Nike Pro Combat Unis...a lonely nation turns its eyes to you

Finally. Today the national crisis is over. Everyone who keeps fretting over the uniform for the Boise State game can finally catch your much needed peek at the threads. We're like a bunch of kids anticipating the day when finally Santa leaves the surprise for a morning unveiling. We know it's coming. And we know when it's coming. We just don't know what it is.


And that's evidently too much for some to handle, even with practices, scrimmages and injury news to use as a distraction.


I know I've given Coach Richt his share of the blame for our obsessiveness over uniforms. But frankly, even given the black jerseys of both Glory, Glory and #epicfail...the attention paid towards uniforms that Nike has provided the program to use for the opening game is embarrassing.


As many head over to Picture Day and the rest wait for the cyber unveiling, I only ask that you remember two things when you decide whether you like the uniforms or not: it's one game and fans don't have to wear them.


Yes, the hand-wringing is finally over. Unless it's just beginning.

Get on and Finish the Bus Drill

Time might transform mantras, but the message is always the same: every play is important, from the kickoff to the last tick is drained from the clock.

Of course on the record, Richt is always going to say his team has the chance to be real good this season. But he sees a key to success.

“The difference between really good teams and average teams are how well you finish,” Richt said, keeping with the theme of this offseason. “Do you make plays at the end of the game? That’s going to define us really, I think.”

Along the same lines, off season talk is cheap. In two weeks, we're gonna need to put our money where our mouth is.

Fan Pulse: the SEC

Phil Steele's been running a poll for his readers to see what we think the pecking order is in each conference. It's not exactly scientific, but what is scientific in college football? Especially this time of year. Here's where things stand so far:












So as of right now the SEC East is a pretty tight race. Carolina and Georgia both end with just one conference loss and the Gamecocks return to ATL based on a close vote in Athens September 10th. Meanwhile in the West, Bama's pretty much blowing through everybody. At the other end of the barrel, Vanderbilt narrowly edges out the Admiral Akbars for worst team in the SEC.


Here's the link to the actual polls if you'd like to participate. 15 days people and this all gets real!

Horse spies must be buzzing around

Cards are close to the vest in Athens...

Richt was asked if kick return was a single returner or double safeties.

“That’s classified information,” Richt said. “I don’t want to give away anything that could help the other team.”

Part of me says if it ain't broke Coach, leave the screwdriver in the toolbag. Boykin had 34 returns last season for 825 yards. Next in line was Chapas with 3 returns. But if Branden Smith or Malcolm Mitchell can possibly make kickers think about directing balls towards Mr. Boykin...


So be it.

Ethical differences

There have been some terrific reads coming out in the wake of the smart bomb that took down Coral Gables the other day. Here's two more I'd recommend:

• First, Randy Shannon's point of view gives readers and observers a clear perspective of what it was like to be one of the few involved in athletic operations at Miami to still have his sanity. No, he doesn't comment directly...but Gary Ferman of CaneSport.com has some sources that give a pretty clear picture of how often and how firmly Shannon warned his players about the Canes' smallest donor with the loudest mouth.
• Next, Groo gives a historical narrative of how our own Orson Charles avoided all this mess. Of course that was after his own HS coach helped him step right in the middle of it. Orson's a top notch guy and a helluva athlete. I can't help but give thanks that Marve and Shannon had their own philosophical differences. For UGA and Charles' sake.

Two great reads. More than worth your time today when you're supposed to be finalizing that report.

Boise State Tweetgate

The 2011 Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Classic is almost here folks! Hopefully you've already made your plans or are fairly far along in the process. Just because we'll be in the concrete jungle of the ATL is no reason not to show these horse heads how to properly tailgate for college football.


If you follow Krisi on Twitter you likely know that she's organizing a tweet up for the Boise State game. She's desperately trying to get a head count to make sure all the details are taken care of prior to September 3rd.


So, first of all...if you'd like to come, make sure you follow her on Twitter and then DM (direct message for any new tweeps) her that you will be attending. After that you probably want to drop her tweets into a filter where you can be sure to catch any last minute instructions and announcements. Or just bookmark her twitter page and check it often.


Next, Krisi says we'll be in the yellow lot. (Kudos for avoiding the orange and the blue lots.) So CLICK HERE and check out the parking lot where we'll be barking from. Now you can plan your day around a central location that will be full of Dawg fans gearing up for a great game.


Any problems, questions or comments, just leave them in the comments and I'll find the answers.

Practice as you play, play as you practice

More proof that there is no more hand outs when it comes to playing time.

“Every practice is a big deal because coaches go back and analyze it,” [Wooten] said. “If you have a bad practice, they see that… Every practice I think of as gameday and just go out and try to make plays because that’s what I came to do.”

Although it will be awhile before we know for sure if the "Get on the bus" mantra will translate to the field of play, it's getting downright impossible to argue that it's not having enormously positive effects off of it. Gone are the days of just taking a practice or two off because of a nagging muscle. And players are eager to prove their worth during the week so that they might get between the boundary lines on Saturdays.


If this season saves Richt from the hot seat he's on, it won't be because of Good Richt or Evil Richt. It'll be all due to Accountability Richt.

Scrimmage scramble, part dos

Well, the second scrimmage is in the books. Page has the CMR's official numbers if you'd like to peruse them. Here's my thoughts on what we heard yesterday.

• First of all, Jakar Hamilton is out for the season with a fracture in his foot. Richt said he's likely to redshirt. So this all but solidifies Commings as a full time safety. And that's exactly where he spent the entire scrimmage...with the first team...alongside Shawn Williams.
• Rambo? Not sure what it means that he wasn't on the first team. Maybe the coaches wanted to see Commings work with Boykin's DB crew. Maybe he's already been surpassed. Maybe it's something Richt hasn't disclosed yet. I just don't know. But it's something to keep an eye on. He did have 6 tackles and an INT. So he doesn't seem to be hampered by any kind of ailment.
• The safety depth also all but assures Corey Moore he will not be redshirting.
• Tree leads the way again on defense evidently. I like that he led in tackles, has evidence of being a playmaker behind the line of scrimmage (with a sack and a TFL) AND made a play breaking up a pass. Speed + versatility = destruction.
• Wooten was the receiver of note, as far as stats go. But other than him yesterday and Marlon last week...not a whole lot there. Many might point to this and say it is reason to worry. I would simply point out that we're not getting all of the stats.
• Crowell and Samuel did not scrimmage, as expected. Malcome was vastly overshadowed by Harton. Ok.
• Murray's not lighting up the defense. But the focus seems to be more on getting 6 points instead of 3. “We started off the day with a touchdown drive right off the bat,” Murray said. “The next series, the next eight plays, we started off well. But when the eight plays are over you just got to stop. That always stinks. But we had a great day driving the ball. I feel real good about that.” 
• Not a lot of news from the trenches, but I did notice that both DeAngelo Tyson and Abry Jones had a sack. Jones also recorded a TFL and forced a fumble. No mention of the NTs but Tree and Jarvis also had sacks.

Take a whiff....two weeks from Saturday y'all.

SEC Playmaker Video - Aaron Murray

Scrimmage Numero Dos

The Dawgs are set to scrimmage for the second time this afternoon. Like we discussed last week, the stats that come out of scrimmages are less important than what is said. With that here is what I want to hear:

• the words "no injuries"
• something about Marlon Brown getting YAC and making plays in open space
• if there are turnovers I'd like to hear about how it turned into a big play, ie. returned for a TD again
• that Malcome took advantage of the extra snaps
• stops in the backfield
• OL really created some holes for the backs
• Boykin looks as good as expected
• Figgins had a TD catch
• Walsh kicked one that still hasn't landed yet

There. I don't think that's too much to ask for in one scrimmage. What do you want to hear about?