UT coach didn’t realize he leveled Georgia defender

In fact, Georgia strong safety Tra Battle still doesn’t know what hit him. Thanks to the video from Comcast Sports Southeast, you can see for yourself on the News Sentinel Web site, govols.com.

The play involved Battle and Roderick Moore, UT’s associate strength and conditioning coach. It occurred early in the fourth quarter of UT’s 51-33 victory over the Bulldogs earlier this month at Sanford Stadium

As UT wide receiver Robert Meachem was knocked out of bounds on the UT sideline, Battle made contact after the play but no penalty was called. Battle then turned up field and continued running down the sideline.

Enter Moore, a 6-foot-5, 330-pound former lineman at Morehouse College.

Moore was walking along the sideline toward Meachem. As Battle ran past Moore, he was suddenly knocked backward onto the ground, as if he had run into an invisible wall.

"I bumped into the Georgia guy," Moore said, adding that the bump was accidental.

On the video, you can see Moore shuffle his feet just as he approaches Battle. Moore said that he didn’t realize he did that and didn’t notice it on the video, which he watched a couple of days after the game.

"I didn’t know until (he watched the video), that (Battle) had fallen," Moore said. "I was just walking down the sideline."

Moore was asked if he hit Battle with his shoulder.

"I think so, my right arm," he said.

Although Battle was knocked down, Moore didn’t break stride or even turn his head after the bump.

"Roderick is a big guy," UT coach Phillip Fulmer said. "The player was off balance, I guess."

Claude Felton, Georgia’s associate athletic director for sports communications, asked Battle about the incident at the News Sentinel’s request.

Battle said he got knocked down but didn’t know who hit him. He just got up and returned to the huddle.

Georgia coach Mark Richt said Sunday he saw the video but couldn’t tell what happened. He didn’t have any complaints about the incident.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.