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!

Open letter to you Road Dawgs

Dear Road Dawgs,

I trust this finds you well and with tickets in hand. I'm jealous that you are packing a suitcase, complete with Khakis and red polos and maybe a light jacket or two to survive those chilly summer nights in South Bend, while I sludge my way through the work week with one eye towards a Saturday night party.

While you're boarding your flight or gassing up the motor vehicle, I'll be checking to see how many pounds of brisket it'll take to feed the horde.

And while you're setting up the tailgate Saturday morning I'll be mowing the yard and doing my best to rid the porch/patio/deck of mosquitoes.

Following the Dawgs on the road is what dreams are made of; this little ol' blog was born against the backdrop of a trek to Tempe. Since then it's been through half the SEC landscape, Boulder, Atlanta a few times, and even a few bowls.

Unfortunately, this trip has forced me to sit the bench.

But that doesn't mean I have to be quiet. My prediction is that 25,000 or so Georgia fans will make it into Notre Dame Stadium, which will leave only ten or so thousand of you to meander around the streets. Regardless of how big the Sea of Red is inside the stadium, that's a lot of Georgia fans that might be new to this travel thing. So...

First impressions should be painted red. There will be extensive visual footage around South Bend all the way through the end of the game. So, the more red the better. Half of their own fans are expecting to lose this game. So their alumni, faculty, and students walking out Saturday morning to more red than they've scene since Old Lady Stark and son Robb attended his wedding will only accentuate their inferiority complex.

Courteous, but with a tone of smart ass. Momma always said to be polite. But we've also seen her subtly finding ways to point out how tacky so and so's dress is just before the processional on Sunday morning. In short, you'll hear snarks about the barking and how you're from the South, but rising above that fray goes much further in proving the point that we are Georgia and they're just merely a half-assed part-timing ACC team.

Win the tailgate. Every college football fan thinks they know how to tailgate until a bunch of LSU Tigers, or Old Miss (whatevers), or Roll Tiders, and especially Georgia Bulldogs invade their town. Watch this video of our first tailgate in Columbia MO and pick out the spots where we are intrigued by their traditions, but with an air of "That's so cute and bless your hearts". What happens on the field we have little control of, but whether we win or lose the opposing fans should wake up Sunday morning think, "Wow, those guys and gals know how to eat and drink!"

Speaking of which, drink the town dry. It's tradition for local restaurant and bar owners to have to scramble for even more kegs and liquor by Friday evening when the Road Dawgs have just started to quench their thirst. If you're staying in Chicago that might seem like a tall order, but I have faith in you.

That's enough. Most of you know what you're doing anyway and don't need me to prattle on. The rest of you will be with someone who does.

So, safe travels y'all 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!

Old enough to know better...

Having been baptized a Dawg fan in the wee hours of the Goff era, I reserve the right to retract what follows by halftime of the game tonight. Because I'm now officially old enough to have former college roommates that have children matriculating in Athens.

From waiting for Zeier to mature, then a Donna era "punchuated"* with one Kevin Ramsey as a defensive coordinator, followed by the bittersweet reign of Sir Mark Richt...yeh kids, I've seen some shit.

I'm no longer into predictions, but I'll never ignore certain feelings. And I think this 2017 campaign could be something special for us. Lord, let this evening lead us on a path from Athens through sites unseen like South Bend, through the treachourous swamps of Jacksonville, all the way to (hopefully) back to back games in Atlanta. Then beyond. We pray for those in Texas suffering unspeakable hardships. And please give our offensive line the spirit, foot speed, strength, and guts that Sony and Chubb deserve.

Amen, and Go Dawgs y'all!

Yep, We're ready!

* you old dudes that remember Ramsey quick exit get that joke

Eason's offense, questions and maybe some answers

It's pretty easy to feel comfortable with a defense that returns so much talent and experience, especially up front. Trent Thompson will lead a unit backed by promising stars such as Roquan Smith and Natrez Patrick. And there's also a couple senior linebackers that put off professional dreams for one more season to try and live up to their potential in Davin Bellamy and Lorenzo Carter.

And I've also pointed out some reasons to feel pretty comfortable with the 2017 slate of games. The home schedule may not offer much at first glance, but I'm encouraged that playing teams like App State and Samford under Sanford Stadium's lights should provide a better atmosphere than last year's game against Nicholls State. And hopefully the scoreboard takes it easy on our nervous system as well.

So most of the questions/concerns I have are on offense and special teams:

• What will Eason in year two look like?
• If When a game comes down to a kick, do we have someone the coaches trust and have prepared for just such an occasion?
• Will Chaney call plays for an offense that is working on the same page consistently?
• The offensive line can't be worse than last year, but exactly how much better will it be with so much youth?
• Can Mecole step in for McKenzie in both the return game as well as the dependable slot receiver position that we depend on so much?

Those are the big ones right now. For that last question, I'm encouraged when I read things like this from Terry Godwin:

“Whenever the ball is up, he’s going to go get it,” Godwin said of Hardman. “When you see that burst of speed, I mean, I haven’t seen anything like that in a long time. He has something special.”

A lot of people were wondering last year where Hardman was and why he wasn't getting more looks with the ball in his hands. I certainly hope he makes the coaches sorry they kept him on defense last year. It might leave a sour feeling in our guts for what might have been last year, but it could sweeten our tea a bit if he can produce like we seem to be counting on him to.

As for Eason, I'm not concerned at all really. It's good to have Ramsey back as insurance, and I think Fromm has the talent to step in if needed this season. And he certainly has the game to challenge Eason in the future.

But this is Eason's season to shine. On the latest Waitin' Since Last Saturday podcast, Lietch and UGA beat writer Emerson discuss the pressure on Eason in the offseason. They point out something that we tend to forget - #10 won a game against Missouri with his arm, and should've won one against Tennessee as well. I would also add that it was his throw to McKenzie that turned the tide against the Tar Heels in the opener.

So we know what he can do in pressure situations and we've seen him make all the throws. Can he have the time to make all the reads this season? Will his deep ball provide a more consistent threat to stretch the opposing defense? Will the receivers drop less passes that are on target?

I think our quarterback is poised for a great season. I think our offensive line is built more for what Pittman and Chaney are aiming for up front. Hopefully that means we can use Nauta and Blazevich as receivers more. And it sounds like Chubb 2017 is back to his old 2015 self, and behind him is enough talent to fill the entire SEC East with starting tailbacks.

We saw what quarterbacks like Greene, Stafford, and Murray were able to do in their second season. They all did so with a competent if not good offensive line, well rounded running backs and receivers to keep defenses honest. If Eason is afforded the same luxuries those guys had, it could be a lot more fun to watch the offense this season than it has since Murray graduated.

Go Dawgs!

Overcoming the Malkom Parrish injury

Smart said it's no "doomsday". And I tend to think the senior defensive back will be ready for the opener against App State. But it's worth looking at what our secondary would be like without him through the rest of August's practices as well as the season opener. After all...

“We could sit around and cry and whine about it. But it’s not a position we’re real deep at right now. It’s not a great situation but that’s what football is, guys. In football, you’re going to have injuries and you have to overcome them.”

In the short term, the lack of depth and experience in the secondary will get a boost as those young guys get more reps. There should be a lot of raw talent there and I imagine Smart will have a keen eye on their progress while Parrish is on crutches healing that tender foot.

But in the long term, with uncertainty and now an injury to a key starter, we should definitely be worried about our secondary unit opening up against a team that likes to chunk the rock around. Taylor Lamb is a senior quarterback for the Mountaineers and he'll bring a squad of shifty, athletic, and TALL receivers.

Parrish has experience, but the younger guys behind him have more the height you'd like to see at this level. Kirby and staff have been recruiting it, hard. Tyrique McGhee is largely believed to be the first guy behind Parrish. McGhee brings some game experience and will certainly be counted on regardless of whether Parrish makes it back for the opener or not. But I'd bet these freshmen step up to show what they can do.

At least I hope so. Because an injury can be a setback. But it can also be an opportunity. Is Parrish's injury just a chance at some more reps in shells? Personally, with their talent and size, I'd love to see someone like Speed, Brini or Poole step up and earn some actual playing time.

2017: will the scenery change this season?

When collecting one's initial thoughts about an upcoming season of Georgia Football, Lewis Grizzard is as fine a place to start as any:

"If you ain't the lead dog, the 

scenery never changes."

For Dawg fans, the scenery has been about the same for some time. Since our last December trip to Atlanta in 2012, the SEC East has remained very much winnable. But Georgia has only gone 20-12 in conference play during that span, finishing 3rd, 2nd, 3rd, and 3rd. So, far from the back of the pack, but still staring at a lot of rivals' asses.

Pass the Lysol please.

What we hope is the gators' view this season.
(pic taken @ Kenny B's French Quarter Cafe,
Hilton Head Island, SC)

A quick glance shows that the division once again is firmly in Georgia's sights this year. Tennessee, 2016's pre-season darling, lost most of its starters and plays at both Florida and Alabama. South Carolina should be improved but is still at least a year away from bringing in the talent necessary to compete for the East. Missouri is awful, and Kentucky and Vandy will do their best to keep the western Tigers in the cellar.

That leaves Florida. I tend to think our schedule is very favorable this season, but a look at Florida's proves they may have an easier road to Atlanta. We have road trips to Knoxville and West Opelika. They're biggest test away from The Swamp is a toss up between Columbia East or Lexington's new Kroger Stadium. The Gamecocks might be improved, but they're still a young offense and Florida's defense will once again be one of the conference's toughest. And while the former Commonwealth Stadium may not be a true beauty to look at, there's only one brand of conference turf whose recent life mission has become to shred as many Bulldog's knees as possible within a 60 minute game - Knoxville's Neyland Stadium.

"It's bad." Advantage gators.

If all that plays out in the division the way that I just typed it, then it will come down to the annual clash along the St. Johns River. Well, I should say it could come down to the Georgia-florida game. We lost there in 2002 and still made it to Atlanta, but wasn't the trip a little sweeter in 2004, 2011 and 2012?

After all, the lead dog shouldn't need a back door in. 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!

"Get a BIG neck."

Since everyone showed up by Sunday evening and camp began successfully forthwith, your Georgia Bulldogs have earned a preseason ranking of #15!

"It’s the sixth straight year Georgia landed in the top 25 in the first poll, but has finished unranked in two of the last four seasons in 2013 and 2016."

To avoid finishing unranked again, our offense line is going to have to be much better (because it can't possibly be....nevermind, not going to even finish that thought). To go from #15 to top four, our playmakers are going to have to stay healthy well past that Autumn visit to Neyland Stadium's zombie hillbilly turf of the walking dead apocalypse.

Anyway, thought I'd just off the ol' blogger password and say "Hey!" and whatnot. And also remind everyone to keep following their Erk calendar!

Go Dawgs y'all!

(click to enlarge)
h/t Mac...h/t Kid Terrell

"I think in order to truly succeed in life is dependent on how you truly transition in those seasons.”

This is real good stuff from Emerson on how Tra Battle has "transitioned" through Life's different seasons. He's the one former Georgia player to have been roommates with both Paul Oliver and Quentin Moses, so it hasn't been easy.

“In rationalizing death and grief, you do realize that the people who are no longer with us wouldn’t want you to meet them this soon,” Battle said. 

Jon Fabris, the former Georgia defensive assistant, had a saying that stuck with Battle: “Every man a brick.” So a brick by itself is nothing. It’s just a piece of clay. But when you get every member of the team mortared together, you can build skyscrapers, monuments, etc.

 “The things that were important to Q-Moses, from everyone that was close to him, you still have to continue that body of work,” Battle said. “For things that were important to P.O., in accountability to him, you have to continue that body of work. So the things that were important to those individuals, they have to become important to you.”

 Amen.