SB Nation - Geno Atkins

2010 prospect watch (DT edition) - Nov. 17th

3k — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:12:25 -0000

More photos » by Gerry Broome - AP

Marvin Austin is a microphone magnet. Once he gets improved tutelage and less focus from opposing offensive lines, NFL quarterbacks could be Marvin Austin magnets.

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There were a couple lessons to be learned from Sunday's game against the Saints; IMO, one of the most important was that our defensive front is unable to pressure QBs on their own. As to whether that is mainly due to the defensive ends or tackles is a fair debate. What's not open to debate is the fact that there are some very talented DT prospects in the 2010 NFL draft. While there's not too many games left for some of these future professionals, there's enough time for some fluctuation among each other and on big boards as a whole.

For reference, here's my QB board from Oct. 6th and my most recent mock draft. Here's how my DT board looks in mid-November (* denotes underclassmen, parenthetical links are for scouting reports):

1 - Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska (ESPN)

First, I feel I have to help out Van here - it's en-dom-ah-ken soo. Of course, if you would rather call him damn-you-Kong!, feel free. Name aside, Suh is an absolute terror. He's stronger than his 6'3"-295 lb. frame suggests, and he's incredibly quick. Less than two weeks ago, the Cornhuskers faced off against Oklahoma; Suh made the most out of one of the bigger stages he's played on. He anchored a line that brought pressure on OU QB Landry Jones all day, resulting in a Cutleresque 5 picks. For good measure, he blocked a FG too.

Next notable evaluation: Nov. 27 at Colorado , 3:30pm ET (ABC)

Rest of the board after the fold.

2 - Gerald McCoy*, Oklahoma (ESPN , MTD)

McCoy has been disrupting offenses for three years, missing just one game due to a hand injury two years ago. I've seen him at the top of many a DT board, and it's hard to argue; he explodes out of his stance. Once he does so, he's got a full menu of moves that he executes very well: swim, power rip, spin, and even his power rush, though that last one still needs some work. Really, that's his one flaw is raw power, and juxtaposed against Suh, it's even more evident. Still, he's been a model student-athlete at Oklahoma, acting as president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, serving as a team captain, and avoiding the kind of off-field troubles that many of his peers seem to enjoy.

Next notable evaluation: Nov. 28 vs. #12 Oklahoma St., 12:30pm ET

3 - Marvin Austin*, North Carolina

Austin heads up the second tier of DTs right now, IMO. He's got a great skill set that applies to both run and pass defense, but he's part of a very funky D-line, that includes two other solid DTs (Cam Thomas & Aleric Mullins) and a 375-lb. DE (Earl Wilson). I think that he could be a great pick in a 4-3 or even as a 3-4 DE. His biggest flaw is his technique; he's still a bit raw, but with a coach to mentor him (Spagnuolo?), he could be very successful in the NFL.

Next notable evaluation: Nov. 21 at Boston College, 12:00pm ET (ESPN2)

4 - Arthur Jones, Syracuse (ESPN, MTD)

Jones is the first real injury plagued prospect on this board. He tore a chest muscle working out this spring, and he injured his knee in the Pittsburgh game earlier this month. Still, what he was able to prove in his 4+ seasons at Syracuse was plenty to go off of. He's a very good run-stopping DT who competes every play. and he succeeded from time to time facing double teams. He's not a strong pass rusher, but that shouldn't hurt his draft stock. Plenty of teams would love to get his run stuffing skills on their lines.

Next notable evaluation: N/A

5 - Terrence Cody, Alabama (ESPN)

Terrence Cody is large human being. At 6'3" and anywhere from 370-400 lbs., he obviously presents a huge roadblock for offensive lines to deal with. Since transferring to Bama last year, he's been a fan favorite for obvious reasons. Still, you have to wonder if he can play anything but a 3-4 NT in the NFL. He's slow (in NFL terms. For his size, he's blazing fast. Try and find someone around 400 lbs. who can A.) run and B.) run anywhere near as fast as Cody), and he's sloppy. His technique revolves around the power rush, and that includes his stints on the offensive side of the ball as a FB or RB where Alabama has used him from time to time. The bottom line is, a body this big will be in demand, especially for 3-4 defenses who need a true NT.

Next notable evaluation: Dec. 5 vs. Florida (SEC Championship - neutral site), 4:00pm ET (TBD)

6 - Jared Odrick, Penn St. (ESPN)

Next notable evaluation: Nov. 21 at Michigan St., 3:30pm ET (ABC)

7 - Vince Oghobaase, Duke (ESPN)

Next notable evaluation: Nov. 21 at Miami, 12:00pm ET (ESPNU)

8 - Brian Price*, UCLA

Next notable evaluation: Nov. 28 at USC, 10:00pm ET

9 - Dan Williams, Tennessee

Next notable evaluation: Nov. 21 vs. Vanderbilt, 7:00pm ET (ESPNU)

10 - Geno Atkins, Georgia (ESPN)

Next notable evaluation: Nov. 21 vs. Kentucky, 7:45pm ET (ESPN2)

Poll

Vote for the next big board position...NOW!

QB (v2.0)

58 votes

WR

59 votes

TE

5 votes

OT

6 votes

DE

42 votes

OLB

20 votes

CB

10 votes

200 votes | Poll has closed

Around the SEC East- Week 7

BrianWalker'sElbow — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:15:13 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

Vanderbilt head football coach Bobby Johnson watches his team play in Nashville, Tenn. It's looking pretty bad, Bobby. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

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The goings on of the rest of the SEC are somewhat difficult to truly follow. Because of the number of times that Juco and I have seen uninformed fans make sweeping judgments of opposing teams based solely on their quarterback and halfback, we decided to start a segment where, though we will talk about halfbacks and quarterbacks, we'll also talk about the other players on teams that are succeeding or failing.

FLORIDA 6-0 (4-0 SEC)

WOW, that was close. Urban and his gang cut it dangerously close last weekend against Arkansas. They committed four turnovers and Tebow was sacked six times. However, they found a way to win and did so with a game winning field goal from Caleb Sturgis. Sturgis' game winner from 27 yards out made him the SEC special teams player of the week. Congratulations, young man. DE Jermaine Cunningham also had a great performance as he had six tackles, including four for a loss, and two sacks. Now, the "teacher" travels to Starkghanistan to face his "mentor" in a battle of SEC powerhouses East v West. UpSeT aLeRt!!! Not really. The game starts at 6:30 CDT and will be aired on ESPN.

GEORGIA 4-3 (3-2 SEC)

The eastern division Dogs traveled to Nashville and whipped Vandy 34-10 last weekend. Leading the way for the defensive domination was SEC defensive lineman of the week Geno Atkins who recorded 8 tackles, including one for a loss. On the day, the Georgia "D" kept Vandy from gaining 300 yards of total offense. This week, however, the challenge gets tougher as they have a bye week. Ouch. Sorry Vandy, that was inappropriate. On Halloween, UGA will take on Florida in Jacksonville.

KENTUCKY 3-3 (1-3 SEC)

The Wildcats visited and handled Auburn, which no one not a Kentucky fan expected them to do. ESPN continues to praise Rich Brooks for his "grit" and "determination," and I guess I need to give him some credit too. After losing their qb Mike Hartline the previous week, they go on the road and get a gutsy 21-14 win. On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Micah Johnson had a Patrick Willis-like 14 tackles. A bowl might actually be a possibility with MS State, Vandy, Georgia, Tennessee, ULM, and Eastern Kentucky on the schedule. They could easily win 3 of those last 6 games. This week, they plan to get one game closer to bowl eligibility against ULM on FSN at 6 central.

SOUTH CAROLINA 5-2 (2-2 SEC)

Dang't SC. Dang you, Steve Spurrier. You could have repaid us and let us get back on track in the SEC West by beating Alabama. Instead, you missed some opportunities and lost 20-6 in Tuscaloosa. As usual, the Tide "D" was tough, but WR Alshon Jefferry had 4 catches for 83 yards against Alabama. On the defensive side of the ball, Shaq Wilson had 11 tackles and an interception. If nothing else, SC gained some respect last week in the eyes of the SEC and national media. This week, the Cocks host the Commodores in an SEC East match-up. Remember that Vandy has beaten SC twice in a row, and I bet someone on the field will be seeking revenge. If you get really bored, tune in to ESPNU at 6 central.

TENNESSEE 3-3 (1-2 SEC)

Tennessee had a bye week to prepare for the Tide. If you remember, they thrashed Georgia a couple of weeks ago. Here's my only question/comment: How bad will Crompton look against that Bama defense? You can catch it on CBS at 2:30 CDT.

VANDERBILT 2-5 (0-4 SEC)

It seems that the Dores are right back to rock bottom in the SEC. If they are not careful, they will go 0-8 in the SEC this season. Last week, they were pummeled by a not so good Georgia team. However, frosh RB Warren Norman had 52 yards on 14 carries, 27 yards on two catches, and 71 kickoff return yards on four attempts. Also, LB Chris Marve had 9 tackles. The reality is that Vandy needs a win and needs it now. Can they make it three in a row against South Carolina? Tune in to ESPNU at 6 p.m. central.

Lane Kiffin gets the first notch in his belt

Will — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:00:21 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

"Alright, I'm going to pretend like I was expecting this from you all along, okay? Just go with it."

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In our Rocky Top Tennessee preseason annual, Josh McNeil said "Football is not fun if you lose. Period." It's a sentiment we can all relate to, especially in the last two years. And especially for McNeil, who added injury to insult in fall camp, probably lost millions of NFL dollars along the way and worst of all, appeared to have lost the ability to play football at all.

That's the same Josh McNeil we saw on the field in the waning moments today, with his hands on the football once more and, presumably, a smile on his face. For more than one reason. Because as little fun as we had all of last season, today was a welcome reminder that when you win - and you win like this - football is fun. Really, really fun.

The fact that we had the luxury of getting McNeil on the field at all is a good place to start. Because I always enjoy the games where you can't decide what you're most excited about:

The first big win for Lane Kiffin

Last year, the Vols suffered the most frustrating competitive loss in recent memory against Auburn, and were more or less noncompetitive in the rest of the big SEC games, losing by 20+ to Florida, Alabama and South Carolina. Plus, the Vols gave up 458 yards to Georgia and ran for one total yard themselves in a 26-14 loss.

This year, it's been competitive, but up until today that was all. We were close against Florida. Close against UCLA. We made it close at the end against Auburn. There was reason for hope.

But we needed more than hope. This program hadn't won a big game in two years, and Lane Kiffin needed a reason to be believed besides his work behind a microphone and in the living room on the recruiting trail.

The Clawfense was our hope once. But when it never became tangible, the players never had a reason to fully buy in, and that hope eventually collapsed and took everyone down with it. Phillip Fulmer's inability to keep the snowball from rolling downhill by winning a big game was the final nail in his coffin last season.

Kiffin was next in line to give us hope. But unlike last season, today he and the Vols got a return on that investment. A big one.

Any win would've been huge today. But the how of it all, in a 45-19 game that could've/should've been 45-3 if you remove special teams from the equation, gives Kiffin his big first win, and gives him something to hang his hat on. Now we've seen it, now we know for sure that this can work - players, fans, everyone. That's not to say that Kiffin is going to have success here forever, but when you win like that in your first year against one of your biggest rivals, you earn a whole lot of trust. Tennessee needed to win one of these big SEC games in the worst way. And turns out, we won in the very best way.

Georgia got 458 yards of offense last year. This year they got 241. Tennessee had 1 rushing yard last year. This year we got 162. And if you liked the running game...

Willie Martinez overtakes Jonathan Crompton for the "Most Likely to be Hated by His Own Fanbase" Award

At halftime, I told my friend next to me in Z11 that I didn't want to see Crompton's numbers. There was a Raiders of the Lost Ark feel about it - "Shut your eyes! Don't look at it!" - because what #8 did in the first half was so totally unnatural, I feared that seeing 12 of 15 for 205 yards and 3 TDs and then having my brain try to comprehend it might, in fact, make my face melt off.

Then in the second half, when the dreaded tipped ball pick six reared its ugly head and Georgia was right in the middle of one of those games it seems like that team always wins - statistically overmatched, but in it thanks to special teams and defensive touchdowns - Crompton went right back to work.

Let's take nothing away from him. That offensive performance was stunning, and he deserves every ounce of credit for his role in it. So do the receivers for catching almost everything - eight different Vols caught passes, and Gerald Jones gave us the type of go-to performance we've been waiting for with 105 yards and 2 TDs.

So does Montario Hardesty, for giving every defense a reason to be vulnerable to play action, and for continuing to be the best running back in the SEC.

Having said all of that...Georgia's defense? Yikes.

It's the biggest difference between on-paper and on-field I can remember in a long time. You looked at the names in August - Prince Miller, Rennie Curran, Geno Atkins, Jeff Owens, Reshad Jones - and figured they'd carry the slack for Joe Cox and the offense. You look at the numbers here in the second weekend of October, and see a defense that's given up 37+ points three times, 400+ yards three times, and made Jon Crompton and Stephen Garcia look like Peyton Manning and (insert good South Carolina quarterback here - Steve Tanneyhill does not count).

T Kyle King was on our podcast last week and said that Georgia's special teams should've taken some of the heat off Martinez after the LSU game. After the Tennessee game, whoever's responsible for special teams needs a raise...unless it's Martinez.

This leads to a larger point:

Georgia reminds me of Tennessee in the last few years of the Fulmer Era

They run a consistent offense that isn't "sexy" and, when it features Joe Cox instead of Matthew Stafford, isn't that consistent. They got a great young coach who brought them more success than they had seen in decades, but who has struggled to maintain that level of success on a consistent basis, and who is fiercely loyal to his assistants, for better or worse. Meanwhile, just as Fulmer watched the SEC go from a two-team race to everyone for themselves, Richt found his early success when Ron Zook was at Florida and the door was revolving in Tuscaloosa. Now the Tide and Gators are a step ahead of everyone else, LSU is still right behind them, and Georgia just got embarrassed by the new kid on the block. And the Dawgs will see the other new kid come November, and Gene Chizik certainly appeared to have Auburn moving in the right direction until Saturday.

And in this little game, Willie Martinez will be playing the role of Randy Sanders.

Between my total shock at Crompton's performance and the small but shared recognition I feel with Georgia fans, I didn't even fully enjoy their suffering in Neyland Stadim today. I still hope they enjoyed the long sad drive back down I-7-5, but you know.

Because we've been there. We've been Georgia. As a friend of mine said in the postgame, we've forded that river and lost two oxen.

I like it much better this way.

Georgia's offense never crossed the Tennessee 30 yard line

...no commentary necessary.

Staying Relevant

In a world where Florida has beaten you five years in a row and won two National Championships in the process, Alabama is back to being Alabama and LSU is also ahead of you, it was absolutely critical for Lane Kiffin to keep Tennessee from slipping any further in the SEC hierarchy.

Beating Georgia was, is, and always will be key for recruiting. By the way, what are the odds Coach O picked up the phone and called Marlon's Granny after the game today?

But it also pays off in the short term: being just the fifth best team in the SEC is still good enough to get you to January 1, and after that performance the conversations about bowl games move from if to where.

And even if I'm too busy feeling Georgia's pain to fully appreciate it the way I'd like to today, it should be noted and remembered that three of the last four years, the Vols have beaten the Dawgs 51-33, 35-14, and 45-19.

So now the bye week comes at the perfect time, as the Vols will carry some spring in their step to Tuscaloosa to face a tremendous challenge. And they'll face it not as a 2-4 team still looking for answers and their first big win, but a 3-3 team that isn't just hoping anymore...now we've seen it. Now we know.

Saturday NFL Draft watch notes

Mocking Dan — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:46:41 -0000

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• A possible matchup tonight between Brandon LaFell of LSU and Joe Haden of Florida is the most intriguing one of the day. Haden can get out of position, something a heady receiver like LaFell can take advantage of. Haden is really good against the run, so he'll test LaFell's blocking ability. LaFell dominated this matchup last season.

This will also be a good game to see what offensive tackle Ciron Black (LSU) and Carlos Dunlap (Florida) are worth. Both have been having ordinary seasons, especially Dunlap. Black is a strong blocker so Dunlap will have to use his initial quickness more today.

In general, LSU's top prospects have been average this season. Running back Charles Scott finally broke a big run last week, but he's slow to the hole. End Rahim Alem has been able to get after the passer and defensive tackle Al Woods has been non-existant. Each could turn their draft fortunes around today.

• Another week and another chance for Mississippi's Jevan Snead to try and prove he's an elite talent. His struggles this year have been plenty noted, but things won't get any easier against Alabama tonight. Snead needs to rely less on his arm strength and use his brain more. Alabama will bring a lot of pressure and Snead's resolve will be tested.

Also in this game, watch for Rebels defensive end Greg Hardy to have a big game. Alabama's offensive tackles are just average so Hardy could have a big game.

• The Ohio State front four is impressive and filled with NFL-caliber players. Chief among them are ends Cameron Heyward and Thaddeus Gibson. Against the pass, particularly Gibson, they are terrors. Today against Wisconsin, they can show how good they are against the run. Sophomore John Clay is a bulldozer of a back who is hard to take down.

• Oklahoma State left tackle Russell Okung can display his dominance today when the Cowboys play Texas A&M. Von Miller has become one of the nation's top sack artists and he'll test Okung's quickness and ability to move his feet.

• Last week Iowa offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga showed few sigs of rust. However, that was against Arkansas State. Today against Michigan the junior might face all-conference end Brandon Graham. The senior can get low around the edge, which could give Bulaga problems.

• Against the duo rushing attack of Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray of Oklahoma, Baylor inside linebacker Joe Pawelek will have his hands full today. This could be a showcase game for the senior sleeper. He has some athletic deficiencies but makes a lot of plays.

• This won't be a game where he can show his ability against the pass, but Florida State's Patrick Robinson is a player to watch today against Georgia Tech. He's considered a one-dimensional player but will get to show what he can do against the run. Robinson has looked good this season against the pass.

• Georgia defensive tackles Jeff Owens and Geno Atkins have been a big disappointment this season. Conversely, Tennessee's Montario Hardesty has been one of the biggest surprises this season. It could be a good matchup to watch this week.

Week 3: Georgia Preview

Richard Pittman — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:30:35 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

2 months ago: Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green (8) catches a long pass as Arizona State cornerback Pierre Singfield defends during the fourth quarter of their NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, in Athens, Ga. Georgia won 20-17. (AP Photo/John Amis)

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I guess it's time to lighten things up just a little and get back to the routine. It is Tuesday after all, and that means it's time to preview the Georgia Bulldogs, this Saturday's opponent. If you think LSU has been a bit enigmatic, you should check out this Georgia team. Here are Georgia's point totals in their 4 games, in order: 10, 41, 52, 20. There are no patsies in there. Those are all at least somewhat decent teams that Georgia has played, and they lit it up in two games and were anemic in two others, losing one.

Georgia really could be sitting at 1-3 or even 0-4 right now. South Carolina probably outplayed Georgia, but could not get that last score to win the game, thanks to Rennie Curran. Arizona State had a chance to beat the Bulldogs, but couldn't quite get over the hump. Arkansas piled up yards by the armload, but collapsed towards the end as the Bulldog defense finally started coming up big.

The LSU fanbase, which has always seemed to suffer from catastrophe syndrome, is ready to write off this game, but that would be a huge mistake. Georgia has been sloppy, and their defense has been porous. NOPE takes us through the numbers in his FanPost. The situation for the fans has gotten so difficult that it is probably a fortunate thing that this game is being played in Athens. I'm afraid that playing at home could have been a disadvantage for us this week. In fact, Georgia's fanbase is in much the same position ours is in, wondering why their team can't do some of the little things right.

Any preview of Georgia has to start with the guy who is clearly their best player. Wide receiver A. J. Green. Heck, he might be the best offensive player in the conference. He's averaging 6.3 receptions per game, which leads the conference. He's averaging 107 yards per game receiving, which is ridiculous and is leading the conference by 20 yards. He catches everything thrown his way. He has about 40% of Georgia's receiving yards and he's scored about 1/4 of their offensive touchdowns.

That is insane for a wide receiver. Wideouts just aren't, individually, that big of a factor in an offense. They only touch the ball a few times per game, even the good ones, usually. A. J. Green is different. He was one of the 3 best wide receivers last year and he has stepped up game to another level to where he is clearly the best wide receiver in the conference by a significant margin.

Elsewhere in the offense, Joe Cox has admirably replaced the departed Matthew Stafford. He is completing 60% of his passes, averaging almost 9 yards per attempt, and has a TD/Int ratio of almost 2:1. Unfortunately, that includes 5 interceptions, but he has been very productive. His big weakness has been his lack of mobility, as he has -38 yards rushing on the season.

The leading rusher on the team is Richard Samuel, who has emerged as their go-to rusher. He's gotten about half their rushes, and he averages about 4.5 yards per carry. Georgia's rushing game is really not all that productive, much like LSU's.

We mentioned how Georgia's offense has been erratic. Well, let's look at Georgia's defense. Here are their point totals given up, in the same 4 games in which they scored such a strange variety of points: 24, 47, 31, 17. One week they're scoring tons of points and giving up tons of points. The next they're in a pitchers duel. No one has a good explanation for it.

One very big area of worry for the Tigers is that Georgia's defensive line is going to be the best we've seen so far this year. They are led by senior tackle Geno Atkins, who is an All-SEC calibre player. The middle of our offensive line, which has been suspect to say the least, has not had to block a player as good as Atkins. The good news is that Georgia does not get a lot of sacks, only 5 on the year so far. Incidentally, that's the same number of sacks we've had.

The offensive line will also have its hands full with linebacker Rennie Curran, who currently leads the SEC in tackles with 40. This is a Georgia defense that is a little hard to get a read on, and this perhaps explains their weird point totals given up. They don't get a lot of sacks. They don't get a lot of interceptions. They give up almost 250 yards per game passing. They've created only 3 turnovers all year. Yet they have some undeniably good players out there. Rennie Curran's been a beast since his freshman year. Geno Atkins is a serious player. Rashad Jones is an All-SEC calibre safety. The unit just isn't playing well together.

Maybe it has something to do with Willie Martinez. I think Georgia fans would have something to say about that.

This is a crossroads game for both teams. Neither team is playing at close to championship level, but neither team has really suffered a bad consequence for it either. Despite the loss to Oklahoma State, Georgia is still right in the thick of the SEC race, though they are not playing nearly as well as Florida is. LSU, despite not putting together a really good game in any of its previous 4 contests, is still a top 5 polling team, and is still undefeated despite playing 2 conference game and a quality OOC opponent.

Neither team has played great, but neither team has suffered for it. This is the weak where the football gods will smite one of these teams in punishment for its inconsistency and imperfection. LSU can't block and Georgia can't produce a turnover or stop a quality offense. Maybe one of these two teams will solve their problems and fill the holes in their team this week.

Saturday NFL Draft watch notes

Mocking Dan — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 12:15:35 -0000

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• Coming into this week’s games against Alabama, Ryan Mallett was the national leader in pass efficiency. As everyone knows, the Michigan transfer has a dynamite arm. As a freshman with the Wolverines, Mallett sometimes looked tentative in the pocket and strong-armed every pass he threw. Against Georgia, he showed good touch and looked like a future pro. Alabama is easily the best defense he’ll face all year.

• Also worth checking out in the Arkansas/Alabama game will be Tide cornerback Javier Arenas. He's a little small at 5-foot-9, but he's a play maker. He shows great anticipation and is very quick. He plays with a good bit of physicality and can be a terror against the run.

• This is a big week for Notre Dame wide receiver Golden Tate. A junior, Tate has been overshadowed this season by sophomore Michael Floyd. Now that Floyd is out for the year, Tate has the opportunity to assert himself as a top playmaker, especially against a below-average Purdue defense.

• Miami defensive end Eric Moncur is a great effort player and could give the Virginia Tech offensive line plenty of trouble on the outside. After missing all of last season and the first game of 2009, Moncur has showed great awareness. He was a big reason Miami was able to take of care Georgia Tech. Moncur doesn't have great size at 6-foot-2, 250 pounds, but he makes a lot of plays.

• Taylor Mays might be back this week for Southern California. He began practicing more intensely Thursday. Injured two weeks ago against Ohio State, Mays has to start playing much better to maintain his lofty draft status.

• Penn State senior defensive tackle Jared Odrick really has a chance to cement himself as a top interior prospect this week. He's been disruptive all season, but the Nittany Lions have played marginal competition. Against Iowa, he won't face premier linemen but the Hawkeyes always have technically sound and disciplined players.

• After being suspended the first game of the season, Mississippi State's Anthony Dixon has shown a good burst the past two games. Against Auburn and Vanderbilt, he's combined for 215 yards. Playing LSU this weekend will really test the 235-pound senior's mettle.

• If you're recording the Oklahoma State game, you might want to reconsider what you DVR. Possibly missing this week's game is cornerback Perrish Cox, wide receiver Dez Bryant and running back Kendall Hunter.

• Jerry Hughes has been dominant for TCU, and expect that domination to continue this week against Clemson. It's likely he'll line up against left tackle Chris Hairston who is coming back from a sprained MCL. On the year, Hughes has 16 tackles, 5 1/2 for loss and 4 1/2 sacks. However, those stats have come against Texas State and Virginia. Clemson isn't great competition either, so Hughes' numbers are slightly deceiving.

• This weekend against Stanford, the mental toughness of Washington quarterback Jake Locker could be tested. Coming off the biggest win of his career, it will be interesting to see if Locker is mentally prepared for a Cardinal team that has deceptive toughness and athleticism on its defense.

• Thus far in 2009, Georgia defensive tackle Geno Atkins has been a non-factor. Arizona State doesn't have the best interior blockers, so this could be Atkins' best chance of the year to show his dominance from 2007 before heading into SEC play.

Previewing South Carolina at Georgia: Georgia's Defense

Gamecock Man — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:17:28 -0000

Georgia uses a traditional 4-3 defense. The 'Dawgs, although they struggled at points late last season, have consistently had one of the best defenses in the country over the past few years, ranking no lower than 22nd in the country in total defense since 2002. Georgia continued to play strong defense last week in their loss to Oklahoma State, giving up only 307 total, 135 passing, and 172 rushing yards to OSU's vaunted offense. The 'Dawgs did give up a relatively high 24 points, but OSU often had a short field due to Georgia's offensive miscues.

Georgia's strengths on defense are numerous. First of all, although they gave up a relatively high amount of rushing yards against OSU, the 'Dawgs should be strong against the run this year with Geno Atkins, Jeff Owens, and Kade Weston forming a talented interior-line rotation. Also helping out on the run will be star inside linebacker Rennie Curran, who led the SEC in tackles a year ago. The 'Dawgs secondary is led by Prince Miller and Reshad Jones and did a good job slowing down a usually prolific OSU passing attack last week.

Georgia's defensive weaknesses coming into the season were their pass rush and overall passing defense. Georgia failed to register many sacks last year, a fact attested to by the fact that our paltry line for the most part kept them out of our backfield last year. Georgia had no sacks and few hurries against Oklahoma State, although it should be said that OSU was known for being rarely sacked last year. Georgia did well against the pass against Oklahoma State, suggesting that their talent and depth in the linebacking corps and secondary may be coming together in passing defense.

Read the rest of the preview after the jump.

This weekend, I expect Georgia to try to play to our perceived weaknesses by assuming that their line can manhandle ours and stuff our rushing game, usually using their linebacking corp to play the pass, and occasionally using blitzs to attempt to throw Stephen Garcia off. Georgia's inability to get quarterback pressure with a four-man rush will require these blitzes. These strategies should be effective for the most part. Our rushing game showed some potential last week against a decent N. C. State rushing defense, but we still averaged less than 3 ypc. Georgia has no reason to believe that their more talented line can't hold us to the same average until we prove otherwise. With Spurrier claiming he'll be less conservative this week, I do expect you'll see us diversify the running game with more outside pitches, occasional option plays, and perhaps wildcat formations with Stephon Gilmore taking the snap. Hopefully this, along with better line play and fewer freshman mistakes by Jarvis Giles, will help us move the ball on the ground somewhat effectively. However, you have to think that Georgia will be able to limit our rushing yards to a large degree.

As far as the passing game goes, I think that with their rushing defense Georgia will mostly play to dare Garcia to throw the ball downfield, assuming that he won't make the throws he needs to and may make occasional mistakes that lead to turnovers. Again, Spurrier claims he's going to take more chances this week, so we can expect to see us take Georgia's gambit here. Whether we succeed depends on a few keys. First of all, Garcia obviously needs to continue to avoid throwing into traffic. He did a good job of that last week, and I'd much prefer to see him continue to take a two- or three-yard gain on the ground instead of forcing the ball, as I think our defense can carry us in this game as long as we don't commit turnovers. Second of all, Garcia has to make the throws when he has open receivers. He underthrew Tori Gurley on the touchdown that got called back and underthrew a wide-open Weslye Saunders earlier in the game. He has to make those throws when we get the chances, because we won't get many. Finally, Garcia has to manage the blitz better. Spurrier criticizes him for not audibling well against N. C. State, and we've seen Garcia have trouble with this before. If he can find out a way to handle the blitz, we could see things open up in different ways. An well-timed handoff or pitch to the speedy Giles seems like the ideal blitz-breaker to me.

Overall, I expect we'll have some trouble moving the ball against Georgia. However, if we can limit turnovers and convert on the scoring opportunities we get, I do think we can score some points against the 'Dawgs. This week it probably really will be about Garcia; we're going to have trouble running, so Garcia playing smart and making plays when he gets the chance is what will have to make the difference for us.

3k's Eyes on the Prize - College Football Week 1

3k — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:56:34 -0000

Time to get my eyes on the prize - the young studs that annually replenish the NFL with talent... and holdouts. There are some great games this weekend and some not so good ones. I'll throw in a quick recap of last night's action too with enough links to make your eyes water.

While I'm on the subject of blurry vision, LeGarette Blount may have seen his team embarassed in Boise and may have seen his draft stock plummet in a single night, but his stock as a boxer may have risen high. Especially if he continues to go after guys while they're not watching. Check out the evidence after the ad:

I think the Raiders may have found an option for their backfield.

Prizes after the fold.

NOTE: Rankings are taken from the AP poll. All times are central time zone.

Thursday recap

- North Texas @ Ball St., 20-10: This was a huge win for the Mean Green. To go into Muncie after posting a 1-11 season with so many games against the basement of college football, the Sun Belt conference, against a Ball St. team that went 12-0 last season (even if they lost QB Nate Davis and OT Robert Brewster to the NFL) and win is the kind of turnaround the Rams could enjoy with a win at Seattle in week 1. UNT QB Riley Dodge, who spurned Texas to play at UNT for his dad, head coach Todd Dodge, looked like, well, a respectable college QB in the first game of his redshirt freshman campaign; senior RB Cam Montgomery looked studly, racking up 149 yards on just 17 carries. Dodge's and Montgomery's play took the spotlight away from the one legitimate draft prospect going into the game, Ball St. senior RB MiQuale Lewis, who finished with just over 100 yards on 15 carries and a TD.

- South Carolina @ North Carolina St., 7-3: I'm so glad I didn't watch this one. I've got two prospects from these two teams on my radar: Senior SC OLB Eric Norwood (who racked up 2 sacks last night) and NC St.'s senior DE Willie Young. Might have been nice to evaluate these two defenders, but not against offenses as weak as this.

- GAME OF THE NIGHT: #14 Boise St. vs. #16 Oregon, 19-8: The story from this game will be the Blount fallout, but Boise St.'s defense was absolutely dominant. The Broncos allowed just 31 rushing yard to one of the most respected ground games in the country. Blount was in the top tier of RB prospects in what looks like a VERY weak draft for RBs. With him out of the mix for a while, I'll be watching two other Oregon seniors: CB Walter Thurmond (who I mentioned on this week's Turf Show Radio), and TE Ed Dickson. On to Saturday's action...

Saturday prizes

I've got four games I'll be checking in on throughout the day:

- #9t Oklahoma St. vs. #13 Georgia (2:30PM, ABC): Oklahoma St. hopes the opening of the recently renovated Boone Pickens Stadium doesn't end up being a sad day in the record books. The Cowboys are ranked higher than they ever have been in the preseason rankings, and this game has gotten as much hype as an opener possibly can. Few teams can boast an offensive quartet as talented as OSU's: QB Zac Robinson, RB Kendall Hunter, WR/RET Dez Bryant and OT Russell Okung. They could all come out in the draft and go in the 1st round. Scary thought, though I don't think Robinson will go until the middle of the draft. Georgia boasts one of the best DT tandems in the country in Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens. Of course, the NFL Draft will be the last thing on nearly everyone's mind on Saturday. OSU is trying to kickstart a run to the Big 12 Championship while Georgia is trying to open the post-StaffordMoreno era with a big non-conference win in Stillwater. For the Bulldogs, Senior QB Joe Cox will try to go to standout soph WR A.J. Green as much as possible, since their running back committee is one member short given the hamstring injury to Caleb King. Oklahoma St. will lean on the talents they boast on offense to make the crowd a factor early.

Kdiction: OSU 27, Georgia 10

- #3 Oklahoma vs. #20 BYU (6:00PM, ESPN - neutral site): Oklahoma comes to Dallas for a huge opener, just not the biggest game of the college football season, to play Brigham Young in Jerry Jones' wet dream-turned-temple. Oklahoma will be without the best TE in college football, Jermaine Gresham, who will miss several games with a knee injury. Still, with Sam Bradford at the helm making the most of OT Trent Williams' blocking, and the tandem of DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown (the one who beats defenses, not women), BYU will have its hands full. The Cougars have a TE prospect for the NFL themselves in Dennis Pitta, so there's still some talent at the position for the draftniks in this one. From a Rams perspective, one guy I'll be watching is DT DeMarcus Granger; Granger could be a solid mid-round pick for the Rams who I hope are thinking of DTs they can bring on to replace a certain permanently injured lineman whose name I don't feel like typing.

Kdiction: Oklahoma 42, BYU 13

- #5 Alabama vs. #7 Virginia Tech (7:00PM, ABC - neutral site): The lowest average ranking of the two teams of any game this weekend, just having this battle scheduled is a joy for college football fans. This is the kind of non-conference game I wish we had more of every season. They'll both head to Atlanta to open their seasons in the Georgia Dome in front of what will be a rabid crowd. I mentioned CB Javier Arenas on TSR (as well as my mancrush, WR Julio Jones), but keep an eye on DT Terrence Cody as well. If Spags has an inkling of moving to a 3-4, Cody is the mountain of a man (hovering around 400 lbs.) you want at NT. Tech will be without their sophomore rushing star Darren Evans all season, so they're going to need to prove they can still move the ball against the one of the better defenses in the country. I'll be interested in CB Stephan Virgil who also handles some return duties.

Kdiction: Alabama 24, Va. Tech 14

- #11 LSU @ Washington (9:30PM, ESPN): I've got this one on here not so much for Washington who might have a couple guys find their way to the NFL as undrafted pickups (except for a certain junior), but for LSU who is loaded with talent. The top two prospects from the Tigers are easily identifiable: WR Brandon LaFell and OT Ciron Black. Both could end up as first round picks. LSU is coming off an incredibly disappointing season, so I'm sure they want to get things moving in the right direction this year. Now for that mystery junior I referenced -- Washington QB Jake Locker. Locker has everything you want in a QB prospect... except talented targets. After a stellar freshman effort, Locker injured his thumb last year, so it will be interesting to see how he begins the 2009 season. Locker's also a highly-touted baseball prospect, so he might not end up in the NFL. Nevertheless, his talent demands scrutiny this season and in this game to see if he can make diamonds out of dirt.

Kdiction: LSU 38, Washington 18

So what are you interested in yakking for tomorrow? Is it certain games? Matchups in those games? And are you interested in specific prospects or positions? Holler.

2009 Opponent Previews - Georgia

Will — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:00:12 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

"Now listen, Bobby Bowden gave me this hat..."

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The Series

Like the Tennessee-Florida rivalry, this one is born out of divisional alignment in 1992. The Vols lead the overall series 20-16-2. Tennessee won the first eight annual meetings and Georgia never beat Tennessee in the 90s. The Dawgs turned that around in the first part of this decade, winning four straight from 2000-2003. Since then, the rivalry has found a relatively even playing ground: the Vols are 3-2 in the last five games, but for the first time in a long time, neither team feels like it has the other's number.

Last Year

Georgia was preseason #1, but the Vols weren't impressed after the 35-14 beating they gave the Dawgs in 2007. But by the time the 2008 meeting rolled around in Athens, Tennessee had already lost thrice, and Georgia had been violently dethroned by Alabama. The Dawgs rolled up yardage but big plays from Tennessee's two best players, Robert Ayers and Eric Berry, kept them from rolling up points. With Nick Stephens at the helm, Tennessee scored off Berry's end zone INT to cut Georgia's lead to 20-14, but the defense couldn't keep Georgia from adding to their lead, and the offense had done all it could. The Dawgs finished it out with a 26-14 win that dropped the Vols to 2-4. Georgia would later lose to their two biggest rivals, Florida and Georgia Tech, and finish a long way from their preseason expectations.

Georgia Offense

Matt Stafford was the number one overall pick in the NFL Draft, and Knowshon Moreno wasn't far behind him. So while the offense returns four starters on the line and All-SEC WR AJ Green, much of the focus is on Joe Cox and Caleb King, and much of Georgia's fate may be in their hands. Cox has that "fifth year senior who waited his turn" vibe about him, having seen action here and there in the last three years behind Stafford. As such, key words like "game management" seem to keep coming up when you read about him.

If Georgia is to find success while their quarterback merely manages, that puts pressure on King and the running game. Some sources said King had a relatively disappointing spring, and there will be other carries for guys like redshirt freshman Carlton Thomas. No matter who's handling the ball, Georgia has to find success in the running game for this team to be successful. And in a comparison we love to make around these parts, they were humbled last season after championship expectations fell short, lost their superstar #1 draft pick quarterback, and return an offense with only one proven star and a quarterback who waited his turn. Can the "no stars" philosophy work for the Dawgs in 2009? If so they'll need to be bolstered by the...

Georgia Defense

This is a unit that returns six starters, two at each position group, but one that also has some atoning to do: last year the Dawgs gave up 41, 49 and 45 in their three losses, and also gave up 38 apiece to LSU and Kentucky in shootout wins. They were 22nd nationally in total defense but 58th in scoring defense. The best fix may be the reunited tandem of Jeff Owens and Geno Atkins at defensive tackle, which will be the clear strength of a defensive line hurting for experienced playmakers at end. Rennie Currian had 115 tackles last year and is a preseason All-SEC linebacker. Prince Miller returns at corner and Rashad Jones at safety. Georgia was -3 in turnovers last year, and with ball control offense in '09 they need that number to make a big jump in their favor.

It's baptism by fire right away with this group, opening at Oklahoma State.

Best Case Scenario for the Vols

Georgia comes in depleted by their murderous schedule, and Tennessee is rolling on a 4-1 start. Again, similar themes in the best case scenario: Tennessee's defense takes advantage of an inexperienced quarterback, and by this point key freshmen are experienced playmakers for the Vol offense. Jonathan Crompton out-manages Joe Cox, Montario Hardesty out-rushes Caleb King, and the Vols find just enough points against a stingy Dawg defense to upset Georgia in Knoxville.

Worst Case Scenario for the Vols

Now that this series has finally reached some even ground, the worst thing that could happen is for Georgia to gain a definitive upper hand. Regardless of the outcome of the five previous games for either team, Georgia comes out and is simply better than Tennessee - the UGA defense attacks Crompton and keeps the Vols in single digits, while Joe Cox is in rhythm and the Dawgs get all the points they need. Georgia wins comfortably in Knoxville, and the Vols are forced to deal with the realization that right now, they're just not on the same level as the Bulldogs.

Game Importance Ranking: 9.4

This is the highest one you'll see. It's above the Gators because while we're given no chance to win that one, this one in Knoxville is a slightly different story. I can't make a rational argument that the Vols are going to beat Florida or Alabama on the road. I think the rational argument can be made for what would be an upset here. I'm not saying it's going to happen...I'm just saying it's more in the realm of possibilities.

Last year the Dawgs dominated the yardage battle, but the game was tight on the scoreboard throughout. Is there really that much talent separation between these two teams? The Vols had a better defense statistically last year, Georgia is inexperienced at key positions on offense...if Jonathan Crompton improves (and how could he not?), are we really that far apart?

Georgia's schedule to open the season - at Oklahoma State, South Carolina, at Arkansas, Arizona State, LSU, at Tennessee - is beyond brutal, and the Dawgs could be burdened with a handful of losses already. But even if not, it's very very difficult to play at the high level winning all of those games would require for six consecutive weeks. The Dawgs get Vanderbilt and an off week after Tennessee, making Knoxville the last real obstacle in the opening stretch...something I think works to UT's advantage.

So on our schedule, this is the biggest game that we realistically have a chance in. That to me makes it more important than Florida. UCLA is of first importance, then Auburn...but if the Vols win those two, this becomes the greatest test. Kiffin and the Vols will be asked to clear the bar at higher levels each week...but if Tennessee walks into this game 4-1, the Vols will truly have a chance for a one-year turnaround. More than that, if the Vols want to get back in the annual SEC elite conversation, they don't do that just with one stunning upset, but by consistently beating teams on their same level. If Georgia has pulled even with Tennessee, the most important thing Tennessee can do is make sure they don't pull ahead. That starts this season in Knoxville.

Recommended Reading - DawgSports

The 2009 Georgia Bulldogs are Overrated...or Underrated

Putting Georgia's 2008 Season Into Perspective

Sprints Thinks More is Better // 08.12.09

Year2 — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:30:10 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Tennessee freshman wide receiver Nu'Keese Richardson (7) sings for the camera at Tennessee's football Media Day. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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Another preseason awards list? Sure! The Outland Trophy watch list is out, which is for the award that goes to the nation's top lineman. It has a distinctly SEC flavor to it, with ten players from the conference making it: UGA's Geno Atkins, LSU's Ciron Black, Alabama's Terrence Cody and Mike Johnson, Ole MIss' John Jerry, Tennessee's Josh McNeil, Florida's Maurkice and Mike Pouncey, and Arkansas' Malcolm Sheppard. Candidates can come and go from the list throughout the year.

Another preseason ranking? Sure! This time it's What If Sports and it's fancy computer formulas. It's really not all that different from everyone else: four SEC teams in the top ten, five in the top fifteen, and the sixth doesn't come until the 30s. If you hybridize the Coaches' Poll and ESPN's preseason power poll, this is about what you'd get.

Another another preseason ranking? Sure! Vegas is weighing in on the season too, and surprise surprise, it likes Florida. It really doesn't like Ole Miss though, with the Rebels not appearing in the top 54 teams based on odds. What I don't understand about people who comment on the various Vegas-produced polls is that they never acknowledge that the mindset of bettors plays as big a role as any in the lists. Maybe Vegas doesn't hate Ole Miss, it's just the hordes of gamblers that do.

More Wildcat formation? Sure! Now it's Tennessee's turn for some direct snap goodness, but don't call it the G-Gun. Why? Because instead of Gerald Jones back there, it's freshman wideout Nu'Keese Richardson. Why not Jones? He's got a cast on a wrist which makes it too tough, and he needs to focus on receiving. Why not bolster Eric Berry's Heisman campaign with some WildVol? Kiffin doesn't want him distracted from being the All American safety he is.

Serenity Now. Stephen Expat of the Arkansas Expats is looking for someone to hate. He's not mean spirited, he just means that the Pigs need a real in-conference rival. The fake "rivalry" with South Carolina doesn't even register, and nothing right now compares to the old SWC tangles of yore. My suggestion: overlook Houston Nutt and go for LSU. They don't have a real, "we're both each other's No. 1" rival in the league either.

Inset Allen Iverson quote here. ESPN's Chris Low has some quick observations from Alabama's practice. He found out that yes, Terrence Cody's weight loss is noticeable and is down around 350. If you're wondering how nimble and athletic someone can be at that size, just think of Shaq in his prime as the ceiling on that.

And again. Red Cup Rebellion's excellent reporting on Ole Miss' practice continues here.

SEC Media Policy: now in wait and see mode. Is anyone else shocked that 35 to 40 media outlets complained to the SEC about its new, asinine media policy? Expect a "tweaked" edition in the next day or two because hey, the season's almost here.

Yikes. It's easy to miss since football is taking over the world right about now, but A Sea of Blue has the sordid details about former Kentucky head coach Rick Pitino and a nasty defamation lawsuit he's working through. It's not pretty.

Because we haven't talked about newspapers in a while. It's not sports related, but technology columnist John C. Dvorak offers a good plan for saving newspapers in our digital world. It's not half bad, especially for Dvorak. I wouldn't recommend looking through his archives for more good articles, though. He's like the Paul Finebaum of the tech world in that pretty much all he does is write inflammatory things to generate a reaction.

SB Nation - Geno Atkins

2010 prospect watch (DT edition) - Nov. 17th

1 - Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska (ESPN)

2 - Gerald McCoy*, Oklahoma (ESPN, MTD)

3 - Marvin Austin*, North Carolina

4 - Arthur Jones, Syracuse (ESPN, MTD)

5 - Terrence Cody, Alabama (ESPN)

6 - Jared Odrick, Penn St. (ESPN)

7 - Vince Oghobaase, Duke (ESPN)

8 - Brian Price*, UCLA

9 - Dan Williams, Tennessee

10 - Geno Atkins, Georgia (ESPN)

Vote for the next big board position...NOW!

QB (v2.0)

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TE

OT

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Around the SEC East- Week 7

Lane Kiffin gets the first notch in his belt

Saturday NFL Draft watch notes

Week 3: Georgia Preview

Saturday NFL Draft watch notes

Previewing South Carolina at Georgia: Georgia's Defense

3k's Eyes on the Prize - College Football Week 1

Thursday recap

Saturday prizes

2009 Opponent Previews - Georgia

Sprints Thinks More is Better // 08.12.09

2 - Gerald McCoy*, Oklahoma (ESPN , MTD)