Dogs’ key to beating Gators: QB, defense or something else?
Urban Meyer was more relaxed before last year's Georgia game than he will be Saturday.
ATHENS — Just arrived in Happy Town, where the football team has won three straight, the basketball team is considered a conference dark horse and the outside of Stegeman Coliseum is almost completely encircled by glass panels. (OK. Still looks like an old barn with a new shine. But not bad.)
It’s Mark Richt news conference day and I’m planning on writing something about Georgia-Florida later. The focus will be on what I believe is the key to not only this game but the key to affirming that the Bulldogs really are headed in the right direction this season and beyond.
Loading ...The answer is . . . well, you’ll just have to wait. I know. I’m such a tease.
If you haven’t heard, the Dogs actually are favored in this game for the first time since 2004, according to Todd Fuhrman of the Caesars Place Race and Sportsbook in Las Vegas. That year, they were 6½ point favorites and won (and covered) 31-24.
This year Georgia is favored by three. Sounds strange, doesn’t it, given that the Dogs have lost 17 of the last 20 meetings and the last two by a combined score of 90-27? But a winning streak (even over the soft competition of Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky) has altered some perceptions in Athens and, maybe more importantly, the Gators are a train wreck. They’ve lost three straight regular season games for the first time since 1988 and coach Urban Meyer’s vaunted offense is ranked 89th in the nation.
So here’s the question of the day, until I post the column later: What is the biggest key to beating Florida? I’ve put up a poll, but here are the choices. You can only pick one.
♦ QUARTERBACK: Aaron Murray (12 touchdowns, three interceptions, 1,766 yards) has been great for Georgia. John Brantley (six touchdowns, five interceptions, 1,266 yards) has been mediocre for the Florida. Is it as simple as Murray outplaying Brantley?
♦ RUNNING GAME: The formerly suspended Washaun Ealey, starting the last two games for the suspended Caleb King, rushed for 280 yards and six touchdowns against Vanderbilt and Kentucky. Florida has struggled to run the ball. Is it as simple as the Dogs controlling the ball with the running game and winning?
♦ DEFENSE: What to think? Florida is struggling (they scored seven points in a loss to Mississippi State and six in a loss at Alabama) and there’s no question Georgia has made some progress. But how worrisome is it that Kentucky rolled up 31 points and 423 yards (353 passing) last week? Clearly there are still some holes.
♦ SPECIAL TEAMS: Rivalry games often turn on freakish plays like a long return or a blocked punt.
♦ TURNOVERS: See special teams.
So those are your choices. I know which way I’m going. Until then, what do you think? I’ll check back shortly.
♦
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351 comments Add your comment
bacardidawg
October 26th, 2010
12:15 pm
http://pricezack.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/who-is-ready-for-a-cocktail-party/
Red Clay Hound
October 26th, 2010
12:15 pm
Running Game.
dawgs fan
October 26th, 2010
12:15 pm
A.J. Green will be the key. He alone will open up other receivers and the tight ends to make plays. Bobo needs to use this to our advantage.
bacardidawg
October 26th, 2010
12:15 pm
http://www.pricezack.wordpress.com there is a great preview article for the uga vs fla game. pretty interesting read
Dawg Gonnit
October 26th, 2010
12:16 pm
Murphy, very true. If we get a lead, we need to stay focused and save the celebrating until after the game. Too often we’re dancing on the bench way too early. We can’t do that Saturday. We must keep pounding and grinding it out for 60 minutes, because you know darn well Meyer and the Gators will be trying to do the exact same thing. I didn’t like the mental lapses our D showed at the end of the KY game at all..
Dawg_Mike
October 26th, 2010
12:18 pm
UGA 26
UF 10
Dawg_Mike
October 26th, 2010
12:18 pm
Run Lindsey….err….AJ !!
5150 P.O.A.D
October 26th, 2010
12:22 pm
It will come down to a Special teams play.
Dawg Gonnit
October 26th, 2010
12:24 pm
While Richt is shaking Meyer’s hand in the picture above, do you think Meyer is thinking, “Man, if we win, I’m going to rub it in any way I can. Maybe I’ll call timeout at the end of the game to extend the pain for as long as possible.”
JB
October 26th, 2010
12:26 pm
Dawgs win if they leave the locker room thinking they can win. They have the better team at this point in the season. Meyer ( and Timmy by phone, sic) will have them foaming at the mouth. But, you still gotta play football……. The line in Vegas is purely based on what they have seen the last 2-3 weeks. A surging Georgia team…..and a floundering Florida team. Dawgs have won three in a row in style, Gators have lost three in a row out of style…….Come out with energy and confidence, we win , and big.
takedowndawg
October 26th, 2010
12:26 pm
If our Dawgs take care of the ball, I believe that we will win by a touchdown+. Turn overs will be the difference maker. Defensive Dawgs, psi Brantley and he will cough it up twice. Murray and staff, continue doing what you are doing. I believe Durham will have another big game because of fl’s concern over Doc Green. Carve um up AJ. Prediction Georgia by 7.
Go DAWGGGGSSS!
Greg
October 26th, 2010
12:29 pm
Playcalling. Namely, aggressive playcalling. Richt and the staff coach scared in this game (one exception, 2007). Open up the offense and don’t slow down.
Mike Smith
October 26th, 2010
12:29 pm
Defense is the key for UGA, not just in this game, but going forward. It must continue to improve. This series had gotten back to close games until Martinez’s defense collapsed the last two years. Tough defense was a trademark of Richt’s success prior to 2008.
Grantham’s D has done a much better job, but there is still a lot of improvement needed. Yes, UK put up a lot of yardage and 31 pts, but 14 of that came in the 4th quarter after it was a 41-17 ballgame. When it mattered, the D was there and forced 4 UK turnovers. They cannot get lax against UF and allow them a break out game.
I would also like to see Mike Bobo open up the offense more and stay with it. If Bobo bottles up the offense in a conservative play-action gameplan again, it will struggle against UF’s D. UGA has been at its best offensively this year when Bobo doesn’t bottle it up.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 26th, 2010
12:30 pm
Dawg Gonnit, No Richt said “We are going to dance in the endzone, then kickoff from the 5 yard line.” Meyer says, “hahahahahahaha. That’s funny, I would like to see that.”
gdawginkalamazoo
October 26th, 2010
12:33 pm
One thing about this team is that they kept talking about sticking together as a team throughout that 4 game losing streak. I think that has made this a more complete team. It is getting better every week. I don’t care who the competition has been the last three weeks the team has taken care of business in a pretty darn good fashion.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 26th, 2010
12:34 pm
Jeff, any thoughts as to why Tennesee started playing football in France? I aksed on the other blog but nobody had an answer.
Redfern
October 26th, 2010
12:34 pm
It’s kind of sad to see all the Dawg fans getting so excited this year (just like the year before, the year before that, etc.). How long is it going to take for UGA fans to realize that UGA is simply no longer relevant in the SEC? In the national picture, UGA isn’t even a blip on the radar, and hasn’t been since the preseason #1 ranking two years ago.
Sit back and be grateful for the six or seven wins you’ll get every year. Coaching genius Mark Richt may take you to 8-4 or even 9-3 occasionally, but Florida will still win the SEC, meaning no BCS bowls and no top 10 final ranking. Most years, UGA will be very lucky to finish in the top 25, and only after a big bowl win over a nobody opponent.
It’s a different world now, and Dawg fans need to adjust their expectations downward to reflect reality.
Unfortunately nothing is going to change until UGA changes its mediocre coaching. That’s where the difference is, and that’s why everyone outside Dawgtard Nation just laughs at Dawg fans getting so excited year after year about what a great recruiting class UGA gets. It doesn’t matter how many blue chip high school players go to UGA, they simply don’t get the coaching they would get at Florida or Alabama, to name two schools whose programs are far ahead of UGA. And that’s not going to change as long as Mark Richt is in Athens.
Get your heads out of the sand and face reality. And mediocrity and irrelevance.
1, tree, five ... Gater Jive
October 26th, 2010
12:37 pm
The Key: Avoid the black helmet
1, tree, five ... Gater Jive
October 26th, 2010
12:40 pm
Redfern: who is YOUR team? NERD Tech by chance?
MURPHY
October 26th, 2010
12:41 pm
5150 POAD,
I have heard you mention special teams as the key on several occassions. I hope it does come down to that-I think we have the edge in that catagory. I would love to see us block a punt early and set the tone.
Dawg Gonnit
October 26th, 2010
12:41 pm
Redfern, your coaching has been phenomenal the last three games. How about coaching your team on how to complete a successful snap. You are in danger of losing four in a row but you are saying “Florida will still win the SEC..” That’s funny. You were exposed in the SEC CG last year and your downfall is just continuing..Good luck Saturday, you’ll need it.
TONE
October 26th, 2010
12:42 pm
this particular game is 90 % mental and 50 percent physical and florida has the mental edge just like georgia had under dooley. so until georgia proves they deserve to be on the same field with the reptiles they should never be favored in this game.
defense is the key plain and simple and the defense is not ready yet i am afraid
Mobile Dawg
October 26th, 2010
12:43 pm
The better coached team will win this game. Come on CMR, make me eat every word I’ve said about you….
Bryan
October 26th, 2010
12:43 pm
key is Bobo- will he finally learn how to throw underneath, establish the run outside the weak guards that Richt himself acknowledged instead of up the gut, utilize our highly touted yet invisible TEs, and if not get back upstairs or out the door!
Fritch
October 26th, 2010
12:43 pm
Enter your comments here
Abnerish
October 26th, 2010
12:43 pm
Win the turnover battle, win the game. Worked last few weeks, should work again.
Timmy Time
October 26th, 2010
12:44 pm
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Florida Gator don’t take no jive! Go Gator! Too bad Percy Harvey left, but at least we still got Urban Meyers
The Other Dog
October 26th, 2010
12:44 pm
sweet jeebus on a bicycle.. you BOTH suck this year…
and while this game will help determine who will “win” the east, the reality of the situation is that no matter who wins the east they are going to get absolutely destroyed in the SEC championship by the west div. champ.. sure SC beat Bama: but when/if they play that game again in Dec, who would take SC to win again?
currently in the West vs. East battles, West=11, East=2 (SC over Bama & Vandy over Ole Miss).. and honestly, I only see about 2 more games that the east can win over the west.. and maybe not those.
Fritch
October 26th, 2010
12:45 pm
Defense: The only aspect of the Dogs that still looks weak. The secondary is too soft, and needs to improve the most. I hope Grantham can coach em up, w/out his head exploding on the sideline.
Mobile Dawg
October 26th, 2010
12:46 pm
Other Dawg, you sure got big quick.
Timmy Time
October 26th, 2010
12:49 pm
A Miss. St. fan bowing up and telling everybody else they suck..that’s hilarious.
Dawgbreath
October 26th, 2010
12:50 pm
What difference does this all make. SC has players now (Gurley, Lattimore, Garcia, Jeffrey, Gilmore and Matthews). They are not going to blow it this year. It’s their year.
MURPHY
October 26th, 2010
12:50 pm
Fritch,
The Gaytor Q.B. can throw from his butt! We must get pressure on him all day!
The Other Dog
October 26th, 2010
12:50 pm
..well, not trying to be ‘big’.. and by & large, most uga/uf fans have resigned themselves to the mediocrity they face this year, but so many still think a) they have a nat’l champ. caliber team if b) they could only get a new coach..
wake up and smell the coffee uga/uf: this is a down year. Every program has them (some have many). Fire your coaches and go for quick success. Just look at Knoxville and see how that plan worked out.
Vain Jangling is right...
October 26th, 2010
12:51 pm
…only it will be AJ throwing the end around to Durham at some point in the game…
Tucker T
October 26th, 2010
12:51 pm
Jeff, you left one category off your list, the mental aspect of the game. The Dawgs have to believe they can beat the Gators, something they haven’t done very often.
MURPHY
October 26th, 2010
12:51 pm
Fitch sorry,
cant throw from his butt
The Other Dog
October 26th, 2010
12:52 pm
Both UF & UGA were beaten by Miss State, weren’t they? Hmm.. who sucks now, sucky?
MURPHY
October 26th, 2010
12:52 pm
Tucker T,
Tucker Tigers??
Last time I checked...
October 26th, 2010
12:53 pm
…Ms. State was 6-2, with UGA at 4-4 and UF at 5-3, and they beat both UGA and UF, so, yes, they can talk all they want…
Dawg Gonnit
October 26th, 2010
12:53 pm
We started out 1-4. Resigning yourself to the mediocrity is a defense mechanism.
JDawg
October 26th, 2010
12:54 pm
Florida sucks, UGA doesn’t suck as bad, UGA wins!
Oh, boy, could it be that I am...
October 26th, 2010
12:54 pm
…FIRST…
The Other Dog
October 26th, 2010
12:54 pm
Next year will be another story, I’m certain.. but this year, well… this year is this year.
I actually hope UGA wins the East. Really, I do.
MURPHY
October 26th, 2010
12:56 pm
Just beat Flo-ri-duh and if winning the East happens than so be it. I personnaly want to just see us dominate the GAYTORS!
Timmy Time
October 26th, 2010
12:57 pm
Yep, when I think “SEC football” Miss St is the first team that comes to mind..go jump on a goal post, weenie..
UGA Insider
October 26th, 2010
12:57 pm
No Gimmicks in this game, No Charlie Strong, No Tim Tebow.
UGA 42-10.
Mobile Dawg
October 26th, 2010
12:59 pm
The other dog, how’s that coaching change worked out for you? And Bama, and Auburn, and Arky, I’d take my chances. UGA has among the best facilities, and resources, and recruiting grounds, and recruiting class rankings, in the nation. Top 5 in every category, yet like you say, we suck. I prefer to use the word underachieve. What’s the common denominator?
Oh, boy, could it be that I am...
October 26th, 2010
12:59 pm
97
Oh, boy, could it be that I am...
October 26th, 2010
1:00 pm
98th