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By now you’ve probably heard all the talk about whether or not AJ Green’s Pro Day at Georgia helped him or hurt him.  There were a bunch of crazy NFL rules related to who would and could pass to Green—former University of Montana QB Justin Roper– who now lives in Buford–was the choice, but because he didn’t live in the Greater Athens area, rules stipulated scouts weren’t allowed to watch him in person pass to Green or to Kris Durham or fullback Shaun Chapas.  Nothing to do with the NFL lockout, as people had initially speculated.  So the end result was that the scouts had to walk off the field to watch AJ’s and Kris Durnham’s drills on ESPN3!

I had a chance to talk with AJ one-on-one and he told me, “I have nothing to hide.  I went to the combine and did everything they asked me to do. I answered every question they asked me, too.”  AJ Green just did height, weight and WR drills on Pro Day. He kept all his scores from the NFL combine.

When I asked him how it feels to be back in Athens, he smiled and said, “It feels good to be back with the boys and my ex-teammates, and back in the college atmosphere.”

I have known AJ Green since the day he walked onto UGA’s campus.  He’s a really humble guy who works hard and can achieve whatever he puts his mind to—even a trip to New York City as a top NFL Draft pick.

“Hard work pays off, Kelin,” he told me.  “And I have a lot more to do.”

After we spoke, I gave my good friend AJ a hug, wished him well and watched him get into his shiny, new all-black Porsche. Not bad, AJ!

And I hope you guys will wish me well  tomorrow—Saturday—when I’ll be live on the radio at 790 The Zone in Atlanta  from 12 noon to 2 pm.  Tune in and feel free to call in at (404) 264-0488 and ask any questions about sports or your favorite team. Go to http://www.790thezone.com/index_b.aspx to listen live. Thanks for your support.

I can no longer keep my mouth shut about Cam Newton and the
allegations against him. As an ex- player in the NCAA and having
played for one of the top teams in college football, I take pride in
this game.

I am not happy that Cam has been accused, and practically
convicted in the media, of taking money to play college football. I
am sure that thousands of other alums of college football share these
feelings. For me and many others, football has created life-long
memories, opportunities and blessings. The game has taught me many
lessons. In Pop Warner football I learned keep my mouth shut and
let the play on the field speak for itself.

Cam Newton is an amazing football player and definitely has the “IT” factor. Yes, he has made mistakes before, which has been proven. He left UF and attended junior college. He served his punishment and appeared to have learned his lesson.

This is why the allegations against Newton make me angry:

If the NCAA has known about this since January of 2010, why is it coming out now?

Why does it come out when he is being considered for the Heisman
trophy, which honors the best college football player in the nation.
Why why is it coming out when his team has a chance to compete for
the national championship?
Why are leaks springing now about his academic records at UF that happened two years ago? Why should that matter now? What does that have to do with his current enrollment at Auburn?

I know as an ex-athlete that academic records are confidential. Nobody is supposed to leak that information. The only people who have access to a player’s academic record are his
counselors and his football coaches? So you tell me how it leaked out
of UF?

The Media seems to be bent on bringing this young man down. 
may not take away from the fact that he’s a wonderful football player
but it does significantly tarnish his image. Cam Newton’s image is now
being questioned by the NFL teams and this will hurt his draft stock
immensely. This was a man that had paid for making bad choices and now
seemed to be on the right track. The University of Florida,
Mississippi State, the media and whoever else made these claims should
be ashamed. If a football player broke rules- YES, he should be
punished- but at the same time PROVE IT. There are only unproven
allegations against Cam Newton.

The NCAA knew about these allegations since January. If they have the
evidence to prove them, they should do so. If not, they should “let
the young man enjoy his short time in the spotlight of fame because
tomorrow is not promised to you!

It’s crazy the world we live in, it’s a What have you done for me lately.. so if Cam Newton wasn’t the Star QB he is right now the allegations against him right would still be under the table.

-Kelin

Copyright 2010 Kelin Johnson

Turnover Turnaround Needed!

1. Turnovers…Turnovers…Turnovers are what hurt UGA in last week’s game. They didn’t get enough of them and gave too many up! The Dawgs have to win the turnover battle!

2. Offense needs to get Murray back in the swing of things. Giving him a solid running game will help the passing game and continue to build his confidence.

3. Have fun.. It’s not a huge game against the Idaho State Bengals at Sanford Stadium on Saturday, but the Dawgs need to win two of the next three games in order to be Bowl-eligible. Hard hits, long runs, and bodies flying around on defense.. Making big plays is what UGA needs right now coming off the loss to Florida and will be a huge boost looking ahead to the undefeated Auburn Tigers!

On Kelin Keepin’ It Real Radio this week:

Gil Tyree will be checking in with us from Tallahassee, where FSU hosts UNC.

And UGA great Boss Bailey will be stopping by to talk with me about UGA football.

So check us out at 11 AM EST on Voice America Sports and right here on kelinjohnson.com.

FL V GA– The Big One.

1. The Gators are down this year big time. Tim Tebow left and with him the leader of their program. In order for UGA to win this ball game I advise them to hit UF square in the mouth, where it hurts! This Florida team can’t handle adversity very well so Georgia can take advantage of that.

2. A.J. Green and Kris Durham can deliver the one two punch in the form of the best receiving corps in the nation. The Dawgs have to get the ball in their hands to win. UGA has not done the best they can so far to do this, but it is crucial for a win over arch rival Florida.

3. Georgia’s defense, just started making plays on a consistent basis the past few weeks. In this huge game against UF and to keep hope alive in the SEC East, The Georgia defense must show up, and show off. Florida’s Brantley, the QB, will come ready to play because he still has so much to prove, and the Dawgs have to shut him down, and get in his head. If the leader of the Gators is not focused, then the rest of the team will be lost, and Georgia will win big.

Listen to My Podcast with David Ching for more about this game.

October 27, 2010  -Butler Community College QB Zach Mettenberger told kelinjohnson.com exclusively today that Nick Saban at the University of Alabama has just extended an offer for him to play for the Crimson Tide with a full scholarship.  The offer comes just over a month after he received a full ride to play for Louisiana State University. And this weekend, Zach is taking a visit to Texas A & M.

Things have been looking better and better for Mettenberger since his departure from the University of Georgia back in April, after he ran into some legal problems.  With his new starting role at Butler Community College, he was named NJCAA Offensive Player of the Week on September 8^th.  Mettenberger has averaged 212 passing yards and almost three touchdowns per game this season, with a total of 1907 yards through nine games.  With these kinds of stats, there will be plenty more top teams knocking on his door.

KelinJohnson.com originally broke the news that Mettenberger was being offered a full scholarship to Louisiana State University back in early September, click here to read the original story.  LSU fans were getting pretty excited with the prospect of having the Butler CC standout return to the SEC and to a team who’s desperate for a reliable QB.  Only time will tell where he ends up, but this kid has got options.

Check back with kelinjohnson.com for updates on Mettenberger’s plans and Kelin’s Keys to the Game for this weekend’s Georgia-Florida game.

Kelin’s Keys to the Game

Tempo Tempo Tempo ! This UK team has a fast-paced offense…can UGA keep up?

1. Can UGA match the tempo of UK? Kentucky’s coming off a big win against USC in the fourth quarter. Cobb is their best player and he’s all over the field for them. UK moves the football down the field really well with Cobb–he plays QB, WR, and RB. Georgia defense has to be on top of his whereabouts at all times…otherwise he will burn them.

2. Georgia offense has to help their defense out during this game with long drives that eat up the clock. More rest for the defense and less chances for the UK offense to hit the field. Murray has been lights out so far. If he can keep it up with the weapons around him, the Dogs should come out with a win.

3. UGA has one of the Top Special Teams in the country, It’s time for them to show up. Big time plays in the kicking game this weekend are a must.

They’re a team that no matter what the score is they are going to keep  fighting, they’re going to keep playing the entire game.  Aaron Murray on Kentucky 10/19/2010.

Boss Bailey last week, Thomas Davis this week…Who’s going to be UGA’s angel this week? 

As a former player, it always feels good to have older players return to talk to the team. Especially when they were superstars!  Georgia’s team has not been playing up to their full potential this season but the sudden turn around couldn’t have come at a better time.  Before every home game, Coach R invites an ex player to be a honorary captain for the game.  Their job is to come give the team a speech on the Friday or Saturday before the game. 

Boss Bailey Stops Tenn QB in '02

Coach asked Boss to to talk right before the kickoff against Tenn.

Boss Bailey gave the team a speech that they will never forget.  He had so much emotion and drive in him, just like he did when he played between the hedges. Boss loves his dawgs so much that tears were coming out his eyes while talking to the team.  His toughness and passion for the game really shined through during the speech.  Boss gave his all during his speech just like he always has on the football field on every down he ever played. Tennesse saw a different UGA team. They looked new, fresh, and motivated.  They played together as a team and boy did they come out with a win!

Bulldog Thomas Davis in 2005

 This past week Coach asked Thomas Davis to come speak to the team before the Vandy game. I learned so much from him when we played together at Georgia. I wanted to be like him and followed his every move out there on the football field. I sat right next to him in the meeting room because he was not only physical, he was also smart. There wasn’t anything TD couldn’t do. I was honored to be a young DB in the same meeting room with Mr. Davis. When Thomas stood up in front of the team and spoke we always listened just like the Dawgs of the 2010 team did last Saturday! Thomas Davis spoke his mind and spoke the truth Saturday! His speech was felt by many and it was the word the team needed to hear. 

The words Boss and TD brought to this UGA football team before those games meant a lot. I am sure this team understood why the Bulldogs were and still are such a feared and respected team. These men spoke from their hearts and would come back anytime coach calls on them.

This is what the Georgia G is all about!  Those players aren’t playing just for themselves. They are playing for alums, former players, coaches, families, and fans all over that support them representing that Georgia G!

Who’s going to be the angel for this week’s game?

I know we’ve all been celebrating last week’s win against UT…but in order to keep the momentum going, Georgia’s going to have to be focused and consistent.  Here are my Kelin’s Keys to the Game:

1. Passing the ball against Vandy will spread their defense. Their CB can’t match up with UGA’s WR. They need to find the right wideout that has the advantage over the CB.

2. Defense has to play like junk yard dawgs once again. Boss Bailey gave the team a speech before the game and it really helped. If this D can keep the crowd on their side by have big hits and a lot of turnovers, they will be in great shape!

3. Playing together as a team. Helping each other when things don’t go right! Staying positive when something bad happens like a turnover or a score!

This team has its back against the wall right now and all they have is themselves– that’s what matters and nothing else.  Once they realize that, they will be a better team.

Kelin’s Key’s to the Game VS UT Volunteers.

It’s Tenn week and it’s a must win for the Dawgs! Both of these teams are coming off bad losses in the fourth quarter, which means they both want pay back.

1. AJ Green: Get the ball into this guys hands. That’s going to be name of this game. Tenn hasn’t seen a WR yet this season that can make plays the way this man can.

He will receive a lot of double teams in tomorrow’s game. Murray has to see the match ups across the field and take advantage of them.

2. B. Smith will be out again for this game due to a head injury. Somebody has to step up in his place for special teams. I am looking for UGA to blow the top off tomorrow with their special teams plays. AJ Green can be thrown into the mix. Rambo or even Rantavious Wooten can return the ball for the Dawgs.

3. Defense, Defense, Defense: The UGA defense that I know has to show up ready to play! If not, their rank in the SEC East will be up in the air. This is a huge game for Georgia and they can turn things around with aggressive plays on defense. Sim is a young QB and they can take him out of his element by putting pressure on him in the back field.

A win for the Dawgs will create a 1-1 record in the SEC EAST. That’s not bad at all. There is still hope for the Dawgs to turn this season around and bring joy back into this Dawg Nation!

So Join Me tomorrow on the radio, on the phone, or in person and Shout Out Your Support for Our Dawgs.