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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, December 30, 2007

Bulldogs’ special teams rank among best

By Mike Griffith
Knoxville (Tenn.) News-Sentinel

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Henderson.

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It sounds cliché, but the numbers show no team in the nation puts the "Special'' in Special Teams like the Georgia Bulldogs.

The NCAA ranks all 119 BCS teams in five different special teams categories, and Georgia is one of just two schools to rank in the top 40 of all of them, West Virginia being the other.

The Bulldogs, paced by the 10th-best punt return defense, average special teams unit rank is 24.4 — the Mountaineers is 28.0.

Hawai'i, by comparison, has an average special teams unit rank of 68.4, and consequently, a lot of work to do in preparation for the Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl.

Georgia's success this season is hardly a fluke; since coach Mark Richt took over in 2001, the Bulldogs have blocked 14 punts, nine field goals, two point-after-touchdown kicks and converted them into 95 points.

In all, Georgia has 12 special teams touchdowns over the past seven years.

Senior Mikey Henderson ranks among the most-respected punt returners in the nation, which explains why he had only 19 chances in 11 games, averaging only 11.3 yards per return this season.

"He can light the scoreboard up in a hurry,'' an opposing SEC coach said. "It is absolutely a good decision not to even kick to him.''

Opponents learned that Henderson's junior year, when he returned two punts for touchdowns while leading the SEC and ranking sixth nationally with a 14.7 yards-per-return average.

Asher Allen and Thomas Brown are the Bulldogs' kick return men, averaging 24.4 and 22.2 yards per return, respectively.

Brown also ranks as the sixth-leading rusher in Georgia's illustrious tailback history.

Redshirt sophomore Brian Mimbs helped Georgia rank 20th nationally in net punting at 37.4 yards. The strong-legged Mimbs placed 16 kicks inside opponents' 20-yard line.

Senior Brandon Coutu kicks it off for the Georgia special teams and ranks fifth in the school's history with 262 points. Coutu is 51-for-64 in field goal attempts over his career including 5-of-11 from beyond 50 yards.

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