On Rankings and Boise...

Personal duty called yesterday, so I was away from my blogging desk. Don't know how much I'll be getting to in the coming days, but here's a couple things of particular interest.


1. Pre-season rankings rank right up there with communism and spilled bourbon for me. But ranking teams after spring practice...that I don't see any harm in since the practice itself practically embraces the speculative nature that is inherent within. So...Schlabach has Georgia in at #17, which sounds about right since we can now say beyond a shadow of a doubt that Aaron Murray's ankle was indeed not broken. Here's the rundown:

17. Georgia Bulldogs (Previous ranking: 18)
Bulldogs coach Mark Richt probably isn't on the hot seat, but his program definitely needs to regain momentum in 2011. Georgia lost star receiver A.J. Green to the NFL draft, and then starting left tackle Trinton Sturdivant suffered a season-ending knee injury during spring practice. Quarterback Aaron Murray returns for his second season as a starter, but the Bulldogs left spring practice still searching for a No. 1 tailback. Incoming freshman Isaiah Crowell will have a chance to win the job during preseason camp. The Bulldogs should be better in Year 2 of defensive coordinator Todd Grantham's 3-4 scheme, especially if JUCO nose tackle Jonathan Jenkins is as a good as advertised. Tackle Kwame Geathers' improvement during the spring was a big surprise. Georgia plays only four true road games (at Ole Miss, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech) and plays Boise State in Atlanta and Florida in Jacksonville, Fla.

First off, I wish Schlabach would explain why he thinks Coach Richt isn't on the hotseat. Especially since everything the coach has said and done this off-season has been about making changes and getting things back on track. But more importantly, I think he hits all the highlights of where the program is heading into Summer. We're a program of promise, facing a favorable schedule and waiting on some stars we hope can contribute early.


Food for thought...which loss do you think is bigger? Trinton Sturdivant to another knee injury, or AJ Green to the NFL? Right now I have AJ by a close decision.


2. Boise State has suggested a self-imposed practice and scholarship reduction in response to an NCAA inquiry with a fairly broad scope. Of particular interest to Dawg fans are the three practices Peterson's team will miss in preparation for their return to Georgia this September 3rd. The practices themselves are less of an issue than the fact that they have to be ones that are in pads. Coach Peterson always has his team ready to play football. The question becomes will they be ready to play 60 minutes of football against a Coach Richt squad that will surely be ready to prove its toughness once again?


I think the Vegas line just swung a little more towards Georgia.


Go Dawgs!