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September 10, 2009

The Grayhound in the Starting Blocks?

UGASports.com ($) and now ESPN.com's Joe Schad are reporting that Logan Gray is going to start on Saturday due to problems with Joe Cox's shoulder. Multiple other sites are reporting that Joe will start, and both will play.

It's the worst kept secret (or most repeated rumor with incredibly specific details) in Athens that Joe has had shoulder issues for weeks. And it isn't a shock to me to see Logan Gray play a ton or start.

If Logan is going to take the job, ideally it would be because he beat Joe out. Not because Joe got hurt. Here's to a healthy week for Joe and Logan.

Update: Claude Felton states on the record that Joe Cox will start Saturday.

PWD

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

I want to be careful what I say here, but given all that has gone on since last Saturday I am totally unsurprised that an "injury" issue has hit the media this week. If its legit, then my apologies to everyone involved, but I'm more than a little suspicious.

Bdavis said...

is it me or does it remind people of the excuse when Quincy was out because he was "injured" but was really just in Donnan's dog house?

i understand that Joe isnt in the dog house, but i agree that it seems like a cover up

Crane said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

I really don't see why they dont give Aaron Murray a chance. Its not like Logan Gray has that much more experience in our QB system, he did after-all devote last year to punt returns.

Crane said...

<sarcasm>
Crap, who returns punts now?
</sarcasm>

Tommy said...

Given how badly the QB transition was mismanaged going from 2005 to 2006, I don't care what our excuse is for getting Gray some meaningful snaps, as long as we do it.

I hope Joe's healthy, and I hope he gets to redeem himself, because I do believe he's a better QB than the one we saw Saturday.

But we can't get caught with our pants down in 2010, the way we were in 2006.

Anonymous said...

I would agree to start Murray (if Cox really is hurt) if bobo knew how to call plays to get our QBs into a rythm. Pete carroll doesnt seem to have a problem getting inexperiened QBs comfortably into the flow of the game or Alabama for that matter. Meanwhile our 5th year senior looked lost. We can only call screen plays 50 times before they figure it out.

Anonymous said...

Any chance we see a headline tomorrow:

"Dawgs to play Cocks with Cox out?"

as a tribute to Lewis Grizzard's masterpiece:

"Dawgs to play Cocks with Dicks out?"

Will said...

I know alot of people are hating on Joe Cox still, but I mean, why is it okay for fans to completely abandon a guy at the first sign of trouble when it's great that Cox stayed for 4 years waiting his turn. We're kind of all backstabbers. Give him a chance to show what he can do before crucifying him.

Unknown said...

BDavis - nothing suspicious here.

The only thing weird here is why Dasher ran so fast to press with this before he got anything official about Joe's arm or who is starting.

All the other writers have sat on the shoulder story because they didn't have the right people on the record about the injury.

Trust me. Joe having a bad wing isn't news. Him not starting WOULD be news. And Richt says he's definitely starting.

PWD

Husky Jeans said...

I agree with William. I'm not saying I'm not interested to see what Gray can do, because I am. I'd like to see him play a lot this year. But, I think it's unfair to be so quick to judge Cox based on Saturday. I'm giving him a pass. It was 1) the first game of the year, with 2) a new, unproven RB, 3) against a top ten team 4) on the road, and it was 5) basically his first start, 6) he had the flu the week before, and 7) the playcalling was highly suspect. We also had quite a few dropped passes (maybe not perfectly thrown, but come on--if we expect a high level from Cox, we should expect it from our receivers too).

I'm not making excuses for him (okay, maybe I am), but I'm just sayin. Maybe Gray will be fantastic. But Cox isn't to blame for last Saturday, and Gray might not have made any difference.

Hunkering Hank said...

I heard from what I believe to be a reliable source close to the program today that Cox is the starter and he's been rested due to flu-related symptoms. This is in addition to Claude Felton's statement. I guess we'll all know about 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Andy said...

+1 Crane!

Anonymous said...

Cox IS mostly to blame for last weekend---he had two of the three turnovers and had many misreads and several poor throws. Even CMR said he was very disappointed in the QB play last weekend. Regardless, FWIW---Cox will start on Saturday, but Gray will get many, if not a majority of the snaps by game's end. In fact, I'll be shocked if Gray gets less than 40% of the snaps on O.

Trey said...

William, are you still believing he stayed here because he loved Georgia? Georgia was the only shot the kid had at ever starting at a top school. He doesn't have the talent to transfer, sit a season out and then start somewhere as big a Georgia.

Anonymous said...

One last remark on the heels of my anon 3:02 post---you will see BS and WTBC in the wildcat formation several times or more this weekend.

Jman781 said...

I don't understand why we feel the need to have Cox start? I want the team that gives us the best chance to win, either now or in the future. I don't care if our starting lineup makes people warm and fuzzy because it has a young lad who has waited behind an NFL QB even if said lad is an upgraded version of JT3. It's not like he's even close to the talent Shockley was, and we may have better options behind him. He's a senior, but age doesn't automatically make one more qualified, just ask the Falcons with Matt Ryan. We need to ask why we are playing this season. The reality is that this is likely a transition year. Why not put a QB out there that will be with us next season???? It scares me to think that Cox, a QB with limited athletic ability and, from what I saw on Saturday, limited knowledge of the game, is our best option. Please, Lord, I hope that is not the case, for it will be a couple of LONG seasons!

Will Q said...

Trey, that may be true, but it doesn't keep others like Blake Barnes from leaving for lesser schools. You're right that it's the only shot he had at starting for a big school, but it should mean something to us that he stayed because of the possiblity that he could start rather than leaving for something more definite.

That doesn't excuse poor play, but I'm also of the mind to give the kid another chance.

Anonymous said...

You gotta give Joe a chance and hope he was weakened by the flu. He didn't look the QB who took charge of this team against CO.I'm all for mixing it up with Logan and BS if it helps us win. BTW, who is WTBC?

Jman781 said...

Let me clarify. I am all for Cox starting if he is playing well or is our best option. What drives me mad is that he was left in the game on Saturday on the road against a top 10 team while battling the flu and potentially a bad arm????? Given all of this, Gray got ONE snap. Cox may be good, but not THAT good. Loyatlty can only go so far. That's what scares me. If there's even a question of injury or inadequacy, start/play someone else. While it hurts to admit it, I am not as qualified to make these decisions as Richt et. al., so I am will trust that they are doing what is best for the team, not just Joe Cox because he is a swell kid.

Anonymous said...

anon 3:39:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmHHmcplNnM

coined by possibly the worst (and most annoying) PA announcer in the history of sports... Wootentheballcarrier, or WTBC for short.

Anonymous said...

I follow UGA football because my kids went/go there even though I was a QB in the ACC. I think I know more about QB play than 99% of you morons/rumor mongers.Considering how sick he was, Bobo's play calling, dropped passes, etc., he deserves at least a C+ or B- or better. The fumble was a totally missed block and the interception was fourth down and hit the receiver in the hands! As to the comment about no other school wanting him, he was one of the top 11 QB's in high school, a member of Nike Elite 11, broke all of Chris Leake's North Carolina H.S. Records, etc. All you fair weather fans need to go back to playing video games. And by the way, post your apologies on Sunday. GO JOE!

Anonymous said...

why is it qb is the only job given to someone? any other job players have to work and get. if he won the job let him play if not sit down look at usc if you win the job you play

Anonymous said...

QB in the ACC? That's like me boasting, "hey all you idiots...I took a business 101 course at my local community college 20 years back, so I know more about running a business than 99% of you morons."

Skeptic Dawg said...

At this point I am totally confused! Our coaching staff knew that Cox had a bad wing, in addition to the flu last weekend, and he still saw 99% of the snaps? Am I off base here, or does this make little to no sense? Now our 1st teamers will play with the #2 during the week, and the #1 on Saturdays. I talked an insider with high level JV football experience and he said this may cause a problem for our OL and receivers. Man, I hope our coaching staff is more confident than I am with these decisions!

Anonymous said...

just drove by practice and logan was in with the 1st team. no doubt he plays a significant part in the game saturday

PTC DAWG said...

Hey "QB IN THE ACC"...please don't pay any mind to the idiot making fun of you. I appreciate your input.

UGAfanINclemson said...

Ok, Ok, I want to be the first...


Let's start Jonathan Batson!!


...besides that, I like Joe. I think, given the circumstances, he did an admirable, but not fantastic job. He will need to step it up to get past USC's D backfield though. I think Logan should get more playing time this week, he should be more affective against USC's defence. Let's just hope Bobo stays at a Holiday Inn Express the night before...

Dubbayoo said...

I'm amazed how quick you guys are jumping off the Joe Cox ship. Give the guy two SEC games at least. For crying out loud.

Anonymous said...

What a bunch of college football arm chair quarterbacks. STFU, Cox is the quaarterback. Have you seen Logan play more than one down of college quarterback. He may be good or not. Lets break him in against an SEC defense. That would be smart on a saturday night. Grow up and stop attaching your self worth to the outcome of a GAME played by a bunch of adolescents. You are the " loonatic fringe" as Buck opines.

Anonymous said...

Hey, Anon. 9:53...Given what we now know about Cox (flu + bad shoulder + limited practice time + poor showing last week), what would you do as a HC? This "loonatic fringe" as you and your radio boy Buck gripe about is the heart beat of the fanbase. A FAN (which comes from the word FANatic meaning a person with an extreme and uncritical enthusiasm or zeal)has passion and may be blinded by that passion at times. Maybe you should give it a go!

Anonymous said...

Annon 10:49
I think Buck is refering to the lunatic as (A person whose actions are marked by extreme eccentricity or recklessness)
By Fanatic do you mean ( A person marked by an extreme unreasoning, enthusiasm as for a cause?)

Not a good mindset to lead a team as a coach and make decisions in life.

Mr. Sanchez said...

Really Paul, it's weird to see Dash run with a story before getting it confirmed? I love Dash and all, great guy and pretty good writer, but seriously? I mean, he hasn't run with a premature, unsubstantiated story in all of what 3 or 4 months now.

Anonymous said...

Anon 3:56

Man I would have loved to have seen Wooten play in high school but I would have gone to the games wearing ear plugs. That was positively atrocious.

QB in the ACC hit the nail on the head as far as I am concerned. It is fun to watch high school clips of Gray and others and think "why in the hell aren't they starting?" But I have enough confidence in Richt to believe that he will play whoever he thinks gives us the best chance of winning.

Why would he do anything else?

Skeptic Dawg said...

This is the scariest quote of the week: "I got the IV before the last game," Cox said. "I wasn't breathing well. I was weak. But I'm feeling better now." Better than 50% completion rate, or better than 1 fumble and 1 INT?Thank you Mr. Joe Cox! Does this mean that our stable of backup QB's are garbage or that our coaching staff is completely nuts? Either way, I am terrified to see how the season plays out! My high level JV football insider says that it is never good for any player to drop 9pounds in a week due to illness. Take the Cocks and the points for yet another early Christmas gift!

 
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