Sports

G-Day arrives

• G-Day, Georgia’s annual spring football game, kicks off today in Athens as Bulldog fans get their first look at the 2008 team.

Scott Chancey

ATHENS — Today’s G-Day Game is only one challenge for Georgia’s football team. At least the Bulldogs can put the annual spring scrimmage behind them by day’s end.

As for the lofty expectations for this fall that had been building “Between the Hedges” since Georgia’s 41-10 Sugar Bowl thumping of Hawaii and No. 2 Associated Press final ranking?

That will linger into the fall.

Depending on how the coaches and players respond to that, it could be either a blessing or a curse. Bainbridge native Darryl Gamble, who will play at middle linebacker for the “Red Team” today, doesn’t look at the hype as a burden.

“I think of it as a goal,” said Gamble, who as a red-shirt sophomore arguably made last season’s most pivotal play, causing a fumble that led to the game-winning field goal against Vanderbilt. That sparked a seven-game winning streak and run to a share of the Southeastern Conference East title.

“Anytime someone asks about it, I say that’s my goal,” he added. “I just guess we have to work hard to accomplish our goal.”

It remains to be seen whether USC, which finished last season second in the USA Today top 25, will bump the Bulldogs to No. 2 in the preseason polls, but a key component to this fall is how well coach Mark Richt’s team handles the pressure right now.

“I think we’re taking it really well,” Gamble said. “We don’t talk about it much, but at the beginning of every season, we have the opportunity to reach the championship game. It will be just a matter of us going out and playing well or not.”

The Bowl Championship Series national title game is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2009 in Miami.

MAKING HIS CASE

Gamble, like the Bulldogs’ other linebackers, has been trained to play all linebacker and secondary positions, building depth in case one key player unexpectedly is injured.

With linebackers Marcus Washington (shoulder) and Darius Dewberry (groin) hurt, Gamble has had more opportunities to prove he can produce above the 10 tackles and one forced fumble he had in 12 games last season.

“It’s been pretty good,” Gamble said. “I’ve been making a lot of plays, and getting a lot of reps so I’ve been doing pretty well.”

Gamble, in honor of Washington, is wearing No. 44 (Washington’s number) instead of his own No. 50. Washington, who injured his shoulder earlier this spring, is likely to red-shirt this fall.

Although Gamble knows no starting position is guaranteed until the Aug. 30 season opener at home against Georgia Southern, he did not seem disappointed in how he has impressed coaches.

“Spring is already a time to show what you can do,” said Gamble, who added his biggest improvement since the Sugar Bowl has been his strength. “And I believe everyone will get an equal amount of reps, so you want to take advantage of the opportunity.”

LONG-AWAITED DEBUT

Heralded red-shirt freshman Caleb King, who watched from the sidelines while teammate Knowshon Moreno became the first Georgia freshman since Herschel Walker to rush for more than 1,000 yards. If both he and Moreno are healthy this fall, they could provide a running-back tandem the SEC has not seen since Auburn’s duo of Ronnie Brown and Carnell “Cadillac” Williams in 2004.

During his junior year at Parkview High School, King rushed for 2,768 yards and 19 touchdowns, which was at the time the best rushing total for a junior in state history. That has since been eclipsed by Emanuel County Institute junior Washaun Ealey (2,982 yards, 58 touchdowns), who coincidentally has verbally committed to be part of the 2009 signing class along with Early County defensive back Shawn Williams.

FOOTBALL, FOR NOW

Tift County product Israel Troupe, who red-shirted with the Bulldogs last season at receiver, will join the Bulldogs’ baseball team after today’s G-Day Game.

But before Troupe moves to the diamond, he will continue competing with receivers such as Mohamed Massaquoi, who is Georgia’s top returning wideout after making 32

catches for 491 yards and four touchdowns last year. The Bulldogs’ leading 2007 receiver, Sean Bailey (39 catches for 615 yards, five scores), was a senior last season.

While leading the Blue Devils to the GHSA Class AAAAA semifinals his senior year in 2006, Troupe was recognized as Rivals.com’s top receiver in Georgia.

CUFF COMES ALONG

Colquitt County product Vance Cuff seems close to breaking into the starting lineup at defensive back. After playing in 12 games last year and making six tackles, he still has plenty to prove. The first-string defensive backs list, according to the Bulldogs’ early spring depth chart, list Prince Miller and Asher Allen at corner, and C.J. Byrd (strong safety) and Reshad Jones (free safety) at the other two positions.

WAITING THEIR TURN

Gamble’s former Bainbridge teammate, Nick Williams, and Seminole County’s Bacarri Rambo will join the Bulldogs this fall.

Williams, who played a variety of positions for the Bearcats, is expected to primarily play at defensive back, as is Rambo, who shined as an all-purpose player for the Indians.

WHO’S THE KICKER?

Georgia signee Blair Walsh, arguably the nation’s top prep place-kicker, also won’t join the Bulldogs until next fall. Starting kicker Brandon Coutu, who kicked that game-winning field goal against Vanderbilt, was a senior last season, leaving an open opportunity for a couple of players to get a head start in the competition.

Red-shirt freshman punter Drew Butler — son of former Georgia star kicker (and honorary coach in today’s G-Day Game) Kevin Butler — is also competing for the place-kicking job with Andrew Jensen and Brian Behr.

HOLES TO FILL

One will be in the middle of the offensive line, and the other is at the end of the defensive one, and they’re both huge and vital to the Bulldogs’ success next season.

After center Fernando Velasco and defensive end/ Sugar Bowl MVP Marcus Howard played their final game against Hawaii, someone is needed to anchor a still rather young offensive line, while the defense needs another player with Howard’s ferocity chasing the quarterback. Jeremy Lomax was listed at the start of spring to replace Howard, and one of last year’s starters at guard, Chris Davis, was projected to replace Velasco.

OTHER HONORARY COACHES

Former Georgia players D.J. Shockley (quarterback, Atlanta Falcons), Greg Blue (defensive back, Detroit Lions), Frank Ros (team captain of the 1980 national championship team) will join Kevin Butler as honorary coaches.

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