the Friday Misery drops the dime on Nickels State

Look, it’s been a busy work week and I kind of slacked off on Labor Day and then I had to cut the grass and feed the dog not to mention that it’s just Nickels St. this week and also I've been following this Taylor Swift ex BF stuff and then the iPhone 7 launch is coming now so why even right?

"Wrong. Next question..." - Coach Smart

**You should resist the urge to correct me on any spelling errors you think I have made. I checked numerous sources of both the Wiki and Merriam's Webster variety, and it’s spelled Thibodaux, not Thibadeaux. You’re welcome.**

It’s nickel night at Bernie’s Dawg Blawg!

I don’t know anything about Nickels State. My lovely wife asked the other day and I recall thinking to myself, “Self, I know I’ve heard of this school before and we may have even frosted their cupcake in a previous year’s schedule. But for the life of me…”

“It’s in Thibodaux.”

Blank stare.

“Louisiana Bernie. Thibodaux LA is where Nicholls State is.”

Hmmph. Okay. That’s a long way from Wisconsin which is where my mind was drifting off to. I was then very, very intrigued.

Jump started by this basic fact I employed my internet research team with the task of finding out more general information on Nickels State as well as a half-assed scouting report of their actual tackle footballing team. What I got back from them was as startling as it was informative.

Here ya go!

• Their mascot is Kernels...of popcorn I suppose.
  

  
• They used to have a big rivalry with Texas State. But it was discontinued when Friday Night Lights went off the air.
• Speaking of popcorn and Coach Taylor, the scene(s) where he eats from a big bowl in front of the tv while Tami pours another glass of wine as she argues with their daughter Julie is a scene inspired by actual events from Bernie’s House of Estrogen™.
• ...anyway...
• Former Kernel defensive back and Orlando Predators star Bobby Felder is listed as one of Nickels’ notable alumni. Turns out he is NOT related to Bobby Boucher.
• Also Bobby Felder has zero interceptions against Jacob Eason, but has two sacks against Greyson Lambert even though they never played against each other. Weird.
• Despite the salacious internet rumors to the contrary, Greg McGarity is NOT giving Nickels State head coach Tim Rebowe a box of condoms in return for driving his team from Thibodaux to Athens.
• Turns out in Thibodaux they spell kernels like this - C O L O N E L S.
• Also weird.

Anyway, if you have additional factoids that my crackpot staff missed, please add them below in the form of comments. Especially if you are a Nickels State grad, we’d love to hear more about the popcorn in Thibodaux. Also, why not Thibadeaux? Or even Tibbado?

Saturday afternoon’s alright for fighting, get a little action in.

After tomorrow of course it’s two road games. I may not know jack squat about the Colonels but I do know they’re our tune up game sandwiched between a difficult opener and conference road play. We need to answer some questions and Chubb needs to run for 222 while wrapped in Grandma’s quilts. All of Grandma’s quilts.

Well, he doesn’t have to. But it’d be nice.

Seriously, the coaches need some answers and they’ll be using film from this game to help make important decisions before boarding the plane for ColaWest. Who can give us some pass rush besides Zo? Can Eason pick apart FCS talent using all of the field between the boundaries? How dominant can the 1-2 punch of Herrien and Holyfield be? Can we disguise Kevin Butler somehow and get him on the field?

Will Sanford’s plumbing survive the first tailgate of the season?

Meanwhile, we need to do our part. Noon kickoff against a cupcake in the home opener...that’s usually enough excitement to barely get some of y’all out of bed. But remember #93Kday? Kirby challenged us and we set the bar high. You can’t go from filling the rafters for a scrimmage to showing up late for a scrimmage that actually counts.

No lolly-gagging. No casually watching whilst sitting on one’s hands. No bitching. And absolutely no moaning.

Sanford Stadium noise'll make ya JUMP JUMP!!

We need to match Kirbs’ energy. We need to pump these guys up! We don’t want to go through the motions when we can be the emotion! Get loud! Kirby’s come home! The team fought their ass off last week. They deserve to be lauded with 100 decibel praise and as often as we can physically manage.

Together we can achieve all things. Sure, no national pundit will care on Sunday that we beat a team from Thibodaux Louisiana. But those players will know next week just how much you cared from your seat tomorrow afternoon. They’ll remember as they get ready for Missouri and Ole Miss and Tennessee. They’ll remember, so let’s give them something to believe in.

It’s Saturday. In Athens. Finally!

Now, please bow your heads...Dear sweet baby Jesus, keep those concession lines short and let those Hokies finish the job that Appy State started. Amen!

Back in the saddle again..

First off, I apologize to my regular reader for any confusion. You can now continue to enjoy all of my incoherent and otherwise ridiculous ramblings here at BerniesDawgBlawg dot Com. After testing the water over yonder I've decided that it's best for me and also you that I just post my words here from here on out.

Secondly, I want to thank the folks at BullDawg Illustrated for the opportunity to write for them. It was a real honor and I don't type that lightly. They're great Dawg fans and give the rest of us content each and every day through a loyalty to the University of Georgia that I both respect and admire.

Over the next few days I'll bring the posts I had there over here. You know, for posterity. And from there I'll continue to post here as often as Life allows me. Regardless, you can expect the usual Friday post before big games as well as some post game thoughts most weeks. If I've failed to address a question you might have, please feel to comment and/or email me at berniedawg at gmail dot com.

And hey, Go Dawgs!

Sunday Thoughts on Kirby being ChubbStrong!

The philosophical questions is "Do we win that game with Mark Richt?"

I withdrew failing from my only philosophy course...so, who cares? We won, And it was spectacular! Congrats to Coach Smart, his staff, the fans, and especially all the players. Great start to the 2016 season!

Other thoughts:
- We knew Chubb was a grown ass man. Now we know he's a recently reconstructed grown ass man.
- Credit North Carolina for being prepared to make Eason be the man. Noticeable difference in their defensive approach when Lambert was in versus when Eason was in.
- Kirby and Chaney saw that and trusted the kid. And that's why we won. That last hole Chubb created wouldn't have been there in the first quarter.
- And I think I'd spend the next week making both 10 and 11 even more confident in practice. Going to need them both in Oxford and possibly in Cola West the week before.
- Which brings me to my main point. I thought Eason should've started. Mentioned that back in May. At the time I had the big picture in mind. What I lacked was the expertise to make the best decision for the team. The coaches know 10 isn't ready for the full meal. They knew he was ready for chunks and they put him in when it helped the team. When they needed Lambert they put him in because he can run the late half offense better.

And you know what? It worked, they were right. I was wrong. If Eason starts that game we probably don't win. He either makes an insecure throw down the middle for an INT (which is what he did in the scrimmages and what they had him avoid last night) or he fails to read something because he's carrying the full load. Instead Chaney, Smart, the sweet Lord baby Jesus...whoever...knew a better way to balance the load in the huddle while also finding a way to beat a ranked team in the Dome in game one.

I love it. That's on Smart because he's the head honcho now. You have to feel good about the direction of the program. In January and February we knew that he could recruit. Now we know he and his staff can also win a big game, even when we're down late and need to make plays to come back.

- Again, I love it. Let me pour one more victory bourbon and then come back and hit a few more points...

......

.....

- SLURP!
- My God where is our pass rush? Was texting with SmokeWagon during the game because we both were like WTF man? Coach Rocker isn't going to eat a Mrs. Rocker home cooked meal for the next several days because he's gonna be full up on the ass that he's chewing.
- Am I wrong? Is UNC's offensive line that much better than expected? I don't think so. I think we need some hungry hearts in there that have bad intentions and speed around the edge.
- Holy crap Maurice Smith!! If Chubb doesn't break that long last run to seal the baby blues' fate, then I think #2 is right there in the running for player of the game. Now we know now why Saban had such a hard on for keeping the kid.

Man crush...

- And the real significant point to make is that in the second half, that was about as talented a wide receiver core as we'll face.
- Someone comment below with an update to Isaiah Wynn. I'm already worried about our offensive line depth. I mean, even more worried than I was before this game.
- Did the second FG attempt sway Ham's confidence after the first one? Even the made field goal seemed to have a low trajectory. Then again I needed a tutor in Geometry. So...
- Can I say any more words about 27? It really seems I need to, but then again you already know. He's a magnificent beast who gives us yards, hope, touchdowns, and Glory. I remember when he was a freshman. I will miss him when he's gone. I will cherish his every carry. Always. Forever.
- I promise. Promise!
- How do you feel about the defense? I think I feel okay as long as Coach Rocker doesn't kill every defensive lineman with his glare on Monday.
- And how do you feel about special teams? So much is going to be written this week about the offense. But if we are to build on what happened last night then we're going to have to be consistent in our holds, kicks, catches, and assignments on special teams. Not sure that I saw enough last night to make me feel absolutely 100% confident.

But I did see enough to make me confident in the future. It's time to hunker down and give our schedule an ear full. Go Dawgs!

the Friday Misery is cocaine, cheese, and baby blue free y'all!

Yes, we’re back. New era. Newly constructed knee. Newly constructed quarterback controversy. Newly invented SEC East favorite Tenersee VLOLS!! Newly prepped tailgate gear. New gameday wear. New pitcher of kool-aid, and a new pitcher of reality tonic. New blackout date set! And fresh tots for your lunchroom plate!

But, of course, it's the same old Misery.

Carolina history lesson, the crib notes version: Follow these directions for me real quick: open up your Google machine thingiemadoohickie and type these words into the search bar - north carolina football traditions. (now, be sure and add the “north” to the beginning of your search or else you gonna step right into some chickenshit that we’ll save for later in October.) Okay, now click on the first link which as of the typing of this post was a 247Sports “article” outlining the Tarheels’ top five football traditions. Now, let’s dive in!

1. At first the Tarheels’  own “4th Quarter Hype” reads similar to our Krypton Fanfare to start the fourth quarter. But then you get here…”Everyone then moves their arms back and forth, almost like a Seminole chop, signifying the end for the opposition.” Wait, so one of your top five traditions can only be described by mentioning one of your conference rivals? Uh, that’s just too cute baby blues! Then this... “The video board shows highlights of the team. It is impossible to not get excited.” Okay, try me.
2. This next one uses their video board again, but this time to remind fans and opposing visitors of all the past Tarheel greats…”Fans love seeing the faces of some of the all-time Carolina greats such as Jeff Saturday, Julius Peppers, T.J. Yates, and Giovanni Bernard.” Excuse me, but wasn’t Lawrence Taylor a Tarheel?

Awww hell...

Okay, enough of that exercise. Here’s what we know as fact: they once had a coach with a cool name like Carl Torbush. That’s a tackle football coaching name right there. Say it with me...Carl TORbush! If your coach is named TORbush you tackle a damn ball carrier to the ground or you don’t bother going back to the sideline for fear of the TORBUSH WRATH.

But UNC fired him and replaced him with a guy that has a baseball coach’s name - John Bunting. There is absolutely NO goddamn bunting in football. None. The equivalent of bunting in football is punting...from the 30...your OWN damn thirty. That’s just weak. Very extremely weak. Very.

And now they wear a fedora. He's the one that has that cute new fangled offense with the pretty pass protection and the quick screens. Buncha gus bus finesse bullshit if you ask me.

Which is why we run the damn ball. Look it, this norcareliner defense is like a colander. And not the one made of iron that weighed twenty-eight pounds and your grandma used for forty years through both the Great Depression to drain navy beans as well as through the second World War to make the neighbors a warm, home-cooked meal while the men were off shooting goddamn Nazis out of the sky. No this is a colander you buy at a Dollar Store and you get change back and then it melts because the water is too hot and it’s made of plastic. Very, very thin plastic.

Yep, there are holes all through it. Both the small holes that were there when it was manufactured as well as larger ones that are the result of shitty coaching by grown men wearing baby blue pants with matching baby blue blouses. And they refer to their clothes as outfits. Yes...outfits. So effin' cute!

Whatever helps you get through your miserable day cupcake.

So for us it’s not rocket surgery. You hand the ball off and chew that clock and wear their sorry Zinfandel ass out before the end of the first half.

Home...away from actual home. No Athens tomorrow. Sorry. We’ll have to wait another week. But we ain’t going far; this is still SEC country. Forget that the game is played in Tech’s backyard. The last time we lost to those pansies in Atlanta I was still in school and George Bush was president...yes, Daddy Georgia Bush. Because NO! As a matter of fact I don’t recognize that “loss” in 1999 because Jasper’s knee was down goddammit! Between the moment his knee hit the turf and that Al Ford bastard blew his disdainful whistle George O’Leary had time to add three bullet points and two more degrees to his resume.

Yet I digress...

"Why can't our power forward tackle 27??"

This is the landscape where basketball remains a backdrop until January, dammit! Football is our hard tack and bourbon is what forces it down the gullet. Meanwhile in Chapel Hill…

“Oh dear Percival. I must say these Georgia Bulldogs are rather braggadocious with their barking and other animalistic behaviors that I’ll spare mention of in front of our better halves. Would you like that I procure another pound of Beaufort D’ete for our pregame table? Nothing charges the ole gridiron battery like a gruyere and a mellow merlot for good measure! I say!!”

WTF? Seriously. What. The. F**k? Look, I know about as much about french cheese as I do UNC’s African and Afro-American Studies Program. Which is to say if I could throw a ball in Chapel Hill I could get an A in the course. And to be fair, I didn’t know Jim Harrick Jr. had the credentials to teach the subject. But I do know that you can’t let these sissyass-britches come up in here and pretend to be superior when they’ve been handing out A’s for decades to point guards and wide receivers that are now selling Toyota Carollas all the way from Raleigh to Wilmington.

But that’s none of my business because the NCAA certainly isn’t interested...

Instead we need to set our own table. And the perfectly blunt assessment after an entire offseason is this table is a GOTdamn mess. Most of y’all wanted to start the meal with a fork and the rest feel safer with a knife. That’s all fine and good except you seem to have forgotten that YOU WILL EAT THIS GODDAMN MEAL THE WAY THAT COACH KIRBY SMART TELLS YOU TO!

I don’t care if he puts my old English 102 professor in the first huddle tomorrow. Yes, the fancy dude with the starched pinstripe button down and the matching navy sweater with the sleeves cuffed. Yes, talk about Mr. McPrissy Britches. But you know what? Never saw him wear baby blue. Never saw him draw up some weak ass screen pass when his running back was gaining six yards a clip.

And I damn sure never saw him wear a fedora.

The point is you, me, my mailman, the guy at the office that reheats fish for lunch in the microwave, the kids’ algebra teacher, the lady in the produce section at Kroger back in March that saw your Georgia cap and decided to weigh in with her thoughts on Jacob Eason, and also the guy at the beach this summer that cornered you for a half hour next to the low tide to explain away his expertise in tackle football...none of us...NONE of us know shit.

While he's smacking a damn gator Kirbs says,"Time is short 
so I'll get right to the point...support your
team asshole. Be a team player or GTFO!!"

We’re all the same damn people that cheered with joy when we heard Schottenheimer was gone. And we’re the same damn people that nodded our heads in approval when Coach Smart hired Jim Chaney. So what’s changed? Really, what makes us think we can dictate which quarterbacker takes the field first? What makes me more qualified than an actual real life footballing coach? These guys haven’t even taken the sideline in their first game with a McG signed paycheck, yet we can’t help but second guess them like we wrote the damn book on how to wear a headset in the SEC.

“But...but Eason played so well at #93KDay Bernie!”

STFU dumbass. He also didn’t need to worry about getting his ass sacked either. Your own tired ass could complete a pass or two if you had anywhere between seven and twenty seconds to step into one.

Please. I’m sick of it. Let’s stop sniffing the Krazy Glue tube and start acting like we have just an ounce of goddamn sense. Jesus. Put down the tweeter and pick up your dignity while I stop bitching and start barking. It’s time y’all. It. Is. TIME!

No (zero, none, nada) more days left on the countdown calendar. No more hours left to pick our own damn butts.

The Tarheels are coming. We need to put a fat ass red clay stain on those baby blues. Go Damn Dawgs!

Now, let us bow our heads… Dear Lord God Almighty and your Southern Saint Lewis Grizzard, please don’t let these northerners slander our grits and unsweeten our tea pitchers. Give Mr. Chubb gaping holes a’plenty and let our kickers be true. Amen.

Go Dawgs y’all!

Good night Offseason, you miserable bastard.

Originally posted at BullDawg Illustrated

Tae Crowder on the first day of fall camp (Photo: Greg Poole/Bulldawg Illustrated)

Two days. The butterflies are tumbling around in your gut and you’re all twitchy with scenarios. What if it comes down to a field goal? What if Nike replaces our uniforms again? What if Chubb misses the bus?

Of course, that last one can’t happen because he’s driving the damn thing. But before the season starts there’s a few things I’d like to deposit here so that once Saturday hits we can fully focus on actual football. Talk is soon over. The toe will meet the leather!

1.It looks like the Indoor Practice Facility will be ready for use before the (potential) bowl game (and if somehow we don’t make a bowl game this season there will be enough hand-wringing and angst to make us all want to go into an early hibernation). So I want to come clean on my record here. I’ve been against it. It’s a waste of money, except on the recruiting trail. You’ve got keep up with the Joneses to impress the 17yo’s these days.

Why am I against it? We could use the money elsewhere, most notably in upgrades to Sanford to make concession lines less daunting and to help the restrooms resemble something newer than 1970’s era urinal lanes. Yes I know the upgrades to Sanford are ongoing, but they’re way overdue. Like, YEARS! But I was also against it because I could envision a day when Richt would get talked into using it just for kicks and giggles. In other words, the IPF would become a toy of convenience for current players instead of just a recruiting enticement for future ones.

I’m not sure I see Kirby being so swayed. Granted it’s still early and we’re all getting to know him, but if we’re preparing for a road trip to Jacksonville and a weather system is preparing to move across the panhandle, I absolutely do not want to read a tweet about the team heading indoors to avoid a few sprinkles. I think Coach Smart is on the same page. But I’ll be watching.

2. Don’t be swayed by anyone trying to convince you that someone other than Jacob Eason will start Saturday. Lambert may play, but he won’t take the first huddle. Ramsey may play, but if so it would be from a punting formation.

3. Also don’t be swayed into believing what many would have you believe when they say North Carolina will be greatly improved on defense. Greatly improved for Chizik’s squad means they’re no longer in the 5th percentile stopping the run. Chubb will have a day. And so will Douglas. And so will Crowder and Herrien. And The Real Deal 2 as well if he can go.

4. Sakerlina plays tonight. Nothing like some junior varsity on a Thursday night. Gonna be nice to crack open a beer and sit out on the porch to watch Agent Muschamp's bulging carotid get 'Dored.

5. Lastly, I know I’m new here so I wanted to give you a couple days notice before my regular Friday pre-game post. It’s not for the faint of heart. I mean, if my pastor reads it he doesn’t mention it to me directly. So I take that as tacit approval as well as full absolution. And if my mom reads it I get text message that is partly a battle against her phone’s auto-correct and mostly a “Listen here boy” lecture. But at it’s roots the Friday Misery’s sole purpose is to set the table and ring the dinner bell.

Sure, a weekly reminder that it’s time to let the Big Dawg eat!

Let’s face it, we spend some of a game week packaging away the previous win or loss and the rest of it worrying about the upcoming Saturday’s matchup not to mention the tailgate plans, and tickets, and injury list, and the lawn that needs to be mowed and that meeting with your kid’s teacher and the injury list again and also whether you’ve been drinking too much coffee. So Friday needs to be spent setting our jaw and getting our minds set and focused on how much we hate the next opponent.

You’ve been warned. Don’t click on it unless the color baby blue makes you purely miserable.

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!

Around the Tailgate - Which game do you want the most?

Originally posted at BullDawg Illustrated

Sic'em Kirby Smart

There’s a Coach Smart answer to this question to make sure the team is focused on the next Saturday, and then there’s being truthful with yourself and which team you want to beat more than the others. Much more.

Yesterday we talked about the signal callers. On today’s Around the Tailgate, let’s see who is channeling their inner-Kirby and who can’t wait to gator hate!

Kirby Smart just calls you out of the blue and says to give him the one game on the schedule to circle, the one you want more than any other. (If you choose Nicholls State I'm going to need your answer as a 50K word dissertation.)

Namaman:  I am pretty sure this is a trick question, because if Kirby calls me and asks that question, he is expecting me to say THE NEXT ONE.  So I will... UNC baby. A prime-time showdown with ACC vs. SEC with us having a lot to prove once again.  (Then it will be Nicholls St...#JustSayin)

Robert: For as long as I can remember, it seems like the Florida game either puts UGA in the driver seat, eliminates UGA, or places UGA back in the race for the SEC East and a trip to Atlanta. It will likely be that way in 2016, and for that reason I would circle the Florida game.

Joe Waterloo: As much as I hate that nasty orange in Knoxville Florida is the one I want the most.  When I made the trip from up north to become a Dawg it was was Ray Goff's 1st season as head coach.  Florida has owned every coach I've known at UGA and while winning year one under Kirby may not change that it at least gives me 365 days of knowing what it feels like to at the top of the totem pole.

The Wrangler: You know how bad I want to say FL since we have wet the bed against them the last few years, but I am going with North Carolina.  With a new coaching regime and possibly a new QB, this team needs to get a big time win early to build confidence for the rest of the season.  With road games at Mizzou, Ole Miss, and USCe in the first half of the season, it is critical that this team hits its stride early.  Ole Miss is ranked 11th  and UT 9th in the AP preseason polls, and we will have to tackle both of them before going to the Cocktail Party.  Confidence and execution will be key, and it needs to start on September 3rd in the GA Dome.

Smokewagon: That is always a tough question.  I start off thinking like a coach and say that the next game is the most important.    The UNC game will be important for many reasons.  Kicking off the new era of Georgia football for the staff, the team, and the fans will be key.  Losing that game will be a major setback for the outlook on the season.  If we are going to be in contention for anything, the Tennessee game is likely the most important game…… certainly don’t need vol fans getting used to a winning streak again.  Of course no win is sweeter than a win in Jacksonville and no loss hurts worse than a Tech loss.  If I have to pick one game that I want to win more than any other this season, it would be the SEC championship game….. but I am thinking you meant the regular season.  Tennessee is probably the correct answer, but I don’t want to start out 0-2 against McElwain.  Florida is my final answer!

For me the answer is always Florida, until the week of Thanksgiving. But I have to admit...it's gonna be sweet seeing Chubb run for 250 over those HillBillies and watching Butch's bricks turning to dust 'tween the hedges.

Then again, like Joe said I can't help but hope Smart starts his WLOCP series as a head coach with a win in Jacksonville. And to do that he's going to need some players to step up with a tight chinstrap. So to wrap up this series, tomorrow we talk about which relatively unknown player will be at the front of the DawgNation's collective brain come season's end. Come on back tomorrow and let us know who your break out player is.

Go Dawgs y'all!

Around the Tailgate - The issue at quarterback

Originally posted at BullDawg Illustrated

Jacob Eason (10) tossing the ball with Greyson Lambert (11)

A big opener against the Tarheels looms. We have a new coaching staff. The program as a whole has that new car smell. Perhaps more so than any other August there are more questions than answers, so naturally, I turn to some folks I trust to get their opinion on a couple things. Let’s spend a few days going Around the Tailgate!

First let’s tackle the quarterback controversy question issue…

I'm not going to ask your opinion on the quarterback battle because we're all tired of discussing it from that angle. But try this one...First choice - Eason starts the season but it means we have a couple more losses due to his growing pains (think 7-5 with more wins toward the back of the season than the front). But it's clear he's developed very well by season's end and there's no question that next season is going to be special. Or, second choice - We deal with the question marks at quarterback into October and wait for Eason to earn his time in practice in order to get a couple more wins. What's your preference?

Namaman: As for Eason, I am all for working him in like we were doing with Stafford his freshman season.  Get him his series each half and let him get a feel for the speed of a real game before throwing him to the lions. Starting as a true freshman anywhere, much less the SEC is a tall order. I want to believe all of the hype and think he could come out like gangbusters and take the reins from the first snap in the Georgia Dome, but why not let him work his way into it and perhaps by the time we get back Between the Hedges to play Tennessee, Eason will be ready to start on the merits of his play (and not because of an injury to Lambert).

Robert: I do not ever want to sacrifice a win on the football field.  I am absolutely fine dealing with the question marks into October.  What do you tell the seniors on this team?  “You laid the foundation for the 2017 season, but we didn’t put you in the best possible position to win early on in 2016.”?  I also trust the coaches to make the decision here.  I know who the fans want to see, who the media wants to see, and even who the casual football fan wants to see.  What is important is who gives us the best opportunity to win.  In the UNC game, that may not be @skinnyqb10.  It doesn’t matter, because even if he doesn’t take snap one, he will play early and often.

Joe Waterloo: Unless Eason is the clear cut leader I would go with Lambert in game one.  I know a lot of people say Eason is the eventual starter so let him take his lumps in season 1 so next year can be special.  The problem with that is college and pro football are both full of examples of the can't miss prospect getting thrown into action too soon and never recovering from the psychological toll of not living up to expectations.  If Chubb is healthy game one against a UNC defense that was very porous against the run last year I go with Lambert.  Regardless of who the QB is this year we are going to be very dependent on the running game if we are going to have a good year.  Lambert certainly isn't anything  special, and he isn't going to win any games for you, but he's been there and knows how to hand the ball off.  Work in Eason a series or 2 and then wait for week 2 against Nichols St to get more reps.  The goal should be to have him ready by the 2nd half of the season.  That will be more than enough experience heading into next season without sacrificing any legitimate shot at a surprise in 2016.

The Wrangler: All we hear out of camp is that Chubb is healthy and has had good scrimmages and taken a few hits.  Knowing we have one of the best ground games in the conference, I would like to see Eason start.  We can take our lumps with him learning the speed of the game.  He is the most touted recruit for GA since Stafford, and although he never won anything, I would say that was because his defense was very weak.   I agree that Stafford had his freshman moments, but the same could be said of Lambert last year (and he is a “veteran”)   All indications are that our defense should be pretty strong this year.  Outside of Kimbrough, we haven’t lost a lot of players with starting experience, and we know Kirby has had these guys coached up.  Kirby’s job is to build for the future, and the future is Jacob Eason.  While we all want to play in the dome in December, most level headed GA fans just want to see a well-coached team that brings everything they have on every play.  Give me that, and I can live with 7-5 – check that, give me that, and we will compete for the East regardless of the starting QB.

Smokewagon: I would go with option 2, which sounds like 9-3 compared to 7-5.  I am not sure who those other 2 losses would be to, but I can only imagine the extra agony associated with losses 4 and 5.  Going 7-5 is pretty much like going .500 when the schedule has Nicholls State and UL Lafayette.  In both scenarios above, I would presume we feel good at quarterback going into the next season with Eason as a sophomore (and Ramsey as a senior).  Therefore, I prefer option 2 with wins 8 and 9, which may be Auburn and Tech.  I am looking forward to seeing Eason’s productive career and I hope it involves no losses to either those two teams.  As I type this, I am thinking how disappointed I will be with the 3 losses in a 9-3 season.  I am guessing the 3 losses would be Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Florida…… The more I think about this, I think both options stink.  Start Eason and win them all!

That does sound good Smokewagon! As much as it would be nice to have Coach Cheney's salary, I don't envy him trying to decide who to send out to the 2016 season's first huddle. Like Nama said, hopefully, the decision is based on merit and not due to injury. Or by shaking the Magic 8 Ball.

See y'all tomorrow when I ask the guys to circle one game on the schedule.