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 > 2008 > October > 30
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Stafford vs. Tebow a tough call
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Who’s the better quarterback, Georgia’s Matthew Stafford or Florida’s Tim Tebow?
Our Tim Tucker is writing a story for tomorrow’s paper that will delve into that with some quantification and commentary. But I figured I’d go ahead and toss that question to the people.
In a lot of ways, it’s like comparing apples to oranges. Just start with the offenses.
The Bulldogs run about as close to a pro-style offense as you’ll ever see. Stafford plays from under the center the majority of the time with a fullback and a tailback behind him and a tight end and two wideouts outside. He audibles at the line of scrimmage according to what the defense is showing and usually passes off of play-action. There is a lot of vertical in the passing game.
This highlight video of Stafford vs. LSU illustrates how well he’s playing at this point in the season.
Florida, by contrast, lines up mostly in a spread look from the shotgun with a single back in the backfield and at least three wideouts on the field. But the Gators actually run the ball much more than they pass. They employ many of the principles of the triple-option, even though are using much less quarterback run with Tebow. Running backs Jeffrey Demps and Chris Rainey have helped make him much more of a ball distributor than he was last year when he won the Heisman Trophy on a 9-4 team. Most of his passes are short to midrange but to speedy players that get yards after the catch.
Their numbers are quite comparable:
Stafford — 141 of 229 (61.6 percent) for 1,946 yards (243.2 pg) with 12 TDs and 5 INTs. 60 yards rushing.
Tebow — 104 of 164 (63.4) for 1,415 (202.1) with 12 TDs and 2 INTs. 227 yards rushing.
They’re even similar physically. Tebow is 6-3, 240; Stafford 6-3, 237.
You can’t argue with Florida’s results. The Gators average a gaudy 42 points per game, tops in the SEC and 7th nationally. Georgia (34.2 ppg) is second and 24th, respectively. The Dogs lead the league in total offense at 431.2 ypg. Florida is third (410.3).
So there you have it. Tebow has the hardware but is he the better quarterback? What about pro prospect?
In the meantime, some morning links with your coffee:
Here’s some (shaky) video of an interview of Georgia DE Jeremy Lomax talking about the Georgia-Florida game… .
According to the Orlando Sentinel’s Jeremy Fowler, Florida’s Urban Meyer gets the edge over Mark Richt as a coach. Here is his breakdown by categories… .
This NFL draft guru writing for SI.com projects Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno as the No. 9 pick next April. In the good news/bad news department, you’ll note that he does not list quarterback Matthew Stafford among his top 20… .
Trev Alberts is one of the few national pundits picking Georgia over the Gators… .
You can tell from Meyer’s comment in this Miami Herald story he believes Georgia didn’t face the real Tebow last year. “He’s not limited now,” he said. “He’s got that Tebow look. I love that Tebow look.” …
This story is coming all the way from the Left Coast but it should resonate with Georgia fans as USC’s Pete Carroll complains about Pac-10 officials calling more penalties on the Trojans than their opponents.
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