First thought on Alabama

I know. It's so hard not to keep re-living those memories of the Rose Bowl. What an epic win! But we didn't do all that work just to rest on laurels, right?

VIA

The halftime adjustments by Tucker and Smart were what we've seen all season, just on a grander stage. My initial reflection was that Tucker got away from trying to contain Mayfield and squeeze the pocket, and used more stunts and blitzes, especially up the middle.

Well, I was partially right, as this video will show best. It's the back to back sacks on Mayfield in the third quarter that really started prove that the Sooners were going to have a tougher row to hoe in the second half.

The first sack is a coverage sack in my opinion. Tucker again uses four rushers to squeeze the pocket and by the time Mayfield tries to use his legs because there's no where to throw, Ledbetter is in his face with an easy sack.

And then...well, Tucker lets the boys loose!

Those two plays prove that, even though it may not have played out that way in the first half, Georgia had the defense to go up against this high-powered offense.

Okay, but aren't we supposed to be talking about Alabama? Yes, and that's my next point.

Jalen Hurts has a high of 16 completions in one game this season. And that was in the Sugar Bowl. We know he can hurt you with his arm, but only if you don't manage to stop the run.

Both of these defenses Monday night are going to be trying to do the same thing - stop each other's run game. And I think both are built just for that.

But I think Tucker will use similar schemes in containing Hurts that he did in the Rose Bowl's second half. He wants to contain Hurts as much as he can and force him to throw when he's uncomfortable. Stopping Harris and Scarbrough is a topic for later, because that is surely Tucker's biggest headache this week. Alabama has gained nearly a thousand more yards rushing this season than they have passing.

But games like this tend to come down to quarterback play. Hurts is a true winner, for sure. I like his style and leadership. Plus he comes up big in big moments.

But I like our guy. I think Fromm complements his offense in ways Hurts can only dream of. I just hope Tucker and those Savages can minimize Hurts' impact on the game.

Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing...Go Dawgs!

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!

Staying home.

Jazz Hands if you wanna celebrate!

Maybe not a huge surprise, but still BIG news for sure.

Big news, #DawgNation. pic.twitter.com/PBiyl4BKu2

— Georgia Bulldogs (@UGAAthletics) December 15, 2016

Go Dawgs y'all!

Patrick, Smith test negative...which is positive news for Dawg fans.

Last week's details of a search of Natrez Patrick's dorm room have been lingering in the air as the team prepares for its annual clash with Florida in Jacksonville. Both Patrick and Roquan Smith were tested after the search and the results were announced this morning.

UGA announces that LBs Roquan Smith and Natrez Patrick are NOT suspended. They are good to go for Florida. Tested negative on drug tests.

— Marc Weiszer (@marcweiszer) October 24, 2016

So, the team's leading tacklers will be in uniform and that's certainly welcome news. The players likely won't escape punishment for the circumstances leading to the search as well as the admission that a drink bottle with a hidden department was used for hiding marijuana.

But lucky for Georgia, that's a bridge to cross after the team bus rumbles down Gator Bowl Boulevard.

Around the Tailgate - Who's your breakout player for 2016?

Originally posted at BullDawg Illustrated

Michael Barnett

So we've discussed the issue at quarterback, and then yesterday we talked about the game we'd most like to win. Today we're going to see who the guys think will be 2016's breakout player.

Give me one player you think we need to watch for that could be this year's very pleasant surprise. And his last name can't have two consecutive B's in it.

Namaman: I am hoping the player(s) to watch this year will be the entire TE corps.  Still the most under-utilized position in offenses - especially UGA offenses - in recent history. Let's get back to where we have proven, NFL caliber TE's like McMichael and Watson that can help Lambert, Eason and Chubb open up things for the WR's as well.  That is one of my fondest wishes... GO DAWGS!

Robert: I want to go with Jackson Harris, but you have to assume that a lot of the tight ends are going to see playing time.  How about Michael Chigbu? Then again, Kirby said the receivers would most likely be by committee.  I still like the Chigbu pick.  He should get significantly more targets, and I expect him to have a breakout year and be the pleasant surprise.

The Wrangler: I am going on the defensive side of the ball and picking #7 Lorenzo Carter.  The defensive intensity Coach Smart has brought to UGA will motivate Carter to be the best he can be.  After a great 2014 season, he was very quiet last year.  You know he has been waiting all summer to prove that he can be the man.  Since we are breaking in a new offense, the defense will have to be solid to take some pressure off the offense.  I predict 10 sacks for Carter this year.

Smokewagon: Wow….another tough question!  Mecole Hardman is a name that I haven’t heard much in pre-season coverage.  I hope I didn’t miss a story on him being injured or otherwise not available. I admit that I have not been clicking on the blogs all summer!  Perhaps the new stealthy coaching staff is holding his explosiveness under wraps and away from the media.  If not Mecole, I would go with Charlie Woerner.  I think Nauta and Holyfield will have serious impact, but I don’t think that will be a surprise.

I agree with the Wrangler and that it will be a defensive player, and we're going to need a big man to step up on the defensive front early. So I going with a guy that I think started to come on strong there last season in Michael Barnett. I have it on very good authority that 94, although he's a nice young man, has a real mean streak on the football field. Plus he's coachable. And we have one of the best d-line coaches around in Rocker.

Thanks for joining us for this preseason primer around the tailgate. Hope you've enjoyed it, and Go Dawgs y'all!

Monday's thoughts on Georgia Southern

A day late and a dollar short, but...

- The Eagles were exactly who we thought they were. Those that thought Georgia would pull away and cover either underestimated GSU harshly or have a lot more faith in Schottenheimer than I do. (And maybe his boss as well...hmmm...)
- What a great game for our defense though. My Eagle friends were explaining to us at the tailgate how their offense is a little different than what we see from Tech. Hard argue that this wasn't a good "tune-up" for Clean Old Fashioned Hate, but glad Pruitt's guys didn't treat it that way.
- They also said that Ellison is pretty banged up after a season of wear and tear. So when GSU put Upshaw in they took some shots down field to loosen things up. I thought they had as much momentum late in the game and in overtime as we could claim. If Fritz had decided to play overtime conservative, no telling how things would have played out. They were trusting a kicker who hasn't been on the job that long. And Marshall had already missed one and banked in an extra point.
- Was especially worried when Trent Thompson didn't trot out there, but Mayes had a whale of a game in the middle. Our linebackers were free to roam most of the night and as a result we were able to hold Breida to a season low in yards.
- All in all, a decent game for Lambert. If he hits some open receivers it's probably a little easier to breath towards the end.
- Michel carries the load again. Marshall still not healthy evidently and Douglas only had two carries. If Marshall is limited at all this week I hope we use McKenzie more on those sweeps.
- Speaking of which, can that little guy throw the ball?

It was a great game. Great way for the seniors to go out and a fine evening to be in Sanford to close out the home schedule. Let's eat some turkey, get to Atlanta and then remind Tech why we own their ass.

Go Dawgs!

Picture of the night right there.

Sunday Thoughts on Eight of the last Ten

The 56th win in this series finds Carl Lawson's picture on a milk carton.

Let's start the bullets with the defense. 

- As big as the turnover margin was, the halftime adjustments put pressure on the Auburn offense and forced enticed Malzahn to panic into using Sean White and thereby disrupting some of the rhythm they had rushing the football. What Jeremy Johnson lacks in throwing the football he makes up for in scrambling and running the football. Auburn got away from that when they probably didn't have to. Especially considering White was clearly still hobbled.

- Auburn went into the locker room at the half with 161 yards rushing. They finished the game with 231. Pruitt's defense did a much better job maintaining their discipline and managing the edge later in the game. Great game by Jenkins and Floyd, which was refreshing to see.

- And hello Mr. Carter! Couple tackles and a forced fumble, not to mention a key quarterback pressure.

- Malkom Parrish! Wow. Auburn smartly avoided running to his side, so he never got a tackle. But that interception might have been part of the reason Malzahn eventually sent White in.

- Isaiah McKenzie had a big day - 4 carries for 26 yards and a touchdown, 2 catches for 16 yards, and of course the punt return that he took back for six. He wasn't the only offense on the day, but his speed and dependable hands made a huge difference.

- Maybe Schotty should drink some of Ekeler's Red Bull.

- As much frustration as I had over the short yardage shotgun situations, I thought overall Schottenheimer mixed the wildcat formations with the traditional sets effectively in the second half. He also did a better job of utilizing his weapons than he did last month.

- It was a shame Lambert didn't connect with Mitchell on some of those deep throws. I thought those were great play calls.

- It's a shame Marshall couldn't play either. Was hoping for a big day from #4.

- The offensive line had a mostly effective day. They gave Lambert time and I think it's more than fair to say giving Wynn the task of stopping Lawson was effective. The run blocking never fully sprung Michel into wide open spaces. But it's hard to tell if that's more of a function of the blocking or the fact that everyone knows we're running Sony between the tackles.

- And the third down conversion ineffectiveness continues to be a real concern. Dodged a big bullet with the face mask penalty on the lone touchdown drive.

- Speaking of the first touchdown, Mitchell continues to prove his effectiveness as a blocker.He locked that edge and McKenzie's speed did the rest.

The Fire Em ALL narrative is now harder to hear as it is starting to get drowned out by the Georgia can still win 10 games. Regardless, lot of football left. And if ten wins is to happen, this offense is going to continue to use playmakers like it did yesterday. Against Auburn it was just enough to overcome some suspect playcalling and get yet another win on the plains.

Go Dawgs!

Two keys - WLOCP edition

It's here. Time to head down to Jacksonville with a handle of bourbon and a heart full of hate.

1. Malcolm Mitchell. It'd be easy to put Bauta in as one of these, but I'm sticking with the offensive player I've felt for two weeks needs to get more touches in this game. We know what 26 can do in the passing game. If we can also use his speed to stretch the field from sideline to sideline I think that will only help against this Florida defense.
2. Linebacker play. I think our defensive line can do some work on their offensive line. So disciplined play on the edge and in the middle of the field could be the key to managing their offense between the chains. In other words, play with bad intentions. But do so as a unit of 11.

No solos today. Team effort. Let's do this!

Go Dawgs!

84's time to shine

Sure, the shoulder last season had something to do with it. But this game has to be another big reason Leonard Floyd came back for 2015.

Groo beat me to the punch (and landed it more expertly of course) with his post on containing the running game. Georgia's defense this season has underperformed in some ways, but stopping the run of late hasn't been a problem.

My guess is playing disciplined defense has been one of Pruitt's points of great emphasis this week. Just take a look at Cory's breakdown of last season's disaster and it's a clear reminder (albeit an uncomfortable one) of just how easily effective Florida's offense was.

I especially like the point he makes as to the entire defense functioning together. It's clear in some frames that we have the play defended. One guy misses a read or loses sight of the goal in front of them, and then boom...Taylor is into the secondary. Again.

Now, I don't see Florida completely trying to replicate last season's game plan Saturday. But it shouldn't matter. As Cory alludes to, the defense should be seeing those 2014 WLOCP frames in their sleep at this point. They should come in with a chip on their shoulder and play with the discipline the coaches and fans expected last season.

Back to Floyd. This game is made for him. If Jenkins is indeed back or close to 100% it only gives more for this patchwork Florida offensive line to think about. Bellamy has been huge and Floyd will have a field day disrupting running lanes outside and Harris' vision in the backfield.

Then it just becomes a question of whether our offense can control the ball, field position, and the scoreboard. That remains a mystery.

The Gamecock rewatch

Some final notes and observations after watching the televised version yesterday. Let's start the only place you can after that game, with Greyson Lambert.

The only blemish for Lambert on what really was about a perfect a day as a quarterback can have was a few wide open receivers downfield that were missed somehow. I wouldn't even mention it considered the day that Lambert had throwing the ball, except that there have been a few of these a game that he's either not seen or checked into a closer option. My analysis is that he is set on one option pre-snap most of the time (remember, he's only been on campus a couple months).

Otherwise, Lambert was a a machine. Seriously, he never made a questionable throw. Even the one incompletion was a ball thrown where the defender could not make a play on it. The Jay Rome completion was a dart that set up the first touchdown nicely. The back shoulder fade to Mitchell was reminiscent of another #11's signature throw in recent memory. And when Lambert's checks allowed some measure of a pass rush to develop, he appropriately extended the play or tucked it and ran.

In short, Lambert unequivocally shut up the doubters. I think the progressions downfield is something worth keeping an eye on as he continues to mature under quality coaching. But how can you argue against him being the starter on a team that doesn't need a world-beater? Just a smart guy that can make the throws and the handoffs alike.

Onto the bullets:
- The only blemish overall was the kick coverage. I think Morgan only had one kick that wasn't either in the endzone or near it, yet still their returner had gaping holes to choose from as he jaunted toward midfield. We're lucky Morgan was there to plug it up and wrap him up a couple times. A kick return for a touchdown could've changed the mood dramatically.
- This offensive line is a joy to watch. Blackledge and Nessler made mention of their experience. But we've had experienced lines before. These guys are road graders. I guess we'll see how good they are when Alabama comes to town, but they've been a joy to watch the first three games and I think Coach Sale deserves some kudos for how clean Lambert's jersey has been.
- Sounds like the media just caught wind of Ramsey's punt last night since it happened towards the end as the clock was draining. We noticed it in the stands but tv was busy elsewhere I guess to give it much airplay. But when the timeout is called you can clearly see Ramsey mouth to the sideline "You want me to punt it?" The stories that emerged last night mostly attributed it to giving him a live rep in preparation in case he's ever needed to punt. But...you have to think it has at least an added benefit of giving opponents something else to look at.
- And what a nice punt it was!
- Malkom Parrish is a joy to watch. He has a nose for the ball and seems to embrace run defense on the edges so much I'm not sure why teams run to his side. I know I've said that before, but it deserves repeating. I won't compare him to #4, but I have a special place in my heart for defensive backs that play physical on the edges like Champ did.
- Jenkins and Floyd get a lot of the attention (and very much deserved), but Ganus and Kimbrough are earning their own mentions in the middle. The future Mrs. Ganus must've been impressed. :)
- The flags got old, did they not? I thought this crew did as good a job as they could've when the game was getting out of hand from an emotional standpoint. And the targeting call was the right call on the field, at game speed. Then the replay officials rightly overturned it. But a few other flags were excessive or questionable at best. Especially the offsides on the pooch kick.
- On the drive back the wife turned to me and asked, "So, South Carolina is really bad right?" That's a good question and my quick answer was "Yes, yes they are." So there's a word of caution there in getting too excited. I do believe Vanderbilt is better, at least defensively. And we had the added benefit of getting the Gamecocks a week after their quarterback went down. Once that Nunez kid can add some passes to his skillset, they should be much better offensively.

Still, all in all, just a masterful game. Especially for Coach Schottenheimer and his gameplan. Georgia didn't punt until late in the third and only had to face three third downs all night. I guess if you want to pick nits you could point out we only converted one of those. But really, that would be like eating a delicious steak only to complain about the steak knife needing to be sharpened.

Vandy rewatch

In an effort to not belabor a seventeen point road win, some bullets:

- If there's ever been a better pair of sophomore running backs to grace one campus at the same time than Michel and Chubb, I'm forgetting their names as well as their vision, drive, speed, power, change of direction, blocking technique, versatility as a receiver, etc., etc...

- There was a lot made around me in the stands of Schotty continually running the ball in between the tackles. But, can we blame him? Chubb averaged nearly ten yards a carry. I'm anxious to see some pitches and counters too. However I also understand the desire not to show the Gamecocks anything more than we need to. And Saturday there was no need to.

- Hope the tight ends can get more involved going forward. They were targeted a few times and both Blazevich and Harris had nice catches. The more yards our running backs get they more those guys should be able to find some open space.

- The offensive line played better against the Commodores than they did against ULM.

- Remember when so much was made about freshmen receivers not seeing the field until they could block? Yeh, thankfully those days are gone. Godwin may not be very big, but he got in the way of at least three Vanderbilt defensive backs on Michel's long touchdown run.

- The wife and I nearly threw up watching the officials get paychecks for absolutely no reason. Seriously, how hard is to see Leonard Floyd's helmet being wrenched in unnatural directions?

- But she took some measure of solace seeing Richt mouth the words "That's targeting!!" when they vaulted over the line to tackle Lambert before the snap. Because she had yelled the same thing from the stands Saturday.

- I felt good not great about the defense walking away Saturday. For all the quarterback pressure and tackles for loss and interceptions, we gave up a lot of dinks and dunks. Rewatching it I feel about the same. They set their jaws in the red zone and the first string (if there is such a thing under Pruitt) did not give up a touchdown. But I keep asking myself How much of that is Vandy's offensive ineptitude?

- Not sure why teams run to Malkom Parrish's side. He's good in pass defense. He's great in meeting the ball carrier at the point of attack.

- Easy to see why Mama Jenkins was saying her son Jordan's game was good but could've been better. His momentary shock at not getting blocked (at all!) on a couple plays meant the ball carrier only lost two yards instead of three.

- Semi-sarcasm aside, if Lambert can take his offensive line out for ice cream, Floyd and Jenkins can take Mayes and Co. out for steaks and mashed potatoes and pork loins and macaroni and cheese.

- Can Collin Barber kick field goals too? I'm not joking when I say that if it weren't for Chubb, Barber would be the team MVP to this point. As we struggle to find answers at quarterback, we're going to need 32 to keep his game at this level. At some point the South Carolina or Alabama or Tennessee or Missouri games are going to drop down into field position games...much like the first quarter in Nashville.

- Davis took the blame for the uncovered pooch kick. All I'll add is that was awfully generous of him.

I'll have a post on the quarterback situation later in the week, so I'm not going to say much else about Lambert on Saturday. I understand the nervousness fans have watching him work through his progressions (although honestly, there were many times he was only watching one receiver). but I do think too much is being made about his 0-fer first half. There were some drops in there that could've been big plays and given Lambert some much needed confidence early on.

In a nutshell, weird things happen in Vanderbilt Stadium. And sometimes that includes 17 point wins that light up message boreds.

Tailgate Roundtable - filling the gap on the defensive side of the ball

Day four also tackles some shoes that need to be filled. This time from the other side...

Similarly, on the defensive side of the ball a lot of tackles need to be replaced now that Ramik Wilson and Amarlo Herrera are gone. Who do you see stepping up to drag opposing ball carriers down? 

AHD - Thompson,Floyd,Carter, Jenkins, plenty of talent!

Robert - Jordan Jenkins, Lorenzo Carter, and Leonard Floyd are all studs.  They can all throw opposing ball carriers around like rag dolls.

BDB - Hearing great things about Thompson already. Don't think he stacks up a bunch of tackles in the stat line, but if he can plug the middle the way we need then those guys behind and around him stand to gain from the fruits of his labor.

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

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.

Georgia-Auburn rewatch: the defense

They are the story of the game. Because we figured we'd be able to move the ball on Auburn's defense. It really was just a matter of how much Bobo was tempted to throw the ball. But the defense was the same question mark going into this game that it has been all season.

And boy did they provide a definitive and resounding answer.

I sure sang the praises of the linebackers on Sunday, deservedly so. And much is being made of Pruitt utilizing Floyd at the nickel so he could have both him and Carter on the field at the same time. But looking over the game again it really shows how much work Mike Thornton and Ray Drew did in the trenches. As Richt said, it allowed Herrera and Wilson to "clean up". And with Thornton and Drew (as well as Bailey, Johnson and Dawson when they were in the game) standing their ground, the linebackers went to work. They were attacking the ball like they were back in October's road trip to Columbia and Little Rock. That road trip produced their best six quarters to date under Pruitt's new defense. Saturday produced it's first complete complete game since then.

In the secondary, Auburn did its fair share of testing Georgia on intermediate and deep routes. Marshall threw some into tight coverage and his receivers made some tough catches. Pruitt's d-backs made them earn it. Uzomah was targeted early and often. But the tight end never broke free on any crossing routes which Auburn likes to run on occasion. In the past those have killed us. Not Saturday.

I didn't realize until rewatching it just how much freshman Malkom Parrish played. He looked good out there. But really, the whole defense looked spectacular. And it really started with energy towards the ball; wherever it went there were red jerseys in hot pursuit. Disciplined and determined defensive football. That was a joy to watch again.

It's been something we've touched on here and there this season, and it's definitely going to get more and more attention as we transition slowly into Pruitt's second season, but the way he and his defensive staff shuffle in players is so nice to see. More importantly, as Tanner mentioned while tailgating Saturday, there's not a huge dropoff when Davin Bellamy or Reggie Carter or Sterling Bailey comes into the game.

And that speaks to coaching. These guys are being taught well. I know we're all still frustrated by the way the defense performed against Florida. And we should be. But there are sure signs to be excited about this defense. The consistency week to week will come. Saturday night, against a very dangerous offensive team with loads of speed and talent, was a big step.

Sunday's Thoughts on Wow. Just wow.

Not many people saw that coming. But some of us could feel that coming. The general and seemingly safe consensus was this edition of the Georgia-Auburn series would be a back and forth slugfest. But as the week wore on there was this feeling in my gut that the Dawgs could finally put together a complete and thorough game.

But boy, it was really nice to see it play out before my eyes.

- The crowd was fantastic. After a week of wardrobing back and forth, the stadium looked amazing and the fans really brought their complete A game too. The temperatures didn't alter the enthusiasm one bit.
- (I do have one gripe about the piped in sound, but I'm going to save that for tomorrow so we savor this completely and thoroughly.)
- And Pruitt's boys brought their A game as well. The linebackers played fast and disciplined, a stark contrast to two weeks ago. Herrera and Wilson were everywhere and Floyd seemed to respond well to the week off with four tackles and a sack. Jenkins was his usual disruptive in the backfield self. Just dominating.
- Marshall running the ball was really what scared me going in. I could imagine times where we had everything covered but he alluded one defender and gashed us repeatedly. But that never happened. The defense held him to 41 yards, well below his season average.
- A lot is being made about the tailbacks, deservedly. But my offensive points start with Hutson Mason. That guy came to play. The receivers didn't have their best collective effort. But Nama and I kept remarking at how spot on his passes looked. He and Bobo challenged Auburn deep and Mason put it on the money. Even though many of the pass plays didn't pan out, it really set the tone for the game Auburn's defense was faced with from the outset.
- And then Chubb and Gurley went to work. 290 yards later the Tigers' defense was reduced to rubble. The offensive line continues to get better each week and even when the run play was stuffed up, the pile moved forward and not backward.
- Chubb passes the 1000 yard mark for the season. And he's done that with just five starts now...as a freshman. Safe to say his Heisman campaign for 2015 has officially kicked off now?
- A little anxious about Gurley's injury, but he appeared fine walking off the field and from what I could see afterwards. We should know more later today after Richt's teleconference.
- And I admit I was little surprised to see Gurley get so much work. He had 29 carries, showing little signs of fatigue as the game wore on. But his 146 yards helped him pass Garrison Hearst in career rushing yards. Considering how much time he's missed for various reasons that's just impressive. He'll officially end his career as the second best all time in Georgia history, right where he belongs.
- Perhaps the biggest key to the game was the way the team responded to two huge special teams plays being called back. Raise your hand if you can remember a time when that sort of thing would've crushed a Georgia team's emotions. Simply an outstanding job by the coaches to keep the team focused and executing the game plan.
- And another tip of the cap to the coaches for using that time out on fourth and one to come up with a play and the stones to get the first down instead of a field goal attempt. The result, a touchdown.

There's so much more. I'm looking forward to watching the replay at some point today (while in a much warmer environment) to relive it all again. It was an incredible win. Texas A&M didn't put the cherry on the top for us, but it was sweet nonetheless.

Go Dawgs!

Closing thoughts on 'Tucky

Had a chance to rewatch the game yesterday and really felt compelled to go into great detail about how dominant an effort it was Saturday in Commonwealth. But that would be too much I suppose. Still, there's a couple things I think I should add some weight to after seeing the game on television.

First, let's take a moment to give Sony Michel some credit. I suspected he'd make the trip to Lexington just due to the running back depth chart. But I didn't expect he'd get more than a few snaps just to test out the legs after missing a few weeks. But man, that kid came to play and barreled into a group of defenders right from the start. I saw many comments about the freshman possibly being "fragile" after his shoulder injury so early in his career. After Saturday it's safe to say the guy isn't going to shy away from contact. Impressive day for Michel.

Almost as impressive as Carter's coming out party. Leonard Floyd should feel some pressure now for sure. There were rumblings of a shoulder issue being the reason Lorenzo Carter started and played so much. I think it's clear Carter is close to passing if not having already passed Floyd in terms of what Coaches Sherrer and Pruitt want to see from the "Sam". They're currently listed as co-starters. Against a team as good at running the ball as Auburn is, and after Carter played so well against the Wildcats, I'd be surprised if we don't see more and more out of this week's SEC D-lineman of the Week.

Lastly, the play I rewound and rewatched the most was the kick coverage team trying to corral that (non) fumble. Marshall Morgan really, really wanted that ball y'all.

"He's got more blitzes than I can count."

Nice piece by Emerson here on the marriage of Coach Pruitt's scheme and the load of talent Coach Sherrer has at outside linebacker.

Georgia has 11 sacks this year, tied for 30th nationally for sacks per game and tied for fourth in the SEC. But that’s only part of the story. The NCAA doesn’t track quarterback pressures, but Georgia credits itself with 52 this season, easily on pace to eclipse last year’s total of 109.

Jenkins (nine) and Floyd (seven) lead the way, but perhaps most tantalizing is that Carter has six in more limited playing time.

That's quite a wrecking crew, and it's no wonder Pruitt tries to get them on the field at the same time. Speed rushers with long arms and bad intentions.

Those pressures are almost as good as a sack. Jenkins opined that defenders need to be about a yard away from the quarterback to effect the throw.

“Getting him to where he’s not able to step through his throws. That’s a minimum thing we want to accomplish,” Jenkins said. “But really affecting the quarterback, we want to mess with his head, is getting him on the ground. Because if I were a quarterback, I know I’d hate getting up play after play after play.”

Against Tennessee, Jenkins was credited with six pressures but just one sack.

“I think I counted five hits on the quarterback where he threw the ball at the last second,” Jenkins said. “And really after the first time that’s when I said, ‘All right I’m gonna punish him for throwing that ball.’ ”

And they're all licking their chops thinking about getting after Vandy's young quarterback this Saturday.

New faces we'll see tonight

It's time. As I aim the truck east, let's take a moment to introduce ourselves to some of the new players we'll see tonight.

• Lorenzo Carter. Definitely will see some snaps at OLB. Which is impressive since all we've heard are good things about Jordan Jenkins and Leonard Floyd as well.

• Isaiah McKenzie. Really sounds like Richt will pull the trigger on letting us see what all the return game hub-bub has been about.

• Dominick Sanders. Look for him in nickel sets in the "star" position.

• Nick Chubb. Can he block on passing downs? Do we have specific sets designed for his skills? Does it even matter?

• Sony Michel. More likely to see him on kick returns, but could also see him in the backfield as well, where he's been neck and neck with fellow freshman Chubb.

• Shattle Fenteng. A local kid returns after going away to junior college, and should play in the secondary.

• Rico Johnson. True freshman that came to Athens via the prep school route and he has evidently been very steady for Coach Pruitt in camp.

Others to look for who might come into the game under special circumstances: Dyson Sims (77, OL) and Isaiah Wynn (55, OL) have had good camps; has Jeb Lazevich (83) impressed enough at TE, or are there enough injury concerns for Rome and Jordan Davis?; Malkom Parrish (14) is another DB we might see.

Other than those, who'd I miss that ou expect to see tonight?

The Ramik Wilson situation

This has been building for some time. Really ever since Wilson missed his first practice with a concussion. Richt hinted at it. Ekeler hinted at it. And yesterday it became official - Wilson is an All-SEC linebacker, but is second string on his own team.

Of course, "official" is a strong word when it comes to pre-season depth charts. My guess is Pruitt told the Sports Information desk that he didn't have anyone worthy of a depth chart, much less his first team.

But I digress. Back to Wilson, I believe he ends up starting Saturday night. I think he's being pushed by his coaches as well as by the younger guys behind him. The line of people wanting to see more of a rotation at inside linebacker last season was a long one, and it started with Coach Richt. Most likely, guys like Kimbrough and Carter and Rankin have been showing progress since last summer. In the last couple weeks apparently, they caught up to last season's leader in tackles.

The spin is that Wilson has slipped, that he's overrated considering the attention he's garnered lately. But the truth is his coaches believe in him. He went to SEC Media Days. He's been around to see plenty of live action. He's experienced. This latest development is just another testament to the fact that this August is different than last August. Now, all players must earn their snaps. And in the end, everything will work out. The defensive coordinator will substitute exponentially more than last season. That spells progress if you ask me.

Besides, when it comes time to truly tee it up and buckle that chin strap, Wilson has something those other guys don't...