In late November, the Bulldogs, ranked No. 19 at the time, finally got the better of cross-state rival Georgia Tech, beating the Yellow Jackets for the first time in four years.
Georgia still couldn’t get past Florida, another of the ‘Dogs’ long-standing nemeses, but two out of three wasn’t bad.
Despite a loss to Boston College in the Music City Bowl, Georgia entered spring practice with a renewed vigor and expectations of even more accomplishments. The Bulldogs got a lot of work done in their allotted 15 days.
"We had a good spring," Richt said. "The big thing for us in the spring [was to] continue to teach these kids to compete hard. We want them to compete for playing time, starting jobs and offense versus defense. When I first came here, the kids never competed hard and now they love the competition. Just like everybody else, we are waiting on 25 freshman so we were missing some guys in that spring game that we’ll have when the season starts."
QUARTERBACKS
Depending on one’s point of view, Georgia is either blessed or cursed to have two excellent quarterbacks on its roster. Blessed, obviously, because with sophomore Greene (6-3, 213) and red-shirt freshman D.J. Shockley (6-1, 186), the Bulldogs have excellent depth at a position where it’s impossible to have too much depth. On the flip side, only one quarterback can play at a time. And the one that doesn’t usually isn’t happy about it.
Occasionally, a school that has two quarterbacks of equal or near-equal ability can get away with playing both of them. That’s the option Richt prefers, rather than risk losing Greene or Shockley. Shockley, the former Parade All-American, gave Georgia fans some anxious moments after the 2001 season when rumors ran rampant that he would transfer. But he eventually announced his was staying put, despite the fact Greene had earned his keep as the starter.
Greene has already proved his worth after starting all 12 games last season and finishing fourth in the SEC in total offense (257.3 yards per game) and passing yards per game (253.5). Greene passed for more than 300 yards three times, including a career-best 364 against Kentucky. Greene also threw for 303 yards as he led Georgia to its upset win over Tennessee.
In that game, Greene rallied the ‘Dogs after Tennessee had taken a 24-20 lead with 44 seconds left. In front of a deafening crowd of 107,592 and a CBS national television audience, Greene coolly led Georgia down the field, hitting running back Verron Haynes with a 6-yard touchdown pass with five seconds left. The win was the Bulldogs’ first at Tennessee since 1980.
In 2001, Greene completed 192-of-324 passes for 2,789 yards and 17 touchdowns. The first left-handed quarterback to start for Georgia since Charley Byars in 1956, Greene was adequately decorated after his rookie debut. The Associated Press anointed Greene its SEC Rookie of the Year, as did the league’s coaches and the Knoxville New-Sentinel. Greene was a clear-cut choice for the SEC’s All-Freshman team, and he was also chosen a second-team freshman All-American by The Sporting News.
Shockley is a classic dual-threat quarterback who can beat teams with his running or passing. He will get the chance to show what he can do. Shockley’s spring-game performance (4-for-17 passing for 90 yards) was misleading, but he did show an ability to scramble.
RUNNING BACKS
The health of junior Musa Smith (6-1, 226) could determine how effective the Bulldogs’ running game will be in 2002. Smith has been hampered by injuries the last couple of seasons, especially a year ago when he led the team in rushing (329 yards) after three games. Smith gained just 219 yards the rest of the season as he nursed a hip flexor/groin injury.
Richt has every reason to wonder if Smith can stay injury free. In 2000, Smith missed two games with a knee injury. He missed most of spring practice in 2001 with a broken foot. Smith’s health didn’t hold out long in the regular season, but he was good when at 100 percent. Smith started the season with his best game ever. Against Houston, he established career highs in rushing yards (158), rushing touchdowns (three) and longest run (49 yards).
Richt has some players, albeit inexperienced ones, to throw into the mix at tailback if Smith can’t go. Smith’s backups are sophomore Mike Gilliam (5-8, 180), red-shirt freshman Tony Milton (5-11, 190) and sophomore Ronnie Powell (5-11, 205). Gilliam played in five games last season, carrying 10 times for 29 yards.
Georgia signed two freshman running backs who could find some playing time right away. Michael Cooper (6-0, 215), was a SuperPrep and PrepStar All-American at Screven County High School in Sylvania, Ga., where he was the state’s Class AAA Offensive Player of the Year in 2001. Georgia also got a late addition in Cedric Haywood (6-1, 190) from Macon, Ga. Haywood rushed for 1,579 yards and 22 touchdowns in nine games as a senior.
Senior J.T. Wall (6-, 258) is a returning starter at fullback. Wall, a walk-on in 2000, carried 15 times in 20001 for 58 yards and caught two passes for nine yards.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
The best thing to happen to senior wide receiver Terrence Edwards (6-1, 169) in 2001 was a benching. Richt and his staff didn’t think Edwards -- who had caught 106 passes the previous two seasons -- was getting the job done, so they sat Edwards in place of LaBrone Mitchell, who started the next three games against Kentucky, Florida and Auburn.
The decision didn’t sit well with Edwards, but he got over it. He didn’t start against Auburn, but caught six passes for 124 yards. That effort won back his starting job and Edwards quickly returned to his old self. In the ‘Dogs’ last four games, he caught 15 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns.
Edwards finished with 39 catches for 613 yards and six touchdowns. He led Georgia in receptions for the third straight season. Edwards caught 53 passes in both 1999 and 2000, setting a school record for receptions over a two-year span.
Sophomore Fred Gibson (6-4, 180) came to Georgia with the reputation of being a great athlete, and he didn’t disappoint. Gibson started slowly as a true freshman, not catching a pass until the fourth game. But he went on to catch 33 balls for a team-leading 772 yards and set several records in the process. That yardage total tied Edwards’ school record for a freshman. Gibson’s six touchdowns established a standard. Gibson had five 100-yard-plus receiving games and 201 yards against Kentucky, also school records.
The Bulldogs have yet another effective weapon at receiver in junior Damien Gary (5-11, 175), Georgia’s third-leading receiver a year ago with 25 catches for 352 yards and a touchdown.
Other receivers who will get a chance to contribute are sophomore Reggie Brown (6-2, 195) and juniors Jarrett Berry (6-5, 208) and Michael Johnson (6-3, 213). Brown was expected to be a key contributor last season, but he suffered a torn ACL in the third game of the season against Arkansas. He missed spring practice but is expected to be ready by the time fall practice starts.
At tight end, Georgia will miss Randy McMichael, who gave up his final season of eligibility to declare for the NFL draft. He was chosen by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round.
Junior Ben Watson (6-3, 251) started three games last season and should be able to fill the void left by McMichael. Watson is a solid blocker and a capable receiver. In 2001, he caught 11 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Georgia has an excellent returning nucleus led by preseason All-American Jon Stinchcomb , but not much depth. Things were so bad in the spring game that the Georgia coaches had to use walk-on linemen. This is a unit that might throw a true freshman into the fray in a hurry.
Still, the returning foursome is strong. Seniors Stinchcomb (6-6, 277) and George Foster (6-6, 322) return at tackle and are joined by senior guards Kevin Breedlove (6-4, 305) and Alex Jackson (6-4, 345). Last season, that group and departed center Curt McGill allowed the Bulldogs to finish among the top five in the SEC in rushing and passing. The line allowed but 15 sacks.
Stinchcomb, the brother of former Georgia star and NFL player Matt Stinchcomb, was chosen a second-team All-American by Football News. Stinchcomb is an All-American in the truest sense of the words. A microbiology major, he was chosen to the Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-American first team. And he was one of just 11 Division I-A players from across the country to be chosen to the AFCA Good Works teams for outstanding contributions to community service.
Foster started the last eight games of 2001 after earning the job in spring practice despite battling through knee and ankle sprains. Breedlove has started the most consecutive games of any Bulldog (33). And Jackson started 10 games last season, coming up big in the win over Georgia Tech when Stinchcomb couldn’t play.
The leading candidates to replace McGill at center are senior Ian Knight (6-4, 283), who started one game last season, and red-shirt freshman Russ Tanner (6-4, 285).
Two other linemen with starting experience return -- senior tackle Kareem Marshall (6-6, 325) and junior guard Chris Hewitt (6-6, 286).
KICKERS
Junior Billy Bennett (5-8, 165) secured his place in Georgia football history on Nov. 24, 2001. That’s the day he kicked a school-record six field goals (from 40, 44, 32, 28, 37 and 45 yards) as the Bulldogs defeated state rival Georgia Tech for the first time in four years. The six field goals tied an SEC record, and Bennett also set a school standard with 19 points in a game.
Bennett finished the season with 17 field goals in 25 tries, including a career-best 55-yarder against Arkansas. Bennett was third in the SEC in scoring with 85 points and was second in the league and third in the country with his average of 1.55 field goals per game. Not bad for a former walk-on.
Senior Brett Kirouac (6-2, 198) is the Bulldogs’ kickoff specialist. Last season Kirouac, who was chosen to the Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-District team, kicked off 53 times with 20 touchbacks. Kirouac can also kick field goals and extra points in a pinch. He has one career field goal, a 21-yarder against South Carolina in 2000.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Georgia’s defensive line was plagued by injuries last season -- the Bulldogs staff was forced to use six different starting combinations during the course of the year. Only two players started at least 10 games, and by the end of the season, two sophomores and a freshman were starting.
The unit suffered heavy personnel loses in Charles Grant, Bruce Adrine and David Jacobs. Grant declared for the NFL draft and was chosen by the New Orleans Saints in the first round. Jacobs suffered a stroke last November, which ended his career.
Georgia defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder is hoping juniors Johnathan Sullivan (6-4, 304) and Ken Veal (6-2, 304) and sophomore David Pollack (6-2, 274) can form the nucleus of the line as the ‘Dogs start over -- again.
Sullivan started 10 games a year ago and finished eighth on the team in tackles with 46. He tied for third in tackles for loss (eight). Sullivan started the final five games at defensive end.
Veal played in 11 games and started four times at tackle. Pollack was an immediate contributor last season, finishing with 37 tackles, including four for loss and two sacks. He was chosen a fourth-team freshman All-American by The Sporting News.
VanGorder will sort through a host of returning players to find some depth -- senior Nic Clemons (6-6, 250), junior Shedrick Wynne (6-3, 262) and sophomores Gerald Anderson (6-3, 334), Robert Geathers (6-4, 248) and Will Thompson (6-2, 235). All five earned playing time last season. Geathers and Thompson played in all 12 games.
Three incoming freshmen could have a serious impact on the line in 2001.
Perhaps the most heralded line signee is Parade All-American Kedric Golston , who played for Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, Ga. Golston made 55 tackles and 11 sacks in 2001. Golston finished as Sandy Creek’s all-time sack leader (45). He’s considered an immediate impact player, if he can recover fully from injuries suffered in an automobile accident last October. Golston suffered a broken right leg in the accident and had to have a steel rod inserted to help promote healing.
LINEBACKERS
This position is clearly the strength of the defense, anchored as it is by a pair of talented seniors.
Last season, middle linebacker Tony Gilbert (6-1, 242) became just the eighth Bulldog ever to lead the team in tackles in consecutive seasons. He made 99 of them, including six for loss and two sacks. He also chipped in three pass breakups and an interception.
Gilbert had several double-figure tackle games in 2001. He led the Bulldogs with 14 in the upset win at Tennessee. Gilbert also made 13 tackles against Auburn, 12 against Vanderbilt and Boston College (in the Music City Bowl), and 11 against South Carolina.
In 2000, Gilbert led Georgia with 96 tackles. He was chosen the best all-around defensive player in spring practice in 2002.
Gilbert will be joined once again by Boss Bailey (6-4, 218), the brother of former Georgia star Champ Bailey. After missing 2000 with a torn ACL, Bailey came back to finish fifth on the team with 65 tackles, including six for loss, a year ago.
Bailey made a season-high 10 tackles in a win over Kentucky and also intercepted a pair of passes against Florida.
The starter at "Will" linebacker figures to be junior Chris Clemons (6-3, 223). He started three games last year and made 44 tackles, the most among Georgia players with seven or fewer starts.
Clemons recorded a season-high eight tackles against Florida, and also had six-tackle games against Tennessee, Auburn and Houston.
VanGorder has at his disposal only three other linebackers who have logged playing time, and most of that came on special teams. Sophomores Rod Davis (6-4, 213), Arnold Harrison (6-3, 223) and Derrick Holloway (6-3, 221) will all compete for backup positions.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
This position was hit hard by graduation. Jermaine Phillips (Tampa Bay), Terreal Bierria (Seattle) and Tim Wansley (Tampa Bay) have all departed for the NFL, and they were second (80), third (75) and fourth (69), respectively, on the team in tackles in 2001. Phillips also intercepted three passes and Wansley two.
The most experienced returning cornerback is Bruce Thornton (5-11, 192), and he’s a converted running back, who played his new position all of one season. He showed flashes of talent, though, starting nine games. He tied for the second in the team with seven pass deflections and made 32 tackles. His best showing of the season might have come against Arkansas when he made seven unassisted tackles and broke up two passes.
Junior cornerback Decory Bryant (6-0, 185) didn’t start until the 10th game, but he made up for lost time. Bryant came up with eight tackles, intercepted a pass and deflected two more in the final three games of the season.
Other cornerbacks in the mix are seniors Ryan Davis (5-11, 191) and Brandon Williams (5-10, 177), both of whom played in 10 games a year ago. Former running back Kenny Bailey (5-11, 188) and red-shirt freshman Bama Adams (5-8, 181) will also compete for playing time.
At the ROV position, sophomore Sean Jones 6-1, 201) will step in after playing every game a year ago. He made 38 tackles and broke up two passes.
Junior Kentrell Curry (6-2, 193) will start at free safety spot after a solid effort last season during which he started one game. Curry contributed 22 tackles and three pass deflections.
RECRUITING CLASS
The Bulldogs signed 29 players in a class ranked as high as third in the country by Rivals.com. Georgia’s haul was rated 12th by PrepStar and 14th by Tom Lemming.
Georgia filled a lot of needs, particularly on both lines and at running back. Golston was a key defensive player, along with cornerback DeMario Minter (5-11, 180) of Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, Ga. and end Marcus Jackson (6-3, 235) of Norcross (Ga.) High School.
Minter was chosen to SuperPrep’s All-Dixie team and was included in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Super Southern 100. As a senior, Minter made 52 tackles, four interceptions and two pass breakups. He was also an all-state track athlete, specializing in the 100 meters and 4x100 meters.
Jackson was chosen to the Journal-Constitution’s Super Southern 100 list and was Georgia’s Class 5A Defensive Player of the Year. He made 114 tackles in his senior year, 20 of those for loss and 14 of those sacks.
Running backs Haywood and Cooper could make a quick impact on offense, as could tight end Leonard Pope (6-7, 240) of Americus (Ga.) High School. Pope was also chosen to the Journal-Constitution’s Super Southern 100 list. Pope helped lead Americus to Georgia Class AA titles his last two seasons. He caught seven touchdown passes as a senior.
Another running back who could get a long look in the fall is Tyson Browning (5-11, 170). Browning comes to Athens by way of Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy, where he prepped for one season, but he’s originally from Watkinsville, Ga. At FUMA, Browning rushed for 830 yards and scored eight touchdowns. He caught 15 passes for two more touchdowns, and scored three more times on kickoff returns.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
Georgia made some progress in 2001 under the direction of first-year coach Richt, though the record didn’t necessarily reflect it and the Bulldogs’ four-year bowl game winning streak came to an end.
But Georgia was able to beat rival Tennessee on the road and end its three-year losing streak to Georgia Tech. More importantly, Richt instilled some discipline into a program that had apparently been lacking it.
Georgia appears capable of building on the foundation Richt and his staff established in 2001. In Greene and Shockley, the Bulldogs have two talented quarterbacks. Green in particular proved his worth a year ago, playing well enough to be chosen as the SEC’s top freshman. Shockley is a talented red-shirt freshman who won’t be on the sidelines long. Richt will have some decisions to make as to who will play quarterback and when, but that’s a nice problem to have.
Georgia is also blessed with an abundance of receivers, so Greene and Shockley will have plenty of targets.
Defensively, Georgia has as talented a linebacker duo as there is in the league with seniors Boss Bailey and Tony Gilbert.
Georgia will take another step forward under Richt in 2002. Once again, the Bulldogs’ record might not reflect how far they progress. But the program is on solid ground, and as long as Richt and his staff can continue to dominate recruiting in his home state, as they did this year, it will stay there.
