Mark Richt and the football team finished off an eventful week by taking part in the annual Picture Day last Saturday. The team, along with other sports teams from the Georgia athletic department, posed for pictures with fans and signed autographs as they took their 2008-09 photos. Earlier that morning, the Bulldogs conducted practice as they continue to get ready for the start of the season. Georgia’s first game of 2008 will be played on Aug. 30 when the Georgia Southern Eagles come to Athens for a 12:30 p.m. contest.
It was already established that the Bulldogs would be ranked No. 1 in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll heading into their season opener, but they also will be the No. 1 team according to the media after the release of last Saturday’s AP Poll. Georgia was pegged No. 1 followed by Ohio State, USC, Oklahoma and Florida. Interestingly, the AP Poll and the coaches’ poll have the same teams ranked in the top 23, but in a different order. The AP Poll, however, makes Georgia’s schedule appear to be a bit harder, as they rank Alabama at No. 24, giving the Bulldogs seven opponents ranked in the top 25. (Pittsburgh is the AP’s 25th-ranked team, while Michigan and Fresno State are ranked 24th and 25th, respectively, in the coaches’ poll.) Another difference is that the AP has four SEC teams ranked in the top 10, as Auburn checks in at No. 10. The coaches’ poll ranked the Tigers No. 11. The AP also ranked out-of-conference opponent Arizona State 15th, while the coaches’ poll had them 16th.
Before last Saturday’s practice, Georgia concluded its two-a-day practices with scrimmages last Monday, Wednesday and Friday. After left tackle Trinton Sturdivant tore knee ligaments in Monday’s scrimmage, costing him his 2008 season, the Bulldogs looked to find his replacement in the latter scrimmages. Right tackle Kiante Tripp has moved over to the left side and will replace Sturdivant. Also, backup running back Richard Samuel and backup receiver Israel Troup performed well in the scrimmages. Redshirt freshman Justin Houston has performed well at defensive end.
DIGGING FOR GOLD
Athletes with University of Georgia ties continued to make waves at the Beijing Olympics. Former swimmer Kara Lynn Joyce added to her medal count with another silver medal as a member of the United States women’s 400-meter medley relay team. Joyce had earlier won silver as a member of the 4×100-meter freestyle relay team. She competed individually in the 50-meter freestyle as a replacement for Jessica Hardy, but finished sixth. Also, Allison Schmitt won a bronze as a member of America’s 4×200-meter relay team. She enters Georgia this fall as a freshman.
On the track, former Bulldog Hyleas Fountain competed for the title of best women’s athlete in the world, winning a bronze medal in the heptathlon. Another former Georgia female track standout, Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie of the Bahamas, finished seventh in the 100 meters. For the men, World Champion and top U.S. hopeful Reese Hoffa did not fair as well in the shot put, finishing seventh.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“It’s exciting, it’s an honor and there’s a responsibility that goes with it.” - Head coach Mark Richt on being ranked No. 1
OFF THE FIELD
The 18th-ranked soccer team traveled to Tallahassee, Fla., last week to play in a specially designed exhibition with Florida State. The teams played three 30-minute periods with Georgia losing two and tying one. The Seminoles got the better of the Bulldogs with advantages of 1-0 and 2-0 in the first and third periods, while the two teams tied 1-1 in the second period. Megan Tomlinson scored Georgia’s only goal of the exhibition. The Bulldogs will start their season on Friday when they host Mercer at 7 p.m.
If the 2008 version of Georgia’s soccer team lives up to its preseason ranking, forward Carrie Patterson and defender Kelli Corless will play a big role for the Bulldogs. Both are All-SEC selections, with the junior Patterson being one only of two players chosen unanimously. Corless, a sophomore, was named the SEC Freshman of the Year a year ago. Patterson received that honor in 2006.
Though baseball pitching ace Trevor Holder was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 10th round of the MLB Draft in June, the Bulldogs received good news when Holder announced that he will instead continue his career at Georgia in 2009. Five other UGA recruits that were drafted by major league teams also decided not to sign professional contracts, including third-round picks OF/1B Chase Davidson (Milton HS) and OF/P Zach Cone (Parkview HS).
Butler can be reached at jbutler@scoreatl.com.
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