We have some house cleaning to do before we get to what happened yesterday.
It has been a long time since I was as mad about a football game as I was at the end of the Auburn/Georgia game two weeks ago. It was not that Georgia lost. It was how Auburn won.
Cam Newton is as good as any college football player I have seen. (That includes Tim Tebow).
However, the way that Nick Fairley played in that game was disgraceful. The fact that the refs let it happen was disgraceful. The sight of seeing Mark Richt yelling at the refs because of their lack of control of the game was laudable, and the way the Georgia players went after Fairley after the hit on Aaron Murray was to be expected.
Auburn has a good team, but with all of the rumors around Newton, and with the thug-like way they finished the Georgia game, I’m not sure they have the character of a champion.
I was lucky enough to be at the game last night, and besides the stands not being full, it was everything a rivalry should be. Neither team has had a memorable season; however, pride was on the line between the hedges. Georgia did not play well on defense and their tackling didn’t look any better than it did last season under Martinez. However, I think all Georgia fans have learned the value of a victory this season, and getting the win was all we could hope for last night.
Justin Houston and AJ Green showed out in what will most likely be their last game in Sanford Stadium, while the maturation of Aaron Murray continued to be evident. Tech made some good plays, and Paul Johnson has to be one of the most aggressive coaches in college football. It is easy to love a coach that will go for it on fourth down and try to win the game rather than to not lose the game.
There were some iffy calls, especially the ball spotting on the fourth and short play in the second quarter, however, as coach Richt said after the game, you can’t leave it close enough to depend on the spot. If Georgia could have converted the fourth and short, and not had two fumbles in the red zone, we would have put the game away in the third quarter, and I would not still be cold today. However, this team does not do things the easy way, and you have to credit Tech for battling back from down two touchdowns in the second half.
The decision to run the ball at the end of the game rather than take a knee was curious. Had Tech managed to score and convert the two-point conversion, Georgia coaches would be getting killed today. As it was, the Dawgs escaped with the victory and advanced to their 14th consecutive bowl game.
Not sure where the Dawgs will play, but making the bowl is important for the fact that Murray needs the chance to continue to practice with receivers other than Green since he will be playing on Sundays next year.
With one week to go in the season, here are my predictions for the BCS bowls, and other games of interest.
Florida will play in the Gator Bowl and Tennessee will play in the Music City Bowl because those venues will sell out easily with defacto home teams playing in them. By that rule, Georgia should be playing in the CFA Bowl, but I think it will most likely be the Liberty Bowl against Central Florida.
Rose Bowl: Wisconsin v. TCU
Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech v. Stanford
Sugar Bowl: Arkansas v. Ohio State
Fiesta Bowl: Nebraska v. UCONN
BCS Championship: Auburn v. Oregon
Coming Wednesday: A retrospective on the Bulldogs 2010
Showing posts with label Weekly Recaps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weekly Recaps. Show all posts
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Another disappointing Night in Jacksonville
This one hurt a lot.
For the past two years, Florida has come to Jacksonville and dominated Georgia. Florida was just better in every aspect of the game. Florida had better players and better coaches. That is not easy to accept, but it’s easier than what happen yesterday.
Georgia is not a great team and neither is Florida, but losing 34-31 in OT was just heartbreaking.
At halftime, you could see this game getting away from the Dawgs. 21-7 and all the momentum was with Florida. Florida was getting the ball to start the second half. But Georgia showed amazing fortitude by hanging in and chipping away at Florida’s lead. They even managed to tie the game at 24, and then the Gators came right back and took a 31-24 lead. Aaron Murray didn’t care. He lead the Dawgs down the field and threaded a pass through three defenders to AJ Green for another game-tying touchdown.
There will be some debate about the final Georgia drive of regulation. Georgia had 54 seconds to play, two timeouts and all the momentum. However, had Georgia gotten aggressive and gone three and out, Dawg fans would be killing Richt this morning. Richt played for overtime, and Murray through an interception trying to get the ball to the best receiver Georgia has ever had. Florida’s punter then kicked the game winning field goal, breaking Bulldog hearts everywhere.
Yeah this one is going to sting for a while.
It’s not that we were playing for a national title. Even an SEC East title was still a long shot with a win. It’s not that Florida was a great team and we had a chance to beat them. The reason this one is going to hurt is simply because we lost to Florida again. 18-21 games in this series have gone to the Gators.
When Florida is better they kill Georgia (2008, 2009) . When Georgia is better they manage to sneak by Georgia (2002, 2005). And this year, when both teams are not very good, Florida still beats Georgia.
This game was razor close by all statistical measures. On the scoreboard, it was a three point game. Florida had 23 first downs, Georgia had 22. Florida had 450 yards of total offense, Georgia had 439. Florida had the ball for 30 minutes and 38 seconds, Georgia had the ball for 29 minutes and 22 seconds.
What is even harder to deal with are the numbers that were in Georgia’s favor. Georgia was 8-15 on third down, while the Gators were only 4-14. Georgia had only two penalties while Florida had nine.
In reality there is only one number you need to know about the 2010 addition of Georgia/Florida, and that number is 4. 4 costly, game-changing, and heartbreaking turnovers. For the first time this season Aaron Murray played like a freshman. Murray has been nothing but solid under center for the Dawgs all season, but one bad half of football cost Georgia dearly. Richt took up for Murray after the game. Richt said that the first interception was a great play by the Florida defender, and he is right. Richt said the second interception probably sould have been caught by Aaron White, and he is right. But there is no doubt that Murray was rattled in the first half and it changed the way Georgia’s offense played. To his credit, Murray played at an amazing level in the second half, and showed poise and leadership in bringing the Dawgs back. Georgia scored 24 points in the second half. But at the end of the day, the interceptions and the fumble are the reason Georgia lost to Florida again.
I believe that Murray will eventually be one of the best quarterbacks that Georgia has ever had. He has the heart and drive to win, but he will have to get over costing his team the game yesterday.
Now the season comes down to this. Georgia must win 2 of their next three games to be 6-6 and make it to a bowl game.
You might be asking yourself, what does it matter if we go to a bowl game? It will be a crappy game that means nothing.
You would be wrong. Making it to a bowl game means you get to practice for that bowl game. It is an extra three weeks for the coaches to work with the players and I think we can all be sure that we need to practice as much as possible.
Georgia will beat Idaho State this weekend, and most of the starters shouldn’t have to play the second half. Then the Dawgs will get the number one team in the nation when they travel to Auburn. To assume anything but a loss at Auburn would be absurd. Which means that it will come down to the Saturday after Thanksgiving and Clean Old-Fashioned Hate between Georgia and Georgia Tech.
This Bulldog team will not be playing for a title, they will not be playing for a big bowl game. This Bulldog team has only one thing left to play for, but it is the purest pursuit in all of sports: Pride.
For the past two years, Florida has come to Jacksonville and dominated Georgia. Florida was just better in every aspect of the game. Florida had better players and better coaches. That is not easy to accept, but it’s easier than what happen yesterday.
Georgia is not a great team and neither is Florida, but losing 34-31 in OT was just heartbreaking.
At halftime, you could see this game getting away from the Dawgs. 21-7 and all the momentum was with Florida. Florida was getting the ball to start the second half. But Georgia showed amazing fortitude by hanging in and chipping away at Florida’s lead. They even managed to tie the game at 24, and then the Gators came right back and took a 31-24 lead. Aaron Murray didn’t care. He lead the Dawgs down the field and threaded a pass through three defenders to AJ Green for another game-tying touchdown.
There will be some debate about the final Georgia drive of regulation. Georgia had 54 seconds to play, two timeouts and all the momentum. However, had Georgia gotten aggressive and gone three and out, Dawg fans would be killing Richt this morning. Richt played for overtime, and Murray through an interception trying to get the ball to the best receiver Georgia has ever had. Florida’s punter then kicked the game winning field goal, breaking Bulldog hearts everywhere.
Yeah this one is going to sting for a while.
It’s not that we were playing for a national title. Even an SEC East title was still a long shot with a win. It’s not that Florida was a great team and we had a chance to beat them. The reason this one is going to hurt is simply because we lost to Florida again. 18-21 games in this series have gone to the Gators.
When Florida is better they kill Georgia (2008, 2009) . When Georgia is better they manage to sneak by Georgia (2002, 2005). And this year, when both teams are not very good, Florida still beats Georgia.
This game was razor close by all statistical measures. On the scoreboard, it was a three point game. Florida had 23 first downs, Georgia had 22. Florida had 450 yards of total offense, Georgia had 439. Florida had the ball for 30 minutes and 38 seconds, Georgia had the ball for 29 minutes and 22 seconds.
What is even harder to deal with are the numbers that were in Georgia’s favor. Georgia was 8-15 on third down, while the Gators were only 4-14. Georgia had only two penalties while Florida had nine.
In reality there is only one number you need to know about the 2010 addition of Georgia/Florida, and that number is 4. 4 costly, game-changing, and heartbreaking turnovers. For the first time this season Aaron Murray played like a freshman. Murray has been nothing but solid under center for the Dawgs all season, but one bad half of football cost Georgia dearly. Richt took up for Murray after the game. Richt said that the first interception was a great play by the Florida defender, and he is right. Richt said the second interception probably sould have been caught by Aaron White, and he is right. But there is no doubt that Murray was rattled in the first half and it changed the way Georgia’s offense played. To his credit, Murray played at an amazing level in the second half, and showed poise and leadership in bringing the Dawgs back. Georgia scored 24 points in the second half. But at the end of the day, the interceptions and the fumble are the reason Georgia lost to Florida again.
I believe that Murray will eventually be one of the best quarterbacks that Georgia has ever had. He has the heart and drive to win, but he will have to get over costing his team the game yesterday.
Now the season comes down to this. Georgia must win 2 of their next three games to be 6-6 and make it to a bowl game.
You might be asking yourself, what does it matter if we go to a bowl game? It will be a crappy game that means nothing.
You would be wrong. Making it to a bowl game means you get to practice for that bowl game. It is an extra three weeks for the coaches to work with the players and I think we can all be sure that we need to practice as much as possible.
Georgia will beat Idaho State this weekend, and most of the starters shouldn’t have to play the second half. Then the Dawgs will get the number one team in the nation when they travel to Auburn. To assume anything but a loss at Auburn would be absurd. Which means that it will come down to the Saturday after Thanksgiving and Clean Old-Fashioned Hate between Georgia and Georgia Tech.
This Bulldog team will not be playing for a title, they will not be playing for a big bowl game. This Bulldog team has only one thing left to play for, but it is the purest pursuit in all of sports: Pride.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Still a chance to turn the season around
I was talking to a friend last night after the Georgia game and he made an interesting comment. With Georgia’s victory over Tennessee yesterday, they now stand at 2-4. If Georgia could manage to finish 7-5 this season, it would mean finishing 6-1 after a 1-4 start and the Bulldog Nation would be very happy. However, what if the season had worked out this way: Georgia splits the two games with Arkansas and South Carolina and takes care of business on the road against Mississippi State and Colorado. They beat Tennessee just like they did yesterday. They would be 5-1 at this point and ranked in the top 15. However, Georgia then loses to Florida, Auburn, and Georgia Tech to finish the season 8-4. Georgia fans would be livid and calling for changes. Just a thought.
Yesterday’s game is what every optimistic fan thought Georgia would be capable of this season. Murray played a great game, and the defense put pressure on Tennessee and forced turnovers. The run game is still MIA, but at least we saw the offensive line do some good pass blocking.
If you want to hear about impressive, check this out.
Here are Aaron Murray’s stats for the 2010 season if you project what he has done already over the rest of the season:
61 % completion
20 touchdowns
6 interceptions
2700 + yards passing
Murray has been great so far, and if the rest of the season works out like that, Georgia should have at least 10 wins with him playing that way.
So what is the problem?
The running game is the problem. Georgia ranks 77th in the nation rushing the ball. Ealey and King have not built upon the game they had against Georgia Tech last season. Obviously this season is not going to be a special one in Athens, but if the next few seasons are going to be better, Georgia has to get the running game back on track.
The solution?
Isaiah Crowell.
Cross your fingers and hope that Georgia can land this major recruit. Could be the kind of guy that could turn the entire program around.
Yesterday’s game is what every optimistic fan thought Georgia would be capable of this season. Murray played a great game, and the defense put pressure on Tennessee and forced turnovers. The run game is still MIA, but at least we saw the offensive line do some good pass blocking.
If you want to hear about impressive, check this out.
Here are Aaron Murray’s stats for the 2010 season if you project what he has done already over the rest of the season:
61 % completion
20 touchdowns
6 interceptions
2700 + yards passing
Murray has been great so far, and if the rest of the season works out like that, Georgia should have at least 10 wins with him playing that way.
So what is the problem?
The running game is the problem. Georgia ranks 77th in the nation rushing the ball. Ealey and King have not built upon the game they had against Georgia Tech last season. Obviously this season is not going to be a special one in Athens, but if the next few seasons are going to be better, Georgia has to get the running game back on track.
The solution?
Isaiah Crowell.
Cross your fingers and hope that Georgia can land this major recruit. Could be the kind of guy that could turn the entire program around.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Georgia-Arkansas Reaction
I don’t know that I have ever watched a game that took me in so many emotional directions as the one I watched on Saturday. For the first three quarters, I was wondering if this team would be able to win against any decent team this year, and in the fourth quarter, I was standing up in my living room, shouting at the TV as the Dawgs came roaring back against a good team. This morning, here are my thoughts:
- Things can appear to be worse than they are. Yes Georgia is 1-2, and there is no excuse for being 1-2 at Georgia. BUT how many fans looked at the South Carolina game and the Arkansas game and thought, those are going to be tough? My guess is just about everyone. Georgia has been in both games, and has had chances to win both games, the cards just haven’t fallen our way so far. Georgia now hits a softer part of their schedule, and while no wins are guaranteed on the road in the SEC, I think Georgia will come out and play a great game against Mississippi State and get the season back on track.
- Aaron Murray is going to be really good, but right now, he needs the offensive line to help him out. There were a few times when Murray held the ball far too long, but there were other times when he was under pressure before getting set in the pocket. Offensive line was supposed to be a strength for this team, but yet again this season they are underachieving. They protected Murray great in the fourth quarter (except for the last drive), so you know they can do it.
- The defense is going to be fine. Read this next sentence very closely. Georgia played the best quarterback in the SEC yesterday, and he played well. But in the fourth quarter, when we had to get stops to get back into the game, the defense stepped up and stopped Arkansas three times. That should have won the game.
- Play calling. I’m not a coach, and I have never played organized football, so maybe there are things that I don’t understand. However, I don’t understand Georgia’s play calling. I don’t know that it is time for Bobo to go, however, there has to be an improvement on play calling. The TV guys had it right. On 3rd and 5, when all you need to do is get into Walsh’s field goal range to win the game, why are all the receivers running 20 yard routes. Watch the tape, Arkansas was conceding the first down, but we didn’t have anyone there to get it. The result: Murray got creamed. He is a young quarterback in the SEC, the last thing he needs to worry about is getting killed for standing the pocket.
- I was terribly disappointed with the lack of heart that Georgia showed against South Carolina. And for 3 quarters against Arkansas, Georgia wasn’t showing any heart on Saturday. They pulled together for a great comeback, but in the end they fell short. Why can’t these guys go out there and play hard for 4 quarters?
Georgia is going to play some close games this season. I’m not sure that we will see a win or a loss be more than 14 points all year (except for Idaho State). But for everyone who wants to get upset and talk about how bad this team is consider the following:
Georgia lost to Arkansas on Saturday without the best receiver in college football, without their co-starting tailback, without a starting cornerback, without their starting full back, with a redshirt freshman quarterback, and with a new defensive scheme. Before the season, I wrote that you have to have proper expectations coming into any season, I think the Georgia fans should re-evaluate what they thought this team could do. They can still go 9-3, which would be impressive in this transition season.
- Things can appear to be worse than they are. Yes Georgia is 1-2, and there is no excuse for being 1-2 at Georgia. BUT how many fans looked at the South Carolina game and the Arkansas game and thought, those are going to be tough? My guess is just about everyone. Georgia has been in both games, and has had chances to win both games, the cards just haven’t fallen our way so far. Georgia now hits a softer part of their schedule, and while no wins are guaranteed on the road in the SEC, I think Georgia will come out and play a great game against Mississippi State and get the season back on track.
- Aaron Murray is going to be really good, but right now, he needs the offensive line to help him out. There were a few times when Murray held the ball far too long, but there were other times when he was under pressure before getting set in the pocket. Offensive line was supposed to be a strength for this team, but yet again this season they are underachieving. They protected Murray great in the fourth quarter (except for the last drive), so you know they can do it.
- The defense is going to be fine. Read this next sentence very closely. Georgia played the best quarterback in the SEC yesterday, and he played well. But in the fourth quarter, when we had to get stops to get back into the game, the defense stepped up and stopped Arkansas three times. That should have won the game.
- Play calling. I’m not a coach, and I have never played organized football, so maybe there are things that I don’t understand. However, I don’t understand Georgia’s play calling. I don’t know that it is time for Bobo to go, however, there has to be an improvement on play calling. The TV guys had it right. On 3rd and 5, when all you need to do is get into Walsh’s field goal range to win the game, why are all the receivers running 20 yard routes. Watch the tape, Arkansas was conceding the first down, but we didn’t have anyone there to get it. The result: Murray got creamed. He is a young quarterback in the SEC, the last thing he needs to worry about is getting killed for standing the pocket.
- I was terribly disappointed with the lack of heart that Georgia showed against South Carolina. And for 3 quarters against Arkansas, Georgia wasn’t showing any heart on Saturday. They pulled together for a great comeback, but in the end they fell short. Why can’t these guys go out there and play hard for 4 quarters?
Georgia is going to play some close games this season. I’m not sure that we will see a win or a loss be more than 14 points all year (except for Idaho State). But for everyone who wants to get upset and talk about how bad this team is consider the following:
Georgia lost to Arkansas on Saturday without the best receiver in college football, without their co-starting tailback, without a starting cornerback, without their starting full back, with a redshirt freshman quarterback, and with a new defensive scheme. Before the season, I wrote that you have to have proper expectations coming into any season, I think the Georgia fans should re-evaluate what they thought this team could do. They can still go 9-3, which would be impressive in this transition season.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
South Carolina Aftermath
Georgia v. South Carolina
Obviously, it was a disappointing SEC opener for the Bulldogs in Columbia. While I truly believe there is no shame in losing on the road to a good team like South Carolina, the way Georgia lost was very frustrating. However, its still early in the season, so let’s be positive and start this week’s recap with the good things that happened against South Carolina.
The Good:
-In my mind, the best thing I saw on Saturday was an impressive performance from Aaron Murray. Murray used his legs effectively and threw the ball with confidence in his first road game as Georgia quarterback. Murray seemed to work through his progressions, and find the open man many times during the game, and never threw a ball into double coverage. He seems to understand the offense and the routes his receivers are running. I believe we are going to see Murray improve week to week this season, and as he does, Georgia will become a very strong team offensively.
- Mark Richt’s teams have been excellent at being poised, and Saturday was no different. At no time did it seem that Georgia panicked. There are going to be more times throughout the season when Georgia falls behind, and when they do they need to show the same type poise they showed against South Carolina.
- Penalties: There has been much written and discussed over the past two seasons about Georgia’s penalty problems. Georgia did well in the first game of the season by limiting their penalties and they continued to do well on Saturday. Georgia was penalized only four times for 25 yards. Even though Georgia has some unfortunate timing on the penalties they did have, at least there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel we have been in over the past two seasons.
The Bad:
- TACKLING!!!!: I believe Marcus Lattimore will be making a lot of defenses look bad this season. However, Georgia has to improve on their tackling. Too many times, you saw Georgia defensive players throwing shoulders into Lattimore, only to see the big running back keep his legs moving and gain more yards. If Georgia’s defense doesn’t spend a lot of time this week working on tackling, we could see 50 points on the board this Saturday when Arkansas comes to town.
- Clock Management: There is no reason that Georgia should have taken their final timeout of the game with seven minutes left in the third quarter. Coach Richt and Coach Grantham need to do whatever it takes to manage the game better from the sideline. When you are playing close games in the SEC, like Georgia will be playing throughout the season, timeouts are golden.
- Conservative game plan: After the game, Mark Richt admitted that the offensive coaches were going to have to take the training wheels off of the offense and see what Aaron Murray can do. The game plan was obviously to run the ball and try to throw off of play action, however, the Georgia running game was inconsistent, and Murray did not have enough opportunities to throw the ball, especially in the first half. Georgia can’t abandon the run, but teams are going to attempt to take the run game away from the Dawgs and dare Aaron Murray to beat them. From what I have seen so far, I believe he can beat any team on Georgia’s schedule this season, so Georgia will have to become more aggressive with the passing game.
- Drew Butler: Butler won the Ray Guy award as the best punter in the nation last season, but he did not have a good game on Saturday. Butler averaged only 42 yards per punt on Saturday, and Georgia struggled with field position for the entire fourth quarter. Special teams were a strength for this team last season, and they will be key if Georgia is going to make it to a New Year’s Day bowl game.
- ESPN 2: I can’t remember watching a Georgia game when the broadcast was as bad as it was on Saturday. The camera guys were always chasing the play. The announcers didn’t seem to be watching the game half of the time, and when they were, they didn’t add anything to the game. They never said why Caleb King was not playing, or even noticed that he did not play. Here’s to hoping we can avoid this crew again.
So where are we now? Georgia can still have a great season. That is right, I said great. It all starts with Arkansas this weekend. The Razorbacks are coming to Athens ranked in the top 15. A win would give the team confidence, going into a softer part of the schedule. Arkansas will most likely be looking ahead a bit as they have a chance to knock off the #1 Crimson Tide at home the week after the Georgia game. Also, Arkansas was off this past weekend, so they could be a little rusty with only one game played so far in the season.
A win against Arkansas would get Georgia back over .500 as they go on the road for two weeks against inferior opponents. If you are coming to Athens on Saturday, get here early, be loud at kickoff, and help get the Dawgs back on the right track!
P.S.
If you are one of the fair weather idiots who are now talking about firing Mark Richt, benching Washaun Ealey, or abandoning the 3-4 defense please go to your local sporting goods store and purchase all of the Georgia Tech gear they have because the Bulldog Nation doesn’t have room for people like you. If you want to know what I’m talking about, read the comments on ajc.com. These people don’t know football and can’t spell loyalty.
Obviously, it was a disappointing SEC opener for the Bulldogs in Columbia. While I truly believe there is no shame in losing on the road to a good team like South Carolina, the way Georgia lost was very frustrating. However, its still early in the season, so let’s be positive and start this week’s recap with the good things that happened against South Carolina.
The Good:
-In my mind, the best thing I saw on Saturday was an impressive performance from Aaron Murray. Murray used his legs effectively and threw the ball with confidence in his first road game as Georgia quarterback. Murray seemed to work through his progressions, and find the open man many times during the game, and never threw a ball into double coverage. He seems to understand the offense and the routes his receivers are running. I believe we are going to see Murray improve week to week this season, and as he does, Georgia will become a very strong team offensively.
- Mark Richt’s teams have been excellent at being poised, and Saturday was no different. At no time did it seem that Georgia panicked. There are going to be more times throughout the season when Georgia falls behind, and when they do they need to show the same type poise they showed against South Carolina.
- Penalties: There has been much written and discussed over the past two seasons about Georgia’s penalty problems. Georgia did well in the first game of the season by limiting their penalties and they continued to do well on Saturday. Georgia was penalized only four times for 25 yards. Even though Georgia has some unfortunate timing on the penalties they did have, at least there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel we have been in over the past two seasons.
The Bad:
- TACKLING!!!!: I believe Marcus Lattimore will be making a lot of defenses look bad this season. However, Georgia has to improve on their tackling. Too many times, you saw Georgia defensive players throwing shoulders into Lattimore, only to see the big running back keep his legs moving and gain more yards. If Georgia’s defense doesn’t spend a lot of time this week working on tackling, we could see 50 points on the board this Saturday when Arkansas comes to town.
- Clock Management: There is no reason that Georgia should have taken their final timeout of the game with seven minutes left in the third quarter. Coach Richt and Coach Grantham need to do whatever it takes to manage the game better from the sideline. When you are playing close games in the SEC, like Georgia will be playing throughout the season, timeouts are golden.
- Conservative game plan: After the game, Mark Richt admitted that the offensive coaches were going to have to take the training wheels off of the offense and see what Aaron Murray can do. The game plan was obviously to run the ball and try to throw off of play action, however, the Georgia running game was inconsistent, and Murray did not have enough opportunities to throw the ball, especially in the first half. Georgia can’t abandon the run, but teams are going to attempt to take the run game away from the Dawgs and dare Aaron Murray to beat them. From what I have seen so far, I believe he can beat any team on Georgia’s schedule this season, so Georgia will have to become more aggressive with the passing game.
- Drew Butler: Butler won the Ray Guy award as the best punter in the nation last season, but he did not have a good game on Saturday. Butler averaged only 42 yards per punt on Saturday, and Georgia struggled with field position for the entire fourth quarter. Special teams were a strength for this team last season, and they will be key if Georgia is going to make it to a New Year’s Day bowl game.
- ESPN 2: I can’t remember watching a Georgia game when the broadcast was as bad as it was on Saturday. The camera guys were always chasing the play. The announcers didn’t seem to be watching the game half of the time, and when they were, they didn’t add anything to the game. They never said why Caleb King was not playing, or even noticed that he did not play. Here’s to hoping we can avoid this crew again.
So where are we now? Georgia can still have a great season. That is right, I said great. It all starts with Arkansas this weekend. The Razorbacks are coming to Athens ranked in the top 15. A win would give the team confidence, going into a softer part of the schedule. Arkansas will most likely be looking ahead a bit as they have a chance to knock off the #1 Crimson Tide at home the week after the Georgia game. Also, Arkansas was off this past weekend, so they could be a little rusty with only one game played so far in the season.
A win against Arkansas would get Georgia back over .500 as they go on the road for two weeks against inferior opponents. If you are coming to Athens on Saturday, get here early, be loud at kickoff, and help get the Dawgs back on the right track!
P.S.
If you are one of the fair weather idiots who are now talking about firing Mark Richt, benching Washaun Ealey, or abandoning the 3-4 defense please go to your local sporting goods store and purchase all of the Georgia Tech gear they have because the Bulldog Nation doesn’t have room for people like you. If you want to know what I’m talking about, read the comments on ajc.com. These people don’t know football and can’t spell loyalty.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Thoughts on Week One
For what was supposed to be a boring week in college football, there is plenty to talk about. First and most importantly, were the two victories by the non-BCS contenders. TCU took care of business and won a great game against Oregon State. The Horned-Frogs are now in position to run the table, but probably don't have the schedule to really get into the National title conversation.
Boise State is in a completely different position. Their national profile is much higher than TCU. The Broncos won an amazing game on Labor Day night against Virginia Tech. Kellen Moore showed why he might be the front runner for the Heisman Trophy, and Chris Peterson showed that he is one of the best coaches in America. The question now is, can Boise State continue winning and winning impressively while BCS schools rack up big wins in conference. Boise's schedule will hurt them because they won't be playing in high profile game like they were last night. They also won't be on TV much for the rest of the season. It's going to be difficult for Boise to keep themselves in the minds of the voters when they won't have another substantial win for the rest of the season.
Closer to home, Georgia fans have to feel good about what they saw on Saturday. Murray looked poised and in control of the offense. He made one significant error but got away with it. The defense was the most exciting thing to see. Watching that aggressive defense attack all afternoon long reminded me of the the days of David Pollack, Odell Thurman, and Thomas Davis. If this team is going to have a special season, the defense will be the most important aspect.
A couple of warnings for SEC fans. Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee aren't as good as they looked against weak opponents. And be sure that Florida's offense won't be as bad as they looked on Saturday.
Ole Miss could possibly be as bad as they looked, losing to Jacksonville State at home!
Week one is in the books, and we will know so much more about every team after this weekend.
Boise State is in a completely different position. Their national profile is much higher than TCU. The Broncos won an amazing game on Labor Day night against Virginia Tech. Kellen Moore showed why he might be the front runner for the Heisman Trophy, and Chris Peterson showed that he is one of the best coaches in America. The question now is, can Boise State continue winning and winning impressively while BCS schools rack up big wins in conference. Boise's schedule will hurt them because they won't be playing in high profile game like they were last night. They also won't be on TV much for the rest of the season. It's going to be difficult for Boise to keep themselves in the minds of the voters when they won't have another substantial win for the rest of the season.
Closer to home, Georgia fans have to feel good about what they saw on Saturday. Murray looked poised and in control of the offense. He made one significant error but got away with it. The defense was the most exciting thing to see. Watching that aggressive defense attack all afternoon long reminded me of the the days of David Pollack, Odell Thurman, and Thomas Davis. If this team is going to have a special season, the defense will be the most important aspect.
A couple of warnings for SEC fans. Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee aren't as good as they looked against weak opponents. And be sure that Florida's offense won't be as bad as they looked on Saturday.
Ole Miss could possibly be as bad as they looked, losing to Jacksonville State at home!
Week one is in the books, and we will know so much more about every team after this weekend.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
The Day After
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.
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, November 29, 2009
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.
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
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.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
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
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
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