I know that dictating your philosophy comes with the territory when you’re a defensive coordinator, but, seriously, how did Todd Grantham plow ahead like this with Jordan Jenkins last year?
“I was close to maybe 270 (pounds) in January. I think I was maybe 268. I bulked up for the last coaching staff, and then they wanted everybody to lose weight. Going through mat drills at that weight was the most awful experience I’ve ever had. That’s when I realized, ‘I need to lose weight. It’s not natural. I don’t feel like I can move as well.’ Then after dropping the weight and eating healthy, I feel better when I run. I feel a lot more durable and that my endurance has gone up.”
After a promising first year, Jenkins clearly regressed last season. He wasn’t a disaster – he still managed to lead the team in tackles for loss – but he was a disappointment. That quote explains some of it. If you’re Grantham, how do you let size for size’s sake take precedence over a player clearly feeling physically uncomfortable with his bulk?
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UPDATE: On the other hand, this should scare the crap out of some offensive coordinators.
Get The Picture 
Oh come on now. How long did we think we could fly under the radar deploying agent SOD into Tennessee and Agent Muschamp into Florida before someone would get wise to the plan. We got a little over confident with their results. Bottom line GTG worked his way into our program and planted a fatbomb. Yep we ran outta steam against the Bammers when we needed to man up. Hell…. we ran out of steam against Kentucky. Who was watching? Ivy this one is on you brother. I know you study film. YOU didn’t see this coming. Yikes1.
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Not exactly sure what you mean, Homer, because I’ve been saying for years that we are soft and in poor condition. Haven’t been a regular here that long, but I know I’ve said it here a number of times.
I do think the contrast some of these players are painting is quite significant. And also exciting. It isn’t just a weight thing, either. It’s considerably more than that.
Based on what I’ve heard, and what we can see, our S&C is much better this year. But IMHO, it still isn’t where it needs to be. That is to say, it can be even better.
FWIW, I wish we’d send a couple of coaches out to Stanford ASAP after the season is over. We’re doing some new things, some good things. But there might be some things there we can use.
~~~
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If Leonard Floyd lost a step while at Georgia, he’s potentially downright scary if he’s quicker now. As long as he’s not trying to act like he’s in coverage (except once in a while like Jarvis would be), I hope some QBs end up scared of him and he doesn’t have to say anything about it (looking at you, #7) in the press.
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To all the folks piling on Grantham. Remember that Richt announced there would be no staff changes after last season. Apparently, Richt was fine with what was going on on the defensive side of the ball.
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Moot point, isn’t it?
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It’s not a moot point. It goes to the heart of how bad a CEO Richt is for our team.
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I don’t know if you’re just trolling or what, but please show me the competent CEO who doesn’t publicly praise an a ExecVP right up to the point he cans them. How obviously stupid would it for him to have said anything other than what he said. You can be upset that he didn’t fire CTG with a quickness, but to equate that announcement or any other show of public support with Richt being a “bad” CEO is just childish.
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Well put. So many on here pretend to know what was happening and/or being said behind closed doors. The CEO analogy is lazy.
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Why do you still assume that what Mark Richt says about his subordinates publicly is what is actually going on behind closed doors?
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Meh. I knew what was gonna happen all along. 🙂
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We will really never know what Richt knew and when he knew it. Mark would be the last person in the world to tell anyone “Don’t let the Door hit you in the butt on the way out”. The CJP hire came too quick and too clean as far as I’m concerned. I think CTG was in scramble mode to find a place of employment and found a soul mate in Coach P. Good for CTG but lets just give the whole Richt wasn’t going to fire him thing a rest. IF Richt had fired him then Louisville would not have hired him and UGA would be paying his buy out. I say good job Coach Richt.
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“With You”
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I wouldn’t say he was fine with what was going on. But the the prospect of new scheme and hiring a new coordinator probably looked like a daunting task.
It is just like in business… The cost of hiring and training a new employee is very high. You are better off working with what you have if you can. Now, if you flat out have a bad employee, they have got to go. But if you get the employee you have to perform at a higher level, that is a much better way to go.
I think Richt was looking at how he was going to get Grantham to relate to the players better and simplify the scheme. But when Grantham said he was leaving, it made the decision for him. And then when Pruitt wanted the job….praise be!!
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. . . and no “resigned to pursue other opportunities” in SEC coaching history was ever actually a firing behind the scenes.
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I don’t think “apparently” means what you think it means.
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Louisville needs fans too.
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Dear “Student-Athlete” –
We sell double-XL jerseys for $5 more than smaller sizes. Eat up.
Sincerely –
The Management
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Aren’t they implementing the all you can eat athletic meal plan this year? Hope that doesn’t reverse the progress made over the summer.
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All you can eat breakfast was tops at Snelling in the 70’s. I could get all the bacon I wanted.
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So, that’s how you developed that hogbody …
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Snelling was all you could eat for all 3 meals (and open late) in the late 90s too. Only catch was you did not want to get there right after practice let out, as the linemen would clear out all the stock.
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I thought (and said) more than once last year that the D looked slower than usual. Seemed particularly noticeable in the Husker game. I thought we should’ve had a speed advantage in that one, and we didn’t, at least not on D. This is one area in which I’m willing to be an optimist this year–I do truly believe our guys will get to the ball quicker.
The Hell of it is, though, I also definitely thought TG’s Ds got to the ball more quickly and with more evil intent than we’d seen under WM, at least until last year. Maybe the talent he had in his first few years masked a multitude of sins, or maybe for some reason he was in GAS mode last year.
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Let visiting QB mothers be warned. LF is there to take their lunch money… With extreme prejudice. Can’t wait to see Floyd play!!
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The more I learn about Grantham now that he’s gone the more I am glad he’s gone.
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There ya go, Mayor.
~~~
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Best headline ever Senator.
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IDK. There’s been a lot of good ones.
~~~
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For those who continue to lob mortar shells into Camp UGA just because of your personal issues with our highly successful, and respected head coach, please provide sources that Richt was sold on keeping grantham and not limited by financial concerns imposed by those above him. Otherwise get on our team bus or go back to your team’s site. Pissing in everyone’s Corn Flakes the first morning of the new season is just unclassy…..or worse.
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+1000
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Because we all know no one at Butts-Mehre gives a shit about the reserve fund.
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Well said.
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I am going on record that I am high on the GA D. We will improve and give up 24 points per game. I have swallowed the CJP cool aid. I am sure our OF will score much more per game and we will be in the hunt. What else could we want? Go Dawgs, Sic Em Woof Woof Woof
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I want to be the second one here in saying that while t this year’s D might not be lights out, they are going to gather respect from the rest of the league.
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I’m with you. Just improve to mediocre and we’ll be much better.
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Also agree, but more than mediocre preferred, which will obviously be money in the bank. And that’s not only doable, but highly probable, IMO. And with our offense and a changed culture about team unity and shared sacrifice and late-game toughness, we’re on our way.
So what if our defense isn’t as good as the vaunted Bama D (which didn’t get them into the SECCG last season). It just needs to be good enough to keep us in good field position.
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+1
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Just one or two 3rd-and-14, 3rd-and-22s stopped a game and think where we would have been last year. So I agree with everyone saying if we can get a little improvement on D we are a much better team. Not to mention a 4th-and-19…. argggh.
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No good answer to that question.
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