Newly hired head coach Mark Richt had

little time putting together his first class of signees in 2001. With less than

six weeks until national signing day, he and his quickly assembled coaching

staff hit the ground running to gather together what they could. In the end,

several of these players went on to be big time contributors to the three SEC

East titles and two SEC league titles that Georgia would go on to win over the

next five seasons.

Bama Adams

Redshirted in 2001 and then transferred to Valdosta State the following spring.

Gerald Anderson

Played in 49 games over the course of his career including 29 starts.

Tallied 128 tackles, 30 quarterback pressures, 18 tackles for a loss, and two

sacks. He also recovered four fumbles. Graduated from UGA this spring.

Greg Blue

Like Anderson, Blue played in 49 games during his career at UGA and started

28. In all, he recorded 260 tackles, 188 of which were solo stops. He also had

13 quarterback pressures, broke up 12 passes, caused four fumbles, and had 7

tackles for a loss of yards.

Tyson Browning

Went to Fork Union (see 2002)

Nic Clemons

Defensive End

Transferred to UGA in January 2001 and played in five games that season

before a season ending hip injury. The following spring, he was named the team's

Most Improved Defensive Lineman. He missed most of the first half of the 2002

season with turf toe. In his two years at Georgia, he played in seven games and

had four tackles. He is currently playing with the Washington Redskins.

Thomas Davis

Though signed as a linebacker, David played safety for the Bulldogs and is

one of the best in the team's history. After redshirting in 2001, he received

the Best Tackler Award following spring camp 2002, and went on to play in every

game of the SEC Championship season including four starts. His saved two games

on the team's way to the Georgia dome. First, he scooped up a fumble on the five

yard line to stop South Carolina from scoring what would have been the game

winning touchdown in the final seconds of the game in Columbia, and then later

intercepted a pass on Alabama's final possession to give the Bulldogs their

first ever win in Tuscaloosa. He got a sniff of linebacker in spring camp 2003,

but was moved back to safety in August, and went on to earn All-SEC First Team

honors as a sophomore. Again winning the Best Tackler Award in spring camp 204,

he had a great junior season and was named All-American. With 272 tackles, 27

quarterback pressures, 17 tackles for a loss, and 10 sacks to his credit, he

opted to hang up his black cleats and head to the NFL a year early. He was

picked in the first round by Carolina. in 2005, he played in 16 games, recording

38 tackles and a sack at linebacker for the Panthers.

Marquis Elmore

Failed to qualify and went to Hargrave Military Academy (see 2002).

Fred Gibson

After setting the school record of five 100 yard receiving games in one

season, and leading the team in both receiving yards (772) and yards per catch

(23.4), Gibson was named to the All-SEC Freshman First Team. His biggest games

were against Tennessee, where he caught two passes for 70 yards and a touchdown,

and against Kentucky when he broke a nearly 60 year old record by catching 201

yards worth of passes. He also set a school record by having four consecutive

100 yard games. Following the season, he joined Jim Harrick's basketball team and

was a key reserve. The rest of his career he was a consistent threat for the

Bulldogs, and by the time he left in team following the 2004 season, he had

amassed 2,884 yards (UGA record) off of 161 receptions (3rd best in UGA history)

and scored 20 touchdowns (2nd best in UGA history). In all, he had 10 100 yards

games for which he is tied for first in UGA school history. Other than those

mentioned as a freshman, some other memorable moments were: a 91 yard kick

return for a touchdown against Clemson (2002), caught a 41 yard pass to keep the

drive alive in the game winning drive against Auburn (2002), and caught a 56

yard touchdown pass on the fourth play of the game at Clemson (2003).

Mike Gilliam

After redshirting in 2001, Gilliam played a reserve role at tailback in 2002

before moving to cornerback in the spring of 2003. For the remainder of his

career he was a key reserve player who saw action in 38 games. He finished his

career with 21 tackles and a recovered fumble.

Robert Geathers

The only defensive true freshman to play in every game of the 2001 season,

Geathers went on to play in 39 games, including 15 starts, racking up 81

tackles, including 10 for a loss of yards, 22 quarterback pressures, and 5

sacks. He left the team a year early following his junior season in 2003 to head

to the NFL Draft. He has been a big part of the Cincinnati Bengals' defense

since.

Darrell Holmes

Redshirted in 2001 before playing in 10 games over the next two seasons. He

was often injured and eventually forced to give up football in the spring of 204

Kareem Marshall

Mississippi Gulf Coast Col.

Reggie McFadden

Tony Milton

Milton was one of the better running backs in 1999, but academic concerns

caused the three big Florida schools and most others to withhold a scholarship

offer. He ended up signing with Syracuse. Determined to make it in college, he

hit the books and eventually was able to qualify. Mark Richt, who was familiar

with Milton from their days in Tallahassee, took a chance and offered him a

scholarship. Signing with the Bulldogs, Milton redshirted in 2001 and missed the

following spring after undergoing shoulder surgery. He went on to play in all 14

games of the 2002 season including a start against Kentucky when Musa Smith was

injured and rushed for 78 yards. Following the early departure of Smith for the

NFL, Milton won the first team job in the spring of 2003, but three games into

the season suffered a season ending leg injury. He missed spring 2004, and with

the emergence of sophomores Danny Ware and Thomas Brown, only appeared in four

games rushing for 14 yards. In 2005 he was moved to fullback. He finished his

career with 410 yards and one touchdown.

David Pollack

Nobody quite knew what to classify Pollack as when he was coming out of high

school. Projections were anywhere from fullback, to defensive end, to defensive

tackle, or even middle linebacker. Because of this, he was rated as a three star

prospect due to the uncertainty. UGASports.com referred to him in the "athlete"

category since he did not fall into one position all nice and neat. That ended

up being pretty accurate since Pollack played more than one position, and, while

not nice and neat, was one of the best athletes to ever to but on the red and

black. By the time the smoke cleared, he had played in 50 games started 44, and

was Georgia first three time All-American since Herschel Walker. He piled up 283

tackles, 58 of which were for a loss of yards, pressured the quarterback 117

times and managed 36 sacks, and forced seven fumbles. He was drafted by

Cincinnati in the first round of the 2004 draft to play linebacker, and played

in 14 games including five starts last season. While his highlights are too many

to mention here, his college awards include: All-SEC Freshman Team, SEC

Defensive Player of the Week (multiple times), SEC Defensive Player of the Year

(2002, 2004), SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week, First Team All-American (2002,

2003, 2004), Hendricks Award (twice), SEC Most Valuable Player, in addition to

setting a few school records.

James Redmond

Did not qualify and went to Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Mississippi.

After two years there, he transferred to Mississippi State where he will be a

senior in 2006.

Dennis Roland

After redshirting as a freshman in 2001, Roland served as the number two

tight tackle in 2002 and was listed as the backup for both tight and split

tackle in 2003. In 2004 he started 11 games, and started every game in 2005. He

was named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week in 2005 following the South Carolina

game.

D.J. Shockley

Perhaps no other player in the history of UGA or those players that will

play in years to come will match the loyalty that Shockley gave the Bulldogs. A

five star quarterback coming out of high school, held the clipboard through most

of his career while watching David Greene become the winningest quarterback in

college football history. There was talk of him transferring along the way, but

never by him, and when his time finally came in 2005, he led Georgia to its

third SEC East Title in four years and second league title during that time. He

finished his career in Athens with 3,555 yards passing for 34 touchdowns, and

rushed for 651 yards and seven touchdowns. He was named First Team All-SEC

following his senior season. He set several UGA records: "Career Pass Efficiency

Rating (142.86, 2002-05), Most TD Passes in a Season (24 in 2005, ties Eric

Zeier), TD Responsibility in a Season (28 in 2005), TD Responsibility in a Game

(6 vs. Boise State in 2005), and Most TD Passes in a Game (5 vs. Boise State in

2005, ties mark by David Greene vs. LSU in 2004)." (from the UGA media guide)

Darius Swain

Failed to qualify and went to Hargrave Military Academy (see 2002).

Russ Tanner

Tanner redshirted as a freshman before winning the Most Improved Lineman

Award in the spring of 2002. He was back-up center that season before taking

over the job full time in 2003. That season, he started nine games at center and

five at guard. He started on and off over the next two seasons and ended his

career in 2005 with 24 career starts.

Odell Thurman

After redshirting in 2001, Thurman was dismissed from the team in 2002 and

spent a year at Georgia Military College. Returning to Athens in 2003, he played

in 23 games with 22 starts over the next two seasons before leaving after his

junior year for the NFL. While in Athens, he recorded 186 tackles, 29 tackles

for a loss, 25 quarterback pressures, and nine sacks. He started 15 games for

Cincinnati, and led all rookies in the league with five interceptions.

Reggie Weeks

Weeks redshirted as a freshman in 2001 after suffering a dislocated left

knee during fall camp and was moved to the offensive line the following spring.

He spent most of 2002 continuing to rehab the knee. He played a reserve role at

guard in 2003 before having to undergo surgery for a knee infection late in the

season. In early 2004 it was announced that his playing days were over due to

lingering knee issues.

Derrick White

After redshirting in 2001, White played in 36 games, including 10 starts,

over the next three seasons before being kicked off the team in early 2005 for

violations of team rules.

Brandon Williams

After playing two seasons at MGCCC, Williams transferred to UGA in January

2001. He played in 18 games over the next year and a half before leaving the

team following a series of off-field issues mid-way through the 2002 season.

Andre Zellner

After signing with the team in 2000 and failing to qualify, Zellner went to Hargrave

and signed again in 2001. However, he again failed to qualify and never saw

action with the Bulldogs.