Two-minute drill: Dogs ‘will be better’ on returns
Some interesting reads to take us into the weekend …
Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald talked with Dogs assistant coach Tony Ball, who oversees kickoff returns, about UGA’s lack of success in that area last season, when they ranked eighth in the SEC and 62nd nationally, with an average of 21.2 yards per return. Ball’s response: “Is that where we ended up? That ain’t acceptable. I think we were better than that a year before that. We will be better.” Ball said Richard Samuel, Brandon Boykin and Carlton Thomas are among the players he’s considering for kickoff returner. …
Yellow peril
The Georgia Sports Blog looks at the “hidden yardage” UGA gave up last season in terms of penalties that resulted in first downs for the opposition. It wasn’t so much how many penalties the Dogs got, the blog says, as when they got them. “Last year, Georgia’s defense surrendered 35 first downs to the opposition via penalty flags. That’s a staggering 2.7 free first downs per game. By comparison, the Gators only gave up 1.5 first downs by penalty per game and Alabama only 1.2 per game.” Certainly, it’s another area where improvement is needed this year.
Cowboys armed and dangerous
And if your anxiety level about the Dogs trying to shut down Oklahoma State’s prolific offense isn’t high enough already, check out a very detailed breakdown of the Cowboys’ success running and passing in this piece at the Dr. Saturday blog.
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114 comments Add your comment
Saint Augustine
August 1st, 2009
4:09 am
((( 49 10 ))) hahaha
Slaw Dawg
August 1st, 2009
6:50 am
I am really worried about the Vols this year. For some reason I think Kiffin will have them fired up and they will kick our butts. Its gonna be a long season boys. I also think we lose the opener to OK State badly. Cox will crumble and we will stumble. Lucky to go 7-5 and end up in Music City Bowl.
Cuz
August 1st, 2009
8:25 am
SlawDawg, can I get fries with that?
Cheese balls
August 1st, 2009
9:34 am
gotta love how theses jort heads are blogging at 2 – 4 AM. They have absolutely no life. And I thought nerds were socially inept…..
BankerDawg
August 1st, 2009
9:38 am
Oklahoma State > Boise St/Hawaii
Let me preface this by saying I beleive we pull out a victory in Stillwater against these guys.
However, the comparison of OSU to Boise St and Hawaii are absurd imo.
Those two teams did not have one legit BCS level player on their roster….not one (and no, I do not by that Colt Brennan was all that talented).
OSU on the other hand is absolutely loaded with BCS talent, and, in fact, have three guys in particular that could end up All Americans, All Conference, etc.
Dismissing them as another pretender just seems silly to me.
As I said, I think we win, but it will be close.
GO DAWGS!
Big Time
August 1st, 2009
10:07 am
Comparing OSU to Hawaii and Boise St is absurd. OSU is going to explode on Georgia. After the game UGA fans will realize that Cox is no Stafford and that OSU is a top ten team!
tim
August 1st, 2009
10:32 am
I’m a gator….but I recently watched a replay of last years Oak State bowl game and boy are they slow..you puppies should whip the cowboys with no problem
WildBill
August 1st, 2009
11:29 am
Tony Ball must have known my former coach. On Thursday, we would spend at least 30 minutes on kickoff zones and 30 minutes on punt zones. That was preparation? I will hold off on further comments about Ok State, tho I still say it will be 31-17 with our dawgs on the short end.
chazzo
August 1st, 2009
11:47 am
I have seen games where a QB passed for 500 yards and lost. The cowoys rack up yardage and scores, however. This is a fast team. Thanks for the in depth analysis, by the way. So, what do you do? Do you try to play man-to-man or assignment? Do you change up the D? Do you just try to knock the crap out of them and settle for the occasional burn (ala VanGorder)? What’s the call? Everybody’s down on Willie (including me sometimes), but what would you do? Definitely, tackling will be a plus.
tim
August 1st, 2009
12:11 pm
ok st is not a fast team..they have a couple of fast players; however, on D and in the offensive trenches they are slow compared to SEC schools
Amelia island Mike
August 1st, 2009
12:18 pm
St simons –If you can hohohohohoho like you can hahahaha would you condider being Santa at the elementary school come Christmas time??
Amelia island Mike
August 1st, 2009
12:20 pm
Geaorgia Fans–Get a clue and quit worring about our punter. WE have a very good punter on Scholorship that is also a great athelete named Drew Butler. He has waited his turn and will be ready…
Amelia island Mike
August 1st, 2009
12:22 pm
Wild Bill Hiccup–OK State is not known yet for their Defense- Dont you think we will score more than 17????
yellow fuzz
August 1st, 2009
12:27 pm
Georgia certainly ought to be better on kick off returns this year. They got more practice than practically anyone in the NCAA last year,
Love GEORGIA
August 1st, 2009
12:38 pm
Chompin
On Florida’s first touchdown drive, tebow on a third down run never made the thirty yard line but was given a spot a the thirty and a half. He was given a first down and he wasn’t even close. On the second florida touchdown drive, prince miller intercepts a tebow pass but it was waved off because one of georgia’s defensive linemen pushed off a florida lineman’s helmet. The florida linemen had been holding and pulling the defensive linemen’s jersey for many second. The defensive player was just pushing trying to getting away from the constant holding and he did not slap or grab the offensive helmet. Penn wagers hates Georgia and of course his crew would not see a continual holding of a jersey but would see a helmet laying on the ground and do the worst against GEORGIA. Georgia would had the ball on the florida thirty. Instead florida got theball back and 15 yards added on. Penn Wagers sees what he wants to see. Without these two bad calls, the great florida offense doesn’t even score in the first half. Georgia is ahead at half. Georgia moved the ball at will until stafford throws the bad pass and the return to the one yard line. Penn Wagers constantly changes momentum. He changed it in the alabama game when on their first drive alabama fumble the ball to georgia but georgia was call for ruffing the passer when he barely touched him. PENN WAGERS crew should be run out of football. Who can ever forget when they blew the JASPER SANKS nonfumble in 1999.THey were suspended from the bowl games and have never forgotten.
LCDawg
August 1st, 2009
12:59 pm
The Dawgs need to buckle their chin straps and knock the p*** out of their opponents this year. Play assignment football and make open field tackles. All of these elements were missing last year. I have no idea why but we had ZERO leadership on our team last year.
Who Cares?
August 1st, 2009
1:06 pm
Who cares!
tim
August 1st, 2009
1:33 pm
love georgia….hope you’re in jax on halloween…gators by at least 28
gatorman770
August 1st, 2009
1:34 pm
Quit your whining about bad calls curdawgs. There were just as many bad calls that went the curs way that would have led to more Gators scores. Bad calls pretty much even out from year to year.
The curs benefited from a number of bad calls against the Gators in 2007, but wasn’t the reason the Gators lost. It was due to no defense, from the loss of 9 defensive starters from the 2006 Gators BCS NC team and Urban’s first (lameduck) recruiting class that only resulted in 4 starters (offense and defense) and Gators could not stop the curs.
Allen Waters
August 1st, 2009
2:06 pm
UF schedle is a joke. WE play more teams and will be very good. Until we get a playoff system that is like all other sports, it will be up to factors out of our control. LSU and Fl were lucky to play for NC. At least they won.
Allen Waters
August 1st, 2009
2:09 pm
Excellent recall Love GEORGIA!
Allen Waters
August 1st, 2009
2:11 pm
UGA FAN IN INDIA says Stilleater will be like AZ last year. Welcome to SEC and GEORGIA Football!
LollipopDawg
August 1st, 2009
2:35 pm
Guys, I am really concerned about our team this year.
I am an interior decorator in the Athens area. Over the summer my friend and I have been to this nightclub called Backsides several times and while there have run into several of the players on the UGA team. One night we invited them over to our place after hours for a KY/massage party. One of the linebackers on the team who by the way is an amazing lambada dancer told me that despite his name Joe Cox was not the answer at QB and furthermore that our runningbacks are not showing much in the offseason. So basically the word around the glory hole in the UGA locker room is that we will end up starting freshmen at these positions which is really going to hurt us even though I think Murray and Carlton Thomas are pretty cute.
I think it is going to be a long and hard season.
tim
August 1st, 2009
2:50 pm
I thought all you puppies were LollipopDawg wannabes
Love GEORGIA
August 1st, 2009
2:55 pm
I’ll be in Jax. for the 15th year in a row. This year we’ll take a win over the hated Gaytors. This years win will make us 3wins & 3loss in the last 6 years. Hopefully PENN WAGERS will have gone to He** where he will burn for ETERNITY. If he had any conviction or morals he would not work games where he is prejudice.
WildBill
August 1st, 2009
3:57 pm
Amelia Mike, you asked what I think. I guess at my grocery bill and get it right at least half the time within pennies, I guess at people’s weight and get it right most of the time. I am not a football anaylst, but I do follow the dawgs, as an old grad. I just do not have the confidence that the MANY things the dawgs missed last year have been addressed. You know, the missed tackles, poor leadership, poor coaching, lack of focus on the field, absence of talent and concentration at certain positions
………man, those are lots of holes to fix. I am just a guesser, and stick with my prediction, OS 31 to the dawgs 17. We will see.
AltamahaDawg
August 1st, 2009
4:15 pm
Whew! thats a lot cliche’s to fix.
Mark
August 1st, 2009
4:29 pm
Man you must have a boring life to write this crap. Get out and exercise. Get away from the puter.
Pago Flyer
August 1st, 2009
4:43 pm
I think we all pretty much agree with WildBill.
Rabun Dawg
August 1st, 2009
5:10 pm
Love Georgia, I would agree that we get some bad calls against us. However, regarding UF last year, I hardly think getting beat 49-10 all rests on some bad calls in the first half, rather a better prepared and probably a more talented team responsible for that beating. Me thinks we get looked at more closely by any referee crew because we are probably one of the most penalized teams around, and for that reason we get calls that do not seem to go our way. The Jasper Sanks deal years back was truly a blown call, but in those “blowout losses” we incur almost every year are not usually due to bad “calls” against us, just poor performances by our team. With all of the talent we are supposed to have, it is time for our coaches to “coach them up” and show what the talent we have can do. Losing to the Gators most of the time is sickening to all of us, but let’s quit making excuses about the referees and play smart with the talent we have!! GATA
Long Dawg
August 1st, 2009
5:32 pm
Wild Bill, I just guessed your IQ and it’s about 50. If your so smart please guess the lottery numbers and share with everyone.
yellow fuzz
August 1st, 2009
5:59 pm
Damn right it’s going to be a long season. And it couldn’t happen to a more deserving group of fans!
I hope when we play, there is a bowl game on the line for you. We thoroughly enjoyed sending you to a lesser bowl last year and a no-bowl this year would be even fantastic. I for one would buy a ring commemorating it! See how that would effect your storied recruiting. LOL.
Rabun Dawg
August 1st, 2009
6:21 pm
Yellow Fuzz, calm down fellow, it’s only a game!! Funny, I think just the opposite from you, that is I hope that your fans have a good year to enjoy. You have a fine coach on board and for the sake of family members and friends of mine, I hope Tech does well. Of course, I want the last game on our schedules to be a win for UGA, but I think it better for the State Of Georgia to have two major schools do well. Yes, and I pull for Georgia Southern to do well also as Son graduated from there and I saw them play quite a few times when Coach Johnson was there. I learned long ago that pent up animosity bothered no one but myself, so I got over having those feelings! Have a pleasant weekend!
AltamahaDawg
August 1st, 2009
6:48 pm
yellow fuzz, what Bowl game did the tech loss knock us down from????Or did you just pull that out of your butt?
knarly dawg
August 1st, 2009
7:08 pm
Since Oklahoma State will probably be ranked 10th nationally,it will give UGA a chance to move up in the standings,after we pound the cowboys into submission.We will make a statement!The statement is: “come along little doggies!” “NEXT PLEASE!”
WildBill
August 1st, 2009
7:32 pm
Long, you might check your sensibilites and tact before making such an assessment. You need to add at least 100 points, math/physics major, 2 law degees, 30 year legal career. I don’t need the money, do you?
Love GEORGIA
August 1st, 2009
7:35 pm
True, we need to make our own breaks. But why does the numerous back call only come when PENN WAGERS crew works the game. On the run up the middle by Knowshon on the first possession, he got killed by the florida middle linebacker. I have no problem with a good tackle by both team but why was the florida linebacker allowed to lay on top of knowshon for 10 second after the whistle and talk sh*t and bad sportsmanship without the referees stopping it or throwing a flag. If a Georgia player had done the same thing to TEBOW he would be thrown out of game. I’m not complaining about the loss of a GAme but just want a LEVEL PLAYING FIELD and let the best team win. Bad calls just swing momentum toward a certain team and PENN WAGERS knows this.You GAYTORS tell me what bad calls swung the 2007 game to Georgia. I’ve had NO ONE say TEBOW went past the thirty yard line but was given the thirty & half. I saw the play live and on recorded TV and he has yet to reach the first down marker.
Sad Richards
August 1st, 2009
7:40 pm
Im afraid a trend of poor defense will rear its ugly head again this year along with more struggles against weaker SEC opponents. I hope that Im mistaken but I wasnt last year. I feel very uneasy about the South Carolina game too. Someone need to show some hard knocking leadership both on the coahes and players side.
tim
August 1st, 2009
7:57 pm
love GEORGIA….you’re an excellent representation of a true georgia bulldog–dumb as a carrot, and delusional as a…..errrr well a georgia puppy. We will kick your sorry ass again this year girls
T
August 1st, 2009
9:07 pm
“aint acceptable” .. LOL.. I guess that’s what they are teaching in Athens? You guys are pathetic…Georgia will always be average.. always has been.. always will be..
oldbrave
August 1st, 2009
9:30 pm
wild bill man youre such a lair
WildBill
August 1st, 2009
9:44 pm
Ooops, my bad, it was actually 32 years. I know the Rule Against Perpetuities, do you? Old, take a long hard look at yourself in the mirror, are you a real dawg fan or an imposter? I was at UGA when Johnny Griffith was the coach, and I have seen a LOT of dawg games, but the trend lately with the team shows tendencies that remind me of the Griffith years, and they were, well, not good. Have a Bud Light and call it a night.
Jerks
August 1st, 2009
10:25 pm
I’ve arrived at a decision. Most UGA fans are arrogant jerks. Why, I dont know. they haven’t won a MNC in almost 30 years, they are pounded by florida every year. Rivalry? losing 16 of the last 19 is not a rivalry. It’s a joke the entire country laughs at but I guess all the redneck UGA fans are too drunk to realize it. They are like the guy who dates a hot girl and almost marries her only to lose her to some guy with a bigger johnson. combine that scenario with the movie groundhog day and you have a pretty clear picture of what happens with their team every year. Lol even GTech won a national title since UGA did.
That is what happens to their team every year. Always really good, never great. Living in the past, hanging on to nothing. trailer trash fans 90% of them probably didnt even go to UGA living vicariously through a chronically underachieving load of backcountry Georgia garbage.
I am not a GT fan and I am not a UF fan but to all UGA fans I say FU. Have fun losing again this year. I’d say somewhere around October 1st your team will already have 2 losses, Joe Cox will be back on the pine, Caleb King will have transferred to the D2 school he belongs at, and you will already be talking about next year which is the same thing that happened last year.
Pago Flyer
August 1st, 2009
11:44 pm
Right, just wait until 2010…
45-42
August 2nd, 2009
1:42 am
PWNED
(45-42) wORLD TOUr
August 2nd, 2009
6:03 am
GT sMaCKDoWn btw the HEDGIES. 45-42 FO LIFE YO
Cuz
August 2nd, 2009
7:34 am
This Atlanta airport has a good sausage biscuit.
yellow fuzz
August 2nd, 2009
8:50 am
Long Dawg,
Pass the Koolaid dude. LOL.
42-45 a fluke!
August 2nd, 2009
9:47 am
Mike T.
southgadawg88
August 2nd, 2009
10:00 am
The dawgbone is back up thank god!