For the first quarter of the Tennessee game, Georgia looked exactly like the number 5 team in the country, and then something happened. It was almost like Georgia forgot how to play.
Turnovers can kill a football team, and on Saturday turnovers were the only reason that Tennessee even sniffed at Georgia's heels. Georgia was the far better team, but they gave Tennessee 7 points on Murray's pick 6, and they gave Tennessee a short field twice and both times, Tennessee scored touchdowns.
The rest of the game went about like I expected. Bray made some good throws, but you could just tell that the talent level of Tennessee's skill players isn't up to the level of the elite teams in the SEC. The surprising aspect of the game, was the fact that Tennessee ran the ball with great success against the Georgia defense. Whether the defense's problems can be contributed to the return of Ogletree and Rambo for the first time this season, or whether it is a flaw going forward in the season will play itself out over the next few weeks, but I will keep my faith in the Georgia defense.
Offensively, Georgia looks prolific. Through five games, no one has slowed down Georgia's two freshman for even a quarter, let alone an entire game. While the level of competition will begin to go up as the season progresses, there is no reason to think that Georgia's 1-2 punch won't be able to step their game up as well.
Aaron Murray isn't perfect, but he is an excellent quarterback who can win games, not just manage them for Georgia. For the first time this season, Murray showed a glimpse of the accident prone guy that cost Georgia the South Carolina game, and even the LSU game last season. Relying on the running game is the smartest course of action against the best teams in the SEC, but Murray will have to play within himself and not force things as the season progresses in order for Georgia to win the big games.
Georgia fans shouldn't over analyze this game. All that matters is that Georgia won the game and now they move forward. Georgia didn't play their best, but they still won, and that is what championship teams do. Maybe Georgia got their bad game out of the way, because they will need a complete game this weekend at South Carolina. I will have a lot more to say about this game this week, but for starters, it is vital that the coaches, players, and fans realize how important this game is this weekend. It is the biggest game for the program since Georgia played Florida in 2002.
Isn't it nice that Georgia is back in the position to play games like this again? Hard to remember the 6-7 season of 2010.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Tennessee Preview and Prediction
After laying out all of the things that could go wrong for Georgia this Saturday against Tennessee earlier in the week, I will make you feel a little bit better by telling you that almost none of that stuff will happen.
My prediction for this game is simple: Pain. Georgia is different this season. They are locked in and they are focused on their goals. Tennessee's offense is too good for Georgia to shut them out, but I don't think they will score more than 20.
For the first time this season, we will have the pleasure of having all of their starters available. Alec Ogletree and Bacarri Rambo will return to the team this weekend, and I think they will be anxious to make their presence known early in the game. This defense is deep and it is nasty. As they begin to gel over the next few weeks it might end up being the best defense in the school's history. Georgia has done an amazing job in a short period of time of stepping up the level of talent on defense.
Offensively, Georgia has the best scoring offense in the SEC. They have scored 40 or more points in each of their first four games for the first time in the school's history. Go ahead and make that 5 straight weeks, because this offense is going to put on another show on Saturday. There is just too much balance. Even the good defenses in the league, and Tennessee's defense is pretty good, they can't stop everything. If they load up on the run, then you have Aaron Murray, who might set the all time Georgia record for touchdown passes in a season this week, picking you apart. Okay, so you are going to drop back and play the pass. The dynamic diaper dandies, Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall will run over, around, and through you all night long.
Early this week, Mark Richt put the idea of a letdown to rest bringing up what happened in 2004. Georgia blew the doors off of the defending national champion LSU Tigers, only to lay a huge egg against Tennessee the very next week. With Richt bringing that fact to life, that means that he is aware that his team could become complacent and look ahead to South Carolina, but he isn't going to let that happen.
Like I said before, this team is different. This year is different. This year is going to be special. Georgia is going to win this weekend 45-17, and set up the biggest game Georgia has played in a very long time on October 6 in Columbia, South Carolina.
Get on board Georgia fans, because this is going to be ride that you will remember for the rest of your life!
My prediction for this game is simple: Pain. Georgia is different this season. They are locked in and they are focused on their goals. Tennessee's offense is too good for Georgia to shut them out, but I don't think they will score more than 20.
For the first time this season, we will have the pleasure of having all of their starters available. Alec Ogletree and Bacarri Rambo will return to the team this weekend, and I think they will be anxious to make their presence known early in the game. This defense is deep and it is nasty. As they begin to gel over the next few weeks it might end up being the best defense in the school's history. Georgia has done an amazing job in a short period of time of stepping up the level of talent on defense.
Offensively, Georgia has the best scoring offense in the SEC. They have scored 40 or more points in each of their first four games for the first time in the school's history. Go ahead and make that 5 straight weeks, because this offense is going to put on another show on Saturday. There is just too much balance. Even the good defenses in the league, and Tennessee's defense is pretty good, they can't stop everything. If they load up on the run, then you have Aaron Murray, who might set the all time Georgia record for touchdown passes in a season this week, picking you apart. Okay, so you are going to drop back and play the pass. The dynamic diaper dandies, Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall will run over, around, and through you all night long.
Early this week, Mark Richt put the idea of a letdown to rest bringing up what happened in 2004. Georgia blew the doors off of the defending national champion LSU Tigers, only to lay a huge egg against Tennessee the very next week. With Richt bringing that fact to life, that means that he is aware that his team could become complacent and look ahead to South Carolina, but he isn't going to let that happen.
Like I said before, this team is different. This year is different. This year is going to be special. Georgia is going to win this weekend 45-17, and set up the biggest game Georgia has played in a very long time on October 6 in Columbia, South Carolina.
Get on board Georgia fans, because this is going to be ride that you will remember for the rest of your life!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Tennessee Preview Part One: What could go wrong
Georgia is getting ready this week to play for their biggest game of the season to date. Not only is the game with Tennessee a rivalry game, not only it is a SEC East divisional game, but it is also the perfect trap game. Looming large for Georgia is the trip to South Carolina on October 6th that will go a long way to determine who will play in the SEC title game in December. However, Tennessee is far too talented to be looked past.
There is also some history here to make Georgia fans nervous. It has been 6 years since Georgia started a season 4-0. That year, 2006, the Dawgs were 5-0 and hosting Tennessee in Athens. However, in 2006, the season came off the tracks against the Vols. After playing well in the first half, Georgia faltered in every aspect of the game in the second half and ended up losing 51-33.
I was at that game, and I remember sitting there once the game was over, and just trying to figure out what happened. Georgia would go on to have a horrible season, losing to Kentucky and Vanderbilt before salvaging what they could with wins against Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech to finish the season 9-4, with all of those loses coming in SEC play.
If Georgia loses to Tennessee on Saturday I believe one reason could be Tyler Bray. I caught some flack a couple of weeks ago for calling Bray a great quarterback, but his statistics this season point to that being the fact. Bray has passed for over 300 yards in 3 of his 4 games this season. He has 12 touchdowns and has only 3 interceptions this season.
The rushing game hasn't really been a huge factor thus far in the season, but with Georgia focusing on the pass so much, it might be an X factor this week.
Another reason for Georgia to be nervous this week is that Tennessee (and their coach) are desperate. They have already lost to Florida, and another loss would all but eliminate Tennessee from the discussion in the SEC East. They are basically playing for their season.
In addition, Derek Dooley might be coaching for his job. Dooley came to the rescue after the debacle that was Lane Kiffin, blew out of Knoxville in the middle of the night. However, Dooley hasn't had much success and Tennessee fans aren't going to keep waiting for Dooley to figure it out. Dooley hasn't beaten Georgia since he became head coach, and he will need a big win very soon if he wants to keep his job.
Here is a little bit more history to make you nervous. In 2007, it was a horrible loss to Tennessee (35-14 in Knoxville) that was the reason Georgia didn't play for the SEC title. Georgia didn't even show up for that game, and at the end of the season, they were left wondering "what if."
Self inflicted wounds are a concern for Georgia, and I"m hoping that Mark Richt didn't open the door for some bad karma by calling for a "Red Out" against Tennessee. The last couple of times that Richt has done things like this, it hasn't exactly worked out. Against Alabama in 2008, Richt and the seniors called for a Black Out, but it turned out that Georgia fans were in mourning for a terrible performance as Bama routed Georgia 41-30 in Athens. In 2009, Georgia sported different helmets in the game against Florida, and subsequently lost to the Gators 41-17. And don't forget about last season. Georgia sported the Nike Pro Combat uniforms against Boise State. You couldn't recognize the Dawgs on the field, which was a good thing considering the way they played. Georgia won't be wearing anything different on Saturday, but this type of stuff seems so stupid to me. Do the players really need this stuff to be motivated? When was the last time Saban came out and said that Bama was having some gimmick for a home game? I understand it is fun for fans, but the fact that the head coach is involved just kinda bugs me.
Now, off my soap box, and moving on.
While everyone has been so impressed with Georgia's offense, there are some reasons to be nervous there as well. First, what if these freshman running backs start playing like freshman? I don't mean they forget how to run the ball, but what if they forget how to protect the ball. The fumble bug hasn't bitten Georgia yet this season, but if and when it does, it will be interesting to see how these young players bounce back from a big mistake.
Aaron Murray's history is another concern. Murray was nearly perfect against Vanderbilt, but it was Vanderbilt. Murray wasn't great against Missouri in Georgia's only other legitimate game of the season. Can Murray play within himself, make the right decisions at the line of scrimmage, and avoid the big mistake that has plagued him his entire career? This game might go a long way in showing whether this season we are seeing a new Aaron Murray or if the real Aaron Murray is the guy that makes great plays but can't avoid huge mistakes.
I know that last week's game has most Georgia fans riding high, but there are reasons to be nervous this weekend. Georgia will have to play a complete game to win, and Georgia fans need to be loud and proud on Saturday and help pull the Dawgs through a tough SEC East showdown. Oh yeah, and don't forget to wear red!
Coming tomorrow, the more optimistic side of things.
There is also some history here to make Georgia fans nervous. It has been 6 years since Georgia started a season 4-0. That year, 2006, the Dawgs were 5-0 and hosting Tennessee in Athens. However, in 2006, the season came off the tracks against the Vols. After playing well in the first half, Georgia faltered in every aspect of the game in the second half and ended up losing 51-33.
I was at that game, and I remember sitting there once the game was over, and just trying to figure out what happened. Georgia would go on to have a horrible season, losing to Kentucky and Vanderbilt before salvaging what they could with wins against Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech to finish the season 9-4, with all of those loses coming in SEC play.
If Georgia loses to Tennessee on Saturday I believe one reason could be Tyler Bray. I caught some flack a couple of weeks ago for calling Bray a great quarterback, but his statistics this season point to that being the fact. Bray has passed for over 300 yards in 3 of his 4 games this season. He has 12 touchdowns and has only 3 interceptions this season.
The rushing game hasn't really been a huge factor thus far in the season, but with Georgia focusing on the pass so much, it might be an X factor this week.
Another reason for Georgia to be nervous this week is that Tennessee (and their coach) are desperate. They have already lost to Florida, and another loss would all but eliminate Tennessee from the discussion in the SEC East. They are basically playing for their season.
In addition, Derek Dooley might be coaching for his job. Dooley came to the rescue after the debacle that was Lane Kiffin, blew out of Knoxville in the middle of the night. However, Dooley hasn't had much success and Tennessee fans aren't going to keep waiting for Dooley to figure it out. Dooley hasn't beaten Georgia since he became head coach, and he will need a big win very soon if he wants to keep his job.
Here is a little bit more history to make you nervous. In 2007, it was a horrible loss to Tennessee (35-14 in Knoxville) that was the reason Georgia didn't play for the SEC title. Georgia didn't even show up for that game, and at the end of the season, they were left wondering "what if."
Self inflicted wounds are a concern for Georgia, and I"m hoping that Mark Richt didn't open the door for some bad karma by calling for a "Red Out" against Tennessee. The last couple of times that Richt has done things like this, it hasn't exactly worked out. Against Alabama in 2008, Richt and the seniors called for a Black Out, but it turned out that Georgia fans were in mourning for a terrible performance as Bama routed Georgia 41-30 in Athens. In 2009, Georgia sported different helmets in the game against Florida, and subsequently lost to the Gators 41-17. And don't forget about last season. Georgia sported the Nike Pro Combat uniforms against Boise State. You couldn't recognize the Dawgs on the field, which was a good thing considering the way they played. Georgia won't be wearing anything different on Saturday, but this type of stuff seems so stupid to me. Do the players really need this stuff to be motivated? When was the last time Saban came out and said that Bama was having some gimmick for a home game? I understand it is fun for fans, but the fact that the head coach is involved just kinda bugs me.
Now, off my soap box, and moving on.
While everyone has been so impressed with Georgia's offense, there are some reasons to be nervous there as well. First, what if these freshman running backs start playing like freshman? I don't mean they forget how to run the ball, but what if they forget how to protect the ball. The fumble bug hasn't bitten Georgia yet this season, but if and when it does, it will be interesting to see how these young players bounce back from a big mistake.
Aaron Murray's history is another concern. Murray was nearly perfect against Vanderbilt, but it was Vanderbilt. Murray wasn't great against Missouri in Georgia's only other legitimate game of the season. Can Murray play within himself, make the right decisions at the line of scrimmage, and avoid the big mistake that has plagued him his entire career? This game might go a long way in showing whether this season we are seeing a new Aaron Murray or if the real Aaron Murray is the guy that makes great plays but can't avoid huge mistakes.
I know that last week's game has most Georgia fans riding high, but there are reasons to be nervous this weekend. Georgia will have to play a complete game to win, and Georgia fans need to be loud and proud on Saturday and help pull the Dawgs through a tough SEC East showdown. Oh yeah, and don't forget to wear red!
Coming tomorrow, the more optimistic side of things.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Vanderbilt Game Reaction
It was a game that previous Georgia teams struggled with. Not just against Vanderbilt, but against lesser teams in general. At times, you might think that it was a signature of the Richt Era in Athens, playing down to teams that had no business being in a game against Georgia.
However, Georgia gave a clear indication that it is a different team in 2012 on Saturday night.
Georgia dominated Vanderbilt on a night where all phases of the Bulldog football team seemed to work in perfect harmony. Georgia's defense was spectacular, with Jarvis Jones creating the havoc that we have come to expect from him on a weekly basis.
Aaron Murray continued his wonderful season by showing off his accuracy all night long and throwing a couple of touchdown passes.
And for me, the most exciting thing of all: the two freshman running backs, Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall rushed for a combined 215 yards and 4, yes that is right, 4 touchdowns! Tailback U is back, and we have the pleasure of watching these two fantastic young men make fantastic plays for the Bulldogs for the next three (maybe 4 if we are lucky) years. Marshall broke a long 52 yard touchdown run where he ran right past the Vanderbilt defense. Gurley looked like a beast shrugging off tacklers as he scampered 26 yards for a touchdown.
There was nothing to be critical of in Georgia's win on Saturday night, and now it is time to look ahead to the next few critical weeks for the Bulldogs.
Obviously, you can't overlook Tennessee coming to Athens next weekend. Tyler Bray has a lot of talent, and the Vols are going to be desperate for an upset that would keep them in the conversation for the SEC East, but after seeing the way Tennessee struggled with Akron for 3 quarters, not to mention the way they fell apart, at home, against Florida last week, you have to think that Georgia will find a way to win that game.
A win against Tennessee would set up a game of historic proportions against South Carolina on October 6th in Columbia, South Carolina. It is hard to think of an adjective to properly put the magnitude of this game in perspective.
There will be plenty to write about this game next week if Georgia takes care of business against Tennessee, but I will go ahead and throw this out there.
Georgia can not lose this game if they want to play in the SEC title game. Last season, Georgia managed to lose to South Carolina, but still went to the title game because the Gamecocks lost to Arkansas and Auburn. South Carolina will probably lose at LSU the week after they play Georgia, however, I would not expect them to lose another SEC game. Yes they have to play Florida the week after they play LSU, but I'm not sold on Florida being at the same level as Georgia and South Carolina at this point. A win against South Carolina would mean that Georgia would have a chance to clinch the SEC East championship against the Gators on the 27th of October.
The next 5 weeks might be the biggest, most exciting weeks of Georgia football that we have seen since... well maybe since I have been alive (1985). This team's motto for the season (chosen by the players) is Our Team, Our Time, No Regrets. Take care of business against Tennessee, and this team will have a chance to prove that is their time indeed.
GO DAWGS!
However, Georgia gave a clear indication that it is a different team in 2012 on Saturday night.
Georgia dominated Vanderbilt on a night where all phases of the Bulldog football team seemed to work in perfect harmony. Georgia's defense was spectacular, with Jarvis Jones creating the havoc that we have come to expect from him on a weekly basis.
Aaron Murray continued his wonderful season by showing off his accuracy all night long and throwing a couple of touchdown passes.
And for me, the most exciting thing of all: the two freshman running backs, Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall rushed for a combined 215 yards and 4, yes that is right, 4 touchdowns! Tailback U is back, and we have the pleasure of watching these two fantastic young men make fantastic plays for the Bulldogs for the next three (maybe 4 if we are lucky) years. Marshall broke a long 52 yard touchdown run where he ran right past the Vanderbilt defense. Gurley looked like a beast shrugging off tacklers as he scampered 26 yards for a touchdown.
There was nothing to be critical of in Georgia's win on Saturday night, and now it is time to look ahead to the next few critical weeks for the Bulldogs.
Obviously, you can't overlook Tennessee coming to Athens next weekend. Tyler Bray has a lot of talent, and the Vols are going to be desperate for an upset that would keep them in the conversation for the SEC East, but after seeing the way Tennessee struggled with Akron for 3 quarters, not to mention the way they fell apart, at home, against Florida last week, you have to think that Georgia will find a way to win that game.
A win against Tennessee would set up a game of historic proportions against South Carolina on October 6th in Columbia, South Carolina. It is hard to think of an adjective to properly put the magnitude of this game in perspective.
There will be plenty to write about this game next week if Georgia takes care of business against Tennessee, but I will go ahead and throw this out there.
Georgia can not lose this game if they want to play in the SEC title game. Last season, Georgia managed to lose to South Carolina, but still went to the title game because the Gamecocks lost to Arkansas and Auburn. South Carolina will probably lose at LSU the week after they play Georgia, however, I would not expect them to lose another SEC game. Yes they have to play Florida the week after they play LSU, but I'm not sold on Florida being at the same level as Georgia and South Carolina at this point. A win against South Carolina would mean that Georgia would have a chance to clinch the SEC East championship against the Gators on the 27th of October.
The next 5 weeks might be the biggest, most exciting weeks of Georgia football that we have seen since... well maybe since I have been alive (1985). This team's motto for the season (chosen by the players) is Our Team, Our Time, No Regrets. Take care of business against Tennessee, and this team will have a chance to prove that is their time indeed.
GO DAWGS!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Vanderbilt Preview
As Vanderbilt gets ready to come to Athens this weekend, Georgia enters the meat of their schedule.
The offense looked amazing last week, but then again, it was just Florida Atlantic.
Vanderbilt will offer more resistance than the Owls, and I don't think anyone has forgotten the fireworks after last year's Georgia/Vanderbilt game.
The on-field altercation between Georgia Defensive Coordinator, Todd Grantham, and Vanderbilt Head Coach, James Franklin was the story, which is probably good for Georgia because that meant no one was talking about the game itself.
Georgia had quite possibly the worst special teams game in the program's history. Vandy returned a punt for a touchdown, blocked a Georgia punt, and Georgia missed field goals. It is ironic, that Drew Butler, Georgia's punter last season, made the game winning play when he tackled the Vandy player that blocked the punt.
Last year is in the past, and I'm sure that nothing will happen between Franklin and Grantham this time around.
On the field, this game will be a chance for Georgia to show where it stands in the SEC. South Carolina struggled with Vanderbilt in the opening game of the season, so a big Georgia win would help show that the Dawgs are the class of the SEC East.
Offensively, Georgia looks to be coming into their own. My only worry is Georgia's ability to manage all of the talent, especially in the backfield. I don't want to see a repeat of the terrible handling of the Thomas Brown, Kregg Lumpkin, Danny Ware fiasco in 2006. Georgia would have been better if one of those guys transferred.
Just when one guy started getting a rhythm going, here comes one of the other backs because the coaching staff wanted to keep everyone's carries equal. To me it is very simple, Todd Gurley is the starter, he should get between 20 and 25 touches per game, Keith Marshall is the backup and he should get about 10-15 touches per game, and Boo Malcome is the guy you give about 5-7 touches per game. That is right, do the math. I think Georgia should be running the ball between 35-50 times per game. The running game is the strength of the offense, and the passing game is going to be so much better when you don't throw it 40 times per game.
The key to Saturday's game is the fact that for the fourth consecutive week, Georgia is the more talented team. They are also playing at home.
Vandy has some talent, and I fully expect them to play a tough game, but in the end, Georgia should win this game by about 2 touchdowns.
This game will tell me a lot about what type of team we can expect to see from Georgia for the remainder of the season. The top teams in this league, Alabama and LSU, dominate games like this. See what Alabama did to Arkansas last week? That was a road game for Alabama! Watch and see what LSU does to Auburn this week on the Plains. You can't play close games all season long and not lose one along the way. Georgia is going to play some tough games over the next 6 weeks against some really good teams. They can't afford to play around with Vanderbilt. If this is going to be the kind of team that can reach that ultimate goal, then they need to come out and put Vanderbilt in their place on Saturday night.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Florida Atlantic Preview.....
After a big win there is nothing like coming home and paying someone 1 million dollars to let you kick the crap out of them.
Georgia is doing just that this week as they host Florida Atlantic. The Owls are 42 point underdogs, so this is the last thing about Florida Atlantic that I will say: take the points, no way Georgia will cover.
Two weeks ago, I thought Georgia fans were crazy for being upset about the Dawgs performance against Buffalo. I now think Georgia fans are equally as crazy for believing that the win over Missouri was a blow out that put the Tigers in their proper place in the SEC pecking order.
All I saw on social media on Sunday morning was comments about welcoming Missouri to the SEC. I wonder if these people actually watched the game, or if they just woke up on Sunday morning, saw the score, and thought it was a good time to talk some trash.
I was extremely impressed with Missouri. Their offense was dynamic, but erratic in the first half. They lost their best offensive linemen and never really got going again after that, but what team (other than Alabama) could lose a starter on the offensive line and not miss a beat?
James Franklin played well, but you could tell that he isn't the most accurate passer. I thought they should have let him get on the edge more instead of standing in the pocket and only running once the play broke down.
Defensively, Missouri was aggressive and disruptive. The defense kept Murray and the Georgia offense on their toes for the majority of the game and there were times when it didn't look like Georgia could do anything on offense. The motion that Missouri was using just before the snap played havoc on the offensive line, especially freshman John Theus. Theus was just called for another false start.
For those of us that watched the game, we know that Georgia was winning by 7 points with 7 minutes to go in the fourth quarter and Missouri had the ball. No matter how the game finished, that was no blow out.
What happened in the last 7 minutes of the game will be remembered by Georgia fans for a very long time. Jarvis Jones is an NFL star that just happens to be playing for Georgia this season. It wasn't just the big plays he made that was so impressive, it was the fact that Jones was seemingly around the ball on every single play of the game. The big plays at the end of the game could have changed the way this season plays out for Georgia.
Jarvis will make more big plays as this season goes along, but more importantly, once Georgia has all of its defensive weapons back, Jones will free up Georgia other stars to make big plays of their own. Jones will be one of the top 10 picks in next April's NFL Draft, and he will be remembered in Athens for being an amazing player, even if it will only be for 2 years.
After Florida Atlantic, Georgia will enter what I believe will be the piviotal point in their season. A home game against Vanderbilt, which will be played under the lights (7:45pm kickoff on ESPN 2), will be followed by a home game against Tennessee. If Tennessee beats Florida this weekend, which I believe they will, this game could be an SEC East eliminator. Georgia should have all of their players back from suspension for the first time against Tennessee, but will they play at their best against a great quarterback in Tyler Bray and his great receiver Justin Hunter?
If Georgia wins both of those home games, it will set up one of the two biggest regular season games in the SEC this season. Georgia travels to Columbia again, but this time it will be against the South Carolina Gamecocks. For the first time since South Carolina entered the SEC in 1992, these two teams will play each other in October. This game is typically close and frustrating, but perhaps most of that comes from it being played so early in the season. It is a big step to think Georgia could be South Carolina on the road, but the Dawgs have never lost three straight to South Carolina.
Georgia's season basically comes down to 4 quarters of football in Columbia, South Carolina. A win would mean that Georgia would be on track for their best season since 2002, and could set up a date with Alabama for a trip to the National Title game. I know it is early, but it is never too early to understand what is on the line. Georgia has to show up every week, play its best game every week, and keep their eyes on the ultimate prize if they want to cash in on what I believe is Georgia's best team since 1982.
Georgia is doing just that this week as they host Florida Atlantic. The Owls are 42 point underdogs, so this is the last thing about Florida Atlantic that I will say: take the points, no way Georgia will cover.
Two weeks ago, I thought Georgia fans were crazy for being upset about the Dawgs performance against Buffalo. I now think Georgia fans are equally as crazy for believing that the win over Missouri was a blow out that put the Tigers in their proper place in the SEC pecking order.
All I saw on social media on Sunday morning was comments about welcoming Missouri to the SEC. I wonder if these people actually watched the game, or if they just woke up on Sunday morning, saw the score, and thought it was a good time to talk some trash.
I was extremely impressed with Missouri. Their offense was dynamic, but erratic in the first half. They lost their best offensive linemen and never really got going again after that, but what team (other than Alabama) could lose a starter on the offensive line and not miss a beat?
James Franklin played well, but you could tell that he isn't the most accurate passer. I thought they should have let him get on the edge more instead of standing in the pocket and only running once the play broke down.
Defensively, Missouri was aggressive and disruptive. The defense kept Murray and the Georgia offense on their toes for the majority of the game and there were times when it didn't look like Georgia could do anything on offense. The motion that Missouri was using just before the snap played havoc on the offensive line, especially freshman John Theus. Theus was just called for another false start.
For those of us that watched the game, we know that Georgia was winning by 7 points with 7 minutes to go in the fourth quarter and Missouri had the ball. No matter how the game finished, that was no blow out.
What happened in the last 7 minutes of the game will be remembered by Georgia fans for a very long time. Jarvis Jones is an NFL star that just happens to be playing for Georgia this season. It wasn't just the big plays he made that was so impressive, it was the fact that Jones was seemingly around the ball on every single play of the game. The big plays at the end of the game could have changed the way this season plays out for Georgia.
Jarvis will make more big plays as this season goes along, but more importantly, once Georgia has all of its defensive weapons back, Jones will free up Georgia other stars to make big plays of their own. Jones will be one of the top 10 picks in next April's NFL Draft, and he will be remembered in Athens for being an amazing player, even if it will only be for 2 years.
After Florida Atlantic, Georgia will enter what I believe will be the piviotal point in their season. A home game against Vanderbilt, which will be played under the lights (7:45pm kickoff on ESPN 2), will be followed by a home game against Tennessee. If Tennessee beats Florida this weekend, which I believe they will, this game could be an SEC East eliminator. Georgia should have all of their players back from suspension for the first time against Tennessee, but will they play at their best against a great quarterback in Tyler Bray and his great receiver Justin Hunter?
If Georgia wins both of those home games, it will set up one of the two biggest regular season games in the SEC this season. Georgia travels to Columbia again, but this time it will be against the South Carolina Gamecocks. For the first time since South Carolina entered the SEC in 1992, these two teams will play each other in October. This game is typically close and frustrating, but perhaps most of that comes from it being played so early in the season. It is a big step to think Georgia could be South Carolina on the road, but the Dawgs have never lost three straight to South Carolina.
Georgia's season basically comes down to 4 quarters of football in Columbia, South Carolina. A win would mean that Georgia would be on track for their best season since 2002, and could set up a date with Alabama for a trip to the National Title game. I know it is early, but it is never too early to understand what is on the line. Georgia has to show up every week, play its best game every week, and keep their eyes on the ultimate prize if they want to cash in on what I believe is Georgia's best team since 1982.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Georgia/Missouri Preview
After a less than stellar start to the 2012 season, Georgia faces a huge test on Saturday night as they travel to Columbia, Missouri to welcome the Missouri Tigers to the SEC.
Missouri features a spread offense that is designed to score points in a hurry. Their quarterback, James Franklin, has a good arm and also has the ability to get out of the pocket and cause havoc with his legs. Missouri wants to show that they are good enough to play with the best in the SEC, and they feel like a win over Georgia will immediately legitimize them in the best conference in America.
Georgia will have to overcome another week of suspensions. Rambo, Ogletree, and Commings will all miss their second straight game due to suspensions for issues that occurred in the off season. However, Georgia should get Malcolm Mitchell back in the secondary after he missed last week's game with a sprained ankle.
Todd Gurley announced his presence with authority last week with an amazing performance against Buffalo. I understand who the opponent was, and it wasn't the stats that Gurley put up that impressed me the most. What impressed me the most is the way Todd Gurley ran the football. With his size, speed, and aggressive running, he looked like Trent Richardson in a Georgia uniform.
One of the biggest criticisms I have of Mark Richt is that it seems he is always the last person to know when Georgia has a special player. It took him to the middle of the 2006 season to start Matthew Stafford who would later be the number 1 pick in the NFL Draft.
The biggest error in Richt's judgement came with another running back in 2007. Georgia suffered a home loss in the second game of the 2007 season because they failed to score a single touchdown against South Carolina. Knowshon Moreno played in that game, and he put up some good numbers. However, in two critical situations when Georgia was in the red-zone, Moreno was on the sideline. Richt had Thomas Brown, a more veteran player, in the game instead. Georgia kicked field goals on both drives with a star watching from the sideline. There is no way to know if Georgia would have scored a touchdown if Moreno was on the field. However, I can tell you that if Georgia scored even one touchdown in that game, they would have beaten South Carolina and eventually played LSU in the SEC Championship game in 2007. With the way the Dawgs were playing at the end of the season, Georgia would have most likely beaten LSU, and gone on to play for the National Title against Ohio State. I know it is a lot of if's, but the line between a good season, and a magical season is very thin.
I say all of that to say only this: Todd Gurley should be on the field on Saturday night. I know he is a freshman and he might miss a block or even fumble at a critical time, but he is a fantastic talent and it has only taken 1 game to see that. Georgia fans have seen a season of Ken Malcome, and he is not in the same league. Gurley should get close to 20 touches in this game, because you don't want to look back at the end of the season and ask why he was watching from the sideline.
Despite my feelings about Gurley, to me, this game comes down to one player: Aaron Murray. Murray has been phenomenal in his first two seasons, and he will be the all time touchdown leader for Georgia before the middle of October, but he has also come up small in big moments. Last season, he made huge mistakes against South Carolina, LSU, and Michigan State. All three losses. As a junior, it will be critical for Murray to finally show the poise that comes with experience and confidence. In 2010 against Florida, Murray had a horrible first half and it was attributed to him being too excited about the game. Of course Georgia lost that game in overtime, despite a fantastic second half by Murray. Last week, Murray missed receivers running wide open for touchdowns on a couple of occasions, and this was again attributed to him being too excited about the game. Murray needs to take a page out of David Greene's playbook.
In 2001 Greene was just a freshman, but he led Georgia to the "Hob-nail Boot" win in Knoxville. In 2002, Greene threw the game winning touchdown pass to Michael Johnson at the end of the Auburn game to clinch a trip to the SEC title game for the first time in school history. In 2003, Greene played spectacularly on the road at LSU in a losing effort. I don't care what anyone says, but the atmosphere this Saturday night in Missouri won't be as crazy as Knoxville, Tennessee, Auburn, Alabama, or Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Murray needs to take his team in there, play within himself, and deliver a win against a team that Georgia is better than.
Murray hasn't been able to secure a signature win in his time as Georgia's quarterback. In 2010, he lost on the road at South Carolina, Mississippi State, Colorado (yes Colorado), and Auburn. Last season, Murray and the Bulldogs lost to Boise State, LSU, and Michigan State in neutral site games. Aaron Murray's best victory away from Sanford Stadium would be a tie between beating Tennessee and Georgia Tech on the road in 2011. Not impressive.
For Georgia to be an elite team, Aaron Murray needs to be an elite quarterback. Beating Missouri on Saturday night wouldn't make Murray elite, but it begins to build a resume' of winning to go along with all of those touchdown passes.
I have stated that I believe this team should be either 11-1 or 12-0 and playing in the Georgia Dome at the end of the season for a chance to play for the National Title. This is not an acceptable loss on Georgia's schedule. I know that Missouri has a lot to play for, and I know they want to make an impression, but Georgia is more talented, even with 3 defensive stars out of the game. Georgia's defense will not be at full strength and they will give up some points to a talented Missouri offense, but at the end of the day there is no way that Missouri's defense can stop Murray and all of the weapons that Georgia has. (By the way, look for Jay Rome to have a big game).
Georgia 45 Missouri 31
Missouri features a spread offense that is designed to score points in a hurry. Their quarterback, James Franklin, has a good arm and also has the ability to get out of the pocket and cause havoc with his legs. Missouri wants to show that they are good enough to play with the best in the SEC, and they feel like a win over Georgia will immediately legitimize them in the best conference in America.
Georgia will have to overcome another week of suspensions. Rambo, Ogletree, and Commings will all miss their second straight game due to suspensions for issues that occurred in the off season. However, Georgia should get Malcolm Mitchell back in the secondary after he missed last week's game with a sprained ankle.
Todd Gurley announced his presence with authority last week with an amazing performance against Buffalo. I understand who the opponent was, and it wasn't the stats that Gurley put up that impressed me the most. What impressed me the most is the way Todd Gurley ran the football. With his size, speed, and aggressive running, he looked like Trent Richardson in a Georgia uniform.
One of the biggest criticisms I have of Mark Richt is that it seems he is always the last person to know when Georgia has a special player. It took him to the middle of the 2006 season to start Matthew Stafford who would later be the number 1 pick in the NFL Draft.
The biggest error in Richt's judgement came with another running back in 2007. Georgia suffered a home loss in the second game of the 2007 season because they failed to score a single touchdown against South Carolina. Knowshon Moreno played in that game, and he put up some good numbers. However, in two critical situations when Georgia was in the red-zone, Moreno was on the sideline. Richt had Thomas Brown, a more veteran player, in the game instead. Georgia kicked field goals on both drives with a star watching from the sideline. There is no way to know if Georgia would have scored a touchdown if Moreno was on the field. However, I can tell you that if Georgia scored even one touchdown in that game, they would have beaten South Carolina and eventually played LSU in the SEC Championship game in 2007. With the way the Dawgs were playing at the end of the season, Georgia would have most likely beaten LSU, and gone on to play for the National Title against Ohio State. I know it is a lot of if's, but the line between a good season, and a magical season is very thin.
I say all of that to say only this: Todd Gurley should be on the field on Saturday night. I know he is a freshman and he might miss a block or even fumble at a critical time, but he is a fantastic talent and it has only taken 1 game to see that. Georgia fans have seen a season of Ken Malcome, and he is not in the same league. Gurley should get close to 20 touches in this game, because you don't want to look back at the end of the season and ask why he was watching from the sideline.
Despite my feelings about Gurley, to me, this game comes down to one player: Aaron Murray. Murray has been phenomenal in his first two seasons, and he will be the all time touchdown leader for Georgia before the middle of October, but he has also come up small in big moments. Last season, he made huge mistakes against South Carolina, LSU, and Michigan State. All three losses. As a junior, it will be critical for Murray to finally show the poise that comes with experience and confidence. In 2010 against Florida, Murray had a horrible first half and it was attributed to him being too excited about the game. Of course Georgia lost that game in overtime, despite a fantastic second half by Murray. Last week, Murray missed receivers running wide open for touchdowns on a couple of occasions, and this was again attributed to him being too excited about the game. Murray needs to take a page out of David Greene's playbook.
In 2001 Greene was just a freshman, but he led Georgia to the "Hob-nail Boot" win in Knoxville. In 2002, Greene threw the game winning touchdown pass to Michael Johnson at the end of the Auburn game to clinch a trip to the SEC title game for the first time in school history. In 2003, Greene played spectacularly on the road at LSU in a losing effort. I don't care what anyone says, but the atmosphere this Saturday night in Missouri won't be as crazy as Knoxville, Tennessee, Auburn, Alabama, or Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Murray needs to take his team in there, play within himself, and deliver a win against a team that Georgia is better than.
Murray hasn't been able to secure a signature win in his time as Georgia's quarterback. In 2010, he lost on the road at South Carolina, Mississippi State, Colorado (yes Colorado), and Auburn. Last season, Murray and the Bulldogs lost to Boise State, LSU, and Michigan State in neutral site games. Aaron Murray's best victory away from Sanford Stadium would be a tie between beating Tennessee and Georgia Tech on the road in 2011. Not impressive.
For Georgia to be an elite team, Aaron Murray needs to be an elite quarterback. Beating Missouri on Saturday night wouldn't make Murray elite, but it begins to build a resume' of winning to go along with all of those touchdown passes.
I have stated that I believe this team should be either 11-1 or 12-0 and playing in the Georgia Dome at the end of the season for a chance to play for the National Title. This is not an acceptable loss on Georgia's schedule. I know that Missouri has a lot to play for, and I know they want to make an impression, but Georgia is more talented, even with 3 defensive stars out of the game. Georgia's defense will not be at full strength and they will give up some points to a talented Missouri offense, but at the end of the day there is no way that Missouri's defense can stop Murray and all of the weapons that Georgia has. (By the way, look for Jay Rome to have a big game).
Georgia 45 Missouri 31
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