Category: UGA Football

Georgia defensive players Tyson Campbell and Travon Walker comment on season preparations following Monday’s practice.

#3 Tyson Campbell | Junior | DB
On how he would describe his development throughout his first two years in the program/where he sees himself now as a player…
“I think I’ve matured so much as a player from coming here being young, not really knowing the defense. As the coaches developed us on defense, especially through experience through the game, I’ve been able to mentally — as far as getting my IQ better in football — and also becoming stronger faster, the whole nine yards of becoming a better athlete.”

On his turf toe injury and how he fought through it last season/how he is now…
“Last year was tough, but Mr. Ron [Courson] and his whole training staff have helped me and made sure that, if I was going to be on the field, I was 100 percent ready, and I thank them for that. Now, I’m pain-free and excited for the season coming up.”

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Head coach Kirby Smart comments on the Bulldogs’ scrimmage Saturday afternoon.

Opening Statement…
“Just finished up from the scrimmage a little bit earlier than last Saturday. But, I just wanted to open with a plug for this new ‘Dawgs for Pups’ that our players came up with. I want to give a lot of credit to Cortez Hankton and Josh Brooks for spearheading a lot of it. As we have worked hard with our players, and we’ve been listing to our players—which I spoke to last week. They wanted to do some things in the community. They helped with a food drive, but this ‘Dawgs for Pups’ has really taken off. A lot of the local Athens community, kids in the school system, are struggling to get WiFi. They don’t have it, so this is kind of a hotspot project. Ben Watson, I want to thank him and Todd Gurley. They’ve jumped in. Todd’s foundation, the M.A.D.E. Foundation has jumped right in. Ben Watson pledged $5,000. The Kirby Smart Family Foundation, my family’s foundation, pledged $10,000. There’s going to be a lot of kids in Athens, Ga., getting WiFi, and that’s a direct result of our players in an initiative that they grabbed—about five or six players grabbed it, and Cortez grabbed it. They’ve done a lot. So, it would help us if you guys keep plugging that, and sending that out there to our fan base so we can support those guys.

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ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart has been included on the 2020 Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year preseason watch list, according to the award’s foundation and the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl.

Smart, who is starting his fifth year as the Bulldogs’ head coach, is one of 13 of the nation’s top college football coaches named to the list who are scheduled to play during the fall season.  Nine coaches from conferences who are scheduled to play in the spring were also recognized.  However, this year’s award will be given in December therefore not making those coaches eligible.

The Dodd Trophy celebrates the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity.

A midseason watch list will be released later in the fall.  A panel consisting of previous winners, national media, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame member will identify the final list of potential recipients at the conclusion of the 2020 season.  The winner of the 2020 Dodd Trophy will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

The Bulldogs are scheduled to begin this season in Fayetteville, Ark., against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday, Sept. 26.  The SEC Network will televise the matchup at 4 p.m. ET.

By John Frierson
Staff Writer

Owen Condon was always the big kid in class. He was already 6-feet tall after sixth grade, big enough, he said, that when he played basketball in middle school the opposing teams would sometimes question whether he was the proper age.

Condon, a redshirt sophomore offensive lineman on the Georgia football team, now stands 6-7 and is listed at 310 pounds. Where he once stood out because of his size, Condon, from Oklahoma City, Okla., now fits right in with the Bulldogs’ big linemen and tight ends.

During a Quick Chat after practice Monday, Condon talked about keeping busy during the past six months, playing other sports when he was young, his first scholarship offer, and much more. Here’s some of what he had to say:

Frierson: What have the last five or six months been like for you? How did you fill the time before returning to Athens?

Condon: I went back home to Oklahoma City, and I just spent my time hanging out with my family and working out as much as I can. Things kind of opened up a little bit earlier in Oklahoma, so the gym that I go to, I was able to start working out up there with a mask, with some other guys that were home. That was good, getting to train with some other college athletes.

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The University of Georgia Athletic Association Forms Strategic Alliance With Todd Gurley

Multifaceted Partnership Includes Initiatives Across Athletics, Social Justice and Community

ATHENS, Ga. (Sept. 3, 2020) — The University of Georgia Athletic Association (UGAAA) is partnering with Atlanta Falcons running back and former Bulldog Todd Gurley across several initiatives.

Within the partnership, Gurley will be involved in a variety of aspects of on-and-off campus activities to meaningfully connect with the school, its students and alumni. Gurley will serve as a mentor and featured speaker for student-athletes on topics such as social justice, creating value beyond sport, financial literacy and entrepreneurship.

“Athens is my second home, and playing for the Falcons will allow me to spend more time there,” said Gurley. “UGA fans embraced me as a young man, and that support has stayed with me throughout my time in the NFL. I am looking forward to getting to know the students and alumni, and making a difference in the community that has meant so much to me.”

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ATHENS —— Two Georgia football games this fall — Oct. 17 at Alabama and Nov. 7 vs. Florida in Jacksonville — were selected as part of the 7-game package of SEC games carried nationally by CBS in the 2020 season, according to an announcement by the league office Tuesday.

The Bulldogs’ contest in Tuscaloosa is slated for a prime-time, 8:00 p.m. (ET) kickoff.  Georgia’s annual clash in Jacksonville will kick off at its traditional time of 3:30 p.m. (ET).  Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson, along with reporter Jamie Erdahl, are CBS Sports’ lead college football announce team.  Gene Steratore will again serve as the Rules Analyst.

In July, the SEC established September 26 as the new kickoff for its 2020 football season to allow its universities to focus on the healthy return of their campus communities and the gradual re-introduction of athletics, as the 14 members of the SEC continue to monitor developments related to COVID-19.

CBS has selected games for the first two weeks of the SEC football season and four other games later in the fall.  Given the unique circumstances of this season, the SEC requested that its television partners make advanced game selections where possible prior to the start of the season to assist the Conference and schools with planning and logistics. For any games not chosen before the start of the season, the normal 12- or six-day selection process will be used during the season.

Additional kickoff times for early season games to be televised by ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and the SEC Network will be announced soon.

The 2020 SEC football season will be comprised of a 10-game Conference-only schedule and the SEC Football Championship Game will be played December 19 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, rescheduled from the original date of December 5. The schedule will include one mid-season open date for each school and an open date on December 12 for all schools.