Indoor practice facility...Richt don't need no stinking indoor practice facility!!

As the weather hampered the start of one of the most important recruiting events of the year, I had prepared to hear all manner of complaints about not having a dry place to retreat to.

Turns out, you can recruit without one of those things. How about that!

Friday Misery - FIFTY days to smell Howard's crotch

It happens once a summer. And no, I'm not talking about the neighborhood pool closing because some Baby Momma let her little turdling in the pool with a diaper full of completely processed strained peas and carrots. Because that happens three times each summer. Minimum. But at least her phone battery has never died while updating BookFace with selfies of her in her WalMart shades and a hat that could put Rhode Island in a full solar eclipse.

Thank God for that!

No, I'm talking about that moment when you get the feeling that college football is actually, certainly and irrevocably close. It's near. Not at the top of the driveway, but motoring around in an actual vicinity. You can smell it, taste it and feel it. You might even be able to hear it. But don't try and show off and say you can see it, because that's bullshit. We all know it.

Hey Coach Ford...that's not a tiger.

Yes, I'm close enough now that I can smell the Dabo infused false bravado from the IPTAYers. It's a mixed chorus of the following:

• WE BEAT LSSSSUU!
• I just saw Sammy Wakkins y'all! At the Bi-Lo!
• Cain't believe it was one of our own what broke that rock. One of our OWN Cletus!!
• I hate Georgia! They're south a here right?
• WE BEEEEAT LSSSSSUUUU!!
• We don stand no chance of beating Georgia. I'd bet my tractor on it.
• Shuddup y'all. It's a Danny Ford F-150 commercial....

I love em like family, honestly. But they wear orange and there's some things I just can't understand. But more on that in the coming fifty days.

How do we pass the time you ask? Well, you can start by ordering T Kyle King's new book about the series between Georgia and Clemson, Fighting like Cats and Dogs. I just printed off my form in less time than it took Butler's kick to travel the 60 yards to paydirt. This is a series that many newcomers don't understand to its full depth. These two teams have seen many great games. Including what may be one of the greatest games in the history of college football. I have it on good authority that this book is great for us old timers that have seen a fight or two at Sanford as well as Death Valley. But it's even better for younger fans that may need a few lessons to catch up before August 31st.

That last link will take you to a write up I did on the 1984 contest between the Dawgs and Tigers. It even includes a picture (courtesy of Ron...GATA!) of a somewhat heated exchange between Danny Ford and Vince Dooley as they met at midfield. I'll be adding plenty more about this series in the coming days. But in the mean time, here's some more links.

• Munson's memorable call from the 1984 game, "The stadium is worse than bonkers!!"
• Red Flags over Clempson
• GATA Pollack, a look back at the 30-0 drubbing in 2003
• Bubba n' Earl ask to renew the rivalry
• And, just for shits and giggles, Howard's Rock...vandalized...by a Chickenshit Tiger.

Go Dawgs y'all!

Dawg Night under the lights!

In February the talk, despite a successful class of talented athletes, was that Richt and his staff had missed out on some key recruits, particularly in the state of Georgia. As over 80 of the nation's top (rising senior) recruits descend on Athens this evening for the annual Dawg Night, Richt already has 12 commitments and eight of those are from Georgia.

Shakenneth Williams of Macon

The 2014 class only has room for 10 or so more players. Of course, a lot can happen before next February when a commitment becomes either a signature or a broken promise. But a lot could happen tonight as well. News could come in the form of a commitment, even from a younger 2015 prospect. Dallas Warmack, a junior offensive tackle of Atlanta, is said to be close to making a decision. So is defensive tackle Trenton Thompson of Albany. I'd be a little surprised if Richt didn't end the evening with these two talented big guys on his side of the ledger.

Most eyes will be on the 80 or so 2014 prospects though. And Lorenzo Carter of Norcross is arguably the biggest. He's a lean for Muschamp and the Gators. So you can bet Grantham will be in the ear of this five star defensive end. The staff certainly doesn't want to let yet another talented in state prospect like Carter slip away over one of Georgia's borders. Especially from Norcross after losing out to Alvin Kamara on Signing Day in February.

Another star to watch will be a wide receiver out of Macon, Shakenneth Williams. He's very proud of his offer from Richt, which he received last month. He too could be waiting for the lights at Sanford Stadium to make things official. After all, he said it was the one offer he was hoping to get.

But the real news for Georgia fans continues to be the event itself. Dawg Night has become one of the nation's premier prospect camps and usually gathers some headlines with the number of recruits that make the trip (this year it looks like 300 players will attend, mostly from the state of Georgia) and from the commitments it garners.

Richt is certainly pleased with the event's growth. Hopefully he and his staff are smiling even wider later tonight.

Georgia's secondary full of questions

Aschoff has been ranking each team by position in the SEC, and the Dawgs' secondary come in the lower half. It's a ranking based on two things: who's gone and the youth that is left. Still, there's no questioning the raw talent.

8. Georgia: The Bulldogs lost a ton of production here, but defensive coordinator Todd Grantham is excited by the talent his youngsters have, especially safety Tray Matthews, who might already be one of the top players at his position in the SEC. He covers a lot of ground, has great instincts and hits with the best of them. There's "old man" Damian Swann, who excelled as both a nickel and boundary corner last year. He's now the guy at corner. Sophomore "Star" Josh Harvey-Clemons might be the most talented player in the secondary and he'll work at both safety and linebacker in certain packages. Sophomore Sheldon Dawson left spring as the other starting corner, and the coaches are excited about his potential, while talented early enrollee Reggie Wilkerson will miss the season after suffering an ACL injury. Sophomore Devin Bowman should help at corner, along with true freshman Shaq Wiggins, a former ESPN 150 member. 

All in all it's a group that will be thrown into the fire August 31st. And I think Aschoff for providing the kind of commentary I would prefer our defense read this off season.

DawgNation draft analysis

So the guys at ESPN did a draft for the all-time Dawgs. There's a sneak peak at the first couple rounds below. I think you need to be a subscriber to see the rest. But I'm declaring Schlabach the winner, getting Walker, Champ, Pollack, and Greene in the 4th.p
Studs.

"Juggling" Murray and Mason

Emerson has some suggestions for Richt's staff as we near the August heat and preparation for the season opener. Some of it is easy stuff like situational kicking/going for it in lieu of Marshall Morgan's expected absence. There's also a valid point made about how to handle the safety position while Harvey-Clemons sits.

But this hits even closer to home.

3. Don’t force Hutson Mason into games

Mark Richt has said Mason has earned the right to play, but has also said it won’t be a David Greene-D.J. Shockley arrangement. Good. What’s the happy medium? Not to be callous, but it shouldn’t keep Richt up at night. Aaron Murray has proven his worth and there’s no reason to mess with an offense that works. Mason, by virtue of his willingness to take the redshirt, has put himself in line to be the unquestioned starter as a senior. He’s also the unquestioned first guy in if something happens to Murray. That should be enough, and Georgia isn’t under any obligation to give him anything more.

That last sentence is on the money. Will be interesting to see if Richt feels the same way and does less juggling than he did with Greene-Shockley and more managing.

Coach Richt has lost control of Toby Johnson's back flips

We are certain to see a leaner, more agile defensive front this season. And this video Shaq Wiggins posted to Instagram last night proves it - CLICK HERE. 


On the one hand, watching that makes me even more eager to see what this less obese and more athletic front can do this fall. On the other hand, I'd rather not see potential starters like Johnson and Jay Rome doing acrobatics. Surely Jimmy Williamson and his band of merry men have some law against this sort of thing. I mean, they weren't even wearing shirts.