Archive for July, 2010

Two Sides to College Football Two-A-Days…Double Sessions Don’t Mean Double Performance

It’s hot.  I mean really hot…90 plus degrees out on the field.  And it’s your second practice of the day.  Your feet are burning from the sun-baked turf.  Coaches are yelling at you, pushing you to go harder and run faster, even though your tank is almost empty. All you can think about is water or Powerade and when’s the next break coming, or when’s the horn going to blow (so you can get that cold towel on your head the trainers bring to you when you’re on one knee…NOT).  With all this going on around you, you really want to quit, but you look around at your fellow players and realize that they’re going through the same thing.  And that makes you not want to give up!  The result: mental toughness, team unity, preparation for a long, hard season.

That’s the reality of just about any practice on any summer day in Georgia.  But earlier this month, UGA Coach Mark Richt made a change.  He eliminated two-a-days at fall camp, deciding instead to have preseason practices just once a day. 

NCAA rules limits teams to 29 practices before the first game of the season. They can be single practices or two practices in one day.  The thinking is that practicing once a day for 29 days gives the team more time to do things like study film and learn plays.

Georgia Offensive Coordinator Mike Bobo thinks eliminating two-a-days gives the coaches more time for teaching and it also reduces player injuries.  “Everybody is playing with a limited number [of players] now, and there’s a fine line with injuries,” Bobo said last week. “You can see what injuries do to a football team…I think we’ve got a good plan.”

How do I feel about two-a-days?  There are two sides to this story. As an ex-player in the best conference in the nation I know the heartache and pain two-a-days bring to the game of football.  

I also know the rewards that come from the process of two-a-days, as far as mental toughness and physical conditioning.  But still, a lot of players think they’re pointless. And they think their time would be better spent in the film room.

The extra time watching film allows players to learn from their coaches to see what they’re up against before they hit the field! Players can ask questions and get up and draw plays out on the board so they can get comfortable with what they’re supposed to do.

Georgia Tech

Georgia

begins practice August 2nd, a few days earlier than usual, and Georgia Tech starts practice Aug. 5^th.  Tech has just three two-a-days on their preseason practice schedule.  Reducing or eliminating two-a-days is definitely a trend in college football.

Two-a-days or one-a-days…we’ll see how things look on September 4^th…when Georgia plays its opening game against Louisiana-Lafayette and Tech plays its opener against South Carolina State.

Whatever sport you play or played– basketball, soccer, baseball or even gymnastics and volleyball—I’d like to hear from you about whether two-a-day’s were worth it.  Post your thoughts.  And I’ll read ‘em…at least two-a day!

Conclusion of Four Part Special Report on KelinJohnson.com

Fundamentals: It Starts with Recruiting

With two years–going on three–off of the football field, I have continued to learn about what it takes to win football games.  The years spent with Coach Van and his staff taught me a lot.  I have learned you don’t win games in the weight room.  Bottom line, you win games with football players.  And that starts from recruiting, continues with strength and conditioning and wraps up with that inner drive to be the best.  I asked Pollack about what he thinks we should be looking for in the recruitment process.

David Pollack

  “I’ll take 25 three star players with heart, passion, and leadership who want to be there every year, over four and five stars every time,” Pollack told me. “I was a three star. You’ve got to be getting leaders–that’s one of the problems. If you want to be the best, you have to get the guys that go above and beyond.”

Two good examples of guys who went the extra mile: Tra Battle and Andrew Williams both earned full rides after coming to UGA as walk-ons! Their hard work and long hours off the field helped them to be the best on the field!  And no doubt their hard work in the weight room with coach Van and his staff was a big part of what helped them rise to the top.

 So don’t get me wrong here…strength and speed play an important part in the game, but so much of it is mental.   The Boss Baileys, the David Greenes, the Tim Jennings, the Thomas Browns, the Odell Thurmans, the D.J. Shockleys, and guys like Tra Battle and Andrew Williams, all were damn good ballers.  Were they the biggest and strongest on the field?  Not necessarily, but they all had the traits of winners. They worked hard on and off of the field and did everything in their power to be the best and bring victory to UGA.  There was preparation meets opportunity and Coach Van and his staff can’t teach that.  Leadership and self-motivation were the keys to the success of these former Bulldogs.

Look, I know that it’s easy to point the fingers when things are going wrong.  It’s easy to blame the size, strength and conditioning of the UGA players.  But unless you’ve played in front of 92,000 fans in Sanford Stadium, it’s really difficult to truly understand the sacrifice, the heart, and blood, sweat and tears and the teamwork that goes into winning games and winning the love and respect of the Bulldog Nation. 

Physical strength, yah, it’s important…but mental strength is a game changer.

-Kelin Johson

KelinJohnson.com © 2010

Reasons for the Seasons

 You’ve got to look deep to see what really has gone on inside the locker room and inside the heads of the guys who are the team and have been the team over the past few seasons.

Here is my take.

2007

Me #30

My senior year at Georgia, we lost to South Carolina and Tennessee early in the season. So in the next SEC games, we knew we had to do better, because we’d just lost to two SEC East teams.  That season we went 11-2 and went to the Sugar Bowl.  My team also finished #2 in the nation, a contender to be in the National Championship game.  What we had that year was leadership.  Our captains were Fernando Velasco, now with the Tennessee Titans; Thomas Brown,  the great kicker Brandon Coutu and me.  Brandon and I both played for the Seattle Seahawks.  We had tremendous leadership that year and that’s what allowed us to achieve great things.

2008

The 2008 was great for a different reason—the players.  Lead by Knowshon Moreno in the backfield and Matthew Stafford under the center.  It was Mohammed Massaquoi’s senior year.  This was a team of playmakers who were going to get it done no matter what. UGA went 10-3 that year.  And we went to the best Bowl outside of the BCS, which was the Capital One Bowl,  finishing #10 in the Nation.  Talent made the difference that year.

2009

And 2009 was about the players, too.  Losing the players!  We lost first round draft picks– #24 Moreno to the Denver Broncos; and #7 Stafford to the Detroit Lions.   Then we lost Asher Allen on defense to the Minnesota Vikings.  And of course Massaquoi had graduated and moved on to play for the Cleveland Browns.   Stafford’s departure left Joe Cox to step up at QB, and he just didn’t have the experience needed to follow in Matthew’s footsteps.  The Georgia Bulldogs went 8-5 with a trip to the Music City Bowl that year.  This year’s player losses made it a completely different team from the previous year, and no amount of lifting and drills could make up for that. 

With two years–going on three–off of the football field, I have continued to learn about what it takes to win football games.  The years spent with Coach Van and his staff taught me a lot.  I have learned you don’t win games in the weight room.

UPDATE:    700 pounds Squat Record was broken yesterday (7/14)  by # 97 Brandon Wood  at 710 pounds.  Brandon Wood Put 680 pounds on his back and squatted it twice! And they say UGA football players are weak!

NEXT: Fundamentals: What It Takes to Win–Posting tomorrow

Strength: More Than Muscle

Comparing the LSU and UGA numbers show that Coach Van (Dave Van Halanger, Director of Strength and Conditioning) and his staff are doing something right!  I asked him to share his thoughts about Georgia’s strength and conditioning program.

“Being a strength and conditioning coach is so much more than the title stakes. We have the great opportunity of building young men in every area of their lives, physically, mentally, and spiritually,” Coach Van said. “I’ve been very fortunate to see many athletes change drastically and go on and be tremendously successful.” 

One of those athletes is former Cincinnati Bengals Linebacker David Pollack.  I asked the former Bulldog star about Coach Van’s program and approach.

 “Coach Van is the best at edifying players and building their character, morals, and making them better young men. He loves on you.  He does that better than anybody in the country,” Pollack told me.  “I think kids become bigger, faster, and stronger from working with Coach Van.  

Other former Georgia players agree.  Former Bulldog Tra Battle, who went on to play for the Dallas Cowboys and the Cleveland Browns, says the UGA program is outstanding. 

“The UGA strength and conditioning program is arguably one of the best in the country,” Battle told me. “I’ve trained from coast to coast, yet still rely on lifts and techniques learned from the UGA strength staff.”

Thomas Brown

And former Bulldog Thomas Brown, who played for the Atlanta Falcons and the Cleveland Browns, credits the program with helping him grow as a player and a person. 

“Coach Van and his staff not only helped prepare me for the physical and mental challenges of the game of football, but also for the mental and spiritual game of life,” Brown said.  “And for that, I am forever thankful.”

 And more proof that winning is both mental and physical, from ex UGA player Andrew Williams, who now works in Atlanta in the finance industry.

Andrew Williams in the red and black

“I would have to say that the strength coaches obviously taught me how to work hard in the weight room. They were all very knowledgeable about the proper exercises to teach us that they knew would maximize our performance. But more than that, Coach Van and his staff taught us about leadership, integrity, and humility,” Williams told me,  “They always gave us positive encouragement instead of negative motivation. I walked away from UGA a better football player, but more than that a better man because of Dave Van Halanger, Keith Grey, Clay Walker, and Rex Bradberry.” 

You can hear it in the comments of all of these guys—what they learned in strength and conditioning extends far beyond the weight room. 

“If you want to be the best, you have got to get guys that want to go above and beyond, like workout warriors,” David Pollack explains.  “The Ben Watsons, the ‘me’s,’ it’s not all on Coach Van’s staff, it is what you do when no one is looking. Watching tape, working out on your own, eating right, that is what makes the difference.” 

I totally agree with him.  You have to watch the tapes.  See what your opponent does in different situations.  Then when you’re on the field, it all comes back to you. While you’re training your body, you’re training your mind.  I can tell you that it’s what you learn during strength and conditioning—when you think you can’t do anymore and the coach pushes you to do more.  Then when you’re out there on the field and it’s hot and you don’t think you can do more…you remember what you learned in strength and conditioning and you push yourself. That inner strength has very little to do with how much a guy can bench.  Football is 10 percent physical and 90 percent mental.  I see that even more clearly when I look back on my years as a player.

NEXT: REASONS FOR THE SEASONS–Posted Tomorrow 7/14/10 on Kelin Johnson.com  

(Related  Video: Coach Van with David Hale)

Strong Words About Winning …Muscling in on the Strength and Conditioning Program at UGA…Size Does Matter, But So Does Heart

Would you rather be big or fast or both?   Many Georgia Bulldogs fans and bloggers think size and speed are all that matter, and they’re questioning UGA’s Strength and Conditioning program. 

I’ve heard lots of questions and feedback and people talking trash about Georgia, both on my TV and radio shows and just in one-on-one conversations with people.  They say, “the team looks soft,” or “other teams look sooo much bigger than us,” or “do they not work out in the Summer,” or “ I’m not sure the players are getting what they need.”

They say that lack of size and physical strength are the reasons that Mark Richt’s football team has been struggling, having gone from 10-3 in 2008-09 to 8-5 2009-10.

Well I’m here to tell you that putting the blame squarely on the shoulders of the UGA strength and conditioning program isn’t fair or valid.  There are many reasons that dictate whether teams will be successful or not.  You have to look at the whole picture: who we had on the team in a given season; the recruiting over the previous few years (yesterday’s redshirt is today’s star); and who we lost to the pros and to injuries.

I come at this from two angles—as a reporter, I’ve taken a close look at the recent numbers…and the numbers don’t lie. I’ve talked to the coaches and former players who have firsthand knowledge of what goes on in the weight room, during drills and practices.

And as a former player myself, who spent four seasons training with the Bulldogs, I know what it takes for a team to go from good to great.

 Strength in Numbers

So first, let’s take a look at the conditioning numbers and compare Georgia’s stats with one of the top ranked teams in the SEC—LSU– to see how UGA stacks up.

LSU recently released their Records Set During Football Spring Conditioning where they rated the top five players in each category:  clean, jerk, squat, bench press.

They had four players clean over 350 lbs, with two tying a school record at 374 lbs. The record in the jerk was 396 lbs. Five players went over 500 lbs, in the squat. Two players benched and broke records over 400 lbs and three players benched over 350 lbs.

Now compare that to UGA’s 2009 Pre-season Testing. If it was about size and strength, then it would be logical to conclude that LSU’s stats would beat Georgia’s.  But check this out:  In power clean, 63 players cleaned over 300 lbs and two players cleaned over 400 lbs. In squats,
44 players squatted over 500 lbs, and 14 players squatted over 600 lbs—you heard that right! In bench, 29 UGA players benched over 400 lbs. and two players benched over 500 lbs.  While this is not an exact match of available stats, it does paint a pretty powerful picture when laid out visually.

And look at the Power Index of UGA players.  Power Index is calculated by adding the bench press + back squat + power clean weights and dividing by the player’s weight.  So, say you have a player who weighs 200 lbs. and he benches 300 lbs., power cleans 300 lbs.  and squats 400 lbs., that’s 1,000 lbs. divided by 200 lbs. So his Power Index is 5.0, which means he’s five times stronger than his body weight. 

TOMORROW:   Strength: More than Muscle

Coach Van (Dave Van Halanger, UGA Director of Strength and Conditioning) defends his program and responds to the numbers, we’ll get inside the heads of some big names who’ve been there.  

Also in my next installment in BIG, former Bulldog and Cincinnatti Bengals Linebacker David Pollack, Former Bulldog Tra Battle, who went on to play for the Dallas Cowboys and the Cleveland Browns, former Bulldog Thomas Brown, who played for the Atlanta Falcons and the Cleveland Browns all weigh in on Coach Van’s program.

Plus ex UGA player Andrew Williams, who now works in Atlanta in the finance industry makes the case that it is much more than shear strength that makes the biggest difference of all.

TOMORROW ON KELIN JOHNSON.COM-- STRENGTH: MORE THAN MUSCLE?

With all of the focus up top of the Athletic Department this week–including today’s interim appointment of associate Athletic Director Frank Crumley as AD, I thought it was important to keep our eyes on the ball…and the future of the Georgia Football program.

I spent some time at Coach Mark Richt’s football camp and caught up with the Coaches to get a beat on the upcoming season. These are some interviews that will be including in upcoming Kelin’s Korner shows on WNEG, but I am sharing them with my kelinjohnson.com audience first.

First Coach Mike Bobo tells me what he is looking for in future recruits.

I also had the opportunity to speak with Defensive Coordinator Coach Todd Grantham, who has been the Dallas Cowboys defensive line coach, and before that was with the Cleveland Browns organization.

SPORTS NEWS DIRECT 7/5/10  BREAKING NEWS

Bottom Line for Evans: Three months pay plus $100,000

NEW: Kelin Johnson Exclusive: John Isner interview

Damon’s Deal Details are released as the latest  candidate for the Now Vacant Athletic Director Post surfaces as… Bernadette Locke-Mattox.

July 5, 2010 – Lots to report on today…the latest name to come out of the Athletic Department as a candidate to replace Damon Evans, who tendered his resignation over the weekend after his DUI arrest earlier in the week, is Bernadette Locke-Mattox.

Bernadette Locke-Mattox

As you probably know, Bernadette Locke was UGA’s first female All-American and Academic All-American.  She averaged 20.6 points per game in 1979-80, the same season she established the Lady Bulldog record for steals which lasted nearly two decades. The following year she led Georgia to a 27-10 record and the WNIT national title.

After her amazing playing career under coach Andy Landers, she joined his coaching staff.

Only three women in NCAA history have coached in Division I men’s basketball. And she was the first, hired by Rick Pitino in 1990 to join his University of Kentucky staff. She spent four years with the Wildcats and after a maternity leave, returned to the bench to coach the Kentucky women and she was also UK’s Senior Woman Administrator. Only three women in NCAA history have coached in Division I men’s basketball. And she was the first, hired by Rick Pitino in 1990 to join his University of Kentucky staff. She spent four years with the Wildcats and after a maternity leave, returned to the bench to coach the Kentucky women and she was also UK’s Senior Woman Administrator.  And today she’s an assistant coach with the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun.

In other words…she’s got the whole package…a stellar playing career, coaching and administrative experience in both men’s and women’s athletics.  And she is held in very high regard at UGA.  In 2009, she was a UGA Circle of Honor inductee, an award that honors Georgia’s top athletes and coaches who “have significantly contributed to the tradition and legend of the Georgia Bulldogs.”

Meanwhile, Damon Evans released an official apology today, which I have included here:

“I would like to once again offer my sincerest apology to the University of Georgia people—the president and administration, athletic staff and coaches, fans and supporters, and especially the student-athletes.  It had been my hope since taking the job in 2004 that I would have a long career at UGA.  But because of a serious mistake in judgment, that won’t be the case and I understand that I have a long road to rebuilding my reputation and career.  I do want to thank all those who have supported me and the Athletic Association over the past six years and would encourage all those in our Association to remember that they are there for the student-athletes.  Keep them first and foremost in everything you do.  God bless and ‘Go Dawgs.”

Read Full Statement from President Michael Adams

I will stay on this and be at the press conference tomorrow.   I also want to thank my good friend Gil Tyree for helping  me out with the reporting of this story this week.  

Kelin goes one-on-one with John Isner… I’m about to post a sneak peak of the interview I did with him in Athens.

Isner made the climb from the world’s 150th-ranked player to No. 19.  But he knows that his current claim to fame is as the winner of a record breaking three-day, 11-hour-5-minute Wimbledon marathon 70-68 fifth-set victory over Nicolas Mahut of France.

KELIN JOHNSON SPECIAL REPORT:

Damon Evans Out and Three Possible Replacements Under Consideration, According to WSB-TV Sports Director Zach Klein…Two of Them I Know Pretty Well

July 4, 2010 –So Zach Klein heard it from a source close to the UGA Athletic Department, that UGA President Michael Adams asked for and received Damon Evans’ resignation as Athletic Director and that the official announcement would be on Monday in Athens.

I guess this gives new meaning to “Independence Day.”

He also reported that there are a few different candidates being considered to replace Mr. Evans, including: Arthur Johnson, UGA Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations; Carla Williams;  UGA Senior Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator; and Greg McGarity, University of Florida Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director (don’t worry, he’s from Athens and he’s a UGA alum!).

I don’t know Mr. McGarity personally, but I’ve had lots of opportunities to interact with both Ms. Williams and Mr. Johnson.

Carla Williams (then Carla Green) lettered for four years for the Georgia Lady Bulldog basketball team from 1986-89.   When I came back to UGA after my brief stint with the Seahawks, Ms. Williams welcomed me back.  When I was discouraged or just needed to talk, she was always there for me.  Her office door is always open and she maintains close personal relationships with many of the athletes.  But while she’s very warm and welcoming, she’s also tough and inspires a lot of respect from everyone in the department. When she talks, everyone listens. She has a great family and is a really classy lady.   If Mr. Evans was the first African-American athletic director in the SEC, Ms. Williams would definitely be the first African-American woman athletic director. 

Arthur Johnson graduated from UGA in 1992. He doesn’t really have an “open door policy,” only because he’s usually not sitting at his desk or hanging in his office!  He is one hard-working dude…seems like he’s always meeting with someone or checking out something at one athletic facility of another. Mr. Johnson is really involved with the community and I’ve always looked up to him as a role model.

Greg McGarity, University of Florida and Georgia Alum

So, three really strong candidates…and one really sad situation.  Let me know who you would like to see as UGA’s new athletic director.  Whatever you think about what happened, there’s no question that Damon Evans is leaving one big pair of shoes to fill.

Talk to me here and comment on the web site or on my Facebook site.

Special for KelinJohnson.com and Kelin Johnson Subscribers

Damon Evans: The Man I Know

I wanted to wait until the initial uproar died down before I put something out about my friend and mentor Damon Evans.

I first met Damon at Fall Football Camp when I arrived on the UGA campus as a freshman in 2004. 

He gave a talk to all of the players and I remember him saying that he had high expectations for us.  That he expected a lot from us personally and academically.  That he wanted us to maximize our opportunities while we were here.  And he said that he would bend over backwards to help out any athlete at the University of Georgia.  In the following years, Damon proved to be as good as his word.

When I was cut from the Seattle Seahawks, I decided I wanted to go back to school and finish up my degree in speech communications.  I called Damon and told him what I wanted to do.  His response: ‘How quickly can you get here?’   And believe me, I got my butt back to Athens pretty quick.

Damon has been there for me ever since.  I knew I wanted to pursue a career in sports broadcasting, and he was behind me 100 percent, helping me take advantage of opportunities to do sideline reports and commentary. 

So when I heard about Damon Evan’s DUI arrest, and read and listened to all the coverage, and all the opinions from the Bulldog Nation—some not-so-nice comments—I really wanted to share my perspective on the situation.

So here it is.  And Damon said it himself at his press conference.  He made a mistake.  He never dreamed he’d be responsible for putting a black cloud over the school that he loves.  But that he sees mistakes as opportunities… that “our greatest successes come from our failures.”

Hey, I know where he’s coming from.  I made a mistake early on, and believe me, I learned from my mistake.

I learned that we all have to take personal responsibility for our actions. That if you’re in the public eye, you have to hold yourself to a higher standard.  You can’t put yourself in situations that even have the potential to spiral out of control.

I learned it can take years to build an image, and establish a reputation.  And it can take one moment to compromise that reputation, and undo the good things you’ve done with your life.

I’ve learned about the power of the media.  How image is everything and perception is reality.  And how quickly people judge you. 

I learned that nobody’s perfect.  Not me.  Not Damon Evans. 

Damon said today that he would work hard to try and earn back the trust of the Bulldog Nation.  Whatever happens with Damon in the future, I know that he won’t rest until he’s achieved that.  I believe that Damon Evans will always be who he was up until this unfortunate event, a man who’s as good as his word.