University of Georgia Athletics
Georgia Kicks Off Four Game Road Trip at Arkansas
October 18, 2004 | Football
Oct. 18, 2004
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Story Headlines
UGA-UA Series
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*Georgia hasn't faced Arkansas since the 2002 SEC Championship Game in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome when the Bulldogs posted a 30-3 win for their first SEC title in 20 years.
*Georgia leads the 35-year-old series with UA 6-3 including 2-0 at Arkansas.
Series Results
- 1969 Arkansas 16-2 in New Orleans, La.
- 1976 Arkansas 31-10 in Dallas, Texas
- 1987 Georgia 20-17 in Memphis, Tenn.
- 1991 Georgia 24-15 in Shreveport, La.
- 1992 Georgia 27-3 in Fayetteville, Ark.
- 1993 Arkansas 20-10 in Athens, Ga.
- 2000 Georgia 38-7 in Fayetteville, Ark.
- 2001 Georgia 34-23 in Athens, Ga.
- 2002 Georgia 30-3 in Atlanta (SEC Champs)
*Two of Georgia's three losses to the Razorbacks came in the first two meetings which were bowl games. The first meeting was the 1969 Sugar Bowl (16-2 Arkansas) and the next was the 1976 Cotton Bowl (Arkansas 31-10). Arkansas' other win came in Athens in 1993 (20-10). Since then, the Bulldogs have won the last three meetings.
*The first four meetings between the two teams came in four different bowl games, 1969 Sugar, 1976 Cotton, 1987 Liberty (Georgia 20-17) and 1991 Independence (Georgia 24-15).
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*The Bulldogs last trip to Fayetteville came in 2000. Georgia snapped Arkansas' 16-game home winning streak with a dominating 38-7 victory. Jamie Henderson's 35-yard INT return for a TD on the Hogs first play set the tone. The Bulldog defense held UA to one first down through the first 28 minutes.
On the Road For A While
Georgia ended a four-game, five-week home stand with a 33-3 victory over Vanderbilt last Saturday. Now, the Bulldogs embark on a four-game road swing for the first time since 1965. It will be 42 days before the Bulldogs host their regular-season finale against Georgia Tech on Nov. 27.
The last time Georgia was away from home during the regular season for 42 days was in 1992 when the Bulldogs played three games on the road at Kentucky, Florida and Auburn that included two off weeks.
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In 1965, Vince Dooley’s second team played Florida State, Kentucky, North Carolina and Florida on four consecutive weeks between Oct. 16-Nov. 6. This season, Georgia will be the home team against Florida in Jacksonville.
Bulldog Road Warriors
*Georgia is 13-1 in an opponent’s home stadium including 10-1 in the SEC under Mark Richt. Saturday will be Georgia’s first trip to Arkansas since 2000. In the Richt era, Georgia’s SEC road wins have come at Tennessee (2), Vanderbilt (2), South Carolina (2) along with Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky and Ole Miss. The only SEC road loss came at #11 LSU last season 17-10.
Back on the Deuce
Georgia will make its first appearance on espn2 Saturday since the 2003 Tennessee game in Knoxville. The Bulldogs routed the Vols that night 41-14.
Bulldog Duo Goes Over a 100
Against Vanderbilt last Saturday, Georgia freshmen running backs Danny Ware (24 rushes for 127 yards) and Thomas Brown (17 rushes for 122 yards) became the first Bulldogs to go over 100 yards rushing in the same game since 1992 when Garrison Hearst and Mack Strong did it against South Carolina in Columbia. Before Ware and Brown, the last duo to accomplish this feat “Between the Hedges” was Hearst as a freshman and junior Larry Ware in the 1990 Homecoming win over Vanderbilt. Hearst had 10 rushes for 102 yards and one TD while Hearst went for 127 yards on 22 carries and two TDs.
The Offense
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Greene Closing in on NCAA Win Record
- David Greene, a 6-3, 227-pound senior native of Snellville, Ga.
- 37-9 Career Record as starter including 13-1 on an opponent’s home field, winning @ #6 Tennessee, #21 Ga. Tech, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt in 2001; @ #22 Alabama, #24 Auburn, S. Carolina and UK in 2002; @ Clemson, #13 Tennessee, Vandy and Ga. Tech in 2003; @ USC in 2004;
- Walter Camp Football Foundation DI-A National Offensive Player of the Week, Sporting News Magazine and Radio Player of the Week, ABC Sports All-America Player of the Week following his Georgia single-game record 5-TDs vs. LSU.
- Six 4th Quarter Comebacks in his Career (@ USC in 2004; Clemson, @#22 Alabama, @#24 Auburn in 2002; @#6 Tennessee, Kentucky in 2001);
- Career vs. Arkansas (1 game, a 30-3 win in 2002 SEC Championship game) 2002: 17x29, 237 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
D.J. Shockley Leads Dogs to TD vs. UT
- A 6-1, 208-pound junior native of College Park, Ga.
- 21 career games with no starts; 55-for-100, 735 yards, 7 TDs, 4 INTs plus 60 rushes for 282 yards and 3 TDs.
- First action in the last three games has come on the 3rd series
- Against Tennessee threw Georgia’s only passing TD on a 24-yard strike to Fred Gibson in the second quarter, his first TD pass of 2004.
- 2003 season cut short due to knee injury after the Tennessee game, saw action in six games and ended the year 9-for-21 with 1 TD, 1 INT for 88 yards
- Broke a bone in his left foot against USC in ’02, missed the next 4 games.
Freshmen Lead Running Backs in 2004
For the second straight year a pair of freshmen are leading Georgia out of the offensive backfield. Tailbacks Danny Ware and Thomas Brown are 1-2 on the Georgia stat sheet in yards gained (476 and 305 yards, respectively) and have combined for seven touchdowns. The pair combined for 190 yards on 34 carries in Georgia’s 45-16 win over #13 LSU and topped that by gaining 249 yards on 41 carries in the 33-3 Homecoming victory over Vanderbilt.
The Bulldogs were forced to into a backfield by committee due to injuries when projected starter sophomore Kregg Lumpkin was lost for the year due to a torn ACL at the beginning of fall camp. Ware went down against South Carolina with a bruised lung and missed the Marshall contest but returned for the LSU game. Here’s a look at the highlights of the Bulldog tailbacks this season.
Danny Ware (6-1, 212, Fr.): After not having a RB rush for over 100 yards in 2003, Ware has done it three times (127 vs. VU, 109 vs. LSU and 135 vs. GSU) Ran for 135 yards and 3 TDs in debut in season opener versus Ga. Southern; First freshman running back to start at Georgia in a season opener since 1943; First Bulldog to rush for more than 100 yards since the 2003 Nokia Sugar Bowl (Musa Smith); First Bulldog to rush for 3 TDs in a game since 2001.
Thomas Brown (5-8, 185, Fr.): Career-high 122 yards, 1 TD vs. Vanderbilt; Had 81 yards and one TD against LSU. Leading rusher in win over Marshall with 81 yards on 18 carries; Missed the USC game with hamstring injury; Had 5 carries for 19 yards and 1 TD in debut vs. Ga. Southern.
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Tyson Browning (5-8, 163, Jr.): Started against Marshall with 7 rushes for 21 yards; Gained 54 yards on 11 carries versus USC. His 93-yard run-after-catch last year in Baton Rouge tied Georgia’s record for longest reception.
Michael Cooper (5-11, 225, RSo.): 11 carries for 48 yards, 1 TD against Marshall;Team-high 13 carries for 61 yards against USC. In two games vs. LSU last year had 87 yards on 27 carries with a long of 14.
In 2003, the running backs rushed for 1,889 yards, the second most yards by a Bulldog squad in 11 seasons. The leaders were a pair of freshman in Cooper (a redshirt frosh) with 709 yards on 156 attempts and 6 TDs and Lumpkin (566 yards on 112 att., 6 TDs). The tailback by committee in 2003 resulted after sophomore starter Tony Milton was lost officially for the year with a leg injury in early October. Cooper and Lumpkin along with Browning (78 att., 314 yards, 2 TDs) missed games for various reasons. All three Bulldogs started at tailback during the year.
Brown and Gibson Catch TD Fever
Senior receivers Reggie Brown and Fred Gibson have combined for 53 of Georgia’s 98 receptions this season (54 percent). Brown leads with 477 yards (27 rec.) and a career-high five TDs, while Gibson has 352 yards (26 rec.) and three TDs. Against LSU, the duo tied career marks with a pair of TD grabs apiece. In their career, Gibson has had 8 games with 100+ yards receiving while Brown has had two. Brown led all receivers against Vandy with four catches for 86 yards and one TD.
Last season, the duo accounted for 64 percent of the production at wide receiver. They combined for 85 catches for 1,215 yards and 6 TDs last season. Brown’s performance in the Capital One Bowl victory over #12 Purdue (5 rec., 99 yards, 1 TD) capped his best season as a Bulldog as he led the team in receving with 49 catches for 662 yards and 3 TDs. Gibson (36 rec., 553 yards, 3 TDs), who battled hamstring and knee injuries plus a broken finger throughout 2003, remains Georgia’s top big-play threat.
Sophomore Sean Bailey also snagged his first-career TD in the LSU win on a nifty 21-yard catch-and-run in the third quarter.
The Defense
Junkyard Dawgs
Bulldog defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Brian VanGorder, who earned the 2003 Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach, begins his fourth season at Georgia. He has improved the nationally-ranked Bulldog defense each year. A total of 13 former Bulldog defenders have moved on to the NFL (6 in 2001, 4 in 2002 and 3 in 2003) under his leadership.
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Beware of #10
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Thomas Davis: A 6-1, 230-pound junior native of Shellman, Ga.
2004 Highlights
- Fourth in SEC with 8.5 tackles-per-game.
- Fox Sports Net Player of the Game in 48-28 win over Ga. Southern; Team-high 11 tackles, 1 INT
- Team-high 8 tackles and caused 2 fumbles which led to 14 points in the 45-16 win over #13 LSU
2003 Highlights
- 2nd Team All-American (The Sporting News)
- Team-high 138 tackles (89 solo), 4.5 sacks.
- 9 games with double-digit tackles including 11 in the SEC Championship contest versus #3 LSU
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Davis and Blue = Tackle-U
Veteran safeties Thomas Davis and Greg Blue are the Bulldogs top two tacklers. Davis has 51 stops including 32 solo while Blue has 40 tackles including 30 solo.
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Overall in the secondary, Georgia ranks 2nd in the SEC and 7th nationally in pass defense at 151.3 yards a game. One knock on the group is the lack of interceptions as the Bulldog defense has just two on the year, the fewest in the SEC.
On South Carolina’s final offensive drive, junior Tim Jennings tipped a Dondrial Penkins pass and redshirt freshman Paul Oliver intercepted it to clinch Georgia’s four-point win. Davis has the other interception this year, a diving grab in the season opener against Ga. Southern.
All-American David Pollack “Takes One More Year”
- A 6-3, 261-pound senior native of Snellville, Ga.
- Aiming to join Herschel Walker as the only Bulldogs to earn First Team All-America honors 3 years
- Needs 1.5 Sacks to Tie Bulldog Career Record
2004 Highlights
- T1st in the SEC in sacks with 4 for -37 yards.
- Twice the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week.
- Blocked Ga. Southern punt on its opening possession which led to an eventual TD; Forced a fumble on a sack which led to an eventual FG
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2003 Highlights
- AFCA Coaches All-America team selection
- Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year recipient and finalist for the Lombardi Award
Strength in Numbers at Linebacker
Georgia’s linebackers have been able to develop some depth this season after the Bulldogs were forced to shuffle a few around during the early part of the year. Odell Thurman, a 6-1, 225-pound junior native of Monticello, Ga., recently was named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award. His first action of the year came against LSU after missing the first three games due to a team suspension. Against the Tigers, he tied for the team-high with eight tackles plus had 2.5 tackles for a loss, one sack and recovered a fumble. Projected WLB starter Tony Taylor is out this year with an ACL and his replacement Derrick White missed the USC and Marshall games with an ankle injury. Senior SLB Arnold Harrison was sidelined for the LSU and Tennessee games due to a sore shoulder.
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Here’s a look at the linebacking group that has helped lead Georgia to a 5-1 start.
MLB: Odell Thurman: A 6-1, 225-pound junior of Monticello, Ga.
Tied for team-high with eight tackles plus had 2.5 TL, one sack and recovered a fumble vs. LSU
Led team with 10 tackles including two for a loss and one sack vs. Vanderbilt
WLB: Danny Verdun Wheeler: A 6-2, 239-pound sophomore native of Thomson, Ga.
- Made first start of the season at WLB at South Carolina, finishing with 5 tackles and 2 tackles for loss.
- Tied his career-high with six tackles apiece against Tennessee and Vanderbilt; Had a safety vs. VU.
MLB/WLB: Derrick White: A 6-2, 247-pound junior native of Union City, Ga.
- Started at MLB vs. Ga. Southern but missed South Carolina and Marshall game with an ankle injury.
- Can play all three linebacker positions.
SLB: Arnold Harrison: A 6-3, 237-pound graduate and native of Augusta, Ga.
- One of the emotional leaders. Tied for team-high with 11 tackles in season opener vs. Ga. Southern
WLB/MLB: Jarvis Jackson: A 6-2, 215-pound sophomore native of Atlanta, Ga.
- Solid effort against Marshall with a team-high six tackles, tying him with Thomas Davis
- At South Carolina made the second start of his career but at a different position, starting at MLB with White out due to an ankle injury. Finished with career-high 8 tackles and 2 tackles for loss.
- Made first career start at WLB in the season opener vs. Ga. Southern; Tallied 7 tackles
Head Coach Mark Richt
Mark Richt: Alma Mater: Miami, (Fla.) ('82)
UGA/Overall: 37-9 (4th season)
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Notes: Has Georgia off to a 5-1 start and ranked sixth nationally in 2004...Among seven coaches on the watch list for 2004 Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award...Selected as a head coach for 2005 Hula Bowl All-Star Football Classic on Jan. 22 on Maui...Has led Bulldogs to a pair of Top 10 finishes for the first time since 1982-83...Final ranking of 6th (Coaches), 7th (AP) after going 11-3 in 2003 including a share of the 2003 SEC Eastern Division title...Named the 2002 SEC Coach of the Year after directing the Bulldogs to the SEC title, the first for Georgia since 1982...Set a school record with a 13-win season in 2002, capped by a Nokia Sugar Bowl victory over Fla. State...In 2001, posted best record by a first-year coach at Georgia since 1920 when Herman Stegeman went 8-0-1, Richt’s Bulldogs posted an 8-4 mark...Came to UGA from Fla. State (1990-2000), serving as the offensive coordinator from 1994-2000.
>> Coach Richt's Complete Bio
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Special Teams
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Bailey Among SEC Leaders in Scoring
With the graduation of NCAA record-setting place-kicker Billy Bennett , the Bulldogs had an opening at kicker which has been filled nicely by redshirt freshmen in Andy Bailey. He is second among SEC kickers in scoring with a 7.5 average (45 points) and is 26th nationally with 8-of-11 FGs including making a career-long 40-yarder versus Vanderbilt.
Bailey, a 6-2, 214-pound native of Athens, Tenn., was a part of Georgia’s 2002 recruiting class. Against Ga. Southern in his debut, Bailey hit field goals of 21 and 31 yards and was 6-for-6 on PATs. He had his first career miss at USC as a 47-yard attempt was wide right.
Freshman Brandon Coutu handles kickoffs while junior Brian Jordan returns for his second season as the snapper and Lee Jackson is the holder.
Block Party
Georgia’s special teams play has made a dramatic impact in the success of the program under Mark Richt. Current Bulldogs who have blocked a punt or field goal or scored on a block include:
Reggie Brown: Blocked a punt against Tennessee in 2002.
Thomas Davis: Against Alabama in 2003, Jarrett Berry blocked a punt and Davis picked it up and returned it 7 yards for a touchdown. Also, Davis blocked a 44-yard field goal attempt by Kentucky. Davis blocked a punt versus New Mexico State in 2002.
Kedric Golston: Blocked a PAT against LSU in the 2003 SEC Championship game.
Bryan McClendon: Blocked a punt versus Ga. Tech in 2003
David Pollack: Blocked a punt versus Vanderbilt and a field goal against Alabama in 2002. Blocked a punt versus Ga. Southern in 2004.
Loose Ends
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Points Off Turnovers
Georgia has scored 31 points off nine turnovers this season. The Bulldogs rank 5th in the SEC and 40th nationally with a +2 Turnover Margin. Opponents have scored just 7 points off 7 Bulldog miscues.
In 2003, Georgia and Arkansas shared the top spot in the SEC and were 14th nationally with a +11 TO margin. The Bulldogs converted 29 turnovers in to 92 points while Georgia’s opponents scored 33 points off 18 Bulldog miscues.
GS: UGA converts 2 turnovers in to 10 points; No Bulldog turnovers
SC: UGA converts 2 turnovers in to *No points; 3 Bulldog turnovers resulted in 7 points.
MU: UGA creates no turnovers; 1 Bulldog turnover resulted in no points after a goal-line stand
LSU: UGA converts 3 turnovers in to 14 points; No Bulldog turnovers
UT: UGA converts 2 turnovers in to 7 points; 1 Bulldog turnover resulted in no points after a missed FG.
VU: UGA creates no turnovers; 2 Bulldog turnovers resulted in no points inluding a goal-line stand.
*Georgia ran out the clock to preserve the win at USC after one turnover.
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Setting The Tone
Here’s a look at what the Bulldogs and their opponents have done in their opening possession and starting the second half this year. Tennessee is the only team to open the game with a TD against Georgia this year. Also, the Volunteers are the only team to score on their first two possession (TD&FG) against Georgia during defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder’s watch which began in 2001.
GS: UGA wins toss, defers: GS: Punt (blocked); UGA: TD 2nd Half: UGA:TD; GS: Punt
SC: UGA wins toss, defers: SC: Punt; UGA: SC gets safety 2nd Half: UGA: Punt; SC: MFG
MU: UGA wins toss, defers: MU: FG; UGA: Punt 2nd Half: UGA: Fumble; MU: Downs
LSU: LSU wins toss, defers: UGA: Punt; LSU: Punt 2nd Half: LSU: Punt, UGA: Punt
UT: UGA wins toss, defers: UT-TD; UGA-Punt 2nd Half: UGA: Punt, UT: Fumble
VU: UGA wins toss, defers: VU-Punt; UGA-TD 2nd Half: UGA: TD, VU: Punt
Bulldog Captains
GS: David Greene (Offense), Will Thompson (Defense), Reggie Brown (Special Teams)
SC: Reggie Brown (O), David Pollack and Thomas Davis (D), Arnold Harrison (ST)
MU: Max Jean-Gilles (O), David Pollack and Gerald Anderson (D), Mike Gilliam (ST)
LSU: David Greene and Reggie Brown (O), Thomas Davis (D), Joe Tereshinski (ST)
UT: David Greene and Reggie Brown (O), David Pollack (D), Tra Battle (ST)
VU: Jeremy Thomas (O), David Pollack and Odell Thurman (D), Greg Blue (ST)
Glory Days Return
In the history of Georgia football, the Bulldogs most glorious stretch came from 1980-83 when they went a combined 43-4-1 with one national championship (1980), three SEC titles (1980-83) and four straight final national rankings in the top six.
Since the Mark Richt era began in 2001, the Bulldogs are tied for the fourth most wins in the country. Georgia and Texas have 37 wins apiece. In that span, the Bulldogs have claimed one SEC title and two Eastern Division crowns. Georgia ended the ’02 season ranked a consensus third nationally while in ’03, it finished sixth in the coaches poll and seventh in the Associated Press. The 2004 season finds the Bulldogs at 5-1 and currently ranked in the nation’s top 10.
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