Seniors

Been stewing on this for a couple weeks. My biggest takeaway from the UGA SEC network take over day, was from the 2005 SEC championship game against LSU. They kept talking about how Georgia was not expected to do well that season. Uncle Verne et al continually attributed our success to the seniors on the team.

Now, think back. This was a team that was really one knee injury away from a potential national championship game. This was a team that had exceeded even its own fanbase's expectations. They used a stingy, aggressive defense. And an offense that took whatever the defense offered. Add in a quarterback that had been chomping at the bit, and you had an SEC East team ready for mayhem.

Sure. The seniors under 2005 Coach Richt are different than the ones under 2015 Coach Richt. Back then the roster was set based on some kind matriculated status as opposed to talent. But the basic premise is the same. At least that's what I believe. You have to have good leadership to make it to Atlanta in December. 

So, we had it then. Do we have it now?

Much has been made about Chubb being left off this morning's private UGA charter to SEC Media Days. Last year we took two seniors (Ramik and Conley) and a junior, Todd Gurley. Sure, Nick Chubb is the key to the season. But is it really so bad that we leave him at home?

I don't think so. I think the 2015 Georgia Bulldogs will rely on young talent to make plays. But Richt will always rely on senior leadership to drive the bus. And if you look at the roster, we have upper classmen all over ready to lead. That's going to become important somewhere down the road.

Penn Wagers, Karma, and kitten sweaters

I was going to tweet something like this last night:

This morning I let nearly 30 people into traffic north of Myrtle...on a Saturday morning....after Waffle House...and one last visit to "Whales". AND...this afternoon I switched out my aunt-in-law's pre-1980s thermostat with a new fangled programmable wifi-enabled one. 

Successfully.

I think I've garnered enough Karma to power the Dawgs through a mid-September road trip to Nashville.

On one hand it's like 5000 characters and twitter allows a mere fraction of that.

But also, the last time we were in Nashville, the referees lost their gotdamn mind.

Now, you can believe what you will about Penn Wagers [supposedly] "retiring". But the word "returning" is remarkably close in spelling and I just refuse to believe that bastard has given up ways to screw Mark Richt in places and means that are ill-suited for Saturday afternoons.

So until I see him in a SEC Network teleconference in the Fall from Spokane Washington while he knits sweaters for his kittens and sips Earl Grey tea from a World's Greatest Kitty Momma mug....I'll be saving all the Karma I can get.

Because Wagers is the biggest cat person to ever officiate in the SEC.

Tailgate Roundtable - prognosticating 2015

Last day. Thanks for joining us. We wrap up the series with our overall feeling about how the season will play out.

Okay. Here in July, what is your overall feeling about the upcoming season?

AHD - There is not anyone on our schedule we can't beat. Stay healthy, catch a few lucky bounces, and we are in Atlanta! And we will be 8-0 at Mark Richt Field after this year. ;-)

Robert - I am not very optimistic.  That may very well be a good sign, because for the last 10 years I have predicted UGA going 12-0 and playing for a national title.  There is a lot of potential if they find an answer at the quarterback position and he plays above everyone’s expectations, but the schedule is challenging.  Road games at Tennessee and Auburn will be huge challenges, and I learned my lesson not respecting the Florida Gators last season.  Combine that with Alabama coming to town, but the truth is, they are the least of our worries.  It isn’t all doom and gloom for me though.  I expect to see improvement overall.  I think we will cut down on some of the mindless mistakes we made last season. I think we will see this team play with more intensity.  I think the defense improves as a whole.  We are recruiting at a new level.  Overall, UGA is on the rise!

BDB - My optimism really rides on the feet of Chubb and what I think will be the best Georgia defense we've seen in about a decade. Still, we're young at some key spots. And I agree with Robert that there are some key challenges in this schedule. Even though I'm one of those old guys that hates the cupcakes, this is one of those seasons I'm kind of glad we open the season slowly. Getting to Atlanta will be a difficult row to hoe, but it's one I could see this team navigating. So I'll go with 12-3, a trip to the Dome, and just outside the CFP.