It sounds like there’s a chance one of my favorite plays in the Georgia arsenal may survive Figgins’ departure.
Arthur Lynch is hoping to fill a void left at tight end by the departures of Orson Charles and Aron White, but that’s not where his role might end.
“We’re even using him at fullback a little bit because he’s so big,” quarterback Hutson Mason said Thursday. “He knows tight end really well since he’s been here for so long, so he’s learning fullback, just seeing how he handles it. As a quarterback, you always want some guys in the backfield that are going to be able to protect and pick up the blitz. You never worry when Artie’s back there if you’re going to get smacked in the backside. He’s 280 pounds, and he’s grumpy.”
Earlier, Lynch said he’s being moved around in different formations including as an H-back, considered a hybrid of a fullback and tight end.
By the way, “He’s 280 pounds, and he’s grumpy” may turn out to be the best line from spring practice. It sounds like Mason’s gotten pretty comfortable with things.
Get The Picture 
4th and goal…. 1 yard to go……… Lynch at fullback…….. John Jenkins at the tailback…….
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For some reason, this fan dream scenario never happened last season. Is this for lack of OC guts or something else?
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They tried one and the pass didn’t connect. If I have my years correct, they ran one for a two yard gain. Ogletree was in on both of them.
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And I would do it at 2nd or 3rd with 1 yd to go. But I am not a coach.
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A good way to get your NG’s knee blown out.
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Tell me about it.
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Agree, Senator–I really like Artie, his size, attitude, his mentoring of IC and he’s an articulate spokesman for the players. Mason’s description of him is perfect.
I too was disappointed that JJ wasn’t given a chance at TB this past year but understand TG wanted him to focused on learning his NG position. But this year he’s fully prepared at NG so I hope they give him a chance at TB on short yardage with Artie at FB. It certainly would seem to be unstoppable in most situations.
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We once had a big DE (Grant?) that we played in the backfield during JD’s tour of duty. Didn’t end well.
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It didn’t end well because Donnan ran a 280 lb DE on a toss sweep. Slam him between the tackles on an iso and you might see a different end result.
Also Senator, that is an awesome line. 280 pounds, and grumpy. Doesn’t sound like someone opposing Ds will like to see headed at them with a head of steam.
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Don’t forget that Geathers has experience running the ball. How far did he get after his interception?
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For a guy who redshirted last season and rarely got on the field before the RS, Lynch sure gets a lot of praise from teammates. Wasn’t Boykin, among others, gushing about him last off-season? If all the hype is to be believed, seems odd we’d be using such a gifted TE at HB or FB. I mean, nobody ever talked about shifting guys like Pope, Watson or Charles to FB. Or does this mean Jay Rome passed him by and is our #1 TE?
While I’m on the subject, I wonder if we go overboard with unnecessary position switches – are we really getting better players on the field and are the changes making any difference? Not talking about LB’s who get too big and switch to DL. But putting TE’s at FB or WRs at DB. Are we really that short on good players at those positions?
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The coaches are just doing what they announced, switching players to differing positions, no matter who they are and what position they play. Richt said he may even run Murray on returns to make his point. If you don’t try switches how the heck do you know whether it makes a difference? What the heck is “overboard”? Is that like nit-picking while they experiment? Cheez!
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Guess I shouldn’t have pondered the thought. I already know the response I’d get from dittoheads.
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Pope was like 6’8”…not exactly what u want in a FB. Orson was just a big WR. Pope and Watson also played back at a time when we regularly had proven FBs.
Also you tell me how you keep 5 4/5 star TEs happy? I’m pretty sure saying well you can get in on 1-2 passes this year aint gonna cut it. If we play Lynch at FB, then we get 2-3 TEs regular playing time. Thats a lot better then getting 1-2 TEs regular playing time.
Also have you ever seen a 280 man run. They aint gonna be smoking those LBs that you are waiting to cover your TE. Thus you lose that schematic advantage, which is either you get Fast guy being covered by slower LB or your TE neutralizing 1 of their safties. The latter of which opens up you WR for more big plays.
Also note that I’m pretty sure a lot of that praise comes from the fact that instead of sitting around and bitching/talking about transferring he worked on building/improving himself. Which he did as if I am not mistaken he was one of the first guys Coach T built up with his workout routine.
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“Oh, I beg to differ sir.” Ben Watson was pretty big. Champ was very fast. And that was then and this is now….. and Lynch ain’t no slow poke.
just typin’
“His two biggest plays of the 2005 season came in the playoffs. In one, during the Patriots’ first game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, on a third-down play that nearly forced the Patriots to punt, Watson broke free of one tackle to earn the first down; in all, Watson broke three tackles and outran five defenders, taking the ball 63 yards to score the touchdown.
Even more notable, though, was his pursuit and tackle of Champ Bailey during the Patriots’ 2005 AFC Divisional Playoff game against Denver on January 14, 2006. Bailey intercepted a Tom Brady pass in Denver’s endzone, and proceeded to run it down the full length of the (near) side-line, towards New England’s endzone. At the time of the interception, Watson was on the opposite side of the field from Bailey (on the far side-line), and so he had to take a diagonal pursuit the full (diagonal) length of the field in order to have a chance of catching him. Watson caught up with Bailey at New England’s 2-yard line and tackled him hard, causing Bailey to fumble the ball. After an extensive review, the refs announced that the evidence was inconclusive as to whether or not Bailey fumbled the ball through the end-zone, or out of bounds. Thus, the call on the field stood (that he fumbled it out of bounds at the 1-yard line). This controversial call led to a crucial Denver touchdown, and was the key play in allowing the Broncos to upend the 2-time defending Super Bowl champs. Many NFL experts compared Watson’s extraordinary play to that of Don Beebe’s pursuit of Leon Lett in Super Bowl XXVII as two of greatest hustle plays of all time.”
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You have shown a play where Watson ran full speed an caught Bailey after he slowed to half speed. I will certainly stipulate Lynch, at full speed, can run faster than Jarvis Jones at half speed. What does that prove? Nothing.
Opposing defenses won’t agree to run half speed so that Lynch is faster than they are. So he won’t have a speed advantage.
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I would rather Lynch & Rome focus on TE. I think once Q. Hicks gets in, we will have or stud FB to run 344 with or whatever we want. Let’s see if Lynch cross trains in the fall.
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Fullback and Tight End GOOD! Me like lots Fullback and Tight End! Very happy all day long see QB feed ball to big, strong Fullback with 1 yard, 2 yard, 3 yard to go, chuck small pass over middle or out to side to Fullback or Tight End. Hit hard, over and over, break face with hobnailly boot. 12 minute drive! This me want all times!! KREEEE-GAGHH!!!
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You bet…and run anything we damn well please with any player who damn well pleases. My take is that they are mixing things up to keep opposing coaches from smelling out the play by noting who is in the game. It may be leading to a lot of mixed signals on player personnel that disguises a Dingo play.
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Wonder what happend with the rumors of motel 6 running the ball a little
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