AUBURN FOOTBALL 2008: Georgia expecting big things

By Collin Mickle

Published: July 16, 2008

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the 11th in a series previewing Auburn’s 2008 football opponents. This week: Georgia (Nov. 15). The series will run weekly.

Stop us if you’ve heard this before.

This could be the year for the Georgia Bulldogs.

UGA is loaded this season, with 16 starters returning from a team that finished ranked No. 2 nationally after hammering previously undefeated Hawaii, 41-10, in the Sugar Bowl.

This year, the Bulldogs are among the favorites for the national title, thanks to all that returning depth and the program’s continuing improvement under eighth-year head coach Mark Richt.

Whether Georgia can handle those lofty expectations could be up to quarterback Matthew Stafford. The 6-foot-3, 237-pound junior already has 21 career starts on his resume, along with 26 touchdown passes.

Stafford took a huge step in his development as a quarterback late last season, reducing his turnovers, improving his accuracy and leading the Bulldogs to a 7-0 finish to ’07. If he continues to improve, the Dawgs’ offense will be tough to stop.

And that’s not the only good news.

At times in previous seasons, Stafford was asked to win games by himself. That shouldn’t be a problem this season, because the quarterback doesn’t have to be the best player on Georgia’s offense.

That honor belongs to sophomore tailback Knowshon Moreno, who emerged as one of the nation’s best runners last season. His freshman season, in which he gained 1,334 yards and 14 touchdowns and earned All-Southeastern Conference honors, is second only to the legendary Herschel Walker
among UGA freshman tailbacks.

The sky’s the limit for Moreno, but the rest of the tailback depth chart is a concern. The current backup is redshirt freshman Caleb King, a touted prospect who has never taken a collegiate snap. True freshmen Richardson Samuel, Carlton Thomas and Dontavius Thomas could also contend for playing time.

Fullback Brannan Southerland, a dangerous short-yardage runner and smooth receiver, is also back, but could miss the first few games after offseason foot surgery.

The receiving corps struggled with consistency last season; with several familiar faces back this year, those problems could continue.

Senior Mohamed Massaquoi is the poster boy for UGA’s frustrating inconsistency at receiver. The speedy 198-pounder has his moments, including a 58-yard touchdown catch in last year’s win against Auburn. But he finished last year with 32 catches and just four touchdowns.

Senior Kenneth Harris will likely take over the other starting spot from Sean Bailey. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Harris has decent speed and excellent hands. Senior Demiko Goodman and juniors Kris Durham and Michael Moore will also contend for playing time. Speedy 5-foot-11 sophomore Tony
Wilson could be a playmaker in the slot.

Senior Tripp Chandler is back as the starting tight end; he had 21 catches last season, but will be pushed by sophomore Bruce Figgins.

Three starters return on the offensive line, including sophomore left tackle Trinton Sturdivant, a Freshman All-America selection in 2007. The other returning starters are sophomore Chris Davis — who moves from left guard to center — and right guard Clint Boling, another star freshman last season.

Junior Vince Vance will start at left guard, while former defensive end Kiante Tripp is the top right tackle.

Georgia’s defensive line is always loaded with playmakers, and 2008 isn’t likely to be an exception. Star end Marcus Howard, who had an SEC-leading 10 ½ sacks last season, is gone. But senior Jeremy Lomax and returning starter Roderick Battle, who combined for seven sacks last year, are back.

Lomax and Battle will begin the season as the starting defensive ends, with pass-rushing specialist Jarius Wynn and sophomore Michael Lemon providing depth. Redshirt freshman Neland Ball could be the line’s biggest star by the end of the season.

All-SEC selection Geno Atkins, who had 41 tackles and 7 ½ sacks last year, is back at defensive tackle, along with fellow senior Jeff Owens.

There’s plenty of depth at linebacker. All three starters return, led by senior Dannell Ellerbe. Ellerbe, an All-SEC pick, is back at middle linebacker, flanked by strongside starter Akeem Dent and weakside starter Rennie Curran.

Three starters also return in the secondary, led by junior cornerback Asher Allen, who had 64 tackles and three interceptions last season. Cornerback Prince Miller and safety C.J. Byrd are also back.

Sophomore Reshad Jones will replace departed star Kelin Johnson at the other safety position.

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