At my age, new decades can become depressing. Or, it can be seen as a guiding light to something new; perhaps a moment of sage wisdom to have not only read about the great Georgia battles of old but also to have lived and watched them while hoping for a brighter future. Although I would classify myself as a life-long Georgia fan, with brief instances of Florida State fandom that I apologize every day over, my early days of Georgia football weren’t as serious as they are today. In the 80’s and 90’s, I guess I was too young to remember who the greatest right tackle was in Athens. All I cared about was the win, or at least the memorable moments that made football players superheroes. As the new decade approached, I realized that I may not have the intellectual capacity to create a good All-Decade Team but I certainly have the age to compile one at the very least. However, while most writers are gauging each player by career, I decided to honor each player by his best season. Yes, most if not all of my selections are debatable and that’s what I’m shooting for, but I know there are plenty of no-brainers on this list, too. So, as I’m basing my results on single seasons rather than a full career because I want to remember the brief moments that made each player a superhero. Along the way, I want you to remember what player made the biggest impact on his team during one particular season. So without further adieu, I give you the UGA All-Decade Single Season Team:
QB – Matthew Stafford: In 2008, Matthew Stafford went from 5-star bust to NFL talent. Although he showed improvement after the 2007 Tennessee loss and reeled off seven wins in a row to give UGA a no. 2 national ranking to finish the year, his 3459 yards, 25 tds, and 61% completion pct in 2008 were the more impressive numbers - as long as you close your eyes to the Alabama, Florida, and Georgia Tech losses, of course.
Apologies to David Greene. In 2004, Greene put up a senior season built around smart play and a winning attitude. With 2508 yards, 20 tds, and 4 ints, UGA finished the year 10-2. The only reason why he’s not at the top is his abysmal performances against Tennessee and Auburn, which were top 5 games with high expectations.
RB – Knowshon Moreno: The best running back to come out of Athens since Garrison Hearst, Knowshon Moreno put up stellar numbers his redshirt freshman season (2007) with quickness, power, agility, and a will to win. But his 2008 numbers of 1400 yards and 16 tds led the way to All-SEC honors, 2nd Team All-American honors, a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, and a 10-3 season.
Apologies to Musa Smith. You cannot bypass the impact Musa Smith made in 2002. Near the end of the season, Musa pretty much kept the chains moving with an impressive offensive line and a powerful ability to break the first tackle. His 1324 yards and 8 touchdowns led UGA to an SEC Title but it was his 0 fumbles lost that made the biggest difference.
FB – Brannan Southerland: When Thomas Brown was lost for the season in 2006, Brannan Southerland became the goal line leader in route to 8 touchdowns. He also helped establish a running game with Kregg Lumpkin and Danny Ware by opening up lane after lane.
Apologies to Verron Haynes. Shaun Chapas may be the true fullback to apologize to but Verron Haynes will always be connected to the “Hobnailed Boot” play in 2001. Haynes rotated between fullback and tailback – always opening up or creating lanes.
WR – A.J. Green: During his freshman year, AJ Green became a superstar with 56 catches for 963 yards and 8 touchdowns. Arguably, the most gifted receiver to come out of UGA in years, Green consistently stepped up with leaping catches in double-coverage. His sophomore season would have been his best had a string of late injuries not cut his season short.
Apologies to Sean Bailey. 39-615-5 in 2007 doesn’t do justice at how valuable he was to the Sugar Bowl champions. Although he didn’t dominate every game, he always seemed to make the most important catch. His wiry frame and blazing speed allowed him to make great downfield catches in pressure situations.
LT – Jon Stinchcomb: A consistent offensive tackle for UGA, Stinchcomb’s tenacity and willingness to succeed has not only catapulted him into a solid NFL starter, it also helped put an SEC trophy in Butts-Mehre in 2002.
Apologies to Trinton Sturdivant. If injuries hadn’t cut his career short, Trinton may be the best lineman we’ve had this decade. I’m obviously giving him an honorable mention due to his ability and not his actual time on the field, but what I saw his freshman season was a future first rounder in the NFL.
LG – Max Jean-Gilles : First Team All-SEC and All-American selection in 2005, Max Jean-Gilles helped give DJ Shockley all the time in the world to throw the football. The best guard to come out of Georgia since possibly Guy McIntyre. He now starts for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Apologies to Cordy Glenn. In his short two-year career, Cordy Glenn has become a main staple on the offensive line. So far, he’s been one of the bright spots on a young offensive line.
C – Nick Jones. A solid center for UGA. It’s not often that a center is looked upon as a leader but his senior year was clearly the case. He rarely fumbled a snap, mastered the art of a quick snap when defenders were offsides, and simply kept blockers in front of him at all times. In 2006, he was named All-SEC 2nd Team, team’s Most Valuable Player, and Team Captain.
Apologies to Ben Jones. He definitely became a force during the second-half of the 2009 season. His tenacity and never give up attitude reminds me of a certain undersized defensive end from five years earlier. It’s really a tie between him and Nick Jones but when he told his running backs in the huddle to follow him to the end zone, I knew this guy was special.
RG – Russ Tanner: Although a three-starter mostly at center, Russ Tanner is simply too good to leave off the list. A member of the Academic All-American Team, Russ often showed his football brilliance with consistent play and aggressive blocking skills his senior year.
Apologies to Chester Adams. A bright spot for Georgia in 2006, Chester “Cheese” Adams started 11 games as a junior earning credit on an offensive line that only allowed 17 sacks, which was 2nd best in the SEC.
RT – Clint Boling: A three year starter with his senior year to go. Clint Boling has been one of the most consistent offensive lineman we’ve had in the past twenty years. In 2008, Boling was named First Team All-SEC and 2nd Team All-Sophomore.
Apologies to George Foster. In 2002, Foster helped UGA total 32 points per game in route to an SEC Title. He was selected to the Senior Bowl All-Star Game after paving holes for Musa Smith.
TE – Leonard Pope: In just two years, Leonard Pope totaled 1044yds and became the go-to guy during the 2005 SEC Championship Season. His 39 catches for 541 yards 4tds and 13.87 yds per catch revolved around his plays in keys moments in 2005. Because of his massive size, Pope was able to block well while being virtually unblockable during passing plays.
Apologies to Ben Watson. Watson had the arms of a Marvel Comics superhero and his two-year numbers were justifiably good, catching 54 passes for 665 yards and 5tds . His production at tight end picked up where Jermaine Wiggins and Randy McMichael left off, marking a consistent string of great tight ends to stop in Athens.
WR – Terrence Edwards. In 2002, Terrence Edwards was our go-to receiver. Take away the Florida drop, and you’ve got a receiver who was nearly flawless his senior year. With 50 catches for 1004 yards and 11 touchdowns, it’s easy to see why he was on the best receivers to don a Georgia uniform.
Apologies to Mohammed Massaquoi. Reggie Brown should not be overlooked in this category either but MoMass’ 2008 season of 58-920-8 was remarkable considering he was the no. 2 receiver. When opposing defenses began double-teaming AJ Green, Massaquoi picked up the pace in the passing game.
DE – David Pollack: A great Southern cliché comes to mind when I think about Pollack’s college career: Local boy done good. Pollack came out of nowhere to become the greatest sack artist UGA has ever seen. And how does a defensive end amass 101 tackles in one season (2002)? An unstoppable motor that leads to All-American honors. His 245 tackles, 54.5 tfl, 34 sacks (14.5 in 2002), and 95 hurries easily makes him one of the greatest in Georgia history at any position.
Apologies to Marcus Howard. If I had an All-Decade Half-Season Team, Marcus Howard would most likely make the first team. A virtual disappointment until the Tennessee loss, Marcus Howard reeked havoc on quarterbacks to finish the season on a 7-0 run and a Sugar Bowl win. Howard’s 2007 season with 11 sacks and 42 hurries was compiled using a Dwight Freeney style of play that involved simply bull-rushing 300 lb lineman in route to attacking a quarterback.
DT – Richard Seymour. In 2000, Seymour’s senior year with 78 tackles, 10.5 tfl, 1.5 sacks, and 13 QB pressures made him a huge NFL prospect for the 2001 NFL draft. He earned player of the week honors in the Tennessee win – the first time Georgia had beaten the Vols in the last nine tries.
Apologies to Marcus Stroud. A 2nd Team All-SEC in 2000, Stroud helped make Georgia one of the best run defenses in the SEC. At 6’6” 300lbs, Stroud stuffed almost every run gap created.
DT – Johnathan Sullivan: 72 tackles, 18.5 tfl, 4 sacks, and 27 hurries in 2002 would be impressive for an outside linebacker let alone a space-eating defensive tackle. He consistently hurried the quarterback with his speed and stuffed the run with his size. His disruption upfront is a big reason why 2002 became a championship season.
Apologies to Geno Atkins: Some say he took a step back the last two years but when you put up 41 tackles, 14.5 tfl, 7.5 sacks, and 34 hurries as a sophomore, it’s really hard to duplicate the same statistical effort year after year. His 2007 All-SEC honors kept the pipeline of talented defensive tackles going at Georgia. Career totals: 120 tackles, 33 tfl, 11 sacks, 3 fumbles, and 97 hurries. Not too shabby for a kid who was supposed to backup Kade Weston.
DE – Quentin Moses. In 2005, Quentin Moses has 20.5 tfl and 11.5 sacks. He was a one-man wrecking crew with All-SEC honors and a leader of a defense that gave Georgia another SEC Title.
Apologies to Charles Johnson. Johnson’s 2006 season with 18.5 tfl, 9.5 sacks, and 27 hurries was a thing of beauty. He wasn’t always in every play but when he was on, no one was going to stop him.
WLB – Tony Taylor. I know, I know, Rennie Curran – but hear me out. Weakside linebacker is about making plays, right? Yes, Rennie Curran amassed 130 tackles in his final season but that was about it. Tony Taylor just missed 100 tackles his senior season but had more tackles-for-loss and sacks than Curran. And about making plays? While Rennie Curran only had three fumbles and zero interceptions in his career, Tony Taylor had four fumbles and seven interceptions in the 2006 season alone. He was the heart-and-soul of a defense that could have taken a backseat after a poor start to the 2006 season. Instead, he made plays down the stretch that helped UGA reel off five straight wins to close the season. Rennie is an all-time great for Georgia but he was never the focal point of the defense. He was a great contributor but Tony Taylor was the captain of the defensive ship.
Apologies to Rennie Curran. An impressive 3-year career, his textbook tackling skills make him one of the best linebackers in Georgia history.
MLB – Odell Thurman. This is your protypical middle linebacker for any college football program. With 121 total tackles, 18.5 tfls, 6.5 sacks, 2 ints, and 3 fumbles, Odell gave new meaning to “kill the man with the ball” in 2003.
Apologies to Tony Gilbert. I tried to find every loophole to fit Tony Gilbert at the top simply because I’ve always been a huge Tony Gilbert fan. However, Odell’s numbers were just too good but Gilbert’s 112 tackles and 15.5 tfls rivaled no one else and his overachieving attitude in 2002 helped bring an SEC Title back to Athens for the first time in twenty years.
SLB – Boss Bailey. Appropriately named, Boss was everything a strongside linebacker should have been. His 116 tackles, 9.5 tfls, 6 sacks, and 9 hurries in 2002 put him in elite company. His freakish athleticism allowed him to cover well on short yardage pass plays and his insane leaping ability blocked a few key field goal attempts along the way. He gave new meaning to the word “special.”
Apologies to Will Witherspoon. Witherspoon was more of what you call a utility linebacker because he played every linebacker position on the field in 2001. His career production in college is solid: 211 tackles and 3.5 sacks during his three-year career highlighted his consistency in Athens.
CB – Asher Allen: Asher’s sophomore season was better than his junior season. With 64 tackles and 3 interceptions in 2007, he not only covered some of the best SEC receivers on the field, he also helped stop the run on the strongside, as well.
Apologies to Paul Oliver. In 2006, Oliver’s junior year looked to be a stepping stone for All-SEC honors his senior year. While he never made it to back to Athens for his final season, opting instead to enter the supplemental draft, he compiled 57 tackles, 6.5 tfl, 2 sacks, and 3 ints.
CB – Tim Wansley in 2001. Finished his All-SEC senior season with 64/2/9 but also gets credit for the key turnover to seal Mark Richt’s first win over Georgia Tech, and the first win over the Jackets since 1997.
Tim Jennings: 56 tackles, 7 tfl, 1 sacks, and 4 ints were solid 2004 numbers for the weakside cornerback. The most impressive part is his ability to make open field tackles at 5’8”, 160lbs.
FS – Thomas Davis: Forget the All-Decade Team, Thomas Davis is part of the All-Century Team. I have never seen someone recreate the safety position and turn it into a menacing linebacker. Davis’ 2003 with 136 tackles and 4.5 sacks are impressive on paper, but you’ve got to see footage on how this guy accumulated those numbers. There are football players who still have nightmares when he sees you with the football.
Apologies to Greg Blue. A bruising hard hitter with 96 tackles to help Georgia win the SEC Title in 2005, Greg Blue punished ballcarriers who dared to get in his way. His cover skills were always sketchy but if caught you, you were going to pay the price for carrying the football.
SS/Rover – Sean Jones: In 2003, Sean Jones separated himself among the elite safeties in Georgia history. His 118 tackles, 10 deflections, and 5 ints are impressive enough, but I’ll always remember him for turning off the stereo that was playing Rocky Top in Knoxville when he picked up a fumble and ran it back 98 yards before halftime to send the Bulldogs to four straight over the Vols. His stats are remarkable but some of the footage that created those plays is unforgettable.
Apologies to Reshad Jones. Jones came in as the no. 1 safety in the country, and although he underachieved based on his potential, his statistics still add up to a solid college career. In 2009, he totaled 73 tackles and 4 ints to cap a decent junior year. His interceptions always seemed to come at the end of an important game and his vengeance to beat Georgia Tech makes him a true Bulldog.
P – Drew Butler. A 48.05 average with 19 punts inside the 20 yard line, Drew Butler became a First Team All-American by Walter Camp while winning the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s top punter.
Apologies to Gordon Ely-Kelso. His 2005 numbers included a 42.86 average with 23 punts inside the 20 yard line awarded him a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award and was a Second Team All-SEC selection.
K – Billy Bennett. In 2003, Billy Bennett had one the best seasons for any kicker: 131 total point off 31fgs, 28 pats, long of 52 yards, and an 81% field goal percentage. During the first part of the decade, if Georgia lined up for a field goal, Billy Bennett was going to make it.
Apologies to Brandon Coutu. With a huge leg, Brandon Coutu made long field goals look like chip shots. In 2005, Coutu totaled 114 points off 23 fgs, 45 pats, a long of 58 yards, and a 79% field goal percentage that helped Georgia gain an SEC Title.
Let the controversies begin!
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