We’re live from Athens (and Dogs need to channel Butkus)
Can Willie Martinez get his Georgia defense ...
(UPDATED BELOW: Check out the rain picture.)
ATHENS — The former Hall of Fame linebacker, Dick Butkus, once remarked, “I wouldn’t ever set out to hurt anyone deliberately unless it was, you know, important – like a league game or something.”
This is why if you suddenly find yourself in a friendly flag football game one day and Butkus is on the other team, you should immediately stop and say, “Oh, look at the time. I forgot I have that thing
... to play a way that would make Dick Butkus (51) proud?
I need to do today.” And then leave.
Now, I realize this is college football and not the NFL. I’m not suggesting any player should ever intentionally try to hurt an opponent. But Georgia plays its fourth game of the season tonight against Arizona State, and I’m still waiting to see those things football fans love to see and hear things football fans love to hear: train-wreck collisions and grunts.
The Bulldogs are coming off of consecutive SEC wins over South Carolina and Arkansas. But they were the kind of offensive, up-and-down-the-field, play-like-your-hair’s-on-fire kind of games that are fun to watch but tend to give people like Butkus a headache.
Maybe this is what we’re going to see from Georgia this season. Joe Cox and the offense have figured out how to move the ball. But since opening with a strong effort at Oklahoma State, the Willie Martinez-coached defense has been shredded for 78 points and 912 yards in two games, including 721 yards passing.
Steve Spurrier and Bobby Petrino had their quarterbacks attack Georgia’s secondary without fear of repercussion – and seemingly without fear of getting hit. It doesn’t matter what the scheme is. The worst kind of defense is the kind that opponents don’t fear.
The Dogs are not feared.
Arizona State probably can’t duplicate the numbers the Gamecocks and Razorbacks put up. But how the Sun Devils attack will be interesting to watch.
That’s what I’m looking for this game. What about you? Hoping somebody on Georgia’s defense channels Butkus? I’ll be here blogging live, before and during the game, at least until I need to get busy on a post-game column.
Until then, below is a video memory from last year’s meeting between Georgia and Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz., won by the Dogs, 27-10.
UPDATE: It’s pouring here. But, of course, guess what section is filled:
You're looking almost live at Sanford Stadium.
Knowshon Moreno, cleared for takeoff
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1,236 comments Add your comment
TXDawg
September 26th, 2009
7:25 pm
I was wondering who would be the first Tech fan to post on here….thx ND
BugKiller
September 26th, 2009
7:25 pm
Where would Willie Martinez be this year without AJ Green to bail out his horrible defensive coaching (fundamentals, discipline, AND playcalling… 3 kinds of terrible for the price of one)?
Chained Dawg
September 26th, 2009
7:25 pm
Ok Willie lets see what you can do! Now kick it into the Zone Blair and pay no attention to Fabris!
Willie Martinez
September 26th, 2009
7:26 pm
Glad that is done, now I can get my deefense back on the field. I’m jonesing for some basketball.
classicdawg
September 26th, 2009
7:26 pm
Touchdown!!!
FLA DAWG
September 26th, 2009
7:26 pm
Green is super. Not sure why they didn’t go to him more often in the first two games.
RaleighDawg
September 26th, 2009
7:26 pm
No argument. AJ is the best WR in the SEC.
Chained Dawg
September 26th, 2009
7:27 pm
Fla. is stomping Kentucky 31 to zip…..
dawgfan1911
September 26th, 2009
7:27 pm
Well it is what it is man the line is not run blocking well
TXDawg
September 26th, 2009
7:27 pm
Yeah Raliegh, but they keep giving Julio Jones all the pub!
Jeff Schultz
September 26th, 2009
7:27 pm
That 56 yard reception was longest of Green’s career.
VirginiaDawgMan
September 26th, 2009
7:28 pm
Enter your comments here
This is a W!
TXDawg
September 26th, 2009
7:28 pm
Welcome back Chained Dawg.
DawgFan36
September 26th, 2009
7:28 pm
Gotta love the directional kick….not.
Chained Dawg
September 26th, 2009
7:29 pm
TY TXDawg
TXDawg
September 26th, 2009
7:29 pm
Man….their playbook is Vanilla and Willie seems to still be struggling. They keep going back to the same running play!
alan
September 26th, 2009
7:29 pm
directional kick again. when they know the kid can put it out of the end zone. they could win the NC this year and that would still piss me off. unbelievable.
Chained Dawg
September 26th, 2009
7:30 pm
Thanks Willie !
Cuz
September 26th, 2009
7:30 pm
Jeff I would have never thought that 56 yards was AJ’s longest reception. Thanks for the info.
TXDawg
September 26th, 2009
7:30 pm
Reshad looks like he was struggling to keep from falling down….what happened to him there??
RaleighDawg
September 26th, 2009
7:30 pm
No reason to give Julio the pub. AJ has the better stats and the argument that the only reason that AJ had the stats is because of Stafford has gone out the window. Joe ain’t great but AJ has continued to put up the stats.
Willie Martinez
September 26th, 2009
7:30 pm
Can I call a good game or what?
alan
September 26th, 2009
7:30 pm
reshad on the coverage…
dawgfan1911
September 26th, 2009
7:30 pm
Time to start throwing bombs on our sorry secondary
VirginiaDawgMan
September 26th, 2009
7:30 pm
If our O played against our D they scored 100!
Jeff Schultz
September 26th, 2009
7:31 pm
Cuz — I was surprised about that too. He had a 54-yarder vs. Florida last year.
Chained Dawg
September 26th, 2009
7:31 pm
WTH is wrong with our run defense?
TXDawg
September 26th, 2009
7:31 pm
That RB is gonna have over 100 yards if they keep running that play.
TXDawg
September 26th, 2009
7:32 pm
good thing the penalties are on our side this week….so far.
mmgtfan
September 26th, 2009
7:32 pm
I think we’re staring at another shootout. Probably not as much as last week but still a shootout. And Tennesse is losing to Ohio?? WTF?!?!?
Willie Martinez
September 26th, 2009
7:32 pm
Chained Dawg
September 26th, 2009
7:31 pm
WTH is wrong with our run defense?
I blinded them with my pass defense!
I blinded them with my pass defense!
TXDawg
September 26th, 2009
7:32 pm
#90 is a freshman right?? Washington?? He seems to have a good burst.
SOS Dawg
September 26th, 2009
7:33 pm
Willie is a Joke! Have a coke!
Jeff Schultz
September 26th, 2009
7:33 pm
Chained, TX — This RB looks pretty good but OL definitely is opening some holes.
RaleighDawg
September 26th, 2009
7:33 pm
I’ve never been a person that thinks that Willy needs to be fired but out D does need to pick it up. They have been bad all season.
midnite
September 26th, 2009
7:34 pm
Thanks for the Comcast 298 ESPNU info. I was about to give up searcing and listen on radio.
TXDawg
September 26th, 2009
7:34 pm
Yeah….he seems to be better than the RB they were touting last year Jeff.
BugKiller
September 26th, 2009
7:34 pm
Come on Jeff, Slick Willie was a guy who worked in an oval office, set our country up for financial ruin by signing off on law which allowed banks to play the futures market with real estate and such, and had a fondness for chubby women in blue dresses.
SOFT Willie is the current terrible defensive coordinator for Georgia thanks to his position as the head coach’s BFF and former college roommate, who is no overseeing his SECOND complete destruction of a once-proud defense (the trend started in Central Michigan, for people who actually check resumes, which no one at Georgia ever bothered to do).
DOGGIE IN NC
September 26th, 2009
7:34 pm
Guys, it not like we blew them away last year – I expect a close game, unless they turn the ball over a lot. GO DOGGIES!
VirginiaDawgMan
September 26th, 2009
7:34 pm
We need to pass the hat then purchase Wille a one-way bus ticket. Perhaps to Tennessee>
Willie Martinez
September 26th, 2009
7:36 pm
You saying I can’t be Slick and Soft?
kurula
September 26th, 2009
7:36 pm
georgia will have to be in a shootout every game this year if they don’t get in the back field.
VirginiaDawgMan
September 26th, 2009
7:36 pm
He wuz beat
Chained Dawg
September 26th, 2009
7:36 pm
Im seeing no improvement in our defense week by week.
Chained Dawg
September 26th, 2009
7:37 pm
Az state seems not to be missing their kicker!
Willie Martinez
September 26th, 2009
7:37 pm
I’m only giving up field goals tonight – 3 pointers – cuz I got a basketball jones
VirginiaDawgMan
September 26th, 2009
7:37 pm
I think the problem with our defense is the linebackers. Before the season they were all woofing now they can’t play.
TXDawg
September 26th, 2009
7:38 pm
It’s refreshing to see us giving up FGs instead of TDs.
Cuz
September 26th, 2009
7:38 pm
New from the Two Idiots Marketing Group.
Willie Martinez in a grocery store aisle. He picks up a package of bathroom tissue and squeezes it. Mr Whipple appears instantly.
Mr Whipple: Coach Martinez please don’t squeeze the Charmin.
Coach Martinez: I can’t help myself Mr. Whipple. Just like my defense, Charmin is so soft.
Mr. Whipple: Sorry forgot, go ahead. You gotta get ready for the next game.
BugKiller
September 26th, 2009
7:38 pm
who the heck is dawson devitt, and why does he get a grey box?