1st and Ten – Q –
The defensive end crop in 2005 was phe-nomenal. From Darryl Tapp to
Tamba Hali to Mathias Kiwanuka to Elvis Dumervil to Mario Williams.
Toiling in relative obscurity, which is rare for a big-time SEC school,
was Georgia’s Quentin Moses. Don’t mistake ‘relative obscurity’ for not
being able to play because if there’s one defensive end that teams
better find a way to block this fall, it’s Moses. In 2006, Moses will
be at the top of defensive end rankings and his production this year is
paramount to the Dawgs’ defensive success. Rangy, athletic and a guy
with basketball experience, Moses gets after the quarterback with his
burst off the ball and desire to make a play. At 6’5” and 250, Moses
could probably play any position on the field, but at DE, he changes
games and has just scratched the surface with what he can do. Blocking
him one-on-one on passing downs is incredibly difficult due to his
length. It’s difficult to get into his body with his long arms and
length, and with his long stride, he eats up space and separation on
tackles quickly. This year, Moses is going to see more ‘chips’ and
doubles, and he’s got to work on his technique to
ensure that he can still get into the backfield
to create havoc. Furthermore, Moses is a tremendous asset on runs away
from him. His feet never stop; he can breakdown on a dime, reverse
direction and run down backs from behind. Keep an eye on #94 this
season as you’ll be watching the best defensive end in college football.
2nd and Seven – Want
to scare a UGA fan…STEVE SLATON! – The looks on the fans faces were
priceless. As the television cameras panned into the Georgia Dome
stands during last year’s Sugar Bowl, the wide-eyed, stunned looks on
the hometown fans were evidence of the shock the UGA faithful had
experienced. Who the heck is Steve Slaton? Where did this guy come
from? Why is he running right past our linebackers and secondary?
Consequently, that’s the biggest question that faces this Georgia
football team – can they stop the explosive running games they’ll face
this year? Slaton wasn’t the only one. Kenny Irons from Auburn ripped
them up all night long in Athens last year, as well. Those two dynamic
backs got pretty much what they wanted in games against the UGA run
defense. As a result, the Dawgs have to get back to playing old
fashioned smash mouth run defense and take away the potential of the
long run that killed them in those two losses last year.
3rd and Three – Back
to the Future – Okay, quiz question hotshot, but this one is pretty
easy. You have three running backs who could start for any team in
America. You have a messy quarterback situation. The over under on run
attempts per game is 50. Whatcha got? Okay, so maybe 50 is a little
high, but with Thomas Brown, Kregg Lumpkin and Danny Ware, the Dawgs
have to take control on the ground. No, it’s more important than that –
they MUST. Sure, the offensive line took some graduation hits, but a
young lineman has more confidence in the running game than in pass
protection. Brown showed his burst with a 52 yard touchdown run in the
Sugar Bowl and Lumpkin showed that he’s all the way back from his knee
injury by blowing past the Mountaineers for a 34 yard touchdown run. In
some way, shape or form, Mark Richt has to put the ball in one of these
sets of hands. A lot. It may not be Herschel right, Herschel left and
Herschel up the middle, but we should see a bit of the past in the
future.
4th and One – On the
Brink of Greatness? – After watching Mohamed Massaquoi, the Bulldogs
young wide receiver, last season, did you get the feeling that 2006
would be the year that he became a star? He’s so reminiscent of former
Michigan All-American Braylon Edwards, and if the QB situation gets
worked out, whether it’s Joe Tereshinski, Joe Cox or rookie Matthew
Stafford, Massaquoi could reach the same heights as the former
Wolverine. He’s tall, strong, has good hands and can run after the
catch. He’s got to be more consistent, which isn’t unusual for most
young players, but as he matures, he must be THE go-to guy for the
quarterback to be named later. The talent is oozing out of this kid’s
pores – he’s on the verge of being one of the best WR in the nation.
Soon.