Football news: Coming and going and moving around

In case you missed it, there's been some roster news come out in the last few days, particularly about Georgia's defensive backfield.

First, Shaq Fluker has decided to move on. The JUCO is citing playing time, and a lack of it. The Georgia side is they were protecting him after a seizure or back spasm. Fluker was a well regarded S out of Mississippi junior college, and considered a strong candidate to start back during fall camp. Unfortunately things did not work out, but we wish him the best at his next stop. That will likely be a step down to a 1-AA or perhaps a D-2 school so that he doesn't have to sit out a season having just used up his redshirt. He'll have two years left of eligibility wherever he lands.

But Georgia's depth chart at S won't be getting thinner with the loss of Fluker, as highly regarded athlete Tramel Terry is now there, and expected to stay there. This is a very interesting move. We have a freshman and sophomore starting there now in Tray Matthews and Josh Harvey-Clemons, so the immediate need isn't that strong, although as we saw with injuries and increased spread formations, the more the merrier back there. And it's not like we're lacking WRs either. Terry has the body, and the ball skills, to be a difference maker back there. It'll take time to adjust to a new role, but he's 6', decent thickness, with great speed and hips, and again, amazing ball skills. Moving him to the other side of the ball now just speeds up his transition, as he'll have a month of practice there, then all spring and summer to continue learning the playbook and working on his technique. It is a very interesting move. Terry will also be in the mix for returning kicks next spring.

JJ Green was a surprise move to RB last spring, after most figured he'd end up at CB. And while the staff has said he's staying in the backfield, people still have their doubts. Yeah, TB depth is a good thing, but we'll have it with Gurley, and Marshall, and Douglas, and the incoming Michel and Chubb, as well as Green and AJ Turman. So carries may be hard to come by, and as Green says, "If I’m not producing then I would want to move". As the article also says though, if carries become harder to come by, Green has the shimy and skills to make an impact at WR also (which there may be a little more time available with Terry at DB, even when Mitchell and Scott-Wesley and others get back into the mix).

And lastly, the punting job is now Adam Erickson's to lose. I thought Barber did well, so I'm not sure what went wrong there except perhaps the bad snaps and blocked kicks. But he certainly has a leg and the sophomore may find a new role as kickoff specialist with his ability to boom it out of the end zone. That said, congrats to Erickson. His play at punter has certainly made it tough to remove him from the job, and the junior walk-on from Clarke Central is a good one. Hmmm, Georgia using a kicker who played high school at the School of Champions? Pretty good track record with that decision I'd say. GATA Gladiator!*

*Yes, the author is also a proud graduate of Clarke Central and it's football program. Did you even have to ask?