by Rex Robinson
Throw-up Thursdays – Georgia Bulldog Style!
The highlighted section is a linked excerpt to David Hale’s blog.
For the second straight year, Georgia’s kickoffs have been an adventure, but this season there is one big difference: Richt has an alternative to kicker Blair Walsh.
The Bulldogs signed junior college transfer Brandon Bogotayduring the offseason to push Walsh for the kickoff job, and while a change hasn’t come yet, Richt said the team has given some thought to handing the job to Bogotay if Walsh continues to struggle.
First of all, it’s the kick-off coverage that is the adventure.
Many of you have left positive comments on my attempts to be frank and honest about issues concerning Georgia Football. I do try, but I bite my tongue quite often.
I am sure many of you will understand my growing disdain for any coach…any coach, that would utter the nonsense written in this section of this blog post. It is beyond my comprehension.
The kicker is a convenient target. Because admitting you can’t motivate players to cover kicks and make tackles reflects poorly on you as the special teams coach and of course that kind of thing goes all the way to the top.
And what does it mean that the “team” has considered “handing the job” to Bogotay….
Who is in charge Coach Richt?
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TEAM me…One More Time
about 5 days ago - 5 comments
The motto TEAM me started with Coach Erskine Russell of course, but the meaning and attitude lives on in Roswell, Georgia. Two weeks ago I attended a fundraiser for Roswell Youth Football and Cheer Associations. Coach Vince Dooley spoke to the group of kids and their parents.
You may remember the names Matt McCormick and Heather Stepp
Things Mark Richt Says In Private
about 1 month ago - 5 comments
I just had a thought. Okay, okay, it is a rare occurrence, but it does happen. I was “Tweeting” earlier and the commercial came on with R. Lee Ermey as a “therapist”. Based on his counseling, I would never ever want to live in Mamby-Pamby Land or be considered a Jack-Wagon. I kiddingly suggested that
Coutu Redo
about 1 month ago - 1 comment
Georgia Bulldogs everywhere remember Brandon Coutu. He’s the one that made Dawg fans feel a little better about losing Billy Bennett. I just hope NFL personnel departments have not forgotten him. They can have extremely short memories. Brandon is one of the best kickers in recent years and a hip condition prevented him from performing
Coach Richt, RTK and Down 34
about 2 months ago - 5 comments
I had a great time at the Georgia Kicking Camp last week. I saw Dax Langley and Billy Bennett as well as many young kickers I have met over the last few years. I am hopeful I will be able to be involved in the camp more in the future. One of the interesting developments
Time To Join The Battle
about 3 months ago - 3 comments
I am at a point where want Roughing the Kicker to be a vehicle to provide what I consider valuable information to the Bulldog Nation. Not so much football related, although the closer we get to the season, my juices are starting to flow. One such instance is coming July 12th when the 6th Annual
Is Georgia the Real “Kicker U”?
about 3 months ago - 15 comments
I was going to post this last year and never did. Now, as of yesterday, I am working the Georgia Kicking Camp next Tuesday June 1st. Dax Langley is running the camp. It will be great to see him.
Ole’ Bill King of Junkyard Blawg fame or infamy depending on who’s posting, was apparently short on
Down 20 and Logan’s Run
about 4 months ago - 8 comments
Last week was a definite plateau week for me, but broke through this weekend. I have lost 20 lbs. in four weeks. I feel good about that but I’m not quite half way to my initial goal of losing 55 lbs.
I have seen a few of you and you have been gracious to comment
Hard Line Just in Time
about 4 months ago - 8 comments
It seems many Georgia fans are continuing to question Mark Richt’s decision to dismiss Zach Mettenberger. They want an explanation for the seemingly hasty decision. They want details. Well, this ain’t TMZ and Mark Richt owes no one any explanations.
People have screamed for several years about discipline in the program both on and off the
Doing The Right Thing
about 4 months ago - 3 comments
The last few days have reminded me of how important doing the right thing really is. I played in yesterday’s Boy’s and Girl’s Club fundraising golf tournament which is obviously fun but a more than worthwhile group to support. I was tempted at one point though, to do the wrong thing.
A group ahead of us,
Gem City to Classic City and Back
about 4 months ago - 3 comments
The next few days in the Dawg Nation will be ones to remember. I can’t remember a stretch over a weekend with such promise. The Rotary Club of Marietta Park to Park Fun Run is the first of what I hope will be many race tee shirts for me. The starting line is at the
Subscribe to RTK
about 10 months ago
Yeah Randy I think everyone noticed but I give Hardesty and the other Vol backs credit too….they are horses….but our defense did seem weak at point of contact……alot of high tackles instead of cutting their legs out from under them which is what you do with power backs. Gee….ya think the coaches ought to have mentioned that last week?
about 10 months ago
Mitch +1
Did anyone notice that every time TN ran the ball we never, never stopped the runner cold? They always carried our guys 2-4 more yards after contact.
about 10 months ago
Rex….as we’ve discussed over a drink or two your right on the money. I just watched the debacle in Knoxville and know that unless we just have a talentless group of stiffs out there….which I don’t think we do….that the replacement of our kicker isn’t where “replacement talk” is going to be focused at UGA. If I’m Willie, Mike or even Mark….I would not be talking about the kids but getting my resume in order. That was NOT Georgia football. No tackling, No blocking, No game plan on either side of the ball and worst of all NO ADJUSTMENTS. Bootleg drags across the middle all day…..running the ball two scores down….screen plays run after they had already been blown up twice…..nothing downfield!!!! Rex this was as pathetic as performance as I can remember in twenty years. Maybe our players aren’t mature but a lot of this is sorry coaching and playcalling on both sides of the ball. I,m disgusted……oh well time to drown my sorrows and hope the coaches wake up.
about 10 months ago
Great post, Rex; thanks for rising above ‘political correctness’
And hey, love the new template here, looks swell…..
about 10 months ago
Well……I am yelling over the choir at the top of my lungs.
It’s really messed up that Blair takes the blame for an undisciplined coverage team that …….can’t tackle, has zero understanding of lane responsibility…… and hardly ever maintains outside containment consistently.
A first class example of not being prepared recently……the last kick off of last week. There should never be a penalty for not having enough men on one side of the formation….especially after the long delay of that other “penalty” and a “planned” attempt at “directional” kicking.
about 10 months ago
Wow…and I thought I was getting fired up…
about 10 months ago
The part about the the “team” is not a quotation. If those were Richt’s exact words there would be quotation marks around them.
about 10 months ago
My main worry is that this constant KO BS will begin to affect his field goal kicking as I think it did last season. For that reason and that reason alone I hope they stop using him for KO’s. The coaches are doing him a disservice and we all know that UGA has the worst kick coverage team in the SEC. They are slow, they can’t get off of blocks and they can’t tackle. Not to mention they have a QB playing safety, one who Bobo says can’t play QB because he might get hurt. This staff makes Hayden Fox’s boys at Minn State look like rock scientists.
about 10 months ago
Its fundamental football kick it deep center, deep left or deep right, keep you lanes bust the wedge and coral the return man….JUST TACKLE HIM!
The coaching philosophy is too timid and scared of giving up a long play…
about 10 months ago
I heard Kevin Butler on a post-game show last year talk about the coverage guys not getting downfield fast enough. Not sure if that’s what you’re talking about, Rex, but I’m guessing maybe.
Let me just say that I hope, if Brandon gets the kickoff job, that he kicks the ball into the low clouds and it lands at the one just inside a sideline. Because if the same problems continue this controversy is only going to get worse.
about 10 months ago
Kick it deep and put your fastest, top line athletes/tacklers on the coverage team. It’s a risk to thin teams, but it pays off. FYI, UGA is not a thin team in 2009. And please…Get the walk-ons off the KO team.
Teams starting inside their 30 have a 12% chance of scoring on that drive. 12% ! It’s identical to the NFL now. Stop trying to out-think yourselves and kick it deep!
Where is Butch Box when you need him?
about 10 months ago
Thank you Rex. I think Dawg fans are tired of having the coaches pee in our boots and tell us it is raining. You are absolutely correct- these comments are ridiculous. The issues are not with our kicker; they are with the coaching philosophy, personnel choices and fundamentals (keep contain Mr. Gamble, don’t head for the center of the field at the 30 yard line!). I think Coach Richt is allowing Fabris, Martinez and Bobo to kill this team this year. The coordinators take turns, Fabris is consistently awful with his special teams. AND IT ALL FALLS ON COACH RICHT’S SHOULDERS. TIME FOR THE TRUTH.
about 10 months ago
I remember a quote from Blair a couple of weeks ago. Something to the nature of “I’m just doing what I’m told.”
I know I’m yelling at the overcrowded Choir Loft…but DAMN Coach! Look at who’s talking!
Not who’s kicking.
about 10 months ago
I’m sure that will do a lot for Blair’s confidence the next time we need him to kick a game winning 50 yard field goal.