Things Bad Teams Don't Do

1) Come back from down 17-3 in a stadium where they've won three out of the last 19 games.

2) Score touchdowns on 4th and long - twice - to climb back into the game

3) Hold Florida to 32 yards of offense in a half of play.

4) Ice the game with a run up the gut on 4th and 4

5) Have a top 10 defense

Look, this Florida team isn't the best we've faced in recent years...but once again, I think it's worth noting that our Georgia team was down by two scores and came back to WIN. We didn't come back to make it close...we came back and WON THE GAME. Richt showed some serious balls on fourth-down calls - two for touchdowns, and one for a game-icing run down to the one.

Last year's team would not have done this.

2009's team would not have done this.

I dare say 2008's team would not have done this.

Others can harp on Bobo all they want...but his scheme was sound in this game. The play of the quarterback was not. I said it numerous times (much to Gary Danielson's dismay, I'm sure) - Aaron Murray is the best in the nation at missing wide open receivers. The playcall of a play-action reverse fake to Orson Charles was a thing of beauty - the execution was excrement. Calling routes into the endzone instead of to the first down marker (or a yard or two short of it) on fourth was inspired. People who don't get that, don't get football.

So many people were calling for Richt's head early this year....now we're 6-2 and tied for the East lead. We'll be 7-2 when we face an Auburn team which isn't as good as the team we should have beat in 2010 - when we weren't as good. 10-2 is a very real possibility.

Oh, and 10-2? That's another thing bad teams don't do.

Go Dawgs.

A Challenge: Beat Bobo

To all of those who hate Mike Bobo and his "oh, so predictable" playcalling, I issue this challenge:

1) Study football.

2) Study film.

3) Start a blog.

4) During the UGA-FL game, update your blog prior to EVERY SINGLE UGA OFFENSIVE PLAY

What I want to see is this: I want you to call formations and plays before we run each offensive play. I'd like to see what all the armchair geniuses can come up with. Oh, and don't try to explain every single detail of how you THINK the play will progress, because you don't have time for that. I want to see this:

1st and 10: Shotgun sweep to Crowell. (POST) then, watch the play Bobo calls. As soon as you see the next down and distance, make your next post.

2nd and 2: I-Form Play Action deep. (POST) then, watch the play Bobo calls. As soon as you see the next down and distance, make your next post.

Remember, we sometimes go no-huddle, so you're going to need to be quick.

Now, you can try to either guess what Bobo will call next, or you can call the game you'd like to see called. Any takers?

Go Dawgs

A note on "conservative" playcalling.

I did not get to see the UGA-Vandy game, and from what I hear, I don't want to watch it on the replay. Luckily, my time is so preciously short this week, I don't believe I'll really have to make the decision on whether or not to suffer through. Still, I understand that we got the ball on an interception with a little over a minute to play, and couldn't grind the clock out.

This is where all the "conservative playcalling" from those big wins should come in.

I know people want to see Georgia hang 50 points on our opponents when we have the chance. I know Georgia fans are envious of Alabama and LSU and want to see our offense keep clicking against weak opponents in the fourth quarter. But, there is something more important in those possessions, and last night we found out that there is still work to do.

In the fourth quarter of a game dominated by Georgia, the opposing team knows what we're going to do - we're going to run it. We're likely going to run it between the tackles. The same can be said for the end of a close game led by Georgia. We're going to run it, and we're likely going to run it between the tackles. Now....at which point is it more important to have success? The answer: The close game. But, you know when you're going to get that kind of game-speed practice? In the blowouts. If the fourth quarters of blowouts consists mainly of air-mailing touchdowns against weak secondaries, and then bringing the 3rd and 4th stringers in to run-run-run-punt, your first teamers aren't getting the reps they will need in the close ones.

Don't get me wrong - Vandy shouldn't have been a close one. We had breakdowns in many more areas than simply our final drive offense. Six field-goal attempts against Vandy just shouldn't happen. We have to be good enough to finish drives against Vanderbilt. I know the 36,000 fans in attendance were screaming so loud that a baby could barely sleep, but still - we have to be able to concentrate better. I went back to check on our 3rd and short successes, imagining that with so many field goal attempts, we must have been failing on short third down attempts a lot - but we didn't. We converted all but one. Perhaps some of that "conservative play calling" was paying off in those situations. It's hard to say.

On thing can be said, though: even in a win as ugly as this, we can say this - we won a close one. When was the last time that happened? September 26, 2009. That's right - Joe Cox led the last close-game victory for UGA. Have the Dawgs turned a corner? Quite possibly. We won ugly yesterday, and sometimes, that's just what you have to do.

Go Dawgs.

Hey, 60-year-olds...shut up about what a 20 year old says.

I'm getting increasingly tired of people talking bad about Hutson Mason because he expressed frustration in an interview. The kid has a fighting spirit, and some pretty good talent. He's sitting the bench. That's a tough row to hoe - ask Tom Brady. Now, that's a glaring comparison for a kid who hasn't had meaningful snaps...but you really do never know what you've got til you see it on the field. Any young man who believes he can play is going to be frustrated when not even given the chance. ESPECIALLY when the coaches are giving so much lip service to him.

When I was at Georgia, it drove me absolutely mad that I was never sent in to attempt a punt block. There wasn't a single practice in which we had a Punt Period where I didn't block a punt. There were few things I did better than most of the guys on that team, but I could flat-out block a punt. Still, the only time I ever came close to getting the chance was when I was called to the coach's side during the 2000 UGA-UT tilt (who remembers that one?? AW YEAH!) and was then told I could take my helmet off because the coach had decided to go for a return instead of a block.

But I didn't have the talent Hutson Mason does. I didn't throw for thousands of yards and buckets of touchdowns in high school. I didn't get a late scholarship offer when the Quarterback situation suddenly thinned out. I didn't throw a touchdown on my first play at UGA (If I recall correctly, I was stoned away on an inside twist during a pass rush against Kentucky).

So yea, I understand his frustration. I'm tired of people saying "He's not a team kid" or "His attitude hurts the team." You know who was a Team Kid? Joe Cox. You know who was a Gamer and just wanted to play? Matt Stafford. Which one is fishing this weekend and which one is leading an undefeated team in the NFL?

Don't get me wrong - nothing in this blog has anything to do with Aaron Murray. For me, the jury is still out on Murray. But, I know this - if the coaches are all saying Mason deserves playing time, then damnit, he should be getting playing time. Competition at every position - isn't that what we said we wanted? Isn't that what we said Championship Teams have? Don't you think our LBs are better because they have to fight every week to keep a job? Wouldn't you say our NTs have been good because they push each other?

I'm not saying I want to make Murray look over his shoulder and be worried about losing his job - but the biggest question mark for Murray in my mind is his response to pressure. Both on a play-by-play basis, and in a "big game" sense, he doesn't seem to consistently respond well to pressure. Maybe if he had a bit more pressure to keep his job, he could develop a bit more ice water in those veins.

Either way, quit over-analyzing the statements of a kid who just wants to play football.

Go Dawgs.

Don't be confused - I'm not giving up the blog!

I think some have misunderstood my previous blog. I am not going to quit blogging - I simply won't have the ability to do my film study series. Do not fret. The Voice of Reason will continue to scream at the top of its cyber-lungs!

UGA Film Studies: End of a Blog Series

Hey folks;

Some of you may have noticed I didn't break down the fourth quarter as I had planned. Sorry about that. I've been busy this week, and couldn't put the extra hours into that last night. What I have to say today is a bit sadder still. I will not be doing film study breakdowns for the remainder of the season. I am going through some transitions right now, and will not have access to my beloved Dish network for quite a while. As such, I won't have the games on DVR to breakdown.

I know there are many of you who have enjoyed reading the details included, and I hope to be back next season doing the same kind of writing. However, for the time being it appears I will have to return to simply raising my highly opinionated voice on the goings on in UGA football, and avoid the in-depth analysis.

Go Dawgs.

Why are my blogs not showing up on the dawgbone??

I'm just saying, seems like my posts aren't all showing up anymore. Here's the link to the Third Quarter Breakdown.

I posted that one this morning instead of late last night...Don't know why its not showing. But hey, read it. It's great.

Go Dawgs.