Home > Mark Bradley > Archives > 2008 > August > 17 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USDogs can learn from talented 2004 team
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It was the most talented squad Mark Richt had assembled. Twenty of its members would be drafted by NFL clubs. Yet the 2004 Bulldogs remain the lost boys of the Richt reemergence, the one Georgia team from 2002 through 2005 not to win the SEC East, the one team from that giddy era to go down as disappointing.
As the 2008 Bulldogs enter their season ranked No. 1 in the land, it’s instructive to recall what befell the Georgia team that, until this month, held the distinction of being rated the highest in any preseason. The 2004 Bulldogs began at No. 3 in the Associated Press poll and were still No. 3 on Oct. 9. Then everything changed.
“We lost the wrong game at the wrong time,” said Thomas Brown, a freshman tailback that year. “We lost and we weren’t able to recover.”
“That may have been the craziest year,” said Tony Taylor, who was scheduled to start at linebacker in 2004 but who missed the season after hurting his knee in the G-Day game. “For us to play the way we did against LSU, and then to see what happened against Tennessee … that’s just college football.”
On Oct. 2, 2004, the Bulldogs authored their most impressive display under Richt, beating the reigning national champ 45-16 in Athens. For all the good work done in their distinguished careers, it seemed David Pollack and David Greene and Thomas Davis and Fred Gibson had saved the best for last.
The subsequent Saturday brought another home game. Tennessee arrived as a 12 1/2-point underdog, having lost to Auburn by 24 the week before. But Georgia fell behind 10-0 and could never catch up. “It was one of those games,” Taylor said. “The atmosphere in the stadium was kind of weird. It wasn’t the same as the week before.”
Those Bulldogs would likewise never be the same. They beat Florida, but Ron Zook was by then a lame duck. Come November, Auburn had grown into the team Georgia was supposed to be, and the Tigers thumped the Bulldogs 24-6. Georgia wouldn’t play for the SEC title for the first time since 2001, and its bowl destination was Tampa for the Outback against Wisconsin.
If the season wasn’t a flop — how bad can it be when you 10-2 and finish No. 7 in the AP poll? — neither was it the culmination the Bulldogs had envisioned. Such a memory can stand as a cautionary tale.
Nothing really went sour in 2004. “There was nothing going on internally,” said D.J. Shockley, who backed up Greene that season, and that’s the point: Even a gifted and harmonious team can be undone by one misstep.
Brown, Taylor and Shockley — all of them on the Falcons’ roster, which gives us some idea of the depth of the 2004 Bulldogs — believe this latest edition has a better chance than they did. “They have everything we had and more,” Brown said.
Said Taylor: “As overall talent goes, I would agree [that the 2004 team was the best of that Georgia era]. There were so many athletes. In 2002 [Richt’s breakthrough season], we’d just been a brick wall … But if you go over there now, you see something totally different. They’ve got athletes all across the board.”
As it turned out, the 2004 Bulldogs probably wouldn’t have won the BCS title had they gone unbeaten. The teams ranked above them in August — No. 1 Southern Cal and No. 2 Oklahoma — were still undefeated in January, and they met in the Orange Bowl. (Ask any Auburn fan.) But this time Georgia will begin with no school ahead of it, and that’s a major difference.
“It’s all in their hands,” Brown said. “The championship is theirs to lose.”
Permalink | Comments (71) | Post your comment | Categories: UGA/SEC
Comments
By SteveO
August 17, 2008 5:23 PM | Link to this
yes….they can
By Ben in Athens
August 17, 2008 5:47 PM | Link to this
I was a freshman in 2004 and that Tennessee game remains the most dissappointing defeat of my college career. Tony Taylor has it right: There just wasn’t the same atmosphere in the stadium as the week before. We felt like the underdog against LSU (I can’t remember if we actually were), but everyone in the stadium seemed to think the Vols were going to roll over and hand us a victory that next week. It was such a drastic difference. The LSU game was the 2nd loudest I’ve ever heard that stadium (Auburn last year is 1st), and then the next week the crowd is just flat. I still remember the last play like it was yesterday: David Greene throws an out route to Leonard Pope in the end zone…Pope runs an in route… I was so depressed I ran into a lightpole on River Rd. while looking down at my feet after the game. Hilarious now, but not so then.
By RockyTop2
August 17, 2008 5:47 PM | Link to this
I remember that UGA-UT game distinctly. As a vols fan I did not see much hope for UT. The way Auburn handed it to us the week before, and UGA thumped LSU. Somehow Georgia with all their weapons could not score on our defense, which was not very good. Erik Ainge played a good game and the Vols won. David Greene did not have it that day, UGA only scored 14 points, and if I remember correctly Shockley threw on of the TD’s. UGA definitely had more talent in that game and probably should have won. As for the Vols, if we lose that game who knows where our season goes. That shows Georgia, or anybody else, you cannot take a game off in the SEC
By Eric C.
August 17, 2008 6:14 PM | Link to this
Remember the UGA kickoff return for a TD (or at least almost a TD) that was called back in that UT-UGA game? That was the back-breaker.
By frankly
August 17, 2008 6:23 PM | Link to this
Good point Ben in Athens
I think this years is vastly superior to the ‘04 team particularly on offense, and have “done more” to deserve the high preseason ranking. That is to say that their performance against top ranked teams last year merits their high ranking more than the ‘04 team and many of the same players are back.
I’m actually a little surprised that both polls ranked UGA #1 because I thought there was no way they could pass up on voting Ohio state or USC #1 and both those teams are just as deserving.
By BobDog
August 17, 2008 6:36 PM | Link to this
I’m ready for a decent game against Tennessee after the past two years.
By john
August 17, 2008 6:49 PM | Link to this
The Georgia people just do not get it. The only SEC championship that Georgia has won happens to be during the dark (ZooK) days at Florida. The reporters that cover the SEC have it correct when they picked Florida to win the SEC. You dogs are going to lose three games this year.
By bulldogsucks
August 17, 2008 6:53 PM | Link to this
If the clock hadn’t hit 00:00, Tennessee would still be running over Georgia. Georgia will beat Tennessee this year; however, they will still lose at least 2 games. I wish the bulldogs luck, but they have a very tough schedule.
By Mark Bradley
August 17, 2008 7:01 PM | Link to this
For what it’s worth, here’s one parallel between 2004 and this year: Four years ago Georgia lost tailback Kregg Lumpkin to a torn ACL on the first day of summer practice; this time left tackle Trinton Sturdivant has been lost, also to a knee injury. Both times it was the left knee.
By Doug
August 17, 2008 7:07 PM | Link to this
There is not a whole lot of difference in talent between any of the Big 6(Alabama, Auburn, LSU, UGA, UF and UT) in the SEC . We all pretty much recruit from the same pool and unless one of the schools is recovering from a bad coaching decision or probation then any one of the six can beat the other.
And even if one team is superior to the other in talent, then turnovers, bad calls , scheduling and injuries can enable the underdog to spring an upset.
I think UGA might very well have the most talented team but just don’t see them winning the NC with that schedule.
By tdp
August 17, 2008 7:09 PM | Link to this
John the rocket scientist - have you forgotten how to count or has Urban’s first year at Florida been erased from history (like the record pre-1990 among most Florida fans). UGA won the SEC in 2005 moron. If you’re going to spout trash, at least get your facts straight.
By Mark Bradley
August 17, 2008 7:13 PM | Link to this
Another key moment in the 2004 UT game, Eric C., was Richt’s decision to try a fake punt. It failed, and Tennessee scored what proved to be the winning touchdown. And only two years before, you’ll recall, Richt had gone for it successfully — not as a fake punt, but on fourth down — in beating the Vols in Athens.
As Tony Taylor said of the 2004 game, “It was one of those games.”
By heeldawg
August 17, 2008 7:14 PM | Link to this
Rocky Top 2: Good commentary. And the Vols deserved to win that game. They were ready to play. We were not.
John: I take is you’re a UF fan. Good for you. One question: what are y’all going to do for a defense? Is Tebow going to play safety?
Richt’s won two SEC titles, by the way—in 2002 and 2005. Should be plural in your reference.
By Cuz
August 17, 2008 7:27 PM | Link to this
heel, igrnorance can be solved by education. Stupid like John, goes straight to the bone.
By savannah dawg
August 17, 2008 7:30 PM | Link to this
I know we owe South Carolina a butt whipping, but we better be careful in Columbia.
By Algonquin J. Calhoun
August 17, 2008 7:46 PM | Link to this
The Dawgs will be lucky to finish 8-4. They could easily be 7-5. this is an over-hyped team with an over rated coach. I can hear the gnashing of canine teeth now!
By james
August 17, 2008 8:08 PM | Link to this
College football is a game of intensity, emotion, and opportunity. I think the season will have to play itself out, The DAWGS face the challenge of having to be on their “A” game every single week. everyone knows that for ANY team to win the National Championship the above mentioned items all have to fall in place week in and out. It all starts game by game and then winning the SEC. Which, just happens to be the toughest conference in the nation hands down. If UGA can manage that, then the rest is out of their hands. Good luck to the Dawgs this year. GO DAWGS!!!!
By Cuz
August 17, 2008 8:11 PM | Link to this
What kind of Momma names their baby Algonquin? I think she read to many James Fenimore Cooper novels. Hawkeye Calhoun would have sounded better. Hey Al, get ready to feel the power of the Dawg. CMR has elevated the playing field. In the Donnan years I would have been happy with 8-3 reg season. Now, I need at least a 10-2. Dang you St. Mark, you have spoilt me.
The Dawgs are getting ready to unleash. I am watching my copy of the UGA-uf beatdown in Jax last year. Several things I forgot. Urban is a weird looking dude when he questions the play, Tebow was sacked three times before the game was twenty minutes old. Stafford did not throw his first pass untill the end of the first quarter. And it was a touchdown to MoMass. There was another excessive celebration when MoMass did the gator chomp to the UF crowd. Man I can’t wait, can’t wait….
By Dave
August 17, 2008 8:50 PM | Link to this
There were also high hopes in 2000, and despite beating UT for the first time in years, the season was a disappointment and resulted in Donnan’s firing. Then came the high hopes of 2004 and its disappointment.
Now here we are in 2008 and ranked #1 to begin the season. Hopefully, the election year letdowns won’t become a trend.
By Eric
August 17, 2008 9:12 PM | Link to this
Last year was a rebuilding year for Georgia, and they still went 10-2. The Dawgs started 3 freshman on the o-line, freshman at tailback, and outside linebacker. This is why this team is scary, and arguably the most talented team Georgia has ever had. A team that is very strong at tailback, linebacker, and both corner positions. They go about seven deep at the wideout positions. It’s really just about staying fairly healthy and focus on the task. If they get past Arizona St. and Florida, the Dawgs will be Champs.
By AFnPC
August 17, 2008 9:13 PM | Link to this
I think there’s more to learn from 2004 than that Mark. If you look at the ‘03 Auburn Tigers, they were ranked highly and picked by SI to win the NC, but something happenned…Auburn’s odd-year schedule is much like UGAs even-year one with most of the big games on the road. Auburn ended up floundering in 03 only to come back and go undefeated in ‘04. Dawg fans, if I were you I wouldn’t waste too much thought on this year because my money is on you guys winning it in ‘09. If you do happen to pull a Michael Phelps type performance this season, I see you going back to back, but I really don’t see it this year. Good luck and War Damn Eagle!
By T
August 17, 2008 9:13 PM | Link to this
9-3.. wont win the SEC and wont win the SEC East. Wait and see !!
By Island Dawg
August 17, 2008 9:23 PM | Link to this
Great article. Keep these coming so that hopefully every guy on this 08 team can read them. There’s way too much hype being fed to them, they’re young, if they start thinking the praise will win them the championship and not the desire and the motivation they had at the end of last season. Then another team will surely be playing in South Florida, not our Dawgs. Just like against UT in 04, they’ll think they’ve won before even playing. Hopefully this year they’ll WANT it and not think they’ve already won it. Go Dawgs!! Sic em!!
By AltamahaDawg
August 17, 2008 9:27 PM | Link to this
So, what exactly was the “lesson”? Things dont always work out? Phantom holding calls and fake punt sometime turn a game around? Don’t lose a game? I read the title and expected there to be something from the 2004 season, that this squad could use. Did I miss the point?
By Eric
August 17, 2008 9:45 PM | Link to this
Mark Richt is 72–19–0 in 7 seasons, and the Bulldogs have finished in top ten in the AP poll 5 of those 7 seasons(3rd,7th,7th,10th,and 2nd). They finished in the top 25 all 7 of those seasons. Trust me when I tell you this football program is no flop, they will be ready.
By Island Livin
August 17, 2008 9:46 PM | Link to this
Frankly
how has this team “done more”? the 04 team had in the two previous seasons won the SEC and played in the SEC championship game…how is finishing second in your division and beating an Overrated Hawai’i more than winning and then playing for the SEC Championship???
Come on now I’m a UF fan I shouldn’t know more about your team
By DawgDMD
August 17, 2008 9:51 PM | Link to this
I was there in the SEC champ years of ‘76, ‘80, ‘81, ‘82, ‘02, and ‘05. The 2004 season was disappointing considering what that squad had done in years prior.
‘81 and ‘82 was hard to stomach—we should have won 3 straight NT’s.
‘02 and ‘07 were frustrating too—if we could have played in the champ game, CMR would have 2 NT’s.
As it is now, I’m tired of the preseason. Bring it on. No matter what: “Once a DAWG, Always a DAWG…HOW SWEET IT IS!!!!!”
By Mark Bradley
August 17, 2008 10:06 PM | Link to this
The lesson: Don’t get so excited over one victory that you fail to concentrate on the next task at hand.
By D.N. Nation
August 17, 2008 10:07 PM | Link to this
Big difference between ‘04 and ‘08: Mark Richt isn’t calling the plays anymore. That ‘04 team screwed around in the red zone perhaps more than any team I’ve ever seen…this year’s squad knows to hand the ball to #24 and get ready for the extra point.
By D.N. Nation
August 17, 2008 10:11 PM | Link to this
Another lesson from 2004: Somehow not let Penn Wagers officiate your biggest games. Then again, Penn’s Krazy Krew tried their hardest to screw Georgia against UF and AU, and look where it got them. Sowwy, Penn!
By Palmetto State Dawg
August 17, 2008 10:14 PM | Link to this
Things are never as good as they seem, or as bad as they seem.
By middleagedwhiteguy
August 17, 2008 10:15 PM | Link to this
Those pesky Vols did it again. Tennessee has scored 86 points against the pups in the last two years. If you people had any class, you’d show them some respect.
By Buzz Cut
August 17, 2008 10:26 PM | Link to this
Palmetto State Dawg of course the one exception is gt. For the yellow jackets things are always as bad as they seem.
By eddie robinson
August 17, 2008 10:41 PM | Link to this
go dawgs
By eddie robinson
August 17, 2008 10:42 PM | Link to this
go dawgs
By Memory Like an Elephant
August 17, 2008 10:51 PM | Link to this
The back breaker in the ‘04 Tennessee game was when Greene waited too long to float a pass to Reggie Brown in the back of the endzone and he came down with a toe on the line on 3rd down. Then on the next play Billy Bennett missed a chip shot. We should have had a touchdown or field goal and got nothing. It would have made that final drive totally different. But Danny Ware’s touchdown run was awesome.
By dawg tired
August 17, 2008 10:59 PM | Link to this
ENOUGH HYPE!!! Be quiet and get back to your lives. Start the conversations after the LSU game. Then, we’ll have a great idea of what the team is going to look like. Anyway, with Stafford, good and bad things will happen. Our defense just has to limit the bad.
By You got to be kidding me
August 17, 2008 11:11 PM | Link to this
I think it is fitting you bring up the 2004 season… Yes, there were great expectations that went unfulfilled! Last year is another great example… National Championships are not given to you (unless you’re Ohio State but they keep dropping that trophy) We could have and perhaps should have played for it last year but we stumbled against S. Carolina and got blown out by Tennessee… Every game counts! We can achieve great things but we still have to play the games (that is until we become the ESPN darlings that Ohio State are)
By Eric
August 17, 2008 11:19 PM | Link to this
LSU, Auburn, and Tennessee all have new starting quarterbacks with no experience. Don’t really know why everybody keeps talking about LSU, when they lost half there defense and offense. I like Bama to edge out Auburn in the West. LSU will be back next year.
By Mark Bradley
August 17, 2008 11:26 PM | Link to this
Actually, last year wasn’t a particularly great example. Georgia had lost four games in 2006, and Florida was coming off the BCS title. Georgia was ranked No. 13 in both preseason polls. Nobody seriously expected last season’s Bulldogs to play for the national championship until things got interesting at the end. But 2007 wasn’t a case of hype unfulfilled; it was a case of a frenzied rally that fell just short of the BCS title game.
By TheAntiMe
August 17, 2008 11:47 PM | Link to this
The fact that the Dawgs have a tough schedule has already been mentioned several times, and rightly so. With all of those SEC games with so many of the toughest ones on the road, any given weekend could be the deal-breaker.
I may be crazy, but I’m getting a very sick feeling (I don’t know, maybe it’s just the Krystals I had for supper) but the team that nobody seems to be worried about that sort of scares me the most is Ga Tech.
I mean, they’ve got that funky new offense and they haven’t beaten the Dawgs in like, forever, and they sure as crap are going to be motivated to knock off their potentially top-ranked and most hated of enemies. I really hope it is just the Krystals.
By Ted Striker
August 18, 2008 12:30 AM | Link to this
UGA-Auburn, 2004. Talk about a terrible game! It is also one of the few games I haven’t witnessed. Why? I was attending — practically at gunpoint — a wedding.
My recollection of Georgia’s loss to Auburn came via periodic trips to the car to get the grim news from Larry Munson.
By about the 4rd visit I was worried.
By the 7th I was ill.
By the 10th trip I had a full blown migraine and couldn’t feel my hands. (My girlfriend was also very very pi$$ed)
By the 13th visit — around the start of the 4th quarter — my thoughts drifted to piping carbon monoxide into the car from the exhaust.
Raise your hand if you’ve been there.
By gp
August 18, 2008 12:47 AM | Link to this
Also scary is the possible SECCG as we would likely have to beat the west champ twice since we play Bama, AU and LSU during the season.
By jc_dawgs
August 18, 2008 4:00 AM | Link to this
I remember that Ten game. I watched it on TV and I just was not amped up at all for that game. I remember hoping that the Dawgs were not as flat as I was watching the game. Then…the nightmare unfolded.
It’s very tough to bring it each and every saturday. But when its half time and you fine yourself behind…that is when you should get your wake up call and start bringing that a-game.
Sometimes though…the wake up call can be too late.
SC…Ten…ASU and the rest of Ga’s opponents are all gonna have to “walk that aisle” as long as the Dawgs are #1. You can bet they’ll be bringing there A-game. As long as the Dawgs do the same…should be no problem for Ga.
If the dawgs are truly the best in the land…they’ll make it happen.
By ............................................BuLLdawg
August 18, 2008 5:37 AM | Link to this
.
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Who has Georgia Number 1, and how accurate are they ?
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AP Poll.
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USA Today Coaches’ Poll.
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Sports Illustrated.
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ESPN Power Rankings.
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Lindys’.
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Sporting News.
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NBC.
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ESPN.
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EA Sports.
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Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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Dallas Star-Telegram.
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Tucson Citizen Gimino.
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Associated Content TSW College Football Rankings.
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Northwest Arkansas’ News Source.
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TC Bailey.
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The Big Lead.
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Mark Schlabach.
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Tony Barnhart.
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Stewart Mandel.
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22 AP Poll Voters.
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22 USA Today Coaches’ Poll Voters.
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Average of All Rankings’ 12 Polls Wikipedia.
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Average of All Rankings’ 22 Polls http://www.LSUfootball.net .
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For 5 of the previous 6 years, the AP Poll has correctly predicted the Number 1 team at the end of the regular season. That’s 83 Percent Accuracy of who is going to be Number 1 at the end of the regular season based upon the AP Poll Preseason Poll and therefore play in the mythical national championship game.
In case, anyone has not noticed, that is indeed the objective in the Bowl Subdivision to be Number 1 or Number 2 at the end of the regular season, and to play for and then be able to win the national championship.
There are 23 Preseason Polls who have all 23 picked UGA to win the National Championship, and the most famous of them all is the AP Poll who 5 of the last 6 years corrected picked Number 1 in the Preseason who then ended the regular season Number 1.
.
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By AltamahaDawg
August 18, 2008 7:18 AM | Link to this
AH. A good lesson indeed. Thanks for the responce. One great thing about a schedule that gets this much attention…..should be less chance of that particular downfall.
By george
August 18, 2008 7:20 AM | Link to this
the dogs will s** the bed again just like 04. Let the season begin
By Hootie Bookems
August 18, 2008 8:02 AM | Link to this
The atmosphere at the 04 UT game was not “weird” as T. Taylor said. It was a mourge. I think the fans and the team but all their emotional eggs in that LSU basket. After two losses to them in 03 and we had that game circled on the calendar. If that game had been in Knoxville, I think we would have fun, the dead atmosphere carried over to teh field. The Dawgs were lethargic that day. After that the 04 season never felt right. Even beating the Garots was some what watered down.
By Columbia Dawg
August 18, 2008 8:09 AM | Link to this
Great article, Mark. I’ve been thinking the same thing all summer. All it takes is one bad game at the wrong time to ruin the whole season, especially with the expectations that fans have for this team.
By Brooks
August 18, 2008 8:18 AM | Link to this
I feel that the 08 team is different in the fact we have gamebreakers on both sides of the ball. We also have Knowshon. The 04 team had solid offensive players but not someone who could really change the game instantly. David Greene was an excellent college quarterback and his supporting cast of Fred Gibson, Leonard Pope, and others was solid but none of them could simply take the football and change the game the way Knowshon can. Pollack and the Defense were very good and capable of making big plays. One concern I have this season is the pass rush. We have to establish one early and often. We can’t let any QB we see sit in the pocket even though our secondary is very strong this year. Stafford needs to be more consistent and we must catch the football. We basically had our head up our you know what that day the Vols rolled in. I don’t see that happening again. Sanford will be rockin’. GO DAWGS!
By reality check
August 18, 2008 8:29 AM | Link to this
george we finished in the top 10 with a 10-2 record and beat your 7 win Tech team that year just like we have the past 7. You are such a loser you don’t understand success.
By JY
August 18, 2008 8:37 AM | Link to this
Tennessee had a starting freshman in 04 also.
By Georgia Fan
August 18, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this
I was skeptical of the 2004 team before the season started. The defense was championship caliber, but we were thin on the offensive line and had a bunch of freshmen running backs. The running back was very important in Richt’s offense for more reasons than just running the ball, and you have to wonder if they were ready for the job. We had a bunch of stars on offense, but they never really came together and had any chemistry. I thought we were a top 10 team but #3 was a bit much. My concerns proved to be well founded.
I think this year is much different. We have depth on the offensive line, even after Sturdivant’s injury. We have one of the best running back’s in the nation. Stafford has a better arm than Greene did. The defense will again be nasty. I think the hype is justified.
By reality check
August 18, 2008 10:31 AM | Link to this
The real story in the Tennessee game was more about what happened on defense. Georgia was not prepared to stop the pass, especially Demario Minter. He was new as the starter and UT lit him up. Obviously he went on to become a great player and second round draft choice.
The other problem was the holding call on Leonard Pope during the runback to start the second half was a very bad call. The replays showed that clearly.
I believe Georgia will have a very good year but as David Greene recently said the outcome will hinge on 4 or 5 really tough games.
By dan
August 18, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this
I see a lot of parallels to this team and 2004’s team. That 2004 team should have been so much better than they were. Losing to Auburn was no shame because they had Cadilliac Williams and Ronnie Brown and they had so much momentum down the stretch that they just weren’t going to lose. But losing to Tennessee was just lousy and there was no excuse for it. I agree that I think 2008’s team will have more talent on offense than ‘04’s did, but I disagree about ‘08 having better talent on defense than that ‘04 squad. This UGA team doesn’t have a pass rusher than gets after the QB like David Pollack did, and there isn’t anyone that can hit like Thomas Davis, Greg Blue, Odell Thurman, and Tony Taylor could. While the 2004 team underachived, the 2005 team overachived when Shockley was QB. That’s why I think UGA is still one year away from competing for a National Title.
By DisneyDawg
August 18, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this
The 2 games lost in 2004 it seemed like UGA was in some kind of daze. It was almost tangible watching those games on TV. There seemed to be no emotion or determination, and every time the Dawgs appeared to make something happen it would be counteracted by some misstep. And since the last few minutes of the 1st half of the 2006 UT game, they’ve had the lights go out against the Vols for some reason. The past 6 quarters against them have been ugly. I believe that game will be the most telling game of the season.
By Mark Bradley
August 18, 2008 1:03 PM | Link to this
I think the real measure of how skilled the 2004 team was rests in what Dan suggested: A slew of backups from 2004 went on to win the 2005 SEC title.
By UGASlobberknocker
August 18, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this
Mark, glad to hear about your new gig with less writing..so we dont have to read any more of your thoughtless columns that make no sense.
In 2004 GA started out #3 which means most people thought they would go 11-1. They went 10-2 and finished #7. That’s falling shy? one loss? No, falling shy is like when a team starts in the top 5 and goes 8-4.
Mark, the only thing falling shy these days is the quality of your work. In the 80’s you were good, the 90’s you were OK, the 00’s you have been awful..youre going backwards, dude.
By typical uGA blaming the refs
August 18, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this
That one bad call!!!
ps…that “dog daze” evidently continued for the SC and TN games last year…
By G-Dawg
August 18, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this
The question has been asked over and over and over again. Do the Dawgs have what it takes to start and finish number one? Well, none of us have that answer but there is one fact that is being overlooked. Wether or not UGA finishes number one, you can’t put a price tag on how valuable being ranked preseason # 1 is…here’s what I mean. UGA has held this distinction since the polls came ourt earlier this month and presumably do so for at least another month. I can’t think of a more powerful recruiting tool then to ask a kid if he wants to come play for the # 1 team in the nation. Following this lead, the Dawgs have already signed a pretty impressive early class which should only strengthen our futures efforts.
By Dan
August 18, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this
Here are some interesting parellels.
In 2000, 2004, the Dawgs opened with Georgia Southern and finished below expectations. Baring this in mind, is it wise to schedule GA Southern for a opener even though UGA will always win?
Also, election years don’t favor the Dawgs too well.
2004: finished 10-2 and 7# after starting 3# 2000: finished 8-4 after starting in the top 5. 1996: finished 5-6 1992: finished 10-2 and missed berth to SEC title with 2 close losses to UT and FLA. 1988: finished 9-3 in Dooley’s last year after being favored to win conference title 1984: finished 7-4-1, tanking in the second half of the season to FLA, AU, Ga Tech
Lone exceptions: 1980: National championship 1976: Finished 10-2 and losing National title to Pittsburgh 1968: Finished 8-1-2, losing to Arkansas and winning a piece of the National title
By baloney
August 18, 2008 6:07 PM | Link to this
Losing to lowly Tennessee. That is sad. I didn’t know they played football up there. They are so lame the never win at any sport.They have never even been close to having a good season.Georgia is sooooo good, it should be a sin losing to a team like lil ole Tennessee. Their coach is awful, he can’t make any halftime adjustments or motivate his players or anything.
By LA Dawg
August 19, 2008 2:32 PM | Link to this
Hey Mark you’ve caught a lot of guff regarding your columns through the years (myself included) but your presence posting as of late responding to us all is appreciated and adds a helluva lot more to your pieces than just sitting back letting people rail on you. Keep it up.
By GATORZONE
August 19, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this
Hey Baloney, who has the most recent National Championship? Tennessee or Georgia? Who won the last 2 in a row, Tennessee or Georgia?
By GATORZONE
August 19, 2008 2:45 PM | Link to this
2004 was a better team by the way. Better QB, Better Defense and a sure footed kicker.
Who is kicking this year, and what are they going to do about losing the Best offensive lineman they have? This is the guy who protects Staffords back. He will also affect Knowshown’s production with less holes open for running. Losing the left tackle changes the whole game plan. When usual 5 yard runs become 1-2 yarders and you give up a sack here and there, that will change the whole complexion of the offense.
By baloney
August 19, 2008 2:49 PM | Link to this
Yea, but don’t you know it was luck that Tenn. won their NC? I mean come on Stoener just laid the ball down, he wasn’t touched. Plus FSU didn’t have their starting QB. Plus when Tenn. beats UGA it is because UGA plays bad and Tenn was lucky.Everyone knows that.
By GATORZONE
August 19, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this
Oh, thanks for the clarification. My mistake.
By hey Dan......
August 19, 2008 5:52 PM | Link to this
demparellels might trip you!
ru accountant? uGA Grad?
By You got to be kidding me
August 20, 2008 2:55 AM | Link to this
Mark I understand your point very clearly about last years team… The one I was making was that, as opposed to the 2004 team, Georgia came to realize that they were a much better team than maybe they thought… and no team in the SEC is going to just roll over for them! Yes a lot of crazy things happened last season that cannot be counted on this season and I still believe that you should never play for a national championship without having won your conference (sorry Oklahoma) This year I hope they realize that EVERY single game they play will be the biggest one of the season for their opponents! It ain’t gonna be easy but it can be done!
By Fat Dawg
August 20, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this
My dogs are the best for a reason. We’ll be barking at the end. I love the way our offense is set up. Sit back and watch this year. We win every game by two touchdowns! SC/LSU/Aub/TN/Alab has no QB.
Evry QB we sack is going to be a no body player. Who? Who has a QB that can score on my dawgs defense? Nobody, that’s who. And that’s why we play one game this year less than two touchdowns. USC for the title. And we’ll beat them by 14 points.
By Really
August 22, 2008 2:43 PM | Link to this
Fat Dawg, Really? As a UGA fan myself I just want to put you in your place before all these other schools do. Really, 2 touchdowns, what fantasy world are you living in? First we play most of these teams on the road. 2nd by the time we get to LSU & Auburn we will know who their QB is, they will be settled in. We also better not look past GT because at the end of the season they will be used to thier new offense. GA can lose one game and one game only and it better be to LSU,ALA, or AU and hope that we get the rematch in the SECCG. We will make it to the NT game with 1 loss. We have to have the toughest schedule in the nation.
Also to all the haters, I didnt go to UGA, I am from GA and have been a fan since I can remember. I grew up in the 90’s when 7-5 was a good season for them. So its not that I am on the bandwagon because back then it would have been real easy to pull for Tech