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6 • The Red and &\ack/Between The Hedges • Friday, October 19, 1990
Gantt’s work ethic vital to Dogs’ ailing defense
By SPENCE SHORES
Sports Wnter
Seniors are hard to find on the
1990 Georgia football team. There
are only ten on the entire team.
Considering this fact, leadership
might be a problem for the squad.
Enter Bryant Gantt.
Gantt, a 6-3, 216-pound outside
linebacker from Athens, Ga., is one
of three fifth-year seniors on the
team. Leadership is a trait that
Gantt takes very seriously.
“I’m one of the leaders on the
team,” Gantt said. “I try to keep
the younger guys motivated and
tell them to keep their heads up.”
Coaches say Gantt is a good ex
ample of a hard worker. This is re
flected in his class room
performance as well as his effort on
the football field. Because coaches
say he “gives it everything he’s
got,” Gantt was able to find his way
into Georgia’s starting lineup.
“He’s been around for a long
time,” defensive coordinator
Richard Bell said. “He gives you
everything he has and wants to be
as good as he can be.”
So far this season, the best
Gantt can be is the sixth leading
tackier on the team. Gantt has 35
tackles and one sack. Last season,
playing in a backup role to Norman
Cowins, he registered 26 tackles
and recovered two fumbles. The
numbers are not overwhelming but
still represent the effort that Gantt
makes on the football field.
“He is an extremely hard worker
on the field,” outside linebacker
coach Dicky Clark 8&id.“He’ll do
anything you ask him to do. He al
ways gives 100 percent.”
Gantt has had a rocky road
throughout his college career. Re
cruited by several schools in
cluding North Carolina State,
Clemson, and South Carolina,
Gantt decided home is where he
should stay. Living around the
corner from Sanford Stadium in
his youth, Gantt grew up a Dog
fan. He has attended every home
game since 1978.
While dreaming of his days in
the college ranks, Gantt played
high school football at Cedar
Shoals at tight end. He was also a
400-relay runner on Cedar Shoals’
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The major obstacle Gantt has
faced throughout his college career
has been his size.
Gantt was considered too light
coming out of high school to com
pete as a freshman. He was
redshirted and used the year to
gain strength. He played mostly on
the junior varsity team as a
freshman and sophomore before
gaining some playing time a year
ago as a junior. This season Gantt
has been a mainstay on a defense
that has seen its share of casual
ties.
Despite the losses, Gantt said
the defense has come together.
‘The losses pulled the defense
together,” Gantt said “It hurt us to
lose all of those guys but we have
had to come together as a unit and
play even harder.”
Gantt realizes that in order to
succeed at the Division I level,
hard work must be implemented
every day. He puts in countless
hours working out in the weight
room and studying game films.
Coaches say he is a student of the
game. In recognition of his intense
work ethic, the Georgia coaches
awarded Gantt the “Outstanding
Work Habits” honor at the conclu
sion of 1990’s spring practice.
All of this hard work has helped
Gantt to make up for some of the
athletic ability he may lack.
“He is extremely persistent,”
Clark said. - He has all the intan
gibles to make himself a good foot
ball player. He just hung around,
put in a lot of hard work, and now
is a starter for us.”
Gantt credits his family and
community for giving him lasting
support and concern.
“My family gets to see me play
and the people in my community
have given me a lot of support,” he
said. ‘They are always asking me
about my school work. They really
care about me getting my educa
tion. I have enjoyed staying at
home and playing in front of my
friends and family.”
Added Bell, “He has a concern
for his teammates. Like the saying
goes To have friends you have got
to be a friend.’ He has all the re
spect of his teammates."
As far as plans for the future go,
Gantt plans to graduate in the
summer with a degree in eco
nomics. As his senior season winds
down, Bryant Gantt can look back
with pride at his accomplishmnets
both on and off the playing field.
He has given a young football team
a leader it can follow and respect.
“It is a pleasure to see him be a
leader on this team,” Clark
said.“He has worked hard for five
years and now is getting a chance
to play a lot of football.”
“He has done what many
thought he couldn’t do,” Bell said.
“He earned a starting position on
this team.”
SEC update
From page 4
RECORD: 3-3, 1-2, fourth place
GAME THIS WEEK: Vanderbilt
at home (Homecoming 1 p.m. EDT)
SEC STAT TALK: Georgia’s of
fense is ranked last in the SE-
CRushing— Garrison Hearst is
the conference’s fourth-leading
rusher with 430 yards. Quar
terback— Greg Talley and Preston
Jones are 11th and 12th in the con
ference with 404 and 363 passing
yards respectively. Receiving—
Sean Hummings is 10th in the con
ference with 248 receiving yards.
Kicking— John Kasay is second in
the SEC with 12 field goals made.
SEC STAT TALK: The Tide of
fense has pushed its way to fourth
in the conference by amassing 385
yards a game. Rushing — Derrick
Lassie (161), Kevin Turner (159),
Chris Anderson (155) and Martin
Houston (150) are the 16th, 17th,
18th and 19th-ranked rushers in
the SEC. Quarterback —
Hollingsworth’s 805 passing yards
rank him fifth in the conference.
Receiving — Lamonde Russeli’s
154 yards are the most of any
Bama receiver and ranks 20th in
the conference. Kicking — Philip
Doyle hasn’t missed a field goal all
season and leads the SEC with 13.
Defense — Alabama gives up 264
yards a game, ranking the team as
the third most effective defense.
ence with 149.83 rating points
(based on a number of passing sta
tistics). Receiving — Clarence Sul
livan’s 58 yards receiving a game
rank him fifth in the SEC. Defense
— Vand/s defense is ranked last in
the conference, allowing 482 total
yards a game.
TEAM/COACH: Mississippi State
Bulldogs/Rockey Felker
RECORD: 2-3, 0-3 fifth place
GAME THIS WEEK: at Tulane 8
p.m. EDT
STATUS: Mississippi State is the
only winless team against the con
ference. The team has four more
SEC games including a game
against instate-rival Ole Miss the
last week of the season.
TEAM/COACH: Alabama
Crimson Tide/Gene Stallings
RECORD: 2-3, 1-2 T fourth place
GAME TIUS WEEK: at Ten
nessee 4 p.m. EDT
STATUS: After losing its first
three games of the season, Ala
bama has fought back to win two
straight heading into a tough as
signment against the third-ranked
Volunteers. Including Saturday’s
match, Alabama has four confer
ence games remaining, including a
clash with rivnl Auburn.
TEAM/COACH: Vanderbilt Com-
modoresAVatson Brown
RECORD:l -4, 1-2 T fourth
GAME THIS WEEK: at Georgia 1
p.m. EDT
SEC STAT TALK: The Commo
dore offense’s 320 yards a game is
the seventh best mark in the con
ference. Rushing — Marcus Wil
son’s 33 yards a game is the most of
any Commodore and ranks 14th in
the conference. Quarterback —
Mike Healey is the number one
rated quarterback of the confer-
SEC STAT TALK: State’s offense
is ranked eighth in the conference
as it averages 283 yards a game.
Rushing — Jay Galloway is eighth
in the conference with 50 yards
rushing per game. Quarterback —
Tony Shell is fourth in the confer
ence with 936 passing yards. Re
ceiving — State’s leading receiver,
Willie Harris, averages 34 yards a
game receiving, 17th best in the
conference. Kicking — Chris
Gardner has yet to make a field
goal in three attempts and ranks
last in all categories.
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