Great Article on the Tight Ends: From the Albany Paper

I honestly don't do cut and pastes, but I couldn't find a link to this anywhere on their site. Check out the Albany Herald and buy a subscription. That way I don't have to hear any grief about the C&P. Great article.


Bulldogs' dynamic duo

Leonard Pope and Martrez Milner are making life easier for Georgia
quarterback D.J. Shockley. David Hale

ATHENS - Facing third-and-12 near midfield Saturday, D.J. Shockley dropped back to pass, looking for an open receiver to sustain a crucial drive early in the Bulldogs' game against Tennessee. He found tight end Martrez Milner over the middle for 20 yards and a first down, and Georgia went on to score its first touchdown of the game on that drive.

As the final seconds ticked off the clock in the second quarter, Shockley again faced a crucial third down, this time deep in Volunteers territory. He again looked to his tight end, this time at Leonard Pope, who corralled Shockley's pass, then rumbled over several Tennessee defenders for 9 yards and a first down. Again the Bulldogs scored on the drive.

Martrez Milner (87) and Leonard Pope (81) team up to give the Georgia Bulldogs one of the top tight end combinations in the country. Finding one of his tight ends in crucial moments has become the standard for Shockley. The dynamic duo of Milner and Pope has been a revelation for the Georgia offense and has tormented opposing defenses through its first five games.

"Martrez and Pope cause so many mismatches for the defense that it causes them to get the ball a lot," Shockley said. "In our offense they're usually our first or second read. They do good jobs of running routes and getting open, so it makes it easy on my part when they're running and getting open and all I've got to do is give it to them."

But before the season started, few members of the Georgia coaching staff expected Shockley to have two receiving targets at tight end.

Milner, the 6-foot-4-inch, 250-pound junior, arrived in Athens in 2002 and was red-shirted that season. Pope, who stands just three inches taller but seems enormous even by Milner's standards, came a year later and shared reserve duties. Each finished 2003 with just a single catch, but Pope, a native of Americus, was named to the SEC all-freshman team and seemed to edge Milner on the depth chart.

The trend continued in 2004. Pope flourished in his sophomore season, catching touchdowns in five of his final six games, easily securing the starting job and earning first-team All-SEC honors. Milner, meanwhile, suffered back spasms throughout the season, limiting his play. He became an afterthought in the Bulldogs' offense, finishing the year with just four receptions.

"Coming in from high school, I did good for a moment and then he did better than me. I got hurt and he excelled," Milner said.

And so far in 2005, Pope has picked up right where he left off last season, hauling in 13 catches for 199 yards and a touchdown in four games and barreling around, over or through would-be tacklers. But while Richt knew Pope would provide Shockley with a solid target in the passing game, it took some extra work to bring Milner along.


"I sat down with him one day, and I had some tape, and I showed him the best of Martrez Milner, and then I showed him some things that weren't very good," Richt said. "One guy you would say was a draft pick for sure, the other guy you might not even bring in as a free agent."

Richt watched the tapes with Milner, illustrating both his potential and his liabilities, and challenged him to get better.

"I didn't want to hurt his feelings," Richt said, "but the reason I did it was to say, 'If you can consistently play (to your potential), you're really going to help yourself and help this team. You're very capable, and we believe in you, but if it's hot and cold it's very difficult to get excited about getting you playing time or getting you in there when it counts the most.' "

Milner took the meeting to heart. Instead of sulking about his reduced role in the offense, he worked harder.

Instead of worrying about backing up Pope on the depth chart, he challenged himself to outplay his teammate during practice. Instead of another year of inconsistency, he wanted the entire 2005 season to be a "Best of Martrez Milner."

"It was a good day for me," Milner said. "It gave me a rude awakening, but the coaches still believed in me. The coaches took the time to show me my ups and my downs and it really proved to me that the coaches hadn't given up on me. I'm really thankful for that and I'm just trying to take advantage of the opportunity I have."

Milner's progression began in the preseason. Despite knowing he'd be behind Pope on the depth chart, he excelled throughout camp and was rewarded in Georgia's opening game against Boise State with a premier role in the offensive attack. He finished the game with three catches for 111 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown reception. He added a second touchdown two weeks later against Louisiana-Monroe and has remained a favorite target for Shockley.

"I feel like my role has changed," Milner said. "Coming into the season, I was behind Leonard, but as of right now I'm trying to make plays when I get the ball and it seems like I'm getting looks more often."

In many ways, Milner's sudden success mirrors Pope's 2004 season and Richt doesn't think that's simply a coincidence.

"I think (Milner's progress) had a lot to do with Leonard's success," Richt said. "Seeing a guy that came in after him move past him, and Leonard had moved past him, Martrez didn't like it. At first, I don't think he knew how to react, but after a while I think he said, 'If I don't get going and competing here, I'm going to be left in his wake.' So he did, he had a great summer and a great camp and has played beautifully."

Milner agreed and said his relationship with Pope has been a major catalyst in his breakout season.

"Off the field, we're like brothers," Milner said. "We push each other hard each and every day."

Pope doesn't think Milner is doing much different this season but said the early success provided the groundwork for a strong season.

"His confidence has really gone up," Pope said. "He's making a lot of big plays, catching the ball and blocking pretty good."

Whatever the cause, the results speak for themselves and give Richt's offense a dimension few SEC opponents can match.

"To me, they're co-No. 1s," Richt said. "They're both talented guys who can make a lot of plays in this league."

And while it may have taken a few years for Milner to garner that title, he's relishing the chance to make up for lost time. In fact, even Pope is enjoying the success of his teammate, even if it may be at the expense of some of his playing time.

"When one tight end succeeds, all of us succeed," Pope said. "We sweat and bleed and work together every day. Martrez is a great tight end, and I'm really proud of him. He's earned every bit of the success that he's getting right now."

From the Albany Herald.

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