Newspaper Page Text
2
Friday, October aa, aoio | The Rep * Black
‘WE DO WHAT WE DO’
Warren Belin was handed the responsibility of Georgia’s kick coverage when he arrived in Athens.
Under his guidance, the Bulldogs’ kickoff team ranks as one of the best in the country.
By RACHEL G. BOWERS
The Red & Black
Warren Belin won’t disclose
his kickoff coverage strategy.
The first-year Oeorgia assis
tant chalks up his philosophy in
five simple words: “We do what
we do.”
“When I came here, I Just sim
ply asked [head coach Mark]
Richt [what he wanted to do]
and he said Warren, ‘Do what
you do.' And that’s what we’re
doing, is what we do," Belin
said.
While interviewing for the
inside linebacker position earlier
this year, Belin said Richt also
wanted to utilize Belin’s special
teams knowledge. Because the
Bulldogs don’t have one desig
nated special teams coordinator,
the responsibilities of each
aspect of special teams are divid
ed up. And coming into his first
preseason camp as a Bulldog
after eight years at Vanderbilt,
Belin knew what he wanted out
of his players from the get-go.
“The first time we got in [the
team meeting room], he
showed us the clips from
when he was at Vanderbilt
and how when the [oppos
ing] players on kickoff
caught the ball, the whole
kickoff [coverage team]
was inside the 30 and
that’s what he wanted
our whole kickoff [cover
age team] inside the 30,”
comerback Derek Owens
said.
Belin has gotten what he
wanted. Georgia’s kickoff cover
age team is No. 13 in the country,
allowing 18.5 yards per return,
with players who are relatively
unknown emerging as playmak
ers.
Belin said players ask him
every day to be on the kickofT
coverage team and the excite
ment surrounding the kickoff
coverage unit has led to his play
ers performing consistently in
practice as well as in games.
“I’m excited about their
efforts each and every day and
they’re excited about covering
kicks and when you get that
excitement in the team meeting
room, you get it on the field, you
get it on game day,” Belin said.
Owens said after the offense
scores, the kickoff coverage team
gathers at the 50-yard line on the
sideline, itching to get in the
Now
serving
brown
rite!
Find our menu at:
www.choochoorestauranh.com
F* 9 * ISy Sw / ESI ££y
r -Japanese k&MEMM lEMH I
Student Special Everyday!
Chicken Entree for $6
Steak or Shrimp Entree for $6 50
plus one side order
side salad • drink • eggroll • spring rolls (2)
We Are Open Late:
Mon-Sat until 4am!
Eastside Location *
1055 Gaines School Road JMr C
706 543.8888 I We deliver to|GAjgpg#
Westside location
706.353.888QM1i!w e q deliver to GSelShouses
We have FREE WUEIL^m
field and lay a hit on the oppos
ing team’s return man. Belin said
while watching film Sunday
morning, he saw the Georgia
sideline get “Jacked up” to watch
the kickoff coverage team work.
Comerback Blake Sailors said
there is somewhat of a competi
tion to see who can make it down
the field first to get the stop to
let the defense take over.
“Usually, we’ll Just say before
we go out there, Just like, Tm
gonna be down there first. Who’s
gonna meet me there? Just meet
me at the ball,’" Sailors said. “It
makes guys get down there fast
er and try to get down there
harder.”
And as the personnel for the
kickoff coverage team is relative
ly young and small, the players
compensate using their speed.
. Sailors said it takes passion,
while Owens said it takes heart
to make the plays necessary to
pin opposing offenses in their
own territory.
“It’s fun being on the kickoff.
It’s very exciting,” Owens said.
“It’s exciting just running down
there with everybody and
making the ’ tackle and
then getting the bones
put on your back and we
wanna be No. 1 in the
nation in kickoff and we
go hard.”
The biggest playmaker
for the kickoff coverage
team comes in the form
of an unexpected redshirt
freshman Sailors.
“On that kickoff team.
BELIN
he’s part of the reason we are
ranked No. 1 [in the conference],”
Richt said. “It’s more than him,
but he’s the first guy down every
time and now he’s got to the
point where he’s the guy they are
trying to double team and harass
and knock the heck out of.”
Sailors' breakaway speed in
the open field has forced other
teams to double-team him. But
comerback Jordan Love said
that just leaves other players
open to make the hit. Love also
said he didn’t notice Sailors’
speed until he watched it on film
for the first time.
“It’s kinda fUnny because the
first time they put him on kick
off, nobody really saw [his speed]
out there on the field but when
you watch it on film, he’s like five
yards ahead of everybody. ’’ Love
said. “When you be running down
there, all you see is this little
FIRST & GOAL
, >,
white thing running. It’s Blake.
He's usually the first one down
there.”
Sailors, who was on scout
team last season, takes advan
tage of his role on the kickoff
coverage team and as a gunner
of the punt coverage team.
“I’m not on offense or defense
or anything, so my chance to
make plays is on special teams,”
Sailors said. “So, I’m trying to do
everything I can do to make a
play and everybody is saying
good job to me just because I’m
not doing other things, so that’s
my chance.”
Sailors capitalizing on his
“chance" has paid off for the
Bulldogs, though Belin said he
does not check the statistics or
standings and tells players to
ignore them as well.
Love said the kickoff coverage
team has been “fortunate” so far
this season, not allowing a break
out run or touchdown and put
ting the defense in a good posi
tion starting out.
“We just go out there and have
fun. That’s basically like the main
thing. We go out there and have
flm,” Love said. “We try not to
talk about [the statistics or
standings]. As soon as you start
looking at all the press clippings
and start believing all the hype,
that's when your game starts to
fall off. [Belin] tells us all the
time, ’Just have pride in what
you do,’ and that’s what we do.”
t *ndOperne
\1 C 1
5 FU
•- M I
sweet
peppers
DELI
sandwiches, paninis,
wraps, nachos, soups,
j loaded potatoes
. Come out and watch the
■HMjf Jh. 9 ames with us on our
in our parking
lot! Game is inside too!
JBEER SPECIALS downtown cornor of j
p§p J 2 % t Broad and Pilaskl
Jm , ■ J% O c I (Noxt to Qamoday
lfe DUO LignLdZ.o ■ Condominiums)
Terrapin $3 a 296 w. Broad
V 706.354.6728
!
Free
appetiiers.
See below.
fiBH:.. SflHj t < tn
j m " .
•• ~• " M - . 'i.
PHOTOS BY WES BLANKENSHIP Tik Ru> * Black
(Above) Georgia’s kick coverage has been a strength the
past few weeks, including forcing two turnovers against
Tennessee. (Below) One of the Volunteers’ turnovers
came by way of a fumble recovery by redshirt freshman
Blake Sailors (5), who has been one of the Bulldogs’ best
on special teams after being on the scout team in 2009.