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Georgia still top Dawg in SEC East By Pat Forde Special to ESPN.com |
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Georgia Bulldogs
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Coach: Mark Richt (21-5, 3rd season) 2002 overall record: 13-1 Conference record: 7-1 Returning starters Offense: 3, Defense: 7, Kicker/Punter: 1 2002 statistical leaders (* - returners) Rushing: Musa Smith (1,324 yds) Passing: David Greene* (2,924 yds) Receiving: Terrence Edwards (1,004 yds) Tackles: Boss Bailey & Tony Gilbert (114 each) Sacks: David Pollack* (14) Interceptions: Kentrell Curry (4) Outlook: So much for the afterglow? The offseason was one long hangover from the Bulldogs' first SEC title celebration since Herschel was a pup. Nine players are suspended for one to three games after a series of embarrassments, ranging from being busted for marijuana possession to suspensions for violating unspecified team rules to selling their SEC championship rings to a jewelry broker. Is that any way to start a dynasty? Mark Richt, whose career has started as successfully as any current head coach not named Stoops or Coker, stepped in. He called a team meeting the first day of summer school to clear the air/lay down the law/circle the wagons (pick your cliché). Early returns indicate that the ploy worked and the Dogs are reunited and refocused on the task of repeating in the SEC East that kept them down for so many years. It is an indication of the talent level in Athens that the Dogs could lose all five offensive linemen, all three linebackers, the SEC's No. 2 rusher, the school's all-time leading receiver and a total of seven NFL draft picks, yet still be rated in the preseason Top 10 nationally. Richt has just 11 seniors, down from 21 last year, but he also has returning SEC Player of the Year David Pollack, a monster at defensive end as an unheralded sophomore, and Pollack's best friend: two-year starting quarterback David Greene, whose record as a starter mirrors Richt's record as a head coach: an impressive 21-5. Greene, like Richt, is also 8-0 as a starter in road games. Greene will have plenty of big-play receivers to throw to. The bigger question is who he hands off to, and how often. Sophomore Tony Milton will get first crack at replacing Musa Smith, and coaches will be hoping he improves his 3.7 yards-per-touch average from last year. Redshirt freshman Michael Cooper might get a chance to make an impact if Milton doesn't step forward. Defensively the Bulldogs were excellent last year, especially in the second half. Their final eight opponents averaged just 4.8 points and 116 yards of offense after intermission. The secondary should be a strength after all suspensions are served, since every player who picked off a pass last year is back in red and black. But the opener against Clemson could be dicey: three cornerbacks are suspended for that game, and preseason all-SEC safety Kentrell Curry is currently dealing with a stress fracture of his right leg. Georgia's special teams features three potential game-winning playmakers: kicker Billy Bennett, punt returner Damian Gary and kickoff returner Fred Gibson. Punter is another matter. If freshman Andy Bailey isn't ready, the only alternatives are walk-ons. Keep an eye on: Backup QB D.J. Shockley -- yes, again this year. Richt loves getting the athletic Shockley into games, even though that seemed to have a negative impact on Greene until Shockley broke his foot near midseason. With such a green offensive line, a quarterback with Shockley's mobility might be even more important, necessitating even more playing time. Greene and Shockley insist that sharing the position isn't a problem, and the Dogs did win a lot of games that way last year -- but what happens if Shockley starts eating into Greene's playing time? Key game: The SEC Game of the Year is Auburn at Georgia, but who says you play just one key game -- especially in this league? The Bulldogs visit Tennessee Oct. 18 for their third tough road game of the first half of the season, following trips to Clemson and LSU. Georgia's thrilling win in its last trip to Neyland Stadium validated Richt, and the team that lost nine straight to the Vols from 1989-99 now has a three-game winning streak in the series. It's a good year if. . .: With a taste of what its like to win a league title, and with Tennessee and Florida still off peak form, expectations of a repeat East Division crown are not unrealistic. But the schedule is brutal. The Dogs play the other four top teams in the league -- LSU, Tennessee, Florida and Auburn -- and only one of those games is in Athens. Nevertheless, if Georgia isn't undone early by the suspensions or the all-new O-line, it wouldn't be a surprise to see it in the national title picture into November -- and possibly beyond. Pat Forde covers college football for the Louisville Courier-Journal.
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