Wednesday's Thoughts on Chubb's Belk

Gonna keep it very brief actually. Because sobering and sleeping is needed for I-85 south.

- Chubb did many Chubb things.

- Grantham did many Grantham things.

- Charlotte was very nice. But has a ways to go to be SEC ready. 

- Glad Mason was available after the game. Sad he didn't get to close that one out.

- Saying that I'm proud of the seniors going out with a win is not nearly enough. But I'll still say it. Very, very proud of those guys.

- And glad the team as a whole rose above the distractions of the last couple weeks.

Most of all, glad the rumors of Richt stepping down weren't true.

Go Dawgs!

Me, in ACC ville.

They open their parking lots late. They don't like jay walkers. They don't have fast linebackers.

Belk Bowl preview

As I pack for Charlotte, (actually, while the family and I help fee the local homeless today) here's some predictions for Tuesday evening. Not sure I'll have much more before the game as things are pretty busy right up til kickoff, so please add to this in the comments.

Gonna miss these guys.

• First, don't be surprised if Keith Mrshall plays. Not saying he'll definitely play, especially since there are a couple of backs that may be ahead of him on the depth chart. But word is Marshall has practiced very well this week and really wants just one more year in Athens. Yes, we heard similar things about Marshall back in August, and really before then, about his progression after knee injury. But if he's healthy (and I think he should be) and he truly only wants just one more year of eligibility, then he should be a good change of pace to Chubb.
• All that being said, I think Sony Michel will have an explosive play. Maybe two. He's just the kind of player that we grew accustomed to Grantham defenses overlooking. And #1 can play many positions in a Bobo game plan.
• Also, that being said, how well does Lilly execute Bobo's game plan? It's one thing to have the same plays designed and highlighted as would've been had the offensive coordinator stayed. It's another to call based on instincts and hunches. And experience.
• How big of a deal is Michael Dyer not making the trip gonna be? He's not even their leading rusher. But my guess is he would have factored heavily in Petrino's gameplan. Plus, this is an offnse used to having more than one running back and then figuring out which is the hot hand. Now all that is changed.
• While we're talking about folks not making it to the Queen City, how big of a deal is it that Isaiah McKenzie is in absentia? Sounds like Malcolm Mitchell has taken his reps at punt return. My guess is Mitchell gets more looks (or at least the first look) at punt returner over Reggie Davis. Georgia has options to replace McKenzie, but no one has that kid's play making abilities in the return game. Could be a factor, albeit a subtle one.
• Can the defense play with discipline? It's one thing to not let Grantham get in their heads during media interviews. It's another to allow Pruitt to show he's the better overall communicator that we know he is already.
• Senior leadership. Bowl game wins are almost dependent on it. If you have a group of good ones that really, really want to go out on top, then you have a better chance of seeing a team focused on winning.

Otherwise, it's really just a means to an end. 

Go Dawgs!

Why the Belk is important.

Most of you aren't at all excited about this. And 50% of you that are...well, you're just pretending. Shut up! You aren't. Really.

Well, here's why you're wrong.

- 61. 31. 5. 52. 51. 39. 14. 82. 84. 88. 47. 96. 88. 

- If you don't care about them going out on top, GTFO of here.

- We lost to Tech.

- Lilly hates Grantham. I hear the Louisville defensive coordinator once made his "Vanderbilt face" at Lilly's daughter's 4th birthday party.

- Hey, we lost to Tech! Duh.

- Petrino sympathizes with North Korean computer nerds.

- They're one of the best teams in the ACC. (not sure which division, because....)

- Losing the last game of the season is worse than microwaved grits.

Buy a ticket. Or at least tune in, ya filthy animal. Go Dawgs!

Muschamp and Garner, happy happy

So chill bruhs.

Merry Christmas y'all!

It was a hard couple of days. So look, we'll get to all of it. But not now. Tyler talked me off the ledge yesterday morning. Then I spent 10+ hours in a Tahoe loaded down with women and gifts and dirty laundry and the miracle of GPS. I got home, poured a drink and then Mac laid some truth on me.

I love you all. Truly. I really, really do. You'll never know how much.

So whatever you are into celebrating this time of year, please allow me to join you. Life is just too damn short! Let's take a couple days off and then get ready to go medieval on Grantham's worthless ass.

But back to the spirit of the season...Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Give your family a hug from Uncle Bernie!

h/t AthensHomerDawg

Who else is leaving?

Word last night was Will Friend and recruiting coordinator Ronnie Letson were planning to join Bobo in Fort Collins. Another rumor surfacing that Pruitt is being offered the Texas A&M defensive coordinator job. If that's true then McGarity will need to make a strong play to keep him. But I seem to recall the AD balking in a similar situation last week.

So....next week in Charlotte we may be down to Richt calling the plays and the GA's signaling in the defensive alignment.

Fun times. I'm beginning to think someone has laced my figgy pudding with a hallucinogen.

As Mike Bobo packs

When I was a student at Georgia the football team sucked. The actual game was just an excuse to party outdoors. The game on the field had at best a 50/50 shot at entertaining you. Then we'd all head back to the dorms to drink some more, order a pizza, and discuss the quarterback controversy.

For the record, I was a Preston Jones fan.

Anyway, in came this hotshot Eric Zeier. That dude had an arm. And holy shit we were winning some football games. Should've even won in Jacksonville! Damn. But then reality sunk in that 1) my parents were no longer going to subsidize my education and 2) Goff had squandered the best quarterback Georgia had seen in years.

However, word started to spread of this kid with a funny name - Mike Bobo. Word was his dad was a coach and the kid also had an arm. A coach's kid with a good arm sounded pretty good to me.

Well, I'm not sure he was as good as Zeier, but this new guy knew where to put the football. We won some games we shouldn't have. He threw the ball all over the field. Mike Bobo was a damn good quarterback. I remember the night we went toe to toe with Auburn in 1996 - Miracle on the Plains. Bobo didn't always amaze, but he made play after play. The Mrs. and I made her mom and aunt wait two-plus hours before we would sit down to dinner, because Dammit! The Dawgs might just win this thing after all!

Fast forward to the night news broke some guy named Mark Richt would be the next head coach at Georgia. We all gathered around Nama's computer because it was connected to something called the internet, which is what told us of all the assistants Richt was bringing to Athens. The only one we recognized was that kid named Bobo. "Y'all remember him from the Outback Bowl a couple years ago right? Nice to have a damn good Georgia man on board!"

Now, fast forward to last week. That's the same guy who served 14 years on staff, who recruited his ass off for UGA, and won ball games with actual points on the board while his bosses were giving raises to the defensive coordinator that just pulled his pants up. Same guy AD McGarity let fly off into the sunset last week to interview in Colorado.

WTF?

Mike Bobo, the one time phenom that helped keep a program relevant and then helped it score many, many points, was allowed to leave on a plane to friggin' Colorado without even an offer of a raise. I don't think I'll ever get over that. Ever.

Ever.

No, I'm very happy for Mike Bobo. He's past due for a shot as a head coach and even more past due for a raise in pay. He'll do well out yonder where he'll recruit circles around everyone else and surprise a few with how prepared his team is. Most of those teams will lose the game.

I'm happy for Mike Bobo. I'm just very sad for Georgia football.

Very.

Bobo has a real sharp sharpie.

He's gone. And I'm in a really dark place. Really.

Dark.

The man behind the playsheet used to be accused of being the dumb one with the crayon. Truth is he never, ever got out-coached by his peers. And now he's on the way out of town. And all I can think is he's the guy that realizes the ship is on fire before the rest of us poor, dumb assholes do.

I took you for granted. I'm sorry.

Gurgle gurgle. Blurb. Blurp....

Why didn't McGarity offer him a raise before he left on that plane last week?
Why do we lose coaches (note, plural...) to Mountain West teams? (Or whatever the hell conference Canadian State is in.)
Why don't we spend money on assistant coaches?
Why did we pay Grantham money that Bobo had actually earned?
Why won't Bobo get one last chance to pull Toddles pants down on national television?

I'm pissed. Sure, I understand this is a chance for Mike Bobo to prove himself as a head coach. And sure as shit that is the way Greg McGarity will spin this development. It's not as much about money as it is a difference in opportunity. Possibly. But we could've made just one measly effort to keep the guy that's been here since before Monica Lewinsky even bought a blue dress.

Jeezus.

It's just really, really hard to hate something you love so goddamn much.

Kyle Field demolition video

From GBHunting

KYLE FIELD FALL DOWN GO BOOM

A video posted by Good Bull Hunting (@gbhunting) on Dec 12, 2014 at 6:04am PST

With or without you...

Coach Richt has alternatives ready should Bobo be packing boxes on December 30th instead of sitting in a Bank Of America stadium booth calling plays in Georgia's bowl game. However, these alternatives are privately tucked away in his head.

Asked if he had to prepare in case Bobo wasn’t coaching at the bowl, Richt said: “We’ll have a plan for everything. I can say that.”

Would Play Caller Richt return for an encore? Does Evil Richt even have a play sheet? Personally, I hope we never find out.

One year removed from Grantham, big game looms

Walking away from Sanford after losing to in-state rival Tech, I knew whatever bowl we ended up in against whatever opponent said bowl matched us up against...it'd be a huge game for the Georgia Bulldogs. When it was announced that Charlotte was the destination and Louisville was the opponent, it was a matter of time before the comparisons between Pruitt and Grantham began.

I think Weiszer hits in the biggest difference here.

The biggest difference is the vast improvement on the back end.

Georgia surrendered big plays — touchdown passes of 73 yards against Auburn, 77 against Clemson and 99 against Nebraska — last season, but hasn’t give up a pass play longer than 38 this season.

The Bulldogs are the only team in the nation to not give up any pass plays of 40 or more yards, according to cfbstats.com. Opponents had 10 against Georgia in 2013.

Jordan Jenkins is gonna let you finish...

Any questions as to whether these dudes ready to play?

A consistently healthy offensive line is like a blue moon

Nice write up by Weiszer on this year's unit up front. This shouldn't have caught me by surprise, but it did.

Unless offensive line coach Will Friend makes a change or an injury pops up in practice before the game against Louisville, this will be the first time Georgia will have gone through an entire season with the same starting offensive line since 2000 in Jim Donnan’s final season as coach.

Also, much is made about the running attack this year, and rightly so. But this offensive line also did a good job keeping Mason's jersey clean. Granted we didn't throw the ball as much this season, but they've only allowed 15 sacks thus far. That's the lowest total since Will Friend arrived in Athens.

Bowl season requires no decoration

But it does require your entry into the pool. So if you've been distracted by the tinsel or if you've been busy carrying a picket sign outside H&H, you're down to your last day to get those picks in.

That's right! The bowls start tomorrow with a full slate!

Festivus4TheDawgNus

password - thehumanfund

The Mike Bobo saga - day three, a coach and his AD converse (in my head)

Just some conversations I like to think Coach Bobo and McDaddy G have had the last couple days.

Bobo:"I'm going to Fort Collins man." ADGM:"Can you believe I've had this same stapler since the Reagan administration." #Dawgs
— Bernie (@BernieDawg) December 17, 2014

Bobo:“Back from Colorado in time for practice.” ADGM:“I gotta a $5 footlong for lunch & the stupid cashier gave me too much change!!” #Dawgs
— Bernie (@BernieDawg) December 17, 2014

Bobo: "Mr. McGarity, you think we can talk sometime this weekend?" ADGM: "Hey Mike. You got any valid Redbox codes?" #Dawgs
— Bernie (@BernieDawg) December 18, 2014

Bobo: "Mr. McGarity, you seen this season's stats?" ADGM: "I know right. Can't believe the downloads this Serial podcast is getting." #Dawgs
— Bernie (@BernieDawg) December 18, 2014

Bobo:"Here's your Christmas card Mr. McGarity. Hope you Sheryl & Alex have a nice holiday." ADGM:"um...ok here's a paper clip Mike." #Dawgs
— Bernie (@BernieDawg) December 18, 2014

The Mike Bobo saga - day three, McGarity and Teddy KGB

Fletcher Page preaches. I don't believe McGarity is in this particular choir. But I hope he's not dozing off in the back pew.

Because Bobo has been penalized for staying loyal, for not jumping jobs. His longevity — as a former Bulldogs quarterback and longtime second-hand man to Mark Richt — is being used against him. 

Think about this — Bobo was given a $240,00 raise in the spring of 2013 just to get him to the ridiculously underpaid point that he’s at now. 

In the coaching field, you'd be hard pressed to find someone as loyal to their program as Mike Bobo. Unless I'm mistaken, Frank Beamer is the longest tenured head coach in the nation. But it's clear he's hanging on and potentially causing more long-term problems now than he's solving short-term.

That's not Mike Bobo. He's taken his paycheck and gone to work each and every day to make the team better. As Page points out, the fact that a peer to Bobo like Cam Cameron at LSU can make more than twice what the Georgia offensive coordinator does and only score 19 points a game against conference opponents, good for 13th in the league, is absurd. Georgia scored 38.8 points a game against the SEC. That's good for first by the way, and is four more points a game than Lane Kiffin at Alabama who is making a hundred grand a year more in his first year in Tuscaloosa than Bobo is making in his 14th season in Athens.

Speaking of longevity, here's a closing thought - when is the last time Georgia didn't have one of the best offenses in the SEC? It certainly hasn't come under Bobo's watch. Since he took over play calling full time, the Dawgs have finished 3rd, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 3rd, 4th and now 1st in the SEC against conference defenses, which are the fastest, most talented, and best coached defenses in the nation.

And that's why McGarity should've met that jet on the runway yesterday and told Mike Bobo to get on off the plane. Like I said yesterday, I doubt Mike Bobo is the next coach at Colorado State. But, to borrow from both Page and "Teddy KGB", I do know its past time to pay the man his money.

Belk Bowl - Grantham, Chubb and motivation

For what it's worth, here's Schlabach's preview for Georgia's upcoming bowl matchup. It follows the popular script I think.

Belk Bowl

No. 13 Georgia vs. No. 21 Louisville, Dec. 30 (ESPN, 6:30 p.m. ET)

Why to watch: There's some lingering bad blood between the coaching staffs. Louisville defensive coordinator Todd Grantham left Georgia last season, and then took some veiled shots at his former colleagues on his way out the door. Plus, Louisville's Bobby Petrino, a former Atlanta Falcons coach, still isn't the most popular guy in Georgia.

Who to watch: Georgia freshman Nick Chubb ran for 1,281 yards with 12 touchdowns, with much of his damage coming after UGA star Todd Gurley was suspended for accepting money for autographs. Chubb ran for more than 100 yards in each of the last seven games, averaging 151 yards during the stretch.

Motivation for Georgia: After losing to rival Georgia Tech 30-24 in overtime in the regular-season finale, the Bulldogs will be trying to avoid a two-game losing streak to ACC foes. Georgia also hasn't played well in the postseason recently, losing three of its past four bowl games.

Motivation for Louisville: By beating Georgia, the Cardinals would win 10 games and their third straight bowl game, which would put the icing on their first season in the ACC.

Prediction: Georgia 31, Louisville 27

Sure, Grantham is the sexy thread that will easily feed the storyline. And Chubb's production his freshman season is worth every word it can garner. But the motivation of the two teams is what is key, for any bowl really.

So, does Georgia or Louisville want a ten win season more? Who is more vested in that outcome?

The Mike Bobo saga - day two, in moving Holiday pictures

December always brings coaching rumors and news in college football. Actually, November brings it and then December douses it in lighter fluid and then flicks its cigarette casually in its general direction. And things have certainly escalated quickly in terms of Colorado State's head coach search and specifically how that relates to Georgia's offensive coordinator. With the help of Christmas Spirit as well as YouTube, let's take a peek at where things stand currently.

Feeling overlooked and underappreciated for his particular skillset, Mike Bobo strikes out on his own towards Fort Collins, Colorado.



Given the news, many fans react with raw and honest emotions. For reasonable fans that dwell in facts, they're pretty pissed at getting a low rent Barbie doll, or a can of soup, or entertaining the possibility of playing with a used dish sponge on Christmas Day. 

The lunatic fringe however, absolutely LOVES their new Mr. Literal Potato Head!!!1



Meanwhile, back at Butts-Mehre, Greg McGarity is just way too excited to operate in reality.



Now, how will these distinct subsets of persons find happiness and joy this Holiday Season, and especially just 13 days before the season finale? Stay tuned.

Leonard Floyd OUT for Belk Bowl

This certainly helped his decision to stay in Athens I'm sure.

OLB Leonard Floyd won't play in the Belk Bowl. He underwent shoulder surgery yesterday, Richt said.
— Marc Weiszer (@marcweiszer) December 17, 2014

In this episode: Bobo, the Rams, and McGarity's checkbook

First off, Mike Bobo is definitely not probably not most likely not going to Fort Collins CO to coach tackle football. He's one of several names on a list that has emerged. In terms of where he ranks on said list, I'd say probably third at worst.

Personally, I would have him first. I think Mike Bobo is a better offensive coordinator than Scott Frost, and I know he's a better recruiter than Pat Narduzzi. I also think this would be a good move for Mike Bobo. With the right assistants that have some regional ties, he would certainly do better than Florida's new coach did out yonder.

Here's Emerson's summarization of Bobo's skills:

Georgia ranks eighth in the nation and first in the SEC in scoring offense this year. Georgia's offense, a pro-style system, has nonetheless put up big numbers the past few years. Two years ago the team set school records for total yards in a season (6,547) and touchdowns (72), and last year a new school record was set in average yards per game (484.2.) 

Last year he was named the offensive coordinator of the year by 247Sports.com, and two years ago he was a finalist for the Broyles Award, given to the nation's top assistant coach.

Bobo is also one of the Bulldogs' top recruiters, credited this year with being the main recruiter for defensive lineman Trent Thompson, one of the nation's top prospects.

First and foremost, Bobo consistently has an offense that produces yards and points whether he loses top talent to injuries and suspensions or not. And he's a relentless recruiter that recognizes today's high school talent as tomorrow's college team that can get him more yards and more points as well as help his fellow defensive coaches.

Yes, to me Mike Bobo is the perfect candidate for a program looking to pay a current assistant coach to be their head guy.

But I think Mike Bobo wants to be Georgia's next head coach. I didn't have the pleasure of talking to him on the phone last night, so this is just speculation, but I don't think he wants to pick the family up and move out west.

And although he may not admit it publicly or even among close friends, but I would imagine somewhere deep inside Mike Bobo is ready to be compensated commensurate with his regional and national peers. And that's why Blutarsky hits on the key question in my mind - Is Greg McGarity ready to take the blinders off and be proactive in dealing with his coaches' contracts?

There are many Dawg fans that are really busy scoffing at the news and possibility of Mike Bobo leaving Athens. They look down their noses and welcome any and all changes on staff. And that's fine. I would caution them to be careful what they wish for and all that, but they're entitled to their opinion. For me, I just trust Mike Bobo's numbers and production a lot more than I trust Greg McGarity's willingness to recognize and appreciate it.

That's my opinion.

Humpday Hilarity - I'm spinnin' dreidels...

Partly for my kids that absolutely hate it when I "dance" to Shake it Off!. But mostly for everyone that loves a good parody, especially during the Holiday Season.

"Miracle on the Plains" to air tomorrow morning

You've been warned:

Awesome. Set your DVRs, 1996's "Miracle on the Plains" airs on SEC Network tomorrow morning at 4:30am. All Hail Bobo to Allen! #Dawgs
— Bernie (@BernieDawg) December 16, 2014

And if you're Robert Baker, hold onto your man parts. "That Uga'll bite you!"
— Bernie (@BernieDawg) December 16, 2014

Bauerle and UGA breathe sighs of relief

The gist is Bauerle found to have operated beyond his realm as a coach in providing and attempting to provide academic benefits for a student athlete and not "promoting an atmosphere of compliance". But the university doesn't suffer any probation as a result of the findings. Overall, that's a win-win as Bauerle keeps his job and UGA Swimming and Diving can continue to compete freely.

Although they will do so without Bauerle for the next nine meets during his suspension. Here's the link to the ruling and here's the ABH writeup by Fletcher Page.

Grantham. Tremendous.

I've decided to piggy back on Estes' work in combining all of the thought provoking quotes and summarize yesterday's UGA Media teleconference with Louisville's defensive coordinator Todd Grantham.

Put your thesaurus down folks. This should only take a sec.

Leaving Athens
"Tremendous decision on my part. Tremendous chance to unite with my brother, coach with a tremendous offensive mind, and pursue an ACC/National Title. Both of which we were tremendously close to this year. Well, at least one of them."

Facing Bobo
"Tremendous opportunity. Bobo is a tremendous offensive mind. Petrino, of course, is tremendouser. But still, Bobo is real good at doing what he's trying to do." 

"(whispers to himself)...carry the one, add the 2...Hey Mike, we winning?"
"Yeh Todd. We're winning."

Facing Bobo's players
"Houston Madsun is tremendously patient, waited his turn behind the other guy. Andrew Davidson is a tremendously tough center. Georgia is a tough, physical team. It's tough, really."

The Georgia players he stole took in
"Did a tremendous job for our scout team, which in turn helped them avoid pesky appointments to give urine samples to Coach Richt. Those things were a tremendous hindrance on my depth chart while at Georgia."

Stopping Chubb
"We won't. Not completely. He's real good at running the football, which is also something he wants to do when he gets the football. Have to avoid the long gains. It presents as a tremendous challenge."

On facing old faces
"I don't really give a shit about that. We had a tremendous season here. Other than Omarlo Wilson and Quincy Swann I don't even remember those guys' names."

On Pruitt
"He's a very good coach in what he's trying to do. I have no clue what the hell that means. And you probably don't either. But it sounds like I'm saying something nice when really it makes no sense whatsoever."

On possibility of giving the Georgia sideline the choke sign
"Nah. I knew I'm awesome. No reason to rub it in. I mean, my defense was tremendous in our time there. 8-1 against some rival teams I'm going to try and list for you in a second. I mean, nevermind it had more to do with the offense outscoring Florida, Auburn, Tennessee and Georgia Tech and Auburn and also Vanderbilt..oh wait... Again, Mike (Bobo) is a very tremendous coach in what he's trying to do."

Anything else?
"I like Belk belts. And also tater tots. You're welcome for the time this morning. You're welcome."

Chubb v Holliman, advantage #27

After leading the nation in interceptions this season and winning the Jim Thorpe Award last week, Louisville safety Gerod Holliman has declared for the 2015 NFL draft (h/t Macon Dawg). So sometime on the evening of December 30th, Nick Chubb breaks free into the Cardinals' second level with one man in his path...

Holliman has a split second to get into position, ready his body for impact, and secure the ball carrier to the ground.

Or, see the dollar signs, make a half-hearted effort, and protect his livelihood.

At the center of the matter

For kicks and giggles, heading into bowl practice Emerson takes an early look at the 2015 depth chart. Probably the biggest question of the off season for the offense will be replacing Boss Andrews. Center is such a key position, and Andrews was a legitimate Rimington Trophy candidate this season. Not to mention the offensive MVP.

Sure, the new starting quarterback battle will get plenty of ink and page hits between now and next August. But we know Ramsey is the heir apparent. Who snaps the ball to him is truly up in the air.

Emerson lists Isaiah Wynn, Josh Cardiello, Hunter Long, and Kolton Houston as the candidates. I would add Brandon Kublanow in there as well. Much will depend on how some of those newer faces develop and where the key pieces fit.

The good news is that regardless, Will Friend is looking at four returning starters. That makes a lot of Dawg fans smile.

"Where's your Christmas spirit? An eye for an eye!"

Don't let the tinsel distract you. Only five more days to get your entry into the bowl pool.

#Festivus4TheDawgNus
password = thehumanfund

And another fake charity was born onto this day...

Early look at potential Dawg draftees

All that's left of the 2014 season is a bowl game for Georgia. So with many looking at the 2015 NFL draft thought we'd take a moment as well. There was quite a bit of talent on the roster for the Bulldogs this year. Here’s a look at a few potential draftees.

Leonard Floyd

Most mock drafts seem to be sold on Leonard Floyd to be the first Georgia player off the board, should he decide to declare early. He might not go very high, but he is a pretty talented player who could play either defensive end or outside linebacker at the next level. He probably will not be taken until the 2nd half of the 1st round at the earliest, but he is a very talented pass rusher.

Todd Gurley

The trend in the last few years has been to wait for a running back in the NFL draft. Despite his recent knee injury and subsequent surgery, Gurley could be one of those rare guys who goes in the 1st round as a very dynamic running back in 2015. He has a chance to be a fantasy football superstar, and that is enough of an incentive for a playoff team to take him near the end of the 1st round. There is a chance he slips to the 2nd, but if rehab goes well, he is still the most dynamic running back in the draft.

Ramik Wilson

A lot of different teams in the NFL need help at inside linebacker, so Wilson will be talked about as early as the middle of the 2nd round. At this stage in the game, he is probably going to go somewhere in the range of middle of the 2nd to middle of the 3rd. He is a very solid player who has good discipline at his position. Expect him to earn playing time right away.

Jordan Jenkins

Yet another pass rusher that is draft eligible, Jenkins is obviously a step below Floyd right now in the draft gurus' eyes. He is going to find a spot in the NFL though, whether it's in 2015 or following his senior season in Athens. And if its sooner rather than later, he could sneak into the last part of the 2nd round if he works out well. More than likely, he will fall into the 3rd round and provide decent value for any team willing to give him a look.

We'll continue to look at some more of the draft eligible Dawgs in the coming weeks to see where they may land to continue their playing careers.

Hey Toddles, the truth is in the statisticals man.

When writing about an upcoming matchup, I'm one that usually falls back on statistics to find some angle or glean some other curiosity. And that's what Brad did here when comparing Grantham's run defense to Bobo's rush offense.

Here's the crux of his findings:

Georgia, of course, did much of their work while many of its stable of running backs missed several games for a number of reasons.  So it would seem that while the numbers look even going in, that the Bulldogs do have a decided advantage in the rush game vs. the Louisville defense.

Just like when Grantham was here in Athens, a lot of smoke and mirrors.

And ol' Todd has been blowing a lot of smoke about his defense. To his credit, they have been impressive in his first season. But Brad's right that the truth is in the numbers. At least right up until kickoff. A large part of why Georgia's rushing attack was so consistently dominant, despite the state of flux at the running back position, was due to the offensive line having such a great season.

The Bobo vs Grantham angle will continue to be the more intriguing story leading up to the bowl game, and most certainly during it as well. But Georgia's offensive coordinator is going to need those hosses up front o have a game more like Auburn than Georgia Tech if the Dawgs are going to get to that 10th win.

Hawkinsville's own Charles Johnson

Always love to hear of people giving back to their community. Down in Hawkinsville, a former Dawg great is helping to rebuild his former school.

In recent years, the Lumpkin Street School in Hawkinsville, Georgia, one of 500 Georgia equalization schools built for African-American students during segregation, has fallen into disrepair. The town’s Deacons and Stewards Association wants to turn the space into a community center and museum, and a former Georgia football player is helping to make that happen.

Charles Johnson (M ’08), through the Charles Johnson Foundation (CJF), has issued a $25,000 challenge grant to renovate the school. The challenge, which states that CFJ will donate $25,000 to match the $25,000 that the Deacons and Stewards Association raises, has been instrumental in gaining donations for the project from other organizations.

This isn’t the first time Charles Johnson has helped out his hometown. The captain for the Carolina Panthers has donated funds to support Parent Cafes for single mothers, sponsored women to attend the Pulaski Tomorrowprogram, donated to other middle Georgia foundations, and has provided scholarships to Pulaski County students during his organization’s annualCommunity Weekend in Hawkinsville.

Thanks to Katherine of the ALumni Assoc. for sharing this story. And keep up the great work Mr. Johnson!

Bowl practices are on a rigid diet

Something I just can't get my head around is Georgia only having nine practices leading up its bowl game against Louisville. Casually mentioned it yesterday, then listened to Emerson and Estes talk some about it on their podcast. So I looked, but can't seem to find anything from Louisville on what their schedule will be like.

Usually there's about a week of practices before travel/Holiday break time, then about a normal week of practices before the bowl. Once school is out the coaches aren't limited by NCAA restrictions on time. However, the academic calendar coupled with the earlier bowl slot on December 30th is cutting into the practices on the front end, the ones in Athens where coaches can get back down to fundamentals.

For what it's worth, Louisville's exams end one day before UGA's. From my glances through the Cardinals' local media it doesn't appear that they're practicing right now (exams started yesterday). I guess on one hand I'm concerned that the preparation may not be equal for the Belk Bowl. On the other, it'd be nice for some of the younger players to get more reps than they'll get in Athens late next week.

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UPDATE - Weiszer shared that at the Belk Bowl press conference yesterday Petrino said Louisville would start bowl practices Friday and then go daily on campus beginning next Wednesday. So it sounds like they will get at least a couple more practices in than Georgia.

Evil Richt rips down teams' stockings

As Emerson reports, Christmas is canceled.

Georgia's coaching staff has elected to report to Charlotte on Dec. 24 for the Belk Bowl, and hold its first practice the next day. Yes, that means practicing on Christmas Day, and being away from family, unless they make the trip too.

Unless, this is all a ruse to take the team here...

I'm kidding, of course. (I think.) But can you imagine the meltdown on the Dawgvent if that actually happened? Whoa Nelly.

Louisville unworthy...??

Maybe I couldn't hear those of you complaining about playing little ol' Louisville above the noise of the rest who have been complaining about going to Charlotte instead of Tampa. (Like that's even a real argument.)

But that situation has been settled so now the order of the day is to defeat Georgia. This is what the Cardinals need to gain respect in the college football universe. Already the Georgia fans are belittling the opposition as unworthy of an SEC power like the Dawgs. Good! It reminds me of the Alabama fans (1991), the Michigan State fans (1993), the BYU fans (2001), the Florida fans (2013 and the Miami fans (2013). LOL. [emphasis added]

"LOL" is right Jack. You need to check your sources down here. Real Dawg fans are excited about the challenge of Petrino's offense going up against Pruitt's young defense. Sure, Petrino may not have the arsenal of weapons he'd prefer on his roster yet. But still, his scheme stretches defenses and forces them to play solid, fundamental football.

Plus, dude. You never even mentioned the Grantham angle.

Ahh. Good times.

At least it wasn't Steckel

The Broyles Award, which somehow omitted Mike Bobo's name as a finalist despite being at the helm of an offense that once again saw numerous injuries and suspensions yet still averaged 41.7 points per game, went to Ohio State's offensive coordinator Tom Herman. The Buckeyes saw their own difficulties and overcame them, most notably losing Braxton Miller to injury, and still averaged 45.7 points a game.

Yes, that was in the B1G. But at least Missouri's Dave Steckel, who Bobo shellacked back in October, didn't win it.

The JJ Green proposition?

McGarity and Bobinski had themselves a text-chat. What emerges may need to be named after the former Georgia defensive back.

Athletic directors Greg McGarity and Mike Bobinski spent quite a bit of time on the phone this week conferring about their schools’ respective transfer policies in light of Green’s decision.

“Mike and I have been in communication and, moving forward, we’re in agreement there should not be any reasons to not grant the wishes of any student-athlete who might want to transfer between our institutions as long as there has been no tampering,” McGarity said.  “As long there’s been nothing done to recruit a current student-athlete, as long as it’s on the up-and-up – which is the case as I understand it with J.J.

“What’s the downside? The only downside is that student-athlete may come back and have a great game against you. But if they’re not happy at the University of Georgia, they should be happy somewhere else.”

Grantham, Petrino, and then all the whining

1) say what you will, but the Cardinals have really bought into Grantham.

Louisville ranks 68th in total offense (83rd in rushing and 50th in passing) and ranks 6th in total defense (3rd in rushing defense and 30th in passing yards allowed). Louisville ranks 41st in scoring offense (32.6 points per game) and 18th in scoring defense (20.5 points per game allowed). (via Dean Legge)

Sure, the lesser opponents' narrative holds some water there in terms of explaining the defensive rankings. The Wake Forests, Boston Colleges, and Syracuses of the CFB landscape aren't going to move many chains and score many points. But as I'm preparing my own outlook for this bowl matchup, I think it starts with Kentucky as the Wildcats scored plenty of points to win both the game in lexington against Georgia dn then one on the road against Louisville.

(addendum - a quick glance shows that unlike the game against Georgia, Kentucky scored in each quarter against Louisville. Something to look at a little more closely when evaluating this common opponent.)

2) On the offensive side the Cards have had much changeover at quarterback and an old nemesis at running back.

The Cardinals do have some impressive talent elsewhere on their offense, headlined by senior receiver DeVante Parker, who is getting attention in NFL ranks as a potential first-round type of guy in the upcoming Draft. The 6-foot-3 Parker only played about half the season because of a broken foot in the preseason, but he still managed to catch 35 passes for 735 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 122.5 receiving yards per game. He's joined by 250-pound senior tight end Gerald Christian (30 catches, 359 yards), who transferred from Florida. In the backfield, Louisville features former Auburn running back Michael Dyer (110 rushes for 482 yards) and 5-foot-9 sophomore Brandon Radcliff (125 rushes for 648 yards), a talented duo that has split carries much of the season. (via Gentry Estes)

Dyer and Radcliff's numbers are inconsistent. Of course, Pruitt's defense has had some trouble stopping the run. But I still see the story here will first be how Louisville's receivers match up against Pruitt's secondary, and then who will be throwing them the football. Even though Petrino wants to run the football (and a lot, as he averages nearly ten more rush attempts than pass per game), he will want to be able to keep Georgia's talented linebackers honest.

3) The fans moaning about the bowl selection is a time honored tradition. But it's one I'm tired of entirely. The facts are that Georgia has a better record (overall and head-to-head) than many teams in seemingly better bowl games, but this year's selection process is a completely new one. Essentially, after the Citrus, all the bowls are the same. And while that will take some time for fans to get used to, it didn't take long for many to gripe openly about the location, payout, opponent, name of the bowl, etc.

My response: Get over yourself. Air your dirty laundry to the people that count. That starts with the SEC offices, Butts-Mehre and even Coach Richt if you're still pissed off about the record that landed us in Charlotte as opposed to Miami or Atlanta. The rest of us are kind of over it. Move along. Don't go to Charlotte. Don't watch the game. Whatever. The other fans and especially the players don't need to hear the griping and the yapping and the tweeting and the whininess.

I mean, do guys like Boss Andrews and Chris Conley deserve to hear y'all share your butthurt with the rest of the world in the days leading up to their last game as a Dawg?

"1980 was a pretty damn big year."

Lindsay Scott, speaking the truth. If you know of someone who hasn't added 1980 Dawgs: The Inside Story of the National Championship Season to their DVD collection, I would once again like to highly recommend it. Here's a trailer to whet your appetite.

For more information including how to order a copy, visit 1980 Dawgs.com. 

Bowl tickets

Prices are higher than they should be right now. Although that's typical of bowl games I was still a little surprised at the prices last night as I made initial arrangements.

The blog's broker has them cheaper than directly from the UGA, but if you're looking to save even more money then it's probably wise to wait until closer to December 30th.

Right now UGA has two ticket prices - $85 regular and $125 for club. If you ordered as a Hartman Donor your order is being processed and sounds like tickets will be mailed next week. If you're in the group that is looking for something today, Ticket Monster's start at $78. If you're in the group that is waiting, pull up a chair. It might be awhile before they fall to reasonable levels.

Fifth Annual Bowl Pool - Festivus4TheDawgNus

Welcome newcomers! The tradition of Festivus begins with the Airing of Grievances!

You're on strike from H&H Bagels. You find tinsel distracting. Or maybe you just got out of the schvitz and the lighting is bad on the porch. Regardless, Festivus is your heritage George! It's part of who you are.

So follow these ten simple steps:
1) Air your grievances.
2) Click the link.
3) Enter the password. (duh)
4) Pick your winners for all of the bowls!
5) Follow me on twitter for even more updates!!
6) Trash talk freely. It's encouraged, and almost required actually. "Heeeeyyy no-bagel-no-bagel-no-bagel-no-bagel-no-bagel!!"
7) Share the link to the group and the password (duh) with others as you see fit. Any friend of yours is welcome at my table.
8) Watch each and EVERY bowl game.
9) Continue to trash talk about your feats of strength, both in person and on the internets.
10) Then just sit back, relax, and admire how much better my picks are than yours!

Seriously though, winner gets a stylish t-shirt to help you embrace your roots. So follow the link to join and pick carefully.

CLICK HERE!!

PASSWORD = thehumanfund (all lowercase, duh!)

What is Festivus? Glad you asked.

Belk Bowl bound!

It's official. Toddles is getting a new towel!

Go Dawgs!

Post season predictions

Here's where I am as we head into the afternoon of college football playoff discussion.

Four BEST teams, regardless of record or conf championship: Bama, Oregon, TCU and Miss State. Then Baylor, tOSU and FSU.
— Bernie (@BernieDawg) December 7, 2014

That being said, the seeds will be 1) Bama 2) Oregon 3) tOSU 4) FSU.
— Bernie (@BernieDawg) December 7, 2014

Going to be interesting to see where the committee actually comes out on the TCU, Baylor, Ohio State argument.

As for Georgia, most of the "experts" are saying they expect Georgia to head to Tampa for the Outback. I think I'll make a sandwich, pour a beer and then maybe take a nap.

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And remember to come back to tomorrow to enter in the annual Bowl Pool. Happy Festivus!

I really wish...

...I was heading down to the GA Dome about now. Another chance to see friends and tailgate and all of the day drunjs and whatnot.

But instead, as I prepare to head downstairs and fry up a rasher of bacon in my sock feet and bed head, I can't help but wonder which is worse: coming up five yards short at the Dome in December, or first and goal short at Willy Brice in September?

That 2012 SECCG was the worst feeling I've ever had at a game. Worse than the next November in Auburn. But looking back over this past season, those few yards against what turned out to be a miserable chicken shit team are entirely awful.

I hate college football. And yet, I love it like my own child.

Dawg Legends giving back to the community

As part of the sixth annual Allstate SEC Good Works Day, yesterday both Jon and Matt Stinchcomb as well as David Greene helped refurbish an Atlanta park while surprising some young football players with new uniforms and some hands on instruction.

Here are some of the pictures from the event.

 

How you like Richt now?

My thoughts as I processed yesterday's hires by Florida and Nebraska turned to the "Richt-haters" those that want change yesterday. I wonder how they slept last night. Maybe a little easier.

Perhaps. Actually, probably not.

Both the Gators and the Cornhuskers are programs that should be able to hand pick their coaches. And that's if the very best candidate doesn't just fall right into their lap. Foley made a play for Hugh Freeze and then moved quickly on a guy that went 22-16 at Colorado State. That's in the Mountain West. His conference record was 14-10.

However, McElwain had shown improvement in each of his seasons; 2014 ended with a 10-2, 6-2 record. And ultimately that was enough to make Florida pay a ton of money to rid themselves of Will Muschamp, buyout McElwain's CSU contract, and then pay him an average of $3.5 million for six seasons.

So, are Florida fans excited to have McElwain, or are they still laying in an afterglow of not having to call Muschamp their head coach? That jury will be out for several months. But Muschamp leaves behind a talented team capable of competing for the 2015 SEC East championship. If McElwain can find an SEC-ready quarterback that is.

Nebraska's search was eerily similar to Florida's in that they too went after an up and coming SEC coach first, then quickly moved on option #2. When I asked the one Nebraska fan I know about the search, his response was "Who's Mike Riley?"

He wasn't joking. But in all fairness, Riley is a good coach. He's just not a great coach. Most amazing, he's not a great coach who is also 61 years old!!

So, back to my original question. Both Florida and Nebraska are comparable programs to Georgia. Do you think McGarity would've out-played Foley and Eichorst this week? Would the leadership in such a search to replace Mark Richt have opened up the coffers to reveal the mountains of fat stacks in the basement of Butts-Mehre? Although I understand the restlessness and the frustration, I have serious doubts UGA would've done better.