University of Georgia Athletics
Bulldawg Leader: Corvey Irvin
April 21, 2009 | Football
By Murray Poole
BULLDAWG ILLUSTRATED
Corvey Irvin admits he was a bit lost, and overwhelmed too, when he transferred from Georgia Military College to play football for the University of Georgia.
After starring at defensive tackle for the GMC Bulldogs in Milledgeville in 2006, the 6-4, 290-pound Irvin accepted a scholarship offer from the big Bulldogs in Athens and was ready to step in and contribute immediately for Georgia. Or so, Irvin thought.
Although he did see action in 12 games for the Bulldogs during his junior season in 2007, Irvin recorded only 12 tackles over the entire year. Indeed, his first year in Red and Black was most definitely a season of transition for the former Laney High of Augusta standout.
“My biggest adjustment was buying into the Georgia way,” said Irvin this past week as he and his Bulldog teammates prepared for the big SEC East showdown with Florida in Jacksonville. “Just getting used to classes up here, the tutors and all ... it was all brand new to me. Georgia is a little more upscale than GMC and everything was just going so fast when I first came here.
“But after a while,” Irvin continued, “I finally bought into the system and started doing it the Georgia way and have been doing good ever since.”
Irvin said when he first joined the Bulldogs, he was helped greatly by his fellow defensive linemen who had been in the program for a while.
“Guys like Jeff Owens, Geno Atkins and Kade Weston took me under their wings and really helped me to become a better player,” said Irvin. “And now, I’m trying to do the same with the young guys.”
And what a difference a year has made for Irvin. After Owens, the Bulldogs’ standout senior tackle, sustained a season-ending knee injury in Georgia’s 2008 opener against Georgia Southern, Irvin became the starter in the second game against Central Michigan and has evolved into one of the Bulldogs’ defensive leaders. In fact, citing Irvin’s productivity this season and the leadership qualities he’s displayed, head coach Mark Richt and his staff named Irvin Georgia’s defensive captain for the crucial Florida game.
Prior to the matchup with the Gators, Irvin had already far surpassed his total defensive numbers of last year. Through the Bulldogs’ eight outings, he had recorded 19 total tackles including six tackles for loss and two sacks. Irvin also showed three pass breakups and 18 quarterback hurries.
“I love Jeff to death and hated to see him get hurt,” said Irvin. “But when that happened, it gave me my chance to step up and show that I can play. My mom told me that God sent me that blessing and that it’s an opportunity for me to step in and show what I’ve got. So, I took her words to heart, slept on it, and decided I would step up and become a better player and a leader for this team.”
Irvin thinks his best performance this season may actually have been the game he didn’t start ... after Owens when down in the first period against Georgia Southern. “I think that first game was probably my best one,” he said, “but I think I also had good games against Tennessee, Vandy and LSU. I think my game’s been increasing every week, but I was kind of mad at myself against LSU when I missed a sack and a couple of tackles.”
As the Bulldogs prepared to take on the 5th-ranked Gators this past Saturday, Irvin was well aware of Florida’s outstanding speed and big-play ability. Still, he felt the Georgia defense was up to the task. “We just have to minimize their big plays and contain their speed,” he said. “We’ll be all right if we can do that. The best team will win we just need to go out and play football.”
Irvin, an Early Childhood and Family Development major, is of course hoping to have the opportunity to play in the National Football League next season.
“Everybody who plays college football has a No. 1 dream of playing in the NFL,” he said. “But I’m getting my degree in December and if I don’t make it in pro football, I’ll have something to fall back on. I’d like to work with kids, maybe as a teacher or coach. I’d like to be a mentor to these kids or be like a big brother to them ... something some of them have never had.”
Corvey Irvin, a football player who has totally bought into the University of Georgia program and has accordingly given back much in return in his two seasons in Athens.
