I think it’s going to be easy to root for James DeLoach this year.
“I can’t really explain it. I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like on G-Day,” DeLoach said. “Now I’ve just got to keep working hard and maintain the position.”
Anybody who feels starry-eyed over G-Day gets my support. And there’s good reason to think that DeLoach will be given every chance to capitalize on his opportunity: he’s big.
“DeLoach really looks good. He’s really in tremendous condition, he’s a great athlete,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “It’s going to be interesting to see how he can do. We are not as big up front, but we’re pretty quick and athletic. It’s going to be interesting to see how we’ll hold up against a smashmouth team and all that kind of thing as the season goes on. But we’ve still got some guys that can really run.”
Georgia had one of the nation’s biggest defensive fronts last season, particularly when 359-pound John Jenkins and 355-pound Kwame Geathers were on the field at the same time. Richt is correct that his 2013 defensive front won’t have anyone quite that massive, but it’s not like 340-pound nose guard Chris Mayes or fellow defensive linemen Jonathan Taylor (335), John Atkins (305) and Garrison Smith (297) are small people.
And then, if Jordan Jenkins (257) and DeLoach (265) are on either edge at the outside linebacker spots, you’re still looking at a sizable front that also boasts impressive athleticism.
There may be more ways for Grantham to try to skin that defend the power running game cat than we thought. And there’s your first thing to keep an eye on at G-Day.
Get The Picture 
Hopefully these guys can stay focused. Sounds like many on last years D were just buying time until they could get to the NFL.
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I have always preferred quickness over big and slow. Kwame was very slow, as evidenced by his pro combine times. The key is to have some depth so we play more guys during the game so at the end our quick guys are still quick and getting off blocks.
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One could argue argue Kwame was more effective on the field than the much quicker CWash – who probably has the ideal fb player body, and who just went the wrong direction or did nothing. But it takes all kinds. I’ll take any guy who makes plays.
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In my opinion, this post is really the story of the offseason. Can we find a way to be stiffer against the run? Speed hopefully will work (where size seemingly failed us last year). The DeLoach kid looks like a humble hard worker.
Man, if we could find some way to be just a little stiffer on D this year, it’ll be a good one.
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+1.
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So what you are sayin’ is that being big…. but not stiff…. just won’t get it done. There is a lot of truth in that.
😉
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DeLoach- When have you heard Richt so effusive about a player as his “He’s really in tremendous condition, he’s a great athlete.” quote?
Man, we have a bunch of players to follow this year and the number keeps getting larger. Last year the number was diminishing about this time of year. Sounds like DeLoach haz an NFL dream he is working to make true. Wouldn’t it be special if the team developed a big internal competition at every position this year? Maybe DeLoach can lead us in that direction. Kinda catches you by surprise to see such compliments this early in the 2013 season.
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If you’ve ever been to a Jenkins County football game (or really, any of the games in east/southeast Georgia), it shouldn’t be any surprise as to why G-Day would be something over which to get starry-eyed.
Moving to Athens from my hometown (a neighboring county of Jenkins) was like moving to the big city…not having to drive to Statesboro for a movie theater?! Who’da thunk it?
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