| Monday, April 26, 2010 |
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| Posted by Nate at 9:42:36 AM |
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| CATCHING UP |
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| Okay, so, it’s been a month since I blogged and a lot has happened. I guess I’ll take a minute and weigh in on several of the events of the last month. First off, obviously, the biggest headline has been Mettenberger. Kid goes from likely also-ran in the QB race to star of the G-Day game (though admittedly with and against the 2nd teamers) to filling out transfer paperwork in the matter of a few weeks. Honestly, I have a hard time nailing down how I feel about this situation, well, aside from the obvious. Obviously, Mettenberger screwed up and has to pay the consequences. Richt did what he had to do, and I certainly can’t argue with that. The 30-year old responsible husband and father in me wants to question how Mett could be so stupid. To have a legitimate shot at becoming the starting quarterback at UGA and throw it away on a stupid night of alcohol and bad decisions … unthinkable! But then, I try to think back to those days in Athens when I was making bad decisions and realize that 18-22 kids are exactly that … kids. That’s no excuse for Mett’s behavior, but I just hope that, not only Mett, but the rest of the UGA football team can learn from this experience. I’m inclined to believe that Richt will help Mett transition to the next stage in his life much the same as he has with other former/almost players (including Jamar Chaney who was just drafted this weekend out of Miss St). Sad situation, but I guess it just is what it is. Next, Makiri Pugh. His news got little to no pub, but I at least wanted to mention the decision to transfer by Makiri Pugh. Pugh came to Georgia in the 2008 class along with AJ Green and fellow defensive backs Bacarri Rambo, Brandon Boykin and Nick Williams. Pugh was headed into his 3rd year in the program and found himself buried on the depth chart behind safeties Rambo, N. Williams, S. Williams, Jakar Hamilton and Quintin Banks. Strictly as a UGA fan, it would’ve been nice to see him stick around, provide depth and be a special teams warrior. But, playing time was looking bleak, so it’s hard to fault the guy for trying a different course. Good luck elsewhere to Makiri. Well, the post-spring depth chart was published last week. Nothing particularly interesting as a result. Aaron Murray being named starting QB was news-worthy; however, not unexpected following Mett’s dismissal. It won’t matter much in terms of touches, but I was interested to see who was named starter at tailback, but Caleb King’s injury took care of that drama. I was also interested to see where Bean Anderson might be slotted with the move to NG, but, again, injury kept him off the depth chart. The most interesting news as I see it is Christian Robinson ahead of Marcus Dowtin and Vance Cuff ahead of Branden Smith. Clearly, Dowtin and Smith will play a lot this fall, but both were expected to lock up starting jobs this spring. I choose to be glass half full here and believe the accounts that Robinson and Cuff simply played that well this spring (as opposed to Dowtin and Smith not getting the job done). The 2010 NFL Draft just wrapped up, so I want to congratulate Rennie Curran, Geno Atkins, Reshad Jones, Jeff Owens and Kade Weston. Atkins, Jones and Owens all slipped a little from expectations, so I’m sure they’ll be heading into NFL camps with a bit of a chip on their shoulder. Regardless, I’m sure it was a great weekend for those guys and hopefully they’ll translate into great pro players. By the way, hard to ignore that we just had 5 guys drafted from a very suspect defense over the past couple seasons. Thanks Willie. Finally, I want to mention the impending announcement from star prep QB Christian LeMay out of North Carolina. He’s set to announce a “leader” later this week, and most believe that to be UGA. I did read somewhere, however, that LeMay plans to begin recruiting for the announced school as soon as he goes public. That type of behavior typically only occurs when a kid gives a pretty solid verbal commitment, so it makes me wonder if we’re going to hear the word ‘commitment’ or ‘leader’. Big difference in college recruiting. Regardless, if UGA is the school, it’s a great get. This guy is normally spoken of as the top QB nationally in the 2011 class, and will no doubt help UGA’s chances with other top-notch 2011 stars. Would be a great way to rebound from a less-spectacular-than-normal 2010 recruiting year. |
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| MAKE/READ COMMENTS (2 comments)... |
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| Monday, March 22, 2010 |
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| Posted by Nate at 10:10:48 AM |
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| AJ FOR HEISMAN? |
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| So, for anyone who missed it, Tim Tucker of the AJC did a good Spring Practice update this weekend. In it, he references the competition to replace Prince Miller for the primary punt returning duties (Richt has already publicly mentioned that Logan Gray’s fair catching duties may not be a thing of the past, but I can’t talk about that because I don’t want my blog to turn into an expletive laden rant). One of the guys vying for this position is AJ Green. The last time one of the true superstars of the team was returning punts was when Knowshon caught a couple in 2008. That created quite a bit of buzz and excitement but never really materialized into anything more than a rarely used wrinkle, in my opinion, used more to rile up the fans than actually add a new offensive weapon. Back to 2010. AJ returning punts is a little concerning from the injury viewpoint, but this is football here. Anyone can be injured on any play of the game. You can’t play scared of injuries, and it should always be the primary objective of the coaches to get the ball into the hands of the players that can make the most difference. There’s no doubt AJ is one of, if not, the most dynamic and electric players on the team. Look no further than the Vandy game last year (1:10 mark) to see how dangerous AJ can be in space. Sure, there are some very nice options at punt returner, fast, dynamic athletes like Branden Smith, Rantavious Wooten and Brandon Boykin. But those other guys are vying for playing time at their respective positions and should concentrate more on competition at their primary positions (not to mention Smith and Boykin are the primary kickoff return man as well). Carlton Thomas could be a good option because he is not likely to overcome Caleb King and Washaun Ealey at running back, so he could be a nice contributor at return man. Now about my subject line. Could AJ returning punts mean he could potentially launch a Heisman campaign? Everyone knows the Heisman only goes to quarterbacks and running backs, but occasionally a wide receiver can enter the picture. Winning as a wide receiver, however, usually requires having some supplement to just receptions, as evidenced by Tim Brown winning and Larry Fitzgerald not winning. Having a new starter throwing him the ball may impede Green’s Heisman chances, but with a veteran offensive line Green may still get enough balls thrown his way. If he can stay healthy and if UGA can stay relevant in the national spotlight (i.e., top 10 ranking and at least playing in the SEC championship), the punt return numbers may be just enough to at least get AJ an invite to New York. Hey, he returned 12 punts for touchdowns in high school, and everything he did at receiver in high school he’s been able to replicate at the collegiate level. I don’t see any reason why the stat line 60 receptions, 1200 receiving yards, 10 receiving TDs, 20 punt returns, 350 punt return yards, 2 punt return TDs, and let’s toss in another blocked FG and a couple Sportscenter-worthy acrobatic catches wouldn’t be Heisman worthy. Assumed healthy, I don’t see any reason why AJ couldn’t deliver that. He’d need there to not be a standout QB or RB and, like I said earlier, he’d need UGA to be nationally relevant, but those are certainly possible. I guess it’s a pretty remote possibility, but it would definitely be nice to see a Bulldog up there where we keep seeing all those Trojans, Longhorns and Gators. |
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| Friday, February 19, 2010 |
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| Posted by Foltz at 10:10:31 AM |
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| SHAPING UP THE 2010 CLASS |
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| The Georgia Bulldogs got off to another hot start in the recruiting process by wrapping up the majority of their class before August. Experts are calling this the worst Bulldog class in over a decade. And while most of that is because of how we got “Da’Rick’d” on Signing Day, I think another point has to go to our loss of three defensive coaches during the heart of the recruiting period. Now that the Signing Day dust has cleared, UGA fans can do two things from here: we can sulk about our so-called expert rankings from recruiting gurus or we can look at the talent that did stick with Georgia and analyze their potential as they begin to arrive on campus. Upon further research, I’m seeing this class as another strong one with many three-stars that could become four-stars in college. It’s heavy on size and potential so let’s breakdown each recruit and predict the potential and use over the next 3-5 years in Athens. I’ve ranked them starting from the most important - with the biggest upside, need, and overall value in terms of talent. Alec Ogletree – A big safety out of Newnan, it will be interesting to see if he develops into a strong safety or outside linebacker. Either way, his talent level and potential is through the roof. He could see a little playing time this year but expect big things out of him wherever he ends up playing in the next two years. A potential NFL first rounder. T.J. Stripling – Mark Richt has certainly learned the value of stockpiling DE’s after the last two years subpar ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Stripling bring the total package to Athens and his physical development could land him a Jevon Kearse-type college and NFL star. He could be used as a defensive end but I’m predicting he’ll be a constantly blitzing outside linebacker for Grantham. Sky’s the limit for TJ. Mike Thornton – A huge defensive tackle at 6’2”, 280lbs right now. His size and relative speed seem perfect for Grantham’s 3-4 offense where you need enough size to fight off multiple blocks and a good first-step to plug either running gap. You can never put a value on defensive tackles simply because size and speed are very rare. With Owens, Atkins, and Weston gone, one of UGA’s biggest focuses was restocking the defensive trenches. Brent Benedict – I can’t help but look at this guy and think he’s the next Clint Boling, only with more upside. He should be a regular at either tackle position very soon. His size and flexibility will make him a great outside blocker with defensive ends who are trying to use space to get around him. Expect him to see the field very early. Jakar Hamilton – Nicknamed the “Hit Man” he’s a huge recruit because he can play now. He’ll take over Reshad Jones’ position and hopefully continue the long line of big hitters at the safety position. He should provide a great one-two punch with Bacarri Rambo. Garrison Smith – Another big defensive tackle signing, at 250lbs, he could move to DE with Grantham’s 3-4 package, or he could put on size and stay at DT. I like him because of his versatility and he’s been a strong commit since the day he told everyone he was going to play college football at UGA. Jalen Fields – 6’5” 250lbs is rare enough but when you add that to his 4.6 speed, he becomes a great signing for Georgia. His frame is perfect for the 3-4 at defensive tackle, defensive end, or outside linebacker. He’s a true utility athlete for Grantham and he should be able to plug Fields in at any position he chooses. Dexter Morant – A huge defensive end out of the state of South Carolina. I’m not sure where he will end up but I think he will be a force wherever that may be. At 6’7”, he’s got the frame to develop into a strong 3’4 DE or possibly a left tackle for Stacy Searels. I think he’ll stay on defense and provide the size and strength to become a tough block on the inside lanes. Demetre Baker – With his size and speed, he should be a two-year starter at one of the two inside linebacker positions. In a class that missed a few chances to get much needed linebackers, Baker could have the inside edge to contribute early and supplant a starting position by the time he’s an upperclassman. Kolton Houston – Some times I look at this class and think Mark Fox is doing a great job rebuilding the basketball program. This class has definitely been about size and Kolton Houston is no different. Buford has become a hotbed of big-framed football players and many of them have been successful at the college level. He’ll fight for playing time with Searel’s young and talented roster of offensive linemen but his size and strength could push him into the all-important left tackle position. Imagine a future line with Kolton Houston, Austin Long, AJ Harmon, Chris Burnette and Brent Benedict. Solid! Derek Owens – At 5’11”, 180lbs and a 4.4 forty, I like his ability to be a strong corner with enough speed to keep up with receivers. I’m even more excited about our commitment to recruiting bigger corners, too. Sure, he’s not huge, but with most of our recent corners standing at 5’8”, this kid is the Leonard Pope of UGA corners right now. Ken Malcombe – A four-star running back with a big frame, Malcombe is a nice pick-up for the Bulldogs, however, UGA is stacked at running back at this moment and always have a knack for grabbing a high-profile ballcarrier seemingly whenever they want. It makes sense that King and Ealey are the future now and another top running back will come in next year or the year after. Therefore, his power and size could transcend into the next Brannen Southerland at fullback. Mark Deas – Another big defensive back for Georgia, depending on his speed, he could end up being a safety or an inside linebacker. It’s hard to tell what he could become at the next level but he’s an important signing because he could play up to three or four positions for Grantham. Michael Bennett – I don’t know much about this kid but I’ve heard he’s tough, makes every catch, and has surprising speed for his size. He could become a great third option on the lines of Kris Durham, Damien Gary, and Bryan McClendon. With the loss of Da’Rick Rogers to Tennessee on Signing Day, Bennett now becomes the sole wide receiver in this class who will be on campus this year, so his importance to the team becomes immense. Kenarious Gates – Any time you see a 6’5”, 300lb player you immediately think “potential.” Gates will be a project in college and has the tools to become a starter. I don’t think he’ll see the field the first few years of college but he could become a one or two-year starter with the right development and focus. Brandon Burrows – Burrows may be a guy who gets lost in the shuffle. I never want to predict that with any player who hasn’t at least gone through one year of college football but I think the defensive end position is becoming deep with this class and the linebacker position is now all about speed. Burrows could be a Demarcus Dobbs-type player who plays a little beyond his abilities and does the little things to make up for the fact that he may not be fast enough to get to the quarterback. Huston Mason – Mason put up huge numbers in high school and went from virtual unknown to regional star. He’s earned every bit of his success as he’s often played above his abilities. At some point, your talent has to catch up and I think Mason’s best days may have been in high school. He isn’t necessarily a true pocketpasser nor is he a high mobile runner, either. Mason’s arm is average but his desire his strong. He could become a solid backup in Athens and push other quarterbacks to work harder. He’ll be a positive influence on the team but I’m not predicting he’ll ever be a full-time starter as a Bulldog. Lonnie Outlaw – He sounds like another Walter Hill project. A guy you hand a scholarship based on potential alone rather than actual substance. The ball is in his court, and it’s hard to say what could become of Lonnie Outlaw. At 6’7”, I don’t predict him becoming a wide receiver and his wiry frame may not help him become a tight end, either. With two years of Military School, he may not even be a Bulldog come 2012. It will be interesting to see what happens with Outlaw as his Signing Day offer was a bit vexing. Alexander Ogletree – Everything I’ve read is Zander has the heart of Rennie Curran. He’s undersized but plays much bigger than he really is. He’s a great influence to have around the locker room but don’t plug him as a Rudy-type feelgood player. He may never start at UGA but I think he will contribute in nickel packages and be a strong special teams player. |
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| Thursday, February 04, 2010 |
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| Posted by Foltz at 11:04:43 AM |
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| THE UGA ALL-DECADE SINGLE SEASON TEAM |
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| At my age, new decades can become depressing. Or, it can be seen as a guiding light to something new; perhaps a moment of sage wisdom to have not only read about the great Georgia battles of old but also to have lived and watched them while hoping for a brighter future. Although I would classify myself as a life-long Georgia fan, with brief instances of Florida State fandom that I apologize every day over, my early days of Georgia football weren’t as serious as they are today. In the 80’s and 90’s, I guess I was too young to remember who the greatest right tackle was in Athens. All I cared about was the win, or at least the memorable moments that made football players superheroes. As the new decade approached, I realized that I may not have the intellectual capacity to create a good All-Decade Team but I certainly have the age to compile one at the very least. However, while most writers are gauging each player by career, I decided to honor each player by his best season. Yes, most if not all of my selections are debatable and that’s what I’m shooting for, but I know there are plenty of no-brainers on this list, too. So, as I’m basing my results on single seasons rather than a full career because I want to remember the brief moments that made each player a superhero. Along the way, I want you to remember what player made the biggest impact on his team during one particular season. So without further adieu, I give you the UGA All-Decade Single Season Team: QB – Matthew Stafford: In 2008, Matthew Stafford went from 5-star bust to NFL talent. Although he showed improvement after the 2007 Tennessee loss and reeled off seven wins in a row to give UGA a no. 2 national ranking to finish the year, his 3459 yards, 25 tds, and 61% completion pct in 2008 were the more impressive numbers - as long as you close your eyes to the Alabama, Florida, and Georgia Tech losses, of course. Apologies to David Greene. In 2004, Greene put up a senior season built around smart play and a winning attitude. With 2508 yards, 20 tds, and 4 ints, UGA finished the year 10-2. The only reason why he’s not at the top is his abysmal performances against Tennessee and Auburn, which were top 5 games with high expectations. RB – Knowshon Moreno: The best running back to come out of Athens since Garrison Hearst, Knowshon Moreno put up stellar numbers his redshirt freshman season (2007) with quickness, power, agility, and a will to win. But his 2008 numbers of 1400 yards and 16 tds led the way to All-SEC honors, 2nd Team All-American honors, a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, and a 10-3 season. Apologies to Musa Smith. You cannot bypass the impact Musa Smith made in 2002. Near the end of the season, Musa pretty much kept the chains moving with an impressive offensive line and a powerful ability to break the first tackle. His 1324 yards and 8 touchdowns led UGA to an SEC Title but it was his 0 fumbles lost that made the biggest difference. FB – Brannan Southerland: When Thomas Brown was lost for the season in 2006, Brannan Southerland became the goal line leader in route to 8 touchdowns. He also helped establish a running game with Kregg Lumpkin and Danny Ware by opening up lane after lane. Apologies to Verron Haynes. Shaun Chapas may be the true fullback to apologize to but Verron Haynes will always be connected to the “Hobnailed Boot” play in 2001. Haynes rotated between fullback and tailback – always opening up or creating lanes. WR – A.J. Green: During his freshman year, AJ Green became a superstar with 56 catches for 963 yards and 8 touchdowns. Arguably, the most gifted receiver to come out of UGA in years, Green consistently stepped up with leaping catches in double-coverage. His sophomore season would have been his best had a string of late injuries not cut his season short. Apologies to Sean Bailey. 39-615-5 in 2007 doesn’t do justice at how valuable he was to the Sugar Bowl champions. Although he didn’t dominate every game, he always seemed to make the most important catch. His wiry frame and blazing speed allowed him to make great downfield catches in pressure situations. LT – Jon Stinchcomb: A consistent offensive tackle for UGA, Stinchcomb’s tenacity and willingness to succeed has not only catapulted him into a solid NFL starter, it also helped put an SEC trophy in Butts-Mehre in 2002. Apologies to Trinton Sturdivant. If injuries hadn’t cut his career short, Trinton may be the best lineman we’ve had this decade. I’m obviously giving him an honorable mention due to his ability and not his actual time on the field, but what I saw his freshman season was a future first rounder in the NFL. LG – Max Jean-Gilles : First Team All-SEC and All-American selection in 2005, Max Jean-Gilles helped give DJ Shockley all the time in the world to throw the football. The best guard to come out of Georgia since possibly Guy McIntyre. He now starts for the Philadelphia Eagles. Apologies to Cordy Glenn. In his short two-year career, Cordy Glenn has become a main staple on the offensive line. So far, he’s been one of the bright spots on a young offensive line. C – Nick Jones. A solid center for UGA. It’s not often that a center is looked upon as a leader but his senior year was clearly the case. He rarely fumbled a snap, mastered the art of a quick snap when defenders were offsides, and simply kept blockers in front of him at all times. In 2006, he was named All-SEC 2nd Team, team’s Most Valuable Player, and Team Captain. Apologies to Ben Jones. He definitely became a force during the second-half of the 2009 season. His tenacity and never give up attitude reminds me of a certain undersized defensive end from five years earlier. It’s really a tie between him and Nick Jones but when he told his running backs in the huddle to follow him to the end zone, I knew this guy was special. RG – Russ Tanner: Although a three-starter mostly at center, Russ Tanner is simply too good to leave off the list. A member of the Academic All-American Team, Russ often showed his football brilliance with consistent play and aggressive blocking skills his senior year. Apologies to Chester Adams. A bright spot for Georgia in 2006, Chester “Cheese” Adams started 11 games as a junior earning credit on an offensive line that only allowed 17 sacks, which was 2nd best in the SEC. RT – Clint Boling: A three year starter with his senior year to go. Clint Boling has been one of the most consistent offensive lineman we’ve had in the past twenty years. In 2008, Boling was named First Team All-SEC and 2nd Team All-Sophomore. Apologies to George Foster. In 2002, Foster helped UGA total 32 points per game in route to an SEC Title. He was selected to the Senior Bowl All-Star Game after paving holes for Musa Smith. TE – Leonard Pope: In just two years, Leonard Pope totaled 1044yds and became the go-to guy during the 2005 SEC Championship Season. His 39 catches for 541 yards 4tds and 13.87 yds per catch revolved around his plays in keys moments in 2005. Because of his massive size, Pope was able to block well while being virtually unblockable during passing plays. Apologies to Ben Watson. Watson had the arms of a Marvel Comics superhero and his two-year numbers were justifiably good, catching 54 passes for 665 yards and 5tds . His production at tight end picked up where Jermaine Wiggins and Randy McMichael left off, marking a consistent string of great tight ends to stop in Athens. WR – Terrence Edwards. In 2002, Terrence Edwards was our go-to receiver. Take away the Florida drop, and you’ve got a receiver who was nearly flawless his senior year. With 50 catches for 1004 yards and 11 touchdowns, it’s easy to see why he was on the best receivers to don a Georgia uniform. Apologies to Mohammed Massaquoi. Reggie Brown should not be overlooked in this category either but MoMass’ 2008 season of 58-920-8 was remarkable considering he was the no. 2 receiver. When opposing defenses began double-teaming AJ Green, Massaquoi picked up the pace in the passing game. DE – David Pollack: A great Southern cliché comes to mind when I think about Pollack’s college career: Local boy done good. Pollack came out of nowhere to become the greatest sack artist UGA has ever seen. And how does a defensive end amass 101 tackles in one season (2002)? An unstoppable motor that leads to All-American honors. His 245 tackles, 54.5 tfl, 34 sacks (14.5 in 2002), and 95 hurries easily makes him one of the greatest in Georgia history at any position. Apologies to Marcus Howard. If I had an All-Decade Half-Season Team, Marcus Howard would most likely make the first team. A virtual disappointment until the Tennessee loss, Marcus Howard reeked havoc on quarterbacks to finish the season on a 7-0 run and a Sugar Bowl win. Howard’s 2007 season with 11 sacks and 42 hurries was compiled using a Dwight Freeney style of play that involved simply bull-rushing 300 lb lineman in route to attacking a quarterback. DT – Richard Seymour. In 2000, Seymour’s senior year with 78 tackles, 10.5 tfl, 1.5 sacks, and 13 QB pressures made him a huge NFL prospect for the 2001 NFL draft. He earned player of the week honors in the Tennessee win – the first time Georgia had beaten the Vols in the last nine tries. Apologies to Marcus Stroud. A 2nd Team All-SEC in 2000, Stroud helped make Georgia one of the best run defenses in the SEC. At 6’6” 300lbs, Stroud stuffed almost every run gap created. DT – Johnathan Sullivan: 72 tackles, 18.5 tfl, 4 sacks, and 27 hurries in 2002 would be impressive for an outside linebacker let alone a space-eating defensive tackle. He consistently hurried the quarterback with his speed and stuffed the run with his size. His disruption upfront is a big reason why 2002 became a championship season. Apologies to Geno Atkins: Some say he took a step back the last two years but when you put up 41 tackles, 14.5 tfl, 7.5 sacks, and 34 hurries as a sophomore, it’s really hard to duplicate the same statistical effort year after year. His 2007 All-SEC honors kept the pipeline of talented defensive tackles going at Georgia. Career totals: 120 tackles, 33 tfl, 11 sacks, 3 fumbles, and 97 hurries. Not too shabby for a kid who was supposed to backup Kade Weston. DE – Quentin Moses. In 2005, Quentin Moses has 20.5 tfl and 11.5 sacks. He was a one-man wrecking crew with All-SEC honors and a leader of a defense that gave Georgia another SEC Title. Apologies to Charles Johnson. Johnson’s 2006 season with 18.5 tfl, 9.5 sacks, and 27 hurries was a thing of beauty. He wasn’t always in every play but when he was on, no one was going to stop him. WLB – Tony Taylor. I know, I know, Rennie Curran – but hear me out. Weakside linebacker is about making plays, right? Yes, Rennie Curran amassed 130 tackles in his final season but that was about it. Tony Taylor just missed 100 tackles his senior season but had more tackles-for-loss and sacks than Curran. And about making plays? While Rennie Curran only had three fumbles and zero interceptions in his career, Tony Taylor had four fumbles and seven interceptions in the 2006 season alone. He was the heart-and-soul of a defense that could have taken a backseat after a poor start to the 2006 season. Instead, he made plays down the stretch that helped UGA reel off five straight wins to close the season. Rennie is an all-time great for Georgia but he was never the focal point of the defense. He was a great contributor but Tony Taylor was the captain of the defensive ship. Apologies to Rennie Curran. An impressive 3-year career, his textbook tackling skills make him one of the best linebackers in Georgia history. MLB – Odell Thurman. This is your protypical middle linebacker for any college football program. With 121 total tackles, 18.5 tfls, 6.5 sacks, 2 ints, and 3 fumbles, Odell gave new meaning to “kill the man with the ball” in 2003. Apologies to Tony Gilbert. I tried to find every loophole to fit Tony Gilbert at the top simply because I’ve always been a huge Tony Gilbert fan. However, Odell’s numbers were just too good but Gilbert’s 112 tackles and 15.5 tfls rivaled no one else and his overachieving attitude in 2002 helped bring an SEC Title back to Athens for the first time in twenty years. SLB – Boss Bailey. Appropriately named, Boss was everything a strongside linebacker should have been. His 116 tackles, 9.5 tfls, 6 sacks, and 9 hurries in 2002 put him in elite company. His freakish athleticism allowed him to cover well on short yardage pass plays and his insane leaping ability blocked a few key field goal attempts along the way. He gave new meaning to the word “special.” Apologies to Will Witherspoon. Witherspoon was more of what you call a utility linebacker because he played every linebacker position on the field in 2001. His career production in college is solid: 211 tackles and 3.5 sacks during his three-year career highlighted his consistency in Athens. CB – Asher Allen: Asher’s sophomore season was better than his junior season. With 64 tackles and 3 interceptions in 2007, he not only covered some of the best SEC receivers on the field, he also helped stop the run on the strongside, as well. Apologies to Paul Oliver. In 2006, Oliver’s junior year looked to be a stepping stone for All-SEC honors his senior year. While he never made it to back to Athens for his final season, opting instead to enter the supplemental draft, he compiled 57 tackles, 6.5 tfl, 2 sacks, and 3 ints. CB – Tim Wansley in 2001. Finished his All-SEC senior season with 64/2/9 but also gets credit for the key turnover to seal Mark Richt’s first win over Georgia Tech, and the first win over the Jackets since 1997. Tim Jennings: 56 tackles, 7 tfl, 1 sacks, and 4 ints were solid 2004 numbers for the weakside cornerback. The most impressive part is his ability to make open field tackles at 5’8”, 160lbs. FS – Thomas Davis: Forget the All-Decade Team, Thomas Davis is part of the All-Century Team. I have never seen someone recreate the safety position and turn it into a menacing linebacker. Davis’ 2003 with 136 tackles and 4.5 sacks are impressive on paper, but you’ve got to see footage on how this guy accumulated those numbers. There are football players who still have nightmares when he sees you with the football. Apologies to Greg Blue. A bruising hard hitter with 96 tackles to help Georgia win the SEC Title in 2005, Greg Blue punished ballcarriers who dared to get in his way. His cover skills were always sketchy but if caught you, you were going to pay the price for carrying the football. SS/Rover – Sean Jones: In 2003, Sean Jones separated himself among the elite safeties in Georgia history. His 118 tackles, 10 deflections, and 5 ints are impressive enough, but I’ll always remember him for turning off the stereo that was playing Rocky Top in Knoxville when he picked up a fumble and ran it back 98 yards before halftime to send the Bulldogs to four straight over the Vols. His stats are remarkable but some of the footage that created those plays is unforgettable. Apologies to Reshad Jones. Jones came in as the no. 1 safety in the country, and although he underachieved based on his potential, his statistics still add up to a solid college career. In 2009, he totaled 73 tackles and 4 ints to cap a decent junior year. His interceptions always seemed to come at the end of an important game and his vengeance to beat Georgia Tech makes him a true Bulldog. P – Drew Butler. A 48.05 average with 19 punts inside the 20 yard line, Drew Butler became a First Team All-American by Walter Camp while winning the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s top punter. Apologies to Gordon Ely-Kelso. His 2005 numbers included a 42.86 average with 23 punts inside the 20 yard line awarded him a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award and was a Second Team All-SEC selection. K – Billy Bennett. In 2003, Billy Bennett had one the best seasons for any kicker: 131 total point off 31fgs, 28 pats, long of 52 yards, and an 81% field goal percentage. During the first part of the decade, if Georgia lined up for a field goal, Billy Bennett was going to make it. Apologies to Brandon Coutu. With a huge leg, Brandon Coutu made long field goals look like chip shots. In 2005, Coutu totaled 114 points off 23 fgs, 45 pats, a long of 58 yards, and a 79% field goal percentage that helped Georgia gain an SEC Title. Let the controversies begin! |
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| . |
| Thursday, January 28, 2010 |
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| Posted by Nate at 8:50:11 AM |
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| HOW WILL THE 2010 CLASS FINISH? |
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I’ve been hearing for months that UGA will sign 22-24 guys for the 2010 recruiting class. By my counts, we are currently out of scholarships with our existing 19 commitments, but there are always unexpected defections and, unfortunately, there’s always the possibility of guys not qualifying. Luckily for me, it’s not my job to make sure UGA keeps within the 85 scholarship limit, so my biggest concern right now is how this class is going to finish. If it’s true that we’re planning to sign, say, 23 in this class, who are the 4 uncommitted prospects that we are hoping to sign? Of course, that also assumes that we don’t lose any committed players on signing day, and that is not a forgone conclusion. Rumors have been rampant that Da’Rick Rogers, Deon Rogers and Nickell Robey aren’t exactly rock solid right now, so there’s certainly a possibility that those guys sign their LOIs elsewhere on Wednesday. I’m not going to lie; I’d be very disappointed if Da’Rick ends up in Knoxville, so I really hope he stays true to his commitment. But for this blawg, I wanted to list a few guys that might put the finishing touches on the 2010 signing class.
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| . |
| Friday, January 22, 2010 |
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| Posted by Nate at 10:19:31 AM |
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| DEFENSIVE SPECULATION |
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I’m certainly not breaking any news that UGA now has a defensive coordinator (former Dallas Cowboys DL coach Todd Grantham), and that he is bringing a new scheme to Athens. Georgia had dominant, suffocating traditional 4-3 defenses earlier in the decade, but the 3-4 has become more and more popular both at the college and pro level. The more I read and learn about the 3-4, the more I love it. Alabama showed in 2009 that an attacking 3-4 being executed by elite athletes harvested in previous top 10 recruiting classes is a sure-fire means to competing for championships. Georgia has not finished outside the top 25 in recruiting this decade, and, more often than not, places in the top 10. Bringing in these highly skilled athletes and “coaching them up” within this scheme is a solid plan to resurrecting the production of those dominant defenses from earlier in the decade. Being a different scheme will, however, mean potential position changes for the guys on our current roster. The positional make up will not be affected much in the secondary, but the assignments and skill-sets needed from the front 7 will change. Grantham is meeting with the team for the first time today, so clearly little to no work has been done by the actual man in charge in terms of assessing each individual’s position home. However, that’s the beauty of the blogosphere … I get to speculate and throw out my opinion without any factual basis! So, here’s my take on what a defensive depth chart might look like when we take the field against LA-Lafayette on September 4th. Of course, freshman acclimation could significantly change this. Also, I added in parentheses instances where I think a player might bounce between another position.
A few other assumptions I’m making here are that Samuel will make the switch from running back to linebacker and Gray will not switch to safety (I think he will land at WR). Also, I’m not including guys not on scholarship, although that’s not to say that someone like Reuben Faloughi (DE/OLB) won’t make a significant impact this season. |
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| . |
| Tuesday, January 12, 2010 |
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| Posted by Nate at 8:15:04 AM |
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| SOMEONE PLEASE TALK ME OFF THE LEDGE |
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| Am I being overly sensitive? Am I taking something to heart that really isn’t that big a deal? Am I a delusional fan that cannot view his beloved school objectively? Should I actually do what my wife suggests and apply all the brain power I use on UGA football toward making more money? I say an emphatic “No” to all. I’ve taken a little over a month off from writing blawgs for several reasons. One of those reasons was that I knew the main story line for most of December would be speculation surrounding Georgia’s new defensive coordinator. I have no “insider” knowledge into the Georgia football program so, without much if any additional information to provide, I planned to sit back and wait to blawg my reaction to the person Richt hired. Well, it’s been 40 days since my last post and I’m really upset about the current state of our program. How could we have possibly fallen from #1 in the nation with a Sports Illustrated cover in August 2008 to an unranked 5-loss team who 4 assistant coaches have USED as leverage to get raises/other jobs??? Injuries, scheduling, bad luck, early NFL defections and other excuses are valid reasons for the fall, but, at the end of the day, they are exactly that….excuses. IF Georgia is in fact among the nation’s elite (as I absolutely have believed over the last 7 years but am now starting to question), then those things should not be enough to land us where we are today. I’m not campaigning for any additional changes to the program, but I am saying that it is time to bounce back or take a back seat. At this point, the egg on our face from this DC search is not going away. Whether we hire Tim DeRuyter of Air Force, Grantham from the Cowboys or make some lucrative play at Brian Van Gorder, nothing will take away the sting of being (at least in appearance if not reality) rejected by Koenning, Foster, Chavis and Smart. We look like a mid-tier program that top assistants view as a means for leverage rather than the destination job we all want to believe it is. UGA desperately needs this off season to go quietly and quickly. The only cure for Georgia’s situation is to hire a DC, try to re-solidify the 2010 recruiting class, keep out of the news this spring and summer and then go into fall practice with a chip on our shoulder. And, I can’t help but let other things right now bother me as well. I know I’m correlating things that have no correlation, but I can’t help it. Potential rookie salary caps, taking care of family, wear and tear on your body…all valid motivations for entering the NFL draft early for underclassmen. Having said that, it pains me to see that we can’t keep an underclassman in school. Last season there were 4 guys that looked like potential NFL early entrants: Stafford, Moreno, Allen and Jones (Jones and Moreno RS Sophomores). Jones was the only one to stay. This year there are really only 2 guys that are potential NFL early entrants: Jones and Curran. Both are leaving. That is 5 out 6 (and really 5 out of 5 considering unique individuals) that have left early. Add to this, the fact that we have recruits for 2010 looking elsewhere. BJ Butler had been committed to UGA since April, and now he all-of-a-sudden switches to Louisville. Louisville??? Says he just really wants to play for Charlie Strong. What? Butler is from Florida and Strong was the DC at Florida before he got this Louisville head coaching position. So, why wasn’t Butler previously committed to Florida if he feels so passionately about playing for Coach Strong? Yes, I know….he’s an 18-year old kid, and he’s just one case. I’m not really that upset about Butler’s situation, but it’s just one more jab in a round where UGA is really getting pounded. Let’s just hope Richt is familiar with the rope-a-dope strategy and somehow comes out with a big 2010 season. After all, winning cures all ills, and I sure as hell don’t want to start using my brain power for anything other than UGA football. |
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| . |
| Thursday, December 03, 2009 |
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| Posted by Nate at 8:37:55 AM |
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| GETTING DEFENSIVE |
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| Well, it’s not as if I’m breaking any news here, but it’s now clear that Georgia will be getting several new defensive coaches. Out are defensive coordinator and secondary coach Willie Martinez, co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach John Jancek and defensive ends and special teams coach John Fabris. Obviously the defensive side of the ball has been a MAJOR problem the last two seasons, so, while I’m happy to see the change, I’m not as thrilled as I thought I’d be. I guess it’s not easy to swallow the sobering realization that these three men certainly worked hard and poured their entire lives into their jobs, and now they and their families are unemployed. Tough call for anyone to make and a well-documented tough call for Mark Richt. Having said that, I agree 100% that it needed to happen and this is the first step toward restoring Georgia’s position among the SEC’s elite. Let’s take a look at each position: DC: Martinez was the secondary coach on Mark Richt’s original staff in 2001. He has coached 3 All-Americans and 9 All-SEC performers. He was promoted to coordinator in 2005 after the departure of Brian Van Gorder. The defense was largely solid through 2007, but took a step back in 2008 (amid national championship aspirations) and took another one back in 2009. There are certainly many legitimate excuses (injuries, penalties, offensive and special teams turnovers, etc) that can help explain the defense’s demise; however, at the end of the day, those are only excuses. Whether right or wrong, the defensive coordinator will be judged by the number on the other side of the scoreboard. And the biggest nail in Willie’s coffin is the fact that Georgia ranked DEAD LAST in 2009 in the SEC in points allowed per SEC game at 31.5 (over 2 points worse than the number 11 MissSt team). I’m not going to start speculating on Willie’s replacement, but I do think that a critical component of any replacement needs to be a strength in recruiting. Willie recruited well, so we will need the new DC to be able to walk into a recruit’s home and satisfy the concerns of that 18 year old and his family. LB: Jancek, at least from my perspective, has been largely anonymous during his tenure in Athens. I’ve heard he’s a great recruiter, so that will be missed. I think he has certainly been underwhelming at developing linebackers, especially when comparing his work to that of BVG earlier in the decade. I think Curran would be great no matter who the coach, and most of the other talented linebackers have not seemed to reach their full potential. Guys like Ellerbe, Dent, Dewberry, Brandon Miller and Verdun Wheeler all seemed to be perpetually stuck as emerging stars, never actually becoming one. There have been 6 unique guys named to 14 All-SEC teams since Mark Richt’s arrival in Athens. From 2001-2004 (under BVG), 3 guys made All-SEC, named to 5 first teams and 3 second teams. From 2005-2008 (under Jancek), 3 guys made All-SEC, named to 1 first team and 5 second teams. In the same number of years, Georgia has not produced the same top-tier SEC linebackers under John Jancek. DE & Special Teams: Fabris seemed to have it cooking earlier in the decade. From 2001-2005, UGA had 3 All-SEC performers named to 10 All-SEC teams (8 first teamers) and two of those guys (Pollack and Moses) were All-Americans. Since 2006, Charles Johnson is our lone All-SEC performer, making the second team for both the AP and Coaches in 2006. That’s right, not 1 All-SEC defensive end since 2006. I have no answers for why the drop off, but clearly, something went terribly wrong. Special teams really have largely been solid during Fabris’s tenure, with one glaring exception: kick coverage. UGA has had great kickers (conveniently ignoring Andy Bailey), great punters, solid punt and kick returners, but, for whatever reason, kick-off coverage has been a constant thorn in our side. I truly believe that, more than anything else, kick coverage cost us that LSU game this year. That’s a tough pill to swallow, and I do believe the lack of improvement in this facet of the game contributed to Fabris’s departure. |
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| . |
| Wednesday, November 25, 2009 |
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| Posted by Foltz at 12:00:06 PM |
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| DOES ONE GAME VALIDATE OUR SEASON? |
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| 2009: the Year of the Opinion. It seems everyone has a comment about Georgia football. I’ve heard a lot of them over the past few months and everyone knows I’ve given my useless perspective before and after every game this season, too. Some supporters say a season like this is expected at times. Many say a program like Georgia should never expect a 6-win season. A few will say that Mark Richt and his coaching staff are just going through an uncharacteristic season of miscues and bad luck, while most opine about the lack of discipline in player development and play-calling. Whatever the reasoning, Mark Richt must make some coaching changes and/or find ways to stir up the program or his tenure in Athens may come to a very abrupt end. I’m not a Mark Richt detractor and this isn’t an indictment on the program as I think CMR is undoubtedly the right coach for the Bulldog program. However, I cannot sit here and write another sentence without explaining the small amount of worry that I’m starting to experience in that statement now. Since beating Arizona State last year, Georgia has gone 12-8 and the expectations of losing are becoming more of a reality than the possibility of winning. This is the first time in the Richt Era that I’ve actually started praying to the Football Gods for a Bulldog victory. It used to be expected but I guess this devil is now getting his due. A .500 season seems deplorable right now but I wonder how much of a stain this season will leave if Georgia pulls off the unthinkable against 10-1 Georgia Tech this weekend. Someone asked me, “Will a victory over Tech complete your season?” That’s a good question. I mean, I know everyone has said in passing conversation, “if Georgia goes 1-11 but beats Tech, then the season was a success.” Sure, we never thought we would ever have to test this theory after going 82-22 with two SEC Titles, two Sugar Bowl victories, and a final season top 3 ranking on two occasions since CMR took the helm in Athens. But in a lot of ways, we Georgia fans have to revisit that alcohol-induced comment in a few days and find whether or not this season puts an exclamation mark on our season or an extra question mark behind it. It’s time to put our money where our mouth is and find out how memorable 2009 will be if we pull off the upset in Bobby Dodd Stadium. I may crack a smile similar to something out of Slingblade but I’m still going to have a lot of questions about next year and one big question about this year: “if we beat 10-1 Georgia Tech, why couldn’t we beat a few other teams this season, too?” I’m not sure I buy into the “win now” attitude that sports has now undertaken but I do know that no job is safe, even after one year of disappointment. If you don’t believe me, check the LSU blogs about National Championship Coach Les Miles after an end-of-the-game blunder against Ole Miss last Saturday. Everyone has an opinion on a coaching job and now the phrase “the power of the pen is mightier than the sword” seems sharper than ever before. I’m wondering how many critics give Richt a pass after an upset win over Tech and/or how many ask him to trade in his SkyMiles on Saturday night after another defeat. I don’t have the answers because for the first time in the Mark Richt Era we are having to be honest about our past statements and transgressions. It used to be a rivalry win kept your job in the eyes of the fans but after hearing the strife on Tigerbait.com, I’m thinking a BCS National Title is no longer safe, either. Does a win over Georgia Tech somehow make this digestible? That’s for you to decide but in this day and age, be careful what you say on the way back up. You may to answer it again on the way back down. |
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| . |
| Friday, November 13, 2009 |
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| Posted by Nate at 7:54:14 AM |
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| WHAT WOULD AN AUBURN WIN MEAN? |
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| Tomorrow Georgia and Auburn renew the south’s oldest rivalry for the 113th time. Auburn may lead the series 53-51-8, but Georgia has won 3 in a row. This game seems to always carry significant ramifications in the race for the SEC championship. While, the 2009 installment doesn’t bear the load of championship implications, it is still an intense rivalry and a game that, if Georgia can win, would go a long way toward restoring the stability and direction of the Bulldawg program. First and foremost, a victory would make UGA bowl eligible. This may not sound like that big a deal with Kentucky still on the schedule, but, as we found out in 2006, there are no guarantees in the SEC. Then finishing out the year against Georgia Tech doesn’t offer significant confidence in gaining that 6th win in Atlanta. So, while it may seem awful 1996 of me, gaining bowl eligibility this weekend is very important. Not to mention, that beating Auburn would be the first step to getting to 7 or 8 wins and possibly bowling somewhere nicer than Shreveport. Second, Rodney Garner was quoted this week as saying, “Winning helps recruiting. That’s the single most important factor is winning.” Just so happens, that we’ll be hosting one of the largest and most talented prospect pools in Richt’s tenure between the hedges tomorrow. Some have speculated that whiffs in recruiting have been the primary contributor to the 2009 struggles. If that’s the case (which I personally don’t agree with), then winning tomorrow might help sway more of the top high school talent to come to Athens. Third, beating Auburn is the turn-around that brought the 2006 season from the brink of total disaster to the momentum that carried into the 2007 #2 finish. Personally, I’m not one that subscribes to the parallels to the 2006 season (the difference at QB and the current trend of defensive ineptitude being the main 2 reasons), but finishing strong would still go a long way toward propelling the team to a potential championship 2010 season. This is not the same top 5 Auburn team that we beat in 2006, but they are favored, and we are reeling much the same as we were 3 years ago. So there are 3 reasons that beating the Tigers … er … War Eagle … er … the Plainsmen … er … beating Auburn is very important. The fan(atic) in me wants to say that I hope we win, but still maybe give up 20+ points to help ensure we have a new defensive coordinator after the season. I just can’t do it. My hope is that history has already dictated the offseason decisions that need to be made. It has just been so long since I’ve seen the previously routine suffocating defenses wearing the red and black. Last week was a little taste (albeit against Tennessee Tech), and now I want more. I want to see Washington, Houston and Robinson harassing Chris Todd in the back field, I want to see Rennie Curran blasting Ben Tate behind the line of scrimmage, and I want to see Brandon Boykin high stepping it into the end zone on his pick-six. |
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| . |
| Monday, October 26, 2009 |
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| Posted by Foltz at 3:46:46 PM |
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| ONE IN A MILLION? SO, YOU’RE SAYING THERE’S STILL A CHANCE? |
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| Pardon me as I butcher this quote from Dumb & Dumber but as asinine as this line sounds, it’s the only thing keeping my heart beating as I limp into this year’s Florida game. Am I physically limping? Nope, but I am crawling into Saturday’s game with little hope and a lot of emotional hurt. I thought this team was going to be better than what it has shown and yet I face another season where the Cocktail Party not only looms largely as another defeat, it looks like this one could be a repeat of last year’s pathetic result. If you’re a Dawg fan, right now you are looking through the philosophical annals at the Carter Library, praying to your respective Higher Being, or perhaps just watching Rudy with Dorito breath on Peachtree TV - all in an effort to find any proof that sometimes the world decides to revolve backwards even for just a nanosecond. What you’re not doing this week is playing Mega Millions, as this is the week where luck always seems to run on empty in this state. Exit Vanderbilt, enter Florida. Same story, same dance – and the Bulldogs don’t seem to lead in this one very often. So, is there any hope this year? We’ve had some good teams come to Jacksonville with high expectations in the last decade. From 2002-2005, Georgia was the best team on the field and came away with a 1-3 record. In 2007, I’m not sure if we were the best team on the field but we played like it and won. Although this series has certainly shifted into Florida’s favor in the last twenty years, the unexpected has come our way a couple of times (see 1997 and 2007). That’s enough to make me trust my heart more than my head. Believe me, I’m not taking this foolishness to Vegas but as long as the Dawgs put eleven guys on the field, there is a Lloyd in me that will always say, “So you’re saying I’ve still got a chance?” Insert definitive statement: Talent for talent, Georgia actually does match up well with Florida! Insert reader response: (cricket….cricket…cricket). Seriously, they do. I think the talent is better for Florida in key positions such as quarterback, and most likely every position on defense, but besides one position, it’s very close to even going into this game. Georgia does have extra time to prepare from the bye week and Florida hasn’t played like the 2006 and 2008 national title teams going into this game. Tim Tebow also hasn’t been the same quarterback since his concussion against Kentucky a month ago and the running game is back to being a one-man show. Florida’s defense, on the other hand, has been light’s out with only five touchdowns given up all year. Points will be hard to come by and Willie doesn’t seem to have a knack for creating three-and-outs. But if sloppiness, lack of motivation, and an unexplainable act of nature reminiscent to M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening where Florida gets suddenly confused, stops, walks backwards, then kills itself on both sides of the ball, Georgia could pull off the upset. Granted, this won’t be a Georgia win as much as it will be a Florida loss but I think every Dawg fan will take it at this point. But what about the turnovers? Oh yeah…that. And the disappointing offensive line? Hmm, good point. Or, the inconsistency at quarterback? Didn`t think of it. Turnovers? Got me. Nonexistent running game? Forgot about that one. Defenseless defense? Whoops, minor oversight. Lack of passion? Apparently not important before I decided to write this blawg. What about one game this year that involved a complete effort on both sides of the ball? Nope, but they will need that in order to win. Am I clinically insane? Only if the voices in my head tell me to stop taking my medication. This year’s matchup will be a daunting task for Georgia but I will never count them out as long as I can still count. Does this team have the ability to add a third “unexpected” to this series? I don’t have a clever game plan or an insightful quote like “The best things in life are unexpected – because there were no expectations” (wait, maybe I do, thanks Eli Khamarov). They have the talent, they have the rest, and they have nothing to lose. So, why not? If you need me, I’ll be singing “The Flower Girl” just like Lloyd did and dreaming all week about another Georgia win near the Landing. Dumb, huh? Oh well, GO DAWGS!!! |
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| . |
| Thursday, October 08, 2009 |
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| Posted by Foltz at 9:01:08 AM |
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| INJURY REPORT MAKES SATURDAY SCARY |
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| Going to Knoxville is never as easy experience. Although it seems like forever, it really has been a short period of disappointing seasons for the Volunteers. Anyone my age still knows what it`s like to witness defeat every year from the likes of these guys. If you don`t believe me, just look at the scores from the 90`s. Tennessee sat on a perch all its own and as much I have enjoyed seeing Georgia settle the score this decade, I know it`s only temporary before the echoes of Rocky Top are ringing in the ears of every citizen within a 300 miles radius of Neyland Stadium. Based on the way Tennesse has played in 2009, I was beginning to feel more comfortable about a Georgia road win until I heard about the injury bug. Four key players for the Dawgs will not make play on Saturday and that could be the equalizer in this game. Caleb King, Tavarres King, Marcus Dowtin, and Akeem Dent`s absence will be felt heavily in Knoxville this weekend, and the game may possibly turn in the Vols favor, as a result. Not only are they favored to win by 1 on Saturday, but Tennessee has a good enough defense to keep a game close for 60 minutes. Losing four players of this caliber will make our depth chart thin and that will become an issue if the game is close like last week. For all of the underachievements, bad plays, and miscues, all four of these players have done very positive things for this year`s team. Losing these players for this weekend`s game against 110 thousand fans, could be another crushing defeat for the Dawgs. I`m hoping Georgia will hunker down in this one and get the victory. If not, Georgia fans will know the words to Rocky Top by the end of the game. |
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| . |
| Monday, October 05, 2009 |
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| Posted by Joe at 3:13:04 PM |
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| EMPTYING JOE`S THOUGHTS |
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| There are a lot of issues regarding our game play, coaching, execution, and other factors of our miserable play. I’m going to try and get them all out in a format that someone may be able to read or understand, but I’m having a hard time understanding it all myself. Maybe someone out there can help me understand. • Joe Cox – (I’m siding with Dunk on this one) Joe Cox has well outperformed any expectation I had of him this year. He’s clearly not a NFL caliber quarterback and I don’t think he would start on half of the SEC teams this year. Yes, he occasionally throws it to AJ in quadruple coverage, (but who wouldn’t). Cox has the ability to get us out of bad plays, make the throws we need and manage the game effectively. No one else on our roster can bring the same thing. Would I like to see a QB get experience for next year? - ABSOLUTELY. However, “that” QB has an injured arm/shoulder and blew any shot he had to get on the field this year. I think you guys are starting to see that the Coaches don’t have faith in Gray……Murray’s just going get thrown in the fire next year and we will be dealing with another QB situation next year. Now, going back to this year’s QB, the biggest concern for our offense is something that Cox can’t control - the lack of running game and piss poor play calling. Which leads me to… • Running Backs – WTF!!! (What the F***). I am completely shocked that the coaches actually had the balls to take the redshirt off of Mr. Ealey, but I’m glad they did (at least we have a glimmer of hope). Samuel is the fastest of any RB we have and has the build of a freakish athlete, but he has ZERO ability to break any tackles – which is imperative when playing in the SEC. Caleb King will impress with a run but then looks like he is more interested in the cheerleaders for his next three attempts. Both have pass protected as well as we could have hoped for, which is the one reason we’re not going to see Mr. Ealey for the 20+ touches Nate has requested. He just doesn’t know the offense well enough to pass protect the way it needs to be done – which is unfortunate that we can’t get him coached up quick enough. Kind of makes you question the hiring of a former WR to coach your running backs with no prior coaching experience– huh? • Offensive Line Play - WTF AGAIN!!! This unit was supposed to be one of the best in the nation. I think we had the 2nd most returning starts out of 116 D-1 schools. Now I will say that we have been pass protecting EXTREMELY well. Joe Cox is about as mobile as a 6’2” 275 lb HR Director and I don’t recall him getting sacked very much this year. However, as well noted, we can’t run the ball for sh!t. and I really can’t figure it out. We have ample talent up front but where is our toughness? I know that a good running back can make us look better than we are and that does have something to do with our struggles. Think back to all those runs that Knowshon turned a 3 yard loss into a 2 yard gain. That was solely on his shoulders….. we just don’t have that kind of back ready to go 20+ times a game. I loved what I saw from Ealey, but our OLine must improve if we want any shot at beating Florida or Tech. I really think we have one of the best OL Coaches in the country and I hope he can start working his magic….SOON • Kicking Coverage – I’ll dig into the Celebration Penalty in a few paragraphs, but the fact of the matter is our Kicking Coverage is pathetic. I cringe on every kickoff – it’s either going out of bounds, a short kick to give the other team field position beyond the 35, or getting returned for 40+ yards. Drew Butler is a great punter, but he’s kicking it out of our coverage area (or we just suck – which is more likely) and are giving up the 3rd most punt return yards per attempt in the nation. I’m more ready for John Fabris to go than Willie or Bobo. • Undisciplined play/Coaching – I hate to say this, but I think this is the worst coached team of Mark Richt’s tenure, which is extremely discouraging considering I had those same thoughts about last year’s team. I don’t think we have improved, I think we have gotten worse. Do you think an Alabama or Florida defensive back would have tried to return that pick? I don’t think so. Saban and Meyer teams are better coached than we are. That bone-head decision turned an amazing play into an “equalizer” as far as the turnover is concerned. We had no field position or option and ended up giving them the ball back inside their own territory. It almost completely negated the interception. I understand the not wanting to play without aggression, however, we are once again one of the most penalized teams in the country. I can live with an occasional unnecessary roughness, I cant live with false starts, breaking the huddle with 12 men, and countless other penalties that just shouldn’t occur more than once a season. Yes, we did hold LSU to 6 points when we easily could have given up 21, however, they moved the ball up and down the field all day long. We couldn’t get a stop when we needed to. Not to mention giving up 2 critical TD’s in under 3 minutes. The offensive play calling must improve. Bobo is too streaky and unwilling to adapt to the changes needed in a more timely matter. I could have called a better first half, but his 4th quarter was the reason he is back there. Just get it together on a consistent basis! Richt’s loyalty to his coaches is killing me. He needs to put some fear into these guys and I just don’t think his balls are built to do it. Fabris, Bobo, McClendon, Janak, and Martinez need some “foot up their ass chewing bitch slapping punch in the throat eye poking nut punching” fear! • Recruiting – Nate’s right. Statistically (from a rankings standpoint) we have recruited with the best of them. However, what we haven’t done is recruit to position needs. Think about the OL problems we had early in Richt’s tenure? Then it turned into multiple QB problems (‘06, ‘09, ’10). What about the secondary? There should have been more DBs on the roster. We needed the right guys a year earlier. We wait too long to solve an upcoming problem. • Celebration Penalty – Yes, we could have had a chance to stop them anyway, but that penalty completely changed the state of LSU’s mind. It was one of the worst calls I’ve seen. We just came from behind with 69 seconds to play. They tried to make it up with the subsequent call on LSU, but the damage was already done. Pathetic. • AJ Green and Rennie Curran – I cringe at the though of where this team would be without these two guys. I wouldn’t trade them for anybody in the nation at either of their respective positions. AJ is the best wide receiver I’ve ever seen play at Georgia or against Georgia. A complete game changer (or in our case game keep-us-close’r). Rennie Curran just has a nose for the football. He is a pure football player. I bet he would be the best fullback we had if he needed to be. I love both of these guys and they are part of the legacy that is the Georgia Bulldogs. • The state of our program. I hate to say it, but we are on a slide. I know we have talent to rise back up (and the talent that Florida and Alabama will lose after this year will help), but we have got to get this thing going in the right direction or we could take a giant step backwards. We ARE lucky to have Richt and I DO NOT think in any way shape or form does he need to go. He just needs to make some of the tough decisions needed to get this show back on the road. With all of that said, don’t fret too much, all is not lost. Georgia is still in the same shape as we were before. All roads to the SEC championship still lead through Florida. If we can take care of business the next two weeks then we will have set ourselves up for exactly what we would have asked for at the beginning of the year – a chance to beat Florida and still win the East. Personally, I think we finish 9 – 3 with a shot at 10 wins with the bowl, although 8 – 4 isn’t that far off. We will not be 7 – 5. I hope some of this rambling makes some sense. I still love ‘em even though they pissed me off so much that I went to bed right after the game. Let’s just have some fun kicking “Lame” Kiffin’s @ss. GO DAWGS |
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| MAKE/READ COMMENTS (11 comments)... |
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| Monday, October 05, 2009 |
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| Posted by Foltz at 2:16:43 PM |
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| CALVIN OR AJ |
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| Tough defeat on Saturday. Although Georgia had its chances to win, I felt almost certain that LSU was going to come out ahead in the end. It’s the uncomfortable feeling you get when you’re watching Nightmare on Elm Street and you already know that the sequel is out. The good guys will fight Freddy off but eventually he’ll be back in the end to set up the next movie. So, for the sake of opening up another installment of “Why does Georgia have a better record on the road than at home,” and “Go Joe Cox and take Mark Richt with you,” I think I’ll move on to another topic that works more in Georgia’s favor. There hasn’t been much debate on whether or not AJ Green is better than Calvin Johnson but I think it’s time to start thinking about this argument now that AJ is about to enter the second half of his college career. That’s right, AJ will leave after his junior year and should be a top 5 pick in the NFL draft, too. He won’t impress the scouts with record breaking numbers like Calvin Johnson did at the combines but Green will certainly hold his own in nearly every category to prove he’s the next Randy Moss with a great attitude. Calvin stands at 6’5”, 240lbs, possessing a 45 inch vertical leap, 4.3 speed, great hands, great instincts, and a proven ability to make a tough play seem easy. Those numbers are hard to surpass, and while I think AJ Green is just a hair under all of those numbers, I definitely think his hands, instincts, and playmaking abilities could be better. At any rate, before further analyzing the poking and prodding cattle show that is the NFL combine, I’m more curious to see how well statistically AJ Green has measured up against one of the most esteemed wide receivers to come out of the area in quite some time. Calvin Johnson had three great years at Georgia Tech. He started catching the eye of many college football fans when he started as a freshman and immediately began catching very errant pass thrown by Reggie Ball. From 2004-2006, he amassed 178 receptions, 2,927 yards, and 28 touchdowns. So far, AJ Green has been equal or more productive in nearly every category as Calvin and Green’s freshman year is a good indication of where he’s headed: Freshman YEAR REC YDS AVG LNG TD Johnson 2004 48 837 17.4 51 7 Green 2008 56 963 17.2 54 8 Before you say anything, I agree. Calvin did have Reggie Ball his freshman year while AJ had Matthew Stafford. Okay, let’s compare their sophomore years since Reggie Ball and Joe Cox are a little more equal. We’ll have to base AJ’s sophomore numbers on projections since the season isn’t quite half-way over. Sophomore YEAR REC YDS AVG LNG TD Johnson 2005 54 888 16.4 59 6 Green 2009 72 1265 17.6 56 12 By the end of AJ’s illustrious career at Georgia, he should not only pass Calvin in every statistical category, he will have done it against stiffer competition. After two years at Georgia Tech, Calvin Johnson had eight games of 100yds but also had nine games where he either caught no more than two catches or was held under 50 receiving yards. And, in only two of those 100yds games were those numbers against a ranked opponent. AJ Green only has four 100yd games to this point (projected to hit seven by the end of the season) with only three games of two catches or less than 50 receiving yards. He has one 100yd receiving game and missed his second last Saturday afternoon by one yard. If we take a final look at the career numbers of Calvin Johnson and the projected career numbers for AJ Green (including 2010 numbers of 75-1330-17.4-56-14, the results could be staggering: Career YEAR REC YDS AVG LNG TD Johnson career totals 178 2927 16.5 66 28 Green career totals 203 3558 17.4 55 34 If you don’t like projections, let’s just look at statistics from both receivers first 17 games of their college careers: 17games YEAR REC YDS AVG LNG TD Johnson career totals 76 1345 18.5 59 11 Green career totals 86 1490 18.9 56 13 It is fun to run the numbers and see where each player stands but it is equally amazing to see how productive these two receivers were in just their first season and a half of college football. I’m anxious to see how the second half of AJ Green’s career will unfold. If he continues at the current pace, he will leave little doubt who best receiver is. Will AJ Green supplant Calvin Johnson as the most gifted wide receiver in the state of Georgia? He already has. Let the debate begin. Hey, AJ started it - not me |
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| MAKE/READ COMMENTS (14 comments)... |
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| Monday, October 05, 2009 |
| Posted by Nate at 10:03:21 AM |
| I JUST DON`T GET IT |
I need some help here. I’m not sure if I’m over-reacting or under-reacting. I knew coming into this season that Georgia wasn’t going to win the national title; there were no preseason #1’s or SI cover shots. However, this is still UGA. Rivals.com recruiting rankings since 2002: 3, 6, 6, 10, 4, 9, 7, 6 and currently tied for 8th for 2010 – average 6.56. Scout.com recruiting rankings since 2002: 9, 11, 6, 4, 4, 17, 5, 4 and currently 6th for 2010 – average 7.33. I know these recruiting rankings are hardly an exact science, but it is proof that UGA continually pulls some of the most talented players in the nation. The only programs that can rival UGA’s recruiting efforts in the last 9 years are teams like USC, LSU, Florida, Oklahoma and Texas. Those programs don’t have down years, so I’m struggling to understand why UGA does. Mark Richt is a great coach, and I truly believe we are lucky to have him. But, why do we continuously re-stock our roster with future NFL talent, yet have to suffer through years like 2006 and 2009? I get that it takes a lot of luck to win a national title, and we simply haven’t had that kind of luck in the last decade. But we should be in the national title conversation EVERY year with the kind of talent we have in Athens. So, maybe I’m over-reacting to an extraordinarily close loss to a top 5 team, or under-reacting to a season on the brink of disaster, but here are a few thoughts:
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| MAKE/READ COMMENTS (6 comments)... |
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