Where do we go from here: Smart, Bobo, and Searels

To be clear, I think Coach went to bed early Sunday morning second guessing himself on that fourth down call to go for it. We had momentum. The offense was moving the ball and the defense was shaking things loose. Let Woodring do his thing, let the defense make a stop, then go for the lead.

Stockton looked really comfortable finally and Bowens was getting ten yards between the tackles. We were running the ball better than if we had a all-star dream wishbone with Brannan Southerland, Verron Haynes and Herschel Walker!

Absolute worst case, we end up losing in overtime.

Similarly, I believe Bobo also went to bed second guessing the personnel and the play calls if he knew going into that 3rd down that he had two plays to move the chains. That young right side of the line is learning as they go. That pitch to Jones was a tall ask on many levels.

Other than that, I liked the offensive play calling. I believe Bobo will continue to get comfortable with his playmakers and putting them in position to move the chains and score some points. We didn't run as much 13 personnel as I expected, but I think our tight ends were mostly out there to help block. Hopefuly as the offensive line gets healthy we can disguise those guys in more motion and downfield routes.

Speaking of the offensive line, I came into this season defending Searels. At least to some degree. And to be fair, we're missing some key components. It's a position room that needs some healing hands more than any other in recent memory. 

Coach Pittman (via SicEmDawgs)

But I hope Smart makes an offer to Pittman to come pitch in as an analyst. It can only help in my view. Puts Searels in an awkward position, sure. But this is a business. 93 thousand didn't show up Saturday night and millions of others tune in to see a loss.

Bring Pittman home and give him (and by proxy Coach Searels) a three month on the job interview.

But Bobo and Searels aren't the real problem. The former did masterful work Saturday night and the latter is making lemonade with bruised lemons and freshmen lemon squeezers.

So back to Smart, he's gotta be asking Schumann what they're missing. This, in my view, is of the upmost importance. If Searels needs to feel some pressure, our defensive staff needs a hard look. You can't keep winning in the SEC if you can't get to the quarterback with four rushers. Saturday night, we blitzed like Buddy Ryan on steroids in the first quarter. And had nothing to show for it. (Except a bunch of no flags for excessive Bama hugging. More on that in a later episode.)

If it's a personnel problem, make some adjustments/changes. If it's calls from the sideline, give Co-Defensive Coordinator Robinson some more responsibility. Again, this is a business. I really disliked our staff's body language in that opening quarter. I bet those of you in attendance could even see it from the stands. It wasn't a good look, and despite the adjustments, getting back into the game...as a fan it's hard to see. So how did our players feel?

In Schu's defense, the halftime report was his goal was to affect the quarterback. And we did that. Simpson at least cooled off. So his defensive players responded. But it's a 60 min game. Not 45.

Coach Smart said yesterday he worries about everything. He's a man of his word, we know that and he practices what he preaches when it comes to accountability. I know when that dude looks into someone's eyes, from a fan to a recruit and his family, to the players in that locker room, he intends to do what he deems best for this football team. 

We want it. They've earned it. Smart intends to deliver. So, re-evaluate and let's get the F after it!

GDay - what I saw

You win some. You lose some. But only in a spring game can you do both in one afternoon. Here are my casual observations from the Red vs Black scrimmage.


Gameday feeling. Great crowd is what Kirby wants and that is what he gets. The energy gives the young players a taste on what fall Saturdays are like when the games count. And it gives the recruits something more to think about for sure.


Justin Fields is a large dude. I don’t put much weight in spring performances, especially at quarterback. But Fromm sure gets a lot of tipped and batted down balls at the line of scrimmage. Or maybe I’m still just sore over the one that bounced off a Bama’s player’s helmet in Atlanta back in January. 

VIA

Mainly it was nice to see what Fields can eventually bring to the game when he does earn snaps. Lot of zip on the ball and such a fluid runner.


As for Fromm he had a few really nice deep balls. Ridley had one of them ripped out by McGhee on what would’ve been a very nice touchdown. But on a day that saw about 90% of the plays as passes, I thought the best pass came from Fields off his back foot when he lifted a beautiful ball to Landers in the corner of the end zone.


GDay 2018 definitely lived up to Kirby saying it would be a game for the quarterbacks. And since there were so many passes we didn’t get to see much of Holyfield. But I thought he and Herrien looked good in pass protect when they were needed.


Speaking of pass protect, how about Keyon Brown and Brenton Cox showing off that a simple tight end ain’t gonna be able to ward them off. Scary fast dudes with a nose for the quarterback!


Monty Rice definitely eased some of my concerns about losing Roquan. He was adding pressure up the middle and chasing down ball carriers all day.


Ahkil Crumpton had some nice catches, especially the one he caught across the middle in traffic but still snuck around the edge for some more yardage.


That’s some of what I saw. Hope you enjoyed some spring ballin’ as much as we did. Go Dawgs!

Georgia vs. Alabama, a deep look at X's and O's

If you haven't already I think you'd really enjoy this National Championship preview podcast from Solid Verbal. Dan chats with Chris Brown of Smart Football, who always has a certain depth to his analysis. He has some interesting thoughts on how Chaney specifically could impact the game. And I particularly appreciated how he breaks down the relationship between Kirby and Saban and the role it could play in terms of each others' understanding and game planning going into Monday night.

Suffice it to say, Brown isn't just giving the the relationship cute lip service like many national analysts. Add it to your podcast feed...soon!

Even the little things are The Main Thing

It's taken a while to digest exactly what happened. It's so much more than the game itself. It's the experience and the sheer joy you feel when you see your team come out on top on that kind of stage. After a day of thinking and reflecting I still can't come up with the words. But I highly recommend you read this Tommy Tomlinson piece on his experience and why moments like what happened Monday night are so important.

As for the game itself, it was truly an instant classic. Reminiscent of game like the 2006 Rose Bowl which served as the National Championship game between Texas and USC. But this one was our own Georgia Bulldogs! Two amazing teams with amazing talent, both who clearly wanted to be there and wanted to win.

It was a game full of huge swings in momentum from sideline to sideline, as each big play seemed to be one that would finally turn the tide for good. But then there was another, and then another. And then there was another!

I had wondered a few weeks ago if time of possession would be the key factor in stopping the Oklahoma offense and giving us our best shot. I was right about being able to run the ball effectively, I just didn't take into account how effectively we would run it. Something like three drives that took less than a minute. It was the game we knew Sony and Chubb could and should have. So glad Sony got the chance to atone for that fumble and seal the deal himself. And more on that in a minute...

But there were a couple of smaller things that also became the Main Thing. I'll leave the argument of whether the decision to squib kick it to end the first half up to the Sooner fans. But the heads up play by a former reserve running back turned reserve linebacker in Tae Crowder to instinctively snag that kick and lay on it, was amazing.

Think about how easy it would be to just go out there as a kick return specialist and simply go through the motions. Special Teams coordinator Shane Beamer mostly gives credit where it is due, to Crowder, but I'm sure they had been warned to watch for an "nontraditional" kick off. Still, to be ready to go back to your days as a Harris County HS shortstop and snag that ball ended up being a game changer. It was. We had to have it!

Because with just a few ticks on the clock (and with our offensive coordinator in an elevator on the way to the locker room), we were able to call a quick out to Godwin and grab another nine yards and stop the clock with just a second left.

At this point I'm thinking, "Well, that makes Fromm's heave to the endzone a little shorter." But the coaches had another bold idea and Rodrigo took it from there. And there was never a doubt.

VIA

Another small thing I noticed that was huge was not just the blocking on that Sony Michel 27 yard touchdown trot, but actually who was blocking - reserve wide receivers and Nauta. Of course, Fromm gave his man on the outside all he could handle to give Sony the room to run. But to send out guys like Crumpton and Simmons and Blount, all with fresh legs and bodies in the second over time to lay some wood was a great call, and refreshing to see.

And now it's on to Alabama in the biggest game our Dawgs have been in since 1982. We've had games where we were playing for this chance. It just wasn't until Kirby preached to Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing that we actually succeeded in getting it done.

Go Dawgs!

Jeff Schultz is right, this time.

Like you, I’ve been following and subsequently been confused by this Natrez Patrick affair. The facts are: 1) he’s known as much for being in the wrong pot at the wrong time as much as he is for making tackles, 2) the charges following the SECCG were dropped, 3) he subsequently both passed and failed a drug test, and 4) UGA is playing coy about his future.

Yesterday, the AJC’s most prolific pontificator since Terence Moore left town, Jeff Schultz weighed in. Schultz was his usual pompous, arrogant, click bait self. He pretended to know facts that he can’t possibly presume to know. He used the term “Bulldog Justice” with an air of both a thumb aside his nose and another up his ass.

VIA

But, he’s also right.

UGA shouldn’t let Patrick play any more games with a G on his helmet. The dude has a problem and not the least of it is that he puts smoking pot above playing for the University that you and I hold dear. He’d rather continue to get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time than increase our team’s chance at winning. Or more personally, he’d rather take chances around random marijuana leaves, however minuscule, than potentially increase his draft stock this spring.

There’s one thing I do know. And that is that Patrick has one game, potentially two games left at UGA. He’s moving on to the NFL regardless after this season. We can pretend that it’s to further his game and play at the next level. But the truth is that, from what we’ve witnessed, it’s more likely that he’s moving on to be able to afford a better strain of weed.

To allow him to play in the Rose Bowl is to give him a pass. He won’t learn and at best he’ll go on to be an average player that continues to put a chance to smoke weed above being a team player. At worst he puts all that above being a good man, son, dad, human being.

Sit him down and the stakes go up. He is forced to answer tougher questions. He is forced to show he can put football above his next toke on the pipe. He’s forced to re-evaluate his life decisions. He’s forced to become a man.

This isn’t a political issue. I’m not for pot legalization and I’m not against it. I’m glad the Barrow county charges were dropped because they were bullshit, to be perfectly honest. This isn’t a football issue either. Life is bigger than football. 

This is a personal issue. Kirby has a chance to help both his player and the program. What does every other player that practices hard and puts the team first learn if Natrez plays in Pasadena?

Yes, we are the new Georgia. We signed on for this and Kirby has us at the precipice of something special. But the truth is we don’t need Natrez Patrick to beat Oklahoma any more than we needed him during the games he was suspended. We can still be bigger than the issue, the lawyers, the newsprint, and the charges that #6 has brought to the spotlight.

We’re still Georgia. We can win with players that truly want to play football. And if I’m being perfectly honest, I’m not convinced Natrez Patrick really wants to play football.

Atlanta by way of Pasadena

Man, what a weekend! Two years ago today we didn’t have a coach. Yesterday we watched Kirby give an interview to Rece Davis after Georgia was seeded third in the CFB Playoffs!

What a time to be alive!

When Joe Waterloo texted me for a prediction before the SEC Championship game I went with 28-17. I knew our offensive line especially would play better than they did in the environment of Jordan Hare three weeks ago. The wild card was Kerryon Johnson. Turned out he was a shell of his former self. I’m not entirely sure he should’ve even been playing at all.

Take away their running game and Malzahn is back to being just a gimmick with no alternate game plan.

Kirby preached before and during his game interviews about “physicality” and “composure”. His team really played with his instructions in mind. We were dominated in the trenches three weeks ago, but Georgia's coaches were able to flip the script on Malzahn & Co. Saturday night. The offensive line was bulldozing jokers and the defensive front was everything we saw in other locations like Knoxville and Jacksonville earlier this season.

We knew it before Saturday, but this team is something special. Now that we've made it in I'm thoroughly looking forward to seeing how they measure up against the nation's elite.

Speaking of which, I really think the committee got it right by bringing in Alabama at #4. I didn't think they would, but it seems they saw what many of us did as well - with Ohio State you have an up and down team. Conference champion or not, on January 1st in prime time no one wants to tune in to see a re-run of Clemson obliterating the Buckeyes.

On the other hand, a rematch of last season's epic battle between the Tigers and the Tide? Yes please.

But there's a lot of time in between now and then. I'll have the 8th annual Bowl Pool up later today or tomorrow. Until then, you can keep pinching yourself until the cows come home. But this is real y'all! Go Dawgs!

via GeorgiaDogs.com

the Friday Misery is not feeling entitled

They blew up the place where your five yards short was born. So I don’t know why everyone keeps talking about it. Are you the kind of husband that gives his wife the same gift every five years? Are you wearing the same shirt today that you wore back then? Did you save the last three cups of milk from December 1st, 2012 to tailgate with tomorrow outside the Benz?

Put your History books down. The bell rang and there’s a new sheriff in town.

The Official SECCG entrance exam

Step off Trebeck! This is my show. Contestants, please remember to phrase your answers in the form of a correct answer.

1. Which number is greater, Matt Lauer’s creep factor or the number of Auburn mascots?
2. Which has a bigger mouth, Mr. Ed or Cam Newton?
   
3. Celebrity quotation: who said it? … “We beat the dog crap outta them didn’t we?” ...Gus Malzahn or Mike Vick??
4. Per capita, which city’s teenage boy population takes more cows to their high school prom, Pakistan or Opelika?
5. Greatest running back of all time….Herschel Walker...or the Goal Line Stalker? (I’m sorry, Bo who?)
6. What one item do Auburn area Costco’s and local supermarkets stock more frequently than all other items combined?
7. Is it Plainsmen or Planes’ men?
8. Eric Ramsey is to cassette tapes as Cam Newton is to _________?
9. Greater man, Vince Dooley or Pat Dye?
10. Please spell your name here —-> _____________.

Answers: 1. Ironically, Lauer by a long shot. Congrats National Broadcasting Company Creepshow. 2. Cam. But, have you ever seen the two of them in the same room? At the same time? Hmmmm…. 3. Both answers are correct! But Vick has paid for his crime. Gus, you’re next dipshit! 4. Opelika up until 2010 when there was a sudden surge in goat dates and Pakistan took the lead. 5. Yes, even the Official SECCG entrance exam has a freebie. 6. Toilet paper. What else? 7. Who gives a shit? 8. Church Steeples. Also, bagman is an acceptable answer as well. We’d also accept sleaze bag, laptop thief, panderer of attention (aka attention whore), outfit pimp, Pimp of Cheese, misogynistic asshole, whiny ass loser, eternal three year old, and of course Fairley’s shower partner. 9. Son, it ain’t how you start it’s how you finish! Patty shouldn’t even be mentioned in the same sentence as St. Vincent. 10. If yu jist rote a “X” than u cuddint git ntwo UGA. Wur dam eegle!

Comparing apples to some other apples

Of course I considered going back to re-read my post prior to the 2012 SEC Championship Game. It’s still one of my favorite Friday Miserys of all time. Honestly. So it would make sense to at least give it a cursory glance.

But as I reflected back on how I felt back then to be in that position, as well as what I thought I could remember about my words that came forth from my keyboard before that epic GA Dome battle, I realized the vast differences between then and now.

Back then I remember feeling like it was our turn, it was our time. I’d be willing to bet there is an air of “Hey, we’re due!” in that post. I was eager to see our team stand up to the nation’s darling, the straw that stirs the college football postseason drink, the mighty Saban’s minions vs our talented squad of hard working Dawgs.

Yes, I felt it was our time. In other words, I felt that 2012 team was entitled to the national title game as a reward for a hard fought season. I felt those players, and by proxy us as fans, were even destined for it.

I don’t feel entitled to anything today. Sure, that 2012 team came so very close to earning it all. Nothing was going to be handed to them on that field, on that day. We knew that going in. Alabama gave us their best effort, as expected, and the Dawgs nearly stood taller in the end. Nearly.

But despite that near euphoric moment five years ago, I don’t feel entitled to anything today. I certainly don’t think that’s Kirby’s message. In fact, I know so.

"Hey guys, I read the quarterback's eyes, broke on the route,
and this is what I earned!"

We can argue at a later date as to whether the 2017 SEC East champions are better than the 2012 SEC East champions. It’s a little too early to gauge that honestly right now, other than to say that the 2012 team had a more competitive geographic environment to do work in. But at this point in the season, I do feel it’s safe to say that this team has worked harder than any other Georgia team in recent memory.

Some of you may bristle at that last sentence, but bear with me. You have to remember that those 2012 seniors were a foundation that had grown into men together under one regime. They were a group that had been to the SEC Championship game together the year before.

This 2017 team that will vie for the SEC crown against Auburn tomorrow is in their second year under a new head coach. Some of them have had more than three different position coaches since they left high school. They finished last season with five losses.

They lost to Vandy at home. They needed a late field goal to beat Kentucky. They lost to Tech.

Georgia Tech.

And they responded in the off season by lifting more weights, by running more reps, by pushing each other even further, and by buying into what the coaches were selling even more. Then they laid absolute waste to the SEC East this year. From the end of the Georgia Tech game in Athens last year to today, this team has grown leaps and bounds.

After losing to Auburn three weeks ago Kirby said that this team will be remembered by how they respond. Well, they’ve responded by beating two lesser teams soundly. That’s resiliency.

That’s the kind of resiliency that sees its quarterback go down in the early moments of the season and says, “This is just the next obstacle.” That’s the kind of resiliency that finds a way to force a turnover late on the road against the storied Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

It’s focus in the eye of the storm. It’s taking a punch and steadying yourself instead of falling. It’s not just Georgia. It’s the new breed. It’s not preparing yourself for the professional Sundays. It’s facing the here and now with a low growl and leverage against the man in front of you.

You want more? You need more?

Well, the pressure is on Auburn. They set a bar I don’t think they can continue to clear. Their coach used his mouth to write a check that his team can’t cash. Gimmicks are cute, but just like two-ply shitpaper dangling from trees, mall Santa candy canes, and Bobby Lowder’s checkbook, they’re a dime a dozen.

The pressure is on Auburn. Compared to three weeks ago, they’re trading in roughly 40,000 fans for a nice dinner in Buckhead and what they hope will be a front row spot on Finebaum’s show. They’ll bring their Walmart jeans and anti-Bama signs/slogans/chants, still clinging to the only bowl they truly care about.

Bless their hearts. We beat our state rival and calmly boarded the buses for home. Auburn fans will still be talking about beating Alabama last week when the cows’ calves’ calves come home in 2028.

Erk telling his captain Ros the best way to GATA!

Georgia knows their mistakes. Tucker and Pittman and Chaney have taught and coached and revamped just for this moment. Bellamy and Dom and Zo didn’t come back to lose to the same plain men twice in one season. Chubb and Sony can shoulder the reins; their thighs only get heavier as the fourth quarter wears on. Then, “Oh hey there Mr. Swift! C’mon in!”

Georgia has the talent. We also have the depth. And both are rested and ready. While Bama was separating shoulders Saturday evening, Swift and Herrien and Clark and Muckle were iced and ready for Monday’s practice. Fromm, perhaps the only player to show his true composure in the fourth quarter three weeks ago, has been patiently waiting for a moment to shine on this kind of stage.

Tomorrow is time. It’s not time to go through warm-ups and stand there ready to be handed a trophy. Tomorrow is time to earn every yard, fight for every first down, challenge every ball carrier. Tomorrow is only our time if we make it our time. Kirby’s crew ain’t coming to claim what we believe is rightfully ours. He’s coming to put his players on a field for the opportunity to prove they’re worthy, prove they’re ready.

It’s “your time” if you wait in line during recess for a swing on the playground. It’s “your turn” if you have successfully traversed the queue before finally getting to ride Space Mountain at Disney World. You’re entitled to take a seat and say “WEEEE!!!!”

I don’t want a swing and Space Mountain is just turns in the dark at a high rate of speed, like an Indy 500 during a solar eclipse. I’m ready to see to the finish what these Dawgs started Labor Day weekend. Are you ready? Are you going to just stand there with your hand out, or are you going to shove it into the turf, bend your knees and get your hips set to drive through whoever, whatever is in front of you?

It's SEC Championship weekend baby! And these Dawgs weren't bred to be hunted. Now bow your heads...dear Lord, please don't let these tigersmenplaineagles hoard our Charmin over the weekend. And may our Savages run as rampant as our running backs run free. In the name of Uga V and Auburn's own four sport letterman, the late, great Erk Russell! Amen!

Clean Old Fashioned Hate - turnovers

I mentioned yesterday the importance of winning time of possession. The fact is that last year we won time of possession against Tech, although the second half was a near 50/50 split.

However, we didn’t protect the football, which is part of the reason why our defense was playing that last Tech drive with their hands on their hips in between plays. Our first three second half possessions went field goal, touchdown, field goal. But the last three went punt, interception, interception. (VIA)

The difference this season is that this team knows how to close a game. The coaches know how to make the adjustments and communicate them effectively to the players.

Plus, Georgia is a decently good +2 on the season in turnover margin, while Tech is -4. (VIA)

A lot of people are poking Tech fans over that loss last weekend to Duke. And yes, it was ugly. But it tells me Johnson will have these enginerds ready to play. There’s no game that means more to him than the last of the season.

But the reality is that we are way too talented to lose to Tech. Protect the football and keep the defense rested and it should be a fun one for us to watch.

Don’t do those things, and we should just prepare to gnash the teeth deep into the fourth quarter.

Will the biggest factor for Saturday’s game even be on the field?

The largest crowd Kentucky has played against was in Columbia when South Carolina beat lost to them 23-13 in front of 82,000. For the rest of their games they’ve played in front of an average of less than 50 thousand people.

In fact, here’s a look at the crowds they’ve faced on the road other than that loss to the Gamecocks:

- at Southern Miss, 22,761
- at Mississippi St., 58,963
- at Vanderbilt, 27, 346

The Sanford crowd was notably subpar against the Gamecocks. In the seniors’ last game between the hedges, I hope we manage to lift their spirits while crushing Kentucky’s will. If so, it could be quite a special day in Athens.

Are the fans ready to get behind the team? I think so. I’ve heard a lot of complaints about the backlash following the Auburn beat down, naturally. Many are especially upset that some took Miami’s win just as hard as our loss.

I get it, but I really think there’s a very small minority out there that can’t see that both Coach Richt and the Georgia program are better off after the split. I think most can see the results Kirby is bringing in in terms of recruiting energy and game preparation. I also think he has the leadership in him to help the team see that loss Saturday and turn it into something to build upon late.

Now, if the game were today there might still be a hangover from the plains, both with the players recovery and especially in the fans’ spirits. But I think by Saturday everyone will be ready to put that game against Auburn behind them. Nothing heals the wounds from a loss like that like getting out there and drawing first blood.

So bring the noise! And go Dawgs!

Sunday Thoughts on getting past these awful hurt feelings

Damn. Does your backside hurt as much as mine this morning?

Everything is still in front of us. Go to Atlanta and win the damn thing, all of the other stuff falls in place. So there’s that. I mean, it was kinda cool having that “#1” tag beside our name for a while and having everybody talk about us like we could do things like stop the run and block and tackle ball carriers, not to mention make half time adjustments and also remember to get the team off the actual bus with their heads on straight.

But it was also awkward if you want to know the truth,

Kirby is right, this team will be defined by how it responds to this setback. Big game left at Sanford, especially for the seniors that came back for this season. Then an in-state rivalry game that we pissed away last year. Focus on those two one at a time and let each rep, each whistle in practice motivate you.

Because yesterday was quite obviously a team loss. It wasn’t just the players and it wasn’t just the coaches. We all got beat, very handily. Regroup and refocus without the attention that comes with being the number one team in the nation.

The fact of the matter is that currently we aren’t the team we thought we were. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be yet.

I’d love to play Auburn again. I’d also love the chance to play Alabama. But right not we all just need to focus on Kentucky and beating the snot out them like we should. We need to focus on not drawing selfish penalties. We need to focus on a better game plan. And quite honestly, we need to focus on being a better home crowd than we were when the Gamecocks visited a couple weeks ago.

Because whether you like it or not...whether you are still stewing over yesterday’s debacle...we’re still in this together.

Go Dawgs!

(Now if you’ll excuse me I’d like to go back to bed...)

But is Kirby a chess master?

Bear with me here...

We've seen the program take a giant step forward. The 9-0 record speaks for itself. But there's also the following to consider: an enormous uptick in recruiting, the starting quarterback gets injured and we respond by going on the road and beat the Fighting Irish, the fact that a starting linebacker can get popped for pot hours before a road trip and it's buried at the bottom of a sports page under the NHL standings, divisional rival programs are chomping at the bit to fire their coach just to keep up with a second year head coach from Bainbridge GA.

But what's most intriguing to me here leading up to the Auburn game is that Kirby and his staff are out-coaching those across the field. Tucker's halftime adjustments are second only to his pre-game game plan. Jim Chaney has gone from an inept doof with a whistle in between buffets to a bonefied game caller that dares defenses to stop the same play he just ran just so he can show you what his freshman quarterback can do with his arm.

I understand the nervousness for this next game. Auburn is better than they were last year when they seriously considered punting on second downs in Athens because their offense was so offensively incompetent. Stidham is a vast improvement over their disaster at the quarterback position in 2016.

But it's still Malzahn. He's dangerous only when he has the tools that he took from Richt's tool belt. As much as an improvement as Stidham is I still like our defense which has proven they can cover the entire field in big games, then they throttle down and pin their ears back.

Which is why I ask the question: Kirby has shown he can play the entire coaching game, from Mama's supper table to developing entire game plans designed to suck the life out of hostile stadiums. But is he two, three, or even four moves ahead of his opposition?

In other words, we were so vanilla on defense Saturday against the Gamecocks. Was that on purpose? We didn't need to blitz in Jacksonville, but Bentley could've used some pressure in his face. He has the arm to hurt you. Was Kirby just thinking, "No, we can handle these guys with the basics. Let's save those sexy looks for when we might need it, whether that's the fourth quarter today or next week on the plains."

It's only Wednesday, but I'm thinking we match up really well against this Auburn team. I think we can generate as much if not more of a pass rush that Clemson did the second week of the season. Despite only managing two field goals in last season's game, Chaney's offense still had Eason throw for over 200, and Chubb had over 100 yards as well.

Kirby knows Auburn. Tucker knows Malzahn. And if nothing else, they are still Auburn. And we're Georgia.

Kirby said it's a work week, so...get to it!

It's not a bye week. And it's most definitely not an off week. Since this is a new mentality, luckily we have Ron Swanson to provide visual image explanations.

Yesterday. It was a good day to catch up on some
Georgia football podcasts.

Today. Hey, no one said we had to
please everybody.

Tomorrow. Take dead aim. Stay focused.

Thursday. Nutrition is important, but don't
let lunch get in the way of those reports. Multitask!

Friday. Help your coworkers keep their
morale up! Be a TEAM player!

As a bonus, Swanson also gives us a glimpse of those savages...

Keep Choppin'!!!

Rewatch notes, plus a retraction

Rewatched the Miss State game last night with the family. It made for a nice evening, so I highly recommend it if you are able. What follows are just a few notes I wanted to add to my original thoughts on the game.

The main reason I wanted to rewatch it is because that goal line stand was at the opposite end zone from where we were seated standing. And man was it even nicer to see up close on the tv screen. It was equal parts pathetic desperation on MSU's part, and sheer effort and domination for the real Dawgs. Best thing about it, those kids making plays are freshmen!

I mentioned Sunday how impressed I was with the secondary. The snaps Parrish played really showed how versatile this group can be. I think Blackledge even mentioned at one point that Aaron Davis is like a safety playing at corner. True enough as those guys hit and tackle as well as they cover.  And it's a beautiful mix of experienced older players and a lot of youth. McGhee's break up was just as awesome as JR Reed's. Very nice to see.

On Sunday I remarked on our "trouble running in between the tackles". Friend of the blog Scott suggested that I reconsider the play of the line, especially those inside offensive linemen. And true enough, Chubb had a nice gain on an inside trap. And that Sony run up the middle featured MSU's all world woman beater Simmons getting double teamed into the turf. Seriously, I think that cat is still buried there five and half feet below the surface.

Roquan.

Watching the replay and is it wrong to say that I hope Roquan Smith marries him a very fertile young lady?

Damn, son. Damn. #Dawgs

— Bernie (@BernieDawg) September 27, 2017

Seriously, that dude is everywhere. He could put the UGA Orbit buses out of business just jetting around campus during the week!

Lastly, at one point while the cameras were focused on Mullen, in the background you could see an assistant coach's hands holding a cell phone. Pan across to the other side and Scott Sinclair is pulling on Kirby's belt while everyone else is coaching. What a telling visual that could explain a lot about what we witnessed Saturday night.

Now, onto Tennessee. Because I guarantee you they'll be a LOT more focused on the game on the field. Go Dawgs!

Why there’s not a quarterback controversy in Athens

I’ve heard this topic pop up in both casual conversation as well as in formal ones in and around the media. So let’s nip this in the bud shall we?

First, the illogical opinion will be framed around concepts derived outside of the football field. People will say things like the following even though they’re not based in what’s real:
- “Well, Eason was the starter before the injury. So he should get the QB1 spot when he’s ready for action again.”
(Reality - Sorry, this is SEC football and not a five year old tee ball team. Georgia is 4-0, 1-0. Every snap must be earned, from the placeholder on field goal attempts to the quarterback.)
- “Fromm has looked like a freshman at times and that scares me.”
(Reality - Without two drops and one throwaway Saturday evening Fromm would’ve finished a perfect 11-11, 250+ yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs. What exactly about that is scary? Maybe you should watch a nice Hugh Grant romantic comedy on Saturday nights.)
- “Eason worked hard for this chance and deserves the opportunity.”
(Reality - I agree with you...but that was a month ago. We’ve won four games since Eason went down. He can work his way back and earn it again.)
(Bonus reality - Small sample size, but before he was injured Eason wasn’t exactly in sync and hitting on all cylinders. Similarly, people saying that Fromm has under performed are basing that on a small sample size. Who has the most data, experience working with both young men, and best vantage point to make the decision as to which player has earned the next snap? The coaches. Not you, and certainly not me. Kirby, Chaney, and the offensive staff are no doubt putting every effort into determining which player, 10, 11, or 12 gives us the best chance to score points.)

And that brings me to my last point. When we fired a 10 win a year coach a couple years ago we told the world we were ready to adopt a new mindset. Remember? That new mindset isn’t anything about giving a player time on the field just because it feels right or because one has another year of experience on the player behind them. It’s about winning, not about hunches and what feels like it’s just the right thing to do.

Like it or not, that’s where we are. If this mindset doesn’t get us to Atlanta this year or next I’ll be screaming for a new mindset to take over. Nothing against Eason, I hope when he’s ready he pushes Fromm to get better or pushes himself past Fromm to get the start.

Either way, it makes the team better. Go Dawgs!

the Friday Misery exposes the Irish torso

The short of it is this - Y'all, they ain't ready.

Of course I'm referring to Notre Dame, its fans, its town, its campus, and most of all its tackle football team.

Santa! Hey Santa!! SANTA!! Hey!

Their coach is on the hot seat, and someone just adjusted the flame so that's it's just a bit hotter. He's the kind of coach that addresses his team's failures by firing assistants and coordinators. Yes, Brian Kelly is trash.

Their history is as storied as it is ancient and irrelevant. At least to the game tomorrow night. Parseghian, Rockne, Leahy...they ain't walking through that tunnel. The Four Horsemen will have zero yards rushing and Joe Montana will attempt as many passes as my dog.

The Notre Dame of today can't even stand in its own History's shadow. They're nothing and they're on a map to becoming even less. They beat Miami last year, but lost to Duke at home. They managed just a field goal against NC State and blamed Mother Nature.

That's what storied programs do when they fail, they shift blame and try to distract you by pointing to all the Heismans in the trophy cases. The truth is that the "fighting Irish" have been just a squad of vegan yoga posers since before George O'Leary faxed that resume.

Georgia, on the other hand, is here and now. Kirby has zero F's to give.

While Kelly is drafting a gameplan for another losing side of the press conference where he points to turnovers, or special teams, or the fact that their water boy just switched from boxers to briefs, Coach Smart knows this is the kind of game that is won in the trenches.

Yes, their offensive line is large in size and stature. But they are even less of a match for Trent Thompson than they are for our defense's speed.

Quick, close your eyes and imagine Roquan Smith running around a big tree. One of those big south Georgia oaks. Now put a clock on him and see how long it takes him to get past that statuesque yet stationary massive growth. Two seconds? Less?

That's Smith and anyone else on Coach Tucker's three deep tracking the ball tomorrow night. Size is cool, but speed is sexy. And any and every Dawg fan will tell you that Saturday nights are made for sexy.

Other side of the ball is no different really. Both teams want to run. People have been telling me all week how many yards their running backs had against Temple. Okay, the same Owls that replaced half their defense from last season?

"But Bernie, Josh Jones is 6'2" and 225!"
"So? Jalen Hurd was 6-3 and 227 last season. Lemme give ya two more numbers...four and two. Put them together and that's how many yards he had in Athens."

I don't trust overly tall running backs. Too much of their torso is exposed. I bet Natrez Patrick is licking his chops.

As shown here, Hurd's torso coughing it up.

And please don't even start with me about this quarterback that set career highs as a freshman against UMass and then spent last season carrying a clipboard. Fromm stepped onto campus and was immediately the #2. If he'd've committed to Coach Kelly instead, well Wimbush would be carrying that clipboard again tomorrow night.

So gimme plenty of  Michel and Chubb, even with our offensive line that hasn't quite gelled into a consistent unit. Those Dawgs up front have their own big bodies, and I've met enough offensive linemen to know that they love nothing more than to "road grade" run block.

Let Fromm take the snap, hand it to Michel, and then let the big boys make pancakes. Huddle up, flex Michel out into the slot, then do the same thing with Chubb.

Rinse. Repeat.

Yes, there will be punts and it will be a field position game at the start. But just pace yourself and don't lose hope. Because I just know in my heart that those part-time ACC bodies can't handle 60 minutes of SEC football. If their admins and powers-that-be can't fully commit to a conference, no way their players can commit to taking a hit snap after snap.

These Irish want a "fight", well we've got fly, welter, middle, and plenty of heavy weights. But we ain't lacing up no gloves Coach Kelly. So tell your boys to strap those pretty yellow helmets on tight.

Now, please bow your heads...Dear Lord, please tell me who this Rudy guy is? I can't find him on any college football statistical website or reference book. Just a picture of the dude from Lord of the Rings. Supposed to be some tie between him, Georgia Tech and Notre Dame, so maybe he was O'Leary's agent, but I'm at a loss as to why I should even care. And please shove Irma back out to sea,. Shove her so far that South Bend IN is the only locale in the USA needing FEMA on Sunday.

Amen, and Go Dawgs!

Sunday thoughts on my God all those freshmen!

I mean, at one point Fromm tried to throw the ball away and Swift caught the damn ball with one hand.

Jeebus.

If you are a freshman and attended the game last night, chances are you saw the field with your mouthpiece in place.

Of course, the biggest question for the season was where Jake Fromm actually and truly was on the QB depth chart. Unfortunately that was answered quickly as Eason left the game with a knee injury in the first quarter. Fortunately, the true freshman did better at footballing as an 18 year old than I did at attending Poly Sci back in 1989.

Seriously, that kid has a set of stones and delivered exactly what we wanted - a decisive victory. Good bye Nichols State, hello App State hillbillies. Kudos to Kirby and his staff, because that's exactly what you want to see from a game where you're paying the opponent seven figures to travel.

Beat. Them. Down.

But truly, the night belonged to the defense. And Tucker's squad had plenty of its own kids making plays. LeCounte and transfer JR Reed came up big. And clearly Trent Thompson is still a bad mutha. Dom Sanders and Roquan Smith did all they could to earn the shut out.

Just a great opener to be honest. I don't know how you could be disappointed. And let me be clear, if you're bitching today about a third string QB throwing picks when he hadn't had anymore reps under center than I had in August, you need professional help.

Now we wait to see how long Eason is out. I would expect he won't be ready for the golden domers next Saturday. So we march on...trusting the youth on the bench.

Go Dawgs!

Cleaning out some off season clutter

Before we get to truly preparing ourselves for the Mountaineers (App State is the Mountaineers, right?) there's a few things I want to clear off the desk so that we can truly focus on football.

A brief Q&A. Yes, I do actually remember the password to this little blog thing. How 'bout that!

No, I did not spend the off season at at the "spa" with Nurse Ratched.

Yes, I will be around more frequently so that we can do all of the gnashing of teeth, fist bumping, high-fiving, commiserating, and crying together, as well as share a drink or three.

No, Jim Cheney still won't answer my calls. So I have no idea how good our offense will be.

Yes, I'm hopeful.

No, not overly so.

At least I don't think so.

BBQ. I'm done tweeting about this, and in a moment I'll be done typing about it. Does it make a huge impact on gameday experience that Dreamland is now contracted by Aramark to provide food for Sanford's visitors? No, and I agree this development has garnered way, WAY too much noise. But that's just the problem, it's a small decision that is indicative of a dangerous separation between Butts-Mehre leadership and us, the fans. It's just the Athens-native in me I guess, support local businesses. Or at least make them say no before you call a business on Central time.

Did Kirby's shiny IPF put a blindfold over CMR's "Eye on the Sky"? I do not miss the team having to travel all the way to Flowery Branch to practice football. I do kind of miss Richt talking about the weather some though. Storm clouds in August and hot chocolate in November..ah, good times. Friend of the blog Robert likes to remind me of my staunch opposition to building that thing. And no, I'd rather the team not use it unless it can be filed under "Drastic Measures Taken". But I have to say, I have no issue with how Kirby has managed practices thus far. I've said before he has always struck me as someone who would have the team's overall development at heart when making decisions about whether to head indoors and make 'em grind it out in the actual true-game elements.

Ole Miss. Holy sh*t what a mess. Whether it's mascot changes or bucking the system, you gotta admit those Oxford Grovers go all in. Like you, I'm still spending a little too much time grinning at the fall that Freeze is taking. Man that SOB has had it coming!

One day I swear I'll get more in line with feeling sorry for the true victims, the players, the Freeze family and the Ole Miss fans. But probably not tomorrow and Wednesday ain't looking good either.

I asked, Siri answered. The more you know... The news caught me by surprise, so:

“Siri when did uf start literally suspending tackle footballers?“

“Bernie, this afternoon. Have a great evening!”#anotherreasongatorssuck

— Bernie (@BernieDawg) August 13, 2017

Have a great week y'all. Go Dawgs!

"...somewhat impressive track record..."

So somewhat in fact that it wasn't enough for Kirby to grant Rodrigo a scholarship.

This whole thing just doesn't sit right with me. And I'll openly admit that there was a time when I might have felt differently, like the kicker had done enough to earn a full ride. But right now, not so much.

Maybe that's because he seemed to have a season that was too up and down to devote a scholarship at this point. Or maybe it's more to do with the fact that I understand this is the New Georgia Way and we must trust Kirby to run things.

Probably a good mixture of both actually.

What I do know is that I believe the elder Blankenship may have answered his own question when he added the adverb "somewhat" to his description of his son's season. Sure, Rodrigo helped win the game in Lexington back in November, kicking four field goals including the game winner. He made 77% of his attempts this past season, good for 6th in the conference. For a redshirt freshman I would mark that as something to (hopefully) build upon.

But what really puts the "somewhat" in front of the "impressive track record" for me is the 36% touchback number. Granted, special teams overall were not good this season so maybe that's just par for the course of having a special teams coach (heyoo! did I just type that?!?)

However, when a young coach is building a program and is heading into year two, I would imagine he'd have to remove the "somewhat" and at least be able to put a "damn" or two in there before he'd give up a precious scholarship.

Especially considering the run Kirby and Krew are on lately in getting top tier talent to either commit, visit, or both.

And one last thought...I can't help but wonder where Rodrigo himself lies. He seems pretty happy in Athens. I'm still a couple-few years from shelling out the benjamins for college tuition, so I won't completely throw Mr. Blankenship under the bus. But if Rodrigo were openly pandering for scholarship offers in other area codes (which I admit may still happen before next season), this parental email to the media to grab a few more headlines might carry a bit more weight.

For me, I hope he stays, competes, and has a great season. I know Rodrigo has worked hard. Be nice to see him carried off the field, maybe in Jacksonville. Or in Atlanta.

Go Dawgs y'all!

The 2016 season in one word

Hope.

I was prepared to have even more of it when the fourth quarter began last Saturday. The odds seemed in our favor - https://www.topauscasinos.com.au/online-pokies/ . We had a three game winning streak. But what’s more is that the team seemed to finally be in sync with the coaches and their game planning and play calling. What’s even more is that we had just dominated the third quarter against Tech; the coaches had made adjustments at halftime which had pulled us out of the 14-14 deadlock.

I still have hope. But I’d be lying if I said it didn’t take a hit walking away from Sanford Saturday afternoon.

VIA

Before the season began I was on a podcast with CorbinDawg, and Bulldog Bob asked us what we needed to see this season to reassure us for the future. For Corbin it wasn’t a record or a specific win against a specific opponent. It was a moment when it was evident the team (and by default the program as a whole) had taken a step forward. He was looking for Kirby’s stamp on the program that showed better days were ahead.

I took that nugget with me throughout the season and waited. I thought Corbin’s approach to the question was good practice given the new direction under a new coach. So it may not have been crystal clear, but I thought I caught a glimpse against Auburn. That was a team win. It was a tighten the chin strap and go get ‘em game. And they can say what they will about Auburn’s injuries or whatever else they want, but it was a dominant performance by the defense. Best online casinos Johannesburg.

And it could’ve been what propelled the team to a potential 9-4 record and plenty of momentum heading into Signing Day and Winter workouts.

But as we’ve reminded ourselves for nearly a full year now, first year head coaches come with growing pains. They come with moments of both weakness and trepidation. Which has caused a lot of people to question the decision a year ago to run Richt off. And to be clear, I think it’s a fair question. I don’t believe that Richt could’ve won the East with this team, but there’s an argument that the Tennessee, Vandy, and Tech losses might have played out to a different outcome.

It’s all fair and bipartisan analysis. But I won’t spend much time nor energy dwelling on it. Kirby is our coach. I’ve said all along that I’ll support him just as much as I did our former coach and the ones before him. The only caveat is that it comes with a hard and fast deadline. Championship games must be in the near future or it is onto the next guy. That’s just the program that we are now.

So, back to that one word. Do I still have hope? Yes. I do have hope even as the sting of Saturday’s loss strikes so many nerves. I’ve listened to the theories of Kirby playing the long game - forgoing potential immediate highs in favor of doing it his way for the future. And there’s plenty of evidence to back that theory up in game planning and even specific substitution patterns, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Kirby’s Way is one we’re forced to trust. I have hope for what’s ahead, but like many of you I’m concerned about some problems that Smart inherited, most notably our offensive line depth. And to be perfectly frank it’s talent overall. That in particular is not an easy and immediate fix. There’s no (official) free agent market in college football. And the fact is that any true freshman offensive lineman needs a year to redshirt and develop his body to the size required for this level of football. We lose two linemen to graduation, which means Pittman must develop next year’s rotation and starting five from scratch, again.

Anyway, that’s a big problem for a later date. I think the bigger struggle right now is that the season is over, and barring some huge performance in a minor bowl game, we’re left at the finish line without something definitive to grasp a hold of and say “Yes, this is going to be fun to watch again soon!”

Until then, I think I still have enough hope left.