From Tom Poisal over at Phil Steel and what Saturday's moral victory really means to him as a Dawg fan. Brings up some valid point and should put a gut check into the body of every Dawg fan that reads the article. Brings up some interesting history and takes a quick glimpse at the remaining 10 (maybe 11) games on the schedule. While I agree with some of his points, I still feel that this team is very capable of finishing the year at 10-2 or 9-3 and a lot of it resides with people like us and how we appear to support an 0-2 team going into the year. Do I think we need to address a few serious issues on the coaching staff? YES, I do; but I will try to temper my screams for removal until after the season is done. Each week we belittle our Classic City Canines, you know they read it, they feel it, and they bleed it. Our criticism of OUR TEAM is far different from Willie promising a victory, or hearing another SEC team saying how they will slaughter us. When outsiders do it it is bulletin board material, it sparks an ember. When we do it creates doubt in the minds of those playing for OUR school, it creates doubt in the minds of the young men that want to play for OUR school. Since the game Saturday, I have read many articles saying that this UGA team is made of fine young athletes and depending on how they react to starting 0-2 will define the rest of the year for this team. How does this young team mature and react to a dismal start? How does the coaching staff handle the defeats, etc...What I have not seen is a positive outlook on how we, the fan base, are handling this issue. My resolution for the remainder of this football season is to keep my criticism of MY team at minimal publically. Don't sit by me at the bar during or immediately after a game where we should have won, but I think we are doing as much damage belittling the team as are injuries and the Damned Green Playbook...Just my thoughts.

I was skimming Mike Leach's book the other day. He made an interesting point about a balanced offense in college football. He says:

To me, a balanced offense is one where each skill position touches the ball and every position contributes to the offensive output. There is nothing balanced about running it 50% of the time and throwing it 50% of the time if you are only utilizing two or three offensive skill positions and only attacking part of the field.

Vineyarddawg brought this up a month ago, and we discussed it as it applies to Mike Bobo and the Georgia offense. 

I would like to take a more general look at the second part of Leach's assessment as it applies to the SEC. Specifically I want to examine the following Balance Measures over a course of a season:

1. distribution of run and pass plays
2. distribution of running and passing yardage
3. distribution of running and passing touchdowns 

From this we will be able to see which teams are the most or least balanced in their play selection, yardage production and scoring. Then, I will evaluate whether or not there is a correlation between any of the Balance Measures and the following Offensive Production Measures:

1. Third down conversion rate
2. Red zone scoring rate
3. Red zone touchdown rate
4. Points per game
5. Sacks allowed per game
6. Turnovers lost per game

The population for this analysis will be the seasons of all SEC teams from 2006 through 2010.

If other interesting data should emerge, we'll take a look at them as well.  

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With Georgia appearing to do the impossible this past weekend by managing to lose a game while also making most fans feel glimmers of hope (this is not a moral victory this is not a moral victory this is not a moral victory), I started thinking about games in which teams seem to play well but still lose. In that spirit, I got to thinking about general trends that show up in all games, rather than Georgia specifically. This week, I am determined not to touch Georgia specifics with a ten-foot pole.

(For the details of our "we-own-this-field-except-for-the-endzone" game against the Cocks Saturday night, I expect we will all be gnashing our teeth....erm, I mean, we will all be whistling optimistically at what might have been, when we read Bill C's in-depth analysis of this game later this week. I'm just guessing here, but I imagine that UGA is going to look dominant in terms of EqPts, F&P+, and Field Position. I wouldn't be surprised if the EqPts is a 20-point spread or more, in fact. Our downfall, as we know, was turnovers, and it really is that simple. A few redzone stutters in the first half didn't help matters either, but they wouldn't have mattered if a single turnover had not taken place.) 

In any case, as I thought about this for myself, I decided I'd throw together something a little more simplistic that uses the kinds of statistics we're all familiar with:  total yards and points. How often do teams do well in either category, and still lose? And, in the spirit of Erk Russell, is it better to be dominant on one side of the ball or the other? To the tale of the tape, after the jump.

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Disclaimer: This is my first Fanpost ever so if it is terrible please be kind. I just felt like something needed to be said. Please do not find offense to any of the jokes I make in the following; they are just that, and I apologize in advance to anyone offended by said jokes.

Over the past few days, I have been noticing what seems to be a more hostile environment here on Dawg Sports. Now, this may just be me being overly sensitive right now to what appears to be a smiting beyond all previous smites that have been cast down upon our beloved team from the dreaded football gods; nonetheless, I feel it is still worth mentioning that a hostile environment has no place amongst what I consider to be one of the greatest groups of people of all time: UGA fans. While I cannot cite specific examples, (not because I cannot think of any, I just do not know how to link things left and right like King does) for the past two years that I have been reading this blog and commenting on it I have noticed a definite down swing of positive energy and support. This is a confusing time for all of us. Some are questioning their loyalties, some are considering sacrifices, and some may even go so far to wish they cheered for a team clad in orange and blue (You know who you are. You disgust me). Criticism is healthy and a necessary part to a well run democracy, but it should be constructive criticism and nothing else. Negativity breeds negativity and anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.The point is, we all must stick together and support each other during these dark times. What happened during the Dark Ages after Rome fell? Tribes began banding together in their respective countries and formed functioning(ish) governments. And the Renaissance was born.

This is our Dark Ages. If we stick together and show our continuing support not just for our team, but for ourselves and treat one another with respect, maybe, juuuuuust maybe, the Gods will grace us with a UGA Renaissance. Glorious Red and Black streamers throughout campus, goofy but somehow trendy and cool clothing, and portraits of beautiful naked women. Wait we already have the last part (see: Playboy Girls of the SEC).

So how 'bout it Dawgs? Are we going to continue inter-squabbling until we sound like those fools over on North Avenue? Or are we going to stick together, politely disagree should the need arise, and continue our undying love for one of the greatest and storied programs in college sports!? Remember kin stands next to kin against external foes. While there may be inter-kin skirmishes every once and a while, there is always a united front against a common enemy (that should make my old int'l affairs professors proud). So stand next to each other as a united Bulldawg Nation! Though we may never have spoken an actual word to each other, let alone know what one another looks like, we all bleed red and black!

 

I have been a UGA fan for a long time.  I graduated from UGA with a degree in Accounting and being poor during the early years watched games from the bridge and/or the old railroad tracks.  The last game I witnessed from the railroad tracks was the Bear's last season (1979 I think).  UGA won 26-0.    My dad,  a UGA grad, and Mom too, had compassion on me and started giving me 2 tickets each year for Christmas.  He even had a good friend who was a UGA alum who got me great tickets for the Sugar Bowl games of 1981 & 1982. 

I am a very disappointed and frustrated alumnus and fan.  UGA has had some good years but a lot more bad years than good.  We used to be the hated lizards nemesis. Now we can’t beat them even when we have the better team. Football used to be something that brought out the Bulldog pride.  The past few years football efforts remind me of the basketball program where you expected to lose and when luck up and win it's a surprise.  I played high school football and was on a team that won two back-to-back GA state championships.  One thing that I've noticed for years is the offensive line doesn't seem to know how to block.  The defensive line doesn't know how to shed the block & then look for the ball. Tackling is not hard.  One prime example was the GT debacle 2 years ago.  You would think that the UGA secondary was playing ping ball.   I would think that since these young men are the cream of the crop, they played on good or great high school programs.  Their run blocking has been atrocious for years.  The defensive line gets beat on most plays.  We were taught that you beat the man in front of you.  It's a team sport but it's also an individual effort.  Our high school coach who passed away about a month ago  in his dry sense of humor would ask the fullback who was supposed to be lead blocking whether he was taking pictures when he didn't fire out to knock the linebacker on his butt.  

I know that Aaron Murray was probably thrown into the position before he was ready because of Stafford's departure.  Having said this, Stafford only beat Hawaii and they were way overrated.   We've also had some of the worst officiating in the SE Conference.  Of note was the despicable celebration call that was called last year that gave the game to the hated thugs from Louisiana.   Other notable pathetic UGA efforts include the first half against Alabama 3 years ago and the second half against KY 2 years ago.   The team plays flat most of the time and doesn't seem to want to be on the field.  We have been told for years that we're getting all of these blue chip players.  Are they being locked up in the dungeon?  Further, in prior years, the team seemed to be what used to be referred to for Florida State, the Crimonoles.  This seems to have improved but their play just isn't getting it. 

Kevin Butler responded to a caller last weekend that the team is very young.  Have they been “very young” for the past 6 years?  Why is Alabama perennially in the top 5 and UGA can only beat Division 1-AA schools and having trouble doing that too?

UGA used to be one of the best teams to make in-game and half-time adjustments and usually winning the game.  Today, they seem to just get worse.  I have to admit they didn't give up but it is so disconcerting to lose game after game after game.  We are 0-3 in our last 3 games.  Each game seems like a continuation of the debacle in Memphis.  In fact, the last 2 Liberty Bowl games were virtually a carbon copy of each other.  The team played like they didn’t want to be in the bowl game.  If you don’t’ want to go a bowl, decline.  Don’t embarrass yourselves and the Bulldog Nation.

Question for all of you Aaron Murray fans.  His record as of today is 6-9.  Of the 6 wins, most were very weak schools.  Is there another QB that can be given a chance?  He can’t seem to find the right color jersey to throw to and he doesn’t look off so the defense knows where he’s throwing to  Can’t the coaches point this out and correct it?  Also, when he’s attempting a pass, is it possible for the blocking back to actually block? 

Bottom line:  with 300+ pound linemen, you ought to be able to run block & defend.  The defense must begin to cause turnovers and stop the opposition.   Giving up touchdowns isn’t stopping. Stop the turnovers.  We used to be the most penalized team in Division 1-A.  Now I think we have the most turnovers for immediate touchdowns.  Let’s go back to the stupid penalties.  The bleeding is slower.

I was one of the season ticket-holders who was moved from my seats (moved from section 144 to the East endzone this season), so I knew there was some realignment coming.  Still, I didn't know exactly what it would be.

I was very glad to see that we've finally moved our band.  For years, I've thought it was stupid that we had our band in an area where they were playing into the open end and a good chunk of the stadium couldn't hear them due to being above them.  Putting them in the center of the open endzone was a great move.  Kudos, Mr. McGarity.  He really does see the big picture when it comes to the little things, and he's enough of an insider from his previous life in Athens that he can get away with moving a few season tickets around for the sake of the stadium atmosphere.  Here's to hoping he puts some more student seating in the lower levels of Stegeman (e.g. how Maryland does it) while our season ticket base is still small.

The one thing that surprised me about the realignment was that they were going to put visitors in section 144, which is right next to our own students.  Was anyone near that area yesterday?  If so, how did it go?  Were there several dozen cops in the aisle in between to keep the peace?

Before we get too deep into this post (which shouldn't be all that deep, really), let me be clear about something. This post isn't written to make you feel better or worse about where this team is compared to where they were earlier today. If you want the coaches fired, I can't argue against that. If you think they did a heckuva job today, I can't argue against that, either. This is more about where we're at versus where we were at after Boise State.

Folks, we learned a lot about this team today. To me, a lot of it is positive. We looked great on offense for the better part of the game. Sure, one would liked to have gotten those touchdowns early on instead of field goals, and the screen pass would've been nice to see before the third quarter. It also would've been nice to have seen more hits on Garcia early on, or better run blitzing when it was obvious that Lattimore was getting the ball.

All that said, I think we got better today. Heck, we might have even been the better team on the field. Eliminate way too many costly turnovers, and the Dawgs are celebrating a win over a top 15 team. 

Let me throw some stats at you after the jump:

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I have been a Georgia fan since I discovered college football and fell in love with what I believe to be the purest form of the game.  I have followed them for as long as I can remember, cheered their victories, commiserated through their losses, and rallied behind them every week that I could get to a TV or radio.  I fell in love with the calling style of announcer Larry Munson in the twilight of his era, and I can remember watching games on television, with the volume on mute while I listened to the gravelly voiced announcer call the game. As a high school Senior, I ignored my date at the winter formal and instead cheered Georgia on to their SEC Championship win in 2002 (they actually quit playing music and put the game up on the projector screen).  I've played Corey Smith's "Every Dawg" endlessly after heartbreaking losses to Florida.  I have stayed up 24 hours straight numerous times when in other countries to watch the Georgia game despite knowing I would hate life working the next day.  I...LOVE...THE...BULLDOGS.

However, I was not privileged enough to attend the University.  I have, as my handle might suggest, at least mildly split loyalties.  Instead of attending the University God attended, I attended a small but excellent school in the north eastern part of the country that has its own storied history.  However, of late, like Georgia, my alma mater has fallen on very hard times.  Granted their hard times have gone on far longer than Georgia's.

In fact, My Alma Mater holds the dubious distinction of being the only school to hold an 0-13 record.  And I was there for the season in 2003.  In fact, I attended every home game.  And stood for the entire game.  Games that dragged on for four or five torturous afternoon hours when all I wanted to do was get back to my tiny little college room and check on the Georgia score.  My roommate and I went toe to toe over my split loyalties, when we would return after a loss, him fuming over the loss, me fuming over having missed ANOTHER Georgia game.

In fact, during the height of Richt's Football years at Georgia, the 03-06 seasons, the only games I could count on seeing was the Georgia Tech game, played over thanksgiving, and the bowl game. I did attend the home games against Tech during that stretch, courtesy of a high school friend of mine who was able to get me tickets.

So while most Georgia fans were cheering for, and enjoying watching the Bulldogs play during their best years under Mark Richt, I was lamenting my inability to track their games while being trapped in Michie Stadium, watching some of the worst college football of the decade.  Still, it was my Alma Mater, and I did feel some sentiment about the Black Knights beyond simple frustration at missing my first football love's games.  And each week after a loss, close or otherwise, I limped back to the relative comfort and shelter of my dorm to lick my wounds, dutifully muttering the well known phrase "Maybe next week."

The last two years have been extremely tough.  I have watched both of my teams muddle along in mediocrity.  I have fumed and cursed, stomped my feet, yelled at the tv screen, cursed Mike Bobo's playcalling and Georgia's Defensive woes, and lamented the Black Knight's continued struggles as I limped my battered loyalty and passion through one more college football season.

And here we are again.  For the 2nd year running the Bulldogs are off to a poor start.  This is their worst in 15 years.  The Black Knights are also off to a rough start.  And my football emotions are blackened and bruised, my throat is raw from yelling and cheering at my tv like the madman I am, and my deep respect for Mark Richt and his ultimate ability to win is taking a beating from my desire to make whatever changes are necessary to get the Bulldogs back on track.

Having said all that,  I humbly submit to my fellow Georgia fans the words that have echoed down through the ages during football season, at my Alma Mater, at Sanford Stadium, and at every other gridiron where battle is waged in the fall:  Maybe next week...

There are different opinions about what this even means, I realize. Yet I think it sums up what most of us would agree has been our major problem over the last few seasons. We have lost our identity. We're too cute, or we overthink ourselves, or we abandon a good plan that uses our strengths too quickly, etc. Whatever the exact nature of the problem (or maybe we just do all of the above), it's time to remember what it means to be "Georgia." And not just by having Herschel come bark at the kids, either.

I've given all the coaches "WWGD" bracelets. Hopefully it helps. I'm about to go with Bobo while he hits his warm-up bucket. I'm going to make him explain each swing he makes by telling me that it's what Georgia would do.

Be safe today everyone. Go Dawgs!

Remember Frosty the Snowman? Whenever the kids put the magic hat on his head, he would magically awaken, throw his hands out wide, and exclaim, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Every Bulldog gameday feels just like that for me, no matter what how the Dawgs are playing, who they are playing, or when…as long as it is a Georgia Football Saturday, I can expect my cell phone to light up with several "Happy Game Day!" messages from my buddy Dawgs. Sometimes I’ll add something to the greeting, like a key to the game or a Munson-esque worry. If it’s a big rival, a la UT, UF, AU or GT, a little snark might be involved.

I originally wrote this last weekend, but was unable to post due to lack of internets connectivity. Being "in some dark holler where the sun don't ever shine" in the North Georgia mountains last Saturday night helped me relive some past Bulldog Saturdays from my youth. This entailed sitting next to the radio on my parents' mountain cabin porch, holding the antenna just so with one hand, my V&T in the other, trying to keep the volume down (especially my own). Except for the Boykin run, this was not a problem.

Here's to Happy SEC Game Day! I hope we've got a shot at turning this thing around.