Why a senior QB plays like a freshman
It isn't Joe Cox's fault he's a senior who plays like a freshman. (Associated Press)
Joe Cox isn’t the main problem with the Georgia offense.
That would be the running game. Between injuries to Caleb King, the inexperience of the other backs and the generally poor run-blocking of the offensive line, tight ends and fullbacks, the Dogs have become a one-dimensional team. Tennessee was able to sit back in a zone defense designed to guard against any long passes without having to worry about the run.
Mike Bobo’s predictable play-calling doesn’t help matters, either.
But Cox also has hurt the team’s chances with the kind of poor decision-making you generally don’t associate with a fifth-year senior.
Just in last Saturday’s game against Tennessee, he threw another interception after a botched snap — the latest of a number of passes that shouldn’t ever have been thrown. He didn’t check out of screen plays where Tennessee was sending a safety blitz. He threw the ball to heavily covered receivers rather than dumping it off to a back or secondary receiver.
And then there was that embarrassing play at the end of the first half, where Cox decided to spike the ball with only 1 second left on the clock. He subsequently said that he thought there was 3 seconds on the clock and that he could get a spike in with a second left so that Georgia could attempt a field goal. That’s what the signals from the apparently clueless coaches on the sideline were telling him to do.
If he had been aware there was only 1 second left, he would have known there wasn’t time to spike the ball and he could have at least taken a shot at the end zone. But he never checked the clock. A classic rookie mistake.
I bring this up because I think the lack of playing time Cox received during his three seasons as Matthew Stafford’s backup is probably responsible for lapses like that. The blame should fall on Mark Richt and Bobo. They didn’t make getting Cox meaningful snaps in a game a priority while they had Stafford.
And they’re making the same mistake again this season.
Cox will be gone next year. Behind him are an inexperienced redshirt sophomore, Logan Gray, whose development has been stunted by too much time spent on special teams, and two totally inexperienced true freshmen, Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger.
For various reasons, including practice time Murray lost to a shoulder problem, Richt and Bobo have decided to redshirt the freshmen, barring an injury to one of the other quarterbacks.
But at the same time they haven’t developed Gray. Other than the two series he ran late in the Tennessee game, his playing time at QB had been limited this season to a handful of times when he was brought in for a single option play that everyone knew he was going to run and which ended up predictably unsuccessful.
Bobo acknowledged to Bulldogs Blog that Gray is ready for more playing time at quarterback. “Logan’s done a nice job,” the offensive coordinator said. “He’s done an extremely good job getting better as a quarterback. I think he’s ready if he gets into the game. Obviously if we continue to struggle, he could be something that could spark our offense.”
But Richt continues spouting the same line he’s had about Gray all season when asked if he’s going to get into the game more. “I wouldn’t say that’s out of the question,” he said Tuesday at his weekly media briefing. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of the idea.
Apparently, unless your father is threatening to transfer you elsewhere, as was the case when D.J. Shockley was backing up David Greene, Richt is loathe to provide guaranteed, scripted playing time for his backup quarterback.
We’re seeing in Cox this season the results of that.
And the way they’re treating Gray doesn’t bode well for next season, either.
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152 comments Add your comment
Winterville NC Dawg
October 14th, 2009
1:40 pm
First!
L-Dawg
October 14th, 2009
1:43 pm
GLORY GLORY TO OLE’ GEORGIA!!
WHAT DO TECH FANS AND UGA FANS HAVE IN COMMON?? THEY BOTH ARE OBSESSED WITH THE DAWGS!!!!
GO DAWGS!!!
I WILL SUPPORT MY TEAM THROUGH THICK AND THIN, AND SUPPORT MY COACHES AS LONG AS THEY ARE MY COACHES!!!
McDawg
October 14th, 2009
1:45 pm
Scootergate continues-can the ombudsman at the AJC address the way they cover this issues-”emerging from an alley” can we have a little context before plastering it all over the place
to pay or not to pay $24.99 for the Vanderbilt game?
i’ll be fired up by Saturday
navydawg
October 14th, 2009
1:47 pm
I personally would like to see Zach or Aaron in there! I think we need to give these guys some experience. I see Zach leaving if Aaron is going to be CMR’s choice because he won’t get playing time. Zach has got the build and arm to be an outstanding quarterback at this level and the next. The guy is a beast!!!
RxDawg
October 14th, 2009
1:47 pm
Because our O-line doesn’t block. It doesn’t matter which QB we put back there. Richt said it himself, if we elevate the play of everyone around Cox, his game will elevate as well.
The only knock I have on him is that he does seem to stare down receivers.
Sam
October 14th, 2009
1:49 pm
Other big time schools are willing to play freshmen QBs. What is the difference? Murray and Mettenberger were highly ranked QBs, but apparently the coaches have not developed them well while USC and Michigan gave the keys to true freshmen. Richt/Bobo did the same with Stafford and wasted a couple of games.
I might be in the minority, but I can stand losing with the freshmen over losing with seniors.
Also, what happened to the line? What should have been a strength has been awful. While calling for Bobo’s head is one thing, Searels also needs to be held accountable or the players need to be sitting on the bench.
Recruiting 101
October 14th, 2009
1:49 pm
Hey Tach fans… you are on the wrong blog again.
CHALLENGE— One, just ONE Tech fan give a GOOD reason as to why you are on this blog?? Jealousy or Envy would be an acceptible answer.
AWFUL
October 14th, 2009
1:50 pm
Very true and informative article. If SoCal can play a true frosh so can we? Well…we should be able to but we won’t b/c of loyalty to the senior. Are we seeing the Terenshinski all over again?
mark
October 14th, 2009
1:50 pm
I agree with you on this issue. It certainly looks like poor decision making by Richt. Look at Urban Meyer a couple of years ago using Tebow to spell Leak during a championship year. Next year isn’t shaping up too well at the quarterback position.
jeff
October 14th, 2009
1:54 pm
has there ever been a more overhyped bust than caleb king. he was supposed to be the next reggie bush and he’s always hurt or just plain old underwhelming.
TCDAWG
October 14th, 2009
1:55 pm
It may not be the person calling the play but, rather the design of the play, of how it is drawn up and the way our offense is ask to run the play. If the play is not designed properly, it will not get the results necessary for the play to be secessfull.I guess we may not know all we need to know to make a determination of sucess or failure of why a play did not work.
SOUTHGADAWG88
October 14th, 2009
1:56 pm
Thing is.. if we play the freshman or Gray and lose the critics will still complain.
ugaaccountant
October 14th, 2009
1:56 pm
One issue Richt should address is figuring out why his players don’t ever seem to have a valid driver’s license. The offenses are usually incredibly petty, and almost always involve a scooter instead of an actual vehicle. However, it would save alot of muck-raking by the AJC if they would just ask their players to actually follow the law and obtain a driver’s license.
ugaaccountant
October 14th, 2009
1:57 pm
No southgadawg88, a few of the critics will complain. The vast majority of dawg fans are reasonable and want the best for the team. A small minority of fans and non-fans just pretending to be fans cause all the problems.
Old School Gator
October 14th, 2009
1:58 pm
I can’t believe that it has taken you GA Rednecks all this time to finaly realize what we Gators have known for years. GA Dawgs just plain suck!
gg
October 14th, 2009
1:59 pm
I’ve been told not to say anything if you can’t say something good. I think that’s very good advice. So: We have a very good punter. He’s getting a lot of good experience. We have a very good place kicker, too.
That’s it!
navydawg
October 14th, 2009
2:01 pm
I agree with ya SOUTHGADAWG88! I think us as fans would truly like to see something different vs. what we’ve seen already this year! At this point, puting a freshmen QB in the game could very well give us an idea of what to look forward to, regardless of the outcome. IMO
WTF
October 14th, 2009
2:06 pm
Hey Jeff, who overhyped Caleb – the recruiting services who make money on “ranking” high school players, the media, the fans? A good measure of a recruiting class is 2 to 3 years later. Anyway, I’m sure he is giving his best, but the SEC is a lot different than being a super star in high school. We alwasy seem to do better when we don’t have super stars and develop good recruits into All-Americans. Dooley was great at that and it sure helped develop teamwork.
No Horse in the Race
October 14th, 2009
2:08 pm
Georgia has always been more lucky than they’ve been good, which in turn has caused all your loud mouth fans to think you’re good and “deserve to win” because you have “all that talent”. Half that talent comes from Bugtussle and Hooterville and doesn’t seem to be what was hyped in the recruitment press. There’s no real history of Georgia football outside of this region other than that one year you got lucky and won the national championship. One time.
So get out your cryin’ towels, you’re gonna need ‘em.
Bryan G.
October 14th, 2009
2:08 pm
Jeff:
Brandon Miller and Mudcat Elmore would like to speak with you.
Shananeeeeeee Fananeeeeeeeeeee
October 14th, 2009
2:10 pm
Stafford should still be there Dawg fans. He was just greedy and not a team player like Tim Tebow and Brandon Spikes who could have gone into the draft last year but wanted to go undefeated and win another National Title. Now you have Cox who has not played much in his previous 3 years so his experience is lacking. Gators – 5 Games = 2 Touchdowns Allowed, 32 Points Surrendered.
Topp Dogg
October 14th, 2009
2:11 pm
If CMR has two bad or subpar seasons his head will be on the block. He might consider this before going into next season with a QB with little to no experience.
TBOMACHINE
October 14th, 2009
2:12 pm
to old school gator: thats why the dawgs still lead the series against the gaytors.
WSPdawg
October 14th, 2009
2:13 pm
Old School Gator: Just how old school are you? We can reflect on some not so good years for your program as well………..just sayin.
SOUTHGADAWG88
October 14th, 2009
2:14 pm
I just want to know what the hell happened to the OL!!!Boiling,Vance and Davis have been playing 3 years now.Jone is a second year starter…there is no excuse for this mess.Even if Stafford and Moreno covered for them a lot in 08…they’ve had a whole year to get better and are frankly terrible this year..I have no idea what happened here….anybody?
Charlotte Dawg
October 14th, 2009
2:17 pm
Old school gator….shut up!! We don’t go on your sites and make comments. Typical of UF fans, a bunch of blow hards!! I think there are more Rednecks in central florida than the entire state of Ga. Chomp on this…………
Tech Fan
October 14th, 2009
2:18 pm
As long as other ex-coaches have influence over the UGA Football program. Georgia will have a lots of seasons like they’re having this year. Mike Bobo was Dooleys Boy. It’s not the like of talent on the field. It’s the coaching. Ya’ll better get prepared for this ass kicking, we’re going to put of ya’ll
spuga
October 14th, 2009
2:18 pm
why are we criticizing CMR for not giving undeveloped talent playing time as a backup. USC, UF, UT(austin) continually crak out QB’s who arent giving playing time as back up’s but are tremendously successful as 1st year starters. We should be examining UGA’s coaches and how they run practices. Last year we blamed it on “not tackling to the ground” this year we are blaming execution and Joe Cox. This is Logan Gray’s 3rd year. If he’s not ready, I would pose the question, what has he been doing the last 2 years?
Bobby Houseman
October 14th, 2009
2:18 pm
I agree with Sam about playing a freshman at QB. What have we got to lose? This season is a bust and allowing a younger QB to play now will help to develop future leadership at that position. But, Richt is stubborn on this issue and always has been.
Villa Rica DAWG
October 14th, 2009
2:18 pm
Very well said!
Dillan Hatcher
October 14th, 2009
2:18 pm
Okay….. We lost a game we shoulda won. The defense gives up an average of 30 points a game and the offense has a few sparks every now and then. Joe Cox is a 5th year senior who plays like he has never played the game before. The way Cox is playing, i dont see how he was 31-0 as a starting QB in high school. He had a chance, now its time to move on and give Logan Gray or Aaron Murray a chance to take some snaps and get us back on track. Richt shouldn’t have watched Martinez and Bobo’s back last year and let them have one more chance to fix their mistakes. They need to be relieved of their duties immediately so we can start winning some ball games!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dekalbdawg
October 14th, 2009
2:29 pm
Its Defintley time to go in a New Direction not only at QB but the entire Offense and Defense! CMR must make changes to not only invigorate the fans but also the players! We may not even make a Bowl Game if things continue going the way they are! and thats unacceptable at UGA.
Old School Gator
October 14th, 2009
2:29 pm
Charlotte, you would if you could read and write. Two crystal footballs in three years, i rest my case. I do have to admit, I was rooting for you all last weekend against TN. The one time I wanted you all to win and you could’nt even do that. Oh well, as my fellow GA coworkers always say “Wait until next year”. That could be the schools new motto!
John
October 14th, 2009
2:30 pm
Thirty Third! See how lame this is? It isn’t any cooler when you write, “First”
Mikey
October 14th, 2009
2:30 pm
Bobo was not Dooley’s boy. He played for Donnan.
clark co. SCOOTER club
October 14th, 2009
2:30 pm
Recruiting 101 ……
I like to see JAWGE fans in complete and total misery!!!!
Georgia Fan
October 14th, 2009
2:32 pm
The true problem at Georgia is not running a program that provides for continuity at the QB and other key positions. Here we are again playing a 5th Year senior for one season with not enough reps to provide the backup QB or the future QB the opportunity to gain the needed experience at this level. I am sure there are details we are not aware of, but from the games I have seen, the PROGRAM is looking a little weak!
uuughh...
October 14th, 2009
2:32 pm
The way I see it, there are two reasons Cox didn’t get many snaps before this year. First, Mark Richt is waaaay to nice. The precious few chances we had over the last few years to blow someone out, he decides to shut’er down instead of scoring enough to get other guys some experience (ASU last year for example). Next, our defense has been terrible for 3 years. Even when our offense was scoring enough points to win, our defense is giving up points like its candy on Halloween…requiring the starters to stay out and get more points for a win. Now with Richt sticking with Cox, we will find ourselves in the exact same situation next year, which with Martinez back will be even worse than this year.
Is it me or does it seem like Richt only thinks about the right now? Building a program takes foresight. WHy woulf they redshirt both of those freshman QB’s? If we don’t care enough about Logan Gray to keep him off of the Punt Return Squad, lets get Murray in there for a few snaps this season. By next season he will be ready to contribute…then when his eligibilty is up Mettenberger will have a year left to play.
What do I know though…I have never been in the “Arena.”
Herschel Talker
October 14th, 2009
2:33 pm
We need far fewer fans like that idiot home L-Dawg. What a putz.
Ed
October 14th, 2009
2:34 pm
Old School Gator, if you are truly old school, then you should know that your beloved Gators invented sucking. 1932-1991 without a conference championship. Not national championship, CONFERENCE championship. Not even a co-championship in the days when you only played 6 conference games and there was no SECC. 59 freaking years. That’s a legacy of sucking that 19 years of success can’t erase.
Mikey
October 14th, 2009
2:35 pm
Reality: Cox gives us a better chance to win than Grey.How many teams can anyone name that have their backup QB on special teams?
True that he only is inserted in fair catch situations but the point is he should not be out there at all.
Having said that, with our D is playing , we should go ahead and play the true freshmen so they will have some experience before next season.
I agree with the other comments about Michigan and USC.They seem to be doing ok with their freshmen QB’s…
Alpharetta Dog Fan
October 14th, 2009
2:36 pm
The frustrating thing is “here we go again”
- lack of proper playing time preparing the next QB
- lack of action on Martinez. How can you call making the decision to fire Martinez a “rash decision”. Have you watched the last 15 or so games?
- And if I know that on first and ten we are going to call a running play up the middle, you think maybe the opponent does to? You wouldn’t have to pay me nearly the amount Bobo makes to call that plan on each first down.
Old School Gator
October 14th, 2009
2:37 pm
If my name was Edward, I would spell it Ed too. Sorry guy!
McDawg
October 14th, 2009
2:38 pm
have you seen a D-end or a pass rush in the past two years?
JB
October 14th, 2009
2:39 pm
This staff is sleep walking !
Bobby Houseman
October 14th, 2009
2:42 pm
Why respond to bloggers like Old School Gator? Unless you’re a Dawg fan, your opinions don’t matter.
Phil
October 14th, 2009
2:44 pm
From what I have seen of Logan Gray, at playing the QB position that is,
he is no improvement over Cox. We aren’t going to be any better next year at the position. May have to go with Murray from the get go next season. We threw Stafford in there as a freshman, may have to do it again.
JB
October 14th, 2009
2:44 pm
‘No horse in the race ” does not want to tell us what pom poms he shakes, but my guess they’re gold and white. How many ACC titles does Tech Have……………………….I hear a sucking sound.
GaCracker
October 14th, 2009
2:46 pm
Other than A.J. Green, the Dawgs best players are their field goal kicker and punter. Sad!
JB
October 14th, 2009
2:48 pm
12 games of Gray next year =6-6. Not much better with Murray, but get him ready for Soph year. Maybe we can recruit a 4.3 wildcat type who can also pass for a package. Gray ain’t it. And how about a TE in the mix who can catch. Richt has put 3 into the NFL and I haven’t noticed one this year.
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
October 14th, 2009
2:49 pm
I agree with gg today .
BUTLER FOR HEISMAN !!!!!!!!!!!!
GO DAWGS !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Old School Gator
October 14th, 2009
2:50 pm
I will lay out this last fact and then leave you losers to blame everything and everybody. Trivia to impress your friends. The St. Johns river in FL is the only river east of the continental divide that flows south to north. That’s because GA Sucks!
Old School Gator
October 14th, 2009
2:52 pm
Go Tech!
Dawg Man
October 14th, 2009
2:52 pm
I’ve heard that A. Murray is the real deal! Georgia regroups next year and wins the SEC east—mark it down! Florida will be way down without all their superstars and tennessee will not have much. Dawgs against the Tide for the SEC title in 2010!!!!!!
McDawg
October 14th, 2009
2:53 pm
real classy Old School-are your jorts hemmed or fringed?-the mullett is very old school as well
chazzo
October 14th, 2009
2:56 pm
Better question: Why do UGA players insist on driving on suspended licenses?
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
October 14th, 2009
2:58 pm
OLD SCHOOL GATOR
The river flows south to north because even Florida water wants to get out of Florida and into georgia because even in a down year georgia just smells better.
No Horse in the Race
October 14th, 2009
2:58 pm
JB, you are clueless. No horse means no gold and white, no orange and blue, no hunter safety orange, etc. But then again, if you went to UGA, I can see why you wouldn’t understand that.
No Horse in the Race
October 14th, 2009
3:00 pm
Merely an observer for many years, listening to all the whiiiiiiining…..but we’re Georgia, we deserve to be goooooooood.
ARdawg
October 14th, 2009
3:01 pm
Which leads us back to the statement of The Ole Bawl Sack ” Georgia gets plenty of good recruits but I don’t know what happens to them”
DawgGirl32
October 14th, 2009
3:01 pm
Bill- How many schools have you seen use their back-up QB in situations other than mop-up or when the game was already lost?? I can’t think of any. We haven’t had the luxury to use our back-up QB yet this year. Almost every game we’ve played has come down to the wire where we’ve needed Cox in order just to win. Other schools don’t seem to have that much of a drop-off starting a new QB with little to no experience. We shouldn’t either. This is not the coaches fault.
KJ
October 14th, 2009
3:02 pm
To be fair, Cox should have had more time for that last play, there were 3 seconds on the clock when the whistle blew on the previous play, but the hometown clock operator let it run down to 1. Maybe that’s also the coach’s fault, can you challenge something like that?
UGASlobberknocker
October 14th, 2009
3:03 pm
The offensive problems are equally shared by all 11 positions. Cox would look a lot better if he wasnt running for his life half the time. No way Richt is taking the redshirt off of Murray as that would be throwing in the towel for this year. He’s not ready to do that. Given that reality,Cox is who we have this year. Period. If Gray was better he would be starting. So we may as well quit bitching about the QB..there are a lot of other areas that we can complain about.
if the O Line would step it up, both the passing ans running games would be fine. Are we recruiting the wrong people or what? Our presumed best position coach is Searels..so if he cant coach them up maybe we need to reevaluate how we judge OL recruits. At the same time maybe try to figure out why our O Lineman that we do have keep having shoulder injuries. Thats been going on for several years.
RealDawg
October 14th, 2009
3:03 pm
One of the three other qbs need some playing time. There is no reason to continue investing in Cox. If he is our best bet this year then we are really in troube next year.
KJ
October 14th, 2009
3:05 pm
Yeah “No Horse”, your opinion is obviously unbiased and not insecure/envious at all. Good luck with that.
ARdawg
October 14th, 2009
3:06 pm
We’re already “in trouble” next year because they do not see the urgency of this year
Ba 'rockstar' Obimantion
October 14th, 2009
3:08 pm
Obama for Heisman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
K Dawg
October 14th, 2009
3:08 pm
Tech Fan… You won by 3 points last year, how many times before that did you win?? 7 years in a row losing , now that tech won a game last year, you think their the best, ha. keep dreamin.
Denver Dog
October 14th, 2009
3:09 pm
Here is a good question. What happened before and during the first drive of the season, and what happened afterwards? Let’s solve that question, and we have all the answers. Really simple, but there must be something there.
No Horse in the Race
October 14th, 2009
3:09 pm
Ok, I’m going away. I promise. As soon as I stop laughing about being envious.
UGASlobberknocker
October 14th, 2009
3:10 pm
The reason these guys always get caught with a suspended license is not because they are too stupid to go get one. In almost every case the player has gotten a ticket but then has been unable to pay the fine, which can be $150 or more. Since the player cant afford the fine, they miss the court date hoping they can find the money and go pay the fine before they get pulled over.
So when you see this offense..it usually boils down to the fact that the player has no money.
Dr. Hanibal Miles Freek
October 14th, 2009
3:10 pm
Markie boy it doesnt matter who the Qb is because its time for another beatdown!!!!!! http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/2009/10/05/the-alphabetical-09-week-five/
@ old gator
October 14th, 2009
3:10 pm
The New river flows from North Carolina up hill to Va…sometimes Georgia seems to be flowing up hill this year
EW
October 14th, 2009
3:10 pm
Didn’t we go through this same Shi* with Joe T a few years back. Sitting a guy til his last year of eligibility does not an experienced QB make. As with Joe T, I hope we bench Joe C soon and give the “future” (Murray) a shot to start working with our other young guys RIGHT NOW. Orson Charles, Marlon Brown, Wooten, Branden Smith, could all benefit from coming together as the new young nucleus of the team. That ain’t happening with Cox but it could begin with Murray. What are we waiting for?
Bulldawg
October 14th, 2009
3:12 pm
Old School Gator – I’ve lived in the Gator state for 30 years (I hope to change that in the next few by attending UGA for Grad School…GO DAWGS). I have seen more redneck, ignorant, daily six-pack drinkin’, Walmart Gator shirt wearing, obnoxious Gator fans than I imagined were possible. You want to know the funny thing…most of the UF alumni or parents of UF alumni are the first to admit the UF fans are by far the worst to be around and the most obnoxious people they know.
I’m not saying there aren’t similar characteristics (shirts, beers and rednecks) for UGA fans, but if you want to talk about the greatest organization of ignorant jerks, idiots and obnoxious trailer trash fans…look no further than your beloved GATOR NATION!
Don’t deny it either…because I’ve seen it and know it’s true.
All hail UGA! A school with much more class, a much greater and richer history and by far one of the best fan bases in the nation! The DAWG NATION! GO DAWGS!
bling and blang
October 14th, 2009
3:12 pm
Maybe our playa’s will emerge on the sidelines and hip hop dance at Vandy. Then they can emerge on Vandy’s mid field logo and do some stomping!
CraZyTRaDeMaN
October 14th, 2009
3:12 pm
Recruiting 101 …….
I responded to your Tech won’t get any recruites on Bills prior Blog, but I got no response from you? Is that what you do when someone bursts your bubble tuck it between your legs and run?
Alpharetta Dog Fan
October 14th, 2009
3:13 pm
At this point the season is, for all practical purposes over. We are not going to win the SEC East, we will not end a ranked team (as we will have at least one more loss (Florida) and probably GA Tech), so what are we playing for – the Independence bowl? Who cares!
We might as well have some benefit to the rest of the season – i.e. preparing next years team. CMR stated that his focus was not on beating Vandy – again – who cares? If we manage to eek by Vandy, the tech school we play for homecoming and may Kentucky – who cares? If that only serves to land us in the exact same boat we are in now for this upcoming season. Bur I fear that is exaclty what is going to happen.
Mr. Holmes
October 14th, 2009
3:17 pm
Sorry, I’m right there in laying many of the current problems at the coaches’ feet, but this column is way off base. We can quibble about whether Cox should have been inserted one drive earlier or later in a blowout against East Tallahassee JuCo, but (1) we haven’t had many of those in recent years because we’re playing real opponents and (2) do those count as “meaningful snaps” in this writer’s opinion? I suspect not. I suspect he means more like the PT Shockley got when he was backing up Greene, and that just was not the dynamic we had going in ‘07 and ‘08 with Stafford.
Stafford was obviously an NFL prospect from the moment he put on red & black. He was head and shoulders above anything else we had. With Shockley you got a change of pace from Greene; what was Joe Cox if not a pale imitation of Matt Stafford? So no benefit to the game plan there. And I dearly hope Bill King (who I’m usually in agreement with, btw) doesn’t mean we should have just thrown Cox in there for the heck of it, in the middle of a still-contested game, just to get him some experience. What would CMR say in the postgame press conference about the pick-six Joe threw? “Well, we suspected Matthew will be gone next year, and we wanted to get Joe some ‘meaningful snaps.’” Yeah, THAT would have gone over great.
What if we were 5-1 right now and winning shootouts like the Arkansas & USC games? Would you want Richt to throw in Aaron Murray for a series in the third quarter with the score tied at 28 just to get him some “meaningful snaps?”
Golden Dawg 84
October 14th, 2009
3:18 pm
Old School Gator:
Don’t know how old you actually are but I doubt you are as old as that joke you just told. Please come back with something clever – please start with something from this millinium.
We don’t expect much from the Gator Nation but damn, that’s just pathetic. (Atlanta Gator excluded-consistently one of the best posters)
Denver Dog
October 14th, 2009
3:20 pm
Enter your comments here
murfdawg
October 14th, 2009
3:20 pm
Cox has had six games to prove he is an SEC qb and I don’t hink he has passed the test. Start Gray against Vandy and let him have his six games. Leave the redshirt on Murray, who has an injured shoulder. Met evidently is not ready for SEC football either.
p.s. I thought Gray was one of the top five qbs coming out of high school. Am I right or wrong about that?
Gman
October 14th, 2009
3:26 pm
murfdawg: You are right about Mr. Missouri Football being a big-time QB prospect (just like Cox). They seem to get worse with each passing year in our program (like many of our highly touted recruits).
Isn’t it crazy how our recruits are the only ones that the services are so consistently wrong about?
Bulldawg
October 14th, 2009
3:26 pm
murfdawg – you are right…here is his info from High School…
SuperPrep All-America and All-Midlands Team…Prep Star All-American… rated as the No. 2 prospect in Missouri and the No. 10 QB in the nation by Rivals.com…ESPN Top 150 and No. 7 QB in the nation…named to Tom Lemming’s Top 100 Prospects…Class 6 First-Team All-State…named an Elite 11 QB…threw for a school record 53 career touchdowns with 5,734 yards…top passing game came as a junior when he threw for 2,169 yards and 25 TDs…led team to a 9-1 record his senior season…four-year letterwinner in football and basketball
Todd
October 14th, 2009
3:30 pm
One thing you failed to mention about Cox is what a quote machine he is.
His latest involved telling the fans they didn’t know what they were talking about when it came to criticizing the coaches.
DUDE, CONCENTRATE ON GETTING YOUR OFFENSE IN THE RED ZONE AT VANDY SINCE IT DIDNT’ HAPPEN UP AT KNUCKERSVILLE.
MR and his defiant stance as to playing Coxy no matter is his call and he will pay for it. MR would’ve redshirted Herschel Walker.
Dawg Bone
October 14th, 2009
3:30 pm
Richt’s supposed to be a great recruiter. How did he end up with a mediocre QB, average RBs and an inconsistent Oline and Dline, without any depth??????
ugaaccountant
October 14th, 2009
3:30 pm
UGASlobberknocker – Thanks for the insight. If that is the way this is happening, that is something that Richt should make a team rule. A very serious one. Stop breaking the law. Not paying your tickets is part of the reason our government is going broke. If you can afford to have a vehicle and you choose to speed or whatever, then you must man up and take responsibility for your actions when you get a ticket.
I understand the campus cops are pricks and do ticket at a moment’s notice, but I doubt they ticket for anything that isn’t posted rules or actual laws.
If they are poor, well conveniently enough everything they need is provided by UGA. They have food, an excellent bus system to get to class and practice, and a dorm walking distance from practice. I managed to attend UGA for 5 years on scholarship and not only did I have all of that, it still left me enough money to have some spending money. If our guys would focus a little more on the education and football they are there for, maybe they wouldn’t be racking up tickets.
Being a college athelete, especially on scholarship, is a priveledge and it’s about time they started acting like it.
Bulldawg
October 14th, 2009
3:30 pm
I think Cox’s issue is that he has been so far removed from real time game situations. Every blog and review states exactly what we are seeing…Cox’s field vision is not very wide and he seems to have a tough time checking down his receivers EVEN when the line is holding up. It just seems like he has tunnel vision. How many times have we seen AJ, Tavares, Rantavius or Orson hold up their hands leading their DB by 3-5 yards?
Gman
October 14th, 2009
3:32 pm
murfdawg: Of course, Blake Barnes was named Mr. Mississippi Football-to illustrate what that title is worth. Barnes is another interesting story of a highly touted recruit who evaporated before our eyes.
Bill King
October 14th, 2009
3:33 pm
DawgGirl32:
The most pertinent example is what Richt himself did with Shockley during the Greene years.
mdr
October 14th, 2009
3:34 pm
Bobo was recruited by Goff and played under Donnan. He has been coaching for Richt for a while now. Remind me how he’s “Dooley’s boy” again?
3 Dawg Night
October 14th, 2009
3:34 pm
Ugaaccountant:
Our government is broke because they spend even more than even they can tax. It really doesn’t have much to do with college kids paying traffic fines.
Sir Isaac Newton
October 14th, 2009
3:36 pm
I’ve never seen a river flow uphill! The intellect here is astounding…
ugaaccountant
October 14th, 2009
3:37 pm
Every QB on our roster was a stud HS player, recruited by dozens of good colleges. Regardless of what you think of recruiting websites, everyone wanted these guys.
Same for most of our RB’s, WR’s, and TE’s,and about half of our OL and defenders. We have been over time a bit weaker at recruiting the OL and defenders, but when I say a bit weaker I still mean usually among the top 25 in the country every year at every position.
So ultimately there is something lacking in some aspect of the coaching, and changes that we begged for last year in Fabris and Martinez have to be made this offseason.
ugaaccountant
October 14th, 2009
3:38 pm
3 dawg night – I figured i’d at least get someone to read if I threw in some politics
Driver 8
October 14th, 2009
3:40 pm
Bill:
I remember fans being up in arms when DJ would spell Greene and mistakes occured (Skyler green LSU game and a pick 6 against UF spring to mind). It was by no means a slam dunk. I also remember DJ being a difference maker as a freshman in a season opener against Clemson while working in relief of Greene.
Sautee Dawg
October 14th, 2009
3:42 pm
OLD SCHOOL GATOR
What’s up with Meyer and Tebow rubbing noses during the LSU game saturday night?
NewnanDawg
October 14th, 2009
3:45 pm
If Matt Barkley can play at USC, there is no reason, even with the injury setback, that Aaron Murray shouldn’t be ready to play at least competently by now. It leads me to believe that Bobo doesn’t develop all of his QBs, just works with the starter until he is gone. IMHO, I think MR needs to get more involved with the development of our QBs personally. It has long been his specialty, so why not get more hands on in that respect. Until he does, I see slow or no development continuing.
* and No Horse, or should I say No Brain – exactly where have you been to say that UGA hasn’t been nationally relevant “for years.” I recall being the most talked about team in America leading into last year, because of the results in 2007. Speaking of 2007, every national college football analyst in the country talked extensively about what a shame it was that the 2 best teams in college football at the end of the season (UGA & USC) would not be playing to get a real national champion. Oh, and don’t forget SEC championships in 2002 and 2005.
Let’s try to get through this one with a W – don’t care if it’s ugly, and hopefully regroup to play respectably after the bye.
Go Dawgs!
Burdell
October 14th, 2009
3:49 pm
From the Alphabetical 09:
P is for Pipp’d. Demaryius Thomas quietly has more yards receiving than AJ Green. Sadly for Thomas, he plays in an offense with more than one other player who touches the ball.
HA!
ct
October 14th, 2009
3:53 pm
I agree the coaches may be at fault for not having the player prepared, but playing him in previous seasons isn’t the only way to prepare a QB. There aer examples of QBs winning w/o previous significant playing time. Tenn’s Tee Martin and Tech’s Godsey both followed big name QB’s and had success the next yr. Why take away meaniingful snaps from the one who earned the starter job when you can still prepare the QB of the future on the practice field, especially if there is still plenty to play for.