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Tray Matthews gonna be a beast

Posted on 3/30/13 at 3:27 pm
Posted by DawgRff
Snellville Ga
Member since Jul 2012
6575 posts
Posted on 3/30/13 at 3:27 pm
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If there's been one discernable difference between this year's spring practice compared to that of last season it's that workouts seem to be a bit more "chippy."

Such was apparently the case Saturday as Georgia held its second scrimmage at Sanford Stadium in preparation for next week's G-Day game (April 6, 1 p.m.).

"I thought they competed well. I think we're still a little bit undisciplined with a little of the extra-curricular activity after a couple of plays when things get heated up, guys get after it a little bit after the whistle blows," Richt said. "But I'd rather them have a heartbeat than try to get them ready to go. I'm not necessarily mad at it, but we've got to correct that."

There have definitely been some interesting moments thus far.

On Tuesday, a goal-line session was highlighted by some on-field barking between linebacker Amarlo Herrera and quarterback Hutson Mason.

Saturday, apparently some aggression was carried out onto the field.

According to linebacker Jordan Jenkins, safety Tray Matthews accidently slammed into cornerback Reggie Wilkerson who was attempting to make a play on wide receiver Justin Scott-Wesley.

Scott-Wesley later paid a price of his own.

"Everybody was talking a little bit of trash from the earlier practice we had this week; tempers got a little high," Jenkins said. "It was a post route, Tray came down and knocked the crap out of Scott-Wesley. It was borderline in the chest; they (officials) called a personal foul."

Georgia sports information personnel said Scott-Wesley was able to return to the field.

Jenkins said it was just that kind of morning.

"When I fight I just do it to have fun. With Todd (Gurley), we just like to tick each other off, and have a little bit of fun. When punches get thrown that's when you break it up," Jenkins said. "When it's one-on-one, you let it ride out for a little bit. You don't want to take it to the locker room, so we try to get it done on the field where it's all good. But when you're competing that hard, you got to have a little fight every once in a while."

Quarterback Aaron Murray has noticed the change.

After not playing in Tuesday's scrimmage while he attended an awards banquet in Atlanta, Murray returned Saturday and completed 13 of 21 passes for 159 yard, while Mason was 8 of 14 for 154 yards and two touchdowns.

Both quarterbacks were intercepted once each.

"Offensively I thought we did a great job, running the ball and throwing the ball. We had a lot of fun out there today. I think we scored every possession," Murray said. "I thought we dominated today - don't write that too much. I don't want them to be mad at me, but the offense kicked butt today."

However, not all went right in Murray's world.

The interception he threw to cornerback Sheldon Dawson on a ball intended for Chris Conley stood out most in his mind.

"(Dawson) ripped him back, then ran and caught the ball. They didn't call a penalty. It was nonsense," Murray said tongue in cheek. "It should have been defensive holding … everyone saw it … I was not happy. I saw him yank Conley."

Or did he?

"Well, the ref didn't see it," mused Dawson. "(Murray) threw a pick."

Murray even took a good-natured shot at Jenkins, claiming he was never actually sacked during on a play the quarterback felt was about to break for a long run.

"I was taking off, I was at the 30. I took off and our defensive guy (Jenkins) is getting blocked. He sticks out his arm, he taps me and they call it down. There's no way he could have tackled me," Murray said. "They were in Cover 2 with split safeties, I took off and ran but he touched me and they called me down. Obviously, if it was real football I would have got 15 yards."

Jenkins - good naturedly - laughed off Murray's allegations."That's the whole little thing between the quarterbacks and us if it's borderline," Jenkins smiled. "But if it's (Jadeveon) Clowney or somebody like that, however many passes they got, they wouldn't have got that many if it had been a real game."

Keith Marshall led all rushers with four carries for 25 yards, while Gurley added 3 for 14, although he did score a touchdown on a 3-yard catch.

Conley had six catches for 99 yards and a score, followed by Malcolm Mitchell with two for 52 and a touchdown.

Rantavious Wooten also returned after missing the last two practices with an undisclosed illness and caught three passes for 50 yards.

Defensively, Dawson and Ramik Wilson both had interceptions, while freshman linebacker Reggie Carter had five tackles, recovered a fumble and picked off a pass.

Kicker Marshall Morgan converted two of three fields goals, coming up short on a 55-yarder.

Statistics

Rushing: Marshall 4-25, Gurley 3-14, Green 12-13, Harton 5-6, Karempelis 4-8, LeMay 2-19. Passing: Murray 13-21-1-1 159, Mason 8-14-1-2 154, Welch 3-8-1-0 38, LeMay 5-11-0-1 31, Ramsey 1-7-1-0 11. Receiving: Mitchell 2-52 (TD) , Conley 6-99 (TD), Wooten 3-50, McGowan 4-54, Rome 2-29, Lynch 1-3, Gurley 1-3 (TD), Marshall 2-24, Harton 2-9, Tibbs 3-31 (TD). Tackles: Norman 7, Harvey-Clemson 4, Vavlas 6, Wilkerson 3 (interception), Smith 2, Taylor 4 (sack), Dawson 3 (interception), Stripling (forced fumble), DeLoach 3, Jenkins 2, Matthews 2, Swann 4, Moore 3 (and a tackle for loss), Carter 5 (fumble recovery and an interception), Mayes 3 (and a tackle for loss), Herrera 3, Mauger 2, Bailey 3 (and a tackle for loss).

Long undergoes surgery

Senior offensive guard Austin Long underwent outpatient surgery at St. Mary's Hospital on Friday for a fractured right hand. He suffered a fracture of the same hand last December.

Long, a 6-foot-5, 304-pound native of native of Memphis, Tenn., fractured his hand during practice Thursday. According to UGA Director of Sports Medicine Ron Courson, Long will miss the remainder of spring drills but is expected to make a full recovery.

Long appeared in 13 games this season for the Bulldogs last season.

Dawson pulls hamstring

Cornerback Sheldon Dawson's spring has apparently come to an end after he pulled a hamstring during Saturday's scrimmage.

"I was covering Conley on a post-corner and I was with him and opened up, but as soon as I opened up and accelerated something snapped," Dawson said. "I was in some pain."

The injury couldn't have come at worse time for Dawson, who intercepted three passes in Georgia's two scrimmages thus far.

"I feel I had a good camp," Dawson said. "I did pretty well but there are still some mental errors that I need to correct."
Posted by RFDAWG
Aiken SC
Member since Sep 2012
2044 posts
Posted on 3/30/13 at 4:47 pm to

Sounds like the defense is getting it done!
Posted by Remington Dawg
Irmo, S.C
Member since Sep 2012
1457 posts
Posted on 3/30/13 at 8:52 pm to
GATA DAWGS!!!!!!! We are coming for the fort hill felines, Clem's son is in for a tough battle.
Posted by DawgRff
Snellville Ga
Member since Jul 2012
6575 posts
Posted on 4/2/13 at 8:13 pm to
Im hearing receivers getting out the way of their routes to avoid Matthews. Thats good news for the defense, but the receivers gotta make some moves

Via Radi
So apparently a wide receiver "ran away" from safety Tray Matthews today in #UGA's practice to avoid being hit. Catcalls ensued. #headhunter
This post was edited on 4/2/13 at 8:16 pm
Posted by Swin
Marietta
Member since Sep 2012
919 posts
Posted on 4/2/13 at 9:14 pm to
quote:

Matthews’ hits, play still drawing wows Receiver Justin Scott-Wesley wasn’t practicing on Tuesday. The reason probably had to do with a big hit delivered by safety Tray Matthews in Saturday’s scrimmage. Players were still talking about it three days later. “I’ve never seen anyone with that kind of closing speed,” Murray said. “He laid the wood. I thought he killed Scott-Wesley the other day. I really thought he was dead.”
Posted by Swin
Marietta
Member since Sep 2012
919 posts
Posted on 4/2/13 at 9:32 pm to
quote:

@RadiNabulsi: I hear #UGA safety Tray Matthews also sent a wide receiver to the hospital with a bruised lung. Likely from the scrimmage on Saturday.
Posted by S1C EM
Athens, GA
Member since Nov 2007
11594 posts
Posted on 4/2/13 at 9:36 pm to
Let's just hope we don't end up with another Jakar Hamilton situation.
Posted by Gotta have DeZeier
Turner Field
Member since Dec 2011
3011 posts
Posted on 4/2/13 at 9:43 pm to
quote:

Jakar Hamilton


Wasnt intelligent enough to understand Willie's scheme. Tray is a Pre-Vet major that graduated from HS early. I get that Jakar was the last safety bust we have had. But come on. Tray doesnt deserve to have his name with Jakar. All indications are TM28 will be a darn good Safety. Lets leave it at that.
Posted by S1C EM
Athens, GA
Member since Nov 2007
11594 posts
Posted on 4/2/13 at 9:51 pm to
quote:

All indications are TM28 will be a darn good Safety. Lets leave it at that.


Not saying Tray will be a bust. Point is very clear: We heard a LOT of good things coming out of Jakar's first camp. He was supposedly earning the "Hitman" moniker. Then he fell off the map. I think Tray will be fine. I simply mused that I hope we don't see such a drop-off again. Let's not treat Tray like he's Herschel Walker before ever playing a down. Jakar actually played a season. Tray hasn't even hit the field yet. Don't act like considering the two in the same stream of thought is some sort of "blasphemy".
Posted by meansonny
ATL
Member since Sep 2012
26858 posts
Posted on 4/2/13 at 10:48 pm to
Tray won't be a bust.

But I'm with S1C EM thinking that the spring publicity gets blown out of proportion.
He will be a true freshman. I'd be impressed if he gets through his freshman season with less venom than Rambo.

Guys with big springs recently...
Kenarious Gates at LT last year (couldn't hold onto the starting job)

Kwame Geathers at NT two seasons ago. Lasted 2 games as the starter.
Christian Robinson at Mike Backer two seasons ago.
Came into that season as a team captain. After 2 games, he was losing playing time. After an injury, he never started again.

Spring standouts mean nothing (basically it means that the player has improved... but it doesn't highlight how bad the player was previously).

Tray's biggest advantage is that he's a true freshman. As a junior, he will be a true All SEC candidate. But he's going to make some mistakes along the way. The truth is that OCs in the SEC are smarter than him. And they will be able to manipulate him until he builds up experience.
Posted by Peter Buck
Member since Sep 2012
14162 posts
Posted on 4/3/13 at 6:57 am to
Spring standouts mean something...
Posted by S1C EM
Athens, GA
Member since Nov 2007
11594 posts
Posted on 4/3/13 at 8:04 am to
quote:

Guys with big springs recently...
Kenarious Gates at LT last year (couldn't hold onto the starting job)

Kwame Geathers at NT two seasons ago. Lasted 2 games as the starter.
Christian Robinson at Mike Backer two seasons ago.
Came into that season as a team captain. After 2 games, he was losing playing time. After an injury, he never started again.

Spring standouts mean nothing (basically it means that the player has improved... but it doesn't highlight how bad the player was previously).

Tray's biggest advantage is that he's a true freshman. As a junior, he will be a true All SEC candidate. But he's going to make some mistakes along the way. The truth is that OCs in the SEC are smarter than him. And they will be able to manipulate him until he builds up experience.


Spoken like a wise Ranter.

I just urge a sense of caution, lest we all become some variant of Firewind.
Posted by Peter Buck
Member since Sep 2012
14162 posts
Posted on 4/3/13 at 8:50 am to
Sorry, but there is a difference between a few anecdotal remarks and a guy who dominates at his spot in spring. Any way you slice it, it is encouraging. Especially being that it is essentially a high school kid. There is no wisdom in basing an argument on some scattered facts not directly relevant to the actual situation.

We do not know how good he will be. We do know that a highschool kid dominated in spring practice against college kids. That is encouraging...
Posted by gatorhata9
Dallas, TX
Member since Dec 2010
26186 posts
Posted on 4/3/13 at 9:07 am to
quote:

S1C EM


Are any of your glasses half full?
Posted by S1C EM
Athens, GA
Member since Nov 2007
11594 posts
Posted on 4/3/13 at 9:23 am to
quote:

There is no wisdom in basing an argument on some scattered facts not directly relevant to the actual situation.


Um.....so you're proving my point? We are hearing tidbits here and there and what others are saying in practice; same as Jakar and many of the others mentioned by Sonny. Maybe you have a short memory, but all of these guys were "dominating" their spring practices. Those were not "anecdotal remarks" when they were made. They were factual accounts of how these guys were playing in spring ball, made by coaches and players......sound familiar?

Again, it's all encouraging. I'm not disagreeing on that. Just saying it would be wise to temper the optimism just a tad.
Posted by S1C EM
Athens, GA
Member since Nov 2007
11594 posts
Posted on 4/3/13 at 9:23 am to
quote:

Are any of your glasses half full?


Sure. Are any of yours not rose-colored (red)?


See what I did there?
Posted by WG_Dawg
Member since Jun 2004
90472 posts
Posted on 4/3/13 at 9:24 am to
I know you can't put a TON of stock into spring practices, but Tray seems like he's cut from a different mold. He's an early enrollee for one that is practicing with the team instead of going to high school prom. But one of the biggest things to me is that he skipped his first ever COLLEGE SPRING BREAK when everyone is going to the beach and getting fricked up to keep "getting ready for clemson" as he put it. That's mature as shite for someone in his situation. In addition to all that maturity, he seems to be killing it on the field as well.

There's no guarantee that he'll do great, but all the signs you could possibly want to see are there. I think more signs point to him being great than a bust.
Posted by S1C EM
Athens, GA
Member since Nov 2007
11594 posts
Posted on 4/3/13 at 9:39 am to
quote:

I think more signs point to him being great than a bust.


I agree.
Posted by gatorhata9
Dallas, TX
Member since Dec 2010
26186 posts
Posted on 4/3/13 at 10:20 am to
quote:

Sure. Are any of yours not rose-colored (red)?


Yes but I like to find positives in some things instead of constantly being pessimistic.
This post was edited on 4/3/13 at 10:20 am
Posted by Trashman
Athens, Georgia
Member since Nov 2012
202 posts
Posted on 4/3/13 at 10:22 am to
I'll be optimistic until Saturday at 1. Then I'll decide to hop on the hype train or not
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