The Red and Black

Issue date: 3/25/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jason Broom Former Georgia safety Kelin Johnson instructs Sanders Commings at practice Tuesday. [Click to enlarge]

Nobody's trying to replace Asher.

Asher Allen's early exodus from Athens for the NFL draft has left a hole at Georgia's short corner position. And with sophomore Brandon Boykin and redshirt freshman Sanders Commings one-two on the spring depth chart, it will be one of the few spots in Georgia's secondary not filled by a veteran.

Allen's shoes will be hard ones to fill - but, then again, nobody's trying to fill them.

"Me and Asher are two different people," said Boykin, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound sophomore. "I'm not trying to play like Asher, I'm my own player … I feel like if I go out there and do me, I'll be fine. I'm not really trying to fill Asher's shoes."

Allen undoubtedly helped himself and his draft status by running a 4.33 40-yard dash at Georgia's pro day last week and looks to be a late second- or third-round pick.

Fundamentals and technical excellence were Allen's strong points, and they're something that whoever replaces him will be well-advised to emulate.

"He devoted a lot of time into the film room, and he was one of those guys that always bugged the coaches, 'Give me an edge, give me another tip, give me something,'" said junior defensive back Vance Cuff. "He just studied the game a whole lot, and that's what we need to do."

Whether it's Boykin, who will be wearing the same No. 2 jersey that Allen did in Athens, Commings, Cuff or someone else at the boundary corner position this fall, he'll have a lot to tackle.

"It's a fun position to play in our scheme, I can tell you that," said defensive coordinator Willie Martinez. "We put a lot of pressure on them, he's going to be involved in a lot of plays."

Boykin is the Bulldogs' most experienced option at short corner, appearing in 13 games last season and recording six tackles along the way.

Cuff played in nine games, and Commings has yet to see game action.

The position will be the youngest in Georgia's secondary, if not its entire defense, in 2009.

"If Asher didn't go, then we might have had the most veteran defensive backfield in the conference, or close to it," said head coach Mark Richt. "But I think either Brandon or Sanders, those guys will do fine."

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