UGA blog finds new home
Morning all. As I’ve said a couple of times this week, we’re converting this blog over to a WordPress platform and it will be a permanent move the first of next week.
Those of you who are regulars probably know that I’m not what you’d call techno-wizard when it comes to these things. But from what I understand the technology offered in this new format should make the blogging and commenting experience better for all. Of course, I’ll be learning as we go along, too. But I’m hoping to provide more pictures and video and things like that which should bring the blog more to life.
Of course, this blog is nothing without all you guys so I want to heartily invite (read: beg) you to come over to the new site by CLICKING HERE ON THE NEW ADDRESS and save it in your browsers. As of Monday, Feb. 23rd, this will be the permanent home of the UGA blog you so love or, in the case of some of you, love to loathe. If you’d prefer to copy and paste or just memorize, the new address is: http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/.
See at the new place!
AJC > Sports > UGA > Blog > Archives > 2007 > October
October 2007
Can/should Moreno continue to carry such a load?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia tailback Knowshon Moreno has carried the football 61 times for 345 yards in the last two games and, as everybody has seen, has looked quite good doing it. The real question now is how the Bulldogs handle him going forward.
Coach Mark Richt has made it very clear that his preference is to rotate tailbacks to keep them fresh and protect them against injuries. But with Thomas Brown and Kregg Lumpkin out the Bulldogs haven’t had that luxury. Meanwhile, Moreno has been more than happy to carry the load and the Bulldogs definitely have benefited from it.
But indications are that Richt won’t continue to heap such a workload on his young back from New Jersey. Even though Moreno said he could have played another whole game after the Florida contest, Richt is already offering qualifiers as to how much they’ll be depending on Moreno in the near future.
Asked if Moreno would continue get 30 or touches per game, Richt said this week: “Jason Johnson right now is a solid No. 2 and I would predict that he will get a few more carries. If we get the same amount [of carries] overall this week, Knowshon will probably get a little less than he got. Thirty-five [touches] a game … I don’t know if that’d be too wise.”
And, lest we forget, Brown is not long from coming back. Richt wasn’t asked about it directly but, again, his comments indicate they’ll return to a two-back rotation if and when Brown does return.
“I didn’t see that many carries [for Moreno] with Thomas Brown around,” Richt said. “Thomas Brown is a pretty good runner, too. I think Thomas’ average per carry [5.4 yards] is higher than Knowshon’s [5.3]. But with Thomas hurt and Lumpkin hurt, Knowshon is going to get the great majority of it. It’s going to be interesting to see how long he can sustain that level of energy.”
Indeed it will. So where do y’all stand on this? Based on what you’ve seen, do you think the Dogs should continue to give Moreno the rock ‘til he just can’t carry it anymore? Should that be the game plan versus Troy? And what about when Brown comes back, currently thought to be next week against Auburn? Should Georgia automatically return to splitting carries between the two backs or ease Brown back into the rotation?
Got a little piece running tomorrow talking to former and current players and coaches about Moreno and what their impressions are of him. So be sure to check it out later on the website. I’ll be checking in to answer your questions.
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Dogs best be motivated for Troy, too
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia doesn’t have a chance against Troy on Saturday.
OK, that might be a bit of a stretch but, after listening to coach Mark Richt at his weekly press conference on Tuesday, you’d think the Bulldogs were going to be a two-touchdown underdog this week. Never mind that Georgia will be playing a non-conference game sandwiched between two bitter SEC rivals. The Trojans, as Richt pointed out with meticulous detail, feature SEC caliber athletes, including 25 players from Georgia. They beat Oklahoma State worse than Georgia did — the final score was 41-23 but the Trojans were ahead 41-7 at one point — and their only two losses were to SEC opponents (Arkansas 46-26 and Florida 59-31 in the first two games of the season).
“Troy is a game you just kind of wish wasn’t on your schedule to be honest with you,” Richt said. “They’re a very talented team, a team that won their league [Sun Belt conference] last year and one that’s on their way to winning it this year. They’re undefeated in league play. They haven’t scored less than 24 points in a game and they just had a shutout last week. We better be ready to play.”
Part of being a good coach is the ability identify the strengths in an opponent and making sure that your team fully respects them. Vince Dooley was always the best at that, once famously pointing out that a dreadful Oregon State team due to visit Sanford Stadium that weak had “the best onsides kicking team in the country.”
This, however, is no smoke screen being sent up by Richt. The Trojans are the real deal and, as such, are real dangerous. They will provide an intriguing test for Georgia coming on the heels of a game against Florida in which Richt was so concerned about his team playing with enough fire and passion that he ordered the players to get a celebration penalty after the first score.
Georgia players interviewed at Stegeman Coliseum on Tuesday said Richt got his point across and such tactics won’t be necessary the rest of the year. But, at the same time, quarterback Matthew Stafford admitted “you can’t have the same excitement 12 weeks in a row.”
Georgia may get a break. There’s a good chance Troy will play without their slightly-injured starting quarterback Omar Haugabook. He has a pulled hamstring but the Trojans are actually more concerned about their remaining Sun Belt games than they are about upsetting the Bulldogs. And they’re also without defensive end Brandon Lang. The former Tucker High star and one-time Georgia signee tore his ACL against Oklahoma State in the third game and will miss the game.
So are you buying what Richt is selling, that Troy is the real deal and a real threat on Saturday. And how about the motivation angle? Is it unrealistic to expect the Bulldogs to be fired up for this game? Do you expect it to even matter?
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Expect some action from SEC over celebration
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Let me first say that I was hesitant to broach again the topic of Georgia’s first-touchdown celebration from this past Saturday’s game. I didn’t want to fan the flames of controversy more than they are already and, to be honest with you, I think too much has been made of it as it is.
But it is obviously a hot topic on which a lot of people have varied opinions and, I can just about guarantee you this: Something is going to come of it. This is, after all, the same Southeastern Conference that wouldn’t let South Carolina go to a bowl game because of its brawl with Clemson and has fined Kentucky well over a half-million dollars for its various on-field celebrations the last couple of seasons. And I can promise you Florida AD Jeremy Foley was in the ear of SEC commissioner Mike Slive before the Gators got out of Jacksonville city limits.
For the record, here’s where I stand on the Bulldogs’ actions this past Saturday. I thought it was brilliant on Mark Richt’s part not from a motivational standpoint but from a psychological standpoint. Because he put this idea in his players’ head two weeks before the fact, all they thought about was getting into the end zone so they could execute their plan. What they were NOT thinking about was whatever voodoo powers Florida has had over them to win 15 of the last 17 games and quite a few lately when the Gators haven’t been the better team that season.
And for me the outrage of it had nothing to do with disrespecting Florida or not. I never thought that was the issue. The issue for me was the punitive penalties. Never mind kicking off from your own 7-yard line. Has anybody besides me stopped to think that if the video review had determined that Knowshon Moreno had NOT broken the plane of the goal line, the Bulldogs would have been facing third-and-goal from the 31-yard line? Or worse, Moreno dropped the ball when he was yanked down. What if that had been ruled a fumble and the Gators take over at the 1 or 2? Think about the heat Richt would have taken then.
Fortunately for Richt and the Bulldogs, none of that happened and they won the game. If nothing else I’d expect at least a verbal reprimand of Richt and/or Georgia and probably a new rule preventing players from leaving the sideline to celebrate with their on-field teammates. In the end, though, Richt got what he wanted — inspired play from his team and a victory.
But that’s just me. What do y’all think?
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I saw this coming all along.
Just kidding, but Georgia’s 42-30 win over Florida on Saturday was solid and quite reminiscent of the one’s the Bulldogs used to put on the Gators routinely in the 1970s and 1980s.
Knowshon Moreno had 188 yards rushing and three touchdowns and Matthew Stafford threw two long touchdown passes to Mohamed Massaquoi and Mikey Henderson as the Bulldogs beat Florida for the first time since 2004, only the second time in seven years under Mark Richt and for just the third time in the last 18 meetings.
This was not flukey either. The Dogs were clearly highly motivated for this one. And for good reason. Suddenly they’re back in the thick of the SEC race.
As Larry Munson once said, “there’s going to be some property destroyed tonight!”
What do y’all think about it?
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I saw this coming all along
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just kidding, but Georgia’s 42-30 win over Florida on Saturday was solid and quite reminiscent of the ones the Bulldogs used to put on the Gators routinely in the 1970s and 1980s.
Knowshon Moreno had 188 yards rushing and three touchdowns and Matthew Stafford threw two long touchdown passes to Mohamed Massaquoi and Mikey Henderson as the Bulldogs beat Florida for the first time since 2004, only the second time in seven years under Mark Richt and for just the third time in the last 18 meetings.
This was not flukey either. The Dogs were clearly highly motivated for this one. And for good reason. Suddenly they’re back in the thick of the SEC race.
As Larry Munson once said, “there’s going to be some property destroyed tonight!”
What do y’all think about it?
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Should Dogs play Caleb King?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There is only one unanswered question left for the Bulldogs as they get set to tee it up in Jacksonville tomorrow — well, besides whether they can beat Florida for just the second time in seven years under coach Mark Richt — and that’s whether or not they’ll play Caleb King. As of today Georgia is saying it will be a “game-time decision.”
I know we visited that topic earlier this week but much has changed since the possibility was first broached. When Richt first revealed that King was indeed practicing with the varsity and would make the trip to Jacksonville, we didn’t know that Thomas Brown could be out until the Auburn game or possibly longer. Kregg Lumpkin is, of course, out at least until a bowl game. That changes things.
Any further discussion about King needs to be prefaced with this: None of us knows for sure how good he is or will be on the college level. Like most of you, I’ve seen his high school stats, I saw parts of a few of his games in high school and some very impressive highlight videos from YouTube and a couple of the recruiting sites. But here I must add that some of the most impressive highlights I’ve ever seen were to ones on Jasper Sanks. He wasn’t a total bust in college but he also wasn’t anywhere close to what everybody predicted he would be. And I can say that about almost every “five-star” recruit I’ve seen in recent years. So I’m skeptical.
From the outset I’ve been of the mindset that you redshirt every player you possibly can that can’t make a major immediate impact. It’s just smart business, in my opinion. And with two proven veterans and a dynamic redshirt freshman ahead of him in the Georgia backfield I didn’t think there was any need to consider anything other than redshirting King. I thought it an excellent way to help ease the transition and take away any pressure he have felt from a rabid and sometimes unrealistic fan base.
But now those three tailbacks have been reduced to one for at least a couple more weeks and Georgia is at an extremely critical juncture in its season. I have no doubts in the abilities of Knowshon Moreno because I’ve seen it for myself and I’m convinced he’s a special player. As he proved against Vanderbilt he’s capable of assuming a workhorse role and getting upward of 30 touches a game and doing a lot with them. That said, however, he can’t play every offensive play.
I still believe using Jason Johnson and others to spell Moreno is the best option. Other than Kalvin Daniels, they’re all scholarship players, which means the Georgia coaches must believe they’re capable of competing on this level. And I don’t think the Dogs would need to use them much anyway. The real dilemma to me comes if Moreno were to go down with any sort of injury, even temporarily. Again, that changes things a lot. Then the coaching staff — the only people with a very strong opinion with regard to King’s abilities — would have a difficult decision to make.
So my hypothesis is that running backs coach Tony Ball is just preparing King for that possibility but that they’ll try to get through with what they’ve got if everybody remains relatively healthy.
Am I wrong? Any of you guys seen or know enough about King to think I’m shortchanging him on his ability to make a major impact? Is six or seven games left in the season plenty enough time to consider pulling King’s redshirt?
Let’s hear what you think. Meanwhile, I can’t wait to get to Alltel Stadium and find out what the Dogs decide to do.
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‘85 Georgia-Florida memories still vivid
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Let’s talk about favorite memories from the Georgia-Florida game today. Or maybe not just favorite memories, but just memories period.
I’ve been coming to this game off-and-on since 1985. I’d have to say that first experience was the most poignant one for me and for a lot of reasons.
To start with, that was the first real road game I ever covered as a “sports reporter.” I use quotation marks there because I was still a student at the University of Georgia and working for the student newspaper, The Red and Black. Harry Montevideo, who remains general manager of the R&B, allotted another writer, a photographer and myself a whopping $25 apiece a day for lodging and meals. I can’t remember the name of the place we ended up staying but I remember it was a motel, had one floor and wasn’t anywhere near The Landing.
Anyway, Georgia was 6-1-1 going into that game and nobody was giving the Dogs much of a chance that day, myself included. Florida was undefeated, ranked No. 1 and led by quarterback Kerwin Bell, wide receiver Ricky Nattiel and running back Neal Anderson who had torched the Bulldogs the previous season.
Two things I remember vividly: The way the crowd was divided into quarters back then — or was it eighths — so it was blue-and-orange, then red-and-black and so on. And the smell of liquor. The Gator Bowl smelled like a giant sniffer of bourbon.
Well as everybody knows by now, a couple of freshmen named Keith Henderson and Tim Worley ripped off long TD runs — 76 and 89 yards respectively — and an until-then-little-known defensive end named Greg “Muddy” Waters made life miserable for Bell and company and Georgia won 24-3. That, of course, touched off a wild celebration by Dogs’ fans and I recall them jumping the fences and running onto the field to actually rip up Gator Bowl turf with their bare hands. Suffice it to say the whole experience left a lasting impression on me.
For you younger folks, that was the way it was back then. Everybody wondered what Georgia was going to do to break the Gators’ hearts every year. Times have changed a little I’d say.
That’s enough about my memories. Let’s hear about yours. What’s your favorite recollection of the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party? What about your worst? What’s the best place for Dogs’ fans to gather? What are some cool things to do?
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Dogs get rare open date before Florida
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’ve been working the last week or so on a story that is going to run in tomorrow’s paper on open dates, or bye weeks. It was a painstaking project that required me researching every SEC teams’ schedule since league expansion in 1992. I’ve uncovered some interesting factoids.
The impetus of the project was the fact that Georgia had an open date before the Florida game this year for the first time since 1991. Conversely, the Gators do NOT have a bye week before playing the Bulldogs for just the second time in the last 15 seasons.
Now when you’re beating somebody by 30 or more points as Florida was Georgia for much of the 1990s under Steve Spurrier, it’s hard to say having an extra week of rest and preparation could have made much of a difference for the Bulldogs. But it has been a very competitive game every year since 1999. In fact, Georgia’s last four losses to the Gators have been by a touchdown or less. Certainly it could have made a difference in those games.
So without giving away all the information in the story that should be up on the website later today let me just ask you guys what you think about that.
Did you realize Florida had the week off before Georgia in 13 of the last 14 seasons? Do you think that could have had any bearing on the outcomes of the games? Do you think Georgia should do everything in its power to see that it gets an open date before Florida every year or are you fine with where it traditionally falls, which is the week after Jacksonville and before playing Auburn (sometimes it gets an off week before playing Georgia Tech, too?
I’ve got to get back to finishing the story but I’ll be checking in to see what your questions and comments are. C-ya in the paper!
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Current players oblivious to streak
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Notes and observations from Georgia’s pre-Florida press conference Tuesday at Stegeman Coliseum:
It’s clear to me that the current players don’t give a rat’s behind about Florida’s recent streak of dominance in the series. Of course, the Gators have won 15 of the last 17 games between the two schools. But the Bulldogs themselves don’t pay attention to anything beyond the years in which they’ve been involved.
“Personally it doesn’t mean anything to me,” said junior fullback Brannan Southerland. “My memory is pretty short I guess you could say. We won my redshirt year. I didn’t play but I was there and my first memory of it is celebrating in the locker room with my teammates. The last two years were real close games either of which I think we could have won. So we know we can beat this team. We just have to make it happen.”
Said receiver Mohamed Massaquoi: “It’s one of those things you can’t ignore because we’re always hearing about it. So we know the streak is there but this year is this year and all the rest of it is history.”
Redshirt freshman tailback Knowshon Moreno knew nothing of the rivalry before coming to Georgia from New Jersey. He attended last year’s game and that’s the first time he was made aware of the streak. “I wouldn’t have believed it,” he said of Florida’s record the last 17 years. “But it’s really no big deal.”
Coach Mark Richt on Florida: “We’re playing the defending national champions, a team that could easily be ranked No. 1 right now if a couple of games go the other way.”
Richt on Tim Tebow: “We’re seeing what everybody else is seeing, a guy named Tebow who accounts for about 70, 75 percent of their offense (actually 73)… . We know he’s the key.”
Freshman Caleb King has been practicing with the varsity all week and will make the trip to Jacksonville, “just in case,” Richt said. Thomas Brown (collarbone), by the way, will NOT make the trip.
Marcus Washington (shoulder) will start at middle linebacker and Dannell Ellerbe will slide over to start at Will. As of yesterday Akeem Dent would be the starter at strongside linebacker instead of Brandon Miller but Richt said that could change by the end of the week.
Speaking of Washington, he had the quote of the day in my opinion. Speaking of Tebow, he said, “He has a dinged up shoulder. We’ll try to ding it up for him a little more.”
Questions? Comments?
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Is Tebow vs. Stafford even close?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s Georgia-Florida week. Can you believe it’s already here? Given the way the season got started, who would have thought this would actually be a meaningful game? Say what you will about who will be favored and who has the better team, etc. The two teams have the exact same record and it means the exact same to both, so that in itself makes it an intriguing matchup. CBS certainly thinks so.
Anyway, no sense in holding off on the good stuff for this week’s discussions. Let’s cut right to the chase: Who do you think is best quarterback, Florida’s Tim Tebow or Georgia’s Matthew Stafford? The two blue-chippers were ranked 1, 2 or 3 in the nation — remember Mitch Mustain? — coming out of high school depending on which Internet recruiting service you believe. How would you rank them now?
To make this discussion a little less cut-and-dry, let me add the stipulation of “not just now, but now and into the future.” In other words, who will have the biggest upside in the NFL as well.
I say that because Tebow is the obvious and easy pick for the here and now. Entering the eighth game of their sophomore seasons, Tebow has by far the better stats and quite clearly has been on a better team. As the No. 1 player in the nation in pass efficiency, he has proven he’s much more than a fullback playing quarterback. He’s has thrown often, he has thrown deep and he has thrown with incredible accuracy, none of which you can really say of Stafford.
However, I am of the opinion you have to take into account the team around these players and the systems the respective programs run. Would Stafford have similar numbers to Tebow if he were in the Gators’ system behind that line and surrounded by those athletes? Conversely, would Tebow be all the rage if he were piloting Georgia’s tailback-oriented system behind a shaky line featuring three freshmen?
I realize these are hypothetical and very subjective questions. But, come on, this is a blog! So let’s keep the discussion to Xs and Os and thoughtful observations and leave out the team fanaticism and see if we can find some kind of a consensus. By the way, www.secsports.com is conducting a poll this week on who fans think is the best quarterback in the SEC East — don’t forget, Erik Ainge is prettty darn good in his own right — so be sure to go over there and share your opinions.
For what it’s worth, Carter Strickland and I will be writing much more on Tebow versus Stafford this week. Let us know what else you’re interested in reading about before Saturday’s game in Jacksonville.
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SEC upsets giving Dogs a chance
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Don’t look now but Georgia is not out of this thing yet.
As is becoming increasingly evident with every passing Saturday the SEC is anybody’s to take this season, particularly in the East where the Bulldogs hang out.
As I’m sure most of you couch potatoes have already seen, South Carolina lost to Vanderbilt 17-6 today — what do you think of the Commodores now, Steve Spurrier? — and Tennessee went down in flames against Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The Dogs could not have asked for a better scenario.
Well, actually they could. Though ultimately the outcome won’t have much to do with them, Georgia would just as soon have Florida go ahead and beat Kentucky today (the Gators have scored 14 unanswered points to go ahead 14-7 in the second quarter at this writing). That would put Georgia, Florida and South Carolina in a three-way tie for the Eastern Division lead at 3-2.
Georgia would control its own destiny with Florida and Kentucky ahead on the schedule and needs some help with the Vols and South Carolina, which has the head-to-head on the Dogs. The Gamecocks are likely to lose again, either at Tennessee, at Arkansas or against Florida. UT needs to lose again against either the Gamecocks, Arkansas or Vanderbilt, all of whom they play in Knoxville, or at Kentucky in the season finale on Nov. 24.
Obviously a lot still has to happen and, ultimately, it all comes down to Georgia winning out the rest of this season. That’s remains quite the long shot if you ask me. Except for Troy, the Bulldogs might not be a favorite in another game the rest of the year. But the point is, after this weekend, everything is still possible Georgia. That’s one heck of a positive note to kick off the week. And as we’ve all seen this year, crazy things happen.
What do y’all think? Any way the Bulldogs pull this off?
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SEC stats say Dogs are mediocre
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I was perusing the SEC stats today and I found an interesting trend when it comes to Georgia. With a few exceptions the Bulldogs rank right about the middle of the conference in almost every statistical category.
In fact, Georgia leads the SEC in just two stats, though they’re both pretty good ones — net punting and red-zone offense.. Conversely, they’re not on the bottom rung in anything either. Unless I missed something, being 10th in kickoff returns si about as bad as it gets.
In everything else, Georgia tends to falls right in the middle, usually between fourth and seventh. That is the case in the most important categories such as scoring offense (7th), scoring defense (4th), passing offense (7th), passing defense (5th), rushing offense (7th), rushing defense (5th), total offense (7th), total defense (4th) and turnover margin (7th).
With seven games under their belt, the Bulldogs (5-2) head into the last third of their 2007 schedule, which of course will begin with Florida in Jacksonville next Saturday. With all that data to consider is there any other conclusion to draw than Georgia is a middle-of-the-road/mediocre team this season? Is there any reason to think the Dogs will slip up and beat the Gators for the first time since 2004?
And speaking of the Gators, I’m not a gambling man but if I were I think this is one of those times I’d bet the house on them rolling Kentucky this weekend. After that big win over LSU, I’m thinking the Cats finally woke up about Wednesday after and said to themselves, “Man, we’ve got Florida in here Saturday.”
What do you think is the best scenario for Georgia in that game, that the Gators roll or that the Gators go down? With the Dogs having the week off, the best they can hope for is a good, old fashioned knock-down-drag-out. But I don’t see anything that tells me that’s going to happen.
Let me hear what y’all think. Let’s light up the board today. Whatever’s on your mind, let’s talk about it.
Permalink | Comments (126) | Categories: Football
Is Moreno among Georgia’s best ever?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hey everybody. Sorry just getting around to this today. I’ve been “information gathering” all day and not in front of my computer (for a change).
Let’s talk about Knowshon Moreno. Obviously Georgia has a special one in this freshman tailback from New Jersey. At this point, Moreno has 619 yards rushing on 119 carries for a 5.2 yards per carry average. At that rate, he needs to average only 76 yards a game to break the 1,000-yard barrier, 63 a game if the Bulldogs go to a bowl game, which is not an absolute certainty at this juncture.
That puts Moreno in some pretty tall company among Georgia’s best freshman running backs of all time. Of course, you have to keep in mind that freshman weren’t eligible to play for 40 or 50 years of the Bulldogs 115-year history, so the best freshmen of all time tend to come from the modern era. And of course Herschel Walker is and always will be atop that list with his 1,616 yards (and 15 TDs) in 1980.
But if Moreno is able to stay healthy — and, at this point, Georgia’s season depends upon it — did you know he will become the only freshman besides Walker to go over 1,000 yards his freshman season? Rodney Hampton is currently second with 890 yards in 1987. A couple of Moreno’s teammates are also on that list as well as one that would be but is not longer here. What the heck, here’s the whole list:
1. Herschel Walker, 1980 — 1,616 yards (15 TDs)
2. Rodney Hampton, 890 — 890 (4)
3. Thomas Brown, 2004 — 875 (8)
4. Keith Henderson, 1985 — 731 (3)
5. Danny Ware, 2004 — 724 (4)
6. Garrison Hearst, 1990 — 717 (5)
7. Tim Worley, 1985 — 627 (9)
**8. Knowshon Moreno, 2007 — 622 (3)
9. Kregg Lumpkin, 2003 — 523 (6)
10. Hines Ward, 1994 — 425 (3)
As you can see, Moreno is on pace to run down some pretty elite backs and, if he does indeed manage to break 1,000 yards, will be only the second Georgia freshman ever to do it.
So does that make Moreno the second best Georgia back of all time in your opinion? If not him, then who? What would your top five Georgia backs of all time be?
At present, Moreno’s averaging about 17 carries a game. Of course, he had 28 totes when he gained 157 yards against Vanderbilt this past Saturday. Should that be the Dogs’ strategy from here on, just keep giving Moreno the rock? Do you think they should be careful to conserve Moreno’s health and have him continue to share carries with whomever is available to play? Or do you buy into CMR’s philosophy which is to always achieve offfensive balance?
It’s some fun food for thought. I’ll probably leave up this blog through tomorrow since I was so late in getting this one up today.
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Jumping for joy, other thoughts . .
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Random thoughts heading into the off week and preparations for Florida in Jacksonville:
• Just one man’s humble opinion, but I thought too much was made of Georgia’s players jumping on the Vanderbilt emblem at midfield, including the reaction of head coach Mark Richt.
I was feverishly typing on deadline at the moment it happened but I didn’t think anything of it other than Georgia’s players were excited about winning and jumping up and down and holding up their helmets in celebration. I didn’t actually witness Richt tossing players around but quickly heard about it from other folks.
Here’s the deal: When teams win, especially in the last seconds, their 18-to-21-year-old players jump up and down and around in celebratation. Everybody walks out to the middle of the field after every game. That happens to be where the home team’s insignia is.
For the most part I don’t think anybody’s trying to show anybody else up and that’s what the Bulldogs were saying afterward. And I think Richt is showing a little inconsistency on this issue. I can’t remember if it was Tennessee or Auburn or who but somebody beat them at home in the last year or two and the opponent’s players were jumping on the “G” at midfield at Sanford Stadium.
Richt was asked if he had a problem with that. He said, “no, they’re just excited about winning and they deserve to jump anywhere they like,” or something to that effect. I think the real hidden truth was Richt was disturbed his guys were so excited about beating Vanderbilt. The good news is the next time they play will be on a neutral field and, believe me, if Georgia wins, I don’t think Richt will have a problem with his players jumping on anything… .
• And on the subject of Vanderbilt, guys, this isn’t the Vandy we all know, in the same way Kentucky is not typical Kentucky this year.
I’ve had to explain this a few times since Saturday so I might as well air it out here and y’all can agree or disagree. College football, because of its transient nature, is a series of peaks and valleys. Every four or five years, every team is going to be pretty good.
At the moment, Vanderbilt and Kentucky are at or somewhere near the peak of their performance grid. The Bulldogs, by contrast, have been toward the bottom of theirs the last couple of years. But they’ll go back up and Vandy and Kentucky will go back down.
I was looking at the Commodores’ roster and there were a lot of juniors and seniors on there, many with redshirt years. Teams, no matter their history and tradition, can sign only sign 25 players a year and keep a maximum of 85. That means a lot of good players are going elsewhere every year.
Vandy had 20 Georgians on its roster, most of whom played significant roles. And regardless of pedigree, you take a player worthy enough to be offered a Division I, BCS conference-level scholarship, feed him training table, have him on a rigid workout regimen, teach him the playbook and coach him up every day for four or five years, then that guy is going to be better than the grand majority of four- and five-star recruits with two years or less experience.
From where I sit, Georgia’s pendulum is near the bottom of its swing but its about to be heading back up. And the Bulldogs’ valley gets you eight or nine wins. Vandy and Kentucky and their ilk can go as low as zero. Again, just one man’s opinion… .
• I’ve really had my heart tugged on over the weekend. I really admired Alec Kessler while I was covering the basketball team from 1988-90 and I actually knew his older brother Chad even better. Chad and I attended UGA at the same time, had a couple of classes together and actually studied with him a couple of times (it still irks me that we studied the same and he made an A and I, well, didn’t make an A).
But, sincerely, Alec was one of the most impressive individuals I’ve ever met and it’s just so sad he should die so young and to go the way he did with his wife and family and right there to see it. My heart goes out to them… .
• Then there was the news on Kregg Lumpkin, another super individual who had worked so hard for this, his senior season. Looks like he suffered a fairly serious knee injury and may be out for the year. Hopefully his NFL draft stock won’t bottom out and scouts will recognize his special abilities and solid character… .
• I don’t know about you but I don’t doubt for a minute Thomas Brown will make it back for the Florida game. I’ve learned to never doubt that kid… . And speaking of tailbacks, as Ft. Worth Dawg pointed out on the last blog, I wonder how Danny Ware is feeling about now? Dogs could use him and methinks he could use the Dogs. Anyway, say this for Danny: He may have a bright future as a talent scout himself because he certainly saw in Knowshon Moreno what we’re all seeing now.
That’s all for now. I’ll be checking back in.
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Coutu saves the day
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, Brandon Coutu finally got his game-winning field goal and Georgia finally got a win over an SEC Eastern Division opponent in 13 months. The Bulldogs had lost six in a row before beating Vanderbilt 20-17 here in Nashville Saturday night.
Pretty impressive finish. The Dogs’ shut out a team in the second half for the second time this season (Okla. State), Knowshon Moreno had 157 yards on 28 carries and Tripp Chandler had a couple of huge, clutch catches amid heavy contact.
So was this encouraging for you Bulldogs’ fans? Has it come down to this, fighting and clawing to beat Vanderbilt. Or does this give you hope for the trip down to Jacksonville in two weeks for those hated Gators?!
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Tough academic stance good or bad?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
BAM!
Just like that Georgia’s season was derailed. I’m not talking about the football team and the loss to Tennessee. I’m talking about the Bulldogs’ basketball team.
Coach Dennis Felton on Thursday suspended three players a total of 30 games in keeping with the athletic association’s new academic policy. And these weren’t just any players. Two of them are arguably the Dogs’ best players: Power forward Takais Brown, their leading scorer, and two-guard Mike Mercer, their second-leading scorer and most athletic player. Mercer’s gone for at least 15 games, Brown for nine and backup center Albert Jackson for six. That’s if they are not subjected to further discipline as a result of missing class and tutoring and advisement appointments.
Athletic director Damon Evans this past January enacted what may be the toughest academic policy around for an athletics department in response to the UGA having worst graduation rates among football and men’s basketball players in the SEC the last two years. Missing too much class or appointments these days will result in being suspended for 10 percent of games and that increases with the frequency of absenteeism. These three players are feeling the wrath of that policy and undoubtedly other players in other sports — including football — will continue to feel it for months and years to come.
I had planned to blog about the offense of Georgia’s football team today. Wanted to hear where you guys thought their emphasis should be the rest of the year — run or pass (or screen I guess) — in light of their struggles on the O-line and elsewhere this season. And all you football diehards are certainly welcomed to weigh in on that.
But in light of today’s breaking news regarding the men’s basketball team, we’ve got to talk about that. And remember, this has already affected the football team and surely will again.
Do you think Georgia’s policy is too tough or are they just doing what they have to do? And what about recruiting? Do you think it will have a negative impact when UGA is clearly saying we will not let you slack off academically and will suspend youo and fine you if you do? Or is it a positive Georgia can use against its many rivals?
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If not Dogs, then who in East?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Coach Mark Richt said Tuesday, “we’re not talking about the SEC race anymore. All we’re thinking about is beating Vanderbilt.” That is an understandable proclamation since winning the SEC East is next to impossible at this point.
No, South Carolina and Florida have the best chances of winning the division, followed by Tennessee and Kentucky. This is, of course, my opinion since there are still so many games to be played and so many scenarios to play out.
My question today is this: If not Georgia, then which team would you rather see represent the East in the SEC Championship Game? I know, I know, for many of you it’s like picking a way to die. But it makes for an interesting dilemma for the die-hard Dawg fan.
Would you rather see Steve Spurrier - aka “the Evil Genius” - lead South Carolina to its first division title? Or does it concern you what effect that might have on UGA’s overall program health? And we all know how much Georgia fans despise Florida. But would you rather see the already-established Gators return to the Georgia Dome than seeing another program get a lift from playing for the championship? Of course, a Dogs’ win in Jacksonville would most assuredly knock out Florida from contention.
Would it make you feel better about getting blown out by Tennessee if the Vols were to run the table and return to Atlanta? Or would lowly Kentucky finally getting something to roar about be easier to stomach?
Quite a quandary isn’t it? Now we all know that it is still a mathematical possibility for the Bulldogs to make it. But they’d have to run the table and get some help from South Carolina and Tennessee opponents along the way. Seen anything to make you think that might happen?
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Richt understands fans ‘being bummed’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s clear from the amount of - and tone of - commentary here the last couple of days that there is more than a little concern about Georgia’s football program, at least among the segment of Bulldogs’ fans who vocalize their thoughts in this forum.
At his weekly press luncheon on Tuesday, coach Mark Richt was asked what he thought about the level of consternation Georgia fans are exhibiting in the wake of last Saturday’s domination at the hands of Tennessee.
“That happens everywhere across the nation,” Richt said. “Tennessee thought the sky had already fallen and they did what they did to us. It’s natural for fans to get emotional. They care about their team. When we win, they get excited. When we lose, the get down in the dumps, some of them more than others. And I don’t blame them for being bummed out. That was a bummer of a game.”
Asked how he was personally dealing with all the criticism, Richt said: “There’s a real blessing in not reading papers and not watching TV and just staying focused on what’s important. That’s what we’re doing right now.”
Obviously, with Georgia where it is at this point in time and having lost to Vanderbilt in Athens just last season, to expect the Bulldogs to automatically get well against the Commodores isn’t very logical. But after hearing Richt talk about them, it’s evident how difficult a matchup this could actually be for Georgia.
The game, which will be nationally-televised on ESPN2, is already sold out in Nashville. Meanwhile, Vandy features 20 returning starters from the team that beat the Dogs last year.
“We’ve got a tremendous challenge,” Richt said. “Last year they came into our house and beat us and it was not a fluke. They came in and went toe-to-toe with us and came out with a victory. We made some mistakes in that game but, as I look back on it, they did, too.”
As promised, I posed some of your most prevalent reasonable questions to Richt. Here’s some of his answers:
Is he considering getting more involved with the offense again? “Not as far as calling the games. I give some input during the week. Game day, if I see something glaring that I really feel I need to say I’ll say it. But a lot of times someone else’s thought process or guess is as good as mine. If I see something I think may be helpful during a game I’ll say it. But I’m staying out of it pretty good.”
Does Matthew Stafford struggle with throwing accuracy? “I think he’s like a lot of guys: If he’s got a big fat pocket and a guy’s running free, he’ll zing it in there. He’s dealing with less than stellar protection and having to throw off balance and on the run and sooner than he’d like to. That will affect your accuracy.”
Comparing Stafford’s sophomore season to David Greene’s: “Well David was redshirted. And that particular year (2002) David had six senior offensive linemen in front of him, Musa Smith behind him and Reggie Brown and Fred [Gibson] outside. He was surrounded by a much more mature football team than Matthew is being surrounded by right now. Matthew’s days of that are to come. The next couple of years he’ll be surrounded bny a much more mature team. David benefited from that.”
Is defense’s play a concern? “It’s a concern. It’s always our number one goal to shut down the run and Vanderbilt is a team that runs. Even the quarterback runs. We need to do better playing at the right pad level. Got to make sure we fit into the scheme of things, everybody in gap. Then you’ve got to tackle. We’re tackling decent but we’re not knocking anybody back. If we could stop the yards after contact we’d do better at stopping the run.”
Any chance freshman Rennie Curran could start at linebacker? “If he didn’t have a concussion this week he would’ve been a strong candidate to start. I’m not going to say it was guaranteed he was going to start, but he was making a strong move in that direction.” He added that Curran should return to contact Wednesday and will play.
Will Demiko Goodman become a more integral part of the passing game: “I think so. I think he’s earned that.”
That’s all for now. I’ll share more when time allows.
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The problem: O-line, QB play or defense?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
OK, you’ve all had a couple of days to digest Tennessee’s utter domination of Georgia this past Saturday. I’m sure it doesn’t taste any better today but the sun did indeed come up on Sunday and Monday and, in fact, they were both beautiful days.
So let’s try to get a handle on what we saw and put some perspective on it.
Obviously the Dogs’ young offensive line finally got exposed. Freshman offensive tackle Trinton Sturdivant looked like a true freshman for the first time. He got the trifecta of shame for an O-lineman: a false start, a PF (chop block) and a holding call. I personally saw guards Clint Boling and Chris Davis get manhandled more than once. Tough day for all of them really.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford obviously had a bad day and has shown a tendency to get a little wild when things aren’t going well. Georgia’s average starting field position was its own 21 so that didn’t help him. But what’s your assessment of Stafford halfway through his sophomore season? And do you think the coaches should have turned to Joe Cox at some point?
The defense never got pressure on Erik Ainge, did a poor job of defending the run and tackled poorly throughout. What was the problem: Personnel, fundamentals, strategy?
Which of these three things did you think were most culpable for Georgia getting blown out? What do you think the Dogs’ prospects are for the rest of the season?
Meanwhile, two items I’ve been meaning to share: (1) The annual “Do-it-for-Broph” 5K walk/run is this Sunday. Contact John Bateman at 706-542-9039 to sign up; (2) “The Dawg Report,” with Matt Stewart, Buck Belue and Matt Stinchcomb, is the best show going for the true UGA sports fan. They talk football every week but also do features and reports on all Georgia sports all year long. It’s on CSS on Monday nights at 7:30 and is replayed Thursdays at 2 p.m.
I’ll answer whatever reasonable questions you may have. Talk to you soon.
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Shellshocked Dogs stunned by Vols
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wow. Wow! I have to admit, I didn’t see that coming. I would have been the first to tell you Georgia could lose to Tennessee on Saturday. In fact, I thought it was quite likely. But to be blown out like that — 28-0 in the first half, 35-14 in the game — I didn’t see that happening.
So me and my colleagues are just up from the locker room and about to bang out our stories. But quickly, defensive coordinator Willie Martinez said his unit was not surprised by anything it saw from the Vols. “They just beat us physically and out-executed us.” Safety Kelin Johnson said he was “really embarassed” and the performance was “unacceptable.”
The offense could never really get out of the hole and the off Bulldogs were “whipped up front,” according to coach Mark Richt.
I even asked of Richt the dreaded, “Are you concerned that this will give the perception that your program is slipping?” He clearly didn’t like the question but said the Dogs are simply 4-2, nothing more, nothing less. Asked how they made need to reassess their goals since the SEC championship game is effectively out of the question, Richt said, “We’re focused on nothing other than Vanderbilt,” next week’s opponent.
That’s all I have time for now. I’ll check in later. Y’all have at it.
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Dogs’ season reaches fork in road
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’re going to keep it real simple today, mainly because I’m heading out of town (Knoxville, of course) and I don’t have much time.
First off, who’s going to win this game Saturday and why? Now I’m not interested in any of that, “Georgia is great, Tennessee stinks” nonsense. I’m talking about Xs and Os and matchups and homefield advantage, etc.
As everybody knows, the Dogs have won in their last three trips to Rocky Top. Does that give Georgia a psychological advantage or does it motivate the Vols that much more?
I think the game boils down to two things in particular myself: Georgia’s running game versus the Vols’ suspect defense and Eric Ainge and Tennessee’s passing attack versus the Dogs’ inexperienced secondary and linebackers. I might give the Dogs a slight edge in special teams. But, all things considered, it appears a pretty even matchup. Last I heard was the line had moved from UT as a slight favorite to the Dogs as a slight favorite. Definitely a pick ‘em in my opinion.
Meanwhile, I was the guest on four different Tennessee radio shows this week and every one of them talked about how important this game is for Vols coach Phillip Fulmer. Not sure what AD Mike Hamilton is thinking on the subject but what about you? Should a coach that has won more than 75 percent of his games and a national championship be in position to lose his job?
OK, I’ve got my Verizon card with me so I’ll tune in and respond to your comments every chance I get. So let’s hear what you’re thinking.
On that note, I would like to personally thank all of you for slowly but surely turning this into one of the most popular online communities on our website. I appreciate the feedback on what we’re doing so, as always, you’re suggestions are welcomed.
Y’all play nice now. C-ya!
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Martinez: Great coordinator or just OK?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Obviously Saturday is a huge game for both Georgia and Tennessee. Lose and winning the Eastern Division is a virtual impossibility. Win and the national championship is not out of the question (not very likely, granted, but possible, right?).
Anyway, there’s been a lot of talk already about how vulnerable the Vols look on defense and they certainly have been, especially to a good running team, which Georgia is starting to look like. But on the flip side of that is the Dogs’ defense versus Tennessee’s offense and I wouldn’t say that’s an ideal matchup for Georgia either.
I’ve got a buddy that lives down Augusta way and he’s as big a Dogs’ fan and as loyal a UGA alum and you’ll find anywhere. But Georgia’s defense under Willie Martinez drives him crazy. I was talking to him not long after the Ole Miss game and he went into a rant.
He was not happy at all about how Ole Miss “rammed the ball down our throats” on the two drives to start the game and the one to begin the second half. That got him going about the South Carolina game and how the Gamecocks banged out three quick first downs running the football at the end of the game. Then he ranted about Bama flying down the field at the end of the first and second halves. That led him to last season and how Vandy and Kentucky — again, his words — “rammed it down our throats the final five minutes.” He even alluded to the Mississippi State game and how the other Bulldogs were in position to win at the end if they didn’t fumble it away.
“Pair that with the Tennessee disaster and being down 14-0 to Florida before we could even work up a sweat, and I’m prone to think something bad is brewing with WM running the Georgia defense,” my friend said. “And that’s not to even mention getting run off the field by West Virginia and Virginia Tech early in those contests. Bottom line: We aren’t prepared coming out of the gate and we tend to play soft when big plays are needed.”
Now those are his assertions, not mine. The fact is, Georgia’s defense has continued to be ranked in the Top 10 or 20 nationally in total defense and scoring defense under Martinez. But my buddy does point out some breakdown tendencies over the last couple of seasons.
I’m interested in hearing where you guys fall on this issue. You think Martinez does: (A) a great job; (B) an adequate job; (c) a mediocre job; or (D) a poor job; coaching Georgia’s defense? And what’s the key for the Dogs this weekend. Coach Mark Richt says you must always shut down the run first but the Vols under quarterback Erik Ainge are the top passing team in the SEC. Does that mean you sellout coming after the quarterback or do you have to be even more wary about that since the guy is such a good passer and can burn you deep?
Are three tailbacks better than two?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I was listening in on the weekly SEC coaches teleconference earlier today and coach Mark Richt said tailback Kregg Lumpkin is responding very well to a new custom-fitted splint for his broken right thumb and, as a result, “may get some totes this weekend” against Tennessee.
Of course, Thomas Brown had his career-best game this past Saturday against Ole Miss when he rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns. Knowshon Moreno also had 90 yards and a TD as the Bulldogs rolled up 328 yards rushing, their highest total in 16 years. As a duo, they’re averaging 165 yards rushing a game, which places them among the top tandems in the country this season.
Anyway, I’m writing a story for tomorrow’s paper and trying to put their work into context with some of the best duos in the nation this year. Just to give you a bit of a sneak preview, Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron said of the Dogs’ duo: “Together they’re the two best tailbacks I’ve seen since I’ve been here.” He said that includes the Auburn duo of Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown [his statement, not mine].
Of course, Orgeron is a little biased since his team just got lit up by Georgia’s pair. But that’s not really the point of today’s blog.
To me, the more intriguing topic is the dynamic of how the Bulldogs are going to reintroduce Lumpkin to the rotation. Of course I asked everybody involved if they thought they’d need to be real careful of how they handle that so as to not mess with the current chemistry Brown and Moreno have going on between them. To a man, they all said they didn’t think it would be a big deal.
Now I don’t think it’s going to be a major factor this Saturday against Tennessee. Lump may get a carry or two but the indication I got from running backs coach Tony Ball was that it’s still going to be largely the Brown-Moreno show this weekend. But as the big senior Lumpkin continues to improve and as the season progresses, he’s going to continue to be more-and-more of a factor.
So how do you guys think Georgia should handle it? Technically Lumpkin was the No. 2 tailback when he went out with five yards on three carries in the opener against Oklahoma State. Should he reacquire that status when he’s 100 percent healthy? Or does Georgia need to keep things going the way they’re going and utilize Lumpkin only if Brown or Moreno are injured or having a bad day?
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Richt: QBs key to road success
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So how do you think Matthew Stafford is doing?
The reason I ask is this: Georgia coach Mark Richt was asked Tuesday about his incredible road record (23-3) with the Bulldogs and what had contributed to it. Richt said if he had to boil it down to one thing, it would be strong quarterback play.
“It’s quarterbacks being able to handle the pressure of the job,” Richt said at his weekly press luncheon Tuesday at Stegeman Coliseum. “Those are the guys that are affected the most. Everybody knows when the offense has the ball [opposing fans are] going to make as much noise as they can to disrupt what you do. If your quarterback can handle that type of pressure and handle the communication, it makes a difference. If something goes bad, can he shake that off and just go on to the next play.”
You need to look no further than Knoxville for validation of that premise. The Bulldogs have won in all three of their trips there under Richt. In many ways, David Greene’s incredible career was defined there in 2001 when he engineered the game-winning drive that was won on “P-44 Haynes.” And D.J. Shockley overcame a rough start that included giving up a “pick-six” to have a great game and lead Georgia to a 27-14 win in 2005.
Now comes Stafford’s turn. And while he’s still very much in the developmental stages of his career, he has shown some moxie as a road warrior to this point. Of course there was the loss to Kentucky last season of which he had more than a little to do. But since then he was under center for wins over No. 5 Auburn on the Plains last year and against No. 16 Alabama in Tuscaloosa two weeks ago.
Has he got what it takes for the Bulldogs to improve to 4-0 against Tennessee in Knoxville under Richt? What’s your impressions of him midway through his sophomore season? Here’s some of his numbers to chew on: Record as Georgia’s starting QB — 10-3; 2007 stats — 83-144 (.576) for 989, 7 TDs, 3 Ints, 127.21 pass efficiency.
Thanks. I’ll be checking back in.
Permalink | Comments (180) | Categories: Football
What’ll it take to win in Knoxville?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’re entering Week 6 of the college football season and I’m probably as unsure about Georgia and its opponent this week, Tennessee, as I’ve ever been this far into a season.
The Bulldogs don’t suck. That’s about as flattering a comment and astute an observation as I can muster for them at this point. I thought from the beginning they were too flawed a team to be considered a championship contender, what with youth on the offensive line and on defense. But, even after that inglorious loss to South Carolina in Week 2, all of Georgia’s championship possibilities remain intact. A win at Tennessee this Saturday — in what amounts to an elimination game for both teams — could change my perspective considerably.
Here are some of the things that remain fuzzy for me as the Bulldogs prepare to enter Neyland Stadium:
— I don’t know what to make of their defense. At times it can look very, very good and extremely fast but at others it looks as soft as butter. Unfortunately, it has tended to look its softest just at the times it needs to be at its best (see end of both halves versus Alabama, end of game against South Carolina and beginning of each half against Ole Miss). That said Georgia is third in the SEC in total defense (303 ypg) and fourth in scoring defense (17.2 ppg).
— Then there’s their offense. Here we are entering the halfway point of the season and I don’t see the Bulldogs with much of an offensive identity. Last weekend they rush for 328 yards against Ole Miss. Other times they’re throwing the ball all over the yard but with neither a great deal accuracy nor of pass-catching aplomb.
— Special teams have been good but not spectacular. They have yet to return a punt or a kickoff for a touchdown, look vulnerable on opposing returns and even kicker Brandon Coutu has missed some your used to seeing him make.
All that said, Georgia is where it is, in position to move atop of the Eastern Division with a win in Knoxville where it has won the last three times it has played.
So that’s a little State of the Dogs address. What have you thought about them so far? And what’s it going to take for them to win on Rocky Top?
Permalink | Comments (228) | Categories: Football
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