ATHENS - At least two of the players featured on the cover of Georgia's 2003 media guide are easily identified by even casual fans.
There's David Greene, All-Southeastern Conference quarterback. There's David Pollack, All-American defensive end. But who's No. 4?
That's senior rover Kentrell Curry, who will team with junior free safety Sean Jones to give the Bulldogs one of the country's strongest tandems in the middle of the secondary.
Even though Curry may miss up to three games with a stress fracture in his right leg, coach Mark Richt isn't going to spend too much time worrying about that last line of defense. Greg Blue will fill in while Curry is out.
``I like our safety situation as much as any team I've been a part of,'' Richt said. ``Curry and Jones may be as important to this year's defense as were linebackers Boss Bailey and Tony Gilbert to last year's unit. ... I think those guys might be the heart and soul of our defense.''
Curry led the Bulldogs with four interceptions last season, but he didn't get a whole lot of attention.
``He's so quiet and workmanlike, you almost don't notice it,'' Richt said. ``This guy does so many things right but is so quiet about it, he almost gets lost in the shuffle. But we know about him, and I know the NFL knows about him.''
Curry has good size (6-foot-1, 197 pounds), the cover skills of a cornerback and enough speed to run a sub-4.4 40-yard dash in a workout for NFL scouts, certainly improving his draft status for next April.
Curry and Jones played behind Jermaine Phillips and Terreal Bierria in 2001. Moving into the lineup, the new duo gained momentum throughout the 2002 season.
Jones came through with a huge all-around game at Auburn, helping the Bulldogs clinch the SEC East with two interceptions, one fumble recovery and 11 tackles. Filling in for the injured Damien Gary, he also returned four punts for 75 yards to earn the SEC special teams player of the week award.
At the end of the season, Jones ranked fourth on the team with 91 tackles. Now he'll be measured by more than tangible statistics.
``Kentrell and I know we have to be leaders like Boss and Tony were last year,'' Jones said. ``We have a lot of responsibilities.''
Jones' leadership role will be especially important early in the season when Curry is out and cornerbacks Tim Jennings, DeMario Minter and B.J. Fields are serving suspensions. In the Aug. 30 opener against Clemson's big and talented corps of receivers, there will be little depth behind starting corners Decory Bryant and Bruce Thornton.
Curry, now wearing a walking cast, is trying to do his part from the sideline.
``I've been working real hard in getting guys together,'' he said. ``Tony and Boss were tremendous as far as getting us together on defense and getting us motivated. Now it's up to us.''
Monday
April 21st, 2025
1:09PM
