Independence Bowl: The better team won
Washaun Ealey and the Georgia running game took a while to get on track. (Associated Press)
The first half of Georgia’s game against Texas A&M in Shreveport didn’t look so promising for the Dogs, mainly because poor play by the offensive line stymied the running game and led to some questionable play-calling by Mike Bobo. The Aggies were having success with run blitzes on first down.
But A&M’s fast-paced offense wasn’t looking much better early on. Georgia’s much maligned defense looked good up front and got a lot of pressure on Aggies QB Jerrod Johnson, though linebacker and secondary play was sketchy.
Neither team scored in the first 27 minutes. They both looked rusty.
The difference in the first half was Georgia’s superior special teams play.
Georgia’s halftime adjustments on the offensive line were successful and the Dogs eventually took command of the game in the second half. And they seemed like the better conditioned team, too, as the Aggies looked flat-out tired in the fourth quarter. Thankfully, this wasn’t the same Jerrod Johnson that Texas saw in their regular season finale.
Basically, the better team won tonight.
It’s difficult to draw many conclusions about next season from this game since the Dogs will have a different QB and a new defensive coordinator. But I was encouraged by how Georgia ended the season.
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516 comments Add your comment
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:01 am
I think next year we could finish at least second in the East. Things are looking up.
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:02 am
That was just way too much fun to write. Hey I think we can win the SEC every year pre-season. Why not feel that way about your team. Tech fans should feel the same about the ACC.
Mauijacket
December 29th, 2009
12:04 am
weak schedule——i am almost as old as “CUZ”
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:04 am
2nd best TD total and we lost five games. Okay, guess I was wrong about Willie not being the problem.
DawgFan
December 29th, 2009
12:04 am
GTJoe, It’s so funny how a team that went to the Chick Fil A bowl and got slaughtered by a 7-5 SEC team in LSU can be so high and mighty this year. Then a 7-5 SEC team in UGA beat the hell out of you this year. You ask is a 3-12 Tampa team better than a 13-2 NO team. Yep, they beat them, just like UGA beat you this year. While UGA is being ranked every year, and yes they will be ranked in the Top 25 this year, you have been ranked 2 times since 2001. Admit it, Tech will NEVER see the day they can compete year in and year out with UGA. The SEC is a REAL conference, not like the ACC. Oh and BTW, the Independence Bowl is now the ACC and Mountain West beginning next year. The Gator Bowl dumped the ACC and is taking the #6 SEC team in exchange for the #3 ACC team. That must be embarrassing.
Diggity Dawg
December 29th, 2009
12:05 am
Everything that needs to be said about the game and next year has been said.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO THANK WHOEVER IT WAS WHO SUGGESTED EATING AT THE SUPERIOR GRILL AND AT HERBIE K’S IN SHREVEPORT!!! BOTH WERE INCREDIBLE!!!
Yeah, I know I went all caps lock — the places were just that good.
Go Dawgs!
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:05 am
thanks for the compliment Maui. I will be back in a minute. I need a glass of water for my teeth.
Uhm...
December 29th, 2009
12:06 am
Gay, just gay…as usual
Joe Cox Better than Tebow..
December 29th, 2009
12:07 am
Joe Cox beat Timmy Tebow in 2009 in: yards, td’s, head to head yards in Ga/Fla game, against the common opponents outhrew Timmy 15 td’s to 5 td’s, Joe gave up 50% less sacks.
Joe Cox Better than Tebow..
December 29th, 2009
12:08 am
In 2009, Joe Cox beat a top 10 team, Ga Tech, Tebow didn’t beat a single top 10 team.
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:09 am
Hey Maui, I went to one of my Tech friends house to watch our bowl game. Since he has a bigger house, I will probably watch the Orange bowl at his house also. We support each other, and each others teams. He was wearing a black UGA shirt for our game. I will wear my yellow polo for the Orange bowl.
RED DOG 77
December 29th, 2009
12:09 am
Yer Dern Tootin Cuz
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:10 am
Do you think Joe has a shot at the Heisman then next year?
Joe Cox Better than Tebow..
December 29th, 2009
12:10 am
Joe’s best game:
5 td’s, 375 yards, 255 passer rating, 75% completion against Arkansas
tebow’s best game:
4 td’s, 275 yards, 200 passer rating, 65% completion, against Troy
Joe Cox Better than Tebow..
December 29th, 2009
12:11 am
Cox’s worst game:
against #8 ranked pass defense Tenn
Tebow’s worst game:
against #68 ranked pass defense, Miss St.
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:12 am
And my khaki UGA hat.
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:13 am
Is this why Urban quit, then not quit, then quit but not quiting.
Minnesota Dawg
December 29th, 2009
12:13 am
Had a great time with my in-laws who are from College Station. We had a close first half, but gradually wore A&M down. Good job for our defense who held the 11th rated offense in the nation to just 14 points. We had big plays on defense. Kind of reminded you of the 80’s defenses who would always come up with big plays. Hope everyone noticed that Richt was 5th I believe on bowl wins. We’ve got a great coach and hopefully we can get a good defensive coordinator for next year and win the SEC. Go Dawgs and it’s great to be a Georgia Bulldog!
PHIL
December 29th, 2009
12:14 am
Mauidawg, uhmm, I mean jacket, no team in the SEC plays a weak schedule compared to anyone that plays in the ACC, Mountain West, or Big Ten.
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:14 am
Bald guys need hats in the winter.
RED DOG 77
December 29th, 2009
12:14 am
Dadburnitt, this thing is going to fast for me, cant keep up, Think I will just watch for a spell, my feet hurt !
Cox better than Tebow...
December 29th, 2009
12:14 am
Cox ended up doing something Tebow couldn’t do in the 2nd half of the SEC game:
Hand the ball to his running back at least one time.
Joe Cox Better than Tebow..
December 29th, 2009
12:15 am
Joe beat Timmy individually, slaughtered him, wasn’t even close.
Mauijacket
December 29th, 2009
12:16 am
Cuz—We appreciate the support—-i tvoed the dogs—watching them now——where was this energy all year?—-just against us and a and m??
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:16 am
MN, glad you had fun and they did not. Still waiting for that home and away with the Gophers. My two favorite teams. I wore my Gopher shirt yesterday. Baylie and I will probably come to MN this July.
Minnesota Dawg
December 29th, 2009
12:19 am
Cuz, should be some good weather for you. We got a foot of snow last week and it’s 8 degrees right now. We’ll see what the gophers do against Iowa State this week.
John
December 29th, 2009
12:20 am
Ummm….Garner doesn’t know about X’s and O’s, but holds a top 5 ranked offense to 7 points (14 garbage points after the game was decided) 2 grad assistants with no experience coaches the best special team game Georgia has played in years, better than the fired coaches with 15+ years in coaching.
RED DOG 77
December 29th, 2009
12:20 am
I cant agree Cuz, aint no way Im gonna wear nothin yeller for the O bowl. or for any other bowl for that matter
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:20 am
Maui, we have been like John the Baptist all year. Crying out in the Wilderness. We did not know what to do in putting together an offense. It took us eight games to realize Samuel was not the answer. Joe Cox did not even get the permanent nod til the sixth game. Orson Charles became a factor around game six. We were a team looking for a direction and no one had a GPS.
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:21 am
Red Dog, I have one yeller shirt. it does not get much use.
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:22 am
MN Dawg, this is why we come up in the summer. You have wonderful summers.
Then There's This
December 29th, 2009
12:23 am
Dawg’s gotta eat, huh, huh…Dawg’s…Daw Daw gughghs…..me stupid dog fan forever…
pork rinds and PBR rule…snapdagmit…huh huh…
just wait till we play The Little Sisters of the Poor next year,” whoo hoo!”
Mauijacket
December 29th, 2009
12:24 am
PHIL—-i learned a long time ago—if you are not careful—a battle of wits turns into a battle of nitwits!!
The strengh of schedules speak for themselves—and they do not LIE. If you want to look at the patsies the dogs scheduled for the first 4 games for years I’ll be happy to provide you with the facts—but you probably don’t deal in facts. For many years Dooley thought playing patsies early would get him somewhere—but he finally woke up. The problem is just like this year where your wonderful season is ruined before the leaves fall—–see OK State.
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:26 am
Background music for me is Baylie playing her Christmas ukeulele. How cool is that?
Joe Cox Better than Marino & Brady
December 29th, 2009
12:27 am
Joe Cox stands up well against some of the greatest QB’s:
——————————————
Tom Brady 1998 Michigan
131 Effic., 15 td’s, 12 int’s, 2636 yards
Joe Cox 2009 Georgia
138 Effic, 24 td’s, 15 int’s, 2584 yards
——————————————-
——————————————-
Dan Marino, Pittsburg, 1982
58% completion, 2432 yards, 17 td’s, 23 int’s, 67 pass rating
Joe Cox, Georgia, 2009
56% Completion, 2584 yards, 24 td’s, 15 int’s, 138 pass rating
——————————————–
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:28 am
I agree to agree Maui, I think we all should open with an Ohio Valley opponent.
dd
December 29th, 2009
12:28 am
Why do tech fans spend so much time on the UGA blog?
Ummmm
December 29th, 2009
12:28 am
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought Georgia played Texas A&M today? Why are we even talking about GT? Aren’t they playing on New Years? It’s kinda early for them to be talkin football…
RED DOG 77
December 29th, 2009
12:28 am
Yep John those grad assistants made us all proud tonight
leghumpers
December 29th, 2009
12:29 am
Way to roll over that 6-6 powerhouse! UGA is BACK! HA!
Mauijacket
December 29th, 2009
12:29 am
Common on Red Dog—your season is over—-Root Root for the home team—We Georgians 364 days a year—-and I live in Maui.
Pull out the ole “White and Gold” and let’s STING them hawkeyes!!
Cuz—-don’t forget the POLIDENT
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:30 am
I bet Joe’s percentages other than wins beats Belue and Lastinger too. Well, how could they not.
Joe Cox Better than Marino & Brady
December 29th, 2009
12:31 am
Joe Cox stands up well against some of the greatest QB’s:
——————————————
Tom Brady 1998 Michigan
131 Effic., 15 td’s, 12 int’s, 2636 yards
Joe Cox 2009 Georgia
138 Effic, 24 td’s, 15 int’s, 2584 yards
——————————————-
——————————————-
Dan Marino, Pittsburg, 1982
58% completion, 2432 yards, 17 td’s, 23 int’s, 67 pass rating
Joe Cox, Georgia, 2009
56% Completion, 2584 yards, 24 td’s, 15 int’s, 138 pass rating
ugafan426
December 29th, 2009
12:33 am
This was a good win for the Dawgs. I dont care what your record is, if you’ve got the #6 offense in the nation, your going to be tough to stop, and our boys played great. I cant even imagine what the score would have been if willie was still around. While this season wasnt one to remember forever, 8-5 is a solid record for what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, and if we dont fall asleep on UK and the LSU game doesnt go down like it did then we are looking at a 10-3 season even with all our penalties and turnovers. GO DAWGS! cant wait till next season!
RED DOG 77
December 29th, 2009
12:35 am
Maui…..I already told Cuz, I dont wear Yeller period
Vick=Dog killing Thug
December 29th, 2009
12:36 am
guess we dont miss Willie… Next year will rock !!
SickandTired
December 29th, 2009
12:38 am
Praise be to Mark Richt. He is a genius and a good christian man. He never does any wrong, and if he hires a bad defensive guy to lead his dawgs we should just bask in the glory that is Mark Richt and trust him whatever happens. He is the greatest and all the Dawgs love him. A living legend of a coach and underappreciated by the national media. He will make us proud with this hire I promise you. Keep on doing what you are doing Mark and maybe you’ll make it thru next season, but I doubt it.
Big D Dawg
December 29th, 2009
12:38 am
GT Joe, if you’re in miami why in the world are you spending so much time on a blog instead of enjoying the miami life. is it because you’re not in miami? just in case you’re wondering I just came in from my date with your mom. she knows how to take it!!
Cuz
December 29th, 2009
12:39 am
Funny, when I was attending UGA the rivalry was way more intense the week of our annual grudge match but not really existent at all the rest of the 51 weeks. Heck my buddies and I thought nothing of pulling for Tech. We thought nothing of anyone wearing a Tech logo. It was “Clean Old Fashioned Hate” that week and that game. It was the rivalry game, but I spoke to Mike Kelley, Tech QB, on the field after the game in 1980. We both went to the same high school. Many players were mingiling, not many or any Tech fans on the field. I just do not understand the 52 week hatred. I just really do not. Life really does go on.
ugafan426
December 29th, 2009
12:40 am
I think it is hilarious that Tech fans try to make themselves feel better by making fun of UGA’s bowl game. You lost, get over it, your school is too hard for you to be spending all your time hating everything about UGA
Note- YOU LOST TO THE TEAM PLAYED IN THE INDEPENDENCE BOWL (the independence bowl….really??!!)
30-24