On the eve of the 2010 National Signing Day, I thought I would take a look back at the class of 2009 for Georgia. Overall, Georgia brought in 20 recruits in 2009 (including Orson Charles who committed after Signing Day). While some of those players red shirted, here are a look at the players who cracked the Georgia lineup in '09.
- Washaun Ealey, RB - Ealey did not play until the second half of the LSU game, but once he started playing, he made a major impact. Ealey ran for 717 yards on only 125 attempts (5.7 yards per carry) and 3 touchdowns. Ealey and Caleb King look to be one of the strongest 1-2 combinations in the SEC next season.
- Branden Smith, CB/KR - Everyone knew that the 5 star recruit from Atlanta was fast. But when he broke off a 61 yard touchdown run against South Carolina, the Bulldog Nation knew it had an amazing young player. Smith contributed in all three phases of the game in 2009 and he can only improve as he will most likely be a starter in 2009.
- Rontavious Wooten, WR - "Wooooooooten" became a common phrase from Georgia fans in 2009. The dynamic receiver from Florida saw his fair share of action in '09, both catching passes and running the ball. Wooten's breakout game came against Kentucky when he caught two touchdown passes of 21 and 43 yards. For the year, Wooten caught 10 passes for 197 yards.
- Abry Jones, DT - Jones played in all 12 games during the 2009 season, registering 8 tackles and 4 QB pressures. He got his first career sack in the narrow loss to LSU. With the graduation of Weston, Atkins, and Owens, Jones will be counted on to make plays for an inexperienced DT unit.
- Montez Robinson, DE - Played in 11 games for the Bulldogs last year before being suspended late in the season. His breakout game came against Tennessee Tech when he recorded two sacks and five total tackles. He was named SEC defensive lineman of the week for the effort.
- Marlon Brown, WR - When Brown switched his commitment to Georgia on Signing Day last year, many thought he would be the next AJ Green. However, Brown appeared in only 8 games and did not record any receptions except for the Tennessee game. Playing before a chorus of boos from Volunteer fans, Brown caught 2 passes for 15 yards. And while he may have not put up big numbers, I began to notice Brown on the field more late in the season. In the bowl game, he played a lot and looked great in run block situations. Look for Brown to have a breakout season this fall.
- Orson Charles, TE - Charles met expectations during his first season in Athens as he was named to the All-SEC and All-American Freshman teams. He appeared in every game for the Dawgs in '09, making three starts. His first career TD reception came on a 44 yard pass from Joe Cox in the victory at Arkansas. For the season, he caught 23 passes for 374 yards and 3 scores.
Showing posts with label 2009 Season. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2009 Season. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Independence Bowl Preview: Texas A&M's 2009 Season Part 2
This is part 2 of a look at the season thus far for Georgia's Independence Bowl opponent, the Texas A&M Aggies.
Game 7 – Texas A&M 52, Texas Tech 30 
Coming off three straight losses and facing a team that had blown Kansas State (who then blew out the Aggies), things did not look good to start the second half of the season. But running back Cyrus Gray was not about to let the Texas A&M season go down in flames. Gray rushed for four scores an Jerrod Johnson added two more (one passing and one running) as the Aggies cruised to a 22 pint victory over the Red Raiders. The Aggies were aided by 5 Texas Tech turnovers, including two interceptions of quarterback Taylor Potts.
Game 8 – Texas A&M 35, Iowa State 10
Coming off three straight losses and facing a team that had blown Kansas State (who then blew out the Aggies), things did not look good to start the second half of the season. But running back Cyrus Gray was not about to let the Texas A&M season go down in flames. Gray rushed for four scores an Jerrod Johnson added two more (one passing and one running) as the Aggies cruised to a 22 pint victory over the Red Raiders. The Aggies were aided by 5 Texas Tech turnovers, including two interceptions of quarterback Taylor Potts.
Game 8 – Texas A&M 35, Iowa State 10
The Aggies got their second straight victory with an easy win over Big XII North foe, Iowa State. Efficiency was the name of the game for Texas A&M, as they converted 10 of 13 third downs and did not punt the entire game. The Aggies defense was able to battle Cyclones QB Jerome Tiller, who was making his first career start, into throwing two costly interceptions that helped lead to the Texas A&M victory.
Game 9 – Colorado 35, Texas A&M 34
Despite a relentless Aggies pass rush that sacked Buffaloes QB Tyler Hansen eight times, Colorado was able to squeak out a one point victory at home. Texas A&M built a 21-10 halftime lead after Cyrus Gray returned a kick-off 99 yards for a touchdown. Leading 34-28 with 3:59 to go, the Aggies kicked the ball to Colorado. The Buffaloes were able to drive the field in a little under two minutes and scored to take a one point lead. The Aggies were unable to set up a chance for the game winning field goal and their record fell to 5-4.
Game 10 – Oklahoma 65, Texas A&M 10
Facing an Oklahoma team struggling through its worse season in years, A&M hoped to beat the Sooners to get bowl eligible. What happened was their third major blow out loss of the season (third time they lost by at least 4 touchdowns). Landry Jones and Demarco Murray had big days for Oklahoma as they racked up over 600 yards of offense. The Aggies’ only touchdown came on a Michael Hodges’ interception of Landry Jones late in the first half.
Game 11 – Texas A&M 38, Baylor 3
Game 11 – Texas A&M 38, Baylor 3
Paced by Christine Michael’s school record 97-yard touchdown run, the Aggies gained bowl eligibility with a 35 point thumping of in-state rival Baylor. The team rushed for a season high 375 yards on the Big XII’s worst rushing defense. QB Jerrod Johnson also became the school’s single season record holder for passing yards. This was Texas A&M’s ninth straight home victory over Baylor.
Game 12 – Texas 49, Texas A&M 39
Thanksgiving night was a showcase for two of the Big XII’s best passers, as Jerrod Johnson and Colt McCoy went head to head in an old fashioned shoot out. Johnson threw for 342 yards and 4 touchdowns and added 97 yards rushing. But McCoy was up to the task, as the Heisman finalist accounted for 5 total touchdowns (4 passing) and led the Longhorns to the win. While emotion fueled A&M against their biggest rival, the talent gap proved too much.
Final Assessment –
The Aggies finished the second half the same way they did in the first half with a record of 3-3. This included 3 blow out victories where they won by at least 25 points in each game, but they also suffered their fourth loss of the season by at least 28 points. Close games against Colorado and Texas could have changed the season dramatically, but in the end they ended up where they should be. They beat the bad teams on their schedule and lost to the good ones and more likely than not, the final score was not close. While they are a threat on offense, they have too many holes on defense to stop talented offenses.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Independence Bowl Preview: Texas A&M's 2009 Season Review Part 1
This is the first part in series of articles examining Georgia's Independence Bowl opponent, the Texas A&M Aggies. First I will examine the Aggies 2009 results beginning with their first six games of the season.
The Aggies’ offense opened the season firing on all cylinders as they put up 606 yards on the Lobos of New Mexico in a 41-6 victory. Junior QB Jerrod Johnson completed 31 of 41 passes for 349 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson also ran in another score as did running backs Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael. The defense was also stellar, sacking Lobos QB Donovan Porterie 5 times and allowing only 21 yards on the ground. It was the Aggies’ 24th victory in their last 26 home openers.
Game 5 – Oklahoma State 36, Texas A&M 31
Game 6 – Kansas State 62, Texas A&M 14
Texas A&M suffered their third straight defeat, this time in a blowout fashion to conference rival Kansas State. The Aggies defense could not stop the Wildcats from scoring, resulting in a 38-0 half time deficit. To make matters worse, Kansas State returner Brandon Banks took the second half opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. All this came after Kansas State had suffered an embarrassing loss to Texas Tech the week before when they gave up 700 yards and 66 points. 6 turnovers and -13 yards rushing killed the Texas A&M offense.
Game 1 – Texas A&M 41, New Mexico 6
The Aggies’ offense opened the season firing on all cylinders as they put up 606 yards on the Lobos of New Mexico in a 41-6 victory. Junior QB Jerrod Johnson completed 31 of 41 passes for 349 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson also ran in another score as did running backs Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael. The defense was also stellar, sacking Lobos QB Donovan Porterie 5 times and allowing only 21 yards on the ground. It was the Aggies’ 24th victory in their last 26 home openers.
Game 2 – Texas A&M 38, Utah State 30
After building a 24-10 halftime lead, Texas A&M had to hold on to beat Utah State 38-30. Jerrod Johnson threw for four touchdowns in the game. Three of those touchdowns went to freshman wide receiver Uzoma Nwachukwu. He also added a rushing score in the game and was the star player on the field. The offense had to put up big numbers, because the defense failed to hold Utah State from marching up and down the field as well. Their quarterback threw for 334 yards and two scores and running back Robert Turbin rushed for 114 yards. After Utah State scored two touchdowns to get within 8 with just minutes remaining, the Aggies were finally able to run out the clock and seal the victory.
Game 3 – Texas A&M 56, UAB 19
Game 3 – Texas A&M 56, UAB 19
The Aggies improved to 3-0 with a blowout victory over UAB. This game was never in doubt, as Texas A&M built a 28-6 halftime lead and continued to pour it on in the second half.
Game 4 – Arkansas 47, Texas A&M 19
The Aggie defense was no match for Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett on his Saturday. After taking an early 10-0 lead on the Hogs, Arkansas rallied off 30 straight points. Mallett threw for 4 touchdowns and Arkansas added 162 yards on the ground. Jerrod Johnson struggled against the SEC defense, attempting 58 passes but completing only 30.
Game 5 – Oklahoma State 36, Texas A&M 31
Despite missing stars Dez Bryant and Kendall Hunter, Zac Robinson was able to lead Oklahoma State to victory at College Station. OSU lead 29-22 going into the fourth. Texas A&M got a Randy Bullock 50 yard field goal to cut the lead to 4 with 14:54 left on the clock. But the Aggies D could not stop the Cowboys from chewing up the clock and putting the game out of reach. A 7 minute, 41 second touchdown drive made the score 36 – 25, and despite a touchdown late, the Cowboys held on for the victory.
Game 6 – Kansas State 62, Texas A&M 14
Texas A&M suffered their third straight defeat, this time in a blowout fashion to conference rival Kansas State. The Aggies defense could not stop the Wildcats from scoring, resulting in a 38-0 half time deficit. To make matters worse, Kansas State returner Brandon Banks took the second half opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. All this came after Kansas State had suffered an embarrassing loss to Texas Tech the week before when they gave up 700 yards and 66 points. 6 turnovers and -13 yards rushing killed the Texas A&M offense.
Mid-season assessment: After starting off the year with 3 wins over opponents from non-BCS schools, the Aggies struggled against Arkansas from the SEC and two conference opponents. And while the close loss to a highly rated Oklahoma State team showed the team had fight, the embarrassing loss to a weak Kansas State team was equally as bad. At the mid way point, the Aggies record sat at 3-3. As you will see, the second half of the season went much the same as the first.
Tomorrow: Part 2 of the review of the 2009 season for the Texas A&M Aggies
Friday: I will break out the Aggies team statistically.
Saturday: What Georgia must do to win and my final prediction
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Top Ten Plays of 2009: Part 2
#5 - AJ Green Leaping Touchdown Catch against LSU
Georgia struggled all day to get the offense going against the top ten rated Tigers in Athens. Down 12-7, Georgia drove the field to the Tigers 16 yard line. Joe Cox lofted a pass towards the back corner of the endzone and AJ was there to haul it in:
Georgia took the 13-12 lead with only 1:09 left on the clock. A BS celebration penalty was called and we all know what happenned after that.
#4 - Rennie Curran Saves the Day Against South Carolina
Thanks a Deangelo Tyson blocked extra point, Georgia held a four point lead over the Gamecocks in the final seconds of the game. Stephen Garcia led his team inside the Georgia 10 and faced a fourth down with just seconds remaining. Garcia dropped back to pass, but seeing no one open, took off like he was going to run for the endzone (In my opinion, had he ran for it, he would have gotten the TD). At the last second, Garcia tried to throw a quick pass across the middle. But Mr Everywhere, Rennie Curran, was able to tip the pass away and save the game for Georgia:
#3 - AJ Green Blocks a Field Goal, Sets Up Game Winning Score
On a rainy night in Athens, Arizona State had taken advantage of Georgia turnovers to tie the game at 17 and had a chance to take the lead on a field goal with just minutes remaining. The Sun Devils lined up for the kick, but AJ Green was not about to let Georgia lose to a mid-level team from the Pac 10:
Following the block, Joe Cox found AJ on a deep ball the set up Blair Walsh to kick a field goal to win it for the Dawgs. Final score, Georgia 20, Arizona State 17.
#2 - Bacarri Rambo Separates the Ball from Mario Fannin
With Georgia holding a seven point lead against the Tigers, Auburn QB Chris Todd found an open Mario Fannin near the Georgia goal for what looked like the game winning touchdown. Redshirt freshman safety Bacarri Rambo had other ideas:
As the crowd chanted, "Rambo, Rambo, Rambo", the defense came up with a huge play, sacking Todd and forcing Auburn into a long 4th down play. The pass then fell incomplete and Georgia held on to win. Rambo suffered a concussion and would miss Georgia's final two games, but has endeared himself to all of those in the Bulldog Nation.
#1 - Caleb King's 75 Yard Touchdown Run against Georgia Tech
The Dawgs took a suprising 17-3 lead into the half against top ten ranked Georgia Tech. Tech took the ball to start the second half and on the third play Jackets receiver Demaryius Thomas took a quick out pass for a long Georgia Tech TD to make the score 17-10. Many Georgia fans feared the scond half was going to turn into a repeat of 2008, when a a Georgia lead evaporated in what became a 45-42 Tech victory. Georgia had been able to gash the Tech D-line the entire first half and needed to answer the Georgia Tech score. One their first play of the second half, Caleb King provided the answer Georgia was looking for:
Georgia held on for the hug upset victory, 30-24. Georgia's running back pair of Caleb King and Washaun Ealey combined for over yards and 3 scores on the ground. It was a great night for Georgia and was a reminder to everyone that "WE RUN THIS STATE!".
GO DAWS!!!
Georgia struggled all day to get the offense going against the top ten rated Tigers in Athens. Down 12-7, Georgia drove the field to the Tigers 16 yard line. Joe Cox lofted a pass towards the back corner of the endzone and AJ was there to haul it in:
Georgia took the 13-12 lead with only 1:09 left on the clock. A BS celebration penalty was called and we all know what happenned after that.
#4 - Rennie Curran Saves the Day Against South Carolina
Thanks a Deangelo Tyson blocked extra point, Georgia held a four point lead over the Gamecocks in the final seconds of the game. Stephen Garcia led his team inside the Georgia 10 and faced a fourth down with just seconds remaining. Garcia dropped back to pass, but seeing no one open, took off like he was going to run for the endzone (In my opinion, had he ran for it, he would have gotten the TD). At the last second, Garcia tried to throw a quick pass across the middle. But Mr Everywhere, Rennie Curran, was able to tip the pass away and save the game for Georgia:
#3 - AJ Green Blocks a Field Goal, Sets Up Game Winning Score
On a rainy night in Athens, Arizona State had taken advantage of Georgia turnovers to tie the game at 17 and had a chance to take the lead on a field goal with just minutes remaining. The Sun Devils lined up for the kick, but AJ Green was not about to let Georgia lose to a mid-level team from the Pac 10:
Following the block, Joe Cox found AJ on a deep ball the set up Blair Walsh to kick a field goal to win it for the Dawgs. Final score, Georgia 20, Arizona State 17.
#2 - Bacarri Rambo Separates the Ball from Mario Fannin
With Georgia holding a seven point lead against the Tigers, Auburn QB Chris Todd found an open Mario Fannin near the Georgia goal for what looked like the game winning touchdown. Redshirt freshman safety Bacarri Rambo had other ideas:
As the crowd chanted, "Rambo, Rambo, Rambo", the defense came up with a huge play, sacking Todd and forcing Auburn into a long 4th down play. The pass then fell incomplete and Georgia held on to win. Rambo suffered a concussion and would miss Georgia's final two games, but has endeared himself to all of those in the Bulldog Nation.
#1 - Caleb King's 75 Yard Touchdown Run against Georgia Tech
The Dawgs took a suprising 17-3 lead into the half against top ten ranked Georgia Tech. Tech took the ball to start the second half and on the third play Jackets receiver Demaryius Thomas took a quick out pass for a long Georgia Tech TD to make the score 17-10. Many Georgia fans feared the scond half was going to turn into a repeat of 2008, when a a Georgia lead evaporated in what became a 45-42 Tech victory. Georgia had been able to gash the Tech D-line the entire first half and needed to answer the Georgia Tech score. One their first play of the second half, Caleb King provided the answer Georgia was looking for:
Georgia held on for the hug upset victory, 30-24. Georgia's running back pair of Caleb King and Washaun Ealey combined for over yards and 3 scores on the ground. It was a great night for Georgia and was a reminder to everyone that "WE RUN THIS STATE!".
GO DAWS!!!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Top Ten Plays of 2009: Part 1
As we await the Dags showdown with Texas A&M in the Independence Bowl, I thought it would be fun to take a look back at the best plays of the 2009 season. While this season may have been a disappointment overall, it was not without its share of great moments. In part 1, we will look at plays 10-6:
#10 - Branden Smith 61 Yard Revers Touchdown against South Carolina
As a true freshman in 2009, Branden Smith saw ample time at the corner back position providing relief for Prince Miller and Brandon Boykin. However, Smith's most memorable moments came on offense when Smith was able to show off the amazing speed that made him the "Fastest Man in Georgia" during his senior year of high school. Smith's first amazing play came on a reverse against South Carolina:
Smith had another long touchdown run later in the season when he took a snap from the wildcat 52 yards for a touchdown against Tennessee Tech.
#9 - Joe Cox Throws 5 Touchdowns at Arkansas
When Georgia met Arkansas in late September, Razorbacks quarterback Ryan Mallett put on an amazing passing display throwing for over 400 yards. And while many across the country expected Mallet to have the ability to put up these numbers, few though Joe Cox would be able to match him. But Cox was up to the challenge that night.
Cox would end up 18 of 26 for 375 yards and 5 touchdowns on the night. Cox found AJ Green (twice), Orson Charles, Tavarres King, and Aron White for scores in the 52-41 victory. Cox was named national player of the week for his effort.
#8 - Israel Troupe 50 Yard Touchdown Reception against Auburn
With Georgia already down 14-0 and AJ Green leaving the field with a shoulder injury, little used receiver Israel Troupe came in to the game. Mike Bobo, not realizing Green had left the game, called a long pass play. Caleb King threw a huge block which allowed Troupe to get separation down the sideline. Joe Cox hit troupe in stride for the 50 yard TD which sparked the Georgia comeback.
#7 - AJ Green 66 Yard Catch and Run against Vanderbilt
Without a two injuries that essentially cost him 4 games, AJ Green would have easily walked away with the Bilitnekoff award for the best receiver in the country. Early in the victory at Vanderbilt, Green took a quick out pass from Joe Cox. He then showed why he has become one of the best receivers in the nation:
#6 - A Pair of 100 Yard Touchdown Runs for Brandon Boykin
Sophomore corner Brandon Boykin made a name for himself as one of the most electrifying returners in all of college football with a pair of 100 yard kickoff return touchdowns. The first came against South Carolina:
Boykin then matched the feat a few weeks later, providing one of the few Georgia highlights in the loss at Tennessee:
Check back tomorrow for part 2 as we look at the Top 5 plays of 2009.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Thoughts on Vanderbilt: Long Live the King
Now that's a little more like it. For the first time all season, the Dawgs put together a solid effort that resulted in a victory that was not decided in the fourth quarter. I know a lot of people will say that it was just Vanderbilt, but we needed this one bad. It was a great start to a long day of college football yesterday, one which I spent the entire day on my couch surrounded by friends. I couldn't ask for a better day. Here are my thoughts on our game and other things I observed this week.
- The start of the game may have been one of the ugliest performances by two teams I have ever seen. Before the AJ Green 65 yard touchdown, Georgia had already punted twice and thrown an interception. Vanderbilt had already punted three times. It was disgusting. If the offense plays like that in Jacksonville in two weeeks, it will look like the 2nd half last year.
- AJ, by god, Green. How could he only have 3 catches yesterday? The 65 yarder was a thing of beauty and really shows how much he has improved over last season. Did Joe Cox really deserve credit for a touchdown pass on that play or could we just give it to AJ?
- The defense was solid. They played like you are supposed to play against a team the likes of Vanderbilt. Justin Houston is a beast and Rennie Curran was Rennie Curran.
- Drew Butler can kick it 50 yards in a tornado. The punt he hit just before the end of the first quarter went about 45 yards in the air into a stiff wind. This is kid awesome.
- Boykin and Prince Miller were both about 1 tackle away from scoring touchdowns. Nothing helps out a struggling offense like a good kick return.
- Joe Cox is still not that good. When we went the first 4 drives with barely any yards, I really had to question why Logan Gray was not out there.
- Glad to see the running game get going, even if it was in the 4th quarter. We need to stop this rotation though, it should be 1 and 1A with Caleb and Washaun.
- The King has returned. He may not have put up big rushing numbers, but I thought Caleb had a great day. With his two touchdowns, the King is back!
2009 KING TOUCHDOWN COUNT: 2
Now, onto other games:
- Notre Dame put up a good fight against USC. The fake field goal play they ran was the same one that Georgia Tech ran against Clemson and should have been flagged as a penalty.
- SEC officials are the worst in the country. Florida celebrates, Tebow runs around, Riley Cooper pushes off and they do not get called. There were some bad calls in the Alabama game against South Carolina as well.
- Nice win for Georgia Tech. I did not think they would get it done against Virginia Tech. Too bad the lost to Miami, because right now they would still be on the outside looking in at the ACC Championship game.
After over a year of posting at least 2 articles a week, I am going to be taking my own "bye week" this week. The rest of the guys will be picking up the slack and I will be back next Sunday for the start of Hate Week 2009!
GO DAWGS!!!
- The start of the game may have been one of the ugliest performances by two teams I have ever seen. Before the AJ Green 65 yard touchdown, Georgia had already punted twice and thrown an interception. Vanderbilt had already punted three times. It was disgusting. If the offense plays like that in Jacksonville in two weeeks, it will look like the 2nd half last year.
- AJ, by god, Green. How could he only have 3 catches yesterday? The 65 yarder was a thing of beauty and really shows how much he has improved over last season. Did Joe Cox really deserve credit for a touchdown pass on that play or could we just give it to AJ?
- The defense was solid. They played like you are supposed to play against a team the likes of Vanderbilt. Justin Houston is a beast and Rennie Curran was Rennie Curran.
- Drew Butler can kick it 50 yards in a tornado. The punt he hit just before the end of the first quarter went about 45 yards in the air into a stiff wind. This is kid awesome.
- Boykin and Prince Miller were both about 1 tackle away from scoring touchdowns. Nothing helps out a struggling offense like a good kick return.
- Joe Cox is still not that good. When we went the first 4 drives with barely any yards, I really had to question why Logan Gray was not out there.
- Glad to see the running game get going, even if it was in the 4th quarter. We need to stop this rotation though, it should be 1 and 1A with Caleb and Washaun.
- The King has returned. He may not have put up big rushing numbers, but I thought Caleb had a great day. With his two touchdowns, the King is back!
2009 KING TOUCHDOWN COUNT: 2
Now, onto other games:
- Notre Dame put up a good fight against USC. The fake field goal play they ran was the same one that Georgia Tech ran against Clemson and should have been flagged as a penalty.
- SEC officials are the worst in the country. Florida celebrates, Tebow runs around, Riley Cooper pushes off and they do not get called. There were some bad calls in the Alabama game against South Carolina as well.
- Nice win for Georgia Tech. I did not think they would get it done against Virginia Tech. Too bad the lost to Miami, because right now they would still be on the outside looking in at the ACC Championship game.
After over a year of posting at least 2 articles a week, I am going to be taking my own "bye week" this week. The rest of the guys will be picking up the slack and I will be back next Sunday for the start of Hate Week 2009!
GO DAWGS!!!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Time to Topple Rocky Top: The Tennessee Preview
Following the loss to LSU, the Dawgs hit the road to face their old rival the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville. For both teams, this game will be key between getting their season back on track or continuing their fall from grace.
Who are these guys?
Tennessee is not a good football team. After struggling through their second losing season in the last 3 years, Tennessee fired long time head coach Phil Fulmer and replaced him with Lane Kiffin. Kiffin has ruffled many feathers in his short time in Knoxville, particulary jawing with Florida coach Urban Meyer. They have a solid coaching staff, including Lane's dad, Monte Kiffin, engineer of the Tampa Bay defense that won the Super Bowl earlier in the decade.
If football was only played on defense, Tennessee may be among the better teams in the country. Led by All-American Eric Berry, the Tennesse defense has proven its worth time an again. They even held Florida in check in Gainesville this year, a game many thought the Gators would put up 50 on the Vols. In my opinion, Eric Berry is the best player in the country and is a real threat to make a play every time he is on the field.
Conversely, the Tennessee offense is a complete train wreck. Running backs Montario Hardesty and Bryce Brown give the Vols a decent one-two punch on the ground. The two have combined for over 800 yards rushing and 6 touchdowns this year. If the Dawgs can shut down the Tennessee running game, they should have a good chance to win this game because the UT passing offense is anemic. Quarterback Jonathan Crompton is horrible and they have a lack of experienced play makers at receiver.
What are the Dawgs going to do?
Hopefully, the Georgia offense shows up early in this game and doesn't wait until the second half like it did last week. Georgia clearly has more talent on the field than Tennessee right now, but if we get into a defensive battle, it may be one that Tennessee can win. Despite the struggles, Georgia must try and establish a running game early. Without Caleb King, look for Washaun Ealey to get more carries this week and we may see Carlton Thomas for the first time in a few weeks as well.
Losing Tavarres King for the week will also hurt the Georgia passing game, as he has proven to be a viable down field option opposite AJ Green. That means that Rontavious Wooten and Marlon Brown may see an increase in their playing time. I know Brown will be hungry to play in his home state and show the Tennessee fans what they are missing out on. Despite the threat of Berry in the secondary, I think the Dawgs will continue to try and stretch the field with long passes to AJ Green and passes to the middle of the field to the tight ends.
Defensively, Georgia should apply a similar game plan to that it used last week against LSU. Crompton has proven to be shaky in the pocket, and if Georgia is able to get the kind of pressure it did last week, they should be able to produce a couple of turnovers. Rennie Curran will need to be everyone, as Tennessee will try to pound the ball with Hardesty.
What is going to happen?
If Georgia can come out and get a lead early in the game, they have a chance to blow Tennessee out. But if Tennessee can keep this game as a close defensive struggle, the Dawgs will be in for another close battle. I think the Dawgs will come out fired up after the loss last week and put Tenneesse away early.
Georgia 31, Tennessee 17
Who are these guys?
Tennessee is not a good football team. After struggling through their second losing season in the last 3 years, Tennessee fired long time head coach Phil Fulmer and replaced him with Lane Kiffin. Kiffin has ruffled many feathers in his short time in Knoxville, particulary jawing with Florida coach Urban Meyer. They have a solid coaching staff, including Lane's dad, Monte Kiffin, engineer of the Tampa Bay defense that won the Super Bowl earlier in the decade.
If football was only played on defense, Tennessee may be among the better teams in the country. Led by All-American Eric Berry, the Tennesse defense has proven its worth time an again. They even held Florida in check in Gainesville this year, a game many thought the Gators would put up 50 on the Vols. In my opinion, Eric Berry is the best player in the country and is a real threat to make a play every time he is on the field.
Conversely, the Tennessee offense is a complete train wreck. Running backs Montario Hardesty and Bryce Brown give the Vols a decent one-two punch on the ground. The two have combined for over 800 yards rushing and 6 touchdowns this year. If the Dawgs can shut down the Tennessee running game, they should have a good chance to win this game because the UT passing offense is anemic. Quarterback Jonathan Crompton is horrible and they have a lack of experienced play makers at receiver.
What are the Dawgs going to do?
Hopefully, the Georgia offense shows up early in this game and doesn't wait until the second half like it did last week. Georgia clearly has more talent on the field than Tennessee right now, but if we get into a defensive battle, it may be one that Tennessee can win. Despite the struggles, Georgia must try and establish a running game early. Without Caleb King, look for Washaun Ealey to get more carries this week and we may see Carlton Thomas for the first time in a few weeks as well.
Losing Tavarres King for the week will also hurt the Georgia passing game, as he has proven to be a viable down field option opposite AJ Green. That means that Rontavious Wooten and Marlon Brown may see an increase in their playing time. I know Brown will be hungry to play in his home state and show the Tennessee fans what they are missing out on. Despite the threat of Berry in the secondary, I think the Dawgs will continue to try and stretch the field with long passes to AJ Green and passes to the middle of the field to the tight ends.
Defensively, Georgia should apply a similar game plan to that it used last week against LSU. Crompton has proven to be shaky in the pocket, and if Georgia is able to get the kind of pressure it did last week, they should be able to produce a couple of turnovers. Rennie Curran will need to be everyone, as Tennessee will try to pound the ball with Hardesty.
What is going to happen?
If Georgia can come out and get a lead early in the game, they have a chance to blow Tennessee out. But if Tennessee can keep this game as a close defensive struggle, the Dawgs will be in for another close battle. I think the Dawgs will come out fired up after the loss last week and put Tenneesse away early.
Georgia 31, Tennessee 17
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
The Heavyweight Bout: Green vs. Berry
For those of you who read the Iliad in high school, you know that at one point they attempt to end the conflict by having a one on one fight between two men. Since it seems that both Tennessee (Eric Berry) and Georgia (AJ Green) heavily rely on 1 player to help them win games, why not let them decide this game like they did in the old days. Here's the tale of the tape:
AJ Green
Height: 6'4''
In the White corner...
Eric Berry
Height: 5'11''
Weight: 203
Age: 20
Position: Safety
Hometown: Fairburn, Georgia
Awards: 2007 Freshman All-American, 2008 All-American, 2008 SEC Defensive Player of the Year
Impressive Statistics: Has recorded 13 interceptions in a little over two seasons including 3 that have been returned for touchdowns. Berry also played quarterback in high school with a 37-5 record as the starter.
Impressive Statistics: Has recorded 13 interceptions in a little over two seasons including 3 that have been returned for touchdowns. Berry also played quarterback in high school with a 37-5 record as the starter.
Rival for title of best player in the country at their position: Taylor Mays, USC
Famous YouTube Video: "Eric Berry for Heisman"
And in the Red Corner...
AJ GreenHeight: 6'4''
Weight: 207
Age: 21
Age: 21
Position: Wide Receiver
Hometown: Summerville, South Carolina
Awards: 2007 Parade All-American, 2008 Freshman All-American, 2008 All-SEC, 2008 Freshman of the Year
Impressive Statistics: Through 18 games in his collegiate career, Green has amassed 86 catches for over 1500 yards and 13 touchdowns. He caught the game winning touchdowns in back to back games against Kentucky and Auburn in 2008. Green is 2nd all time in receiving yards by a high school athlete (5,373).
Rival for Best Player at their Position in the Country: Julio Jones, Alabama
Famous YouTube video: "The Catch"
I imagine the fight would look something like this:
It should be a fun battle to watch in Knoxville this Saturday.
GO DAWGS!!!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Thoughts on Louisiana State
After LSU scored to take a 20-13 lead, I looked at the time left on the clock and immediately thought something special might happen. Georgia was about to receive the kickoff with 1 timeout remaining and 46 seconds on the clock. 8 years ago, the Dawgs received a kickoff with one time out remaining and 44 seconds on the clock after Tennessee had scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter on the Dawgs in Knoxville. Unfortunately, there were no hobnail boots to rescue the Dawgs this time. Here are my final thoughts from a tough game that leaves the Dawgs at 3-2 and a tough game next week against the Vols in Knoxville:
- Despite the score only being 6-0 at half, this game felt a lot like the 2008 Bama game. The fact that we held it that close is a testament to the defense's performance. If you were to remove the final 3 minutes of the game, that was one of the top 10 defensive performances of the Mark Richt era (and yes, there have been some great defensive games during that time).
- People have been complaining about Richard Samuel and Caleb King in the first half, but really they should be complaining about the O-line. The offensive line was great on pass protection, but every time we ran there were mutliple guys through the line. However, it was nice to see the number 24 bursting through the line again. Washaun has a bright future in Athens.
- The lack of effort to both block and return punts is horrible. Put Carlton Thomas back there and let him give it a try if Prince can't. Every time we send out Logan, we might as well be raising a white flag.
- Rennie Curran and AJ Green continue their wonderful play. Our offense would be nothing with AJ right now. He is not on any Heisman lists (and with the team at 3-2, he stands no chance of winning it) but he is clearly the most valuable player in college football right now.
- The penalty was crap and the make up call against LSU was BS as well. Bottom line is the first one should have never been called, it changed the game. Walsh had two touchbacks during the game and I believe he could have done it again if we kick off from the 30.
This game was a heart breaker. After an exhausting 5 week stretch to open the season, the Dawgs have yet to play a game that they either had a no chance to win or lose. The won-loss records of the teams Georgia has played so far is 16-5 (I believe). To come out with a 3-2 record, while disappointing, is still something to be proud of. We've got two games in Tennessee and then the week off before Florida. I hope the Dawgs can right the ship like we did in 2007.
GO DAWGS!!!
- Despite the score only being 6-0 at half, this game felt a lot like the 2008 Bama game. The fact that we held it that close is a testament to the defense's performance. If you were to remove the final 3 minutes of the game, that was one of the top 10 defensive performances of the Mark Richt era (and yes, there have been some great defensive games during that time).
- People have been complaining about Richard Samuel and Caleb King in the first half, but really they should be complaining about the O-line. The offensive line was great on pass protection, but every time we ran there were mutliple guys through the line. However, it was nice to see the number 24 bursting through the line again. Washaun has a bright future in Athens.
- The lack of effort to both block and return punts is horrible. Put Carlton Thomas back there and let him give it a try if Prince can't. Every time we send out Logan, we might as well be raising a white flag.
- Rennie Curran and AJ Green continue their wonderful play. Our offense would be nothing with AJ right now. He is not on any Heisman lists (and with the team at 3-2, he stands no chance of winning it) but he is clearly the most valuable player in college football right now.
- The penalty was crap and the make up call against LSU was BS as well. Bottom line is the first one should have never been called, it changed the game. Walsh had two touchbacks during the game and I believe he could have done it again if we kick off from the 30.
This game was a heart breaker. After an exhausting 5 week stretch to open the season, the Dawgs have yet to play a game that they either had a no chance to win or lose. The won-loss records of the teams Georgia has played so far is 16-5 (I believe). To come out with a 3-2 record, while disappointing, is still something to be proud of. We've got two games in Tennessee and then the week off before Florida. I hope the Dawgs can right the ship like we did in 2007.
GO DAWGS!!!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
D-Day 2009: The Louisiana State Preview
Four games into the 2009 season, the Georgia Bulldogs are still looking for an identity. After opening the season with a tough loss on the road to Oklahoma State, the Dawgs have come back to win three games in a row. Sitting at 3-1 (2-0 in the SEC), the Dawgs are right where most experts expected them to be. But the road to get here has been rather unpredictable. After two shootout victories in conference, the Dawgs struggled to put away Arizona State at home and find themselves as a team that can't find a pass rush, shows brilliance on offense one moment and looks horrible the next, and continues to make turnovers which lead to easy scores for the other team. Without the play of AJ Green, the Dawgs record may be 1-3 instead of 3-1. This weekend, the #4 LSU Tigers come to Sanford Stadium as a team that is searching for an identity as well. At the end of this game, we will know that one team is alive and should be a contender for the SEC Championship. The other team could be in for a very long season.
Who are these guys?
LSU is ranked #4 in the country, but that ranking comes mostly from starting the season ranked high and winning games they should win while other teams ahead of them have lost. The Tigers have looked rather unimpressive in their victories over Washington, Vanderbilt, Louisiana-LaFayette, and Mississippi State. The Mississippi State game was the most telling, as the Tigers needed a goal line stand to prevent an upset loss to the lowly Bulldogs from Starkville.
On the defensive side of the ball, LSU has been solid allowing just over 15 points a game. They are led cornerback Patrick Peterson. An elite member of LSU's 2008 signing class, Peterson draws the task of guarding AJ Green this week. Peterson will not be alone, as LSU safety Chad Jones will provide support. I expect to see both of these players on Green almost everytime he is on the field. The Tiger defense is much improved over the squad that struggled down the stretch in 2008. While I am not ready to put them on the level of the 2007 team, they are dangerous with playmakers at every position.
The real trouble for the Tigers this year lies on the offensive side of the ball. The Tigers rank dead last in the SEC in yards, averaging only 310 a game. That is good for 105th in the country. With dual threat quarterback Jordan Jefferson and experienced running backs Charles Scott and Keiland Williams, many expected the LSU rushing attack to be among the best in the SEC, but they are only 76th in the country right now. Charles has really struggled, averaging a mere 44 yards a game (after averaging 90 yards a game last season).
Jordan Jefferson was expected to improve his passing during his second season, but despite having a great receiving tandem in Terrance Tolliver and Brandon LaFell, the Tigers are 88th in the nation in passing at 190 yards per game. Jefferson has been an improvement over Jarrett Lee 9he of the many pick 6's last season) by throwing only 1 interception thus far. like many other teams this season, I expect LSU to try and use its size advantage over the Georgia corners to complete deep passes.
What are the Dawgs going to do?
That is a real good question. This team has been more up and down than the 2006 team that lost to Vandy and Kentucky and came back to beat three ranked teams to close the season. One minute the offense looks great, the next minute we can't move the ball. There have truly only been two consistent things about Georgia in 2009: turnovers on our side of the field that lead to easy scores and AJ Green.
For Georgia to win this football game, Georgia will have to prevent LSU from getting easy scores. That may mean that Joe Cox is not able to just throw it up and hope that AJ comes down with. LSU's secondary is too tall and athletic to just count on the fact that AJ will make a play. That also means that the running backs must hold on to the ball. All three Georgia running backs have had costly fumbles that have led to points for the opposing team this season. Caleb King had a good game running the ball for the second week in a row, but the fumble and two dropped screen passes put a damper on the performance. LSU is big and quick up front, and i think stretch runs and toss sweeps to Caleb give Georgia the best chance to get a running game going.
If the running game is successful, Georgia should be able to open up the play action game and take advantage of the double coverage applied to Green. Look for Cox to throw short to Michael Moore and Orson Charles if LSU keeps the double team on Green into the second half.
Defensively, the game plan should be similar to what was applied against Oklahoma State. They have a mobile quarterback with proven weapons at receiver and tailback. If Georgia can keep Jefferson in the pocket and get some pressure, they may be able to force some bad throws.
Prediction
This is a match up between two teams who I feel are very similar. Both teams are filled with extremely talented players who have yet to put it all together. If one team can cut down on the mental mistakes, this games has the potential to move from a close battle to a blowout. However, I do not think that will happen. Vegas favors the Dawgs in this one pretty much on the fact that we are at home. I was in Baton Rouge last season and I am sure the Tigers want to get some revenge for that game. This one should be close, but for the first time i am predicting us to come out on the short end of the stick.
LSU 31, Georgia 28
Who are these guys?
LSU is ranked #4 in the country, but that ranking comes mostly from starting the season ranked high and winning games they should win while other teams ahead of them have lost. The Tigers have looked rather unimpressive in their victories over Washington, Vanderbilt, Louisiana-LaFayette, and Mississippi State. The Mississippi State game was the most telling, as the Tigers needed a goal line stand to prevent an upset loss to the lowly Bulldogs from Starkville.
On the defensive side of the ball, LSU has been solid allowing just over 15 points a game. They are led cornerback Patrick Peterson. An elite member of LSU's 2008 signing class, Peterson draws the task of guarding AJ Green this week. Peterson will not be alone, as LSU safety Chad Jones will provide support. I expect to see both of these players on Green almost everytime he is on the field. The Tiger defense is much improved over the squad that struggled down the stretch in 2008. While I am not ready to put them on the level of the 2007 team, they are dangerous with playmakers at every position.
The real trouble for the Tigers this year lies on the offensive side of the ball. The Tigers rank dead last in the SEC in yards, averaging only 310 a game. That is good for 105th in the country. With dual threat quarterback Jordan Jefferson and experienced running backs Charles Scott and Keiland Williams, many expected the LSU rushing attack to be among the best in the SEC, but they are only 76th in the country right now. Charles has really struggled, averaging a mere 44 yards a game (after averaging 90 yards a game last season).
Jordan Jefferson was expected to improve his passing during his second season, but despite having a great receiving tandem in Terrance Tolliver and Brandon LaFell, the Tigers are 88th in the nation in passing at 190 yards per game. Jefferson has been an improvement over Jarrett Lee 9he of the many pick 6's last season) by throwing only 1 interception thus far. like many other teams this season, I expect LSU to try and use its size advantage over the Georgia corners to complete deep passes.
What are the Dawgs going to do?
That is a real good question. This team has been more up and down than the 2006 team that lost to Vandy and Kentucky and came back to beat three ranked teams to close the season. One minute the offense looks great, the next minute we can't move the ball. There have truly only been two consistent things about Georgia in 2009: turnovers on our side of the field that lead to easy scores and AJ Green.
For Georgia to win this football game, Georgia will have to prevent LSU from getting easy scores. That may mean that Joe Cox is not able to just throw it up and hope that AJ comes down with. LSU's secondary is too tall and athletic to just count on the fact that AJ will make a play. That also means that the running backs must hold on to the ball. All three Georgia running backs have had costly fumbles that have led to points for the opposing team this season. Caleb King had a good game running the ball for the second week in a row, but the fumble and two dropped screen passes put a damper on the performance. LSU is big and quick up front, and i think stretch runs and toss sweeps to Caleb give Georgia the best chance to get a running game going.
If the running game is successful, Georgia should be able to open up the play action game and take advantage of the double coverage applied to Green. Look for Cox to throw short to Michael Moore and Orson Charles if LSU keeps the double team on Green into the second half.
Defensively, the game plan should be similar to what was applied against Oklahoma State. They have a mobile quarterback with proven weapons at receiver and tailback. If Georgia can keep Jefferson in the pocket and get some pressure, they may be able to force some bad throws.
Prediction
This is a match up between two teams who I feel are very similar. Both teams are filled with extremely talented players who have yet to put it all together. If one team can cut down on the mental mistakes, this games has the potential to move from a close battle to a blowout. However, I do not think that will happen. Vegas favors the Dawgs in this one pretty much on the fact that we are at home. I was in Baton Rouge last season and I am sure the Tigers want to get some revenge for that game. This one should be close, but for the first time i am predicting us to come out on the short end of the stick.
LSU 31, Georgia 28
Thursday, September 17, 2009
"I'm fussy about my barbecue. If it's not pork, it's not barbecue." - Lewis Grizzard
THE ARKANSAS PREVIEW
After one of the craziest and hard fought victories for Georgia in recent memory last week against South Carolina, the Dawgs hit the road headed for Fayetteville to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks for the first time since 2005. Georgia leads the all-time series between the two teams, 8-3, including the 30-3 victory in the 2002 SEC Championship Game. Here is the Bubba N' Earl preview of the 2009 match up between the Dawgs and the Hogs.
Who are these guys?
Arkansas comes into the game with a record of 1-0 after defeating Missouri State on September. Quarterback Ryan Mallett, finally eligbile after sitting out the 2008 season after transferring from Michigan, had a career day throwing for 309 yards in the 48-10 victory. Arkansas finished the 2008 season 5-7 under Bobby Petrino and are poised to perform better in '09. They have a quality runningback in Michael Smith, who rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2008, and one of the best tight ends in the country, DJ Williams. They have a number of other quality receivers, giving Mallet a number of targets to throw at. Mallett, who started a few games at Michigan his freshman year, is a tall, stand still quarterback. Unlike our last two opponents, the Georgia D should not have too worry about Mallett running the ball too much. Their offensive line allowed the most sacks in the SEC in '08, so look for the Dawgs to try and get to Mallett early and often.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Razorbacks defensive line looks to be the strength of young, but talented group. They also return all three starters at linebacker. The secondary is the weak point and Georgia should look to exploit some mismatches.
What are the Dawgs going to do?
The key word for Georgia in this game is RUSH. This will be the key for both the offense and the defense. On defense, if Georgia can utilize a similar game plan from the South Carolina game, they should be able to get hits on Mallet much easier than they were able to get to Stephen Garcia. If Mallett struggles early, look for Arkansas to rely on its run game, an area where the Georgia advantage on the line will be key. Also, look for a lot of pressure from DE Justin Houston, who returns after missing the first two games. Houston's return allows for Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens to resume their normal roles in the middle of the Georgia defensive from. I don't expect too much blitzing from the linebackers this week, as Arkansas will try to spread the field with multiple receiver sets. If Georgia can cut down on the short passes to the tight end, they will make a major stride in winning the battle on defense.
Offensively, the return of Caleb King could not come at a better time. The performance of Richard Samuel last week proves that he is willing to run straight at opponents and try to gain yards after contact. The 'slash and dash' style of King should provide a little balance and hopefully allow the offense to establish the running game early. If the running game clicks, look for Bobo to call some play action in the second quarter and try to take advantage of AJ Green's downfield ability. Once again, Brandedn Smith and Orson Charles may have large roles in the success of the offense, though I also expect Brown and Wooten to get their first receptions this week.
What is going to happen?
Unlike last week, expect the first quarter of the game to go by quickly as Georgia will attempt to establsih the running game. Georgia pressure on Mallett will either force some errant throw or sacks and will allow Georgia to control the field position game. I expect Georgia to have strong second and third quarters and open up a comfortable lead. The Arkansas passign attack will lead the Hogs back in the fourth, but it will be too little, too late.
Georgia 34, Arkansas 20
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Thoughts on South Carolina
That was one of the most painful, gut wrenching, exciting, competitive, and all out strange games I have ever witnessed. Georgia and South Carolina put up a 78 points and the game still comes down to the final seconds. While there were plenty of things that were completely wrong with this game, the most important thing was right and that was the final score. We're back to 1-1, 1-0 in the SEC and all of our major goals are still in front of us.
Let's start with the things that went bad. Two turnovers in the first quarter led to 14 Carolina points and more importantly left the defense on the field for almost the entire quarter. While Branden Smith did have a nice return later in the game, for now he needs to be taken off of the return team. On the fumble return, the ball was kicked about 5 yards into the end zone and despite making the same mistake against OSU, he still brought it out. He is playing both offense and defense and I think that is enough for a freshman to handle.
Penalties were also once again a major problem for the Dawgs. While I think the call against Reshad was completely crap, most of the other penalties were the proper calls. After looking much more disciplined last week, the Dawgs fell back into some bad habits from last season.
But of all the things that went wrong last night, I think the biggest problem was coaching. The defense played fairly well but I did not see an adjustment to the South Carolina passing attack after they threw nearly 20 times in the first quarter. I know that the zone is designed to prevent long plays, but Carolina essentially ran short outs and passes to the tight end unchallenged all night. When the opposing team throw 53 passes, your linebacker should not have 15 tackles (as Rennie Curran did). We also failed to get any type of pressure from our defensive ends. It will be very nice to have Justin Houston back next week at Arkansas (and we need him more than ever with the announcement that Rod Battle will now miss the remainder of the season with a knew injury).
For the second week in a row, I also am left wondering what Mike Bobo is doing with the offense. Richard Samuel was running the ball great, but for some reason he disappeared for nearly an entire quarter. Then, we finally get Logan Gray in the game for a grand total of one play. And once again, Marlon Brown and Rontavious Wooten went unused (other than appearing on two plays after the Joe Cox sack and fumble that put the Dawgs at second and 30). Another thing that really bugs me is how we handle short yardage situations. In the past, it was a no brainer that we would turn around and hand the ball to the fullback. Last night on a second and 1, we run a stretch play with Carlton Thomas that loses 3 yards. Chapas has some ability, lets use him.
For all the things that are wrong, the Dawgs did a lot of things right in this game. Brandon Boykin, often overshadowed by highly touted Branden Smith, made a name for himself with the huge TD return for the toughdown, another 50 yard return, and a big interception. If Boykin can keep this play up, we may forget the loss of Asher Allen quicker than I thought. Branden Smith also had a nice game after his horrible fumble early in the game. The 61 yard run was a thing of beauty and he may be one of the fastest players in the SEC already. It should be a fun next few years watching this guy mature.
Joe Cox and Richard Samuel also played much better this week than they did against Oklahoma State. Samuel ran hard all night, breaking tackles and learning from the mistakes he made in week 1. He scored his first rushing touchdown of the season and I have a feeling we may see a lot more this season. Now, we just need to keep his running consistent throughout the game. Cox also came back strong, putting up some nice numbers. The interception was horrible and even he admitted to seeing Norwood. AJ Green had a phenomenal night and saved Cox's tail on a couple of occassions. Any person who thinks AJ Green is not the best receiver in the country should watch the replay of those catches he made last night.
While Boykin's play was amazing, a lot of credit also needs to go to Georgia's other MVP of the night, Rennie Curran. With South Carolina throwing short passes all night, Curran had 15 tackles, repeatedly preventing short gains from turning into big plays. And for the second year in a row, Rennie came up with a huge play to prevent a South Carolina touchdown. This guy played his heart out last night. I can't imagine what our defense would be like without him right now.
This was one of those games that hopefully teaches the team a lot about themselves. They have now faced two tough games, one a loss and one a win. If the Dawgs can take what has worked the last two weeks and cut down on the turnovers, the results should turn out in our favor in Fayetteville next week.
GO DAWGS!!!
Let's start with the things that went bad. Two turnovers in the first quarter led to 14 Carolina points and more importantly left the defense on the field for almost the entire quarter. While Branden Smith did have a nice return later in the game, for now he needs to be taken off of the return team. On the fumble return, the ball was kicked about 5 yards into the end zone and despite making the same mistake against OSU, he still brought it out. He is playing both offense and defense and I think that is enough for a freshman to handle.
Penalties were also once again a major problem for the Dawgs. While I think the call against Reshad was completely crap, most of the other penalties were the proper calls. After looking much more disciplined last week, the Dawgs fell back into some bad habits from last season.
But of all the things that went wrong last night, I think the biggest problem was coaching. The defense played fairly well but I did not see an adjustment to the South Carolina passing attack after they threw nearly 20 times in the first quarter. I know that the zone is designed to prevent long plays, but Carolina essentially ran short outs and passes to the tight end unchallenged all night. When the opposing team throw 53 passes, your linebacker should not have 15 tackles (as Rennie Curran did). We also failed to get any type of pressure from our defensive ends. It will be very nice to have Justin Houston back next week at Arkansas (and we need him more than ever with the announcement that Rod Battle will now miss the remainder of the season with a knew injury).
For the second week in a row, I also am left wondering what Mike Bobo is doing with the offense. Richard Samuel was running the ball great, but for some reason he disappeared for nearly an entire quarter. Then, we finally get Logan Gray in the game for a grand total of one play. And once again, Marlon Brown and Rontavious Wooten went unused (other than appearing on two plays after the Joe Cox sack and fumble that put the Dawgs at second and 30). Another thing that really bugs me is how we handle short yardage situations. In the past, it was a no brainer that we would turn around and hand the ball to the fullback. Last night on a second and 1, we run a stretch play with Carlton Thomas that loses 3 yards. Chapas has some ability, lets use him.
For all the things that are wrong, the Dawgs did a lot of things right in this game. Brandon Boykin, often overshadowed by highly touted Branden Smith, made a name for himself with the huge TD return for the toughdown, another 50 yard return, and a big interception. If Boykin can keep this play up, we may forget the loss of Asher Allen quicker than I thought. Branden Smith also had a nice game after his horrible fumble early in the game. The 61 yard run was a thing of beauty and he may be one of the fastest players in the SEC already. It should be a fun next few years watching this guy mature.
Joe Cox and Richard Samuel also played much better this week than they did against Oklahoma State. Samuel ran hard all night, breaking tackles and learning from the mistakes he made in week 1. He scored his first rushing touchdown of the season and I have a feeling we may see a lot more this season. Now, we just need to keep his running consistent throughout the game. Cox also came back strong, putting up some nice numbers. The interception was horrible and even he admitted to seeing Norwood. AJ Green had a phenomenal night and saved Cox's tail on a couple of occassions. Any person who thinks AJ Green is not the best receiver in the country should watch the replay of those catches he made last night.
While Boykin's play was amazing, a lot of credit also needs to go to Georgia's other MVP of the night, Rennie Curran. With South Carolina throwing short passes all night, Curran had 15 tackles, repeatedly preventing short gains from turning into big plays. And for the second year in a row, Rennie came up with a huge play to prevent a South Carolina touchdown. This guy played his heart out last night. I can't imagine what our defense would be like without him right now.
This was one of those games that hopefully teaches the team a lot about themselves. They have now faced two tough games, one a loss and one a win. If the Dawgs can take what has worked the last two weeks and cut down on the turnovers, the results should turn out in our favor in Fayetteville next week.
GO DAWGS!!!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
If I Ever Get Back To Georgia, I'm Gonna Nail My Feet To The Ground: South Carolina Preview
It’s Saturday, in Athens!!! The Dawgs return home after a tough loss on the road at Oklahoma State to face Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks. Plenty has been written this week about what went wrong in Stillwater, but the time for second guessing is over. This Saturday night, it is time to tee it up Between the Hedges for the first time in 2009.
Who Are These Guys?
Now in his fifth season in Columbia, Steve Spurrier leads South Carolina back to Athens. Georgia won a defensive struggle last season 14-7, and the all time record sits at 45-14-2 in favor of the Dawgs (What a rivalry!).
Thursday Night Pros, much like Boise State. Last week Georgia faced an opponent in Oklahoma State known primarily for its powerful offense. This week, the Dawgs will face a team that in many ways is the opposite. The defense, lead by linebacker Eric Norwood, shined in the Gamecocks’ 7-3 win over N.C. State, allowing only 133 yards of total offense. Norwood had two sacks and was a force disrupting Wolfpack QB Russell Wilson, who couldn’t test South Carolina’s young, talented defensive backfield.
As good as the defense was last week, the South Carolina offense struggled. QB Stephen Garcia, continuing a theme from last year, struggled, completing 13 of 22 passes for 148 yards. Garcia also threw a key interception that led to N.C. State’s only score of the game. Garcia’s targets aren’t as reliable as former WR Kenny McKinley and former TE Jared Cook as this year’s stable is very young with freshmen WRs Alshon Jeffrey and Tori Gurley. WR Moe Brown, who scored the lone TD against Georgia last year, is the veteran of the group.
Against N.C. State, RB Brian Maddox led the rushing attack, running for 66 yards and a touchdown, but averaging just under 3 yards a carry. The offense totaled only 256 yards of offense. Spurrier also had a tough time replacing kicker Ryan Succop (now in the NFL). New kicker Spencer Lanning missed a chip shot 27 yarder and a botched snap on another attempt cost Carolina at least 6 points.
All in all, it was an ugly game against a bad team for the Gamecocks last week. The defense was strong but Garcia remains unproven as a quarterback in the SEC and will need help from his running game if the Cocks hope to have better success against a Georgia D that held Zac Robinson under 200 yards passing last week.
Expect to see the Gamecocks use Jarvis Giles a little more at running back on Saturday. He’s young, but he’s South Carolina’s future at the position. Also expect to see the use of the Wildcat formation with true freshman CB Stephon Gilmore taking the snaps. Gilmore won a starting CB position three days into fall camp and the Gamecocks want to showcase him on both sides of the ball. He leads a young defensive backfield that features some talent but was untested last Thursday night.
What are the Dawgs going to do?
The Dawgs come home licking some major wounds left by the loss at Oklahoma State. After an impressive 80-yard drive to open the game, the Georgia offense went cold and could only muster a field goal the rest of the way. To get the offense back on track, I expect Georgia to come out with a more traditional look on its opening drive this week. Look for a heavy dose of rushing from the combination of Richard Samuel and either Caleb King or Carlton Thomas. Also look for the return of screen passes to the backs and quick outs to the receivers early in the game to help Cox get into a throwing rhythm. Also expect to see the debut of Marlon Brown and Rontavious Wooten at receiver.
On defense, look for the Dawgs to try and bring more pressure on Garcia this week than they did against Oklahoma State. Garcia has proven to be erratic under pressure and does not have the weapons around him that Zac Robinson did last week. Despite the roughing call against Reshad Jones last week, I also expect the safeties to continue to play tough and hit receivers coming over the middle. If the defense is to regain its swagger from years past, it must get strong play from the linebackers and safeties to keep the gains short.
On special teams, it doesn’t look like there will be much change this year on kickoff coverage philosophy as Georgia continued to corner kick the football and give up big returns. In the return game, hopefully Branden Smith has shaken off his first game jitters and will be willing to take a knee. Blair Walsh had a tremendous game last week and if the offense struggles again, his leg may be the difference between a win and a loss.
What is going to happen?
The recent history between Georgia and South Carolina reads almost like a book. The two teams play a close game that is ultimately decided by a mistake made by one team in the second half. Rankings, previous years, and star power matter little in the outcome. The offenses for both teams played horribly in their respective openers, so expect another low scoring affair between these two. I expect that the Georgia offense will not play quite as bad as it did against Oklahoma State and that the South Carolina defense will not fair quite as well as it did against N.C. State (At least I hope). This means that Georgia will score more points than the 10 points it put up in Stillwater last week. The only question is whether Carolina can find a way to create turnovers and help its offense. This game will be close, but I like the Dawgs at home to put the game out of reach in the 4th quarter.
Georgia 24, South Carolina 13 and hopefully a lot of this...
Who Are These Guys?
Now in his fifth season in Columbia, Steve Spurrier leads South Carolina back to Athens. Georgia won a defensive struggle last season 14-7, and the all time record sits at 45-14-2 in favor of the Dawgs (What a rivalry!).
Thursday Night Pros, much like Boise State. Last week Georgia faced an opponent in Oklahoma State known primarily for its powerful offense. This week, the Dawgs will face a team that in many ways is the opposite. The defense, lead by linebacker Eric Norwood, shined in the Gamecocks’ 7-3 win over N.C. State, allowing only 133 yards of total offense. Norwood had two sacks and was a force disrupting Wolfpack QB Russell Wilson, who couldn’t test South Carolina’s young, talented defensive backfield.
As good as the defense was last week, the South Carolina offense struggled. QB Stephen Garcia, continuing a theme from last year, struggled, completing 13 of 22 passes for 148 yards. Garcia also threw a key interception that led to N.C. State’s only score of the game. Garcia’s targets aren’t as reliable as former WR Kenny McKinley and former TE Jared Cook as this year’s stable is very young with freshmen WRs Alshon Jeffrey and Tori Gurley. WR Moe Brown, who scored the lone TD against Georgia last year, is the veteran of the group.
Against N.C. State, RB Brian Maddox led the rushing attack, running for 66 yards and a touchdown, but averaging just under 3 yards a carry. The offense totaled only 256 yards of offense. Spurrier also had a tough time replacing kicker Ryan Succop (now in the NFL). New kicker Spencer Lanning missed a chip shot 27 yarder and a botched snap on another attempt cost Carolina at least 6 points.
All in all, it was an ugly game against a bad team for the Gamecocks last week. The defense was strong but Garcia remains unproven as a quarterback in the SEC and will need help from his running game if the Cocks hope to have better success against a Georgia D that held Zac Robinson under 200 yards passing last week.
Expect to see the Gamecocks use Jarvis Giles a little more at running back on Saturday. He’s young, but he’s South Carolina’s future at the position. Also expect to see the use of the Wildcat formation with true freshman CB Stephon Gilmore taking the snaps. Gilmore won a starting CB position three days into fall camp and the Gamecocks want to showcase him on both sides of the ball. He leads a young defensive backfield that features some talent but was untested last Thursday night.
What are the Dawgs going to do?
The Dawgs come home licking some major wounds left by the loss at Oklahoma State. After an impressive 80-yard drive to open the game, the Georgia offense went cold and could only muster a field goal the rest of the way. To get the offense back on track, I expect Georgia to come out with a more traditional look on its opening drive this week. Look for a heavy dose of rushing from the combination of Richard Samuel and either Caleb King or Carlton Thomas. Also look for the return of screen passes to the backs and quick outs to the receivers early in the game to help Cox get into a throwing rhythm. Also expect to see the debut of Marlon Brown and Rontavious Wooten at receiver.
On defense, look for the Dawgs to try and bring more pressure on Garcia this week than they did against Oklahoma State. Garcia has proven to be erratic under pressure and does not have the weapons around him that Zac Robinson did last week. Despite the roughing call against Reshad Jones last week, I also expect the safeties to continue to play tough and hit receivers coming over the middle. If the defense is to regain its swagger from years past, it must get strong play from the linebackers and safeties to keep the gains short.
On special teams, it doesn’t look like there will be much change this year on kickoff coverage philosophy as Georgia continued to corner kick the football and give up big returns. In the return game, hopefully Branden Smith has shaken off his first game jitters and will be willing to take a knee. Blair Walsh had a tremendous game last week and if the offense struggles again, his leg may be the difference between a win and a loss.
What is going to happen?
The recent history between Georgia and South Carolina reads almost like a book. The two teams play a close game that is ultimately decided by a mistake made by one team in the second half. Rankings, previous years, and star power matter little in the outcome. The offenses for both teams played horribly in their respective openers, so expect another low scoring affair between these two. I expect that the Georgia offense will not play quite as bad as it did against Oklahoma State and that the South Carolina defense will not fair quite as well as it did against N.C. State (At least I hope). This means that Georgia will score more points than the 10 points it put up in Stillwater last week. The only question is whether Carolina can find a way to create turnovers and help its offense. This game will be close, but I like the Dawgs at home to put the game out of reach in the 4th quarter.
Georgia 24, South Carolina 13 and hopefully a lot of this...
Thursday, September 3, 2009
The Georgia of Wrath: Oklahoma State Preview
“When someone tells you, 'You can't do something,' it motivates you and you better yourself.”
That quote from starting quarterback Joe Cox sums up where the Georgia Bulldogs sit going into the 2009 season. After a disappointing 2008 season and the loss of Knowshon Moreno and Matt Stafford to the NFL Draft, Georgia heads to Stillwater as an underdog. When these two teams met to open the 2007 season, many questioned whether Georgia would be able to stop the Oklahoma State offense (which the Oklahoma State Web site touted as the greatest offense on Earth prior to THAT season). What followed was a 35-14 Georgia beat down:Georgia would go on to finish #2 in the nation while Oklahoma State would struggle and finish the year at 7-6. Once again, the 2009 match up will set the tone for both teams. Here is the Bubba N’ Earl preview of the 2009 season opener, Georgia at Oklahoma State.
Who are these guys?
The Cover curse bit the Dawgs in ’08. Will it take a bite out of the Pokes in ’09?
"Okie use' ta mean you was from Oklahoma. Now it means you're a dirty son-of-a-bitch. Okie means you're scum. Don't mean nothing itself, it's the way they say it."
The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 18
You just down right offensive, boy. Offense, offense, offense. All off season, we have heard the same thing over and over. Oklahoma State returns all three of its key offensive stars that make up one of the best attacks in the country. If it wasn’t for Tim Tebow, quarterback Zac Robinson would be a household name as one of the best dual-threat players in the country. Robinson has accounted for 7,000 total yards in the past 2 seasons (1,355 rushing and 5,559 passing) since taking over the QB reins from Bobby Reid. Yes, the same Bobby "I'm a man, I'm 40!" Reid who Georgia pounded to open the year in ’07. Robinson will have running back Kendall Hunter to hand the ball off to. As a sophomore in ’08, Hunter rushed for over 1,500 yards and 16 touchdowns (numbers comparable to those of Knowhon Moreno). Robinson and Hunter are talented, but OSU’s best player is wideout Dez Bryant, who returns as a preseason All American and arguably the best receiver in the nation. Bryant had a marvelous 2008, racking up 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns on 87 receptions. In addition to these three, the Cowboys also return six other starters from the 2008 offense that ranked 7th in the country, including offensive tackle and Outland Trophy nominee Russell Okung.
Welcome home, Bill Young. It's a mess. Oklahoma State’s defense is a completely different story. While they do return 6 of 7 starters in the front, they return only one member of a defensive backfield that was ranked 110th in the nation in pass defense. Leading tackler Andre Sexton had 100 tackles from his linebacker position last season and is the anchor of an experienced linebacking crew (though starting middle linebacker Orie Lemon tore his ACL in practice and will now miss the entire 2009 season). OSU's starting defensive ends Derek Burton and Ugo Chinasa also return but only had a combined 2.5 sacks between them last year. New defensive coordinator Bill Young returns home to his alma mater from Miami with a big reputation behind him. Can he get the defense turned in the first game?
Welcome home, Bill Young. It's a mess. Oklahoma State’s defense is a completely different story. While they do return 6 of 7 starters in the front, they return only one member of a defensive backfield that was ranked 110th in the nation in pass defense. Leading tackler Andre Sexton had 100 tackles from his linebacker position last season and is the anchor of an experienced linebacking crew (though starting middle linebacker Orie Lemon tore his ACL in practice and will now miss the entire 2009 season). OSU's starting defensive ends Derek Burton and Ugo Chinasa also return but only had a combined 2.5 sacks between them last year. New defensive coordinator Bill Young returns home to his alma mater from Miami with a big reputation behind him. Can he get the defense turned in the first game?
The intangibles for the Cowboys lie with their fiery head coach and the excitement that comes with the school’s highest preseason ranking ever. Coach Mike Gundy is very passionate about his team, but they still managed to drop all of their key games (Oklahoma, Texas, Oregon) and only reached 9 wins last year. Opening the overhauled T. Boone Pickens Stadium against a powerful SEC opponent on national television will be quite a challenge for the Pokes.What are the Dawgs going to do?
When Georgia opened the 2007 season by hosting the Cowboys in Sanford Stadium, Oklahoma State came in touting the “greatest offense on earth.” By using a controlled defensive attack, the Dawgs were able to shut down their offense and used special teams and field position to lay a 35-14 beat down on Oklahoma State. Defensively, I think the Dawgs will take a similar approach in 2009. If they over commit to the run, Zac Robinson and Dez White will have a field day on the inexperienced Georgia secondary. Instead, I look for the Dawgs to use the defensive push to contain Robinson and prevent him and Kendall Hunter from getting outside. Defensive end Rod Battle had arguably his best game against Oklahoma State in ’07 and with Justin Houston out, he will need to once again step up. I also expect the linebacker crew, led by Rennie Curran, to spy Robinson, preventing him from using his legs to pick up large chunks of yards on the ground.
I also suspect Georgia to put a lot of pressure on the Oklahoma State kicking game. A key punt block helped get things going for the Dawgs in ’07, and we all know what Prince Miller can do if he gets a few good blocks:
I expect Joe Cox to enjoy his first game back as a starter since his freshman season. The 110th ranked pass defense that only returns one starter in the defensive backfield will have a tough time covering AJ Green and Michael Moore. I look for the Dawgs to come out throwing early in the game, but balance it out near the end of the first half with a healthy dose of Richard Samuel and Carlton Thomas. Also, look for the tight ends to play a bigger role this year as I expect both Aron White and Orson Charles to catch multiple passes from Cox in this game.
What’s going to happen?
If recent history has taught us anything, a good defense from the SEC typically has the ability to hold powerful Big XII offenses in check (for further evidence, see last year’s Cotton Bowl and National Championship games as proof). I expect Georgia to come out with an aggressive offensive attack that will immediately put Oklahoma State on their heels. The emotion of the crowd will bring the Cowboys back and their high powered offense will eventually get going. But this a Mark Richt coached team, and since becoming head man in 2001, Richt has lost exactly 4 true road games (LSU in ’03, Auburn in ’04, Kentucky in ’06, Tennessee in ’07). The Dawgs will not be intimidated and will make a strong charge in the second half. This will be a close one, and both teams will put a lot of points on the board.
Dawgs win with some very late defense, holding off an Oklahoma State charge.
Georgia 34, Oklahoma State 31
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
What a Difference a Year Makes
As a Hartman fund donor, I was given the opportunity to purchase Single Game tickets through GeorgiaDogs.com today. Once again this season, we did not have enough points to get season tickets, so I hopped on the chance to secure tickets to some of the home games this fall. The following tickets were available: South Carolina, Arkansas, Arizona State, Tennessee Tech, and Kentucky.
I was very surprised to see tickets for the South Carolina and Kentucky games available. Arizona State and Arkansas are both very far away and Tennessee Tech is a cupcake 1-AA school so I expected these games would be available. But South Carolina, who considers Georgia one of its main rivals, and Kentucky, who typically travels extremely well, I did not expect to be available. The tickets to purchase were from the left overs returned by visiting teams (exception being Arkansas since it was an away game) and usually SEC rivals always buy all their tickets (hence Auburn and LSU not being on this list). Is the economy combined with lowered expectations for the Dawgs in 2009 really enough to keep Kentucky and South Carolina fans away from Athens?
This time last season, the exact opposite seemed to happen. Thousands of Georgia fans were gearing up for cross country trips to Arizona and Louisiana and there was not a ticket to be found for the home opener against 1-AA Georgia Southern. When they placed extra tickets on sale last year, there was only one game that ended up being available (Central Michigan).
One year...what a difference.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
What Team has a Comparable Out of Conference Schedule to Georgia's 2009 Slate?
Much has been written this offseason about the difficult out of conference facing the Dawgs in 2009. With three BCS conference opponents on the schedule, Georgia has been given a lot of credit for scheduling a tough schedule. I decided to look for another team who faced a similar out of conference schedule as Georgia and I found a team whose out of conference schedule appears eerily similar to Georgia's: East Carolina. Let's take a look at how these two schedules match up.
Similarity #1 - The Highly Ranked Preseason Opponent who they Defeated in 2007
As we all know, Georgia opens the year on the road at Oklahoma State. The Cowboys are ranked #11 in the Pre-Season coaches poll. Georgia played Oklahoma State in 2007, defeating them 35-14.
The Pirates will host pre-season #7 Virginia Tech on November 5. These two teams also met in 2007, with the Pirates upsetting the Hokies 17-7.
Similarity #2 - ACC Program on the Rise
Georgia will close the 2009 season with its annual match up against in-state rival Georgia Tech. Under new coach Paul Johnson, the Yellow Jackets defeated Georgia for the first time since 2000 and are among the pre-season favorites to win the ACC.
East Carolina will travel to Chapel Hill on September 19 to take on North Carolina. Coach Butch Davis is starting to build a strong Tar Heel program and looks to be among the stronger ACC schools.
Similarity #3 - BCS Conference Opponent Coming Off a Disappointing Season
Arizona State was a preseason top 15 team in 2008, but after losing to Georgia at home, the Sun Devils continued to struggle and failed to make a bowl. They come to Athens in late September.
West Virginia came off another BCS Bowl victory and was led by senior quarterback Pat White. But under first year coach Bill Stewart, the Mountaineers missed out on a Big East Championship. The Pirates host West Virgina during week 2.
Similarity #4 - D1-AA Opponent to finish out schedule
Both teams filled their final spot on the schedule with a 1-AA opponent. Georgia gets Tennessee Tech and East Carolina hosts Appalachian State.
As you can see, the out of conference schedules for both teams are very similar. As for the conference schedules, that is a much different story. While Georgia gets LSU, Florida, and Auburn, East Carolina faces the daunting task of beating Southern Miss, Marshall, and Rice. There is a reason that non-BCS schools do not get to play for a national championship.
Similarity #1 - The Highly Ranked Preseason Opponent who they Defeated in 2007
As we all know, Georgia opens the year on the road at Oklahoma State. The Cowboys are ranked #11 in the Pre-Season coaches poll. Georgia played Oklahoma State in 2007, defeating them 35-14.
The Pirates will host pre-season #7 Virginia Tech on November 5. These two teams also met in 2007, with the Pirates upsetting the Hokies 17-7.
Similarity #2 - ACC Program on the Rise
Georgia will close the 2009 season with its annual match up against in-state rival Georgia Tech. Under new coach Paul Johnson, the Yellow Jackets defeated Georgia for the first time since 2000 and are among the pre-season favorites to win the ACC.
East Carolina will travel to Chapel Hill on September 19 to take on North Carolina. Coach Butch Davis is starting to build a strong Tar Heel program and looks to be among the stronger ACC schools.
Similarity #3 - BCS Conference Opponent Coming Off a Disappointing Season
Arizona State was a preseason top 15 team in 2008, but after losing to Georgia at home, the Sun Devils continued to struggle and failed to make a bowl. They come to Athens in late September.
West Virginia came off another BCS Bowl victory and was led by senior quarterback Pat White. But under first year coach Bill Stewart, the Mountaineers missed out on a Big East Championship. The Pirates host West Virgina during week 2.
Similarity #4 - D1-AA Opponent to finish out schedule
Both teams filled their final spot on the schedule with a 1-AA opponent. Georgia gets Tennessee Tech and East Carolina hosts Appalachian State.
As you can see, the out of conference schedules for both teams are very similar. As for the conference schedules, that is a much different story. While Georgia gets LSU, Florida, and Auburn, East Carolina faces the daunting task of beating Southern Miss, Marshall, and Rice. There is a reason that non-BCS schools do not get to play for a national championship.
Friday, August 7, 2009
A Day in Athens 4 Weeks Before The Season Begins
As any of you who have been following our countdown know, we are just 29 days away from the start of the 2009 season. Georgia opens the season on the road in Stillwater, so our first game at Sanford is 5 weeks away. I was off work yesterday and decided to take a trip up to Athens. With the students not yet back from summer, campus was mostly dead and the stadium was rather empty. Below are some pictures I took walking around yesterday:
This is the new addition to the Tate Student Center 
The view of the stadium standing at the new Tate. The old Tate can be seen as well (the red roof)
The Vince Dooley plaque that was placed inside the stadium last year.
A view of the stadium standing on the bridge
This pressure washer was the only person I actually saw inside the stadium
Another view of the field from the bridge. It was very strange seeing the grass without any lines on it and all of the Red seatbacks out of the stadium.I also took some time to check out the vast amount of construction taking place on campus. Did you know there is now a parking deck at the intramural fields? The new band practice field also looks really nice. My last stop was to check out the new fraternity houses being built on River Road next to Kappa Sig. From the outside, I was very impressed. Here are the pictures below, though I have no clue which house belongs to which fraternity.
Over the next few weeks, we will begin our preseason analysis of the upcoming season beginning with the Bubba N' Earl preseason top 25.
Over the next few weeks, we will begin our preseason analysis of the upcoming season beginning with the Bubba N' Earl preseason top 25.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)