Arkansas Razorbacks 31, Georgia Bulldogs 24: The Evening After the Afternoon Before
by T Kyle King on Sep 19, 2010 5:00 PM EDT
in Football
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PrintTo a large extent, this postgame writeup is superfluous, as most of the points contained herein were covered (mostly by others, but, to a minimal degree, by me) in the game day open comment thread, the Todd Grantham points allowed countdown, and MaconDawg’s postgame rundown, but, hey, I spent the whole drive home mulling over various points in my head, so I might as well put them down on paper the internet, if only to unburden myself of them and move along to more productive thoughts. Your patience is appreciated.
In the previous week’s loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks, the Georgia Bulldogs at least displayed the virtue (if it could be called that) of consistency; where the Red and Black played well, they played well throughout the contest, and, where they performed poorly, they did so reliably. This was not the case with yesterday’s game, in which the Bulldogs, by turns, appeared both adept and inept. Georgia’s play against the Arkansas Razorbacks was as schizophrenic as Friday night’s open comment thread.
The offense once again was plagued by poor guard play, and there were multiple occasions on which the center inexplicably failed to snap the ball when the Razorbacks were offsides, passing up on the opportunity to pick up a free five yards the ‘Dawgs certainly could have used. The tight ends once again were left out of the game plan, as Aron White’s single catch for a nine-yard gain marked the only reception at a position at which Georgia has talent.
Likewise, sweeps on runs to the outside, which worked well last week and worked again this week, were not utilized to the extent they should have been. Many critics of Mike Bobo have denounced his offense as "unimaginative," but I think exactly the opposite criticism appertains: too much imagination went into the use of the "wild dawg" and the eschewing of conventional wisdom (particularly on third down); I want less imagination, more reliability, and greater emphasis on what has been working. The reason last year’s win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets was the best game Coach Bobo has ever called is that he saw what was working and kept doing it until the other team proved its ability to stop the Bulldog offense, which the Engineers never did.
In football, "creative" all too often is a synonym for "cute," and my problem with Coach Bobo’s play calling yesterday is that it was too cute by half, demonstrating originality of thought when what was required was doing the obvious in a fundamentally sound manner. Accordingly, the grousing about the play calling was meritorious, but, before I am ready to call for anyone’s head, I want to see in the Georgia offense what I want to see in downtown Atlanta construction: namely, what it will look like when it’s finished.
As someone who was in Sanford Stadium for every snap of this football game, I found a glance at the box score to be a bizarre experience. It didn’t surprise me that Kris Durham had five catches for 101 yards, or that Tavarres King had four catches for 91 yards, but I was shocked to see that Washaun Ealey racked up 87 yards on 18 carries, or that Carlton Thomas ran the ball another six times for 30 yards; it certainly didn’t feel at the time like Georgia had four players average at least four yards per rush.
It felt like the defense was on the field all day, but the Bulldogs actually held a commanding advantage in time of possession, keeping custody of the pigskin for more than 34 minutes. It felt like the Red and Black had reverted entirely to their undisciplined ways of a year ago, yet the home team actually had fewer penalties (nine, to the Hogs’ ten) and fewer penalty yards (53, as against 75 for Arkansas) than the visitors. Amazingly, Georgia led in first downs (19-18) and trailed by a mere 41 yards in total offense (433-392).
Although the offense was overly reliant upon Ealey and the logic of Coach Bobo’s play calling was not always readily apparent, the personnel losses on that side of the ball were felt acutely. The receiving corps stepped up to make up for the absence of A.J. Green, but Georgia could neither run up the middle without Shaun Chapas nor pass block adequately without Caleb King.
Green’s absence didn’t cost the ‘Dawgs the victory last weekend; Chapas’s and King’s absences very likely cost the ‘Dawgs the victory this weekend. Had either of them been in the game in the final minute, the play that ended with a sack may have concluded instead with the four-yard pickup that produced the first down that put Georgia just ten yards shy of the game-winning field goal with all three time outs available.
Had that happened, we’d be talking today about the Bulldogs’ shrewd fourth-quarter play calling and time management. Such is the thinness of the line dividing the genius from the goat; don’t forget that, had a player who probably shouldn’t have been in the game not been in the game to block a South Carolina field goal against the Florida Gators in 2006, Urban Meyer would have gone into his third season in Gainesville without a national championship and with an 0-2 record against Steve Spurrier. After the Sunshine State Saurians’ 2007 defensive collapse and bowl game loss to Michigan, we might have gone into the 2008 campaign asking whether Coach Meyer was on the hot seat.
Here in our reality, though, Aaron Murray is still a redshirt freshman, and he sometimes makes freshman mistakes, but there is no doubt that we have ourselves a quarterback. Playing under pressure for most of the day, Murray made more good decisions than bad, wisely elected to change the play at the line of scrimmage on at least one occasion I can recall, showed some progress (albeit slight at times) in the direction of getting out of the Greg Talley-like habit of locking onto his primary receiver, and completed 15 of his 27 passes for 253 yards while scrambling several times.
Not all the fault for the loss may be placed at the feet of the offense, though. The opposing team’s opening drive once again went for a touchdown, two easy interceptions that would have swung the Bulldogs’ turnover margin from -1 to +1 were dropped, the defense gave up the deciding score in the closing seconds without the excuse of a bogus penalty call from last year’s LSU game, both halves ended with Arkansas getting the ball back with under a minute to play and putting points on the board each time, and defensive backs twice were burned deep for touchdown tosses of 40 yards or more. Hopefully, this reprise of the long TD pass from the season opener evidences only growing pains as the players learn the new system, but it is a worrisome trend until we see proof that the problem has been corrected.
I am nowhere near as upbeat after this loss as I was after last week’s. Significant lapses in on-field performance on defense and significant errors in sideline coaching on offense make Georgia’s second SEC loss more troubling than the setback in Columbia. Despite all the negatives, though, there were some positives, even if it is difficult any longer to claim the glass is half full.
For the third straight game of the Todd Grantham era, the defense allowed fewer points in the second half than in the first. Granted, it was only barely, but, when you outscore the league’s top offense after intermission, you have at least something upon which to build. One such something is Aaron Murray, whose consistency will come with experience, and who demonstrates talent, leadership, and heart already.
Down 24-10 after three quarters, Georgia could have folded completely, but the Bulldogs turned a blowout into a heartbreaker. For all the Red and Black’s woes and flaws, they may have been one red zone fumble and one 65-yard pass that fell to earth in the end zone away from forcing overtime against two top fifteen teams.
We are exactly where I thought we would be at this point, but it’s one thing to predict an 0-2 start in SEC play, and it’s quite another to experience it. We could be looking at a repeat of 1993, when losses in the Bulldogs’ first two conference outings paved the way to a losing record, or we could be looking at a repeat of 2007, when early setbacks were overcome by a team that came together down the stretch, or we could be looking at the 8-4 season I’ve been predicting the whole time. (Don’t forget, I predicted a 7-5 season last year, I told you South Carolina would score 17 points on us, and I told you Arkansas would score 31 points on us, so it isn’t as though listening to me would be entirely unwarranted here!)
As embodied by the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback, this team has tremendous intangibles, from recruiting rankings in February to heart in September. Unfortunately, football games most often are won and lost based on tangibles like blocking, tackling, game planning, play calling, and execution. It is there that the Red and Black are lacking, and it is there that they must improve.
I’ll tell you this, though: Dr. Saturday may think the fans who were in Sanford Stadium yesterday afternoon "seemed ready to abandon all hope at the end of the third quarter," but, as big a fan as I am of Matt Hinton (and I am), this isn’t the first time he’s been wrong about a game between the hedges that he didn’t attend but I did. On Saturday afternoon, that crowd backed this team. It wasn’t the loudest or most enthusiastic I’ve ever seen Sanford Stadium, but it was about as into a game as I’ve seen the crowd for a noon kickoff on a sunny day, and, if there were boos when matters were going badly, they didn’t occur near enough to me for me to hear them.
Are there criticisms to be made? Absolutely. Are there major problems still in need of correction? Certainly. Are we going to be proud and get loud in support of our team in the meantime? You’re damn right we are.
Go ‘Dawgs!
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crazy prediction...
I have a feeling we might not lose another scheduled game this season. If the coaching staff can keep the team together this week and we don’t fold at Mississippi St all the games before Jax are winnable.
The defense will get better each week. Our QB will get better each week. Plus, in two games we get one of the best players in the nation back.
Another thing I haven't seen mentioned elsewhere
Is that on a couple of the REALLY bad sacks, Sturdivant was in at LT. Now, the excuses for some of the other line problems are rapidly decreasing, but I can understand how Sturdivant might be a little bit rusty and I believe he, too, will get progressively better. Is it maddening to have to wait for him to return to his previous self? Yup. But I’d rather take some bumps with him early and have him back to full strength by FLA/AUB/TECH.
"I want anything wearing red and black to tear the head off anything that isn't." - Lewis Grizzard
As always...
You manage to say everything I’m thinking far more eloquently than I could. I feel far better about the 2010 Bulldogs’ losses to South Carolina and Arkansas than I did about the 2009 Bulldogs’ wins over the same teams. We’re a work in progress, but it finally seems like we’re moving in the right direction as program.
I’m glad to hear that the fans in the stadium were in it yesterday until the end. On TV it looked like the student section had emptied out, and one of the announcers made a comment about how all the people who left at the end of the third quarter were missing out. The absolute worst thing that could happen to this team is for them to feel like we’re abandoning them. That could turn these two unpleasant but anticipated losses into the beginning of a free fall.
Our next 5 games are winnable (though they certainly aren’t easy). If the team can recover from the psychological sucker punch of the last minute or so of yesterday’s game, I think we’re on track to end the season like we did in 2007. It’s our responsibility as fans to keep supporting our team, and, if we do, I think the end of the season is going to be a thing of beauty.
The 3rd and 4 play with 1 minute to go in the fourth pretty much was a bad call
Bobo could’ve called a running play or a toss sweep to eat up some clock but elected to send all receivers wide with no help guarding Murray resulting in an ungrateful sack. Everytime I see him call plays, I always see the opposing defense outwitting him 2 to 1 or scheming ahead of him. I am not saying that Bobo is the “Willie Martinez” of the offense. We still need to play more games to get a better evaluation of him. Extremely talented players like A.J., Knowshon, and Stafford make Bobo a genius. If we don’t have players like those, Bobo can be quite ineffective.
by thefirstgenesis on Sep 19, 2010 5:47 PM EDT reply actions
I don't disagree with that sentiment.
However, the fact that it was a questionable play call doesn’t mean it might not have worked had Murray received adequate protection in the pocket. Our receivers made great grabs on more than one occasion, especially down the stretch, so that play might have worked in spite of itself if Murray had had time to throw.
That’s not to defend the play call, just to demonstrate that we’re talking about two separate (albeit both valid) issues.
Go 'Dawgs!
This is a very fair split of apples and oranges
The blocking was poor. THe play call was suspect. Yes.
"One thing I will never do as long as I’m at Georgia is lose to Florida." - Herschel Walker
I've only now been able to come back hear after yesterday's dissappointment
It wasn’t that we lost, it was how we lost. And now since I endorse my paycheck to Clemson University I was pulling for them too. So amazed pleased to watch that first half. But while the game didn’t end the way I wanted, all I could think that first half was, “why don’t we look like that” and in the second half " this looks like us."
Still impressed with Murray. Not impressed with whoever was supposed to pick up that blitz for him.
The football gods hate me.
Rewrite:
Is Bobo your editor? (damn, that punctuation thingy again…)
"If we score, we may win. If they never score, we'll never lose."
-Erk Russell
Time management
Not that I was pleased with Bobo’s 3rd and 4 call, but:
1.) Had it worked, everyone would be calling him a genius for the gutsy call
2.) AK had 3 timeouts left, so the idea that our timeout or the play kept more time on the clock is ludicrous. Had we run the ball, they’d have called a timeout immediately.
Not sure what some of you are seeing....
Predictions to go 9-0 the rest of the year?? Really?? Not sure what you’re seeing. I actually agree that this team will improve. The problem is, they may be 5-5 by the time they get it together and another trip to the Music City Bowl will be the prize.
Regardless if you feel they’ll “get better” these games still count and many times perception is reality (especially among the eyes of recruits).
I support this program through thick and thin but the thin is becoming the norm WAY too much. At this point Richt has as many signature losses as signature wins.
I don't disagree with you that the team may improve more slowly than some would like
But what recruits mostly care about early playing time and NFL preparation (both of which would result in us being pretty high in their eyes). Every year there are multiple 7-5 and 6-6 teams (and worse) in the Top 20 recruiting rankings. Even some of the top 5 star recruits go to programs which aren’t championship contenders (see Lattimore, Marcus). I would argue fans booing, leaving early, and badmouthing players and coaches all have more of an impact on recruits than record… particularly when they are taking visits during the game.
"I want anything wearing red and black to tear the head off anything that isn't." - Lewis Grizzard
RedCrake, I believe you have hit a nail on the head.
Seems to me that we need rabid fan support as much as we need rabid play on the field.
We haven’t had a “bad loss” yet. If we lose next week, or to Colorado, or to anyone before Florida then it’s time to panic. Losing early in the season to ranked opponents with a new defense and freshman QB is hardly something to panic about.
by mdhenshaw on Sep 19, 2010 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Butler & Dantzler after the game insisted on quoting VD
to :play to “give ourselves a chance to win at the end.” Well, I am damned tired of that philosophy at UGA. Mid-tier Mark needs to RECRUIT speed and play to BLOW-OUT the opponent. This is the 21st century and it is time to abandon the “play to avoid losing” and the offense of the 1980’s.
I thought the game hung on this...
Passing too far down the field on short yardage situations and missing King and Chapas.
Not sure if y’all saw this but….after the D got us the ball back with over 3 to go, CTG ran down to the Offense and head butted Ben Jones…..My Play of the game.
I thought Aaron would challenge Greenes win record and I still think he will. I have the patience of Job and I think the Dawgs will gel into a special team. We just need all our pieces back for them to work.
My two cents (or, perhaps, two of my cents)
I was uncomfortably hot and somewhat unhappy by the end of the third quarter. I started giving myself reasons to leave early. “If Arkansas scores on this drive” or “If Georgia goes 3-and-out”. At the same time, I also started giving myself reasons to stay. The shadow of the south upper deck was headed my way (and mercifully reached me with about 9 minutes on the game clock), and the team honestly looked like it very much wanted to be in the game.
The stands never looked completely full. The southwest corner of the end zone was largely empty (although later, it appeared it had been reserved for the 2,500 members of our national championship equestrian team), and the northeast upper (middle?) deck was sparsely populated. And many did leave at the time I was beginning to be tempted to leave. I was a little disheartened by the empty seats and the early departures. I don’t want us to be fair-weather fans. I don’t want to be a fair-weather fan.
I’m a little weak, I guess. I need the team and the crowd to help me stay in it. What looked like it might turn into a nauseating blow-out became an inspiring comeback. Arkansas’s couple of possessions immediately preceding their last, game-winning drive were accompanied by a hell of a lot more hostility from the home crowd and Georgia’s defense than I had expected from either, given the fatigue that had set in for both. The crowd was in the game late, and I am certain it had an effect both on our own players and, certainly, on Mallett — so much so that I think a later start time, when spectators would not have been so subdued by the weather, could very well have led to a different final score.
I don’t like losing. I’m not entertained by fans predicting doom and gloom as a result of what’s reported as bad coaching or playing decisions (I care not one whit whether the predictions come true or whether the blame is placed accurately: I will have had a less enjoyable fan experience for having witnessed the analysis, and it’s something about which I try to be careful during my frequent tours of Bulldog-related content on the Internet). But even with the losing and the ensuing unhelpful parade of critics, I had a great time Saturday, and the loss was less painful because we had a chance to win late and the team and spectators believed until the end.
P.S. Cold Comfort
At least we don’t have it as bad as Ole Miss fans.
Yes I know we yet might, but I’ll take what I can get.
I have pretty much allowed myself about 30 hours
to decompress from this loss. Kyle and MacondDawg have expressed what I could not possibly do. Nice job, gentlement.
This:
Green’s absence didn’t cost the ‘Dawgs the victory last weekend; Chapas’s and King’s absences very likely cost the ‘Dawgs the victory this weekend
When I saw that King was out, I felt uneasy. When Chapas was declared injured, I knew this could be a cataclysm. Washaun’s Whiffs are inexcusable. When Caleb King did something similar a few years ago against the Gators, he got benched. I guess we’re too thin to do the same right now. King learned from his mistake and I’m sure Ealey will do the same, but those two missed blocks nearly got our quarterback cut in two. There is no question we’ve got ourselves a quarterback. I just hope he lives to see his next birthday.
"If we score, we may win. If they never score, we'll never lose."
-Erk Russell
I hate posting when all I can say is, "I agree". . .
. . . so I’ll also say this:
DavetheDawg, you’re a Damn Good Dawg.
by vineyarddawg on Sep 19, 2010 9:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Maybe we need to develop a shorthand for that for use in comment threads:
. . . e.g., “DTD, DGD.”
Yeah, as soon as we’re done with the Dawgographies, the Dawg Sports lexicon is our next group project.
Go 'Dawgs!
Thanks, y'all
Love the LEXICON PROJECT idea. Sounds like a great name for a band, too.
"If we score, we may win. If they never score, we'll never lose."
-Erk Russell
Yeah, Senator Blutarsky was the inspiration for the idea, . . .
. . . but there are enough Dawg Sports-specific turns of phrase that I believe we need a separate lexicon here.
Go 'Dawgs!
Well,
Right now I don’t feel fully detoxed from this game. I find myself, actually, upset. The crazies all over the media and net are trying to hang CMR and Bobo, which is way to far, and my favorite fans here in many cases don’t think Bobo did that bad. I am in the middle of those two positions. I dont think the lunatic fringe has any understanding that a head coach is 51% coaching and 49% politics, which is why the “fire CMR” crowd is crazy. That being said, because of those duties, the HC needs a damn good OC. That OC needs to be in the both working the game. THe HC needs to be giving the pats on the back or the kicks in the butt as appropriate to the QB. CMR has seemingly delagated what I thought was his best skill – coaching QBs. That magic with David G has been lost.
Our O Line needs some kind of revamp. Coach, strength and conditioning program, different recruiting, I don’t know.
I am not worried about the D.
Kyle, your post on the O and Bobo is the most reasonable in regards to my position. I am not looking for creativity to a fault, I am looking to do what is common sense, works, and is reasonable.
"One thing I will never do as long as I’m at Georgia is lose to Florida." - Herschel Walker
I agree that Bobo was abysmal for the majority of this game
I do think he has the potential to be a good OC if he could learn to stay away from the “cute” nonsense. He’s has flashes of brilliance when he’s managed to stay out of his own way but that has been the exception instead of the norm. He’s had ample time to grow into the position so I believe if he hasn’t gotten it together by the end of the season we probably have to go in a different direction (plus we all know Richt isn’t going to get rid of him midseason anyway)
I don’t know too much about the OL recruiting issue except to say that the seniors we have were all recruited immediately following the Neil Callway OL fiasco. Ben Jones has been a beast and Cordy Glenn has developed into a pretty decent little (giant) lineman. Searles wasn’t left with much. He was a highly sought after line coach and recruited well the last couple of years. We’ll have to wait and see how his guys develop once they move into starting roles.
"I want anything wearing red and black to tear the head off anything that isn't." - Lewis Grizzard
by RedCrake on Sep 20, 2010 12:49 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
For the "Fire Mark Richt" crowd:
Go watch this.
Then, go watch this.
Now, go away and don’t come back to talk about firing Mark Richt until Georgia has at least 2 losing seasons under his tenure.
by vineyarddawg on Sep 20, 2010 1:03 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
And now I don't care if ULL is the only game we win all season
God bless Mark Christiansen, Mark Richt, and God bless the Dawgs.
GATA!
Thank Vineyarddawg. I needed that.
"I want anything wearing red and black to tear the head off anything that isn't." - Lewis Grizzard
by RedCrake on Sep 20, 2010 1:22 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
In fact, I'm dead serious.
I know what you’re thinking, jujdawg, so I’ll save you the embarrassment of saying it yourself. “You think Mark Richt is the right man to coach the Georgia program because he adopted a mutant and hired a retard?”
The point of those two stories is to show the kind of man that Mark Richt is, and the kind of program he runs. He sets an example for his players both in words and in actions, and teaches them how to be great men both on the field and off.
If we get 25+ years of Mark Richt as a head coach, and the Bulldogs average 9-10 wins a year and win about 1-2 SEC titles every decade, I’ll take that in a New York minute over a quick, fast, and hard 5-year love mercenary affair with Nick Saban or Urban Meyer that results in 2 national titles.
If you can’t appreciate the nature of that choice, then I can’t explain myself any more clearly than I already have, and we can agree to disagree.
by vineyarddawg on Sep 20, 2010 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Just for clarification
Vineyarddawg, I know where you are coming from and I totally understand your statement back to jujdawg. I don’t want ANYONE to think I’m attempting to flame anybody.
I didn’t watch the video in your link. I didn’t have to. I know Mark Christiansen. As a matter of fact, he helped out in our office just before he got to do the stuff with UGA. Mark isn’t a “retard”. His mind is perfectly fine. If you see him, talk to him sometime, he will certainly impress you with his knowledge of Georgia football. It’s really amazing. He does have issues with motor skills however.
Mark Richt is a good great man and a fine football coach. People who are honest, understand that recruiting is an educated guess at the potential and the use of potential in an 18 year old kid. Coaching is about trying to get kids in positions to be successful and to teach them the life lessons the game has to offer. Coach does a fine job of that as well. There is also the political side of coaching, schmoozing with donors to the University and things like that, he’s great at that part of the job too. For those of us who believe the University is a noble institution which has, as part of it’s mission, the responsibility to represent the citizens of the great state of Georgia with all of the honor, class, and integrity they deserve, well, Mark Richt fits that bill too. I, for one, am proud to call Mark Richt “MY football coach”. I’ve had some personal dealings with him and other members of the football staff, including Coach Bobo, and yes, I mean more than meeting them at picture day and such. These guys and girls (as I include Kathryn) do a spectacular job of representing me. As a coach of middle and high school kids, I pray that the kids see me as someone resembling Coach Richt. I’ll take his approach over anybody in the country. He goes about it the right way. He is a credit to coaches, the SEC, the NCAA, and certainly the University of Georgia.
Completely understood and agreed with, EricBDawg.
Mark Christiansen is no more a “retard” than Anya Richt is a “mutant.” I was perhaps out of line in actually stating the terms as a rebuke to others whom I envisioned were using those terms in their mind. For the record, I agree that both terms are completely incorrect, wrong, and an affront to the strength and courage that both young people have shown in overcoming the many obstacles in their lives.
I sincerely apologize if the use of those terms offended any who read them.
Mark Christiansen is an amazing, courageous man who has faced huge obstacles in his life and conquered them, and is an inspiration to literally thousands of people that know his story. He has a severe case of cerebral palsy, which does make his physical appearance quite a bit unusual. He is 100% just as mentally astute as any other man his age, and perhaps more so than many.
And Mark Richt’s daughter simply has a medical condition that she’s had since birth that causes abnormal bone structure and growth, most obviously in the facial area. In addition to the physical pain of countless surgeries that she’s bravely faced throughout her young life, she’s been able to brave the obvious stares and inconsiderate comments of who knows how many snotty children and adults; some whispered behind her back, some no doubt stated directly to her face. I have friends that know the Richt family well, and every account I’ve heard about Anya is that considering the incredible hardships she’s faced, she is a well-adjusted, happy girl who is as normal as society allows her to be.
Again, I apologize if the words I used were out of line.
by vineyarddawg on Sep 20, 2010 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
No problem.
I wasn’t offended, just wanted to be sure that IF anyone were thinking along those lines, that they knew that I, as someone who knows Mark, could verify that he is an amazing guy!
Don't be putting words in my mouth, Vineyard. I had no intention of making such a statement.
And to insinuate I would do so demonstrates you have no idea as to what kind of person I am. The “you’ve got to be kidding” comment was intended to be a comment on Redcrake’s absurd “And now I don’t care if ULL is the only game we win all season” comment. I simply hit the reply on the wrong comment.
Amen!
Athens is a classier city than Gainesville or Tusculoosa, or Auburn, or Knoxville. Coach Mark Richt is a classy, principled, man. The University of Georgia, and the fans that I grew up around, were always the classiest fans in the S.E.C.
I despise this Henry the 8th-style/Red Queen “off with their heads” attitude among supposed supporters of the University of Georgia.
Coach Mark Richt, we are so very lucky to have him.
Go Dawgs!!!
"so, will try to kick one a hundred thousand miles. We're holding it on our own 49 and a half: and Butler kicked a long one...a long one...oh my God! Oh my God!!"
But then this is UGA and not Ole Miss where the expectations are
NEVER very high.
So why is Richt "untouchable?"
Donnan, whom I never really liked, took over a team that had finished broke even, finished two games under 500, and finished under 500 the 3 years immediately preceding his arrival. After one losing year, he rebuild the team with stellar recruiting to lose only 13 games in the four regular seasons prior to his firing. On the other hand, ole Mid-tier, can’t get them ready to play, play not to lose, I formation Mark takes over a talent laden squad, and AFTER ALL DONNAN RECRUITS HAVE LEFT, loses 14 games in the regular season of the past 4 years. Feed ’em from the same spoon, folks.
Feed from the same spoon? Ok, I understand that.
But while we are feeding from the same spoon, let’s examine the cloth from which these men are cut.
Jim Donnan = Great football coach, great recruiter.
Jim Donnan = Apparently TERRIBLE ambassador of the University with major donors.
Mark Richt = Great football coach, great recruiter.
Mark Richt = INCREDIBLE ambassador of the University with major donors.
In short, my understanding is that Donnan wasn’t fired for his record. It was his inability to deal with donors and fans. Richt doesn’t seem to have that problem.
I can buy that Richt is an incredible ambassador of the University
with major donors. I am not willing to concede that he is a great coach or recruiter. He is a great Christian man whom I admire as a person for that attribute.
Not willing to concede he is a great coach or recruiter?
What do you need to concede that point? Multiple SEC championships, 9+ wins per season average, and he does teach the lessons that are important in the game of life as well. In my book, and I hope you’ll explain if it’s not in yours, that makes him a great coach.
Stafford, Green, Murray, Curran, etc….. = Great recruiter.
Just watched the highlights on GTV
And I have a few comments. Murray’s mobility was nice to see. His TD run was great, and that hit that a receiver (Durham maybe) had on that last defender was beautiful to see. It is worth going to GTV and checking out the highlights for that.
In watching those highlights, it’s obvious that Murray moves back a little too far in the pocket, moved up, then back a couple times, and did hold onto the ball too long. Part of that is him, part of it is on the receivers not getting open, but most of it goes on Bobo for calling plays that take too long to develop or not being aware of the personnel on the field not being able to get open. Too many times we sent our receivers long when we only needed 4 yards or less. Cross routes, post routes, something would have been more effective and enabled Murray to get rid of the ball quickly. Yes, Green being out didn’t cost us the game, but it enabled Arky and SCAR to stack the box with one more player and try to pressure our green QB. Bobo should be aware of that and run plays that counter-act those blitzes. Toss sweeps to the outside that thrive on a blitz, screens, crossing routes, etc. Tight ends were woefully underused, again.
In watching those highlights though, I saw T. King and Durham playing their hearts out and fighting for some balls that weren’t thrown well to them. Murray needs to work some on his accuracy, but I think that will come. Considering his youth, he’s really doing a great job and he shows a great deal of upside. Ealey, for all his efforts in running is a piss-poor blocker. In seeing that “highlight”, it was just ugly. A missed dive at the legs of the blitzing defender and led to Murray being blindsided for a huge loss, which probably cost us the game. Also led to Murray getting his helmet knocked clean off. There were several things that led to the loss, but that sack sealed the deal. Or at least doomed us for OT, when we could have possibly won it if we’d gotten the kicking unit on the next play.
Please remind me
never to visit ajc.com again. The hot seat talk is one thing. The “Fire Bobo” talk is another. Now I’m reading where Aaron Murray should be benched for Hutson Mason??? Not only that, for reasons such as “he just doesn’t have a winner’s mentality.” I swear, I feel like I’m taking crazy pills. Aaron Murray has been my main point of encouragement in the last two games.
That being said, as much as the past two weeks have sucked, I am thankful to come to come to this blog and reasonable, intelligent posts from people who don’t think the sky is falling. I was beginning to think I was the only one left. I see a lot of upside to this team and a lot of winnable games ahead. I think we just played the two hardest games on our schedule and, if anything, it should have prepared us very well for the rest of the year.
Kyle, MaconDawg and most of the regulars here...
…have seen this coming. No one around here was predicting a National Championship and very few were predicting an SEC Championship. Most reasonable people thought we certainly could compete for an SEC East slot, but I think the consensus was that we are an 8-4, with the possibility of a 9 or 10 win season (which is still possible). You just cannot install a totally new defense without some hiccups. And no one can expect our team to fire on all offensive cylinders when we are missing A.J. Green. When your key blocking fullback, who makes virtually everything possible when running out of the I-formation, is sidelined, you are in trouble. When your most experienced tailback is out for a 2nd week, it just compounds a big problem. The fact that we nearly came back on Saturday is a miracle in and of itself.
Trying to prepare people for the possibilites of a true rebuilding season (we’re not reloading this year, folks) is like trying to warn people when a major Hurricane is about to hit. There are those who are experienced enough to take the necessary precautions and realize from the past that it could be bad. You have to brace yourself, and eventually the storm will pass. When you finally venture outside and realize you have serious damage, the shock is tempered by the fact that you prepared yourself for this. You accept it, and before too long you’re functioning again. I think most of the contributors on Dawgsports, metaphorically speaking, fall into this camp
Then, there are those individuals who have a different mindset. Let the storm come, we’ll be fine. I hope the power doesn’t go. OMG…I just realized I’ve got no food, batteries or clue. And when the storm passes and their roof is gone and they are in that state of shock because they mentally did not prepare themselves for this inevitability, they find themselves unable to process it and they literally shut down.
This storm isn’t finished yet…and the potential for a disaster probably hinges on the next game. The only thing we, as rational Dawg Fans can do is support the team and coaching staff as flawed as they are, and go forward. Forget about South Carolina. Forget about Arkansas. Better realize that there’s a brand new storm gaining strength over Starkville, Mississippi. At this point, the “category” of storm does not matter. Just know that it’s there, waiting.
About our offense for a second: It’s broken right now. All of our parts are not in place. Sure, Bobo made some questionable calls…and, yes, our Quarterback did hold onto the ball too long at times. Bob Griese was correct about that “internal clock” that goes off inside a QB’s head…and right now that clock is only getting wound. If we can somehow survive next week, maybe we can get the “machine” put back together again.
as Xinyue52825 would say:
F-I-N-E-S-T quality parts NOT CHEAP best q-u-a-l-i-t-y NOT PLAYING smells like channel knock-off WE ACCEPT PAY PAL! check out best prices MUST WOK THEIR DOG!!!
(I think I need therapy…)
"If we score, we may win. If they never score, we'll never lose."
-Erk Russell
by DavetheDawg on Sep 20, 2010 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
You may or may not need therapy
But that was an epic metaphor.
"I want anything wearing red and black to tear the head off anything that isn't." - Lewis Grizzard
The biggest frustration...
…though, is that the East looks pretty much open. The fact that Georgia isn’t positioned to take advantage of it is beyond frustrating. It’s sort of like the U.S.‘s draw in the World Cup this past summer. We won the group and we’ll never see a path to the World Cup Semifinal as welcoming and attainable as we did this year.
If we didn’t have an experienced & deep OL, then I wouldn’t feel so bad.
If we don’t win the East (which seems pretty likely now) and UF doesn’t win it, then something is wrong.
I am not drunk, just overserved
by Gen. Stoopnagle on Sep 20, 2010 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions
rec'd.
+100 therapy sessions, DavetheDawg.
by vineyarddawg on Sep 20, 2010 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Very nice Dave!
That was a great metaphor and I think an extremely accurate take on things.
I especially like the comments about supporting our guys, all of them. The players are there to play their best, the coaches are going to coach their best, the fans should give their best also.
It's the o-line.
Either they play well and give the team a solid foundation from which to work the offense, or Bobo is forced to use the TEs to block and Murray is throwing from an active fault line. Fix the o-line and I think you fix our season.
In other news, I made MaconDawg’s “Justin Time” cocktail for gameday but sub’ed in strong tea for sprite, and it was fantastic.
Ealey has directly contributed
to our two losses. The MAMMOTH fumble and the “whiff” which caused the sack which took us out of the game, essentially. It’s easy to blame coaching and scheming but when a player costs us that much, say it. Ealey did.
I proudly wore a bright red UGA shirt to work today, knowing that I would face a certain amount of ridicule, in order to show my support for the Dawgs. I am both dedicated and defiant. One other thing…Instead of the “bench Murray” talk, someone needs to seriously say “bench Ealey.” COME ON…
Seriously?
As I have pointed out in other posts, one play does not a game make. How many other players “whiffed” on blocks? How many other players dropped balls? How many other players ran the incorrect route? How many other players missed interceptions? How many other players missed tackles? How many other players missed an assignment? How many decisions did coaches make that were incorrect? How many other options did the coaches have in the playbook? How many calls did the officials miss?
Before ALMOST every basketball game I coach, the officials remind me that when I make all the right calls and adjustments as a coach, and when the players make every play and every shot, then I can complain about a missed call they had.
In other words
it’s not the player who screwed up that’s at fault, it’s ALL THE OTHER PLAYERS ALL THE TIME? hmmmm?
I don't think that's what EricBDawg was saying.
I believe his point was that a game is made up of dozens of plays, each of which reaches the result it reaches based on the contributions (or lack thereof) of all 22 players on the field at the time. While we emphasize Washaun Ealey’s fumble in Columbia and missed block against Arkansas because they came at what obviously were critical junctures in the game, all the plays (and all the players) combine to make up the game as a whole. Any number of other plays (and players) might have mattered (and likely did matter) just as much, but a poor play in the first quarter doesn’t feel as significant to us at the time as a poor play in the fourth quarter. They all add up, though, and, while Ealey’s errors are undeniable, they weren’t the only two errors committed by Georgia players in the last two weeks. They just happened to be the ones that made the highlight reels and defined the narrative.
Go 'Dawgs!
T Kyle is right on track.
I never said it was all the other players, just all the players together. I also never said just the players. Coaches make mistakes, officials make mistakes, everybody on the field of play makes mistakes in every game. To say one play made all the difference is to negate all the other plays of the game, that’s all.
Were Ealey’s mistakes more noticible? Sure! Were they the only ones that cost us the games? No.
I agree guys
and I have a different frame of reference, not being a coach or a player. I manage a business and, if one of my employees makes an error that costs us money or productivity, I address THAT employee and not the entire work group. My point was that, when egregious errors occur, why aren’t we pointing those out and holding those players accountable? It just seemed to me that Ealey was getting a free pass is all. Point taken.
Here’s hoping that the “other” bulldogs are ready, because I have a feelin that we’re bringing it to Starkville.
I hope you're right about that last part.
I’m sure he’s not being given a free pass by his coaches, and, to his credit, Ealey didn’t fumble against Arkansas, despite getting the lion’s share of the carries. You’re right about accountability, but there’s holding a kid responsible for his area of responsibility, and then there’s hanging an albatross around a guy’s neck. There’s a fine line that needs to be walked here.
Go 'Dawgs!
What I lack in acumen regarding X's and O's, . . .
. . . I make up for with literary allusions and “Star Trek” references!
Go 'Dawgs!
I see your point as well
it’s just that I don’t see it as being as simple as the business analogy. At the same time, I think there has to be accountability in all phases of the game. I think Ealey has to take responsibility for his actions and the ramifications of such actions. I feel certain he did. As we discuss in many of the coaching clinics I attend, pounding on a kid when he makes a mistake like that only drives him further into a funk. He knows he messed up and doesn’t need help feeling terrible about it. At the same time, you address the issue at the next practice and work HARD on correcting the problem.
This is also one of the reasons I’ll be glad to see C King back on the playing field. I love Ealey’s skill, but I like the skill set King brings too.
You're right about the mental aspect of it.
Psychologically, there’s a huge difference between telling a kid, “Protect the football” and telling him, “Don’t fumble.” It’s the same message, but the idea being put in the forefront of his mind—-protect v. fumble—-can make all the difference in the world.
Go 'Dawgs!
The fumble was on Ealey and the SC defenders (though King was injured, and Thomas has also shown butter fingers).
The block, in my mind, goes to Bobo. The reason King was listed as starter over Ealey in the pre-season was Ealey’s weakness in blocking, and the critical play relies on Ealey making that block? It seems to me that we knew that wasn’t really in his skill set; he can be criticized for that, as it’s something he needs to be able to do. However, he can’t be blamed for a play that asked him to do something we knew he had trouble with.
by AdamLilly on Sep 21, 2010 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Which brings up a good point
My concerns with playcalling seem to be that we consider all the players interchangable within their position. We may call a play to receiver A who does not have the hands of receiver B, without an consderation to matching the plays to the skills. I can’t count how often in the last few years I have thought, “that was a great playcall, but for the tight end who can catch the ball, not the blocking tight end.” We run plays up the middle when we have our lighter weight RB’s in and the list goes on and on.
It’s like ESPN trying to convince us that winning the WAC is the same as winning the SEC. The playcalling needs to match the personnel. All players are not created equal.
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