Munson: a big bus load of UGA fans from Baxley, GA (headed to Biloxi, MS)
bailed him out after the Sugar Bowl game when he was stuck in traffic jam and
gave him a ride to his hotel; Munson really appreciated them and said they were
great fans
Coach Richt: FSU's trademark for years has been their speed and I don't
think it will change. Anquan Boldin only has one year left and he'd rather
stay at receiver...he's dangerous. Even if he played at QB next year, the
NFL would see his ability and give him a shot at WR. Our #1 concern vs. FSU
was getting beat one-on-one (DeCory Bryant was beat by Craphonso Thorpe....another
Boldin pass was dropped by Talman Gardner that could have gone for a touchdown)
Speed is important, but sometime you have to take a guy like Tony Gilbert...a
football player, regardless of how fast they run or jump.
re: speed, early on we got some good inside LBer types to commit...I spoke with
Van Gorder ....decided we better get speed from this moment on
Paul in Screven County: why weren't you happy after the players dunked you
w/ the icewater? Your thought's on Zook's final play call vs. Michigan?
Coach Richt: well, the game wasn't over...I hate that...we stopped FSU on
4th down w/ 7 seconds...clock stops at the point as the ball is turned over....they
still had time to score; that thing was as cold...full of ice...stinging...caught
me off guard. I usually know these things are coming, because Michael Johnson
gets friendly with me right before...but not this time.
re: UF's trick play....I saw it...looked like they were moving it well beforehand;
if they scored a td, then [Zook/Zaunbrecher] would have been a genius; Zook's
not an offensive coord; he did right thing taking responsibility for the play
and I respect that
Jim from Duluth: thanks for a wonderful year...thrills and chills. Have you
had a chance to talk to Musa re: McGahee injury/NFL prospects?
Coach Richt: I haven't talked to him yet...he's at home in Pennsyslvania...I
want what's best for Musa...show him the pros and cons for each decision;
I want him to stay for the right reasons b/c that's what's in his heart
and is best for him...would be great if he stayed
Al in Knoxville: glad you got new contract; glad to see you brought Shockley
in after fumble...shows confidence; greatest/major weakness going into spring
practice?
Coach Richt: DJ, I do believe in, I love him and all our guys...to not put him
back in might be devastating to his confidence...he actually made a great play
on the fumble...if DJ stayed in on the play, FSU would play man coverage...it
was the right coverage and he made the play; as far as going into spring, the
#1 issue is OL .... no juniors or seniors going into next season...most interesting
thing in the spring...and the bad part about it, we only have about 7-8 OL on
scholarship...we need to sign that many more this year...spring is going to
be tough for these guys b/c not much relief; also, Musa's decision if he
chooses to move on; wr position pretty solid; Ben Watson still has a decision
to make; fullback ...don't know what's going to happen there...spot
will be competed for; defensively, our LBers w/o question will be a concern...may
move Clemons inside...Thomas Davis...Tony Taylor on outside, possibly; dbs should
all come back; need a new punter, don't know if we'll have that all
resolved in the spring...so lots of questions
Elizabeth in Valdosta: you used Homer Smith last year to help you with clock
management; what ways do you need to improve for next season? Will you use outside
help?
Coach Richt: we always use outside help; I'd like to spend a little time
w/ a pro team that utilizes their tight ends well...and see how we can get our
tight ends more involved with things; offensive and defensive coaches always
go somewhere or fly someone in to help them get better in some areas; I leave
this up to the coordinators to decide what to do
Jeremy in Memphis: congrats on the year; Thomas Davis did a great job of rushing
pasher, esp. when lined up on the end; is he going to be moved from safety to
linebacker next year?
Coach Richt: in the summer is when we get a lot of aerobic conditioning in;
football's not really aerobic though....bursts of 5-6 seconds of action
followed by a 20-30 second rest....so that's what the mat drills are for...it
really trains you more than distance training, which we do a little of
Joey in Thomason: are you going to punish Thornton for the taunting on the interception
return?
Coach Richt: I'd forgotten about that. I did give him a little bit of a
scolding after the play; maybe [punishment] on the first day of mat drills we'll
give him a little extra something; it could have hurt us....btw, I'm still
in New Orleans...we had a rules committee this morning; helped draft legislation
....instead of kicking from the 18, offended coaches would have the option of
taking the kick at the 3-yd line then forcing the offender to kick from their
20-yd line instead of the 35 on the ensuing kickoff; not much of penalty right
now kicking from 18
Rhonda in Commerce: congrats on a great season. Do you think [our momentum/success]
will be able to carry on to next season? She loves Larry Munson and really appreciates
Coach Richt and him bringing God into everything.
Coach Richt: we hope it continues...our players are really learning how to win
and are starting to expect to win ... they know how to work and are not afraid
of it...we really have a chance to be in the hunt every year....now, are we
going to make it every year?...I don't know; lots of holes in our team that
will have to be replaced; how well will these guys step up?
Tony in Athens: said that Munson and Richt are both legends and heroes and that
they mean a lot to the entire state of Georgia; asked if we can be in the MNC
game next year; liked the way DJ Shockley really stepped up and played some
ball in the Sugar Bowl
Coach Richt: DJ is good as any collegiate QB in the country; we have two outstanding
QBs on the same team...our biggest dilemma is that they're only one year
apart; I'm so thankful DJ's going to stay...as you know only one play,
an injury [to Greene] from starting...although DJ's status as backup may
not stay that way in the future. I know for sure DJ's going to have a senior
year where David's gone and think he's going to do great things for
us and hope that Georgia does great things for him
John in Villa Rica: Tulane game replacement?
Coach Richt: as you know, this season we had to scramble to get NW St; we don't
have an opponent scheduled right now...we have a couple of other open dates
that we may have to use, but would rather not since they are before
Florida
and
Auburn; I don't want to add another animal out there in that spot considering
how tough our schedule is (mentioned
LSU and
Alabama); we need to find
somebody to fill the spot at this such late notice
Dee in Albany: looks forward to the May 13th date [Bulldog Club Meeting] in
South Georgia
Coach Richt: I'm sure it will be fun and I really appreciate the fans
Scott in Rome: said he's a Dawg convert and talked about his Christian-based
Athletes program
By Jim_from_duluth on Sunday, January 5, 2003
- 3:45 pm
-Since both of us prepared reports - each w/o knowing the other was - we
thought everyone might like to go through both to get as much info as possible.
-- Jim
Special bowl review & spring preview Bulldog Hotline .. a look at what's
coming up. Here we sit in January with a great season behind us. Winning the
SEC Championship was obviously the highlight. The bowl season had its share
of good games and bad games as usual? Who was ranked too high or should've
been ranked higher.
Munson also wanted to thank a busload of fans from Baxley who bailed him out
of a post-game traffic jam.
We're waiting for Coach Richt….. before the bowl, CMR showed up on a cell
phone and was not in the studio with the producer and the gear. So, Munson went
ahead and took calls. Munson was trying to get Jeremy from Memphis on, but suddenly
we found CMR.
FSU always has speed. That's never going to change. Munson was highly impressed
with Boldin. CMR says Boldin would rather stay at WR because that's where
his future is. But even if he played QB, the NFL would still look at him as
a WR.
We were always concerned that FSU's WRs could get behind us. Examples were
the TD catch which we thought Bryant had well-defended, and the one Talman Gardner
dropped. We've started believing our guys can make a play anytime, but they've
been believing that for years.
We always look for speed, but there are the Tony Gilberts of the world, who
are simply good football players. Nowadays, if you get 3 LBs who are of the
ILB type, you're in trouble speed-wise.
First caller - Paul from Screven Co., wondered why CMR didn't look too happy
when he got dunked. The game wasn't over yet. Even though we'd stopped
them, there were still 7 seconds left. And, that water was so called it was
stinging. Plus, they caught him off guard this time.
What about Zook's call at the end of the Florida game? CMR thinks coaches
get questioned anytime a play like that doesn't work. He thought Florida
had been moving the ball well at that point.
CMR talked to Musa a few days ago, and will talk to him again in a day or two
about his situation. Musa is home with his family in Pennsylvania thinking things
over now. What we have to do is present the pros and cons of each decision.
The last thing you want to do is encourage a player to stay, only to suffer
a bad injury (a la McGahee, as I framed the question on Musa).
CMR said he didn't think it was a good idea to pull DJ just because the
ball got stripped while he was trying to make a big play. We thought if DJ stayed
in the game, they would play man coverage because of his ability to run. If
Greene went back in, we didn't know what they would play.
We're lucky to have two outstanding college QBs on the same team. As we
know, it only takes one play to force a backup in, and we've seen what can
happen to teams that have lost a QB. We do know DJ will have a senior year with
Greene gone.
The most interesting thing in the spring will be the OL. We've got to sign
another 6-8 just to get the numbers up. The RB situation will be interesting
if Musa decides to move on. Ben Watson has a decision to make also, though he
has said he's staying. Also, there are some other questions - LBs and punter.
If we had to start now: Max at OT, Miller at OG, Tanner at C (though Swoopes
may challenge by August), Brock at OG, and Roland at ST, but Inman will
give him a run for his money buy August. Punting - CMR not sure if he'll
know until the end of two-a-days.
Elizabeth from Valdosta wondered about what effect Homer Smith had. CMR just
said he thought he needed to work on clock management after last year. CMR also
said he'd like to spend time with a pro team that really uses the TE well.
Coaches always take a trip to study what others are doing.
Jeremy in Memphis was indeed located, and pointed out Thomas Davis as a particularly
good pass rusher from the safety position. He also liked man to man coverage.
CMR said it looks like Davis will have to move to LB. A guy like him will get
a matchup on the RB. LBs need to run right through the RB when blitzing instead
of trying to juke. Run the RB right into the QB's lap. The defensive coaches
like man to man. As we continue to get corners who can do that, we'll do
it more. There is also something to be said to mixing coverages. If offenses
know you're playing mostly man, there are ways to beat it, like pick plays.
Hank from Thomasville reports there is nary an FSU fan to be found after our
Sugar Bowl win. He also thanked Coach Bobo for helping him out after an accident.
CMR again pointed out Bobo still has more potential as a coach.
With the season over, the players have a break. But VH will meet with the returning
players next Monday to discuss conditioning and mini-mats. Then mat drills start
after recruiting. Those are agility drills on mats, ropes, etc., in which groups
of players perform a drill, and do it again if one member of the group doesn't
get it right. After drills, coaches go back and grade drills. Grades are posted
and those with higher grades get to move to the front, where it is more likely
that everyone will get the drill right the first time. Those are drills to show
who is coachable and where the players can't win, as it is do it the coaches'
way or hit the road.
Football isn't really aerobic - you go hard for a few seconds, then you
rest for 30-40 seconds between plays. That is the way the mat drills work, though
there is running during the offseason as well.
CMR did give Thornton a bit of a scolding after getting called for the celebration
penalty. (He's in New Orleans right now at a rules committee meeting.)
There was discussion of giving coaches a choice of deferring the penalty for
celebration to the ensuing kickoff.
Rhonda in Commerce wanted to know if Munson was going to stay until "he
absolutely had to go." Also, CMR says we hope it continues next year. The
players are starting to understand and enjoy winning. CMR thinks we've got
a chance to be in the hunt every year. But we don't know how the new guys
will step up.
Lauren from Atlanta thinks CMR and Munson are beautiful men (she's an
FSU alumna from before Bowden got there). She also wondered if we would've
been #1 if FSU had made that FG. CMR said he would rather have won the Sugar
Bowl than played in the title game and lost it.
We are still looking for a replacement for Tulane, and who knows what slot the
replacement game will be played in. Plus, look at our western schedule (Auburn,
Bama, LSU) and we may not want to add another animal in there.
Phillip from Vinings thinks we ought to try and get a full house for G-Day.
Also, on 3rd & long, could there be some kind of symbiotic relationship
between play calling and noise. CMR thinks it would be tremendous to fill the
stands on G-Day. As for the noise level, our fans this year did the best they've
done in years and years not only in terms of the noise level, but in sustaining
it. If CMR goes into a game knowing there will be a lot of noise, he may not
include as many audibles.
Dee Matthews from Albany called to add her thanks for the great season, and
is already looking forward to CMR being at their Bulldog Club gathering on May
13. CMR thanked her and all the Bulldog Clubs.
The last caller wanted to promote a Christian athletic organization, and CMR
asked the guy to write him at the office.
Comments