and 6 TDs. Against Kentucky, Edwards completed a 30-yard pass to Damien Gary for his second career completion. Most 100-yard plus Receiving Games: Career
7 Terrence Edwards (1999-)
7 Brice Hunter (1992-1995)
5 Fred Gibson (2001-)
5 Hines Ward (1994-97)
5 Hason Graham (1992-1994)
5 Juan Daniels (1993-1996)
3 Damien Gary (2000-)
BENNETT ENTERS GEORGIA AND SEC RECORD BOOK
Scores 19 points on 6 Field Goals and a PAT in 31-17 win over Ga. Tech
Sophomore PK Billy Bennett helped ease Georgia's troubles this season when it stalled in the red zone. Bennett was 17x25 on FGs including a career-long 55-yarder and 34x34 on PATs. Bennett ranked 2nd among SEC kickers and third overall in Scoring, averaging at 7.7 points a game. This season, noteworthy events for him included:
*Set Georgia record and tied SEC mark making 6 Field Goals in a game in the win over #21 Ga. Tech in Atlanta. The 19 points was also a Bulldog record for a kicker and ranked in a tie for 2nd in SEC history behind Florida's Bobby Raymond who had 23 (6 FGs, 5 PATs) points in 1982 against Florida State.
*Drilled a career-best 55-yarder against Arkansas, the longest by a Bulldog since 1984 when Kevin Butler made a 57-yarder versus Ga. Tech. The 55-yarder ranked seventh best in school history. Later in the game with UA, Bennett missed another 55-yarder.
*Against #24 Auburn, he had a pair of field goals blocked, marking the first time since 1995 that Georgia had two field goal attempts blocked in the same game.
*Against South Carolina, Bennett saw a streak of 13 straight successful attempts dating back to last year end when he missed a 44-yarder wide left. At that point, it was only his second career miss, the other one a 50-yard attempt vs. Tennessee in 2000 that fell short.
Bulldogs Playing for "Fallen Soliders"
Following the win over #21 Ga. Tech, the Bulldogs met at midfield and chanted "D.J., D.J." (for teammate David Jacobs who suffered a stroke the week of the Ole Miss game). However junior linebacker Tony Gilbert said the Bulldogs win was dedicated to all of the Bulldogs "fallen soldiers."
Gilbert said, "It wasn't just for David, it was for all our guys that weren't here. It was for Jacobs, Bruce Adrine, Nic Clemons, Reggie Brown - all of them. We call them our fallen soliders. We wanted to win the game for our fallen soliders.
Georgia players are wearing Jacobs' number 99 on their back of their helmets, and the coaches have a 99 sticker on their caps. Following the win over Ole Miss, Coach Richt and a handful of players visited Jacobs at Emory Hospital in Atlanta prior to the Georgia Tech game. They presented him with the game ball. They asked David if he needed anything and Jacobs told him "three more of these," pointing to the game ball. Thus, the Bulldogs have strived to win the remainder of their games and bring him a game ball from each of them. So far, they are three-for-three.
Up Close: UGA VI
Uga VI, now in his third season after being thrust into the role following his father's retirement during the 1999 season. In a memorable pregame "passing of the bone" ceremony at the 1999 South Carolina contest, Uga VI officially took the reins as Georgia's mascot. At the time of his coronation, the one-year-old pure white English Bulldog outweighed his father by 11 pounds, tipping the scales at 55 pounds.
He is registered with the American Kennel Club as Uga V's Whatcha Got Loran. Sadly, UGA V had only a two-month retirement before passing on Nov. 22. He joined his predecessors who are buried in the marble vaults near the main gate in the embankment of the South stands. For more on the history of the mascots, see pages 366-368 in the Georgia football media guide.
Gilbert Joins Elite Company After Leading Bulldogs in Tackles Again
In records dating back to 1976, there have been seven Bulldogs (all linebackers) to lead the team in tackles in consecutive years. Now make it eight as junior MLB Tony Gilbert became the latest Bulldog to do accomplish this feat. After leading the 2000 team with 96 tackles, Gilbert led the 2001 Bulldogs with a team-high 99 (59 solo, 40 assist) plus 6 Tackles For a Loss of 18, 2 sacks, 3 Pass Breakups, 7 QB-Pressures, 2, Caused Fumbles, 1 Interception and 1 Fumble Recovery.
Gilbert joins a list that includes linebackers Ben Zambiasi (1976-77), Nate Taylor (1979-80), Tommy Thurson (1981-82), Knox Culpepper (1983-84), John Brantley (1986-87), Randall Godfrey (1992-93) and Greg Bright (1996-97).
Grant Coming on Strong Down the Stretch
Statistically, Georgia junior rush end Charles Grant had his finest game as a Bulldog against #24 Auburn and his three games since then have been pretty good too. Overall, Grant ranked 6th on the team in tackles with 63 stops, and led the team in the following: 12 tackles for a loss of 53 yards, 6 sacks and 28 QB pressures. Grant was an All-SEC Second Team selection by the Associated Press and SEC Coaches.
Grant now has 15 career sacks, which ranks seventh in school history. Senior Josh Mallard is the active leader with 18 while the record is 29 by Richard "Le Sack" Tardits (1985-88), who hailed from Biarritz, France.
Against the Tigers, he was credited with a career-high 13 tackles, 5 tackles for a loss, forced a fumble and had 4 sacks. Grant's previous career high for tackles was nine against #6 Tennessee this season. (The Georgia single game sack record is 5 set by Freddie Gilbert against Temple in 1983) Grant had nine career sacks but none this season until the Auburn game. Grant had some company in the Tiger backfield as freshman David Pollack, who in his first career start, had a solid performance, recording 6 tackles including 2 sacks, forced a fumble and 3 tackles for a loss.
Grant followed up the performance against Auburn by getting another sack plus six tackles and three QB pressures in the win over Ole Miss. He set the tone early against the Rebels including sacking QB Eli Manning on the second play of the game. Right before the half with Ole Miss at the Georgia five yard line, Grant pressured Manning into throwing one away, which drew a flag for intentional grounding. Ole Miss had to settle for a field goal. In the win over Ga. Tech, Grant collected 7 tackles, 1 Sack and 6 QB-Pressures. He played sparingly in the 35-7 victory over Houston.
Grant led the team in sacks in 1999 with 7 before a torn ACL against Ga. Tech ended his season. The injury came on a running play. Grant had 17 carries for 79 yards and 3 TDs that year in limited action as a running back. Last year, he played only defense and ranked second on the team with 8 tackles for a loss but had only 2 sacks. Georgia Sack Record (Game)
5 Freddie Gilbert vs. Temple in 1983
4 Charles Grant vs. Auburn in 2001, 4 Mo Lewis vs. Ole Miss in 1989
4 Richard Tardits vs. TCU in 1988, 4 Freddie Gilbert vs. Florida in 1981
Year Sacks Bulldog
1979 4 Gordon Terry, DE 1980 7 Jimmy Payne, DT 1981 12 Jimmy Payne, DT 1982 7 Freddie Gilbert, DE 1983 11 Freddie Gilbert, DE 1984 6 Kenny Sims, DG 1985 11 Greg Waters, DE 1986 6 Richard Tardits, DE 1987 10 Richard Tardits, DE 1988 12 Richard Tardits, LB 1989 10 Mo Lewis, OLB 1990 3 Mo Lewis, OLB 3 Eric Coney, OLB 1991 4 Dwayne Simmons, ILB 4 Curt Douglas, DT 4 Damon Ward, OLB 4 Mitch Davis, OLB 1992 8.5 Mitch Davis, OLB 1993 13 Mitch Davis, OLB 1994 5 Phillip Daniels, OLB 5 Frank Watts, DT 1995 4 Phillip Daniels, BT 1996 7.5 Rahmon Cooper, BT 1997 3 Greg Bright, ILB 3 Derrick Byrd, BT 1998 6 Josh Mallard, NG 1999 7 Charles Grant, DE 2000 3 Josh Mallard, DE 2001 6 Charles Grant, DE
Nifty Moves by Gary Helps Bulldogs Move the Chains
Damien Gary, a product of Clarke Central High School in Athens, Ga., has learned to deal with injuries in his career. A strained back bothered him during the middle part of the season but he played throu gh it. However, a sprained knee caused him to miss the regular season finale against Houston. Despite this, he's put together another productive campaign as a receiver and punt returner. His punt return average of 12.5 ranked 2nd in the SEC and was among the best in school history, His 288 return yards was the most since 1992 (Andre Hastings-298). Scott Woerner holds the single season mark with 488 yards in 1980 and the career tally with 1,077 (1977-80). Gary's current two-year total is 514 yards.
Georgia Record: Avg. Punt Return. - Season
(Min. 15 Returns) 15.7 Scot Woerner 1980 14.4 Zippy Morocco 1950 14.1 Zippy Morocco 1951 13.5 Terry Sellers 1967 12.8 Buzy Rosenberg 1971 12.5 Damien Gary 2001
2001 Highlights
*Ranked 3rd on team with 25 catches for 352 yards, 1 TD *23 Punt Returns for 288 yards (12.5 average=2nd best in SEC), including 72-yarder for a TD at sixth-ranked Tennessee *Team-high 8 Rec. for 104 yards, 1 TD vs. Arkansas State, 3 Rec. for 63 yds vs. Ole Miss
Gary's Injury History
1997: Junior year at Clarke Central High played in only 5 Games: Broken arm/OUT.
1998: Senior year at Clark Central High: Knee Injury (ACL tear)/OUT all year.
1999: Freshman year at Georgia: Thumb Injury/OUT after 2 games. He had 1 punt return for 20 yards in the season opener. He would get a medical redshirt.
2001: Back/Knee injury: Missed 1 game
These Guys Can Catch Too
The tight ends were a favorite target for Georgia quarterbacks in the Jim Donnan era and with another talented trio, this trend continued this season under first-year coach Mark Richt.
1996 TE Total: 20 of UGA's 184 rec. (11%), 1 TD
1997 TE Total: 31 of UGA's 209 rec. (15%), 4 TDs
1998 TE Total: 56 of UGA's 190 rec. (29%), 3 TDs
1999 TE Total: 65 of UGA's 221 rec. (29%), 5 TDs
2000 TE Total: 43 of UGA's 181 rec. (24%), 1 TD
2001 TE Total: 35 of UGA's 204 rec. (17%), 2 TDs
This year's group includes All-SEC Randy McMichael (24 Rec., 281 yds., 1 TD), redshirt sophomores Ben Watson (11 Rec. 187 yds., 1 TD) and Robert Brannon (no receptions, Had a 10-yard kickoff return against Houston).
McMichael came up big in the win over then sixth-ranked Tennessee (6 rec., 108 yards). He has made 22 starts in his career which began in 1997 but has been halted twice by injuries (thumb/knee). The 6 -4, 228-pound native of Fort Valley, Ga., is a fifth-year junior. He earned All-SEC First Team honors by AP and the SEC Coaches.
Watson, a 6-3, 253-pound native of Rock Hill, S.C., started the season opener against ASU and caught four passes for 54 yards. Watson scored his first Bulldog touchdown in the regular season finale against Houston, a career-long 49 yard reception. It was his only catch of the game. He played in 11 games as a freshman at Duke in 1999 and then sat out the 2000 season due to the NCAA transfer rule. Brannon, a 6-4, 234-pound redshirt sophomore from Charlotte, N.C., has seen plenty of action on special teams but has yet to catch a pass in his Bulldog career.
JUST FOR KICKS
Did You Know...
Sophomore PK Billy Bennett became the eighth Bulldog in school history to have a perfect season of PATs, going 34-for-34. In fact, Bennett's 34 PATs ranks third most in a season behind Hap Hines' 36 in 1999 and Rex Robinson's 36 in 1980.
Bennett's school record 19 points against Ga. Tech was the most by an SEC kicker this year and second best tally in league history.
His 55-yard field goal against Arkansas back on Sept. 29 was the longest one made this season by an SEC kicker.
Junior punter Jonathan Kilgo's 43.8 average was the highest by a Bulldog since 1986 when Cris Carpenter averaged 44.1 yards. Kilgo's average ranked fourth best in school history. Kilgo was an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-SEC selection.
Georgia was involved in the two longest punt returns for a TD this season in the SEC. Arkansas' Marvin Jackson took one back 74 yards against the Bulldogs while Damien Gary returned on 72 yards against Tennessee.
Bulldog freshman Fred Gibson's school record 201 receiving yards against Kentucky only ranked fifth best in the SEC THIS season. LSU's Josh Reed set the league mark with 293 yards on 19 catches against Alabama.
Digging Up Bones
The Bulldogs awarded bone decals for their helmets this season based on solid play (white bones) and outstanding academic work (black bones). This is the first year since the Vince Dooley era (1964-88) that the Bulldogs have worn special reward decals on their helmets. Under Dooley, the Bulldogs earned white stars for good play.
Permanent Team Captains Named, Team Honors Awarded
At the team's annual awards gala, the Bulldogs announced the permanent team captains for the 2001 squad. They are cornerback Tim Wansley, safety Jermaine Phillips, running back Verron Haynes and center Curt McGill.
Also at the gala, Phillips received the Vince Dooley Most Valuable Player of the Year Award. Haynes was named the Offensive MVP, junior linebacker Tony Gilbert was tabbed the Defensive MVP, and deep snapper senior Andy Hogan and junior punter Jonathan Kilgo were the Special Teams MVPs.
Smith Gets Brief Action in Wins over Ga. Tech and Houston
Sophomore running back Musa Smith saw a bit of action in Georgia's last two games, getting a total of 12 carries for 60 yards. Prior to that, he dressed out but did not play against Ole Miss after seeing limited time against Florida and Auburn due to a hip flexor injury. The injury sidelined him for the Kentucky game. Against the Gators, Smith played briefly, managing four carries for 12 yards. Against Auburn, Smith had 10 carries for 29 yards.
Earlier this season, Smith set game career highs in Rushing Attempts, Yards, TDs, Receptions and Receiving Yards.
In the first seven games, Smith had 10 receptions for 87 yards but did not catch a pass in the final four contests. Last season, Smith caught just two passes in nine games.
Smith's Season Totals (9 games, 5 starts)
119 carries, 548 yards, 6 TDs (Long of 49), 10 Rec., 87 yards, 0 TDs
Smith's Freshman Season Totals (2000)
75 carries, 330 yards, 5 TDs in 9 games, 2 starts, 2 Rec., -7 yards, 0 TDs
Bailey Line of Bulldogs
Since 1995, a member or members of the Bailey family can be found on Fall Saturdays playing for the Bulldogs.
When junior linebacker Boss Bailey tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee on the 2000 season-opening kickoff against Georgia Southern, he was lost for the year. When the Bulldogs squared off the following week against South Carolina, it marked the first time since the 1994 Auburn game that a Bailey brother did not see action in a Bulldog contest.
Boss is the younger brother of 1998 Georgia All-American defensive back Champ Bailey (1996-98), the No. 1 draft choice of the Washington Redskins in the 1999 draft, and Ronald Bailey, a UGA cornerback from 1995-97.
Boss, a Second Team All-SEC selection by the league coaches, ranked 5th on the team this year with 65 tackles (34 solo, 31 assist) with 6 tackles for a loss (-14), 1 Sack, 10 QB hurries, 5 Pass Breakups and 2 interceptions, both coming vs. Florida.
And then there's Kenny Bailey, a cousin of the Bailey trio (Ronald, Champ and Boss), is a running back. Last Spring, he was the last RB standing after a slew of injuries to others. His work this Fall pushed him to the No. 2 spot at tailback. However, the injury bug got Bailey in the South Carolina game as he separated his shoulder and missed the Arkansas game. He returned against Tennessee and has seen limited action since that contest.
TRACKING THE BAILEYS IN 2001
Arkansas State Boss: *7 tackles (5 solo, 2 assist), 1 PBU Kenny: 8 carries, 16 yards *tied for team-high South Carolina Boss: 6 tackles (1 solo, 5 assist), 1 TFL Kenny: 1 carry, 2 yards (Shoulder injury) Arkansas Boss: 5 tackles (3 solo, 2 assist), 2 TFL Kenny: Did Not Play (Shoulder injury) Tennessee Boss: 10 tackles (3 solo, ^7 assist), 1 TFL, 2 PBU Kenny: No carries, 1 KO Ret. for 21 yards Vanderbilt Boss: 8 tackles (4 solo, 4 assist), 1 TFL, 5 QBH Kenny: 3 carries, 12 yards, 1 Rec., 9 Yds., 1 KO Ret. for 30 yards Kentucky Boss: 3 tackles (3 solo, 0 assist), 1 QBH Kenny: No carries, No receptions or returns Florida Boss: 6 tackles (3 solo, 3 assist), ^2 INTs Kenny: No carries, No rec., 1 KO Ret. for 28 yards Auburn Boss: 4 tackles (3 solo, 1 assist), Kenny: 1 carry, -2 yards, No rec., 0-1 Pass (INT) Ole Miss Boss: 7 tackles (3 solo, 4 assist), 1 TL, 1 Sack Kenny: Did Not Play Ga. Tech Boss: 8 tackles (5 solo, 3 assist) Kenny: Did Not Play Houston Boss: 1 tackles (1 solo, 0 assist), 1 QBH Kenny: Did Not Play
^career-high, QBH=QB Hurry
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