Growing up, I was a skinny kid and not particularly strong or tough. My brother, two grades below me, outweighed me in high school by 50 pounds, started four years on the varsity and went on to play college football.
My brother could take everybody, I could hardly take anybody, but I could take my brother — or at least give him the fight of his life.
That's because we grew up together and I wasn't afraid of him. I knew his strengths and weaknesses. I knew what trash to talk and what buttons to push.
What does this have to do with the Vanderbilt-Georgia game? Glad you asked.
Vanderbilt has 22 players from Georgia, as many as it has from Tennessee. On offense:
• Lincolnton's Branden Barden, a freshman starter at tight end, will be grabbing tough passes and throwing blocks.
• Louisville's Sean Walker, a senior starter at wide receiver, will try to top his spectacular showing against the Dawgs last year, in which he scored on a reverse and an eye-popping catch.
• Fort Valley's Udom Umoh, a regular at wide receiver and a freshman, will get opportunities to snag passes from Mackenzi Adams.
• Jake Bradford, a senior from St. Simons Island, will be throwing blocks from the tight end position.
• Another wide receiver, Stone Mountain junior Alex Washington, is returning from injury and could be a factor.
• Duluth sophomore Kennard Reeves could get some snaps at running back.
On defense:
• Newnan junior Broderick Stewart, a sack specialist and starter at defensive end, will try to expose Georgia's brand new left tackle and get to superstar quarterback Matthew Stafford.
• Lilburn junior Greg Billinger, a starter at defensive tackle, will also be chipping away at the Dawgs' injury-plagued offensive line.
• Lawrenceville freshman T.J. Greenstone has also been a force in the defensive tackle rotation.
• Roswell senior Josh Allen has started in two games this season and will see plenty of action in the Commodore secondary.
• Alan Strong, a sophomore cornerback from Atlanta, has played in every game this season.
• McDonough's Austin Newton, a sophomore linebacker, has also played in every game.
• Elko's Casey Hayward, one of only two true freshman to reach the field this season, is a force on special teams and also sees time at cornerback.
• Kingsland junior nickel back Darlron Spead has been hurt since the South Carolina game, in which he made a spectacular interception and long return.
On special teams, Griffin junior Brett Upson has been a huge factor in Vanderbilt's success this season and is one of nation's best punters.
Atlanta's Derrius Dowell, a junior, would have been a factor at defensive tackle but has been injured all season. Other players who have not received playing time include Forsyth senior Bo Baggerley, Columbus junior Thomas Carroll, Cummings freshman Chris Crooks, Chamblee true freshman Taylor Loftley, Kingsland true freshman Ryan Seymour and Loganville true freshman Tristan Strong.
So these guys from Georgia are going home this weekend to knock heads with the same guys they grew up with.
Their brothers. Of whom they have no fear. Of whom they know their strengths and weaknesses, which trash to talk and what buttons to push.
No comments:
Post a Comment