tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66683034172310622452024-03-05T06:35:38.542-08:00This Dawg's ViewI'm a former University of Georgia Letterman from the Donnan Days, now working in the entertainment biz in Los Angeles. This blog began as a way to hype people into coming to view Dawg games at O'Hara's in Westwood, but has grown to be an outlet for my rants/raves about our team and the teams they play each week. I hope that any who read are somewhat informed and highly entertained by what I have to say. Enjoy.Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.comBlogger264125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-54522875610197025082022-01-11T01:02:00.006-08:002022-01-11T01:02:46.769-08:00I told you so.<p>Hold Bama under 20. </p><p>Win the National Championship. </p><p>I have more to say, but damn... at THIS second, all I can think is... </p><p>HOW BOUT THEM FUCKIN DAWGS?!!??!</p><p>Excuse, me.. I mean... </p><p>How Bout Them 2021 National Champion Georgia Bulldogs ?!?! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Go Dawgs</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-40156290227538979302021-12-21T14:39:00.000-08:002021-12-21T14:39:28.044-08:00Beating Bama<p>The Alabama Crimson Tide have been the oft-disputed, yet primarily confirmed Kings of College Football for over a Decade. Over the course of that run, the University of Georgia (which has also experienced a sustained level of success rarely seen in the program over that span) has continually slammed its head against the wall that is the Tide. 2012. 2017. 2018. 2020. 2021. 5 games which all ultimately had title (either Conference or National) implications, have all gone the way of Bama. The narrative is locked in, Georgia just can't beat Bama. The common knowledge will tell you that there's a very simple reason for that - Georgia's offense is just flat out never good enough to do it. The only recipe to beat Alabama is to outscore them in a shootout. It's obvious. </p><p>Since falling to Alabama once again on December 4th, the UGA football team has come under incredible fan scrutiny, with continued calls for the benching of Stetson Bennet and replacing of him with JT Daniels. To their credit, the loudest of these fans have been consistent with their criticism of Stetson all season - it's hardly a new development. Through game after game, no matter the result (all wins), it was said that Stetson would fail when presented with a better challenge. He would not be able to "keep up" with the better offenses in the country. If put in the situation of needing to move the offense and score, he just wouldn't come through. </p><p>And it seems that was the case. When it all came down to needing to drive down and score consistently, this team was not able to do it, and people are very willing to place all of that blame on Stetson Bennett. People are willing to do that, mostly, because they believe that the guy sitting on the bench is far and away better, and has the tools to sling balls all around the field against Bama while Stetson just plain can't. And like we said - you have to beat Bama in a shootout. You have to chase them down and outscore them. </p><p>It's what you HAVE TO DO. </p><p>I find that hard to believe. So, the idiot that I am, I decided to look into the narrative a little bit. </p><p>In the past 6 seasons (I decided to stick to the Kirby Smart era of UGA football because a: he wouldn't have been at Bama to have anything to do with their results and b: that's where the majority of the heartbreak has existed), Alabama has lost a total of 6 games. So, let's see what kind of information we can glean from those 6 losses. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgw4DEPb7r3PE6w1Pf3t2foU5m87U-A4hpmhWhQ142M1GhicCO3Kc2S78hrP5MgVvZRQHRN0H-e7bdGG5tIHe7EKcsXA--mQxpQB7DwcwtGc4pMhvH7q9hdtpIhiZLinCIWmYrbkVDONnLHm_Pxrj_lbDG_ex4BPCCO5TXVEm9fdP4o6yUVskYpZznU=s900" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="228" data-original-width="900" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgw4DEPb7r3PE6w1Pf3t2foU5m87U-A4hpmhWhQ142M1GhicCO3Kc2S78hrP5MgVvZRQHRN0H-e7bdGG5tIHe7EKcsXA--mQxpQB7DwcwtGc4pMhvH7q9hdtpIhiZLinCIWmYrbkVDONnLHm_Pxrj_lbDG_ex4BPCCO5TXVEm9fdP4o6yUVskYpZznU=w400-h101" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>In four of the six losses suffered by Alabama in the past 6 years, the winning formula has been "get a lead, hold it." In one loss, it was a see-saw the whole way, and in exactly one out of the six losses, a team has been able to chase Alabama down after falling into a big hole. </p><p>Ok, so that's been in the games they lost. But we're talking six seasons worth of games here, so there must have been a number of close games in which Alabama was simply able to out-leg the other team. In those 6 years, Alabama has won a total of 9 games within 7 points or less. They haven't been dealing with a large number of shootouts. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEii6wcL-NzlmOgfEESe0P3Y5Z0oF-1YTkeGOv_zYkulEXKQa1k_6RdBK8u-Ak6vN2JSplIEl0Kl9yMy3s_gS8PPK-axSM9uuJX_xYORAaHLhL1zuNIlRVJysGT0xXSChmLBv3T7cV-AB8YAbprQnr8sjnP1LFC-ySFr1Zn1hsfHo2LQRe2qK9oiDcZn=s1014" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="1014" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEii6wcL-NzlmOgfEESe0P3Y5Z0oF-1YTkeGOv_zYkulEXKQa1k_6RdBK8u-Ak6vN2JSplIEl0Kl9yMy3s_gS8PPK-axSM9uuJX_xYORAaHLhL1zuNIlRVJysGT0xXSChmLBv3T7cV-AB8YAbprQnr8sjnP1LFC-ySFr1Zn1hsfHo2LQRe2qK9oiDcZn=w400-h114" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In those close games, Bama has 4 lead-and-holds, 4 basic comebacks, and 1 incredible strugglebus performance wherein they were able to topple #AuburnSucks after mustering 3 points from their offense in 57+ minutes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For the vast majority of the remainder of the 6 seasons we're talking about, Alabama has completely dominated the other team... much like the 2021 UGA Bulldogs did for 12 games. They get a lead, suffocate the other team, and they keep their offense on track, efficient, and able to score. It's the Saban blueprint. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But, can the Saban Blueprint work in the playoff setting or do you need a high-flying offense that can simply rack up massive points, and allow your team to be the one team that outpaces Bama in a shootout? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, in 2020, OSU averaged 43ppg prior to playing Bama, and got whipped 52-24. With Justin Fields. Most would say Justin Fields was a better QB last year than any QB on the UGA roster is right now. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In their 2017 Semi-Final, Bama built a 10-3 halftime lead over Clemson, and then extended that lead ultimately winning 24-6.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In 2017, UGA controlled the National Title game for most of the way, but couldn't hold off a late charge, falling 26-23.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In 2018 Semi Final, OU with Kyler Murray couldn't chase down Bama after the Tide took a 21-point lead into the half, ultimately losing by 10.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In 2018, Clemson opened the National Title game with a 3-out but then grabbed a pick-6. Gave up some big plays in Q1, but the defense settled in during the 2nd quarter, and then they completely controlled the game.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">2018 is an interesting example for me. Kyler Murray led a big-time scoring offense from the BIGXII... but he had a BIGXII defense on the other side of the ball. Oklahoma got pantsed. That same year, Clemson rolled up on Bama with a strong defense, and held Bama to their lowest scoring output in postseason play, and their 3rd lowest over the entire 6 years (14 in a L to AU 2017, and 10 in a W over LSU 2016). The same Bama team showed up for both of those games. Their defense gave up 34 points to OU, and 37 points to Clemson (Clem also scored on that pick-6). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The difference, was DEFENSE. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The narrative out in the world right now is that you have to have a quarterback that can "keep pace" with Bama's high scoring offense in the playoffs if you want to beat them. The truth is, Bama has only lost two post-season games since 2016. Both were in the National Title Game against Clemson. One was a massive 4th Quarter comeback by DeShaun Watson and the Tigers. The other, was a knockout performance by one of the nation's top defenses and a consistent offensive push.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'll say this for the Dawgs - they have a better chance of the defense showing up and playing like they did for 12 games this year, than they do of JT Daniels coming off the bench and suddenly being DeShaun Watson.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It's a rare thing to hold Bama under 20. It's a rare thing to win a national title. If the Dawgs can do the first, I believe they will do the second. That, my friends, would be Beating Bama.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Go Dawgs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-71797415827675850772021-12-04T17:52:00.003-08:002021-12-04T17:52:46.627-08:00I've seen this before Part III<p> Got. Damn. Bama.</p><p><br /></p><p>Go Dawgs.</p>Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-61216007399884022822021-12-02T22:51:00.001-08:002021-12-02T22:51:21.287-08:00Not all great Rushing Defenses are the same. <p>It has been suggested that one of the key matchups of Saturday's SEC Championship Game will be that of Alabama's defense against the UGA rushing game. Many have said that Alabama's Rushing Defense is on par with UGA's, some have even said BAMA is better. </p><p>I'm having a hard time with the "Bama is better" concept. Here's why: </p><p>UGA's D is third in the nation in rushing yards per game, at 78.92 while Bama's is fourth, 80.58 </p><p>Bama's YPC average is 2nd at 2.42, while UGA is third... at 2.49.</p><p>UGA leads the nation in TDs allowed on the ground, with 2. Bama places 5th, with 8. </p><p>When you look at only the Power 5 competition, the difference grows a bit... </p><p>UGA's D is fourth in YPG, at 75.2 while Bama sits 6th at 89.78. </p><p>UGA's P5 YPC is 2.39, good for 4th in the nation. Bama is at 6th at 2.67. </p><p>So, all of this would seem to suggest that the two teams are, mostly even in a rushing defense perspective. </p><p>But, I did see a couple of interesting things when looking at the statistics.</p><p>Of the 947 yards the UGA defense has allowed on the ground this year, 603 of them have come when UGA has been ahead by 15 or more points. Now, I don't know when the official "garbage time" barrier begins and Kirby starts rolling folks in, but with THIS defense, a lead of 15 is essentially garbage time. UGA has given up the lions' share of its rushing yards, basically after the outcome of the game is decided. That would suggest, for me, that when the younger pups get in, perhaps they aren't as great at stopping the run. </p><p>But then I saw something ELSE in the statistics as well. </p><p>Surprisingly, the distribution of rushing attempts against UGA has been fairly constant, quarter over quarter. Common thinking would predict that with UGA having such big leads in their games, opposing teams would abandon the run in favor of passing to catch up. But, UGA has defended 97 1Q rushes, 96 2Q, 90 3Q and 98 4Q rushes. Perhaps teams TRIED to throw in the third, but then resigned themselves to slogging on towards defeat in the 4th, I dunno. </p><p>But, what I further noticed was this... the YPC average against our defense is lower in the 2nd half, than in the 1st. As the game goes along, UGA is better able to stop the opposition's runs. (There may also be greater number of sacks in the 2nd half, which could account for that, but I don't have access to that detail). </p><p>Still, when I look at BAMA's Run D, what I find is that like us, they have a fairly consistent number of attempts to deal with 98, 104, 100, 92 ... but that their YPC goes UP in the 2nd half. </p><p>Teams have found it easier to run on Bama in the 2nd half. </p><p>This bodes well for a UGA offense that has averaged 6YPC in the 3rd Quarter, and 5.26 in the 4th. Simply put, if UGA is holding a lead in the 2nd half, I expect a heavy dose of the run game to help salt it away (especially with a 5.58YPC when leading by 15+). </p><p>UGA's overall 5.39 YPC is good for 9th in the country, right alongside Florida.. who gashed Alabama for 244 yards. </p><p>I don't believe these two teams have equal rush defenses, and I know UGA's rushing offense is far better than any Bama has seen in months. I suppose only time will tell if the Dawgs' rushing attack (oddly maligned by many fans) can impose its will on the Tide. </p><p>I like their chances.</p><p>Go Dawgs. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-60582282042400202762021-12-02T11:56:00.001-08:002021-12-02T17:19:01.236-08:00I've seen this before, Redux<p>What's Past, is Prologue, they say.</p><p>A generational football unit destroying anything and everything in its path, meets another traditional power whose own accomplishments have been tarnished somewhat by slips and stumbles, but is still respected. Many Johnny-come latelies can't help but gush with overwhelming exuberance about the King of the landscape, but there are a few out there who've studied the teams, who have done their research, who understand the intangibles, and who aren't afraid to utter the word "upset" in dark corners of booster parties. </p><p>This is the David V Goliath story - the plucky upstart looking to defy all odds and defeat the tyrannical rule of the anointed. It's something I've seen before. It's a hope to which I've fallen victim. </p><p>I remember well, going into the 2019 SEC Title Game, having a great deal of excitement for a UGA squad who had held opponents to under 11 points per game. They were great. They were seemingly unflappable. They couldn't be denied, assuredly. They had defeated 3 ranked teams. No opposing team had crossed the goal-line three times. They had 3 shutouts. That defense was STOUT. Sure, they had found a way to lose to a South Carolina team playing above its own heads, but that was not of great concern. It was the OFFENSE's issue on that day, anyway. Had the offense taken care of business, that would have been a win. </p><p>Lining up across the field from that D (one that was better than most UGA had trotted out in a while), was an LSU offense that was lighting up the SEC West. They scored, and they scored in bunches. But, they hadn't faced a Defense the likes of which they'd be seeing that night. And of course, they had a defense which was serviceable... but gave up a lot of points in its own right. Most folks were predicting an LSU victory, but those who forecasted an upset could see a world where UGA, able to get more pressure on Burrow than other teams, and able to play balls in the air better than other teams, would make the necessary stops and then hand the keys to Fromm and company, and the underrated 33ppg offense would come out ahead. </p><p>Of course, those folks were wrong.</p><p>Those folks were very, very wrong. </p><p>The UGA offense which had been flying under the radar was flying under the radar for a reason - they didn't have the weapons that would be necessary to consistently put pressure on a serviceable LSU defense. Add to that the fact that UGA's primary weapon for blowing the top off a defense was in street clothes in the first half due to a maturity lapse a week prior, and you had a recipe for disaster. </p><p>UGA couldn't move the ball consistently in Q1, as pass after pass fell incomplete... and LSU had little issue running its highly efficient offense against our Defense which, quite honestly, had not see anything like the talent it currently faced. UGA fell behind 14-0 at the end of the first quarter, then played the 2nd quarter to a 3-3 tie. Some, including myself, thought the game was still in reach. Things would most certainly improve as Pickens came into the game, and we would right the ship as our defense had now weathered the storm. </p><p>But we hit Pickens on only 1/3 targets on his first drive... and missed a field goal. LSU added a TD 4 plays later. Then we threw an interception. The wheels had officially come the hell off. </p><p>All season long, UGA had been a very good football team. They had been battle tested, and come out ahead in all but one instance - against a plucky squad playing out of its mind on a day when UGA didn't show up its best. They had crushed the directional schools, and won some close SEC matchups they maybe shouldn't have. But they were the one team that could give LSU fits, or so was some of the chatter out there. And LSU, well... LSU hadn't really suffered. They hadn't been tested. They would surely wilt under the strength of the team that had been playing for titles in recent years, and therefore would be more prepared to handle the immense pressure of the day. </p><p>Only, they didn't. </p><p>They didn't, because they had a truly transcendent unit. They had the best unit in all of college of football, and it wasn't close.</p><p>Many of us wanted to ignore what we saw, and believe in what we envisioned. We wanted to give them the "but they haven't played nobody" tag. We wanted to think "Oh, it's gonna be different WITH US"</p><p>But it wasn't.</p><p>And on Saturday, that's what Bama faces. So many out there are preaching the intangibles, the mystique, the "But UGA hasn't seen anything like this" and the "Bama has been tested, and UGA hasn't"... as Bama limps into the SECCG missing one of their primary weapons (or at least, with him severely hampered), a beat up and maligned OL, and a Defense that, while being "pretty damn good"... has given up a buuuuuuunch of points to teams with less functional offenses than UGA's (UGA P5 Scoring: 9th, TN: 18, MISS: 25, ARK 45). Many want us to ignore what our eyes have watched for 12 games thus far. They want us to believe that the best unit in football suddenly won't be, and that a very good team who has suffered some hardships will overcome all of that, to pull the upset.</p><p>But like I said, I've seen this before. </p><p>Go Dawgs.</p>Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-68559799552542529622021-11-30T20:11:00.002-08:002021-11-30T20:25:44.753-08:00Let's Lie with Statistics <p>Stats Lie.</p><p>They do. They can be manipulated, spun, crafted into whatever narrative the person presenting them wishes to tell. They have no basis in reality insofar as reading tea leaves and making predictions go. "Stats as Predictors" is something I absolutely abhor. They tell a story of the past, not the future. They tells us what we may not have seen, but not what we WILL see. </p><p>THEY LIE TO US. </p><p>So, screw it, why not use them to lie to myself and all of you lovely Dawgfans? Here we go. Let's get to lying. </p><p>Georgia and Alabama face off in a few days time, and all this hullabaloo will be settled. Either the Dawgs will win yet again, cement themselves as the #1 team for the remainder of 2021 and head into 2022 ready to capture their first National Title since 1980. Or, BAMA will win (yet again), and setup a potential rematch with a freshly besmirched Dawg team, either in the Semi's or the Finals of the Playoff. </p><p>Now, I can't tell you what the future holds. But, I can tell you what's in the past. I'm not interested in the 2017 past, though. Not interested in 2018 either. 2020? Couldn't give a damn. These two teams were not involved with any of those games. </p><p>I'm interested only in the past of 2021. You see, the most common argument being regurgitated by UGA fans regarding the two teams is that UGA has been completely demolishing teams and BAMA has been struggling with them. They say the eyeball test against the best levels of competition shows UGA to be superior to Alabama. They say that Bama simply hasn't seen a defense like ours, and that UGA doesn't care what offense it sees - they will all be chewed up and spit out. </p><p>How in the world can folks be so confident when they spout fluff like that?</p><p>Well, the two teams played 4 Common Opponents this season. So, let's take a look at how those games shook out.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3X8GB2XHwCOyn6TXk-HSV_MS3xQgtUJ6uimraVrusziXy45csOBtEULS1Xeq7Nx_XWKZasDrjc6LbQznWQkf6GZdwwOv7rYXH87nLT1oumicdXvqFpKNQbV_GkYcUnWMSns2k3LVa9jw/s747/Screen+Shot+2021-11-30+at+7.04.11+PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="119" data-original-width="747" height="64" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3X8GB2XHwCOyn6TXk-HSV_MS3xQgtUJ6uimraVrusziXy45csOBtEULS1Xeq7Nx_XWKZasDrjc6LbQznWQkf6GZdwwOv7rYXH87nLT1oumicdXvqFpKNQbV_GkYcUnWMSns2k3LVa9jw/w400-h64/Screen+Shot+2021-11-30+at+7.04.11+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>So, these are the scores of the games, and the differential between actual and expected Margin of Victory for both UGA and BAMA. In three of these four games, UGA's differential is vastly superior to Bama's... but Bama's ability to outdo us against the best offense we faced (TN is the #9 scoring Offense in the country, y'all) can't be ignored. I mean, sure, Bama allowed TN to score 7 more points than they did against us. And sure, the game was close until about 12:42 in the 4th, when Bama extended a 7 point lead to 14, and never looked back. And sure, UGA dominated Tennessee for the entire game and allowed a second touchdown with 3 minutes to go in the game, in Knoxville (BAMA-TN was in Tuscaloosa). Sure, all of that is true... but TN's differential IS higher than ours, so they definitely played a better game against TN than we did. </p><p>Still, we're not done lying yet... because we haven't begun to use this data to PREDICT anything. So let's do that shit. </p><p>First, we have to determine some kind of trend in order to apply it. And again, we can only use trend data from THESE four games. We can't bring in the Wollymocker games against the likes of Charleston Southern or Mercer .. and we can't bring in Struggle Bus games like Clemson and LSU... those hardly seem like fair comparisons. No, we will only lie with THIS data set. So, here goes:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_d3YLu_0XTNICrYB5qgSx8AYG1TVSCSxQHLZUxj_CHUX290hai3b4fsCbGLovH81cmsevKzXiKrYUlcUgRtSkPBo2EK7Yhw_nJ1ahVebZ985LKDEspbC0phu_TAYniem2MJOjEfM4qI/s594/Screen+Shot+2021-11-30+at+7.33.39+PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="594" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_d3YLu_0XTNICrYB5qgSx8AYG1TVSCSxQHLZUxj_CHUX290hai3b4fsCbGLovH81cmsevKzXiKrYUlcUgRtSkPBo2EK7Yhw_nJ1ahVebZ985LKDEspbC0phu_TAYniem2MJOjEfM4qI/w320-h101/Screen+Shot+2021-11-30+at+7.33.39+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What THIS is showing, is the percentage of points allowed and scored by UGA and BAMA in comparison to the 12-game average points scored and allowed by these four common opponents. You can see that, on average, UGA is allowing 25% of the opponents' average points scored, while BAMA is allowing 85% of the opponents' average points scored. The offenses are much more similar, with UGA (national rank 6) scoring 146% of these opponents' average points allowed, while BAMA (national rank 5) is ripping off 147%. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, this would lead some people to believe that these offenses are similar in their production, but anyone who watches the games knows that Alabama has a vastly superior offense to UGA's, and there's no way our guys can keep up with them. They're Elite, and UGA just isn't, y'all. But we're lying with statistics, so we're making it look like they are. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, what do these numbers tell us in a predictor fashion? Well, for that, we'd compare these trends to the two teams' 12-game averages. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8u5Rp1gMzUV71vjFCm48OSu_BQeL0tvx5abovicWpKFfokrFqV51YlJtFl-emgrFYcktJfyxnqqFpislJdcerRm3o4y-aeEp30fcNgd152lqA1emnNR2QkgkOVJogCwSQxaH00B6YX5E/s594/Screen+Shot+2021-11-30+at+7.57.36+PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="146" data-original-width="594" height="79" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8u5Rp1gMzUV71vjFCm48OSu_BQeL0tvx5abovicWpKFfokrFqV51YlJtFl-emgrFYcktJfyxnqqFpislJdcerRm3o4y-aeEp30fcNgd152lqA1emnNR2QkgkOVJogCwSQxaH00B6YX5E/w320-h79/Screen+Shot+2021-11-30+at+7.57.36+PM.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8u5Rp1gMzUV71vjFCm48OSu_BQeL0tvx5abovicWpKFfokrFqV51YlJtFl-emgrFYcktJfyxnqqFpislJdcerRm3o4y-aeEp30fcNgd152lqA1emnNR2QkgkOVJogCwSQxaH00B6YX5E/s594/Screen+Shot+2021-11-30+at+7.57.36+PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, what we have here, are two tiny data sets. One, UGA's predicted points on offense, and allowed. And BAMA's predicted points on offense and allowed. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Oddly enough, those two data sets present some strikingly similar results. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">BECAUSE STATS LIE. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They are dirty, dirty bastards which have nothing to do with reality. There is no way on God's Green Earth that the 12-0 Georgia Bulldogs who have barely played a football game into the fourth quarter this year could possibly be 21 points better than the World-Beater Crimson Tide who have, most recently, gone to 4 Overtimes with a 6-6 Auburn team led by a one-legged quarterback and a bunch of transfer portal defenders. That is NOT possible. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There is no way that the final score of the 2021 SEC Championship Game will in any way resemble a UGA victory, 31-10. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Nope. Not gonna happen. But it's been fun lying about it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Go Dawgs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-78528298737011975082021-11-30T11:39:00.000-08:002021-11-30T11:39:02.246-08:00I don't get a vote.Individual player awards in College Football are ridiculous, I think we all know this. <div><br /></div><div>Don't get me wrong... it is wonderful to celebrate the excellence in achievement by these athletes. It's even fitting that these awards can often go to players on teams who weren't necessarily in the running for great team accomplishments. Though, those teams are usually well-represented in award season because it only goes to figure that the teams who are able to win at a high level do so because their players perform at a high level (even if the high level at which they perform is completely maligned by their own team's fanbase and its incredibly self-deprecating nature... but I digress). Still, the idea that players can achieve while their teams do not, is worthy of consideration. <div><br /></div><div>It does not stand to reason that the best individual player would HAVE to be on the best team in the nation. I think we can all agree on that, and be ok with it. </div><div><br /></div><div>However - </div><div><br /></div><div>When it is clear to the vast majority of people who follow the sport closely (fans, pundits, opposing coaches, NFL players and alumni, Ethyl who sweeps the clippings at the barber shop, etc) that one of the nation's best players at a particular position happens to also play on the nation's best team... and that player is left off a finalist list, it causes a touch of rancor. </div><div><br /></div><div>I will give you one example. The John Mackey Award, given annually to the nation's "Best" Tight End. The stat lines for the finalists are below.</div><div><br /></div><div>Player, School: Receptions - Yards - TDs</div><div><br /></div><div>Jalen Wydermeyer , Texas A&M: 40 - 515 - 4</div><div>Charlie Kolar, Iowa State: 58 - 723 - 5</div><div>Trey McBride, Colorado State: 90 - 1121 - 1</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, no one is going to confuse any of those schools with the best in the country, and their accomplishments are worthy of note. But there was another tight end on the semi-final list who is arguably (in the most conservative use of the word) better than all of these fine young athletes at playing that position. That young man's name, is Brock Bowers. Now, I am not the only UGA fan to be flummoxed by the inexcusable decision to leave Brock Bowers off the finalist list for this award. In fact, Twitter was abuzz with folks calling out the selection committee for leaving him off when he scored TWO MORE touchdowns to add to his ridiculous freshman season.</div><div><br /></div><div>Brock Bowers, Georgia: 37 - 652 - 10 </div><div><br /></div><div>Also, his 2 receptions of 70+ yards trail only Bama WIDEOUT Jameson Williams.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm pretty sure he's left off the list because he's a freshman and has years left to win this award. Wydermeyer lost out to Pitts last year, so he's my odds-on favorite to win, despite not leading in any category... because our world is currently soft AF, and that's the type of thing I expect (just like the talk of including a 2-loss Alabama or OSU in the playoff, but again I digress). Still, I think you can come with me on the short trip to crazy town that is the decision to leave Brock off the finalist list. Asshats. </div><div><br /></div><div>And don't even get me STARTED on the Heisman. The idea that this award might go to ANY Quarterback this season is patently ridiculous. If it's me? I'm looking at the story of the season, and right now the story is... Look at the damn Defenses, stupid. The best player in the country is very likely one who doesn't get to know what the play is before it starts, but reads and reacts and puts an end to it at a higher level than anyone else. </div><div><br /></div><div>QBs are gifted every tool, every call, and penalties tailor-made to protect them... and still, the best ones are being shut down by really good defenses this year. </div><div><br /></div><div>Get over yourself, Heisman. Look on the other other side of the ball. </div><div><br /></div><div>And Mackey... admit your stupid mistake and elevate Brock to the level he has earned. </div><div><br /></div><div>That's what I'd do. But I don't get a vote. </div><div><br /></div><div>Go Dawgs.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-41522860924359292942021-11-28T11:55:00.000-08:002021-11-28T11:55:46.602-08:00I've seen this before.<p>A lifetime ago, in a small town in West Georgia, before I ever thought I might get a snap of playing time in Athens... I was a senior on a football team that went 10-0 in our regular season. Every offensive snap that mattered started with my hand on the football. Seemingly every fourth quarter ended with me and the rest of the starters resting on the sideline. Now, I'm certain that memory has been engorged with the lifeblood of the years between then and now, and that there surely was a game or two where we had to play the full span, but I really don't remember it. Not during the season. </p><p>Our offense scored 346 points that season. Our defense surrendered 63. The ability of that unit to squash their opponents in the way that they did left me in awe. Still, almost none of those guys ended up playing major D-I football. We had some good corners, some good linebackers, some good D linemen... but they weren't the type who jumped off the page statistically. They were a dominant unit, though... and as the season wore on, we'd watch the upcoming opponent on film and I'd think - those guys aren't going to be able to beat us. </p><p>Much like the goals Kirby has mentioned in his pressers, our guys had a board on the wall with their season and game-by-game goals... and it was incredible to watch them get checked off. They reveled in their ability to hold opponents under 14 points, to hold rushers under 50 yards, to cause turnovers. They loved each other, they loved playing football together, and they loved doing their jobs. They were THE unit - and as a member of the offense, I got to watch them decimate other teams, and look forward to the moments they'd give us the ball back so we could go to work. I never doubted them, and they didn't let me down. </p><p>Now, some of you may be thinking... "what in the world does this have to do with 2021 UGA?" And, admittedly, there are many thousands of people who have many thousands of fond memories about their old playing days, and the parallels may not be quickly ascertainable. But, throughout this season, I have maintained a fairly quiet confidence about this team (though visitors to Senator Blutarsky's "<a href="https://blutarsky.wordpress.com">Get The Picture</a>" blog may have caught me getting a bit effusive in my appreciation for our chances). It honestly dates back to the very first game of the season. Someone with whom I am close, who coaches football, posed the question, immediately following the game: </p><p>"Are Georgia and Clemson's defenses that good, or their offenses that bad?" </p><p>I won't get into the full details of the conversation that followed, but the basic summary is: The defenses are good - Georgia's front 7 is elite, but its defensive backfield is still a question, and our offense is very banged up and will improve.</p><p>I then also said, "I mean, this is your job, and my casual hobby... but to my eye, Clemson's defense benefited from a drastically slimmed down UGA offense. What we saw did not resemble Monken's dynamic offense from the end of the season... and I don't mean by result... I mean by design." </p><p>We would go on to learn that JT was hurt, and as a result Monken may have shied away from play calls that could get him into trouble. A week later, Bennett blew the doors off UAB (a pass defense which is statistically better than Michigan State's, I might add). Then JT dominated South Carolina. Then they both eviscerated Vanderbilt... and since then, Stet has done what has been needed while that DEFENSE has been the story. </p><p>The question of whether the defensive backs would be able to stand up has thus far proven to be a big fat YES, due in no small part to how well that front 7 has played. They are an unbelievable UNIT, and it's incredibly hard to gameplan against a very strong unit. You can gameplan around a game-changing DT. You can use motions and route concepts to beat strong coverages. You can neutralize LBs with personnel groupings and play-actions... but when the entire unit is solid, and plays to their assignment and standard... that's tough to beat. </p><p>And I've seen that before. </p><p>We were 9-0 going into our final game of the season, against... I think maybe a 9-0 Rival? They may have been 8-1... I don't recall. What I DO recall, is that the final game of the season would be the Region Championship... and those dudes were VERY confident. You see, they had been a playoff team the year before, while we were ... well... not. But each year is a new year. On Wednesday night, two nights before the game, I ran into some of their players at a Shell gas station just blocks from our High School. They were talking a whole lot of trash to me about how they were going to show everyone what frauds we were, and that they were the kings of our small town (man, the things that we think matter when we're 17, huh?). I just said "Ok." That was insufficient to them, so they continued to goad me. Calmly, I explained to them that we play all the same teams... and that we had been completely dismantling those teams, while they were playing competitive football against those teams. I was confident. This game was not going to be close. </p><p>As the first quarter came to an end, and our offense switched to the other end of the field, I walked over to one of my opponents, a guy with whom I had won a little league championship at age 11. "Hey Mete, good to see you man - never thought we'd be in this game when we were kids, huh? (again... age 17... thinking I'm no longer a 'kid')." His response to me was, well, NSFW but it concluded with "we'll see where y'all at in the fourth quarter." I pointed to the scoreboard (21-0) and said, "Mete, I won't be playing in the fourth quarter." </p><p>I wasn't. </p><p>We won that game 52-6. Their star RB was able to get a late score against our defense with no decals on their helmets (the 9th graders didn't earn their decals unless they dressed with the Varsity during the season). </p><p>Now, understand that I am in no way comparing Alabama Football to the cross-town rival we played that night. And I am in no way saying the University of Georgia is going to win the SEC Championship Game by a score of 52-6, with our starters resting in the fourth quarter. </p><p>What I am saying, is that Georgia and Alabama have played 4 of the same opponents, and that UGA has dominated them while Bama hasn't quite done that. Georgia's defense has done a phenomenal job of disrupting everything an offense wants to do, while Bama's offense has shown the ability to be disrupted. Georgia's offense has shown the tendency to exploit a defense's weakness and score a bunch of points. And Alabama's defense has shown areas to be exploited. </p><p>I have watched every single game this season without a touch of nervousness. Even when it was 3-0 late in the second against Florida, I knew the outcome was already assured. In the first quarter of that game, Richardson completed a pass on a quick curl, and they got a first down. In that moment, I said, "that is going to be a pick six later in this game" (I guessed 3rd quarter, and Nakobe got it ahead of schedule). I knew it was going to happen. That's the confidence I have in this defense, and in Kirby and Dan. Because though I played a little football many years ago, I am now just a fan who watches... and if *I* knew that was going to be there, I knew damn well that Kirby and Dan and Nakobe and the rest could see it. </p><p>Do I care about the "monkey on our back" that is Alabama? I do not. </p><p>I've seen this before. </p><p>Go Dawgs.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-47800661250867666052018-11-27T14:36:00.001-08:002018-11-27T14:36:10.961-08:00But can you beat them... TWICEGreetings, Dawgfans.<br />
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I will not discuss my multi-year absence today for there are greater topics to ponder than precisely what preoccupations have pulled me from penning more prolifically, particularly pertaining to last season’s postseason partytime. No, I want to focus on something else.<br />
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Bama. <br />
<br />
Ala Damn Bama.<br />
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I’ve been reading a number of articles and blogs over the past few days concerning the upcoming SEC Title Tilt, and most seem to have the same basic conclusion: Yes, Georgia can beat Bama. I tend to agree with that sentiment, though I’m not exactly sure why. When we boil it down to the eyeball test, AL is a cut above every competition they face, and any we’ve faced. I’ve seen it. I was in the stadium when we lost the National Title Game last season. <br />
<br />
I was there, sitting with my mother, on her 70th birthday. It was my first National Title Game, my first time watching the Dawgs play for it all.. and I had flown from California to Georgia for the express purpose of taking my mother to that game for her birthday. A friend, a BAMA fan no less, had secured tickets for me. I got a good deal on plane tickets. I found a hotel with decent rates, and parking directly across the street from the stadium on a horribly rainy day. It was as if everything was all coming together perfectly - and then everything came apart. We had no answer for Tua. Our offense couldn’t get out of the mud. Saban’s second half was a clinic on how it’s damn done.<br />
<br />
I remember the elation after that sack... and I remember the deflation at the touchdown. And I remember thinking, in that moment.. “Damn. We were just THAT close to everything... but we just couldn’t beat BAMA.”<br />
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Many fan bases and many teams have felt the sting of that same realization, and I know it has been sitting with this fan base and this team for nearly a year. And I know that often times Revenge Games work out very well for the team that has the chip on its shoulder... and I have read the reasoning behind thinking UGA has a shot to pull off the upset this weekend. <br />
<br />
We’re Peaking at the right time.<br />
Our Yards Per Play is high.<br />
Our Offensive success rate is high.<br />
Our Passing Efficiency is high.<br />
Our Defense has improved immensely. <br />
<br />
Etc etc etc.<br />
<br />
And all of that may be true - but I feel as though I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this one simple fact. It’s not the SEC Championship that this fan base and this team feels starved for. It is the National Championship - the marker that has eluded UGA since that 1980 season. 13-1 wasn’t good enough in 2002. 10-2 wasn’t good enough for a #2 spot and a BCS berth in 2007. Bama knocked us out in 2012 and 2017. <br />
<br />
Good ol’ Bama. Ever since Matt Stafford put them away in one play of OT (2007), we haven’t been able to get over that hump. 0-4 since, twice in season, twice in post-season. <br />
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Now, in order to get that elusive National Championship, UGA will have to beat BAMA... and most likely, we’ll have to do it twice. We’ll need to twice beat a tea that has lost 2 games since late September of 2015.<br />
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Maybe Kirby and Company can put it all together on December 1st. Perhaps the statistical trends continue (though no one we have played since LSU has an even close to comparable defense) and we pull off that victory. Let’s assume for a moment that we can actually get that done. There’s no telling what the Playoff Committee will come up with after the championship games are all played, but I suspect it will be UGA at 3 and AL at 4... setting up a potential rematch in the Natty.<br />
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That would be UGAvAL III and this time, THEY would be the team looking for revenge. THEY would be the team with the chip on their shoulder. THEY would be the team seeking redemption in the form of hardware, and we would be the team again defending the SEC and again looking to unseat the All-Time Title Holders as this year’s Champion.<br />
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Given all that, do you think we could beat Bama.... twice?<br />
<br />
Well hell, why not? We beat both Florida AND Kentucky twice this year. Might as well make it a hat-trick.<br />
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<br />
GO DAWGS.Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-25227755614709329782016-09-09T16:38:00.003-07:002016-09-09T16:38:38.346-07:00The Games That Don't MatterNicholls State, or Nicholls, as they apparently prefer to be called (and who am I to argue?) comes knocking tomorrow morning. I will climb out of bed somewhere in the neighborhood of 7am, walk my dogs, maybe even have a little pre-game warmup (read: Whiskey)... and then head over to the local bar to take in what should be, in no uncertain terms, a cake walk. No one is expecting much out of Nicholls, even Nicholls. They are coming to the slaughterhouse, and leaving with a nice big check. <br />
<br />
Eason will start. He gets his first start at home, with a very friendly crowd. Unlike in recent years, this will probably be a full stadium (at least by the start of the 2nd quarter, when the hair-of-the-dawg students shake off the cobwebs and roll in). With the size and skill match-ups heavily favoring the Dawgs, it is likely that he will have a barn-burner of a day. <br />
<br />
The new offensive line will get another game to gel. <br />
<br />
The defense will face an offensive "attack" which struggled mightily to score points last season. <br />
<br />
I heard we may be auditioning cheerleaders at kicker. <br />
<br />
This is one of those games that doesn't matter.<br />
<br />
But it does. <br />
<br />
This game matters to a great many in that stadium. It's Kirby Smart's first home game in Athens since 1999. That matters. It's the first start for Jacob Eason, possibly the season's first appearance of Sony Michel. That matters. It's an undefeated team's next challenge. That matters. <br />
<br />
But, much of the enthusiasm for those storylines will wane before the second-half kickoff. For certain people in the stadium, though, that will be when the game begins to heat up. There are players on that team, and parents in the stands, and people watching at home... who are LIVING for the second half of UGA-Nicholls. There are freshmen who weren't among the most highly-touted recruits, but who have worked right alongside them through the spring and summer... they'll only see that field if the DAWGS show up to play ball. There are seniors who have pushed themselves for four and five years to work up to this moment. There are parents who have never been to a big-time college football game before who will be so swallowed up in the atmosphere, they may almost miss the moment their boy runs out of the tunnel for the first time. <br />
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And, if there are any parents like those who birthed this writer, there will be an aging man sitting on a couch in a lakehouse, watching the game in air conditioned comfort, who leaps from his seated position when the camera catches a glimpse of his boy running onto the field for his first action. You see, that boy isn't supposed to play at UGA. He's undersized. He's less than spectacularly talented. He's just happy to wear the G on his helmet, and be in the presence of it all. <br />
<br />
These games, though - these are the games when that boy - that young man - that football player - gets a few shining moments to live out a dream. These are the games when all the two-a-days, all the 4am workouts, all the sprints, all the mat-drills, all the pain that comes with wearing the red and black just falls away, and the player gets to be a kid again. He'll get to go out on that field and compete, and he'll do so with a confidence that Jacob Eason and Nick Chubb and Dominick Sanders will never feel - because he'll know that no matter what happens, no matter what HE does... there is absolutely NO WAY that he can cause UGA to lose this game... because we'll be waaaaay too far ahead by the time he gets in. <br />
<br />
People often laugh about these games. The only way these games matter, they believe, is if we somehow lose, or if some superstar gets hurt. But there are over 100 kids on that team.. and for some, this may be the only game they play all season. Even for the starters, it's only 1 of 15 (max). Think for a moment if the thing you love most to do in the world, you're only able to do 15 times in a year. Wouldn't that matter? <br />
<br />
Everyone has chalked up a win for UGA. We're ranked in the top 10. (And, let me pause here for a second. We're ranked in the top 10 now. The Top 10. We come back to defeat a basketball school in a game played in our own state, and we jump into the Top Freaking 10. No, we don't jump into the top 10... we do some kind of Olympic Decathlete Sprinting Long Jump into the sandy pit at the top of the collegiate football landscape. Seriously, I almost wrote a completely separate blog about the fact that one win somehow vaulted us 9 positions in the polls - a sign that either, despite what was a less than stellar overall performance, we're drastically better than anyone could have foreseen - or just further proof that preseason polls are absolute horseshit. But, I digress.) We're going to win, and we should win big. This game will look more like Mark Richt's debut at Miami than it will any home opener we can remember in quite some time. But, I implore you not to turn your TV off or get involved in a drunken, heated, Trump-Clinton debate in the second half. Watch the game. It matters.<br />
<br />
Go Dawgs.Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-61646338455392089332016-09-04T11:08:00.002-07:002016-09-04T11:08:19.135-07:00New Beginnings... This morning, a good many UGA fans woke up with a fantastic feeling in their collective gut. There is a feeling of hope, and of pride. There is a sense of change and a "return to glory." I get that. I was wrapping up my Senior Season at UGA when Jim Donnan was fired. I remember very well Mark Richt coming into UGA. That first season was a turbulent one. 8-4 was not a stellar record (it was what got the last guy fired)... but it featured a landmark victory at Tennessee. When the Hobnail Boot went down, the UGA Faithful stood up and dared to believe that the change that had come would usher in a new era.<br />
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It did.<br />
<br />
I moved to Los Angeles in early 2002, and for an entire football season, drove 90 minutes or so in some of the worst traffic I'd ever seen to sit in a bar full of Dawgs and watch our first SEC Title Season in 20 years come down the pipes. I remember the magic, the chest-thumping, the breath-stealing moments of that season. I remember women swooning over Mark Richt each time the cameras caught the Head Man on the sidelines. I remember an undue sense of pride in the accomplishments of a team that (though I had been a part of it only 2 years prior, and though many of my friends still were on the field) I was simply watching. It dawned on me then what my new role was. <br />
<br />
I was a supporter, and that was all. <br />
<br />
For 15 seasons I supported Mark Richt's Bulldogs, and the Head Man himself. I was no blind-follower, though. I questioned decisions. I critiqued. I would not give in too quickly to undue hype, though I did commonly predict undefeated seasons. I was ever faithful that these teams would deliver, and often understanding when games didn't quite go our way. I held on until the end.<br />
<br />
The End came.<br />
<br />
I stayed away from the blogosphere for the offseason - I didn't pay much attention to our signees. I didn't watch the G-Day game. I didn't read what was happening at summer camp. I went on with my life. And so, I rode into yesterday curious. There were some known factors.. our O-Line would be a question mark. Chubb would hopefully be back to form. Glambert would be Glambert. And Kirby Smart... a man under whose coaching eye (GradAssist at the time) I spent a single season as a football player, would be taking the first steps in his journey as a Head Coach at the same school. <br />
<br />
Sitting here the morning after, I look back on the new beginnings we saw yesterday, and I am pleased. <br />
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Nick Chubb begins again - yes, we all knew what he COULD do. We all knew the beast he WAS... but that was a season ago, before his knee was bent in directions usually reserved for Russian Circus Performers. He ripped off 222 yards and 2 TDs, with his final run being the biggest. That 55-yard burst was what we had been waiting for since October. He looked good earlier in the game, breaking a few tackles, but perhaps protecting his knee in some moments where previously he wouldn't have given it a second thought. But on that play, he took the toss, he hit the hole, and he ratcheted up another gear to beat EVERYONE to the end zone. Nick Chubb was back, and the next chapter of his career at UGA has begun. He was a Freshman Phenom, then the Heir-Apparent... and now he truly is a Comeback Kid. <br />
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Brian Herrien begins with a bang. Kirby was apparently near tears when Herrien's first carry went for an 18-yard score. This is a quality kid. He received no offers because no college thought he'd be able to qualify, and in today's climate, coaches don't take chances on kids they don't think can show up and help them win in the fall. But, this kid wanted to come to UGA BADLY. So he worked his tail off, got his grades up, and got his offer. All the talk had been about Holyfield... but an injury prevented him from going. So when Chubb needed a rest, (and Douglas was no longer the best option due to his fumble), the staff sent Herrien in. Sometimes people say the championship attitude comes down to "Want To." This kid has Want To oozing out of his ears.<br />
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Jacob Eason begins as a hero. Sure, he split snaps with Lambert. Sure, the majority of the fanbase has already anointed him as the future of UGA football. Sure, he would have had to have come out and been outright awful for the base to turn on him. But still... an 18-year old kid stepping off the bench to lead the offense to a victory over a Top-25 opponent in a foreign stadium in his very first appearance? Tossing the longest pass since Gurley hit a 50-yard bomb in '14? That's the kind of thing that births mythology. I'm not sitting here saying Eason should start every game from here on in - because I don't believe that. I believe that he should do what the coaches plan for him to do. What we saw out there wasn't Eason defying odds. It was Eason following his coaching, and a very carefully scripted package of plays. His role will expand, and it will come along as it is directed by the coaching staff... but this was a fitting beginning for The Future.<br />
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The Special Teams Unit begins as a pumpkin. Maybe they'll be the ride we want to show up to the dance in someday, but we're gonna need more magic than we got yesterday if they're gonna take Cinderella to the Crystal Ball. Ham's kicks were the stuff nightmares are made of, and that kick-6, well... isn't that exactly the thing that a Special Teams Coordinator was supposed to be able to prevent? <br />
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Mo Smith begins as a Harbinger of Tomorrow. He left Alabama because he couldn't get playing time, and became a starter at UGA after only a few weeks of practice. What does that say? It says that UGA's depth chart needs work, and Mo is the kind of player we want to see. Kirby Smart came to UGA as a brilliant recruiter from AL, and if he can close a living room anywhere close to how Saban does at Bama, the talent in Athens should be on an upswing. That's not to say we haven't had great classes in recent years... we have. But, even though you're top 15 in the nation, if you're only #5 or #6 in the SEC, it's easy to see why division and conference titles are tough to come by. Mo has things on which he needs to improve, that was obvious - he has to be stronger in setting the edge, his play recognition can still use some brushing up... but his mid-play recovery is excellent, and that's something we'll need when we face teams like Auburn and Tech who love deception. <br />
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The Defense begins as a WiP. Overall, our defense allowed 17 points. You can't hate that. Yes, 24 on the scoreboard due to the Great Pumpkin, but the actual Scrimmage Defense allowed 17 points to a (as judged by no merit, but preseason hype only) top 25 team. The D-Line HAS to improve. The Front 7 overall HAS to improve. I sat in a bar watching the game, and on a nearby TV was USC-BAMA. There is a marked difference between UGA and the gold standard of SEC football. Those guys play with their hair on fire and a swagger usually reserved for the only post-pubescent kid in the junior high locker room. The Georgia Front-7 ain't there yet. We have the talent to get there... and in games when the Big10 officiating crew isn't ignoring o-line holding like a mother ignores her child's obvious flaws, we may actually find a pass rush. Still, there needs to be a bigger sense of urgency. Again, something that (according to our fanbase) plagued Richt's teams seems to still be an issue. If we find a Pass-Rush and spend a little more time wrapping up big backs, this defense could be very solid. <br />
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Finally, Kirby Smart, who played for the same Head Coach as me at UGA, who coached (Grad Assist) me at UGA, has returned to UGA and is 1-0 in his first season as a Head Coach. The first one is under his belt, and I'm certain he'll never forget it. He inherited a good team, and it is now his job to make it a great one. He's definitely started off on the right foot. <br />
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Maybe I'll get to support HIM for 15 years. One can only hope. <br />
<br />
To new beginnings. <br />
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Go Dawgs.<br />
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<br />Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-25567830429270998292015-11-29T19:30:00.000-08:002015-11-29T19:30:17.917-08:00How good was Pruitt...really...?This post was originally going to be a feel good piece about why there's plenty of reason to look forward to next season. I was going to heap heavy praise on Jeremy Pruitt for his work with the defense over the past two seasons, and I was going to talk about how 2015 would become another blip on the radar for Mark Richt's historical career.<div>
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That's all over now. </div>
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And to be honest, maybe that's a good thing. I'll admit I'm a bit lost today. I'm not happy at all about what happened with Mark Richt, but I will support the next coach whomever he may be (even if he happens to be a former graduate assistant for whom I have no personal love). </div>
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With pained eyes, I did a little research into Pruitt's 2015 season. I'll admit I didn't dig deeply into 2014 or how the numbers stacked up against Grantham. Maybe I would have done that if I were trying to glean excitement for next season. But, since I don't know who the head coach is going to be (though I think 99% of Dawg fans have an idea), and since I don't know who that coach will select as DC (though I have little reason to believe it will be Pruitt, since he was pulled from the recruiting trail), I won't bring that kind of enthusiasm. I'll just lay out the raw Data, and talk a little about what I found: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkr02k0enmYP5V8nRGwphn4aRADr0ICsk1fdYIYDqYWJBCWrag4XAc1MWMoIEk3-XWSuQw5gTaXF0aGJzutkBufep6QUbMcIEbmEBIi0T-29jYKuPJnKskpO4t3Llqejdp2Cp2uJZxjo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-11-29+at+7.02.08+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkr02k0enmYP5V8nRGwphn4aRADr0ICsk1fdYIYDqYWJBCWrag4XAc1MWMoIEk3-XWSuQw5gTaXF0aGJzutkBufep6QUbMcIEbmEBIi0T-29jYKuPJnKskpO4t3Llqejdp2Cp2uJZxjo/s320/Screen+Shot+2015-11-29+at+7.02.08+PM.png" width="157" /></a></div>
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In the sheet above, what you'll find is our opponents' average offensive performance for the season as well as how they performed against UGA. The green that you see is where Pruitt's defense did a markedly better job at stopping the opposing offense. Yellow is where you see a marginal difference (either positive or negative). Red is where the UGA defense performed markedly worse than the field against our opponents. </div>
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As you might expect, in our three losses, we surrendered more points than the field against our opponents.</div>
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I found it interesting, though, that there only three games in which our Defense performed drastically better than the field in all three categories. By our raw statistics, we are a "top 10" defense... but the eyeball test didn't really give us that against the true competitors on our schedule, and this quick look doesn't give me that feeling either. It's fair to think ULM would have done a little more damage to these stats if the game had gone the distance. Vanderbilt and Tennessee both did a good job lighting up our passing defense. I dare say Alabama didn't get more yardage...simply because they didn't have to. </div>
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Part of me wants to believe that Pruitt really had our boys moving in the right direction - that we were coaching them up well, and that we were on the cusp of being where we needed to be in as much as a Championship Defense is concerned. </div>
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But in our three losses, the eyeball and the statistical test gives me problems with that thinking. Yes, I know that against AL and TN there were breakdowns on offense and ST that are included in the Score numbers - but they aren't included in the other numbers (rushing/passing). Not only that, but if you're going to be Championship Defense, your defense shouldn't hope to be "doing what the field does" against opposing offenses. Your Defense had better be stifling the opposing offense... because if your defense is "just as good as the average" you ain't gonna win a title. </div>
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If Pruitt was truly just aided by a better schedule, then perhaps the writing was already on the wall for Richt. Since the beginning of his career as an HC, Coordinator hires have been where he's caught the most flack. Martinez, Grantham, Bobo (great OC, but maligned by the fanbase), Schotty... that's not a great track record - if Pruitt was simply gilded and not solid gold, then perhaps it's best we're starting anew - because we weren't headed where we wanted to go anyway. </div>
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Or perhaps it was only the second season for Pruitt...and his (very young) boys were learning... and holding Kentucky, Auburn, GSU and Tech FAR below their season averages shows just where the D was headed. </div>
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I guess the question shouldn't have been "How bad were the offenses we faced in November" but rather "How much WORSE did we make them look?"</div>
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Kentucky, Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech, on average, scored 3 TDs more against the field than they did against UGA. Auburn, on average, scored 2 TDs more. That's the kind of performance you expect out of a Championship Defense. </div>
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Either way, it's this Dawgfan's belief that the point is moot. Pruitt is likely gone. If the last month of the season is any indication, though, the cupboard is stocked with guys who can shut offenses down. The question will be - can the new guy coach 'em up? Pruitt could.</div>
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Go Dawgs.</div>
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Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-62242914413421402972015-11-28T15:10:00.002-08:002015-11-28T15:10:13.565-08:00It could get much, much worse before it gets better ...I'm furiously refreshing my feed to see if Schotty has been fired. I don't think it will happen. I could be wrong. I'm just a Georgia fan sitting in Los Angeles typing into a computer and have absolutely no barometer for what happens inside the walls of Butts-Mehre. But, I don't want you to believe this is a post about our much-maligned Offensive Coordinator. It is not. <br />
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Many UGA Faithful today are looking forward to January...not because our Beloved Dawgs will be playing in a major bowl, but because Jacob Eason will be enrolling at UGA. Now, there are many detractors who would say it doesn't matter. They would say that there is no way that Richt and Co would start a true freshman when there's a 5th-year senior who won 9 (possibly 10) games and protected the ball well on the roster. They would say that Eason won't be able to learn the offense quickly enough to unseat him. <br />
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I disagree. First, four weeks was apparently long enough for Lambert to learn the offense and surpass all existing UGA QBs on the roster. Second, starting a true freshman phenom is something Richt loves to do. Plus, he is beyond the "redshirt a kid just to redshirt him" phase of his career. If Eason redshirts, it will likely be because he isn't good enough to beat out Lambert (or Bauta)... and if he isn't good enough to beat those guys out, then UGA is in serious trouble, as is Richt. <br />
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So, I fully expect Jacob Eason to start for UGA next season. <br />
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That could be trouble. <br />
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In 2006, the season after our last SEC title, we welcomed Matt Stafford to campus. Our season was a 9-4 affair (including a bowl win), with early wins against garbage teams, and then a 3-win streak against ranked opponents to close the season. It took Stafford a while to truly take hold of what Richt and Bobo were teaching him, and we didn't see him lock in on the starting job until later in the season (Joe Cox and Joe Tereshinski also started at QB that year).<br />
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In 2010, Aaron Murray burst onto the scene, and went 6-6 before dropping the bowl game to the UCF Golden Knights. UCF. Seriously. Now, it happens that 2010 was an 11-3 season for UCF, seated between a couple of stinkers, but still... 2010 was a particularly troubling year in UGA history, as we went 0-5 against ranked teams.<br />
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The past two seasons, UGA hasn't had spectacular QB play. Now, that's not to discount what Mason did in 2014. He held a 4-1 mark against Top 25 teams, a high completion percentage, high efficiency, etc. He did what he had to do to win in most cases ... just not in ENOUGH cases to get us to Atlanta.<br />
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This year, our QB play has been nothing outside of sad. I'm not talking about completion percentages (which is actually in the mid-60's and serviceable). I'm not talking about turnovers, as Lambert has only 2 INTs all season. I'm talking about truly PLAYING the position of QB. Too often, Lambert has proven to not be a clutch QB. He consistently checks-down to underneath receivers when we need long gains. He misses open receivers on deep balls, and sometimes doesn't see them altogether. Now, perhaps that checking down has enabled us to scratch out some wins because he has protected the ball. It's hard to say, because you can't play the "what if" game. Still, there's a spark that Lambert is missing, and many are hoping that it rests in the body of Jacob Eason.<br />
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Still, hoping that Jacob Eason will solve all the ills of a UGA offense that can't get out of its own way is folly. It is unlikely that Eason will come in and lead UGA to Atlanta. I won't call it impossible, because I'm not an imbecile. It is unlikely. We will still have Chubb, Michel, Blazevich, Godwin, Mackenzie, Chigbu, etc. We will still have a defense that has improved its numbers over those of the squad that went 4-1 against top 25 teams last season. Of course, they've faced only 2 top-25 teams this season, and gave up over 50 points to them. <br />
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Eason will have the job of "Hey man, don't screw it up." His first priority will be to protect the ball. His second priority will be to distribute it to playmakers. The offense will probably look very vanilla as he gets his feet under him. The fans will call for Schotty's (or insert name of whatever OC follows, because you know...it's definitely going to be HIS fault) head. The defense will have to carry us. <br />
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It's quite possible that games against North Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Florida, Auburn, and Georgia Tech will be very scary. Going 4-2 against those squads would be a blessing. Going 3-3 is more likely, and going 1-5 is quite possible. <br />
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It could get worse, folks. It could get much much worse.<br />
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But hope springs eternal, and I predict Eason leads the Dawgs to a 15-0 season and a National Title...because screw reality. This is football, and conjecture is far more entertaining. <br />
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Go Dawgs.<br />
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<br />Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-40259287478740322782015-10-27T17:33:00.000-07:002015-10-27T17:33:13.951-07:00The Curious Case of Mark RichtHere we go again. <br />
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"Fire Mark Richt - he can't win." <br />
"Fire Mark Richt - he can't beat top opponents." <br />
"Fire Mark Richt - my wife thinks he's sexier than hell, and he makes 4 million a year, and I feel like my penis is smaller everytime I see him on TV." <br />
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(Try to pretend that last one isn't the case for just a FEW of the commenters on the Run)<br />
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Some people just plain don't like Mark Richt. They think he's too placid. They say he can't beat Top competition. They say the game has passed him by. <br />
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"He was only good with Donnan's recruits" (except for that whole 2005,2007,2011,2012 thing)<br />
"He can't hire a good coach" (then there's that whole Bobo thing... hated by our fanbase, just kept beating his own records)<br />
"He can't coach players to their potential" (Somehow seemingly every other year there's some walk-on kid who comes out of nowhere and then ends up being an NFL player)<br />
"He doesn't care about winning." (I'm guessing these people have never seen a presser after a loss)<br />
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Mark Richt's Accomplishments:<br />
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141-50 record in 14.5 seasons.<br />
2 SEC Titles<br />
5 Appearances in the SEC Championship Game<br />
2 Sugar Bowl Victories<br />
9-5 Overall Bowl Record<br />
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Mark Richt's Deficiencies<br />
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0 National Titles<br />
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No seriously, that's it. <br />
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And that's why people hate him. They hate Mark Richt because he hasn't won a national title, and they believe that there's no way in hell he ever could. I mean, he can't even beat top-25 teams, right?<br />
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Of course, as recently as 2014 (that's Two Thousand and FRIKKIN FOURTEEN), his team went 4-1 against teams that finished in the top 25. But that doesn't matter, because it doesn't match narrative. CMR's team lost a game it shouldn't have (South Carolina) and then got trounced in Jax, and missed the SEC Title Game. So, an indictment on Richt, then. <br />
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I mean, it's probably the most Mark Richt thing ever... to have your best year against the top-25 since 2007... and then fail to reach the SEC Title Game because you lost to South Carolina. The weirdest part? When UGA beat top-25 teams last year, they straight murdered them. Average margin of victory over top 25 opponents was 25.5 points. Yet somehow, we lost to Florida by 18. <br />
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And that one game is why people will say Richt is a bad coach. They'll say that he didn't have the boys prepared. They'll say he didn't impart on them the importance of the game. They'll try to come up with any excuse to explain away a game in which we were absolutely curb-stomped. Can't be on the kids...gotta be on the Head Coach.<br />
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People still, after so many years of living in the SEC, just don't understand that this is life in the SEC. The unexplainable happens. <br />
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In 2011, Richt's Dawgs went 0-4 against teams finishing in the top 25 (actually, all 4 finished in the top 10). Two games were lost by 3 points each. That's right. 3 points. Those Dawgs were a score away from being 2-2 against Top 10 competition, and a likely top 10 finish themselves. They held LSU (#2 finish) without a first down in the first half of the SECCG...and then got their doors blown off in the second half. <br />
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How do the "Richt can't coach" folks explain that one? Did he suddenly forget how to coach at halftime?<br />
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And then how do they explain a 3-2 mark against top 25 the very next season, including a 4-pt loss to eventual National Champion Alabama in the SECCG? <br />
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In 2013, an injury-riddled Dawgs team went 2-4 against Top 25 finishers, with "The Miracle on the Plains" and "The Music City Disaster" as two of the four. Richt's boys lost to #7 finisher Clemson by 3, and #2 finisher Auburn by 5. Again, a score away from beating 2 top-ten teams. A play away....yet somehow, this is all representative of the fact that Mark Richt is a bad football coach. <br />
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Mark Richt is not a bad football coach.<br />
He's not an average football coach.<br />
Mark Richt is a Good football coach. <br />
He lacks one accomplishment that will make him Great, and I hope to God he gets it. <br />
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As 2015 unfolds, we'll hold our breaths to see what becomes of it. Richt is 0-1 against teams that will finish in the Top 25. After this weekend, we'll find out if he's able to level that record. If he does, he'll probably get 2 more shots at Top 25 teams... the SECCG, and our Bowl. 3-1 this year would put Richt at 7-2 over the past two years against the Top 25. <br />
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Guess he'd officially "lose control" of that Meme as well.<br />
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But hey, all of that is conjecture and this blog is fairly pointless. <br />
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Then again, so is screaming "Fire Mark Richt!"<br />
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Go Dawgs<br />
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<br />Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-248642993006777762015-09-13T09:02:00.000-07:002015-09-13T09:17:35.077-07:00"You can't win if your QB Can't Complete Passes."The overriding theme of the Georgia "Faithful" following yesterday's 17-point SEC Road-Win is that the Dawgs are not going to continue to succeed with Greyson Lambert at quarterback. <br />
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Stop me if you've heard this one before.<br />
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Sitting behind the more experienced (in college, albeit not at UGA) starter is a prized recruit whom the fanbase believes is the rightful heir to the Signal Caller's Throne. He has shown flashes of brilliance that far outweigh obvious shortcomings, and UGA will be all the better if his era starts in earnest immediately. We know this, because the guy currently in the driver's seat just isn't getting it done. <br />
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But he is. <br />
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(pause added for you to continue cursing me out)<br />
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Look, Lambert is by no means "lighting it up" right now. Some of his throws were just out and out awful. In the first half, the kid looked like a straight up dumpster fire. But, he did deliver some very nice throws at timely moments. Sometimes, that's what it takes. <br />
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Lambert was an unconvincing 11/21 with 0 Touchdowns yesterday. But, he had 0 INTs as well. Yes, he should have had 1 INT, save for the worst pair of hands I've seen on a DB since Bryan Evans. Still, the ball fell harmlessly to the turf. Through 2 games at UGA, the guy has not turned the ball over, and has "done enough" to maintain his position. Now, that's not an overwhelming endorsement of him, but based on what we've seen of Ramsey, it's not a reason to shuffle him to the back of the deck either. <br />
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Lambert's 52% completion rating yesterday was better than Murray's 44% in a win over FL in 2011. (incidentally, that same year Murray had only a 57% completion rate in Nashville). We went to the SEC title game in 2011. In 2009, Joe Cox had a 51.6% completion rating in a win in Nashville. In 2013, we Lost in Nashville, and Murray's completion rating was again 57. Stafford's was 51.6 in 2007. In '05, Shockley was 15/30..50%. Maybe there's just something in Nashville that affects our QBs, because they haven't played well there in over a decade. <br />
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...<br />
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"BUT DUKES! YOU CAN'T WIN GAMES IF YOUR QB CAN'T COMPLETE A PASS!"<br />
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That's probably true. I'd think that over the course of a game, you'll need to complete a pass. Hell, just ask Buck Belue. He completed exactly ONE pass against Notre Dame in 1981. He had missed 11 straight before completing his first and only pass with just over two minutes to go in the game. We got lucky in that one, sure... but with a QB so awful, there's no way that 1980 team could have been any good, right?<br />
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...<br />
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(this pause is for the combined effect of some of you thinking "hmm, maybe I'm overreacting" and others of you thinking "Greyson Lambert is no Buck Belue!!! This team ain't the 1980 team, because Hershel"). <br />
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All of this being said, Schotty and CMR make the calls, and if they're sticking with Lambert you just have to have FAITH that it's the best move for the team. The coaches have no moral responsibility to give him the starting nod or the lion's share of playing time just for transferring in and "helping with competition." They didn't bring him to Georgia to "light a fire under Ramsey." They brought him to Georgia because Ramsey wasn't getting it done and they needed a guy who could start and win football games. <br />
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So far, the guy's 2-0, and hasn't put us in bad positions. We'll learn more as the Defenses get better (and this week's defense was far better than last week's). But the fact remains... as the QB at UGA, your job is not really to WIN the football game as much as it is NOT TO LOSE it. That's been true for a long, long time. <br />
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Do you need to be able to complete a pass to win football games? Probably. <br />
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Luckily, Lambert's completed 19 so far. <br />
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Oh, and BTW ... Aaron Murray never started a season without a pick in his first two games.<br />
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Go Dawgs.<br />
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<br />Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-33028504725571313302014-09-13T19:05:00.001-07:002014-09-13T19:05:11.552-07:00We didn't lose that game on 4th down.Not on the 4th down when they didn't get the 1st (but the refs said he did)<div>
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Not on the 4th down when Morgan missed that kick (that hooked late, and looked good but wasn't)</div>
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We lost that game on 1st down. We lost that game when our coaches (I'm guessing, but it could have been fearless leader himself, Hutson Mason) decided to throw the ball on a 1st and goal at the 4. </div>
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If you've been reading my blog for years, you know me. I don't question our coaches all that often. I defer to them in nearly every single situation because they are good at what they do, and get millions of dollars to do it. I'm a simple country singer (<a href="http://www.bendukes.com/">www.bendukes.com</a>) and blogger (this site) ... oh, and I tweet, too (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/bendukes">@bendukes</a>) ... but at this moment, I gotta say -</div>
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The decision NOT to run the ball with Gurley, OR Chubb, OR Hicks, OR Michel on 1st and goal at the FRIKKIN 4 YARD LINE after a HUGE interception and penalty is just stupefying. I can not imagine what goes through the mind of an offensive coordinator who calls that, or a quarterback who audibles into it. I mean, it's this moment where i want Johnny Moxon in the huddle so that he can say, "Screw That." and then call a play that puts it in Gurley's hands. </div>
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I just can't fathom it. Run the ball. If you don't score, it's second down....and seconds are ticking away. If you score, you're ahead and your D (who is feeling AMPED) comes back out to shut South Carolina down. </div>
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What the hell, man? What the hell?</div>
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I don't know if Bobo called the pass, or Mason audible into it... but it certainly seems like the whole offensive unit was eating dumbshit sandwiches on the sideline before running onto the field for what could have been the go-ahead "drive" of 4 yards. </div>
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I've been watching UGA football for a while now, and I'm not sure I've ever seen a better display of ineptitude than I did on that series. </div>
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Ugh. Ok, I've vented. Suck it up, dawgnation. We have a playoff run to make. Go Dawgs.</div>
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Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-42893132869993610132014-09-11T10:20:00.000-07:002014-09-11T12:38:56.915-07:00Williams-Brice - where UGA's offense goes to dieI know, I know...ominous blog title. But seriously, this is the thing that's been giving me pause this week. Yes, South Carolina seems to have taken a step back, and UGA appears to be banging on all cylinders. It looks as though we should be able to ROLL right over the Gamecocks. We like to believe that Gurley can not be stopped, and that Mason is smart enough and good enough to beat the 'Cocks with his arm if necessary. <br />
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I want to believe that too. I want to believe that we win this game 42-17. <br />
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But, here's the funny thing about playing in Columbia. The Dawgs don't do it well - at least not the Dawgs' Offense. <br />
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Richt is 4-2 in Columbia, but only 2-2 since Spurrier arrived, and his last win was 2008. Now, until this year, South Carolina had posted 18 straight victories at Williams-Brice. That's pretty much every game in the stadium from 2011-2013. Solid.<br />
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Many folks are thinking, "DUKES! We're so much better now than we were with any of those teams. We have GURLEY" Yes we do. He's damned amazing, and I hope he dominates against the Gamecocks. But let's remember... in 2012, we were 6 yards (or 20 seconds) from a National Title Game appearance... and we had Gurley then. And Aaron Murray. And a group of wideouts who are currently in the NFL. <br />
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I'd be remiss not to paint this picture for you:<br />
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In 2006, UGA entered SoCar 1-0. We scored 48 points in the first game of the season with Stafford, Lumpkin, Brown, Ware, MoMass and Sean Bailey leading the group. In Columbia, we scored 18 points.<br />
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In 2008, We were 2-0 going into the USC game. Stafford had more seasoning. Moreno was now the leading rusher in the backfield (with Caleb King). MoMass and AJ Green were electric on the outside of the offense. We had scored 45 and then 56 points in the first two weeks. In Columbia, 14.<br />
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In 2010, Aaron Murray made his first SEC start in a VERY hostile environment. The soon-to-be SEC All-Time Leading Passer brought Washaun Ealey, Caleb King, AJ Green, Tavarres King and Marlon Brown as well as a 55 point week-one offense into Columbia. That combo put up 6 points.<br />
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In 2012, Murray returned to Columbia, hoping to beat the Gamecocks (he was 0-2 against them) just like he had beaten Missouri, Vanderbilt and Tennessee prior. He brought the freshman phenom tandem of Todd Gurley and Nick Marshall with him. He threw passes to T. King, Malcolm Mitchell, and Marlon Brown, not to mention big TE Arthur Lynch. That offense had thrown up no less than 40 points in ANY game preceding. (45,41,56,48,51) To say they were in mid-season form was by no way overstating it. That offense, which would go on to the SEC Title game, tallied an amazing SEVEN POINTS in Columbia - in garbage time.<br />
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I'm not saying we won't win. I'm not saying the Dawgs Offense won't explode against South Carolina just like it did against Clemson. In fact, I surely hope that's what happens, because we need to reverse the recent trend in Columbia. All I'm saying, is don't be surprised if it's a slugfest where we have to work to win the game in the 4th quarter. You can NEVER write-off Steve Spurrier before the game has been played. <br />
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To Todd Gurley, Hutson Mason, Michael Bennett and the rest I say: Prove me wrong. Go hang 60 on Spurrier in Williams-Brice. <br />
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Go Dawgs.<br />
<br />Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-8665524872118654792014-09-10T22:47:00.001-07:002014-09-10T22:48:24.468-07:00Desire Versus Expectation I've been involved with the South Carolina-UGA rivalry for nearly 20 years now. When I graduated high school, I was a highly scholarshipped individual. This, of course, was due to my performance in the classroom rather than on the football field. Still, I had my pick of schools. I visited, interviewed at, and enrolled in classes at The University of South Carolina in 1997. I never attended a class. Instead, I attended my classes at The University of Georgia, which I visited, interviewed at and enrolled in classes a few weeks after my trip to Columbia. An odd way to end up in Athens, to be sure...but it was my path. <br />
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Now, none of that has any bearing whatsoever on the game that will be played on Saturday, save for the fact that the team I played for is squaring off against the first college I almost attended. I am not a person divided, though. <br />
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I bleed Red and Black.<br />
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So, I want the Dawgs to Win. No, I don't. I want them to ROLL. I want Gurley and Co to absolutely eviscerate the Gamecocks (metaphorically, of course), and leave their collective pride bleeding out on the field at Williams-Brice. That's what I want. I want to see the scoreboard lit up like a UGA Freshman's eyes the first time he sees a tit at a Frat Party. <br />
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That is not what I expect.<br />
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I want to see us run Gurley, and Gurley, and Gurley, and then Chubb, and then Gurley, and then Michel, and then Gurley, Gurley, Gurley, Chubb, Gurley, Michel, Chubb, Michel, Chubb, Chubb, Gurley ... and then Keith Marshall because why the hell not.<br />
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That is not what I expect.<br />
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I want to see Mason fake handoffs and hit receivers deep. I want to see Mason hit Hicks for a monstrous TD along the sideline, where Hicks runs over a Corner, outruns a linebacker and then weaves TO HIT a safety as he crosses the goal line. <br />
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I want to see 40+ points on our side of the scoreboard, and <14 nbsp="" on="" p="" theirs.=""><br />
That is not what I expect.<br />
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The Georgia faithful have swollen with pride due to the ass whipping delivered to Dabo Sweeney and his Tigers a pair of weeks ago. People are feeling REAL good about the Dawgs right now. But, this is where the stars DO NOT align for Georgia. This game isn't being played in Athens, where we've been able to light up scoreboards against Cocky (even in losing). No, this is in Columbia. In Columbia, UGA's points get sucked into the void.<br />
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This is Richt's 5th shot at Spurrier in Columbia. So far, the Dawgs are 2-2 in those contests, posting an average output of a whopping 11.75 points. During those same games, Spurrier's Cocks have put up 14.25 per. Neither total is particularly encouraging for either squad. Sure, UGA blew the hinges off against the Gamecocks in Athens last year ... but that pesky crowd can really turn a fortune in a hurry. <br />
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Now, I know many of you would be quick to remind me of the catastrophic mistakes that occurred in that loss two years ago. But, I've been a Georgia fan long enough to know - those things can and DO happen in big ballgames. The question is always how the team will respond. <br />
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Spurrier would want us to roll over when adversity strikes. He would want his crowd to get loud, the pressure to come crashing down on Mason. He would want to see the 5th year senior crumble under the weight of that intense moment. <br />
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That is not what I expect. <br />
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I expect our team to have better leadership and cooler heads than that. I think they have come across many miles of maturation since that last visit to Columbia. I think they have become a more tight-knit unit. I believe they have developed into a group which will Hunker Down and get the job done when the shit hits the fan. <br />
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And that is what I expect. I expect the fight to be a tough one, but I expect us to win it. I expect South Carolina to key on Gurley, but I expect him to overpower them. I expect Spurrier to have an excellent game plan, but I expect ours to outdo him. I expect most of the nation to say "They're gonna make Hutson win it." And if that opportunity arises, I expect him to do so.<br />
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I want the Dawgs to win. And I expect it. <br />
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Go Dawgs.<!--14--></14>Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-65650090791249127312014-01-27T17:15:00.000-08:002014-01-27T17:15:33.381-08:00The 16-team Playoff…it’s almost TOO simple.Ok, so…I don’t dive into the recruiting mumbo jumbo…and the coaching hires well, I said my bit on Pruitt, and that’s all I really know about. So, what’s a guy to write about other than the flying horseshit that will be 2014 college football playoff?<br />
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First, there’s the fact that there’s a “Selection Committee”. That is, in and of itself, patently retarded. If we’re going to “Play off” and “Win it on the field”, then our combatants shouldn’t be decided in a locked room with a big cedar table (inversely proportionate to the collective penile size of the committee members, females included). <br />
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Then, there’s the fact that we’ve decided to go with Four Teams. Four. That means that there are about 116 teams that don’t deserve any whiff of a possible title. Well, screw that. It’s moronic. <br />
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Here’s the thing…this whole nastiness could be avoided by simply following the plan I blogged about a few years ago (of course, changes in current Conference structure actually make it EASIER to implement).<br />
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So, here’s what we do:<br />
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There are 5 major football conferences which are split into divisions. <br />
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There are 6 major football conferences (well, 5 and the Indies) which are NOT split into divisions.<br />
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If you take the DIVISION champs of each split conference, and the CONFERENCE champs of each non-split conference, and add the TOP INDIE…..<br />
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YOU GET 16 TEAMS. Holy crap. <br />
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So, you play the conference championship games, you seed the other 6 teams, and there goes your first round. <br />
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If it were me, I’d probably set it up like this: <br />
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Go Dawgs</div>
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<br />Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-47985738105785728492014-01-15T14:56:00.002-08:002014-01-15T16:07:13.566-08:00The Promise of PruittWell, when Grantham and Company died, so did my last blog series. No need to recap the Season of Suck if those guys won’t be around to fix it. So instead, I look to the future, dawgfans. I look to the future with excitement, anticipation, whiskey and a full-half-chub because of the Jeremy Pruitt hire.<br />
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That’s not to say I was ever sold against Grantham. I’m always more of a “let’s see what happens” guy when it comes to coaches. I know a good bit about football, but I don’t know as much as Mark Richt and Todd Grantham and Mike Bobo (and apparently all of the commenters at Get The Picture who know more about football than those guys) - so, if the Head Man believes in a coach, I trust him. Doing so has enabled me to enjoy many years of Georgia Football without stressing about each detail.<br />
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That being said, it makes me happy that we’ll have a new attitude on Georgia’s defense. I don’t buy into the “they don’t want it” or “they’re not hungry” - but I do buy into “They’re confused as hell.” So, if Pruitt can make the concepts simpler, they’ll be more effective, and we’ll see better performance. <br />
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Here’s what I’ve learned in a quick study on Pruitt -<br />
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He ran Alabama’s defensive backs in 2010-2013. What I noticed about this time period:<br />
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In 2010, 18 out of AL’s 22 INTs were by DBs.<br />
In 2011, 9 out of AL’s 13 INTs were by DBs.<br />
In 2012, 15 out of AL’s 18 INTs were by DBs.<br />
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So, in two of those three seasons, the DBs had double-digit turnovers. 2011 seemed to be a lower-than-norm performance. The driving factor behind that was that Robert Lester had an outrageous campaign in 2010 with 8 picks, and then regressed to the mean in 2011 with 2.<br />
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In Pruitt’s 3 years at Bama, a Sophomore DB lead the team in Picks every season. That’s an interesting note. <br />
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Also in those 3 years, team Sacks (while not a DB issues) increased every season…from 27 to 30 to 35. That kind of pressure often results in shaky QB play and turnovers - if the DB Coach can teach the kids how to capitalize on bad passes. Our DBs didn’t seem able to do that this season (Despite 33 sacks). In those seasons, DBs had a small # of sacks (5.5, 2.5, 5) and moderate TFL #s in 2010/11 (16 each) which increased to 23 in 2012.<br />
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Overall, the 2011 defense at Alabama seemed to take a minor step back … and won a National Title. All the while, they built up a ton of experience and then were VERY solid in 2012.<br />
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Then, Pruitt left and went down to FSU…<br />
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Here’s what I learned about Pruitt’s one year as DC at FSU:<br />
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The FSU Defensive squads of 2012 and 2013 don’t appear to be massively different. <br />
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2012 Points Against - 14.7/game<br />
2013 Points Against - 12.1/game<br />
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2012 Rushing TDs Against - 10<br />
2013 Rushing TDs Against - 7<br />
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2012 Passing TDs Against - 13<br />
2013 Passing TDs Against - 14<br />
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But, the Defensive Backs did show some marked improvements. <br />
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The 2012 squad had 36 team sacks, but 24 of them came from two players - upperclass DL.<br />
The 2013 FSU team had 35 team sacks, and they were spread among a number of players. The team’s sack leader was Lamarcus Joyner, a DB, with 5.5.<br />
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In fact, when it comes to being active behind the line of scrimmage, Pruitt seems to have really brought that with him to FSU. In 2012, the DBs had 7 total TFL. In 2013, DBs had 24.5 TFL, and the leading DB had 8 on his own.<br />
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The whole team was better behind the line of scrimmage, actually. Every player who recorded a sack either maintained or increased their production from 2012. The top three QB Hunters made fairly nice increases with Joyner going from 0 in 2012 to 5 in 2013, Timmy Jernigan stepping up from 1.5 to 4.5 and Mario Edwards, Jr going from 1.5 to 3.5. <br />
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With Pruitt, it appears to be about Aggression, Aggression, Aggression. This resulted in higher sack numbers, and higher turnover numbers. <br />
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2012 - 11 DB Interceptions (11 team)<br />
2013 - 17 DB Interceptions (26 team)<br />
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2012 - 4 Fumbles caused by DBs (9 Team)<br />
2013 - 9 Fumbles caused by DBs (12 Team)<br />
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All in all, the turnovers increased from 22 to 35.<br />
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The one area where Dawgfans won’t be excited is that the 2013 FSU defense regressed from 2012’s in the area of 3rd Down Conversions. <br />
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2012 - 27.15%<br />
2013 - 31.92%<br />
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But…the Georgia Bulldogs have beaten that 31.92% 3rd down percentage in only one of the past seven seasons. No surprise…it was in 2011, when UGA had a staunch 28.93% 3rd down conversation rate. In 2012, we fell to 36.54% and in 2013 all the way to 39.49%. <br />
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Finally, if we look at the way UGA13 compares to FSU 12, we get this…<br />
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UGA13 Team Sacks - 33<br />
FSU12 Team Sacks - 36<br />
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UGA13 Team INT (DB) - 7 (6)<br />
FSU12 Team INT (DB) - 11 (11)<br />
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UGA13 Team TFL (DB) - 81 (16.5)<br />
FSU12 Team TFL (DB) - 86 (7)<br />
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UGA13 Team Turnovers - 15<br />
FSU12 Team Turnovers - 22<br />
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On the surface, the Georgia Defense that Pruitt Inherits isn’t incredibly dissimilar from the FSU one he walked into a year ago. If he can make similar improvements to our Defense as he did to FSU’s, then we may see some drastically different results in 2014. I don’t know that I expect higher sack numbers, but I definitely expect DBs who play with more certainty and more confidence. That will make all the difference in the world. <br />
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One of the main tenets of Grantham’s style was that his attacking pass rush would rush the QB, and his complicated DB schemes would confuse him - resulting in more turnovers. In 2013, however, the pass rush wasn’t as dominant as we’d want it to be (though the numbers were high, we often weren’t effective in key moments) and the people most confused by our coverages, were our DBs. That’s a doomed-to-fail scenario if ever there was one. <br />
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I think Pruitt’s plan will be to simplify the scheme, and amplify the attack. And I think that’s a great plan.<br />
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Go Dawgs.<br />
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<br />Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-61611324968794911512013-12-10T13:26:00.000-08:002013-12-10T13:26:22.029-08:002013 Looking Back … Passing OffenseThere is no lack of documentation showing the love-hate-love affair I’ve had with Aaron Murray. I was a skeptic, and a detractor, and a begrudging accepter…and then, as his Junior and Senior years progressed, a full-blooded appreciator of the man and the player who was Aaron Murray. After he lost against UF in 2010, I told my friends…he won’t lose to them again. Then, in the latter part of 2012, I felt he had finally shaken the “big game” bullshit off his back. The bowl game would go on to prove it, as he turned around a lousy first half and lay a gutsy performance out on the ground, bringing us the win.<br />
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So, I came into 2013 very optimistic. <br />
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Then, the first play at Clemson. Ugh.<br />
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Then, Tennesee. Double Ugh.<br />
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So many guys went down, our sideline became a trauma center the likes of which haven’t been seen since the Superdome after Katrina. <br />
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But, we had some guys stand up and play some pretty good football. We also got some guys back who were our leaders coming into the season. Arthur Lynch returned from being banged up and finished the season strong, earning All-SEC honors. That’s the guy we thought he’d be when we signed him.<br />
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Still, if you’d told me we’d lose Mitchell and Scott-Wesley for the season, as well as Conley, Bennet, Lynch and Rome for multiple games each - and yet we’d still finish as the Nation’s 16th ranked passing offense (and tied for 10th in yards per attempt), I’d have called you nuts. In fact, I definitely wouldn’t have thought our passing game would drop by only 226 yards over the course of the year - and given our schedule strength, that’s pretty amazing.<br />
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So how’d we do it?<br />
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For starters, we added more throws to the running backs. Last season, Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall combined for a 27-208-1 line. This season, Gurley himself improved on that greatly with 30 catches, 344 yards, and 5 TDs (with one game still to go, and no SECCG stats). Also, by spreading the ball around (lack of experienced deep threat), we had more receivers in the 200-399 yard range than previously. </div>
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Jonathan Rumph was much slower to come along than many had anticipated. In fact, Reggie Davis far outproduced him in catches, yards, YPC, as well as games played. Reggie may have shown himself to be one of our quality Deep Threats of the future. </div>
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And of course, receivers need QBs to toss them the ball. UGA had two very good signal callers this season. </div>
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The sample size and competition was vastly different, but you have to love that from a Completion Percentage perspective, there was absolutely zero drop-from Murray to Mason. Not a tenth of a percent. Nada. Not bad when you’re replacing the SEC’s all-time leading passer. </div>
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Sadly, Murray never hit a 65% season…but 64.8 was an improvement on his 64.5 from 2012.</div>
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Overall, with a patchwork receiving corps and two very strong passers, Georgia had a very serviceable passing attack which bodes well for 2014 and beyond. As we look to the future, in fact, we see that our top two producing receivers (Conley, Bennett) are back, as will be Davis and Malcolm Mitchell, providing deep threat opportunities for the vertically-minded Hutson Mason. Receptions out of the backfield should continue to be a big part of our passing game, and the ol’ bread-and-butter play action looks to be there as well since our RB stable only gets stronger with the return of Keith Marshall and the addition of Chub and Michel. </div>
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Even with the loss of Murray next season, I have a sneaking suspicion that the Richt/Bobo offense will continue to build on what it has done recently, and bring even more wins in 2014. If only that defense will catch up……..</div>
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Go Dawgs.</div>
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<br />Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-40007858198445375122013-12-01T11:07:00.002-08:002013-12-01T11:07:47.755-08:002013 Looking Back… Rushing Offense ...At the outset of the season, the Dawgs were set to have the most potent rushing attack in the nation. The only question mark was the big boys up front. With Gurley and Marshall (this season forgoing the silly “Gurshall” nickname that just smacks of fans living in the past) primed and ready to go, a hopeful Dawgnation screamed from every peak that we would “Run This Conference.” <br />
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Didn’t quite work out that way. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLgEYSllNv3c5yOnnwygx9de6TOkY2Z8A3f1RjWASN4uGrgNG7vLOPuglVC0L-iROV8ZpMkDt05YOJbGGcXxZ_xliiTFghZgfG597Sj-hB_c37Fpu17Oh4rxn6rQe27qRkEYPYN_CwbI/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-12-01+at+9.36.35+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLgEYSllNv3c5yOnnwygx9de6TOkY2Z8A3f1RjWASN4uGrgNG7vLOPuglVC0L-iROV8ZpMkDt05YOJbGGcXxZ_xliiTFghZgfG597Sj-hB_c37Fpu17Oh4rxn6rQe27qRkEYPYN_CwbI/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-12-01+at+9.36.35+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now, the YPG average of 176.08 is only 6.49 YPG than UGA’s 2012 total that was good enough for 4th in the conference. But, in a year when rushing was UP across the conference, you certainly didn’t expect the Gurley-Marshall tandem to underproduce in the way that it did. <br />
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Of course, I suppose that’s what happens when your Starter goes down with an ankle injury, and Captain Change-of-Pace tears his ACL. <br />
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Some out there in the net-o-sphere believe UGA didn’t run as much this year as last (due to injury), but that’s not really the case. In 2012, UGA averaged 37.5 Att/Game, and in 2013, the # dropped minimally to 36.9 Att/Game. Or, in essence, we had less than ONE fewer attempt per game in 2013. Still, the drop off from Todd Gurley to just about anyone else is pretty substantial.<br />
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Here’s a snapshot of how the BallCarriers for UGA fared this season:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTH-tEResAzwhI5BQ0_iWcBPVjeb3sPXfokRJCwHFkE0qhyCkbv7T302DkeEpWscvbliJbf0cEgOLaMwbnguZ9orq3PURnyu9NFntDPHqVDfLdKhdLSsr8Z4nVKx9gM7snAVR1M1CyzI/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-12-01+at+10.38.37+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTH-tEResAzwhI5BQ0_iWcBPVjeb3sPXfokRJCwHFkE0qhyCkbv7T302DkeEpWscvbliJbf0cEgOLaMwbnguZ9orq3PURnyu9NFntDPHqVDfLdKhdLSsr8Z4nVKx9gM7snAVR1M1CyzI/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-12-01+at+10.38.37+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Gurley going off at 100 ypg is pretty nice. We’d love to see it over that, of course…but if your star running back is averaging 100 ypg, and he’s not 100%, well - that’s pretty damned good. After Marshall went down, you had Green and Douglas splitting the load, and they were fairly neck-and-neck with productivity. Both scored 3 TDs, both have their strengths and weaknesses. Green is more of the big-play guy, but Douglas hammers out the tough yards a little better. For two freshmen to come in and be able to do what they do, well, that was a bright spot for the offense (The fumbles notwithstanding). </div>
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With another year of seasoning on these guys next year, Georgia will set itself up to have a very potent rushing attack. Perhaps Nick Chubb and/or Sony Michel will get the opportunity to LEARN for a season before being thrown into the fire. I’m a big fan of the 4-tailback system..but 6-tailbacks? Jeebus.</div>
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Overall, I’d have to say that our running game this season has been serviceable. It was supposed to be one of the brightest spots on the team, but injuries prevented it from being that. As good as Brendan and JJ may turn out to be, they aren’t Gurley and Marshall. Also, there’s no statistic for battles lost at the point of attack. At times, our offensive line seemed to lack the PUNCH it needed to truly take advantage of opposing teams' lines, and thus open the roadways for our backs. Then, at other times, there were holes big enough for Gary Danielson’s ego to run through. Look, the fact is, you’re not going to blow everyone off the ball all the time. Somebody’s gonna nut-up against you, and you have to fight through that. Sometimes your kids are going to get hurt, and you have to fight through that. Georgia having to rely on 3rd and 4th string running backs leaves us in the bottom third of rushing in the conference. It’s not a huge surprise.</div>
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You ask yourself…how can the running game improve next season? There are two very obvious answers - </div>
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Don’t get hurt.</div>
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Get more consistent line play. </div>
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Do those two things, and I think you see UGA vault back up to the top 4.</div>
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Go Dawgs.</div>
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<br />Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-14861942232812327832013-12-01T09:32:00.000-08:002013-12-01T09:32:05.133-08:00Now that the season is done...I’m always an opponent of judging the performance of a team before all the games have been played. Often, we jump on the team early in the season and compare the Dawgs to some midwest team that seems to just be smoking everybody…when in actuality, the competition is nowhere near similar. We all fully expect the team to get better as the season goes along, but then again…so do our opponents. And then, there’s injuries…<br />
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But, all of that is what makes up a college football season. 2013 has certainly been a memorable one. For my dollar, I don’t recall a season which has entertained me nearly as much as this one has…even though the Dawgs finished 8-4. I didn’t see the Kentucky or App State games, but literally every other game was a thrilling one. How often does that happen? <br />
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Don’t get me wrong - I want to see our team win titles, I do… but at the end of the day, that does nothing for me. My life doesn’t change. I don’t really care too much about what the other SEC fans at my job say about championships and all of that. I work with Bama, FL, and LSU grads (and we live in Los Angeles…go figure). They can talk all day about “their” championships, but really…they did nothing to earn them, and it doesn’t do any damage to my manhood to hear them talk about it. <br />
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Except the Auburn folks. Screw them.<br />
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Seriously, though - I wish fans at large would really take hold of the notion that the ENTERTAINMENT is what is important. For me, it’s getting together with other Dawg fans and enjoying an afternoon of beer, bad food, and camaraderie while a bunch of 18-22 year olds play a game. It’s seeing guys I went to high-school with 8-10 times a year. It’s taking a couple prilosec in the morning so I can gorge myself on Hot Wings with impunity. It’s the passion, and the spirit…it’s climbing up on a barstool and cheering “What’s that coming down the track?!?!” It’s jumping for joy like a kid on Christmas when Murray dives head-long into the end zone…and it’s sitting in stunned disbelief when a deflected pass gets carried into the end zone for a touchdown. But, when it’s over, no matter the outcome, I go back to my life…and all I have is the experience, win or lose. See, if the Dawgs win the title, they don’t send me a ring. They gave me a ring for what I did when I was there…and that’s it. I won’t receive any more. <br />
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That’s the fandom I have, and I would love for the rest of the fan base to come along with me on that. Understand that the team is there to play its games, and pursue its goals…and you’re along for the ride. Understand that the team plays its collective guts out, and wants EVERY victory very badly. Sometimes the chips don’t fall like they need to, and they lose the game. I know, It weighs heavily on the souls of the fans…but the players don’t get that “luxury” - they have to shake the loss off and get better. They have to shake the wins off, and get better. Every game has a lifespan of about 48 hours, and then it’s gone. It has to be. That’s football. <br />
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But now, at the end of the season, we can look back and really examine what this UGA team did…and who they were. That’s what my next series of blogs will be. I hope you’ll read. I mean, it’s not like there’s any more football to watch. <br />
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Go Dawgs.Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-51639941021436048732013-10-27T01:04:00.001-07:002013-10-27T01:04:25.607-07:00Dawgs find new life while riding the couch this week50% of Dawgfans out there have written off the season. The other 50% are looking for a miracle. In a season like this, that's kinda what you have to do. The injury bug has been a mothra-sized pain in the, well… pain in the everything really. The training room looks like the casualty tent in Apocalypse Now. <br />
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Yet, we stand 6 days from a game in Jacksonville with greater light at the end of the Atlanta tunnel than many believed possible going into this morning. We all knew Connor Shaw was injured. Things were setting up oh-so-well for Mizzou, as they were facing their third straight team with MAJOR injury issues. Sure, for Cackalacky it was only one guy - but it was THE guy. Don't believe me? Compare the 0 points South Carolina had prior to Shaw to the 27 points they scored with Shaw in the game. For those who didn't watch, and haven't read anything, USC won 27-24 in 2nd OT. The first half of the second OT was the first time in which South Carolina led the game. See, Spurrier called on Shaw in the 3rd quarter, and he led the Cocks back from a 17 point deficit to a 17-17 tie and then an OT win. <br />
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The win kept South Carolina's hopes for a possible trip to Atlanta alive.<br />
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Of course, it also kept UGA's same hopes alive. <br />
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So now, UGA will head to Florida with something to play for. UGA will head to Florida with Todd Gurley back in the lineup. And, UGA will head to Florida with a defense that has definitely seen its share of improvement over recent weeks. <br />
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For those who, like me, think we can still make it to Atlanta, we need Mizzou to stumble twice more. With Tennessee, Ole Miss and TAMU on the schedule, 2 losses are possible. Mizzou loses two more, and UGA loses no more…and we're in Atlanta.<br />
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But it all starts on Saturday for UGA. We have to put Florida away for the 3rd time in as many seasons. With Gurley back in the lineup, I think we have a damn good shot at that. Despite what a number of mailbag trollers and gut-feeling bloggers will tell you, this defense is getting better. It's taking time, and it certainly isn't pretty…but the defense is getting better. They're making stops. They're causing turnovers. They're doing what they have to do. <br />
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Will it be enough? Only time will tell. The next two offenses Georgia faces aren't the best. If they can continue to improve, and gain more confidence, the Dawgs will have a nice opportunity to beat their 3rd top 10 team this season (Auburn) and they'll need to if they want to go to Atlanta.<br />
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And Mizzou will have to lose 2 more games. <br />
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Who's ready for a fun end to the season?<br />
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GO DAWGS<br />
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<br />Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6668303417231062245.post-52999460345502873582013-10-12T01:44:00.001-07:002013-10-12T01:44:26.209-07:00You Want to See A Championship Team2013. The University of Georgia. National Champions.<br />
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That's what you want to see. That's why you watch the games on Saturdays. That's why you scour the blogosphere for the rest of the week. That's why you dig through the numbers in my blog. That's why you dare to click on a Bleacher Report article. That's why you follow every link The Senator puts on his board. You are a Dawgfan, and you want to see our team as National Champions.<br />
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We lost the first game. Your pride was hurt. But still, you want to see us as National Champions. You listened to the experts when they told you that it's ok for Georgia to lose that game. If there was gonna be one, it had to be that one. It had to be the Non-Con game that was against a great football team. You want to see our team as National Champions, so you keep tuning in.<br />
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Though the game was tight, we BEASTED South Carolina. Normally you get excited when The OBC throws his visor. This time, he threw in the towel. He went to the locker room with timeouts in his pocket, an 8.5 minute drive having pounded all the fight out of him. Our defense was less than stellar, yet still you believed. Because you want to see our team as National Champions.<br />
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We struggled against LSU. We were able to pull out a gutsy, emotional win...but we looked bad on defense doing it. The kid who was too salty to be a Dawg almost cooked our goose. But we have faith in a player who has done nothing but do everything right since day 1. He played out of his mind, and we beat the second #6 team we'd faced. In the waning moments, when our defense faced Mettenberger, you thought we might lose. You've "seen too much Georgia football" - maybe you've just been a fan of sports in the state of Georgia for too long. The Braves. The Falcons. The Dawgs. They'll give you heart attacks. So, when Metts got into the shotgun, you put your hands over your eyes....but you split two fingers, because you just had to watch. Because you want to see our team as National Champions.<br />
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Then we went into a "trap" game. A team with nothing too lose, playing against a team with everything to lose - except its starting Tailback, who'd already been lost - in one of the largest, loudest stadiums in all of college football. We'd come off an emotional win. We were wounded and tired. Player after Player went down to injury. You couldn't believe it. You thought "this is where it all ends. This is where "living dangerously" finally catches up to us. We gave up a fourteen point lead in the second half. You wanted to hurl your remote at the tv, and shut it off. But you didn't. You watched, because you want to see a Championship Georgia Team.<br />
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You know what a Championship Team is? They're a team that's been through the ringer. They've faced it all. They've seen adversity, and had to fight through it. They've stared down the barrel of a painful loss, and laughed at the next bullet in the chamber. The "easy road" does not make a champion. A Championship is unlike anything else in competition. You look back, and you have to think "Just how in the hell did we get here?" A Championship Team is special. They are unified. They have one goal, and they will push themselves - and each other - to the brink in order to succeed in that goal. They do not make excuses, but learn from their mistakes. They take ownership and responsibility, and when the chips are down, they buck up. <br />
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Just watch this afternoon. Watch these Georgia Bulldogs. See if they have what it takes. They face a confident 5-0 Missouri team. They're missing a TON of starters. They're missing leadership. They're missing talent. They're missing production. The defense is learning on the job. The offense is patchwork at best. They are looking up at Everest, and realizing they left their boots on the plane. They have no time, no room, no need for excuses. They have to adjust. They have to survive. They have to fight through the adversity and the pain and every surprise that comes at them, and they have to win. They have to do that, because You want to see the 2013 Georgia Bulldogs as National Champions.<br />
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Go Dawgs.Ben Dukeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08461781656555739470noreply@blogger.com2