Georgia Football: Defense
By Danny Bishop
Oct 5, 2013; Knoxville, TN, USA;Tennessee Volunteers running back Rajion Neal (20) runs the ball against Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Jordan Jenkins (59) during the second quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Georgia coach Mark Richt and a delegation of players met with the media Tuesday during the Bulldogs’ weekly press luncheon. They offered the following comments:
Coach Mark Richt
On Leonard Floyd…
“Leonard as a true freshman has come in and played extremely well. He’s played mostly outside linebacker and made most of his plays as a rusher, but he’s played out in the flat a little bit. He’s been a guy that we’ll drop in to coverage from time to time. He’s a pretty good blitzer as an inside backer from time to time. He’s doing very well. I’m pleased with him.”
On Tray Matthews…
“I think right now Tray would be a bonus for us if he can, in fact, go full speed. I’m not saying that he wouldn’t play, but I’m just saying that we’re still planning without him, but he is getting some reps. The more he shows that we can do it, the better shot that he’ll have at playing in the game.”
On Reggie Carter…
“Reggie, I think, is having surgery today just to see what they’ve got. We don’t know for certain, but we think it’s a cartilage issue. (With him potentially out), we have Tim Kimbrough and Johnny O’Neal. Those are the next guys in line. They’re tough thumpers. They’re really good run-stopping guys, and they’re helping us on special teams. I think they’ll be pretty good linebackers in the future. Are they really ready to play 70, 80 or 90 percent of the snaps if something happened to the other guys? It’d be tough on them, but that’s who will go in if something happens.”
October 6, 2012; Columbia, SC, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Amarlo Herrera (52) reacts to a call in the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium. South Carolina won 35-7. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
Inside Linebacker Amarlo Herrera
On if Missouri’s loss gave the team a lift…
“I think it definitely helped a little and gave us some more hope, but I always had hope. We still have to do what we have to do and go out there and take care of our business.”
On Florida’s offense…
“I think they’re a good offense. They have a lot of speed and a lot of skilled guys. They have a great quarterback that’s stepped in as a backup and he’s playing good ball. [QB Tyler Murphy] is athletic and he can make plays with his legs and he can make plays on the run.”
On the play of LB Ramik Wilson this year…
“I’ve been around Ramik for a long time so I know him pretty well. He’s a hard working guy and he’s been making plays out there. I think he’s surprised a lot of people with his athletic ability because he hasn’t really been playing a whole lot until this year.”
On what has helped Georgia overcome Florida in the past years…
“Win. We go out there and play hard and we’ve been able to win. I wasn’t here when they were beating us so I couldn’t say if it was a mental thing. We just look at them as another SEC team, but it is a rivalry game so it is a big one.”
Safety Connor Norman
On being named one of the team captains…
“It’s definitely an honor to be named a captain. You want to play well and be a leader out there and keep everybody focused on what needs to be done.”
On how he views the Florida rivalry…
“It is a special week. This is always a fun game and it’s fun to play a great team like Florida in the atmosphere down there. It’s just another football game though. We have to continue to get better and win games. You can’t get caught up in the whole atmosphere of it though; because once the ball gets kicked off it’s just another football game. It’s very impressive down there. I think it’s just a cool thing for the players of Georgia, Florida, and the fans to get to experience something like that. It’s split down the middle and it’s such an electric atmosphere. It’s about as close to the SEC Championship as you can get with the atmosphere like that.”
On if Missouri’s loss gave the team a lift…
“I definitely think it did. Missouri controls their own destiny still, so all we can really keep on doing is just get better and win games.”