Bulldogs at a glance

2001 schedule Sept. 1 vs. Arkansas State Sept. 8 vs. South Carolina Sept. 15 vs. Houston Sept. 29 vs. Arkansas Oct. 6 at Tennessee Oct. 13 at Vanderbilt Oct. 20 vs. Kentucky Oct. 27 vs. Florida Nov. 10 vs. Auburn Nov. 17 at Mississippi Nov. 24 at Georgia Tech 2000 results (8-4, 5-3 SEC) Georgia Southern W 29-7 at South Carolina L 21-10 New Mexico State W 37-0 at Arkansas W 38-7 Tennessee W 21-10 Vanderbilt W 29-19 at Kentucky W 34-30 at Florida L 34-23 at Auburn L 29-26 Mississippi W 32-14 Georgia Tech L 27-15 vs. Virginia W 37-14

In the backfield, the Bulldogs were dealt a blow in the spring when talented redshirt freshman Albert Hollis suffered a knee injury that will sideline him for the entire 2001 season. Now the spotlight is once again on youngster Musa Smith. The 6-1, 212-pound sophomore combines a rugged style with good speed. He's shown the talent to become a top-flight feature back in the SEC. Senior Jasper Sanks could see some action in the same backfield with Smith. At 6-1 and 237 pounds, he's more of a FB type. The true FB, though, will be senior Verron Haynes. Since Bruce Thornton has been switched from tailback to CB, the opportunity exists for freshman Tony Milton to provide backup support for Smith and Sanks. The 5-11, 195-pounder sat out the last two years. His last game action was in '98 when he led his prep squad to the Class A state championship, rushing for 1,493 yards and scoring 15 TDs. In the fall, Milton could be a factor.

At WR, junior Terrence Edwards, off an MVP performance in the Oahu Bowl, is the Bulldogs' definite go-to option. This season he could become the Bulldogs all-time leading receiver. Sophomore Damien Gary, who actually hauled in more TD receptions (five) than Edwards last season, will be on the other side, giving the Bulldogs a pair of quality wideouts. Sophomore Reggie Brown, who contributed with 13 catches last year, provides a great deal of speed and big-play potential but needs to work on becoming more consistent. The third option in the Bulldogs' pass offense will be blue-chip junior TE Randy McMichael. The 6-4, 230-pounder has definite star quality.

While all five starters return up front, there is no proven depth. The top player along the line is junior RT Jon Stinchcomb, with junior RG Kevin Breedlove also bringing with him a great deal of experience. Senior pivot man Curt McGill started every game for the Bulldogs last season. His strong effort in the Bulldogs' Oahu Bowl victory over Virginia was particularly impressive. On the left side, there's a ton of beef with LG Alex Jackson (6-4, 337) and LT George Foster (6-6, 321).

DEFENSE
As is the case at Florida, the Bulldogs were hit hard by graduation losses at DT. Gone are stalwarts Richard Seymour and Marcus Stroud. But the Bulldogs feel they have a star in the making with sophomore Johnathan Sullivan. The 6-4, 280-pounder worked in the rotation last year, so he's already battle tested. Junior David Jacobs, who started some at DE in '99 and worked as a backup to Stroud last season, now takes over as the starter on the nose. At DE, the Bulldogs have plenty of depth and experience. Junior Charles Grant is the headliner, but they have three other players, led by senior Josh Mallard, who have prior starting experience.

At LB, the challenge will be replacing standout mike-man Kendrell Bell, who has moved on to the Steelers. To fill that void, Tony Gilbert, a starter last year at OLB, shifts to the middle. A major shot in the arm at OLB will be provided by junior Boss Bailey, who missed last season with a knee injury. He was back in the spring, able to participate in some contact work. Veteran Will Witherspoon is on the weak side, while former starter Adrian Hollingshed now provides quality backup support to Gilbert in the middle. Two years ago, Hollingshed was the Bulldogs' third-leading tackler.

With three starters returning in the deep patrol and the smooth transition from RB to CB by sophomore Bruce Thornton, the Bulldogs should field a capable secondary. Not only did Thornton settle in at CB, he was able to win the starting job opposite big-play senior Tim Wansley. One of the elite cover men in the nation, Wansley led the SEC last year with six interceptions.

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Bulldogs should be in excellent shape when it comes to the kicking game. Punter Jonathan Kilgo and placekicker Billy Bennett return along with snapper Andy Hogan and holder Dantra Clements. Kilgo averaged over 42 yards per punt last season. He also had 13 punts of over 50 yards. Bennett, a former walk-on, is coming off a consistent 2000 season that saw him connect on 13-of-14 field goals.

Overview: Richt sent a message in the spring that he wants a well-conditioned, strong, hard-nosed football team. He has plenty of possibilities at QB, with Shockley an intriguing and talented young prospect to monitor. Smith is a quality young tailback while Edwards has few peers at WR in the SEC. The offensive line has a great deal of experience, but due to a lack of depth, can't afford any injuries.

Defensively, if Sullivan is a force at DT as expected and Grant plays up the level of his talent on a game-to-game basis at rush end, the Bulldogs won't be as suspect up front as some may expect, considering the graduation loss of Stroud and Seymour. The key at LB is that Bailey reverts to his old form and Gilbert makes up for the graduation loss of Bell, who was a top-flight mike-man the last two years. Wonsley is a great collegiate cover man, but Thornton, a former tailback, must get the job done on the other side.