I just wanted to get a head-start on the Lassiter newspaper's headline. Do I think Hutson Mason will play tomorrow? Yup. Do I think it will be in the first half? Yup. Do I think it will be because Aaron Murray is hurt? Nup.
Mark Richt isn't deaf to criticism. He's well aware that many around the nation have been questioning his decision to not play Aaron Murray for a single down in 2009. He also knows that his backup, who is a play away from being a starter, needs experience just as badly as his starter. Logan Gray is, for all intents and purposes (and much to the delight of this writer) out of the picture as QB at UGA. So, it's Murray, Mason, and a couple of walk-ons.
Now, people are quick to dismiss walk-ons...but I'll have folks remember that it was a one-time walk-on named Corey Philips who tossed the ball for over 400 yards and four touchdowns. Again, not saying either of these guys are stars...but to dismiss their ability simply because they didn't receive a scholarship is folly.
At any rate, it wouldn't surprise me to see three quarterbacks over the course of the game tomorrow. It also wouldn't surprise me in the least if Mason is getting snaps with the first team before half is out.
"Oh come on, Dukes. You're just saying this because Connor Shaw was playing last night for Spurrier." No, I'm not. I'm saying this because I believe Richt knows he needs to get kids experience, and this is the game to do it. Going into South Carolina, you don't want a situation where a kid gets his first meaningful snap - you really don't. South Carolina is a good team. First-snap jitters will be a factor. If you add to that the idea that it's a kid's first snap EVER, you're compounding the problem. Huton Mason does not provide a "change of pace" from Aaron Murray, so using them as a dual-quarterback system does not make sense. But, Richt sending Mason in to get some snaps with the ones - just in case - certainly does. I envision a game tomorrow where Georgia runs the ball early and often, and throws some early screen and swing passes to get Murray's confidence up.
Of course, Bobo is rather taken with the idea of the "big hitter" to open the game. So, don't be surprised if a call along the lines of "off-tackle x-go check-with-me" comes in. This isn't an actual name of a play in UGA's playbook - or if it is, then it was a lucky guess - but rather a concept. The coach calls in a run-pass option. If you read your big, tall, fast, star receiver is in man-man coverage, you go with the pass play, lay it up and let him go get it. If you read double or zone coverage, you make the run call, hand off to one of your solid runningbacks, and let him get five or six yards, opening your playbook WIDE for a second and medium-to-gain play.
Either way you slice it, we should have a good deal of success provided Murray keeps the ball out of the defense's hands. I don't know that I think Mason will see action in the first quarter, but I definitely believe we will have a comfortable enough lead for him to come in before the halftime whistle blows.
"DUKES! Are you not giving ULL credit? Are you letting them lull you to sleep? These guys beat Kansas State last year."
So?
Look, I'll give ULL all the credit in the world. They're coming in as David trying to slay Goliath....but we're not really Goliath. Right now, we're Goliath's sickly little brother. We have much to prove to take the "Goliath" mantle. Still, we are grossly more talented and DEEPER than ULL. There will be less than 1,000 ULL fans in the stands. Our guys are bigger, faster, stronger. Every card in the deck, both jokers, and the poker rules are stacked against ULL, and this isn't a game when they're going to shock the world.
What then am I looking forward to? I'm looking forward to a GLIMPSE of what this year's squad is all about. I say a glimpse because I know Grantham ain't gonna tip his hand completely. He'll show a couple blitzes, he'll show a few different coverages...but we won't see anything close to what we'll see against, say, FLORIDA. Why? We won't need to. Bobo will be very similar. He may show a wrinkle or two, but not a great deal. The game will be fairly Vanilla, with the exception of a few possible trick plays. "Trick plays, Dukes? Come ON!" Yeah, I think there may be a trick play or two. Why? Because it's easier to pull them off against inferior competition, and if you show them, other teams have to prepare for them. End-arounds are going to work better against teams without great speed on defense. Flea-flickers are going to work better against DBs who won't be able to recover as well. I'm definitely not saying the UGA offense will be gimmicky...but I do think we'll see some kids get to do some out-of-the-ordinary things.
The last I saw, the betting line on this game was 28 points, with the over set at 41. I definitely say bet the over. Here's my best guess - King has two scores on the ground, add one by Munzenmeyer. Murray tosses 3 TDs - two to AJ Green and one to Orson Charles. I think Hutson Mason tosses a TD to Arthur Lynch late in the game, and Brandon Boykin returns either a kick or a pick for a TD. That puts UGA at 56 points. Is that crazy? Could be. I mean, I'm calling for some truly extraordinary circumstances. But hey, that's probably gonna be M.O. this season. Here's what I've learned - all the resarch and prognosticating and "trying to get it right" gets tiring and annoying. Besides, this is game 1. I have nothing to draw on. There are no "trends" for our defense. There are no "tendencies" on our offense. It's a blank slate. So, perhaps I'll just say what I want to see, and if it happens, AWESOME.
I want two things - 50 points on offense, and less than 10 surrendered on Defense, preferrably none (but I generally assume a garbage score of some sort).
Can tomorrow just get here already? Let's get it here, get it won, and move on to South Carolina....because THAT is gonna be a game!
Go Dawgs!
Friday, September 3, 2010
The Game
Today is a day unlike any other day a Georgia Fan will face in 2010. This is the day when all of last year's disappointments are at their most distant. This is the day when optimisim for a coming season is at its highest. The unknown stretches out before us, and we are on pins and needles for that first kickoff.
But let us pause.
Tommorrow the libations will be flowing, tailgates will empty, fans will rush into Sanford Stadium and get their first glimpse of a brand new team, and reality will set in.
But today, today we can project. Today we can use memories of former greatness to spark excitement and hope for the upcoming season. Some will look back to 2002, the last time Mark Richt was coming of an 8-win season. Some will think back to 2007, when a pair of solid runningbacks was set to share carries. Some memories will drift back even farther, to a time when a three-down lineman set on defense was the norm for Georgia. People will remember these days for far more than what they were - saturdays of entertainment. They will remember these days as days that made their lives better. Excitement will rush in today, and hope will be at its highest. Memories of the past and and unknown future will build in Georgia Fans everywhere until it reaches a crescendo, just at the moment when the kicker's foot hits that pigskin for the first time, and the crowd yells "DAWGS! Sic 'Em! WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!"
In that moment, it will all be lost. In that moment, we will hang in the air just as that ball does...and when it finds its way to the hands of a waiting player, The Game will be ON.
By The Game, I'm not referring to the UGA-ULL matchup. Though the scene I've just painted does tie directly to it. No, by The Game I mean the season we've waited for - when all of the offseason moves and all of the player prospecting and all of the speculation finally plays out. This game began in earnest over a year ago. Mark Richt decided to keep Willie Martinez aboard to give his defense a shot at redemption. The 2008 campaign was very sub-par, but injuries and inexperience made for a fitting excuse. That excuse would vanish in 2009. So would Willie. Richt chose last year not to burn a red-shirt on his Blue Chip 5-Star Freshman Quarterback. He chose to stick with a fifth year senior, who had statistically one of the better seasons for UGA quarterbacks - if not for that pesky interception column which completely undid much of the positive work. Over the course of the season, Murray was never thrown into the fray - never given snaps which would have yielded vital experience. This was Richt's Game. He simply bet that a year of learning the system would be more beneficial than taking his lumps.
Those who believe Richt is too conservative and not a gambler should think twice. Richt has gambled quite a bit on this season. He has put the fate of his team in the hands and head of a redshirt freshman quarterback. Can this kid make the right decisions - or better, keep from making the wrong ones - and lead his team to victory in the toughest conference in America? He has put the fate of his team into the hands of an unproven defensive coordinator - though Grantham had limited success in some areas with the Cleveland Browns, his defense was not seen as high-quality. These are big gambles, and I believe they're going to pay off.
Many of the Georgia faithful out there have lost their way. They are no longer faithful. They are bitter, cold. They talk of Richt being on a hotseat. They say he'll never be on par with Miles, Meyer and Saban. They do not see how this team can be successful. But today, even they are excited...because tomorrow is brand new. Tomorrow is what we've been waiting for. Tomorrow, The Game is On.
Go Dawgs!
But let us pause.
Tommorrow the libations will be flowing, tailgates will empty, fans will rush into Sanford Stadium and get their first glimpse of a brand new team, and reality will set in.
But today, today we can project. Today we can use memories of former greatness to spark excitement and hope for the upcoming season. Some will look back to 2002, the last time Mark Richt was coming of an 8-win season. Some will think back to 2007, when a pair of solid runningbacks was set to share carries. Some memories will drift back even farther, to a time when a three-down lineman set on defense was the norm for Georgia. People will remember these days for far more than what they were - saturdays of entertainment. They will remember these days as days that made their lives better. Excitement will rush in today, and hope will be at its highest. Memories of the past and and unknown future will build in Georgia Fans everywhere until it reaches a crescendo, just at the moment when the kicker's foot hits that pigskin for the first time, and the crowd yells "DAWGS! Sic 'Em! WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!"
In that moment, it will all be lost. In that moment, we will hang in the air just as that ball does...and when it finds its way to the hands of a waiting player, The Game will be ON.
By The Game, I'm not referring to the UGA-ULL matchup. Though the scene I've just painted does tie directly to it. No, by The Game I mean the season we've waited for - when all of the offseason moves and all of the player prospecting and all of the speculation finally plays out. This game began in earnest over a year ago. Mark Richt decided to keep Willie Martinez aboard to give his defense a shot at redemption. The 2008 campaign was very sub-par, but injuries and inexperience made for a fitting excuse. That excuse would vanish in 2009. So would Willie. Richt chose last year not to burn a red-shirt on his Blue Chip 5-Star Freshman Quarterback. He chose to stick with a fifth year senior, who had statistically one of the better seasons for UGA quarterbacks - if not for that pesky interception column which completely undid much of the positive work. Over the course of the season, Murray was never thrown into the fray - never given snaps which would have yielded vital experience. This was Richt's Game. He simply bet that a year of learning the system would be more beneficial than taking his lumps.
Those who believe Richt is too conservative and not a gambler should think twice. Richt has gambled quite a bit on this season. He has put the fate of his team in the hands and head of a redshirt freshman quarterback. Can this kid make the right decisions - or better, keep from making the wrong ones - and lead his team to victory in the toughest conference in America? He has put the fate of his team into the hands of an unproven defensive coordinator - though Grantham had limited success in some areas with the Cleveland Browns, his defense was not seen as high-quality. These are big gambles, and I believe they're going to pay off.
Many of the Georgia faithful out there have lost their way. They are no longer faithful. They are bitter, cold. They talk of Richt being on a hotseat. They say he'll never be on par with Miles, Meyer and Saban. They do not see how this team can be successful. But today, even they are excited...because tomorrow is brand new. Tomorrow is what we've been waiting for. Tomorrow, The Game is On.
Go Dawgs!
Saturday, August 21, 2010
The Writers have no Allegiance to UGA.
Many people are making a big deal out of the Dawgs' Preseason #23 ranking.
"WHOA WHOA...Hold up, Dukes! Where have you been for the past few months?"
It was summer, nothing was happening. Get over it.
Now, as I was saying, Many people are making a big deal out of the Dawgs' Preseason #23 ranking. They're using that ranking to suggest that Georgia Tech is now somehow a better football program than Georgia. They're using that ranking to say Richt should be on the hotseat. They're using that ranking to say the wheels have really fallen off with talent level and ability at UGA.
These people are idiots.
College football is a "what have you done lately" entity. The answer, in UGA terms, is "not much." Georgia hasn't won the SEC since 2005. We haven't won a national title since 1980. We haven't beaten Florida since 2007, and before that, 2004, and before that, 1997. Soooo....what are UGA fans expecting? Do you expect that the national writers have been reading all the UGA blogsites and are in a fervor about the "potential" of this year's team?
No.
They are voting for proven teams. UGA has shown a decline in performance over the past two years. After a lofty #1 ranking before 2008, UGA lost 8 of its next 26 contests. That's a 69% winning percentage. Think that's gonna rank you very high? Nope.
You and I know that this team is going to show addition by subtraction. The defense will be better. How do we know this? Well, could you imagine it being any WORSE? The defense is taking on a "playmaker" mentailty - and I'm all for that. I want those guys to turn it up, and turn it loose. Will that result in a few burns? Most likely. But, in the long run, I think it will result in a far greater overall defensive performance.
The QB play will have to be better. Murray has an armory of weapons around him. He has a great offensive line. He has solid running backs. And, he has a coach who is going to let the game come to HIM instead of forcing him to go out and win games.
Of course, this is all information that has been trumpeted around for the whole summer. This is what every UGA-Red-Blooded blogger has told you. This is not news. Still, some of you seem to believe that the writers-at-large should agree with this. They shouldn't. It's not their job to believe in the potential. It's their job to believe in results.
Then, after the results are in, and the Dawgs are on top in the SEC, it's their job to pretend they were with the us the whole time.
Go Dawgs.
"WHOA WHOA...Hold up, Dukes! Where have you been for the past few months?"
It was summer, nothing was happening. Get over it.
Now, as I was saying, Many people are making a big deal out of the Dawgs' Preseason #23 ranking. They're using that ranking to suggest that Georgia Tech is now somehow a better football program than Georgia. They're using that ranking to say Richt should be on the hotseat. They're using that ranking to say the wheels have really fallen off with talent level and ability at UGA.
These people are idiots.
College football is a "what have you done lately" entity. The answer, in UGA terms, is "not much." Georgia hasn't won the SEC since 2005. We haven't won a national title since 1980. We haven't beaten Florida since 2007, and before that, 2004, and before that, 1997. Soooo....what are UGA fans expecting? Do you expect that the national writers have been reading all the UGA blogsites and are in a fervor about the "potential" of this year's team?
No.
They are voting for proven teams. UGA has shown a decline in performance over the past two years. After a lofty #1 ranking before 2008, UGA lost 8 of its next 26 contests. That's a 69% winning percentage. Think that's gonna rank you very high? Nope.
You and I know that this team is going to show addition by subtraction. The defense will be better. How do we know this? Well, could you imagine it being any WORSE? The defense is taking on a "playmaker" mentailty - and I'm all for that. I want those guys to turn it up, and turn it loose. Will that result in a few burns? Most likely. But, in the long run, I think it will result in a far greater overall defensive performance.
The QB play will have to be better. Murray has an armory of weapons around him. He has a great offensive line. He has solid running backs. And, he has a coach who is going to let the game come to HIM instead of forcing him to go out and win games.
Of course, this is all information that has been trumpeted around for the whole summer. This is what every UGA-Red-Blooded blogger has told you. This is not news. Still, some of you seem to believe that the writers-at-large should agree with this. They shouldn't. It's not their job to believe in the potential. It's their job to believe in results.
Then, after the results are in, and the Dawgs are on top in the SEC, it's their job to pretend they were with the us the whole time.
Go Dawgs.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
For those concerned about Murray's lack of experience...
I was thinking this morning...before last season, how many of us knew much about Alabama Quarterback Greg McElroy? I decided to look into the National Champion's stat card and found that going into last season, McElroy had attempted a whopping 20 passes over two seasons (after redshirting his freshman year). He'd played mostly in the final minute or final drive of games, and he'd primarily been handing the ball off.
In short, he'd been mopping-up victories.
So...surely no one had much of a plan for him in 2009. I mean, I'm sure folks thought he might "Grow into" the role of a starting quarterback, but no one could have thought he would be a lock-down starter. All he did in 2009 was go out and lead the Tide to a national title.
Aaron Murray is a very talented quarterback. He has the skill-set to win in the SEC, and he has had a year and a half to settle into the system at UGA. I'm not saying he's going to come in as a barn-burner, but the kid certainly has the credentials to receive a bit of respect from a timid and shell-shocked fanbase still reeling from a season where the seasoned 5th-year quarterback was anything but a strength for the team.
It's been said 1,000 (or more) times - all the kid has to do, is minimize his mistakes. His job is to distribute the football carefully and take the game as it comes. If he does that, he can win. And after the first half in Columbia, he'll probably have the same number of pass attempts as McElroy had going into last season (I don't know that he'll throw 20 times in the opener).
Do I think he'll lead the Bulldawgs to a National Title in 2010? I'm not so sure. But, did I throw down 20 bucks on that at 45:1 while I was in Vegas this weekend? Yup.
Go Dawgs!
In short, he'd been mopping-up victories.
So...surely no one had much of a plan for him in 2009. I mean, I'm sure folks thought he might "Grow into" the role of a starting quarterback, but no one could have thought he would be a lock-down starter. All he did in 2009 was go out and lead the Tide to a national title.
Aaron Murray is a very talented quarterback. He has the skill-set to win in the SEC, and he has had a year and a half to settle into the system at UGA. I'm not saying he's going to come in as a barn-burner, but the kid certainly has the credentials to receive a bit of respect from a timid and shell-shocked fanbase still reeling from a season where the seasoned 5th-year quarterback was anything but a strength for the team.
It's been said 1,000 (or more) times - all the kid has to do, is minimize his mistakes. His job is to distribute the football carefully and take the game as it comes. If he does that, he can win. And after the first half in Columbia, he'll probably have the same number of pass attempts as McElroy had going into last season (I don't know that he'll throw 20 times in the opener).
Do I think he'll lead the Bulldawgs to a National Title in 2010? I'm not so sure. But, did I throw down 20 bucks on that at 45:1 while I was in Vegas this weekend? Yup.
Go Dawgs!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Heather Dinich gets paid and I don't.
First, allow me to say Farewell to David Hale. Hale has proven himself to be absolute TOPS when it comes to covering the Georgia Bulldogs, and he will be sorely missed. I hope someone out there will be able to fill the void - but don't expect me to be the one to do it. I write about the Dawgs and about college football because I enjoy it, but I certainly do not get a paycheck. If I did, I would be far more prolific in my posts. I too would be able to write daily, insightful blogs about the team I love so much.
Instead, I write occasionally (with greater frequency when there's actual news going on) and my blogs are a combination of venting and opinionated informing. I hope y'all enjoy that.
Anyway, David, you will be missed. You were good to me in the short months that we've had a blog-on-blog relationship, and I wish you well in your future endeavors.
:: Now ::
On to the reason for this blog - Chris Low has taken a little vacation and left Heather Dinich to cover the SEC in his stead. Dinich is ESPN's ACC blogger, so it was no surprise today to see her do an ACC vs SEC blog.
HOWEVER
She apparently believes the ACC will hold a winning record over the SEC this year. The conferences have seven matchups:
FL-FSU
FL-MIA
GA-GT
SC-CLEM
UNC-LSU
WAKE-VANDY
AL-DUKE
Looking at that slate, I don't see 4 likely wins. Truth be told, I don't see 4 maybe wins.
Dinich points to victories by Tech AT Georgia, Clemson AT South Carolina, Wake over Vandy and UNC over LSU.
I'm sorry, the ACC may pick up two of those, but I'm damned sure that the first one won't be UGA v GT. Dinich points to the quarterback being the factor in that game.
So, she likes a barely 50% passer, who MARTINEZ shut down against a blitzing, aggressive defense? That's interesting. Maybe she likes him because he's a runner...how'd that work out last season? Oh, and she says UGA will be "breaking in a new quarterback." Murray will be starting his 12th game (injuries willing) by then, and he will have been in the system for nearly 2 solid years.
And she gets paid?
Instead, I write occasionally (with greater frequency when there's actual news going on) and my blogs are a combination of venting and opinionated informing. I hope y'all enjoy that.
Anyway, David, you will be missed. You were good to me in the short months that we've had a blog-on-blog relationship, and I wish you well in your future endeavors.
:: Now ::
On to the reason for this blog - Chris Low has taken a little vacation and left Heather Dinich to cover the SEC in his stead. Dinich is ESPN's ACC blogger, so it was no surprise today to see her do an ACC vs SEC blog.
HOWEVER
She apparently believes the ACC will hold a winning record over the SEC this year. The conferences have seven matchups:
FL-FSU
FL-MIA
GA-GT
SC-CLEM
UNC-LSU
WAKE-VANDY
AL-DUKE
Looking at that slate, I don't see 4 likely wins. Truth be told, I don't see 4 maybe wins.
Dinich points to victories by Tech AT Georgia, Clemson AT South Carolina, Wake over Vandy and UNC over LSU.
I'm sorry, the ACC may pick up two of those, but I'm damned sure that the first one won't be UGA v GT. Dinich points to the quarterback being the factor in that game.
So, she likes a barely 50% passer, who MARTINEZ shut down against a blitzing, aggressive defense? That's interesting. Maybe she likes him because he's a runner...how'd that work out last season? Oh, and she says UGA will be "breaking in a new quarterback." Murray will be starting his 12th game (injuries willing) by then, and he will have been in the system for nearly 2 solid years.
And she gets paid?
Saturday, June 12, 2010
34 back in the UGA backfield.
So, this morning "Stuff of Legend" posted a video of Washaun and Caleb running all over the GT defense. If you're feeling nostalgic, check it out here.
Well, watching Washaun run in that 24 Jersey, I couldn't help but think of Knowshon...then I remembered that Washaun has ditched that jersey, and will reclaim his family's number, "3" (and perhaps erase the recent stigma of that number from the minds of the bulldawg faithful).
Anyway, this runningback tandem has me thinking about the days not so long ago when UGA would run split-tailback formations with regularity. Do you guys remember the counter play that was so successful with Brown/Lumpkin and Ware/Lumpkin and Brown/Ware?
There's two reasons I'd love to see that set used early and often against our opponents in 2010.
1st - It works. You put two of your best playmakers in the same backfield, and the defense doesn't know who to key on. The key to a good offense is balance, and that even includes balance by formation. If the defense sees two guys in the backfield who have an equal probability of carrying the ball (as opposed to a HB-FB combo), it's going to be tougher to guess where the ball is going.
2nd....Ealy is #3. King is #4. Put them in a split backfield, and you get 3 4. With a young quarterback, we're going to need a Walker-esque performance from the running game. Why not start with his number, and go from there?
:)
Go Dawgs!
Well, watching Washaun run in that 24 Jersey, I couldn't help but think of Knowshon...then I remembered that Washaun has ditched that jersey, and will reclaim his family's number, "3" (and perhaps erase the recent stigma of that number from the minds of the bulldawg faithful).
Anyway, this runningback tandem has me thinking about the days not so long ago when UGA would run split-tailback formations with regularity. Do you guys remember the counter play that was so successful with Brown/Lumpkin and Ware/Lumpkin and Brown/Ware?
There's two reasons I'd love to see that set used early and often against our opponents in 2010.
1st - It works. You put two of your best playmakers in the same backfield, and the defense doesn't know who to key on. The key to a good offense is balance, and that even includes balance by formation. If the defense sees two guys in the backfield who have an equal probability of carrying the ball (as opposed to a HB-FB combo), it's going to be tougher to guess where the ball is going.
2nd....Ealy is #3. King is #4. Put them in a split backfield, and you get 3 4. With a young quarterback, we're going to need a Walker-esque performance from the running game. Why not start with his number, and go from there?
:)
Go Dawgs!
Friday, June 11, 2010
How Kiffin could resurrect the Trojans.
2010 - The sanctions come down. No post-season play. A reduction of 30 scholarships over three years. Juniors and Seniors can transfer without eligibility penalties.
That seems pretty tough.
So now, I'm Lane Kiffin. I'm looking at my program, and thinking about the future, not the present. Forget the present. It doesn't exist. Even if USC wins every game, our Trojan helmets are tucked safely away in the managers' stockroom by December. What do I do?
I'm forthright with my Juniors and Seniors. I tell them: "Guys, you got screwed, and I'm sorry. You're not at fault for what's happened, but I'm not going to suffer. If I were you, I'd look for another school to play for."
Why should Lane do that? First off, he's under no pressure to succeed immediately, because that just isn't possible. The post-season is off the table. So, he can go through a couple of very tough "rebuilding" seasons. If he does it correctly, he can position his team for a title run in their first season off suspension.
Think about it: USC has an incoming freshman class that is arguably the best in the nation. The Trojans were fairly young last season, getting many freshman and sophomores playing time. So, you still have a youthful team there. By adopting a philosophy of playing the youngest kids first, you'll give them valuable playing time. Sure, the Trojans may lose games, but the kids will be learning much faster than they would on the practice squad.
Then, as Team Kiffin goes into homes for recruiting visits this year and next, he can tell the players about how he's preparing USC for a return to glory. And, he can tell them that they had better be ready to strap on a chinstrap when they get to LA, because they're going to be playing. He doesn't have the luxury of finding "diamonds in the rough" in his recruiting over the next few years. He has to find top-flight talent that could be All-Conference in their freshman year. There's no margin for error when you can only sign 15 kids.
Over the 2010 and 2011 campaigns, Kiffin's Trojans are middling at best. He goes 7-6 in 2010, and then improves to 9-4 in 2011.
Fast forward - 2012.
Matt Barkley is a senior, and has been leading the team for three years. Alongside all of those other freshmen who arrived in 2009 and suffered a disappointing 9-4 season, followed by the sanctions, he has a serious chip on his shoulder. Two seasons of playing from "bottom-up" has created deep experience at all positions. Kids who are sophomores and juniors on this team have been getting game-day experience since day 1. The incoming freshman class of 2012 will be one of the more highly-talented, as they've been sold on the idea of coming out of the gates with a title. So, you'll see some quality young players getting their own experience in the tail-end of blowouts.
Unfortunately for Kiffin, in the BCS title game, he faces an SEC team with a full allotment of scholarships for its own 4 and 5 star players. The SEC schedule has made grizzled veterans out of even its first-year-starters. In short, the depth of the roster and the SEC schedule has created a behemoth that even his careful planning and strategic depth-charting can not overcome.
But hey, at least they won the Pac-1X again.
That seems pretty tough.
So now, I'm Lane Kiffin. I'm looking at my program, and thinking about the future, not the present. Forget the present. It doesn't exist. Even if USC wins every game, our Trojan helmets are tucked safely away in the managers' stockroom by December. What do I do?
I'm forthright with my Juniors and Seniors. I tell them: "Guys, you got screwed, and I'm sorry. You're not at fault for what's happened, but I'm not going to suffer. If I were you, I'd look for another school to play for."
Why should Lane do that? First off, he's under no pressure to succeed immediately, because that just isn't possible. The post-season is off the table. So, he can go through a couple of very tough "rebuilding" seasons. If he does it correctly, he can position his team for a title run in their first season off suspension.
Think about it: USC has an incoming freshman class that is arguably the best in the nation. The Trojans were fairly young last season, getting many freshman and sophomores playing time. So, you still have a youthful team there. By adopting a philosophy of playing the youngest kids first, you'll give them valuable playing time. Sure, the Trojans may lose games, but the kids will be learning much faster than they would on the practice squad.
Then, as Team Kiffin goes into homes for recruiting visits this year and next, he can tell the players about how he's preparing USC for a return to glory. And, he can tell them that they had better be ready to strap on a chinstrap when they get to LA, because they're going to be playing. He doesn't have the luxury of finding "diamonds in the rough" in his recruiting over the next few years. He has to find top-flight talent that could be All-Conference in their freshman year. There's no margin for error when you can only sign 15 kids.
Over the 2010 and 2011 campaigns, Kiffin's Trojans are middling at best. He goes 7-6 in 2010, and then improves to 9-4 in 2011.
Fast forward - 2012.
Matt Barkley is a senior, and has been leading the team for three years. Alongside all of those other freshmen who arrived in 2009 and suffered a disappointing 9-4 season, followed by the sanctions, he has a serious chip on his shoulder. Two seasons of playing from "bottom-up" has created deep experience at all positions. Kids who are sophomores and juniors on this team have been getting game-day experience since day 1. The incoming freshman class of 2012 will be one of the more highly-talented, as they've been sold on the idea of coming out of the gates with a title. So, you'll see some quality young players getting their own experience in the tail-end of blowouts.
Unfortunately for Kiffin, in the BCS title game, he faces an SEC team with a full allotment of scholarships for its own 4 and 5 star players. The SEC schedule has made grizzled veterans out of even its first-year-starters. In short, the depth of the roster and the SEC schedule has created a behemoth that even his careful planning and strategic depth-charting can not overcome.
But hey, at least they won the Pac-1X again.
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