Newspaper Page Text
SPORTS
The Red & Black | Wednesday, August 16, 2006 | 7B
BULLDOG INJURIES
Almost two weeks into fall prac
tice and with two-and-a-half to go
before Georgia's first game, injuries
have forced several Bulldogs to miss
significant practice time, others to
miss a couple days and two players
to miss the entire season.
So far though, head coach Mark
Richt said he is pleased his team has
remained mostly healthy.
Here are key players still not able
to fully participate after Tuesday’s
practice:
Sean Bailey, WR, Senior
Richt has previously said Bailey will
likely receive a medical redshirt for
the 2006 season after tearing the
Anterior Cruciate Ligament in his right
knee late last year. One of Georgia’s
most experienced receivers, he start
ed all but one game last season.
Bailey has participated in some work
outs wearing a no-contact jersey,
serving mainly as a mentor to
younger Bulldog receivers. Kenneth
Harris is listed as the starting flanker,
but the position is wide open with A.J.
Bryant and Mikey Henderson also
contending for the starting role.
Antavious Coates, FS, Redshirt
Freshman
For the second straight season,
Coates won’t make it on the field for a
game. He tore the ACL in his right
knee earlier this fall in practice after
missing all of last season with tearing
his left ACL during his final high
school season. The third-string free
safety was expected to be ready by
the fall.
Darius Dewberry, LB, Freshman
Dewberry pulled a muscle and Richt
said the pull was “fairly significant.”
He is out for at least a week and
might not be able to return for two
weeks. Dewberry had practiced with
the second-team and Richt said he
was the furthest along among the
young linebackers. He will likely see
playing time, Richt said.
Dannell Ellerbe, LB, Redshirt
Sophomore
Ellerbe, already suspended for the
first three games of season, tweaked
his shoulder and has missed the past
few practices. When Ellerbe is eligible
to return for the Colorado game, he
will provide depth at the linebacker
position. He entered fall as the back
up weakside linebacker, but the line
backer positioning has not been final
ized yet.
Marquis Elmore, DT, Senior
Elmore’s knee was scoped Tuesday
and that will keep him out for a week
to 10 days. With starter Ray Gant
also out, that leaves the Bulldogs with
two senior leaders out at one of the
defensive tackle spots. Dale Dixson is
listed with the second unit at this spot
and is practicing.
Ray Gant, DT, Senior
An injured shoulder has kept Gant out
of many of the fall workouts, but he
recently started weightlifting to regain
strength in the shoulder. Richt said
Gant is not quite ready to begin prac
tice. The defensive line is one of
Georgia’s deepest areas, and Gant's
backup, Dale Dixson, is also an expe
rienced senior.
T.J. Gartrell, WR, Junior
Gartrell is out for the season after
tearing the patella tendon in his knee
in practice last week. Gartrell, who
had surgery Monday, caught three
passes last season, averaging about
25 yards a catch and has a total of
AND SUSPENSIONS
four career receptions. Entering fall
practice, he was listed as the fourth
string split end, a position sophomore
Mohamed Massaquoi has locked up.
The injury does allow freshman Kris
Durham to play more, and Richt
praised the way the tall receiver has
put on weight and worked to learn the
offense since entering school in the
spring.
Mikey Henderson, WR, Junior
The converted defensive back said all
the running he has done as a receiver
is catching up to him and he sat out
of practice Tuesday with a hamstring
tweak. He had also missed some
drills earlier. One of Georgia’s fastest
players, he does not expect to miss
much time. He is in a fight with a cou
ple other receivers for the starting
flanker spot.
Jarvis Jackson, LB, Senior
Jackson is back practicing with the
help of an orthotic in his shoe after
injuring his foot and sitting out a few
practices. Jackson, listed at middle
linebacker, should play a very impor
tant role this year coming of a good
season where he led the team in
tackles several games.
Jeremy Lomax, DE, Redshirt
Sophomore
Listed as the third string behind the
SEC preseason defensive player of
the year and the country’s top defen
sive end according to The Sporting
News - Quentin Moses - Lomax is
out with a groin and hip flexor injury
and rode a bike at practice Tuesday.
Richt said the injury was not signifi
cant. With Moses and Charles
Johnson starting at the other defen
sive end position, this is likely
Georgia’s strongest position.
Zeb McKinzey, OG, Junior
McKinzey, much like Gant, has not
practiced in a while and is not expect
ed to be back on the field that soon.
Out with a shoulder injury, he would
provide much-needed depth on an
offensive line that has little experience
beyond the starters.
Michael Moore, WR, Redshirt
Freshman
Moore was held out of parts of prac
tice Tuesday with a sore knee. This
adds to the Bulldog flankers suffering
from injury or soreness, but Moore
should not be out for long.
Des Williams, FB, Junior
Williams, who missed all of last sea
son with a torn pectoral muscle,
recently suffered a meniscal tear in
his right knee and will be out for a
week to 10 days after getting the
knee scoped Tuesday. Williams was
listed second with junior Jason
Johnson at fullback on the depth
chart, and Richt said he has been
pleased with how Johnson is pro
gressing at fullback after making the
move from tailback. Starter Brannan
Southerland has missed a little time in
camp, but has returned.
Tony Wilson, WR, Freshman
A newcomer that likely won’t see the
field this year, Wilson suffered a
shoulder pointer Tuesday and Richt
said he hoped he would be out for
only a few days.
Also backup offensive linemen Ian
Smith (Redshirt freshman) and John
Miller (Freshman) and walk-on
Charles Krauth were also in no-con
tact jerseys Tuesday.
— Matthew Borenstein
Spots available on Bulldog secondary
By ALEX BYINGTON
abyington@randb.com
Quarterback isn’t the only
position with a starting posi
tion up for grabs.
For instances, there has
been heated discussion over
how to replace three promi
nent starters from last year’s
secondary.
After the departures of
stalwarts Greg Blue, Tim
Jennings and Demario
Minter, the coaching staff
faces questions about pass
defence.
Replacing Blue, last sea
son’s leading tackier with 96
total tackles, is junior free
safety Kelin Johnson, who
has appeared mostly on spe
cial teams.
Joining him in the defen
sive backfield is senior Tra
Battle, the most experienced
player coming back.
Though safety is set, the
coaches are still undecided
when the topic of corner-
backs comes up.
“The big question right
now would be the other cor
ner (opposite junior Paul
Oliver) and then when you
bring in the nickelback — it’s
two new guys, and there’s
no doubt that there’s a big
concern,” said defensive
coordinator Willie Martinez.
The suspension of junior
cornerback Thomas Flowers
for the first two games
for a violation of team rules
costs a young defense
its only other player with
college experience, albeit
as a punt returner last sea
son.
“My attitude is still posi
tive,” Flowers said. “My
objective right now is to try
and give the guys all the
knowledge I have.”
Redshirt sophomore cor
ner Ramarcus Brown is listed
as Flowers’ replacement,
though coaches say the
pecking order is still a fluid
one.
True freshmen Asher Allen
from Tucker and Prince
Miller from Duncan, S.C. are
also in the running for the
spot.
“The younger corners
that we got are probably the
most athletically talented
(players) that we have,”
Oliver said.
“Ramarcus Brown, he’s
the fastest player on the
team and one of the smarter
corners that we got.”
“Asher and Prince, both of
them are gonna be good.
Like Prince, he’s a smaller
corner (listed at 5 ft. 8 in.),
but he’s quick and stronger
then you might expect,”
Oliver said.
Despite the uncertainty of
relying on kids barely of vot
ing age to start for a top
Division I school like No. 14
Georgia, those in contention
for the coveted spot don’t
seem at all concerned.
“A lot of people are saying
the secondary is young, and
Offensive line hurt
by suspensions
By ALEX BYINGTON
abyington@randb.com
The role of an offensive
lineman is to fill holes and
keep the quarterback pro
tected long enough where he
can do his job.
But what is a quarterback
to do when the people he
counts on to protect him
keep disappearing?
Gone from last season’s
senior-laden offensive line
are All-American guard Max
Jean-Gilles, center Russ
Tanner, and tackle Dennis
Roland Jr., leaving whomev
er wins the quarterback
competition with questions
about his safety.
Looking to fill in the gaps
will be career back-up tackle
Ken Shackleford, a senior,
and two junior guards,
Chester Adams and
Fernando Velasco, neither of
whom saw much action in
2005. Velasco even earned a
redshirt last year.
The line is not without
some experience though,
with senior Nick Jones
moving over from his
previous position at guard
to anchor the line at center.
“We have a starting five
right now, but other than
that, we have to put the puz
zle together,” Jones said.
Also returning will be fel
low senior Daniel Inman,
although his early season
suspension will only further
the line’s problems.
Adding to the questions
for offensive line coach Neil
Callaway are mounting
injuries and “frustrating”
suspensions which have left
the line with an extreme lack
of depth to complement its
lack of experience.
“Anytime you have guys
out with suspensions, it
hurts. It hurts the depth, it
hurts the chemistry,” Jones
said.
Inman, expected to line
up at left tackle, will not be
available for the first
two games of the season
while on suspension for
violating unspecified team
rules. Also suspended is
redshirt freshman Ian
Smith.
Taking Inman’s spot
in the starting lineup
will be another career back
up, senior tackle Michael
Turner.
that can help us in a lot of
ways. We have our strengths
with our speed and quick
ness,” Brown said. “After a
couple of games, you aren’t
really young any more. You
grow up real fast.”
There is even an elevated
level of confidence among the
freshmen.
“Personally, I’ve always felt
that with me on the field,
there’s always a chance for
me to make a big play,” Allen
said.
With the competition
heating up, each player
is taking every opportunity
he can to impress.
“I feel like it’s very compet
itive. All of us have to
be on our toes, because all
of us can make plays,” Brown
said.
“If it ain’t me, I’m gonna
be confident in them.”
Despite the players’ confi
dence, the coaches are still
warry about their inexperi
ence.
“The talent and the skills
are there, but the experience
is not,” Martinez said.
SCOTT CHILDS | The Red & Black
▲ Sophomore Ramarcus
Brown is battling two
freshmen for the second
starting cornerback job.
“It’s a big concern, obvi
ously that guy will get picked
on more, and we know that.”
Georgia Baptist College of Nursing
of Mercer University
Offering Excellence in Nursing Education
Georgia Baptist College of Nursing of Mercer
University is recognized as a college where caring and
clinical competency are matched by an unyielding
commitment to educational excellence.
Georgia Baptist College of Nursing has been educating
students to become nurses for more than 100 years, and offers:
■ The Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree
■ The RN-BSN Advanced Track
■ A Master of Science in Nursing Degree program
■ A Nurse Educator Certificate program
■ A strong focus on student achievement
■ Three years of hands-on clinical instruction in the
undergraduate program
As part of Mercer University, the College of Nursing is:
■ Located on Mercer University’s 300-acre Cecil B. Day
Graduate and Professional Campus in northeast Atlanta
■ Housed in a new,
state-of-the-art
teaching facility,
offering the best
in teaching
technology
Come to Our
OPEN HOUSE
Sunday, Oct. 29, 2006
2 p.m.
3001 Mercer University Dr.
UNIVERSITY
ATLANTA
For more information, call (678) 547-6700
or visit nursing.mercer.edu.
Mention this ad and receive
20% OFF
Laser Hair Removal Package of 6
20% OFF
Airbrush Tanning Package of 6
www.ag8lessremedies.coni
706.208.9200 Toll Free: 060.504.9200
3B54-A Atlanta Highway Athens, GA 30606
medical director: Grepory P. Zengo, M.D.
Offers,expire September 30, 3006.
A truly unique experience
awaits you at Ageless
Remedies, where clinical and
spa treatments are combined.
Microdermabrasion
BOTOX
Restylane
Cellulite Reduction Treatments
Laser Hair Removal
Waxing
Airbrush Tanning
Custom Facials
Peels
Javani Skin Rejuvenation Facial
Southeast’s Largest Apothecary
Ageless Remedies
medical skincare & apothecary
OUR GIANT
PARTY SUBS
ARE BIG ENOUGH
TO BRIDGE ANY
LANGUAGE
BARRIER.
G On^ LD ’S GREKffcjli
"ftlWET SAND
WORLD'S GREATEST SANDWICH DELIVERY
CATERING SO FAST
YOU'LL FREAK!
265 E. CLAYTON - 706.613.6500
525 BAXTER ST. - 706.613.0500
JIMMY
JOHNS
COM
<200$ JIMMY JOHN'S F ■ A N C K I $ ( . INC.