Missouri Misery

It wasn’t supposed to go this way.

After surviving the first month of the 2013 season, Georgia was supposed to get to an easier portion of their schedule, where they could prepare to make another run at the SEC title, and maybe, a national championship.

The national title dreams ended for Georgia on Saturday with a 41-26 loss to Missouri. The loss ended Georgia’s 15 game home winning streak, made Georgia’s path to the SEC title game much more difficult, and gives Georgia fans a lot to be concerned about for the rest of the season.

The game itself was much closer than the score might appear. Georgia jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, but then saw Missouri finish the first half on a 28-3 run. Georgia’s offensive line had a hard time protecting Aaron Murray, and Murray’s fumble lead to a Missouri touchdown that changed the game.

Late in the first half, Georgia had a chance to get right back in the game by scoring before half time, and then getting the ball to start the second half. But freshman running back Brendon Douglass fumbled inside the red zone, leaving at least three points on the table.

Aaron Murray was the first man out of the Georgia locker room after half time, and Murray lead the Dawgs all the way back within a two-point conversion of tying the game at 28 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but that was as close as Georgia would get.

Missouri, with their backup quarterback, drove down the field, and scored a touchdown on a trick play. But a missed extra point by the Tigers left the door open for a dramatic Georgia comeback.  Murray, trying to lead the Dawgs back as he had done so many times this year, threw an interception that pretty much ended any comeback hopes.

Missouri would score again, pushing the final score to 41-26.

Now, Georgia is in must win mode for the remainder of the season. Missouri is in first place in the SEC East, having not lost yet in conference play. But the Tigers play Florida and South Carolina the next two weeks, and end the season on the road at Texas A&M. Georgia needs Missouri to lose two of those games, which is a real possibility with Missouri quarterback James Franklin out for the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury.

For Georgia, the biggest game of the season is next Saturday at Vanderbilt. It will be an 11 am local kickoff, and just as we saw this week, screwy things happen in early afternoon games. Georgia will most likely be without Todd Gurley again against Vanderbilt, leaving Georgia short on experience and talent on the road in the SEC. Not a good combination.

The expectation is that Gurley will be back for the Florida game on November 2^nd, and there is a chance that Michael Bennett will also make it back for that game. If both of those guys make it back, then Georgia has a legitimate chance to beat Florida for a third consecutive year.

A November road trip to Auburn would seem to be another huge hurdle for the Dawgs’ chances to get back to Atlanta.

So, just to sum it up, Georgia needs Missouri to lose twice, and Georgia needs to win the rest of their SEC games, and they will play for the SEC title. Nothing impossible about that scenario.

So I have told you the what, and I have told you the what now, but that information is not nearly as important as the real question. Why?

Why has a team with such high expectations fallen short? Why was Georgia able to beat South Carolina and LSU, but lost to Missouri? Why can’t Georgia seem to get over the hump and win like so many other SEC schools have for better part of the last decade?

Why?

I believe there are two reasons why this season will be remembered for what might have been. One reason that can’t be controlled, and one reason that can be controlled.

It is not making excuses to say that injuries have changed the team that Georgia had when it took the field against Clemson to start the season. You can’t convince me that a healthy Georgia team would have needed overtime to beat Tennessee last week, or that a healthy Georgia team wouldn’t have beaten Missouri in the same fashion that they beat South Carolina and LSU. Watching Georgia’s offense without Malcolm Mitchell, Justin Scott-Wesley, Keith Marshall, Michael Bennett, and most importantly Todd Gurley is like watching an infant as they try to learn to walk. They know what they are supposed to do, and they are trying so hard, but they just can’t seem to get it right.

Georgia is not the same team that they were against South Carolina and LSU, and they aren’t going to be that team for the rest of this season. We will never know what that team might have accomplished, and that is very frustrating to a fan base that so deeply longs to win on the biggest stage again. What the Georgia offense has to do now is hope you can get Gurley back sooner rather than later, and lean on guys like Chris Conley and Rantavious Wooten until some of the younger receivers can develop a better rhythm with Aaron Murray. 

You just have to hope Georgia can score enough to win.

The second answer to the question why is very simple. Georgia’s defense is not playing at a championship level. You can’t expect to outscore everyone in the SEC, especially with the injuries that Georgia is trying to overcome on offense. The defense has to do more.

After going 6-6 in 2010, Mark Richt fired his good friend and defensive coordinator Willie Martinez along with a majority of the defensive coaching staff. The message was clear, we will not accept mediocrity.

Todd Grantham was brought it to change the defensive scheme as well as the defensive culture at Georgia.

In the final years of the Willie Martinez era, Georgia was consistently missing out on the top defensive talent in the state. Guys like Eric Berry and Cameron Heyward were going to Tennessee and Ohio State instead of Georgia. The talent level on defense was unacceptable, and the play on the field was equally as bad.

Grantham has managed to get better players in his two and a half years at Georgia. Guys like Ray Drew, Josh Harvey-Clemons, and Jordan Jenkins were all big time recruits that chose Georgia.

The most frustrating thing about Georgia's defense this year is the fact that you can see just how much talent is on the field. Jenkins, Harvey-Clemons, Trey Matthews, and Shaq Wiggins all look like they could be All-SEC before their careers are over, but the defensive results don’t add up to the sum of the parts. If the talent is there, then it can only be the coaching. 

In the mid 90's Steve Spurrier said that the same caliber of players go to Georgia and Florida, but he wasn't sure what Georgia was doing with those players once they got to Athens. It feels like we are getting close to that same situation now.

Just look at the statistics.

In 2009, Georgia went 8-5 allowing 25.9 points per game. Five time during the 2009 season, Georgia gave up 30 or more points in a game, and they were 2-3 in those five games. The defense allowed an average of 126.2 rushing yards per game, and 339.4 yards per game in total offense.

In 2010, Georgia went 6-7 allowing 22.1 points per game. Georgia gave up 30 or more points four times, losing all four games. Georgia allowed 147.2 rushing yards per game and 328.5 yards in total offense.

With the firing of Willie Martinez and most of the defensive coaches, Mark Richt set the standard that those numbers, and those results were not acceptable.

In 2011, Georgia was 10-4, allowing 20.6 points per game. The rushing yards per game dropped down to 101.2 and the total yards of offense dropped to 277.2. That was Grantham’s first year as defensive coordinator. Georgia still gave up 30 or more points four times, and lost all four of those games, but it seemed like Georgia had turned a corner defensively.

In 2012, much was expected from the Georgia defense. Georgia returned most of their stars, including Jarvis Jones, Alec Ogletree, John Jenkins, and Kwame Geathers. But the 2012 defense was a disappointment. Georgia went 12-2 and only allowed 19.2 points per game. However, Georgia allowed a mind blowing 182.1 yards per game rushing and 357.8 yards per game in total offense. Georgia allowed 30 or more points in four games, and went 2-2 in those four games.

This season, the statistics are the worst that they have been in the Richt era. Through the first six games of the season, Georgia is allowing 33.7 points per game. Georgia is giving up 139.7 yards per game rushing and 399 yards per game of total offense. That’s right, 399 yards per game! Georgia has allowed 30 or more points in five of their six games this season, only holding North Texas under the 30 mark.

On third down, Georgia’s opponents are converting 44% of the time. The defense can’t get off the field, which means that they are tired and ineffective at the end of the game. Of the 202 points that Georgia has given up this season, 123 of them have come in the second and fourth quarters, which says to me that the defense is getting tired because they are on the field too much.

Want to hear something that will make you sick? Since the beginning of the 2011 season, Georgia is undefeated when they hold their opponents under 30 points. The offense hasn't been the problem during Aaron Murray's career, its been the defense. 

Now, the common excuse given is that this defense is very young and inexperienced. Had Georgia’s defense been better last year, that argument would hold more water in my mind. But the truth is that Georgia defense underachieved last year with a ton of experienced players, and Georgia’s defense is bad this year with young players. Even the 2011 season could be seen as a bit of an aberration. Georgia lost to the four best teams they played that year, giving up more than 30 points per game in each of those games. In Georgia’s ten wins in 2011 they played no ranked teams, so maybe the defense wasn’t really that good, Georgia’s opponents were just that bad.

I don’t want to be dismissed as one of those people that want to fire a coordinator every time the team loses. 

Even if Georgia would have managed to win yesterday, the defense would still be a major concern. Georgia could very well run the table, make it to the SEC title game, and even win the SEC title, and the defense would still be a huge concern if no improvement is made.

By Mark Richt’s own standards that he set for the defense following the 2010 season, Todd Grantham is not getting the job done. I believe Grantham should have the next six games to save his job. If Grantham can’t get these young players to get any better over the next six games, then why would we think he will help them get better before next season?

I don’t know if the problem is the scheme, the players, the coaching, or just a series of unfortunate events, but the fact is that Todd Grantham is being paid about a million dollars a year to coach the defense, and the defense stinks.

Of Georgia’s six remaining games, only Georgia Tech and Auburn could be considered to have formidable offenses. Even Florida, who is a good team, struggles mightily on offense. Of course, Tennessee had the worst offense in the SEC coming into last week’s game against Georgia, and the Georgia defense made Justin Worley look like Peyton Manning in the fourth quarter.

It’s been a long time since 1980. I wasn’t even born yet. And with the loss to Missouri yesterday, it will be at least one more year before Georgia can bring a national title back to the Bulldog Nation. I will always remember 2013 as a missed opportunity for Georgia football, even if we manage to win the SEC. Injuries are a part of sports, and sometimes you just have bad luck when the injury bug bites, but Georgia has a defense that is becoming a cancer to any dreams of a national championship. Mark Richt stepped up once and said that Georgia wouldn’t accept anything other than excellence; he will have to do it again if Todd Grantham can’t turn this defense around over the next 7 weeks. 

Georgia/LSU reaction

When was the last time you saw a college football coach cry in a post-game interview after a win in September?

Mark Richt’s tears, Aaron Murray’s jubilation, and me jumping up and down in my living room were completely justified as the team finished off one of the most difficult four game stretches in the history of Georgia football.

All of the hopes and the expectations for this season came down to winning the game today, and Georgia got it done.

Sanford Stadium was rocking this afternoon. I can’t really remember seeing the crowd affect the game the way it has so far this season. A true home field advantage. Georgia’s last loss Between the Hedges was in September of 2011, 45-42 to South Carolina. Georgia has won 15 straight games at home.

In my season preview for Georgia, I said that if Georgia made it to the month of October with a record of 3-1, no matter who the loss came to, Georgia would play in Atlanta for the SEC title. Well here we are, and I think we just punched our ticket to the Dome on December 7^th.

For Georgia to lose the East they would have to lose two conference games the rest of the way. No offense to the teams left on Georgia’s schedule, but that’s just not going to happen.

Tennessee almost went to overtime against South Alabama today. Missouri has to come to Athens. Vanderbilt just isn’t the team they were two years ago. Florida has lost their quarterback and their best defensive player. Auburn is actually the team that scares me the most, but by November, I think Georgia will be playing much better on defense. The last SEC game is against Kentucky, so yeah.

I saw people on Twitter calling this game a classic. I’m not sure about that, but I know that winning these types of games beats the heck out of losing these types of games.

To me, at least one thing was settled tonight. Aaron Murray is the greatest quarterback in the history of the University of Georgia football program. He’s not perfect, but what he has done in the past year has proven that he is great.

Murray didn’t play well against Florida last year, but he made plays at the end of the game to win. Murray played well against Bama, but the team came up just short. Murray played well at Clemson, but just made one mistake. Murray assisted in the win against South Carolina, but Gurley played a big part.

Tonight was all about Aaron. Down four with under four minutes to play, ball in his hands, best back in America in a walking boot, all of the pressure on his shoulders, and he leads his team down the field for a game winning touchdown.

Yeah, he threw an interception, quarterbacks do that some time, but in the end, he made the plays that mattered.

Mettenberger played great, but Murray played just a little bit better.

Even though they surrendered 41 points, I thought there were signs of improvement for the defense, particularly against the run. The defense is getting better, and the schedule is getting easier.

After playing the most difficult schedule in America for the first month of the season, Georgia’s schedule now sets up perfectly for getting healthy and getting better.

Georgia won’t play Gurley against Tennessee if he isn’t 100%, and they won’t have to. Georgia can focus on improving on defense and getting more experience for some of these guys that have a ton of talent.

If Georgia can run the table, which should be expected at this point, they will find themselves in the exact position they were in last year; playing in Atlanta for the SEC title, a win away from playing for the National Title Game.

Don’t you wish you could hear how the Mighty Munson would have called that game today?

Glory, Glory to Old Georgia!

Dawgs on Top.

North Texas Reaction

Before Georgia fans get too carried away with Saturday’s performance against North Texas, let me first criticize Georgia fans.

How can you be aggravated with the team for now showing up against North Texas when you don’t show up for North Texas? The best place for students to do homework on Saturday would have been Sanford Stadium in the first quarter. The place was quiet as it could be.

The fans weren’t interested in this game for the most part, so just remember how you didn’t care that Georgia was playing North Texas next February, when you are longing for football. We only get 12 football Saturdays each fall, please don’t waste them, because the season will be over before you know it.

Now, on to the game itself. For people who actually watched the game, I think there were plenty of great signs for Georgia. First of all, you have to be at least a little more optimistic about Georgia’s defense, especially against the run. Georgia played the run very well, and even though North Texas doesn’t have the talent of an SEC school, they were experienced. Georgia did a much better job with the fundamentals of defense. Staying in your lane, tackling, getting hats on the ball throughout the game, Georgia did all of these things well following an off week.

Aaron Murray also played well. There were a couple of passes that floated on him, but for the most part, Murray did a good job.

I think the most exciting thing I saw on Saturday was Reggie Davis. Georgia has some absolute burners at the receiver position. The 98 yard touchdown pass and catch was more impressive because of Davis’ speed. Combine that with the speed of Justin Scott-Wesley and you have two guys that run past a defender in one on one coverage and take it to the house. It is just one more match up problem that Georgia can offer opposing teams.

Obviously there were two glaring issues for Georgia on Saturday, but I think they might have been blessings in disguise. The kick return for a touchdown and the blocked punt for a touchdown are inexcusable. They should never happen, and they should definitely not happen against North Texas. The blessing may come that with those two mistakes fresh on their minds, maybe the special teams will really focus in on what they are doing and eliminate the mistakes before Georgia gets LSU next weekend.

The kicker, who I will refer to as the kicker rather than using his name because he does not deserve for his name to be said or read, missed a field goal in his first game back. He also made a kick, which I’m sure will be cause for him to take his boat out this afternoon. Georgia’s kick game, not their defense is my biggest fear going forward.

All in all, it was a mediocre performance by the Dawgs, but in a way, I think that is a good thing. My wife Aimee said that she feels like Georgia plays down to their opponents. Obviously, the Dawgs played down to North Texas yesterday. The special teams’ problems made the score look closer than the game actually was. But why waste a perfectly crisp performance against North Texas?

With College Gameday coming to Athens next weekend, something tells me that the boys will be ready to go when the Tigers come calling. Win on Saturday and no one will care that North Texas blocked a punt.

Georgia/South Carolina Reaction

What a difference a week makes.

Georgia was in another slug-fest this week, but this time, the Dawgs managed to hang on and get a victory that they desperately needed.

Todd Gurley showed once again that he is the best running back in America. Gurley was the anchor of the Georgia offense, carrying the ball an amazing 30 times against South Carolina’s vaunted defense, while rushing for more than 100 yards yet again.

As good as Gurley was, the difference in this game was Aaron Murray. Aaron Murray who turned the ball over twice last week against Clemson. Aaron Murray who didn't throw a touchdown against Clemson. Aaron Murray who can’t win the big game.

Tonight was about Aaron Murray. One night can’t change a career, but Murray stepped up on a night when the story of his career could have been written for good.

A loss to South Carolina would have effectively ended Georgia’s chances at an SEC title and for sure would have ended the Dawgs’ dreams of playing for a national championship. It is not an overstatement to say that this was Murray’s last chance to prove to the Bulldog Nation and to himself, that he is more than just statistics.

Murray threw four touchdowns. Murray made big throw after big throw on third down. In the first half, after a receiver dropped a perfect pass that should have given Georgia a first down on third and 13, Murray came back on fourth down to find a receiver and move the chains.

In the second half, when Murray was forced to scramble from the pocket on a critical third and goal play, he stayed poised, took a hit, and completed a touchdown pass to Todd Gurley in the corner of the end zone.

Aaron Murray just played his best game as a Georgia Bulldog, and that is saying something.

There was a bit of vindication for the defense as well. Late in the game, when South Carolina had the ball first and goal, Georgia’s defense bowed up at just the right time for a goal line stand, to turn the Gamecocks away.

Georgia showed us a few things as a team today.

First, Mark Richt played this game to win from the very first snap. Georgia recovers the onside kick. Georgia goes for it on fourth down. Georgia has lost so many games being conservative and looking like they were playing not to lose, but not tonight.

Georgia also showed some toughness. After being up 17-3, South Carolina battled back like quality teams will do. They managed to tie the game and the half and even stopped Georgia on the opening possession of the second half. But Georgia showed resilience, in forcing a turnover and then getting the lead they would never give up.

The Dawgs didn’t win the SEC East tonight, but the road to the Dome is going through Athens.

 LSU comes calling in three weeks. Georgia now has the amazing advantage to spend the next three weeks getting ready for the Tigers. No offense to North Texas, but I doubt the Dawgs are going to spend a lot of time worrying about them.

As disappointing as last week was, Georgia won the game that they needed to win. They are in the driver’s seat for the SEC East, and they have time to get healthy before another season-defining game with LSU.

One thing is for sure: if Aaron Murray plays the way he did tonight for the rest of this season, there is not a team in America that can beat Georgia. Alabama included.

Enjoy this win Bulldog Nation!

Glory, Glory!

Georgia/Clemson Reaction

Georgia fans wouldn’t want to hear that it was a great game, but that’s exactly what it was.

The saddest part of Georgia’s 38-35 loss, is that we will now have Georgia “fans” calling for Mark Richt to be fired, Aaron Murray to be benched, and Uga to be put down. If you are one of those people, please do the following immediately.

1.       Don’t post anything on Facebook for the next 24 hours.

2.       Go to your closet, take all of the red and black out, and donate it to charity.

3.       Learn the words to Ramblin’ Wreck.

There is nothing embarrassing about going on the road and playing a top 10 team, and losing by 3  points. 

There would have been nothing embarrassing about losing by 10 for that matter. Clemson played really well. Tajh Boyd was as good as advertised, Sammy Watkins was electric, Clemson has two talented tailbacks, and Clemson’s defense slowed Georgia down at a point in the game where the Dawgs were getting on a roll. Clemson is a very good team that will, most likely, go on to win the ACC this year.

Look at it this way. Georgia lost their best receiver in the first quarter. Georgia’s superstar tailback left the game for about a quarter. Georgia’s senior quarterback struggled for most of the first half. Georgia’s offensive line was terrible in the second quarter. Georgia had way too many penalties. Georgia screwed up a simple field goal. All of that added up to a Clemson blowout right? Nope, just three points.

There will be enough negativity out there, so I will start with the positives.

All in all, I thought the Georgia defense played pretty well against a talented and complicated offense. Georgia’s defense didn't cost them the game, which I would say is more than most people were expecting.

Georgia found a real weapon at fullback with Hicks. His block is what allowed Gurley to make the 75 yard touchdown run for Georgia’s first score. If he plays like he did tonight, it give Georgia their best threat at fullback since Southerland.

Todd Gurley is as good as advertised, and maybe better. Gurley played exceptionally well. He had the one big run, but almost every run he had was positive. He reminds me of Moreno in that he will take a two yard loss and make it a three yard gain. Todd Gurley will win the Doak Walker award this year, and maybe next year too.

Finally, Justin Scott-Wesley looked like a real threat at receiver. He stepped up and made some big catches with Mitchell out of the game.

Of course there were some concerning things as well.

Aaron Murray had a rough first half, but a better second half. The biggest problem, in my opinion, was that he didn't look like a four-year starter tonight. His clock management was bad, and he did seem to get Georgia in the right play as much as you would expect. The fumble wasn't really his fault because the offensive line has to do a better job. The interception right after the muffed punt was his fault and was a momentum killer.

The offensive line was simply offensive tonight. If John Theus can’t play left tackle, then Georgia has to figure out who can. Mr. Clowney comes to Athens next Saturday, and if Theus plays like he did tonight, Aaron Murray will spend next Sunday at St. Mary’s Hospital. David Andrews is supposed to be the leader of the offensive line and is apparently one of Coach Will Friend’s most trusted players, but he had two killer holding calls that negated first downs. I really believed the line would be a strength of this team. They have a lot to prove against South Carolina next week.

The problems on the missed field goal robbed Georgia of seeing tonight’s kicker attempt a true field goal instead of an extra point. I’m sure Marshall Morgan will be kicking next week for Georgia, but if he starts struggling this year like he did in 2012, I think Mr. Morgan will be on the bench.

A few years ago I wrote that one of the most important things a fan can do to enjoy a college football season is try to maintain a certain level of perspective throughout the season. Each and every one of Georgia’s goals are still attainable. I am not the only person that said if you had to start 1-1, you would rather lose the Clemson game. Now Georgia faces a must win game next Saturday night against South Carolina.

The coaches have plenty of things to help motivate the team this week, but nothing is more motivating than the simple fact of what next week’s game means.

Win, and you will have a chance to achieve your goals. Lose, and you won’t. I don’t believe in moral victories in major college football, but tonight is a loss you can live with. A loss next Saturday might throw this program back into the turmoil that haunted it following the 0-2 start in 2012.