ATHENS, Ga. - The Georgia Bulldogs have lost their direction several times defensively under new coordinator Todd Grantham, but they haven't lost their on-field director.
Senior inside linebacker Akeem Dent leads the team in tackles and guidance as well, making sure everybody knows where to be and what responsibility they have in Grantham's 3-4 scheme. This after the 6-foot-2, 233-pounder from Atlanta missed most of preseason camp because of toe surgery.
"I think he's done an excellent job," Grantham said. "In the last few games, he's played as good as he's played since he's been here. I think the guy is a leader. He understands the game and is the kind of linebacker you want, meaning that he's physical, he's tough and he gets off blocks when he has to. He prepares. He studies.
"I can't say enough good things about him. You want kids like that in your program."
Dent has 42 tackles entering Saturday's game against Tennessee, which ranks third in the SEC behind Volunteers linebacker Nick Reveiz (50) and LSU linebacker Kelvin Sheppard (48). He stays busy physically and mentally for Grantham, who estimates the Bulldogs have been in the 3-4 about 60 percent of the time and have employed four down linemen, two linebackers and five defensive backs the other 40 percent.
"I feel like we've progressed throughout the season," Dent said, "but we've got to minimize the big plays and the third-down conversions and just get off the field."
Yielding big plays has become a concern.
Georgia allowed only one gain of 20 yards or longer against Louisiana-Lafayette in the opener and two the next week at South Carolina. Since then, the Bulldogs have given up seven such gains to Arkansas, four at Mississippi State and six last week at Colorado.
"There are times when a guy might get a little confused about what to do when he sees a certain motion or a certain set," Dent said, "but when guys get reps in practice, that's when they have to take them seriously, because that's where it all starts. The more you know your job, the more it becomes second nature."
Odds and ends
Head coach Mark Richt said Wednesday that sophomore receiver Marlon Brown will not play Saturday after Brown suffered a shoulder injury in Monday night's rare full-pads practice. ... Richt said senior receiver Kris Durham, who pinched a nerve in his neck at Mississippi State and didn't play last week at Colorado, is 50-50 for this week. ... Logan Gray is likely to return punts with Branden Smith (concussion) out. ... Freshman Kenarious Gates has been working this week at first-team right guard. ... The introduction of Uga VIII is expected to take place before next week's game against Vanderbilt.