"It seemed like he was talking directly to me," the sophomore
wide
receiver said.
The No. 4 Bulldogs were without starting receivers Fred Gibson (knee)
and Michael Johnson (shoulder) and lost starter Reggie Brown in the
third quarter due to cramps, but Bryan McClendon filled the void, catching a
career-high six passes for 108 yards.
"I was a little timid with Bryan when the game started, but by the
time
the game was over, I was trying to find ways to get him the ball," Richt
said.
McClendon made the first start of his career and admitted he was
nervous in the beginning. Five of his catches came after halftime.
"I started out thinking, 'Don't mess up, don't mess up,'" he
said. "But
once your blood starts flowing, you realize this is football, the game I
practice and play every day."
Saturday's effort topped McClendon's career statistics to that point.
He caught five passes for 90 yards as a freshman and hadn't caught a
ball this season entering Saturday.
"He played great today, stepped up and made some great catches,"
quarterback David Greene said.
Still, McClendon said he'll look at game film closely to see what he
can improve on because he knows wide receivers coach John Eason will do
the same.
"I could score a million-yard touchdown, and he'd look at something
little," McClendon said.
INJURY UPDATE: All of the players who missed or left the Vanderbilt
game are expected to be back next week against UAB. Linebacker Derrick White didn't dress out due to a right foot injury he said he suffered
Friday morning when a stereo system fell on his foot. He said he hopes
to return next week.
Defensive lineman Ray Gant didn't play due to a hand injury, defensive
coordinator Brian VanGorder said.
Freshman running back Kregg Lumpkin came in on Georgia's second series
but left soon thereafter because he sprained his right ankle. Freshman
Marquis Elmore made his Bulldog debut on the defensive line in the
second half but lasted only two plays because he aggravated an ankle
injury.
Brown left the game due to cramps and said he'll play next week.
SHOCKLEY HAVING SURGERY: Backup quarterback D.J. Shockley has
decided
to have season-ending knee surgery, Richt said following the game.
Shockley has cartilage damage in his right knee. He will have surgery
this week.
Shockley's absence means Joe Tereshinski III will move into the
Bulldogs' backup role. Tereshinski played just one play Saturday,
handing the ball to running back Ronnie Powell.
"I would have loved to get Joe T in the game, but we had to
win," Richt
said.
WHERE'S ROLAND: Although Georgia's offensive line played poorly
throughout the first half, third tackle Dennis Roland Jr. didn't see the
field all day. Roland is not injured, line coach Neil Callaway said.
"He's not on the first team," Callaway said.
Asked if he thought he needed Roland on Saturday he said, "No."
BIG-PLAY SEAN: Safety Sean Jones increased his team lead in tackles
with nine and also made his team-best fourth interception of the season.
"A guy that talented who plays that hard is going to make
plays," Richt
said.
STRANGE CALL: Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson defended his decision to
attempt a meaningless field goal trailing 27-8 with three seconds left.
"I just wanted to get our field goal players some work," he
said. "I
can do the math. I knew it wasn't going to put us over the top."
Jones blocked Tolga Ertugrul's 34-yard attempt, a result that didn't
surprise Richt. Georgia's coaches had noticed Ertugrul's kicks were low
and felt like they had a good chance of blocking them.
"(Jones) probably hit it with his belly button," Richt said.
EARLY ENTRY: Jarrett Berry, a Toombs Academy graduate, made his first
catch of the season in the third quarter, a 9-yard reception with 12:51
left in the quarter. It was Berry's first catch since 2001 and just the
second of his career.
NATIONAL NOTICE: Richt made the watch list for the 2003 Bobby Dodd
Coach of the Year Award, the honor's governing office announced this
week. Richt joined Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer, Michigan's Lloyd Carr,
USC's Pete Carroll, Miami's Larry Coker, Minnesota's Glen Mason and
TCU's Gary Patterson, among others, on the list.
BOOMER: Commodore punter Abtin Iranmanesh had the highlight of the
first half with an 80-yard punt, the second-longest punt in Vanderbilt
history. The angled kick flew 50 yards in the air and rolled to a stop
midway through the end zone. The longest Commodore kick on record came
against Georgia in 1984.
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