University of Georgia Athletics
Outback Bowl Game Notes
December 20, 2004 | Football
Dec. 20, 2004
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Georgia Seniors Aim For 42nd Win
At 41-10, Georgia’s senior class has the second best four-year win total in school history. The only Bulldog group to top that is the Class of 1983 that posted a mark of 43-4-1 including a national championship (1980) and three straight Southeastern Conference titles (1980-82). The Class of 1983 went 2-2 in bowl games while the Class of 2004 is 2-1.
Only One Non-Conference Blemish
Under the direction of Mark Richt, Georgia owns a 16-1 record against non-conference foes. The only loss came to Boston College in the 2001 Music City Bowl (Nashville, Tenn.) by a score of 20-16.
Georgia is 1-0 against Big Ten opponents during this four-year period, posting a 34-27 win in overtime against Purdue at the 2004 Capital One Bowl (Orlando, Fla.).
Georgia-Wisconsin Series History
The 2005 Outback Bowl will mark the second-ever meeting between the Bulldogs and the Badgers. The first meeting came at the 1998 Outback Bowl. The Bulldogs, behind a record-setting performance by quarterback Mike Bobo and a stellar defense, defeated the Badgers 33-6. Bobo was 26-for-28 for 267 yards and one TD while running back Robert Edwards scored three touchdowns and gained 110 yards and Hines Ward had 12 catches for 154 yards. Wisconsin avoided a shutout with a touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Bobo is now Georgia’s quarterbacks coach while Ward and Edwards went on to play in the NFL.
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Georgia Versus The Big Ten
In school history, the Bulldogs are 6-2 versus Big Ten teams with the last five meetings coming in bowl games.
1922 Regular Season
Chicago d. Georgia 22-0 in Chicago
1957 Regular Season
#10 Michigan d. Georgia 26-0 in Ann Arbor, Mich.
1965 Regular Season
#10 Georgia d. #7 Michigan 15-7 in Ann Arbor, Mich.
1989 Gator Bowl
#19 Georgia d. Mich. State 34-27
1993 Citrus Bowl
#8 Georgia d. #15 Ohio St. 21-14
1998 Outback Bowl
#12 Georgia d. Wisconsin 33-6
2000 Outback Bowl
#21 Georgia d. #19 Purdue 28-25 (OT)
2004 Capital One Bowl
#11 Georgia d. #12 Purdue 34-27 (OT)
Players to Watch: Star Defensive Ends in Pollack and James
In the NCAA statistics, Georgia and Wisconsin rank among the nations’s best defenses each with a standout defensive end. The Bulldogs have three-time All-American senior David Pollack (SEC-best 9.5 sacks) while the Badgers have senior All-American Erasmus James (Big Ten-best 8 sacks), who was named the Big 10 Defensive Player and Lineman of the Year.
Pollack and James were finalists for the Lombardi Award, Nagurski Trophy and Hendricks Award. Pollack won the Lombardi Award.
Here’s a look at how the team’s defenses and offenses rank among all NCAA teams.
The Offense
Greene Caps Career With NCAA, SEC Records
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David Greene, 6-3, 227, SR, native of Snellville, Ga.Division IA Winningest All-Time Starting Quarterbacks 1. David Greene, Georgia (2001- 41-10 2. Peyton Manning, Tennessee (1994-97) 39-6 t3. Rick Leach, Michigan (1975-78) 38-8-1 t3. Ken Dorsey, Miami (1999-2002) 38-2 5. John Rauch, Georgia (1945-48) 36-8-1 t6. Jay Barker, Alabama (1991-94) 35-2-1 t6. Eric Crouch, Nebraska (1998-2001) 35-6 t6. Donovan McNabb, Syracuse (1995-98) 35-14 t6. Chuck Ealey, Toledo (1969-71) 35-0 t6. Chad Pennington, Marshall (1997-99) 35-4 (45-6 including I-AA in 1995) - 41-10 Career Record as starter including 15-2 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, Arkansas and Kentucky in 2004
- NCAA Record 41 Career Wins, SEC and Georgia Record 11,264 Career Passing Yards, Georgia record for TD Passes (70), TD responsibility (75) and offenisve plays (1,605).
- Seven 4th Quarter Comebacks in his Career (@ USC in 2004; UAB in 2003; Clemson, @#22 Alabama, @#24 Auburn in 2002; @#6 Tennessee, Kentucky in 2001);
- Walter Camp Football Foundation DI-A National Offensive Player of the Week, The 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. #13LSU.
- Career-high and SEC-best 382 passing yards (22x29) in 20-14 win at Arkansas this season (Oct. 23)
- Career Bowl Game Performances (2-1 Record)
- 58x89, 703 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs 2 TDs, 0 INT)
- 2001 Music City vs. Boston College: Lost 20-16
- 22x38, 288 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
- 2003 Sugar Bowl vs. #16 Florida State: Won 26-13
- 9x14, 88 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
- 2004 Captial One Bowl vs. #12 Purdue: Won 34-27 (OT), MVP
- 27x37, 327 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT
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Shockley Provides Change of Pace
- D.J. Shockley, 6-1, 208, JR, native of College Park, Ga.
- 25 career games with no starts; 67-for-130, 967 yards, 10 TD, 4 INT; Also 73 rushes for 303 yards and 3 TDs.
- Saw majority of the action (5x16, 112 yards, 1 TD) in 19-13 win over Ga. Tech in regular season finalé due to injury to David Greene. Shockley had a career-long 53-yard completion to Sean Bailey.
- Against Tennessee threw team’s only passing TD, 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 UT game and broke a bone in his left foot against USC in ’02, missed 4 games.
- Career Highlight includes a 37-yard TD pass to Terrence Edwards in 26-13 win over #16 Florida State in the 2003 Nokia Sugar Bowl.
Brown and Ware Lead SEC Freshmen Backs
For the second straight year a pair of freshmen are leading Georgia out of the offensive backfield. Thomas Brown and Danny Ware, the top freshmen running backs in the SEC, are 1-2 on the Georgia stat sheet in yards gained (764 and 631 yards, respectively). They have 11 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 duo helped the Bulldogs defeat Florida by combining for 162 yards and 1 TD. Ware had his fourth game this year with 100+ rushing yards, going for 103 on 18 carries. Each has had a three-TD game as Ware scored on three runs in the season-opener vs. Georgia Southern and Brown had three at Kentucky.
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Ware and Brown seized the opportunity for playing time 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. He missed the Auburn game with an ankle/knee injury and then was lost early in the Ga. Tech game due to a broken hand.
Thomas Brown (5-8, 185, Fr.): Started last two games with Ware sidelined. Rushed for 71 yards on 20 carries in win over Ga. Tech. 1st career start came against #3 Auburn, and he led the Bulldogs with 141 yards of total offense (92 rushing, 49 receiving on 5 receptions). Gained career-high 130 yards on 22 carries and 3 TDs at Kentucky, 107 on 23 carries versus Arkansas; 122 yards, 1 TD vs. Vanderbilt. Missed the USC game with hamstring injury.
Danny Ware (6-1, 212, Fr.): After not having a RB rush for over 100 yards in 2003, Ware has done it four times (103 vs. UF, 127 vs. VU, 109 vs. LSU, 135 vs. GSU).
Georgia’s other options at running back include Tyson Browning, Michael Cooper and Tony Milton. Cooper and Milton each scored rushing touchdowns at Kentucky.
Big Pope Becoming Touchdown Target
Sophomore tight end Leonard Pope, who checks in at 6-7, 253 pounds, has been a clutch target of late for the Bulldogs. After not having a touchdown catch in his first 17 games, he had at least one in five straight games before the streak ended in the regular season finale against Ga. Tech.
On the year, Pope has 22 catches for 417 yards (19.0 avg.) and 6 TDs. He is tied with wideouts Reggie Brown and Fred Gibson for the team-lead in touchdown catches. Last season, Pope, a backup to eventual first round draft pick Ben Watson (New England Patriots), appeared in 11 games and had just one catch, a 21-yarder against Middle Tennesse State.
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This season, Pope had his best game as a Bulldog in the 31-24 win over Florida with two of his three receptions going for touchdowns. He finished with 90 receiving yards. He set a career high with 91 yards on five catches with one TD in the win over Kentucky.
Brown and Gibson Georgia’s 1-2 Punch at Wideout;Brown Ranks Second in the SEC in Receiving Yards a Game
Senior receivers Reggie Brown and Fred Gibson have combined for 95 of Georgia’s 182 receptions this season (52 percent). Brown leads Georgia with 50 catches for a career-high 821 yards and 6 TDs, and is second in the SEC at 74.6 yards per game. Gibson has 45 catches for 759 yards and 6 TDs. The duo ranks second and third in the SEC in receiving yards a game and among the leaders in receptions a game. Gibson missed most of the Ga. Tech game with a hip-pointer but not before he helped put the Bulldogs out in front 7-0 on a 28-yard TD catch from David Greene on Georgia’s first possession. Brown played the entire game (4 rec., 27 yards, 1 TD) against Tech after being knocked out during the Auburn contest on a helmet-to-helmet collision with Tiger safety Junior Rosegreen.
Gibson’s performance against Kentucky (5 rec., 129 yards) tied him with former Bulldog standout Terrence Edwards for the Georgia career record for 100-yard receiving games with 10. Brown has three including two this year.
Gibson and Brown became the first Bulldog tandem since 2001 (Terrence Edwards 124, Gibson 111 vs. Auburn) to tally more than 100 yards receiving in the same game when they did it in the 20-14 road win over Arkansas. Brown had seven catches for 107 yards against the Razorbacks while Gibson (6 rec., 169 yards) had the second most yards in a game in his career. He holds the school record with 201 yards against Kentucky in 2001.
Offensive Line Paving the Way for Bulldogs
The 2004 starting lineup of tackles Daniel Inman and Dennis Roland, guards Max Jean-Gilles and Nick Jones and the center rotation of Russ Tanner and Ryan Schnetzer have taken a majority of the snaps together. Tanner was one of seven finalists for the Rimington Award (nation’s top center) and Jones and Jean-Gilles both earned SEC Lineman of the Week honors this year. The development of the offensive line was a key question heading into the 2004 season after allowing a SEC-high 47 sacks in 2003. This season, the Bulldog line has surrendered just 20 sacks.
After not having a 100-yard rusher last season, Georgia has had seven with freshman TB Danny Ware doing it four times and Thomas Brown three times. The offensive line helped senior David Greene throw for a school-record five TD passes in a 45-16 win over then #13 LSU. The entire line is slated to return in 2005 and the majority would be juniors and seniors. Also, sophomores Ken Shackleford and Fernando Velasco have started a game this year while redshirt freshman Zeb McKinzey and true freshman Chester Adams have seen ample action too.
The Defense
Junkyard Dawgs
Bulldog defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Brian VanGorder, who earned the 2003 Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach, is in his fourth season at Georgia. This is the third consecutive year the Georgia defense has ranked in the top 15 in scoring and total defense. 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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All-American David Pollack Anchors Front Four
A 6-3, 261-pound senior native of Snellville, Ga.
Joins Herschel Walker as the only Bulldogs to earn First Team All-America honors 3 years
In his final game in Sanford Stadium, had two sacks to pass Reggie White and move into a tie for fourth with Alex Brown on the SEC’s all-time list with 33.
Four times the SEC Defensive Player of the Week during his career and twice the Lineman of the Week ties him with Eric Zeier as the Bulldogs with the most weekly awards from the conference with six.
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2004 Highlights
- AFCA Coaches, Walter Camp All-America team selection; Finalist for Nagurski, Lombardi, Lott and Bednarik Awards.
- The SEC leader in sacks with 9.5 for -79 yards.
- Two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Week (Arkansas, Georgia Tech) and twice the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week.
- Two blocked punts on the year against Georgia Southern and Auburn, giving him three for his career.
- Tied for fifth among the SEC’s defensive linemen with 48 tackles on the year and third with 15 tackles for loss of minus-86 yards.
2003 Highlights
- AFCA Coaches All-America team selection
- Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year recipient and finalist for the Lombardi Award
Beware of #10 (Thomas Davis)
A 6-1, 230-pound junior native of Shellman, Ga.
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2004 Highlights
- AFCA Coaches, Walter Camp All-America team selection. All-SEC First-Team (AP, Coaches)
- 7th in SEC and third among the league’s defensive backs with 7.3 tackles-per-game, despite missing UK game due to sprained knee and ankle.
- Team leader with 73 total tackles and second behind Greg Blue with 51 solo stops.
- Team-high 8 tackles and caused 2 fumbles which led to 14 points in the 45-16 win over #13 LSU.
- Fox Sports Net Player of the Game in 48-28 win over Ga. Southern; Team-high 11 tackles, 1 INT.
- Has caused two fumbles, tying for sixth in the SEC.
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 73 stops including 51 solo while Blue has 68 tackles including a team-high 55 solo. Davis has ranked among the SEC’s leading tacklers all season. Blue’s 6.2 tackles/game ranks eighth among SEC defensive backs.
Blue, who moved into a starting role this year after junior Sean Jones was selected in the second round of the NFL draft (Cleveland Browns), is enjoying his best season. Blue had 84 tackles through his first two years (42 each year). He has a team-high three forced fumbles, which is third in the SEC.
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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. Junior Odell Thurman was 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 has missed the entire year with an ACL injury 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 but returned to start against Kentucky.
Here’s a look at the linebacking group.
MLB: Odell Thurman: A 6-1, 225-pound junior of Monticello, Ga.
- Despite missing first three games of the year, currently ranks 3rd on team in tackles (59),
2nd in TFL (9.5) - Two straight games with team-best 10 tackles (Arkansas, Vanderbilt), 10 career games with 10+ tackles
- Tied for team-high with eight tackles plus had 2.5 TL, one sack and recovered a fumble vs. LSU
WLB: Danny Verdun Wheeler: A 6-2, 239-pound sophomore native of Thomson, Ga.
- Led team with career-high nine tackles at Auburn. Eight tackle-performance at Kentucky; Had a safety vs. Vanderbilt.
- Made first start of the season at WLB at South Carolina, finishing with 5 tackles and 2 tackles for loss.
MLB/SLB: 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.
- At Kentucky was back in starting lineup for first time since Marshall game.
- One of the emotional leaders. Tied for team-high with career-best 11 tackles in season opener vs. Ga. Southern
WLB/MLB: Jarvis Jackson: A 6-2, 215-pound sophomore native of Atlanta, Ga.
- Got the start at WLB in the Georgia Tech game, his first start since one against Marshall.
- 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.
- Solid effort against Marshall with a team-high six tackles, tying him with Thomas Davis
Defensive Front
Behind David Pollack is a defensive front that without much fanfare comes to work every game. Georgia has started the same four players, Pollack, Will Thompson, Kedric Golston and Gerald Anderson, on the defensive line all year and in their last outing the group helped shut down the Georgia Tech rushing game to just 24 yards in a 19-13 win.
DT: Kedric Golston: 6-4, 282-pound, Jr. from Tyrone, Ga.
- Has made 11 consecutive starts
- Four tackles in win over S. Carolina
- His 15 quarterback hurries are second on the D-line next to Pollack.
NT: Gerald Anderson: A 6-2, 313-pound junior of Waycross, Ga.
- Second on the D-line with 29 total tackles and 20 solo, and 6.5 TFLs ties for second.
- Season high for tackles was five at #3 Auburn.
- 11 consecutive starts at NT.
DE: Will Thompson: A 6-3, 257-pound senior of Warner Robins, Ga.
- 11 consecutive starts at DE after missing all of last year with a knee injury.
Sophomore DT Marcus Jackson was lost before the start of the year but the Bulldogs have found depth using a rotation that includes junior NT Darrius Swain, sophomore DT Ray Gant, freshman DE Charles Johnson and sophomore DT Quentin Moses.
In Georgia’s last game against Georgia Tech, Moses had three sacks, tying him for fourth on the Georgia single-game record list. Before that game Moses had just 2.5 sacks on the year and five for his career.
Moses’ three sacks were the most by a Bulldog since David Pollack had three in the 2004 Capital One Bowl win over Purdue.
Not A Lot Of Picks This Season For or Against the Bulldogs
Georgia has just five interceptions this season, the fewest in records going back to 1948. The 1990 Bulldog squad is the last one to finish the season with less then 10 interceptions as they had seven with none returned for a touchdown.
Every year since 1991, the Bulldogs have recorded double-digit interceptions, and in that span only the 1996 team (14 INTs) did not return at least one for a touchdown.
While the Bulldogs have an SEC-low five interceptions, they also have thrown an SEC-low three on the season. Last season, Georgia’s defense registered 17 interceptions while the quarterbacks had 12 picked off.
Junior Tim Jennings leads the team this year with two interceptions while Thomas Davis, Kelin Johnson and Paul Oliver have one apiece. Jennings and Johnson got their first picks of the year against Kentucky and Jennings added another on the Plains against Auburn. On South Carolina’s final offensive drive, Jennings tipped a Dondrial Pinkins pass and Oliver intercepted it to clinch Georgia’s four-point win. Davis’ interception came on a diving grab in the season opener against Ga. Southern. Overall in the secondary, Georgia ranks 6th in the SEC and 16th in the country in pass defense at 183.1 yards a game.
Head Coach Mark Richt
Mark Richt: Alma Mater: Miami, (Fla.) ('82)
UGA/Overall: 41-10 (4th season)
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Notes: Has Georgia at 9-2 and ranked 7th 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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Bowl Bits
Georgia Among Bowl Leaders
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Georgia is one of the top six bowl teams of all time. The Bulldogs are making their 40th appearance in post-season play at the 2005 Outback Bowl. The Bulldogs bowl record is 21-15-3.
Georgia has played in 18 different bowl games, the most of any team in the country. Georgia has played in a post-season bowl game now eight straight seasons. From 1980-89, Georgia played in a record 10 consecutive bowls, highlighted by three straight trips to the Sugar Bowl in 1980-81-82.
Overtime History
Since overtime was first used in 1996, the Bulldogs have been involved in five of these games including two in bowl games, and they are 3-2.
1996 (Nov. 16): Georgia d. Auburn 56-49 in 4OT
1999 (Nov. 27): Ga. Tech d. Georgia 51-48
2000 (Jan. 1): Georgia d. Purdue 28-25 to win Outback Bowl
2000 (Nov. 11): Auburn d. Georgia 29-26
2004 (Jan. 1): Georgia d. Purdue 34-27 to win Capital One Bowl
Notes from these Overtime Games
- The 1996 UGA-Auburn game in Auburn was the first in SEC history to go to overtime.
- The 1999 UGA-Ga. Tech game in Atlanta, Kendrell Bell blocked Luke Magnet’s first 38-yard field goal in overtime but since it was third down and the Yellow Jackets recovered, they got to kick it again and this time he made a 38-yarder. Overall, the teams combined for a Georgia record 1,097 yards of total offense. Georgia had the first possession in OT and a Quincy Carter pass was intercepted in the endzone.
- Against Purdue at the 2000 Outback Bowl in Tampa, Georgia set a record for the largest comeback in school history as it once trailed 25-0 in the second quarter. Purdue missed a 43-yarder in OT and then Hap Hines made a 21-yarder for the win.
- In the 2000 UGA-Auburn game in Auburn, it marked the first time in nine years that the home team emerged the winner. Georgia got a 25-yard FG from Billy Bennett in OT but the Tigers answered with a TD for the win.
- Georgia built a 24-0 lead only to see Purdue cut it to 14 by halftime and then tie it at 24-all with nine seconds left. In overtime, Kregg Lumpkin plunged in from one yard out for the go-ahead TD and then the Bulldog defense held as Tony Taylor intercepted a pass on fourth and goal at the four.
Georgia led Georgia Tech 16-0 at the end of the first half on Nov. 28, the first time the Bulldogs have shutout an opponent through the first 30 minutes of a game since South Carolina in 2003. In the eventual 19-13 win, the Bulldogs allowed just 194 total yards including 24 on the ground. It was the fewest rushing yards allowed by Georgia since holding Kentucky to negative 50 in 1999. The Bulldogs had 11 sacks for 87 yard in that game.
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Georgia opponents are just 41 of 147 (27.9 percent) in third down situations this year. Only Alabama’s (27.3 percent) defense has more success in the SEC on third down than the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs have three second-half shutouts in 2004 (South Carolina, Marshall, Arkansas).
Georgia has scored eight defensive touchdowns under Brian VanGorder with three of those coming at home and five on the road. The Bulldogs had two in 2001, four in 2002 and two in 2003. The 2002 squad tied a school record by returning four interceptions for touchdowns. Current Bulldogs who have scored include DE David Pollack (INT in the endzone vs. South Carolina in 2002) and MLB Odell Thurman (99-yard INT return vs. Auburn in 2003).
Eventual co-national champion LSU is the only team to score more than 30 points in a game against the Bulldogs in defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder’s tenure. Ten of the 34 points by the Tigers in the 2003 SEC Championship game came on a safety and an interception return for a touchdown.
On Oct. 23 Arkansas scored a TD on its 2nd drive and then was shut out (The other 7 points came on a fumble return for a TD). Georgia’s defense allowed just 87 yards in the second half against Arkansas.
Georgia held Vanderbilt to three points, which tied the mark for the fewest points scored by an SEC opponent against the Bulldogs in Brian VanGorder’s tenure as defensive coordinator. Georgia beat Arkansas 30-3 in the 2002 SEC Championship game.
Special Teams
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 and Auburn in 2004.
Flowers Punt Returns Off the Charts
With the graduation of Georgia’s all-time punt returner Damien Gary, the Bulldogs have somebody new fielding punts for the first time since 2000. From 2000-03, Gary tallied 114 punt returns for 1,253 yards and two touchdowns.
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Staring with Vanderbilt, redshirt freshman Thomas Flowers took his shot at the punt return job after Tyson Browning and Tim Jennings got a look. Flowers has a 17.9 average (11 ret. for 197 yards), which would rank first in the SEC and top 10 in the country if he had the minimum number of returns to make the lists. He had a solid game against Florida with two returns for 46 yards, and at Kentucky he had three for 103 yards including a career-long 74-yarder.
In the season opener against Ga. Southern, Browning returned a punt for a 72-yard TD and was named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week.
For kickoffs, the Bulldogs have let Browning and junior Bryan McClendon handle this duty. Browning leads the team with 13 for 218.
Coutu Lifts Dogs to Win Over Georgia Tech
With the graduation of NCAA record-setting place-kicker Billy Bennett, the Bulldogs had an opening at kicker which has been filled by redshirt freshmen Andy Bailey and Brandon Coutu. Until the final FG in the Georgia-Georgia Tech matchup, Bailey had taken every attempt for the Bulldogs but Coutu got a chance against the Jackets in the fourth quarter. After a good hold by Lee Jackson, Coutu booted a 44-yard score on the first attempt of his career to lift Georgia to a 19-13 win over Georgia Tech. He has handled kickoff duties all year for the Bulldogs, helping them to the third-best kickoff coverage team in the SEC with an average of 18.0 yards per return.
Bailey remains the fourth-highest scorer in the SEC with a 7.1 average (78 points). On the year, he is 14-of-20 FGs including making a career-long 46-yarder versus Kentucky.
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.
Freshman Ben Wilson has also had an opportunity at kickoffs while junior Brian Jordan is in his second season as the snapper.
Ely-Kelso Handling the Punts
Gordon Ely-Kelso owns a 40.9 average on punts (47 for 1,920 yards), putting 12 inside the 20 and booming 10 for more than 50 yards. He has had big games against Florida and South Carolina.
Ely-Kelso punted five times (2 for 50+ and 2 inside the 20) for an average of 45.2 yards plus had one go for a career-long 61 yards versus USC. He earned the SEC’s Special Teams Player of the Week – the second of his career. In 2003, his player of the week award also followed the USC game. Against the Gators, three of his four punts were more than 50 yards including all three in the second half. For the game, he averaged 51.5 yards with a long of 60.
Loose Ends
Points Off Turnovers
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Georgia has scored 58 points off 15 turnovers this season. The Bulldogs rank 7th in the SEC with a Minus One Turnover Margin. Opponents have scored 35 points off 16 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 created 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 created no turnovers; 2 Bulldog turnovers resulted in no points inluding a goal-line stand.
ARK: UGA converts 2 turnovers in to 10 points: 2 Bulldog turnovers resulted in 7 points.
UF: UGA created no turnovers; 1 Bulldog turnover resulted in no points.
UK: UGA converts 3 turnovers in to 17 points; 3 Bulldog turnover resulted in 7 points.
AU: UGA converts 1 turnover in to No points; 2 Bulldog turnovers resulted in 7 points.
GT: UGA created no turnovers; 1 Bulldog turnover resulted in 7 points.
*Georgia ran out the clock to preserve the win at USC after one turnover.
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 and Auburn are the only teams to open a game with a TD (Marshall got a FG) against Georgia while Ga. Tech was the only opponent to score to start the second half. Also, the Volunteers were 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 (block); UGA: TD 2nd Half: UGA:TD; GS: Punt
SC: UGA wins toss, defers: SC: Punt; UGA: 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
AR: ARK wins toss, defers: UGA: Fumble; ARK: MFG 2nd Half: ARK: Punt; UGA: MFG
UF: UGA wins toss, defers: UF: Punt; UGA: TD 2nd Half: UGA: Punt; UF: Punt
UK: UGA wins toss, defers: UK: Punt; UGA: Fumble 2nd Half: UGA: TD; UK: Punt
AU: AU wins toss, defers: UGA: MFG; AU: TD 2nd Half: AU: INT; UGA: Fumble
GT: UGA wins toss, defers: GT: Punt; UGA: TD 2nd Half: GT: FG; UGA: Punt
Bulldog Game Captains This Season
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)
UA: David Greene (O), David Pollack and Odell Thurman (D), Brian Jordan (ST)
UF: David Greene and Fred Gibson (O), Odell Thurman and David Pollack (D/ST)
UK: David Greene (O), David Pollack and Kedric Golston (D), Gordon Ely-Kelso (ST)
AU: David Greene (O), David Pollack and Kedric Golston (D) and Greg Blue (ST)
GT: The 2004 seniors.
Wait, There’s A Flag
Georgia’s average of 64.5 penalty yards a game is second only to Florida (70.0 yards a game) for most in the SEC while Bulldog opponents are among the least flagged in the SEC at 41.0 yards a game. Georgia ranks 11th in opponent penalty yards a game.
Georgia’s cleanest game this season came in the 45-16 rout of defending national champion LSU (Oct. 2) in Athens. The Bulldogs had just one penalty and no turnovers. It was the Bulldogs best game in terms of fewest penalties and turnovers since a 1997 win over Northeast Louisiana when they had no penalties and no turnovers.
However in their next three games, the Bulldogs had 34 penalties and five turnovers. Against Tennessee, Georgia had 12 penalties for 82 yards and one turnover followed by a season-high 13 penalties for 120 yards and two turnovers against the Commodores. Then, the Bulldogs had nine penalties for 80 yards and two turnovers versus the Razorbacks. During this stretch, the Bulldog defense allowed just seven points off these five turnovers. In the win over Florida in Jacksonville, Georgia had just four penalties for 27 yards. The Bulldogs were flagged less then 10 times in their next three games before getting 11 in the win over Ga. Tech.
The games against the Yellow Jackets generally bring out the laundry for both teams. In the 2001 Ga. Tech game in Atlanta, the Bulldogs were called for 14 penalties amounting to a school record 134yards but still posted a 31-17 win. The most penalties ever against the Bulldogs came in a 29-10 win over Middle Tennessee State in 2003. Georgia drew 18 penalties for 129 yards.
2004 Post-Season Awards
All-SEC First Team by the Associate Press and SEC Coaches
DE David Pollack, FS Thomas Davis, TE Leonard Pope, SE Reggie Brown
Also All-SEC First Team by the SEC Coaches
OG Max Jean-Gilles, FLK Fred Gibson, MLB Odell Thurman
All-SEC Second-Team by the Associated Press
OG Max Jean-Gilles, MLB Odell Thurman
All-SEC Second-Team by the SEC Coaches
QB David Greene
All-SEC Honorable Mention by the Associated Press
QB David Greene, DT Kedric Golston, FLK Fred Gibson
SEC Defensive Player of the Year by the AP and SEC Coaches
DE David Pollack
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