Dawgs get ready for Summer Workouts

ATHENS – While Georgia’s football players are preparing for finals this week, the Bulldogs’ strength and conditioning staff is preparing for its summer workouts.

Georgia’s strength staff – head strength coach Dave Van Halanger along with associate head coach Keith Gray and assistant coach Clay Walker – have drawn up a 12-week program that won’t get into full gear into finals are finished.

The Bulldogs are coming off what Gray and Walker described as a successful offseason program – the period from the end of the bowl game through the end of spring semester. Several players stood out during that time, they said.

True freshman wide receiver Tavarres King was one of them.

“Tavarres King had a very impressive offseason,” Gray said. “He went 100 mph in everything he did this offseason. He went through mat drills like a junior.”

True freshman running back Richard Samuel made a similarly good first impression on the weight room staff.

“Richard Samuel is a stud for a kid that just turned 17 years old,” Gray said.

The Bulldogs have an impressive group of early enrollees in the opinion on the strength staff because offensive lineman Ben Jones, who could be the team’s starting center next year, also made big strides.

Redshirt freshman safety John Knox and redshirt freshman defensive end Justin Houston put themselves in the physical position to compete on the field, Walker said.

“John Knox did a phenomenal job,” Walker said.

Junior college transfers Corvey Irvin and Jarius Wynn also made huge improvements, Walker said.

“Corvey Irvin has gotten a lot stronger since he got here,” Walker said.

Among the veterans, Gray and Walker singled out quarterback Matthew Stafford, cornerbacks Asher Allen and Ramarcus Brown, linebacker Akeem Dent, fullback Shaun Chapas and offensive lineman Kiante Tripp for their off-the-field work.