WayzUp
02-15-2007, 05:49 AM
Will UGA ever have a soft defense? :mellow:
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February 14, 2007
Steve Patterson
Publisher
On Tuesday we took a look at the five players on offense that we felt needed to state their case in one way or another this spring camp. Today, we take a look at guys like Dannell Ellerbe who need to nail down their spot on the depth chart as soon as possible.
Safety C.J. Byrd
After playing as much as he has over the last two seasons, the first thing one might say when seeing C.J. Byrd's name this list is why? While on paper he has not been tearing up the stats sheet with a total of 13 tackles over the last two seasons, he has been one of the up and coming stars while earning more and more playing time. He has seen action in 26 games after playing as a true freshman in 2005, and many have him penned in as a starter at one of the two safety positions opposite Kelin Johnson, and that is where the question mark comes in. With the leadership problems that plagued the Georgia defense through the first half of last season, Johnson, a rising senior along with cornerback Paul Oliver, are going to be leaned on heavily by the coaching staff to provide the much needed leadership. That is not to say that Johnson will keep a starter's spot based solely on his age, but there is no doubt that a rebuilding UGA defense needs all the leadership it can get. Beyond that, redshirt freshmen Quintin Banks and Reshad Jones will be tossed into the mix this spring as well. The coaching staff has raved about Banks even going as far as to refer to him as "Blue" after former safety Greg Blue. Jones was the number one rated safety prospect in the nation in 2005 coming out of high school and should be ready to show out this spring. Also in the mix is sophomore Donovan Baldwin. Byrd will need to have a solid spring to solidify his spot and let the other three battle it out for position behind himself and Johnson.
Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe
Junior Dannell Ellerbe is one of the biggest mystery men on the team. In many ways he is reminiscent of former linebacker Odell Thurman. Like Thurman, Ellerbe is a hard hitter. Like Thurman, Ellerbe has managed to wind up on the wrong side of the coaching staff's good graces and been suspended from the team. Like Thurman, he enters his junior season with the opportunity to not only earn a starter's spot, but to have a major impact on the team and missed playing time. With three senior starters no longer in the mix and two positions wide open, but there are three redshirt freshmen chomping at the bit--Ellerbe needs to stay focused on being a student athlete and have a big spring probably more than any other player on the team. Another trip to the Dawg house would not be good to say the least.
Defensive End Jeremy Lomax
Jeremy Lomax has always been a guy that people have wondered about due to his size. At 6-foot-4, 220-pounds, he is smaller than a couple of the team's linebackers. Add to that the fact that he has missed time hurt, and the tidal depth chart could rise above him this spring when you consider that the Bulldogs redshirted four defensive ends last year and brought in a junior college transfer at the position last month. The best news for Lomax is that both defensive end jobs are open with the departure of Quentin Moses and Charles Johnson, but rising sophomore Roderick Battle and over-achieving junior Marcus Howard also vying for those spots, the competition is going to be fierce.
Defensive End Kiante Tripp
Kiante Tripp makes this list because he is a guy that might be able to help the team in other areas if he does not make a big splash at defensive end. At 6-foot-6, 272-pounds (that might be an outdated weight); Tripp was rated as one of the top offensive tackle prospects coming out of high school. However, the Dawgs recruited him to play defensive end and he has been there since arriving in Athens last summer. He is very athletic guy for his size, and his versatility is sure to land him a spot somewhere on the field. With the competition being pretty fierce at defensive end this spring, if he does not wind up on the two-deep, and if the situation at offensive tackle does not start to come together, people will start talking about how best to use the big man from Atlanta.
Cornerback Ramarcus Brown
Junior Ramarcus Brown is in the familiar situation of having been given a shot at starting only to lose that job to a younger player, and now there are a few younger players that are battling it out for playing time. Of the two cornerback positions, only senior Paul Oliver's job does not look to be in question this spring. Sophomore's Bryan Evans, Asher Allen, and Prince Miller are not only competing for the opposite corner position, but also for a number two spot behind whoever the starter will be at that position and behind Oliver. Brown was named the team's Most Improved Defensive Back at the close of spring camp a year ago and started nine games at wide corner in 2006, and finished the season with 39 tackles. However, Evans started the last three games, and the position looks wide open this spring. Brown is by no means in a do-or-die situation, but this spring is not the time to let the trio of sophomores pass him on the depth chart.
Linkage (http://uga.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=642117&PT=4&PR=2)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 14, 2007
Steve Patterson
Publisher
On Tuesday we took a look at the five players on offense that we felt needed to state their case in one way or another this spring camp. Today, we take a look at guys like Dannell Ellerbe who need to nail down their spot on the depth chart as soon as possible.
Safety C.J. Byrd
After playing as much as he has over the last two seasons, the first thing one might say when seeing C.J. Byrd's name this list is why? While on paper he has not been tearing up the stats sheet with a total of 13 tackles over the last two seasons, he has been one of the up and coming stars while earning more and more playing time. He has seen action in 26 games after playing as a true freshman in 2005, and many have him penned in as a starter at one of the two safety positions opposite Kelin Johnson, and that is where the question mark comes in. With the leadership problems that plagued the Georgia defense through the first half of last season, Johnson, a rising senior along with cornerback Paul Oliver, are going to be leaned on heavily by the coaching staff to provide the much needed leadership. That is not to say that Johnson will keep a starter's spot based solely on his age, but there is no doubt that a rebuilding UGA defense needs all the leadership it can get. Beyond that, redshirt freshmen Quintin Banks and Reshad Jones will be tossed into the mix this spring as well. The coaching staff has raved about Banks even going as far as to refer to him as "Blue" after former safety Greg Blue. Jones was the number one rated safety prospect in the nation in 2005 coming out of high school and should be ready to show out this spring. Also in the mix is sophomore Donovan Baldwin. Byrd will need to have a solid spring to solidify his spot and let the other three battle it out for position behind himself and Johnson.
Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe
Junior Dannell Ellerbe is one of the biggest mystery men on the team. In many ways he is reminiscent of former linebacker Odell Thurman. Like Thurman, Ellerbe is a hard hitter. Like Thurman, Ellerbe has managed to wind up on the wrong side of the coaching staff's good graces and been suspended from the team. Like Thurman, he enters his junior season with the opportunity to not only earn a starter's spot, but to have a major impact on the team and missed playing time. With three senior starters no longer in the mix and two positions wide open, but there are three redshirt freshmen chomping at the bit--Ellerbe needs to stay focused on being a student athlete and have a big spring probably more than any other player on the team. Another trip to the Dawg house would not be good to say the least.
Defensive End Jeremy Lomax
Jeremy Lomax has always been a guy that people have wondered about due to his size. At 6-foot-4, 220-pounds, he is smaller than a couple of the team's linebackers. Add to that the fact that he has missed time hurt, and the tidal depth chart could rise above him this spring when you consider that the Bulldogs redshirted four defensive ends last year and brought in a junior college transfer at the position last month. The best news for Lomax is that both defensive end jobs are open with the departure of Quentin Moses and Charles Johnson, but rising sophomore Roderick Battle and over-achieving junior Marcus Howard also vying for those spots, the competition is going to be fierce.
Defensive End Kiante Tripp
Kiante Tripp makes this list because he is a guy that might be able to help the team in other areas if he does not make a big splash at defensive end. At 6-foot-6, 272-pounds (that might be an outdated weight); Tripp was rated as one of the top offensive tackle prospects coming out of high school. However, the Dawgs recruited him to play defensive end and he has been there since arriving in Athens last summer. He is very athletic guy for his size, and his versatility is sure to land him a spot somewhere on the field. With the competition being pretty fierce at defensive end this spring, if he does not wind up on the two-deep, and if the situation at offensive tackle does not start to come together, people will start talking about how best to use the big man from Atlanta.
Cornerback Ramarcus Brown
Junior Ramarcus Brown is in the familiar situation of having been given a shot at starting only to lose that job to a younger player, and now there are a few younger players that are battling it out for playing time. Of the two cornerback positions, only senior Paul Oliver's job does not look to be in question this spring. Sophomore's Bryan Evans, Asher Allen, and Prince Miller are not only competing for the opposite corner position, but also for a number two spot behind whoever the starter will be at that position and behind Oliver. Brown was named the team's Most Improved Defensive Back at the close of spring camp a year ago and started nine games at wide corner in 2006, and finished the season with 39 tackles. However, Evans started the last three games, and the position looks wide open this spring. Brown is by no means in a do-or-die situation, but this spring is not the time to let the trio of sophomores pass him on the depth chart.
Linkage (http://uga.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=642117&PT=4&PR=2)