Bulldogs make the best of bus trip to Flowery Branch
ATHENS — Georgia defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt complains about having to bus an hour away to be able to practice in an indoor facility, such as the Bulldogs had to do on Wednesday. But Lorenzo Carter didn’t have a problem with it.
He said he enjoyed the opportunity to work out at the Atlanta Falcons’ facility in Flowery Branch.
“It was fun for me,” the sophomore outside linebacker said. “It was my first time actually getting a chance to go down there and practice where the Falcons practice. So it was kind of eye-opening getting a chance to go down there and experience what they go through.”
For the second day in a row, heavy rains and thunderstorms altered the Bulldogs’ practice plans. Tuesday the team was forced indoors to their inadequately-sized multi-purpose room and the workout was ultimately cut short.
Wednesday, weather forecasts made it clear Georgia wouldn’t be able to get in the work it needed just 17 days before the season opener against Louisiana-Monroe. So plans were made early in the day to move the practice to Flowery Branch
”Practice is practice, no matter where it is” sophomore cornerback Malkom Parrish said. ”Even with all this rain, we’re still able to get everything done that we needed to. We’re able to move in practice at a fast pace with a good tempo.”
Said sophomore defensive back Reggie Wilkerson: ”It was not much of a distraction. We’ve just got to go to work, wherever we are. The field was a little bigger and a little wider, but we got used to it quick enough.”
This is expected to be the last season that the Bulldogs will have to deal with altering practice plans due to the lack of an indoor facility. The athletic association’s board of directors has approved the construction of an estimated $30 million facility that will begin at the end of this season. Whether it will be completed before the 2016 season begins remains to be seen.
“It’ll be great,” Carter said about finally having an IPF. “We’ll have an extra two hours. We’d be back home already.”
That said, Carter added that he doesn’t believe the Bulldogs’ progress has been impeded by not having one already in place.
“We’re just excited that we’re finally getting it,” he said. “There’ s no complaints that we didn’t get it earlier. Coach Richt is making sure that it’s state-of-the-art, one of the best in the country. So we’re excited.”
But those bus rides Carter is not going to miss.
“Once we got there it was good. The hour back really kind of sucked,” he said with a laugh.
