ATHENS, Ga. – Georgia ended the 2009 regular season with tailbacks Washaun Ealey and Caleb King combining for 349 rushing yards in a 30-24 win at Georgia Tech.
The Bulldogs haven’t exactly picked up where they left off.
Ealey got suspended for the Louisiana-Lafayette opener. King missed last week’s game at South Carolina with a sprained ankle, and a veteran offensive line has underachieved no matter who’s getting the carries.
Georgia rushed for 61 yards on 26 carries in its 17-6 loss to the Gamecocks, which was a third of the output produced by South Carolina freshman tailback Marcus Lattimore.
“We’re going to run the ball, and we’re going to do it very well,” Georgia senior tackle Josh Davis said Tuesday. “That was a learning experience. It won’t happen again.”
The Bulldogs rank last in the SEC in rushing through two games with a 122.5-yard average. Coach Mark Richt believes the line and running backs share in the responsibility to improve.
“If I had a bunch of freshman linemen, I would say that we probably had a pretty decent day, but for that group of guys I think we can do better,” Richt said. “We’re challenging our runners to get more out of what is being blocked. That kid from South Carolina did.”
Returning the barb
Minutes after South Carolina’s victory, in which Lattimore rushed 37 times for 182 yards and two touchdowns, Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier had a verbal jab for new Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, who spent the past 11 years in the NFL.
“That little inside zone play – the NFL doesn’t run that play,” Spurrier said. “That’s a new scheme, I guess. I’m sure they knew we would run it, but they certainly didn’t stop it much.”
Grantham said after Tuesday’s practice that he was texted Spurrier’s comment.
“We actually knew what plays they were running, and they actually run that play in pro ball,” he said. “Our offense actually runs that play, too.”
When asked about joining a long list of coaches whom Spurrier has needled, Grantham said, “It was kind of an out-of-left-field comment. I kind of took it more as a shot at the NFL, so I really wasn’t sure if it was because of his lack of success there or what, so I kind of took it more like that than anything.”
Going the distance
Bulldogs junior DeAngelo Tyson played every snap at nose against South Carolina and had a long afternoon, recording one tackle. Richt would like to get backups Justin Anderson and Kwame Geathers more involved this week, and Tyson is all for that.
“I knew I was going to play, but not that many snaps,” he said. “I was pretty tired. When I got home, all I did was go to sleep.”
Odds and ends
Senior fullback Shaun Chapas remains questionable with a sprained ankle. … Georgia’s Nov. 6 game against Idaho State will be televised by WSB TV in Atlanta and will kick off at 12:30. … Junior punter Drew Butler led the nation wire-to-wire last season but is currently 14th with a 44.91-yard average. … Richt on the A.J. Green appeal: “I’m being told to just hang loose. They’ll let us know when they let us know.” … The Bulldogs are ninth nationally in fewest penalty yards (27.5) per game after ranking 113th last year. … The Florida Tuskers of the United Football League have linebackers Odell Thurman, Tony Taylor and Arnold Harrison on their roster, and all three played together at Georgia in 2003.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or (423) 757-6524.