I thought today was April Fools’ Day, not Groundhog Day.
Jenkins admits now that last spring — when the defense got the better of the offense in some scrimmages, including G-Day — led to some false confidence.
“After all those practices, we might have got a little too over ourselves, we thought a little too highly, then we slacked off a little bit,” Jenkins said. “Then when it came down to putting the work back in, we were a little bit off, a little behind.”
This spring, the focus is more on technique and fundamentals, as players and a new defensive staff get to know each other. The talk is less brash — at least for the most part.
“Our goals are way different from last year,” linebacker Ramik Wilson said. “We know what we’ve gotta do. No more talking, we’ve just gotta go out there and get better.”
Said Jenkins, “It’s a fresh start. But it feels like it’s a different vibe around here. Guys want to be holding everyone else accountable for something. We’re not letting guys get away with the small stuff, and the coaches certainly aren’t, either. They’re getting on us. I feel like we’re doing a lot of the small things now. We’re doing the technique work. … The coaches really just want to see us succeed. They’re always available for us. They’re just going the extra mile, compared to last year.”
You know how a stopped clock is still right twice a day? Maybe it’s that time.
Get The Picture 
And don’t worry, participation in voluntary workouts will be better this summer than it’s ever been before, too. 🙂
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Heck yeah. And who knows, maybe Jenkins himself will decide it’s worthwhile to participate in them. Or maybe he’ll decide to play video games in his air-conditioned suite instead, as he did last year.
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“Or maybe he’ll decide to play video games in his air-conditioned suite instead, as he did last year.”
?
He definitely need to get the hell out of the AC and I’m guessing it’s too late for him to learn the clarinet.
o be fair, it wasn’t a terrible season for Jenkins. He is tied for the team lead in tackles for loss with 11. In fact, he was a second-team All-SEC selection by the coaches — >>>>>
Jenkins2013: Appeared in 13 games, making 13 starts … Had 45 tackles on the season, including a team-high 12 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble … Voted to the All-SEC Coaches’ Second Team … Named to Phil Steele’s All-SEC Second Team … Named one of the team captains for the Auburn game … Had four tackles, including one sack, at No. 7 Auburn … Made five tackles, including two sacks vs. Vanderbilt … Had one sack vs. No. 6 LSU … Notched six tackles, including two TFLs, vs. North Texas … Had four tackles, including one TFL, vs. No. 6 South Carolina … Had a career-high five tackles, including one TFL, against No. 8 Clemson … Named to preseason watch list for the Butkus Award … Named to Preseason Media Days All-SEC Second Team, Athlon Preseason All-SEC Second Team and Phil Steele’s Preseason All-SEC Third Team … Recipient of the Ken & Jody Jackson Family Football Scholarship and the Green-Sands Football Scholarship.
vs
Floyd led the No. 23 Bulldogs with 6.5 sacks through the regular season to go along with 8.5 tackles for loss, 47 total tackles, 22 quarterback hurries, a pass break-up, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick.
😉
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Point well taken. But his film shows a mix of good, and probably even more bad. Jenkins himself admitted this earlier this year, and did it to the media.
Even if he didn’t, he just didn’t look like the same player he did his freshman season. I wondered all year what it was. And then Jenkins revealed it was because he didn’t put the work in.
With all respect, all that stuff doesn’t mean a whole lot in the context of the thread. Jenkins knows full well that he hurt himself last year and, should he do it again, he would jeopardize a possible NFL career.
As he stands right now, he’s an inconsistent mixed bag, very much like Rambo was. Which, BTW, is why it was an easy call to predict Rambo falling to the late rounds, if he got drafted at all.
Let’s just hope we see a different Jenkins this year. We know the ability he has.
~~~
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For the Georgia Bulldogs, it’s April Fool’s day too.
Guys want to be holding everyone else accountable for something. They must have skipped right past holding themselves accountable.
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Bingo. Jenkins is right, but he needs to start with himself. Right now, his talk is before the walk.
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Is it disheartening to feel like you’re reading the SAME old stuff, about the same old team? Yes. Should we give them the benefit of the doubt? Absolutely. Does it excite me that the first thing Pruitt did was count up the loafs during practice? More than you can possibly know…
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Ditto.
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The sunshine pumping machine is nearly up to full speed.
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Tell the truth, Senator. You just changed the names on a post from spring 2009. It’s okay. I’m sure it’s hard coming up with new material everyday.
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Same could be said for the beat writers. They should have templates saved that just require the names to be updated each year.
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that warm wet feeling running down my back…..I do hope it really is rain this time.
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We sure need some rain out here on the drought stricken West Coast.
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*I heard that several players are well on their way to setting new weight room records. *
I do think that these guys, especially on defense, will need a short memory WRT last season so happy talk is good for me.
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April Fools? More like Groundhog Day. Same thing over and over and over, year after year.
I’m becoming more and more happy with my decision not to renew my tickets.
The fine folks at LaZBoy and Vizio have me covered for the fall.
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And reading this on my phone cut off your lede… whoops.
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Out of curiosity why does hearing the same thing out of players mouths impact you watching in Sanford but not impact you watching on TV? I understand why some would not renew tickets due to being unsatisfied with the in stadium experience versus watching on an HDTV but I am not following how player speak would be a factor. I would think that would turn you off completely from the team but not impact you driving to Athens and owning tickets.
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Because I chose not to invest those dollars into the program.
I never said I’d stop being a fan.
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Radi Nabulsi was on 960 the Ref this AM and commented about Hudsen Maison being the clear starter but that next spring you can expect all the beat writers to dust off the ole “QB controversy” folder and write all the same old same old.
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Stay tuned. G-Day is only 11 days away.
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At least that’s understandable. Two QBs who have never started is a legitimate problem that crops up once in a while at any program. Having a defense that, every spring, claims to have reformed from last year’s loafing, unaccountable ways is not understandable.
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No argument from me. I know one thing .. after the last 8-9 years, this defense, and all of it’s comings and goings under Pruitt, BETTER be real. Or there’s going to be a great mutiny, the likes of which the SEC hasn’t seen in a long time .. if ever.
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I get a sense that the culture is changing. A certain amount of that comes with a new DC who has good standards. Grantham, as it turns out, didn’t bring that. I have every confidence Pruitt does.
But what I don’t really understand is, how supposed leaders like Jenkins and Swann are out there talking it up when they’ve never walked the walk. They’re really in no position to lead. I guess we don’t have anybody else.
But the current commenting aside, there’s obviously been too much talk by the defense until now, both before and during the seasons. There’s plenty evidence for that on the record.
While Pruitt’s impact has been good, and most of all, in the right direction, the overall culture still needs some tweaking. I think most here would agree with that.
And IMO, that is something Mark Richt himself should not only evaluate, but address.
This is best opportunity he’s ever going to have to do that.
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Hey UGA gets what they pay for. See what I did there, the players are playing for Tuition and the scholly isn’t going away unless they smoke their way out.
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