AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2006 > November > 25 > Entry
Stafford doesn’t play like freshman
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Athens — Two weeks ago at Auburn, the thought occurred that the kid had finally broken through. But how could anybody be sure? The same green-tinted freshman who completed 14 of 20 for 219 yards and a touchdown in intimidating surroundings had been intercepted three times only seven days earlier … in Lexington.
The answer came Saturday. There will be more mistakes by Matthew Stafford. But in the final regular-season game of his first season, Stafford reaffirmed he is that special kind of quarterback. Some crumble in these situations (see: Reggie Ball). Some don’t (the other guy).
Stafford threw five passes on Georgia’s final possession. The first three resulted in first downs. The fourth resulted in the go-ahead touchdown with less than two minutes left. The fifth completed a two-point conversion.
Through it all, Stafford didn’t look like a freshman.
He barely looked like a college player.
“He was calm — he’s always calm,” tailback Kregg Lumpkin said. “At the start of that drive, he said, ‘This is our drive. We have to get in the end zone now.’ And that’s what we did.”
Georgia won, 15-12. But what happened Saturday in Athens wasn’t the result of one team thoroughly outplaying the other, as much as it was one quarterback thriving in pressure situations.
Stafford faced Tech’s blitzing defense all day but often responded with screen passes, frequently getting leveled just before releasing the ball. Quote: “That’s all right. It’s part of the game.”
With Georgia trailing 12-7, Stafford didn’t look like a guy trying to engineer a game-winning drive. He looked like he was taking a stroll on the beach. On the first play from the Dogs’ 36, he completed a 14-yard pass to Kenneth Harris. On the second play, he had a pump fake and then tossed a 10-yarder to Mohamed Massaquoi at the Tech 40.
The Dogs ran the next six plays with Danny Ware and Lumpkin, then faced a third-and-6 from the Tech 11. Stafford? He threaded a pass between two defenders to Massaquoi at the 4.
Two runs netted 0 yards, setting up another third down. Stafford? He sat in the pocket while Massaquoi got open in the end zone and fired on target for the touchdown and a 13-12 lead. The two then hooked up for a two-point conversion. Of course.
In the postgame, Stafford said everything he was supposed to. He credited his offensive line, his receivers, his running backs, his coaches. But his most comforting words for a Georgia fan came when he was asked about being in the huddle with the game on the line.
“Absolutely,” he said. “That’s what you dream of if you’re a competitor, especially at quarterback. You get the ball every play. You’ve got to want it at the end, and it’s something I do want.”
Stafford laughed when reminded he didn’t throw an interception for the second straight game after throwing eight in the previous three. “Yeah, it’s unexpected for me,” he said, smiling. “But that’s the way it should be. That’s the way you’re supposed to play here.”
But that’s not the way an 18-year-old generally plays. Georgia Tech defensive tackle Joe Anoai commented afterward, “He didn’t play like a freshman.”
Jackets linebacker Gary Guyton added in perfect understatement: “I told him after the game he’s going to be all right.”
It was about the quarterback Saturday. In close games, rivalry games, it’s always about the quarterback. One won it. One lost it. Stafford threw for 171 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers. Tech’s Ball threw for only 42 yards on 6-of-22 passing with no touchdowns and three turnovers.
This has not been a great season by Georgia standards, just a strange win. Consecutive wins over Auburn and Tech followed a stretch of four losses in five games. The Dogs lost to Vanderbilt and Kentucky. They watched Tennessee score 37 second-half points on their home field. There will be no BCS bowl, no SEC title game, no Sugar on their tongue.
But we now know they have a quarterback who treats pressure situations like his own personal playground. And if you want to know how special that is, ask Georgia Tech.
Permalink | Comments (48) | Categories: Jeff Schultz, UGA / SEC




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Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By JOHN
November 25, 2006 11:08 PM | Link to this
REGGIE! REGGIE! It sure was fun yelling at such a pathetic excuse for a QB.
By Buck Cochran in the NW
November 25, 2006 11:21 PM | Link to this
“My Boy”, Matthew Stafford has rewared me with his way of play. I’ve backed him all the way on these blogs and some people have said some not very nice things, but from the “GitGo”, if you didn’t see that he was some kind of special then you don’t know much about FB. I was wrong today because I said he would throw 2 TDs and he only hit one but now I’m waiting for all those who wanted to take me on for backing Stafford to COME ON!! This may sound funny but IMO, the question will be, “does MR know what or how to handled such a talent. Great blog, Jeff.
By jim
November 25, 2006 11:26 PM | Link to this
Seems to me the only Johnson Reggie saw was Charles.
By 51-7 OR 15-12 (Discuss)
November 25, 2006 11:26 PM | Link to this
LOL! Who is Gary Guyton? Stafford wont remember, I’m sure.
I cant decide on which I enjoyed the most. While the 51-7 beatdown was great, GTU just took it like a …flagboy. 15-12 takes the cake for me as I got to see the geeks in Section 103 up-close get put in their place. They were CERTAIN after it was 12-7 that it was over with the Grand Master Tenuta calling the shots. LOL! I still cant stop laughing!
Alltel Stadium should be a riot with 30,000 empty seats! E-Bay has ACC Championship tickets for $15. Its kinda like the 4 pack Tech offers with tickets, parking, hot dogs and cokes for the family for $100.
I am going to miss Ole Reggie!
Thank you Coach Richt!
By A D F (A Dawg Fan)
November 25, 2006 11:29 PM | Link to this
It’s gonna be a GREAT next 3 years. Keep this kid healthy, and we’re set.
I said it after the Auburn game, and I’ll say it again:
Greene’s Tennessee game was Stafford’s Auburn game. The game where each came out of their shell and stepped up to the plate. The kid can pass like Greene and run almost as well as Shockley. Now we just gotta make sure his completion rate STAYS as high as it has been the past couple of games!
And a word to Stafford, in case he is reading this:
Kiddo, these next few years are gonna be a wild ride. If you keep winning, the Dawg nation will treat you like a god. Don’t let it get to your head. Stay safe, and stay sane. Remember… you’re a college FRESHMAN. You’ve still got a LOT of growing up to do off the field, even if we think you’re great on it.
By Chris McAndrew
November 25, 2006 11:43 PM | Link to this
I’ve said since before the season even started right here on these blogs that Stafford should be named the starter. Then after he was named I’ve always stuck with him through the learning curve. While some clowns on here have said Stafford should be taken out and replaced by Cox or even Joe T III…My reward has come in watching him over these past two games. A pathetic season just three weeks ago has turned into a wonderful look at the future. GO DAWGS!!
By dawgboy
November 26, 2006 12:10 AM | Link to this
“o where o-where ” are those those tech-termites now???? p.s.stafford has 3 more years!!p.s.s.at least you are thru with the “BALL” sincerely yours, your dawg “daddy”
By Doyle Hargraves
November 26, 2006 12:15 AM | Link to this
Jeff Shultz; how’s it feel to win the “dueling columns” contest against Terence Moore? Did you have a bet with him?
By Texas_Dawg
November 26, 2006 12:45 AM | Link to this
Should have given Stafford the job from Day 1 of Spring. Would have let him figure the puzzle out much earlier in the season and likely would have meant another 10-win season.
Oh well.
Give him the ball in the gun with 4 WRs and an RB option, and win SECCs and at least one MNC in the next 3 years.
It was that easy for Texas with VY. Ask people that saw a lot of both in Texas last year. Stafford will be the next VY.
By old dawg 55
November 26, 2006 12:47 AM | Link to this
Don’t have the luxury of TIVO or game film but I have to feel that the guys in the trenches..both offense and defense…did a fantastic job…and how about that defensive backfield! Who’s the guy that shaped our defense..oh, yeah, that would be Martinez wouldn’t it. Oh ye of little faith! Go Dawgs..on to the bowl!!
By Mark D
November 26, 2006 02:23 AM | Link to this
We saw Stafford while living in Highland Park, where he won the state championship. He was a heck of a player then. I just hope he beats whiny Meyer and slimy Tuberville at least 6 times in the next 3 years.
By Thomas
November 26, 2006 04:24 AM | Link to this
Soooooo, do you think Richt was a clown for naming the Joe T III the starter? Did I miss something or did Joe T miss 4 games before being healthy “enough” to play against Tennessee? And, as I recall, the offense played well and it was the D that gave up 4 fourth quarter TDs and the game? And, if Stafford was not pulled against Colorado and Joe Cox put in, we have another loss on the record. Look, spin it however you want, Stafford was not ready this year and his interceptions and inconsistent play prove it. He, and we, would have been better off if Richt had redshirted him. If Joe T III had been the starter and Joe Cox had been the backup, maybe we would be talking about how the switch went on with Joe Cox against UT? Yeah, he looked like crap against Ole Miss but so did Stafford. Moreover, Stafford had been practicing with the first team since the USC game, Joe Cox stopped from summer drills until Colorado. And, in his one week with the first team prior to Ole Miss, he split time with Stafford.
Stafford is making better decisions, he knows more of the playbook which has made the O-line and receivers look as if they are playing better.
I am encouraged by what I see of Stafford for the future. If he takes this into the bowl practice season, spring practice, voluntary summer drills and then pre-season practice, he could become very good.
But, to declare anyone who supported Cox or Joe T III based on two games - in which Stafford still had 4 turnovers, is absurd. Also, give credit where credit is due. The Defense won these games.
By Buck Cochran in the NW
November 26, 2006 05:58 AM | Link to this
Thomas, your points stated show us that you’re one of those that didn’t want to see the true freshman excell. The problem was that MR didn’t stick with him. Defense? Do you remember when Stafford threw his last int. in the Ky. game? What were the circumstances that led up to it. When you remember and come back because there was a lesson to be learned there.
By NCDawg
November 26, 2006 06:39 AM | Link to this
Great game Dawgs! We hear the woofing all the way up here in Greensboro, NC. Keep on motoring.
By ralph the dawg
November 26, 2006 06:43 AM | Link to this
the uga defense was terrible in the second half of the tenn. game. Part of that blame though goes to JT3 b/c JT3 was terrible in the second half of the tenn. game. turnovers kept giving tenn. momentum and good field position and the lack of JT3 production kept putting the defense on a short field and always out on the field wearing them down and making the D tired. No, the D did not play great and Willie did not game plan well or make good adjustments. BUt you have to be an intelligent fan when you say the D did not play well. You have to look at how the lack of offensive production and offensive turnovers impacted the score and the performance of the D.
CMR did a great job salvaging a lost season. The funny thing about this season is that they were this close to being undefeated and that they were also this close to being 4-8. But at least we are 8-4 with a chance to finish 9-4. after vandy and tucky we all thought for sure we were doomed to suffer a 6-6 season.
Here is a little advice though CMR (not that i really think you give 2 flips what i say or that you should ever care waht i say): If you have two QBs, that means you have no QBs. If youhave 3 or 4 QBs, you definitely have no Qbs. If you have 3 RBs, you have no RBs. You would have been better off just picking stafford from day one and then switching lump and brown in and out of the game with lump getting 20-25 carries a game and then brown getting 10 touches a game receiving and rushing combined. if ware was not happy with that, then oh well. but you can not alternate 3 rbs at the same time. RBs like Lump and Ware to me are like how Rodney Hampton was in his bigger, fatter professional days with the Giants, he would look like crap for the first 10-15 carries of the game but then if he was allowed to keep pounding it 25-30 times, he would end up with 150 yards rushing in the game with about 100 of those yards coming on his last 10-15 carries because he was a big back who would wear the defense down at the end of games. So I think you have to use lump and ware in the same manner.
Here should be the RB lineup for next few seasons:
2007: 1. Lump (20-25) ; 2. Ware (10-15); 3. Moreno (1-5); 4. Brown (medical redshirt); 5. Caleb King (redshirt)
2008: 1. Moreno (20-25); 2. Brown (10-15); 3. Caleb King (1-5)
2009: Decide who is better between Moreno and King and you have to pick one to be the workhorse who pounds the ball 20-25x a game and the other gets it 10-15 times per game. Choose who the pounder is going to be and give him the most carries and then decide who is going to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee and give them 10-15 touches. Don’t make the same mistake you did this year and last year where the QB and RB roles are not defined.
By ralph the dawg
November 26, 2006 07:51 AM | Link to this
You pathetic losers. You are talking about college kids. Reggie is a college kid. How would you feel if when you were a college kid in your late teens and early twenties, and you, your son, your cousin, your nephew, your grandson, your brother, your friend, your neighbor, the guy you go to church with on sundays had to be constantly attacked and criticized by a bunch of creepy old alumni, spoiled brat undergrads, and jackass UGA fans all over a stupid football game that is played by a bunch of college kids. It is not right. I care about the dawgs as much as anyone but college football is college football. If he was being paid $130 million like Vick in the pros, then hell go for it. He is just a stupid college kid just like I was a stupid college kid and the rest of you were stupid college kids.
I will say this about Reggie. That kid tried harder than pretty much every player in the NCAA over the past four years. He left every ounce of effort, blood, sweat, and tears out there on the field for you. Were those QB skills limited due to height issues, the fact that he has a decent but not strng arm, and the fact that he has speed but is not wicked fast and quick like Vick or Pat White? Yes! SHould he have been playing safety instead? Yes! Is it his fault that he was the starter for the last 4 years? No! He was recruited to play the position and his coach never found someone else to take it from him! That is the coaches’ fault, not reggie’s fault! He just did what he was asked to do and I have never seen another player care as much or try as hard as he did.
Does he have a chip on his shoulder? Hell yes he does. He is 5 foot 8 inches tall trying to play a tall man’s position. That is the only way he could ever somewhat be a QB. Look at Doug Flutie, another tiny guy who had the biggest chip on his shoulder for 25 years in college and the pros. That chip was so big that Flutie had to spend 10 years in exile in the CFL before the Bills brought him back to the NFL. I would not say that Ball’s chip on his shoulder is any bigger than Flutie’s ever was. Did it come out misguided and misdirected and angry at times? Yes! But was he under constant attack during his entire late teens and early twenties by creepy adults who like to attack young college teenagers? Yes! So how would you expect a stupid college kid to act when he is being perpetually hounded by creepy alumni and spoiled brat undergrads? We were all stupid, immature, and overemotional at that age and we all did and said things we regret.
I think that if Reggie had played for a better program or a better coach, the perception of him would have been much different. I compare him to the Newton dude up at South Carolina. Under Holtz and Spurrier, the newton guy was a coaches dream. He started games at QB, RB, WR, Safety, and played special teams. He excelled at times at all positions but was really a jack of all trades and a master of none. SO, i think that if Reggie had had a better coach who brought some other QB recruits in, Reggie could have been a change of pace, lightning in a bottle QB late in a game or a season like Newton was for a stretch this season, or he could have been a decent change of pace Dave Meggett like RB, a decent eric metcalf like WR, a hellcat on special teams, and probably a very good safety who would have ripped people’s heads off. SO, i think a big part of the problem with reggie was that Chan sucks and that Chan should have found other good QBs to play and then used Reggie in that jack of all trades role where he is just valued by the team and fans and alumni and undergrads as a good hard nosed football player who will do anything to help the team win. BUT Chan sucks so it was not meant to be.
Granted, Reggie’s comments after the game were regrettable and they do tick you off. But did you see him at the end of the game? Just by looking at Reggie Ball and his body language, no tech fan was more angry, embarrassed, humiliated by that performance than Reggie was. I mean he did not even walk over to give the little kissass obligatory handshakes with stafford, richt and the dawgs after the game because he was so disgusted with himself and his team for losing that game. Contrast that with MV7, who last week after that disgusting ravens loss was seen by all of us going over to other team, giggling, giving high fives, and just have a yuckfest and grand ole good time with Ed Reed and Mcnair. As a falcons fan, I wish we could take even half the competitiveness, heart, and desire out of reggie and combine that with the talent of Mr. Vick.
Do I understand how disappointed you all are yet again with reggie and the bugs? Of course. But please remember that kid may have been limited in ability but he gave you everything he had for 4 years.
Besides, bug fans, you have got to play in the conference championship game next week. Yes, your QB played bad. Do you not think that he and his family and friends are going to read this crap? How is all of this negativity going to help the confidence of your QB and team when you need him to be the difference maker or at least to play decent enough to allow CJ to be the difference maker next week?
Stop being so selfish. Rally around your QB. you only have two games left with him. Those two games however are important ones: ACC championship game against a terrible Wake Forest team and then the bowl game. You need him to play well. So stop the silly selfish woe is me, napoleon complex all you techies seem to love to have and rally around your team and QB.
By Big Dawg
November 26, 2006 08:02 AM | Link to this
Great Win a total team effort the last 2 weeks as Buck Cochran has stated all year, the future does indeed look bright with this kid Stafford. That last drive defines what a winner and leader this kid is. Even Willie Martinez redeemed himself with the way the defense played the last two weeks. Six in a row against GT how sweet is that. Go Dawgs
By TokyoDawg
November 26, 2006 08:09 AM | Link to this
Buck…you have been one of the strongest supporters for MS I have seen on here.
IMO, the great thing about Matt is he won two big ones. In our four (or 5 counting USC) biggest games, he went 2(3)-2. Give Vandy and UK their due, but the truth is we won’t be losing to them too often (as in almost never). Greene was 2-2(3 counting USC) in the big rival games his freshman year. The learning curve is there. The hope for the Dawg nation is that Stafford’s arm looks much better than Greene (no disrespect to NCAA’S all-time win leader). The future is in good hands.
Thomas…you sound like a stubborn old man. I respect JT3 as anybody, and will not talk badly about him. MS, however, was the right choice.
By beachside bulldawg
November 26, 2006 08:10 AM | Link to this
Easy on the coffee Ralph. That piece was like trying to explain why you did that to her while she was passed out!
I feel bad for the teams we beat…sometines, but these technicals and their mythical GT Boss mentality get what they deserve nearly every season.
I’m just glad they plan to add seats to their stadium si I can see the Dawgs every other year in Atlanta.
By Buck Cochran in the NW
November 26, 2006 08:10 AM | Link to this
Ralph the Dawg, what TOs are you talking about. We had one fumble and no int’s. With Stafford as our QB, the days of running the ball like we have in the past is gone and yesterday proved that with him at QB we don’t need it. On the scoring drive that gave us the lead, he completed 5 passes, 3 for 1st dns., 1 for a TD and 1 for a 2 pt. conversion. Running the ball just put more pressure on Stafford but that doesn’t bother him. It was running the ball that caused us problems. With an arm like Stafford and his ability to make plays we don’t need to pound the ball play after play.
By UGA V
November 26, 2006 09:00 AM | Link to this
Ralph the Dawg: Do you wear white and gold underwear?
By Matt Stafford's Girlfriend
November 26, 2006 09:17 AM | Link to this
buck cochran, we get the point. you are the king of i told you so. you were not the only believer in matt. why exactly are you acting like you personally evaluated stafford and told CMR to recruit him when the whole world had him evaluated as one of the top 3 QBs coming out of high school last year. very strange. I know you are beaming this morning like you gave birth to him but you have to got to get over yourself already. if it makes you feel any better, i am giving you a big pat on the back right now. now, you have got to ease up on your little man crush on my 18 year old boyfriend. he already has a girlfriend, he is not interested in playing Buck and Chuck, Suck&Fruck with you. BUT please feel free to go play Hank & Frank, Spank & Yank with another fella if you please.
By gwadgib
November 26, 2006 09:27 AM | Link to this
It was nice to see Reggie Ball walk off the field after the game and not worry about shaking anyones hand.
By Dan the Dawg Fan
November 26, 2006 09:48 AM | Link to this
Hey Ralph the Yellow Jacket! You’re an idiot!
GO DAWGS SIC EM!! WOOF WOOF WOOF!!!
By ralph the dawg
November 26, 2006 09:52 AM | Link to this
I was talking about the tennessee game Buck. Where 3 Ints and 1 fumble really screwed up that game and repeatedly put the D in a horrible spot
UGA V, I actually go commando and do not wear underwear. But, then again, why you asking sugar?
By UGA BABY!!!!
November 26, 2006 09:56 AM | Link to this
*If Richt would have made Stafford the starter in spring the Dawgs would be playing for the national championship right now. Clearly he’s probably going to be one of the best quarterbacks ever to play the game. Hopefully he’ll stick around for his senior year so we can rack up three rings. *
By luvthejackets
November 26, 2006 09:58 AM | Link to this
Great win dawg fans. Congrats. I really thought both defenses played a great game and Matt Stafford looked great down the stretch. Reggie Ball on the other hand looked horrible. I was so disappointed with him. He had played fairly well this season with the exception of the Clemson game and I really thought he had a shot against UGA this year. Lesson learned. You guys still own him. I have never been so happy to see a guy graduate. Good luck in the Chik-fil-a Bowl against Va Tech
By ralph the dog
November 26, 2006 10:02 AM | Link to this
dan, dan the man who correctly called himself a dawg fan, you said: GO DAWGS SIC EM!! WOOF WOOF WOOF!!!
and i’m the idiot?!?!?!?
i noticed you labeled yourself a dawg fan but not an alumnus like myself. you are a redneck piece of trash. UGA does not need necks like you to root us on. We have enough alumni and undergrads to sustain the fan base. Tech on the other hand can use the support of necks like yourself. So go scurry over there and support them and stop being such a bandwagon jumping front running johnny come lately. GO DAWGS!! SIC EM!! WOOF WOOF WOOF!!! lol! what a retard you are
By jon lanz
November 26, 2006 10:13 AM | Link to this
Tech fans, GO TO HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By VABirdDawg
November 26, 2006 10:18 AM | Link to this
It is nice to be a Bulldawg with the future we are looking at. As long as we can fill the holes on the lines next year should be another 10 win season, and 2008 we will truly be in the hunt for the National Championship. Lets whup another ACC team in the Dome and then get on the recruiting trail. GO DAWGS!
By Geoff
November 26, 2006 10:51 AM | Link to this
Could someone post the link for the online petition to grant Reggie a 5th year of eligibility? Thanks in advance.
By MoDawg
November 26, 2006 11:02 AM | Link to this
Ralph, your post made me want to ralph. Take a deep breath……..exhale…..there. Doesn’t that feel better? If not, then watch the replay of that last drive directed by the 18 year-old……capped by that pump fake to draw the safety as MoMass spun open and Stafford soft-tossed it right to him….now that makes me feel good!!
By doggonegadawg
November 26, 2006 12:20 PM | Link to this
What I like about GT is visiting the Varsity in Atlanta while wearing the Red & Black with impunity.
By Buck Cochran in the NW
November 26, 2006 12:41 PM | Link to this
to Matthew Staffords girl friend, with a mouth like that, you’re just his wanabe! Yesterday proved to me that the answer to the question is Yes!!! Question: does Ga. need a full time “OC”?
By columbiadawg
November 26, 2006 01:15 PM | Link to this
Maybe it’s the ACC that doesn’t deserve automatic BCS bids. There will be less people at the ACC Championship game than at the Ole Mis-Miss State game. Note to big time high school recruits: if you dream of playing on Sundays, you better play in as SEC town on Saturdays, cuz the ACC’s gonna lose it’s TV contracts if it gets any more pathetic.
By fech tech
November 26, 2006 01:37 PM | Link to this
Ralph…get a life.
By BirdDawg
November 26, 2006 02:14 PM | Link to this
I love you, Buck, but who was the one saying that Stafford should be starting since April?
I remember back then, you weren’t too sure.
And I remember back then, and the months following, the blind loyalists like Altamaha, Hunk er Down, SoCal, and the rest were merciless about my conviction that a legacy like JoeT had absolutely no business starting for a program like Georgia.
I studied the games. I studied the QBs. I said over and over and over again that JoeT didn’t have the arm strength, the presence in the pocket, and the talent to play.
And I was ridiculed.
So, I think I deserve a little of the I told you so action you’re getting.
So where are you, you bunch of blind loyalists? Where are you Altamaha? Hunk? SoCal?
I was right. Stafford should have been the starter from day 1. As I said back in the Spring: If a true freshman QB is the equal (or better) of a redshirt senior and a red shirt freshman, then you play the freaking freshman because he has more upside. JoeT brought nothing to this team, and that was apparant against Western Kentucky. Hell, it was apparant in the Spring Game when I said it was so.
By Lane4411
November 26, 2006 03:34 PM | Link to this
The calls for MR, hiring and OC is not realistic, at this point. MR, does 2 things very well: A-Develops QBs B- Builds offenses around the QB. Bobo, has learned more about the QB position and offenses since being with MR, than he had in his entire career. He probably is 2/3 years away from understanding the offense, the way MR. requires.
Look @ MR’s record at FSU in offensive production and the # of QB’s that have graduated to the pro level. 2 Heisman winners and 1 runner up. Brad Johnson, MR’s brother in-law, never started. Just about every QB(7 or 8) who has played for MR, has gone to the next level. The exception was Charley Ward, who went to the NBA. This guy is right up there with Spurrier and Weis. Also, MR’s preference is not to play true freshman because of the potential impact on their psyche. The offense will go full throttle next year, with no holding back-if the OL holds up. Think back to the LSU game last year, was anyone questioning the play calling that evening-think not-LSU was burned early and often.
Initially last year I was not sold on DJ, because of his “happy feet”, in earlier performances. Indication of what happens when a player spends time with MR. At the end of the year was much further along than Greene.
By Sean
November 26, 2006 05:15 PM | Link to this
It’s GREAT TO BE A GEORGIA BULLDOG!!! I went to the Spring Game last year and I remember thinking Stafford was special after the TD he threw on his first play. And reguardless of it all he is special. I just can’t wait to watch him play for three more years. And I have said it for two years now, there was no way that Reggie Ball could beat UGA, just ain’t gonna happen.
By St Louis_bulldog
November 26, 2006 05:47 PM | Link to this
I have to agree with Bird Dawg on this one Buck. You should stop the plaguarism. Bird Dawg along with a few others like bulldog_greg24 were calling for Stafford to play before the first game. Stop trying to steal Bird Dawgs thunder. Bird Dawg you deserve the I told you so pat on the back more than Buck. I still think Martinez sucks as a coach. I am still very embarrassed by our play against Vandy and KY. What could have been if CMR had played the kid all season? He set UGA back 2 games by playing JoeT. No way we lose to KY if Stafford played all year.
By Nail29
November 26, 2006 05:47 PM | Link to this
Yowee!! I am going crazy. My GT friends have been telling me how it was their year. I love it.
Richt, the junk yard dawgs, the whole offense led by the “confused freshman QB” are dynamite!!
Now that it is over the truth can finally come out - R. Ball is a UGA mole - yep, you heard it here first. We have been paying him for four years. We are sneaky! Tony Taylor is terrific!
I am now recruiting our next mole. Lots of luck bumblybees!
By ralph is an idiot
November 26, 2006 05:48 PM | Link to this
Ralph,
You’re an f*9ng idiot; UGA doesn’t need fans like you. Look at all the negative posts against you and shut the F up!!!
By Ralph the A**wipe
November 26, 2006 05:50 PM | Link to this
Ralph,
You’re an A hole. UGA doen’t need or want “fans” like you. Just look at all the negative posts agains you and shut your F*ing fat mouth.
By Buck Cochran in the NW
November 26, 2006 06:19 PM | Link to this
Bird Dawg, my man, you have me mixed up with someone else. I’ve said since he got on campus and before spring trainning and right afterwards that he should be the one. That’s when Bull DAWG started hollering at me, cussing me and you name it. In a fire back at him was when I said “early and often”. I also said that people didn’t realize that coaching Stafford was a learning time for MR because he’d never had a freshman with that much talent. Today, I feel like the yanking Stafford back and forth was a reflection of MR and his learning curve. This is a special case where that old curve worked both ways.
By SunDawg
November 26, 2006 06:23 PM | Link to this
Ralph the Dog, I knew Doug Flutie; Doug Flutie was a friend of mine; Reggie Ball is no Doug Flutie!
[Surprised none of you other bloggers hadn’t come up with that already; slackers!]
I’ll just sit here and monitor the blog while some of you fight over who saw Matt’s potential first. As King Arthur said of Camelot,”It’s a silly place.”
By Big Dawg
November 26, 2006 06:59 PM | Link to this
Buck, Birddawg, greg24 you all deserve a big pat on the back. When the light went on with this kid is when the team began to improve. The Kentucky loss was a big wakeup for this team, including the coaches as they played with fire in their bellies the last two games. I just hope they continue to build on this and go out and beat whomever they play in the bowl game. The future does indeed look a whole lot brighter with such a talented and composed leader and winner that Matthew Stafford has become.
By Soreheaded Dawg
November 26, 2006 07:22 PM | Link to this
My brother “Tech Fan” asked me what I wanted for X-MAS earlier today when we were discussing the game. My reply was “I think one more Reggie Ball Fumble would be perfect”. Go Dawgs!!
By Robert Jeffries
November 26, 2006 10:54 PM | Link to this
Like Auburn, Georgia Tech, discovered Stafford is for real. I thought the defenses for both teacms also played a very good game. Georgia’ other players, for the most part, also played a very good game also. I was a little disappointed in the play of the special team, but Georgia won anyway. Stafford is still a fresh-man and is still learning. As he showed during the games’ last drive, he did learn enough to get the touchdown, which was needed. Stafford has never played in a bowl game and he will be learning more about the other team, but I wouldn’t bet 1 penny that he won’t figure them out and win the next game also.