Championship Saturday lived up to all the hype and then some. I didn't get the chance to watch the day's opening game. Somehow, Cincinnati was able to come all the way back against Pitt to finish off the best season in school history and punch their ticket to a BCS game.
I think the biggest disappointment of the day was the SEC title game. Florida didn't show up, period. Tim Tebow couldn't overcome the defense's inability to stop the Alabama run game. Bama simply dominated Florida who is now facing the prospect of a Sugar Bowl bid against a very good team, when they really don't want to be there. Just like Bama last year against Utah, it will be hard for the Gators to bring their best to the Super Dome on New Year's Day.
The two late games were spectacular. Georgia Tech and Clemson played a game that deserved to be in a great atmosphere, not in Tampa with about 10,000 empty seats. The Jackets get their first BCS game, and according to ESPN, their first big bowl game since 1961!
Texas got lucky. I don't know if Colt McCoy was confused or just too poised at the end of the Longhorn's game against Nebraska, but if the clock would have run out on Texas last night, McCoy would have been haunted with that play for the rest of his life. I doubt he will ever say what he was thinking about, but the guys calling the game probably got it right: I think Colt thought the play clock was the game clock, and he thought there were around 37 seconds left in the game. Some people might think that Texas doesn't deserve to go to the title game after the way they played last night, but those people are wrong. Texas is undefeated, no one cares if you win by one point or 50, just win. They have won every game they have played this season, and they are more than deserving to play for the title against Bama.
When you look at the Bowl picture now, it seems like the choices are very clear. I'm not bragging, because I've been wrong this season a lot more than I have been right, but I had the bowls picked last week, and I still believe that is how the bowls will shake out. The only change would be if the Orange Bowl picks Iowa instead of Penn State, but for Tech fans, I hope you get Joe Pa and the Nitny Lions.
On the local front, Georgia is going to get hosed tonight. The SEC Bowl tie-ins should send Tennessee to the Outback Bowl and Georgia to the Chick-fil-A Bowl, but Tennessee wants to play in Atlanta for recruiting purposes, so the Outback Bowl is going to take Auburn. It looks like Georgia has a date with Texas A&M in the Independence Bowl. Don't look now, but Georgia will most likely lose that game.
Maybe something will happen today to shake things up for the Dawgs, but it looks like the win over Tech didn't change anything for Georgia's bowl prospects.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Let's Go Bowling
Trying to figure out who is going to play in what bowl this year is nearly impossible. The SEC is a mess because of so many teams with either the same or similar records. Here is my best shot at the SEC affiliated bowls and then the BCS bowls:
Capital One Bowl:
Iowa v. LSU
After LSU lost to Ole Miss, the Rebels were probably going to spend New Year's Day in Florida, however, after losing yesterday, LSU moves back into the top non-BCS spot.
Cotton Bowl:
Ole Miss v. Nebraska
Ole Miss heads back to the Cotton Bowl and Nebraska is rewarded for a strong finish in the Big 12. If Nebraska upset Texas in the Big 12 title game, this could end up being Missouri.
Chick-fil-A Bowl:
Georgia v. Clemson
There are a lot of teams at 7-5 in the SEC, so this is where things will go crazy. I think the CFA Bowl takes Georgia to increase the local hype on the game. Plus, a matchup with Clemson would be a throw back game for both schools and this might be one of the best games of the bowl season. If Clemson wins the ACC title, Georgia Tech would play here and the CFA Bowl would probably take Tennessee over Georgia.
Outback Bowl:
Tennessee v. Northwestern
Tennessee gets a New Year's game and Northwestern gets a nice trip and a beating. This is what happens when the Big 10 gets two teams in the BCS.
Liberty Bowl:
Arkansas v. Houston
This game would be a big draw for both schools and would be very entertaining. Again, there are about 6 teams that can go in these mid-level games, but logistically this would make sense.
Music City Bowl:
Kentucky v. Boston College
Again location would help this game. Kentucky would travel well to Nashville, and Boston College seems to always be a good bowl team.
Papajohns.com Bowl:
Auburn v. Connecticut
There really aren't words to explain how sad it is that this bowl exists...
Independence Bowl:
South Carolina v. Texas A&M
There's nothing as beautiful as Shreveport, LA in mid-December.... I really hope that UGA doesn't end up here.
BCS BOWLS
National Championship Game:
Alabama v. Texas
This would be a great game whether Bama or Florida plays here, I think Bama gets by the Gators and punches their ticket for the big game.
Sugar Bowl:
Florida v. Cincinnati
This would be a match up between an undefeated Bearcat team and a one loss Florida team. Tim Tebow's last game will be huge no matter where the Gators are playing.
Orange Bowl:
Georgia Tech v. Penn State
I think this game would be really great. Tech deserves a good opponent and Penn State had a solid season.
Fiesta Bowl:
TCU v. Boise State
The Fiesta Bowl could have the only other matchup of undefeated teams other than the national title game. This would be a spectacular game and a big stage for both of these programs to play on.
Rose Bowl:
Ohio State v. Oregon
Please wake me up when this game is over... The Big 10 and Pac 10 should really look at the reality of the college football world and open their minds to playing in a place other than Pasadena.
Capital One Bowl:
Iowa v. LSU
After LSU lost to Ole Miss, the Rebels were probably going to spend New Year's Day in Florida, however, after losing yesterday, LSU moves back into the top non-BCS spot.
Cotton Bowl:
Ole Miss v. Nebraska
Ole Miss heads back to the Cotton Bowl and Nebraska is rewarded for a strong finish in the Big 12. If Nebraska upset Texas in the Big 12 title game, this could end up being Missouri.
Chick-fil-A Bowl:
Georgia v. Clemson
There are a lot of teams at 7-5 in the SEC, so this is where things will go crazy. I think the CFA Bowl takes Georgia to increase the local hype on the game. Plus, a matchup with Clemson would be a throw back game for both schools and this might be one of the best games of the bowl season. If Clemson wins the ACC title, Georgia Tech would play here and the CFA Bowl would probably take Tennessee over Georgia.
Outback Bowl:
Tennessee v. Northwestern
Tennessee gets a New Year's game and Northwestern gets a nice trip and a beating. This is what happens when the Big 10 gets two teams in the BCS.
Liberty Bowl:
Arkansas v. Houston
This game would be a big draw for both schools and would be very entertaining. Again, there are about 6 teams that can go in these mid-level games, but logistically this would make sense.
Music City Bowl:
Kentucky v. Boston College
Again location would help this game. Kentucky would travel well to Nashville, and Boston College seems to always be a good bowl team.
Papajohns.com Bowl:
Auburn v. Connecticut
There really aren't words to explain how sad it is that this bowl exists...
Independence Bowl:
South Carolina v. Texas A&M
There's nothing as beautiful as Shreveport, LA in mid-December.... I really hope that UGA doesn't end up here.
BCS BOWLS
National Championship Game:
Alabama v. Texas
This would be a great game whether Bama or Florida plays here, I think Bama gets by the Gators and punches their ticket for the big game.
Sugar Bowl:
Florida v. Cincinnati
This would be a match up between an undefeated Bearcat team and a one loss Florida team. Tim Tebow's last game will be huge no matter where the Gators are playing.
Orange Bowl:
Georgia Tech v. Penn State
I think this game would be really great. Tech deserves a good opponent and Penn State had a solid season.
Fiesta Bowl:
TCU v. Boise State
The Fiesta Bowl could have the only other matchup of undefeated teams other than the national title game. This would be a spectacular game and a big stage for both of these programs to play on.
Rose Bowl:
Ohio State v. Oregon
Please wake me up when this game is over... The Big 10 and Pac 10 should really look at the reality of the college football world and open their minds to playing in a place other than Pasadena.
The Morning After
WE ARE GEORGIA!
And last night this team that has underachieved and disappointed all season long finally proved and earned the title of Georgia Bulldogs. Take the Georgia/Georgia Tech angle out of it and just listen to the facts:
An unranked 6-5 team went on the road to their arch rivals home field and upset the number 7 team in the country.
That's a great ending to a bad season.
Georgia played like successful Georgia teams have since the Vince Dooley Era. Georgia made an obvious attempt to establish the run and stuck with that philosophy all game long. Washaun Ealey and Caleb King had their best games of their careers in the same game, and the offensive line played just like we thought they would all season.
For the first time all season, Joe Cox was used properly. Cox's early season success against South Carolina and Arkansas had made the coaching staff think that he could throw the ball around the field, but that is not the quarterback he is. He managed the game last night and made some big plays in the passing game, but he wasn't asked to win the game, he was simply asked not to lose it. Alabama almost won a national championship last year with a similar philosophy, and I think this season could have been much better had the coaching staff not taken 13 weeks to figure out that we need to run the ball to be successful.
Despite the win against Tech, a few things still have to happen in Athens. Willie Martinez isn't going to be fired because of one game, and he shouldn't be saved by one game either. I'm sure Willie is a good man, but its time for a new philosophy and a new face leading the Georgia defense.
Also, going into next season, Aaron Murry will need a similar game plan as last night to be successful. Both running backs will be back next year, and the offensive line will be a year older (hopefully anchored by Trenton Sturdivant). The red-shirt freshman quarterback will need the pieces around him to help take the pressure off a young player who will make mistakes.
The honest truth about next year is this. With an inspired defense, there is no reason Georgia can't be right back at the top of the SEC East next year. Florida is losing Tebow for sure, and there could be up to 26 Gators who will either graduate or take their talent to the NFL. Florida will not be a bad team, but to think that they will be the dominant team that they have been over the past two years, would be crazy.
Georgia's win last night was fun for Georgia fans who have sat through a very difficult season. Hopefully last night and a victory in the bowl game will signal the beginning of the next chapter of Georgia football.
And last night this team that has underachieved and disappointed all season long finally proved and earned the title of Georgia Bulldogs. Take the Georgia/Georgia Tech angle out of it and just listen to the facts:
An unranked 6-5 team went on the road to their arch rivals home field and upset the number 7 team in the country.
That's a great ending to a bad season.
Georgia played like successful Georgia teams have since the Vince Dooley Era. Georgia made an obvious attempt to establish the run and stuck with that philosophy all game long. Washaun Ealey and Caleb King had their best games of their careers in the same game, and the offensive line played just like we thought they would all season.
For the first time all season, Joe Cox was used properly. Cox's early season success against South Carolina and Arkansas had made the coaching staff think that he could throw the ball around the field, but that is not the quarterback he is. He managed the game last night and made some big plays in the passing game, but he wasn't asked to win the game, he was simply asked not to lose it. Alabama almost won a national championship last year with a similar philosophy, and I think this season could have been much better had the coaching staff not taken 13 weeks to figure out that we need to run the ball to be successful.
Despite the win against Tech, a few things still have to happen in Athens. Willie Martinez isn't going to be fired because of one game, and he shouldn't be saved by one game either. I'm sure Willie is a good man, but its time for a new philosophy and a new face leading the Georgia defense.
Also, going into next season, Aaron Murry will need a similar game plan as last night to be successful. Both running backs will be back next year, and the offensive line will be a year older (hopefully anchored by Trenton Sturdivant). The red-shirt freshman quarterback will need the pieces around him to help take the pressure off a young player who will make mistakes.
The honest truth about next year is this. With an inspired defense, there is no reason Georgia can't be right back at the top of the SEC East next year. Florida is losing Tebow for sure, and there could be up to 26 Gators who will either graduate or take their talent to the NFL. Florida will not be a bad team, but to think that they will be the dominant team that they have been over the past two years, would be crazy.
Georgia's win last night was fun for Georgia fans who have sat through a very difficult season. Hopefully last night and a victory in the bowl game will signal the beginning of the next chapter of Georgia football.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Just In Time!
With not a moment to spare, let's talk about the only game that matters in the Peach State today.
Georgia travels to Atlanta tonight with only one thing on their mind: ruin Tech's season.
Even a win tonight for the Dawgs will not save Georgia's season. Win or lose the Dawgs will be playing in a bowl game that no one will watch and less people will care about. There would be only one thing that would come out of beating Tech tonight. The satisfaction of beating Tech.
In the past, I have told people that I don't think Georgia should play Tech. Dawg fans expect to beat Tech every year. So you either meet expectations or you lose to Tech (like Georgia did last year) and ruin your season.
The opposite is true this year for Tech. They have nothing to win tonight. Their big game is next week against Clemson. Win that game, and Tech will be playing in the BCS for the first time. However, if Tech were to lose tonight, their confidence would take a big hit going into the ACC Championship. Lose the ACC Championship Game, and you go from the Orange Bowl and possibly beating an undefeated Cincinnati team, and finishing the season in the Top 5, to falling to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl again, and probably losing to LSU.... again!
I've heard a lot of Tech people taking this game for granted. They think, look at Georgia, they are 6-5, they lost to Kentucky, Georgia stinks.
I'm going to say this, and Tech fans won't like it, but it is the bare-knuckle truth.
As good as Tech is this season, they would be 8-4 at best in the SEC. You saw what happened last year against LSU. Tech doesn't have the team speed to hang in the SEC. They lose to Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, LSU, probably Auburn, and tonight......
GEORGIA!
I don't have the X's and O's to explain it. And maybe its a fan's perspective, but that is what I am. Georgia will win tonight for one reason and one reason only.
WE ARE GEORGIA!
You are Tech, so sign our paychecks! But we win at football. You got one last year, that is the one you get! Tonight will be the beginning of the turn around for this program. We have nothing to lose for the first time in a long time, and that is bad news for Tech.
WE ARE GEORGIA!
We own this state. We haven't lost in Atlanta since 2003 and that was to LSU. We haven't lost to Tech in Atlanta since the last millennium!
WE ARE GEORGIA!
And tonight we are going to prove it.k
GO DAWGS! SIC 'EM!
Georgia travels to Atlanta tonight with only one thing on their mind: ruin Tech's season.
Even a win tonight for the Dawgs will not save Georgia's season. Win or lose the Dawgs will be playing in a bowl game that no one will watch and less people will care about. There would be only one thing that would come out of beating Tech tonight. The satisfaction of beating Tech.
In the past, I have told people that I don't think Georgia should play Tech. Dawg fans expect to beat Tech every year. So you either meet expectations or you lose to Tech (like Georgia did last year) and ruin your season.
The opposite is true this year for Tech. They have nothing to win tonight. Their big game is next week against Clemson. Win that game, and Tech will be playing in the BCS for the first time. However, if Tech were to lose tonight, their confidence would take a big hit going into the ACC Championship. Lose the ACC Championship Game, and you go from the Orange Bowl and possibly beating an undefeated Cincinnati team, and finishing the season in the Top 5, to falling to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl again, and probably losing to LSU.... again!
I've heard a lot of Tech people taking this game for granted. They think, look at Georgia, they are 6-5, they lost to Kentucky, Georgia stinks.
I'm going to say this, and Tech fans won't like it, but it is the bare-knuckle truth.
As good as Tech is this season, they would be 8-4 at best in the SEC. You saw what happened last year against LSU. Tech doesn't have the team speed to hang in the SEC. They lose to Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, LSU, probably Auburn, and tonight......
GEORGIA!
I don't have the X's and O's to explain it. And maybe its a fan's perspective, but that is what I am. Georgia will win tonight for one reason and one reason only.
WE ARE GEORGIA!
You are Tech, so sign our paychecks! But we win at football. You got one last year, that is the one you get! Tonight will be the beginning of the turn around for this program. We have nothing to lose for the first time in a long time, and that is bad news for Tech.
WE ARE GEORGIA!
We own this state. We haven't lost in Atlanta since 2003 and that was to LSU. We haven't lost to Tech in Atlanta since the last millennium!
WE ARE GEORGIA!
And tonight we are going to prove it.k
GO DAWGS! SIC 'EM!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The Day the Decline Started
Over the past couple of days I've spent a lot of time thinking about this football season for the Georgia Bulldogs. These thoughts led me to start thinking back to what can now be looked at as the "Glory Years" of the Mark Richt Era.
2002-2006 were without a doubt the best seasons for Georgia under Coach Richt. During that time, Georgia was 53-13 which is a winning percentage of .803. In the SEC, the Dawgs were 31-12 or a winning percentage of .721. From 2002-2006 Georgia lost only one game outside of the SEC, to West Virginia in the Sugar Bowl in 2006. In that same time frame, 02-06, Georgia lost only 3 games by more than 10 points. Georgia won 2 SEC titles (02, 05) and played in the SEC title game in 2003 losing to eventual national champion LSU.
Over the past 2 1/2 seasons Georgia's record is 26-9 which is a percentage of .743 and 15-7 or .682 in the SEC. Too many numbers for you? Okay well I have a few more so bare with me. From 07-09, Georgia has lost 6 times by 10 or more points. That is double the number of losses in half the time!
Penalties have been a sore spot around Athens the past few years, so here are some numbers that won't make you feel any better. From 2002-2006, Georgia averaged 60.66 penalty yards per game. From 2007-2009 that number has gone up to 69.33. Now that might not seem like a lot on the surface, but when you play in the SEC 10 yards per game is a big deal. Georgia's penalty yards per game has gone up every year since 2006, and the 2009 Dawgs are on pace to commit 77.3 penalty yards per game, which would be the highest under Coach Richt.
When you look at these numbers, you have to wonder one thing: What happened? How did this program go from greatness to mediocrity in such a short amount of time?
Now let me say one thing before we get into this. I'm not a fair weather fan. I love the Dawgs and will be watching games and following the team if they go 1-11. I'm not overreacting either. This program was one of the 10 best in the nation consistently for the majority of this decade. Even teams that have found recent success like Alabama, Texas, and Georgia Tech would kill to have Georgia's record in the last 10 years. However, the fall from grace has been dramatic and sudden, and there is, I believe, one moment that started the decline.
Saturday October 27, 2007. Jacksonville, Florida. Altell Stadium.
Georgia v. Florida:
Knowshon Moreno dives over a pile of players, extending his arms and the football across the goal line to score a touchdown and give Georgia a 6-0 lead over the defending national champion Gators. The entire Georgia team then storms the field to celebrate. Georgia fans in Jacksonville and all over the country celebrated too. Everyone watching knew that they had just seen something they would never forget.
Georgia goes on to win the game that day, and upon further review, the storming of the field seemed like it had changed something around the Georgia program. Things felt differently. A couple of weeks later, the Dawgs marched out between the hedges donning black jerseys for the first time in school history, and proceeded to hand Auburn a whipping they won't soon forget. The Blackout was the appropriate follow up to the storming of the field, and now, even ESPN was saying that something had changed for Georgia that day in Jacksonville.
The rest of the 2007 season was like a fairy tale, with Georgia winning out and finishing the season as the number 2 team in the country. When the polls came out in August of 2008, Georgia was ranked #1 preseason by the AP, also a first in school history. The entire world now bought into the storming of the field and what it meant for the Dawgs. Georgia had rushed the field that day in Jacksonville and announced to the entire world that they were now a player, not just in the SEC, but for the National Championship! Nothing could stop them now.
Funny thing happened, reality struck the Dawgs and man did it hurt. In this case, reality showed its face in the form of the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Tide rolled into Athens in September and they were greeted with darkness. Another Blackout was called to push the Dawgs over the top. Bama rolled out of town with a huge victory and the Dawgs hopes for a national title. One month later, reality would appear again in Jacksonville as those same Gators who were on the opposing side of the storming of the field, decided to reclaim what they felt belonged to them, by crushing Georgia 49-10. The final nail in the coffin came between the hedges against Tech. I can't even talk about that one.
This season has obviously been a huge disappointment. 5-4 is unacceptable in Athens and the way Georgia is losing is almost as bad as the losses themselves.
I believe that the storming of the field in Jacksonville was misinterpreted by the entire Bulldog Nation, and even the head Bulldog himself. Mark Richt had come to Athens with his calm demeanor and good morals and taught us that an even keeled approach would produce results. In one moment, that philosophy was thrown out the window in favor of a high octane, high energy approach that had Mr. Cool, Calm and Collected waving his arms at the crowd to make noise on 3rd downs.
We all wanted to believe that the storming of the field was a turning point for the Dawgs that would signal a time of more wins and a national championship coming to Athens. But the truth can be seen clearly now.
The high energy Dawgs play out of control and commit stupid penalties. The high energy Dawgs get down on themselves and can't make 2nd half comebacks like the calm Dawgs did in 2001 against Tennessee or in 2002 against Auburn. The high energy Dawgs need gimmicks like black jerseys or black helmets to get up for games.
If you wear the Red and Black every Saturday, if you march out on that field between the hedges, if you put that "G" on your helmet, then you shouldn't need a black jersey to get ready to play the #1 ranked Gators who whipped you like school girls last year!
Instead of leaders like David Greene and David Pollack we get guys like Rashad Jones and Brian Evans who want to jump up and down on the field when they make a hit on a guy 25 yards down field. Instead of dancing and congratulating each other, maybe they should recognize that the chains are moving for the first down your opponent just got, and the receiver you just hit has a big smile on his face.
Its time for some changes in Athens. I don't care whether those changes come with the assistant coaches, the players, the people that take the tickets, or the people who pick up all that trash after the games. I am an alumni of the University of Georgia and I want something to change.
We hear every year about these great recruiting classes. It is obvious that there is as much talent on the field at Georgia as there is at almost any other school in the country. The problem is not the talent, the problem is the philosophy.
Two years ago in Jacksonville, Georgia said look at me world and we got everyone's attention. We got the attention of the media who voted us number one going into 2008. We got the attention of the fans who have supported this team so well since 2001. We got the attention of the President of the University, who demanded a playoff after we got shafted in 2007. We got everyone's attention, and we haven't done anything with it.
Oh yeah, we also got the attention of the refs, and they just love us now. Now, Georgia has the reputation of being dirty and disregarding the rules. You want to know why the refs through that flag against LSU, because we stormed the field in Jacksonville! These guys have pride too, and when you disregard them, they take it personally.
You can't unring a bell. Jacksonville happened. All we can do know is get ready for the rest of this season, and try to turn it around next year.
But, the man I want to see lead the Dawgs out on the field Saturday night is the man that broke those Rocky Top hearts in 2001 with a hobnail heard 'round the South. The man that called for that pass to Micheal Johnson in the back of the end zone against Auburn in 2002, and sent the Dawgs to the SEC title game. The same man that had that calm look on his face in 2004 when Georgia pounded LSU between the hedges after losing to the Tigers twice in 2003. The man who held the team together in 2005 after DJ Shockley got hurt and we lost 2 straight games, only to come back and win the SEC again. The man who had the guts to play a true freshman in 2006, and got to see that freshman upset the #5 Auburn Tigers in their house. The same man who felt that the team needed a kick in the pants in 2007, and sent the entire team on the field to celebrate.
That man knew then that every team was different and required different motivational techniques. I hope that man knows now that what this team and this fan base need is the cool, calm, and collected hand of a leader, not a head cheerleader with a headset.
2002-2006 were without a doubt the best seasons for Georgia under Coach Richt. During that time, Georgia was 53-13 which is a winning percentage of .803. In the SEC, the Dawgs were 31-12 or a winning percentage of .721. From 2002-2006 Georgia lost only one game outside of the SEC, to West Virginia in the Sugar Bowl in 2006. In that same time frame, 02-06, Georgia lost only 3 games by more than 10 points. Georgia won 2 SEC titles (02, 05) and played in the SEC title game in 2003 losing to eventual national champion LSU.
Over the past 2 1/2 seasons Georgia's record is 26-9 which is a percentage of .743 and 15-7 or .682 in the SEC. Too many numbers for you? Okay well I have a few more so bare with me. From 07-09, Georgia has lost 6 times by 10 or more points. That is double the number of losses in half the time!
Penalties have been a sore spot around Athens the past few years, so here are some numbers that won't make you feel any better. From 2002-2006, Georgia averaged 60.66 penalty yards per game. From 2007-2009 that number has gone up to 69.33. Now that might not seem like a lot on the surface, but when you play in the SEC 10 yards per game is a big deal. Georgia's penalty yards per game has gone up every year since 2006, and the 2009 Dawgs are on pace to commit 77.3 penalty yards per game, which would be the highest under Coach Richt.
When you look at these numbers, you have to wonder one thing: What happened? How did this program go from greatness to mediocrity in such a short amount of time?
Now let me say one thing before we get into this. I'm not a fair weather fan. I love the Dawgs and will be watching games and following the team if they go 1-11. I'm not overreacting either. This program was one of the 10 best in the nation consistently for the majority of this decade. Even teams that have found recent success like Alabama, Texas, and Georgia Tech would kill to have Georgia's record in the last 10 years. However, the fall from grace has been dramatic and sudden, and there is, I believe, one moment that started the decline.
Saturday October 27, 2007. Jacksonville, Florida. Altell Stadium.
Georgia v. Florida:
Knowshon Moreno dives over a pile of players, extending his arms and the football across the goal line to score a touchdown and give Georgia a 6-0 lead over the defending national champion Gators. The entire Georgia team then storms the field to celebrate. Georgia fans in Jacksonville and all over the country celebrated too. Everyone watching knew that they had just seen something they would never forget.
Georgia goes on to win the game that day, and upon further review, the storming of the field seemed like it had changed something around the Georgia program. Things felt differently. A couple of weeks later, the Dawgs marched out between the hedges donning black jerseys for the first time in school history, and proceeded to hand Auburn a whipping they won't soon forget. The Blackout was the appropriate follow up to the storming of the field, and now, even ESPN was saying that something had changed for Georgia that day in Jacksonville.
The rest of the 2007 season was like a fairy tale, with Georgia winning out and finishing the season as the number 2 team in the country. When the polls came out in August of 2008, Georgia was ranked #1 preseason by the AP, also a first in school history. The entire world now bought into the storming of the field and what it meant for the Dawgs. Georgia had rushed the field that day in Jacksonville and announced to the entire world that they were now a player, not just in the SEC, but for the National Championship! Nothing could stop them now.
Funny thing happened, reality struck the Dawgs and man did it hurt. In this case, reality showed its face in the form of the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Tide rolled into Athens in September and they were greeted with darkness. Another Blackout was called to push the Dawgs over the top. Bama rolled out of town with a huge victory and the Dawgs hopes for a national title. One month later, reality would appear again in Jacksonville as those same Gators who were on the opposing side of the storming of the field, decided to reclaim what they felt belonged to them, by crushing Georgia 49-10. The final nail in the coffin came between the hedges against Tech. I can't even talk about that one.
This season has obviously been a huge disappointment. 5-4 is unacceptable in Athens and the way Georgia is losing is almost as bad as the losses themselves.
I believe that the storming of the field in Jacksonville was misinterpreted by the entire Bulldog Nation, and even the head Bulldog himself. Mark Richt had come to Athens with his calm demeanor and good morals and taught us that an even keeled approach would produce results. In one moment, that philosophy was thrown out the window in favor of a high octane, high energy approach that had Mr. Cool, Calm and Collected waving his arms at the crowd to make noise on 3rd downs.
We all wanted to believe that the storming of the field was a turning point for the Dawgs that would signal a time of more wins and a national championship coming to Athens. But the truth can be seen clearly now.
The high energy Dawgs play out of control and commit stupid penalties. The high energy Dawgs get down on themselves and can't make 2nd half comebacks like the calm Dawgs did in 2001 against Tennessee or in 2002 against Auburn. The high energy Dawgs need gimmicks like black jerseys or black helmets to get up for games.
If you wear the Red and Black every Saturday, if you march out on that field between the hedges, if you put that "G" on your helmet, then you shouldn't need a black jersey to get ready to play the #1 ranked Gators who whipped you like school girls last year!
Instead of leaders like David Greene and David Pollack we get guys like Rashad Jones and Brian Evans who want to jump up and down on the field when they make a hit on a guy 25 yards down field. Instead of dancing and congratulating each other, maybe they should recognize that the chains are moving for the first down your opponent just got, and the receiver you just hit has a big smile on his face.
Its time for some changes in Athens. I don't care whether those changes come with the assistant coaches, the players, the people that take the tickets, or the people who pick up all that trash after the games. I am an alumni of the University of Georgia and I want something to change.
We hear every year about these great recruiting classes. It is obvious that there is as much talent on the field at Georgia as there is at almost any other school in the country. The problem is not the talent, the problem is the philosophy.
Two years ago in Jacksonville, Georgia said look at me world and we got everyone's attention. We got the attention of the media who voted us number one going into 2008. We got the attention of the fans who have supported this team so well since 2001. We got the attention of the President of the University, who demanded a playoff after we got shafted in 2007. We got everyone's attention, and we haven't done anything with it.
Oh yeah, we also got the attention of the refs, and they just love us now. Now, Georgia has the reputation of being dirty and disregarding the rules. You want to know why the refs through that flag against LSU, because we stormed the field in Jacksonville! These guys have pride too, and when you disregard them, they take it personally.
You can't unring a bell. Jacksonville happened. All we can do know is get ready for the rest of this season, and try to turn it around next year.
But, the man I want to see lead the Dawgs out on the field Saturday night is the man that broke those Rocky Top hearts in 2001 with a hobnail heard 'round the South. The man that called for that pass to Micheal Johnson in the back of the end zone against Auburn in 2002, and sent the Dawgs to the SEC title game. The same man that had that calm look on his face in 2004 when Georgia pounded LSU between the hedges after losing to the Tigers twice in 2003. The man who held the team together in 2005 after DJ Shockley got hurt and we lost 2 straight games, only to come back and win the SEC again. The man who had the guts to play a true freshman in 2006, and got to see that freshman upset the #5 Auburn Tigers in their house. The same man who felt that the team needed a kick in the pants in 2007, and sent the entire team on the field to celebrate.
That man knew then that every team was different and required different motivational techniques. I hope that man knows now that what this team and this fan base need is the cool, calm, and collected hand of a leader, not a head cheerleader with a headset.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
I'm Back!
Sadly real life got in the way the past couple of weeks, responsibility isn't everything its cracked up to be. But now I'm back, and I'll be here to get you through the rest of the college football season.
November.... the time when the pretenders fade away and the real title contenders step up to claim their destiny.
Only one week into November, and pretenders are dropping left and right. Yesterday, Iowa, the King of Pretenders lost at home to Northwestern. Not only does the loss drop Iowa out of the National Title conversation (if you were talking about them in the first place), but now Iowa may drop all the way out of the BCS.
Another pretender, Oregon, had a let down after their big win against ESPN's favorite pretender, USC. Oregon got blasted yesterday by Stanford, and now the PAC 10 is an absolute mess. What is the 5th tie breaker in the PAC 10? Maybe the tie breaker is that if USC is tied with anyone, USC wins because they are USC... if that isn't the tie breaker, then they should look into it.
Thankfully, we have a clear picture to the National Title game. As it should be, the SEC Championship game will be a national semifinal, with either Florida or Alabama advancing to play Big 12 Champion Texas. Throughout the year, these three teams have been the best, and two of them are going to play for the title. Texas has the benefit of not playing a good team for the next three weeks, and having to play the likes of Nebraska or some other also-ran from the Big 12 North in the Big 12 title game.
On a quick local note, Georgia took care of business yesterday against Tennessee Tech. Just like 2006, when the Dawgs finished the season by beating 3 ranked teams, Georgia needs to finish strong this season. The game against Auburn this Saturday is everything. Win against Auburn, beat Kentucky, and get revenge against Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Go to the Chick-fil-A Bowl and play Miami. Nothing wrong with that ending, lets just hope it goes that way.
Now for the fun stuff. Here are bowl projections for the BCS and Capital One Bowl with some explanation.
Capital One Bowl:
LSU v. Iowa
This would be a rematch of a very exciting Capital One Bowl from 2005. LSU lost on a last second Hail Mary from Iowa. This could also be Penn State from the Big 10.
Orange Bowl:
Georgia Tech v. Cincinnati
Tech should win the ACC title game against a weak opponent from the ACC Coastal or is it the Atlantic... who knows, who cares, Tech wins and goes to their first BCS game in school history. They should be meeting and undefeated Cincinnati team in Miami. A win by the Jackets in the Orange Bowl and Tech could be looking at a Top 5 finish, and Paul Johnson will have the Jacket nation talking National Championship in 2010.
Sugar Bowl:
Florida v. TCU
So here's the thing. I think Alabama will beat Florida in the SEC title game. Obviously it would only make sense for Sugar Bowl to replace Bama with Florida. The problem is that going into Saturday, Notre Dame, Penn State, and USC were battling for at large bids into the BCS. Notre Dame and Penn State both lost on Saturday and Oregon lost which would put USC into the Rose Bowl. By default, at this point, you have to let TCU into the BCS. There just aren't any other teams.
Rose Bowl:
USC v. Ohio State
Jim Tressel has never been to the Rose Bowl at Ohio State. He has played in 3 National Title games, but never a Rose Bowl. USC plays in the Rose Bowl every year that they don't play for the National Title. Even though this would be a rematch from earlier in the season, when USC beat Ohio State, this is a classic Rose Bowl matchup, and there won't be any other game on at 4 in the afternoon on New Year's Day, so people will watch it.
Fiesta Bowl:
Boise State v. Oregon
Boise will make it to the BCS, TCU going to the Sugar is the reach. I searched for another team to play in this game other than Oregon, but unless I'm going crazy, there isn't one. The Ducks would travels well, and will share the PAC 10 title with USC. The only reason this game might not happen, is that it would also be a rematch from the first week of the season. I just can't figure out who else could go here.
BCS National Title Game:
Alabama v. Texas
This game would feature two great teams and two of college footballs greatest programs. Bama is probably the most consistent team in football and Texas is dynamic on offense and defense. I would expect this game to be very close and very low scoring.
Obviously, there is still a lot of football to be played, but as of now, this is where we stand. Have a great week!
November.... the time when the pretenders fade away and the real title contenders step up to claim their destiny.
Only one week into November, and pretenders are dropping left and right. Yesterday, Iowa, the King of Pretenders lost at home to Northwestern. Not only does the loss drop Iowa out of the National Title conversation (if you were talking about them in the first place), but now Iowa may drop all the way out of the BCS.
Another pretender, Oregon, had a let down after their big win against ESPN's favorite pretender, USC. Oregon got blasted yesterday by Stanford, and now the PAC 10 is an absolute mess. What is the 5th tie breaker in the PAC 10? Maybe the tie breaker is that if USC is tied with anyone, USC wins because they are USC... if that isn't the tie breaker, then they should look into it.
Thankfully, we have a clear picture to the National Title game. As it should be, the SEC Championship game will be a national semifinal, with either Florida or Alabama advancing to play Big 12 Champion Texas. Throughout the year, these three teams have been the best, and two of them are going to play for the title. Texas has the benefit of not playing a good team for the next three weeks, and having to play the likes of Nebraska or some other also-ran from the Big 12 North in the Big 12 title game.
On a quick local note, Georgia took care of business yesterday against Tennessee Tech. Just like 2006, when the Dawgs finished the season by beating 3 ranked teams, Georgia needs to finish strong this season. The game against Auburn this Saturday is everything. Win against Auburn, beat Kentucky, and get revenge against Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Go to the Chick-fil-A Bowl and play Miami. Nothing wrong with that ending, lets just hope it goes that way.
Now for the fun stuff. Here are bowl projections for the BCS and Capital One Bowl with some explanation.
Capital One Bowl:
LSU v. Iowa
This would be a rematch of a very exciting Capital One Bowl from 2005. LSU lost on a last second Hail Mary from Iowa. This could also be Penn State from the Big 10.
Orange Bowl:
Georgia Tech v. Cincinnati
Tech should win the ACC title game against a weak opponent from the ACC Coastal or is it the Atlantic... who knows, who cares, Tech wins and goes to their first BCS game in school history. They should be meeting and undefeated Cincinnati team in Miami. A win by the Jackets in the Orange Bowl and Tech could be looking at a Top 5 finish, and Paul Johnson will have the Jacket nation talking National Championship in 2010.
Sugar Bowl:
Florida v. TCU
So here's the thing. I think Alabama will beat Florida in the SEC title game. Obviously it would only make sense for Sugar Bowl to replace Bama with Florida. The problem is that going into Saturday, Notre Dame, Penn State, and USC were battling for at large bids into the BCS. Notre Dame and Penn State both lost on Saturday and Oregon lost which would put USC into the Rose Bowl. By default, at this point, you have to let TCU into the BCS. There just aren't any other teams.
Rose Bowl:
USC v. Ohio State
Jim Tressel has never been to the Rose Bowl at Ohio State. He has played in 3 National Title games, but never a Rose Bowl. USC plays in the Rose Bowl every year that they don't play for the National Title. Even though this would be a rematch from earlier in the season, when USC beat Ohio State, this is a classic Rose Bowl matchup, and there won't be any other game on at 4 in the afternoon on New Year's Day, so people will watch it.
Fiesta Bowl:
Boise State v. Oregon
Boise will make it to the BCS, TCU going to the Sugar is the reach. I searched for another team to play in this game other than Oregon, but unless I'm going crazy, there isn't one. The Ducks would travels well, and will share the PAC 10 title with USC. The only reason this game might not happen, is that it would also be a rematch from the first week of the season. I just can't figure out who else could go here.
BCS National Title Game:
Alabama v. Texas
This game would feature two great teams and two of college footballs greatest programs. Bama is probably the most consistent team in football and Texas is dynamic on offense and defense. I would expect this game to be very close and very low scoring.
Obviously, there is still a lot of football to be played, but as of now, this is where we stand. Have a great week!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Week 8 Review
With no Georgia game this week, it was a little hard to get into the games. It didn't help that there weren't many good games on paper this week. Obviously, they don't play games on paper.
First of all, we have to give credit where credit is due. Georgia Tech is now in the driver's seat not only to win the coastal division of the ACC, but the entire league. Tech overcame some demons by beating Virginia yesterday, and Clemson upset Miami to give the Jackets the lead in the division. You never know what might happen, but it will probably be too much for Tech to get in the national title picture. They were ranked 12 last week and will probably be in the top 10 this week. Tech might be on a collision course with Big East Champions Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl.
Florida and Alabama managed to hang on yesterday although neither looked like the best team in the country. They obviously are the best teams, but each better get right because anyone can beat anyone in the SEC. Florida has Georgia next week in Jacksonville. The problem for the Dawgs is that this kind of rivalry game isn't prone to big upsets. The Gators will be ready to play the Dawgs, and don't think for one minute that the Gators don't still remember the antics of two years ago.
Iowa hung on at Michigan State yesterday, and with that win, the horror story for the BCS. Iowa would be killed by any of the Big 3 teams the nation would be robbed of a huge game with the likes of Florida, Alabama, Texas, and USC.
It's Cocktail Party Week! Get ready for Jacksonville.
First of all, we have to give credit where credit is due. Georgia Tech is now in the driver's seat not only to win the coastal division of the ACC, but the entire league. Tech overcame some demons by beating Virginia yesterday, and Clemson upset Miami to give the Jackets the lead in the division. You never know what might happen, but it will probably be too much for Tech to get in the national title picture. They were ranked 12 last week and will probably be in the top 10 this week. Tech might be on a collision course with Big East Champions Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl.
Florida and Alabama managed to hang on yesterday although neither looked like the best team in the country. They obviously are the best teams, but each better get right because anyone can beat anyone in the SEC. Florida has Georgia next week in Jacksonville. The problem for the Dawgs is that this kind of rivalry game isn't prone to big upsets. The Gators will be ready to play the Dawgs, and don't think for one minute that the Gators don't still remember the antics of two years ago.
Iowa hung on at Michigan State yesterday, and with that win, the horror story for the BCS. Iowa would be killed by any of the Big 3 teams the nation would be robbed of a huge game with the likes of Florida, Alabama, Texas, and USC.
It's Cocktail Party Week! Get ready for Jacksonville.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
"Almost" Saturday: Week 7 Recap
How many times do you wake up on Sunday morning, look at SportCenter and realize that it was upset Saturday or blow out Saturday or even, disappointment Saturday? There always seems to be a theme, in hindsight, when it comes to college football.
Yesterday was, without a doubt, Almost Saturday.
In the Swamp, Arkansas almost pulled off the upset of the year yesterday by upsetting the Gators. A late field goal miss for the Hogs and a game winning field goal for Florida meant that the Gators survived, but after watching the game, I think Florida has some real problems. Obviously, Brandon Spikes didn't play, and he is the anchor of the defense, but my worries are with the offense. They just don't seem to be clicking on all cylinders. Next week they play Mississippi State against Dan Meyer an old Florida coach. Two weeks until the annual Bulldog Beat down in Jacksonville, but if Florida wants to hang with Alabama, they better get right on offense.
In Southbend, Notre Dame almost ended their losing streak to USC. The Trojans took a big lead at the end of the third quarter, and Notre Dame battled back to get within 7. Jimmy Clausen had a couple of shots at the end zone at the end of the game, but couldn't get the job done, and USC survived. The Irish believed that this was their season to beat USC, but they will have to wait at least one more year. Charlie Weiss just hopes he gets another shot at USC.
Ohio State almost got out of Purdue yesterday without a very disappointing loss. However, the highly hyped second year quarterback Terrelle Pryor turned the ball over all day and couldn't lead a fourth quarter drive to win the game. Pryor and the Buckeyes are now in serious trouble in the Big 10. They stand third in the conference behind undefeated Penn State and Iowa. Ohio State plays both of them in the next few weeks, however, if Pryor keeps turning the ball over, Ohio State will be playing in the Alamo Bowl instead of the Rose Bowl.
Virginia Tech almost escaped Atlanta with their national title hopes last night, but Georgia Tech managed to end the Hokies outside shot at the BCS's big game. Tyrod Taylor had a pretty good game, but just couldn't make the big play down the stretch to win it for Virginia Tech. For Georgia Tech, they are right back in the ACC title hunt with their first win versus a top 5 team at home in almost 50 years. Paul Johnson's Jackets just need to win out in the ACC and then everyone in Atlanta will be trying to figure out the ACC's tie breaker rules. Miami beat GT, VT beat Miami, and GT beat VT. Hmm, sounds like a crap shoot. Funny how Georgia Tech needs Virginia Tech to win out, because they lose a tie breaker if it comes down to just the Jackets and the Canes.
Finally, Georgia almost looked good yesterday against a terrible Vanderbilt team. Almost because Joe Cox was still ineffective for most of the game. He made some good passes, but he still didn't show the ability to lead the team with the passing game. The running game carried the offense yesterday, which is good. However, the Dawgs won't be able to be one dimensional against the Gators in two weeks.
Since the BCS Rankings will be released for the first time today, I'll give you version one of my Bowl Projections:
Music City Bowl: Georgia v. Clemson
CFA Bowl: Georgia Tech v. South Carolina
Orange Bowl: Miami v. Cincinnati
Sugar Bowl: Florida v. Iowa
Fiesta Bowl: Iowa v. Boise State
Rose Bowl: USC v. Penn State
BCS National Championship Game: Alabama v. Texas
Yesterday was, without a doubt, Almost Saturday.
In the Swamp, Arkansas almost pulled off the upset of the year yesterday by upsetting the Gators. A late field goal miss for the Hogs and a game winning field goal for Florida meant that the Gators survived, but after watching the game, I think Florida has some real problems. Obviously, Brandon Spikes didn't play, and he is the anchor of the defense, but my worries are with the offense. They just don't seem to be clicking on all cylinders. Next week they play Mississippi State against Dan Meyer an old Florida coach. Two weeks until the annual Bulldog Beat down in Jacksonville, but if Florida wants to hang with Alabama, they better get right on offense.
In Southbend, Notre Dame almost ended their losing streak to USC. The Trojans took a big lead at the end of the third quarter, and Notre Dame battled back to get within 7. Jimmy Clausen had a couple of shots at the end zone at the end of the game, but couldn't get the job done, and USC survived. The Irish believed that this was their season to beat USC, but they will have to wait at least one more year. Charlie Weiss just hopes he gets another shot at USC.
Ohio State almost got out of Purdue yesterday without a very disappointing loss. However, the highly hyped second year quarterback Terrelle Pryor turned the ball over all day and couldn't lead a fourth quarter drive to win the game. Pryor and the Buckeyes are now in serious trouble in the Big 10. They stand third in the conference behind undefeated Penn State and Iowa. Ohio State plays both of them in the next few weeks, however, if Pryor keeps turning the ball over, Ohio State will be playing in the Alamo Bowl instead of the Rose Bowl.
Virginia Tech almost escaped Atlanta with their national title hopes last night, but Georgia Tech managed to end the Hokies outside shot at the BCS's big game. Tyrod Taylor had a pretty good game, but just couldn't make the big play down the stretch to win it for Virginia Tech. For Georgia Tech, they are right back in the ACC title hunt with their first win versus a top 5 team at home in almost 50 years. Paul Johnson's Jackets just need to win out in the ACC and then everyone in Atlanta will be trying to figure out the ACC's tie breaker rules. Miami beat GT, VT beat Miami, and GT beat VT. Hmm, sounds like a crap shoot. Funny how Georgia Tech needs Virginia Tech to win out, because they lose a tie breaker if it comes down to just the Jackets and the Canes.
Finally, Georgia almost looked good yesterday against a terrible Vanderbilt team. Almost because Joe Cox was still ineffective for most of the game. He made some good passes, but he still didn't show the ability to lead the team with the passing game. The running game carried the offense yesterday, which is good. However, the Dawgs won't be able to be one dimensional against the Gators in two weeks.
Since the BCS Rankings will be released for the first time today, I'll give you version one of my Bowl Projections:
Music City Bowl: Georgia v. Clemson
CFA Bowl: Georgia Tech v. South Carolina
Orange Bowl: Miami v. Cincinnati
Sugar Bowl: Florida v. Iowa
Fiesta Bowl: Iowa v. Boise State
Rose Bowl: USC v. Penn State
BCS National Championship Game: Alabama v. Texas
Friday, October 16, 2009
Week 7 Preview
Locally it doesn't really feel like a football weekend.
Georgia is playing Vanderbilt and some people are wondering if the Dawgs have what it takes to beat Vandy in Nashville.
There isn't really a big game in the SEC this weekend. Florida and Arkansas is interesting for maybe a half. South Carolina has to beat Alabama to keep their hopes alive for an SEC Championship. But there are a lot of bad games this weekend.
If you want to know what will happen, here it is.
Texas will beat Oklahoma, and it won't really be a close game in the second half. Maybe Texas by two touchdowns.
Florida will play around with Arkansas, and then put them away late in the third quarter.
Alabama will destroy South Carolina. Nothing else to say.
Georgia Tech will come up short against Virginia Tech who is still in the running for a National Title.
Notre Dame will most likely be the biggest story on Sunday morning. They will beat a USC team that just isn't as good as years past.
Georgia will beat Vanderbilt, but don't expect to feel any better Dawg fans. Something like 27-16, won't make you think that the Dawgs are ready for the Gators.
Enjoy the games, if you can.
Georgia is playing Vanderbilt and some people are wondering if the Dawgs have what it takes to beat Vandy in Nashville.
There isn't really a big game in the SEC this weekend. Florida and Arkansas is interesting for maybe a half. South Carolina has to beat Alabama to keep their hopes alive for an SEC Championship. But there are a lot of bad games this weekend.
If you want to know what will happen, here it is.
Texas will beat Oklahoma, and it won't really be a close game in the second half. Maybe Texas by two touchdowns.
Florida will play around with Arkansas, and then put them away late in the third quarter.
Alabama will destroy South Carolina. Nothing else to say.
Georgia Tech will come up short against Virginia Tech who is still in the running for a National Title.
Notre Dame will most likely be the biggest story on Sunday morning. They will beat a USC team that just isn't as good as years past.
Georgia will beat Vanderbilt, but don't expect to feel any better Dawg fans. Something like 27-16, won't make you think that the Dawgs are ready for the Gators.
Enjoy the games, if you can.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Reaction to Georgia/Tennessee
I had to work on Saturday, so I found out (through Tivo) about three hours after the rest of the world that Georgia embarrassed themselves in Knoxville Saturday. It's not embarrassing that the Dawgs lost to Tennessee. Tennessee is a good program, and they are very talented on defense. Neeland Stadium is a tough place to play, it would be foolish to think you can just walk into that stadium and win a game.
However, the Georgia loss to Tennessee was embarrassing because Georgia under preformed in almost every aspect of the game.
Let's start with the offense. 3 points! I know Tennessee has a good defense, but all we could manage on offense was 3 little points thanks to a 53 yard field goal? A 53 yard field goal! Georgia never took a snap inside the Tennessee 30 yard line. It wasn't that the offense didn't play it's best, or that we made some big turnovers in the red zone, we never got into position to score. The only reason we scored on offense was that Blair Walsh can kick the ball 3 miles.
Joe Cox didn't play well again, and at this point in the season you have to think that the Joe Cox we saw on Saturday is the real Joe Cox, not the Joe Cox that played so well against South Carolina and Arkansas. Washaun Ealey was a non factor, as was Richard Samuel. There wasn't even an attempt to run the ball in the second half. Don't forgot, this was a 24-19 game half way through the third quarter, and Georgia was lining up in the shot gun, throwing it around like we have a Heisman trophy quarterback under center.
The most telling play in the entire game for the offense was the fourth and 1 play with about 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter. You have to go for it if you are Georgia, and Mark Richt made the right call to send the offense back out on the field and go for fourth and 1. Georgia lines up with 3 wide receivers, in the shot gun, with a running back set to the side of Cox. Joe Cox misses the tight end in the flat, and all hope of a Georgia win goes right down the drain. Now, please tell me where in the history of this great University we stopped having the ability to line up, man on man, power I formation, hand the ball off, and fight your way for one yard!? This isn't the PAC 10! This is the SEC! If you can't line up and get one yard in an attempt to save your season, you don't deserve to win! That is what is so sad about Saturday's game. After playing so well against LSU and coming up just short, Georgia deserved to lose, and lose badly to Tennessee.
The defense is a different situation all together. I wish I could say that I am surprised that Georgia's defense gave up all those yards passing to a quarterback who was on the brink of getting benched, but I'm not. This is what Georgia's defense is now. Forget the day's of Erk Russel. Forget the days of David Pollack. Even forget the days of Charles Johnson and Kellen Johnson. This defense is just bad. They don't tackle well, they don't get off of their blocks, and lord knows they can't cover a receiver down field to save their lives. Think back to the Arkansas game. How many times did you see the ball thrown to a receiver who didn't have a defensive player within 10 yards of them? Think back to Saturday. Didn't you just know, when Crompton dropped back and bombed that pass down field that you were going to see a receiver open, and an out of position Georgia defender running as hard as they can trying to catch up? Rashad Jones is not a good safety in coverage, and Brian Evans may be talented but he is out of position almost every time the ball is thrown deep.
You might be thinking that I'm being a little hard on the defense. We did return an interception for a touchdown on Saturday!
Look at the play again. The only reason Mr. Rambo was in position to pick the ball off after it had been deflected was that the defender was 5 yards away from him, and he had plenty of time to react to the deflection. He was out of position. He just got lucky.
The special teams obviously were one bright spot for Georgia. The blocked punt was nice to see, only because we haven't been trying to return punts or block them all season. Usually Georgia just sends the back up quarterback out there to throw a hand up.
So what does it all mean? Where should we go now?
Well, this season is over. I know we still have 6 games to play, but for all intents and purposes, it's over. Mark Richt is now a victim of his own success, and 3-3 is just not good enough in Athens. We are going to lose to Florida, we will most likely lose to either Auburn or Georgia Tech and we might just lose to both of them. We are looking at 8-4 at best and 6-6 is a very real possibility. Now the important thing is trying to build something for next season.
At quarterback, you have to make a decision. Is Logan Gray going to be your starter next season? If he is, then he should be playing starting this week at Vanderbilt. I have heard some amazing stories about Joe Cox. He said all that he ever wanted to be was the quarterback at Georgia. He told players in the huddle in 2006 against Colorado that if they couldn't score two touchdowns to win the game, they didn't deserve to put the "G" on their helmet. I can respect and admire the passion he has for the school and the program. But we can't let this season be a failure and then assure that next season will also be a failure. If Logan Gray is going to be the man, he needs to take his lumps now, so we can try to put together a bounce back season next year.
Here's the problem. Logan Gray is not going to be the man. Aaron Murry will be the starting quarterback next season, so Richt will have to take the red shirt off of him to get some experience this season. Some people might think that this situation is just like the 2006 situation with Matt Stafford. It's not. Stafford played in the first game of the season as the third string quarterback. His red shirt was lost from the start of the season. Murry has now sat out the first half of the year, so you would pretty much be cutting his eligibility by 6 games. I don't think Richt is going to play him at all this season.
So where does that put the program? Murry will start next season as a red shirt freshman, and he will play like a red shirt freshman. Remember that once Stafford took the starting job in 2006, we went up to Lexington and lost to Kentucky. On the other hand, we went to Auburn and beat the number five team in the country the very next week. Aaron Murry is very talented, and he is going to win some games, but in this conference, you have to take your lumps before you can win titles.
A lot of people want Mike Bobo gone. I don't think that is a good idea. He doesn't have the tools to work with this season, so you can't just put this at his feet.
However, Willie Martinez has to be fired at the end of the season. There are no more excuses. I know he is Richt's best friend, and I'm sure he is a good man with a good family. But none of that matters when it comes to his job. His job is to prepare Georgia's defense to win ball games, and he simply is not doing it. We have good recruits on defense, so either is defensive strategy isn't getting the job done, or he can't coach the talent he has. Either way he has to go.
If Mark Richt allows his personal relationship with Willie Martinez to play a role in his decision, then Mark Richt is not the leader Georgia needs.
Being in charge means making the tough decisions. It won't be fun for Richt, but its right for Georgia. Martinez has to go.
However, the Georgia loss to Tennessee was embarrassing because Georgia under preformed in almost every aspect of the game.
Let's start with the offense. 3 points! I know Tennessee has a good defense, but all we could manage on offense was 3 little points thanks to a 53 yard field goal? A 53 yard field goal! Georgia never took a snap inside the Tennessee 30 yard line. It wasn't that the offense didn't play it's best, or that we made some big turnovers in the red zone, we never got into position to score. The only reason we scored on offense was that Blair Walsh can kick the ball 3 miles.
Joe Cox didn't play well again, and at this point in the season you have to think that the Joe Cox we saw on Saturday is the real Joe Cox, not the Joe Cox that played so well against South Carolina and Arkansas. Washaun Ealey was a non factor, as was Richard Samuel. There wasn't even an attempt to run the ball in the second half. Don't forgot, this was a 24-19 game half way through the third quarter, and Georgia was lining up in the shot gun, throwing it around like we have a Heisman trophy quarterback under center.
The most telling play in the entire game for the offense was the fourth and 1 play with about 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter. You have to go for it if you are Georgia, and Mark Richt made the right call to send the offense back out on the field and go for fourth and 1. Georgia lines up with 3 wide receivers, in the shot gun, with a running back set to the side of Cox. Joe Cox misses the tight end in the flat, and all hope of a Georgia win goes right down the drain. Now, please tell me where in the history of this great University we stopped having the ability to line up, man on man, power I formation, hand the ball off, and fight your way for one yard!? This isn't the PAC 10! This is the SEC! If you can't line up and get one yard in an attempt to save your season, you don't deserve to win! That is what is so sad about Saturday's game. After playing so well against LSU and coming up just short, Georgia deserved to lose, and lose badly to Tennessee.
The defense is a different situation all together. I wish I could say that I am surprised that Georgia's defense gave up all those yards passing to a quarterback who was on the brink of getting benched, but I'm not. This is what Georgia's defense is now. Forget the day's of Erk Russel. Forget the days of David Pollack. Even forget the days of Charles Johnson and Kellen Johnson. This defense is just bad. They don't tackle well, they don't get off of their blocks, and lord knows they can't cover a receiver down field to save their lives. Think back to the Arkansas game. How many times did you see the ball thrown to a receiver who didn't have a defensive player within 10 yards of them? Think back to Saturday. Didn't you just know, when Crompton dropped back and bombed that pass down field that you were going to see a receiver open, and an out of position Georgia defender running as hard as they can trying to catch up? Rashad Jones is not a good safety in coverage, and Brian Evans may be talented but he is out of position almost every time the ball is thrown deep.
You might be thinking that I'm being a little hard on the defense. We did return an interception for a touchdown on Saturday!
Look at the play again. The only reason Mr. Rambo was in position to pick the ball off after it had been deflected was that the defender was 5 yards away from him, and he had plenty of time to react to the deflection. He was out of position. He just got lucky.
The special teams obviously were one bright spot for Georgia. The blocked punt was nice to see, only because we haven't been trying to return punts or block them all season. Usually Georgia just sends the back up quarterback out there to throw a hand up.
So what does it all mean? Where should we go now?
Well, this season is over. I know we still have 6 games to play, but for all intents and purposes, it's over. Mark Richt is now a victim of his own success, and 3-3 is just not good enough in Athens. We are going to lose to Florida, we will most likely lose to either Auburn or Georgia Tech and we might just lose to both of them. We are looking at 8-4 at best and 6-6 is a very real possibility. Now the important thing is trying to build something for next season.
At quarterback, you have to make a decision. Is Logan Gray going to be your starter next season? If he is, then he should be playing starting this week at Vanderbilt. I have heard some amazing stories about Joe Cox. He said all that he ever wanted to be was the quarterback at Georgia. He told players in the huddle in 2006 against Colorado that if they couldn't score two touchdowns to win the game, they didn't deserve to put the "G" on their helmet. I can respect and admire the passion he has for the school and the program. But we can't let this season be a failure and then assure that next season will also be a failure. If Logan Gray is going to be the man, he needs to take his lumps now, so we can try to put together a bounce back season next year.
Here's the problem. Logan Gray is not going to be the man. Aaron Murry will be the starting quarterback next season, so Richt will have to take the red shirt off of him to get some experience this season. Some people might think that this situation is just like the 2006 situation with Matt Stafford. It's not. Stafford played in the first game of the season as the third string quarterback. His red shirt was lost from the start of the season. Murry has now sat out the first half of the year, so you would pretty much be cutting his eligibility by 6 games. I don't think Richt is going to play him at all this season.
So where does that put the program? Murry will start next season as a red shirt freshman, and he will play like a red shirt freshman. Remember that once Stafford took the starting job in 2006, we went up to Lexington and lost to Kentucky. On the other hand, we went to Auburn and beat the number five team in the country the very next week. Aaron Murry is very talented, and he is going to win some games, but in this conference, you have to take your lumps before you can win titles.
A lot of people want Mike Bobo gone. I don't think that is a good idea. He doesn't have the tools to work with this season, so you can't just put this at his feet.
However, Willie Martinez has to be fired at the end of the season. There are no more excuses. I know he is Richt's best friend, and I'm sure he is a good man with a good family. But none of that matters when it comes to his job. His job is to prepare Georgia's defense to win ball games, and he simply is not doing it. We have good recruits on defense, so either is defensive strategy isn't getting the job done, or he can't coach the talent he has. Either way he has to go.
If Mark Richt allows his personal relationship with Willie Martinez to play a role in his decision, then Mark Richt is not the leader Georgia needs.
Being in charge means making the tough decisions. It won't be fun for Richt, but its right for Georgia. Martinez has to go.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Week 6 Preview
What a weekend of college football we have for our viewing pleasure this Saturday! This is the best weekend of games in the SEC all season, and there are some good non-SEC games as well.
The pre-game story lines are almost so good, you don't think the games themselves can live up to the hype.
The focus of the college football world has been on Tim Tebow and the most analyzed concussion in recent memory. Tebow's status has been debated and discussed by everyone from ESPN to yours truly. Here is the simple fact about Tebow, if he plays Florida will win. If he does not play Florida will most likely win. Like I said before, if Tebow isn't 100% then he shouldn't play. Period. The worst possible outcome of this weekend would be for Tebow to suffer another concussion, win or lose and then miss significant time. I'm not just being a homer, but Florida is a long way away from the SEC title game, so they can't afford to lose Tebow for more than just this week.
Another big game nationally will be Alabama traveling to Oxford to take on Ole Miss. The Rebels were the trendy pick coming into the season, but couldn't live up to the hype against South Carolina a few weeks ago. For Ole Miss, this game can make or break the season. A scary place to be playing if you are Alabama. There is nothing more dangerous than a team with their backs against the wall.
Besides Tebow's head, no topic has gotten as much press this week as the Florida State head coaching situation. Bobby Bowden is one of the best coaches in the history of college football, and if they had a Hall of Fame for human beings, he would be a first ballot selection. He does not deserve to be treated like some scrub head coach that the boosters are trying to run out of town. If FSU wanted Bowden to step down, walk into the man's office, and ask him to bow out gracefully at the end of the season. Bowden is a man of integrity, no reason to put a black eye on the program that Bowden made during the 90's. Bowden and the 'Noles host Georgia Tech on Saturday Night.
Locally, Georgia has to figure out what type of team they are going to be. Are they going to be an offensive juggernaut that can put points up by the barrel full. Or are they an offense that can only muster 1 first down in an entire half of football at home? Traveling to Knoxville is never an easy task, and the Tennessee defense is for real (Just ask Florida). Eric Berry and the Vols aren't having a great season, and would enjoy nothing more than sending Georgia home with a 3-3 record.
Enough of the talk, let's get to the picks!
#3 Alabama v. #20 Ole Miss 3:30 pm CBS
For Alabama this is just another game on their way back to Atlanta and another showdown with the mighty Gators. For Ole Miss, this game is everything. Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium might not be the biggest in the conference, but it will be rocking like there are 90,000 fans on Saturday afternoon. The X's and O's don't add up, but sometime you just have to go with your guy. Ole Miss needs this one, and they are at home.
Prediction: Alabama 13 Ole Miss 16
#22 Georgia Tech v. Florida State 8 pm ESPN2
Tech's offense played well last week on the road in Starkville. Tech's defense is showing signs of coming around. Tech finally got the monkey off of their backs last year when they beat Florida State for the first time since Jimmy Carter was President. Florida State is in turmoil with big questions on the future of their hall of fame coach Bobby Bowden. Everything about this game is pointing one way. Win one for the Gipper!
Prediction: Georgia Tech 24 Florida State 34
#1 Florida v. #4 LSU 8 pm CBS
Will he play? Will he sit? If he plays will he be the same player? Bottom line: It doesn't matter! Florida's defense will win this game, the offense can kick field goals. LSU's offense couldn't score a touchdown on Georgia's defense for 3 1/2 quarters, what makes anyone think they will score a touchdown on Saturday night? They are at home, so they will play better. But Florida is in a league of their own.
Prediction: Florida 27 LSU 13
Georgia v. Tennessee 12:21 pm(?) SEC Network (Aka Peachtree TV)
Tennessee is not a good football team. Jonathan Crompton is not an SEC quarterback. You can't be one dimensional in the SEC. Georgia has to win this game. Mark Richt doesn't lose games on the road, and he has already lost one this season. Lane Kiffin might bring Tennessee back, but they aren't back yet. #24 is back for Georgia, that's all you need to know(shon). You can call him Elton John this weekend because Washaun Ealey is coming out! Not to metion that Georgia will have a lucky charm in the stands (My little brother!).
Prediction: Georgia 21 Tennessee 17
Enjoy the games!
The pre-game story lines are almost so good, you don't think the games themselves can live up to the hype.
The focus of the college football world has been on Tim Tebow and the most analyzed concussion in recent memory. Tebow's status has been debated and discussed by everyone from ESPN to yours truly. Here is the simple fact about Tebow, if he plays Florida will win. If he does not play Florida will most likely win. Like I said before, if Tebow isn't 100% then he shouldn't play. Period. The worst possible outcome of this weekend would be for Tebow to suffer another concussion, win or lose and then miss significant time. I'm not just being a homer, but Florida is a long way away from the SEC title game, so they can't afford to lose Tebow for more than just this week.
Another big game nationally will be Alabama traveling to Oxford to take on Ole Miss. The Rebels were the trendy pick coming into the season, but couldn't live up to the hype against South Carolina a few weeks ago. For Ole Miss, this game can make or break the season. A scary place to be playing if you are Alabama. There is nothing more dangerous than a team with their backs against the wall.
Besides Tebow's head, no topic has gotten as much press this week as the Florida State head coaching situation. Bobby Bowden is one of the best coaches in the history of college football, and if they had a Hall of Fame for human beings, he would be a first ballot selection. He does not deserve to be treated like some scrub head coach that the boosters are trying to run out of town. If FSU wanted Bowden to step down, walk into the man's office, and ask him to bow out gracefully at the end of the season. Bowden is a man of integrity, no reason to put a black eye on the program that Bowden made during the 90's. Bowden and the 'Noles host Georgia Tech on Saturday Night.
Locally, Georgia has to figure out what type of team they are going to be. Are they going to be an offensive juggernaut that can put points up by the barrel full. Or are they an offense that can only muster 1 first down in an entire half of football at home? Traveling to Knoxville is never an easy task, and the Tennessee defense is for real (Just ask Florida). Eric Berry and the Vols aren't having a great season, and would enjoy nothing more than sending Georgia home with a 3-3 record.
Enough of the talk, let's get to the picks!
#3 Alabama v. #20 Ole Miss 3:30 pm CBS
For Alabama this is just another game on their way back to Atlanta and another showdown with the mighty Gators. For Ole Miss, this game is everything. Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium might not be the biggest in the conference, but it will be rocking like there are 90,000 fans on Saturday afternoon. The X's and O's don't add up, but sometime you just have to go with your guy. Ole Miss needs this one, and they are at home.
Prediction: Alabama 13 Ole Miss 16
#22 Georgia Tech v. Florida State 8 pm ESPN2
Tech's offense played well last week on the road in Starkville. Tech's defense is showing signs of coming around. Tech finally got the monkey off of their backs last year when they beat Florida State for the first time since Jimmy Carter was President. Florida State is in turmoil with big questions on the future of their hall of fame coach Bobby Bowden. Everything about this game is pointing one way. Win one for the Gipper!
Prediction: Georgia Tech 24 Florida State 34
#1 Florida v. #4 LSU 8 pm CBS
Will he play? Will he sit? If he plays will he be the same player? Bottom line: It doesn't matter! Florida's defense will win this game, the offense can kick field goals. LSU's offense couldn't score a touchdown on Georgia's defense for 3 1/2 quarters, what makes anyone think they will score a touchdown on Saturday night? They are at home, so they will play better. But Florida is in a league of their own.
Prediction: Florida 27 LSU 13
Georgia v. Tennessee 12:21 pm(?) SEC Network (Aka Peachtree TV)
Tennessee is not a good football team. Jonathan Crompton is not an SEC quarterback. You can't be one dimensional in the SEC. Georgia has to win this game. Mark Richt doesn't lose games on the road, and he has already lost one this season. Lane Kiffin might bring Tennessee back, but they aren't back yet. #24 is back for Georgia, that's all you need to know(shon). You can call him Elton John this weekend because Washaun Ealey is coming out! Not to metion that Georgia will have a lucky charm in the stands (My little brother!).
Prediction: Georgia 21 Tennessee 17
Enjoy the games!
Pros and Cons for UGA v. GT in the Dome
In the past couple of days, there has been talk that the 2011 Georgia/Georgia Tech game could be moved to the Georgia Dome to be apart of the annual Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Classic. Obviously, there are many factors to consider when talking about this issue, so here are some of the good and bad points.
PRO National Exposure
At this point, the Georgia/Georgia Tech game does not have a high profile on the national level. When you talk about college football rivalries you think of Ohio St./Michigan, Florida/Florida State, Oklahoma/Texas, USC/Notre Dame. You don't think of Georgia/Georgia Tech unless you live in the state. One of the reasons that the game has no national significance is that Georgia has dominated the series for the last decade. However, Paul Johnson seems to have Tech in a place where they will be ranked on a consistent basis. The thought of Georgia playing Tech in a top 15 matchup to kick off the 2011 season, with ESPN's College Gameday parked outside the Dome is an intriguing proposition for both schools.
Con Loss of Tradition
The biggest con in this situation is the fact that the Saturday after Thanksgiving would become just another Saturday in the state. No matter how the season has gone for either school, Clean Old Fashion Hate can be a silver lining on even the darkest of seasons. Both teams would have to schedule games on that weekend, each team would be playing a non-conference, non-rivalry opponent for the last game of the season. Who could the two teams find to fill that spot this late in the scheduling process? The thought of a post-Thanksgiving weekend filled with a Georgia v. Western Carolina matchup, while Tech hosts the Citidel, can sober up even the most optimistic fan.
Pro More Prep time for Georgia
Probably the biggest pro for Georiga would be the fact that there would be more time for Georgia's defense to prepare for the Tech option offense. Most teams only get 1 week to prepare for Paul Johnson's unique rushing offense, which gives Tech an advantage almost every Saturday. If Georgia were playing Tech in the Dome to open the season, Georgia would have the entire off season to get ready for the Tech rushing attack. As we saw in the second half of the game last season, Georgia could use all the help they can get when it comes to stopping Tech's running offense.
Con The loss of a home game
Home games are valuable in college football. Every year you hear about big schools paying out six figure dollars to no-name schools to come into places like Athens, Gainesville, and Knoxville to get their butts kicked. The reason that it works financially for these big name schools to pay out that kind of money is that they make even more money for every home game. Even home games against teams that don't put up a fight for more than a quarter. Tech would be the team giving up the home game in 2011, but I'm sure that if they gave that game up they would expect Georgia to give up a home game at some point in the future.
Pro Tech could surprise Georgia
The advantage for Tech would be that they would get to play Georgia early in the season, before the Dawgs are at their best. Historically, Georgia has been a slow starter. Every year Georgia plays close games with South Carolina, despite Georgia's advantage in talent, because the Dawgs haven't worked the kinks out yet. Georgia has also played close games with the likes of Georgia Southern early in the season. With Tech still trying to catch up to Georgia in the talent department, the early season game would benefit Tech.
Con The loss of funds in Atlanta
The Atlanta Business Council is the group that sets up these games. While the appeal of a Georgia/Georgia Tech matchup is obvious, there is one huge drawback for the Council. With Georgia and Georgia Tech's fans already in town, or close enough to make a day trip to the Dome, the city will lose out on a lot of money. Hotels, restaurants, and other attractions would not draw the same type of crowds that they would if you had two teams bringing fans from outside the state.
In the end, I don't think the game will be moved and that is a good thing. Tradition is what makes college football special, and while the Georgia/Georgia Tech tradition doesn't mean much across the country, it means a great deal within the state. Let's hope that the Saturday after Thanksgiving is always a day for left over turkey and Clean Old Fashion Hate.
PRO National Exposure
At this point, the Georgia/Georgia Tech game does not have a high profile on the national level. When you talk about college football rivalries you think of Ohio St./Michigan, Florida/Florida State, Oklahoma/Texas, USC/Notre Dame. You don't think of Georgia/Georgia Tech unless you live in the state. One of the reasons that the game has no national significance is that Georgia has dominated the series for the last decade. However, Paul Johnson seems to have Tech in a place where they will be ranked on a consistent basis. The thought of Georgia playing Tech in a top 15 matchup to kick off the 2011 season, with ESPN's College Gameday parked outside the Dome is an intriguing proposition for both schools.
Con Loss of Tradition
The biggest con in this situation is the fact that the Saturday after Thanksgiving would become just another Saturday in the state. No matter how the season has gone for either school, Clean Old Fashion Hate can be a silver lining on even the darkest of seasons. Both teams would have to schedule games on that weekend, each team would be playing a non-conference, non-rivalry opponent for the last game of the season. Who could the two teams find to fill that spot this late in the scheduling process? The thought of a post-Thanksgiving weekend filled with a Georgia v. Western Carolina matchup, while Tech hosts the Citidel, can sober up even the most optimistic fan.
Pro More Prep time for Georgia
Probably the biggest pro for Georiga would be the fact that there would be more time for Georgia's defense to prepare for the Tech option offense. Most teams only get 1 week to prepare for Paul Johnson's unique rushing offense, which gives Tech an advantage almost every Saturday. If Georgia were playing Tech in the Dome to open the season, Georgia would have the entire off season to get ready for the Tech rushing attack. As we saw in the second half of the game last season, Georgia could use all the help they can get when it comes to stopping Tech's running offense.
Con The loss of a home game
Home games are valuable in college football. Every year you hear about big schools paying out six figure dollars to no-name schools to come into places like Athens, Gainesville, and Knoxville to get their butts kicked. The reason that it works financially for these big name schools to pay out that kind of money is that they make even more money for every home game. Even home games against teams that don't put up a fight for more than a quarter. Tech would be the team giving up the home game in 2011, but I'm sure that if they gave that game up they would expect Georgia to give up a home game at some point in the future.
Pro Tech could surprise Georgia
The advantage for Tech would be that they would get to play Georgia early in the season, before the Dawgs are at their best. Historically, Georgia has been a slow starter. Every year Georgia plays close games with South Carolina, despite Georgia's advantage in talent, because the Dawgs haven't worked the kinks out yet. Georgia has also played close games with the likes of Georgia Southern early in the season. With Tech still trying to catch up to Georgia in the talent department, the early season game would benefit Tech.
Con The loss of funds in Atlanta
The Atlanta Business Council is the group that sets up these games. While the appeal of a Georgia/Georgia Tech matchup is obvious, there is one huge drawback for the Council. With Georgia and Georgia Tech's fans already in town, or close enough to make a day trip to the Dome, the city will lose out on a lot of money. Hotels, restaurants, and other attractions would not draw the same type of crowds that they would if you had two teams bringing fans from outside the state.
In the end, I don't think the game will be moved and that is a good thing. Tradition is what makes college football special, and while the Georgia/Georgia Tech tradition doesn't mean much across the country, it means a great deal within the state. Let's hope that the Saturday after Thanksgiving is always a day for left over turkey and Clean Old Fashion Hate.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Should Tebow Play on Saturday?
The talk of the college football world seems to be the debate over whether Tim Tebow should play this Saturday for Florida. Coach Meyer has said that he will be a game time decision on Saturday night, which most people think is just a ploy to keep LSU guessing.
I have no doubt that Tebow will play on Saturday night. I just hope it is the right decision.
Despite the fact that Tebow plays for Florida, I think he is one of the best players I have seen in my lifetime. The way he leads his team on the field and the way he conducts himself off of the field makes you hate, not the person, but the fact that he doesn't play for your favorite team. The thing I admire the most about Tebow is his determination. Last year in the SEC Championship against Alabama, Tebow seemed to just will Florida to the victory. In the national title game, even watching the game, you knew Tebow would win, because that is what he does. He is a winner in every sense of the word.
His determination could be his biggest enemy this weekend. If left up to him, there is no doubt Tebow will be playing. My hope is that he has people looking out for him that care more about his well being than the Gators' record.
Tebow does not owe the Gator Nation anything. He has delivered one title to Gainesville and is on track to deliver another title this year.
Obviously I have no idea how badly Tebow was originally hurt, or where he is in his recovery. All I can say is that if there is even a chance that playing on Saturday night could jeopardize Tebows future, I hope there is a doctor, a parent, or a coach with enough humanity to tell him that he can't play.
The truth is Florida doesn't have to win in Baton Rouge to play for the National Championship. Even with one loss, Florida can still play for the title.
One game, especially this game, under these circumstances, is not worth sacrificing the future of a young man that has been an inspiration to his teammates and a role model to everyone in college football about how to handle stardom.
I have no doubt that Tebow will play on Saturday night. I just hope it is the right decision.
Despite the fact that Tebow plays for Florida, I think he is one of the best players I have seen in my lifetime. The way he leads his team on the field and the way he conducts himself off of the field makes you hate, not the person, but the fact that he doesn't play for your favorite team. The thing I admire the most about Tebow is his determination. Last year in the SEC Championship against Alabama, Tebow seemed to just will Florida to the victory. In the national title game, even watching the game, you knew Tebow would win, because that is what he does. He is a winner in every sense of the word.
His determination could be his biggest enemy this weekend. If left up to him, there is no doubt Tebow will be playing. My hope is that he has people looking out for him that care more about his well being than the Gators' record.
Tebow does not owe the Gator Nation anything. He has delivered one title to Gainesville and is on track to deliver another title this year.
Obviously I have no idea how badly Tebow was originally hurt, or where he is in his recovery. All I can say is that if there is even a chance that playing on Saturday night could jeopardize Tebows future, I hope there is a doctor, a parent, or a coach with enough humanity to tell him that he can't play.
The truth is Florida doesn't have to win in Baton Rouge to play for the National Championship. Even with one loss, Florida can still play for the title.
One game, especially this game, under these circumstances, is not worth sacrificing the future of a young man that has been an inspiration to his teammates and a role model to everyone in college football about how to handle stardom.
Tebow or Herschel Who's the Greatest of all time?
Tim Tebow is only a couple of rushing touchdowns away from breaking Herschel Walker’s SEC record. As the legend of Tebow grows, some believe that Tim Tebow is the greatest college football player of all time.
Obviously, when you start talking about the greatest of all time, you have to contend with issues like playing in different eras and in this case, players who play different positions. However, statistics are statistics, so let’s take a look:
Who is the Greatest College Football Player of All Time, Tim Tebow or Herschel Walker?
By the Numbers:
In 45 games, Tebow has for 48 touchdowns rushing and 73 touchdowns through the air. In 33 games, Walker scored 52 touchdowns.
Tebow has won one Heisman Trophy and led his team to one national championship. The same can be said for Walker.
Walker had 28 games with 100+ rushing yards. Tebow has rushed for a touchdown and passed for a touchdown in the same game more frequently than any other player in college football history.
So the statistics are impressive for both.
Here is the truth, like it or not.
Before Herschel Walker came to Georgia, they were not a great team. The ’78 Dawgs had won the SEC with a team that overachieved. In 1979 Georgia went 6-5. With almost the exact team (with the addition of Walker), Georgia went 12-0 in 1980 and won the National Championship. In fact, from 1980-1982 Georgia’s record was 33-3. They won 1 National Championship and lost to Penn State in the 1982 title game.
You can’t credit Tim Tebow with Florida’s 2007 National Championship. He was absolutely apart of the team, but he was used as a special teams player in that he came into the game is short yardage and other special situations. He was not the quarterback or the running back on that team. Florida went 13-1 and won the title in 2006, with Tebow playing a limited role behind Chris Leak. In 2007, Tebow’s first year as a starter, the Gators were 9-4. The four losses that Tebow had in 2007 were more than Herschel had in his entire career.
Florida had been a national contender since 1990 when Steve Spurrier began his career in Gainesville. Georgia was little more than an afterthought before Walker came to Athens.
Tebow is continuing a tradition, Walker created one.
Walker is without a doubt the greatest college football player of all time.
For now.
As much as I hate to admit it, Tebow has a chance in this, his senior season to pass Walker and every other player in college football history.
If Tebow comes back from this concussion, leads Florida to an SEC title, wins the Heisman trophy for a second time, and steers the Gators to another National Championship then, Tim Tebow will be the greatest college football player of all time.
For now, he’s looking up at #34, just like everyone else.
Obviously, when you start talking about the greatest of all time, you have to contend with issues like playing in different eras and in this case, players who play different positions. However, statistics are statistics, so let’s take a look:
Who is the Greatest College Football Player of All Time, Tim Tebow or Herschel Walker?
By the Numbers:
In 45 games, Tebow has for 48 touchdowns rushing and 73 touchdowns through the air. In 33 games, Walker scored 52 touchdowns.
Tebow has won one Heisman Trophy and led his team to one national championship. The same can be said for Walker.
Walker had 28 games with 100+ rushing yards. Tebow has rushed for a touchdown and passed for a touchdown in the same game more frequently than any other player in college football history.
So the statistics are impressive for both.
Here is the truth, like it or not.
Before Herschel Walker came to Georgia, they were not a great team. The ’78 Dawgs had won the SEC with a team that overachieved. In 1979 Georgia went 6-5. With almost the exact team (with the addition of Walker), Georgia went 12-0 in 1980 and won the National Championship. In fact, from 1980-1982 Georgia’s record was 33-3. They won 1 National Championship and lost to Penn State in the 1982 title game.
You can’t credit Tim Tebow with Florida’s 2007 National Championship. He was absolutely apart of the team, but he was used as a special teams player in that he came into the game is short yardage and other special situations. He was not the quarterback or the running back on that team. Florida went 13-1 and won the title in 2006, with Tebow playing a limited role behind Chris Leak. In 2007, Tebow’s first year as a starter, the Gators were 9-4. The four losses that Tebow had in 2007 were more than Herschel had in his entire career.
Florida had been a national contender since 1990 when Steve Spurrier began his career in Gainesville. Georgia was little more than an afterthought before Walker came to Athens.
Tebow is continuing a tradition, Walker created one.
Walker is without a doubt the greatest college football player of all time.
For now.
As much as I hate to admit it, Tebow has a chance in this, his senior season to pass Walker and every other player in college football history.
If Tebow comes back from this concussion, leads Florida to an SEC title, wins the Heisman trophy for a second time, and steers the Gators to another National Championship then, Tim Tebow will be the greatest college football player of all time.
For now, he’s looking up at #34, just like everyone else.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Recap of Week 5
Well everyone deserves a bye week, so let's just call last week my bye week.
Although I didn't post, obviously I did watch the games this weekend. Good win for Miami, Notre Dame stays alive, USC gets back in the title hunt, and Florida had the best week of all, not having to play with Tim Tebow still stumbling around Gainesville.
But let's be honest. Around here, there was only one game that mattered and needs to be talked about now.
Georgia, between the hedges, falls in the final seconds to LSU.
I want to do this differently than I have in the past. I would like to take a few minutes to disprove most of the theories I have heard about the game this past Saturday.
1. Georgia lost because of the excessive celebration penalty.
False. 15 yards does not a game make. Whether it was a good call or a bad call, here were the facts following the penalty. Georgia had a 1 point lead with 1:09 to play at home. Even if Georgia were kicking off from the Tate Center, you have to win the game when those are the circumstances. You have just made the play to win the game, so win the game! By the way, the call was crap, but not the reason Georgia lost.
2. Joe Cox's terrible first half lost the game for Georgia.
False. Don't get me wrong, Joe Cox was as bad in the first half as any Georgia quarterback has been this decade. He was missing on passes that my mother could have made. It wasn't like the decision making was bad, he was taking the easy throws on most of his attempts and just missing. There is no excuse for that kind of play from a 5th year senior quarterback. All of that said, as bad as Cox was the score was 6-0 at half time, and Georgia was still in the game. You can't blame Cox for losing the game, because his bad first half play was still good enough to give Georgia the chance to win the game in the fourth quarter.
3. Georgia's defense had another bad game, and cost Georgia the game.
False. On the contrary, this was by far the best game the defense has played all season. With 6 minutes left in the game, the #4 team in the nation had only scored 6 points. The defense sacked the quarterback 6 times, made an interception in the red zone early in the game, and tackled as well as they have in the past two seasons. The defense came to play. Can't blame them for this one.
4. Mike Bobo's play calling cost Georgia the game.
False. Bobo didn't have a choice in the first half. Georgia's backs couldn't establish the run and Joe Cox was not on his game. You can't just throw the ball around the field when the defense can just sit their safeties back waiting on your inaccurate quarterback to fling the ball down the middle of the field. Bobo was working with what he had. In the second half, they put the Knowshon look-a-like in and got something going on the ground. When that happened, Georgia found a passing game. All of a sudden, Bobo remembered how to call plays? No, Georgia had no momentum and ultimately, the players on the field half to execute.
So why did Georgia lose?
Simple. One simple reason. One play.
As Georgia was kicking off from their own 15 yard line, following the A.J. Green penalty, LSU returned the ball to the Georgia 37 yard line. This kick return cost Georgia the game. Think about it, if LSU starts that drive at their own 45 or even the 50, they have to be thinking pass the ball down field to get into field goal range. At the 37, they were content running three times up the middle and kicking the game winning field goal. So what their running back broke one for the touchdown, they were content just winning by 1 point, they didn't need 7. This one play cost Georgia the game. Any of the other factors could have been overcome, but this one play changed the game.
One more thing to remember, Georgia is not going to win the SEC this year. This is a 9-3 team at best that will be playing on New Year's Day in either the Outback Bowl or the Capital One Bowl. Try not to lose sight of the reality of this team. They just aren't talented enough to compete with Florida and Alabama this year.
Let's go on the road, beat Tennessee, beat Vandy, and then get ready to hunker down against the Gators in Jacksonville. A miracle in Jacksonville, and no one will give a crap about celebration penalties.
Although I didn't post, obviously I did watch the games this weekend. Good win for Miami, Notre Dame stays alive, USC gets back in the title hunt, and Florida had the best week of all, not having to play with Tim Tebow still stumbling around Gainesville.
But let's be honest. Around here, there was only one game that mattered and needs to be talked about now.
Georgia, between the hedges, falls in the final seconds to LSU.
I want to do this differently than I have in the past. I would like to take a few minutes to disprove most of the theories I have heard about the game this past Saturday.
1. Georgia lost because of the excessive celebration penalty.
False. 15 yards does not a game make. Whether it was a good call or a bad call, here were the facts following the penalty. Georgia had a 1 point lead with 1:09 to play at home. Even if Georgia were kicking off from the Tate Center, you have to win the game when those are the circumstances. You have just made the play to win the game, so win the game! By the way, the call was crap, but not the reason Georgia lost.
2. Joe Cox's terrible first half lost the game for Georgia.
False. Don't get me wrong, Joe Cox was as bad in the first half as any Georgia quarterback has been this decade. He was missing on passes that my mother could have made. It wasn't like the decision making was bad, he was taking the easy throws on most of his attempts and just missing. There is no excuse for that kind of play from a 5th year senior quarterback. All of that said, as bad as Cox was the score was 6-0 at half time, and Georgia was still in the game. You can't blame Cox for losing the game, because his bad first half play was still good enough to give Georgia the chance to win the game in the fourth quarter.
3. Georgia's defense had another bad game, and cost Georgia the game.
False. On the contrary, this was by far the best game the defense has played all season. With 6 minutes left in the game, the #4 team in the nation had only scored 6 points. The defense sacked the quarterback 6 times, made an interception in the red zone early in the game, and tackled as well as they have in the past two seasons. The defense came to play. Can't blame them for this one.
4. Mike Bobo's play calling cost Georgia the game.
False. Bobo didn't have a choice in the first half. Georgia's backs couldn't establish the run and Joe Cox was not on his game. You can't just throw the ball around the field when the defense can just sit their safeties back waiting on your inaccurate quarterback to fling the ball down the middle of the field. Bobo was working with what he had. In the second half, they put the Knowshon look-a-like in and got something going on the ground. When that happened, Georgia found a passing game. All of a sudden, Bobo remembered how to call plays? No, Georgia had no momentum and ultimately, the players on the field half to execute.
So why did Georgia lose?
Simple. One simple reason. One play.
As Georgia was kicking off from their own 15 yard line, following the A.J. Green penalty, LSU returned the ball to the Georgia 37 yard line. This kick return cost Georgia the game. Think about it, if LSU starts that drive at their own 45 or even the 50, they have to be thinking pass the ball down field to get into field goal range. At the 37, they were content running three times up the middle and kicking the game winning field goal. So what their running back broke one for the touchdown, they were content just winning by 1 point, they didn't need 7. This one play cost Georgia the game. Any of the other factors could have been overcome, but this one play changed the game.
One more thing to remember, Georgia is not going to win the SEC this year. This is a 9-3 team at best that will be playing on New Year's Day in either the Outback Bowl or the Capital One Bowl. Try not to lose sight of the reality of this team. They just aren't talented enough to compete with Florida and Alabama this year.
Let's go on the road, beat Tennessee, beat Vandy, and then get ready to hunker down against the Gators in Jacksonville. A miracle in Jacksonville, and no one will give a crap about celebration penalties.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Week 4
Week four will offer some answers for college football fans. There are teams that still haven't really been tested, and there are other teams that will be on the brink of breaking through with a win this week. As the college football season continues, the concept of survive and advance reigns supreme.
Here is a look at some of the games that will get some attention this weekend.
North Carolina v. Georgia Tech 12pm (CW)
After a very disappointing loss to Miami 10 days ago in South Florida, Georgia Tech returns home and tries to right the ship. Odds are that no one is going to go undefeated in the ACC, so the loss to Miami shouldn't completely spoil Tech's season. However, a loss on Saturday to North Carolina would probably put a nail in the coffin of the Jackets ACC title hopes. I believe the Tech fateful will leave Bobby Dodd Stadium very disappointed Saturday. North Carolina's defense has been spectacular so far this year. Georgia Tech's offense has not been consistent, and the passing game for Tech has been worse than terrible. A one dimensional offense against a very strong defense will spell big trouble for Tech. Tech's defense will keep the Jackets in the game, but in the end, nothing Tech has done this year could give you confidence that this is even close to the same team that played so well last season. The only chance Tech has will be a break out game from 2008 ACC player of the year Jonathan Dwyer. Don't bet on it.
Prediction: North Carolina 16 Georgia Tech 12
Arkansas v. #3 Alabama 3:30 pm CBS
After last weeks loss to Georgia, it will be very interesting to see how Arkansas starts out against a very good Alabama team. Obviously Ryan Mallet can play quarterback in the SEC. The question will be, can Arkansas repeat their performance against Alabama. Bama hasn't really been tested since the opening night win over Virginia Tech. I think this game will be closer than many people think, and don't be surprised if Arkansas is leading sometime in the 2nd quarter. But just like last week against Georgia, Arkansas just doesn't have the depth in talent yet to play 4 quarters with the elite teams in the SEC.
Prediction: Arkansas 20 Alabama 31
#9 Miami v. #11 Virginia Tech 3:30 pm ABC
This is the biggest game for Miami since the National Championship game against Ohio State a few years back. The Canes have been off of the national stage for the past 4 years, but this year, the Canes have won their first two games, and are in position to open up a big league in their division in the ACC. After beating Georgia Tech, a win over Virginia Tech would mean a defacto 2 game lead in the division. Virginia Tech might be the most tested team in the country so far this year. A loss to Alabama in the Georgia Dome was a wake up call for Tech. Last week's last minute win against Nebraska had to give the Hokies a ton of confidence. I think this will be the best game of the day, and maybe the best game of the season so far. I expect it to come down to the fourth quarter, with a field goal being the difference.
Prediction: Miami 20 Virginia Tech 23
Arizona State v. #21 Georgia 7:00 pm ESPN U
First thing is first. Why in the world is this game being broadcast on ESPN U? They couldn't find a channel that some people actually get?
Now on to the game itself. Arizona State is not a very good team. They have played two games so far this year, and beat no bodies in both of those games. Georgia is tried and tested and playing at home. After the losing to Oklahoma State, Georgia has won 2 big games to get their season on the right track. I truly believe this game could set up the rest of the season for Georgia.
Georgia will win this game. The issue at hand is how Georgia wins the game. Georgia needs to come out and bust this Pac-10 softie in the mouth. Be physical on offense by running the ball with King and Samuel. Wear down a defense that hasn't seen anything close to the athletes Georgia will put on the field Saturday. Be physical on defense by shutting down the run again, and making ASU one dimensional, then get after the quarterback early and often.
Play a strong, complete game and get your starters off the field by the end of the third quarter. Everything Georgia wants is still with in their grasp. LSU comes to Athens a week from Saturday and a win in that game will set Georgia up for a showdown with the Gators in Jacksonville.
The biggest problem for Georgia over the past 10 years has been their inability to crush lesser opponents. They have played close games with the likes of Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Colorado, Ole Miss, Georgia Southern, and Georgia Tech (when Tech was no where close to Georgia's talent). Georgia has to be dominant on Saturday.
I think this team, with the leadership of Joe Cox will be evident as Georgia comes out sharp and focused against Arizona State.
Prediction: Arizona State 10 Georgia 45
Here is a look at some of the games that will get some attention this weekend.
North Carolina v. Georgia Tech 12pm (CW)
After a very disappointing loss to Miami 10 days ago in South Florida, Georgia Tech returns home and tries to right the ship. Odds are that no one is going to go undefeated in the ACC, so the loss to Miami shouldn't completely spoil Tech's season. However, a loss on Saturday to North Carolina would probably put a nail in the coffin of the Jackets ACC title hopes. I believe the Tech fateful will leave Bobby Dodd Stadium very disappointed Saturday. North Carolina's defense has been spectacular so far this year. Georgia Tech's offense has not been consistent, and the passing game for Tech has been worse than terrible. A one dimensional offense against a very strong defense will spell big trouble for Tech. Tech's defense will keep the Jackets in the game, but in the end, nothing Tech has done this year could give you confidence that this is even close to the same team that played so well last season. The only chance Tech has will be a break out game from 2008 ACC player of the year Jonathan Dwyer. Don't bet on it.
Prediction: North Carolina 16 Georgia Tech 12
Arkansas v. #3 Alabama 3:30 pm CBS
After last weeks loss to Georgia, it will be very interesting to see how Arkansas starts out against a very good Alabama team. Obviously Ryan Mallet can play quarterback in the SEC. The question will be, can Arkansas repeat their performance against Alabama. Bama hasn't really been tested since the opening night win over Virginia Tech. I think this game will be closer than many people think, and don't be surprised if Arkansas is leading sometime in the 2nd quarter. But just like last week against Georgia, Arkansas just doesn't have the depth in talent yet to play 4 quarters with the elite teams in the SEC.
Prediction: Arkansas 20 Alabama 31
#9 Miami v. #11 Virginia Tech 3:30 pm ABC
This is the biggest game for Miami since the National Championship game against Ohio State a few years back. The Canes have been off of the national stage for the past 4 years, but this year, the Canes have won their first two games, and are in position to open up a big league in their division in the ACC. After beating Georgia Tech, a win over Virginia Tech would mean a defacto 2 game lead in the division. Virginia Tech might be the most tested team in the country so far this year. A loss to Alabama in the Georgia Dome was a wake up call for Tech. Last week's last minute win against Nebraska had to give the Hokies a ton of confidence. I think this will be the best game of the day, and maybe the best game of the season so far. I expect it to come down to the fourth quarter, with a field goal being the difference.
Prediction: Miami 20 Virginia Tech 23
Arizona State v. #21 Georgia 7:00 pm ESPN U
First thing is first. Why in the world is this game being broadcast on ESPN U? They couldn't find a channel that some people actually get?
Now on to the game itself. Arizona State is not a very good team. They have played two games so far this year, and beat no bodies in both of those games. Georgia is tried and tested and playing at home. After the losing to Oklahoma State, Georgia has won 2 big games to get their season on the right track. I truly believe this game could set up the rest of the season for Georgia.
Georgia will win this game. The issue at hand is how Georgia wins the game. Georgia needs to come out and bust this Pac-10 softie in the mouth. Be physical on offense by running the ball with King and Samuel. Wear down a defense that hasn't seen anything close to the athletes Georgia will put on the field Saturday. Be physical on defense by shutting down the run again, and making ASU one dimensional, then get after the quarterback early and often.
Play a strong, complete game and get your starters off the field by the end of the third quarter. Everything Georgia wants is still with in their grasp. LSU comes to Athens a week from Saturday and a win in that game will set Georgia up for a showdown with the Gators in Jacksonville.
The biggest problem for Georgia over the past 10 years has been their inability to crush lesser opponents. They have played close games with the likes of Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Colorado, Ole Miss, Georgia Southern, and Georgia Tech (when Tech was no where close to Georgia's talent). Georgia has to be dominant on Saturday.
I think this team, with the leadership of Joe Cox will be evident as Georgia comes out sharp and focused against Arizona State.
Prediction: Arizona State 10 Georgia 45
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Mid Week Special
Well I said there wouldn't be many Thursday night games I would comment on and here we are commenting for the second straight week. I don't have much to say about the game between Ole Miss and South Carolina except this.
South Carolina is going to beat Ole Miss.
I'm not sure how, I'm not sure why. But I have a feeling that the Head Ball Coach is going to get the job done against an Ole Miss team that is completely overrated. Ole Miss is good, but the #5 team in the nation.... not even close.
South Carolina is going to beat Ole Miss.
I'm not sure how, I'm not sure why. But I have a feeling that the Head Ball Coach is going to get the job done against an Ole Miss team that is completely overrated. Ole Miss is good, but the #5 team in the nation.... not even close.
Week 3 Recap
Some weeks in College football are just so good it takes a few days to put it all in prospective. This was one of those weekends. First of all let's start with what really matters. Georgia was impressive in their victory in Arkansas on Saturday night. I know some people will talk about the defense, but let me tell you something, a win on the road in the SEC is an impressive feat no matter who you play. Not to mention that Arkansas is a good team. Ryan Mallet will be playing on Sundays in a few years, and they have a heard of very good receivers.
Joe Cox has his first signature win as Georgia Quarterback. Cox played great on Saturday night, and was named offensive player of the week nationally for his efforts. His leadership and poise was tested when the Dawgs faced a 21-10 deficit after the first quarter. Neither Mark Richt or Joe Cox panicked and Georgia came back to lead at half time.
As I was watching the game in the first half, the crowd enthusiasm reminded me very much of Oklahoma State. For OSU, the Georgia game was the game their players, coaches, and fans had been looking forward to. The same seemed to be true for Arkansas. Erin Andrews made a comment during the game that Ryan Mallet told her he was rooting for Georgia to beat South Carolina, because he wanted Georgia high when they came to Arkansas so they (The Razorbacks) could not Georgia down. Unlike the OSU game, the Dawgs responded, and all of the credit should go the the fifth year senior quarterback, Joe Cox.
Across the nation there were some great games on Saturday. Virginia Tech's last second win over Nebraska was a great ending to a good game. Notre Dame cooled Charlie Weiss' seat just a bit by hanging on and beating Michigan State. The Tennessee Volunteers made it out of Gaines ville with their dignity and a little bit more after playing four solid quarters of football. Lane Kiffin's team should be proud of their performance. And (flu or no flu) honest Florida fans have to be a little bit more nervous now than they were before last weekend's game.
The national surprise of the week was Washington upsetting USC. But why are we surprised? This has been USC calling card for the past couple of seasons. USC apologists will say that you can't criticize Pete Carroll because he has won every big game he has ever played except for the '05 title game against Texas. Those people have a point. But here's the truth. If Pete Carroll could get his team up for mediocre Pac-10 teams, he would have a couple of more chances to win titles. The Stanford loss in '07 and the Oregon State loss last year were the only reasons that USC didn't appear in the national title game each of those years. Washington played a great game, but does anyone think they are the better team?
If you want a bold prediction for the rest of the season, here it is. USC was better than Washington and lost, but they will lose two more games this season. USC will lose to Cal in just a couple of weeks in Prime Time on ABC. Cal's running game will dominate and control the clock. After losing the Cal, USC will lose once more. Maybe they lose to Notre Dame and save Charlie Weiss' job. Maybe they lose to a Stanford or some other inferior Pac-10 team. Maybe they lose to UCLA in their season finale. I don't know where the other loss will come, but I am confident that it will come. The talent level is down at USC this year, and they will not be able to dominate the teams that they usually beat with little or no trouble. If they aren't dominating then I don't think they can win. When was the last time USC won a big game by a small margin. (Please don't say Ohio State, they are not the standard by which success is measured in college football).
After 3 Weeks of the season, here is my Top 10:
1. Florida
2. Texas
3. Penn State
4. Alabama
5. Miami
6. Cal
7. LSU
8. Ole Miss
9. Oklahoma
10. Virginia Tech
Joe Cox has his first signature win as Georgia Quarterback. Cox played great on Saturday night, and was named offensive player of the week nationally for his efforts. His leadership and poise was tested when the Dawgs faced a 21-10 deficit after the first quarter. Neither Mark Richt or Joe Cox panicked and Georgia came back to lead at half time.
As I was watching the game in the first half, the crowd enthusiasm reminded me very much of Oklahoma State. For OSU, the Georgia game was the game their players, coaches, and fans had been looking forward to. The same seemed to be true for Arkansas. Erin Andrews made a comment during the game that Ryan Mallet told her he was rooting for Georgia to beat South Carolina, because he wanted Georgia high when they came to Arkansas so they (The Razorbacks) could not Georgia down. Unlike the OSU game, the Dawgs responded, and all of the credit should go the the fifth year senior quarterback, Joe Cox.
Across the nation there were some great games on Saturday. Virginia Tech's last second win over Nebraska was a great ending to a good game. Notre Dame cooled Charlie Weiss' seat just a bit by hanging on and beating Michigan State. The Tennessee Volunteers made it out of Gaines ville with their dignity and a little bit more after playing four solid quarters of football. Lane Kiffin's team should be proud of their performance. And (flu or no flu) honest Florida fans have to be a little bit more nervous now than they were before last weekend's game.
The national surprise of the week was Washington upsetting USC. But why are we surprised? This has been USC calling card for the past couple of seasons. USC apologists will say that you can't criticize Pete Carroll because he has won every big game he has ever played except for the '05 title game against Texas. Those people have a point. But here's the truth. If Pete Carroll could get his team up for mediocre Pac-10 teams, he would have a couple of more chances to win titles. The Stanford loss in '07 and the Oregon State loss last year were the only reasons that USC didn't appear in the national title game each of those years. Washington played a great game, but does anyone think they are the better team?
If you want a bold prediction for the rest of the season, here it is. USC was better than Washington and lost, but they will lose two more games this season. USC will lose to Cal in just a couple of weeks in Prime Time on ABC. Cal's running game will dominate and control the clock. After losing the Cal, USC will lose once more. Maybe they lose to Notre Dame and save Charlie Weiss' job. Maybe they lose to a Stanford or some other inferior Pac-10 team. Maybe they lose to UCLA in their season finale. I don't know where the other loss will come, but I am confident that it will come. The talent level is down at USC this year, and they will not be able to dominate the teams that they usually beat with little or no trouble. If they aren't dominating then I don't think they can win. When was the last time USC won a big game by a small margin. (Please don't say Ohio State, they are not the standard by which success is measured in college football).
After 3 Weeks of the season, here is my Top 10:
1. Florida
2. Texas
3. Penn State
4. Alabama
5. Miami
6. Cal
7. LSU
8. Ole Miss
9. Oklahoma
10. Virginia Tech
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Week 3 Preview
As week 3 of the college football season approaches, there are still many unknowns across the country. USC's victory over Ohio State was less than convincing that the Trojans have the same fire power as they have in the past. There is no team in the ACC that looks like a real National Championship contender. Ditto for the Big 10 and Big East. Can Oklahoma bounce back after an early season loss and get back in the National Title picture?
Without a doubt the biggest question is this:
Is there any team in the nation that can play 4 quarters with the Florida Gators?
At this point, I don't think there is. Florida's offense doesn't seem to be missing the likes of Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy, and Florida's defense might be the best in the nation. The number one Gators get their first test of the season on Saturday, but the game is almost secondary to the off season, off-field banter between the Gator nation and new Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin.
Kiffin's introduction press conference caused a tidal wave of criticism when he made a comment about singing Rocky Top all night after the Vols beat the Gators this year. Even after that comment, Kiffin hinted that Florida had violated NCAA recruiting rules, only to have it revealed that Tennessee itself had made some secondary violations. All of the pretext has been fun for Internet trash talk, but now all that is left is to get on the field and play the game. If Kiffin can beat Florida in the swamp on Saturday, he won't have to say anything, the smile on his face will say it all.
Week 3 Predictions:
Tennessee v. #1 Florida 3:30pm (CBS)
Tim Tebow has completed 64% of his passes so far this season, but hasn't been needed in the second half of either of the Gators first two games. Even if he is not needed, I expect Tebow to play the entire game Saturday as Urban Meyer and the Gators plan on teaching Lane Kiffin what playing in the SEC is like. The Volunteers lost at home last week to UCLA in an ugly game, where QB Jonathan Crompton was 13/26 for only 93 yards while throwing 3 interceptions. Crompton will be the starter again this Saturday in The Swamp, and Florida's defense is much better than the defense of UCLA. As Georgia learned last year, an angry Urban Meyer is a dangerous thing. The question is not whether Florida will win, but by how much will Florida win.
Prediction: Tennessee 10 - Florida 56
#19 Nebraska v. #13 Virginia Tech 3:30 pm (ABC)
This is one of those games that neither program can believe they are actually playing. Nebraska still has to play a very difficult Big 12 schedule this season, and a trip all the way to Blacksberg is not exactly a vacation. For Virginia Tech, although they get this game at home, they have already played and lost to Alabama in the season opener, another loss would really hurt their confidence before they even get into conference play. Tyrod Taylor will have to be more consistent than he was against Alabama if Tech wants a victory, and the Nebraska defense hasn't lived up to the "Black Shirt" standard for a few years now. I think the difference in this game will be the fact that Nebraska hasn't played a truly tough opponent this year (Florida Atlantic and Arkansas State), while Virginia Tech battled to the end against a very strong Alabama team. Virginia Tech is tested and ready.
Prediction: Nebraska 17 - Virginia Tech 23
Florida State v. #7 BYU 7:00 pm
BYU is the best story of the young season. Even before Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford was forced to leave the season opening game against BYU, the Cougars were playing well and controlling OU's high powered offense. The Oklahoma game put the Cougars on the map, this game could take them right off that map. Florida State is a talented team that has the ability to beat BYU. Unlike the Oklahoma game, BYU is expected to beat Florida State. The pressure of high expectations can get to any team. (Just ask Georgia about last season). BYU QB Max Hall played well against Oklahoma but turned the ball over twice on interceptions. FSU has had almost two weeks to get ready for this game after losing their season opener to Miami on Labor Day. BYU will have to be at their best. I think they will be.
Prediction: Florida State 20 - BYU 31
Texas Tech v. #2 Texas 8:00 pm (ABC)
One of the most exciting games of 2008 was the last second victory that Texas Tech had over Texas. The game was costly for Texas who was left out of the BCS Title game despite beating Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry. Texas is once again a national power, however, after losing Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech is in rebuilding mode. I think revenge games are a little over-rated in college football just because there is so much turnover in the players from one year to the next. Not to mention that Texas is playing every week for a National Title, so how much more motivation could they need? Texas will get their revenge and it really shouldn't be close.
Prediction: Texas Tech 24- Texas 45
#23 Georgia v. Arkansas 7:45 pm (ESPN)
Georgia has a lot to prove in Fayetteville. They lose to Oklahoma State in the season opener and looked bad doing it. Last week, they win a shoot out with South Carolina, but give up 37 points to a team that didn't look like they were capable of scoring touchdowns just one week before against North Carolina State. Now Georgia has to travel to Fayetteville and play a rising team in the SEC West in Arkansas. The Razorbacks feature first year starting QB Ryan Mallet who has all of the tools to be a first round draft pick in the NFL. This will be his first SEC start (Mallet is a transfer from Michigan) and he will be eagar to prove that he can compete on college football's highest level. Second year Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino got his first big win last season when his Razorbacks beat LSU, but a win over Georgia this weekend would be a huge stepping stone for the rest of the season.
Watching Georgia last week, you saw the talent that the Dawgs have of the offensive side of the ball. Joe Cox can manage the offense and be effective doing it. AJ Green is the best receiver to ever wear the Red and Black. Brandon Smith is Percy Harvin fast. Richard Samuel is a man who can run the ball down the throat of any defense in the nation. Blair Walsh could kick a 65 yard field goal. These things are all true and are all reasons to believe that Georgia has the chance to have a solid season. The only real question on offense seems to be the tendency in the play calling to get away from the run game.
The problem for Georgia is the same problem the Dawgs had last season. The defense can't get off the field. As I watched the game last week, I was screaming at the television as Georgia was playing a soft zone coverage against South Carolina on third down and less than five. This same thing happened numerous times throughout the game! On third and short, Georgia's line backers and cornerbacks were back peddling off of the line of scrimmage, conceding the first down. It didn't make any sense to me. Now some will say that Georgia was playing a bend but don't break defense, and that it worked because South Carolina was held to field goals numerous times throughout the game. However, good offenses are going to score in the red zone. You can't wait until the red zone to play defense. I believe that Georgia has the talent to be better on defense, I just can't understand for the life of me what Wille Martinez is thinking schematically.
These are the types of games that Georgia wins under Mark Richt. My guess is that it will be ugly and it will be close, but that some how, some way, Georgia will pull out a victory that will leave no one in the Bulldog Nation feeling any better about the rest of the season.
Prediction: Georgia 24 - Arkansas 20
Without a doubt the biggest question is this:
Is there any team in the nation that can play 4 quarters with the Florida Gators?
At this point, I don't think there is. Florida's offense doesn't seem to be missing the likes of Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy, and Florida's defense might be the best in the nation. The number one Gators get their first test of the season on Saturday, but the game is almost secondary to the off season, off-field banter between the Gator nation and new Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin.
Kiffin's introduction press conference caused a tidal wave of criticism when he made a comment about singing Rocky Top all night after the Vols beat the Gators this year. Even after that comment, Kiffin hinted that Florida had violated NCAA recruiting rules, only to have it revealed that Tennessee itself had made some secondary violations. All of the pretext has been fun for Internet trash talk, but now all that is left is to get on the field and play the game. If Kiffin can beat Florida in the swamp on Saturday, he won't have to say anything, the smile on his face will say it all.
Week 3 Predictions:
Tennessee v. #1 Florida 3:30pm (CBS)
Tim Tebow has completed 64% of his passes so far this season, but hasn't been needed in the second half of either of the Gators first two games. Even if he is not needed, I expect Tebow to play the entire game Saturday as Urban Meyer and the Gators plan on teaching Lane Kiffin what playing in the SEC is like. The Volunteers lost at home last week to UCLA in an ugly game, where QB Jonathan Crompton was 13/26 for only 93 yards while throwing 3 interceptions. Crompton will be the starter again this Saturday in The Swamp, and Florida's defense is much better than the defense of UCLA. As Georgia learned last year, an angry Urban Meyer is a dangerous thing. The question is not whether Florida will win, but by how much will Florida win.
Prediction: Tennessee 10 - Florida 56
#19 Nebraska v. #13 Virginia Tech 3:30 pm (ABC)
This is one of those games that neither program can believe they are actually playing. Nebraska still has to play a very difficult Big 12 schedule this season, and a trip all the way to Blacksberg is not exactly a vacation. For Virginia Tech, although they get this game at home, they have already played and lost to Alabama in the season opener, another loss would really hurt their confidence before they even get into conference play. Tyrod Taylor will have to be more consistent than he was against Alabama if Tech wants a victory, and the Nebraska defense hasn't lived up to the "Black Shirt" standard for a few years now. I think the difference in this game will be the fact that Nebraska hasn't played a truly tough opponent this year (Florida Atlantic and Arkansas State), while Virginia Tech battled to the end against a very strong Alabama team. Virginia Tech is tested and ready.
Prediction: Nebraska 17 - Virginia Tech 23
Florida State v. #7 BYU 7:00 pm
BYU is the best story of the young season. Even before Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford was forced to leave the season opening game against BYU, the Cougars were playing well and controlling OU's high powered offense. The Oklahoma game put the Cougars on the map, this game could take them right off that map. Florida State is a talented team that has the ability to beat BYU. Unlike the Oklahoma game, BYU is expected to beat Florida State. The pressure of high expectations can get to any team. (Just ask Georgia about last season). BYU QB Max Hall played well against Oklahoma but turned the ball over twice on interceptions. FSU has had almost two weeks to get ready for this game after losing their season opener to Miami on Labor Day. BYU will have to be at their best. I think they will be.
Prediction: Florida State 20 - BYU 31
Texas Tech v. #2 Texas 8:00 pm (ABC)
One of the most exciting games of 2008 was the last second victory that Texas Tech had over Texas. The game was costly for Texas who was left out of the BCS Title game despite beating Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry. Texas is once again a national power, however, after losing Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech is in rebuilding mode. I think revenge games are a little over-rated in college football just because there is so much turnover in the players from one year to the next. Not to mention that Texas is playing every week for a National Title, so how much more motivation could they need? Texas will get their revenge and it really shouldn't be close.
Prediction: Texas Tech 24- Texas 45
#23 Georgia v. Arkansas 7:45 pm (ESPN)
Georgia has a lot to prove in Fayetteville. They lose to Oklahoma State in the season opener and looked bad doing it. Last week, they win a shoot out with South Carolina, but give up 37 points to a team that didn't look like they were capable of scoring touchdowns just one week before against North Carolina State. Now Georgia has to travel to Fayetteville and play a rising team in the SEC West in Arkansas. The Razorbacks feature first year starting QB Ryan Mallet who has all of the tools to be a first round draft pick in the NFL. This will be his first SEC start (Mallet is a transfer from Michigan) and he will be eagar to prove that he can compete on college football's highest level. Second year Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino got his first big win last season when his Razorbacks beat LSU, but a win over Georgia this weekend would be a huge stepping stone for the rest of the season.
Watching Georgia last week, you saw the talent that the Dawgs have of the offensive side of the ball. Joe Cox can manage the offense and be effective doing it. AJ Green is the best receiver to ever wear the Red and Black. Brandon Smith is Percy Harvin fast. Richard Samuel is a man who can run the ball down the throat of any defense in the nation. Blair Walsh could kick a 65 yard field goal. These things are all true and are all reasons to believe that Georgia has the chance to have a solid season. The only real question on offense seems to be the tendency in the play calling to get away from the run game.
The problem for Georgia is the same problem the Dawgs had last season. The defense can't get off the field. As I watched the game last week, I was screaming at the television as Georgia was playing a soft zone coverage against South Carolina on third down and less than five. This same thing happened numerous times throughout the game! On third and short, Georgia's line backers and cornerbacks were back peddling off of the line of scrimmage, conceding the first down. It didn't make any sense to me. Now some will say that Georgia was playing a bend but don't break defense, and that it worked because South Carolina was held to field goals numerous times throughout the game. However, good offenses are going to score in the red zone. You can't wait until the red zone to play defense. I believe that Georgia has the talent to be better on defense, I just can't understand for the life of me what Wille Martinez is thinking schematically.
These are the types of games that Georgia wins under Mark Richt. My guess is that it will be ugly and it will be close, but that some how, some way, Georgia will pull out a victory that will leave no one in the Bulldog Nation feeling any better about the rest of the season.
Prediction: Georgia 24 - Arkansas 20
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Thursday Night Special
I'm not usually going to post on the Thursday Night game, but this week I will because Georgia Tech (2-0, 1-0) is playing Miami. This is the second straight Thursday night game for Tech, who beat Clemson at home last week. Tech jumped out to an early lead but let Clemson back in the game in the second half. Miami is playing for the first time since their dramatic victory over Florida State on Labor Day night.
The expectations are high in Atlanta for Tech. After beating Georgia in Athens last year, Tech fans and many pundits felt like this Tech team was ready to take the next step and challenge for an ACC title this season. Those people looked pretty smart at half time last week versus Clemson, however the second half showed that Tech is still a work in progress. Quarterback Josh Nesbitt will have to perform much better than he did against Clemson to come away with a victory on Thursday night.
Miami on the other hand may have found a star in Quarterback Jacory Harris who threw for over 300 yards and 2 touchdowns against FSU. Despite the good, Harris did throw two interceptions that helped keep FSU in the game.
Prediction:
This is one of those early season games that you could see going either way. Last year the Miami defense seemed completely clueless when trying to stop Tech's option offense. Tech racked up over 450 yards on the ground. Tech will not find the same success this year, but they will find enough to win a fifth straight game against the once might Hurricanes. Nesbitt will be better, but still not great. Miami's offense will be a little slow to start out due to the long lay off. I'm banking on the Tech special teams being the difference again, helping the Jackets pull off the 27-21 win at Miami, and putting Tech out front in their division.
The expectations are high in Atlanta for Tech. After beating Georgia in Athens last year, Tech fans and many pundits felt like this Tech team was ready to take the next step and challenge for an ACC title this season. Those people looked pretty smart at half time last week versus Clemson, however the second half showed that Tech is still a work in progress. Quarterback Josh Nesbitt will have to perform much better than he did against Clemson to come away with a victory on Thursday night.
Miami on the other hand may have found a star in Quarterback Jacory Harris who threw for over 300 yards and 2 touchdowns against FSU. Despite the good, Harris did throw two interceptions that helped keep FSU in the game.
Prediction:
This is one of those early season games that you could see going either way. Last year the Miami defense seemed completely clueless when trying to stop Tech's option offense. Tech racked up over 450 yards on the ground. Tech will not find the same success this year, but they will find enough to win a fifth straight game against the once might Hurricanes. Nesbitt will be better, but still not great. Miami's offense will be a little slow to start out due to the long lay off. I'm banking on the Tech special teams being the difference again, helping the Jackets pull off the 27-21 win at Miami, and putting Tech out front in their division.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Week 2 Recap
Well it's obvious after week 2 of the college football season that anything is possible this season. USC and freshman quarterback Matt Barkley were able to pull out a victory in Columbus last night over Ohio St. This morning, everyone on ESPN was talking about how Barkley grew up right before their eyes, but I'm not sure what they were watching. Barkley looked like an average freshman, young and indecisive. I think ESPN is just in love with USC and will say anything to keep them on top, and in the news. I will be shocked if they can even make it through the PAC 10 without a loss.
Was it just me or was the Michigan/Notre Dame game a fun game to watch? The two teams may not be contenders for the BCS title, but they are both good and have a lot of talent. They are also evenly matched. I thought it was a great game, but it was a shame that Charlie Weiss couldn't handle losing and didn't go to mid-field to shake Rodriguez's hand.
Tennessee is going to have a long season ahead of them, especially since Lane Kiffin has written some verbal checks that his team is not going to be able to cash. They lost at home to a UCLA team that is getting better, but in no way a great team. I can only imagine what it will look like next week in the swamp.
Oklahoma State just sucks... How do you gut out a win last week the way they did against Georgia and then fail to complete the comeback against Houston? I'm glad that the Cowboy's coach is 42 and I hope they lose every game for the rest of the season.
The Georgia/South Carolina game was one of the strangest Georgia games I can remember. Obviously everyone expected a defensive struggle and got a shoot out, but to me the game just felt weird.
First of all, I'm not convinced that Joe Cox can be the player Georgia needs him to be. Most of the good plays Georgia had in the passing game were spectacular catches by A.J. Green. The reason those catches had to be spectacular was because Cox isn't as accurate as advertised. I think he can get better throughout the season, but I'm surprised he isn't more poised in the pocket being a 5th year senior.
Secondly, Richard Samuel is a 25 carry per game running back so they need to give him the ball. Georgia has always had this idea that they need to outsmart the opposition rather than just executing what they do well against a team that isn't as good as they are. Samuel is a big load to carry and even if he isn't gaining great yardage, he is inflicting pain on the defense and that will add up over the course of the game. Give the man the ball!
A.J. Green may be the best wide out Georgia has ever had.
Thirdly, and most importantly, the Georgia defense is horrible. They have talent, but the defensive game plan last night was terrible. There were many times when South Carolina was in a third and short situation, and the Georgia linebackers are playing 7 yards off the line of scrimmage and back peddling. Willy Martinez was on the hot seat before. Now he is sitting on an inferno. The talent is there, if he can't coach the players up to their full potential then Mark Richt needs to find someone that will. Leadership isn't always about being a good guy and saying the right thing. Sometimes leadership is about making the tough decisions. Richt likes Martinez. I'm sure he is a great guy. But I want a defensive coordinator, not a best friend.
After Week 2, here is my Top 10:
1. Florida
2. Texas
3. Alabama
4. Penn State
5. BYU
6. California
7. USC
8. Boise State
9. LSU
10. Oklahoma
Was it just me or was the Michigan/Notre Dame game a fun game to watch? The two teams may not be contenders for the BCS title, but they are both good and have a lot of talent. They are also evenly matched. I thought it was a great game, but it was a shame that Charlie Weiss couldn't handle losing and didn't go to mid-field to shake Rodriguez's hand.
Tennessee is going to have a long season ahead of them, especially since Lane Kiffin has written some verbal checks that his team is not going to be able to cash. They lost at home to a UCLA team that is getting better, but in no way a great team. I can only imagine what it will look like next week in the swamp.
Oklahoma State just sucks... How do you gut out a win last week the way they did against Georgia and then fail to complete the comeback against Houston? I'm glad that the Cowboy's coach is 42 and I hope they lose every game for the rest of the season.
The Georgia/South Carolina game was one of the strangest Georgia games I can remember. Obviously everyone expected a defensive struggle and got a shoot out, but to me the game just felt weird.
First of all, I'm not convinced that Joe Cox can be the player Georgia needs him to be. Most of the good plays Georgia had in the passing game were spectacular catches by A.J. Green. The reason those catches had to be spectacular was because Cox isn't as accurate as advertised. I think he can get better throughout the season, but I'm surprised he isn't more poised in the pocket being a 5th year senior.
Secondly, Richard Samuel is a 25 carry per game running back so they need to give him the ball. Georgia has always had this idea that they need to outsmart the opposition rather than just executing what they do well against a team that isn't as good as they are. Samuel is a big load to carry and even if he isn't gaining great yardage, he is inflicting pain on the defense and that will add up over the course of the game. Give the man the ball!
A.J. Green may be the best wide out Georgia has ever had.
Thirdly, and most importantly, the Georgia defense is horrible. They have talent, but the defensive game plan last night was terrible. There were many times when South Carolina was in a third and short situation, and the Georgia linebackers are playing 7 yards off the line of scrimmage and back peddling. Willy Martinez was on the hot seat before. Now he is sitting on an inferno. The talent is there, if he can't coach the players up to their full potential then Mark Richt needs to find someone that will. Leadership isn't always about being a good guy and saying the right thing. Sometimes leadership is about making the tough decisions. Richt likes Martinez. I'm sure he is a great guy. But I want a defensive coordinator, not a best friend.
After Week 2, here is my Top 10:
1. Florida
2. Texas
3. Alabama
4. Penn State
5. BYU
6. California
7. USC
8. Boise State
9. LSU
10. Oklahoma
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)